Severus Snape clutched his left arm as a sudden stab of pain pulsed through the mark burned there. He paced back and forth through his potion filled office; his face contorted in horror as he reflected back to the conversation he had months before with Dumbledore.

The stars gleamed in the dark sky as Snape ran up the stairs in the tower to Dumbledore's office. Dumbledore had called for him, but refused to tell him what was wrong. He knocked on the heavy wooden door to the office, but received no answer. Concerned, he called Dumbledore's name. Again, no answer came from the other side of the door. Snape pushed open the door and at once knew something was wrong. Dumbledore was slouched over in his throne-like chair and was slumped onto the desk. Snape immediately knew that he had been cursed, but how? His black eyes landed on the ring on Dumbledore's finger. This had not been there earlier that day. His knowledge about the Dark Arts warned him that the ring was cursed; slowly killing Dumbledore from the moment he slid it onto his finger. Snape raised his wand, murmuring incantations and making subtle gestures as he fought back the curse that was taking the life of his Headmaster. If only Dumbledore had called him sooner. What was he doing with a thing like this? The curse slowly started to retreat and Snape finally trapped it in Dumbledore's right hand. The once healthy hand was now twisted and black. Snape knew he had gotten rid of only the immediate danger of the curse. He knew it would still kill Dumbledore, just slowly. Severus's frown deepened as he realized that the Hogwarts Headmaster had about a year left to live.

A sudden noise came from outside his office, pulling Snape from his memory. It was the sound of someone running echoed through the cavernous halls. The hurried footsteps grew louder and louder as they approached. "Death Eaters! In the castle!" shouted a panicked male voice. Severus stopped pacing as if someone had cast a stunning spell on him. His black eyes filled with horror when he realized what was coming. "No…" he thought, "No, it's too soon, too much…"

The door burst open and Professor Flitwick raced into the fire-lit room. "Snape." He panted doubled over as he fought for breath from his sprint, "Death Eaters are in Hogwarts. They are trying to get into Dumbledore's office as we speak. You must come with me!" the teacher gasped, glancing up at Snape.

"Stupefy." Snape whispered, pointing his wand at Flitwick.

The teacher fell to the ground with a thump. It was time. The moment he had been dreading was here. He pulled his face into a calm mask as he leapt from the room. Only his dark, panicked, eyes betrayed him. Two girls, a Gryffindor and a Ravenclaw, jumped when Snape stepped out of his office. Severus recognized them as Hermione Granger and Luna Lovegood.

"Professor Flitwick collapsed. Care for him, I must help fight off the Death Eaters!" The dark haired wizard ordered as he took off at a run, knowing the girls would follow his instructions.

He had to make it to the tower in time. His last promise to Dumbledore had to be fulfilled. The sounds of fighting were muffled to Severus as if an ocean roared behind his ears. He could only hear a dull roar and the frantic beating of his heart. Too soon, he reached the tower. The teachers and the Order parted when he came, thinking he was coming to help, and he ran through the space they left. "If only they could have stopped me, if someone could stop me so I don't have to do this…" He thought, but made no move to stop. The Unbreakable Vow pushed him forward, as did the order from Dumbledore.

Dumbledore finally stirred in his throne, lifting his silvery head and peering at Snape through his half-moon spectacles. Snape sighed,

"Why? Why did you put on the ring? It carries a curse, surely you realized that. Why even touch it?" The dark haired wizard was slightly amused by the ever-trusting Dumbledore's apparent lack of thought about the possible dangers of the ring, but more than that he was angry. Dumbledore was too important to the Order to risk his life carelessly for something of no importance. Now he was cursed to die within a year…

Dumbledore took the news of his imminent death rather well. He didn't seem at all concerned that in less than twelve months he would no longer be living. The silver-haired wizard even smiled slightly at the news.

"Well, really, this makes matters much more straightforward." Dumbledore said and smiled again. Snape looked at him in confusion. His lips parted slightly in shock at Dumbledore's easy acceptance of the curse.

Dumbledore explained that he was referring to Voldemort's plan of having young Draco Malfoy kill him. Snape responded that he didn't believe the Dark Lord planned on the boy succeeding and that this mission was to be a punishment for the Malfoy family as their only son would surely die in the attempt. Dumbledore told Snape that he would try to save Draco from Voldemort's wrath.

"Are you intending on letting him kill you?" Snape had asked sarcastically. And that, Snape remembered, was where Dumbledore's request came in. "Certainly not. You must kill me."

Snape raised his left arm, pushing through a shield put up by the Death Eaters to stop the Order. The Death Eater's also parted to let him through. As hard as he tried to block it out, he couldn't stop thinking about what task waited for him at the top of the tower. His skills at Occlumency could not seem to keep this guilty thought from his head. To end something, someone, who he trusted and respected and, though he did not admit it, even to himself, loved like the father he could have had, tortured his soul the entire race up the tower. He sighed deeply and composed his face into an emotionless mask before entering through the open door into Dumbledore's office.

He clutched his wand firmly in his right hand as he stepped through the door, his eyes taking in the scene around him. Draco Malfoy had his wand aimed at Dumbledore, though it did not look like the blonde boy was going to go through with the plan at this point. The werewolf, Fenrir Greyback, stood snarling at the boy. He seemed ready to finish the silver-bearded wizard off himself. Bellatrix smiled sinisterly while she waited for the boy to kill Dumbledore. Finally, Snape allowed himself to look at the Hogwarts Headmaster, his friend and trusted leader for sixteen years.

The powerful wizard was leaning against a wall, slightly slumped over, as if the wall was the only thing keeping him standing. His piercing blue eyes met with Snape's black ones and softened. He seemed relieved that Snape was here. Surely he remembered the promise he had forced Severus to make? The dark haired wizard took all this in quickly. He noticed every detail as if everything was happening in slow motion.

"We've got a problem Snape," growled Amycus, "The boy doesn't seem able to-"

"Severus…"

A quiet, weak, familiar voice called. The look on Dumbledore's face told him that the wise wizard had not forgotten his request. Snape stepped forward quickly and pushed Malfoy out of his way. Snape's heart beat rapidly in his chest. Surely everyone in the room must be able to hear it? He hesitated, could he really do this? Could he murder someone he had respected and trusted so much? Because he knew this was murder. Even if Dumbledore asked for his assistance, killing someone so noble and good could be called nothing else but murder. He gazed at Dumbledore and revulsion and hatred were etched into the harsh lines of his face. He hated himself for doing this. He hated that there was no way he could save his leader. He hated himself for agreeing to this promise. He hated Dumbledore for asking it of him, it was too much! Too much to ask!

"Severus… Please…"

The wizard looked into Dumbledore's piercing blue eyes and resigned himself to what he was about to do. "I will take good care of Hogwarts." He silently promised Dumbledore, even though he knew the Headmaster couldn't hear his thoughts. Snape raised his wand and pointed it directly at Dumbledore.

"Avada Kedavra."