DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter, only this story, and this computer. Also, the song used in this chapter is mostly mine, but I got the idea from a bengali song. I think the mood of my song and the original are different, but if you want to know how much I've borrowed, please check the direct translation given in the Author's Note at the end of this chapter.


-Chapter Twenty-Nine-


The Beginning of the End


Harry hardly slept that night, staring at the plant on his bedside table. But Neville's prediction was wrong. The bud did not blossom that night. In the morning, it looked merely a little more pink and bigger. Neville was disappointed, but he assured Harry it would bloom very soon.

At breakfast they had an unexpected visitor. Professor McGonagall arrived at the headquarters.

"We are thinking of re-opening Hogwarts." She informed the surprised youngsters.

"Re-opening Hogwarts?" gushed Hermione, "That's such wonderful good news…I mean, people can actually give their exams and….but, Professor, are you sure about the security? I mean, after …" she broke off suddenly.

Draco Malfoy was determinedly busy with his fork and plate, and the others were looking up to McGonagall.

"We have certainly considered the security aspect, Ms. Granger." she replied offhandedly, "The governors had a number of meetings with the staff to decide on the new measures for the protection of the students. The ministry still has reservations, of course, but I believe we cannot put our students' future on hold indefinitely. Perhaps there will be no Hogsmeade visits for a long time, and movement within the castle will be severely restricted, but the school must be re-opened, not the least because our children need to learn to defend themselves in times such as these."

"When are you opening it, Professor?" asked Harry.

"We plan to start with the new term in September, so that will give us a lot of time to sort out the official details. But in the meanwhile, we intend to organize the OWLs and the NEWTs for those fifth and seventh years who had missed them."

"You mean, we still have to sit for those?" Ginny exclaimed.

"Of course, Ms Weasley, or you won't be able to get to sixth year. It will be in June, so you still have time to revise. I'll soon be sending letters to all fifth and seventh years when the dates are finalized. But you've already got the unofficial notification."

"Did you come to tell us this, then?" asked Ron.

"Oh no, not just this, Mr.Weasley. I have in fact come to invite you to Hogwarts today."

"Today?" repeated Hermione, "but Professor, didn't you say the school re-opens only in September?"

"The school does open in September, Ms. Granger. But I am inviting you to take a tour of the school today, and give us suggestions if you can, on the security."

"You want us to give you suggestions?" Ron asked, sounding both pleased and surprised.

"Well, Dumbledore always believed that the people who could suggest the most fool-proof rules were those that were the best in breaking them, because they would know the loop-holes best." McGonagall replied dryly, "And I think some of you here have an extremely good knowledge of the Hogwarts castle. Besides, you have earned the right to be consulted, with the things you've done under the DA. Malfoy, I would like you to come too." She added to him.

Malfoy looked up from his plate.

"Thank you, Professor, but I don't want to go. My opinion hardly matters, because I don't think I'll return for my seventh year."

"I do hope you will change your decision later, Malfoy. But for today if you don't want to come, perhaps that will be better. The ministry is usually very meddlesome. The rest of you, are you ready?" she asked, standing up.

"I am ready, Professor." Said Luna eagerly, "I have not been to Hogwarts for a long time, and I would love to see the Shagmon Shampies again."

"Professor," said Harry quietly, "will you please excuse me today? I think I need some rest now, I have a very bad headache."

It wasn't a lie, actually. He had slept so little the previous night that his head was indeed throbbing badly, but he hardly intended to rest in his room. Professor McGonagall was concerned, and so were his friends, but he assured them it wasn't anything serious, and that he just needed a little rest. He bade them goodbye and then went back to his room.


The jansei had still not blossomed. He stared at it for about half a minute, which seemed a long time. His eyes hurt and the headache seemed to turn worse. He brought a book to read in bed, but he couldn't concentrate at all and kept glancing back at the plant on the bedside table. After sometime, he dozed off.

He woke up suddenly, and at first could not recollect what day or time it was, and his senses were overpowered by a consuming sweet fragrance in the room that enticed him to go back to sleep again. He knew he needed that sleep- peaceful sleep that would refresh him. But he shook himself and looked around. A lovely star-shaped flower greeted his sight. It was white, with faint tints of pink. It looked wondrously fresh and pure. The jansei had blossomed, but there was still no sign of change in the goblet. Had their plan failed, then? Or was the curse-breaking effect of jansei very slow? He decided to have a closer look and reached for the goblet.

The moment his fingers closed round the handle, he sensed the metal cracking beneath them, and he kept the goblet back on the table instantly. The next second, he saw the goblet explode and before he had had any time to react, he felt hundreds of very sharp particles pierce his chest, and he fell, screaming, to the floor. He saw a swirl of green light radiate briefly from the ruined goblet, making the whole room look green, before everything became dark.


Draco was lost in his thoughts in his room. Hogwarts was going to re-open, but he was not going to return. Even if he survived the Dark Lord's clutch, which he didn't think he would, despite Harry Potter's assurances, what could he return to at Hogwarts? Crabbe and Goyle had stood by him when his father was powerful, but now, if they came to know he had changed sides, he doubted their loyalty for him would be unaffected. He wasn't afraid of them, but there was no knowing what the Dark Lord could make them do. But perhaps, he thought a little more hopefully, the Dark Lord would not find him out, and he would be ordered to go to Hogwarts to watch on Potter, and he could continue to work for the Order, which was probably the reason behind McGonagall's wanting him to return to school. He laughed a little at his own thoughts. Last year, he had not wished to return to Hogwarts, he was sure he had nothing to learn there. Yet now he was wishing to return, though he couldn't explain why to himself. But Potter would surely enjoy going back. Almost everybody liked him there, except the Slytherins. He was popular, he was admired, and he was fond of Rubeus Hagrid. Draco wondered why he refused to accompany his friends today to the school. McGonagall was asking for his suggestions; Draco would have expected him to jump at the chance, but then, he had been acting quite strangely these days. For the life of him, Draco could not make out why Potter was so bothered about that plant. He had never heard in school that Potter was particularly fond of Herbology, and Draco had always made it a point to know everything about him, except the last year, when the case had been reversed. And then there was the snake. Undoubtedly, it was one of the most disgusting and terrifying things that he had ever seen, but that didn't explain why Potter was so anxious to have it dead. But then, Potter was a parseltongue, it was possible he knew something about Nagini that he didn't. But why couldn't a snake be killed by a killing curse? What did Potter mean by it could be dangerous? He carelessly flipped open a book on snakes that he had been reading and was just about to throw it away when he heard a scream.

It came from the floor beneath his. There was no one in the house except Potter and himself, which could only mean that the scream came from the former.

Without wasting time in climbing down the stairs, Draco apparated right outside the door of the room shared by Potter and Weasley. Gripping his wand firmly, he pushed the door open. What met his eyes completely stunned him. The room was in fire. He could not see Potter anywhere. The fire was spreading fast, catching the furniture, the windows. A tongue of flame rushed towards him and he just had the time to raise his wand and bellow- "Augamenti! Augamenti! Augamenti!"

The fire subsided a little and he caught sight of Potter, lying face-up on the floor at the side of his bed. His eyes were shut and he was bleeding profusely. He sprang over a burning chair and knelt down beside him.

"Potter! Harry! What happened? Episkey!" the bleeding stopped for a moment, but resumed again. He repeated the spell many times, with the same result. Why was he bleeding? Nobody could have attacked him here! Draco looked around and his eyes fell on the goblet in which Harry had been growing his plant. The upper portion of the goblet was entirely gone. Only a little bit above the stem remained, and the plant itself was bending over the jagged edges. He looked closely at Harry and spotted a few silver needles embedded on his arms. He raised his wand and pointed it on the goblet, making sure he was not coming between it and Harry.

"Reparo."

Thousands of silver shards flew out of the latter's body and back to the goblet. He did not wait to see what the goblet looked like. Harry was now bleeding even more.

"Episkey!" he shouted again, with all his strength. The bleeding stopped. With a few more efforts, Draco managed to put down the fire, and after repairing the burnt furniture, he put Harry on his bed, putting his repaired glasses on the table. But he was still unconscious. Draco tried the spells he knew, but they didn't work. How did that goblet explode? He turned to it to see if it could offer any clue. There was none, except one. The design of the goblet had changed. He recognized the emblem of the badger that was now etched there. This was Hufflepuff's goblet, and possibly Harry knew about it. He now remembered what Neville had said about the jansei, it was a curse-breaking plant. And Harry knew this goblet was cursed. Was that what he was doing these days, he and his friends? Is this how he had injured his arm? But why would he be bothered by all these? Hadn't Bill Weasley been a curse-breaker in Egypt? Draco was sure he would help Harry if he asked him. And the snake…was it cursed too? But it was a living being…suddenly, like lightening, an old memory flashed into his mind. He had asked his father where the Dark Lord was, and he had replied he did not know, but wherever he was, he was too weak to return, although not dead. "The Dark Lord took steps long ago to ensure immortality." Those were his father's words. He was six years old at that time, and so he hadn't really understood what his father meant, and had forgotten them afterwards. Horcruxes…Harry was destroying the Dark Lord's horcruxes, and this was the result. He looked at the boy, still unconscious. He seemed to be sleeping, but Draco knew he wasn't simply sleeping. What could he do now? He searched the drawers in the room, and then Harry's pockets. In one of them, he found what he was looking for- a fake galleon. He took out his wand again.


Lord Voldemort was in a rage. It was almost a month since his servant had disappeared, had dared to escape from him. Well, he wouldn't be long alive. He would find him, and kill him in such a way as to make an example for all his deatheaters.

"Look for him everywhere, in the farthest corners of the world if you have to. But I want that stinking rat for Nagini's breakfast tomorrow." He hissed to the servant who stood waiting for his orders. The servant bowed and left the room. At that moment, Lord Voldemort felt a searing pain through his chest. It came very suddenly, and was gone in a second, but Voldemort could not understand what caused it. He never felt pain; he was above such ordinary, mortal sufferings. He was the greatest wizard of all times, after all. There could only be one explanation. Harry Potter was suffering, foolish boy that he was, and at that moment he remembered that Draco Malfoy had not reported for quite sometime. He was going to send his order to him, when he suddenly changed his mind. He could summon the boy tomorrow; he wanted to rest now.

"This was a cursed goblet?" Neville asked, "Harry was using the jansei to break the curse?"

"So it seems." Draco replied quietly.

Ron and Hermione exchanged glances. The others were simply worried about Harry, yet they didn't know what the cursed goblet really was, or had been. Ron and Hermione had other things to worry about.

"What did you find, Malfoy?" Ron asked uneasily.

"I saw the room had caught fire, though I couldn't imagine from where. Then I saw him, lying on the floor, bleeding from the broken metal pieces. I took the pieces out, and stopped the bleeding and the fire, but I couldn't awaken him. So I called you using your DA coin. If you hadn't turned up soon, I would have gone to Hogwarts myself."

Hermione looked helpless.

"But I don't know how to wake him up. He seems all right…Draco, don't you know something? Last time you were the one who suggested the potion." She was close to tears.

"I tried, Hermione, but nothing seems to work."

"Is the curse broken?" Neville asked.

"Well, the goblet is certainly free, but Harry is still under the effect of the curse." Hermione replied.

Neville strode forward, plucked the jansei flower and held under Harry's nose. The flower crumpled and dried in his hand.

"This must be a deadly curse." said Neville, looking stricken, but at that moment, Harry opened his eyes.

"Blimey, was it that simple?" exclaimed Ron in wonder, and Neville smiled in triumph.

Ginny let out a stifled sob and rushed to Harry.

"Harry, oh Harry!" she said, hugging him.

"Weren't you guys in Hogwarts?" he asked weakly.

"We were, but then Draco called us back." Luna told him.

"Thank God he was here to save you, mate." Said Ron.

Harry looked at him. "Thanks, Draco."

"Don't mention it."


In the evening Luna and Ginny were studying together in the library for their OWLs. Harry, Hermione and Ron went up to Draco's room. He was sitting alone, staring at the ceiling. He looked up on their entering the room.

"Neville is tending the janseis in the kitchen." He told them.

"We know." Harry replied, "We came to talk with you."

"Harry, just a minute." Said Hermione. She locked the room carefully, and took out a radio. The wizarding wireless started blaring Celestina Warbeck's latest single.

It is now sunset time,

And so the old clocks chime.

Don't let that make you sad.

Though it will soon be dark,

No more will sing the lark,

Don't think it all so bad

Because it's sunset time.

"It will ensure we are not overheard." She told them.

"Draco, there is a change in plans." Harry began straightaway. "You must find a way of leading us to Nagini, or to take her out of Voldemorts' headquarters."

"And I have told you that either of it is impossible. I have promised to kill the snake. What is your problem?"

"We can't risk your doing it alone. You could be injured and there would be no one to help you."

"Sure, the right of destroying horcruxes single-handedly belongs solely to you, Harry."

There was a collective gasp at this.

"You knew?" said Ron, almost accusingly.

"I did not know the Dark Lord had horcruxes, or I should say I didn't remember, for my father had hinted it long ago. I realized what you three were doing this morning, when I saw Harry, and the goblet."

"And if you realize it, you should also realize the full dangers involved." Harry tried to reason.

"I realize it, Harry, but there is nothing to be done. I can't take any of you there, not unless you have the dark mark on your forearms. But there are ways you can help me. By the look of thins, you have already destroyed more than one horcrux. You could tell me how you went about it."

"There were altogether seven. Five are gone. If the snake dies, there remains only the part in Voldemort himself." Harry said. He gave the list of the seven horcruxes. "The first to be destroyed was the diary, and I have your father to thank for it. It contained Riddle's memory, and I finished him by piercing a basilisk fang into it. The next one, Slytherin's ring, was destroyed by Dumbledore, I don't know how."

"So that's why his hand was like that." Draco said softly. It wasn't a question.

Hermione continued the account by describing how the locket, and the coat of mail were destroyed. "And you saw what happened with the goblet."

"So," Draco said thoughtfully, "the way to destroy a horcrux depends on what kind of object it is. In that case, the killing curse should work on the snake. I only have to ensure that I apparate as soon as I say the spell."

"It will still be dangerous."

"You don't say all this to your friends here, Harry."

"I do, they don't listen."

"And you think I will?"

"No, I don't think so. You are the last person who will ever listen to me. Seven years should have taught me that."

"Better late than never, Potter."

If the humming of the bees

Is heard no more among the trees,

Don't be sad, open up and sing,

For the rustle of their wings

Will be whispered by the breeze.

It is now sunset time,

And so the old clocks chime

"So as long as I don't kill the snake, you are in danger. Aren't you cutting it way too fine, Harry?"

"It will be dangerous even if you kill the snake." Harry replied wearily, "But it must be done. The end has begun, time will tell whose end it will be."

"And so you will wait for him at Hogwarts?" Draco asked.

"Yes." said Harry. "That's one place where help will always be given to those who ask for it."

"I don't understand you, Harry."

"You won't understand, Draco. Dumbledore was a funny man. Just send Voldemort to Hogwarts after us."

For though home the birds will fly,

Don't think their song will die,

The strain will linger by,

Will linger by.


Author's Note: I gather Draco would have heard of horcruxes, brought up in a family like that, but I don't suppose he knew about the Dark Lord's horcruxes. Lucius might have known (refer to Voldemort's speech to the deatheaters at the end of book4, asking them how they could have supposed him dead) but he wouldn't know how many there were, and what they were, and consequently he didn't know the importance of the diary.

The story will end in a chapter or two. I shall update as soon as I can work out a few details.

Here is the original song for you:

If sunset time has to come let it come/In the colours of twilight the world will be like a dream/That would be nice.

Then the shadow of darkness must descend upon the earth/ I know when the bees return their buzzing will have to stop. / Let the darkness descend, let the buzzing stop/ But their memory will linger here. / That would be nice.

I hope you will not judge this wonderful song by my lousy translations. Please review.