Draco Malfoy and The Order of the Phoenix (BOOK 5 of 7)

Chapter 18-Secret Weapons

"I'm sure you three know by now what's allowed and what isn't," Umbridge said, disarming the trio and handing the wands to Draco. "Trying to contact Dumbledore right under my nose."

"We weren't-" Weasley started.

"So what if we were?" Potter said, probably thinking he was bold for doing so.

"You know where he is?" Umbridge said skeptically.

Potter just stared back at her, a challenge in his eyes.

"Very well, then," Umbridge said. "If you won't tell me, I'll have to figure it out myself."

She motioned to Blaise, Theo, and Adrian to grab each member of the Golden Trio and hold them at wandpoint.

"Go get Severus," she said to Pansy who complied. "Tell him I need honesty. In a moment, I'll know exactly where Dumbledore is and you three will be expelled from Hogwarts."

Hermione gasped and they all waited for Pansy to return with Snape. If Umbridge was going to use Veritaserum to get the trio to talk, then Draco was once again in trouble.

After what seemed like hours, Snape lazily strode in, followed by a tired Pansy.

"Thank you, Professor Snape," Umbridge said, "for coming here on such short notice. Did you bring it?"

"I'm afraid," Snape started in his slow drawl, "that you used up the last of the Veritaserum on Miss Chang."

Umbridge frowned. "In that case, I shall have to resort to other measures-measures that are a bit more physical."

"You can't mean the Cruciatus?" Longbottom cried out.

Umbridge picked up a picture of Cornelius Fudge from her desk and flipped it over so that the Minister was staring at the pink tablecloth. "What Cornelius doesn't know won't hurt him."

"He's got Padfoot," Potter said to Snape, drawing attention to everyone else in the room. "He's got Padfoot at the place where it's hidden."

Umbridge turned to Snape. "Padfoot? What's Padfoot? Where what's hidden?"

Snape just looked at her and shrugged. "No idea." He then left, and Draco presumed that he was going to alert the Order.

Umbridge turned back to the trio and raised her wand in Potter's direction when all of a sudden, Hermione cried out.

"Just tell her, Harry!"

Everyone turned to find the Gryffindor girl burst into tears.

"Just tell her," she repeated.

"Tell me what?" Umbridge demanded.

"Hermione, no!" Potter said.

"Dumbledore's secret weapon," Hermione said.

Draco caught Potter and Weasley look at Hermione in confusion so that meant that Hermione was just making this up.

 Not bad, Draco mentally commented on her acting.

"Secret weapon?" Umbridge said.

"Yes, it's in the Forbidden Forest. W-we can take you, if you wish us to."

Draco nearly snorted at the fake stammer.

"Straightaway," Umbridge said to Hermione.

Blaise and Theo released Hermione and Potter. The two Gryffindors led Umbridge out of the office. Draco sent Hermione the message Nice acting skills.

"Pleased with yourselves, are you?" Weasley said a few silent moments later.

"We're doing our job," Draco replied. Hermione's answer came: Thanks. Leading Umbridge to forest.

"Some job, helping your Death Eating Daddy-"

Draco marched forward and shoved his wand against Weasley's throat, dropping Longbottom in the process.

"Don't you dare go down that road," Draco hissed. "You know absolutely nothing, so stop acting the opposite way."

Weasley glared at him and leaped at him, but Adrian held him back. A bunch of candy fell from Weasley's pockets. Draco saw him squint at the ground for a moment before his face lit up with what seemed like an idea.

"My secret stash!" Weasley cried out, dropping to the ground to scoop them up. Crabbe and Goyle released Weaslette and Luna to rush forward. Draco had never seen them move so fast before except during Christmas feasts.

Milicent Bulstrode and the Greengrass sisters followed the two oafs and they all knelt, grabbing candies and scarfing them down. Draco knew that the candy couldn't just be candy so he went forwards and picked up five. He gave one each to Blaise, Theo, Adrian, and Pansy.

"Don't actually eat these," he whispered, pretending to be scanning the candies, "but if something happens to those five," he nodded his head towards the other Slytherins "then act like it's happening to you."

Pretty soon, after the candies had been consumed (or falsely consumed), the people who actually ate the candies started to throw up. Draco stuck his head in a wastebasket and pretended to do the same, deliberately dropping the wands he'd taken. He hoped that his friends were doing the same.

He heard footsteps and saw the Gryffindors and Luna leaving out of the corner of his eye. He instantly lifted his head, glad that there was only paper in the wastebasket. Draco tapped his friends and they rose as well.

In a low tone, he said, "I'm going to the Ministry."

"You can't!" Pansy whispered.

"I have to make sure nothing happens to-"

"You'll be seen, mate," Blaise said.

"I won't."

"If you go," Theo said, "then we're coming."

"None of you know how to do Disillusionment Charms," Draco told them. "We never got there during the training." He glanced back at the others, but they were still puking.

"He's right," Adrian said to the rest of the group. "But you can't go," he added to Draco.

"Trust me," Draco insisted. "I'll be fine. Now let's pretend that we're off to find Weasley and their gang. You guys go straight to the Slytherin dorms and quit worrying."

They reluctantly agreed, and Blaise yelled, "Let's get 'em!" They all took off in the direction of the Slytherin common room, but Draco took a detour and headed outside.

"Be careful!" Pansy called.

Draco ran to the spot where he'd seen the thestrals grouped together earlier that year. He saw Potter and his friends take off just as he got there. He quickly climbed onto one and rode the horse in the other direction, which he knew was faster. Draco was familiar with where the Ministry was in respect to Hogwarts. He'd spent the last few months looking over maps in case he was needed there. He knew Flooing wasn't safe, nor did he like it.

He checked his fake Sickle and read Going to Ministry. Help?

He answered You know I can't.

As Draco rode, he felt free-as free as he did anytime he flew on his broom or when he flew on Buckbeak. He knew this feeling wouldn't last so he enjoyed it while he could. After a long time, the MInistry came into his view.

"Here we go," Draco said to the thestral, riding it to the ground.

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