Phan at Hogwarts

#5 || Dumbledore's Spies

Phil woke in Dans arms, both of them buried in pillows that littered the room.
Dans forehead was pressed to Phil's, their noses almost touching. Phil was extremely aware of how Dans grip was clenched onto the back of his now wrinkled robes- and the way Phil's arms where wrapped around Dans bare waist, still covered in bandages.
Phil remembered the night before as he stared at Dans sleeping face.

~flashback~

The song had ended. Neither boy moved.
"Phil." Dan said in a cracked voice. "Thank you."
Phil turned to the boy next to him, not resizing how close they had been sitting until now. "For what?"
"For making me happy."
Phil was quiet, but then Dan leaned his head on the boys shoulder, and he felt his heart speed up.
Phil smiled softly. "I would do anything to make you happy, Dan."
"Then stay here with me?" Dan asked. "I don't want to go back out there... We can spend the night here. Please? I don't want to be alone... I want to be with you."
There was no way for Phil to hide his blush this time.

The boys stayed in the room for hours, reading to each other, or painting, or practicing spells. They smiled all day, glad to be there, in their own little world.
They talked to each other, to. They learned everything about each other, from deep fears to favorite foods. Dan described his past to Phil, and Phil listened intently. But Dan couldn't bring himself to tell Phil about his mom.

Eventually, Dan drooped into a large cushion, his eyes closing lazily. Phil began to walk to the pillow beside him to sleep to, but to his surprise, Dan held out his arms.
"Come here Phil." Was all he said, the blush on his cheeks unmistakable, but his voice steady.
And Phil didn't hesitate. He threw himself into Dans arms, pulling himself close to the other boy, inexplicably glad to have Dan ask.

The next morning the Phil was the first to blink himself awake. He froze in Dans grip, his heart beating fast. Why was he so flustered? It wasn't so weird that he would spin the night with his best friend, right? But it didn't feel like that.
Dan woke groggily, if you could call it waking. He still seemed half asleep when he slurred "Phil... you look so cute when you sleep."
The boy giggled, and closed his eyes again.
"W-what?"
But Dan had fallen back asleep. Phil smiled at his sleeping face, and pulled himself out of the boys arms.
Only a few minuets later and Dan had woken too. "Mm..." He stretched. "What time is it?" He asked. Phil looked out the window.
"Early. The lights just coming up." Dan nodded.
"Good. I need to shower."
Phil held his hands out and Dan took them. Phil tugged him to his feet. "Well let's get a move on. Before everyone wakes up."
They walked out of the room hand in hand, straight into Neville Longbottom.
"I don't understand why it's not working! It worked yester-" He saw the boys walk out of the room. "Oh. Phil, where you to in..." he trailed off. "Er, where you two in there all night?" He said noting Dans hobbit hair and Phil rubbing his groggy eyes, and especially their clasped hands.
The boys blushed furiously.
"Y-Yes. We where just trying to avoid the Carrows!" Dan explained quickly. He wanted to say "It's not what you think!" But what did he think? What did Dan think he thought?
"No wonder it wasn't working..." Neville said.
"Try it now, Neville." Luna said behind him.
He did, and a door successfully formed. "Oh thank goodness! Now we've got a base!" He said.
"A base for what?" Phil wondered aloud. Dan saw Neville glance at him nervously. "Not now, Phil, I'll tell you later."
"Oh, okay."

~

The next time Dan saw Phil was lunch.
He was casually enjoying a large sandwich, as Dan plopped down next to him.
"So what did Neville say?" He asked immediately.
"Did you ever hear of that Dumbledore's army a few years ago?" Dan nodded. Even two years later the disbanded group was infamous.
"Well Neville's bringing them back."
Dan ogled at him in shock.
"Oh but don't tell anyone! I told him I wouldn't, but of course my best friend doesn't count." he laughed, a lone happy sound in the miserable hall of children. The other Hufflepuffs where to busy keeping their heads down to notice Dan was not a the appropriate table, but they sure would notice soon. Dan looked up to see the gray fog that had clung to the castle the past two weeks was back, and swirling around the roof.
"Anyway, he says they're going to fight the death eaters. They need somewhere to hide, you know, because they won't just cower. The Carrows are getting worse, and I heard they're bringing in more death eaters." His voice was grim.
"Oh no..." Was all Dan could say.
Phil nodded. "Yep. Speaking of Death Eaters-" but his voiced was cut short by a long sharp scream.
"Don't ignore me girl!" Snarled Amicus on the opposite end of Hufflepuffs table, turning every head in the Great Hall.
"You look me in the eye when I'm talking to you!" She hissed. Her wand was out, pointed at the chest of the screaming girl, who was suspended in the air, clutching her own throat. Dan watched in horror as her sharp howl started to garble, and her throat seemed to pulse. And then he saw her large curls and Soft friendly face, and realized that Amicus Carrow had Winnie at the end of her wand.
"You speak to me when I'm talking to you, or you'll pay for it!" She shrieked. "Or I'll keep that voice you won't speak with!"
Before he knew what he was doing Dan was on his feet, flying down the row. His wand was in his hand and Phil gripping his sleeve, begging him to stop, be sensible, but he couldn't just watch.
"No!" And Dan threw himself at the Carrow sister as Winnie's final scream was cut short in a shower of blood. Winnie collapsed as Dan and the Death Eater rolled on the floor.
"What do you think your-" Her voice was shaking with rage, ropes of spittle flinging from her mouth.
"Oooh..." And suddenly her rage turned to amusement, her snarl twisting into a sick smile.
"It's you... The boy who cursed my brother! It was a mistake to show your face in this castle again!" She smacked her wand to Dans cheek, the tip pressing into his flesh as she towered over him. Her breathing was heavy as she scowled at her.
"He- He deserved it!" Dan snapped.
He had said the wrong thing and he knew it, even before she turned her wand on him.
"Crucio! Crucio, Crucio, Crucio!" She shrieked.
It was like his body was dissolving in flames, needles boring into every pore. His skin felt like it was being slowly peeled back in strips, then his muscles then sinew, slowly stripping him down to a skeleton. The pain was more than Dans brain could compute, and all he could do was scream, but even that he couldn't hear over his pain. But then it was over and he was left gasping and shaking on the floor. Through his slitted eyes he saw Phil run to his side, eyes streaming with hot tears.
"Dan! Dan, oh my gosh." His mind was still hazy, but a clear thought erupted nonetheless. He had to protect Phil. He had to get him out of here before he gets himself hurt for his sake. Dan tried to push Phil away, tell him to run, but when his lips moved, no sound came out.
"Get aside boy!" Amicus hissed at Phil, shoving him to the ground. "This blood traitors got a lot to learn in detention!" A flick of her wand suspended Dan as if he was a faulty puppet.
Phil watched helplessly as Amicus marched out of the great hall, a nearly unconscious Dan behind her.
Before he knew what he was doing Phil called out;
"I'll save you Dan! I swear!"