It's not easy to explain, but . . .

Chapter 48

                                   Chapter 48 : The D. A. goes underground

"Really? Just like that?" Rupert turned and looked at Lucius.  "You switch sides and become Dad-of-the-year in less than a minute?"

Lucius laughed and shook his head. "I don't know about 'Dad-of-the-year', Rupert.  That took some real work on my part, but you can't forget, I am a Slytherin;  I'd been observing and calculating . . . then Narcissa handed me my chance at getting us out alive  . . . and I took it.  We were trapped, about to be killed and we both knew it.  Voldemort did not hold me in the high esteem I thought was my right . . . he didn't hesitate to kill both Narcissa and myself.  And as soon as we arrived at Hogwarts and I saw Albus was alive and found that Draco was helping Harry, too, I was more than willing to do whatever it took to bring about Voldemort's downfall."

"That's not to say Lucius had the run of the castle, but he did help train the D.A. with their dueling, gave over some of the nastier Death Eater spells that would, more than likely, be used against them; he fit right in," Harry assured Rupert.

Rupert nodded and sat back, thoughtful look on his face, then he sat up again. "I just thought of something, what happened to Draco?  Did the Dark Lord call him to the Manor?"

"Oh, yes, he tried," nodded Draco, unconsciously rubbing his forearm.  "My arm was sore for a week . . . needless to say, I didn't answer . . . and I had to disappear from the school, too."

Dan looked over at Severus. "I bet you were stuck between a rock and a hard place, eh, Severus?"

"That sentence could be in the top three 'Understatements-of-the-year', Dan," nodded the Potions Master, with a smirk.

X X X

Severus met Bella in the hall outside of the meeting chamber.

"Any sign of the Wandmaker?" she asked, but not in her usual condescending, snide way; she seemed nervous and down-right frightened.

"None, but the others are still looking. . . What's happened?"  Severus frowned.

"Narcissa and Lucius have disappeared,"  Bella whispered.  "And the Dark Lord was injured; that gate at the bottom of the stairs swung shut and knocked him down."

"WHAT? How badly is he injured?"

"I don't know, he doesn't want anyone in the room right now," she hissed back, casting a look at the closed door. "He's. . . stunned . . . that Narcissa and Lucius should get away . . .he was about to kill them both . . ."

"How did they get away?  Those cellars are warded . . . the Dark Lord saw to that himself."  Severus glared at her.

"How should I know? The gate went swinging shut, knocked our Master down, I went running to help him and when we turned around . . . they were gone!" Bella replied, trying to keep her voice down, although she was getting more worked up by the minute.  "I'll kill Narcissa, myself, when I find her!"

The door to the meeting room swung open.  Severus and Bella took one look at each other and then went through, to face their Master.

Voldemort looked haggard, but held his head up, staring at his two most faithful followers as they approached him and fell to their knees.

"Well?" came the raspy voiced inquiry.

"The front gates were still warded and sealed, so the others are searching the grounds, Master," Severus reported.