Not So Alone in the Night Who: Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter When: May 22nd, 1998, middle of the night Where: Library, Hogwarts What: Draco and Harry fight Death Eaters in the library. Notes: Violence, Angst Status: Complete
Draco had tossed and turned for hours and finally sighed, giving up on sleep for another night. He dressed and quietly excited the dorms, making his way up stairs to the library. One benefit of school not being in session, is there was no longer a curfew. He decided to work in the library rather than suffer his own thoughts in the night.
After waking up from a very strange dream, including Malfoy of all people, Harry found himself quietly wandering down the halls towards the library. He was spending a lot more time in the place than he ever thought he would, and for some reason he wanted to go there that night. He stepped inside and looked around, planning on just sitting next to one of the many stacks of books.
Draco had lit a candle and was sitting at a table in the back, sorting through some of the older volumes from the damaged restricted section. When he heard the door, he picked up his wand and looked toward the front. "Who is there?" he asked.
Harry reached for his wand and pulled it out, even though the voice sounded familiar. "Malfoy?" he asked, slowly walking down the aisle.
Draco recognised the voice and lowered his wand, sighing. "Yes, in the back, Potter," he said.
"What're you doing up?" Harry asked, tucking his wand away as well, finally reaching the table and looking at him curiously.
"Couldn't sleep," Draco admitted. "So I thought I would try Repair Charm I have been researching."
"Hmm," Harry hummed, moving to take a seat next to Malfoy. He guessed it was better to have someone to talk to rather than sitting alone somewhere with only his thoughts. "What charm?"
"Well," Draco said, smiling slightly at Harry's question. He never figured Potter for an interest in such things. "I found a volume on book repair and have been using one of the charms for restoring water damaged books. I still haven't got it quite right though."
Harry leaned over, looking at the book open in front of Malfoy.
Draco shivered as the man's arm touched his and Harry's dark hair brushed his cheek. He leaned back then, giving Harry room to read, uncomfortable with his own reaction to the man.
Harry didn't notice Malfoy's reaction as his eyes quickly scanned the page. He flicked his wand in the air, murmuring the spell under his breath. "It doesn't look all that hard," he commented, pulling back as he continued to practise the spell.
Draco watched Potter, his focus entirely on the small gestures and facial expressions of the other man. It took him a minute to speak. "I cast the spell but have only had partial success with some of the books."
"I want to try it on a damaged book," Harry said, looking around the area to see if he could easily spot one. He got up from the table and walked around it, looking at the shelves as he walked. That's when he spotted a knapsack, innocently sitting amongst the books as if it belonged there. "Hey," Harry murmured, picking it up and turning to look at Malfoy. "Is this yours?"
Before Malfoy could reply, Harry felt a tug on the knapsack. Turning his eyes from the other boy, Harry saw that another man held the other end of the bag's strap. The newcomer was short and stout, almost lumpy, wearing the hooded robe of a Death Eater, and holding a wand in his free hand. Another man, taller and a bit stooped, stood behind him, with a hand on the first's shoulder. "Potter..." the shorter man hissed, raising his wand and pointing it at Harry.
"Carrow," Draco hissed, recognizing the Death Eater's voice, and then immediately cast "Expelliamus," rolling to the floor afterwards to duck behind the table.
Harry only had a moment to react, his eyes widening as he turned he dropped the bag and took a step back. He pointed his wand at the taller man and quickly muttered, "Expelliarmus." How could there possibly be Death Eaters in Hogwarts again?
Carrow's wand was knocked from his hand by Draco's hex, and the man spun to retrieve it. The taller Death Eater stepped back to avoid being bowled over by his stocky companion, dodging Harry's spell almost by accident. "You deal with them," Carrow said, as he snatched up his wand and dodged behind one of the half-rebuilt shelves towards the back of the restricted section.
Draco made his way around the table, still crouched. His attention was divided. He wouldn't leave Potter if he was needed. But he was trembling with rage at the sight of Amycus Carrow. He fired Body-Bind at the man's retreating back.
Harry couldn't even think to glance around for Malfoy, only hoping that he could take care of himself for once. "Expelliarmus!" Harry yelled this time, his wand still pointed at the taller Death Eater who had managed to dodge the spell the first time.
"Reducto," said the tall Death Eater in front of Harry, in an old man's dry voice. Harry's hex knocked the man's wand aside at that moment, and the Reductor Curse hit a small table stacked with books. The table exploded into matchsticks, and the books were reduced to a flapping cloud of smoking pages, momentarily obscuring the whole scene.
Draco was blinded by the smoke and pieces of books. He crawled forward, trying to see if he had managed to hit Amycus.
Harry's wand was still stretched outward and all that he could think was that he could not let the Death Eater get away. He waved his other arm to try and clear his view, but there were just too many. He shouted a Body-Bind Hex and hoped the man was hit.
Amycus Carrow had narrowly avoided Draco's hex as he crouched down behind the shelf, quickly reading titles and inching along the line of books. "Honestly, Malfoy, are you completely useless? I can't find anything in this library." He whispered a few words, and a damp, green fog sprayed forth from his wand, filling the aisle behind him.
Amycus' taunt was an echo of those from the last year and it made Draco shake with anger. "Come out and fight me and I will show you how useful I can be," he sneered.
"Oh, yes, of course," Carrow said, his voice dripping with hate. "Why don't I just throw my wand down and turn my back on you, too?" He took a book from the shelf, stuffing it into the knapsack, and moving on to the next row. "It would be the only way you would have a chance." Carrow scuttled along the shelves, coming to the end of the row, the green fog roiling behind him. "Pathetic, really. Why not just give up and let yourself be beaten again? You were good at that, as I recall."
As the smouldering pages settled to the floor, the taller Death Eater shouted "Caecio," calling forth a blinding flash from his wand.
Harry blinked at the flash, his wand flicking in the air quickly. "Nox! We should've never let any of you get away!" Harry said angrily, finally able to see the Death Eater he was against. He heard the other one's words, but he focused on the one in front of him, his wand at the ready.
The Death Eater facing Harry smiled under his hood, and drew a circle of dirty grey light in the air with the tip of his wand, chanting, "Patefacio!" A hole opened in the air before him, from which came a chilling wind and a thin, keening howl. Scabby, claw-like hands gripped the edge of the hole, and a skeletal figure in a filthy, tattered shroud dragged itself into the library.
Carrow slipped another book into the knapsack, peering over his shoulder into the green mist, watching for the young man he imagined to be behind him
Draco reversed directions, going around to avoid the green fog. He spotted Carrow at the end of the next aisle and cast "Crucio" at the robed figure. Draco's curse took Carrow unaware, and he fell, writhing, to the library floor.Draco moved forward, attention riveted on Amycus. "Yes, scream," he sneered. "This is nothing compared to what you did to me." His wand was still pointed at the man as he considered what to do next.
Harry took a deep breath and let it out, the air suddenly gone cold. He took a few steps back and raised his wand up at the Dementor, trying think of a happy memory before it was too late. "Expecto Patronum!" Harry yelled once he had a good grasp on a memory, the silvery white stag erupting from his wand. The Dementor covered its head with its arms, and flew back from the stag, washed back on a tide of silver light. While Harry's attention was focused on the Patronus, the Death Eater ducked to one side and dashed up the aisle after Draco.
"Mulciber..." Carrow ground the name out between clenched jaws, calling for help.
At the last minute, Draco heard the steps of the man behind him.
Mulciber levelled his wand at Draco, saying, "Confringo."
Harry saw the Death Eater escape, and rushed after him. "Protego!" he yelled when he heard and saw the spell aimed at Malfoy. Harry's counter-curse deflected the Death Eater's Crushing Curse, allowing Draco to duck the spell cast by Mulciber just in time. The shelf beside him exploded in a rain of book and wood fragments. He fell against the shelves on the opposite side.
Carrow crawled further into the stacks, pulling books off of shelves and putting them in the knapsack. While Mulciber pointed his wand at Draco, and a beam of sickly yellow light stabbed at him, causing thick strands of cobweb to wrap around his arms and legs.
With Harry's attention turned elsewhere, his Patronus wavered and dimmed. The Dementor skirted the circle of lessened light, and swooped down over the stacks toward the aisle where Harry, Draco, and the two Death Eaters were. A chill descended from above, the shadows deepened, and the boys felt horrible memories seeping towards the surface of their minds.
Draco's concentration on the Cruciatus spell was lost and just when he began to raise his want to defend against the new attacker, the Dementor's affects hit him. He fell to his knees screaming. Draco tried to focus but he was caught in his memories of the last year. He screamed in pain and fear, wand lowering as he sunk into a despair too recent to break free of. Carrows face brought it all back and Draco felt powerless again.
Harry couldn't hold back the full body shudder, the sudden dread making him go still. He had to choose between the Dementor and the Death Eaters, and for now, Harry went for the taller Death Eater. "Sectumsempra!" he managed to yell over Malfoy's screams.
The Dementor flew closer, its foul breath reaching Harry's nose. Mulciber seemed to feel it this time, stooping with age and pain. Carrow felt the edge of the Dementor's chill, and fought visions of the Dark Lord's displeasure and defeat that were rising in his mind. He found the last book, stuffed it in the knapsack, and Disapparated.
Harry stumbled back, and fell over a book in the process. He aimed his wand at the Dementor. He was shivering, and couldn't stop, memories of everything that he didn't want to think about filling his mind. His wand shook as he tried the spell again, but his Patronus didn't get any brighter than before. Again he tried, focusing on one memory the best he could. This time the stag brightened again and charged after the Dementor.
Mulciber felt the Dementor retreat, but wasn't sure whether or not he really felt better. "Carrow?" he called. When there was no answer, he called again, louder, "Carrow?" Mulciber edged, sideways, his back against a bookcase, watching Harry and Draco both as he went. As he moved past Draco, he said, "I know someone who would love to see you again, blood traitor."
Anger filled Draco, burning out everything else. His arm tore free of the cobwebs, and pointed his wand directly at Mulciber. "Stupify!" he cast. Mulciber collapsed in a heap in front of Draco.
Harry was still concentrating on the Patronus, making sure that the Dementor didn't get any closer to either of them. The Dementor flew down the aisle, away from Harry's stag, grabbing up Mulciber's inert form. It flew off into the dark with the unconscious Death Eater. Harry glanced down the aisle to see where Malfoy was.
Draco watched, screaming in rage as he Mulciber got away. He shook violently.
Harry let his arm finally drop as he watched the Dementor leave, taking the Death Eater along with him. "Dammit," he mumbled, completely understanding Malfoy's scream this time.
Draco curled forward, face pressed to the floor as he gasped. He was sick - sick with rage and fear and the memories.
Harry didn't know why the Death Eaters had come back, it definitely wasn't for him because there would've been more than just two if they wanted him dead. It had something to do with the knapsack that Harry had originally found because of the way it was pulled out of his hand. He looked back at Malfoy again, tiredly flicking his wand and murmured Lumos. "Malfoy?" he asked quietly. "Are you okay?"
Draco was on his hands and knees trying to get control of himself. He had believed the Carrows gone - captured or dead. But Amycus had returned and could again. His stomach roiled and he fought hard to keep from vomiting, and he tore blindly and ineffectually at the webs still binding his legs.
Harry took the lack of a reply as "no," and he slowly stood up, kicking away a few of the books. It would take weeks, no months, to clean up this place again. He sighed and slowly walked over to where Malfoy was, crouching down in front of him. "They're gone, Malfoy," Harry said softly, reaching out after a moment of hesitation to rest a hand on his back. Now if he only had some chocolate...
Draco shivered at the touch, though he could have said why. He was barely aware of the other man. He gritted his teeth, gasping still.
"Malfoy?" Harry asked again, sitting down next to him rather than crouch. He patted his back gently, wondering if he was having a bad reaction to the dementors. He thought that was ironic, considering how Malfoy made fun of him before for fainting because of one.
Draco was shivering now but at least he wasn't going to throw up. He swallowed thickly and looked up at Potter
"Was it the Dementor?" Harry asked quietly.
Draco stared uncomprehendingly for a minute. "Carrow," he whispered hoarsely.
Harry looked confused for a moment before he slowly nodded. Must've been the name of the other Death Eater. "Are you hurt?" He quickly looked over Malfoy's body, running the light of the wand down. He saw the webs around his legs and with a quick spell they were cut off.
"They took some books," Draco managed after another minute. His brain seemed to finally be working again, even if his heart was still racing.
"So that's what they wanted," Harry said, finally understanding. He sat back and ran a shaky hand through his hair. He didn't notice that he was still shaking until then.
Draco carefully pushed up until he was sitting back on his knees. "I don't think they expected to find anyone in the library this time of night," he whispered.
Harry nodded, taking a deep breath. He was glad that they had been here, because who knew what they could've done after they found the books. It could've been much worse.
Draco realised that until Potter said it, part of him had believed that Carrow had come back for him, to punish him for his betrayal. He then realised what Amycus had said, that the man knew he had worked against them.
"Come on, Malfoy," Harry said after a moment, slowly getting up and then holding a hand out to help him up. "We should tell McGonagall what happened."
Draco stared at Harry's hand for a moment and then reached for it, allowing Harry to help him to his feet. He held onto for a few moments too long and then forced himself to let go.
"Come on," Harry said softly, stuffing his hand in his pocket once Malfoy let go, trying to ignore how he was feeling. He felt dizzy and shaky still, his skin feeling cold and clammy.
Draco nodded and gestured for Harry to lead the way. He didn't put his wand away, still unsure as to how safe they were.