Draco: Phoenix Rising

Chapter Eleven - Luna

Draco had been roused by Severus Snape, never a pleasant experience. Today Snape had simply removed the blankets from the bed instead of dousing him with cold water, as he'd done on a previous occasion.

"Bloody hell, what now?" Draco snapped. He was irritable due to Avery's damned snoring that had prevented him from getting a decent sleep. He climbed reluctantly to his feet and moved close to the fire, snatching up his dressing gown from the back of a chair.

"Get dressed. We have to go."

"Another house to burn down?" Draco asked in a bored tone.

"No. Another chance for you to become a true Death Eater."

Draco turned his cold gaze to Snape, who seemed strangely subdued. The former Potions Master looked ill at ease.

"I have something for you," Snape said and walked forward to hand Draco a small book bound in black leather. Draco took it and examined it curiously. "It is a listing of some of the spells I invented and how to use them. I'm not certain how much time we will have together, so I may not be able to teach you."

Draco was puzzled by the gift, as well as Snape's attitude. Draco had never felt particularly close to Snape, even though he had proclaimed loudly for years that Snape was his favorite teacher. He was still an authority figure and, as such, had never ranked particularly high in Draco's hierarchy.

"Thank you," he said simply.

"There is something else you should know," Snape said quietly. "Someone needs to be aware of it, in case something should happen to me. None of the other Death Eaters know, so do not mention it. If the Dark Lord evens suspects that you know, or that I know..." Snape moved closer to Draco and spoke near his ear so quietly that Draco could barely hear him. "The reason he is deathless is that he has split his soul into several objects called Horcruxes. If anything should happen to me, seek them out."

Snape moved away, leaving Draco more confused than ever. Horcruxes? He had never heard the term.

"Guard well this knowledge," Snape said in a low voice. "And do with it what you will. Keep in mind the lessons Bellatrix and I have taught you."

"Why tell me this?" Draco demanded. "Why me? Why not my fa--"

"I am sworn to protect you. When I am gone, this knowledge may guide you when I cannot."

"Are you going somewhere?"

"We are going somewhere. As you know, all of our missions carry the strong possibility that we will not return. I am merely taking precautions. We will depart from the library. The others are gathering, so do hurry."

Draco did not have time to ponder Snape's words for long. He prepared himself for another potentially horrific mission. Draco was accompanied this time by Snape, Bellatrix, Rodolphus, and Mulciber. When they Apparated into the deserted street, he was glad to see no sign of werewolves. They stood before a strange, small house festooned with whirligigs, yard ornaments, garland, and fluttering streamers in various colors and designs.

"What the hell is this place?" Draco asked in bewilderment.

"Lovegood residence," Bellatrix said with a short laugh, muffled by the mask she wore. "The freaks are about to meet something a lot scarier than anything in that stupid rag of theirs."

Draco's hand clenched around the coin in his pocket. He vaguely remembered the strange blond girl that flitted around Harry Potter and the other Gryffindors. What was her name?

He sent a quick message across the coin. He wasn't sure what Granger could do about it, or if she even received the message, but at least he had warned her. She couldn't accuse Devlin Whitehorn of shirking his duty.

They fanned out quickly. Snape and Draco approached the front door while Bellatrix and her husband went around to forestall escape from the back. Mulciber hung back, watching the windows and staring around intently for any threats.

Snape blasted the door in without ceremony and surprised the Lovegood girl--Luna, Draco suddenly remembered--who was seated in a chair with a magazine and a quill in her hand. Snape aimed a curse in her direction, but the girl was not surprised for long. She flipped her chair over backward and Snape's curse rebounded off the underside. Luna got to her feet and bolted for the stairs.

Draco watched, wand in hand, as Snape sent hex after hex after the girl, causing damage to the walls of the room, but missing her completely.

"You really need to work on your aim," Draco said dryly.

"Shut up and go after her!"

Draco loped for the stairs, wondering where the stupid girl thought she was going. No one with a brain went upwards to escape. He poked his head carefully over the landing, expecting her to try and zap him with a hex, or at least throw something heavy at him. She was nowhere in sight. He heard a muffled thump from a nearby room and sidled toward the door. He peeked in just in time to see Luna's head disappearing down a shaft in the wall. Laundry chute. Well, at least she was going down this time.

Draco turned and thundered back down the stairs, nearly mowing down Snape.

"Basement!" Draco called in a singsong voice. He passed Snape and crossed the room, looking for a door to the basement. There were suddenly several cracks announcing Apparition and Draco ran for the kitchen. There he saw Bellatrix and Rodolphus entering through the back door.

"I think the enemy just got here," he mentioned and tore open the basement door. "I'm going after the girl."

As he lit his wand and headed down the narrow wooden stairs, Draco heard Hermione shout. She had made quick work of getting here. And Potter, too? Well, well, well, that was a surprise. He'd expected Potter to be hiding out for the summer, as usual. The Dark Lord would likely be pleased to hear that bit of news.

He stepped carefully into the basement, wand high and a counter-curse ready on his lips. Where had the girl gone? And why wasn't she hexing him? Surely she wasn't stupid enough to have forgotten her wand?

"Look, I know you're down here. I'm not going to hurt you, so why don't you just come out?"

Draco heard a noise and spun, only to find his Aunt Bellatrix rushing down the stairs after him.

"Where is she? We have to kill her and go! The damned Order of the Phoenix is here!"

"I thought I mentioned that."

A green light suddenly struck Bella in the back and she fairly flew down the remainder of the stairs to land in a crumpled heap at the bottom. Draco stared in astonishment. He caught a glimpse of robes at the top of the steps and craned his neck for a better look, certain they were Death Eater black.

Something flashed in Draco's peripheral vision and he turned, wand ready, to see Luna Lovegood leaping straight at him. They both went down in a tangle and Draco nearly dropped his wand. The light flickered, but steadied as Draco tightened his grip. Luna scrambled up and ran for a strange object that looked like a rusty doorknob. Draco threw himself at her and managed to grab her ankle just in time to feel himself being whisked away.

Bloody hell. A Portkey.

"I think you can let go of me, now," Luna said matter-of-factly. "Are you a Death Eater? I thought so at first, but you don't have a mask. In fact, I know you! You're Draco Malfoy, aren't you?"

Draco sat up and looked around. They were in what appeared to be an underground cave. Luna's wand was in her hand and its tip provided enough light to see by. Barely. He shot to his feet.

"Where the hell are we?"

"I have no idea. Father set up several Portkeys around the house for protection. I only remembered this one when I saw it."

"What do you mean you have no idea? How do we get out of here?"

Luna shrugged.

"I suppose we use the Portkey to get back to the basement. I'd rather not do that until the others leave, though. Are you one of them? What do you want?"

She seemed pretty calm and unperturbed, for someone that had nearly been killed in a Death Eater attack.

"I'm not really one of them, although if they find that out they'll likely melt me into a flesh pudding," Draco admitted, not wanting to provoke her into hexing him. "Why didn't you use your wand back there to defend yourself?"

"I'm underage, of course. Do you think I want to be expelled before school even starts?"

"I think they make exceptions for near-fatal attacks."

"Not necessarily. Harry was nearly expelled when the dementors attacked him two summers ago. The Ministry is completely corrupt, you know. Rufus Scrimgeour is nearly as bad as Cornelius Fudge, although I don't think he's murdered any goblins."

Her eyes narrowed.

"Harry Potter says you're responsible for Dumbledore's death."

"Harry Potter says a lot of things," Draco muttered, watching her carefully.

Luna suddenly sat down cross-legged on the cold dirt floor. Draco looked away from her long enough to scan for a way out. He saw no doors, crevasses, or holes by which to escape. What kind of imbecile would set up a portal into an escape-proof hole? He supposed he could Apparate out, but it was risky without knowing where he started from. What if they were miles below ground?

"I'm willing to hear your side," Luna said. "It's always possible you were possessed by an Algamothra. Have you been to Sardinia lately?"

Draco stared at her, but it was obvious he wasn't going anywhere without her. The rusty doorknob sat two inches from her left shoe and she had placed a large rock on top of it. If necessary, he could probably Accio it, but it would be better to persuade her to take them both out of here. He looked around nervously. He wasn't terribly fond of enclosed spaces.

He sighed and turned his attention back to Lovegood. She wore a strange gypsy-like skirt in lurid colors and a teal jumper partially buttoned from the top down. Her socks looked mismatched and they bunched around her ankles. He expelled a breath and sat down opposite her. Her earrings dangled strangely and he leaned forward to look at them.

"Are those radishes?"

"Of course."

He nodded, thoroughly confused. "How long do you plan to keep us down here?"

"Long enough for you to tell me why I shouldn't hex you into a puddle and leave you here for the Mondrovian Cave Beetles."

"I see. Since you mentioned it, I suppose I was responsible for Dumbledore's death." Might as well get that out of the way right off the bat. At least she hadn't taken his wand. If necessary, they could have a wizard duel. Down here. In the dirty, creepy darkness.

"But?" she prodded.

"But what?"

"You said it as if you had more to say."

"But, I didn't kill him. I was supposed to, but I couldn't. He was an unarmed old man! I was supposed to face the greatest wizard of all time in a duel that would most likely end in my death. Not murder a weak old man in cold blood."

"Dumbledore was not weak," Luna said adamantly.

"He was that day. He could barely stand. Something happened to him."

Luna muttered something under her breath and Draco suspected she was blaming some sort of imaginary creature for Dumbledore's condition. For a Ravenclaw, she was rather pathetic. He almost mentioned it, until he remembered that he didn't have Crabbe and Goyle standing by to back up his sarcastic commentary. He clamped his jaw shut.

Draco's coin suddenly warmed his pocket. He twisted until he could reach it and lit his wand to read it.

"Is that a Dumbledore's Army coin?" Luna asked. "Where did you get it?"

Draco ignored her while he read the words.

Devlin? Where are you?

What happened to the password? Zonko's and all that?

This is no time to be snarky! Did the Death Eaters capture Luna?

No, she's here with me. Wherever here is.

What are you talking about?

Portkey. Cave. Long story. Is it safe to return?

Not that he really wanted to return and face Granger. She still had no idea who he was. The minute she and Potter caught sight of him, it would be Sectumsempra revisited.

Almost. We're searching the house. I think they've fled.

Luna was watching him with her strange, luminous eyes.

"Who are you talking to?"

"Hermione Granger," he admitted, although saying the words aloud made them sound completely untrue. Luna must have agreed.

"I don't believe you."

"Neither would she."

Her oversized eyes grew even larger.

"She doesn't know it's you!"

Draco reevaluated her. Maybe she did deserve to be in Ravenclaw.

"Of course not. I don't even know why I'm helping her. I'm supposed to kill you and become an obedient little Death Eater."

"You said it yourself. You couldn't kill an unarmed old man, so you certainly can't kill a pathetic, underage girl. You're no killer."

Draco glared at her.

"I've been hearing that far too frequently."

"Then it must be true. Things that are difficult to hear often need repeating."

They've gone, the coin revealed in a rush of warmth.

Draco groaned, suddenly realizing the gravity of his situation. On the one hand, he was glad to be able to leave the cave. On the other hand, Snape and the others would not be happy about losing him. Most of them would suspect him of fleeing. He didn't want to think about what Voldemort might do.

"She says it's safe to go back. Look, if Potter and the others spot me, they'll hex first and ask questions, later."

"Let me go and explain it to them," Luna offered. She reached for the Portkey.

"Wait!" Draco yelled just as her hand touched the metal doorknob.

Nothing happened. She picked up the useless orb and blinked at him with her gaze of permanent surprise.

"Hmmm. One-way Portkey, apparently."

Draco thought he might kill her, after all.