Harry Potter and the Silver Serpent

Chapter 20 - The Feud

There were other groups all around them, trying to contain smaller fights with the ones who had initially given in to the Aurors till they suddenly found their fighting spirit once more. When the others by the lake finally decided to fight, the groups split up till there were about a dozen Witches and Wizards containing each fighter away from the offending group Draco had hired.

Darting past with another group, after the haggard man who'd spoken down by the lake, Harry saw Ginny giving chase but didn't see Draco till he was on top of her. Draco took hold of Ginny by her long mane of red hair before dragging her back to the tree, then pinned her against his own body. Holding her in place with one arm across her torso and his wand at her throat.

"Stay where you are, Potter! Or I'll stain this lawn with her blood."

"Everybody stop!" Harry called to the group surrounding Draco.

"Better." Draco hissed with a sardonic smile. "Give me the bracelet."

"Don't give it to him, Harry!" Ginny called.

"Quiet!" Draco growled, knocking Ginny against the tree.

She fell, unconscious, into the hole that led down to the secret tunnel for the Shreaking Shack.

"The bracelet or she dies." He demanded.

"I'm not giving you the bracelet, Draco." Harry stated calmly. "Give yourself up and your sentence might be reduced."

Draco rolled his eyes and shook his head in disdain before disappearing down the hole after Ginny. Ron darted forward before Hermione pulled him back, allowing Harry to lead the way.

"Ginny!" Ron called.

"I'll get her." Harry promised. "I won't let him hurt her."

"I'll kill him!" Ron shouted, "Hasn't he hurt our family enough?"

"Keep him here." Harry told Hermione. "Calm him down, if he gets his hands on Draco..."

"I know, Harry." She said, struggling to keep her grip on her fiancee. "Go get Draco."

"Andromeda." Harry called to the place where he believed her to be, hidden under the cloak with Narcissa.

"Harry." She breathed, moving closer to him. "We're here."

"Stay under the cloak until I signal you."

"I know, Harry."

"Narcissa, you know what to do?"

He heard her sigh, "Yes, I know what I have to do." Narcissa Malfoy said between clenched teeth.

Harry felt them follow close behind as he quietly lowered himself down the hole then turning back to help the sisters under the cloak through without much noise. Lighting his wand tip, Harry saw Draco's trail left in the dirt and dust along the musty hall with Ginny clearly being dragged along behind him. Their footsteps were muffled by the sounds of the battle which continued on without him.

Harry and the sisters followed the trail to parts of the Shack he hadn't been before. It led off into a small parlour then out a door at the other end that led to a smaller corridor with a door at the end. It stood ajar and led to the road into Hogsmeade. Harry's pace quickened, seeing Draco was already a good distance ahead of him, now that he was finally using magic to bring the unconscious Ginny along with him.

"Not another step." Draco shouted, noticing that Harry had pursued him. "Or she dies."

"I think enough blood has already been spilled by your hands."