It's Hard to be Perky when You're a Malfoy

The spy

The man in black robes reached out to grab me but Lione and Joseph, also yelling grabbed my arms and pulled me away while Gregory sped past us towards the frightening figure where, I later learned, he had punched him in the face and kicked him in the shin before running after us. All plans of dodging and weaving to avoid them were gone and we were back to the old 'running in the opposite direction' trick when we suddenly found ourselves at the tunnel entrance and without hesitating we ran through except Lione who stopped at the entrance and turned to watch Gregory quickly catching up with us. Joseph and I paused when we noticed Lione wasn't with us but she just waved us on and reached out her hand to the approaching Gregory who snatched it when he was close enough and followed us up the tunnel but we had already obeyed Lione's instructions and headed up there. We were running for our lives.

I heard a scuffle and a cry behind me and ahead of me Joseph stopped short. Three men stepped out of the shadows. I spun around, hopelessly. The other two men were behind us. One had his arm round Gregory's chest and his hand over Gregory's mouth. Gregory was squirming and kicking at him. The other had his hand rested heavily on Lione's shoulder and his wand pressed firmly into her neck. She was standing very still, staring at the wood. As the five men stood there it became clear that under their black hoods they were wearing white masks. I felt Joseph's back against mine. We had both unintentionally huddled together. One of the three ahead of me stepped forward.

"Miss Malfoy," he said. "So pleased to meet you at last."

Over my shoulder I saw Joseph glance at me worriedly.

"Who are you," I asked, my voice shaking. "What do you want?"

"I have a proposition for you," he replied. "You see our, shall we say, friend here at Hogwarts will be leaving soon and we would like a new friend." He gave me a smile that was not at all nice. "Someone who would write us letters. Keep in touch. Let us know the latest news."

"A spy!" I cried. "You want me to be a spy? You seriously expect me to spy for you? You can't-"

"Stop babbling girl," said one of the men by the side of the main speaker. "It's unbecoming."

"If you refuse," continued the first man, walking past me. "Then we will have to persuade you." He stopped and rested his hand on Lione's shoulder. She flinched as if she'd been hurt.

My eyes widened in horror. "Why me?" I asked wildly, desperately trying to think of a way to lengthen the conversation - desperately trying to add minutes to Lione's life. I couldn't say yes. I didn't dare say no.

"Let's say," said the man. "You came highly recommended by our... previous friend. So what-"

He stopped, then bent down to look at Lione's face. He reached out and ripped off her sleeve revealing the snake mark on her shoulder. Joseph stared. The man laughed.

"Well," he said. "Someone will be pleased with this. We'll have to kill him instead."

He pointed at Gregory who struggled in his captor's arms more fiercely but in vain. The man turned back to me, moving out from between Lione and me. Her eyes met mine and I tried to hold back the laughter. Maybe it was because I recognised the look. Maybe it was because I had spent so much time around her I was starting to think like her but I knew, in that moment, Lione and I shared a thought. I knew she was trying to repress the urge to say,

"Why do people always insist on tearing my sleeve? I'd be happy to roll it up for you if you just asked."

Lione seemed to recognise that I'd thought that too and her face took on a determined look. She was staring at me, trying to convey a message to me and actually succeeding. It wasn't me reading her mind or telepathy or anything. It was just such a meaningful look and I knew her so well that I understood the message. It was 'We've shared one thought, now share this one.'

I let my gaze glance downwards then swing off to the side as if I was simply avoiding her stare rather than looking at anything in particular. I saw her fist bunch. I looked staright up at the speaker.

"No."

Lione's fist came down, hard, right where it hurts. My arm flew up, wand in arm and I yelled out,

"STUPEFY!"

Joseph yelled the same behind me, after another one and Lione went for the man holding Gregory. I turned and the world slowed. I saw Gregory fall to the floor, twisting as he did and thrusting his arm out, yelling a curse before finally hitting the ground with a low thud. And the world slowed. I saw Gregory fall to the floor, twisting as he did and thrusting his arm out, yelling a curse before finally hitting the ground with a low thud. I blinked. Gregory wasn't there anymore. I looked around me. I was surrounded by five groaning heaps. Joseph was on the ground lying very still. Gregory was kneeling by him and Lione was standing a little ahead, moving very quickly, wand out. There was a long bleeding scratch all the way down her bare arm.

"What happened to Starsy?" I asked, stupidly.

"He was hit by the Cruciatus Curse," Gregory said, looking at me oddly. "Didn't you hear him screaming?"

"We've got to get out of here," said Lione.

"Help me," Gregory commanded me, lifting Joseph up.

As I took Joseph's other arm he gave a groan of agony. Lione led he way and we ran for it. When we reached the end of the tunnel we turned and faced it. We heard footsteps and voices. Lione's head snapped up. As if pulled by strings Lione, Gregory and I raised our wands, barely noticing Joseph falling off our shoulders in a flop on the floor. I shouted a curse. I don't remember what it was and I couldn't hear it as Lione and Gregory shouted different ones at the same time. The rock above the tunnel gave way and there was a great deal of shaking as the tunnel caved in. I took a step backwards and fell over Joseph who was just trying to get up. Lione and Gregory stood where they were watching the stones fall. Only once everything stopped moving did they turn around.

"We need to tell Dumbledore," I said.

"We need to get Joseph to the infirmary," said Gregory almost simultaneously.

We stopped and stared at each other.

"You two go to Dumbledore," Lione decided. "I'll take Joseph to the infirmary."

She lifted Joseph onto her shoulder and the four of us split ways.

We ran all the way to the office and straight into Dumbledore as he was coming out of his office.

"Children?" he asked.

"Death Eaters or s... whatever! In the tunnel downstairs. We caved it in when they were coming after we fought them and Joseph got hit and they asked me to spy and we just got away and they might get through and sir you've really got to hurry!" Was what I burst out.

But because Gregory spurted out something else I'm not sure Dumbledore got any of it. He held up his hand to stop us then pointed to Gregory.

"What urgent thing should I know?"

"Bad guys in Hogwarts?" Asher suggested.

"Show me."

We all hurried down to the tunnel where Dumbledore examined the blockade. "You did a good job here," he said. "But we need to check the other side. Stay here."

He walked away. Gregory and I eyed the pile of rocks nervously; nothing seemed to be moving. Gregory touched my shoulder and I jumped. I realised I had been shaking.

"It's ok," he said. "We're heroes."

"How are we heroes?" I asked. "All we did was run?"

"We took down five guys."

"Mostly because they didn't expect us to do anything. And they got Joseph remember?"

"Yeah," he admitted.

"Because I don't!"

"What?"

"I didn't see it happen. I didn't hear him scream."

Gregory frowned. "Did you black out or something?"

"Something like that."

"Do you need to go to the hospital wing...?"

"No, I'm fine, just tell me what I missed."

"Well... you know, I didn't see anything. I was concentrating on knocking out as many guys as I could. I wasn't paying attention to any of the others until I heard someone shout stupefy and realised it wasn't one of us. One of the bad guys had shot the spell at Lio and Joseph had knocked her out of the way, straight into the wall which is where she got her scratch by the way. The bad guy dodged my shot then threw Cruciatus at Joseph but I got the bad guy second try. He was the last one. Joseph screamed then fell to the floor - I think he was knocked out. Then... then you started asking questions so I guess you remember that bit." He looked thoughtful. "I think they were trying to take you and Lio. They certainly weren't sparing anything with Joseph and me."

I shook my head. "It's my fault."

"It's not your fault."

"Of course it is! They were here for me."

"They should have known that you would never in a million years say yes."

"He could have died." I realised there were tears welling up in my eyes.

"He's okay. He's going to be okay."

"You don't know that."

"I know everything."

I laughed. "That's funny."

"What?"

"Very funny, Greg."

"Hey! Only Lio calls me that and gets away with it."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah!"

At which point Dumbledore coughed and we looked up guiltily. "Shall we continue this in my office? Although perhaps without the 'oh yeah' part."

When we got to Dumbledore's office he asked us to recount what had happened and I sat back while Gregory explained from the beginning. Once he had finished Dumbledore looked straight at me.

"Miss Malfoy," he said. "Do you have any idea why they would come to you with this request?"

My mouth fell open. Gregory cut in quickly and angrily.

"She's not a traitor! She would never have said yes to them and how dare you suggest-"

Dumbledore held up a hand and stopped him mid flow. Gregory, who had begun to stand as he spoke looked like he suddenly realised who he was yelling at, went pale and sat down again.

"Miss Malfoy?"

"She said no to them," Gregory put in quietly, determined to defend me. "She's-"

"Because my Grandfather was a Death Eater," I explained, looking straight into Dumbledore's grey eyes. "Because my whole family have been Slytherins. Because every one of them have been obsessed with pure bloodedness. Because I have a certain willingness to break the rules here and I know every secret tunnel and hidey hole in the place better than anyone except Lee, Gregory and Joseph."

Dumbledore nodded.

"Not your whole family," Gregory corrected in the same quiet voice. "Not your mum. Not me. I'm family."

I couldn't help from smiling.

"Anything else?" Dumbledore asked.

My head snapped up. "Are we going to get in trouble for this?"

Dumbledore chuckled. "No. Although I am curious as to what you were doing in Hogsmeade instead of watching the third task."

"Er... we were collecting a squirrel."

"A squirrel?"

"Er... yes."

"What an interesting pet. Well if there's nothing else I expect you're anxious to visit your friends in the hospital wing and I shan't delay you further."

We jumped to our feet. Halfway to the door I stopped and turned. "There's a spy here already," I said, then nearly kicked myself as I realised something. "Of course there is, they're the one who killed Mad-Eye. And they recommended me! Who are they?"

Dumbledore just looked blankly back at me. Gregory pulled at my sleeve and with one final look back I left with him.

"Why wouldn't he tell me?" I asked Gregory.

"Probably doesn't know," Gregory replied. "And doesn't want to let on that there's something he doesn't know."

"It would be scary if he didn't. I mean he's Dumbledore."

"Which is why he didn't let on."

"Logical."

"I am sometimes."

We headed towards the Hospital wing. We knew we were getting close when we heard Lione's shouting.

"I'm fine! I'm perfectly fine." We didn't hear Madam Pomfrey's reply as her side of the argument was obviously said quieter and probably calmer than Lione's shriek. "Look woman, it is actually possible for someone to be here and not be injured you know." Gregory and I grinned at each other. "What do you mean I'm the exception to the rule?!"

We stuck our heads round the door. Joseph was lying in the bed nearest us with a bandage round his head and blood on his pillow. He was awake and noticed us come in. He was grinning and watching Lione squabble with Madam Pomfrey.

"There is nothing wrong with me."

"Oh yes, and the blood running down your arm, what about that?" Pomfrey replied sternly.

"It's a scratch. I've got worse in the playground when I was a kid."

"That's not exactly true is it?"

"Leave me alone will you!"

"It's completely ridiculous to be so scared!"

"Scared? Excuse me! I'm not scared of you I just don't need any help. I am absolutely, one hundred percent, perfectly fine."

"She doesn't sound fine," said Gregory, conversationally. "Does she sound fine to you, Lucy?"

"She sounds absolutely, one hundred percent, perfectly unfine actually," I added.

"See, I thought so."

"Gregory!" cried Lione. "Lucy!"

"Aw," said Joseph. "You've spoilt it now."

"Joseph!" She paused. "How long have you been here?"

"Not long," I said.

"I've been here for ages," said Joseph, grinning. "It was hilarious. I loved the bit about the Haddock."

"Haddock?" Gregory asked.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"I was very insulted," Madam Pomfrey commented.

Lione looked embarrassed. "Hey," she said, casually. "Look. Joseph's awake. How are you feeling?"

"All right. My head stings but apart from that I feel fine."

"Don't remove your bandage," Madam Pomfrey commanded. "You have a head wound and the potion I've put on it should be helping but you've got to let it."

"What's this blood on my pillow?" he said, suddenly.

"Like I said, don't remove the bandage. But as it is the wound is fairly mild and there shouldn't be any long lasting damage."

"How's your head, Joseph?" Gregory checked.

"It's okay, Graham," he replied.

Lione and I laughed and thankfully, so did Joseph.

"Do you remember anything?" Lione asked him.

"Of course I do," he replied. "I was only kidding about the Graham thing-"

"No, I mean about... about tonight."

Joseph frowned. "I remember pushing Lione out the way of the curse then I got hit. It was just... I can't describe it; I've never felt like that before. It was just... pain. More pain than you can imagine. You just can't think, can't do anything because there's enough pain to fill every part of you. And then I was released and it was just so... different. It was like before it felt like the pain would go on forever and now it doesn't and I was released and felt like a rag doll. So then I fell and I felt a sharp bang on the back of my head and then I woke up here."

We stared. I managed to bite down saying what I was thinking which was 'Wow. What a narrative. He should be a writer or a poet or something. He'd be really good at that then I could say that I knew him and get a free copy of his book or something and get him to sign it and then I could show it off and people would offer me millions to buy it but I'd say "Nope, sorry. This was written by my good friend Joseph and I'll never sell it. It was me who got him into writing you know. He once did this great speech about when he got hit with a torture curse"'- At which point, thankfully, my train of thought cut off immediately.

"And Lione was talking about Jellyfish," Joseph continued.

"Haddock," Gregory corrected.

"No it was the Jellyfish first then the Haddock."

"Hey!" yelped Lione suddenly.

We looked over and saw Madam Pomfrey standing next to Lione looking smug holding a damp cloth covered with blood and her wand. Lione's arm was completely healed and she was looking very angry about it.