Harry Potter and the Protectors of Hogwarts

xxi. of the end

Harry must have blacked out for a time because when he came to his head was in Luna's lap and the manacles had been removed. His wrists were red raw and his torso and back were in no better shape. His legs were extremely shaky; he could feel that even lying down.

"Stay still, Harry," Luna ordered. She had wrapped herself up in Lucius' cloak.

"Lavender?" he croaked.

"I'm right here, Harry," she said, leaning over him.

She was also wrapped in a cloak.

"How long was I out?" he asked.

"Just a minute," he was told by Luna.

"Are you two okay? Did they-?" he didn't know how to ask the question sensitively.

"No," Lavender said, but then started sobbing.

"I'm sorry," he said, helplessly. "Help me up."

"You need to stay still," Luna told him.

"No, help me up," he said, his voice getting worse.

The two girls helped him up, without trying to touch his wounds too much. He grunted trying to suppress a scream.

Lucius was currently using his wand to levitate the werewolves away from them.

"They're dead," Lavender told him, as she supported him, and Harry heard the satisfaction in her voice.

He heard the rattle of keys and saw turned to see Lucius was in the process of opening the cell door to son.

Draco, who was being supported by Pansy and Crabbe, immediately fell into his father's arms the moment the doors swing open.

"Dad, dad. I didn't tell. I didn't tell. I didn't tell," Draco was telling them urgently.

Lucius was trying to reassure him, trying to calm him.

"It's okay. It's okay, Draco. You did well," Lucius told him, hugging him tightly. "Tell me. Tell me who did this to you. Tell me who did this to you."

But Draco was too weak to stay up and started sliding down; Lucius supported him until he was lying down.

"I didn't tell, I didn't tell," Draco kept repeating.

"Draco, listen to me. Draco," Lucius tried to snap him out of it.

"Well, well, well. How's my darling brother-in-law Lucius?" came the voice of the last person they wanted to hear.

Lucius slowly got to his feet, wand immediately in hand. He walked out of the cell and with a flick of his wrist Draco and Harry's cell doors closed shut with an audible click.

"Come back for the baby dragon, Lucius?" Bellatrix taunted.

"Did you hurt my son Bellatrix?" Lucius asked evenly.

"The little dragon squealed," Bellatrix trilled with satisfaction. "And squealed and squealed and squealed. All dragon had to do was tell me where mummy and daddy went. Where did you go Lucius? You left your little baby all by his lonesome."

Lucius didn't answer, simply taking a step forward.

"Where did you go you filthy little coward?" Bellatrix demanded to know. "Where have you hidden my dearest sister?"