Wicked

Chapter Twenty-Five: Is It The End or Just The Begining?

"Go to your houses. No dawdling!" You usher students away as a storm rages in, spotting Harry and an ill looking Headmaster return at the top of the astronomy tower you run as up to see them. 

"We need to get him to the hospital wing, Harry, to Madam Pomfrey" you say but Dumbledore rejects any help.

"No" he huffs and puffs "Severus. Severus is who I need. Wake him. Tell him what happened. Speak to no one else." You look at Harry, a worried and concerned contortion to both your faces. You're about to walk away when a noise comes from bellow, Dumbledore stands as if running out of time. "Hide yourselves below, don't speak or be seen by anybody without my permission" Harry nods and then to you says "Whatever happens, it's imperative Harry stays below, what unfolds must always do so. Trust me." and with a nod, you follow Harry to where he's hidden below, sneaking a look though the cracks in the floor above.

"Good evening, Draco, what brings you here on this fine spring evening?" Dumbledore was calm, if shifting a little as if waiting for someone. 

"Who else is here? I heard you talking!!" You and Harry both spot Draco's wand pointed at the Headmaster and raise yours. This was it, this is what he'd been asked to do.

"I often talk aloud to myself. I find it extraordinarily useful. Have you been whispering to yourself, Draco?"

"Draco" you say softly, another motherly gut instinct kicking in.

"You are no assassin." Dumbledore says again, still very calmly. 

"How do you know what I am? I've done things that would shock you." Draco looses his cool more and more, his eyes reddening, panic ebbing into his already shaky voice. 

"Like cursing Katie Bell and hoping that in return she'd bear a cursed necklace to me? Replacing a bottle of mead with one laced with poison? Forgive me, Draco. I cannot help feeling these actions are so weak, your heart can't really have been in them." Dumbledore almost laughs it out, you begin to wonder as you watch on why Dumbledore didn't step in earlier. 

"He trusts me. I was chosen!!" He lifts his shirt sleeves revealing the dark mark. 

"Then I shall make it easy for you" 

"Expelliarmus!" Yo flinch as Draco disarms his headmaster. 

"Very good. Very good" noises are heard, you and Harry hide slightly before realising they unwanted guests are already above you. "You're not alone. There are others. How?"

"The vanishing cabinet in the Room of Requirement. I've been mending it"

"Let me guess. It has a sister. A twin?" you wince and Dumbledores words, you'd known it, if only you'd found it. 

"In Borgin and Burkes. They form a passage."

"Ingenious." Dumbledore remarked, proud of his student "Draco, years ago, I knew a boy who made all the wrong choices. Please let me help you."

"I don't want your help!!!" He started to hold back a flood of tears "I'll tell you the same as I told Y/N, you don't understand? I have to do this!" He gulps "I have to kill you. Or he's gonna kill me." You're about to run up when you see Bellatrix and a few other death eaters enter, Harry pulls you back. 

"Well, look what we have here" She almost whispers looking at Dumbledore. "Well done, Draco." she glides over and kisses her nephew proudly on the cheek. 

"Good evening, Bellatrix." Dumbledore says to his old student "I think introductions are in order, don't you?" he looks at the others. 

"Love to, Albus, but I'm afraid we're all on a bit of a tight schedule." she says as if catching up with an old friend. "Do it!" she hisses at Draco like a snake.