The Domino Effect [DRARRY]

24.

Trying to make some sense of it all but I can see that it makes no sense at all. Is it cool to go to sleep on the floor? I don't think that I can take anymore. Clowns to the left of me! Jokers to the right! Here I am stuck in the middle with you. - Bob Dylan

Hogsmeade was no fun at all when you were there by yourself. Or at least this was Vincent's opinion. He'd never before gone into town without Goyle and Malfoy. For seven years it had been the three of them, the Slytherin equivalent of the Golden trio. Only they weren't so much golden as tarnished silver. He could understand Greg not wanting to be seen in his current state - it was a fact that still made him chuckle when he thought about it. Of all the guys he knew, Greg had to be the last one he would ever picture as a girl. Malfoy on the other hand... well he could see him as a girl; Draco had that pale, flawless skin, and he was graceful and dressed impeccably. He should have known he was a poof. It was obvious now that he thought about it.

Then there was Potter. He knew that Potter had driven Zabini to kill himself, that it was his fault Goyle was a girl, that Nott had a scar in the shape of the Dark Mark on his arm - something that was sure to cause trouble as Theodore was suppose to be initiated this weekend because he'd turned eighteen two days ago. Crabbe was just glad he wasn't going to be there when Voldemort saw what Potter had done. He knew what would happen, what Potter had promised would happen if anyone tried to take the memories of their torture from their minds. Ted was going to be left a dribbling idiot and the Dark Lord still wouldn't know what had happened to him.

Thinking about his own initiation that was to happen just a few days before graduation, Crabbe wondered if he would come out of it intact. He wasn't sure what Potter had done to him, he only knew that he had done something, and he dreaded finding out what it was. He knew it would be bad.

As he continued on his way back from Zonko's, toward the sweet shop, he stopped dead; frozen in fear. Just a few feet away, he could see Malfoy walking toward him, but his eyes were locked on the figures behind him. Clowns. There were Clowns in Hogsmeade!

It was like he was six years old again. His magic surged forth in a desperate bid at self preservation. The Clown closest to him screamed as it dropped to it's knees, the other Clowns drew wands from their odd clothing and starting firing spells at him and at Malfoy. Malfoy was clearly not afraid of the Clowns, Vince noticed. He wished he was as self confident. "Malfoy, where did they come from?" he shouted as they stood back to back in the street, the Clowns circling them.

"I have no idea! Why are you helping me?" Draco asked somewhat bewildered.

Crabbe shuddered. "I hate Clowns, Malfoy! I fucking hate them!" he replied.

"Clowns? Draco asked in confusion. "What the fuck are you on about, we're surrounded by Death Eaters you bloody fool!"

"You... I ... We... Oh Merlin am I in shit now," Crabbe muttered threw a hex at the closest Death Eater Clown. He was already a dead man, he might as well go down trying to save Malfoy. No point in them both dying.

They put up a hell of a fight, but in the end they were outnumbered. Vincent was hit with a Stupefy and then put in a full body bind. He could only watch helplessly as Malfoy was also subdued. Two of the Death Eaters used a Portkey and disappeared - taking Draco with them. The rest Obliviated the few witnesses that were around. It was still early enough in the morning that there weren't that many people out and about in town yet and only a handful of them were Hogwarts students.

As the last of the villagers and the few students were Obliviated, Vincent watched a familiar looking Clown make its way toward him. "Now, son, I think you have a lot of explaining to do, but it will wait until we get home."