Rating:
15
House:
Schnoogle
Ships:
Draco Malfoy/Hermione Granger
Characters:
Draco Malfoy Harry Potter Hermione Granger
Genres:
Drama Angst
Era:
Harry and Classmates During Book Seven
Spoilers:
Philosopher's Stone Chamber of Secrets Prizoner of Azkaban Goblet of Fire Order of the Phoenix Half-Blood Prince
Stats:
Published: 11/28/2006
Updated: 03/15/2007
Words: 148,035
Chapters: 51
Hits: 126,771

Draco: Phoenix Rising

Cheryl Dyson

Story Summary:
Dumbledore is dead, Snape is a traitor and Draco is a Death Eater, but is he really cut out for a position on Voldemort's team?

Chapter 47 - The Second Chamber

Chapter Summary:
Author's Note: Don't kill the messenger.
Posted:
03/04/2007
Hits:
2,127


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?

* * * * *

Harry watched the scene for only a moment before taking a retreating step.

"We've got to get out of here--wait for Hermione and the others," Harry said quietly. "There are too many of them. They'll cut us to ribbons."

Ron did not need to be told twice. He slipped back into the passage.

"Malfoy?" Harry hissed. There was no reply. "Malfoy? Damn it--Draco?"

Harry nearly pulled his hair. Where the devil had the Slytherin gone? Harry turned to go and found himself unable to move.

"Harry Potter. Come and join our little party," Voldemort called. Harry fought the compulsion with a sinking feeling, but found his feet carrying him forward into the room. His mind screamed for him to resist, but his body refused to obey.

"I had planned to bring the festivities up to you," Voldemort continued, "But as usual, your Gryffindor impulsiveness has put a kink in my plans." Voldemort shook his head. He still lounged casually in the chair with his wand pointed at Harry. Wormtail hovered nearby, looking terrified. Harry vaguely noticed that the dementors were being brought under control.

"You've been quite a thorn in my side, Potter," Voldemort went on. Harry began to sweat with the effort of trying to raise his wand. He thought it moved fractionally.

"Wormtail, do go fetch Potter's wand before he hurts himself."

Pettigrew scampered forward and snatched the wand from Harry's hand. He felt almost physical pain from the loss.

"Now, Mr. Potter, you may kneel before me. You see, I am the new master here. I have the Ministry and shortly I will have Hogwarts."

"No," Harry managed. Voldemort scowled and sat up.

"Yes, Mr. Potter. Kneel."

Harry's legs buckled, but a part of him seemed to detach from the rest of his mind. No, it whispered. Harry swayed, but remained upright.

"Kneel!" Voldemort screamed, rising to his feet and brandishing his wand like a sword. Harry felt his knees slam into the stone floor. He shook with the effort to resist, struggling to rise. Confident once more, Voldemort settled back into the chair, although his previous casual attitude was gone.

"I am curious, Potter, how you managed to command the dementors. By all accounts, you are not the best student." His snakelike eyes flicked to Snape for a moment.

"I know how," Fenrir growled. "Draco Malfoy. He's here--I can smell him." The werewolf was stalking a path through the room.

Get out, Malfoy, Harry willed. Greyback suddenly launched himself forward and his hand clawed at thin air. There was an odd shimmer as the invisibility cloak slipped off to reveal Draco, who immediately cast a spell that sent Fenrir flying backward. When the werewolf landed several feet away, he did not rise.

Malfoy did not pause, but whirled and sent a killing spell at Voldemort, who did not bother to deflect it--Lars did it for him. The Death Eater cast a shield charm and Draco's bolt ricocheted off to blast a chunk of rock from the wall.

"Expelliarmus!" Voldemort snapped and Draco's wand was snatched from his hand to land in Voldemort's. Draco raised his chin, tossing his platinum hair defiantly.

"Lucius. I'm afraid your offspring has been very naughty."

"Indeed," Lucius commented. Harry marveled at the bored tone of his voice. Was it possible that Lucius did not even care about his own son?

"Don't you think it's time you punished him? It's a father's job, after all, to discipline their children, is it not?"

Harry felt sick. Voldemort's voice was heavy with amusement and tinged with excitement, as thought it were an entertaining game. The huge snake slithered out from under the chair, where it had apparently been coiled the entire time. It hissed.

"You are absolutely right, my lord," Lucius said. He strode forward and raised his wand. Father and son looked at each other for a long moment--so very alike, pale and haughty.

"Avada Kedavra!" Lucius snapped and a green light shot forward and slammed into Draco, who instantly collapsed and lay still.

Harry felt himself screaming in horrified denial. For a moment, he thought he'd managed to break the curse and scream aloud, but it was another's cry of pure pain that echoed in the room. Narcissa had entered by a passage at the rear of the chamber just in time to witness her husband murder their only child.

She flew forward with a shriek of rage to launch herself at Lucius. Her fists hammered into his chest, past all his efforts to deflect her. Her hair was a silver cloud as she pounded at him.

"You bastard! You BASTARD! How could you?" she sobbed. Harry's heart twisted with pain. His eyes slid to Draco's unmoving body. He never would have imagined the crushing sense of loss he felt to know he'd never hear that snide voice again, or see those flawless features twist with wry humor...

Narcissa collapsed into Lucius's arms and the elder Malfoy buried his face in her hair as he held her tightly. Harry felt such rage toward Lucius Malfoy he thought he would burst from it. He clenched his fists and concealed his surprise when his hands responded. Could he fight the Imperius Curse? He had once before...

"Oh my, that was entertaining. Thank you, Lucius. Narcissa, it's for the best. Your traitor son was consorting with Mudbloods and their whelp. Potter, you seem upset." Voldemort tsked as if sympathetic. "Was young Malfoy your friend?"

Yes, you bastard, Harry thought furiously. Yes, he was.

"I suppose I should put you out of your misery then, eh Potter? Wormtail, kill him."

Peter's head shot up in surprise and then a stricken expression crossed his face. He hesitated.

"Don't make me tell you twice, Peter."

Wormtail crept forward and then slowly knelt before Harry. His features were twisted as he reached out his silver hand. Harry felt the cold metal close around his throat. He looked into Wormtail's watery eyes steadily, pleading.

"Forgive me, Harry," Peter whispered in a shaking voice. The hand began to tighten. Pettigrew drew a shuddering breath. "Oh, God, you look so much like James." Tears filled the eyes of the man who had betrayed Harry's parents to their deaths. "Forgive me, James, forgive me." Harry found it difficult to breathe as the metal hand continued to tighten. He struggled with all his might to move and felt his hands rise with ludicrous slowness toward his neck--far too slowly. Pettigrew sobbed and the tears flowed down his cheeks. "James. James, I loved you like a brother. I'm so sorry." Black spots appeared before Harry's eyes and he fought desperately for breath, but the air was not forthcoming. His oxygen-starved brain howled for him to do something--he couldn't let it end like this!

"I'm so sorry," Wormtail cried. The hand trembled on Harry's neck and then suddenly released.

Cool, sweet, welcome air flooded Harry's lungs and he drew in a gasping breath. He blinked in astonishment and would have fallen if the compulsion had not kept him upright. Wormtail climbed to his feet and stepped away.

"I... I can't, my lord," Peter said in a whining, begging voice. "Potter saved my life--he kept Sirius and Remus from killing me. I owe him a life debt."

"Pity," Voldemort said in a voice like a crypt. He flicked his wand. Wormtail's hand suddenly sprang up and closed around his own throat. Peter shrieked in surprised horror until the sound was choked off. Peter's other hand tugged convulsively at the metal appendage, trying to tear it away, but it continued to squeeze mercilessly. The Animagus tried to transform in a panic. His features melted and became even more ratlike. Harry watched in utter horror, panting through his bruised throat. The partial change made no difference. Pettigrew flopped to the ground, thrashing violently, half-man and half-rat. His back arched hideously and his heels drummed on the ground--and then he lay still.

Voldemort chuckled in the silence. Even the Death Eaters seemed stunned by the pitiless killing.

"Poor Wormtail. He never knew the hand was a failsafe device. I always suspected he would turn on me, in the end." Voldemort suddenly pounded a fist on the carved arm of the chair. "I am surrounded by traitors! Who will be next? You, Lars?" The brutal-faced Death Eater shook his head in terror and backed away.

"No, my lord!"

"Crabbe? Dolohov?" He turned his glare on the man that had escorted Narcissa Malfoy into the room. Antonin Dolohov held up his hands in fear.

"I am loyal to the death, my lord!"

Voldemort swung around to stare at Snape.

"Severus?"

Snape met his gaze coldly and said nothing. The lack of response seemed to calm Voldemort, who relaxed a bit and chuckled. "No... not you. Not the one who rid me of that pestilential Dumbledore." He sat back and steepled his fingers. The twisted wand jutted from the center of his hands like a bleached bone. "Perhaps it is time you rid me of Potter, as well."

Time to move, Harry, said the detached voice in Harry's mind. Move now.

* * * * *

Hermione raced for Myrtle's bathroom with the others. She was shocked to run into Susan Bones on the way.

"Where are you going?" Susan asked.

"Should you be... out of the hospital ward?" Hermione asked uncertainly. Susan glared at her.

"Probably not, since I'm such a dangerous criminal. I'm frankly surprised I wasn't confined to a cell with the Death Eaters."

"They've escaped," Neville said quietly. Susan's eyes flashed.

"Escaped! That explains why Pomfrey hoofed it out of there in a flutter. Damn it! They should have let me kill them all!"

"You might still have your chance," Ginny said dryly. "They've fled with Snape into the Chamber of Secrets. We're going after them."

A smiled curved Susan's lips and she raised her wand.

"Why are we standing here?"

Hermione brushed past her and they hurried to the entrance of the Chamber. Myrtle floated near the hole. She glared at them.

"No visitors for months and then everyone shows up in one day," she huffed. "I suppose you're going down, too?"

Hermione didn't bother to respond; she merely hurried to the entrance and stepped inside. The ride was more horrible than even Ron had described. She spat slime from her mouth after landing with a hard thump at the bottom.

"Ew, that's so disgusting!" she cried, shaking her hand to dislodge a clinging bit of something horrid.

"Hermione!" She looked up to see Ron running toward her. "We've got to hurry! They've got Harry! Voldemort's here!"

The others emerged from the pipe one by one and clustered around Ron, who turned and raced back the way he'd come. They all followed. They entered a huge chamber with large pillars that Hermione recognized from Harry's descriptions. She paused for a moment, astonished that Salazar Slytherin had managed to construct something so massive in total secrecy. Ron hadn't slowed, so she hurried to catch up with him.

Hermione suddenly screamed as a massive wave of agony bored into her--the source was the Galleon around her neck. She fell to the ground and barely caught herself with her hands. The pain disappeared as suddenly as it had come.

Ron was on his knees next to her. She gripped his arms in panic.

"It's Draco--something terrible has happened." She threw herself to her feet and fled toward the doorway that gaped at the end of the room.