Raquel Dodd Normal Raquel Dodd 2 4 2003-06-19T08:45:00Z 2003-06-19T08:45:00Z 1 8176 46604 388 109 54671 10.2625 Clean Clean MicrosoftInternetExplorer4
Pansy Parkinson walked across Slytherin Commons in as dignified a manner as possible. Her usual crowd, Millicent Bulstrode, Blaise Zabini, and Tracy Davis, followed a little behind her. The Common Room was deserted, but Pansy was restless. She decided a walk might clear her head. Those stupid Slytherin Prefects wouldn't dare take points from her, as they were too close in the running for the House Cup to risk it.
The corridor was quiet, and Pansy spent a few moments walking aimlessly and allowing the relative peace to soak into her. Or trying to, anyway. But the truth was that Pansy's agitation and discomfort were rooted inside of her, where she couldn't reach.
You got what you wanted.
Pansy blinked and shook her head slightly. She hadn't wanted that.
Her mind flashed back to that evening, right before supper. As Pansy had descended the stairs to the commons, a boy had run in, fresh from Hogsmeade.
"Did you hear? Malfoy and Anderson have disappeared! That Gryffindor bird has too, she was with them!"
Pansy had been surprised, but not worried. There was probably a mistake. Hearing that he was with a Gryffindor was definitely a mistake. She'd grabbed the boy, a second year by the name of Miles McKinnely, and demanded everything he knew. But he hadn't known much. Professor McGonagall had stayed behind in Hogsmeade with three Gryffindors, one of them being Harry Potter, to look for the three missing students.
Pansy frowned. If Potter was among those who stayed, then the other two students could only be Granger and Weasley. Why would they have stayed? What interest would they have in Draco or Anderson?
"Er…Pansy?" Tracy interrupted her train of thought, causing Pansy to whirl on her furiously.
"What is it? I'm trying to think!"
Tracy and Millicent reared back from her wrath, but Blaise stood firm, a line forming between her brows, her lips pursing.
"You've been thinking all night, Pansy," Blaise said, her voice a touch icy, "Would you like to share your insights? Or should we follow you around the whole of Hogwarts?"
Pansy glared. Blaise had never really shown her the proper respect, and Pansy had had to threaten her with social ostracism many times over their seven year tenure at Hogwarts in order to push her back in line. The way Pansy was feeling right now, however, Blaise might find herself more than ostracized before the night was over.
"Would you rather hang around with Flanders' group? I'm sure they'd welcome you into their midst. It would be a step up for them to associate with you!" Pansy growled through clenched teeth.
It was Blaise's turn to glare, but she said nothing. Satisfied, Pansy turned and resumed her trek to…she looked around. Her feet were taking her to the stairs that led to the Great Hall. She might find trouble there, as the other Prefects would hardly show her leniency. Worse if a professor caught them all. Snape would be unable to prevent it.
He would be unable to prevent it because he, too, was gone. No one had seen him all day, and Pansy was almost certain he was no where in the castle. He might be with Draco.
You can drop dead for all I care.
Pansy halted at the foot of the stone steps, weighing the consequences of being caught against the consequences of possibly obtaining fresh information. She heard the girls shifting uneasily behind her, but dismissed it as unimportant. If she told them to walk all the way to Hogsmeade they'd do it, stupid sheep that they were. Well, Blaise might refuse at first, but a few well chosen comments and she'd willingly jog the distance, possibly cursing Pansy under her breath the whole way, but what did that matter? Obedience was what mattered, and one did whatever it took to attain it.
Pansy smirked slightly, pleased with those thoughts. But a moment later her mood darkened again as she thought of Draco. He was missing, possibly in grave danger. He'd been attacked a scandalous number of times, which made no sense as Pansy could think of no one who would be stupid enough to actually risk the wrath of Lucius Malfoy. Now he'd gone to Hogsmeade, where he wasn't supposed to have gone, and had disappeared. He could be hurt, or perhaps held hostage. He was worth a fortune in Galleons, and Pansy knew that such things sometimes befell the children of wealthy families.
Sometimes, even if a ransom was paid, the ends could still be tragic.
You've never used your brain for anything useful.
Pansy pulled her robes about her and began marching up the stairs. She was halfway up before she heard the steps of her friends following. Under normal circumstances, Pansy would make them pay for that. Then again, under normal circumstances, that wouldn't have happened. They would have been a step behind her at all times, or they would get slapped, berated, and/or ostracized. Ostracism from Slytherin society at Hogwarts might seem shallow, but it was their social life until they left for the summer, or for good. Sometimes Pansy did it just to give them a taste of what it would be like to be ignored. But not merely ignored; there was also active harassment, revilement, and other abuse provided by their housemates. Abuse and harassment dished out as only Slytherins could. Their special brand of torture was reserved for those who failed to show solidarity, or dared to defy the House standard. What could a Gryffindor do that compared to that? Disloyalty of any kind, however inadvertent, was always punished with the utmost severity. Pansy found it quite a useful tool in keeping her friends loyal.
Pansy reached the Great Hall and walked towards the doors leading to the front entrance. She heard voices speaking softly there, and slowed down a tad to hear what was being said.
"…get on it right away, Headmaster," a voice said. It was Terry Boot, Head Boy of Hogwarts. Pansy frowned slightly, slowing her steps more and darting to the corner so she could peek around. Dumbledore stood there gravely surrounded by several of the House Prefects, including Laura Pritchard, one of the Slytherin Prefects.
"Shouldn't the Head Girl be here as well?" Ernie McMillan, one of Hufflepuff's Prefects, asked.
"Miss Granger is indisposed at this time," Dumbledore replied, making Pansy sneer, "Now I want you all to remain alert. This is a delicate time, and though I have confidence in our security wards it is important that we make certain Hogwarts isn't compromised in any way. Constant Vigilance!"
The Prefects nodded and dispersed, and Pansy saw Professor McGonagall suddenly appear beside the Headmaster and whisper something to him.
"I see," the Headmaster said softly, and they quickly walked away. Pansy clenched her fists, longing to follow but not quite daring to. She had no fear of Dumbledore's wrath, as the doddering old fool was known for his leniency. Nevertheless, Pansy was still rather in awe of him, and McGonagall certainly wouldn't hesitate to deduct points from Slytherin.
A hand on her shoulder nearly made her jump, and Pansy whirled around to see Blaise frowning at her.
"What are we doing here?" the dark haired Slytherin whispered, "Who do you intend to ask for information?"
Pansy had no idea where to turn to now but being reminded of that made her temper flare.
"If you're so eager for your bed then go back to the Commons!" she hissed.
Blaise's frown deepened, "I was just asking-"
"And I'm in no mood for stupidity," Pansy snapped, "just go back to the damn dungeon!"
Blaise hesitated as Tracy and Millicent stared at her uncertainly. Suddenly, Pansy really wanted them gone.
"Go!" she jerked around and faced them fully, snarling as her face turned three shades of crimson. Tracy and Millicent bolted, but Blaise backed away slowly, frowning at Pansy the entire time. Pansy returned her stare for only a moment before dismissing her by turning and heading for the stairs to the first floor.
The corridors were, of course, deserted. It was late; after three in the morning. And although some students might be awake none of them would be foolish enough to be out wandering the grounds.
Except maybe Potter's gang. They liked pushing the boundaries, and usually got away with it. No one else got the same degree of leniency as Potter and his cronies. Pansy vividly remembered when Draco had been caught skulking around the Astronomy Tower, waiting to catch Potter at his rule breaking. Instead he'd landed detention for himself. She conveniently forgot that Harry and his friends had also been caught that night, and had lost one hundred fifty points for Gryffindor.
Pansy stared down the deep shadows of the corridor once she reached the first floor. She had to speak with the Headmaster, and damn the House points. Draco was in trouble, and she had to know what was going on. Choosing a direction at random, Pansy walked determinedly into the shadows, taking care to walk slowly so her footsteps wouldn't echo.
"…wasn't your fault," a deep voice hissed, "Don't blame yourself for what happened! We don't have much in the way of details, but I'm willing to bet we wouldn't have made much difference."
"Seamus, if I hadn't left with you, she never would have gone to Hogsmeade with that Slytherin!" a female voice sobbed. Pansy peeked carefully around the corner and saw a slender young blonde standing near a tall, well built Gryffindor. Seamus Finnigan, unless she was very much mistaken. Which meant the girl was Susan Dresch, his Ravenclaw girlfriend.
"I'm sorry about that, Susan," Finnigan replied, sounding hurt, "I just wanted to spend a little time with you."
"I'm not blaming you, Seamus," Dresch wept, "it's my fault, I-"
"It's getting you no where," Finnigan interrupted, "She went, something happened, please stop acting as if you're responsible!"
Pansy stared at them, eyes narrowing as she considered the implications of their words. If Dresch hadn't gone with Finnigan somewhere, then someone else wouldn't have gone to Hogsmeade…Weasley! Draco had taken Ginny Weasley to Hogsmeade? But that made no sense. Weasley was a Gryffindor, the enemy. Why would he risk being seen with her, and leave the grounds when he'd been forbidden to do so by his father and Snape?
"How am I supposed to feel, Seamus?" Dresch asked in a calmer, though no less tearful, voice. "Anderson likely used his charm and she agreed to go. She wouldn't have gone anywhere if I'd stayed with her because we were talking about…important things."
Anderson? Pansy frowned, shifting her thoughts to compensate for the mistake. The Slytherin Comedian had taken Weasley to Hogsmeade. How had Draco become involved?
I really can't stand you.
Pansy's hands clenched, the relative silence of the corridor making the words echo with a particular sharpness. A sudden image of his pale, snarling face reared in her memory and Pansy reeled for a moment, dropping her gaze from the couple. No, she thought numbly. We're destined to be together, our parents want it that way. I want it that way!
"She told you to come with me, Susan," Finnigan was speaking again, and Pansy felt the hot numbness in her chest spread. "Whatever it was, she was all right with your going. Please stop berating yourself."
Dresch was sobbing quietly again, and Pansy felt her numbness turn to anger. She turned back towards the two of them and glared daggers. Finnigan stood tall, a bit taller than Draco, and hovered protectively close to Dresch. For her part, Dresch was leaning into Finnigan's chest, her head was bowed and her short blonde hair gleamed in the soft torch light. Her shoulders were slumped and shook slightly with her quiet sobs. She looked so defeated, and Pansy felt her anger grow. Why should she cry? Was Dresch so certain of danger? Did she have so little faith in her friend's strength?
Was she not leaning on her man, while Pansy stood alone and in fear for the one person she cared about?
I hate you, I always have.
"What are you doing?" Pansy stepped from the shadows, glaring hatefully at the young couple. Susan and Seamus whirled around, startled.
"Wh-what do you want?" Susan asked faintly, her eyes wide as she frowned.
"Crying, and for what? Think the world has ended because your friend has gone missing?" Pansy snarled spitefully, stalking over to them, moving with an almost serpentine grace, "How unlike a Ravenclaw, charging into self blame and standing useless instead of using your brain!"
"Get out of here," Seamus growled, his green eyes burning with anger. Pansy laughed.
"Now that's more like it," she sneered, placing her hands on her hips as her gaze swept imperiously over Seamus, "Gryffindor fire. Very useful in pushing away anyone who talks sense. Can't have that interfering with our imbecilic bravery, can we?"
Seamus took a threatening step forward, but Susan grabbed his arm. Her eyes were narrow as she regarded Pansy silently.
"Why are you here, Parkinson?" she asked after a moment.
Pansy rolled her eyes, "I always wander the corridors after hours looking for morons at play."
Seamus growled, and Susan's shoulders rose as she returned Pansy's glare.
"What do you know about it? If you had a drop of warmth in your blood you'd know why I'm frightened! Ginny's missing, maybe all alone-"
"Oh that's it, immediately assume the worst, and don't give a thought to who might be with her since they're missing too!" Pansy roared, her whole demeanor stiffening with rage, no longer caring if they were caught, "Two of my House mates are gone as well. They might not mean anything to you, but they're just as important to me as your Weasel is to you! If there's danger, then they're all in danger! Not just your Gryffindor Princess!"
The young couple reared back from Pansy's outburst, Seamus's eyes darting fearfully around.
"Will you lower your voice," he hissed, a fine sheen of sweat suddenly appearing on his brow, "if we're caught-"
"What do I care?" Pansy screamed, "Why should I be concerned about you when all you think about is yourselves? You don't even care that Draco-"
"That's enough," Susan shouted, stepping forward. But Pansy's reason seemed to have flown as her eyes snapped to Susan, furious that the stupid girl would dare interrupt her.
"Don't you talk to me that way!" Pansy was shrieking now, "How dare you? Selfish, rotten, narrow minded…" Pansy sputtered as she tried to think of a word nasty enough to convey how much she hated them at this moment. Here they stood, a pair of Hogwarts' darlings, standing in self righteous grief over their stupid friend, not a thought or word spared to Pansy's own house mates.
Standing together. Standing united, and comforting each other tenderly. If there were more Ravenclaws and Gryffindors, or even Hufflepuffs about, they would be comforting them as well.
Pansy stood alone. No one had asked or worried about Draco and Caleb, not that she knew of. No one had come forward to ask what the Slytherins knew, or to offer them comfort. Never mind that they wouldn't have accepted it, no one had even tried! Pansy's mind rattled as she thought of the anxiety she'd experienced since supper, when it was apparent that the three students were definitely missing. She'd been unable to talk to her friends, or to anyone in Slytherin about how she felt. She'd had no clue as to who she could reach out to, no one to whom she could whisper her dreadful fears. She stood alone, hearing Draco's last spoken words to her echoing endlessly in her mind.
Stay as far away from me as possible.
"You small minded little bigots!" she finally spat, tears of rage flooding her eyes and her head roaring with the sound of her own blood. She didn't even know that she'd raised her fists, and barely felt herself move forward. She only knew that she wanted to crush Susan Dresch, smash her into the flagstones until her face was a bloody pulp and her spirit a broken toy.
SMACK! Pansy reeled backwards, her hands flying to her face as Susan's sharp slap penetrated the fog of emotion trying to swallow her. She was saved from falling on her backside when Susan grabbed the front of her robes tightly, jerking her forward.
"Calm down," Susan growled unsteadily, her pixie-like face contorted with fury, "we are not your enemies, and we have not dismissed anything! Stop screaming at us as if you know our every thought, you don't!"
Seamus stared at his girlfriend in shock, obviously afraid to move. Susan released Pansy roughly, but continued to glare at her, "There isn't a student or teacher here who isn't shocked and afraid for them, all of them. Do you think everyone waits in the wings for one of you to drop over dead? Do you honestly think us so callous? Then you're judging us by your own example, because I have no doubt that's exactly what you do."
Susan's eyes filled with tears again, her own anger gaining strength, "The biggest fear I've ever had before now was failing an exam, or losing points for my House. Oh, I've feared You-Know-Who's return, and all the things that have happened at school since I started, like the Chamber of Secrets being opened and Sirius Black on the loose. But it was never close, or real! I've even had terrible thoughts about you Slytherins, but they were never serious. The most harm I've ever wished is for one of you to fall into a vat of Freezing Fusion, but if it ever actually happened I'd lose my mind! But you? You lot stare at everyone as though they should drop dead at your whim. You were thrilled to hear about You-Know-Who's return, and if ten of you shed tears or felt anything at Cedric Diggory's death, you hid it wonderfully!"
"That's right, we hid it," said a new voice emanating from the shadows where Pansy had been. They all turned quickly, Seamus looking almost white with fear but moving forward regardless as the figure emerged.
It was Blaise Zabini.
The dark haired Slytherin approached warily, her face caught between a frown and a sneer. Pansy stared blankly at her friend until Blaise was right next to her.
Blaise regarded Pansy neutrally for a moment, then turned to Susan.
"Did you really expect anything else from a House with a…less than solid reputation?"
Susan stared at the new arrival warily, "I don't know. I have no idea what I expected. You lot keep to yourselves and never let anyone in."
"Not terribly good PR, I know," Blaise's sneer grew for a moment before her face settled back into a neutral expression, "but it serves us, and it helps keep everyone guessing."
"Bully for you, then," Seamus growled sarcastically.
Pansy's gaze snapped to the tall young man, her eyes blazing with anger still, but Blaise placed a restraining hand on her arm, "I think we'll go now."
"Please do," Susan muttered. As Blaise tried to tug Pansy back towards the shadows, however, the blonde girl suddenly came to life again. She jerked Blaise to a halt and glared at Susan.
"Stop crying and do something useful. Your tears serve no purpose."
Susan glared back resentfully, "I know they serve no real purpose, but what else can I do? I can't banish my fears with a wave of my wand, can you?"
Seamus shook his head, scowling, and began to lead Susan back to the Ravenclaw Commons.
"Pansy," Blaise began leading her away again, and this time Pansy didn't resist, just stared at Susan until she and Seamus disappeared from sight, then turned away. She and Blaise walked in silence for several minutes; Pansy with her head down, and Blaise holding her friend's arm and keeping a sharp eye out for Prefects or Professors. As they neared the stairs, Pansy put a hand to her face, feeling the skin burn where the Ravenclaw bint slapped her. Tart! Little blind maggot! What did she know? She and that stupid Gryffindor were blind, partial, and…and…
"Idiots," Pansy murmured, "all of them! No one cares, no one!"
I hate you…stay as far away from me as possible.
No! Draco, you don't mean that, I know you don't! Pansy felt her whole body tense, her face stiffening and her heart beginning to hammer. He couldn't break up with her, they were destined to be together. She loved him, and he felt…similar. Well, she hadn't been sure if she loved him until that day he'd broken it off, but now she was sure. Wasn't she?
Pansy gripped her head, her fingers tangling with her fine, blonde hair. The pounding in her head had increased, and she was sure she had a migraine. Luckily she had some pain potions from home in her trunk. She was prone to migraines, as was her mother, and Pansy hadn't seen the harm in sneaking a few of them into school. She needed them to get through sometimes.
Like now, when her whole world was shattering around her, and had been for weeks.
Draco was gone, missing, quite possibly kidnapped and in danger. Their petty arguments meant nothing right now, she would accept his decisions and she would accept his contempt if it meant that he'd return to Hogwarts alive and whole.
Why are you feeling that? another voice asked. If he dies, then no one takes your place. No one else becomes Mrs. Malfoy.
That was true, but Pansy's heart rebelled violently against the thought of his coming to any harm, to the point where she physically shuddered.
"Pansy," Blaise hissed, "are you all right?"
The blonde girl looked up at her friend, then at her surroundings. They were descending the stairs to the dungeons. Pansy blinked, surprised that they'd come so far in so short a time.
"I…" Pansy's tongue felt thick, and it seemed too much an effort to talk, to explain. How do you explain loving someone? How do you explain being so frightened for them that you'd risk your position in their life, your reputation as one who got everything they wanted, if it meant they would be safe?
They walked further, and Pansy saw that they had entered the dungeon corridors. She suddenly wanted her bed, and the blessed forgetfulness of sleep. If it would come.
She felt Blaise's hand grip her arm again and stop their forward progress. Pansy turned to Blaise in confusion, wondering at the expression on her friend's face. It wasn't one she recognized, as it was part contempt and part…sympathy? Did Blaise feel sorry for her?
The thought alone was a shocking and confusing one. Pansy had a fleeting moment of anger as well, but was too drained to hold on to it.
"Pansy," the dark eyed girl whispered awkwardly, "it will…be all right."
Pansy blinked at her, comprehension eluding her for a moment. Blaise tried again;
"He'll be all right. Draco will come back soon, and he'll be fine."
A long moment of silence passed, and she could only stare at Blaise. After what seemed an eternity, Pansy found her voice;
"Are you certain?" Her whisper barely reached Blaise's ears, but the tears that once again began to seep from her eyes spoke volumes. "He might…die."
That was when the dam burst and Pansy could no longer hold back the heartbroken sobs that had burned in her bosom since the day he'd broken up with her. She had not cried in the company of her friends, or by herself about it. She'd ranted and plotted to get him back, filling her mind with scheme upon scheme. Not once had she acknowledged the pain he'd caused her.
Not once, before now, had she bothered to see clearly the pain she'd caused him.
Now it didn't matter, none of it. She just wanted him back in her life, even if it was to ignore her existence forever, even if it was to watch him choose someone else, like Blaise, or even Tracey, as a wife.
"I just want him back," she sobbed. "I don't care if he hates me, I just want him back!"
The delicate girl collapsed, and would have fallen to the stone floor had Blaise not caught her. Her expression caught between irritation and pity, Blaise sank to the ground and cradled Pansy in her arms, gently rocking her and murmuring whatever encouragement she could think of. It was all Blaise could do, and she truly hoped everything would turn out all right.
Somehow, she didn't fancy winning over her leader and rival this way.
*************
Draco pulled a piece of bread from the brown paper bag he was holding and stuffed it hungrily into his mouth. The delicious sensation of eating food, of filling one's empty belly, was one he had never appreciated before, and at this moment it was divine despite the burning his stomach was suffering. His ulcer, thankfully, didn't seem to have gotten any worse, but it had been painful. Fortunately, he'd been in too much mental chaos to take much notice. His mouth was dry enough that most of the bread stuck to his teeth or the roof of his mouth, but he was unmindful of this as he pulled out a slice of cheese and began to eat it greedily. A moment later the bag was snatched from his hands by Caleb, who had just finished draining half the skin of water Sirius had provided.
"Watsch it," Draco snapped with his mouth full, snatching the water and drinking deeply before he'd swallowed properly. He didn't care. He was so hungry that manners were, at this moment anyway, superfluous and unnecessary.
Once he'd drunk his fill, he looked around and saw that Ginny had grabbed the paper bag, and was now munching almost simultaneously on an apple and a chunk of bread. Her complexion had a bit more color now and she'd gathered up her long, tangled hair into a messy bun on top of her head. He felt himself color slightly as he watched her stuff the last of the bread in her mouth, her pink lips dusted with tiny bread crumbs, then immediately continue gnawing the apple. Munch, munch, munch.
When her tongue darted out to lick the crumbs off of her lips, Draco felt his teeth chomp down extra hard on his cheese, making them clack painfully. A snort to his left told him that Caleb had observed this.
Prat, he thought irritably.
Behind Ginny, Sirius was looking out into the trees and holding more water as Morgan stood guard. Draco's eyes narrowed as he watched Potter's godfather move towards them. He was indebted to this man, and that grated slightly. After he'd transformed from his dog shape, he'd set about healing Draco's leg and feeding them. Draco felt irritation blossom as he remembered;
"Sirius!" Ginny had screamed, running to the shabbily clothed man and throwing herself into his arms. Caleb's jaw had dropped, and his eyes had widened almost fearfully. Draco had also felt shocked and somewhat fearful. Sirius Black! Although he knew from his father that Black hadn't actually done the crime he'd been accused of, he was still regarded as dangerous. In his weakened and wandless state, Draco felt that their danger had just increased tenfold.
Why was Morgan wagging her tail? Why didn't the stupid wench do something? Draco had been unable to believe what he was seeing. He and Caleb exchanged confused looks, wondering how a dangerous criminal from Azkaban had found them and wondering if they were about to go from the frying pan into the fire.
But then why was Weasley hugging him? Why was he smiling so gently at her? Draco's eyes had narrowed, his thoughts whirling.
Don't tell me they think he's innocent! Draco had thought incredulously. The next moment a spasm of pain had caused him to gasp loudly, momentarily making him forget his anger. That's when the dog-man had approached, staring in concern at Draco's leg as Ginny breathlessly filled him in on what was happening.
"I know about the attacks on Mr. Malfoy," Sirius had replied, frowning, "that's actually why I'm here."
Ginny had frowned as well, but remained silent. It was Caleb who'd asked the question; "How did you know where to find us?"
Sirius had glanced at Caleb for a moment, then returned his attention to Draco's injury.
"I have my sources," he'd replied shortly, pulling out his recently acquired holly and Unicorn hair wand. Draco saw Caleb glance at Morgan, his blue eyes narrowing suddenly.
"I'd be very interested in knowing what and who they are," Draco had frowned.
Sirius had smiled slightly, glancing at Draco, "I'm sure you would."
Draco didn't like that. He'd looked over at Morgan, sitting next to Sirius and watching them all with her strange, brown-green eyes. She'd saved him once, then betrayed them all. Trust was ever so thin a commodity, and Draco had precious little of it even in the best of times. Cryptic answers tended to exacerbate his already short temper.
And he was Potter's Godfather. The thought made Draco's face tighten slightly as he regarded the older man.
"I think I have a right to know," he insisted.
"How did it happen?" Sirius asked absently, ignoring the question and continuing to examine Draco's injury.
"I threw myself on a large rock in the hope a dangerous and smelly criminal would come and rescue me," Draco replied acidly. "Luckily you were around."
"Draco," Ginny had said warningly, her gaze darting anxiously to Black.
Sirius had regarded Draco for a moment, his deep eyes glittering. Then Black had moved closer to Draco, sniffing deeply.
"I wouldn't make remarks about being smelly if I were you, Mr. Malfoy," Black had smirked. Draco had glared daggers for a moment, but then another wave of pain had washed over him, causing him to fall flat on his back.
"I have experience as a field Medi-Wizard, young sir," Black had said then, the undertone of amusement in his voice unmistakable, "I must say, you've got the childish act down, don't you?"
Black chuckled as he said this, but cleared his throat at Ginny's soft protest, "Will you please allow me to mend your bones?"
Draco's anger combined with the excruciating pain made him snarl his assent, and Sirius had quickly cast the Bone Mending Spell. Draco felt a sudden, deep cold pervade his injured leg, and could actually feel the bones move. He clenched his teeth and closed his eyes tightly, and in a few moments the cold left his limb completely.
"That should do it," Sirius's voice cut through the silence. Draco slowly opened his eyes and looked around. Caleb was grinning at him, while Ginny was standing silently next to Black, staring at the ground. Black was examining his leg, and Draco sat up to look for himself. The skin was now whole and unbroken, and he could move without pain. His leg was still a little stiff, but he reckoned a bit of walking would sort that out. He got carefully to his feet.
"Thank you, Sirius," Ginny had said quietly, frowning at the ground and hugging Harry's godfather.
"Thank you," Draco had said curtly to Black, who'd nodded gravely at him. Then Black had produced the food…
"You finished with that?" Caleb asked, bringing Draco's thoughts sharply back to the present.
"What?" he frowned.
"The water," Caleb said with exaggerated patience. "Are-you-finished-with-it?"
Draco pursed his lips and tossed the bottle, aiming for Anderson's head. Fortunately Anderson was well coordinated enough to snatch the almost empty skin mid flight. He grinned cheekily at Draco and walked over to Sirius for the full skin. Draco's expression turned sour once more, and he wondered if he really was acting like a child. He looked to his left. Somewhere in the shadows over there the body of a dead boy lay and perhaps only Draco knew of him, besides his killers, of course. Draco'd been kidnapped and dragged miles from Hogwarts and his parents, endured multiple attacks on his person, found out that this had all been contracted by a mysterious someone for reasons Draco could only guess at, and had fallen hard for the Spotted Menace.
Draco remembered calling her that at the end of last term. Ginny had turned her huge, hurt eyes on him and run. He hadn't felt the satisfaction he'd expected to feel at the time, but then, he never did anymore. Putting others down, though a great way to boost one's flagging spirits, had begun to lose its element of fun right about the end of his fourth year, and Draco knew it was no coincidence. The Dark Lord had returned, pressure from his father to do well, and to live up to his expectations, had increased. Abusing others had become more of an outlet than ever before, and that had caused the pleasure to die.
In any case, wasn't he entitled to a bit of childishness?
He suddenly wondered if she remembered, and if she was still angry about it.
Why don't you remind her of it, a cold voice mocked, then you'll know for sure. The thought made Draco scowl as he moved about restlessly. He didn't want to make her angry, he wanted to see her smile. He wanted to see if her face was as luminous in every day life as it had been when he'd kissed her. He wanted to kiss her again, and this time he wanted his hands free to touch her. He wanted her intoxicating smell to flood his nostrils and paralyze his brain again; that smell of dirt, sweat, a cheap perfume, and beneath all the warm smell of her skin. Draco turned roughly, almost snarling, and began to pace, his eyes focused on the ground.
He wanted a cold shower. He really, really wanted a cold shower. Maybe there was a pond nearby?
As he walked first one way, then another, he discreetly glanced at Ginny. She was talking rapidly to Black, her hands gesturing emphatically, her expression intense. For his part, Black's expression was equal parts anger and concern. He crossed his arms and bowed his head as he listened to his Godson's friend, no doubt processing all the information he was receiving and formulating some new plan. Draco's eyes slid back to Ginny. Somehow, with her tangled and messy hair, torn robes, and dirt streaked appearance, she was still the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.
It was the way her spirit glowed with life, something Draco had never really known before.
He'd never thought it could happen, never thought to look beyond the boundaries of his father's circle, or his housemates in Slytherin, for someone to fall in love with. Or at least to form an attachment to. Who else was worthy enough for him to bestow his attention on? Coming from a rich and pedigreed background was not the only requirement either; Draco had learned to mark a woman's ambition, her intelligence and how it could be used to gain advantage (whether the lady in question was smart enough to catch on to his evaluation or not), her connections in Wizarding Society and how advantageous they might be, and other seemingly important traits. Why had he never been taught to look for courage? What about strength to overcome unbelievable odds? What about determination that was willful and defiant in the face of fear and horror, leaving the spirit unbroken and the heart all the stronger for it? He'd never noticed these things before in anyone. He'd never had to.
Draco stopped pacing, his eyes focusing on the shadows ahead of him. Bravery. What was it except another word for idiocy? Draco had been taught all his life that bravery was an emotion that erased your common sense and made you do incredibly stupid things like fight dragons or defy the powerful. Bravery would kill you faster than the Death Curse.
But tonight he'd seen a young woman display a kind of bravery that only made him respect her. Bravery had pushed her to continue flailing in her bonds, not stopping just because she'd lost some skin. Skin healed, and blood was replenished by the body. She'd fought until she'd won, and Draco didn't see how her common sense had abandoned her. Not only had she fought for herself, but she'd attempted to fight for her companions. Despite his earlier bluster, Draco truly hadn't meant to downgrade her actions. He was grateful she'd tried to free them, of course. But her accusation had infuriated and hurt him, especially after he'd tried so hard to bring them a practical means of escape, and had found a dead body on top of everything else. He'd just wanted her to understand that he wasn't like her, but his Slytherin pride demanded that he meet her verbal assault with a stronger one of his own.
He knew he'd succeeded, damn it all, and he wondered if she'd ever forgive him for it. She hadn't met his eyes since.
As he stood there staring out into the darkness, Ginny looked over at him. He didn't know that her breath caught in her throat at the sight of his still figure, or that her heart pounded with her love for him as she took in his pale, troubled face, nor did he see the troubled expression cross her own face. If he had, he might have felt the weight on his heart become a bit lighter. Instead, Draco was forced to find cheer where he could.
"Draco?" A voice beside him made him jump.
"Damn it," he growled. "Why are you always pestering me, Anderson?"
"Excuse me," Caleb replied dryly, handing him some sliced cheese, "but I find I can't go ten minutes without trying to twist your brain into pretzelian shapes."
"Pretzelian?" Draco frowned, stuffing the cheese into his mouth.
"Think pretzel, Malfoy," Caleb grinned, "but don't strain yourself."
"Ha ha," Draco rolled his eyes, "I'm so glad you're around to spread your particular brand of joy. Makes me long to stab myself through the eye!"
"Don't let me stop you," Caleb replied cheerfully.
Draco took the remaining slice of cheese and smacked it onto Caleb's forehead, where it stuck rather nicely.
****************
Harry felt the tears freeze against his temples as he sped through the cold wind alongside Professor Snape. They had been heading almost due south, and Harry knew they weren't far from Edinburgh. They had made amazing time considering they were following a land bound creature, and Harry had been taken aback several times as Snape had whistled to the ground, signaling their four legged guide to slow down.
Snape. Harry shuddered as he regarded the Potions Master out of the corner of his eye. Snape's eyes were still glowing that eerie blood red, and it was too creepily accurate as far as Harry was concerned. He remembered how the younger students liked to say that Snape was a vampire. Harry wasn't so sure about that, but if he was, he'd make a damn good one. No one could top Snape in the dark and creepy department!
Harry then glanced slightly behind and almost grinned as he saw Ron grimacing in pain at Hermione's tight hold. She was no longer hiding her face, but her head had not left Ron's shoulder as her eyes darted about in terrified fascination. Every time the broom jostled in the slightest her grip would tighten further, causing Ron to protest. A hasty "Sorry," from her only made Ron grumble, which made Hermione snap back defensively. Then the bickering would begin until Ron's distraction, or a sudden gust of turbulence, caused the broom to jostle again. Then it was hide and squeeze for Hermione. Harry considered telling her that distracting Ron would only make things worse, but he was having too much fun watching them argue to really do anything about it.
Lord knows I need a laugh, he thought, suddenly sobering. He turned away, focusing his eyes on the ground and was just able to make out Lupin's wolf form running tirelessly among the trees. He quickly lost sight of the werewolf amongst the many shadows but a glance at Snape told him they were still on course. The Potions Master stared down and ahead with rigid determination and Harry had no doubt he could see everything around him with perfect clarity.
I'll bet he can see all the way down into hell, Harry thought, feeling chills race up his spine.
His musings were cut off when Snape suddenly straightened, holding up his hand and signaling a halt.
"What is it?" Ron asked, frowning worriedly at Snape.
"Silence," the Professor snapped. Peering down intently, Snape's eyes narrowed as he studied the werewolf below. Harry also peered anxiously down, finally spotting Remus after a few moments. There was a divide in the road here as it forked off in two directions, one east and the other west. The werewolf was sniffing the ground intently, moving in circles, then moving off to the east fork. Snape drifted to the ground as Lupin began to emit high pitched whines, as if calling them down to him.
Snape dismounted quickly, almost scowling. Harry hovered near by, ready to take off in an instant while Ron dismounted and allowed Hermione some precious minutes on solid ground. Lupin was pawing and nuzzling at the ground, and Harry thought he saw something glitter next to the wolf's huge snout.
"What is it?" Snape asked shortly, kneeling down and frowning at the spot Lupin was pawing at. Then the Potions Master stilled, cocking his head to one side and slowly reaching down to lift the object Lupin had found.
It was a necklace, with a gold rose pendant attached.
"That's Elizabeth's," Hermione burst out, "I've seen her wear it before, I know it's hers!"
"Obviously, Miss Granger, as I doubt Lupin would have stopped us for a treasure hunt," Snape growled, causing Hermione to blush.
"What's it doing here, I wonder?" Ron asked to cover the awkward moment. Snape glared at the necklace, then turned to Lupin.
"I'm sure I don't know, but perhaps the werewolf could tell us if he weren't conveniently unable to speak." The Potions Master snapped.
Lupin growled deep in his throat, and Harry scowled angrily.
"I'm sure he doesn't know either, Professor. Maybe it's a sign?"
"Of what," the professor sneered, "her eternal devotion? I was unaware that tossing heartfelt gifts by the wayside indicated deep attachment."
"Who says it's a gift?" Harry asked. Snape didn't reply.
"Maybe," Ron said thoughtfully, "she knew someone would follow along."
Snape turned a contemptuous glare on the young Gryffindor, "So now she isn't in league with the enemy, Mr. Weasley?"
Ron scowled defensively, and Hermione spoke up hesitantly as a new thought struck her.
"Perhaps," she said slowly, "Elizabeth is spying on the inside, as you once did with the Death Eaters?"
At these words, Snape's glare turned absolutely poisonous.
"And what do you know about that, Miss Granger?" he asked in a chillingly smooth voice. Hermione's eyes widened as Harry and Ron gulped.
"It was a deduction, sir," she replied quietly, "Dumbledore confirmed it. But I'm sure we three are the only ones who know."
Snape's lip curled as he regarded them each in turn, "Aahh, the Gryffindor Trio. Always in the thick of things, aren't you? Can't leave well enough alone."
Harry spoke then, a vision of The Chamber of Secrets rising in his memory, "Sometimes it's necessary, especially when no one else seems to know what to do."
"So speaks Perfect Potter, the Tri-Wizard Champion," Snape's contempt hit them all with the force of a slap. Harry's teeth gritted and his heart began to pound hard as he struggled to suppress his anger at this crass reminder of Cedric.
"It's better than being a failed Death Eater who can't do anything except hide because he's wanted dead by the Dark Lord!" Ron cried furiously, his neck, ears, and face visibly red even in the pale moonlight.
"Ron!" Hermione gripped his arms, though she, too, was red with fury. Lupin growled loudly at Snape, baring his teeth and rising onto his hind legs. Snape glared at him.
"Enough of this," the Professor snapped, "the trail grows colder by the minute."
The Potions Master walked right in front of Lupin, as if daring him to do anything, then mounted his broom and kicked off from the ground. Harry glared hatefully at him as he rose, then turned to his friends.
"It'd be great if we could just hex him and leave him here," he growled, his lip curling in a fair imitation of the Professor's.
"We need him," Hermione said firmly, though Harry and Ron both fancied they heard a bit of reluctance in her voice. Lupin whuffed at Harry, then trotted off a short distance, pausing to turn back and regard them.
"If you aren't in the air in five seconds, Mr. Weasley, it will be twenty points from Gryffindor," Snape's voice floated down to them. The Trio made noises of protest, but quickly obeyed. Luckily, Hermione was still too angry to be afraid of mounting the broom. Her grip on Ron was firm but not painful, for once. Until they started to rise, that is. Then she gasped and squeezed his middle tightly.
"Ouch! Herm!" he protested irritably.
"Sorry," she snapped.
"You're always sorry," Ron groaned, "can you not be sorry for once and stop trying to suffocate me?"
"I'm not trying to suffocate you, Ron, so stop saying I am!"
Harry smiled slightly as the bickering began anew.
************
Ginny blew on her hands as she watched Sirius scan the dark woods, searching for the source of a noise he'd heard. Morgan stood next to him, her stance alert and ears pointed forward.
She'd been arguing with Harry's godfather about Draco and her certainty that he was not withholding information or lying about what he knew, despite Sirius's obvious doubt, and the effort had both drained her and left her angry. The idea that this was some sort of elaborate trick was almost insulting, and Ginny was at a loss to explain how Sirius could think it was.
"Why would he lie about anything, especially now? There's nothing to be gained from secrecy at this point, it's more likely to get him killed!" She'd hissed.
"Who knows, but how in the world could he be chased around school, around Hogsmeade, around Britain itself, and not know a single reason for it?" Sirius argued, his shoulders setting stubbornly. "His father's a bloody Malfoy, and they're always involved in deep scams and plots. He could have the whole school convinced he's a victim when in reality he may be trying to lure Harry out of the school!"
Ginny had frowned, shocked at the very idea. What sane person would put themselves in so much danger just to get close to Harry?
"If that's all he wanted," Ginny had whispered more calmly, "all he'd have to do is challenge Harry to a personal Quidditch match or something. Harry's very good at sneaking out after hours, and that's partially thanks to you, Padfoot."
Sirius had scowled, running a hand through his untidy black locks. He never liked being reminded that the items he and his friends had been so proud to create were now being used to help Harry land himself in mortal danger.
"I'm well aware of that, thank you!" he'd huffed. "Look, all I'm saying is that we should examine the facts a bit more carefully. I don't trust him or his father."
So that's what this is about, Ginny had thought irritably.
"I don't think he's been exactly wild about you, either," she'd retorted, "and you seem to be forgetting that I've been here the whole time. I'm telling you, this is real! If you'd look into their eyes, you'd see it too."
Sirius had been about to reply, and rather sternly from the looks of him, when they'd heard a twig snap in the distance. Ginny had immediately gone still, her whole body tensing to run as Sirius whirled towards the noise, his face lifting slightly upwards. A quick glance over her shoulder showed the boys hugging the side of a large tree, their black robes blending with the shadows well enough to partially conceal them.
"Stay here," Sirius hissed at her. With Morgan at his heels he trotted into the shadows, leaving the students alone once again. Ginny heard a faint rustling behind her, and turned to see Draco walking quickly towards her, his eyes focused intently on the path Sirius had just taken.
"What is it?" he whispered, finally looking down at her.
"I'm not sure, but he's gone to look," she explained unnecessarily, staring determinedly ahead of her and trying to ignore the sudden pounding of her heart. She didn't see the slight frown that rippled across his face before he turned away.
"D'you think we should follow him?" Caleb asked, startling Ginny as he came up behind her.
"No, we should wait for him here," she replied once she'd caught her breath. "He won't be long."
"Are you sure?" Draco asked, moving forward and straining his ears for the slightest sound.
"Well, let's give him a chance before we run away in panic," she said wryly, rolling her eyes. It was then that she noticed the sky was no longer inky black, but a deep blue, and the stars were twinkling less. Dawn was coming, and that meant the vampires would be returning soon. Ginny frowned as the minutes ticked away and Sirius didn't return. Could he be in danger? Had he been discovered?
"I don't like this," Caleb murmured, his blue eyes sweeping the shadows uneasily.
"I'm going to see what's happening," Ginny whispered after a moment. Draco whirled on her.
"Are you mad? Those things might have come back! We need to hide, at least until we know for sure."
"If they have come back, hiding won't do us any good," she argued, welcoming her anger since it enabled her to look at Draco without embarrassment. "They'll be able to sniff us out or something - and I'm not going to just leave him alone!"
With that she began walking resolutely in the direction that Sirius had taken.
"Bloody Gryffindor!" she heard Draco mutter. For some reason it made her smile. When she heard the rustle of movement behind her a moment later, her smile grew wider.
"If I let you do this alone you'll get yourself killed, or worse," he muttered, glancing irritably at her.
"Since when are Slytherins heroic?" Caleb asked, coming up behind them and looking rather put out.
"Well," Ginny smiled sweetly, "you could always guard the clearing for us. Let out a yell if the vampires return before we do."
With a cheery wave she was off again, Draco smirking slyly as he followed. Caleb gaped at Ginny's reminder of their kidnappers and, after half a second's considering, followed quickly.
They hadn't gone far, though, when they almost literally ran into Sirius. He was slightly out of breath and sweating, but otherwise appeared unharmed.
"What are you doing here?" he hissed.
"Just making sure you're all right," Ginny replied with a frown. Black swore as he grabbed hers and Draco's upper arms and propelled them back to the clearing. Draco protested angrily and shook him off, but Sirius wasn't willing to let Draco out of his sight and kept a hold of the back of his robes. Morgan was growling slightly, and Ginny felt the hair on the back of her neck and arms raise.
"They've come back, haven't they?" she asked urgently, her eyes darting around as they entered the clearing. There was no sign of anything living that she could see, but these weren't living creatures. Ginny's paranoia began to flare back up.
"Well, are they back, then?" Caleb repeated Ginny's question, feeling himself shiver.
"Not yet, but they'll be here any time now." Sirius replied, "I need to see what I can make of the situation, and meet with my contact one more time. You need to get undercover, and quick."
"I'd rather go with you and see what's happening," Draco replied forcefully, startling everyone. Sirius scowled.
"I don't need you tagging along right now, we don't have time!"
"I wouldn't just be your hanger-on, Black, and you don't tell me what to do!" Draco snapped back, his pale face flushing. "I've been pursued, attacked, kidnapped, everything except burned at the stake, and I'd like just a little more insight on why this is happening to me before I lose my bloody mind!"
Ginny stared at Draco, feeling slightly annoyed by his outburst. Yes, he had a right to know what was happening and why, but time was short, and the only thing she really wanted to do was jump on that damn flying carpet and go. Still, as horrible as this whole night had been for her, he'd been enduring these attacks for weeks now. She watched him quietly for a moment. His eyes were so intense they almost appeared glazed, and she could practically see the steam rising from his ears.
"I need to move quickly, Mr. Malfoy," Sirius growled. "If you get lost or left behind, on your own head be it."
Ginny snapped her head towards Black. Tell me he didn't just give him permission, she thought angrily.
But he had. "Ginny, you and Mr. Anderson get back to that barn and hide yourselves. Morgan will go with you. I'll retrieve you as soon as I have the information I need."
He turned and strode out of the clearing before Ginny could protest, Draco limping slightly after him.
***********
Draco walked carefully beside the unkempt looking Black, trying to absorb
everything that was happening. His leg was mended, thanks to Sirius, and
both Caleb and Ginny had their wands back. But what the hell was going on?
And what did Potter's godfather have to do with it?
"How does your leg feel, Mr. Malfoy?" Sirius asked quietly, making Draco
turn to him in surprise.
"All right, I suppose," he replied warily. Sirius nodded and began to walk faster, forcing Draco to quicken his own pace. His bones were still a bit sore and this wasn't helping, but he'd asked to come along. He needed answers, and that was worth a bit of discomfort.
"So who exactly are you going to make contact with? Is there someone conveniently sequestered out here in the middle of no where?" Draco asked, glancing curiously at Sirius.
"Not too bright, are you?" Sirius smirked, offending the young Slytherin.
"What do you mean?" he snapped.
"Never mind, I have to gather some information that's critical to the Ministry. Our last meeting was interrupted, and I only had time to grab the wands." Sirius explained, a frown creasing his weathered face.
Draco closed his eyes for a moment, trying to still his whirling thoughts. The Celt, he thought dully, he's the one who had the wands. He'd suspected that the Celt was hiding something, but he hadn't guessed that this was it. A spy for Dumbledore the whole time! How had he not seen it?
Well, between the threats to my life, the being messed about and the bone breaking, I guess it just slipped my notice, he thought sardonically.
"All right," Draco spoke after a momentary silence. "So once you and the Celt talk, we can hop on the carpet and get out of here, right?"
Sirius paused, staring at Draco, "I'm afraid it's a bit more complicated than that."
Draco frowned. "Complicated in what way?" he asked. Sirius glanced back at him a
moment but kept walking, irritating the younger man when he didn't answer immediately.
"I asked you a question, Black," he snapped.
"And I heard you quite clearly the first time, Mr. Malfoy," Sirius replied, his own voice dropping a few degrees. Draco shot yet another glare at Potter's godfather and decided he hated him almost as much as he hated Potter. What was it about Dumbledore's favorites that made them think they could keep secrets and dole out information at their convenience?
Sirius stopped suddenly, his hand dropping onto Draco's shoulder to halt him as well. Draco immediately shook him off but tensed his body, ready to run at the first sign of trouble.
"What's wrong?" he whispered.
"This is the place," Sirius whispered back. "Any minute now, I hope."
Draco stared doubtfully at Black, trying to hold back the fear that was threatening to rise again. A swift intake of breath from Black made Draco's head snap towards him. Sirius was staring straight ahead, and when Draco followed his gaze he felt his blood run cold at the sight of red eyes glowing in the surrounding darkness.
The spy had come.
***************