I step backwards from the railing my heart pounding in my chest, where the hell is Draco? He said he would be waiting here for me after he produced the dark mark and yet there the dark mark is in the sky and no Draco to be seen.
I place our bags down on the floor and pull my wand from my pocket pointing it around the dark space of the astronomy tower.
"Draco?" I call out to the empty space my voice disappearing into the wind outside.
I let out a long breath as I turn and run back down the stairs of the Astronomy tower. Well I guess I'll just have to find him then won't I.
I open the door at the bottom of the Astronomy tower pointing my wand towards either end of the dark corridor. It appears as though a coldness has passed through the castle, a dark, cold, awful feeling.
"Draco" I whisper loudly into the corridor my eyes wide.
I step down off the last step the hairs on my arms standing up to attention. A shiver passes down my spine as I strain my ears listening for the slightest sound.
"Draco?" I walk along the corridor as the heavy feeling sets in my stomach. Something is wrong.
A loud crack sounds from the Astronomy tower and I spin quickly with my wand up pointing it along the darkened corridor. The door to the Astronomy tower stays open but yet no footsteps seem to approach it from above.
I walk quickly back to the door my hand clenched tightly around my wand. Maybe Draco has arrived at the tower again, but why would he apparate? He hated doing it during the lessons and only just passed his apparation test, I highly doubt he is doing it now.
"Draco?" I call out as I swing open the door of the Astronomy tower, I turn and close it behind me as a second thought. I want anyone after us to have to open the loud creaky door, at least then I'll know they're coming.
"Draco?" I whisper now as I climb up the spiral staircase, I look up and see a slumped figure standing at the railing. I let out a gasp as I lay eyes on my headmaster.
"Sir?" I walk forward hesitantly my wand still raised "Professor Dumbledore?"
He lifts his head slowly and I can see his skin is grey and clammy, his long hair hangs down around his face but for the first time it doesn't look magical or powerful. It looks thin, wispy and weak.
He looks weak.
"What happened sir? Are you hurt?" I look around the tower, maybe Draco did this. Maybe he tried to kill him but he only hurt him instead "is someone else here? Did they hurt you?"
Dumbledore's eyes scan around the room hesitating for a split second on one corner before he meets my gaze "no Angelica. No one is here and no one hurt me, I did this to myself."
I walk forward and lower my wand as the dark mark in the sky casts an eerie glow over the pair of us.
"What do you mean?" I take a step forward hesitantly "do you need me to heal you?"
"Oh no my dear" he stands up straighter his blue eyes sad "even you could not heal this I am afraid." He smiles at me "although I have heard from Madam Pomfrey how well you worked on Mr Malfoy, I think you may make a wonderful healer one day."
I shake my head "I doubt it. I won't have the same motivations I fear, it's always easy to save a life if that life belongs to the person you love."
Dumbledore smiles "isn't every life equal."
I tilt my head slowly as I take in his words, I know Dumbledore well enough to know this is not merely small talk about my healing. He is testing me.
I smirk and leave my head at a tilt, I allow the coldness to wash over my features as I stare at the old man before me "perhaps not."
Dumbledore's eyes widen slightly "you look so much like your father. You are becoming more like him everyday."
Dumbledore sighs as he watches me "this isn't what I wanted for you. I thought by passing you off as a Potter you would have other role models. You would follow the path of light like Harry."
I feel a sharp pain in my chest as his words hit me "who is to say I haven't chosen the path of light?" Anger grows within me as I stare at the old man before me "and so what? So what if I haven't. You say you wanted me to have better role models, well who?"
I step forward and point my finger at him as fury rolls deep within my veins "the Dursleys? Those abusive arseholes you stuck Harry and I with when we were one years old? Or how about Lupin? The man who wouldn't so much as look at me and when he did his eyes were full of so much hate and resentment. Or how about Sirius? You left him locked up so he barely got any time with me, and then just as I finally thought I had found a true father figure he fucking died."
I take in a deep breath as the words pour out of me "or how about Cedric? Well we all know how that worked out don't we. I was twelve years old believing I was head over heels in love with someone far too old for me, I was clinging on to any sign of love and acceptance so much so that I was getting into relationships that were extremely unhealthy for my age."
I feel tears in my eyes as I push away that last part of my love for Cedric. A cold shard takes it place in my heart, the feeling causes me to take a deep breath in as I adjust to the coldness.
"Or should Blaise have been my role model? My best friend in the world, the only person who I loved and trusted every day of my life since I was eleven years old? Well he got torn away from me because my father saw my love for him as a weakness." A sob builds in my throat but I force it down as I allow the anger to take control "or perhaps you want me to be just like Harry? The boy who lived. The chosen one. The boy I believed to be my twin brother until we were told that was all a lie, fourteen fucking years of our lives was a lie. He hates me, he may not want to admit it to himself but a part of him has always hated me. Ever since we came to Hogwarts a part of him rejected me, treated me badly and pushed me away. Maybe that's because even subconsciously he knew that I was dark. He knew I was bad. He knew I was evil."
I push my hair from my face as I stand tall before my headmaster "so tell me what you want from me, because we really do not have long."
Dumbledore let's out a deep breath "I need you to stay near your father from now on, to act as a spy against him. Harry has his own mission but you need to spy on your father."
"He will kill me."
Dumbledore hesitates "you don't know that."
I laugh bitterly "oh I do. He can read my mind, he can read every thought I've ever had."
"Then you need to get better at protecting your mind." Dumbledore stares at me evenly "Professor Snape can help you."
"So you want me to risk my life? Even though you you know I will never be safe. If I stay near him he will torture me, curse me and hex me. He will force me to learn dark magic and allow it to take over my soul. He may not kill me but I will die. A part of me will die forever."
"To win the war, sacrifices have to be made."
I feel my mouth drop open in shock "that's all I am? A ceremonial sacrifice? You realise you are asking me to complete a suicide mission. You know there is no survival for me."
Dumbledore shakes his head "you can survive, if you're strong. If you remember the path of light and what you're fighting for you can survive."
"Physically yes, but what I'm telling you is mentally and emotionally I will die."
Dumbledore remains silent as the reality passes over the two of us, he knows what he is asking of me. He doesn't care. I am merely a pawn in his greater plan for Harry.
A sound catches my ear "someone's on this corridor. I just heard a smash."
Dumbledore nods he begins to whisper "you need to listen to me, I know you know what Draco must do. You can't be the one to do it, he needs to. He needs to be the one to show his worth in Voldemort's ranks."
I look around the room and down the stairs, no one is near by yet so why is he whispering?
I look back at Dumbledore and take in the man before me. My once great and strong headmaster, who is the greatest wizard who has ever lived, here he stands before me stooped over and weak.
I nod slowly "I will do what is necessary."
The door bangs open and footsteps sound up the stairs, I turn with my wand raised and feel a sense of relief as Draco emerges his hair hanging over his face.
I reach my hand out to him which he takes squeezing it tightly, his eyes however are focused on Dumbledore.
"Expelliarmus!" Draco disarms Dumbledore easily. I watch as the headmasters wand flies in the air landing at my feet, I kick it to the side gently. It rolls across the floor hitting the wall.
"Draco" Dumbledore's voice is weak as he watches the boy next to me.
I step closer to Draco feeling the warmth from his body, I turn and look up at his face. His lip quivers slightly as he raises his wand at our headmaster.
"I need to do this quickly, before other arrive." Draco swallows audibly as he holds his raised wand steady.
"You don't need to do this" Dumbledore looks at Draco is face grave "we can help you, protect you."
What?
Draco shakes his head "it's too late. He has my mother and father."
"I can send people to save them too." Dumbledore tilts his head slightly "I can make sure you are all safe."
Confusion twists in my head, why is he offering to save us? Did he not just tell me how important it is for me to stay close to my father. He also just told me how Draco needs to do this, how it's important for him to do it. So why is he now begging for him not to?
Draco lowers his wand marginally "you'll save all of us? Angelica included?"
Dumbledore looks at me and opens his mouth slowly, before he can respond however the door to the tower bangs open loudly.
Several footsteps sound along with laughter and shrieks, I turn slightly to see several death eaters entering the tower followed by Bellatrix Lestrange.
"Well, well, well" Bellatrix let's out a loud cackle as she walks forward her eyes bulged wide. "Dumbledore is cornered by two children, what's your next move then?" She smirks as she pulls out her wand pointing it at his chest "I could do whatever I like to you, can't I?"
"Stop it." My words come out sharp, I step forward releasing Dracos hand and point my wand at her "everyone step back and lower their wands."
Bellatrix looks at me her face furious "what you want us to spare your poor headmaster do you?"
I glare at her my wand still raised "my father has instructed Draco completes this, if anyone gets in the way I will curse them and leave what's left of you to my fathers wrath. My fathers word is final."
Bellatrix gulps slightly as she slowly lowers her wand, she lets out an annoyed hiss before stepping back into the shadows watching me carefully.
I nod and look at the other death eaters in turn, they all lower their wands and step back into the shadows.
I smirk as I walk back to Dracos side, I take his hand and squeeze it gently "you need to make a decision." I whisper quietly so only he can hear.
Draco nods stiffly as he raises his wand once more. He stares forward meeting our headmasters eyes, his body tenses as he begins to breathe quickly.
I watch him out the corner of my eye as his face begins to turn grey, his eyes water and he bites down hard on his bottom lip. A single tear falls down his cheek as his eyes flicker to mine, I stare at him carefully reading every emotion and feeling on his face before nodding sharply and pushing him slightly to the side.
He can't do it. I have to do this.
I raise my wand and hold it steady as I look at the man before me, the man who lies and raises children as sacrifices. The man who told Draco he can make us safe but only seconds before told me I need to risk my life to stay close to my father.
He is a liar. A manipulator. An evil and cruel person.
A coldness passes over me and I allow it to as I think about Draco and keeping him safe, if I don't do this then he will die.
If I don't do this, then we both may die.
This man before me isn't the headmaster I looked up to for so long, he isn't a friendly and kind man with a few strange quirks.
He is a calculating person who uses people. Uses his students.
I take a breath in as I stare into the eyes of my headmaster, his blue eyes meet mine and time seems to stand still as I let my breath out.
"Please" Dumbledore whispers as he looks over my shoulder.
I pull my wand back and draw up the anger within me, I allow the coldness to take control as my hand moves on it's own accord.
"No!" A figure runs forward from behind me pushing me to the side but it is too late the words have passed my lips.
Two voices fill the room shouting the same words one a fraction of a second behind the other "Avada Kedavra!"
Two green beams strike the air, their sparks wrap around each other as they hit Dumbledore directly in the chest. One streak leaves my wand the green lighting up the delicate patterns along the wooden stick. The other streak comes from behind me flying just centimetres above my shoulder.
I feel the force of the spell hit my body all at once, the words had no sooner left my mouth when the cold, dark feeling wrapped around my heart. My memories of Hogwarts flashed before my eyes and the cold shard inserted itself in replacing their spot in my heart.
Dumbledore's body flies backwards from the force of the two spells his eyes still wide in shock. He seems to fly in slow motion as he bursts through the metal bars of the Astronomy tower.
His body hangs weightlessly before plummeting quickly out of view towards the ground below.
I bite down harder on my lip hoping to rid my mouth of the horrible bile like taste. I turn to my side to see Snape standing there panting.
"You shouldn't have done that" he speaks softly but I can feel his anger as he turns to me "why did you kill him?"
I raise my eyebrows at him "you did the same spell as I did."
Snape nods stiffly "exactly. I was the one who was meant to do it."
I try to work out what he means but before I can decipher his words Draco grabs my wrist pulling me away from the tense conversation "we need to leave." He looks at Snape pointedly "now."
I nod my head and grab my bag from the floor passing Draco his. We hold hands tightly as we run down the stairs together following the rest of the death eaters.
I stop on the last step as the sound of spells and fighting fill my ears. Draco pulls me forward his wand raised as he pulls me deep into the middle of the fight that has been raging below.