Chapter 12
Hermione tied her hair back as she mentally went over the plans for today. She was nervous for today. There were so many things that could go wrong; so many innocent people who could get caught in the crossfire if the slightest mishap were to happen or not. She hated the amount of anxiety she felt. She hated how she felt like something would go wrong.
She came down from her room to see Harry and Ron waiting for her in the Common Room. They were both pacing back and forth, obviously possessing the same amount of anxiety that she had.
"Are you guys ready to go?" She asked. They two of them nodded, and the trio made their way out of the portrait hole. They were to meet with Dumbledore before they used a Portkey to get to Diagon Alley. He wanted to go over the details of the afternoon once more.
Hermione knew that he was worried as well. Of course the Order was going to be there, but there were also going to be one underage wizard, and two who had just turned 17. Personally, Hermione was worried about Ron. She knew that it wasn't that she didn't think that he was capable. While he was no genius, he certainly wasn't stupid either. She knew that she had to give credit where credit was due.
After Hermione and Harry returned to their House a couple of days ago, they had been arguing about it. Harry was trying to play the hero once more and talk Hermione out of going for her own safety. But she certainly wasn't about to have any of that. The pair of them got into a small row, and Ron happened to stumble upon them at that precise moment.
His face had been all flushed, and his tie was slightly crooked. Hermione could only guess what he and Lavender Brown had gotten up to. But surprisingly for her, she found that she didn't care in the slightest.
His face immediately got serious as he saw their expressions. Once he had heard what was occurring, he demanded to go as well. Harry hated it, of course he had. But Ron was of age, and nothing Harry could say would persuade Ron not to go.
Harry muttered the password, which was some new absurd sweet. Hermione smiled over the man. He may have been the most brilliant man alive, but it was nice to know that he could still be so down to earth at times.
Dumbledore nodded at the three of them. They were the last to enter the room. She looked around the room and saw people she knew; Remus, Tonks, Kingsley, the Weasley twins, and more of the people she had spent the last two summers with.
She noticed that Draco's presence however, did not grace the room.
"Mr. Malfoy has already left," her headmaster said, as if to read her mind. "He wanted to return home early to secure his place with his father."
Hermione felt more anxiety as she thought about Draco. She had no idea what the results of the afternoon would be, and she was terrified to think that someone she knew could potentially die. She found herself tuning out as Dumbledore went over the safety procedures and different scenarios. It didn't matter that she did; she already memorized all the protocols the moment she heard them.
"Right then," Dumbledore said. "If no one has anything else to add, I do believe that the Portkey is almost ready to leave soon. So if you will all grab on to your assigned one," he said, gesturing to the several ones on his desk.
They had decided that it was unsafe for them all to arrive in the same area. If they all arrived in one specific area, and they were all caught off guard, then it would be harder to for the Death Eaters to know their specific numbers.
It sounded awful, it really did. But this was war, and this was how it had to be, whether Hermione liked it or not.
She grabbed onto the same Portkey as Harry, Ron and Remus. It began to vibrate rapidly and Hermione saw the room spin. The next thing she knew, she landed in Diagon Alley.
She grabbed out her wand instantly. She looked around and sighed in relief as she saw no Death Eaters in sight. However, she was concerned about the amount of people on the streets. She knew that there was no way that she could clear out everyone, but that doesn't mean that she couldn't try.
She took a step forward before her ex-professor grabbed her arm.
"Hermione, you can't save them all," he said in a warning tone.
"I have to try Remus! I can't let all of these innocent people die. There's no way that let them Remus; I need to help them, I do," She said nervously.
"Hermione, I know you do. But we need to keep our focus. If we start to tell these people then there will be a panic. And when there's a panic, even more people die," he said calmly.
Harry and Ron looked like they each wanted to protest as well, but thought against it.
She sighed, knowing that he was right. "Fine. But I don't like this Remus," she said.
"I know you don't, Hermione," he said softly. Ron placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
She nodded, as she spotted a Death Eater. "Remus, there's one of them over there!" She pointed, as she cast a stunning curse. The Death Eater collapsed as she cast a full body binding curse, just in case he came to.
Harry let out a breath, "So it's begun," he said as he held his wand out in front of him.
Draco walked in and sat down in his father's study. In the absence of his father, his house had certainly not lost its usual gloomy feel. However, with its recent inhabitant, Draco could honestly saw that the house had gotten darker than anything he had ever seen.
His father sat off to the side. It was weird not to see his father in the office chair in front of him. The chair was now occupied by none other than Lord Voldemort himself.
"My Lord," he greeted in an emotionless manner. "You wanted to see me?"
The snake before him configured his mouth into the most twisted smiled Draco had ever seen. He lifted his hand and stroked his snake, Nagini, which was currently curled up in his lap. He felt like vomiting at the sight in front of him, but resisted the urge.
"Young Malfoy," he said with a cruel tone, which Draco supposed was considered to be warm. "I have many, many plans for you," he said.
Draco bowed his head, "I am but a servant to you, my Lord. Whatever you deem fit for myself I shall do," he said. He felt an ugly taste in his mouth as he uttered those words, but kept his tone neutral. He also kept his mind blank, for he knew that Voldemort would be searching his every thought, attempting to find the slightest bit of hesitation.
Apparently he was right, as Voldemort held a satisfied expression.
"Draco, I wish for you to be one of the leaders in this raid today. I want you to prove your worth and step up to fill the enormous shoes your father has created for you. He has been absolutely indispensable, and I would want nothing more than to see you live up to your father. While he has had some failures, I am certain you will not. Do not disappoint me Draco," the thing said.
Draco knew that he was receiving a warning. Voldemort wanted nothing more than to punish his family, and if Draco failed in any of the tasks he was given, then Voldemort would use it as an opportunity to destroy the Malfoy name.
He felt disgusted. How dare this half-blood attempt to destroy the Malfoy heritage? Draco was not one for blood prejudices anymore, but he found it hard to tolerate the hypocrisy that sat before him.
"Of course my Lord, I would never do anything to disappoint you," he said, speaking to both the men in the room. He felt his father watching his every word and action like a hawk.
"I know you won't Draco," he said, as if failure wasn't an option. And Draco knew that it really wasn't one.
"What would you like for me to do today, my Lord?" he asked.
"I wish for you to lead a small pack of men, and bring havoc upon the store owners of your desire. And have some fun, kill a few mudbloods if you so desire," he said with a jeer.
Draco smiled, "I would like for nothing better than to do so," he said. However on the inside, he felt his stomach churn. How, in the name of Circe, was he supposed to lead a pack of men, all while making sure none of the Order got seriously injured?
This was going to be difficult and Draco knew it. He just hoped that Granger would be okay in all of this.
Draco let the group down the streets of Diagon Alley. In his command were Theodore Nott Sr., Fenrir Greyback, and the Carrows. None of them had been pleased to find out that they were in the command of a 17 year boy, but none of them had anything to say about it. After all, you don't simply tell Voldemort that you are unhappy with his choices unless you wished to die a very slow and agony filled death. And so the group followed him; but that didn't stop their snide smirks and taunting glances when they thought he wasn't doing something right.
It wasn't that it shook up his confidence; Merlin knew that he had more than enough of it to last him a life time. But it did get annoying to have someone constantly questioning your every move.
He spotted a street which he was sure was empty. It would be the first place they would attack once the mark when of in the sky. He wanted to keep the damage as minimal as possible, all while proving his loyalty. And if he couldn't control the amount of damage created, then at least he would be able to control where the damage occurred and the casualties of the evening.
The four Death Eaters behind him waited anxiously as he checked the time. It was seconds away from 2; the attack was dawning upon them. He looked up in the sky, and watched as the sky darkened. The Dark Mark filled the sky, and Draco knew that it was time.
"Go," he chuckled. "Go burn down the shops to your heart's desire," he said, as he watched them go destroy the street of the area that he thought was one of the most magical places in the world after Hogwarts itself.
He set the roof on fire of a store and looked behind him. He spotted a group of Aurors behind him, and knew that now would be the perfect time to act. Silently, he cast a stunning curse and knocked out both of the Carrows at once.
He watched as Tonks nodded acknowledging at him and gave him a smile. So this was the cousin he never got to meet. Hopefully, he would get to know her later on. But for now, he had to keep his head in the moment.
If any of the other Death Eaters in his group noticed the Carrows fall, they didn't say anything. They kept on in their mission, terrorizing the poor shops on the street. They hadn't yet noticed the other Aurors, which gave them the upper hand.
He watched as his ex-defense professor stunned Sr. Nott. He hoped for Theo's sake that he would be okay.
"Are you just going to stand there Malfoy, or are you going to hex some Aurors?" Fenrir roared at him.
Draco remembered his place, as he feigned a curse at one of the Aurors. Due to his lack of aim, it ended up knocking over a barrel of merchandise.
Fenrir looked as if he would rip out Draco's throat at that moment. He growled, and Draco felt relieved that it was nowhere near the full moon. As Fenrir attempted a dark curse, Kingsley hit him straight in the chest with a hex. Fenrir fell back and landed in the middle of the street.
Draco preformed a full body binding curse of each of the four captured Death Eaters to allow the Order to take them in for questioning.
"Nice work little cousin," Nymphadora said as she ruffled his hair.
Draco glared at the strange woman in front of him. At the moment she had a bubble gum colour for her hair; something a pureblood woman would be mortified about. But if Draco looked passed her absurd fashion choices, he could see Black family traits about her.
"Nymphadora," he said in a mockingly cool tone.
She pressed her wand against his neck in a swift movement, catching him completely off guard. For a second, Draco was worried that she had no idea about the fact that he was a turncoat.
"No one, and I mean no one, calls my Nyphadora," she growled as she droped her wand. "Call me that again, and I won't hesitate to curse you so bad that you wish you weren't born."
Draco relaxed, relieved that she wasn't about to curse him momentarily. Bloody hell, for a woman, she terrified the living daylights out of him; not that he would ever tell her that.
"It's good to see that my mother and Sirius weren't the only two who made it out of that madhouse," she said as she brought him into a hug.
Draco felt a bit strange just then. Actions such as embraces were not something that was often displayed or received as Draco grew up. His mother on one hand would hug him occasionally, but that was all. Other than that, there was a distinct lack of intimacy throughout his childhood.
"Nice to see you too," he said as the witch continued to strangle him to death.
"Tonks, now isn't the time for such emotions. We don't want any Death Eaters to see and give away Draco's position. We must be off to go track more of them. Until next time Malfoy," Kingsley's low voice rumbled.
Draco placed his mask over his face once more. He was a bit worried that the two of them knew that he had turned against Voldemort. If they knew, then who knew who else did? He knew that he was being paranoid. After all, Dumbledore was definitely not lacking in the brains department. If Dumbledore decided to tell a few people then it was most likely for Draco's safety.
As the Aurors made their way after some other Death Eaters, Draco searched for another group of Death Eaters to blend into. Spotting on a couple feet away, Draco slipped in to their ranks, at the very end of the line. As he did, he pulled out his wand and stunned several Death Eaters, one by one. He made sure that no one would notice.
There were now about six people in the line in front of him. As he was about to cast another stunning spell, the leader began to turn suddenly.
Draco froze in his tracks. If the person in charge of the line continued to turn around, then they would see Draco. The person would see the five Death Eaters that Draco had already cursed.
Thankfully, at that moment, A group of Aurors burst out, and began sending hexes at the group. Draco continued to hex several Death Eaters. Finally, it was just Draco, the leader and the group of Aurors. Draco spotted Granger among the Order of the Phoenix. He let out a breath of relief as he saw that she was still alright.
The leader of the group looked to Draco, as he realized that the two of them were outnumbered. He apparated away, leaing Draco alone with the Order.
They had their wands drawn out at him, and Draco panicied, before realizing that his mask was still on. Waving it away with his wand, he faced the group before him.
They lowered their wands at the sight at him. Granger was among both the Weasel and Potter, as well as his ex-defense professor Lupin. At least he knew that she would be in good hands.
"Did you hex the rest of them?" Granger asked, as she nodded towards the previously stunned Death Eaters. Her face was covered in scratches, and her robes were torn. Merlin, she was lucky to not have been hurt more. Growing up among the Death Eaters, Draco knew what many of them were capable of. And he sure knew that he would not wish that upon anyone.
"Nice work Malfoy," Potter said, as he offered a smile.
Draco was about to say something in return; to offer them a term of congradulations, but just as he was about to, puffs of black smoke appeared around him. Knowing what was happening, he drew out his wand at the Order. He gave them a quick look to let them know what was coming; to let the know who was coming.
Apparating to his sides were his aunt and father.
"Well done Draco," his aunt crackled. "You've tracked down the Order and managed to have a fair fight against them. I did train you well," she sneered at the group before him.
His father stood beside him, silently. He didn't offer any words, but Draco could practically smell the pride radiating off him like a bad scent.
And it wasn't just the two of them who apparated. It was the entire inner circle of the Death Eaters; anyone who the Voldemort considered to be highly trustworthy. However, there was more.
Standing in the dead centre of the group was none other than Voldemort himself.
"Well, well Draco, I see you haven't failed me yet. You have managed to track down Potter, as well as his Blood-traitor and mudblood pets," he said in a hissing, snakelike tone. "I do believe there is hope for you yet."
Draco felt his heart sink, knowing that there was no way that he would be able to do anything in this situation. Before, he was stuck with blithering idiots, and fooling them was no challenge. But now however, he would be attempting to fool the greatest minds that the dark side had in their ranks. The odds were not looking too favourable for him.