Disclaimer: I take credit for this plot and my own characters, but everything else belongs to J.K. Rowling.
Note: I seem to have run across a bit of a plot inconsistency. You see, for Ari and Ella to be 5 and 3, Ginny would have had to have had Ari at about age 16. So, I have decided to change things up: from this point forward, Ari and Ella are twins and are three years old. That still makes Ginny a young mother, but it's the best I can do without making dramatic changes to the whole story. Sorry for the inconvenience!
Chapter Five
Espionage in the Works
All his life, Draco had lied. He'd lied to get into things, he'd lied to get out of things. Never in his wildest dreams, though, had he thought lying would be his greatest talent and that it would be the main thing he did in his life. But in war spies were necessary, and there was no one more perfect for the position of spy than Draco.
Of course, Draco had grown up since his school days, and it had been his father's fault. Lucius had killed Narcissa, his wife and Draco's mother, just to prove his loyalty to Voldemort. Though Narcissa had been a Malfoy, she wasn't what you'd call evil, or even really mean. Her murder had enraged Draco, and he had come very close to going out and killing his father. But then, on the day he had chosen to sneak out of school and track Lucius down, he had woken up with a mysterious sword plunged through his trunk.
The blade had a slight curve to it and was so silver it was almost white. When caught in the right lighting, Draco had discovered his sword glinted scarlet. Upon his testing it, Draco had also learned that with the slightest amount of pressure added to it, the blade was capable of pierceing flesh straight through (he still had the scar on his finger). The hilt was midnight black and encrusted in small rubies that glittered darkly during battle.
Upon recieving this treasure, Draco had been excited. Perhaps he could find a way to enchant the sword so there was no way his father could avoid a slow, painful death. He had pulled it out of the trunk and held it in his lap. As he did, he had felt different. He wanted revenge, thirsted for it, but a bloody, vengeful murder...that would be his father's way out. And how much did he not want to be like his father? If he could house that kind of anger, he would be an asset to Voldemort, and he didn't want to get caught up in the betrayl and bloodshed that accompanied that wizard.
Later that day, he accidentally walked in on a group of Gryffindors he had grown up hating. Before he could even utter an insult, Draco found himself fighting side-by-side with Hermione, Ron, Ginny, and Neville as they helped Harry face Voldemort once again. He had streaked through the silent halls and grabbed his sword and gone back to the fray. During the process of that night, Dumbledore had finally been defeated, and Voldemort had been driven away for the time being. Draco had killed two Death Eaters, neither of whom he recognized. While everyone tried to sort everything out, Draco had gone off in search of serenity, to get away from the guilt of the lives he had taken, but the feeling would not leave him.
Ginny found him in the library, head in his hands, sword in his lap, shoulders shaking from shock, not tears. Sitting across from him, she had consoled him without knowing why, and he had confessed everything to her, because she was the only one there and she was easy to talk to, and for once in his life, Draco just wanted to let go of everything. She had hugged him hesitantly after they had finished, and had left the library to go and see what was going on in the rest of the castle.
After that, life had been hell for Draco. There was nothing like a life-threatening battle to bring you close to people and a cause you normally would scorn, and Draco wanted more than anything to be part of the Few and contribute to the destruction of Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Close or not, he knew Harry and Ron didn't trust him, even if Ginny did, and to be part of the Few, he needed to earn the trust of those in power. They had allowed him to stay in Hogwarts, and after a few years, Ginny had talked Harry and Ron into giving Draco an assignment, saying that he wanted to be trusted and being a spy for the enemy was the perfect way to prove his worth and sincerity. They had agreed and had sent Draco out to gather information about an attack Voldemort was planning against the base at Beauxbatons. When Draco had returned to Hogwarts two months later, the Few had learned that not only had he found out the information, he had found a way to prevent the assualt. By the time he had relayed the information to Hogwarts, it would've been too late, so he single-handedly ended the conspiracy.
Immediately, Harry had let Draco be part of the Few, even giving Draco the top position available in the line of spy work. Ginny and Draco realized they were meant to be together, and after a few weeks of terseness from Ron, the two men had become friends of sorts. And then, Arianne had come along, followed by Gabriella. Despite the constant battles and missions, Draco was happy with the life he was leading, being on the good side for once. If there had been any thoughts of evil in his head, they were erased when Ari and Ella were born. How could he be heartless enough to try and destroy the world when his own flesh and blood and the love of his life were on the "to be destroyed" list?
And now, once again, he was away from home on field duty. It needed to be done to win the war, but he wished he could be back at Hogwarts with Ginny and the girls, just being a normal family. It pained him so when he saw Ella being taught how to use a dagger and Ari learning beginner's battle magic. They were too young to be burdened with such knowledges, but what else was there to do? Every able-bodied person needed to be ready for whatever battles were planned in the future.
With a sigh, Draco pulled the Invisibility Cloak tighter around his wiry frame as he reached the top of the snow-capped hill and looked down at the elegant white castle below him. It was snowing thickly enough that any tracks he made would be covered in minutes, but just in case, Draco spoke a word that would allow him to walk anywhere he wanted without leaving any type of prints.
The magic was the work of the Spell Caster. Harry was the Commander, Ron was the Warrior, and Draco was the Spy. All of them were poweful figures to aid the Few, but none of them contributed to the cause like the Spell Caster did. Rumor had it that not even Harry knew the identity of the Spell Caster. Whoever they were, they had never given themselves a gender
or a location as to where they could be found. No one even knew what the Spell Caster looked like or sounded like. Every now and then, though, Harry would hold a meeting for the Few and present to them directions for a new Spell or Curse, or a new recipe for Potions or Charms. Whoever the Spell Caster was, he or she worked solely for the Few and had some way of obtaining inside information. Whenever a battle was about to happen, or someone was going on a particularly dangerous mission, the Few would be given these unique magical gifts, and not one of them complained. The enemy did, though, which was probably why the identity of the Spell Caster was kept so heavily guarded.
This was how Draco kept his mind busy, by thinking of home. His friends, his family, their cause, their allies. But he was nearing the castle now, and the front doors were heavily guarded by trolls with spiked clubs. Not that he would go through the main entrance anyway, but it was still worth a glance. It was time to focus on the task at hand. Memories of home would have to wait until he was making his way back to Hogwarts. Hopefully, the quicker he got this done, the quicker he would be in the arms of his wife and daughters. With a deep breath, he began to walk a circuit around the castle, looking for an alternate route in.
~*~*~*~*~
There were spells all over the castle. Their subtle golden glint shone in Draco's eyes thanks to some eyedrops fashioned by the Spell Caster to show where Protection Charms had been placed. He circled the large castle twice, looking for an alternate entrance or exit. To his surprise, there were no other doors and no windows, save the balcony on the highest tower in the entire castle. Focusing on the balcony, he muttered a complicated, ancient word. Slowly, his feet lifted off of the ground. Draco flew lazily up to the tower and landed softly on the rail of the balcony. Noiselessly, he jumped onto the floor and looked around. All he could see were the snow-capped mountains and the open entrance that led out to the balcony. Seeing no spells around the doorframe, Draco slipped through it.
He found himself in a warm, elaborately furnished room that was heavily guarded with Anti-Listening Spells. Two men sat on seperate chaise lounges, deep in conversation. They were Death Eaters by the black hoods that were covering their heads and faces. Draco stopped dead in the middle of the room and listened intently, hoping he hadn't missed anything of great importance. To his dread, the man who had been talking cut off abrubtly and looked to the balcony.
"What is it?" His companion asked.
The first man shook his hooded head. "Nothing. I just thought I felt...I don't know, like a presence in here or something."
"Well, they do say this place is haunted," said the second man. The first one nodded warily and went on with where he had left off.
"Anyway, Damien says she's just up and disappeared. This very room was where she was kept, and when the maids came in to help her dress, she had vanished."
"Does Damien have any idea where she would've gone? Family? Friends?" The second man asked, unable to believe that someone had slipped out of the clutches of the Death Eaters without a trace.
"No friends, not that we knew of. Her mother is dead, and her father is an abusive, drunken old fool. She wouldn't go back to him. She had no where to run to. She's just gone," the first man explained, sounding like he couldn't believe it either.
"Damien says she's vital and must be found at all costs," the second man said heavily.
"Why? What's so imporant about one girl?" the first man wanted to know.
"I don't know, but he's going to be very angry if we don't find her. It's out place to ask questions, just follow the orders. I suggest you send some men to the girl's father. She could be there because it would seem like the most unlikely of places. And if she's not there, a near-fatal accident could draw her there, whether she was abused or not. It's worth a shot. I expect you out by tomorrow."
The first man stood and bowed deeply to the second one. "I shall personally see that it's done, Mr. Malfoy," he said respectfully, and then swept from the room. Lucius Malfoy nodded and watched his companion leave, then looked to the balcony. Draco's breath caught in his lungs.
"A sudden presence?" Lucius muttered, getting up and slowly walking over.
'Run, you fool! Get out of here now!' Draco shouted silently to himself, but he was afraid that any type of movement, even the invisible kind, would be sensed by his father. He could just kill him right now, but that would put spies on his tail, and he wanted to avoid being followed at all costs.
Lucius stopped about five feet from where Draco stood, peering through his son to the balcony behind him. With a shrug, he stood up straight and turned to go. Draco silently exhaled through his nose. In that exact instant, Lucius whirled around, whipping out his wand as he did and speaking a word Draco hadn't even heard before. Draco's arms clamped to his sides, and he saw the Invisibility Cloak ripple. Lucius grinned and held out a hand. He placed the handle of his wand in the middle of his palm and then laid it on it's side. Instantly, Draco fell over and watched, helpless, as his father walked over to his motionless body and drew back the Invisibility Cloak.
"Well, well, well," he said with a sick, but surprised, smile when he recognized his son. "Didn't your mother and I teach you it's bad to eavesdrop?"
Draco spat in Lucius's face. "Bastard," he seethed, "don't you dare talk about my mother. Murderer. I'll kill you for it before this war is over, mark my words."
Lucius laughed. "Ah, Draco, you remind me so much of me. It's such a pity you're my enemy; you would've made a powerful accomplice. But that's what war does, does it not? Tears loving families apart." He wiped the spit from his face and placed his wand on Draco's temple. "Master Damien will love to meet you, but I can't have you struggle." He explained, mock apology twisting his voice before he spoke a word that knocked Draco unconscious.