I am back!
(obviously…) And I have finished – no, not the story – chapter 7. Here it is.
Mr. Draco
Malfoy makes an appearance…
But let me
first give my thanks to all of those fantastic reviewers.
Really, you
guys make my day. (Please look at the end of this chapter.)
And last but
not least a VERY big thank you to my newest Beta reader, the wonderful
Danae.
You helped
me a lot and what would I do without you? Let's hope I wont have to find out.
Oracle, if
you read this: Please give word that you are ok, right?
Now that this is over with, let's go
straight to the story. Here it comes:
Have FUN!
As Harry silently made his way to
Dumbledore's office, he felt the strange sensation
of déja-vu. Not too long ago, he had been
on his way to the Headmaster's office, too.
But Harry hoped he wouldn't encounter
Professor McGonagall this time. Or anyone else,
for that matter. He certainly did not feel
like explaining the whole situation twice.
Besides, what would she think of him when
she caught him out of bed in the middle
of the night for the second time in a
week? Maybe he was a little too anxious
about his dreams.
The dream...
Harry couldn't forget the look on Snape's
face when he had first seen the dementors.
And his screams. Especially not the
screams…
At first Harry had thought Snape was about
to die.
The dementors were notorious for their
Kiss, after all.
But after Brandom's speech that was
unlikely. What would Voldemort gain by
Snape's death? Harry was sure Bransom was
one of the Dark Lord's people,
trying to break the Potions Master. And as
far as Harry could tell they were
using any means.
But that also meant that Snape was still
alive. Harry made himself stop thinking
at that point. Whatever the dementors had
done to Snape (or rather: were doing
right now, since his dream had been only
minutes ago) was preferable to killing him.
Harry never would have thought he would
actually feel sorry for Snape one day - the man
that had acted like a bastard since Harry
had first met him.
But this year everything turned upside
down.
Well, in a few moments he would tell
Dumbeldore and then all would
turn out fine. The Headmaster always knew
what to do. Yes, that was it.
But Harry knew at least one thing after
last night:
The sooner they helped Snape the better.
Bransom had been correct.
Given the right methods and measures Snape
was bound to break.
And Harry didn't dare to think of what
would happen then.
As Harry finally rounded the last corner,
his heard nearly stopped.
Peeves was floating in the air only a few
feet away. If the poltergeist caught sight
of him - Harry pressed himself hard
against the cold stone wall and preyed Peeves
would just go away.
Fortunately, the poltergeist must have
thought the floor in front of Dumbledore's
office was not the right place for causing
mayhem, because he swept away without
taking notice of the half-hidden
fifth-year.
Harry sighed silently. That had been
close.
He waited one or two minutes - it seemed
like ages - before stepping to the
Gargoyle. Then he raised his hand - and
froze.
Now what? He did not know the password and
there was such a vast number of
sweets that it seemed impossible to find
the one the Headmaster had chosen to
grant today's entree.
Perhaps he should have let Peeves see him.
But that was too late now.
Despite the odds, Harry tried as many
likely words as he could think of - hoping
Dumbledore might notice someone at the
entrance to his office.
But nothing happened. The Gargoyle didn't
give way and Dumbledore obviously was
fast asleep or didn't want to be
disturbed.
Harry's shoulders dropped. How was he to
get in there? He needed someone's help.
Someone like...
"Mr. Potter!" an angry voice
called behind him.
'Yes, someone like that', he thought. 'How
fitting.'
He turned and faced a rather strict
looking Professor McGonagall - well, she
always looks strict.
She eyed Harry with controlled anger,
obviously waiting for an explanation.
Her student sighed deeply.
"Professor, I... I don't want to sound
childish or anything, but I have to
see the Headmaster - you know, I just had one of those dreams and I
-"
He didn't need to talk further because
McGonagall's anger passed immediately.
To his relief she didn't look like she
thought he was a weakling.
"Oh Harry, not again. Things clearly
have gotten worse." There was no mistaking the
sympathy in her voice. She made a pause
and looked towards the Gargoyle.
"But I have to disappoint you. The
Headmaster is not at Hogwarts. He received
an urgent message this evening and had to
leave. I don't expect him to return
until tomorrow."
Harry felt his throat become dry. He
needed Dumbledore. As good and understanding a
head of house McGonagall was, he simply
could not tell her what had happened tonight.
"Professor, this is really important.
And he is the only one I can tell."
He must have looked rather desperate
because McGonagall gently laid a hand on his
shoulder.
"I am sorry, Harry, but he is not
here and will not be back anytime soon.
You will have to wait. That is, unless you
want to tell me?"
He considered it again for a moment. She
WAS his head of house, after all. But did
she know about Snape's arrest? Did she
know about his role as a spy at all?
That was a risk he was not willing to
take. There was too much at stake here.
"No, Professor, I - I will have to
wait for the Headmaster. But thank you for
your concern."
She nodded. If she was disappointed by his
not trusting her, she didn't show it.
"Very well, Harry. But I have to ask
you to sleep in the infirmary tonight.
No, you cannot return to Gryffindor house
right now. It is three in the morning
and if you'd look into a mirror you would
find that you resemble a ghost a little
too much. Some hot chocolate and maybe a
light sleep potion will do, I think.
And I will have no arguments about
it!" She added in a mocking tone.
Harry only nodded silently. She was right.
A cup of chocolate would be fine.
But the thought of having to sleep in the
infirmary didn't thrill him too much.
If he didn't return to Gryffindor Tower he
would have to answer a lot of
unwanted questions later. But McGonagall
had made her statement clear...
Maybe he had more luck with the school
nurse.
Thus, he silently trotted after McGonagall
as she led him to the hospital wing
and to a rather overprotective Madam
Pomfrey.
Shortly after McGonagall had left, the
nurse gave him a huge cup of chocolate.
She looked sympathetically at him.
'Now or never', Harry thought and tried
his luck.
"Madam Pomfrey, I had a terrible
dream, you know, and I appreciate this chocolate
very much but it is so lonely in here. I
am not sick or anything. Please, I
want to sleep in my own dorm - with my
friends. Please."
He looked sadly at her. And fortunately
for him, Madam Pomfrey seemed to
understand.
"Well, Professor McGonagall wanted
you to stay for the night but, well, I don't want
you to feel alone in here. Besides,"
She paused and looked searchingly at him.
"I am the one to make medical
decisions. After you have finished your chocolate
you may go. But take care of yourself,
will you?"
He nodded thankfully at her and returned
his attention to the cup in front of him.
***
"Helloooo! Earth to Harry, do you
copy?" Ron waved a hand in front Harry's eyes,
desperately trying to get his attention as
they were having breakfast.
"What?" Harry's head jerked up
and he looked confused at Ron.
Seeing his friend's worried look he smiled
faintly.
"Sorry Ron. I... I didn't sleep well
last night. Just a bit tired, that's all."
Ron eyed him suspiciously.
"Well, if you say so. Didn't have
another one of those nightmares?"
Harry frowned. Should he tell Ron? The
last thing he wanted was to think of the dream.
And what good would it do, anyway? All he
had learned in this dream was that the
ministry had Snape tortured to get information
out of him. Not a very useful dream.
Okay, maybe useful but dreadful as well.
Too dreadful.
He looked at the head table where
Dumbledore's seat was still empty.
"No," Harry said finally.
"I just didn't find sleep. Really."
He tried a more convincing grin but his
friend still looked a bit doubtful.
But whether he knew something or not, Ron
only nodded and then smiled as well.
"You know what, Ron," Harry said
as he helped himself with another slice of bread.
"Sometimes you remind me much of your
mother. If I'm not careful I may be getting
two Weasley jumpers this Christmas."
He dodged as Ron playfully tried to hit
him with his spoon.
"Just wait," Ron said with a
malicious grin, "I'll make you a maroon!"
"Boys," muttered Hermione and
helped herself to another croissant.
***
After breakfast the three Gryffindors
headed towards the Charms classroom. Like Potions,
they had this class with the Slytherins.
'Fine,' Harry thought as the first few
Slytherin fifth years came into view. It
were Draco Malfoy and - as always - Crabbe
and Goyle. 'Just what I need now. A
show-off with Mr. I-Am-The-Future-Ruler-Of-The-World.
Well, maybe he'll just ignore me.' Trying
not to arise Malfoy's attention, Harry and
his friends passed him as casual as
possible. He was fortunate. It seemed Malfoy was too
engaged into a conversation than to bother
with some lowly Gryffindor.
"... just another proof of the Light
side's so-called loyalty." Malfoy was saying in a low voice.
"You'd think someone like
Dumbledore'd protect his friends. Well, who can blame him?
It is so much easier to simply give in to
an idiot like Fudge than to make one's hands
dirty with trying to get a supposed friend
off the hook." His voice was dripping with
sarcasm and disdain.
Harry had to force himself from stopping
dead. It was not the disrespect for Dumbeldore
that startled him but the meaning of
Malfoy's words.
Giving in to Fudge? Not protecting a
friend? That sounded like - but Malfoy simply could
not know about Snape.
He frowned hard.
"Harry?" Hermione asked next to
him. "What's wrong?" Ron eyed him questioningly as well.
He looked over his shoulder to make sure
they were alone in the classroom.
Then, he headed for their table and
motioned them to come closer. As soon as they were seated he
addressed his friends in a careful
whisper.
"Did you hear what Malfoy said?"
Ron snorted. "Hmpf. You'd think I had
better things to do than listen to Malfoy!"
"Well," Harry explained.
"He was complaining about Dumbledore. Said the Headmaster had
deserted a friend to keep his hands clean.
That he had rather given in to Fudge than to help."
He looked from Hermione to Ron.
"Doesn't that remind you of
something?"
Ron raised his eyebrows slightly.
"But Malfoy wouldn't know about Snape, would he?"
Harry shrugged uneasily. "No, he
shouldn't. I mean there are only very few people who
know about it at all. You two, me and
Dumbledore."
"And," Hermione said with a
dramatic pause, "Fudge. As well as at least some of his
advisors at the ministry. Advisors we can
almost safely assume are at least partially
Voldemort's spies... Think of Lucius
Malfoy, for example."
She paused and frowned as well.
"Although I don't know how telling Draco
about Snape's arrest fits into their plan.
I thought Fudge and Dumbledore had agreed
to keep that secret."
Harry nodded in agreement.
"I don't know, either. Maybe it is
just a coincidence or Malfoy heard of it by chance."
But deep down Harry knew that this was
very unlikely. When so much was at stake, neither
side could afford a mistake - however
small it might be.
But then what was Bransom - or
Malfoy Sr. or who-ever was behind this - playing at?
Again, he fought with himself whether or
not to tell Ron and Hermione about his dream.
But even if he wanted to, there was no
opportunity because the other students entered
the classroom and Harry did not want to
risk being overheard.
He sighed silently. This whole matter had
to wait until the afternoon.
***
Two hours later, Harry left the Charms
classroom quite exhausted. Normally, he did not
feel this tired after Professor Flitwick's
class but the circumstances were anything but
'normal'. Hermione and Ron walked in front
of him, obviously deep into a conversation.
It could have been about the weather or
Fudge's politics - Harry did not care.
During Charms he had found some time to
think about the current situation.
It simply was not fair - like always. Why
did he of all people have to worry about
yet another of Voldemort's plans. Why did
he have to worry about Snape - the very man
who had made almost every single potions
lesson a nightmare for Harry. And deliberately so.
One would think Harry had enough on his
mind with the upcoming O.W.L.s and Quidditch.
But no, he had to spy after Dumbledore and
Fudge that fateful Saturday.
Mentally, he kicked himself. That was
where his lust for adventure and curiosity had got him.
But then again he was no small first year
anymore. He had been able to thwart Voldemort's
plans twice - well, thrice if you counted
the events at Godric's Hollow.
This was just another opportunity to show
the Dark Lord his limits.
Yeah, that was the spirit.
Harry shook his head. Too late to change
things. Last night's events had brought him
right into the middle of Dumbledore's
plan. Even if the Headmaster did not know this, yet.
Where was he, anyway? He hadn't been at
breakfast, but perhaps...
Some way ahead he spotted Professor
McGonagall. Maybe she knew if he was back.
"Sorry, Herm." He said while he
passed his friend and rushed to McGonagall.
"Professor." He called.
"Yes, Mr. Potter?"
"Well, I wondered... Is the
Headmaster back, yet? I still need to see him."
McGonagall sighed.
"You are lucky, Mr. Potter. He has
just returned. Though I would advise you to
visit him later, if it can wait that long,
that is. He has had quite a journey."
Harry thought about it for a second.
"Thank you, Professor, but I am
afraid I will have to see him at once."
McGonagall nodded. "Well then, Mr.
Potter. You should find Dobby in front of the
Headmaster's office. He can help you get
in." Once again, she nodded and left.
"Though I would advise you to
visit him later..." a mocking voice said behind him.
Startled, Harry turned -
And looked right into Draco Malfoy's
sneering face.
"What is your problem, Malfoy?"
Harry asked, rather annoyed by the Malfoy's tone.
If possible, the other's sneer only got
bigger. He grabbed Harry lightly by the shoulders and
pulled him to a dark corner.
"Well, isn't it obvious?" He
whispered. "Our dear Headmaster runs from Pontius to Pilatus.
Wherever someone needs the great Albus
Dumbledore's help, there he goes as fast
as he can - but what about his duties at
Hogwarts? If a student - even someone like
you, Potter - has a problem, he should be
there for him. And if some of the staff
need his help, he should get them off the
hook, as well.
Say for example the ministry wants to sack
someone. Isn't it Dumbledore's duty to
defend that person, to let no harm come to
him?
Come on, Potter? Even a sullen Gryffindor
like you is bound to agree with me on this point."
Harry just stood there thunderstruck. Not
only had Malfoy spoken about Dumbledore in the most
disrespectful manner but he had also
confirmed his suspicions - almost, at least.
He had to be sure. Maybe if he pressed
Malfoy a bit?
"What do you want to tell me, Malfoy?
Who the Headmaster didn't want to help?"
Malfoy rolled his eyes. "How thick
are you, Potter? Which staff member disappeared recently
out of a sudden with no word from him
since? Huh?"
'Almost there.' Harry thought and put on
his most disbelieving face.
"You don't mean - Snape? Dumbeldore
said, he had to leave for a short time.
He will return soon, just wait and you'll
see."
Malfoy snorted.
"No-one will return from where Snape
is." He seemed to reconsider.
"Well, no-one except Black, that
is."
He eyed Harry with another superior sneer.
"Mark my words, Potter." He
turned to go, but stopped.
"Oh, and... have fun with your
friend, the Headmaster."
Laughing rather unpleasantly, he went
away.
Harry stared after him, eyes closing a
bit. So Malfoy had indeed been talking about Snape.
But why did he know? What were the
Death Eaters playing at? Because Harry was sure it was
no incident that the son of Lucius Malfoy
knew something that should have been a
well-kept secret.
Sighing, Harry stepped out of the dark.
Ron and Hermione were of course long gone.
He would talk with them about his
conversation with Malfoy later.
Now, he had a Headmaster to visit.
TBC...
* * *
There you
have it. A whole chapter with neither Snape nor Dumbledore. But at least
the
Headmaster will be present in chapter 8, which will be posted as soon as
possible.
Unfortunately,
I cannot say just when this will be, but I will post it. Promise!
Now to my
reviewers:
K.B. Denzer: I am terribly sorry that I overlooked your review. I really am. Hope
you like
this
chapter. (BTW, I hope you got my mail.)
vmr: Again,
I have to apologise for not spotting your review…
Clio: Thanks
for the kind words. I thought FFN's shutdown was the main reason.
Debbi: I
am sorry if I did not write fast enough. I do my best but I have little time.
*sighs*
QtPie79: Thanks
you!
Anja: Take
that for sure: Even if it takes ages to finish (I hope not), I WILL do so.
Midasgirl: YOUR
Snape??? Ok, I won't press the matter…
Karello: That
was a really nice review; thanks for your comments.
Skye: Well,
thanks and here you go.
Juliss: In
my opinion (and thus in my story) it is not know that Snape was once a DE.
Mr.
Malfoy used his power to convince (almost) everyone that he was forced
to join Voldemort's circle and thus he cannot be
blamed.
Snape on the other side never admitted officially that
he followed the Dark Lord.
Therefore, it would be quite a shock if it became know
he was a DE.
(I repeat: that's my opinion.)
summersun: Thanks
for the encouragement. BTW: Where were you this summer, summerson?
It rained all August… (only joking)
Snidgey: It
made you shiver… Well, it seems I did it right then, didn't I? (He, he, he)
Have a nice week!
CJ