OLD MAGIC

Chapter 18: Terror Storm

"That dere is one cunning little devil," Hagrid snorted when the two of them were alone.

"I agree. Obviously, he paid attention during those lessons in strategy he'd been taught, hmm..." Hagrid just smiled. Snape finished his cocoa, his mind working furiously on how to implement Harry's plan.

"I suggest Draco be snatched as they walk toward the train. This would be the only way to insure everyone thinks something from the forest took him," Snape said, slowly.

"Aye, agreed. But it is the how we're having to come up with here."

"Hmm..."

Silence filled the warm room as the two men planned a kidnapping.

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

"Oy, Harry! Where've you been," Ron shouted when he spotted the black haired boy ducking into the dining room at supper time later that evening.

"Seeing Hagrid. I wanted to give him my gift before I forgot in all the excitement of packing and leaving," Harry said quickly. In truth, though, he hadn't given his gift as he'd intended to put it under the tree at their home in the forest but it made a great excuse.

"Oh, okay, though I don't know why you felt the need to give him a present." That hurtful comment made a flash of anger burn in Harry, but Ron never noticed as he went on, "Anyway, I've gotten that cruddy homework for Professor Snape done at last. Why the teachers thought we had to be loaded down now is beyond me."

"Maybe so we enjoy our holiday better," Harry snorted, letting the other comment go. It had been a lot of homework and he'd only just gotten his done last night though there was every chance the teachers could give them one last batch to make the misery of the past week complete.

"Hello, you two! Ready for vacation," Hermione said brightly, just arriving and taking her seat between them.

"Yeah, I'm all packed," Ron said, grinning.

"So did you finally finish your potion's homework?" she asked, knowing how well the boy always procrastinated.

Ron smirked. "I turned it in today...so there."

"Good for you," she laughed.

The food appeared suddenly before them and the children dug into the wonderful Christmas bounty. Desert was sure to be fantastic as well.

"I'm going to miss all this incredible food," Harry commented wistfully, filling up his plate and sniffing all the delicious aromas.

"Why? Don't they feed you well wherever you live?" Ron asked, surprised and concerned.

"Oh they do but it's all 'healthy' food," Harry complained as he loaded up with sweet potatoes, turkey, sweet breads, cranberries, and other delicious choices.

Ron rolled his eyes as he loaded his own plate high. "Sucks to be you. My mom will have nearly as much food as we have here and my whole family will be there even Charlie who's been working in Romania. I can hardly wait as it's been a long time since I saw him last."

"That's wonderful, Ron. Sounds like it will be a grand time for you," Harry said warmly.

"My parents have decided to go to my grandparents for Christmas this year. They live in Boston, Massachusetts in America. I'm really excited to go," Hermione said, filling her plate with only a small sampling of the foods laid out. She wasn't that big an eater but did like the variety provided at Hogwarts.

"Wow! That's cool, Hermione. Hope you have a great time there," Harry said sincerely.

"Hey, bring back plenty of pictures and souvenirs," Ron said, excitedly, wishing he could take such a trip one day.

"I promise." The three stopped talking so they could dig into their food.

As he ate, Harry glanced up at the high table. Professor Snape was talking to Professor Sinestra who had decided to sit next to him. He looked relaxed so perhaps he and Hagrid had come up with a plan. He hoped so.

Turning his attention away, Harry looked over at the Slytherin table. Draco wasn't smiling despite his fellow classmates grinning, joking, and eating on either side of him. It also looked like he barely had an appetite as his plate held very little and even that he was only shoving around the plate with his fork.

It made Harry sad to see how miserable the boy was. He hoped the plan worked and he'd see a happy Draco over the holidays. He'd keep his fingers crossed that nothing went wrong.

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

The day of leave taking finally arrived. Unfortunately, it had turned into a moderate snowstorm that had sprung up overnight, making the trek to the train a miserable, blinding affair with everyone holding onto a rope held by Hagrid who was making a narrow path with his huge body for them to walk through easier.

Complaints and curses were heard all down the line despite them being happy to be going home. No one could remember having a storm blow in on Christmas break before but this was Scotland and the weather could be unpredictable.

By the time half the students got aboard the train, they were cold and wet. The older students, prefects, and teachers that were going home, had applied warming charms to keep themselves warm on the trek but the first years who had not quite perfected the spell were crying about how cold they were. The teachers went about warming them up so were too preoccupied to know something had happened outside the train.

Suddenly a piercing scream of fear filled the air, making students nearby yell in fear as well. The single scream could be heard fading off away from the line of students. Those left behind were beginning to cry or curse.

Teachers bringing up the rear which included Professor Snape, hurriedly rushed their way up the line to see what was going on. It was then they discovered that someone or something had snatched Draco Malfoy.

The hysterical students said something big had grabbed the boy then disappeared into the storm.

"Get the children into the train. I'll send a message to the Headmaster," Snape shouted over the wailing children. He watched as two other teachers did as ordered then stepped away from the group so the storm hid him which allowed him to delay his message to Dumbledore. This storm had been sent by Hagrid's mother for just this reason.

He was rather amazed at how powerful she was to be able to conjure something so dangerous as a snowstorm. It was very impressive and he reminded himself to never make her mad at him. It had been Magorian who had spirited Draco away. Even now, the centaur leader was most likely deep in the forest by now. Weather didn't hamper centaurs at all.

Thinking he'd delayed long enough, he conjured his Patronus. The beautiful doe appeared, waiting for orders. "Bring the Headmaster here to me." It bobbed its head and swiftly disappeared into the storm.

He shivered as his body became covered in snow. Conjuring an umbrella and increasing the strength of his warming charm, Snape waited. He could hear the train's engine from where he stood but nothing else which meant all the students were now aboard. Suddenly a voice called to him. It was Professor McGonagall. She had been at the head of the line of students with Hagrid.

"Here!" He called, igniting his wand so it glowed, guiding her to him.

A dark shape came through the blowing snow to his side. "For goodness sake, Severus, why on earth didn't you come to the train when you were through? No one can see in this storm and it makes no sense to stand here in it," she scolded him, carrying her own umbrella.

"I'm warm enough," he lied. "I thought I'd stay out here to listen for any sound of the kidnapper but there's been nothing but the train's noise to hear. Whoever took the boy is long gone by now."

"Oh dear! Who could have done this and why?" She asked, worriedly, trying to peer through the whiteness of the storm.

"I have no idea but only a forest dweller would have dared to face this mess and not fear getting lost or dying in it," Snape said, planting the seed of their deception.

"Forest dwellers! Why on earth would they be interested in Draco Malfoy?" McGonagall exclaimed, totally bewildered.

"I have no idea, Minerva," Snape said, shrugging.

Another dark shape approached them. This one came from the direction of the castle.

"Minerva, Severus...what's happened?" Dumbledore asked. He carried a bright pink parasol that barely kept the snow from covering his face.

"Someone or something has kidnapped Draco Malfoy," McGonagall blurted out before Snape could speak.

Dumbledore looked shocked and concerned. He looked around and frowned before raising his wand and beginning a low chant. Snape shivered. Dumbledore was one of the most powerful wizards of their time, though, he firmly believed Harry would one day surpass him. The wizards weren't aware though that, Hagrid, his mother and some of the forest elders were equal in skill and strength as the Headmaster. That would blow his mind, Snape thought, smirking inside.

Dumbledore would be able to disperse the storm but it took a lot of energy which was why he hadn't done it to allow the students an easier passage to the train. Now there was no choice. Messing with the weather could have serious repercussions so it wasn't done except for the direst of reasons which this qualified but it had to be done very carefully. The Headmaster had to coax the storm to move on a little faster than it normal would have and send it toward the mountains. This took him about fifteen minutes before the storm finally moved off enough for them to see the fields that lead to the forest's edge and the gates of Hogwarts in the distance.

There was no sign of anyone moving over the whiteness and all traces of tracks had been thoroughly destroyed by the storm.

"We can never hope to find them ourselves. We'll have to contact the minister and have him send out the aurors for a major search," Dumbledore said, unhappily.

"Agreed. You want me to take care of that?" McGonagall asked.

"Yes, please. I want to interview the students and see what they might have seen then get them on their way as quick as possible. We don't want their parents to panic if the train is late arriving," Dumbledore said, moving off toward the train. "Help me get this done quickly, Severus," he told the potion's master over his shoulder. Snape sighed and trudged in the headmaster's wake while McGonagall hurried back to the castle.

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

"Did you hear? Draco Malfoy was kidnapped!" Hermione said, breathlessly as she burst into the compartment where her friends were settling in.

"What? Why would anyone want him for?" Ron blurted, surprised.

"Are you certain, Hermione?" Harry asked for forms sake. He was thrilled. The plan had worked and Draco was on his way to safety though he was certain the boy didn't think that was what was happening.

"Yes. I heard the Slytherins talking about it as I passed by their car. Many of them are scared and unhappy, fearing one of them might be next," she said, taking a seat next to Ron.

"Doesn't make sense to me," Harry muttered.

Ron thought it was good riddance but didn't' say that out loud knowing how Harry felt about the Slytherin. "I'm sure Dumbledore will call the ministry to have the aurors start a search."

"You're right. I just hope they find him before he comes to harm," Hermione said, worriedly.

"Just keep positive thoughts, Hermione. That's all we can do," Harry comforted her. He didn't want her to worry too much about Draco and ruin her Christmas. Too bad he couldn't tell her the boy would be alright without endangering all of them.

They learned the headmaster and potion's master were aboard questioning the ones who had been near Draco during the snatch and they would have to wait a little while longer before the train could leave. Many used the time to speculate about why and who could have taken the boy while others simply ignored the whole thing. An hour later, the train finally began to move out.

Harry could hardly wait to see Draco and wished he could get to their destination faster. The trip was going to take awhile so he decided to catch up on his sleep to pass the time. Hermione was still worried but buried her concerns in a book. Ron played exploding snaps with Neville for a little while before they too decided to sleep.