Dolores Umbridge grabbed Draco by the ear as she took him to the Gryffindor Tower.
"To think," the pink toad croaked, "a student would be breaking rules under these circumstances. Tch! Tch! No wonder you have become a mockery in the name of Malfoys. Lucius doesn't know how to keep his children in check.
"It's fine. I will gladly correct his mistakes and… let him know about it later."
Draco gritted his teeth, feeling the pain.
The Director of Student Discipline and Order had caught him when he had loosened Percy's eyes, doubling back from entering the Gryffindor Common Room. He had never expected to see her just outside the Great Hall instead of the dungeons where all the teachers had gone.
The question remained in his mind, though.
Why was she not with them?!
"I must… go…" Draco let out a few words as the Professor's nails dug into his ears. "My sister…"
"Tch! Tch!" Professor Umbridge tsked, pressing her lips. The pink lipstick was becoming redder as she took the Malfoy's spawn up toward the Gryffindor tower; the tower… farthest from the Dungeons; the tower… safe from the wretched, filthy werewolves.
"I have been gathering information on your sister's actions as well," Umbridge said. "Don't you worry. Once I am done with her, they won't be worshiping her. All will see."
Draco looked at the witch through squeezed eyes.
What's wrong with her?! He thought. No wonder Darcie hates her! Darcie…
Draco clenched his teeth and knew he would regret it. But there was no other option. He kicked the back of Umbridge's knee.
The pink toad fumbled, wobbled, and fell.
Blood dripped Draco's ear.
"How dare you?!" Umbridge blistered, standing up and raising her wand. "You will pay…"
Arghhhhghghhhhhhhhhh!
Umbridge's eyes shook and her face paled.
Draco slowly turned around and saw the thing running toward them, growling and throwing its head left and right. It kept snapping its jaws, bringing darkness into the corridor they were standing in.
A werewolf!
It was far from the others and, probably, the only one who had managed to reach so up in the castle.
Yet, every bit as fiercer, and lusting for blood, as its brethren.
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!" Umbridge screamed, forgetting all magic as she saw the beast becoming larger every next moment. She spun around the ran. Her heels snapped in the next two steps, though, making her fall.
Screaming, throwing her hands, the Director again stood up and began running with naked feet.
Draco ran, too, catching up to the Professor. "Use some spell!" he shouted. He couldn't fathom what was going on. Why wasn't she using Magic to knock the werewolf out?! Wasn't she a Professor?!!
When the beast growled the next time, it felt like it was breathing down their neck.
Umbridge's heart skipped a beat. She looked at her right and saw the child running faster than her. In another moment, he would go past her, leaving her behind.
No. She couldn't die here! She had things to do! She had titles and fame to achieve! She had yet to become the Headmistress of Hogwarts!!!
Draco suddenly let out a breath of relief as he saw Umbridge finally lifting her wand.
Then, Professor Dolores Umbridge struck him across the face with her wand, the blow sharp and deliberate.
By the time Draco came to his senses, he was on the floor, now bleeding from both his left ear and nose. One moment he had been running, he remembered. In the next moment, he was lying on the ground, his vision fading.
Still, he saw her. Somehow. A pink blur was running, disappearing into the distance.
Grrrrrrrrrrrr!
Draco looked up, his vision returning, unfortunately.
Thick and smelly saliva fell on his face. The werewolf, now standing tall on its toes, was eying him with pure hunger.
It opened its jaw, the fangs making Draco's blood run cold.
Draco couldn't think. He couldn't hear, see, or speak. Everything became a mess in his head. I am going to die, he thought, the words repeating in his mind.
Yet, for some reason, for some truly baffling reason, he wasn't afraid.
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
The scream echoed through the castle, reaching Draco's ears and penetrating his listlessness.
In the dire circumstances, Draco failed to grasp the notes of the scream. He knew it belonged to a girl. He feared it belonged to his sister. Surprisingly, a feeling inside him told him to just believe that it was Darcie.
What I am thinking?! Draco calmly thought, the fangs' reflection growing larger in his eyes. I am going to die anyway…
But what about the scream… the feeling asked.
The Battle of Legends, those moments, surfaced in Draco's mind. He had failed to do anything even then. Anything!
No wonder you have become a mockery in the name of Malfoys! Umbridge's remark echoed in his ear. Again and again.
As the werewolf's mouth closed on him, a grin surfaced on young Malfoy's face.
"Haha…" Draco laughed, mocking the death. "Hahaha!"
Crack!
*
*
Harry and Ron had lost their ability to think.
Courage could only take one so far! They were children! Their bloodless faces were drenched in Hermione's blood!
Their knees were shaking.
Their mind had gone numb.
Their lips had gone drier than a desert.
The werewolf pulled out its fangs from Hermione's shoulder, her screams refusing to die.
Then, under the horrifying gazes of the boys, the beast licked its mouth and plunged its fangs back toward the dying girl.
"No!" Harry and Ron shouted simultaneously, something snapping within them.
But before they could lunge at the beast, forgetting everything, something appeared midair and slammed into the werewolf… with a crack.
Draco hit the back of the werewolf's head with such a force that both the beast and the boy went tumbling forward over Harry and Ron, and rolled out of the dark gap, landing in the corridor outside.
The werewolf snapped its jaw and stood up.
Draco was faster. With a wave of his wand, a serpent flew out and coiled itself around the beast's neck, its venomous fangs diving deep into its eyes.
Aouuuuuuurghghh!
The beast howled and growled, tearing the magical serpent off its face, its claws ripping it apart.
Draco let out a breath and shook his head, smiling at the beast. From behind, Harry and Ron came to stand by his side, half knowing what was happening, half forgetting what had already happened.
The towering beast snapped its jaws at the three boys.
They lifted their wands.
The beast lunged.
Crack!
Apparating, Dumbledore was about to cast a spell, but his wand paused midair because…
… a fist landed on the werewolf's mouth first and sent it flying in front of the boys' stunned eyes.
From the other corner, Madam Villanelle, Professor Snape, and Black entered the corridor, just in time to see a black blur go flying past them.
Booommmmmmmm!
Their gazes shifted from the werewolf, now planted deep into the wall, to her.
Darcie landed on the ground, her left hand clenched into a fist. She had punched the beast so hard that the skin over her knuckles ripped apart, blood drops oozing out, staining her smooth skin.
She looked at the werewolf and frowned and they knew she was angry.
"Stay…" Darcie said, wiping the blood on her shirt, "… away from my brother."
**************
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