"Potter! Potter!"
Dimly I realise that someone is calling my name. I blink and turn to Malfoy, who is pale and urgent as he grabs me by the shoulder and brings me back to reality. The reality of a dead body lying in front of me, of Snape lying dead in front of me...
"Potter, come on! We have to get Dumbledore!"
I nod, my eyes returning to the macabre picture at my feet. Oddly, I notice that there are two dead birds lying beside Snape's body. It's as if every tiny detail is suddenly magnified ten-fold; the colour of the leaves on the ground, the smell of the wet forest around me, the absolute and utter silence...
"Damn it, Potter, snap out of it!" Malfoy shouts into my face. "It's not like you haven't seen a dead body before."
I turn my head sharply and shove Malfoy away from me. "Don't you ever say that to me again." I turn on my heel and start pushing my way back through the forest, my anger now stronger than my fear. I hear Malfoy running behind me and I ignore him as we blindly weave our way through bushes and sharp hanging branches.
"Why don't you give us some light, Potter?" Malfoy growls through gritted teeth, stumbling over yet another tree root.
I lift my wand without stopping and hold it out in front of me. "Lumos."
Nothing.
Now I come to a complete standstill and stare at my wand in confusion. "Lumos."
"This is no time for games, Potter."
I lift my wand to my eyes, squinting as I try to see clearly in the dark. Something's not right; I can feel it. I can't feel any connection to my wand, it's as if...
"This isn't my wand," I announce in realisation.
"What?" Malfoy sidles closer and looks at the foreign wand in my hand as if he could recognise it better than myself. "Then whose is it?"
"No idea." I feel defenceless without my wand, and in a way I guess that's true. "Just use yours for now and we'll sort this out later."
Malfoy hesitates and glances over his shoulder.
"What?" I sigh in irritation.
"I left it back with...there. I left it back there," he finally admits.
"Well there's no time to go back now, you can get it later." I start forward once more.
"That's stupid."
"What?"
"A murderer, most likely You-Know-Who, is probably nearby and you want the two of us to walk blindly through the Forbidden Forest without any protection at all?"
"You really want us to walk all the way back again? Damn it, we're wasting time!" I feel panicked now; I need someone else to know about this, preferably Dumbledore.
"It'll only take a minute."
So that's how I suddenly find myself traipsing back through the Forest with Malfoy leading the way. We finally reach the...Snape, and Malfoy drops to his knees to search for his wand in the dark. I carefully avoid looking at the black figure lying in the mud.
"Wait a minute." I frown. "Didn't you leave your wand lit?"
Malfoy rocks back on his heels and stares up at me, his grey eyes widening. "Yeah...yeah, I did."
"Shit."
Malfoy jumps to his feet and unintentionally stands close to me as we try to pierce the pitch black around us.
My heart is beating rapidly in my chest and I swallow convulsively. "Why would somebody take your wand?" I whisper.
"I dunno." Malfoy licks his lips and exhales shakily. "Maybe you should try that one again." He nods towards the strange wand clenched in my hand.
"Good idea." I raise the wand and once again try to get it to work. Malfoy is still vainly searching the surrounding area with narrowed eyes as I become more and more frustrated with the unresponsive piece of wood.
A sudden blast of white light explodes all around us and the entire enclosure is suddenly lit up. A dozen robed figures descend upon us, wands drawn, and cautiously advance.
I raise a hand to shield my eyes at the sudden intrusion of too-bright light. I peek through the cracks in my fingers and recognise a familiar face with relief.
"Dumbledore!" I exclaim, feeling the panic ebb out and a sense of security wash over me.
"Harry." Dumbledore rushes towards me but is stopped when another one of the robed figures suddenly cries out.
"Albus, look!"
Everyone, including Malfoy and myself, turn to stare at Snape's lifeless body.
I hear a sharp intake of breath from the headmaster. A few of the other wizards stride forward to check Snape's body.
Dumbledore doesn't move. "What happened here, boys?" he asks quietly.
"We found him like this," I explain. "We saw a flash of green light and...And we just found him here."
"And we left to get help, but I dropped my wand, so we went back to get it and it was gone," Draco added hurriedly. "But we didn't see anyone."
"Your wand is missing, Mr Malfoy?" Dumbledore asks, still in that same quiet tone.
"Yes, and Potter's, too."
"You also lost your wand?" Dumbledore inquires, eyes sliding back to my face.
"I guess, I mean...somebody stole it, I think. I had it when I went to the Great Hall and then when I came out here it was gone."
"What is that in your hand?"
I look down and that strange wand is still in my hand. "This one was in my pocket but it's not mine."
"May I see it?" Dumbledore holds out his hand and I gladly drop the thing into his palm. It feels wrong to hold a wand that is not my own, like it's contaminated or something. "Hmm..."
I watch as the other wizards, some of them Aurors that I've seen before and some I recognise to be part of the Ministry Squad, levitate Snape's body and conjure a black body bag and a stretcher. I watch as the bag is sealed over Snape's face, finally hiding those wide black eyes. Accusing eyes.
I shudder and turn away. "How did you know we were in here, sir?"
Dumbledore is still inspecting the wand, turning it over and over in his hand. "Hagrid was awakened by the light and alerted me. I in turn alerted the proper officials and we immediately trekked in here to find the source of the disturbance," he answers distractedly.
I nod, my eyes straying to the levitating stretcher as they lead it away.
One of the Aurors approaches Dumbledore, glancing at me before speaking to the headmaster. "It was Avada, sir. No doubt about it." Again he glances my way. "We'll search the area thoroughly."
"Yes, do." Dumbledore nods and lifts the wand once more to eye level. "Priori Incantatem."
A wisp of smoke emits from the wand and drifts together to form a tiny shield, hovering in the air just above Dumbledore's hand. A small crease appears between the headmaster's eyes as he surveys the floating shape.
"Deletrius." Dumbledore lowers the wand as the smoky shield evaporates into thin air. He turns back to the two of us and I've never seen him look as grave as he does right now. "Harry, where did you say that you got this wand?"
"I-in my pocket," I stutter nervously, that feeling of panic returning full force.
"Did you know that this is Professor Snape's wand?"
"What?" I gasp, my eyes widening. "How is that possible?"
Dumbledore shakes his head and turns away as one of the members of the Ministry Law Enforcement Squad pulls him aside to speak with him.
I glance at Malfoy and he stares blankly back. I notice that he's drumming his fingers nervously on his thigh, watching, and waiting.
More wizards have joined the headmaster, glancing every so often at the two of us standing all by ourselves. I wish that Hagrid had come with the headmaster; he would've made me feel a lot better about this whole situation. It feels as though Malfoy and I are being scrutinised, and not in a friendly way at all. I don't understand. I haven't done anything wrong. We haven't done anything wrong.
"What do you think they're talking about?" I whisper aside to Malfoy.
"Isn't it obvious, Potter?" Malfoy snaps, but it lacks his usual bite. "They think we did it."
I shake my head. "Dumbledore would never believe that," I say with confidence.
"Wake up, Golden Boy," Malfoy sneers. "Take a look at the old man's face, does it look like he thinks we're innocent?"
The headmaster's face is drawn and grave, no friendly twinkle, no smile hovering at the corners of his mouth, and that fatherly expression he usually wears when speaking or looking at me is noticeably absent.
"Of course he isn't going to look happy," I whisper back. "A man just died."
Malfoy says nothing and we return to waiting in uneasy silence.
Finally the headmaster breaks away from the group and walks toward us.
Why do I suddenly feel like I don't want to know what he has to say?
I glance again at Malfoy and it looks as though the blond is holding his breath.
"I'm sorry, boys," Dumbledore begins seriously. "There's nothing I can do. For now."
"What?" My mouth is dry as I stare back at him. "What are you talking about? We didn't do anything."
And suddenly four Ministry Squad members are beside us.
"Harry James Potter, you are under arrest for suspicion of murder.
I stare wildly at Dumbledore, silently pleading with him to tell me that this is all a joke. That this can't really be happening.
"-You will be taken into custody and held until further notice."
My hands are trembling as one of the robed wizards steps forward and locks my wrists into a pair of cold, steel handcuffs. I'm too scared to make a noise, my brain is numb, my body is numb, and I feel as though I'm about to pass out.
"Draco Lucius Malfoy, you are under arrest for suspicion of murder. You will be taken into custody and held until further notice."
Beside me, Draco is being given the same treatment. Only he isn't going quietly.
"This is outrageous!" he shouts. "You don't have any proof!"
"It's all right, boys," Dumbledore is saying. "I'm coming with you, we'll work all this out."
My knees are weak as they slowly begin to push me ahead of them out of the forest. I can see half of the seventh years standing on the school steps – watching our procession as we emerge onto the moonlit grounds.
"Where are we going?" Malfoy demands of his captor.
"The Floo Network in your headmaster's office," the guard replies evenly.
"But where are we going?"
I glance back as the guard answers, a cold smirk curling his lips.
"The Woodward Correctional Institute."
It's then that I do pass out.
