Chapter_. The Task
Draco had never been in the Headquarters before. It was colder there than outside. Everything looked kind of familiar, a bit like a giant private Slitherin bathroom: black shiny stone, white and blue magical lights in suspenders, high ceilings and cavy endless corridors.
They were silently ascending the stairs, Draco's eyes were riveted to the enormous doors that led into the only room on the landing - the Meeting room. Draco's leg slipped on the polished stone giving him a horrible lurch in the stomach as his entire body strained to keep him upright. None of his guards noticed anything. The doors in front flew open with a prodigious force but making absolutely no noise which created a weird feeling of aberration.
He stopped on the threshold not knowing where to go: at the middle of the room stood a long long table hosting dozens and dozens Death Eaters in black robes. In the distance one person sat facing the door, their back to the fire which made their face invisible in the otherwise shadowy room. They stood up with a theatrically welcoming gesture:
- Ah, Draco! We have been expecting you. - they snapped their fingers and a chair appeared at the end opposite to the host and facing him across the table. - Take a seat.
Draco made a step and realized that the guards remained behind, he did not dare to look around, but was pretty sure that the doors closed silently behind him. He sat trying to catch a familiar face on either side and avoid Voldemort's incessant glare at the middle. Everybody seemed concentrated on the glassy surface of the table. In the end he had no choice but to peer right ahead and with mixed feelings saw Snape on the left side and Renee on the right side sitting nearest to Voldemort. Both of them apparently were high enough in the hierarchy to glance at him along with the host. It made him feel irrevocably and chillingly alone.
- Child! You abandoned my ranks, you stole, you forfeited our community. I do not grant absolution. Nobody escapes their duty to me. Thus, you are still my servant and I have a task for you.
Draco's head started to float with anxiety and his fingers and lips felt numb. Voldemort's pause was so dramatic that Draco was half the mind to prompt him and ask what exactly it was, but, unsure whether he was expected to speak or not, he only managed to slightly open his mouth before the host continued:
- You are to eliminate the Headmaster of the Castle.
He paused again.
- By murder. They should not have a chance to compete with our representative in the Final Mission. Therefore, you have a month to carry out the deed.
Voldemort who spoke standing upright made a few paces in front of a fireplace :
- Will you say something, maybe? - he asked mockingly.
Draco's heart started to beat very fast, he's almost believed that he won't have to respond, he looked around the table again hoping for some distraction, so that he could come up with an answer, but everyone sat still. His head felt totally empty, senseless bits of phrases formed and broke apart in his brain.
- Won't you even thank me for keeping you alive?
Draco's mouth opened a bit wider but only a soundless sigh came out.
- You've been so merciful to him, my Lord! So wise! - piped up one of the Death Eaters - nowadays kids are so ungrateful, it is pointless to wait for their understanding.
- Thank you, Laurry. - said Voldemort with an honest tone of humble acceptance of a due but unexpected praise.
- Go now. You have a task to perform. - Voldemort dismissed Draco with a weary hand gesture.
Draco became aware of the guards standing beside him, stood up cautious not to make any grinding noise, narrowly avoiding turning over the heavy chair in the end, and followed them out.
Voldemort resumed his seat and when the doors thudded shut, pensively drummed his fingers :
- The child won't be able to enter the Castle unless someone interferes... - and suddenly turned to his right:
- Snape, escort him and come back to the Headquarters tonight, we will have a private conversation.
Snape rose at once, nodded briskly and dissolved in several big streams of opaque shadows that rushed through the doors making them visibly shudder.
- I will take it from here. - said Snape lazily to the guards who scuttled without a question.
- Follow me. - they said, starting immediately in a direction of the nearest Substantial Transformations spot.
Draco felt awful. "What did just happen?" - he thought. The last time Snape looked at him was in the Meeting room, and it was full of glazed indifference.
The first thing Snape did when they appeared by the Castle gates was to write to Dumbledore.
Draco walked through the gate first as someone was to seal it, but he didn't make two steps before:
- Draco!
- What am I supposed to do now?
- You don't know anything, you just decided to come back and study. You will figure it out.
- What? I have to actually kill Dumbledore?! Wait, are you being on his side now or on theirs?
- I'm assuming that today's audience with the Dark Lord put your mind right, and, therefore, I don't have to pretend with you, Draco. The Dark Lord's wish should be executed before the next full moon. _ Give me your hand. Either one.
Draco stretched out his left arm. Snape grasped him by the wrist and Draco felt something cold form around it - a large metallic bracelet.
- A little reminder: it will become tighter every day untill the mission is complete.
Snape did not immediately let go of other's hand and gave it a tiny encouraging squeeze that couldn't be more at odds with their menacing words:
- I trust, you will figure everything out before it is too late.
Suddenly, both of them turned at the rustle of steps: Dumbledore came down to greet them.
- Mm-hum - said Dumbledore with understanding.
Draco continued explaining his decision to return, sitting in front of the Headmaster in latter's office.
- Yes, and then it came to me how dangerous those stones were and how recklessly I disposed of them, and I decided to get back to studies to... to better up.
Draco got distracted by the appearance of Snape, who entered noiselessly and stood by the door, waiting for Draco to finish.
- Well, in this case you will have some catching up to do for the time of your absence. - they gestured to Snape to take a seat.
Snape occupied a corner of a divan behind Draco's back.
- And will there be some punishment? - inquired Draco.
- Draco, you are of age and therefore free to make your own choices about your education. In regards the dark stone traffic, it's not up to me. And I didn't tip off the Ministry, because it's a dark magic matter which is technically under Voldemort's control. Speaking of which... - Dumbledore looked at Snape.
- Nothing special. A warning due to his parents' position.
- Nevertheless, let us talk a little. Draco, please, the divan.
Draco perched on the end opposite to Snape, and Dumbledore sat in an armchair beside this very end, so that Draco found himself between the two of them, he was pleased that nobody was staring at him.
- Regardless of your sanction with Voldemort, you may want to exercise caution.
- No need to fear for your mental safety in the Castle, but there's no guarantee outside. - added Snape.
- Anyone wants some non-magical tea? - asked Dumbledore unexpectedly.
- N-no, thank you. - Draco said quickly.
- I'd like some. - said Snape.
- It will take a while. - Dumbledore rose and exited into the adjacent room.
- Draco, I'm sorry, I couldn't be of any consolation with the Dark Lord around.- said Snape conjuring cups and saucers on the low table in front of them.
- Yeah, well, it might be fun sitting by his side...
- So much fun.
They both smiled.
- No, I didn't expect it to be a welcome-home party. Pity I didn't say anything, though.
- I don't think so. I know how it goes, the Dark Lord would've mocked you even harder if you'd gave him whatever kind of fuel.
Draco nodded. Snape said as an apart:
- Did you notice whether he read your mind?
- It didn't even occur to me. I thought he knew everything already — from you.
- He might've wanted to make sure. Never mind. You would have felt it.
- Is it definite? Can you check that, please.
- It is not necessary, Draco, I told you. And I don't want to read something accidentally, you are too shaken to block properly your thoughts.
- You are afraid to find there a ton of insults in your address? And you will.
- I'm sure they are all well deserved. - said Snape, their lip curling.
At this point Dumbledore returned with a teapot floating beside them. Snape and Dumbledore poured themselves as much as they wanted.
When professors were drinking tea, Draco sat there, relaxed, knowing that unlike in the formal Death Eater society he wouldn't be judged just for not taking a meal or dessert with others. He didn't feel like he was obliged to "politely" maintain a conversation, or don't talk if they were talking.
- Are you to return in the Headquarters today, Severus?
Snape nodded from behind their cup.
- And you, Draco?
- No.
In the warm silence of the study a clock started to chime.
- I have a class in an hour. - Dumbledore offered an explanation.
Nobody said anything, then it struck Draco:
- Oh, my ! It will be the D. A. in my year?!
Dumbledore shrugged, stretching their legs and crossing them on the nether level of the table.
- Thank goodness it has nothing to do with me. - remarked Snape gleefully.
- You may start classes when you feel ready, Draco. There's no rush to attend to this one. - said the Headmaster.
- I kind of feel like I need to take my mind off the mess of the last few weeks.
- Do you think it's wise to start with the Dark Arts? - asked Snape gently.
- Maybe not, but it used to be my favorite subject and I like the atmosphere.
- Okay. - said Snape simply.
All three of them sat around for a little longer.
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-I've been revolving in the darkest layers of inactivity. I was just able to bury myself underneath a blanket and stare on its dusty fluffy creases two millimeters from my eye. Often, I drifted in a kind of torpor, a daydream, a reverie, seeing things that could've been, if everything that had the audacity to become didn't already happen. Every imprint on my retina was a disappointment and an inspiration for creating new worlds.
- Is it any different now? - asked Renee.
Sibyl shook her head.
- Now, I can speak about it to you. I don't think I've ever confessed to it before. But there's some kind of distance between you and me that I believe could never be crossed, so my secret is safe.
- You are talking to people who, you are pretty sure, can't understand you?
- Something like that.
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Their vision became blurred, then blacked out completely, leaving them alone with a bamboozled proprioception, swimming head and stomach. Snape tried to get hold of the banister but its cold surface seemed to be vanishing underneath their fingers that were becoming more and more numb. Snape breathed deeply and concentrated on their muscles that weren't yet out of control, even though the tinkling sensation started to climb up their legs. They were in a place hardly visited by anyone, the thought of which relieved them, they successfully attempted to sit on the stairs so as to prevent further injuries in case they fall. The wrack of their body didn't go away.
- Great! Apparently, I'm dying today_ I wouldn't mind, would I_ there's a satisfaction_ of knowing that this will eventually end in not being anymore, I won't be around to care_ about the way I died_because_it's irrelevant _only life is_ relevant. _ Funnily enough, I probably am not even dying... _ it should've been quicker. Shit. _ stop thinking and GET A GRIP!_
They seized their own forearm, forcefully working their muscles. After what seemed to be a number of long moments they opened their eyes, their vision returned, and they stood up, cautiously guiding themself with the ramp. They were back to normal. And proceeded to the main staircase that was receiving much more traffic. "I'd like to die away from people. Somewhere where nobody could find my deceased body." - they thought observing others moving up and down the stairs - "Dry in the sun, to be eaten by wild birds, vultures, probably... Sounds nice."
- Maybe you should take it up with Dumbledore?
- I'm not meeting with Brian because I'm happy, horny or distressed, but because I want to see them, Sash. Or because of something business-related...
- Up to you.
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