A Serpent's Heart

Chapter 25. Breakfast Surprises.

I was forcefully smacked to the ground. It took a while to comprehend what had just happened, but when I opened my eyes and saw Draco towering above me, I realized the rescue plan had failed.

Draco held out his hand to help me stand up. I looked around and saw we were standing at an outer edge of Hogsmeade.

"You took me back to Hogsmeade?" I asked disdainfully.

"Is that your way of saying "thank you for bringing me to safety"?" Draco replied annoyedly.

"Are you mental? My friends are still at the manor and we are here!" I cried.

"Don't worry. You saw Lovegood was alive-"

"But what about Emma? She broke into your house. What if they torture her? And Harry, Ron and Hermione are there as well, we have to go back!" I whined. "And you lost your wand, don't you want it back?"

"I just saved your life! Didn't you hear Bellatrix wanted to use you as bait? You should thank me. And we're not going back for my wand, either. I can get a new one," Draco said indignantly.

"But in the turmoil we could've taken them all!" I said. "Are you still on their side? Otherwise you'd go back to save Potter and the others!"

"Shut up about picking sides! They are my family. You can't expect me to fight them. You should consider yourself lucky, Keira. Imagine if I hadn't realized you were missing in the first place!"

I wanted to walk away and try to save them anyways. I looked at my feet and noticed I wasn't wearing shoes. Me against a bunch of Death Eaters? It was hopeless.

Draco walked away and asked: "You coming?" When there was no reply, he turned around to face me. I was crying now. Draco lifted my chin, forcing me to look into his eyes. "I know you're upset, but there's nothing we can do about it now."

"You're heartless! If Emma dies, it's your fault," I blurted out.

"Keira, you were the one who brought her there in the first place," Draco reminded me.

I sighed and followed Draco to the gates of the school grounds. I couldn't blame Draco for not wanting to go back: he wouldn't betray his family and it was quite dangerous for both of us.

As if he had been expecting us, Professor Flitwick was just taking a stroll near the gates.

"Professor! Could you please let us in?" I called.

Professor Flitwick scurried over to us and opened the gates. "But where are miss Lovegood and miss Brabbs?" he asked worriedly.

"Well, something went wrong-" I said.

Draco interrupted me, saying: "But they're quite safe. No one will harm them."

I looked at him intently, as if to say: "What about Potter and his friends?"

***

When we entered the castle, some people gave us funny looks. I must say, a shoeless Ravenclaw, a Malfoy and a part-Goblin are quite the view, of course.

"I must inform the other teachers about Brabb's missing, but I'll be tacit about the reason," Professor Flitwick entrusted us.

"Thanks, Professor," I said softly.

***

The next day, an owl dropped a letter into my cereal bowl. I scolded at it and fished the letter out of the milk. It was my mother's and it read as follows:

Dear Keira,

To my regret I must inform you that Death Eaters have taken your dad. First, they asked if he wanted to join them. When he refused, they used the Cruciatus Curse on him. It was horrible to watch! He still refused, so they forcefully took him to "meet the master". I think they will use the Imperius Curse on him and make him join the Dark Lord's forces anyways.

I know the Dark Lord is building up an army, but why take your dad? I was so glad he came round, but now it's all for nothing. I have improved the protective spells around our house, so he can't return. It's a hard measure, but I will not allow our house to turn into a Death Eater's headquarters.

I'm so sorry.

R.S.V.P. I need to know if you're okay.

Love,

Mom

My hands were shaking as I read it. Furiously, I pranced to the Slytherin table and smacked the letter in front of Draco. Crabbe and Goyle looked up from their porridge in surprise. "Do you know anything about this?" I yelled.

Draco looked at me reproachfully after reading it. "What makes you think that?" he asked.

"Maybe you tipped off the Death Eaters to recruit my dad," I speculated.

"That's ridiculous. What difference would it make to me? You gave them the idea yourself by showing up at the manor," Draco replied.

He had a point, but I was lost for words when two girls entered the Great Hall. How was this possible? How had they managed to escape?

I rushed to Luna and Emma, who had a cut on her face, and hugged them. Luna smiled at me and said: "I appreciate your attempt at saving me, but it turned out I didn't need your help. Hermione and Dobby the house-elf  helped us all escape."

I was so glad to see them both safe and sound, I couldn't hold back my tears and that is saying something, since I'm not the crying type.

"Emma, I was so worried! Have they hurt you?" I asked, looking at the cut on her face.

"Just a reminder not to fall onto a sharp rock after apparating," Emma blushed.

"And Luna, did they harm you in any way?" I asked.

Luna smiled serenely and assured me: "Oh goodness, no. They just let me sit in the dungeon with Ollivander. So now I actually know a lot about wands and how to make them. It was an interesting replacement for the classes I've missed."

A few Professors walked over to us. Professor Trelawney had a grave expression on her face and said: "I had already predicted someone's tragic death and I feared it was you, Luna, but here you are, alive and kicking! Another unfulfilled prophecy..." It looked as if she was more upset about the fact that her prediction hadn't come true, than about Luna's abduction.

Professor Flitwick triumphantly smiled: "Good to have you back, girls."

Professor Slughorn maneuvered himself through the tables and when he had reached us at last, he shook Luna's hand and said: "Glad my Potions class will be complete again. I reckon you have some catching up to do? We've been brewing some intricate potions lately."

Luna smiled and assured all the Professors they needn't worry.

"Keira Tacendi, you owe me an apology," someone behind me said pedantically.

Draco was standing behind me, watching the scene in front of him with no particular interest.

"I told you they'd be okay," he continued.

"Sure, they managed to escape without my help, but it could have ended badly anyways," I said, still a little upset about Draco's cold behaviour.

Draco's icy eyes were piercing into mine, still expecting an apology.

"Oh for Merlin's sake, I'm sorry. You were right, Draco. You wanted the best for me," I sighed.

"So everything's back to normal, somewhat?" Emma asked hopefully.

"Well..." I said in a trembling voice. "My father was taken by the Death Eaters and I'm afraid Draco and I've got a little bit more in common now..."