~Unknown Markings~

~Astoria~

Harry POV:

Months went by without any struggle. Everything seemed to go easily, almost too easily. I was suspicious of this one Slytherin girl named Astoria Greengrass.

Draco had once mentioned that Greengrass was his fiancée, or at least the one his father had arranged him to marry. Now that his father was gone this severely complicated things.

There was no doubt that the Greengrass family still wanted an engagement between the two pureblood lines. Draco had insisted that there was nothing left of that arrangement and it had died with his father.

I trusted that there was no desire for the arrangement on his side but Greengrass I did not trust.

Throughout the past few months I noticed the looks she gave Draco. Or at least that's what initially drew my attention. Later it became the fact that she always seemed to disappear whenever something happened.

Once when I was walking down the corridor after another DA meeting (since Dumbledore allowed it to continue in 6th year) I saw the Slytherin girl disappear into the room of requirement. This room was secret and not many people knew that it even existed. At first I thought it was a one of thing, maybe an unexpected discovery, until I saw she went back again and again.

I asked Draco if he had ever told any of his housemates about the room of requirement he said that he hadn't. So how did she find out about it then?

I never bothered Draco with any of my theories or qualms, because I knew what he would say. He would say that he grew up with them so they couldn't possibly be doing anything sinister.

———————————

Neville POV:

"Nev! Nev!" The sound of the deep voice beside me shook me from my day dream. I smiled shyly at the person next to me. It was another Hogsmeade weekend and we had managed to get a private booth at the 3 broomsticks.

"So where were you?" He asked in a teasing way.

"Where I normally was," I responded much to his amusement. He mused and gave a small laugh before giving me a quick kiss.

"What did you do that for?" I squealed being caught off guard. Due to embarrassment I turned my head away so his lips caught my cheek this time.

"You're just so cute!" He replied and turned to face me. Then he kissed the top of my nose softly.

"Sto-op Blaise," I said in childish way. Blaise grinned his chalk white teeth shown. He had such nice teeth and such a beautiful smile.

The moment was interrupted by a loud scream coming from the girls lavatory down the hallway. A figure lept out of the room, the only distinguishing feature I could see was the brown hair which breezed behind the mysterious figure.

The next day we found out that the Gryffindor quidditch player Katie Bell had been cursed and rushed off to Saint Mungos the previous evening. Blaise and I could not resist glancing at each other in shock.

———————————
Draco POV:

When the news of a Hogwarts breach spread around the castle like gossip to magazines everyone started to panic. I knew some of what was going on, or at least I had my suspicions.

Blaise had been telling me about what he observed Tori and at first I didn't want to believe it, but after while I had no choice. I hadn't seen Harry all day and I was desperate to try and find him. I had to make sure he was safe before they started to barricade.

Finally I had resorted to searching up in the astronomy tower. On the towers platform I saw Astoria pointing her wand right at Albus Dumbledore. From behind me I felt someone grab me, and I instantly turned to try and fight off my attacker.

I was face to face with my godfather who stunned me and placed me beside the one I had been searching for. Harry was also stunned beside me and we looked at each and then up at whatever was going on.

"I have to restore my family's pride, it was the only way. My father made an offer he could not go back on and now-" Astoria's voice broke as she spoke, tears built up in her eyes and her hand started to shake.

"This can't be what you want. Astoria put the wand down, we can help you." Dumbledores calm surprised me even now. He was at the end of his line and still he had this calm wisdom to him.

"Nobody can help me now. It's too late. He expects things from and my family... they will die.. I will die. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Astoria straightened her arm and the quivering stopped noticeably.

"You don't want to kill me Astoria."

"Of course I don't... but what choice do I have now?"

Then the other deatheaters came in and started to congratulate the poor girl. Then many things started to happen at once. Many people spoke at the same time but it would be hard to not hear the unmistakable cackle of my Aunt Bella's voice.

Astoria got pushed back and she stumbled into the railing which caught her. My godfather stepped forward and then there was a flash of green light. The body of Albus Dumbledore fell off the Astronomy tower.