Criminals

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Draco looked around the tower, to make sure that we were alone, and he spied two broomsticks laying on the floor.
"Who else is here?" He demanded.
"A question I might ask you. Or are you two acting alone?" Dumbledore asked.
"No. I've got back-up. There are Death Eaters in your school tonight. They met some of your guard. They're having a fight downstairs"
"Well well. Very good indeed, you found a way to get them in, did you?"
"Yeah. Right under your nose, and you never realised"
"Ingenious. Yet, forgive me, you seem unsupported now".

Draco had me with him, but to be fair, I hadn't raised my wand, and I was hiding behind him. Making it obvious that I wasn't really going to do anything.
"They won't be long... I came on ahead... I've got a job to do" stuttered Draco.
"Well you must get on and do it, dear boy" replied Dumbledore softly.
I gasped. Dumbledore knew. He knew what Draco had to do. But how, I had no idea.

Draco didn't move, he just stared at Dumbledore.
"Draco, you are not a killer" he continued.
"How do you know what I am? I've done things that would shock you" snapped Draco.
"Like hexing Katie Bell, and posioning Ronald Weasley. You've been trying to kill me all year. Forgive me Draco, but they have been feeble attempts. So feeble, to be honest, that I'm not sure whether your heart has really been in it".

Once again Dumbledore surprised me. He had known about Draco's assassination attempts, but done nothing.
"It has been in it" muttered Draco, in a not very convincing lie.
"I don't think you are going to kill me Draco. So, while we wait for your friends to arrive, why don't you tell me how you managed to smuggle them in" suggested Dumbledore.
Draco looked like he wanted to vomit. His wand was still pointed at Dumbledore, but he couldn't help himself. He needed to distract himself from the situation, by rambling.
"I had to mend the broken Vanishing Cabinet that Montague got stuck in last year. There is a pair, it's in Borgin and Burkes. I've been working on it all year" he explained to Dumbledore.

"Very good" murmered Dumbledore.
"Yeah. Yeah it was" replied Draco, drawing courage.
"But you must have had an accomplice. To give Katie the necklace. Someone in Hogsmeade... ah, of course, Rosmerta. She is under the Imperius Curse"
"Got there have you"
"How have you been communicating with her?"
"Enchanted coins. I had one, she had the other"
"Isn't that the secret method of communication that the group called Dumbledore's Army used last year?".
I thought about the coin in my purse, that I haven't looked at since the DA was caught by Umbridge. Although I haven't used it, I still kept it safe, a whole year later.

"Yeah, I got the idea from them. I got the idea of poision from the Mudblood Granger as well, I heard her talking about it in the library" said Draco with a twisted smile.
"Draco!" I snapped. I may not be best friends with Hermione, but I wouldn't let anyone insult her blood status on my watch.
Draco stared at me, as if suddenly remembering I was there.
An explosion sounded below us, making me jump, and reminding me that we didn't have an endless supply of time. This fight would end one way or an other.
"There is little time Draco, so let us discuss your options" said Dumbledore.
"Options? I haven't got options. I've got to do it. I've got to kill you! Or he's going to kill me, Zoe, and my whole family" replied Draco, turning white.

"I appriciate the difficulty of your position. You want to protect your mother, and the girl you love. I understand that. I can help you Draco" said Dumbledore calmly.
"No you can't. Nobody can. He told me to do it, or he'll kill Zoe and make me watch, I've got no choice" replied Draco, his hand shaking badly.
"Come over to the right side Draco. We can hide you both, and your mother... Draco, you are not a killer".
I stared at Dumbledore, could it really be possible? I wanted to believe it.
I wanted me and Draco to be as far away from Voldemort as possible. Safe and sound. And for a moment, it all seemed possible.
But reality always comes crashing down eventually.

4 Death Eaters entered the room, looking happy when they saw Dumbledore cornered, and wandless.
"Good evening Amycus, and you've brought Alecto too, charming" said Dumbledore, acknowledging the two closest to him.
I looked to the big man in the corner, near me, and began to creep over to Draco's other side. I didn't want to be near Fenir Greyback.
"Is that you Fenir?" Questioned Dumbledore.
"That's right. Pleased to see me Dumbledore?" Rasped Greyback.
"No. I cannot say that I am. I am shocked that Draco invited you into the school, where his friends are".
"I didn't know he was going to come" mumbled Draco, looking over to me, making sure I was safe.

Bellatrix approached Draco, placing her hands on his shoulders, making my blood boil.
"Well done Draco. The Dark Lord will be proud... Now, do it" she ordered.
Draco's wand shook in his hand, and I knew that he didn't have it in him. He wasn't a murderer.
"Come on Draco, now!" Shouted Bellatrix, sounding annoyed.
Footsteps sounded behind us, and Snape appeared in the tower, making his way to the front of the group.
Dumbledore stared at Snape, his eyes full of pain. "Severus, please".
He seemed to be begging for his life. I had never heard Dumbledore sound like that, and it was truely frightening. He sounded so soft and vulnerable.
Snape raised his wand, and pointed it at Dumbledore's chest.
"Avada Kedavra!".

A jet of green light exploded from Snape's wand, blasting Dumbledore of off the tower, causing him to fall, like a life-less ragdoll.
A small scream escaped my mouth, but I quickly threw my hand in front of it. Not wanting to look like a wimp in front of the other Death Eaters.
Snape turned and pushed Draco down the steps. He nodded his head towards them, expecting me to do the same.
I was in shock, but I still did as I was told.
I followed Draco down the Astronomy Tower, in a kind of trance.

Once we reached the floor below, my shock wore off, as there were dozens of spells flying around the room. Luckily Snape was on the ball, reflecting everything that came our way.
He continued pushing us through the school, towards the exit, as the path to the Vanishing Cabinet had been blocked.
Several Death Eaters were behind us, throwing spells inside the castle, and blowing up paintings and walls on the way out.
When we got outside I thought everything would be all right, but I was wrong.

I turned around when I heard shouting, and saw Harry running towards us.
He must have been hiding under his invisibility cloak the whole time. He had been on the second broom, and heard everything that had just happened.
"Snape! Snape how could you!" Harry shouted.
"Stupefy" he yelled, firing a spell at Snape.
The spell flew over Snape's head, missing me by inches, causing me to scream.
Seeing Harry like this scared me. I had never seen him lose control before.

"Run Draco!" Shouted Snape.
Draco took hold of my arm, and the two of us ran out of the school grounds, so that we could Dissapparate away.
I took one last look at the school, and saw that Hagrid's hut was alight. Snape had his back to us, and Harry appeared to be lying on the floor.
Draco took hold of my arm, and together we apparated back to the Malfoy Manor.

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