Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Part Two / Chapter Fifty-Eight
The oak front doorsstood open ahead of them, light flooding out onto the drive and the lawn. Slowly, uncertainly, dressing-gowned people were creeping down the steps, looking around nervously for some sign of the Death Eaters who had fled into the night. Venus' eyes, however, were fixed upon the students whispering to eachother and glancing at her. The news must've spread. Her secret wasn't much of a secret anymore.
"What're they all lookin' at?" said Hagrid, as he, Venus and Harry approached the castle front, Fang keeping as close as he could to their ankles. "Wha's tha', lyin' on the grass?" Hagrid added sharply, heading now toward the foot of the Astronomy Tower, where a small crowd was congregating. "See it, Harry? Righ' at the foot o' the tower? Under where the Mark . . . Blimey . . . yeh don' think someone got thrown — ?"
Hagrid fell silent, the thought apparently too horrible to express aloud. Venus scanned the crowd for Constance. Her, Harry and Hagrid moved, dreamlike, through the murmuring crowd to the very front, where the dumbstruck students and teachers had left a gap. Venus heard Hagrid's moan of pain and shock, but he did not stop; he walked slowly forward until he reached the place where Dumbledore lay and crouched down beside him.
"Venus." Constance was there, huddled with a shaking Cordelia in her arms. Venus sprinted toward them and engulfed her best friend in a hasty hug. Then, she knelt down to face Cordelia.
"I'm sorry, Venus. I just wanted to help—"
Venus held the small girl in her arms."It's okay," she whispered. "As long as your alright, you two aren't hurt right?"
They both shook their heads. The crowd murmured around Venus. Their eyes either gazing sadly upon Dumbledore's body or peering horrifyingly in Venus' direction. They were scared of her.
"C'mere, Harry . . ." she heard Hagrid plead.
"No."
"Yeh can' stay here, Harry. . . . Come on, now. . . ."
"No."
"Hermione and Ron and everyone from the Order are in the Hospital Wing, McGonagall said to go. I'll meet you there okay?" Constance said, holding Cordelia's hand. "Ron and Ginny's brother— Bill. He looks bad Venus. . . Greyback."
They soon separated and Venus pushed through the crowd to meet Harry. She knelt beside him and her hand had enclosed his pulling him upward. She began leading him back into the castle. Incomprehensible voices battered her, sobs and shouts and wails stabbed the night, but Harry and Venus walked on, back up the steps into the entrance hall. Faces swam on the edges of Venus' vision, people were peering at them, whispering, wondering, and Gryffindor rubies glistened on the floor like drops of blood as they made their way toward the marble staircase.
