Chapter 48

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry, 1st May 2012

Harry Ron and Hermione walked together into the Gryffindor Common Room.

"Strange that Demonology was cancelled," Ron noted, munching on a liquorice wand.

"Wonder what happened?"

"I heard that their friend passed away suddenly," Ginny looked up from her homework as she heard their voices. "Seamus heard it was Castiel, their Angel friend. That's what he said anyway."

"Really? Oh, my…" Hermione frowned. "They must be so upset! They seemed very close." Her eyebrows knitted in concern.

"Did they say what happened?" Harry asked, looking at his girlfriend. Ginny shook her head.

"No, no one seems to know. Luna said she thought she heard shouting last night."

"I hope the brothers are okay." Hermione looked upset for them.

"Speaking of, has anyone noticed how twitchy Sam is looking lately?" Ron piped up. "It's bloody weird."

"Ronald," Hermione admonished, after six years she would have hoped he would have shown more respect for the teachers, but she feared it was a lost cause.

"What?" Ron shrugged. "I'm not making fun of the man, I'm just saying."

"Still," Hermione huffed. "He's one of our Professors."

"Oh, lighten up Hermione," Ginny rolled her eyes as she dipped her quill in her ink bottle and continued to write. "No one is insulting Sam. I hope he's okay too."

Harry looked to the window and spotted Hedwig, who was hooting and tapping the glass. He went to the window and opened it, letting his owl hop onto his arm. There was a scroll of parchment in her beak. Harry took it out and unrolled it, scanning the words as he rubbed her head with his other hand.

"It's from Dumbledore," He rolled the note back up and stuck it in his pocket. "He wants me to go to his office as quickly as I can!"

"Bloody hell, you don't think…" Ron breathed, sharing an equally as shocked reaction as Hermione and Ginny.

"I'd better go," Harry said, and without a word, he hurried from the Common Room. He sprinted toward the Headmaster's office with determination, heart pounding.

Harry walked down the corridors until he reached the bronze eagle, and he walked up the staircase to Dumbledore's office. The Headmaster was standing by the window looking down on the grounds.

"You wanted to see me, Professor?" Harry announced himself.

"Well, Harry, I promised that you could come with me." He replied without turning.

"You've found one? You've found a Horcrux?" Realization hit him swiftly.

"I believe so."

"Which Horcrux is it? Where is it?" Harry asked anxiously, desperate to get one step closer to defeating Voldemort.

"I am not sure which it is — though I think we can rule out the snake — but I believe it to be hidden in a cave on the coast many miles from here, a cave I have been trying to locate for a very long time: the cave in which Tom Riddle once terrorized two children from his orphanage on their annual trip; you remember?"

"Yes," said Harry. "How is it protected?"

"I do not know; I have suspicions that may be entirely wrong." Dumbledore hesitated, then said, "Harry, I promised you that you could come with me, and I stand by that promise, but it would be very wrong of me not to warn you that this will be exceedingly dangerous."

"I'm coming," said Harry, almost before Dumbledore had finished speaking.

"Very well, then: listen." Dumbledore drew himself up to his full height. "I take you with me on one condition: that you obey any command I might give you at once, and without question."

"Of course."

"Be sure to understand me, Harry. I mean that you must follow even such orders as 'run', 'hide' or 'go back'." Do I have your word?" Harry was confused as to why the Professor was being so specific. "I — yes, of course."

"If I tell you to hide, you will do so?"

"Yes."

"If I tell you to flee, you will obey?"

"Yes."

"If I tell you to leave me, and save yourself, you will do as I tell you?"

"I-"

"Harry?" They looked at each other for a moment. Harry looked into his eyes and saw a fear in them that he hadn't seen before. Dumbledore was usually so calm, cool and collected. Even when speaking about Voldemort on previous occasions.

"Yes, sir." Harry trusted Dumbledore, even with his life. A pit of worry began to fester in his stomach at the thought of having to leave Dumbledore if he had to and hoping that it didn't come to that.

"Very good. Then I wish you to go and fetch your Cloak and meet me in the Entrance Hall in five minutes' time."

Harry nodded and left the office at once, running back toward the Gryffindor Common Room. Hermione and Ron looked up. Ginny wasn't there anymore. She must have retired to bed, Harry figured.

"What did Professor Dumbledore want?" Hermione asked. Harry told them what Dumbledore had told him, watching as his friend's eyes widened in shock. He wondered if that was the way he had looked at Dumbledore during the conversation, a scared and frightened little boy.

"Look, tonight, I don't know. I have a bad feeling. I think that Malfoy is going to pull something," Harry frowned. "It's too perfect an opportunity, with Dumbledore being away."

Without a word, he bolted upstairs and opened his trunk. A plan forming in his thoughts. He grabbed the Marauder's Map, and the tiny golden bottle he won months prior. Returning to Hermione and Ron's side, he pushed the objects into their hands.

"Felix Felicis?" Hermione asked, puzzled.

"Just in case he tries something," Harry said, breathing harshly. "And the Map. Keep an eye on him and Snape."

"Don't you think you're overreacting Harry?" Hermione asked a fact that she had brought up several times during the past year.

"Yeah mate," Ron frowned. "You're starting to sound obsessed with him."

"I have to go! Just listen to me, please," Harry shot back, not having the time or patience to deal with it.

"No!" said Hermione. "Who knows what you're going to be facing?"

"I'll be fine, I'll be with Dumbledore," said Harry. "I want to know you lot are OK… Don't look like that, Hermione, I'll see you later." Leaving Hermione and Ron looking just as confused as when he left the first time.

He took off once again, running to the first floor and into the Entrance Hall. Dumbledore was waiting for him at the enormous castle doors.

"I would like you to wear your Cloak, please," said Dumbledore, and he waited until Harry had thrown it on before saying, "Very good. Shall we go?"

Dumbledore was weak, having drunk the potion. Dumbledore scooped the Cup from the bottom of the stone basin and stowed it inside his robes. He gestured for Harry to come to his side. Harry was shaking all over. He seized Dumbledore and helped him back to his seat in the boat. Once they were both safely jammed inside again, the boat began to move back across the black water, away from the rock, still encircled by that ring of fire, and it seemed that the Inferi swarming below them did not dare resurface.

"Sir," panted Harry. "Sir, I forgot, about fire, they were coming at me, and I panicked-"

"Quite understandable," Dumbledore murmured. Harry was alarmed to hear how faint his voice was. They reached the bank and Harry leapt out, then turned quickly to help Dumbledore. The moment that Dumbledore reached the bank he let his wand hand fall; the ring of fire vanished, but the Inferi did not emerge again from the water. The little boat sank into the water once more; clanking and tinkling, its chain slithered back into the lake too. Dumbledore gave a great sigh and leaned against the cavern wall.

"I am weak…" he said.

"Don't worry, sir," said Harry at once, anxious about Dumbledore's extreme pallor and by his air of exhaustion. "Don't worry, I'll get us back… lean on me, sir…"

He pulled Dumbledore's uninjured arm around his shoulders, Harry guided his Headmaster back around the lake, bearing most of his weight.

"The protection was… after all… well-designed," said Dumbledore faintly. "One alone could not have done it… you did well, very well, Harry…"

"Don't talk now," said Harry, fearing how slurred Dumbledore's voice had become, how much his feet dragged, "save your energy, sir… we'll soon be out of here…"

"The archway will have sealed again… my knife …"

"There's no need, I got cut on the rock," said Harry firmly. "Just tell me where…"

"Here…"

Harry wiped his grazed forearm upon the stone: having received its tribute of blood, the archway reopened instantly. They crossed the outer cave, and Harry helped Dumbledore back into the icy seawater that filled the crevice in the cliff.

Turning rapidly, he felt the strange pull of Apparition, and they were in Hogsmeade, facing away from the castle.

The Great Hall was buzzing with idle chatter from the students and teachers.

"Dude what are you talking about Halle Berry was awesome in that movie," Dean mused over his coffee. "And sexy too."

"Hey!" Jo slapped his shoulder. "I'm sitting right here."

Sam started to laugh. "Marriage is gonna suck for you, Dean. No more womanizing for you."

All of a sudden there was a loud boom on the doors, the Hall became silent. The hunters that were sitting at the ends of all the house tables reached for their weapons as well as the hunters sitting at the teacher's table.

A loud boom sounded once more and the doors flew open revealing around 200 people standing in the entranceway, one individual broke away from the pack and looked directly at Sam and Dean. She was tall, blonde and had this twisted smile on her face. She was wearing a leather jacket and one of those 'I heart Justin Bieber' t-shirts on.

"Well, well, well, I get sent on some crap mission and look who I find. I'm surprised that you two have lived this long." She grinned, turning to her 'friends'. "You know our orders!"

Dean realized what was happening and said. "EVERYONE, GET DOWN NOW!"

"Who the hell are you?" Sam demanded.

"Huh, would've thought you'd remember me," the woman teased. "Last time I saw you guys, you set my father free and then Dean stabbed me."

"Meg?" Sam growled.

"Yep!" Meg grinned.

Sam fought back the bile rising in his throat. "You'll be the first one I send back to Hell."

It was a total free-for-all; some students were trying to defend themselves, and not doing such a hot job. Others were just running aimlessly and trying to hide under the tables and chairs. Then Sam came face to face with one of his own students.

She growled at him, and her eyes turned black. She went for his weak spots, throat, chest, under his arms. He was struggling to contain her without killing her, he also noticed that the other hunters weren't thinking that way. They weren't thinking about the people being possessed, they were just shooting at anything that moved. His eyes widened in horror as a first year Hufflepuff fell to the floor, a stab wound visible in his chest.

"STOP! YOU HAVE TO STOP KILLING THEM!" Sam screamed at the top of his lungs, still fighting off his student.

"What in the Hell are you talkin' about boy?!" Bobby yelled back. "These are Demons!"

"But they are also people! Some are my students! You can't kill them!"

"If you've got a better idea then I'm all ears!" Bobby grunted as he blew another one away.

Dean rushed over to Sam and hit the girl on the back of her head with the butt of his gun. "Sammy, start fighting back!"

"Dean, these are kids!" Sam was now back-to-back with Dean.

"Just before I go to kill one of them, they bounce into another body, we can't protect them all Sammy!"

"We can't just blow them away either!" Sam's face turned grim as he contemplated his next move, seeing as it was the easiest option and produced fewer casualties. It took him a second to deliberate. "I have to try it."

Dean saw where this was going. "Sam, you can't! You'll die!"

"I have to try! It's the only way to save them! Cover me!" Sam raced back to the head table.

"Sam you idiot! Come back!" Dean's screams faded away into nothing. He had exorcized demons before when he was BFFs with Ruby but not this many at a time, with so many distractions, and he didn't have nearly enough demon blood in his system. But he still had to try!

Sam stood on top of the teacher's table right at the head and concentrated.

"What is that idjit doing?" Bobby asked Dean as he looked at Sam while continuing to fight.

"He's going to try to send the demons back to Hell." Dean cried out in anguish, not knowing what to do.

"Well, you heard him, Dean!" Bobby's eyes glinted with the thrill of battle. "Go cover that boy's ass before he gets us all killed.

"Can you handle them all old-timer?" Dean smirked.

He was answered by an elderly woman being flung in between them; they looked to see John who had flung her. Mary was right beside him and punched some nerdy guy in a suit.

"Way to go Mom!" Dean hadn't seen his mom in action yet, he had to admit, it was pretty awesome.

"You go and help your brother." She grinned back.

"We've got this." John grasped Mary's hand tightly and spun her around, and she kicked every single demon that was surrounding them in the face. They both looked like a powerhouse fighting duo.

"I've forgotten how great this feels!" she grinned. Confident that he could go protect Sammy, Dean rushed up to his brother.

"What the hell are we gonna do?" Sam asked. Dean didn't have an answer.

"I don't know, you're the freaky demon banisher here!" Dean hissed. "I thought you had a plan! That's usually my speciality, half-assing the strategy."

"We have to get more hunters here!" Sam yelled.

Harry saw Madam Rosmerta rushing out of the Three Broomsticks. Her face was drawn and pale.

"Oh, thank Merlin! I couldn't think of what to do — Albus?" Her words were cut off as she took in the state of the old Headmaster.

"He's hurt. Could he come into the Three Broomsticks while I go get some help?"

"You can't go there alone! Haven't you seen-"

"What's happened Rosmerta?" Dumbledore asked.

"The Dark Mark, Albus." Harry's blood went cold. No. He and Dumbledore turned to look. There, hovering in the sky above the castle, was the vivid green skull with the serpent coming out of its mouth.

"How long has it been here?" Dumbledore asked.

"Only a few minutes," Rosmerta whispered back.

"We need to return at once. Rosmerta, we need transport. Brooms?"

"I have a few behind the bar." Harry raised his wand at once, his heart racing. "Accio brooms!" Two brooms shot out of the open pub door and stopped at Harry's side.

"Harry put on your Invisibility Cloak," Dumbledore instructed.

Together, both Harry and Dumbledore flew toward the Astronomy Tower, landing on the balcony. No one was there, and it seemed deserted, no sign of a fight, a body.

"Go and wake Severus, Sam and Dean at once, Harry," Dumbledore instructed. "And keep your Cloak on."

Harry nodded at once, remembering the Professor's earlier instructions. He only made it to the door and heard footsteps on the other side. Harry moved instantly out of the way and then; he couldn't move. Not a muscle. The door opened.

"Expelliarmus!"

Harry saw Dumbledore's wand fly from his hand at once. The figure who had cast the spell came into view. Draco Malfoy spoke in a hissed tone.

"Who else is here?"

"I believe I should ask you that or are you acting alone." The frailty was gone from his voice. If Harry hadn't seen the effects of the potion himself, he wouldn't have believed that Dumbledore was on his deathbed. Maybe he's coming out of it. He thought, hopefully.

"Death Eaters are in the castle tonight," replied Draco. "Right under your nose."

"Ingenious," Dumbledore complimented pleasantly.

"I have a job to do," Draco said. His voice was shaking.

"Well, you must get on and do it, my boy."

Draco, at that moment, hesitated. Harry saw the grip on his wand loosen ever so slightly. Dumbledore must have noticed as well, as he spoke again before Draco could have the chance.

"Draco, you are not a killer."

"How do you know?!" Malfoy snapped. "You don't know what I've done!"

"I do," replied Dumbledore. "You almost killed Katie Bell and Ron Weasley. You have been trying to kill me all year. Forgive me, but these have been feeble attempts. But I must say, you have let Death Eaters into my school. I thought that was impossible. How did you accomplish that?"

Draco gulped, looking like he may vomit. His wand was pointing directly at Dumbledore's heart. "I had to mend the Vanishing Cabinet. The one Montague got lost in last year. The other is in Borgin and Burke's. They make a passage between them."

"A very clever plan," Dumbledore complimented as if he were merely speaking about a homework assignment.

"Yeah!" Malfoy said confidently. "Yeah, it was. You didn't know it was me all year! The necklace, the mead."

"In fact, I did," Dumbledore countered.

"Then why didn't you stop me?" Malfoy challenged.

"I have tried. Professor Snape has been keeping an eye on you for me."

"He isn't working for you! He promised my mother-"

"Of course, that is what he would tell you, Draco, but-"

"He's a double-agent, you stupid old man, he isn't working for you, you just think he is!"

"We must agree to differ on that, Draco. It so happens that I trust Professor Snape. You must have had an accomplice. Someone to give Katie the - Oh… Rosmerta. How long has she been under the Imperius Curse?"

"Finally, you get it," Draco sneered. "And not just her. That new one, Jessica, that's friends with the younger Muggle. The Dark Lord needed a spy from inside the Muggle's circle." Dumbledore nodded, but he didn't look bothered.

Harry's eyes widened, Jessica? This was going to destroy Sam.

"There is little time, one way or another," said Dumbledore. "So, let us discuss your options, Draco."

"My options!' said Malfoy loudly. "I'm standing here with a wand - I'm about to kill you-"

"My dear boy, let us have no more pretence about that. If you were going to kill me, you would have done it when you first Disarmed me, you would not have stopped for this pleasant chat about ways and means."

"I haven't got any options!' said Malfoy. "I've got to do it! He'll kill me! He'll kill my whole family!'

"I appreciate the difficulty of your position," said Dumbledore. "Why else do you think I have not confronted you before now? Because I knew that you would have been murdered if Lord Voldemort realized that I suspected you." Malfoy winced at the sound of the name. "I did not dare speak to you of the mission, in case he used Legilimency against you," continued Dumbledore. "I can help you, Draco."

"No, you can't," said Malfoy, his wand hand shaking very badly. "Nobody can. He told me to do it, or he'll kill me. I've got no choice."

"Come over to the right side, Draco, and we can hide you more completely than you can possibly imagine."

At that moment, several Death Eaters burst into the Astronomy Tower. Harry recognized Bellatrix Lestrange with a surge of hate, along with several other Death eaters that he did not recognize.

"Is that you, Fenrir?" asked Dumbledore.

"That's right," rasped the other. "Pleased to see me, Dumbledore?"

"But you know how much I like kids, Dumbledore," Fenrir Greyback grinned, showing pointed teeth. Blood trickled down his chin and he licked his lips slowly.

"Am I to take it that you are attacking even without the full moon now? It is most unusual … you have developed a taste for human flesh that cannot be satisfied once a month?"

"That's right," said Greyback. "Shocks you, that, does it, Dumbledore? Frightens you?"

"Well, I cannot pretend it does not disgust me a little," said Dumbledore calmly. Much to the werewolf's annoyance. "And, yes, I am a little shocked that Draco here invited you, of all people, into the school where his friends live…"

"I didn't," breathed Malfoy. He was not looking at Greyback. He did not seem to want to even glance at him. "I didn't know he was going to come-"

"I wouldn't want to miss a trip to Hogwarts, Dumbledore," rasped Greyback. "Not when there are throats to be ripped out … delicious, delicious …" And he raised a yellow fingernail and picked at his front teeth, leering at Dumbledore.

"I could do you for afters, Dumbledore …"

"No," said Bellatrix. "We've got orders. Draco's got to do it. Now, Draco, and quickly." Malfoy was hesitating, his face even paler.

"He's not long for this world anyway, if you ask me!" said the lopsided man, to the accompaniment of his sister's wheezing giggles. "Look at him-what's happened to you, then, Dumby?"

"Oh, weaker resistance, slower reflexes, Amycus," said Dumbledore. "Old age, in short … one day, perhaps, it will happen to you … if you are lucky …"

"What's that mean, then, what's that mean?" yelled the Death Eater, suddenly violent. "Always the same, weren't yeh, Dumby, talking and doing nothing, nothing, I don't even know why the Dark Lord's bothering to kill yeh! Come on, Draco, do it!"

"Yes, Draco, quickly!" said the brutal-faced man angrily. But Malfoy's hand was shaking so badly that he could barely aim. Harry had never seen him so rattled before, the confidence and bravado he had when strutting about the castle were nowhere to be seen. Suddenly the status of being a Pureblood wizard didn't seem to mean so much to him in the face of committing murder against the one person who had offered him a chance at escape.

"I'll do it," snarled Greyback, moving towards Dumbledore with his hands outstretched, his teeth bared.

"I said no!" shouted the brutal-faced man; there was a flash of light, and the werewolf was blasted out of the way; he hit the ramparts and staggered, looking furious.

"Draco, do it, or stand aside so one of us-" screeched Bellatrix, but at that precise moment the door to the ramparts burst open once more and there stood Snape, his wand clutched in his hand as his black eyes swept the scene, from Dumbledore slumped against the wall, to the four Death Eaters, including the enraged werewolf, and then Malfoy, who looked like the one element that didn't belong there.

"We've got a problem, Snape," said Amycus, whose eyes and wand were on Dumbledore.

"The boy doesn't seem able-" But somebody else had spoken Snape's name softly.

"Severus…" Snape said nothing but walked forwards and pushed Malfoy roughly out of the way. "Severus… please… Snape raised his wand and pointed it directly at Dumbledore.

"Avada Kedavra!"

The jet of green light that shot from Snape's wand hit Dumbledore squarely in the chest. He was blasted into the air, and then he fell slowly backwards over the stone railing and out of sight. Harry felt the weight of the spell leave him. No… was the only thought to run through his mind. He was still under the Invisibility Cloak as Snape grabbed Malfoy, and they ran. The other Death Eaters sprinted after them. Harry removed the Cloak, racing after Malfoy and Snape. Harry sprinted through the corridor. Dumbledore couldn't possibly be dead. It was impossible to Harry. His body was running on autopilot, his feet slapping the stone steps feverishly as his mind was still up in the Astronomy Tower.

Harry raced down the various steps and hallways. After what seemed like an age, Harry raced down the main stairs in the Entrance Hall. Sam and Dean were there, guns raised high as they battled the hordes of demons and Death Eaters. Harry could see an assortment of other creatures joining the mix. Vampires, Dementors, Werewolves and more. Harry raced up to the two brothers. He hadn't heard the confrontation as he was running, the only thing he could hear was the conversation between Dumbledore and Draco, then the two words it took for Snape to kill his former employer.

"Harry, where's Albus?" Sam asked as he shoved Ruby's knife into a demon's chest and then removed it swiftly.

"Snape, the… he killed Dumbledore," Harry gasped, green eyes wide behind the round glasses. Uttering it out loud seemed to break the concentration he had on trying to maintain calm, he bent over and dry heaved against the wall. Sam and Dean's eyes went wide.

"Son of a bitch, I knew that bastard was evil," Dean muttered.

"Harry, I'm sorry," Sam said softly.

He can't be dead, he can't, Harry thought in denial.