Chapter 26: Fade Away
Hogwarts, April 20th 1997
There is no mistake. The Dark Mark looms above the Hogwarts castle, it is clear even from the distance. The green skull with a serpent tongue. The mark that is left after the Death Eaters – after Voldemort – has killed someone. Coldness sweeps through my veins, and I feel numb. And compared to the emotional storm I've been in for the last hour, I now feel utterly terrified.
Ron and Hermione are there. Ginny, Neville, Seamus, Dean and Luna. And everyone else.
Is he there? Is Voldemort there?
Panic and despair fill me. My throat feels tight, and I can't breathe.
"…Harry!" The Headmaster shouts, shaking me by the shoulders. I only now realise he must've been trying to get my attention for a moment or so.
His voice is hard, but when I finally blink and manage to shake away my stupor, I see it in his eyes. Alarm. Fear. Graveness.
I swallow hard, trying to move past the distress, trying to force my brains to think what to do.
Dumbledore takes a step away from me and casts a spell. A Patronus. He mutters something to the silvery Phoenix that has erupted from his wand, before it soars away, into the night.
"Harry. We need to go back to the school. Now." Dumbledore says urgently as he turns back to face me, moving briskly towards Regulus. He waves his wand over the black-haired man, and the slackness in Regulus's body disappears, instantly becoming rigid.
"A simple Freezing charm to help us keep him stable and his body unmoving before we reach the infirmary," he explains to my questioning look. He turns slightly away, towards the tree stump, and retrieves the remains of the Slytherin Locket, pocketing it after a brief glance at it. "I sent a message to Rosmerta, to alert the Ministry," Dumbledore says hastily. "Take out your Invisibility Cloak and put it over both of you. Then take his hand, Harry."
There's no twinkle behind the half-moon spectacles, no reassuring smiles or looks. Just the weary expression, laced with fear and apprehension.
I follow the instructions, even though the cloak doesn't fully cover both Regulus and I. I take Regulus's hand and then reach out to Dumbledore, expecting him to Apparate us back.
I know I need to go back. I need to go to my friends, to see that they are okay. I have no idea how long has it been since we left the school, no idea if Ron and Hermione actually took the Felix. What if they didn't? What if something has happened to them? Or any of my friends? I told them to guard the corridors, to alert the teachers if they saw anything abnormal. I'm the reason they've left the protection of their common room tonight.
Dumbledore gives me a serious look. "Do you remember what we agreed, Harry?" He asks and takes my hand, his stare determined.
I give him an unsure nod. Is he expecting me to hide? To run? Then why is he taking us with him?
"When we go back, you will stay hidden until I have made sure there is no danger," he says, reminding me, his blue eyes watching me with a piercing look. He must've seen the conflict in me, as he continues, "You will keep Regulus hidden, as he is unable to protect himself. You will keep him safe, Harry, until he can be moved to the hospital wing."
Bloody hell. The will to fight, to rush to help my friends, decreases significantly, as I glance at the black-haired man, lying stiffly on the ground. Fear gropes my stomach at the thought of Regulus getting hurt. I know I can't let that happen. We need to get him to the hospital wing, where he can be properly healed. Dumbledore said it himself – if he doesn't, it might be disastrous.
I know I need to protect Regulus, now that he's unable to do it himself. And I know I can't win any fights – duels – like that.
"Promise me, Harry." The Headmaster says, his voice hard again, his eyes flashing.
I clench my jaw but give him a stiff nod. "I promise."
Before either of us can say anything more, I feel the familiar tug behind my navel, and scramble to grab both Dumbledore and Regulus tighter, just in case.
Seconds later, we land inside the Astronomy tower, and as I blink and take in my surroundings, I realise that we've Apparated into a hidden tier below the ramparts – a small space I didn't even know existed in the tower.
Both Dumbledore and I listen carefully, our eyes sweeping over the latticework above us, trying to determine if we are alone. The tower is quiet, and empty. Nothing seems to be out of the ordinary. Dumbledore waves his hand in the air, undoubtedly performing wandless magic to check if the tower indeed is empty. After turning back towards me and Regulus – who is only partly hidden beneath the cloak, the Headmaster gives me a small nod.
"A-Are we in the right place?" I whisper to him before pulling off the cloak and taking my wand from my pocket.
Dumbledore's gaze flicks over the tower once again before he speaks to me, "Take the cloak, Harry. Go find Severus. Tell him what happened, and speak to no one else. Then come back here," he says with a firm voice.
My brows lift in confusion. "What about him? Regulus? We can't leave him here," I start to argue, but Dumbledore lifts a hand to interrupt me.
"I can place enchantments over him, to make sure he will remain unseen. But we need to alert the others first. It can be so that no one in the castle even knows that they might be in danger," He says quietly, moving towards Regulus, his expression unreadable.
I can only stare dazedly at the Headmaster as he waves his wand over Regulus, casting intricate spells. A moment later, Regulus's body has disappeared from sight.
Then the Headmaster turns towards me. "You can go through the tapestry," Dumbledore says, his eyes moving towards the slim tapestry, positioned against the wall, close to the narrow stairs that lead to the upper level.
I frown at the picture, a unicorn in captivity, certain that I've seen it before, but only somewhere else.
"Go, Harry. Go now!" Dumbledore says with enough urgency to break the numbness that has started to take over yet again.
I try to push away the anxiousness that I'm beginning to feel as all the possibilities of what might happen next – all the threats – start to whirl in my mind. With a deep breath and a curt nod, I throw the cloak over myself after a last glance to the spot where I know Regulus is situated. Clutching my wand tightly, I make my way towards the small tapestry, but before I can even push it away to reveal the passage, faint noise reaches our ears.
My body stiffens as Dumbledore merely cocks his head to listen.
Running footsteps. Drawing closer. The noise becoming louder.
I start to take off the cloak while Dumbledore walks quickly to the stairs that lead to the ramparts. "Keep it on, Harry. Keep yourself hidden. Do not speak or show yourself without my permission. Do you understand?" He says, his expression hard.
I chew the inside of my cheek, feeling conflicted. I know I promised him, I know.
But then I see his eyes, pleading me, asking me to trust him. I know what I have to do.
With great effort, I lower my wand and give the Headmaster a look of defeat. I pull the cloak back over myself, and Dumbledore walks hastily up the stairs and to the upper level, just before the door there flies open.
I peer through the grid above, and watch as Malfoy comes into my view.
"Expelliarmus!" Malfoy yells, and I'm about to shout, to growl at him but I realise I can't speak. I have no voice.
And then I realise something even worse. Dumbledore has cast a spell to immobilise me. I can't move.
All I can do is watch how Dumbledore's wand flies across the tower, straight into Malfoy's extended palm. What was he even thinking? Using his concentration to make sure that I would stay hidden, that I didn't take any risks to try to help him. I think about a litany of curses. Making sure I was protected, had costed Dumbledore his wand.
"Good evening, Draco," Dumbledore says simply, giving no hint whatsoever that the situation – or even seeing Malfoy there – has surprised him.
Malfoy's gaze moves quickly over the tower. "Are you alone?" He asks quickly.
Dumbledore merely watches Malfoy curiously before he replies. "Are you?"
Malfoy swallows deeply before lifting his chin up a notch. "No. The Death Eaters are here. It was me," He says, his voice triumphant, even when his eyes are terrified. "I figured out a way to let them in, and right under your nose!"
I can see a hint of disappointment in Dumbledore's eyes. "And where are they now? I would have thought they were eager to confront me. Instead, they sent…you?" He asks, his voice kind.
Malfoy scoffs. "They are on their way. Some of your guards stumbled into their path, but it won't be long now...And you have no idea what I've done. What I'm capable of," Malfoy says with a hiss.
Dumbledore gives him an acknowledging nod. "Many things, I'm sure. But I'm also convinced of what you are not," he says, still keeping his voice kind, understanding. "You are not a killer, Draco."
Many things whirl in my head, and I shiver inwardly. Malfoy…? Malfoy wants to…to kill Dumbledore? And…what guards? Someone from the DA?
And then, Dumbledore smiles at Malfoy, a pitiful look in his eyes. "In fact, I know a great deal about what you have done, Draco, seen with my own eyes what you are capable of," he says, and I can see that Malfoy's expressionless mask starts to slip yet again, taken over by that same weariness and alarm that I've seen flickering in his features many times this year.
"You nearly killed Ronald Weasley, and Katie Bell, by the result of your weak attempts to take me down. I have to say, Draco, if you were actually trying, you haven't put forth enough effort," Dumbledore says, almost lightly, as if they are not discussing Malfoy's attempts at murder.
Malfoy's jaw clenches, and he stares at the Headmaster for a long time before he speaks. "Trust me, I have," He says darkly.
There's distant shouting, and a large crash, somewhere close to the Astronomy tower. Both Malfoy and Dumbledore incline their heads towards the sounds.
The Headmaster moves his gaze back to Malfoy and watches him calmly. "How did you do it, if I may ask? I have to say, Draco, I am quite…curious to learn how you were able to introduce your new friends into my school – something I had thought was…impossible."
Malfoy doesn't reply to him, and instead seems to be listening intently to the muffled yelling and smashing.
I want to yell at Dumbledore, to shove him. Malfoy's focus has faltered and he's not even looking at Dumbledore! He could use wandless magic – hell, he could even take a couple of quick steps and whack Malfoy in the head. But instead he does nothing, and merely stares at the boy in front of him, a pitiful smile on his lips.
Dumbledore takes a small step sideways, and that snaps Malfoy's attention back to him.
"Don't move! Or I'll…I'll – " Malfoy grunts, but is interrupted by the Headmaster.
" – I don't think you will kill me, Draco. It is not as easy as some might think. In terms of life, it costs dearly. And it is something one simply cannot come back from." Dumbledore says softly, and doesn't move again. "But you did succeed bringing people here, who might be able to assist you in your aspiration. So, as we wait for your friends, tell me, Draco, how did you do it?"
Malfoy's hand, still holding his wand trained at the Headmaster, trembles slightly. His face is white, and he swallows hard before he replies. "The broken Vanishing Cabinet…the one Montague got lost in last year. I mended it."
"Ah." Dumbledore says, as if contemplating this method, and deciding that it is acceptable. "Genius indeed. There is a pair?"
Malfoy narrows his eyes at the Headmaster, but still replies, "At Borgin and Burkes. And no one didn't even realise it, not even when Montague told everyone the story – how he could sometimes hear the sounds coming from the school, and other times from the shop. No one but me understood that the two cabinets make a passage between the shop and the school."
Dumbledore offers his compliments to Malfoy, while my blood boils with rage. That fucking Death Eater. He's been planning this all along – planning to let the Death Eaters into the castle, to kill and torture innocent people. Malfoy's done that. Planned to kill Dumbledore.
And I was right. All along, I knew he was up to something. But I never realised, I never could have imagined it was something so horrifying.
"But even if you have given this cabinet issue a great deal of dedication, I assume there were still times when you hesitated? Times when you…wished not to succeed? …And during those times, you gave it a weak try. By sending me a cursed necklace, by sending me poisoned mead…While all along, I knew it was you. I knew it, because Professor Snape told me."
Malfoy's expression hardens. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, but you shouldn't trust him. He's been helping me! Snape made a promise to my mother. He's loyal to us. To him," he grits through his teeth.
And yet Snape was the person Dumbledore wanted to be notified about the situation in the school. How sure he actually is about Snape? I close my eyes and try to force the enchantment to break. But nothing happens. Even if Snape is a double agent, and loyal to Dumbledore, why didn't he say anything about the cabinet?
Dumbledore merely smiles at Malfoy. "We may have to agree to disagree in this matter, Draco. But you must have had some help outside Hogwarts as well…? Someone, perhaps, in Hogsmeade…ah. Indeed. Rosmerta. How long has she been under the Imperius Curse?"
Malfoy arches a brow at the Headmaster, his posture stiffening. "Figured that part out, did you?"
Dumbledore gives him a small nod and speaks, "Yes, I'm afraid so…And very clever of you, Draco, to think of using her as the means to deliver the necklace – and the poisoned mead. I suppose poor Mr. Filch wouldn't even think of checking a bottle of Rosmerta's," he says, his voice mild and contemplative.
How the hell is he doing it? I would've…I would've – and why the name of Merlin is he prolonging their conversation? Dumbledore could very well end him. He could throw Malfoy off the tower, if he truly wanted. But he's not doing anything. He's not doing anything, even though he knows that there are Death Eaters roaming in the castle, harming innocent students. Even though he knows that Regulus lies here with me, in an urgent need of care. And the Mark in the sky. Someone might have been killed already.
A flicker of worry passes over Malfoy's expression as a loud explosion erupts from downstairs. I pray to Merlin, Circe and Morgana that my friends are okay. That they are still alive.
As Malfoy reveals the means of communication between him and Rosmerta, I nearly bite my tongue – at least I would if I could move it. Hermione's galleons – our charmed galleons. The bloody bastard has stolen that and used it to evil. Used it to give commands to a woman he has Imperiused. A wave of revulsion crashes the bottom of my stomach.
"Yeah, and I got the idea of poisoning the mead from the Mudblood Granger, as well! Overheard her to complain about Filch not recognising potions…" Malfoy continues bitterly, and waves of anger join the nausea in my stomach.
That fucking wanker. I'm going to end him. I'm going to throw him off the tower. How fucking dare he?
Dumbledore chastises Malfoy for his language, and Malfoy merely bursts in a dry laughter.
"You're going to be dead soon – I'm going to kill you, and still you care whether or not I use an offensive word?" Malfoy asks, watching Dumbledore incredulously.
The Headmaster merely gives Malfoy a piercing look – something that seems to make him shrink in his place a bit. "I do not think that it will be you, Draco. If you had had the will to do it, you would have done it already. I am unarmed. Defenceless. You have the upper hand, Draco. But the question is; will you do it?"
Malfoy seems to be taken aback by Dumbledore's words, and he flinches as the sounds of yelling and crashing seem to be nearer now. Whoever they are, must be fighting their way up the staircase that leads to the tower. "I have to," Malfoy gasps, all the remaining colour disappearing from his features. "I have to kill you! Otherwise…he'll kill me…He'll kill my family," He says, looking devastated. Scared.
Dumbledore gives Malfoy a searching look. "I am aware of the complexity of the situation, Draco. In fact, that is the reason I have not approached you on the matter. I knew that if Lord Voldemort searched through your mind, and found out that I had offered you protection, he wouldn't hesitate to act upon his threats," the Headmaster says matter-of-factly.
Malfoy shudders at the sound of the name.
"You can still stop, Draco. You still have options. You can choose the right side," Dumbledore says, imploring him.
Malfoy's face scrunches up with torment. "There's no going back," he whispers, his whole body shivering.
"I can help you. The Order can help your family. You can be kept safe," Dumbledore says hastily, as the noises from downstairs become even louder. "Do the right thing."
Malfoy opens and closes his mouth a couple of times, supposedly at a loss of words. It seems that he wants to listen to Dumbledore, that he knows what the right thing is, and even wants to do it. It is clear from the way his hand – the one holding his wand – drops against his side. The look of despair he gives to the Headmaster confirms it.
But then, the door bursts open with a loud bang, and Malfoy's defences are back up, and the unreadable mask in place, hiding him again. Four people in black robes push behind Malfoy into my view.
The Death Eaters.
Fear grips my spine. They've obviously won the fight that was taking place downstairs. Does it mean that they've – that they've killed someone? My lungs are suddenly empty, and I can't breathe. What if…what if – shit, I can't think about that right now. I swallow down the tightness in my throat and force myself to focus on the confrontation between Dumbledore and the Death Eaters.
One of them – a woman – is cackling happily, "What do we have here…? Dumbledore, wandless, cornered! …Well done, Draco! I have to say I had my doubts about your capabilities…"
Dumbledore gives the woman a polite nod. "Good evening, Alecto. And Amycus, too," he says, glancing at the man next to Alecto.
They are both tow-haired, with round faces and smiles that do not reach their eyes, alike enough in looks that they have to be brother and sister.
Amycus lets out a loud snort. "Still resorting to mockery and wit when things turn bad, huh? Even now, minutes before your death?" He asks, a leering smile on his face.
Dumbledore gives Amucys a sympathetic look, something that seems to anger the Death Eater even before he speaks, "I'm merely upholding good manners. It is never too late to learn, Amucys."
"You bloody – "
"Do it." One of the Death Eaters interrupt Amucys's outburst, and everyone falls silent.
The man is the largest of them all, and even without the raspy, chilling voice, and the positively nauseating reek of dirt, sweat and blood coming from him, he looks terrifying; his hair is matted and grey, his hands filthy with sharp, yellow nails, and his eyes…they are flashing with…hunger and malice.
Dumbledore stiffens only slightly at the voice. "Fenrir."
The Death Eater in question gives a ferocious smile. "Pleased to see me again, Dumbledore?"
Dumbledore stays expressionless. "Unfortunately, I cannot say that I am, Fenrir."
A shiver runs down my spine as I recognise the man; Fenrir Greyback – the most savage werewolf alive. His mission in life is to bite and contaminate as many people as possible, to create enough werewolves to overcome the wizards. At least, according to Lupin. Greyback is the one who bit Lupin when he was a kid.
The conversation moves on, and the werewolf in question now grins at Dumbledore, showing his dirty, pointed teeth, specked with blood. "Even if young Draco didn't wish me to join him here, I wouldn't have missed this trip…too tempting…so many innocent, delicious throats to be ripped out," he growls, a ravenous look in his eyes.
My head spins, and I suppress a gag. Malfoy looks like he's about to pass out, and he is actively avoiding to even glance at Greyback. He's afraid of him. And who wouldn't be?
There's a loud bang downstairs, and I can hear someone shouting loud enough to hear what they are saying. It seems that the Death Eaters have blocked the stairs, and escaped their opponents, and not…just maybe not killed anyone. Hope flickers in my chest. I can hear spells firing downstairs, people trying to remove the blockage.
The fourth Death Eater speaks, pulling me out of my dizzying thoughts, "Draco, do it now! We don't have much time!"
Malfoy swallows deeply, and stares at Dumbledore for a moment, his hand shaking violently as he lifts his wand and points it at the Headmaster.
I want to shout, want nothing more than to break the enchantment Dumbledore's placed upon me, so that I could curse the fucking wizard – a boy, really.
Dumbledore stands calmly in place as the Death Eaters exchange heated words, and try to reign in Greyback, who thinks that he should be the one to finish Dumbledore, and then, once more, the door bangs open, and finally! There's help. I would slump in relief if I could move a muscle.
Snape is there, his wand at the ready, his black eyes moving over the area, seemingly trying to gauge the situation. What the hell is he waiting for? He had the element of surprise; he should've just started firing curses at the Death Eaters. Instead, he watches Dumbledore quietly, as one of the Death Eaters starts to inform him about the slight snag in their plan.
"Severus…" Dumbledore says suddenly, his voice quiet and soft. The sound of it chills my blood.
Dumbledore is giving Snape a meaningful look, pleading him.
W-What the hell?
Snape walks slowly towards Dumbledore, an unreadable look in his eyes. He walks past Malfoy, while the other Death Eaters back away a bit.
What is he doing? Why isn't he helping Dumbledore?
The look in Snape's eyes flickers, and I can see something close to loathing in them.
Dumbledore's blue eyes shine with recognition. With trust. He gives Snape an imploring gaze as he whispers, "Severus. Please…"
Snape raises his wand and points it. Straight at Dumbledore's chest.
No…no, no, no…
"Avada Kedavra!"
A soundless cry of terror fills my mind as the curse – the green jet of light – hits Dumbledore and he's flown backwards across the room, over the railing, and straight into the night, disappearing from sight.
I'm screaming in pain and horror. I'm shouting and sobbing in shock, but no sounds leave my mouth, and my body still stays unmoving as the Death Eaters quickly start to exit the tower.