Chapter Forty Seven - The Second Chamber

Chapter Forty Seven – The Second Chamber

 

            Hermione cast the circle as quickly as possible. She stood in the east position again and Neville took Harry’s place. Luna was at the southern point and Ginny stood in for Draco in the west. Hermione suddenly missed him terribly, but she reflected that Ginny Weasley was a fine stand-in for him. They were much alike in temperament. Even now Ginny was tapping her foot with impatience. Hermione smiled, knowing what Draco would say about that observation.

            She lifted her wand and began.

 

*          *          *          *          *

 

            It seemed to take them forever to find the portal. Weasley, of all people, stumbled over it. Literally. He tripped on the hem of the cloak Draco wore and put his hands out on the wall to break his fall.

            “Damn it, Weasley, can you get any clumsier?” Draco grumbled.

            “The cloak is invisible, Malfoy, you bloody—“ Ron began, but his words were cut off by a grating sound that drew their attention. A huge crack had appeared on Slytherin’s boot. It opened wider and Harry grabbed it to throw it wider. It revealed a dark, cramped passage.

            Potter took a step forward, but Draco halted him with a hand on his shoulder. Harry’s green eyes flashed.

            “This is my fight, Malfoy. I’ll go first.”

            Draco rolled his eyes. “As usual, there are a number of things wrong with that observation, Potter, but I’m not trying to save you from yourself at the moment.”

            Harry cocked a brow at him and Draco smiled.

            “I think it’s only fair to send the Dark Lord’s friends back to him, don’t you think?”

            With that, he flicked his wand and uttered a command. The churning cloud of dementors broke ranks, jetted downward, and flew into the passage with a rush of air, a burst of cold, and the whisper of fluttering cloth. Weasley jumped back with a yelp as the dark mass raced by.

            Harry sighed and then grinned. “Malfoy, I hate to admit this, but sometimes I’m really glad you’re pure evil.”

            Draco laughed.

            “Glad you finally appreciate me, Potter. Let’s go—the dementors won’t occupy them for long.”

            Harry plunged into the passage in typical Gryffindor abandon and Weasley followed. Draco made certain he was fully concealed under the cloak and trailed after them.

            The tunnel was only a few dozen meters long and opened into yet another chamber, this one completely circular. The three of them stopped short for a moment to observe the chaos. Several Death Eaters were shouting and casting various spells at the attacking dementors. Draco smiled in pure pleasure at the sight.

            Directly in front of them, Lars cast a Patronus—a crocodile?—and shredded a dementor. Behind him, Crabbe was yelling and trying hard to cast at another. Beside him, Goyle managed another Patronus—a baboon, was that any surprise?—but it was weak and merely caused the dark creature to retreat for a moment.

            Draco’s eyes scanned the rest of the room. Seated on the floor next to Crabbe was Tonks—looking strange and terrified. Her hair was mouse brown. Bound as she was, she had no defense against the dementors. Draco leaped forward.

            Behind her, Fenrir Greyback seemed to be casting a Binding.

            In the center of the room, in what looked to be a pentagram carved into the floor, sat Voldemort on a chair Draco recognized as the one from the parlour at Malfoy Manor. The Dark Lord looked bored. Next to the chair, Wormtail cowered with his hands over his head. On the other side of the chair, in a small iron cage, was Dobby. Behind Pettigrew stood Snape. The former Potions master effortlessly cast a strange, jagged purple spell at a menacing dementor and the creature vaporized. Draco wished he knew half the spells in Snape’s arsenal.

            Beyond Snape, Draco’s father stood near the wall, casting his own web of defense. The final Death Eater present was Rodolphus Lestrange. Draco wondered where the others were. Where was Dolohov? And Narcissa?

            There was no time for reflection. Draco hurried invisibly past Crabbe and Goyle and knelt next to Tonks.

            “Wotcher, cousin,” he breathed in her ear. With a quick spell, he severed her ropes as she gasped. “Sorry I don’t have a wand to give you.”

            “That’s all right,” she murmured. “I feel better already.”

            Greyback spun suddenly, eyes wide and nostrils flaring.

            “Malfoy!” the werewolf said. Draco backed away as silently as possible, cursing the damned werewolf’s heightened senses. Greyback followed, clawed hands outstretched. As Draco sidled away from the werewolf, he caught a glimpse of Harry. What the hell was Potter doing?

 

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Chapter Forty Seven - The Second Chamber

Chapter Forty Seven – The Second Chamber

 

            Hermione cast the circle as quickly as possible. She stood in the east position again and Neville took Harry’s place. Luna was at the southern point and Ginny stood in for Draco in the west. Hermione suddenly missed him terribly, but she reflected that Ginny Weasley was a fine stand-in for him. They were much alike in temperament. Even now Ginny was tapping her foot with impatience. Hermione smiled, knowing what Draco would say about that observation.

            She lifted her wand and began.

 

*          *          *          *          *

 

            It seemed to take them forever to find the portal. Weasley, of all people, stumbled over it. Literally. He tripped on the hem of the cloak Draco wore and put his hands out on the wall to break his fall.

            “Damn it, Weasley, can you get any clumsier?” Draco grumbled.

            “The cloak is invisible, Malfoy, you bloody—“ Ron began, but his words were cut off by a grating sound that drew their attention. A huge crack had appeared on Slytherin’s boot. It opened wider and Harry grabbed it to throw it wider. It revealed a dark, cramped passage.

            Potter took a step forward, but Draco halted him with a hand on his shoulder. Harry’s green eyes flashed.

            “This is my fight, Malfoy. I’ll go first.”

            Draco rolled his eyes. “As usual, there are a number of things wrong with that observation, Potter, but I’m not trying to save you from yourself at the moment.”

            Harry cocked a brow at him and Draco smiled.

            “I think it’s only fair to send the Dark Lord’s friends back to him, don’t you think?”

            With that, he flicked his wand and uttered a command. The churning cloud of dementors broke ranks, jetted downward, and flew into the passage with a rush of air, a burst of cold, and the whisper of fluttering cloth. Weasley jumped back with a yelp as the dark mass raced by.

            Harry sighed and then grinned. “Malfoy, I hate to admit this, but sometimes I’m really glad you’re pure evil.”

            Draco laughed.

            “Glad you finally appreciate me, Potter. Let’s go—the dementors won’t occupy them for long.”

            Harry plunged into the passage in typical Gryffindor abandon and Weasley followed. Draco made certain he was fully concealed under the cloak and trailed after them.

            The tunnel was only a few dozen meters long and opened into yet another chamber, this one completely circular. The three of them stopped short for a moment to observe the chaos. Several Death Eaters were shouting and casting various spells at the attacking dementors. Draco smiled in pure pleasure at the sight.

            Directly in front of them, Lars cast a Patronus—a crocodile?—and shredded a dementor. Behind him, Crabbe was yelling and trying hard to cast at another. Beside him, Goyle managed another Patronus—a baboon, was that any surprise?—but it was weak and merely caused the dark creature to retreat for a moment.

            Draco’s eyes scanned the rest of the room. Seated on the floor next to Crabbe was Tonks—looking strange and terrified. Her hair was mouse brown. Bound as she was, she had no defense against the dementors. Draco leaped forward.

            Behind her, Fenrir Greyback seemed to be casting a Binding.

            In the center of the room, in what looked to be a pentagram carved into the floor, sat Voldemort on a chair Draco recognized as the one from the parlour at Malfoy Manor. The Dark Lord looked bored. Next to the chair, Wormtail cowered with his hands over his head. On the other side of the chair, in a small iron cage, was Dobby. Behind Pettigrew stood Snape. The former Potions master effortlessly cast a strange, jagged purple spell at a menacing dementor and the creature vaporized. Draco wished he knew half the spells in Snape’s arsenal.

            Beyond Snape, Draco’s father stood near the wall, casting his own web of defense. The final Death Eater present was Rodolphus Lestrange. Draco wondered where the others were. Where was Dolohov? And Narcissa?

            There was no time for reflection. Draco hurried invisibly past Crabbe and Goyle and knelt next to Tonks.

            “Wotcher, cousin,” he breathed in her ear. With a quick spell, he severed her ropes as she gasped. “Sorry I don’t have a wand to give you.”

            “That’s all right,” she murmured. “I feel better already.”

            Greyback spun suddenly, eyes wide and nostrils flaring.

            “Malfoy!” the werewolf said. Draco backed away as silently as possible, cursing the damned werewolf’s heightened senses. Greyback followed, clawed hands outstretched. As Draco sidled away from the werewolf, he caught a glimpse of Harry. What the hell was Potter doing?

 

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Note on Chapter Forty Seven

Please don't kill me! : )

Cheryl

Note on Chapter Forty Seven

Please don't kill me! : )

Cheryl