Thanks to xoRetributionox for checking my mistakes and for helping the story flow. Also a note to insanitytalisman hope your ok and thanks for your help on this story too. I'm very grateful to both of you.
Leaves were falling in the autumn winds, bringing with them the chill of winter. Darkness was descending at a time when only a few days ago, it was light. Pervading the air were the delicious smells of roasting chestnuts and toffee apples. Against the twilight, the turrets of the castle stood out like beacons of light welcoming the weary traveler.
Once again, the pale blue Beauxbatons carriage graced the grounds like a frostbitten pumpkin. On the lake rested the large and foreboding Durmstrang ship, looking skeletal and dark, like the trees around the lake that had already shed their leaves. All were indications that Hogwarts was entertaining again.
House elves down in the kitchens were probably working at lightning speed to create rich, warming and very fattening dishes. Very few would pay them a thought. Hermione would undoubtedly point this out to her ex-S.P.E.W members.
The entrance hall was bustling with excitement. Most of the guests seemed to have embraced the dress code; masks covered the faces of the various witches and wizards, making recognition difficult, but for those who knew each other well it was not a barrier to finding close friends. Young and old witches and wizards mixed together, talking excitedly. Several were shouting out to old acquaintances easily recognised and laughing at the more outrageous or just plain thoughtless outfits. Giggled whispers of speculation could be heard about those not recognised. Even conversation with apparent strangers flowed with ease; everyone was determined to have a good time. Everyone was awaiting eight o'clock, when the doors to the Great Hall would open.
Hermione and Draco paused half way down the marble stairs to survey the jubilant crowd below, one with misgiving, one searching and expectant.
A tall dark haired young man, dressed in black tie robes with shiny patent dance shoes that glistened in the candlelight, could be seen in the centre of the hall. In an effort to co-operate with the theme of the ball, a hastily fixed mask had been donned. However, it did very little to hide his identity. He stood nervously and awkwardly in the midst of the crowd as though waiting for someone.
Hermione jogged Draco's arm. "Look, Luna!" Draco did indeed look in the direction indicated and snorted contemptuously. "Crazy!" "She's awesome, I love her." Hermione chided.
Luna was gracefully pressing through the mass of party goers heading straight for Neville. She wore a huge, full skirted ball gown that looked like it was made of crystal. The gown reflected lights a bit like a disco ball catching the candle light as Luna turned to find her friend. Her mask was most impressive; it almost covered her entire face. A sequinned butterfly mask sparkled and glinted, although it did nothing to hide who she was. Her silver blond hair and her mannerisms gave her away.
Hermione looked on affectionately as Luna approached the young man in the dancing shoes who was quite clearly Neville. "She's beautiful and original Draco." Her escort snorted again. "Well Neville seems pleased anyway." Hermione was pleased that he had not made a slighting remark about Neville, as she had expected him to.
Hermione gave Draco's arm a slight squeeze. "Are you ready to stun all the girls with your mad dance skills and hot boots? Or are we going to stand on the stairs all night?"
Draco raised his eyebrow in surprise at not only the gesture but also the teasing. "Girls are always stunned by me, it gets a bit old." He shrugged arrogantly with just a trace of a smile on his face. "Dream on Draco, if you can get a girl to kiss you tonight I ...I.. " Hermione broke off trying to think of a significant bet. "Tell me who you're trying to impress?" Draco finished for her. "Or kiss me yourself? I think I like that idea even better." He smirked. Hermione punched him in the ribs. "As I said, Dream on!"
Wincing slightly Draco steered Hermione down the stairs. As if by some intuition they knew where they'd be, Harry and Ginny were waiting for them hand in hand at the bottom. Had Hermione not designed the dress she wouldn't have recognised Ginny. Even Draco took a moment to realise who it was. Ginny was dressed in the style of Madame Pompadour, her red hair piled up high on her head in the 18th century French style. Jewels glittered over the gorgeous creation. Her dress was light gold, tightly corseted with a full skirt, draped by sweeping folds. Draco gasped slightly but after taking a look at Harry, with his hilt showing slightly underneath his cloak and noting the slight scowl on the visible part of his face, Draco restricted his comments to "Good evening you both look well." Harry's features relaxed and he responded in kind.
Hermione was not so reticent. "Ginny you look stunning! What are you doing with Harry when you could have your pick?" Harry's ready scowl jumped back on his forehead, his white and black skeletal mask moving slightly with the action. "Don't tease him Hermione, you know I had my pick. I picked Harry and I think he looks very dashing, although I am worried he's going to bump into me all night without his glasses." Harry smiled, although under the skeleton mask it looked creepy rather than comforting. "I've had a corrective spell placed on my eyes; it's temporary but the healer said I could go for a permanent correction if I like it."
Moving away from the steps Harry and Ginny looked at Hermione. "You look so beautiful," Ginny sighed. Following suit Harry also complimented her. "Red looks amazing on you, really gorgeous." It was now Ginny's turn to scowl. Harry hastily refrained from further compliments
"Red, Potter? You need to go back to that healer, he obviously made you colour blind. She's wearing green in honour of the noble house of Slytherin."
Harry and Ginny laughed out loud."Obviously members of the noble house of Slytherin have red-green colour blindness." chortled Ginny.
"She's got a serpent wrapped around her arm for Merlins sake!" Draco was getting angry now.
"No she's got a serpent linking arms with her, on her upper arm resides a gold bracelet with a clasp in the image of lion claws."
"Harry! Why the insults? We've only been here five minutes." Hermione was cross.
"Sorry ... habit." he contritely replied.
"It's a good job I've got a pretty girl on my arm, and I'm in a good mood Potter!" Hermione nudged Draco. "Er..Harry." he corrected himself.
"Are you going to explain your dress?" Ginny huffed in exasperation.
"In a bit, I'm having fun with it, lets mingle." replied Hermione.
"What time will Ron arrive?" asked Harry.
"He said he will be late but I imagine he will be in time for the banquet." Hermione replied.
"I like your outfit, you look like the devil." Draco remarked as they began to make their way through the crowds.
"That was rather the point, I'm the red death." Harry replied, noting how striking Draco's outfit was, but deciding his ego didn't need further inflation by mentioning it.
"Ooooh chilling, Edgar Alan Poe?" Said Draco, displaying a previously unknown literary side.
Harry looked slightly confused as Hermione turned to her escort and laughingly responded, "You never stop surprising do you Draco?"
Harry huffed in annoyance and briefly wondered who the heck was Edgar Alan Poe? He certainly wasn't going to ask Malfoy.
At Grimmauld Place, Fleur and Bill were slumped unceremoniously against the wall in a spare bedroom. Grouped around them like carnivorous devils, the hooded and masked Death Eaters silently surveyed the stunned couple.
"Excellent Narcissa, you did well to catch them unawares. You had better see to the idiot Weasley boy. Get to the ball, don't arouse further suspicion. Imperio him, then to the best of your ability, keep him away from his family. I know your methods, employ them." Rabastan instructed.
At this point his brother Rodolphus winced slightly. He had the jealous eye of a possessor, who wanted everyone to know what he owned.
"Keep a watch on Potter and the mudblood he hangs around with. I'm sure I have no need to remind you to watch that traitor Severus." Rabastan concluded his speech. His voice was strangely high pitched, slightly different; the other death eaters shifted slightly, surprised at his tone so reminiscent of the past. His dead eyes locked on Narcissa's and took in her unease.
Narcissa stood uncertainly, trembling very slightly, her pale face almost translucent. Her blond hair was piled high above her head, aging her ever so slightly. She moved towards Rabastan only to hesitate once again.
"Why the hesitation my dear?" the words hissed slowly out of him, high pitched and creepy.
All the Death Eaters now had their full attention on the witch before them. She was looking at Rabastan with a curious expression of mingled understanding and horror.
"The Resurrection stone, is it still safe my master?"
"Do you doubt me? I told you it was in hand, I think the time has come to trust, don't you? See to your commission Narcissa. If you let me down...well, you can trust that you will feel the Dark Lord's displeasure, I can personally guarantee it. Question me again and you will feel my displeasure. Now transform, perform my bidding as we discussed... desist with your preoccupation with the stone." As he spoke he raised his hand and magically shoved Narcissa, so her body was propelled into the opposite wall, her head thunking against it.
She straightened herself and twisted her neck slightly, growling softly. A look of determination settled on her face and the trembling seemed to abate. She began to morph. Her height decreased, the blond tresses began to unwind and flow down her back, the shade getting darker and darker until it was the colour of coal. Narcissa's face became fuller and her figure slighter. Her clothes hung limply, unsuited to this new figure. Narcissa flicked her wand and the dress transfigured to the harlequin's escort.
The assemble of Dark wizards looked on in shock and awe, none had seen her transform before, with the exception of Rabastan. Whispers flew around the room; how did she do that? Was she indeed more powerful than they had previously imagined?
Rodolphus's mouth hung open in amazement. He tentatively walked towards her closing in on her space. She stood still poised and collected; clearly she had mastered her fluctuating emotions, displaying the skill of the occlumens that she had so briefly allowed to drop.
Rodolphus reached out and stroked her face. "You are incredible." He breathed. Narcissa removed his hand firmly, pushing it back down to his side. "Thank you my dear, but this is not yours to touch. I am not your Cissy now, please show some respect." "I can touch what I like." He leered, his face moving close to Cho's image.
BANG! Narcissa's hand shot out faster than a professional gunslinger, the spell shooting the wizard across the room. It wasa almost an imitation of her movements at the Dark Lord's hand mere moments before.
Hoarse laughter echoed around the small room. "Get up! You're embarrassing yourself; you're like a dog in heat." growled Macnair, poking him with his foot. Rodolphus dragged himself to his feet just as Narcissa swept out of the room.
"Time to get to it gentleman, there's work to be done." Rabastan spoke sweetly, ignoring his furious brother.
With this all the Death Eaters stepped away from the Weasley couple.
Rabastan pointed his wand at the pair and hissed "Incarcerous." Ropes bound their bodies. "Rookwood, get their wands."
Rookwood moved forwards, removing their wands and then placing them inside his cloak.
"Good... Very good. Now silence them." Rookwood did as bid muttering " Silencio."
"Now rouse the sleeping pair, my friend."
"Enervate." The spell cast, Rookward once again turned his eyes to Rabastan, awaiting his next move. The room was silent yet it rippled with expectation.
Bill and Fleur stirred, their eyes opening at the same time. A few seconds was all it took to review their situation. The panic and fear in Fleur's eyes scared Bill out of his very wits.
"Good evening, how nice of you to receive guests. Don't try to speak now as it's pointless, but pleased be assured Mr Weasley that in a few moments...I expect you to do a lot of talking. Talking me through entering Dumbledore's tomb. Telling me how to get his wand. Am I correct in my understanding that you are a curse breaker? I imagine the tomb to be cursed. Get me into that tomb and you will be spared much pain." Rabastan uttered the counter spell to remove the silencing spell.
"I thought you were dead you miserable excuse for a human being!" spat Bill.
"Clearly not dear boy. I was going to say be careful how you speak to me, I don't want to mark your pretty face, but on closer inspection I see someone got there first. I assume whatever it was spat you back out? Blood traitors do taste bitter I've heard."
" You seem to like the sound of your own voice, you're obviously compensating for something. Were you Voldermort's rent boy? Is that why you're enjoying being the master?" Bill retaliated.
"Stupid, stupid, stupid...You have no idea who you're talking too." Rabastan shook his head from side to side, pretending to contemplate Bill's insults that hurt him not at all.
"I know exactly who I'm speaking to: a lunatic with a god complex! Release us at once! The ministry will deal severely with this!"
"With persuasive talk like that I don't know how I can continue my plans... Actually no... I'm fine, lets take the risk...Crucio! "
Bill yelled out in pain. The sound could be heard throughout the house, but no one was there to hear. Even Kreacher was at Hogwarts assisting the house elf staff. His yells just echoed around the empty house while his wife, still bound and gagged, choked on soundless tears.
"Do I have your attention?" whispered Rabastan, bending down to Bill's level.
Bill's chest was heaving and his muscles were twitching but he nodded emphatically.
"Good boy, now, what protection is on Dumbledore's tomb?"
"I... I... Don't... know" he panted through each word.
"Wrong answer... Crucio!" The watching Death Eaters laughed as Bill contorted against his magical constraints.
"My time is limited dear boy, and while I admire such courage, I can only abhor its misdirection. I am already limited in my means of making you talk, to my knowledge curse breakers are regularly inoculated against the affects of veritaserum. I assume you're up to date? Frustrating... A pity for you, it means instead of this being already over, painlessly I might add, you have a nasty time ahead of you. I will make you talk even if it's with your dying breath!"
Bill shook his head again, eyes wide with fear but also courage and stubbornness.
"... So stubborn...well, in that case on her dying breath!" He turned slowly to gaze at Fleur whose eyes were wide with horror, her mouth soundlessly moving as if in prayer.
"Don't ... touch her!" Bill's usually calm and steady voice quivered as he looked at his wife.
"I don't need to touch her. Levicorpus!" Fleur, still bound by ropes, rose in the air and tipped upside down, her long hair streaming down towards the floor.
Suddenly Rabastan winced. Gazing at his hand, the wizard flexed his hand open and closed, grimacing as he did so. He closed his eyes for a moment as if fighting a headache. Suddenly his eyes shot open.
"Macnair! This is your area I think. It's a little distasteful to me to use crude magic... but also necessary in this case. I understand torture is your forte, particularly female torture. Don't take too long, I have some other business to attend to. I will be back very soon, and I expect you to have the information required on my return." With that Rabastan seemed to stagger out of the room in his rush to leave.
The remaining Death Eaters looked at each other in confusion at their master's sudden disappearance. Macnair removed his mask, a sadistic grin plastered across his face.
He approached the hanging body, her face hung opposite his own. He tilted his own face in a attempt to be on her level so he was awkwardly looking at her eye to eye.
"Hello pretty...let's play." Fleur spat straight in his face. His grin did not abate. "My turn I think."
He straightened up, grabbed at her long hair, and began winding the length around his fist. He yanked his hand back with extreme force, ripping the hair from her scalp. If she could have made a sound it would have been excruciating to every ear. She swung to and fro in her convulsions of pain. Macnair raised the hair to his face and wiped her spit off with it, then he threw it in her husband's horrified face.
Bill was in utter anguish, unable to think coherently in his distress. "Please...please... stop!"
"Begging, how I love the sound of begging. You know what you have to do blood traitor...spill! " Macnair waited for Bill to collect himself.
"There are numerous curses, first of all; anyone who has the intention of grave robbing will not be able to see the tomb. If you break this spell, you then have to open the tomb, there is a riddle to solve in order to achieve this. The contents of the burial chamber have a duplicating curse on them, so a genuine article is hard to find. Hands that seek to steal will also start to burn when in close contact with the inside of the tomb. Now please release my wife." Bill evidently felt this was enough information.
"Much better, now tell us how to get past all those things." barked Macnair
"I don't know." Bill said.
"I do believe that's another wrong answer. You're very poor at this game. You should know the penalty for a wrong answer. Let's hear her scream this time." The wizard removed the silencing curse that had been placed on Fleur.
She shouted out the moment the curse was lifted, "Don't tell him any more Bill, eet eez fine! I would rather die then 'elp them."
Bill had tears streaming down his face at this point. " But our child...I'm so sorry Fleur, I thought this was all over." He said thickly through the tears running down his face. "Eet eez not your fault" Fleur smiled gently at him from her ungainly position.
"I think I'm going to be sick...so touching, but once she starts screaming it will be nothing, and how interesting to learn about the addition." He prodded her stomach with his wand and performed yet another unforgivable. "Crucio!"
BANG! Macnair shot into the air and flipped over before landing sprawled on the floor. The curse for some reason, had rebounded.
Bill was shouting out now, encouraging his wife, declaring his love, nearly going crazy not being able to help any more than he was.
Macnair was swearing furiously on the floor, confused as to why he had been on the receiving end of his own curse. "Dolohov, take over!" He breathed as he struggled to gain his strength back.
"Sectumsempra!" Dolohov cursed her immediately, with obscene pleasure.
Cuts opened up on Fleur, they began bleeding copiously, dripping slowly at first and then faster. "Upside down, bleeding like a butchers pig, how long do you think she has Weasley?"
Bill stared at his almost unconscious wife and seemed to make a decision.
"I can get you past two curses but that's all. Hermione and Severus were the only other protectors. Their protection was added recently, Neither are aware of the other's involvement. Dumbledore's portrait arranged it. He is the inspiration to all the new precautions . Only a few weeks ago he contacted me to say he was arranging this extra security. At the time I thought he was being paranoid. Clearly not."
" We are listening, and you had better be about to tell us how to get past the spells you personally know about."
Bill once again looked at his wife. "Yes...yes I will tell you what I know. Just don't hurt her anymore."
Macnair grinned showing his dirty broken teeth. "If your information is worth while... I will let her down, if ... she's not dead already." The wizard had seemingly gotten over the shock of his failed Cruciatus curse, and now he was ready to taunt his prey again.
Nobody noticed that although Fleur bled profusely when first cursed, the bleeding had quickly stopped. Surprisingly she was not on the edge of death as Macnair suggested, her body was merely shutting down non essential activity to protect her.
Bill however was not aware how well Fleur was coping, he just saw his wife hanging upside down covered in blood, unconscious, as still as death.
He decided to give away what information he could, and trust in the ingenuity of his friends to prevent further damage. So he continued "You will need to get someone to take you to the tomb, someone who is innocent and has no idea that you mean to steal, you will have to trick someone. You will still not be able to see it, or feel it, so you will need to get your innocent party to open the tomb. They must say the following incantation: 'Aperire et revelare mortuis.' The tomb will then open, and you will then be able to see the inside because as to my knowledge, the inside of the tomb has not been hidden from villainous sight."
"Well that's easy Macnair, you can just Imperio some worthless student to open the tomb for us. Better still get the younger Weasley boy to do it, he's already under the Imperio curse." Dolohov interrupted excitedly.
Bill groaned as he realised his youngest brother was also in trouble. "Ron.." He muttered sadly. He corrected the Death Eaters' reasoning though. "The tomb will not open to anyone under the Imperio curse, it will recognise magical compulsion and physical force. I can not help you further as I was not involved in the design of further curses."
"Finite Incantatem!"Macnair released Fleur from the curse. "Mobilicorpus!"
He levitated the body to Bills side. "Rookwood, check her."
Rookwood hurried over and to his surprise found her heartbeat steady and her breathing even. "She's fine."
Bill breathed a sigh of relief. "Don't make a mistake Weasley, we are not generous. You are alive because you're still useful. We will keep her alive because we can only get through to you by hurting her." Rookwood made their position very clear. "Antonin! Get the Polyjuice."
Macnair walked over to Bill and ripped a hair from his scalp, at the same time retrieving some of Fleur's from the floor.
Dolohov returned with the potion, they added the hair, and then they drank the revolting mixtures with barely a shudder.
A moment later In the middle of the room in their Death Eater robes were Bill and Fleur's likeness.
"We really should have taken the witche's clothes off before she bled on them Macnair."
"No matter, I'm sure we can make you presentable my darling." Macnair answered glibly.
"Oh nice, you can drool over me in the body of a near Veela but I have to pretend to be married to dog food face. I'm warning you McNair, keep your hands to yourself you pervert."
" I was hoping you would give Mr. Weasley here a little show." Macnair grabbed Dolohov's new womanly behind as he spoke.
Bill was muttering swear words and insults under his breath, not daring to shout them out loud and risk making things worse.
"What the hell Macnair! Do that again and I will make you wish you were back in Azkaban."
His friend laughed delightedly, "Seriously Antonin, you're going to have to pretend to want me."
"You're going to need to pretend to be a gentleman or by Merlin we are in trouble, you dirty little..." Bill couldn't stand it any more "You're going to get caught in five seconds you disgusting excuses for wizards."
The two Death Eaters stopped bickering and glared at the prone Wizard. The maniacal laughter of Rodolphus and Rookwood further enraged them.
"Denudabunt!" screamed Macnair pointing his wand at Fleur. Her bloody robes disappeared leaving her bound and naked, he turned then to Bill and repeated this action, while Bill called him every name under the sun. Dolohov also raised his wand and directed a spell at each of their mouths. "Imatate Ibi Vox."
The next words from Macnair's mouth came in Bill Weasley's voice and uttered a stunning spell to knock the real couple out again. Their bound and naked bodies once again slumped against each other.
"Rodolphus can watch over them while Antonin and myself infiltrate the ball." Bill's voice growled out harshly. Macnair was now dressed in Bill's robes.
"What about me?" Rabastan queried
"Tell him what has occurred, ask him how to proceed; we have enough information to make a start. We must not be any later for the ball. We can use the floo to return frequently , we will arrange for you to enter Hogwarts too, my darling pregnant wife will frequently need a toilet break, won't you sweet?"
"Zat eez correct Bill, we will come back 'ere for my convenience." Dolohov smiled Fleur's smile, wearing Fleur's robes, now cleaned by magic. His voice was the perfect Imitation of the unconscious woman.
After this, the gruesome couple left to join the party while the remaining Death Eaters watched the Weasley's and awaited Rabastan's pleasure.