Disclaimer: I don't own them. But can I buy em? Please? Pretty please?
Chapter 38: A Light in the Dark"Albus Dumbledore!" Severus Snape had never been so livid in his entire life. He dragged the older wizard out of the room, past Hermione Granger's startled eyes, past Poppy handing Blaise Zabini vials of healing potions and instructing them to hold both the boy's heads as she poured them down their throats.
"Severus." Albus' voice was tired and sad. He rubbed at the blood on his hands, the liquid just then beginning to dry and flake. He looked up at the Potions Master, his eyes dark.
"Just what in the hell do you think you were doing?" The dark haired man stood several feet away from his employer, his rage making his tremble slightly. "How dare you go behind my back – steal my potion and give it to Potter without my knowing? Do you have any idea what you've done? You – you – you –," spittle flew from the younger wizard's lips as he glared at Dumbledore.
The older wizard raised one hand, which trembled slightly. "Do I know what I have done? Yes, Severus, I do. I have taken a boy and have ruined him. I consciously chose to endanger this child's life for the benefit of others – and I would do it again. Did I want to do it? No, of course not." Albus' face was haggard, but his eyes were firm. "We are at war, Severus, and thanks to Harry I know that Voldemort will strike at the school within the next week. The Dark Lord's plans have become known to me, and I intend to do everything in my power to stop the massacres that he has planned."
Severus snapped his mouth shut, his face pale as he took in the Headmaster's words. "I hope that makes you sleep better at night," the younger man finally spat, his black eyes glittering strangely. "Would you have pushed him so hard if he had stayed the darling of Gryffindor is what I have to wonder. Why is it that your golden children stay so safe and protected while your dark children are forced into such pain and suffering?" Snape bared his teeth at Dumbledore, drinking in the shocked expression that flew across his face.
"Severus –," Albus reached out for the younger wizard, who pulled away sharply, his lips thinning down into a fine line.
"Don't touch me," he snarled, his hands curling at his sides. "You –,"
"Severus! Get in here I need your help!" Poppy's voice interrupted him. Severus' head whipped around and he abandoned his attack on the Headmaster. "This isn't over, Albus," he spat over his shoulder before disappearing into the room.
"No," Albus' eyes were haunted. "It's not." He sighed heavily and looked down at his hands, his face crumpling for a moment before regained control of himself. He took a series of deep breaths, pushing away his sorrow and grief, straightening his shoulders and cleaning himself up with a spell. He had letters to write and orders to give out. The Dark Lord was coming to Hogwarts – and was going to be damned if he was letting the man take the castle without a fight.
qpqp
Hermione huddled in a corner of the room as Madam Pomfrey and Professor Snape scuttled about the room, pouring potion after potion down the two boys' throats. She watched in horror as Harry's body shuddered on the bed, gasping for breath. The screams from both boys had been deafening at first, causing her to back away from them, her hands planted firmly over her ears – much to Blaise's obvious disgust. Hermione ignored him as best she could.
"Damnit Granger, get over here!" Zabini finally snarled at her, hanging onto Harry's arms in an attempt to keep the boy from hurting himself even more.
Mutely Hermione shook her head, paralyzed by the pain and the suffering in front of her.
Snape appeared suddenly in front of her, his dark eyes disgusted. "Get on your feet and act like the Gryffindor you're supposed to be. Help Zabini this instant or I'll have you thrown out of the school by sunrise."
That ultimatum jumpstarted Hermione's brain; she staggered to her feet, shaking at the hate and fury in the Potions Master's tone. She stumbled over to Harry's bedside, a fresh wave of tears blurring her eyesight. This can't be happening…this just can't be happening…
"Damn it, Hermione," Blaise snapped under his breath, "Cry if you have to, but hold down his hands. He's trying to scratch at his face again, and I can't keep both his arms down." The sable haired boy let go of Harry's left wrist, focusing his attention on the boy's right arm, leaning his weight onto it in order to keep him down.
The girl hesitantly took a hold of one of Harry's wrists, her stomach turning at the slick, warm blood that coated it. Harry had ripped his flesh open on the bindings meant to keep him in place, making Hermione's grip slip and slide as the boy thrashed on the bed.
She finally managed to wrestle his wrist down to the mattress and leaned her weight on his arm, pinning it in place. She glanced up at Harry's face, her heart breaking a little more at the sheer terror and pain that moved freely across his expression. "How long has this been going on?"
"Months," came Blaise's grim reply. Hermione could only stare.
"Are you mad? He's been doing this to himself –,"
"He's not been 'doing this to himself' you fool of a girl," Severus slammed a cup down on the bedside table, making Hermione jump and nearly lose her grip on Harry's arm. "It's that precious Headmaster of ours that manipulated him into it."
"But Headmaster Dumbledore would never –," Hermione began, shaking her head slightly, her eyes wide.
"Gryffindors," Blaise's growl was dark, startling the girl. "I think Sasha's right. You don't think for yourselves, do you?" He bared his teeth at her, but quickly looked back down as Harry bucked against his grip.
"What –," Hermione looked back and forth between the two Slytherins. "But – the Headmaster needs Harry…"
"He needed Harry." Severus poured two potions together, stirring it rapidly while checking the color carefully. "Now that he has the information he wanted, he no longer needs Mr. Potter. He's become an afterthought in this war." Severus' expression was grim.
"But – but –," Hermione shook her head rapidly. "This is Harry." The Headmaster needs Harry, he would never hurt him…
"I know, Ms. Granger." She was shocked when the Potions Master's expression softened for a moment. "But Harry is no longer useful to the cause. He has fulfilled his purpose." With more care than Hermione had ever expected the man to show, Severus carefully tilted Harry's head back with one hand and opened the boy's mouth with the other, grabbing the potion sitting on the bedside table and pouring the liquid in slowly, stroking the boy's throat to make him swallow.
"What is that?" Hermione shifted her grip on Harry's arm, trying not to lean to heavily on one specific place.
"It doesn't matter, Granger, just do your job." Whatever kindness the dark man held for Harry certainly did not hold over to her.
"But – what did he take to cause…this?" Hermione shook her hair out of her eyes, rubbing at her tears with her shoulder, not daring to take away her hands even for a moment.
"It. Doesn't. Matter," Severus snarled at her, his shoulders tensing abruptly.
"But –,"
"The bloody Vision Potion, now stop your damn questioning! The Professor needs to concentrate!" Blaise nearly shouted at the top of his lungs, glaring daggers at the girl.
Hermione gasped, her grip going lax for a moment. "But that's Dark Magic! Harry's been playing around –," the dark haired boy bucked and Hermione's attention snapped back to Harry, struggling with him to get his arm back down and away from his face.
"Shut up! Damn it all, Granger you wouldn't know the difference between Dark Magic and Light if it sat up and introduced itself! Just shut up and do as you're told!" Hermione shrunk back from the absolutely furious Slytherin boy.
"I – I –,"
"Be. Quiet." Severus paused in his administering of the potions, eyeing Harry worriedly. The boy's thrashing had calmed somewhat during the course of Blaise's shouting, but… "Damn it." Hermione stared at the professor in shock, her mouth dropping open. "He's not breathing."
Hermione's gaze whipped to Harry's face, then to his chest. The boy was indeed no longer breathing. She gasped, shaking her head rapidly. "No! Harry no!"
Just then Draco moaned and shuddered, his body going abnormally still. Poppy looked up from his side, catching Severus' gaze. She shook her head, her eyes pained.
"No." Severus' voice shook as he looked from one boy to the other. "No." He pushed Hermione to the side and pressed his ear to Harry's chest. He rose after a moment, his face ashen. He looked at Draco, his expression pained. "Blaise, help Madam Pomfrey with Draco. Poppy, you know what to do." The Slytherin boy spun around, looking to the Head Nurse. She gestured him over and began instructing him carefully. "Granger, I need you to breathe into Harry's mouth when I say so, do you understand?"
Hermione stared at the Potions Master for a moment, and then nodded, scrambling to stand next to Harry's head. Severus then began to pump Harry's chest, his lank hair swaying around his face in time with his movements. "Breathe!" She took a deep breath and swallowed down her nausea, but bent and placed her mouth over Harry's breathing air into his mouth.
"Damn it, Granger, hold his nose!" She jerked back and glared at the man, but did as he said. She pulled back, wiping her mouth repeatedly; Harry's lips were bloody from where the boy had bitten through them. Severus began compressions again. He ordered her to breath in to Harry once more and she complied. He then bent over the boy's chest and listened.
"Don't you dare die on me Potter," the Potions Master pumped his chest again, snapping at Hermione to breathe into his mouth once more. "Damn it Potter!" He thumped the boy's chest once before bending down to listen to it once more.
"Why aren't you using magic on him?" Hermione nervously petted Harry's head, soothing his hair out of his face, ignoring how her hands were trembling.
"We can't. The potion will interfere with whatever we do. We have to wait until the initial dose has passed through his bloodstream, which normally takes around two hours." Severus began pumping the boy's chest again, ignoring the blood that liberally coated him now. "Breathe!"
A sudden gasp from Draco's bed made them pause briefly. The blond drew in a stuttering breath, his body flailing madly. "Good, good." Madam Pomfrey petted the boy's hair, tears leaking down her face. "That's a good boy, breathe now." Blaise clapped his hands together, his eyes shining suspiciously. He looked over to the Potions Master, his expression hopeful.
Severus turned back to Harry, his face pale. He studied the boy intently, then placed his ear to the boy's chest once more. Hermione wrung her hands together nervously, adrenaline pumping through her. Severus suddenly sagged, his hands pressing deeply into the bed. "Thank Merlin." He pulled back and pushed Hermione out of the way, cupping a hand behind the boy's neck and rolling him over to his side.
Harry's body shuddered as he attempted to take a breath. He sputtered, his body expelling the blood that had seeped into his lungs. Hermione had to turn away, one hand pressed against her mouth as she fought the urge to vomit as well.
"That's right, get it out Harry. Spit it out." Never would Hermione have said that the Potions Master would have spoken to Harry in such a way, his hands careful as he rubbed the boy's back as he continued to wretch. "Good, good. Granger." He turned slightly to look at her, "Across the hall there's a sink. Fetch a bowl of water and towels. Go. Now!" She took off.
Severus looked down at the boy on the bed, his heart twisting fiercely. He glanced up towards the door, wanting nothing more than to bring down fire and damnation onto Albus' head. They stopped breathing old man. Severus bowed his head and locked his arms so they would not shake. You risked the lives of both these boys. He swallowed thickly, quickly pushing up as Hermione came running back in, water splashing over the sides of the bowl she was carrying.
Carefully Severus began washing off the blood on Harry's skin, not liking the pallor that refused to lift from his face. The boy's skin was sickly pale, and the air in his lungs still rattled oddly when Severus bent down to listen at it. The Potions Master shook his head sharply, pushing away the doubt and worry. This once he would be hopeful – this once.
qpqp
After both the boys were cleaned and settled into fresh beds, Hermione found herself curled up on the floor of the hallway, staring at her bloodstained shirt cuffs. She traced over the slightly damp areas, her body now beginning to tremble violently. She glanced up as Snape and Pomfrey exited the room, their expressions grim and tight.
"Sir?" Snape paused and then turned slowly to face her, his expression smoothing into one of distaste.
"What, Ms. Granger?"
"Is Harry going to be okay?" She sniffed and wiped at the tears that spilled over her eyelids. She pulled her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around them tightly.
Severus' expression softened just a tad. "I do not know, Ms. Granger. We can only hope."
Hermione bit her lip, a breathy sob escaping her. "He –," she swallowed painfully, "he has to be okay!" She gave up and buried her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking violently. "He – he can't die. He just can't! I – I – there's so many things I need to say and I don't know what –,"
"Ms. Granger." Severus' voice was grim. She lowered her hands, her eyes swollen and red-rimmed. "It would be best if you returned to your dorm. Mr. Potter will not recover any quicker with you here or not."
Hermione jerked, shaking her head abruptly. "But I want –,"
"Go, Ms. Granger." Anger crossed the older man's face once more. "I do not care what you want to do, Granger. Now do you understand what the price of war is, little girl? It is not pretty, nor is it fair – and more often than not it is the best of us that get sacrificed the quickest. But oh no," the black eyes were suddenly glittering with rage, causing Hermione to shrink back in fear. "You precious Gryffindors," he spat the word, making her flinch, "think that you are entitled to everything good that comes of it, never having to pay the price that goes along with the losses." The dark man stood towering over her, shaking slightly. "Get out of here, Ms. Granger, and do not let me catch you back here while I am here."
"Yes, sir." Hermione scrambled to her feet and took off at a run, not looking back.
"Was that necessary, Severus?" Poppy stood off to the side, wiping her hands on a clean apron, her eyes sad. "She's just a little girl whose world has crumbled around her."
"An artificial world that Albus has allowed those bloody Gryffindors to create." Severus bowed his head and let his hair fall around his face. "They have never experienced loss or hardship. Not first hand, not to their friends. They live in a world where the cotton is pulled close around them, so that they may not be scarred by what the rest of the world has to go through."
"Now Severus," Poppy frowned and dropped her hands. "That's not true. Those children have known loss –,"
"And yet they are coddled when they shatter the rules and disregard authority!" Severus whirled around to face her, his face pale. "I did not detest Mr. Potter in his younger years simply for his father's sake, but rather for what the Headmaster was allowing him to do! The whole of Gryffindor Tower knows that they can break the rules with impunity, and no matter how much I may try to shatter their precious illusions about life, it will be nothing like when they go out into the world and find out that life does not play fair!"
Poppy regarded him silently, her expression sad. "Oh, Severus," she sighed and shook her head. "They are only children."
"They are brats that need to be disciplined." The Potions Master turned away from her, his shoulders tense.
Blaise stepped out from the room, eyeing the adults carefully. "I'm going to the dorms. Should I stop and tell Black about Harry?"
"No, I will do that." Severus ran a hand through his hair, his eyes dark and shadowed. "Come, I'll walk you to the dorms."
Blaise fell in step with the older man, the two of them swiftly exiting the Ward. Poppy watched them go with sigh and a shake of her head. She glanced towards the room where the two boys lay, her mouth tightening. She sniffed and straightened her shoulders, her heart going out to the silent figures. Oh you poor, poor dears.
qpqpqpqp
"Remus?" The animagus' voice was muffled.
The werewolf poked his head out from their library, a frown on his face. "What?"
"Where'd you put that – ah ha! Never mind!"
Remus rolled his eyes and snorted, exiting the room and strolling up to where his lover was buried half in and half out of a small closet. "Exactly how did we manage to accumulate enough junk to warrant piling it all up into a closet to be forgotten?"
"Don't ask me." The animagus extracted himself from the mess, his cheeks flushed from exertion. "I think it multiples overnight."
"Indeed." Remus spared a fond smile for the unrepentant animagus. He knew what half the 'junk' was in that closet – toys and presents for his new 'children'. The werewolf shook his head, wondering idly just how spoiled Harry, Ginny and Bill were going to get if Sirius had his way. Then he frowned. Actually I don't think any of them can be spoiled, he sighed softly, turning away from the animagus and heading back to his library. But they deserve it, that's for sure.
A loud knock made them both pause. They eyed each other warily, Remus drawing his wand as Sirius rose to answer the door.
"Snape!" Sirius' expression grew dark. "What are you doing here?"
"I have some unpleasant news." The Potions Master made no move to enter the suite. He eyed the animagus warily, but forged on. "Potter – Harry has taken the Vision Potion again. He did it without my knowledge, at the Headmaster's request. He is in the Hospital Wing –," that was all Severus was able to get out before the animagus was pushing past him, shooting down the hall in his four footed form. The Potions Master sneered at him, but it lacked his usual bite. He turned back to Remus, his expression grave. "You should accompany him, Lupin. Potter…almost died." Severus swallowed thickly. "It was very close. If Draco had not been there…"
"How –," Remus' world swayed around him. He gripped the back of the couch tightly.
Severus shook his head sharply. "The Headmaster played me for a fool. He took the potion from my lab and somehow managed to convince the boy not to tell anyone of his plans. He took it this evening, and had Draco and I not found out what was going on…" Severus closed his eyes briefly. He forced them open, glaring at the werewolf. "It was very close."
"Merlin," Remus closed his eyes tightly, his grip causing the frame of the couch to protest loudly. Amber eyes snapped open as the wolf howled in agony. "He's alive, though?"
"Yes." Snape eyed the werewolf carefully.
"Thank Merlin." Remus felt his arms begin to shake with tension, all of his effort going into making sure the wolf did not take control. He felt, rather than saw, Severus edge away from him, his eyes full of distrust. "I need to see him."
"Then by all means, or would you rather I held your hand the entire way there?" Severus sneered at him, one hand tightly gripping his wand the entire time.
"Stuff it, Snape." There was the tiniest hint of a growl in Remus' voice, but he could not help it. He pushed past the Potions Master, his robes flying about him as he strode down the halls. The wolf was very close to the surface; it howled in rage and despair – Please let Harry be alright. He hit the Hospital door at a run, not even realizing that he'd broken into a sprint. Please…if you can hear me, someone, please…
qpqpqpqp
Draco opened his eyes with a groan, his head pounding. He rolled over onto his side, one hand coming up to press at his temple.
"Draco?" His father's voice was almost too much to bear. The blond whimpered, squeezing his eyes shut and shaking his head swiftly. Loud…too loud…what…
"Shh," Severus' voice was gentle as he helped Draco into a sitting position. A cup appeared at Draco's lips, and for a moment the blond seriously thought his stomach would rebel on him right then and there. He barely managed to grab control over himself, and with help he sipped at the potion his godfather feed him.
Once he was finished, the hands allowed him to relax back into the soft, cool pillows. A weight shifted the mattress, causing Draco to roll slightly to the right.
"Draco," a gentle hand touched his head. Draco had not heard his father use such a tone since he was six and had come down with pneumonia while at a winter resort.
"Fa –," his throat screamed in protest, and Draco shook his head slightly, still refusing to open his eyes. The world lurched alarmingly around him, and he grasped at the covers wildly, dizzy.
"Shh…sleep, child. Sleep." Lucius ran a hand down his son's arm, picking up one of his hands and cradling it in his own. "Rest now." Draco's eyelids fluttered briefly, but soon enough the potion that Severus had fed him kicked in and he slipped under the veil of sleep, his color much improved.
Lucius Malfoy looked up at his lover, his pale eyes bloodshot and shadowed. "Where is he?" Fire lit up his eyes as his lips pulled back from his teeth, giving him an almost feral look. "Where is Dumbledore?"
"In his office." Lucius nodded shortly, putting down his son's hand gently before shooting off the bed and stalking for the door.
"He has much to answer to." The blond nearly ripped the door off its hinges as he stomped from the room. Severus only watched him go, wanting to go with him, but staying for the other child in the room.
Sirius and Remus had long since passed out in the chairs on either side of Harry's bed. The dark haired boy was pale, dreadfully pale; his chest rose and fell with sharp, quick breaths that Severus did not like in the least. He crossed the small space and stood at the edge of the bed, his eyes carefully monitoring the boy's vital signs. Severus flicked his wand, amplifying Harry's heartbeat so that he could hear it clearly. It was stable, but slow. The Potions Master thinned his lips, a deep frown creasing his face.
The heartbeat suddenly picked up speed, causing Severus to jerk. He kicked Remus' chair, causing the werewolf to snort and wake up abruptly. He shot up out of his seat when he caught sight of the Potions Master leaning over Harry, his amber eyes lighting up happily.
"Sirius!" Remus pushed at the animagus' shoulder. "Wake up!"
The ex-convict jerked his head to the side, a painful grimace shooting across his face. He stared up at Moony, his eyes cloudy with sleep. "Wha?"
"Harry's waking up!" The werewolf turned from him and slipped to the other side of the bed, well away from Severus.
"Shut up, both of you." The Potions Master was watching the dark haired boy carefully. "He –,"
The boy moaned softly, silencing them. He shuddered, his hands twisting in his sheets, a light sheen of sweat breaking out on his skin. The dark eyelashes fluttered, opened briefly, and then slammed shut again.
"That's right, Harry." The animagus was at the boy's side instantly, nearly pushing Remus out of the way in his haste. "That's right, kiddo. Wake up for me now, that's right." Tears shimmered in Sirius' eyes, but he did not let them fall. He picked up Harry's left hand and petted it gently.
"Hea –," Harry's eyes fluttered open again, the green color clouded and dull. "Headm –," he shook his head faintly, faint lines appearing around his mouth and eyes. He began to struggle against Sirius, his weak efforts no match for the animagus' stronger grip.
"Shh, shh, Harry. The Headmaster isn't here. He can't make you take that potion again, I swear it," Sirius reached out and brushed the hair off of the boy's forehead, trying to get him to relax. "Shh, just relax kiddo, it's alright, it's alright…"
"N-no." Harry rolled his head to look at Severus, his eyes losing a bit of their murkiness. "Headmaster…need…speak…" He began to cough violently, the action causing him to spasm on the bed.
"Shh, Harry. Talk to him later, it can wait." Remus exchanged worried glances with the Potions Master.
"No." Harry's body went still and his eyes flew open once more. He pinned the werewolf with a glance, his green eyes now blazing. "Now."
Sirius and Remus looked at each other helplessly. "Alright, Harry. I'll go get Albus, if you lay back and rest. You can talk to him after a nap."
"No." Harry began to struggle once more, his face still pale and drawn.
"Potter." Severus placed a hand on the boy's shoulder, easily holding him down. "Lay still. Lupin, go get the blasted Headmaster – although I will warn you he may be dueling with Lucius at the moment."
Remus raised an eyebrow, but nodded quickly, glancing down at Harry one last time before exiting the room hastily. Harry stopped trying to get out of bed and lay back on the pillows, panting slightly. He grimaced and raised a hand to his scar, his eyes growing misty once more.
"Harry?" Severus leaned forward, frowning deeply. "What's wrong?"
The green eyes stared past them even as his hand tightened on his skin. "Draco…" Harry let his hand drop from his forehead, ignoring the Potions Master's question. He rolled his head to the side, letting his gaze land on the sleeping blond.
Severus followed his gaze. "He is fine, Harry. He woke earlier, and has since fallen back asleep, as you should." The lanky man folded his arms across his chest as he stared down at the boy in front of him. "What were you thinking, Potter?"
"Leave him alone, Snape." Sirius snarled at the other man, his blue eyes glittering. "There's plenty of time later to yell at him, just don't do it now."
"Sirius…" Harry rolled his head to face the animagus, who immediately broke off his attack on the Potions Master to focus on his godson.
"I'm here, Harry. I'll always be here." Sirius scooted his chair closer to the boy's bedside, keeping his grip on the boy's hand.
"…m'sorry." The green eyes were full of shadows.
Sirius swallowed thickly, pushing away his anger. "I know, kiddo. I'm sorry too."
Harry frowned slightly, opening his mouth to say more, but the door opened and cut him off. Remus entered with a slightly flushed Headmaster and Lucius Malfoy following him.
"Ah, Harry my boy." The Headmaster's face lit up into a tremendous smile. "I was worried for you child."
Harry shook his head slightly and beckoned him closer. Albus hurried to his side, Severus stepping out of his way reluctantly, glaring at the older wizard's back with deadly malice. "Cho…" Harry grabbed a hold of Dumbledore's hand when he got close enough. "She…Voldemort…cage…"
Albus frowned, seating himself on the side of the bed, patting Harry's hand gently. "We have not found Ms. Chang's where about, Harry…"
"Alive." The green eyes blazed with a strange internal light. "She's alive and in a cage. Tell them…" Harry broke off, his back arching as he gasped for breath. His body slumped after a moment, his limbs trembling wildly. He glanced back to the Headmaster. "Her parents. She…did not…go there…on her own." He closed his eyes briefly, the dark circles under his eyes highlighted by his pallor. "Tell…her parents…she's alive."
"I will, Harry. I will." The Headmaster blinked back hot, stinging tears as he patted the boy's hand once more, wanting nothing more than to hug the child to him tightly and ask for his forgiveness. But that is impossible now. He closed his eyes briefly, swallowing once. He forced his eyes open once more, his gaze sharpening. "Do you remember anything else?"
"Albus, how dare you –,"
"Get away from him you –,"
"Danu." Harry's whisper shut everyone up. The green eyes slipped from the Headmaster's face and focused on the ceiling. "Dementors." The boy shuddered, a look of pain flashing across his features. "Darkness." A strange smile suddenly tugged the corners of his mouth up, and an oddly hollow laugh was forced from his thin frame. "Draco."
The adults all exchanged worried glances. "Harry," Sirius tried to capture the boy's gaze but failed. "What do you mean?"
Harry stiffened, his expression becoming momentarily petrified. "Dementors!" He turned his face to the side, his breath speeding up into quick pants. He opened his eyes and looked up at the Headmaster, his pupils dilated until there was only a thin ring of green around the black. The look sent chills down everyone's spine. "He calls them," the boy whispered, clutching at the old wizard's hand. "He calls and they answer. They'll come from the forest, driving everything in front of them."
Albus dropped the boy's hand, his face going pale. He stood up abruptly and left the room at a near run, his exit drawing many startled comments. He strode through the halls towards his office, pushing away the bitter guilt and sorrow that stung his heart. Forgive me child. He entered his office just in time for his fireplace to explode with people, Alastor Moody among them, his robes torn and bloody.
qpqp
"Dementors have swept through Diagon Alley. We were too late, Albus. The monsters had swept through hard and fast, like they were in a hurry to get somewhere. Those who did survive holed up in the Leaky Cauldron and fought the monsters off together. It's not pretty." Alastor paced in front of the fireplace, limping slightly, his robes torn in several places and liberally coated with blood – both his and others.
The Headmaster's office was overflowing with people; Order members, Aurors, teachers and old students – Albus had called them all in.
He looked towards the door where strangely enough Severus, Lucius, Remus and Sirius were standing together, almost shoulder to shoulder. The quartet was glaring daggers at him – which he understood. Harry had finally allowed Severus to feed him a sleeping draught after Albus had left, sending the boy back into a troubled sleep. Draco, he was told, woke up several hours later, his headache much diminished, but his rage flaring as hot as his father's. He refused to leave the Ward until Harry did, and Lucius had gone down to stay with his son until Severus had pulled him bodily away for the meeting.
None of his darkling children were very happy with him at the moment, but Albus pushed aside the pain that thought caused him. There were larger things going on that needed his immediate attention.
"Have the wounded transferred to St. Mungo's. Have the Ministry Aurors showed up yet?" Albus planted his hands on his desk, staring down at the papery thin flesh that covered his bones – silence answered him. He turned his face to the side abruptly, his mouth tightening. "Gather the Order – I want them all within the castle no later than mid-week."
"But Albus," Minerva raised a hand to her throat, flustered. "It will spread through the press like wildfire –,"
"Voldemort intends to strike at the school in seven day's time." Albus closed his eyes as the loud gasp that rang through the room. "It is why I have called you here today, it is why I no longer care if the Order moves freely in the open. Voldemort plans to attack with his army of Dementors and Death Eaters – and more than likely a pair of Cwn Annwn. He will attack the night of the new moon."
"Sweet Merlin, Albus," Alastor sank into a chair, staring at the Headmaster with a stricken gaze. "You're absolutely sure?"
"It has been confirmed." Albus' voice was flat, but firm.
"Then we have to get the children out!" Minerva shot out of her seat, her face ashen. "This is no place for them! We need to send them home –,"
"But it is not safe, woman!" Alastor snapped at her, rubbing his palm on his robes. "Diagon Alley has been attacked – putting the children on the train would make them perfect targets."
"But they can't stay here!" Minerva frowned deeply, her hands coming down to lock together at her waist, twisting frantically. "If we alert their parents – perhaps they can come and pick them up –,"
"Which again makes them easy targets to pick off a few at a time!" Alastor stood abruptly, his face twisting with anger. "Woman, think! If the Dementors have hit the alley then Voldemort must be watching the school! He'll kill off anyone who tries to leave – you know he will."
Minerva sank back down into her seat, shaking her head slightly.
"As much as I hate to admit it," Lucius' cool tone brought the focus of the room onto him. "Moody is right. Voldemort has risked calling his precious Dementors to him in broad daylight, he'll more than likely have eyes and scouts watching the school constantly. The only thing we can do now is dig in and start preparing for the inevitable."
"But…" Minerva shook her head again, but her denial was softer this time.
"It is not what we had wished for," Albus' tone was sorrowful, but strong, drawing everyone's gaze back to him. "But it is what it is. Remus." He raised determined blue eyes to meet the werewolf's. "The wards in the dungeons?"
"Haven't started yet. We ran into some problems when we tried overlapping a few, the old wards didn't like that idea very much." Remus rubbed the back of his neck wearily, recalling the backlash of magic that had chased himself, Blaise, Draco and Harry out of a wing of the dungeons. Was that only a few days ago? Remus squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, pushing back the wolf. Focus Remus, focus. Be angry later, focus now.
"Find a way to do it." Albus met Remus' gaze evenly. "Take everyone you need – classes will be cancelled. You will finish up the dungeons. Minerva – you take Gryffindor Tower and the east side of the castle. Alastor, you will reinforce the south side. Severus, you will strengthen the west, and Bill you will take the north." The Headmaster paused, his gaze resting on the new scion of the Black house. "Have you heard at all from Charlie?"
Bill's head snapped up at the odd question. "No sir." The young curse-breaker shrugged jerkily. "I've heard nothing from him at all."
"Hm." Albus bowed his head, his mind whirling. "Filius," he turned his head slightly, catching the Charms professor's gaze. "If you would be so kind as to set up several rooms in the dungeons for the children to withdraw to if the castle walls are breeched? There are a number of tunnels leading from the old Potions Room to the edge of the lake near the forest – if all else fails the children can try and escape through there."
"Are you mad?" Severus sputtered from the corner, drawing the crowd's attention to him. "That is insanity! As much as I find having the children here distasteful, you propose to keep them here without alerting their parents? Albus –,"
Albus regarded the Potions Master evenly from over the rims of his glasses. "What would you have me do, then, Severus? Inform them of the situation, but keep their children here for ransom, or let them take their chances in escaping the watchers outside? No," Albus shook his head slightly, his eyes dark. "If we alert the general public about the situation, they will panic, and only further Voldemort's conquest of the wizarding world."
A sudden pounding from the staircase outside Albus' door made half the room reflexively pull their wands. Severus and Lucius darted out of the way in time before the door burst open and Hagrid's distraught person came barging through the door. "Headmaster Dumbledore!"
"Hagrid?" Albus straightened, a line appearing between his brows. "Whatever is the matter?"
The Care of Magical Creatures professor stumbled a few steps into the room and fell to his knees. "It's Fang! The bastards have killed him! They killed him!" Large tears streaked down the half-giants face as he raised bloody hands out in front of him. "They slit his throat and hung him up in front of my hut. They left this." He held out a rolled up scroll, the outside of it streaked with blood and dirt.
Albus crossed the room quickly, gently pulling the scroll from the distraught man's hands. He unfurled it, reading the few lines of text swiftly, his expression growing cold as his eyes skimmed over the lines. He let go of the bottom of the page, his expression turning grim. "It has started, then."
"What did it say?" Bill took a step forward.
Albus sighed and walked slowly around his desk to sink into his chair. "The watchers have already arrived."
Silence swept through the room.
qpqpqpqp
"The papers will have picked up on the story already."
Lucius kept his head turned from Severus, staring moodily out of the window, his gaze fixed on a something in the Forbidden Forest that only he could see. "I know."
"The Weasleys will more than likely be arriving soon, along with who knows how many other squalling brats and their families." Severus stood at the blonde's elbow, also staring out of the window.
"I know." Lucius closed his eyes and bowed his head, his blond hair falling about his face gently. "I nearly lost my son, Severus."
"I know." The Potions Master reached out and gripped his lover's shoulder. "But he is alright."
Lucius shook his head and opened his eyes, looking up at the other man. "But he's not. As long as Potter suffers, Draco will suffer." His eyes glittered strangely. "I want him dead." There was little doubt in Severus' mind as to whom his lover was referring to.
"I know, Lucius." His grip tightened on the blonde's shoulder, his own suppressed anger raising its ugly head. "I know."
qpqpqpqp
Harry opened his eyes slowly, the absence of pain welcome and unexpected. He blinked rapidly at the ceiling, his eyes feeling gritty. He made a face at the taste in his mouth, his teeth were covered with a slimy coating and he didn't even want to think about what his breath smelled like. They've been feeding me potions again, Harry sighed and tried to push himself upright, the world swaying around him slightly. Ohh, he blinked woozily at the bedposts, that can't be good.
"Harry?" A yelp made the dark haired boy nearly jump out of his skin. His mattress suddenly dipped and there was a blond, fuzzy shape sitting next to him. A smile broke out over Harry's face, his heart contracting painfully. You are safe – oh thank You. He's safe.
"Harry?" Draco's fuzzy shape bent close to him, sliding on his glasses carefully, restoring the room to clarity for him. The blond was smiling widely, but there was a tremor to his limbs and lips.
"Draco." Harry frowned at the raspy tone of his voice. He suddenly blushed and ducked his head, two bright spots of color standing out on his cheeks. "I – I'm sorry you know. I should have told you –,"
A stifled sob drew Harry's gaze up to Draco, but was quickly hauled into the blonde's embrace before he could catch sight of the other boy's face. The larger boy buried his face in Harry's wild hair, his arms wrapping around the smaller boy tightly. "Never, ever, ever, ever to that again to me, Harry Potter. I almost lost you."
"Draco…" Harry slowly curled his arms around the blond, resting his chin on the other boy's shoulder, blinking back the stinging in his eyes. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be sorry, Potter. Just never do it again!" Harry let out a whoosh of air as the arms around him tightened once more.
"I promise, Draco." Harry buried his head into the crook of the blonde's neck, shielding his eyes from the light beginning to filter in through their windows.
"You promise what, Harry?"
The dark haired boy smiled into the other boy's skin, Such a Slytherin… "I promise not to take the Vision Potion unless it is of utmost need."
"Not good enough." Draco pulled away from the other boy just enough so that he could look at Harry's face. "Never again, do you understand me, Potter? Never again."
Harry stared into the stormy eyes, a painful lump forming in his throat. Flashes of memory passed in front of his mind's eye – Draco screaming at him, but Harry unable to hear him. The blonde's bloody hands – the woman. Harry closed his eyes and gasped, his body going tense.
"Harry?" Draco's hands tightened on him. "What's wrong? What's happened? Do you need –,"
"I'm fine, Draco." Harry relaxed as much as he could, swallowing thickly and pushing the memories away firmly. He opened his eyes and let a small, pained smile slip onto his face. "I swear, Draco. Never again."
The blond sagged slightly, but quickly drew Harry back into his arms. "Thank Merlin." Draco rested his cheek on top of Harry's head. "You scared me half to death – literally, I might add."
"I know. I'm sorry." Harry burrowed further into the other boy's embrace.
The arms around him tightened. "I said don't be sorry, Harry." A ghost of a kiss was pressed against his temple. "Just never do it again."
"I won't." Harry's eyes glittered in the dim light, a strange smile settling over his face. I won't need to take the potion ever again. He glanced down at his hands, his smile slipping from his face. It's in me, now. He curled his arms around the blond once more, a shiver working its way up his spine. It's in me now.
qpqpqpqp
"Harry?"
The dark haired boy looked up from the book he was reading. Alone for once, he was quite surprised when the owner of the voice turned out to be Hermione. "Hullo Hermione." He dropped the book to his lap, one finger wedged between the pages to mark his place.
The Gryffindor slipped into the room, closing the door quietly behind her. She fidgeted in front of it for a moment, wringing her hands together nervously. It was a gesture Harry remembered well.
"I –," she bit her lip and looked down at the ground for a moment before bringing her gaze back up to meet Harry's. "I wanted to see how you were doing."
Harry felt one of his eyebrows shoot up towards his hairline. "What do you mean?"
"I –," Hermione took a few steps towards him, coming to a stop a few feet away from the boy. "I was here…last night."
"Ahh," Harry closed his eyes briefly, sighing softly. He looked down at his book and fished around in his covers for the bookmark. He slipped it into the book and set the volume aside, settling back onto his pillows tiredly. "I take it you found out about the potion then?" He tilted his head to one side, regarding her evenly.
She nodded hesitantly, scooting forward a little more and dropping down into the chair by the side of the bed. "Yes, I did." She pressed her lips together and frowned. "Harry – why did you do it?"
The boy looked away, his gaze resting on the small patch of sunlight on the floor next to her. He stayed silent for a long moment, choosing his words carefully. "Hermione – at the start of the year I was the devil incarnate to you. To everyone, except the Slytherins it seems. I –," he shook his head slightly, frowning, "Hermione, I had to do something to help." He lifted his gaze and looked her in the eye. "Even when all of you were so set against me, I wanted to help you all. I wanted to help fight Voldemort in anyway I could. And since you and Ron and everyone else were actively against me, I did the only thing I could."
"But Harry…" Hermione tucked her hair behind her ears, scooting forward in her seat. "That Potion is evil. It's Dark Magic!"
The boy sighed and looked away from her once more, his face falling. "Hermione – it's not evil. Dark Magic, yes. But not evil."
"Harry
Potter! Dark Magic is evil! You
know that!" A line appeared between Hermione's eyebrows. "What else have we
been taught for the last five years…"
"We've been taught a certain
way to look at things, a certain way to judge things." Harry sighed deeply.
"Hermione – don't you get it? The world
isn't all black and white, good and evil.
It's gray, full of things that are neither good nor evil –
they just are."
"But –,"
"Hermione." Harry brought up a hand and pinched the bridge of his nose angrily. "Think about it for a moment. What's more evil, saving one person at the expense of a hundred or saving a hundred people at the expense of the one?"
"I – I –," Hermione rocked back in her chair slightly, "that's a silly question. You save them all, of course, and sacrifice neither."
Harry sighed and dropped his hand, shaking his head. "Hermione," he frowned at her. "It's like in first year, with Ron. How he sacrificed himself so we could go on, don't you see?"
"I see someone doing their all for the cause of Good, Harry." Hermione spread her hands out evenly. "Ron did what he had to in order that we could go on, he did what was necessary."
"Exactly, Hermione." Harry's eyes were shadowed and old. "Exactly. Don't you get it now?"
"No."
Harry let his head thump back against the wall. "Hermione…"
"Harry, listen to me." The Gryffindor pressed her lips together firmly, her hands twisting together in her lap. "Maybe I don't understand what you're trying to tell me," she took a deep breath and let it out slowly, "but please – just don't do it again. I – seeing you there, screaming and bloody," she swallowed convulsively, "it was horrible. The most terrible thing I've ever seen. And the entire time, all I could think was…I never got to say – to say I'm sorry. That – that I was wrong. About a lot of things – about you, about Ron, about oh I don't know." She dropped her gaze to her lap, her eyes shining in the light. "Can you ever forgive me?"
"One day, maybe." Harry's voice was tired and he met her shocked look evenly. "Hermione – you stuck with me through everything, through the TriWizard Tournament, through Ron's hissy fits, through all of it – and yet some drivel from Percy Weasley had you turning your back on me in a second." He shook his head slowly, his eyes shadowed. "I – a part of me wants to forgive you this second, but another part of me wants to hate you for the rest of my life. I can't trust you anymore, Hermione, and I think that's what hurts the worst."
"Harry…" A few tears slipped from the girl's eyes, and she brushed them away hastily. She took a deep shuddering breath, her shoulders slumping a bit. "I don't know what to say." She shook her head and looked back down at the ground. "I – it made sense, what Percy was saying. And I'm sorry – but…" she shrugged. "The way he presented it at first, it was like you were the victim as well. And then…it started to evolve. Before long everything got so convoluted…" She shrugged again, jerkily, lifting her gaze to meet Harry's. "Before long I was just trying to hold on to something stable, and in the end, that turned out to burn me too."
"Ron?" Harry tilted his head to one side.
"Yeah." She wiped at her face angrily, sniffing. "He – he hit me, did you know that?"
"He what?" Harry jerked forward, his eyes going wide. "Hermione! Why didn't you tell McGonagall?"
"Because," she sniffed and stared at her hands, "she was already angry with us…and I didn't know if she'd believe me. I mean – this is Ron we're talking about."
"Yeah, Ron, who attacked his own sister. Ron, who's leading the school in prejudice and hatred at the moment. Hermione," Harry frowned at her. "You should have said something."
"I know," she whispered. "But I was scared – and I didn't want to believe it. Not really. He – he tried to tell me he loved me."
"And I'm sure he does, in his own sick and twisted fashion." Harry bit his lip and sighed. He looked at her, really looked at her for a long moment. She looks so sad, he bowed his head, his heart contracting painfully. "I wish…"
Hermione looked up. "You wish what?"
Harry smiled wanly, but it didn't reach his eyes. "I wish…" he looked away from her again, "I wish things were different." He looked back. "But they're not."
"Professor Snape said that Gryffindors were sheltered from the real world," Harry frowned at Hermione's sudden topic change. She smiled back at him, but it was brittle and sad. "I was angry with him at first, but you know what?" She stood, curling her arms around her middle as she walked towards the window. "He's right." She stared out over the grounds for a moment before turning back to face Harry. "You were our closest connection to Evil, to Voldemort – but we never really faced him. You did. You were the buffer between him and us, and we never really saw it. Ron and I can pretend that we've faced danger, but we never really have." She blinked furiously, her shoulders hunching forwards slightly. "How do you face it? It's so scary, so huge," she bowed her head and let her hair fall in front of her face, hiding her expression.
Harry reached out slightly, but let his hand drop back down next to his leg. "Herm…" he sighed. "You take it one day at a time. That's all you can do. You save those you can, and hope that those you can't save find a quick and peaceful death…and then, you move on."
"But –," she shook her head slightly.
"Hermione…this is what I was trying to explain to you earlier." Harry dug his fingers into the sheets, gripping them tightly as the room began to sway around him. "There is no right or wrong here, there is only what you can and what you can't do." He met her gaze evenly. "I wish, wish that there was some way that I could save the people that I see dying every time I have a vision from Voldemort, but I can't." He blinked back his own tears. "All I can do is hope that by giving the Headmaster the information I find in Voldemort's head I can help stop others from dying. And that is worth ten thousand Dark Potions combined."
Hermione merely stared at him for a long moment before turning abruptly and leaving the room, shutting the door behind her quietly. Harry watched her go, not trying to stop the girl. She'll see it in the end, he bowed his head slightly. She'll see it in the end.
"Such a strange girl."
Harry snapped his head around to see the Morrigan perched on a chair near his bed. His breath caught in his throat – "When – how –," he could feel beads of sweat beginning to break out on his skin. The room was still spinning lazily around him, and the golden haze from the sun was becoming brighter, warmer.
The dark Goddess smiled, hopping off the chair and coming to stand next to Harry, her pale fingers reaching out to brush at his hair. "You're so close, dream child." She smiled at him, the light in her eyes wild and sad. "You smell like pain and death."
"So you've said before." Harry held himself still as her fingers played along his skin, brushing back his hair gently. He stared up at her as she cupped his chin, meeting her gaze with a small rush of fear. "Am I dying?"
The Morrigan frowned caressing his cheek gently. "No, child." She shook her head and sat on the edge of his bed, running a finger down his cheek. "You're not dying."
"Then why do I feel so odd?" He shivered as she withdrew her hands, goose bumps breaking out over his skin.
"You are close to the Otherworld." She shrugged slightly. "The Paths will always be open for you now – you just have to learn how to control it."
"But –," Harry shook slightly. "I feel so weak."
"Yes, but here," she touched his forehead gently, "you are strong."
Harry sighed, frustration and fear rushing through him. He jerked suddenly, reaching out to grab to Goddess' arm. She raised an eyebrow at him as he flushed. "I –," he bit his lip hard, nearly drawing blood. "Do you know of the Cw- Cwn Annwn?"
The smile
on the Morrigan's face slipped away as she studied the teen in front of her
gravely. "I know of the hounds of Annwn." She slipped her arm out of Harry's
grip gently, taking a hold of his hand and cradling it in her own. "But they
are long gone, like the Lord of Annwn, through the Veil and into the
Summerlands."
Harry shook his head slowly,
his eyes glittering. "The – the man that I'm connected to…he found a way to
capture two of them. He holds them
captive, as his pets. They do his
bidding, and he's going to send them here."
The
Morrigan stood abruptly, her face pale.
"That is impossible." She stared down at Harry, frowning harshly. "Gwyn
ap Nudd would never lose control of his hounds, it is impossible."
"But he – the man – has the
Book of Living Dead." Harry shivered as the Morrigan's gaze grew cold. "He took
it from the McVir clan."
"And opened the secrets of the realm of the dead." She closed her eyes and tilted her head back, the light in the room fading as her presence grew stronger. She opened her eyes and focused once more on Harry. "You have seen this, child?"
"Yes, ma'am." Harry's fists were clenched tightly in his sheets as he shook violently.
"Danu help us all." The Morrigan bowed her head as her form began to shift. She looked up at Harry through her lashes, her obsidian eyes dotted with the light of a thousand stars. "Move not from this castle child. I will find him if I can."
"Thank you." Harry flinched as her form exploded, feathers raining down on him and the bed, only to disappear seconds later. He stared at where the Goddess had been standing, a cold knot in his stomach unclenching, just a bit. She knows know. He closed his eyes as he shoulders sagged, a trickle of blood running from his nose. She knows know.
End Chapter 38A/N: Thank you everyone who has reviewed. I know I don't do review responses anymore, but all your words really do mean a lot to me. Thank you all so much for sticking with the story =)