Black Rose (Draco Malfoy)

Alone

Chapter 57: Alone

Students were beginning to gather around Dumbledore's body. I felt numb as I followed them. Then I could see him. My stomach lurched. He had told me to stay close to Snape. It was what he had wanted...

"Crystal..."

I flinched at the hand on my shoulder. My dad was looking at me solemnly. My mom was right behind him. I was glad to see they were fine.

"Professor McGonagall wants us to gather in the hospital wing," said my dad. "The rest of the Order is already there."

Part of me did not want to obey. I knew what they were going to say. And once Harry arrived.... Yet, if I did not speak up for Snape, who would? "Ok," I said. "Let's go."

My father must have noticed I was disoriented, for he kept his hand on my shoulder and led me into the castle. I wondered if he or my mother noticed that I had been up on the tower or had run after Harry; I really did not feel like answering their interrogating questions.

We entered the hospital wing, and I gazed around to assess the damage. Neville and Professor Flitwick were both asleep on beds, but they appeared to be fine. Ron Hermione, Luna, Tonks, and Lupin were gathered around a bed. My parents and I walked toward them. Lupin was the first to notice us; he gave me a small nod. "Good evening, Crystal."

Now the others turned. "Crystal," Hermione said, running up to meet me. "Where were you?"

"Er, it's a long story," I said lamely.

"Let's wait until we're all here," my dad said.

I looked past Hermione at the figure on the bed. I could not tell who it was, but his face so badly slashed and ripped that he looked grotesque. "Who-"

"Bill," Ron said. "Greyback got to him."

Before I could comment, the doors to the hospital wing were pushed open, and Harry and Ginny entered. I began to take a step toward Ginny, but I faltered when I realized I would have to get close to Harry as well. I hung my head and stepped back. Ginny would probably side with Harry anyway. They all would.

Hermione ran past me and hugged Harry. Lupin moved forward too, looking anxious. "Are you alright, Harry?" Hermione asked after she had let go.

"I'm fine.... How's Bill?"

Nobody answered. Harry looked over Hermione's shoulder, and I knew he was looking at Bill. "Can't you fix them with a charm or something?" he asked the Madame Pomfrey.

"No charm will work on these," the matron said. "I've tried everything I know, but there is no cure for werewolf bites."

"But he wasn't bitten at the full moon," said Ron, who was gazing down into his brother's face as though he could somehow force him to mend just by staring. "Greyback hadn't transformed, so surely Bill won't be a - a real - ?" He looked uncertainly at Lupin.

"No, I don't think that Bill will be a true werewolf," Lupin said, "but that does not mean that there won't be some contamination. Those are cursed wounds. They are unlikely ever to heal fully, and - and Bill might have some wolfish characteristics from now on."

"Dumbledore might know something that'd work, though," Ron said. "Where is he? Bill fought those maniacs on Dumbledore's orders, Dumbledore owes him, he can't leave him in this state -"

"Ron – Dumbledore's dead," Ginny said.

"No!" Lupin looked wildly from Ginny to Harry, as though hoping the latter might contradict her, but when Harry did nor, Lupin collapsed into a chair beside Bill's bed, his hands over his face.

"How did he die?" Tonks whispered. "How did it happen?"

"Snape killed him," Harry said, and I flinched. "I was there, I saw it. We arrived back on the Astronomy Tower because that's where the Mark was. . . . Dumbledore was ill, he was weak, but I think he realized it was a trap when we heard footsteps running up the stairs. He immobilized me, I couldn't do anything, I was under the Invisibility Cloak - and then Malfoy came through the door and disarmed him -"

Hermione clapped her hands to her mouth and Ron groaned. Luna's mouth trembled. I looked away, though I could feel my parents' eyes on me.

"- more Death Eaters arrived - and then Snape - and Snape did it. The Avada Kedavra."

Madam Pomfrey burst into tears. Nobody paid her any attention except Ginny, who whispered, "Shh! Listen!"