Look Behind My Eyes
It was impossible. It was forbidden. It was meant to be.
Chapter 4:
Draco's Point of View
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"I'm afraid I have some bad news…"
Draco tensed, ready for the worst. What would they tell him now? That his father had murdered another of his classmate's parents? That they refused to let him stay here any longer? Were they kicking him out to fend for himself? But… Wait, then why would Granger be here?
Draco was prevented from further speculation by Professor Talon. "Last night, one of your former professors was murdered."
Who? Who? thought Draco. Lockhart? Slughorn? Lupin? Oh God, it's Lupin! The Deatheaters found him!
"Last night, Severus Snape came out of his coma only to be slain minutes later by three unidentified people, at least one witch," said Talon, grimly but quite calmly.
Snape… Dead? Draco had trouble processing this. My godfather, who's protected me all my life, regardless of which side I was on… Dead?
"Ordinarily, students would not be able to view this, but Minerva felt that you two, as the heads, ought to know what to expect this year." As she spoke, the professor turned and rummaged through a cabinet behind her desk. She returned, triumphant, holding a small but intricately decorated stone basin, filled with swirling silver half-vapor, half-gas. "The memory we are about to view belongs to Madame Pomfrey."
Professor Talon leaned forward and, quite suddenly, disappeared into the Pensive. Granger glanced nervously at Draco. "Together?" she asked timidly.
"Together," agreed Draco, taking her hand. He felt slightly foolish as he and Granger leaned over the basing together.
"Ow!" said Draco and Granger simultaneously. They had clonked heads, quite hard, both approaching the basin. Then all of a sudden Draco felt a sensation like diving into a cold pool, and suddenly he and Granger landed unceremoniously on a bed in the hospital wing. Draco immediately released her hand. Maybe too quickly. He hoped he hadn't hurt her feelings.
"Watch closely," said Professor Talon, standing next to the bed he and Granger were sitting on.
It was dark in the infirmary; the only light came from a few candles behind the curtain that separated Madame Pomfrey's room from the rest of the infirmary. They heard a moaning, then the sound of someone clambering laboriously to his feet. Draco looked around, but all the lumps of sleeping students around them were still.
The room became lighter as a very drowsy Madame Pomfrey hustled into the room. She drew back the drapes that gave the occupants of the small long-term room a little privacy.
"Severus! Severus, what is it? Please lay back down," pleaded Madame Pomfrey as Snape, dressed in a black nightgown, ignored her and pushed past her into the main room.
She grabbed Snape's arm and tried again. "Please Severus! You've been unconscious for more than a month. We have to make sure you're alright."
Snape cut her off. "Poppy. I must see Minerva." He flung her arm off and strode towards the door pretty steadily for someone who had only just regained consciousness.
Before he could leave, though, three figures dressed in black hooded robes threw open the door and strode in, one after another. They would've looked almost like Dementors, except that you could hear their footsteps, and they were all about average height for adults.
The one in front pulled a wand out of her robes and pointed it at Snape.
"NO!!!" yelled Draco, involuntarily reaching out her hand.
"Avada Kedavra!" yelled the hooded figure. The voice seemed female, but Draco didn't recognize it.
Madame Pomfrey screamed as the room was illuminated by a flash of green and Snape fell with a thud to the ground, dead. All this screaming and light had woken a couple of the students. "Huh?" said one boy, sleepily surveying the commotion.
"Don't move!" commanded Madame Pomfrey, whipping out her wand.
One of the black figures chuckled. The trio ran back out the room. "Stop!" shouted Madame Pomfrey. She followed them out the open door. But the three of them seemed to have mysteriously vanished.
Madame Pomfrey returned, collapsing next to Snape on the floor. She weakly raised her wand. "Expecto Petronum," she said dully. Nothing happened. She sighed and climbed to her feet. She took a deep breath, then tried again. "Expecto Petronum!" she said again, with more vigor. This time a silver cat appeared, and leapt gracefully out the door. Having accomplished this, Madame Pomfrey returned to the ground.
"Severus," she said, gently shaking him. "Severus!"
The room swirled with gray smoke before fading completely from Draco, Granger, and Professor Talon's view. Draco felt a rising sensation and suddenly the three of them were back in Professor Talon's office, standing around her desk.
Draco felt a dull sense of reality. He was acutely aware of everything, from the sound of Granger's breathing to the cold morning air streaming in through the open window.
"Malfoy?" asked Granger uncertainly. "Are you… alright?"
Draco ran a hand through his blonde hair and didn't answer.
Professor Talon coughed. "Severus Snape was one tricky individual. He played double agent for both the Order of the Pheonix as well as Voldemort's Deatheaters. Each side was suspicious of him, but members of each side believed he was loyal to them. Everyone thought his loyalties would become apparent during the final battle against Voldemort.
"However, when he was found barely alive in a coma at his house, he was found by both a deatheater and a member of the order. Molly Weasley and Bellatrix Lestrange both claim that they were rushing to ask Severus to come join them when they found him unconscious, beaten almost to death. Both sides are accusing the other and it's a miracle that Bellatrix and Molly didn't kill each other when they found him together."
"Hold on," interrupted Granger. "Snape murdered Dumbledore. He murdered Dumbledore! His loyalties arent' –weren't – questionable. He was against us."
"Well, that's what we all thought too," agreed Professor Talon. "But shortly after Albus's death we found evidence that might support the idea that Albus planned his own death, and that his murder by Severus Snape all fit into a bigger plan. But Dumbledore was always so damn secretive that no one knows for sure. Furthermore, Snape died before he could talk to Professor McGonnagall. And since no one can identify his murderers, we can't say if he wanted to hurt or help the Headmistress."
"But isn't that proof that he was murdered by Deatheaters? No one on our side recognized them," Granger argued. God, that feisty little thing can never pass up a debate.
"Not necessarily," said Talon, her gaze shifting from Granger to Draco. "Actually, aside from you being Head Boy, there's another reason we called you here Draco. Did any of the hooded figures seem familiar?
Draco considered. In the dark, and with such complete covering, the wizards/witches could've been any number of people. But the voice of the woman who had killed Snape definitely seemed unfamiliar. In answer, Draco just shook his head. "What was Professor Snape doing her anyways?" Draco asked. "I thought he was a t St. Mungo's."
"He was," replied Talon. "But the Healers were seeing signs of improvement, and they thought it would be best for him to wake up at Hogwarts."
Snape… Dead. The words echoed in Draco's mind. Father, if you had anything to do with this, well… all the more reason to kill you.
"Well," said Professor Talon. "If you- My goodness Mr. Malfoy, are you all right?"
Both Granger and his professor were looking at him with concern. He realized he had stood up. His fists were clench and he was involuntarily grinding his teeth.
"Yes. Yes, I'm fine," said Draco, calming down a bit. He sat down, slightly embarrassed, but no blushing. Malfoys never blushed. Odd family trait.
"Well alright then," said Talon after gazing a t Draco for a moment. "you obviously are not fine, but I won't pry into your personal matters. As I was saying, we would prefer you not share the specifics of this matter with your peers. We will officially announce the death of Severus Snape soon, as soon as we've gotten a chance to investigate futher. To think that three murderers could sneak into Hogwarts… But then, you've already proved it possible to smuggle in a whole horde of deatheaters."
Draco almost hung his head in shame, but his fierce pride reminded him to keep his chin up.
"But all that's said and done now," said the Professor, a bit apologetically. "I would urge you two to take your duties seriously, and encourage caution and rationality. You may go now. Please enjoy the remainder you weekend."
Granger and Draco stood up. Draco had his hand on the door when Professor Talon added, "Oh, and if it's not too much to ask, I'd like you two to write a speech to present at breakfast Monday morning. Now that Dumbledore is gone, no one takes warnings from the staff very seriously. I hope that if the students would hear two of their peers, it might carry more influence."
"You want us to announce Snape's death?" asked Granger incredulously.
"Oh no, that's not what I meant. Please don't include that. The Headmistress mere wants you to promote school unity and recommend caution. Good-bye now," Talon said, waving as she pulled out a stack of essays and began grading them.
Draco pushed open the door. As soon as the odd tone door was safely closed behind them he turned to Granger and said, "Can you believe that nutcase wants us to write a speech?"
Granger was staring absently at the paintings as they walked back down the hallways. "Well it makes sense. If McGonnagall gave a speech, no one would take it seriously. And I like Professor Talon."
The corners of Draco's mouth twitched. Why the hell do I always feel like smiling when I'm with Granger? "Well, as much as I'm inclined to dislike anyone who has forced us to occupy the same room, excluding classes, twice now, she does seem like a pretty good teacher."
"Yeah…" said Granger unwittingly. Her thoughts seemed to be elsewhere. "Um… I'm not sure what time it is… Do you want to go eat a real breakfast, or do you need to get your broom?"
Draco leaned precariously over the railing of the staircase they'd been descending in order to see a clock 2 floors below. "Uh… Looks like it's just past 7:45. Do you want to, uh, go somewhere and just… um… talk?" asked Draco, aware that he was stuttering like a ditzy little schoolboy. Which he was, technically…
Granger's tone was hurtfully indifferent. "Sure, whatever. I know of a nice little hidden tower room that's just his way," Granger said.
Draco followed her up a flight of stairs, then up two more flights behind a mural of a goblin war. They arrived through a trap door in a small round room with windows on all sides. Draco sat next to Granger, facing, as near as he could tell, northeast.
Draco waited for her to break the silence, but after a few awkward minutes, he realized she wasn't going to. "Knut for you thoughts," he said, facing her with a half-smile, half-smirk.
"Okay," said Granger, holding out her hand.
Draco stared stupidly at her hand for a moment before he got it. Then he laughed. "I'm in my Quidditch robes, Granger. I've got nothing on me."
"Too bad then," she said, facing away from him to continue taking in the scenery.
"Do you accept IOU's?" he asked
"I'll make an exception just this once," said Granger, no longer able to keep a straight face. She passed him a scrap of parchment and a quill.
"I owe you one (1) knut. Signed, Draco Malfoy."
Draco passed the paper back to her. "So. Share your thoughts," he prompted.
"Why is a pineapple called a pineapple when it has nothing to do with pine trees or apples?" Granger offered.
Draco cocked an eyebrow. "Not what I was expecting, but that is a good question. I suppose since they grow on trees, like apples, and are covered with spikes, like pine needles, some unimaginative person named them pineapples."
"Yes, that sounds plausible," said Granger, finally relinquishing a smile. She let them lapse into comfortable silence for a few moments before she ventured to another topic. "Hard to believe that Snape's dead," she said tentatively.
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Author's note: Wow, it took me a while to get this chapter to be the way I wanted it. Please review. Oh, and if anyone notices any spelling errors, please share. And does anyone know if the "d" in deatheaters should be capitalized? I could walk ten feet and look it up, but I prefer to see if anyone actually reads my author notes.