𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐀 𝐅𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐘𝐓𝐀𝐋𝐄

Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen: To Fear

The events of the last few minutes were mind-blowing. Madam Pomfrey and Hermione were doing everything they could for Ginny while Minerva ordered Harry and Malfoy down to her office. The Weasleys were called in and they arrived by Floo not two seconds after the message received. An army of red-headed brothers and a sister-in-law stormed into the office, making Harry and Ron quite anxious. Malfoy was sitting curled up on an armchair, getting and more upset as the room filled. He must have realised by this point that none of this had been a dream and that he was to face real consequences because all the joy he'd had when he believed he'd slain his monster was gone.

Bill was the first to come through after his parents. While Molly and Arthur were quickly ushered to the medical wing, the brothers were to wait. Harry was the only one to protect Malfoy and they all know he'd need protection.

The first thing Bill did when he saw Malfoy was rush him. He ignored the grip his French bride had on his arm, shook her off, and stormed straight at Malfoy.

"You son of a bitch! You've hurt our family for the last time!" he roared, launching himself at the blonde. In that moment, Malfoy cowered, hiding behind the arm of the chair.

Harry stood in the way.

"Move," Bill ordered. "What the hell are you doing protecting him? He's done nothing but cause us pain!" Bill's face was disfigured by scars and his searing anger and he was pointing and waving like a lunatic.

Malfoy actually whimpered and curled into a tighter ball.

"I need you to calm down," Harry tried but that only further infuriated the larger man.

"Calm down? He's killed my baby sister!"

"She isn't dead. Madam Pomfrey's doing everything she can. You have to understand…Malfoy…he's not himself. He didn't mean to…"

Bill hexed him, or at least tried to, because Harry saw the moment he'd made up his mind and deflected, shattering one of the glass cabinets.

"I think you should really calm down, Bill," Harry suggested, letting his magic flare for just a moment longer with the hopes of intimidating Bill. He didn't want to have to hurt him but he'd choose to protect Draco if it came down to that.

It seemed to work. Bill stepped back and allowed Fleur to hold his hand. She was being used as a front as to why Bill didn't pursue the fight. "If he makes one move, I swear, Harry…"

"I know."

A minute hadn't even passed since Harry calmed Bill down before the twins crashed through the Floo and headed straight for the Slytherin. They were yelling furiously things Harry couldn't understand, so twisting was their rage. He stepped up between them and Malfoy, like he'd done for Bill, and did his best to hold them back without his magic.

"Please," he pleaded, pushing on chests and shoulders. "He didn't mean to do it. He was confused…" His repeated lines incited Bill as well, so that there was a third body he had to keep away from Malfoy. Malfoy slipped up off the chair and headed off into a corner, hoping to have found a better spot to hide in. He moved so quickly that Harry didn't have a chance to see where he'd ducked off to and when he looked away from the yelling trio of redheads, one of them took advantage of the distraction.

A curse spat forth from one of the raised wands and was on its way to Malfoy's hiding hole, when a shield popped up and the weak hex crashed into it, dissipating easily.

The fact that the shield had come from Ron was enough to shock his brothers into stopping their attack on Malfoy.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Bill demanded, glaring at his youngest brother.