The Werewolf's Child

The Tunnel

Harry knocked at the door of room 704 and entered without waiting. He found Dudley and Draco hunkered down in the bed together, in a tangle of blankets and discarded clothing. Draco startled awake, scrambled out of Dudley's arms, pulled the covers to his chin and stared at Harry with hostility.

"This is cozy," said Harry.

"Hiya Harry," said Dudley, yawning sleepily.

"Don't you knock?" said Draco.

"I did knock," Harry said.

"Piss off, Potter," said Draco. Harry just ignored him.

"What happened to you two?" Harry asked. He felt exceedingly relieved and happy to find them here, relatively unharmed, in bed together.

"Riot," replied Draco. "Dudley has a concussion. I just got banged up a bit."

"Cool scar," said Harry approvingly, looking at Draco's head. "You and I are going to match. We'll be like....twinsies or something."

"Oh piss off," said Draco.

"You already said that," said Harry, grinning at him.

Draco looked at him narrowly. "What are you doing here, Potter?"

"I need you to come with me," said Harry.

"What? Why? What's happened? Is everyone okay?"

"Snape's captured. Spinner's End was raided and burned."

"Fuck!" said Draco. "Where's Gav and Amanda? Did they get away?"

"Yeah, Lupin got them out. They're in a safe house somewhere in the middle of the ocean. With Snape's aunties."

"And Lupin? And the baby?"

"Yeah, they're okay, I guess. Lupin had a rough moon, but he's better now."

"Fuck!" said Draco again.

"We need you Draco. They're keeping Snape in a dungeon in Malfoy Manor. You Know Who's there and he's torturing him and stuff."

"How d'you know?" asked Draco.

"I......know," said Harry.

Draco gave him an appraising look but didn't question him further. "You're right," he said. "I'd best go. D' you mind Potter?" he asked. "A little privacy?"

Harry turned his back while Draco found his clothes and dressed. "Where are we going anyway?" Draco asked Harry's back as he pulled on his clothes.

"Ron's brother's place. I'll take you there. You'll need me to bring you through the wards."

"I'm going too," said Dudley from the bed.

Draco and Harry both turned and looked at him.

"You're ill," said Draco. "You're in hospital. You can't go."

Dudley shrugged. He got up and stretched. He was wearing baggy, light blue hospital trousers. "I'm all right," he said. "They're not doing anything anyway, are they? Just watching me. Where're my clothes?"

Dudley spied his things in a plastic bag by the windowsill and started pulling on his jeans. "You have a concussion," Draco protested. "You should stay here."

"Nah," said Dudley. "I feel fine. I'm coming with you. I want to help rescue Mr. Sev."

"Dudley," said Harry.

"Yeah?" Harry looked him in the eye and saw an all too familiar stubborn look there. The look of someone who is used to getting what he wants.

"You're Muggle," he said gently. "You don't have a wand. I'm not sure how much use you could really be."