The Silver Envelope

Ignoma's Signal

Chapter Notes
TW: violence, torture.

Hermione's muffled scream heated Draco's palm through the silvery fabric of Potter's invisibility cloak.
"Hi, darling," he murmured, too quiet for anyone else to hear. They were all distracted anyway, thanks to Tillo's quick thinking.
As it turned out, the little elf had quite a talent for espionage. Once Draco had gotten them past the magical barrier around the compound, Tillo had tracked Hermione to the old church building
easily. He and Draco stole a boat to make their way up the river, and although Draco's Patronus had been little more than a wisp of silver due to how anxious he felt, they had miraculously made it through the forest due to Tillo's handiwork with the magical motor on the back of the boat. They had zipped along to their destination in only a few minutes and successfully slipped into the stone church while no one was looking
It had been difficult, waiting in the corner while Umbridge gloated about her plans to grow her creepy wand polish enterprise, but he needed to wait for an opening. Just as Draco had been about to lose his patience and hex everyone in the room, distraction or not, Tillo had manufactured the perfect disruption. Everyone was now splattered in slippery goop, yelling obscenities over the commotion of the fireworks and hunting for the elf responsible through the rapidly thickening miasma. Only Flint had been spared from the worst of the mess, as he had been standing on the other side of Umbridge when it happened, though the task of finding out which elf had caused this mayhem had diverted his attention as well. Flares of Finite Incantatum thickened the air, causing the hovering obiects to crash to the floor.
Draco pointed his wand at Hermione's shackles. The fusion charm was sticky but not impossible to get around. He tried several incantations, muttering them under his breath with his wand poking slightly out of the cloak. Finally, the first shackle came undone. But as soon as he'd moved onto the next one, Hermione let out a horrified gasp at something behind him.
A huge hand swung out, heading directly for his face. Draco ducked, but not quite in time. Flint's
palm connected with Draco's temple, knocking him to the side. Flint must have seen the bit of his wand, or the change in Hermione's expression, and had put it together, swiping out blindly to see if he was right. It hadn't been a particularly hard hit, but the damage was done. The invisibility cloak slipped, exposing his feet as Draco scrambled to right himself.
"OI! SHE'S ESCAPING! SOMEONE'S HERE!" Flint bellowed to the room.
Draco swore, shooting a stinging hex directly at Flint's eyes. Just as Flint dropped to the ground, screaming in pain, Selwyn advanced, firing spells at the ground around Draco, guessing where he was as his feet slipped out of sight once more. Umbridge had heard the commotion from outside.
She came rushing back in to see what was the matter.
"Accio invisibility cloak!" Selwyn roared.
Draco clutched the fabric of the cloak tightly, but it didn't so much as twitch. When Selwyn realized his summoning charm hadn't worked, he continued firing random spells in Draco's general direction. Draco retreated, blocking several of them before hiding behind a large cauldron at the front of the room. Looking around, he assessed the situation while Selwyn, Umbridge, Boone, Johanna, and Pansy all squinted through the smoky haze as they looked around for him.
Flint was still nursing his stinging face, head in his hands. The elves had all hid underneath the metal tables, letting out frightened whimpers and whispering to one another.
Pointing his wand at the large door at the end of the room, Draco cast a nonverbal spell to open it,
then slammed it shut again.
"He's getting away!" Pansy screamed, hurling for the door. Umbridge and Boone followed after her, slipping and sliding as they crossed the messy floor, but Selwyn wasn't fooled. He stood guard
over Hermione, wand at the ready, eyes scanning the room for Draco.
Draco sent a hex at Selwyn, but the wizard was quick enough to block it. His eyes trained on the spot where he thought the hex had come from, about two feet to Draco's left. Draco edged away, taking aim once more. Hermione's eves were alert as she searched for him
"Show yourself!" Selwyn spat.
Draco sent out three jinxes rapid-fire. Selwyn blocked them all. However, he did not anticipate that
a tiny elf would choose that moment to sink his teeth into his leg
Selwyn howled and kicked, training his wand on Tillo instead. Draco bolted from his hiding place, sending a stunner at Selwyn just as he managed to shake Tillo off of his leg. The healer went down
with a heavy thud, nearly crushing Hermione. She flinched out of the way, pulling on her chain.
Draco bounded over, grasping at Hermione's remaining shackle and pointing his wand at it.
"Stop right there or Ignoma dies!"
Terror struck his heart at the sound of Ignoma's name.