Soul Mate - Chapter 16:
The sudden pull of the Portkey left Harry and Draco completely unprepared.
One heartbeat they were standing in the Ministry’s grand hall,
and the next they crashed to the floor of a shabby wooden cabin.
Before either could react, two spells burst from the shadows Expelliarmus!
Their wands flew several feet across the room, clattering against
the wall before rolling uselessly to the floor.
Three years of double-dealing had trained Draco’s reflexes to be razor-sharp.
He was on his feet in an instant, stepping instinctively in front of Harry.
Around them stood five wizards no, Death Eaters.
It took Draco only a second to grasp the situation.
A faint, mocking smile curved his lips. How flattering, he said coolly.
You think me important enough to get the same treatment as the Savior himself.
Draco Malfoy, how could we forget you? sneered a female Death Eater,
her laugh shrill and poisonous. Traitors to the Dark Lord deserve no mercy. Crucio!
Protego! Draco’s wandless shield charm flared to life just in time to block the curse.
But before he could even breathe, three more Cruciatus Curses streaked toward them.
Harry recovered quickly, deflecting one, but the other two struck home.
The pain hit like fire through their veins unforgettable, unbearable.
Both of them dropped to one knee, gasping. Through the haze of agony,
Harry’s eyes darted across the floor, searching. There their wands.
Just by the doorway, within reach if they could distract their captors long enough.
Their wands. They only needed to reach their wands.
Gritting his teeth, Harry swore to himself that he would not die here
not in a rotting cabin, not at the hands of these monsters. He had faced Voldemort himself.
These fanatics were nothing.
One of the men a short, stocky wizard kicked Draco viciously in the ribs.
Look at you, Malfoy brat. I’ve never liked your useless father.
Pathetic jealousy, Draco rasped.
Crucio!
A scream tore from his throat before he could stop it.
He bit down hard on his lip until he tasted bl00d.
His whole body convulsed, and Harry grabbed his hand tightly,
anchoring both of them against the waves of pain.
The short wizard crouched down, grinning.
I suppose you never heard the old stories, did you?
They used to say Lucius Malfoy only earned the Dark Lord’s favor
because he managed to crawl into his bed.
So you’re jealous, then? Draco’s voice trembled, but his words dripped venom.
Jealous because you couldn’t climb into the bed of that snakelike freak yourself?
The Death Eater’s face twisted with rage. Sectumsempra!
Draco! Harry threw himself sideways, pulling Draco down with him.
The curse grazed him instead hot pain slicing through his side as bl00d soaked his robes.
Well, well, look who we almost forgot, crooned the female Death Eater, stepping close.
The Boy Who Lived. She tilted her wand under his chin, forcing his face upward.
Up close, our noble Savior’s rather handsome, isn’t he?
Tell me, dear, are you and young Lord Malfoy lovers?
You guard him so fiercely.
Another voice snickered. Would explain why the Malfoy heir turned spy.
No Malfoy ever did that out of loyalty.
Harry forced a smirk through the pain. Is that really all you people ever think about?
No wonder your master’s dead.
The woman’s face twisted, and she hit him with another Cruciatus Curse.
Harry’s body shook uncontrollably, but his voice dropped to a whisper only Draco could hear.
Malfoy… in a moment, I’ll distract them. You grab our wands.
They’re by the door… in the corner. Can you see them?
Draco’s gray-blue eyes widened, locking onto Harry’s.
For one fleeting second, Harry saw his reflection there
sharp, fragile, and completely alone in that gaze. Something inside him faltered.
How strange to feel that, here of all places, at such a moment.
Draco’s lips moved soundlessly, but Harry couldn’t catch the words.
Kill them, said a tall, gaunt wizard, drawing his wand. Don’t waste any more time.
He was clearly their leader. The others looked disappointed but obeyed, stepping aside.
The leader’s face was expressionless as he raised his wand toward them. Avada.
Go! Draco shouted, shoving Harry backward. Flames erupted from his wandless spell. Incendio!
A roaring wall of fire burst to life, dividing the room in two.
Harry forced his aching body into motion, lunging toward the doorway.
He snatched up one of the fallen wands and shouted, Expelliarmus!
The female Death Eater’s wand flew from her hand, but the others retaliated immediately.
Harry tossed the second wand to Draco, and both of them dove for cover behind a collapsed
wooden cabinet. The cabin was old and cluttered with junk,
but for now it provided enough to hide behind.
Avada Kedavra! Green flashes streaked through the air, scorching the walls.
Harry and Draco crouched together, breathing hard, gripping their wands.
They exchanged a brief, unspoken look—an understanding that needed no words.
Draco moved first, leaning out from behind the cabinet. Petrificus Totalus!
Stupefy! Harry followed instantly.
Another one down. But Harry’s hand was trembling violently from the Cruciatus pain,
his magic sparking erratically. Too unstable. Too dangerous.
He glanced at Draco. Draco reached out his hand without hesitation, and Harry took it.
A second later Draco cursed under his breath. Damn it, no Apparition!
Then why could the Portkey bring us here? Harry hissed. Oh, of course
anti-Apparition wards don’t stop Portkeys. Which means… we have to take them down first.
Not the best news, Draco muttered, and flicked his wand. Diffindo!
Avada Kedavra! The answering green light nearly clipped his shoulder.
Bloody hell, Harry shouted, ducking back behind the cabinet.
Do these Death Eaters know any spell besides that one?
Draco gave a faint, grim smile. It’s efficient, Potter.
I hate it, Harry snapped, then whipped around the edge of the cabinet. Expelliarmus!