Chapter 48 Draco
Chapter 48 Draco
Draco reluctantly followed Voldemort out of the dungeons and up into the main house. Everything looked the same, the crisp lines of the heavy curtains, green wallpaper, cold tiled floor, but it was different, Draco was different.The horcrux was still in his pocket it bashed irritatingly against his side as he walked as if to remind him of its presence. Voldemort made no indication that he could sense that it was near but Draco felt conspicuous. He felt like he was holding up a banner that read ‘I HAVE A HORCRUX IN MY LEFT POCKET’
Voldemort continued walking until they reached the dining room, Voldemort’s unofficial war room.
Voldemort gracefully took his seat at the head of the table, floating down into his seat like he was made of smoke. Lucius, Bellatrix and Severus filed in behind Voldemort and took their seats, Draco followed suit and sat down, he really needed to sit down. Being back at his childhood home was unnerving, he worried about Dudley, how much were they risking just to stay together? Draco would never forgive himself if something happened to Dudley now, after he had the opportunity to take him somewhere safe. Draco tried to push the thought away.
The meeting was surprisingly uneventful.
Voldemort asked Draco to recall every detail of his fabricated journey through treacherous woodland chasing Dudley. Voldemort just … believed him. He must be a better actor than he gave himself credit for, lucius alone gave him a sideways glance as he told his tale, lines furrowing his forehead in an expression that Draco interpreted as somewhere between dislike and amusement. Voldemort then informed him of several boring updates he had missed, death eaters from Europe were moving into the country en mass. Several dark wizards from America were also arriving in the next few days, there was a tense anticipation in him as he spoke, Voldemort was tugging on his chains impatient to start his slaughter, he could smell blood in the water now. They believed Harry would be arriving at Hogwarts soon.
‘Why would Harry go to Hogwarts? Hogwarts is under our control isn’t it? Snape is headmaster.’ Draco asked the question meeting Voldemort’s yellowing eyes.
Voldemort glanced at Snape.
‘We have intelligence that he is searching for something there.’ Snape drawled.
Draco just nodded.
Clearly Voldemort now knew Harry was eliminating horcruxes, one must be hidden at Hogwarts. The horcrux in his pocket suddenly felt white hot, like it was burning right through his clothing. Did he know the Riddle House horcrux was missing? Had he already sent someone to check on it? Draco had to leave, he had to hide it, he had to keep it safe until they could destroy it. The others continued speaking, moving on to discus housing for some of their new guests.
‘Excuse me my lord? May I be excused. I would like to shower and sleep if possible. It had been a hard few weeks.’
Voldemort said nothing, instead flicking his wrist in dismissal, as if waving him away. Draco stood and left the room pointedly not making eye contact with anyone though he knew they all watched.
Draco wanted more than anything to go back and check on Dudley but more pressingly he needed to speak to Vinny and find out what had happened to killer. No-one had told him about a juvenile basilisk that had been found in the house so he assumed Vinny must have moved her.
Draco hurried through the house, half jogging in the direction of Vinny’s kitchen.
‘Master Draco!’ Vinny squealed as Draco tumbled through the door. Vinny was stood on a tatty wooden stool, wearing a green pinny and covered in flour, he had been kneading something at the countertop.
‘Vinny! It’s good to see you!’
Vinny hopped off the stool and gave Draco’s leg a strong hug.
‘Vinny’s been missing Master Draco and Dudley, is theys okay?’
‘We’re… well we’re back and we’re both alive. But Vinny, the basilisk isn’t in the dungeon what happened?’
Vinny’s posture changed quickly, he hunched over himself.
‘Vinny is being very sorry Master Draco. Vinny couldn’t be leaving the basilisk in the box. She was beings far too big now!’
‘Where is she then?’
‘The basilisk is in the garden’ Vinny pointed out the window with a bony finger. ‘She living happy down there. Vinny is tellings her not to go too far and tellings her not to be eatings people’s. She is good girl, she listen to Vinny. Vinny has been strugglings to feed her though. Vinny is having to steal from muggle farms to feed her.’ He looked ashamed, large tears pooling and threatening to fall from his enormous orb-like eyes.
‘She’s in the garden?’
‘Sorry master! It is all Vinny can be thinking to do! Master Malfoy or the dark lord would be findings her if Vinny leave her in dungeon. She is very large now.’ Vinny grabbed at his trouser leg prostrating himself at Draco’s feet.
‘It’s okay Vinny! Well done, please- you did a good job! Well done! Thankyou!’
Vinny wiped away his tears looking up at Draco from the floor in disbelief.
It was somewhat alarming to find out killer had been living unconfined in the garden but she was still alive, that meant they could still use her venom to destroy the horcrux.
‘Can you take me to her?’
‘Of course master Draco!’ Vinny took off his pinny and excitedly led Draco out into the garden, they wound their way down the gravel path and through the orchard at the bottom and then further still into the woodland that surrounded the southern side of the Malfoy estate. They walked for a minute or two, the trees were quite dense and very tall, mostly spindly fir trees, bare at the bottom but topped with deep green foliage from halfway up the trunk. They thinned into a clearing where several trees had been felled and arranged in a sort of triangular shape, there in the middle of the trees curled up around herself like a lazy cat was killer. She was huge, taller than a large horse and easily 20 feet long. When they had left for the horcrux she had still been able to curl up in her box.
‘Fuck!’ Draco was barely able to speak through his shock.
‘She started to grow very quicks.’ Vinny added. He smiled at Draco, clearly proud of himself for keeping her safe for him.
‘No shit? She’s fucking enormous Vinny! What the hell are we going to do with her?’ Draco brought his hand to his forehead in exasperation.
‘Has she produced any venom yet?’ He eventually asked.
‘No venom yet but her venom sack is growing, she will produce venom soon. I’m sure of it.’ Vinny pointed to a small lump on the side of killers jaw, it was slightly pink in colour and had a leathery texture, it was about the size of a fist.
Draco was a mess, relief, frustration, worry, exhaustion and anticipation all thrummed through him in a heady cocktail.
Killer began to stir, their voices must have woken her, she started to unwind herself from her curled up position. Her scales were even more incredible than they had been a few weeks ago, they glistened in the dappled light that was leaking through the trees, opalescent and somehow translucent and opaque at the same time. She was a contradiction. So beautiful and yet so terrifying. Draco trusted her, but he could see the knife sharp spikes that coated her back, one of those spikes could kill him in one slice. The largest spikes at the top of her spine were now as big as Draco’s forearm. She sniffed the air, clearly sensing the presence of someone new, she perked up, growing excited. Her enormous head following the scent to where Draco stood. The ground trembled beneath her. Draco had to fight the urge to run away, he knew she wouldn’t hurt him but just looking at her his instinct was to bolt in the opposite direction. She carefully placed her head on the ground infront of him, nudging gently into his legs. She huffed, which sent a strong warm wind from her nostrils that almost made Draco take a step backwards to steady himself.
‘Hi.’ He said
Killer let out a contented whine and huffed again.
Draco stepped forwards and very carefully scratched between her eyes. She was the same, still a sweetheart. He relaxed and carefully tickled under her chin. Killer rumbled something akin to a purr.
As much as he wanted to stay with killer longer he needed to get back, he had to check on Dudley.
He gave her one last scratch under her chin, the scales were so cold and hard they almost felt like metal.
‘See you soon okay?’ He whispered.
Killer nudged his torso this time, almost knocking him to the ground. She huffed again in answer and then turned to slide back into her nest.
Draco left Vinny in his kitchen, thanking him again as he left.
Draco checked that Voldemort was still occupied, they were still huddled in the dining room deep in discussion, several maps and diagrams laid out on the table in front of them.
Relieved Draco rushed back to the dungeon, they should be safe for a while.
Draco entered the dungeon corridor with excitement, he couldn’t wait to tell Dudley killer was okay, and she was almost producing venom! Draco stopped in his tracks, he heard Dudley before he saw him. Soft hitching breaths. Was he… crying?
Draco’s stomach dropped. He was an idiot. He shouldn’t have brought him here. What was he thinking? He apparated into Dudley’s cell.
‘Dudley? Are you okay?’ Draco approached the heap of blankets that Dudley was huddled underneath.
Dudley quickly stopped crying. Draco hated that Dudley tried to hide his tears from him. He wanted every part of Dudley, he needed to know when he wasn’t okay.
Draco pulled at one of the blankets covering Dudley.
Underneath Dudley was ghostly pale and shivering, his eyes were rimmed with red and his nose was running, leaving a wet patch on the fabric. He still had no shirt on and another blanket was wrapped around his waist, it was spotted with bright red blood. He opened his eyes but didn’t look up at Draco.
‘Dudley…’ Draco said his name like it was a prayer, that escaped his lips unbidden. Draco was sure he heard his own heart break in the quiet of the dungeon.
He said nothing and Dudley didn’t reply, he merely closed his eyes in shame. He had nothing to be ashamed of, Draco wished he could get Dudley to understand that.
He needed to be the strong one now, he needed to give Dudley what Dudley had given him. He would be that person for Dudley, he would carry him through when Dudley couldn’t carry himself.
Draco carefully removed the blanket from around Dudley’s middle. Dudley remained limp, allowing Draco to manipulate his arms to get the blanket off. Dudley’s stomach was a mess, awash with scars. Dark red blood was congealing along the length of the healing cut.
‘I’ll be right back’ Draco said stroking a hand down Dudley’s cheek. He left Dudley on the floor and quickly grabbed some warm water and bandages from his bathroom and a fresh set of clothes from his drawers.
He gently washed away the blood with fresh water and cleaned Dudley’s wound again before wrapping it in clean bandages. Draco then cast a new warming charm on the cell. He undressed Dudley gently, pulling off his shoes and trousers, throwing them into the corner. He redressed him with slow reverent hands. He tugged the jumper over Dudley’s head, careful to avoid touching his bandages as he pulled it down to cover his wound.’
When he was sure Dudley was clean, warm and dry he picked up their old copy of the lion the witch and the wardrobe from the pile of books they had left in the cell.
Draco sat with his back against his wall, just like he had when he used to read to Dudley all those months ago. He pulled Dudley towards him, so he was nestled between Draco’s legs. It was the way that Dudley usually held him. It always made Draco feel safe and he hoped it could do the same for Dudley. It didn’t quite have the same effect, Draco was so much smaller than Dudley but Dudley helped and let himself sink down so he was laying on Draco’s chest rather than sat upright like Draco usually did.
‘I love you.’ Draco said, he stroked his fingers through Dudley’s thick hair and began to read.
Draco could feel the tension leaving Dudley with each word. Every page he finished Dudley seemed to unknot and unravel in his arms.
Dudley’s breathing also slowed, his breaths no longer sharp and shallow. His chest rose and fell rhythmically in Draco’s periphery.
He had endless patience for Dudley, he would sit there and read for him for days if that was what Dudley needed. He wanted to give Dudley what Dudley had given him, a safe harbour in the chaos of a storm.
It took a while, but as Draco finished a chapter Dudley stirred.
‘Thank you.’ He said.
Draco put the book down, he could tell that Dudley was ready to talk.
‘What happened?’ Draco asked.
Dudley sat up and turned to look at Draco. Draco couldn’t help but notice him wince as he moved.
‘I think it was just overwhelming being back here. Maybe I got a little too used to my freedom at the cabin. I’ll be okay though, I just need to re-acclimatise.’
‘I shouldn’t have brought you.’ Draco said cupping Dudley’s chin.
‘I asked you to. I still don’t regret it, I just don’t think I thought it all the way through.’ Draco nodded.
‘How did you hide your memories?’ He asked, Draco thought he knew but wanted confirmation.
‘It was easy actually. I just put them behind the wall in my head and they were safe.’
Dudley said it like it was simple but that was advanced occlumency, Draco considered himself gifted at occlumency but even he might have found it a tricky to hide memories so quickly and under such pressure.
‘Amazing. You’re amazing.’ He gushed.
Dudley blushed. Then his expression darkened.
‘What happened to killer?’ He asked with a grimace, his voice fraught with anxiety.
Draco delighted, glad he could give Dudley some good news.
‘She’s fine!’ He smiled. Dudley looked at him dumbstruck. A shy smile pulled at the edges of his mouth and his eyes were glassy. Draco didn’t quite understand their relationship but it clearly meant a lot to Dudley.
‘How? Where is she?’
‘She’s at the bottom of the garden, Vinny had to move her… she’s… well she grew.’
‘Too big for the dungeon?’
‘Definitely.’
‘You’ve seen her? She’s really okay?’
‘I’ve seen her. She’s fine Dudley. Maybe when everyone’s asleep we can go down and see her, if we’re careful.’ It would be risky but Dudley needed something good right now.
‘Can we?’ Dudley was crying properly now. Tears peppering his flushed cheeks.
‘Mmm hmmm’ Draco nodded, glad he could give Dudley this simple joy.
Dudley leaned forwards into him burying his head in Draco’s shoulder.
Draco placed his hand on the back of Dudley’s head and rubbed comforting circles on Dudley’s back with his stump.
‘We’ll be okay you know?’ Draco whispered into his ear.
‘I love you.’ Dudley replied, his voice muffled by Draco’s shirt.