Chapter Twenty-Two - Easter Sacrifice
April was starting off miserably, so far as the weather was concerned. The spring rain fell for days during the end of March, wiping out the last traces of snow on the castle grounds. Harry supposed it was just as well that the seasons were moving on, but a week of rain without even seeing the sun seemed a bit excessive.
Quidditch practice in the rain wasn't much fun. Bletchley's favourite form of practice was still the scrimmage against the reserves, who were finally starting to resemble real Quidditch players. While he was careful to never give too much praise, he expressed half-confidence that they might not be entirely hopeless.
Hufflepuff had stomped on Gryffindor, but Weasley had caught the snitch, winning 370-300. Harry knew Bletchley had tallied the points many times, and even with the win against Ravenclaw, Gryffindor would have to lose to Ravenclaw by a considerable margin if Slytherin was to hold on to the Quidditch Cup. With Weasley and his Cleansweep 11 playing Seeker, the odds were near-insurmountable.
When it was raining, he couldn't go out on the battlements with Laine. Of course, because of the sheer time it took to get up to the battlements in the first place, Harry hadn't taken her out there since last November. Now they customarily strolled the dungeons. If Laine wondered at the change, she never mentioned it.
His relationship with Laine had become a bit more stressful these days. While his schedule hadn't changed, she often asked where he had been, what he'd been doing, and with whom he'd been doing it. Her sudden need to know was a bit puzzling, but Sirius had said that girls sometimes got jealous ideas about absolutely nothing, so he paid it no mind.
He tried to make an effort to spend more time with Laine, but often he felt stretched so thinly that a good Lumos would shine through him. With all of his responsibilities, it was just too much. Harry was starting to crack.
Diggory's prefect meetings were one of the first things that Harry started skivving out on. The sixth years usually showed up, but the fifth and seventh years came to only half of the meetings. At least two prefects from each house and at least ten in total were required for a quorum. Proxy voting was not allowed.
Meetings or not, he did still have to patrol twice a week. There was seldom anything more exciting than a student late on the way back from the library, but David Palce caught Fred Weasley and Alicia Spinnet sneaking in from the greenhouses only two days prior.
Harry's patrol had fallen on the night of the full moon. No one had been willing to trade shifts, so there was no question of sneaking out of the castle himself, even if he hadn't had classes the next day. He did his best to be with the Marauders in spirit, but it was impossible to change his form without letting Pansy in on the secret.
They had split up so as to cover ground more quickly, and Harry was just beginning to scout down the corridor leading out to the aforementioned greenhouses when he heard spellwork being performed. It sounded like curses and hexes. Harry flashed into the form of his mongoose and followed the sound.
Once up on the first floor, Harry changed back. The noises were coming from the electives corridor, where Arithmancy, Ancient Runes, and Muggle Studies were taught. He drew his wand and scouted closer.
Around the corner, he found a Hufflepuff and a Gryffindor duelling. They were trading spells furiously, and Harry could easily see the mutual anger. He had to step in before one of them got hurt.
"Expelliarmus!" he cast, using a sweeping wand motion. Both of the wands popped into the air, and he let them clatter to the floor. The two boys turned to face him, grim expressions on their faces.
"Duelling outside of the Ministry Youth meetings is forbidden," Harry said icily. They were both older than him, but he was a prefect and the Duelling Captain. He could take charge of this situation. "What is the meaning of this, Hooper? Summers? You're both members and know better."
"Captain Potter," Hooper, the Gryffindor, said, looking very ashamed of being caught.
Harry gave them his best Professor Snape glare and tried to imagine what he would say in this situation.
"Ten points each for being out after curfew, twenty points for duelling without sanction, and I think a detention is in order as well. I will inform Professor Umbridge and let her decide the particulars. Now, pick up your wands and march yourselves to the Great Hall."
The two sixth years looked at each other uneasily.
"Captain?" said Summers.
"You want to duel so badly that you'll sneak out after curfew. Something couldn't wait until the next meeting of the youth club. Very well. You're going to settle things now, under supervision and sanction, and then we're all going back to bed. Now march!"
The older students retrieved their wands and followed Harry's urging down to the Great Hall. They encountered Pansy in the entrance hall, and she queried Harry with a single glance.
"Unauthorized duelling," he answered. "We're about to settle it if you'd care to watch."
"Sounds delightful."
Harry banished the house tables to the far walls and conjured himself and Pansy some comfortable chairs.
"Begin."
As the two sixth years duelled, Harry made mental notes to critique them later.
"What's all this, then?" demanded a gravelly voice.
Mr. Filch, the caretaker, stood there looking outraged. Mrs. Norris sat primly at his feet. Harry knew she must have discovered the duelling and fetched the old man immediately.
Harry rose to his feet and calmly walked over.
"Good evening, Mister Filch. Everything is under control. There's no cause for alarm."
"Four students out of bed. Dear, oh dear. The headmaster won't be happy to hear about it. It'll be detention for the lot of yeh."
"As I said, Mister Filch, everything is under control. We are prefects and discovered these two out after curfew. I insisted that they finish their business before we all went back to bed."
"Those two are duelling! That's against the rules, that is."
"In addition to being a prefect, I also hold the position of Duelling Captain. As such, I have authorized and sanctioned this duel. There is no rule-breaking going on here."
Filch glowered at Harry, and Harry noticed for the first time that he was actually taller than the hunched, unpleasant man.
"Your services are not required here, Mister Filch. Good night to you."
Now Filch looked really upset, but there was nothing he could do about it. As a prefect, Harry was within his rights to be out after curfew. As captain, he had the authority to sanction a duel. Try though he might, Filch didn't have a leg to stand on. He stomped away, Mrs. Norris hot on his heels.
Harry glanced back at the duellers, who had stopped fighting to witness the exchange with Filch.
"What are you two looking at? Finish up! I want to go to bed."
The tale was the only topic of conversation at breakfast.
Professor Umbridge appeared to be waiting for him. She came by to see him right away when he entered the hall.
"Captain Potter, I was most surprised to see your report on my desk this morning. The details are fascinating, and I applaud your quick thinking. I wonder if you might have some input as to the appropriate detention. Your additional punishment for Hooper was very creative. Take ten points for that."
After Summers had disarmed Hooper, Harry had given the Gryffindor one hundred lines: "I will not duel without sanction."
"Thank you, Professor."
"Well?"
"Perhaps a few nights of working with Mister Filch? I know he'd love to string them up by their thumbs in the dungeons, but that might be a bit much."
"I will consider it. I may simply assign a few hundred lines. Repetition of a positive message will eventually sink in."
"Very good, Professor."
"Keep up the good work."
"Yes, ma'am."
Umbridge headed up to the high table.
"Well done, Harry," Pansy said admiringly. "Nice to get points for doing your duty."
"I'll say," Daphne poking Harry on the shoulder. "What made you think to make them finish the duel?"
"I needed some entertainment," he said flippantly. "Wasn't it delightful, Pansy?"
"Most certainly. I particularly enjoyed the part where Hooper turned the high table into a rhinocerous."
Laine sat next to him laughing and joking with everyone as Pansy described the duel in exqusite detail. Harry filled in a few points, but Pansy had been born to talk and tell stories.
Ginny, sitting next to Laine, was paying rapt attention. She grasped her fork like a wand and made the motions for each spell Pansy described. Harry was pleased to see that she had them all right.
Draco sat across the table from Harry, but he was keeping his eyes on Ginny. He laughed whenever she made a witty comment. He directed the conversation to her, bringing her into the discussion. Ginny looked a little skeptical of Draco's attentions, but she didn't exactly discourage him either.
Harry's favorite breakfast foods were on the table. He took a double helping of everything and tried to eat both quickly and neatly. He was only moderately successful in that regard.
He was very thankful that it was the last day of classes before the holiday. With all the studying, the meetings, the practices, and trying to find time to spend with his girlfriend, he felt run ragged. The break would be most welcome.
It had been too long since he'd seen Sirius. He couldn't wait to go zooming around the streets of London on the motorbike. Harry knew that Muggles let one drive at age 16, and he was nearly there. He planned to ask Sirius if he could apply for a permit and purchase a bike for himself. Then they'd have lots of fun modifying it with all the special charms. After that, the sky would be the limit!
The weather had finally broken. The ceiling in the Great Hall was a brilliant blue, with the barest hint of clouds. The sun was already shining strong, and part of Harry longed to ditch classes and go outside.
Actually, it's a free right after breakfast.
Harry glanced over at Draco.
"Care to have a stroll outside instead of hitting the books?"
Draco considered the question briefly. "Sounds delightful. I'm actually caught up at the moment, so yes."
Harry looked down the table. "Anyone else?"
"I'm in," said Daphne, Pansy, and Tracy, who weren't taking Care of Magical Creatures.
Millie looked disappointed. "Why can't it be nice out when it's Muggle Studies?"
Laine pouted. "I wish I had a free in the morning."
"Sorry, Laine. I'll bring you back some sunshine and fresh air."
She didn't smile at his joke. Harry got a bit nervous then.
What if she gets mad about this?
Everyone else was laughing and talking excitedly about the break, but Harry focused on Laine. Her lower lip jutted out slightly, and her eyes were simmering. Her nose crinkled a bit, and she took a deep breath. She let it out slowly, swallowed her irritation, faked a smile, and shook her head.
"I hope you can."
Her voice sounded cheery, but Harry couldn't quite tell how sincere she was being.
Deciding to give her the benefit of the doubt, Harry kissed her cheek gently. "I do wish you could come too. Meeting tonight, but maybe we can have a more private walk later on."
"That would be very nice. After the meeting? Better not work us over too much."
"I won't."
The sunshine did indeed feel magnificent on Harry's face. The air was a bit brisk if the wind picked up too much, but it was otherwise blissful. The stress seemed to simply melt away from him. The certainty that warmer weather was coming cheered him immensely. At last they would be able to have the occasional outdoors study session. The change of scene would do wonders for their spirits.
The bell rang, and a crowd of Slytherin firsties erupted from the greenhouse. Harry waved to them and saw Pamela Ruthven smile at him. They had no time to talk, but the girls put their heads together and began to giggle.
The fifth years basked outside the greenhouses until it was time for Herbology. When the Ravenclaws arrived, they kept their distance but did pause to enjoy a brief moment before heading inside.
"Shall we?" Harry suggested.
"Can we ask Sprout to hold lecture out here instead?" Daphne said.
Herbology was review, it being the last day of the term. They were also assigned a ream of homework. Every other teacher had done the same, but Harry couldn't be bothered by it today.
Harry did not actually have a way to bring warmth and sunshine to Laine (other than showing her a memory in the Pensieve). He settled for kissing her lips and pouring her a glass of pumpkin juice at lunch.
Draco continued to engage Ginny in conversation, and now she looked even less certain of herself. Her retorts lacked the usual zip.
Double Ancient Runes was spent going over the last exam, and no homework was given, making Harry praise Professor Babbling all the way to Astronomy.
"It figures," Sinistra said ruefully, "that the weather breaks precisely when you all will be leaving. I want you to watch the skies every night. I will quiz you on your observations on our first meeting after the break."
Then they were free, and everyone's books were packed away in their trunks. They headed up to dinner in good cheer.
Harry deliberately sat himself at the end of the empty block left for the fifth years at the Slytherin table. The seat was next to Laine, who smiled prettily at him. Ginny was on her left, with Arcen and Lucas across, and the other fourth years further down.
"Hello, Harry. How were your classes today? McGonagall sprung a pop quiz on us, and I think I did horribly. Iknew I should have studied Transfiguration, but I wanted to read up on antidotes. Professor Snape is hinting he might poison one of the Gryffindors, and I want to be ready if he calls on me to save him."
Harry ignored all of that jabber. "Hi, Laine. Classes were decent. So glad to be on holiday at last."
"Oh, I know. Who do you want to sit with on the train?
Before Harry could answer, he was distracted by a black bird that might have been a raven, a crow, or a magpie (Harry wasn't up on his bird-watching) flying into the Great Hall and heading for the Slytherin table. It bore a scroll of black parchment tied to its leg with a black ribbon.
It landed in front of Draco.
"Who the heck is sending that?"
Draco slipped the parchment out of the ribbon and pinned one edge under his glass of pumkin juice while he unrolled it with his left hand. He continued to eat using his right until he dropped his fork with a clatter, sending mashed potatoes everywhere.
"What is it, Draco?"
"Nothing. Just V-v-voldemort telling me he has my brother."
"What!"
"Keep your voice down, please."
"What else does he say?"
"Nothing. Just promises to be in touch. Oh, I can't wait to see what he wants me to do."
"We knew this could happen sooner or later."
"He was supposed to stay at the sodding house!" Draco snarled. "How in Merlin's name did they get him?"
Across the Great Hall, another black bird was delivering another scroll of parchment. A shout of outrage was quickly joined by two other voices. The three Weasley brothers stormed up to the high table. Professor McGonagall, clearly alarmed at seeing any of her house so upset, ushered them through a side door.
"You don't suppose?" Harry said speculatively, inclining his head towards the trio of redheads. "Elan and Percy are pretty close. Would he have made a secret plan with ole Perce?"
"He might have. He was so bored, so desperate to get out of the house. We'll know soon enough. Here comes McGonagall. If she starts walking over here to- yep, here she comes to tell Ginny. Percy's been taken too."
Draco was remarkably calm. His voice was almost analytical, as though he weren't really here. Shocked, Harry thought. He must be really hovering above this scene right now, his brain accessible but not working properly.
Ginny choked off a wail that nearly broke Harry's heart. She and Percy were very close, him being the one brother who'd never rejected her in some degree for going over to the green team. She buried her head in Laine's shoulder and hid her sobs. Professor McGonagall looked like she very much wanted to comfort Ginny, but after exchanging a glance with Laine, headed back to the high table where she had a whispered conversation with Dumbledore.
Draco stood up and moved around the table. He gestured tersely to Lucas and squeezed in next to Ginny. He put his hand on her shoulder. He said something softly, and her head jerked up sharply. She said something in response, and Draco nodded his head. He said something else, and suddenly her eyes filled with tears again. She reached for Draco, and he wrapped his arms around her. He rested his head on hers and began to stroke her back with one hand.
"Now there's something I thought I'd never see," Daphne said in a whisper.
"No kidding," breathed Pansy.
"What the heck is going on?" Tracy whispered.
"Elan and Percy have been kidnapped," Harry replied, keeping his voice down. "Voldemort's got them in the old prison."
The three girls gasped.
Harry didn't know what to say. Draco was leading Ginny, accompanied by Laine, Lucas, and Arcen from the Great Hall. Ignoring the rest of his dinner, he rose to follow.
Without a word or sound other than the fall of their footsteps and Ginny's sniffles, the Slytherins descended into the dungeons. In the common room, they passed right by the inviting chairs and couches and went directly into the corridor where the girls' dormitories were. In through the door with the plaque reading 'Fourth Years', and Laine turned to Arcen and Lucas.
"Thanks, guys. We've got this."
Arcen started to go, but Laine had to stare Lucas down. He finally walked away as well, grumbling to himself. Laine closed the door.
Draco sat Ginny down on her bed. She looked around at Harry and Laine and back at Draco.
"Thank you. I'm okay now."
"Like hell you are," Draco said, "because I'm nowhere near okay right now. We're going to get through this. We'll get them back."
"How?"
"Somehow. We're Slytherins. Let's make a plan. How about I start by writing my father and asking what's going to be done? He is a powerful man, my father. The Ministry will not let the Director of International Magical Cooperation be abducted and not do a thing about it. The Aurors will rescue them, we'll yell at them for being so inconsiderately stupid as to get themselves abducted, and we'll all go home under the Fidelius Charm and be safe and secure again."
"Sounds wonderful," Ginny said. "Bill put that on the Burrow last summer when he came home unexpectedly. He was about to head to France to meet up with a new employee at Gringotts when the news broke of Voldemort being back. He asked for a delay, came home, and he made sure we had the best protections he knew how to cast."
"Did he ever make it to France?"
"Nope. Too bad. He says it's this pretty blonde girl. I think he might have liked her, but she's got every guy in the office wrapped around her little finger. He thinks she's wicked stuck-up."
"Well if Bill put the protections up, then the rest of your family has got to be fine. I'm sure they'll be waiting at the train station, and they'll be very glad to see you."
"Bunch of gits," she said with a sniffle.
"Yes, they are, but they're family. That's what family is sometimes, and we're going to see ours tomorrow."
Ginny let out the yawn she'd been fighting back.
"I am exhausted."
"Get some sleep, and we'll see you in the morning for breakfast. Laine, make sure you pack everything for her."
"No problem, Draco."
"Good night, Ginny."
"G'nite. Thanks, Draco. You too, Harry."
"Good night, Ginny," Harry said. He leaned over and gave her a hug. She squeezed him hard. He ruffled her hair, and she summoned up a bit of a spirited protest. He grinned at her.
"It's gonna be okay."
Ginny bit her lip. "I hope so."
Harry closed the door behind them, and Draco led him to their room. He dumped out his bookbag, thrust a few essentials in, and turned to Harry.
"Let's go."
"Where are we going?"
"To Malfoy Manor. My mother must be in pieces by now."
"Would she be at my house?"
"She might be. We'll try both."
Harry and Draco headed back up into the castle.
"How are we going to get off the grounds?"
"Shrieking Shack."
"Perfect."
They slipped through the front door and hurried down to the Whomping Willow, where Harry levitated a short stick in order to press the knot that immobilized the tree. He and Draco hurried into the tunnel and made their way to the building at the end, which still had some remnants of Harry's birthday party.
"Let's go," Draco said shortly.
"I just want to be sure this is a good idea. London is pretty far, and Wiltshire a bit moreso."
"I have to go. I've never been more determined."
"You're pretty riled up, though. Mental agitation can affect your magic in very bad ways. I've got a good method for clearing your thoughts if you want to give it a go."
Draco suddenly looked afraid. "I have no desire to get Splinched again. If we guess wrong, there'll be no one to fix us. Best go to your house."
"Can we go that far? Do you have a clear enough picture?"
"I don't know. I did it at Christmas, but I haven't had a chance to practice lately. This might not be the best idea."
"You couldn't have thought of this before we rushed out here against the rules?"
Draco didn't bat an eye at the verbal dig. "In crisis, the family must come together. I wonder if I couldn't make it a series of short hops."
"You'd need to have clear images of the places in-between."
"Damn!"
"What the devil is going on here?" demanded an icy voice.
Harry turned with dread to see their Head of House standing there with arms folded imposingly before him. The look on his face could have melted stone.
"Professor! We were just- that is, I- I-"
"Mister Potter, you are a prefect. Unless you tell me that you are preventing Mister Malfoy from leaving school without permission, I shall be forced to assume that you were also intending to sneak out. A prefect would never so flagrantly flaunt the rules in such a fashion."
Harry cast an agonized glance at Draco, who nodded.
"That's exactly right, Professor," Draco said.
"If you go directly back to the castle, I shall ignore this unauthorized excursion and attribute your lack of clear thinking to emotional distress."
"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir."
Draco headed for the tunnel. Harry stayed for a moment.
"Professor, what do we do about Elan and Percy?"
"We rescue them, if we can. If they were taken to the old prison, they will never be the same again. They may die. I will try to help them as best I can when next I am summoned."
"Thank you. I know it's a risk."
"We do what we can, Mister Potter. No more, and no less."
The next day, Harry tried to avoid him, but Ron Weasley forced a confrontation down by the train platform. His brothers, the twins, were with him. All wore very unpleasant frowns on their faces. They didn't seem to have slept much.
"Oh good," Ron said sarcastically. "The Junior Death Eater club is here. Wouldn't do to ride the train withoutthem. Otherwise the big boys might decide attacking the train is a good idea. It wouldn't do to put their own family at risk too. How many of that lot you think have dads who are Death Eaters, Fred?"
"Oh, at least four. Maybe as many as six."
"You lot are the biggest morons," Harry said with exasperation. "Voldemort killed my family."
"Oh, I'm pretty convinced you're not on his side," Ron replied easily. "Doesn't mean you're not surrounded by Dark companions and Darker than Grindelwald yourself. But these other sods? Heck, I know Malfoy right off the bat is the son of a Death Eater. Crabbe's father is in Ministry lock-up, and Goyle is half as ugly and twice as stupid. Nott as well, though I hear he's out of the picture. Always knew you were a bunch of murdering maniacs."
"What are you on about?"
"Don't pretend like you don't know. I hear things," Ron said airily.
He spoke with such certainty that Harry didn't even try to deny it.
"We're all against Voldemort here, Weasley."
The other boy flinched. "Only because you're going to become even worse than he is."
"We're on the same side as your precious Dumbledore. Your brother's side too, you know."
Ron looked at Harry with undisguised hatred. "It's all your fault. If he hadn't been mixed up with Slytherins, he wouldn't be dead!" he bellowed. "You killed him, you bleeding bunch of snakes! You killed my brother!"
"That's enough," Fred said in a weak tone, stepping over and taking his brother by the shoulders. "They'll get their due in time."
"Shut up, Ron!" Ginny screamed. "You hated Percy! Don't you dare try to pretend that you care about what happens to him!"
Ron was pale. "Just because he's a stupid tosser doesn't mean I don't care what happens to him," he whispered.
"I'm the only one who ever gave a damn about him. Sometimes, anyway. More lately, but you never liked him. Always making fun of him, calling him Big Head and other garbage like that."
"You laughed at it too, Gin," Fred said.
"Maybe a few times, but you two never know when to lay off, do you? You just keep pushing and pushing until someone snaps and does something drastic. Well how's this?"
With a flick of her wrist and a silent wave of her wand, all three brothers were suddenly being attacked by giant, bat-winged boogies that emerged from their noses.
The oaths and swears they uttered were not fit for polite company, but the sister appeared unimpressed as they ran off down the platform.
"Don't miss the train!" she called after them.
"Well done, Ginny," said a grown-up voice from nearby.
"Sirius!" Harry ran to give his godfather a hug. "What are you doing here?"
"Giving you a ride home, of course."
A ride on the motorbike? Fantastic.
"I wish I could get home so fast," Ginny said ruefully.
"I'll be in touch over the break," Harry promised.
"Thanks. Bye, Harry. Bye, Draco."
"Bye, Ginny," Harry replied.
Draco said nothing, but he stepped forward and hugged her tightly. She squeezed him back before boarding the train.
"Come on, you two."
"Is there room on the motorbike for two?" Harry asked as they walked towards the village.
"No. We'll step around the corner once the platform clears a bit and Apparate."
"Fine. We would have done it ourselves last night, but we were worried about Splinching."
"In your current state, I think that's a very smart decision."
"And we got caught by Professor Snape."
They appeared in the hall of Grimmauld Place. Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy were waiting for them. Both wore deepest black, and they held hands as though to keep from being torn apart.
Draco's brave façade lasted for precisely two seconds. He immediately went to his parents and was enveloped in a desperate hug. He broke down, sobbing desperately for the older brother he idolized.
Mrs. Malfoy was composed. She had dark circles under her eyes, but she didn't seem on the verge of collapse. She rocked Draco gently, comforting as only a mother could do.
Mr. Malfoy's cheeks were wet. He looked haggard, as though he hadn't been sleeping. His shoulders were slumped and shaking as he held his incomplete family close. He had never before seemed vulnerable to Harry, and to see the powerful man so lost shook Harry to his core.
This moment was far too private for Harry to intrude. The family needed each other. He drew back towards the dining room with Sirius.
Without words, Sirius wrapped him in a tight hug. Harry squeezed back as much as he could.
"I can't even imagine their pain," Harry said softly.
"The loss of a child is most keen. No parent should have to suffer it. I may have hated my parents and everything they stood for, but they loved my brother, and when he was killed, it was as though this void opened in their lives. Every conversation with them after that ended in a row. They usually did anyway, but now it was all the time, and the words were a lot more hurtful."
"What can we do for them?"
"They will not ask for our help. They're too proud for that. As to what you can do, simply be a friend as you would normally be. If you feel the urge to offer comfort or support, then do so. I know it will be welcomed."
Harry knew that would have to be the best he could do.
"And what about getting Percy and Elan back?"
"There's an Order meeting on Monday. I'll make sure we bring it up."
"I've almost got the hang of this Occlumency thing. Then I can sit in on the meetings openly."
Out in the hallway, the Malfoys had finished their immediate sobbing. Harry heard them ascend the stairs.
"I think dinner will be small and private tonight," Sirius said. "Kreacher!"
The house elf appeared with a bang and bowed low.
"Kreacher is here, Master."
"The Malfoys will want dinner in their rooms tonight. Harry and I will take our meal in the drawing room after you've seen to them. Light the fire now, please."
"Kreacher obeys!"
"Shall we head up now?" Sirius said.
"Sure. Do you want to listen to the wireless or something?"
"That would be very nice. Anything to distract from those holiday assignments, right?"
With all the fuss lately, Harry hadn't given much thought to his classwork. How was he supposed to get anything done with loved ones in danger?
It was a question which Harry had no answer for, but he was determined to try. He brought his homework to the drawing room, flipped open his Transfiguration text, and began reading. He readied a quill to jot down some notes, but not a minute later he threw it down in frustration. Ink spattered a few drops on his skin, but he didn't care.
"Problem?"
"How am I supposed to concentrate when my friends are in mortal peril? How can I study when I know this is my fault?"
Sirius raised an eyebrow. "What makes you think this has anything to do with you? You're important, kiddo, but you're not the centre of everything."
"Elan and Percy are upstanding chaps who had the misfortune of becoming close to me. Voldemort wants to kill me, so anything he can do to hurt me is a great idea."
"That's pretty arrogant, Harry. They are also two influential wizards who are attempting to rally the public against Voldemort. Percy is Director of the Department of International Magical Cooperation, and he's been doing his very best to drum up support for the war effort from the rest of the continent. Elan is very influential in wizarding society at large, and his efforts to persuade the British public to support the Ministry have been invaluable."
Harry knew that his godfather spoke the truth, but he still somehow felt responsible. Sirius' logic was solid, but a part of him wanted to keep arguing. One thing he did know for certain was that trying to do homework was doomed to failure.
He waved his wand and turned on the wireless.
"So this is the drawing room. Does anyone ever actually draw in a room like this?"
Sirius forced a small chuckle. "It's quite the story, I tell you. Aunt Druella laid into me something fierce when I asked that very same question, though I may have said it with a good deal more sass."
Easter dinner was served at precisely noon the next day.
Harry and Sirius found the Malfoys already waiting for them in the dining room. They still wore deepest black. Mrs. Malfoy alone seemed alert. Her husband and son were very subdued.
"Sirius, there you are. Let us sit."
The table was groaning with the sheer weight of food. A ham as large as a dragon egg was smothered in brown sugar glaze. Steam rose from bowls of mashed potatoes with the red peels left in and great pats of butter melting into golden rivers. Maple syrup on an orange mash seemed a sweet and sticky disguise for healthy vegetables. Another orange dish was decorated with walnuts and brown sugar. A dozen types of bread and rolls and pastries was too many to choose from.
"My, Kreacher has outdone himself," Mrs. Malfoy said.
Harry saw the curtain twitch.
"It all looks delicious," he said.
The Malfoys bowed their heads for a few moments. Sirius, who had been reaching for a serving spoon, hesitated before doing the same. Harry, followed suit, not really knowing what to do. He supposed they were taking a moment to think of Elan and acknowledge his absence.
He knew that in the Weasley home, the Burrow, there would also be bowed heads and silent prayers. Percy was missed just as sorely as Elan. Some of them had likely parted ways in anger, with harsh words spoken, that had to be rancoring even harder.
They would be rescued. Somehow, Harry knew they'd find a way to break into the old prison. Professor Snape had promised that he would to whatever he could for the boys.
"Well, let's eat," Mrs. Malfoy said.
"Is this everyone?" Harry asked.
"It is."
"Where are the Tonkses?"
"It was Ted's turn for Easter with his family this year. He and Andi have gone to the country. Nymphadora is working."
"Have you even told her yet?" Sirius asked.
Mrs. Malfoy smiled wanly. "In good time."
Though Harry was curious as to why she hadn't told her older sister the urgent family news, the incredible smells were driving him to distraction. Harry took lots of everything.
It could have been a meal drenched in silence, with only the sound of chewing. Many people clammed up when they were in emotional distress, but the two Blacks had evidently experienced enough awkward times at the table. Sirius and Mrs. Malfoy kept the conversation going. They avoided talking about the present by remembering the past.
"Do you remember the year Uncle Alphard was disowned?" Sirius asked.
"How could I forget?" she said with a smile. "He brought his special friend to Easter, and Great-Grandmother Violetta found them together in the china closet. The shock just killed the old dear."
"I'm just impressed that something could. I thought she would live forever."
"She certainly tried. She was one hundred and twelve at the time."
"Do you remember that time she caught Reg and I trying to make potions with her antique Roman cauldron?"
Mrs. Malfoy laughed. "I heard about that for months."
"This will amuse you. Harry dug it out over Christmas and used it to make presents for his friends."
"He didn't!"
"Oh yes. Here's the kicker: Kreacher found it for him."
"No!"
"Yes."
She smiled. "Well, a cauldron should be used. To not use it denies it purpose, the purpose for which it was made. It is abuse."
Harry felt his ears getting red. "I needed a cauldron. I didn't know I shouldn't use it. Kreacher told me it was going to be thrown out otherwise."
"Well, it's yours now, Harry," Sirius said. "I hope you get lots of use out of it."
"It's good that you have skill with Potions, Harry," Mrs. Malfoy continued. "Someone needs to be able to brew the common remedies and draughts. Your godfather certainly hasn't the touch."
"It's a block on liking anything Snape thinks is a good idea."
"I'll have to make sure the girl you marry knows all the common household potions."
"I wondered how long it would be until you brought that up."
"Have you had a chance to look at the notes I left last visit?"
"No, Narcissa, I haven't."
"Why not?"
"It hasn't really been high on my priority list. Plenty of time for that when the war is over and won."
"It doesn't hurt to start looking now. Then there can be a ceremony soon after."
"Did you always know you wanted to marry Mister Malfoy?"
Mrs. Malfoy smiled. "Since the first time I met him. I was fourteen at the time, and he was a guest at my debutante party. Mother had warned me about making a proper showing in society. I was so nervous that I spilled punch on my new robes. I thought I would die of shame. Lucius saw what happened, and enchanted a daffodil out of a napkin and pinned it to my dress to hide the stain. He only saw me as a child, but it was that night that I knew someday we'd be wed."
Sirius snorted. "Lucius, I never took you for such a romantic," he jibed.
Mr. Malfoy gave Sirius a dignified glance. "A true wizard always comes to the defense of a witch," he said haughtily, but his heart didn't seem into the retort.
Despite the succulent meal, Mr. Malfoy ate nothing. He had taken a very small amount of food, and even that was only pushed around his plate for appearances.
Sirius had watched him, even as he chattered with Mrs. Malfoy.
"How about you, Lucius? Don't make us do all the talking. Tell us a tale of Easter from your youth."
The blond man did not answer immediately. He met nobody's eyes, and his voice was low-pitched. It seemed almost as though he were speaking to himself.
"When Elan was only a babe, I knew that we had brought him into a dangerous world. If I failed my Lord, I would be punished, and I could not protect my family from his wrath. I was the best Death Eater, so as to give him no reason to judge me harshly. This risk I placed on my child. What a fool I was, how selfish we were. Yet I needed an heir. Now my family is larger. I am still helpless against his anger, and his wrath is falling on us all."
The blond man stared at his plate, his face devoid of feeling or emotion. Every so often a slight tremor in his lip betrayed the cool demeanour.
"I remember the first year of being a father. It was as though I saw the world anew through innocent eyes. It was so new, so wonderful."
The light veneer had been stripped away by Mr. Malfoy's soft words. Silence reigned for a few moments. Sirius cleared his throat.
"It'll be all right, Lucius. He's a part of some plan. They took him with purpose. We'll be able to find him and get him back."
Mr. Malfoy met Sirius' eyes, and for a long moment they stared at each other.
"I am afraid."
There was another long moment after Mr. Malfoy's admission. His wife reached out and took his hand. He squeezed it tightly, and he closed his eyes.
There was only the sound of chewing and swallowing for several moments.
Mrs. Malfoy glanced over at her youngest son. "Draco, take your elbows off the table."
He gave her a sullen look. "Why?"
"Excuse me?" Her tone could have etched glass.
"Why should I take my elbows off the table?"
She seemed slightly incredulous that he had even asked.
"I told you, for starters. Secondly, it's good table manners."
"What does that matter?"
Mrs. Malfoy glanced back at her husband for a second, but his eyes were still closed.
"Civility and manners always matter, Draco. It is what separates us from the beasts."
"What difference does it make? Elan's still going to die whether or not I put my elbows on the table."
The look that Mrs. Malfoy directed at Draco could have melted steel. He stopped talking. He pulled his elbows to his sides. He sat up straighter in his chair. She kept up the glare until he ducked his head and muttered an apology.
"I am sorry for my disrespectful behaviour, Mother. It won't happen again."
"Good."
The Order met the next day. Harry and Draco rendezvoused early, pretending to be throwing a quaffle around until it grew time. They snuck back in using a secret passage from the greenhouse to the billiard room. They didn't even fully exit before Draco went down another that led to the room where the Order was meeting.
"Voldemort's brazen strike against the Ministry cannot go unanswered. To abduct a Senior Director is something even Fudge cannot cover up."
"Lucius could," Sirius said.
"He does not wish to. His eldest son was taken as well, and he pressures Fudge tremendously to rescue the boy."
"I worry that his actions are not in the best interests of the Order,"
"Show some respect, man. You're in the man's house."
"And it makes my skin crawl every time."
"It will be a blow to morale, but we will be able to carry on."
"Before we go any further. I would like to introduce two new members." Dumbledore waved his wand and the doors opened. Mrs. Malfoy stood there with two people Harry didn't really know very well at all.
"Arthur and Molly Weasley, parents to Percy and many other wonderful children. They have been gracious enough to join our little organization."
A brown-haired woman who couldn't have been older than thirty rushed across the room and hugged Mrs. Weasley tightly. "Molly, I'm so sorry for your loss. Arthur, we're going get him back."
"Thank you. Who are you?" Mrs. Weasley asked.
"Emmeline Vance. I own Emmy's Cafe."
"Oh, you're the one who took over Fortescue's place."
"Yes."
"I saw that in the Prophet. Poor Mister Fortescue. He was a prisoner just like my Percy." She sniffled. "For a while, anyway."
"Molly, don't think like that. Miss Vance, it's nice to meet you."
"Likewise. Call me Emmeline."
"Arthur."
"If we may continue," said an acid voice that Harry recognized all too well.
"Snape, play nice," Sirius warned.
"Some of us have places to be later on, Black."
"Hot date, eh, Sevvy?"
Snape's glare could have dissolved steel.