Heartbreak Warfare

Chapter 50

Draco ignored the story. He had heard it before, from his mother when he was a child. His full attention remained on Mr. Lovegood who was getting shiftier by the minute. Draco was very familiar with the look of fear in a person's eyes and his were full of it. He was afraid and nervous, but of what? He was hiding something. This could be a trap.

Mr. Lovegood pulled out a piece of stray paper and pulled a quill from behind his ear. "The Elder Wand," he said, drawing a line. "The Resurrection Stone." He drew a circle in the middle of the line. "And the Invisibility Cloak." He drew a triangle around the entire drawing. "These three objects make up the Deathly Hallows."

"Well, that's great," Draco straightened up. "If that's all. We ought to be going."

The trio looked at him with confusion while Mr. Lovegood's eyes widened.

"You can't!" Mr. Lovegood stumbled to his feet.

Draco pulled out his wand. "What did you do?"

"Draco!" Harry got to his feet. "What's wrong?"

"This is a trap," Draco replied. "He's been shifty and he wants us to stay because he's called for backup."

Harry looked at Mr. Lovegood. "Is that true?"

Tears filled his eyes. "They took her. They took Luna. They didn't like what I was writing in the Quibbler and they took her as punishment. If I turn you in then they'll give her back. I can't lose her. I won't."

There was a crash as the door was thrown off its hinges. Spells were thrown from outside, windows shattered, and papers flew everywhere. They all dove to the floor to get out of the range of the spells. Draco grabbed onto Harry's hand and the last thing he saw was three deatheaters marching through the door before they apparated away.

****

Harry landed in yet another forest, breathing heavily.

"Is there no one we can trust anymore!" Ron seethed. "I mean, honestly—"

Draco stiffened beside him and gripped Harry's hand tighter. "Shut up, Weasley."

Ron glared at him. "Just because you're—"

"Be quiet, Ron," Hermione persisted and then Harry heard it.

Footsteps. Then a spell hit a tree next to his head.

"Run!" Harry shouted, pulling Draco with him.

They ran, stumbling over roots and rocks as they got scratched by tree limbs. Harry stumbled but Draco kept a firm grip on his hand so he wouldn't fall. Draco shot spells behind them and Harry tried as well but the wand didn't work very well for him. Beside him, Ron stumbled and fell and Hermione ran over to him. Harry knew that they weren't getting away. Harry stopped and was about to hit Draco with a spell to change the color of his hair when Hermione hit him first.

Harry fell to the ground and for an instant he saw Voldemort standing over Dumbledore's body, holding a wand and he knew that the Elder Wand was real and Voldemort had found it.

"Are you all right?" Draco asked, helping him to his feet.

Harry didn't feel all right. His face felt extremely swollen but before he could answer, they were surrounded by Snatchers. They were completely outnumbered.

"Lower your wands," one of the Snatchers with greasy black hair ordered.

They had no choice but to do it. They looked over them all and their eyes lingered on Draco.

"Well, well, well," one of them said. "It looks like we found Draco Malfoy. Your parents have put up quite the reward for your safe return."

"I'll come with you quietly if you let the rest of them go," Draco bartered.

"I don't think you're in much of a position to negotiate," he sneered. "Besides, I heard you ran away with Harry Potter. So, I think it would be better to take you all in, just in case he's gone and disguised himself."

Draco swallowed tightly. "You heard wrong. These are just some people I met at a pub."

"Better to be safe than sorry," the Snatcher said. "Grab 'em."

The Snatcher grabbed them all, taking their things and holding their wands to their throats.

"Let's go to Malfoy Manor."