Love In The Time of Voldemort

Chapter Five

"Draco! Hadara!"

Lucius is striding towards them, across the Great Entrance.

"Father," Draco greets.

"Lord Malfoy," Hadara greets with a small curtsy.

Lucius gives them both a tense smile and gestures towards the open castle doors. "Shall we go for a walk?"

Hadara takes Draco's arm when he offers it. They follow Lord Malfoy, who quickly casts a privacy charm around them.

"I only have a few moments until Dumbledore will run me off. I'm only allowed on school grounds because we had a Board of Governors meeting."

"What do I do?" Hadara asks. "The first task is in November."

"They're bringing in dragons from Romania. Each contestant will be asked to steal the golden egg from a nesting mother."

Hadara's eyes blow wide, "That's a terrible idea."

"Alas, I was not on the planning committee. We're just lucky Ludo Bagman is such a talkative drunk. The key here is that you do not actually compete."

"I have to," Hadara argues. "Dumbledore says the magic compels the participants."

"It compels them to begin the tasks, but not to finish them. Trust me, our lawyers have read over the rules relentlessly for the last seventy two hours. All you have to do is step into the tasks, stay there for a moment or two at most, and then bow out."

Draco still looks unconvinced, "A moment or two with a dragon is still a lot."

"Might I suggest you bring your Firebolt, Hadara?"

"We're only allowed a wand."

Lucius drapes a hand on Draco's shoulder. "Then Draco brings your Firebolt, and you summon it from the stands."

"Is that cheating?" Hadara asks skeptically.

"Not technically, but if cheating saves your life, I would absolutely condone it. So would all who care for you."

Hadara bites her bottom lip as she thinks about his words. Her sense of Potter honor rebels against the idea of cheating, but her Slytherin side says there's no honor in dying needlessly. She throws a braid over her shoulder as she sighs.

"I'll use my broom."

"Excellent. I must remind you that whoever did this is most likely still in the school. Probably a former Death Eater, or someone who's been radicalized after the Dark Lord's fall. Igor Karkaroff was a Death Eater, though I'm not sure he's capable of this. He always was a coward."

"Who do you think it is?" Hadara asks.

"It's hard to know," Lucius admits. "It's an ill thought out plan. If someone wants to get to you, why enter your name and draw more attention to you? Why not ambush you why everyone's distracted by the tasks, or attack you when you're on your own? I imagine the Dark Lord's mind is failing him, and whoever's carrying out his wishes is either too insane to see the failings of the plan, or too cowardly to contradict him."

Hadara scowls, "That kind of loyalty is useless. Hermione's loyal, but she's not afraid to tell me when I'm being dumb."

"I agree. The Dark Lord, however, never liked those who disagreed with him. He didn't like to be challenged."

Hadara rolls her eyes, "He sounds like a charmer."

Lucius looks between Draco and Hadara. "Have you noticed anything odd so far this year?"

"You mean besides Hadara's name popping out of the Goblet of Fire?" Draco quips.

"Obviously," Lucius drawls.