Malfoy. Draco Malfoy.

Chapter 34

"The saddest thing about betrayal is that it never comes from your enemies. It comes from those you trust most."

Once Fudge leaves, Dumbledore turns to Mrs Weasley. "There is work to be done. Molly. Am I right in thinking that I can count on you and Arthur?"

"Of course you can," Mrs Weasley says. She was white to the lips, but she looked resolute. "He knows what Fudge is. It's Arthur's fondness for Muggles that has held him back at the Ministry all these years. Fudge thinks he lacks proper wizarding pride."

"Then I need to send a message to him. All those that we can persuade of the truth must be notified immediately, and Arthur is well placed to contact those at the Ministry who are not as short-sighted as Cornelius." Dumbledore looks at the group.

"I'll go to Dad,' Bill says, standing up. "I'll go now."

"Excellent, tell him what has happened. Tell him I will be in direct contact with him shortly. He will need to be discreet, however. If Fudge thinks I am interfering at the Ministry—"

"Leave it to me" Bill says looking around. He claps a hand on Harry's shoulder, kissed his mother on the cheek, pulled on his cloak, and strode quickly from the room.

"Minerva" Dumbledore says, turning to Professor McGonagall, "I want to see Hagrid in my office as soon as possible. Also - if she will consent to come - Madame Maxime."

Professor McGonagall nods, and leaves without a word.

"And now," he says "it is time for two of our number to recognise each other for what they are. Sirius... if you could resume your usual form."

The black dog looks up at Dumbledore, then, in an instant, turns into a man.

Mrs Weasley screams and leaps back from the bed.

Snape didn't yell, or move back, but he looked at Sirius with fury and horror.

"Him" he snarls, staring at Sirius, whose face showed equal dislike. 'What is he doing here?'

"He is here at my invitation," Dumbledore says, looking between them "as are you, Severus. I trust you both. It is time for you to lay aside your old differences, and trust each other."

Sirius and Snape were eyeing each other with the utmost loathing.

"I will settle, in the short term, for a lack of open hostility. You will shake hands. You are on the same side now. Time is short, and unless the few of us who know the truth stand united, there is no hope for any of us." Dumbledore says, impatience in his voice.

Very slowly, Sirius and Snape moved towards each other, and shook hands. They let go extremely quickly.

'Sirius Black?" I say, hoarsely. He walks over to me, grinning.

"Lola! I haven't seen you since you were a little one!" He says happily.

I shift away slightly. Why is a mass murderer being all buddy- buddy with me?

Sirius' brows furrow, then he steps back, looking at Harry. "Ah. You didn't tell her, did you?"

"Tell me what" I look from Sirius to Harry.

"I'm your Godfather. And I'm innocent. Peter Pettigrew is alive. I thought you knew" he says.

"What?" I look at Harry.

He looks at me guiltily. "Well- I, er, did try to tell you-"

"How long have you known?" I say, trying not to raise my voice.

"A year." Harry says quietly.

"A year! A whole year!" My voice raises slightly. I'm furious.

"Well, I wanted to tell you, I just.." he says awkwardly.

"You just what." I snarl.

"You had Malfoy! I thought you'd tell him!" He finally says, looking at me. "I needed Sirius more than you did!"

That was the last straw.

Harry's POV

That's when I knew I said the wrong thing. I could see the flames in her eyes.

"What the hell is wrong with you!" She yells. "You needed him? You? Do you know how incredibly selfish that is? It's all about you, isn't it? Famous, stupid, orphan Harry Potter. Oh, forget about his sister, who is also an orphan and has no family. No. It's all about you. Well, fuck you Harry. And fuck you too." She says to Sirius.

"Oh, and I bet Weaselbee and Granger knew too?" She says. Ron and Hermione's guilty faces said everything. The betrayed look on her eyes was barely concealed by her fury.

"Fuck you, Harry. Keep your Godfather." She picks up her wand and waves it, the screens around her bed closing.

Everyone looks around awkwardly. I really messed up, didn't I?

"That will do to be going on with" said Dumbledore, stepping between Sirius and Snape once more, acting as though nothing had happened.

"Now I have work for each of you. Fudge's attitude, though not unexpected, changes everything. Sirius, I need you to set off at once. You are to alert Remus Lupin, Arabella Figg, Mundungus Fletcher - the old crowd. Lie low at Lupin's for a while, I will contact you there."

"But -" I say, wanting Sirius to stay. I didn't want to say goodbye again so quickly.

'You'll see me very soon, Harry,' said Sirius, turning to him. "I promise you. But I must do what I can, you understand, don't you?"

"Yeah" I say. "Yeah ... of course I do."

Sirius nodded to Dumbledore, transformed, into the black dog, and ran to the door, whose handle he turned with a paw. Then he was gone.

"Severus" Dumbledore says, turning to Snape, "you know what I must ask you to do. If you are ready... if you are prepared ..."

"I am" said Snape.

"Then good luck." Dumbledore says, and watches as Snape leaves the Hospital Wing.

There was a minute of silence. "Molly, maybe it's best to speak to Miss Potter. I must see the Diggorys. I will see you all later."

Dumbledore leaves after Snape. Ron, Hermione and Mrs Weasley look at me for a minute.

"Take the rest of your potion, Harry. You have a good, long, sleep. Try to think about something else for a while."

I blink and look up at the ceiling. Mrs Weasley hugs me before standing up and walking over to Lola's bed, going through the gap in the screen, closing it behind her.