Unofficial Portkey Archive

Draco sat in his dank room at the mansion of Lord Voldemort, shaking from the slight chill in the air and trying desperately to write another note to Dumbledore by the faint candlelight. His quill scratched noisily against the thick parchment as he wrote hurriedly, some of the most important information he had learned yet going down in that letter.

In one week, Voldemort and his army would be attacking Hogwarts, thus beginning the Final Battle that would mean either an end to the Light or an end to the Dark. Lord Voldemort would spring upon the castle at night, when most of his loyal Dark creatures would be able to fight. The Dark Lord was looking to make it a surprise attack but, because of Draco, this would not be so.

Draco finished off the letter and quickly read it over. It stated the time of the attack, the positioning of the Dark Lord's forces, how large his army was, and certain plans he might have for the Heirs. Satisfied he had wrote all he could, Draco sealed the letter and quickly summoned his owl.

Just as the great bird flew off into the night, a loud bang sounded at Draco's door, causing him to jump away from the window. The door burst open a second later, practically being knocked off of it's hinges. Draco watched in disgust as his father, Lucius Malfoy, strutted into the room and studied him with pleasure.

"Well, well, Draco," the older man drawled, "it is wonderful to see you here, finally in the services of the Dark Lord! I have taught you well, it appears, for you betrayed those foolish companions of yours and finally joined the one who will bring us ultimate victory."

"Father," Draco sneered, inclining his head. "Always a joy."

"You never were good with flatteries, Draco," Lucius replied in a cold voice. "But we can catch up more later. The Dark Lord has requested your presence in his study and I am to escort you there."

"Escort?" Draco said blankly. "Why do I need an escort?"

"Can't have you running off now, can we?" Lucius chuckled, his laughter sounding unnatural. "Now, let us go. Put your robes on."

Draco did as he was told, picking his black robe off of the bed and slipping it around his shoulders. When the clasp was in place, he moved to the door and preceded Lucius down the corridors and a few staircases to the Voldemort's study on the first floor. Draco couldn't help but grow nervous as he saw the wicked smile on his father's face.

"After you, my dear son," he said, sweeping his hand to the side.

Draco gulped inwardly and slowly pushed the doors forward, entering the large study. He had barely stepped onto the threadbare carpet when the malicious voice of the Dark Lord sounded ahead of him.

"Crucio!"

Draco let out a strangled yell and fell to his knees as the curse caught him by surprise. Fire coursed through his skin as he bit his tongue to keep from yelling again, black seeping into his vision. After what seemed like an eternity, the curse was lifted and Draco lay on the floor, gasping for breath as the harsh laugh of his father echoed above him.

"Draco," Voldemort said bitingly, "stand up and bow to me. NOW!"

Hissing in pain, Draco managed to push off of the floor and stand, swaying in place as he bowed clumsily to the Dark Lord.

"Leave us, Lucius," he heard Voldemort say.

The bang of the doors ripped through Draco's ears and he winced, closing his eyes. Voldemort swept closer to him and eyed the young Heir with distaste. He quickly conjured a stiff, wooden chair with chains and manacles on it, setting it in the middle of the room.

"Sit, Mister Malfoy," he commanded as Draco was shoved backwards into the chair.

The chains and manacles quickly wrapped themselves around Draco's limbs, holding him securely in place. Draco winced again as the cold metal bit into his skin and he continued trembling from the aftereffects of the Cruciatus Curse. His brain felt foggy but he still managed to wonder at why the Dark Lord was so angry with him.

"Draco," Voldemort stated.

Draco cracked his eyes open and stared back into the cold gaze of the Dark Lord. A sudden fear struck his heart as the large snake on the floor hissed at him and started to circle his chair. He desperately wanted to use his powers to release himself but he knew he shouldn't, Voldemort might become suspicious.

"You have disappointed me, Draco," Voldemort said harshly. "You lied to me, after I spoke so highly of you to my Death Eaters. You betrayed my trust in you to provide me all the information necessary to defeat those pathetic Heirs. Such betrayal does not go unnoticed. Crucio!"

Draco's head snapped back as the curse once more wracked his body. He gritted his teeth in agony, suppressing his screams. Rage burned within him and a sudden force was flung out from his body. Voldemort was knocked backwards as a crack formed in the floor beneath him, causing him to break the curse. Seething with more anger, Voldemort leapt forward and grabbed Draco around the throat. He struggled for air as the Dark Lord hissed in his face.

"How dare you go against me! What do you think you are doing, Mister Malfoy? Is this some trick against me?"

Voldemort released him and Draco sucked in a great gust of air, his chest heaving.

"I could kill you right now, but since I still wonder as to where your loyalties lie, I shall not. Who do you follow though, Draco? Do you even know?"

"I…I follow you…My Master," Draco choked out.

Voldemort smiled thinly.

"And why should I believe you, Mister Malfoy? You who lied to me about the forms the Heirs can take. You who lied about their special abilities. You who are sending out letters each night. Oh yes, all your movements are being carefully watched."

Draco felt an even greater fear now. Had the letters even reached Dumbledore or had they been intercepted? He managed to look Voldemort straight in the eyes, concealing his mind from the probing evil wizard.

"Why do you think I lied to you, My Lord?"

"Your mind betrays you, Mister Malfoy. You think your pathetic lessons could have fooled me? I admit you were a bit of a challenge to break through but I can see what you truly feel, how much you love the red-headed girl. You are protecting them. But why, I ask myself, when you pledged your services to me? Could it be that you tricked me? Could it be you made me believe that the plan you have been forming since the beginning was meant to help me, when instead it was to be the start of my downfall? Mister Malfoy, is this all true?"

Draco's eyes were wide as hope fell in his heart. How did Voldemort know? Was he able to read him that well?

"No, My Lord, no. I would never betray you! I spoke the truth to you. I tricked the Weasley into making her think I loved her, I never have and I never will. My plan was always to help you. I would come here to help you destroy the Heirs, telling you their secrets and giving you the advantage. I mean not to betray you, my loyalties shall never sway."

"Then tell me the Key! What is it? If you tell me this vital piece of information, maybe then I shall believe you."

Draco's mind was racing at Voldemort's request. He couldn't tell the Dark Lord that his suspicions were correct, then the War would be won. He had to lie.

"I do not know it, My Lord. It was never given to the Heirs."

"Liar!" Voldemort screeched. "You think I believe that Dumbledore did not tell you? Who do you take me for, Mister Malfoy?

"I swear to it!" Draco pleaded. "I swear he never told us. He destroyed the Prophecy when none of us were present because the Heirs are supposed to discover the Key without help."

Voldemort's rigid stance relaxed slightly but he still regarded Draco with malice.

"What are your plans for the Final Battle?" The Dark Lord sneered.

Draco took in a deep breath and recalled his instructions from memory.

"To protect my Lord from the forces of the Light. I must go to the Heirs and make them believe I stand with them still. Then I will lead them back to my Lord where we both will destroy the Heirs and any possibilities for the Light to control the Wizarding World."

Voldemort smiled again.

"Very good. These are your instructions and you will follow them, Mister Malfoy. I shall make sure of this. You are not to be out of sight from anyone from now on. All of your movements shall be watched and the plans you have mentioned will most definitely take place."

Draco's breathing became erratic as he realized what this meant. No more warning Dumbledore and the possibility of his true plans most certainly failing. He would have to find a way to warn the Heirs, he just had to.

"Yes, My Lord," he whispered, bowing his head as if in defeat.

Voldemort's eyes filled with glee as he turned towards the door.

"Lucius!" he called.

In a matter of seconds, Lucius Malfoy stepped back into the room, the gleam in his eyes matching Voldemort's. The older man walked over to his still chained son and smirked, looking forward to his next project.

"Take him and teach him what any sign of betrayal can mean. Just don't kill him, Lucius, or I will be forced to take action against you as well."

Draco flung his head up at Voldemort's words and his mouth dropped open.

"I swore to you though, My Lord! I did not betray you!"

Voldemort snarled at the Heir of Slytherin.

"Do not question me, Draco, or your punishment will be worse. Out of my sight, both of you!"

Lucius released the bonds on Draco and forced him upright before conjuring thick black cords to wrap around his wrists. As they left the study, Draco spat at his father and struggled against the restraints on his arms. Lucius slapped him so hard across the face he fell to the hard ground, bruising his knees. He was yanked into a standing position again, where he swayed and clenched his teeth in anger.

"Do not fight, Draco," Lucius sneered. "It will do nothing to help you. It certainly did not help your sister."

When Draco had registered his father's words, a hatred like none other filled him and all he could think of was how much he wanted to kill the man who called himself his father. But before he could react, something hard was slammed into the back of his head and he was tumbling to the ground when all went black.

…………………

The atmosphere at Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place was tense and grim. Members of the Order of the Phoenix, the esteemed defenders of the Light, swarmed the dark house, bustling to different rooms and barely speaking to each other. Hurried apologies were made as members often slammed into each other down a dark corridor before running off again.

Only a few nights before, an owl had been sent to each member of the Order, telling them to make for Grimmauld Place to prepare for the upcoming Final Battle. Then last night, another owl was sent to the household, warning them that in one week's time, Hogwarts was going to attacked. The Order was now preparing frantically, combining all of their resources and knowledge to make sure they were ready to face Voldemort and his army.

Just before nightfall, Dumbledore arrived and called for an immediate meeting. He wanted to speak with the Order and tell them of everything he knew. He had brought with him Remus Lupin, Mad-Eye Moody, Minerva McGonagall, and Severus Snape from Illustris since he wanted every member of the Order present at the meeting.

The meeting was being conducted in the kitchen, where Molly Weasley had enlarged the table and set out refreshments. Dumbledore sat at the one end of the table, waiting for all the Order members, who slowly trickled into the room and took their seats.

Dedalus Diggle, Emmeline Vance, Elphias Doge, Nymphadora Tonks, Mundungus Fletcher, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Hestia Jones, Arthur and Molly Weasley, along with their sons, Charlie, Fred, and George, and Dumbledore's brother, Aberforth, had now joined the ranks of Dumbledore, Snape, McGonagall, Moody, and Lupin. In all sense, it was a fairly small group but their determination was so great it made up for the size of the Order.

All were now present so Dumbledore cleared his throat and stood up.

"Thank you, all of you, for coming to this meeting. I am so glad to see that every one of you could make it to join in our fight against Voldemort and his Death Eaters. We have lost many of our group over the past year; Sirius, Bill, Hagrid, and Sturgis, but we are still strong and we will win this war with them in mind. Now, to business. There are several points that many of you, as of yet, do not know so I will address them now."

The Order members were silent as Dumbledore stared at them and he nodded before continuing.

"As of just recently, Draco Malfoy, the Heirs of Slytherin, left Illustris to go through with a plan of his against Voldemort. He found the plan to be absolutely necessary and he came to me before he went through with it. He left by one of the many Passim Mirrors that reside in Illustris and is now with Voldemort. I ask that you place the same kind of trust in him that I and the other Heirs have in him. His intentions are good, I can assure you."

"Are you sure of this, Albus?" Kingsley said in his deep voice.

"Yes, Kingsley, I am quite sure. The Heirs questioned me thoroughly on his intentions and I said the same to them. Draco will help us on the day of the Final Battle."

Kingsley nodded, saying no more and Dumbledore went on.

"From Draco, who has been sending secret letters to me, I have learned several of Voldemort's plans for the Final Battle. It is going to take place at Hogwarts one week from today, at the very beginning of June. Voldemort believes it will be a surprise attack and we must make it seem like this without it being so. The battle shall be at night, when most of Voldemort's Dark creatures will be able to fight alongside him. He has recruited werewolves, vampires, giants, trolls, Dementors, and other such creatures for his army and we must be prepared for them."

"Can't we lure him away from Hogwarts?" Arthur interrupted, several other members nodding to his question.

Dumbledore sighed deeply and shook his head.

"The thought crossed my mind and I wanted to but I remembered how much danger it would put Draco in. Voldemort must believe we know nothing of his plans. Rest assured, we will be prepared for his attack. I want all of you stationed in small groups at certain points in the castle, ready to spring into action once he arrives. The wards of Hogwarts are firmly intact so he will not be able to come easily. We suspect he will come by way of the Forbidden Forest and possibly Hogsmeade. I want Order members stationed there in secrecy, ready to protect the village and help the people to safety if the time should come."

"Are we warning the villagers of the attack?" Dedalus Diggle asked.

"Yes, but they must be kept from panicking and not allowed to evacuate to arouse suspicion. They will be safe from Voldemort but we must keep them there for now."

"What of the students, Dumbledore?" Tonks said a bit nervously.

"Miss Granger made an excellent proposal of sending the fourth year students and under to the dungeons with a few teachers. The fifth through seventh years refused to be kept out of the battle and will be stationed inside the castle walls as well, excluding many of the sixth years who wish to be with the Heirs on the actual battlefield. Do not try to convince them otherwise for I know that nothing can change their minds. They are showing true loyalty by being willing to risk their lives for their friends."

"I think that covers the students," Molly said quietly, "though I will admit I am not happy about them being so close to danger. But what about strategies? What are the plans for the Order on the battlefield?"

"Yes, Molly, I am glad you asked," Dumbledore replied. "The main goal of the Order is to distract the Death Eaters and Dark creatures, allowing for the Heirs to get close to Voldemort so he can be destroyed. Of course, the Heirs will be fighting Death Eaters as well but it is my hope to lower their opposition as much as possible. None but them can go against Voldemort and we must make this possible for them. You also must protect the castle and the students. I know our numbers are small but I believe we can do all I have mentioned. Have I made everything clear?"

"Do you know our groups?" Remus asked.

"Ah, of course," Dumbledore said. "I shall be with the Heirs, which leaves the seventeen of you. I believe three groups of four and one of five will be good enough. I want Dedalus, Aberforth, Severus, Mundungus, and Charlie to be in Hogsmeade; Molly, Elphias, Emmeline, and Hestia to be stationed inside the castle. I then want the rest of you to split into two groups that will be on opposite sides of the battlefield to defend the grounds. Those two groups can be chosen amongst yourselves but please do so accordingly. Is this fine with everyone?"

All the members nodded in compliance, except Snape, who merely scowled at being shoved down into the village. When Dumbledore saw their acknowledgement, he smiled at the Order before launching them into a more in-depth discussion of the Final Battle and the tactics he wanted the members to use. The Order worked together to create strategies that helped the Heirs in their mission, as well as allowing the Order to take as much advantage over the Dark as possible. They spoke well into the night, going on for hours until all were satisfied that they had discussed as much as they could.

"I think that is enough for tonight," Dumbledore finally said, sounding tired. "I know you are all exhausted and are wanting sleep so I will dismiss the meeting. Thank you again for bearing with me for so long and I will see you all in a few days. Good night."

The Order of the Phoenix rose sleepily to their feet and trudged off to their rooms in the house. Molly cleaned up the kitchen quickly before she disappeared through the door as well, following behind her husband. Dumbledore was now left alone, excluding his brother, Aberforth, who was twiddling his thumbs idly.

"What do you think, Aberforth?" Dumbledore asked.

Aberforth raised a bushy eyebrow and studied the old wizard before replying.

"It's going to be quite a battle, Albus, that is what I think."

Dumbledore's lips quirked into a small smile at the comment before he inclined his head.

"Yes, my dear brother, that it will be."

"The Order is ready though," Aberforth went on. "Are your Heirs?"

"Yes, they are, I am sure. They will not let us down," Dumbledore said firmly.

Aberforth nodded before rising without comment and leaving the room. Dumbledore watched him leave and sighed. The Heirs were very much ready but the Final Battle was still going to be their most difficult challenge yet. The wise wizard could only hope that the love and trust that lay between the Heirs was enough intact to withstand the horrors that were before them.

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Author's Note: Another chapter! I'm trying to update as quickly as possible but I am sorry to say that I am very sure that I will NOT be able to finish this story before HBP is released on saturday. I am quite upset about it but there's nothing I can do since I don't want to risk rushing this story just to make a deadline. I thank everyone who is being so kind and is still willing to follow this story after HBP, you guys are the greatest! :)
I'm sorry about the slightly shorter chapter but that's just the way it turned out. As you can tell, Voldemort is very....angry now. Poor Draco, I'm putting him through a lot, aren't I? Don't worry though, Draco is going to be angry as well in the next chapters, especially with his father, so he'll be taking more action. I hope you liked how I wrote the conversation between Voldemort and Draco. I know Voldemort seems to know a lot now but he doesn't know everything, he's just more clever than Draco gave him credit for. I hope you liked the part with the Order of the Phoenix too. I don't know how to write many of those characters which is why only a few of them spoke but you will see more of all of them at the Final Battle. Which reminds me, the Final Battle is next! The part you all have been waiting for! I warn you though, it will be no short battle. I have about six chapters planned out involving JUST the battle so be prepared for one heck of a battle, haha. I hope I live up to all of your standards with it. I must say, the next chapter will be introducing the battle so don't expect a lot just yet! Well, I do hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'm sorry about not replying lately to your reviews, I've been caught up with mainly writing the story so I've slipped up there. Do know that I read and appreciate every review I get! Thank you! Please review this chapter and I promise to have the next one up soon!
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