Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Doctor Who, just the plot to this story.


Chapter 28: Departure of the Headmaster

~ DRACO ~

It was so bright. The mark in the air lit up the entire sky; Draco was sure that it could be seen from anywhere within 100 kilometers. He looked up at his work: a glowing skull in the sky with a snake slithering out from its mouth; the Dark Mark. Draco wasn't pleased with himself nor was he ready to face what was coming.

It was the 30th of June, 1996, the final day for Draco to fulfill his promise to Voldemort; the final day for Draco to kill Albus Dumbledore. He waited anxiously in the Astronomy Tower for the Headmaster to arrive, which had already been planned ahead of time with Amy Pond and Dumbledore, himself. They would be arriving any minute now.

Draco rolled up his left sleeve and looked at his arm in disgust. How on Earth did I let this happen? He wanted to use the Severing Charm in order to remove that putrid mark from his forearm. Maybe he could after all of this was over.

He heard a scream from downstairs which, he guessed, meant that the Death Eaters had arrived through the Vanishing Cabinet. Draco knew that some of the Order of the Phoenix, along with Potter's friends, would be waiting, ready for a fight. He internally hoped that one of those screams came from the Death Eaters.

Abruptly, Draco heard a faint crashing sound on the top floor of the Astronomy Tower. He looked up through the ceiling of the second level and saw that it was time; Dumbledore, Potter, and Pond had just flown in on a single broom and landed in the middle of the floor. Draco could see that the two teenagers were supporting the old man, helping him to walk. He could barely work out what they were saying, but he was able to work out that Dumbledore had sent them away to retrieve someone.

As Pond and Potter descended the staircase, Draco hid from view. When the two passed, Pond discreetly nodded in Draco's direction, letting him know that everything was going to be alright. He went to nod back, but they were already out of sight. He took multiple deep breaths before he was ready. He knew it had to be now; he had to kill Dumbledore. He took one last look at his arm, rolled down his sleeve, and began up the stairs.

"Ah, good evening, Draco." He could sense a tone of comfort in Dumbledore's voice; it was almost as if he was ready for his death.

"Professor Dumbledore." You have to make it look real, Draco. Pond's voice penetrated into his mind. Just wait until the rest of them get here. He shook her out of his thoughts. "Expelliarmus!" Dumbledore's wand flew out of his hand and into Draco's.

"Why have you come here tonight, boy? I suppose it has something to do with the glow in the sky." Dumbledore brought himself into a standing position, leaning against a column for support.

"They're here, Dumbledore. The Death Eaters are in the castle."

"Then tell me, what is taking them so long? I presume you are to watch over me until they arrive?"

"Your guard is holding them up, but they shouldn't take long. And, for the record, I'm not waiting for anyone. I could do what I have to right now if I desired to."

"And what is it that you have been tasked with, Mr. Malfoy?" Draco could see a bit of a twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes which almost brought him to collapse right then and there. This man had done nothing wrong, he didn't deserve to die. But neither did Draco. No one should have to die for this.

"I'm here to kill you, Dumbledore." Draco tried his best to hold back his tears.

"You don't have to do this, my boy. You can stop this. Don't fall into the path a dark wizard once did many years ago. One who made all the wrong choices. Let me help you, Draco."

"I don't need your help! Don't you understand! I have to do this!" Draco was now on the brink of tears. "I have to kill you!" His voice turned into a whisper. "Or he's gonna kill me."

Just then, the door swung open. Both Draco and Dumbledore turned their heads to see multiple Death Eaters walk in at once, led in by Bellatrix Lestrange. Stay strong, Draco. Don't be scared. You can do this. Get out of my head, Pond! I can do this alone!

"Well, well… look what we have here. The big, bad Albus Dumbledore; alone and unarmed." Draco could feel Bellatrix was right behind him.

"Fenrir, is that you I see, standing in the back, there?" Dumbledore was biding for time, but that couldn't last forever. Draco turned to see Fenrir Greyback emerging from the doorway. He had blood all around his mouth as if he had just fed. Pond, you have to get out of here, it's not safe. Take Potter with you. No, Draco, not yet. I hate to say it, but, Harry needs to see what happens.

"Hello there, Albus." Fenrir let out a small growl. "Let me just say, you've chosen a good set of blood-traitors to protect your school, one of which was especially tasty."

"Anyone, in particular, may I ask?"

"Enough of this!" Bellatrix raised her wand in Dumbledore's direction. She walked forward to Draco and whispered into his ear. "Do it, Draco." His hand was shaking. "Do it!"

"He doesn't have the stomach. He's a coward. Just like his father. Let me do it!" Fenrir began to advance towards Dumbledore.

"No! The Dark Lord was clear in his orders: it must be the boy! Come on, Draco! Now!"

Too many thoughts were going through Draco's head, a mix of his and Pond's. A single voice broke through and spoke aloud.

"No."

Draco lowered his wand at the deep voice he had heard. He and the Death Eaters turned to the door to see a man with black hair wearing a long, dark cloak. Draco backed away from the scene and stood in front of his vile aunt. Everything went quiet. No one knew what to say, not even the Death Eaters. He noticed Dumbledore glance towards the floorboards, most likely in the direction of Pond and Potter. Draco stood there, both wands clutched in his hand, waiting for something to happen. He looked back and forth between Snape and Dumbledore and Bellatrix and Fenrir, expecting someone to make a move.

"Severus..."

All of the Death Eaters turned their attention to Snape, waiting to see which side he would choose.

"... please." At that moment, Draco knew that it was over. He knew that he was now free from Voldemort's grasp. But at what cost?

Snape looked into Dumbledore's eyes as he uttered the words, the last words that Albus Dumbledore would ever hear.

"Avada kedavra!"

Draco felt a lump in his throat as the Headmaster was thrust off the balcony and collided with the ground below them. Albus Dumbledore was dead. And it was all his fault.

"Come, Draco, we must go." Snape grabbed Draco by his collar and pulled him out of his trance and down the stairs of the Astronomy Tower. Draco shifted his eyes in multiple directions to make sure that Pond and Potter had gotten out of the way. As Snape led the Death Eaters through the corridors of Hogwarts, they create chaos at every corner: they ripped the paintings of the walls, cast explosion charms on the structure of the building, and shattered the windows.

When they made it down to the first floor, Draco was able to slip away from the Death Eaters and isolate himself, hiding behind a column. Once they walked around a corner, Draco began to search his thoughts. Come on, Pond. Where are you? I can get to you now. The Hospital Wing; meet us there. 'Us?' She must still be with Potter.

Draco looked around every wall before continuing his journey to ensure there were no Death Eaters blocking his path. He finally reached the Hospital Wing and, quietly, he entered the room. When he shut the door and turned to face the room, Draco saw multiple sets of eyes staring at him. He looked around at each person individually: Madam Pomfrey, Hermione, Weasley, Weaslette, Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood, Remus Lupin, a man in his late twenties with bright red hair—who must be a Weasley— a woman with bright short, bright pink hair whom he had never seen before, and Amy Pond. The unknown Weasley was lying on a hospital bed, unconscious, most likely being treated from the Death Eater attack. The first person to react to his entrance was Weasley.

"What the bloody hell are you doing here Malfoy?"

"Malfoy? Draco Malfoy? You're Draco Malfoy?" The woman with pink hair looked at him with a confused expression.

"Draco, what are you doing here?" It was almost as if Hermione looked straight through him. She and he had been spending time together—reading, studying, eating—but now, it was like she didn't even recognize him. They had grown closer after she had been held hostage in the dungeons of his home; when he had saved her and her friends. He hated himself for the way he had treated her in the past and, in one way or another, he actually, sort of, fancied her.

"I—I came to help."

"Help with what, Mr. Malfoy?" Madam Pomfrey only briefly looked up from the older Weasley.

"Well… I was told to come here."

"Draco…" Amy Pond looked at him with relief and tears in her eyes.

"Pond, what's wrong? What hap—" Draco was cut off by the crushing weight of Amy's hug. He was frozen and didn't know what to do; he lifted his arms from his sides and wrapped them around her.

"What is this, Amy? I thought he was the enemy!" Weasley shouted from across the room.

"Oh, just stop it, Ron! He won't hurt you! He's on our side now!" Draco could tell that she was trying to hold back more tears than she was letting out. She then turned to face him. "You are with us now, aren't you?"

"Of course I am." He addressed the room as a whole. "That's the reason why I came here." Everyone seemed to give in to his statement and went back to what they were doing: Pomfrey, Lupin, the Weasley's and the pink-haired woman all surrounded the unconscious Weasley, the mysterious woman still eyeing Draco curiously. He wondered what her deal was. The remainder of the people in the room, Hermione, Neville, and Luna, were sat around the room. Amy stood off to the side, standing in a corner, sobbing. Draco approached her.

"Amy… what's wrong? Where's Potter?"

"That's the thing. Harry, he—he went after them. He went after the Death Eaters. I tried—I tried to stop him, but—"

"Wait here." Draco started towards the door.

"What're gonna do?"

"Just wait here!" Draco stormed out of the Hospital Wing, heading in the direction in which the Death Eaters had been going. He figured the must be gone by now, but he was afraid of what that meant for Potter's sake; and if he was trying to get on everyone's good side, saving Potter might be a good first step.

Draco reached the outdoors and saw smoke coming from down the hill. Hagrid's hut. He rushed down to see that the fire had been put out, no one was in sight. Where would he go? If I were Potter, where would I go? A bleak thought entered his mind. No… he's not that daft! Draco rushed towards the Astronomy Tower, to where Dumbledore's body would have fallen onto the ground. Hence his belief, when Draco arrived at the foot of the Tower, he wasn't alone.

Dumbledore's lifeless body laid there in the grass, his eyes wide open. Potter sat next to him, clutching to the Headmaster's body, letting out loud cries. The half-giant stood next to them, also, with tears in his eyes. Hagrid caught sight of Draco and looked in shock, almost as if he wanted to warn Potter about his arrival, but he seemed to understand that Draco meant no harm, and nodded in his direction. Draco approached the wizard and knelt down next to him. "Potter… before you say anything, you have to know that I didn't want to do it. I was threatened by Voldemort. He said he would kill me, he said he would kill my parents. I couldn't let them die for me—"

"But you could let him die?" Potter spoke without raising his head. "You could let Dumbledore die so that you didn't have to?" He lifted his head and looked directly into Draco's eyes. "He's dead because of you, you know. It's your fault. It's all your fault and no one will ever forgive you once they know the truth."

"Potter, I—"

"I don't want to hear anything, Malfoy! I—" Potter let out a sigh. "All I want to know is where my friends are, because I suppose they're the ones that sent you." All he did was look at him with disgust; he didn't see past the cool exterior that had once existed around him.

"The Hospital Wing. We were all in the Hospital Wing when Amy told me you chose to go after the death Eaters alone. I decided to come to find you so that they could all stay together." Draco turned his glance towards the Groundskeeper. "Hagrid, is there any way you could move the body; before he attracts any more attention."

"I can do that, Malfoy. Why don' you two head on up the Hospital Wing? I'll meet yer there."

Draco stood there and waited for Potter to join him. It took him a few seconds to gather the courage to release his grip on the Professor's cloak. Together, the two walked back to the Hospital Wing.

They entered the room and, the first thing Draco saw, was a brown streak run past him and collide with Potter. The next thing he knew, that same streak had taken him into a long embrace. It was only multiple seconds in when he had realized that this streak was none other than Hermione Granger. He accepted her embrace and, to everyone in the room's shock, wrapped his arms around her, too. She released him and, as a surprise to the both of them, was very close to his face. The two pulled away at the same time, leaving a decent amount of space between them. Hermione then took the opportunity to smack Potter in the arm.

"Harry, what the hell were you thinking? Going after all those Death Eaters like your invulnerable!" Hermione yelled at him and Draco chuckled on the side; she smacked him, too.

"And you! Why would you go after him when you knew there could have been a death Eaters to deal with?" Hermione was fuming: her nostrils were flared, her eyebrows were all scrunched up, and her lips were pursed. In some weird way, she's kind of adorable when she's angry. He really hoped Amy wasn't listening in on that one.

Everyone that was physically able came over to greet Potter. Draco decided it was best to stay out of everyone's way and to just observe from the sidelines.

"Madam Pomfrey, what happened to Bill?" Potter made his way over to the bed where Bill Weasley layout, his face covered in marks which were all too familiar to Draco.

"It was a… werewolf attack, I'm afraid." Madam Pomfrey spoke hesitantly as if not to offend the former Professor Lupin whom, it had been revealed years ago, was a werewolf.

"Werewolf…?"

"Greyback. It was Fenrir Greyback," Lupin spoke aloud. "He was here tonight. I saw him run away from a body, but I was too slow. I realized it was Bill on the ground and I brought him here as soon as I could without being caught."

"You did the right thing, Remus," the woman with pink hair placed her hand on his shoulder, but Lupin turned away from her. "I'm sure that, when Dumbledore gets here, he'll be able to make things right."

"Dumbledore?" Potter looked up from his hands into the woman's eyes. "Tonks… Dumbledore is dead."

"No! No, he—he can't be!" Hermione cried. "He was just with you and Amy. He—Harry he's… he's really gone?"

Lupin collapsed into a chair beside Bill's bed, his hands over his face. The woman named 'Tonks'—a name which Draco was sure he had heard before—had Hermione and Ginny is a tight embrace, looking presumably like she wanted to cry as well, but she kept herself together for the younger ones in the room. Madam Pomfrey kept tending to Bill's injuries, but Draco could see that she was about to lose it. Longbottom and Luna sat quietly together in a corner. Amy had her hands on the shoulders of Ron Weasley.

Potter explained what had happened on the Astronomy Tower to the inhabitants of the room—every minuscule detail, especially how Draco was there when it happened and that Draco was the one at fault.

"Draco?" He turned in the direction of the voice to see a girl with tears and disappointment in her eyes. "How could you?"

Before Draco could reply to her, the door swung open and in ran Professor McGonagall.

"Potter, Malfoy! I have been looking for you two. I just met with Hagrid." She looked to the Weasley siblings. "Molly and Arthur are on their way." She turned her attention back to the two boys. "What happened? Hagrid said you were both with Dumbledore when… when it happened… he said something about Snape—"

"Snape killed Dumbledore," Potter bluntly stated.

McGonagall looked ready to pass out. Madam Pomfrey quickly placed a chair behind the witch who then, promptly, fell into the chair.

"Snape? I mean… we always wonderedwe were never completely sure… I just—I can't believe he would go as far as to—as to murder someone." McGonagall was covering her face with her hand, trying to hide the tears.

"Minerva, none of us could have known." Lupin looked up from his hands. "He has been a trained Occlumens from a young age, he… we always knew that he could be hiding something."

"But Dumbledore said he was on our side!" Tonks said. "He let him into our meetings, in on our secrets..."

"Dumbledore has always trusted Snape. He has denied me, on various occasions, the reason why he had placed such a deep trust in the man," muttered McGonagall.

The doors of the hospital wing burst open, making them all jump: in ran the Weasley parents and someone that Draco had barely even recognized: Fleur Delacour, the student from Beauxbatons that competed in the Triwizard Tournament with Potter two years ago.

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley ran straight past their other children in order to reach Bill.

"Bill," whispered Mrs. Weasley, "Oh, Bill!"

Those previously around the man's bed had backed away in order to give the parents the reunion they deserved.

Mrs. Weasley bent down and kissed the bloody forehead of her son.

"You mentioned that it was Greyback who attacked him?" Mr. Weasley turned his attention to McGonagall, but she didn't seem to have the answers.

"We're not exactly sure what will happen yet, Arthur." Lupin approached the old, red-haired man slowly. "It's odd… this has never happened before. Not once has a werewolf ever bitten someone on a day that wasn't a full moon. We won't know what his behavior might be like until he wakes up."

Mrs. Weasley practically pushed Madam Pomfrey out of the way and stole the ointment from her hands; she began applying it, herself, to her son's face. The blonde girl, Fleur, stood at Bill's bedside, staring down at him with a worried expression.

"It won't matter how he looks, of course," Mrs. Weasley let out a shrill laugh. " But he was a very handsome little b-boy… always very handsome… and he was g-going to be married!"

"What do you mean, 'going to be married?'" Fleur suddenly raised her voice at the woman. "You thought I would not weesh to marry him? Or per'aps, you hoped? I don't care how he looks! I am good-looking enough for the both of us, I theenk! All these scars show is zat my husband is brave!" Fleur then shoved Mrs. Weasley aside and began tending to him herself.

Both women then shared an odd exchange which resulted in them hugging and crying in each other's arms. Women can be so confusing.

"Don't you see, Remus! This is exactly the point I was trying to make to you!" Tonks screamed. Here we go again. "She still cares for him, even though he's been bitten!"

"That's different, Tonks," said Lupin, looking like he was already finished with this conversation. "He's not a full werewolf, he's not—"

"But, Remus, I don't care!" She grabbed him by his robes. "I don't care about any of that. I've told you, over and over again—"

"Tonks, I..." Lupin refused to meet her eye-line, staring at the floor. "I'm too old for you, too poor, and..." he looked her in the eyes. "I'm too dangerous for you to be around."

"Too dangerous! You've got to be joking! I've spent years with Amy and not once have you complained about it being too dangerous to be around her."

"I think you're being ridiculous, Remus." Amy walked up to the pair and stood by Tonks' side. "I know you care for her—that you both care for each other."

"I am not being ridiculous," said Lupin steadily. "Tonks deserves somebody young and whole."

"But she wants you." Amy smiled up at him.

"And after all, Remus, young and whole men do not necessarily remain so." Mr. Weasley gestured sadly at his son, lying on the bed.

"We… this is not the time to be talking about something like this. Dumbledore is dead..."

"Allow me to assure you, Remus." McGonagall stood from her chair."Dumbledore would have been happier than anybody to think that there was a little more love in the world."

Lupin lifted his hands from his sides and placed them on Tonks' face. "Are you sure, about this?"

"I've never been surer about anything in my life." With that, Tonks pulled Lupin in and connected her lips with hers. Draco looked away, feeling uncomfortable at that moment. He peered in the direction of Amy, who was absolutely beaming with happiness. He decided to converse with her.

"So, Pond, a bit of a long night."

"It sure as hell has been."

"Let me ask you, exactly who is this 'Tonks' person that you have apparently known for years?"

"I'm the person that's been looking after Amelia ever since she was a little girl." The woman Tonks broke into their conversation, gesturing for Amy to walk away, which she did, leaving Tonks and Draco alone. "So, you're one of us now, eh?"

"I suppose." Draco shifted uncomfortably.

"You're a Malfoy, right?" He nodded his head. "I don't know if you're aware of this, but, your mum and my mum are actually sisters. I guess that makes us cousins."

Draco became wide-eyed. "Your mother is Andromeda Black?"

Tonks laughed. "The one and only."

"My parents told me she had died."

"Ah, yeah. I believe the way they would put it is that 'she's as good as dead.'" They stood there in silence for a few moments before Tonks spoke again, this time in a lower voice, with a softer expression on her face. "You don't seem as bad as them, though."

"Thanks… I heard everyone calling you 'Tonks,' but isn't that your last name?"

She rolled her eyes. "Yes well, when your parents decide to name something as ghastly as 'Nymphadora,' you'd go by your last name as well."

"Nymphadora Tonks, you are the first and only competent member of our family that I have ever met."

His cousins' hair turned a bright red. "Keep calling me 'Nymphadora' and I may not be as competent as you think."

Draco made a look which said, 'What, am I supposed to feel threatened?' She laughed at that. "You're a metamorphmagus, I presume?"

"The only known one in the world."

"Well, Nymphadora, let me just say… I'm glad to have finally met you."

She made a face expressing her dislike for her first name, but she no longer corrected him, she just smiled. "You're quite alright yourself, Draco Malfoy."

Potter then stomped over into their direction. "Hey," he faced Draco. "I need to talk to you."


"What do you mean 'it's a fake,' Harry?" Hermione asked.

Potter, Draco, Hermione, Weasley, Ginny, and Amy all stood together outside the Hospital Wing. In his hands, Potter held a small locket in one hand—which Draco had only seen before, in pictures—and a short note in the other.

"Just read the note… it says it all there." Potter handed the paper to Weasley and walked away to stand by a window. Weasley began to read the note aloud:

"'To the Dark Lord: I know I will be dead long before you read this but I want you to know that it was I who discovered your secret. I have stolen the real Horcrux and intend to destroy it as soon as I can. I face death in the hope that when you meet your match you will be mortal once more.' It's signed R.A.B. Who's R.A.B.?"

"I could be anyone," Ginny whispered. "For all we know, that could have been written decades ago. That person's probably long gone." She looked over to where Potter was standing. "Harry, are you alright?"

"What I want to know is why you felt compelled to share this news with me, Potter? I thought you still hated me." Draco narrowed his eyes.

"Of course, I hate you, Malfoy. I always have. Amy said…" Potter sighed and turned to face the pale teenager. "She said we could trust you. And I've known her long enough to know when to listen to her. If she says we can trust you, then I'll trust you, but that doesn't mean I have to like you. I can tolerate you for now." He held out his hand for Draco to shake. "So what do you say, Malfoy… friends?" Draco looked back and forth between Potter's face and his extended arm, trying to think of what to say. Oh, just shake his hand, you idiot! He looked to Amy who had a small smirk across her face.

"Sure, Potter." Draco shook his hand. "Why not?"