Chapter 23
- Pale Light -
Teddy had never seen a gloomier looking structure in his life. Even the orphanage where he spent most of his childhood looked more inviting. Malfoy Manor looked even more scarier underneath the dark, cloudy sky. Not even the light of moon could be seen above as the Snatchers shoved them all forwards towards the large, iron front gate.
They were greeted by a familiar, infamous face. Bellatrix stared at them curiously, leaning close to the gate to see through the bars at them. Her black eyes shifted between each and everyone of them. Scabior gave a small half-smile, lifting Harry's hair from his forehead again.
A raspy gasp came from Bellatrix's lips followed by a hissy whisper. "Get Draco."
They were all led into the Malfoy Manor living room, which was just as dark and cold as the rest of the residence. All three Malfoys were waiting for them as they were dragged in. Draco looked between them all, his gaze flying from Ron, to Hermione, to Arkie and then to Teddy. His gaze rested on the half-werewolf, captured by the look in Teddy's eyes.
But finally he looked away and at Harry who Bellatrix was pushing towards him. "Well?" She giggled.
Draco stared at Harry's face and Teddy let out a sad breath. He knew Draco recognised him. They were truly done for. All there hard work, for nothing. They had to find a way out. He looked around the Manor, his searching eyes rested on the window. Arkie noticed this and watched as his face changed strangely. Almost like he knew something they didn't.
But he turned around, removing the thoughtful look from his face as if he'd never had it. He didn't even look at Arkie who finally stared helplessly back at Draco. "I can't be sure." His voice bounced off the walls decorated with still paintings, unlike the ones at Hogwarts. Teddy raised an eyebrow in surprise.
Mr. Malfoy took a step towards his son, whispering in his ear. "Draco. Look closely, son. If we are the ones to hand Potter over to the Dark Lord everything would be forgiven. All would be as it was, you understand?" This didn't seem to calm Draco and it certainly didn't please Scabior.
"Now, we won't be forgetting who actually caught him, I hope, Mr. Malfoy."
The long haired, well dressed man spun around to the filthy Snatcher. "You dare to talk to me like that in my own house!"
"Lucius." Bellatrix hissed, grabbing Draco by the shoulder and forcing him to crouch in front of Harry. "Don't be shy, sweetie. Come over."
Mr. Malfoy's hand gripped tightly at his cane nervously. "Now, if this isn't who we think it is, Draco, and we call him, he'll kill us all."
Teddy knew exactly who he meant by 'him'.
"We need to be absolutely sure."
Draco's eyes narrowed and Teddy got the sense he was trying to delay the inevitable. "What's wrong with his face?"
"Yes," Bellatrix's voice went up an octave. "What is wrong with his face?"
"He came to us like that." Scabior explained, looking bored about the lack of action and praise. "Something he picked up in the forest, I reckon."
"Or ran into a Stinging Jinx." Bellatrix's sly vice purred and her head flicked to Hermione. "Was it you, dearie? Give me her wand. We'll see what her last spell was."
Hermione flinched and the black witch cackled. She reminded Teddy of how muggles described witches in books, a few of which had been part of his father's collection. The only differences were that Bellatrix was more sexy, skinning and that he would've much preferred being caught by the witch in Hansel and Gretel compared to her.
"Ah. Got you." Her cackle was cut short but a sharp gasp. Her eyes widened further than Teddy thought possible. "What is that? Where'd you get that from?" She was pointing to the long, silver and ruby sword in one of the Snatcher's dirty hands.
"It was in her bag when we searched her. Reckon it's mine now." The Snatcher smirked. But Bellatrix flicked her wand and a long black rope coiled out, wrapping itself around the Snatchers neck. The sword fell from his grip.
"Are you mad?" Scabior spat.
"Go! Get out!" The Snatchers retreated as Bellatrix shot a warning curse at the wall. "Put the others in the cellar!" Bellatrix was furious. Her eyes wilder than usual and her skin had gone a full shade paler. "I want to have a little conversation with this one," she spat in Hermione's face. "Girl-to-girl!"
Teddy full on hissed at Peter Pettigrew as he threw them into the cellar and looked the iron bar door right in his face. His fingers wrapped around the bars as he stared at the short, dirty, rat-resembling man that'd not only betrayed his godfather and Harry's father, but his own.
Pettigrew gave one look at Teddy and flinched. The boy looked so much like his former friend, with strong green eyes that always seemed to hold some kind of deep message behind them, a lean figure and light brown hair. Even his face was near Remus' shape. But Teddy's hair had grown a little longer than Remus', though he was unsure if that was a style choice of Teddy's or just due to the rough living conditions he'd been in.
No matter. He turned away and scurried up the stairs, listening as Teddy banged once on the door with his foot in anger.
"What are we gonna do? We can't leave Hermione alone with her." Ron panted, pacing back and forth.
"We're not." Teddy grunted sourly. His head had begun to pound heavily like his heart. His muscles ached, probably from their recent run and from having their hands held behind their backs for so long.
"Teddy?" A soft voice came from the back of the cellar.
He looked up wide eyed. "Luna?" Sure enough the light haired girl was walking towards them, looking tired but none the less unhurt. Their happy reunion was cut short as Hermione's scream echoed from upstairs. Another headache shot through Teddy's skull like a bullet. He leaned against the wall, sinking to the floor.
"We have to get out of here." He replied, rubbing his scalp and taking a few deep breaths. Arkie looked at him, getting the feeling that he knew something they didn't again.
"There's no way out." More figures were walking towards them. Olivander and a small goblin. "We've tried everything. It's enchanted." Olivander explained, looking terrible and reminding Teddy of an old skeleton.
"You're bleeding, Harry." Luna said, pointing at Harry's ankle. He reached down at pulled out a long mirror shard from his sock, an old gift from Sirius. "That's a curious thing to keep in your sock."
Suddenly, there was movement from the stairs and Pettigrew appeared, unlocking the door and pointing his wand threateningly. "Let her go." Ron demanded.
"Shut up. Get back! You, goblin, come with me."
Clang! Click!
The door closed and locked and they were once again stuck in the cold, damp cellar. Teddy looked incredibly uncomfortable up against the wall. He kept extending his limps tensely, as if trying to stretch them out.
Crack!
He jumped as a small house elf appeared in the cell.
"Dobby? What are you doing here?" Harry gasped.
The house elf smiled cutely as he replied. "Dobby has come to rescue Harry Potter, of course. Dobby will always be there for Harry Potter."
"You can Apparate in and out of this room?" Teddy asked, standing up and feeling his back ache. "Could you take us with you?"
"Of course, sir. I'm an elf."
Harry looked at the others then to the door. "Alright Dobby, I want you to take Luna and Mr. Ollivander to-"
"Shell Cottage on the outskirts of Tinworth." Ron butted in and when all heads turned to him he shrugged. "Trust me."
Luna stood beside Dobby, her dress, which should've been the colour of sunflowers, covered in dirt. "Whenever you're ready, sir."
Dobby took in a deep breath and almost blushed. "Sir? I like her very much." He took both of their hands, looking at the others. "Meet me at the top of the stairs in 10 seconds."
Crack!
The sound echoed loudly. Pettigrew must've heard it as he suddenly came running down the stairs. But they were al ready for him. Before he reached the cellar Ron used his Deluminator to suck the light out, allowing them to hide in the utter blackness. Pettigrew looked into the cellar, but seeing nothing he opened the door.
Bang!
Something white struck his back. Pettigrew let out a long moan then crumbled to the ground in a heap. All four of them looked through the cell-like door to see Dobby standing at the top of the stairs. "Who gets his wand?" He called down.
"Here." Harry passed Teddy the wand but Teddy pushed it away. "You're the best dueler-"
"Trust me, it's better if you keep it for now."
With a hesitant nod they all crept up the stairs, walking back to the large hall where they'd left Hermione. Bellatrix's voice hummed from inside. "I'm only going to ask you once more, goblin. Think very, very carefully before you answer." They peeked into the room and Ron gasped silently when he spotted Hermione lying on the ground, the words mudblood written into the flesh on her arm.
Further in the room Bellatrix was crouching in front of the goblin, holding a dagger in one hand. "I don't know." He sneered.
"You don't know? Why weren't you doing your job? Who got into my vault? Who stole it?" Her face was inches from the goblin's, not caring how uncomfortable it obviously made him. "Who stole it? Well?"
"When I was last in your vault, the sword was there."
"Oh, well then, perhaps it just walked out on its own then." She hissed back.
"There is no place safer than Gringotts."
"Liar!" The dreary dressed witch snapped, flicking her hand so the dagger cut into the goblin's cheek. "Consider yourself lucky, goblin." She stood up, turning around to look at Hermione lying on the ground still. "The same won't be said for this one."
"Like hell." Ron growled from beside Harry, snatching Pettigrew's wand and running into the room. Teddy followed behind. "No!" He whispered, but it was far too late.
"Expellliarmus!"
The spell hit Lucius, causing his wand to fly into the air where it was caught by Harry, whose face had returned to normal. "Stupefy." Draco's wand landed on the ground and Harry passed it to Arkie. The same was done to Bellatrix's wand, but when Arkie turned around Teddy was no where to be seen. Where'd he gone? He wouldn't abandon them.
Instead she quickly passed it to Dobby.
"Stop!" Bellatrix screamed and all spells ceased. She was standing in the center of the room, holding Hermione by the hair and pressing the dagger to her throat. "Drop your wands. I said, drop them!"
There was a clattering of wood.
"Pick them up, Draco, now." Draco did as he was told then stood to the side of the room, looking close to tears. Arkie once again looked around. Where the hell was Teddy.
"Well, well, well, look what we have here." Bellatrix cooed to Hermione who whimpered. "It's Harry Potter. He's all bright and shiny and new again, just in time for the Dark Lord." The room was silent. It seemed as if the whole world had paused for this moment. To see what would happen next. Outside even the sky had cleared, as if to allow the moon to watch the scene play out.
Arkie took it a breath as the clouds faded into nothing. She stared back at Bellatrix in fear. "Call him." The Death Eater cackled to Draco, who did nothing. "Call him!"
Lucius stepped forward, pulling up his sleeve and revealing the dark magic on his pale arm. He held his hand over the tattoo, then paused. The man cocked his head, as if he had heard something to faint for the others to hear. "Well?" Bellatrix hissed. "Call him already!"
Whatever Mr. Malfoy had heard, Arkie heard it too. She looked around the room for the source of the low rumbling sound, though she knew who it was coming from. Everyone was doing the same, turning around on the spot curiously. "What the hell is that?" Bellatrix spat, turning to the group.
Arkie let out a single laugh causing everyone's attention to fall on her. "You chose the wrong night." She mumbled loud enough for everyone to hear. Then she winked. The rumbling grew louder, until it wasn't a rumbling it all. It was a growl.
The Death Eater spun on their heels their mouths dropped open. None of them spoke or even screamed. All they could do was stare...
At the tall Werewolf towering behind them.