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 51 - Bonus Chapter - Percy

Chapter Summary:
This chapter sequentially falls between 38 and 39 but was not included in the book because it wasn't from the POV of the main characters...
Posted:
03/15/2007
Hits:
1,849


This chapter was written after Thirty Eight, when I had to figure out what Voldemort was up to. I love Lucius and had fun with Percy, who turned out to be stronger than suspected... Shortly hereafter, Snape decided to send a message to Draco.

Chapter Thirty Eight Bonus - Percy

Lucius was sick to death of dirt. He wanted to go home, forcibly oust the bloody squatters that had most likely moved in since their departure, take a scalding bath, put on his silk dressing gown, pour a glass of cognac, make love to his wife, and climb between the 600 thread-count Egyptian combed cotton sheets on his own feather bed.

Instead, he flung himself down on the hard pallet that lay on the floor of the filthy cave next to Narcissa. Her beautiful blonde hair had been pulled back into a tight horse's tail and there was a smudge of grime on her cheek. She looked tired, but smiled at him wanly.

"I abhor camping," she commented as Lucius wiped at the dirt on her face with a tender thumb. Lucius had to laugh. They had taken Draco camping only once, when he was six, and he had proven to detest camping as much as his mother. He had complained about the dirt, the insects, the birds, the weather, the food, and his interminable boredom until Lucius had Apparated them to Paris for the remainder of the weekend just to shut him up.

"Hopefully this won't take much longer," he said. Narcissa scooted behind him to massage his shoulders. Lucius had spent the day with the other lucky Death Eaters levitating and shifting tons of rock. They had been at it for days, trying to clear a tunnel that had been blocked for decades.

When clear, the passage would lead directly into the Chamber of Secrets beneath Hogwarts. From there, Voldemort planned to launch his offensive.

"He was in a bloody rage today," Lucius commented.

"I know. Snape told me."

"Did he tell you why?"

Narcissa's lips touched the side of his neck and her arms slid down to caress his chest as she pressed herself against his back. He sighed deeply and recalled his fantasy of returning home. He and Narcissa currently shared their cave with Lars and McNair. They had barely had a moment's privacy in weeks. Even at Malfoy Manor, that fucking snake had been in almost constant attendance.

"Apparently, both Fenrir Greyback and Wormtail have disappeared," she murmured.

Lucius gripped both of her hands and pressed kisses against her knuckles while he digested the news. He grinned. "Incredible. Those two, as well as Alecto and Amycus? That had to hurt."

"Snape thinks Wormtail might have turned traitor."

"That coward? He would never cross the Dark Lord now that Dumbledore is gone. He'd be far too bloody frightened of the repercussions. No, he's been taken."

"Do you think it was Draco?" she murmured in his ear, so quietly he could barely hear her. They had an unspoken agreement not to discuss their son, knowing it was dangerous. Far better to pretend they thought Draco was dead.

"Possibly."

Lucius closed his eyes, feeling a fresh surge of frustration. If he had been alone, he would have walked out on Voldemort's wretched plan and Apparated to the Caribbean. The snaky bastard had guaranteed Lucius's loyalty by clamping an anti-Disapparation band around Narcissa's wrist. Any attempt to remove it would alert Voldemort.

The only way Narcissa would be fleeing the Dark Lord was afoot. Lucius could only guess what other unpleasant tricks had been spelled into the bracelet. Regardless, Narcissa was trapped and with her, Lucius.

"You should leave me here and go help our little ray of sunshine," she murmured, using her pet phrase for Draco. He turned slightly and pulled her into his lap. He kissed her perfect lips and slid his hands over her body, feeling the pinch of his tightly-leashed passion when she clung to him.

"You know I'll never leave you," he whispered against her mouth. "And so does he."

She held him tightly and pushed one hand up into his hair, which had pulled mostly free of the leather thong that bound it. He buried his face in her neck and drank in the feel of her.

"Bloody hell, get a room!" McNair guffawed, stomping into the cave and throwing himself on another pallet. "Oh, I forgot. Ye can't!" He laughed heartily. "That's okay, I'll watch."

"Go fuck yourself," Lucius said harshly.

McNair sneered at him and sprawled out on his blankets. Lars entered and collapsed on his own blankets.

"This is crap," he grumbled. "Digging is for trolls. Or goblins. Can't he get some bleeding goblins down here to do this shite?"

"Goblins ain't getting' involved," McNair put in. "They say it's a wizard war. Don't care who wins."

"Some war," Lars spat. "We haven't done anything productive in days. Only the damned werewolves get to have any fun."

"Not anymore," Lucius commented. "Greyback disappeared." The other two Death Eaters stared at him. Lars whistled.

"Probably got himself Avada Kedavraed by an angry parent."

Lucius hoped that were true. He'd seen the way Fenrir had watched Draco. The werewolf was a sick bastard. If they got out of this alive, Lucius planned to take out Fenrir. No matter who won, the werewolf was going to be a casualty. Lucius would see to it personally.

Snape strolled into the cave and gazed at them with his usual smug superiority. His eyes softened a bit as they took in Narcissa and Lucius suppressed a grin. The poor, greasy bastard had been lusting after his wife for as long as Lucius could remember. Narcissa felt sorry for him, and even genuinely liked the little cretin, so Lucius had encouraged their relationship. It made Lucius seem very magnanimous and trusting. In addition, it allowed Snape to pass on valuable information to the Malfoys--formerly anything of interest at Hogwarts or with the Order of the Phoenix, and now within Voldemort's inner circle.

"The Dark Lord wants to see you," Snape said to Lucius.

"Now?" Lucius snarled. It had been a bloody long day spent excavating and Lucius wanted only to lie on his rock-hard pallet next to his gorgeous wife and go to sleep.

"No, the next time it's convenient for you," Snape returned sarcastically. "Of course now."

Lucius sighed and slid Narcissa back onto the makeshift bed. She gave him a smile of encouragement to hide her concern. He squeezed her hand in reassurance and then got to his feet. He paused next to Snape.

"Stay with Narcissa, won't you?" he asked quietly. "I don't trust those two heathens."
Snape looked at Lars and McNair and nodded. The former Potion's master walked over and sat down next to Narcissa.

Lucius looked back once and saw their two heads, one bright and one dark, bent together. For the briefest moment, he wondered if Narcissa would seek solace in Snape's embrace, should Lucius never return. He shook off the idea. Best not to think dark thoughts before a meeting with Voldemort.

The Dark Lord's current lair was accessed by a devilishly tricky maze of passages. Lucius nearly took a wrong turn twice and hurried to enter the large cave. The encroaching darkness made the chamber seem over larger, for the place was lit only by a single firepit in the center of the floor.

The Dark Lord had taken Lucius's favorite chair from the parlour at Malfoy Manor and it now rested in the dirt of the cave, near the fire. Several burn marks on the upholstery displayed its proximity to random sparks. Lucius clamped his teeth together in annoyance.

Voldemort was not immediately visible, but Lucius could sense his presence. He stood impassively before the firepit and waited. Before long, a hissing noise preceded the snake as Nagini slithered from the darkness to curl around the legs of the chair.

The Dark Lord followed and seated himself. He held his bone-white wand in a pale hand and tipped his reptilian face to regard Lucius.

"How goes our project, old friend?" Voldemort asked, stressing the final two words a bit. Lucius knew the bastard had already received a detailed report from Snape, but he kept his face impassive.

"I don't know, my lord," Lucius said. "It seems to go well, but I do not know how much longer until our goal is met."

"Oh, it won't be long now," Voldemort hissed. "Not long at all."

Lucius waited, quite certain the shifty bastard had not called him here to discuss dirt digging.

"Wormtail has disappeared."

Lucius did not bother to pretend surprise.

"Turncoat, or dead?" he asked.

"He had better be dead," Voldemort said and caressed his wand in a somewhat obscene manner. "If he knows what is good for him."

Lucius did not care a jot about Wormtail. He would like nothing better than to stamp on his ratlike head. The fucking little shit was the one responsible for bringing this slithering horror back into the world.

"I sent him to deliver some instructions to Fenrir Greyback. I have not heard from either of them and my instructions have not been carried out," Voldemort went on. Lucius said nothing, knowing the point would be arrived at, eventually. "It is of little matter, however. They were meant to be a diversion. The plan will yet be carried out. I would send you to lead them, but I'm not entirely certain of your undying loyalty, Lucius."

"Of course you have my loyalty, my lord," Lucius said, making certain the truth rang in his voice. Voldemort waved the comment aside with a flick of his skeletal hand.

"Yes, yes. I'll have your loyalty as long as I keep your pretty wife under lock and key. Tell me, is your son alive?"

The question came from nowhere and Lucius felt the probe of the Dark Lord's mind, sharp as a dagger, beneath his penetrating gaze.

"I believe so, my lord," he replied honestly. "But that my simply be a father's wishful thinking."

"Where is he?" Voldemort demanded.

"I don't know," Lucius replied, for once glad of the fact. Voldemort's presence withdrew from his mind.

"I hope, for your sake, that Draco has not betrayed me."

"He would not do that with his mother in your... care." Inwardly, Lucius wondered what Draco was up to and if Wormtail's disappearance had been his doing. He hoped his son would be extremely cautious.

"We shall see," Voldemort said cryptically. "I've sent Bella to fetch something for me. I believe she has returned."

A moment later, Bellatrix Lestrange entered the cavern with a guest. Her hand was wrapped firmly in the red hair at the base of Percy Weasley's neck. She dragged him into the room. To his credit, he made no sound, though his eyes were bright with tears of pain and wide with poorly-masked fear.

"Such a dedicated little Weasel," Bella crooned as she flung Percy next to the Dark Lord's chair. Percy fell to his knees, but climbed quickly to his feet.

"The other Weasels have gone to ground, except those wretched twins in Diagon Alley. That shop of theirs is near-impenetrable. But this one--conveniently working late hours at the Ministry all alone. So dedicated."

As she spoke, she walked forward and gripped Percy's chin in her fingers. He glared at her and tried to jerk away, but she squeezed and her nails dug into his flesh.

"Horrid little blood traitor!" Bellatrix hissed. "Where is Harry Potter?" She raised her wand and placed the tip against Percy's cheek, pressing it hard against his cheekbone and twisting it slightly.

Percy suddenly shoved her with both hands and Bella stumbled backward and nearly fell. Her nails left bloody scratches on Weasley's jaw.

"You dare?" she shrieked and leveled her wand at him. Green light shot out and enveloped Percy, who screamed as the Cruciatus Curse flung him, writhing, to the ground. Voldemort watched impassively.

The torture went on for quite some time and Bellatrix was whipping herself into a sickening frenzy of glee. Lucius was revolted. It was hard to believe the sadistic creature was related to his gentle wife.

Voldemort finally raised a hand.

"Enough, Bella. He needs to retain the ability to speak."

Lucius wasn't certain the Dark Lord had stopped it in time. Percy was on the floor in a fetal position, sobbing piteously and whining, "No more... no more..."

Bella crouched beside him and forced him to look at her.

"Where is Harry Potter?" she repeated. A shudder ran through Weasley's tortured frame, but he shut his eyes. His bloody jaw clenched tightly in defiance. A Gryffindor to the end. Bella stood up in a rage and pointed her wand again with a snarl, but Voldemort's voice stopped her.

"Easy, Bella. There are subtler ways."

The Dark Lord had to have known torture wouldn't work, even on the weakest Weasley. He had simply let Bellatrix Crucio the boy for pleasure. She reluctantly lowered the wand.

"Lucius, fetch Severus. Tell him to bring Veritaserum."

Lucius obediently went back to the cave to fetch Snape. He and Narcissa followed when Snape returned to Voldemort's audience.

Lucius and Bella held Percy tightly while Snape tipped the potion into his mouth and forced Weasley to swallow. They waited a bit for the potion to take effect and then Voldemort asked, "Now, where is Harry Potter?"

"At Hogwarts," Percy said in a slurred tone.

"Hogwarts!" Voldemort breathed.

"Are you sure?" asked Bellatrix.

Percy nodded like a doll with a broken neck. His head lolled.

"I saw him there, myself," Percy said.

"Do you know Draco Malfoy?" Voldemort asked suddenly. Lucius felt his blood run cold.

"Yes."

"Have you seen him?"

"Yes," Percy replied and giggled strangely. "He has black hair."

Lucius nearly sagged in relief.

"He obviously does not know Draco," Lucius commented to the Dark Lord.

Voldemort scowled. "Apparently not. Where are my missing Death Eaters? Where is Fenrir Greyback?"

"Prisoner of the Order of the Phoenix," Percy replied. "Fenrir is locked up at Hogwarts."

"Wormtail? The Carrows?"

"The same. All together."

Voldemort steepled his fingers together.

"Excellent. Snape, throw Weasley into the pit. But gently--we may yet have a use for him."