mother of wands (d.m) part two

I

The Order was another name I had become familiar with, the other end of the spectrum to the Death Eaters. Most members were professors at Hogwarts or parents of the students, all coming together to oppose Voldemort.

Draco had even told me that during his 5th year, Harry Potter and his 'mates' had created and younger version they dubbed Dumbledore's Army.

Snape continues, "Once there it will be impractical to attack him."

Draco squeezes my hand, he was always sensitive about Harry, as much as he dislikes him, he doesn't want him dead.

"My lord, I want to volunteer myself for this task. I want to kill the boy." Bellatrix coos from across the table.

I roll my eyes at her seductive tone. She was another Death Eater who gained more power after Dumbledore died, surprising because she was sisters with one of the lowest ranking members.

Her attempt to barter with the Dark Lord is cut short by whimpering from a women laying flat on her back suspended above us, a familiar look to her, though I couldn't place it.

"Wormtail!" Voldemort shakes with anger as he slams his fist on the table. "Have I not spoken to you about keeping our guest quiet!"

A short, mousy looking man emerges from behind a pillar. "Yes my lord right away my lord."

Voldemort sighs as his attention is once again fixed back on Draco's Aunt, "As inspiring as I find your bloodlust Bellatrix, I must be the one to kill Harry Potter."

I take in a sharp breath, hearing him say those words always made my heart skip a beat. The image of the headmaster tumbling from the astronomy tower still seared in my memory, and soon, Harry Potter would be too.

He was just a boy, no older than Draco and I, and he was being forced to carry so much. Until recently, I had never really given much thought to how much pressure Harry must be under.

I knew Draco and I felt the effects of the Wizarding War approaching, our daily lives surrounding it, but I was very rarely in genuine action. I was doing paper work while Harry was dodging killing curses.

I had spent so much time worrying about whether or not Draco would crack under the weight, I forgot to considered there were other people in this fight as well.

I turn to Draco, his skin white, his bags yellow and grey but his cheeks flushed a bright fluorescent red. He meets my eyes and I give him a warm smile, so subtle only he could see.

"We'll get through this." I think. "We won't have to kill or be killed."

My thoughts are cut off by Voldemort standing, "I have an unfortunate complication, my wand and Potter's share the same core. They are in some ways... twins. We can wound but not fatally harm one another. If I am to kill him I must do it with another's wand."

I tense as I remember that most of my plans rest on the fact that Draco is now in control of the Elder Wand, if he is disarmed by anyone, it will belong to them instead.

Certainly, Voldemort wouldn't just go around disarming us all until he found a suitable replacement for his own, right?

He saunters around the table, his hand running over the backs of our chairs, "Come, surely one of you would like the honor hmm?"

He hovers around Draco and I, his fingers draped delicately over my shoulder, my throat on fire. I'm sure he's going to say my name, when he whispers to my left, "What about you Lucius?"

"My Lord?" Lucius stutters next to me.

"I require your wand." The Dark Lord commands.

Lucius nods, his fist shaking as he removes the snake head from his cane to reveal the source of his magic. He hands it off to Voldemort who grabs it angrily, turning it around in his fingers as he assesses the piece of wood.

"Do I detect elm?" He asks.

Lucius nods, "Yes, my Lord."

Voldemort snaps the wand in two easily, all of us wincing.

"And the core?" He questions, sniffing as a shimmery substances floats out.

"Drag- Dragon heartstring." Lucius coughs nervously.

"Dragon heartstring..." Voldemort's voice drags off.

This doesn't seem to please him, discarding the broken wand onto the table as his attention flicks back to the whimpering woman above us.

"To those of you who do not know, we are joined this night by Charity Burbage, who until recently taught at Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry."

That's where I knew her from, she was never my professor but I had seen her in the Great Hall and passed her on the way to class.

She begins to hover closer to the table slowly as if on display, a reminder of how easy it was to dispose of us.

"This could be you" I think. "You're next."

"Her speciality was Muggle studies. It is Miss Burbage's belief that Muggles aren't so different from us. She would, given her way, even have us mate with them." He continues, watching as the Death Eaters mutter in disgust, Bellatrix mocking a gag.

The Dark Lord returns to his seat, "To her the mixture of Magical and Muggle blood is not an abomination, but something to be encouraged."

The room falls quiet, each of us waiting with bated breath to see what happens next, my palms dripping with anxious sweat.

To my surprise the next words come from Charity, "Severus, Severus please. We're friends"

Her voice is shaky and strained, her body petrified but her eyes staring at Snape as she pleads, a tear falling from eye and landing on the table in front of me.

I'm suddenly filled with guilt and fear, the emotion rising up my veins like flames.

Draco releases my hand, sucking in a breath between his teeth as I realize I've burned him.

I'm about to apologize when Voldemort shouts from across the table, "Avada Kedavra!"

In an instant, a bright flash of light illuminates the room and Charity falls lifeless on the table a few inches from me, Draco reaching for my hand again as we stare in awe.

Voldemort sighs happily as if he's releasing his stress and whispers, "Nagini, dinner."

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