Dragon's Bane

Chapter 4: And Darkness Shall Engulf the Earth

"Believe me, a thousand friends suffice the not; in a single enemy thou has more than enough." –Ali Ben Abou Taleb

He knew that they were not following him, but that thought alone did not slow his frantic pace. Draco continued to run, run as if he could somehow beat the darkness. But night followed in its race, fast on his heel, and somehow, Draco knew that it was not at all a natural night. The Forbidden Forest was always a place cast in shadow, but it seemed to the young wizard that the darkness lived and had gathered above like storm clouds to block the light of day that would soon be peeking overhead.

And as for the beasts of the wood? He heard nothing but his own heavy breathing, saw nothing but the faintest outline of continuous trees. Perhaps the animals had abandoned their homes or hid themselves from this new danger. Draco wondered if they were even aware of the invading evil that had entered their domain.

The wandless wizard stumbled over a root, falling to the ground and skinning his palms painfully. He crawled forward, bent on pushing himself up but too dizzy to even stay on his knees. A metallic taste covered his mouth, and he realized that he must have busted his tongue open earlier. Draco wretched at the thought of swallowing even his own blood, especially after what he had seen on this night.

Draco coughed, his head aching. He had forgotten the wound that his sloppy apparation had dealt his head. Standing would be an impossibility until the pain resided. Instead, he pulled himself to a tree trunk, resting his back against it and catching his breath.

He was weak. The long apparations he had performed earlier had made him clumsy enough, but the evening's events were what left him numb to the bone. He had watched three men that he knew die right in front of him. He had witnessed the rise of a second Dark Lord, glimpsed a castle built on the base of his father's blood. Never had Draco seen so much pain and suffering. How had he ever thought that he would be able to fight in such a battle? He was coward, not someone willing to fight for good or a servant wishing to risk his life for a 'master'.

All that he had done was for his family.

And I have failed them as well. Draco held back tears, his body aching with batter and exhaustion. "Why didn't you listen to me, Father? For once, couldn't you have heard me out, you stupid bastard?" he hissed.

He pushed himself onto his feet, holding to the side of the tree. When he looked up, he saw pale moonlight and stars twinkling innocently in the sky. He let out a shaky breath. He had escaped the forest. The grounds of Hogwarts were laid out before him, the castle standing as tall and magnificent as ever.

Part of him did not want to proceed, because he knew that those in that castle would hate him more than any other soul alive. Will they even know that I didn't kill him? Will they destroy me, thinking I'm a murderer?

Draco wouldn't blame them. It was his fault this had happened and there would most definitely be consequences to his actions. However, the thought strongest on his mind was that they should be warned. There was no going back for him—he had to tell them what had taken place on this night, that a new evil had joined the Dark Lord.

Draco slowly walked onto the grounds. The entry way in front of him blurred and focused as his mind swam. He put a hand to his head, wincing when he touched sticky, dried blood that had dripped down the back of his neck.

"Stop where you are!" shouted a voice.

Draco came to a halt without needing a second warning.

"Sit your wand on the ground and turn around slowly, or you will be stunned."

"I don't have one," Draco muttered. He wanted to speak louder, but he could barely get the words to come out. "I dropped it . . . I don't have it."

He turned his head, squinting to make out the two figures beside him. His vision cleared and he recognized them at once. Remus Lupin and Draco's blood traitor cousin Nymphadora Tonks stood side by side, their wands drawn and pointed in his direction.

Tonks'eyes widened. "Malfoy?" Her expression hardened somewhat, but the anger that Draco had expected did not appear. "You should have run when you had the chance."

"I . . . did," Draco murmured, faintness washing over him. His knees went out, and, when he opened his eyes, he was lying face down on the grass.

A hand grabbed his arm, rolling him over. Lupin was looking down at him, crouched at his side. Tonks still had her wand aimed at his chest.

"He's injured," Lupin stated as if expecting the auror to give ground.

Tonks only stared down at him. "Harry said that he had disappeared with the other Death Eaters," she said. "I guess he must've gotten lost in the forest."

Draco blinked. "No," he said. His body stiffed, and he pushed himself up on his elbows. "You must listen to me . . . I didn't kill him."

"We know it was Snape. What are you doing here, Malfoy?" Tonks asked.

"I had to get out . . . I needed to warn you."

"He needs to be sent to the Hospital Wing," Remus interrupted, putting an arm around the younger wizard's shoulders and helping him stand. "He took a smart hit on his head."

Tonks nodded. "He's a criminal, Remus."

Lupin frowned. "He's a student, Dora."

"Fine," the auror said, gesturing for the two males to walk in front of her. "Pomfrey can patch him up."

"There's no time for that!" Draco shouted angrily. "Don't you understand? I didn't come back to be coddled! The Dark Lord is in the forest. He has a new ally. You have to warn everyone. He killed. . ."

What could he say? He killed by father, because I let him, because I didn't fight back when I should have.

"My father's dead," he finished solemnly. "And Vincent's, too. Someone should tell him. . . He doesn't know yet."

Remus didn't let any emotion show on his face. Instead he squeezed Draco's shoulder, encouraging him to move forward. "Come along, Draco. We'll discuss it in the Hospital Wing."

Draco let the werewolf lead him into the castle, unable to argue his point any further. Thankfully, no one spotted his arrival until he reached the Hospital Wing. He knew that the infirmary would have patients, or at least he should have realized as much. Nevertheless, when he stepped past the line of beds, he was surprised to see Molly Weasley sitting in a chair beside one bed, her eyes reddened with grief. Draco didn't recognize the patient, but he froze at the sight of the mangled face beneath the tussle of ginger hair.

"Who?" Draco asked softly.

Molly looked up, suddenly aware of the visitors. "Remus, what is . . .? Mr. Malfoy?"

Draco took a step back into Lupin. "Bill Weasley," he heard Tonks reply to his question.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

Molly stared at him, a sleepy, dumbfounded expression on her face. After all, how often did one hear a Malfoy apologize? She looked away from him.

Draco took a seat on the end of one bed. "Was anyone else hurt?" he asked.

"A few," Tonks replied. "But they'll recover. One Death Eater was killed."

The Slytherin Prince didn't reply. A chill swept over him when he realized that his housemates could have just as easily been lying on these beds. "Many will die if you don't stop them," he breathed. "You'll have to . . . because I can't." He looked up, grabbing Lupin's arm. "I think I'm supposed to, but I can't. I'm a coward." When he received no answer, he added, "Get the Headma. . .Get Professor McGonagall, get everyone. The Dark Lord has a new ally, someone more powerful, darker than I've ever seen before. We have to tell the school before there's an attack. Do as I say!"

Tonks grabbed Draco by the scruff. "Do you mean to say that there's going to be another attack tonight?"

"I don't know when, but it will be soon. I only want to tell this story once! Just go get your bloody do-gooders together!"

Tonks nodded to Lupin and walked back the way they had came, her pace somewhat quicker than before. Remus stared down at the young wizard.

"You're lucky that the Ministry has already left; they would have arrested you on sight," the werewolf stated.

"Lucky," Draco sneered.

Performing the expression made his head fill with fog, his eyes drifting closed to block the pressure. The next thing he knew, a hand was shaking him. A hand. A hand on his neck with long, cold fingers that could slice open a man's throat, that could spill a Malfoy's blood on the ground and raise evil to do its bidding.

Draco jerked awake in fear.

"Mr. Malfoy." The voice was as sharp as steel, slicing through him. "Mr. Malfoy, do calm yourself." Professor Minerva McGonagall glared at him from the foot of the bed, her lips pursed impatiently.

The young wizard pulled himself up, taking in those who were now surrounding him. Arthur Weasley stood a few feet away, a restraining hand wrapped around his wife, and beside the couple stood Lupin and Tonks. Pomfrey stated her presence by bustling by to get a look at Draco's wounds.

"Mr. Malfoy, before you speak, let me warn you that anything you say can be reported to the Ministry unless you make it known to us that you wish the information to remain confidential," McGonagall began, just as precisely as she would teach a class. Draco realized that she was hiding her feelings rather well. "Even then your safety can not be entirely ensured."

"I didn't come here for that," Draco snapped. "I don't care about your aid."

McGonagall was unfazed. "Then why are you here, Mr. Malfoy?"

He was silent a moment. "Because I ran. And when I stopped, I was here." When no one replied, he continued. "You all have to leave this school. Have everyone sent away at once."

"And why should we do that, Mr. Malfoy?" the old professor asked. "Nymphadora mentioned that you claim to know that another attack may be at hand. She also says that you disclosed He-Who-Mu—Lord Voldemort's plans. Would you care to tell us exactly what you meant by 'new ally'? To whom were you referring?"

Draco's slate gray eyes met hers, and he hoped that she could see the seriousness of his soul when he spoke that dreadful name.

"Dracula."