Malfoy Manor
Arthur heard heavy footfalls surround him.
"Get up, vermin."
Unknown hands then dragged Arthur roughly off the ground.
He didn't stop them as someone rummaged through his pockets and removed the blackthorn wand. Arthur just kept clutching his currently excruciatingly painful face, which now felt unrecognisable in his hands, tight, swollen and puffy like he suffered a violent allergic reaction.
His eyes were now reduced to slits and could barely see as he was bundled out of the tent and made out blurred shapes of four or five people wrestling Mike, David and Chrys outside as well.
"Get your filthy hands off her!" David shouted before someone punched him in the face, making him grunt in pain and Chrys shouted in anger.
"Leave him alone!"
"Your boyfriend's going to have worse than that done to him if he's on my list." A horribly familiar rasping voice said. "Delicious girl… what a treat… I do enjoy the softness of the skin….
Arthur was now genuinely scared for their lives. It was Fenrir Greyback, the werewolf that was permitted to wear Death Eater robes as long as he worked with them.
"Search the tent!" Another voice said.
Arthur was then thrown, face down, onto the ground. A couple of thuds then told him that Mike and David were cast down beside him. They heard footsteps and crashes from the Snatchers pushing over chairs in the tent as they searched.
"Now, let's see who we've got." Greyback's gloating voice said from overhead before Arthur was rolled onto his back. A beam of wand light then fell onto his face and Greyback laughed.
"I'll be needing Butterbeer to wash this one down. What happened to you, ugly?"
"Got stung." Arthur muttered.
"Yeah, looks like it." A second voice said.
"What's your name?" Greyback then asked.
"Deacon." Arthur said the first name that popped into his head.
"And your first name?"
"Richard. Richard Deacon."
"Check the list, Scabior." Greyback said before he moved sideways to look down at Mike. "And what about you, purple eyes?"
"Fabian Prewett." Mike said through gritted teeth.
"Blood Status?"
"Half-blood."
Greyback snorted before his attention was on David.
"And you, Silver?"
"Flynn Merlon." David growled.
"A Merlon?" Greyback rasped. "So you're related to blood traitors even if you're not a Mudblood. And lastly, your pretty little friend…."
The relish in his voice made Arthur's flesh crawl, knowing his cannibalistic cravings.
"Easy, Greyback." Scabior said over the jeering from the other Snatchers.
"Oh, I'm not going to bite just yet. Who are you, girly?"
"Penelope Clearwater." Chrys replied, sounding terrified yet convincing.
"What's your Blood Status?"
"Half-blood." Chrys replied.
"Easy enough to check you and Prewett." Scabior said. "But the 'ole lot of 'em look like they could still be 'Ogwarts age -"
"We left." David replied.
"Left, 'ave you, Silver?" Scabior said. "And you decided to go camping? And you thought, just for a laugh, you'd use the Dark Lord's name?"
"No. Accident." David replied.
"Accident?"
There was more jeering laughter.
"You know who used to like using the Dark Lord's name, Merlon?" Greyback growled. "The Order of the Phoenix. Mean anything to you?"
"Only heard them in passing." David shook his head.
"Well, they don't show the Dark Lord proper respect, so the name's been Tabooed. A few Order members have been tracked that way. We'll see. Bind them up with the other two prisoners!"
Someone yanked Arthur up by his hair, dragging him a short way before pushing him down into a sitting position and started binding him back to back with other people.
Still being half blind, he was barely able to see anything through his puffed up eyes. Then when the man tying them walked away, Arthur whispered to the other prisoners.
"Anyone still have a wand?"
"No." Mike, David and Chrys said.
"I really hope this works."
"Arthur?"
There was a new and familiar voice that came directly behind them, the person tied to Chrys' left.
"Dean?"
"It is you! If they find out who they've got -! They're Snatchers, they're only looking for truants to sell for gold -"
"Not a bad little haul for one night." Greyback said as a pair of hobnailed boots marched close by Arthur. They also heard more crashing from inside the tent. "A Mudblood, a runaway goblin and four truants. You checked their names on the list yet, Scabior?" He roared.
"Yeah. There's no Richard Deacon on 'ere, Greyback."
"Interesting. That's interesting."
He crouched down beside Arthur, who saw, through the gap between his swollen eyelids, a face that was covered in matted grey hair and whiskers, with pointed brown teeth and sores at the corners of his mouth.
Greyback smelled like he did at the top of the Astronomy Tower where Dumbledore was killed: of dirt, sweat and blood.
"So you aren't wanted, then, Richard? Or are you on that list under a different name? What house were you in at Hogwarts?"
"Slytherin." Arthur said automatically.
"Funny 'ow they all thinks we wants to 'ear that." Scabior jeered from the shadows. "But none of 'em can tell us where the common room is."
"It's in the dungeons. You enter through the wall. It's full of skulls and is under the lake, making the light all green." Arthur explained to them, having been in there before.
There was a short pause.
"Well, well, looks like we really 'ave caught a little Slytherin." Scabior said. "Good for you, Richard, 'cause there ain't a lot of Mudblood Slytherins. Who's your father?"
"He died when I was nine. He worked at the Ministry with my mother." Arthur replied. He just hoped his face wasn't back to its usual appearance before the game was over. "He worked in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement with her."
"You know what, Greyback, I think there's a Deacon in there." Scabior said.
Arthur could hardly breathe as he really hoped this plan would work.
"Well, well." Greyback said, the tiniest note of trepidation in his callous voice, like he was pondering the idea that he attacked and bounded a son of a deceased Ministry official. "If you're telling the truth, ugly, you've got nothing to fear from a trip to the Ministry. I expect your mother'll reward us just for picking you up."
"Hey!" A shout from inside the tent kept Arthur from freaking out. "Look at this, Greyback!"
A dark figure bustled towards them and Arthur saw a glint of silver in the light of their wands. They've taken the bait with the sword of Gryffindor.
"Ve-e-ry nice." Greyback said appreciatively, taking it from his companion. "Oh, very nice indeed. Looks goblin-made, that. Where did you get something like this?"
"It was my father's." Arthur lied. "He left it in his will -"
"'Ang on a minute, Greyback! Look at this, in the Prophet!"
As Scabior said that, Arthur's scar, which was stretched tight across his forehead, burned severely. He ended up seeing a towering building, a grim fortress that was jet black and forbidding. Voldemort's thoughts were now razor sharp again as he glided towards the gigantic building with a calmly euphoric purpose.
So close… so close….
With the most amount of will, Arthur used his Occlumency to close his mind from Voldemort's thoughts, needing to be in the here and now, tied to Mike, David, Chrys, Dean and Griphook in the darkness, listening to Greyback and Scabior.
"'Chrysanthemum Ranger, the Mudblood who is known to be travelling with Arthur Pendergast and Michael McGonagall.'"
Arthur's scar was burning in the silence as he made sure to be here right now and not slip into Voldemort's mind.
He then heard the creak of Greyback's boots as he crouched down in front of both Mike and Chrys.
"You know what? These pictures look a hell of a lot like you two."
"We're lookalikes!" Mike retorted with conviction.
"'...known to be travelling with Arthur Pendergast.'" Greyback repeated quietly.
A stillness settled over the scene. Arthur's scar now was excruciating.
"Well, this changes things, doesn't it?" Greyback whispered.
No one spoke and Arthur sensed the Snatchers watching, frozen as statues as he felt Chrys' arm trembling slightly against his. Greyback then took a couple of steps to where Arthur sat and crouched down to stare closely at his misshapen features.
"What's that on your forehead, Richard?" He asked softly, his foul breath making Arthur nearly gag as he pressed a filthy finger to the taut scar.
"Don't touch it!" Arthur yelled, as he was already in enough pain as it was.
"It is!" Greyback rasped, realising that it was his scar. "We've caught Pendergast!"
The Snatchers all took several steps backwards, stunned by this revelation.
Meanwhile, Arthur was still fighting to remain present inside his spitting head, seeing fragmented visions breaking the surface of his mind -
…he was now gliding around the high walls of the black fortress -
No, he was Arthur, tied up and wandless -
…looking up, to the topmost window, the highest tower -
He was Arthur, the Snatchers discussing his fate in low voices -
…time to fly -
"...to the Ministry!"
"To hell with the Ministry." Greyback growled. "They'll take the credit, and we won't get a look in. I say we take him straight to You Know Who."
"Will you summon 'im? 'Ere?" Scabior asked, sounding awed yet terrified.
"No." Greyback snarled. "I haven't got - they say he's using the Malfoys' place as a base. We'll take the boy there."
Arthur was glad to see that they correctly guessed where Voldemort established his base.
And he knew why Greyback can't call Voldemort: despite being allowed to wear Death Eater robes, the werewolf wasn't allowed to have the Dark Mark, which would be considered a high honour to Voldemort's inner circle.
His scar was searing again -
…and he rose into the night, flying right to the window at the very top of the tower -
"...completely sure it's 'im? 'Cause if it ain't, Greyback, we're dead."
"Who's in charge here?" Greyback roared, covering his inadequacy. "I say that's Pendergast, and him plus his wand, that's two hundred thousand Galleons right there! But if you're too gutless to come along, any of you, it's all for me, and with any luck, I'll get the girl thrown in!"
…the window was the merest slt in the black rock, not big enough for a man to enter… there was a skeletal figure just visible through it, curled beneath a blanket… dead or asleep…?
"Alright!" Scabior said. "Alright, we're in! And what about the rest of 'em, Greyback, what'll we do with 'em?"
"Might as well take the lot. We've got two Mudbloods, that's another ten Galleons. Give me the sword, as well. If they're rubies, that's another small fortune right there."
The prisoners were all dragged to their feet, Arthur hearing Chrys breathing quickly, no doubt worried.
"Grab hold, and make it tight. I'll do Pendergast!" Greyback said, seizing a fistful of Arthur's hair. Arthur could feel his long, yellow nails scratching his scalp. "On three! One - two - three -"
They all Disapparated, pulling the prisoners with them.
Arthur didn't even bother trying to fight back against Greyback's hands. Mike, David and Chrys were squeezed tightly against him, not being able to separate from the group, and as the breath was squeezed out of him, his scar still seared painfully.
…as he forced through the slight of a window like a snake and landed, lightly as vapour, inside the cell-like room -
The prisoners lurched into each other as they landed in a country lane.
Arthur's eyes, still puffy, took a moment to acclimate and saw a pair of wrought iron gates at the foot of what looked to be a long drive.
Arthur was glad that Voldemort wasn't here, though it was mixed with horror as he had finally found Grindelwald at Nurmengard.
One of the Snatchers strode up to the gates and shook them.
"How do we get in?" They're locked, Greyback, I can't - blimey!"
His whipped his hands away in fright as the iron contorted and twisted itself out of the abstract furls and coils into a frightening face, speaking in a clanging, echoing voice "State your purpose!"
"We've got Pendergast!" Greyback roared triumphantly. "We've captured Arthur Pendergast!"
The gates then swung open.
"Come on!" Greyback said to his men and the prisoners were all shunted through the gates and up the drive, between high hedges that muffled their footsteps.
Arthur saw a ghostly white shape above him, realising it was an albino peacock.
He stumbled and was dragged onto his feet by Greyback, now staggering along sideways, tied back to back to the other five prisoners.
Closing his puffy eyes, he allowed the pain in his scar to overcome him, deciding to see what Voldemort was doing at the moment.
…the emaciated figure stirred beneath their thin blanket and rolled over towards him, eyes opening in a face that resembled a skull… the frail man sat, great sunken eyes fixed upon him, upon Voldemort, and smiled. Most of his teeth are gone….
"So, you have come. I thought you would… one day. But your journey was pointless. I never had it."
"You lie!"
Voldemort's anger at Grindelwald throbbed inside Arthur and his scar threatened to burst with pain.
He was able to wrench his mind back to his own body, fighting to remain in the present as the prisoners were pushed over gravel.
Light soon spilled out over all of them.
"What is this?" A cold woman's voice said.
"We're here to see He Who Must Not Be Named!" Greyback rasped.
"Who are you?"
"You know me!" Greyback snarled, resentment present in the werewolf's voice. "Fenrir Greyback! We've caught Arthur Pendergast!"
Greyback then seized Arthur, dragging him round to face the light, forcing the other prisoners to shuffle round too.
"I know 'e's swollen, ma'am, but it's 'im!" Scabior piped up. "If you look a bit closer, you'll see 'is scar. And these two, the girl and black haired boy? The Mudblood and McGonagall brat who's been travelling around with 'im, ma'am. There's no doubt it's 'im, and we've got 'is wand as well! 'Ere, ma'am -"
Arthur saw Narcissa Malfoy scrutinising his swollen face. Scabior then thrust the blackthorn wand at her, making her raise her eyebrows.
"Bring them in." She said.
Arthur and the others were shoved and kicked up broad stone steps and into a hallway that was lined with portraits.
"Follow me." Narcissa said, leading the way across the hall. "My son, Draco, is home for his Easter holidays. If that is Arthur Pendergast, he will know."
The drawing room dazzled after the darkness outside. Arthur was able to make out through his almost closed eyes the wide proportions of the room. There was a crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling and more portraits were against the dark purple walls.
Two figures rose from chairs in front of a marble fireplace as the prisoners were forced into the room by the Snatchers.
"What is this?"
Lucius Malfoy's drawling voice fell on Arthur's ears, This made him more desperate to figure a way out.
"They say they've got Pendergast." Narcissa's cold voice replied. "Draco, come here."
Arthur didn't look at Draco directly, though he did see him obliquely: a figure slightly taller than him, rising from an armchair, his face pale and pointed beneath his white blonde hair.
Greyback forced the prisoners to turn again to place Arthur directly beneath the chandelier.
"Well, boy?" Greyback rasped.
Arthur faced a mirror over the fireplace, which was gilded with an intricately scrolled frame. Through the slits of his eyes, he saw his own reflection for the first time since they left Grimmauld Place.
His face was huge, shiny and pink, every feature distorted from Chrys' jinx. His black hair also reached his shoulders and noticed he was finally growing a stubble. He'll have to cut his hair when they escape.
He also decided to not speak, since his voice would be a huge giveaway as he still avoided eye contact with Draco as the latter approached.
"Well, Draco?" Lucius said, sounding avid. "Is it? Is it Arthur Pendergast?"
"I can't - I can't be sure." Draco said, keeping his distance from Greyback, looking scared of looking at Arthur.
"But look at him carefully, look! Come closer!"
Arthur never heard Lucius Malfoy this excited before. He was clearly desperate to be in Voldemort's good graces again.
"Draco, if we are the ones who hand Pendergast over to the Dark Lord, everything will be forgiv -"
"Now, we won't be forgetting who actually caught him, I hope, Mr Malfoy?" Greyback asked menacingly.
"Of course not, of course not!" Lucius said impatiently. He then approached Arthur, coming so close that Arthur saw the usually languid, pale face in sharp detail.
"What did you do to him?" He asked Greyback. "How did he get into this state?"
"That wasn't us."
"Looks more like a Stinging Jinx to me." Lucius said.
His grey eyes then raked Arthur's forehead.
"There's something there…" He whispered. "...it could be the scar, stretched tight… Draco, come here, look properly! What do you think?"
Arthur saw Draco's face up close, right beside his father's. They were so alike, but while Lucius looked beside himself with excitement, Draco looked reluctant and fearful.
"I don't know." He said before he walked away to the fireplace where his mother stood, watching.
"We had better be certain, Lucius." Narcissa said to her husband in her cold, clear voice. "Completely sure that it is Pendergast, before we summon the Dark Lord…. They say this is his…" She looked closely at the blackthorn wand. "...but it does not resemble Ollivander's description…. If we're mistaken, if we call the Dark Lord here for nothing… remember what he did to Rowle and Dolohov?"
"What about the Mudblood and the boy, then?" Greyback growled. Arthur nearly got thrown off his feet when the Snatchers forced the prisoners to swivel around again, making the light now fall on Mike and Chrys instead.
"Wait." Narcissa said sharply. "Yes - yes, they were in Madam Malkin's with Pendergast! I saw their pictures in the Prophet! And McGonagall is his boyfriend! Draco, aren't they the Ranger girl and McGonagall's son?"
"I… maybe… yeah."
"But then, that's the Merlon boy!" Lucius shouted, striding round the bound prisoners to face David. "It's them, Pendergast's boyfriend and friends - Draco, look at him, isn't it Benjamin Merlon's son, what's his name -?"
"Yeah." Draco said, his back to the prisoners. "It could be."
The drawing room door then opened behind Arthur. A woman spoke and Arthur's worry spiked, even though he knew Bellatrix Lestrange would be here.
"What is this? What's happened, Cissy?"
Bellatrix walked slowly around the prisoners and stopped on Arthur's right, staring at both Mike and Chrys through her heavily lidded eyes.
"But sure, this is the Mudblood girl and McGonagall's little brat? The girl is Ranger?"
"Yes, yes it's Ranger!" Lucius cried. "And beside them, we think, is Pendergast! Pendergast and his friends, caught at last!"
"Pendergast?" Bellatrix shrieked before she backed away to get a better look at Arthur. "Are you sure? Well, then, the Dark Lord must be informed at once!"
She dragged back her left sleeve. Arthur saw the Dark Mark that was burned into the flesh of her arm and was about to touch it to summon her beloved master -
"I was about to call him!" Lucius said, his hand closed upon her wrist, preventing her from touching the Mark. "I shall summon him, Bella, Pendergast has been brought to my house, and it is therefore upon my authority -"
"Your authority!" Bellatrix sneered, attempting to wrench her arm free from his grasp. "You lost your authority when you lost your wand, Lucius! How dare you! Take your hands off me!"
"This is nothing to do with you, you did not capture the boy -"
"Begging your pardon, Mr Malfoy…" Greyback interjected. "...but it's us that caught Pendergast, and it's us that'll be claiming the gold -"
"Gold!" Bellatrix laughed, still attempting to throw her brother in law off, her free hand groping in her pocket for her wand. "Take your gold, filthy scavenger, what do I want with gold? I seek only the honour of his - of -"
She stopped struggling, her dark eyes, no doubt, finally fixed upon the sword of Gryffindor.
Glad of her capitulation, Lucius threw her hand from him and ripped up his own sleeve -
"STOP!" Bellatrix shrieked. "Do not touch it, we shall all perish if the Dark Lord comes now!"
Lucius froze, his index finger hovering his Mark.
Bellatrix then strode out of Arthur's limited line of vision.
"What is that/" She said.
"Sword." An out of sight Snatcher grunted.
"Give it to me."
"It's not yorn, Missus, it's mine, I reckon I found it."
There was a bang and a flash of red light, meaning Bellatrix Stunned the Snatcher. There was a collective roar of anger from the other Snatchers.
"What d'you think you're playing at, woman?" Scabior shouted as he drew his wand.
"Stupefy! Stupefy!" She screamed.
They were all no match for her, despite it being four against one. Arthur knew she was a witch with prodigious skill and no conscience.
They all fell where they stood, excluding Greyback, who was forced into a kneeling position with his arms outstretched.
Out of the corners of his eyes, Arthur saw Bellatrix bearing down upon the werewolf with the sword of Gryffindor gripped tightly in her hand, her face waxen.
"Where did you get this sword?" She whispered to Greyback as she pulled his wand out of his unresisting grip.
"How dare you?" He snarled, his mouth being the only thing he can move as he was forced to gaze up at her. He bared his pointed teeth. "Release me, woman!"
"Where did you find this sword?" She repeated, brandishing it in his face. "Snape sent it to my vault in Gringotts!"
"It was in their tent." Greyback rasped. "Release me, I say!"
She waved her wand and the werewolf sprang to his feet, but was too wary to approach her. Because of this, he prowled behind an armchair, his filthy, curved nails clutching its back.
"Draco, move this scum outside." Bellatrix ordered, indicating to the downed Snatchers. "If you haven't got the guts to finish them, then leave them in the courtyard for me."
"Don't you dare speak to Draco like -" Narcissa said furiously, but Bellatrix cut her off with a scream. "Be quiet! The situation is graver than you can possibly imagine, Cissy! We have a very serious problem!"
She stood, panting slightly, looking down at the sword, examining the hilt. She then looked at the silent prisoners.
"If it is indeed Pendergast, he must not be harmed." She muttered, more to herself than the others."The Dark Lord wishes to dispose of Pendergast himself… but if he finds out… I must… I must know…."
She turned to her sister again.
"The prisoners must be placed in the cellar, while I think what to do!"
"This is my house, Bella, you don't give orders in my -"
"Do it! You have no idea of the danger we are in!" Bellatrix shrieked, looking very frightened and mad; a thin stream of fire actually issued from her wand and burned a hole in the carpet.
Narcissa hesitated for a moment before addressing the werewolf.
"Take these prisoners down to the cellar, Greyback."
"Wait." Bellatrix said sharply. "All except… except for the Mudblood."
Greyback made a grunt of pleasure.
"YOU PSYCHOTIC BITCH!" David roared.
This made Bellatrix hit him across the face, the blow echoing around the room.
"If she dies under questioning, I'll take you next." She warned him. "Blood traitor is next to Mudblood in my book. Take them downstairs, Greyback, and make sure they are secure, but do nothing more to them - yet."
She threw his wand back to him and took out a short silver knife from under her robes.
She cut Chrys free from the other prisoners, dragging her by the scruff of her neck to the middle of the room while Greyback forced the rest to shuffle across to another door, through a dark passageway, his wand held out in front of him, projecting an invisible and irresistible force.
"Reckon she'll let me have a bit of the girl when she's finished with her?" Greyback crooned as he forced them along the corridor. "I'd say I'll get a bite or two, wouldn't you, Silver?"
Arthur felt David shake with utter rage.
They were forced down a steep flight of stairs, still tied back to back and therefore, were in danger of slipping and breaking their necks at any moment.
At the bottom was a heavy door. Greyback unlocked it with a tap of his wand, forcing them into a dank and musty room, leaving them in total darkness.
The echoing bang of the slammed cellar door didn't die away before there was a terrible drawn out scream from directly above them.
"CHRYS!" David bellowed, writhing and struggling against the ropes that tied them together.
"Quiet! We need to work a way out! We need to cut the ropes off -"
"Arthur?" A whisper spoke through the darkness. "Mike? David? Is that you?"
They all heard movement close by and Arthur saw a shadow move closer.
"Arthur?"
"Luna!"
"Yes, it's me! Oh, no, I didn't want you to be caught!"
Arthur remembered he was an Animagus, so he turned into his lion form and this allowed him to break free from his bonds before turning back to his human form, his face still swollen.
"Luna, can you help get the others out of these ropes?" He asked.
"Oh, yes, I expect so… there's an old nail we use if we need to break anything… just a moment…."
Chrys screamed again from overhead before Bellatrix screamed, though her words were inaudible.
"CHRYS! CHRYS!"
"Mr Ollivander?" Luna said. "Mr Ollivander, have you got the nail? If you just move over a little bit… I think it was beside the water jug…."
She was back within seconds.
"Quickly." Arthur muttered as he heard her digging into the rope's tough fibres.
"Arthur, the Deluminator!" David reminded him.
"I'm going to ask you again! Where did you get this sword? Where?" They heard Bellatrix scream from upstairs.
"We found it - we simply found it - PLEASE!" Chrys screamed.
Arthur clicked the Deluminator and the luminescent spheres the Deluminator sucked from lamps in the tent flew into the cellar.
Unable to rejoin their sources, they just hung in midair, akin to the sun, flooding the underground room with light.
Arthur now saw Luna's face and the motionless Ollivander, who was curled up on the floor in the corner. Arthur then caught sight of Dean and Griphook, who seemed barely conscious, standing by the ropes that bound him to the humans.
"Oh, that's much easier, thanks, Arthur." Luna said as she started hacking the bindings again. "Hello, Dean!"
"You are lying, filthy Mudblood and I know it! You have been inside my vault at Gringotts! Tell the truth, tell the truth!"
Then there was another scream.
"CHRYS!"
"What else did you take? What else have you got? Tell me the truth or, I swear, I shall run you through with this knife!"
"There!"
The ropes that bound the others together fell away and Arthur handed the Deluminator back to David, who instantly ran around the cellar, looking up at the low ceiling, searching for a way out to help Chrys. Mike rubbed his wrists and tried to force the door open, but it wouldn't budge.
Dean, whose face was bruised and bloody, said "Thanks" to Luna and stood, shivering. Griphook sank onto the floor, looking groggy and disoriented, many welts across his swarthy face.
David then tried Disapparating without a wand.
"There's no way out, David." Luna said, watching his fruitless efforts. "The cellar is completely escape-proof. I tried, at first. Mr Ollivander has been here for a long tim, he's tried everything."
Chrys was screaming again. The sound cut through Arthur like physical pain, knowing that she was being tortured because of his plan.
Barely conscious of the fierce prickling of his scar, he and Mike started running around the cellar, feeling the walls for anything, though he knew it was pointless.
"What else did you take, what else? ANSWER ME! CRUCIO!"
Chrys screamed, which echoed off the walls upstairs.
David was sobbing as he kept pounding the walls with his fists.
"Arthur, think of something!" Mike said in a strained voice.
Now desperate, Arthur seized Hagrid's pouch from his neck and groped inside it, eventually groping the mirror fragment.
He pulled it out and saw a gleam of the brightest blue.
"Help us!" He yelled madly. "We're in the cellar of Malfoy Manor, please help us!"
The eye then blinked and was gone.
Arthur didn't know if it was his eyes playing tricks, but it was the only thing he could think of.
Upstairs, Chrys was now screaming worse than ever.
"CHRYS! CHRYS!" David bellowed again.
"How did you get into my vault?" Bellatrix screamed. "Did that dirty little goblin in the cellar help you?"
"We only met him tonight!" Chrys cried through her sobbing. "We were never in your vault! It's just a copy!"
"A copy?" Bellatrix screeched. "Oh, a likely story!"
"But we can find out easily!" Lucius said. "Draco, fetch the goblin, he can tell us whether the sword is real or not!"
Arthur dashed over to Griphook, who was still huddled on the floor.
"Griphook." he whispered into the goblin's pointed ear. "You must say the sword's a fake, they can't know it's the real one. Please."
He then heard someone scuttling down the cellar steps and Draco's shaking voice spoke from behind the door.
"Stand back. Line up against the back wall. Don't try anything, or I'll kill you!"
They all did as he ordered as David clicked the Deluminator, making the lights whisk back into his pocket, restoring the cellar's darkness.
The door flew open and Draco marched inside, wand out in front of him, pale and determined. He seized the little goblin by the arm and backed out again, dragging Griphook with him.
The door then slammed shut and at that moment, there was a loud crack that echoed inside the cellar.
David instantly clicked the Deluminator and three balls of light flew back into the air from his pocket, which revealed Dobby the house elf, who had Apparated into their midst.
"Dobby." Arthur gasped with joy as they heard footsteps cross the ceiling overhead: Draco marching Griphook to Bellatrix.
Dobby's enormous, tennis ball shaped eyes were wide, trembling from his feet to the tips of his ears. It was easy to see why: he was back in the home of his former masters.
"Arthur Pendergast." He squeaked in the tiniest quiver of a voice, making Arthur want to hug him. "Dobby has come to rescue you."
Arthur was about to ask how he knew he was at Malfoy Manor when Chrys was screaming again from being tortured, making him cut to the essentials.
"Can you Disapparate out of this cellar with humans?" He asked, Dobby nodding so much that his ears were flapping.
"Okay, Dobby, take Luna, Dean and Mr Ollivander to Rob and Fleur's, Shell Cottage on the outskirts of Tinworth!" David toldhim.
Dobby nodded.
"And we need you to come back. Can you do that, Dobby?" Arthur asked.
"Of course, Arthur Pendergast." Dobby whispered.
The house elf then hurried over to Ollivander, who looked to be barely conscious. He took one of the wandmaker's hands in his own and held the other out to Luna and Dean, who didn't move.
"Arthur, we want to help you." Luna whispered.
"We can't leave you here." Dean added.
"Just go! We'll see you at Rob and Fleur's." Arthur told them.
As he spoke, his scar burned worse than before.
For a few seconds, he looked down, not upon Ollivander, but on Grindelwald, who was laughing scornfully.
"Kill me, then, Voldemort, I welcome death! But my death will not bring you what you seek… there is so much you do not understand…."
Arthur felt Voldemort's fury, but Chrys' screams snapped him back to the present, returning to the cellar.
"Just go! We'll follow!" Arthur insisted to Luna and Dean.
They held Dobby's outstretched fingers.
There was another loud crack and all four had vanished.
"What was that?" Lucius shouted from over their heads. "Did you hear that? What was that noise in the cellar?"
Arthur, Mike and David stared at each other.
"Draco - no, call Wormtail! Make him go and check!"
Footsteps crossed the room overhead before silence fell.
The people in the drawing room were listening for any more noises from the cellar.
"We need to tackle him." Arthur whispered.
There was no other choice, the moment anyone entered and saw the absence of three prisoners, they were done for.
"Leave the lights on." Mike said as they heard Wormtail descending the steps outside the door.
The three backed against the wall on either side of it, Mike alongside Arthur.
"Stand back." Wormtail said. "Stand away from the door. I am coming in."
The door flew open.
For a split second, Wormtail gazed into the seemingly empty cellar, ablaze with light from the three miniature suns floating in midair.
That was when the three boys launched themselves on him.
David seized Wormtail's wand arm and forced it upwards. Mike grabbed his legs, making him fall to his knees and Arthur slapped a hand over his mouth, muffling his voice.
They all silently struggled as Wormtail's wand emitted sparks.
But then his silver hand closed around Arthur's throat.
"What is it, Wormtail?" Lucius called from above.
"Nothing!" David called back in a surprisingly good imitation of Wormtail's wheezy voice. "All fine!"
Arthur was barrel able to breathe.
"You're just gonna kill me?" He choked as he tried prising off the metal fingers around his throat. "After I saved your life? You owe me, Wormtail!"
The silver fingers slackened, which Arthur didn't expect.
He was able to wrench himself free while keeping his hand over Wormtail's mouth. He saw the rat-like man's small watery eyes widen with fear and surprise. He seemed to have been just as shocked as Arthur at what his hand had done. But he continued struggling, like he was trying to undo that moment of weakness.
"I'll take that, if you don't mind." David hissed with strain as he ripped Wormtail's wand from his other hand.
Now wandless and helpless, Pettigrew's pupils dilated in terror. His eyes slid from Arthur;s face to his own silver fingers that now moved inexorably to his own throat.
"No -"
Without hesitating, Arthur tried to pull the hand away, but it couldn't be stopped. The silver tool that Voldemort gave his most cowardly servant now turned upon its Disarmed and useless owner. Pettigrew was reaping his reward for his hesitation, his moment of pity: he was now being strangled to death before their eyes.
"No!"
Mike and David released Wormtail as well and they joined Arthur in trying to pull the crushing metal fingers from around Wormtail's throat, but it was no use. Pettigrew was now turning blue.
"Relashio!" David said, pointing the wand at the silver hand, but nothing happened.
Pettigrew's eyes rolled upwards in his purple face as Chrys gave a dreadful scream overhead.
He then gave one last twitch before he was still.
The three looked at each other before they left Wormtail's now lifeless body on the floor behind them and ran up the stairs and back into the shadowy passageway leading to the drawing room.
They then cautiously crept along it until they reached the drawing room door, which was ajar.
They had a clear view of Bellatrix looking down at Griphook, who held Gryffindor's sword in his long fingered hands. Chrys lay at her feet, barely stirring.
"Well?" Bellatrix said to Griphook. "Is it the true sword?"
Arthur hoped Griphook did as he asked, fighting against the prickling of his scar.
"No. It is a fake." Griphook finally said.
"Are you sure?" Bellatrix panted. "Quite sure?"
"Yes." The goblin said.
Relief washed over her face, all tension drained from it.
"Good." She said before making a casual flick with her wand, slashing another deep cut into the goblin's face, making him drop with a yell at her feet. She then kicked him aside.
"And now we call the Dark Lord!" She then said with a voice of triumph.
She pushed back her sleeve and touched her forefinger to the Dark Mark on her arm.
At once, Arthur's scar felt like it would split open.
His true surroundings now vanished: he was Voldemort, and Grindelwald before him laughed toothlessly at him. He was enraged at the summons he now felt - he warned them, he told them to summon him for nothing other than Pendergast. If they were mistaken….
"Kill me, then!" Grindelwald demanded. "You will not win, you cannot win! That wand will never, ever be yours -"
Voldemort's fury broke as a burst of green light filled the prison room and Grindelwald's frail old body was lifted from its hard bed and fell back lifelessly. Then Voldemort returned to the window, his wrath barely controllable now… they'd surfer his retribution if they didn't have a good reason for calling him back.
"And I think…" Bellatrix said. "...we can dispose of the Mudblood. Greyback, take her if you want her."
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
David burst out into the drawing room.
Bellatrix looked round in shock, turning her want to face David instead -
"EXPELLIARMUS!" He roared, pointing Wormtail's wand at Bellatrix, hers flying in the air and was caught by Arthur, who sprinted after David with Mike.
Lucius, Narcissa, Draco and Greyback all wheeled about.
Arthur shot a wordless Stunning Spell at Lucius, who collapsed onto the hearth.
Jets of light flew from Draco's, Narcissa's and Greyback's wands, making Arthur and Mike throw themselves behind a sofa to avoid them.
"STOP OR SHE DIES!"
Panting, the two peered round the edge of the sofa and saw Bellatrix supporting Chrys, who looked unconscious, and held her short silver knife to her throat.
"Drop your wands." She whispered. "Drop them, or we'll see exactly how filthy her blood is!"
David stood, shaking and clutching Wormtail's wand. Arthur straightened up, still holding Bellatrix's, Mike standing as well.
"I said, drop them!" She screeched, pressing the blade into Chrys' throat, which drew blood.
"ALRIGHT, YOU FUCKING COWARD!" Arthur roared as he threw Bellatrix's wand to the floor at his feet. David did the same with Wormtail's wand and all three boys raised their hands to shoulder height.
"Good!" She leered. "Draco, pick them up! The Dark Lord is coming, Arthur Pendergast! Your death approaches!"
Arthur felt his scar bursting with pain, feeling Voldemort flying through the sky from far away, over a dark and stormy sea. He'd soon be close enough to Apparate to them.
Where's Dobby?
"Now…" Bellatrix then said softly as Draco hurried back with the wands. "...Cissy, I think we ought to tie these little heroes up again, while Greyback takes care of Miss Mudblood. I am sure the Dark Lord will not begrudge you the girl, Greyback, after what you have done tonight."
As she said the last word, there was a grinding noise from above.
Everyone looked up in time to see the crystal chandelier tremble before, with a creak and ominous jiggling, it began to fall.
Bellatrix was directly beneath it and dropped Chrys as she threw herself aside with a scream. The chandelier crashed to the floor in an explosion of crystal and chains, falling on top of Chrys and Griphook, who still clutched the sword of Gryffindor.
Glittering shards of crystal flew in all directions as Draco doubled over, his hands covering his bloody face.
David ran to pull Chrys out of the wreckage while Arthur and Mike split up.
As Mike charged at and tackled Narcissa and wrenched her wand out of her hand, Arthur leapt over an armchair and wrestled the three wands from Draco's grip and silently shot the Stunning Spell with all three of them at Greyback.
The werewolf was lifted off his feet by the triple spell before he flew up to the ceiling and smashed to the ground.
As Narcissa moved and dragged Draco out of the way of further harm, Bellatrix sprang to her feet, her hair flying as she brandished her silver knife, which then flew out of her hand by Mike, who shot a silent Disarming Charm with Narcissa's wand, landing very far away from her.
Narcissa then looked at the doorway.
"Dobby!" She screamed, making Bellatrix freeze. "You! You dropped the chandelier -?"
The tiny elf trotted into the room, his shaking finger pointing at his old mistress.
"You must not hurt Arthur Pendergast." he squeaked.
"You dirty little monkey!" Bellatrix bawled. "How dare you defy your masters?"
"Dobby has no master!" Dobby squealed. "Dobby is a free elf, and Dobby has come to save Arthur Pendergast and his friends!"
Arthur's scar was now blinding him with pain. He only had moments before Voldemort showed up.
"DAVID, CATCH - AND GO!" He roared, throwing Wormtail's wand to him before he and Mike bent down to tug Griphook from under the chandelier.
Hoisting the groaning goblin, who still clung to the sword, over a shoulder, Arthur and Mike seized Dobby's hand and spun on the spot to Disapparate.
As he turned into darkness, Arthur caught one last view of the drawing room: of the pale, frozen figures of Narcissa and Draco, of the streak of silver, that was David's hair -
Rob and Fleur's… Shell Cottage… Rob and Fleur's….
He disappeared into the unknown, repeating the name of the destination, hoping it would do to take him and Mike there.
The pain in his forehead pierced him and the weight of the goblin bore down on him. He could feel the blade of Gryffindor's sword bump against his back; Dobby's hand jerked, as though he was trying to take charge, to pull them in the right direction, and tried, by squeezing the fingers, to indicate that that was fine with him….
Soon, they hit solid earth and smelled salty air.
Arthur and Mike fell to their knees, relinquishing Dobby's hand and Mike helped lower Griphook gently onto the ground.
"You okay?" Mike asked Griphok, who stirred and whimpered in response.
Arthur squinted through the darkness, spotting a cottage a short way away under the wide, starry sky, seeing movement outside it.
"Dobby, is that Shell Cottage?" He asked, still clutching the two wands he took from the Malfoys'.
"It is, Arthur Pendergast." Dobby replied happily, making Arthur and Mike let out collective sighs of relief.
Arthur then kissed Mike hard on the lips, feeling relieved to have made it out of there and he then hugged Dobby.
"Thank goodness you came and helped." Arthur said gratefully.
"Dobby will always be there to help Arthur Pendergast!" Dobby replied gleefully as Arthur parted.
"Okay, I want you to go back to the Hogwarts kitchens, and if any Death Eaters show up, don't tell them anything, got it?" Arthur said.
"Of course, Arthur Pendergast, Dobby will do as Arthur Pendergast says!" Dobby bowed before Disapparating with a crack.
"Come on, let's go." Arthur then said as he and Mike got to their feet and carried Griphook, heading to Shell Cottage.
Look, I respect and appreciate what Dobby's death means for the story, but I personally just can't kill him off. I just love him too much to do that.