Almost ll 𝚂𝚂/𝙷𝙶 [οиgοιиg]

Setting The Trap

Death Eaters hoofed their way through the dank tunnel out of Hogwarts. Water from the lake above dripped onto their heads. Several of them limped and lagged behind. Jugson levitated Estrella.

The troupe passed through the shimmering wards of Hogwarts. They then Disapparated.

Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy sat drinking tea, lounging in the drawing room as Bellatrix polished her crooked wand. A cacophony erupted in the foyer of Malfoy Manor. The three jumped to their feet with wands drawn.

"Draco!" Madam Malfoy cried. "What has happened? Why are you here on a school day?"

Bellatrix cackled and skipped up the stairs to find her master.

From the doorway of the drawing room, Lucius cast steel cold eyes to the two professors tasked with protecting his son—Estrella had fainted and Arachne looked terrible. "What have you done?" he spat.

Mrs. Parkinson threw the mangled blonde hair out of her face and tried to explain before she was cut off.

"What is thisss?" The sibilant syllables brushed across the marbled floor and over oil paintings. The hall silenced. The Dark Lord Voldemort stood at the top of the stairs. A snake writhed around his neck and Bellatrix hovered at his side.

All of the new-comers knelt before their master. Estrella fell to the floor with a thump.

"My lord!" Arachne replied. "We have been forced out of Hogwarts. Carlos Estrella forced our hand and we had to leave."

Voldemort's snake-like face sneered at the passed-out idiot. "Indeed."

"My lord," Pansy Parkinson squeaked. "If I may?"

Voldemort waved his hand.

The girl never raised her eyes. Draco had thought it irresponsible of Granger to trust Pansy with this task—Pansy didn't know Occlumency.

"I overheard the Head Girl, the Mudblood Granger, at a Prefect's meeting," Parkinson said in a shaky voice. "She told another Prefect that Potter had found a crown of Ravenclaw." Voldemort's red eyes narrowed. "I think Potter wishes to use it to increase his intelligence."

Voldemort turned on his heel and stalked out of the room. "Lucius, Draco, Bellatrix," he snapped. "Come."

Narcissa followed as well. Lucius's office, once resplendent, had fallen into dusty disrepair, since the Dark Lord had taken it over. Books lay haphazard on their spines and rat skeletons collected in the corners. The darkest wizard of the age paced past the skeletons and books as Bellatrix played with Nagini. The three Malfoys remained silent, their eyes watching their master as he prowled.

"Potter has the diadem of Ravenclaw!" he hissed. "If he destroys it…Lucius, Bellatrix, I am leaving. I will return. Start sending the others to their homes," he sniffed. "I do not need children pawing about the Manor."

You don't want the children underfoot but it is perfectly fine to allow them to fight in your war! Draco shouted in his head. His handsome face remained blank as the Dark Lord swept past and out of sight.

"What will we have for dinner?" Draco asked easily as he and Lucius left the office.

"How should I know?" Lucius replied haughtily. He was not a lowly house-elf—he didn't know what was for dinner until he saw it on his plate.

"If you'll excuse me, I'm going to see Pansy, Vincent, and Gregory on their way," Draco said.

He veered off into the expansive library and hid between the rows.

Enemy in a panic; has left.

Harry rubbed his thumb over the raised letters around the edge of his coin. Ginny settled against his chest, letting the Veritaserum run its course in silence.

Lavender, Hermione, and Neville sat on Ron's bed in the infirmary. Ron lay on his side, playing with Lavender's blonde hair. Severus stared out the window and let Poppy smother him with attention and Blood Replenishing potions. Charlie, Hagrid, and Minerva stayed to be near their favorite students. Dumbledore sat on a cushy infirmary bed, the one he had taken each night for the last few months. The headmaster drummed his black fingers on his stomach, humming at the ceiling.

They all pulled out their DA coins and cheered. Pansy had "let it slip" that Harry had found the crown. Voldemort had fled the Manor to check on his precious Horcruxes.

Disrupting the chatter was Harry's cry of pain. He bent forward and clutched his forehead. Everyone stared at the boy, some curious, others worried. Madam Pomfrey skittered forward. Hermione and Ron knew Harry was inside Voldemort's mind.

"He knows!" Harry panted. "He knows all of his Horcruxes are gone!"