The green glow of the dark mark disappears before my vision and is instead replaced with the darkness of the black sky above the manor.
Draco let's out a long sigh as we stare ahead at his family home, the moon and stars shine brightly down on us as we stand unmoving.
"Are you okay?" I turn to Draco looking at his face, his eyes are screwed shut as he breathes heavily.
"Truthfully?" He opens his eyes slowly as he stares up at the sky, he turns his head towards me his eyes dark "no."
I step forward and take his face in my hands "talk to me. Before we go in there talk to me."
Draco sucks in a deep breath before looking into my eyes "I failed. He's going to kill me, my mother and my father." He looks away from me and into the house "I failed and now he's going to kill me and them."
I stare at him my eyes wide "no Draco!" I grab his face turning him to look at me "he is not going to kill you or your parents. I won't allow it."
Draco screws his eyes shut "you won't be able to stop him."
I shake his shoulders annoyed "of course I will, because he will have to kill me to get to you."
Draco opens his eyes slowly looking at my face and the serious expression on it. He lets out a long breath before smiling at me however it doesn't quite reach his eyes.
"Okay then" he reaches his hand out to me "let's go face the fire."
I take his hand tightly "as long as we are together we can do it, right?"
Draco nods silently as he stares ahead at the haunting, ghost like manor.
Draco pushes the door open and drops his bag at the bottom of the staircase, I pull my rucksack off my back and drop it besides his before standing still and watching him.
Before when we were at Hogwarts I felt in control. I had the power and I made sure that Draco and I were safe, now however I feel lost. I'm in his family home unsure where I am supposed to go or what I am supposed to do.
"Draco?" My voice is a whisper as I watch him pacing around.
"Mmm?" He asks without looking at me his eyes fixed on the ceiling, he continues to walk up and down the entrance way his fists clenched at his sides.
"What do we do now?" I sit down on the bottom step of the staircase "where do we go?"
Draco sighs his face grave "your fathers calling for us."
I look around confused "what? How can you hear him?"
Draco stops walking and turns to look at me, a ghost of a smile passes over his face "not actually calling out to us, he's calling through the dark mark." He pulls up his sleeve where the dark tattoo writhes in his skin he points at it "he's calling for us urgently. It's starting to really burn which means he's losing patience."
I clench my jaw and nod "okay we will go." I stay exactly where I am however as I look back at his tattoo "I never asked you, when did you get it?"
"The dark mark?" Draco looks down at his arm "he made me. At Christmas."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because we were barely speaking at the time. You were being tortured by your father and my aunt and you had enough shit to deal with. This was my burden for my fathers failings."
I shake my head clearing it of the dark thoughts that just entered it. If that's what he did for Lucius losing the prophecy what will he do to Draco for not killing Dumbledore?
I look up at Dracos eyes and it appears he is having the same thoughts. His face has grown grave and his eyes seem to be watering as he stares unmoving at the dark mark.
Feeling guilty for bringing it up I stand up quickly and walk towards him grabbing his hand "come on." I smile at him and shake him from his thoughts "Let's go to him then. Together."
Draco nods his eyes clearing up "he's here." He gestures to the many doors leading off of the foyer "he's in the portrait room waiting for everyone who was at the castle. Well he's waiting for us now, everyone else is here."
"Lead the way."
We walk in silence along the dark hallways, our hands remain entwined as we reach a final large wooden door. The air is colder and I can practically taste the dark magic and anger which sits behind that door.
Draco looks down at me before leaning forward and softly pressing his lips to my forehead. I close my eyes and breathe in his scent resisting the urge to grab ahold of him and take him away from here.
Draco releases my hand as he pulls away his eyes full of emotion, he steps away from me so we are stood half a metre apart and sucks in a deep breath. As he does I see his face change, a stony expression comes over it, his back is straight and his chin points up in the air. He looks cold and powerful not at all like the exposed version of him I just saw.
He stays staring ahead but gestures pointing his chin in the air, I get his hint and take in a deep breath. As I do I force myself to push my emotions to the back of my mind, instead I allow a darkness to pass over me. It's the same cold feeling I had when killing Dumbledore, the darkness starts in my head and works it's way down until I can physically feel it ebbing around me.
I turn to face the door and raise my wand opening the door wide with magic.
Draco and I step into the room at the same time, all eyes turn and watch the two of us enter.
We walk several paces until we reach the large oak table in the centre of the room. There is a seat on my fathers side left free as well as another seat besides it. Without meeting anyone's gazes I slide into the seat besides my father and see Draco doing the same in the seat besides me.
Draco turns to my father and bows his head deeply keeping his eyes trained on the table in front of him "my Lord, my apologies." His voice comes out deep and respectful but there is a hard edge to it still.
I copy Dracos movements however I meet my fathers eyes as I nod my head to him slowly "Father, I am very sorry for making you wait."
My fathers eyes meet mine and the coldness within me spreads further, I see my fathers eyes flicker to Draco besides me and I have to resist the urge to flinch in fear.
"Daughter your lateness is excused" his voice hisses out of him his eyes flickering between my face and Draco's as he speaks "and Draco thank you for getting my daughter back to me safely."
Voldemort turns to the person on the other side of him who I now see is Snape. Snape looks at me his face unreadable before turning to my father with his head bowed.
"So Severus tell me exactly what happened tonight then." My father clasps his hands together on top of the table his long, pale fingers linking together.
"Well my Lord, unfortunately due to the unprecedented fact that the order were there on guard my arrival to Dumbledore was somewhat delayed."
My fathers eyes flicker with anger, a hard feeling sets in my stomach.
"Father" my mouth moves faster than my brain.
Whispers sound from around the table as they realise I have addressed Voldemort first.
My fathers eyes look to me, his mouth opens slightly but he does not speak.
I continue on "I can tell you what happened. I was the first to arrive and the last to leave the tower."
My father smiles strangely as he leans forward and reaches his hand out towards me "you were daughter?"
I nod and reach my hand out to meet his, as his fingers touch mine a sharp pain passes through me which I choose to ignore.
"I was father, I can tell you exactly what happened if you would allow me?"
Voldemort nods sharply and without saying a word.
I let in a deep breath as I look down at his hand pressed against mine "I arrived to the tower to see the Dark Mark above it. Draco casted it up there as he knew this would cause Dumbledore to come to the tower, he would suspect something had happened and therefore would arrive there."
My father turns his head to Draco and nods to him slightly "very clever Draco, well done."
Draco let's out a small breath as he smiles at my father, the smile is forced and doesn't reach his eyes "thank you my Lord."
My father appears satisfied by Draco's forced smile however as he turns back to me.
"I was at the bottom of the tower when I heard a crack" I continue on my eyes fixed on my fathers hand on mine "I ran up the tower and saw Dumbledore standing there. He was leaning against the railing and appeared confused."
My tongue grows heavy in my mouth as I think of what to say on the spot "I told Dumbledore that more Death Eaters were coming and he wouldn't be able to escape. He begged for me to join his side but I refused" I look up at my fathers face and offer him what I hope is a joyous expression "I refused father and told him my allegiance is with you."
My father remains silent as he continues to watch me carefully.
I don't break his eye contact as I continue on "Draco then joined us and he disarmed Dumbledore easily."
Whispers are heard around the table as they look to Draco with respect. Draco remains staring at the table in front of him however his face a mask.
"Once Draco had disarmed him, Dumbledore tried begging once again, he begged Draco for mercy and said he could save the both of us. Draco told him that we didn't need to be saved and that it was him who needed to be."
My father smiles ever so slightly his eyes fixated on my face as he takes in every word I'm saying.
"The other death eaters then joined us and I ordered them all not to get involved. That Dumbledore was not theirs to kill." I take in some air as I think over my next words carefully "as they joined us I realised that I wanted the right. That I wanted to be the one to kill Dumbledore. You had ordered this mission and I knew it was of so much importance to you." I lean forward and widen my eyes as I try to look as doting as possible "Father I wanted to be the one to kill Dumbledore for you. So I pushed Draco to the side and I raised my wand and just like that I killed Dumbledore. His body flew backwards and broke threw the railing before falling to the ground pathetically." I smile widely at my father making sure the darkness has slipped over my face "I killed Dumbledore for you Father and he died like the pathetic old man that he is."
The room is silent as a stillness passes over everyone around the table. My smile drops but I stay looking at my father with wide eyes and with forced admiration. I need him to dismiss Draco not killing Dumbledore as my urgent need to impress my father. I need him to believe I took the chance away from Draco and not that I did what he could not do.
My father leans backwards slowly as he pulls his hand away from mine, his eyes stay fixed on me however as he tilts his head to the side.
"How did it feel daughter?" He runs his sharp tongue over his bottom lip quickly "how did it feel to end another man's life?"
I sit up straight and meet his eyes "it felt right Father. Like a missing piece of a puzzle."