Snape pulled Harry into the lower part of the astronomy tower and motioned for him to be quiet and still with his free hand. When Harry edged a little closer to the others in the room, Snape gave an annoyed look and pointed his wand slightly upwards as if thinking about something. He then quickly turned to Harry and cast a full body-bind curse silently. He then reached into Harry's pocket and drew the map out. Snape revealed the map with a wave of his wand and then nodded to himself as if confirming a theory. Drawing the map close and putting it into his robe pocket, he turned away from Harry.
Harry was frozen and could not move a muscle. His eyes were the only part of his body that could move around, but he was otherwise helpless. The fear that struck him when he realized that he was at the mercy of any that found him was cold and burned through him. Harry was pissed. If anyone knows what kind of danger lurks about, it is Snape. He didn't know what Snape was up to, but Harry didn't know why he was doing this.
Snape then turned to the stairs and climbed to the next level where the other wizards stood in a semi-circle around Dumbledore. In his deep smooth voice, Snape called out, "surely, you don't think the boy will succeed?"
Draco's hand shook violently and his fear was obvious, he hissed at Snape, "what are you doing? This is my mission. I am the one who has to do it!" The question of whether the fear is of killing someone or if it was of the Dark Lord was anyone's guess.
Dumbledore looked to Snape and pleaded, "Severus, please…". Harry almost couldn't believe what was happening.
How could Snape betray them? Harry knew that Dumbledore placed the utmost trust in Snape and believed that Snape was ultimately a good guy so was he right? Harry wasn't sure if he believed it before, but he certainly doesn't know if he can believe him now.
Dumbledore had a look of understanding flash by on his face. Dumbledore took a deep breath and said, " I understand that you have to do what you think is the best decision". Dumbledore turned around and peered over the edge of the tower. The fall was long, but at least Dumbeldore wouldn't have to endure it.
Snape's wand rose to chest level and he spoke the dreaded words, "Avada kedavra". A bright green light followed the words and their deathly intent. The glow briefly illuminated Harry's face and he felt his heart break. He couldn't believe it. Dumbledore's body fell over the edge of the tower. The last expression on his face was blank. Harry could not see Snape's face but imagined it would be filled with a sick look of satisfaction. Harry was right all along, Snape could not be trusted. It was too late.
Harry was confused but definitely angry. Snape had just saved him...right? Down in the courtyard, he scared the wolf away. Or was it to get him out of the way? But then why would he not just kill him? Or let the wolf kill him?
The questions raced through his head and he just didn't know what it meant. Harry brushed off his confusion, because he knew that he could think about it later. His confusion and anger felt overwhelming and Harry felt his magic pool into his chest and overwhelmed the body bind.
Shaking off the bind, Harry didn't know what to do. In his panic, Harry knew that he had to get out of there. With his overwhelmed mindset, Harry decided to run to the place that he truly felt safe: the forest. The forest will always be home even if some of the creatures have nearly killed him more times than he can count. He ran through the corridors and did not even notice the tears running down his face. The loss he felt right now was nearly crippling. His chest hurt and he felt like he could not breathe. And all he kept thinking about was the horcrux, the werewolf, Snape, and Dumbledore. They kept spinning around his head like some kind of sick merry go round ride. How can one day go so wrong? It felt like one horrible thing after another.
Harry stopped and leaned against the wall trying to clear his head. He felt like throwing up but also felt like sobbing hysterically and curling into a ball. He got up and scrambled a couple of more steps towards the end of the hall. He could see the large doors up ahead of him which led out to the courtyard. He reached the courtyard and breathed a sigh of relief. Finally.
Harry should have known better. He heard a cackling laugh from behind him and saw the infamous Bellatrix Lestrange. Her hair was flying everywhere with only vague resemblance of intact curls. Some of the strands flew into her face and the others draped down to the front of her raggedy dress. Her dress itself was torn in some places and covered in lace in others which created a strange mix match of patchwork. Harry stumbled back and he knew that Lestrange could see him. Her face was filled with a malicious grin that showed off her rotten teeth from her stay in Azkaban. The sight was grizzly. She threw her head back and cackled with joy.
"Little bitty pottey head! My lord will make you pay for your insolence! You dare defy his greatness!", Harry had obviously offended them with his very existence and Lestrange was determined to make him pay. Harry nearly rolled his eyes with the repetition.
Harry ducked behind a column in the courtyard in the nick of time and avoided a bright purple spell. Harry cast "Expelliarmus" and hid away from her. They volleyed a few spells back and forth a few times with Harry slowly being drawn away from the column until they were both circling each other in the middle of the courtyard. Harry kept trying to edge away from Lestrange to the forest, but also could not escape her fierce spells.
Lestrange cast a couple of unknown spells and followed it up with a psychotic crucio. Her spell barely missed Harry by a few skant inches. Harry was not losing, but he definitely did not have any edge even with his large magical reserves. Lestrange was simply more advanced in her spell work.
Harry felt waves of anger rise up and his spell work became stronger and quicker. Expelliarmus! Stupefy! Protego! Petrificus Totalus! Diffindo! Harry shouted spells quickly and without hesitation. His first two spells missed their mark but his body bind spell skimmed Lestrange's arm, making her stop cackling and her face filled with anger.
Lestrange quickly retaliated with a rapid set of Diffindo! FIendfyre! Reducto! Crucio! She nearly screamed the last spell and her voice was full of rage. Her crucio nearly hit the mark, but a wolf lunged from behind a column from the same direction of the forest. It sunk its teeth into Lestrange's arm, not that dissimilar from the way it tore into him earlier. But it then yanked its jaw away while it's teeth were still embedded into her arm inflicting far more damage.
The remains of her arm were a bloody mangled mess with gaping strips of flesh missing from the wolf's teeth. Lestrange's voice let out in a mix of fury and pain. The arm that was mangled: her wand arm.
In her rage, Lestrange grabs her fallen wand with her other hand and casts a sloppy Diffindo at the wolf. It hit the wolf but failed to do anything obvious, a clear indication that it was a werewolf and not a normal wild animal. Lestrange, frustrated, goes to cast another spell when Harry snaps out of his daze and casts Depulso at her.
Lestrange was forced back against a column and her head hit the wall with a solid whack! Harry winced but lifted his wand warily when Lestrange got up from the floor. She tosses one last glare at the wolf and Harry but scrambles off, clearly outnumbered.
Harry turned his head to the wolf slowly but was struck by a wave of dizziness. The moment of lightheadedness didn't alleviate but instead was amplified. He tried to mumble out some words but instead managed a few murmurs. He looked down and tried to find some injuries, but he wasn't able to focus long enough to think. The wolf took a step towards him and then began nudging Harry towards the woods. Harry couldn't think of a reason not to and thus began his trip of shuffling towards the forest. The pair occasionally stopped to allow Harry to clear his head.
Harry reaches the edge of the forest but decides instead of going further he decides that he will take a sit down. The wolf tried to nudge Harry even further but Harry was very tired and was not going to listen to someone who was walking on four legs and looked like he slobbered on himself as a pastime.