AsharppainhitHarrylikeaneedlethroughhisstomah.Realizingitforwhatitwas,hepushedDraodowntothefloorjustasabluebeamoflightraedovertheirheads.
Luiuswhirledaroundatthesoundofursehittingwallandsnarledasarobedfiguresteppedoutoftheshadows.
“Itoldyounottoletmeseeyou,”theDeathEaterhissedatDrao.
“Bise—”Draostarted.
“Ifoundthem!”Biseyelledatthetopofhislungs.Theboyouldsaynomoreashewasflungbakagainstthewall,thesoundofbrokenbonesonstonefillingthehallwayasthefullfurythatwasLuiusMalfoywasunleashedinafitofVeriaemagi.
Bisegaspedasheslunktotheground.“Run…now…”hewhisperedpitifullyatDraoasHarryhelpedtheyoungMalfoytohisfeet.
“eon!”Harrywhispered,asDraostaredathisfriendwithalookofhorror.HeouldhearthemuffledfootstepsoftheDeathEatersgettingloser,mostlikelytrakingBise’spositionwithaspell.
Thethreenowtookoffatarun.ThelonghallwaywasnowfilledwithshoutsandursesastheDeathEaterspouredintotheroomsofwhathadbeenLuius’spersonalwing.Thesoundofbreakinggss,splinteringwood,andafewshrieksofwhathadtobeHouseElvesfilledtheirears,andyetouldnotdrownoutthesoundoftheirownhurriedfootsteps,muffledbytherug.
Thestudydoorwasstillopenastheynearedit.AsighofreliefsquelhedinHarry’sthroatasalonefigurewalkedthoughittobartheirpathofesape.
Thethreerunningstoppedshort,aroom’slengthawayfromtherobedfigure.Almostbehindthesteelwingsofhisfather’s,Drao’shandsoughtHarry’sashisownwingsre-emerged,steeltippedononeside,softassilkonthesidenearHarry.
“LuiussssMalfoy,DraoMalfoy,HarryPotter,”thefigurehissed,andHarryouldalmostpitureaforkedtongueashespoke.
“Getreadytorun,Drao.”Luiusspokealmly,hiseyesneverleavingtheredonesofLordVoldemort.
“Run?”Thefigure’smouthurledintoaruelsmile.“Wherewouldyourun?Notbakuptheorridor,surely.It’sfullofmyloyalDeathEatersbynow.AndyouannotrunfromtheKillingCurse.”
“No,butyouanblokit.”Luiusrepliedjustasalmly.
“Daddy.”Draowhispered,hiseyeslookingupathisfatherinnewfear.
TherewassomethingDraomustknowthatIdon’t,Harrythought.
“Ahyes,youalwaysdidsaythat,Luiusss.Theeasiestursetoblok,yousaid.Allyouhavetodoisgetsomeoneiweenyouandtheurseandit’sbloked.”Thesmiletwistedintoasneer.“TherewillbenooneinbetweenuswhenIastit,Iassureyou.”
AwandliftedintheirdiretionandLuiusshouted.“NowDrao!”
Draodidn’twaittoask,butranpasthisfathertowardsVoldemortandthedoorway,pullingHarryalongbehindhim.
Therewasasmallpop,andasnarlasVoldemortwaspushedbakwardsbyoneloneHouseElfthatwasstandingbetweenhimandhermaster.Therewasagrowlandaboltofgreenlight,andHarrybarelyregisteredhisownshoutasthelittlereature,Diddy,felldead.