Odd Packages

~Chapter 3~

Now I will tell you what I've done for you

50,000 tears I've cried

Screaming,

Deceiving,

And bleeding for you

And you still won't hear me

....Going Under....

Don't want your hand this time

I'll save myself

Maybe I'll wake up for once (wake up for once)

Not tormented daily defeated by you

Just when I thought I'd reach the bottom

~Evanescence

Chantel was sitting on her bed in her room when there was a sharp rap on her door. Dreading who stood behind it, she uttered a quiet "Come in." But to her surprise, it was John, Zane's personal servant.

"Master craves your presence in the Dining Hall for breakfast," he said in a loud, booming voice. "He also requests that you wear this." He held out a long white gown. Chantel glared at him. "Well you can tell him I'm not hungry, " she replied. John grinned, showing a mouthful of golden teeth.

"He said you'd say that," he said wickedly. "And he said if that was the case, you'd be dining with me-naked." Chantel gave a horrified squeak.

"Fine," she said furiously. "Fine." She snatched the dress out of his hands and he stalked off looking as though he'd been denied a treat.

Chantel sighed and shut the door. She did not wish to be around Zane. Everyday he looked more and more like his Father. She changed into the dress and pulled her hair up into a bun. Then before she set off to the Dining Hall, she grabbed a torch from a bracket because it was so dark in the gloomy castle. When she reached the doors to the Dining Hall she put the torch in an empty bracket outside the door. When she entered the room however, it was so bright she had to shield her eyes. Bright morning sunlight was streaming through the many windows in the large room. The long table that usually resided in the room was no longer there; a shorter, smaller one had replaced it. Zane was sitting at it, dressed in a chic shirt and trousers. He was reading the Daily Prophet. He looked up when she entered and smiled, but she knew him so well that she saw right through it. It was a smile with absolutely no warmth in it.

"Sit," he said, gesturing to the chair opposite him. She dropped delicately into the seat and fixed him with a resolute stare. She knew he was skilled in Legilimency, so she tried to keep her face as blank as possible.

"Did you sleep well?" he asked her. She frowned at him.

"No, I couldn't get Fred's screaming out of my head," she replied churlishly. Zane laughed. "The prisoner? That reminds me, I must go question him further." He fingered his wand and sneered evilly. Then he took a bite of his potatoes.

"Why are you keeping them here?" Chantel blurted out furiously. "It's Harry Potter you want, not them!" The smile immediately vanished from Zane's face, replaced by a truly hideous look.

"Silence!" he hissed, with such rancor it was frightening. "You have no right to question my authority!" Chantel had had it.

"You're foolish!" she spat. "You're an evil-"

"I SAID SILENCE!" he roared, jumping up. Without warning, he seized the table and upturned it. Dishes broke with an ear-splitting shatter and food went flying.

"You will do as you are told," he said, pointing a finger in her face.

"I am not your servant to command!" she said, aghast at what he had done.

"You will do as you are told," he repeated. Then he stormed from the room. Chantel sat there, stunned. One of the pictures on the wall spoke. "Nasty temper he's got."

* * *

When Draco walked into the dining room, he had to rub his eyes to make sure he wasn't seeing things. Harry Potter and his friends were sitting at his table, eating breakfast.

"Morning Potter," he said, taking a seat next to Hermione and helping himself to bacon. "You guys had better get anything you want to take with you, I expect we'll be leaving soon." He looked over at Ron.

"Could you pass me the toast, Weasly?" he said. Ron sniffed and passed him the plate. Apparently he was still mad about the fact that they were trusting the "enemy".

"Did you sleep well?" Draco said, turning to Ginny. She nodded, and something on Draco's left arm caught her eye. Sensing her gaze, he hastily pulled his sleeve down farther.

"Malfoy, what was that on your arm?" she asked him suspiciously.

"Oh nothing, I just bruised my arm there the other day," he lied. Ginny wasn't convinced, but she said nothing.

Harry, having just finished his breakfast, got up to go get packed. He stopped however, when he felt someone at his elbow. It was Hermione. Harry stomach clenched. "Those damn mini-skirts," he thought angrily as he tried not to think about how beautiful she looked today. "What?" he snapped, a little harsher than he has intended.

"Harry, there's something I need to tell you," she said.

"Can't it wait?" he said, and without waiting for an answer, he walked off, leaving Hermione staring hopelessly after him. After a while she felt a rough hand on her shoulder, and turned to see Ron. He gave her a feeble smile and fallowed Harry down the hall. Then Hermione too left, leaving Draco and Ginny alone at the table. She was still watching him suspiciously, so he decided to leave too. He crept down the hall, making sure no one was watching, then slipped through a door and closed it quietly, locking it with a click. He had entered his father's study.

Draco walked swiftly to the fireplace, pulled out his wand, and muttered "Incendio!" A merry fire blazed to life in the grate. Then he picked up a small bowl from the mantel and grabbed a handful of a fine powder from it. He tossed it into the fire, muttered something, then got down on all fours and stuck his head in the fire. It felt like getting caught in whirlwind, and was not a pleasant feeling. Just as he was starting to feel sick-it stopped. He could see into a room. It was furnished with antiques that all looked extremely expensive. There was a valuable-looking Persian rug on the floor, and facing the fireplace was an armchair made of green suede. The room seemed to be empty.

"Master..." Draco called. "Master...?" There was the sound of footsteps and a man appeared. He seemed to be muttering to himself in another language.

"Les ordures pourquoi je n' associent a' une telle ordures aucune! Matie're qu'elle les mourra a' lafin toute." Draco hesitated. He wasn't sure he should bother him; he was obviously angry about something.

"Master?" he said meekly. The man spun around.

"Ah, Draco! Just the man I wanted to see! Have you any news?"

"Yes sir," he said. "The plan is right on track and we should be leaving very soon. With any luck we should be there within a few days."

"Good...good," he said, sinking into the suede chair and fixing Draco with a calculating stare. "And they do not suspect you?"

"They are a little thrown by my sudden act of generosity sir, but otherwise none the wiser."

"Excellent," the man folded his hands together together and rested his chin on them. "You will not mess this up for me, Draco. If you do, the consequences shall be very severe."

"Yes Master Zane," Draco said, lowering his eyes to the floor.

* * *

"Here Molly, this will make you feel better," Tonks said, pushing a steaming mug of tea into Mrs. Weasly's hand. Mrs. Weasly sniffled and brought the cup to her lips, but then slammed it back onto the table, untouched.

"I'm just so worried though," she said sadly. "I know Ron and Harry and Hermione are of age now, and could easily take care of themselves, but I'm just so worried. And what about Ginny? Oh my poor babies!"

"There, there Molly," Tonks said reassuringly patting her hand. "I'm sure they're fine. In any case, Arthur and Remus will find them." As she said this, the too men walked into the room.

"Any news?" she asked anxiously as they took seats at the kitchen table. Lupin ran a hand through his messy hair.

"Well, we've got the Ministry on the lookout, but other than that, nothing new," he said. He grabbed the kettle and poured himself a mug of steaming water.

"So what's next?" Tonks asked.

"Well," Lupin said, adding the teabag. "We're going to go back and check out the damage."

"And have you heard from Fred or George?"

Mr. Weasly took off his glasses and massaged his temples. "Nope. So we don't know if hey ever got back or not."

"I'm sure they're fine," Tonks repeated. She walked over to Lupin and massaged his shoulder. They were as stiff as an iron bar. They carried the weight of so many burdens and it pained Tonks to see him like that. He drained his cup and turned to Mr. Weasly.

"Are you ready Arthur?" he asked. Mr. Weasly nodded, and they both stood and made their way to the door. Tonks followed them and Lupin turned around and whispered in her ear.

"Take care of Molly, we'll be back soon." He kissed her on the cheek, then stepped out into the bright morning sunlight that enveloped the tiny little village of Hogsmeade. Tonks leaned against the door frame and watched them disappear with a soft * pop*

* * *