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The Years After	By : Araea Swiftwind Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male Views: 2598 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor do I make any money off the writing of this piece of fiction. The views expressed herein do not in any way reflect the views of J.K. Rowling or Warner Bros. and their affiliates.

Chapter List
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Part 22 – Chapter 20 - May 17, 1993

So far, the plan was perfectly on schedule. Dumbledore had been informed that Voldemort had created a Horcrux to prevent himself from every dying. After some time, Severus brought the man its whereabouts, making him believe that the information had been hard to come by. It was imperative that Dumbledore never have serious doubts about Severus. If he did, then the whole plan could be jeopardized.

Once Dumbledore knew where the Horcrux was, he had to formulate a plan to retrieve it. Severus sat in several meetings with Dumbledore and Minerva to assist the man in figure out what protections the location may have, and if there were any tools Dumbledore might need to take with him. It was determined that he should bring someone with him, in case the man ran into trouble and desperately needed help. Being the kind of man who never really trusted anyone besides himself, he was planning on taking a house elf with him to retrieve it. Minerva argued that a witch or wizard would be better suited to helping him if he should need to fight his way out, but Dumbledore was adamant that no one else should go with him. A house elf was plenty of protection and assistance. He didn’t tell them that he could more easily dispose of a house elf afterwards than he could a witch or wizard.

The plan was for him to leave in a fortnight. He would apparate outside of the cave where the Horcrux was hidden. He would go in with only the elf as back up. Each of the traps in the cave were designed to weaken the person who went in after the Horcrux. And what Dumbledore really didn’t know was that the elf wouldn’t be much help. The final trap could only be taken on by a witch or wizard. The elf would not be able to do anything for Dumbledore.

Once Dumbledore had retrieved the Horcrux, he would make his way back to Hogwarts. He would be severely weakened by the final trap, and actually already dying. Death Eater would infiltrate the school while the headmaster was gone. Draco and Severus would help with that, though making sure no one else knew they were how the death eaters got in. Once the school was secured, Draco would confront the headmaster on the Astronomy Tower, where the man had been lured. He would playact trying to kill the man and failing, following the story he and Severus had fed the headmaster about the Dark Lord setting a task for Draco that the boy couldn’t do. Dumbledore would know that if Draco failed in his task, then the boy and his family would be killed. While Dumbledore wasn’t incredibly sympathetic to children, he did like the thought of people being indebted to him. He would think that if he helped keep Draco and his family safe, then the family would owe him a great debt. He wouldn’t know that he was about to die. When Draco “failed” his task on the astronomy tower, Severus would swoop in. Dumbledore would think he was there to spare Draco, or to save the headmaster, but Severus would deal the killing blow. With Dumbledore weakened by the poison guarding the Horcrux, and Draco holding the man’s wand after disarming him, it would be an easy thing to kill the man.

O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O

Dumbledore staggered on the island in the cave. He had ordered the house elf to feed him the potion until it was all gone, then get him back to the school. When he had tried to make the elf drink the poison, nothing had happened. The poison was still there, and the house elf was shaking in fear. Dumbledore knew that if he tried to make the elf keep trying to drink the poison, he’d not only be wasting time, but also risk the elf leaving.

Dumbledore weakly grabbed onto the little elf’s hand. They apparated out of the cave and popped into being on top of the Astronomy Tower, where the group had decided it was safest for Dumbledore to reappear. If he had needed medical attention, Minerva argued, it would be better for him already to be in the castle. But, Severus argued, it wouldn’t do for him to appear in a place where students might be, or other faculty not privy to the details of the plan. The astronomy tower was one place that fit both criterion.

Draco was stationed just outside the door to the Astronomy town, on the steps. He was to wait until he heard the headmaster return, then slowly make his way into the room. Dumbledore wouldn’t know exactly what Draco was supposed to do, but he wouldn’t be shocked when Draco showed up.

When Draco stepped out of the shadows, Dumbledore heaved a sign. He wasn’t really in the mood to help Draco right now. He felt weak and shaky, and just wanted to lay down for a few hours. Draco, however, wasn’t going to give the headmaster time to feel better. He started in on the play immediately.

"I have to do this, Headmaster. If I don't...if I don't...I won't be able to live in peace with my family."

Dumbledore wasn’t sure exactly what Draco was getting at, but he wished the boy would just get on with it. He was getting very thirsty, and he just wanted to lay down.

“If I do this, if I can kill you…the Dark Lord will reward me…he’ll spare my parents. You understand, don’t you Headmaster?”

Dumbledore sighed internally. That was the task the Dark Lord set? He spared a moment to wonder how Severus would get Draco out of this without the boy suffering punishment. Before he could do anything else, Draco lifted his wand high and disarmed the headmaster. Dumbledore was definitely shocked, but there wasn’t much he could do. His strength was failing more every second. It was all he could do to remain standing.

This didn’t look like it was doing to end well for him. Severus hadn’t shown up yet, and Draco looked determined to end his life. He had no strength to fight the boy, and no energy to wandlessly summon his wand back to protect himself. The only thought that gave him comfort was that even after he was gone, the Order would continue on his noble work. He didn’t have to worry about his death being a catalyst to the Dark Lord’s victory. But there was one thing that did give him pause.

He hadn't told anyone about Harry yet. He turned to address the house elf, but it had already gone. His mouth was too dry to form words anyway, so he shrugged. Minerva would find out about Harry when she went through his things after his death. She was a smart woman and would figure out what to do. She'd go and get him and train him up to be the weapon they needed. It would all turn out alright in the end.

Draco could see the headmaster’s mind working as he stood there, but he wasn’t sure if he should be worried yet. It was almost time for Severus to come in and save the day. Raising his wand again, he pointed it squarely at Dumbledore and said, "It's time to end this. Avada--"

"No, Draco!" Severus cried from behind the blond. He had finally made it. They had encountered some resistance from a few of the professors, but there were enough trusted death eaters down in the great hall that Severus felt comfortable leaving them with the rebellion so that he could come up to the tower and finish his task. He had a part to play, and he played it well. "Don't tear your soul like this. Allow me..."

He turned on the headmaster with a wicked glint in his eye. His wand was trained on the headmaster much as Draco’s had been. He silently sent a binding spell at the headmaster, as insurance that the man wouldn’t be able to move and ruin his final monologue. He left the man’s head free of the spell, however, wanting to make sure the man could hear everything he said. "I know what you did, Albus. You twisted old fool. You sent the Potters away where they would never get cured. You lied about Harry Potter being dead all these eleven years. You shunted him off on the worst Muggles imaginable. You almost broke him, you know."

Albus managed to find some saliva in his mouth to work loose his tongue. "You don't understand, Severus. Tom must be stopped. His ideas are too radical, his methods to cutthroat. I placed Harry with his family, where he'd learn obedience. He's perfectly fine there. I told them not to kill him, not to give him away. He'll be fine there until Minerva can go and collect him and train him into the weapon he needs to be."

He whispered, "You are a shortsighted fool. You have no idea what you have done. If you had gotten your way, there would be no way Harry would be the weapon you wanted. He didn’t know enough. There wouldn’t have been enough time to train him into anything. He would have been completely shattered. He wouldn’t have had a mind to mold. Hasn’t anyone ever told you that there are fates worse than death? For you, death will be enough. It will be my pleasure to kill you."

"Severus, wait, you must understand—"

"No, no more talking. It's time to end your reign of tyranny. Avada Kedavra!" The brilliant green jet of light zipped out of the end of Severus' wand and slammed home into Dumbledore's chest. The force of it knocked him off his feet and off the edge of the Astronomy Tower. He tumbled quickly to the ground, landing with a sickening thud.

Draco and Severus looked over the edge for several moments, watching the blood pool around the wizened headmaster's still body. After a second, Draco straightened. He wasn’t sure how he felt about the headmaster’s death. He knew that Harry was safe now. He knew that the Dark Lord no longer had major opposition. But he didn’t know if he felt sorry for the broken man on the lawn below, or bad about his part in the man’s demise. The only way he knew how to deal with this confusion was to go on as if nothing was wrong.

"Well, that's done. I have to go study for exams, now."

"Of course. Just because the headmaster is dead is no reason to slack on your studies. I’ll make sure that things continue on schedule. Exams should still be in a few weeks."

"Too true. Thank you, Severus. See you tomorrow."

O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O

Almost the entire school flooded out onto the front lawn where Albus Dumbledore lay broken and dead. His eyes were still widened in shock. A similar look was at home on most of the students' faces as well. They couldn't believe that their beloved headmaster was dead.

There were a few people missing from the mass. Draco Malfoy was in his common room studying for his exams. Severus Snape had flooed to Malfoy Manor to give his report to Lord Voldemort. And Minerva McGonagall was sorting through the things on her new desk, trying to make heads or tails of the mess Albus had left her. She had so much to do and so little time with which to do it. With her ascension to Headmistress, she'd need to hire a new Transfiguration Professor. And since the curse on the Defense position still hadn’t been lifted, they'd also need a new Defense teacher for next year. Hagrid was very close to Dumbledore. With the man’s death, Hagrid would probably be inconsolable, and need some time off. That meant they’d need a new Care of Magical Creatures professor. She had a good idea where to start looking for replacements.

James Potter was quite good at Transfiguration, or at least he had been before his coma. If she remembered correctly, he was even an animagus. There was one wizard who had wanted the Defense position as long as it had been open. If Severus was to be believed, he'd do nicely. And who better to take Care of Magical Creatures than a magical creature? Oh, and they should probably offer Dark Arts now, too. And maybe spellcrafting. That would take care of Lucius Malfoy and Lily Potter. Perhaps a course in deportment and etiquette? Yes, Narcissa was always the vision of poise and grace. And they could always use a new caretaker. Filch was too outdated. Young Sirius Black would do the trick. And with all of these new teachers, their newest student should feel right at home.
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The Years After