Bonded by Evil [COMPLETED STORY]

chapter fifty eight

Two days later
Alora Slater POV

   It was time. Draco and I were heading back to Hogwarts in just a little while, but bringing three fugitives with me. From what I've heard, some of the Gryffindors have been camping out in the Room of Requirement, I just wasn't sure how to get them in there. I'm sure if they approached it, the door would reveal itself, but I couldn't leave them until I was positive they were in.

   They had Potter's invisibility cloak out and ready to head down the stairs with. It baffled me how the three of them could fit under that thing. Draco and I grabbed our luggage and headed for the door. The narrow, creaky stairs lead us down into the main lobby floor again, which we hadn't seen since the other night. We threw some money at the inn keeper and made a break for the door, the trio behind us.

   Nobody said anything as the door closed behind us. There was no yelling at us to hold on a moment, no suspicious looks. I sighed with relief as Draco and I lead them down to the castle. Everything was so dreary, even the grass seemed to lose its colour. The pale, grey sky hung limply over the world as though it were just as depressed as the rest of us.

   Hogwarts was in view now even though we had hardly left the village. The once lively atmosphere of the castle had vanished, now remained an empty shell of what once was. It broke my heart every time Draco and I came back, to see the building like this. Once upon a time, Hogwarts was my escape from my mother, my sanctuary. It was ruined. The stupid Carrows, Snape and all of the Death Eaters spoiled it.

   "Hey! What do you kids think you're doing out here?" A voice called from behind us.

The man looked obscenely like Albus Dumbledore. The same white hair, eyes and beard, it was almost a spitting image. Draco's eyes widened as though he had seen a ghost, which for a moment I thought had. Granger quickly stuck her head out of the invisibility cloak and recognized the man. She didn't seem afraid of him, so I decided to hold off on hexing the living daylights out of him.

"You're Aberforth Dumbledore, aren't you?"

"Are you insane? Come in!"

He motioned for us to follow him into a building, the Hog's Head. This place was known for its cheap rooms and alcohol. The joint always stunk of some undetermined odour, I never did like it in there. Alas, we entered the place and he slammed and locked the door behind us all. Potter took the cloak off and folded it in his hands. We went down the dusty stairs and made our way to the basement.

"You're fools, what were you thinking, coming here? Have you any idea how dangerous it is? Who are they?" The man said, pointing at Draco and I.

   "They've been helping us."

   "Two Death Eaters? You really are fools."

   "They don't want to be in their position either. They're helping us so I can help them," Potter answered.

   "If either of you try anything funny-"

   "No need to worry, sir, we're only here to help them get into the castle, then we're returning to classes," I interrupted.

   "You're the one who sent Dobby," Harry said.

   "Where have you left him?"

   "He's dead," my heart sank a little.

   "Sorry to hear it, I liked that elf."

   The trio and Aberforth talked about a mirror that apparently was Harry's godfather's, Bellatrix killed him two years ago, and then about the Order. I've heard of this Order a few times, but I never did get all of the information on them.

   "We need to get into Hogwarts, tonight. Dumbledore gave us a job to do," Potter said firmly.

   "Did he now? Nice job? Easy?"

   "We've been hunting Horcruxes. We think the last one is inside the castle, but we need your help getting in," Potter replied.

   "It's not a job my brother gave you, it's a suicide mission. Do yourself a favour boy, go home! You'll never live longer."

   "Dumbledore trusted me to see this through."

   "What makes you think you could trust him?" Aberforth said angrily. "What makes you think you can believe anything my brother told you? In all the time you knew him, did he ever mention my name? Did he ever mention here?" He motioned towards a girl in a framed painting.

   "Why should he-"

   "Keep secrets? You tell me."

   "I trusted him."

   "That's a boy's answer! A boy who goes chasing Horcruxes in the word of a man who wouldn't even tell him where to start, you're lying! Not just to me, that doesn't matter, but to yourself as well. That's what a fool does. You don't strike me as a fool, Harry Potter. So, I'll ask you again, there must be a reason."

   "I'm not interested in what happened between you and your brother. I don't care that you've given up. I trusted the man I knew. We need to get into the castle tonight," Harry said flatly.

   There was a harsh and cold silence for a moment before Mr. Dumbledore turned to the girl in the painting and mumbled:

   "You know what to do."

   The girl nodded and walked off into the horizon of her painting.

   "Where have you sent her?" Harry inquired.

   "You'll see."

   "That's your sister, Ariana, isn't it? She died very young, didn't she?" Granger asked the man.

   "My brother sacrificed many things, Mr. Potter, on his journey to find power. Including Ariana. She was devoted to him, he gave her everything."

   "Thank you, Mr. Dumbledore," Granger said quickly.

   He nodded and walked off into another room, closing the creaky door behind him. The five of us stood in silence again before Hermione spoke up as Ariana returned.

   "She's coming back."

   "Who's that with her?" I asked.

   The painting slowly swung forward revealing a tunnel which we assumed lead to the castle. I thought all passage ways in and out of the castle had been blocked, this one must have been either newly made or very well hidden. When the tunnel was fully uncovered, we could recognize the boy standing in it.

   "Longbottom?" Draco said in disbelief.

   Neville smiled at the trio and glared slightly at us. He mentioned something about Seamus being off worse, then said something to Aberforth. I couldn't make our exactly what it was because I was too fixated on the tunnel. Where had this been? Where did it lead to?

   I guess they would be finding out soon.