Festina Tempus (Rewrite) -Harry Potter Fanfiction-

Chapter Twelve : The Shrieking Shack

The sun was bright in his eyes as he left Hogwarts grounds. Only as he stepped onto the dewy grass did he realize McGonagall might still be out here, checking the wards. I should've taken the cloak.

It was too late for that, Draco wasn't going back now. Harry had already been gone for too long, he had no way of knowing what had happened to him. He might already be...

Draco shook the thought out of his head. Taking a quick glance to look for McGonagall, Draco decided he was clear, and began running again. Draco had to get Harry, he couldn't afford to run into teachers that wouldn't help him, who would insist he wait in his rooms until the Aurors came and helped.

Knowing who his father was, it was likely he would interfere in some way with the correspondence. Draco didn't trust that the Aurors would arrive any time soon.

The Whomping Willow was easily visible from where it rested at the top of a hill. Draco dropped to his knees at the base of it, out of the range of its branches, twitching in the breeze. How did they do it?

Draco thought back to third year. After Granger had broken his nose, the savage, he had watched them from a distance, excited to see them get whacked by the tree. To his dismay, they had vanished somewhere by the roots.

They had to have been using the tunnel, Draco decided, but how did they get through?

He stood and circled the tree several times, each minute feeling like torture as it passed. Harry was in danger, Harry needed him. But he had to get passed the stupid tree first.

Draco held his wand flat in his palm. "Point me, tunnel."

His wand trembled in his hand, spinning several times before settling. He followed it until it was pointing directly at the base of a tree. Draco put it away, crouching and squinting. In the growing light, he could see it. A hole, mostly obscured by swaying branches and leaves, a small overhead cover made by its twisting roots.

How do I get there with all my limbs?

He circled the tree again. He had no idea how close it would let him go until it attacked, but he kept a wide berth. It's swaying seemed to pick up; Draco had the distinct feeling it knew what he was trying to do.

"Immobulus." A faint blue shimmer covered the tree, though Draco could see no particular effect. Still, he took a small step closer to the tunnel. The tree didn't move.

He chanced another step, and then another, courage growing alongside his fear as it continued to stay put. Surely an immobulus couldn't keep this beast still?

Draco had to trust his own magic. Even if he couldn't. He didn't have another choice right now. Harry was waiting for him, depending on him. Draco knew it in his bones.

He was about two meters from the entrance when Draco saw a branch twitch. He froze, not wanting to move while also wanting to dive for the entrance. He took a small step closer, and then the tree was angry.

Draco leaped for the entrance, barely containing a shriek as he slid on the rough, dirty slope. A large tree branch missed his face by centimeters.

Chest heaving, Draco waited for a moment at the bottom, adrenaline pumping through his veins and making him light-headed. Once he caught his breath -he was truly astonished he was still alive, honestly- he steeled himself and moved forward, having to crouch as he walked.

The walk seemed to go on forever. Though he couldn't tell if it was the actual distance, his anxiety, or the cramps in his back and neck that were telling him that. None of it mattered, anyways. Harry still needed his help.

After what felt like hours -but really couldn't have been- Draco saw small slivers of light in the distance. Without realizing, he had moved to a run. He slowed upon approaching, aware of how loud his pounding feet and heavy breathing may be, especially to a magical snake. He cast a quick silencio on himself, pulling out the map.

If they were here, Harry and Nagini weren't visible, likely on the other side of the house. But Draco's dot was there. He put the map away. It couldn't do him any good now. A small, wooden ladder led up to a trap door, likely on the base level of the house.

Please just be the snake, please just be the snake...

He cast another silencio on the trapdoor. There was no telling how old this thing was, he didn't want to take a chance by alerting anyone in the house because of a creaky door. He cast notice-me-not charms, a disillusionment charm, another silencio on himself. He couldn't think of anything else with his heart pounding in his ears.

He grabbed the ladder with both hands, pausing. He swallowed painfully. What if I'm activating wards...

He had to take that chance, and move fast. That was all he could do. The door opened without a problem. Draco was met with dust clouds and rotten wooden boards that made up the entirety of the floor, likely the house. Grimacing a little, Draco crawled out on his hands and knees, coming to a defensive stance with his hand in his hand immediately. There was no one.

There was a hallway to Draco's right, and a rickety staircase on his right. He didn't have time to go the wrong way. His hand started sweating.

He cast a point me charm on Harry, wondering if anyone inside the house would be able to hear his heartbeat past his spells. It trembled and settled on the stairs. He cast a silencio on the stairs and a featherweight charm on himself as an extra measure. He didn't trust the stairs to hold him.

He took the first two stairs gingerly. When no sound met his eats, he walked quickly up, pausing at the top. There was a single hallway with three doors. Two of them were open; the last one was closed, at the end of the hallway.

That's where he is.

Time felt slowed as he walked towards it. There might be anyone behind it. His father, the snake, Voldemort himself... there was a very real chance Draco wouldn't be coming out of this alive. He wanted to cower; every muscle in his body was yearning to leap back down the stairs. But he couldn't, not when he was this close.

He cast a silencio at the door. He opened it slowly, peering inside. He almost gasped. Through the crack he could see Nagini, a giant snake with a plume on the top of it's head, tongue flicking into the air lazily. Vibrant green scales reflected off the moonlight, illuminating the room slightly.

Draco opened the door a little further. The snake didn't move. Wondering what god was on his side that day that allowed his luck, he looked around the room, not daring to step inside.

Harry!

In the corner of the room farthest from the snake, Draco could see the top of Harry's face, dried tears visible on his cheeks. Draco felt his heart lurch in rage and relief, almost running to Harry the moment he saw him.

He barely stopped himself. Looking at the snake again, he considered trying to cast an immobulus on it, but magical snakes were too different to regular snakes. The chance his spell would bounce off its scales was too great. Even if it did land, there was no guarantee it would do anything besides wake it up.

He cast a silencio on Harry -who knew how much he would need that spell- and crept forward, eyes never leaving Nagini.

He wasn't sure if it was his spells, his luck, or some god that had blessed his journey, but he reached Harry and the snake never moved once. He crouched, brushing hair away from Harry's forehead gently. Draco almost gasped.

Oh Harry...what did they do to you?

He ignored the mutations he could see, as much as it pained him. He didn't have the time to worry about it here. Snape or Dumbledore would fix it, but he needed to get Harry back to Hogwarts first, back to safety. He picked Harry up into his arms, carrying him like a toddler with Harry's head on his shoulder. Harry didn't move as Draco placed him, but his breathing was steady. He figured they must have put sleeping charms on him.

Draco hoped they were sleeping charms, at least. He could break those easily. Draco stood, staring at Nagini.

Now he just had to get out. Draco looked towards the door, holding Harry tightly in his arms. I got you, Harry. You're safe now.