Chapter Three
OWLs
The room had been plunged into pitch blackness, as dust began to fall from the rafters. Harry spun on his heal and pulled open the kitchen door, sprinting up the stone steps praying, begging that the sudden intrusion wasn't what he thought it was.
It seemed the whole house was the centre of a power cut. No light shone he was blind, he could see nothing. The faint cry of phoenix song echoed through the house, bouncing off the walls and growing louder with every passing moment.
Light erupted from no where, on the floor lay two bodies, one was resting on their frail arm, the other, quite clearly dead.
Fawkes flew through the wall in a mass of flames and screeched loudly as though angry. "Professor…?" Harry asked gently, Albus Dumbledore turned his head as he lay resting on the floor, his wand was a few feet away from him, he had, clearly been knocked off his feet during battle.
"You got the other one I take it?" he spoke looking at his bird, which cawed in reply, resting on the Headmasters shoulder. The phoenix song was dying; Harry looked at Dumbledore, confusing spreading over his face like a spider's web.
"Professor, what the f – hell happened? he asked, looking into his eyes.
"They were Death Eaters, who followed Mrs. Malfoy back here to the Order. I suppose her husband ordered them to follow her so he knew what she was up to. I had no other option, they had to die," he sighed heavily, "I've never liked killing, even last time I only killed if I really had too… I'm sorry if I frightened you."
Sorry, what a word, Harry thought to himself, oh no, I never got to apologise to Mrs. Weasley.
He discarded his thoughts and his Headmaster as he ran back to the kitchen, only to see Mrs. Weasley on the floor in a heap. "You did this to her!" Ron screamed in his face, "She's treated you like a son, and that is how you fucking repay her!"
"You know Potter, hearing Weasley swear isn't actually as shocking as hearing you swear… does that make sense?" Draco said jumping to his feet, Malfoy, jumping, and I thought him willingly be here was strange enough…
"Malfoy what the fuck are you doing here any way! This isn't your place… why don't you go and fuck you father…" Ron screamed. Draco's eyes flashed and he shot a glance to his mute mother, tears were creeping into her eyes.
"Weasley, you can insult me as much as you like but to make my mother cry…" Draco whipped his wand out of his sleeve and pointed it between Ron's eyes. "What's it like knowing that you've just done the one thing you hate…?" Suddenly Draco's newly humorous air had been shifted aside for his older more dominating one of murderous hatred.
Harry walked towards Draco until he was standing facing him, shielding Ron from his wand. "Drop it Malfoy, I wouldn't think you'd like everyone knowing what's happened between your family, and I doubt your mum will be too impressed either." Draco's grip on his wand loosened and he turned to face his mother. She was sitting her head buried in her hands, shielding her face from view. "Hey, mum, it'll be okay; don't listen to that freak…" he whispered in his mother's ear.
"So, what happened to your mum?" Harry asked calmly turning to Ron. He looked taken aback as Harry spoke to him.
"She thought that, You-Know-Who was here, coming to kill us and she… well fainted." he stammered.
"Oh," Harry said, crouching down next to Mrs. Weasley, the twins shooting him a glare of disgust. "Look, I'm sorry, I just lost it, everything I've been wanting to say, everything I've been needing to say kinda, just burst out…"
"Save it Harry, don't bother with them…" Ginny said as her shadow fell over him. "The Weasley men are, dare I say it in a room filled with them, incredibly protective, pig-headed and the most stubborn men you will ever meet… and we know Malfoy…"
Draco's head shot up at the words spoken by Ginny. "You better watch your step Weasel, I may not be able to get you here, but you'll be doing detentions all year long if I hear another comment like that from you… and the same goes for the lot of you…" He did look rather convincingly threatening, but, the whole room suddenly was filled with laughter. Draco began to glow a pale pink.
"Merlin's Beard… What happened here?" Dumbledore's voice ripped through the laughter, bringing the inhabitants back to reality. He rushed over to Mrs. Weasley's side and pointed his wand to her chest. He muttered something muffled and her eyelids flickered and shot open…
"We're all going to die… We're all going to DIE!" she shrieked, her eyes darting around the room, not settling on anything or anyone in particular.
"Calm down Molly, calm… Everything is okay." Dumbledore cooed soothingly. Her eyes fell on him and she stopped screaming.
"Dumbledore… you're here… what happened… why did…?"
"Do not worry, Molly," he tuned his head to face Mr. Weasley and continued, "Arthur take her up to bed and make sure she rests calmly… I shall explain everything once you get back…" Mr. Weasley nodded, helped Mrs. Weasley to her feet and led her from the room.
The table was large and heavily polished, its dark wood stained with varnish. It was littered with papers here, the odd bottle of Butter Bear or glass of Fire Whisky dashed to each setting. Dumbledore was seated at the head, his chair carved to make it look at though a phoenix was bursting from flames. All who sat around the table were looking at Dumbledore intently.
"This brings me onto our new goal. As you may well know, the Order's main goal recently has been to aid Sirius back to the side of the living after his untimely 'death' beyond the veil. It was believed that said veil had killed Sirius Black as he passed through after an attack by his cousin Bellatrix Lestrange. But this was not the case as we have now been contacted by Sirius, explaining his situation as he wanders through the Living Dead…"
"Dumbledore, how, if you don't mind me asking, did Black contact you?" Moody's voice growled through the kitchen.
"I have my sources Alistor… You should know who I mean…"
"But how do we know we can trust her…?"
"Alistor, how can you question the bond that he holds to her? It is that of blood, she would not betray him like that…" Moody opened his mouth to argue but Dumbledore cut across him, "She explained though, that while he is there, he is becoming weaker with every passing day and, therefore, we must hurry…" There was a soft knock on the door.
"Mr. Dumbledore?" The voice spoke though the silence as the door creaked open. "There is a woman here to see you, she's brought her son with her too… they said that you invited them here seeking refuge…"
"Yes, Percy, let her in, let her in, but could you possibly take her son upstairs to the Drawing Room? I shall take his mother to him later, settle them in together…" Percy nodded and bowed out the room, a few moments later the door opened again, and a tall woman with flowing white blonde hair entered, her eyes shining black… it was funny, Dumbledore thought to himself, how all the Blacks' eyes were, indeed true to their last name…
"Narcissa, please take a seat, and I will quickly recap… With his recent findings, Severus will be joining us next week for an update as he is on duty tonight. Our new recruit Selena Jamison who is working in the Department of Mysteries will also be joining us."
Dumbledore sat musing in his seat at the head of the kitchen table; Mr. Weasley came in and shut the door behind him softly. "She's just nodded off; she'll be okay won't she?" he sounded anxious as he took his seat by the stove.
"Yes Arthur, she will be fine, I think I may have just frightened her…" He took a quick glance at Narcissa, "Do not blame yourself; you did not know Lucius had sent them."
"Yeah, well we should have guessed!" Draco yelled indignantly.
"Please, Draco, keep calm, there are a few things I suppose I need to explain." He got to his feet and surveyed them. "Now I did wish for the younger ones not to hear this information but I see my concerns were rudely discarded…" he shot a quick glance at Fred and George and continued, "however, as they do now know some of the truth there is no need to hide it from them any longer because they will start speculating and create situations ten times worse than they actually are.
"We have a source that has the ability to connect with Sirius. While he is alright at the moment, he tells us that with everyday he spends beyond the veil, he grows steadily weaker until the time, he fears; he will become what truly should lie beyond that veil." Dumbledore said, his eyes drifting from nervous face to nervous face to Draco.
"So, is this source a Dream Weaver?" Draco asked calmly.
Dumbledore shook his head, "I do not think so, but she is a powerful witch and has blood bonds with Sirius therefore the connection," Draco opened his mouth to argue but Dumbledore cut across him. "Professor Snape's work, which I know most of you seem to be willing to know of, will not be disclosed past those in the Order, that is to say only those that have been initiate into the Order by myself can know. Now, Narcissa Malfoy and her son Draco, they are here to be under my protection, anyone who wishes to question my judgment please do so now or hold your tongue." He spoke definitely, shooting a glance at the Weasley brothers. No one spoke. "Very well," he spoke softly, "you technically should be receiving your OWLs tomorrow, but as they are already here I will allow you to open them now."
Hermione's face broke into an ecstatic grin, Ron's looked hopefully at his headmaster, Harry did the tiniest of double takes and Draco laughed, more to Hermione's happiness and the look on Harry's face, but still, it seemed alien to the room. Dean got to his feet, "That's great Professor." he said, quickly leaving the room.
"Erm, what's up with Thomas?" Draco said, his smile faltering. It was true; Dean's departure seemed highly unprovoked and indeed unnecessary.
Ginny clambered to her feet, "He thinks he's done really badly." She followed Dean's footsteps, taking the parchment envelope out of the Headmaster's hand with the name Mr. Dean Peter Thomas scrawled across the front.
Dumbledore passed the remaining envelopes around to their recipients, each taking the parchment in their hands and looking at them intently as though waiting to be told to open them. Hermione was the first to break, ripping open it open with ease, pulling out a sheet of parchment. Her eyes darted from side to side as she read the page and they lowered to the middle her eyes grew wide and she squealed with delight. "Oh my GOD…!" She proclaimed almost dancing through the kitchen.
"That's just too happy when it come to OWL results…" George stated looking at his brother who nodded intently, Hermione shot them a look of disgust and they fell silent.
Without being able to contain himself Harry did the same.
Dear Mr. Harry James Potter,
As you know, you took your Ordinary Wizarding Levels earlier on this June. The Ministry of Magic commends your scores giving you the grades as follows:
Defence Against the Dark ArtsO
PotionsO
TransfigurationO
HerbologyO
AstronomyO
CharmsO
History of MagicA
DivinationA
Care of Magical CreaturesO
Again we commend your efforts and we hope they help you gain the courses you wish to study for your NEWT exams in two years time.
Well Done
Griselda Marchbanks
Head of Magical Examinations and Tests, Ministry of Magic, London
His face broke into a grin; thank fuck for that.
He looked up, his fellow fifth years all had their noses to their parchment, all that was, except Draco. "So, Malfoy, you too scared to open your results?" Harry asked.
"No, Potter I've already looked if you don't mind." He said, and Harry suddenly noticed that the top of the envelope was undone rather neatly. "If you must know what I got, here…" he passed Harry his envelope and glared and icy stare. Harry took the parchment carefully out of the envelope and noticed that everyone else was now looking at Harry, pale parchment in his hands. They crowded around him as he unfolded the parchment and stared open mouthed at the results.
Dear Mr. Draco Lucius Abraxus Malfoy,
As you know, you took your Ordinary Wizarding Levels earlier on this June. The Ministry of Magic commends your scores giving you the grades as follows:
Defence Against the Dark ArtsO
PotionsO
TransfigurationO
HerbologyO
AstronomyO
CharmsO
History of MagicO
Ancient runesO
Care of Magical CreaturesO
ArithmancyO
Again we commend your efforts and are delighted to tell you that grades you received and another's are the highest of the year. We hope they help you gain the courses you wish to study for your NEWT exams in two years time.
Well Done
Griselda Marchbanks
Head of Magical Examinations and Tests, Ministry of Magic, London
Draco cleared his throat, "And, am I right Granger that, that other person would be you?" he asked, politely. She nodded and looked at Draco in shock. He quickly snatched his results out of Harry's hand and stalked out of the room, grunting a good night. His mother soon followed.
"Malfoy seems really strange," Harry said, sitting down again of his seat.
"Well, at least I'm not the only one to have spotted that." Ron said, throwing his parchment on the table.
"What did you get then?" Ron nodded towards the paper in front of Harry, indicating to him to pick it up.
Mr. Ronald Bilius Weasley,
As you know, you took your Ordinary Wizarding Levels earlier on this June. The Ministry of Magic commends your scores giving you the grades as follows:
Defence Against the Dark ArtsO
PotionsA
TransfigurationA
HerbologyO
AstronomyA
CharmsO
History of MagicA
DivinationA
Care of Magical CreaturesO
Again we commend your efforts and we hope they help you gain the courses you wish to study for your NEWT exams in two years time.
Well Done
Griselda Marchbanks
Head of Magical Examinations and Tests, Ministry of Magic, London
"They're really crap." Ron stated.
"Mind your language young man, your mother would kill you" Mr. Weasley huffed. "Now, as much as we like to hear your results, I think you need to be getting to bed."
The nodded in agreement, the clock on the wall giving the time to be just past one in the morning, they all clambered to their feet, giving either too sleepy or too enthusiastic good-night's.
Seven OWLs, Harry thought to himself, SEVEN, wow, go me! As he climbed into his warm bed that night he smiled, even though he would be spending another two years with Snape, he was glad, he would be able to become an Auror!
His dreams slipped into the random subconscious, he was sure that it must be because his brain was attempting to process too much information …He was in a circular room and a blonde muggle girl was attempting to find the corner… the blonde muggle girl turned into a blonde wizard boy in the form of Draco Malfoy, Lucius Malfoy baring down on top of his son, attempting to kiss him… Dean was chained up in a cage, Ginny stood below him, a whip in one hand, her wand shooting brilliant blue flames over Dean's body in the other, she was wearing some rather suspect thigh-high leather boots and a, no he refused to even go there… Professor's McGonagall, Snape, Sprout and Flitwick were standing in the front of a classroom with four tables set down in front of them, Ron, Hermione and Malfoy were sat in three of them, he soon realised the other was meant for himself, but he was chosen to demonstrate his Auror skills and he was suddenly in a giant stone cauldron, Snape swirling a spoon through the thick purple liquid that surrounded Harry as he began to drown, he pulled up for air and he was walking down the corridor of the Department of Mysteries, he was in the circular room once more and as he strode forwards he did not enter the room of clocks or the one of space, but the tall hall with its many tiers surrounding the archway and the veil... Sirius was standing on the dais, his grin a mixture of shock and fear, Bellatrix was laughing loudly her wand glowing bright red and Harry was running, running towards Sirius, but he was falling through again and again and again he rounded on Bellatrix and pulled his wand out but she blasted him with a curse and his wand turned to ashes in his hand, again she laughed, but this time it was joined with an evil voice, shrill and snake-like mocking Harry as he ran for the veil...
Great, great, great, great, this is all I need! It was just past midnight when he managed to escape his 'master' but, all the same he felt as though it were later. How dare that man even think that I would still reside on his side… if you can even call him a man…? Damn it! Why am I so stupid? He sighed heavily, resting gently against the wall he had been following back to the main streets of London. How can you have taken this mission, Dumbledore is insane to think that this wouldn't involve something so sinister… or so beautiful… You were a fool Severus, you should never have gone to him in the first place… but, he mused, did you really have much choice? Well, you should've tried harder, Voldemort won't believe your excuses forever and when you do show your true colours, you will be lucky if you escape with only death… just look at Regelus…
"Hello Severus," a cool voice sounded in his ear making him jump. He shot around only to be met by a black hood and a strange porcelain mask, but he knew who it was, the cold French tinted accent gave it away.
"Rodolphus, how good to see you again…" His voice caught in his throat, maybe putting on the happy-to-see-you tone was slightly over-doing it.
"Why have you not been attending meetings?"
"Why?" he asked looking the Death Eater up and down. "Why, I've been attending meetings with Albus Dumbledore, or do you not remember the Dark Lord's plan?"
"Yes, I do," he paused slightly and then carried on, "I believe you've had the chance of meeting my sister?"
"Yes, yes I do believe I have, rather polite, and very pretty, there must be something in your genes…" The Death Eater's eyes shone vividly behind his mask.
"Always were a charmer weren't you?"
"Of course,"
"Always couldn't keep away from other people's property either… if I remember correctly…"
"I would hardly have called Bella…"
Suddenly the Death Eater's hands were around Severus' neck pushing him against the wall. "Don't you ever call her that again; don't you even think about even talking about her, you got it?" Severus nodded his head. "I told the Dark Lord I'll have you know, I asked him to hurt you as much as you hurt me, but he wouldn't, he would never do that to you… you're a stupid suck up too, always were, always will be…" he smirked, throwing Severus to the floor. "Let me continue with my little story… so when our greatest Dark Lord refused to harm you, I took matters into my own hands, so don't go thinking that it was Voldemort who did that shit to your family… it was me… I raped your stupid whore, and your daughter too… oh you should've heard her screams Sev, 'Daddy, daddy make it stop, make it stop' oh I had fun with her, how old was she Sev, six, seven?"
Severus glared up into the masked face of the man above him, tears streaking down his face. "She was four you son of a bitch… you evil mother-fucking wanker… my daughter was only four…"