Beta Reader: Cheryl
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. The only things I own are the plot, any characters, spells etc that you do not recognize.
Author Notes: n/a
CHAPTER THIRTY
Break
"What?" Harry yelled, striding towards Dumbledore's desk. "How? I saw him, he was dead, I know it!" Harry rambled terribly quickly.
Dumbledore regarded Harry calmly as Sirius leaned forward catching Harry's attention. "I know its hard to comprehend," Sirius offered quietly, "Believe me I know what it is like to believe someone to be dead. There are ways to appear dead while still being very much alive. We aren't sure of what happened or how Dupree tricked us. What we know for sure is that Dupree's body disappeared from the Infirmary the morning after you discovered it. We have no idea where Dupree could be."
Harry sighed and trailed his fingers roughly through his hair while he paced in silence for a moment. "But-but he was dead!" he stated disbelievingly. "Ask Draco Malfoy - Dupree had no pulse. I bet my life on it, I'm so sure that I would bet Hermione's life on it."
Sirius placed an empathetic hand on Harry's right should in hopes of stilling Harry. "Harry, we never questioned whether Dupree appeared dead, but given that his body is now missing it is more probable that he is alive."
"How can we be sure? Maybe somebody took him?"
"We cannot be sure Harry," said Dumbledore. "And what you say may be correct, but we must prepare for the worst case scenario. But Harry, is there anything you can tell us about Mr Dupree that we may not know."
"I KNOW HE MURDERED MY GIRLFRIEND!" Ron shouted from behind Harry. Many of the Order members shuffled in astonishment, and Moody's growls led Harry to believe that Ron's outburst had taken them by surprise as much as it had Harry.
Dumbledore's eyes locked with Ron's, as though an invisible barrier was locking them together. Something Harry had witnessed on various occasions when talking to Dumbledore. "I know Mr Weasley, and I am deeply sorry for your loss."
"No need to be sorry," snapped Ron bitterly, his face red with anger. "I just want to know what we're going to do about the bastard so that I can get revenge."
"The truth is Mr Weasley, there really isn't too much that we can do," Dumbledore responded.
"What?" Harry and Ron gasped in unison.
"As I said, we don't have a clue where Dupree is," advised Sirius, "He could be anywhere in the world by now. At least he is gone from Hogwarts and won't be harming any more students. I say we alert the French Ministry and get back to concentrating our efforts on the bigger fish to fry." Sirius glanced around looking for approval. Harry knew that Sirius was referring to Voldemort and that he was making a valid point.
Ron tried to speak, but Dumbledore cut him off. "That will be all then. You may go. However, we may call on you again very soon."
"Come on boys, constant vigilance!" Moody barked as he clonked through two rows of Order members. He then lead Harry and Ron down the stairs and left them to attend their N.E.W.Ts revision, but Harry and Ron would much rather discuss the revival of a corpse than whether it was nail clippings or poison berries that were required to complete an acne healing potion.
"I can't believe this," began Ron. "Why would he call us up there just to tell us he can't do anything? I respect Dumbledore and everything but he can be a right old codger when he wants to be."
"At least they tell us about things now, instead of keeping us in the dark like they used to." Harry sighed. "No offence to you Ron, but I wish I could talk to Hermione about this, too much is happening and I don't know how much more I can take."
Ron shook his head. "No offence taken mate, Hermione usually has a plausible solution to something like this."
They continued walking before stepping past the History of Magic classroom and turning down an unoccupied corridor. They continued walking in silence until they came face-to-face with three Beauxbatons students Harry didn't recognise by name.
The boy at the front had thick, black, curly hair while the boys on his right and left shared short, ginger hair. All three of them were much bigger than Harry and Ron put together. At a glance, at least to Harry anyway, these guys had more brawn than brains
"Your Harry Potter," said the black haired boy.
"Yeah, must people know by now," said Harry, trying to ignore him and walk past, but one of the ginger boys stepped in front of him to cut him off.
"Hey, what's your problem?" Ron snapped, as the other ginger boy eyed him.
Ware ees notre ami Felipe? Wee know you two do not like `im. Duh last time wee saw `im `e wuz wit you." said the black haired boy, his eyes boring into Harry who only rolled his eyes and sighed.
"Go ahead Ron, I'll catch up."
"No, I'm okay, I'll stay." Suddenly the other ginger boy whipped his forearm over the back of Ron's head, knocking him down.
"What the hell is your problem?" Harry exploded, roughly seizing the black haired boy in front of him by the collar. The boy shoved Harry against the cold stonewall and pulled his fist back threatening to swing at Harry's head. Unexpectedly a BDMS soldier grabbed the boy by the shoulder and sent him hurtling down the marble corridor on his backside. Then turning his attention to the two ginger haired boys the BDMS soldier struck each of them in the face with powerful blows knocking them out cold. Now gripping Harry by the shoulder with great force the BDMS soldier smashed him over the face flinging Harry to the ground before casually carrying on down the corridor
Harry knelt on the ground and clutched his jaw, checking that everything was in working order. He spotted Ron struggling to his feet beside him, and he grabbed Harry by the arm, bringing him to a standing position. "You okay mate? You took a heavier blow than me from what I saw."
"Yeah, I'm okay."
"Why were they messing with us anyway?" asked Ron, rubbing at the back of his head.
"Can't you see?" Harry began.
"Well…my vision is a little off." Ron's attempt to lighten the mood hadn't worked as Harry continued without acknowledging Ron's weak joke.
"Students are dying, professors are dying, students are scared, and professors are scared. And who can blame them? These three are just like everybody else Ron; they are scared, probably thinking that they will be next. How long until I break? I need to see Hermione; she is the only person that can keep my going. If she's unconscious much longer I'm going to go insane. I can feel this rage building inside me, this burning of weakness and insecurity."
Harry swallowed hard, sweat was dripping from his forehead, nose and hair, his hands were trembling and a sickness began to churn in his stomach.
Ron tapped him on the arm. "Mate, calm down." But Harry barely calmed down. "Come on, you need to see Pomfrey."
"No!" Harry snapped. "I'm not going to see her…" Harry swallowed again and gasped loudly as he tried to sooth out his breathing. He ran a hand through his hair. "I'm okay…honestly." Ron looked highly sceptical but didn't say anymore.
Author Notes: I'd like to take a moment to thank my beta for her hard work on this chapter and the last. There were a lot of small edits that needed making to tidy up the story and, as usual, she succeeded.
Not to long to go now in the story, things are beginning to come to a head. So stay tuned for more.