Chapter 572: A Contract Interrupted
Chapter 572: A Contract Interrupted (Requesting Monthly Votes)
The three followed Moaning Myrtle, quickly heading towards the girls' bathroom. A good thing was that the Library and the bathroom were on the same floor, so they didn't need to take a detour. As they approached the bathroom, Ron suddenly asked, "Moaning Myrtle, how did you get to know Malfoy? I heard that you have a habit of peeping in the prefects' bathroom—"
Moaning Myrtle let out a sob and covered her face before vanishing through the wall.
Harry and Hermione glared at Ron, who shrugged, "I was genuinely curious."
"Just shut up", Hermione said. They arrived at the entrance to the bathroom where Moaning Myrtle usually haunted. Harry listened for a few seconds, then whispered, "I can't hear anything... It must be under a spell."
Harry and Ron turned to look at Hermione, who decisively pulled out her beaded purse, rummaged through it, and produced three Extendable Ears.
Harry inserted one end of the flesh-colored Extendable Ear into his ear and threw the other end towards the dirty door, where it automatically slid through the crack.
"Perfect, I hope they haven't cast an Anti-Interference Charm. I'll check... Good, there isn't one."
They fell silent and listened carefully.
A high-pitched, affected voice reached their ears: "Still considering? Or should I have the Master give your father a direct order? Draco, we are on the same side; we only need a small favor from you..."
Hermione looked up in horror, "That's Umbridge! What is she planning?"
Draco Malfoy's voice, slightly hoarse, came through, "I, I can't... sign that contract... No, that contract, it, it will kill me."
"Only if you try to break it. Malfoy, do you want to betray the Master?"
"I, I don't... " Draco's voice grew quieter, "Your chances of success are too low. I won't risk my life. I need to think about it. I'll get back to you tomorrow or the day after, I need to talk to my father—"
"Lucius is one of us, you can't think you can stay out of this."
"…I wasn't thinking that."
"There's no time to waste, dear Draco. Your refusal is perfect, I'll report back immediately. You should think about what will happen to your father then." Umbridge's sweet voice said, sounding like an innocent little girl, but Harry, Ron, and Hermione shuddered at the thought of her large, round face and the threat she was making.
"What do we do?" Hermione turned to them.
"The contract she mentioned—the one that will kill you—what is it?" Harry asked calmly.
"I think it might be the Unbreakable Vow. Once signed, it can't be changed, and the penalty for breaking it is death", Hermione whispered. "But it requires a third person to witness it."
Sure enough, another unfamiliar voice appeared, sounding like a young man: "Sign it, Draco. Let me tell you a secret, Dumbledore—the protector of the Muggles—won't live much longer. The Master is just lying low... He values this mission highly and wants us to complete it at any cost. You wouldn't want to be the one to fail, would you?"
Silence filled the room.
"What do we do?" Hermione asked again.
"We have to stop them, no matter what", Harry said, jumping up and pointing his wand at the door.
"Wait", Hermione said, "We don't know their plan yet. It's best to make them think it was an accident." She thought for a moment, "I have an idea."
"Hermione—"
But Hermione had already rushed out. She feigned panic, pacing back and forth at the door, "Hmm? Why is the door locked?" she muttered to herself, as if building up her emotions. Then she drew her wand, "Alohomora." The spell that had been silencing the door was broken, and the bathroom door opened a crack.
"We risked our lives to get here, and why should you—?" The man's impatient voice cut off abruptly.
"Hello—Is anyone in there? I really need to use the bathroom—Who cast the spell on the door? Was it to keep Moaning Myrtle out?" Hermione said slowly.
The few seconds felt like an eternity. Harry and Ron's palms were sweating as they watched Hermione, fearing a green light would shoot out from inside. They couldn't wait for the others to make a decision. Harry quickly shouted, "Hermione, hurry up and come back, we're waiting for you outside!"
"Sure, I also want to trade Chocolate Frog Cards with Dean", Ron chimed in.
Hermione's hesitant voice said, "Oh, wait, there's a problem... someone seems to be inside..."
"Do you need help?" Harry shouted.
Finally, the door opened. Draco Malfoy appeared, his face pale. "It's you, Hermione Granger."
"Malfoy?" Hermione said, surprised. "Why are you in the girls' bathroom? I'll tell Professor —"
"Mind your own business! This place is abandoned", Malfoy hissed. "What are you doing here? Where are Potter and Weasley, those two lackeys?"
"Of course, I'm using the toilet!" Hermione said haughtily. "They're outside, unlike you —"
"Get out of the way, don't block the door."
The sounds of their conversation grew closer. Hermione's persistent voice continued, "Just wait, I'll tell Professor to take points from you and give you detention! I'll tell Filch! I'll make all the girls keep an eye on you, you dirty, despicable —"
Harry silently praised Hermione in his mind; this would make the person inside think twice before confronting Malfoy again.
Draco's blond hair and pointed chin gradually became visible in the darkness. His face was sweaty and unusually pale, as if he had just recovered from a serious illness. Hermione, seething with anger, followed behind him.
"Draco Malfoy?" Harry said in a feigned tone of surprise.
Malfoy glared at them and turned away without a word.
Hermione stopped, still fuming, and only when Malfoy's figure disappeared did she calm down and whisper, "How did it go?" "Great", Ron said, giving a thumbs up. "What about the person inside?" Hermione shook her head slightly, indicating she hadn't seen anyone.
"They might be hiding", Harry mouthed, his wand still pointed at the dark, abandoned girls' bathroom door.
Hermione hadn't gone in, and if she had been hit by the Imperius Curse, it would have been disastrous. She wasn't confident she could break free from the spell's control.
Harry tapped Ron and himself with his wand, and under the Disillusionment Charm, they blended into the dim environment. Hermione followed suit, and they slowly retreated, hiding in the darkness. After waiting for about fifteen minutes, they started to get impatient. Then, a faint movement came from inside.
A silver light appeared in the darkness, looking like a cat but quite blurry. The Patronus circled the area and then dissipated into silver sparks.
A short, plump woman then came into view, looked around, and hurried away.
But Harry, Ron, and Hermione remained silent, knowing someone else was still inside. A few moments later, a young wizard emerged and quickly left.
Only after the figure disappeared did they all breathe a sigh of relief.
"That was Avery. We've seen him at the Ministry of Magic before", Hermione said.
They walked back in silence, their minds heavy. What had happened today was beyond their expectations. "They clearly have a plot. We should tell Professor", Hermione said. Harry and Ron nodded in agreement. Suddenly, the door to the broom cupboard on the second floor opened quietly, and three hands emerged from the darkness, trying to drag Harry, Ron, and Hermione inside.
They reacted almost instantly—Harry cast a human-form armoring charm, and the barrier around him expanded into a sphere, pushing the hands away. Hermione's beaded purse released two dark thorns that lunged into the darkness; Ron took a step back and whispered a spell, causing white fire to quickly gather at the tip of his wand.
"It's us, Harry!" a very familiar voice said.
Harry's heart raced as he looked at the shadowy figure and said in disbelief, "Angelina?"
"Quick, come in", Angelina urged anxiously.
The door to the broom cupboard closed behind them.
(End of Chapter)
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