Chapter 6: Kidnapped

What they don't tell you about second chances—is that everyone may not understand. You have your select few, but then there are some…who just don't get it.

Four years ago.

The green flames disappear and I am home. Malfoy Manor. I barely step out of my chimney when my mother comes walking around the corner. I steady my breathing—I must pretend I didn't apprehend an Ex-Death Eater in an alley moments ago.

"Draco, darling!" My mother says, her heels clicking towards me. "Where have you been? And your shirt!"

"I'm fine, mother." I say dismissively. "Just a little mishap at the tailor shop." I know he's around. I'm just waiting for him to show himself.

My mother scoffed. "You should let our family tailor do your suits, Draco. Those locals in Diagon Alley have no respect for fine fabrics as these."

"Would you like some tea?" I ask, changing the subject.

We sit down in the family room. Mother is unapologetically fixing her tea just the way she likes it. Three sugar cubes. A dash of honey. And a dash of lemon. She stirs it as if everything is fine. As if I not sitting at the edge of my seat, waiting for the devil in sheep's clothing to reveal himself.

"I spoke to Missus Greengrass the other day. She says she hasn't seen you since the funeral."

I sip my own tea, trying to calm my nerves. "We have nothing to talk about. All she wants to talk about is…."

Mother sets down her tea, knowing the end of my sentence. "I know, sweetheart. I know. But that is her daughter, if I lost you…"

My eyes look up to meet hers, and something twists disturbingly in my stomach. She almost did lose me. And I can see in her eyes that maybe she felt like she already had, or was about to. Another thing I have to thank Elysium for.

"Draco." A voice says sharply, and our moment is ruined.

He is standing in the doorway, silver-headed snake cane in hand. My father. Lucius Malfoy. I felt that adrenaline pump through me once more, but there was something else. Almost like a levee—something stopping the adrenaline, the rush from spilling over.

I set down my teacup and follow him to his study. Yes, I still call it his study—there are too many dirty secrets and lies for me to call it mine. I barely feel comfortable calling the manor mine. Nevertheless…

"I spoke to Harlem Nott the other day." I could hear the disappointment sparking in his voice. "He tells me Theodore is being transferred to Azkaban."

I nod. "Yes sir. That was his sentence."

"From the Ministry, yes, but not from us."

I know where he is going with this. It was the same thing I've been fighting with myself about since Astoria's murder. He wants me to kill Theodore Nott. And I want to. But I know I can't. However, to keep my father at bay, I play into his intentions.

"Of course, father." I respond. "He'll be dead before he reaches the island."

And then…he laughs. A despicable laugh. "No, you won't." He says, and I hate to think it—but did he know? About the fall? My trip to Elysium?

Nope.

"He's already been transferred." My father says, and I feel the anger radiating off him.

I close my eyes, preparing myself for what's to come next.

"You let a Nott murder your wife and practically get away with it!" He rages on. "Harlem could barely hold back the smirk on his face as he told me his son was being transferred—alive I might add—to Azkaban. And here you are, visiting petty tailors in Diagon Alley!"

That isn't who I am anymore. I wanted to shout back. But who was I? I was granted the chance to find out, but he wouldn't understand. He only understood that his daughter-in-law's murderer got away, and that his son had no plans to avenge her.

Or so he thought.

"And I know you haven't been visiting Missus Greengrass. It's like you barely care! Every day you do nothing—and the Malfoy name just goes further and further down the drain. Are you even my son?!"

That part cuts me deep. The words come out before I could stop them. "All this coming from the same man who couldn't even stand up to Lord Voldemort in his own house."

His face turns pale- I've hit a nerve. But I can't stop. "What was that?"

"You heard me." I press on. "I may be dragging our family name further down the drain, but it was you who dragged us down here. You let him come into our house and takeover—"

"Watch your tone, Lucius." My middle name. His name. He's trying to remind me of who I am. Of who he is.

"—he beat you around like you were his little pet. He treated the snake better than you. Maybe I would've been stronger, had I not had to watch my father gravel for scraps in his own home!"

Before I blink, he's grabbed me by my collar. I'm pinned against the wall, feeling the full strength of Lucius Malfoy.

"I did what I had to do to protect my family." He says through gritted teeth. "I was the one who got us away, who got us back on top. Me! I DID THAT! And you will show me respect, boy. Remember who you are."

Those are his last words. He releases my collar, leaving me alone in his study. I hear him call for my mother, and then I hear her constantly asking "What's wrong?" and "What happened?" But I know he won't answer her.

I tore my father's study apart that night. Me and a bottle of Firewhiskey. I throw his books. I smash his jars of bird feet and pig eyes. I slice through his paintings with my knife. I destroy everything and anything that might have some value to him. If I wasn't so drunk, I would burn it all.

I find a not so cluttered spot on the floor, drinking the last of the Firewhiskey. And it catches my eye. A map. I reach for it—thinking stupidly that it's a map to some long-lost family treasure. Or maybe something else for me to destroy. But it isn't either.

It's a map to Azkaban. The date. 1658. I try to blink myself back to sobriety, but I can't. This was one of the original maps of Azkaban—I thought they had all been destroyed. Though I've been to Azkaban a million times, I study the original blueprints. Everything is the same except for these three underground tunnels—all leading inside the prison from the outskirts of the island. And one of them—just my luck—leads to the Maximum Security wing.

Where Theodore Nott had just been transferred.

Now.

"Bloody hell! The damn thing shocked me!"

"Will you stop playing around?"

"I'm not playing around—the damn thing really shocked me!"

They've been at this for a few minutes, my kidnappers per say. I hesitated—got distracted—and allowed myself to be taken. I don't know where they've taken us—or what they plan to do with us.

"Just wait until the boss comes." One of the kidnappers say. "He'll know what to do. But while we wait…she doesn't have a mask."

And now they've caught my attention.

"Seamus." Thank Merlin for telepathic links.

"Rise and Shine, mate."

"What do we have?"

"Uh, well that's the thing. I have nothing. Scanners are telling me you're still in the alley."

I don't respond. Seamus's scanners see through any and everything. I could've been halfway around the world in the bottom of a volcano and he could still find me. This only means one thing. This is—or one of—Harlem Nott's hiding spot.

"That's not the only problem." I tell my partner.

"What's going on?"

Our next kidnapper speaks. "Well, if it isn't Hermione Granger. Harry Potter's little squeeze."

"Hermione's here."

I watch one of the kidnappers try to reach for her, but she snatches her head away. This isn't her first rodeo with being kidnapped. I should know. It was in Malfoy Manor where she had been kidnapped the first time. Tortured by my now deceased aunt, Bellatrix LeStrange. I know she will hold up, but I know I must get us both out of here.

"Ooooo, still feisty!" The other kidnapper teases. "And I thought the life of luxury might've gone to her head after all these years."

"Like here as in kidnapped with you, or like here as in she kidnapped you?" Seamus asks.

I fight the urge to scream inside my mask. "She's kidnapped with me Seamus. I'm going to get us out of here, but I need you to search the alley for any shortcuts, backways, maybe even a tunnel back to the hotel."

As I'm saying this, I transfigure my glove into the goblin hand I used at Gringotts. I use one of the nails to cut through the rope, it would be too risky to reach for my knives. The whole time I'm cutting through this rope, I count the bodies. There are two men in front of me and Hermione and four sitting at a table near what appears to be the exit door.

"Or maybe she's acting all tough 'cause she's got the Vigilante with her." One of the men from the table says. "Too bad the boss isn't scared of him." He has a Russian accent. Maybe one of Harlem's henchmen? Or somebody who's been transporting the hybrids.

You should be. I think to myself as I cut through the last of the rope, freeing my arms. I hold onto the cut pieces of rope, however, to keep the ruse that I'm tied up. I look for the perfect window—but it seems I will have to make my own.

"Who is your boss?" Granger asks. "Since you're going to kill us either way."

"You will find out soon, enough." The man responds. "Gregor! KG!" The two kidnappers in front of us turn around. A window is opening.

"Go wait outside for the boss. I will watch them."

Gregor and KG nod, leaving out a door behind us. This makes me and Hermione's exit the door where the other four men are sitting. The window is wide open.

"I'm going to cause a distraction." I say lowly, but loudly enough that she hears me. "When the last man is down, I want you to run to that door. Do you understand?"

Granger looks at me as if I'm mad, but the confused glint in her eyes disappears once she sees that I'm no longer tied up. She swallows hard, trying to see if she can trust me or not. She doesn't know it yet, but she could trust me with her life. I'll die first before anything happens to her.

"Seamus. Is the EMP in my suit charged up?"

"Uh yeah, but we haven't tested it, Draco. I don't think you should—"

"This is the test." I lift my foot up as much as I can without being noticed and stomp the ground. I feel a surge in my suit and everything goes black. I let the ropes drop and I grapple to the highest point in the room.

"Oi!" One of the men at the table says. "What happened to the bloody lights?!"

I stomp again, the lights come back on. My chair is empty and Hermione looks bewildered. I stay out of her line of sight as well, if she spots me, she could lead the others to my position.

"The Vigilante!" Another shouts. "He's gone."

"Bloody hell." The leader of the table says, grabbing his wand. "Search the building! Nobody goes in or out! I want the Vigilante's head! NOW!"

"Did it work?"

I mark my first target. "I'll tell you in a few."

Using the ceiling pipes, I make my way around the room, finding the first man who's dumb enough to isolate himself from the others. Marking my first target, I follow him to a secluded spot behind Hermione. I get myself into position. I stomp again, lunging for him. The lights go out, and everyone panics once more. I have to be quick.

I slap my hand over his mouth, wrapping my other arm around his neck. I wait until the last second to let him go. He's now unconscious. I jump back to my vantage point, allowing the lights to come back on.

The leader of the group laughs. I suspect this isn't his first rodeo either. "He's picking us off one by one! Stay where you can be seen!"

He thinks he's outsmarted me, but all he's done is saved me time. I plan my next move. I could take them all at once, but Hermione could possibly be hurt in the process. It would be too risky to try to get her out first. But I have no other options. It's a risk I'll have to take.

I cause another blackout, and lunge to Hermione's chair. As I cut through her ropes, I feel her body tensing up.

"It's alright." I whisper. "I'm getting you out of here." When I finally free her, I take another risk and transport her to the exit door. My blue and red flames illuminate the room, giving away my last positon.

"He didn't go far." The leader growls. "Nobody can floo out of here."

I don't make any sudden moves, and Granger holds on tightly to my suit. I push the door open, and I guide her through it. We appear in a tunnel, where another door is waiting.

"Seamus. What's the word on the backways?"

"Your signal just came back up. Wherever you were, it's a magic dark zone. No outside magic can penetrate it."

"The exit, Seamus. Where does this door lead?"

"To another alley, but it's clear."

"Use that door." I tell Hermione. "It leads to another alley. Get back to the street and find safety. Don't stop anywhere."

I know listening to me contradicts everything Granger stands for. She's been so used to saving Potter and Weasley's arse that she hasn't had anyone to save hers. But nevertheless, she listens, nodding her head in response and runs towards the exit door. When the door shuts behind her, I slip back inside the dead zone.

"You know if Hermione gets back here before you do, she's likely to put two and two together?"

I prepare myself for the fight. "I won't be long."

I stomp my foot for the last time, lighting the room once more. The three men have their wands aimed towards me. They won't have them for long.

"You brought fists to a wand fight, eh?" One of the other men say. "Not smart, mate."

I smirk, disappearing in a band of blue and red flames. I hold it for just a second, to give them time to ponder where I might go. Then, I reappear behind one of them, stupefying him into the wall. I disappear again. Two left.

I reappear again, taking the next smallest man. He catches me before I can sneak him. He's a good fighter, but not good enough. He throws a punch—I dodge it, grabbing his arm midway and throwing him into the table. The whole thing collapses under him. One left. The leader.

"I've enjoyed your games, Vigilante." He says. I'm truly enjoying his accent. "But now I have become irritated. You won't be leaving here alive."

I try my disappearing act again, to finish him off. But as soon as I reappear, I'm caught around the throat. I'm staring directly in his eyes. He throws down his wand and pulls a knife out of his pocket. I have to think fast.

With the strength left in me, I used my legs to push into him. I fly into the wall, hitting my head. Hard I might add, but I'm out of his grips. I have no time to recollect as he charges towards me like a wild hippogriff. I disappear, he laughs, thinking I will allow myself to be captured again.

Not this time.

I reappear in midair above him, falling onto his back. I wrap my arms around his neck, and tighten them. He tries to reach for me, but I can feel him growing weaker. Another few seconds and he falls to his knees, gasping for air. I let go, jumping off his back. He tries to power back up, but I cut him short, punching him to the ground.

"Seamus."

"She's five minutes from the hotel."

I run to the exit door, putting myself back inside the tunnel. I don't bother using the other exit door, I disappear on the spot, re-emerging in my hotel room. It's daylight now, 8 o clock to be exact. I take off my suit quickly, hiding it back in my suitcase. I throw on some shorts and a tee shirt while I put my story together.

"She's here." Seamus say quickly.

"Patch me in." I want to hear everything.

From Seamus's Room.

"He's here." Hermione said breathlessly.

Seamus plays dumb. "Who? Nott?"

"No. The Vigilante."

"Like here here. Or like here?"

"He's in Romania. Look, last night I lied. I wasn't in my room, I snuck out and went searching for leads on Harlem Nott. I turned down an alley and ran into him, and then we got caught."

"And taken where?"

"Somewhere underground. It was a magic dead zone, I couldn't apparate. They knew who I was and they knew he was the Vigilante. It had to be Nott's people, the place was too structured and heavily guarded. This part of Romania is basically a ghost town."

Seamus pries on. "So how did you escape?"

"The Vigilante. Somehow he got free and there was something with the lights...Long story short, he saved me. But I'm not sure he made it out alive."

"Don't write him off just yet, Hermione." My partner laughs. "We all know the Vigilante isn't that easy to kill. So have you told Potter?"

"Merlin no." Granger says quickly. "I'm not telling Harry anything until we know that Nott is here for sure. Where's Malfoy?"

"I think he's in his room."

"I need to talk to him."

Seamus pauses for a moment. "Well, uhhh, okay. Let's go." "You're on, mate."

I toss my suitcase back into my closet, preparing for my two guests. I unmake the bed, trying to give it some look as if I slept in it last night. I try to think of something else I can do, but Seamus knocks on my door.

I take a deep breath, though I'm mentally and physically tired from my recent kidnapping. When I open my door, Hermione barges in and Seamus follows her.

"What's going on?" I ask her, as if I'm oblivious to the conversation she and Seamus just had.

"Our beloved Hermione here got kidnapped last night." Seamus says. "She thinks it was Nott's men."

I put on a frown. "And how'd you get away?"

"The Vigilante saved me." Answers Hermione.

"The Vigilante's here? In Romania?" I ask.

Seamus speaks next. "Same thing I said."

"Yes, we were kidnapped together." Granger responds. "But that isn't what's bothering me." And at those words, I feel extremely uneasy.

"A few days ago, the Vigilante was in London. Now he's in Romania—the same day we arrived."

"Maybe he's on vacation?" Seamus shrugs.

The witch rolls her eyes. "Or. Somebody in the Ministry has been feeding him intel. Only me, you, Draco, and Harry knew about this mission, Seamus."

"I don't like where this is going."

"So," Granger asks, her arms crosses. "Which one of you are working with the Vigilante?"

Author's Note: They've fooled Harry Potter, but can they fool Hermione Granger? More to come!

~TheeStoryTeller