Luxembourg
The first thing Harry noticed: this place is deserted. A thick layer of dust covered the marbled floors, the stairs, the wooden banisters, even the sheets covering the furniture. The manor was not decorated in the slightest, creating a cold and unwelcome atmosphere. Harry stepped forward, his steps echoing. He turned to the others.
“No way anyone lives here.” George said, or started to say, anyway. But a large chunk of marble zooming at his head cut his words short. Fortunately for George, he had not yet lost all of his Quidditch training. Dodging quickly, the boulder slammed into the wall behind him, smashing into pieces. Instantly, the men were on their guard. Wands up, they whirled around to face where the marble had come from- upstairs. They waited a beat, but neither heard, nor saw, anything.
“Come on,” Harry said quietly. Cautiously, they climbed the steps, Harry leading the way. There was a sharp corner at the top they couldn’t see around. Harry paused an instant, then jumped around. But no one was there. The others came up, looking around.
“What the…” George muttered. Then he shook his head, smiling. “One of these days…” But again, a large object zipping by severed off his words. This time it was an iron fire poker, and its aim was Remus, who did not have the reflexes of George. But that wasn’t to say Remus wasn’t capable of handling himself. Before the poker reached him, he blasted it off its course with a deflector curse. The poker banged into the wall and fell. But this time, they heard a laugh. A sneering, disdainful laugh.
“That way,” Harry pointed left, down the hall. The hall ended with a large boarded window. Closed doors were on the left and right.
Which door to pick- Harry thought. He banged open the first door he came to. No one. He walked on.
How about this one- He kicked it open. Empty.
At the third door, he paused.
“Did you hear that?”
“Hear what?”
“That noise- there it is again.”
“Heard it that time.”
“Where’s it coming from?”
“I’m not sure, I think further down the hall.”
Warily, they approached the door the scraping noise had come from. The men gathered around, holding their breath, waiting to hear it again. They were not disappointed.
screeeech.
“What is that?” George whispered, dumfounded. Harry shook his head.
“One way to find out,” and he pushed the door open.
What happened next happened so fast that all involved had to consult later as to what really transpired. Two thin blurs sped out of the doorway, while the door directly behind them burst open and out came a older wizard, firing curses. The men, trapped in the middle, dodged to the left and right.
The spinning projectiles were, in fact, two silver fire pokers, and the man was, of course, Lucius Malfoy. The screeching noise had been the fire pokers rubbing together, attracting the men away from the real threat.
Draco wasn’t aware of much after that initial moment. One thought penetrated his brain- that’s my father. A blind passion came over him, and over the following events about to be related, Draco’s only aim was to get to Lucius and… well, he actually didn’t even think that far.
The fire pokers went after Remus, who was not as lucky as the first time. He averted the one, but the other buried its tip in Remus’s right shoulder. Crying out, he tumbled to the floor.
This left Harry and George the only ones in action with rational minds. Lucius was still shouting out hexes and the men were hard put at first to ward off his blows. But numbers overpowered Lucius. Walking backwards, he headed for the stairs.
Draco’s wand was shaking in his hand as he pressed Lucius further down the hall. While Harry and George seemed mostly trying to defend themselves rather than go on the actual attack, Lucius was receiving no such mercy from his former son. Draco’s furious onslaught was the main reason the three were advancing at all.
“Stupefy! Densaugeo! Furnunculus! ” Draco shouted, though his voice was lost in the din of all four men yelling.
Harry wasn’t sure what happened, but suddenly George was down. Still conscious but unable to stand, George dragged himself back up the stairs. Still shouting curses, he finally stopped when his aim started to fail and one of his spells came dangerously close Harry’s head.
Now it was Draco and Harry verses Lucius. Lucius was starting to panic slightly, though his opponents could not tell. He was still fighting furiously, not letting his true emotions show. Still, he knew he would have to break soon, but not before…
Harry felt the purple streak graze his side, tearing his robes and sending searing pain across his left side. He dropped to one knee, trying to overcome the pain blurring his vision. Harry gently touched his side. A wave of nausea swept over him when he realized he had just touched a rib. A wound that deep had to have ripped a major blood vessel. Harry swayed, dropping on all fours. He needed help, fast.
But no one was in a condition to help. George and Remus, both upstairs, were injured themselves. And Draco’s soul aim in life, at least at this moment, was on his father.
Lucius was having a harder time of it, despite eliminating two of his adversaries. Draco was relentless, pressing forward. Lucius was nearing the main doorway. Soon, he would have to give.
Lucius dived to his left, behind a marble pillar. Draco’s last curse smashed into the pillar. Draco, swearing, ran around it, intending to blast his *bleeping* father’s head off his *bleeping* shoulders. But Lucius was quick. When Draco’s head came into view, Lucius fired quickly. The spell missed by millimeters. Draco ducked, and in American football style, rammed his shoulder into Lucius’ stomach.
The breath knocked out of him, Lucius fell backwards and skid across the smooth floor. He let go of his wand, which went spinning through the air before landing close to Harry, who had dragged himself to the foot of the stairs. George and Remus were slowly making their way towards Harry, but it was obvious it was painful going. No one could save Lucius from Draco.
Before Lucius could gather himself together, Draco was on top of him- literally. He was straddling his father’s chest, sitting on top of him. Draco’s own wand lay a little ways off, though in easy reach if Draco thought to grab it. But he was too concerned in giving the older man a muggle-style beating.
Draco couldn’t punch hard enough. Adrenaline racing through his veins, he was deaf and blind to all outside distractions. All he could see was Lucius in front of him, defenseless. He wasn’t even aware that he was being dragged off until he could no longer reach the bruised and bloody man on the floor…
With more energy than George really had to spare, he tore Draco off Lucius. Though it had been extremely entertaining to watch (or so thought George), it was time to get serious. Harry was sitting on the bottom stair, his breath coming in shallow gasps. Remus (his own shoulder hastily bandaged) was sitting next to him, tending to Harry’s wound while keeping his wand on Lucius. Not that it was necessary. Lucius groaned, spitting out blood and rolling to his side.
Draco was under control now, catching his breath. He was watching his father with Malfoy-type contempt. Wand in hand, he approached Lucius, George close behind him. George was favoring his left foot, which seemed to be broken. Draco pointed his wand at Lucius. Injured himself, his hand was remarkably steady.
“Where is he?” Draco spat.
Harry watched Draco apprehensively. He had never thought this would happen, but he was glad Draco was on their side. He was exactly like his father in so many ways, it was scary. The last thing the Order needed was two Malfoys against them.
“I don’t what you’re talking about,” Lucius rasped in an equally disdainful tone.
“You know precisely what I’m talking about,” Draco said. He made a sudden movement, as if to kick him, but stopped. Draco knelt down, closer to Lucius.
“Where is Voldemort?” he said slowly, purposely. Lucius shook at the name, but said nothing. Draco stood back up.
“Let me try something,” George said quietly. Draco backed up.
“Very loyal, aren’t you?” George started. Lucius said nothing but looked at him. “Yea, you would never betray old Voldy.” Lucius shook again, but this with a look of surprise. George grinned, in a slight maniac way.
“You would never betray him. You’re too scared.” George turned to the others. “We’re not getting anything out of him. And we’re too hurt to do much. Let’s go.”
Even in his condition, Harry still felt his eyes pop out of his head. His disbelief was second only to Draco’s, who looked like he’d just had a heart attack. But Remus, quickly realizing George’s plan, stood up.
“You’re right. We can rope this guy up. Send some Aurors in, I think we’ve done our part.”
“Right.” George turned to Draco and Harry. “Think you guys can apparate on your own, or-”
“Well, I… we…” Both seemed lost for words.
“Okay, we’ll help. Remus, you get Draco, I’ll get Harry.” The men moved to leave.
Through all this, Lucius said nothing. He watched with a blank stare. Now, he made a convulsive movement.
“Wait,” his voice hoarse, “wait. You’re just going to leave me here, alone?”
“You’re tied with anti-disapparate ropes. You’re not going
anywhere.” George secured his arm around Harry’s waist, bearing his weight.
“But don’t you want to know? You can’t leave until I tell you!” A slight panic entered his voice. If they left, the plan was ruined. The Dark Lord would not be pleased.
George smiled again, this time in secret victory. “Is that so? Sounds like you have more to lose than we do if we don’t get our information.” He stopped smiling. “So why don’t you cut the silent bullshit, and tell us what you’ve been sent to tell us.” It wasn’t a question.
Inwardly, Lucius cursed his stupidity. They were bluffing, of course. Now, he couldn’t even pretend reluctance. Lucius just hoped his acting bit had small affect on the master plan.
“He is in New Zealand.”
George didn’t react. No need for threats now. “Where.”
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Humungous thanks goes out to Auror316 and lukyduky14! I love it that people are voluntarily coming back to review! And lukyduky14, thanks for the reminder- my life has been so hectic lately...ugh. Isn't school awful? I promise my next update will be sooner. :grin: