HDFanFair: Madness in the Manor
Title: Madness in the Manor
Creator: Enchanted_Jae / enchanted_jae
Prompt: # 33
Career Theme: Draco - Property Owner | Harry - Ghost Hunter
Rating: PG13
Warnings/Content Notes: Language and suggestion
Summary: When Narcissa Malfoy uses a spirit board, she unleashes a negative haunting in the Manor. Fortunately, the London Paranormal Research Team, headed by Harry Potter, is here to save the day.
Word Count: 4,525
Creator’s Notes: Many thanks to robinellen for the smashing beta job!
Link to AO3 entry: Madness in the Manor
"Have a seat, darling."
Draco reluctantly sat at the small table, across from his mother, and eyed the spirit board between them with trepidation. "Are you quite certain you want to do this?"
His mother's chin lifted. "It has been nearly two years since your father passed on, and his portrait has yet to awaken. I miss him, I wish to speak to him, and I don't believe I owe you any explanations."
Draco clamped his mouth shut, lest his mum remind him of the hours she'd spent in labor as she strove to bring him into this world. It was obvious there was no talking her out of this farce, so he may as well go along with it like the dutiful son he was. He nodded once.
Satisfied, his mother smiled at him. "Place your fingertips on the planchette, like this," she instructed, resting the fingertips of her right hand on the triangular piece of wood. Draco did the same. His mum reached for a small hand bell and rang it three times.
"I wish to invite the spirit of my beloved departed to speak to me," she said softly. "Please give us a sign that you are here."
Draco swore he felt the temperature in the room drop, and the hair on his nape rose. The planchette moved beneath his fingers. Draco sucked in a breath and glanced at his mother.
"Did you move that?"
"No, Draco. Shush."
The planchette moved until it centered over the letter C. It moved slowly and paused over the letter I. From there, it seemed to pick up speed, hovering over the letter S before swinging away and coming back to land on S.
Draco held his breath.
The planchette fairly flew to the letter Y.
"Cissy," breathed his mum. "Your father called me that, early in our courtship. Lucius, is that you?"
Her question was greeted with the sound of laughter.
Every hair on Draco's body stood on end. He recognized that laughter, and it didn't belong to his father.
-
LoPaRT
"Ridiculous," Draco muttered beneath his breath. However, the London Paranormal Research Team was reputed to be the best in the business, and Draco and his mum were in dire need of help.
Ever since Narcissa Malfoy had dared to dabble with a spirit board, madness had run rampant in the Manor. This was not the type of haunt that inhabited most centuries-old homes; this was severe and dangerous.
Pansy had offered to contact LoPaRT for assistance; Draco was desperate enough to agree. Never mind that these so-called researchers were Muggles who had their own program on the telly. They would have Muggle gadgets and whats-its and hopefully, the experience and know-how to banish the spectre that now haunted Malfoy Manor.
Draco sat in the Rose Parlor having a bracing cuppa as he waited to hear from Pansy.
"Draaaaaa-co..."
Draco set his cup down with a rattle, splashing tea over the lip. He took a deep breath, resolving not to react to the chilling whisper he'd heard. Draco flinched again when the Floo in the parlor activated.
Pansy stepped through with her usual elegant grace. "I've contacted--"
Draco held up a hand and put a finger to his lips. He pointed towards the ceiling, where the voice had seemed to emanate from. Without a word, Draco stood and led Pansy out of the room, down the hall, and through the French doors to the garden. There, he sank onto a marble bench and exhaled in relief.
Pansy tsked in sympathy. "Has the old bat been harassing you?"
Draco nodded and rotated his shoulders, easing the tension from them.
"Not to worry, darling. I've contacted LoPaRT, and they'll be here this evening."
Draco was surprised. "That quickly?"
"I explained the seriousness of the situation," Pansy responded. "They're quite keen to investigate, and they seem eager to take on the challenge."
Draco's shoulders sagged in relief. "I hope to Merlin they can help."
-
Draco had convinced his mum to leave the wards down in anticipation of the arrival of the research team. He flinched when he heard a knock, only to realize it was coming from the Manor's front door. The house-elves had been instructed to remain out of sight; therefore, it was up to Draco to respond to the summons. He strode to the door, smoothed his hair, and took a deep breath.
Draco opened the door, and his jaw dropped. "Potter?!"
"Malfoy," Potter nodded. "May we come in?"
Draco automatically stepped aside.
Potter trooped in, carrying two black cases. He was followed by Granger, Lovegood, Thomas, and one of the younger Gryffindors whose name Draco couldn't recall. Each of them was carrying similar cases and bags. Potter set his cases down, and the others followed suit. He regarded Draco calmly before saying, "Parkinson claims you have a negative haunting. What can you tell me about it?"
Draco fought the urge to wring his hands nervously. "It...ahem...it began several days ago, when Mum tried to use a spirit board to contact Father." Draco paused when Granger made a tsking sound.
"Ouija boards are dangerous, Malfoy."
"I am aware of that, Granger."
"Enough," Potter said softly.
Draco shifted his attention from Granger back to Potter. "It started out slowly, subtly," he said, "but the haunting has escalated rather quickly. It's become unbearable."
Potter rubbed his chin. "Your father has been creating havoc?"
"It's not my father who came through," said Draco. "It was--"
Maniacal laughter interrupted him, and an icy breeze swept through the foyer. "Ooh, lookee," cackled a disembodied voice. "New playthings!"
Draco closed his eyes and swallowed heavily. "Aunt Bellatrix."
-
Draco watched as Potter and his LoPaRT crew took over a small, seldom-used parlor they'd claimed as their staging area. Potter had asked for a room with minimal entry points, and this is where they'd chosen. While Potter and the Gryffindors began setting up an array of equipment, Lovegood had moved around the room, a bundle of burning sage held before her while chanting beneath her breath. Potter had paused long enough to inform Draco that Lovegood was clearing the space of any negative energy. After she finished, she proceeded to splash a clear liquid on the doorframe and sprinkled a line of salt across the doorway.
Once everything was accomplished, Potter asked that Draco and his mother join them in the parlor. Draco could feel the difference as soon as he stepped over the threshold. It felt lighter, safer in the parlor. From the corner of his eye, he saw his mother's tense shoulders ease up, indicating she felt it too.
Potter didn't waste any time. "I'm quite certain most of us know one another, but I'd like to introduce my team all the same. Hermione is our tech person. She uses a combination of Muggle technology and magic to create our array of gadgets and devices. She also dives into any research that needs to be done on the history of homes and locations. Dean has helped create some elaborate traps that we can use to capture spirits, and he also works as a sketch artist when our Muggle clients would like to describe a ghost they've seen. It helps that Dean is also a talented Legilimens. Luna is what Muggles would refer to as psychic. She can sense spirits before any of the rest of us can, and she is often able to cross lost and confused souls over. Finally, Dennis is our photographer and videographer. In short, he's the camera man. Any questions?"
"What role do you play, Potter?" asked Draco.
"I'm the lead investigator."
"Harry is being modest," Granger added. "He's the one who comes up with most of the technical ideas, trusting me to create what he's envisioned. It's also his magic that the rest of us can draw on to boost our own talents."
Draco glanced back at Potter, only to see him looking down in apparent embarrassment while rubbing the back of his neck.
Draco's mother spoke up. "The important question is, are you able to...move my sister on?"
"No, Cissy! You will not be rid of me so easily!" came an answering shriek from beyond the open doorway to the protected parlor. "I liiiiiike it here." That chilling pronouncement was joined by maniacal laughter and punctuated with the sound of shattering glass.
Draco glanced uneasily from his mother's pale countenance to Potter. The sight of the grim determination on Potter's face brought Draco a measure of relief. If anyone could get rid of his mad aunt, it was Harry Potter.
Potter's eyes flicked to Draco and his mother. "Are there certain times of the day or night or particular places that she's most active?"
Draco sighed and shook his head. "There seems to be no pattern," he replied. "At least none that I can discern. The activity is almost constant. Not the verbal taunting, but slamming of doors, moving and breaking objects, and the cold spots. Night time does seem to be worse, though."
"How do you sleep?" asked Lovegood.
Draco's attention shifted to her, and he was astonished by the soft sympathy in her eyes. Salazar, how could she muster any sympathy for their plight? They had imprisoned her here during the war.
"Sleep is difficult to come by," Draco's mother answered. As if her pallid complexion and the dark smudges beneath her eyes didn't give it away.
"We can clear your bedroom and put up protections, like we did with the parlor," offered Potter. "That way, if we can't resolve this issue quickly, you can at least get some rest."
Draco saw his mother's shoulders sag with relief. "That would be splendid, thank you," she murmured.
Draco felt a profound sense of relief as well. His mother didn't deserve to suffer any longer from her sister's evil presence. Bellatrix had been vile enough when she'd taken up residence at the Manor alive, but dead, she was even worse.
"We'll clear your room as well, Malfoy," said Potter, drawing Draco's attention back to him. "Lack of sleep makes one vulnerable to negative energy. Luna, why don't you and Dean take Mrs Malfoy's suite, while Hermione and I will handle Mal...uh, Draco's suite. Dennis, you can join either team and take video."
Thus it was that Draco found himself leading Potter up the grand staircase and into the south wing where his suite was located. He couldn't help but wonder if he'd left his rooms in a state. Draco hadn't spent any time there recently; he and his mother had hunkered down in the solarium where they had tried to sleep on the uncomfortable settees in the room. They'd chosen the location because it was bright and airy during the day. At night, however, nothing could stop Bellatrix's reign of terror.
Draco opened the door that led to his suite of rooms. The area wasn't entirely tidy, but it didn't appear as if a herd of thestrals had rampaged through it. He was grateful that Creevy had chosen to accompany Lovegood and Thomas; Draco was certain his mother's rooms were neat as a pin. Of course, she expected the house-elves to tidy her suite; Draco chose to employ magic to clean his own rooms. Once the Malfoy elves had been freed, most had left the Manor. Draco didn't want to overburden the few who'd remained behind.
Granger lit a bundle of sage with a flick of her finger and handed it to Potter. She lit another for herself, and the two of them moved through Draco's suite of rooms, wafting the pungent smoke ahead of them using feathers from...a hippogriff, if Draco was correct.
Draco was tense, wondering if Bellatrix would come to wail and gnash her spectral teeth at his door, but the corridor was eerily silent. That could mean only one thing.
"Bloody hell," he bit out.
Potter spared him a glance. "Is something wrong?"
"If Bellatrix isn't here to torment me, chances are she's harassing my mother."
"Luna and Dean can handle her for now," Potter assured him. "They're packing misters full of salt water." To demonstrate, he snagged a small bottle from the utility belt at his waist and gave it a spritz.
Draco raised a brow. "That is meant to keep Bellatrix at bay? She was a destructive force of nature alive. Dead, she's even worse."
"It will suffice for now," Potter replied. He resumed his slow, methodical movements through the suite. Interested, Draco trailed after him. Potter pushed open the door to Draco's bedroom and halted. Draco almost ran into him from behind.
"Do you know which objects we've found that are most likely to be possessed?"
Draco swallowed heavily. "Tell me," he rasped, hoping it wasn't his bed. He needed to sleep there.
"Sex toys," Potter said, his expression completely serious.
Draco gulped again. Dear Merlin, if he had to drag that filth into the light of day...
"Harry!" snapped Granger. "Focus on your job. You can flirt with Malfoy later."
Potter turned to grin at Draco over his shoulder.
Draco's jaw tightened. "Why, you shameless, contemptible--"
"I notice you're not denying that you are in possession of sex toys, possessed or not," Potter quipped. He moved away as Draco's hands were reaching out to throttle him.
By the time they'd gone through Draco's suite, opening windows and wafting the smoke outside, Draco had calmed down. Potter and Granger then proceeded to place lines of salt at each doorway and on every windowsill, along with spritzing the salt water all around each point of entry, including the Floo in the sitting room.
Draco felt better once everything was accomplished. Perhaps he'd be able to sleep again, although it would be brilliant if Potter and company managed to rid the Manor of Bellatrix sooner rather than later.
"Now what?" he asked Potter.
Potter grinned, his expression full of self-confidence. Draco would have found it aggravating were he not so desperate for Potter's assistance. "Now we take out the trash."
-
"I trust you brought the big wands, Dean?"
Everyone had reconvened in the parlor. It was Potter who asked the question, but all eyes turned to Thomas as they awaited his answer. The smile that split his face seemed out of place on a Gryffindor. Thomas bent and retrieved a case from a bag at his feet. He opened it and carefully withdrew a metallic sphere.
Creevey whistled through his teeth, and even Granger seemed impressed.
Impatient to find out what they seemed to grasp, Draco asked, "What is that?"
"It's a trap, used to contain wayward spirits," Potter replied.
"Bellatrix is not your average spirit, Potter."
"We trapped a demonic entity in one of those two months ago, Malfoy," said Granger. "I am confident it can contain your mad aunt."
Draco took a measure of confidence from Granger's. She could be as insufferably know-it-all as she wanted, so long as Potter's team did what they claimed they could. "How do you expect to get Bellatrix into the trap?"
"We'll need bait," said Potter.
Draco's stomach dropped. He didn't want to be the one who acted as the lure, but better him than his mother. However, Potter wasn't looking at him. Instead, he was focused on Granger.
"Hermione, I know--"
Granger halted his words by raising one hand. Her face had paled, making her eyes seem impossibly large. She turned away, fumbled for a bottle of water and took a long, deliberate drink.
"You don't have to do it," Potter all but whispered.
Granger took another gulp of water, nearly choking on it, then slammed the bottle down. "Yes, I do," she said. Her voice was strong now, and color had rushed back to her cheeks. "Bellatrix won't be able to resist the opportunity to torture me again."
Draco wanted to say something, but he was utterly speechless. He'd always thought Granger should have been in Ravenclaw, but it was obvious the Sorting Hat had placed her in Gryffindor for a reason.
Lovegood approached Granger and placed a hand on her shoulder. "We have faith in you, Hermione."
"Don't worry, 'Mione, I'll be right behind you." Potter was smiling at his friend as he rummaged in another bag and pulled out a folded bundle of shimmering material. He shook it out and slung it over his shoulders.
Draco felt his mouth fall open when all of Potter vanished but for his head. "An invisibility cloak," he breathed. "Where did you get that?"
Potter smirked at him. "It was a gift from Death."
As Draco struggled for a response, Thomas stepped up to address Granger. "Take these REM pods. Choose a small room and set them up. You'll have some early warning, at least."
Granger gave a small nod and accepted the satchel Thomas handed her. Potter shoved the cloak back and took a large container of salt, which he placed in a satchel of his own. He then withdrew a long, rectangular box from a case on the floor and opened it. He plucked a wand from the box and tucked it up his sleeve, but not before Draco saw it.
"Is that...the Elder wand?"
Again, Potter grinned at him. "I have the Resurrection stone on my person, too. It's in my navel." He winked at Draco.
Face flushing, Draco attempted a scowl. "Wait. Are you saying that you are currently in possession of all three Deathly Hallows?"
"The Master of Death, that's me," Potter agreed cheerfully. His expression abruptly shifted into something cold and lethal. "It's why your vicious bitch of an aunt doesn't stand a chance. Ready, Hermione?"
-
Draco didn't want to accompany them on this mission. He did not want to accompany them, but he had to. He had to know, had to be sure, that they well and truly rid the Manor of Bellatrix. Draco needed that assurance, and so did his mother. For that reason, he led the way to a small, windowless lavatory in one of the guest suites. There was only one means of ingress and egress--the door that led to the rest of the suite. Potter had explained that they needed to first trap Bellatrix in a room before they could entrap her within the sphere.
Draco and Granger made casual conversation on the way, with her asking him about the Manor's wards as if they were plotting to evict their uninvited spirit that way. Draco was aware that Potter was following them, hidden beneath his cloak. Knowing he was back there but unable to see or hear him was raising the hair on Draco's nape. It was also causing a thrill in other regions of his body, but he stoically ignored them.
The Master of Death
Potter was jesting. He had to be. Draco had recognized the Elder wand, but invisibility cloaks, while rare, could be purchased if one had the funds. Draco tried very hard not to think of the Resurrection stone, nor where Potter claimed to have stashed it. Very hard. He resisted the urge to adjust the fit of his trousers.
Once inside the suite of rooms, Granger placed a small gadget on the floor, just inside the doorway to the corridor. "This is a REM pod," she explained. "It senses energy and will light up and beep if anything comes near it." To demonstrate, she waved her hand next to it, causing the device to light up and emit a high-pitched tone.
Granger then preceded Draco into the lavishly appointed en suite and looked around. "We could burn some incense in here," she remarked in an offhand manner. "Luna creates her own incense, specifically to ward off evil spirits."
The REM pod in the outer room began to beep. Draco felt a draft of frigid air before he heard the manic cackle.
"Do you think you can drive me from my sister's home with scents and doo-dads, Mudblood?" came the sneering voice.
Draco saw Granger blanch, but she boldly held her ground. "You are as nothing," she bit out. "Incorporeal and unable to harm anyone ever again."
A bottle of eau de toilette flew off a shelf and shattered on the wall behind Granger's head. It would have struck her in the head had she not ducked in time. She drew her wand and cast a Protego over them both.
Protection spell or no, Draco felt a cold ball of dread settle in his stomach when he beheld a dark mist begin to manifest within the small room. If Bellatrix could manage to take form, who knew what damage she may be able to inflict. Beyond the slowly solidifying mass, Draco noticed something else, something that gave him a measure of hope.
A line of salt, black salt, was being laid across the open doorway, cast by an unseen hand. Potter was trapping Bellatrix within this space where she would be unable to escape the justice he meant to mete out.
In the meantime, Granger calmly bent and removed the sphere from the case at her feet. She held it carefully, her own eyes on the dark mist that now vaguely resembled a human form.
"How is that going to hold her?" Draco whispered urgently.
"Harry trapped a powerful, nonhuman entity in one of these, Malfoy," Granger answered in a low voice. "Your bitch of an aunt doesn't stand a chance."
Potter appeared suddenly outside the doorway, slinging his cloak off and draping it over one arm. With the other, he drew the Elder wand and stepped over the line of salt, taking care not to disturb it. "Hermione, Malfoy, leave this space," he said. "It will be safer for you."
"Little Harry Potter, come to save the day again?" taunted Bellatrix. She flew at Draco and Granger as they retreated before being repelled at the doorway. "What trickery is this?!" she screeched.
Potter held his hand out, over the line of the doorway, and Granger passed him the sphere. Potter flipped it open and set it on the sink. The mist that was Bellatrix flew at him in a rage, but he flicked the Elder wand in her direction and sent her essence spinning away. Bellatrix shrieked again, voicing her fury and flinging herself at Potter once more.
As Draco watched, heart in his throat, light shot from the tip of the Elder wand and enveloped the mist that comprised Bellatrix. She screamed again, twisting and thrashing within the pale blue light that surrounded her. Potter slowly pivoted, eyes on Bellatrix and wand point steady. Draco realized Potter's spell was dragging Bellatrix toward the open sphere on the sink.
"NO!" she screamed. "NO!"
"Time to go, bitch." Potter grinned in savage glee; it was not an expression Draco had ever seen on him before, and it chilled him almost as much as Bellatrix did. She writhed within the cocoon of light, beating against her prison in impotent rage. As she neared the sink, the mirror over it cracked. Draco flinched, but Potter remained steadfast and grim.
The closer Bellatrix' essence got to the sphere, the brighter the interior of the small orb began to glow. "No!" she cried again. "Have mercy!"
Draco tensed; it was a ploy. He hoped Potter wouldn't fall for it. A glance at Potter's face showed how little Draco needed to worry. If anything, he appeared more determined and fierce. He kept the Elder wand steady, maneuvering Bellatrix ever closer to the yawning glow that would seal her fate. With a final, hair-raising shriek, she was sucked inside the orb. It snapped shut and rolled slightly.
Potter scooped it up, tossed it in the air, and caught it with a laugh.
Draco heard Granger gasp behind him. She followed it with a tart, "Harry, if you drop that, we are monumentally screwed."
Potter's eyes shifted to Draco, and he gave him a wink. "I've no intention of dropping the ball, Hermione." He holstered the wand and stepped boldly over the threshold, joining Draco and Granger in the main suite. Potter tossed the orb to Draco, who caught it with the innate grace of a Seeker.
"Bloody hell, Potter!"
"You'll need to dispose of that properly," Potter said, all trace of humor gone for the moment. "I recommend sealing it in a box and burying it on the grounds or else sealing it up in a wall of the Manor. Do not, under any circumstance, break it. Do not attempt to burn it, either. And no matter where you place it, make certain, quite certain, that no one a year from now or a hundred years from now finds it and opens it."
Draco swallowed heavily and nodded. He held the sphere up and peered at its smooth surface. "She's really in there?"
"Yes. Trust me. Do not open it just to make sure."
"I'm not an imbecile, Potter."
Potter swept his hair back, and only then did Draco realize how damp with sweat it was. He had made it look easy, but clearly Potter had been expending a lot of magic and energy into trapping Bellatrix in the sphere. Draco cradled the orb more carefully. He led the way through the Manor's corridors and rejoined the others in the parlor.
Draco's mother stood immediately. "Is it done?" she asked, hand pressed to her throat.
"We trapped her, Mrs Malfoy," Potter replied. "You'll need to seal that sphere somewhere that no one will ever be able to find it and open it."
"And I strongly recommend you do the same with the spirit board," Granger added. "Nothing good ever comes of using one."
"I understand," she responded before crossing to Draco and reaching a tentative hand towards the orb he held. "My sister is in there?"
"She is," Potter confirmed.
Draco's mum squared her shoulders. "She brought it on herself; it is what she deserved. Draco, I trust you to take care of it." Turning to Potter, she added, "I presume you require payment for your services?"
Potter shook his head. "LoPaRT doesn't charge clients. However, there is some restitution you can make."
Draco scowled and opened his mouth. Lovegood stayed him with a hand on his arm. "Listen," she said in her serene voice.
"You have another sister," said Potter. "Reestablish your connection with her before it's too late. Stop trying to speak to the dead and concentrate on your living family instead."
Draco saw his mother's chin dip before she raised it again. "You are right, Mr Potter. I have neglected Andromeda for far too long. Both of us have suffered unbearable losses, and we need to support one another."
"Splendid." Potter smiled. "I usually have dinner with Andromeda and Teddy every Friday night. I am certain she'd be pleased if you joined us. Both of you," he added, turning his attention to Draco.
"Draco and I will be delighted," said Narcissa. "I shall owl Andromeda with the request."
Draco didn't argue. He too had long hoped his mother would reconcile with her other sister. "Thank you, Potter," he said. "We shall see you on Friday evening."
Potter winked at him again. "It's a date."
"Excuse me?!"
Creator: Enchanted_Jae / enchanted_jae
Prompt: # 33
Career Theme: Draco - Property Owner | Harry - Ghost Hunter
Rating: PG13
Warnings/Content Notes: Language and suggestion
Summary: When Narcissa Malfoy uses a spirit board, she unleashes a negative haunting in the Manor. Fortunately, the London Paranormal Research Team, headed by Harry Potter, is here to save the day.
Word Count: 4,525
Creator’s Notes: Many thanks to robinellen for the smashing beta job!
Link to AO3 entry: Madness in the Manor
"Have a seat, darling."
Draco reluctantly sat at the small table, across from his mother, and eyed the spirit board between them with trepidation. "Are you quite certain you want to do this?"
His mother's chin lifted. "It has been nearly two years since your father passed on, and his portrait has yet to awaken. I miss him, I wish to speak to him, and I don't believe I owe you any explanations."
Draco clamped his mouth shut, lest his mum remind him of the hours she'd spent in labor as she strove to bring him into this world. It was obvious there was no talking her out of this farce, so he may as well go along with it like the dutiful son he was. He nodded once.
Satisfied, his mother smiled at him. "Place your fingertips on the planchette, like this," she instructed, resting the fingertips of her right hand on the triangular piece of wood. Draco did the same. His mum reached for a small hand bell and rang it three times.
"I wish to invite the spirit of my beloved departed to speak to me," she said softly. "Please give us a sign that you are here."
Draco swore he felt the temperature in the room drop, and the hair on his nape rose. The planchette moved beneath his fingers. Draco sucked in a breath and glanced at his mother.
"Did you move that?"
"No, Draco. Shush."
The planchette moved until it centered over the letter C. It moved slowly and paused over the letter I. From there, it seemed to pick up speed, hovering over the letter S before swinging away and coming back to land on S.
Draco held his breath.
The planchette fairly flew to the letter Y.
"Cissy," breathed his mum. "Your father called me that, early in our courtship. Lucius, is that you?"
Her question was greeted with the sound of laughter.
Every hair on Draco's body stood on end. He recognized that laughter, and it didn't belong to his father.
-
LoPaRT
"Ridiculous," Draco muttered beneath his breath. However, the London Paranormal Research Team was reputed to be the best in the business, and Draco and his mum were in dire need of help.
Ever since Narcissa Malfoy had dared to dabble with a spirit board, madness had run rampant in the Manor. This was not the type of haunt that inhabited most centuries-old homes; this was severe and dangerous.
Pansy had offered to contact LoPaRT for assistance; Draco was desperate enough to agree. Never mind that these so-called researchers were Muggles who had their own program on the telly. They would have Muggle gadgets and whats-its and hopefully, the experience and know-how to banish the spectre that now haunted Malfoy Manor.
Draco sat in the Rose Parlor having a bracing cuppa as he waited to hear from Pansy.
"Draaaaaa-co..."
Draco set his cup down with a rattle, splashing tea over the lip. He took a deep breath, resolving not to react to the chilling whisper he'd heard. Draco flinched again when the Floo in the parlor activated.
Pansy stepped through with her usual elegant grace. "I've contacted--"
Draco held up a hand and put a finger to his lips. He pointed towards the ceiling, where the voice had seemed to emanate from. Without a word, Draco stood and led Pansy out of the room, down the hall, and through the French doors to the garden. There, he sank onto a marble bench and exhaled in relief.
Pansy tsked in sympathy. "Has the old bat been harassing you?"
Draco nodded and rotated his shoulders, easing the tension from them.
"Not to worry, darling. I've contacted LoPaRT, and they'll be here this evening."
Draco was surprised. "That quickly?"
"I explained the seriousness of the situation," Pansy responded. "They're quite keen to investigate, and they seem eager to take on the challenge."
Draco's shoulders sagged in relief. "I hope to Merlin they can help."
-
Draco had convinced his mum to leave the wards down in anticipation of the arrival of the research team. He flinched when he heard a knock, only to realize it was coming from the Manor's front door. The house-elves had been instructed to remain out of sight; therefore, it was up to Draco to respond to the summons. He strode to the door, smoothed his hair, and took a deep breath.
Draco opened the door, and his jaw dropped. "Potter?!"
"Malfoy," Potter nodded. "May we come in?"
Draco automatically stepped aside.
Potter trooped in, carrying two black cases. He was followed by Granger, Lovegood, Thomas, and one of the younger Gryffindors whose name Draco couldn't recall. Each of them was carrying similar cases and bags. Potter set his cases down, and the others followed suit. He regarded Draco calmly before saying, "Parkinson claims you have a negative haunting. What can you tell me about it?"
Draco fought the urge to wring his hands nervously. "It...ahem...it began several days ago, when Mum tried to use a spirit board to contact Father." Draco paused when Granger made a tsking sound.
"Ouija boards are dangerous, Malfoy."
"I am aware of that, Granger."
"Enough," Potter said softly.
Draco shifted his attention from Granger back to Potter. "It started out slowly, subtly," he said, "but the haunting has escalated rather quickly. It's become unbearable."
Potter rubbed his chin. "Your father has been creating havoc?"
"It's not my father who came through," said Draco. "It was--"
Maniacal laughter interrupted him, and an icy breeze swept through the foyer. "Ooh, lookee," cackled a disembodied voice. "New playthings!"
Draco closed his eyes and swallowed heavily. "Aunt Bellatrix."
-
Draco watched as Potter and his LoPaRT crew took over a small, seldom-used parlor they'd claimed as their staging area. Potter had asked for a room with minimal entry points, and this is where they'd chosen. While Potter and the Gryffindors began setting up an array of equipment, Lovegood had moved around the room, a bundle of burning sage held before her while chanting beneath her breath. Potter had paused long enough to inform Draco that Lovegood was clearing the space of any negative energy. After she finished, she proceeded to splash a clear liquid on the doorframe and sprinkled a line of salt across the doorway.
Once everything was accomplished, Potter asked that Draco and his mother join them in the parlor. Draco could feel the difference as soon as he stepped over the threshold. It felt lighter, safer in the parlor. From the corner of his eye, he saw his mother's tense shoulders ease up, indicating she felt it too.
Potter didn't waste any time. "I'm quite certain most of us know one another, but I'd like to introduce my team all the same. Hermione is our tech person. She uses a combination of Muggle technology and magic to create our array of gadgets and devices. She also dives into any research that needs to be done on the history of homes and locations. Dean has helped create some elaborate traps that we can use to capture spirits, and he also works as a sketch artist when our Muggle clients would like to describe a ghost they've seen. It helps that Dean is also a talented Legilimens. Luna is what Muggles would refer to as psychic. She can sense spirits before any of the rest of us can, and she is often able to cross lost and confused souls over. Finally, Dennis is our photographer and videographer. In short, he's the camera man. Any questions?"
"What role do you play, Potter?" asked Draco.
"I'm the lead investigator."
"Harry is being modest," Granger added. "He's the one who comes up with most of the technical ideas, trusting me to create what he's envisioned. It's also his magic that the rest of us can draw on to boost our own talents."
Draco glanced back at Potter, only to see him looking down in apparent embarrassment while rubbing the back of his neck.
Draco's mother spoke up. "The important question is, are you able to...move my sister on?"
"No, Cissy! You will not be rid of me so easily!" came an answering shriek from beyond the open doorway to the protected parlor. "I liiiiiike it here." That chilling pronouncement was joined by maniacal laughter and punctuated with the sound of shattering glass.
Draco glanced uneasily from his mother's pale countenance to Potter. The sight of the grim determination on Potter's face brought Draco a measure of relief. If anyone could get rid of his mad aunt, it was Harry Potter.
Potter's eyes flicked to Draco and his mother. "Are there certain times of the day or night or particular places that she's most active?"
Draco sighed and shook his head. "There seems to be no pattern," he replied. "At least none that I can discern. The activity is almost constant. Not the verbal taunting, but slamming of doors, moving and breaking objects, and the cold spots. Night time does seem to be worse, though."
"How do you sleep?" asked Lovegood.
Draco's attention shifted to her, and he was astonished by the soft sympathy in her eyes. Salazar, how could she muster any sympathy for their plight? They had imprisoned her here during the war.
"Sleep is difficult to come by," Draco's mother answered. As if her pallid complexion and the dark smudges beneath her eyes didn't give it away.
"We can clear your bedroom and put up protections, like we did with the parlor," offered Potter. "That way, if we can't resolve this issue quickly, you can at least get some rest."
Draco saw his mother's shoulders sag with relief. "That would be splendid, thank you," she murmured.
Draco felt a profound sense of relief as well. His mother didn't deserve to suffer any longer from her sister's evil presence. Bellatrix had been vile enough when she'd taken up residence at the Manor alive, but dead, she was even worse.
"We'll clear your room as well, Malfoy," said Potter, drawing Draco's attention back to him. "Lack of sleep makes one vulnerable to negative energy. Luna, why don't you and Dean take Mrs Malfoy's suite, while Hermione and I will handle Mal...uh, Draco's suite. Dennis, you can join either team and take video."
Thus it was that Draco found himself leading Potter up the grand staircase and into the south wing where his suite was located. He couldn't help but wonder if he'd left his rooms in a state. Draco hadn't spent any time there recently; he and his mother had hunkered down in the solarium where they had tried to sleep on the uncomfortable settees in the room. They'd chosen the location because it was bright and airy during the day. At night, however, nothing could stop Bellatrix's reign of terror.
Draco opened the door that led to his suite of rooms. The area wasn't entirely tidy, but it didn't appear as if a herd of thestrals had rampaged through it. He was grateful that Creevy had chosen to accompany Lovegood and Thomas; Draco was certain his mother's rooms were neat as a pin. Of course, she expected the house-elves to tidy her suite; Draco chose to employ magic to clean his own rooms. Once the Malfoy elves had been freed, most had left the Manor. Draco didn't want to overburden the few who'd remained behind.
Granger lit a bundle of sage with a flick of her finger and handed it to Potter. She lit another for herself, and the two of them moved through Draco's suite of rooms, wafting the pungent smoke ahead of them using feathers from...a hippogriff, if Draco was correct.
Draco was tense, wondering if Bellatrix would come to wail and gnash her spectral teeth at his door, but the corridor was eerily silent. That could mean only one thing.
"Bloody hell," he bit out.
Potter spared him a glance. "Is something wrong?"
"If Bellatrix isn't here to torment me, chances are she's harassing my mother."
"Luna and Dean can handle her for now," Potter assured him. "They're packing misters full of salt water." To demonstrate, he snagged a small bottle from the utility belt at his waist and gave it a spritz.
Draco raised a brow. "That is meant to keep Bellatrix at bay? She was a destructive force of nature alive. Dead, she's even worse."
"It will suffice for now," Potter replied. He resumed his slow, methodical movements through the suite. Interested, Draco trailed after him. Potter pushed open the door to Draco's bedroom and halted. Draco almost ran into him from behind.
"Do you know which objects we've found that are most likely to be possessed?"
Draco swallowed heavily. "Tell me," he rasped, hoping it wasn't his bed. He needed to sleep there.
"Sex toys," Potter said, his expression completely serious.
Draco gulped again. Dear Merlin, if he had to drag that filth into the light of day...
"Harry!" snapped Granger. "Focus on your job. You can flirt with Malfoy later."
Potter turned to grin at Draco over his shoulder.
Draco's jaw tightened. "Why, you shameless, contemptible--"
"I notice you're not denying that you are in possession of sex toys, possessed or not," Potter quipped. He moved away as Draco's hands were reaching out to throttle him.
By the time they'd gone through Draco's suite, opening windows and wafting the smoke outside, Draco had calmed down. Potter and Granger then proceeded to place lines of salt at each doorway and on every windowsill, along with spritzing the salt water all around each point of entry, including the Floo in the sitting room.
Draco felt better once everything was accomplished. Perhaps he'd be able to sleep again, although it would be brilliant if Potter and company managed to rid the Manor of Bellatrix sooner rather than later.
"Now what?" he asked Potter.
Potter grinned, his expression full of self-confidence. Draco would have found it aggravating were he not so desperate for Potter's assistance. "Now we take out the trash."
-
"I trust you brought the big wands, Dean?"
Everyone had reconvened in the parlor. It was Potter who asked the question, but all eyes turned to Thomas as they awaited his answer. The smile that split his face seemed out of place on a Gryffindor. Thomas bent and retrieved a case from a bag at his feet. He opened it and carefully withdrew a metallic sphere.
Creevey whistled through his teeth, and even Granger seemed impressed.
Impatient to find out what they seemed to grasp, Draco asked, "What is that?"
"It's a trap, used to contain wayward spirits," Potter replied.
"Bellatrix is not your average spirit, Potter."
"We trapped a demonic entity in one of those two months ago, Malfoy," said Granger. "I am confident it can contain your mad aunt."
Draco took a measure of confidence from Granger's. She could be as insufferably know-it-all as she wanted, so long as Potter's team did what they claimed they could. "How do you expect to get Bellatrix into the trap?"
"We'll need bait," said Potter.
Draco's stomach dropped. He didn't want to be the one who acted as the lure, but better him than his mother. However, Potter wasn't looking at him. Instead, he was focused on Granger.
"Hermione, I know--"
Granger halted his words by raising one hand. Her face had paled, making her eyes seem impossibly large. She turned away, fumbled for a bottle of water and took a long, deliberate drink.
"You don't have to do it," Potter all but whispered.
Granger took another gulp of water, nearly choking on it, then slammed the bottle down. "Yes, I do," she said. Her voice was strong now, and color had rushed back to her cheeks. "Bellatrix won't be able to resist the opportunity to torture me again."
Draco wanted to say something, but he was utterly speechless. He'd always thought Granger should have been in Ravenclaw, but it was obvious the Sorting Hat had placed her in Gryffindor for a reason.
Lovegood approached Granger and placed a hand on her shoulder. "We have faith in you, Hermione."
"Don't worry, 'Mione, I'll be right behind you." Potter was smiling at his friend as he rummaged in another bag and pulled out a folded bundle of shimmering material. He shook it out and slung it over his shoulders.
Draco felt his mouth fall open when all of Potter vanished but for his head. "An invisibility cloak," he breathed. "Where did you get that?"
Potter smirked at him. "It was a gift from Death."
As Draco struggled for a response, Thomas stepped up to address Granger. "Take these REM pods. Choose a small room and set them up. You'll have some early warning, at least."
Granger gave a small nod and accepted the satchel Thomas handed her. Potter shoved the cloak back and took a large container of salt, which he placed in a satchel of his own. He then withdrew a long, rectangular box from a case on the floor and opened it. He plucked a wand from the box and tucked it up his sleeve, but not before Draco saw it.
"Is that...the Elder wand?"
Again, Potter grinned at him. "I have the Resurrection stone on my person, too. It's in my navel." He winked at Draco.
Face flushing, Draco attempted a scowl. "Wait. Are you saying that you are currently in possession of all three Deathly Hallows?"
"The Master of Death, that's me," Potter agreed cheerfully. His expression abruptly shifted into something cold and lethal. "It's why your vicious bitch of an aunt doesn't stand a chance. Ready, Hermione?"
-
Draco didn't want to accompany them on this mission. He did not want to accompany them, but he had to. He had to know, had to be sure, that they well and truly rid the Manor of Bellatrix. Draco needed that assurance, and so did his mother. For that reason, he led the way to a small, windowless lavatory in one of the guest suites. There was only one means of ingress and egress--the door that led to the rest of the suite. Potter had explained that they needed to first trap Bellatrix in a room before they could entrap her within the sphere.
Draco and Granger made casual conversation on the way, with her asking him about the Manor's wards as if they were plotting to evict their uninvited spirit that way. Draco was aware that Potter was following them, hidden beneath his cloak. Knowing he was back there but unable to see or hear him was raising the hair on Draco's nape. It was also causing a thrill in other regions of his body, but he stoically ignored them.
The Master of Death
Potter was jesting. He had to be. Draco had recognized the Elder wand, but invisibility cloaks, while rare, could be purchased if one had the funds. Draco tried very hard not to think of the Resurrection stone, nor where Potter claimed to have stashed it. Very hard. He resisted the urge to adjust the fit of his trousers.
Once inside the suite of rooms, Granger placed a small gadget on the floor, just inside the doorway to the corridor. "This is a REM pod," she explained. "It senses energy and will light up and beep if anything comes near it." To demonstrate, she waved her hand next to it, causing the device to light up and emit a high-pitched tone.
Granger then preceded Draco into the lavishly appointed en suite and looked around. "We could burn some incense in here," she remarked in an offhand manner. "Luna creates her own incense, specifically to ward off evil spirits."
The REM pod in the outer room began to beep. Draco felt a draft of frigid air before he heard the manic cackle.
"Do you think you can drive me from my sister's home with scents and doo-dads, Mudblood?" came the sneering voice.
Draco saw Granger blanch, but she boldly held her ground. "You are as nothing," she bit out. "Incorporeal and unable to harm anyone ever again."
A bottle of eau de toilette flew off a shelf and shattered on the wall behind Granger's head. It would have struck her in the head had she not ducked in time. She drew her wand and cast a Protego over them both.
Protection spell or no, Draco felt a cold ball of dread settle in his stomach when he beheld a dark mist begin to manifest within the small room. If Bellatrix could manage to take form, who knew what damage she may be able to inflict. Beyond the slowly solidifying mass, Draco noticed something else, something that gave him a measure of hope.
A line of salt, black salt, was being laid across the open doorway, cast by an unseen hand. Potter was trapping Bellatrix within this space where she would be unable to escape the justice he meant to mete out.
In the meantime, Granger calmly bent and removed the sphere from the case at her feet. She held it carefully, her own eyes on the dark mist that now vaguely resembled a human form.
"How is that going to hold her?" Draco whispered urgently.
"Harry trapped a powerful, nonhuman entity in one of these, Malfoy," Granger answered in a low voice. "Your bitch of an aunt doesn't stand a chance."
Potter appeared suddenly outside the doorway, slinging his cloak off and draping it over one arm. With the other, he drew the Elder wand and stepped over the line of salt, taking care not to disturb it. "Hermione, Malfoy, leave this space," he said. "It will be safer for you."
"Little Harry Potter, come to save the day again?" taunted Bellatrix. She flew at Draco and Granger as they retreated before being repelled at the doorway. "What trickery is this?!" she screeched.
Potter held his hand out, over the line of the doorway, and Granger passed him the sphere. Potter flipped it open and set it on the sink. The mist that was Bellatrix flew at him in a rage, but he flicked the Elder wand in her direction and sent her essence spinning away. Bellatrix shrieked again, voicing her fury and flinging herself at Potter once more.
As Draco watched, heart in his throat, light shot from the tip of the Elder wand and enveloped the mist that comprised Bellatrix. She screamed again, twisting and thrashing within the pale blue light that surrounded her. Potter slowly pivoted, eyes on Bellatrix and wand point steady. Draco realized Potter's spell was dragging Bellatrix toward the open sphere on the sink.
"NO!" she screamed. "NO!"
"Time to go, bitch." Potter grinned in savage glee; it was not an expression Draco had ever seen on him before, and it chilled him almost as much as Bellatrix did. She writhed within the cocoon of light, beating against her prison in impotent rage. As she neared the sink, the mirror over it cracked. Draco flinched, but Potter remained steadfast and grim.
The closer Bellatrix' essence got to the sphere, the brighter the interior of the small orb began to glow. "No!" she cried again. "Have mercy!"
Draco tensed; it was a ploy. He hoped Potter wouldn't fall for it. A glance at Potter's face showed how little Draco needed to worry. If anything, he appeared more determined and fierce. He kept the Elder wand steady, maneuvering Bellatrix ever closer to the yawning glow that would seal her fate. With a final, hair-raising shriek, she was sucked inside the orb. It snapped shut and rolled slightly.
Potter scooped it up, tossed it in the air, and caught it with a laugh.
Draco heard Granger gasp behind him. She followed it with a tart, "Harry, if you drop that, we are monumentally screwed."
Potter's eyes shifted to Draco, and he gave him a wink. "I've no intention of dropping the ball, Hermione." He holstered the wand and stepped boldly over the threshold, joining Draco and Granger in the main suite. Potter tossed the orb to Draco, who caught it with the innate grace of a Seeker.
"Bloody hell, Potter!"
"You'll need to dispose of that properly," Potter said, all trace of humor gone for the moment. "I recommend sealing it in a box and burying it on the grounds or else sealing it up in a wall of the Manor. Do not, under any circumstance, break it. Do not attempt to burn it, either. And no matter where you place it, make certain, quite certain, that no one a year from now or a hundred years from now finds it and opens it."
Draco swallowed heavily and nodded. He held the sphere up and peered at its smooth surface. "She's really in there?"
"Yes. Trust me. Do not open it just to make sure."
"I'm not an imbecile, Potter."
Potter swept his hair back, and only then did Draco realize how damp with sweat it was. He had made it look easy, but clearly Potter had been expending a lot of magic and energy into trapping Bellatrix in the sphere. Draco cradled the orb more carefully. He led the way through the Manor's corridors and rejoined the others in the parlor.
Draco's mother stood immediately. "Is it done?" she asked, hand pressed to her throat.
"We trapped her, Mrs Malfoy," Potter replied. "You'll need to seal that sphere somewhere that no one will ever be able to find it and open it."
"And I strongly recommend you do the same with the spirit board," Granger added. "Nothing good ever comes of using one."
"I understand," she responded before crossing to Draco and reaching a tentative hand towards the orb he held. "My sister is in there?"
"She is," Potter confirmed.
Draco's mum squared her shoulders. "She brought it on herself; it is what she deserved. Draco, I trust you to take care of it." Turning to Potter, she added, "I presume you require payment for your services?"
Potter shook his head. "LoPaRT doesn't charge clients. However, there is some restitution you can make."
Draco scowled and opened his mouth. Lovegood stayed him with a hand on his arm. "Listen," she said in her serene voice.
"You have another sister," said Potter. "Reestablish your connection with her before it's too late. Stop trying to speak to the dead and concentrate on your living family instead."
Draco saw his mother's chin dip before she raised it again. "You are right, Mr Potter. I have neglected Andromeda for far too long. Both of us have suffered unbearable losses, and we need to support one another."
"Splendid." Potter smiled. "I usually have dinner with Andromeda and Teddy every Friday night. I am certain she'd be pleased if you joined us. Both of you," he added, turning his attention to Draco.
"Draco and I will be delighted," said Narcissa. "I shall owl Andromeda with the request."
Draco didn't argue. He too had long hoped his mother would reconcile with her other sister. "Thank you, Potter," he said. "We shall see you on Friday evening."
Potter winked at him again. "It's a date."
"Excuse me?!"