Flames of War
Chapter Twenty-Eight: Blood Work
People's emotions vanish
But the starts don't become like
In this gentle song
It is as if they are healed…--"Stone Roses"
July 25, Tuesday, EVENING, 2000
Despite Draco's reunion with Remus Lupin, their joy was short lived; Arthur Weasley informed them that Ron, his son, was being put on trial the thirty first, mere days after Draco and Harry's return. "What are the charges?" Draco inquired.
"From least to most serious: Desertion of post as an Auror, spying for an enemy of the Wizarding society, usage of Dark Magics, divulging information to the Dark Wizard Voldemort—he surprisingly didn't flinch as he said the name—and cooperation with the Dark Wizard Voldemort."
"That's not too bad," Draco remarked. "At least they're sticking with the things that he's actually done."
"Draco!" Remus exclaimed.
"It's true. The Ministry usually plants their own twists into the story to get a suspect in Azkaban. I'm the son of a Death Eater—the Death Eater, in fact—so I've seen it happen." Despite this statement, Draco was proud of what Arthur Weasley had done for the Ministry. How calmly the man was handling this son's prosecution also deserved praise.
Arthur also told them that the charges were filed by Percy. Draco swore. "But most importantly," The Minister added, "I want to ask if the both of you would testify on Ron's behalf."
Both men nodded their approval for this. "If there's anything else we can do…" Remus began.
"No. This is all."
"We will be there."
Then, the Minister dropped his voice to a whisper. "Albus…" he trailed off.
Immediately, Draco was on edge. The Headmaster had said he would contact them when the time was right. To attend the transfer of Harry's bound consciousness from Lucius (though he was unaware) to Severus. Draco had both anticipated and dreaded the event, wondering how well the Potion Master would take the burden of caring for Harry. Considering that his own father had designed the spell, Draco was sure that it would be no easy task for a man as haunted as Severus. Blood magic was something that changed you almost permanently. But if Dumbledore saw fit for it…
"Albus," Arthur continued, "has had Harry's body removed from St. Mungos. He says that there is no choice but to complete the transition in the Shrieking Shack. You and Remus are to attend along with myself and Severus Snape. Of course, Albus will be there. At five. He says it must be completed during sunset to maximize—"
"—its potential as a transitioning blood magic," Remus finished.
"Yes." Straightening up, Arthur said, "That is all."
"What about Ron and Hermione?" Draco asked; they had been Harry's closest friends.
"…they will be told when Albus sees fit. Ron is already aware."
The message was obvious there. "I see…"
"And Ron has enough to deal with handling the trial."
Draco didn't say anything, but he could see through Arthur's newfound layer of professionalism, to the part of him that worried about his youngest son's future. He had always been the family type, Draco had come to realize, even while his children were attending Hogwarts. There was no way that he could easily let things go and not feel for Ron.
"Ron has many friends, Arthur," Remus said, as though he had been reading Draco's mind. The lycanthrope always knew the right words to say. "I am sure that he will be fine."
"That is what Albus says," Arthur sighed, "but I must tell you that it's moments like these where I almost wish that I were a muggle."
Draco vaguely understood the notion of no longer wanting to be a wizard, although he would never wish he were a muggle. The aftermath of the War was making victims desperate; the Wizarding World was still trying to stand on its own two feet. It was a difficult process, one that did not allow time for the mourning of the victims of the War.
Victims like Harry Potter.
"We need you here, as the Minister," Draco said firmly.
"Thank you," Arthur said.
"We will see you this evening," Remus said kindly.
"I hope that it works," The Minister returned. "I do not think I would be happy with Harry being controlled by Lucius."
"I hope it works," Draco offered, "until Albus finds a cure for Harry."
July 26, Wednesday, EARLY MORNING, 2000
Draco was not familiar with the Shrieking Shack—a place that he had only heard of in Remus's short descriptions of his past. Never in his life had Draco imagined that the knotted trunk of the Whomping Willow led the way to the Shrieking Shack, and it was with a sting that Draco remembered Harry, Ron and Hermione scaring him by using the lore of the Shrieking Shack to their advantage in third year. It was very dark—and would have been a very fright-inspiring scene had he not seen worse during the War. As they reached the end of the passage, they came into what Draco could only assume as the Shrieking Shack, and there were signs of old werewolf activity—slashes on the walls, ripped fabrics and chairs, dried blood…
It reminded him how old Remus really was.
Set up in the middle of the room was a runic circle that looked as though it had been burned into the ground. It was almost perfect—a pentacle inside a circle; a barrier to contain the powerful magic that would be used tonight. Dumbledore stood in the center, with Severus beside him, and—Harry? Yes, Harry, The Boy Who Lived, stood opposite of Severus on Albus's right side.
Have they been forced to continue the procedure without us? He wondered. That thought vanished as the couple neared Harry. His eyes were still dead, his lips expressionless. His eyes, those green captors, still stared straight ahead, into the distance…into a place worse than Hell.
"Draco, Remus," he heard Albus say. "You are here. Wonderful." Next to the Headmaster stood Severus, looking very much alive if not uneasy. The Head of Slytherin's eyes avoided Draco's; they sent a silent message to Remus instead, with a small smile. Whatever it was, the werewolf understood, and smiled back. Then Severus shook his head dejectedly. Remus had told Draco that Severus had been the one to first realize the absence of Harry and himself, and through their worry, it appeared that they had forged some sort of relationship.
Impressive, Draco thought, considering that Harry actually did something correctly this time. He regretted the notion right after. "How is Harry standing?" he demanded instead.
"His body's main goal is self-preservation," Albus replied. "He will continue to stand and can be changed into a sitting and lying position, so long as he is not in physical danger."
"This is an intricate spell circle, Headmaster," Remus said. "How will this work?" Out of the corner of his eye, Draco saw Arthur Weasley enter the room, the door creaking as he stepped in.
"The circle is simply to prevent the magic from escaping and to channel it into Harry."
"How are you doing the transfer?" Draco asked. He could feel the apprehension in his bones.
"I have procured a small vial of Lucius's blood, courtesy of the Ministry of Magic—" Everyone turned to look at Arthur, who merely moved into a corner of the room. "I will perform a spell that should extract some magical essence from Lucius's blood, meld it with Harry's, which one Virginia Weasley so kindly acquired—" From his corner, Arthur smiled weakly. "—and, in a sense, inscribe the resulting magical signature into Severus's essence. He will then be able to override Lucius's influence on Harry and take hold of the function of the curse himself. I have brought the manuscripts of Lucius's spell with me; they revealed a lot of protocol for this. It was a lot more difficult than I first thought. This magic takes almost a day to amass the energy for."
Severus seemed intrigued. "A day, Albus?"
"A full one, at that. It is a part of the intricacy. Even if you can discover a word or words to possibly undo the bind on the magic, simply counteracting the magic powering the curse is a ridiculously extended process."
"Well," Severus grumbled, "Can we please just get this over with?"
Albus's face became grave. "I suppose now is the time. Mister Malfoy, Mister Lupin, if you would please remove yourself from the circle."
"Is there some role that we are supposed to fulfill in all this?" Draco inquired, "You know, while this is happening?"
"You are all witnesses," Severus said, "in the case that Harry's true condition is discovered. This is legal, since we have approval from Arthur and this is a damage control precaution for the War." The Potions Master frowned. "But in the case that our actions are prosecuted for some unforeseen reasons or logic…"
"Alright," Remus said.
"Please leave the circle," Albus asked again.
Draco and Remus took their place by the Minister of Magic, Remus wrapping his arms around Draco's neck protectively from behind. Despite the moment, Draco smiled weakly. The Minister sighed deeply, and Draco felt his smile vanish as Remus turned to Arthur. "How long as has it been since you've seen Molly?"
Arthur shuffled his feet. "Almost two weeks." With a pang Draco realized that being the Minister of Magic was a difficult affair, however easy Arthur had allowed it to appear.
"I require your blood, Severus," Albus said clearly. Severus frowned, and as though it was habitual, casually removed a knife from his robes and cut his left wrist, blood pilling into the very center of the circle, where the lines of the pentacle intersected. "Oh, bother," Albus said. "Severus, cease being so dramatic. This is not a muggle storybook. Episkey."
"You got what you needed," Severus snapped, looking at his healed wrist.
Albus sighed. Perhaps the man could sense, like Draco could, that this ordeal was beginning to become too much for the Potions Master.
"Very well," Albus said, "let us begin."
I fear there's nothing that I can do
Soaked by the rain I stand upon the concrete, sobbing now…--"It's too Late"
