Part 8 – Kat

I felt worse than when I had first been attacked by the Death Eaters. Again I was aching from head to toe, and again the world was spinning. But this time I felt horribly sick as well, as well as hot and sweaty. Poppy had come back up, and given me some kind of medicine, promising it would make me relax and lose some of the fear inside me. I drank it, and it tasted absolutely foul. I didn't begin to feel better like she's said, I felt worse, much worse. I told her, and she went off to get Albus. They appeared a minute later, along with Minerva. I closed my eyes and allowed Dumbledore to feel my forehead.

'He's got a high temperature.' I heard Albus say. I opened my eyes, to see that the room seemed very out of focus. The voices again grew faint, and I fell back into my chair, darkness surrounding me.

I was walking past the staff room to my Charms lesson, accompanied, as usual, by Crabbe and Goyle. Just before we reached the staff room door, it was flung open, and Professor Dumbledore, McGonagall and Madame Pomfrey appeared, Dumbledore using his wand to levitate another person in mid-air. I fell back against the wall, pulling Crabbe and Goyle with me, so that I could watch without being noticed.

The person being levitated I recognised as Professor Snape by the black hair and robes. I wasn't sure whether he was dead or just unconscious – he looked even paler and thinner than usual. The teachers obviously hadn't been joking when they had said that he was very ill.

I followed the procession of teachers slowly and at a distance so that they wouldn't notice me. I left Crabbe and Goyle at the Charms corridor, and continued down the staircases behind the teachers.

I followed them down into the dungeons and past the Slytherin common room. I watched as Dumbledore touched the stone gargoyle near the common room, and the wall opened in the same place that I had seen a few days ago.

Deciding I could follow them no further, and that I would be able to find out no more, I turned to go back to Flitwick's class.

'Mr. Malfoy!'

I cursed under my breath; I had been seen. Trying to look calm, I turned back to the gargoyle. The wall had now closed, and Dumbledore, Madame Pomfrey and Professor Snape had disappeared. McGonagall, however, was still standing there. I was surprised by the look on her face. It wasn't strict and angry. It was more a cross between a look of curiosity and a look of worry.

'Yes Professor?'

'What are you doing down here?'

'I… I…' I decided that in this case the truth was probably the best course of action. 'I wanted to know what was wrong with Professor Snape, Professor.'

McGonagall looked me up and down, as if she was inspecting me. She now had a look of pity on her face. She made me think that perhaps he had died. 'He hasn't… died, has he?' I voiced my fears.

'No, no, he's not dead, but he is gravely ill. There is a chance he may die.'

I surprised myself when I felt the tears in my eyes. Why was I getting so upset? He was a teacher, nothing more, nothing less? Alright, so he was a role model to me, my housemaster, my favourite teacher. I looked up to him, I wanted to be like him…

McGonagall had obviously read my thoughts. She came towards me and put an arm around my shoulders. 'He means a lot to you, doesn't he?' She asked, kindly.

'I respect him…' I muttered.

McGonagall seemed to be thinking something over, as she was quiet for quite a while. Then she spoke: 'You may be of use… Will you help us save him, Draco?' I was surprised she'd used my first name, and even more surprised she was asking for my help. What could I do that the rest of them couldn't?

'Follow me.' She said. She put her hand on the stone gargoyle and said, "serpent". The wall again moved apart, to reveal a dark passageway, lit with candles attached with brackets to the walls. She led me down this passage, and we eventually reached a doorway, which she opened and led me through.

I seemed to be in a hallway of a small flat. I was in a room with two doors leading off it. This room seemed to be like a small library, with many shelves crammed with old, big books. The room was also immaculately neat and tidy. McGonagall led me through the door on the left hand side of the room, and we entered a small lounge area, with three squashy armchairs and a fireplace. More books were placed neatly on tables. I was told to sit down in one of the chairs, which I did. I was beginning to wonder what on earth was going on.

'Now, Draco…' McGonagall began. 'As you saw, Miss Granger has been taken ill, and we think that there's a reason why. She was helping Professor Snape, Professor Dumbledore and myself finding out about Quantum Potions. Does that mean anything to you?' I shook my head, and she went on to explain all about it, and why they needed to know more. 'Will you help us, take Miss Granger's place while she is ill, and help her when she has recovered?'

Before I knew what I was doing, I had agreed.