Harry's a what? Chapter 25
No one said a word for a full minute. Then Albus said,
"Well, I guess we figured out who has been impersonating me." Draco let out a sniff and said,
"What happens now? Professor Dumbledore is not dead and my father is. Oh god, what will my mother think?" Albus cleared his throat and said,
"Don't worry, Draco. Here is what is going to happen. We will keep this between us for now until we can figure outa plan. Severus is going to take Lucius back to Malfoy Manor and it will be played off as a heart attack." Just then Albus collapsed dragging Harry down with him who was still holding him up. Severus caught them before they hit the floor. Harry and Severus laid Albus on the floor. Severus then felt for a pulse. He looked at Draco and Harry and shook his head. Albus Dumbledore was dead. All three had a tear fall down their face. Severus summoned two blankets. One he placed over Albus and the other over Lucius. Severus then turned to Draco and Harry and said,
"What happened here tonight stays between us. Now I know that you two don't keep things from your girlfriends, just as I don't keep anything from Minerva, so you may tell them and only them. You must swear them to secrecy. We will leave Professor Dumbledore up here and we will act surprised when he is announced dead. He will most likely be found by Filtch. You two head back to your dorms. Draco make sure that Harry gets back safely and I will handle your mother." Draco and Harry nodded and left the Astronomy Tower. They walked in silence. When they arrived at the Gryffindor Tower, Draco said,
"So do you think that since we still have time before curfew that we can tell the girls together in the ROR? I don't want to do it alone." Harry nodded and said,
" Yeah I will go get them." He said the password and walked through the portrait. He found Hermione and Ginny along with Neville and Ron. Harry whispered in both girls ears. They both stood up and Hermione said,
"We will be right back. I will finish proof reading your essays then." The two girls followed Harry out of the common room and into the hallway. Upon seeing Draco, Ginny smiled and her face lit up. She went over and hugged him. Both boys linked arms with their girlfriend and they walked quickly and quietly to the room of requirement. Once they were seated inside, Draco looked at Harry and Harry nodded. Draco began,
"So as you guys already know, I was forcibly marked this past summer. Well, at the first death eater meeting of the year I got instructed to prove my loyalty to you know who by killing Professor Dumbledore. I didn't want to do it so Uncle Sev & Professor Dumbledore came up with a plan. Long story short, Uncle Sev thought we/he had killed Professor Dumbledore, that is until Harry & Dumbledore apperated into the Astronomy Tower. We had apparently killed the imposter who turned out to be my father." Draco let out a sigh and Ginny kissed him and said,
"I am so sorry to hear about your father. I know you didn't like him but it still can't be easy. I am here for you." Harry then said,
"Professor Dumbledore then collapsed on the ground and died. He drank some funky stuff that happened to be poisonous, but it was for a good reason. We have to act surprised when he is announced dead in the morning." Everyone was silent for a moment then Hermione said,
"I can't believe he is dead. I mean why would he drink something that was poisoned if he knew it would kill him." Harry looked at Hermione and said,
"It was for a good reason and to help bring down Voldemort." Hermione then understood and nodded. Ginny and Draco just exchanged looks. Ginny then said,
"Who else knows about this?" Draco responded,
Uncle Sev and he is going to tell Professor McGonagall and my mother." Hermione then said,
"We should probably head back to our dorms, it is almost curfew." Everyone agreed and stood up. They walked back to the Gryffindor Tower. Once they arrived Draco kissed Ginny good night and turned around and went back to the Slytherin dorms. Harry, Ginny, and Hermione walked through the portrait. Draco went straight to his room without saying a word to anyone in the common room.
Meanwhile, Severus used his wand to lift Lucius's body using a Feather-Light Charm on it. He then cast 'moblicorpus' so it would float behind him. He carefully walked down the stairs and walked quickly to Albus's office, since it was closer than his own. Severus said the password and walked up the stairs. He walked over to the fire place. He lowered Lucius's body and put him over his shoulder. He let out a sigh and picked up a handful of Floo powder. He stepped into the fireplace, threw the powder down, and said, 'Malfoy Manor.' He stepped through and Narcissa, without looking up from her book said,
"Hello honey!" Severus cleared his throat and said,
"Hello sissy." Narcissa looked up to see Severus standing there with her husband's body over his shoulder. Narcissa put her book down, stood up and said,
"Oh my, is he okay? Did he get drunk again?" Severus placed Lucius down on the couch. He then took Narcissa by the hand and led her over to a chair.
"At the death eaters meeting at the beginning of the year, Draco was instructed to kill Albus. He came back to the school and told me what he was instructed to do and he told me that he could not go through with that. I spoke things over with Albus and after some convincing I agreed that when the time came I would kill him so that Draco wouldn't have to do it and live with that on his conscious." Narcissa rolled her eyes and said,
"Severus, what does that have to do with Lucius?"
"I am getting there. So this had to be done by the end of the school year and since there is only a month left Draco and I decided that tonight would be the best time since finals are right around the corner. We followed Albus up to the Astronomy Tower. Draco stepped forward and raised his wand, then I cast the spell and he fell to the ground. We turned around to leave and then we heard the sound of someone apperating into the tower. We turned around and saw Harry and Albus standing there. We realized that Albus was alive." Narcissa then got what Severus was saying. She shook her head fighting back tears. She stood up and walked over to Lucius's body. She knelt down and gently shook his body saying
"Lucius, please wake up." Lucius didn't move. Narcissa began to sob on the couch next to her husband's body. Severus just sat there while Narcissa cried. After about five minutes, Narcissa picked her head up, looked at Severus and said, "Lucius was impersonating Albus wasn't he?" Severus nodded. "I had a feeling but I wasn't sure. I found lemon drops in his robe pockets and thought it was a little strange since he hated sugary candy. I guess that explains all the sneaking around and vanishing for days at a time. I can't believe he is dead. What is going to happen to Draco?"
"Draco is not going to be in trouble. Albus is dead. He drank something that was poisoned and it led to his death. The idea is to say that Lucius had a heart attack. This way no one will suspect anything." Narcissa wiped her eyes and stood up. She blew her nose and said,
"Draco will be in a world of trouble with you know who. He is who I am worried about hurting Draco." Severus walked over to her and said,
"I will make sure that nothing happens to him." Narcissa looked at him. She wiped away a tear and said,
" Thank you Severus. I really appreciate you protecting him." Severus hugged picked up a blanket and covered Lucius up.
"We will leave him here as if he fell asleep in here. When asked you left him in here to read and he fell asleep. Then call for me and I will come and diagnose him with a heart attack." Narcissa nodded and let out a sigh. Severus then took the Floo back to his office. Upon arriving he immediately went to Minerva's office and broke the news to her. She cried for a good ten minutes. Severus hugged her while she did. She then let out a sigh, wiped her eyes and said,
"Well I guess this makes me the headmistress. Wow, I didn't think it would happen so soon." Severus nodded then said,
"That of course, is board pending. They will probably approve it but you never know considering who makes up the board."
"Yes but Arthur has the final say in the event of a tie as the minister so I am not worried." She kissed Severus before saying, "Plus who else is going to run the school." Severus smiled at her and said,
"This is true, plus, you will do an amazing job. I love you and I will see you in the morning. Don't forget to act surprised." Minvera nodded and kissed Severus good night. She finished grading her papers and went to sleep.
Harry went to his room and changed for bed. He laid in bed looking at the locket. He noticed it felt very warm to the touch. He shrugged it off and decided to figure out how to destroy it later. He placed it under his pillow and placed his glasses on his nightstand. He curled up and drifted off to sleep.
*Harry's dream/nightmare*
Harry walked into the Great Hall tired and covered in blood from the final battle. Voldemort was dead. Many students & people were dead too. Harry walked through the rows of people who had bravely given their life for him. He began to tear up looking at the faces of some of his classmates. A few stretchers up he caught a glimpse of bubble gum pink hair. He ran over and saw Tonks and Remus both laying on a stretcher holding hands. He screamed, dropped down to his knees and began to sob. He then felt someone pull him off his parents. Harry fought them then he realized it was Severus. Severus removed Harry from the great hall while Harry screamed " no!"
*End of dream/nightmare*
Harry woke up suddenly and realized he had woken up his roommates. Professor McGonagall was there too. Harry grabbed his glasses and his robe and ran out of the dorm and ran through the hallways. McGonagall followed after him after insuring the others stayed put. Harry ran until he got to Remus's office . He pushed open the door and hollered,
"Dad!" Remus having heard the door burst open had come out of his room. Harry ran over and hugged his dad and didn't let go. Remus hugged him back and looked up as Minerva walked into the office. She said,
"I am guessing he had a nightmare. The silent alarm in the 6th year dorm went off. When I got there his roommates were awake and standing around his bed. He screamed out 'No' and then he woke up and came here." Remus nodded and headed over to the couch with Harry still clinging on. Remus managed to pry Harry off and said,
"Cub, what happened in your dream?" Harry wiped away a few tears and said,
"It was after a battle at the castle, Voldemort was dead. I walked into the Great Hall. There were bodies laid out everywhere. Then I saw you and Tonks. You were both dead." Remus looked at Harry and said,
"That is awful cub. I am so sorry you had that awful nightmare. We are both very much alive. How about a glass of warm milk and then you try to get some sleep? " Harry nodded and Remus summoned a glass of warm milk and handed it to Harry. He quickly drank the milk and hugged Remus. Harry then walked back to the Gryffindor Tower with McGonagall. He went back to his room and lay down and slowly fell asleep.
On his early morning walk around the castle, Filch walked up to the Astronomy Tower to look out at the grounds. Once he finally made it up the stairs, he saw someone laying on the floor. He went over to the body and kicked it. It didn't move so he kicked it again. When the body didn't move, Filch moved the blanket and realized it was Dumbledore. He called his name and when Albus didn't respond he ran through the castle and straight to Minerva's office. He pounded on the door until she opened the door.
"What on earth is wrong, Argus?"
"Albus is up in the Astronomy Tower and he won't wake up. I think he is dead!" Minerva acted shocked and said,
"Okay I will come and see what you are talking about. He is probably just asleep. He is a deep sleeper." Minerva walked with Filch back to the Astronomy tower, Minerva got down next to Albus's body and felt for a pulse. She didn't feel one. She stood up and shook her head at Filch. Filch sighed and Minerva said,
"Argus, leave the body here. I will seal off the tower and inform the students at breakfast." Filch nodded and sniffled. Minerva led Filch out of the tower. She then sealed the tower. She then notified Severus, Filius(Flitwick), and Pomona(Sprout) about Albus's death and asked them to assure that all their students were at breakfast. She then went and woke up all of her Gryffindors and informed them that breakfast this morning was mandatory. She then went to her office and turned on her fireplace. She grabbed a handful of floo powder and stepped into the fire place. She threw down the powder and said, "Arthur Weasley's office." She stepped through and Arthur said,
"Good Morning Minerva! To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?" Minerva pulled out her wand and cast 'Silencio'. She then sat down and said,
" Albus is dead in the Astronomy Tower. He drank some poison and died shortly after arriving back at the school last night."
"Oh my! That is terrible. Are you prepared to take over?"
"Yes, I know that the board will have the final say but I am happy to take over as head mistress. Also Lucius is dead as well."
"What? How did he die?"
"He was the imposter. Draco was instructed to kill Albus by the end of the year by you know who. Draco couldn't do it so Severus agreed to do it. They found him the the Astronomy Tower looking like Albus and so thinking it was Albus Severus killed him. It wasn't until Albus and Harry apperated back into the tower that Severus and Draco realized that Albus was alive and that they had killed the imposter, who turned out to be Lucius. I thought you should know." Arthur was silent for a moment then said,
"The board is meeting this afternoon. I will make the announcement then. Who do you think is willing to take over as deputy?"
"Severus is ready and willing. Given his position the board should back off about his loyalty & those that we know work for you know who will be happy he is in an authority position." Arthur then said,
"Okay that settles it. I will owl you once the board has made the decision." Minerva nodded and took the floo back to the school. She then walked into the Great Hall. The students fell silent as she walked towards the podium. She cleared her throat and said,
"Good Morning everyone. As I am sure many of you are aware something is off this morning and you would be correct. It is with a heavy heart that I say that Professor Dumbledore was found dead by Mr. Filch this morning in the Astronomy Tower. Due to this sudden turn of events, the tower has been sealed off and exams are cancelled. Those of you that wish to pay your respects, I will post an announcement in the common rooms when they have been made." Minerva wiped away a tear. "Thank you and should you have any questions please see your head of house." Minerva turned around and sat in her normal seat, unable to sit in his chair. He had been her mentor and a father figure to her. Severus took her hand in his under the table and gave her a reassuring squeeze.
The afternoon board meeting dragged on. Arthur hated board meetings. Finally after an hour of listening to everyone debate about who should be the head of Hogwarts between Minerva and the Carrows. They all voted. Arthur counted the votes and swallowed, the Carrows won by one vote.