Chapter 167

Attack on Malfoy Manor

Note from J.M. Jackson: I know that Fanfiction has been having some issues showing my other story on this site, though I hope I've fixed it. However, if there are any issues, all of my work is also on AO3.

(Team 1)

As Lily, Ginny, Draco, and Hermione apparated outside the outer wall of Malfoy Manor, Draco looked at the vines on the wall, sighing. "Mother and Father would never have let things get this bad if they were still here," he said sadly. "In terms of the manor's condition," he added.

"When the war's over, we'll restore the manor, together," Lily promised. Draco nodded.

"Thanks, Lily," Draco smiled at her.

"We can use the vines to climb up." Hermione suggested.

"Are there any alarm spells in place?" Ginny asked.

"Never needed. We never had muggles near here, and there's a muggle repelling charm. No magical person would be dumb enough to go near here," Draco replied.

"Hermione, your turn," Lily said. Hermione waved her wand, performing the revealing spell, showing that there weren't any guards around either. Fawkes then appeared next to Ginny, sitting on Ginny's shoulder.

"Fawkes said there's no one around here. I don't think they even thought about the garden," Ginny said softly.

"Too arrogant. They figured no one would try to come here," Lily scoffed.

"Yeah, makes sense," Draco agreed. "Can we perform spells without being detected?" he asked. Hermione waved her wand again and nodded after a few moments. "Good," Draco said, waving his own wand, with a hole appearing in the wall.

"Okay, I'm officially impressed," Hermione chuckled as they walked through the hole, crouching down, as Draco made the hole vanish after.

"Now I'm impressed. It takes a lot to impress Hermione," Lily joked softly, as they moved carefully through the grass towards Draco's hideout.

"I've noticed," Draco told them, as they kept an eye on the area around them. "Damn, I'm not gonna lie, I've missed being here."

"It'll be your home again, Draco, we'll make sure of it," Lily whispered, as they neared the hideout. As they managed to sneak in, Lily noted how dusty it was, and covered in dirt and cobwebs. She waved her wand, cleaning it quickly.

"Much better," Draco commented, as he led them to the back, using his wand to reveal the secret entrance to the tunnel. There was an armchair that moved aside, and a doorway that opened in the ground, revealing a magical staircase leading down. "I'll go first," Draco said. Lily nodded; she knew Draco would be the best choice, since he knew the layout perfectly.

As the group headed down, closing the entrance to the tunnel behind them, Lily was impressed at how big the tunnel actually was. It looked like it could fit several people at once, with old fashioned torches on the walls, the flames lighting the path.

"Did your dad make this for you?" Lily asked. Draco nodded.

"When I was five, he told me about how everyone needed a secret passage to get to safety. There were secret rooms all over the house, and it was my duty as a Malfoy to have my own secret area, so he built the hideout, and this tunnel, just for me," Draco explained.

"I always wanted a secret library when I was a kid, so my dad built a muggle treehouse, which I filled with books," Hermione said, smiling. "As much as I love my dad, this is so awesome. I'd have loved something like this."

"Yeah, tell me about it," Lily agreed, chuckling.

"We never had room for a secret treehouse or anything, but we did have an interesting house," Ginny commented. "Bill and Charlie would sometimes move the rooms around, just for a laugh."

"Wait they could do that?" Lily asked, frowning.

"Sort of. All they did was swap the doorways, but because they were magical, they led to the same room, so if they put my bedroom door on Ron's door, it would lead to my room," Ginny explained.

"I can definitely see Fred and George doing that, but Bill and Charlie?" Draco asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Where do you think they got their love of pranks from?" Ginny asked, chuckling. "They elevated their pranks to an art form, but it started with Bill and Charlie."

"I'm always underestimating your family, Ginny," Draco chuckled, as they moved quickly through the tunnels.

It didn't take long for the four of them to reach Draco's old bedroom, and as they did, Draco went first up the staircase, gently lifting up the trap door, so he could see into his room. Hermione had already cast a spell to see if anyone was in there. As it was clear, Draco had gone up, he slowly entered his room. Lily, Ginny, and Hermione followed after, looking around the room quietly. Thankfully, the door was closed, but like the hideout, the room was covered in a layer of dust. Clearly, it hadn't been touched.

"Why haven't they used this room?" Hermione asked softly. "We know there are a number of Death Eaters around."

"We know Riddle doesn't care about others, but maybe Lady Riddle is hoping you'll return, or Bellatrix is keeping it in the hope you'll return," Ginny suggested.

"Or as a punishment, making Bellatrix remember what she's lost," Lily added, frowning. "We need to get ready for the attack."

"Yeah. Let's get into position," Draco said, heading to the door, and listening. "Right now, I figure they're downstairs. Can you do a reveal spell to see how many people are here?"

"Sure," Hermione replied softly, waving her wand, creating an image of the house in the middle of the room, with a number of white dots in different places. "From what I can tell, Riddle isn't here."

"Good, that makes things easier. Where do you think he is?" Ginny whispered.

"Probably looking for us," Lily whispered back. "Doesn't matter right now. We need to be ready for the distraction."

"I want to grab a couple of things first," Draco said, as he grabbed an old chest from the side of the room, opening it and carefully placing some books and items in it. "I know we're not here for that, but these things are important to me."

"Grab everything you need, and then we'll put it somewhere so we can get it before we apparate out," Lily said. "I understand needing something like this."

"Thanks Lily," Draco said, as he grabbed a few more books. It took less than a minute for the trunk to be full. "How much longer until we begin?"

"Couple of minutes, I think," Ginny replied, checking her watch. "It looks like everyone's in this room," she said, pointing at a large room.

"That's the dining room. Looks like they eat dinner together," Draco said, looking at it. "Shame we can't see who it is there."

"Maybe not, but whoever it is will soon be heading straight outside when Remus and Sirius start the attack," Lily said. "Where do we need to go?"

"We know team two is apparating in here, and team four will be here," Draco said, indicating the library and an office. "We know they'll likely keep one or two people back to protect the prisoners, which is why we're here."

"And we need to make sure they don't see team four. Where's the best place to attack to keep them busy?" Lily asked.

"Here," Draco said, indicating the room above the kitchen. "We blast a hole in the floor and go down, distracting them."

"Okay," Lily agreed, nodding. "Let's get everything ready. Anyone up here with us?"

"No, so we can get moving," Draco said, going to the door. "But we need to be quiet. They could see or hear us."

"Right. Lead the way," Lily said softly. As Draco opened the door, the group crouched down and moved along silently along the corridor. As Lily, Draco, Ginny, and Hermione reached the bedroom above the kitchen, they opened the door, freezing as they did, because despite the spell they had used showing no one there, they were now staring straight at Peter Pettigrew!

Lily quickly waved her wand to cast the Muffliato spell that she had learnt from Snape's book, with everyone getting in the room, and Ginny closing the door, whilst Lily aimed her wand at Pettigrew. "Don't even try it," she hissed.

"D…do…don't worry, Lily, I… I won't," Peter said, his eyes wide in fear.

"Wait, you called me… Lily?" Lily frowned. Peter nodded.

"I… I know you… are a girl. I'm not like… them… the others," Peter said.

"Is that why you betrayed her parents?" Ginny hissed, her wand aiming at him. To his credit, Peter looked ashamed.

"What I did… I should never have done. Being here… I can't stand it. It feels like… there's going to be a war between the two V…" Pettigrew started, but Lily held up her hand.

"Don't say it! You know there's a taboo on the damned name," Draco snapped softly before Lily could speak.

"No… not here… because we speak his name often, when speaking to him…or her," Peter replied. "But… I won't… say it, because I know you… well, you can't trust me."

"No, we can't. What game are you playing, Pettigrew?" Hermione demanded.

"No… no game," Peter replied, holding up his hands. "I owe… Lily my life… and I've felt bad… about what I did…for some time. It's why I… well, I have a new hand," Peter said, showing off his silver hand. "It… tried to attack me, some… some months ago, so I… I was able to make a new one."

"How?" Lily asked.

"Lady… well, she… I told her what it did…and she demanded to know if I was… still loyal. I was… and I… I think I am… I don't know, but she told me how to make a new one," Peter replied.

"You think you're loyal?" Lily asked, frowning.

"I don't know what… what I am," Peter admitted. "Sirius, Remus, and James… they were the only people… who ever truly cared…and I betrayed them, because I was… afraid of you-know-who."

"How did he get you to turn on them?" Lily asked.

"Is this really the time?" Draco asked.

"I dunno, but I want to know. I need to know," Lily admitted.

"Why… why are you here?" Peter asked. "Maybe… maybe I can help?"

"We're here to free the prisoners your masters are keeping here. Some leaders, keeping and torturing people just because they don't believe in him," Lily replied, glaring at him. Peter nodded.

"There's a spell… on the door to the basement. I can… remove it, when you go down," Peter said. "But there's… twenty people down there… for dinner. I'm not… well, I'm not allowed there… when either Lord or Lady… isn't here."

"So, after everything, you're just a cast off servant," Draco scoffed. Peter nodded.

"Please… let me help you," Peter pleaded. Draco, Hermione, and Ginny looked at Lily, who sighed, and nodded.

"But if you try to betray us, I will kill you," Lily promised harshly. Peter nodded, as Draco looked at them.

"The coin! The signal," Draco said. "It's time."

"Alright, let's get going," Lily said, as an explosion could be heard from the outside. An alarm began to ring through the house, and they could hear the sounds of everyone rushing to the entrance, so Hermione cast a spell, showing that there were now fifteen people outside, and five people in the entrance area.

"Draco, it's your show," Ginny smiled at him. Draco nodded.

"Hermione, keep an eye on him," Draco said, before he pushed Pettigrew back from the floor, and blasted a hole in it. Creating a soft landing area with his magic, Draco leapt down, followed by Lily, then Ginny, and finally Hermione with Pettigrew.

As they emerged from the kitchen, Lily saw one of the Death Eaters, who was standing with their back to the group, and Lily immediately took a breath, and cast the Sectumsempra spell. She wasn't sure if she was strong enough for the killing curse, but the spell that Snape had taught her, which she had then taught the others, was good enough for them.

As the Death Eater fell, the other four turned, with Lily casting a second spell, with Draco, Hermione, and Ginny each casting the same spell at them, causing all of them to fall to the floor. Lily smiled as she saw Ron leading his team towards the basement, but Lily held up a hand.

"Wait, Pettigrew says there's a spell on the door," Lily said, as they joined together.

"Pettigrew?" Ron asked, her eyes wide.

"I'll remove the spell," Peter said, heading to the basement door, brandishing his wand. He waved it, with an incantation, using a language that Lily didn't know, and the door glowed bright, before the light dimmed. Peter then opened the door, revealing the staircase.

"Get moving. We'll act as the distraction," Lily said. "Take Pettigrew with you, but make sure no one hurts him."

"Alright," Ron said, motioning for Peter to head down the stairs.

"Thank… thank you, Lily," Peter said softly, before heading down the stairs.

"You think that's a good idea?" Draco asked.

"I hope so. He might be able to help us, but if he tries to betray us, we know Uncle Sirius will kill him gladly," Lily replied. "And we know any tracking spell won't work at the new safe house; Minister Scrimgeour protected against that, just in case."

"Yeah, but that spell he cast has me worried, I didn't recognise the language," Hermione admitted, as there was another explosion outside.

"I know what you mean. Still, we can figure this out later," Lily said. "Should we go out and help?"

"No, we can't let them know we're here," Draco replied, as Cedric came from the office, leading his team. Lily pointed the direction that they needed to go, with Cedric nodding, and racing up the staircase.

"Okay, so far, so good," Hermione said, as they stood in the entrance area. "What now?"

"Won't take long, so we should be ready. Soon as we get the next signals, we'll head up to Draco's room and get his trunk, before apparating out," Lily said.

"Alright. How are the others doing out there?" Draco asked.

"From the sounds of things, pretty well," Lily said. "You sure you're okay, Draco?"

"This needs to happen," Draco replied, as something big shook the house. "Damn, they're getting close to the house."

"Yeah," Lily agreed, nodding. She frowned as she looked around, then winced, with Ginny doing the same. "Shit, we need to move. Riddle's on his way."

"How do you know?" Hermione asked. Lily pointed to her scar.

"Doesn't hurt as much as it used to, but I think both of them are coming," Lily said, as she went to the staircase, followed by the others, just as Draco showed the coin, which was glowing slightly.

"Apparition jammer is down," Draco said.

"Draco's room, quickly," Lily said, leading the way as another explosion shook the house, this time causing several paintings on the wall to fall off.

As they reached Draco's room, Lily looked out the window, seeing black smoke speeding towards the house.

"Yeah, they're both here. I'm gonna give them a distraction," Lily said. "Draco, go first with your trunk."

"Lily," Draco started, but Lily shook her head.

"Go, now!" she said. Draco nodded, disapparating with his trunk, with Hermione following suit. Lily then ran back out of the room and to the front door, where Voldemort and Lady Voldemort had arrived, and was about to cast a spell at Sirius, whilst taunting Sirius.

"You think that you can make us angry?" Lady Voldemort asked. Lily glared at her.

"No, but I can," Lily called out loudly. "SECTUMSEMPRA!" As both Voldemort's turned, seeing Lily, the spell struck Lord Voldemort, sending him flying backwards. She waved at Lady Voldemort, watching as Sirius and his team disapparated, a scream of anger filling the air as Lily and Ginny both disapparated, leaving Malfoy Manor, and the battle behind, hoping that she had just done some damage to Voldemort. She knew it wouldn't kill him, but she knew it'd make him angry, and it cemented her victory for the day, knowing that they were going to win.