Rise of the Death Eaters [3]

Chapter 57: Safe, not Sound

"It sounds preposterous," I replied back slowly. "I mean, I barely see him even when I am home, but growing up, my father was never in my eyes a violent man prone to pure blood mentality. I just don't understand how-"

The moment I said it, I knew exactly how it started. It was like my subconscious had finally yelled at me enough to get me to double take on a key detail of information.

"What is it?" Hermione asked, unable to hide her curiosity. "Your face just changed. What are you thinking?" I bit my lip as I looked back to the blanket I had wrapped around my fingers.

"The Malfoys. They've always had a history with the You-Know-Who..." Hermione sighed again.

"Yes, and I'm afraid Draco's father has done a fair bit more within this last year alone for You-Know-Who. Or so the Order has reason to believe." I turned in my bed so fast, the noise disrupted Ella, who shifted soundlessly in the bed next to me. We waited until she had gone back to her low snores before I said what was on my mind.

"What do you know?"

Hermione regarded me carefully before dropping her gaze from me.

"Ava, I know you and Draco have history and this might not be the best-"

"I don't care. I need to know what my father has gotten himself into. What his supposed friend has done."

"Very well," Hermione gave in, sitting up in bed. She turned to face me with her jaw set. "There were two different cases that Harry, Ron and I have been watching for a while now. You see the department of mysteries is known for their secrets obviously. It comes in the name. And in order for the death eaters to have known enough about the department, they would have had to have learned from someone working there. Do you remember a news article that came up in the Daily Prophet back in January? About a Mr. Bode?"

I shook my head and Hermione went on.

"He was strangled in his bed by a Devil Snare plant. But, what was so odd about it was how he didn't die at home. He was recovering at St. Mungo's from an attack done at his home."

"He worked for the Department?" I asked, sensing where this was going. She nodded.

"But, the reason I link this with Lucius was by pure coincidence on my part. Harry, Ron and I went to visit Mr. Weasley over Christmas break when he recovered from that snake attack and we saw the plant get delivered. It was sent by one of Malfoy's elves."

"He couldn't possibly be so sloppy as to send his own elf to deliver the killing stroke," I thought aloud and I watched as Hermione nodded solemnly.

"The plant had disappeared following Bode's death. And any recollection of the plant's origins came from the toxins released in Bode's body during the autopsy report."

"What's the second case you mentioned?" I asked, needing to hear more..

"A man named Sturgis. He was caught trying to enter the Department of Mysteries one night. He worked for the order but was never given right to walk down there at night. You see, there had been a subsequent attack weeks prior. A snake attack to be exact-"

"Mr. Weasley," I recalled, turning to Hermione. She nodded solemnly.