Aurelian (Dramione)

Chapter 41: Prelude to Battle

The wooden floorboards creaked under Blaise's feet as he moodily paced the entrance hall. With the help of Draco and his many nurses, Blaise had made a full recovery in only a couple of hours. The only lingering effect was the occasional shiver that ran through him. Though the chills weren't really comfortable, Blaise welcomed them after the terrible burning he had suffered earlier.

"That's not what I'm saying!" Harry's indignant shout rose from the kitchen below. He had finally awoken just before dinner and had been upset that he had not been woken earlier. No one, with exception of Aurelian, was safe from his snappish attitude.

Kingsley Shacklebolt, the Minister for Magic, arrived at Grimmauld Place shortly after dinner and all members of the house had gathered to talk in the kitchen. Blaise was invited to join them, but he'd declined as politely as he could manage. The meeting had been going on for an hour and Blaise's pacing had started an hour before that. Potter wasn't the only one with a petulant disposition.

"Blaise?" Pansy said cautiously as she stepped out of the kitchen stairwell.

"Meeting over?" Blaise asked, trying his best to sound casual. He had certainly not mastered the mask of stoicism as Draco had.

"No… I just came to check on you," she said softly. "Are you alright?"

"No," he answered curtly.

"She's still not back?" Pansy asked, taking a tentative step closer to him.

"Would I still be pacing if she was?" he said acerbically, rounding on his best friend. At the stunned look of fear and remorse on her face, Blaise felt a terrible twinge of guilt and forced himself to calm down a little. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Blaise. I know you're worried," Pansy said consolingly, placing a hand on his arm. "How long has she been gone now?"

Blaise stared furiously at the front door and paused for so long that Pansy assumed he simply wouldn't answer. She was therefore surprised when Blaise finally snapped, "Too long." His answer was like a growl and before he had finished, he started walking toward the kitchen stairs with anger and determination in his step. He burst through the kitchen door and all eyes immediately focused on him.

"It's been too long, Potter. She's been gone for three bloody hours. Something's wrong and I'm not going to sit around waiting any longer," Blaise stated fiercely.

"Who's missing?" Kingsley asked with concern.

"Katie Bell," Ginny answered, fear in her eyes as she stared at Blaise.

"Where is it she went?" Percy asked.

"The office," Blaise answered shortly.

"I can't believe that you even allowed her to go," said Fred, not hiding the fact that he blamed Blaise for it.

"I didn't think there'd be any problems or I wouldn't have let her," Blaise growled. His eyes were narrowed and his lip was curled in fury. He'd been asking himself how he could have let her go since the moment she left. He was hard enough on himself; he couldn't let anyone else attack his judgment. "It's been secret that we're involved with the Order. We've been working really hard to keep from raising any suspicions and to do that, we've had to keep up with work. She was upset sitting around here and insisted she go finish some of my work, as I couldn't myself. It should have taken her thirty minutes at most. I've been waiting as I've been instructed to, but I'm not sitting around to wait any longer. You do whatever the hell you want, Potter, but I'm going to go look for her."

Blaise turned angrily and started for the stairs.

"Wait," Harry ordered. "You're right. We can't wait. Kingsley, I'm sorry, but we're going to have to cut this meeting short. We've got to find her."