Harry and Draco seemed to move through a long tunnel of mist that stretched and formed into another place, and suddenly they were there. Wherever "there"' was.

Harry took something else from his pocket and shoved it in Draco's hand. It was Draco's wand. "Thought you'd need this."

"Harry-"

"Haven't really got time, Draco. Just be ready. For anything."

They were standing in a shabby room. The dark windows were hung with tattered drapes and the candles were mere stubs sporting disinterested flames. The room smelled musty and unlived in. But there were plates of discarded dinners on the table and many chairs around it.

Draco listened and heard, distantly, low murmurs. Harry looked at Draco. Draco seemed to have recovered his wits enough to be of help. He felt more alert again. He wanted desperately to kiss Harry but now was not the time. Suddenly, there was a presence reaching into Draco's mind and Draco lurched back, surprised. It was Harry. I know you can do this, too, Draco. It will just be safer if we don't speak.

Yeah, Harry. I hear you. Is this Mercer's hideout?

That's what we think. It sounds like lots of voices. Let's go.

Wait. Harry, if we don't get out of this alive-

That's not the greatest of attitudes, Malfoy.

Harry, I just want you to know I'm sorry for all I said before, and that…that I am so incredibly in love with you.

Harry stopped and stared at Draco before his expression softened into a smile. He motioned for Draco to follow.

They meandered down a long passage and found a stair. Creeping to the landing, they looked down into a large open room where about fifteen people had gathered, all wearing dark hooded robes and Death Eater masks.

This looks too familiar for comfort, thought Harry to Draco.

Indeed it does. I thought these prats were through with this.

Well, we've got the advantage.

Draco looked at Harry askance. There's fifteen of them and two of us. How do you reckon?

Well, this time, I'm fighting with you, not against you. He gave Draco a wide smile.

Draco smiled back but his grin quickly faded. Should we split up?

No. I have a better idea. I think you should go downstairs and receive your adoring public…Lord Malfoy.

His gaze flicked toward Harry. You serious?

Yeah. Just trust me. Keep them busy.

Draco shrugged. He pocketed his wand and waited for Harry to slip out of sight before he rose and moved deliberately down the stairs.

The Death Eaters turned, wands aimed, but when they recognized who it was, they lowered them. They rushed forward as he reached the bottom step. "I hear you've been looking for me," said Draco.

They whipped off their masks and surrounded Draco, bowing to him. Draco recognized many uncaptured Death Eaters, including Minx Mercer among them, who stepped forward to greet him. "We are ready to do battle for you, my lord. Is Harry Potter dead?"

"Yeah, finally. He never suspected a thing, the git. But I'm a little annoyed with you, Mercer, for not telling me about the Portal Scarab."

"I'm sorry, my lord. I couldn't risk someone in Knockturn Alley overhearing. I thought you would find it."

"Well I didn't. It was a bit of a shock to discover you there at Hogwarts."

"Again, my lord. My apologies."

"You know," said Draco, glancing at all their anxious faces, "it occurs to me that if you truly think me the heir to the Dark Lord…you should be just a little more respectful. For instance. You're all still standing."

They exchanged looks and then slowly, one by one, they began to kneel on one knee. Mercer was the last, and Draco bore an icy glare into his eyes until the husky Death Eater dropped down and looked up at him. For the briefest of moments, Draco felt a strange surge of power within him. All these wizards and witches showing him obeisance. It was a bit heady. Voldemort must have felt something like this when he insisted on such shows of submission. But then Draco began to feel a little sick at the comparison. He was nothing like Voldemort. He didn't need this to feel like a big man. He was a big man. All he needed was Harry.

As if on cue, the place erupted with bangs and smoke. Aurors apparated all around them, and Draco dived out of the way as curses and hexes flew across the room.

He whipped out his wand and aimed for Mercer. There was a score to settle. Draco hit him with an impact curse and he flew into the air and smacked hard against the wall. Mercer shook out his head and looked up at Draco. His amazement transformed slowly to dawning understanding.

Draco sneered. "Figured it out at last, Mercer?"

Mercer pushed himself to his feet and levered his wand. He threw his arm forward and began a curse when Draco countered, hurling Mercer high up in the air. He crashed down, groaning, but managed to raised himself. Before Draco could prepare, he yelled, "Petrificus Totalus." Draco stiffened, froze, and fell over, completely paralyzed and helpless. Death Eaters and Aurors were fighting all around them but Draco could only look up at Mercer who bent over him with an evil grin.

"You've become a blood traitor, Master Malfoy. You've betrayed all your family has come to believe in, and you a Pureblood! I am disgusted that I ever had faith in you, that I ever thought to follow you. I think first, before I kill you, the Dark Lord would have been pleased for me to give you a taste of the Cruciatus Curse." He raised his wand. "And it would please me no end as well. Cruc-"

"Puniceus Draconus!"

Instantly, an eight-foot-tall purple dragon appeared before Mercer. He shrank back, eyes wide, holding his hand protectively in front of his face. The dragon belched a small lick of flames and then vanished instantly in a puff of purple mist. But just as Mercer was about to recover, he was hit with a stupefying curse and went down on his face.

Draco was instantly released and he jumped to his feet, scrambling for his wand. He aimed it at Mercer but the Death Eater wasn't getting up. Draco looked up at Harry. "I guess there was a use for that damned hex after all."

Harry nodded. "It was unexpected."

"Harry!" Hermione came running, her wand tight in her hand. From behind her came Ron.

"Everything all right here, mate?"

"Yeah." They all looked around. The Aurors had rounded up the Death Eaters and they were all secured.

Ron walked up to Draco, a sheepish look on his face. "Harry Firecalled us and told us what happened. Mione and I…well, that is…" He blushed, looking down at the wand in his hand and thumbing it. "We believe you're all right. I mean there's no way Harry could care about you so much if you weren't, Malfoy. And I just wanted to say…we're here for you, too." He stuck out his hand with no reservations this time.

Draco took it firmly and gave it a shake. "Thanks, Weasley," he said sincerely. "That means a lot to me."

Tonks sauntered toward them and studied Draco with a raised chin. "Well, Malfoy. Looks like you lucked out. We heard it all," and she motioned to the jewel amulet pinned to her T-shirt, similar to one Draco saw Smythe talk into at Knockturn Alley. "You've got quite a friend in Harry here. Not that you deserve it."

"I am well aware how much I do not deserve Harry's friendship. But I'm damned glad for it."

They waited until the Aurors apparated away with all their prisoners. Draco looked at Harry. He still wasn't sure what his status was: prisoner, teacher, sacked teacher.

"We have an appointment at the Ministry," said Harry in answer to his unasked question.

"Another trial?"

"Just a hearing. And you aren't the only one in trouble, you know. The Ministry isn't fond of people breaking prisoners out of Azkaban."

"You're making quite a habit of cheating Azkaban of prisoners."

Harry shrugged. "It's just a sideline of mine." He straightened his robes and Draco thought he'd try to do the same. Harry looked at Ron and Hermione. "You don't have to go to the Ministry with us, you know."

"We know," said Hermione. "But when has that ever stopped us?"

Harry nodded. "It's you funeral."

"No, mate," said Ron with a shake of his head. "It may be yours."

He frowned. "Thanks, Ron." He turned to Draco. "Ready?"

"Yeah. I guess so."

With a pop, Draco and Harry Disapparated and appeared again in the Ministry lobby.


On to Chapter Seventeen
"The Ministry"

Back to Chapter Fifteen
"Azkaban"

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