Chapter Thirty Nine - Snape's Message

Chapter Thirty Nine – Snape’s Message

 

            Draco and Bill bypassed Fenrir, ignoring the werewolf’s angry slurs and grasping claws.  On the way out, Draco looked at Bill Weasley.

            “Do you think the bars will hold?  When he changes?”

            “I don’t know.  Lupin would, maybe.”

            “I’ll put Granger on it.  If anyone can come up with a solution to keep Greyback contained, she will.”

            Bill shot him a sidelong glance.

            “I thought you hated her.”

            To his horrified chagrin, Draco felt himself flush.  “Not exactly.”

            They walked back to the Great Hall.  To Draco’s relief, others had arrived to dilute the female content of the room, including Potter, Longbottom, and the Weasley twins.  Susan Bones had apparently crawled out of her wolverine hole and Remus Lupin was teasing the strange girl whose hair was lime green today.  She smacked Lupin playfully on the arm, blushing.  Draco was somewhat surprised at that.  He had always assumed Lupin favored the gents.  Like Bill had said, you never knew.

            Fleur had put the dress away, but most of the girls were still gathered around the table, no doubt gushing over foolish mundanities such as flowers, ribbons, and shoe colors.  Draco’s mother had often wrapped herself up in such feminine details.  As a boy, Draco had been dragged to more horrifying weddings, baby showers, and other girlish functions than he cared to remember.

            Luna spied Draco and left the giggling gaggle to force a pleased hug on him.  He couldn’t decide whether or not he appreciated Luna’s unreserved acceptance.  Of all Harry Potter's underlings, she had been the first to forgive Draco’s past.  She stepped back and looked at Bill seriously.

            “Fleur is considering royal blue for the dress robes.”

            “Bad idea,” Draco said without thinking.  “If the ceremony is outside on a warm day, it will be beastly hot.  The wedding party will faint away.  She’d better stick with pastels…”  His voice trailed away.

            Luna nodded solemnly and Bill clapped him on the shoulder.

            “You’d better come with me.  I think you’ve spent too much time in the company of women, lately.”

            About to take him up on the offer, Draco was halted when a silver Patronus streaked into the room and enveloped him.  When the mist dissipated, he noticed everyone was staring at him in shocked silence.

            “Snape!  That was Snape’s Patronus!” one of the Weasley twins yelled.  The room erupted into pandemonium.  Susan Bones leaped to her feet.

            “I knew it!” she yelled.

            She was joined by Ginny Weasley, who glared at Draco with hands on her hips.  McGonagall hurried over and her heels clicked rapidly on the hard floor.

            “What did he want, Mr. Malfoy?” she asked sharply.

            “Yes, what did he want?” Susan demanded.  “Are you planning to let more Death Eaters into the school?  Who are you plotting to kill this time?  Harry Potter?”

            Hermione raced past the others and stood next to Draco.  She latched onto his arm.  He wanted to shake her off and confront the angry hoard alone in his growing rage, but he was secretly relieved at her show of support.

            “Stop it!” she cried.  “You don’t understand!”

            “Then let him explain, Hermione,” Lupin said reasonably.  “Was that not Severus Snape’s Patronus?”

            “You know it was!” Fred or George yelled.

            “We’ve seen that bloody panther enough times to know,” the other twin added.

            “Speak up, Mr. Malfoy,” McGonagall commanded in her professor voice.  “What was his message?”

            Draco glared at them all.  He didn’t dare disclose the contents of the message to this raving group of do-gooders.  Hermione sensed his reluctance and her grip tightened.

            “Take him downstairs with the other bloody Death Eaters!” Susan yelled angrily.  “Better to be safe than let him betray us again!”

            Several shouts, both in agreement and otherwise, followed her words.  Fred and George raised their wands.  Draco reached for his own, fighting Hermione’s grip as he did so.

            Harry Potter suddenly leaped in front of Draco with arms outstretched, as if to safeguard Malfoy from harm.

            “Leave him alone!” Potter yelled in a voice that locked everyone into a frozen tableau.  “I trust Malfoy and no one will be dragging him off to join Fenrir Greyback and the Carrows!  Now, back off!”  Harry’s wand was out.  While he wasn’t actually threatening his friends, the potential was there.

( Read more... )

Chapter Thirty Nine - Snape's Message

Chapter Thirty Nine – Snape’s Message

 

            Draco and Bill bypassed Fenrir, ignoring the werewolf’s angry slurs and grasping claws.  On the way out, Draco looked at Bill Weasley.

            “Do you think the bars will hold?  When he changes?”

            “I don’t know.  Lupin would, maybe.”

            “I’ll put Granger on it.  If anyone can come up with a solution to keep Greyback contained, she will.”

            Bill shot him a sidelong glance.

            “I thought you hated her.”

            To his horrified chagrin, Draco felt himself flush.  “Not exactly.”

            They walked back to the Great Hall.  To Draco’s relief, others had arrived to dilute the female content of the room, including Potter, Longbottom, and the Weasley twins.  Susan Bones had apparently crawled out of her wolverine hole and Remus Lupin was teasing the strange girl whose hair was lime green today.  She smacked Lupin playfully on the arm, blushing.  Draco was somewhat surprised at that.  He had always assumed Lupin favored the gents.  Like Bill had said, you never knew.

            Fleur had put the dress away, but most of the girls were still gathered around the table, no doubt gushing over foolish mundanities such as flowers, ribbons, and shoe colors.  Draco’s mother had often wrapped herself up in such feminine details.  As a boy, Draco had been dragged to more horrifying weddings, baby showers, and other girlish functions than he cared to remember.

            Luna spied Draco and left the giggling gaggle to force a pleased hug on him.  He couldn’t decide whether or not he appreciated Luna’s unreserved acceptance.  Of all Harry Potter's underlings, she had been the first to forgive Draco’s past.  She stepped back and looked at Bill seriously.

            “Fleur is considering royal blue for the dress robes.”

            “Bad idea,” Draco said without thinking.  “If the ceremony is outside on a warm day, it will be beastly hot.  The wedding party will faint away.  She’d better stick with pastels…”  His voice trailed away.

            Luna nodded solemnly and Bill clapped him on the shoulder.

            “You’d better come with me.  I think you’ve spent too much time in the company of women, lately.”

            About to take him up on the offer, Draco was halted when a silver Patronus streaked into the room and enveloped him.  When the mist dissipated, he noticed everyone was staring at him in shocked silence.

            “Snape!  That was Snape’s Patronus!” one of the Weasley twins yelled.  The room erupted into pandemonium.  Susan Bones leaped to her feet.

            “I knew it!” she yelled.

            She was joined by Ginny Weasley, who glared at Draco with hands on her hips.  McGonagall hurried over and her heels clicked rapidly on the hard floor.

            “What did he want, Mr. Malfoy?” she asked sharply.

            “Yes, what did he want?” Susan demanded.  “Are you planning to let more Death Eaters into the school?  Who are you plotting to kill this time?  Harry Potter?”

            Hermione raced past the others and stood next to Draco.  She latched onto his arm.  He wanted to shake her off and confront the angry hoard alone in his growing rage, but he was secretly relieved at her show of support.

            “Stop it!” she cried.  “You don’t understand!”

            “Then let him explain, Hermione,” Lupin said reasonably.  “Was that not Severus Snape’s Patronus?”

            “You know it was!” Fred or George yelled.

            “We’ve seen that bloody panther enough times to know,” the other twin added.

            “Speak up, Mr. Malfoy,” McGonagall commanded in her professor voice.  “What was his message?”

            Draco glared at them all.  He didn’t dare disclose the contents of the message to this raving group of do-gooders.  Hermione sensed his reluctance and her grip tightened.

            “Take him downstairs with the other bloody Death Eaters!” Susan yelled angrily.  “Better to be safe than let him betray us again!”

            Several shouts, both in agreement and otherwise, followed her words.  Fred and George raised their wands.  Draco reached for his own, fighting Hermione’s grip as he did so.

            Harry Potter suddenly leaped in front of Draco with arms outstretched, as if to safeguard Malfoy from harm.

            “Leave him alone!” Potter yelled in a voice that locked everyone into a frozen tableau.  “I trust Malfoy and no one will be dragging him off to join Fenrir Greyback and the Carrows!  Now, back off!”  Harry’s wand was out.  While he wasn’t actually threatening his friends, the potential was there.

( Read more... )