Fallen from grace

Chapter One

As Snape and Draco apparated away from the Harry and the chaos of the battle going on at Hogwarts they re-appeared in a field near Snape’s home at Spinners end. Draco fell to his knees on the ground and tried to recover from the effects of the side-long apparition that had meant his body felt as if it had been squeezed through a tube about half as wide as he was, as well as the whole night’s ordeal at the castle. He managed to draw a couple of shaky breaths before he emptied the meagre contents of the dinner he forced himself to eat that evening onto the grass.

Snape looked down at his godson with a sneer and started to yell “What did you think you would achieve by not letting me in to your plans you fool, you could have gotten yourself killed, as well as me in the process.” The older man then proceeded to bend down and try pull Draco to his feet by one of the young man’s upper arms while venomsly hissing at the almost paralysed youth “we need to seek shelter from the authorities as we will be two of the most wanted men in Britain.”

At the tugging of his arm and the words being almost spat at him Draco staggered to his feet and started to take in his surroundings his gaze finally resting upon his godfather’s furious face. As soon as he did Snape stated “follow me” and started to stride of in direction towards his house; after blinking several times to try to clear the tears from his eyes Draco set off keeping a few steps behind the man who was now muttering under his breath. Managing to catch odd words here and there Draco realized that Severus was cursing his name and comparing him to the block-headed Gryffindors that the man had taught for the past six years and then upon further reflection noted that Snape had not even bothered to look back to see if he was following.

As they came in to the small rundown rural village Draco started to come out of the shocked state he had been when they had first arrived in the field a few moments ago and his anger at the treatment he was receiving from his godfather was starting to grow. By the time the pair had reached Severus’s house it seemed that Draco was no better than the bumbling idiot Longbottom in Snape’s eyes. Snape quickly flicked his gaze back to the young man that was under his care for now and started to lower his wards and un-lock the front door to allow them entry to the small house, and while he was just inside the entrance way briefly scanning the surrounding area for aurors re-setting the wards and locking the doors.

Snape quickly turned on his Godson his eyes narrowing and his lips turning into a disgusted sneer; “we will now wait till the dark lord calls us, and pray to some God Draco that he will be in a lenient mood with you.”

Draco stared at his Head of House in complete shock trying to comprehend why the dark lord could be upset when the task to kill Albus Dumbledore was completed and Voldemort’s most dangerous opponent was no more.

At Draco’s slightly shocked and bemused face Snape start to laugh “you fool do you not realize that it was not you who completed the task but me boy, and that several of the dark lord’s followers saw you falter on top of the tower when you had the perfect opportunity to end Dumbledore’s life.” Snape then proceeded to turn his back on Draco and walk further in to the house shaking his head and chuckling again at his Godson’s ignorance and naivety.

Draco’s anger bubbled to the surface the whole night’s ordeal, the stress of the task and now his own Godfather laughing at him and comparing him to Longbottom. “YOU…..” screeched Draco to Severus’s retreating form “You just wanted the glory for yourself.” Severus spun on his heal his robes billowing around him staring absolute daggers at Draco, as he finished lamely on “I could have killed him if I had a little more time, I…. I just was stunned when the others came up to the tower.”

Draco’s gaze had now dropped to the floor, which seemed fascinating to the boy compared to the fuming Snape at the end of the corridor. Snape was livid with the boy and wished to talk some sense in to him before Voldemort called them to a meeting, however he knew it was not the time to do so as he still had an unwanted houseguest that he was unsure of the exact location of at this moment in time. Just as he was thinking of what he could say to the boy to gain back his trust and, to try to calm the young Malfoy before he saw Voldemort, the mark on his arm started to burn.

At this Snape stalked back towards his Godson at the other end of the small corridor, “Come we will see the Dark Lord together and celebrate with him as I sure he has already heard of the good news of Albus’s death” at this he looked to Draco and saw the look of panic and confusion written all over the pale blondes normally emotionless face. Snape grabbed the boy’s arm and pulled him in close to do a side-long apparation and at the same time whispering “You need to calm yourself I only did what I did to save myself and your family’s life so we could spend another day on this wretched earth.”

As the two reappeared at a dark, cold and gloomy looking mansion that had been obviously abandoned for many years they pulled their clothes around themselves tighter to ward off the un-natural chill. Snape performed a wordless spell to put on his death eater mask and gave a last glance at Draco who looked to be trying to assimilate his Godfathers last words and trying to build his mental walls and emotionless façade once again. Snape sent a pray of Thanks to which ever deity or power that was watching over him at this point in time for the Malfoy training the boy had received from his birth.

That very same night back in Hogwarts castle in the Gryffindors common room sat Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and most of the upper years, in a shell shocked kind of state with soft hiccups and sobs echoing around am almost silent room.

“I can’t believe it Dumbledore is gone and Death eaters were in the castle” stated a teary Lavender Brown who was pretty much voicing what everyone knew and were all thinking of at that exact moment. Dumbledore one of the World’s most powerful wizards was gone, and the supposedly safest place for people to be, to avoid the war brewing in the outside world ‘Hogwarts’ was only just recovering from a death eater invasion.

Harry was the only one who knew the full story from tonight as he was one of the few people who had been on the tower during Dumbledore’s last moments and wished to speak to Ron and Hermione of the events that had occurred but didn’t want the whole gaggle of students who were sat around to know and to start asking questions like why was he with Dumbledore and what were they doing outside of the castle.

Most of the students had heard the rumours that were flying around the great hall only an hour or so ago they had all been rounded up and a head count was done. The rumours being that Snape with the help of one Draco Malfoy had helped the death eaters in to the castle and that Snape had been the one to cast the killing curse on the beloved headmaster.

As the students were sent back to the respective houses to try to get some sleep from what was left of the remaining night, they had all fallen in to this shocked silence, which had only just been broken by Lavender’s obvious yet at the same time earth shattering comment. After the silence had been broken more of the students began to voice their thoughts.

All were along similar lines that “Malfoy was a no good rotten egg that didn’t fall far from the tree”, “Snape was a bastard that everyone had suspected for a long time being a dark wizard”, “I mean how could he not be the way he has treated Harry all these years” someone voiced up.

Soon the level of noise had risen greatly in the common room and most people almost had to shout to be heard, the only people that seemed to be remaining quiet were the Golden trio and Ginny. Harry, Hermione and Ginny all seemed to be wrapped up in grief and anxiety over Bill Weasley’s condition in the hospital wing, while Ron seemed to be just starting to rage and fume beneath the surface and muttering curses under his breath about Malfoy.

All of a sudden the portrait entrance swung open and Professor McGonagall walked in and the room went quiet and turned to look at her to see what she had to say. She looked distraught with grief over Albus’s death yet resilient in the job she now had to do as headmistress. She cleared her throat and began “I know this night has been a trying ordeal for many of you in this room and your courage and bravery in protecting your fellow classmates and professors this night makes you worthy to be in this noble house of Goderic Gryffindor” at this she started to break down a little in to tears.

At this Hermione rose and went to her head of house to try to offer some comfort, and at this gesture by her student Professor McGonagall collected herself with a small smile offered to Hermione in thanks. She continued on by in a proud voice saying “Albus Dumbledore would have been proud of all your efforts in this night and to continued help this evening by all of the students. I also wish to inform you that you that some of you over the next couple of days may be asked to answer questions about this evening by aurors. If you could answer as accurately and honestly as possible of tonight’s events and to continue to help those in the lower years from all houses to feel safe and secure before they would return home.”

Professor McGonagall then stated that everyone should return to the dorms for the night and that the prefects should check on all the lower years that had already gone back to bed. She then added she would like to have a word with Harry, Hermione, Ron and Ginny in private. Nearly all the other students assumed it was about Bill Weasley who had tried to protect them this evening against Fenrir Greyback the notorious werewolf. As the four went to follow the head of house out of the portrait hole Lavender Brown lay a comforting hand on to Ron and gave him a watery smile and said “if you need to talk at all let me know I will always be here for you”.