Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, except the one I created myself. All others belong to J. K. Rowling and Warner Brothers. I have only borrowed them for my amusement and hopefully yours as well.
Chapter 54
Time had never gone by so slowly - each minute seemed like an hour; each hour seemed like a day. No one spoke much; there was nothing to be said. The only thing that they could do was wait, and that they did.
Dobby had attempted to get everyone to eat but his efforts were futile. Food was the last thing on their minds. Even Ron refused the plate Dobby had prepared for him. He made sure that the teapot was always full, tea being the only thing anyone in Dumbledore's office took.
Suddenly, Severus was on the floor writhing in pain, clutching his forearm. He felt as if he had been set on fire.
"Severus, what's wrong? What's happening to you?" asked Albus, bending over Snape. He could not answer. The only sounds from his lips were screams of agony.
Minerva went to Ron and Hermione and gathered them to her bosom saying, "There, there, don't look. It will be over soon." She shielded their eyes from the horrific sight before them. She herself closed her eyes, not wanting to see her dear friend suffer so horribly.
As quickly as it had begun, it ended. Severus stopped screaming and lay panting, exhausted on the floor. Everyone gathered round, hoping that he was unharmed by whatever had just occurred. He rested briefly and then struggled to rise. Ron knelt beside his Potions Master and helped him sit up. He kept his hand on Severus' shoulder for extra support.
"Are you all right, my boy?" asked Albus.
Severus nodded. They waited for him to speak. Without saying a word, he began to roll up the sleeve on his left arm. The four friends looked to one another, their eyes questioning his actions.
Severus gasped and extended his arm, "Look, Albus. It is gone. The Dark Mark is no more!"
Albus took the arm and inspected it closely. The skin was unblemished, no trace of the tattoo to be found.
"This can only mean one thing," whispered Albus.
"Yes," replied Severus. "It's Voldemort. He is DEAD!"
Dumbledore continued, "Harry has met his destiny. He has triumphed. This is a day that will be remembered for time immemorial."
Minerva added, "Thank Merlin!"
"Severus, what about Jolicia? Can you feel her?" asked Albus.
"No. It has not changed. She is still not there," said Severus. It should have been a moment of celebration - his freedom from the enslavement of Voldemort. He could not rejoice; his beloved wife was still missing.
…..
Draco returned to his friends. He did not have good news to report.
"The house is empty. Everyone must have fled in fear once they realized what had happened," said Draco.
Harry replied, "That's good isn't it? At least we don't have to worry about being attacked."
"That is good but it leaves us with a bigger problem." Harry and Jo looked at Draco inquisitively.
"We can't get out of the house. The wards are still in place and without knowing the proper incantations to make them drop, we have no way of getting out of this house. We're trapped."
"Are you sure Draco?" asked Jo.
"Yes. I've tried every possible exit and they are all blocked. I used every spell I know but nothing worked. The house is sealed."
Another contraction took hold and Jolicia said through her pain, "I d-don't …ow…want my children born here. Ooo, Merlin it hurts! We have to get out of here." She began panting, trying to ease the grip it had on her.
Harry had an idea. "Draco, your father must know how to get out. Maybe we should unpetrify him."
"I don't think we have much choice. I'll bring him over."
Draco floated the statue-like form of his father to the middle of the room and set him upright.
"Just to be safe," said Draco. Ropes sprang from the tip of his wand and wound them selves tightly around Lucius. "Finite Incantatum."
Lucius' body resumed its usual state. He stood there with his eyes closed assessing the situation. He was bound and could not move. Something was wrong! Something was missing! He slowly opened his eyes and saw Draco standing before him, his wand outstretched.
"Draco, what's the meaning of this? What has happened?"
"Voldemort is dead. Harry killed him."
"I see. With your help, no doubt?" he said sarcastically.
"Yes. I couldn't let you go on. I couldn't stand by and watch what you were going to do to Jolicia and to Harry. You had to be stopped; he had to be stopped."
Lucius was furious. He strained at his bindings. He had been betrayed by his own son!
"You don't realize what you have done. The Dark Lord was our salvation. What is to become of us purebloods now that he has been destroyed? How could you do this? I didn't bring you up to associate with these Mudbloods; I brought you up to know better, Draco. You must be under a spell; that can be the only explanation." Lucius was trying desperately to make some sense of what had happened.
"No Father. I have done this of my own free will. Do you hear me? My will, not yours or anyone else's. For so many years I couldn't wait to follow in your footsteps, but I have found that it is the last thing I want. I have chosen a different path for myself."
Lucius stared cruelly at Draco and then spat in his face saying, "From this day forward, I have no son."
Draco very calmly wiped his cheek on his sleeve and said, "So be it. Remember, this is your decision, not mine." Draco raised his wand and Harry joined in. "We need to get out of this house. You will tell us how, now."
Lucius looked first at Draco and then at Harry and began to laugh. "Surely you jest? I would rather die than tell you how to get out of here! Nothing will make me talk. It will be the last service that I give to my Lord - letting you all rot here!"
Draco began to curse his father but Harry held him back, saying, "Don't Draco. It's not worth it. He'll not talk." Draco agreed and petrified his father once more.
Jolicia cried out in pain. Her labor was progressing very quickly, the time between contractions growing ever shorter. Harry knelt beside her to try to be of some comfort.
"It looks like you've got no choice Jo. I don't think we're going to be able to get out of here on time, so you're stuck with Draco and me. I hope you know what to do because we sure as hell don't!"
He was trying to lighten her mood which was a daunting task when you figure that she was about to give birth, trapped in the former hideout of Lord Voldemort with only a couple of teenage boys to assist! Not exactly an ideal situation!
"I know what to do; I just hope I can remember when the time comes. I'm sorry you boys are going to have to do this, but I can't think of anyone I'd rather have with me in a crisis than you two. I'm in good hands." Jo smiled at them. "I have one request – can we get out of this room?"
Draco said, "There is a room down the hall that has a bed. Would that suit? Yes? I'll go fix it up then."
"Scourgify!" he cried. When the room was cleaned to his satisfaction, he went back and helped Harry bring Jo to the bed. The soft mattress was a great improvement over the cold hard floor where she had spent the last few hours. The three settled in and tried to prepare themselves for yet another ordeal to come.