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He was trying so hard not to pace. And he was also trying so hard not to knock the Weasel King's teeth in. They were all sitting in the Headmaster's office, awaiting the old wizard's appearance, and it became painfully obvious to Draco that neither he nor the Weasel was very good with patience. Ron… he thought with a sigh. His name is Ron… Ginny would appreciate that little concession. Even if she wasn't here to acknowledge it.
The though spurred him into wanting to pace again. So, instead, he took a seat and looked around the room. Potter and Granger were there along with the Weasel. That was to be expected. Finnegan and Thomas also accompanied the Terrific Trio. And among all of the red and gold scarves was a single blue and white. Luna Lovegood looked small against the rest of the group.
"I don't get it. How could Ginny just Apparate like that?" Ron asked, rubbing his head in confusion.
"She didn't. I think she was taken…" Harry said.
"How the bloody hell could she be 'taken'? There's no magic that can do that! If there were, don't you think we would have won this war by now?" Ron bellowed. Hermione reached out and took Ron's hand, calming him slightly.
"Someone has been experimenting," Draco interrupted quietly. All of the faces turned to him.
"What are you on about?" Ron asked with a frown. Draco sighed as he sat in one of the chairs.
"I've a contact within the Death Eater ranks. They told me that it felt as if the dark magics were being played around with at meetings they've attended. Not from the Dark Lord, but from others…" he said. Ron's face turned an ugly shade of red.
"You've a contact in the…" he stuttered out. "And you're just telling us this now!" Draco frowned as he looked up at the redhead towering over him.
"What did you expect me to do, Weasley? Mind read? All I knew was that someone was adapting spells. I didn't know why, or for whom, or when. Don't you think that if I'd know it was going to be used on Ginny that I would have done something?" he asked, his own anger making his face a little flushed. Ron sneered.
"I don't know, would you have?" he asked snottily. Hermione hissed out her boyfriend's name in warning. Draco stood, causing the other boy to step back at the sudden movement.
"How dare you…" Draco started, fists clenching. Dean and Seamus both took steps closer to Ron just in case the Slytherin decided to throw a punch.
"Zabini…" Harry's voice broke in. The blond turned to look at him.
"What?" he asked. Harry cleared his throat.
"Your contact. It's Zabini, isn't it?" he asked. Draco crossed his arms.
"Why would you think that?"
"He's been a bit shifty as of late. Secretive, watchful… Plus, he's been speaking with Colin Creevey quite a bit. That has been a little strange," Harry noted. Draco nodded.
"I have my theories about Creevey," he said. Harry nodded and looked to Hermione.
"So do we, actually," he said. Hermione stepped forward so that she could see Draco.
"Your friend Goyle is still missing. The last person to be seen with him was Colin…" she relayed.
"Seen by whom?" Hermione let out a breath.
"Luna…" she said. Everyone turned to look at the other girl, who nodded her head in affirmation.
"Michael Corner was with them," she said. Silence fell as each of the students realized the susceptibility of each of the Houses.
"What about the DA, Harry?" Dean asked, breaking the unsettling quiet. Harry let out a breath.
"Tonight, Harry. Tonight would be best," an aged voice startled the students. They all turned to see Dumbledore standing with Professors McGonagall and Snape.
"Tonight, sir?" Harry asked, frowning at the urgency. Dumbledore stepped further into the room and slowly made his way to where his desk sat. Snape and McGonagall followed. Suddenly, the floo came to life and two figures stepped out of the green fire. Ron stepped forward.
"Dad!" he said. "Bill…" Arthur Weasley brushed himself off and then reached out to squeeze his youngest son's arm.
"What has been decided, Albus?" he asked. Dumbledore smiled.
"Harry was just telling me about his plans for the DA," he said. All eyes turned to Harry, who shifted on his feet uncomfortably.
"I can call them all together tonight," he said. McGonagall gave a stiff nod.
"Good. I will contact the Order. They will be there," she said. Dumbledore held up his hand.
"Minerva, let young Weasley inform the Order," he said, nodding to Bill. The oldest Weasley sibling gave a nod, met Ron's gaze quickly, and then stepped into the floo once more.
"The Order?" Hermione asked.
"Yes. The Order of the Phoenix will be present at your meeting of the DA," Snape said tightly.
"You think something will happen?" Draco asked. Snape turned to look at his prize pupil.
"Something already has, Mr. Malfoy," he said. He then turned to look at Harry. "What Voldemort has done is declare war."
"You mean…" Hermione started.
"That's right, Ms. Granger," Snape interrupted. "There will be no more waiting. The battle has begun."
"He has no plans to return Ginny, then. Or even hold her for some sort of ransom," Draco hissed out, his heart going cold. Ron stepped forward, clenching his fist.
"Shut your gob, Malfoy," he growled. Snape pushed the redhead back to where he'd been standing.
"Keep your wits about you, Weasley. What Draco has said is completely correct. If you wish to see your sister alive again, I would cease your tantrums and start to use your head. I'm certain you know where you've left it," Snape commented dryly and looking doubtful. Ron glared at the dark-haired professor. But rather than comment, the boy turned to Harry.
"What are we going to do?" Harry swallowed.
"I don't think there's going to be a 'we' in this, Ron."
"What are you talking about? Harry, this is Ginny!" the redhead cried. Harry looked to Dumbledore.
"Am I right?" he asked. The headmaster smiled.
"I'm afraid your assessment is correct, Harry," he said. Ron threw up his arms.
"What about my sister?" he called to the room. Professor McGonagall went to Ron and set a hand on his shoulder to calm him.
"Patience, Mr. Weasley," she reminded him "There is always a plan…" All of the occupants of the small room looked to Professor Dumbledore.
"Harry is needed for much bigger things. The taking of Miss Weasley is one of many things. It is meant to be a distraction. Voldemort is luring Harry out. But it must not be done," the old wizard said. Ron whimpered and Hermione wrapped and arm around his waist.
"Then what is to be done?" Hermione asked. Snape crossed his arms and glowered at Harry.
"Potter will remain with the Order. The meeting tonight with the DA is meant to find those most able to search out and rescue Miss Weasley," he said.
"To be led by whom?" Hermione asked. "Since Harry isn't going to be available." Snape smirked.
"Certainly not Mr. Weasley," he said with a look at Ron.
"Severus…" Arthur's voice warned. Snape looked duly apologetic to the elder Weasley and then turned to look at Draco.
"We've another within our walls able to pull off such a stunt," he said. All eyes went to Draco, who stood with arms crossed and a scowl on his features. Ron gripped Hermione's arm and then looked to his father.
"Dad… no… Not him," he pleaded. Arthur placed a hand on his son's shoulder, but kept his gaze on Draco.
"Ronald… this is one of those many things that Dumbledore was taking about…"
"But Dad…" the redhead was silenced by a look from Arthur.
"This is for the best. Draco is not a Death Eater. But he has expressly stated that he wants no part in this war." Arthur's comment caused Draco's chin to lift when Ron looked over at him. But Arthur paid no attention as he continued. "He cares for Ginny and I feel he will do anything to find her. What better way to utilize his talents…"
"I don't trust him," Ron muttered. Arthur finally looked at his son.
"I do. And right now, that's what matters."
"But he's a bloody Malfoy…" Arthur gave Ron a weary look.
"And you're a Weasley. Act like one," he said.
"Hear, hear," Draco said. Ron glared at him, but quickly reddened when he realized that everyone had been privy to the family discussion.
"Yes, Dad," he said, reaching to take Hermione's free hand in his and looking to his father. "But what are you going to do? Are you going to be with the Order?" Arthur stood up straight.
"I will be with the Order. It has been rumored that there are many within the Ministry that are in league with Voldemort. We will see if that is true," he said. Harry frowned.
"How? Have there been many arrested?" he asked. Arthur smiled.
"No, Harry. We are to raid their homes," he said.
"What purpose would that serve, Mr. Weasley? If this is truly the beginning of the war, why something as simple as raids?" Hermione asked.
"Raids are not simple, 'Mione," Ron whined, concern marked on his face as he waited for Arthur's answer. She squeezed his hand.
"Sorry. I misspoke," she said, but did not change her question.
"My dear Miss Granger… they are not merely raids," Dumbledore noted. Then he smiled. "It is also a diversion…"
"For what?" Ron asked. Draco crossed his arms.
"You really are thick, aren't you Weasley?" he drawled. "A diversion so that we can get in and find your sister…" The redhead flinched at the word he'd used earlier to reference Harry and him.
"It will also draw out a larger strike from Voldemort," Snape said.
"Why do we wish to do that, sir?" Seamus' nervously lilted voice asked.
"Because, Mr. Finnigan, we are ready," Dumbledore said. "We no longer wish to carry on this strike versus strike intrigue. It is better to get this under way than it is to drag it out." No one said anything. Whether it was because they didn't agree or because they didn't know what to say, no one knew.
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Later that evening…
There was a concerned murmur going around the crowd of students as they gathered in the Room of Requirement. Professors McGonagall, Snape, Hooch and Dumbledore all stood at the head of the room. Being that this was a secret meeting of the DA, the group of teenagers all wondered if the jig was up.
"Welcome," Dumbledore's voice echoed through the room. Everyone became silent without any prompting. "I'm sure you are all wondering why it is we are here…" The headmaster extended an arm out and there was a collective gasp as figures stepped out from the shadows, among them being Remus Lupin and Mad-Eye Moody.
"Was this a trap?" a nervous student called. "Are we to be expelled?" Dumbledore smiled.
"No, my boy. This is not a trap. We have merely called to order the first joint meeting between Dumbledore's Army and the Order of the Phoenix…" he said. Shocked muttering overtook the room. It crescendo-ed as Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini elbowed their way through the group.
"What are the Slytherins doing here?" a Hufflepuff asked in indignation. All talking ceased as Dumbledore held up a hand.
"As you are all aware, Ginny Weasley was taken this afternoon. She was taken from within the confines of Hogwarts," he said. All eyes readily went to Ron, who was standing uncomfortably with Harry and Hermione near the front of the room. Mad-Eye Moody stepped forward.
"Tonight, we're here to see who among you is at their best…" he said in his gravelly voice, his eye roaming the gathered group.
"Best for what?" a Ravenclaw piped up.
"The best for battle, of course," Draco drawled, causing a stir to rise up within the DA once more.
"Are we to battle Vold… Vol… him?" a fifth year Gryffindor asked. Dumbledore held up his hand to quiet the frightened mutterings.
"No," the old wizard's voice echoed through the room. "That is not your task. But what you will be asked to partake in may be just as dangerous." There was silence as all waited for the explanation to come. There was none. Professor McGonagall clapped her hands together and made her way down to where the students stood.
"Everyone pair up. We are to evaluate your dueling skills," she commanded. Ron stood stiffly next to Hermione as they watched their peers pair off uncomfortably. Two Ravenclaws scooted by the pair.
"They said it was dangerous. What if I don't want to do anything dangerous?" one of them asked. Ron glared.
"Then what are you doing here?" he asked. The two girls turned to look at him with wide eyes.
"I'd have to agree with Weasley," Draco's voice drawled. "Did you think we were going to be knitting jumpers and having tea? This is Dumbledore's Army…" Ron and Hermione spun around to level looks of grudging gratitude and relief respectively at the other boy. When they all looked back to the Ravenclaws, the girls had lifted their chins and gone to start their dueling.
"Thank you, Draco," Hermione said. Ron just huffed and gripped her hand, leading her away to begin their duel. Draco rolled his eyes and stalked his way over to a Hufflepuff, Nigel Van Horn, who was standing alone and watching his friends jelly-leg jinx each other.
"Come along then. We'd best see how ghastly you are," Draco sneered. He walked a few feet away and then turned, pulling his wand up in salute. The other boy watched Draco with suspicion as he, too, took his own position.
"You're nothing but a miserable, useless Slytherin. Dumbledore and McGonagall are daft to trust any of you lot," Nigel said as he lifted his wand in salute. Draco's jaw tightened at the uncalled for barb and he aimed his wand at the other boy. Without warning, the Hufflepuff lifted into the air and was thrown back against the wall behind him. As he brought himself to his feet, anger and fear were written across his features.
"What the bloody hell was that?" he asked. Draco's eyes narrowed.
"A lesson. Mind your mouth," he said. Nigel rotated his arm around. Satisfied that he was in one piece, he lifted his wand to counterstrike his opponent's unspoken jinx.
"Perhaps you should mind your own. Only those that have dark direction can cast unspoken spells that well…" Draco just smirked as the student cast the disarming spell.
"Perhaps you'd like to see what I can do without my wand…" he warned. The other boy scoffed and raised his wand to make another strike, but Draco beat him to the punch.
"Sectumsempra!"
A gash of red appeared on Nigel's wand arm and he looked up in fear at Draco once more as his wand clattered to the ground and he gripped the bleeding appendage.
"Would you like another?" the blond sneered, his lip curling in disdain. The Hufflepuff shook his head. "Then I suggest you keep your mouth shut." He was about to level a jinx in the other student's general direction when he was pulled away. He looked up into the angry face of his Head of House.
"What the bloody hell are you doing?" he growled. Draco shrugged the grip off of his arm.
"What I had to," he retorted. Severus cast a quick, worried look to a distracted Dumbledore and then back to his student.
"How did you know that spell?" he asked softly. Draco shrugged again as he straightened his robes.
"I found it in a book. One of yours, to be precise," he answered. Severus let out a breath as he looked to Nigel.
"Go to Madame Pomfrey, you addled fool," he said with a glower. The Hufflepuff's eyes stayed wide as he nodded and turned to run out of the room. Severus turned back to look at Draco.
"Have you practiced it on anyone?" Draco shook his head.
"I didn't know it was going to do that. I just felt it was a good spell to try," he said. There was silence as Severus thought over the words. Finally, he looked to Dumbledore again, who was now watching the two of them.
"Come with me, Draco," he ordered. The pair walked through the rows of dueling students and towards the door.
"Where are you taking me?" Draco asked. Severus reached out and urged Draco ahead of him.
"Somewhere we can discuss some things. I believe there are some things you need to be aware of."
Once they were alone in the Potions classroom, Severus spun around to look hard at Draco.
"How have you felt today?" he asked. Draco frowned.
"Perfectly fine…" he said. "What is it you wished to discuss?" The Potions professor rolled his eyes.
"Your sudden inclination to display inordinate amounts of temper…" he said sarcastically. Draco's frown deepened as he grasped his professor's meaning.
"But sir, a lot of wizards can do unspoken magic and even wandless magic. You've done so loads of times," Draco said while picking a piece of lint off of his robes. Severus sighed.
"It is true that in your seventh year here you begin to master the fine art of magic through thought. But Draco… what you have displayed this evening is beyond what even the brightest Hogwarts graduate would be capable of. And the wandless magic… that requires years of skill. But with recent developments come to light, it does not surprise me…"
"Recent developments? What are you saying?" Severus looked aggrieved as he slowly sat down in his chair.
"I am saying, Draco, that you have been bred to be the next Dark Lord…" To say the older man had put it bluntly would be a gross understatement.
"The next Dark Lord," Draco breathed weakly. Before, he'd been unconcerned about where this conversation had been going. Now, he just felt sick. "How do you know this? Why?" Severus steepled his fingers over the textbook he'd laid on his desk.
"As you come closer to reaching the age of adulthood, Draco, your powers have increased monumentally. It is why you can do wandless magic and difficult unspoken spells; it is why you can do spells that normal wizards cannot. It… it is why you dream," Severus explained.
"The Dark Lord is waging war as we speak. How am I to take his place?" Severus smiled, but it was humorless.
"Draco, your father denounced the Dark Lord years ago. Not as an act of cowardly self-preservation, but as a subtle act of rebellion. For he had a son… a son who exhibited powers greater than even the Dark Lord himself. The one act of disloyalty to Voldemort produced legions within the Death Eater ranks who would think as your father does. I just never made the entire connection until recently."
"Betrayers," Draco muttered. Severus nodded.
"There is a large faction of the Dark Lord's supporters who hope to see Potter succeed… and you take the Death Eater oath. It is why you were taken earlier this year…" Suddenly pieces started to fall into place.
"That is why half of Slytherin stayed. The others – Warrington, Crabbe – are true to Voldemort. The ones who stayed…"
"… are the children of those who wish to see you on Voldemort's throne." Silver eyes met inky black ones.
"And Ginny?"
"A catalyst. A movement to call forth the war, but with dual purposes: one to call forth Potter in his action against Voldemort. And the other to call you forth to take your place that has been fitted to you your whole life." Draco paced in front of the classroom.
"What is to be done?" he asked, stopping to look at his mentor. Severus sat up and spread his arms.
"Let Potter fulfill his purpose. There is no way around that. But for you… only you can decide where to go from here." The silence was almost painful as each mulled over the conversation. Finally, Draco stopped pacing and turned to look at Severus.
"Maybe we can use this to our advantage," he muttered thoughtfully after a moment before resuming his pacing. Severus smirked. Only a Slytherin could think in the vein of Draco's thoughts. The boy was Slytherin to the core, no matter what Dumbledore thought. And for that, Severus felt an overpowering sense of pride. To use the power wielded against those who bestowed it…
"Does the Order know of your… findings?" Draco asked. Severus shook his head.
"I only just put it all together. But I know Professor Dumbledore suspects. He is aware of your… potential. He may not have been privy to many of the conversations and memories that I have, nor all the magics and texts, but the old man has his bloody ways…" Draco chuckled.
"That he does. Should we tell him of what we know?" he asked. Severus' eyes met his pupil's.
"I do not know, Draco. This is not just a war against Harry Potter. This is a war against Albus Dumbledore as well. He would make a powerful ally, but if we try to use this information, it may be detrimental to our purpose… I am no longer trusted within the Death Eater ranks. And the headmaster is not as young as he once was… You may need to be stronger than you think," the Potions professor noted. Draco nodded. Silence fell as they thought over the possibilities. Draco straightened.
"We need to save Ginny first. I will not have her die by the Dark Lord's hand as a mere pawn," he said. Severus laid a hand on the teenager's shoulder.
"I fear it may not be safe for you to be there when we go to rescue her," he said. "I fear she may die by your hand…" Draco's eyes went wide.
"I would never hurt Ginny," he spat out. Severus closed his eyes and willed for patience.
"I know that, Draco. But it is not your will that I question. You have been having dreams. Dreams that speak of the future. If you are there when we recover her, I fear other things may drive you to do that which you wish not to do."
"The Imperius curse…" Draco noted. Severus' dark eyes locked on Draco's.
"That is not all I fear. Anger is a powerful ally. It does not control our actions, but it leads us to decisions that we would normally avoid," he said. With that, the Potions professor rolled up his sleeve to show his Dark Mark. "Case in point…" Draco swallowed hard at the black ink on his mentor's arm. It is that resentment and that anger that turned him into what he is this day… Never before had words echoed in his head more. Draco swallowed. He was aware of what his most trusted ally was saying. There was no saying as to what he would be capable of if something happened to Ginny. And there was no saying what more he could be capable of if he were the cause of whatever that something was – whatever the situation.
"I understand." Severus let the sleeve of his robes fall back over the hated brand.
"Good. Now… let Potter and Dumbledore assemble their band of merry idiots. Let us discuss what is to happen."
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"Where do you suppose that slimy ferret went?" Ron asked. Hermione let out a huff.
"Ronald. If you don't quit grumbling about Malfoy, I'm going to have to hex your lips shut," she said. Ron's eyes widened.
"You wouldn't," he said. Hermione let her wand dangle between her fingers.
"Try me…" she said with a stern look.
"Fine," Ron grumbled, crossing his arms and glaring at the few number of Slytherins practicing their hexes and blocks.
"Like it or not, Ron, Malfoy cares for your sister. And like it or not, he's going to play an integral part in getting her back. Harry cannot help us this time. He's got bigger and more dangerous things to think about. Malfoy is our best bet. You saw what he did earlier to that Nigel character. I can't even begin to tell you how he went about it," she said, looking chagrinned at the thought. Ron turned to look at her.
"That's what frightens me about him, Hermione," he admitted. His eyes flew back to where the Slytherins stood fighting. "He has a power that's different from Harry's."
"Aye," a gruff voice said from behind them. They turned to see Mad-Eye Moody approaching them. "Different is right. It is why you must be vigilant, my boy. Constant vigilance and swift action is what separates the brave from the dead." Ron looked confused.
"And how, exactly, is that supposed to bloody help?" he asked. Hermione glared at him.
"Hush, Ron…" Mad-Eye just laughed before taking a sip from his flask and tucking it back in the pocket of his coat.
"I never presumed to give you advice, boy. I was just agreeing with you," he said before turning to go talk to Professor McGonagall.
"I used to think you were mental…" Ron grumbled. "I must have been wrong in what I thought was mental." He let out a small chuckle as Hermione hit him in the arm.
"You're a charmer, Ronald," she said sarcastically. Ron shrugged as he prepared to level a hex her way.
"Natural part of being a Weasley, I'm afraid," he said. Hermione smiled as she deflected the spell back to him. Then she set her hands on her hips.
"You're going to have to try a stronger spell, Ron. We're not going to be able to save Ginny with a Bug-Eye Hex." The reminder was just as good as a dousing with ice water. Ron's jovial moment went out the window like an owl with its tail on fire.
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"Silencio!" Ginny Weasley's angry condemnations had become tiresome over the lengthy amount of time she's been in his company and his sister-in-law only seemed to encourage the young girl. As the echoes of Bellatrix's laughter faded and silence reigned once more, Ginny glowered at the man in front of her. She mouthed the word 'coward' as he shut the door behind him, but he gave it no attention.
"We meet again Miss Weasley," Lucius drawled as he finally removed the mask that had kept his identity from her in their previous meetings. Her eyes went wide and she stopped struggling in her bonds. "Though I doubt you ever knew your full importance in things to come. I certainly did not…" Ginny frowned at the man in front of her. Lucius only smiled. "You know, Miss Weasley, you are the only thing standing between me and my son's rightful place in the wizarding world. It will be a pleasure to watch him kill you…"
"What about young Warrington, Brother?" Bellatrix asked him. Lucius shook his head.
"Do not worry about him. He knows what he needs to know. His arrogance and his belief in Lord Voldemort will be his downfall…" The sound of the door opening again drew his attention away from the redheaded girl. His wife was grace and beauty even in the dankest, darkest reaches of their purpose.
"Lucius, my darling. The Dark Lord wishes you to bring him the girl…" she announced, her gaze not once being spared for the wide-eyed girl on the floor.
"Of course, my love," he returned, his jaw tight as he wondered at the purpose. Ginny's squeak of fear was not heard as Bellatrix roughly pulled her to her feet. She could only hope that she would live through the night…
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