Harry reappeared outside the castle gates, two feet off the ground with Draco Malfoy on his arm, but alive and safe. He fell hard to the dirt, landing awkwardly on his ankle. Ignoring the pain, Harry jumped up and raced through the castle gates. He was vaguely aware of Draco following behind him, but he ignored him as well; he had to know what had happened at the castle. He had to find his friends, get to Professor Dumbledore, and alert the Order.
He ran first to Hagrid’s cabin, now a charred smoking wreck. But Hagrid was gone, and Harry did not hear Fang howling; he hoped that the gamekeeper had saved the trapped dog and gotten out safely.
Running hard with a limp, Harry crossed the grounds and made for the Astronomy Tower. A large group of students still stood at the base, whispering and weeping and hugging each other for support. Harry pushed his way through them, paying no attention to anyone who called out, or exclaimed at the blood on his head and face. He had to find Professor Dumbledore, and the Horcrux they had retrieved.
But the headmaster’s body was not there: Harry found himself in an empty circle of students. Clearly Professor Dumbledore had fallen there, as the ground in the center of the circle bore the unmistakable imprint of a body. Nearby lay a crushed pair of half-moon spectacles. Seeing them, Harry stumbled and sank to his knees as the impact of the night’s events began to cave in on him. He picked up the glasses, and felt his face screw up with the effort of holding in his grief.
Covering his face with his hands, Harry drew in great gasping breaths, willing himself to shut away the sobs that threatened to tear him apart. He needed to find Ron, Hermione, and Ginny; but a heavy weight pinned him down, for the loss of Professor Dumbledore, his mentor and protector, was a loss that he did not know if he could bear after so many others.
Draco Malfoy stood near the edge of the circle, staring at the ground, at Harry. His face was pale, his eyes stunned. Whereas just moments before Harry had felt a piercing sympathy for Draco, and a strong desire to protect him, now he was struck with a sudden rage: this was his fault. Draco had brought the Death Eaters into the castle, and had forced Snape’s hand; it was his fault the headmaster was dead.
With a cry of fury and anguish, Harry dropped Dumbledore’s glasses and threw himself at Draco, knocking them both to the ground. The students around them scattered at the sudden violence of Harry’s reaction. “This is your fault, Malfoy!” he shouted, forgetting about his wand and punching Malfoy hard in the face; blood spurted from Malfoy’s nose, and Harry felt a vicious sense of payback for the fiasco on the Hogwarts Express. “It’s your fault! He’s dead because of YOU!” He pummeled wildly at Malfoy, taking out his pain and frustration on the one person he could. Malfoy held up his hands to protect himself and tried to push Harry away, but Harry felt a last desperate strength come over him and they rolled on the ground, fighting furiously. No one tried to stop them; the students around them simply stood there in shock, watching a fight that had been developing for years.
Harry felt firm hands grip his arms, stopping him, and looked up to find Remus Lupin kneeling across from him with sad, grave eyes. He was dirty and tired-looking, and a deep cut ran down the length of his arm.
“Harry, stop -” Lupin started to say, his voice rough.
“No!” Harry shouted, trying to wrench his arms free, but exhaustion kept him from breaking away from Professor Lupin’s surprising strength. “It was Malfoy, he let them in - ”
“I know, Harry,” said Lupin, as Draco scrambled up and away from Harry. He appeared ready to run, but Harry saw Lupin give Draco a piercing look that stopped him short. “It’s okay, we know. Come on, let’s go back to the castle. Both of you.”
“Where -” Harry started to ask as Lupin helped him up. He was now dirtier than ever after rolling around on the ground with Malfoy, and sore. His lip was bleeding again, and his ankle began to throb as soon as he put weight on it. The night’s events began to close in on him again, and he started to shake.
“To the hospital wing. Everyone is meeting there.” Lupin looked at Draco with a small compassionate smile. “You too, Draco. We can sort this out.”
Lupin continued to hold Harry’s arm and turned to go, leading him toward the castle doors and supporting him as they walked. Draco followed silently and sullenly behind them.
“What happened to Ron?” asked Harry as they entered the castle. The shining red rubies from the Gryffindor hourglass covered the floor like blood. More students stood around the entrance, clutching each other and sobbing. Some gasped and pointed at Harry as he entered, or perhaps they were pointing at Malfoy; Harry ignored them. “And Hermione? Ginny? Is everyone okay? Was anyone killed?” He babbled almost incomprehensibly as fatigue took hold of him.
“They’re all okay, Harry, thanks to you,” replied Lupin. “They were able to warn us that the Death Eaters had entered the castle, and they fought well.” He smiled at Harry. “I’m sure your lucky potion helped. That was very generous of you.”
“Then what about the Dark Mark?” asked Harry, still worried as he looked back through the great castle doors into the sky behind them; the evil skull had disappeared. “Draco said someone was killed.”
“A Death Eater,” replied Lupin, and Harry heard Malfoy gasp softly behind him. “Killed by a fellow Death Eater, too. Now, are you all right? Both of you?”
Draco grunted, and Harry nodded blankly. “Yeah, I’m fine, I’m just -” He passed a hand over his eyes as he thought about all that had happened; he was angry and upset, confused and probably in shock, and the thought of telling anyone what had happened since he had left with Dumbledore was overwhelming at the moment.
“It’s okay,” said Lupin, as if he knew what Harry had been thinking. “You don’t have to say anything yet. Just tell us all, once.”
Harry gave him a wan smile, but then remembered several things he had to tell Lupin immediately. “Professor, Voldemort killed Mrs. Malfoy. I was there, I saw it. You have to help Draco - the Order, you have to protect him.”
Lupin turned to Draco, his tired face now filled with sorrow. “I’m so sorry, Draco,” he said softly. “We’ll do everything we can.” Draco didn’t say anything, he just stared at the ground as they walked, his jaw set and his eyes dead; Harry felt slightly ashamed for punching him outside.
“And Snape was there, too,” Harry continued somewhat breathlessly. “Someone needs to help him, he was hurt and Voldemort will probably kill him, because he helped us get away - ”
Lupin stopped him again, his face noticeably paler. “It’s okay, Harry. We’ll take care of it as soon as we can.”
The three of them walked the rest of the way to the hospital wing in silence. When they entered the room, Harry saw a large group of people standing around a bed, and his heart skipped a beat in panic: Lupin had said they were all alive, but was one of his friends still horribly injured? He started to run toward the bed, but found he could only hobble in exhaustion.
Hearing footsteps, Hermione turned around and exclaimed, “Harry!” She ran up to him and hugged him tightly. “We’ve been so worried, we didn’t know where you were, or what happened to you - ” She stopped abruptly when she saw Draco Malfoy come in behind them.
“I’m okay,” Harry told her, feeling drained. He glanced back at Draco. “It’s all right, we have to help him now.” Hermione looked slightly doubtful, but nodded. She helped him the rest of the way down the wing. Ron met them and clapped him on the shoulder; he was grim and didn’t say anything. “Where’s Ginny?” asked Harry, not seeing her and hoping she wasn’t the one injured. Ron motioned toward the bed, and again Harry’s heart skipped a beat.
Harry made his way to the bed. Bill Weasley lay under a blanket, unconscious. A vicious injury scarred his face almost beyond recognition. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had already arrived and were holding each other as Fleur, Bill’s fiancé, wiped his face with a wet cloth. Ginny was kneeling on the floor, holding Bill’s hand. She glanced up as Harry arrived.
“Harry!” she exclaimed, and jumping up she threw herself into Harry’s arms. Harry hugged her back, never more relieved to see anyone safe. He fought hard not to break down in tears, but smiled and kissed her on the forehead instead. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Mr. and Mrs. Weasley exchange a look. “Are you okay?” asked Ginny, gazing worriedly into his face. “You look terrible.”
Harry gave her a wan smile. “I’m all right, now. What about you?” Ginny nodded silently, and sadly turned back to Bill. Harry glanced around the hospital wing. He saw Tonks come stand next to Lupin, and to his surprise she took his hand. Neville Longbottom was sleeping peacefully nearby as Luna Lovegood watched over him. Hagrid was sitting in a chair, weeping silently as Professor McGonagall patted his huge shaking shoulders. Madam Pomfrey bustled around treating minor injuries; Harry saw Malfoy wave her away as he stood alone by the windows. Swallowing hard, Harry turned back to Ginny, who was again holding Bill’s hand. “What happened?” he asked gently.
None of the Weasleys seemed able to answer his question; it was Lupin who spoke. “He was attacked,” said Lupin quietly. “By Fenrir Greyback.”
Harry gasped in shock as he looked again at Bill Weasley lying quietly in the bed, his face a bloody mess. Still no one said anything. “What will happen?” Harry asked Lupin softly. “Will he be a - ”
“A werewolf?” Lupin shook his head. “I don’t think so. Greyback wasn’t transformed at the time, but there will probably be some contamination. It’s hard to say, we probably won’t know for sure until the next full moon.”
Harry passed his hand over his eyes, fatigue threatening to overwhelm him. He wanted more than anything to go back to his dormitory and collapse in his bed, but he had to know what had happened while he was gone. Gently he tugged Hermione off to the side; Ron joined them, but Harry nodded at Ginny to stay with Bill, and she smiled gratefully.
“Did you get a - you know? A Horcrux?” asked Hermione quietly.
“Yes,” replied Harry. “I’ll fill you in later when we’re alone. But what happened here? Are you all right?”
Ron and Hermione proceeded to tell Harry all that had happened since he had given them the Maruader’s Map and the Felix Felicis, and left for the cave with Dumbledore. As they spoke, several others, including Lupin, Tonks, Hagrid, and Professor McGonagall came over and added to their story. Draco Malfoy watched with a glowering look on his face from over by the windows, where he still stood alone; no one paid him any attention.
“Harry, what happened on the Tower?” Lupin finally asked. Harry had been dreading the question since he had entered the hospital wing. Everyone turned to watch him, even the Weasleys. Draco stared at him; Harry knew he was listening carefully, to see what Harry would reveal. Taking a deep breath, Harry began to talk.
He told them how he and Dumbledore had arrived back in Hogsmeade and seen the Dark Mark, and how they had come back to the Tower, where they encountered Draco. He told them that Draco had Disarmed Dumbledore, and that Dumbledore had frozen Harry. Several people glared at Draco, shocked and angry, and he glared back before turning away; upset or ashamed, Harry could not tell. He quickly told them that Draco hadn’t killed Dumbledore, that Dumbledore had offered to help the Slytherin boy, and that Draco had lowered his wand.
Harry told them about the Death Eaters who had arrived then, as well as Fenrir Greyback. When he got to the part where Snape arrived on the Tower and Dumbledore pleaded with him, Harry heard himself stumble. He glanced up at Malfoy; he didn’t know what to say about Snape. He had seen the former potions master kill Dumbledore in cold blood, but then Snape had risked his life to protect Draco, had delivered the headmaster’s message to Harry, and finally saved both of them in Spinner’s End. He didn’t want to say anything about Snape until he understood exactly what had happened. So he told them one of the Death Eaters had killed Dumbledore, and that Snape had fled with Draco; Harry saw Draco eyeing him strangely from over by the windows.
Harry told them how he had followed Snape back to Spinner’s End; he did not tell them that he had been captured, and he did not mention the memories which Snape had given him as Dumbledore’s final message. He saw Professor McGonagall open her mouth to ask him more questions, but he quickly continued, telling them how Voldemort had arrived and tortured Snape. He told them how Voldemort had captured Draco and his mother, and learned that Snape was planning on hiding them. And he told them how Voldemort had killed Draco’s mother, right in front of him, as punishment for their treachery.
For a moment, everyone was silent; even Ron looked sadly at Malfoy. Harry ended by telling them about the fight with Voldemort, and how Snape had helped them escape.
“He saved our lives, and he’s probably dead by now,” Harry finished softly, somehow knowing that Snape’s chances of surviving Voldemort’s wrath were slim.
He saw Professor McGonagall close her eyes; now it was Hagrid who patted her on the shoulders.
“Well,” she said, taking a deep breath and opening her eyes. “He was able to help, that was the point of his cover. We’ll send an Order member to check Spinner’s End. You’re sure he planned to hide the Malfoys, Potter?”
Harry nodded, once again looking at Malfoy. “Yes, but I don’t know how. He said no one would know.”
“Yes, of course,” she said to herself, as if no one were listening. “Well, then there is work to do. Potter, Malfoy, I’d like you to join me in the headmaster’s office. Remus, if you wouldn’t mind joining us, I would appreciate your help. And Hagrid, please gather the Heads of Houses and tell them to meet us in ten minutes. Ask Professor Slughorn to represent Slytherin.”
Hagrid nodded and walked out. Harry turned to Ron and Hermione, who looked concerned. “It’s okay,” he told them quietly. “I’ll be back soon.” After giving Ginny a quick smile, Harry left the hospital wing with Professor McGonagall; a sinking feeling in his gut told him the long night wasn’t over yet.
* * *