Emma Potter; Going to War

84: Draco and Dumbledore

Once back under the starry sky, Harry and I heaved Dumbledoreonto the top of the nearest boulder and then to his feet.Sodden and shivering, Dumbledore's weight still upon him, Harry had gripped my hand as I concentrated harder than I had ever done upon my destination:Hogsmeade. 

Closing my eyes, gripping Dumbledore's arm astightly as I could, I stepped forward into that feeling of horriblecompression. I knew it had worked before I opened my eyes: The smell ofsalt, the sea breeze had gone. 

Me, Harry and Dumbledore were shiveringand dripping in the middle of the dark High Street in Hogsmeade.For one horrible moment my imagination showed him moreInferi creeping toward us around the sides of shops, but heblinked and saw that nothing was stirring; all was still, the darknesscomplete but for a few streetlamps and lit upper windows. 

"We did it, Professor!" I whispered with difficulty; I suddenly realized that I had a searing stitch in my chest. "We didit! We got the Horcrux!" 

Dumbledore staggered against Harry. For a moment, I thought that my inexpert Apparition had thrown Dumbledore offbalance; then he saw his face, paler and damper than ever in thedistant light of a streetlamp.

 "Sir, are you all right?"

 "I've been better," said Dumbledore weakly, though the cornersof his mouth twitched. "That potion . . . was no health drink. . . ."

 And to my horror, Dumbledore sank onto the ground. 

"Sir — it's okay, sir, you're going to be all right, don't worry —"

 I looked around desperately for help, but there was nobody tobe seen and all I could think was that he must somehow getDumbledore quickly to the hospital wing.

 "We need to get you up to the school, sir. . . . Madam Pomfrey . . ." 

"No," said Dumbledore. "It is . . . Professor Snape whom Ineed. . . . But I do not think . . . I can walk very far just yet. . . ."

 "Right — sir, listen — we're going to knock on a door, find aplace you can stay — then we can run and get Madam —" 

"Severus," said Dumbledore clearly. "I need Severus. . . ." 

"All right then, Snape — but we're going to have to leave you fora moment so I can —" 

Before Harry or I could make a move, however, we heard runningfootsteps. My heart leapt: Somebody had seen, somebody knew we needed help — and looking around I saw Madam Rosmertascurrying down the dark street toward us on high-heeled, fluffyslippers, wearing a silk dressing gown embroidered with dragons. 

"I saw you Apparate as I was pulling my bedroom curtains! Thank goodness, thank goodness, I couldn't think what to — butwhat's wrong with Albus?"

 She came to a halt, panting, and stared down, wide-eyed, atDumbledore. 

"He's hurt," said Harry. "Madam Rosmerta, can he come intothe Three Broomsticks while I go up to the school and get help forhim?"

 "You can't go up there alone! Don't you realize — haven't youseen — ? 

"If you help me support him," said Harry, not listening to her,"I think we can get him inside —" 

"What has happened?" I asked. 

 "Rosmerta, what'swrong?" asked Dumbledore.

 "The — the Dark Mark, Albus."

 And she pointed into the sky, in the direction of Hogwarts.Dread flooded me at the sound of the words. . . . I turned andlooked.There it was, hanging in the sky above the school: the blazinggreen skull with a serpent tongue, the mark Death Eaters left behind whenever they had entered a building . . . wherever they hadmurdered. . . .