Descent into Darkness

As he partially rematerialised Hermione saw HarryÂ’s eyes travel from Goyle to the half-open doorway to the sixth year girlsÂ’ dormitory. She looked back and saw that HarryÂ’s capacity for rage had reached a new and dangerous level. He glared at the much taller Slytherin, "And what," said Harry with a vein of fury usually associated with brothers protecting their sisterÂ’s virtue, " the hell do you think youÂ’re doing here?"

Goyle lumbered forward, knocked Harry into the wall and escaped down the steps. Hermione dashed down the steps, "Are you alright?" she asked Harry.

Harry swore and pounded the wall, "Yeah, but he got away. How did he get in, was he - "

Harry broke off as Seamus came running up the stairs. "Okay, a semi-opaque Slytherin just barged through the common room, barely five minutes after Ron marched out in what can only be described as some seriously stylish threads, what the hell is going on?!"

As Harry slid further down the wall in a defeated heap, Hermione sketched in the details for an increasingly incredulous and alarmed Seamus. "So RonÂ’s gay? With Draco? No way, but DracoÂ’s so posh!"

"I think youÂ’re missing the obvious here, Seamus. Malfoy and Slytherin in general are acting really suspect. Goyle was cloaked in an invisibility spell that I could only partially remove; thatÂ’s high-level magic."

"And how could a Squib like Goyle master such an elaborate spell?" Harry re-animated. "YouÂ’re right, thereÂ’s something else going on. And I think I know who to ask about it."

"Who?" Hermione asked, intrigued.

Harry got to his feet. "I only hope IÂ’m wrong," he said as he pushed open the door to the sixth year girlsÂ’ dormitory. They looked in and saw Ginny asleep on the covers.

"Hermione," Harry looked at her apprehensively, "can you see if sheÂ’s under any enchantments?"

Hermione went in and examined GinnyÂ’s face. She pointed her wand and muttered an incantation. The end of her wand shone gold. "I think sheÂ’s been knocked out with a sleeping spell."

Harry and Seamus stepped forward to look. "How do you know that?" said Harry, impressed.

"I know this one, itÂ’s because sheÂ’s pretty hard to wake up and plus, HermioneÂ’s wand did that cool glow thing," Seamus added helpfully.

"The reason why I stopped sitting next to you in Charms has just come flooding back to me. Oh god, I think I know whatÂ’s happened." HarryÂ’s face hardened. He shook GinnyÂ’s shoulder roughly, and she began to wake up. Harry pulled his wand from his pocket.

"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed. "What are you doing?"

"SheÂ’s a spy," Harry explained. "WhatÂ’s more sheÂ’s the worst spy since Gringott the Goblin tried to sneak undetected into a VeelaÂ’s only party wearing a sparkly blonde wig."

"Alright, I get it. Spy for who?"

"Draco," said Harry with lethal calm. "Or Drac. Or D, depends on how well you know him."

"How well does she know him?" Seamus looked worried.

"ThatÂ’s what weÂ’re going to find out" Harry pointed his wand, "Enervate"

Ginny opened her wide eyes and stared at them. She shut her eyes tightly, and then opened them again, seeming surprised to find them still there. "Ginny, listen to me, this is very important." HarryÂ’s tone was soft but his eyes glinted like a knife-edge, "Where have you been this afternoon?"

Ginny sat up and frowned, "I went to lessons."

"ItÂ’s Saturday," Hermione reminded her.

Ginny thought for a moment, "Then I went to the Quidditch Match."

Harry exchanged glances with Hermione. "Who won?" he asked her gently.

"Slytherin. Sorry Harry." Tears began rolling down GinnyÂ’s face.

"Why are you crying, Gin?" Seamus put a hand on her arm as she started shaking.

Harry stood up. "SheÂ’s lying, only she doesnÂ’t know why." He looked at Hermione, "Do you still have that vial of Veritaserum?"

"Harry, no!"

"What else do you suggest?" said Harry simply.

Hermione looked at GinnyÂ’s confused face. "Alright, IÂ’ll go and get it."

Seamus put his arm around GinnyÂ’s shoulders; her tears subsided as she buried her face in his sweater. He watched warily as Harry paced the floor.

Hermione returned with two vials. She sat down on the bed next to Ginny. "This oneÂ’s the Veritaserum."

Harry regarded the clear liquid, "And the other one?"

"ItÂ’s a general potion that helps break through memory charms."

"Well, thank Snape for sixth year PotionÂ’s project." Harry commented dryly, "Trust you to go for extra credit."

Seamus reluctantly pushed Ginny away, but kept hold of her hand. "ItÂ’ll be alright," he said reassuringly, "but we need to know."

Hermione mixed drops of each potion in a beaker of water and handed it to Ginny, who drank it.

"Right," said Harry, bouncing nervously on the balls of his feet, "where were you this afternoon?"

Ginny answered in a flat, expressionless voice, "I went to Slytherin."

Seamus swore and dropped GinnyÂ’s hand. "Right," said Harry again. He thought for a moment, "Why did you go to Slytherin this afternoon?"

"To see Draco," Ginny replied. "To tell him that I would help him."

"How?" queried Harry.

"By telling him what was happening in Gryffindor, in case you got suspicious."

"Of him and Ron?" Harry laughed painfully, "Bit late for that."

"No, in case you got suspicious of them. In case you try to stop them."

"The Slytherins? What are they planning?"

"He said it will end the world as we know it. ItÂ’s a surprise."

Hermione stared at Ginny, startled. "TheyÂ’re going to destroy the school!" she breathed.

"I donÂ’t know."

"TheyÂ’re going to call Voldemort, disable the wards and summon the Death Eaters!" Seamus suggested."

"I donÂ’t know."

"Come on, Ginny, tell us!" Harry exclaimed.

"Harry, stop!" Hermione pleaded as Ginny began to cry again, "She canÂ’t lie, remember? She doesnÂ’t know."

Harry tried another tactic, "Why did you agree to help him?"

Ginny smiled as the tears continued to fall. "Because he asked me nicely. Because I couldnÂ’t say no; I didnÂ’t want to. HeÂ’s like Tom."

"‘He’s like Tom’?" Seamus repeated, "Tom Riddle? Christ!"

Harry had nearly died fighting against the sinister memory of what Voldemort had been in the Chamber of Secrets all those years ago. Did she mean that Malfoy wasnÂ’t real? No, heÂ’d seen him grow up over the past seven years. That he was powerful? Maybe. Persuasive? Harry was reminded of Ron and concluded that it was probably true.

"Harry?" HermioneÂ’s voice brought him back to reality, "We have to stop this, itÂ’s hurting her."

Harry looked at Ginny and saw that her face was red and pained and her eyes dim. "Yeah, youÂ’re right. Take it off." Hermione pulled another vial from her pocket, and with SeamusÂ’ help put a few drops in her mouth. Ginny sank back, unconscious.

****

Ron walked up to the place in the corridor he thought the door was concealed. He pressed and examined various notches until, to his surprise, the wall slid back and he found himself facing a glowering Mark Nott.

Ron raised his eyebrows in a "so, are you going to let me in or are we just going to stand here all day?" expression.

Nott raised one eyebrow in an indistinct but unimpressed response, but he grudgingly backed up and let Ron through.

He found heÂ’d walked into yet another Slytherin pride meeting as he spotted most of the seventh years gathered in the chairs around the fireplace, talking softly.

Ron looked back at Nott, "Draco?" he asked.

He indicated the stairs to the left.

Perfect, thought Ron as he climbed the stairs. He stopped outside DracoÂ’s private room and pushed the door open. Draco stood by the fireplace, gazing thoughtfully at the glowing embers.

He turned at the sound of the door and smiled silkily at Ron. "Hello stranger," he purred. "I was wondering when youÂ’d show up."

Ron shut the door behind him with a soft click. He walked up to Draco, pleased to see him take in his new look. "Black suits you," he said approvingly, stroking the soft cotton of RonÂ’s shirt.

Ron placed his sensitive fingers on DracoÂ’s face and examined the smooth surface. "Did he hurt you?"

Draco leant towards his touch. "No, the impact with the stone stairs hurt me; he just pissed me off."

"IÂ’m sorryÂ… about him."

"Yeah, well nobodyÂ’s perfect," Draco pretended to think for a minute, "well, there was this guy, but we killed him." He smiled charmingly as Ron frowned in mock reproach.

The door opened behind them and Pansy Parkinson coughed discretely. Draco nodded in response. He turned back to Ron, "Well anyway, gotta go - "

He was silenced by RonÂ’s mouth on his.

Ron broke off. "So anyway," he said casually, still holding DracoÂ’s jaw, "I thought IÂ’d, um, make it up to you."

"How?" Draco asked absently, aware that the other Slytherins were waiting for him in the common room.

In the silence that followed Draco looked back at Ron blankly. Finally, after many significant looks, the penny (or sickle) dropped, "Really?!" exclaimed Draco, failing to stop the edge of eagerness entering his usual drawling tones. He was after all, still seventeen.

Ron grinned and nodded, "Ah ha."

Draco grinned back, "Alright, give me a minute, IÂ’ll send them off without me."

He exited quickly, leaving Ron alone in the room. He looked around at the understated luxury of DracoÂ’s living space. The furniture was heavy, dark oak, a huge bureau took up the corner of one room. Ron examined the homework parchments covered in DracoÂ’s sensuous copperplate writing. He glanced at the fine dragon-hide perch for DracoÂ’s eagle owl, and thought of PigwidgeonÂ’s tatty travelling cage in comparison. He opened the wardrobe, brushing his hand against the clothes and breathing in the sent that was uniquely and completely Draco. He shut the doors and looked back at the room. The four-poster bed that took up most of the space was decorated with ornate carvings. Ron traced the vine that ran around one of the posts as Draco came back.

"Where are they going?" asked Ron as Draco stood watching him.

Draco leant back against the wall and smiled slowly, "Oh, I wouldnÂ’t worry, theyÂ’re just off to do some high-level chanting." Ron knew that Draco wasnÂ’t telling him everything, but that didnÂ’t concern him.

Ron tilted his head and stared back challengingly. Draco crossed the room in two strides and stopped, teasingly short. Ron reached out and caught DracoÂ’s belt, using it to pull him towards him. This time, kissing Draco was different and yet familiar. Sweet and warm and intoxicating, like hot coffee liqueur. He had felt DracoÂ’s initial surprise at his boldness, and then his entranced laughter vibrating in his chest.

He pulled back slightly in order to pull of DracoÂ’s shirt. "YouÂ’re mine," he murmured, as he guided DracoÂ’s willing hand into his jeans, "IÂ’m going to fuck you, IÂ’ll make you want me as much as I want you."

"Anticipation is so very sweet," Draco whispered in response, grazing the sensitive skin of RonÂ’s neck with burning kisses, "when youÂ’re sure of the outcome." He made Ron gasp and arch towards him as he moved his hand skillfully. "IÂ’ve wanted you from the beginning, I could never deny you anything."

****

Harry, Hermione, Seamus and a fragile Ginny sat around a large desk in a study room near Gryffindor. Hermione sorted busily through piles of parchments and various magical supplies. Harry fidgeted with HermioneÂ’s Potion box, clashing the crystal vials together so they clinked and chimed like broken glass. Ginny huddled in a wool blanket, staring out of the window into the dark forest. Seamus, in tern, stared at Ginny, a worried type of resolve on his features.

Hermione broke the silence, "Harry, are you sure about this?"

Harry sighed and closed the box, "Hermione, look at it from my perspective. My best friend has joined forces with my sworn enemy; well, one of them. His sister, a Chaser on my team, was spying for said enemy. I have also have the distinct suspicion that the worldÂ’s about to end. On days like this, even my lucky Quidditch socks won't help."

Hermione half-smiled, "Alright then. If youÂ’re going to successfully disarm a powerful wizard, it helps if you know about his wand."

"RightÂ…" Harry looked back at her blankly.

"Come on Harry! YouÂ’ve known the guy for seven years! HeÂ’s tried to curse you with it enough times!"

"Well, itÂ’s about so long," Harry estimated the length, "and made of wood."

Hermione snapped in irritation, "Type of wood? Core materials?"

"You could ask Ron about DracoÂ’s wandÂ…" Seamus sniggered and then trailed off as Harry glared.

"Alright, Dragon heartstring andÂ… Ash. Or Oak, or something old like that." Hermione scribbled furiously.

"How dÂ’you know that?" asked Harry dubiously.

"Well, the Dragon bit is a dead cert. And the wood; heÂ’s got major hang ups about his heritage so itÂ’s probably something that reflects that. ItÂ’s probably enough to go on." She pulled a pile of manuscripts towards her and began sifting through them. "Here it is, an advanced spell for disarming a specific opponent."

Seamus peered over HermioneÂ’s shoulder, "Where did you find that? And all the rest for that matter."

Hermione blushed slightly, "IÂ’ve been researching advanced Defence Against the Dark Arts in my spare time. If the war gets worse, we wonÂ’t have time to finish school and I want to be prepared."

"Imagine what youÂ’d be like as an Auror," Harry smiled, "if IÂ’m scared of you now!"

Hermione cleared space on her desk and placed key items on it. "WeÂ’ve got a general idea of his wand, and we know where heÂ’ll be and weÂ’ve got some of his hair." She placed a clip of five shiny strands next to her parchments and a map of the school.

"Where did you get that?" asked Seamus.

Harry answered for her, "Off RonÂ’s clothes." Hermione nodded and Harry kicked a nearby bookshelf in frustration.

Seamus looked unconvinced. "So you might be able to take on Malfoy. How are we going to take them all on, weÂ’ll need an army."

"They wonÂ’t be there." Ginny stirred and looked at Harry with vacant eyes.

Harry glanced at Hermione, who muttered something about psychic bonds and looked away.

Harry knelt down next to Ginny, "Why not?"

"I donÂ’t know, but they wonÂ’t. TonightÂ’s important."

Harry caught SeamusÂ’ concerned gaze,."End of the world important?" He steeled himself for the reply.

"No, not that."

Hermione looked up from her map. "SheÂ’s right."

Harry pulled the parchment towards him. "God, itÂ’s like the MarauderÂ’s map reborn!" he exclaimed in delight. Hermione had formed a rough outline of the exterior walls and the dungeons. Tiny pinpoints marked each person within those areas.

"IÂ’ve only managed to put tracers on a few from each year, and most from ours," Hermione explained. "Hardly any older Slytherins are there. We can assume that most others are in the dorms," she pointed these out, "Although the seventh years we had marked arenÂ’t there."

"Except Draco," said Seamus pointing to the map, "And whoÂ’s that? Oh."

"ItÂ’s Ron," said Harry, "WellÂ…"

"It makes it easier," said Hermione, "If the seventh years arenÂ’t there and DracoÂ’sÂ… occupied, we donÂ’t have to involve anyone else. I can work from here, Seamus can guard the doors and Harry, you can go in."

"Although what you think youÂ’ll get out of it I donÂ’t know," said Seamus sceptically.

"I want answers. The original plan was to separate Malfoy from the restÂ… somehow. This way we donÂ’t have to; get me in, seal the doors and stand well back."

Seamus looked at Harry carefully and said, "Harry, weÂ’re going to storm the enemy base of an evil and potentially quite dangerous adversary. Things could go wrong."

"Yeah." Harry, still in his Quidditch kit, looked determined.

Seamus buckled under the clear, green-eyed glare, "Right, okay just checking that was clear. You donÂ’t think a better plan might be in order?"

"Scared Finnigan?" Harry said, knowing Seamus would rather face a squadron of Bludgers then admit that.

"Me, no! I laugh in the face of danger. I drop ice cubes down the vest of fear."

"Okay then." Harry smiled grimly, "How long do you need, Hermione?"

Hermione looked down at her desk, calculating, "Two hours to set up. Then a half hour for everything to come together."

****

Draco looked down at Ron, who was sleeping peacefully, tangled in the sheets. Does he know, he wondered, whatÂ’s to come, whatÂ’s going to happen to us all? He brushed a rogue red wave back off RonÂ’s face.

He had woken up suddenly, like a glass of water had been poured over him and he was restless, charged with nervous, elated energy. He pulled on his shirt and jeans and walked down to the common room, shutting the door softly behind him.

****

Seamus and Harry stood tensely at the entrance to the dungeons. Seamus checked his watch, "If HermioneÂ’s done her stuff then Malfoy will be in place by now. The guards should be down, and your wand will show you to the door."

"Right then," Harry took a deep breath, "if IÂ’m not back in one hourÂ… wait longer."

****

In the darkened classroom Hermione watched the map and saw Draco make his way to the common room. As he crossed the threshold to the room, she sealed the exit behind him. The small dot marked, "Harry Potter" triggered the mechanism on the hidden doorway and entered as "Draco Malfoy" dot moved towards the far end of the room. Hermione sealed the perimeter doors and half-laughed as "Seamus Finnigan" dot moved from step to step to keep warm.

Well Harry, itÂ’s up to you now.

****

Draco turned as Harry entered and stared at him with confusion.

"How the f -"

"Surprised, Malfoy?" said Harry, deathly calm and pale.

"Accio, wand!" commanded Draco. There was a long pause and Harry shook his head.

Draco realised that some kind of magic seal was in place around the room. He was annoyed, but impressed. He knew the others would be back soon, he only had to play for time, so long as Potter didnÂ’t do anything stupid. "ItÂ’s seems IÂ’ve underestimated you, Potter. So, whatÂ’s up with Sparky now? Why have you come here?"

"To stop you fromÂ… doing whatever it is youÂ’re trying to do." Harry moved closer steadily, his eyes hard and determined.

"Harry, youÂ’ve already caused me one concussion today, surely youÂ’ve done enough."

"Well, IÂ’ve got to give you an opportunity to fight back, havenÂ’t I? How about we settle this, man to man?"

Draco stood his ground, but an edge of nervousness cut into his terse response, "Sorry Harry, I’ve always said ‘Never hit a man with glasses’, much better to hit him with an iron bar."

"I'm not smiling because your joke was funny... I'm smiling because I know you'll be dead someday."

Their eyes locked, Draco silently calculated the distance to the door and realised he wouldnÂ’t be able to distract Harry long enough to get to it. There was no one else around, and knowing Potter he had an army of Gryffindors guarding the perimeter.

Harry thought, why isnÂ’t he saying anything? I bet Seamus has fallen asleep; if I get out of this room in one piece itÂ’ll be a big, flat piece. He steeled himself, still if IÂ’m going out, IÂ’m damn well going to take him with me. He raised his wand.

To be continuedÂ…