𝙙𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙧𝙤𝙨𝙚𝙨 (𝖽𝗋𝖺𝖼𝗈 𝗆𝖺𝗅𝖿𝗈𝗒 𝗑 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖽𝖾𝗋)

twenty-two

I took a deep breath and kissed Draco on the cheek. "If I don't come back, fix the cabinet and stay away from You-Know-Who."

"You're going to be okay, Y/n."

I gulped air and stepped into the Vanishing Cabinet. I held my breath as Draco closed the door, and after a few seconds and a popping sound, the door opened again. The first person I saw was Bellatrix, who started laughing like the maniac she is.

"It works!" she screeched excitedly. "We can attack Hogwarts!" Her laughed sound crazed, and I would have been scared if I were't used to it.

"Dumbledore is on his way back. We have to hurry," Rodolphus said, pulling me out of the cabinet and walking in. After he was in Hogwarts, Bellatrix followed, then Greyback, then Rowle, and then the Carrows. More Death Eaters slowly filed in, waiting for the next person to enter Hogwarts.

Finally, I was able to go back through the cabinet. When I got through, I was greeted by Draco and a room full of Death Eaters walking around and looking at the things hidden in here. The Room of Requirements was currently being used as some sort of storage room.

"Listen up!" Draco yelled. "You are all very excited, but we have to wait for Dumbledore and Potter to return to the school. There, Y/n and I will meet them, and kill Dumbledore. When we leave this room, you are free to find the guards and attack them. Once Snape joins you, the fight will commence."

Nods and grunts of approval came from the crowd of Death Eaters.

Draco looked at his watch. "Dumbledore and Potter are back. We are going up to the Astronomy tower."

The two of us left the room and started walking quickly in the direction of the tower.

"Are we actually going to do this?" Draco asked, worry in his voice.

"We don't have a choice. If you can't do it, I guess I'll have to kill him, but I'll do that for you."

"Thank you, Y/n."

We started climbing the stairs to the tower.

"Expelliarmus!" I yelled as we burst through the door.  I watched Dumbledore's wand fly over the railing. He was leaning against the same railing, looking sick and weak. A sudden wave of guilt overcame me.

However, Dumbledore didn't look worried at all. "Good evening, Y/n and Draco."

Draco stepped forward, and I looked around to see if anyone else was in here. I saw two brooms on the floor.

I pointed to them, and Draco said, "Who else is here?"

"A question I might ask you. Or are you two acting alone?"

A green Dark Mark glowed above us, making Draco and Dumbledore appear slightly green.

"No," I said, speaking up. "We've got backup. There are Death Eaters here in your school tonight."

"Well, well. Very good indeed. You found a way to let them in, did you?" Dumbledore's voice was full of humour.

"Yeah, right under your nose and you never realised!"

"Ingenious. Yet, forgive me, where are they now? You two seem unsupported."

"They met some of your guards. They're having a fight down below. They won't be long. We came on ahead. We—I've got a job to do," Draco said, looking at me.

"Well, then, you mist get on and do it, my dear boy."

Nobody said anything. I readied my wand.

"Draco, Y/n, you are not killers."

"How do you know?" Draco and I accidentally spoke at the same time, surprising each other.

"You don't know what I'm capable of! You don't know what I've done!" Draco said forcefully.

"Oh, yes, I do. You almost killed Katie Bell and Ronald Weasley. You have been trying, with increasing desperation, to kill me all year. Forgive me, Draco, but they have been feeble attempts. So feeble, to be honest, that I wonder whether your heart has been really in it."

I looked at Draco. I didn't know about Katie Bell or Ronald Weasley.

"It has been in it!" He sounded like he was going to cry. "I've been working in it all year, and tonight—"

A yell sounded from somewhere down bellow, distracting me while Dumbledore and Draco seemed to argue. I didn't realise how much I had missed by watching the fighting down below until Greyback and Snape appeared in the tower. The Carrows were there, too.

"Severus, please. . . ."

"No!" Draco screamed. "I have to do it! If I don't, He'll kill me, my family, everyone I care about!"

"Get on with it then!" Bellatrix shrieked.

Tears threatened to spill from Draco's eyes again.

Snape stepped around me and Draco. I gripped Draco's arm and pulled him to me as he started crying into my shoulder.

"Avada Kedavra!" Snape yelled.

With those two words, Dumbledore was dead, and it was time for Draco and I to join the fight outside of the tower.