The Potter Twins and the Half-Blood Prince {6}

25. Life is War

"I wish your dad was good, I wish grown-ups understood. I wish we met before they convinced you life is war. I wish you'd come with me" - Dead Girl Walking (Reprise), Heathers the Musical

Once back under the starry sky, Harry and I heave Dumbledore onto the top of the nearest boulder and then to his feet. Harry takes the brunt of Dumbledore's weight, grips my hand and gives me a nod. I concentrate harder than ever before on my destination: Hogsmeade. Closing my eyes, gripping Dumbledore and Harry as tightly as I can, I step forward into that feeling of horrible compression.

I know it works before I even open my eyes: The smell of salt, the sea breeze is gone. Harry, Dumbledore, and I are shivering and dripping in the middle of the dark High Street in Hogsmeade. For one horrible moment, my imagination shows me more Inferi creeping towards us around the sides of shops, but I blink and see that nothing is stirring; all is still, the darkness complete but for a few streetlamps and lit upper windows.

"We did it, Professor!" Harry whispers with difficulty, as I realize the searing stitch in my chest. "We did it! We got the Horcrux!"

Dumbledore staggers against him. For a moment, I think that perhaps my inexpert Apparation has thrown Dumbledore off balance; then I see his face, paler and damper in the distant light of the streetlamps.

"Sir, are you all right?"

"I've been better," says Dumbledore weakly, though the corners of his mouth twitch. "That potion...was no health drink..."

And to my horror, Dumbledore sinks onto the ground.

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

I look around desperately for help, but there is nobody to be seen; we need to get him to the Hospital wing, somehow.

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

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

"Right --" I say breathlessly, "sir, listen -- I'll knock on a door, find a place you can stay, then I'll run and get Madam --"

"Severus," he says clearly. "I need Severus."

"All right, I'll get Snape -- " Harry makes to rise, but I grab his shoulder, pushing him back down. "No, I'm faster -- I'll run and get Snape and you stay --"

But before I can make another move, I heard running footsteps. My heart leaps; Somebody has seen, somebody knows we need help - and looking around I see Madam Rosmerta scurrying down the dark street towards us on high-heeled, fluffy slippers, 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 -- but what's wrong with Albus?"

She comes to a halt, panting, and stares down, wide-eyed at Dumbledore.

"He's hurt," says Harry. "Madam Rosmerta, can he come into the Three Broomsticks while Haylee and I go up to the school and get help for him?"

"You can't go up there alone! Don't you realize -- haven't you seen?"

"If you help us support him," says Harry, not listening to her, but fear has stabbed me in the heart, "I think we can get him inside --"

"What has happened?" Dumbledore asks. "Rosmerta, what's wrong?"

"The -- the Dark Mark, Albus."

And she points to the sky above the school; the blazing green skull with a serpent tongue, the mark Death Eaters leave behind whenever they've entered a building...wherever they've murdered...