𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋 𝐖𝐇𝐎 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐏𝐏𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐀𝐑

the one with the hanged man

“You will die before the
War ends. Are you sure
you want to fight?”

•

MY WAND WAS in my hand faster than I could've predicted it, as I ran up the stairs to meet the source of the noise. I felt it was Hermione, or Ginny. The Mark wasn't supposed to appear on the sky before the Order was up there. So, naturally, this war was taking its own course.

I landed on the seventh floor corridor and was about to run into the darkness when someone grabbed me from behind, putting a hand on my mouth, and pulling me into a small tributary of the corridor. I struggled against the strong grip, and then I elbowed whoever it was to grab me, right in their ribs. The grip on my was loosened as I escaped and without wasting a second, punched the person across the face. And my eyes widened-

"Fuck, Skylar!" Draco winced as he rubbed his jaw. A little wound appeared on his lips.

"Oh, my God-"

"Nice punch," he said, rubbing his lip with his thumb. "We don't have time."

"But Ron, Ginny and Neville are there-"

"They're safe," he said, pulling me with him down the corridor. "The Death Eaters are scattered. Gibbon cast the Dark Mark upstairs."

"Where are they," I asked, panting to keep up with him.

"Heading up the Astronomy Tower," he said bitterly. Maybe he had taken a wrong turn, or the war broke out in a different side, but suddenly we turned a corridor towards the stairs, and Draco pushed me back to the shadows instantly, impulsively.

"Malfoy," someone snarled. "You're supposed to be up already! I hear Dumbledore's there. I can smell him." It was Fenrir Greyback.

"Greyback," Draco spoke in a cold voice I didn't recognize. "I didn't know you'd be coming."

"How can I give up an opportunity to come to Hogwarts," Greyback purred in a tone that sent shivers down my spine. "So many young faces." Of course, he was the werewolf who attacked children. The worst of all monsters. "Go on then," he said, as I heard his footsteps approaching towards us.

"Where are you going?" Draco asked, stepping closer to me.

"I'm going down to join the fight," Greyback said, very close to us now. I wondered if he could sniff me. Draco, surprisingly, put a hand on Greyback's chest. "What are you doing?" Greyback snarled dangerously close to Draco. I held my breath.

"Take the other side," Draco spat. "I just came up here. There's no one here."

Greyback stared at Draco for a second before his lips curled up to a horrifying smile. "Are you sure, Little Malfoy?" He said. "Or are you just protecting your friends?"

Draco took a step closer to Greyback. My breath hitched in my throat thinking of all the ways it could go wrong. "Do I look like I care about anyone?" Draco spoke very quietly, his eyes completely blank. "You're wasting your time here. Go that way."

Greyback smiled menacingly for a second or two, and then he turned back and took the other stairs. The second he was out of sight, Draco tipped dramatically towards the pillar, holding it for support, his breathing shuddering.

"Let's go," he said, grabbing me again. "The Astronomy Tower."

"You go," I said. "It's your task."

"I have to protect you," he said, looking at me like I was crazy. "You don't know what they're capable of Skylar!"

"I can protect myself Draco," I said. I looked around. There was no one. I leaned up, and placed a kiss on his lips. Probably the last one in a long while. I took time with this kiss. When we broke apart, he looked at me. "Go," I whispered.