Draco Takes a Mark

Chapter 50

"We entreat you to help us, young Mr. Weasley," Dumbledore said, taking Ron's arm as the Order of the Phoenix and Ron's best friends looked on. He was nudging Ron's sleeve upward to inspect the scars left behind by the tentacled brains in the Department of Mysteries the year before. Almost cringing already, Ron waited for the headmaster to read them as a statement of the quality of Ron's heroism, but Dumbledore had a way of not saying what was expected.

"In your first year with us," he began instead, "you played -- now, how did I celebrate it at the time -- the best game of wizard's chess Hogwarts had seen in many years."

Ron glanced around the room, looking for the wind-up. His mother was holding his father's handkerchief against her face, dabbing her eyes. The twins stood with their arms folded, leaning toward one another with less hilarity than usual. Maybe that was just them grown up. Tonks stood beside Remus, bouncing on the balls of her feet, nodding as if it would help Ron and Dumbledore get on with it. She was the complete opposite of Kingsley Shacklebolt's calm admiration of the headmaster. Malfoy couldn't seem to lift his head in the presence of the cabinet he'd brought into the room months earlier. And Harry and Hermione looked on with big eyes and slightly open mouths -- expressions identical to Ron's own.

Ron gave his slow reply. "If you say so, sir."

"Fiery boldness and cool cleverness are rare enough qualities. Possessing both and holding them in balance is rarer still," Dumbledore went on. "But the task we require at this time calls for both. It calls for you, Ron Weasley."

Ron found his father's face to ask him as best he could without words what the flaming hell old Dumbledore was on about. Arthur understood but answered only with a grave nod.

Dumbledore began to walk in a circle around Ron, like a sheepdog separating him from Harry standing at his side. "We've been puzzling over how to best use the Malfoys' matrimonial charm and Harry's connection to Voldemort to our advantage -- to disembody him for another ten years or so, something like Harry's mother did, but without the casualty. It will be difficult and delicate, and I am sorry to say that the best plan we have come up with requires the risk of one more Hogwarts student."

As Dumbledore came to stand in front of Ron again, he stopped. "We need a student to make a trip through the vanishing cabinet."

"As a -- a test?" Ron stammered.

"No, we're beyond that," Dumbledore said. "The cabinet is fully operational. I have verified the repair myself. Draco's efforts were successful enough."

It was not praise and Draco did not take it as such, turning slightly more toward his wife, as if for protection. She linked her arm through his and nuzzled his shoulder.

"If we send an adult member of the Order," Dumbledore explained, "the Death Eaters will recognize the gesture for the trap it is, and they will expect that if they travel to Hogwarts through the cabinet, they will emerge into an environment just like the one you see here -- a battlefield insulated from students and ringed with waiting, drawn wands."

He waved his hand at the assembled adults.

"If we send a student, however," he continued, "there is deniability. A student with no apparation license may indeed have discovered and be using the cabinet solely for easy transportation to London."

Ron frowned. "Dangerous dark magic for skiving off."

Dumbledore chuckled, turning to Fred and George. "Misters Weasley, explain the next bit to your brother."

Fred unfolded his arms as he began. "Right, so George and I host a big spontaneous fake event at the shop on Diagon Alley -- "

"But the meanies here at the school won't let anyone come, not even our adoring brother -- "