»»———— DOBBY AND HIS FRIENDS ————««
They ventured back to the tent, then, calling for Hermione and Lolita. "Is everything alright?"
"It's fine. Actually, you know, it's more than fine." Harry gestured to Ron behind them.
"Hey!" He smiled brightly in his typical Ron way. Hermione wasn't having it as she walked up to him angrily.
"You..." She ripped his bag off of him and began hitting him. "Complete ass, Ronald Weasley! You show up here after weeks and you say hey!? Where's my wand, Harry? Where's my wand?"
"I don't know." He backed away from her quickly.
"Harry Potter, you give me my wand!" She exclaimed.
"I don't have it!"
"How come he's got your wand?" Ron asked.
"Never mind why he's got my wand." She turned back towards him, then noticed the sword in his hand. "What is that?"
Ron held up the destroyed locket, making Lolita grin. "You've done it! All of you! Brilliant!"
"And how is it that you just happen to have the Sword of Gryffindor?"
"It's a long story." Harry took the focus off Ron.
"Don't think this changes anything." She narrowed her eyes at him before going to walk away.
"Oh, of course not. I only just destroyed a bloody Horcrux. Why would that change anything?" He exclaimed, making her stop. "Look, I wanted to come back as soon as I left. I just didn't know how to find you."
"How did you find us?" Theodore asked.
"With this." He held out the Deluminator. "It doesn't just turn off lights. I don't know how it works, but Christmas morning I was sleeping in this little pub keeping away from some Snatchers, and I heard it."
"It?" Harry gave him an odd look.
"A voice. Your voice, Hermione. Coming out of it."
"And what exactly did I say, may I ask?" She crossed her arms over her chest, still angry with him for leaving her like that.
"My name. Just my name. Like a whisper. So I took it, clicked it, and this tiny ball of light appeared. And I knew. And sure enough, it floated toward me, the ball of light, went right to my chest straight through me. Right here." He pointed to his heart. "And I knew it was going to take me where I needed to go, so I Disapparated and came to this hillside. It was dark, I had no idea where I was. I just hoped that one of you would show yourselves. And you did."
They all went inside the tent after that, getting warm. "I've always liked these flames Hermione makes." Ron said to them. Hermione was sitting outside the tent, keeping watch. "How long do you reckon she'll stay mad at me?"
"Well, just keep talking about that little ball of light touching your heart." Theodore shrugged with a small chuckle. Ron smiled over at him, hitting his shoulder playfully. They wouldn't stop teasing him about it.
"Yeah, she'll come round." Harry nodded. It was nice to have Ron back, and in good spirits.
"It was true. Every word. This is gonna sound crazy, but I think that's why Dumbledore left it to me, the Deluminator. I think he knew that somehow I'd need it to find my way back, and she'd lead me." He paused, and they smiled fondly at that. "Bloody hell, I just realized. You need a wand, don't you?"
"Yeah." Harry nodded.
"I've got one here." He pulled it out of his bag and handed it to him. "It's a blackthorn, ten inches."
"It's nice." Harry said.
"Nothing special, but I reckon it'll do." Ron shrugged. "Took it off a Snatcher a couple of weeks ago. Don't tell Hermione this, but they're a bit dim, Snatchers. This one was definitely part troll, the smell of him."
"Engorgio." Harry casted, and the flame became very large.
"Reducio!" Theodore yelled.
"What's going on in there?" Hermione asked quickly.
"Nothing!" They all rushed out. She stepped inside and looked at them.
"We need to talk."
"Yeah, alright." Ron nodded. He assumed she was talking specifically to him, but that wasn't the case. She brushed past him and stood on the steps up to the table as she looked at them all.
"I want to go see Xenophilius Lovegood." She announced.
"Sorry?" Ron furrowed his eyebrows at her.
"See this?" She showed them the book. "It's a letter Dumbledore wrote to Grindelwald. Look at the signature. It's the mark again. It keeps cropping up. In Beedle the Bard, in the graveyard in Godric's Hollow."
"It was there, too." Harry realized. "Outside Gregorovitch's Wand Shop."
"But what does it mean?" Ron asked.
"That's why we need to see Mr. Lovegood. He'll know." Lolita agreed, but Harry still seemed on the fence about it.
"Look, you've got no idea where the next Horcrux is, and neither do I. But this, this clearly means something. I'm sure of it." She told them seriously.
"Yeah, Hermione's right." Ron nodded, going to stand next to her. "We ought to see Lovegood. Let's vote on it. Those in favor?"
He raised his hand, and they gave him an odd look. He was just trying to get back on Hermione's good side. Nonetheless, the five Apparated nearby the Lovegoods' house. They knocked on the door, and he answered. "What is it? Who are you? What do you want?"
"Uh, Mr. Lovegood? It's Harry Potter. We met a few months ago?" He spoke, and Xenophilius looked terrible. He looked like he hadn't even showered. "Could we come in?"
So, they sat around the table awkwardly. They wondered where Luna was. "Luna? She'll be along." They all drank their tea he'd prepared at the same time. "So, how can I help you, Mr. Potter?"
"Well, actually... It was about something you were wearing round your neck at the wedding. A symbol." He began, and he held it up.
"You mean this?" He asked, and Harry touched it, getting a better look at it.
"Yes. That exactly. What we've wondered is, what is it?" He asked.
"What is it?" He repeated. "Well, it's the sign of the Deathly Hallows, of course."
"The what?" They all gave him a look.
"The Deathly Hallows." He said again. "I assume you're all familiar with The Tale of the Three Brothers?"
"Yes." Ron, Hermione, Lolita, and Theodore chorus as they nodded. Harry spoke a short no at the same time.
"I have it in here." Hermione pulled it out of her bag. She began to read. "There were once three brothers, who were traveling along a lonely, winding road at twilight—"
"Midnight." Ron corrected, making her give him a look. "Mum always said midnight. But... twilight's fine. Better, actually."
She started over, then. "There were once three brothers who were traveling along a lonely, winding road at twilight. In time, the brothers reached a river too treacherous to pass. But being learned in the magical arts, the three brothers simply waved their wands and made a bridge. Before they could cross, however, they found their path blocked by a hooded figure. It was Death, and he felt cheated. Cheated because travelers would normally drown in the river. But Death was cunning. He pretended to congratulate the three brothers on their magic, and said that each had earned a prize for having been clever enough to evade him. The oldest asked for a wand more powerful than any in existence. So, Death fashioned him one from an elder tree that stood nearby. The second brother decided he wanted to humiliate Death even further and asked for the power to recall loved ones from the grave. So, Death plucked a stone from the river and offered it to him. Finally, Death turned to the third brother. A humble man, he asked for something that would allow him to go forth from that place without being followed by Death. And so it was that Death reluctantly handed over his own Cloak of Invisibility. The first brother traveled to a distant village where, with the Elder Wand in hand, he killed a wizard with whom he had once quarreled. Drunk with the power that the Elder Wand had given him, he bragged of his invincibility. But that night, another wizard stole the wand and slit the brother's throat for good measure. And so, Death took the first brother for his own. The second brother journeyed to his home where he took the stone and turned it thrice in hand. To his delight, the girl he'd once hoped to marry before her untimely death appeared before him. Yet, soon she turned sad and cold for she did not belong in the mortal world. Driven mad with hopeless longing, the second brother killed himself so as to join her. And so Death took the second brother. As for the third brother, Death searched for many years but was never able to find him. Only when he attained a great age did the youngest brother shed the Cloak of Invisibility and give it to his son. He then greeted Death as an old friend and went with him gladly, departing this life as equals."
"So, there you are. Those are the Deathly Hallows." Lovegood said, having been staring out the window the whole time. They just assumed he was being weird, like Luna.
"I'm sorry, sir. I still don't quite understand." Harry shook his head. Finally, he moved from the window and began mumbling to himself as he looked for a pen. They walked over to him, watching as he drew out the symbol. He drew a line which represented the Elder Wand, the most powerful wand ever made. Then, the circle, which represented the Resurrection Stone. And finally, the triangle, which represented the Cloak of Invisibility.
"Together, they made the Deathly Hallows. Together, they make one master of Death." He told them.
"That mark was on a grave in Godric's Hollow." Hermione said. "Uh, Mr. Lovegood, does the Peverell Family have anything to do with the Deathly Hallows?"
"Uh..." He stuttered. "Ignotus, excuse me," He walked past them. "And his brothers, Cadmus and Antioch, are thought to be the original owners of the Hallows, and therefore the inspiration for the story. Uh... But your tea's gone cold. I'll be right back. Let's go down here..." He mumbled the last bit to himself.
"Let's get out of here." Ron suggested, grabbing his bag and slinging it over his shoulder. "I'm not drinking anymore of that stuff, hot or cold."
"He's acting a bit more weird than usual, don't you think?" Lolita asked. The Lovegoods were odd for sure, but they weren't like this. They all grabbed their stuff and headed downstairs. He was standing in front of the door.
"Thank you, sir." Hermione said kindly.
"You forgot the water." Ron said.
"Water?"
"For the tea." He continued, and they all gave him a look.
"Did... Did I?" He chuckled slightly. He was completely disoriented, and they knew something had to be going on. It wouldn't be like Luna to not come and greet them as soon as they got there. She clearly wasn't here, which worried them. It wasn't like she could just be out right now. "How silly of me!"
"It's no matter. We really should be going anyway." Hermione dismissed him, but they all stopped in their tracks when he raised his voice.
"No you can't!" He screamed, dropping the pot, making them all jump. He ran to the door, blocking it.
"Sir?" Harry asked.
"You're my only hope. They were angry, you see, about what I'd been writing. So, they took her. They took my Luna." He spoke desperately. He reached up and touched Harry's head, revealing his scar. "But it's really you they want."
Harry removed his hand awkwardly. "Who took her, sir?"
"Voldemort." His eye twitched as he spoke menacingly. All the sudden, there was an assortment of whooshes outside. They fell to the floor, avoiding the casting of spells.
Lovegood had ratted them out, that's why he was acting so weird. They didn't blame him, he just wanted to save his daughter. They grabbed each other's hands and Disapparated before it was too late.
"That treacherous little bleeder! Is there no one we can trust?!" Ron exclaimed.
"He was doing it for Luna! I don't blame him." Lolita shook her head.
"He was desperate." Harry nodded.
"I'll do the enchantments." Ron just muttered. But, they were faced with Snatchers. They had followed them, several of them. They began running as fast as they could away from them. Lolita stayed with Theodore, and they all avoided their spells and tried to cast some back. Suddenly, Ron was hit with Incarcerous. He laid there, bounded by ropes with no way out. Harry dragged Hermione along quicker than her feet could keep up, but she just kept going. She stopped when they were cornered, especially with Ron being captured. She knew they weren't getting away, so she had to think of something that wouldn't result in them gaining Voldemort's attention. She blasted Harry and Theodore in the face with a charm, deforming them. She didn't want them to be recognized in order to hopefully keep them safe. Harry had a vision, and he looked around quickly as he sat up frazzledly.
"The Hallows exist, but he's only after one of them, the last one. He knows where it is. He's gonna have it by the end of the night. You-Know-Who's found the Elder Wand." He told them. As expected, the Snatchers grabbed them up.
"Don't touch her!" Ron yelled at them.
"Leave him alone!" She demanded.
"Your boyfriend will get much worse than that!" Scabior replied. "If he doesn't learn to behave himself... What happened to you, ugly? What's your name?"
"Dudley." Harry replied quickly. "Vernon Dudley."
"Check it." He demanded. "And you, ugly number two." He approached Theodore, then. "Who are you?"
He decided to follow Harry's lead and lie. They wouldn't possibly recognize him, not through this. "Edmund Ignotus."
Scabior hummed in response, eyeing him suspiciously. Another Snatcher drew his attention away as he presented him with proof that Harry was lying about his identity. "Did you hear that, ugly? The list says you're lying. How come you don't want us to know who you are?" Greyback asked.
"The list's wrong. I told you who I am." He replied. Scabior stared at him closely.
"Change of plans." He spoke suddenly with wide eyes. "We're not taking this lot to the Ministry."
They found themselves being walked down the long, desolate path of Malfoy Manor. They stepped up to the gate, seeing Bellatrix Lestrange standing there. She eyed them in her eccentric way of acting. Harry was disgusted at the sight of her, considering what she did. The memory replayed in his mind, though it was always so quick. With a flash of light, she'd taken away his only real family. His only hope at having a father. He shoved Harry's face against the black, metal gate, bringing him inches away from her. He could smell her rotted breath from her decaying teeth. She examined his features closely. Scabior pulled the hair back from his forehead, showing a disformed scar they could hardly make out as the infamous one Harry wore. Bellatrix grinned menacingly before ordering a nearby Death Eater, "Get Draco and Valencia."
They breathed heavily, sharing hesitant glances with each other. The gate opened, and they were pushed along to the big, double doors to the entrance of Malfoy Manor. They were thrown in the foyer, held tightly against their will by the Snatchers.
Bellatrix told Narcissa, and she rushed up to Draco's room, where the two of them were. Val was sitting next to Draco, leaning against his arm as he read a book quietly. She just enjoyed being there like that with him, and he enjoyed it, too. She wished she could tell him about Lolita talking to her through a magic marker, but it was too dangerous. She knew he was a skilled Occlumen, but nothing could jeoprodize their plans. Besides, she'd sworn to Dumbledore she wouldn't tell anyone of her true loyalties until the time was right.
Narcissa burst through the door and they sat up straight, taking in her hollow face. "The Snatchers, they've brought in five kids. Your ages. They think it's Potter, but they can't tell. They want you to identify him."
"What?" Val shook her head quickly. She knew there was a high chance it was them, but she prayed it wasn't. They hurried downstairs after Narcissa. They walked into the foyer, looking around at all the dirty Snatchers filling the room. As she glanced over, she saw Lolita and Hermione being held back by their hair, wands pointed to their necks. She swallowed hard at the sight, not able to hide a completely remorseful expression. Ron and a swollen-faced Theodore stood next to them, struggling in the Snatchers' grips. Then, they looked over to see Bellatrix holding Harry to his knees on the floor. Of course they could recognize him instantly, despite his face being bloated like Theodore's. That was clever of them to try and ensure they wouldn't be recognized. But, it didn't work as well as they hoped.
Narcissa and Lucius stood back, and Bellatrix urged the two of them to come forward and examine Harry. Val gave the four a regretful look as she walked past them. They could see the pain on her face. That wasn't acting, that was true guilt. Even with what they were going through themselves, they still felt so bad for her in that moment. Draco wore a hard expression, something he was getting good at doing after all this time. He glanced over at the four, despite not wanting to. His eyes met Theodore's, and he bit down on his lip harshly as he shook his head sadly. He hated seeing them like that. He wanted to help them, but he wasn't sure what he could do right now without getting himself or Val killed in the process.
"Well?" Bellatrix asked excitedly with a grin as she pulled Harry back by his hair so that his face was presented clearly before them. Val wore a disgusted expression as her stomach churned. She felt as if she was going to be sick.
"I can't be sure." Draco spoke up finally, and Bellatrix's smile faded slightly.
"Look closely, son." Lucius walked up behind him, grabbing the back of Draco's neck harshly and squeezing it as he did. It was then that the five saw firsthand the abuse Draco suffered from his father. They now understood how pressured he was to act a certain way, to be the Draco Malfoy they've all hated at a point in their lives. It was never his fault, and he never had a choice. Val looked over at Lucius quickly, wearing an expression that could shoot daggers. She wanted to grab him and pull him off of him, but she couldn't do that. She knew Lucius was going through a lot right now, too, but that was no excuse. Not really. "If we are the ones to hand Potter over to the Dark Lord, everything will be forgiven. All would be as it was, do you understand?"
That sounded appealing to Draco. His father would be okay, he wouldn't have to constantly worry about any of their wellbeings. With every single Death Eater meeting that took place, he felt like they were getting closer to the one where Voldemort would kill his parents in front of him, like he did with Professor Burbage. And the meeting he feared the most— the one where he would kill Val. But despite all of that, Draco couldn't do it. He knew what Voldemort did to his victims, the ones that weren't even Harry got it bad. He could hear their desperate cries and blood-curdling screams throughout the night. He couldn't turn him in. Besides, he knew this would be his one way of helping the Order, just like Val had always preached about, before any of it got this bad.
"Now, we won't be forgetting who actually caught him, I hope, Mr. Malfoy?" Scabior butted in. Lucius looked at him quickly with a fire in his eyes. Sometimes, he actually scared Val.
"You dare talk to me like that in my own house?!" Lucius exclaimed angrily, making Draco shudder clearly. Narcissa walked over to him quickly, placing an instantly comforting hand on his shoulder to calm him down. She was always such a good and supportive wife. Val would always look up to her. She pulled Lucius away and he let out a breath of air to relax himself.
"Don't be shy, you two. Come closer." Bellatrix urged them. She grabbed Draco's hand in her own and pulled him down in front of Harry. Val just stood next to him, her hand placed on Draco's shoulder comfortingly. It was safe to say she'd learned a lot from Narcissa since she'd been staying with them a lot. She looked upon the woman as if she were own mother. She understood how influential they could be with setting examples. She accepted completely why Draco could be the cold-hearted person she'd seen at times, the one everyone mostly knew him as.
Bellatrix placed Draco's hand harshly onto Harry's face. He turned it slightly, just going along with the act. They knew it was Harry, but they were good at pretending. He examined him closely, falsely showing no hint of recognition in his eyes. He was good.
"Now, if this isn't who we think it is, Draco, and we call him, he'll kill us all. We need to be absolutely sure." She advised him. Draco nodded in reply as his face was inches away from Harry's. He didn't know what to expect, as Draco had never been particularly kind to him of all people. He could be, but never to him. That was mainly because Draco had never done well with rejection, and when Harry decided not to be his friend all those years back, Draco took it very personally. But, he never hated Harry. He never wished this upon him. And at this point, he needed him. He was banking on him to finish Voldemort once and all so they could have their lives. So they could have a future. Because he couldn't live like this much longer.
"What's wrong with his face?" He asked, concern lacing his voice slightly. His eyebrows were furrowed together, wondering what the five had been up to. They were clearly into something, something that he hoped would save them all from the Dark Lord's desolate plans for the world. He just didn't know what, but he had to have hope. He never expected to see Lolita and Theodore standing there with them, but he should've known. He found it bold and admirable of Theodore to run away from his family like he did, avoiding the Dark Lord's grasps. Draco wished he could've done the same, but his parents were so high up in Voldemort's ranks that he never had the chance. His life had just went differently, and he wasn't as fortunate as him.
"Yes, what is wrong with his face?" Bellatrix chuckled.
"He and the other came to us like that. Something they picked up in the forest, I reckon." Scabior answered.
"Or ran into a Stinging Jinx." She acknowledged, then looked over to Hermione. "Was it you, dearie?" She switched her gaze to Lolita, then. "Or, you, maybe?" She let go of Harry's hair and slowly walked over to the girls. Val eyed her, because she couldn't let anything happen to them. She wouldn't. Draco let out the most undetectable sigh of relief as Bellatrix walked away from him. He stared at Harry with a clear expression of remorse. I'm sorry, he mouthed. Harry breathed heavily, eyeing him closely, wondering what he was going to do. Would he sell him out in his typical Malfoy way? Or would he finally prove Harry's stipulation about him wrong? "Give me their wands. We'll see what their last spells were." Hermione wore a face of panic, and Bellatrix chuckled. "Ah. Got you!" As she looked over, she saw one of the Snatchers holding a very specific sword, causing her to stop in her tracks and gasp loudly. "What is that?! Where'd you get that from?"
"It was in her bag when we searched her." He answered nonchalantly, pausing as a boastful grin found its way onto his lips. "Reckon it's mine now."
She stunned him quickly, taking the sword from his hands. Draco grabbed Val and pulled her back out of the way behind Narcissa and Lucius. Bellatrix weakened all the Snatchers, extremely angered. The kids were hers, now, and she was going to do whatever she wanted with them. Because she wanted to know how they managed to acquire the Sword of Gryffindor when it was supposed to be in her heavily protected vault at Gringott's. "Go! Get out!" She screamed, and they did so as quickly as their bodies would allow them. She grabbed Ron, Harry, Lolita, and Theodore, then, and shoved them towards Narcissa. "Cissy, put them in the cellar! I want to have a little conversation with this one," She got into Hermione's face. "girl-to-girl."
Val followed after Narcissa quickly, helping her. They pushed them into the barred doors, and locked it after them. As Val stayed standing there, Narcissa gave her a look. She let out a long sigh. "A few minutes, Val. Don't do anything you'll regret."
"I won't." She shook her head, and Narcissa hurried back up the stairs. She looked to the four of them, then, Lolita rushing up to the door and grabbing Val's hands through the bars.
"We have to get out of here, Val." She said quickly, and Val nodded.
"I know, I know." She sighed out, wracking her brain for any ideas. "There's a million charms on this place, you can't just Apparate out."
"She's right." Harry nodded, and Val looked up at him quickly.
"I'm so sorry..." She apologized quickly. "I... I'm doing my best with what I have. I want to help in any way I can, but right now I'm not in a good position to do so. He'll kill me, he'll kill my father. He'll kill Draco and his parents. We're stuck."
"We know." Theodore nodded. "That's why we agreed to help them in the first place. Because we want to get you out of this."
Val felt her eyes well up with tears. They were risking their lives to help her and Draco out of this. It was so kind, and she couldn't help but think back to the way things used to be. When she first came to Hogwarts. She was relatively unkind and she wanted nothing to do with any of them. It didn't seem to be that long ago, but she couldn't believe where she was now. "I'll see what I can do to help."
"Thank you, Val." Ron said genuinely, and she nodded. "We can't leave Hermione alone with her. Bellatrix is mad! And that sword..."
"Ron? Harry?" They heard. They all looked back to see Luna, Ollivander, and Griphook walk out from the depths of the cellar. Val had never been down here before, as she was terrified of it, so she didn't know any of them were here. Val's face fell.
"Luna..." She whispered out. Her voice was still so gentle and kind, so light-hearted. But all of them were dirt-stained and wore ripped clothing. They'd clearly been down here a while, suffering through Merlin knows what. And they had to be starving. Ron opened his Deluminator, restoring light to the cellar which illuminated their faces.
"Luna?" Harry questioned. That was what Xenophilius meant when he said they took her. They all looked up quickly when they heard an ear-piercing, desperate scream that clearly belonged to Hermione. Val placed her hand on her stomach, as she felt she was truly going to be sick. This was terrible. They never should've ended up here.
"We have to do something!" Ron exclaimed.
"I'll do something." Val rushed out, feeling a wave of confidence flood over her. She didn't know what she would do, but she didn't care about her wellbeing anymore. She knew how ruthless Bellatrix could be, and she couldn't bear to let Hermione go through that. Lolita grabbed her wrist tightly before she could walk off, jerking her back.
"It's too dangerous, Val!" She exclaimed, and Val shook her head.
"You don't get to make that decision for me." She said quietly before marching up the stairs quickly. She went to step into the foyer, but Draco grabbed her shoulders and pushed her back out. She gave him a look.
"You don't want to go in there." He shook his head.
"Yes, I do." She decided.
"No, Val!" He yelled, making her flinch. "You can't! You can't do this! I won't let anything happen to you!"
"Do you hear her yelling?!" Val raised her voice at him as the sounds of Hermione's cries sent awful goosebumps along her skin. Draco's face was pure sorrow and remosrse. He felt just as bad about it, but he wouldn't let Val throw her life away like this. "How can you just stand here and let her torture her?! Our friend!"
"Because I'm trying to be smart about this!" He replied. She broke out of his grip, and he grabbed her again, accidentally hurting her as he slammed her against the wall so that she couldn't break free. "Listen to me, Val!"
"You're hurting me." She whispered, and he loosened his grip instantly.
"I'm sorry, I... I didn't mean to." He sighed out, his expression softening. "But I told you I wasn't going to let anything happen to you, and I meant it. You can't do this, do you hear me? You can't. She'll kill you, and I don't know what I'll have to do if she does."
"Draco, please." She began to cry, and he inhaled sharply as she pulled her into his arms. He tried to muffle the sounds of Hermione's screams against her ears. Val was too good, she couldn't stand it. They weren't going to last much longer in this place, especially her. She was good at acting and hiding her true loyalties, but it was beginning to fail her. She couldn't hold on much longer.
"I'm only going to ask you once more, goblin. Think very, very carefully before you answer." Bellatrix got into Griphook's face, as she was now interrogating him about her vault.
"I don't know." He replied, honestly.
"You don't know? Why weren't you doing your job?" She mocked him. "Who got into my vault?! Who stole it?! Who stole it?! Well?"
"When I was last in your vault, the sword was there." He replied calmly, trying to tell her the truth but not trying to upset her. Draco had calmed Val down enough, and they stood in the very back of the foyer. Val did her best not to cry as she looked at Hermione, just laying there as tears fell uncontrollably out of her eyes. On her arms, Bellatrix had carved the word Mudblood into her arm while she was under the Cruciatus Curse. She couldn't imagine how bad that must've hurt her, both mentally and physically. Draco held her hand tightly in his, rubbing circles with his thumb into her skin comfortingly. But it wasn't enough. With every moment standing there, she increasingly became more and more angry with Bellatrix. Despite using the Cruciatus Curse on Hermione, she got nothing out of her. Because they truly didn't know how the sword could be in Bellatrix's vault and in their possession at the same time. And they had no idea how they'd managed to acquire it in the first place.
"Oh, well then, perhaps it just walked out on it's own, then." She rolled his eyes.
"There is no place safer than Gringott's." He replied. She cut the side of his face with her dagger, screaming at him angrily.
"Liar!" She whispered to him intimidatingly. "Consider yourself lucky, goblin." She huffed her hair out of her face as she walked back over to Hermione. "The same can't be said for this one."
Harry, Ron, Lolita, and Theodore, who hid below the stairs after escaping from the cellars, jumped out when Ron ran. "Like hell. Expelliarmus!"
"Stupefy!" Harry casted at Lucius before he could pull his new wand out of his walking stick. He didn't agree with going in like this, but Ron already had, so they had no choice. Val, Draco, and Narcissa stood there, blocking their spells. But they wouldn't cast any back. They knew they were all on the same page, then, but they had to play their acts in front of Bellatrix. If the Dark Lord found out about their true allegiance, they'd be killed instantly. And no matter who they were to her, Bellatrix wouldn't care to rat them out.
"Stop!" Bellatrix yelled, and they all turned to see her holding her dagger to Hermione's neck. They paused, then. "Drop your wands." She demanded. "I said, drop them!" They all glanced at each other, sighing out with defeat before dropping the wood against the floor with a clank. "Pick them up, you two, now!" Val and Draco gave them apologetic looks before doing so. They stood in the back of the room, where Narcissa stood in front of them protectively. "Well, well, well. Look what we have here! It's Harry Potter! Oh, and Theodore Nott! Ran away from home, did we?" They all looked to see the Stinging Jinx has worn off, leaving their normal faces and their ability to be recognized. "They're all bright and shiny and new again, just in time for the Dark Lord. Call him." All of them looked to Draco, expecting him to do it, but he just stood there in refusal. Val held onto his arm tightly. Lucius stepped forward, then, going to do the honors. But they all looked up when they heard squeaking. It was Dobby, their old House Elf, slowly untightening the chandelier from the ceiling. They stared at him oddly for a moment, but the second they heard it release, they all went their separate ways to save them from the crash.
Draco pushed Val out of the way, shielding her body with his own. In one swift movement, Ron grabbed Hermione when Bellatrix let her go and pulled her back. Harry ran over to Draco, wrestling with him for his wand. He needed one, considering they took it. "Let him have it, Draco!"
Draco sighed and let go, pushing him off towards the others. Lucius approached them, but Ron stunned him. It somewhat seemed like none of them truly wanted the Dark Lord to get Harry. Their efforts weren't there, all besides Bellatrix. Narcissa just stood back, not moving an inch. She wanted to let them get away, and she didn't want anyone to be harmed further.
"Stupid elf!" Bellatrix exclaimed. "You could've killed me!"
"Dobby never meant to kill! Dobby only meant to maim or seriously injure!" He said. Narcissa waved her wand, but before she could do anything, he snapped his fingers and took her wand. She gasped, as this was extremely out of character for a House Elf, especially one that used to live in their own house.
"How dare you take a witches wand! How dare you defy your masters!" Bellatrix screamed.
Dobby's face hardened then as he shook his head. "Dobby has no master. Dobby is a free elf! And Dobby has come to save Harry Potter and his friends!"
They all grabbed onto his hands, including Griphook. Val assumed that he'd already helped Luna and Ollivander escape. It all happened in slow motion as they began to Apparate away. Bellatrix threw her dagger at them with all her might. They waited with anticipation as they watched to see whether or not it was going to hit them in time. When they disappeared, the knife had gone with them. Which only meant one thing— it had impaled one of them. "No!"
"No?!" Bellatrix screamed. She rushed over to Val amidst the mess. She grabbed her by her hair and ripped her out of Draco's arms. He stood up quickly, grabbing Bellatrix's arm to pull her back. "Don't touch me!"
"Let go of her!" He threatened, and Bellatrix gave him a look.
"What? This filthy little Halfblood?!" She screamed, making Val give her an evil look. She wasn't afraid of her, and that irked her.
"I said let go!" Draco grabbed a wand off the floor and pointed it at her. She chuckled evilly.
"You're a fool, Draco!" She yelled. "You dare point your wand at your auntie over some meaningless girl? She's worthless to you, Draco. She can't benefit you. She's poisoning your mind!"
"Don't you dare talk about her like that!" He pulled his arm back, but Narcissa stopped him. Val had never seen him so upset. He was seething, breathing heavily as his cheeks turned red with anger.
"Let go of her, Bella." Narcissa said calmly. Her sister gave her a look, almost one of betrayal.
"Of all people, Cissy. I'd expect it from 'Dromeda, but not you." She shook her head. She pushed Val harshly into Draco, to which he held her in his arms tightly and protectively as he stared at his aunt menacingly. Narcissa just watched her with a hard face. "Very well, then. I suppose it isn't family over everything, is it?"
"It is." Narcissa nodded. "And I won't let you talk to my son and daughter that way."
Val looked up at her quickly, hearing her address her as her daughter warming her heart significantly. Val was hesitant when it came to Lucius, not that he wasn't also when it came to her, but she respected Narcissa immensely. It made sense why she was Draco's weakness. He loved his mother more than anything, and he was her world. She was amazing. "I see where Draco gets it from. The idiocy."
"You can talk to me that way, but not my son." Narcissa shook her head. "And I won't let you place a hand on her. The Dark Lord values her and Severus, as do I. Maybe you are the one who needs to question where your true allegiance lies."
Bellatrix yelled out angrily before storming off. Narcissa was her little sister. She'd never hurt her. But that didn't mean they didn't fight a lot. Draco turned towards Val quickly. He grabbed her face in his hands, examining her for any cuts or bruises. "Are you alright, my little dove?"
"I'm fine." She breathed out. She glanced between him and Narcissa as they gazed at her with worry. "I'm sorry, truly. I shouldn't have said anything, but—"
Narcissa shushed her quickly. "Don't say anymore, Val. I understand. Now, go up to your room. I'll have a House Elf bring you some dinner."
"Thank you." Val told her seriously, and she nodded before pushing them off. As soon as they got up to Draco's room, Val searched for her magic marker quickly. Draco watched her curiously. She wrote on her hand to Lolita.
What happened? Is everyone okay?
She took Dobby.
What?
The dagger. Dobby's dead. We're burying him tomorrow.
Where are you guys?
Shell Cottage. With Bill and Fleur. We're safe.
I'm so sorry, 'Lita. I wish there was more I could've done.
It's okay, I know.
Bellatrix tried to kill me.
What?
She's onto me because of how I acted earlier. But Narcissa and Draco stood up to her.
I'm sorry we had to cast spells at you all. We know where your true loyalty lies.
It's okay, we understand. This is all just a big game of pretending, anyways.
Tell me about it. I have something to ask you. Did you steal the sword out of Bellatrix's vault?
What? No. I had no idea about the sword, I promise.
She said it was in her vault, that we stole it. When Harry and Theo found it, they said a doe Patronus led them to it. We thought it was you.
No, honestly. It wasn't me. But, don't worry about it too much. Trust me.
"Who are you talking to, Val?" Draco asked her, sitting down on the couch next to him. She looked at him seriously.
"Draco, there's something I have to tell you. And I need you to listen closely."