Pariah: The Other Malfoy

Chapter 64: In Noctem

I was in the Hospital Wing late one evening, the sky was darkening outside, an eerie feeling in the air. Dark clouds were swirling, rain threatening to fall, I sat on the seat beside Draco's bed, dozing slightly, yet not completely.

So I was aware when Draco swung his legs over the side of the bed, his bare feet touching the cold ground. I didn't make him aware I was awake, sitting still as he exited the Hospital Wing, silence surrounding him.

I moved equally as silently, following behind him as he travelled through the empty hallways, avoiding members of the Order of the Phoenix who had been posted throughout. Something was brewing, Harry and Dumbledore were out of Hogwarts on some mission, they had disappeared late that afternoon, yet Dumbledore had given orders for the entire castle to be patrolled.

Draco walked to the Room of Requirement, entering swiftly without being spotted by anyone. While I waited in the distance for him to appear again, I spotted Tobias, Ron and Ginny sneaking outside, seemingly keeping watch for something happening. Had Harry told them to keep a lookout as well?

I watched silently, not alerting them to my presence either. I had a horrible feeling in my stomach about what Draco was doing, I prayed I was wrong about it. But it was the words he had spoken to me that made me feel as though I had to be right.

The door opened again, Instant Darkness Powder was thrown outside to blind my friends. Draco had obviously realised they were watching, or maybe he thought it was me. Either way, my friends were blinded and yet I was not.

I watched in horror as Draco, now dressed in a suit, emerged from the darkness, flanked by faces I had never wanted to see at Hogwarts. I recognised Bellatrix and Greyback, but the rest were a sea of black cloaks, faces I knew yet couldn't name. An army of Death Eaters were now freely wandering the castle, and I had no idea what their plan was.

I followed them as Draco led them through the empty halls. They never encountered anyone, the Order members not enough to patrol the whole of Hogwarts thoroughly. I prayed for someone I could signal to that something was wrong, but there was nobody, so I followed them to the Astronomy Tower in silence.

When they reached the bottom of the stairs, one Death Eater created a barrier at the door. I figured it was to stop anyone who wasn't a Death Eater passing through, so I had to alert someone before they did whatever they planned to do!

As I ran around the corner, I was greeted by Snape. Relief rushed through me as I looked up at him - he would help!

"Professor! Death Eaters, they're—"

"I'm sorry, Lyra," Snape raised his wand without hesitation, "Pertrificus Totalus. This is for your own good, please forgive me. For everything I'm about to do."

I had dropped to the floor, my whole body frozen in place at Snape's spell. My brain was moving at a million miles an hour - why had he cursed me? What was he doing? What did he mean he was apologising for everything he was about to do?

Ten minutes passed, Remus stumbled across me during his rounds. He released me from the spell, helping me to my feet before asking me what had happened, why I was in the corridor in the first place.

"Death Eaters! Remus, they're here," I said quickly, "In the Astronomy Tower!"

Remus stared at me silently, frozen in shock for a split second, before a shriek came from behind us.

Bellatrix Lestrange led the way, a huge grin on her face as she sent a Stunning Spell at Remus, knocking him back before he had time to react. My eyes widened at her dark figure, I stumbled back slightly, avoiding detection by the Death Eaters, knowing I had to get Remus up first or I would be killed.

"Ennervate," I said quickly, Remus sitting up without a seconds hesitation.

By the time we were up, Snape and Draco were nowhere to be seen, the Death Eaters were already turning the corner. Had they come down as well? I was unsure, I just knew we were about to have to fight for our lives.

"Come on!" Remus led the way, heading towards the sounds of a battle ahead of us.

Order members, DA members and Death Eaters were all fighting one another. The battle was already in full swing during the few minutes we had taken to get there, Draco and Snape disappearing through the crowds unscathed. I didn't have time to ponder what had happened in the Astronomy Tower though.

"Crucio!" I dodged the spell, leaping out of the way before I could think, shooting my own spell back quickly.

A portion of the ceiling collapsed beside me, screaming and yelling surrounding me. I caught sight of Harry running through us as I shot spells around me, deflecting ones shot at me as best I could. I thought Harry was with Dumbledore?

I was knocked backwards suddenly, my head crashing against the wall, a sharp stone spearing my shoulder. I stood up, wincing as I moved my arm, but didn't hesitate as I shot a spell at the offender.

A Killing Curse narrowly missed my head, I stumbled backwards and through a pool of blood. I shot a Knockback Jinx back, hitting one Death Eater directly, forcing him to flee.

"Lyra, move!" Tobias yelled from my left, I ducked instinctively as he shot a curse over my head, hitting a Death Eater who had tried to hit me from behind.

The Death Eaters were moving backwards, heading towards their escape as we fought hard. I saw Bellatrix retreating and reacted instinctively, rushing after her as yells followed me. I passed several students huddling together in fear, but I paid them no heed.

"Lyra!" I could hear Tobias yelling behind me, he was shooting curses while running, but I was determined to catch the escapees.

The Order were still occupied with those who remained, Harry couldn't take on the ones running by himself. But they were too far ahead, Bellatrix especially. I stumbled across the Carrow twins, both trying to get out of a spell that must have been cast by Harry, and I stopped.

If the Death Eaters had come here, only to flee not long after, what had they done in the Astronomy Tower? It was like a lightbulb had gone on in my head, I turned slowly back towards Hogwarts, my feet carrying me towards the base of the Astronomy Tower. I somehow knew what I sought would be right there, though I was in denial.

The fighting inside the castle had died down, the Death Eaters knocked out or tied up. It wouldn't matter, the Dark Lord had Dementors on his side, they wouldn't stay incarcerated. But that was hardly a concern at that point.

The base of the Astronomy Tower. A small crowd was gathering already under the Dark Mark high in the sky, it was growing bigger by the minute, whispers spreading throughout it. I didn't want to hear them, I had to see for myself or it wouldn't be real. It couldn't be real! Especially not if Snape was involved, he would have stopped it, he was good.

But it was true. At the base of the Astronomy Tower lay the body of Albus Dumbledore. I had pushed my way to the front of the crowd but quickly backed away in horror as realisation set in. What had happened?

McGonagall led us in raising our wands, shining light up to dispel the Dark Mark that still darkened the sky above us. Tobias was beside me, gripping my hand tightly.