Authors Note: I've seen the movies and read the books. Books mostly trump the movies but since it's been a long while since I've read the books and the movie is fresher in my mind the events that take place in this chapter are more similar to the movie then the book.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything regarding Harry Potter.
Thank you: Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoy and please feel free to leave feedback on how I can improve.
Harry Potter couldn't move, he was paralyzed by the spell Albus Dumbledore had hit him with. He had done this so Harry could not interfere with what was about to take place. Harry could only watch as the events unfolded around him. There was nothing Harry could do and that made him livid. He didn't understand why Dumbledore had chosen to paralyze him so he couldn't help. The great wizard was extremely weak after the events that took place in the cave so there was no way he would be able to fight the Death Eaters alone.
They were all up on the roof, Bellatrix Lestrange, Fenrir Greyback Severus Snape and Draco Malfoy. Harry had the perfect view; he could see what was happening without being seen. The spell would wear of within the next fifteen minuets but by then it would be too late.
"Any last words old man?" Harry heard someone say, by the sound of the voice it sounded like Greyback. Dumbledore was silent as he gave Snape a pleading look. If Harry had blinked he would have missed the slight nod Dumbledore gave to Snape. Harry saw Snape's lips move but was unable to make out what he said. It was then Snape shouted "Avada Kadevra!" At that same moment Dumbledore crumbled to the ground. "Got him!" Bellatrix shouted cackling madly.
Disbelief and shock flooded through Harry. Snape had just killed Dumbledore! Yet there was a voice inside Harry that told him that the spell had missed, just barely missing the older wizards ear as he crumbled to the ground. Yet Harry had seen the killing curse cast and his beloved professor sink to the ground. He was so confused as to whether the Dumbledore had actually been hit by the spell.
Harry watched as the Death Eaters turned to head back down the stone steps from which they came. They passed right by Harry who saw smirks on all of their faces. They were so happy to have Dumbledore out of the way and Hogwarts in chaos. Harry looked up to see Snape checking the body to make sure the spell had hit its mark. Satisfied he turned and went down the stone staircase nearly touching Harry as he moved swiftly to catch up with the others. The Death Eaters left as quickly as they had come.
It was a good ten minuets before the effects of the spell wore off and Harry was able to move again. It took him a few minuets to limber up his body after not being able to move it for a while. He went quickly down the stairway and into the main building. It only took a moment for Harry to realize the hall looked a tornado had gone though. Portraits were on the floor, some were hanging crookedly on the wall yelling out for someone to fix them. Some of the portraits were damaged, their inhabitants scattered throughout the school. Statues and suits of amour had been knocked down and dented or smashed. A sigh escaped Harry's lips at what the Death Eaters had done to the place. It would take a while for everything to be fixed replaced and cleaned even with magic.
Along with being messy he also noticed the main hallways were deserted. There wasn't a student or teacher in site. "Harry Potter! Everyone has gathered in the Great Hall!" One of the portraits spoke up. It never ceased to amaze him how many people knew him, even the portraits addressed him by name. Not wanting to see anymore of the school nor miss what was going on in the Great Hall. Harry rushed to the hall and stopped as soon as he passed though the enormous entryway. "Dumbledore's dead!" Harry shouted, interrupting whatever Professor McGonagall was saying. He had captured everyone's attention, they all turned to face him their faces emotionless.
"Thank you Mr. Potter for the news but Professor Snape has just informed us of what happened on the roof." McGonagall explained glancing quickly at the potions professor. "Professor Dumbledore was killed by the Avada Kedavra curse which was cast by a Death Eater." McGonagall explained. This left Harry speechless, for a moment unable to wrap his head around the fact that Snape had told everyone a Death Eater had killed Dumbledore. What McGonagall said had been partially seeing as Severus Snape was a Death Eater but which Death Eater had killed Dumbledore was left to the imagination. It took Harry a minuet to gain his voice back and process what had just been said. "He's lying! I saw Snape kill Dumbledore!" Harry shouted to upset to show any respect for the potions teacher. "Mr. Potter, that's enough!" McGonagall shouted, her voice cutting through the babble that had started based on Harry's accusations. "I will not have you accusing a Professor of murdering anyone, much less the headmaster. You are all dismissed except for you Mr. Potter." McGonagall said in a stern voice causing Harry to look at the floor for he was embarrassed for being asked to stay in front of the whole school. It took a moment for Harry to compose himself so he wouldn't look anymore like a fool, to ashamed to show his face to his peers. As soon as the blush died down Harry picked his head up to watch as the students started to file out. A lot of them looked his way as they passed, he heard a few of them mumble. Some, those he knew gave him sympathetic looks and he managed to give them a half smile, reassuring them that everything was all right.
Snape excused himself as the other teachers started to leave the Great Hall to wait for McGonagall to speak with Harry. There was a small room next to the Great Hall out of the room. They would wait in the room until McGonagall spoke with Harry, then they would meet with the transfiguration teacher to see what they would do with Dumbledore.
Harry warily approached the podium where McGonagall had been giving her speech to the school. "I'd like you to wait in my office while…." The older woman trailed off not sure how to explain to the young wizard that she as going to retrieve Dumbledore's body. "I'll be there as soon as I'm finished." She concluded. Harry wasn't stupid, he knew what the professors were going to do, and he understood why McGonagall hadn't told him directly. It was almost impossible to speak such words when someone you greatly admired had just been murdered and you were the one that had to go recover the body. Harry had no choice but to leave and wait in the professor's office. He was to upset to speak so he just nodded and left for her office.