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

Chapter 30-Scabior Succeeds

Draco, Scabior, and the remaining Snatchers arrived at the home of Xenophilius and Luna Lovegood, quickly circling the building.

"No funny business this time," Scabior declared. "Doesn't matter what 'e's got—if it ain't Potter, 'e's dead!"

As Draco trailed behind the Snatchers entering the home, he hoped that Hermione would get away in time. He unconsciously played with the fake Sickle in his pocket, unable to use it to warn her. His only consolation was that last year he'd risked Luna's life to save Hermione's, and now he was doing the opposite. It wasn't much of a consolation, but when Hermione undoubtedly asked for an explanation, Draco could give her something she would accept, even if he really couldn't.

"He's here, I swear! He's upstairs!"

Draco was jolted from his thoughts by Luna's father. Taking the cue, Draco made his way to the front of the group.

"Then why don't you sit down, make yourself comfortable, while we go get him?"

There was a thud, causing everyone to look up.

Scabior turned to his crew and put a finger to his lips. Pointing to two Snatchers, he motioned for them to follow him upstairs. The others remained to guard Xenophilius. Draco glanced around the room before climbing the stairs.

When they got to the top, they found an empty loft extending into three rooms. Scabior beckoned the group into one of the rooms. Draco stayed where he was, only turning his head to look behind him...

...and lock eyes with Hermione. She glared at him as Potter and Weasley appeared behind her. Weasley looked surprised and Potter looked like he didn't know what to do or think.

Remaining expressionless, Draco looked at Hermione one last time before sending her an apology via the fake Sickle. He turned back around, cueing her to stun one of the Snatchers from behind. As he dropped, the rest of the group turned around just in time to catch the three Gryffindors apparating away.

Scabior let out a roar and shoved through the group. He clambered down the stairs. Draco followed swiftly, crossing his fingers that Scabior wouldn't try to kill Xenophilius.

"Looks like ya weren't lyin' at least," the lead Snatcher said as he walked up to the homeowner. Threateningly stroking his wand, he continued, "Of course, Potter won't be returning anytime soon so I suppose there really ain't no use for ya."

"Just a moment, Scabior," said Draco, taking out his wand. "We don't know how much this one could know. Potter could've told him anything. Plus, your foolishness already lost us four informants earlier today."

"My foolishness?"

"All of yours! Now let's take this man back to the manor and we'll go from there." Draco stayed behind to make sure everyone left before he did. When he appeared back in his home, he watched Scabior lock up Xenophilius next to Griphook.

"The keys," Draco demanded as the Snatchers were leaving the dungeon.

"Not so fast," came Scabior's response. "Just 'cause it's your 'ouse don't mean you get to do whatever you want."

Instantly, Draco's wand was at the Death Eater's throat. "Actually, that's exactly what that means. So hand it over."

Before Scabior could obey, the Snatchers in charge of Griphook appeared from upstairs.

"Any news?" asked Draco as they all walked to the drawing room.

"Looks like Mrs. Longbottom sent the Auror Dawlish to St. Mungos's!" They all snickered as Draco raised an eyebrow.

"You do realize he's cost us greatly?" Despite his words, Draco was glad of the result. Not only was it funny, but a certain Gryffindor was now free to run about Hogwarts, rebelling with his toad.

"Cheer up, Malfoy, have a laugh!"

"There's nothing to be laughing about," a familiar voice drawled. Draco turned to find Snape walking to the front of the room. The headmaster continued, "Hagrid just barely escaped us. Now it seems both he and Mrs. Longbottom are on the run."

"Excellent," Draco said sarcastically. "What a successful day it's been. We've got two captives who are probably too frightened to say a word and everyone else either died or escaped." He needed to buy time to deal with said captives so he added, "I must go find the Dark Lord now. He requires my service. We'll reconvene tomorrow to deal with the prisoners."

As he left, he heard Snape tell Scabior, "Give me the keys. I'll put Wormtail on dungeon duty." Draco sighed in relief because that would definitely help things. Making his way up the stairs, he checked the fake Sickle, but there was no response. He hoped Hermione would give him a chance to explain.

Turning his attention to the issue at hand, he tried to recall where Voldemort said he was going. Nurmengard, he remembered. The old prison on an island in the midst of a stormy sea. Just as he was reaching his room, he fell to the floor, images of a dark building flooding his mind. An old man sat in the corner, Voldemort towering over him.

"Where is it?" the Dark Lord demanded. "Where is the wand?"

Grindelwald merely laughed. "Why, where else? It lies, of course, with him."

"I have no time for your games. Who won the wand from you?"

Laughter echoed through the barren cells of the prison Grindelwald had built to hold his opponents. "And you call yourself the greatest dark wizard to ever live? My dear boy, you are nothing compared to what I was. It seems that in the end, our common enemy got the best of us."

There was a quick flash as Voldemort realized that Grindelwald meant the wand was resting with Dumbledore. But despite the initial shock, he quickly recovered and exited the prison with his signature move.

"Avada Kedavra!"

Draco burst out of the vision feeling tired and uneasy. He really needed to ask Snape why the Death Eaters had this weird side effect, or if it was a power granted by accident to the Death Eaters of the first war that passed on to their children. He crawled into his room and flopped onto his bed, unaware that his services would soon be required.

Just then, as Scabior was ready to leave the Manor, he received yet another message on his wand. It was a rather odd one, for it told him the taboo curse had just been broken by one Corban Yaxley. A very dead Corabn Yaxley. Although Scabior was more known for his ability to fight than his ability think, it didn't take a genius to figure out that whoever had Yaxley's wand was very likely a traitor.

He quickly assembled his Snatchers, and they were on their way. They vaporized instantly to their destination. As Scabior landed in the forest, he grinned—it seemed it was a successful day after all.

"Evans, Ross, go find Bellatrix," he ordered as the Golden Trio locked eyes with the Snatchers. "We'll be needin' 'er expertise."

In a split second, Evans and Ross vaporized away as the Golden Trio took off, the Snatchers on their tails.

Evans and Ross appeared in the Lestrange home, startling the witch they were looking for, who turned them into toads before realizing who they were.

"We're under orders from Scabior to escort you to Malfoy Manor," said Evans.

"For what?" Bellatrix demanded.

The two Snatchers exchanged glances. Ross stepped forward and answered, "He's found Potter."

That turned Bellatrix's confused frown into a nasty grin. "Then by all means!" she exclaimed, cackling.

The three appeared inside the gates of Malfoy Manor, where they waited until the Snatchers appeared.

"Three wanted fugitives, at your service," mocked Scabior.

"Let me see," said Bellatrix. She shone her light as Scabior shoved a boy's face to the gate. The scar she'd seen in all the papers was barely visible. But there was a reason they were at the manor.

Without moving an inch, she said to Evans and Ross, "Get Draco."

Cackling once more, she swung the gates open. "Welcome to Malfoy Manor, Harry Potter!"

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