Snape and the classroom of toddlers// Harry Potter Fanfic

Chapter Fifty-Nine - Bonding Over Peacocks, Cabinets, and an eerie cavern

mary we're all imbred

    He placed the apple firmly in the cabinet, before closing it apprehensively. He whispered an almost silent prayer under his breath, before pulling it open again. The green apple was gone and replaced by a crow, which didn't hesitate to flutter away, vanishing into the large piles of endless rubbish and hidden items. "It worked.. Why aren't I happy?" Draco mumbled to himself. He was the only one in the large, seemingly infinite, room. The fact that it'd worked was both a good and a bad thing. Good as in, he'd done his job. The dark lord would be pleased. Bad, because it meant he had to do the unthinkable. He'd been back at Hogwarts for a few hours. 

   The school holidays ended on the fourth of January, as usual. His walk with his father, which had been five days ago, had gone surprisingly well. 

   "Harry Potter-.. as in- THE Harry Potter?" Lucius had asked, completely dumbfounded. His son didn't respond. His eyes seemed to be begging the path beneath him to end his misery. "..Okay. I-I'll support you no matter what.. Just- be careful, okay? If you-know-who finds out..," Lucius shuddered, "who knows what bad things would happen.. I- I love you, Draco, and I don't care who or- what? you love." He sounded desperate. His words were metaphorically tugging on Draco's trust, pleading with it not to leave. He was terrified about this confession, but he had to support him. 

   "You do..? And of course, I won't let him find out." Lucius sighed, rubbing the peacock's neck fervently. "Draco, I know you probably don't trust me- or love me, or- anyway.. But just know that I do love you, I always will, I'm your father.. and you mightn't see it but there's also a lot of stuff I'm going through as well." Draco began petting the albino peacock as well, smiling to himself. "I do love you." 

     "..Speaking of you-know-who.. how's it going? Have any plans?" Lucius asked while scratching the peacock gently. "I have an idea. Remember the vanishing cabinet in Borgin and Burkes? The cabinet's twin is in the room of requirements. I've been er- fixing it.. and I think I'm pretty close, its worked a few times now. I don't know if it's worked properly, all I know is the things have disappeared." Lucius looked proud of him, to his delight. "I wish I was as smart as you when I was your age. Would you like my assistance?"
"In what way?" 
"To see if the things are going to the one in Borgin and Burkes. I assume you plan on getting the death-eaters through it, therefore into Hogwarts?" Draco nodded. "Please.. that would be amazing," he said, "you could put something in the one at the shop if the item I send through appears!" 

   Draco was now grinning with excitement. Not only could he properly test it, but his father would also be helping him. Sure, he'd been spoiled beyond imaginable and showered in gifts, books and praise, but at the same time, his father never seemed to have time to play with him or help him with homework, as most dads did with their kids. "Thank you," Draco whispered. They arranged a time and date - the first day back, eleven pm. Borgin and Burkes was open until midnight, remarkably. 

     The crow had been sent through by Lucius, as you could probably guess. Draco rubbed his eyes, exhaustion hitting him like an oncoming train. He set a piece of folded up parchment in the cabinet. 

'It worked. I'll let them in tomorrow.' Is what it read. He slammed the cabinet shut, ready to go to bed. 

    Earlier that day, before the other students returned, Harry and Dumbledore arrived at the large cave, next to the stormy sea. "Oh, how crude," Dumbledore gasped. He'd been staring at a cobbled wall for a few minutes. "What is it, sir?" Harry asked him curiously. "The idea is that his enemies have to be weakened before they can enter.. they are forced to weaken his or her self." Harry didn't understand until the headmaster pulled out a small knife. "No, sir- Let me! I'm more-" 

   "You're very kind, Harry." Dumbledore swiftly sliced at his arm, blood trickling out slowly. He wiped the blood against the stone, then pulled out his wand. He hovered it over the wound, and it hastily healed itself. Harry watched as a silvery arch appeared around the bloodied stone, then the mentioned bloody stone faded before them. Beyond the arch looked completely dark. Dumbledore lit his wand, and Harry shakily repeated his action. "After me, I think," Dumbledore said calmly. They went through the arch, their footsteps echoing around the cavern. 

    A humongous black lake lay before them, spreading out as far as they could see. "Be careful," Dumbledore instructed, as he led Harry around the edge of the water, seemingly looking for something. Harry watched his feet carefully, dreading what would happen if he tripped. "Can't we just use a summoning charm..?" He suggested. 

  "Go ahead." With Dumbledore's permission, Harry uttered the spell. "Accio Horcrux." There was a loud splash, and something jumped from the water, then plummeted back in again. It resembled Neville and Hannah when they'd been trying to escape the icy water. "Ah, I see. That was very clever Harry, now we know what is guarding it." 
"You think the Horcrux is at the bottom.?" 

   "Oh, no. I think it's in the middle." Dumbledore pointed to a small, dim beacon of light. Harry hadn't noticed it, somehow. "Do we have to swim?" Dumbledore didn't answer. They kept walking before Dumbledore suddenly stopped. Harry walked right into the back of him, and stumbled backwards, threatening to fall in the water. Dumbledore grabbed his arm and pulled him in. "Stand against the wall. My apologies, I should've warned you." 

   Dumbledore moved his hand through the air, searching for something invisible. Then, his hand gripped on the air. "Oho!" He lifted his wand to his fist, and suddenly a rusted chain appeared. Dumbledore smiled, as he pulled on the chain. A boat emerged from the water. 

  It was thin and old looking, but that didn't seem to discourage the old wizard. "We must cross," Dumbledore said, his buckled boots stepping onto the damp wood. Harry looked unsure but followed him. "Will it support both of us?" He asked as Dumbledore sat down. "Of course. I'm sure it is magically amplified in some way." Harry followed him into the boat, crouching down uncomfortably. It seemed to have a mind of its own, as it drifted steadily across the water. 

   "Whatever happens, don't let me stop," Dumbledore said ominously. 

We're no strangers to love
You know the rules and so do I
A full commitment's what I'm thinking of
You wouldn't get this from any other guy

I just wanna tell you how I'm feeling
Gotta make you understand

Never gonna give you up
Never gonna let you down
Never gonna run around and desert you
Never gonna make you cry
Never gonna say goodbye
Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you

We've known each other for so long
Your heart's been aching but you're too shy to say it
Inside we both know what's been going on
We know the game and we're gonna play it

And if you ask me how I'm feeling
Don't tell me you're too blind to see

Never gonna give you up
Never gonna let you down
Never gonna run around and desert you
Never gonna make you cry
Never gonna say goodbye
Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you

Never gonna give you up
Never gonna let you down
Never gonna run around and desert you
Never gonna make you cry
Never gonna say goodbye
Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you

(Ooh, give you up)
(Ooh, give you up)
(Ooh) Never gonna give, never gonna give
(Give you up)
(Ooh) Never gonna give, never gonna give
(Give you up)

We've known each other for so long
Your heart's been aching but you're too shy to say it
Inside we both know what's been going on
We know the game and we're gonna play it

I just wanna tell you how I'm feeling
Gotta make you understand

Never gonna give you up
Never gonna let you down
Never gonna run around and desert you
Never gonna make you cry
Never gonna say goodbye
Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you

Never gonna give you up
Never gonna let you down
Never gonna run around and desert you
Never gonna make you cry
Never gonna say goodbye
Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you

Never gonna give you up
Never gonna let you down
Never gonna run around and desert you
Never gonna make you cry
Never gonna say goodbye
Never gonna tell a lie and hurt...

3.................