CHAPTER 22
Comeuppance
For a moment after Harry made his announcement, the three professors stood frozen in shock. Dumbledore was the first to recover.
"What do you mean--what sort of message?" he asked quickly.
Harry panted, his cheeks pink with excitement. "He used Legilimency, Professor!" At Dumbledore's raised eyebrow, Harry flushed guiltily. "Yes, well--it was the last thing I was expecting, sir. I mean, there's been no sign of Voldemort all year."
Dumbledore patted him on the shoulder. "Not to worry, Harry. If Professor Snape is sending you messages through Legilimency, it is precisely because he knows you do not guard your thoughts. Perhaps, at least this time, it is for the best."
Professor Lovejoy could restrain herself no longer. "But what was the message, Harry?" she asked eagerly.
"I could see Sn--Professor Snape," he corrected hastily, glancing guiltily at Dumbledore, "in the center of a ring of Death Eaters. Lucius Malfoy was one of them--he wasn't masked. Voldemort was standing there with his wand raised."
Professor McGonagall interrupted him. "Where, Harry? Do you know where they are?"
"Oh--yes, at Malfoy Manor." Harry grimaced. "Voldemort was performing the Cruciatus curse. I--I think Professor Snape lost consciousness right after he contacted me, because everything went black and I couldn't feel him in my mind any longer."
Professor Lovejoy wrung her hands in agitation. "Oh, no--oh, Severus," she whispered. Professor McGonagall patted her gently, looking at Dumbledore with a worried face.
"What do you think, Albus?" she asked quietly. "Should we gather the Order? At the very least, we probably ought to inform the Minister--or--do you think..." She trailed off distractedly.
Dumbledore rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I suppose we should get Kingsley and his Aurors together," he said. "But there may be a rather different problem this time than we faced in rescuing Professor Lovejoy. They were expecting Severus to come after her--wanted him to, in order to trap him for Voldemort--but now that he is in Voldemort's grasp, a rescue attempt is the very last thing they will want. I would be very surprised indeed if Lucius did not have the place fully warded against intruders." He shook his head doubtfully. "I fear that gaining access to Malfoy Manor may prove to be a serious obstacle, at least if we're to be in time to be any good at all to Severus."
Suddenly a voice spoke out of the shadows. "I can get you past the wards."
And Draco Malfoy stepped into the light.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Snape woke to total blackness. Or--is this what death feels like? he wondered. At first he didn't move, attempting to see if he could hear where he was; but there was no sound at all, and not the faintest shred of light. He lay on a cold, hard surface. He wasn't in pain, particularly, which was the main reason he thought he might be dead--after all, the dead felt no pain.
Then he tried to raise his head--a mistake, as he immediately found--and knew he was most emphatically not dead. Pain exploded behind his eyes before his head had even left the floor. He whimpered and stopped moving. There--there...that was a little better. Gasping, he considered what to do.
He tried moving just the smallest tip of one finger--painful, but bearable. Then a foot. No--too much, too soon. He lay quietly, contemplating what he imagined his situation to be. It seemed obvious that Voldemort had got tired of playing with him once he'd lost consciousness and had had him brought here. He must be in the dungeon. He grunted with pained amusement at that--and here he'd wondered whether he would ever see it again.
He wished he had his wand, but he knew they wouldn't take a stupid risk like that. Oh, well. Was he not forever stressing the importance of wandless--and wordless--magic to his students? A poor teacher he would be if he didn't follow his own advice.
Lumos! he cried silently. He had no wand, but a faint luminescence spread like a halo around his body. Yes, indeed--as he had thought, he was in the dungeon. He lifted his head again, braving the cascade of pain just long enough to ascertain that he did not appear to be bound in any way. He was uncertain whether to find this reassuring--Voldemort usually had reasons for the things he did. Then again, perhaps some Death Eater or House Elf had simply dragged him down here, thrown him inside the door, and left him. As an afterthought, he rolled his eyes toward the door, but it appeared firmly shut. He closed his eyes and the pale light he had conjured dimmed and went out, leaving him in darkness once more.
Snape wondered briefly whether Potter had received his mental message--wouldn't it be ironic if he had suddenly started practicing Occlumency on a regular basis?--and if he had, what he was doing about it.
Then exhaustion claimed him, and within moments he slept as one dead.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Draco faced them almost defiantly.
"You?" Harry said rudely. "Why would you help rescue Snape?" You're practically a Death Eater yourself, Malfoy."
"Harry," Dumbledore said quietly. Harry subsided, but he continued to glare suspiciously at Draco.
Dumbledore, head tilted to one side, regarded Draco curiously. "As--er--poorly as that was put, Mr Malfoy, I must admit that I, too, am possessed of an extraordinary curiosity as to your motive for offering to help. Perhaps you would be so good as to satisfy it?"
Draco looked round at all of them: Dumbledore, politely inquisitive; Professor McGonagall, tapping her toe with barely restrained impatience; Professor Lovejoy, doubting but hopeful; and, of course, Harry--exuding disbelief, mistrust, and hostility from every pore.
"Well, Headmaster, it--it was partly what you said earlier this year, about deciding what we stand for." Draco looked earnestly at Dumbledore as he spoke. "My father has devoted most of his life to serving the Dark Lord, and he expects me to do the same once I leave here. But..." He shook his head and for a moment seemed lost for words.
"But I know a little of what it means to be a Death Eater already. So far I haven't become one, but I know everyone thinks all of us Slytherins are already working for the Dark Lord." He looked at Harry. "They all hate us. Really...hate us." He shrugged. "I'm not sure what I want to do with my life yet or if I want to go the same way as my father--I don't have strong feelings either way, really. But I do know I don't want to spend the rest of my life being hated."
Harry flushed at that. He didn't know what to think. Was Malfoy, as Harry suspected, just making this up as he went along? It was hard to imagine him being overly concerned about anyone else's opinion of him. He looked so earnest...but after all the nasty turns he'd served Harry over the past six years, how could Harry suddenly trust him, just like that?
Dumbledore broke in upon Harry's musings. "Well, Mr Malfoy, that's a place to start, at least." He drew himself up. "So--how do you propose we proceed? I take it you are familiar with the wards on your home. Do you know how to remove them?"
"Oh, yes," Draco said eagerly. "I've been able to get past Father's wards practically since I got my first wand."
"Good, excellent," Dumbledore said. "I suggest we remove to my office to discuss the matter further. We don't want to arouse curiosity by standing about here in the corridor. Come along, everyone." He led the way down the main staircase and along to the gargoyle that guarded the entrance to his private office.
"Lemon Tarts" was apparently the password of the day. Dumbledore uttered it in ringing tones and, followed by the others, stepped onto the revolving stairway and was carried upward to his office.
When everyone had arrived, he gathered them in the cozy little sitting room off the small, book-lined stairway that led to his observatory. "Let me see," he muttered to himself as they disposed themselves among the various sofas and armchairs crowded into the small space. "What first?"
"Albus," said Professor McGonagall hesitantly. "If I may?"
"Oh, by all means, Minerva," Dumbledore said.
"Albus, I really do think we should alert the Minister," she began. "Aside from anything else, Voldemort has taken one of our teachers--that alone is reason enough to involve the Ministry. I think we are badly in need of the Aurors if we're to get anywhere. From what Harry has said, this is a major gathering of the Death Eaters at Malfoy Manor--not just the elderly ones too feeble to be of much good to Voldemort, like last time."
She, Professor Lovejoy, and Dumbledore huddled before the fire, discussing and discarding various courses of action in low voices. Harry and Draco, while not deliberately ignored, were effectively excluded from the conversation for the moment. Harry waited for a few minutes, hoping to be re-included in the discussion, but time dragged on and the animated planning continued; the professors seemed to have forgotten his and Draco's presence.
Finally he could stand it no longer. He rose and quietly made his way to the door. He looked back for a moment, but the three adults were too deeply engrossed in their plans to notice him. He opened the door and walked out, closing it silently behind him. He set out determinedly toward the main entrance of the castle; sparing no thought for Filch and the evening curfew rules, he marched up to--and then out of--the heavy wooden doors. They swung shut behind him with a muffled thunk.
The night was still, warm, and beautiful, the sky a vast, unbroken blanket of stars. Harry took a deep breath, savoring the peaceful atmosphere, then started down the hill toward the main gates. He intended to Apparate to Malfoy Manor and knew he couldn't do it from inside the school's boundaries, with all its protections in place; certainly Hermione, with her frequent quotes from Hogwarts, A History, had mentioned the fact often enough.
Suddenly he heard running footsteps behind him. Startled, he whipped round to see a pale blob that could only be Draco's blond head bobbing toward him through the darkness. Harry wheeled and kept on walking, determined to ignore his nemesis.
"Wait--hold up, Potter," Draco panted as he came up even with Harry. He trotted to keep up with Harry, who by now was almost running. Draco reached out and grabbed Harry's arm. "Wait!" he repeated breathlessly.
Harry stopped abruptly and yanked his arm out of Draco's grasp. "Look here, Malfoy," he gritted out. "Just what are you playing at? Trying to lure all the Hogwarts professors to Malfoy Manor so Voldemort can get rid of them? Or--" His eyes narrowed. "Or is it just Dumbledore you're after? Of course," he breathed. "That's it, isn't it? Voldemort wants to destroy Dumbledore, and you're going to lead him right into the trap." He stepped closer to Draco and raised his wand threateningly. "Over my dead body."
Draco held up both hands. "As usual, you're jumping to conclusions," he sneered. "You're so perfect, aren't you, Potter? Going to run off and save the world all by yourself, are you? Well, I've got news for you. You're not perfect. And you know what else? I'm not dirt under your feet." They glared at each other for a moment, breathing heavily.
"You'll never get through the wards on your own, you know," Draco continued. "And then what? They'll know you're there, and the Dark Lord will have what he wants--you, with no one to help you." He saw the flicker of uncertainty in Harry's eyes and pounced on it with uncanny aim.
"You might be good, Potter. But what if--what if--you're not quite good enough? Is it really worth turning down my help just so you might live to say you vanquished the Dark Lord all by yourself?"
Harry scowled and half turned away. "We're wasting time," he said.
Draco brightened. "We?" he asked. Harry looked at him for a long moment. He recognized that an important change seemed to be taking place within Draco, but he hadn't the patience to analyze it just then--nor to think about Ron's reaction when he inevitably found out Harry had gone on this little caper with Draco instead of with him. Harry gave an exaggerated sigh.
"Can you Apparate yet?" he asked tersely.
Draco nodded. "Of course. I'm not old enough to take the exam yet, but at home I've been Apparating for a couple of years." He smirked. "My father hasn't a clue."
Reluctantly, Harry felt some of his suspicion melt away in the face of Draco's unexpected attempt at camaraderie. "Okay, then," he said. "Let's go."
"But what's your plan?" Draco asked hastily.
"Haven't got one," was the reply. "Come on--we'll figure it out when we get there."
They slipped out of the gates and stood at the edge of the road, shivering with excitement. They looked at each other and grinned. Together they said, "One...two...three!"
On three they whirled in place, their synchronization as perfect as if they had rehearsed it, and disappeared, leaving the night silent once more.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Lucius Malfoy strode noiselessly through the stone corridors of his ancestral home, hoping he would meet no one else at this hour since, strictly speaking, even though it was his house, his presence in this part of it--the dungeons--was highly questionable. If any of his fellow Death Eaters saw him here, he had no idea what explanation he could give.
Which was why, as he walked, he kept his wand at the ready, hidden at his side among the folds of his robes. Just in case.
He had no very clear idea how he meant to proceed. But he did know he could not in good conscience allow Snape to die--yet another victim of the Dark Lord that Lucius had been unable to save. He smiled grimly at the thought: good conscience? What a joke that was. Had he been possessed of any conscience at all, he never would have allowed himself to follow the Dark Lord into the twisted life of evil and self-indulgence that the past years had become.
Come to that, if he had been possessed of a conscience his beloved Narcissa would still be alive. Had he never joined Voldemort's Death Eaters, the recent raid on his home would not have taken place, leading to the events which had caused him to lose his wife. He carefully avoided thinking of the precise manner in which she had died--could not think of words like "kill" and "fault"--yet another unfortunate effect of the missing aforementioned conscience.
It was much easier to place the blame for her death where Lucius felt it belonged--squarely upon the Dark Lord's shoulders. Lucius Malfoy was a great one for laying blame, although rarely upon himself, even when that was where it truly lay. He came by this fault honestly, having personally observed it all his life in the three prior generations of Malfoys he had been privileged to know. That and a propensity for seeking out undeserved power and gain were among the unfortunate traits he was about to pass on to yet another generation in a long line of Malfoys through his son, Draco.
But of course, since such thoughts required a degree of honest introspection that Lucius was not capable of, he did not much bother with them.
Instead he wondered how best to extricate Snape from the dungeon, preferably from the house altogether, without Voldemort interfering. He was not overly optimistic about the outcome, but he had to try. If nothing else, he owed Snape for having saved his life years ago after a prank gone wrong during their Hogwarts student years. Lucius was not terribly concerned about his own safety at present; he had Plans for Voldemort, who would, Lucius felt, soon have far more serious concerns than one Death Eater escaping his vengeance.
Lucius' footsteps rang out on the stone floor of the lowest level of the Manor. So far, so good--he had not encountered any of his fellow Death Eaters, and he was almost at the cell where Snape was being held. It became progressively darker as he went; even with Snape's presence there was little reason for anyone to visit the dungeons, and the torches on the wall were at longer and longer intervals here.
"Lumos," he whispered, and the tip of his wand flared, illuminating walls that glistened with damp. Despite the fact that Malfoy Manor had been his home all his life, Lucius had never felt quite comfortable down here in the dungeons. In his father's time the cells had seen frequent use, both for reasons of his own and on behalf of the Dark Lord. For the most part, since Lucius' succession to ownership of the place he had not spent his time pursuing personal vendettas but instead occupied himself with hunting down and acquiring objects of Dark magic that interested him.
He fastidiously pulled his robes closer about him to avoid contact with the walls and walked a bit faster. In a moment he came to a solid plank door with a heavy iron ring set into it. Quickly he pulled it open and slipped inside.
With the door shut behind him the short corridor was completely black. There were no torches on the walls here; even the Lumos charm gave barely enough light to see by. Lucius moved quickly to the end of the corridor where the cell housing Snape was located. There was no sound from within. The door had been warded by Lucius himself, a move carefully judged on his part to enable him to enter and leave without anyone's knowledge.
He quietly repeated the complicated charm that would allow him to open the door and heard the slight snick! of the latch. He pushed the door open on silent hinges and peered into the Stygian dark that lay beyond the weak glow of his wand.
"Severus?" he said softly.
From the furthest corner he could discern a faint rustling, followed by what sounded like a moan. "Severus?" he repeated more loudly.
"For Merlin's sake," a faint but irritable voice demanded, "put out that damned wand. Do you want to blind me?"
Lucius did as he was told. "Are you able to move?" he asked. "I need to get you out of here. If you can't walk, tell me and I'll levitate you."
Snape managed a weak snort. "If I try to stand up, my head may well explode. And why are you showing up to rescue me now? A bit late for that, surely?" His tone was bitter. "I thought you had a plan."
Lucius grimaced. "I do--but I could hardly put it into practice with the entire force of Death Eaters standing right there, could I?" He moved to where Snape lay and gingerly helped him up, tactfully ignoring the gasps of pain and muttered imprecations elicited from Snape by this procedure.
"Do you think you can walk?" Lucius asked.
"I haven't the foggiest notion," Snape said faintly, "but if it got me out of here, I'd crawl on my lips if I had to."
Lucius' own lips twitched in spite of himself. "Well, give it a try," he said. "The sooner we get out of here, the better."
"Where are we going, anyway?" Snape panted. "You never did say."
"Oh, didn't I?" Lucius said casually. "We're going to the main hall, of course. To destroy the Dark Lord. Sorry, I should have said."
There was a sharp jerk on his arm as Snape abruptly stopped their forward progress. "Destroy-- Are you insane, man? What can you mean?" Despite his weakened condition, the familiar haughty tone of the Hogwarts Potions master was clearly audible in his voice.
"Come now, Severus," Lucius said reasonably. "Surely the idea doesn't come as a complete surprise to you? I've given this a great deal of thought, you know. You're the only person in this house I can count on to help me. The others are too fond of their precious skins to take any kind of action against him--no matter how they may feel personally," he added with some acerbity.
He whirled, his patience at an end. "He must die, Severus. He must! Do you understand? We have no choice. He can't be allowed to simply go on gaining in power until he truly is unstoppable. For now, he can still be killed like anyone else--I'm convinced of it." Snape said nothing but raised a doubtful eyebrow, unconvinced.
"Oh, come, Severus. The Killing Curse, performed by both of us at once? Even the Dark Lord isn't proof against that, I'll wager," Lucius said persuasively.
"Er--but, Lucius," Snape said, desperately trying to stop this runaway train before it derailed with him aboard, "that's just it--it might as well be a wager. We have no idea what it would take to--to kill--" He shook his head, unable to say it.
"And I'm rather fond of my own skin, if it comes to that," he said finally. "What makes you think you can count on me to help you destroy the Dark Lord? What's to stop me going to him right now to tell him of this treachery? Use it to save myself?"
Lucius abruptly let go of Snape's arm and stepped away from him. "By all means, go," he said, opening the door and standing aside politely. Snape, teetering precariously without Lucius' support, glared at him.
"Damn you," he muttered in frustration. "You surely don't believe you can just march into the room and--and kill him? The Dark Lord, Lucius, for Merlin's sake! You'd be dead before you got the first word out."
"Oh, I think not," Lucius said casually. "I'm a rather accomplished Occlumens, you know." He sauntered back to Snape and slung Snape's arm over his shoulder again. "I hear you're rather good in that area yourself. No reason he should suspect anything, unless he sees you. And he won't, because I have this." He drew a shimmering mass of fabric out of a pocket in his robe and shook it out. Snape took one look at it and glanced curiously at Lucius.
"Is that--Potter's?" he asked suspiciously. "How did you get it?"
Lucius stared at him. "Potter has an Invisibility Cloak?" he said musingly. "Well, that would explain a few things, certainly. No, this is mine. It was...a gift." From the lingering way in which Lucius smoothed his hand down the cloak, Snape assumed the gift had been from Narcissa. Lucius held it against Snape to judge the length. "Just about right for you, I should think," he said. "You can put it on when we get out of the dungeon. We'll find you a walking stick. I can't keep holding you up like this--if anyone's about, they're bound to notice something odd."
They proceeded along the corridors at a snail's pace, which was the best Snape could manage, until they reached a small door which led from the dungeon into the main part of the house. Beside the door, an old-fashioned elephant-foot umbrella holder--looking rather incongruous in its present surroundings--held an assortment of staffs. Lucius selected one and handed it to Snape.
"This ought to help," he said. "Mind you keep it hidden under the cloak." He watched as Snape flung the Invisibility Cloak over himself; it was considerably longer than Harry's and covered him from head to toe.
"Not a word, now," Lucius warned. He pushed the door open just a crack, checking to make sure no one was in sight. From the little he could see through the limited opening, the hall appeared empty. He motioned to Snape and opened the door wider.
He took two steps into the hall and then his head jerked to the left and he froze, causing the invisible Snape, who had been following closely on his heels, to crash into him from behind. Lucius' face paled and his jaw dropped in a comical expression of incredulity.
"You!" he exclaimed loudly.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Draco and Harry Apparated outside the same side door of Malfoy Manor that had been the point of exit for several captured Death Eaters only a few weeks ago. Draco drew out his wand and muttered a hurried series of incantations under his breath, just softly enough that Harry couldn't hear. He glanced at Harry with an apologetic shrug.
"Nothing personal," he said. "Never know when I might want to use the same spell." He touched his wand to the lock briefly and there was a quiet click when it opened. Draco grinned smugly. "Come on," he whispered. Together they entered the silent house.
"Where do you think everyone is?" Harry asked softly.
Draco grimaced. "In bed, probably. It's like--what--two in the morning, Harry." He started down the corridor and turned when they reached another, larger one off to the right. "This way. We'll check the main hall first. If there's anyone about, they're likely to be there."
They meandered through several more corridors until Harry was thoroughly lost. Just when he was starting to wonder if even Draco had got disoriented, they emerged into a large high-walled room hung with tapestries. A throne-like chair stood directly in front of the huge fireplace. Harry could easily imagine Voldemort holding court and commanding his Death Eaters from here.
"Wow," he whispered. "This is really--" He stopped abruptly as the sound of a door latch echoed through the room. Draco clutched Harry's arm in panic and they stood frozen in place, utterly unable to move.
A small door off to the right was opening very slowly--just a crack at first. The opening faced away from the boys, so they could not at first see who was there.
Then Lucius Malfoy stepped out into the hall. Harry exhaled sharply in relief, and Lucius' head turned suddenly in the boys' direction. When he saw them standing there, he stopped abruptly. His body gave an odd lurch, almost as if someone had pushed him from behind.
"You!" he exclaimed loudly. He recovered quickly and lowered his voice. "What on earth are you doing here?" he hissed.
Draco looked at Harry, who faced Lucius with a determined air. "We're here to destroy Voldemort," he said firmly.
Lucius laughed, seeming genuinely amused. "What--you? Mere boys? What possible harm can you do to the Dark Lord?" He narrowed his eyes at Draco. "And what, pray tell, are you doing here with him? Bad enough that you're hanging about with Gryffindors, Draco; must you let them into our home as well?"
Draco flushed. "Father, I'm here to help Harry," he said. He waited nervously for the recriminations to spew forth. But it seemed he was to be spared.
"Admirable indeed, Draco. But I ask again--what can you possibly hope to accomplish? You're only students, the both of you--hardly a threat to the Dark Lord."
"According to the prophecy, I'm a threat to him," Harry said stubbornly. Snape, listening but still hidden under the Invisibility Cloak, started at this. Surely Harry wasn't about to reveal the prophecy to Lucius, who was, when it came right down to it, a Death Eater?
"Ah," Lucius said, his attention definitely caught now. "The prophecy. Can I take it that you possess knowledge of the full contents of the prophecy?" He bent toward Harry, not trying to disguise his eagerness.
"Of course," Harry said matter-of-factly. Snape waited, half horrified, half intrigued in spite of himself. Dumbledore had never made him privy to the contents of the prophecy and Snape was well aware that Voldemort would have given much to hear it.
"It states that the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies (my birthday's on July thirty-first) to parents who have defied the Dark Lord three times. And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal." Harry pulled his hair aside, baring his forehead to show Lucius the famous scar. "And it says one of us will kill the other, because we can't both live." He drew himself up. "It also says I have power Voldemort doesn't know about."
Lucius looked at Harry for a long moment, one long, thin finger thoughtfully tapping his chin. "Well," he said at last, "that remains to be seen. So tell me--what kind of plan do you have for destroying the Dark Lord?" He waited with raised eyebrows, managing to convey the opinion that Harry was merely putting on airs.
"Yes, do tell us." An all-too-familiar voice hissed from the shadows. Harry, the Malfoys, and Snape--who had still not revealed himself--turned as one to see Voldemort stroll into the main hall. "I, for one, should really like to hear all about it." He cocked his head to one side and his face twisted into a jovial smile, belied by the cruel red eyes that burned above it.
"Lucius," he continued, drawing out Malfoy's name like a caress. "It appears you must have something to tell me as well, hmm?" The Death Eaters stepped from the shadows one by one and joined Voldemort, surrounding the little group.
Instinctively Harry, Draco, and Lucius drew their wands. Voldemort laughed, doubled over in a parody of mirth. "Oh, please," he said, still laughing. "Don't make me laugh. I beg of you." He giggled insanely.
Unrehearsed, Harry and the Malfoys drew a deep breath and, as one, shouted, "Avada--" But that was as far as they got.
Red flashes of light flew at them from every quarter as the Death Eaters responded with Stunners and Petrifying charms of their own. None used the Killing Curse, knowing that Voldemort would want the boys and Lucius taken alive, for reasons of his own. Voldemort himself merely stood and watched, his former gleeful expression gone.
Harry, Draco, and Lucius somehow managed to escape the various hexes being hurled at them. There was a flurry of shouted Protego charms, and their physical dexterity stood them in good stead; Harry had the D.A. practice from the previous year to thank for his good reflexes, and Draco had obviously got in some dueling practice of his own.
Lucius looked around surreptitiously, wondering where Snape had got to and, more importantly, whether any of the Stunners had hit him.
Suddenly the serpent Nagini rose from where she lay behind the great chair. Draco and Lucius continued to fend off the Death Eaters' hexes, but Harry watched the snake warily. She seemed to be watching him, as well.
He backed up a couple of steps without looking where he was going, and bumped into something solid. There was a gasp, quickly stifled but not before Harry heard it. He glanced round but saw no one behind him. Then a hand clamped onto his arm and a muffled voice spoke.
"Get under here--now!" Harry stared at the disembodied hand clutching his arm and then, as if a curtain had been drawn aside, the rest of Snape appeared. He instantly realized that Snape was wearing an Invisibility Cloak and stepped closer. Snape arranged the cloak so that it covered both of them.
"Professor--you're--you're not dead, then?" Harry stammered. Snape rolled his eyes.
"As you see," he said.
But another saw as well. Snape's eyes suddenly shifted to look past Harry, and he let out a stifled curse. Harry followed his gaze and saw Nagini moving rapidly toward them. She stopped before Harry and Snape, her forked tongue flickering busily.
To the Death Eaters, who could not see Snape and Harry, the serpent's behavior was puzzling. A few of them stopped flinging hexes long enough for Draco and Lucius to get in a few Stunners and Petrifying charms of their own, several of which found their marks among the Death Eaters.
Harry and Snape realized that the serpent was well aware of precisely where they were--the Invisibility Cloak was no deterrent to her extraordinary senses--and she was much too close to them for comfort.
Suddenly an odd look crossed Snape's face. He glanced at Harry. "Time to try a little something," he murmured. "Not for casual use, mind you, Potter." He raised his wand as much as he could without it poking out of the cloak, pointed it at Nagini, and cried, "Sectum sempra!"
The results were immediate--and disastrous. A vertical split appeared down the length of Nagini's body as she towered over them; her enormous bulk collapsed instantly in a shower of blood. She writhed violently, her tail thrashing everything within reach. Snape and Harry took advantage of the moment to reposition themselves behind the Malfoys, still unnoticed.
Finally Nagini gave a great shudder and then lay motionless in a pool of gore. The Death Eaters were transfixed, completely astonished by the attack and uncertain where it had come from. The Malfoys, too, stood and stared at the wreck of Voldemort's favorite. Lucius alone wore a faint smile, knowing perfectly well whose voice had uttered that spell.
Voldemort stood rooted to the spot in disbelief. "No--no," he said in a barely audible voice. He moved slowly across the floor to Nagini, the Death Eaters parting to make way for him.
Snape whispered to Lucius, "Quickly--while his attention is elsewhere!" Lucius in turn whispered to Draco, who gave a bewildered look behind him. Snape nodded to Harry. "The Killing Curse--and you'd best shield your eyes!"
Without delay, the four of them pointed their wands at Voldemort and uttered the fatal words: "Avada kedavra!" This time there was no stopping halfway. With the strength of four wands behind it, the curse exploded in an enormous flash of silent green light; the Death Eaters, nearly all of whom had been watching Voldemort when the curse was uttered, were momentarily blinded.
Snape threw off the cloak and looked around at them as they stood variously shaking their heads and rubbing their eyes, trying to regain their sight. He glanced at Lucius. Finger to his lips, Snape indicated the Death Eaters and made binding motions. Lucius nodded. They pointed their wands at the recovering Death Eaters, beginning with the ones who seemed able to see sufficiently to be dangerous.
Harry and Draco stared, wide-eyed with admiration, as Lucius and Snape performed their Petrifying charms in complete silence. The Death Eaters were too disoriented to put up much resistance. At last it was finished. Snape leaned heavily on his staff, exhaustion in every line of his body. Lucius walked among the Death Eaters, administering judicious kicks here and there to make certain the Petrifying spells had well and truly taken hold.
"Nicely done," said a voice from the doorway. The small band that remained standing upright turned to see Dumbledore, Professors McGonagall and Lovejoy, and Fudge heading an assortment of Order members and Aurors. Dumbledore surveyed the scene. "It appears we are too late," he said with a little smile. "You started without us."
"Good gad," Fudge exclaimed, walking about the hall and examining the Petrified Death Eaters. "Are all of these really--"
"Death Eaters? Yes," said Lucius. "This is all but a few of them. Most of the missing ones have proven disloyal over the years and would never respond to the Dark Lord's Summons." He glanced at Snape, who responded with the barest ghost of a smile. "Yes, indeed, Minister. No more worries about Death Eaters or Dark Lords. Whatever will you find to do now?"
"Ah--yes--well--" Fudge sputtered, not sure how to respond to teasing from Lucius Malfoy, of all people. Like a coward, he waited until Lucius was looking elsewhere and then moved away to merge unobtrusively with some of the Aurors.
Professor Lovejoy stood watching Snape, unable to tear her eyes away from him. Finally he looked her way, and his smile became genuine. She swayed toward him slightly but didn't go to him until he held out his hand. Then she fairly flew to his side.
"I'm so glad you're alive," she breathed. "Are you all right?" Her eyes flicked over him frantically. "What's this for?" she asked, placing her hand over his where he clutched the staff.
"Oh, I just had a little touch of Cruciatus," he said wryly. "It's better now."
Sympathy shone from her eyes. While the others busily bundled up fallen Death Eaters for transport to the Ministry, she whispered, "Severus--is it really over? Is Voldemort truly dead?"
Snape gestured to a small heap of ashes near Nagini's head. "He is," he said. "There is all that remains of him. With four of us performing the curse, it was rather more--effective--than any of us expected." They stood there for a moment regarding the Dark Lord's remains and thinking what a pathetic end it was for the monster he had been.
Professor Lovejoy finally broke the silence. "What do we do now?" she asked. Snape looked at her.
"What would you like to do?" he asked curiously.
"Well--wouldn't it be nice to go back to Hogwarts and just--I don't know--be comfortable, for once?" she said. "Just think, Severus--no more Voldemort hanging over our heads. What does it mean for us? I can hardly take it in."
"It means," he said firmly, "that that question I asked you a while back is no longer hypothetical, but something we can finally allow ourselves to think about." He watched in amusement as she blushed. "I see you recall the conversation. If I were to ask you again, I wonder--would you still give the same answer?"
Professor Lovejoy squeezed his hand. "You know I would," she whispered.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Lucius overheard them and watched bleakly as they exchanged loving looks. He supposed he ought to be glad that Voldemort was gone forever; lately his orders had been more of a burden than ever, and, of course, there was the whole tragic affair of Narcissa-- He stopped there, afraid he was about to wallow in self-pity in front of everyone.
Even the Death Eaters would soon be beyond threatening anyone. It was likely Fudge would sentence them to the same fate their elders had suffered--the Dementor's Kiss. Really, it seemed like most of Lucius' problems were over.
So why did he feel so empty? He no longer wished to wreak havoc on the world; in the absence of the need to do Voldemort's bidding, he would be left with a lot of time on his hands. What was he suppose to do with it? And--this was the worst part, which he couldn't avoid thinking about after all--who was there for him to do it with? Narcissa was gone. Forever. Even vanquishing the Dark Lord couldn't bring her back. Lucius sighed.
Someone walked up beside him. He looked over--not down, he realized--to see Draco standing there. "What is it, Father?" Draco asked.
Lucius took a good look at this boy, his son. He looked so much like Narcissa--her bright eyes, the noble forehead--and no one could ever mistake that determined chin. Maybe she wasn't completely gone after all. He cleared his throat.
"Ah--just thinking," he said nonchalantly. He gestured at the groups of Death Eaters being levitated out of the hall by Aurors and Order members. "Be rather quiet after this, eh? Just the two of us rattling around in this old pile. And after next year you'll probably go off to university." He thought without enjoyment of all the long, lonely years ahead.
"I--I miss her, too," Draco said, correctly guessing the source of Lucius' melancholy. Hesitantly, he placed a hand on his father's shoulder. "I keep thinking she'll walk into the room, or--or send an owl with a letter telling me off for not doing better on my examinations." He looked at Lucius and inquired, "What do you think you'll do now that--you know--now that the Dark Lord is..."
"Gone?" Lucius finished. "I really couldn't say, Draco. It's not something I ever thought would happen, so I've never given it much thought."
"Mother used to say she'd like to travel more," Draco said. "Is that something you'd want to do?"
Lucius considered. "Well, I suppose it could be interesting. I don't know, it's going to take some getting used to. I could never be that far away or get very involved in anything because I never knew when the Dark Lord would require something of me. I had to be ready to drop everything at a moment's notice to go on some errand or other for him." He gave a brief smile. "Do you know, Draco, I believe this is the first time since--well, really since I left Hogwarts, I suppose--that I've been able to call my time my own? Amazing, that. I don't know what to do with myself."
"Well--you still work for the Ministry, don't you?" Draco asked tentatively.
Lucius grimaced. "I don't think so, Draco. I'm not sure the Minister will even allow me into the place after this." He looked around for Fudge, but the Minister had left with a group of Aurors and and had returned to the sanctuary of his office. "It's fairly obvious to everyone here--if any of them had ever really been in doubt--that I'm a Death Eater. I don't know why I'm not being taken to Azkaban with the rest of them, if it comes to that. My position at the Ministry had a very vague title and duties that were even more vague--mostly I was only there to spy on Ministry activities for the Dark Lord. But I suppose you already knew that?"
"I never really knew what your job was," Draco replied. "But if you don't have a job to return to, and you don't have to report to the Dark Lord any longer--isn't that a good thing? Overall, I mean? You can do whatever you want now, with no one you have to report to."
Lucius nodded. "You're right. I suppose I'll have to give some thought to what that might be. Perhaps this summer you can help me come up with some ideas."
"Of course, Father--I'd like that," Draco said. This was the longest conversation he'd ever had with Lucius, and he was looking forward to the novelty of actually spending time with his father over the summer.
"But for now," Lucius continued as Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall approached, "it's back to school for you, for a little while longer."
"Yes indeed," Dumbledore said amiably. "End-of-term examinations--a joy not to be missed, wouldn't you say, Lucius?"
"Definitely not to be missed," Lucius agreed. He seemed a little surprised that Dumbledore was not only speaking to him but seemed every bit as cordial as he would be to any Hogwarts parent.
"We'll be returning to Hogwarts in a few minutes," Professor McGonagall said. "Please see that you and Mr Potter are ready to leave, Mr Malfoy."
"Yes, Professor," Draco said. He turned to Lucius. "I'll see you soon, then, Father?"
"I'll meet you at the station," Lucius promised. He rather gingerly patted Draco on the shoulder, not being given to displays of affection--after all, he couldn't be expected to change that much, that quickly--and watched as his son jogged over to join Harry. The two high-fived each other, eliciting an exchange of rolling eyes between Dumbledore, Lucius, and Professor McGonagall, none of whom had ever understood this odd Muggle expression of jubilation.
"Well! I'll just go round everyone up for the trip back to school, shall I?" Professor McGonagall said briskly.
"I'll be there directly, Minerva," Dumbledore assured her. She bustled off to collect the others, leaving Dumbledore alone with Lucius.
Lucius waited, his outward calm hiding a jumble of nerves. He wondered what Dumbledore could possibly say under the circumstances. He soon found out.
"Well, Lucius," Dumbledore said, folding his hands in front of him. "It appears there will be some rather major changes in your life now." He waited, but Lucius made no reply beyond a curt nod.
"The Minister has asked me to approach you about a new position at the Ministry that he thinks may interest you," Dumbledore continued. "It is of a strictly temporary nature, you understand--although, even so, the project might engage someone in this position for years to come."
He glanced at Lucius, who inclined his head a little and said stiffly, "Please continue."
"Fudge feels it would be a very good thing for the Ministry to make contact with the various factions that Voldemort has been trying to recruit for his war, to let them know of the--er--altered circumstances, let us say. He feels you would be ideal for the job, with your intimate knowledge of Voldemort's activities and plans over the last several years. In short, Lucius--Fudge is willing to overlook your...well, your treachery, not to put too fine a point on it, if you will undertake this task."
Lucius shot a startled look at Dumbledore, whose expression was unusually serious. "You are serious?" he said incredulously. "The Ministry would just--forgive and forget?"
"If you will agree to fulfill this task, then yes," Dumbledore replied. "Make no mistake, Lucius, you won't have an easy time of it. The Giants, Goblins, and Werewolves especially are anticipating war with great enjoyment. They will likely be rather inclined to--er--kill the messenger, as it were. You will be expected to work diligently at establishing relations between the various Dark factions and the Ministry. It could quite easily mean a lifetime of work."
Lucius looked him squarely in the eye. "Do you think I can do it?" he asked bluntly.
"Quite frankly, Lucius, I think you may be the only person who can," Dumbledore replied. "I shall watch your progress with great interest. I say, Lucius--are you quite all right?"
This last was said with concern, as Lucius had suddenly closed his eyes and buried his face in his hands. Dumbledore put a hand on Lucius' shoulder and waited. At last Lucius raised his head. His eyes were suspiciously bright as he looked at Dumbledore, and his usual haughty expression was gone.
"I--I don't know what to say," he whispered. "You humble me. I know this is more--much more than I deserve."
"Lucius," Dumbledore said, "I firmly believe in second chances--and that everyone deserves one. This is yours. Make the best of it." He smiled reminiscently. "You know, I remember when you first came to Hogwarts," he said. "I saw at once that you were clever, and you learned quickly. You were always so eager to learn more, to advance to the next step. I had such great expectations for you." Lucius flushed and lowered his eyes.
"No," Dumbledore said gently, "you misunderstand me, Lucius. I still have expectations for you. Now that Voldemort is no longer a factor in your life--and what a very great distraction he must have been--" Lucius chuckled at this understatement-- "I have faith that you will succeed beyond my greatest expectations."
Dumbledore looked around. "Ah--it seems everyone is ready to go. I'd best not hold up the proceedings any longer. Goodbye, Lucius." He turned to join the others, then looked back. "Oh, before I forget--I believe Fudge is expecting you to report to his office tomorrow morning for your instructions." He grinned broadly. "Should you choose to accept the position, of course."
Lucius gave an answering smile that was more genuine than any he had worn for years. "Of course, Dumbledore. I--thank you very much. For giving me this opportunity, and for your faith in me. I hope you won't find it to be misplaced."
"Good heavens, Lucius," Dumbledore snorted, "of course I won't. I pride myself on being a fair judge of character. You'll be fine. Don't forget to send me an owl now and then, let me know how it goes."
Dumbledore, the other professors, and Harry and Draco (the latter having decided it would be prudent, considering the teachers' presence, to merely do Side-Along Apparation this time) left the Manor and gathered on the lawn in preparation to Apparate back to Hogwarts.
"Goodbye for now, Father," Draco murmured. He looked happier than Harry had ever seen him.
All in all, it was a contented group that Apparated on the roadside next to the Hogwarts gates in the cool light of a new day--new in more than one sense. There was more thoughtful silence than conversation among them as they headed across the expanse of dew-soaked lawn in search of breakfast.