Chapter 26

Greenfell Manor, Dungeons

Excruciating headache was the first thing that greeted him the moment Draco opened his eyes.

His entire body felt as if he got hit by a bludger, knocked off his broom and fell to the ground from 70 meters. Three times over. His bones ached and he was feeling tired and hungry.

Draco tried to blink away the double vision, and as he tried to move his arms, he noticed he was tied up to a chair.

Why was he tied up?

Where was he?

Draco looked around. He was in a cell. A similar one to the dungeons at the Malfoy Manor. There were wooden torches on the walls, burning and providing some dim light and a bit of warmth that pushed against the cold air that settled down here, in this top choice accommodation.

Not far from the chair that Draco was confined to, there was a table with all sorts of scary looking tools. It occurred to him that this cell was an interrogation room.

Draco felt the dread grow in his chest.

He began to think of an escape, and in doing so he attempted to loosen up the ropes he was tied up with, but every move he made brought him more pain. Not to mention he could hardly feel himself move. His body felt so heavy, as if he was half paralysed.

"The sleeping beauty has finally awakened. What a relief! We were beginning to worry you were really dead." A tall, weird man came from behind him. Draco turned to see there was a chair there. He must have been sitting there, watching him wake up.

Draco took a good look at him. He didn't look like a death eater. He didn't look like a wizard even. He was wearing, what appeared to be muggle clothes.

"Who are you?" Draco managed to breathe out through his very dry mouth. He was thirsty. He had no energy to look disgusted.

The maybe-muggle came closer and rested his hands on the sides of Draco's chair. He leaned forward until his face was only a few centimetres away from Draco's face.

"I am your worst nightmare." He whispered slowly, with a grin on his face, that made him look pretty crazy due to the light.

"Don't you have anywhere else to be, Klaus?" Came a drawl from behind the weird man. He straightened up and turned around to greet the newcomer.

"Back so soon?" Draco heard Klaus ask. He turned to Draco again and winked at him.

"See you later, blondie." Said Klaus, and went to leave the cell. The newcomer came closer into the light and Draco was able to see him a bit better.

This man, looked to be older than Draco, but not by much. Though he appeared younger than the other man he called Klaus. His face looked slightly familiar. But most importantly, he wore wizarding robes.

Draco almost felt relieved.

Almost.

The new figure moved to grab a chair and he placed it in front of him. He sat down on it and looked at Draco analytically.

"Let's not make this harder than it has to be." He said. "I will ask you questions and you will answer them as best as you can and I promise not to hurt you… too much." His lips curved slightly upwards.

"Who are you? Where am I?" Draco asked barely stopping himself from coughing. His throat was as dry as a desert sand.

"I'm your saviour and you, are my hostage. As for where, well, you will find that out once you tell me everything I want to know."

"You kidnapped me?" Draco's brows furrowed.

"He's fast, isn't he?" Klaus' voice came from behind them.

"Get out." The other man ordered sharply. Draco saw the silhouette move and disappear from his view, this time for good.

"What do you want from me?" He asked his kidnapper.

"Information. And in return I will let you live and maybe, if the information you give me is worth it, I might let you out of this cell."

"What use will that be to me when as soon as I get out, I will be found and killed for betraying the Dark Lord?" Draco hissed annoyed.

"Don't worry, they won't come after you. We faked your death." His lips curved upwards again. Draco found that particularly infuriating.

"What? How? Why!"

"What is the last thing you remember?" The kidnapper asked but Draco remained silent.

"You fainted last night. Your heart stopped and you've been declared dead. Once everyone left, we swapped your body, brought you here and gave you the antidote. We've been adding poison to your food and drink for weeks. I've been told your funeral is tomorrow. You're welcome."

"Welcome? Are you insane? Do you have any idea what you have done! I can never go back now." Draco lamented.

"Why would you want to?" He asked calm.

"My parents are mourning me when I'm alive! Who do you think you are! Let me out right now! I must go back now before it's too late." Draco growled loudly but was shocked into silence when the kidnapper moved faster than a snake. Before Draco noticed, his hand was on his throat.

"Stop yapping or I'll strangle the attitude out of you." He drawled.

"If you really wish to return, then as soon as I'm done with you, I will personally take you back, hand you over to His Darkness and inform him that it is I who betrayed him and you are not to blame. I'm sure he will show us all mercy because he's such a forgiving and compassionate master." The kidnapper rolled his eyes as he let go of Draco's throat with a final squeeze, sending him into a coughing fit.

"You're one of us?" Draco blinked. His eyes went down to the man's left arm.

"You have the dark mark." He said, noticing it for the first time.

"Very good, what else can you spot?" He asked as he was leaning against the wall. Draco followed his eyes to the table. The kidnapper stood up and went over to the table. He slid his hand over the sharp tools.

"Go on, torture me all you want! You don't scare me; I was tortured before! By the Dark Lord himself." Draco grumbled defensively but the kidnapper rolled his eyes at him.

"Yes that is something to be proud of, I'm sure." The kidnapper let out a sigh. "His tortures are nothing in comparison to what I can do. During the first war, it was I who tortured on his behalf." He admitted but Draco found himself doubting the truthfulness of that revelation.

"You don't look nearly old enough." He sneered.

"Well, there is a reason why I'm here and not at his side, anymore. I chose to fight and I am very determined to win." The kidnapper smirked at Draco.

"You can't win against him. If you think you can then you're a fool." He said apprehensively. Anyone thinking they were good enough to challenge Voldemort himself were either a Gryffindor or stupid. Or both.

"Draco, I've known Voldemort for longer than you think. I was his biggest fan since I was a child, I took the mark at 15. I served him, I killed at his orders, I was one of his most loyal and most trusted. I know his weaknesses and his strengths. I will fight against him and I will win, and you are going to help me."

"Why would I help you? I don't even know you." Draco hissed in defence. Whoever this guy was, Draco didn't feel like cooperating. Anyone who was as close to Voldemort as he claimed to be, was not to be trusted.

"Because you don't have a choice" The weight of those words clamped Draco down. Because deep down he knew, his options were very limited.

"I was once in your place, and I had to make that choice for myself." The kidnapper walked over to Draco's chair holding a very sharp knife. There was something about his expression that Draco didn't like…

"It was too late for me when I got out. So, I'm going to be the responsible adult here and I will make the right choice for you. Before it's too late. One day, you will thank me for it."

Draco gulped.

Lydia, Amelia, Claudius and Klaus were sitting in the living room, waiting for Regulus to finish 'Interrogating' their new guest. He's been at it for the past two days. No one else but Kiwi was allowed in with occasional meal and drink for the prisoner.

"What's taking him so long?" Lydia was pacing around the large room.

"Regulus is very thorough with everything he does. If the interrogation is taking this long, then I imagine there is a good reason for it." Claudius replied, sitting relaxed in his armchair.

"Yes, perhaps Regulus rediscovered his talent with sharp objects." Hermione's great aunt suggested, making her brother smile smugly. "Time flies when you're having fun." She added with mirth.

"Amelia! How can you say that? Regulus doesn't take pleasure in causing others harm." Lydia placed her hands on her hips.

"Doesn't he?" Amelia gave her a pointy look. Lydia let out an exasperated sigh and went to sit next to her father in law.

"You have been awfully quiet today, grandson." Noticed Claudius.

"Regulus told me to practice listening instead of talking. He said it's a skill I will need in the future, but I don't see what's so useful about it." Klaus replied, looking through the nearest window.

"If you haven't yet learned why it's useful, then you must do it more often." Regulus said as he walked in.

"Regulus! Finally! Where is Draco? I already prepared a bedroom for him." Lydia walked up to him.

"Thank you, Lady Greenfell, but our hostage isn't ready to join us up here just yet." Regulus walked over to the bar, poured himself a glass of whiskey and took a sip. "He is a fighting spirit, let me tell you that." He sniggered.

"Just don't go too hard on him. We want him to like us." Lydia insisted.

"We want him to work with us, I couldn't care less if he likes us or not." He took another sip.

"Well, if he does like us, there is a better chance of him doing his best to be of help in the future." Claudius concluded, turning the page in his newspaper.

"There are other ways of ensuring that, but I do see where you're coming from."

"Have you learned anything useful yet?" Amelia asked.

"I have indeed. It turns out Draco was the one to disarm Dumbledore before Snape cast the killing curse. If your suspicions are correct Claudius, then Draco is now the master of the Elder Wand." Regulus smirked.

After Dumbledore's death, Claudius delivered The Tales of Beedle the Bard to Hermione. Regulus suspected Dumbledore knew Hermione would be sceptical about the existence of the Hallows, so he gave her the book, in the hope that should would convince Harry to go after the Horcruxes, not Hallows.

So, it only made sense for Regulus and Claudius to take care of them instead.

There was no doubt, that Harry's Invisibility Cloak was one of the Hallows, after a closer look into Harry's bloodline. Claudius was able to trace it back to Ignotus Peverell.

Coincidence? Hardly…

If they located the Elder Wand, that only left the Resurrection Stone. But Regulus refused to believe Dumbledore wouldn't have it in his possession, or at least know where it was.

Claudius suspected Dumbledore to be the last Master of The Elder Wand. So, if Draco disarmed him that night, and Regulus had the boy in his grasp, the first Hallow was safe from His Darkness.

But the boy wasn't.

If Voldemort retrieved the wand he would soon discover it wouldn't listen to him like it should, as he wasn't the master. He would then go after Severus, and eventually he would realise who the only other wizard was present that night. He was too clever to not work out that Draco is still alive, and that would put Narcissa and Lucius in danger.

"If Draco is in fact the Master of the Elder Wand, then we must find it before Voldemort does." Claudius agreed.

Hogwarts, Great Hall

"Slughorn is the Head of Slytherin House isn't he. It only makes sense Regulus was his favourite. He seems to have a thing for his students becoming dark wizards doesn't he." Ron sat at the breakfast table, poking his sausage with a fork and moving beans around the plate.

"Not this again. Look mate, just let it go alright?" Harry ran his hand thought his messy hair. Going to Slughorn, only made things worse because Ron was now suspicious of the Potions Professor.

"Why don't we ask McGonagall? She's not biased for them; she would tell us the truth."

"Do you really think she would tell us anything? Regulus Black was a death eater, if we ask about him, she will change the topic." Harry scooted closer to Ron and leaned over. "And, she will tell the Order." He added, whispering.

"Regulus Black? Why do you guys want to know about him?" Seamus and Neville came over and sat down on the opposite side of the table.

"We heard he was one of his followers. Why? What do you know, Seamus?" Ron leaned forward.

"He was one of his closest circle, and one of the most feared ones. My uncle said, back then there was no way of telling who was one of his people, but everyone knew the Blacks were Death Eaters. Regulus went missing in 1979, but before he vanished, he killed and tortured a lot of people. Wizards or muggles, it didn't matter to him. He said he heard tales of a man so evil the hell spat him back out. Regulus Black was that man."

"Yeah, tales. Didn't Death Eaters thrive on fear? What if the stories were made up to make everyone fear them more?" Harry suggested, earning himself an eye roll from Ron.

"They were true, Harry." Neville said with a hard look in his eyes. "My nan told me he was there when Bellatrix killed my parents. He tortured them. He was a monster, just like the whole lot of them."

Harry was about to say something but stopped when he heard someone crying across the hall. The four boys turned to look at the Slytherin table, to see Pansy weeping into Blaise's uniform. Theo, Daphne and the other snakes around them looked all downcast and miserable.

"What's wrong with her?" Asked Ron. Seamus looked at the other three and their blank, confused expressions. Slytherins were not ones for public shows of any type of human emotions.

"Oh, didn't you guys hear? Apparently, Malfoy is dead. They already had his funeral and all." Seamus told them, reaching for the apple and taking a bite.

"He's dead?" Harry blinked. How could Malfoy be dead? What did that even mean? Harry, on multiple occasions throughout the years wished the blonde dead, but he never thought he would actually die.

"One death eater less in this world is more than enough reason to celebrate." Ron folded his arms, and attempted to smile but he found that he couldn't. Malfoy was an evil git, and Ron thought he would have been happier to hear of his death, but the joy he expected, wasn't quite there.

"How did he die?" Harry asked.

"Nobody knows. Slytherins don't know either. But they heard it happened at the Malfoy Manor."

"Good morning." The boys turned to see Hermione approach. She came and sat next to Harry. The food appeared on her plate and she began to eat.

"Hermione, Draco Malfoy is dead." Ron said gleefully, expecting her to be the happiest that her bully was gone for good, but she dropped her fork and froze.

"He-he's what?"

Greenfell Manor

Draco was awakened with a bucket of cold water to his face.

"Are you ready to talk, beautiful?" His nasty kidnapper smirked, as Draco was coughing up the water.

"Just kill me already." Draco groaned. His entire body was aching. His kidnapper didn't shy away from both wizarding and muggle methods of extorting the information.

"Not going to happen. I have great plans for you, Draco. But, just because I won't kill you, it doesn't mean that I'm not willing to hurt you, more, to make you talk. We are running out of time, so. While you were catching up on your beauty sleep the rest of us were busy."

"Who's this 'we' you keep talking about? Are you with the Order of the Phoenix?" Draco could still taste the blood on his lips.

"The Order of Phoenix do things their way and we, do things our way." The kidnapper said as he went outside the cell. Few seconds later he came back in, dragging a silhouette of a person along with him. They had a bag over their head so Draco couldn't see who it was. The kidnapper forced them to sit in the chair opposite to Draco's, and he tied their legs to it.

"Who could it be…" He said excitingly, making Draco feel sick to his stomach. He had enough already. What more could his kidnapper possibly come up with?

Soon the bag off her head was off and Draco instantly regretted he asked, because on that chair sat Hermione Granger.

"Surprise!" He laughed. "Ready to talk yet? Or shall I cut all her fingers off first?"

He looked into her panicked eyes. She looked so scared and so confused. She had her mouth covered with a cloth which prevented her from speaking. Draco was thrown off his balance for a good minute but his senses soon returned to him.

"Go on, kill her for all I care. She's a mudblood." He sneered, but that didn't discourage his kidnapper. Quite the opposite in fact.

"Shall I? Hmm, okay." The kidnapped went over to the table and grabbed a dagger. Draco watched as he walked back to Hermione and without hesitation he moved to drive the sharp thing in her stomach.

"Wait! Just, wait…" Draco shouted in the last second. "Don't hurt her, I will tell you, I will do whatever you want, just… let her go." He sighted.

Regulus smiled.

Finally. Draco's façade cracked.

"You would betray your Dark Lord for a mere mudblood?" He asked amused, but Draco couldn't find the humour in this situation.

Draco was ready. Regulus's job was done here.

It seemed that Draco's character was not so different from his own.

Regulus didn't care so much for the information he could get out of him. He needed to make sure the Malfoy heir couldn't and wouldn't go running back to the Dark Lord. He originally planned to interrogate him until the boy broke and there was not an ounce of loyalty to Voldemort left in him. But, Klaus' idea worked. Draco proved to value Hermione's life over his dark mark, and that changed things.

Regulus didn't need to keep this up any longer.

"First, I need you to draw a map, a floor plan of the Malfoy Manor, showing every corridor, every passage and every entrance and exit. You grew up there, so you must know it better than anyone." He asked the boy, who was sending glares at him.

"Fine, I will do it, but you have to let her go." He asked with determination in his eyes. Regulus almost felt bad for fooling him. The real Hermione was safely tucked in at Hogwarts. The Hermione tied to the chair was just Klaus. Regulus smiled.

"As you wish."

Draco was walking up the stone stairs, following his kidnapper who finally released him, after healing all his wounds, that he gave him, so that Draco was able to walk. The remaining pain was numbed by the feeling of uncertainty and mistrust he held towards the man walking before him.

Draco could barely see where he was going, there was darkness all around them. The only source of light came from the wooden torches on the walls.

Just where exactly was he?

"Mind your steps." The kidnapper said after Draco tripped for the second time.

"Where are you taking me?" He forced himself to ask.

"Out of here. To meet the family, you will be staying with."

Wonderful…

Judging by the poor surroundings, Draco's expectations for his new hosts, were low.

Surely his kidnapper wouldn't have him stay with anyone decent. He seemed like a rough guy, and he was a death eater. Dark wizards like him didn't usually have a very good record of taking good care for their hostages.

Whoever the family was, Draco had no doubt that his kidnapper wouldn't go out of his way to make Draco comfortable during his stay. However long it was. He didn't exactly share his plans with Draco. If the family wasn't some band of blood traitors and misfits, then they were probably as poor as the Weasleys.

Either way, whoever they turned out to be, anywhere was better for Draco to stay at, rather than the Malfoy Manor.

The kidnapper opened the door at the top of the staircase, and the bright light blinded Draco.

"Hurry, we're late for dinner." Said the kidnapper, looking at the pocket watch in his hand. Draco reached the top of the staircase and took a step into a beautiful and bright corridor. He turned to look at his kidnapper. He looked much younger and less frightening than in the darkness of the dungeon cell.

Draco found himself following the man, or rather the boy, down the corridor into the hall and then down a set of rooms connected by a set of doors that opened and closed, as they walked through them.

Draco looked through the big windows they were walking past. He saw vast and colourful gardens spread out, followed by trees and a land. This place was in a countryside. The rooms they walked through were grand and full of carvings and ornament on the walls and the ceilings.

So, the family he would say with wasn't exactly poor.

Suddenly he noticed the paintings on the walls, and felt dread rise in his stomach. His legs grew weak.

The paintings were still.

They weren't moving.

Surely not?

Could this house belong to a muggle family?

Draco gulped.

They walked through the last set of doors and into another hall that led to a massive dining room. Draco could smell the food and he could hear a conversation coming from there, the minute they stepped into the hall.

"Is being late to dinner some new fashion that I haven't heard about?" Asked an older lady that sat at the table, the moment they walked in through the door.

Draco noticed she was elegantly dressed. Just like the other three people that sat at the table. Suddenly his upbringing kicked in and Draco was grateful for the set of cleaning charms he was hit with, and the new robes he was given to change into.

"Forgive us, Lady Greenfell. Our hostage was taking longer to get changed than I expected." The kidnapper said as he pushed Draco into the seat next to the younger woman, who smiled warmly at him. Draco nodded his head politely.

The kidnapper went to sit on the opposite side of the table, next to the taller man Draco knew as Klaus. The accomplice winked at him, before he turned to pour drink into the glass of oldest man at the table, that he was sitting next to.

"Hello Draco, how do you feel?" Asked the oldest man.

"Better, thank you sir." He replied hesitantly, after clearing his throat.

"Guess I didn't beat his pureblood manners out of him." The kidnapper chuckled, reaching for his glass.

"And where are your pureblood manners, Regulus? I thought Walburga taught you better than to speak of violence during a meal." The older lady scolded him.

"My apologies Lady Greenfell." He replied with a small smirk dancing on his lips. Draco couldn't help but note the familiar names mentioned, but before he could make the connection, he was addressed by the kidnapper.

"Draco, this is the family you will be staying with. Let me introduce you. My Lord, may I present my first cousin, once removed Draco Malfoy." First cousin once removed? Regulus? Walburga? Draco's head was spinning.

"Draco, this is 37th Earl of Arundel, Lord Claudius Greenfell. His sister Lady Amelia Greenfell. His daughter in law, Dowager Countess of Surrey, Lady Lydia Greenfell. You already met his grandson, Niklaus Greenfell."

"Thank you for having me." Draco said automatically, but his head right now was in another place entirely. He found himself looking at his kidnapper who turned out to be related to him.

Could it be? The long lost Regulus Black? His mother's cousin who vanished all those years ago? But he didn't look much older than Draco…

"Please eat. You must be hungry." Lydia gestured to the food that appeared on Draco's plate. He blinked confused. The food wasn't there just a second ago, did it find its way by magic?

"Shall we discuss the arrangement?" Regulus said to the head of the family.

"There is nothing to discuss. I thought it was already decided Draco was to stay with us." Claudius replied.

"I just want to make sure we can keep this from the Order. They think they have everything under their control, and we must let them think that way. Or else, they will interfere."

"We have no choice but to keep this from the Order. They would ask too many questions we can't afford to give them an answer to." Amelia added.

It was true that it was only due to the druid magic that they were able to get Draco out.

The Order remained unaware of the Druidic ties the Greenfell family had and it was impractical to reveal their heritage before it was absolutely necessary.

"Am I wrong to assume you, and The Order of the Phoenix aren't working together?" Draco asked politely. Whoever these people were, his life was now in their hands and he wasn't stupid enough to be disrespectful. At least until he knew what he was standing on.

"We are. But due to the circumstances, the Order and Regulus couldn't come to an understanding regarding you, so we went behind their backs and took matters into our own hands." Lord Greenfell replied.

"Forgive me for asking but, are you muggles?" He dared to ask, but Claudius only gave him a small smile and turned to Regulus.

"Is that what you told him?" He asked with mirth.

"I never told him anything, not even who I was. I haven't a clue how he got to that conclusion during our short walk between his cell and this dining room." Regulus turned to look at Draco with a scanning look.

"The paintings weren't moving." Draco provided and reached for his glass.

"We're not muggles, we're druids." Said Klaus, cutting up his steak. Draco chocked on his drink.

"Klaus!"

"What? He was going to find out anyway. You can't very well hide it from him if he's going to live here."

"Wha-what? Druids?" Draco let out, suddenly feeling faint.

"We were getting to that…" Claudius cleared his throat.

"Where is Hermione?" Draco suddenly demanded. "What have you done with her?" He registered the amused look Regulus and Klaus shared with each other.

"Hermione? She's at Hogwarts." Lydia replied confused.

"Are you sure?" He asked sternly but with a nervous edge in his voice.

"I think I know where my daughter is, sweetheart." Lydia smiled.

"Daughter?!"

Hogwarts

Hermione…

Hermione?

Hermione

She opened her eyes and pushed herself up.

She looked around the room, but there was no one. The girls were sleeping in their beds. Hermione let out her breath she was holding and shook her head. Was she going to start hearing voices now?

Hermione laid back down and took a deep breath. She rolled over the side and came face to face with the owner of the voice, who was lying next to her.

"Aaaah!" She nearly jumped off her bed.

"Shh! Shh!" He caught her and placed his hand on her mouth. He looked over her head to see if her roommates were still asleep and he slowly took his hand off.

"Regulus! What are you doing here? How even..." She breathed out quietly.

"You don't need to whisper. I don't think they can hear us. I'm not really here, you see. Klaus has been helping me practice transferring my consciousness across to another place, but I think we are in your dream." He explained.

"You mean I'm asleep?"

"I don't have much time Hermione. Klaus can amplify my powers a lot, but this is still a very difficult spell so I can't keep it up for long yet." He brushed the hair off her face. "I miss you." He said.

"I've been waiting for a letter from you, every day. Why haven't you written to me in so long?" She frowned.

"I've been busy. Look you can't tell this to anyone, okay?" He breathed in. "We went behind the Order's back and we got Draco out."

"Draco? He's not dead? You saved him? Where is he?"

"No. We faked his death. He's at the Greenfell Manor. We all take turns at babysitting him. He's a bit cranky because he can't leave the property, but he knows it's for the best. How are things at Hogwarts?"

"Hogwarts is changing, the Ministry is trying to barge in and pry around, now that Dumbledore is gone. Professor McGonagall is trying her best to keep everything together, but who knows what will happen after this year The Muggle Studies are cancelled and the Professor that taught it, has disappeared."

"I saw her. She was killed during the meeting at Malfoy Manor, the night I got Draco out. I'm sorry Hermione." He hugged her and she leaned into his arms. They stayed like this for a while…

"Hermione I need you to do something for me." Regulus stroked her hair. "You'll be leaving here in a week. Harry is supposed to be taken to his aunt's home, before he is taken to a safe house on a Saturday, one week after his arrival. But Voldemort knows about it and he plans to attack while the order will be moving him. We can't change the date because it will compromise Severus, but what we can do is ruin the Order's plan singlehandedly." She let go of him and looked at his face. He was determined, and this was serious. She waited for the instructions.

"On the day of your arrival, there are meant to be two death eaters, hidden in the crowd at the station. They will be watching but they won't attack. I want you to spot one of them and make sure he notices you saw him. And then, you have to take Harry and side-apparate with him to the Tree Broomsticks. I will wait for you in a room number 13.

You're 17 so the trace won't detect it. It is important that the Order doesn't know and that the Dursleys are left at the station, waiting for Harry who will never show up. That way we can make it look like you acted because you saw them there, so the blame will fall on them, and not on Severus."

"I'll do it."

Hello, hello my darling readers!

If you're still reading this story, then your patience amazes me! I'm aching to move onto new stories but there is still quite a few chapters to go! So please bare with me as I'm making my way through the thick plot I constructed for this story! LOL

I have only just noticed this story has passed 100 followings and I couldn't be more grateful and happy. Thank you so much for reading and reviewing! You're all amazing people.

I hope everyone is having a good summer!

Lots of love,

Livxoxo