Author's Note: I'm putting these at the beginning because I'm going to let the end speak for itself. First off, I have to thank each and every person who's come to review so far…I decided to write chapter one of this fic just for fun one day, because a few of my friends loved the Draco/Ginny pairing—I NEVER expected such a response, or such nice words from so many people. Especially those who have pointed out that the fic remains clear—and within canon, which is my greatest concern—since at times all writers feel like they're stuck in the mud. Sincerely, thank you.
Secondly, the inspiration for this chapter, and, rather, the whole story, comes from the song "My Immortal" by the band Evanescence. If you've never heard it, go listen…its phenomenal. As I was exercising one day, trying to come up with an end to In the Shadows, I heard this, and it became extremely clear, from the first line of this chapter, to the adventures of D/G before, and to the end of the story.
Finally, don't worry too much…Chapter 7 will be coming very shortly, I won't leave you hanging too long…
In the Shadows: A Tale of Silver and Gold (in seven parts)
Chapter VI: Shadow Bound
"EXPECTO…PATRONUM!"
Harry watched in amazement as a beautiful, silver dragon burst from the Entrance of Hogwarts, swooping towards Ginny and the group of Gryffindor students. Within moments, the handful of Dementors had been destroyed.
The dragon continued down the sloping hills to the gates; behind it, a burst of silver patroni shot from the doors, fanning out across the front lawns of the school, attacking the remaining Dementors and Lethifold and dismissing them to the sky. At their head, the massive dragon soared upward in a graceful arc, lighting the grounds below it before dissipating into the night.
In the lighted shadows beneath his Patronus, Draco Malfoy lowered his wand, a half-smile on his face, and marched down the stone steps. Behind him, a considerable group of Slytherins fanned out, scanning the grounds for more signs of the Dementors' army.
Harry glanced at Hermione, who shrugged and pulled herself to her feet. They moved towards the Slytherins, all of whom were following Malfoy to the fallen group of Gryffindors. Ron was already back on his feet, racing towards Ginny, who pushed herself upwards, trying to catch her breath.
Malfoy reached her first, extending out a hand. She took it gratefully, sending a nasty whisper through the crowd of Slytherins, and causing confusion amidst the group of Gryffindors. Ron's face grew dark, and he frowned—almost as deeply as Pansy Parkinson.
Malfoy glared at the crowd, and the Slytherins grew silent, though many were staring at Ginny hatefully. Millicent Bulstrode looked ready to hurl any number of curses at the first person who got in her way.
"What are you doing here?" asked Hermione weakly, staring over the group.
"What do you think?" snarled Theodore Nott, but his tone lacked any real derision. "We're here to save your sorry…"
"We don't need saving," spat Seamus, interrupting him. "Shouldn't you all be on the other side of the fence?"
"Hardly," replied Pansy, turning from Draco and Ginny. "Our purpose has never been to destroy the school. "
"Oh, really? Then what about that little episode with the Basilisk?"
"That was for the mudbloods, Granger, not all the students. An entirely different cause."
Ron's eyes narrowed dangerously. "What was that, Tolbert?"
"What took you so long?" interrupted Harry, stepping in front of him. The Gryffindors turned to him wide eyed—as did most of the Slytherins.
Malfoy broke off a piece of chocolate, handing it to Ginny. "We had to get organized. A few of us needed reminding about where our priorities lie." Some of the Slytherins looked at the ground. He glanced toward Ginny and lowered his voice, so much so Harry had a difficult time hearing him. "Sorry I took so long."
Ginny smiled. "I'm just glad you came," she returned quietly. Pansy snorted, her face twisted hatefully.
"ALL of you," Ginny said a bit more loudly, glancing about the group of them. A few of the Slytherins looked at her in surprise—as well as more than a few of the Gryffindors. Ron's mouth dropped open.
"Are we sure we haven't been attacked?" he squeaked. "Because this is about as close to my worst nightmare as we could ever get."
"We don't need to be praised by you, or anyone else," sniffed Blaise Zabini. "We didn't do this to save Gryffindor."
"Then what did bring you out here?" asked Hermione.
"Slytherin, of course" Malfoy replied. "Our loyalties lie with Salazar Slytherin and everything he's done—including creating this school. We won't let his noble work be destroyed by a person who doesn't understand that."
"I beg your pardon? Bellatrix Lestrange is a Death Eater," said Ron. "As far as I'm concerned, she's about as noble as he was."
"She doesn't represent Slytherin."
"She doesn't even represent the Dark Lord," said Blaise.
"Then…Voldemort really isn't behind this?" asked Harry.
Most of the Slytherins flinched; a few stared at him evilly. Malfoy crossed his arms. "No. The Dark Lord has nothing to do with this attack."
"This is all your aunt's doing, then, eh, Malfoy?" asked Ron snidely. Ginny frowned at him.
"Whether or not she is my aunt," Malfoy returned, glaring, "Doesn't mean we're not going to stop her if we can. Hogwarts comes first."
"Well said, Mr. Malfoy," replied a voice behind them.
Harry and the rest of the Gryffindors turned; Professor Dumbledore was walking towards them, glancing about the group of Slytherins with a smile. "Salazar Slytherin would be most impressed with this group. Even he ran away from his problems…you've come to face yours."
There were only a few mumbled 'thank yous' from the group, but, surprisingly, very few sneered.
"That was quite an impressive Patronus," Dumbledore continued. "You shall have to demonstrate it for us again in less strenuous circumstances."
"Yes, sir."
"A Liondragon—one of my favorites. Of course, the Patronus is only a shadow of the real thing, but if we were to have it colorized, I'm sure it would be a brilliant shade of red."
Malfoy's pale face flushed bright pink, as did Ginny's. Most of the Slytherins grumbled a little more audibly this time, Millicent crossing her arms, Pansy shooting the Headmaster an annoyed look. Ron had his back turned and was muttering something under his breath that gave Hermione cause to kick him.
Malfoy cleared his throat quickly and glanced about the grounds. "Everything seems in order now, sir."
"You have taken care of the immediate concern, Mr. Malfoy, but I fear this attack is far from being in order. Mr. Potter and the rest of the Houses were handling things rather well, but I do not believe we could have held out much longer without suffering extensive casualties."
"What might we do?"
"See to Professor Snape…I am certain he will need your help. You can find him on the far side of the castle. And be wary…I am certain that Bellatrix has a few more tricks up her sleeve."
"Of course, Headmaster," Malfoy replied. "We'll help in any way we can."
"You've already done more than your share," Dumbledore said, looking over the Slytherins once more. "You have saved many lives tonight, including your own. I am grateful that Slytherin's spirit resides still within the halls of Hogwarts."
The Slytherins were beaming at him now, even tiny Tracey Davis, who could usually be heard reviling Dumbledore's existence at least twice a day.
"I must go check on the other professors and students," he said, turning to leave. "Please decide amongst yourselves the proper manner in which to set up your defenses." And remember," his gaze fell to the Gryffindors, Harry, Hermione, and finally, Ron. "Today is about protecting Hogwarts, and the lives of students who reside there, nothing else."
"Yes, sir," the group chorused.
"We could have managed," Ron spat, once he was out of earshot. "We didn't need your help."
"Sure," said Avery. He motioned to the students scattered about the grounds, most of whom were on their knees, looking weak and tired. "Because you were doing so well before."
"You didn't see the first wave. They had more than one professor on their knees," said Hermione, looking slightly ruffled. "There were a group that came from the lake as well."
"That's where Snape still is," said Harry. "He might still need some additional assistance, they were a bit overwhelmed."
Malfoy nodded. "Then the Slytherins will assist him." He gestured with his head at Millicent. "Take the group behind the castle and see if Professor Snape needs any of our help. Tell him we've cleaned up the area near the gates for now."
"Right." Millicent motioned to the rest of the group, who trotted off behind her—after tossing a few more dirty looks at the Gryffindors.
Malfoy watched as they disappeared around the back side of the school. "Don't think this changes anything," he said, returning his gaze to Harry. "I still hate you."
"I hate you too," said Harry.
"Good. Then send up sparks if you need our help."
"Right. You do the same."
The remaining Gryffindors glanced back and forth between them, open mouthed.
"Come on," Harry said to them. "Professor Dumbledore might still need our assistance. If you're feeling weak, go inside the castle and try and regain your strength. I'm certain we'll need you again. Neville, can you help them?"
Neville nodded, handing Andrew Kirke a bit of chocolate. "Right."
The remaining Gryffindors began to move in the direction Professor Dumbledore had gone. Hermione and Ron turned to follow them, Ron pausing a moment to wait for Ginny. She stared at him blankly; Hermione sighed and grabbed him by the back of his robes, dragging him away.
"Keep in mind what I said before," said Harry.
"I already did," replied Malfoy in a bored tone. "I'm here, aren't I?"
"I suppose. Going to settle a few wizard's debts, are we?" asked Harry.
"Wizard's debt." Malfoy mumbled.
Ginny glanced from one to the other confusedly. Harry half-smiled. "Take care."
Malfoy sneered. "You know I will. Perhaps you should be more concerned about yourself. We can't have you fainting all over the place.."
"I haven't yet," said Harry, turning. "Just you worry about keeping up those happy thoughts. I know you don't have very many. Make the good ones count." He smirked, and trotted off down the slope to join the others.
Ginny watched Harry move off towards the gates, then turned to Malfoy, who was staring at Harry's retreating form with narrowed eyes. There was a slightly pink tint to his cheeks. After a moment he turned to her, his face softening.
"Are you alright?"
"I'm fine. A bit more chocolate, and I'll be myself again."
"Good," he replied, looking relieved.
"That was quite a Patronus. How did you manage it? Harry and the others told me you couldn't even muster the beginnings of one."
"I…it…it was a matter of mastering a few of the basics," he finally mumbled.
"Well, it was brilliant."
Draco smiled, genuinely, this time. "Thank you."
They stared at one another awkwardly for a moment.
"So…what do we do now?" Ginny asked.
"We try and save our school, I guess."
She glanced in the direction the Gryffindors had run. He followed her gaze. "You should go and join them."
"But…"
"They are who you belong with. Just like they," he motioned in the direction the Slytherins had disappeared, "are where I belong. Like you said before, we can't change that."
"Right," she said.
"But we can change enough," he added quickly. "I can see that now."
"You can?"
"Yes," he said quietly. "You helped me with that. You helped me with a lot of things. Not just for tonight…but…all of it. I finally understand, now."
"Understand?"
"How to care about something other than myself. How to love something other than myself."
Her eyes widened.
"I mean it, Ginny."
She was silent for a moment, her head spinning. There was an intensity in his eyes she's never seen before. And a sincerity. She released her breath. It felt as though a weight she'd been carrying—ever since that night in the Forbidden Forest—had suddenly disappeared. "I…I love you too."
A smile lit his face; he bent over, wrapping his arms around her. "Please, be careful. Please."
"I will. I promise," she whispered softly, pulling close to him.
A strangled yelp came from behind them, followed by the sounds of someone being thrown to the ground. Hermione's voice rose about the din. ("Honestly! Stop being such a git!")
"I guess I better go," he said, releasing her. "Don't do anything rash. I know you well enough by now…."
"Yes, you do. But so do I—no throwing yourself at any Dementors!"
"I won't." He clipped her lightly under the chin. "You're really something, Ginny Weasley. Do you know that?"
"I do now."
He started forward, towards the back side of the school.
"Draco?"
"Yes?" he turned, pausing.
"Is there any chance I can find out what your pleasant thought was?"
He smirked, his face once again flushing. "It…hasn't really happened yet. When…and if…it does, I'll let you know, I promise."
She watched his silver-blond head disappear around the corner.
Please…please don't let anything happen to him…
Draco reached the lakeshore, where the Slytherins were already making use of their patroni. It was as Potter and Granger had mentioned; there were many more Dementors in this area than in the front of the castle. The Hogsmeades' wizards who'd been tending to them looked worn and weary, but the reinforcement of Patroni had the oncoming Dementors falling by the dozens and fading into the night.
Professor Snape was bending over by the lakeside, allowing Millicent and Blaise Zabini to fend off a rather close group of Lethifold. He was drenched in sweat, his dark hair hanging limply by his face.
"Professor…"
The Potions Master turned. Draco was surprised to see that he looked tired…and weak. "Draco. I believe I told you and the other Slytherins to remain inside your dormitory."
"Yes sir," Draco said. "But it seemed that Potter had other ideas, and we couldn't let him upstage us this time."
The professor smiled slightly. "I suppose not. How are they fairing above?"
"Much better sir. Most of the Dementor army had been defeated before we arrived, but we took care of the rest. It seems they're nearly gone."
Professor Snape looked unconvinced. "And the Headmaster and the others?"
"There have been no casualties so far," said Draco slowly. "We helped prevent a few of the students from being attacked, however."
"And what, might I ask, brought you out here? It was certainly not a love of the others students—or was it?"
Draco shrugged casually, trying to remain nonchalant, as though his heart wasn't beating ten times its normal pace. Ginny's face flashed through his mind, smiling at him. "It was a…a desire to protect Hogwarts, sir. Whether we believe in all its precepts now is irrelevant. Without the school, we cannot be Slytherins."
"Quite right," said Snape, straightening. "More so than you can even begin to fathom."
Draco stared at him, puzzled.
"DRACO!" Pansy shrieked.
He turned to where she was pointing. Across the lake, emerging from the wooded path that lead to the train platform, was another line of Dementors. They wafted onto the roiling waters.
"Impossible," Snape whispered, watching the line with wide eyes. "There are more there than in the first wave. She can't have this many. Not even Azkaban itself has such a host. It is as though every Dementor in existence is attacking Hogwarts tonight."
"You don't know my aunt very well," Draco snarled. "Better safe than sorry."
"Should we send up sparks?" asked Tracey Davies.
Draco shook his head. "Not yet. We should be able to take care of these on our own." He raised his wand. "Millicent, Avery, Nott!"
The rest of the Slytherins turned to where he was pointing, and moved to the lakeshore, raising their wands. The Dementors drew closer; Draco waited, his wand pointed at the oncoming line. The air around them turned bitterly cold; a few of the Hogsmeade wizards backed away, their breaths coming in short, ragged gasps. Professor Snape stood strong among the others, but his face was set in a grimace, as though he was struggling to maintain his strength.
The Dementors were almost halfway across the lake, tucked into the shadows of the cliff side. Their proximity had some of the younger Slytherins shaking.
They emerged from beneath the overhang.
"NOW!" Draco roared. "EXPECTO PATRONUM!"
Draco's Dragon Patronus shot forward, speeding towards the line. The rest of the Patroni, including Millicent's scraggly looking cat and Pansy's two-tailed Crup, fanned out behind it, forming an army of silver creatures. They slammed into the wave of Dementors, the Dragon striking through the heart of the line, sending ten of the oncoming group into the sky. The rest of the Patroni dismissed the remainder; a few, including Draco's, circled back for two more attacks before fading into the night. The few creatures that lingered were quickly banished by the remaining adults.
Snape watched in amazement as the Slytherins lowered their wands, raising a cheer. He turned to Draco. "You managed a Patronus."
"Yes sir,"
"A rather powerful one as well, Draco. You must have quite an impressive thought."
"Y-yes, sir," Draco stuttered, blushing.
"Professor Snape, sir!" called a gruff voice. Hagrid emerged out of the darkness, holding a rather foppish looking pink umbrella. "Seems most o' the Dementors have moved off to the far side o' the castle. That last line o' them that came 'cross the lake, that was the last of them on the shoreside 'ccording to the wizards who're still in Hogsmeade."
Snape nodded. "We'll leave a guard here, then…I'll tell the other Hogsmeades wizards to maintain a watch and send up a signal should they need us." He turned to Draco. "Head up to the back of the castle. There are still Dementors attacking from near the Forbidden Forest and alongside the Quidditch Pitch. Are the front gates being defended?"
"Yes sir, Potter and his group are up there now with Dumbledore and a few of the other professors. That area was clear as per a moment ago."
Instead of looking relieved, the Potions Master grew perplexed. "Odd."
"Sir?"
"We should hurry. I am certain they will need our help."
Draco nodded, and motioned to the other Slytherins to make their way up the slope, towards the forest. Snape headed down the shore, towards a few of the remaining adults.
"'S nice dragon you got there as your Patronus, Malfoy," Hagrid said, moving up alongside him. "Chinese Fireball, I'd wager…twould be all red, if'd were in color. Weasley red."
Draco grimaced. "Does the entire bloody world know?"
"On'y those of us with eyes and a bit o' common sense."
"Don't you need to be speaking with the other wizards?"
Hagrid grinned beneath his grizzly beard. "I suppose so." He waved his flowery umbrella back at Draco, who rolled his eyes.
He better not think this means I have to be nice to him.
"Oh, and Malfoy…you don' hafta worry 'bout Grawpy no more. Unless o' course you decide you're gonna be mean ta Ginny, then ya might have a bit o' a problem…or if ya go sneakin' off into the Forbidden Forest again." Hagrid eyed him slyly. "On second thought ya might just stay outta the way fer the time bein'."
"Right. " Draco sneered at his retreating form.
"Draco?" Pansy trotted up to him.
"Come on…we're going up along the far side, to the Pitch."
Harry moved up alongside Professor Dumbledore, who was carefully scanning the gates. No more Dementors had emerged from the surrounding woodlands, but there was still a cold, clammy feeling and an unshakeable tinge of malaise hovering throughout the grounds.
"Do you think its almost over, Professor?"
Dumbledore responded without looking at him. "As I said to Mr. Malfoy, I sincerely doubt it, Harry. What concerns me is that Bellatrix's methods have been relatively conventional so far, and that is unlike her."
"She's always seemed conventional to me," replied Harry rather sharply. "She kills, uses the Cruciatus Curse, and supports the Dark Lord. Right on par for a Death Eater."
"Bellatrix is mad," said Dumbledore softly "Whereas other Death Eaters might pause to think of consequences, as they did in the Ministry of Magic almost a year ago, she will not. Be wary. With someone like her you cannot be sure what to expect."
A great roar rose from the lake; Harry and the other students turned, then raced over to the cliff side to gaze at the scene below them. A solid line of Dementors were floating across the waters, near the cliff's edge, wafting towards the gently sloping grounds. The Slytherins moved shoulder to shoulder alongside the Hogsmeade wizards, their wands raised. After a few more moments, when the line was clear of the cliffs, Draco Malfoy let loose a shout, and dozens of glittering Patroni burst from the wands of the students, speeding towards the onslaught. Within seconds, the group was destroyed.
Malfoy's immense dragon headed the attack, swooping around and heading back for two more turns before rising above the castle, lighting the grounds around them. Harry shook his head in wonder.
To think he could go from producing nothing to THAT…
"Love really is an incredible power, is it not?" said Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling, as he watched the Dragon fade into the night. On the side of the lake near the village, the stars were beginning to emerge.
"Yes. But…"
"What is it, Harry?"
"Do you really think it is possible?"
Dumbledore glanced over at him. "Anything is possible, Harry. I'm sure you've come to realize that."
"But…"
"Whatever the motivation may be, the emotions cannot be questioned. Don't try and justify it. There are few things we can have absolute trust of in this world, but the heart—coupled with our own intuition—is most certainly one of them."
Harry shook his head, gazing at where the Dragon had been. After seeing what he'd seen tonight, he supposed, anything was possible.
"Now," said Dumbledore, "How are all of your group fairing?"
The majority appeared unscathed, although Hermione was still trembling and Ginny looked extremely pale—save a slightly pink tint to her cheeks as she watched Malfoy turn from the lake.
"I'm fine," she said, color flooding her face as she caught him eyeing her. "I just need a bit more chocolate." She dug into her robes and pulled out some of what Malfoy had given her. Harry turned back to the Headmaster. "I think we're alright, Professor."
"The Slytherins seem to be doing rather well," noted Ron disgustedly. They were moving away from the lake now, to the far side of the Quidditch Pitch.
"I would expect no less," said Dumbledore, smiling. "Their strength lies in their strength, after all. Salazar Slytherin was most noted for his tenacity, and his power. His spells were almost always the most effective. You could ask for no better warrior."
Ron's face twisted into a grimace.
"But," continued the Headmaster, "he wasn't a leader. That was more suited for his friend, and later rival, Godric Gryffindor. In his case, he wasn't the most powerful, but he always had the courage to continue to fight, even until the very end. And that is what saved him. And what made him great.
"Of course, those traits are only generalities, and do not always adequately describe the Houses. There are particular members of each House, I am absolutely certain, that possess more than one of the other Houses' signature characteristics," he glanced from Harry, to Hermione, and to Ron as he said this. "We are a united school, after all. One does not graduate Slytherin or Gryffindor. One graduates Hogwarts. "
"I am rather glad the Slytherins remembered that," said Hermione.
He smiled at her.
Behind them, someone screamed.
Dumbledore and the rest whirled about; near the far corners of the gates, dark swirls were emerging through the bars, darting swiftly towards the gathered groups. The crowd split apart chaotically, students bumping into one another, knocking each other over and scrambling to get aside.
Professor Lynch was closest to the swarm; he raced forward, lifting his wand.
"EXPECTO—"
One of the girls, a Ravenclaw, stumbled.
The Lethifold hovered over her. Professor Lynch abandoned his spell and slid underneath it, shoving her out of the way.
"MATHIAS!" screamed Professor McGonagall. Dumbledore raised his wand, shouting, but Harry already knew it was too late.
The Shroud enfolded the teacher, wringing itself into a tight line, then unfolding. There was no trace of Professor Lynch left on the ground.
Hermione covered her eyes, burying her face in Ron's shoulder. He patted her softly, trying not to look sick. A few of the other students had to turn away. Dumbledore's Phoenix Patronus reached the Shroud, dissolving it and the rest of the swarm.
"Mathias…" sobbed Professor McGonagall, "oh, Albus…"
"Minerva…" said Dumbledore, glancing about. Most of the students wore horrified expressions. "Head up to the castle, please, and do a quick check of the area around it. Make sure you talk to Argus to see if any of the Dementor or the Lethifold have gotten inside. Then, set up a perimeter of defense. Tell him this attack is far from over. We've been fairly well prepared, but we want to be certain."
Professor McGonagall stared at him a moment, then looked to the students, seeming to notice for the first time that the majority of them were sobbing. She gathered herself as best she could. "Right. Of course, Albus."
"Take Professor Flitwick and Madam Sprout with you—they seem a little peaked. And a few of the students—only those who appear tired. Give them as much chocolate as you can. If they are weak, send them inside."
She nodded again, and hurried off.
"Harry, are you and the others alright?" he asked, turning to them.
Harry glanced around at the Gryffindors. Most of them were crying; those who weren't were pale-faced and trembling.
They've never seen a death before… "How…how horrible," Hermione cried softly. Harry placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. She turned to him. "How could you watch…how did you do it, Harry? With Cedric…or Sirius…"
"I wouldn't ask for it," he said. "But you sometimes you have no choice. You have to."
"You must," said Dumbledore. For the first time since Harry and the others had joined him, he looked weary. "It does no good to look away. Face your fears. You will have to eventually…even if we triumph tonight."
Harry frowned. I've survived these kinds of dangers. Most of the others haven't even dreamed of something like this. I'd forgotten about that.
Hermione sniffled. "I just want this to be over."
"So do I."
The air around them had become quite still. The stars were beginning to brighten down the twisting path to Hogsmeade. Across the lake, the moon had returned, lighting the far sides of the grounds near the cliff face. There was a tinge of warmth to the breeze that blew across their faces.
"Its over," said Ron. "You can't feel the cold anymore."
Harry frowned. "I don't like this."
Professor Dumbledore paused, his head tilted, as though listening to the wind.
Hermione shook her head, wiping her face with the back of her hand. "It would be unlike Bellatrix to give up so quickly." Harry nodded, the grip on his wand tightening.
"Do you think she's planning something, Professor?" he asked.
"How could she?" asked Ron. "Her army's been defeated."
Dumbledore remained silent a moment longer, glancing once more towards the gates, then turned to them. "Don't be so hasty, Mr. Weasley. What we've seen tonight has been part of a rather brilliant strategy. First, she separated the Professors by sending attacks from two different locations. The Dementors across the lake took longer, allowing those of us at the gates to defeat our enemies before the others had a chance to take on theirs. And yet they could not abandon their positions to help us; however, we have had every opportunity to assist them once our task was complete.
"The second wave was confined to the lake, which, if the students had not been here—particularly the Slytherins…"
Ron grimaced and mumbled something rather harshly under his breath.
"Particularly the Slytherins," continued to Dumbledore, eyeing him and causing him to go red, "we would most certainly have gone to the lake in an effort to defeat them. Leaving the front gates unprotected. "
"Which means," Harry finished, "she's going to attack again…in a way that would allow her to get inside the castle swiftly."
"Bella's intent has been to destroy the castle from the start," said Dumbledore sadly. "Every speck of every stone. It would not matter to her how much of her army was sacrificed. And with the size and intricacy of the castle corridors, it would be impossible for us to stop them, if even a few Dementors got inside. Our defenses had to be focused out here…only a few were left to defend the inside of the school."
"But things haven't gone the way she's planned," said Ginny. "Why won't she just give up now? Her plan has failed!"
"Until there are no more Dementors or Lethifold left," said Dumbledore, "she has not failed. Any attempt to get to me, Harry, or any of you will not be considered a failure. And she has already succeeded in one aspect. She has taken a life tonight."
The Gryffindors lowered their heads; Hermione looked on the verge of tears.
"Professor Dumbledore?" Neville was marching towards them, along with the remainder of the Gryffindors. Luna Lovegood and her band of Ravenclaws were with them.
"The cliff face on the far side of the castle is clear of Dementors, Professor," she said, tucking her wand behind her ear. "And I believe they have been pushed back on the far side." She glanced at their somber faces. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing to concern yourself about right now, Miss Lovegood. That is excellent news. Thank you all. Now, if you would gather a few of your stronger members—only those who can handle a Patronus with ease—to remain behind with us; the rest of you may follow Miss Patil and join Professor McGonagall around the outside of the castle. Not one Dementor is to get past you, is that understood?"
"Yes, sir," replied Padma, looking tired. Her usually perfect plait was slightly unkempt.
Luna plucked her wand from her hair. She motioned for a few of the more energetic looking Ravenclaw students to come join her, then turned. "Most of the Ravenclaws can perform Patroni efficiently, sir, but I think that these few been less affected than most. Of course, they might also be long lost members of the Carpathian Stonewall League…"
"Right-o," replied Terry Boot, raising his wand.
"The what? " cried Hermione, still sniffling. "I've never heard of that."
"The Carpathian Stonewall League," said Professor Dumbledore pleasantly. "They were a family of farmers in lower Carpathia who learned to countereffect the Dementors' power—there were rather a few of them running about in lower Carpathia—and from hence, their descendents have a natural ability to withstand the Dementors' attacks. Of course, they are few and far between now. And since they were relatively misunderstood, there was little use in making mention of them in history books."
Hermione was staring at him openmouthed. Harry raised an eyebrow. Dumbledore, despite having stood at the head of the line of professors, didn't appear weary at all. At least, not wearied from battling Dementors.
"In any case, we shall need a large group to patrol the front side of the castle. Keep watch to the gates, and send out a signal, should you need it, immediately."
Harry, Luna, and the rest nodded.
"And be prepared," he said authoritatively, "for anything. "
Draco turned past the far side of the Pitch, keeping a watchful eye out for moving shapes. They had already come upon three misguided Lethifold, and had it not been for the strength of their numbers, more than one student would have been killed.
"The Pitch seems clear," said Crabbe, trotting over to him. The hill on which Hogwarts stood overshadowed the stadium on its left side; on its right, there was a good forty feet to the start of the Forbidden Forest.
"What about the back side of the castle?"
"There haven't been any more Dementors spotted across the lake," Crabbe grunted. "If they're coming, they're coming from the North side, near the gates."
Overhead, the stars were starting to appear. A warm breeze was blowing across the lakeshore, and the moon had re-emerged over Hogsmeade, casting eerie shadows across the face of the castle and the Pitch.
"Is it over?" whispered Pansy, joining them.
Draco shook his head. "I don't know."
"Keep your guard up," said Professor Snape, moving towards them. "This is altogether unusual. Lestrange has employed quite a mass of Dementors…I do not believe that she would be so easily deterred by a few simple setbacks."
"Maybe she's realized we're too powerful," said Pansy.
"No," said Draco forcefully. "She's lost her ability to reason. All she cares about is destroying Hogwarts, and she'll do that any way she can."
"I am going to see how the Headmaster is fairing," Snape said. "Keep an eye out here; Hagrid and the other wizards are still patrolling the lakeshore, you can call them if you need them."
He started up the sloping grounds towards the gates.
"We'll check the back side of the Pitch once more," said Crabbe, motioning to Goyle and a few of the others.
Pansy watched as they disappeared into the darkness. Draco scanned the forest, feeling slightly uncomfortable.
None of this seems right…
"Was all of it a lie?" Pansy asked suddenly.
"What?" Draco said, almost dropping his wand. "What do you mean?"
"The Yule Ball, classes…all those years sitting together in the Dining Hall…was it all a lie?"
Draco looked at her anxiously. "Pansy, I hardly think this is the time…"
"Was it?! "
"No…not exactly! It just…felt right at the time…"
She crossed her arms. "And now?"
"Its not the same, anymore," Draco said, staring her in the face. "Things have changed."
"And what are you going to do, Draco? Become buddies with her brothers? Are you going to spend holidays at the Weasley shack? Will you wear the Weasley sweater? Or better yet, you can take her and her family to visit Malfoy Manor on summer break. Your mother would love that."
"I don't know how it will work," he snarled. "But it feels right—it IS right. And whatever I, or my parents, or her family, might think of it…"
"You'll find a way," taunted Pansy in a simpering voice. "It'll work out for the best, because its love."
"I can't apologize or make excuses for it, Pansy. I won't."
"Are you going to give up everything you believe, then? You can't hate the mudbloods, or the Weasleys, and be with her too."
"We will deal with that when the time comes," he said softly. "I cannot change who I am overnight, and neither can she. But I have faith…"
"Bad faith."
He narrowed his eyes. "Whatever we might believe, the Slytherins, despite this whole mess, are out here tonight. That means we are capable of doing greater things than taunting people and hurting mudbloods. If none of the rest of this makes sense, than at least remember that."
"That still doesn't justify your…" From somewhere above them, a sharp, high pitched shriek filled the air, followed by dozens of shouts and more screams.
A bitterly cold wind burst through the trees of the Forbidden Forest, nearly knocking Draco and Pansy off their feet.
Draco raised his hand to his face, watching in horror as the shadows within the forest began to move, slithering out beneath the treetops and floating onto the lawns in a silent, eerie march.
Scores of Dementors and Lethifold were emerging onto the grasses of the school.
"SLYTHERINS!"
The students came forward from behind the pitch and beyond the back side of the castle, staring in amazement at the throngs of creatures wafting out of the forest.
"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" Draco cried. His Dragon soared forward, attacking the creatures as they slowly floated down towards the field. The line of Slytherins released their patroni; dozens of silver shadows whisked the Dementors away.
High above them, red and gold sparks flew to the heavens. There was a mass of chaotic screaming and the sounds of hundreds of footfalls thundering across the ground.
Ginny…
"DRACO!" shouted Millicent above the din. More and more Dementors were emerging. "The castle!"
A shower of green and silver sparks arced from the North side, over the slopes.
"Snape needs us," Draco murmured. "Fall back!"
"We can't just leave this!" screeched Pansy. "If they get past us, they can get inside!"
"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"
A large hippogriff galloped across the lawns, slamming into the Dementors and Lethifold head on.
"Go on!" yelled Hagrid, as the Hogsmeade wizards made their way across the grounds. He was guiding the hippogriff with his flowery umbrella. "Ta lake's all clear, there are a few watchin' it, we can handle the rest o'er here! Dumbledore needs yer help, they're getting' hit hard on the far side!"
Draco nodded. "Half of you remain here and make sure they don't get past you! Those of you who feel strong enough, come with me!"
He started up the steeply sloping ground, followed by Millicent, Pansy, Nott, Crabbe, Goyle, and a few others. Clawing at the ground, he pulled himself up as fast as he could, trying to drown out the screams of the nearby students, and praying it wasn't too late.
The grounds near the forest were eerily quiet. Ginny scanned the tree line once more.
Harry was nearby, watching the trees intently, his wand raised and ready. It was easy to see why Dumbledore had so much faith in him. He hadn't let down his guard once the whole evening, and he'd faced every onslaught with a courage Ginny could only ever hope to muster.
Hermione was beside him; she whispered something to him and he tilted his head to listen, his eyes never leaving the edge of the forest.
"Ginny?"
Ron moved over to her, looking slightly concerned. "Are you feeling alright?"
She nodded, smiling. "I'm fine. Much better now."
He looked unconvinced, but didn't say anything.
"Harry really is meant to do this, isn't he? I mean, lead the fight?"
Ron followed her gaze, frowning slightly as Harry smiled at whatever Hermione had made mention of. "Yeah, I guess so. I just hope he doesn't go too far."
"Too far?"
"He's determined to see Voldemort destroyed. Whatever the cost. And you can't beat Harry for determination."
Dumbledore's words whirled about in her mind. There are particular members of each House, I am absolutely certain, that possess more than one of the other Houses' signature characteristics…
Her eyes drifted over to the area near the Pitch, just hidden beneath the sloping grounds. Her heart skipped a beat.
I mean it, Ginny…
Ron's face twisted. "I…I'm sure he's f-fine…" he garbled.
She smiled softly. "You don't have to pretend you're concerned, Ron. I'll understand."
"I'm concerned," he said defensively, "just…not about Malfoy. I want to make sure you're going to be alright."
"I'll be fine. We'll find a way to work this out. All of us."
Ron frowned. "Malfoy. Mum an Dad are gonna love this. Not to mention what Fred and George are going to do. You'll be lucky if he survives getting through the door."
She glared at him.
Professor Snape trotted up the hill, appearing a bit more sallow than he normally was. He moved slowly towards the Headmaster.
"Severus," said Dumbledore, as Ginny, Ron, Harry and Hermione moved towards him. "Are you feeling alright?"
"I will be quite alright, sir," Snape said. "I wanted to see how everything was."
"For now, everything is quiet," Dumbledore said, gazing about the trees. "For now. What about below us?"
"We managed to eliminate the threat from the lake, and the rest of the wizards—and students—are scouting out the areas around the pitch. I believe we've taken care of them."
"That is good news. You haven't suffered any casualties?"
"No, sir. And you?"
"Just one."
Snape's eyes widened. "Who?"
"I'm afraid we've lost Mathias, Severus."
"I…I'm sorry, Headmaster," Snape replied, looking genuinely sad. Ginny was surprised, considering how often he'd dismissed Professor Lynch's Dark Arts teachings.
"Can you spare a few of your students, Severus? I am afraid we might need them here."
"Of course."
He turned back towards the hill, and paused. A slight rustle was coming from within the depths of the forest. Ginny, Harry, Hermione, and Ron turned.
A incredible blast of bitter air surged through the grounds, knocking half the students off their feet.
Dumbledore immediately raced to the line of patrolling professors, his wand raised. There was no hint of amusement or complacency in his face. The look he wore was more terrifying than Ginny had ever seen.
"FALL BACK!" he shouted.
The students and teachers scrambled to get behind him, pulling themselves off the ground.
A swarm of dark shadows shot from the trees.
"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" shouted Harry. His stag darted forward, racing to catch the Lethifold as they swam towards the panicking students.
Ron, Hermione, and Luna followed suit, their own patroni racing to meet the dangerously swift Living Shrouds as they sped towards the castle.
"Ginny!" Ron cried. He was being shoved aside by a mass of students. "GINNY!"
Ginny turned. Behind her, the trees themselves seemed to be moving beyond their borders.
Someone shrieked.
A wave of Dementors emerged into the moonlit scene, surging forward. Ginny felt the familiar cold wash through her, heard once more the sultry voice of Tom Riddle playing through her mind, as she had earlier this evening…
You are mine…you belong to me…
She fell to her knees.
"GINNY!"
"Expecto Patronum. " A strong pair of arms was pulling her to her feet. She glanced up, catching a mass of bushy hair and a glimmering silver Prefects badge.
"Come on," Hermione cried, yanking her hand. "This way!"
Some of the Professors who'd gone into the castle earlier were running towards them, wands raised, releasing Patroni. Hermione's silver otter danced its way through a few more Living Shrouds and dissipated.
"PROFESSOR!" Harry shouted over the din. "We need more help!"
Dumbledore, fighting furiously on the front lines, nodded.
"NEVILLE!" Harry cried, aiming his Patronus at the oncoming Dementors.
Neville nodded, and raised his wand. "Relashio! " A flurry of red and gold sparks showered the grounds.
Snape was somewhere near the slope side. "They're coming from below us as well!"
"How many, Severus?" cried Professor McGonagall, coming to join him.
"I'm not certain!" he shouted. "Too many to count!"
"We need them up here! The castle!"
Ginny turned. A small, but solid, group of Lethifold were heading for the front doors. "Expecto Patronum!"
Her glittering fox danced forward, towards the Living Shrouds. A few whipped to the sky; Ron moved up beside her, aiming his own Patronus behind hers, taking care of the rest.
"LOOK!" someone screamed.
From the far side, on the opposite ends of the gates, more Dementors were emerging from the path to Hogsmeade.
"MOVE!" cried Harry. Luna motioned for the Ravenclaws to start forward. From their position near the face of the cliffs, the Hufflepuffs emerged, heading for the throng of creatures.
"LUNA!" Neville shrieked.
She turned; a Dementor was hovering over her.
"Expecto Patronum!" she managed, her loon crashing into the creature. She tumbled to the ground. Neville ran towards her, fighting off more of the Dementors with his toad. He grasped her arm, pulling her to her feet, and headed towards the castle.
The Hufflepuffs were releasing their patroni in a frenzy of hurried attacks.
"HARRY!"
Ginny turned; there were more Dementors slithering past the gates, heading swiftly for the Entrance doors. Harry whirled about, guiding his stag around. "Expecto Patronum! "
The animal crashed into the Dementors, whipping them to the sky. Harry turned back, looking frantically about.
All around her, the students were starting to panic, unable to hold off the massive swarms of Dementors and Lethifold that kept emerging from the trees. Harry, Hermione and Ron were drenched in sweat, darting about here and there, trying to prevent Dementors from breaking through the front lines.
Professor Snape fell to his knees. Ginny turned around as a group of Lethifold moved towards him. "Expecto Patronum! "
Her Patronus tore through the Living Shrouds. Snape glanced over at her.
"Thank you, Miss Weasley." He stood slowly, ignoring her extended hand, and raised his wand. "Relashio. " A flurry of silver and green sparks shot from it. "I believe we could use Mr. Malfoy's help."
A shadow of a smile flitted across her face. "Yes, sir."
In front of her, the grounds were a mass of chaotic students and swarming creatures. Dumbledore was battling with them furiously, the other professors trying their best to maintain position as the crowd of creatures surged forward. On the far side, a few of the Hufflepuffs were crying—some were on their knees.
"Come along, Miss Weasley," the Potions Master said. "We cannot allow them inside the castle."
She nodded, and rushed after him, into the fray.
Harry swerved around, directing his stag towards the fallen Hufflepuffs. Ernie Macmillan and many of the others were still on their feet, but a few of their numbers were missing—and more than one Dementor had pushed through their group.
Please…don't let it have been too many…
A swarm of silver and green sparks showered overhead; Snape was signaling the Slytherins.
"HARRY!" Hermione shouted from the far side. "THE CASTLE!"
He turned to where she was pointing. Some of the Dementors had broken free of Professor Dumbledore's assault, and were heading towards a rather determined looking Padma and her small group of weary Ravenclaws.
Harry mustered up his energy, and raced towards them. "Expecto Patronum! '
The stag shimmered forth once more, heading for the group. It couldn't take out as many as before, but still managed to cut a hefty swath through the creatures.
Padma and the rest of the Ravenclaws dismissed the rest.
More students were running than fighting, now. Ginny stood alongside Professor Snape, her Patronus taking out the now thinning lines of Lethifold that floated on the outskirts of the grounds.
Dumbledore and the Professors had cut back the number of Dementors significantly, but more were still coming. He watched as Professor McGonagall bent over, trying to catch her breath.
"There are too many," Hermione panted, coming up alongside him. "We'll never be able to stop them all."
A group floated down the path towards them. A large gathering…and for some reason, it was strange…the leading Dementor…
For the first time that evening, Harry felt that familiar chill…he heard the voices of his parents…of Cedric screaming…saw Hermione collapsing…saw Sirius…falling through the veil…
Sirius…
"EXPECTO PATRONUM! "
Other voices echoed the first.
"Harry! HARRY!"
Hermione was shouting at him. He opened his eyes.
"He's getting tired," Ron said. He and Ginny were bending over him; Hermione was on her knees, panting.
"What happened?"
"There were…more than I could count…" said Hermione, breathing heavily. Her face was terribly pale. "Ron, Neville and Ginny took care of most of them, but the rest scattered…and you…you…
"You're trying to do too much, Harry. You need to rest," said Ginny.
Ron fished in his pocket, pulling out some half-melted chocolate. "Eat this."
"I'm fine," he said, sitting up.
"You're not fine," Hermione said shakily.
Ron extended his hand. "Eat the chocolate."
Harry frowned, but took the chocolate and stuffed it in his mouth. Immediately, he felt better. The familiar warmth spread through him, and the voices began to fade from his mind. Ron handed another handful to Hermione, who took it gratefully.
He glanced around once more. Half of the students were on their knees, but the Dementors were no longer in formation; the majority were spread out, like they had been after the first attack.
But more than a few were drawing dangerously close to Hogwarts.
"The school…"
Dumbledore and his group were pinioned to the edges of the forest, fighting the creatures that were still coming. Harry rose to his feet. Padma Patil had her beautiful peacock attacking an oncoming group of creatures, but even she, along with the rest of the students gathered behind her, were beginning to falter.
"Come on," he said.
Professor McGonagall glanced behind her helplessly, trying to find a way to back out towards the castle doors. Harry and the others started to run towards the Ravenclaws, but the Hufflepuffs were shouting from the far end of the grounds. More Dementors were slicing through their lines, and many of the students were retreating, trying to move out of the way.
"Harry!" Ernie Macmillan cried.
Harry called forth his Patronus, giving the Hufflepuffs a chance to escape. He bent over, trying to catch his breath.
Padma screamed.
Lethifold were swarming near the front doors. The Ravenclaws had dodged out of the way, many of them trying to avoid the grasp of the Shrouds, which bolted after them mercilessly.
Hermione turned her head; Ginny was watching with horrified eyes.
"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"
The gigantic dragon Patronus surged forward, annihilating the Lethifold, then turned the corner, towards the retreating Hufflepuffs.
Malfoy's silver-blond head emerged over the top of the ridge, followed by more than a dozen of the Slytherins. They aimed their patroni at the edges of the Forest, cutting large swaths through the thinning groups of Dementors.
Ginny shrieked in excitement, clutching at Ron's arm, who, surprisingly, looked rather relieved.
"Malfoy!" Harry shouted. "THE DOORS!"
Malfoy turned to him, one eyebrow raised, but moved towards the doors quickly. Padma and her group made way for them, retreating into the Entrance hall. The rest of the Slytherins hurried over to Professor Snape, setting their Patronus spells to work on the remaining Dementors.
Harry, Hermione and the rest moved over to where the Hufflepuffs were still pulling back, mustering their Patroni with a surge of energy. The appearance of the Slytherins seemed to have revived many of the students; most were turning back to face the creatures head on.
"Who would ever have thought?" murmured Hermione.
"I did," said Ginny cheerfully, using her Patronus to banish a few more Dementors.
"I suppose you did," Hermione replied with a small smile.
The Dementors were growing exceedingly thin, thanks to the revived Patroni of the Slytherins. Many of the Professors seemed to be growing stronger; Harry caught sight of a few he hadn't noticed before coming up the ridge. Professor Sinistra looked weary but triumphant.
"The lakeshore is clear," he said to Dumbledore, who had moved within their earshot. "We received a signal from the wizards in Hogsmeade…no more Dementors…and the path outside the village is useable again. They've sent off posts to the Ministry."
"Excellent," murmured the Headmaster. "It seems the owls have returned as well."
Harry glanced up. Shadowed dimly by the light of the moon, pecks of owls were descending towards the school, each laden with packages and letters.
Hermione clapped her hands in delight. "The spells have been re-altered."
"The Ministry wizards will be arriving soon."
Ron turned to them, his eyes widening. "Then it really is almost over."
The doors to the school flung open. A young Slytherin with dark brown braids flew out, racing towards Draco and the students nearest the entrance.
She pulled at his robes. "You won't believe…you won't…"
An enormous explosion rocked the grounds; Harry tumbled to the ground, along with most of the other students. Overhead, the Hogwarts gates were flying through the air, arcing over the school and crashing somewhere on its opposite side.
A huge throng of Dementors rushed up the path. In front of them, the grasses on the front lawns burst into flames.
The students screamed, scrambling out of their way. Harry jumped to his feet, aiming his wand at the crowd.
Dozens of voices cried out with him.
"EXPECTO PATRONUM!!! "
The glittering Patroni launched towards the group; smashing into it simultaneously. Most of the Dementors faltered, their dim forms propelled upwards into the sky. A few remained at the head, dashing towards the front Entrance, where Malfoy and his small group of Slytherins waited confidently.
Harry joined the others as they tried to extinguish the fires that were quickly spreading about the grounds. Dumbledore's powerful voice could be heard above the din; he was trying to make his way towards the doors. There was a look on his face Harry had only seen one other time—when he burst into the Ministry corridors to face the Death Eaters. He glanced over at the Dementors hurrying towards Malfoy.
Only a few of them remained; the other Slytherins were wiping them out—Padma and her group were smiling just beyond the doors—the students were cheering—
Malfoy raised his wand. "Expecto Patronum. "
His dragon shot towards the Dementor at the head of the pack—and dissolved.
The other Dementors had been banished. The Professors had started to raise a cheer, the other Slytherins had moved forward to help them with the few creatures scattered randomly about the grounds. No one else noticed the lone Dementor facing Malfoy—
Harry watched in confusion. Why…
A burst of green light enveloped Malfoy, he fell to his knees, his face contorted, his body twisted at a horrid angle…
The Dementor was removing its hood…
Malfoy collapsed to the ground.
Dumbledore was racing towards him, wand raised.
Malfoy screamed as another spell hit him, his body arcing upward. Silence settled on the crowd as the students whipped about, trying to see what was going on.
"DRACO!" Ginny shrieked.
How was a Dementor… Harry stared beyond the folds of the hood.
There was a FACE.
"Bloody Hell…" Harry cried, and mustering all of his remaining energy, raced towards the doors.
"Expecto Patronum!" Draco shouted, his large silvery dragon bursting from his wand tip. It flew straight at the Dementor.
And disappeared.
Draco started; the Dementor had simply waved its hand, and his Patronus had dissolved into nothing.
Impossible…
The Dementor pointed its long finger at Draco…the hood shifted, as though it were trying to speak.
Not a finger…a wand…
There was a burst of green and silver light.
A pain unlike anything Draco had ever felt before coursed through his body; he was dimly aware of falling to the ground, his head bending down at an odd angle to touch his back…his eyes were opened as wide as they could go, the stars above him blurring into thick foggy swirls…
There was a release, and he collapsed upon the ground, breathing heavily and drenched in sweat. Every single part of his body ached. He gathered the strength to lift his head, waves of sharp, piercing pain shuddering through him.
The Dementor hovered above, its wand pointed towards him.
"Traitor…"
The creature raised a hand to its hood, pushing back the cowl. Bellatrix Lestrange peered out beneath the folds, her face twisted in dark, menacing hatred. Around her, her Dementor army was disappearing into the night, and by the gates, the Professors were starting to raise a cheer.
"This was your fault, Draco," she spat, her wand pointed at his face. "Kreacher watched you sneak past my rooms…watched as you listened to our conversation. You informed Dumbledore of my coming. You helped protect the school. YOU-ARE-A- TRAITOR! CRUCIO!"
Draco shrieked as another wave of pain flashed through him, his body twisting behind him. There was a sound around him…a high pitched shriek which consumed everything, drowning out the sounds of the battles, even the sounds of the students hollering their victory… It took him a few moments before he realized he was making the sound himself. He saw, felt, heard nothing but the pain, and his own screaming, and prayed that it would soon be over.
He collapsed into a heap at her feet. She wore no smiles, no grimace of satisfaction, even at bringing him to his knees. "You are unworthy of the name of Black, of the name of Malfoy. What honor do you bring your father now? You have defied him in every manner possible. You dishonor the Dark Lord far more than Potter ever could! You are unworthy, Draco. Unworthy to live."
Behind her, a smatter of students had turned towards the shrieking, including Potter and his group of Gryffindors. Harry, his eyes wide behind his round glasses, began to race swiftly towards them.
Ginny was just behind him, her face contorted in horror as she caught sight of Bellatrix. The sounds around him were jumbled, but he saw her face contract; saw her mouth his name. She started towards them as well, behind Potter.
Don't come…she'll kill you…
There was a fire in Bellatrix's eyes—a wild, cold fire, one that could not sense or see anything of reason. "You will not dishonor the Dark Lord or his purpose any further. Your father will not be shamed by the sight of you ever again."
Potter had almost reached them. He had his wand raised, he was mouthing a spell. A surge of gold and red light burst from his wand, flitting away into the night sky, repelled by the same charm she had used to banish his Patronus.…a shield spell? thought Draco confusedly.
Potter continued to run towards them, shouting at Bellatrix…Ginny was on his heels, calling out Draco's name…From somewhere behind him, he heard a deep, threatening voice, a frightening voice…Dumbledore was near. But somehow, he knew it would be too late. They were all too late.
"Go back to the shadows, where you have always been, nephew. Where you should have stayed. Where you belong." Bellatrix raised her wand. "I was saving this for Potter. But you most certainly deserve it more."
" Avada Kedavra!"
There was a flash of green light, and then…nothing.
Secondly, the inspiration for this chapter, and, rather, the whole story, comes from the song "My Immortal" by the band Evanescence. If you've never heard it, go listen…its phenomenal. As I was exercising one day, trying to come up with an end to In the Shadows, I heard this, and it became extremely clear, from the first line of this chapter, to the adventures of D/G before, and to the end of the story.
Finally, don't worry too much…Chapter 7 will be coming very shortly, I won't leave you hanging too long…
In the Shadows: A Tale of Silver and Gold (in seven parts)
Chapter VI: Shadow Bound
"EXPECTO…PATRONUM!"
Harry watched in amazement as a beautiful, silver dragon burst from the Entrance of Hogwarts, swooping towards Ginny and the group of Gryffindor students. Within moments, the handful of Dementors had been destroyed.
The dragon continued down the sloping hills to the gates; behind it, a burst of silver patroni shot from the doors, fanning out across the front lawns of the school, attacking the remaining Dementors and Lethifold and dismissing them to the sky. At their head, the massive dragon soared upward in a graceful arc, lighting the grounds below it before dissipating into the night.
In the lighted shadows beneath his Patronus, Draco Malfoy lowered his wand, a half-smile on his face, and marched down the stone steps. Behind him, a considerable group of Slytherins fanned out, scanning the grounds for more signs of the Dementors' army.
Harry glanced at Hermione, who shrugged and pulled herself to her feet. They moved towards the Slytherins, all of whom were following Malfoy to the fallen group of Gryffindors. Ron was already back on his feet, racing towards Ginny, who pushed herself upwards, trying to catch her breath.
Malfoy reached her first, extending out a hand. She took it gratefully, sending a nasty whisper through the crowd of Slytherins, and causing confusion amidst the group of Gryffindors. Ron's face grew dark, and he frowned—almost as deeply as Pansy Parkinson.
Malfoy glared at the crowd, and the Slytherins grew silent, though many were staring at Ginny hatefully. Millicent Bulstrode looked ready to hurl any number of curses at the first person who got in her way.
"What are you doing here?" asked Hermione weakly, staring over the group.
"What do you think?" snarled Theodore Nott, but his tone lacked any real derision. "We're here to save your sorry…"
"We don't need saving," spat Seamus, interrupting him. "Shouldn't you all be on the other side of the fence?"
"Hardly," replied Pansy, turning from Draco and Ginny. "Our purpose has never been to destroy the school. "
"Oh, really? Then what about that little episode with the Basilisk?"
"That was for the mudbloods, Granger, not all the students. An entirely different cause."
Ron's eyes narrowed dangerously. "What was that, Tolbert?"
"What took you so long?" interrupted Harry, stepping in front of him. The Gryffindors turned to him wide eyed—as did most of the Slytherins.
Malfoy broke off a piece of chocolate, handing it to Ginny. "We had to get organized. A few of us needed reminding about where our priorities lie." Some of the Slytherins looked at the ground. He glanced toward Ginny and lowered his voice, so much so Harry had a difficult time hearing him. "Sorry I took so long."
Ginny smiled. "I'm just glad you came," she returned quietly. Pansy snorted, her face twisted hatefully.
"ALL of you," Ginny said a bit more loudly, glancing about the group of them. A few of the Slytherins looked at her in surprise—as well as more than a few of the Gryffindors. Ron's mouth dropped open.
"Are we sure we haven't been attacked?" he squeaked. "Because this is about as close to my worst nightmare as we could ever get."
"We don't need to be praised by you, or anyone else," sniffed Blaise Zabini. "We didn't do this to save Gryffindor."
"Then what did bring you out here?" asked Hermione.
"Slytherin, of course" Malfoy replied. "Our loyalties lie with Salazar Slytherin and everything he's done—including creating this school. We won't let his noble work be destroyed by a person who doesn't understand that."
"I beg your pardon? Bellatrix Lestrange is a Death Eater," said Ron. "As far as I'm concerned, she's about as noble as he was."
"She doesn't represent Slytherin."
"She doesn't even represent the Dark Lord," said Blaise.
"Then…Voldemort really isn't behind this?" asked Harry.
Most of the Slytherins flinched; a few stared at him evilly. Malfoy crossed his arms. "No. The Dark Lord has nothing to do with this attack."
"This is all your aunt's doing, then, eh, Malfoy?" asked Ron snidely. Ginny frowned at him.
"Whether or not she is my aunt," Malfoy returned, glaring, "Doesn't mean we're not going to stop her if we can. Hogwarts comes first."
"Well said, Mr. Malfoy," replied a voice behind them.
Harry and the rest of the Gryffindors turned; Professor Dumbledore was walking towards them, glancing about the group of Slytherins with a smile. "Salazar Slytherin would be most impressed with this group. Even he ran away from his problems…you've come to face yours."
There were only a few mumbled 'thank yous' from the group, but, surprisingly, very few sneered.
"That was quite an impressive Patronus," Dumbledore continued. "You shall have to demonstrate it for us again in less strenuous circumstances."
"Yes, sir."
"A Liondragon—one of my favorites. Of course, the Patronus is only a shadow of the real thing, but if we were to have it colorized, I'm sure it would be a brilliant shade of red."
Malfoy's pale face flushed bright pink, as did Ginny's. Most of the Slytherins grumbled a little more audibly this time, Millicent crossing her arms, Pansy shooting the Headmaster an annoyed look. Ron had his back turned and was muttering something under his breath that gave Hermione cause to kick him.
Malfoy cleared his throat quickly and glanced about the grounds. "Everything seems in order now, sir."
"You have taken care of the immediate concern, Mr. Malfoy, but I fear this attack is far from being in order. Mr. Potter and the rest of the Houses were handling things rather well, but I do not believe we could have held out much longer without suffering extensive casualties."
"What might we do?"
"See to Professor Snape…I am certain he will need your help. You can find him on the far side of the castle. And be wary…I am certain that Bellatrix has a few more tricks up her sleeve."
"Of course, Headmaster," Malfoy replied. "We'll help in any way we can."
"You've already done more than your share," Dumbledore said, looking over the Slytherins once more. "You have saved many lives tonight, including your own. I am grateful that Slytherin's spirit resides still within the halls of Hogwarts."
The Slytherins were beaming at him now, even tiny Tracey Davis, who could usually be heard reviling Dumbledore's existence at least twice a day.
"I must go check on the other professors and students," he said, turning to leave. "Please decide amongst yourselves the proper manner in which to set up your defenses." And remember," his gaze fell to the Gryffindors, Harry, Hermione, and finally, Ron. "Today is about protecting Hogwarts, and the lives of students who reside there, nothing else."
"Yes, sir," the group chorused.
"We could have managed," Ron spat, once he was out of earshot. "We didn't need your help."
"Sure," said Avery. He motioned to the students scattered about the grounds, most of whom were on their knees, looking weak and tired. "Because you were doing so well before."
"You didn't see the first wave. They had more than one professor on their knees," said Hermione, looking slightly ruffled. "There were a group that came from the lake as well."
"That's where Snape still is," said Harry. "He might still need some additional assistance, they were a bit overwhelmed."
Malfoy nodded. "Then the Slytherins will assist him." He gestured with his head at Millicent. "Take the group behind the castle and see if Professor Snape needs any of our help. Tell him we've cleaned up the area near the gates for now."
"Right." Millicent motioned to the rest of the group, who trotted off behind her—after tossing a few more dirty looks at the Gryffindors.
Malfoy watched as they disappeared around the back side of the school. "Don't think this changes anything," he said, returning his gaze to Harry. "I still hate you."
"I hate you too," said Harry.
"Good. Then send up sparks if you need our help."
"Right. You do the same."
The remaining Gryffindors glanced back and forth between them, open mouthed.
"Come on," Harry said to them. "Professor Dumbledore might still need our assistance. If you're feeling weak, go inside the castle and try and regain your strength. I'm certain we'll need you again. Neville, can you help them?"
Neville nodded, handing Andrew Kirke a bit of chocolate. "Right."
The remaining Gryffindors began to move in the direction Professor Dumbledore had gone. Hermione and Ron turned to follow them, Ron pausing a moment to wait for Ginny. She stared at him blankly; Hermione sighed and grabbed him by the back of his robes, dragging him away.
"Keep in mind what I said before," said Harry.
"I already did," replied Malfoy in a bored tone. "I'm here, aren't I?"
"I suppose. Going to settle a few wizard's debts, are we?" asked Harry.
"Wizard's debt." Malfoy mumbled.
Ginny glanced from one to the other confusedly. Harry half-smiled. "Take care."
Malfoy sneered. "You know I will. Perhaps you should be more concerned about yourself. We can't have you fainting all over the place.."
"I haven't yet," said Harry, turning. "Just you worry about keeping up those happy thoughts. I know you don't have very many. Make the good ones count." He smirked, and trotted off down the slope to join the others.
Ginny watched Harry move off towards the gates, then turned to Malfoy, who was staring at Harry's retreating form with narrowed eyes. There was a slightly pink tint to his cheeks. After a moment he turned to her, his face softening.
"Are you alright?"
"I'm fine. A bit more chocolate, and I'll be myself again."
"Good," he replied, looking relieved.
"That was quite a Patronus. How did you manage it? Harry and the others told me you couldn't even muster the beginnings of one."
"I…it…it was a matter of mastering a few of the basics," he finally mumbled.
"Well, it was brilliant."
Draco smiled, genuinely, this time. "Thank you."
They stared at one another awkwardly for a moment.
"So…what do we do now?" Ginny asked.
"We try and save our school, I guess."
She glanced in the direction the Gryffindors had run. He followed her gaze. "You should go and join them."
"But…"
"They are who you belong with. Just like they," he motioned in the direction the Slytherins had disappeared, "are where I belong. Like you said before, we can't change that."
"Right," she said.
"But we can change enough," he added quickly. "I can see that now."
"You can?"
"Yes," he said quietly. "You helped me with that. You helped me with a lot of things. Not just for tonight…but…all of it. I finally understand, now."
"Understand?"
"How to care about something other than myself. How to love something other than myself."
Her eyes widened.
"I mean it, Ginny."
She was silent for a moment, her head spinning. There was an intensity in his eyes she's never seen before. And a sincerity. She released her breath. It felt as though a weight she'd been carrying—ever since that night in the Forbidden Forest—had suddenly disappeared. "I…I love you too."
A smile lit his face; he bent over, wrapping his arms around her. "Please, be careful. Please."
"I will. I promise," she whispered softly, pulling close to him.
A strangled yelp came from behind them, followed by the sounds of someone being thrown to the ground. Hermione's voice rose about the din. ("Honestly! Stop being such a git!")
"I guess I better go," he said, releasing her. "Don't do anything rash. I know you well enough by now…."
"Yes, you do. But so do I—no throwing yourself at any Dementors!"
"I won't." He clipped her lightly under the chin. "You're really something, Ginny Weasley. Do you know that?"
"I do now."
He started forward, towards the back side of the school.
"Draco?"
"Yes?" he turned, pausing.
"Is there any chance I can find out what your pleasant thought was?"
He smirked, his face once again flushing. "It…hasn't really happened yet. When…and if…it does, I'll let you know, I promise."
She watched his silver-blond head disappear around the corner.
Please…please don't let anything happen to him…
Draco reached the lakeshore, where the Slytherins were already making use of their patroni. It was as Potter and Granger had mentioned; there were many more Dementors in this area than in the front of the castle. The Hogsmeades' wizards who'd been tending to them looked worn and weary, but the reinforcement of Patroni had the oncoming Dementors falling by the dozens and fading into the night.
Professor Snape was bending over by the lakeside, allowing Millicent and Blaise Zabini to fend off a rather close group of Lethifold. He was drenched in sweat, his dark hair hanging limply by his face.
"Professor…"
The Potions Master turned. Draco was surprised to see that he looked tired…and weak. "Draco. I believe I told you and the other Slytherins to remain inside your dormitory."
"Yes sir," Draco said. "But it seemed that Potter had other ideas, and we couldn't let him upstage us this time."
The professor smiled slightly. "I suppose not. How are they fairing above?"
"Much better sir. Most of the Dementor army had been defeated before we arrived, but we took care of the rest. It seems they're nearly gone."
Professor Snape looked unconvinced. "And the Headmaster and the others?"
"There have been no casualties so far," said Draco slowly. "We helped prevent a few of the students from being attacked, however."
"And what, might I ask, brought you out here? It was certainly not a love of the others students—or was it?"
Draco shrugged casually, trying to remain nonchalant, as though his heart wasn't beating ten times its normal pace. Ginny's face flashed through his mind, smiling at him. "It was a…a desire to protect Hogwarts, sir. Whether we believe in all its precepts now is irrelevant. Without the school, we cannot be Slytherins."
"Quite right," said Snape, straightening. "More so than you can even begin to fathom."
Draco stared at him, puzzled.
"DRACO!" Pansy shrieked.
He turned to where she was pointing. Across the lake, emerging from the wooded path that lead to the train platform, was another line of Dementors. They wafted onto the roiling waters.
"Impossible," Snape whispered, watching the line with wide eyes. "There are more there than in the first wave. She can't have this many. Not even Azkaban itself has such a host. It is as though every Dementor in existence is attacking Hogwarts tonight."
"You don't know my aunt very well," Draco snarled. "Better safe than sorry."
"Should we send up sparks?" asked Tracey Davies.
Draco shook his head. "Not yet. We should be able to take care of these on our own." He raised his wand. "Millicent, Avery, Nott!"
The rest of the Slytherins turned to where he was pointing, and moved to the lakeshore, raising their wands. The Dementors drew closer; Draco waited, his wand pointed at the oncoming line. The air around them turned bitterly cold; a few of the Hogsmeade wizards backed away, their breaths coming in short, ragged gasps. Professor Snape stood strong among the others, but his face was set in a grimace, as though he was struggling to maintain his strength.
The Dementors were almost halfway across the lake, tucked into the shadows of the cliff side. Their proximity had some of the younger Slytherins shaking.
They emerged from beneath the overhang.
"NOW!" Draco roared. "EXPECTO PATRONUM!"
Draco's Dragon Patronus shot forward, speeding towards the line. The rest of the Patroni, including Millicent's scraggly looking cat and Pansy's two-tailed Crup, fanned out behind it, forming an army of silver creatures. They slammed into the wave of Dementors, the Dragon striking through the heart of the line, sending ten of the oncoming group into the sky. The rest of the Patroni dismissed the remainder; a few, including Draco's, circled back for two more attacks before fading into the night. The few creatures that lingered were quickly banished by the remaining adults.
Snape watched in amazement as the Slytherins lowered their wands, raising a cheer. He turned to Draco. "You managed a Patronus."
"Yes sir,"
"A rather powerful one as well, Draco. You must have quite an impressive thought."
"Y-yes, sir," Draco stuttered, blushing.
"Professor Snape, sir!" called a gruff voice. Hagrid emerged out of the darkness, holding a rather foppish looking pink umbrella. "Seems most o' the Dementors have moved off to the far side o' the castle. That last line o' them that came 'cross the lake, that was the last of them on the shoreside 'ccording to the wizards who're still in Hogsmeade."
Snape nodded. "We'll leave a guard here, then…I'll tell the other Hogsmeades wizards to maintain a watch and send up a signal should they need us." He turned to Draco. "Head up to the back of the castle. There are still Dementors attacking from near the Forbidden Forest and alongside the Quidditch Pitch. Are the front gates being defended?"
"Yes sir, Potter and his group are up there now with Dumbledore and a few of the other professors. That area was clear as per a moment ago."
Instead of looking relieved, the Potions Master grew perplexed. "Odd."
"Sir?"
"We should hurry. I am certain they will need our help."
Draco nodded, and motioned to the other Slytherins to make their way up the slope, towards the forest. Snape headed down the shore, towards a few of the remaining adults.
"'S nice dragon you got there as your Patronus, Malfoy," Hagrid said, moving up alongside him. "Chinese Fireball, I'd wager…twould be all red, if'd were in color. Weasley red."
Draco grimaced. "Does the entire bloody world know?"
"On'y those of us with eyes and a bit o' common sense."
"Don't you need to be speaking with the other wizards?"
Hagrid grinned beneath his grizzly beard. "I suppose so." He waved his flowery umbrella back at Draco, who rolled his eyes.
He better not think this means I have to be nice to him.
"Oh, and Malfoy…you don' hafta worry 'bout Grawpy no more. Unless o' course you decide you're gonna be mean ta Ginny, then ya might have a bit o' a problem…or if ya go sneakin' off into the Forbidden Forest again." Hagrid eyed him slyly. "On second thought ya might just stay outta the way fer the time bein'."
"Right. " Draco sneered at his retreating form.
"Draco?" Pansy trotted up to him.
"Come on…we're going up along the far side, to the Pitch."
Harry moved up alongside Professor Dumbledore, who was carefully scanning the gates. No more Dementors had emerged from the surrounding woodlands, but there was still a cold, clammy feeling and an unshakeable tinge of malaise hovering throughout the grounds.
"Do you think its almost over, Professor?"
Dumbledore responded without looking at him. "As I said to Mr. Malfoy, I sincerely doubt it, Harry. What concerns me is that Bellatrix's methods have been relatively conventional so far, and that is unlike her."
"She's always seemed conventional to me," replied Harry rather sharply. "She kills, uses the Cruciatus Curse, and supports the Dark Lord. Right on par for a Death Eater."
"Bellatrix is mad," said Dumbledore softly "Whereas other Death Eaters might pause to think of consequences, as they did in the Ministry of Magic almost a year ago, she will not. Be wary. With someone like her you cannot be sure what to expect."
A great roar rose from the lake; Harry and the other students turned, then raced over to the cliff side to gaze at the scene below them. A solid line of Dementors were floating across the waters, near the cliff's edge, wafting towards the gently sloping grounds. The Slytherins moved shoulder to shoulder alongside the Hogsmeade wizards, their wands raised. After a few more moments, when the line was clear of the cliffs, Draco Malfoy let loose a shout, and dozens of glittering Patroni burst from the wands of the students, speeding towards the onslaught. Within seconds, the group was destroyed.
Malfoy's immense dragon headed the attack, swooping around and heading back for two more turns before rising above the castle, lighting the grounds around them. Harry shook his head in wonder.
To think he could go from producing nothing to THAT…
"Love really is an incredible power, is it not?" said Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling, as he watched the Dragon fade into the night. On the side of the lake near the village, the stars were beginning to emerge.
"Yes. But…"
"What is it, Harry?"
"Do you really think it is possible?"
Dumbledore glanced over at him. "Anything is possible, Harry. I'm sure you've come to realize that."
"But…"
"Whatever the motivation may be, the emotions cannot be questioned. Don't try and justify it. There are few things we can have absolute trust of in this world, but the heart—coupled with our own intuition—is most certainly one of them."
Harry shook his head, gazing at where the Dragon had been. After seeing what he'd seen tonight, he supposed, anything was possible.
"Now," said Dumbledore, "How are all of your group fairing?"
The majority appeared unscathed, although Hermione was still trembling and Ginny looked extremely pale—save a slightly pink tint to her cheeks as she watched Malfoy turn from the lake.
"I'm fine," she said, color flooding her face as she caught him eyeing her. "I just need a bit more chocolate." She dug into her robes and pulled out some of what Malfoy had given her. Harry turned back to the Headmaster. "I think we're alright, Professor."
"The Slytherins seem to be doing rather well," noted Ron disgustedly. They were moving away from the lake now, to the far side of the Quidditch Pitch.
"I would expect no less," said Dumbledore, smiling. "Their strength lies in their strength, after all. Salazar Slytherin was most noted for his tenacity, and his power. His spells were almost always the most effective. You could ask for no better warrior."
Ron's face twisted into a grimace.
"But," continued the Headmaster, "he wasn't a leader. That was more suited for his friend, and later rival, Godric Gryffindor. In his case, he wasn't the most powerful, but he always had the courage to continue to fight, even until the very end. And that is what saved him. And what made him great.
"Of course, those traits are only generalities, and do not always adequately describe the Houses. There are particular members of each House, I am absolutely certain, that possess more than one of the other Houses' signature characteristics," he glanced from Harry, to Hermione, and to Ron as he said this. "We are a united school, after all. One does not graduate Slytherin or Gryffindor. One graduates Hogwarts. "
"I am rather glad the Slytherins remembered that," said Hermione.
He smiled at her.
Behind them, someone screamed.
Dumbledore and the rest whirled about; near the far corners of the gates, dark swirls were emerging through the bars, darting swiftly towards the gathered groups. The crowd split apart chaotically, students bumping into one another, knocking each other over and scrambling to get aside.
Professor Lynch was closest to the swarm; he raced forward, lifting his wand.
"EXPECTO—"
One of the girls, a Ravenclaw, stumbled.
The Lethifold hovered over her. Professor Lynch abandoned his spell and slid underneath it, shoving her out of the way.
"MATHIAS!" screamed Professor McGonagall. Dumbledore raised his wand, shouting, but Harry already knew it was too late.
The Shroud enfolded the teacher, wringing itself into a tight line, then unfolding. There was no trace of Professor Lynch left on the ground.
Hermione covered her eyes, burying her face in Ron's shoulder. He patted her softly, trying not to look sick. A few of the other students had to turn away. Dumbledore's Phoenix Patronus reached the Shroud, dissolving it and the rest of the swarm.
"Mathias…" sobbed Professor McGonagall, "oh, Albus…"
"Minerva…" said Dumbledore, glancing about. Most of the students wore horrified expressions. "Head up to the castle, please, and do a quick check of the area around it. Make sure you talk to Argus to see if any of the Dementor or the Lethifold have gotten inside. Then, set up a perimeter of defense. Tell him this attack is far from over. We've been fairly well prepared, but we want to be certain."
Professor McGonagall stared at him a moment, then looked to the students, seeming to notice for the first time that the majority of them were sobbing. She gathered herself as best she could. "Right. Of course, Albus."
"Take Professor Flitwick and Madam Sprout with you—they seem a little peaked. And a few of the students—only those who appear tired. Give them as much chocolate as you can. If they are weak, send them inside."
She nodded again, and hurried off.
"Harry, are you and the others alright?" he asked, turning to them.
Harry glanced around at the Gryffindors. Most of them were crying; those who weren't were pale-faced and trembling.
They've never seen a death before… "How…how horrible," Hermione cried softly. Harry placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. She turned to him. "How could you watch…how did you do it, Harry? With Cedric…or Sirius…"
"I wouldn't ask for it," he said. "But you sometimes you have no choice. You have to."
"You must," said Dumbledore. For the first time since Harry and the others had joined him, he looked weary. "It does no good to look away. Face your fears. You will have to eventually…even if we triumph tonight."
Harry frowned. I've survived these kinds of dangers. Most of the others haven't even dreamed of something like this. I'd forgotten about that.
Hermione sniffled. "I just want this to be over."
"So do I."
The air around them had become quite still. The stars were beginning to brighten down the twisting path to Hogsmeade. Across the lake, the moon had returned, lighting the far sides of the grounds near the cliff face. There was a tinge of warmth to the breeze that blew across their faces.
"Its over," said Ron. "You can't feel the cold anymore."
Harry frowned. "I don't like this."
Professor Dumbledore paused, his head tilted, as though listening to the wind.
Hermione shook her head, wiping her face with the back of her hand. "It would be unlike Bellatrix to give up so quickly." Harry nodded, the grip on his wand tightening.
"Do you think she's planning something, Professor?" he asked.
"How could she?" asked Ron. "Her army's been defeated."
Dumbledore remained silent a moment longer, glancing once more towards the gates, then turned to them. "Don't be so hasty, Mr. Weasley. What we've seen tonight has been part of a rather brilliant strategy. First, she separated the Professors by sending attacks from two different locations. The Dementors across the lake took longer, allowing those of us at the gates to defeat our enemies before the others had a chance to take on theirs. And yet they could not abandon their positions to help us; however, we have had every opportunity to assist them once our task was complete.
"The second wave was confined to the lake, which, if the students had not been here—particularly the Slytherins…"
Ron grimaced and mumbled something rather harshly under his breath.
"Particularly the Slytherins," continued to Dumbledore, eyeing him and causing him to go red, "we would most certainly have gone to the lake in an effort to defeat them. Leaving the front gates unprotected. "
"Which means," Harry finished, "she's going to attack again…in a way that would allow her to get inside the castle swiftly."
"Bella's intent has been to destroy the castle from the start," said Dumbledore sadly. "Every speck of every stone. It would not matter to her how much of her army was sacrificed. And with the size and intricacy of the castle corridors, it would be impossible for us to stop them, if even a few Dementors got inside. Our defenses had to be focused out here…only a few were left to defend the inside of the school."
"But things haven't gone the way she's planned," said Ginny. "Why won't she just give up now? Her plan has failed!"
"Until there are no more Dementors or Lethifold left," said Dumbledore, "she has not failed. Any attempt to get to me, Harry, or any of you will not be considered a failure. And she has already succeeded in one aspect. She has taken a life tonight."
The Gryffindors lowered their heads; Hermione looked on the verge of tears.
"Professor Dumbledore?" Neville was marching towards them, along with the remainder of the Gryffindors. Luna Lovegood and her band of Ravenclaws were with them.
"The cliff face on the far side of the castle is clear of Dementors, Professor," she said, tucking her wand behind her ear. "And I believe they have been pushed back on the far side." She glanced at their somber faces. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing to concern yourself about right now, Miss Lovegood. That is excellent news. Thank you all. Now, if you would gather a few of your stronger members—only those who can handle a Patronus with ease—to remain behind with us; the rest of you may follow Miss Patil and join Professor McGonagall around the outside of the castle. Not one Dementor is to get past you, is that understood?"
"Yes, sir," replied Padma, looking tired. Her usually perfect plait was slightly unkempt.
Luna plucked her wand from her hair. She motioned for a few of the more energetic looking Ravenclaw students to come join her, then turned. "Most of the Ravenclaws can perform Patroni efficiently, sir, but I think that these few been less affected than most. Of course, they might also be long lost members of the Carpathian Stonewall League…"
"Right-o," replied Terry Boot, raising his wand.
"The what? " cried Hermione, still sniffling. "I've never heard of that."
"The Carpathian Stonewall League," said Professor Dumbledore pleasantly. "They were a family of farmers in lower Carpathia who learned to countereffect the Dementors' power—there were rather a few of them running about in lower Carpathia—and from hence, their descendents have a natural ability to withstand the Dementors' attacks. Of course, they are few and far between now. And since they were relatively misunderstood, there was little use in making mention of them in history books."
Hermione was staring at him openmouthed. Harry raised an eyebrow. Dumbledore, despite having stood at the head of the line of professors, didn't appear weary at all. At least, not wearied from battling Dementors.
"In any case, we shall need a large group to patrol the front side of the castle. Keep watch to the gates, and send out a signal, should you need it, immediately."
Harry, Luna, and the rest nodded.
"And be prepared," he said authoritatively, "for anything. "
Draco turned past the far side of the Pitch, keeping a watchful eye out for moving shapes. They had already come upon three misguided Lethifold, and had it not been for the strength of their numbers, more than one student would have been killed.
"The Pitch seems clear," said Crabbe, trotting over to him. The hill on which Hogwarts stood overshadowed the stadium on its left side; on its right, there was a good forty feet to the start of the Forbidden Forest.
"What about the back side of the castle?"
"There haven't been any more Dementors spotted across the lake," Crabbe grunted. "If they're coming, they're coming from the North side, near the gates."
Overhead, the stars were starting to appear. A warm breeze was blowing across the lakeshore, and the moon had re-emerged over Hogsmeade, casting eerie shadows across the face of the castle and the Pitch.
"Is it over?" whispered Pansy, joining them.
Draco shook his head. "I don't know."
"Keep your guard up," said Professor Snape, moving towards them. "This is altogether unusual. Lestrange has employed quite a mass of Dementors…I do not believe that she would be so easily deterred by a few simple setbacks."
"Maybe she's realized we're too powerful," said Pansy.
"No," said Draco forcefully. "She's lost her ability to reason. All she cares about is destroying Hogwarts, and she'll do that any way she can."
"I am going to see how the Headmaster is fairing," Snape said. "Keep an eye out here; Hagrid and the other wizards are still patrolling the lakeshore, you can call them if you need them."
He started up the sloping grounds towards the gates.
"We'll check the back side of the Pitch once more," said Crabbe, motioning to Goyle and a few of the others.
Pansy watched as they disappeared into the darkness. Draco scanned the forest, feeling slightly uncomfortable.
None of this seems right…
"Was all of it a lie?" Pansy asked suddenly.
"What?" Draco said, almost dropping his wand. "What do you mean?"
"The Yule Ball, classes…all those years sitting together in the Dining Hall…was it all a lie?"
Draco looked at her anxiously. "Pansy, I hardly think this is the time…"
"Was it?! "
"No…not exactly! It just…felt right at the time…"
She crossed her arms. "And now?"
"Its not the same, anymore," Draco said, staring her in the face. "Things have changed."
"And what are you going to do, Draco? Become buddies with her brothers? Are you going to spend holidays at the Weasley shack? Will you wear the Weasley sweater? Or better yet, you can take her and her family to visit Malfoy Manor on summer break. Your mother would love that."
"I don't know how it will work," he snarled. "But it feels right—it IS right. And whatever I, or my parents, or her family, might think of it…"
"You'll find a way," taunted Pansy in a simpering voice. "It'll work out for the best, because its love."
"I can't apologize or make excuses for it, Pansy. I won't."
"Are you going to give up everything you believe, then? You can't hate the mudbloods, or the Weasleys, and be with her too."
"We will deal with that when the time comes," he said softly. "I cannot change who I am overnight, and neither can she. But I have faith…"
"Bad faith."
He narrowed his eyes. "Whatever we might believe, the Slytherins, despite this whole mess, are out here tonight. That means we are capable of doing greater things than taunting people and hurting mudbloods. If none of the rest of this makes sense, than at least remember that."
"That still doesn't justify your…" From somewhere above them, a sharp, high pitched shriek filled the air, followed by dozens of shouts and more screams.
A bitterly cold wind burst through the trees of the Forbidden Forest, nearly knocking Draco and Pansy off their feet.
Draco raised his hand to his face, watching in horror as the shadows within the forest began to move, slithering out beneath the treetops and floating onto the lawns in a silent, eerie march.
Scores of Dementors and Lethifold were emerging onto the grasses of the school.
"SLYTHERINS!"
The students came forward from behind the pitch and beyond the back side of the castle, staring in amazement at the throngs of creatures wafting out of the forest.
"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" Draco cried. His Dragon soared forward, attacking the creatures as they slowly floated down towards the field. The line of Slytherins released their patroni; dozens of silver shadows whisked the Dementors away.
High above them, red and gold sparks flew to the heavens. There was a mass of chaotic screaming and the sounds of hundreds of footfalls thundering across the ground.
Ginny…
"DRACO!" shouted Millicent above the din. More and more Dementors were emerging. "The castle!"
A shower of green and silver sparks arced from the North side, over the slopes.
"Snape needs us," Draco murmured. "Fall back!"
"We can't just leave this!" screeched Pansy. "If they get past us, they can get inside!"
"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"
A large hippogriff galloped across the lawns, slamming into the Dementors and Lethifold head on.
"Go on!" yelled Hagrid, as the Hogsmeade wizards made their way across the grounds. He was guiding the hippogriff with his flowery umbrella. "Ta lake's all clear, there are a few watchin' it, we can handle the rest o'er here! Dumbledore needs yer help, they're getting' hit hard on the far side!"
Draco nodded. "Half of you remain here and make sure they don't get past you! Those of you who feel strong enough, come with me!"
He started up the steeply sloping ground, followed by Millicent, Pansy, Nott, Crabbe, Goyle, and a few others. Clawing at the ground, he pulled himself up as fast as he could, trying to drown out the screams of the nearby students, and praying it wasn't too late.
The grounds near the forest were eerily quiet. Ginny scanned the tree line once more.
Harry was nearby, watching the trees intently, his wand raised and ready. It was easy to see why Dumbledore had so much faith in him. He hadn't let down his guard once the whole evening, and he'd faced every onslaught with a courage Ginny could only ever hope to muster.
Hermione was beside him; she whispered something to him and he tilted his head to listen, his eyes never leaving the edge of the forest.
"Ginny?"
Ron moved over to her, looking slightly concerned. "Are you feeling alright?"
She nodded, smiling. "I'm fine. Much better now."
He looked unconvinced, but didn't say anything.
"Harry really is meant to do this, isn't he? I mean, lead the fight?"
Ron followed her gaze, frowning slightly as Harry smiled at whatever Hermione had made mention of. "Yeah, I guess so. I just hope he doesn't go too far."
"Too far?"
"He's determined to see Voldemort destroyed. Whatever the cost. And you can't beat Harry for determination."
Dumbledore's words whirled about in her mind. There are particular members of each House, I am absolutely certain, that possess more than one of the other Houses' signature characteristics…
Her eyes drifted over to the area near the Pitch, just hidden beneath the sloping grounds. Her heart skipped a beat.
I mean it, Ginny…
Ron's face twisted. "I…I'm sure he's f-fine…" he garbled.
She smiled softly. "You don't have to pretend you're concerned, Ron. I'll understand."
"I'm concerned," he said defensively, "just…not about Malfoy. I want to make sure you're going to be alright."
"I'll be fine. We'll find a way to work this out. All of us."
Ron frowned. "Malfoy. Mum an Dad are gonna love this. Not to mention what Fred and George are going to do. You'll be lucky if he survives getting through the door."
She glared at him.
Professor Snape trotted up the hill, appearing a bit more sallow than he normally was. He moved slowly towards the Headmaster.
"Severus," said Dumbledore, as Ginny, Ron, Harry and Hermione moved towards him. "Are you feeling alright?"
"I will be quite alright, sir," Snape said. "I wanted to see how everything was."
"For now, everything is quiet," Dumbledore said, gazing about the trees. "For now. What about below us?"
"We managed to eliminate the threat from the lake, and the rest of the wizards—and students—are scouting out the areas around the pitch. I believe we've taken care of them."
"That is good news. You haven't suffered any casualties?"
"No, sir. And you?"
"Just one."
Snape's eyes widened. "Who?"
"I'm afraid we've lost Mathias, Severus."
"I…I'm sorry, Headmaster," Snape replied, looking genuinely sad. Ginny was surprised, considering how often he'd dismissed Professor Lynch's Dark Arts teachings.
"Can you spare a few of your students, Severus? I am afraid we might need them here."
"Of course."
He turned back towards the hill, and paused. A slight rustle was coming from within the depths of the forest. Ginny, Harry, Hermione, and Ron turned.
A incredible blast of bitter air surged through the grounds, knocking half the students off their feet.
Dumbledore immediately raced to the line of patrolling professors, his wand raised. There was no hint of amusement or complacency in his face. The look he wore was more terrifying than Ginny had ever seen.
"FALL BACK!" he shouted.
The students and teachers scrambled to get behind him, pulling themselves off the ground.
A swarm of dark shadows shot from the trees.
"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" shouted Harry. His stag darted forward, racing to catch the Lethifold as they swam towards the panicking students.
Ron, Hermione, and Luna followed suit, their own patroni racing to meet the dangerously swift Living Shrouds as they sped towards the castle.
"Ginny!" Ron cried. He was being shoved aside by a mass of students. "GINNY!"
Ginny turned. Behind her, the trees themselves seemed to be moving beyond their borders.
Someone shrieked.
A wave of Dementors emerged into the moonlit scene, surging forward. Ginny felt the familiar cold wash through her, heard once more the sultry voice of Tom Riddle playing through her mind, as she had earlier this evening…
You are mine…you belong to me…
She fell to her knees.
"GINNY!"
"Expecto Patronum. " A strong pair of arms was pulling her to her feet. She glanced up, catching a mass of bushy hair and a glimmering silver Prefects badge.
"Come on," Hermione cried, yanking her hand. "This way!"
Some of the Professors who'd gone into the castle earlier were running towards them, wands raised, releasing Patroni. Hermione's silver otter danced its way through a few more Living Shrouds and dissipated.
"PROFESSOR!" Harry shouted over the din. "We need more help!"
Dumbledore, fighting furiously on the front lines, nodded.
"NEVILLE!" Harry cried, aiming his Patronus at the oncoming Dementors.
Neville nodded, and raised his wand. "Relashio! " A flurry of red and gold sparks showered the grounds.
Snape was somewhere near the slope side. "They're coming from below us as well!"
"How many, Severus?" cried Professor McGonagall, coming to join him.
"I'm not certain!" he shouted. "Too many to count!"
"We need them up here! The castle!"
Ginny turned. A small, but solid, group of Lethifold were heading for the front doors. "Expecto Patronum!"
Her glittering fox danced forward, towards the Living Shrouds. A few whipped to the sky; Ron moved up beside her, aiming his own Patronus behind hers, taking care of the rest.
"LOOK!" someone screamed.
From the far side, on the opposite ends of the gates, more Dementors were emerging from the path to Hogsmeade.
"MOVE!" cried Harry. Luna motioned for the Ravenclaws to start forward. From their position near the face of the cliffs, the Hufflepuffs emerged, heading for the throng of creatures.
"LUNA!" Neville shrieked.
She turned; a Dementor was hovering over her.
"Expecto Patronum!" she managed, her loon crashing into the creature. She tumbled to the ground. Neville ran towards her, fighting off more of the Dementors with his toad. He grasped her arm, pulling her to her feet, and headed towards the castle.
The Hufflepuffs were releasing their patroni in a frenzy of hurried attacks.
"HARRY!"
Ginny turned; there were more Dementors slithering past the gates, heading swiftly for the Entrance doors. Harry whirled about, guiding his stag around. "Expecto Patronum! "
The animal crashed into the Dementors, whipping them to the sky. Harry turned back, looking frantically about.
All around her, the students were starting to panic, unable to hold off the massive swarms of Dementors and Lethifold that kept emerging from the trees. Harry, Hermione and Ron were drenched in sweat, darting about here and there, trying to prevent Dementors from breaking through the front lines.
Professor Snape fell to his knees. Ginny turned around as a group of Lethifold moved towards him. "Expecto Patronum! "
Her Patronus tore through the Living Shrouds. Snape glanced over at her.
"Thank you, Miss Weasley." He stood slowly, ignoring her extended hand, and raised his wand. "Relashio. " A flurry of silver and green sparks shot from it. "I believe we could use Mr. Malfoy's help."
A shadow of a smile flitted across her face. "Yes, sir."
In front of her, the grounds were a mass of chaotic students and swarming creatures. Dumbledore was battling with them furiously, the other professors trying their best to maintain position as the crowd of creatures surged forward. On the far side, a few of the Hufflepuffs were crying—some were on their knees.
"Come along, Miss Weasley," the Potions Master said. "We cannot allow them inside the castle."
She nodded, and rushed after him, into the fray.
Harry swerved around, directing his stag towards the fallen Hufflepuffs. Ernie Macmillan and many of the others were still on their feet, but a few of their numbers were missing—and more than one Dementor had pushed through their group.
Please…don't let it have been too many…
A swarm of silver and green sparks showered overhead; Snape was signaling the Slytherins.
"HARRY!" Hermione shouted from the far side. "THE CASTLE!"
He turned to where she was pointing. Some of the Dementors had broken free of Professor Dumbledore's assault, and were heading towards a rather determined looking Padma and her small group of weary Ravenclaws.
Harry mustered up his energy, and raced towards them. "Expecto Patronum! '
The stag shimmered forth once more, heading for the group. It couldn't take out as many as before, but still managed to cut a hefty swath through the creatures.
Padma and the rest of the Ravenclaws dismissed the rest.
More students were running than fighting, now. Ginny stood alongside Professor Snape, her Patronus taking out the now thinning lines of Lethifold that floated on the outskirts of the grounds.
Dumbledore and the Professors had cut back the number of Dementors significantly, but more were still coming. He watched as Professor McGonagall bent over, trying to catch her breath.
"There are too many," Hermione panted, coming up alongside him. "We'll never be able to stop them all."
A group floated down the path towards them. A large gathering…and for some reason, it was strange…the leading Dementor…
For the first time that evening, Harry felt that familiar chill…he heard the voices of his parents…of Cedric screaming…saw Hermione collapsing…saw Sirius…falling through the veil…
Sirius…
"EXPECTO PATRONUM! "
Other voices echoed the first.
"Harry! HARRY!"
Hermione was shouting at him. He opened his eyes.
"He's getting tired," Ron said. He and Ginny were bending over him; Hermione was on her knees, panting.
"What happened?"
"There were…more than I could count…" said Hermione, breathing heavily. Her face was terribly pale. "Ron, Neville and Ginny took care of most of them, but the rest scattered…and you…you…
"You're trying to do too much, Harry. You need to rest," said Ginny.
Ron fished in his pocket, pulling out some half-melted chocolate. "Eat this."
"I'm fine," he said, sitting up.
"You're not fine," Hermione said shakily.
Ron extended his hand. "Eat the chocolate."
Harry frowned, but took the chocolate and stuffed it in his mouth. Immediately, he felt better. The familiar warmth spread through him, and the voices began to fade from his mind. Ron handed another handful to Hermione, who took it gratefully.
He glanced around once more. Half of the students were on their knees, but the Dementors were no longer in formation; the majority were spread out, like they had been after the first attack.
But more than a few were drawing dangerously close to Hogwarts.
"The school…"
Dumbledore and his group were pinioned to the edges of the forest, fighting the creatures that were still coming. Harry rose to his feet. Padma Patil had her beautiful peacock attacking an oncoming group of creatures, but even she, along with the rest of the students gathered behind her, were beginning to falter.
"Come on," he said.
Professor McGonagall glanced behind her helplessly, trying to find a way to back out towards the castle doors. Harry and the others started to run towards the Ravenclaws, but the Hufflepuffs were shouting from the far end of the grounds. More Dementors were slicing through their lines, and many of the students were retreating, trying to move out of the way.
"Harry!" Ernie Macmillan cried.
Harry called forth his Patronus, giving the Hufflepuffs a chance to escape. He bent over, trying to catch his breath.
Padma screamed.
Lethifold were swarming near the front doors. The Ravenclaws had dodged out of the way, many of them trying to avoid the grasp of the Shrouds, which bolted after them mercilessly.
Hermione turned her head; Ginny was watching with horrified eyes.
"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"
The gigantic dragon Patronus surged forward, annihilating the Lethifold, then turned the corner, towards the retreating Hufflepuffs.
Malfoy's silver-blond head emerged over the top of the ridge, followed by more than a dozen of the Slytherins. They aimed their patroni at the edges of the Forest, cutting large swaths through the thinning groups of Dementors.
Ginny shrieked in excitement, clutching at Ron's arm, who, surprisingly, looked rather relieved.
"Malfoy!" Harry shouted. "THE DOORS!"
Malfoy turned to him, one eyebrow raised, but moved towards the doors quickly. Padma and her group made way for them, retreating into the Entrance hall. The rest of the Slytherins hurried over to Professor Snape, setting their Patronus spells to work on the remaining Dementors.
Harry, Hermione and the rest moved over to where the Hufflepuffs were still pulling back, mustering their Patroni with a surge of energy. The appearance of the Slytherins seemed to have revived many of the students; most were turning back to face the creatures head on.
"Who would ever have thought?" murmured Hermione.
"I did," said Ginny cheerfully, using her Patronus to banish a few more Dementors.
"I suppose you did," Hermione replied with a small smile.
The Dementors were growing exceedingly thin, thanks to the revived Patroni of the Slytherins. Many of the Professors seemed to be growing stronger; Harry caught sight of a few he hadn't noticed before coming up the ridge. Professor Sinistra looked weary but triumphant.
"The lakeshore is clear," he said to Dumbledore, who had moved within their earshot. "We received a signal from the wizards in Hogsmeade…no more Dementors…and the path outside the village is useable again. They've sent off posts to the Ministry."
"Excellent," murmured the Headmaster. "It seems the owls have returned as well."
Harry glanced up. Shadowed dimly by the light of the moon, pecks of owls were descending towards the school, each laden with packages and letters.
Hermione clapped her hands in delight. "The spells have been re-altered."
"The Ministry wizards will be arriving soon."
Ron turned to them, his eyes widening. "Then it really is almost over."
The doors to the school flung open. A young Slytherin with dark brown braids flew out, racing towards Draco and the students nearest the entrance.
She pulled at his robes. "You won't believe…you won't…"
An enormous explosion rocked the grounds; Harry tumbled to the ground, along with most of the other students. Overhead, the Hogwarts gates were flying through the air, arcing over the school and crashing somewhere on its opposite side.
A huge throng of Dementors rushed up the path. In front of them, the grasses on the front lawns burst into flames.
The students screamed, scrambling out of their way. Harry jumped to his feet, aiming his wand at the crowd.
Dozens of voices cried out with him.
"EXPECTO PATRONUM!!! "
The glittering Patroni launched towards the group; smashing into it simultaneously. Most of the Dementors faltered, their dim forms propelled upwards into the sky. A few remained at the head, dashing towards the front Entrance, where Malfoy and his small group of Slytherins waited confidently.
Harry joined the others as they tried to extinguish the fires that were quickly spreading about the grounds. Dumbledore's powerful voice could be heard above the din; he was trying to make his way towards the doors. There was a look on his face Harry had only seen one other time—when he burst into the Ministry corridors to face the Death Eaters. He glanced over at the Dementors hurrying towards Malfoy.
Only a few of them remained; the other Slytherins were wiping them out—Padma and her group were smiling just beyond the doors—the students were cheering—
Malfoy raised his wand. "Expecto Patronum. "
His dragon shot towards the Dementor at the head of the pack—and dissolved.
The other Dementors had been banished. The Professors had started to raise a cheer, the other Slytherins had moved forward to help them with the few creatures scattered randomly about the grounds. No one else noticed the lone Dementor facing Malfoy—
Harry watched in confusion. Why…
A burst of green light enveloped Malfoy, he fell to his knees, his face contorted, his body twisted at a horrid angle…
The Dementor was removing its hood…
Malfoy collapsed to the ground.
Dumbledore was racing towards him, wand raised.
Malfoy screamed as another spell hit him, his body arcing upward. Silence settled on the crowd as the students whipped about, trying to see what was going on.
"DRACO!" Ginny shrieked.
How was a Dementor… Harry stared beyond the folds of the hood.
There was a FACE.
"Bloody Hell…" Harry cried, and mustering all of his remaining energy, raced towards the doors.
"Expecto Patronum!" Draco shouted, his large silvery dragon bursting from his wand tip. It flew straight at the Dementor.
And disappeared.
Draco started; the Dementor had simply waved its hand, and his Patronus had dissolved into nothing.
Impossible…
The Dementor pointed its long finger at Draco…the hood shifted, as though it were trying to speak.
Not a finger…a wand…
There was a burst of green and silver light.
A pain unlike anything Draco had ever felt before coursed through his body; he was dimly aware of falling to the ground, his head bending down at an odd angle to touch his back…his eyes were opened as wide as they could go, the stars above him blurring into thick foggy swirls…
There was a release, and he collapsed upon the ground, breathing heavily and drenched in sweat. Every single part of his body ached. He gathered the strength to lift his head, waves of sharp, piercing pain shuddering through him.
The Dementor hovered above, its wand pointed towards him.
"Traitor…"
The creature raised a hand to its hood, pushing back the cowl. Bellatrix Lestrange peered out beneath the folds, her face twisted in dark, menacing hatred. Around her, her Dementor army was disappearing into the night, and by the gates, the Professors were starting to raise a cheer.
"This was your fault, Draco," she spat, her wand pointed at his face. "Kreacher watched you sneak past my rooms…watched as you listened to our conversation. You informed Dumbledore of my coming. You helped protect the school. YOU-ARE-A- TRAITOR! CRUCIO!"
Draco shrieked as another wave of pain flashed through him, his body twisting behind him. There was a sound around him…a high pitched shriek which consumed everything, drowning out the sounds of the battles, even the sounds of the students hollering their victory… It took him a few moments before he realized he was making the sound himself. He saw, felt, heard nothing but the pain, and his own screaming, and prayed that it would soon be over.
He collapsed into a heap at her feet. She wore no smiles, no grimace of satisfaction, even at bringing him to his knees. "You are unworthy of the name of Black, of the name of Malfoy. What honor do you bring your father now? You have defied him in every manner possible. You dishonor the Dark Lord far more than Potter ever could! You are unworthy, Draco. Unworthy to live."
Behind her, a smatter of students had turned towards the shrieking, including Potter and his group of Gryffindors. Harry, his eyes wide behind his round glasses, began to race swiftly towards them.
Ginny was just behind him, her face contorted in horror as she caught sight of Bellatrix. The sounds around him were jumbled, but he saw her face contract; saw her mouth his name. She started towards them as well, behind Potter.
Don't come…she'll kill you…
There was a fire in Bellatrix's eyes—a wild, cold fire, one that could not sense or see anything of reason. "You will not dishonor the Dark Lord or his purpose any further. Your father will not be shamed by the sight of you ever again."
Potter had almost reached them. He had his wand raised, he was mouthing a spell. A surge of gold and red light burst from his wand, flitting away into the night sky, repelled by the same charm she had used to banish his Patronus.…a shield spell? thought Draco confusedly.
Potter continued to run towards them, shouting at Bellatrix…Ginny was on his heels, calling out Draco's name…From somewhere behind him, he heard a deep, threatening voice, a frightening voice…Dumbledore was near. But somehow, he knew it would be too late. They were all too late.
"Go back to the shadows, where you have always been, nephew. Where you should have stayed. Where you belong." Bellatrix raised her wand. "I was saving this for Potter. But you most certainly deserve it more."
" Avada Kedavra!"
There was a flash of green light, and then…nothing.