The Unknown of the Order (Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery

The Malfoys

Malfoy pulled a large bag from beneath his cloak. From inside the bag he drew a case, which he sat on the spindly table. The Malfoys were talking to each other, but it was impossible to hear what they were saying with the window shut against the cold.

Sarah felt her heartbeat in her head. It was a chilly night, but there was no wind and the Malfoy's backs were facing away from the window. She held her wand out and thought Evanesco, hoping she'd gotten enough practice at nonverbal spellwork.

She knew at once the spell had worked. The Malfoy's voices traveled through the window like leaves through a gentle wind, now that the glass had vanished.

"Yes, darling," Lucius Malfoy was saying. "By mid January, a great many of our number will have returned to us, including your dear sister."

"My dear sister," Narcissa repeated. Sarah couldn't tell if her voice held a hint of joy or disdain. "What are those for?" asked the tall, blonde woman.

Malfoy had opened the case, but the pair inside the house were standing in front of it and Sarah couldn't make out what was inside.

"For Bellatrix and the others, of course," said Malfoy. "Theirs will have been destroyed when they were sentenced. Careful." Narcissa had reached into the case, but Lucius grabbed her arm and held it back. "We mustn't let anything happen to these. Borgin was able to procure them for me, but he could only get a dozen. He said it could be at least a month before he can find more."

"Did you speak with the Dark Lord?" Narcissa asked, so quietly Sarah had to stick her head through the window to hear. "Is he still angry with us?"

"The Dark Lord is...merciful," said Lucius. "If he didn't forgive his followers who thought him gone, he'd only have Crouch and Bellatrix left. Still, we are on rather thin ice at the moment, part of the reason I was so quick to volunteer our home as the rendezvous point after the breakout."

Malfoy leaned against the spindly table, and even though she could only see his back, Sarah could tell he was extremely fatigued. 

Narcissa stroked his arm. "You're exhausted. Why don't you go up and rest? I'll send up some food."

Lucius nodded and his wife swept from the room. Malfoy lingered for a moment, staring into the fire. He moved toward it to warm himself, and Sarah saw what lay inside. A dozen or so wands. After a moment, he closed the case and left the room. 

Sarah's heart leapt. She made to stare wide-eyed at Diego, then realized they couldn't see each other. 

"Wow," she whispered. 

"We've got to tell Dumbledore."

"We've got to get that case."

"Are you mad?"

"I'm going in, are you coming?"

There was a slight pause. "Of course I am."

They climbed through the window, first Sarah, then Diego. They landed lightly on feet made nimble after years of dueling practice. 

"I'll get the case," Diego whispered. "Cover me."

Sarah edged over to the entryway to keep lookout, keeping one eye on the case as she did. She saw a slight disturbance in the air which was Diego moving toward it. 

"What is this?" said a shocked, high-pitched voice. 

Sarah pointed her wand at the noise. Standing in a doorway to her right that she hadn't noticed was a house-elf. It wasn't Dobby; Sarah had befriended him and learned a few year ago from an excited visit that he'd been freed due to the actions of none other than Harry Potter. This elf was female, and she must've been Dobby's replacement. 

The elf was staring at the case, which now appeared to be floating in midair. She put down the plate of food he was holding. Sarah held out her wand, but she couldn't force herself to jinx an innocent creature. 

"Stupefy!"

Sarah spun around. There was a loud thump as the case and the invisible Diego hit the floor. Lucius Malfoy swept into the room, his wand pointed at the spot where Diego lay, his face radiating pure malice. "Revelio."

Diego's body appeared. He was lying face up, unconscious, with the case clutched in his right hand and his wand in the other. 

Narcissa hurried into the room. "What's happened?"

"I must have been followed," said Malfoy. He stepped forward to examine Diego. "I recognize this boy. He's the one that Shunpike idiot was supposed to get rid of for his propaganda." Malfoy's face contorted into a malicious smile. "Excellent. The Dark Lord will be most pleased when he learns that I've dealt with this little blight to society."

Malfoy raised his wand. "Avada--"

"Stupefy!" Sarah shouted. 

Malfoy was thrown of his feet. His back hit hard against the stone edge of the fireplace, and he sank to the floor, unconscious. 

Narcissa gasped and stared at the spot the spell had come from with pure venom. She took out her own wand. "Crucio!"

Her spell flew a bit too far to the left, and Sarah shot back a spell of her own. Sarah didn't know a lot about Narcissa Malfoy, but it didn't take long for her to learn that the woman was an accomplished dueler. Sarah had the advantage of being a mostly invisible target, but Narcissa shot relentless volleys of spells that Sarah had to dance like a veela to avoid. 

She felt sweat forming at her brow. She was confident she could defeat Narcissa, but her worry was that Lucius would wake up before she did so. She didn't know if she could duel both Death Eaters at once. 

Sarah had just managed to jump out of the way of another cruciatus curse when Narcissa gave a cry of pain and fell forward. She lay face down, unmoving. Sarah stood up, puzzled, then saw the little elf standing behind Narcissa, her hand outstretched, looking absolutely terrified. 

"Oh, oh, oh, what has Pebbles done?" squeaked the little elf. "What will her masters say when they wake up? Oh, Pebbles is the worst kind of elf, the worst!"

Sarah revealed herself and hurried over to Diego to revive him. "It's okay Pebbles, you did the right thing. You saved our lives!"

Diego rubbed his head and sat up gingerly, frowning in confusion as little Pebbles continued to panic. 

"Attacking her own masters! Pebbles deserves death for this!"

"They don't have to know, Pebbles. Nobody saw you. Please, don't punish yourself," said Sarah, but Pebbles had already run to the nearest wall to bang her head against it repeatedly. 

"No, stop! Please," said Sarah. Lucius Malfoy gave a little groan, but remained where he was, his eyes closed. 

"Pebbles, why don't you come with us?" Sarah asked. "You can be free of these people once and for all."

Pebbles paused beating herself to totter over and take hold of Sarah's hand. "Pebbles knows what kind of wizards her masters are. Their old elf, Dobby, has visited Pebbles. He's told of the greatness of Harry Potter, and also of Sarah Spellman. Sarah Spellman is a paragon of wizard-kind," she said. "Pebbles is most glad to meet her, even if she has to shut her ears in the oven door later. But, Pebbles cannot go, Miss. She is bound to her masters, and she will serve them until she dies."

"Maybe not," said Sarah. "Don't give up hope. Look what happened to Dobby.:

Pebbles gave her a small smile. They both jumped as Malfoy began to stir. "Sarah Spellman and her friend must be going!" said Pebbles in a panicked whisper. She shoved them back toward the window. Diego climbed through. 

"Take care of yourself," Sarah whispered before following him. "And thanks, Pebbles. You are a good elf."

Sarah replaced the glass in the window before the she and Diego sprinted back to collect the tent and disapparate. They had a lot to tell Professor Dumbledore.