"TAKE MY HAND" A Draco Malfoy Love Story

BEACON OF HOPE

"Muggles, as you can see are the nastiest creatures walking on this planet. They do not believe any of this." Alecto waved her hand around. "They forced us into hiding, they think hiding us will change the truth. Even the Ministry supported it and tried protecting the Muggles from those few of us who attempted to break us free from the hiding and trying to force the Muggles to surrender to us. Not anymore.....with the Dark Lord rising and his faithful followers beside him, the times will change and soon our world will rise to where they belong, top of all creatures. Then we can cleanse our bloods and prune those as necessary to maintain our bloodline."

A sound of chair scrapping against the floor echoed in the silent classroom and then a voice said, "Professor!" Everyone turned back. 

It was Neville Longbottom. 

Alecto stood staring him down and then with a smirk she said, "Yes Longbottom."

"Professor, I was wondering," he paused gulping down, as if preparing himself for a speech, "how much Muggle blood has you and your brother got in your hands?" Immediately murmur broke out in the classroom. I stared at him with wide eyes and then back to Alecto. She was glaring at him now.

Suddenly she went down between the desks and grabbed Neville by his collar before he could even take out his wand and shoved him in front of the class. Then she stood pointing her wand at him and said,

"Watch what happens when you ask too many questions," saying she slashed her wand at him, and Neville doubled up giving out a gut wrenching scream and lay on the floor holding on to his face. The Slytherins roared with laughter, especially Crabbe and Goyle. The Gryffindors attempted to pick him up but Alecto pointed her wands at them. Then she shouted,

"You.....Finnigan.....take him up to the hospital wing; we cannot afford to waste Pure bloods like that." Seamus Finnigan scowled at her and mumbled under his breath, carefully lifted up his friend and carried him down to the Hospital wing. The entire class went back to what we had been doing but not me. I couldn't get over the bravery I had seen for the first time coming from Neville Longbottom. 

He had always been the Herbology loving sweet timid guy in the school, who forgot almost everything and often got chastised by his old grandmother. Today I have seen him in a complete different light, standing up to Alecto Carrow, challenging her on the face and then facing her wrath like a brave soldier.....like Captain America!

***********

We stood in front of the wall near the Entrance Hall. Graffiti was painted on the wall on both sides of the door bearing the words, 

Dumbledore's Army Still Recruiting!

The students crowded near it excitedly as they admired the courage of whoever did it in hushed voices, except the Slytherins. I stood at the end, reading and re-reading the words. 

Dumbledore's Army! 

The coin was still in my pocket and I have felt it heating up a lot of times but never dared to check it, fear of getting caught. Professor Snape and the Carrows appeared from the Great Hall and saw the Graffiti. All of them scowled at it.

"Remove it.....NOW!" Professor Snape ordered the Carrows and walked away, his bellowing cloak swishing with every move. They broke the crowd, shouting at them and taking points from all the houses except Slytherins. I stood in one corner watching the Carrows losing their minds over the Graffiti. A small smile threatened to creep up on my lips, but I dared not show it, for I had too much to lose