The Death Eater's Daughter

Chapter Thirty-Two - The Search Party

Everyone in the house had heard every word, she knew it.

Luci did the only thing that she could think to do. She went to her room, closed the door, and hurled her fist against the wall, feeling the bones splinter.

Blinding pain shot through her, all the way up her arm, and blood splattered in her face. She crumbled to the floor and relished in the throbbing for as long as she possibly could. The physical ache was so much better than the emotional one.

Within a few minutes, she was fully mended, and the distinct heaviness returned to her mind, but now, she felt better able to focus.

She immediately went to her hearth, tossed Floo powder into it, and immersed her face.

"Severus?" she hissed against the mist.

Then she repeated his name, louder this time.

"It's the middle of the night, Miss Keegan," he scolded wearily, clambering toward her, out of the darkness.

"I know," she muttered. "The worst thing imaginable has happened."

He gave her a maddened grimace, though she could hardly see his features.

"Draco knows. So does Harry. I was talking to Narcissa and they overheard. I'm so sorry. But she took him. She took Draco. And I don't know where. I have to find him and explain and-"

"Calm down," he commanded.

She sniffled.

"This is very troubling," he grumbled. "After all of my warnings-"

"I know!" cried Luci. "I'm sorry! Blame that bitch, Narcissa. The question is, what now? Please, Severus!"

He was silent, apparently pondering.

"My father escaped," she added. "Did you know? They might be with him."

"I was informed, of course. The Death Eaters had been planning a break in to Azkaban for a long while. But Lucius Malfoy is here with us, putting Draco and Narcissa in a different location."

"Where?" she implored. "Where should I look?"

"The Manor, I should think. But if you were to come across them, I don't think it plausible that you would be able to convince them to return with you. Under the circumstances."

"No," she agreed forlornly.

"Therefore, I must accompany you," Severus informed her, sounding put out. "I will meet you in Wiltshire in no less than five minutes."

"Okay," nodded Luci, but he was already walking away.

She removed her head from the fireplace and began to clean herself up. She was a catastrophe, inside and out. She could hardly think straight from the whirlwind of emotions. All she knew was that her moment had finally arrived to protect her brother, and she had to focus on that, and not the fact that Draco hated her guts, or that she'd never see the boy she loved again.

Before she left, she flew up the stairs and knocked insistently on Charlie's door.

He answered gradually, his eyes at half mast.

"Luci? What's all the noise?"

"He knows!" she hissed urgently.

"Who? Who knows what?" he yawned.

"Draco. He knows. And Narcissa ran off with him. I'm going after them."

"It's the middle of the night," stated Charlie, with a concerned blink.

"Yes, I know that," said Luci briskly. "I just needed to tell you, and to ask you if you'd keep an eye out for him? If he shows up here again, you know. Try to keep him in one place, explain to him, maybe."

"I don't think he'll come back here, Luci. If he knows... I can't imagine he's too happy."

"He isn't," she sulked. "He took it worse than Harry."

"Harry?"

"Yeah. He knows too. It's this big fiasco. But listen, I have to go. Will you just... I dunno. I... I don't think I'll be back."

"What?" frowned Charlie.

"I have no reason to. We were here to keep Draco safe, and that's not the issue anymore."

"But! But you'll let me know where you are? I mean... do you want me to come with you?"

"Charlie..." she smiled softly. "No, of course not. I just felt like I couldn't leave without talking to you."

"You have to come back at some point," he insisted.

"Why?"

"Because you think he might."

"Good point," sighed Luci, realizing her error. "Okay, I'll try to check back with you tomorrow night, if I haven't found him, god forbid. When everyone's asleep. I can't bear to face Harry again."

"Alright," agreed Charlie sympathetically.

She nodded, and then made to leave as hurriedly as she'd come.

"Luci!"

"Hmm?" she turned back.

"Be careful, alright?" he said uneasily. "Let me know if you need anything?"

She flung herself at him, in a swift hug, hastened, "Thanks, Charlie!" and Disapparated.

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Luci was waiting outside Malfoy Manor for almost a full two minutes, wringing her hands and observing the docile peacocks, before Severus arrived.

"You're late!" she reprimanded desperately.

He immediately took a long look down his nose at her and muttered, "Stupid girl. I knew that your emotions would be a problem."

"They're not a problem!" she cried back. "You allowed the Death Eaters to break out my father, and that's why all of this happened! Everything was fine, until Narcissa heard and decided that I was of no longer of any use to her!"

Severus cocked his head to one side and merely stared at her, before responding, "Let us get started."

Huffing irritably, Luci followed him into the large mansion.

"Take the east wing," he instructed, "and I shall explore the west."

She went straight to work, trying to center her mind on the task and push out any other thoughts. It was nearly impossible, but she was managing for a good deal of the time.

She checked all of the servants' quarters, including her old room, and every single space that she could enter on the east wing. But she found nothing. Her thought was that they might be hiding in one of the many secret rooms and passages of the mansion. She had seen house elves coming out of peculiar locations, after all. So she spent awhile calling Draco's name, knowing that he would never respond, even if he were near. But she had to try.

It was to no avail. The placed was deserted. Even the house elves were nowhere to be found. But they wouldn't be able to leave here unless they were freed, and somehow Luci didn't see that as a possibility, so the fact remained that those creatures were somewhere. Somewhere in this house, hiding. With her brother, perhaps?

Severus was waiting in the drawing room, near the main hall, when Luci returned downstairs.

"There is no sign," he informed her. "I also took the liberty of searching in the space beneath this room."

"What space?" asked Luci.

"Never mind. We must move on."

"Where?"

Reaching out, he took her arm, and they went spiraling, only to land before a large, dark cottage, standing solitary in the middle of a wood.

Luci looked around. "Where are we?"

"The home of Narcissa's sister, Bellatrix. She is currently in the company of the Dark Lord, but it is possible that her family would come here, despite my forbidding it."

Severus busted through the front door without another word, and Luci followed, her wand illuminated and at ready.

The place was cluttered with trinkets, mostly metals like pewter, with an unusual amount of candlesticks propped everywhere. All of the tones were dark - blacks, browns, charcoals. Even the carpeting was a deep, royal purple. It was very impersonal, except for a picture frame that sat on the mantle, showcasing Narcissa and Draco. Seeing this caused Luci's heart to make a painful leap. Would she ever see her brother again?

She followed Severus out of the living area and deeper into the house, down a long, cold hallway. They peered into each of the rooms that extended off of the corridor - a drawing room, a library, a guest room, and finally, a larger bedroom at the end. This was the only room that they entered.

Inside, Severus went straight to the small closet, where he opened the door and kicked his foot against the back wall. It gave way, and he disappeared behind it.

Luci stood outside of the closet, waiting.

When he reappeared, a few minutes later, he handed her the heavy green cloak that she had given to Draco.

"They've been here," she breathed, heartbroken that he had abandoned her gift, though it was unlikely that he knew she'd been the one to give it.

"It would seem so," agreed Severus, providing more proof with a pair of gloves that Narcissa often wore.

"But they've gone?"

"Yes."

Through the window in the room, she could see the dawn approaching, spilling soft light over the dark emerald green that decorated the bedroom.

"What now?" she asked Severus wearily.

"To Diagon Alley."

"But... isn't there a warrant out for your arrest? Can you go running around in public, in the daylight, like that?"

"Miss Keegan," he growled, "do not worry yourself with details this small. I will not be recognized."

He then conjured a large hat and a traveling cloak, donning both, before catching her arm once again.

They appeared before a small building full of owls, all sorts of colors, each one more beautiful than the next. A sign above them read Eeylops Owl Emporium.

"Follow me," commanded Severus.

And they began what would be a long morning of trudging up and down walkways, in and out of shops.

Luci had this horrible feeling that Draco and Narcissa might be moving around as much and as quickly as they were. They could be back at Bellatrix's place, at this point, or in a shop that Severus and Luci just came out of ten minutes ago. It was frustrating, though Severus didn't seem pained.

Around lunchtime, Severus insisted that he needed to check in with Voldemort, leaving Luci in a cafe, where she had currently been sitting for nearly an hour, nursing a bowl of soup that had grown cold. For a long while, she'd been watching the other patrons, most of them sitting outdoors beneath brightly colored umbrellas. She wondered how they could tolerate the January cold. She missed the warmth of Arizona, even at this time of year.

She was nearly going out of her mind waiting, but she'd promised Severus that she wouldn't wander off by herself. Which was ridiculous, because she was entirely capable. Dumbledore had said so himself. She felt like they couldn't afford to waste any time that could be spent looking for Draco, and sitting here was a huge waste of time. He was in danger, after all. She had to find him. Soon.

According to the clock in the restaurant, it was almost 1:30. Luci sighed irritably and looked around. She practically flew out of her seat when she realized that someone was peering in through the window, staring at her curiously. It was a hollow-faced woman with long, black hair and cold, sunken eyes. Their gazes locked for a brief moment, and then the woman was gone.

Luci was left with an icy sensation of foreboding. Had someone recognized her? And if so, how? And why had she looked so very interested?

She was fidgeting in her seat, trying not to launch into a full-on panic attack, when Severus strolled in through the front door, wearing a smug expression.

Should she tell him about the woman who was just here? She decided against it. He'd make her go back to Grimmauld Place, when she desperately needed to find her brother. Hopelessness was wearing on her already.

Her only comfort came when Severus then seated himself across from her, stating, "The Dark Lord knows not of Draco's whereabouts. This is encouraging."

"You're sure?" questioned Luci.

"Certain."

"Okay. Then we should keep looking."

"Before we start for our next location, I would like to search Knockturn Alley," he said, getting to his feet.

She joined him.

"Do you think they might be there?"

"It is as likely as anywhere else."

"Fantastic."

Luci gritted her teeth and followed the dark figure out into the cold, through the streets, and down a narrow passageway. She began walking even closer to him when she realized that they were in an entirely different area of Diagon Alley. All of these shops were in shadows, and as she looked through the dusty windows, she could see that things weren't well-cared for.

A few unsavory characters were lurking about, and they would stare keenly as Luci passed. She felt a shiver go down her spine more than once.

They had walked quite a ways down when they came to a sign proclaiming Borgin & Burkes. Without delay, Severus pulled the door open and stepped inside. Luci could only follow.

"What are we doing?" she hissed.

He put up a hand to hush her, and she growled low.

"Stay here," he instructed before heading for the back of the room.

Wrapping her arms around her thin body, partly to fend off the cold and partly to comfort herself, Luci wandered around the front of the shop.

In the window, she saw a large book that appeared to be covered in fur. Along one wall hung a variety of creepy masks and what she thought might be whips. On a shelf nearby, there was an array of dark candles, claiming to stimulate everything from seduction to death.

What could Severus want from this place? Something for Voldemort?

He reappeared a few minutes later, announced, "We are finished here," and made for the door.

Luci hurried to catch up. She wanted to ask him why they'd gone into that awful place, but there were too many sinister bystanders.

Instead, she asked, "Where next?"

"The summer home."

"The what?"

"The Malfoys keep a home along the coast," he explained, before reaching out and sending her reeling again.

They ended up standing before a mansion that was very similar to Malfoy Manor. Luci could taste salty air on her tongue, a sign indicative of the nearby shore. Behind them sprawled a hedge-lined driveway, and a large iron fence loomed in the background.

"What did you need from that shop?" she asked Severus straight away.

"Cambias requested that I pick up some information on the Horcruxes you mentioned," he answered plainly.

"Who is this Cambias person? And have you two figured anything out yet?"

Severus merely responded, "We have found, once again, that the Dark Lord never fails to impress."

Then, after a flick of his wand, he led her through the front door.

Inside, Luci discovered that this home was very similarly decorated, entirely reminiscent of the one in Wiltshire.

"Why have two identical houses?" she scoffed.

"Take the third and fourth floors, and I'll take the first two," he told her, without reply.

She huffed at him, but she did as he requested.

The place was so familiar that she felt like she was retracing her steps. There were servants' quarters on the top floor, a drawing room, and what appeared to be a hot house. This last one was exclusive only to the summer home. She couldn't help going inside and taking a look around.

This room hadn't been utilized in a long while. The ceiling, which gave view of the dusky sky above, was covered in cobwebs. There were a few dead plants, and some scattered gardening tools. The atmosphere was stale, but still humid from past use. She found herself thinking that her mother would love to have something like this, and she moaned aloud from the homesickness.

It was a very long time before she returned to the foyer of the home, and Severus was nowhere to be found. She imagined that he was still probing about, so she collapsed into a large, straight-backed chair.

Everything was bleak, at this point. She couldn't see a single ray of light. She closed her eyes on the tears that threatened to fall, and she suddenly felt so heavy that she could barely support her own weight. Slumping in the chair, her body went into a fitful doze.

"Miss Keegan!" came Severus's voice, and she shot from her seat.

"I'm awake!" she claimed.

"They are not here," he pronounced, "and you are in need of rest."

"I'm fine," insisted Luci, trying not to yawn. "I don't have time for rest."

"I will see to it that Draco is safe, if I come across him. Now, return to Headquarters and we will resume a search party when you are better able."

"I can't go back there!" she blurted.

He grimaced. "Why not, pray tell?"

"Everyone knows! I can't... I won't deal with it!"

"Very well, no need for dramatics," he said in exasperation. "You can stay at the Leaky Cauldron for the night."

"Wha- where is the Leaky Cauldron?"

"I will see you to it."

He extended his arm, and she took it, inquiring, "Severus?"

"Yes?"

"What if we don't find him? I mean, before Vol- before the Dark Lord does?"

In lieu of an answer, he Apparated the pair of them to a dark alley.

"Good night, Miss Keegan," he said with finality, and then he left her there.

Luci looked up at the building before her. It was small and dilapidated, and she thought dejectedly that it could be a long night.

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She had been sleeping sporadically for hours upon hours, but she didn't feel the least bit refreshed when she finally awoke fully. It was the middle of the night, and the clock in her tiny room at the Leaky Cauldron read 3:11AM.

Clambering out of bed, she figured that it was a good time to check back with Charlie. Besides, she needed a few of her possessions. It would be disastrous if her journal were to be discovered in that desk.

Once she was dressed, Luci Apparated into her old room at Grimmauld Place.

Everything was where she had left it, except that the door was standing ajar. She couldn't remember whether or not she'd closed it... She walked over to do just that, but when it creaked loudly, she stepped away. She didn't want to wake anyone.

She hurried to the desk, igniting a lamp, and then reaching immediately for the Professor's Pass. It could always come in handy. Next, she went for her journal in the top drawer. Where was her silver quill? There was no time to look for it. She put both items to the side and seized her address book.

"Welcome back."

Luci's heart literally stopped, so forcefully that her chest went tight with pain. She realized that she'd dropped the book onto the floor. She turned, knowing upon whom her eyes would fall.