Emma Potter; Going to War

86: Chances and Choices

I remembered how Snape had mended Draco's Sectumsempra woundsso easily with his wand. 

"Can't you fix them with a charm or something?" I asked thematron. 

"No charm will work on these," said Madam Pomfrey. "I've triedeverything I know, but there is no cure for werewolf bites." 

"But he wasn't bitten at the full moon," said Ron, who was gazing down into his brother's face as though he could somehow forcehim to mend just by staring. "Greyback hadn't transformed, sosurely Bill won't be a — a real — ?"

 He looked uncertainly at Lupin. 

"No, I don't think that Bill will be a true werewolf," said Lupin,"but that does not mean that there won't be some contamination.Those are cursed wounds. They are unlikely ever to heal fully,and — and Bill might have some wolfish characteristics fromnow on."

"Dumbledore might know something that'd work, though,"Ron said. "Where is he? Bill fought those maniacs on Dumbledore's orders, Dumbledore owes him, he can't leave him in thisstate —"

 "Ron — Dumbledore's dead," said Ginny.

 "No!" Lupin looked wildly from Ginny to Harry to me to Draco, as thoughhoping one of us might contradict her, but when Harry or I or Draco did not,Lupin collapsed into a chair beside Bill's bed, his hands over hisface. 

I had never seen Lupin lose control before; I felt asthough I was intruding upon something private, indecent. I turned away and caught Zoe's eye instead, exchanging in silence alook that confirmed what Ginny had said. 

"How did he die?" whispered Ryan. "How did it happen?" 

"Snape killed him," said Harry. "we were there, we were it. We arrivedback on the Astronomy Tower because that's where the Mark was.. . . Dumbledore was ill, he was weak, but I think he realized it wasa trap when we heard footsteps running up the stairs. He immobilized me and Emma, I couldn't do anything, I was under the InvisibilityCloak — and then Malfoy came through the door and disarmedhim —" 

Hermione clapped her hands to her mouth and Ron groaned.Luna's mouth trembled. They all glared at Draco. Nicholas stared at him as though he had never seen him before, Astoria and Ryan were looking stunned, Zoe couldn't seem to make any move or sound. 

 "— more Death Eaters arrived —Malfoy couldn't kill him, he refused to-- and then Snape — and Snapedid it. The Avada Kedavra." 

Harry couldn't go on.Madam Pomfrey burst into tears. Nobody paid her any attention except Ginny, who whispered, "Shh! Listen!"

 Gulping, Madam Pomfrey pressed her fingers to her mouth, hereyes wide. Somewhere out in the darkness, a phoenix was singingin a way I had never heard before: a stricken lament of terrible  beauty. And I felt, as we had felt about phoenix songbefore, that the music was inside me, not without: It was my owngrief turned magically to song that echoed across the grounds andthrough the castle windows. 

" Why did you agree?" asked Nicholas, staring at Draco.

"He threatened to kill me mother" said Draco, taking in a shaking breath "and me and. . .Emma."

"He has to kill Emma anyway!" said Ron.

"Voldemort lied to him about the prophecy," I said "he made him believe only one of us needed to die."

"So you were willing to let Harry die?" asked Hermione

"What would you do!" I exclaimed, tears of fury rolling down my  face "if someone threatened your mother? If someone threatened the person you--you--"