A Boy Named Draco - Chapter 31/39
Chapter 31
The gloom of the dungeons was accentuated by a flickering torchlight that fashioned ominous shadows. Their voices carried through the stony partition between their cells.
“They don’t know who I am.” Harry said anxiously “and Bellatrix has taken Hermione.”
“HERMIONE!” Ron Weasley called out.
“Be quiet Ron! We need to work out a way out of here.”
They all heard Hermione’s voice loudly from overhead. The mad witch who was her torturer also screamed but her words were hard to understand.
“We have to get to Hermione Draco. Do you know of any way?”
“There is no way out. The Malfoy dungeons are completely escape-proof.” The squib said as he strained out a hand towards Harry’s cell. The wizard grabbed it and for a moment it was only them.
“ANSWER ME! CRUCIO!” Bellatrix voice was harsh and wild.
Ron sobbed with grief as he tried to break the stone wall with his fists. Harry gripped Draco’s hand tighter. “Voldemort is coming and he will recognize me but you and Ron and Hermione have to be safe. The Weasleys will protect you. I will try to distract Voldemort once he realizes that it is me.”
“CRUCIO!”
Hermione’s screams were echoed by Ron. All three heard the heavy, iron door leading to the dungeon open and a small rodent-looking man entered the area and headed towards the cells.
“We are going to have to try and tackle him.” Harry whispered to Ron and Draco.
“Stand back!” came Wormtail’s voice. “Stand away from the bars! I am coming in.”
As soon as he had unlocked the door Ron and Harry launched themselves on him. The red-headed wizard pinned Wormtail’s body against the bars. Draco reached out and pulled on his robes from his own cell further impeding the Death Eater. Wormtail dropped his wand and Harry grabbed it. The silver hand went for Harry’s throat.
“No!” yelled Draco who was able to see them from his own cell.
“You are going to kill me?” Harry choked as he tried to free himself from the metal fingers. “After I saved your life when Sirius and Remus wanted to kill you?”
The hand dropped and reached for the throat of his owner. Harry and Ron gasped and tried to free him from himself. The hand had seized upon a moment of hesitation from the Death Eater and was reaping its punishment.
Seconds later it was over. Ron and Harry looked at each other and ran out of the cell. Harry stopped before Draco’s door and used the keys he had taken from Wormtail to unlock it. The blond rushed to his arms.
“Draco.” A prayer of thanks.
They only allowed themselves a brief hug before following Ron up the stairs. Draco held on to Harry’s hand as they made their way to Bellatrix and Hermione.
All three crept quietly to the wing the Death Eaters occupied. Used to cleaning all manor areas, Draco knew of the secret passageways that could be used so that a house-elf did not accidently intrude upon the masters. A door hidden behind a painting led to an alcove which occupied one a shadowy corner of the drawing room where Bellatrix and Hermione were. Lucius and Theodore had joined them.
The Griffindor witch cried out in pain and Ron burst into the room with Wormtail’s wand in his hand. Bellatrix turned to face him and pushed back her sleeve. She touched her forefinger to the Dark Mark.
“Expelliarmus”. He roared and her wand flew into the air and was caught by Harry who in turn aimed a “Stupefy” towards Draco’s father and his adopted son. Nott crumpled immediately but Lucius held on. His eyes flashed red with rage when he saw Draco by Harry’s side.
His wand was pointed not at his attacker but at his own son.
“Septumsempra!” He snarled as a figure suddenly apparated before him.
“Avada Kedavra”. Narcissa Malfoy’s curse rebated throughout the cavernous room. She saw her husband fall dead even as his hex slashed into her belly.
Draco caught her in his arms as she fell. Red blood jetted from her entrails.
“MUM!” he cried as he tried to stop the bleeding with his hands. She shook her head and stayed his wrists with her fading grip.
“No my love. Your father put too much power behind this. I will be gone soon. You and your friends need to leave before the Dark Lord arrives.”
“No mum. I won’t leave you.” He glanced to see Harry moving towards him. Ron had Bellatrix at wandpoint but the powerful witch was still holding on to Hermione.
“Draco you must go now. He wants you and he wants your friends.”
The squib embraced his mother knowing it would be the last time. “I can’t lose you. Mum. I just found you.”
“My sweet Draco. My r…regret at not being your mother sooner will come with me p…past the veil. I cannot ask for your forgiveness but know that I love with you with all my heart. You have to be strong and find your path for I will try to guide you from wherever I may be.”
Her voice was faint and her hand shook as she wiped the tears from her son’s face. Death was painful but welcomed it if it would save her Draco. Narcissa Malfoy had finally learned to be a mother.
“Go my love!” she said and closer her eyes. Draco gasped as her breaths came to a stop. For a few moments there was nothingness. He barely felt Harry’s arms around himself leading him away from the crumpled form of his mother towards Ron, Bellatrix and Hermione. Harry whispered into Draco’s hair.
“We need to get out of here. I can feel Voldermort near.”
“I can feel him too” he answered and his legs gave away a little. Harry caught him and pressed his body close to his.
“It’s okay Draco. You are not alone.”
Neither Harry nor Ron noticed Theodore stirring awake from the corner where he had fallen to the spell. His sudden movement caused Ron to turn his eyes away from Bellatrix.
“STOP OR SHE DIES!”
Bellatrix was holding a short silver knife to Hermione’s now-unconscious form.
“Drop your wands,” she whispered. “Do it or the little mudblood will soon join my sister.”
Ron stood rigid but he let Wormtail’s wand fall from his hands. Harry did the same with Bellatrix’s.
“Good” she leered. “Theodore, pick them up! The Dark Lord is coming for your Potter. And I am certain that he will include the squib in your demise.”
At the last word there was a loud grinding sound from above. All of them looked upward and saw the crystal chandelier tremble and begin to fall.
Bellatrix, who was directly in its path, threw herself aside. The chandelier crashed to the floor in an explosion of crystal. Theodore doubled over as the chards entered his face.
As Ron went for the Hermione, Harry leapt over to the fallen Theodore and took the three wands away from him. Bellatrix screamed in rage.
Everyone stilled as a tiny, trembling voice announced from the doorway. “You must not hurt Master Draco.”
The Death Eater witch snarled when her eyes landed on the elven servant. Dobby quickly scuttled towards Draco who was standing frozen and took both his hands in his large ones. His eyes were wide and anxious.
“Master Draco… you have to leave now.” He told the bewildered boy.
“My mother Dobby… my mum is gone.”
Dobby shook his head. “Dobby knows that Mistress Narcissa meant for you and your friends to be safe from the Dark Lord.”
“How dare you filthy creature. You will pay for this.” Bellatrix’ voice was heavy with rage. “Theodore order the elf to step aside!”
Theodore paid her no heed. He was frantically trying to contain the blood pouring from his face. The witch growled and threw the silver knife with as much force as she could muster.
The tiny elf concentrated hard. His wide eyes crinkling as he aimed the full extent of his magic towards one goal.
Before Draco could realize he felt the unfamiliar pull of teleport. He swiftly turned to look at Harry and saw that he was surrounded by the blue haze of house-elf magic. Draco faded out of the manor just as the knife hit its target.
TBC.
Author’s note L