Flight of the Prince
Arthur felt the most rage consuming his body since Bellatrix killed Sirius and this time… he was out for blood.
"Out of here, quickly." Snape said.
He seized Draco by the scruff of his neck, forcing him through the door ahead of the rest; Greyback and the siblings followed, the latter both panting excitedly, stoking Arthur's fury.
As they vanished through the door, Arthur realised that he can now move, which he knew was because a spell stops when its caster dies. This was the confirmation that Dumbledore was now gone, because of Snape.
He threw the Invisibility Cloak off as the brutal-faced Death Eater, the last to leave the Tower top, disappeared through the door.
Arthur thought Petrificus Totalus and struck the Death Eater, who buckled as though he was hit in the back with something solid, and fell to the ground as rigid as waxwork.
He was barely on the floor when Arthur clambered over him and ran down the darkened staircase.
He had to catch Snape and give him a fitting punishment for what he did.
Arthur leapt the last ten steps of the staircase and stopped where he landed with his wand raised: the dimly lit corridor was full of dust, half the ceiling having fallen in and a battle raged before him.
Even as he tried to make out who was fighting whom, he heard the hated voice shout "It's over, time to go!" and he saw Snape disappear round the corner at the far end of the corridor with Draco, the two having forced their way through the fight unscathed.
As Arthur charged after them, one of the fighters had detached themselves from the fray and flew at him, it was Greyback. But Arthur turned into his Animagus form and roared as he swatted at the werewolf, launching him right into a wall, hard, knocking him out.
He changed back into his human form and ducked a jet of green light before he sprinted right into the fight.
His feet made contact with something squashy and slippery on the floor where he stumbled: there were two bodies lying face down in a pool of blood.
Arthur didn't have time to investigate as he then saw that Mike was facing Amycus, who threw one hex after another at him, which he dodged. Amycus was giggling, enjoying the sport.
"Crucio - Crucio - you can't dance forever, laddy -"
"STUPEFY!" Arthur roared.
His Stunning Spell hit Amycus in the chest, launching him back as he got knocked out instantly out of sight behind David, McGonagall, Mary and Lupin, who were fighting Death Eaters each. And beyond them, Arthur saw Tonks fighting a large blonde wizard who sent curses flying in all directions, making them ricochet off the walls around them, cracking stone and shattering the nearest window.
"Arthur, where did you come from?" Mike cried.
Arthur didn't have the time to answer as he sprinted past him, narrowly avoiding a blast that erupted over his head, showering them in bits of wall: Snape cannot escape.
"Take that!" He heard McGonagall shout, making Arthur glimpse to see that she made Alecto sprint away down the corridor with her arms over her head with her brother right behind her, having regained consciousness.
Arthur launched after them, but his foot caught on something and he found himself lying across Neville's legs, who looked pale and face flat against the floor.
"Neville!"
"M'all right." He muttered as he clutched his stomach. "Arthur… Snape 'n' Malfoy… ran past…."
"I'M ON IT!" Arthur replied, aiming a hex from the floor at the blonde Death Eater that caused most of the chaos: the man gave a howl of pain as he was hit in the face. He wheeled around, staggering before he ran after the siblings.
Arthur turned into his lion form and ran after them down the corridor, ignoring the bangs that issued behind him and the yells from the others to come back, as well as the mute call of the figures on the ground, whose fate he didn't know.
He skidded round the corner, his paws covered in blood; Snape had a head start. Arthur just hoped that he didn't plan on using the Vanishing Cabinet.
All he heard was his paws pounding on the floor and his growls as he sprinted along the next empty corridor before he spotted a bloody footprint that showed that they must be heading for the front doors.
He skidded round yet another corner and a curse flew past him. He dived as he turned back into human form behind a suit of armour which exploded; he saw the sibling Death Eaters running down the marble staircase ahead and he aimed jinxes at them, but he instead hi several bewigged witches in a portrait on the landing, who ran screeching into neighbouring paintings.
Arthur leapt over the armour as he heard more shouts and screams from people within the castle waking up.
He was a blur as he made his way to a shortcut, hoping he'd overtake the siblings and close in on Snape and Draco, who had to have reached the grounds by now. He leaped over the vanishing step halfway down the concealed staircase and burst through a tapestry at the bottom and out to a corridor where a number of bewildered and pyjama clad Hufflepuffs stood.
"Arthur! We heard a noise and someone said something about the Dark Mark -" Ernie Macmillan began.
"OUT OF THE WAY!" Arthur yelled as he knocked two boys aside, sprinting to the landing and down the remainder of the marble staircase.
The oak front doors were blasted open and there were smears of blood on the flagstones. Several terrified students stood huddled against the walls, one or two cowering with their arms over their faces.
The giant Gryffindor hourglass had been hit with a curse and the rubies within still fell, with a loud rattle, onto the flagstones below.
Arthur practically flew across the Entrance Hall and out into the dark grounds: he was able to make out three figures racing across the lawn, heading for the gates, hoping to Disapparate on the other side. And by the looks of them, the blonde Death Eater and ahead of him, Snape and Draco.
Seeing pure red and frothing at the mouth with fury, Arthur tore after them.
He saw a flash of light in the distance that had momentarily silhouetted his quarry; he simply continued sprinting not yet near enough to get a good aim -
There was another flash, shouts and retaliatory jets of light, which Arthur now understood: Hagrid emerged from his cabin and tried to stop the Death Eaters from escaping, and while every breath seemed to shred his lungs and the stitch in his chest was like fire, Arthur just continued speeding, hoping Hagrid wasn't killed too.
But then something caught Arthur hard in the small of his back and he fell, being able to roll to his knees at the last second.
He turned with his wand read, seeing that the siblings he overtook used his shortcut and closed in on him.
"IMPEDIMENTA!" He roared as he rolled again, crouching close to the dark ground, hearing that he was able to hit one of them, having stumbled and fell, tripping the other up.
Arthur then leapt to his feet and continued chasing after Snape.
He now saw Hagrid's vast outline, being illuminated by the light of the crescent moon that came from behind the clouds.
The blonde Death Eater aimed curse after curse at the gamekeeper, but Hagrid's strength and tough skin, thanks to his giant heritage, protected him.
Meanwhile, Snape and Draco still ran, so close to the gates and being able to Disapparate -
Arthur tore past Hagrid and his opponent, aimed at Snape's back and cast the Stunning Spell non-verbally.
He unfortunately missed as the jet of red light soared past Snape's head.
Snape shouted "Run, Draco!" before he turned.
Now twenty yards apart, the two looked at each other before they raised their wands simultaneously, Arthur using his Occlumency to not give Snape an advantage.
"Cruc -"
Snape parried the curse, also knocking Arthur backwards off his feet. Arthur rolled over and scrambled back to his feet as the blonde Death Eater yelled "Incendio!".
Arthur heard an explosive bang and a dancing orange light spilled over them: Hagrid's home was now on fire.
"Fang's in there, yeh evil -" Hagrid bellowed.
"Cruc -" Arthur yelled for a second time, aiming right at Snape, who blocked again. Arthur saw him sneering in the dancing firelight.
"No Unforgivable Curses from you, Pendergast!" He shouted over the rushing of the flames, Hagrid's yelling and the wild yelping from the trapped Fang. "You haven't got the nerve or the ability -"
Arthur non-verbally cast Incarcerous, but Snape somehow deflected the spell with a lazy flick of his wand.
"FIGHT BACK, YOU FUCKING, PATHETIC COWARD!" Arthur roared at the tops of his lungs, spitting in the process.
"Coward, did you call me, Pendergast?" Snape shouted. "Your father would never attack me unless it was four on one, what would you call him, I wonder?"
Arthur lost all self control. He just wanted him to suffer so much.
"STUPE -"
"Blocked again, and again, and again!" Snape sneered as he deflected the spell yet again. "Now come!" He then shouted at the blonde Death Eater behind Arthur. "It is time to be gone, before the Ministry turns up -"
"Impedi -"
Before he could finish the jinx, he felt unbelievable pain hit him. He keeled over in the grass.
"No!" Snape roared and the pain suddenly stopped as sudden as it started. Arthur laid on the grass, still clutching his wand as he heard Snape shout "Have you forgotten your orders? Pendergast belongs to the Dark Lord - we are to leave him! Go! Go!"
Arthur felt the ground shudder under his face as the sibling Death Eaters and the blonde obeyed, running to the gates.
Arthur screamed in rage. He needed to give Snape, the man he now hated as much as Voldemort, a taste of his own medicine and so as he got up, using his Occlumency fully, he aimed at Snape.
Levicorpus!
Snape yelled as he was now dangled from his foot.
Arthur was just feet away and he could see Snape's face that was now full of rage.
"SECTUMSEMPRA!" Arthur bellowed, slashing his wand at Snape's leg, causing the man to fall to the ground, screaming in pain as blood was gushing from his leg.
Snape got up on his feet and stared Arthur down.
"YOU DARE USE MY OWN SPELLS AGAINST ME, PENDERGAST?" Snape screamed.
"I DO DARE, YOU FUCKING COWARD!" Arthur screamed back.
"DON'T -" Snape screamed, his face now suddenly demented, inhuman, like he was in as much pain as the yelping, howling dog stuck in the burning house behind him. " - CALL ME A COWARD!"
He then slashed at the air: Arthur felt a white hot, whip-like something hit him on the face, making him slam back into the ground.
Spots of light now burst in front of his eyes.
He then heard a rush of wings above him and something huge obscured the stars.
It was Buckbeak, who had flown at Snape, who staggered backwards as the razor sharp claws slashed him, which was difficult thanks to Arthur using Sectumsempra on him.
Arthur was able to raise himself into a sitting position while his head was still swimming. He saw Snape running as best he could with an injured leg with the enormous Hippogriff flapping behind him and screeching as Arthur had never heard him screech before.
Arthur then struggled onto his feet, looking around groggily for a moment before seeing Buckbeak circling the gates: Snape managed to Disapparate just beyond the school's boundaries.
"Hagrid." He muttered, still dazed. "HAGRID!"
He stumbled to the burning house as a large figure emerged from out of the flames with Fang on his back. Crying with thankfulness, Arthur sank to his knees and shook from head to toe as his body fully ached.
"Yeh alrigh', Arthur? Yeh alrigh'? Speak ter me, Arthur…."
Hagrid's huge and hairy face swam above Arthur, blocking out the stars. Arthur smelled burned wood and dog hair. He put a hand out and felt Fang's reassuringly warm and living body that quivered beside him.
"I'm okay." Arthur panted. "Are you?"
"'Course I am… take more'n that ter finish me."
Hagrid then put his hands under Arthur's arms and raised him up with such force that Arthur's feet left the ground for a moment before Hagrid set him upright again. He saw blood trickling down Hagrid's cheek from a deep cut under one of his eyes, which swelled rapidly.
"We need to put out your home." Arthur said. "Aguamenti…."
"Knew it was summat like that." Hagrid mumbled as he raised his smouldering, pink flowery umbrella and said "Aguamenti!"
A jet of water flew from the umbrella tip. Arthur used the spell as well and the two poured water onto the house until the final flame was extinguished.
"'S not too bad." Hagrid said hopefully a few minutes later, looking at the smoking wreck. "Nothin' Dumbledore won' be able to put righ'..."
Arthur felt a searing heartache upon hearing the name. In the silence and stillness, horror rose up through his body.
"Hagrid…."
"I was bindin' up a couple o' Bowtruckle legs when I heard 'em comin'." Hagrid said sadly, still staring at the wrecked cabin. "They'll've bin burnt ter twigs, poor little things…."
"Hagrid…."
"But what happened, Arthur? I jus' saw them Death Eaters runnin' down from the castle, but what the ruddy hell was Snape doin' with 'em? Where's he gone - was he chasin' 'em?"
"He… he killed…" Arthur said, clearing his throat as it was dry from roaring and the smoke.
"Killed?" Hagrid said loudly, staring at Arthur. "Snape killed? What're yeh on abou', Arthur?"
"Snape… killed Dumbledore."
Hagrid just looked at him, the little of his face was completely blank, uncomprehending.
"Dumbledore wha', Arthur?"
"Snape killed him. He's dead."
"Don' say that." Hagrid said roughly. "Snape kill Dumbledore - don' be stupid, Arthur. Wha' made yeh say tha'?"
"I saw it happen."
"Yeh couldn' have."
"HE USED THE KILLING CURSE ON DUMBLEDORE, HAGRID! HE'S DEAD!" Arthur bellowed loudly.
Hagrid just shook his head; his expression was one of disbelief. Arthur knew he thought that he suffered a blow to the head.
"What musta happened was, Dumbledore musta told Snape ter go with them Death Eaters." He said confidently. "I suppose he's gotta keep his cover. Look, let's get yeh back up ter the school. Come on, Arthur…."
Arthur didn't even try to argue any further. He knew that both Hagrid and himself would have to see Dumbledore's body in order to believe what happened.
They made their way back to the castle, where Arthur saw many windows lit. People inside must be going from room to room, telling each other about Death Eaters and how they got in the school, that the Dark Mark was over Hogwarts and that someone must've been killed.
The oak front doors stood open ahead of them with light flooding out and onto the drive and the lawn.
Slowly, uncertainly, dressing gowned people crept down the steps, looking around nervously for signs of Death Eaters who fled into the night.
Arthur's eyes were fixed, though, on the ground at the foot of the tallest tower. He saw a mass of people gather and move towards the space.
He knew why.
"What're they all lookin' at?" Hagrid said as he and Arthur approached the castle front, Fang keeping as close as he could to their ankles. "Wha's tha', lyin' on the grass?" Hagrid added sharply, heading for the foot of the Astronomy Tower, where a small crowd congregated.
"See it, Arthur? Righ' at the foot o' the Tower? Under where the Mark… blimey… yeh don' think someone got thrown -?"
He fell silent, like the thought was too horrible to express aloud.
Arthur walked alongside him, feeling the aches and pains in his face and body where he was hit from hexes for the last half hour.
He and Hagrid moved, dream-like, through the crowd to the very front, where dumbstruck teachers and students left a gap.
Arthur heard Hagrid's moans of pain and shock, but Arthur kept moving forwards slowly until he reached where Dumbledore's limp body lay, crouching beside him.
Seeing his body helped him accept what had happened as he looked at his spread eagled, broken body. The greatest wizard Arthur ever knew… dead.
His eyes were closed and Arthur decided to straighten the half moon spectacles upon the crooked nose and wiped a trickle of blood from the mouth with his own sleeve.
He then gazed down at the wise old face, absorbing how he'll never hear Dumbledore speak… and never be given wisdom and help again.
The crowd murmured behind Arthur.
After what felt like an eternity, Arthur finally noticed that he was kneeling on something hard, making him look down.
It was the locket they stole many hours before, which had fallen from Dumbledore's pocket.
It had been opened, maybe because of the force of when it hit the ground.
As he picked it up, he knew with horror that something was wrong.
He turned it over in his hands and he realised that this wasn't as large as the locket from the Pensieve and there weren't any markings, or the ornate S that was meant to be Slytherin's mark.
There wasn't even anything inside other than a folded piece of parchment that was wedged tightly into the place where the portrait should be.
Without even thinking about what he was doing, Arthur pulled the parchment out and opened it, reading by the light of the many wands that were lit behind him:
To the Dark Lord
I know I will be dead long before you read this but I want you to know that it was I who discovered your secret.
I have stolen the real Horcrux and intend to destroy it as soon as I can.
I face death in the hope that when you meet your match, you will be mortal once more.
R.A.B.
At that moment, Arthur didn't know or care what this meant. What mattered was that this wasn't a Horcrux. Dumbledore weakened himself by drinking that terrible potion for nothing. It was all a waste of time and energy.
He crumpled the parchment in his head as his eyes now burned with tears and sobbed as Fang began howling behind him.
Arthur had to use Sectumsempra at least once. And who else to use it on then the one who created that spell?