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HOGWARTS - GREAT HALL
Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley rush in the doors to see that the students have already arrived. It is the morning after a week long school trip.
RONALD WEASLEY
(surprised)
Blimey
All the students are dressed in dress robes, and there is little chatter among the students. The tables are laden with breakfast but very few students are eating. Over all a gloom fills the Great Hall. Harry and Ron rush to take their places at the Gryffindor table. They barely reach it before...
THE BIG BELL
!BONG!
HOGWARTS - GREAT HALL - SLYTHERIN TABLE
Pansy Parkinson lets out a sob and rises from the table. Blaize Zabini rises with her and starts to lead her from the great hall. as they pass the Gryffindor table they pause and look at Hermione Granger.
BLAISE ZABINI
(in a low voice)
Thank you for trying.
Hermione Granger nods as Zabini leads Parkinson out. A single tear runs down Hermione's cheek
HOGWARTS - GREAT HALL - GRYFFINDOR TABLE
HARRY POTTER
Hermione...
THE BIG BELL
!BONG!
Harry recognises it as the one hanging in the tallest tower. Before Harry could try again to catch Hermione's attention, the students, almost as one, stand and face the aisle.
HARRY POTTER
(confused)
What's going on?
HERMIONE GRANGER
(in a low voice)
They're killing Draco today
RONALD WEASLEY
What?
HERMIONE GRANGER
Be quiet.
THE BIG BELL
!BONG!
Hermione Granger stiffens as she faces the the aisle. Harry notices her puffy eyes.
HOGWARTS - GREAT HALL
A door at the far end opens and Headmaster Dumbledore steps out. Professor McGonigal and Professor Snape follow him. Two Aurors in blood red robes follow.
THE BIG BELL
!BONG!
They walk solemnly down the aisle. After the procession has left the Great Hall the students retake their seats.
HOGWARTS - GREAT HALL - GRYFFINDOR TABLE
RONALD WEASLEY
(almost gleefully)
Did you say they were going to kill Malf...
Ronald Weasley was interrupted by a swat to the back of hishead, almost hard enough to push his face into a dish of scrambled eggs.
GINNY WEASLEY
(hissing)
Yes Ron, they're killing Malfoy today.
HARRY POTTER
(turning to Hermione Granger)
Why?
HERMIONE GRANGER
He wouldn't take the Dark Mark.
Ron snorts but at a look from his sister keeps his mouth closed.
THE BIG BELL
!BONG!
HARRY POTTER
(amazed)
He didn't become a Death Eater?
HERMIONE GRANGER
No Harry, he refused. Even after
He who must not be named killed
his parents.
RONALD WEASLEY
(shocked)
They killed his parents"
HERMIONE GRANGER
They made him watch and then the
xcruciatus curse was put on him.
HARRY POTTER
The xcruciatus curse.
RONALD WEASLEY
(whispering)
Oh sweet Merlin.
HARRY POTTER
What is the xcruciatus curse.
THE BIG BELL
!BONG!
HERMIONE GRANGER
It's like the Cruciatus
Curse. Except that it can't be
lifted. The pain increases and the
victim has to be killed before the
pain stops.
THE BIG BELL
!BONG!
HARRY POTTER
They have to kill him to stop the pain?
Hermione just nods.
HERMIONE GRANGER
(whispering)
Otherwise he'll live forever.
Harry Potter shudders as he considers the implications.
THE BIG BELL
!BONG! !BONG! !BONG! !BONG!
A heavy silence fills the Great Hall. In groups of two and threes, the students leave their seats, and converge around the Slytherin table and the empty seat where Draco Lucius Malfoy used to sit.