Chapter 11: Dumbledore's Dark Magic

Harry didn't understand the Dark spell. More to the point, he didn't want to.

Dumbledore changed, right before his eyes, losing more and more of himself as he used his wand to burn the Dark Mark into a piece of planking Harry had brought from the yard. Dumbledore turned to the rabbit, tracing the Mark over it. He recited an incantation and stood up.

"Take it into the house," he commanded Harry, pointing at the spelled board. Dumbledore casually bundled the jerking, squalling rabbit under his arm and walked away.

Harry grabbed the board and scrambled up the steps. He didn't like the spell one bit, but Dumbledore had made Harry promise to see it though to the end. Just as Harry considered running though, he felt Dumbledore's hand at his neck. The Headmaster maneuvered him into the fire lit room, directing Harry to put the spelled board on the bedside table.

Harry drew the chair aside and put the board down. Dumbledore went straight to Snape. He put his wand to Snape's forehead. "Ennervate!" he intoned.

Snape inhaled sharply. He tried to twist away, but Dumbledore grabbed Snape's shoulder. "Severus, be still!"

Snape bit his lip. His face was gray. "Headmaster! My arm... The Dark Mark..."

"Yes, I know." Dumbledore's voice held not a drop of comfort. His compassion for Snape had completely disappeared.

Snape tried to sit up. "Headmaster. I decided..."

Dumbledore held the rabbit by the scruff of its neck over the board. The rabbit froze, petrified by the spell. Snape's eyes lit with horror. "No!" He shook his head in alarm. "I won't let you!" Snape reached for his wand, but he was unarmed. Snape turned frantically, searching Harry's face for assistance. "Potter! You have to get Dumbledore out of here! Don't let this happen!"

Dumbledore shoved Snape down. His voice grew darker, colder. "Harry will let this happen, Severus. In fact, he came to help me. Does that trouble you?"

Snape tried to draw himself away from Dumbledore. "Potter! Don't you understand? This spell will let the Dark Lord control Dumbledore! You've got to stop it!"

Dumbledore shook his head. "Harry understands. Fortunately, he agrees I should not let Voldemort have back his most prized disciple."

Snape's eyes went wide. "I'll stop you!" he panted. Snape made a grab for Dumbledore's wand, but Dumbledore was faster.

He pointed his wand at Snape. "Stupify!" he intoned.

Snape rocked back, and Dumbledore grabbed Snape's arm, forcing it into the air. "So, Lord Voldemort has removed his Dark Mark. We will simply replace it with another!" He jammed his wand against Snape's forearm and smiled. "Finite incantatum!"

Blood immediately surged from the wound. It coursed down Snape's arm and splattered the floor. Dumbledore drew the bleeding gash over the rabbit. Almost gleefully, the Headmaster transfigured his wand into a knife. He plunged it into the rabbit's back, and the rabbit's blood ran with Snape's.

Snape tried to push Dumbledore away, but he was pale. "Harry!" Snape begged. "Please! Stop him!"

Harry fully agreed. Even if it meant Snape would go back to Voldemort, Harry wasn't prepared to let Dumbledore go. He jumped at the Headmaster, but Dumbledore lifted his wand into the air. Snape's coat whipped up from the chair and wrapped itself tightly around Harry, stopping him in his tracks.

Snape lunged again. The Headmaster was on him in a moment, forcing Snape deep into the mattress. The blanket moved around Snape, twining around his neck and legs.

Dumbledore swept his wand through the gory mess bleeding out of the rabbit. A silvery shape took form. Dumbledore siphoned it up and turned back to Severus. Snape struggled vainly, chewing in utter terror at the blanket gagging him. The wand came down again, against Snape's arm. The silvery mass leapt from the wand, burrowing into red muscle, burning and searing. The shape of the Dark Mark bubbled to the surface, frothing the blood of the wounds of both Snape and the rabbit.

Snape's nails raked the quilt. His muffled screams cut through Harry's nerves. Snape finally managed to pull the blanket from his mouth. He shouted quite clearly, "Headmaster! Don't let the Dark Lord control you!"

Dumbledore laughed. In his hand, he held a fileted patch of skin from the rabbit. Dumbledore ground the piece of hide against Severus' wound with his wand. "Severus! By the time we are done, I may control the Dark Lord!"

Snape left off clawing at the bedspread and scratched at Dumbledore's thigh. The Headmaster's knee pressed Snape's chest; Severus' breathing became ragged. Dumbledore used his wand to burn another sign into the board around the rabbit. The rabbit kicked out.

Snape's arm blackened with the shape of the Dark Mark.

"Professor Dumbledore!" Harry shouted. "What are you doing? Stop it! You're putting the Mark back on him!"

Dumbledore turned and laughed. "Of course I am! The Dark Mark will always be there! A reminder for all time of the evil things he's done! Even to you, Harry Potter! He deserves this pain, for going to your father's house!"

Harry struggled with the coat. There was a tickling in his scar; he tried to block it out. "My father's house? What do you mean?"

Dumbledore pressed his wand to Snape's head. He slid off the bed, still holding Snape's arm.

Snape didn't struggle. The potion master's eyes were blank. Dumbledore looked down at him. "Tell the dear boy, Severus, why he suffers the Dark Lord's humors."

Dumbledore put his wand to Snape's throat. A Dark spell wrapped itself around Snape's neck. He spoke. "A piece of Voldemort's soul is trapped in the scar. It is there because of me."

Dumbledore laughed. "Tell him more."

Snape's flat voice continued, "The Dark Lord learned where the child lived. The one who had the power to vanquish him."

Dumbledore shook Snape's arm, scattering drops of blood which ran from the Dark Mark. The Dark spell on Snape's throat tightened, making his face red. "He knew," Dumbledore said, "so you knew. You followed. But the child had no great power of his own to destroy the Dark Lord, did he?"

"No."

Harry was shocked into stillness.

Snape's mouth worked, his voice became gravelly. "His mother made a soul barrier...against which the Dark Lord's Avada rebounded...but the Dark Lord had a barrier of his own. He reformed." Snape twitched in pain. "I could not let him revive. Revenge is all I want! I will see him dead!"

Snape began to struggle in earnest against the Dark spell. Dumbledore watched him claw at his neck and laughed. "And in your rage, you blew the house apart! What a favor you gave to Harry in your hatred!"

Harry jerked against the coat. His scar blazed in pain. "You told me Voldemort gave me my scar!"

"So he did!" Dumbledore crowed. "But Snape's Avada Kedavra blasted off that piece of soul which ties you to the Dark Lord!"

The passion for Dark Magic became a fever burning in Dumbledore's eyes. He seemed to enjoy inflicting pain on Severus and on Harry. Snape threw himself back, howling in agony. The rabbit pummeled itself against the board. Dumbledore drew the Dark Mark a final time. He was near completing the spell.

Harry's scar felt odd; a great joy had seized him. Harry realized Dumbledore was giving in to Voldemort. His nature was nearly aligned with the Dark Lord!

Harry became desperate. It didn't matter to him what Snape had done--Harry just wanted the screaming to stop. He wanted to put an end to the pain in his scar and Dumbledore's excitement over the exposure of Snape's infamy. Harry wanted it all to stop!

Harry leapt forward, bowling himself bodily into Dumbledore. Dumbledore staggered against the table, and Harry was able to rip off the coat. He threw his arms around Snape, pulling him away. "Dumbledore! Stop it!" Harry yelled into Snape's shoulder, his eyes screwed shut. "Professor Snape is right! I won't let you use Dark Magic! I'm going to stop you now!"

Without plan, without voicing a spell, Harry felt all his devotion for Dumbledore, his fear for Snape, his revulsion of Dark Magic flash out from him. A staggering Magic erupted into the room. The air crackled and Dumbledore was blasted to the floor.

Suddenly, Harry's scar stopped hurting. In his arms, Snape stopped screaming. Harry let Snape sag back to the mattress.

Harry immediately drew his wand. In the sudden stillness, Dumbledore pushed himself up against the far wall. Harry brandished his wand, but the Headmaster was not attacking. Instead a smile of amazement spread across his features. Spectacles askew, he burst out laughing. "Harry, you are a miracle!" he exclaimed.