In The End

Chapter 24 - Dumbledore

Together, they walked past some Slytherins too busy making out in a dark corner to notice that they were going anywhere, and headed to the Room of Requirement.

Eliza noticed through the window that dark clouds were looming. It was the perfect weather for such a dreadful night to come.

They soon sat down on the table next to the cabinet and waited.

"How will we know when it's eight o' clock?" Draco asked nervously.

Eliza pulled out her iPod, which she carried around in her pocket, just in case she needed some music to cheer her up.

"It's quarter to seven." She stated, shoving it back into her pocket.

"What is that thing, anyway?" He asked.

"It's an iPod. It plays music, and it can tell time." Eliza said, not knowing how else to explain it.

"Oh." Was all Draco could manage to say.

He was too distracted to hold any proper conversation. The two of them sat there in silence, until it was time.

"It's seven o'clock." Eliza said, getting up.

Draco said nothing, but yanked away the heavy maroon piece of material that protected the cabinet from dust. Slowly, he opened the cabinet. Not even ten seconds had passed before a familiar black smoke emerged from the cabinet.

"Come on, let's go." Eliza whispered, tugging at his arm for him to follow.

Eliza glanced around quickly and was able to see Bellatrix and Fenrir Grayback emerge from the smoke. She shuddered at the thought of what they were going to do to Hogwarts.

---

"Stay hidden until the others come." Draco whispered at the bottom of the stairs leading up to the Astronomy tower.

Eliza nodded and gave him a kiss. He quickly walked up the stairs, as she sat and waited.

She didn't sit for long, as she saw Harry round the corner. She jumped up, wand at the ready, and made a shooshing motion with her finger to her lip.

Harry nodded, and kept walking, not knowing what to see her as... an enemy, or an ally? He hadn't noticed her enough to know.

She took a seat once again, and listened.

---

Draco stood still, pointing his wand at Dumbledore. He could see himself shaking, but was desperate to show that he was not to be messed with.

"Good evening, Draco. What brings you here on this fine spring evening?" Dumbledore asked.

"Who else is here? I heard you talking." Draco said frantically.

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

Draco's wand dropped slightly, as he tried to comprehend the strange things Dumbledore had just said.

"Draco, you are no assassin." He said.

"How do you know what I am? I've done things that would shock you!"

"Like cursing Katie Bell and hoping that in return she would bare a cursed necklace to me, like replacing a bottle of mead with one laced with poison. Forgive me, Draco, but I cannot help feeling these actions are so weak that your heart can't really have been in it."

"He trusts me! I was chosen!" Draco said desperately, revealing the Dark Mark on his arm.

"I shall make it easy for you-"

"Expelliarmus!" Draco shouted, disarming Dumbledore.

Draco was shaking more noticeably now.

"Very good, very good. But what is that? There are others. How?" Dumbledore asked as the sounds of footsteps emerged from the stairwell.

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

"Ah yes, it has a sister. A twin."

"Borgin and Burkes. They form a passage."

"Ingenious. Draco, years ago, I knew a boy who made all the wrong choices. Please let me help you." Dumbledore said.

"I don't want your help! Don't you understand? I have to do this. I have to kill you, or he's gonna kill me." Draco said, his throat tight.

Eliza followed the others up the stairs and saw a shaky Draco standing there. Everything happened so fast after that. Bellatrix encouraging him, Grayback taunting him, and then Snape stepping in.

Eliza felt a wave of relief when Snape stepped in. Draco wasn't going to tear his soul in two after all. When Snape finally killed Dumbledore, Eliza had to hold back tears of both relief and sadness.

She had liked Dumbledore. He had often spoken to her when he noticed she was having particularly difficult times. Now he was gone. Bellatrix conjured the Dark Mark in the sky.

Draco turned to Eliza, and grabbed her hand, dragging her back downstairs and towards the Great Hall. Eliza refused to flinch as Bellatrix and the others started trashing the school. Draco couldn't help but look back at his school now being ruined.

Eliza tugged him, and they kept going, following Snape into the night. They were to go with the others to Malfoy Manor.