Draco Malfoy and the Deathly Hallows (BOOK 7 of 7)

Chapter 29-Snatching

It was nearing the end of March when Draco once again awoke to the sound of noise in his own house. He quickly got ready and made his way downstairs to find Snatchers pouring into the drawing room, along with a few other Death Eaters.

"Great," Draco remarked to Snape. "What is it this time?"

"If it is any consolation, I have not been told either."

Draco tried to listen in on the chatter, but could barely make out any snippets of information that seemed relevant. In a split second, a black wisp flew into the room and materialized into their leader. 

"It seems we are in need of a hunt," Voldemort began. "There is news of an illegal band of mudbloods and goblins on the run. Additionally, Severus has informed me that one Neville Longbottom has been leading a rebllion against the Carrows at Hogwarts, a rebellion that took part in a Support Harry Potter Party hosted by our favorite gamekeeper."

Draco really hoped he wouldn't be asked to deal with any of the the people the Dark Lord had just mentioned.

Looking to Theo's father, Voldemort said, "Nott, I require that you immediately inform the Minister to assign one of his Auror's to capture, not kill, Augusta Longbottom. She is of pure blood, but her capture will allow us to control her grandson."

Nott Sr. nodded and vaporized away.

"Severus," said Voldemort as he turned to the headmaster, "please take these three" gesturing to the remaining Death Eaters "to Hogwarts so that they may arrest Hagrid."

Arrest Hagrid? For throwing a party?

"Yes, my Lord," Snape bowed his head and motioned for the others to follow him.

Once they had gone, Voldemort turned to Draco and the Snatchers. "Ted Tonks, Dirk Cresswell, and Dean Thomas—three mudbloods that are currently on the run with goblins Gornuk and Griphook."

Ted Tonks was on the run? He must have gone some time after Theo and Pansy stopped writing to Draco. And Dean Thomas was in his year. Draco needed to make sure they were okay. But Griphook was most important. Draco knew he was being selfish, but he didn't trust Griphook to keep his mouth shut about his encounter with Draco and the fake sword.

"They were last located ten minutes ago in Cardiff Bay by the Taboo Curse," Voldemort finished. "I have mended the curse so that you will all be aware when someone speaks my name so that I do not have to tell you every time. Find these criminals and whoever else dares to speak the feared name of Lord Voldemort. Draco, I expect you to return as soon as possible as I require your assistance with a certain wizard in Nurmengard."

"Yes, my Lord," Draco told him as he vanished away. Draco knew instantly that the Dark Lord must have somehow located Grindelwald, which was the last thing Draco needed. He also had to wonder, if the Dark Lord needed his assistance, why was he being sent to lead a bunch of Snatchers? Unfortunately, he was in the dark about everything, and regarding Grindelwald, could only hope that the older wizard would take to his grave the name of the wizard who'd once defeated him. But now he had to focus on the task at hand.

"Everyone to Cardiff Bay!" he commanded, whisking away to Wales. It quickly became clear that Draco had been sent on this mission because Voldemort needed Draco's magic, or at least his brain, to help the Snatchers find the group in the huge bay.

"They must be on one of these boats," Scabior told his crew. "Fan out and find them!"

"Not so fast!" Draco halted them. "It'll take us forever, and by then the people we're looking for will have gone." Either he could pretend to try very hard and not find anyone, or find the group and intentionally fail to capture them. He quickly decided that the first option would rouse suspicion and the second would ensure that the group left the bay. They'd probably be found either way with Draco's spectacular luck.

He stepped away from the group and waved his wand, revealing the heat signatures in each boat.

"That one down there," he signaled to the boat at the start of the docks. "My wand tells me there are five beings in that one."

He followed the Snatchers, led by Scabior, as they stealthily crept up to the boat, wands at the ready. They slowly boarded, careful not to make a sound. As much as Draco wanted to, he knew he couldn't intentionally mess up the mission—the Dark Lord knew he was too smart for mistakes. He really hoped it was the wrong boat.

Scabior had now entered the captain's cabin and motioned for his men to get ready behind him as they descended the stairs. With all the Snatchers focused, Draco realized it might be the perfect time to magically shake the boat hard enough to catch them off guard and warn the "illegals" to leave.

Suddenly, Scabior motioned with his wand and in an instant, all the Snatchers vaporized right into the room below. Draco quickly followed, but it was too late—Dirk Cresswell and Gornuk lay dead on the ground, the other three captured.

As he entered the room, he locked eyes with an angry Dean Thomas, a disappointed Ted Tonks, and a scared Griphook.

"Why did you kill them?" Draco demanded. "They're supposed to go to the Ministry to stand trial for their crimes."

"Since when do you follow the law?" one of the new recruits said, clearly trying to be impressive to his peers.

"Since the Dark Lord was the one who started making those laws," Draco shot back, giving him a murderous look that shut him up. "You know very well we're supposed to find out everything they've done and everything they know."

Scabior stepped forward, smirking. "If these two poor souls 'adn't tri' tuh be mean and just worked with us a bit, per'aps there'd be a thing or two ta tell!" He cackled nastily. "Relax, little Malfoy. What those two knew, ah bet these three do too."

"Very well, then," Draco accepted. "I don't really care for the goblin." As soon as Draco said it, he mentally chastised himself. He shouldn't have selfishly risked Griphook's life to keep his secret safe.

"Goblins can do a lot these days," Scabior pointed out. "I say we keep 'im, and even if he's got nuffing, I do love to 'ear one of 'em squeal."

For once, Draco was thankful that the leader of the Snatchers was completely mental. Without knowing it, Scabior had just undone Draco's error.

"I think we should start with this one," Draco said, moving to Dean Thomas. "Gryffindor in my year, good mates with Potter. If anyone should know something, him."

"I don't know a thing," said Dean, "and if I did, I wouldn't be sharing it with the likes of you!" He tried to kick Draco in the shin, but Slytherin saw it coming and halted him with his wand.

"Let's try this again," Draco inched closer, hoping his plan would work. "Answer me, or the old man gets a taste of the most fun Unforgivable."

Fortunately, the Gryffindor wasn't backing down. "Try me." Draco clenched his jaw in false hatred and pointed his wand at Ted Tonks without turning. Out of the corner of his eye, he noted that the Snatcher had shifted his focus to Ted. Concentrating his wandless energy on Dean, Draco Imperiused the boy to backflip over the unfocused Snatcher and steal his wand back.

Once free of both the Snatcher and the mind control, Dean stunned the Snatcher holding Ted, but in a quick flash, his own Snatcher shot Ted with the familiar green light. Although he was in shock, Dean disapparated immediately from the boat.

Draco didn't say a word. It took one death to enable one escape. How was that better than if they were both still held captive?

"Great, you fools, look what you've done," he told the Snatchers. "One escaped and another dead."

But before he could give them further instructions, Scabior's wand shot up and displayed three words: Xenophilius Lovegood, Home.

"Looks like we've got a new one, eh boys?" he snickered.

Turning to the Snatcher who held Griphook, Draco said, "Take him back to the dungeons and then you're free to leave. The rest of you, to the Lovegood residence."

Things were about to get a lot worse.

A/N: As always, I encourage you all to share this book with your friends, comment, vote, and keep on reading! Thank you all so much!