Thief: The Malfoy Project

Garrett was a master thief. Rarely seen and never caught, Garrett was the best that ever was. Able to sneak past any guard, pick any lock, and break into the most ingeniously secured residences. Garrett stole from the wealthy and gave to himself. It least he had until a week ago. It was then that the Order of the Phoenix approached him with a very interesting proposal. If he could break into Malfoy Manor, rescue Draco Malfoy and his girlfriend Ginny Weasley, and kill Lucius Malfoy, he would receive a handsome reward.

He didn't think it would be terribly difficult. Draco had left a map of the manor before going to confront his father. Days had passed and Ginny had gone to "rescue" him. She hadn't returned, and now Garrett lurked in the shadows near the gates of Malfoy Manor.

There were two ways in: the front door ...or, the much safer route through the Malfoy family cemetery. A sarcophagus held a secret entrance into the dungeons, where Ginny was allegedly held. Draco was locked in his room and Malfoy could be anywhere. It was a glorious challenge.

Making sure the street was clear, Garrett scaled the wall and landed softly in shadows on the other side. The guard positioned in front of the great black doors that served as a main entrance to Malfoy Manor stirred, but seeing nothing went back to his watch.

Garrett walked slowly around the house, looking for the cemetery gate. It was unguarded, as was the cemetery itself. Now came the uncertain part. Draco had said the entrance to the dungeons was through a sarcophagus located in a mausoleum. Unfortunately, there was nothing but mausoleums. Garrett checked each one, searching for a sarcophagus that had a flight of stairs to a dungeon. He found only old bones, and gold, which he quickly plundered.

After two hours, Garrett finally found a sarcophagus whose lid would not budge. It took a several attempts to move it. His efforts were in vain. The sarcophagus was completely empty. "Damn." Garrett sighed. He turned to go. As he crossed the threshold, he felt a strange prickle across his neck.

Garrett swung around, sword withdrawn, metal stopping metal as two swords collided. Garrett's electronic eye registered what he was seeing before he himself comprehended it. It was a haunt, a demonic ghost, skeletal, leering at him. Haunts were tireless, and would fight until their prey was dead. How had Malfoy gotten one of these? They were an ancient madness, unleashed by the demon named the Trickster, whom Garrett had defeated years ago.

Garrett jumped back, parrying another blow from the spectral menace. He already knew he would tire faster than a true swordsman. He was a thief, damn it, not a bloody warrior. But he knew how to handle this particular ghost. He pulled out his bow, and a water arrow filled with holy water, and fired. The haunt disappeared in a wisp of smoke. The sarcophagus floor dropped out and Garrett saw stairs.

"Well, I'll be damned," Garrett said, smiling as he took the stairs two at a time, hoping no more surprises were lurking at the bottom.