Normal Raquel Dodd 5 33 2003-05-13T09:24:00Z 2003-05-13T09:25:00Z 1 4598 26215 218 61 30752 10.2625 Clean Clean MicrosoftInternetExplorer4
Chapter 13
Two and a half hours later, Harry and Hermione strode into The Three Broomsticks feeling exhausted and frightened. They had gone to every shop in town (often on McGonagall and Ron's heels), and a few homes as well, but there had been no sign of Ginny. It was after dark now, and Harry knew beyond a doubt that Ginny was no longer in Hogsmeade. And neither were Malfoy and Anderson.
Harry's eyes swept around the pub, but McGonagall and Ron weren't there yet. They had succeeded in tracing Ginny and the Slytherins as far as Zonko's Joke Shop, but from there the shop keeper said he'd seen them walking eastward. Towards the carriages, Harry knew. He and Hermione had walked all the way to where the carriages were loaded, but hadn't seen anything unusual or found any clues. Harry was ready to tear his hair out in frustration.
"Should we look for the Professor?" Hermione asked worriedly, glancing at Harry. He looked around again, wondering if it would be best to remain where they were and wait for the Professor to find them. It would make things easier on her if she knew where everyone was.
But what if they'd found something and that was why they hadn't yet returned? Harry's head snapped up at the thought.
"Come on," he said, turning and heading back out the door. Hermione followed quickly, her face mirroring Harry's anxiety. Once outside, he began walking west.
"You think they're back at Zonko's?" Hermione asked. Harry shook his head.
"We missed something, we must have. There's no way they just disappeared into thin air once they left Zonko's," Harry said, more to himself than to Hermione. They arrived in front of the now closed shop, and Harry walked over to the front display window. The usual assortment of Dungbombs, Exploding Snaps, Silly Bubs (cards that randomly changed suits and value), fake cans of Fizzing Whizzbees, and other joke gifts were displayed. He didn't know Caleb Anderson very well, but of the three missing people Anderson was the only one Harry thought might be inclined to shop there. Ginny liked a good joke now and then, but she didn't often buy gag products. Draco had no sense of humor, so Harry ruled him out instantly.
"Alright," Hermione said briskly, "they left here and started walking to the carriages. Let's walk slowly and see if we can recreate the moment."
She and Harry began to walk casually down High Street, Harry peering at the ground closely for anything interesting. He stopped several times to pick up scraps of paper and stray pieces of metal, just in case they might mean something. But the paper was always garbage, and the metal was usually fizzy pop bottle tops or can fragments. Hermione continued to walk slowly, stopping once herself to examine an empty beer can. But Ginny didn't drink Mansfield's. They were nearing the Post Office when a male voice called out to them.
"Oy! Harry, Hermione!" It was Fred Weasley.
"Fred," Harry called anxiously, he and Hermione running to meet him.
"Ron told us," Fred said as soon as they reached him. "We talked to the bloke who owns Zonko's, but so has everyone else. We were on our way over here to do a Traces Spell, but Dumbledore showed up. McGonagall's with him now, and they're heading over."
No sooner had Fred finished speaking when the Hogwarts headmaster came striding up with Professor McGonagall, his long staff tapping the ground with every other step. George and Ron walked swiftly behind, Ron breaking into a run when he saw Harry.
"Anything, anything at all?" he asked desperately. Harry shook his head, looking at Dumbledore as he approached. The headmaster noticed that Harry was wearing almost the same expression as Ron.
"Harry, Hermione, any luck?" the Dumbledore asked them gravely. In response to their negative replies, he began walking back towards Zonko's.
"We've been there a hundred times, Professor!" Ron said in a strangled voice.
"I am aware of that, Mr. Weasley," the headmaster said gently. "The location spell I'm about to do needs a starting point, however. And since the joke shop was the last place they were seen, I think it would make sense to go back there."
Ron's ears flushed red and he went quiet. In a few minutes they had reached the shop once again. Dumbledore then pulled out his wand and began waving it over the door and above the ground in front of the door, until he was several feet away from the shop window.
"Something here," he murmured. "A trace of someone familiar."
They all watched anxiously as Dumbledore lifted his wand and spoke.
"Praeter reperire!" he cried, and the air suddenly felt heavy, almost static. Harry turned his gaze uneasily around, feeling his skin prickle with the presence of ...old magic. A power that felt older than the headmaster, older than the city itself, as old as the hills when they had felt the tramp of Celtic feet on their crowns. Dumbledore raised his hands above his head and spoke again.
"Reperire persona! Ambactus Malfoy, ambactus Anderson, puera Weasley!" The headmaster invoked deep magic, as secretive as the fairies of the Forbidden Forest and as powerful as the sight of a Unicorn to human eyes. The air grew heavier, more electric than before, and Ron stared apprehensively as he saw three small wisps of smoke rise from the ground. Harry watched in awe as Dumbledore waved his wand over the growing smoke, almost directing them as they expanded in size. They began to fill out and form into the shadowy shapes of Ginny, Draco, and Caleb Anderson. Everyone watched in fascination as the shapes took on density and detail, right down to the little braids Ginny liked to weave in her hair. They finished forming and began walking slowly away, the group -- except Dumbledore -- staring dumbly after them.
"Move back, George!" McGonagall barked when he walked right up to the ghostly images.
"Calm yourself, Minerva." The headmaster smiled slightly, as the group began to follow the shadowy figures. Phantom Ginny appeared to be speaking harshly to Phantom Caleb, her face set in a frown and her hands gesturing expansively. At one point she stopped and lifted her foot, gesturing to it, and Phantom Caleb seemed to shake his head. Harry went up beside the smoky figure of Draco, noting that the familiar smirk was firmly in place. He seemed somehow angry, and Harry wondered what he was thinking about until he recollected that this was a phantom image.
Still, it was the eeriest thing Harry had ever seen, like watching the ghosts of people you actually knew. He remembered seeing Cedric's ghost materialize out of Voldemort's wand, looking as grey and ethereal as the three figures before him. Harry fervently hoped all three were still alive and that this vision wasn't a twisted prediction. Ron was on Phantom Caleb's other side, watching Ginny's expression with concern.
"She's mad about something," he murmured.
Quite suddenly, all three figures stopped and whirled around. Everyone halted, looked back the way they had come, as if there they'd see what had caught their attention. Ron frowned when he saw Ginny shrink against Malfoy, and almost scowled as Malfoy's hand came up and gripped her shoulder. But he had the presence of mind to realize that something had frightened her.
"It was a person," Fred grunted. "Someone they knew but didn't like."
"Anderson doesn't look scared," George added.
"He's confused, so it wasn't anyone he knew," Hermione said to the headmaster. "But who would Ginny and Malfoy know that he wouldn't? We all go to the same school, and Malfoy and Anderson are in the same House."
"There would be few possibilities," Dumbledore replied. "Do you know anyone that has had contact with both Mr. Malfoy and Miss Weasley, but not many other students?"
"Albus?" McGonagall frowned, interrupting. A moment later, Hermione gasped. The Weasleys and Harry whirled around towards the sound.
"Who, who was it?" Ron stared at Hermione with wide eyes. But at that moment, the spectral figures took off at a run. Ginny went first, seeming to run in slow motion, then Draco grabbed Caleb's sleeve and followed. The group rushed after them.
They only had to follow for a short distance. The figures had turned into an alley next to the Post Office.
"The carriages load on that street, down there," Harry observed, following Dumbledore cautiously. The headmaster had slowed, and a split second later the phantom Ginny stopped running abruptly, turning to the opposite wall with wide, frightened eyes. The figures of Draco and Caleb stopped just behind her. Ginny appeared to speak again, then suddenly Draco pulled out his wand, as did Caleb, both advancing menacingly towards the spot in front of Ginny.
It seemed then that an invisible hand came from above and squashed Draco down, and he disappeared in a shower of purple sparks. A moment later Caleb turned and seemed to shout before he stumbled or was pushed roughly, then also disappeared. Lastly Ginny threw her fist out in front of her, turning quickly to run again. Just as Ron was about to follow the figure, she was jerked backwards and vanished.
"It seems our young friends were lured into a trap," Dumbledore said softly. "A trap set by someone they knew."
"But who was it?" Ron choked, his heart still hammering after seeing the way Ginny had been yanked back.
"It was Elizabeth," Hermione said fearfully. "She's the only person that makes sense!"
Harry and Ron stared at Hermione as if she'd lost her mind.
"That's impossible!" Harry declared roughly. "Remus told us that she'd renounced her ties with …with her former family. He trusts her! So do you, Professor!"
"I have been wrong before Harry," Dumbledore said delicately, his blue eyes fixed upon the spot where Ginny had disappeared. "Admittedly not often, but I have on occasion misjudged the intentions of others."
The headmaster suddenly pointed his staff at an object on the ground, which George pounced on. It was a bag bearing the Zonko's logo.
"It's full of Dungbombs," George frowned, "and a card…"
Fred grabbed the card and pulled out his own wand. "Lumos!"
"What does it say?" McGonagall demanded.
They could see that the front of the card bore a miniature painting of a bouncing dragon, almost cartoonish in appearance. The heading above it read, "All Apologies".
"It says, 'Sorry for the inconvenience', that's all. It's a new card, nothing's written inside it, so who knows what it was for, or who."
"It's Anderson's," Harry said. "I'm sure of that. He was the one who dropped something. Let me try a spell."
Harry took the card and dropped it into the bag, then pulled out his own wand and murmured a Detection incantation over it. The small, smoky image of a crest appeared, bearing an Adder wrapped around a tall tree.
"That is, indeed, the Anderson family crest. Well done Harry." Dumbledore beamed.
"But… where does Elizabeth fit into all of this?" Ron asked in frustration.
"She knows Malfoy," Hermione explained , her face set in an angry expression. "And she knows Ginny because I introduced them at the Quidditch game she and Lupin attended. It all fits! Not many of the students know her, but anyone who's been investigating the attacks on Malfoy does!"
Ron turned to the headmaster. "Where's Lupin?"
"At the Shrieking Shack, Ron," the headmaster replied. "Have you not noticed the moon?"
Harry snapped his gaze towards the sky, spotting the round, fat moon climbing over the horizon.
"We must inform him immediately," Dumbledore murmured. "Harry, would you be so good as to fetch him? He's quite safe, I assure you. And please tell Professor Snape to come as well."
"I don't think we have time…" Ron began.
"Relax, Mr. Weasley," Dumbledore smiled. "The Potions Master is at the Shack, at my request. Although," his eyes twinkled, "I imagine he's most anxious to be relieved of his duty."
Harry nodded and sprinted off towards the Shrieking Shack.
****************
Ginny stared around her at the drafty barn, once again struggling to wriggle free of the ropes that bound her to a broad wooden support post. She'd been struggling for some time now, and she could feel her raw skin being ripped away, blood dripping down into her hands. Caleb and Draco were tied to a post near her, Draco's hands bound around the lower half of the post, Caleb's tied over his head to prevent the two young men from freeing each other. Caleb didn't find his wriggling to be very effective; his bum wasn't even touching the ground due to how high they'd raised his hands. They'd also tied his feet to a large and heavy crate nearby, making it impossible for him to do anything except hang there.
"I can't feel my hands anymore," he said in a conversational manner to Draco. "This is most unpleasant!"
Draco pursed his lips and turned as much as he could towards his companion. "Yes it is, since they didn't bother to gag you."
"Touché, Mr. Malfoy." Caleb grinned. "I'm beginning to think you're tiring of my company, and after the lovely day we've been having!"
"Will you two please stop bickering?" Ginny snapped, twisting her arms and trying desperately to get the ropes to loosen. "We need to get out of here before they return or we'll find ourselves in the middle of London with no way back!"
"Well, Miss Weasley, having never been kidnapped before, I'm afraid I can offer little in the way of ideas or assistance," Draco replied wryly.
"Can you at least make an effort to get free? And don't call me that!" she hissed through clenched teeth.
"I've been trying your method, but my wrists are now devoid of skin, so I'm attempting to think of something else." Draco chuckled, smiling slightly as he regarded her. Or rather, what he could see of her, as she was facing away from him. "And what should I call you instead? Gin?"
"Would you please take this seriously?" Ginny squeaked, trying not to make too much noise and ignoring his question.
"Miss Weasley, we've been kidnapped by vampires who intend to haul us miles from the school for some dastardly purpose they refuse to reveal. Do you really think we're not serious?" Caleb asked.
"Well…let's just try a bit harder, shall we?" Ginny renewed her struggles, and thought she felt the ropes loosen slightly. Draco gathered his long legs under him and attempted to try and rise. The way his arms were wrapped around the broad pillar caused him to hope that gaining a slight purchase would make it easier to twist his arms and grab a loose end of rope. If not, then he'd most likely break his arms.
"Either way," he murmured.
"Does anyone know where we actually are?" Ginny asked in a strained voice, more to keep herself calm while she struggled than anything else.
"Edinburgh," Caleb replied. "I'm familiar with this area. My cousin Carter lives a few miles from here."
"Do you know what property we're on?" Draco asked, grunting with the effort of trying to rise and contort himself at the same time.
"I'm afraid not, but we passed an old church about a mile before we arrived, and I do remember it. Old St. Alexander's, it's called. She and I used to dash through there and play games."
"She?" Draco asked, gritting his teeth with exertion.
"Yes, Carter is a girl. She and her friend Lauren are Ravenclaws." Caleb smiled, though his companions couldn't see.
Ginny's wrists felt as if they had been burnt raw, and her eyes filled with tears as she tried to keep her frustration and fear from overpowering her again. There was no time for hysterics -- they had to get free! She thought back to when they had arrived at the barn several hours before, feeling her heart thud as she remembered Caleb leaping out of the carriage door and trying to make a run for it. Unfortunately he hadn't gone more than a few steps before the Celt had literally flown after him, scooping him up exactly as he had Ginny back in Hogsmeade. When Caleb had continued to struggle, the Celt had clamped his hand over Caleb's mouth and nose. The young man had flailed wildly, finally falling unconscious from oxygen deprivation before the vampire had released him. Ginny had been grabbed by the carriage driver and carried into the barn, Relah following with Draco. They'd been quickly tied up and left alone with Elizabeth, who had crawled weakly into a far shadowy corner and collapsed. Ginny hoped she was deathly ill.
Grimacing in pain, Ginny gave a mighty pull on her right wrist, her body bowing as her feet scrambled to find purchase, and she felt the ropes loosen further. Collapsing back down she felt her heart hammer with exhaustion and fresh hope. There had been no sound from Elizabeth for quite some time, and the barn was dark except for a measly bit of moonlight filtering in through the cracks. Ginny didn't know what was wrong with Elizabeth, but she hoped the woman was asleep or too sick to do anything if they got free. It didn't matter, because Ginny refused to just sit there and not try to escape. After a moment she once again set to twisting and rotating her hands around, feeling her heart pound faster when she felt her left wrist actually begin to slip through.
Ginny's concentration narrowed, her breath almost stilling with the strain. Her skin had already been scraped away, and it was quite an effort to ignore the pain, but she just kept repeating "We have to get free, we have to!" and continued pulling.
Draco opened his eyes, about ready to give up again when he spotted Ginny's left wrist moving slowly out of its loop. His eyes widened, and he stilled his own struggles. Her wrists were bloody and had made the rope somewhat slick, which probably accounted for her partial success. So that's how people in ropes get free, he thought, they just make sure to peel every layer of skin off in order to bleed all over their bindings.
Fascinating concept.
"Keep going," he whispered, watching intently as her wrist, the skin white from blood loss and the constriction of the rope, slipped out a tiny bit more.
"What did you say?" Caleb asked, his voice sounding loud in the silence that had descended. Draco started, then angrily shushed him. Caleb frowned and tried to twist around to look at his companion, but only managed to pull a muscle in his shoulder. He winced in pain and silently cursed the entire planet for his predicament.
Ginny had her left hand halfway out of the rope, and narrowed her concentration even further. All she had to do was slip the knuckle of her thumb out... She could feel her skin peeling off as she pulled, but she continued, ignoring the pain. We must get out of here, we must! She thought wildly.
Her hand came free so suddenly that it ricocheted around and popped her forehead.
"Yes!" Draco cried as she collapsed against the post, gasping. Her jaw ached from having clenched her teeth so hard, and her wrists were in agony. But she was free.
"What's happened?" Caleb asked anxiously, hearing Ginny's gasps of pain.
"She's done it, she's free!" Draco replied with a strange note of pride in his voice. He grinned madly as she quickly sat up, pulled the ropes off of her other hand, then crawled over to him.
"She is?" Caleb asked in surprise. "Bloody clever, isn't she?"
"Well, bloody at any rate," Ginny replied shakily. She sat in front of Draco, trying to get her numb fingers to loosen the knots on his rope. She was trembling with exhaustion and dirty from her struggles. Draco stared, her soft vulnerability slightly disconcerting after watching the Herculean effort she'd put forth in freeing herself. He noticed the golden freckles that dotted her cheeks, and her fiery hair falling in waves around her pale, tear streaked face. He'd never known anyone could be so beautiful.
"Ginny," he whispered.
"I've almost got it," she said weakly. "Just pull a bit, pull your wrist."
"Ginny," he said again, louder.
"What is it?" She turned to him, and got the shock of her life when his lips descended upon hers.
Ginny's breath escaped her, and her heart thundered as a searing heat spread from her chest to the rest of her body. She felt herself lean into Draco, her lips molding to his and her trembling increasing as she felt his tongue invade her mouth. He tasted warm and sweet, like hot chocolate on a cold afternoon. Hesitantly, she lifted her own tongue to dance and intertwine with his, shivering as he responded with increased pressure, his tongue darting out again to trace her lips. It was hardly her first kiss, but it was the first time she'd felt so electrified by the act. Her body began to come alive; a keen awareness of her womanhood awakening, and her nerves tingled with delicious shock as he increased the pressure even further.
"Do you mind?" Caleb snapped angrily, causing them to fly apart. "I'd really like to get out of here! You two can think about shagging once we're back at Hogwarts, all right?"
Ginny looked at Caleb with wide eyes, her face flushed and a bloody hand pressed to her mouth. Draco felt the heat in his own face, as well as other places, and gritted his teeth.
"Do you mind not shouting?" he snapped.
"I didn't shout," Caleb retorted.
"Stop it, both of you" Ginny whispered. "They'll hear us!"
Ginny quickly set about freeing Draco, concentrating on his bonds and not looking at him. Her mind was numb with shock, but she refused to think about what had just happened. She couldn't afford to think at the moment, because if she did she knew she would either dance with joy or faint with horror. And at the moment, she wasn't sure which. Once she got Draco free, she turned her attention to Caleb, wincing when she saw the position he was in.
"Are you all right?" she asked anxiously, yanking at his bonds.
"Ouch! Not really, but let's just worry about getting me out of this," he replied with a weak grin.
She returned to the task, calling Draco to help her. He sat a moment, watching her concentrate while he rubbed his raw wrists. She certainly seemed unaffected by what had just happened. Hadn't his kiss meant anything to her? He didn't grace many girls with such a privilege, after all!
"Draco," she frowned at him, "help me!"
He crawled over and began yanking rather hard on the ropes.
"Ouch! Are you trying to skin me?" Caleb scowled.
"Stop whining, you'll be free in a moment," Draco replied coldly.
"Maybe not," a voice said from above them.
"Oh, bugger!" Caleb sighed.
All three heads snapped up, Draco automatically reaching for his wand before remembering he no longer had it. Relah grinned madly at them as she sidled down the post like some grotesque, human shaped insect. Ginny felt her heart contract painfully, tears once again flooding her eyes. They had been so close!
"No, Miss Weasley, you weren't," Relah laughed, proving she could read minds. "I've been watching your pathetic struggles for the past hour. And then that sweet little kiss." Her voice rose mockingly. "I must say, I've rarely been so entertained!"
"What do you want with us?" Ginny shrieked in fury, her tears blinding her.
"I really don't care to repeat myself, Miss Weasley. Now please stand up and back away from your friend there. No silly heroics, now."
Ginny and Draco stood slowly and backed away, Relah pointing menacingly at them. The Vampire woman moved forward then, and with a single tug tore the bonds holding Caleb's arms. His rear thudded audibly to the ground, and he doubled over as the blood pounded painfully back into his numb hands.
"That's better, isn't it?" she laughed. Ginny rushed forward and dropped to the ground beside Caleb, grabbing his wrists and massaging them gently.
"You'll be all right," she said softly, focusing on his agony in order to push away her own. Draco crossed his arms and watched them neutrally, while Relah stepped back. peering into several of the dark corners.
"Damnit!" the Vampire woman swore softly. Turning quickly, she addressed her three charges.
"I have to step out for a moment, children, but I trust you won't be so foolish as to try and escape. If you do, please believe me when I say that you won't live to regret it!"
Punctuating her cruel words with a bright smile, Relah turned and literally jumped to the upper loft. A moment later she was gone, having leaped out a tiny window soundlessly. Draco stared at the window for a moment, then turned wordlessly and headed for the barn door.
"Where are you going?" Ginny asked in shock.
"Away from here," he replied simply.
"Wait," Ginny called after him, trying to untie Caleb's feet, "wait for us!"
But Draco didn't wait. If anything he walked even faster, banging the old wooden door behind him. He paused a moment as he heard Ginny's voice scream his name in fear and anger, then quickly resumed his trek.
The full moon's silvery light illuminated the various paths from the barn, and Draco was sure that what he sought would be near. He stared around carefully, taking in the nearby woods, the small house, and the smelly pen attached to the barn. Peering closely he counted five dead pigs, and shuddered in disgust as he walked past. The Celt was probably in the house along with the original occupants, if they were still alive. His father had been wrong, the vampires weren't in Wales, they were here, in Scotland. Then again, Lucius Malfoy had probably known that all along. Running as fast as he could, Draco headed for the woods. It was the most obvious place…
He slowed as he approached the trees, cursing the fact that he didn't have his wand with him. The pale moonlight was filtering through the trees well enough, but he still had to strain his eyes to search for what he knew would be there. It had to be there, because he didn't have time to look elsewhere. There was only one way they were going to get the lot of them to London fairly quickly, and Draco somehow knew the vampires were working on a time schedule. He'd seen them use it before, and he strongly suspected they had it here.
There! Draco spied what looked to be a pile of garbage and headed over to it, digging eagerly through its contents. Paper, empty jugs and bottles, several dead animals which made him wrinkle his nose in disgust. He tossed and shoved everything aside, digging deeper into the refuse. Empty boxes, old and torn clothing… a human body.
"Shit!" he cried, jumping back.
Draco felt his heart pounding in his throat. There, at the bottom of the pile, was the partially decayed body of a boy. He looked to have been around Draco's age, or a bit younger. His face was frozen in a look of horror, his mouth open in a silent scream. Draco felt cold sweat break out all over his body. Slowly, he walked towards the corpse, afraid to make a sound as if doing so would wake the restless soul of the boy, sending it screaming into the blackness of eternity. He'd had brown hair, with a stocky, muscular body. Most of his clothing was gone, and Draco could make out deep scratches and gashes over his arms and across his chest. The body was bloated with gases, and Draco's nostrils were filled with the stench of decay. Goose bumps broke out over Draco's skin, and he felt his stomach roil.
And there it was, rolled up neatly next to the boy's body. The Flying Carpet.
Draco stared in horror. In order to reach the Carpet, he was going to have to practically climb over the body! That bloated, lifeless, staring corpse. Turning quickly, he became violently sick.
He vomited out everything in his stomach, which wasn't much. Even after everything had come gushing out, his stomach continued to twist and cramp, the painful dry heaves wracking his frame. It was several minutes before Draco was able to regain control of himself.
After a few moments, he walked back over to the garbage pile and stared hard at the boy's body. This is death, he thought. This is what comes to the enemies of Voldemort, and to all of us eventually. This boy had died in fear and pain, and Draco felt chills race up his spine. What had he seen? A pair of vampires, most likely. Grinning and exposing their razor sharp teeth as they reached out greedily for the lifeblood pumping in his veins. A vivid mental image of the scene rose sharply in Draco's mind, and he quickly banished it, feeling his stomach heave threateningly. What was the justification for ending such a young life? Weren't predators supposed to target the old and infirm? Did the hunter ever ask permission of its prey? Did it need to? Moving closer, Draco wondered if the boy had had a family, and if they missed him.
Did the Death Eaters ever wonder such things when they killed? Did they care that the lives they snuffed out were things separate from the purposes of the Dark Lord? Did it matter, in the end, if they took pleasure from the deaths they caused? Draco felt his head pound, and he shoved the soul-disturbing thoughts away. He didn't have time for this. Reaching carefully across the boy's body, he grabbed the Carpet and pulled.
Of course, it was much too heavy to pull out with one hand. Moving even closer, yet careful not to touch any part of the dead boy's body, Draco tugged on the Carpet with both hands. It moved slightly, but he needed more leverage. He would have to move closer.
Draco closed his eyes in painful resignation and leaned further, feeling his middle touch the body, trying desperately to ignore it. Placing a foot on the bottom of the garbage heap to brace himself, he tugged with all of his strength. The carpet slid halfway out and stopped. Holding the end carefully, Draco grimaced as he leaned in closer and wrapped his arms one at a time around the Carpet's mid section. Giving a final heave, he felt the heavy object pop free. It was so heavy, however, that it sent him falling backwards.
Along with the dead body.
Draco had only enough time to register the fact that the half-naked corpse was moving before it fell on him, face first. The shock was enormous, his breath leaving his body and his heart giving a single, painful thud. Draco felt his chest burn and his throat tighten as he stared into that lifeless face, his head swimming as he fancied he saw an accusation in the boy's dead eyes. Then his breath returned in a painful gasp, and a moan of terror was ripped from his throat.
"Oh god! Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh JESUS FUCK!!" he heard himself almost shrieking as he scrambled madly backwards. He hardly noticed what he bumped into, until it growled.
Once again he jumped and tried to scramble away, but the huge creature leaped on him, slamming him down with her huge paws and pinning him to the ground. The werewolf pushed its head into his face, growling loudly and baring its long, sharp teeth. Once again, he was trapped.
"Mr. Malfoy, you are becoming more trouble than you're worth." The voice of the Celt floated down to Draco's ears. A moment later, he walked into Draco's field of vision wearing an icy smile.
"You remember Ms. Morgan, don't you?" he asked almost pleasantly, "because I'm sure she remembers you."