Raven (Fred x oc)

93. The Dragon's River of Blood

I was sitting in my office working when I heard a faint knock on the door. "Come in!" I called, busily scribbling on the parchment.

"Hey," Katie said. I jumped up.

"Katie," I exclaimed, rushing over to her. "Oh, Merlin, how are you? Are you feeling all right?"

"I'm fine," she promised with a small laugh.

"Oh, gosh," I said, hugging her tightly.

......................................................................................

A few weeks later, I was walking along the hall when I saw Harry staring at a piece of parchment before pressing his ear to the door of one of the boy's bathrooms. I frowned, slowing in my pace as Harry quietly pushed open the door. The door didn't swing all the way closed and I stopped just outside, listening. "No one can help me," a tearful voice said. My heart clenched as I recognized it as Draco's voice. "I can't do it...I can't...It won't work...and unless I do it soon, he'll kill me."

Then I heard him sob. Next, I began to hear crashes and remembered that Harry was in there too. I rushed in just in time to hear Draco shout, "Cruci-"

"SECTUMPEMPRA!" Harry shouted in turn. I dashed forward, trying to create a field between them while getting in front of Draco, but instead, I felt a searing pain across my cheek and down my neck. I turned to look at Draco. His face and torso were quickly covered in deep cuts as blood flowed. He collapsed, his blood mixing with the water on the floor to form a pool of blood around him.

"DRACO!" I shrieked, collapsing next to him. My hand was trembling so terribly I couldn't do anything for him. I was roughly shoved aside as I continued sobbing. Snape was crouching over Draco, muttering some spell under his breath.

Lifting him to his feet, Snape said, "You need the hospital wing. There may be a certain amount of scarring, but if you take dittany immediately we might avoid even that. Come. Potter, you wait here for me. Ms. Black, come along as well." I got to my feet shakily, following behind slowly as the groups of students stared in shock and horror at our bloodstained robes and the deep cut in my cheek.

Madam Pomfrey began to help Draco as I shakily collapsed in a chair, my head in my hands as I trembled and cried. Touching my shoulder gently, Madam Pomfrey said, "He'll be all right, dear. Let me look at you."

"N-No," I stuttered, getting to my feet. I moved over to Draco. He was paler even than he had been of late. Tears still stained his cheeks. "D-Draco?" I whispered. He opened his eyes, glancing over at me in surprise. "My god," I whispered, sitting down next to him. We sat in silence until Snape reappeared an hour later.

"Ms. Black, shouldn't you be supervising the Ravenclaw Quidditch practice?" Snape remarked. I looked back at Draco and got to my feet. I left them, heading up to my room before I heard someone call my name.

"Valerie!" Harry shouted. I turned, still pale with tears and blood still coating my cheeks and robes.

"Don't, Harry," I said weakly, backing away from him. "Just leave me alone." I left and he let me. Once I got to my room, I peeled off my robes and stepped into the shower. I felt as though my entire body was coated in Draco's blood. I scrubbed my skin raw and washed every oil and mineral out of my hair before I stepped back out. I changed into sweatpants and a large t-shirt and tied my hair up in a messy bun after drying it with magic.

I was still trembling as I left and went into my office. I let out a scream of surprise, spotting Dumbledore sitting in one of the chairs on the other side of mine. My hand clutching my heart, I drew in deep breaths and sat down. Without a word, he poured out some tea and handed me the cup. I wrapped my cold hands around the warm cup and took a feeble sip.

He also produced a small potion and explained, "Madam Pomfrey wanted you to take this. For shock." I downed it, but my nerves were still shot. I continued to drink my tea and slowly calmed down as Dumbledore drank his own wordlessly.

Finally setting down my sixth cup of tea, I asked in a low shaky voice, "Where did Harry learn a spell like that?"

"I do not know," Dumbledore admitted. "But rest be assured, we will figure it out and I know he would not have performed that spell knowing what it did." I poured myself another cup of tea.

"No," I said quietly. Fixing Dumbledore with my tearful and shaken eyes, I said, "He'd just perform an unknown spell on someone just because he doesn't like him." For the first time, I noticed the blueberry scone sitting on the table and broke off a small piece and tried to eat. "Professor, I'm taking tomorrow off. I need to spend some time alone."

"Very well," he replied. "I will have another staff member cover your duties for the next two days."

"Two-"

"Just take the extra day," he replied. I nodded as he got up. "Get some rest, Valerie." I nodded. After sitting in silence and drinking several more cups of tea, I grabbed what I needed and stuffed it into a bag. Then I left and headed home.