He lay awake in bed again, another nightmare, and he knew it wasn't real.
It couldn't be. Harry sat up and slowly got out of bed.
Draco lay sobbing on the floor.
This time he headed for the refrigerator, he still had to be quiet going downstairs, though since graduating the Dursleys had certainly been hardly a threat at all. He usually respected most of their rules simply for Dumbledore's sake.
"I can't believe I let him know."
Harry grabbed some leftovers, it was just from an empty stomach was all.
Severus Snape stood in the doorway. Draco didn't notice him, but his usual face of stone was replaced by a soft sadness that Harry had never seen before.
On second thought, leftovers didn't sound so good. Maybe he should take some more of his sleeping potion.
Draco reared up and punched the wall. "I sold her out! I killed her already! I killed her..." He slipped back to the floor.
Harry suddenly realized that the dream hadn't been like this, that it was happening now. He knew that he was seeing through the eyes of a large snake. Voldemort's snake, Nagini.
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Severus knew he had to return to the school. He couldn't keep Draco here in the small abandoned house, as safe as it was. He had to try and explain, he had spent too much of his life running from his past already. He entered the bedroom half of the worn out building. "Draco, we are leaving for Hogwarts, I have some unfinished business there."
Draco looked at him and the look on his face was one of pure and unmasked guilt and regret. There was also a hint of anger and sadness. Though he didn't show it, he felt strongly for the boy and a sudden twinge of sympathy. Suddenly, he heard it. Some at first, and then a rushing loud hiss. He saw it too late, the enormous snake reared up behind Draco. He acted fast, and his wand was pointed at the snake as it came down hard on Draco's shoulder. A jet of red light hit the snake, giving him a small opportunity to grab Draco and run as it regained its senses.
They reached the front door and as soon as they got outside they Severus locked the door behind them. He looked at Draco, he was still alert, though he wouldn't be for long. The blood and venom oozed down Draco's left shoulder. "Draco, can you hear me? Listen, you need to apparate without me, I want you to go to St. Mungo's. I have to get to Hogwarts now. Understand?"
Draco nodded and pulled out his wand. With a loud crack, he disappeared. Severus had to go inside to use the fireplace, he couldn't apparate onto school grounds. He got inside and didn't see the snake, so he quickly ran to the brick fireplace and pointed his wand at the logs rested there. A fire started up instantaneously and he hurriedly threw some floo powder onto the fire. "Hogwarts Castle, Dumbledore's office." He stepped into the now green flames and stepped into the office. He quickly walked over to the phoenix sitting on its perch. "Fawkes, I need you now."
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Hermione lay in a bed at the French school. The nurse there had been not nearly as accommodating as Madame Pomfrey, but she was still working hard to make sure she was comfortable. Hermione knew now that having muggle parents had finally come to call. Voldemort had discovered some reason to go after her, and he was letting her know. He wanted her to be scared. She was just stirring from her rest. Ron sat asleep in an easy chair in the corner. Hermione wanted to know why she had been singled out. Or had she? No, she was certain she was the only one that he wanted for the time being. But how did he know to find her?
Draco. He must have done it. He hated her and she recalled the times when he had told her to her face that she was going to die, and how happy that would make him. He told her Voldemort was going to kill her and then the world would be a better place when all of the muggles and mudbloods were dead. He was a Death Eater, and he was trying to get on Voldemort's good side. He would be the one to sell her out in an instant.
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A boy lay asleep in the dark. His eyes flickered as he slept, some nightmarish reality taking place beyond his eyelids. The words only he could hear were ringing through his head.
"Harry is the one who will save us all. You can't do anything, stupid boy. You can never be Harry. You are a useless boy. There is nothing in your future. Your blood cannot save you now, you have forsaken it. He will be after you, do not deny him. You will get another chance to prove your worth to him, he would enjoy your company. Choose life."
He opened his eyes and he could feel the dark power of the words that had been uttered to him from a faraway place. He had not dreamed up the words, but they had been what he had not wanted to hear. They were the words that had so much weight upon them, those few short sentences held his destiny in the balance.
----------------------------------------------
Harry gazed out the window on the train, he watched as the trees passed by. He stared at his own reflection, lost in thought. Not only was his own life in danger, but he had to reach St. Mungo's, and he needed to get there fast. He knew that Draco had some of the answers he needed, whether he had to force them out of him or not.
Draco lay sobbing on the floor.
This time he headed for the refrigerator, he still had to be quiet going downstairs, though since graduating the Dursleys had certainly been hardly a threat at all. He usually respected most of their rules simply for Dumbledore's sake.
"I can't believe I let him know."
Harry grabbed some leftovers, it was just from an empty stomach was all.
Severus Snape stood in the doorway. Draco didn't notice him, but his usual face of stone was replaced by a soft sadness that Harry had never seen before.
On second thought, leftovers didn't sound so good. Maybe he should take some more of his sleeping potion.
Draco reared up and punched the wall. "I sold her out! I killed her already! I killed her..." He slipped back to the floor.
Harry suddenly realized that the dream hadn't been like this, that it was happening now. He knew that he was seeing through the eyes of a large snake. Voldemort's snake, Nagini.
----------------------------------------------
Severus knew he had to return to the school. He couldn't keep Draco here in the small abandoned house, as safe as it was. He had to try and explain, he had spent too much of his life running from his past already. He entered the bedroom half of the worn out building. "Draco, we are leaving for Hogwarts, I have some unfinished business there."
Draco looked at him and the look on his face was one of pure and unmasked guilt and regret. There was also a hint of anger and sadness. Though he didn't show it, he felt strongly for the boy and a sudden twinge of sympathy. Suddenly, he heard it. Some at first, and then a rushing loud hiss. He saw it too late, the enormous snake reared up behind Draco. He acted fast, and his wand was pointed at the snake as it came down hard on Draco's shoulder. A jet of red light hit the snake, giving him a small opportunity to grab Draco and run as it regained its senses.
They reached the front door and as soon as they got outside they Severus locked the door behind them. He looked at Draco, he was still alert, though he wouldn't be for long. The blood and venom oozed down Draco's left shoulder. "Draco, can you hear me? Listen, you need to apparate without me, I want you to go to St. Mungo's. I have to get to Hogwarts now. Understand?"
Draco nodded and pulled out his wand. With a loud crack, he disappeared. Severus had to go inside to use the fireplace, he couldn't apparate onto school grounds. He got inside and didn't see the snake, so he quickly ran to the brick fireplace and pointed his wand at the logs rested there. A fire started up instantaneously and he hurriedly threw some floo powder onto the fire. "Hogwarts Castle, Dumbledore's office." He stepped into the now green flames and stepped into the office. He quickly walked over to the phoenix sitting on its perch. "Fawkes, I need you now."
----------------------------------------------
Hermione lay in a bed at the French school. The nurse there had been not nearly as accommodating as Madame Pomfrey, but she was still working hard to make sure she was comfortable. Hermione knew now that having muggle parents had finally come to call. Voldemort had discovered some reason to go after her, and he was letting her know. He wanted her to be scared. She was just stirring from her rest. Ron sat asleep in an easy chair in the corner. Hermione wanted to know why she had been singled out. Or had she? No, she was certain she was the only one that he wanted for the time being. But how did he know to find her?
Draco. He must have done it. He hated her and she recalled the times when he had told her to her face that she was going to die, and how happy that would make him. He told her Voldemort was going to kill her and then the world would be a better place when all of the muggles and mudbloods were dead. He was a Death Eater, and he was trying to get on Voldemort's good side. He would be the one to sell her out in an instant.
----------------------------------------------
A boy lay asleep in the dark. His eyes flickered as he slept, some nightmarish reality taking place beyond his eyelids. The words only he could hear were ringing through his head.
"Harry is the one who will save us all. You can't do anything, stupid boy. You can never be Harry. You are a useless boy. There is nothing in your future. Your blood cannot save you now, you have forsaken it. He will be after you, do not deny him. You will get another chance to prove your worth to him, he would enjoy your company. Choose life."
He opened his eyes and he could feel the dark power of the words that had been uttered to him from a faraway place. He had not dreamed up the words, but they had been what he had not wanted to hear. They were the words that had so much weight upon them, those few short sentences held his destiny in the balance.
----------------------------------------------
Harry gazed out the window on the train, he watched as the trees passed by. He stared at his own reflection, lost in thought. Not only was his own life in danger, but he had to reach St. Mungo's, and he needed to get there fast. He knew that Draco had some of the answers he needed, whether he had to force them out of him or not.