His Final Riddle

20. To win the war, sacrifices have to be made.

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."