Chapter 26 - Old Witchcraft
Harry woke up dazed and confused.
"Where am I?" He wondered, looking around.
He was lying on a stone floor and there were high walls all around.
"Harry?"
Harry turned to see who spoke. It was Ron!
He sat up and was looking around, massaging his head.
"What happened? How did we get here?" Ron asked.
"I don't know." Harry said racking his brain trying to remember where they were before they woke up here.
"I remember some chanting." Harry said.
"Yes, and Hermione passed out suddenly and then so did you." Ron said slowly trying to remember. They he got to his feet and looked around.
"Where is Hermione and Ginny." Ron said panic in his voice.
Harry nearly stopped breathing. He remembered being with them before everything became black.
"We need to get out of here." Harry said getting to his feet. "We need to find them."
Ron made a sound like a moan.
"Are you ok?" Harry asked.
"I think so." Ron muttered. "I feel really weird though."
"What do you mean?" Harry asked.
"I feel.... unhappy.... I think." Ron said. He looked very confused.
Harry stared at him, wondering what's wrong. Of course they were unhappy, they were kidnapped and locked in a dungeon.
Suddenly it hit him, he felt the same thing too, strangely it was not normal kind of unhappiness. He hit himself for not recognising it immediately.
"Dementors." Harry said suddenly, getting to his feet.
"Of course! Now I remember. I must have hit my head too hard." Ron said also scrambling to his feet.
"What are you doing, Harry?" He asked watching Harry rummage through his robes.
"My wand! It's gone!" Harry gasped.
"Mine too!" Ron said in horror. "Whoever brought us here must have taken it."
"I don't get it! Voldemort is gone, the death eaters are either dead or being rounded up by the ministry. It's over." Ron said thinking hard. "Who would want to attack us?"
"The world isn't split into good people and death eaters.... Sirius said that." Harry said. "Maybe these are not death eaters then?"
"Who else do you think wants to do us in?" Ron said. "Would we have to live the rest of our lives with a target on our backs?
"I hope Ginny and Hermione are ok." Harry said desperately looking around for an escape. They were surrounded by stone walls and a small wooden door.
Without their wands they felt completely helpless.
*******
Malfoy opened his eyes but everything was dark. He blinked and suddenly he could see flash of movement around him.
Everything was so fast that he closed his eyes again to keep his head from spinning.
When he opened his eyes again he could see Hermione standing over him and watching him anxiously.
A smile crawled onto his face. She looked so beautiful even though - no - especially because she was worried about him.
"Thank goodness you are ok." She said.
"Of course I'm ok, why wouldn't I be." He said sitting up. Then he realised where he was.
He was in the hospital wing on a bed in the far corner. He could see Madam Pomfrey tending to Ginny and Professor Sprout.
"What happened?" Malfoy asked, his smile vanishing when he realised that this wasn't another dream.
"I don't really know." Hermione said looking upset. "We were coming out of the great hall and suddenly there were these death eaters. They were chanting something, I don't know what, and then I blacked out."
Malfoy dint say anything, trying to remember for himself.
"Ginny said you saved us." Hermione continued. Malfoy snapped out of his train of thoughts and focussed on Hermione's face which was full of gratitude.
"I did?"
"You dove straight on the one trying to take me. Thank you so much!" Hermione said as her eyes filled with tears.
"Don't cry." Malfoy muttered, going red.
"I'm sorry you got hurt." She continued as she wiped away her tears.
"Miss Granger, I suggest you don't speak to him now until the Headmistress arrives." Madam Pomfrey said from behind. She was holding a large chocolate bar in her hand and wore a frown on her face.
"He saved us!" Ginny said.
"We don't know the whole story." Madam Pomfrey replied. "He may know where they took Mr Potter and Mr Weasley."
"Took?" Malfoy said surprised. "They were taken?"
"The noise you made while fighting them brought Professor McGonagall and Professor Sprout to our aid." Ginny said. She looked incredibly dull and looked at Malfoy with a blank expression as she spoke.
"But they managed to drag Harry and Ron with them to the window and then jumped out." She continued.
"Jumped?" Malfoy said confused.
"We have a theory." Hermione said. "That they managed to apparate once they left the castle."
"But you can't apparate inside the castle grounds!" Malfoy said. "Everyone knows that."
Hermione gave him a weak smile and then continued. "There is a loophole."
Malfoy looked at her in surprise. He spent an entire year trying to find a loophole and Hermione already knew it?
"House elves." She said simply.
"Of course!" He said. Then everything clicked. House elves magic is very different from wizards, they can apparate in and out with ease.
"So there must have been a house elf waiting for them at the window."Malfoy said.
"That's the theory. McGonagall is talking to the house elves in the kitchen now." Hermione said.
"No one in the kitchens knows a thing about what happened tonight." Said Professor McGonagall as she entered the hospital wing.
"I don't understand what they want from us." Ginny said. "The dark side has fallen! The war is over!"
"Unfortunately there are still those fighting to bring it back." McGonagall said.
"Miss Granger, Miss Weasley, if you are better now, I would like you to see Professor Flitwick." McGonagall said. "I've sent an owl to your parents who will take you home."
"We can't go home!" Ginny said outraged, jumping to her feet. "Harry and Ron need us!"
"The ministry will find them." McGonagall said firmly. "I have already called for them."
Ginny stormed out without another word and Hermione ran after her.
"You think they would be able to sit at home and wait." Madam Pomfrey asked.
"Not at all. But it's my duty to ask them to." McGonagall said with a small smile, then catching Malfoy's eye, she straightened up and left.
"Where do you think you are going Mr Malfoy." Madam Pomfrey snapped at Malfoy.
"I'm fine, I don't need to stay here." Malfoy said.
"I'll be the judge of that." She said sternly, pushing him back onto the bed and began checking his vitals.
"See! I'm fine." Malfoy said when she was done. "Can I go now?"
"Eat this first." She replied stuffing his mouth with a large chunk of chocolate.
Chocking a little he managed to swallow it quickly and rushed out of the hospital wing and straight to find Hermione.
"We could go to the burrow and then sneak out at night to find them." Hermione was telling Ginny as they walked towards the Gryffindor tower.
"Mum won't let that happen. I'm sure she would be watching us like a hawk." Ginny said.
"Where would we go even if we could?" Hermione asked. "I don't even know what happened that night."
"I do." Malfoy interrupted.
Hermione and Ginny turned to him in surprise. Malfoy took a deep calming breath before he spoke.
"They were trying to bind your lives together." He said.
"What?" Hermione and Ginny said at the same time.
"It's old salem witchcraft. It's something every member of the inner circle must learn." Malfoy continued. "I dint have much time to learn but I recognised the language."
"Old Salem witchcraft?" Hermione said thinking hard.
"Don't tell me you have read about this too?" Ginny said.
"Actually I haven't. I thought it was a myth." Hermione said in surprise.
"It's a dangerous kind of magic. They had to keep it a secret so it was classified as a myth." Malfoy said.
"What is it used for?" Hermione asked.
"Everything from making fires to curses." He replied calmly. "the point is you don't need a wand. Magic is channeled through the power of your mind."
"You said they tried to bind our lives together. Why would they do that?" Ginny asked.
"I don't know, but thats just as dangerous to cast as it is to be casted on. Someone must really want to do this." Malfoy said.
"I guess the library won't be of any use this time." Hermione said in a disappointed tone.
"But I will be." Malfoy said with a smile, his heart fluttering.
*******
Yes I brought Salem witchcraft into this! What do you think?
Will Harry and Ron be ok?
Let me know if you liked this chapter!
Vote. Comment. Follow.
<3<3
Bạn đang đọc truyện trên: AzTruyen.Top