Chapter Forty Six

Harry reached the corridor and clung to the wall. His heart was racing, his legs felt like they were going to collapse from under him and the whole world seemed to be spinning.

He'd said no. He'd seen it all of it and said no. Why would Dumbledore want him to follow him blindly? That wasn't a good thing to ever agree to. Harry could hear his mother and father screaming at him in his head to walk away as Dumbledore had asked, as Dumbledore had ordered him, into blind obedience.

He needed to sit down. He needed his friends.

Glancing at his watch he saw it was just coming up to half passed eight. Draco and Hermione would almost certainly be still in the hospital wing, Neville and Thomas were probably there as well.

Harry didn't head that way though, walking mindlessly to the Slytherin common room and running into Daphne and Pansy who were just heading out.

"Harry? What on earth has happened?" Daphne gasped.

"You're as white as a sheet!" Pansy said worriedly.

They guided him into a chair by the fire, Harry noticing that his was shaking as though he was cold although it was perfectly warm in the common room.

"I think I'm going into shock." Harry croaked out.

Daphne jumped up and ordered a cup of tea from the station in the corner while Pansy got him a doughnut from the picnic basket and wrapped him in the duvet from her bed.

Harry drank the sweet tea and forced down the doughnut, within quarter of an hour he was feeling much better.

"Harry… what did Dumbledore do?" Daphne asked, barely above a whisper.

Harry let out a laugh as tears streamed down his face. He felt ridiculous. No amount of explaining was going to get across how angry and almost unhinged Dumbledore had seemed.

He told them what had happened, Dumbledore ordering him to do whatever he was told and how he'd refused. Daphne and Pansy sat there in shock themselves, listening intently.

"My brain was wondering if I'd been over dramatic, not trusting him… and then you asked, 'what did Dumbledore do?' and I knew I'd been in the right." Harry said rubbing his head and wiping his face on Pansy's handkerchief.

"You were." Pansy agreed, "He should never of asked such a thing of you!"

Harry sat back in the chair, waves of exhaustion washing over him, "Lets go to the hospital wing." he said after a moment, "I want to check on Corvus."

"Surely he'll know who attacked him?" Pansy asked, "You said you thought it was Gemini. Where is Gemini?"

Harry looked around the room, Rodolphus was sitting, surrounded by there group but Gemini was no where to be seen.

"Something else to worry about." Harry said glumly, "It's worth an ask if he remembers certainly."

Harry stood up and stretched, handing Pansy back her blanket, "I'll just be a minute."

He climbed up the stairs and pulled out the small, untouched bottle of Felix Felicis from the bottom of his trunk. Harry looked at the shimmering liquid for a moment before slipping it into his pocket, something told him the night was far from over.

It was raining, Gemini had always liked the rain. It seemed rather perfect.

She told Rodolphus to stay put, that it would all make sense soon and left the common room. He barely seemed to notice she was leaving, and hadn't noticed that Corvus was no where to be seen.

Getting into the common room had proved to be more tricky than getting out. A part of her had wanted to walk in there, still dripping with blood but that would of messed with the plan.

Was he dead? She'd asked herself that as she'd stripped off in the empty dorm room, leaving her pile of blood stained clothes in her bed, tucked in like a baby. She hadn't waited around to watch him bleed, she just knew that Dumbledore was leaving that evening. It had to be now.

Corvus had been two birds and one very sharp knife. She needed the Mafloys out of the way, to make sure that Petal was alone. Draco had been the first option, but they'd called Petal away at the last minute. Corvus was better anyway though, Gemini felt fire bubble in her veins at the thought of her brother.

He wasn't subtle, she knew from the start that he'd been trying to get information out of her and then he was going to feed it straight back to Harry stupid Potter. He was a traitor, he deserved to die. It as simple as that.

Gemini could feel her mother was close and quickly dressed again in a plain black dress with small puffed sleeves. It was something Narcissa had bought her over the summer and she had no trouble ruining it.

She walked calmly but quickly down the corridors; it would always amuse her how far you could get by simply pretending like you belonged there.

The large doors weren't locked, making it easy for her to slip out into the night and run down the path to Hogsmead. She hit the barrier hard, falling back and scrapping her palms.

"Gemini." Bellatrix said happily, walking over to her daughter.

They couldn't touch, stuck on either side of the barrier that guarded Hogwarts but they were close enough.

"I'm so proud of you." Bellatrix cooed.

Gemini couldn't help but smile, "It's good to see you, Mater."

"And you." Bellatrix nodded, glancing behind her.

More and more shapes started to emerge from the shadows as the other Death Eaters came into view. Gemini forced herself not to step away from Fenrir Greyback as he came forward and smirked at her. She didn't like him, she didn't like the way he smoothed her hair, or took every chance to sit next to her, or even the way he looked at her.

Most of all however, she didn't like the fact he was valued above her. She's wanted to become a Death Eater, doing everything she could. She still had the scar from Umbridge and her detention, but she was viewed as too young to have the proper mark.

It didn't matter any more though. Now she was going to get to prove herself, she was going to show them all how wrong they had been. They had their mission, as well as generally causing havoc in the castle but Gemini was going to go further; she was going to make sure her name was never forgotten.

"Petal!" Gemini ordered the house elf to her side, pulling a knife from her pocket and carving open another line on her Dark Mark.

The house elf arrived with a loud pop, falling to the ground, "Mistress… please… blood magic should not be used like this!"

"Silence." Gemini hissed, "You will tell no one of anything that happens here."

Petal let out another squeak of pain, as her nose started to bleed. Gemini ignored it, turning back to her mother and the crowd behind her.

"Are you ready?" Bellatrix asked her.

Gemini nodded, "Yes Mater. Petal, you will open a door in the barrier, you will let my mother, and her friends through."

Gemini raised her blood covered hand and drew out a doorway in the barrier, the blood hovering in the air. Petal let out another whimper and shook with the effort of her magic being forced within her before letting out a cough, splattering her uniform with blood and falling to the ground.

Bellatrix took a slow step and embraced her daughter for the first time in nearly a year and a half.

Dumbledore looked slightly blankly at the door that Harry had just left from. This wasn't meant to of happened. He could see Gemini from his window, just, making her way to the edge of the Hogwarts wards and Harry had just… left.

In a flood of anger, Dumbledore swept the planning for that evening to the floor and took a deep breath as pain racked his body. He pulled out a pain potion from his desk and drained the vial, feeling the edge of the pain fade away; it had been a long year.

Dumbledore slumped into his chair and rubbed his temples. There had been a plan, a plan that seemed to have dissolved into nothingness. He knew what he had to do. They didn't understand; this was for the greater good.

He stood and composed his face, flicking his wand to the fire which glowed green. Dumbledore smiled and lowered his face into the flames.

Lily was sitting on the sofa in the library reading calmly, Danica cuddled into her side, nose deep in her own book.

It was well passed Danica's bedtime but Lily had promised her she could stay up until Kreacher returned from his latest mission as long as she was straight to bed when he did.

Danica had promised she would be good, already in her night gown with teeth brushed. It shouldn't be more than another half an hour or so, assuming she could stay awake that long. The only thing that needed doing was her hair brushed and plating, but that was Kreacher's job.

"Lily."

Lily put her book down and frowned at the fireplace that had sprung to life. Being summer there was no need to have it going currently.

"Albus?" Lily said, looking down at the smiling headmaster who's head was clear in the embers.

"Lily, I am glad to have caught you, and little Danica as well." Dumbledore said. He felt a twinge of guilt before burying it deep down, "I hope you are well?"

Lily knelt by the fire and nodded, "Yes, we're quiet well. How are you doing?"

"It's been a busy evening." Dumbledore chuckled, "It's something I wanted to talk to you about."

Lily felt her heart race, "Harry? Is he all right?"

Dumbledore nodded patiently, "He is quite fine. Corvus has been hurt, however."

"Oh gods." Lily gasped, earning a tut from Danica, "Will he be all right? Do Cissy and Lucius know?"

"They do, they're here in fact." Dumbledore informed her, "And Corvus will be well."

Lily nodded, "I'm glad, very glad of course… why-"

"Did I call you?" Dumbledore smiled, "Well, as you know, Harry has had rather a fixation on the Lestrange children this year."

Lily felt her protective side bristle. She took a deep breath, trying not to over react, "It's been difficult. He was very close to Sirius and after what Bellatrix did, it makes sense for him to be wary."

"Of course, of course." Dumbledore agreed, "However, unfortunately Harry has taken it a little too far."

"Danica can you go through to sitting room? I'll be through in a minute I promise." Lily said calmly.

"You can talk with me reading here." Danica huffed, wanting to listen to what was happening at Hogwarts.

"Danica, now." Lily told her more firmly, "I promise it'll be only a minute."

Danica let out a loud and dramatic huff but left the room.

Lily turned back to Dumbledore, "You can't really think that Harry attacked Corvus?"

Dumbledore sighed, "They already had an altercation, Harry did shake Corvus then…"

Lily shook her head fiercely, "No, there is no way that Harry would do such a thing without reason."

Dumbledore smiled, "Well that's why I called, I was wondering if you wouldn't mind popping in?"

"Of course." Lily nodded, "I can come first thing tomorrow-"

"No." Dumbledore said quickly, "No, tonight, now would be best…"

Lily sighed, "I don't have anyone to watch Danica."

"Just bring her with you." Dumbledore suggested, "It's not like she's not been before." he laughed.

Lily smiled, "Well, she'd be all for it but it's a good walk from Hogsmead to the castle, I don't want to be dragging her out in the cold, I'm sorry."

Dumbledore waved his hand dismissively, not that Lily could really see it, "Not to worry. I shall lower the wards, you can pop straight to Severus's office."

Lily chewed her lip for a moment, "I-"

"It's just…" Dumbledore said, almost disappointed, "I will have to talk to Harry this evening, I'd much rather you were there."

"Severus will be there." Lily pointed out, "If I can't make it."

"Severus will of course be there." Dumbledore agreed, "And if you're not worried about it, then it's not to be worried about. I just thought I should give you the option, what with the Ministry being here and talking to Harry-"

"The Ministry is there?" Lily said sharply, "Who? Why?"

"They aren't here yet, but they are on their way, from the children's services, Corvus is officially their care after all." Dumbledore said pleasantly, "Should I inform Harry you won't be able to make it?"

"No… I…" Lily looked to the library door, she didn't want to drag out Danica but she also didn't want to leave Harry, "Could you not wait until Kreacher got home? He shouldn't be much longer."

Dumbledore looked sadly at her, "I'm so sorry Lily, but this cannot wait."

"I'm on my way." Lily sighed, "Give me a minute to grab Danica and we'll be going straight to Severus's office."

Dumbledore smiled, "I shall see you soon."

Lily looked into the fire as it died before running her hands through her hair. She was going to kill Harry if this had been him, but there wasn't a single part of her that suspected it actually was.

"Danica!" she called, padding through the empty house.

"In here mum!" Danica called back, sitting upside down in a large armchair.

Lily laughed, "Sorry sweetie but there has been a change of plans…"

Danica flipped herself so she was sitting up, "Is Kreacher not coming home?" she asked sadly.

Lily smiled and gathered her daughter in her arms, "No, Kreacher should be home soon still but we need to go to Hogwarts."

"Really?" Danica asked, brightening up, "Cool!"

Lily laughed, "I'll try and let you see Harry for a bit as well, but no promises. For the most part, I'm afraid, you'll be stuck in dad's office."

Danica let out another loud, dramatic sigh, "OK then. Let's go!" she grinned.

Lily held her hand and spun on the spot, landing in Severus's office as Dumbledore said she could. She could feel the wards closing as she landed, stopping anyone else from getting in the same way.

Danica skipped over to the sofa that sat against the wall and pulled down a blanket to snuggle up in with her book.

"Are you going to be all right?" Lily asked, digging out a couple more books for her just in case.

"I'm fine!" Danica laughed, "Go!"

"Yes ma'am!" Lily said, sticking her tongue out and making sure she shut the door behind her.