A/N: I realize that this is probably somewhat AU. I made it that way to fit my story…. Hopefully it still gets the point across… and this scene takes place in matter of mere seconds… the scene from when Malfoy is standing on the tower with him to when Snape comes up and kills him in book 6. .. I didn't put pages as different countries and versions have different pages.
Review and Enjoy!!
************************************************************
G is for Guilt
Albus Dumbledore stared up into the eyes of one of his students. Draco Malfoy stood rooted to the spot, wand raised, poised to kill his Headmaster. The boy's eyes were cold and malicious, yet he hesitated. Was he feeling guilty for the crime he was about to commit? Of course, he also knew that Draco Malfoy had had no choice in the matter. It was orders straight from Voldemort, kill Dumbledore. Behind everything horrible and sad, there was always a figure of power and evil.
That was his experience.
He remembered the summer he had made friends with Gellart Grindlewald. He had loved the ideas, ideals and theories he and his then best friend had cooked up. They spent weeks researching and planning, wanting to explore the ends of the earth and possibly the stars. Then, once his mother had died and he became the head of his family, Dumbledore had still planned on continuing the adventures. Of course at that point, he had his sister Ariana to take care of.
However, when his brother, Grindlewald, and himself had gotten into an argument in front of the girl and spells had fired, the end result had been astounding.
All three men stood, wands raised, silence filling the air. No one dared move.
Until Aberforth yelled his sister's name, scrambled for her body, clutching it close to him. Gellart ran, whether in fear or cowardice, Dumbledore had never figured out. He never saw the man again until years later, when he was forced to duel and overpower his childhood friend.
Unfortunately, Dumbledore had also never quite figured out the events of that fateful day, even using a pensieve. Had his wand sent the spell that killed his sister? Or had it been Grindlewald's wand that had sent the killing curse? As much as Dumbledore wanted to believe Grindlewald had killed his sister, he couldn't. Aberforth blamed him. He blamed himself. Not only for his sister's death, but for not taking on the responsibility of his family like he should have from the moment his mother died.
Yes, Dumbledore knew guilt and regret very well. It had stayed with him all these years. He refused to let that teenage thrill for power overcome him. He knew it was, and would always, lurk just below the surface, where no one could see.
Staring in the eye's of Severus Snape now, all Dumbledore could think of was that he could see Ariana again.
He would be able to ask and receive an answer about her death. She would know.
She would tell him.
He would finally have peace.
Refuse to feel guilty, even if he had caused her demise.
He would take the role he should have taken all those years ago, no matter her answer.
It was never too late to take on responsibility, whether it was in a human form of life or after.
"Please," he said softly. He wanted the sweet relief of death. A bright light flashed and he smiled for the quickest of seconds before he felt no more and saw, rather than felt, his body being thrown from the top of the tower and landing in a heap on the ground next to the castle.