Dark Pasts { A Harry Potter Story }

Chapter 100 - Malfoy Manor

I looked around at the others, who were mere outlines in the darkness, and thought I saw Hermione raise her wand and point it in the direction of Harry's face. Suddenly there was a bang and a burst of light and I felt Harry fall on the ground.

"Harry —" I said, but before I knew it a bunch of Snatchers entered the tent and dragged us forcefully out of the tent.

One of them quickly rummaged through my pockets until they found my wand while another held me tightly by the back of my head. I saw Harry being dragged out of the tent and grimaced as I saw his swollen and unrecognizable face. Then I caught Hermione's eyes and understood.

The Snatcher pulled on my hair, causing me to whimper.

"Don't touch her!" Harry bellowed, causing them to smirk at him.

One of them moved toward him and sent a strong punch into his stomach.

"No! Leave him alone!" I cried.

"Your boyfriend's going to have worse than that done to him if he's on my list," said a horribly recognizable voice.

Greyback slowly made his way toward me and smirked. "Delicious girl . . . What a treat . . . I do enjoy the softness of the skin. . . ." he said, causing me to whimper.

"Search the tent!" said another voice.

Greyback then moved to Harry and threw him on the ground. "I'll be needing butterbeer to wash this one down. What happened to you, ugly?" he asked him.

Harry did not answer.

"I said," Greyback repeated. "what happened to you?"

"Stung," Harry muttered. "Been stung."

"What's your name?" the werewolf snarled.

"Dudley," he said. "Vernon Dudley."

"Check the list, Scabior," Greyback said. "What about you, beautiful?"

He looked at me and smirked once more.

I gulped nervously. "Alicia," I said in a low voice. "Alicia Spinnet."

"What's your blood status?"

"Half-blood."

"And what about you, ginger?"

"I'b Bardy," Ron said, his mouth full of blood. "Bardy Weadley."

"A Weasley?" Greyback said. "So you're related to blood traitors even if you're not a Mudblood. And lastly, your pretty little friend . . ."

"Penelope Clearwater," Hermione said, sounding terrified but convincing. "Half-blood."

Greyback gave a small nod and I felt someone yank me by the hair and drag me before throwing me down into a sitting position. They brought the others and began to tie us up back-to-back with other people.

"Anyone still got a wand?" Harry asked.

"No," we said.

"This is all my fault. I said the name, I'm sorry —"

"Harry?" a new but familiar voice said from behind me.

"Dean?"

"It is you! If they find out who they've got — ! They're Snatchers, they're only looking for truants to sell for gold —"

"Hey!" came a shout from inside the tent. "Look at this, Greyback!"

A dark figure came out of the tent holding the sword of Gryffindor.

"Ve-e-ry nice," Greyback said. "Oh, very nice indeed. Looks goblin-made, that. Where did you get something like this?"

"It's my father's," Harry said.

" 'ang on a minute, Greyback! Look at this, in the Prophet!" Scabior said before he began to read the article. "''ermione Granger, the Mudblood who is known to be travelling with 'arry Potter.' "

I held in a gasp and shut my eyes.

"You know what, little girly? This picture looks a hell of a lot like you."

"It isn't! It isn't me!" Hermione squeaked unconvincingly.

" '. . . known to be travelling with Harry Potter,' " Greyback repeated quietly, causing my breathing to accelerate.

Everyone was quiet and a terrifying sense of foreboding etched itself into my mind.

"Change of plan," he said. "We're not taking this lot to the Ministry."

***

We Apparated before tall wrought-iron gates. A long pathway was behind it, leading to a grand and dark Manor. "We've got Potter!" Greyback roared triumphantly. "We've captured Harry Potter!"

The gates swung open and we were dragged up to the Manor. A woman was standing at the door. She was Narcissa Malfoy, Draco's mother.

"What is this?" she asked.

"We're here to see He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named!" Greyback said.

"Who are you?"

"You know me!" he said angrily. "Fenrir Greyback! We've caught Harry Potter!"

She eyed us intently before speaking. "Bring them in."

We were dragged up stone steps and into a hallway lined with portraits.

"Follow me," Narcissa said. "My son, Draco, is home for his Easter holidays. If that is Harry Potter, he will know."

"What is this?" Lucius Malfoy's familiar voice sounded as we entered another room.

I was scared now. I could see no way out of here and if Draco was here then he would tell them it truly was Harry and it would all be over.

"They say they've got Potter," Narcissa said. "Draco, come here."

I gulped nervously as he stood up and slowly walked toward Harry.

"Well, Draco?" said Lucius Malfoy. He sounded avid. "Is it? Is it Harry Potter?"

"I can't — I can't be sure," Draco said, barely looking at Harry.

"But look at him carefully, look! Come closer!"Lucius said excitedly. "Draco, if we are the ones who hand Potter over to the Dark Lord, everything will be forgiv —"

"Now, we won't be forgetting who actually caught him, I hope, Mr. Malfoy?" Greyback said.

"Of course not, of course not!" he said before he frowned. "What did you do to him?"

"That wasn't us."

"Looks more like a Stinging Jinx to me," Lucius said. "There's something there. . . .it could be the scar. . . .Draco, come here, look properly! What do you think?"

"I don't know," Draco said, and I could feel fear in his voice.

"Wait," Narcissa said sharply. "Yes — yes, she was in Madam Malkin's with Potter! I saw her picture in the Prophet! Look, Draco, isn't it the Granger girl?"

"I . . . maybe . . . yeah."

"And this is Rosier, isn't it?" she said.

Draco's eyes caught mine. "It could be," he said, making me frown.

He knew it was me. He definitely knew. Why then, was he lying to them?

As we stared at each other, I felt a great surge of pity toward him.

"But then, that's the Weasley boy!" Lucius said. "It's them, Potter's friends — Draco, look at him, isn't it Arthur Weasley's son, what's his name — ?"

"Yeah," Draco said. "Maybe."

The doors of the drawing room opened behind us, and I heard a woman speak. At the sound of her voice, I trembled, feeling my fear rise even higher inside me.

"What is this? What's happened, Cissy?"