Chapter 16

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Thanks to June for all of her help with my stories.

Chapter 16

Lucius and Harry, along with Osiris and Crookshanks, Apparated to Malfoy Manor to collect Draco. Ginny took the Floo to Hogwarts, to try to keep Hermione calm. Lucius had not wanted to notify Rosmerta at their estate in France, knowing she would be a ball of nerves, and at that moment, that was the last thing he needed.

The five of them Apparated to the edge of the forest overlooking the home where Bellatrix had Severus and, they assumed, the children. Lucius looked around the area, making sure there were no others around.

“I don’t think we need to worry about others being around. It is uncharacteristic of Bella to share her toys,” Lucius said with a sneer. He looked at Draco, “Concentrate on finding your sister and Raven. When you find them, leave at once and take them back to Hogwarts.”

“But Father, you might need my help with Bella,” said Draco. He knew of his aunt’s violent tastes, and he also knew she had most likely gone mad while at Azkaban. Who knew what she would do to Lucius when she realized he had also betrayed Voldemort.

Lucius shook his head and placed his hand on his son’s shoulder and shook his head.

“Do not come looking for me, Draco. What happens to me does not matter,” Lucius said. “I have told you what you need to do. Please, son. If…if I should not come back, take care of your sister and brother. And make sure Ros knows how much I have loved her all of these years.” With a teary eye, he lightly shoved his son towards the large home. He watched Draco walk along the edge of the forest towards the home. Halfway there, Draco used a cloaking spell and was gone from their sight. Lucius then looked down at Osiris and Crookshanks. “I think you can get a better view of the entire home from those trees over there, towards the east. If anyone should enter or leave, you will see it.”

“Both of you, please be careful,” said Osiris, then he and Crookshanks were off and running.

Lucius then turned to Harry. “Are you ready, Harry?” he asked.

Harry nodded, “As ready as I’ll ever be.” They both performed a cloaking spell, then walked towards the home.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Osiris looked down at Crookshanks. “All right, I’ll fly up, and you follow me.” He then flew off of Crookshanks’ back and rose into the sky.

“Huh?” Crookshanks looked up and saw Osiris flying in the sky. “Great, just great!” As fast as he could, he began to follow the same path on the ground, as Osiris was flying in the sky. As he watched Osiris ahead of him, he began panting, “Ugh! I…need…to…exercise…more,” he panted. He managed to reach the location he had seen Lucius pointing at earlier. He looked around for the large black Animagus raven.

“Over here,” said Osiris. Crookshanks slowly approached Osiris, while still trying to catch his breath. “Merlin’s hanging left nut, Crooks. What the hell is the matter with you?”

“Give me a minute, will you? Do cats have strokes? I think I’m having a heart attack right now. Or perhaps and embolism, or some kind of ism.”

“You need to exercise more, chubs.”

Crookshanks nodded, “I’ll put it on my schedule,” he said, and then collapsed.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Meanwhile, Harry and Lucius were approaching the home; only to find out their cloaking spells were wearing off.

“Quickly, Harry. Get out of sight. She must have the grounds warded against any kind of cloaking spell,” Lucius looked around, “I only hope Draco wasn’t seen.” Harry nodded, then crouched down and edged his way to some bushes near the house. After Lucius made sure Harry was out of sight, he walked up to the door and knocked. The door opened slowly to reveal Peter Pettigrew. Lucius sneered and walked past him. He knew the man was a coward, so it would be easy to intimidate him.

“Where is she?” Lucius growled.

“Lucius, h…how long has it been?” asked Peter.

Lucius narrowed his eyes and rushed towards the other man, then shoved him against the wall with his cane to Peter’s neck. “Where. Is. She? Surely that is a simple enough sentence for you to comprehend, is it not?”

Peter now began to shake. He had always been afraid of Lucius. He knew the blond wizard had limited patience, and so he never wanted to cross him.

“Lucius,” called a voice behind him. “How clever you are. You have found me!” Bellatrix stood at the entry to the study, as Lucius eased back from Peter and took off his traveling cloak. He eyed her carefully, noting if she had any blood on her clothes. She did not.

“I waited for you. I thought we were going to do this together, Bella?”

She laughed, “We are. I just wanted a chance to play with him on my own for a bit, that’s all. Surely you can’t begrudge me that, can you?”

Lucius arched his brow. ‘Play?’ he thought. He knew very well what Bella’s idea of play was.

“And is there any of him left for me?” he asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

“Yes, yes, yes, I have not bruised him too badly. I was planning on coming for you soon anyway. I want to get the boy strung up in Severus’ cell, so that he can watch us torture the brat.” She smiled and motioned for him to follow.

Lucius looked back at Peter, and then followed Bella.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Draco did indeed get into the house with no problem, although Peter almost caught him. Thanks to the quick reflexes from so many years of playing Quidditch, he managed to avoid the other man. He heard his father coming in, and the short scuffle between him and Peter. He crept into what seemed to be a pantry closet, but turned out to be a door leading to a lower level.

He placed a spell on his shoes so that they would make no sound as he walked. As he reached the bottom of the steps, he heard someone coming towards him. It was dark, and he decided to place himself as close to the wall as possible. The footsteps were coming closer. He wondered if Peter was still upstairs. He listened to the steps, wanting to hear if perhaps it was his father and Bella. ‘No,’ he thought, ‘Bella has several prisoners. She’d be talking father’s ear off right about now.’

Draco moved along the wall towards the footsteps, until he could no longer hear them. After he waited a few moments he moved away from the wall and started walking, but first he needed some light.

“Lumos,” he whispered, but almost screamed as he saw a face appear right in front of him.

“Harry. You scared the shit out of me.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I promise I'll have another chapter up tomorrow evening. I hope you enjoyed this.