WARNING: HBP Spoilers, Character Death(s)
Authors Note:
I wrote this first chapter when I should have been doing my History essay slaps forehead. I'm not sure if I should continue writing this story (I've made a plan and it goes for at least 36 chapters O.o) so please review. I don't mind constructive criticism...but give me motivation to keep going with this story!
CHAPTER ONE
Hedwig had gone out hunting that night, giving Harry an affectionate nip behind his ear before taking off from his bedroom window. Harry saw her off, trying desperately to keep his mind off recent events.
Reluctant as he was, Harry remembered his promise to Dumbledore to continue to obey his orders, and this was how he found himself back at the Dursleys' after the unusually early end to his sixth year at Hogwarts. Harry closed his eyes--he cursed himself, for he had, for the millionth time, reminded himself about his mentor, the only wizard that Voldemort had feared...reminded himself of witnessing his death.
And his death had come at such an inconvenient time, too. Harry had only learned of Voldemort's use of Horcruxes shortly before Dumbledore's death, had accompanied the Hogwarts Headmaster on the quest to find one of those Horcruxes. That quest had resulted with the worst possible results. The Horcrux had been a fake, and Dumbledore had pretty much given his life for it. Harry felt as though there was more to be learned, and for once, he found himself completely independent--he could no longer look up to Dumbledore, ask him for advice or learn pearls of wisdom from him...
His death had come at a time when Harry had felt he had finally managed to move past Sirius' death. No, he hadn't forgotten his godfather, but he had finally learned to accept his death. The Boy Who Lived couldn't think of a time where he had felt more vulnerable than he did now.
First Sirius, then Dumbledore...their deaths reminded Harry of the dangerous times that he lived in--he couldn't dwell in what used to be. He tried not to think of his first year at Hogwarts--Voldemort hadn't regenerated, and was in hiding, and Harry managed to lead a reasonably-normal life (though he knew he would never be normal).
His musings were interrupted, when Hedwig returned, with an unidentifiable-but-definitely-dead creature in her beak, and bearing a letter for her owner.
Frowning, Harry took the letter from Hedwig, and as she fluttered over to her cage, he tore open the envelope, wondering who had written to him.
Dear Harry,
I hope you're doing OK, Ron is worrying about you, and quite frankly, so am I. My parents let me stay at the Burrow, and Ron and I have been helping with Bill and Fleur's wedding. You are coming for it, aren't you? You promised, and I'm going to hold you to it. Remember, the date's August 12th, but I do hope you'll come earlier, Ron and I miss you!
We want to make sure that you're fine.
There's bad news, I'm afraid--I'm not sure if you still have a subscription for the Daily Prophet, but if you do, I suppose you already know that the Governors decided to close Hogwarts. It's quite sad, isn't it? But I suppose it's the right decision, especially since there's no point in keeping a school open when no parent is going to allow their child to set foot in it.
Ron says to remind you that we're coming with you to find those Horcruxes, no matter what you do or say to us. You're going to need all the help you can get, Harry, so don't shut us out.
See you soon,
Hermione.
His lips started to curl at the sides a little into a small smile, as he skimmed through it a second time before putting it back into its envelope and putting it on his desk. The news that Hogwarts had closed didn't come as a surprise, so he didn't feel too devastated about it, but he was glad that in his time of need, he was sure he could rely on his friends to be there.
Looking into the Dark Lord's eyes was terrifying, more terrifying then venturing into the Forbidden Forest in the middle of the night, more terrifying than anything he had ever known, but Draco Malfoy looked anyway. His legs were aching and his knees were sore from kneeling before the mutilated form of his Master. He shivered, suddenly feeling cold.
Severus Snape knelt beside him, and Draco wondered how he could be so calm and collected in the Dark Lord's presence. Then again, Snape wasn't the one who didn't complete the task he'd been given.
"Malfoy, my boy," the Dark Lord said, his voice so chilling and cold to Draco's ears. "Stand up."
Numbly, Draco stood up, keeping his head held high. He was frightened, but he wouldn't show his fear.
"Though I must say I'm impressed that you managed to find a way to let your fellow Death Eaters into Hogwarts without that muggle-loving old fool of a wizard realising, I am still very, very disappointed in you." The wizard's red eyes gleamed as he stared at the sixteen-year-old boy that stood before him. "But at least you have proven yourself more worthy than your idiot of a father."
Draco tried not to flinch at the mention of his father, but he was sure that You-Know-Who had noticed his reaction. It had been his father's stupid mistake that had landed him in this predicament, and for once, Draco had no respect for his father--he didn't hate him, but he didn't admire him like he did when he was younger.
"For your mistake, though, there will be punishment. If it weren't for Severus here..." A pale, bony hand gestured toward Snape, who had a rather blank expression on his face. "If he hadn't been there to fix the situation, you would have been a dead boy, no doubt about that." Knowing what was coming, Draco braced himself. "Crucio."
The sound of Draco's screams of pain only caused the Dark Lord to laugh, while the former Hogwarts professor before him bowed his head, hiding his shiny eyes.