Fictional Character One-Shots And Shorts

"Runa Corvina Snape" Part 7

The day had come at last. With the completion and restoration of the vanishing cabinet the death eaters now had a way into the school undetected and would be making their appearance tonight.

Draco and Pansy would be in charge of greeting and escorting the group from the room of requirement up to the astronomy tower where I was to bring the headmaster at 7pm when the school would be occupied in the Great Hall with dinner. The headmaster knew what was to happen and had agreed to it for the greater good making my job easy as I did not have to trick him into following me up there.

However, that did not keep away the tension between the two of us as we waited in awkward silence for the time to come. The old man stood complacently at the tower's railing, staring off across the school grounds as the cool wind blew his long, white hair back.

"It's quite a beautiful night isn't it Runa?" The old man asked, voice dreamy and far away. I kept quiet as I contemplated what he was playing at.

"A wonderful night to be my last."

"You know I have no choice headmaster. This is the only way."

"Oh yes I know. I didn't mean anything by that last statement. I have been preparing for this for many months. I'm ready." The headmaster turned to face me with a small smile of resigned acceptance on his lips.

"Why did you let this happen? Why did you allow so many people to die?" I couldn't help myself. The man would be dead soon enough and I wanted to at least know the thought process behind his sinister actions.

"Like you, I didn't have much of a choice Runa. I never wanted my friends or students to die. You have to believe that. But I did what I had to do in order to keep the majority safe."

"Children died. Children who trusted you to keep them safe. Children who's parents trusted you to keep them safe."

"Do you really have any room to talk Runa? I believe you did the exact same thing in the end. You could have said no, gone against Tom, and lost your own life. Did you?" My blood was boiling as the man ridiculed me. I wasn't stupid, I could see that he was intentionally trying to make me hate him and make it easier on me to end his life. However, it worked a little too well and now I was pissed off and ready to cast the curse that would end all of this before the others even got here.

"Really? You're going to accuse me of saving my own ass? You are the only one who has the power to fight him. I don't stand a chance. You couldn't even capture his damn snake for God's sake. The Great Albus Dumbledore, defeated by his own orphaned student and a teenage girl. That'll certainly be a good headline in The Daily Prophet, not that you'll be around to see it." I sneered at the old coot as I stepped towards him, all of my pent up hatred and fear coming to the surface as I prepared myself to do what had to be done.

"You're right. I didn't get the snake. But you will be in his inner circle after this. I know he will choose you and I also know you are the one that can finish this for me Runa." I didn't get a chance to respond as footsteps could be heard on the stairs below, the group of death eaters making their way to the top of the tower to watch the show.

"Well, well, well, long time no see professor." Bellatrix Lestrange taunted in a sing-songy voice, the others appearing right behind her. Draco and Pansy stepped off to the back of the tower now that they had done their duties, no longer needed and expected to stay out of the way while I was the one to finish this.

"Hello Bellatrix, everyone." The headmaster nodded towards the manic witch and met the eye of each of the others surrounding us, including my father.

"You seem to be in a bit of a pickle." Bellatrix laughed and the hair on the back of my neck prickled, the sound oozing insanity.