Chapter Thirty-Three:
(A/N. Hey! This chapter will have a bunch of mistakes because I'm a bad person and forgot to send it to my wonderful beta-reader! So Sorry! But I thought you guys would prefer a new chapter sooner than a new, corrected chapter later. Right? Okay anyways thanks for the reviews! By the way the Seeing room is for seeing things in the future. Sorry I didn't mention that! You'll get it when you read it. Read and kindly review!)
"Come in." Came Dumbledore's voice. Draco eased the door open and walked inside. Snape was standing in front of Dumbledore's desk with a tall woman beside him. She had long dark hair and a pretty face. What drew Draco's attention, however, were her eyes. They were completely white.
"Hello, Draco." She smiled. Draco started. He'd thought she was blind, but she clearly wasn't for she moved with the confidence of someone who saw perfectly well.
"Hello." He said, his voice hoarse. He cleared his throat and glanced at the Headmaster. Dumbledore's eyes were glittering with amusement.
"Draco, this is Cassandra. She is a Seer." Dumbledore explained. "Now, how may I help you?"
"I can come back later if this is a bad time." Draco said. The Headmaster shook his head and Draco looked down at the floor. "It's…it's private Headmaster." Draco said. When he looked up, Dumbledore's eyes were kind and filled with understanding.
"Yes of course. Severus, Cassandra? Will you please excuse us?" He said. The two adults inclined their heads and walked out. Draco sat down heavily. Dumbledore sat down behind his desk and stared at Draco thoughtfully. Slowly and hesitantly, Draco began to tell his life story. Dumbledore listened patiently as Draco revealed his father's plans to make Draco Voldemort's heir. He accepted the letter Draco showed him without a single word and silence filled the room when the young Slytherin finished his story.
"Hmm, this is very interesting…"Dumbledore said. If Draco had been anyone else, he would have been shifting in his seat nervously. As it was, Draco sat in his chair as cool and composed as ever. Suddenly there was a knock on the door and Dumbledore frowned. "Come in." He called. The door swung open and Professor McGonagall walked in.
"Albus, you must come to the Seeing Room. It is very important." The transfiguration's professor said urgently. Dumbledore's frown deepened but he nodded.
"Of course, Minerva. I'll be right back, Draco. Please wait here." He said and hurried away. Draco leaned back in his chair and rubbed his temples. He looked around at the office. XXX. Draco stood up and walked around looking at the different objects around the room. He reached a large cupboard that was half-open and he opened it the full way. Inside a long crystal case, on a wooden stand, was a beautiful sword. It had a black leather wrapped grip, a large sapphire on its pommel and strange runes engraved on its blade. The rest of the hilt had a beautiful vine design on it. On a small silver plaque beneath the stand read 'Gladius ab Veritas'. Draco smiled.
"The sword of truth." Draco whispered. He started as the crystal lid suddenly raised up. Draco reached out a tentative hand toward the sword. As his hand neared the grip the sword let out a low, welcoming hum. He was so intent on the sword that he didn't notice when the door opened and Dumbledore walked in. Draco took the sword in his hand and there was a flash of light. Draco blinked back the spots left from the brilliant light and saw the headmaster standing before him. "Headmaster! I was just looking and I…I'm sorry!" Draco said and hastily put the sword back on the stand. Draco looked back at Dumbledore as the crystal case closed over the blade. He had a strange, calculating look on his wizened face.
"Perhaps…" He said softly. He walked over to the cupboard Draco had just closed and reopened it. He reached behind the book and pulled out a book bound in sapphire blue leather and with silver clasps. He handed it to Draco. "Open it." Dumbledore said. Draco's fingers reached for the clasp that held the book shut as he read the title typed in silver ink across the front, 'The Book of Truth and Virtue.' There was a small glimmer as his fingers touched the catch before it clicked open. Draco heard Dumbledore's sharp intake of breath and looked up. He closed the book and handed it back to Dumbledore who shook his head.
"But…it's yours…" Draco said. Dumbledore smiled and placed a hand on Draco's shoulder.
"No, Draco. It's yours. Take it and read it. Something tells me you're going to need that knowledge. This book hasn't been opened in five centuries. Many have tried, all have failed. It isn't a mere coincidence that you should be able to open it." Dumbledore said. Draco stared at the headmaster in disbelief but he saw no hint of lies in Dumbledore's calm gaze. Draco nodded.
"Thank you, sir." He said. Dumbledore nodded. He turned and walked to the door but it swung open before he reached it and Snape and Cassandra walked in. Draco inclined his head and walked out. At the top of the stairs he paused and glanced back at the closed door. He slowly crept back and pressed his ear to the door.
"I walked in and he had his hand on the hilt. You know what the blade has done to people. The last person who touched it was consumed by the magic. There was a flash of light and when I could see again, there the boy stood. Unharmed in any way." Dumbledore was telling the younger adults.
"What does this have to do with anything? I have held Veraciel as well." Snape said haughtily.
"Yes, but none have been able to draw this sort of reaction from the blade. Veraciel chooses its owner. It recognized Draco as one of the Blood." The Headmaster said calmly.
"He is not ready. The sword is too strong! It will kill him! Or use him for its own purposes!" Snape cried angrily.
"It is part of the prophecy, Severus! He has to fight! Who are you to question fate's will?" Cassandra said.
"Prophecies do not pronounce the exact future! They only predict a possible outcome. They show us a path that we may take, but our actions and words could change that future! It does not mean that it is the right path either! I can take his place in fighting he-who-must-not-be-named! Or would you send a defenseless mouse into a snake's pit! He won't survive! He hasn't the training! He doesn't even know what he would be facing!" Snape snapped. "I will take the sword. I have held it and it has not rejected me. I will defeat you-know-who."
"Very well, Severus, if you are sure?" Dumbledore said. There was obvious reluctance in the voice.
"Yes!"
"Dumbledore! You can't let him…" Cassandra began. She stopped abruptly and Draco imagined that Dumbledore had held up his hand for silence.
"We must concede, Cassandra. Severus is right. He had held Veraciel without harm coming to him, though he is not of the Blood. I have no wish to see another of my pupils die." Dumbledore said and his tone left no room for arguments. "We will plan this another day." The last was a clear dismissal. Draco turned and hurried away so he missed Dumbledore's last comment said to Fawkes when Snape and Cassandra were far from his office.
"You are wrong, Severus. Something tells me that fate will lead Draco to that meeting alone, Veraciel his only companion. Then it shall not be a mouse entering a snake's pit. It shall be a cobra entering into the den of a garden snake, though none may know about the poison in its mouth."
