Harry was awakened by a sharp kick to the ribs. Above him stood an enraged Theodore Nott.

"Wake up, half-blood." He sneered.

Harry squinted up at him in the darkness. "What's going on, Nott?" This was the first time he had actually seen his captor rather than just a house elf. But why would Theodore Nott of all people want to kidnap him?

"Your mudblood friend and stupid Malfoy almost ruined everything. But now you can be useful to me, the final ingredient of the potion."

"What potion?" With a wave of his wand, a small bubbling cauldron appeared in front of them.

"I need the blood of someone who has repelled an army of dementors," he replied, taking out a knife.

Harry started to panic now. Any time someone needed his blood for a potion, it was never a good thing. That must be what the potion was for, something to repel dementors. And that could only mean one thing. Nott's father was going to be broken out of Azkaban.

"Why are you doing this?"

"None of your business."

"You won't get away with whatever you're planning," Harry said, wincing as the knife sliced into his hand. The blood dripped down his arm as Theo collected a few drops in the cauldron.

"Oh, Potter. Now that this is finished, I already have," he said with a smirk as the contents in the cauldron began to glow a light blue color. Theo then took the pot and walked up the stairs in the corner of the room.

Harry struggled weakley against the chains that held him to the wall, too drained and malnourished to attempt wandless magic. He looked across the room at Narcissa Malfoy. She was slumped over and her hair hung limply around her face. The two of them had been left alone until tonight, but she was still unable to talk to him. He wasn't even sure that she could hear him.

He thought back to what Theo had said. Something about his "mudblood friend and Malfoy" almost ruining his plans. Whatever had happened, Hermione must be onto him. With a small smile, he closed his eyes and fell back asleep, confident that help would be on the way.


Hermione sat in her common room listing all of the food she wanted served at the Winter Ball, but couldn't focus. She was too worried about Harry and Draco's mother to think about much else. It was even worse now that Theo was on the run and armed with a dangerous potion that could release two of the most dangerous death eaters.

She had tried sending a patronus to Harry, but her patronus had come back shortly, unable to find him. Wherever he was, he was heavily guarded by magic wards. Despite Blaise's attempts to comfort her, there was a large part of her that felt guilty. She should have known something was wrong when Harry never wrote her back.

Her thoughts quickly drifted to Blaise and Draco. She couldn't helped but admit it to herself, she had feelings Blaise. It definitely seemed like he was attracted to her as well. They hadn't talked about what had developed between them, as nothing had actually happened. However, the timing for them didn't feel right. She hoped that when this was all over, maybe there would be a chance for them.

Draco on the other hand had seemed in quite a bitter mood when she tried to talk to him earlier that morning. Their friendship had started out awkwardly, but over time she considered her to be a very good friend. They never spoke of their past, and still disagreed on many things, but in their own ways, they cared about each other.

Trying to get her thoughts back on track, she quickly scanned her list of food and necessary decorations. She already met with the house elves to plan out some small details. Although it seemed silly to think about any kind of festivities when two lives were at stake.

She was brought out of her thoughts as the portrait swung open. Blaise ran in looking panicked.

"What's wrong?" She asked immediately.

"Draco is gone."


Draco swore under his breath as he tripped in the hallway, scattering his papers everywhere. It just wasn't his day. On top of all the drama with finding his mother and learning that his favorite house elf died, he now had to deal with Hermione and Blaise being all lovey-dovey. He wasn't willing to admit why it bothered him so much. He couldn't have feelings for Hermione Granger of all people. While he definitely wasn't in love with her by any means, he respected and admired her for who she was. Even when he was still a child he had always noticed her, one of the many reasons he had grown to resent her so much throughout their youth. Everything was different now though. It also didn't help that if Hermione and Blaise became a couple, they'd no doubt cast him out of their little circle of friendship the three of them had developed. He couldn't stand to be alone again.

Being watched and monitored all day didn't help to lighten his mood either. He was grateful that Blaise cared enough to stay with him, but he needed room to breathe. Being watched made him feel like even more of a prisoner in the castle than he already was.

"Do you need some help?" A light voice asked from behind him. Before he could turn around, a slender arm appeared next to his and began gathering his papers.

"Greengrass," he greeted. He had seen Astoria Greengrass at the Slug Club, and they always acknowledged the other. She was one of the few Slytherin girls who didn't look at him with disdain or pity.

"Malfoy," she replied. They stood up and she handed him his things.

"Thanks," he said awkwardly, slightly embarrassed that she had managed to surprise him.

He began try and strike up a conversation but there was a loud crack behind him. Theo appeared with a snarl. "You're coming with me."

Draco narrowed his eyes at Theo and took out his wand. "No." He threw a curse at Theo, knowing that it would alert McGonagall if he used an attack spell.

Theo dodged his spell and threw a curse of his own. But instead of throwing it at Draco, he hit Astoria who was backing.

Draco looked back at her in horror. "Astoria!" The curse flung her hard into the nearest wall.

Theo used this moment to grab him and apparate the two of them away. Draco could feel the magic wards that kept him from apparating claw viciously at his body.

They landed hard on the ground. It was dark, cold, and felt lifeless. Azkaban. Draco felt Theo's hand closing in on his wand to try and grab it from him. Mustering all the happiness he could think of, he cast a patronus to McGonagall.

He was met by a hard punch in the face and his wand being ripped away from him.

"Your patronus can't help you now."

"What do you want, Nott?" He asked, holding a hand to his now bloody nose.

"Did you really think the potion was for me to use?" Draco's eyes widened. He couldn't possible mean… "That's right, Malfoy. You're going to drink this potion. And you're going to get our fathers out."

Theo shoved the potion in his hands. Draco stared at it for a moment. "And if I don't?"

"Then you'll be responsible for the death of your mother and Harry Potter."


For a long time, Blaise had wondered why he was so personally invested in the rescue of Potter and Malfoy's mother. Now, looking at Hermione's pained and worried expression, it became abundantly clear. What mattered to her mattered to him. As for Mrs. Malfoy, Draco was his friend and he had lost his own mother not too long ago. He didn't want Draco to go through the same thing.

Blaise, Hermione, and McGonagall stood outside Theodore Nott's manor as curse breakers frantically tried to disarm the wards surrounding the house. They had insisted that McGonagall let them come to make sure the two captives were okay, and there hadn't been enough time for her to refuse anyway. Nott had used dark magic to arm the house, so it was taking them longer than usual to break through. McGonagall had turned Dumbledoor's illumator over to the Aurors, helping them to confirm that Harry was indeed close. As soon as Theo was announced as dangerous, the Aurors had scouted his mansion to find it heavily guarded. It had taken them all day to reach this point in their curse breaking.

"What's taking them so long?" Hermione wondered anxiously. At the door there were several men and woman in black robes murmuring incantations and waving their wands in intricate patterns. Every so often there was a ripple and faint glow as the magic shields slowly depleted.

"This is very dark and very advanced magic," McGonagall said with a deep frown. "The boy's father must have sent him instructions somehow from Azkaban."

"Is there any news on Theo's location?" Blaise asked the head auror coming towards them now.

"We have tracked the componenets in the potion to the outskirts of Azkaban. We also believe Mr. Malfoy was taken there due to the breach in Hogwart's wards when he was abducted."

"Ms. Winter it's good to see you again. Thank you for helping so much with this case," Hermione greeted the older woman once again. "What about the curse breakers?"

"Any moment now we will be able to enter the manor."

Just a few moments later, there was a loud explosion as the wards around the house finally broke.

"Wait here," the head auror said sternly as she and four other aurors rushed inside.

Blaise noticed Hermione's fists clenched tightly at her sides, obviously stressed. He put an arm around her comfortingly and pulled her close.

"It will be okay," he assured her. "We'll see Harry and Mrs. Malfoy soon. They have to be here."

A few minutes later there was a large explosion from inside the manor. Annabelle Winter came out first, covered in smoke and looking triumphant. Next, out came an auror helping Harry to walk and another auror carrying Narcissa Malfoy.

"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed, tears of happiness pouring down her face as she ran towards them. "I've got him," she said quickly to the auror, who placed Harry's arm over her shoulder.

"Hey, Hermione." He said weakly with a smile.

"They found you! You're safe now. You're safe," she sobbed into his shoulder.

Blaise approached the male auror who was carrying Narcissa. She looked up at him through half-closed eyes. "Is she going to be alright?" He asked the auror.

"Both of them need medical examination, but we think they should be fine. Just a bit malnourished is all."

Blaise looked over to Hermione and Harry, who seemed to be relieved to see each other once again. All they needed to do now was to find Draco and Theo before it was too late.