Chapter 9 – A Lion's Heart Part 1

DEDICATED TO MY WONDERFUL READERS

POLL RESULTS – OFFICIAL PAIRING

(LOVERS) HARRY POTTER & THRANDUIL OROPHERION

(BROTHERS) HARRY POTTER & THORIN DURINSON

*Excerpts from 'Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets', 'Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire', ' Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince', 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows', ' ' , byJ.K. Rowling in this chapter. All credit goes to her. View Disclaimer in Section Titled "Disclaimer & Summary"*

Harry felt himself stiffen in shock as a sundry of swamp-colored essence particles began swirling in the air before him. Slowly solidifying in the center and transfiguring its shape into a nebulous humanoid a centimeter or two shorter than himself. Immediately soon after, the nebulous humanoid began gliding forward causing swamp tendrils to react aggressively as it came into contact with Harry's own magical aura.

Homologous in nature to a Bombarda Maxima and Protego Charm, the concoction amalgamated to produce an explosive reaction, the moment Harry's magical essence and the nebulous humanoid's aura came into contact the air around them erupted with overwhelming pressure. The force of the impact causes Harry to stagger back a few steps, glancing around in increasing unease only to turn a confused gaze at the humanoid before him.

The blast from the two magical essence's connecting should have caused the cots, privacy blinds and trays piled high with potions and poultices to fly and shatter across the healing ward. Instead, the room's inhabitants and gathered equipment remained where they were.

Flicking his wrist to the side, Harry feels the Elder Wand slide across the sensitive flesh of his forearm before settling amiably in his hand; humming in anticipation to be used. Disconcertingly, the familiar eerie sensation of phalanges caressing his hands returns tenfold as the nebulous humanoid reaches out an outstretched hand towards him.

"Potter."

"Child."

Two distinct voices intoned from the figure, the distortion from the voice increases as the nebulous humanoid flickers in and out of its gaseous-solid state.

Haze-like tresses wafted carelessly above a studious-furrowed brow, wispy swirls dominated the majority of translucent skin flitting through scraps of pristine robes and armor. It was a striking site to behold in its familiarity and strangeness. Phantom limbs and heads periodically shifted from the nebulous form as it continued to pierce Harry with hard but tired eyes. A glint of familiar caution flashed through the beings eyes before it was replaced by a cool indifference.

It was a warning…one Harry was keen on heeding.

When the nebulous form spoke again, its voice carried the hauntingly familiar cold drawl of a long lost comrade.

-ϟ-

It was as if time stopped for Harry allowing his eyes and heart to suffer the cruel reality he lived in. It was not enough for his first 18 years of life to be drenched with debilitating sorrow and death, he had to bare witness to the inhumane atrocities being done to all Muggle-Born's before him. For many despairing months, Harry, Ron and Hermione searched tirelessly for Voldemort's Horcruxes only to be derailed by a rather unfortunate, ill-fated encounter with Snatchers. These Snatchers, led by none-other than Greyback, captured and transported them to Malfoy Manor. If Harry's frustration at being taken captive was explosive before, it has now spurned into an uncontrollable inferno. Hard as he fights to gain a semblance of control, to somehow conjure a way to escape along with the others, everything around him seems to fall apart before anything could ever be done.

Harry rubs his face vexed, feeling hundreds of needle-pinpricks brutally press down on his skin from Hermione's Stinging Jinx. The more he rubbed, the more swollen and blotched his face became. Hermione's attempt to make him unidentifiable for the moment, was a brilliant idea but came with a painful cost at the expense of all.

Ron's voice came out raspy, much like the smokers in the Muggle World, "Merlin's soggy left…" a wet, hacking cough over took him as he fell limply against the wall. A small rivulet of blood dripping down the side of his chapped lips.

"You shouldn't have done that Ron, but …thank-you. I don't think I could have…could have taken what Greyback wanted to do to me." Hermione whispered, glassy hazel eyes boring into Ron's bruised face, taking in the swollen eye socket, crooked nose and various claw-like lacerations littering every inch of pallid skin. His defining freckles all but none-existent in the darkening purple-green hues from his old-new bruising.

Ron gave a tiny jerk of the head that Harry understood to mean, 'You – you don't need to thank-me.'

For Hermione though Ron locked gazes with her, uncharacteristically serious. "If they so much as touch you, I will kill them. If I have to take their beatings, jinxes and curses, to spare you any pain…I'll do it in a heartbeat 'Mione." Ron presses his throbbing, bloodied forehead against hers before continuing, "I rather it be me at the end of their cruelty than have to watch as you suffer. I couldn't bare it…"

Hermione closed her teary eyes tightly, busted lips trembling as her breath's turned ragged, heavy with overwhelming emotion. Crystalline tears slowly spilled down mud-stained cheeks as she leaned her head close into the crevice between Ron's neck and shoulder. "Oh Ronald…My Ronald…" Ron rubbed his bruised cheek the best he could against her messy, curly mane of hair in an attempt to comfort her (due to his hands being chained against his back).

"Shh…shh...it's alright 'Mione. I'm right here…I'm right here" he cooed, red lashes brimmed with unshed tears, Harry could see how his fists clenched against their bindings trying to break the metal apart by sheer force of will.

Harry pressed his head against the furnished wall behind him, feeling the ever present guilt creep up his spine until it branched out and constricted his mauled heart. Clenching tighter each moment Hermione's quiet sobs reached his ears, he took deep breaths in and out, in an attempt to beat back the vengeful guilt threatening to swallow him whole.

Not for the first time, did Harry wish he had been on his own. Now, instead of his death being the only death this evening, he's causing the death of his remaining family… 'How selfish and disgusting have I become? Letting Ron and 'Mione come along. Damn it all to bloody hell!' Frustrated tears brimmed behind his closed eyelids.

-ϟ-

Time has been a cruel mistress to the Malfoy Household. Especially considering the various shortcomings when in pursuit of the Boy – Who – Lived. As the years came and went, and the failures of eliminating the Potter-brat began amounting against Lucius Malfoy; an ever present sense of fear shrouded the noble but cruel beauty of Malfoy Manor. Lucius, as far as he could remember, always believed in the pureblood supremacy ideology and served the Dark Lord in order to cleanse all impurities from the Wizarding World…It was a fine way to live his life or so he supposed. Everything began to change for Lucius when his beloved Draco first encountered the Boy – Who - Lived on his first year of Hogwarts. 'It was a stroke of fortune!', 'The fates have turned in our favor!', 'My Draco will be a hero!' where the first thoughts that came into his mind. Lucius should have known better…Perhaps it was his over-ambitious tendency to act first and garner favor with the Dark Lord, or it was a severe deficiency of self-worth and a healthy-dose of cowardice that stayed his hand during his encounters with the Potter-brat.

Lucius believed he had time, time enough to protect his beloved Draco from the horrors of the world.

Yes, he had time enough that it disappeared from his fingers like shriveled rose petals. Time enough to watch as the Death Eater's gathered and grew in strength. Time enough to watch as Bellatrix rose up the ranks and stole his once-jealously protected position of Second-In-Command. Time enough to watch as his only son, pride and joy, was held down and branded as a Death-Eater as if his very flesh was that of a worthless swine. Time enough to watch as the Dark Lord held his Draco by the ever-present leash around his neck and forced to spy on Albus Dumbledore and the Potter-brat.

And now, Lucius has to bare witness as all of his mistakes and presumptuous ideologies came back to burden his flesh and blood. Lucius finally understood what his role was in the whole of things. He has come to realize, the only way to ensure his son's safety is through sacrifice. A prize he is more than willing to pay…for his beloved Draco will never know the excruciating agony he would have been subjected too for having chosen to protect the Potter-brat.

Time for all those involved in fate's twisted game, is coming to an abrupt end. It just happens to be his turn this time around the board.

Lucius turned his head, his gaze meeting that off his impassive wife. Emotionless as she may appear to others, Lucius was able to identify the emotions within her brown eyes; the rage, perfidy and the seditious sentiment coursing raw beneath her fair skin. The wicked ire smoldering within her irises mirrored his own over the Dark Lord's brutal betrayal.

"Do you have it, Lucius?" asked Narcissa sounding disinterested, though her eyes were alight with a treasonous glint. "I have gathered Draco and placed him out of harm's way. Are we ready to begin with the final vestiges of our plan?"

"Yes. I have them on hand my Isa." Lucius pulled out three glass vials which held different strands of hair floating in-place.

Narcissa gathered one of the vials and examined the strands of hair, before walking away towards the fireplace where a small cauldron hung low simmering into a multitude of green and mud-brown swirls. "The time has come then…" Narcissa removed the tops of the vials and with a pouring spoon deposited the swirling green-mud-brown liquid within. The liquid within slowly turned into a sickening shade of evergreen, before Narcissa drunk the potion. She made a noise that might have indicated dry-heaving or chocking against an obstruction. Slowly, Narcissa's face changed contours along with her semi black-blond hair into that of a brunette curly, untamable mane. Inches where cut off her height as she grew smaller, more slender and petite. "The Dark Lord will come to regret ever betraying our loyalty. Even more so, attempting to murder our child." Narcissa spoke, although it was not in her original tongue but that of the Mud-Blood, Hermione Granger.

"It is a certain possibility now that Draco has lied to protect the Potter-brat." Said Lucius while he grabbed one of the potion vials. "I have failed to protect my family once, I shan't do it again –" he thrust his head back while drinking the vile potion in one long gulp. Holding back the involuntary gag reflex it caused. Silver-blonde hair slowly turned raven, haggard skin turned youthful once more , into the countenance of Undesirable Number One, The-Boy-Who-Lived , Harry James Potter. His beloved son's only chance…

-ϟ-

The charmed obsidian door burst open. To everyone's horror, Bellatrix Lestrange came in, cackling, pulling Rodolphus Lestrange by the hand. "Oh," he said, sickeningly smirking at the sight of a jinxed Half-Blood, a beaten Blood-Traitor and a tantalizingly alluring Mud-Blood Whore. "Oops!" said Bellatrix, and she backed out of the room glancing at her flushed husband and his large scarred hand palming his bulging groin, giggling in ecstasy at the thought of feeling her sadistic, hot-blooded husband forcing himself upon her after his 'pre-relations' warmup. There was a horrible, swelling, billowing silence. Hermione was staring at Ron, who refused to look at her and focused all of his energy and suppressed magic into snapping the rune cuffs around his wrists off. Veins were bulging across his discolored skin, miniscule purpura appearing across the over-sensitized skin as the metal continued to chaff across it.

Rodolphus walked very slowly and erectly toward the chained group. Harry glanced at Ron, who was looking apocalyptic that nothing was working against his binds. Ron opened his bloodied mouth, but before anything could make it past his split lips Rodolphus lazily waved his free hand across his bruised form. Immediately all noise and movement ceased from Ron as the Petrification Charm took hold. Bulging, wide eyes scorched the smirking Death Eater as he approached the beaten group. Harry tried kicking Rodolphus's legs from under him, he swept his legs with reckless abandon to keep Rodolphus from a deathly pale and whimpering Hermione.

"Bloody Wanker!"(Masturbator) Harry cusses as he misses his mark. He brings his legs back and ready's to strike again before an irritated Death Eater blast's him against the wall. A loud crack echoes around the room as Harry feel's a few of his ribs breaking from the overpowered Blasting Charm. "You mingling bell..." (Disgusting dickhead) Harry grits out while spitting out bloodied saliva.

Rodolphus narrows his beady eyes at a slumped over Harry as he tries to breathe through the pain. A malicious, perverted glint enters his eyes as he begins unbuttoning his pants to relieve the pressure from his bulging groin. "You gutter mouth on ye no lil'cunt"

-ϟ-

Draco slowly steadied himself as the last vestiges of unconsciousness left him. 'A Malfoy Heir never falters or stumbles.' He frowned as he felt the back of his head throb painfully, he ran a pale hand across his slicked back blonde hair until he came across a large bump.

He slowly gathered himself and leaned against the wall of potion ingredient shelves as he tried to focus his rampaging thoughts. The last he remembered was being with his father in the study, he had sent Dobby for him….to discuss a matter of importance….it was odd. Draco thought as he had walked into the barren study. His father stood before the crackling fireplace as green plumes of smoke rose from within the hearth. Suspicion slowly crept along his spine as Draco walked further into the room. Dobby had then grabbed his lank arm….he turned a question brimming on his pale lips before he saw stars erupt across his eyes….everything faded into black afterward….

A memory lingered at the back of his mind as he recalled the scent of the green fumes in the room. The more he thought about it, the more the sinking feeling in his stomach grew.

'Polyjuice' ran through his clouded mind. It all suddenly made sense.

Draco stumbled again as he reached the door. He didn't know what was going to happen, he didn't know how it would end, but he did know he had to help….even if it meant his death.

With steady but numb fingers Draco opened the door to the potion's closet and steadily walked into the deserted hallway.

-ϟ-

It was a grinding and harrowing experience for Draco as he progressed through the darkened hallways of his former home. The once proud and noble 'air' that permeated every surface, now lay broken and shattered. Familial portraits cursed into oblivion, cracks and scorch marks marked the once pristine Slytherin Green walls unremarkable in their luster. Dried, rusted stains of blood were splattered artistically across every available surface, anguished yowls echoed hauntingly causing tremors to course through his clammy hands. Maniacal laughter induced his poor heart to palpitate uncontrollably in soul-wrenching fear.

'It's getting hard to breathe….' He gasped as beads of cold sweat formed on his forehead.

The shadows were slowly closing in from all sides…there's no way out….he couldn't move. The rust-salt scent of blood wafted up his nostrils and down his throat drowning his senses. Panic burst through him. His trembling hands wrapped around his throat, nails digging into his skin in an attempt to simply…breathe….

Unbidden a buried memory resurfaces to the forefront of his panicked mind.

'Draco had gone wondering through Hogwarts corridor's after his Astronomy class. In a manifestation of rarity, he was unaccompanied by his 'henchmen' or more appropriately, his 'overseers'. He stood, conflicted, in a narrow hallway over-looking the Dark-Lake as it mirrored the starry night sky. No ripples could be seen from its surface as it became one with the sky, fooling the unsuspecting into its watery-depths where their untimely death's patiently awaited them.

'There are worse things in this world than a quick death…' he morbidly ponders, as he leans against a column hidden from prying eyes.

The rustling of parchment grabs his attention reminding him once again of his tremulous life expectancy. His slender hand runs across the cresses of a well-worn letter, condemning him to certain death if he goes through with it and a fate worse than death should he refuse it.

'Albus Dumbledore is to be killed by the hand of Draco Malfoy. Failure will be met with severe punishments leading up to torture and death. By order of the Dark Lord, Lord Voldemort'

The words slowly repeated themselves in his head. Running in circles as he tried to come to terms with his orders. If he fails he dies, if he succeeds, (unlikely as it is), he will remain under the Dark Lord's temperamental grasp until he's nothing but a withered husk to be discarded. There's no question in Draco's mind what will happen to him should he continue in his current path…..the question remains….what would happen to his beloved mother? He shivers uncontrollably in response to his overactive imagination. He rubs his terse fingers across his eyes, trying in vain to erase the morbid images of his dearest mother disemboweled, with her mouth wide open in a silent scream…

'A wise man once said, 'Fear keeps us worried over the past, the present, and the future. By the time we gather our wits and courage, our time and chances are gone. Mere wisps in the wind.' A loathed voice interrupted his inner turmoil. Draco snaps his head towards his right were his unwanted companion stood, half-hidden in the shadows with the moonlight glinting joyously from his horridly-outdated spectacles.

'And what, may I be so presumptions to inquire, makes you think I want nor Need your unsolicited advice, Potter?" Draco probed in his patented cold and contemptuous manner.

Harry walked across the uneven marble floor, the wear and tear of hundreds of footprints giving a warm and ancient ambiance to the castle. He steps opposite Draco and crosses his arms across his chest.

He gives Draco an unimpressed look, "Running away only gets you so far, Malfoy. It won't make the agony go away, it will only make it last longer. When are you going to stop and handle it head on?"

Draco angrily marched towards Harry, standing nose to nose, before he snarled, "Who say's I'm running away! Not everyone is a suicidal Gryffindor who charges head-on without a plan like you and your fanatical posse!"

"If you need a way out…just say so. There are people who are willing to help you if only you ask." Draco aggressively shoves Harry against the column, gripping his fists against Harry's cloak.

"I'm not 'in' anything to need saving!" he sneers contemptuously, attempting to hide the rising panic building in his chest. Harry grips onto Malfoy's left arm and shoves his sleeve down revealing an angry-blotched-red Dark Mark.

Draco pales and shoves Harry away, covering his marked flesh from prying eyes.

He stiffly stood with his back to Harry, his hands clenched tightly to prevent the furious tremors from racking through them for the world to see. His white-blond head bowed as he heaved in deep-calming breaths.

"Don't," Harry took a cautious step forward arms raised at his sides as he approached Malfoy, his voice filled with soothing understanding. "Don't … tell me what's happening … I can help you …"

"No one can help me, you can't save me." Draco barely turned to face Harry. "You can't save everyone, Potter." said Malfoy over his trembling shoulder. His whole body was shaking. "I can't do it … I can't … it won't work…Dumbledore couldn't end it back then … and you couldn't end it back at the Ministry…There is nothing…Nothing unless I complete…" Harry slowly approached him, stepping around him leaving them once again face to face.

And Harry realized, with a shock so huge it seemed to root him to the spot, that Malfoy was crying – actually crying – tears streaming down his pale face leaving behind imprints on the marble floor. Malfoy gasped and gulped and then, with a great shudder, looked up into Harry's aged emerald orbs.

"Were not as different as you think we are."

Harry stepped forward and rested his hands on Malfoy's shoulders. Malfoy was too shocked by his words and weakness to step away from his touch. Draco's feelings for Harry were always based, on envy. He resorted to many different dirty tactics in his perpetual quest to get under Harry's skin, or discredit him in the eyes of others, telling lies about him to the press, manufacturing insulting badges to wear about him, attempting to curse him from behind, and dressing up as one of the Dementor's. And yet, here he stood attempting to…dare he say it…comfort him…To help him when all he had ever done was to belittle and try to remove him from his 'Hero Pedestal'. Looking back though, Draco could see Potter never relished in being in the center of everything. Of being constantly in the limelight, under the personal attention of two powerful wizards since the age of Merlin.

Potter has only being trying to survive the despairing hand Fate bestowed upon him. And here he was, throwing him a life-line…

"We've been forced to grow up too fast.

Forgoing a childhood in order to be groomed for War and Bloodshed.

Forced to do and see things,

We should have never been subjected too.

We all have light and dark tendencies inside us.

It doesn't make us Forsaken…"

Harry forced Malfoy to look him in the eye, to see the sincerity in his words.

'It's choices, Malfoy.

They show us who we truly are.

Not our families, not our blood, not our magic.

…it's the choices we make…'

'You weren't solely born for this way of life.

It matters not what your family's legacy dictates.

You're your own Wizard, Malfoy,

Stand proud by your belief

And take that first step for change.'

Malfoy's face contorted as he tightly gripped onto Harry's arm. "I…I have to protect my mother, she's all I have left. Father has been taken to Azkaban…We've been labeled Pariah's in our own house…"

Harry pursed his lips and stared at Malfoy unflinchingly with determination raging in his eyes. Gripping Malfoy's shoulders tightly, staving off the worst of the shakes. Harry brought Malfoy in to a much-needed embrace, he ran his hand soothingly through his hair.

"I'll be by your side every step of the way." He pulled back and rested his forehead against Malfoy's, who gazed at him with confusion and reluctant hope. "Snape is your Godfather…he is bound by blood and magic to help and support you…." Malfoy's eyes widen at the unspoken words, his heart missed a handful of heartbeats as his breath rushed out of him in a great gust of wind.

Harry supported Malfoy as he turned them towards the light corridor a few strides away. Torches flickering merrily in warmth and welcome, contrasting with the dark ominous conversation between them.

Harry walked forward grasping Malfoy's elbow as he did so, instructing him to breathe in and out. Helping him gather his cold persona once again.

"I'll be right by you, Brother."'

-ϟ-

With those life-changing words ringing in his ears, Draco forced himself to calm his racing heart, inhaling air through his nose and exhaling through his mouth. The air remained stagnant with the scent of old blood, but it was not as oppressive as it was before. He slowly ambled forward, focusing on his breathing as the darkness continued to encroach on him the further he dwelled into The Manor.

From ahead came the familiar sound of Lestrange's muffled cackling, Draco bit down on his lip and pressed himself deeper into a darkened corner. Casting a wand less Notice-Me-Not Charm on himself.

The sinking feeling in his stomach grew as he saw Bellatrix dancing grotesquely, similar to a marionette with its strings cut, she came around the corner leading towards the cells. Mad cackling cut through the air once again as she twirled her gaunt limbs extravagantly, oily onyx curls swinging wildly around her deranged face. As her hands sensually moved above her head and her slim waist swayed side to side. Vile rose in Draco's throat as he recognized the events about to unfold. Steeling his nerves, Draco silently rounded the corner and hoped against all odds he made it in time.

-ϟ-

The tension and anxiety rose within Harry as he glared at Rodolphus as his hands gripped his throbbing member. He lecherously grinned at Harry before ambling over, Hermione whimpered loudly and tried yanking on her binds trying to do anything….anything at all to stop this madness.

Rodolphus gripped Harry's hair painfully with stubby fingers as he tried to position himself in front of Harry's clenched mouth.

"Open ye' mouth lil'cunt." He yanked at Harry's hair, Harry remained silent and defiant not giving an inch to the Death Eater. Silently, Harry began yanking his hand through his binds, clenching his teeth tightly as he methodically broke his thumb. Sweat began coating his hair as the pain resonated through his hand as the misaligned bone harshly dragged against the metal cuffs. Rodolphus growled and bashed Harry's head against the wall, displeased with Harry's lack of fear.

"Open it!" Harry growled and launched himself towards Rodolphus smashing his head against the Death Eater's nose. Hearing a satisfying crunch give way, Rodolphus's growled in fury as he backhanded a disoriented Harry to the floor. Harry landed with a thump over Ron's petrified form. Hermione tried covering him with her slender body, protecting him from Rodolphus's wrath.

"Leave him alone!" Hermione drew herself to her full height; her eyes were narrowed and her hair seemed to crackle with electricity. Rodolphus's held his wand before her, nostrils flaring in irritation.

"Move, Filthy Mud-Blood. I'll get to ye soon 'nough".

"No," she said, her voice quivering with anger.

Hermione screamed in pain as Rodolphus's blasted her off his prey. Harry kicked and threw uncoordinated punches as he tried to yank his remaining arm from his binds. The clanking of metal and flesh echoed around the room as Harry landed a few hits on the raging Death Eater. Rodolphus lurched forward and hissed through his rotted teeth, "Crucio".

Harry fell to the floor once again. Back arching as red-hot pain coursed through his veins, the white's off his eyes displaying themselves as his eyes rolled to the back of his head. Spit ran down the corner of his mouth, as Rodolphus poured his intent into the spell, cackling as Harry tossed and turned , arched in unforgiveable poses as the curse purged his body from functioning nerve endings.

Harry clenched his teeth against the scream building within him, not wanting to give the bastard the satisfaction of hearing his pain.

His eyelids painfully twitched from how hard he had them shut, his body convulsing to the rhythm of Rodolphus's madness. Blood pooled around Harry's head as his movements lost any semblance of control, his body arched again as a crescendo to the pain scourged through him. Leaving him breathless, his heart escaping through the exposed ridges of his chest cavity. Black spots seductively danced across his vision, as his breath's slowly returned to normal.

Rodolphus stepped over Harry glancing down at him with dilated yes. Rodolphus snorted and placed the tip of his muddied boot beneath his chin moving his head until their eyes met each other again. "Now, where were we?" he whispered.

Harry rose his head long enough for him to spit bloodied saliva against Rodolphus's face.

"Filthy Half-blood!" The Death Eater raged, casting a wand less Cutting Charm at Harry's chest. Harry hissed in pain as he dragged himself closer to Hermione, feeling her trembling body behind him as he breathed through the pain.

"I've had just about enough from you!" he shouted standing upright and raising his wand arm. An Unforgiveable Curse on the edge of his discolored lips. Unknowingly to all, the door to the room softly creaked open.

"Oppugno!" came a shriek from the doorway.

Harry grit his teeth and rolled over Hermione covering her from any potential hits, he craned his neck and looked around the busted door. The little flock of birds was speeding like a hail of fat golden bullets toward Rodolphus, pecking and clawing at every bit of flesh they could reach.
"Gerremoffme!" he yelled, but with one last look of vindictive fury, Draco wrenched open the door further and fired numerous 'Sectumsempra'through it. One landed on the exposed neck of the chocking Death Eater's throat, another appeared across his abdomen while the last curse had Harry both grimacing in discomfort and vindictively grinning. Rodolphus fell onto his knees all the while screaming silently as his arousal barely hung connected from its shredded pelvic companion. Harry thought he heard a sob before Rodolphus fell deathly silent.

Harry turned ready to defend himself and his family as well as he could with what remaining power he had left. It proved unnecessary in the end.

"It's me Draco Malfoy, Draco, I'm getting you out of here!" Draco exclaimed while he banished the metal cuff's holding the exhausted group captive. Harry stiffly rose, holding onto the wall for support as he watched Malfoy release Ron from his petrification. Malfoy looked around, nervous sweat coating his pallid face, and grabbed Ron bringing his stiff arm around his shoulders to help him walk. Malfoy turned to Harry and Hermione, his lips pursed in stress.

"Come. We don't have much time before the Dark Lord arrives."

-ϟ-

A/N: At long last an update! Thank-you all for the continued support and encouragement, it has been a rock for me to hold on to. I am flabbergasted at how popular this story has become. Thank-you Thank-you Thank-you! I do apologize for the long, long wait. (x hides behind a wall from the pitchforks and torches x) For medical reasons I was indisposed, not to mention the side effects of my condition/medication left me in sort of lethargic state where I really couldn't focus or do anything. Now though, I'm much better and have a firm grasp on my condition. Let's see if part 2 for this chapter comes out sooner than this one, yes?

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