The Boy Who Lived

The Skin of One's Teeth

When Theo stepped through the Floo into the main hall at Beaumont he was greeted by a horribly sombre feeling of people sitting around in stunned deathly silence. He was immediately met by Hermione Granger and Draco, both of whom looked pale and drawn with worry.

'What's happening?' he asked as they led him at breakneck speed up through the castle to a bedroom at the end of a long corridor. 'Harry didn't explain, his Patronus suddenly appeared saying he needed my urgent help at the Hall.'

No one answered him, they just led him into a beautiful pale green bedroom where Minerva McGonagall was laid on the large barley-twist four-poster bed and Harry was sitting in a chair beside her, reaching forward as he held onto her hand. Dried tear tracks marked his face. He looked hollow.

Theo's first thought was that McGonagall had passed away and it just didn't seem possible. She was someone you imagined would live forever.

It just didn't commute. But then he registered that Madame Pomfrey was in the room too, carefully running diagnostics and retrieving small vials from her portable potions' cabinet. She wouldn't need potions for a dead patient, unless they were for Potter. But Bill Weasley was there too, also running his own diagnostic spells and Theo knew Bill was the best curse-breaker in Britain, second only to himself.

'Anything?' asked Hermione.

Harry shook his head and didn't speak.

'I'll let the others know,' Hermione said and she slipped away.

Draco perched himself on the arm of the chair next to Harry and placed an arm around his shoulders. It seemed so natural that it took Theo a moment to remember their rivalry from school. He was still getting used to the idea of them being soulmates, but when he saw them together, well, one forgot the past easily. Perhaps there was something in that, they all knew that Harry had defeated Voldemort using love. He needed to contemplate that in terms of his own work. There was, Theo thought, always something new to learn.

'There's an amulet, around her neck,' Harry spoke, his voice hoarse. 'Alecto Carrow, I imagine, not her brother. Though whether she made it or acquired it, I don't know. She said that if I take it off, mum dies. If I leave it there, mum dies.'

Theo drew his wand, tracing over the amulet. 'What have you found?' he questioned Bill.

'It's layered. Several complex curses which activated as soon as it was placed about her neck. I think one is the Gormlaith Curse...'

Theo grimaced.

'What does that mean?' demanded Draco.

'It's an enchanted slumber which is exceedingly hard to pull anyone out off,' said Theo.

'There's the Thief's Curse too. A very potent version,' said Harry hoarsely. 'I can feel it. It was the same curse on the Gaunt Ring. The curse is spreading like a poison, killing her. As it's over her heart, it's working quickly. With Dumbledore, it crept from his hand, it took longer and Severus was able to prolong his life using a potion.'

'I'll go and talk to Severus,' said Draco.

'No, stay,' said Harry. ''We don't need potions. We need to break the curse.'

'Harry, when was the last time you ate, or drank anything?' Draco said, causing Theo to stop in his own diagnosis of the amulet.

'I don't know. Maybe yesterday...'

'Let go of Minnie and come with me,' Draco coaxed. 'We'll get you some food and you need to sleep.'

'I can't let go,' Harry said.

'She's not going anywhere, she's safe here. Bill and Theo will look after her.'

'You don't understand. I can't let go. I'm keeping her alive,' said Harry.