| Girl on Fire |

35

VERONICA MALFOY

"Get up." Marcus said storming into my room. I opened my eyes and he unchained me. "What's going on?" I asked. "Incarcerous." he said. My wrists were bound in front of me and he dragged me to the living room. "Your brother and your friends found us. I know they won't try anything if I'm holding a knife to your throat." he said. He pulled me in front of him and held the knife to my throat. Adrian stood next to him pointing his wand towards the door. "Please don't hurt them." I said quietly. "If they do as I say, we won't have a problem." he said. Then I heard the hawk sound 3 times. So much for staying away from the door and windows. The front door burst open, the sliding glass doors shattered and Theo and Enzo walked down the hallway. They surrounded them. Marcus and Adrian were outnumbered. But none of that mattered. Not with the knife pressed against my throat. Draco and Mattheo stood in front of me. Mattheo looked like he hadn't slept in days. I realized I had no idea how long I had been gone. I think it's been 3 days, maybe 4. Allison and Blaise stood on the left and Theo and Enzo stood on the right. "That was rude, I liked that door." Marcus said. "Let her go." Allison said. "Would you prefer we take you instead?" Adrian asked. Blaise stepped in front of Allison. "Over my dead body," he said. "That's the plan. It's either all of your dead bodies, or hers." Marcus said pressing the knife to my throat. "No. Please, you said-" I started. "Shut up." Marcus snapped. "Let my sister go. Or I'll lock you in a room with Mattheo." Draco said. "Ooo, we are so scared." Adrian said. "You should be. I've changed my mind, Draco." Mattheo said. "What?" Draco asked. "I've decided I am going to kill them. I'll only go to Azkaban if I get caught. So I just won't get caught." he said casually. Marcus pressed the knife deeper to my neck and if he pressed even a bit harder it would break the skin. "If you try anything, I'll slit her throat." Marcus said. "Ok, let's all just calm down. Nobody has to kill anybody here." Blaise said. "Classic Blaise. Always playing Switzerland." Adrian said. "Call me crazy for not wanting anybody to murder anybody else." he said. "Let her go. You are outnumbered. Do you really think this is going to end in your favor?" Draco asked. I was frozen. I didn't speak. I just stared at Draco. He found me. He said he would and he did.

"Ok, I'm done waiting." Mattheo said. "Stupefy." "Stupefy" He was too quick for them. Adrian dropped to the floor and then so did Marcus. The knife clattered in front of me and I just stared at it. Draco ran over and hugged me. "Ronnie, you're ok. I'm here." he whispered. I wrapped my arms around him and buried my face in his chest. "You found me." I said. "I would've never stopped looking." he said. "That was brilliant." Blaise said. Mattheo walked over to me and he just looked at me. "I should've never let you go." he said. I pulled him into my arms. "I knew you would come." I said. I felt him smile. Draco took off his jacket and I pulled it on. "We need to get out-" Theo started.

"Mate" Blaise said. We all turned around to see the last seconds of Adrian and Marcus's apparition. "Damn it." Allison mumbled. "Son of a bitch." Blaise mumbled. Then he stumbled back and Theo barely caught him. "Blaise!" Draco exclaimed. We all dropped down next to him. Then we saw it. The blood pooling and the knife that was once held to my throat was plunged in Blaise's side. "Fuck." Theo said. "Blaise, Blaise, come on mate, stay with us." Enzo said. "We have to take him to the Manor. My mum can help." Draco said. "What about your father?" Allison asked. "He can fuck off." Draco said. Enzo and Theo picked Blaise up. "It's not safe to apparate when you're injured which means neither Blaise or V should do it." Allison said. "We don't have a portkey and they are already injured, it can't get much worse. Apparition is the fastest way to get them help." Mattheo said. "Just do it." Blaise said weakly. His shirt was soaked in blood. "Apparate." Mattheo said. The world spun and my vision blurred. It hurt like hell and I was dizzy. Blaise groaned as we dragged in in the house. "Mum!" Draco yelled. Allison swept everything off the table and they laid Blaise down. "You should sit down V" Allison said. "Take the knife out." Blaise said. "No. Blaise, we can't. You might bleed out." she said. He groaned. "That fucking prick. Who stabs someone when we have magic. I would have preferred a hex" he said. "Seriously Blaise, there's a knife in your stomach and you are still making jokes?" Allison said. "At least his brain is still normal." Theo said. "As normal as it was." Enzo said. "Reckon I'm still smarter than you mate." Blaise said. My mum rushed in with Draco and her healing bag. "Veronica!" she hugged me. I just pointed to Blaise. She realized it and turned around. "Ok Blaise, you're going to be alright. I'm going to take it out and heal you right up." she said. Then father walked in. "Absolutely not. Take that elsewhere. He's bleeding all over the place." my father said. "Are you serious right? He's been stabbed saving your daughter." Theo yelled. "I know you don't give a shit about her but we do. And right now Narcissa is going to help Blaise and you can go drink firewhiskey and do whatever it is you do in your free time when you aren't abusing your children!" Enzo also yelled. Draco and I stood there stunned. "You two would do well to remember your place right now. You will show respect in my household or I will-" he started.

"What? What will you do to 2 children that aren't your own Lucius?" Snape said as he walked in. "Severus, just because you are their godfather-" he started again. "Because I am their godfather it is my job to make sure they are safe and protected. Considering Veronica was kidnapped and you failed to do your job as her father, I am here to make sure she is alright. Seeing as one of my students is injured I will be staying to ensure his needs are taken care of as well. I suggest you retire to another room before this escalates." Snape said. Now we all stared in shock. "How dare you all disrespect me? In my own house!" he yelled. "Fuck just leave or I will crucio you to death! Veronica and Draco would be far better off without you." Mattheo yelled. My father turned on his heel and stormed out. "Bloody hell." Allison mumbled. "Smooth Professor" Blaise said with a smirk before groaning in pain again. "Yes, yes, alright. he mumbled. He walked over to my mother and looked at Blaise. "Compliments of Marcus I assume?" Snape asked as my mum worked on Blaise. "Of course, otherwise it would've been too easy." he said. He groaned again as my mum pulled the knife out. "Yes, well where are the two boys." Snape asked. "I'll be back." Mattheo said. "What? Where are you going?" I asked. "To kill them." he said, then he apparated into a cloud of black smoke. I stood there frozen. Draco ran up to me and pulled me inside. "It'll be ok Ronnie. Mum wants to take a look at you." he said. I nodded. Please Mattheo, please don't do anything stupid.