*Lyrics from I'll Follow the Sun*
And now the time has come
And so my love I must go
Draco could tell from the several gasps in the room that very few people were aware of the Master's plan, but his attention was still directed at the man right across from him. His words had left his mouth several seconds ago, yet neither of them had moved or said anything. Draco was still trying to process the meaning of what he had heard, while trying to control himself as it would not do well for them to see his distress.
"Well Draco, are you capable of doing this?" He finally asked, with a hint of impatience.
"Yes Master, I will kill her" Draco forced himself to say, wondering how much longer before he could leave.
"Excellent. Do you require any assistance?"
"No, I will take care of this alone"
"I will not oblige you to tell us how Draco, but you must inform me of when, prior to carrying it out. Am I clear?"
Draco nodded.
"It's settled then. This meeting is over, you may leave" He said, addressing them all.
A few people, my Lucius included, made their way towards Draco but he quickly turned around and headed for the exit. He managed to walk halfway down the path to the gates until a firm hand grabbed his shoulder and spun him around.
"Those were not good manners Draco, your mother and I taught you better than that"
"What are you talking about, father?" Draco replied, pushing his hand away.
"You left without talking to anyone; there were people who wished to congratulate you"
"Now is not the time for congratulations, they can do so once I kill her"
"I supposed that makes more sense. Nonetheless Draco, you need to behave more appropriately"
"I behaved just fine father. I have to go now"
And without waiting for this reply, Draco crossed the gate and apparated far away from him.
Elliot was already back when Chloe arrived home around five. Because there were still two hours before she had to go see Harry, they sat and talked for a while before deciding to play a game of chess. She was watching her father make his next move when Koda popped next to them. He looked anxious and he kept looking at Chloe, then at her dad, then back at her in a weird way.
"Koda, what is it?" She asked.
"Mistress must… Koda needs mistress to… I didn't mean to"
"Slow down Koda, you are making no sense" Elliot said "Chloe must what?"
"Koda broke something in mistress' room…. Koda didn't mean to… very sorry"
"It's ok, show me what it is and I'll fix it" Chloe said, watching his odd behavior with curiosity "I'll be back soon dad, and no cheating" She added.
Taking hold of Koda's hand, she waited as he apparated them back to her room.
"Ok Koda, what is…?" She started to say but fell quiet as she saw Draco.
He looked agitated in a way she had never seen before, and he seemed to be shaking.
"Tell your elf to keep this a secret, like last time" He commanded.
"Is that why you came downstairs for me?" Chloe asked Koda.
"Koda didn't want to… no, he didn't… He" he said, pointing at Malfoy "threatened Koda… Koda shouldn't lie to his master…"
"Koda, stop it. Malfoy is my friend and it was ok for you to lie in front of my father. You can't tell anyone about this Koda, ok?"
"Koda will not say anything"
"Thank you, you can leave now" and she waited long enough for him to disappear before turning her attention back to Draco "What is it? Are you hurt?"
"No, but this can't go on anymore. We have to go see the Minister, now"
"What? Malfoy, just a few hours ago you were completely against that. What is going on?"
"I was with him just, the Master, and he personally gave me a task"
"And what was it?"
"I have to kill you"
Chloe took an involuntary step back, her stomach dropping.
"I'm evidently not going to kill you, so this arrangement of ours needs to end. I need protection, both mother and I do. I can no longer spy on them for you"
"I agree, you must go to Kingsley immediately. And I'm coming with you" She said, walking over to where her cloak was.
Just then, she felt a warm pang and reached for her pocket, Harry had sent her a message on their fake galleon.
"I have to stop by my Manor and get mother first. I will meet you at the Ministry"
"No, I'm coming with you" She said, putting down the galleon and reaching for her cloak.
"To Malfoy Manor? Lewis, they want you dead and my father is the man's right hand, you would be foolish to accompany me there"
"Foolish or not, I'm coming along. Let's not waste any more time discussing"
Draco grunted but otherwise did not continue to protest.
"Koda" She called and the little elf appeared again "listen very carefully. I have to go with Malfoy now, so tell my father I just received an owl from Ava and had to go see her. I will be back later"
Then, she followed Malfoy to the fireplace and watched him go first, before stepping into the flames and saying "Malfoy Manor, Draco's room"
When she stepped out of the fireplace, several seconds later, Malfoy was already busy waiving his wand around the room. She walked further in and stopped next to him.
"I have placed some enchantments in my room to keep you safe and hidden while I go look for mother. Keep your wand in hand and if I'm not back in ten minutes, go back home and to the Ministry"
"Malfoy, I'll be fine, no one knows that we are here and"
She was interrupted by the double doors that lead to the hallway opening with an explosive bang. Both of their heads snapped in that direction and what Chloe saw terrified her. Five figures stood on the other side, hidden by the hallways' darkness, wands pointed at them.
"Expelliarmus" A familiar female voice said.
Draco and Chloe watched hopelessly as their wands flew to her hand and Chloe wondered if he was as terrified as she was.
"What a pity, it seems as if my informant was right. Draco was indeed working for the other side" The man at the very center of the group said, taking a step closer to us.
"You" Draco said, pointing an accusatory finger to the man "I recognize your voice, you are the Master"
"Merlin's beard" Chloe said, incapable of stopping myself. Now that he had stepped in and the light from Draco's room illuminated his face, she recognized the man.
"Chloe, we meet again" He said maliciously.
"You know him?" Draco turned on her, angrily.
"His name is Alastair Cromwell" She said, true fear setting in "He is the man publishing Ava's book on Harry"
"I'm afraid there will never be a book after all" Alastair said, with a smile "Now Draco, I am most disappointed in you. Your punishment will be severe"
Draco's body tensed, but he continued to look at Alastair with a confident arrogance.
"And don't you think I've forgotten about you Chloe. It seems that I will have to change my plans a little, and you will not be dying so soon. However, you have seen and heard enough and I cannot let you go… What to do with you then?"
"I won't let you touch her" Draco said, stepping in front of her and causing not only Chloe but two other people to inhale loudly.
"Step away from her Draco, you have disgraced yourself enough" Lucius said, stepping in the room as well and sounding positively frightening. He looked furious.
"Now Draco, don't be foolish" Alastair continued "You lied from the beginning, but you have brought me Harry Potter's girlfriend and I can use this to my advantage. I'm willing to give you a second chance as there are too few of us for me to simply kill you right now, so don't ruin it by trying to protect her"
They all turned their attention to the hallway as the sound of rapidly approaching footsteps could be heard. Then a woman's voice could be heard pleading to be allowed in and suddenly, four figures walked in. Narcissa Malfoy was being escorted on each side by two men Chloe recognized as Alastair's sons and next to them was Isla, still holding their wands.
"What have we here?" Alastair asked, eyeing Narcissa.
"Lucius" She said looking directly at her husband "Don't let them hurt Draco, please, he is your son"
"Silence" Lucius said, barely looking at her.
"Lucius please, he's our son, he's"
"I said silence" and with a wave of his wand Narcissa's body convulsed and fell to the ground, unconscious.
"No" Draco said, dropping down next to her "Mother, MOTHER! Can you hear me?"
"Leave her be Draco" Lucius ordered.
"Is she dead? Did you KILL HER?"
"Quiet down Draco, I did not kill her"
"That is enough" Alastair said "I don't have the time for this. Henry, Edward, do take the three of them to our Manor and hide them in the dungeons"
Chloe looked down at Draco, and then she saw it: Narcissa's wand was still in her robe's pocket, barely sticking out. Looking up she met Isla's eyes and realized she had noticed it as well. Chloe dived towards Narcissa just as Isla did but she had barely moved when a nonverbal spell hit her and she fell to the ground in a full body bind curse. Then Draco fell next to her with a thud, his body also frozen by a spell.