Warnings: Graphic violence, death, and a really, really gross "crime scene." Be warned. It's beyond icky.

Summary: Harry and crew go to Riddle Manor after Bellatrix with Severus and Hermione in tow and find much more than they bargain for. Harry's determination to protect everyone and everything costs him.


CHAPTER 4

Fatal Flaws

Severus stood before a woebegone Riddle Manor—more like Riddle Shack by this point—and shuddered at the aura of dark magic surrounding the place. Long-repressed memories clawed their way into his skin despite his armour and the blood leached from his face. He stood shaking at the entrance to the gate, unable to take a step further, as voices he had tried to forget so long screamed into his consciousness.

"Severus! Severus, help me!"

But he had done nothing but watch as the snake devoured his unfortunate colleague. Watch and loathe himself and wish he had been born a different man.

"Uncle Severus, I don't want to take the mark. I'm so scared."

He hadn't been able to spare Draco either. Even now, the mark's silvery ghost branded his godson's arm, and would for life.

The next voice, a girl's pleading cries, knocked him to his knees.

"Please, please s-stop. It hurts. I want to go home."

He hadn't been able to take her home, though all he had wanted to do was cradle the girl in his arms, heal the wounds his blade had inflicted, and take her somewhere safe.

The ghost of her memory would haunt him until the day he died.

Warmth and a field of crimson fabric encircled him. Lost as he was in the past, Severus didn't register it as Harry's auror robes for many long moments. When the past released him long enough to breathe, he realised Harry was panicking and calling his name.

"Oh gods, Draco, this was a mistake. We shouldn't have—he hasn't had to deal with these horrid memories in five years, not like we have to every day. He's in shock or something. Fuck. I shouldn't have—oh, gods, Severus. I'm so sorry."

Harry sounded as if he was on the verge of tears. That, and the surprise of hearing his first name on the younger man's lips—and hadn't he dreamed of hearing it for so long—brought Severus out of the past. With a shuddering sigh, he leaned into the comfort of Harry's shoulder and held him tight, breathing in the man's soothing scent.

"Sev'rus," Harry murmured, his face buried in the older man's hair. "Oh, m'sorry."

Severus pressed a soft kiss to the young man's collarbone, unwilling to kiss his cheek in front of so many people, despite the fact that years of close friendship had rendered it a common occurrence whenever the past overwhelmed them. Harry had often sought comfort in Severus' flat above his shop when the nightmares cut too deep, and Severus had flooed into Harry's rooms many times in the middle of the night when not even deep Occlumency could silence his ghosts. In those dark moments, simple affection had proved to be a powerful comforter.

For the past five years, they had been each other's anchor in dark times. And the fact that Harry was here with him now, that those strong arms still held him close and accepted him even when faced with such a stark reminder of the terrible man Severus had once been, gave the former spy surcease from his dark memories. As much as Severus hated this place and the man he had become within its walls, as long as Harry stayed near him, he might yet survive.

As gentle hands stroked Severus' hair and a soft-spoken tenor murmured reassurances and apologies in his ear, Severus' Occlumency walls finally snapped into place. He took a long, shuddering breath and kissed Harry's shoulder once more. Though Severus really would have rather kissed his mouth, had wished to for the past five years, Harry was on duty at the moment and his embrace was enough to give Severus courage.

Harry's soft answering kiss to Severus' temple grounded him and healed him at once.

"I love you, Harry."

One day, Severus would find the courage to tell the young man out loud. Or through telepathic Legilimency, perhaps, if he could not find his tongue. For now, it was enough to breathe Harry in and know the younger man was there for him, as he had been for so long.

"Thank you," Severus murmured against Harry's cheek. "I am sorry. It overwhelmed me before I could raise my shields."

Harry tightened his embrace. "No, no. It's my fault. We shouldn't have asked you to do this, sir."

Severus found himself ridiculously disappointed that Harry had reverted to his previous form of address.

"I will be all right now, and for Merlin's sake, call me Severus, Harry. It's absurd to keep calling me 'sir' when I have not had a position of authority over you for several years."

Harry gave a low, nervous laugh. "R-right. Sorry, si—er, Severus. Force of habit, I'm afraid."

He leaned back and looked into Severus' eyes, his expression deeply troubled. Behind him, his teammates had gathered around, each looking just as concerned, though Draco wore a hint of a self-satisfied smirk. Before Severus had an opportunity to wonder what on earth the boy meant by it, Harry took hold of Severus' shoulders and called his attention back to him.

"Si—ah, Severus, are you okay? Maybe we shouldn't have come."

Severus stood, though his knees were unsteady, and brushed off his robes. "I thank you for your concern, Harry, but I am well enough now. My shields are in place. I am able to endure now that I have them under control."

Harry bit his lip. "You're sure, Severus? I … I'm beginning to wonder if this isn't a really bad idea." He gave Parvati a hopeful look, but she just shook her head and sniffled.

"I'm sorry, Harry. I can't See a damned thing today."

Ronald patted Harry's shoulder—which sent Harry reeling into Severus. Dear Merlin, the man was like a bear. Perhaps Hagrid was not the only person Severus knew with giant blood in their veins.

"Er … sorry about that, Har. Don't know my own strength."

Severus snorted, amused in spite of the dark place.

Ronald gave him a lopsided grin and straightened Harry out. "Anyway, buck up, mate. Pro—er, Master Snape is tougher than nails. Got to him a minute there—would to anyone—but he looks right as rain now. As long as we're careful and don't get carried away, I think it should be okay."

"He's right," said Padma with a hesitant smile. "After all, we're not even sure she's here. There might be nothing to worry about, you know."

Harry gave a low laugh. "Oh, I'm almost positive she's hanging about. I'd thought she would hide here at the start, if you remember, but back then we didn't have the advantage of Severus' tactical experience." He sighed. "For that alone, I should ask you to come, Severus, but I'm not like a certain lemon-drop sucking old coot we all knew and loved." He cupped a hand around Severus'. "Are you sure you're all right?"

Severus squeezed Harry's hand. "Forgive me my momentary lapse of strength. I am well enough to do what must be done now."

Harry brushed his thumb across Severus' palm and used their Legilimentic connection to say what would have embarrassed Severus had he voiced it out loud.

[Remember what I told you when you first came to me in the night, Severus? When you are weak, I will be strong for you. I am here.]

The link had strengthened quite a bit over the years, to the point that they could now hold entire conversations through their minds, if they so desired. It had come in handy many times in the past, when they had things to say to each other but the presence of others made them hesitate to speak aloud.

[I remember, Harry. Thank you, both for the support and your discretion.]

Harry answered with one more squeeze before letting go. "All right. Then if you're sure, Severus, we'll go. Just lean on me if it gets to be too much, okay?"

Severus nodded and gave Harry a small smile. "As you wish. For now, let us hurry. The sooner we enter this accursed place, the sooner we may leave it."

"True enough," said Draco. "Stay close to Harry and me, Severus. We'll keep you safe."

"And me, of course," said Ron with a grin. "Being the defence master and all, that would be my job."

Severus snorted. "It's a wonder the lot of you aren't in pieces."

Ron just grinned wider. "Learned a bit since sixth year, sir." At a flick of his wrist, a shimmery shield snapped into place around Severus and Hermione, glowed bright, and vanished the next instant. With a frown, Severus poked at the air in front of him and raised an eyebrow at the feel of powerful shielding magic.

"So I see. Wandless, invisible shields, Ronald? I did not know you had it in you."

Ron chuckled. "Yeah, well, seems even a dunderhead like me can have talents."

Severus smirked. "You might have learned earlier had you paid attention in class."

Ron snorted. "I'll give you that. Of course, most of the time I was too busy trying to defend Harry from idiot fans and snarling instructors with a gru—"

Harry cut him off. "Not the time to remind him of that. This is already hard enough."

Ron grimaced. "Fair enough. Sorry, sir. I was only trying to lighten the mood a bit."

Severus patted his shoulder. "I was not troubled. Now, if we are ready?"

Harry nodded.

"Then let us go. I have already wasted enough of our time."

Harry's cheeks went pink. "Never a waste," he murmured.

Severus found himself aching to take the young man's hand, but desisted. This time, he hadn't the excuse of being distraught, and he was certain Harry wasn't ready to know what he had kept secret so long.

A pang of sorrow made his breath hitch. Would he ever be?

Merlin, it wasn't the time for this. Severus placed his longings aside and locked them into a mental box. He would worry about his lonely heart later. At the moment, Harry was warning them about the traps Riddle had set that the aurors had never been able to dismantle entirely and Severus would be a fool not to listen.

"… And just here, you have to avoid this tile. We managed to get it painted red so it's more obvious, but damn, we almost lost three good aurors before we figured out where the curse was coming from."

Severus neatly sidestepped the red tile.

"And don't walk under the chandelier if you value your skin."

He avoided the cursed thing with gusto, walking towards the wall, but Harry grabbed his hand and pulled him close once more.

"Stay close, Severus. There are traps in the walls."

Severus barely suppressed a blush and covered it with a curt nod. He stood at Harry's side—'Where I have longed to be for years'—and tried to suppress a sigh of disappointment when Harry let go of his hand.

"Thank you, Harry. I am afraid I … my memory of the dangers here is not as clear as I had hoped."

"That's all right," said Harry softly. "Just stay close." He frowned. "Severus, now that we're past the entryway, do you recall where you heard those voices you mentioned?"

Severus paused, thinking back. "Ah, I believe … in the hallway just before the library. There was a bookcase against the wall and a half-destroyed painting of Riddle Senior."

Harry nodded. "Right. This way then."

Severus stayed right at Harry's side, only moving when the auror directed him to, and soon found himself in front of an almost empty bookcase he remembered well. The side of the bookcase still had the gnarl trigger, too.

"Captain Potter, do you know if you press the side here …?"

"Oh, yes, we found the loo. Nothing particularly interesting there, I'm afraid. Please call me Harry, though, Severus. It feels strange to hear you refer to me by my title."

Severus frowned. "Forgive me. As you are on duty, I felt it disrespectful to—"

"Not at all. Even my team only refers to me like that in front of Robards or in official reports. It's all right, Severus."

"As you wi—" Severus froze as a small sound from below filtered into his ears. Beside him, Harry had gone tense and alert. Draco looked the same.

Harry narrowed his eyes at the floor and whispered, "Did you—?"

"—Hear that?" Draco shuddered. "Yeah. I think we found her. We just need to find the way down now."

"Well, we could always just … blow up the floor," Padma whispered.

Ron shuddered. "Maybe in your everyday lowlife hideout, but here? I don't want to know what would happen to us if we tried. Best to play his game, at least until we find the bitch and take her out. Our portkeys will get us out once we're done, but until then, no blowing up floors."

Severus nodded. "Your Ministry keys?"

"Exactly," said Draco. "You stick with Harry. I'll get Hermione out once we're done here."

"Understood. Now, be quiet and let me try to find the way down."

"I'll help," said Harry. "Usually Parvati tracks dark magic trails, but with her Sight down, I'm the next best we have."

Severus nodded and pointed to the almost empty bookcase. "I sense something there."

Harry frowned. "I feel it too. In the wood, or …?"

"No. I think …." Severus ran a hand over the air in front of the bookcase and stopped in front of the one book still present on the shelf, lying forlornly against a wall, straight up and with nothing supporting it on the opposite side.

Strange how it hadn't fallen over in all these years.

Carefully, he sent cautious tendrils of magic out, ready to react in an instant if a curse triggered. Finding nothing beyond an auror ward and darker wards under that, he scanned the magic surrounding the book for a clue in how to get past its dark shield. After years of setting such spells himself, it did not take Severus long to identify a Dark Mark affinity ward and blood magic.

Severus narrowed his eyes and redoubled his concentration. If the book was set to accept only a person with the Dark Mark, the blood ward was redundant. Why have a Dark Mark ward if only one person could open it to begin with? Unless Riddle had keyed it to a bloodline and not a particular person. In that case, he would naturally wish to ward out Light-sided members of said bloodline.

Yes, that made more sense. With that done, Severus only needed to determine the magic markers and trace the source of the bloodline. It was difficult magic, but Severus had gained skill in the art during his work as a spy. With any luck, he would remember it quickly enough.

It seemed luck was not with him. He could determine that the book was indeed aligned to a bloodline and not a single person, but beyond that, he could find nothing. Still, Severus had not lost his wits in the five years since they served as the only shield between his skin and Riddle's wrath.

Logic dictated that, if this was the key to the hidden room and Bellatrix had been able to access it, it would be one of her bloodlines. If it was the Black line, Draco could use the key, but if it had been keyed to the Rosiers—Bellatrix's maternal family—or any of her other ancestral lines, to touch the book might condemn Severus' godson to death. And Severus would damn himself before he let Draco take the fall for them.

"Severus? Are you okay?"

Harry's soft voice pulled Severus out of his focus. "Yes," he responded brusquely. "I am working to unravel your puzzle."

"Oh. Does it help if I …." Harry laid a hand at the centre of Severus' back, and the gentle touch both grounded him and strengthened his magic. Severus took a deep breath and nodded, letting the soft circles Harry rubbed into his shoulders lull him back into concentration. A moment later, he had his answer.


Harry tried not to be distracting as he rubbed Severus' back, hoping the touch helped soothe any stray thoughts that might be breaking the man's concentration. He watched, fascinated, as a faint blue-violet light glowed in the man's eyes.

Harry's heart thumped and warmed at the sight of Severus' face, set aglow by that strange indigo light. 'Ah, how beautiful. And how lucky for us.'He recognised that aura as a rare branch of detection magic, and wished over again that Severus might have been convinced to join his team.

Well, at least he would know who to ask for the next time the aurors came upon a ward they couldn't figure out.

The light faded, and Severus gave a satisfied nod. "Got it."

He pointed to a book Harry had never been able to remove from the shelf. It looked innocuous, but nothing in that manor was truly innocent, and sometimes the plainest objects proved to be the most dangerous. As no one on the auror department had ever been able to get through the wards on that particular book, they had thought it safest to leave it where it was rather than attempt to remove it.

"Merlin, Severus," said Draco with a grin. "You're bloody brilliant."

Severus smirked. "Thank you. And as it happens, you're the only one of us who can get through the wards on this."

Draco coughed. "Er … I am?"

"Yes. I am positive now that this is the way to the secret chamber. It can only be opened by one with both the mark and Black blood. Bellatrix herself is the only other person who could touch it."

Draco groaned. "The book? Are you fucking kidding me?"

Severus snorted. "Cliché, isn't it?"

"Absolutely. But fairly intelligent by the same coin. Most pureblood wizards wouldn't have read enough Muggle literature to recognise the old book-to-the-secret-passageway trick."

Harry gave Draco a wry look. "And neither would you have done had I not made all of you research Muggle ways."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Thank you, grand master of all things Muggle." He glanced at Severus, hiding a frown. "You're sure I'll be able to open it? Harry's the heir, isn't he?"

Harry shrugged. "It's a bloodline ward, not an heir ward, Draco. Sirius blood-adopted me, yes, but it's not the same as actually being born into the family. At least, not where blood wards are concerned. Besides, I don't have the mark."

Draco winced and rubbed his arm convulsively. "Never going to let me live that down, are you?"

"Well, it was an incredibly stupid decision," said Ron with a grin, "but you've come a long way. So, maybe we'll just rib you about it a little bit. Until the day you die, of course."

"Shut it," Draco said with a smirk. "As if you've never made stupid decisions."

"And he doesn't get away with those either," said Harry in a more official tone. "Get on with it, Draco. If Bellatrix is hiding here, the longer we stand here and talk, the more likely she is to sense our signatures and escape."

Severus' warm look of approval did funny things to Harry's insides.

"Right." With a shudder, Draco hesitantly touched the book. When it didn't hurt him, he took a deep breath, held his wand at the ready, and pulled.

The bookcase moved away from the wall as it did when it moved to reveal the secret loo, but instead of a tiny WC and shower, this time the passage opened to an ancient staircase and candlelit room. The moment the bookcase finished moving and aligned against the adjacent wall, a powerful scent of human waste, blood, and rubbish made everyone in the area reel back with disgust.

"I don't like the smell of that," Ron whispered.

Harry shuddered. "Quiet. Wands out and guard Hermione. Severus is more than capable, but keep your shield on him anyway, Ron."

"I've got the rest of you shielded," Parvati whispered, "but if she uses something major, it will break, so be careful!"

"That goes for me too," Ron whispered. "No shields are perfect."

"Right," Harry whispered back. "Everyone, fall into take down position. Severus, stay behind me."

He felt the man's body heat behind him and relief warmed his chest. As long as Severus stayed close, they would both be safe. So he hoped, anyway.

"Draco, go."

The blonde stepped forward, face hidden under his hood, and scanned the stairway for wards and traps.

"Stabbing curse on the last step." An invisible jet of tingling coldness rippled the air beside Harry's arm. "That's got it. Uncle Severus, I'd feel better if you double checked the way down."

A moment later, Severus whispered, "It is clear. Well done, Draco."

Draco nodded in acknowledgement.

"Ron," Harry whispered. "Your turn."

The redhead moved into Draco's place and flicked his wand a few times. "Okay, anti-apparition wards and curse blockers are set. Like with Parvati's shields, anything at the level of an unforgivable will get through it."

"Good. Padma."

The woman scanned the area with her wand, her eyes lighting up with a blue aura much paler than Severus'.

"No physical traps present."

"Good work." Harry turned to the last member of his team. "Parvati … anything?"

She grimaced. "Sorry, Captain."

Harry patted her shoulder. "Can't be helped. Everyone take care and be ready for trouble. She won't go down without a fight." He moved to the head of the formation and hid everyone with a powerful disillusionment charm. "On my mark, we go down as silently as possible. One … two … now!"

Harry crept down the stairs, Severus at his back and Ron on his left. They moved as stealthily as cats, silent and sure, but by the time they reached the bottom of the stairs and a closed door at the end of them, the stench had set them all gasping. Harry cast silent Bubblehead and air-freshening charms over his team and their helpers, and cautiously opened the door.

He had thought himself prepared for anything, but he hadn't predicted this. What had looked to have once been a luxurious parlour had become a virtual sewer. Waste and bloodstains smeared the walls—some in the form of words trailed by fingertips—and he really didn't want to know what the slime along the floor was. The furniture was all slashed, stained, and losing its stuffing. Flies swarmed around piles of some foul sludge he most certainly did not want to identify and what looked like the remains of old food piled up in the corners of the room. Some of it looked like rat bones.

Harry was immensely glad of their bubblehead charms and gladder when Severus added sanitising charms atop them.

Merlin, Harry almost hoped no one had been living in these conditions.

A gentle hand tipped Harry's head to the side, turning him to meet appalled dark eyes. [She is madder than I had thought to have let herself sink into this kind of state. Be wary.]

Harry nodded and Severus dropped his hand. Harry gave himself no time to lament the loss, but simply guided his team forward by a wave of his arm.

As soon as he stepped into the vile chamber, the sound of deranged muttering filled his ears.

"A silencing charm," Severus whispered. "She is still capable of magic then."

Harry shuddered and moved his team towards the sound.

"Mudbloods, blood-muds, dirtying the master's chambers. Filthy little buggers. Die, die, die!"

The last word came out as a shriek, rasped in a voice so far gone beyond humanity, it set Harry's teeth on edge. Beside him, Ron jumped.

"Merlin," Ron whispered.

"Be prepared for unusual manoeuvers," Harry whispered back. "She's completely lost the plot."

His team nodded and followed Harry closer.

The muttering cut off suddenly, switching to that manic, cackling laugh that still haunted Harry's dreams.

"And who has come to visit old Auntie Bella today? Come, little nephew. I smell you."

"How anyone could smell anything over this is beyond me," Draco whispered.

Harry suppressed a snort.

"Oh, and what's this? A mudblood, one … two … three half-bloods. No, five. And a blood traitor, and—oh, lovely. The traitor returns! And Potter! What a glorious day this will be for my lord and master. You will be avenged, love!"

Beside Harry, Severus tensed. "How the hell is she identifying us?"

Harry shuddered. "Dark magic, probably. I'm not sure I want to know more than that."

Severus scowled in disgust. "Gods, what a foul—"

A red streak shot from a room just ahead and Harry jerked Severus down just in time. The curse went above their heads and blasted a hole in the wall behind them. Harry gritted his teeth. He had hoped she would be a bit less dangerous gone fully mad, but it appeared they would find the opposite to be true.

"Damn it. Try to get her surrounded," he whispered, and led his team through the open doorway.

The room beyond was mostly clean, thank the gods.

Harry closed the chamber door behind them, concerned such filth would make them ill, and cast cleaning charms on their shoes. Thrice. Merlin, in all his days as an auror, hunting down the worst specimens of the human race, he had never come across a fouler hideout. It was enough to put him off food for a week. Longer, even.

Harry held his wand at the ready as he investigated his surroundings. They appeared to be in some sort of living chamber converted from what used to be a bedroom. Or perhaps it served as both to its crazed inhabitant. A once-luxurious bed had slashes in the curtains and its duvet was torn and stained. Beside it, a bookcase had lost most of its contents to a giant pile of shredded paper in the corner. Pieces of old books had been pasted to the ceiling—Harry did not want to know with what—and read: "Die, Potter, die!"

There was no sign of Bellatrix.

"Lovely," Ron muttered in Harry's ear, pointing to the ceiling.

Harry did not dare voice his agreement. Apparently the bitch was as good at holding grudges as her former master and she was hiding here, somewhere. Listening. Waiting.

"There." Hermione pointed to a doorway almost hidden behind an open wardrobe. "She's in there."

Harry nodded and led his team forwards, but before they had taken more than three steps, another spell shot straight at them from the doorway, scattering them and breaking their focus. While Harry was still trying to recover his stance, the madwoman herself swooped out of the shadows, clothing in tatters, hair matted in clumps down to her feet, and eyes utterly insane.

"Traitor!"

She shot a spell at Severus, but he whirled out of the way and shielded Parvati, who was behind him. Harry jumped to the man's side, acting as his protector, and whipped a lightning-fast Impedimenta at her. Unfortunately, she blocked it, and Harry decided it was time to end this quickly. Mad or not, the woman was just too damn fast.

"Cover me," he muttered to Ron. The big auror nodded and took position beside and just ahead of Harry.

Harry worked to deflect her continued attempts to curse him and began building up his killing blow. It would take him time: his one tactical weakness in a duel was mustering up the anger and hatred required to kill someone, even someone as twisted and dangerous as Bellatrix Lestrange. He only hoped he could evade her while he worked up the energy.

He leapt over another spell and cursed. Damn it, madwomen weren't supposed to be this fast.

Bellatrix shot a cutting curse at Severus and sliced into the man's arm. "Got you now, widdle traitor!"

"Severus!" Distracted, Harry's spell energy dropped, but when he saw the blood seeping through the man's robes, rage took him over. He glared into those mad eyes and remembered the last time he had seen her this close, when his godfather had gone tumbling through the veil. And now she had just injured the man he loved.

"She's mine," he spat.

"No, Harry," Severus whispered. "Let me. You're not—"

But Harry shoved Severus behind him and began building his curse again, much faster now that he knew which one to use and anger for his loved ones' pain fuelled his fury.

"Mate, be ca—"

Ron did not get a chance to either finish his warning or reinforce the shield around Harry before Bellatrix got off another spell, and with Harry determinedly blocking Severus, the older man could not defend him either.

Eyes focused on Harry, Bellatrix shrieked, "Accipere Sanguis Animus!"

He used her brief moment of distraction as his window of opportunity. "Sectum Totalis!"

Their spells hit at the same time, a sickly greenish-brown light bursting over the entire area at the same instant his sword spell hit the bitch in the throat. The woman's head separated from her neck and rolled, but Harry hardly had time to see it before he was knocked across the room and out.


Harry came to with Severus leaning over him, trying to heal him—regulations be damned—and rubbing a gentle hand down his cheek. Harry leaned into the touch before he could help himself.

"Sev'rus?"

Severus growled and pressed a hand to Harry's forehead. "Of all the stupid, foolish—I told you to let me kill her."

Harry gave him a weak smile. "Can't. Auror rules."

Severus huffed. "And you wanted to avenge Black." He sighed and removed his hand. Immediately, a cold Harry had never known bled into his chest and strange whispers filled his ears.

"Oh Merlin."

"Harry?" Hermione was beside him in an instant. "What is it?"

He moaned and clapped his hands over his ears. "The bitch cursed me."

"Lovely," Severus said with a groan. "Well, I suppose it will be against regulations as well if I try to break it?"

"Um …." Harry gave him a frightened look. "Y-yeah. Gotta—Padma or St. Mungo's. Evi-evidentiary procedure … m'sorry."

Severus shook his head. "Call me when you actually need my help, Potter."

The man apparated away before anyone could protest. Apparently, Ron's anti-apparition wards hadn't stretched far enough or had enough power to keep in a wizard like Severus.

Ron sniffed. "Gods, was there ever a more prickly man?"

Hermione chuckled. "He just wanted to protect Harry and someone wouldn't let him." She rounded on Harry with a sharp look. "You should have seen his face when you went down. It was … heart-breaking, frankly."

Harry could hardly hear over the whispers. Cruel, frightening voices, angry voices, voices that sounded scared themselves—each one clamoured for his attention and left him shaking. There weren't enough people in the room for that many voices.

"Yes, yes," said an irritated Draco. "Might we record the scene already?" He shuddered. "I'm more than ready to be out of this vile place."

Padma added, "Harry needs to go to St. Mungo's first. I can't break this. I don't even know what it is."

"Right," said Ron with a nod. "Hermione, help me get Harry to St. Mungo's. The rest of you start taking scenes for memories. You know the procedure."

"Yes, Captain," said Draco with a wry look.

"I am the second in command, so stuff it, Ferret."

"Enough," Harry said in a weak voice, trying to shut out the whispers. "Please."

Ron and Hermione looked at him with worried faces and portkeyed him away.