Chapter Nine
They found their way through the forest, with no sign of Snape or the Death Eaters, and stopped only when they reached the first step to the castle entrance. From where Draco stood looking back, the dark forest didn't appear to be more than an ink blob marring the horizon. He felt a sickening tightness in his stomach as he thought of Snape. He turned away and headed up the stairs. Wordlessly they walked into the castle. Draco followed beside Harry through the school. Both were too lost in thought to acknowledge the other.
Draco wondered if Death Eaters had really taken Snape. He only had the word of a centaur to go on. They were notorious for speaking in riddles and vague omens. 'What was that centaur's name? Firenze? He wasn't anymore straightforward than the rest of them. Although he did say 'eaters of death', that could only mean one thing.' Draco frowned. It was hard for him to believe, but something inside of him was telling him that it was true. 'But why Snape? Why not Potter?' His footsteps echoed after Harry's as they walked.
'I wonder how close they were to us. I wonder if they were watching us. Did they send the Lethifold after Potter? Was it a trap all along? Perhaps the Lethifold was supposed to kill Potter. Then, maybe, the Death Eaters were there to collect me after, so that I could join my father and Voldemort. Was my father there? Was Voldemort?' Draco shuddered. 'Did they see me defending Potter from the Lethifold?' He felt a sudden surge of panic. 'Its not my fault! How was I supposed to know? No one ever tells me anything!' Draco shook his head, clearing his thoughts. He reminded himself that it was Snape that had been taken and not Harry or himself. 'How does Snape fit into all of this?'
Another thought froze Draco in place. 'If the Death Eaters were in there with us... Could they have seen me...' All the blood drained from Draco's face. What would his father do to him, if he knew Draco had kissed Harry Potter?
'Maybe... Maybe this is all a mistake. Maybe the Death Eaters were never there. That centaur kept calling me cousin. Clearly it was delusional. Any number of things could have happened to Snape, really.' While Draco was trying to convince himself of this, he noticed Harry far ahead of him. He only then realized he'd stopped walking. Quickly he ran to catch up.
Draco stopped again when they entered a corridor he didn't recognize and placed a hand on Harry's arm, halting him as well. When Harry turned to face him, Draco was startled at what he saw. The normally soft lines around his face were hardened and his bright green eyes seemed much darker than usual. He looked older. Much older than any fifteen year old ever should.
Draco's voice was surprisingly soft when he asked, "Where are we going?"
Harry's eyes seemed to come out of the fog they were in and he looked around at their surroundings. "This is the way to Dumbledore's office. It's just around that corner. Have we been walking that long?"
Draco shrugged his shoulders. He had never been to the Headmaster's office before and since he'd been too wrapped up in his own thoughts, he had no idea how much time had passed. They continued walking until they reached a large statue. Draco watched as Harry stood in front of it, his face contorted in a look of concentration. He continued that way, until Draco had the brief thought that he was having a staring contest against the stone gargoyle.
"Chocolate Frog."
"What?"
Harry ignored Draco's question and continued, "Lemon drop. Cockroach Cluster. Canary Cream..."
"Have you gone nutters, Potter? Or has that empty pit of your stomach made its way to the empty space that is your brain?"
"No, Malfoy," Harry replied sharply, "I'm trying to guess the Headmaster's password."
"By listing off every sweet know to wizarding-kind?" Draco stared at him as though there was still a distinct possibility the Boy-Who-Lived had finally lost what was left of his sanity.
"Yes," was Harry's only reply before continuing, "Fizzing Whizbee. Blood Pop."
Suddenly the gargoyle leapt to the side, revealing an entranceway.
"Blood Pop?" Harry repeated. "Really? Ew."
Before either could move to enter, someone appeared in the doorway on his way out. The man stumbled to a stop as he noticed the two boys.
"Harry?" The man's eyes shifted to Draco. "And Malfoy? What are you boys doing out here? Shouldn't you both be in your dorms? Its after hours."
"Hello Professor Lupin," Harry's voice was quiet.
Draco's voice was laced with annoyance as he explained, "We had detention with Snape."
"And what has our dear Potions master done now, to bring you both here."
"He's gone," replied Harry.
"Pardon," asked Lupin, whose previous grin quickly changed to a concerned frown by Harry's expression.
"He said Snape's gone," said Draco, "Vanished, poof, into the Forbidden Forest."
"He was taken by Death Eaters."
Draco's cool grey eyes shot towards Harry. "Maybe Death Eaters. We didn't see. We only have the word of a centaur, which doesn't account for much. He might still be out there and if so, we abandoned him!" Draco felt a sudden pang of guilt for leaving Snape, without even attempting to look for him. For all he knew the centaur had been lying and Snape was still in the forest somewhere, hurt and unable to return on his own.
Harry looked at Draco angrily, "I don't remember you voicing your disapproval while we were still in the forest, Malfoy! A lot braver now that the danger is gone, aren't you?"
Harry's words stung, adding to the guilt he was already feeling. His automatic defense mechanism kicked in and he sneered in retaliation, "You're not one to be talking are you, Potter? What ever happened to that Gryffindor bravery you're so famous for? I didn't see you charging after those supposed Death Eaters!"
"That's enough!"
They had forgotten about Lupin during their argument. Harry stared at the ground shamefully, while Draco glared at the professor.
"I think you both had better come up and explain all of this to Dumbledore."
They followed Lupin up the stairs to the Headmaster's office. Draco and Harry stood idly by, while Lupin got Dumbledore's attention.
"Headmaster, I believe these two have something very important to tell you."
Dumbledore leaned over his desk interestedly. 'Do they indeed?'
Lupin looked at the Headmaster gravely. "It involves Severus."
"He was taken," Draco spouted suddenly.
"Taken, by whom?" asked the Headmaster.
"Death Eaters," Harry provided.
"Ah. May I presume all this happened while carrying out your detentions in the Forbidden Forest?"
Harry nodded. Dumbledore sat back in his large chair and stroked his beard thoughtfully. "We were expecting something like this to happen, sooner or later. Later would have, of course, been preferable. Well, nothing to be done about it now." That seemed to be the end of the conversation for the Headmaster picked up his quill and began writing in the journal in front of him.
This left all three of the other occupants of the room baffled.
"That's it?" snapped Draco.
Dumbledore stilled his quill and peered over his wire-rimmed reading glasses. "You are both alright, yes? Not injured?"
Harry and Draco gave each other sideways glances before shaking their heads no.
Dumbledore smiled at them both. "Then I think it is safe for both of you to return to your dorms."
"What about Snape?"
"I appreciate your concern over your Head of House, Mr. Malfoy, but it is not something I want either of you to further involve yourselves in. These things have a way of working themselves out. You will see."
Draco gaped at the Headmaster. He had heard the rumors concerning his sanity from other students, as well as his father's rants, but only now was he really starting to believe it.
Before he could argue, the old Headmaster spoke, "Professor Lupin, if you would be so kind as to see these boys safely back to their dorms..."
Draco turned to Lupin in hopes of some sort of protest, but the young Professor only nodded and replied, "Yes, Headmaster," before motioning his students to follow him out.
Draco was halfway down the spiral staircase when he noticed Harry was still standing at the top. He was saying something to the Headmaster through the open doorway, but Draco couldn't make it out. He waited and questioned Harry as they walked out into the hallway, "What were you saying?"
"I told him about the Lethifold that attacked us."
"And what did he say," asked Draco curiously.
Harry shrugged, then sped up to walk beside Lupin, leaving Draco behind.
Draco noticed as they walked, that they were headed towards the dungeons first. 'Oh well. The sooner this night is over with, the better. Hopefully father will have some explanations for all of this tomorrow...'
They reached the Slytherin common room and Draco entered without saying goodnight, noting neither waited for one anyhow, or even to see that he got to his room all right. Draco didn't care. Why should he? 'I get lost in the Forbidden Forest, almost killed, kiss my worst enemy (oh yes, let's not forget that), and my favorite teacher is possibly taken by Death Eaters (probably never to return). Why should anyone care about my welfare? I'm just bloody brilliant, thank you.'
Draco bitterly stalked down the stairs to his room. He noisily got ready for bed, uncaring as to whether he woke any of his housemates (not actually hoping one might wake up and ask him what the matter was) and slunk into bed. A few hours later, after much tossing and turning, he fell asleep with a scowl still plastered on his face.
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