Trojan Horse – Part VI: Dark Days
Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last one. To answer a question someone asked, Remus can't touch silver because he's a werewolf, in the same way that vampires don't like garlic. If anybody knows anything more about this, please tell me in the review, I'm always on the lookout for bits of lore about werewolves. Other queries will be answered in the stories.
~
Dawn broke cold and grey. Nobody in Hogwarts had slept at all. Sitting at the top of the stairs, Minerva looked down over the entrance hall and the West Door. Someone had fixed the door, it was closed and barred, but the floor was still scattered with bits of broken furniture, broken glass from where the windows had blown in, the whole thing was a mess. That just about summed the situation up, Minerva thought, a mess. She ran her fingers through her hair, and some grey strands came away in her hand. Looking at them, she sighed. A chilly breeze from the broken windows made her shiver.
She tried to make things clear in her mind. There were four people missing from the castle, and two of the staff had suffered minor injuries. And one person … she didn't even want to think about that. Hogwarts was safe, but at a price.
An irregular pattern of thuds behind her made her turn apprehensively. Limping, leaning heavily on a cane, Severus Snape was approaching. He had broken his leg duelling with one of Voldemort's followers, and Madam Pomfrey had just sent him from the Infirmary. His face was paler than she had ever seen it before.
'Has there been – any change? Has he woken up?' she asked.
'No.' He knew without asking who she was concerned about. For a moment he stood silent, listening. 'What's that?'
'What?'
'That sound.' Snape made a vague gesture with his free hand. They both listened, concentrating hard.
'Someone crying,' said Minerva slowly. She wished she was allowed the relief of tears, but it was her duty to remain calm and sensible, as she was the acting Headmistress until Dumbledore recovered. Snape limped down the stairs to the door, the broken glass crunching beneath his feet. Minerva rose to follow him. He pulled back the shiny new bolts on the door and opened it, glancing around him warily.
The sound was louder here, and Snape gave a muffled gasp. Minerva looked past him and saw, curled up in the shrubbery, two little children.
'Good heavens,' she gasped. She stepped past Snape and sprang down from the steps to where they were huddled together. They flinched away from her.
'It's all right,' she said in her gentlest voice. 'Don't worry.' She wished she knew more about small children. These were far younger than the first year students. They stared big-eyed past her at Snape. He limped closer, and the girl ducked behind the boy with a squeal.
'Severus, you're scaring them,' said Minerva sharply. 'Now come along, come inside.' She put a hand out to the boy. Behind her, Snape was retreating into the castle, his face dark. 'Come inside. You can't stay out here,' she continued.
Neither child spoke as she took their hands and led them into the entrance hall. Minerva felt very uncomfortable. She was never very good at putting people at ease in any case, and the children were clearly terrified of something. How on earth had they got there, anyway? What had the Dark Lord been doing?
'What's your name?' she asked of the boy when they were going up the stairs, thinking that was a good place to start.
'Paul,' he said clearly.
'And you?' she asked the girl. She gazed up at Minerva for a moment, and said nothing.
'She's Laura,' said Paul helpfully. 'She's my sister.'
'Oh,' said Minerva. 'What were you doing out there?'
'I don't know,' said Paul.
'We were going – going to see our mummy,' supplied Laura in a tiny voice. 'Where is she?'
Minerva raised an eyebrow. 'Your mother? What's her name?'
'She's mummy,' said Laura uncertainly. Minerva mentally ran through all the people in Hogwarts who could possibly be the mother of these two. She knew Professor Sprout had children, but she thought they were older than this, yes, they were in the first and second years, and Madam Pomfrey's children were grown up. She shook her head.
'What's your last name?' she asked the boy.
'De Laurent,' he said promptly.
Minerva gasped, and inadvertently her hands tightened on the children's. These were the children of Alexander de Laurent? Below, she heard Snape's sharp intake of breath. What on earth were they doing here?
'Where's your father?' she asked at once.
'Don't like daddy,' said Laura. 'I want to see my mummy.' She looked like she was about to start crying again.
'Dad took us here,' added Paul. 'He said mum was in here and she was going to come out and come with us and we would go back home and everything would be all right.' Minerva frowned.
'Mummy said she was going to be a teacher, and she sent us to stay with Auntie Emma, and daddy went away,' Laura continued. 'And then daddy came and took us to a dark place, and he didn't let us play outside, and then – and then he said he was taking us to see mummy. Where is she?' She tugged at Minerva's robes as if that would get her a better answer.
Minerva shook her head without understanding. De Laurent's wife was at Hogwarts? Snape came limping up the stairs behind them.
'Is he – daddy's friend?' asked Paul nervously as Laura edged away. Minerva glanced over their heads at Snape.
'No,' she said. At least she could be sure of something. 'No, he's not.'
'Good.'
'Daddy had a friend like him who had one of those stick things,' said Paul, pointing at Snape's cane. 'He was nasty.'
'What did your daddy call your mummy?' asked Snape in a quiet voice, fixing Paul with his eyes.
Paul flinched a little under his gaze. He hesitated for a moment, considering, and then answered, 'Helen.'
Minerva turned white. She nearly asked if he was sure. Snape was nodding.
'So,' he said bitterly. 'I was right.'
Minerva turned to him, releasing the children. 'Yes,' she said. 'But that's not much help now, is it? So that's where she's gone.'
'Off to join her friends with the Dark Lord. Leaving us with these two –' He cut off whatever he was about to say, and Minerva glared at him.
The girl had begun to cry again. Minerva looked at them helplessly as Paul put his arms around his sister.
'Well,' said Snape, 'why don't you take them up and get them tidied up and find someone to take care of them? Seeing as Helen was so kind as to leave them here.'
Minerva nodded. 'Right. Can you see about getting – all this – cleared up?' She waved a hand at the broken glass and splinters of wood on the floor. She had thought the situation was messy before? Now it was worse. Snape nodded. Gently, Minerva took the children's hands again.
'Come with me,' she said, and they obeyed meekly.
She didn't speak as she led them up to the staff-room. Laura was sniffling quietly and Paul was looking around in disbelief. In the staff-room, Professor Flitwick was writing something. He jumped to his feet when Minerva and the children came in.
'Good heavens, where did you find these two?'
'On the doorstep.'
'Dear me.' The tiny wizard came across the room to take a closer look. He was not much taller than Paul. 'Who do you belong to, then?' he asked with a warm smile.
'Helen,' answered Minerva. 'Who went back to join de Laurent and You-Know-Who.'
Flitwick gasped. 'It was her? I would never have thought ….'
'No.' Minerva cut him off. 'Anyway, she's left her children here.'
'Poor little things.' Flitwick looked at them compassionately. Paul was watching him with interest, and Laura had stopped crying to stare at him. 'You look frozen. Why don't I take you down to the kitchens and we'll see if they'll let us raid the larder? How about that?'
Paul mustered a smile, and Laura nodded mutely.
'All right, I'll keep an eye on them for you, Minerva.'
'Thank you.' Minerva could see that Flitwick would be far better with the children than she was.
'Is there any news about the others?'
'No. Not a thing.' Minerva swallowed. 'I'd better go and get some of the students to help with the clearing up downstairs.'
'All right. Now, tell me, what are your names?' Flitwick smiled at Paul and Laura and led them from the room.
~
The Gryffindor common room was buzzing with conversation, rumours were flying around. Everyone fell silent when Minerva entered.
'I would like ten students to help with clearing up downstairs,' she announced. There was a chorus of volunteers, and without paying much attention to who they were, Minerva counted off the ten nearest to her. 'The rest of you, keep the noise down,' she told them automatically. She led her volunteers out of the common room.
There was a babble of concerned questions. Minerva did not answer them, but waved a hand for quiet. She led the way down to the entrance hall and the West Door. Snape was still there, wand in hand. He looked up at Minerva and her helpers.
'Oh. Reinforcements.' He gave the Gryffindors a chilly look, but it was not as potent as it would normally have been. 'Well, let's have five of you down here to get all this glass off the floor. You do know a suitable cleaning charm, I take it?'
Minerva glanced at the students, who were nodding eagerly. Amidst them she noticed Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley and Harry Potter. It did not surprise her. Snape's eyes flashed as he saw them, but he did not speak.
It took half an hour for Snape to be satisfied that there were no more shards of glass on the polished wooden floor, and all the furniture was repaired. He and Minerva were working on the windows, repairing them and doubling the spells that held them together and kept them from breaking.
'We need another hand,' said Minerva, unable to hold onto the spell and close the window at the same time. 'Hermione, come here and hang on to this, please.'
Snape's lip curled a little, but he nodded curtly.
With Hermione's help, they closed off the first window.
'Okay,' said Minerva, looking at the clean floor and the newly-repaired furniture. 'All of you lot, back up to the common room. Jane –' she nodded to a prefect '– make sure nobody wanders off. Go straight up.'
Jane nodded and they all began to walk off. Hermione made to follow them.
'No, we'll need your help with the next one as well, Granger,' said Snape sharply. 'No shirking.'
Hermione only nodded. Ron shot her an envious glance, and Harry winked at her as they followed Jane reluctantly away from the scene of so many exciting events.
In silence they put up the second window, and the third. Minerva saw that Hermione was keeping herself from asking questions, and she was thankful for that. She didn't feel up to answering fifty thousand curious queries. Snape limped around, his stick making a ringing sound as it struck the floor. When the windows were done, he said, 'I'm going down to Slytherin.'
'Right, well, Hermione can help me with this last bit.' Minerva gestured at the locks on the windows.
'Fine.' With a final glare, Snape clattered up the stairs and out of sight.
When he was gone, Hermione asked, 'How did he get hurt?'
'Last night. He took a great many risks, he's lucky to be alive.'
'But nobody – nobody was killed?'
'We're not sure.' Minerva sighed, and put the finishing touches on the window. 'All we can do is hope.'
'Harry was worried about Sirius – Mr Black, I mean,' said Hermione with a questioning tone in her voice.
Minerva didn't answer. She went to the next window and while Hermione kept the spell going, she locked it. 'That's it, we're finished.'
Hermione did not leave straight away, but stood looking out the window.
'What's that?' she asked, seeing a dark shape moving across the grounds in the distance. Minerva came to look, and they realised at the same time what it must be.
'It's a Dementor,' said Hermione abruptly. 'How – what's it doing there?'
'Either You-Know-Who has some helping him, which wouldn't surprise me, or Fudge is being more witless than usual.' Minerva's tone was acerbic. 'Or both.'
'Is You-Know-Who still around, then?' Hermione stepped back from the window automatically. 'I thought that Professor Dumbledore had sent him away.'
'He did.' Minerva gave a sigh and leaned on the window-ledge wearily. 'He put his full strength into maintaining the ancient spells that protect Hogwarts.' As Hermione looked puzzled, Minerva began to explain. 'Before he died, Godric Gryffindor set a number of spells on Hogwarts that prevent evil from entering without invitation from someone within, and mean that Hogwarts can never be used for an evil purpose.' As Hermione made to interrupt, she added, 'It was Professor Irwin who invited him. Anyway –' she disregarded Hermione's astounded expression '- Albus stopped him, and now he's in the Infirmary. We don't know if …' She trailed off. Hermione was gazing at her with wide eyes, but Minerva scarcely noticed.
'So You-Know-Who's not – he's not gone?' she asked.
Minerva shook her head. 'I'm afraid not. He can't get into the grounds any longer, it's been sealed off again, but he's certainly not defeated. It's possible he's lurking outside the grounds, biding his time.'
'What about the people in Hogsmeade?'
'I don't know what's happening there. So I don't have any good news for Harry.' She half-closed her eyes. 'Remus – Professor Lupin – has vanished as well as Sirius, and Arion too.'
Hermione nodded, frowning with concern, and they were both silent for a few moments. Then Minerva straightened.
'You'd better get back to the common room now, Hermione. Don't dawdle on your way up.'
'Okay. If there's anything else I can do….'
'Yes, yes, all right.' She began to walk away from the window. 'Just go back up now.'
Hermione went.
~
'You don't know?' Minerva echoed the matron's words. For a moment she looked as if she was going to make a sharp comment, but thought better of it. 'Well, I guess we'll just have to do what we can. Could we get a Healer in from somewhere?'
Madam Pomfrey shook her head. 'The only Healer who would have had a chance of working out what's wrong is – was – Dr Wood.'
Minerva nodded understandingly. She looked across the ward to the closed door of the room where Dumbledore was lying as if in a trance. This time she did not turn in alarm when she heard Snape's halting step. He came to join them.
'Your owl didn't get through,' he said. 'Sinistra was watching from the tower. Something stopped it. I believe that Voldemort has not altogether gone.'
Minerva raised a thin eyebrow. 'You mean he's laying siege to us now? I was afraid this might happen.'
While Madam Pomfrey looked aghast, Snape said, 'That's right.'
'Have you double-checked?' asked Minerva.
'Of course.' He gave a bitter smile. 'I sent another owl. It didn't get through either.'
Minerva sighed. 'I guess we'd better try and work out what we're going to do. Can you put up a notice in the staff-room that we'll have a full staff meeting after lunch, please?'
Snape nodded. He hesitated, looking around the ward. 'Where's the Headmaster?'
'In the side room,' said Madam Pomfrey. Without waiting for permission, Snape went towards it, and Minerva followed. Madam Pomfrey came bustling after them. 'I suppose you can see him if you wish,' she said.
Snape opened the door and they went in. Minerva had already seen the way Professor Dumbledore lay with closed eyes, motionless and unresponsive. But the sight still tore at her. How could it be possible that the joking and light-hearted teacher, the greatest wizard in the world, had been all but destroyed like this? She looked at him helplessly. After a few moments, Snape turned around abruptly and limped out. His face was tense and set like stone; Minerva could read no expression on it. She stood a little longer while Madam Pomfrey bustled about straightening the sheets and taking his pulse.
Finally, Minerva turned around. 'I've got to go and get some work done. Send for me at once if there's any change.'
'I will,' promised Madam Pomfrey.
Minerva went from the room and walked slowly through the corridors to her office, lost in thought.
~
Everyone was sitting around the large table in the centre of the staff room. There were three empty chairs. The teachers' eyes skipped over them, as if that might make the truth less real. Minerva hurried in.
'Sorry about that, I was delayed.' She took the chair at the right of the empty place where Dumbledore usually sat during the staff meetings, and looked around at the worried faces of her colleagues. Albus would have been able to say something that would give them hope and make them smile, she thought, but she knew she did not have that talent. All she could do was be businesslike and straightforward. I'm not cut out for this, she thought. I can't stand in for Albus. They were looking at her, waiting for her to speak. This was very different from supporting Albus' stream of chatter with the facts he inevitably ignored. She took a deep breath. There was the trace of a sneer on Snape's face.
'I take it you're all aware of the situation?' There was a murmur around the table, and Minerva continued. 'First of all, I need to know if anyone saw anything last night that might be helpful to us. Did anyone see what happened to Black, Lupin or Arion?'
'Lupin was … transformed, wasn't he?' asked Professor Sprout with a small frown. 'Perhaps he got loose.' She gave a little shiver.
Minerva glanced at Snape, but he said nothing. 'He had taken the Wolfsbane Potion,' explained Minerva after a moment. 'He kept his mind.'
'The whole idea is absurd,' said Professor Binns, his tone disapproving. 'I fear I cannot understand why Albus persists in employing such creatures. You see the consequences for yourself.'
Nobody paid him any attention. 'The last I saw of Lupin he was lying by the wall with Black standing over him,' said Professor Sinistra. 'He looked like he was either badly hurt or – or dead.'
After the brief silence that followed her words, Minerva said, 'What about Black and Arion?'
'Arion was beside Dumbledore last time I saw him,' said Professor Flitwick. 'I hadn't realised he was such a powerful wizard. But I don't know what happened after that.'
Minerva realised that it was most likely that nobody would know. Dumbledore had worked an immensely powerful spell that had driven Voldemort out of Hogwarts. Everyone who had been standing close had been hurled into unconsciousness by its strength, herself amongst them. When she had recovered, all of Voldemort's supporters had vanished, and with them Helen, Remus, Arion and Sirius. And Dumbledore had been lying on the floor in the same trance that Madam Pomfrey could not break.
'Perhaps I can be of help,' said Professor Trelawney. 'I should be more than happy to divine their whereabouts.' Minerva took a deep breath. 'Yes, perhaps,' she answered dismissively, as Snape's lip curled. 'Now, onto the next thing. We have found that we are under siege.' An uncomfortable silence filled the room. 'Earlier this morning I attempted to send an owl to the Ministry informing them of the situation, but it did not get through. Severus did a bit of investigating, and it seems that although You-Know-Who cannot enter the grounds, he can wait outside. Which is what he is doing.'
'So how are we going to warn people about You-Know-Who?' asked Professor Vector, cradling her bandaged hand. 'Because we have to do something so that everyone knows what's happening.'
'Won't people have realised something's wrong already?' Professor Sprout looked puzzled. 'I'd have thought that the spell Professor Dumbledore used would have been noticeable for miles around.'
'The way they run things at the Ministry?' A sneer twisted on Snape's face. 'Hogwarts could have exploded and nobody in London would bat an eyelid.'
'I'm afraid he's right,' said Minerva. 'I've seen some of the monitoring spells they use in the Ministry – they're very out of date. So we have to think of some way of alerting people.'
Professor Binns cleared his throat. 'I believe the method which we ought to use is perfectly clear,' he said. 'It troubles me that you do not remember this from your time as students here.' He looked around the table as if they were another of his classes. 'You must be familiar with the Pharos System?' Before anyone could answer, he continued, 'It was devised by the great wizard-king Harold Godwinson, who concealed his wizarding talent and made his way in the Muggle world. It was in this way that he was alerted from his victorious battle at Grimsby to the shores of Sussex where William the Norman was making his landing, bringing with him a new Dark Wizard, a disciple of Slytherin. As you are no doubt already aware, Harold was defeated and killed. But his Pharos system survives to this day. Of course, before then the Muggles used a similar system of relaying messages, in fact they used it since the Romans, but the wizarding community did not adopt the system until 1066. It is specifically concerned with the activity of Dark Wizards, and the lighting of a beacon signifies an attack by a Dark Wizard at that place. You may not be aware that there is a beacon here at Hogwarts, situated in the astronomy tower. All that you need to do is light it, and the news will spread across the country easily.' He paused, pushing his horn-rimmed spectacles up on his nose. Minerva snatched at the opportunity to interrupt him.
'Thank you, that's very helpful.' A few people shot her relieved glances. Professor Binns was capable of speaking for hours without so much as an opportunity to interrupt him. Being a ghost, he tended to forget that other people needed to eat and sleep.
'So,' said Flitwick, 'all we have to do is light the beacon.'
Minerva nodded. 'And it will alert the country.'
'If anyone remembers what it's for after a thousand years,' muttered Snape under his breath.
'How's Dumbledore?' asked Hagrid, who had listened to the proceedings without much interest. 'Is 'e gonna be all right?'
Minerva looked at Madam Pomfrey. 'It's early to say yet,' the matron said. 'But … well, it's touch and go. I don't really know what's wrong with him, he's just … fading.'
Hagrid's face fell, and there were nervous glances around the table.
'I didn't realise he was that badly hurt,' began Professor Vector, looking appalled. 'What will we do if – if …' she trailed off.
'There's no need to worry about that at present, there's still hope,' said Minerva firmly, praying it was true. 'Now, one last thing. Some of you are already aware that we have two new guests here.' Flitwick chuckled under his breath at Minerva's words. 'Helen, who is married to Alexander de Laurent, left her two children here before returning to join her husband.'
Someone gasped, and Professor Sprout asked, 'How old are they?' Minerva glanced at Flitwick.
'Paul's just turned eight, and Laura's five,' he said, smiling, 'and they're really nice children, no matter what their parents are. They're in the Yellow Room, asleep. You've no need to worry about them, a couple of the Hufflepuff students are keeping an eye on them for me.'
'Good,' said Minerva. 'I don't know how long they'll be with us, we can worry about that later. We shall make arrangements for them as the need arises.' She wondered if she'd forgotten anything. 'I think that's it,' she said. 'Is there anything else anyone wants to raise?'
Nobody spoke, and Minerva nodded. 'Right. Astrid, perhaps you'd like to organise the beacon?' She looked at Professor Sinistra.
'That'd be fine.'
'The traditional time to light it is at sunset,' said Professor Binns helpfully.
'Thank you,' said Minerva quickly. 'Then we shall light it at sunset. We'll try to resume normal classes tomorrow; we can take it in turns to cover the Defence Against the Dark Arts lessons. And finally, if anyone has any ideas about how we can find out what's happened to any of the missing people, please come and tell me at once.'
Professor Trelawney took a breath to speak, and Minerva stood up quickly to cut her off. 'Thank you,' she said, and gave a faint smile. Murmuring to each other, the teachers rose to return to their own work.
When she was alone, Minerva sank into one of the leather armchairs for a few moments and closed her eyes. She could feel herself drifting off into sleep. Yawning, she forced herself to stand up again. There was no time for rest, she had to keep working.
~
On top of the Astronomy tower, Minerva stood watching as Professor Sinistra lifted the torch and ignited it. It was late evening, the sky was darkening and the wind blowing in from across the lake. She murmured a spell, and it floated to the top of the high pole and settled in the socket. As Minerva watched, Sinistra spoke a second spell. Minerva blinked and shielded her eyes. In the dusky light, the torch had blazed up huge and bright, like some strange star at the top of the tower.
'Now,' said Professor Sinistra with an expectant smile, 'look over there. In a few minutes you'll see it light up as well.' Minerva followed her gaze to the hilltop above Hogsmeade. There was no response for a long time, and Minerva's teeth began to chatter in the chilly spring air.
'Are you sure Binns was talking sense?' she asked after a while.
'Yes. It just takes time – oh!'
Minerva saw the spark flare up on the hill, and a glimmer of light. Then there was a rush of flame.
'It's started,' said Professor Sinistra with a warm smile. 'Now it will go from hill to hill all the way to London. Before dawn tomorrow they will know there is something wrong.'
'If they weren't so blasted incompetent they'd know already,' said Minerva tartly. 'Still, better late than never.'
Professor Sinistra nodded, and they stood watching a little longer, until they saw a distant gleam on a hilltop so far away it was scarcely visible.
'Well, it seems to be working,' said Minerva. 'I'd better go and see to my students.' She left Professor Sinistra peering through a telescope at the sparks of light that danced from hill to hill and went to the Gryffindor common room.
~
Lying uneasily in her bedroom, Minerva's sleep was troubled. She tossed to and fro as images of the towering figure of Voldemort, surrounded by flaming torches, stormed through her dreams. She saw her friends and colleagues fall around her, saw Albus step forward and the dark shadow swirl around him. There was a crash that shook the room and she was falling down and down into shadow….
She started into wakefulness, her breath coming fast, and heard the crash again. No, she told herself, trying to calm her instinctive surge of panic, it was just someone at the door.
'Yes?' she called, keeping her voice steady with an effort. The door opened and Madam Pomfrey came in.
'Minerva, I think you'd better come at once,' she said in a voice that carried with it an undercurrent of pain. Minerva did not have to ask why. She sprang to her feet and pulled a cloak over her nightdress. Then she followed Madam Pomfrey through the corridors to the Infirmary.
'He's woken up,' began Madam Pomfrey breathlessly, 'and he was asking for you, but ….'
Minerva nodded and said nothing. The ward was quiet, but there was a light coming from the side room. They went in.
Professor Dumbledore was lying with open eyes, gazing around the room. Minerva flinched inwardly when she saw how bright they were, sunken in his head. He smiled when he saw her.
'I haven't long, Minerva,' he said, in a faint but clear voice. 'But there are some things I must tell you.'
Minerva crossed the room to sit on the chair beside his bed.
'The first thing is Stonehenge.' He struggled for breath, and Madam Pomfrey fussed around him with pillows. 'You must … someone must drive Voldemort out. While he possesses it, he has … great power. At the equinox … he was drawing his power from … the very roots of magic. Arion will explain.' He closed his eyes for a moment, gathering his strength. Minerva reached out to take his hand, thinking all the while what a foolish gesture it was. It was not Dumbledore who needed consolation. 'Helen … don't treat her too unkindly. She has suffered enough.' Minerva blinked, wondering why Albus should ask for her to be merciful to Helen. In her mind, Helen was the cause of this tragedy. Dumbledore looked directly at Minerva and gave a smile. 'The governors know … it is my wish that you replace me here. You will be a good headmistress,' he breathed. 'Make … Severus your deputy.'
'Yes,' she said softly. 'I will.' Her grip tightened on his hand as she felt his fingers tremble.
'Give Harry my love,' he said clearly. He took another breath, and began to say something more, but Minerva only heard the beginning. 'Tell him….' Then Professor Dumbledore gave a long sigh and lay still.
Minerva did not release his hand for a long time. The frail fingers scarcely felt any different, she could not really comprehend the change that had taken him from life to death. Her hands were shaking a little as she slowly pulled the sheet across his face. The room was full of silence, which was only broken when Madam Pomfrey gave a little sob. Minerva was dry-eyed, the grief too sharp for tears. Looking her full age, she stood up.
'I'll go and inform the school,' Minerva said, her voice hardly wavering. 'It must be done at once.' Madam Pomfrey made a step towards her, her face full of sympathy as well as her own grief, but Minerva went to the door.
As she went through the castle, she was not sure of anything save that which must be done. She scarcely saw the steps before her as she went to ring the bells that would rouse everyone and bring them out to the Great Hall. What had the Dark Lord done? How had he managed this attack, when for so many years everyone had agreed that Dumbledore was the only person he feared? She didn't know. All she knew was her own grief.
TO BE CONTINUED
I don't know how long it'll take me to write the next bit, my exams are about to start so I'm not going to have much time for writing over the next few weeks. But in the meantime, anybody care to write a review?
Blaise.
20th April 2000