The Rest of the Slytherins
The characters and basic plot belong to JK Rowling. Words spoken by some of the characters have been borrowed from 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'.
ooo
III
Blaise
"You have fought valiantly. Lord Voldemort knows how to value bravery."
The Dark Lord's voice makes us jump out of our skins
"I command my forces to retreat immediately."
"Thank God," whispers Madam Malfoy.
"You have one hour... I speak now, Harry Potter, directly to you. You have permitted your friends to die for you rather than face me yourself. I shall wait for one hour in the Forbidden Forest. If, at the end of that hour, you have not come to me, then the battle recommences."
Damn Potter.
"Let's go and look for Draco," says Pansy.
"We can't," says Madam Malfoy. "We'd get killed. We wouldn't even be able to get into the castle."
"Shit."
That was me. I look defiantly at Daphne. For once, she doesn't say anything .
ooo
When we walk into the Hog's Head, the pub looks empty, except for a few goats and
"Checkmate !"
Milly's cat has jumped out from under a table, a dead mouse in its mouth. She hugs it like a long-lost friend, mouse and all.
"Nott !" I call. "Theo ! It's us ! It's Zabini !"
"Up here !" answers Theo's voice.
We walk up the stairs to the room where the entrance to the tunnel is. Pansy looks at it wistfully.
"Don't even think about it," hisses Milly, sounding like her cat.
Theo is sitting at a rickety table with a fragile-looking old man. That's Theo's father?
"I vote we stay here," says Milly, dropping onto a chair that sways dangerously under her weight. "That's what Professor Snape said to do."
"Did he?"
"He asked why we weren't going with Theo."
"Can't we go home?" says Tracey in a small voice. "Where is Professor Snape, anyway?"
"In the Shrieking Shack, I suppose."
"He must have left, by now."
Mr Nott suddenly shudders and tenses, clutching his left arm.
"He is calling."
"Don't go, Father."
"I have to. He does not tolerate disobedience."
"I'll come with you, then. Where are we going?"
"To the Forest."
"Can you Apparate, Father?"
The old man's eyes fill with tears. Shit, that man's going to die. I hate men dying.
"I'll side-Apparate you to the edge of the Forest. Then you'll guide me."
"We'll come too," says Daphne.
I can't do less. It's called Slytherin solidarity. We've been taught that since first year.
Milly heaves a sigh and put her cat down.
"A' right, then... Keep away from humans. They've all lost their Gobstones tonight, " she tells it.
For the second time tonight, we get ready for a group Apparition.
ooo
The Death Eaters are assembled in a clearing, deep in the Forest.
"That's where the Acromantula came from," whispers Milly, pointing to torn strands of a huge web.
"So long as they're not here now," murmurs Pansy.
The Death Eaters are standing around a fire in the middle of the clearing. Mr Nott stumbles over to his place among them, leaning on Theo. Mr and Mrs Malfoy are there too, without Draco. I scan each hooded figure. Professor Snape must be one of those who have kept their masks on. This one? Too short. That one? Too heavy...
As we don't have a place among the Death Eaters, we stand behind them, on the edge. The Dark Lord is standing at the centre, near the fire, his head bowed. Above him, the snake is still floating in its magical case.
We are waiting for Potter.
Tracey leans against a tree, her whole body shaking.
"Are you okay?" whispers Pansy stupidly.
Tracey lifts a trembling finger and points to the opposite side of the circle.
Potter has arrived.
They're going to kill him.
A scream makes my stomach jump.
"Harry ! No !"
It's Hagrid. He's tied to a tree.
His screaming stops abruptly. Someone hexed him.
He must see us, his students, Pansy who was always making fun of him.
The silence is worse than the screams.
Potter is standing opposite the Dark Lord. Stupid Gryffindor. A rustling noise makes me turn round. Tracey has slipped to the ground.
The girls look away, but I can't. I look at Potter as if I'd never seen him, his stupid scar and stupid glasses, standing there with his stupid Gryffindor bravery.
"Avada Kedavra !"
The killing curse. I have only seen it once, when the false Moody used it on a spider. Potter fell the same way. And the Dark Lord collapsed. That caused a panic among the Death Eaters. They are all fussing around him. That woman, I have seen photos of her in the Daily Prophet. Bellatrix Lestrange, Draco's Malfoy's aunt. Pansy and Daphne often whispered about her in awe.
She isn't that beautiful.
"That will do," says the Dark Lord.
He is alive. Of course. The Dark Lord can't just die like that.
"I do not require assistance. You," he points his wand at Madam Malfoy. She twitches and cries out.
"Tell me whether he is dead."
I can't breathe. Death always does that to me.
"He is dead."
Potter is dead.
Potter. Is. Dead.
So it's over, isn't it?
"No man alive can threaten me now !" shouts the Dark Lord.
I don't get it. Why not?
"Crucio !"
The Dark Lord is playing with Potter like Checkmate plays with its victims.
Jeers and shrieks fill the clearing. I turn to find the four girls all sitting around the tree. My own legs seem to have lost all feeling. I let myself fall next to them.
"So it's over, then?" whispers Daphne.
"Can we go home?" says Tracey, trying to muffle a sob.
"Now we go to the castle and show them what has become of their hero," continues the Dark Lord.
They are untying Hagrid. I pull myself up clumsily, but the girls stay on the ground.
"Move," says the Dark Lord to Hagrid and the procession begins, Hagrid ahead, carrying Potter. Mr Nott limps along in the back, leaning on Theo.
I realise what I had been waiting for when it hasn't happened. No one has come over to call us dunderheads.
"I can"t get up," sighs Tracey. Tears are running down her face.
'Nor can I," moans Pansy. She stinks of vomit. I'm glad it isn't me.
"That was..." says Milly, but she can't find a word.
"It's over," repeats Daphne hopefully.
"I don't understand why," I mutter. "What is it about Potter?"
The girls don't care.
"I don't think it's over."
Theo has joined us. His father is sitting on a tree trunk, further on the edge of the clearing.
"I don't think they'll just give up because Potter's dead. There's going to be another battle. They'll fight over his body," he adds in disgust.
"Why?" I say.
He shrugs.
"I'm staying here with Father. If there's fighting..."
"I'll go and see what's happening," I hear myself say. "I can do a Disillusionment charm."
"Don't get killed," says Daphne.
"I'll try."
ooo
I have to walk fast not to lose their trace. Luckily, they are making quite a racket and frightening the beasts away. It's good to be alone and invisible, even though it's still dark. I walk through the Forest, trying to make my mind catch up with what is happening, going over the events of the night : the evacuation, the Dark Lord, the battle and Potter's death.
And then another memory, an incongruous one... Good word, incongruous. I wish Draco Malfoy was here, I could tell him, "An incongruous memory has come back to me."
If Draco's alive.
That would be rather incongruous.
Anyway, the memory.
My career advice appointment in fifth year. I was so very young.
"I want to be a Death Eater," I told Professor Snape.
"That's not a carer, silly boy."
"It is. You help the Dark Lord get rid of the scum and filth. You're a Death Eater, aren't you?"
We have always known. Draco told us.
"That's none of your business. Your business, Zabini, is to stop being destructive and begin to use your potential."
"I'll use my potential to serve the Dark Lord."
"The Dark Lord does not require brains. He requires obedience and devotion."
"I can give him that."
He glared at me, that glare that frightens Hufflepuffs and makes Gryffindors angry.
"It's high time you learned to think for yourself, boy, and you are going to start right now. I want you to write an essay about what you think needs to be changed in the wizarding world."
"Oh, that's easy."
It wasn't. I was glad when everybody's fathers got arrested at the Ministry. I thought Professor Snape would forget about the essay, what with finding a place for Theo to go and all that. But Professor Snape has a memory like a Hippogriff.
"I'm waiting for your essay, Zabini," he told me at the end of the year.
"I dunno what to write."
"I'll wait for as long as it takes, but I want this essay."
Since then, and even this year, though he was headmaster and had a lot on his plate, Professor Snape has had the annoying habit of cornering me when I'm least expecting it and hissing, "I am still waiting for your essay, Zabini."
Pansy made a joke out of it : "I am still waiting for your essay, Zabini." A few years ago, Draco would have joined her. He can do a good impression of Professor Snape , when he is in the mood. But he hasn't been much fun, these last two years.
I wonder if Professor Snape is still waiting for the essay.
ooo
They have stopped at the edge of the Forest. A familiar chill grips me. Dementors. Not now, please... I turn back as fast as I can until I can't feel them any more. Then I climb up a tree where I can see everything. It's like being a kid again.
I see the Dark Lord pushing Hagrid towards the castle. The snake is around his shoulders. It's impressive, lordly, to walk with a snake around your shoulders. Not at all like Milly with her cat.
Another incongruous thought pops up : Milly and the other girls huddled miserably under a tree. Professor Snape doesn't even allow girls on the Quidditch team. I never understood why. I mean, Milly is quite as strong as anyone in the team.
A terrible scream vanishes these thoughts. The Death Eaters are standing in a line in front of the castle, the Hogwarts people in a line opposite them. the woman who is screaming has long black hair. For a minute, I wonder what Bellatrix Lestrange is doing on the enemy side. But she's there, next to the Dark Lord, so who...?
I nearly fell off the tree.
McGonagall is meant to stand in a classroom with her hair in a tight bun and her mouth pinched, handing out detentions, not scream like a banshee with all that hair all over the place.
She is screaming for Potter.
She wouldn't scream like that for me. No one would.
Now other people are screaming too. Sluggy is there, his pyjamas torn and soiled. He isn't screaming, but he looks a mess.
They've lost.
As Theo predicted, they won't admit it. The idiot Longbottom jumps in front of the Dark Lord, like a stupid Gryffindor. The Dark Lord sneers at him, puts some hat on his head and sets it aflame.
He is killing Longbottom.
Before I have time to know what I think about that, a stampede under the tree makes me hang on for dear life. The centaurs are attacking. To make things worse, the giants begin to fight among themselves, or so it seems, and all I can think of is to hold tight and not fall off. Longbottom is the least of my worries.
Hagrid is yelling, "Where's Harry?"
Theo was right. They're fighting over Potter's body. Pity Theo dropped Divination. He's quite a Seer.
Giants, centaurs, Thestrals and Hippogriffs are fighting on the grounds. The wizards have disappeared into the castle. There is no more light from is chaos and darkness.
I hold on to the tree until my arms are numb. I haven't the strength to move, let alone Apparate. I am stuck up here like a stupid angel on a Christmas tree.
If I had the Mark, I could send a message to Theo's father. Or to Draco. If...
Cries of "He's alive !" suddenly burst out of the castle.
Who's alive?
I don't care any more.
All goes very quiet then, an oppressive sort of quiet, just like before the Dark Lord killed Potter, the sort of quiet when you know something terrible is going to happen. I don't know how long it lasts. I have lost count of time.
Then an almighty blast sends me flying. My head hits the ground and I sink thankfully into oblivion. A good word, ob...
ooo
"A Slytherin," says a disgusted voice.
A wand pokes at my face. I search for mine. Someone sniggers.
"We've got your wand, boy. You're not going to need it where you're going."
Morning has come. The sun is out.
"Get up."
I stumble, feeling as inept as Theo's father.
They, whoever they are, push me forward. The castle is in shambles. What used to be the Great Hall is filled with people.
The battle is over.
No need to ask who won.
"Here's the Slytherin corner," sneers the one who has been pushing his wand in my back. "You can stay here."
A group of ragged people are sitting in a corner : Mr Crabbe, Mr Goyle, Mr and Mrs Malfoy, Greg and Draco.
"You're alive," I say stupidly, thinking of Pansy.
Greg looks away.
"Vince's dead," whispers Draco and he looks away too. His eyes are suspiciously shiny.
I used to think that to see Draco Malfoy cry would make me feel good. It doesn't.
ooo
"Seventh year Slytherin students Millicent Busltrode, Tracey Davis, Daphne Greengrass, Theodore Nott, Pansy Parkinson and Blaise Zabini, who have been found guilty of willingly joining the ranks of Lord Voldemort in the battle of Hogwarts are awaiting trial at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry under the supervision of Headmistress M. McGonagall and Head of Slytherin house, Professor H. Slughorn..."
Milly snatches The Daily Prophet out of my hands.
"I need this for Checkmate's litter," she says.
"Your blood is mixed, but your heart is pure," she mutters as she walks away with the Prophet, " what a load of crap."
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