"What do you mean, they left her?", snapped Draco and glared at Severus with blazing eyes. "She managed to break free of the chains and almost escaped, how come the fucking Order just LEFT HER THERE?"
"There were complications", said Severus curtly, his hands folded behind his back as he paced back and forth in Draco's quarters.
"Dimitry managed to hurt Miss Mioha with a spear. The Order members had to retreat, otherwise they would have all been captured."
"A spear?", spat Draco out, fisting his hands in anger. "Dimitry impaled her?"
Severus threw him an admonishing look.
"Yes", he said, his voice turning ice cold as he recalled the past events. "She is very hurt. The Dark Lord was not pleased with this, but sees Miss Mioha's injury as a necessity. Otherwise, she would have managed to flee."
Draco whirled around and slammed a fist onto his desk. Splinters dug themselves into his skin, yet he did not flinch.
"I should have been there", he growled, "I should have-"
"Should have what?", said Severus sharply. "The Dark Lord had tasked you with finding the Birth Place, you could not have declined that order without raising suspicion."
Draco's back remained turned towards his godfather.
"Miss Mioha will live", Severus went on, his voice turning bitter at the memory of the incident. "I am to check her wounds this evening. However, she will be kept weak from now on, to avoid another incident like this."
Draco straightened up and slowly turned around. His grey eyes fixed his godfather.
"And where were you?", he hissed. "Mioha saved your life when the Dark Lord nearly tortured you to death. So where were you to help her?"
Severus looked at him coldly.
"You do not think I have tried to aid Miss Mioha in her escape?", he snapped. "Your owl nearly got caught by Lucius' owls showing Miss Mioha the way out, weren't it for my interference. I shielded her from attacks as much as my abilities allowed me to do so."
He paused.
"But what?", asked Draco with his eyes narrowed.
Severus' jaw tensed and he stopped pacing.
"One of my spells missed. One of the Weasley twins has been struck with the Sectumsembra by my hand. Miss Mioha managed to heal him partially, yet it is doubtful whether he will survive without her aid."
Draco exhaled hard through his nose.
That was bad. If George, or Fred, got hit with the Sectumsembra, then he would need proper looking after if he wanted to make it. Even if Mioha was able to partially close the wound, the curse was still in his body.
"What about Lovegood?", he asked with clenched teeth and looked up. "Did she escape?"
Severus shook his head.
"She and Charles Weasley were captured as well when the Aurors were trying to protect Miss Mioha."
Draco clenched his hands together and narrowed his eyes in contemplation.
"I need to see her", he said suddenly. "Mioha. There has to be a way."
Severus looked at him warningly.
"The Dark Lord will let no one besides me and Lucius close to her. If you want to see Miss Mioha, you need to provide him with an important explanation. One, which you do not have."
Draco grimaced.
"The Dark Lord has always been a fan of perverse games", he said distastefully. "I assume letting him know that I want to see Mioha in pain will be reason enough for him."
Severus thought for a moment and resumed his pacing.
"I will let the Dark Lord know", he said and turned to Draco. "If you are lucky, you may see her tonight. But Draco-"
His eyes glistened with a warning.
"I need not tell you that a single wrong move will end in us both getting killed."
————————————————-
Esma and Swift were sitting on Professor McGonagall's shoulders as the headmistress conducted the meeting. Present were the staff (excluding Horace) as well as the Aurors that had participated in Mioha's rescue mission. Absent, however, was George Weasley, as he was recovering in the Hospital Wing.
"We were cornered by Death Eaters", Kinglsey continued his report. His dark eyes were filled with guilt as he looked at Professor McGonagall.
"Miss Mioha saved our lives to get us out alive. But she got badly hurt."
"We should not have left her and Charlie", said Fred bitterly. "We fled like cowards."
Kingsley straightened his back slightly and inclined his head.
"I was responsible for everyone on this mission. Had we stayed, we would have all been killed."
"And Mioha won't?", asked Hagrid sourly. He glared at the Auror and folded his massive arms.
"No."
Kingsley shook his head.
"They've kept her alive so far. They need her for something."
"Then what about Mr. Weasley?", said Aurora sharply. "Or Miss Lovegood?"
"You-Know-Who will let Miss Lovegood live to keep Mr. Lovegood in check", said Pomona grimly. "Mr. Weasley will live too, as long as we do not do anything rash. You-Know-Who will use him as leverage to keep us quiet."
Esma's body shivered with anger.
How dare they just assumed it was okay for Mioha to be left behind? Now she was badly hurt and perhaps would even get punished for trying to escape!
Professor McGonagall noticed Esma's fury and turned her head slightly to look at the blackbird. Then she refocused her attention on the meeting.
"Ye-Know-Who will change his manor's location", she said grimly. "It is unlikely that we will have another chance of finding it."
"Can't the blackbirds follow one of the owls like last time?", asked Tonks.
"You don't think You-Know-Who will let any owls leave, do you?", said Moody gruffly. "He'll be watching everyone closer than your own mother did with you."
"Will she recover?", asked Filius worriedly. "Those wounds are not easy to heal."
Esma peeped frightfully as she imagined Mioha being held captive in chains, bleeding everywhere while a big metal thing was stuck in her side.
When the Aurors had stormed the manor, she and Swift had flown around the building, avoiding the watching owls as best as possible. Once the front doors had exploded, she'd expected to see Mioha come out any moment.
She hadn't.
Instead, the Aurors had dragged an unconscious redhead with them and flown into the night sky, followed by countless masked people on brooms as well.
Esma and Swift had flown hurriedly after them, only to discover what they'd feared: Mioha hadn't been able to escape.
"Then what do we do?", asked Rolanda Hooch and fixed her eagle eyes on Professor McGonagall. "Potter, Granger and Weasley are still out there somewhere. They need to be found quickly."
"Nay."
Everyone shot Professor McGonagall a look of surprise.
"Ah do not know what Albus tasked them with", she said slowly. "However, they need to finish it. And we have to make sure Ye-Know-Who will not be looking for them."
"It won't be long until he'll look for Potter", said Septima warningly.
"And when the three won't return for the next term, You-Know-Who will know something is off."
Professor McGonagall took a deep breath.
"We need to prepare th' castle", she said firmly. "Escape routes, ways to get students to safety if we have to. Ah do not believe for even a second that Ye-Know-Who will let me remain headmistress. He'll want to see that th' students are shaped into new followers, which will only happen if he takes control over the school."
The ceiling rumbled quietly and everyone looked up.
"Hogwarts is ready", said Argus quietly.
—————————————————
Severus and Draco walked side by side through the dark dungeon, neither of them speaking.
Their Occlumency shields were erected and stable, ready to shield any thoughts from intruders.
It was cold. The stones on the ground were wet and slippery, covered in moss and what else grew in damp places. The dull roaring of the sea could be heard in the background, ever-present and never silent.
As they neared a door at the end of the corridor, two guards lifted their wands at the nearing wizards.
"Stop. No one is allowed inside", said Greyback and bared his yellow teeth at them.
"Dark Lord's orders."
"Unless you want your prisoner to bleed to death, I suggest you let us pass", drawled Severus. His tone was bored, yet there was an ice cold glint in his eyes.
Yaxley jerked his head into Draco's direction.
"And what's he here for?", he snarled.
Draco smiled coldly.
"To see my enemy in chains."
Yaxley looked at him with narrowing eyes. Then he suddenly barked out a laughter.
"Want to get a close look at her? Wouldn't mind if I could myself, that Silverwing is quite the eye catcher..."
He gave Draco a dirty smile.
"Hold it", growled Greyback.
His wolf eyes scanned Severus and Draco, as if he could sense where their true loyalties lay.
Draco's eyes suddenly darkened and he straightened slightly.
"I hope you will have a nice talk with the Dark Lord, when he hears you have disobeyed his orders", he said, every word dripping with maliciousness. His aura suddenly started manifesting around him, like a dark shadow clothing him im black robes.
"I suggest you let us pass."
Greyback's eyes widened slightly as he recalled when Voldemort had tortured him the night Dumbledore had died. Without another word, he and Yaxley stepped aside.
Severus opened the doors with a flick of his hand. He and Draco rushed through it with billowing robes.
Draco felt his heart rate calm down a little once they were past the guards and the door fell shut behind them.
He fixed his eyes on the cell door ten meters ahead at the end of the hall, the bars reflecting the light from the torches. Somewhere, water was dripping. The noise was eery, resonating in his ears.
His jaw tensed as he approached the cell door and once he got close enough, he peered through the metal bars.
Draco's heart stopped for a second.
There she was. His Mioha, curled up in the shadows of a corner. Her white hair was fanned out around her face, making her look like an angel. Weren't it for the scratches on her face, he would have thought she was merely sleeping.
Draco's eyes traveled a little further and his hands fisted in anger. The white robes she'd been wearing where torn and covered in silver blood. He could see through a tear in the cloth a deep wound in her side, barely healed. Around her wings were the Claudes chains, as well as around her ankles and her wrists, her skin bleeding slightly from the rough metal. Her feet were bare, cut from the rough stones on the ground.
Mioha's breathing was slow and heavy. Her quiet wheezing echoed in the cell, revealing how much in pain she actually was.
Severus brushed past him and unlocked the cell door with the tip of his wand. He stepped into the cell and slowly approached Mioha. She did not stir when he bent down beside her and pointed his wand at her.
Draco watched how his godfather started to chant. It almost sounded like a song. The wound seemed to be closing, but at a pace so slow he wondered how often Severus had to return until Mioha was fully healed.
"Vulnera sanentur", Severus said in a low tone, carefully moving his wand in complicated patterns.
Mioha whimpered quietly and curled up even further, burying her face, distorted with pain, in her arms.
Draco instinctively wanted to step forward, to hold her and tell her he was here, but something stopped him.
A warning feeling.
Someone was watching.
He kept his face impassive as he watched Severus continuing to chant, but it felt like the hardest thing he had ever done. Standing there like he did not care.
And he hated himself for it.
But he could sense that someone aas watching. And one wrong move would mean the death of him.
Severus continued to work on the wound for half an hour, until he stood up again. His robes swished around him as he turned to the cell door, his eyes never betraying whether he was exhausted or not.
He locked the door behind him and wasted not another look at Mioha. Instead he led Draco out of the dungeon as swiftly as possible.
The blond wizard felt his hair stand on end as he left Mioha alone with who- or what- was watching. But he would come back and get her out.
He would.
—————————————————-
Mioha heard voices, then silence. Then she felt someone beside her, then that presence was gone again. The world seemed to blur past her, moving on while she was stuck.
Her side ached horribly. She could feel how deep the spear had gotten into her; even breathing was painful.
She could feel shackles around her wings, hands and feet, but felt too weak to test how much movement they allowed her.
Somewhere, water was dripping. It was kind of hypnotic as she listened to it, not being able to do anything else.
The ground was cold and hard. Every inch of warmth that was left in her body seemed to get sucked out of her, leaving her even weaker.
Mioha pried her eyes open and found metal bars in her view. She tried turning her head and winced slightly when a sharp pain stung in her side. Torches in the hallway outside her cell emanated a cold, yellow light.
She was in a cell. Funny, at the beginning when she'd been captured in the suite, she'd expected a cell instead.
Well, now she was in one.
Pressing a hand into the dirty ground, Mioha tried to push herself into a seating position.
But her side protested and she was forced to lay back down, curling her knees up to her chest to find a position that eased the pain.
She had no idea how long she stayed like this. Drifting in and out of consciousness, she barely felt hunger or thirst at all. The only ever-present thing was the pain that never seemed to cease completely.
And then, Mioha heard a door open. She felt a draft of cold air wash over her and shivered.
Footsteps echoed in her ears.
Coming closer.
Then her cell door opened.
Fear took hold of her and she stiffened involuntarily. She tried twisting her abdomen to hide her vulnerable side from whoever was coming, but gasped when the familiar pain shot through her body.
"Now, now. You need to rest", a cold voice drawled.
Mioha's eyes snapped open, only to find Voldemort standing in the doorway of the cell, his red eyes fixing hers. She narrowed her eyes at him and tried to move again, but hissed through clenched teeth and convulsed in pain.
Voldemort's robes swished around him as he walked towards her, his pale lips twisting into a malicious smile. He towered over her and Mioha could feel his dark presence, like a shadow.
It made her feel sick.
"After your little escape attempt, I have decided to take a different approach."
Voldemort's red eyes raked over her and Mioha glared back angrily.
"Such a shame... I was hoping that you would cooperate, given the circumstances."
Mioha took a deep breath.
"You're psychotic", she hissed at him.
Voldemort smiled wolfishly and slowly bent down.
"Careful, now", he purred and extended his hand. His pale fingers grabbed Mioha by the chin and yanked it up, forcing her to look at him.
She winced at the sudden movement and flinched backwards. His cold fingers felt like the hands of a corpse.
"The little stunt you pulled will not be left unpunished."
His voice turned as cold as ice.
"Your mudblood friends will pay for your actions. Let this be a warning to you, should you even think about ever escaping again."
"No", Mioha wheezed. "Don't- don't hurt them."
Voldemort's eyes narrowed slightly, and suddenly he smiled.
"You will cooperate soon enough", he said and tightened his grip around Mioha's chin. She could feel his bony fingers sliding to her neck, ready to crush her throat.
"We will do great things together, you and I."
Mioha's side burned from being held in this stiff position, but she did not give him the satisfaction of showing that.
"Get away from me", she said hoarsely and glared at him.
"I will never work with you."
Voldemort let go of her neck and straightened up.
"We shall see."
He strode to the door of the cell, then turned around.
"You will stay here, for now. You should know that I have bigger plans with you, than to just simply kill you. So I will keep you alive..."
He smiled wolfishly.
"...barely."
With billowing robes, he exited the cell, leaving Mioha alone.
She collapsed onto the floor and wrapped her arms around her stomach, shivering.
————————————————
Sisi stood at the edge of the branch, her yellow eyes fixed on the grey sky.
She could feel in her gut that something had gone wrong. Either Mioha's escape had not worked, or- and she barely dared to think that- Esma and Swift had gotten hurt.
"Sisi", peeped Nova.
The osprey turned her head.
"Yes?"
The blackbird slowly moved her wings up and down, as if to test their strength.
"We can fly back home. My wing has healed."
Sisi cocked her head and gave Nova a calculating look.
"I'm not fibbing", Nova defended herself. "Honest."
Stretching her neck, the eagle leaned forward to inspect Nova's injured wing. But to her surprise and relief, the wound had healed. Forbidding Nova to fly had sped up her recovery enormously.
"So it is", cawed Sisi and straightened back up. She felt her spirits lift at the thought of flying back to the castle and leaving this blasted field behind.
"Gwaihir?", she called out and looked up through the brown canopy of the tree.
"Are we leaving?", chirped Gwaihir and poked his head down from above.
"Get ready", Sisi replied and spread out her wings. Her muscles stretched and she felt excitement fill her from head to talon.
"Yes!"
Gwaihir shot down and landed beside his sister, causing the branch to wobble a little.
The osprey leapt off the tree branch and soared into the air. Turning her head, she checked whether Nova and Gwaihir were behind her. The two blackbirds flapped their wings hurriedly, eager to see their parents again.
Then she refocused her yellow eyes to the north.
—————————————————
Ever since Draco had seen Astoria and Daphne in his basement, he'd wanted answers. He had to wait until Lucius left the manor, which did not occur for another two weeks.
Once he made sure Lucius had really left, Draco exited his quarters and strode through the manor to his mother's sitting room.
The blond witch sat in her chair, reading the newspaper by the fire. She looked up when Draco entered and her expression hardened.
"Yes?", she asked coldly and carefully folded the newspaper. Laying it aside, her pale eyes fixed Draco.
The wizard shut the door behind him and strode towards the armchair opposite of his mother.
"We need to talk", he said sharply and sat down, never taking his eyes off his mother.
He narrowed them slightly.
"I assume it does not surprise you that I am extremely confused to find out Daphne and Astoria Greengrass are living in our cellar."
"Well-"
Narcissa looked at her manicured fingernails, which were painted with a color in the shade of gold.
"I thought you would want answers. However, I cannot give them to you."
She looked up again.
"I have no interest in betraying my secrets to you and Lucius", she said icily. "Although I have to admit that you have surprised me so far."
Draco cocked his head slightly.
"In what way?"
Narcissa laid her hands against each other and pursed her lips.
"I assumed you would run straight to your father to tell him about them", she explained. "Or at least protest that the girls were even here."
Draco raised an eyebrow.
"Yet you did not suspect this of Severus", he concluded.
Narcissa smiled bitterly.
"While Severus and I are not the closest friends, we have been looking out for each other. His support I have, and he has mine, especially since he took on your punishment after your failure after Christmas."
"So if you think I am worth protecting, then why do you assume I am like Lucius?", asked Draco with a hard face.
"You are like Lucius, Draco", his mother corrected him with a cold smile. "And to answer your question; a mother would do anything to protect her son, despite him turning out like a person she never wanted him to be."
Draco watched her carefully.
"Why tell me this?", he finally said.
Narcissa sighed and leaned back.
"I do not know", she admitted and narrowed her eyes a little o inspect him. "Call it hope, call it desperation. Or perhaps stupidity."
So his mother was not the woman he had always assumed she was.
Narcissa Malfoy had been cold to him, treating him like she did her husband. She had never looked down on Draco, but instead had kept her distance.
A memory flashed in front of Draco's eyes.
The night when he had gotten the Dark Mark. He had assumed his mother had wanted him to become one of them...but what if he had misunderstood her?
"Draco", his mother said sharply.
They had reached the door.
Draco swallowed the bile threatening to rise in his throat.
He tentatively lifted his free hand to turn the doorknob.
His hand wasn't shaking.
Good.
Draco let his hand hover above the doorknob for a second.
A second too long.
Suddenly, his mother grabbed his wrist, her sharp nails digging into his skin. Her eyes bored into his.
"Do not give in", she hissed warningly.
Draco raised an eyebrow nonchalantly, but inwardly, his heart started racing.
Did she know of his doubts of becoming a Death Eater? Had he given himself away somehow?
She hadn't tried to warn of him of his fears of becoming a Death Eater. She had tried to warn him of the temptations that came with power.
When Draco looked up, he saw his mother watching him intently. And she knew what he had realized, he could see it in her eyes.
"So-", she nonchalantly picked up her newspaper. "I assume this is the part where you either tie me up or I obliviate you."
Draco withdrew his wand from the depths of his cloak in one fluent motion.
Alarm flashed in his mother's eyes and she pulled her own wand.
"How disappointing", she hissed and stood up. "To see my son becoming the legacy Lucius always wanted. And the legacy I have always despised."
Draco stood up as well and squared his shoulders, never taking his eyes off the witch.
"You do not know me", he replied quietly.
Narcissa laughed coldly.
"I do, Draco. I have seen you grow up, there is not much that escaped my notice."
Draco's lips curled into a sarcastic smile. And suddenly, he knew what to do.
Faster than Narcissa could blink, he whipped his wand forward.
The witch flinched and her eyes widened, expecting the Crucio to hit her. But the words Draco spoke were different.
"Expecto Patronum!"
A glowing silver animal burst from the tip of his wand. It spread its wings and soared through the large room, filling every corner with a warm light. Draco felt his heart speed up when he saw the pegasus gallop through the air.
When it disappeared, he felt empty again.
Narcissa Malfoy had followed the pegasus' flight with wide eyes. Now she looked at him and for the first time since Draco had entered the room, her cold mask fell off.
Instead, she looked at him like she had seem a ghost.
"You cast a patronus", she whispered surprised. "Death Eaters can't-"
She drew a breath and put a hand to her chest as she realized what else that patronus meant.
A winged horse.
"You love her."
Draco nodded in silence.
Narcissa stared at him in shock and her wand fell from her hand. It landed on the green carpet with a soft thud. She took a step forward and Draco stiffened alertly.
The next thing he knew was that his mother had wrapped his arms around him in a hug. One he had wished for a long, long time ago.
"You're not like him", she said softly and pulled back to look at his face. "All this time- all this time you've- you've been on the side of the light."
Draco knew that his mother knowing this was dangerous. But somehow, she had managed to betray the Dark Lord all these years, making him believe she was nothing more than Lucius' shallow wife. It couldn't hurt to have another ally on his side.
"How did you get in contact with Astoria?", he asked with a low voice.
Narcissa motioned for Draco to sit down, then did the same.
"After her little...escapade with her family", she began, "I realized that I was not the only one who was different from the other purebloods. I knew that Astoria would become a great ally, if I gave her a chance. So I sent her an anonymous letter, telling her to meet me in London."
She shook her head.
"Of course, she did not believe me at first."
"Then why does she now?", Draco asked and crossed his legs as he leaned back in his armchair.
Narcissa smiled slightly.
"You know, it's not only Death Eaters who are incapable of casting a patronus. Anyone truly associated with them cannot do it either. To prove to her that I was telling the truth, I cast my patronus."
She cocked her head slightly.
"Interesting, how that seems to run in the family."
Draco nodded slowly.
It all made sense. Astoria had not ever mentioned who she was staying with. And Daphne's change of behavior was largely due to her.
"I hadn't heard from the Greengrasses that Daphne had been missing too", Draco said. "I assume they kept it hidden, for fear of what this would do to their status in society."
Narcissa nodded.
"Yes. Astoria contacted me a while ago, saying that her sister wanted to change sides as well."
"And they are just going to live in the cellar for the next time being?", asked Draco and raised an eyebrow.
Narcissa smirked.
"You do not think anyone will look for them here, at the heart of the Dark Lord's most loyal followers?"
A glint appeared in her eyes.
"And who would I be if I would let two young women live in a cold, dirty cellar?"
———————————————-
Draco followed his mother into the basement, his wand lit to light the way.
Narcissa led him into the corridor where he and Severus had found her, Daphne and Astoria. But when Draco rounded the corner, he saw nothing besides a flickering torch and a dead end.
He raised an eyebrow and turned to his mother.
"A charm, I presume?"
The witch walked forward and lifted her wand. She tapped six brick stones with it that were arranged in a circular form.
"I copied this spell from the Diagon Alley", she spoke as the wall started rumbling.
Bricks moved aside and rearranged themselves in a way that left an opening in the middle of the wall.
"Quite handy", Draco commented impressed and followed his mother through the opening into a dark tunnel. It curved slightly to the right and at its end was a well-light room, he could see that much. Once he stepped out of the tunnel, his eyebrow lifted in surprise.
He was in a suite, more or less. There were two large beds, a dining table, two doors that probably led to the bathrooms, and several couches near a lit fireplace.
"Draco!", Astoria called out and stood up from the armchair in which she had been reading. "I was wondering when you would show up."
Narcissa shot her a sharp look.
"You knew my son was on our side?"
Astoria shrugged and smiled guiltily.
"I hoped it, but I wasn't sure."
Daphne stood up as well and tossed her blonde hair over her shoulder. She nodded mutely at Draco, her face displaying her surprise at his appearance.
Draco saw that both girls had gotten taller the past months, although he was still a good bit taller than them. Astoria had cut her hair, so that it now barely reached her shoulders.
He turned his head slightly to see that behind him, the bricks rearranged themselves to fill the opening.
"I assume you've heard about the past events", he said and looked at the Greengrass girls.
Astoria nodded sadly.
"I couldn't believe it, when Mrs. Malfoy told us Jess was the Silverwing after Dumbledore's death", she said and glanced at her sister. "But it made so much sense, somehow, especially when I recalled the times she taught us elemental magic."
"Miss Mioha will be moved to Malfoy Manor in a couple of months", stated Narcissa.
Daphne and Astoria's eyes widened.
"Has the Dark Lord decided his own manor was not safe enough?", said Draco with a raised eyebrow, not able to stop his heart from beating faster.
His mother pursed her lips.
"Perhaps. I assume he wants to keep as many in the dark as possible about her true location. Severus will bring her here, along with Lucius and Bellatrix. But the rest of the Inner Circle will not know."
"Then it will be easier to free her, won't it?", said Daphne quietly.
Draco shook his head slowly.
"No. Lucius will ensure that his wards are impenetrable."
—————————————————
A few weeks later...
Mioha lay on the ground with her eyes closed. Her wounds had healed completely, although it still caused her pain to move. Due to the lack of food and water, she felt like her stomach had shriveled up into a dry raisin, and her throat felt the same.
She swallowed heavily to get the furry taste out of her mouth, but that did not help.
What time of day was it? She had no clue.
The torches flickering weakly on the stone walls gave no hint whether it was day or night time. And she was never long enough awake to find out from the Death Eaters that knocked her out.
Yes, Voldemort had decided to use Sleeping Draughts on her to keep her under control. It made her feel all fuzzy and weak whenever she woke up. But the worst part was that she did not get the chance to clear her head in order to think of an escape plan.
Which was perhaps exactly what Voldemort wanted.
Mioha closed her eyes to get the spinning sensation in her head to stop and pressed her forehead against the cold floor.
That helped a little.
She knew it wouldn't be long until she would get that disgusting potion shoved down her throat.
Just like the days before.
—————————————————
The fireplace crackled as the witches and wizards took their meal in silence. The long table was clothed in a black satin table cloth, embroidered with blood red crescents. At the one end of the table sat Lucius Malfoy. His expression was stony as he picked at his meal, his grey eyes fixed on the wizard at the other end.
The scrawny wizard seemed to have no problems returning Lucius' stares, while stabbing his own fork into the steak as if it weren't already dead enough.
Draco watched the silent battle between Lucius and Dimitry and could not help but feel amused by the whole situation.
Lucius felt as if his position had been threatened ever since Dimitry had risen in the circle. He had invited the professor for dinner in order to survey his adversary.
Draco raised his eyes and met Severus' eyes. He knew what his godfather was thinking: what better way to get rid of two rogue wolves than to let them tear each other to pieces?
"Miss Parkinson", said Narcissa formally and turned her eyes toward the young woman besides Draco. "How have you progressed in fulfilling your task?"
Pansy looked like she'd swallowed a lemon.
"Very good, Mrs. Malfoy", she said with a fake smile. "I have found a way to get the basilisk transported without further harm."
"Really?", inquired Draco's mother politely. "And how would that be?"
Draco knew she was asking that purposefully in front of him, so he would perhaps be able to relay a message through Aries to the blackbirds.
"The pipes that run under the castle all lead to the black lake", said Pansy and her smile turned mockingly. "No one pays attention to those entrances because of the octopus."
"And how would you plan on getting past it?"
Narcissa picked up a grape with her manicured fingers and inspected it.
"I have never seen it before with my own eyes, yet it is said to be of an extreme size."
"I have a plan", said Pansy, but did not continue to elaborate.
"So, Dimitry", said Lucius suddenly and narrowed his eyes slightly. "Have you heard of the Dark Lord's proposal of moving the Silverwing to my manor?"
Winston Dimitry dabbed his mouth with a napkin and lowered it before he said amused: "Yes, Malfoy, I have. Have you taken the necessary precautions?"
"You do not think the Dark Lord would bestow this great honor upon me, if he did not think I had everything to ensure the Silverwing remains here?", said Lucius jeeringly.
"Well", said Dimitry slowly, "you have almost let the Silverwing escape before. Had it not been for my interference, the Silverwing would have fled."
Lucius knuckles turned white as he tightened his grip around his fork.
"I have heard Jugson and Mulciber had troubles capturing the kraken", Draco cut in smoothly and twirled his wine glass in his hands as if this conversation was dreadfully boring. "And the other Death Eaters tasked with finding these animals are not very successful either."
Severus lips twitched slightly.
"Tell me, Miss Parkinson, does your plan on getting past the kraken ensure you keeping your possession of your limbs?"
Pansy paled slightly, but nodded.
"Yes, sir."
"And what about the phoenix?", continued Draco nonchalantly, "I imagine it is very difficult to find a magical creature as powerful as this."
"It is", said Dimitry, "yet every creature leaves a magical trail."
"Except the Silverwing", said Lucius provocatively. "Which you were training with in close proximity for several months."
Dimitry scowled, but gave no reply.
"And how is your mission of capturing the butterfly working?", asked Lucius and leaned back, obviously thinking he was winning this game.
"Very good", said Dimitry and narrowed his eyes slightly. "My high rank in the Order allows me to regularly sort through the blue butterflies in the Labyrinth."
"How exactly do you plan on finding the butterfly?", asked Narcissa and fluttered her eyelashes at Dimitry. "I cannot imagine recognizing the one the Dark Lord wants."
The wizard looked flattered by Narcissa's attention and straightened his shoulders slightly.
"It is simple with the knowledge I posses from the Dark Lord", he said with an arrogant smile. "You must understand that I cannot discuss this with you."
"Interesting", said Lucius suddenly. "My sources tell me that the butterflies have been multiplying rapidly the past weeks, which would make it impossible for you to find the correct one."
Lucius had no idea why the Dark Lord wanted these creatures in the first place. But he concealed this by putting the focus on Dimitry's failure.
Said wizard's smile grew a little tense.
"It decelerates my progress, but will not stop me from succeeding", he said challengingly and stared back at Lucius.
Draco lifted his glass to hide his smirk.
It seemed as if Hogwarts was trying to protect the Titans still residing near the castle. If the butterflies increased in numbers, that would definitely make it harder for Dimitry to find the right one. Especially since he could never search for too long, otherwise McGonagall would surely get suspicious.
Draco narrowed his eyes in thought.
He had to relay a message to McGonagall about Dimitry, before she told him about the Birth Place.
"Wally!", Lucius called out suddenly.
A thin and scrawny house-elf appeared, his face wrinklier than a walnut's and a tuft of white hair the only thing covering his bald head.
"Master called", Wally croaked out and bowed deeply, his bones cracking loudly in the process.
"More wine for our guest."
Lucius flicked his hand into Dimitry's direction as if said wizard weren't more than a flea.
"Yes, master."
Wally straightened up again with another crack of his bones and disappeared with a soft plop.
He reappeared a few moments after, carrying a glass bottle in his hands that held a ruby-red liquid. Keeping his head low, he shuffled over to Dimitry and poured the wizard a glass of wine. Draco noted how the house-elf's hands shook slightly, but not even a drop was spilled.
The house-elf was old, yet also experienced.
The rest of the evening passed extremely slowly. Draco was relieved when it was time for him to retire to his room and immediately shed his outer robes that he always wore for formal occasions such as these. Once dressed in more comfortable clothes, he sat down at his desk and reached out for his parchment to write a necessary letter.
Something plopped softly behind him.
Before Wally could react, Draco had jumped up from the chair and whirled around, all the while pulling his wand from his sleeve. This he now pointed directly at the house-elf's jugular.
"Wally", said Draco in a low tone.
"I had given orders no one may enter my quarters."
Interestingly, Wally seemed to have no trouble getting into Draco's room despite the wards he had set up. That only proved once more, how powerful these creatures actually were.
"Forgive Wally, Master", the house-elf rasped and raised a bony hand. There was something slim with a golden color shining in Wally's hand. It was a whistle, hanging from a black chain with a dragon carved into the side.
Draco inhaled.
"Where did you get that?", he said sharply and pressed his wand further into Wally's throat.
That was Mioha's beast whistle. She never took it off.
"Forgive Wally", the house-elf apologized immediately and threw himself onto the floor, the beast whistle falling to the ground. His back cracked deafeningly.
"Dark Lord confiscated things of winged girl and gave them to Senior Master", said Wally hurriedly, as if he expected to be punished any moment.
"Wally took whistle because Wally knows what whistle is."
Draco raised his eyebrow in surprise and lowered his wand.
"Then why are you giving this to me?", he asked confused.
Wally carefully peeked up at Draco from the floor.
"Us house-elves talk. Share things. Us know you love winged girl."
Draco's eyes widened in shock.
Did this mean the house-elves from this manor were in contact with the ones from Hogwarts?
"Us house-elves will keep it secret", added Wally in panic and pressed his face against the carpet.
"Who told you this?", Draco demanded.
"Who?"
"Dobby", Wally squeaked frightfully.
Draco closed his eyes in relief.
Dobby was one of the house-elves that actually disapparated from Hogwarts from time to time. If that house-elf had been the one contacting the house-elves from Malfoy Manor, then he had nothing to worry about. If anyone could keep a secret, it was a house-elf.
He leaned forward and extended a hand towards Wally. The house-elf flinched instinctively, but Draco carefully grabbed him by his shoulders and pulled him up to his feet. Then he picked up the beast whistle from the floor.
"Thank you, Wally", said Draco absentmindedly as he stared at the whistle in his hand. Perhaps it could prove useful after all.
Wally smiled widely, exposing the few teeth he had left.
"Wally is glad to be of service!"
And he bowed again with a crunching sound and disappeared with a plop.
Draco, still staring at the whistle, sat back down on his chair and thought hard.
That whistle was his chance of getting help for Mioha. He could call any creature with it.
The question was which one?
Another thought popped into his mind.
Dobby had been able to travel into Malfoy Manor unnoticed. This meant, Draco could give him a message for McGonagall.
And perhaps- even though it was a farfetched idea- Dobby could get Mioha out once she arrived at Malfoy Manor.