Stepping over the Edge

The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen, nor touched ... but are felt in the heart. - Helen Keller

Chapter 11 - Meeting at the Manor

It was in the dead of night as the group of twelve made their way towards the manor. It made an intimidating scene; the big house standing high up into the sky with the moonlight as only thing making it visible. But they carried on because they knew that this was something they had to do, something most of them wanted to do.

There had been some commotion when Snape returned and told them what had happened. Even though he hadn't told them about the curse that he had thrown himself. Several people, mostly the Weasleys, had been on the verge of cursing him for not saving Harry from Lucius. Then there had been the matter of who was to join this mission. Dumbledore and Snape were the two most important, then Mad-Eye, Tonks and Shacklebolt because of their Auror training. They all knew that there would be no point in trying to hold Lupin back, since he saw Harry as his responsibility, so of course he was joining too. Mundungus was joining, even though Mrs Weasley had complained a lot, and then there was Mr Weasley too. They had been ready to go when Ron, Hermione, Fred and George had demanded that they would join too. Everyone had of course refused at first but since Fred and George were of age and members of the Order they were at last allowed to follow. Then there was the matter of the two remaining members of the Golden Trio. They had demanded, screamed, begged and threatened until not even Dumbledore or Mrs Weasley could hold them back.

So now here they were, the group of twelve, slowly making their way towards Voldemort's manor.

Snape was first supposed to just explain the path to them and then go another way so he wasn't found in their company; but they had soon realised that it was far too complicated to just be explained. So he led the way in through the heavy oak doors and through the many corridors towards Harry's cell. They all walked in silence, looking around carefully for signs of Death Eaters, but no one came in their way. They all found this strange, some even suspicious, but they carried on anyway.

When they found the right door, Snape opened it slowly and peaked inside. No lights were on and he couldn't see any movement at all, so he signalled for the others to walk inside before they turned on any light. When everyone had gathered in the room Snape closed the door again and Dumbledore raised his wand muttering "Lumos."

The spell didn't work like they had expected it to, instead there was a loud bang and it felt as if someone had pulled them off their feet causing them to fall. Hermione let out a shriek and closed her eyes as they all fell to the floor. A second after she had closed them, the light had come on and the group was in a large stone hall with big windows all around the walls. But that wasn't what caught their attention. Around them was a circle of Death Eaters facing them with their wands at the ready.

The group slowly got to their feet and a whisper sounding very much like "I should never have got out of bed this morning," came from Snape's direction.

"How nice of you to join us," Voldemort's voice rang through the hall. "Did you like my little surprise? Quite effective," he said pleasantly with a hint of menace.

They all turned to look at him and those who hadn't seen him before flinched at the sight. His pale snake-like form standing over them on his throne with his red eyes searching over their faces until they finally rested on Dumbledore.

"Ah, Dumbledore," he said with a smirk, "I've been waiting for you to drop by. Our meeting at the Ministry was far too short."

"I'm sorry Tom, but your house hasn't been that easy to find," Dumbledore answered calmly but with seriousness in his voice that many people had not heard before.

"No, I suppose not," Voldemort chuckled and turned towards Snape. "But you got some help I see."

It took everything out of Snape to just stand still in his place and meet Voldemort's eyes without showing fear, when all he really wanted to do was run for his life and never look back. He had known what risks it involved when he became a spy, and he had known that this day would certainly come sooner or later. The Dark Lord wasn't a fool, but it wasn't anything he ever would have been prepared for. Facing your own mortality wasn't something you wanted to do.

"You've been a good Death Eater and potion-maker Snape; I wonder how long you played the double roll. But not even your good acting skills or your cunningness in the art of Occlumency could help you forever," Voldemort said, flashing him a sneer. "The Dark Lord will always find out."

Snape did everything to suppress his shudder and empty his mind. He had stood tall for so many years, not even now when he had been found out, would he let his defences fall. The Dark Lord would never gain access to his mind.

"Enough with the games Tom," Dumbledore broke the tense silence. "You know why we are here."

Voldemort turned away from Snape with an angry glare at the use of his old name. "Yes I do, but I'm afraid you have come in vain. You can't save everyone Dumbledore."

A gasp went through the group at what he implied. Sobs could be heard from Hermione, who once again was hanging on the Ron for dear life, and silent whispers of "No" from Lupin. Something flashed over Dumbledore's eyes, and for a second he looked every one of his years, but it was gone just as fast.

"What are you implying Tom?" he asked.

Voldemort laugh coldly. "Just what I said old man, not even you can save everyone. This time you were too late."

"I don't believe you killed him Tom," Dumbledore stated. "You want an audience, you would want people to see him fall and recognise you as the strongest. You would want to humiliate him."

The group stared wide-eyed at Voldemort, waiting for his response, and hoping that Dumbledore wasn't mistaking.

"You think you know me so well Dumbledore, but one day I might surprise you."

"You haven't killed him," Dumbledore pressed with a stern look on his opponent.

"Did I ever say I had?" Voldemort smirked. "I only said it was too late to save him."

"Where is he?"

"Oh, not far from here. But I wouldn't get my hopes up Dumbledore, he doesn't think very highly of you and I doubt he would want to leave with you."

"Bring him here Tom," Dumbledore said calmly but there was no trace of asking in his voice, it was a demand.

Voldemort chuckled, "If you were any wiser, old man, you would remember where you were. You are in no position to make demands. But since I think that this might be quite amusing, I'll get him here." He waved his hand nonchalantly and one of the Death Eaters ran through a door to the back of the room.

The room was left in complete silence as both sides tried to judge the strength of the other and all the while keep an eye on the door. There were clearly more Death Eaters then Order members and they where in Voldemort's manor after all, so the Light side was obviously the weaker one when you looked at those points, but they still had Dumbledore who would fight for them until the end. Voldemort didn't give a damn about his followers.

The door opened again and all attention turned towards it. In came Harry Potter, clothes dirty and torn, a bruise on his right cheek, blood running from his scar and a slight limp on his left foot. He was staring down on the floor as he slowly made his way forward, a Death Eater walking behind him with his wand pointing straight at him.

"Harry!" Hermione screamed and made a dash towards him but was soon caught around the waist by Kingsley.

At the sound of his name Harry stopped and turned his head up. His eyes were tired and his once vibrant emerald green eyes had faded to a dull colour, as if they had died. There was no better word to describe the boy before them than defeated.

"Can't even understand normal English Snape?" Harry said, and even if his voice was no more than a whisper, they all noticed the complete lack of emotion in it. "When I told you to tell them not to come, it meant they should stay away."

Snape snorted at him. "And you clearly didn't understand that it wasn't your choice."

"You didn't think we would leave you here Harry?" Dumbledore said and looked Harry in the eyes.

They stared at each other in silence for several seconds; Dumbledore searching for some sign that Harry hadn't given up.

"No, I guess I didn't," he answered at last. "Someone else maybe, but you can't leave your weapon in the enemies' hands." His eyes didn't change at all, no sign that he was hurting or that he was sarcastic. He just stated something he saw as a fact.

Dumbledore sighed. "We've been over this Harry. I've never seen you as a weapon. I care about you and I would do anything to keep you safe."

"Fucking good job you've done."

Dumbledore ignored his comment and went on, "We came here to get you out Harry."

"And I already told the greasy git that I don't want to be saved." For the first time there was life in Harry's eyes as they flashed with anger.

Laughter rang through the hall and they all turned to face Voldemort again.

"I told you that you were too late Dumbledore. He's already lost," Voldemort said with a grin. "Harry and I had a nice little chat when he first came here. Seems like he doesn't fear death anymore. In fact, he came here so that I could kill him." Voldemort looked around at Harry who was once again staring at the floor. "But I figured, where's the fun in killing a suicidal?" he smirked. "Crucio!"

Harry fell to the floor the moment the curse hit him. The pain shot through his body, ripping at his muscles, tearing at his flesh, making him twitch and tremble on the floor. At first his mind screamed out in protest at the torture, begging for it to stop, and his mouth opened in a silent scream. But soon he embraced to pain, finding a morbid satisfaction in the way his muscles twitched.

"Stop!" Hermione screamed at the top of her lungs, "You're killing him!"

The pain stretched on forever, making sure there wasn't a single cell in his body that hadn't felt it. And for every second that past, the feeling of complete calmness grove. The knowledge that if it didn't stop soon he would be pushed over the brink of insanity or the edge of death calmed his tormented mind.

"You said you wouldn't kill him!" Ron screamed raising his wand, and it took Arthur's full strength to hold him back.

"Did I really?" Voldemort laughed. "But I never said I wouldn't play with him."

Soon, there couldn't be much longer now. It felt like he had been under the curse for an eternity, if not longer, and he knew that he would soon find his freedom. There was a small light ahead and his mind reached out towards it. It got closer and he stretched out for all that he was worth. He felt the warmth against his skin and inwardly sighed knowing that it was almost over.

Abruptly, he was snatched backwards, into the shadows once again and the warmth disappeared just as quickly. He sucked in a painful breath and opened his eyes. The room was spinning around him and he rolled over on his side in a coughing fit. When it subsided a little he could hear screams right next to him, and when he got better control over his trembling muscles he pushed himself up into a sitting position. He couldn't help his eyes widening at the sight of none other then Wormtail twitching on the floor right next to him.

The curse lifted from his body suddenly and he lay panting on the floor. It looked like it took all the power he had left but slowly he lifted his head and looked straight at Harry. For a second they just stared at each other and then something Harry would never have though possible happened, Wormtail smiled at him. Not a scared or insecure smile, not a smile begging for mercy like in Harry's third year, and not a devious smile. Just a perfectly normal and sincere smile, and for a moment Harry could, for the first time, imagine the fourth member of the Marauders as a man worth knowing.

"You have done a lot of foolish things in your miserable life Wormtail, but standing in the way when the Dark Lord punishes his enemy? You were blinded by that pathetic life depth you thought you owed him, but did you really think that stunt would keep him live longer then I had intended?" Voldemort's voice rang through the hall.

Harry was hardly listening to a word Voldemort was saying. His eyes were still focused on Wormtail; no Peter, who was smiling at him as if he still was that young boy sitting by the lake after his OWL's and watching James play around with the Snitch. Something stirred inside Harry and slowly he felt a smile creeping up on his lips. At this he saw Peter's eyes shine even brighter and his smile widen until it stretched over his entire face. Neither one of them had to say anything, for just this moment nothing else mattered, nothing that had happened in the past and nothing that would happen in the future. They just smiled at each other in peace.

But the moment was broken as two words cut through the silence.

"Avada Kedavra!"