Dumbledores office was hidden behind this giant eagle, and I found myself staring at its large wings as I realized I didnt have a clue what the password was to get inside. It was getting late, dinner had been over for a while now and Harry would probably think I didn't want to talk to him if I waited too much longer, which was not anything that I wanted.
"Lemon Drops." I heard a familiar voice say behind me, I was shocked to see it was Professor Snape. The eagle started to slide to the side and suddenly a slender staircase took it's spot.
"We don't have all night, Ms. Soloria." His low drone rumble said from beside me.
"Are you coming to the meeting as well, Professor?" I asked, taking slow steps up the stairs to Dumbledores office. "Obviously." He said, I couldn't help but roll my eyes.
Dumbledores office was open and the pair of us slid inside, Dumbledore was grinning at me behind his desk. I felt guilty since Draco and I were meant to kill the man this year, even though neither of us believed we would actually be able to succeed.
"Ah, Alisanna my dear!" Dumbledore exclaimed and stood from his chair before walking around his desk to stand in front of us.
"You wanted to talk?" I asked. My palms were sweaty, and a bead of sweat rolled down my forehead and landed on my nose. I could stand up to Voldemort himself and here I was sweating bullets standing in front of our headmaster.
"You don't need to be nervous Ali, I know everything." He told me, my eyes went wide.
"Wh-a-at?" I said with a stutter. Dumbledore chuckled and motioned for Snape and I to take the seats in front of his desk.
"Im hyper aware of the mark on your arm Alisanna, I'm also aware of the task you have been given by the Dark Lord himself." I felt like my jaw hit my knees with how shocked I was. How the hell could Dumbledore know about everything that happened this summer, there was no possible way he could have known that.
"Professor, I don't know what you are—" I started to try and diffuse the situation, but Dumbledore holding up his hand caused me to shut my mouth. I was shocked he knew, but even more surprised by the smile on his face. If I knew someone had been sent to kill me, and they were sitting only feet away from me, the last thing I would be wanting to do was plaster on a giant grin for them.
"I know I may be old, but I know so much more than people give me credit for."
"You aren't old, Professor." I said tucking some of my hair behind my ear. "You don't look a day over thirty." Dumbledore chuckled and leaned against the edge of his desk.
"I thank you my dear." He said with the same smile on his elderly face. "But we have much to discuss, Severus." He said nodding to Snape, who then turned to face me.
"A long time ago I came to Albus for help, and in return he gave me a proposition that was something I could not pass up. You've seen me at the meetings with The Dark Lord all summer, but what you do not know is I have been feeding Dumbledore information for for over Fifteen years."
"You've been working both sides?" I said in shock. All this time I had believed Snape was on the Dark Lords side, that he hated anything and everyone who was on the side of the good, and in all actuality he was on our side the whole time.
"Yes." Snape said with a mild roll of his eyes.
"We know you didn't have a choice in taking The Dark Lords offer, we know which side you really fight for. We also know The Dark Lord values the great power that rests inside you like no other, and he won't risk losing such a valuable asset."
I scoffed. " You make me sound like some sort of weapon."
"You are a weapon, Ali. A very powerful one at that, one that will play a very important part in the war to come." Dumbledore rested his chin against atop his crossed fingers, and stared through me as if he was trying to read my mind. It wouldn't shock me if he actually could.
"I dont understand how I got these powers, have I had them all along?" I asked. Ive felt confused about these powers since the moment I accidentally tossed Draco across the Great Hall. I almost feel bad about that now. Almost, It's kind of funny now when I think about it .
"I know Voldemort told you about the Telanias. I can't say for certain, but your great-great grandmother might have been the last in the bloodline before you. The genes skip generations randomly, and have done so for thousands of years. From what I remember in research the talents don't normally make an appearance until adolescence." Ive had these talents for months and Dumbledore just now feels the need to explain to me that Im some witch mutant with super-powers. I feel like I need to go to Professor X's school for the gifted. At least they have TV.
"Life is complicated." I said with a sigh and I slinked back into my comfortable chair. Dumbledore's eyes sparkled with amusement while Snape looked completely bored like usual. "Yes my Dear, it is." Dumbledore said in agreement.
"What was I called here for again?" I asked, suddenly remembering Dumbledore wanted to talk to me about something specific, and given our prior conversation I didn't think my weird mutant bloodline was something that was of main priority.
"Oh yes! We need you Ms.Soloria. We need you on the right side of this war."
"I've always been on your side, Professor." I said.
"I believe that my Dear. But we need more than that. I need you to assist professor Snape in feeding myself information from the other side. Anything will help."
"You want me to work bother sides? Like a double agent?" I asked, with a raised eyebrow.
"Precisely." Said Dumbledore. " We understand you'll need to keep up your facade and report to Voldemort when he summons you. I just ask you to relay any messages from him to me. We need to be one step ahead of him at all times. " he told me.
I didn't even need to think before blurting out my answer. "Let's take the asshole down." I said with a smirk. I figured Dumbledore would have frowned at my language, but his smile seemed to brighten. Even Snape showed a mild sense of amusement at my language.
"I'm glad to hear that. You'll need to of course keep everything from Mr.Malfoy. I know you two are incredibly close, but you'll need to keep up the facade with him as well."
"Draco doesn't want this either you know. He hates everything we've been forced into. I know he'll gladly help me if he knew about this."
"Do you want to keep Draco safe?" Dumbledore asked me.
"Of course. He's my best friend. I would kill for him." I said almost immediately.
"Then Draco cannot know a thing about this meeting. You're a valuable asset to Voldemort, however Draco is not. Voldemort would kill him without a moments hesitation. And I sense you're stronger than him, nobody dares to stand up to Voldemort, and you do so without a care." Dumbledore said with a shake of his head.
"You know about the cabinet?" I asked. Dumbledore sighed, but nodded his head.
"Then you know I have to help him with it. I'll have to help Draco plan to murder you, even though we both know he won't be able to in the end." My eyes watered at the thought of this mission Draco and I were sent to tackle. And I wasn't sure if Dumbledore knowing made things easier or harder.
"Draco's a good boy, he's just had the wrong roll models for too long." Said Dumbledore who has now stood from his seat and walked around to the front of his desk. "Snape has agreed to do the deed in the result that Draco cannot finish the task."
"Wait, you're okay with this? You're okay with dying?" I practically yelled as I jumped from my seat. Dumbledore placed his hands on my shoulders to calm me down.
"Ali, there are more important people in this war than me. Like you, and my Dear Harry. I've lived my life all that I can, and I'm dying regardless." He told me, holding up his right hand that I could see looked cursed and was starting to turn black. "What happened?" I asked.
"That's a discussion for another time my Dear. Things will play out the way they aren't meant to. I just need you to continue being the strong willed young woman I have grown to admire." He said, the smile never leading his elderly face.
I sniffled back my tears before tossing my arms around my headmaster and hugging him tightly. "I wish things were different." I whispered as I clutched onto the backs of his robes. "We all do my Dear."
"Now, it's late, you better get going — don't want to keep Mr.Potter waiting." Dumbledore said, giving me a wink. My mouth opened in surprise at how Dumbledore really did know everything.
"Goodnight Professor, Professor Snape." I said softly before wandering back down the long winding stairs and out into the grand staircase. By the time I got to the seventh floor my mind was reeling with new information and things I wished I didn't necessarily know. I wasn't mentally prepared for my chat with Harry, but that didn't matter considering Harry was sitting completely alone in front of the roaring fire when I walked inside.