Chapter XXV: Broken Minds
(Voldemort P.O.V)
Veins throbbed across his bald-head with anger as Severus kneeled before him. I helped that boy reach heights he'd never be able to accomplish naturally, and yet he failed such a simple task. Defeated by one of Potter's pathetic followers no less. Magic pulsed from his body, forcing the room to quake as he grit his teeth. Worthless boy.
"My Lord," Severus said, his eyes glued to the floor, "I understand your frustration, but if I may, I implore you to show the Malfoy boy mercy. At least, for a little longer. Prior to his failed attack, he informed me that he felt that his project was almost ready for living transport. Draco he may be foolish at times, but he isn't unintelligent, which is rare when compared to the other children of your followers. He's honestly your best chance at attacking Hogwarts from the inside."
At his command, the trembling of the room stopped. A chilling breath left his lips as he halted his fanatic pace. "Yes," Voldemort said, "He will pay for his failures, but I suppose you are correct Severus, his job is of great importance. Killing the Old Man- that is a necessity." His eyes flicked towards the stairwell that led to the dungeon. "As well as delivering Potter a message that I will not be toyed with."
Severus shivered beneath his glare, "You're dismissed, Severus." His servant nodded before he exited the room. His bare feet slid against the wooden planks of the manor before he descended the curved staircase. Screams from the defiant witch permeated the basement wall, Barty's methods had proven far more successful than any others. The girl hadn't spoken, but she didn't talk back.
The door flung open at his command; the once-proud Hufflepuff Auror met his gaze with a tremble. His servant kneeled at his arrival, "My Lord," he whispered.
"Barty," Voldemort hissed, "Tell me, are there any new developments?"
"No, My Lord," Barty said, turning to the auror who muttered incoherently to herself, "I fear I may have taken my 'interrogation' methods a shade too far. I may have broken her."
"A shame," Voldemort said, "But I suppose it matters not. It appears that she held true to her convictions. We'll hold on to her, there is a chance that she may rebound, as unlikely as it is, she could still have value to us. For now, though," A blue light sparked from the tip of his wand, "I need to prepare a package. Barty- hold out her wand hand."
A grin cracked across his lips as he slashed his wand over the girl's hand before with a thud, it fell to the ground. With a flick, the auror's gaping wound sealed, her dismembered hand-floating at his side. "Wait until Draco completes his little job for me, then send this to Mr. Potter for me. You know the methods of sneaking in messages into the castle. Be sure to inform him that if he harms my property, I'll harm his. After that, we'll play his game."
Barty bowed deeply, taking the free hand in his. Voldemort's fingers curled deeper into his palms as his lips curled. "Once Draco's mission is complete, there will be nobody capable of stopping me, but there is no such thing as a force that is too overwhelming now, is there? With the Dementors, Werewolves, and Death Eaters at my back, it is unlikely any resistance would be possible. But there is one group left that served to be a pain in my side during the first war."
"You don't mean-"
"Yes, Them." His eyes hardened at the thought. "Send and emissary to their kingdom in Transylvania- I want to see if we can come to a negotiation without the need for unnecessary combat. The vampires are powerful and would make wonderful subordinates."
"Yes, My Lord," Barty repeated once more, "As you wish."
(Remus P.O.V)
Waking up to a woman in his bed still felt odd. The fact that the woman was Narcissa Malfoy- though she went by Narcissa Black now was also strange. Strange- but good. Everything about her was good, the smell of her hair, the softness of her skins, the sounds she'd make during their shared nights. All of it was beautiful.
His eyes cracked open to the sound of crying from the nursery, followed by the rushed footsteps of Sirius. Remus chuckled, how much things have changed. "He was really fussy last night, wasn't he?" Narcissa whispered at his side, turning to rest her head on his bare chest, "Poor Em, was pacing all night."
"Unlucky shift, I suppose," Remus said with a smile, "Hopefully, she'll get some rest now that Sirius is taking over."
"He's not bad at it," Narcissa said warmly, "I've known him since he was young- never would have imagined him as a dad."
"Me either," Remus said, "He was never the most responsible person. But between Harry and James now, he's certainly stepped up to the plate." Remus felt his skin grow hot as Narcissa slid on top of him. For a woman of her age, she looked incredibly young and unbelievably gorgeous.
"I'm sure he's not the only one who'd be a good father if given the chance." Narcissa's grin turned sultry as she leaned in, catching his lips with hers.
"Narcissa, you don't know what you're talking about," Remus whispered, "I'm a monster, our kid would certainly be-"
"I love you, Remus," Narcissa said, kissing his chest. "I love Draco, I always will, but-. My pregnancy, my marriage, my ability to raise him, all of them were compromised and filled with hell. I want to start a family- a real family with a man that I love. That man- it's you, Remus."
"Narcissa, you don't know the sacrifices you'd have to make. We'd never be able to be married. Wizarding marriages aren't as simple as Muggle ones, and our child would never have the chance to-"
"It doesn't matter," Narcissa whispered, "Our child may not have access to great wealth or status, but he'd be loved. Even if he did have lycanthropy, I'm familiar with caring for children with it. I want you, Remus, I don't care about being formally married. I just want to be happy with you."
"I-I love you too, Narcissa," Remus whispered, "I just- I don't think now is the right time or-"
"Don't think, just do."
Her kiss was searing, and Remus felt as if he'd lost control of his arms as they wrapped themselves around her thin waist. Her tongue fought his, but the heat of the moment had turned frosty as the charm that signaled an incoming floo call rang throughout the house. The two groaned with displeasure as they separated, their barren feet touching the chilly winter floorboards.
Narcissa wrapped herself tightly in her robe as Remus followed after her, his chest fully exposed to the cold air. It was there that he saw one of his least favorite people flickering in the green flame. He'd known that Harry had gone through his plan of informing Severus, yet it didn't make him any better seeing him in the fire.
"I'm sorry," Was all he heard the Hogwarts professor say before Andromeda broke down into tears. Narcissa raced to her sister's side, cradling her gently in her arms as Andromeda quivered.
"What happened?" Remus hissed. Severus remained passive, "What happened?" Remus growled.
"I heard your question the first time, Remus," The potions master said his name as if it were some awful curse, "I was simply conjuring the best way of delivering the news. Our plan," Severus continued, "May have hit a road bump." He felt Narcissa's eyes lock on Severus.
"Draco, what of Draco?" For as much pain as her son had caused her, it was clear she still loved him.
Severus' eyes fell to the side as he sighed, "Draco, he will live. But, Merlin only knows for how much longer."
"Why?" Remus whispered, the footsteps of Sirius and Emmeline now entering the room. "Why do you believe Draco's life to be at risk?"
"Because," Severus began, "Once he hears of what happened at the manor- I fear Potter may kill Draco himself, and I am not capable of protecting him."
"Why would Harry-" Sirius started, before his eyes widened at Andromeda's trembling figure, "No. Is Tonks- are we too late?"
"She's not dead, but," Severus sighed, "I saw her before I met with the Dark Lord. Prolonged exposure to the Cruciatus Curse, I'm sure you know the result of that. The Dark Lord seemed intent on sending Potter a message; I have a bad feeling I know what it is."
"I have to get to the castle," Sirius said, "If Tonks is-" Sirius couldn't even say the words as his body shook with anger. "If Harry finds out, he'll be inconsolable. I need to be there I-"
"No," Remus said, turning to his friend, "I'll go watch over the situation at the castle." His eyes fell to the crying James, before watching as Ted tried desperately to comfort his wife. "Your family needs you here. I'll head to the castle and watch over Harry from a distance. If no news comes, he needn't know I was even there, but if it does come, I'll stop him from killing Draco."
"That would be beneficial," Severus said, "A skilled Legilimens may be able to heal a tortured mind if not too much time has passed. But The Dark Lord sees Draco as his property. If more damage happens to him to the point, he becomes unable to do his job; Tonks will die. Furthermore," Severus continued, "The Dark Lord's only goal currently is to kill Dumbledore and Potter. We all know that Dumbledore is living on borrowed time as we speak; Draco's plan puts only the staff and Dumbledore at risk. Upsetting this plan will bring Voldemort himself to Hogwarts, and should that happen, the casualties will be innumerable."
"I could care less about Voldemort," Remus said, his eyes filled with exhaustion, "It's Harry's wrath I'm worried about."
(Dumbledore P.O.V)
Exhaustion wasn't anything new to Dumbledore. He'd been over the century mark for over a decade, and while it wasn't unusual for Wizards to have longer lifespans- hardly and wizard's life was as filled as Dumbledore. Out of the group known as the Marauders, he'd always been the proudest of James, but the Werewolf Remus Lupin held a soft spot in his heart.
I should have done more for him. Dumbledore swallowed as he watched his former Defense Against the Dark Arts professor pace across the carpeted office. Guilt had been something he'd wrestled with in abundance these days. Between Harry, Aberforth, Grindelwald, Voldemort, The Order- Dumbledore wondered if he'd done anything right in his life.
"I'm telling you, Albus," Remus said, "If what our suspicion is comes to fruition, Draco is in danger. And with you in your current state, I doubt there is anyone in this castle capable enough from stopping Harry."
"What of Ms. Greengrass," Albus said as he calmly stroked his beard. "She's stopped Harry's dangerous decisions in the past. Perhaps she will be able to-"
"No," Remus said, the werewolf's eyes locked to the ground. "Harry loves the girl, and would sacrifice a lot for her; this is true. But Tonks, she holds a place in Harry's heart that is irreplaceable. If Harry learns that Voldemort hasn't followed the rules of their negotiation, there's nothing in the world short of killing him that could give him pause. Even Daphne's influence on him has limits."
"That's why I've come to the castle," Remus said, "Should Harry discover the true nature of Voldemort's plan, I will act as the mediator. When it comes to Tonks, I fear there is nothing Harry wouldn't sacrifice for her. He loves her, Albus. And as you and I both know painfully well, love is powerful."
"I don't oppose you staying at the castle, though you may wish to reconsider," Dumbledore stated. "From what I recall, James left Harry a rather handy tool that reveals everyone's location. Should he discover you in the castle, I fear that it may raise more questions than answers."
"So, what can we do?" Remus muttered, the wolf in him appearing in his growl.
"I will do some investigating of my own," Dumbledore said. "I will follow Draco around and keep tabs on his whereabouts. My time is approaching rather quickly with or without his intervention; I fear- I suppose it's time to stop playing so carefully."
Albus stood, a transfigured cane helping his weak legs balance as he smiled. "I wish to atone for my sins before I die. I swore to truly help Harry this year, to protect him at all costs, even from himself. Allow me one more chance to handle this situation my way. I promise, this time I'll show some better results."
He'd been grateful for the werewolf's patience, but a tightness had formed in his chest as he prowled the halls of his castle beneath his invisibility charm. He'd always been a bit different from his parents, Albus thought as his silenced heels clicked along the stone floor, he'd always been more ruthless, but never had I imagined a day would come where he'd become a danger to another student. Harry, he thought softly, please don't allow yourself to slip into despair. Remember, Harry, love.
It wasn't long until his plan came to action. His legs ached as he moved, the age of his weathered frame was quickly becoming a damning reality as he heard the creak of the hospital wing door open. It had been hard to convince Madam Pomfrey to turn a blind eye to Draco and allow him to sneak out. It was even odder how hard Dumbledore felt he advocated for his death, but it was necessary. If there was anything Dumbledore could do to save him, to save both of them, he'd do it. It was about time he lived up to his duties as Headmaster- His life was a small price to pay.
He took a deep breath, suppressing his magic to a minimal as Draco popped his head from the massive doors of the infirmary. His beady eyes scanned the corridor, before like a whisper, he stepped from beyond the shelter of Madam Pomfrey's domain. Dumbledore nodded, impressed at the way Draco silenced his steps before moving. You've grown quite a bit yourself, haven't you, Draco? If only it could have been for the better.
Albus' heart felt heavier than his body as he trailed after the Slytherin. Draco turned every corner with such certainty. Albus could see in the boy's eyes that Draco was certain he'd found his way- if only he were able to see that he'd lost it years ago. The boy's mastery of the secret corridors had been impressive for someone with no inherited knowledge like Harry had; it only spoke to the boy's deductive eyes.
Every floor the two descended had made Dumbledore feel even more ashamed. You had so much potential, Draco. Why? Why didn't I steer you better? He stopped his thoughts as they arrived at the girl's lavatory. Dumbledore knew the castle like the back of his hand, inside and out. It hadn't been through the girl's washroom that he entered the chamber to take back the youngest Weasley's body, but no matter the rationality, he'd always found himself avoiding the bathroom of Moaning Myrtle.
The metal hinges to the door creaked open, and with an exhausted sigh, he followed the son of Lucius into the bathroom. He'd been touted as one of the greatest wizards ever to walk the earth, and yet, he stood silently, unable to intervene as Draco played the recording of his master and opened the chamber door.
Dumbledore slowed himself as he followed Draco down the slide leading to the chamber's entryway. He'd been sure he collapsed the tunnels into the cave, but as was quickly becoming apparent, the son of Lucius was far more skilled than his father. The rubble that Dumbledore had left in his wake had vanished without a trace. Perhaps, Dumbledore thought to himself as he floated gently above the ground with his gentle steps. Maybe this new generation possesses the ability to surpass even my own.
The sound of rolling water whispered in his ears as he approached the shattered statue of Salazar Slytherin. The stone turned to solid black tile before the clicking of Draco's footsteps became audible once more as he canceled his charm. "Good," Draco said, a sigh of relief filling the air, "It's still in one piece. Perhaps I still have time."
Hmm, so that's how it is, Dumbledore said as he stroked his beard, A vanishing cabinet, which means that its sister must be in Tom's grasps. Dumbledore stepped back as the sound of frantic chirping began making itself clear from behind the cabinet's doors. A sinister grin filled Draco's face as he swung the door open. A small, yellow, chick chirped loudly- but Draco's face soured, the chick hadn't arrived in one piece.
"Damn," Draco barked, his eyes falling to a note strapped to the bird's side. He watched as Draco read the letter. Quietly Dumbledore focused his mind like a scalpel, wanting to read the note from a distance, but was met by the brick wall of Draco's occlumency. Impressive Draco, truly.
The boy turned on his heels, his eyes resting upon Dumbledore for a minute. Was his life in danger? No- even in his weakened state, Dumbledore didn't fear Draco. But for a moment, concern filled his mind. Had I pressed too hard? Dumbledore pondered. Did he notice me?
Another silent sigh escaped his lips as Draco turned back towards the cabinet, lifting his wand. For what must have been hours, Dumbledore gazed upon Draco as he poured his magic into the cabinet, desperate to fix the damage. Twice he'd seen Draco lean his head over the sewer waters and vomit, four times he watched as Draco pulled clumps from his hair, and once, he'd watched silently as Draco fell to his knees and cried, gripping his head.
Harry, I wonder if you saw this- would your heart change? Dumbledore shook his head. No, you've never been one to sympathize with your opponents. Your heart has always been harder than mine. I wonder- will that make you stronger than I?
The alarm charm on Draco's watch had woken Dumbledore from his thoughts. "Damn it all," Draco hissed, "What do I do? Do I stay? Do I go back? What am I supposed to do?" Tears streamed down his cheeks as he slammed his forehead into the cabinet frame. "I have to kill him," Draco whispered, "It's the only way."