in which Draco runs away
There was about five minutes of class left when they heard the explosion. It was deafening. The ground shook so violently Draco had to catch his things to prevent them from falling to the ground.
The effect was immediate. People started screaming. Everything was so loud Draco was certain everybody in the building was crying their lungs out. Panic spread through the classroom like wildfire.
The emergency bell started ringing. It was the specific ringing that warned for intruders. No shit, taught Draco.
Pupils started to run for the door, but the Headmistress voice startled them back to reality.
"Enough ! Everyone please remain seated as I give the instructions. I'm going to be very clear. This is not an exercise. I don't know what is going on and there could be many individuals on the Academy's ground right now. We will therefore proceed to the evacuation plan. When I finish giving the instructions, you will stand and walk in a line towards the emergency secret passage. Once on the other side, I will proceed to call the roll. Do not try to get away by your own means, it would endanger not only yourself but all your classmates. Understood ?"
A wave of halfhearted "yes madame" went through the classroom. Draco could feel his own heart speeding up, but ignored it as he scanned the classroom to spot all his friends. He himself was sitting with Granger (the Headmistress had chosen the seats). Blaise and Pansy were together. Theo was somewhere on his right with Longbottom. He didn't look pleased.
When Mcgonagal finally got the secret passage open, she indicated them to proceed as she had said. Draco followed just behind Granger, who he noticed was picking at her nails frantically.
Draco took one second to observe the passage before walking in. It was behind a gigantic painting of the Academy when it was built. It stopped about fifty centimetres above the floor, which meant you had to take a big step to get inside. It was good. Was probably made so that people didn't think twice about checking there for a secret passage. They would probably check behind bookshelves first.
The inside of the passage was dark. They couldn't light any candles, it was against Mcgonagal's order. Fortunately, the passage was cramped enough so that you had nowhere else to go but forward. Draco was practically pressed against Granger, and he could feel her fidgeting. She was normally very brave, but right now she definitely wasn't doing good. Not thinking twice about it, Draco placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
After what Draco supposed to be a couple of minutes, she finally seemed to calm down.
They had been walking for what felt like a century when finally they broke out on the other side. Draco could immediately tell they weren't on school grounds by just looking around. They were in the forest. The forest that was so severely fenced they couldn't take a single step in even if they wanted. Draco know understood why. Here, they were as safe as one could be.
As long as the intruders didn't find the secret passages, they were protected.
After getting his hand back from Granger's shoulder, Draco looked around for his friends. He didn't have to search for long, because Granger found them before he did. She immediately went for Pansy, who blushed terribly hard as the girl was fussing over her, checking she was fine. Blaise and Theo were there as well, and for some reason so was Longbottom.
Well, of course he was there, their whole class was. But the question was, why was he with his friends ?
Draco didn't have time to ask. Actually, even Mcgonagal didn't have time to start calling out names, because every single exits of the passageways that had let every students here exploded as well.
Well that was just his luck. And this time, Mcgonagal wasn't enough to bring back calm.
Then, Draco recognised the uniforms the intruders were wearing. His father's uniforms. Those were his father's men.
Draco didn't understand what was going on. He was about to step in and ask the guy that looked like the leader, when Theo pulled him away violently.
They were surrounded. Everybody was crying. Draco was pretty sure there was a dead teacher lying somewhere he couldn't see, because someone was screaming bloody murder.
His brain was working to its maximum capacity. He didn't understand why his parents would ask his men to invade the school their own son was studying at, but there must be an answer.
Just as Theo tucked Draco's head in a scarf to hide his telltale blond hair did he realised people were looking for him. One of the soldiers must have said something, because it wasn't just his father's men but teachers and students too.
But before he could do anything, before he could step in, the Headmistress was coming right at them. Strangely enough, it was like no else could see her except him and his little group. The others looked as confused as he felt. When she finally got to them, she pushed strange little objects in each of their hands.
She didn't said anything, but Granger must have caught something in her look, because immediately after Mcgonagall had gone away once more, she grabbed Draco and dragged him behind her like a woman on a mission. For a second, Draco was afraid she would drop him at one of the soldier's feet.
That was when it downed on him that for some reason he was afraid of his father's men. He was afraid of them, afraid of what all of that meant. All around him, people were shouting his name. People were looking for him, and Granger was dragging him god knew where and it was like he was invisible.
Draco caught sight of his friends (and Longbottom, who he still had no idea what he was doing here) running after him and Granger. Draco's confusion only grew tenfolds when she dragged him back in the passageway they had came out off. As soon as she was inside, she took off. It was like she was running for dear life. And as she still held onto him, Draco had no other choice but to follow. Behind him, Draco could hear the footsteps of his friends trying to catch up with them, but he couldn't see them. Everything was blurry.
When they shoot out of the other side, Granger didn't stop. Actually, Draco was sure enough she was catching up even more speed.
After what felt like hours running around the deserted grounds of the Academy, Granger stopped. Fucking finally. However it was so sudden Pansy practically smacked right onto them. Blaise looked mildly confused. Pansy didn't lose one second and was suddenly yelling at Granger. Her entire face was red, and she looked ready to tear apart the girl she cared for so much.
Then, something totally uncalled for happened. Theo backhanded Pansy in the face. That shut her up so efficiently it was terrifying. Draco felt the need to say something.
"What do you bloody think you're doing ? These were my father's men. Whatever was going on must have been serious ! What if my Crown's under attack and my father came looking for me to bring me back to safety ?"
The question was meant for Granger, but it was Theo who answered.
"Your father only ever sends mine along with soldiers when it's about to get bloody. If you think I wouldn't recognise my own father in a uniform, then you are terribly wrong. I don't know what was going on in there, but it wasn't about to get pretty." Without caring to elaborate even more, he turned to Granger and showed her the object Mcgonagal had given them. "I suppose you know what this is ? Care to explain ?"
"These are invisibility amulets. There has always been rumours the Headmistress was a witch, but now we know it true. She must have guessed the same thing as you, Nott, either way she wouldn't have given us these. She wanted for Draco to get out of there."
"So, what do we do now ?" asked Blaise, who seemed to be the only one to not have totally lost his shit.
"We're running away, obviously," said Granger.
***
For some reason, as they got their horses ready, Longbottom was still with them. He hadn't said a word, but seemed decided to pursue this little adventure of theirs wherever it led them. Granger had gone off a few minutes ago. She had told them they had ten minutes to get their horses ready. She clearly had no idea how long it took to get a horse ready, because it clearly took less than ten minutes.
She, however, did take ten minutes to come back from wherever she had gone.
It soon became really obvious where she had gone, as she had a gigantic tiger by her side.
And for some reason, Diogenes, too.
Draco saw Theo get seemingly stiff as the tiger approached them. But Crookshanks (Merlin, this name made Draco want to rip himself appart) didn't go anywhere near the boy. Instead, he went straight to Pansy, who scratched him behind the ear like a bloody puppy. That thing was enormous, really. His back was at the same height as Draco's bellybutton, and it honestly was frightening. It was even more when Draco watched the tiger stretch his neck so that he had access to Pansy's face and promptly licked her reddened cheek from where Theo had slapped her. Pansy kissed the top of the tiger's head. Draco taught he must have been dreaming. Then Diogenes flew to him and head-butted him straight on the forehead, and Draco realised he definitely wasn't dreaming.
For a second, Draco wondered if Granger was going to ride a horse. It seemed terribly unlikely, giving who they were talking about. Then he saw the saddle-like harness she was holding in one hand and it downed on him that she was going to ride the bloody tiger. He would have seen everything.
However, he didn't even tried to question her, as they suddenly heard distant shouts.
Fuck. The soldiers must have realised he had gotten out somehow and were now searching the grounds. Hermione indicated them to get on their horses as she swiftly tied the harness on her tiger. Draco observed as the girl got on the weird saddle. The thing had some foot-holders on each side of it to prevent the rider's legs from getting in the way. No matter what, it was fucking genius. At the last moment, Granger check they all had their invisibility amulets somewhere safe. When Theo asked her until when the spell would last, she practically laughed in his face before informing him that a spell this strong was basically everlasting.
As they made their way out of the stables, Granger informed them that the amulets didn't keep the noise out which meant they would have to go slowing to not drag the soldiers' attention to themselves. When galloping, horses' hooves made noise, even on grass. Therefore, walking speed it was.
Draco doubted Granger ; at least until they did, in fact, made it out of the school grounds without the soldiers even looking in their general direction.
As soon as they were out, they took off at full speed. Draco had no idea where they were going, but it wasn't like he had an opinion to give on the matter. He figured he would know what was going on soon enough. For know, his priority was to put as much space as possible between the Academy and himself.