Malfoy, Hermione and Ginny hid in the corner of an empty classroom.

Ginny's opinion of Malfoy changed when she witnessed Malfoy trying to save them.

"Centuries ago there were some witches in Salem who used magic in front of muggles. It was however not an unusual thing to do. Witches and wizards lived harmoniously with muggles in Salem for a long time." Malfoy explained.

"The muggles knew about us?" Ginny said sounding surprised.

"That's what I said, don't interrupt." Malfoy said bossily.

"Anyway" he continued when Ginny fell silent. "There were a few children who fell sick and none of their healers could figure out what caused the sickness so they blamed three witches."

Hermione and Ginny looked outraged.

"Wait, I heard about this!" Hermione said. "Almost twenty witches were executed in the next year or so."

"That's not fair, why does she get to interrupt?" Ginny grumbled when Malfoy nodded in agreement to Hermione.

Hermione and Malfoy silenced her with a look.

"Yes, that's the part the muggles remember." Malfoy said darkly turning back to Hermione. "But there is more.... much more..."

Both girls fell silent, listening intently.

"Although the blame was cast on the three witches who knew the girls, rumours began to spread that other witches were involved. So the muggles began to rally them up and question them about witchcraft." Malfoy said. "Almost 20 witches were executed, including two infants."

"The ministry eventually got involved and wiped everyone's memories and in a few months order was restored but the witches and wizards had to go into hiding." Malfoy said.

"What does this have to do with Harry and Ron?" Ginny asked in a hushed tone.

"I'm getting to that part..." Malfoy said.

"The witches and wizards decided to take revenge for their ones they had lost. They cast a complicated binding spell on some of the families so that if one of them were hurt the others would reflect their pain." Malfoy said.

Hermione and Ginny gasped, covering their mouths in shock.

"That's outrageous!" Hermione said angrily.

"They were hunted and killed like animals, Hermione." Malfoy said with a frown. "Do you really blame them for retaliating?"

"What do you think the death eaters were doing to innocent muggles?" Hermione retorted angrily.

"Stop it!" Ginny interrupted, waving her hands between them. They stopped arguing and turned to her.

"Is that what they did to us? Did they link our lives together?" She asked going pale.

"I'm not sure if they competed the spell. But I recognised the chanting. That's definitely what they were trying to do." Malfoy said.

Hermione and Ginny exchanged glances with a terrified look on their faces.

"That means Harry and Ron are ok, Because I feel fine." Ginny said hopefully.

"Or the spell dint work and we can't feel what's happening to them." Hermione pointed out darkly.

"That's a possibility." Malfoy said. "It's a powerful spell to cast, that's why the number of wizards involved in casting the spell helps a great deal."

Ginny had tears in her eyes. "What do we do?"

"We need to find out who those death eaters were and how they got into Hogwarts." Hermione said.

"They have to be students!" Ginny said. "It's impossible to bring so many death eaters into Hogwarts, unnoticed."

"They must have known about Slughorn's Hallowe'en party." Malfoy pointed out.

"I think we need to talk to Slughorn first." Malfoy said suddenly. Hermione and Ginny looked at him, confused.

"I'm sure Slughorn had nothing to do with death eaters. He spent a lot of time hiding from them few years ago." Hermione told Malfoy.

"But his costumes - I mean - what if he gave out death eater costumes to students." Malfoy said, unsure if he should tell them that he got one himself.

"It's possible." Hermione said. "Harry got a Voldemort costume."

"What!?" Malfoy said in shock, his jaw dropping.

"Maybe we should talk to Slughorn." Hermione said finally agreeing to Malfoy.

"I think we have wasted enough time." Ginny said jumping to her feet. "Let's rally up the DA and go find Harry and Ron."

"Wait, we can't involve the others." Hermione protested. "We don't know who or what we are dealing with, it could be dangerous."

"It's no more dangerous than breaking into the ministry and dealing with Voldemort and his death eaters." Ginny shot back.

"Maybe we should just ask them to find out which students are missing. While you both talk to Slughorn." Malfoy said coming between them to break off the tension.

"What about you?" Hermione asked.

"I don't think my involvement would make things move any faster." Malfoy said with a sad smile.

This seemed to be a fair decision because both girls calmed down.

"I'll go tell Luna to check the Ravenclaw tower for missing students." Ginny muttered "meet you both back here in 20 minutes?"

They nodded as she left the empty classroom.

"I'll tell Neville to search the Gryffindor tower, I won't be able to do that alone." Hermione said.

"And I'll search the dungeons." Malfoy said. "What about Hufflepuff?"

"I'll figure it out." Hermione said with a small smile. In truth she had no idea how many of the DA from Hufflepuff had returned this year to Hogwarts.

"Be back soon." Hermione said and with that she dashed out of the classroom and straight to the Gryffindor tower.

*******

"What happened?" The voice from the shadows spoke.

"We got the boy and one spare." said Ridgewell Hawkes, taking off his death eater mask to reveal a young pale boy with dark eyes.

"And what am I supposed to do with them?" Asked the voice from the shadows.

Hawkes shifted uncomfortably.

"Do you remember what I asked for?" The voice asked coldly and Hawkes nodded.

"Get the boy and his friends." He replied.

"No, you dim wit." The voice hissed. "I only asked for the boy. If their lives were connected that's all I need."

"We did the spell...." Hawkes began. "But we are not sure if it works."

"What do you mean?" The voice growled.

"We were attacked." Hawkes explained.

"Test them. Bring them to me." The voice said.

"B-But master, they -" Hawkes stammered.

"They what?!" The voice growled.

"He is dangerous." Hawkes managed to say. He stood shaking in front of the figure hidden in the shadow of the dark room.

"More dangerous than I?" The voice questioned, he then slowly moved out from under the shadows to revel himself.

He was a horribly disfigured. Every exposed part of his skin, like his face and hands, was burnt and wrinkled. His face was swollen and his eyes were small and hidden behind his heavy eyelids. His mouth was heavily scarred, like it was once sewed together and then ripped apart. His bald head was covered with the hood of his cloak.

No matter how many times Hawkes sees his master, a shiver runs down his spine every time he looks at him.

"Do you need me to show you how dangerous I can be?" He asked in a low voice that made the hair on the back of Hawkes's neck stand.

"N-no master." Hawkes stammered. "I'll get them right away." He then ran out of the room.

Hawkes bursted into the room where the rest of death eaters were waiting.

"He is not happy." Hawkes said to the room at large. "He wants to see the boys."

"But we haven't tested to see if the spell works." said one of the clocked death eaters. She pulled off the mask to reveal her face. It was Pansy Parkinson.

"I told you we can't touch them now!" Another death eater hissed at her.

"I guess we will find out soon enough." Hawkes said. "Bind them and bring them with me."

Two of them immediately obeyed and went to get Harry and Ron.

"You better hope we did not fail." Hawkes told them seriously, wiping sweat from his forehead.

*******

Hey guys!!

Malfoy, Hermione and Ginny..... the silver trio 😋😋

What do you think about the Salem witch story?

What do you think it has to do with the death eaters?!

I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter!! Do let me know what you think about this story.....

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