Hurrah, for I am now updating on a semi-regular basis. Thanks for the reviews; you guys rock. And I promise: more is going to happen in this chapter.
St. Brutus's Program for Incurably Homosexual Boys...
by AnonymousBystander
Chapter Eleven - Midnight
Lucius Malfoy stood behind a large, mangled tree at the edge of the Forbidden Forest on the Hogwarts grounds, looking up at the dark castle that stood like a menacing shadow, striking into the horizon. It had been a difficult journey, walking through the heart of the forest particularly, but he knew that this was the only way he'd be able to get onto the grounds undetected, especially because Apparating was not an option. He knew that the most difficult part of this operation was yet to come, but he also knew that it was vital that this task was completed; he had to talk to his son. He had to know why Draco was here, of all places, and why he was there with Dumbledore, Potter, and the Mudblood.
One other thing that Lucius Malfoy knew was that he had to be careful. Dumbledore was not his only worry. He knew that Potter and Granger were exceedingly powerful for their age-level - more powerful than even they knew. The Dark Lord had been watching Granger for the year after she was born - the year before Voldemort fell. Lucius shivered: the Dark Lord's greatest enemies, greatest fears, and greatest targets all resided in that castle. Soon, very soon, the Dark Lord would see to it that all of these people were destroyed. But this was not the time. Now, Lucius Malfoy had to talk to his son.
He stepped out from behind the tree, making sure that his invisibility cloak was securely fastened around him, and started to walk quickly, determinedly up to the castle. The night was warm; crickets were chirping cheerfully all around him, unaware of the tension in the castle and of Lucius' plot to break in. However, he did not let these distractions get to him: his mind was set clearly on his task, and breaking into the castle would be incredibly difficult.
But, like his Master had said, it had to be done.
----
As Harry took a sip of Dobby's strong, hot tea, he realized that he'd never tasted anything better in his life. The warmth spread through his veins to his fingertips and to his toes, more than chocolate could ever do. He sipped again and let it burn his tongue before swallowing it. He deserved pain. He deserved to be tortured. Right now, he hated every bit of himself. How could he possibly have done what he'd done? He'd lost control, and now, he knew, he would pay dearly for it.
Without thinking, he downed the rest of the tea in one gulp, and sputtered as it burned its way down his throat. And yet, he did not feel the pain as he wished he could. Instead, he felt oddly light-headed.
"Dobby," he said, turning to the house-elf suspiciously, "did you happen to put anything else in this tea."
Dobby looked shifty, and Harry already knew what the answer was.
"Well, Harry Potter, Dobby thought that Harry Potter could use some time to take - to take his mind off things, Dobby thought. So Dobby - So Dobby put in some - some -"
"Some what?" said Harry, already suspecting the response.
"Odgen'soldfirewhiskey," Dobby said very fast.
Harry turned away. The last thing he needed was to forget, to feel light-headed. Harry wanted to hurt himself as bad as he possibly could. The only thing stopping him was the thought that if Draco were to wake up, Harry would need all of his strength to prove his love.
Tears began to spill from Harry's eyes.
It hurt him to hear himself think the words "if Draco were to wake up"...
----
Step one: complete, thought Lucius Malfoy as the lock to the huge wooden front doors of the castle clicked open, and he pushed one side in, letting a beam of moonlight fall onto the Entrance Hall floor. This was the real challenge; he knew that the doors were often protected by more than just a lock. Indeed, the spells protecting the lock were very powerful, but Lucius had no trouble dispensing with them.
He tiptoed accross the entrance hall, the invisibility cloak swishing behind him. The only problem was that he had no idea where Draco might be. He thought he might possibly be in the dungeons, in the Slytherin common room, and so he chose to bypass the main marble staircase and headed towards the smaller, stone staircase that descended into the castle's lower levels. He had just begun to walk down when a voice spoke.
"Lucius..."
Lucius whipped around, drawing out his wand. When he had turned, he found him wand pointing straight at Albus Dumbledore.
"Dumbledore," Lucius acknowledged coldly, noddly curtly.
"Your son is not down there, Lucius," said Dumbledore, fixing his eyes upon the Death Eater and not moving them. He was calm, his wand was tucked into his robes. He was not prepared for a duel.
"Kidnapped him, have you?" spat Lucius.
"Not quite, Lucius," said Dumbledore quietly. "Draco is here by his own free will. He came to me. However, at the moment, he is not in a state at which he may talk to you."
"Why the fuck not?!"
"This is a hall of learning, Lucius, if you please. Draco is in the hospital wing. It is unclear whether he shall be waking up anytime soon, if at all."
"Liar!" shouted Lucius. His cry echoed off of the stone.
Dumbledore smiled grimly. "The great weakness of the Death Eater," he said, "is not his alleigance to evil, but his inability to accept what he does not wish to."
Lucius had had enough. Dumbledore had no wand. Lucius swung his wand around and shouted, "Stupefy!"
A jet of red light shot from the wand and arched up the staircase...
And hit Dumbledore hard in the chest.
----
I was planning on this chapter to be longer; in fact, I know what's going to happen, but I thought I'd leave you with that nice little cliffhanger. I'll only continue if you review.
St. Brutus's Program for Incurably Homosexual Boys...
by AnonymousBystander
Chapter Eleven - Midnight
Lucius Malfoy stood behind a large, mangled tree at the edge of the Forbidden Forest on the Hogwarts grounds, looking up at the dark castle that stood like a menacing shadow, striking into the horizon. It had been a difficult journey, walking through the heart of the forest particularly, but he knew that this was the only way he'd be able to get onto the grounds undetected, especially because Apparating was not an option. He knew that the most difficult part of this operation was yet to come, but he also knew that it was vital that this task was completed; he had to talk to his son. He had to know why Draco was here, of all places, and why he was there with Dumbledore, Potter, and the Mudblood.
One other thing that Lucius Malfoy knew was that he had to be careful. Dumbledore was not his only worry. He knew that Potter and Granger were exceedingly powerful for their age-level - more powerful than even they knew. The Dark Lord had been watching Granger for the year after she was born - the year before Voldemort fell. Lucius shivered: the Dark Lord's greatest enemies, greatest fears, and greatest targets all resided in that castle. Soon, very soon, the Dark Lord would see to it that all of these people were destroyed. But this was not the time. Now, Lucius Malfoy had to talk to his son.
He stepped out from behind the tree, making sure that his invisibility cloak was securely fastened around him, and started to walk quickly, determinedly up to the castle. The night was warm; crickets were chirping cheerfully all around him, unaware of the tension in the castle and of Lucius' plot to break in. However, he did not let these distractions get to him: his mind was set clearly on his task, and breaking into the castle would be incredibly difficult.
But, like his Master had said, it had to be done.
----
As Harry took a sip of Dobby's strong, hot tea, he realized that he'd never tasted anything better in his life. The warmth spread through his veins to his fingertips and to his toes, more than chocolate could ever do. He sipped again and let it burn his tongue before swallowing it. He deserved pain. He deserved to be tortured. Right now, he hated every bit of himself. How could he possibly have done what he'd done? He'd lost control, and now, he knew, he would pay dearly for it.
Without thinking, he downed the rest of the tea in one gulp, and sputtered as it burned its way down his throat. And yet, he did not feel the pain as he wished he could. Instead, he felt oddly light-headed.
"Dobby," he said, turning to the house-elf suspiciously, "did you happen to put anything else in this tea."
Dobby looked shifty, and Harry already knew what the answer was.
"Well, Harry Potter, Dobby thought that Harry Potter could use some time to take - to take his mind off things, Dobby thought. So Dobby - So Dobby put in some - some -"
"Some what?" said Harry, already suspecting the response.
"Odgen'soldfirewhiskey," Dobby said very fast.
Harry turned away. The last thing he needed was to forget, to feel light-headed. Harry wanted to hurt himself as bad as he possibly could. The only thing stopping him was the thought that if Draco were to wake up, Harry would need all of his strength to prove his love.
Tears began to spill from Harry's eyes.
It hurt him to hear himself think the words "if Draco were to wake up"...
----
Step one: complete, thought Lucius Malfoy as the lock to the huge wooden front doors of the castle clicked open, and he pushed one side in, letting a beam of moonlight fall onto the Entrance Hall floor. This was the real challenge; he knew that the doors were often protected by more than just a lock. Indeed, the spells protecting the lock were very powerful, but Lucius had no trouble dispensing with them.
He tiptoed accross the entrance hall, the invisibility cloak swishing behind him. The only problem was that he had no idea where Draco might be. He thought he might possibly be in the dungeons, in the Slytherin common room, and so he chose to bypass the main marble staircase and headed towards the smaller, stone staircase that descended into the castle's lower levels. He had just begun to walk down when a voice spoke.
"Lucius..."
Lucius whipped around, drawing out his wand. When he had turned, he found him wand pointing straight at Albus Dumbledore.
"Dumbledore," Lucius acknowledged coldly, noddly curtly.
"Your son is not down there, Lucius," said Dumbledore, fixing his eyes upon the Death Eater and not moving them. He was calm, his wand was tucked into his robes. He was not prepared for a duel.
"Kidnapped him, have you?" spat Lucius.
"Not quite, Lucius," said Dumbledore quietly. "Draco is here by his own free will. He came to me. However, at the moment, he is not in a state at which he may talk to you."
"Why the fuck not?!"
"This is a hall of learning, Lucius, if you please. Draco is in the hospital wing. It is unclear whether he shall be waking up anytime soon, if at all."
"Liar!" shouted Lucius. His cry echoed off of the stone.
Dumbledore smiled grimly. "The great weakness of the Death Eater," he said, "is not his alleigance to evil, but his inability to accept what he does not wish to."
Lucius had had enough. Dumbledore had no wand. Lucius swung his wand around and shouted, "Stupefy!"
A jet of red light shot from the wand and arched up the staircase...
And hit Dumbledore hard in the chest.
----
I was planning on this chapter to be longer; in fact, I know what's going to happen, but I thought I'd leave you with that nice little cliffhanger. I'll only continue if you review.