Draco approaches McGonagall
Jun. 4th, 2012 04:23 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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slipping_away4 June 1997
Minerva was sitting at her desk scoring exams and wondering how any of these second years would ever pass their OWLs when she heard a soft knocking at her office door. "Enter."
Draco raised shaking hands to the iron ring that served as the doorknob to McGonagall's office and twisted it, his stomach sinking as he heard the latch release. He felt a little light-headed as he pulled the door open and slipped inside. "Thank you, Professor."
McGonagall's eyebrow rose when she saw him. "Malfoy. Have a seat." She put down her quill and stoppered her bottle of red ink, watching him.
Draco sat and fidgeted for a moment as he avoided her eyes. He found himself worrying a hangnail and clasped his hands in his lap, trying to keep still and fighting for composure.
She watched him squirm for a while before speaking. "Well, boy, out with it. Or shall I start by discussing your latest essay with you?"
Draco darted a look at the professor, and he licked his lips, his knuckles going white from his grip as he tried not to scurry from the room. "No, it's—it's not about my homework. It's much more important than that."
McGonagall leaned forward, waiting.
Draco thought for a moment that he might pass out, and he opened his mouth for a gulp of air. "You-Know-Who said that if I don't kill Headmaster Dumbledore and find him a way into Hogwarts, he's going to kill me and my family."
Minerva's pursed lips grew lax and she blinked a time or two. She leaned back in her chair and took a breath. She stood, cast some charms at her office door, and sat again, leaning forward. "When did this happen?"
Draco twisted his fingers together, his words coming slow. "Mid-July. Last year. I didn't—I thought that—I don't know who to trust. I mean, it's different. When it's just threats and insults."
"Last July. And are you planning to kill the headmaster?"
Draco gave a hysterical yelp of nervous laughter. "Do you know who Headmaster Dumbledore is? I can't even come close. He'd—he'd blink at me and I'd be finished."
"Agreed. And as for getting You-Know-Who into Hogwarts?"
Draco gulped. "I can do it."
McGonagall pursed her lips again, dubious. "Can you?"
Draco raised his eyes to her, terrified by his certainty. "Yes. I can."
"How?"
Draco's shoulders slumped, and he spoke to his lap. "There is a Vanishing Cabinet in Borgin and Burkes. I found its twin in the Room of Requirement."
"I see. And both cabinets are functioning?"
Draco squeezed his hands together. "Nearly."
Minerva nodded and stood. "Come, Malfoy, we need to speak with the Headmaster."
"I--I can't." Draco swallowed. "I've already told you everything I know. What else is there for me to say?"
"Surely you didn't expect to tell me this and go back to your Common Room? You'll tell the Headmaster what you've told me, and you'll answer any question he asks you." Minerva pushed in her chair and started walking toward her office door. "Perhaps we should bring your Head of House, as well."
"Professor Snape? But he--he's a Death Eater! If we tell him, You-Know-Who will kill my father!"
"There are many things you do not know, Malfoy." Minerva stood at the door for a moment, removing the enchantments she had placed on it earlier. "Now, stand up and—"
Draco's wand was sweaty in his hand, his heart pounding. He turned toward her and bit his lip, thinking Obliviate as hard and desperately as he could, aiming the spell at Professor McGonagall.
Minerva froze in place, feeling her mind being invaded. Draco was accessing her memories, tearing the last few minutes of her life out of her. She fought it, but the memories broke free and she was left disoriented and empty-feeling.
"Sorry for troubling you, Professor," Draco said in a rush as he stood and hurried out the door.
Minerva stumbled away from the door as Draco pushed it open. She struggled to pull her thoughts together and sat down, her head in her hands.
Draco fought the urge to hunch his shoulders, taking a breath, each step brisk, but normal. There wasn't a way out of this, and he'd been stupid to think so.
Minerva was sitting at her desk scoring exams and wondering how any of these second years would ever pass their OWLs when she heard a soft knocking at her office door. "Enter."
Draco raised shaking hands to the iron ring that served as the doorknob to McGonagall's office and twisted it, his stomach sinking as he heard the latch release. He felt a little light-headed as he pulled the door open and slipped inside. "Thank you, Professor."
McGonagall's eyebrow rose when she saw him. "Malfoy. Have a seat." She put down her quill and stoppered her bottle of red ink, watching him.
Draco sat and fidgeted for a moment as he avoided her eyes. He found himself worrying a hangnail and clasped his hands in his lap, trying to keep still and fighting for composure.
She watched him squirm for a while before speaking. "Well, boy, out with it. Or shall I start by discussing your latest essay with you?"
Draco darted a look at the professor, and he licked his lips, his knuckles going white from his grip as he tried not to scurry from the room. "No, it's—it's not about my homework. It's much more important than that."
McGonagall leaned forward, waiting.
Draco thought for a moment that he might pass out, and he opened his mouth for a gulp of air. "You-Know-Who said that if I don't kill Headmaster Dumbledore and find him a way into Hogwarts, he's going to kill me and my family."
Minerva's pursed lips grew lax and she blinked a time or two. She leaned back in her chair and took a breath. She stood, cast some charms at her office door, and sat again, leaning forward. "When did this happen?"
Draco twisted his fingers together, his words coming slow. "Mid-July. Last year. I didn't—I thought that—I don't know who to trust. I mean, it's different. When it's just threats and insults."
"Last July. And are you planning to kill the headmaster?"
Draco gave a hysterical yelp of nervous laughter. "Do you know who Headmaster Dumbledore is? I can't even come close. He'd—he'd blink at me and I'd be finished."
"Agreed. And as for getting You-Know-Who into Hogwarts?"
Draco gulped. "I can do it."
McGonagall pursed her lips again, dubious. "Can you?"
Draco raised his eyes to her, terrified by his certainty. "Yes. I can."
"How?"
Draco's shoulders slumped, and he spoke to his lap. "There is a Vanishing Cabinet in Borgin and Burkes. I found its twin in the Room of Requirement."
"I see. And both cabinets are functioning?"
Draco squeezed his hands together. "Nearly."
Minerva nodded and stood. "Come, Malfoy, we need to speak with the Headmaster."
"I--I can't." Draco swallowed. "I've already told you everything I know. What else is there for me to say?"
"Surely you didn't expect to tell me this and go back to your Common Room? You'll tell the Headmaster what you've told me, and you'll answer any question he asks you." Minerva pushed in her chair and started walking toward her office door. "Perhaps we should bring your Head of House, as well."
"Professor Snape? But he--he's a Death Eater! If we tell him, You-Know-Who will kill my father!"
"There are many things you do not know, Malfoy." Minerva stood at the door for a moment, removing the enchantments she had placed on it earlier. "Now, stand up and—"
Draco's wand was sweaty in his hand, his heart pounding. He turned toward her and bit his lip, thinking Obliviate as hard and desperately as he could, aiming the spell at Professor McGonagall.
Minerva froze in place, feeling her mind being invaded. Draco was accessing her memories, tearing the last few minutes of her life out of her. She fought it, but the memories broke free and she was left disoriented and empty-feeling.
"Sorry for troubling you, Professor," Draco said in a rush as he stood and hurried out the door.
Minerva stumbled away from the door as Draco pushed it open. She struggled to pull her thoughts together and sat down, her head in her hands.
Draco fought the urge to hunch his shoulders, taking a breath, each step brisk, but normal. There wasn't a way out of this, and he'd been stupid to think so.