All Around Me Ch. 16

Moving, Close Calls, and Reunions

Hermione and Ron appeared a top a rocking outcrop far from the island they had set out from earlier in the day, each clutching one of the two portkeys Tempy had already made for Draco and Harry. In Hermiones beaded bag she had multiple junk items, such as broken quills or cracked potions vials, with a hint of Dracos magical signature attached to them. While the others packed up to move to their new base, she and Ron had volunteered to apparate around the country and plant the decoys.

They had dropped many already but Draco had made many more, wanting to make sure Bellatrix was well and good thrown off. They had spent the past few hours apparating together and separately, backtracking and making new paths, spider veining around the Isles. They didn't speak much, if they did it was in hushed tones, fearful of being noticed. They tried to stay away from heavily populated areas but sometimes found themselves near small villages. With the possibility of Deatheaters around every corner and behind every tree, they remained vigilant as they planted their decoys.

The sun was low in the sky when they had placed the last one and Ron let our a sigh of relief.

"Reckon we should get back, who knows what else needs done." He muttered as he stretched. Hermione turned to answer him but her reply died in her throat as she spotted hooded figures with their backs to them, standing at the tree line maybe 10 meters away.

Noticing her face had turned pale, he slowly turned round and spotted them as well. They carefully backed away, trying to remain silent. They may not notice the significance of a broken quill with Dracos magic on it, but they didn't want to bring attention to its hiding place by apparating near it nor did they want to use their emergency portkey if they didn't have to.

As they were making their way backwards deeper past the treeline, the wind picked up and carried bits of their conversation back to them.

"The Dark L….. fed up… trix…. Bounty on… foy brat." The words were broken with the ebb and flow of the wind but they exchanged looks, knowing they were talking about Bellatrix and Draco.

"Aye, I… an eye out… get rich." Laughter followed but they were too deep now to make out anymore of the conversation.

"You got that, right?" Ron whispered.

Hermione nodded, "Seems theres a bounty on Draco."

"That's gonna make Gringotts a little trickier. Goblins love gold."

"We'll have to deal with it as it comes. Come on, we're far enough away. Lets get back and tell the others."

With a pop they were gone, the wind carrying away the sound, the Deatheaters none the wiser.

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While Ron and Hermione were off dispersing decoys, Harry, Draco, and Tempy were quickly gathering together essentials and other things they thought they would need. They didn't know if they would be able to come back here after they moved so they wanted to leave nothing behind that could leave a clue to their location or their mission.

Draco had taken the cellar, packing potions, ingredients, and supplies along with what ever odds and ends he thought were useful. The five bags Tempy had started on were surely in disarray as he had just threw whatever he could fit in them, only paying attention to not mix certain ingredients. He could feel the slight disorientation of Bellatrixs magic but knew it was only a short matter of time before it regained its usual luster and she would return. He hurriedly continued on his task, time hanging on him like a noose around his neck.

Harry had taken to packing personal items for everyone; clothing, toiletries, bedding, Tempys keepsakes. He had also taken whatever non perishable foods he could find in the pantry. He knew there were emergency packs stowed away in the shed, but having been on the run for several months with scarce amounts of food prior to their arrival at the island, he felt it best to bring what he could.

Tempy had taken the shed, all the family secrets and things she knew her father would want no one in the Dark to have. She looked around her at the shelves and mountains of books and parchment and wondered if she could possible move it all with such little time. Shaking herself out of the funk that had started to overtake her, she lifted her wand and got to work. She levitated and shrank one thing at a time and directed each item into the bag open at her feet.

This is where the boys found her a few hours later, tired and about half finished.

"Sweet, take a break." Draco said, coming up behind her and rubbing her neck and shoulders.

Tempy relaxed to his ministrations but did not drop her wand, "I need to finish this. This is all of everything my family has collected over generations plus all the work father died for. I can't leave it behind for them to find or destroy,"

Draco sighed and turned back to Harry, "Come on, Scarhead. We got work to do."

Harry rolled his eyes and raised his wand, "You better not slack off, Ferret. I'm not going to carry you."

Tempy laughed and shook her head as the two wizards began to help her pack away the shed, glad for their help and oddly enough their banter. They kept poking fun at one another, causing her to mood to lift with each laugh they pulled from her. It seemed like in no time at all they were shrinking down the last of the documents.

When the last item stowed itself in the bag, it closed with a soft click and all three dropped their arms in exhaustion.

"Well, that should be everything. How many bags did you two end up using? We managed to get everything into three here. I really need to have Hermione show me that spell for the bottomless bags." Tempy mused.

"I was able to fit everything in three bags after shrinking it all down." Harry answered.

"I just threw everything, carefully, into the bottomless bags in the cellar." Draco shrugged. Tempy gave him a look and he put his hands up, "Hey! Its not like I wasn't paying any attention. I didn't mix any volatile ingredients or anything. There's just not much order beyond that."

"Well, at least theres that." She remarked dryly, causing Harry to chuckle. "Hermione and Ron should be finished shortly. Its been hours."

The air grew silent and shadowed with worry.

"I hope they're alright." Harry said.

Tempy reached out and gripped his shoulder, "Hey, don't worry, Harry. I'm sure they're fine. They know to stay hidden and not to risk being seen. They also had the portkeys. You'll see, they'll be back soon."

"Someone talking about us?" Ron asked as he appeared from behind the shed.

"You made it!" Harry exclaimed, a smile on his face.

"Really, Harry, you should have more faith in us." Hermione teased as the three shared a hug. Draco rolled his eyes but smiled and Tempy gave an 'I told you so' look.

"I have faith in all of us, I was just worried." He said, pulling out of the group hug.

"Yeah, well, don't." Ron laughed before turning to Draco, "Hey, mate, we overheard some Deatheaters talking while we were out. The Dark Lord has offered a bounty on your head. Apparently hes fed up with Bellatrixs attempts to find you."

Draco scoffed, "The only reward they're likely to get is an AK. As the supreme leader of the wizarding world he shouldn't have to offer a bounty to get his followers to look for me."

"Be that as it may, money makes people turn on others. He probably banking on someone seeing you that wouldn't normally say anything or make others more vigilant." Hermione theorized, sharing a look with Ron, "We had the thought about the Goblins. We already don't know how you would be received but now that He is offering gold? Whats stopping them from calling Him once you step foot in Gringotts?"

"I'll just have to make my counter offer better if they go that route."

"Counter offer?" Harry asked.

"Yes, I can counter the amount of his bounty with an amount of my own."

"They wouldn't call him as soon as you revealed yourself?"

"Not likely. If they choose to make this about how much gold they would make, they would try to see if they could make more from me than Him. With my Fathers death, I became head of the Malfoy family, thus gaining control of the family vaults. He can't touch them without my permission so any financial support he had from the Malfoys has ended. Not to mention I control dear Aunt Bellas vault. I'm confident I could offer them something they would want more." Draco finished, receiving odd looks from the trio. He shifted uncomfortably, "What?"

"Nothing, mate." Harry assured him, "Goblin politics are just shady,"

"No worse than humans, Harry. Some people are always on the look out for a better deal."

"So, thats the plan, then? Show up and hope you can pay more than He can?" Hermione asked, slightly taken aback.

Draco shrugged, "I obviously can't just walk in looking like myself, I'll still need a glamour or a Polyjuice potion. Beyond that, what else can we do? It's not like you can sneak in without being found out. Even with Saint Potters luck, that plan will end in disaster. No, this is our best option. If for whatever reason it fails, we can regroup."

The group exchanged glances before Tempy gave a solid nod of her head, "It's the best we've got so far. Lets get all of our stuff moved and your blood added to the ward anchor. Once thats done we can figure out our next steps. We need to do the ritual before any attempt to go to Gringotts and we need to leave a message for Severus. Harry, did you pack the lock box?"

"Yeah, it's in with your stuff."

"Good, lets bring these bags into the house and we can get going."

The quintet walked away from the shed, plans and anxieties running through their minds.

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Bellatrix had never rode a broom has hard and in as such a fury as she was at this moment. One moment she was in ecstasy tearing apart the wards hiding her nephew from her then the next she had woken in some field somewhere and it was nearly nightfall. In a rage she set fire to everything in sight before apparating back to the coast line.

She was pleased to note his signature had not seemed to move so she quickly acquired a new broom and set out. Now that she knew where to look, it wouldn't take her long at all before she could resume her assault. This time, she would be mindful of any backlash from the wards.

"You can run, nephew, but you cannot hide." She singsonged in a crazed delight.

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The wards glowed an ominous purple upon Tempys arrival with Draco in tow. She reached her magic out to calm them, leading him over to the stone.

"Slide your hand down the side, it will cut your palm. Push your magic, only yours, into it as you offer your blood. The wards will look to me for acceptance."

Draco nodded and held out his hand, wincing as his palm split open. He gave a firm push of his magic and felt the wards magic seize around him, waiting presumably for her permission to grant him unassisted access. He felt when it was done as the wards relaxed and he felt the same warmth and safety he had felt back at the island.

With that done they set down the bag they had carried, looking around the grounds.

"It already looks much brighter than it had when I was here earlier. I wonder if we have any elves?" She mused.

"Who knows? Try to summon one?" He suggested.

"And how do I do that? Shout out for Tempests elf?"

"Well, typically its your surname but since you don't have one, not that I've ever heard you use anyway, then I guess so. Yeah."

She shrugged, she had never known her fathers surname, only the line in which her mother had descended. As far as she knew, that was her surname and they both knew she could not speak it. Hopefully, she thought to herself, the elves couldn't either if they existed.

"Elves of the manor! Your Mistress Tempest calls for you!" She shouted. They waited a minute before deciding that there were no elves.

"Well, it was a long shot..." She started before being startled by large purple eyes. She shrieked and Draco fell over clutching his stomach in laughter. Standing before her was a taller than average but still short elf with large purple eyes and blue skin, a dusting of purple hair on his head between his long ears. He wore black trousers and a modest black top with no shoes. She stared at the creature as Draco tried to stop his laughter.

"Mistress called for Pixie?" He asked in a kind and fatherly tone.

"Pixie? Is that your name?" She questioned as she got herself to her feet.

The elf bowed and answered in the affirmative. "Pixie has waited many years for Mistress to arrive. Has kept the rooms clean he has. When Pixie felt yous here, he knows yous be back. Kitchen has foods, everythings yous needs."

She smiled, "Thank you, Pixie. You're a dear. Do you think you could bring these bags to the entry way of the manor? I have three other friends I must apparate over and we will have more bags then."

"Pixie be honored, Mistress." He leaned over and grabbed the bags before disappearing with a pop.

She turned to Draco, who had gotten a hold of himself, and shook her head, "That's going to take some getting used to."

"Yeah, you may want to warn Hermione. Remember, shes all about freeing the elves."

"I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. Right now, I need to go bring them over so we can get this ball rolling." She leaned up and kissed his lips quickly before winking and apparating away. He felt the bond pull slightly, but knowing where she was going and having seen her leave kept it from straining like it had before.

He took the opportunity to look around the courtyard. It was filled with hedges and topiary animals, the lawn and vegetation neatly kept despite the years of being uninhabited. The walls surrounding the courtyard, and presumably the whole manor grounds, were made of dark stones, forming intricate mosaics. Slytherins crest could be seen woven in the different shades of slate and obsidian multiple times throughout. It seemed his Hufflepuff came from a long line of Slytherins.

He heard a pop behind him and saw Tempy had returned with a disgruntled looking Harry. When they spotted his questioning look, she huffed and led Harry to the stone.

"He tried to come back last but Ron and Hermione were not having it." She answered before explaining to Harry what to do with the stone. Once again the air grew tense before lifting at Tempys acceptance.

Harry joined Draco in his minor exploration as Tempy went back for one of the others, getting a shock when Pixie appeared to take the bags they had brought with them. With a bow he disappeared again and they resumed their wandering.

Next to arrive had been a now disgruntled Hermione. Ron had refused to let her be last causing a small spat about sexism in which Tempy ultimately told them both to stuff it and grabbed Hermione, whisking her away before she could retort. She too got the explanation on the stone and repeated the process as before.

True to form, upon seeing Pixie, she started talking about how its wrong to enslave elves, to which she replied that she just found out she had an elf and she had no intentions of hurting the poor thing so for now to drop the conversation. Begrudgingly, she did and allowed the elf to take the bags they had transported before joining the others. Tempy let out a frustrated huff before she paused with an odd look on her face. No one seemed to catch it as they were distracted by the different sights of the courtyard. Quickly, she disappeared again.

Time seemed to pass differently this time, she seemed to be gone longer. When she hadn't returned in about the same time she had with Harry and Hermione, Draco grew restless.

"She's taking too long for just Ron." He commenting, beginning to pace.

"Calm down, mate. Maybe shes just looking to make sure nothing got left behind?" Harry offered.

When ten more minutes had passed by Draco was near a full blown panic.

"Mate..." Harry tried to calm him.

"No, somethings wrong. Bellatrixs magic feels normal, well normal for her, and the bond feels muted and strained." He closed his eyes as if in tremendous pain. "Somethings wrong." His pacing grew worse.

"Pixie!" Harry called out.

Pixie appeared in front of them, "Yes, Master Harry?"

"Can you apparate to your Mistress? I'm afraid if we try we wont be able to get back. She hasn't explained everything to do with the wards yet." He explained. Pixie tilted his head, as if deciding if he could, when a violent pop was heard followed by a thud.

All eyes turned to a bloodied Tempy being held up by a similarly bloodied Ron.

"Tempest!" Draco shouted before running over to her and taking her from Ron. The wards grew even more tense, sensing their Mistresses distress.

"Ron, quickly, you need to add your blood. Hurry!" She gasped out, holding her side.

Harry helped Ron get over to the obelisk and showed him how to add his offering. The air grew thick and heavy before it was accepted and everyone could breathe normally again.

Dracos attention hadn't left Tempy, who just smiled tiredly, "Well, at least we got all the bags over before I got Ron." Her eyes rolled back and she fell into darkness.

"Tempest!"

"She's lost a lot of blood, mate. We need to get her inside." Ron grit out as Hermione was searching through her bag for potions.

Pixie looked to Draco for permission to take her from him. With a nod the two disappeared only for him to reappear and apparate all of them to a room where more elves were stripping her of her clothes and quickly cleaning, healing, and bandaging her wounds behind a partition.

"Does Master Ronald needs healing as well?" Pixie asked, looking him over.

"Uh… she got the worst of it." He muttered, blood on his face and in shock.

"Pixie, please take him to be healed as well." Draco bit out, pacing outside the partition blocking him from his bond-mate.

Pixie nodded and led Ron to a bed on the opposite side of the room where more elves converged on him, inspecting, cleaning, healing and bandaging. After a few minutes, he was pronounced healthy, minor wounds. He was made to stay in the bed where Harry and Hermione joined him.

"What happened, Ron?" Harry asked, watching Draco pace out of the corner of his eye. He could see the blondes magic rustling beneath his skin in his worry.

Pixie handed Ron a glass of water, to which he gratefully drank deeply from before starting his story.

"Well, Tempy had just apparated away with Hermione when..."

Ron watched as Hermione apparated away with Tempy, a feeling of relief washing over him. He had had a bad feeling the past hour or so, like the hammer was about to come down on them. He couldn't explain it but he knew that he needed to get Hermione out of here before him.

As soon as he had turned to look and make sure they had not forgotten anything, the wards took a hit and the house shook violently. He hit the ground and took cover, his wand ready. He could hear the menacing cackle of the crazed witch using everything in her to break through.

She recovered a bit faster than expected, he noted in terrified annoyance. With Tempy gone, he had no way to manipulate the wards to fight back like before. He was stuck until she could return and grab him, hopefully before the wards fell.

They had been in such a hurry she had not repaired the spot in the ward that had been attacked and it looked like Bellatrix knew it was weakened. Hit after hit came as he sat ready to fight. Unknown to him, a small argument had broken out about the house elf and it was keeping Tempy a few minutes more than she had been with Harry and Draco.

He was stuck between hoping she would feel the disturbance in the wards and stay away or feel it and come get him. He didn't mind going down if they got away safe but he really hoped there was enough time to get away as well.

With a final ear shattering shudder, the wards gave way. Bellatrixs laughter seemed to take over and fill the air as she landed on the island, the first uninvited soul to ever do so.

"Come out, Draco! You can't hide from me! I know you're here!" She called, her tone sickly sweet.

Ron remained hidden as she began to blast apart the house, bits of wood and furniture flying through the air. He could hear her coming closer between blasts and readied himself to fight. As he was about to make his move he heard a pop and his heart filled with dread.

"I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU TO GET OUT, YOU MAD WITCH!" Tempys voice roared in a fury Ron had yet to hear from her.

Bellatrix sneered at her, "I take it this is your dreadful little hut? And that you're the filthy creature hiding my nephew?" She ceased her barrage on the house and turned, her wand raised at Tempy.

"And you're the sycophant old snake face is about ready to wash his hands of. What a failure you are and what shame you must bring him." She replied, baiting her.

Her eyes grew large and even more crazed as she threw the first curse, which Tempy dodged and countered. They exchanged spells as Tempy searched the area for any sign of Ron. She needed to get them out of here and quick.

She shot a blasting curse at the ground in front of Bella, knocking her off balance, then shot a pulse of energy through the ground, searching for him. She let out a sigh of relief and she found him, cautiously making his way toward them. She deliberately and slowly made her way towards him, trading spells with Bellatrix once again. She had amped it up, matching the deadly curses with ones she knew as well, trying not to tip too much of her hand.

Her attention slipped for just a moment as she tried to judge how quick she could make it to Ron when she felt a searing pain up her side. The force of the curse knocked her down into a pile of fiery agony.

She screamed as the wound continued to split open and burn, a particularly nasty curse that would have killed her outright had it made full contact. Faintly she heard an enraged scream and loud cursing as Ron jumped into the fight. Quickly, she was able to stop the spreading of the wound and keep herself mostly intact as she pulled herself up.

Ron was covered in fire, lashing out and throwing balls of fire at the now confused but still determined witch. Bellatrix was responding with even more dark curses, narrowly missing Ron as he advanced on her.

As they fought she looked around at her once beautiful island, now lost to senseless destruction. Her home was gone and for what? The whims of a madwoman? Anger and sadness pooled in the pit of her stomach as she reached out a hand and called up the roots and vines around her, commanding their growth and their purpose.

A shriek of fury split the air as they found their quarry, Bellatrix. She screamed and fought their hold but the fury in Tempy was greater as they coiled tightly around her, squeezing her as a snake would its meal. Tempy limped heavily towards her, her words dripping venom.

"You despicable excuse for a witch. All that power and pride just to bow down to that psycho. I thought Blacks bowed to no one and here you are, loyal to a half-blood. How the mighty Blacks have fallen."

"Lies! I will not listen to such lies about my Master! You will die for your insolence!" She screamed.

Tempy stabbed her wand to her throat, the curse on her lips. Rons fire had receded and he was now watching in fascination and horror.

"I should kill you." She hissed.

"Tempy.."

"I SHOULD KILL YOU!" She screamed, ignoring Ron. "Things would go so much easier if you were dead! Draco wouldn't have to worry about you finding him! Two words and it would be done! I SHOULD JUST KILL YOU!"

Bellatrix laughed fanatically, "Go on then! Do it! It's just two words, but you have to mean it, dear. Are you a killer? Can you really kill me? Hm? Well, can you?" She taunted.

Tears and blood ran down Tempys face as her arm shook from fury and pain. Ron carefully approached her and laid his hand on hers.

"I hate her, too." He whispered. "It's just two words, but you're not a killer, Tempest." She looked to his bloodstained face, begging him for the right answer. "We also need her alive for now, as much as I hate to say it. If the Dark Lord thinks shes dead, it could ruin our plans for you know what. He may make a move to find a new spot and we can't let that happen."

Tempy nodded and removed her wand. Bella laughed and began to taunt her again for being weak but was silenced by a fist to her face, knocking her out.

Ron winced, "Way to go muggle on her."

"We don't have much time." She gasped through the fresh pain in her side. "We need to get back to the manor before I lose the ability to apparate."

"What are we going to do about Bellatrix?" He asked, his wand trained on her.

"Obliviate her of the fight, of finding the island. She needs to continue on her mission so He doesn't grow suspicious or I would suggest wiping her memory completely. She definitely can not be allowed to remember we have control over elements. Gods I wish we could just kill her."

Ron gave her a stern look, "Could you really do it? Even if we wanted to risk Him not finding out, which he would because of the mark, could you bring yourself to kill someone as they lay there? Not in the heat of battle, defending yourself?"

Tempy sighed, "No, I couldn't." She raised her wand, "This will have to do for now." Her wand glowed softly as she cast the Obliviate, sorting through the memories and erasing the ones from the past 2 days.

"Quickly, apparate her somewhere then come back. I'm struggling here." Ron nodded, cast an Incarcerous in case she woke, and disappeared with her.

"I wasn't gone more than a minute and she wasn't looking good. She was able to get us here and you know from that point on."

Harry and Hermione stared at Ron horrified they they had almost lost them, Draco was sickly white with his hands clenched tight. He sat on the edge of the bed, as the elves had finished their work on Tempy and gave the clear for him to be with her. Upon the conclusion of Rons story he laid beside her and carefully pulled her unconscious form into his arms and buried his face in her neck.

The trio watched on in sympathy, not noticing the two figures come into the empty frame in the center of the wall.

"Tempest! What has happened?" A frantic voice called out, grabbing their attention.

Draco jumped up, putting himself between Tempy and the figures, his need to protect his sleeping mate at an all time high. The trio jumped up as well, standing with him.

"Who are you?" He demanded.

The male figure huffed a bit but was easily calmed by his female companion. She turned to him and smiled, "You're Draco? Her bond-mate, yes?"

"Who would like to know?" He responded, a bit unnerved.

The man laughed, "A Malfoy never volunteers information, dear. Young Malfoy, my name is Ciaran and this is my wife, Terra. This is our familial manor. Tempest," He paused, looking lovingly and worriedly over at her sleeping form, "is our daughter."

Silence overtook them as they processed the information. It had never occurred to them that there would be family portraits in the manor but meeting both her dead parents hit them like a brick wall.

"Her parents?" Draco repeated, a bit wary.

The woman nodded, "Yes, dear. We've been waiting for the day she would find this place and I'm so glad to see she has brought friends with her. I am more pleased that you were able to find your way to her as well. When she was born, we knew she would have a bond-mate. I was unable to get the details until Ciaran joined me here but I always hoped you would find her."

"Now, will someone tell us what happened to our daughter?" Ciaran asked again.

Ron spent a few minutes retelling the story to her parents as Draco watched them, a million thoughts racing through his mind. Worry for Tempy, questions he had for her parents, even the plans they had made prior to coming here. His mind just couldn't keep still. He was brought back to the present by Harry shaking his shoulder.

"Sorry, what?" He asked.

Harry sighed, "We're going to take a walk around, give you some privacy to speak with her parents."

"Going to leave me to the wolves, Potter?" He said, an uncertain smirk on his lips.

He received a chorus of soft laughter in response but waved his friends away, before turning to Ciaran and Terra.

"Well, what would you like to know?"

Harry, Hermione, and Ron left at that point, quietly shutting the large doors behind them before making their way down the long hallway. Pixie and the other elves had opened the curtains on all the windows, bathing the walls in soft orange light from the setting sun.

"It's a beautiful manor, although the snake motif is a bit off putting." Hermione remarked.

"Her father was a Slytherin, you can probably assume his family line came from the house too." Ron answered, a bit of his old animosity coming through.

"Ron..." Harry started.

"No, I know, Harry. Not all snakes are bad but it's still a sore spot, yeah?"

They continued to walk, occasionally remarking on a painting or tapestry they would come across. The tension was just started to seep from them when they came across an occupied painting. At first they didn't realize who it was, but soon the sleeping man in the frame became clearer and there was no question to his identity.

Harry approached the portrait slowly, his heart heavy with a myriad of emotions; anger, confusion, hurt, relief. Maybe he could get some answers now.

"Headmaster?" He asked and watched the old man open his eyes, filled with recognition and sorrow.

"Harry, my boy. It's good to see you."