Chapter Forty Eight
"Draco!" Luna's panicked voice sounded through the telephone handset, "Something terrible has happened!"
"Calm down Luna," Draco said, trying to get Luna to speak more clearly, it was obvious that she was in a terrible state.
"It's Neville... Betram... I don't know what to do!" Luna said through deep sobs.
"It's okay Luna," Draco said trying to calm her, "take a deep breath and tell me exactly what has happened."
Luna did as she was asked, and then said slowly and breathilly, sniffling the whole time, "Nevy was up in the East wing, doing a cleaning spell to remove all the Halloween decorations this morning, and I was busy doing the same down here, but by four o'clock he still hadn't returned, so I went to see where he had got to," Draco heard Luna blow her nose and she went on, "I found him in the upper east wing, he was sitting in the bedroom, you know where Hermione was attacked and when I called his name he didn't answer. I called his name again and he turned to look at me but it wasn't him... it wasn't my Neville! His eyes were all black and he smiled at me with the most disturbing look on his face and then he lunged at me. I got out of the way and locked him in but he was banging on the door with a ferocity I know my Neville could never do! I ran downstairs as fast as I could and I called the Iban, he said that for such an extreme case he would come out tonight but he said you and Hermione had to be here and I don't know what to do. I can still hear him trying to break the door down... I am scared!" She cried, "I just know it is Betram Villanos, and not Neville."
"Calm down Luna," Draco said again, Hermione and I will find a way to get to you as soon as we can, lock yourself in the wine cellar, you will be the most safe there, the door is iron, and he won't get through that in a hurry, besides evil spirits cannot bear to touch iron, it will keep him out. Try to stay calm and wait for us to arrive, do not open the door unless I say the words, "Bertram cannot hurt you, okay?"
"Okay," Luna sniffled.
"Now get going!" Draco said, putting the receiver back in it's cradle.
"Is everything okay signor?" The concierge asked, seeing Draco's shaken demeanour.
"No, I'm afraid not!" Draco said, "I'm afraid professor Granger and I will be checking out very shortly."
"Oh I am sorry to hear that signor, I hope everything works out for you."
Draco rushed back into the dining room, and instantly Hermione could see that something was up. She stood up, "What's happened?" She asked, fear rising in her voice.
"Luna's in trouble!" Draco said, "We need to leave... Now!"
"But how can we get to her quickly with such short notice?" Hermione asked, worried.
"I though that bag would come in handy," Aurelia said, "it's a portkey remember!"
"Thank god, yes!" Hermione said and she and Draco rushed up to their room. They threw everything into Hermione's bag as Draco hurriedly described his phone call with Luna, forgetting their cases Hermione set up the portkey destination.
"Three...Two...One..."
"We want to come with..." Aurelia shouted from the door as they watched Draco and Hermione vanish with the magic bag. She and Blaise looked at each other.
"Now what do we do?" Blaise said.