Slytherin Princess | ✓

sixty-one

We were not allowed to go back to Hogwarts, the Dark Lord's orders. All the Death Eaters, besides the three professors, were meant to be looking for Harry Potter and his trio of hooligans. Draco and I travelled through most of England, "looking" for Harry, Weasley, Granger, and Kemper.

Reporting to him, every night, for the last two weeks, Draco and I were able to deceive him. We never looked for the tetrad, only exploring the parts of the country we thought were nice. Our reasoning came out fast and it wasn't until one night did we know something was wrong.

It was barely the middle of the night when the Dark Mark burned into my skin. Someone had spotted Harry Potter. Fear coursed through my veins as Draco and I Apparated back to the Manor to find almost all of the human Death Eaters in the large drawing room we used for meetings.

"War," the Dark Lord said. "War is amongst us. Harry Potter had been searching for my Horcruxes over the past year and has foolishly gone to his little school in search for another. We will claim war against him and whoever stands in our way."

No one said anything as we stood around, listening to Lord Voldemort speak. Draco pulled me closer to him, not caring for peering eyes. His arm snaked around my waist and kept me in place, as though he were protecting me from the people around us.

"Jugson, go get the Giants and bring them to Hogwarts," he barked.

Along with Jugson, he also summoned others to bring the other affiliates.

"Now, let's all go meet Mr Potter," Voldemort's voice was snide and venomous.

Narcissa grabbed my arm as Lucius grabbed Draco's so we could Apparate; Narcissa had given Draco her wand for this upcoming battle and Lucius still hadn't gotten a new one, so they were unable to Apparate themselves. There was a large clift that overlooked Hogwarts. The castle stood in all it's glory, candles and lanterns put out, and an odd magical dome going over the entire lands.

"I know that you are preparing to fight," Lord Voldemort's voice rang through the entire ground, in all of our ears. "Your efforts are futile. You cannot fight me. I do not want to kill you. I have great respect for the teachers of Hogwarts. I do not want to spill magical blood.

"Give me Harry Potter and none shall be harmed. Give me Harry Potter, and I shall leave the school untouched. Give me Harry Potter, and you will be rewarded.

"You have until midnight."

The four of us stood back and watched as over one hundred Death Eaters and affiliates threw spells and rocks to break the shield. I knew there was no way to penetrate the shield. Then, at midnight, the Dark Lord's wand hit it, breaking it down.

"You might care for him, Lady, but we have to do it," Draco said into my ear.

"I'm sorry?" I said indignantly, looking up at the blond boy.

"Potter," he mumbled. "We have to find him— no, not harm him. Just find him and hand him to the Dark Lord. Then, we can leave and we'll be safe. All four of us."

The idea mulled over in my head and I tried to think of all the possible outcomes. Death Eaters, once they got into the castle, would be looking high and low for Harry Potter and would harm him. If Draco and I found him, we would be able to get him, unharmed, to the Dark Lord and we will be graced.

"Only because it'll keep us safe," I responded.

Turning around I looked at Narcissa's and Lucius's concerned faces. They looked like parents afraid for the safety of their children. I had never seen them look so human, not cold or controlling— especially Lucius.