A/N: I can still remember the day I wrote this. It was a rainy, cold day and we were camping by the lake. I was sitting under an umbrella of trees listening to the raindrops hitting the water and watching the steam rising. I felt that I was the only one there. It was a great backdrop for this chapter. The second half was tough to write, and I'm sure you will understand why, but it had to occur. Thanks to all of you who are writing reviews on a regular basis. I feel like I belong to a unique group of people who understand my addiction.
After 22 chapters, nothing's changed. They are still not mine, but oh, how I wish they were…
Chapter 23
Malfoy's Lesson
They arrived back in the center of town and found themselves in total chaos. There were screaming students running everywhere, and Harry could see several Death Eaters giving chase. He did a few Stupefies on the ones closest to him, but he was searching for Malfoy.
"Stick close to the store fronts, but watch for glass," Harry yelled above the noise. "Try and get everyone back to the castle."
They spread out a bit, and Harry made eye contact with Hermione to see if she was okay. She smiled at him and nodded, and then shot off a few spells into the melee.
"Harry!"
Harry turned to see Neville and Luna heading towards them.
"Luna!" Ron said with relief as he pushed past Harry to hug her.
Harry, Neville and Ginny just stood staring, while Hermione smirked. Ron released Luna and had the good grace to look embarrassed.
"Something you want to tell us about Ron?" Hermione teased.
"Uh…well…I was going to discuss it with you…" he trailed off sheepishly. Luna looked at him demurely.
They were all laughing at Ron's discomfort when the window of the store behind them shattered from a wayward spell, bringing them back to the crisis at hand. They covered their heads as glass shards rained down around them. They quickly moved away and around the corner to gain cover. Harry wiped at the trickle of blood that was making its way down his cheek.
"We need to split up. Get everyone back to the castle as fast as you can," he told Neville and Luna.
Harry scanned the area as Ron, Luna, and Neville headed back towards the Weasley's shop. He saw Lupin and Tonks battling a group of Death Eaters in front of Honeydukes, Fred and George fighting with a few more in front of their store, and he recognized some of the Aurors who had come to join the battle. He wondered how it was that the Ministry had known about this so fast. Hagrid bustled past with a group of wide-eyed students in tow.
"Yeh need ter get back to the castle, Harry!" He bellowed without slowing down.
"He's right, Harry," Hermione said. "It looks like the Aurors have them on the run."
Harry looked around again; there was no sign of Malfoy. "You're right," he sighed resignedly.
They headed back down the main road that led back to the castle. They had just reached the Three Broomsticks when Harry heard a muffled scream and saw a flash of blond hair disappear up the road towards the shrieking shack.
"Malfoy," he muttered and took off at a run.
"Harry!" Ginny and Hermione both called, but he ignored them.
As he rounded the corner he saw Draco and his father, each holding a student from Hogwarts, trading spells with an Auror who was using a large rock to protect himself. Draco was easing his way around the rock, dragging the semi-conscious girl with him. Draco's father was using his captive as a shield, preventing the Auror from getting a clean shot. Draco fired off a shot and the Auror sidled around the rock to avoid him. Lucius smirked and yelled "Stupefy!" as he came into his line of fire. Draco watched from where he was crouched as the Auror collapsed. Suddenly he heard `Stupefy', and whirled to see his father collapse and the girl stagger towards the bushes. Draco cursed and shot a spell at the second Auror, dropping him where he stood. He dragged the terrified girl over to where his father was lying.
"Let her go, Malfoy," Harry growled, letting his presence be known.
Draco sighed as he stood up, pulling the girl in front of him.
"You never give up, do you?" He asked.
"Let her go or I'll-"
"You'll what? Stupefy me? Take me prisoner?" Draco sneered. "A lot of good that will do."
Harry raised his wand, ready to cast a spell when Ginny threw herself at him.
"Harry, stop!" She pleaded, grabbing his arm. She was surprised at herself. Why was she trying to protect Draco?
"You should listen to your girlfriend, Potter!" Draco shouted.
"My-" Harry looked down at Ginny, confused, as she gave a miniscule shake of her head.
"I believe Harry told you to let her go," Hermione said, coming up from the other side.
Draco looked between the three of them and sighed in resignation before releasing her. The girl stumbled a bit as she made her way over to Hermione, before running back towards the village.
"You don't realize what you've done," Draco said quietly.
"Okay, Malfoy, lets go," Harry beckoned at him.
"I don't think so, Potter," Draco drawled. "Not today," and he grabbed his father's arm and they disappeared.
"Damn it, Ginny!" Harry said as he pushed her away from him. "You let him get away!"
"I let him?" Ginny asked incredulously.
"Yes, you!" Harry shouted back.
"What about you and your new fancy toys? I didn't see you pulling anything out to stop the two of them!"
"Well…I…I didn't want to hit the girls!" Harry said.
Ginny snorted. "You forgot you had them. What kind of a leader are you? All you do is get angry and you stop thinking! Your stupid male ego gets in the way! One of these days it's going to be your undoing!"
She wanted to hurt him. After what she had seen in the alley between the two of them, and the confusion over her feelings after the episode with Draco, she wanted to hurt him as much as she was hurting. Harry couldn't figure out where she was coming from, but one thing stuck out in his mind.
"What's with this `girlfriend' bit?" he asked angrily.
"He assumed, and I didn't correct him. I was trying to protect my friend," Ginny replied, looking pointedly at Hermione. "Or do you want Voldemort to know the true nature of your relationship? " With that, she turned and stormed off towards the castle.
Harry stood there, seething, trying to understand why Ginny was so angry. Suddenly he remembered the look on her face when she saw him holding Hermione in the alley, and all of the pieces fell into place. She was still hurting. He closed his eyes in regret as he felt his anger dissipate.
"You really blew that one," Hermione said softly as she came up beside him.
"Yeah," Harry sighed as he hugged her. "I did, didn't I? She saw us together in the alley. I guess that was enough for her to figure out how much you mean to me. I just don't get how she can figure it out so fast when it took me so long to realize it myself."
Hermione shrugged. "I think we're the only ones who didn't see it."
Harry gave a little laugh. "I'm beginning to think you're right. Let's head back. I guess I'll need to apologize."
***** ***** ***** *****
"I hope you realize the repercussions of your actions, Draco," Lucius commented as they headed back towards Voldemort's hideout.
"I'm sure there were others-" Draco began.
"No Draco, even if there were, we failed at our task. The Dark Lord will not be pleased. You need to, and will, learn about the consequences of your actions, as I have mine."
"But surely the Dark Lord will understand," replied Draco.
Lucius stopped and looked at his son.
"This is not a game, Draco. This is the price we must pay for the good of the Wizarding world. Half-breeds and traitors have tainted us. It is up to us to cleanse our world and the Dark Lord will be the one to lead us. If our mistakes cause setbacks, then no, Draco, the Dark Lord will not understand."
Draco shook his head as he watched his father climb the stairs and open the door to the manor. As he followed his father down the hall he became lost in thought. He was beginning to see more and more problems with the Dark Lord being in power. There was no room for mistakes, and Draco had realized a while ago that perhaps being one of the Dark Lord's followers was not necessarily a good thing. He couldn't however, see a way out that didn't lead to death. He worked very hard to keep that thought to himself.
As they made their way into the great room, Draco could see that many of the Death Eaters had returned, and the chill he felt told him that several of the Dementors were there as well. His eyes traveled the room, until they lit upon Voldemort talking with Snape. As Snape was dismissed turned to leave, Draco let him know with a slight nod that his message had been sent. Aside from the acknowledgement in his eyes, Snape did not react to their passing as he joined the group off to the side. Lucius bowed his head to Voldemort, and Draco followed suit. The senior Malfoy moved to kiss the hem of Voldemort's robe, but the Dark Lord waved him away.
"Ah, Lucius, I see you have returned. You do appear, however, to be empty-handed."
"Apologies, my Lord. There were complications," Lucius said, bowing again.
"Why don't you enlighten me as to your…series of unfortunate events," Voldemort said.
"Draco and I arrived at the apparition point only to be surrounded by Aurors," Lucius began.
`Surrounded?' thought Draco as he glanced at his father.
"We were outnumbered. Perhaps if I had been with a more experienced wizard," Lucius shrugged. "Who knows how things may have turned out?"
`More experienced?' Draco seethed, knowing his father was blaming him for their misfortune. `I saved your arse!'
"Hmm, I see," replied Voldemort. "Draco, come here."
Draco approached the Dark Lord, trying, but failing to mask the anger at his father for placing the blame on him.
"My Lord?" he asked bowing, remembering not to meet his eyes directly.
"Draco, I am wondering, do you feel that a better wizard would have been able to assist your father towards the successful completion of your mission?"
Draco thought for a moment. Would a better wizard known about the hidden Auror? Would a better wizard be able to get rid of the menace quicker? Perhaps, but it was the fact that his father could so effortlessly blame him that stuck out in his mind the most.
"It would seem, my Lord, that I have a lot to learn," Draco said as he looked pointedly at his father.
"Am I to understand then, that you take full responsibility for the loss of the two people that I asked you to bring to me?" Voldemort asked as he took his wand out, caressing it in his fingers.
Draco glanced at his father again, wondering if he was going to say anything. His father stood in front of Voldemort, without any sign of concern.
`Bastard,' Draco thought. "Yes, my Lord," he said through gritted teeth.
"And you realize then, that punishment has to be made and replacements found?" Voldemort asked as he signaled to the Dementors.
Draco's eyes went wide and fear gripped his heart. Surely he didn't mean…
"I grow weary of mistakes and lies Lucius," Voldemort sighed. "I'm sure you feel the same way."
"I'm sure the boy will understand, my Lord," Lucius said in agreement as he looked at his son.
Draco looked angrily at his father as he realized that he wasn't going to protect his only son, the feeling of betrayal surging through his mind.
"Yes, perhaps," Voldemort said as he raised his wand.
Draco closed his eyes and held his breath, waiting.
"Crucio!" Voldemort said as he pointed his wand.
Lucius collapsed on the floor, writhing in agony. Draco's eyes flew open and he let out the breath he was holding in a gasp of surprise as he spun to where his father lay. Voldemort slowly walked down to stand above his fallen Death Eater.
"You see, Lucius," Voldemort said slowly as he let the curse lift, "you seem to have forgotten that I am very good at reading people's emotions, and you have made too many mistakes. Loyalty, Lucius, is what I have seen here today. Loyalty, and the willingness to accept consequences for failure. Not from you, but from your son. You betrayed your son. You were willing to let your own son suffer or die and that makes me wonder how loyal you are to me. Would you let me die in order for you to survive? You have before."
"My Lord, no," Lucius gasped, his eyes wide with fear for the first time.
"Crucio!" Voldemort said again.
Draco watched helplessly as his father arched his back and screamed. He was frozen with terror as he was being forced to watch his father's torment.
"You are dangerous, Lucius, and I am not too sure where your true loyalties lie. You have made one mistake too many and you are becoming too bothersome for me to deal with."
Voldemort slowly walked back to where Draco was standing before lifting the Crustatius curse. Draco saw his father slump to the floor in pain. His sire slowly lifted his head and looked through glazed eyes at his master.
"Goodbye Lucius," Voldemort said as he flicked his hand towards the Dementors.
Draco watched wide-eyed as the Dementors surrounded his father, sucking the life out of him. He heard his father cry out, and felt the cold chill as they swooped down, again and again, towards the once proud man. Finally, Lucius Malfoy collapsed on the floor, his long hair splayed behind him, and the spark that made his father what he was, slowly leave the shell lying prone on the cold floor.
"Stop!" Voldemort said, and for one brief moment Draco thought his father would get a reprieve. The Dementors slowly and reluctantly moved back as the Dark Lord came forward. Voldemort reached out, and almost lovingly grasped the spark in his hand.
"You will still serve me, Lucius," he murmured as he brought the spark to his mouth and swallowed. He closed his eyes for a moment, a satisfied smile spreading across his face, and Draco suddenly felt sick. Voldemort turned and walked back to where Draco was standing.
"It was very gracious of your father to help you learn a valuable lesson. You did learn your lesson didn't you, Draco?" Voldemort asked.
Draco just looked at him and nodded, too shocked to say anything, afraid that he would give up his earlier meal if he responded.
"Excellent. Now be a good boy and take your father home to your mother. Severus will help you."
Voldemort watched as Draco shakily made his way over to where his father was lying on the floor. The Dark Lord gave a feral smile as he watched Severus approach and levitate the body. Draco would know his place now, the boy was his. He couldn't help but send a feeling of satisfaction towards his nemesis, just so he knew how pleased he was with himself.
******* ******* ********
Harry was sitting in their common room with Ginny, Ron and Hermione. Ginny had begrudgingly accepted Harry's apology, but he could see that she was still angry with him. He made a point to sit away from Hermione, hoping to make the situation a bit easier. They were discussing the Ministry's quick response and the message from Draco, when he felt a searing pain in his scar. He absently rubbed the spot, using his newly found abilities to try and make it go away.
"Well, it explains why Tonks and Lupin came with us to Hogsmeade. Obviously Tonks is keeping tabs on what is happening here, and reporting to the Ministry. She must have suspected something was going to happen, being the first Hogsmeade trip and all," Ron said. "I wonder how much she tells them?"
"Not everything, I'm sure," Harry said, wincing as a sharp pain hit him again. "She may be connected to the Ministry, but she does question some of their tactics."
"Harry, what is it?" Hermione asked, watching him.
"Something has happened that Voldemort is very pleased about," he said. "We need to get those Horcruxes. After what Ginny has told us, I don't think that whatever Voldemort is doing is going to be good for us."
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