Draco Malfoy and the last Chanter

Chapter 12: The truth

I was in Dumbledore’s room. The walls were covered in moving pictures of other Headmasters. A phoenix was perched on a little wooden stick. Tears still filled my eyes, making me not to see properly, and making me stumble over a step. Dumbledore appeared behind us, with Professor McGonagall. He showed no sign of feelings at all, but his eyes were full of sadness. Hermione was crying to, and so were Harry and Ron. I thought to see a shimmer of a tear on McGonagall’s face, but the second later it had disappeared. Dumbledore looked to me, his eyes on mine, and, without noticing, I said in a dark voice:

“Professor, I think I need an explanation. Now”

“Yes, yes, of course you do. You have the right to know. And you will. I will explain everything, but with one condition. No interruptions”

We all nodded. We wanted to know the truth, and we wanted to know it now.

“Many years ago, before I was born, the Chanters were in the beginning of existence. Aurone Chanter, one of the first wizards that existed, made angry a very powerful witch, one of the most important of the time. I think you should find her in the Chocolate Frog Cards. She put a Forever Curse, a curse that would last forever, and would finally come true. Even though the Chanters showed none preoccupation with the subject, in secret, they were already preparing themselves for the tragic day. The song that Lucy sang, was made by all her family, the whole generation of the Chanters. Each Chanter would make a sentence to the song, so then the chosen one would have something to defend itself. Everything went perfectly, and, before Lucy’s grandmother died, she gave Lucy the song, finished. Lucy was the chosen one to die, the last Chanter. She knew it since she was six. Her destiny was to fall in love and die. That’s why she was home educated. She was preparing herself for the day. When Victoria died, she passed on the finished song to Lucy, so Lucy didn’t have to do anything. But the song wouldn’t have the power if Lucy didn’t do anything, didn’t add something to the song. As you know, music is a very important part in a song. None of the Chanters worried they’re selves to learn how to play music, for they had their wands to play for them. But Lucy did something unexpected. Instead of adding a sentence, she added the music. She learnt how to play all kind of instruments: guitar, piano, flute, violin… And it came very in handy too. Voldemort only let her do one spell, so she wasted that to get the instruments and played the music herself. She was able to distract Voldemort and the Death Eaters so that they wouldn’t kill you all. That night the only one who had to die was her. Voldemort directed the ray to you, Draco, because he knew the prophecy, and he knew that she would sacrifice herself for you to live. It was all carefully planned. Something went wrong and you all died, that’s why she had to have so many years of practice. And you must be wondering, why did a simple song hurt Voldemort so much? Because, if there’s one thing that defeats any killing person, it’s love. Harry, you know it. The song meant the connection and the love of the whole Chanter family. Very powerful, such that anybody who didn’t understand love, it would hurt them. I brought you all two weeks earlier because this was the year, and it had to be on the 22nd of July. We only had one opportunity, and it was this summer. And that’s the whole story. Any questions?”

“So, the Chanter family has extinguished?” asked Ron.

Dumbledore smiled. He looked at me, and told us:

“No”

I didn’t understand. If Lucy was the last Chanter, and she had died, the Chanter family didn’t exist anymore. I looked at the other three, and they looked as puzzled as I did. Dumbledore, without rubbing the smile of his face, went to his bed and picked up a bundle on blankets. When he got closer, I distinguished a little round head with big blue eyes. I gasped, and she looked at me, like recognizing me of something. Dumbledore suddenly said, in a low, hushed voice: