"The gold snake." Harry said under his breath.
"He's a snake alright, but I never thought he'd do anything like this." Ron sighed and Hermione placed a comforting hand on Harry's shoulder.
"The serpent arm band I gave her 7th year." He whispered. "I charmed it to strike anyone who would do her harm. It struck at Malfoy."
"Then you did the charm wrong, Potter." Snape growled, "I happen to know that Draco is quite fond of Sara."
Ron spun on him, angry. "Do you have to insult him? Even now? It's plain that Malfoy cursed Sara, no matter how he feels about her!"
"It doesn't make sense." Harry said, "He loves Sara."
"I agree." said Hermione. "It doesn't make sense, but we don't know what Voldemort threatened him with."
Harry startled them all by standing and bellowing his reply, his brow was furrowed with anger and his fists were clenched, the knuckles white. "I don't care what Voldemort threatened him with! What's a threat compared to murder? He tried to kill her!"
"What are you going to do, Harry?" Ron whispered, worried about his friend's state of mind.
"I'm going to make him pay." Harry scowled, "As soon as he takes his curse off Sara." He smoothed the hair away from Sara's face, kissed her gently, and stormed out of the room without a word, and without meeting anyone's eyes. Hermione and Ron ran after him, but couldn't catch up. Harry would not respond to their calls as they raced through the hospital and into the London streets, he seemed not even to hear them, and finally Harry hailed a cab and it zipped off into traffic. Hermione and Ron were stunned at first, then decided it would be best if they split up anyway. Ron decided to check the pubs between Draco's house and Diagon Alley, and Hermione was headed for Diagon Alley itself.
* * *
It sounded like an explosion when Harry blew the door in and stormed through Draco's house in a rage. "Malfoy!" he shouted with the promise of challenge, but there was no response. Harry shoved the flustered servants aside and made his way toward the back of the second story, smashing everything in his path, his pace furious and his eyes full of murderous intent.
Finally, he came to Draco's bedroom and Harry kicked in the door, his wand held out in a trembling hand and focused on the figure standing beside the bed. She cried out in surprise and fear, and then appeared confused.
"Why are you pointing a stick at me?" she asked.
Realizing she was a muggle, Harry lowered his arm and took a few deliberate steps into the room. "Where is he?" he seethed. "Where is the bastard!"
"He left." She said, her voice small and hesitant. His eyes blazed with terrifying intensity and what she saw there was disturbing. His presence was immense and she cowered before his anger. "Whatever he did, I swear he didn't mean it."
Glancing around the room, Harry's eyes landed on a picture frame and his countenance fractured. Something seemed to just break and fall away and in this moment Christina saw such sadness come over him that her heart nearly cried out with sympathy. His eyes were fixed on the photo beside the bed. He lifted it with delicate, trembling hands and for several moments he said nothing. Christina was sure he was going to cry, but he didn't. He brushed a thumb over Sara's smiling image.
"Do you know her?" She whispered, afraid to speak out loud.
"We were getting married." He replied, never taking his eyes off the picture, "In two weeks."
Christina closed her eyes and swallowed the dread that loomed up in her throat. "Why do you speak in the past tense?"
"Because she's dying." Harry told her, his voice growing stronger as his anger returned, "He tried to kill her."
The Girl in the Tower Chap 29
Start from the beginning
