Chapter 8: The dreams.
Maleficent DuGall yawned and sat wearily on her bed. Her stuff was almost
packed, only several pictures and black silky shirt lay astray on the top
of her trunk. Tomorrow…tomorrow she will be far from here, on her
way back to France. Last weeks had been pure torment, with students going
amiss and outrageous, sometimes terrifying rumors spreading around with
the speed of roaring wildfire. She had been afraid of it all those years,
afraid from the moment when she had accepted the job of Astronomy teacher
at Hogwarts. And now, with all the students gone, her duties simply cancelled
automatically and she was free to leave here, at last. Actually, she had
been planning to do so for several months already, but one thing kept her
here, in England…She sighed again. Not her teacher's duties and obligations,
not loyalty to Dumbledore and Snape, of course not.
She reached for the pack of magical pictures and chose the one of them.
Several kids were smiling and waving at her from the black-white photo:
Melian, Tehhie, Severus, Lily and…younger version of herself winked at
her and hid shyly behind the back of tall slender boy with silver-blond
hair and cold gray eyes. Oh not. On that picture his eyes were still warm,
curious, with smile wandering freely in their depth.
Sometimes she thought that she was the only person, endowed with the
gift to see this warmness in Lucius Malfoy's eyes. Or may be their usual
icy expression would change to something else – only for her. Somehow,
she was sure that only with her Lucius was himself- not cold, strict, demanding
worker of Ministry, not cruel and violent Death Eater, one of the closest
Voldemort's followers, not indifferent husband and severe father, but just
a man, sometimes angry, sometimes jovial, often sad and tired.
She knew almost all about him. She knew that his father, Dominique Malfoy,
proud descendant and heir of old French wizarding family, had been very
cruel with his only son, using on him rod, switches and starving him for
weeks in the vast dungeons of the manor. And she was pretty sure that Lucius'
handling with his own son, Draco, hadn't been too much different, because
the boy frequently tried to hide his injured arms under the desk after
his stay at home. She knew that Malfoy's union with Narcissa was no more
than the way to improve family affairs that had gone worse when old Malfoy
had leagued himself with Voldemort's supporters. And she knew that, if
Lucius loved anybody in his life, it was her. But now she doubted even
this.
During their last meeting several days ago no word of love was said,
as much as she coveted to hear it. Lucius simply sat still on her bed,
his shoulders sunken, with expression of mingled weariness, bitterness
and outrage on his face. When he had spoken at last, he said only "Run,
if you can. Run as far as possible and hide yourself until it all will
be finished" And then he rose and left.
Now she had been determined to run. She had tossed the photo on the
pile of unpacked things and had reached for her hairbrush, when the sudden
knock to her doors made her drop it back and stare. Maleficent bit her
lip…stupid thought that Lucius had come flashed in her mind and faded immediately.
Of course, it was one of the school teachers, possibly Melian (actually,
she, Melian, Madam Pomfrey, Filch, Hagrid and Snape had been the only ones
who still remained at Hogwarts). Maleficent smiled, amused with her own
folly, and opened the door, still smiling. However, her smile had vanished
immediately when she saw who was standing on her threshold.
"Draco?" muttered Maleficent, totally confused.
***
Severus scrambled up the stairs, swaying more and more with every next
step. All his body was aching, he felt like he had no one unbroken bone
and no one whole sinew, but his resolution was still adamant. He had been
going to question Malfoy right now, because he almost could see the grains
of sand dropping down and down in the sand-glass of his life. Sometimes
the strange sensation would haunt him, especially when he was ascending
the stairs-for a sheer moments gray walls of castle around would color
in black of ancient basalt, statues and broad staircase would disappear
to give place to steep narrow stairs winding up, over the black gaping
chasm of enormous tower. Red light of torches…Remote song of bugles…
Severus shuddered inwardly and forced himself back to reality. He was
standing now at the doors of his own office, or, rather, in door opening,
because the miserable remnants of solid wooden door lay strewn all over
the room. Headmaster gripped the doorframe to steady himself and looked
over his shoulder at Tehhie, who had insisted on accompanying him. Melian
remained in dungeons to comfort poor Filch who was half apoplectic and
half insane.
Tehhie looked pale and exhausted, too, but resolute in her determination
to watch over him.
"You can lean on my shoulder", suggested she, mastering a weary smile.
"And get you sprawled onto the floor", grinned Severus in response and
staggered to his overturned chair.
Tehhie hurried forward and placed it back next to Headmaster's table.
"Thanks, but I'm still alive and moving", said Snape and sunk into the
chair, his slack posture refuting the meaning of the last words.
"Sit quiet, I'll try to mend your wounds", suggested Tehhie, pulling
out her wand. Back in dungeons Snape refused point-blank to go to Hospital
Wing and regarded Tehhie with such an icy glance that the girl immediately
decided to close the topic.
"Don't even bother", muttered Snape, stretching his long legs and surveying
the chaos around.
"Why? Of course I'm not a professional healer but I still remember several
really effective spells"
"Then try and see", replied Severus with the weak shadow of sneer in
his voice.
Tehhie tossed her silvery hair indignantly, rolled her sleeves up and
said "Resarcius!", pointing at Snape's injured hand. Nothing happened.
"Sanus Lacertus!". The same effect.
"You see", drawled Snape, old sneer fully restored, "I am immune"
"Immune of what?"
"Of any magical influence", answered he quietly, with strange sparks
twinkling in his eyes. "One of the multiple side effects of the spell,
I guess"
Tehhie stared at him, flabbergasted.
"It has a good sides, although", continued Snape, still sneering. "Say,
I cannot be tormented by Cruciatus curse, enslaved by Imperius and killed
by Avada Kedavra. Isn't it good?"
"Uhu", muttered Tehhie, still unable to produce more intelligible comment.
Then she braced herself, lowered her wand and rushed to the doors.
"What you are doing, may I ask?"
"I'm going to Hospital Wing to bring some bandages, isn't it clear?"
snapped the girl exasperatedly.
"No need to do it. Open the second drawer from the top". He pointed
at the large closed next to the window. So she did, to find a pack of bandages,
pewter basin and several Muggles' medicaments.
"Let me guess? Especially complex potions that don't allow magical interference?"
"Something like that", grinned Severus, letting the girl to bandage
his hands. While Tehhie was busy cleaning his wounds, he leaned against
the back of his chair and stared through the window at the school grounds,
bathing in sunlight.
When Tehhie had finished and raised her eyes to look Severus into face,
he was fast asleep.
***
"Draco?" gasped Maleficent. "What you are doing here?"
The boy peered at her with strange intensity in his gray eyes. So familiar
eyes. They were stunningly alike, father and son, and Maleficent had often
found herself with her throat tense and her hands quivering during her
Slytherin lessons. But now…It was something eerie, something almost ominous
in their similarity.
"What? What…"
Her hand slid limply down the doorframe, when the boy coughed and said
"I am not Draco. I am Lucius. Please, Maleficent, let me in"
***
Hermione was sitting next to Harry's bed, staring blankly at his pale
forehead, at lightning-shaped familiar scar. Boy's face looked livid in
the scarce illumination of night-light posted on the bedside table. Two
hours past Hermione held up a raging battle with Madam Pomfrey who at first
had refused point-blankly to allow any visitors near Harry's bed, but then
surrendered and let the girl stay. Ron muttered something unkind in nurse's
address and went upstairs to get some sleep, too.
The light blinked and Hermione turned the pages of "Advanced Transfiguration:
your guide to attain the Animagus skills" nervously. She couldn't read,
anyway, which in itself meant something, because, in general, she was reading
anytime and anywhere. The words of Snape, overheard two days ago, kept
popping up in her mind. She didn't trust Headmaster, and now, after his
mysterious disappearance, short reign of Malfoy and the final fight-now
she didn't trust him even more. It all could be faked. Mere spectacle to
get their guard down.
Harry moaned in his sleep and rolled over, and the girl caressed his
untidy dump hair tenderly. She still wasn't sure about her feelings towards
Potter, but –no matter why, out of love or out of friendship-she wouldn't
let him to be hurt. He went through the countless horrors already, and
now, with his new belief that his parents could be resurrected, he had
been particularly vulnerable. And he looked it no, sleeping and helpless
in his repose.
She knew better of it, of course- Harry could do with his problems
by himself and he showed it on many occasions, but she simply wanted to
be with him and to stay for him. No matter against what-Snape, Voldemort
or death itself.
Hermione sighed and turned for her book again, but instantly the sound
of opening door and approaching steps alarmed her. She straightened and
reached slowly for the bed hangings, pulling her wand out with her other
hand. Steps came closer and died in front of Harry's bed. Hermione raised
her eyes and met kind smile of Astronomy teacher, Maleficent DuGall, who
was standing next to the couch and looking at the girl placidly.
"Professor?" muttered Hermione, slightly embarrassed because of her
war preparations.
"How is your friend?" asked Professor DuGall sympathetically.
"Harry's fine, he's just sleeping"
"I don't want to disturb him, poor boy deserved his rest. Come with
me, Miss Granger, Headmaster Snape is willing to talk with you"
TO BE CONTINUED....
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