Good 'N Bad

Chapter : 32 Trouble

          Soon it was the Easter Holidays and we were to go back to Malfoy Manor for a few days since that was the only other place where I could go. Draco and I headed to the Headmaster's office to travel through the floo network. We were walking hand in hand down the long corridors, and I kept wondering why Draco had not asked me about that night. I was grateful for it, yes, but why hadn't he asked me about it? He deserved an answer but I was not sure what to tell him. He was there for me that night, he held me close to him, made me feel protected and it didn't feel right to me to leave him in the dark.

          We stepped into the office, the walls were filled with the portraits of all the Headmasters that ever resided at Hogwarts.

'Ah, you are right on time', said Uncle Sev, 'You go first Ava, I want to have a word with Draco before he leaves.' I took a fistful of floo powder and stepped into the fire. In a moment, I had landed in the living room of the Manor, where Narcissa was waiting.

'Ava dear, I am glad to see you back', she greeted me with a hug, 'Go and change out of your school robes and get ready, dinner won't be long.'

          I went upto my room and freshened up. I was brushing down my hair when there was a knock at the door.

'Come in', I called. Draco walked up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist, resting his head on my shoulder. 'What is it?' He just grumbled softly in response.

'Can we stay like this for a while? I don't want to go down just yet', he said and I nodded, I could feel his warm breath on my neck. I captured a mental picture of ourselves through the mirror, feeling contended. Suddenly the door opened and Narcissa walked in looking exuberant.

'Draco, darling, come down fast. We need you to identify Potter for us. Quick!' And she walked away. Draco and I exchanged worried looks and followed Narcissa. As we were descending the stairs, I noticed there was a crowd of people in the centre hall. I recognized Greyback, the blood - thirsty werewolf, and Scabior, a death eater. There were many others too, all standing behind them. To my shock and dismay I noticed Ron and Hermione tied and gagged, along with a boy who had a huge, shiny pink face, which I assumed was probably Harry, the proportion of his face due to a stinging spell cast on him.

          I shot Draco a glance, warning him not to give away too much. Lucius was standing among the crowd looking jubilant.

'Draco, come here. See if you recognise him as the Potter boy.' Greyback shoved Harry forwards roughly, making him almost stumble and fall. Draco kept his distance from Greyback. He did not look at Harry directly, neither did Harry at Draco.

'Well? Is it him?' Asked the werewolf.

'I... I'm not sure. What happened to his face?'

'Yes, Fenrir, what did you do to him?' Questioned Lucius.

'We didn't do anything. We found him like that in the woods along with the other two kids', he said, jerking his head towards Ron and Hermione.

'Draco, look carefully. If we are to deliver Potter to the Dark Lord, he will finally forgive us', said Lucius, his voice was becoming more and more excited with each word he said, I almost felt disgusted with him.

'You! We are the ones who brought him here!' Shouted Greyback, 'I hope you don't forget that.'

'No, of course not. You will get your gold, we don't have any use for that. Ava, come and take a look at him, and see if you can recognise the boy.' I slowly walked up to Harry and kneeled, so that I was at eye- level with him. He looked at me in the eyes, and there was no mistaking the green eyes of Harry's, but I wasn't going to give him away.

'This cannot be Harry, he does not look like this. Do you really picture Harry as an ugly brute?'

'Use your common sense girl! Its the work of a stinging jinx.'

'I don't know. I don't think I've seen him before', I said quietly and got up, eyeing Hermione carefully.

'You're lying!' At that moment, Bellatrix Lestrange walked in and looked around the hall.

'What is going on Cissy?' She asked but then she stopped abruptly in front of Hermione. 'Wait, isn't this the mudblood girl, Granger or something?'

'Finally! Yes, it is!' Boomed Lucius, 'And we think the boy next to her is Potter'.

'Potter? Well then we must inform the Dark Lord at once', and she lifted up her sleeve.

'No!' Shouted Lucius, grabbing her hand, 'I will call him. This is my house Bella, and so it is in my authority to-'

'Authority? You lost your authority when you lost your wand', she sneered.

          Both of them started a heated argument, Lucius trying his best to wrench away her hand. Greyback joined in and soon the three of them were struggling until Bellatrix stopped and stared wide-eyed at something. Lucius took advantage of this moment and ripped up his own sleeve.

'STOP!' Bellatrix shrieked, 'Don't touch it! We will all perish if he comes now!' She lifted her hand and pointed at a sword which was held by Scabior, 'What is that? Where did you get it from?'

          It was then that I noticed that Scabior was clutching the sword of Gryffindor. Bellatrix looked worried when she saw the sword and it made me wonder why.

'Its a sword. We found it with the kids in their tent', he said nonchalantly.

'Give it to me'.

'It is not your's miss, I found it, so its mine'. Suddenly there were flashes of red light, and all the snatchers which accompanied Greyback and Scabior lay stunned on the floor.

'Draco, take these men outside and leave them in the courtyard. Or are you too weak to do that.'

'Don't you dare speak to Draco like that Bella', warned Narcissa furiously. 

'Oh shut up Cissy, we have more pressing matters to deal with. Go on now Draco, you can take your girlfriend with you if you want', she sneered at me.

          Draco and I grabbed our wands and levitated the limp bodies, and made them follow us all the way into the courtyard. We piled them in a heap and silently looked at each other.

'What do you think will happen now?' He asked.

'I don't know', I replied. We made our way back inside. Just as we were about to step into the hall we heard a terrible, long, drawn-out scream!

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