It took over a week for Lucy to grow accustomed to living at Malfoy Manor once more. The Easter holiday rapidly approached as she slowly worked to rebuild her relationship with Draco and attempt to get along with the other residents of the Manor. Much to Lucy's displeasure, Bellatrix had taken up residence at the Manor to be under her sister's protection. As a result, Lucy kept a watchful eye out at all times for the lurking woman. On top of this, she found out that prisoners were kept in the cellar now, which left her feeling uncomfortable and slightly guilty.
One afternoon, Lucy sat in the drawing room playing a rather uneventful game of Wizard's Chess with Draco while Lucius stared emptily into the fire. It was something he did frequently, Draco had told her. She wore a simple black dress underneath her dark robes. The cut on her face was now healed into a thin scar.
"Knight to E5," she murmured and watched as her knight rather viciously destroyed Draco's piece.
"Bloody hell, woman," he scowled. "That's the third time this week,"
Lucy gave him a triumphant smile. "Sorry,"
At that moment, there was a commotion from behind them.
"What is this?" Lucius asked
Lucy craned her neck to look as she got to her feet. Entering the room was Narcissa, her lips in a tight line, accompanied by a large group of Snatchers. Her dark eyes fell on Greyback, and instantly, her wand was in her hand as fear began to creep up her spine.
"What's he doing here?" she asked as Draco quickly moved to stand alongside her protectively.
"They say they've got Potter," said Narcissa's cold voice. "Draco, Lucy, come here."
"Yes!" rasped the filthy werewolf noticably hauling a person alongside him." We've caught Harry Potter!"
Greyback seized the man he was holding and dragged him around to face thelight of the fireplace. His face was badly disfigured, and certainly did not look like the Harry Potter that Lucy remembered from Hogwarts. However, she did recognize Hermione Granger and the Weasley boy that were being restrained alongside him.
The two gazed at each other for a moment, speaking silently through their exchange before approaching the group. Lucy stared at Potter's disfigured face that was distorted and pink beneath the glasses.
"Well, Draco?" snapped Lucius Malfoy. He sounded avid. "Is it?Is it Harry Potter?"
"I can't— I can't be sure," answered Draco, more preoccupied with keeping Greyback as far away from his girlfriend as possible.
"Lucille, dear? What about you?" Lucius eagerly egged on, stepping closer to Lucy.
"What's wrong with his face ?" she questioned. "I don't remember Harry Potter being this ugly,"
"That wasn't us." shrugged Greyback, eyeing Lucy carefully.
"Looks more like a Stinging Jinx to me," said Lucius. "But look at him carefully, look! Come closer!"
Lucy did as she was told, shrugging off Lucius as she kneeled down beside Harry. Her chocolate eyes scanned his face, skimming over what looked like a stretched out scar on his forehead. His green eyes were mere slits amongst the puffiness of his face, and yet, Lucy realized, she was no different than Potter in that moment. Just weeks ago, she had met the same fate. It would not be her actions that condemned Potter.
"I can't be sure," Lucy continued, her thumb grazing over Harry's forehead. "There's not really a scar here,"
"Draco? What about you?" insisted Lucius, pushing him into Lucy. He placed a hand on the square of her back as he stared down at his childhood nemesis. Draco merely shrugged.
"Draco, if we are the ones who hand Potter over to the Dark Lord, everything will be forgiven--!" began Lucius, the languid bags under his eyes prominent.
"Now, we won't be forgetting who actually caught him, I hope Mr. Malfoy?" snapped Scabior menacingly.
"You dare to talk to me like that in my own house?" roared Lucius impatiently.
"I don't know," Draco stated before grasping Lucy's hand as they walked away toward the fireplace where his mother stood watching.
"We had better be certain, Lucius," Narcissa called to her husband. "Completely sure that it is Potter, before we summon the Dark Lord. "If we are mistaken, if we call theDark Lord here for nothing—remember what he did to Rowleand Dolohov?"
"What about the Mudblood, then?" growled Greyback, nodding to Granger. Lucy carefully met the girl's gaze as she stared at her like a deer in headlights. She merely blinked.
"Wait," gasped Narcissa sharply, sweeping forward. "Yes—I saw her picture in the Prophet! Look you two, isn't it the Granger girl?"
"Maybe, yeah," offered Draco.
"Granger had lighter hair," suggested Lucy, her tone almost bored.
"But then, this must be the Weasley boy!" shouted Lucius, striding around the bound prisoners to face the redheaded boy. "It's them, Potter'sfriends—Draco, look at him, isn't it Arthur Weasley's son, what's his name—?"
"Yeah," stated Draco turning to face the fireplace instead of the prisoners. "It could be,"
Lucius gave Lucy an exasperated look of frustration, but at that moment, the drawing room door opened, causing Lucy to glance up.
"What is this? What's happened, Cissy?"Bellatrix questioned as she slowly circled the prisoners.
"But surely," Bellatrix cooed. "this is that Mudblood girl? This is Granger?"
"Yes, yes, it's Granger!" cried Lucius anxiously, "And beside her, we think, Potter! Potter and his friends, caught at last!"
"Potter?" shrieked Bellatrix, and she backed away, the better to take in Harry. "Are you sure? Well then, the Dark Lord must be informed at once!"
She dragged back her left sleeve where Lucy saw the all too familiar Dark Markburned into the flesh of her arm.
"I was about to call him myself!" hissed Lucius, as his hand actuallyclosed upon Bellatrix's wrist, preventing her from touching theMark. "I shall summon him, Bella. Potter has been brought tomy house, and it is therefore upon my authority— "
"Your authority!" she sneered, attempting to wrench her handfrom his grasp. "You lost your authority when you lost your wand,Lucius! How dare you! Take your hands off me!"
"This has nothing to do with you, you did not capture the boy—"
"Stop!" Bellatrix snapped as her dark eyes fixed upon a bright silver sword with a garnet hilt that one of the Snatchers was holding. "What is that?"
"Sword," grunted the sandy-haired Snatcher.
"Give it to me!" hissed Bellatrix wildly.
"It's not yours, missus, it's mine, I reckon I found it."
In a flash, Bellatrix had whipped out her wand and sent a spell at the man as he was thrown across the room with a flash of red light.
"What d'you think you're playing at, woman?" exclaimed Scabior, drawing his wand.
Within seconds, the four Snatchers had all began to choke as black, snake-like ropes tangled around their necks. They fell where they stood, all except Greyback, who stood clawing at his throat.
"Where did you get this sword?" she whispered to Greybackas she pulled his wand out of his unresisting grip.
"How dare you?" he snarled, baring his yellow, pointed teeth. "Release me, woman!"
"Where did you find this sword?" she repeated madly, brandishing itin his face, "Snape sent it to my vault in Gringotts!"
"It was in their tent!" rasped Greyback. "Release me, I say!"
She waved her wand, and the ropes disappeared from his throat as he prowled away, clutching his red skin.
"Draco, move this scum outside," said Bellatrix, indicating to theunconscious men. "If you haven't got the guts to finish them, thenleave them in the courtyard for me."
"Don't you dare speak to Draco like— " said Narcissa furiously,but Bellatrix screamed."Be quiet! The situation is graver than you can possibly imagine, Cissy! We have a very serious problem!"
She stood, panting slightly, looking down at the sword, examining its hilt. Then she turned to look at the silent prisoners.
"The prisoners must be placed in the cellar, while I think whatto do!"
"This is my house, Bella, you don't give orders in my—" snapped Narcissa.
"Do it! You have no idea of the danger we're in!" shrieked Bellatrix. She looked frighteningly mad as a thin stream of fire issued from her wand and began to burn a hole in the carpet.
Narcissa hesitated for a moment, then addressed the werewolf.
"Take these prisoners down to the cellar, Greyback."
"Wait," said Bellatrix sharply. "All except for theMudblood."
Greyback gave a grunt of pleasure.
"No!" shouted the Weasley boy. "You can have me, keep me!"
Bellatrix strode up to him and slapped him rather hard across the face as the blow echoed around the room. Lucy's eyes slid to Draco in shock.
"If she dies under questioning, I'll take you next," she hissed."Blood traitor is next to Mudblood in my book! Take them downstairs, Greyback,"
Greyback nodded and grabbed the two boys, dragging them to the opposite corner of the room where the cellar was.
Bellatrix turned towards Granger with a sinister smile upon her maddening face as she pulled out a rather sharp looking silver knife from within her robes.
✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧
author's note:
uh oh not this part!!! sorry to have to do it to ya'll but obviously lucy and draco are starting to realize the wrongs of their side in this war at this part, and therefore didnt want to turn the trio in because they're beginning to realize stuff! le gasp! not much left to the fic seeing as things will be picking up quickly from here on out!