Revealing the Plan
They appeared in the midst of a crowd of Death Eaters packed tightly. Draco nudged the two people at his side. "The signal. The Inner Circle is over there." He gestured over at a spot where a snake with red eyes slithered around a crumbling brick.
"Is - is that the Dark Lord?" Nevra asked. Both men shook their heads as they began wandering casually towards the brick. "Is the brick a Portkey?" Blaise nodded curtly and held her arm tightly as Draco touched the brick.
They appeared, this time, on the perimeter of the forces. Lord Voldemort looked at them tapping his long fingers together rhythmically. "Nevra, go organize the forces. I want three divisions…one special attacks, one strongmen, and the rest in the last. Special Attacks is our main force, strongmen clear the way…the rest are decoys. You know the drill - everyone thinks they're the main force." Nevra nodded, then hesitated.
"Shouldn't I be here to listen to the attack plan? My Lord." She added quickly. Voldemort laughed his eerie laugh.
"I see the boys have been teaching you their bad habits. Follow orders as always." Nevra nodded again, bowed deeply, and disappeared. Voldemort turned to the rest of the Inner Circle. He spoke to Lucius, who groveled unashamedly. "Lucius, come. You are to command. Let me inside your head."
Draco tensed in disgust. To let someone - even the Dark Lord - possess you, let you into every hidden thought and feeling was worthless. Even if it made you Voldemort's favorite for the day. There were other ways to move up besides acting like a dog.
Together, they listened to Lucius speak the Dark Lord's words. The plan for attack was remarkably simple. But after all, the magic barriers had been the hardest part. No one would expect them to get through that at all. The attack would be like shooting at sitting ducks. Draco pushed away feelings of guilt…he could never back out now. He had chosen his side, and he didn't have time to regret it. Period.
Back in the hall with the masses of Death Eaters, Nevra waved her wand in a sweeping gestures. Torches magically lit, and Nevra's banner, the Fire Salamander, fell from every wall. Silence suddenly reigned over the masked faces. She took off her mask to reveal her face and spoke. "Three groups. Divide yourselves into special attacks and strongmen…the rest go in the third group." Then she went to each group and told them how the attack wouldn't work if they didn't do their part.
She had to be especially careful what she told the special attack group. They would be the ones whose spells reflected off the magical barrier between the top and bottom of the Great Hall. "They need to be annihilated. Can you do that?" She didn't specify which they…the Light would be protected, but these spells would rebound and destroy the Death Eaters. Their fierce nods and revealed wands made her smile. She let the expression show. Let them think that she was excited to destroy her old school. Hogwarts would survive. It had to. It - just - It just had to.
The rest of the Inner Circle magically appeared just behind Nevra. Draco stepped up. "Are you men ready to fight for the Dark? Fight for immortality?" The deafening roar that was the reply made Nevra's heart sink. They were going to do it. They were going to attack Hogwarts. And she gave them the key to the door.
Mindlessly she walked, Draco and Blaise at her side keeping time. The mask over her face felt hot and uncomfortable, but she was glad of it. No one could see the tears rolling down her cheeks. All they saw was burning hatred in her eyes…it never occurred to them that it was for herself.
A Thousand Deaths
Dumbledore nodded at Harry, who was sitting with his head in his hands. "I can see them coming."
"Where's Fawkes?"
"Safe…I don't want Voldemort to find out where he is if he is too powerful and possesses you."
Harry laughed grimly. "I wish he would try. It would kill him at the very least."
Dumbledore shook his head. "You don't know that. What you do know is that it would kill you. And we can't have that, now can we?"
Harry looked at Dumbledore. "You said…you told me that it would kill him. Back in the Department of Mysteries."
"A lot of things have changed since then. Are you ready, Harry? Ready for the fight of your life?"
"Of my life…more like for my life. But yes, ready as I'll ever be. Ready as I can be." Dumbledore sighed.
"Then it has begun. Send the students to their dormitories. Send the teachers to protect the Great Hall. If their way is open, they will begin to suspect false play." A smoky phoenix flew out the window into the starry sky. "The Order should arrive after hearing my message. Go to your place, Harry. Be ready. This is all for your chance. Make the best of it."
Harry stood up and walked to the door. He turned to face the man he now called friend. "Albus…if I don't see you…thank you. Thank you for all the years of being here even when I didn't deserve it. For guiding me. For giving up your life for me…for risking it even now. I mean, even for Albus Dumbledore, you can only come back from Death once. Thank you for everything." Before the old man could respond, Harry Potter was gone. Dumbledore stifled the tears for running down his wrinkled cheeks.
They all did what they must for the Light. Silently he thought about Ginevra Weasley, marching out there with a mask on her face and ice in her heart. Yes, even destroy a innocent girl…they all did what they must. It was that or Darkness. And Albus Dumbledore would die a thousand deaths or kill a thousand people before he let Darkness envelop the magical world.
The Hierarchy Upset
The Death Eater approached the door and Voldemort swept his hand to the left. They silently turned and walked around the walls surrounding this ancient school. Voldemort's red eyes glowed scarlet with the closest thing to love that he could ever feel. Hogwarts would finally be his. His to cherish, to teach. His Hogwarts.
His eyes found his Heir…yes, Draco was becoming too dangerous. But he had so much potential. He called for him under his breath, "Llamada Draconis."
Draco jerked when he felt his Dark Mark burn. With a whisper to Nevra he silently made his way to the Dark Lord. "Yes, Master?" Voldemort turned to him and smiled.
"You grow rebellious, Draco. I will not have my Heir working against me. And I will not have my Heir crossing lines that are not crossed." Draco bowed his head, the perfect act of remorse. The problem was, Tom Riddle had acted that act before, and knew every line of the script.
"Sorry, my Lord. I grow forgetful that you see all."
"Ridiculous. You are lying to the best deceiver of all. Heir you are no longer." Then he spoke the formal words to break the bond. It was too bad. Draco really did have so much potential. But Voldemort refused to have a unruly Heir. "Renunciada Finite." Draco stumbled in shock. He was no longer Heir…he no longer was second in command. He - everything had changed.
He walked back to the Trio, his gait unsteady. Nevra didn't turn to look at him, but felt his uneasiness. "What's wrong, Draco?"
His voice came out shakily. "Nevra…I - I am no longer Heir. After three years, he decides I am too disobedient…he severed the bond in front of me. I felt a piece of me rip out…like ripping a piece of paper away from a whole sheet. He…I feel incomplete…like I'm missing an eye or something. I am not Heir." Nevra and Blaise both walked on in stunned silence.
Everything had changed. Their worlds were turned upside down in an instant. Draco Malfoy was no longer Heir to the Malfoy fortune. Draco Malfoy was no longer Heir to the Dark Lord.
At the back of the masses, Voldemort had already moved on to calculate who would be the next Heir. Someone young, healthy, powerful and loyal. He was stuck in his thoughts when suddenly a wraith swept across his path and barred his way. "Let me through, ghost." He said to the weeping ragamuffin.
She looked up at him. "Oh, what has become of you, son? My Tom…my little baby. Why are you doing this to me? This is Hogwarts, the best place in the world. You will taint it with blood and gore and death. Why?"
Voldemort stared, stunned. "Merope…Slytherin?"
The witch-ghost smiled. "Merope Riddle. Even though he didn't really love me. He married me and had my child. We had you. How could you do this? How could you become this? From my son…to a monster? I can't see my baby in you. I cherished the memory of your sweet face… the last emotion I felt before becoming this shadow was overpowering love. But I can't love you. Not the thing you've become."
Voldemort merely stood there. A distance part of him felt pain…but he had been split for so long from his humanity that it was a mere pinch. His mother didn't love him. That was all right. Hogwarts was going to be his at last. He was going to rule the world.
She flew past him and he quickly gave the order to follow the plan. The strongmen led the way up the Whomping Willow. Slowly he smiled. The attack was going to work. He thought about the last Horcrux…not one wizard ever suspected that Voldemort had created one before he left Hogwarts…that the Horcrux was inside Hogwarts itself. And now that he would take over Hogwarts…no one would be able to touch the last Horcrux. And he would be immortal.