The Power of Pain

Chapter 15

"The map can't be right can it?" Ron chewed on his thumb nail with uncertainty, "I mean, does it need like updated or something?" He asked helplessly.

Harry just shook his head, "No, it's right." He pursed his lips looking down the tunnel that would lead them up into the main corridor. At present Draco's footprints were standing just before the door leading to Snape's chambers. The boys had argued a bit on which way to go and delayed their interception of the mysterious Slytherin. Now they stood just beyond a door that would lead them to their interception.

"Alright...just keep your wand at the ready." Harry folded the map into his back pocket, "If anything goes pear shaped, just run for the headoffice yea?" He said gripping his wand even tighter now. It wasn't the first time he'd been in a tight situation with the blond since their subsequent honorable graduation from the school.

He'd run into him a few times in Hogsmead and at the Hogshead on rare occasions. They had never paid either much attention both of them having had their reasons for what they did that night.

Harry and Ron nodded to their mutual agreement and pushed open the false wall. The corridor was dark, Harry had double checked the map making sure no students were anywhere nearby before they both slipped out. They cast a disillusionment spell on themselves as they rounded the bent corridor. Draco stood just before a large wooden door heavily reinforced with iron. He was muttering something under his breath running his wand along it's frame when he paused.

Draco could feel someone or something behind him. It interrupted his attempt to disable his Godfather's blood wards and he slowly lowered his wand gripping it more tightly to his chest as he slowly turned.

"Who's there?" He called out squinting his eyes in the darkness. He noticed a small shimmer and pointed his wand towards it, "Reveal yourself!" He flicked his wand pulling the disillusionment from Ron who glanced down at himself before pointing his own wand towards Malfoy a curse at the tip of his tongue.

"Weasley?" Draco looked most confused before his eyes flickered towards another shimmering form, he flicked his wand again tearing Harry's spell down next, "Potter! I should have known." He backed himself up against the door keeping his wand out, "What are you doing here?" He demanded, his stone cold eyes flickering between the wands pointed straight at him.

Harry lifted his chin, "Same could be asked of you!" He flicked his wand towards the door behind Draco, "Bit of spring cleaning?" He asked with an arched brow.

The blond narrowed his eyes trying to decide his next move. He wasn't going to answer, not because he wasn't allowed to be there but because he simply didn't want to. He licked his lips slowly as he watched the two of them glance back and forth to each other. In that moment of distraction he let loose a cloud of smoke from his wand transforming instantly.

Two spells struck the door where he stood making the entire hallway groan. Harry felt more than saw a black flying something over their heads and turned his wand towards it.

He fired again, taking out a tiny bit of stone as the bird flew around the bend of the corridor. Ron too had let off his own stunner missing Draco's tail by a feathers breath. They both were about to take off after him when a house elf suddenly appeared before them. It said nothing as it grabbed hold of their respective legs and they found themselves instantly whisked off to the Head Office.

They landed hard on the carpet, finding themselves instantly bound with their arms at their sides their wands taken into the elf's tiny hands. It scurried out of sight no doubt towards the desk as it offered its catch to the headmistress.

"Why is it," Came the long drawn out voice of Professor McGonagall as she rounded the small love seat coming into their vision, "When there is something going on in this castle, it always involves you th-two?" She corrected her self carefully as she looked down at the two struggling young men.