Chapter 64: The Dark Mark
“Not so funny now, is it Potter?” Malfoy smirked. “Are you ready to die?”
Harry didn’t respond; he looked over at Ron, who he expected to look as terrified as he felt “ but Ron didn’t look scared, he just looked sad. Harry knew he must be thinking of Hermione. Harry thought of her too, and of Katie, and Ginny. The Weasleys. Lupin. He looked at Ron.
“I’m sorry, Ron…”
“Don’t apologize, Harry “ it’s not over yet…”
Harry swallowed hard; he had to admit he felt Ron was wrong. Harry felt that this was the end. After all, he could only escape Voldemort so many times. And Ron, Harry thought, probably wouldn’t even be given a chance. Voldemort had something to prove against Harry, but not Ron. As far as Voldemort saw it, Ron was expendable.
“I’m so sorry, Ron…” Harry said again.
Ron turned his gaze to Harry, and he still didn’t look remotely afraid.
“I told you mate,” he said heavily, still recovering from Malfoy’s curse. “It’s not over, yet…”
“How touching…” Malfoy said. “You should listen to Potter; you wouldn’t want to spend your last moments in denial, Weasley…”
“Hermione…” Ron breathed.
“Give it up, Weasley…” Malfoy said. “Now, the two of you, up!”
“Like we’re going to listen to you…” Harry said.
“If you don’t want to stand up, Potter, then I can find a way to persuade you…”
Malfoy flicked his wand to Ron.
“No, don’t” Harry said, standing up immediately. If he had led Ron to his death, then he certainly wasn’t going to let him suffer any more than necessary.
“That’s what I thought…” Malfoy sneered. “Weasley, you too…”
“Hermione…” Ron said again.
“Stand Weasley, we have a Portkey to catch…”
“Hermione…”
“Shut it, Weasley “ and stand up…” Malfoy said impatiently.
“She’ll save us… she’s coming…” Ron said in a barely audible murmur. Harry felt a guilty stab in the pit of his stomach; Hermione wasn’t coming, there was no way. Any minute now, he and Ron would be delivered to Voldemort.
“GET UP!” Malfoy spat; it seemed he had not heard Ron’s last murmur.
“She’ll be here…”
“Ron…” Harry started, but stopped when Malfoy raised his want again to Ron. “Malfoy, don’t…” he pleaded.
But Malfoy did not get the chance to torture Ron again, because at that precise moment the door to the Room of Requirement exploded open. Malfoy started and dropped his wand, diving behind the shelf to the left of them.
“STUPEFY!” Harry heard Hermione’s voice yell, and Pettigrew fell stunned to the floor. Harry turned to see Hermione running over to Ron and him, flanked by Katie and Ginny.
“Oh, thank goodness you’re alright,” Hermione said frantically. “I was so worried…”
“Malfoy…” Harry said.
“What?” Hermione asked, sounding confused. She caught on quickly though, and turned around, armed with her wand. “Where is he Harry?”
Malfoy appeared on the other side of the shelf, he was running towards Hermione.
“Draco?” Hermione said, temporarily shocked, as were Katie and Ginny. Clearly, they had been expecting Lucius. All three quickly recovered and lifted their wands to Malfoy, but it was too late. He grabbed the banana peel, and Harry watched as he disappeared right before the jets of red light from the three girls’ wands reached him.
“What?” Hermione gasped.
“How…?” Katie breathed.
“It was a Portkey…” Harry told them, still in shock from their grand entrance. “They were about to take us to Voldemort, you came just in time.”
“Hermione…” Ron said, he was smiling faintly.
“Oh Ron,” Hermione said, her eyes red, rushing to his side, as Ginny found the boy’s wands and Katie released Harry from his bindings. “What happened to you?”
“Malfoy used to Crucio on him…” Harry told her, while Katie hugged him tearfully, apparently too overwhelmed to speak.
Hermione gasped and began to cry as she threw her arms around Ron.
“I’m so glad you’re alive… I was so scared…” she sobbed.
Harry’s head was pounding with questions, but was too relieved at that particular moment to ask any.
“We should get Dumbledore…” he said.
“We sent Neville for him…” said Ginny, who looked a little pale; most likely from worry, too, Harry assumed.
“I’m sorry Harry… I would have come sooner, but we didn’t know “ it wasn’t until Hermione…” Katie stammered.
“It’s okay, we’re fine now…” Harry said, letting out a breath of relief. “We’re safe…”
---
About forty-five minutes later, Harry and Ron found themselves lying in the hospital wing, accompanied by Katie, Hermione, and Ginny. A few beds over was the badly bruised Snape. Dumbledore had arrived in the Room of Requirement and swiftly removed Pettigrew, who was now being escorted to the Ministry of Magic; Professor McGonagall had been sent to get Snape from his office. Then Harry and Ron had submitted to the exhausting task of explaining to Dumbledore what had happened, after which they were immediately handed over to Madam Pomfrey.
“So, how did you know what had happened, Hermione?” Harry asked anxiously, expressing the question that had been on his mind since the second she had burst into the Room of Requirement.
“I’m not sure,” Hermione said, biting her lip. “I went up to the common room when I was finished in the library, I was going to drop my things off there before heading down to the Quidditch pitch to join you “ and Katie and Ginny said you’d rushed off without an explanation. And then, I don’t know “ I just felt something was wrong…”
“But you knew where to look…” Harry said.
“I knew that if you were in danger it had something to do with Pettigrew, so the three of us ran down to the dungeons, and went in…”
“Broke in,” coughed Ginny.
“… to Snape’s Office. We found Professor Snape tied up in there, we almost missed him “ he had a Disillusionment Charm on him. He was barely conscious, but he managed to say ‘Potter “ Requirement “ Weasley “ Wormtail…’, and that’s when we ran off to get you. I didn’t want to wait for Dumbledore…”
“It’s a good thing you didn’t…” Harry said. “You arrived just in time…”
“Still, I suppose it was somewhat foolish…”
“You saved us, Hermione. Thank you…”
“I knew you were coming,” Ron said softly. “I knew it.”
“I thought we were going to die,” Harry said quietly. “And Ron kept saying you were coming to save us… I thought he was mad…”
“How did you know Hermione was going to come?” Katie asked.
“I had a feeling, just like you Hermione,” Ron said, he was still a little drowsy from the Potion Madam Pomfrey had given him, and was talking dreamily. “I had a feeling you’d come “ and then, when Malfoy said we’d die, I remembered your fortune…”
“You must fight for the one you love, or lose him forever…” Katie said.
“…and I knew. That was when I knew you’d come,” Ron said.
“I’m just glad it’s over…” sighed Ginny. “Pettigrew’s gone.”
“So is my Firebolt…” Harry said. “Never to be returned…”
Harry felt like he was being an idiot again; he had barely escaped being delivered to Voldemort, risking the life of his best friend in the process, and now all he could think about was the broom; the broom that had got them in the situation in the first place. Everyone, however seemed to understand.
“I know how much it meant to you Harry,” Katie said sadly.
Harry just nodded sadly, remembering the letter Sirius had sent him at the end of third year, revealing that he had been the one to send him the Firebolt.
“Maybe we should let the two of you sleep,” Ginny said softly.
“Yeah, that’s a good idea…” Katie said. “Night, Harry.”
She kissed him on the cheek; Hermione kissed Ron and said goodnight to the two of them The girls then left the Hospital Wing.
“I’m sorry, Ron…” Harry said quietly when they had gone.
“There’s nothing to apologize for…”
‘You could have died, Ron “ over my stupid broom…”
“You didn’t know, Harry. All you knew is that you Firebolt meant everything to you. You had no idea that Pettigrew would have been able to take us hostage right under Dumbledore’s nose. Stop worrying.”
Harry didn’t say anything; he felt guilty, still, but also grateful to Ron for being so forgiving. So much that he was acting as if nothing had happened.
Harry turned over onto his side; he removed his glasses to sleep, glancing at Snape just as he did so. He remembered Malfoy. Harry had sincerely hoped, if only for a moment, that Malfoy would heed his advice. He felt sorry for him. Malfoy had returned to Voldemort at this point no doubt “ it seemed he had taken the right Portkey “ and would probably be taking the mark, if Voldemort would give it to him.
He might just kill him, Harry thought.
He had, after all, allowed Harry to escape. But, then again, so had Voldemort himself.
Harry wanted so badly to know what had happened to Malfoy, but this desire was not strong enough to drive away the exhausting feeling coming over Harry. His eyelids felt heavy, and he didn’t want to fight to keep them open. His mouth felt as though he had been clenching his jaw for far too long, and he was sure that if he tried, he wouldn’t be able to lift his arms. Within a few moments, Harry had drifted asleep to the sound of Ron’s snoring.
He was angry again. His attempts had, yet again, failed.
“I understand, young Malfoy, that Potter can be quite slippery…” Harry said to the cowering figure kneeling on the floor, his platinum blond hair the only thing visible against his dark robes.
“…and I respect that you did quite well, given you’re experience and circumstances. Better than that worthless scum Wormtail…your father should be proud. You came as close as he has done, in the past.”
Malfoy said nothing.
“…but you did fail me, and before I can accept you into my good graces, you must understand that failure does not go unpunished. Do you understand what I’m saying, young Malfoy?”
“Yes, master. I understand. I am willing to accept my punishment…”
“Very well then.”
He pointed his wand at Malfoy, and the air was instantly filled with the sound of Malfoy’s screams. He held the wand in place another few moments, enjoying the power. He then relinquished.
“That should do…” Harry said in a cruel, cold, high-pitched voice.
“Thank you, master for sparing me,” Malfoy whimpered.
“You may stand now…” he told Malfoy, who immediately heeded his command.
“Hold out your arm…”
Malfoy, again, did as he was told. Harry pointed his wand to Malfoy’s forearm.
“Proteanus Morsmordre,” he whispered.
The last thing Harry heard was a shriek of pain from Malfoy, and then everything went black, and he slipped into a dreamless sleep.