A/N: Okay so people have been asking a lot about this story and how a lot of stuff has happened. PLEASE KEEP READING TO FIND OUT. Further chapters will give you clues. Thanks to all those who reviewed. I hope the outcome of my whole story would be okay. I’m just a little nervous, that’s all. This is actually a story that I started when I was still 14, but I only continued it now. So now, I bring you CHAPTER 6: THE MISSING FERRET! :)
The next few days were quite boring. There was nothing new or extraordinary that happened. It was the same routine for Hermione for the past week. Get up. Go to class. Get insulted by the Slytherins. Do homework. Go to bed.
Hermione hardly spent any time with Harry and Ron. The only classes she had with them were Defense Against the Dark Arts with Snape and Transfiguration with McGonagall. Aside from that, they just had breakfast, lunch and dinner together.
But something had been bothering her for the past few days. Draco Malfoy had not insulted her nor had he paid any attention to her since that little fight they had five days ago. It’s supposed to be a good thing, she often told herself, but she didn’t feel just that. She actually felt that she had wanted Malfoy to insult her day after day.
Hermione shook her thoughts away from Malfoy once again and diverted her attention back to Transfiguration. Professor McGonagall was teaching them how to transfigure parts of their bodies.
“This spell is quite complicated, so you need to work on it together with a partner.” Professor McGonagall spoke. Everyone in the room groaned.
“Oh come on, it’s not that bad!” she said. “Okay now let’s see…Potter, you may pair up with Miss Granger…Weasley, you can go with Finnigan…”
Each student scurried to his partner. Harry and Hermione took a seat at a table beside the window.
“Hermione, could I ask you something?” Harry spoke in a low voice.
“Sure, Harry.” she replied, grabbing Harry’s arm and muttering a spell.
“Well, I’ve been noticing that you haven’t been yourself lately.”
Hermione looked up, her brows furrowed. “What d’you mean?” she asked.
Harry looked down on his arm (which was now an umbrella). “I mean, you don’t talk much anymore. You always look like you’re thinking of something really deep. Is there something bothering you, ‘Mione?” He looked up at her, his eyes twinkling with sympathy.
Her eyes met Harry’s as she bit her lower lip. How Hermione wished that she could tell Harry what she was feeling, but she couldn’t help but think that he wouldn’t understand—because she couldn’t understand herself either.
“I-It’s nothing, Harry. Really, it’s nothing.” she turned back her attention to Harry’s arm.
“Well, okay, if you say so. But ‘Mione…” Harry held Hermione’s hand that was holding his other arm in place. Hermione looked quizzically at Harry.
“Tell me if you’re having trouble with something. Okay?” Harry beamed at her.
Hermione gave a sigh and smiled back. “Of course I will.”
They both giggled and went back to work. After several spells on Harry’s arm, it was Hermione’s turn.
As Harry took her arm, her eyes wandered around the room. She spotted Pansy Parkinson transfiguring Blaise Zabini’s foot into an ice block. Hermione’s eyes searched the room for Malfoy, but she couldn’t see him anywhere.
“Harry? Where’s Malfoy? Isn’t he supposed to be in this class?” Hermione asked Harry.
“Malfoy? Well, word has it that he suddenly left the Slytherin tower without telling anyone where he was going.” Harry said while turning Hermione’s fingers into flowers.
Hermione pulled her arm away from Harry and slightly backed away. Her eyes widened in disbelief.
“You mean Malfoy got out of the castle?” she blurted out.
“Reckon he did. Filch isn’t a very good guard, you know.” Harry shrugged.
Hermione allowed her arm to be taken by Harry again. Malfoy’s…gone? she thought to herself. Why did he leave? He hasn’t been himself lately. Did it have something to do with Voldemort? She didn’t know why she was asking herself so many questions—questions about Malfoy.
“I have to find out why.”, she said absentmindedly.
“Excuse me?” Harry asked, glancing up at her.
“Nothing.”
“WHERE IS HE?!”
“Kooky d-does not know s-sir! K-Kooky looked everywhere but Kooky c-could not find Young M-Master M-Malfoy!”
“YOU FILTHY WORTHLESS PIECE OF RUBBISH!”
Lucius Malfoy picked up his staff and started to beat Kooky, the house elf. Kooky shrieked and squealed in pain as the metal end of the staff was shoved into his thin, bony skin. It was like every part of his small body was being destroyed into bits. Just as Kooky felt like he was about to die, Lucius retreated his staff to his side.
“Try harder if you don’t want this to happen again.” Lucius scowled.
Kooky whimpered as he struggled to get up and limped out of the Malfoy Manor library.
Lucius waved his wand at an ancient vase and instantly it exploded into bits. He growled at himself as he slumped into his velvet-covered recliner.
Where could that foolish boy be? he asked himself. That greasy old hag Dumbledore owled him this morning that Draco had escaped from the castle. He left all his belongings in the Slytherin tower except his broom and his wand. Damn that boy! He’s just like his mother!
Suddenly, Lucius felt something slither beneath him. He looked down on his black leather boots and saw a twelve-foot snake coiling around them. It looked up at Lucius with its beady eyes and hissed.
“Ah, Nagini. I thank you for finding Lucius for me.”
Lucius spun around and saw the Dark Lord standing behind the recliner. Nagini loosened herself on Lucius’ boots and quickly slithered towards Voldemort.
“M-My Lord, w-what brings you here?” Lucius scrambled to his feet and bowed to the Dark Lord.
Voldemort gently stroked Nagini’s head. “Have you heard any news on the whereabouts of your son, Lucius?” Lucius’ eyes widened.
“H-How did you know, my Lord?”
“My dear Lucius, I know everything.” Voldemort hissed.
Lucius got down on his knees and bowed his head.
“I had no intention of keeping it to myself, My Lord. I swear, I was going to tell—“ Lucius sputtered.
“Lucius, Lucius, Lucius. To tell you quite frankly, I expected a lot more from that boy since he is your son. But I expect treachery runs in Narcissa’s blood. You know, with Regulus, Sirius, Nymphadora, Narcissa herself…and now, your son.”
Lucius gulped as Voldemort circled around him. Nagini followed.
“D-Draco’s loyalty will always be with you, My Lord. I am sure of that.”
“Then why, Lucius?”, Voldemort hissed in Lucius’ ear, “Why did he leave Hogwarts? Why did he leave when he had a mission to fulfill for me? Perhaps he does not want to become my follower anymore. Did you not think of that, Lucius?” Voldemort stood in front of him.
“I assure you, My Lord, Draco is not brave enough to defy you.” Lucius said softly.
“That’s a lie! Did you see how he tried to protect his foolish mother? He entered the room knowing that I am capable of killing him, too!” Voldemort bellowed. Nagini hissed as she slithtered on the floor near Voldemort’s feet.
Lucius fell silent .He had no answer for this. Voldemort continued.
“I believe there is something you do not know, Lucius.”
“And that is, My Lord?” Lucius looked up.
“Your son has done something grave against me.” Voldemort snarled. Lucius’ face stiffened.
“What has he done, My Lord?” Lucius trembled.
“Do not ask questions. It is clear, Lucius that your son is not with me. Therefore, he is against me.” Voldemort whispered harshly.
“What do you want me to do about it, My Lord?” Lucius muttered carefully.
Voldemort lifted Lucius back on his feet with his wand. Nagini circled around Lucius.
“I want you to hunt for the child.” Voldemort said coldly.
Lucius took a deep breath and bowed to Voldemort again. “I am doing everything in my power, My Lord, to find Draco. Do not worry I will have him—“
“Not Draco, I want the girl.” Voldemort said slowly.
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