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Title: A Small Skirmish

Contributors: ___neville___, dm_fugitive, _weasleyking_, nymph__tonks, lucius_malfoi, seviesnape

Edited By: Megan Marie

Posted: 2005-11-09 to 13

Game Date: August 2nd (morning)

Disclaimer: No one at Levicorpus owns Harry Potter, the world or its characters. We just like playing in J.K. Rowling’s world.

* * * * * * *

Neville woke up feeling very strange. He remembered dreaming about the most absurd thing. Draco Malfoy had come to his house and Neville had locked him in a closet. Somehow the dream had seemed so real that Neville might have believed it if it wasn't so outlandish.

“It couldn't have happened... could it?” he thought to himself.

Neville's grandmother walked into his bedroom holding a pair of earmuffs.

"Do you know why I woke up with my earmuffs on, Neville, dear?" she asked.

"Oh my, it wasn't just a dream! Okay, Gran, don't get scared when I tell you this. I have Draco Malfoy locked up in our hall closet. It's a really long story..."

Neville proceeded to tell his grandmother all about the events that took place the night before. She was a little shaken, but proud of her grandson for outsmarting a Death Eater in training.

"You certainly took after your father, dear. Always brave and quick thinking. Well, should I fix the boy something to eat?"

"No, gran. He's my hostage. Let me worry about feeding him. I just have to send out some letters."

"Okay, but don't let the poor boy go hungry," she told him.

"Let me remind you, gran, that the "poor" boy's aunt is the woman who tortured my parents to insanity."

His grandmother kept quiet and stayed out of the way after that. And Neville proceeded to write his letters.

Dear Tonks,

Draco Malfoy came to my house last night. I don't know what he was doing here, but I managed to lock him in a closet. I don't have time to explain myself further, but if someone from the Order could come as soon as possible and take him away, I would appreciate it. Hopefully, he will help lead you to the rest of the Death Eaters. Please respond as quickly as you can.

Neville Longbottom


Dear Ron,
Draco Malfoy came to my house last night. I don't know what he was doing here, but I managed to lock him in a closet. Your father is the only member of the ministry that I trust. Could you please pass this message along to him and tell him that I've also sent owls to Tonks and Professor McGonagall? I need someone to come and get him out of here and hopefully question him until he cracks. Please respond as quickly as you can.

Neville Longbottom

Neville sent out the letters right away and then decided to check on Draco. He had his wand at the ready as he slowly opened the closet door.

"Malfoy? Are you awake?"

Draco made an odd noise and peaked out from under one of Neville's grandmother's hats. He stared at Neville's shoes uncomprehendingly.

The second Neville opened the door, he wished he had a camera. The rest of the school would have loved to see a picture of Draco Malfoy wearing an old lady's hat. Neville almost laughed out loud, but he controlled himself. He knew he had to act tough around Draco if he wished to be taken seriously.

"What are you doing wearing my grandmother's hat?" he snapped. "You are not worthy of having a Longbottom hat on your filthy head! Take it off right now!"

Draco knocked the hat off his head.

"Damn thing must have fell," he said irritably as he sat up. "Ow," he muttered as he tried to rub the crick out of his neck. "So do I get a last meal or do they have an early execution scheduled?"

"Sure you get a meal," said Neville. "If you can call it a meal. I don't know how to cook, and my grandmother is not about to slave away in the kitchen for a Death Eater. So here." Neville threw 5 chocolate frogs on the closet floor and placed a glass of water next to them. "Enjoy," he said as he slammed the closet door shut again.

Draco had never before had a single warm feeling for Neville Longbottom, but a breakfast of chocolate frogs...maybe he could get to tolerate him. Draco drank his water, ate two frogs, and stuffed the rest in his pockets. This could be another very long day.

Neville returned to his room and changed out of his pajamas when an old barn owl landed on his window sill. He recognized the owl as Ron’s family owl. Neville took the note off of the leg of Errol and gave her a small pat on the head and offered the bird some water and read the letter.

Neville,

Draco Malfoy is in your closet?! What is going on, mate? Before I get to that, I'll have you know that I informed my dad and he should be reaching your house shortly. He said something about having to drop by the Ministry and getting the proper people to do this. And then he left.

But, uh, you're going to have to fill me in. If not through owls, then sometime. Because, seriously, what the bloody hell is going on?

Ron Weasley

Neville then scribbled a return letter to Ron and sent the owl off on its way, hoping that the bird would make it to Ron’s house ok. But just when Ron’s owl left, another one came flying in. Neville read the note attached.

Neville,

Well, I must say that that's one letter I never expected to receive. I'll come over as soon as possible and pick him up.

Tonks.

PS, unofficially, locking him in the closet was a stroke of genius

Neville blushed a little at the compliment he had received from the Auror, and moved back to the closet to wait for everyone to arrive.

Soon enough Tonks apperated just outside of the Longbottoms’ back yard, hoping that no one saw her, not knowing if they had any muggle neighbors or not. If they did, she'd just fix their memory later. Tonks moved quickly to the Longbottom's back door and knocked loudly. She was greeted by Neville's grandmother. A strict woman, but likeable. Over the years they had a few conversations, mostly concerning what was happening with security at Hogwarts the last two years. The elder Mrs. Longbottom showed Tonks to the closet where Arthur Weasley and Neville were already standing looking at a closet door.

"Glad you’re here Tonks," Arthur began. "I tried contacting Kingsley but he was busy with the other minister."

"Yea, so I've heard.” Tonks said with a small smirk. “Now Neville," Tonks turned to the young man "why is my cousin in your closet?" she said with a large amount of sarcasm.

Draco shifted inside the closet. He heard voices as pressed his ear to the door trying to make them out. Arthur Weasley's voice he knew. Tonks he would not have recognized if their words had not identified her. With a bit of effort he pulled his ear away from the door, bit his tongue and shoved the pillows and blankets back on the shelves as best he could. He wished he had mirror on his so that he could check his hair. He brushed his fingers through it hoping to put it in order and sat down on the floor like a good little helpless captive.

* * * * * * *

Lucius quickly reached within his deep pocket and slid his wand from its depths, he concentrated for a moment and within seconds apparated to the Longbottom house. He turned just as Snape appeared behind him and the two quickly surveyed the area where they had arrived. Lucius immediately smirked at the poor excuse for a house which stood before him. It took barely a moment for his instincts to click in and although he did not see anyone around, he and Severus quickly ducked behind the low hedge which ringed the house. He held himself from bursting down the door and killing anything that moved in search of Draco and instead began to consider a plan of attack. After all, Draco had had a large hand in the death of their leader and it was only reasonable to assume that the Aurors would have immediately been put on their guard.

"Where are the windows..." Snape started as he began scanning the side of the house and finally saw one. He began to edge towards it with Lucius close behind. He peaked his head slightly over the ledge hoping for the best. He saw Tonks, Mr. Weasley, and Neville pointing their wands into a closet. He could only assume Draco was in it. Severus quickly ducked back down below the window, not wanting to chance someone spotting him.

Having seen the same as his friend, Lucius gripped his wand and raised himself to blast free the window, along with anyone who happened to be standing behind it.

Snape noticed that Lucius wasn't down ducking from the window as he had ducked to do. He considered pulling him down to the ground and calling him a fool for a moment, but after considering what could happen to Draco in the next few moments he gathered that now would be the best time to make them selves known. He didn't think they'd kill Draco, but was sure they'd have no problem sending him to Azkaban (where it would be even harder to get him from), or apparating somewhere with him.

"He came to my house, Tonks!" Neville said. "He knew I had mandrakes in the backyard and when I saw him, he was headed straight for them! I don't know what he wanted them for, but my first guess was that he wanted to finish what his Aunt Bellatrix started and destroy the rest of the Longbottom family. I did what I had to do. Please don't be upset with me."

"Why would I be upset? Neville, you caught a fugitive and what might be a huge break for us." Tonks began to get excited. It was like being back at the Ministry and chasing down the bad guys again. After all this is what she was trained to do.

She turned to Arthur and whispered something in his ear. They talked rapidly, and finally both nodded in agreement.

“Wands out everyone.” Arthur said pulling out his wand and pointing it towards the door, everyone else did the same.

“Alohomora.” Tonks said, unlocking the door, and making the door swing open.

Draco looked at the serious faces and the serious ends of the wands directed at him. He was still sitting on the floor and held up his hands to show they were empty. He started to say something snarky, but decided while fun that might not be the smartest thing to do.

"He took my wand," Draco told them, indicating Neville with his chin and, hand still in the air, slowly getting to his feet. A flash of black caught Draco's eyes, and he looked past Arthur Weasley to see the window disappear and an extremely familiar face appear in the opening. "Father?" he mouthed, his face clearly showing his surprise.

* * * * * * *

Snape sighed on the inside, and reluctantly stood up with Lucius while getting his wand at the ready. He removed the window with a charm, and winced as the three looked over towards him and Lucius.

Lucius had always been very good at silent charms and within no more than a second after the window fell away

“Levicorpus.” sprung to his mind, his wand aimed directly for Tonks. Severus didn't want to hurt anyone, but he didn't want Lucius to think he cared about either of the three up there.

"Petrificus Totalis!" he shouted, aiming his wand at Neville.

Lucius pointed his wand through the open window. Arthur raised his own wand and shouted a shielding spell, which bounced Snape's curse against the wall.

Draco took advantage of the confusion and bolted to the back door.

Tonks was just able to put up a blocking charm to avoid getting hit, and then pointed her wand out the window and yelled out.

"Impedimenta!", the spell hit just outside the narrow window.

"Draco's gone!!" Arthur yelled out.

Lucius watched a his son made a dash for the back door and throwing one final Petrificus Totalis in Tonks' direction, he searched the outside of the house for the door which Draco was moving towards.

Draco burst through the backdoor and ran out into the garden. He had a vague plan that involved running as fast as his legs could carry him, but he had one thing last thing to do. Draco practically slid into a kneeling position beside the Mandrakes, which he could now recognize very well, he pulled the shears from his pocket, and clipped three large leaves.

Severus quickly ducked, Tonks spell missing him by only an inch. He looked to his right and saw Malfoy take off to the back.

"Figures." he muttered under his breath. He stood up and took off after him. They'd best get out of there before they're all caught. Snape rounded the corner in time to see Draco bending over the mandrakes.

Tonks was so caught up in Draco escaping that she didn't see the curse coming until it hit her square in the chest.

While she was waiting for Arthur to release her from the spell, she let off a string of curse words in her head. She couldn't believe she let that happed. After Arthur released her she sat up and rubbed her arm where she had landed the hardest.

"Come on! Why are you guys just standing there?!" She said running to the door. She kept slamming her shoulder against the door, not thinking to use her wand.

"Tonks, by the time we get out there they'll be gone." Arthur said working on the door with his wand, Tonks, Neville, and Neville's grandmother helping. He knew this would be a hard blow for her, and the rest of the Ministry and Order, but they had to accept it for what it was.

When the finally got the door opens Tonks ran out side looking around. Sure enough, they were gone.

Draco stood up, leaves in hand, and spotted Snape and his father running towards him. He froze for about half a second, and then took off in run towards the grove of trees that lay just past the Longbottom's garden.

Lucius followed Draco as he ran towards the garden's exit. It took longer than anticipated to reach his son and by the time they were together, Lucius was slightly winded.

Snape saw Lucius and Draco run for the brush behind the garden and figured they'd be aparating any second. It didn't look like they'd be waiting for him, so he apparated back to the Riddle house.

"Do you have what you came for?" Lucius demanded of Draco between breaths.

Draco cast an anxious glance at the house. “Yeah," he breathed, also rather winded. "Yeah, let's get out of here." And he retreated a few steps further away.

"Alright." Before waiting for his son to take action, Lucius cast his arm around Draco's shoulder and concentrated. A moment later they vanished

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