The Dark Triad
Chapter Two
Harry let out a hiss when his foot connected with the floorboard, causing a loud creak to sound from it. He stiffened, holding his breath and waiting for any accompanying footsteps, only to let out a sigh of relief when he heard none.
"Potter, is that you?" A voice said behind him.
Harry spun around in a flash to cover Malfoy's mouth with his hand. He started a bit at the blond boy appearance. He had never seen Malfoy look like this before. Malfoy usually is always sure to look impeccable as ever, but now he looked…well, different. Harry frowned, mentally scolding himself. Now was not the time to fret over Malfoy s handsome good looks. Harry then promptly banished that last thought.
"Listen to me Malfoy, please be quiet. I'm so close to escaping this place. Just go back to bed!" Harry whispered frantically.
"I thought we couldn't escape! What about the Dark Lord? And how exactly are you planning to escape, anyway?" Malfoy eyes narrowed on Harry. His voice was soft but firm.
"Voldemort said that you couldn't leave if you had no intention of coming back. So I thought that if I focused really hard and just pretended that I wanted to go out for a little bit and convince myself that I'm coming back, it will work?" Harry tried his best to ignore the fact there was a question mark at the end of that last sentence.
"Can I come too? I know how to get us there. I am sure he put up anti-apparatation wards, but I can get us there without apparating." Malfoy seem confident in his ability.
"Okay, but you have to convince yourself that you're coming back. Let's focus on just going to Hogwarts too let people know were okay, and that were coming back right after." Harry knew that 'right back after' was the main focus for this to work, and made it all the more a challenge.
Harry closed his eyes and focused on Hogwarts. I am just checking in, just checking in, just-, he involuntarily flinched when Malfoy grabbed his hand as he felt a tight sensation curling in his stomach.
Voldemort watched them leave from a window upstairs.
He wasn't the least bit worried. They'd be back soon enough, of that he was sure. He blinked when they vanished from sight, it wasn't apparition or a portkey…he would have to test their magical abilities when they return, for they will return.
Harry yanked his hand away from Malfoy's the moment they arrived causing Malfoy to scowl at him. They both had appeared just in front of Hogwarts.
"You act like I wanted to hold your hand Potter." Malfoy sneered.
Harry merely ignored him, rubbing the hand Malfoy had held. He didn't like the burning sensation he felt traveling across it.
"I thought you couldn't apparate in Hogwarts." Harry stated, dropping his hand back to his side with a silent determination to ignore the tingly feeling.
"I didn't apparate." Malfoy head tilted upward in arrogance, and he gave Harry a lazy smirk.
"Then how the hell did we get here!? Did you use a portkey?" Harry demanded.
Malfoy rolled his eyes, dropping his cocky look in irritation. "Look, does it matter? I got you here like I said I would did I not?"
"Yeah, I guess but-"Before Harry could question Malfoy further, he was interrupted by a female voice.
"I found them! Guys come quickly!"
Harry stumbled as a blur of bright red hair attacked him. "Ginny?" He questioned through a mouthful of red hair.
"Oh, Harry! We were all so worried about you! When the bodies showed up and you were gone and…and…." Ginny trailed off in obvious distress. Harry hadn't seen her this bothered since the chamber of secrets.
"Exactly what we need is a hysterical female." Malfoy said sarcastically beside them.
"You!" Ginny screeched, pointing her wand at him, "I knew it! I bet your responsible for this aren't you?" Her brown eyes were wide but determined as they glared hotly at Malfoy. Harry couldn't help but be impressed if not a bit embarrassed. He didn't need Ginny defending him.
"Don't make me hurt you, little girl. And what the hell are you going on about?" Malfoy drawled, uncaring of a wand being shoved in his face, much less by a blood traitor.
"Yeah, Ginny what exactly are you talking about?" Harry removed the wand anyway, pulling Ginny away from Malfoy just in case she did something rash. Not that he should be talking, but he didn't like her being so close to him. She could endanger Mal-herself.
Ginny opened her mouth, but whatever she was going to say next was cut off as footsteps were heard behind them, signaling the sound of more people coming in their direction.
"Harry you're alright." Hermione cried out, crushing him in a hug within her skinny arms.
"What is with the hug fest?" Harry protested, but in good nature. He was happy to see his friends, again.
"Malfoy you slimy little snake!" Ron growled at the slytherin, and already had his wand in hand. He paused to give Harry a familiar pat on the shoulder before resuming his threatening pose.
"I should have known a Malfoy was behind this." Mad-Eye Moody stated as he walked up to their growing group.
Malfoy rolled his eyes in exasperation, "Yes, because despite the obvious fact that he's weighs five stones compared to me, I somehow managed to subdue and brought him to the dark lord and then proceeded to return him back. Genius isn't it?" He gave them all a look down his nose, and scoffed.
"Enough! Regardless of how they disappeared, let us rejoice in the fact that they are back, safe and unharmed." Dumbledore looked pointedly to all who had pulled out their wands. There were some grumbles, but all wands were removed from sight.
"Sure, if you called being married to Potter and a psychopathic mass murderer safe." Malfoy muttered sarcastically, crossing his arms over his chest.
Dumbledore narrowed his eyes. Surely he didn't. "Mr. Malfoy, Harry, I'd appreciate it if you two would accompany me to my office." It wasn't an option, the way he worded it.
"Fine, but is it alright if Ron and Hermione join us? I'll just tell them everything later anyway." Harry ignored Ginny's pointed glare.
"As you wish" Dumbledore conceded.
"If Potter gets to have his pets with him, I get to have my friends with me too." Malfoy protested, ignoring Ron and Hermione bristling at being called pets.
"Who'd want to be friends with you Malfoy?" Harry taunted and attempted to sneer. His hand was still bloody tingly.
Malfoy was unimpressed. "You'd be surprised." He simply stated.
"I don't think he should invite his snake friends, they'll probably tell you-know-who first chance they get." Ron said hotly, his face flushing red in his anger.
"If my friends don't get to come then neither does Potters." Malfoy ignored all but Dumbledore and Harry, and spoke to them only.
"Fine, Mr. Malfoy. Who would you like to accompany you?" Dumbledore wasn't smiling.
"Pansy Parkinson and Blaise Zabini" Malfoy said, and spoke to only Harry and Dumbledore again. Those around them weren't able to keep the surprise off their faces. Ron went so far as to gap at him.
"As you wish Mr. Malfoy." Dumbledore managed to hide his surprise well, but his eyes twinkled in the faint light. He turned away from then, and dismissed Mad-Eye Moody with a silent tilt of his head. He carried on into Hogwarts, and spoke behind him. "Mr. Malfoy, go gather you friends and meet us at my office."
Malfoy departed from them to scout out Pansy and Blaise. Harry watched him curiously until he turned a corner, before catching up with the rest.
"Did you know Malfoy was friends with them?" Hermione whispered as she, Ron, and Harry took a seat in front of Dumbledore's desk.
"I didn't even know Malfoy had friends." Harry answered honestly. Sure, he had seen Malfoy in the company of his goons, Crabbe and Goyle and a Slytherin girl with dark hair in a bob, but he had been sure they weren't friends, like Ron and Hermione was to him.
"Who'd want to be his friend with him, anyway? Rumor has it that Pansy girl gets around and the boy isn't all that much either." Ron seems to feel the need to add.
"Ron!" Hermione scolded, and gave him a disapproving frown.
"What? It's true!" Ron argued back.
Dumbledore cleared his throat, gaining him the attention of the trio. "Ahem! If you three are quite done, we must get down to business. It is imperative that I know what exactly happened during the graveyard." He told them, well Harry. His blue eyes rested on Harry.
Harry spared a glance at Malfoy and his friends (they had just settled down); Pansy which had turned out to be the Slytherin girl with the bob practically sat in his lap. Malfoy had his hand wrapped around her waist in a friendly manor, with the Blaise boy sitting on the arm of the shared chair leaning over Malfoy.
"Let's start with you Mr. Malfoy." Dumbledore requested at the glance.
Malfoy scowled at him knowing it was a command and not a request, like he implied.
"Fine. Pansy, Blaise, and I had been in the Slytherin Common Room betting on who would win the tournament. We had three options, Krum would win, Diggory would back out, Decleur wouldn't even go in, and Potter would kill over and die. I was particularly fond of that last option." Malfoy's mouth quirked upwards at that last sentence.
"That's horrible! How you could you honestly wish one of your classmates dead." Hermione shrieked in outrage.
"Whatever." Malfoy shrugged, "Anyway, we had ran out of fire-butterbeer so I decided to go out and get some more, and then I ran into that rat man. He cast the imperious curse on me and brought me to a graveyard and used my blood for some ritual. After that, my memory becomes blurry."
Harry frowned, why had Malfoy avoided the fact that they were now bounded and married to Voldemort? No matter he'd tell the Headmaster himself.
"Harry, why don't you tell me what you remember?" Dumbledore wasn't fooled, and turned to Harry. The boy was sure to tell him the truth, unlike Mr. Malfoy.
"The portkey had brought me and Cedric to a graveyard. I tried to make him grab it by himself, I didn't deserve to win, but he wouldn't listen." Harry whispered.
"Gryffindors" Draco muttered, rolling his eyes in disgust and ignoring the glares thrown his way.
"Continue on Harry, what happen next?" Dumbledore encourages.
"Pettigrew appeared out of the shadows and a voice-Voldemort's said to 'kill the spare'. Peter, he killed him." Harry croaked and swallowed down tears.
"I tried to go back to the portkey, but he stunned me. I woke up tied to a headstone and Peter was in the middle of a ritual that was meant to bring Voldemort back. Then he brought Malfoy to the clearing, he was under the imperious curse, then he made Malfoy slit his wrist to put blood in the potion, and Peter cut me and put my blood in it. After that, the cauldron started shaking and Volde-Voldemort appeared." When Harry finished, he was no longer looking at Dumbledore but his feet. His hands were clenched on his knees as he stared an unseeing whole in the ground.
"That doesn't explain why Peter was dead, too." Dumbledore voice softened as he questioned. Harry was obviously shaken from the encounter.
"Voldemort killed him." Harry didn't look up.
"Do you know why?" Dumbledore leaned forward just the tiniest.
Harry blinked at the ground. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Malfoy shaking his head 'no'. What if Voldemort was right? No! There was no way he was right!
"Voldemort killed him because Peter messed up the ritual; instead of a reviving ritual he turned it into a marriage ceremony. We're all bonded to each other now, I, Malfoy and Voldemort." As he said the words he couldn't help but wince.
"I see. I'm afraid this is very grave news." Dumbledore leaned back with a somber look. His eyes grew dark behind his small frames.
"What do you mean? You're going to help us figure out a way to break this right?" Harry didn't as much as he demanded.
"Yes, but the possibilities…If I may, can I speak to Mr. Malfoy and Potter alone for a bit?" Dumbledore face was pulled into an odd smile. Again, you get the feeling it wasn't a question as much as it was an order.
Harry watched as Malfoy whispered something into Pansy's ear, who in turn said something in Blaise's, before they both left the room.
"I'll be fine guys, go." Harry told Hermione (who had fell into a horrified silence) and Ron (who was back to gaping).
After the moment both sets of friends left, Dumbledore turned to both boys with a deep sigh and a frown deep in his face.
"I deeply apologies, but I feel no other choice is available at this time." Dumbledore muttered, more to himself then to the two boys sitting in front of him.
"Professor Dumbledore?" Harry asked worriedly, he suddenly had the urge to bolt for the door. He couldn't have possible heard that correct, right?
Dumbledore stood up straighter in his chair, and folded wrinkle hands tightly in front of him. His blue eyes were distant and grave as he stared at Harry and Malfoy with a set determination.
"The Bond has burned you two out." He stated with suspicious conviction.
Harry stared at Dumbledore as if he grown a second head. "I don't understand." He said bluntly, and tried to ignore a voice screaming run in his head.
"Don't you get it, Potter? He's going to murder us and blame it on the bloody bond!" Malfoy had risen sharply from his seat; his grey eyes had hardened into steel as he stared a whole into the Headmaster. Harry didn't doubt his wand was gripped tightly in his hand, even though he couldn't see it from where sat like a rock on the chair.
"Professor Dumbledore now is not the time to play jokes." Harry didn't budge from his spot, his green eyes imploring Dumbledore to be joking. This had to be a joke!
"It's for the greater good." Dumbledore stated grimly and with that same conviction, as if he was speaking to an audience. "Your sacrifice will save many lives, Harry."
"Can you not just figure out a way to break the bond instead!?" Harry skin prickled as the scream urging him to run, protest, pull out his wand, do something, grew louder.
"That would take much too long, my dear boy. Voldemort will have risen to his original power during the first war, by then." Dumbledore was oddly placid as he explained himself for submitting to children to death.
"Professor Dumbledore!?" Run, run, run, run, runrunrunrunrun! It was a constant scream and mantra now, even as he finally began to register the betrayal.
"I am deeply sorry it had to come to this, my dear boy." Dumbledore said in a tone of grievance, but his wand was suddenly between his wrinkled fingers and pointing directly at them.
Harry felt himself freeze in his chair with sudden fear and panic. This was Dumbledore for crying out loud! Chills ran down his spine as a sudden realization dawn on him.
Voldemort had been right.
"I deeply regret this, my boy, I truly do." Dumbledore was saying in a somber voice, the wand end pointed at the two boys began to glow, and his hand was steady.
"No you don't! It doesn't matter whom you have to slay or what you have to do, as long as you reach your goals. And you still dare to lie to us!" Malfoy eyes glinted like knives as he glared darkly at the Headmaster of Hogwarts. He didn't move from his standing position, but his body had tensed when Dumbledore brandish his wand.
Dumbledore mouths tighten sharply at the corners in a frown, but his eyes remained stubbornly distant and neutral. He stands slowly from his chair, and turns to Malfoy. His eyes flash darkly for only a moment before washing away all emotions.
"I am sorry." He repeats stubbornly, as if by saying how much he deeply regrets his choice will make it right.
Harry watched in horror as Dumbledore throw a curse at Malfoy with lightning speed, who still manages to duck out of the way. The curse leaves a scorching mark on the spot he had recently been standing.
"Potter move!" He shouts and dives into a roll behind a sitting chair.
Harry throws himself out of his chair, managing to avoid a bright yellow curse thinly. He is quick to move from his spot on the floor as a bright red light flies over head.
"Dumbledore stop this!" Harry cries in panic, even as his body doges curse after curse. "Please don't do this." He begs as all too familiar green curse nearly manages to nick him. He follows Malfoy suit and dives behind a chair.
Dumbledore was the good guy.
Voldemort wasn't supposed to be right.
Harry watched, mind in a daze, as Dumbledore threw a curse at Malfoy that causes him to drop like a leaf and had Harry feeling an agonizing pain in his stomach in the same heartbeat. He crawls over and checks him over with a portigo casted firmly over their heads. There was no visible mark on him, but Malfoy was shivering as his skin grew colder and colder.
Dumbledore did this. The man he trusted, and looked up too, was trying to kill him and Malfoy for the greater good.
Harry clutched Malfoy tighter to himself, unconsciously covering his body with his own. Dumbledore drew closer to them, his eyes utterly detached even as he his face crinkled into one of great sorrow.
"Harry, you have little idea of how sorry I am it has to come to this. But it's for the greater good. If we nip this in the bud we can stop Voldemort from rising to power! You will be saving thousands of lives, boy." Dumbledore preached with a rich tone that screamed 'listen to me, I am right.'
Harry eyes were round behind his glasses, "You're a horrible old man. Greater good my arse! You're just looking out for yourself, and you don't care who you have to run over to get what you want." Harry retorted fiercely, his eyes didn't dare waver from Dumbledore and he tightens the grip on his wand.
"I'm sorry you feel that way." Dumbledore stated simply, his face smoothing over without emotions. He raised his wand once more, "It's for the greater good."
Harry closed his eyes as Dumbledore aimed at him. It was over, it was really over. Dumbledore was really going to kill him just to get at Voldemort.
He wouldn't let that happen! He deserved to live, who cared about the bloody Wizarding World!? Why did it have to be him, why was it always him?
But, no!
Harry opened his eyes and glared at Dumbledore with new determination. He stared straight into the older wizard eyes and watched as the spell cast at him bounced away abruptly and back to Dumbledore, who dodged it, and watched as Harry and Malfoy vanished from sight.
To be Continued…