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"Traitor! You are no son of mine," said Nott, his voice cold. "Crucio!"

Cold dread washed over Draco as he heard the screams of agony from his friend and the others laughing.

Draco knew it was stupid and that he would probably die as well, but no matter what it would cost him, he knew intuitively that he couldn't just let the Death Eaters torture or kill Theo. So, although plagued by feelings of dread and fear, the decision was ultimately an easy one.

He left his safe spot and fired an "Incarcerous" at Mr. Nott, who fell to the ground, bound and gagged.

Immediately, he was attacked by several spells, curses and hexes. He raised a shield which was just enough to block them. He stood between Theo, who lay groaning on the ground, and the Death Eaters.

"Stop it!" Draco could hear his father yell as soon as he realized who they were attacking. "Stop attacking him!"

But they didn't. Draco was surprised to see his father, who he recognized immediately although he was wearing a mask, casting a stinging hex at one of his friends who was just about to Crucio him.

"How dare you attack my son?" he growled.

"Nice son you got there," hissed whoever he had just attacked. "Traitorous scum."

"Draco," his father started, now addressing him, his tone warning, "stay out of this."

Draco's stomach was in knots. He wasn't ready for this. He wasn't ready to chose between his parents and his new friends. Between what he knew now was right and his family.

"I'm sorry, father," he started. "Theo's my friend and I can't just watch you kill him." It sounded braver than Draco actually felt.

"Oh, don't worry boy," tutted another voice which Draco did not recognize, "we won't kill him." The voice was disgustingly sweet, and Draco didn't believe a word it said.

"J-just let me and Theo leave," Draco tried. "I really don't want any trouble."

"It's a little late for that," continued the voice, "Crucio!"

Draco could jump out of the way just in time, but the Death Eaters sent hex after hex at him. Lucius shouted at his colleagues, but they didn't listen to him anymore.

Draco wasn't sure how much longer he could keep up with them. So far, he had blocked what was sent at him, but he was starting to tire. He could feel his shield charm growing weaker by the second and the next hit had him stumbling backwards and landing on the ground next to Theo. This was it, he thought grimly. With three wands pointed at his head, he had no clue how he should get out of this situation.

"Stupefy!" he could hear a voice roar and this time it wasn't aimed at him. The cavalry had finally arrived. Relief washed over him.

Sirius Black rushed onto the scene, sending hexes at the Death Eaters.

Draco crawled towards Theo. "Hey, Theo. Look at me. Everything's going to be alright," he tried to calm his still shaking friend.

Out of the corner of his eyes he saw Potter and his friends joining the fight.

Suddenly, something vast, green, and glittering erupted from the darkness of the night. All fighting stopped as everyone gazed into the sky. It was a colossal skull, with a serpent protruding from its mouth like a tongue. It rose higher and higher, blazing in a haze of greenish smoke, etched against the black sky.

The wood all around them erupted in screams. The Death Eaters looked at each other, Lucius throwing Draco one final glance, then they all disapparated.

"What the hell is that?" asked Potter, staring into the sky.

"It's the Dark Mark, Harry!" Hermione moaned. "You-Know-Who's sign!"

"Hey, you two," Sirius said, kneeling down next to Draco, "everything alright?"

Draco looked at him, not knowing where to begin. "No," he finally muttered.

Sirius nodded, casting a diagnostic spell on Theodore. "What happened?" he glanced at the still bound, gagged and masked form of the older Nott.

The golden trio joined them around Theo.

"A couple of Death Eaters attacked a family… Theo tried to stop them. They attacked him… His father…" he trailed off. Draco glanced at his friend.

"Bastard," whispered Sirius. Together they helped Theo on his feet.

He was pale and trembling, but didn't look hurt otherwise.

A couple of Aurors arrived, asking them a few questions and taking the older Nott with them.

One of the wizards who had arrived on the scene seemed to have been from St. Mungo's and he immediately checked on Theo.

Mr. Weasley arrived at the scene then. "Is everyone alright?"

"Dad, what's going on?" Ron asked immediately.

"Did you get the person who conjured the Mark?" asked Hermione.

"We found Barty Chrouch's elf holding someone else's wand, but we're none the wiser about who actually conjured the Mark."

"Can someone explain what that skull thing was?" said Ron impatiently. "It wasn't hurting anyone… Why's it such a big deal?"

"I told you, it's You-Know-Who's symbol, Ron," said Hermione, before anyone else could answer. "I read about it in The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts."

"And it hasn't been seen for thirteen years," said Mr. Weasley quietly. "Of course, people panicked… it was almost like seeing You-Know-Who back again."

"I don't get it," said Ron, frowning. "I mean… it's still only a shape in the sky…"

"Ron, You-Know-Who and his followers sent the Dark Mark into the air whenever they killed," said Mr. Weasley. "The terror it inspired… you have no idea, you're too young. Just picture coming home and finding the Dark Mark hovering over your house, and knowing what you're about to find inside…" Mr. Weasley winced. "Everyone's worst fear… the very worst…"

There was silence for a moment. Draco felt sick. It was hard to hear about "his" side from this point of view. How could he ever think that joining the Death Eaters was a good idea? That what they were doing was okay?

"The Death Eaters all disappeared once they saw the sign," mumbled Hermione.

Mr. Weasley nodded his head. "They all disapparated before we got near enough to unmask any of them. Well," he glanced in Theodore's direction, "all of them but Nott."

Theodore was talking to an auror and to a mediwitch. Sirius was standing next to him.

"What will happen to him?" asked Draco tentatively. He wasn't sure whether it was a good idea to remind them that he was there, but he needed to know.

"Azkaban, probably," said Mr. Weasley, looking at Draco. For the first time since Draco had first met the man, Arthur didn't look at him warily.

"They better. It's where they should put your father, too," muttered Ron. "He was probably the one who conjured the Mark."

"No, he wasn't," hissed Draco.

"How would you know?"

"You saw-" Draco stopped himself. No, they apparently hadn't seen him. They hadn't recognized his father among the Death Eaters and they wouldn't have any proof that he was one of them unless Draco told them. "Never mind." Draco turned his gaze towards Theo, just so he did not have to look at the Weasel.

"You-" Ron started but was interrupted by his father's warning "Ronald."

"Draco," Mr. Weasley turned to him. "You and Theodore have done a very noble and brave thing today."

Draco nodded his head. He didn't feel well at all. "What's going to happen to Theo now? He only had his father."

"He will stay with me," said Sirius, walking over to them together with Theo, "until we can figure out a better solution."

Draco smiled at Theo and Sirius. He felt less like an unwanted intruder when they were around.

Theo still looked very shaken, but Draco couldn't tell whether it was from the Cruciatus or the events in general.

"Draco!" he could hear his father's voice bellow. He spun around to see his father standing a few feet away from them. "We are leaving," he said, his voice icy.

Draco gulped. He didn't dare disobey his father more than he already had.

He glanced at the others, but no one said anything.

He walked to his father, looking at Theo one last time, mouthing "Everything's going to be alright," in his direction.

His father grabbed him by the shoulder and without a word, disapparated.

TBC