His Mermaid Her Unicorn

16

     "Are you ready for this?" Mya asked Draco.

     "Yes, I am. After that warning Severus gave, I know everything needs to go smoothly. Can't have that old coot Dumbledore mucking things up for us now," he said.

     "Yeah, you better get going though. You're not even supposed to be in town," Mya said as she pushed him toward the alley behind her store.

     "Alright alright," he said batting her hands away. "Around what time will you be there?"

     "Not until very late," Mya replied. "Possibly around midnight."

     Draco nodded and with a crack, he was gone.

*****

     Draco got to Hogmeade just after all the students arrived and spotted his target almost immediately. Staying in the cover of a cluster of trees, he waited for the opportune moment to strike.

     It was just after two o'clock in the afternoon when that moment came. James wandered off toward a bridge and Draco followed.

     "Esse mutationem vis videre," he whispered. To be the change you want to see. A fitting spell what they had planned.

     He was glad that he and Mya tested it out beforehand, otherwise he would have no idea whether it would work or not.

     James was alone so he called out the boy's name. When James turned around he smiled brightly.

     "Hey Bekah, I was hoping you'd find me."

     Draco grimaced internally. "Of course I would, James."

     As he walked closer to James, he wandlessly sent a stupefy charm his way. The boy slumped but before he could hit the ground, Draco hauled him over his shoulder. Carrying James all the way to the shrieking shack was no easy feat since he had to trek on the outskirts of the forbidden forest.

     He approached the formidable tree with a smirk. After immobilizing the Weeping Willow, Draco carried James inside and laid him on the messy bed. He pulled his wand out of his sleeve and began chanting multiple spells. Once he was sure the place was secure he contacted Severus and began his wait.

     It didn't take very long for Severus to come. His part-time hours at the school were working toward their advantage.

     "How long has the boy been out?" Severus asked.

     "About an hour," he replied.

     "Alright, you better get back to the convention. Don't want you to be gone for too long," Severus said.

     "You're right," Draco said. "See you after this is over."

     He vacated the premises and walked far enough that no one would be able to detect his apparition. Arriving back at the hotel with enough time to spare, he showered and got ready for the rest of the convention. It was the perfect cover.

*****

     James didn't know what to think. The last thing he remembered was talking to the girl he'd been crushing on since his second year, Rebekah. After that? Nothing.

     When he came to, he looked around and noticed something sticking out of his arm. As his eyes traveled upward to see what was going on, he noticed that it was a needle in his arm and that it was connected to some kind of floating contraption. He saw movement in the corner of his eye and watched as a cloaked figure came over. The person fiddled with the buttons on the machine and he started to feel a little bit drowsy.

     He groaned as the figure turned to face him. He could barely make out the face of his captor. When he did, he couldn't believe his eyes. The face was covered with a telltale signs of a Deatheater mask. Horror flooded his body as he began to struggle. He thought they were all either dead or in Azkaban.

     "Don't move too much or you'll damage the nerves your arm," the hooded figure warned.

     The voice was weird as if it was being modified somehow. James didn't understand what that meant and continued to thrash about. His captor sighed and pressed a button on the machine. 

     "Worry not little one, it'll be over soon enough."

     James heard the words but didn't make any effort to reply. His muscles seemed too heavy. His head lolled to the side and he drifted into unconsciousness.

     The hooded figure checked to ensure he was completely out before removing the cloak. Mya's curly brunette hair popped out first. She smirked as she thought that all she had to do now was wait for the chaos surrounding a missing student to begin.