The Girl in the Tower

This chapter has been revised 2/20/07

Chapter Ten: Startling Revelations

Hermione grew irritated. "Harry, you have to help me decorate! I can't believe this! Sara's party is tonight! Can't whatever it is wait?"

"How hard can it be? A few waves of your wand and presto! Besides, we should decorate later. What if Sara goes back to the tower?"

"Later? Are you kidding? You remember Ron? Your friend?"

Harry bit his lip. It wasn't often Hermione annoyed him, but this last comment nearly pushed him over the edge. "I'll be there when the potion is ready."

"I hope so, Harry. I just want everything to be perfect for Sara. After all, she's had it kind of hard for awhile."

"You're telling me? Really!" Harry looked away, growing angry. It wasn't his nature. In fact, he couldn't remember ever being angry with Hermione, so he blamed it on stress. He had a lot on his mind, after all. It wasn't every day he handed over his blood to the likes of Draco Malfoy. "Hermione, I'll help you. As long as it's later. There are a few things I have to take care of first, okay? Stop being impossible. Just... go... study, or something."

He felt her fury radiate over him in waves as she glared, lips pressed together until they were white and arms folded. He half-smiled and she spun around, leaving him standing there as she stalked off. His guilt was immediate. She'd been through so much the last two days. Long hours of endless research. Constant worry over Ron. Harry felt like a huge, insensitive creep. He called after her. "Hermione!" She'd turned the corner and was gone. Harry sighed and hurried to the owlry.

Hedwig would be upset if she knew he was using a school owl, but everyone at Hogwarts, including the Slytherins, knew Hedwig belonged to him. He needed this to be a secret, for Malfoy's sake as well as his own. If his team knew he was sending notes to Draco they would demand an explanation. What would he say? That he'd given his blood to Malfoy? Even he thought it was an act of extreme recklessness, not to mention supreme idiocy. How could he ever explain himself to another? Saying his instincts told him Draco was telling the truth sounded stupid, even in his own thoughts. Harry couldn't imagine saying it aloud. They'd drag him straight to St. Mungo's to share a rubber room with Lockhart.

He read the note one last time before giving it to the barn owl who awaited it.

Sara will see you. Meet us in the storage room, 2nd floor corridor, five doors down on the right past the suit of armor. Ten minutes. This better be good.

He hadn't signed his name, just in case.

* * *

"Where is she?"
"She'll be along. I wanted to talk to you first."

"I knew I should have been late." Malfoy dropped into one of four dusty chairs and sighed. "Well? What is it?"

"How much do you know?"

"As I said, I can't tell you."

"Even here? In this room?"

"You never know who might be listening, Potter. Either of us could have been followed. A spider on the wall could be a transfigured Death Eater, you know that. Better safe than sorry."

"I wouldn't have had you pegged as Cliché Man."

"Shut-up, Potter. I can't tell you anything. Get it through that thick head of yours. It's not that I don't want to. I'd much rather spill everything I know and let Hero Boy save the day. Unfortunately for me, I can't do that. I'm not the only one taking a risk here."

"Does your need of my blood have anything to do with a page missing from one of your father's books?"

"It might."

"That's what I was afraid of." Harry crossed the dusty room, stopping in front of the blond boy in the chair. "Why are you trying to get Sara, and me for that matter, to trust you? This is not a game, Malfoy. People's lives are at stake."

"Which is what I was trying to tell you."

Harry looked Draco in the eye. "Do you mean us harm?"

Draco reached into the pocket of his robe and pulled out a small vial. He held it in front of Harry's face. "Your blood, Potter. I asked you to trust me. If you don't, then take it."

Harry took it and stepped back, but he didn't put it in his pocket, just held it, considering it. "I went to Hogsmeade last night to buy a Sneak-o-scope. Someone smashed the one Ron gave me."

"You wanted to see if I was an enemy? Was that your plan?"

"Yes."

"Then get it out. To tell the truth, I'm curious. I still despise you, but as I said, I have no malicious intent."

"I can't. Someone's bought them all. There's none to be had for miles."

The surprise and utter bewilderment Harry saw on Malfoy's face was reassuring to say the least. He'd been sure that Malfoy - and his money - had played some part. Being wrong had never pleased him as much as it did now.

"What, is Dumbledore giving them out for Christmas?"

"Doubtful." Harry held tight to the vial of blood in his hand. "I think someone wants me not to know who to trust, or to trust the wrong person. I'm nervous. I find myself wanting to trust you when I know I shouldn't. I don't know what to do."

"You don't have to do anything. Give me what's in your hand and I'll make sure of that." Draco held out his palm. In a whisper, eyes jumping around the room, he spoke to Harry. "Keep your wand at the ready tonight."

Harry's face was grave. Sara's party was tonight. He gave Draco the vial.

A light rap on the door drew their attention and it opened. Sara stepped through, glancing out into the corridor before closing it behind her. She was straight-faced and none to happy when she regarded Draco, but her expression soon changed.

"You look different." She approached him, ignoring Harry, who took a cobwebby seat. "You've changed."

"If that's what you want to call it," Draco sighed. "Sara, I want to apologize for being so forward with you. I was rather harsh, rude really, and presumptuous. It's unforgivable, I know, but I never meant to scare you at the pub."

"It's all right, Malfoy. I wasn't exactly nice to you, either. As for holding me against my will, you got what you deserved." She glanced at Harry and gave him a warm smile. "I'll accept your apology, but on my terms."

Draco looked relieved for a moment, then realized this could be bad and felt his face turn grim. "What are your terms?"

"There are profound changes in your aura. Let me read your palm."

"Is that all? You had me worried there." He fell back into his earlier seat and Sara pulled over a chair, charmed the dirt away, and sat opposite him. She took his hand. Her expression turned from pleasant to shocked and horrified in an instant, before she'd even looked at it.

"Harry," she said without turning. "Leave us. I want to talk to him."

"No."

"Just stand outside the door. It's okay."

"Sara, I won't leave you alone with him."

"You will, Harry."

"Why would I? He has a history, after all. I won't put you in harm's way."

"Because I asked you to. I'll scream if he tries to kiss me." She half-smiled and Malfoy looked embarrassed. "Please trust me."

"Always." Harry stood and walked to the door. "I swear, Malfoy, if you pull one of your tricks, they'll need a mop to get you off the floor."

Draco opened his mouth to voice some sarcastic retort, but Sara warned him with a glance and he closed it again. Harry went to the door and walked through it with hesitation

* * *

Hermione narrowed her eyes. "It's about time you two got here! Snape is measuring out the doses right now! You could have missed it!" She turned her gaze on Harry. "Imagine how Ron would feel if you weren't here when he opened his eyes."

Sara put an arm around Hermione's shoulders. "It's my fault, really. Don't be too hard on Harry."

Harry hung his head. "Hermione, I'm sorry about earlier. I wasn't thinking."

Hermione's face melted. "It's okay. Don't worry about it. I wasn't exactly being fair with you, either."

Harry smiled just as a bustle of noise entered from behind. Harry and Sara turned to see Snape and Madam Pomfrey coming toward the beds with a tray holding four medicine cups. Hermione stood and moved out of the way.

Sara and Snape each took one and moved to Dean and Seamus in the farthest beds. Madam Pomfrey took the third cup and gave the last to Hermione, who smiled with gratitude. "You wake him, dear. I'll bet he'd rather see your face peering down at him than mine."

Dumbledore had appeared, though no one could say when exactly, and he watched as Harry lifted Ron's head off the pillow and Hermione poured the drink into his mouth.

"He's waking up!" Sara said of Seamus.

"So is Longbottom. How is Mr. Thomas, Severus?"

"Coming to life, it appears."

Ron's ginger eyelashes began to flutter and Hermione raised her voice. "Ron! Can you hear me? Do you feel alright?"

"Well for Merlin's sake! It's a potion, not a smelling salt!"

Sara turned from Seamus to glance over her shoulder at the next bed. "Don't yell at her, Severus! She's been worried sick!"

Madam Pomfrey shook her head. "Keep your voices low! These boys are waking from nightmares! You'll frighten them!"

Dumbledore agreed as he moved into the midst of the infirmary beds. "Quite correct. Everyone, let's just stand back and wait."

Silence ensued, though no one stood back. Harry and Hermione watched over Ron. She sat on the bed beside him and Harry stood over the pillow. Madam Pomfrey hovered over Neville. Sara sat beside Seamus, whom she had never properly met, holding his hand, thinking he would be disoriented when he woke and in need of comfort. Dean Thomas had the misfortune of Severus Snape looming over him and Harry wondered if Dean would wake thinking he was still having terrible dreams. He almost laughed, but Ron opened his eyes.

A rat, with one odd paw, skittered across the room and hid under an unoccupied bed, unseen.

* * *

Morgio paced the room. "I can't get to it. That fool made such a mess of things that Dumbledore took the Orb of Arassel and has it locked in his office."

"So what do we do? I got Potter to trust me and for what? So I could do absolutely nothing with his blood?"

"It's going to have to fall on your shoulders, Draco."

"What do you mean? I couldn't get into the headmaster's office any better than you can! Start speaking sense to me."

Morgio sat down in the large chair behind his desk and picked up a quill. "Here," he said as he wrote. "Are the words you will need." He handed the small slip to Draco, who pocketed it. "Get to that orb, Draco. Get to it, even if it's at the last possible moment."

"Perhaps we should trust this to someone more qualified. Snape will be there. Why don't I just give the honor of this task to him?"

"Spoken like a true coward."

Draco's steel-blue eyes narrowed. "Watch what you say, teacher. Malfoy's don't take well to insults."

"Then perhaps Malfoy's shouldn't set themselves up for them. To answer your question, Severus cares far too much for the girl. She's like a daughter to him. If he knew what was to happen, there would be no celebration. My betrayal would be obvious."

"I see." Draco stood. "I'll do my best, but what if Potter gets himself killed?"

"Some things can't be avoided."

Draco considered this. "I was wrong, Morgio. My father wouldn't like you, he would love you."

"Somehow I doubt that. I doubt that very much."

"I'll do my best." Draco checked a very expensive watch. "The party starts in one hour. Weasley should be revived by now. That's a setback. Harry trusts me, but Weasley would never." Draco thought a moment. "May I borrow an owl?"

* * *

"I do say, Harry, this Pepper-up is bloody wonderful stuff! I feel great!" Ron said as vines of moonlight roses flew from the tip of his wand. "Who knew Snape would be so generous? I hurt all over until he gave it to me."

Hermione answered as she produced thousands of stars to hover over Sara's rooftop like Christmas lights. "He didn't want Sara to worry tonight. It's her birthday after all."

Harry was busy inflating dozens of balloons in shades of purple and silver and fastening them every few feet along the wall. "I wonder if I should give her the orb. It could put her in even more danger, like you said."

"You can't keep it from her." Hermione spread lavender tablecloths, silver and gold confetti, and sugared violets across the many tables brought over from the storage room across the hall. "Harry, you have no right. You never know, she may need it someday."

"Right Harry," Ron added. "Besides, it's up to her to use it. She may never decide to, but you'd never forgive yourself if anything happened. Something that could have been prevented."

"But what if it gets her killed? Or worse?" Harry stopped floating luminous bubbles into the air, preoccupied by his concern. "What if giving it to her is the worst thing I could do?"

Hermione ceased lighting candles and took Harry's hand. "You heard Dumbledore. It's already hers. Harry, he's her uncle. He knows what's best. He wants her to have it."

Harry smiled, the weight of the decision lifted from his shoulders. "If Dumbledore wants her to have it, then so do I."

Hermione smiled and went back to the decorations. Ron continued wrapping the rose vines around anything he could find, and Harry's eye trained on an owl, carrying a letter. The blackish bird didn't drop the envelope in the smooth graceful way owls dropped things, so that they landed right in your hands, it threw it at him. Glancing around, he saw that his friends were too busy to have noticed the delivery, so he tucked it into an inside pocket and went into Sara's rooms.

He returned a moment later and announced he would be back in a few minutes. Ron was indifferent, but Hermione gave him an annoyed and suspicious glance.

Madam Hooch had brought a good supply of the school's brooms for the party guests to navigate the hundreds of steps of the tower, but Harry had remembered to bring his Firebolt and climbed onto it, flying straight down the center of the spiraling stairs. He left it at the bottom and hurried to Dumbledore's office.

* * *

"I need the orb, Professor. I have to re-wrap it before the party."

"I was hoping that could wait until I brought it to Sara's tower myself, Harry." Dumbledore regarded him with curiosity. "I'm not sure it's safe for you to go walking around with it."

"I'll be fine, sir. After all, I know someone is looking for it. I'll be careful."

"I'm sure you will. However, the orb is not safe until Sara has it in her possession. Until then, any clever thief could get his hands on it. Bring the wrapping here."

"Please, sir. Time is running short. Snape will be bringing Sara back to the tower in only twenty minutes and I still haven't dressed. I won't let anything happen to it."

"Harry?" Dumbledore with raised an eyebrow. "Is there something you should tell me?"

He hesitated, knowing Dumbledore had sensed his apprehension, and then decided even he wouldn't understand. Handing his blood over to Malfoy was in no way justifiable. Draco's warning flashed in his mind as well, but Harry pushed it back. He would not spoil Sara's party. "No, sir."

The old wizard smiled with amusement. "The answer to that question is always no. Take the orb, Harry. Sara will be disappointed if you're late."

"Thank you, Professor."

As Dumbledore unlocked the well-warded cabinet which held Sara's birthday gift, Harry realized how much the man could say with so little words. What he'd really said was I know something's going on, but I've trusted you before and I'm trusting you again. Harry only hoped what lay behind his thanks got through to his mentor as well.

Dumbledore handed Harry the box. "When I wrote you a few weeks ago I mentioned a new development regarding Voldemort."

"I remember. I've been curious about the topic ever since. I didn't think you were going to tell me."

"After running several tests on the cloak he left behind at the Leaky Cauldron, it has been determined that our enemy is gathering magical particles to himself, called Magitite. These particles are found in all things on Earth, but they are few, unless you stumble across a rich vein."

"What is he doing with them?"

"Using them to create a form, something substantial that will allow him full use of his powers. Magitite can be permanently transfigured into anything and is practically invincible as human flesh. At the moment, he's literally full of the most powerful magical substance on the planet and he gets stronger every day."

"So we kill him before he can become whole."

"It's not that easy, Harry. It's a lot harder to scatter Magitite than it is to draw it, though that's no easy fete, either. Disbursing it requires several wizards and a rather difficult spell. We would have to overpower him to do it."

* * *

Draco was pacing the room and muttering to himself when Harry hurried through the door of the place they'd last met. There was a dusty and well-worn table pushed into one corner of the room and Draco directed Harry to place the orb on it. As Harry took it out of its box, Draco looked him over, and then shook his head.

"You aren't going to your girlfriend's party in that, are you?"

"Of course not! Now we don't have much time, I need to change obviously, so do what you have to do."

"Wait in the hall, Potter."

"There's no way in hell I'm leaving this room."

"You have to. I only require one minute, and then you can get out of those clothes."

Harry grinned. "I'm not that kind of guy."

Realizing what he'd said, Draco burst out laughing. "You remove so much as a sock in front of me and I'll kill you!"

Harry's face turned serious. "I just hope that's not what you're doing." He tilted his chin toward the orb. "You've got one minute." He turned and went out, shutting the door behind him.

Malfoy stared at the door, his laughter caught dead in his throat, his smile gone. "Me, too."

A whispered voice came from the dark corner. "Getting sentimental are we?"

"Shut-up, just get it done."

Scabbers became Wormtail and emerged from the shadows, crossing the room to where the orb sat on the table. He withdrew a vial from his pocket, and poured its thick, blackish-green contents over the surface of the crystal ball. He then produced a folded page, printed and showing all the signs of having been torn from a book. He recited four brief lines from one side.

Draco expected the earth so tremble or something, but all that happened was a minute flash from within the orb, letting them know the spell indeed worked. Wormtail looked pleased with himself.

"Now hurry, tell Morgio it's done. Run!"

Wormtail transfigured back into Scabbers and scampered through a small hole in the darkest corner of the room.

Draco produced a second vial and considered it before fumbling out the stopper with shaky hands.

* * *

Hermione was incredulous. "Harry! Where have you been?"

"Talk about last minute!" Ron glanced over at him, looking dubious. "We went back to change and you weren't there."

"I ran into Malfoy harassing some first year Ravenclaws," Harry lied.

"Damn that Malfoy." Hermione's brow furrowed with annoyance. "I can't wait until we're rid of him."

"We'll never be rid of him," Harry and Ron said in unison. All three of them laughed and Harry's friends forgot they were mad at him. Hermione took the re-wrapped orb to the over-laden gift table on the roof and Ron wandered out with Harry.

The decorations were breathtaking, even more so then he'd imagined, and the roof was full of people. All the teachers were there, save a few, and they'd invited most of the seventh year Gryffindors, as well as the Prefects from Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. Sara didn't know anyone, so Hermione thought it would be a nice way for her to make some friends.

In the center of the roof there was a large fountain depicting three beautiful, carved mermaids shooting streams of sparkling champagne from conch shell trumpets. Wizards and witches in fine evening clothes, many of them wearing dress capes of fine fabrics, stood around it, sipping from crystal glasses trimmed in gold. Ron's moonlight roses glowed silver all around them on vines that encircled everything and covered much of the walls like ivy. Candles flickered on every table and Hermione's stars sparkled above like thousands of tiny diamonds stuck in the fabric of the night sky. Harry's luminous bubbles floated, bumbling around the heads of all the mingling people on the roof. The scene was beautiful. It was, well, magical.

Ron smiled and finished a sandwich. "You look great, Harry. You look funny in a cape, though. You've got it tied wrong. It's a dress cape. Only women tie them like that. You have to put it over one shoulder like this." Ron untied Harry's cape before he could stop him and was rearranging it. "Then bring it under the other arm and tie it across your chest." He stepped back. "That's better."

"Since when do you know so much about capes?"

Ron tipped his head toward a small group of Gryffindors. "Hermione. I tied mine like a girl, too." He grinned and Harry laughed.

"Hermione looks fantastic!"

'You can say that again. Sara's certainly had a good influence on Hermione's appearance. I haven't seen that bushy hair in months!"

In silence, they regarded Hermione, talking and smiling across the roof. Her hair was swept up in a lovely gathering of elaborate tufts and curls, sprinkled with glitter and jewels, twinkling in the soft light. She wore a blue silk dress with a crushed velvet, silver cape tied around her shoulders.

Snape came through the doors, misted over and equipped with a noise-blocking charm, and shut them quick. "She's here!" he yelled. "Get ready!"

The area before the doors cleared at once as Snape stepped to the side and Hermione hurried to the front to stand with Harry and Ron. Dumbledore also appeared nearby and all commotion stopped.

"Severus?" Sara stepped onto the roof and stopped dead when she saw the many people crowded together there. Her eyes flicked over their smiling faces, then around at the decorations. Her hands flew to her face and she pressed them over her mouth, hanging open in shock.

"SURPRISE!!!"

She burst into tears even as her face lit up and her smile could be seen, lifting her features from behind her hands.

Applause rang out, along with an echoing chorus of Happy Birthday, Sara! She looked at Harry, Ron, and Hermione, tears in her eyes and her face wet with them. She gave them her warmest smile and whispered. "Thank you."

* * *

Dressed to the nines in black and silver, Draco threw back one side of his green silk cloak and admired his Lightning Mach 1 before propping it against the wall of the Astronomy Tower. He could see the lights of the party, hear faint music and the murmur of voices from the adjacent tower, but he couldn't really make anyone out. His curiosity wanted to get closer, but he knew it was safest to keep a good distance. He would be less likely to be seen or recognized. Plus, if someone happened upon him, it would seem ordinary that a student was in the Astronomy Tower, looking out at the night sky. It also helped that he was above them, watching as they danced under a cloud of fireflies.

What he really wanted was to join the party. He wondered what is was like to be among them, at a joyous gathering of do-gooders, sipping champagne and dancing with the prettiest girls. He'd been to more parties that he could count and his family held several every year, but they didn't have the quaint, whimsical feel or the warm glow and mirth of the one he was observing right now. It was nice, he thought, like peering in through the frosty window of home and seeing a toasty, glowing fire, your favorite couch and a steamy mug of Christmas punch after a long journey in the cold. Your toes numb with it.

The parties of Malfoy Manor were less like the window and more like the cold winter's journey. Death Eaters galore had milled around the vast atrium amid statues of unimaginable beasts. The younger ones danced, but the preferred music had a harder, almost gothic edge. There were slow dances here and there, but not many. The music was eerie and not the least bit romantic, having been chosen by his father. The music was what Draco liked most about the parties.

There had never been champagne. Hard liquor and red wine usually. Lots of mind-altering potions, too, which were tried by many, but not Draco. He thought the wizards that drank them acted strange, saying inappropriate or ludicrous things and he didn't want to look foolish. To him, that was his biggest phobia.

The conversation? Smiles were found mostly on the faces of Dark wizards talking about a devious plot, corruption, hexes, curses, and/or torture tactics. Dinner would include some bizarre looking beast still in possession of its cooked head. He always ate the meat, however, even though he found it revolting, because he'd been told that he must.

Draco smiled as he mounted his new broom, determined to find a closer vantage point.

* * *

Sara was beaming as she opened her gifts. A silver hand mirror from Hermione that recited Shakespearian sonnets as she looked into it. A pretty diamond chip and amethyst-encrusted hair comb from Ron which looked to have cost more than he could afford. She'd handed the comb to Ron and bent her head. He'd tucked it into her hair and smiled when she hugged him and kissed his cheek. Harry could tell Sara had especially liked this gift. Her face lit up as it had for no other. Not even the elaborate set of potions Snape had made for her, though Harry knew she'd liked that a great deal as well. He'd also noticed the horror on the faces of the other students when Sara hugged Snape and called him Severus. In fact, he'd almost laughed aloud and could hear Ron and Hermione giggling by his side. As an honorary Gryffindor, Sara's affection for Snape could be considered a traitorous act.

Harry smiled as Sara opened gift after gift, glowing with delight and overwhelmed by feelings of gratitude and happiness. It was this that Harry found beautiful, regardless of the fine clothes she now wore. A few moments after she'd arrived, Sara had grabbed Hermione's arm and dragged her off to her dressing room. When they'd re-emerged, Sara was wearing a slim black dress, delicate sandals and a midnight-purple cape, lined with a lighter shade of the same color. Her hair was done up, too, swept into a pile of curls entwined with tiny braids and, like Hermione's, adorned with jewels and dusted with sparkling glitter. Her face was alive and arresting as always. There was a warmness in her smile, a lilt in her melodic laugh that raised the spirits of everyone near her. Dancing with Sara under the twinkling blanket of stars, gazing down at her as the roof swirled around them, was a moment engraved in his memory for all time.

Sara was down to two gifts. Harry's, and a small, square box. The little card attached to the top of the smaller gift read;

Open in private without delay.
DM

"Harry? Is this your gift?" Sara indicated the larger one, and when everyone looked to Harry, Sara tucked the gift from Malfoy into the unused wand pocket of her cape.

"Uh... yes."

"Then let's prolong it a few minutes. I need to go check on something."

The party guests fell into discussion with one another before she'd even left her seat and she was glad not to have eyes on her as she made her way to Harry and whispered in his ear. "Come with me."

"What do you think it is?" she asked as they looked down at the gift behind the closed door of Sara's bathroom. "Do you think I should open it?"

"Let me." Harry drew his wand. "Get behind me. Don't look at me like that! You never know with him. Better to be safe than covered with scales." With a flick of his wand, the paper fell away and the velvet box opened. It was an unusual pendant on a gold chain, intricate gold filigree surrounding a smooth, flat diamond circle. "It looks like a glass coin, with two thick crimson lines inside it, swirled together like a peppermint candy."

Sara peered around Harry's shoulder. "It's exquisite! Harry, it's beautiful!"

"There's a note." Harry plucked a small, folded paper from the inside lid of the box. He opened it and they both leaned in to see what it said.

Sara,

This is a Fortificus Charm. The chambers in the center hold a drop of blood from each of two powerful wizards. Harry, and me, of course. Wear it and you'll receive our protection, as well as our strength. You never know when you'll need it.

Happy Birthday,
Draco

After no more than a moment's thought, Harry took the charm from the box and put it around Sara's neck. As she turned to admire it in the mirror, there came a soft knock at the door.

"Harry? Sara?"

It was Dumbledore. Harry opened the door.

"Interesting choice of rooms, I must say."

"It was closest."

"My dear, what is that around your neck? I assume this is what you hid in your pocket a moment ago." Dumbledore lifted the pendant on his fingers and bent in for a closer look. "I do say! Where did this come from?"

Harry was still trying to think of what to say when Sara announced it herself, and didn't even bother to lie. "Draco Malfoy."

"For once, Mr. Malfoy surprises me! This is a Fortificus Charm, a most generous gift! They're very powerful and their price reflects their rarity. The wizard who made these died many, many years ago. Not long after I was born if I remember correctly. Unfortunately, he left no instructions behind. No one knows how it was done."

Sara touched the charm and looked at Harry. She was expecting him to be upset by the fact that Malfoy had given her an expensive gift and she was wearing it, but he smiled back and she thought he looked a little... relieved?

Dumbledore continued. "Voldemort himself could put his blood in there and it would only serve you well. Don't worry about any adverse affects from it. Now come, everyone is anxious to see Harry's gift. Just a word though, Sara. We had to put a transfiguration spell on it so no one will know what it truly is. It looks like what it is, of course, but not which one, if you follow me. We'll explain as soon as we can, but make certain you touch it as soon as possible."

"Why am I nervous?"

Harry smiled. "Don't be. Come on. Let's go back to the party. Oh, and Sara? Go light on the champagne tonight, okay?"

* * *

Someone had made flower crowns for Harry and Sara from moonlight roses and violets and Draco saw quite a few others were wearing them now, too. Potter looked like an idiot wearing flowers on his head, but Sara looked like a princess, even from his spot on a nearby balcony. She was stunning in black, he thought, with her blonde hair and blue eyes set against the dark of her dress. She was far more beautiful than any of the models in Wizard Weekly. She was so elegant. Extraordinary. She was like no one he'd ever met.

Draco didn't care if someone found him. They'd accuse him of something, of that he was certain, but they knew he had a thing for Sara. He would just say he didn't dare try to attend the party, which was embarrassing, but the truth.

Sara was wearing the necklace, he could see, and the Orb of Arassel sat on the table with the other gifts. He remembered her face when she'd opened it, the pale pinkish glow when she'd reached into the box and brought it out. Schmuck-boy had blushed scarlet when Sara hugged him and kissed him in front of the party guests. This struck up a great deal of lively applause and cheers from the large group of onlookers.

Sickening. Then again, Draco thought, he'd give anything to be in Harry Potter's shoes right now. Hell, he'd even wear the stupid flowers on his head! Jealousy invaded him and he found it depressing. With a sigh, he watched them dance. Her head rested on his shoulder, one beautiful hand holding a forgotten champagne glass, her arm wrapped around his back, the other holding his as they danced in slow, lazy circles.

When the song ended, Draco was shocked to see Snape cut in. Potter hesitated, kissed Sara's cheek and stalked off without a word. What was even more amazing was that Snape was an excellent dancer. He saw Seamus Finnigan and that Dean kid still pigging out at the food table. Neville Longbottom was dancing with clumsy old Professor Sprout. Granger and Weasley were dancing, but they barely moved, lost in their own little world. Dumbledore and McGonagall danced like old people should, very carefully, and Draco swore he could hear their bones creaking. That phony predictor of doom, Trelawney, watched alone from the wall and she'd been making too many trips to the champagne fountain. Pathetic.

Harry was mingling, Draco noticed, as he waited for Snape's dance with Sara to end. He moved among groups of Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws, and Gryffindors. No Slytherins, though. They hadn't been invited. Malfoy's chest tightened and for the first time in all his years as a student, he was ashamed to be one of them. He never saw it before, but it came clear in this moment. It was Slytherins who were the outcasts. The ones who didn't fit with the rest of the school.

Somewhere in his daydreaming, most of the guests had left the party and more were leaving now. It was almost one in the morning and Draco's eyes were growing heavy. There were now only about ten people left on the roof. He could see Harry and Sara, Granger, Weasley, McGonagall, Dumbledore, Snape, Seamus, Dean, and Neville. They were gathered around the gift table, talking, laughing, and picking up different gadgets to test out. It happened all -

* * *

- of a sudden. More than twenty Death Eaters crawled onto the roof. Neville stumbled. Hermione and Sara took in a sharp, audible breath.

Ron complained as a full-size Sneak-o-scope went crazy on the table. "Augh! Not them! I was just about to go to bed! Talk about imposing!"

As the Death Eaters closed in, creating a half circle around the gift table, the wizards in party dress fanned out to protect the rear, wands held out before them. All except Dumbledore, who rarely used one, and Sara, who didn't even own one and never had. They took a more casual stance, which Harry envied. They appeared to regard the advancing threat with perfect nonchalance.

Without warning, Hermione bellowed "Expelliarmus!"

Curses were being thrown from everywhere. Four Death Eaters flew clean off the roof, Seamus' targets burst into flames, and Dumbledore stunned three with a single gesture. One by one, the Dark wizards were dispatched and only after the last one fell did any of them notice the giant scull floating in the sky above the tower. The Dark Mark.

"Aww shit!" Seamus declared.

He was answered by Ron. "Bloody hell!"

"Voldemort," Harry announced. "He's here. Get ready!"

Dumbledore looked over his shoulder. "Let's all stay on our feet, shall we?"

Dozens of Death Eaters were crawling over the wall, pressing in, moving the smaller group back towards the doors. Another, more sinister presence loomed behind his minions. The figure waited until they were all in position before stepping to the front. He was more substantial than Harry remembered, and as the Dark Lord advanced on Sara, Harry raised his wand.

Voldemort hissed. "It appears I have ruined your party, birthday girl." He came to a stop a few feet from her. Sara was shaking, but she stood her ground, looking him in the eye. She could feel her fear rage within, but alien emotions crowded it out, strengthening her resolve. Harry's courage - and Draco's stubbornness. She touched the Fortificus charm.

Harry stepped in front of Sara. Voldemort laughed, hoarse and low as Harry held out his wand, his left hand reaching back to hold Sara's hand. Snape and McGonagall circled behind Voldemort and Dumbledore came to stand at Harry's side.

Voldemort raised his wand and, before he knew what happened, Harry was blasted off his feet, flying through the air, and crash-landing near the doors. Dumbledore had been knocked to the floor and curses from the other teachers, aimed at the Dark Lord, amounted to nothing. The students were holding off the Death Eaters, but when Harry passed over their heads they became enraged and engaged the intruders in a full-fledged battle. The teachers, realizing they weren't causing Voldemort any harm, turned to help, leaving him to Sara and Dumbledore. The roof was chaos.

With Dumbledore still struggling to his feet and Harry fighting his way back, Voldemort stepped closer, and Sara took a quick step back, bumping the gift table hard. On instinct, she glanced behind her and saw the orb was about to crash to the floor.

"Sara NO!!" Harry yelled, but it was too late. She'd caught it, and her fear triggered the protective charm within the orb. Its pinkish glow shot out in all directions, luminous, muted, leaving nothing in shadow.

Harry looked around, watching as wizards, Dark or otherwise, were throwing curses with no results. Many of them were gazing at their wands in confusion, some trying again, only to get the same outcome. Nothing. Harry realized he also had no magical power and the Death Eaters were physically larger and stronger than any of them, except maybe Seamus and Snape. He could only hope someone was looking out for Hermione.

When Harry appeared before Voldemort, again with the intent of protecting someone, he stood in front of Professor Dumbledore. Old, frail, and vulnerable without his magic. Since Sara was the only one present in possession of her full powers, Harry decided she could fend for herself.

Voldemort snickered and raised his wand at Harry once more, but Sara threw out her hand. Harry could hear pure venom in her voice as she recited a long curse in Latin. Voldemort staggered backward.

"Quick, Sara!" Harry urged. "He has no powers!"

"Oh yes he does. He can't hurt me, but he can hurt you. All of you. What do I do? Harry, help me!"

Harry hesitated, trying to come up with something as Voldemort shook off Sara's curse. A paper airplane came to a stop in front of Harry's face and hovered there. Without thought, he snatched it out of the air and pulled it open. It was only a few words, but Harry's outlook on the situation changed. The advantage was now his.

Use your wand, dumbass!

"You're next, Harry Potter," Voldemort hissed and rushed at Sara, meaning to plow into her and knock her down, but he never made it. Harry had his wand out and blew the unsuspecting Dark Lord off his feet to land hard against the wall.

"Turn it off, Sara! Turn it off!" Harry yelled as he battered his arch-nemesis with every curse and spell that came to mind, but it would only work for so long.

Voldemort finally blocked Harry's attempts and was back on his feet, coming fast at Harry as Sara scrambled for the orb. Harry fell to the hard stone under an powerful curse, but was quick to recover, knowing he'd left Dumbledore open to attack. He hurried to his feet, but Voldemort's wand had already found its target. Harry instantaneously cast a blocking charm on Dumbledore, who was blasted by both wands at once. One to protect and one to harm. Avada Kedavra hit the elderly wizard hard, but fragmented into a hundred rays of sick green light. Harry's blocking charm was enough to save his life, though not an impenetrable shield. As Dumbledore collapsed, Voldemort fell to his knees, and Sara got the orb.

Neville Longbottom stood behind the crippled Dark lord, his useless wand trained on Voldemort's back. The magic returned to those who'd lost it, and Neville spoke one word. "Crucio!"

Too surprised to block it, Voldemort cringed, unable to get to his feet, and tried to fight it off.

"Harry!" Dumbledore limped, catching himself on Harry's shoulder. "Get me over there. Hurry! Get the others to follow."

"Professors!" Harry yelled. Snape and McGonagall took one look at Dumbledore and rushed over to give he and Harry cover from the few remaining Death Eaters. Harry stopped at Voldemort's side, where Neville was still holding his wand on Voldemort. Neville's rage was visible and, without warning, he plunged his wand into Voldemort's back and spoke the curse again through clenched teeth.

Dumbledore slipped to the ground, placed his hand on Neville's wand, and bellowed a single word. "Crucio!"

Voldemort cried out in pain and began to struggle, though it was obviously difficult. Catching on, Harry, Snape, and McGonagall aimed their wands and spoke the Unforgivable Curse. Another wand pierced the bloody cloak and a familiar voice said the word. Little cracks of green light appeared, neon veins throughout his form and Harry could hear Dumbledore reciting a spell in the old language. Harry placed his hand over Dumbledore's old wrinkled one and together they held the wand that performed the Magitite spell. The cracks grew larger and, within seconds, Voldemort exploded in a cloud of phosphorous particles, otherwise known as Fairy Dust, or Magitite. A blur, not quite like a ghost, rushed past and Harry knew it was over.

* * *

"It's about time... you joined us... Mr. Malfoy," Dumbledore said with pain in his tired, dusty voice. "I thought you... were... just going to... sit on that balcony... and enjoy the show!"

Draco grinned. "You were killing Voldemort! I can't let Potter get all the credit."

"We hardly killed him!" McGonagall snapped, her face full of exhausted resignation. "All we did tonight is take away his form. He's still alive, Draco."

Dumbledore sighed. "That he is, Minerva."

"Harry." McGonagall looked across to where he knelt beside the injured headmaster. "Send Sara's bird to Madam Pomfrey. We need her assistance."

"I'll go get her." Malfoy's Lightning Mach 1 lay discarded by his feet. "UP!" Harry shouted, threw his leg over, and turned toward the doors to Sara's rooms. He opened them with his wand, went strait down the center of the lighthouse-style spiral staircase, and blew the door at the bottom open and out of his way. Now in large, open corridors, he was able to push the fastest racing broom in existence to its limits. If someone happened to be standing nearby, all they would have seen was a blur as he sliced the air. Harry handled the broom with ease. The sharp turns into corridors would have been deadly to someone with less skill, but Harry flew with precision and grace.

"MADAM POMFREY!!" he bellowed as he neared her room in the hospital wing. "MADAM POMFREY! GET UP!!! He was flying too fast to use his wand, so he crashed into the door, using Draco's millionaire broom as a battering ram, driving it open and splintering the wood. He spun to a complete stop and hovered in the gloom of her bedroom. She was up, wearing a nightgown and pulling on a robe, a look of shock on her face that could only have been in response to his explosive entrance.

"Get on."

The grave look on his face coupled with the urgency in his voice caused the medi-witch to throw herself over the back of the broom without question.

Harry shot back into the corridor and prepared to pick up speed. "It's Dumbledore," he said without turning. "Hold on tight."

Knowing full well how Harry flew a broom, Madam Pomfrey wrapped her arms around his waist and held on tight.

* * *

"It's the worst of the Unforgivable Curses, Poppy," McGonagall explained, both kneeling on either side of Dumbledore. "We were all defenseless. All except two children and He-Who-Must-Not-be-Named. He tried to kill Albus."

"Harry saved my life," Dumbledore said, a small smile lighting his pale, weary face.

"You still got hurt." Harry was more worried than he'd ever been in his life.

"Yes, but not killed."

Madam Pomfrey looked away from Dumbledore for the first time since her arrival. Seeing the bloody students gathered 'round in ruined clothes, with one hand holding the worst injury, the other holding somebody else's hand or slung around the slumped shoulders of a friend. She dispatched them all to the infirmary without delay. There were nurses there that could tend to their injuries.

Sara stayed behind as she was unhurt, but Draco went with them, having sprained his ankle landing on the roof in his hurry to help "kill" Voldemort. He reclaimed his broom from Harry, who found his Firebolt leaning against the wall with the rest of the brooms at the top of the stairs.

He didn't know why, but Draco waited for the rest of them, all Gryffindors he was supposed to despise and who loathed him, he was sure.

Hermione glared at him. "How the hell did you get hurt? You just showed up at the end, trying to steal some glory!"

"Jumped off my broom."

Ron sneered. "Not exactly a battle wound."

"Hurts just like one, though."

"Hermione? What are you holding?" Harry noticed for the first time that she was covered in blood. It stained her dress, her hair, and her arms and face were splattered crimson. Ron looked much the same.

"A dagger," she said and sheathed it, sliding it into the wand pocket of her tattered silver cape. "The orb takes our magic, remember? I wasn't taking any chances. We both brought one. I can't believe you didn't think of it! Ron and I assumed it was the obvious thing to do."

"Hey!" Ron said as realization bloomed on his face. "How come you had magic?"

Harry turned and smiled at Malfoy, still hovering on his broom. "Someone must've had my back."

Malfoy returned Harry's smile.

Seamus climbed on a school broom. "Come on, people! Let's go get fixed up. Neville, you ride with me. I know how you feel about brooms."

Dean groaned. "I feel like I got run over by the Hogwarts Express."

"No kidding!" Neville agreed. "We just left the infirmary!"

"I think the Pepper-up is wearing off." Ron selected a school broom from the wall, listless and exhausted.

Everyone mounted a broom, all except Hermione. She inspected her bloody clothes, wiping blood from her face, hands, and arms. All she'd managed to do was smear it until it looked worse than it had. Hermione swallowed hard and looked at Ron. "Get it off me," she said, and then collapsed.

"HERMIONE!" Harry and Ron rushed to her side.

Dean glanced down at her. "She's still breathing!"

Harry lifted her off the floor and Ron sat on his broom, reaching out with his arms. Harry laid Hermione across his friend's lap and Ron held her to his chest.

Harry snapped and bellowed at Ron. "I thought you'd protect her!"

"I tried!" Ron defended. "Harry, there were so many of them! She said she was fine!"

"Just go! Hurry!"

"Follow me, Weasley." Draco took off at a pace Ron's school broom could keep. They were all in the air, single-file. Six Gryffindors and one Slytherin, leading the way for all of them.

- 136 -