Blind

Chapter Four

Hermione carefully stirred the contents of the large cauldron hanging in the Malfoy kitchen stove. "So, Draco, how often do you think Bellatrix Lestrange will be hanging around here?"

"I've told you, I don't know," Draco snarled. "If you hadn't noticed, as I'm sure you were propped against the door, listening to our conversation, Bellatrix is not all that fond of either my parents or myself. She's not going to tell me her exact plans. We're really just lucky she left as quickly as she did."

"Indeed," Hermione murmured, now scooping some of the potion from the cauldron into a small glass. "With her gone, we can now proceed with our plans."

Harry looked at the bubbling green liquid in the glass. "Aging Potion?"

Hermione nodded. "Yes, the key to getting us inside St. Mungo's." She looked at Harry and Draco sternly. "Now, you two need to get to the Ministry today, see what you can dig up around there. Any plans?"

Harry grinned reassuringly. "I think I've got it worked out. We're going to talk to Gilbert Wimple about getting jobs as assistants. I'm certain he needs all the help he can get now."

"Excellent," Hermione responded, bringing the Aging Potion to her lips. "Well, cheers!" She tipped it to Harry and Draco, a weak smile playing across her mouth. She tipped the glass back and gagged down the liquid. When she set the glass down, she looked at Harry and Draco. "Any difference-oh!"

Hermione could feel her body become a bit-well, fuller in certain areas. She turned towards the pots and pans hanging from the ceiling and looked up at her reflection. Her hair was less bushy, though it was nowhere near sleek. She turned to look at Harry and Draco. "Well, what do you think?"

Harry jerked his head to Hermione's face, as his eyes had been a bit more preoccupied with other regions of her adult body. "Perfect," he answered, grinning at her.

"Now, if I'm correct, this new institution can be reached with Floo Powder, so security isn't as strict as you would think it would be," Hermione said thoughtfully, picking up her copy of the article on the building the blind victims were kept.

"How much security could they possibly need?" Harry asked. "No one's going to want to touch these people for fear that they'll get this disease."

Hermione nodded. "Right." She then looked into the kitchen fire and then grabbed a handful of Floo powder from a pot sitting on the table. "Well, wish me luck then."

"Good luck," Harry said, but Draco remained silent. He appeared to be in a state of deep thought.

Hermione threw the powder in the flames, stepped in, cried "The old St. Mungo's building!," and with a "whoosh!" she had had disappeared.

************

Hermione tumbled into a well-lit hallway from a small fireplace in the wall. At the other end of the corridor was a large desk with a blonde witch behind it. She had large turquoise glasses-it was the witch from the newspaper article. Hermione beamed at her, grateful to find someone she could recognize.

"Hello!" Hermione said happily.

The witch looked up at her. "Are you here to visit?" she asked, sounding thoroughly perplexed. It occurred to Hermione that people most likely did not just show up to the place like she had.

"No, I was looking into getting a job here. The Daily Prophet ran an article that said you were short of help here and I was wondering if you still have a position I could fill," Hermione said quickly.

The witch opened her mouth, but was interrupted when another witch came stomping in. "THAT'S IT! I'VE HAD IT WITH THIS JOB!" She came to a stop in front of the blonde witch. "Bonnie, I quit! You hear me? This job is completely insane and I can't handle it. Here, take these, and good riddance!" The witch threw a stack of files on Bonnie's desk and stormed off down the hall.

"I have some credentials, if you want to see them," Hermione added weakly, pulling out the parchment containing fake information on herself as she watched the witch hop into the fireplace.

"Never mind, we've no time for that," Bonnie replied. She handed the stack of files to Hermione. "There you are, dear, your patients. Now, the break room contains some uniforms and everything else you could possibly need. It's right back there." She pointed behind her shoulder. "You start now."

"Thank you," Hermione said breathlessly, joyful at such a streak of luck. As she hurried toward the door of the staff room, she shuffled through her stack of files. "Please, please, let the Weasleys be in here," she muttered.

But she didn't see their names. In fact, she didn't recognize most of the names she had. Sighing, she pulled out the last one in the stack, daring to wish that it might be the one she was looking for. She bumped open the staff room door and looked down at the file in her hands.

Hermione's mouth dropped open in surprise. It wasn't exactly what she was hoping for, but it could prove useful. She held the file into the light to make certain she hadn't made a mistake.

She hadn't. The bold name on the file read "Malfoy, Narcissa."

************

The security wizard, a badly shaven man named Eric, thrust Harry's wand back into his hand. "There you are," he grunted.

"Thank you," Harry replied. He nodded at Draco who had already had his wand checked and the two continued to the lifts. They had hurried to the Ministry of Magic, as Harry was not too keen to stay at Malfoy Manor alone with Draco. Besides, if Hermione was willing to jump right into her job, then Harry would gladly do the same.

Harry and Draco squeezed into a crowded lift. Some of the people in it glared at them for daring enter, but others just silently budged up to make more room. Neither of them spoke as the lift slowly ascended. Finally, a woman's voice coolly announced, "Level three, Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes-"

Harry nudged Draco in the side. "This is our stop," he muttered. "I'm certain we'll find Wimple's office on this level. Come on."

They pushed their way out of the lift and into a long corridor. "Let's just follow it, see where it leads us," Harry instructed.

Draco did not respond, but silently followed Harry's lead. At the very end of the hall, they found a small door with a gold label: "Committee for Experimental Charms." Harry pushed it open.

They found Gilbert Wimple bent over his cluttered desk, throwing papers everywhere he could, obviously in a state of panic. He looked up startled as the boys entered. "Who are you and what are you doing here? I'm busy!" he demanded.

Draco could feel anger boiling up inside of him. This was the man responsible for his parents being put away in St. Mungo's. This man had ruined their lives. He clutched his wand and whipped it out. "I'LL KILL YOU, I'LL KILL YOU, I WILL KILL YOU!" he yelled, rushing forward. He raised his wand above his head. "Ava-" Clunk! Draco was cut off as he found himself pinned to the ground.

Harry was pressing Draco into the cold stone ground, jabbing his wand into Draco's side. "What do you think you're doing?" he hissed. "Acting up like this, you want to ruin everything?"

Gilbert's eyes widened at the scene. "Th-that's it," he said shakily. "W-what are y-y-you doing here?"

"We wanted jobs," Harry explained as he struggled with Draco. Draco was a bit taller, but Harry was a bit stronger, which was much more useful in this situation.

"Well, you're not working for me," Gilbert said, this time speaking in a firm voice. "I have enough to worry now besides employees out to kill me, too. Now leave this place or I'll have you escorted out, you hear me?"

Harry wanted to protest, but he knew it was no use. He stood up and forcefully pulled Draco to his feet. Grasping Draco's arm, he dragged him out of the place, throwing a quick "Have a good day!" over his shoulder. When they were a bit down the corridor, Harry spun around to face Draco.

"YOU MORON!" he cried. "We needed to get access to that office, and you ruined that by being a complete git!"

"Look what he did to my parents," Draco growled. "I can't let him get away with it...he was right there, I could have made him pay-"

"Letting him live peacefully would have been the key to getting your parents out, and now that you didn't do that, it's your fault they're in there!"

"No more so than it's your fault that your parents snuffed it!" Draco said heatedly.

Harry, who had started back down the corridor, turned slowly. "What did you say?"

"Oh, my father told me all about that prophecy that sent the Dark Lord after you. And then your mother dying to protect you-I'd say their deaths were your fault, wouldn't you?"

Harry could feel his face flush bright red and he lunged at Draco. He knocked Draco onto the ground, both of them reaching for the other's necks, punching when they got the chance. Harry could feel a large gash being ripped into the side of his face and he retaliated by giving Draco a bloody nose. They heard a door slam and footsteps hurry towards them.

"Oh my-SECURITY! SECURITY!" a woman's voice cried.

Harry and Draco looked up at the witch who had walked into their fight. "It's all right, we were just leaving," Harry snarled.

And without another word, he and Draco got to their feet, proceeded to the lift, and out of the Ministry. Harry could only hope Hermione would return soon, because he wasn't sure how much longer he and Draco could go without killing the other.

**********

Hermione was dressed in the bright blue robes the Angels wore. She also had received a bright blue mask, one that looked like something a welder would wear. It wasn't much, but at least it could possibly protect her from catching the blindness.

She was on the last patient on her run: Narcissa Malfoy. So far, she had walked into the other rooms to find whole families huddled together, and she would offer her assistance for anything they might need. However, many of them seemed content to be surrounded by their relatives, though they couldn't see them. At least there had been no rioting.

Hermione was right outside the door. She threw the files into a bin beside it and reached to push the door open, but she hesitated. If the other rooms had contained families, then Lucius Malfoy must be in this room as well. Hermione knew what he thought of her.

What if he recognizes my voice? she thought worriedly. She then swallowed and stepped forward determinedly. He couldn't possibly have a wand, and he couldn't even see. She would be rather protected. She did have her wand tucked inside her robes, after all.

She pushed open the door and stepped into the dark, quiet room. She thought she could see a shadowy figure crouched in the far corner of the room, but there was no sense of movement anywhere. Hermione let her eyes adjust to the darkness before saying, "Narcissa Malfoy, may I help you with anything?"

The figure in the corner rose unsteadily and stepped forward. "Who are you?" she demanded.

"I'm your Angel," Hermione said quickly. Narcissa stepped closer to her, and Hermione gasped. The other patients had been perfectly intact, except for the fact that they had lost their eyesight. Narcissa, however, was a different story. She had a long gash on the her cheek, and Hermione noticed scratches and bruises all over her body. She had been wearing a gown with straps on it and one was torn, revealing a bruised, bloody shoulder. Her blonde hair even seemed matted with blonde.

"Oh my-Narcissa! What happened?" Hermione cried. Suddenly, a thought popped into her head. Perhaps there was a reason Lucius wasn't in here with Narcissa...."Narcissa, did Lucius do this to you?"

Whatever reaction Hermione had expected, it wasn't the one Narcissa gave. Narcissa started to shake, and her face screwed up in anger. "HOW DARE YOU! HOW DARE YOU EVEN SUGGEST THAT LUCIUS WOULD DO THIS TO ME!" she shrieked.

"Sh, sh, sh, I didn't know, I'm sorry," Hermione said pleadingly. "I'm not saying he did. I just wanted to know."

Narcissa seemed to calm down a bit, though her voice was wary. "Where's my old Angel?" she asked suspiciously.

"She quit," Hermione replied. It suddenly struck her that perhaps that witch had quit because she was worried she would have to take the blame for Narcissa's treatment. "Please, Narcissa, please tell me what's happened."

"I-I need a new gown," Narcissa said simply. She turned away from Hermione. "A-a-and perhaps you could get me a b-b-bigger one? Much bigger?"

Hermione frowned. "Why do you ask for such a thing?" But an unsettling feeling was rising in her stomach. Perhaps there was more foul play here than she had anticipated. "Narcissa, you're not-?"

Narcissa sighed. "You know, I haven't seen or even heard of my husband in over a month, but it's still possible that-well, that it's his, right? I mean, Lucius and I were usually rather cautious about this, but lately you could say we've been a bit reckless..."

Hermione wanted to retch at the thought of what Narcissa had suffered, but she couldn't. "Narcissa, what happened?" she asked in as calm a voice as she could suppress. It was difficult to watch this woman who usually held her head high and walked with such confidence to be trembling and vulnerable, even if in any other circumstance, Narcissa would probably kill her.

"I don't know! I just want my Lucius! Oh, if he had been here...well, he doesn't have his wand, but he wouldn't have needed it and I wouldn't have been alone!"

"Narcissa, please calm down. I can help you, all right?" Hermione said reassuringly. "I will look for Lucius for you. And not only that, I know your son! I know Draco! We can get you whatever you need, we can help you!"

"You know Draco?" Narcissa asked skeptically. She suddenly became very stern. "You will not let him come here, you understand me? It's too dangerous."

"We can get him protective clothing, and I'm certain he wants to see you," Hermione said, but Narcissa firmly shook her head.

"There are other things to worry about, too. He is not to come here. Now, if you would, please find my husband for me."

"All right," Hermione said. "If you need anything, I'll be back shortly." She slid out of the room and hurried to Bonnie's desk. She threw herself against it. Bonnie looked up at her.

"You're not quitting already?"

"No, no," Hermione said quickly. "I need to know where I can find Lucius Malfoy."

Bonnie frowned, but then her face broke into a small smirk. "Well, he's in that room down the very back corridor. The only room there. Not hard to find," she said in a strangely cold voice.

"Thank you," Hermione said and she took off towards the corridor. She slid to a halt outside the lone door, and reached out her hand for the doorknob.

Hermione gasped and backed into the wall. The door in front of her bore a skull and crossbones. There was a small plague above the picture that read "Morgue."

************

Harry and Draco were sitting in the kitchen, glowering at each other as they waited for Hermione to return. The silence between them was tense, almost deadly.

Suddenly, Hermione tumbled out of the fireplace. "You wouldn't believe-" She stopped dead as she surveyed the gash on Harry's face and Draco's swollen nose. "What did you do?" she asked warily.

"Well, he blew our chances at getting into the Ministry," Harry said, jabbing his finger at Malfoy. "Almost killed Gilbert Wimple."

"You didn't," Hermione gasped, frowning at Draco. "That's foolish. It was your chance to get in there. You've ruined part of our plan!"

"He deserves to die," Draco said simply.

Hermione shook her head. "Draco, it's essential we get into the Ministry. Now more than ever. But I'm thinking we could do one more thing." She looked at Draco, an earnest expression on her face. She didn't want to upset him, for fear that he wouldn't agree to it, so she chose to keep quiet about some of the things she had discovered, including his father's death. "Draco, we need you to let us get into your parents' bedroom, office, wherever they might put some important stuff."

Draco glared at her. "Absolutely not."

Hermione looked ready to slap him. "Draco, you don't understand. We need to learn your parents' positions on, er, certain things, all right? Learn more about them."

"What for?"

Hermione drew in a breath. "I don't think this is just some crazy, faulty plot of the Ministry's. I think that there's some outside interference, and your family might be the victims." Draco looked confused, so Hermione tried one more time. "Draco, I think someone's out to kill your parents and possibly you."