The Diamond of Deceit
Draco Malfoy and the Jewels of Power
Chapter 3 of 3
MHaydnThe final task. Nobility comes through.
ReviewedChapter 3: The Diamond of Deceit
"I have information for you," said the cloaked figure, "but it's only a rumor."
Draco paid for the sherry and waited.
The cloaked figure downed the sherry and whispered, "The story is that a sorcerer seeking power produced a Diamond of Deceit, but experiencing its full force, the sorcerer deceived himself about his motives and spent the rest of his life doing good works. According to legend, he would periodically decide that destroying the diamond would be a good work, but when he got close, the jewel would manifest itself as a savior of wizardkind."
"Diabolical," said Draco, "but why are you taking the chance of revealing this to me."
"To thwart the people trying to collect the Jewels of Power," declared the cloaked figure. "Acting on false information that my family had one of them, a band of brigands, a large band, tore up our favorite country estate. I vowed to fight them even though they're a ferocious gang of cutthroats."
The cloaked figure paused to gather its courage. "It may mean the end of me. One of the gang is strong enough that he took out the East Wing of the house with a single clatter of his wand."
"Pansy?" asked Draco. "Pansy, is that you?"
The cloaked figure glared at him. "How did you know it was me? And how did you know about the East Wing?"
"One hears rumors," said Draco.
"When I find the one who destroyed my favorite gazebo, I'm going to rip open his chest, fill his lungs with diazomethane, and light the fuse."
Diazomethane? thought Draco.
"There's a rumor they accidentally destroyed the jewel they were after, some kind of ruby," said Pansy. "They're powerful, but they're ill-informed and clumsy."
Her eyes were gleaming. "My best strategy is to take advantage of their stupidity."
Draco had to agree.
Cho dropped the intro on the absent Theo's desk. Write your way out of that one, you talented, soulless twerp.
The editor, unable to locate Biff, wandered down to Theo's office. It was empty, but she examined the manuscript dropped by Cho. The perfect lead-in, she thought.
How deep runs revenge, how it impinges on us as a sacred duty, how much we give up for it, that godly duty, the need to balance the books, that pursuit of poetic justice, the primary driver of our thoughts, the major theme of our popular entertainment, and are we not a lesser person if we turn it over to officialdom, those bureaucrats more eager to observe correct procedures than to push things through to their proper conclusion, but despite this universal acknowledgement, how strange it is that someone engaged on this holy mission must hide his motive, must disguise his intent, as if polite society refuses to recognize what all long for and so seldom manage to achieve.
Biff, safe in an out-of-the-way pub, tried for a subplot.
An incognito Shacklebolt, like a monk in front of a chorus line, was enjoying the festival. The food was good: the beer was better; and the exotic dancers would be great. In this pleasant state of mind, he noticed the Personnel Director had joined him. They acquired another pint. He had known the Personnel Director a long time, a discrete soul.
"What if I were to confide in you?" asked Shacklebolt.
When the other nodded that he could keep a confidence, Shacklebolt, aware of the coming conflict and the need to gather the appropriate forces said, "What if I were looking for some zombies?"
His friend nodded. "The living dead, we have them. I've been trying to get them to retire for ages with no success. It would be great if this became a Ministry priority."
His brain swimming in the excellent brew, Shacklebolt made a suggestion. "Of course, we then need to round up some vampires."
"Ah, vampires," replied his friend. "We do have a bunch of blood-sucking parasites. They might be worse than the deadwood."
While Shacklebolt was contemplating his good fortune, his friend said, "Look, if you want to cleanse the Ministry, come and see me Monday."
"By the way, do they have belly dancers for this festival?" asked the Personnel Director.
"That's what I'm waiting for," said Shacklebolt.
After the dancers had finished and his friend had left and some of the fumes of alcohol had evaporated, Shacklebolt was left wondering if he and his friend had been on the same page.
Not certain the story could support a subplot, Biff tried another tack.
"I played in the East Wing when I was a little girl," said Pansy. "When I catch the one who ruined my memories, I'm going to cut off his arms, hack off his legs, and chop off his head."
"Five out of six ain't bad," said Draco.
"And that's after I perform a little rite on his schlong," said Pansy.
She declared she had the right tool for their adventure. She had absconded with the Parkinson Peacemaker: a mace with a head of steel wrought from the meteor what had done for Elsie the dragon and with a handle carved from a yew tree once cursed by Merlin.
She cackled. "My family tried to hide it from me. They think I'm too immature to wield it." She cackled some more.
Later, when Draco told Pansy that his family had discovered a group of dark wizards were hiding the Diamond of Deceit on a wild patch by Loch Lomond, she gripped the family mace and quivered like a ferret at the entrance to a mouse maze.
Cho was on her way to her office when she overheard Biff and the editor talking to Theo.
"One more section and we're finished."
"Don't let us down, Theo. Don't let it become an action/adventure."
"No romantic ending."
"No heroics."
What a crew, thought Cho.
The last thing Cho heard before closing her office door was the editor saying, "I brought triple espressos."
"Here I am, dressed like a 1920's bimbo as requested."
Pansy was wearing sandals, a black bikini, and a straw skimmer although she thought the effect was ruined by the addition of a white shirt that was too large for her. Nevertheless, she lounged provocatively on the bow of the boat and waved at all the men until she provoked a water skier into showing off. His passage threw up a huge spray. Pansy squealed; the wet shirt clung to her; the water skier looked back and noticed the outline of her black bikini. He fell off his skis.
"I've figured out your plan, you conniving fiend: I attract the boys, they get me wet, and that provides a distraction."
"Keep it up, sweetheart. You're doing great," said Draco. "There're the guards for the jewel."
Pansy struck a pose and waved at the wizards patrolling a stretch of shoreline. They made rude gestures back.
"I'm going to get you for this, Draco."
Late that evening, he eased the boat into a hidden cove, and the two of them began their cautious approach. A passing shadow caused Draco to pull Pansy down into a ditch containing a small stream.
"Do you get off on getting girls wet?" hissed Pansy.
They were within a few feet of the structure they thought hid the jewel when Pansy growled, grabbed her mace, and burst into the enclosure where she received the full blast of the Diamond of Deceit. She would devote her life to noble deeds. She would raise sons who would restore the Empire. The Parkinson name would reign supreme. Its crest would be a dragon.
She faced the three guards with every fibre of her being clamoring for justice.
She kneed the first in the groin. "That's for the stone wall." She poked the second in the eye. "That's for the East Wing." She stomped the third in the instep. "That's for my favorite gazebo."
She swung the mace with its head of a killer comet and its handle of weird wood. "For Dragons and My Right."
The shards of light from the shattered jewel pierced the night.
Draco appeared, took the dazed Pansy by the hand, and led her away from the growing pandemonium.
Draco was worried that the jewel might have permanently affected Pansy, but as they were walking along some high ground by the water, she asked, "Are we safe now?"
"Yes."
"Good. Your turn to get wet," said Pansy as she pushed him over the edge.
Her normal self is back, no permanent damage done, thought Draco on his high road to the bonny, bonny banks.
END
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Latest 25 Reviews for Draco Malfoy and the Jewels of Power
6 Reviews | 10.0/10 Average
Well our Pansy is a dab hand with a mace, who would have thought, I hope she never finds out who was driving that tank.
Response from MHaydn (Author of Draco Malfoy and the Jewels of Power)
She is a dab hand when under the ennobling and empowering influence of the jewel, but her first great deed is to smash it whereupon she reverts to vengeful Pansy. Part of the story is that the Malfoys bamboozle everyone while delivering their opinion of the Ministry and the Gryffindors. Thanks for the review.
The Diamond of Deceit, a mighty foe to have confronted... Enjoyed Pansy and her wielded mace, she seems to have survived, unharmed and empowered as ever; intriguing elements of revenge touched upon, sinister and twisty. Lovely, intriguing. encompassing tale--thank you!
Response from MHaydn (Author of Draco Malfoy and the Jewels of Power)
Thank you for all the reviews. Light-hearted humor is difficult, and three sections seem to be the current limit. Yes, the main items in this section were the twisted and misguided motives along with a vengeful and empowered Pansy.
Love the symbolism and engulfment of the Pearl of Passion.The quartet of writers' contributions and own life stories are a delicious literary ride:-) All the twists and turns of each character, dialogue, and narrative is such a wonderful, concise revelation, experiencing both the parodic and poignant elements--love the spectrum of perceptions given; the seeking-wand and Lucius fully equipped, hazmat suit--HA!-- 'a Mulberry twig with the core a feather from a homing pigeon.'--rofl-- No, the mulberry stains never will come out, and the silk threads of enticement, being lured in... and the destruction...Brilliant and Poetic chapter.
Response from MHaydn (Author of Draco Malfoy and the Jewels of Power)
Thanks. Metafic does allow for quick changes of scenes and styles. Halfway through the editor's spiel, she loses the thread of the story and rants about her personal life, but to some extent, they're all doing that. Glad you enjoyed the Lucius sequence.
Response from nagandsev (Reviewer)
The editor's contribution is exquisite. Just exquisite.
" Why are you looking at me? " Really Lucius? Meet the best man for the job, just look in the mirror. Using the power of the Pearl against it was brilliant, looking forward to more gems.
Response from MHaydn (Author of Draco Malfoy and the Jewels of Power)
More gems? Very funny, and thank you.
Response from mick42 (Reviewer)
Sorry, I couldn't help myself, I'm a sucker for a punny line, bad, bad Mick.
Nice to see you back, looking forward to more adventures with editor, Biff, Cho and Theo.
Response from MHaydn (Author of Draco Malfoy and the Jewels of Power)
Thanks. There are two more jewels to dispose of - in some clever manner, we hope.
Intrigued--the Jewels of Power--YAY! So happy that the editor, Biff, Cho and Theo are back to share their tales of others' tales within their own livelihoods! The tank is a delightfully wild & wonderful element--can just see Draco and Astoria in it--ha! Love the starting points and observations of the editor and Cho, Biff, and Theo--and the different levels of engagement each one invites us to experience--although my heart goes out to Theo, who seems painfully smitten by the, perhaps, seemingly elusive Cho-- looking forward to more!
Response from MHaydn (Author of Draco Malfoy and the Jewels of Power)
Thanks. Metafic might allow an author's own thoughts to leak into the story - a cautionary reminder.I can't imagine Draco and Astoria getting tgether in any other way.