Rescuing Dragons

Consequences

 Time seemed to go incredibly slow as Raven watched the green light shoot from Draco's wand to meet its target. She closed her eyes, waiting for the impact. But to her surprise, nothing happened. When she opened her eyes, it was to see Milly staring at her in disbelief. "Impossible!" Milly cried. Now she looked more scared than triumphant. She hesitated, then aimed Draco's wand at Raven again. "Avada..."

"Stupefy!" The command came from the doorway. Raven could see the outline of two people standing there. Milly crashed to the floor. "Expelliarmus!" This time Raven recognized the voice. Milly's four wands went flying through the air to Astoria, who caught them up. Draco, powerless without his wand, stood helplessly by. She handed him his wand, then turned to Raven. "Are you alright?" Astoria asked as she untied her.

Raven saw Draco standing over Milly, a haunted look on his face. "I'm... fine," Raven said. "I don't know about Hardwin though."

Astoria handed Raven the wand Milly took from her, then kneeled down to check Hardwin's pulse. "He's alive." Astoria quickly untied him and said, "Rennervate."

Hardwin let out a low moan. He slowly sat up, holding his head. Milly's spell must have caused him to hit the wall. "Where's Milly?" he said in a panicked voice.

"It's okay. She's knocked out," Astoria said. "Draco's tying her up and I have her wand," She motioned to the unconscious Milly.

They all watched as Draco made a spiraling motion with his wand, tying up Milly with the same ropes she had used on Raven.

Raven felt strange, as if she could barely move. Her hands were shaking as she massaged her wrists where the ropes had been. She wanted to stand up but her legs felt too weak to hold her.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Astoria asked her in a worried voice.

"She's in shock," Draco said wisely.

"Milly tried to kill me but I'm still alive," Raven said quietly.

"Astoria used the Stunning Spell on her before she finished the words," Draco said.

Raven shook her head. "No, that was her second attempt. The whole spell was said the first time. I saw the green light but... nothing happened.

Draco and Astoria looked at each other knowingly. "Did she use Draco's wand?" said Astoria.

"Yes," Raven replied.

"Well at least we know it works now," Astoria said to Draco.

"What do you..." Raven was cut off by Draco.

"I went to Ollivander's after the war. I asked him if he could keep my wand from cursing Astoria and my parents." He paused for a moment. "After being forced to do things by the Dark Lord to my father..., I never wanted to be put in that position again. Ollivander said to bring him a hair from whoever I wanted to protect. After I brought them to him, he took my wand and the hairs to the back of his shop for a few minutes. When Ollivander came back, he said it was done."

"But how did that protect me?"

"I went back after your second visit and told him to add you on. I found a hair from your seat in our dining room."

Raven was overwhelmed. She brushed away the tears on her cheeks. "You saved my life, Draco."

They locked eyes. "And you saved mine," he said quietly.

"What do you mean?"

"Those long talks we had late at night. You listened to me without judgment, pointing out how I had no choice. It allowed me to forgive myself. You gave me a new life." He turned to Astoria. "And I finally felt more deserving of you." Astoria threw her arms around Draco and held him tightly.