Draco Malfoy and the Heart of Slytherin

Chapter Nineteen: Witnessing a True Magical Partnership

The cruciatus curse was not one of Draco's favorite curses. Seeing someone writhe in sheer agony as a hundred thousand magical needles pierced muscle and bone, their bodies contorting in a rictus of unimaginable torture, was not amusing. Feeling the curse first hand was not fun, either.

Draco's body seized in pain when the spell hit. He had been under the cruciatus curse before; Harry had made it a subject of their lessons for an entire week in early December, under Dumbledore's supervision. Still, it was a curse Draco would never get used to feeling, and it took every ounce of willpower in order to cast the counter-spell.

Every spell had a counter-spell, as Harry had taught, sitting in a cupboard under the steps what seemed like eons ago, rather than merely months. The cruciatus curse was no exception.

"Orgasio," Draco grit out between clenched teeth. Pleasure so intense it actually bordered on pain flooded him, causing his eyes to roll back. The restricted books called the orgasmius spell "a touch of paradise." The description paled in comparison to the spell's effects.

Somehow, Draco managed to stay on his feet the few seconds the orgasmius spell was active. Too much pleasure had the same deleterious effects of too much pain, which was why the spell was relatively unknown. Harry had found it in one of the many books he'd read over the summer and was the one who had made the connection that it could be used to counter the cruciatus curse. Smart boy, that Potter fellow. Draco would have to thank him for his discovery, because it really worked.

Draco dropped his chin when the orgasmius spell's effects ended. Around him, the students were exceptionally silent. Slowly, he lifted his head, pale eyes like chips of ice. Harry was standing in front of him. His expression changed from one of worry into a cold, hard mask. Tension spiked on the platform. The air crackled abovehead.

Draco turned slowly on his heel, until he faced where he'd seen the spellcaster's wand. It was, of course, no longer there, and the large crowd of students was almost the perfect place for the unknown spellcaster to hide. Almost the perfect place.

Because no one could hide from Draco and Harry when they worked together.

Neither seeker raised their voice, but their words sounded like gunshots in the charged silence. For the first time, half the student population of Hogwarts were witness to a true magical partnership and saw why Draco and Harry were afforded special privileges.

"Prior incantato crucio."

"Tetherum incanterous."

"Lumos tetherum."

The wandless spells were cast by Draco and Harry one after another, with barely a beat between them. A soft green puff of spell-light rose from the crowd of students, hovered in the air above a certain student, and that student began to glow.

Gasps were heard all around. The glowing student raised her wand.

"Expelliarmus."

"Accio wand."

"Petrificus totalus."

"Acciocorpus."

The glowing student's wand had shot in the air and was called to Draco's hand. Harry's body-binding spell caused the glowing student to fall and Draco's calling spell zipped her to his side. She was a Ravenclaw sixth year, another Death Eater child.

Harry began body-binding the seven downed Slytherins who first attacked Draco and Draco acciocorpused them in a heap with the Ravenclaw. Draco added her wand to the multitude of wands in his pocket.

Less than a minute had passed.

Harry shoved his glasses up his nose, tossed the dangling end of the green and silver scarf over his shoulder, and glared dangerously at the awed and frightened circle of students surrounding them. "My name is Harry Potter," he stated cooly. "You might have heard of me. I'm the Boy Who Lived."

"Twice," Draco added for only Harry to hear. He smirked at the dark look he received.

"My companion," Harry went on, gesturing to Draco, "is Draco Malfoy. You might not have heard of him, but you will. He is the One Who Outsmarted Voldemort."

The gathered students gasped at the name and began talking rapidly, one over the other. Harry cleared his throat loudly, walked over to Voldemort's body, and said the spellword to make Voldemort stand. The students fell immediately quiet again.

"This," continued Harry, pulling down the corpse's hood, "is Voldemort. You've most certainly have heard of him. He is Finally Very Dead."

In that instant, everything went still. Not a breath was taken. Not a single heart beat. The students were frozen in shock, staring wide-eyed at Voldemort.

Then, as one, they screamed and scattered.

It was in the midst of the chaos that Dumbledore and several other professors appeared. The illegal flying carpet they had been on rolled itself up and disappeared. The professors immediately tried to return order and bring about some semblance of calmness. Dumbledore let the teachers handle the students and, instead, made his way directly to the center of the maelstrom.

"Mr. Potter, Mr. Malfoy," said Dumbledore, glancing at the pile of body-binded students. "It seems you boys have created a bit of excitement amongst the students."

"It's Potter's fault," Draco piped quickly, as he checked on Wormtail. The silver-handed wizard was snugly tied and still sleeping.

"Sorry, Professor," Harry apologized with chagrin.

Dumbledore examined the still-standing, ensorcelled corpse of Voldemort. "Hmm. This is quite an interesting development. I cannot wait to hear the full story on what happened."

"Draco will have to tell it, because I was dead most of the time."

Dumbledore was clearly startled. "I beg your pardon?"

Harry pushed his hair off his forehead, exposing the double scars. He smiled toothily. "Pettigrew cast avada kedavra at Draco, but I kind of stepped in the way."

"Ah." Dumbledore glanced sidelong a Draco. "I see."

Draco straightened from checking Wormtail, the spider medallion swinging loose around the blond's neck. He tucked Harry's gift beneath the collar of his winter robe. He winced as his fingers bumped his bruised neck, which made the back of his head start to throb.

Harry noticed and frowned in concern. "You all right?"

"It's nothing that Madam Pomfrey can't fix," Draco replied, gently probing the back of his skull. The injury from smacking his head against Crabbe's face and the hard train station platform was extremely tender.

"Then, I suggest we return to Hogwarts," said Dumbledore, clapping his hands. The flying carpet appeared beneath their feet, surprisingly large enough to include the bespelled Death Eater children.

Within moments, they were coasting smoothly towards the castle on the hill.