Manacled

Chapter 50: Flashback 25

"Where did you learn all this?" she asked after he demonstrated a tenth method of disarming someone which involved breaking their arm.

His hands froze. "Bellatrix. I trained under her for over four years. She had a fondness for knives."

"Did she know about your mother?"

He stepped away from her and his expression was tense. "She did. She was alway loyal to the Dark Lord, but she cared for her sister enough to want to see me succeed, rather than fail as was expected."

"D-did your father know?" She couldn't stop herself from asking the question.

Draco swallowed. "No." He looked away. "My father-he-he was very protective of my mother. If he'd known-"

Draco was silent for a moment. "Occlumency isn't a talent he has. Not to the level he would have needed it. He would have been vengeful, and it would have damned us all."

The muscle in his jaw rippled. "My mother insisted we hide her condition from him. There was a potion prescribed by a Danish mind healer; it masked most of her symptoms. Prevented her from panicking when she was required to make appearances. She took it when my father visited. The Dark Lord had mostly kept my father in France and Belgium following his release. He assumed she was cold and distant because she blamed him for my taking the mark."

"After Lestrange Manor?"

"Well, I suppose I could have just told him then." The corner of his mouth twisted. "But I thought I could do more to avenge her if I had more time. I didn't realise how he'd take the news." He gave a bitter smile as he stared down at his hands. "I'm sure the Order wishes I had."

Hermione blinked as she tried to imagine what state the Order might be in with Arthur and Molly and George still fighting; but with no Draco, no rescues, no intelligence on which battles they could win, no warnings before they were hit. She twisted the knife in her hands.

"The Weasleys are my family, but we probably would have lost by now-you weren't crucial in the army then. Your death and your father's wouldn't have been enough to affect the outcome of the war. They'd probably all be dead."

He snorted faintly and continued to avoid her eyes.

"Draco..." she said tentatively, starting to reach toward him. He jerked sharply away from her.

"We should continue with training," he said in a cold voice. "Given that you've now seen first hand the devastation caused by hags."

Hermione swallowed. "We still don't know how they got in. We don't have any idea. Do you know anything about it?"

"Hags aren't in my jurisdiction. I didn't hear until afterward, or I would have tried to give some warning." He hesitated. "It's possible someone in Sussex is working to find a way around the Fidelius Charm using Dark Creature Magic. If they suspected a safe house location, it may have been an unfortunately successful experiment. There are hundreds programs in Sussex; the branches don't collaborate often. I don't have contacts in all of them. You should re-ward your safe houses and move any that you can."

"We are."

"Good," he said as he flipped the knife in his hand. "Let's continue with training."

He made her practice the forms and techniques again and again.

"Alright, let's see how you manage with a real attack," he said after an hour of slow practice. He stepped away from her.

He spun the knife in his right hand the same way he spun his wand as he crossed the room and got into position. His expression was cold and intent as he stared toward her.