Draco Malfoy and the Deathly Hallows (BOOK 7 of 7)

Chapter 2-Voldemort's Test

Draco could not be in a more unpleasant situation. He was seated next to his least favorite aunt in one of the sitting rooms at the Manor, and Bella just would not put down her little skull head toy. Draco hadn't thought it possible to be more insane than she was before he had wiped her memory, but here she was, cackling like a maniac.

They were awaiting the Dark Lord, who had an important task for them. Wormtail had been tasked with keeping them company for some reason, and so he sat in the corner of the sofa opposite them, disregarding the snot dripping out of his nose as he wriggled nervously.

At long last, He Who Kept Draco Waiting materialized into the room. Draco had never been more glad to see the dark wizard in his life.

"I mustn't keep you long," came his high-pitched voice. "It is imperative that this be done immediately. The two of you must retrieve the dungeon's jail cells from Bellatrix and Fenrir's former workshop."

In that instant, Draco knew he was being tested. No one but Voldemort and the traitor should have known the workshop's location, so Draco had to be careful with his words. Perhaps Voldemort thought that if Draco tried to leave for the workshop, he would be revealed as the traitor.

"Where is the workshop?" Draco asked. He studied Voldemort's expression but could find no indication of his thoughts.

"I have placed it back into Bellatrix's head so she will be able to take you."

That was definitely a lie. The moment Draco attempted to vaporize with Bellatrix he would involuntarily be taken to the workshop just because the image would be in his head.

"My Lord, how is that possible? I do not mean to doubt you, my Lord, but I wish to understand the magic you have done." Would his excessive questioning cause even more suspicion?

Voldemort's eyes ever so slightly narrowed. "I shall explain it to you when you return."

Draco bowed his head before continuing to block Voldemort from seeing his thoughts. Could Voldemort tell Draco knew Occlumency? Snape had taught Draco to invent and place some "typical teenage Death Eater" thoughts on his wall so that Voldemort couldn't detect anything, but Draco couldn't be sure if they were convincing enough or even worked.

He turned to his aunt, who was still playing with the skull and apparently hadn't heard the conversation at all.

"Aunt Bellatrix," Draco hesitantly called. "The Dark Lord wills us to travel to your former workshop to bring back the cells. Can you take us there?"

"Will there be any Muggles to kill?" Bellatrix asked, jumping up.

Was she instructed by Voldemort to ask this? "Erm, I don't know. Perhaps."

Draco held onto her arm and used his Occlumency to block his own mind from himself. They did not move.

"My Lord," Draco spoke, "we are not going anywhere."

"No, you are not," Voldemort answered deliberately. "Very well. Have Wormtail take you."

Trap confirmed and avoided. Draco kept focusing on blocking his mind as he reluctantly latched onto Wormtail. Voldemort must have modified Malfoy Manor to allow Peter Pettigrew to vaporize in and out at will because before, only the Malfoys, Voldemort, and Bellatrix could do that. This time, the three Death Eaters vaporized into the air and appeared in an entirely dark room with a familiar smell.

"Lumos maxima!" Draco said, allowing light to flood the room.

There they were-five cells all lined up, the one that held Hermione a few months ago at the very end. He still didn't forgive himself for being so careless on Christmas. Hermione had suffered much because of him, and Draco had to risk Luna's life to save her.

Though he couldn't save Dumbledore in the end.

He shook the thoughts out of his head. If Hermione were by his side, she would tell him that he was not at fault. She would try to keep him sharp.

"Are there any sticking charms on these?" Draco asked Wormtail, knowing full well there were.

Pettigrew nodded. "The master said that the same spells were used as when these cells were back in the dungeons."

Draco squinted at Wormtail. He could tell the former Gryffindor was just itching to say more.

"Spit it out," Draco commanded.

Wormtail smirked. "Just be grateful you'll be allowed to live." He snickered.

"Of course I'll be allowed to live." Wormtail must have been in on the sniffing-out-the-traitor plan. "I didn't think there was anything I had to answer for."

"And now the Dark Lord doesn't either," the rat finished.

Draco gave him a questioning look before turning back to the cells.

Reglutin, he thought pointing with his wand at the cell that was farthest left and drawing a glowing silver line all the way down the row. Recludam. Renodo. He repeated his motions two more times.

"Wormtail, hold onto the cell on the very left," he instructed. "Aunt Bella, you hold onto the two cells next to that one."

Draco made his way over to Hermione's former cell and the cell on its left. "We shall separately transport these to the dungeons so that we may not all collide. Once you are there, you have ten seconds to fly the cell to its former post-it's marked-and leave the dungeon. Aunt Bella, you go first."

His aunt complied and Draco verbally counted to ten before giving Wormtail the go ahead. Another ten seconds later, Draco left the workshop. He landed by the stairs of the dungeon and saw the other three cells in their correct positions. He flew his cells to their spots and walked over to perform the locking drills.

"Cohaereo," he spoke, drawing a line with his wand. "Clausereo. Conmereo." The cells were now locked into place.

He quickly stepped across the dungeon and bounded up the steps. If Voldemort was still in the Manor, Draco would tell him what Wormtail said and casually ask what it meant. Wormtail and Bellatrix were waiting for him outside the dungeons.

"Follow me," he said, making his way back to the sitting room. The Dark Lord, it appeared, had left.

"I suppose you two can leave now," Draco suggested strongly, looking back and forth between his aunt and the rat, trying to decide who was the more pleasant of the two. On cue, both Death Eaters materialized away, leaving Draco alone in his Manor.

"This won't do," he said to himself. If he could, he would find Hermione right now. But there were two other people he wished to see that he hadn't in too long a while. Draco walked to the Floo room and drew his wand, lightly cutting the tip of his finger. He then touched his wand to the blood before brandishing his wand several times and jabbing it in the air.

He thought in Latin, Family does what family does for family.

Suddenly he was transported through a vortex and was entered into the salon of the Malfoys' house in France. He hoped Lucius and Narcissa were at home.

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