Chapter 34: Unfinished Business

“First things first.” Minerva said briskly as she pushed her way into the room. “We have some unfinished business to take care of, let’s meet downstairs in 5 minutes.” She immediately turned and headed downstairs, as did the rest, leaving Moody and Harry in the room, alone.

“I’m sorry a screamed in your face.” Harry mumbled after several moments of silence.

He looked up alarmed as Moody embraced him in a hug.

“You are so headstrong sometimes boy.” Moody said, wiping his eyes, “You have such a brave heart, that sometimes it gets in the way of your common sense.” He chuckled softly, “Reminds me of myself, truth be told.”

“Yeah, well.” Harry looked around, immensely uncomfortable and more than a little embarrassed by Moody’s show of affection.
“Minerva left with Ginny, pretending to save her, although that girl could surely hold her own, I realized right away that Snape was using legilimency, far more advanced than he used to let on. That was how he knew that you were getting angry, and when he started laughing at something that you thought.” Moody paused for a moment.

“Wait!” Harry had a suspicious expression on his face. “How did you know that I thought something funny?”

“Because you started looking around confused when he began laughing.” Moody said simply.

“Oh.” Harry drooped his shoulders dejectedly, realizing that he had played right into Snape’s greasy hand. “How were you able to grab me and apperate away if Snape was using legilimency?” Harry asked.

Moody chuckled, “Because of you.” Moody said, continuing at harry’s apparent confusion. “He was so focused on you, and you kept baiting him right along, that it clouded his senses. I was hoping that it would work.” He chuckled again, “You always did rub him the wrong way, and visa versa I think. Had he noticed though…” He trailed off, not finishing his sentence. There was no need; they both knew what would have happened.

Harry stared at the ground, realizing what he had almost caused, ashamed at his lack of control. He set his shoulders, coming to a decision. “I am going to need your help, Moody.” Harry said over his shoulder as he walked out of the room.

“With what?” There was curiosity in Moody’s voice as he hurried to catch up with Harry. His wooden leg clunking against the floor with every step.

Harry stopped suddenly at the head of the stairs, “Moody, I have been wondering this for a while. After Peter cut off his own hand in the cemetery in order to bring Voldemort back, Voldemort created a new silver hand for him. Also, when Lockhart managed to make the bones in my arm disappear, those were able to be re-grown. Why do you have a wooden leg then, why not conjure a real one?”

Moody’s face grew hard for a moment, then softened into a thoughtful expression. “To remember.” He said simply.

“Remember what?” Harry asked, dumfounded, wondering if he really wanted to remember how he had lost his limb.

“To remember my mistakes.” Moody sighed, dropping his head, “I got to sure of myself.” He said quietly, “And I paid the consequences. This is to insure I never forget.”

“But that was a long time ago; don’t you think that you have punished yourself enough?” Harry insisted.

“I told you.” Moody said gruffly as he pushed past Harry and started down the stairs, “It’s to remember.”

Harry stood for a moment pondering what Moody had told him before following him down the stairs

He paused in the door way of the meeting room, amazed by the pandemonium reigning within.

Malfoy was laid out on the table that had previously held the pensieve, flat on his back, still unconscious. There were several people surrounding him, trying to determine the extent of his injuries.

“I thought he was to be taken to the Weasley’s” Harry asked Minerva slightly taken aback.

“After what just happened, Mr. Potter, I should think not. This is the only place it is safe now. We have called everyone here immediately. I would have thought that you of all people would have realized that.” Minerva said, harshly, her frustration apparent.

Harry realized that she was right. He sighed, then asked, “What can I do to help.”

Minerva smiled at him, her anger with him forgotten, “See to it that everyone has arrived safely. If not, figure out who is missing and how can we get them. Also we need to figure out who’s head is in that room and go get Kreacher.” She shuddered, repulsed at the idea.

Harry made a face, “Ok, I will do it.” He said over his shoulder as he left the room.

He could see people falling out of the grates, and decided to check out the room first, giving people time to arrive and move out of the way.

He made his way up the flights of stairs, stopping in front of the closed door, he placed his hand on the knob, but did not turn the handle.
“Come on now.” Ron said startling Harry, “What are you waiting for then, just do it and get it over with.”

“I was trying to remember if it has been awhile since I have seen someone.” Harry said as he slowly opened the door. The smell that met him was overwhelming.

Gagging, he placed his arm over his nose and mouth, and batted several flies away as he ran to the window to let in some fresh air.

“About time!” A voice said from behind him, “I was wondering when someone would come for this…mess. Not that I can smell it, but it is not pleasant to look at.”

Harry looked over to Walburga Black, unwilling to look at the mess on the floor. “Can you tell me what happened?” Harry asked her.

“Tell you what happened?” She asked, puzzeled, “You didn’t know? I thought you were punishing me.” She said softly. “I was sitting here, as always, wishing for company, when I heard a strange noise. I looked up and realized there was something wrong with Kreacher’s head. It was shaking and moving, and I thought for sure he was alive somehow. Suddenly it changed into a person’s head and fell off the wall.” She shook her head.

“You don’t know who it is do you?” He asked her hoping that she could tell him and spare him the need to look at it. At the shake of her head, Harry realized that he had to look and slowly turned his head to the pile on the floor.

The putrid flesh had partially rotted away, partially been eaten by the flies and other bugs swarming it, but it still was barely recognizable as Vincent Crabbe.

Harry conjured a large heavy duty garbage can complete with a garbage bag and levitated the head into the can, hearing it drop with a sickening plop. He watched as the bag tied itself and the lid closed effectively sealing the head and the bugs inside. He waved his wand and the can disappeared as did the remainder of the mess that was left behind. The smell was still present, as it probably always would be, but it was growing fainter and fainter by the minute.

Ron was still in the doorway staring at the place where the head had been, an utterly horrified look on his face. He shook his head as though trying to clear the image from his mind.

“I didn’t like the guy, but come on.” He said, his voice shaky as the two boys headed back down the stairs after closing the window. “That’s a little extreme, don’t you think? I wonder what he did.”

“Probably just being a prat.” Harry said trying unsuccessfully to laugh it off. He was dismayed at the thinness off his voice.

Hermione and Ginny met them at the bottom of the stairs, the looks on their faces enough to stop them from asking what they had found.

They sat down in the chairs in the front entry way, trying to collect themselves. Harry put his head in his hands.

“What are you doing, Mr. Potter?” Minerva asked, sounding disgruntled that Harry wasn’t following her instructions. She stopped herself from reprimanding him however, by the look on his face as he pulled his head out of his hands.

“Who was it?” She asked softly as she came down next to him, placing her hand on his arm.

“Vincent Crabbe.” Harry shuddered, remembering the eyeless face, mouth open in an eternal silent scream.

Minerva along with everyone around breathed a sigh of relief that it wasn’t one of their own. “What did you do with it?”

“Do with what?” Harry asked dazzed, still in shock.

“With the head?”

“Oh. I put it in a garbage can.”

“And what did you do with the garbage can.” Minerva tried to keep her irritation at bay.

“I have no idea.” Harry sighed as he leaned back in the chair, his eyes slightly glazed over.

“You don’t know what you did with it?” Hermione asked him incredulously.

“Nope.” He said shrugging. “I waved my wand and it disappeared.”

Minerva looked upward as though asking for guidance, Hermione tsk-tsked, while Ginny looked at Harry, her head cocked to the side and giggled.

“Here Harry, eat this.” Lupin said suddenly kneeling by him. He handed both boys a piece of chocolate.

“Will it make me feel better.” Harry asked quietly.

“It will definitely help.” Lupin smiled and patted Harry on the back, watching him absentmindedly nibble on the chocolate.

After several minutes, Harry sighed and shook his head, feeling much better. He stood up and headed to the grate as though nothing at all had happened.

“What did you give him?” Minerva asked Lupin behind her hand.

“Just chocolate.” Lupin said smiling knowingly at Minerva as he followed Harry out of the room.

“Ok everyone!” Harry bellowed over the talking people scattered about the kitchen. “We need you to look around and see if anyone is missing. If you notice that there is someone missing please come tell me so we can begin searching for them. Thank you.” He stood in the corner, scanning the crowd. As far as he could tell everyone that should be here was.

He was soon satisfied that everyone was present and accounted for, so he made his way back into the meeting room, where Minerva had returned to watch over Draco.

Liquid chocolate among other potions was being poured into the still unconscious Draco’s mouth.

Harry crossed his arms over his chest and stared at the boy lying on the table, wondering what was to happen next.

Minerva placed a hand on his shoulder and led him away, allowing Miriam Stout and Molly to continue working on Draco.

“Will he be ok, Professor?” Harry asked, the worried expression on his face startling Minerva for a moment.

“We don’t know yet Harry, it is too soon tell.” She spoke slowly and precisely, carefully choosing her words. “Why do you ask?”

Harry, sensing her curiosity at his sudden interest in the welfare of Draco, looked up at her,” This is a horrible thing what has been done to him.” He said slowly, “If it actually had been done to him and isn’t just for appearances, which I don’t think it is. Draco is good, but not that good. Some one obviously didn’t want him to be able to tell anyone what happened. We need to get to the bottom of this, and he might just be the only one who can help us.”

Minerva stared at the man standing in front of her, amazed at the maturity that he was showing. She nodded her head, “You are absolutely correct Mr. Potter.” She said as she folded her arms behind her back and continued on.

Harry followed close behind her. “What is our next step, Professor?”

“Don’t call me Professor here.” She chided him, “What do you think we should do next? Do you think Severus is a threat, and if so, is he enough of a threat to not open the school next month?”

Harry thought about it for a moment, “I am not sure, yet. Moody was able to fool him pretty easily, although his skill at legilimency is amazing. I do thin that we all should become proficient in occlumency; we need someone who is a master at legilimency, in order to assure that we are blocking our minds effectively.”

He paused a moment in his walking, “It’s weird.” Harry said thoughtfully, “When he was teaching me, I knew he was in my mind. I wonder how he got to the point where I can’t feel his presence.”

Minerva stopped next to him, staring at him intensely. I think I know just the person. But I think right now, we all need to rest. We have a lot to do, and not too much time.”

Harry nodded realizing that they had been awake for almost 24 hours.