The Purest Kind of Magic

- sixty six -

"Woah there," Lupin spoke, "Don't speak of death so easily, we're not going to kill you two."

Draco looked away, "We're bound by magic, we can't give out any information."

"That's not what I had in mind actually."

"Then what?" I asked as I made eye contact with him, "What use could we possibly be? With this Mark, he already knows we failed the mission, sending us back is worse than killing us right here and now."

Harry, who decided to remain silent for a while, spoke up, "...We'll hold you two hostage."

"Hostage?" I echoed. The idea was so outlandish, so audacious, that it almost made me laugh, "He won't give a damn about me, He only kept me alive so I have to live through this hell, serving him like a damned slave."

Lupin's expression softened, and he exchanged a glance with Harry before continuing, "He may not care about you, but there's also Malfoy, the Malfoy family won't leave him to die."

Harry's expression hardened, "Look, we don't want to harm you, but you are Death Eaters. And plus, we can't let you go back just to be suffering even more. We'll find a way to break the magical bindings on you, but for now, you'll have to cooperate."

Draco clenched his jaw, a mixture of frustration and resignation in his eyes. "What guarantee do we have that you won't just hand us over to the Ministry or use us as bargaining chips?"

Lupin sighed, "We can't make guarantees in these circumstances, but we're not in the business of harming innocent lives. If there's a way to help you both, we'll find it."

I leaned back against the cold wall, the weight of the Dark Mark on my arm a constant reminder of the choices that led us to this dire situation. The room was dimly lit, shadows playing across our faces as we navigated the delicate balance between survival and the unknown.

Draco's eyes bore into Lupin, searching for any sign of sincerity. "And what if there isn't a way to break the magical bindings? What then? Are we to be your prisoners forever?"

Lupin sighed, a weariness in his eyes that spoke of the complexities of the world we inhabited. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. For now, our priority is to ensure that you don't return to Voldemort and provide information that could harm our cause."

The air in the room grew heavy with unspoken tension, the weight of our shared predicament hanging in the air. It was a delicate dance, negotiations in the midst of shadows and uncertainty.

Harry spoke up, his voice firm, "We're not heartless. We can tell that you're caught in a situation not of your choosing. We'll do what we can to help you, but you need to be patient and cooperative."

I glanced at Draco, and he met my gaze with a mixture of skepticism and a hint of resignation.

--

It's now halfway through August, meaning summer break should be coming soon. It also meant that Draco and I have been "held captive" for half a month.

"Do you think they're wondering where we are?" Draco asked as he kept rubbing the Dark Mark as if it would magically disappear after a while.

I leaned against the wall, "Snape might be reassuring our friends that we're fine, and he probably is. But yeah, Snape is definitely worried. He probably knows where we are though."

Draco sighed, frustration evident on his face. "I hate being stuck like this, not knowing what's going on outside. And the longer we stay here, the more likely it is that something bad is happening."

"Mm, and Harry won't tell us anything," I grunted, "Probably still mad about me being a Death Eater."

Draco chuckled, "And he won't listen to our explanations either, what a nutjob."

We then heard a knock and we sat up. No one knocks in this place. The doorknob opened and we saw someone we never expected to see.

"...Godfather? What- How'd you get here? Did you knock them all out?" Draco stuttered at the sight of Snape.

I gasped, "No way, you were on this side all along?"

Snape frowns, "I thought you two have known ever since you set foot in here."

Draco and I exchanged surprised glances. "Known what?" Draco asked, a puzzled expression on his face.

Snape sighed, a hint of frustration in his voice. "This is my doing. I arranged for Lupin and Potter to 'capture' you. Voldemort's suspicions were growing, and I couldn't afford him summoning you back. This was the only way to ensure your safety."

I stared at Snape, shocked. "So, you're not on His side anymore?" I questioned, my voice cautious.

Snape's eyes flickered, a complex mix of emotions playing across his features. "I have my reasons. We don't have much time; we need to get you out of here."

"And go where exactly?" Draco asked, "And what about you? What would happen to you?"

Snape's expression darkened. "I'll manage. Now, come, the Portkey is waiting."

"Tell us where we're going first," I said.

"Hogwarts. Where else?"

--

Hey guys, sorry for another short chapter but just a quick note that I'm predicting in the next chapter or two, the story would be wrapped up. And now that I think about the ending I planned out, it might be a little too rushed and flawed haha... but I really don't know how else to continue this series anymore, my creativity is barely holding on lol

so just a quick apology before the final ending that'll probably be disappointing as fuck lmao