The Half-Blood Princess

Draco's Secret (Or How Harley Became An Accidental Therapist)

Mundungus Fletcher's Confunded idea had been well received by the Order, though Dumbledore's plan had left little place for Harley. They decided that, since she was good at potions and jinxes, she would be on emergency medical and defencive duty, in case it was necessary.

They did not know that she had another job that evening, to be one of the tails of Death Eaters following one of the Seven Potters. Once Voldemort had seen that there were multiple convoys flying out from Privet Drive, he had immediately called his followers to action.

There would be a group of four for each Potter, and Severus made certain that she would be flying with him.

Harley, feeling foolish, had said, "I cannot fly a broomstick. I don't know how much help I could possibly be." She hoped that she could stay out of it, but the Dark Lord happened to know the bewitching spell required to make a broomstick do its rider's bidding through spellwork alone. No skill was necessary except for that of a wand.

Harley had never worn the black robes or masks the Death Eaters wore, but now she would. She sat staring at it for a long time before putting them on. Severus would not look at it.

"I fucking hate this," he spat, swearing for the first time in her presence. "This is not your place, you should not be here!"

"You keep saying things like that, yet here I always am," she replied. "It is not for much longer. It can't be. Things have to come to a head--one way or another." Grimacing, she straightened the black robes (not unlike her own, she admitted, but rather plain) and lifted the mask to hide her face. Were she seen, it would be catastrophic to the plan.

They had the routes each couple would be taking, though they did not know about the polyjuice potion, which hopefully gave the Order an edge.

"Can you fly a broomstick?" she asked him.

"Yes," he replied. "But your mother could not. Many Muggle-borns have trouble with flying, and it seems you inherited that from her despite being a half-blood."

Severus handed her a broomstick and she mounted it, reciting "Fugite!" The broom lifted a few feet in the air. "Audiat!" It obeyed her next command, which was to go higher. The spells were working, it seemed, and the foursome flew off in the direction of their intended target. Severus and Harley brought up the rear, to spot things going awry and hopefully stop any deaths.

The two they were following were Lupin and George, Harley realised. The two Order members took the Death Eaters on what could only be called a high-speed broom chase, firing and dodging spells. The chase went on so long that George's polyjuice potion wore off, shocking the two Death Eaters who had not known of this plan.

Harley saw one of them--she had no idea who--reach for his wand and fire a spell at George, who barely missed getting Stunned. The Death Eater then went into the arm movement for the Killing Curse, but Severus was faster...or tried to be.

"Sectumsempra!" He fired his curse, hoping to hit the black-robed figure when two things happened at once: the man moved, and Harley's broom faltered, sending her diving down to the ground. Severus moved to catch her broomstick, and the spell that had been accidentally headed for George's lungs missed and hit only his ear instead, making the accident non-fatal.

Harley saw her father's mask slip and she cursed the Death Eater for moving. Now they would think he had hit George on purpose!

The two men Apparated away, leaving the foursome with nowhere to go but back to the Manor. Harley tugged her father aside and said, "Thank you for trying to save him. It could have gotten you killed."

"You do need a best man at your wedding," Severus replied loftily, and she was surprised she was able to smile at him.

She was able to leave and go to The Burrow, to check on everyone, right on schedule. In the house, she was accosted with more identity-confirming questions before she could enter. She was nearly dragged by Bill and Fleur to George's side.