money from it, so please Mrs. Rowling if you read this
don’t sue me. A comment or two would be welcome
though.
Please, if you read, take two minutes to review.
Chapter 18: Stalemate
“Please, sit down, all of you,” Professor Dumbledore said to the Weasleys, the Grangers and the Minister of Magic, Amelia Bones. They, along with Remus Lupin, Tonks, and Mad-Eye all took seats at the table in Dumbledore’s office. Dumbledore looked at the five people who did not know what was happening and took a deep breath.
“What I hope is the final battle with Voldemort began with the attack in Hogsmead today,” he started. The Minister regarded him carefully; while the Weasleys and the Grangers looked at each other, concern growing on their faces. “Minister, you have already promised me your cooperation; I am going to need it now.”
“You have it, Albus,” Amelia Bones replied. “You are aware that along with the attack in Hogsmead, there was a mass breakout from Azkaban?”
“Yes, Amelia. I am,” Dumbledore replied. “It was expected, along with the attack in Hogsmead.”
“Expected?” the Minister asked. The Grangers and the Weasleys all just stared at him.
“Yes,” Dumbledore replied. “Minister, you are aware of the prophecy that Voldemort tried to retrieve from the Department of Mystries almost two years ago now?”
“Yes, but I have no idea what it said.” Dumbledore nodded at her.
“That Prophecy, in short, says that the only person who can kill Voldemort, is Harry James Potter.” Dumbledore paused to let this sink in on his guests. The Weasleys and Grangers already knew the same information as the DA, now they were getting more.
“There was another prophecy,” Dumbledore continued, “that says Harry would have three friends to help him. They are Ronald Weasley, Hermione Weasley,” Dumbledore stopped and looked at the Weasleys, “and Ginevra Potter.” Mr. Weasley took his wife’s hand in his, not liking where this conversation was going. Dumbledore took another deep breath and continued.
“Today, Voldemort believed he had laid a trap to capture and kill one or more of these four students when they visited Hogsmead…. Instead, he has walked into our trap by taking Ginevra as a hostage.”
Molly Weasley let out a strangled yelp and was immediately embraced by Mrs. Granger. Mr. Weasley went white while struggling to control himself. Hermione’s father moved to place his hand on his friend’s shoulder. Seeing how neither of the Weasleys was capable of speech at the moment Mr. Granger spoke for them.
“Perhaps you could explain to us how it is a trap when Ginny is taken, Albus?”
“Voldemort has taken her in hopes that Harry will come rescue her. Harry, Ron, and Hermione have all, as far as Voldemort knows, left the school in an attempt to find her. Ginny is being held in a room that has no floo network connection; portkeys will not work, nor can you apparate in or out of it. Regardless, she can leave at any time and Voldemort knows this. He is being forced to constantly prevent her from taking her animagus form and over time will suffer a drain in his power. We hope, that by weakening him, Harry will be able to fight him, win, and live,” Dumbledore replied.
Mrs. Weasley simply sat in horrified shock; letting Hermione’s mother hold her, completely unaware that she was even there. Her emotions in such turmoil that even her subconscious was unsure of how to react.
“Ginny is an animagus?” Mr. Weasley finally asked. It seemed an absurd question, given that Voldemort was holding his daughter but it was the only thing that came to his mind.
“Yes,” Dumbledore replied.
“I assume that her animagus is her means of escape? How?” the Minister asked.
“Ginny’s animagus form is that of the phoenix, she has all of the abilities of the real phoenix in that form, including the ability to apparate out of Hogwarts or the dungeon she is currently being held in.”
“A p..phoenix?” the Minister stammered in astonishment. “That’s impossible, and surly if she was, I would have been informed when she regist…” she trailed off.
“No,” Dumbldedore said catching her question. “Ginny is not registered. Neither are Harry, Hermione or Ronald.”
“Why not?” Amelia Bones demanded.
“Because keeping the extent of their abilities from reaching the ears of Voldemort is vital to Harry being able to defeat him.”
“You and I are going to need to speak privately, Albus,” she replied. Clearly not pleased with how much she had been kept in the dark.
“I trusted you.” Dumbledore whipped his head around to face Molly Weasley. “How can you have allowed this to happen?” she continued in a whisper. Dumbledore met her accusatory eyes and steeled himself before he answered.
“Molly, I am sorry. If there were any way I could have prevented this, destroyed Voldemort myself, I would have. But my battle was fought many years ago. This one belongs to Harry, Ronald, Hermione and Ginny. The second prophecy says that Ronald must plan Harry’s victory, or Harry must do it himself. I forgot that last spring when Harry’s aunt and uncle were taken. I tried to engineer an end to Voldemort at that time. The result of it was the attacks on all of the DA members on Harry’s last birthday.
“This is the plan that Ronald has devised. Harry has agreed to it only at Ginny’s insistence. Anything anyone had done from the moment Harry agreed to the plan that would alter how the battle between he and Voldemort begins, would have ensured Voldemort’s victory.”
“Don’t give me that. You lied to us, Albus,” Molly replied angrily.
“Molly,” Arthur said squeezing his wife’s in an effort to calm her.
“No, Arthur.” She shook him off. “You told us last spring,” she said, returning her attention to Dumbledore, “after Harry and the others rescued the Dursleys that you wanted to keep our children here so they would be safe from Vol…” Mrs. Weasley paused, still struggling with her fear at the Dark Lord’s name. “Voldemort," she continued. "You didn’t keep them here so they would be safe. You wanted to train your weapon,” she finished vehemently.
“I won’t deny that I kept them here to train them. But don’t, for even one second, pretend that you care for them more than I do,” Dumbledore replied heatedly. The force of his own words kept Molly in check and allowed him to continue. “The facts are that Harry, Ronald, Hermione and Ginny are now fulfilling what is their destiny. I have done everything in my considerable ability to ensure that your children, my students, survive this fight with Voldemort. All that can be done now is to support them in anyway we can. If they fail, if Harry fails to destroy Voldemort, we are all lost.” Everyone fell silent at Dumbledore’s words.
“Molly, Arthur,” the Minister finally said after a few minutes, “you’ll forgive my bluntness, but why does he not just kill her?”"
The Weasleay’s and Grangers all flinched at the Minister’s question.
“--I have seen Harry’s devotion to her and the boy would chase Voldemort to hell if he did. If Voldemort wants Harry, that would be as effective as holding her hostage.”
“That, in itself, is reason not to kill her,” Dumbledore replied. “Voldemort knows that Harry is his equal and that killing Ginny would likely make him invincible until her death had been avenged. There is however, another reason he will not kill her. Ginny knows the whole prophecy regarding Harry and Voldemort.
“The prophecy, along with saying Harry is the only one who can kill Voldemort, also gives a clue to defeating Harry. Voldemort is aware that Ginny knows the prophecy, and that having only partial knowledge of what it said is the reason for his downfall seventeen years ago when he tried to kill Harry as an infant.
“He does not know what the whole of the prophecy says and is desperate to find out. He is desperate, because each time he fights Harry, he fails to kill him and Harry returns the next time stronger and comes closer to destroying him. Last spring, if Harry had known how to destroy Voldemort, this war would have been over then. Harry does know how to destroy him now and he, Ginny, Ronald and Hermione have taken the war to Voldemort.”
“So what is it that you will need from me then, Albus?” the Minister asked.
“We know where Ginny is, along with most of the inner circle of Voldemort’s followers. There are also untold numbers of lower level supporters guarding the place. The dementors are there, along with a number of giants. We will be attacking in force within the month. I need you to make sure your Aurors, Unspeakables, and anyone else you plan to send to this battle is ready. Without letting them know anything is going on. I don’t need to remind you that Voldemort must have spies in the Ministry. He must not become aware that a major offensive is in the works.”
“We can continue to operate as we have been,” the Minister replied, “sending out small raiding parties and such. Voldemort will expect me to raid other departments for people to support the Aurors and Unspeakables after the breakout.”
“Yes, he will. Make sure as many people as possible know the Phoenix charm, that one spell will save more lives than any other spell in existence,” Dumbledore replied. The Weasleys and Grangers had fallen silent for a few moments as they listened to Dumbledore answering the Minister’s questions. Now, they seemed to snap out of their trance.
“What do you mean Harry, Ginny, Ronald and Hermione have taken the war to Voldemort?” Mr. Granger interrupted. “Where are our other children, and how do you know where Ginny is?”
Dumbledore turned his attention from the Minister back to Mr. Granger, his wife and the Weasleys before replying. “Harry is in my private quarters, under the influence of a dreamless sleeping draught and will be awakened when Ginny and Ronald have determined the time is right for him to fight Voldemort. Ronald and Hermione are in the next room with Mark, the Unspeakable they have been training with.
“We know where Ginny is because she and Hermione developed a potion, that when taken, allows one mind to be linked with another. Ron and Hermione are attached to Ginny, and for all practical purposes are in the dungeon with her. If Voldemort decides to kill Ginny and the safeguards we have set in place for her, fail to allow her to escape, they will die when she does.” Silence was the only response in the room.
“I am sorry,” Dumbledore said quietly.
“How is it possible for Ginny to do this?” Amelia Bones asked. “Simply by the form of her animagus I know she is extraordinary. But this is Voldemort she is locked in a room with. Won’t he simply overpower her and rip the prophecy from her mind?”
Dumbledore turned and pulled his pensive off of the small table that was behind his chair. He set it on his desk and stood up, preparing to enter it.
“The two most powerful sorcerers in the world are Lord Voldemort, and Harry Potter. Ginny is the third most powerful sorcerer, followed by myself, then Ronald and then Hermione.” Dumbledore continued to speak ignoring the looks he was getting from everyone in the room, including Remus, Tonks and Mad-Eye.
“I told you that Ronald and Hermione are attached to Ginny. They are seeing everything that is happening to her in the dungeon through her eyes. This is Ronald’s memory of what happened when Voldemort and his Death Eaters first entered the chamber with her. I invite all of you to view it with me. Perhaps, it will give you some idea of how I expect her to survive this.”
At first no one moved. But when Molly stood and walked to Dumbledore’s desk, everyone, despite the reality of the situation, moved eagerly to join her around the pensive. The need to observe for themselves what had happened, overriding any concerns they might have had about what they would see. A few moments later, Fawkes sat on his perch alone in the office waiting for his master and the others to return from the pensive.
After everyone returned from the pensive, even Remus, Tonks and Mad-Eye sat down heavily in their chairs again. After Harry and the others had become the Keeper’s of the Tomes of the Damned, the four of them had not been to the DA meetings. Only Dumbledore and Mark had observed their training. What they had just witnessed in the pensive flabbergasted them.
“Voldemort does not know that Ginny is more powerful than I am, “Dumbledore said as he sat down in his chair again. “It would be good if that information remained a secret.”
Minister Bones nodded in reply.
“Is it possible for us to see Ronald and Hermione?” Mrs. Weasley asked in a whisper.
“I would suggest not, they are both suffering greatly as Ginny channels the…. indignities being thrust on her, to them. Seeing you could weaken them,” Dumbledore replied in as even a voice as he could. “Your children left these with me for each of you,” he added, sliding four small glass vials across his desk to the Weasleys and Grangers. The silvery grey mist of a memory swirled in each of them.
“May we stay in the castle somewhere to be near them in case we can be of some help?” Mr. Weasley asked quietly.
“A flat has been prepared for you. You can travel to it by floo powder from my office, and back to here again. It is imperative that you not leave the flat or my office for any reason. We have gone to great lengths to convince Voldemort that your children have abandoned my help; it would be good if he believed you had also. Your children’s pensives have been left in the flat so you may view the memories they left for you.”
“Very well, Albus,” Mr. Granger replied. He stood up and after pocketing the four glass vials pulled his wife to the fireplace. “Please tell my daughter and son-in-law that we love them.” He and his wife along with the Weasley’s disappeared a moment later.
“She is really more powerful than you?” the Minister asked after they had left.
“Yes,” Dumbledore replied simply.
“And her knowledge of magic how is it possible for a sixteen year old girl to know what she does?”
Dumbledore regarded the Minister for a moment before replying.
“Severus, you will bring me a vial of veritaserum,” Voldemort said to him.
“Yes, Master.”
“Please, you think you will get the prophecy out of me that easily?” Ginny remarked before Snape could take a step.
Voldemort glared at her, he had been preventing her from transforming for a day now and her taunts were starting to truly grate on him. Snape had directed the cruciatus curse at her three more times since Bella had the day before and she continued to just laugh at him when Snape did.
He had called in Goyle, intending to have Snape direct the curse at him just to see if he was faking it, but the second the door had opened, Ginny had cast the killing curse towards it.
Goyle had managed to duck back behind the door, but Voldemort knew she had missed on purpose. If she had truly wanted to hit the man, then she would have let him enter the room and not given him an escape route. It had been a warning that Voldemort knew she would not repeat.
Voldemort did not need to constantly put all of his power into the reversing spell, but whenever she tested him, he had to respond instantly to prevent her from changing. It infuriated him to no end that she was dictating the terms of her imprisonment. Yet he knew if he diverted his attention from the reversing spell to defend his servants, she would likely be able to muster enough power to transform. Once she did, there would be no stopping her from leaving.
“You think I would not protect the information from something as simple as veritaserum? I take the antidote to it daily, and I have thirty days before it wears off,” Ginny sneered at him.
“You seem unconcerened that you might be here that long,” Voldemort hissed at her. “Where is your precious husband now? He showed up in hours to rescue those Muggles who raised him, yet he has not even attempted to find you.”
“And how would you know if he has attempted to find me?”
“Because he has not attempted to invade my mind you foolish girl,” Voldemort replied laughing at her. Ginny simply stared at him. Voldemort stopped and watched her for a moment.
“He already knows where you are, doesn’t he?” Voldemort asked. His voice had become very dangerous. Ginny didn’t respond other than to look at him, her face an unreadable mask.
Voldemort considered this information carefully. It wasn’t that he didn't want Harry to find Ginny. He had just expected Harry to have to get the information by invading his mind. That Harry knew where Ginny was and Voldemort did not know how he had obtained the information concerned him.
“How did he find you?” Voldemort demanded.
“Why should I tell you?” Ginny retorted.
Voldemort began to slowly try and pry into Ginny’s mind only to find the wall of her defense waiting to repel him. Ginny simply smiled at him.
“It won’t do you any good to try and move me to another location,” she said, correctly guessing what Voldemort was considering. “There is nowhere on this earth, that he will not be able to feel where I am. Besides that, the only way I’m leaving this dungeon is dead or unconscious. And I dare you to try and put me in either state,” she goaded him as she tried to transform. Voldemort caught her again. But the effort of it had served her purpose. Reminding him once again that to attack her would allow her to escape.
“Severus, you will instruct the others that our location is known and to expect an attack,” Voldemort hissed.
“Yes, Master. Master, do you have a timeframe for the attack?”
“What do you think, Severus?”
“Yes, Master,” Snape replied, bowing before leaving the room. Ginny watched him go and then went to the toilet.
“Do you even have the decency to turn around?” she asked.
“No,” Voldemort replied.
There were three beds in the room, each with privacy curtains around them. A large dining table with chairs for up to ten people, a small writing desk sat on one wall under the window. A door on the opposite wall led to a private bathroom. The sunlight streaming into the room was in direct contrast to the gloomy mood of its occupants.
Ron sat on the largest of the three beds leaning against the wall. Hermione was asleep with her head in his lap. And for the moment, the privacy curtains had been moved away from the bed. Tonks paced back and forth in the room while Remus Lupin watched from one of the chairs at the dining table.
It was Ron’s turn to be awake and he was sitting with Hermione while she slept, quietly running his fingers through her hair. She had suffered an hour of the cruciatus curse while Ron rested. Voldemort was losing patience and was having Snape send the curse at Ginny more often as the week wore on. It was the only spell Ginny wouldn’t counter when Voldemort instructed him to punish her.
The fact that she simply sat there, impassively absorbing the curse with no effect, infuriated Voldemort more than the fact that she would block the other spells. He was starting to try and invade her mind at times now. The effort of keeping him out was begining to take a toll on Ron and Hermione.
Hermione and Ginny had created the mind-linking potion near the beginning of the time they had started training with Harry in legilimency and occulmency. The time last summer when Harry had shown Hermione the memory of her raising her wand at Ron when Voldemort had him under the imperius curse, Harry had thought he was fighting just Hermione. In truth Ginny had been bolstering her defense. The potion did not allow her to help Hermione attack Harry, so she had not seen the memory he showed her, but she had been well aware of the mess Hermione became after that.
Voldemort believed the effort of keeping him out was not allowing Ginny to transform. In truth, like when they had done it with Harry, it took almost nothing for Ginny to direct Voldemort to Ron or Hermione. She could transform easily if she chose to when he tried to attack her in her mind. And the drain on his power when he did so was much greater than when he was only keeping a weak hold on the reversing spell.
“She hasn’t eaten in a week,” Ron said quietly.
“That was expected,” Remus Lupin replied. “Hence the potions she took before hand.”
“He suspects nothing yet. It is possible to go for three or more weeks without food,” Tonks said as she sat down next to her brother-in-law and put her arm around his shoulder.
“She’s drinking out of the toilet,” Ron answered.
“She has to drink, he would suspect something after more than three or four days if she did not pass out from not drinking,” Tonks answered him.
“She has been sending cleaning spells at it beforehand,” Remus offered.
“I know. It’s just the thought,” Ron replied. Holding his head in his hands, he sighed in frustration. Tonks moved behind him and started to rub his shoulders for him.
“Thanks,” he mumbled. A few minutes later he tensed again. “Here it comes,” he said and his body began to tremble from the effects of the cruciatus curse.
Hidden under his invisibility cloak, Draco Malfoy moved quietly down the path to the gates of the school. He had been summoned and he knew better than not to go. Moving to his left as he exited the grounds, he walked to the woods and waited at the appropriate tree. It wasn’t long before his arm burned again.
“I’m here,” he called out quietly as he pulled the invisibility cloak off.
“We can see that now, dear nephew,” Bellatrix Lestrange cooed at him as she wrapped him in a hug. Draco tried not to shudder, he new she would as soon slit his throat as hug him.
“Father,” Draco said, turning to him. His father merely nodded in reply.
“You wanted something?” Draco asked.
“We want to know where Potter is, Draco,” his aunt replied.
“I don’t know. He, Weasley, and the Mudblood disappeared from the grounds the day of the Hogsmead attack three weeks ago.”
“You have heard nothing from any of their friends?” Lucius asked.
“No, father.”
“And you believe that they have abandoned Dumbledore?”
“I watched the exchange of words when Potter found out his wife was gone and Professor Snape had been the one to take her. Potter looked like he was going to kill Dumbledore. The other two followed him without a glance back when Dumbledore asked to help find her. Potter even stunned the werewolf and the metamorphagus when they tried to stop him.”
Lucius and Bella looked at each other, concern on their faces. The news was the same as the last time they had come. Their Master would not like it any more than he had the first time.
“I take it Potter hasn’t shown his face to rescue his wife?” Draco asked.
“No, and the Master’s temper grows short. She has pushed him and me too far,” Bella replied.
“You’re lucky that she has occupied him for the last three weeks, Bella,” Lucius drawled at her. “If it had not been for that, you would have been punished for your weakness. The Master will not forget that you owe your husband’s life to the girl.”
“I will never pay that debt,” Bellatrix hissed in reply.
“She never expected you would, she only wanted to show the Master how weak you were,” Lucius answered.
“She made quite the fool of you too, Lucius,” Bellatix retorted. Draco’s father turned white with rage.
“At least she did not laugh at me when I cast Cruciatus curse at her.”
“No, she only reflected it back at you without a wand, and then laughed at you while you struggled back to your feet, Lucius.”
“I think I should head back to the school, father, unless there is something else?” Draco interrupted, noticing that both his aunt and father were sliding their hands into their robes. He wanted to get out of there before either of them drew their wands. They were as likely to kill him as each other.
“No, Draco. There is nothing else, you may go.”
“Thank you, father.” Draco pulled the invisibility cloak back over his head and turned to go back to the school.
Albus Dumbledore looked up at the mirror on his desk; the gargoyles that guarded the stairs to his office had started to move, though he could see no one there. Curiosity getting the better of him, he moved to the secret staircase to the hallway below and descended.
A moment later he stepped out from behind the photo, hidden by an invisibility spell and hiding his presence by reversing the proximity detection spell so that he registered as something the size of a mouse and not a full-grown human. He moved to the staircase in front of his office and focused in on the presence he felt in front of him. He quickly sent a silencing charm, followed by the immobilizing charm, and last a stunning spell. He then levitated whomever he had captured back into the secret staircase, taking them down to another secret room under his office.
Draco Malfoy lifted his head and slowly took in his surroundings. He was in a dark, but comfortable room. There were no windows, so he didn’t know if it was day or night outside. Each wall of the room had one large fireplace on it with two torches providing light on either side of it. The remainder of each wall was covered with life size portraits of different wizards and witches. All of who were watching him curiously. Draco turned in the comfortable chair he was in to the last wall; looking for a door of some sort to the room.
“The Headmaster does not like people snooping around his office under invisibility cloaks, boy,” Mad-Eye growled at him.
Draco started slightly and then glared angrily at him. Getting control of his anger before he answered, he remind himself that this was not the man who had turned him into a ferret his third year.
“I could hardly be seen approaching him for a casual conversation,” Draco replied coldly.
“Don’t take that tone with me, boy. I’ve fought your father more than once; you don’t seem any more formidable.”
“You should be nicer to me, I have something you might want,” Draco sneered at him. Mad-Eye looked at him curiously for a second.
“Ok,” he remarked, “I’ll bite.” Malfoy laughed at him.
“I don’t think so old man, the only one I’m talking to is Dumbledore, or maybe Potter, if you know where he is.”
Mad-Eye gave away nothing in his reaction to Malfoy’s challenge. Pulling out a knife, he started cleaning his fingernails. Fixing both his normal and magical eye on the knife, he spoke almost as if Malfoy wasn’t there.
“No one knows where Potter is or for that matter either of the Weasleys or their parents. They’re all gone, vanished into thin air it would seem. I don’t envy Voldemort when Potter finds him though.” Malfoy cringed at the Dark Lord’s name. Mad-Eye smiled inwardly at Malfoy’s involuntary response to the name.
“I can help Dumbledore find her then,” Malfoy finally said. Mad-Eye pointed his wand towards the fireplace shooting a silvery substance out of it. They both sat there watching each other warily while they waited for Dumbledore to join them.
“Don’t suppose you’ll tell me why I should trust you?” Mad-Eye asked conversationally. Malfoy smirked.
“Not likely.”
“Right,” Mad-Eye answered. The silence fell over the room again as they waited. Malfoy got up and started to pace back and forth, Mad-Eye just watched him, looking for some sign that Malfoy was changing his mind.
“Nice cloak by the way,” he commented. “How did you come by it?” Malfoy stopped and looked at him warily.
“My father is very rich.” He started pacing again. Mad-Eye just let him go. After about half an hour Malfoy began to lose patience.
“How long is it going to take him?”
Mad-Eye smirked. “He is a very busy man; he can’t come running to the son of every Death Eater who offers to help him.” Draco glared at the man and started pacing again. It was another ten minutes before Dumbledore entered the room.
That would not really be the truth, as he had been there the whole time. Draco didn’t know that and from his point of view, Dumbledore simply appeared. One second there was no one there. The next time he turned in his pacing, Dumbledore was sitting comfortably in a squashy, high backed, armchair in his path, picking at a piece of lint on his robes.
“For the love of…” Draco yelped as he turned.
“Good evening, Mr. Malfoy,” Dumbledore said casually to him. Draco looked at him, suddenly more nervous than he had been since his father had brought him before the Dark Lord over the Christmas holiday.
“You are scared,” Dumbledore remarked. Draco blinked. “Good, I would be concerned if you were not.” Draco didn’t say anything. He just stood there not knowing how to respond.
“You have some information for me?” Dumbledore asked calmly. Draco swallowed hard and started pacing again.
“I need protection,” he finally said.
“Voldemort is very difficult to protect people from, Draco.” Draco felt his skin crawling at the name, and the memory of those blood-red eyes flared in his mind.
“Please, can you call him something else?” he asked. Dumbledore ignored the comment and continued with his previous train of thought.
“He managed with the help of a spy to take a student three weeks ago, who is nearly as powerful as I am. She has not been heard from since. I can offer you little protection from Voldemort.” Draco flinched again at the name; he swallowed hard once more before speaking.
“I have reason to believe she is still alive.” Dumbledore’s face gave away nothing as he surveyed Draco over his half moon glasses.
“I should believe you because?” he asked. “You see, I had a similar conversation years ago with a former Professor,” Professor Dumbledore continued, “who just three weeks ago took one of my students and delivered her to the hands of a Master, he swore to me he did not serve anymore. He gave me reason to believe him and I did. You see what that trust has brought me since. You will forgive me, Draco, if I am a little wary of someone who has never given me any reason to trust him.” Draco didn’t reply.
“May I see your arm, Draco?” Dumbledore asked.
Draco flinched, and his right hand subconsciously moved to his left forearm and rubbed it. Dumbledore and Mad-Eye watched him intently. Draco moved close to Dumbledore and pushed the sleeve of his shirt up revealing the dark mark on his forearm.
“When did this occur?” Dumbledore asked him.
“Over the Christmas holiday,” Draco whispered.
“I see,” Dumbledore remarked. Draco pulled the sleeve of his shirt down again.
“I was the one who pushed Millicent Bulestrode into starting that petition,” Draco said quietly. Dumbledore nodded at him.
“I had no choice,” Draco added in a pleading tone, his voice cracking under Dumbledore’s gaze.
“Yet you are making a choice now?” Dumbledore asked. “Why should I believe your change of heart is true and that you are not a new spy sent to replace your former head of house?” Draco stood trembling in front of Dumbledore now, barely able to contain the rage that was just below the surface and equally close to breaking down in tears.
“H….He….k..ki..killed….my m…mother,” Draco finally managed to choke out. A single tear rolled down his cheek. “When….when…sh.. she tried to stop him from taking me to..to..”
“The Dark Lord,” Dumbledore finished for him. Draco’s shoulders slumped and he nodded once in reply. “He, being your father?” Draco nodded again, his body seeming to slump even more. Dumbledore sighed.
“I am sorry, Draco.” Draco nodded at him again. It was quiet for a long time in the room. Draco stood there in the middle of the floor. His body seemed to almost have become a statue, as Dumbledore and Mad-Eye watched him. Finally he shook his head and straightened his slumped shoulders.
“Ginny offered me friendship once,” he said quietly. “No one else ever has. I want to help her, if it’s not too late.”
“Do you know where she is, Draco?” Dumbledore asked him quietly.
“I think so.”
“You will tell Alastor everything you know, Draco,” Dumbledore said as he stood up and headed for one of the secret exits from the room.
“Yes, sir,” Draco replied. “Thank you, sir, for believing me.” Dumbledore stopped and spoke without turning around.
“I said I believe you, Draco. That does not mean I trust you.”
“Y…Yes, sir.”
“You are not to leave the castle for any reason, Draco. I will know if you do, even with your cloak. If you are summoned, you are to call Fawkes. Find somewhere you will not be observed and call for him.”
“Fawkes, sir?”
“Simply say, ‘Fawkes, will you come to me?’ You will then be able to communicate with me.” Draco gulped.
“Yes, sir.”
“Do you know why I believe you, Draco?”
“No, sir.”
“Because you said you wanted friendship and not revenge, Draco.” With that last statement, Draco was left staring at the spot Dumbledore had just left.
“Shall we get started?” Mad-Eye asked after a minute.
“Do you believe him, Dumbledore?” Mad-Eye asked as he sat down in the chair across from Dumbeldore’s desk in his office. Dumbledore sat back in his chair and steepled his fingers in front of him.
“I saw his answers in his mind before he gave them. He is either very skilled at legilimency and occlumency, or he is telling the truth.”
“Even about Potter’s wife offering him friendship?”
Dumbledore smiled at the question. “In her own, unique way, yes.”
“Do you trust him?”
“No. I do not at this time trust him, Alastor,”
“I was hoping it would take a little more than what he gave us,” Mad-Eye commented.
“He will have a chance to earn trust during the battle that is to come. He will be kept in the dark until then,” Dumbledore replied.
“He is not like one of the members of the DA, Dumbledore. He will have trouble getting out of his own way in a real fight.”
Dumbledore frowned at Mad-Eye’s observation. “I am sure his father has been teaching him some. It will have to be enough.”
Mad-Eye nodded. “How much longer are you going to allow Potter’s wife to stay in that dungeon?” he asked, changing the subject. “The other two are starting to look pretty bad, I can’t imagine what state she is in,” he added. Dumbledore sighed before he stood up and moved into the room where Ron and Hermione were staying. Mad-Eye followed him.