Ch. 6 Ballroom Blitz
'.. And the man at the back said "everyone attack" and it turned into a Ballroom Blitz...'
Ballroom Blitz by Sweet
After Severus left, Lucius decided to take a moment and enjoy his new office.
A warm August breeze drifted in the open window, ruffling papers left on the large oak desk as he swiveled his chair around to further take in the room.
The office itself was large and spacious, built in book shelves lined the walls to his right, directly in front of that was a small sitting area, sparsely decorated but still quite elegant. This was obviously where Scrimgeour went to reflect and relax amidst his obviously adored books.
To Lucius' left was what he assumed to be the business section of the office. The mug shot posters he had seen earlier were on this side, as well as a map of the world and several surveillance-like pictures blown up and magnified. Things whizzed and whirred about every now and again, reminding Lucius very strongly of Albus Dumbledore's office at Hogwarts. He made a mental note to redecorate everything as soon as he had the first chance. He could just see the office in his Slytherin green's and gray's.
This was the dream.
Only two days ago he was rotting away in Azkaban, praying daily for death or madness to claim him, and now he held the highest government position a wizard could hold. It didn't matter to him that he was just a puppet and the dark lord was pulling the strings. The power and the respect that came with the title were still intact, and they belonged to him.
A knock sounded on the door. Lucius smiled. They were already beginning to recognize his position.
"Yes?" he called out. The door opened and death eater Thorfinn Rowle stood there.
"Everyone has been accounted for. We're ready to leave when you tell us where we're going."
"I'll be out in a moment Rowle."
Lucius waited for him to close the door behind him before pulling out his wand and turning to the open window.
OoOoO
When Lucius stepped from his office and into the outer hall, he saw that the death eaters had gathered themselves into groups and were excitedly awaiting his command. He pointed to each group and named a home, saving the Burrow, the place he knew Harry to be, for last so he could accompany and at least attempt to do damage control.
"The dark lord would like us to use the element of surprise to our full advantage. Do not apparate directly into their midst, somewhere nearby would be best, and then walk the rest of the distance."
"I'll take over from here, Lucius."
Lucius looked toward the source of the voice and was surprised to see that the dark lord had appeared out of nowhere.
"Yes, my lord. I wasn't aware that you would be accompanying us."
"I wasn't aware myself until a few moments ago." He strode over to where Lucius was standing in front of his followers and addressed them, a malevolent smile ghosting his thin lips.
"Look for the boy first. Once you are sure he is not there, show no leniency. One of them is giving him sanctuary and should be dealt with mercilessly. Any mistakes you make today you will pay for with your lives." He scanned the group quickly to be sure they understood what he said. " Lucius, you will come with me. The rest of you," he waved his hand carelessly. "go."
They stood in silence as the death eaters disappeared, leaving behind only a cacophony of popping noises echoing throughout the hall.
Voldemort turned to Lucius.
"You and I are going to the most obvious place, Lucius."
OoOoO
They apparated into the same field that Draco and Harry had met in the night before and saw that the scene in the Weasley's garden was one of pure pandemonium. Witches and wizards garbed in what appeared to be their finest dress robes were dashing wildly for port keys set up in different locations.
Those who could do so, were disapparating, some with others clinging to whichever body part they could grab as they went, none seeming to worry about the possibility of being splinched in the process. Still others were fighting. Anyone that possessed a wand and hadn't fled in terror was engaged in some sort of shuffle with a death eater.
Voldemort and Lucius crossed over and entered into the garden. Voldemort motioned for Lucius to walk around one side as he strolled casually through the other, looking carefully into every eye of every man fighting. Cries of shock and terror resounded frightfully as more and more people became aware that He Who Must Not Be Named was now amongst them.
Once he was satisfied that Harry was not present, Voldemort stood still and took in the spectacle.
Before him, food was being levitated and hurled into the faces of approaching death eaters by Fred and George Weasley.
"Ron would not approve of this, would he Fred? " George laughed as he flicked his wand sending several cream puffs directly into the face of Bellatrix and Rabastan Lestrange.
"You rotten little—" Bellatrix growled with annoyance as a series of tiny chicken wings, courtesy of Fred, bounced off of her neck and face, leaving splotches of grease where they hit.
"No George, can't say that he would. Probably be standing here trying to eat it as fast as we toss it."
Voldemort was in the process of deciding whether to step in and stop them or just let it play out for his amusement when he was piqued by a terrified scream. He spun around to see two masked death eaters pinned against a fence by a large, snarling lion patronus. Their curses had been bounced off of it and rebounded back at them, causing them to duck to avoid being hit by their own spells. The more they tried swatting it away, the closer the lion edged to them. The two hooded figures were now pressed painfully into a fence they could not climb. Seeing his followers cowering like frightened children, Voldemort attempted to walk through the misty lion to punish the cowards soundly.
He was surprisingly met with resistance; the lion was nearly solid, though visually transparent. When it felt Voldemort trying to push through, the patronus turned on him, eyes as red as his own blazed up at him before it roared ferociously and bound away, dissolving into a silvery mist and fading completely.
What sort of wizard could conjure something as powerful as a solid patronus?
He was interested in finding the guilty party, but more interested in finding Harry Potter and leaving this idiotic travesty of a fight far behind him. His death eaters were being made fools of and in the process turning him and their mission into a large joke.
He would not stand for it.
OoOoO
The moment Lucius had stepped into the yard, he was set upon by Luna Lovegood and Neville Longbottom. Ducking their curses almost effortlessly, Lucius had yet to throw any of his own. He soon tired of playing games with them.
"Stupify!" he yelled, aiming his wand at Luna. " Stupify!"
Again this time for Neville. Both instantly fell to the ground, stunned.
"Incarcerous." Several feet of rope sprung from the tip of his wand, binding the two unconscious teenagers together.
"Just like you to pick on children Lucius."
Lucius looked up from his handiwork and was met with a swift punch to the jaw, his head snapping back painfully from the force. He rubbed his jaw but recovered quickly.
"Resorting to fighting the muggle way again Arthur?" Lucius smirked as he sheathed his wand. "Alright then."
Arthur Weasley held up his clenched fists, and Lucius mimicked the action. Lucius threw a punch, Arthur dodged it and jabbed his fist into Lucius' stomach. While Lucius was bent low, Arthur's right cross connected again with his jaw, this time sending the blond death eater sprawling.
Suddenly, someone yelled nearby and a stream of red light flew over Lucius, hitting Arthur and knocking him flat on his arse.
Rodolphus Lestrange stood, wand still aimed at the fallen figure of Arthur Weasley.
"I almost had him Lestrange."
"Sure you did Malfoy, sure you did."
While Rodolphus bound Arthur, Lucius grumbled to himself. Denied once again the pleasure of a fair physical fight with the eldest Weasley, he decided to take his frustrations out on another of the man's family. He spotted a shock of red hair in the distance, and decided whoever they were would do.
OoOoO
The dark lord determined a much easier way to locate Potter. Lifting his wand to his throat, he began to address the crowd at large, his voice amplified magically.
"Silence!" It was not a spell, but a command that would not be ignored. The various skirmishes halted almost section by section until all were still. An eerie hush fell over the garden as all eyes were on Voldemort not knowing what to expect.
"Come forth, Harry Potter. We are here for you and you alone. Step forward now and your friends will be spared. Continue cowering behind their robes and they will suffer dearly on your behalf."
No one stepped forward and no one moved.
"My death eaters have been instructed to show no mercy Harry. Be brave my boy, save your friends." he paused briefly. "No? Have it your way." He raised his hand high in the air, throwing it down to his side he roared. "Attack!"
The small commotion before was nothing compared to the free-for-all that was now taking place.
Jets of red, blue, yellow and violet lights were flying wildly in every direction. Shouted curses were indistinguishably mingled together as death eaters did battle with aurors and anyone else unlucky enough to get caught in the fray. People were hitting the ground left and right. Masterless wands sent off red sparks as they dropped from listless hands. Magical ropes flew this way and that while death eaters bound and dragged prisoners to the center of the garden.
Voldemort looked on from the side, as no one was foolish enough to dare attempt one on one battle with him. He noticed Bellatrix standing over a small lump of a woman, Molly Weasley, issuing the cruciatus curse, holding it, barely even taking a breath, removing it and repeating. The woman was lying on the ground writhing in agony but no screams passed her lips. Voldemort saw his opportunity to gain the information he sought, and moved to stop Bellatrix before she went too far.
The moment she was released from Bellatrix's cruciatus, Molly tried to drag herself to her wand which was several feet away by then. Voldemort stepped forward and put his foot in her side, turning her to face him before crouching down beside her.
"Molly Weasley."
He reached out a single finger and placed it in the center of her forehead.
"Tell me what I want to know. Legillimens."
He closed his eyes as he tried to reach into her mind. He was met only with blank white space.
"Occlumency, Molly? You pleasantly surprise me dear woman. Now speak, tell me where Harry is."
Her eyes blazed defiantly though she knew she could be killed at any moment.
"Never." she rasped.
Voldemort shook his head and stood, planting his foot in the center of Molly's abdomen.
"Shame. Bellatrix, get her girl and bring her to me."
Molly shook her head frantically as a grinning Bellatrix almost skipped away to find Ginny Weasley, her youngest child and only daughter.
"No! You—take me! Leave her out of this! She's just a girl!"
"Then tell me what I want to hear Molly."
Bellatrix was back, one arm wrapped snugly around Ginny's waist, the other twisted painfully in her long red hair.
"Mom!" she cried at the sight of her mother being held down by Voldemort's foot.
"It's your choice Molly. Speak now. All I want to know is where Harry is."
"No Mom! Don't tell them anything!"
Voldemort reached over and grabbed Ginny's face with his long white hand and squeezed.
"Do not speak girl, unless you're spoken to."
Eyes never leaving Ginny he spoke once more to Molly.
"The choice is yours. Your daughter or the Potter brat."
Again Molly said nothing, large tears streaming down her cheek as she silently begged Ginny's forgiveness. Voldemort sighed exasperated.
"Enjoy her Bellatrix. Just a pity that Fenrir isn't with us today."
Bellatrix smiled as she cast the small redhead slightly from her.
" Crucio!"
OoOoO
Lucius was relieved that St. Potter had heeded his son's words and left the Burrow. The faces of the still unconscious and possibly dead wizards and witches would not haunt him. He had gone against everything he thought and said previously, doing all he could to spare those that were left behind.
It was no longer up to him.
The dark lord was doling out punishment as he saw fit. Lucius would not risk his own life nor his son's to protect people who attacked him every chance they got. Voldemort was now sending Lucius away from the Burrow and on to another wizarding home on their list. He was to see to whatever prisoners or casualties had accrued in their quest for Potter.
Lucius had barely stepped around the side of the Weasley home when he heard growling behind him. Before he was able to turn, he felt a great deal of weight fly at him, pinning him firmly to the ground. He struggled with this large snarling mass as it nipped and bit his neck and shoulders before he was able to flip himself over onto his back. Holding the creature at bay with one hand tangled in masses of matted fur, he jerked his head from left to right, seeking his fallen wand. Finding it, he grabbed it with his free hand and faced the thing that held him.
Lucius gasped as he looked up into familiar gray eyes.
"It—it can't be."
A/N: Quick question! I have several chapters written already, I'm just editing them, but two of them could come next as they both involve the events of this chapter. So my question is, would you rather find out what happened in the aftermath of the fight, or find out what happened to our main character, Lucius? Any questions of your own? Let me know!