A/N: This is the first long fanfiction I've ever written and constructive criticism is much appreciated in the reviews
"Come along Draco," came Snape's harsh and hurried tones. He knew he had to act quickly otherwise his life would become much more precarious than it already was.
Draco followed behind Snape in a daze, his pale face shining white with horror in the moonlight. He moved quickly, his eyes unfocused, no doubt replaying the scene he had just witnessed. The lifeless body of Albus Dumbledore as he slipped over the railing of the astronomy tower, dead by Snape's own hand. Draco could afford to take such luxuries, but Snape knew that he couldn't lose the time. He had precious moments to carry out his plan, imperfect as it was.
He pulled Draco to his side and apparated them both into darkness.
They materialised in the darkness of Grimmauld place, Draco still seemed unaware of his surroundings.
Good, it'll be easier to keep him ignorant like this.
Moving Draco into the darkness of a tree of the square, he shot a very mild confundus charm at him and stuck his feet to the ground with a sticking charm. He would be able to run away from immediate danger, but wouldn't wander off like this. A notice-me-not charm added to his protection and Snape turned and ran across the square, hoping they hadn't had a chance to change the secret keeper yet. They were probably just finding his body now, Minerva running across the lawn to the sprawled heap…
No, I can't think about that, stay focused.
He stared up at the place where buildings 11 and 13 stood and took a deep breath in.
The Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix may be found at number twelve, Grimmauld Place, London.
A rumbling opened the ground, unnoticed by muggles in the surrounding buildings as number 12 came into existence between the terraced properties. Snape let out the breath he had been holding. One more thing had gone right on his plan, which had a million obstacles, any of which could prove to be fatal.
He cast a dissolutionment charm on himself as he approached the front door. Hearing no noises coming from inside, he entered the building. All appeared quiet as he hurried silently down the corridor towards the kitchen, years of sneaking up on misbehaving students in the corridors giving him a well-practiced advantage. He pushed the door open and was pleased to find it empty. Perfect.
He placed the two items on the table that he'd been carrying with him at all times for the past three weeks. A glass vial filled with swirling, silvery gas, and a note saying "watch me".
He'd deliberated on this for a long time, it would mean defying both of the masters who had controlled his life since he was nineteen, and possibly putting his life in danger, but it had to be done, it was a long shot.
He was sure of his decision, but he hesitated a moment before leaving, a last chance to change his mind, nothing had been done yet. A moment of hesitation, just like on the top of the tower when he-
No!
No time to dwell, no time to hesitate, it did no good in the end, Dumbledore was dead no matter how much he hesitated, and these items would be left just the same.
He turned on his heel and left as swiftly as he had arrived, hearing the jovial tones of Remus Lupin at the top of the stairs just as he shut the door to disappear with Draco into the night.
Hermione, Ron, and Harry sat together at the Gryffindor table at breakfast. The whole hall had a sombre mood, the walls were draped in black, and the headmaster's chair was conspicuously empty that morning. While all of Dumbledore's Army knew what had happened last night, each head of house had awoken their students early and announced the news.
Albus Dumbledore was dead.
Students who were usually excitedly chatting over their breakfasts were silent. Occasional whispers and murmurs of requests for salt could be heard over the oppressive silence. All students would be returning home on the Hogwarts Express that afternoon. The final exams for OWL and NEWT students had been concluded the week before, and exams for all other years had been cancelled.
Hermione and Ron would be heading directly to Grimmauld place while Harry had to return to the Dursleys. His sadness at the death of his mentor was compounded by the anger of once again being cut off from the wizarding world and the only people who would be able to understand him.
They pushed food around their plates half-heartedly for fifteen minutes before giving breakfast up as a pointless endeavour. Even Ron, whose appetite couldn't be diminished by any force known to wizard or beast had only chewed a solitary slice of toast.
They returned to their dormitories, packed their trunks and sat in their usual spots in the common room. Hermione brought a book to stare at without reading as Ron and Harry haphazardly directed chess pieces around a board with no sense of strategy or reason, much to the disappointment of the living statues who berated them to no end, as they stared off into space, stopping instructions half way through, and led them to their untimely death. The game stopped when Harry blasted the board in a moment of anger, startling the other occupants of the common room. He stomped up to his room, raging, and was followed after a moment by Ron with the phrase, "Better go and make sure he's alright".
Hermione turned her attention to the room, remembering her prefect duties as she saw some of the younger students crying. She sat with them and listened as they poured out their feelings, fear and confusion marred their countenance, and a million small problems passed their lips. Hermione reassured them, glad to answer their questions and solve some of their simple problems. The moment ended when she volunteered to walk one of them to the library. She wasn't sure if they would be able to exchange their book and take one home over the summer, but she would come to ask Madame Pince with her.
They walked the silent hallways to the library, Hermione's steps infused with a sense of purpose in this purposeless world she found herself thrust into last night.