Chapter 4
By the time Harry left the bathroom, after cleaning himself up, it seemed to be the end of lunch. That meant two things. One, Defence with Snape was next. Two, Hermione was going to kill him.
“Your best friend is missing, and all you have to say is ‘I don’t know’! Ronald Weasley, you are impossible.” Hermione smacked the boy with her book. In all fairness, he did look pretty guilty.
Harry quickened his pace in order to grab the book before his friend suffered another hit.
“Harry!” She hugged him and for a brief moment he thought he had escaped her wrath.
“Where have you been? Professor Sprout and I were worried sick about you. I looked everywhere for you and so did Ron. It’s been over three hours; I do hope you have a good explanation.” She glared at him expectantly. He couldn’t explain the visions, the run in with Malfoy, his desperate plea or the Burbage situation to her. She would chastise him endlessly for allowing Voldemort in his head again. Then Ron would raise suspicion about Malfoy and to be truly honest, Harry could not be bothered with any of it.
“It was a really, really bad… hangover.” He looked sheepishly to Ron, who grimaced.
“Harry James Potter. You are an idiot.” He could feel she was going to lecture him further, when Snape entered the room. The positive atmosphere instantly dropped, the room itself delving into darkness.
“He seems in a worse mood than normal.” Ron whispered to the other two.
“Silence. 20 points from Gryffindor.” There was a slight grumble of annoyance throughout the room.
“You will all be expected to use non-verbal spells for the rest of your time at Hogwarts. If I hear a single spell leave your mouth, high amounts of house points will be deducted.” Harry felt as though this was aimed directly at him.
“You will be duelling in groups of four. Whether you take it in turns to duel each other or double up is your choice. Get to it.”
A group of four. Right. The three glanced around the room in the hopes of finding a good fourth. Neville had dropped the subject at the first chance he got. Seamus and Dean had paired up with a couple of Slytherins that Harry couldn’t name. Parkinson and Zabini had doubled up with Nott and Montague.
An idea came to Harry. He scanned the room for a particular blonde and found him sulking in the corner. He turned to propose the idea to his friends, but they were too focused on each other. He would have to do this alone. He could do this alone.
“Potter.” Malfoy didn’t look away from the spot on the wall he was intensely staring at.
“Malfoy. Looks like your friends left you.” Harry inwardly cringed. That’s the perfect thing to say to someone you want to join your group.
“Hm. Is this where you ask me to join your little trio because I have no other choice?” He raised his eyebrow, smirking.
Perhaps it was the right thing to say.
“Will you?”
“I suppose.” He pushed himself away from the wall, brushing past Harry. It was closer than necessary, there was an entire room of space he could have walked in. He was about to say as much when he felt a small weight in his pocket.
“Are you coming Potter?”
“You’re not serious. I don’t want to work with the slimy git.” Ron puffed in anger, gesturing rudely towards Malfoy, who simply rolled his eyes.
“The feeling is mutual Weasel.” He stood tall next to Harry. Even Ron, who was certainly one of the tallest in the year had to tilt his head to look at Draco.
“Ron, there isn’t anyone else. We have to.” Hermione soothed her not quite boyfriend until he agreed.
“Doubles then? I’ll be with Malfoy.” Harry smiled towards the group as they moved to a spot away from the class.
Hermione and Ron glanced at each other before bowing to the other pair, who returned it. They all readied their wands, spells at the front of their mind.
There was a moment of tense silence as they all refused to make the first move.
Harry had waited long enough, he went to throw a basic jinx towards Hermione.
“Mr Potter. My desk. Now.” Harry tried his best not to groan as he pocketed his wand. He didn’t look back, missing the concerned look on Malfoy's face and the suspicious looks on the other’s.
“Professor.” He gritted out. All he could imagine was Snape torturing the muggles on the quiet streets of a village.
The man casted a strong Muffliato Charm around the two of them before speaking.
“He does indeed have what you seek. There are signs of mistreatment, presumably for information regarding your schedule and daily routine. There is no longer any use for it, plans for its disposal have been made for tonight. There is no ‘getting it back.’ Do you understand Mr Potter.” Harry knew it wasn’t a question; he knew he shouldn’t argue but he couldn’t just let someone die.
“Professor. Surely there’s something, anything you can do.” For a moment the man seemed pained. It was long gone before Harry could register it.
“There is not.” He removed the charm before dismissing Harry.
He glared after the man. There was always something to be done. He knew how long he had now to find the location and save the professor. If another person died because of him, well, he didn’t think he could take it.
“Potter. No.” Malfoy grabbed his arm, before he could re-join his friends. “Read it first.” Harry shook him off, continuing towards his friends.
“What was that about?” Harry really did consider telling them. They were his friends, his closest allies. Yet, there was something stopping him, a nagging feeling in the back of his head, one he couldn’t silence.
“He was lecturing me on the improper duelling stance. Then ‘I can only hope I do not see the same pitiful excuse of an attempt in your essays’. That was before mocking my dead parents and the fact that I will amount to nothing because I’m exactly like my father.” He paused. “So, you know, the usual.”
Ron chuckled, slapping Harry on the shoulder whilst Hermione shook her head. Draco was shocked at the smoothness of the lie. He did not expect the Golden Boy to lie to his friends.
“Your assignment is a three-page essay on why non-verbal spells are essential during battles. I expect every student here to receive at least an E. If you do not, you can rewrite the essay in detention every night until you do.” With that, the class was dismissed. Harry excused himself from his friends, racing ahead so he could read the note. Malfoy had disappeared when Snape was talking.
Harry rounded a corner, the hallway was empty so he pulled the folded parchment out.
‘Meet me at 11. I know you will be able to tell where I am. Don’t act rashly before listening to me. – D’
Harry’s eyes widened. Did Malfoy know about the map? He had been careful all of last year, only using under the cloak or in his dorm room. He tried not to panic, deciding he would interrogate the other later. He frowned at the last line, his natural reaction would be to save the professor. Every part of him was screaming at him to move, fly the entire country to save her from his grasp.
Draco had once again given him a reminder. Harry couldn’t act rashly; he couldn’t afford a slip up. He would listen to Malfoy, then decide what to do.
Only seven hours to wait.