Hey all!! Sorry I was delayed in posting this chapter. I had the most terrible writer's block and I didn't know how I wanted this chapter to go. Basically, this chapter is a whole load of crap. Feel free to not read it, I won't feel offended. I know this is crap. If you read though, please leave a review!

Anywho, thanks to Sheen Rox for all your ideas!! They're a huge help!

Disclaimer: Basically, if you've read about it from the books, I don't own it, that belongs to J.K. Rowling. I also don't own the name "Meilin", that belongs to the anime Card Captor Sakura. I own the character though, I just borrowed the name.

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Secret of the Chosen Heir

Chapter 4: Call and Response

Tap tap. There was a light knock on the door. Draco snapped out of his reverie and quickly opened the door.

"Hello son." Narcissa Malfoy smiled slightly, her arms laden with a tray of food.

"Mother," Draco nodded, then took the tray, "Thanks."

"How is the girl?"

"Alright, no change." Draco lied, briefly glancing over at the window seat where Meilin sat. He knew she was anything but 'alright', but he wasn't about to tell anyone that.

Narcissa nodded and after giving her son a quick kiss on the cheek, turned and left.

Draco walked cautiously over to Meilin and put the tray in beside her.

"Meilin?"

She didn't respond.

"Meilin!"

Slowly, Meilin turned to him. Draco was shocked at the change on her face, but didn't show it. Her violet eyes were empty and hollow, completely void of life. Her cheeks were sunken and her skin was a sickly white. Even her long hair hung limp and lifeless around her.

"Eat something." Draco pointed to the food.

Again, she didn't respond. She just looked at him with those empty eyes. Finally, she sighed softly and took a piece of bread from the plate.

Taking one last look at her, Draco turned and took his place by the door.

4 days, its been 4 days since she was brought here and already she's like this. What is she going to be like if this keeps going? Draco thought, Bloody hell, she needs to get out of here.

The door burst open and Voldemort swept in.

"Master," Draco scrambled to his feet, eyes on the floor.

Voldemort ignored him and went to Meilin. She didn't seem to notice his presence.

"Are you ready to obey me now and summon the feather girl?" he drawled coldly.

She looked up at him, "No," she said tonelessly.

Voldemort looked ready to explode. Obviously, he had never been defied for so long. He grabbed her arm and brought his face close to hers, "Summon it, now!"

Meilin looked back at him, then spat in his face.

He recoiled, yelling in extreme anger. Wiping his face, he drew his wand and turned on Draco.

"Do you remember when Potter cursed you, dear Draco?" Voldemort asked, shaking with rage.

Draco kept his face expressionless, but his insides were churning with fear. Of course he remembered. He almost died when Potter cursed him last year in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.

"Why don't I remind you?" Voldemort drawled, levelling his wand, "Sectusempra!"

Draco screamed as he felt a white-hot slash across his chest. He fell on his knees, clutching his wound.

"Sectusempra!" Voldemort said again.

Another slash, and then another. Draco felt his consciousness fading as Voldemort continued to curse him.

Suddenly he felt someone shuddering beneath the curses that were meant for him. He blinked hard and recognized Meilin kneeling in front of him, shielding him from Voldemort.

Voldemort yelled in frustration and stopped his curses. He looked down at Meilin, bleeding and glaring up at him, lips clamped into a thin line. Without a word, he swept out of the room.

"What the bloody hell were you doing?" Draco snapped, whirling her around.

"I don't want you to take my punishment for me anymore," she whispered faintly.

"You bloody fool!" he fumed, though inwardly he was touched. No one ever showed this much care for him before, not even his mother.

"Draco." Snape's voice came from the doorway.

"Snape!"

Snape pointed his wand at Draco's wounds in response, but Draco stopped him, "No, heal Meilin first."

He raised his eyebrows, but did as Draco asked then turned to him again and healed the wounds wordlessly. He was about to leave when Meilin clasped his arm.

"Please help me." she whispered.

"What do you want me to do?" Snape sighed after a moment.

"Send an owl to my sister. Tell her I'm still alive."

"Are you insane, Meilin? If Master finds out, we're all dead!" Draco said, staring at her in shock.

"Please Professor, please help me." her voice was getting fainter.

Snape looked at her, gently released his arm from her grip and left the room. The door closed with a soft click as Meilin blacked out in Draco's arms.

--Meanwhile...--

Harry dropped the dish he was drying and fell to the floor, yelling and clutching his scar.

"Harry!" Cho dropped to her knees beside him, "Harry! What's wrong?"

Mrs. Weasley dashed into the kitchen with Ron and Hermione hot on her heels.

"Harry!" Ron shook him, "Harry mate, snap out of it!"

Finally, Harry stopped yelling. He looked up at the four worried faces peering at him and groaned, rubbing his scar.

"Harry, what happened?" Hermione asked worriedly.

"He's angry, really angry." Harry managed to gasp as Cho helped him into a sitting position.

"Poor dear, come on, let's get you to bed. You need to relax." Mrs. Weasley said, already bustling them upstairs. After Harry was securely tucked into bed, Mrs. Weasley tried to shoo Ron, Hermione and Cho out.

"But Mum, what if it happens again and no one is there to hear him?" Ron asked.

"And Mrs. Weasley, is it really a good idea to leave Harry alone?" Cho added anxiously.

"We promise we won't disturb him, Mrs. Weasley." Hermione said pleadingly.

After a few more minutes of pleading and convincing, Mrs. Weasley finally gave in and left them all alone.

"Harry," Hermione said once she casted a charm on the door to prevent anyone from hearing their conversation, "Did you just feel his feelings, or did you see something as well."

There was a pause, then Harry sighed, "He was torturing someone. I didn't see who it was, but it was bad. It was like he was taking out all his anger on whoever that was."

"Was-was it...Meilin?" Cho asked hesitantly.

"I don't know," Harry answered, taking her hand comfortingly, "Don't worry, I'm sure Meilin is still alright."

As if emphasizing what Harry said, there was an insistent tapping on the window. A brown, angry looking owl stood outside, glaring at Ron as he opened the window. The owl flew in, nearly knowing Ron over, landed in front of Cho and stuck out it's leg at her. Cho quickly untied the parchment from it's leg and it took off, nearly knocking Ron over again.

"Bloody owl, how rude!" Ron mumbled, "Who's owl is that anyway?"

"Cho? Cho, what's wrong?" Hermione reached out and took the parchment from the now white and shaking Cho. Hermione read it and gasped.

"What's with you two?" Harry asked, confused.

Hermione handed the parchment to him, wordlessly.

She is alive, but you need to get her out quickly. He is growing impatient in his house. Harry read, "Who do you think sent it?"

"Obviously someone that's pretty close to the Death Eaters or he or she wouldn't know all that." Hermione said, rolling her eyes at Harry.

"You don't think...that it's some kind of joke?" Cho said tearfully.

"'In his house', where d'you reckon that is?" Ron asked reading the note again.

"Riddle's mansion," Harry said immediately, "The place where his father lived."

"How do you know that mate?" Ron asked skeptically.

Harry paused, "I just do. I'm quite sure that's what it meant."

"What are we going to do, assuming you're right Harry?" Hermione asked.

Before Harry could answer, there was an explosion of light above them and a single reddish-yellow feather floated onto the bed. When it landed, it promptly turned into a magnificent sword.

Harry picked it up and recognized it at once, "The sword of Godric Gryffindor!"

"What's that doing here?" Ron asked, puzzled.

"Maybe this will answer your question." Hermione handed another piece of parchment to them.

I think you will need this very soon. The Horcrux that you are after now will be both the easiest and the hardest to destroy. Good luck, never lose hope, Harry. The note read.

"The hardest and the easiest to destroy? What's that supposed to mean?" Ron asked.

Hermione shrugged, "Who knows? Who do you think sent it Harry?"

Harry didn't answer. He was staring at the note with shock.

"Harry? Is something wrong?" Cho asked with concern.

"Impossible, it can't be." Harry whispered, still staring at the note.

"Oy Harry! What's impossible?" Ron waved his hand in front of Harry's face.

"This is Dumbledore's writing, I recognize it." Harry said quietly.

There was a shocked silence.

--Later that night--

"We'll go right after everyone is in bed," Harry whispered urgently to Cho, Ron and Hermione before they all headed down to dinner.

The dinner passed by quite uneventfully. Nobody seemed to notice the unease that surrounded the 4 teenagers, who cast each other nervous looks every now and then. After dinner, Harry excused himself and one by one, the 4 teens disappeared into Harry and Ron's room.

"They look nervous. I wonder what's wrong." Mrs. Weasley commented worriedly.

"Oh Molly, don't worry, I'm sure they're fine." Professor McGonagall said dismissively, "Thank you for the dinner Molly, I think I shall head back to Hogwarts now. Good night." With that, she Disapparated away.

Lupin stroked his chin thoughtfully, he had a vague idea of what Harry was planning, but he wasn't about to tell Molly about it. So instead, he too thanked her for the excellent meal and left the Burrow with Tonks.

Ron and Harry sat upstairs listening to the last of the conversations die down through Extendable Ears. When the house was at last still, the four teens crept out of the house.

"Harry, do you have any idea how we are going to get to his house?" Cho whispered safely outside.

"We'll Apparate," Harry replied calmly.

"But how? We don't even know where it is or what it looks like! We'll get splinched trying!" Hermione countered.

"That's alright. I know where it is and what it looks like. All you guys have to do is hang on to me and I'll Apparate us there!" Harry said, his voice betraying the confidence of the words.

"Will that work?" Ron asked doubtfully.

"Look, it's our best shot. We might as well give it a try. I've got my Invisibility Cloak and the sword. I think we're about as ready as we'll ever be."

"I don't see the sword," Ron said, earning himself a glare from Hermione.

Harry grinned, "Right here mate!" He showed them the same reddish-yellow feather that turned into the sword before, "Think it transforms by thought."

There was an awkward silence as the friends summoned up all their courage.

"Well?" Hermione asked expectantly, trying to hide her fear.

"Let's go." Harry mumbled. Cho linked arms with Harry, Hermione linked arms with Cho and Ron attached himself to Hermione. Taking a deep breath, Harry concentrated on the image in his mind's eye and Disapparated.

"Bloody hell!" Ron swore under his breath. Harry opened his eyes and saw the Riddle mansion looming above them in much the same way that it had in the memory that Dumbledore showed him last year. He looked around. Nearby was a Muggle town and on their far right was a large forest. Quickly, he motioned his head over to the direction of the forest and they all trooped into it, wands drawn.

"Ron, Hermione, Cho, I want you to keep a look-out outside while I go in and get Meilin. If anything happens, heat up the coin and run here." Harry said in a low serious voice.

"Harry, no. I'm not letting you go get Meilin alone. She's my sister and I'm going to help you get her out." Cho protested quickly.

"She's got a point mate." Ron said, shrugging.

"Cho, it's too dangerous..." Harry began.

"And it's not too dangerous for you? Oh please Harry, stop playing the hero again. Cho should go with you." Hermione cut in before Cho could speak.

Harry clenched his fists, "I'm not playing the hero!"

Hermione ignored him, "I'm pretty sure both of you will fit under the Invisibility Cloak, but if not Cho can do the Illusionment Charm oh herself right Cho?"

Cho nodded mutely.

"Sh!" Harry suddenly shushed. They froze immediately, staring at Harry.

"Massssster isss angry. If he would let me kill that girl, everything would be alright," a voice hissed close by.

Harry looked at the others, "Did you hear that?" he mouthed.

They shook their heads.

"I want to pleasssse Massster, but how?" the voice hissed to itself.

It clicked. "Nagini!" Harry whispered.

Ron, Hermione and Cho blanched.

"Maybe if you grab a spy for him, he will be happy Nagini," Harry whispered to Nagini in Parseltongue.

"What? Who'sssss there?"

"A friend. Go on Nagini, go find a spy for your Master."

"Ssssshow yourssself!"

"Come find me Nagini, come find me."

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See? I told you! A whole load of crap...Well anyways, now that you've come this far, I hope you'll review, even if it's just to tell me this chapter was a disappointment or whatever. I'm bracing myself for that...

Please review :D