Better Be Slytherin
XXXII
The Chosen One

Draco was still staring at the dusty, old book in the cabinet. How something could be so beautiful. His heart pounding - he had done it! - he reached out, realised he was shaking slightly, and picked it up. He studied it. It had passed from Hogwarts to Borgin & Burkes' and back, and it was flawless, it hadn't been as much as scraped a little on the outside. Pushing all thoughts of uncertainty away – how could he possibly know this wasn't only a one-off? How could it know the cabinet would always work from now on? How could he know the Death Eaters would not get harmed using it? He couldn't – but this was his only chance. The summer term was ending in a matter of days. It had to be done tonight. He was thinking feverishly. He had actually done it. He had done it, it was finished! Well, nearly anyway. It would all soon be over. His family's honour was hours away from being restored, and it was all because of him.

Not knowing what he was doing he let out a loud laugh. "Yes!" he then shouted, more enthusiastic and excited than he had felt all year. But in the middle of it, the door to the Come and Go Room was ripped opened behind him and he heard – … Professor Trelawney? – and loud clinking. Adrenaline still pulsating through his veins he acted recklessly and stuck his hand inside his robe before he could think, and tossed out his Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder, blinding her. His heart was beating fast. He was not about to get caught by an authority right now even if it was that barmy Divination teacher. He saw how she spluttered, eyes wide open, arms reaching around her like a blind person – he knew all she saw was darkness but her enormous eyes behind those round glasses still made him nervous. And before he knew it, he pushed his teacher out of the way and shut the door in her face.

He was breathing heavily. He had violently pushed a teacher, but he reminded himself she would've been able to destroy all of what he'd worked for all year if he hadn't. Thinking feverishly, he realised it was now time to act quickly. Everything had to go swimmingly from now on tonight – there could not be the least slip, or this could all go down the drain. It had to be done exactly according to plan. And that was why, he realised with a slight sickness to his stomach, he now had to form one. It had taken all year to mend the Cabinet, and he had not been prepared for it to be ready this night, so he had not even begun thinking of what the next step was, and what he would do after he finally fixed it.

Exhaling deeply and tapping his wand impatiently, he suddenly wished he had asked Crabbe and Goyle for assistance this particular night – then he would have someone outside in the corridor, who first of all could've warned him about that looney Trelawney and taken action against it so that he wouldn't have been distracted, and secondly who would now be able to protect him did he go outside. He had no idea what the scene was outside the door. And he had no way of finding out without opening it and peering outside. But he couldn't stay in there all night, could he?

He had no idea how long he had been in there that night, he often lost track of time when he was in there – he had come just after dinner, hadn't he? A few hours at least should've passed. Was it after curfew? Would he be able to get out unnoticed? How about making his way down to the dungeons unnoticed – what if Filch caught him and sent him to Dumbledore – that could not happen tonight.

He made his way over to the cabinet again, hoping this would be one of the last times he ever saw it. He would not remember this room and that ruddy cabinet cheerfully. Improvising, he reached inside his robe and brought out a ruffled feather-pen and his crinkly History notes from today's lesson. He ripped off a part of it – he would've needed the notes for school, but not anymore, this was more important – turned it over and spread it over the door of the Vanishing Cabinet, hesitated one second, and then hastily scribbled down: "Managed it. Let everyone know. It's happening now." He opened the Cabinet and stuffed the piece of parchment inside and closed the door again, firmly. He put his ear to it and imagined he heard a soft "pop" as the parchment left the Cabinet, finding its way to the other one.

Borgin was clever enough to get that message, right? Over Easter he'd popped into the shop to leave a status update and a task for Borgin – to wait for his signal and when he received it, wheter time of day it was, he would notify Bellatrix and the rest, at instant. He knew the man was prepared, he'd been scared into coping, but Draco could still not refrain from feeling nervous. One slip and everything could be destroyed. He had no idea whether he could trust Borgin to fullfill his task with all he had, but he had no choice but to put his faith into the man and wait.

He wondered what the night would have in store. Once the Death Eaters got there, they would find all of the teachers in their respective beds and stun them, bind them, whatever was neccessary, while Draco would make his way to Dumbledore's office for the main part of his task. Was that a failproofed enough plan? He was tapping his wand again. How would he get into Dumbledore's office – he didn't know any password! If the Headmaster was sleeping, he could not possibly find anyway in, nor could he lure him out somehow. He felt a sinking feeling in his stomach. How was he going to figure that one out?

And while Draco took care of Dumbledore, the other Death Eaters would take care of the rest of the staff, and then Hogwarts would be theirs, Snape would be Headmaster; the Dark Lord had explained it all so clearly to him. That was the plan. Perhaps it was his nerves, but he saw so many flaws.

What if McGonagall or one of the other teachers were awake and put up a fight? No, she wouldn't be able to take on all the Death Eaters alone, anyway, would she? But what if there were still students up – Prefects doing rounds? What if Pansy was up, prefecting the halls alone? Would they curse her? He felt slightly naseous. Perhaps he should go and see her after all. Tell her to stay in her dormitory, no matter what, just to be on the safe side? Should he go and see Crabbe and Goyle as well? Should he let them be in on all of this – they had been helping him a great deal during the year in fact – or should he let them sleep through it? He could probably use them.

Why wouldn't Borgin send a reply of some sorts? It was slowly driving him mad and more stressed, even though it had only been a couple of minutes since he had sent the parchment.

Perhaps he should go and see his friends anyway. Even if Borgin had seen his message by now, it would take time for him to gather all the Death Eaters to the shop and before they would make their way through the Cabinets into the Come and Go Room. He had time. He might as well have a look at the state in the castle outside, whether there still were people awake and if there were, perhaps then he could manage to plan something to bring them all to their dormitories and get them out of the way. The students weren't supposed to be there anyway, it was the teachers the Death Eaters wanted. To avoid any refusal. Once Dumbledore was dead, they would all obey anyway, when they realised there was no point in fighting – that Snape and the rest of the Death Eaters had already taken over. Draco would be Head Boy, have as much power and authority as anyone of the other teachers. Draco wondered if the plan was really that clever – but the Dark Lord had found it so, so he supposed it was. He just wondered how Snape would be able to control the entie school and staff and manage to keep them disciplined, without any help from the Ministry or anything. What was to say the staff wouldn't just revolt?

With a slightly sweaty hand, he opened the door to the Come and Go Room slowly and saw nothing but a dark corridor outside. He exhaled deeply. Thank Merlin. He was not ready to start any duelling, not mentally anyway. He hastily moved out and made his way down the corridor, finding the darkness slightly overwhelming and suddenly realising how lonely he was. There was nobody around. It must be past curfew, he realised, since he didn't hear any sounds from anywhere in the castle and saw no movement. He turned a corner, and reached the marble staircase. The entire hall and staircase was empty as far as he could see. He chose one of the stairs that didn't move, in case someone in fact was up. He could not get caught. Reaching the floor below, sixth, he hesitated, and peeked inside a classroom. Also dark and abandoned. The clock on the wall pointed at five to ten. Moonlight shone in through the large windows, and he could barely make out the dark grounds and the silvery Black Lake down below, far away. So everyone would be in their common rooms by now. He let out a tensed breath – that was very positive, and made him feel slightly reassured about the evening.

He hurried back to the enormous main-staircase area. He could hardly make out the contours of the Entrance Hall several flights of stairs lower down. He jogged down the next stairs and next, his shoes tapping echoed on the stone floor and around the walls. The portraits along the walls were sleeping, luckily enough.

Reaching the second floor, he hastily sucked in a breath, shocked, and ducked in behind a pillar. Down in the Entrance Hall, merely down the last bit of stairs, twenty or so metres below him, he had spotted Dumbledore and Potter. What in Merlin's name would they be up to together at this hour? He carefully peered out from behind the piece of marble and cocked his ears. He narrowed his eyes, making sure to not show too much of himself, as he cast another look at the pair. They were standing by the entrance doors, and Dumbledore was speaking, Potter looking up at him and nodding. They were… leaving? Potter pulled something out from under his robe, something that shone in silvery-colourless, and slung it around his shoulders. So it was true then, Potter really did have an Invisibility Cloak. Draco was gaping at the scene. Potter put the hood up and then he was gone. Dumbledore looked pleased and opened the large doors, and walked out into the chilly evening of the grounds outside, assumingly with Potter by his side.

Well, that certainly changed things, didn't it? Draco felt feverish again. Now when was he supposed to take on Dumbledore? Where the bloody hell where they going? And whenever they returned, Potter would be by his side, possibly still invisible and would be able to attack Draco and he wouldn't know where it came from, and it could ruin everything. No, Dumbledore had to be by himself. That was the plan. What the hell was Potter doing there? Feeling very stressed again, he swore as the doors shut behind the pair and he hopped out from his hiding-place and began jogging down the last staircase. He swore again as he reached the ground floor, it echoed around him as he ran down to the dungeons.

This had certainly changed the plan. Now what was he supposed to do? Crabbe and Goyle wouldn't be of much help, naturally, but he still felt like he had to let them know. Perhaps they would surprise him.

Seeing Dumbledore had not only made him angry and stressed, it had all become real. The silver-haired old man was going to die tonight, if it all went according to plan. And he would be the one to murder him. The realism of it all hit him, and made him cold-sweat. He ran across the last dungeon corridor and panted out the password to the Slytherin passage in the wall – it opened and he hastily made his way inside.

The common room was noisy and loud, his house-mates were still up, most of them, and it hit him with a shock, he felt even more stressed. His heart was beating fast, he noticed Montague and Bletchley laughing loudly and joking with the quidditch team by the sofas, first years playing gobstones and chess, Nott and Zabini studying by the fireplace – it was too stressful. Where was Crabbe and Goyle anyway? He didn't even know what he was doing down there – he shouldn't have left the Come and Go Room, he should be up there waiting for Borgin's response, but then again if he hadn't left he wouldn't have known that Dumbledore had left the castle. Where was Crabbe and Goyle?

He saw them then in a blurr, munching cupcakes as usual in the armchairs behind Nott and Zabini. He panted out, and ran over there. The four of them looked up as he approached.

"What's got your wand in a knot?" Zabini sneered. Draco ignored him.

"Crabbe, Goyle," he panted out. "I need you."

The two of them looked up at him questionly, still stuffing their faces with cupcakes. Theodore was watching him with narrowed eyes.

"What's up, Malfoy?" Goyle asked after swallowing a mouth-ful. Draco rolled his eyes. "I need you two to do something for me. Come on," he motioned for them to join him. He impatiently tapped his foot as they reluctantly put their cupcakes aside on the coffee table, Goyle brushed crumbs off his lap, and Crabbe straightened his tie.

"What are you up to, Malfoy?"

He twitched and looked at the person who had adressed him. Theodore was still watching him, while Blaise had turned back to his History book. Theodore looked suspicious, and Draco had no time for it. He needed to get back up to the Come and Go-Room before the Death Eaters showed up unannounced and started a havoc. He needed to warn them that Dumbledore had left. They needed a new plan. He groaned and rolled his eyes impatiently, "That's not really any of your business, is it, Nott?" he said shortly.

Theodore shrugged coolly, "it's happening tonight then, is it? Whatever it is you're doing?"

By now, Zabini too had looked up and were studying the two of them. Crabbe and Goyle had rose and were standing not knowing what to do.

"Yeah," Draco said defiantly, his eyes not leaving Nott's. "It is."

Crabbe's eyes widened. Theodore gave a curt nod. "Good luck."

A bit surprised, Draco nodded, "thanks," sort of content that Nott could set aside their personal differences considering Pansy for the Greater Good. Nott himself was merely weeks from taking his own Mark, anway, or so they all assumed, so he and Draco would have to get along fairly, for the good of it. He turned and Crabbe and Goyle followed him. Speaking of Pansy… He would not be able to go through with this if he didn't know she was safe in her dormitory all night – she could not defend herself one bit, could she, the silly bint, if something were to happen, so it would be best if she stayed in there where he knew she was safe. Pushing the thought away for a second, he shoved his way through the common room to an empty corner near the exit where he stopped and hastily turned to his friends.

"I need you two to go up to the Come and Go Room and keep watch," he began. Goyle was looking a little worried, but Crabbe's face was stony and his arms were crossed.

"Why should—" he began, but Draco cut him off, impatient: "It's the last time, Crabbe!"

That silenced him. "I've finished the Cabinet, I've finally done it, it's mended, it's working, and tonight I'm bringing Death Eaters into the castle. We're taking over."

Crabbe was staring at him, mouth slightly ajar.

"Death Eaters in school?" Goyle asked nervously, and shifted slightly.

"Wicked!" said Crabbe. Draco nodded to them both.

"But I just need a little time, I've got to collect a few things from my dorm in case something goes wrong and I have to leave. So I need you to stand guard up there."

"Wait, what d'you mean if something goes wrong?" Goyle asked, looking a little unsure. "Why would you have to leave?"

"If we fail, Greg!" Draco snarled impatiently. "I don't know, there was a slight change in the plan, because I just saw Dumbledore leaving the castle with Potter—"

"Dumbledore?"

"Potter?"

"What are you doing with them?" Crabbe asked, frowning. "And if Dumbledore's out, that would make the whole takin' over-business easier, wouldn' it?"

"Yes, but Dumbledore's got to be here," Draco began hurriedly. "I can't explain! But I've got to see him later on, and I need you two to go up to the Come and Go Room right now and guard it – and hex or curse anyone that comes along, we don't have to hide or act like nothing anymore, because we haven't got that time tonight! And I'll join you in a few minutes, now hurry up there!"

As he watched them plodding along and leaving the common room to do as they were told, another wave of nausea came over him. He swallowed hard. He then ran through the common room, down the stairs and into his dormitory. With one hasty looked over his bed, he ransacked his place mentally for what he might need. He grabbed his Hand of Glory firstly, you never know where that could be useful. Stressed and nervous, he pulled out his turnk from under the bed and reached inside for some of his gold and stuffed his pockets full. He realised even if he did have to leave the castle tonight, he wouldn't be able to bring any books or sets of robes with him since they couldn't fit into his pockets, and he had no choice but to leave everything behind. Casting one last look around the dormitory, hoping he would be able to go to sleep there later tonight, he slipped out the door and knocked on the door opposite the wall. The girls dormitory.

Greengrass opened in her night-gown. "Malfoy?" she raised one eyebrow, seemingly irritated.

"Get Pansy for me," he demanded. Daphne looked a little more irritated as she rolled her eyes but obeyed his orders, turning from him and calling Pansy as she walked off.

He heard steps and Pansy appeared in the doorway – his heart was beating forcefully by then. She frowned at him. "What are you doing here?"

"Come on," he said hastily, and motioned for her to hurry, turned and walked back into his on dormitory. She hesitantly followed.

"Merlin, you're demanding tonight," she sniggered as she went into his dormitory and he closed the door behind her. He rolled his eyes.

"I need to tell you something."

She turned and frowned at him. He took a deep breath. Finally, he wished for a second that he could tell her everything, he knew she'd wanted that all year, and tonight he actually could, but the clock was ticking.

"What is it?" she looked a little worried now, when he hadn't spoken. He swallowed hard, then he moved closer hastily and pulled her in and put his arms around her, surprising her. Her smell and her heartbeat couldn't calm him down for once. Well, perhaps a little.

"All right, you're acting mad," she said, pulling him away.

He avoided looking at her and stepped to move past her, saying: "See you later."

"What?" she said loudly, turning. He turned back, and said slightly irritatedly: "Listen, I haven't got much time, I've got to go."

She stared at him, her mouth half-open, and then she said bluntly: "Tell me where you're going."

Draco let out a short humourless laugh. "Don't tell me what to do." She looked cross, but he turned to leave again, but hesitated, and turned back. She was looking at him snidely with one eyebrow raised.

He hesitated, but then said simply: "Just don't be surprised if I'm not here in the morning. I might not be."

Pansy's eyes widened, she looked shocked. And then, to his big surprise, she let out a short, gasping laugh, and a large smile spread on her face.

"That mission you got, the task from the Dark Lord… You've finished it, haven't you?"

Finally receiving some admiration and validation, he couldn't help but to smirk. He wiggled his eyebrows at her, sending her a look but didn't reply.

"Bloody hell, Draco!" she exclaimed, seemingly speehless. "I'm... Do you want me to do it with you –whatever it is?"

From her excited tone he realised she wasn't wondering if he needed any help; she wanted in for personal reasons. "No," he said strictly, frowning derisively at her. "Just wanted to let you know. In case anything happens."

She frowned dumbly. "Like what?"

He shrugged. "I don't know, maybe I'll have to leave, I don't know. I'm bringing Death Eaters in." He finally said it. It was like a heavy rock had been lifted from his chest. He finally told her. Her eyes widened again.

"Anyway," he went on, before she could say anything. "Now that I've finally told you, return the favour and do what I tell you to, all right?"

Pansy frowned.

"Stay in your dormitory all night, whatever you hear, all right?"


As he made his way up the giant staircase again, he felt himself beginning to shake. He was alone again, in the dark, and he didn't like it. He had been obsessed with fixing the Cabinet all year, it had been all he wanted, and now he could not deny that he was afraid to the bones. Terrified. Terrified for becoming a murderer, terrified for what would happen to him and his family if he didn't. He was caught and had no choice.

He ran down the seventh floor corridor, Crabbe and Goyle were standing outside the Come and Go Room as ordered, and he stopped, panting, in front of them.

"Well done," slipped out of him. "I need to get inside, but you've got to go look out for Dumbledore whilst I'm in there," he nodded towards the Room. "He's out now, and I need to know when he returns, so go and keep watch, use a classroom or something, just something with a view over the grounds, and as soon as you see him approaching the castle, come and let me know as quick as you can. That's really important, all right? I need to know immediately!"

He was becoming hysterical, and he tried breathing more to calm himself down. Crabbe and Goyle both nodded, looking a little confused, but appreiacting the severity in his voice. "All right, see you later, Malfoy," Goyle said. They left and he hurried inside the Room. He wiped his sweaty forehead as he closed the door behind him.

As he made his way over to the Cabinet Draco thought his plan through, Dumbledore was out for a minute – Draco wondered how long – and that was the perfect timing for the Death Eaters to sneak in, and when he would return they would all be there waiting for him. It had to happen right now.

He hastily opened the Cabinet and – YES! – Borgin had replied. Inside lay another piece of parchment, not at all containing Draco's History notes, but a message from the shop owner.

"As fast as I can, Mr Malfoy. No more than an hour. –AB"

Depending on where he had sent this, Draco had time to kill. He had been away for thirty minutes at most. They could be there any minute, or not at all. He could only sit there and wait.

The minutes seemed to drag by like hours, he had no perception of time in that ruddy room, and he was glad to soon be rid of it for good, would they just turn up soon. The thought of seeing Bellatrix and the rest in matter of minutes made him feel more nauseous, not to mention what he was going to do to the Headmaster. He considered waking up Snape – practically all the other Death Eaters would be there, shouldn't he be as well? Snape was a part of the plan, of the Dark Lord's plan. But seeing as how Snape had treated him all year, sticking his big fat nose all over Draco's business, he was not feeling up for it. Perhaps if Snape missed out on all of this, The Dark Lord's attention would be on Draco's father and himself for once. His father really needed this. That was what he kept reminding himself whenever he felt like leaving all of this and going into hiding. His family needed this. He needed to help them, because his father had failed, his father had fallen to bottom of the rank after that fiasco at the Ministry last year, and now he had to fix it. He had no choice.

Suddenly, behind him he heard a scratching noise, and as he hastily turned, a chill spreading down his spine, the door of the Cabinet creaked open, and he saw her big black hair before he saw her, but then his aunt Bellatrix Lestrange herself stepped out, an excited smile on her features. He didn't move an inch.

"Draco!" she singsonged, and moved forward to embrace him. He felt suffocated by her arms and chest. "You did it, didn't you, and now ickle Dumbledore's going to get it, isn't he," she giggled loudly. "I knew you had it in you, Cissy doubted you all this time, but I knew you had it in you… Oh, the Dark Lord will be pleased…"

Soon they followed, one after another. Self-assured Yaxley… enormous Rowle… malicious Dolohov… hunched Alecto and brother, hard-faced Amycus Carrow… and about ten other Death Eaters he did not know by either name nor looks, and he really realised it was all over, it was really happening, he had brought them all in here, he was a large factor in what would come to change Hogwart forever. He suddenly felt very little in the presence of all the Death Eaters.

"So what's the plan, then?" Bellatrix singsonged. She seemed excited. He knew she was always up for a little duelling.

Draco took a deep breath.

"Why are we in this dirty little room?" Yaxley commented derisively, frowning at the surroundings. Draco's face felt warm.

"Because my nephew has been working in here all year to fix that thing we just came out of, and now he's succeeeded, so shut your gob, Yaxley!" Bellatrix was immediately heated. Yaxley rolled his eyes, as some of the other Death Eaters congratulated him. Draco forced a smile at them, and tried to hide how much he was shaking.

He spoke up, and hoped the tremble in his voice wasn't audible. "Well, Dumbledore left the castle about forty minutes ago. So there's a slight change in plan, really. Crabbe and Goyle are keeping a lookout for him right now, so—"

"Crabbe and Goyle?" Dolohov piped up. "If those two are anythin' like their dads, they won't be the sharpest tools in the box, will they? You sure they'll manage?"

He felt all of the Death Eaters' looks on him. He hoped he didn't show how frightened he was. "Yes," he said hastily. "It's not that difficult, is it, as soon as they spot him, they run over here and let me know. And then," he went on with explaining the plan, straightening up a little, "we go out there, I go straight to find Dumbledore while you all take care of the teachers."

"You all know your way around Hogwarts, I presume?" Bellatrix sneered.

Affirmative grunts were heard through the room.

"We've got to lure Dumbledore back here," Draco spoke up again. "I don't know where he went, but I reckon if we send up the Dark Mark, he'll come running…"

Bellatrix looked surprised, but positively.

"Clever lad," Amycus Carrow commented with a glint in his eye.

"I'll do it," Rowle offered, panting excitedly. Draco nodded. Sorted.

And then, lastly, a dirty, beasty-looking man climbed out of the Cabinet with a giant smirk on his face. Everyone turned. The man, if you could call it that, was enormous. He licked one of his long yellow nails as he announced in a slimy voice: "Let's get started then, shall we!"

Draco realised with a shock that it was the werewolf, Greyback. What in Merlin's name was he doing here? He was not supposed to be there, the scum! He might've used Greyback as a threat to Borgin back in the summer, but that was only something he said – he wanted nothing to do with the animal. Feeling very uncomfortable, as well as irritated, he turned away, taking a deep breath.

"All right then!" Bellatrix announced. Everyone silenced immediately at the sound of her voice. Draco reckoned everyone knew just as well as he did what a lunatic she was and how highly appointed she was with the Dark Lord. "Everyone know what to do then? We'll take on all of the staff while Draco runs along to find Dumbledore. And remember, the Headmaster is for Draco only!"

The Death Eaters were getting excited, and started moving for the door. Suddenly, Draco felt his blood turn to ice. He had heard something from outside. Voices, and steps. Several of them, it couldn't be just Crabbe and Goyle.

"Wait!" he exclaimed. "I heard something." He leaned against the door, trying to listen. "There must be somebody out there!" he said, starting to panic.

"Le's go out there and curse 'em back to last year then!" Rowle shouted, raising his wand, and several of the other Death Eaters joined in in shouting.

"Come on!" they all moved hastily towards the door, and Draco realised he would soon be pushed outside whether he liked it or not, and feverishly reached inside his robe and pulled out his Hand of Glory.

The door banged open and they all rushed out into the corridor outside, and he head been right, there were people out there – shocked, he saw Ron Weasley and his sister, The Mudblood Granger, Neville Longbottom and that Looney Lovegood with their wands at the ready. What in Merlin's name were they doing there and how could they possibly know? They were instantly blinded by Draco's hand of glory however, and as they tried to send random spells, hexes and curses around them, Draco kept running, only wanting to get out of there, his Hand of Glory raised. Someone knew something, someone knew about his plan! How else would his classmates be there waiting for him! They knew! He was panicking, but kept on running, some of the Death Eaters following him, but as he looked over his shoulder while running he realised some of them had stayed behind to fight Weasley and the rest.

Bloody hell, what was he going to do now?!

He had no idea where Dumbledore was, and—

He screamed out, swearing loudly as he reached the enormous main-staircase. The entire Order of the Phoenix was running up the marble staircase towards them. He stopped abruptly, feeling like he was about to pass out, and a few Death Eaters ran into him, surprised by his stop. They all saw what he too had seen, the Order had now began casting curses up towards them as they ran full force upwards. Draco bolted sideways, dodging a curse by the hair, and took a quick turn, leaving the Death Eaters there – they immediately started shouting and running towards the Order, wands at the ready, but Draco would not stand there and duel a bunch of trained adults – that would surely be the end of him.

"MORSMORDRE!" he heard someone roar from back at the staircase. The plan was in action, but it had already gone all wrong.

He ran and ran, and he was alone again. It felt good to be rid of the Death Eaters for a minute, but he felt panick starting to rise inside him, anxiety about what he knew he had to do was filling him up. Where was Dumbledore and why hadn't he returned yet? How in Merlin's name did the Gryffindors know to stand guard and summon the Order? He couldn't wait any longer, he just wanted to do it and be over with it, he wanted to get out of there, and he wanted nothing more than to be at home with his mother and father and for it all to be over, for good.

He checked every possible classroom on the seventh floor in panic looking for Crabbe and Goyle, hearing distant sounds of duelling – curses and screams – a battle had started. This was not how it was supposed to be! There wasn't supposed to be a bloody battle at all! They were just supposed to take over in a quick and easy fashion.

As he turned a corner, he ran into something large and hard. His nose feeling broken, he pulled out his wand immediately, both him and the person he'd collided with exclaimed loudly.

"Malfoy! I came to tell you, he's on his way back! We've found him!" It was Goyle.

Draco, shocked, clutched his nose. "He's on a broom! Looks like he's headed towards the Astronomy Tower!"

"All right! Stay up here and hide, there's a battle going on over there! I'm going over there to meet him!"

They were running, Draco could hardly breathe. "What are you going to do with him?" Goyle frowned.

"Go back in there!" Draco motioned towards the classroom Greg had come out of as they were to part ways. "I'll see you later!" and he turned hastily and went into the passage leading into the staircase leading up to the Astronomy Tower. He was close, but was he close enough? Would he reach there before Dumbledore? Would Dumbledore be alone now or was Potter still with him under that Invisibility Cloak? He was shaking as he sweaty and panting and hurting in his entire body ran and ran up the spiral stairs, hearing nothing but the echoes of his own shoes tapping. He reached the end of the staircase, the platform of the Astronomy Tower. He peered inside the door. From beyond the tower, he saw Dumbledore was coming closer, on a broom, flying over the dark grounds. The Dark Mark was glowing sickly green just visible from the tower. He seemed to be alone. Two people couldn't fit on that one broom anyway. Potter must've gone back into the castle. Draco was in luck, but it didn't feel that way. He closed the door again and waited in the shadows, shaking.

Perhaps he was a coward after all; perhaps he wasn't cut out for it. His heart was pounding; he heard it all the way up in his ears. Dumbledore was hanging over his broomstick – he was wounded. Draco felt absolutely sick. A wounded old man. Practically defenceless.

He heard him land, and he closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath, but there was nothing he could do. The Death Eaters were all downstairs; The Dark Lord was waiting for him. He was protected, or stuck, up on the tower – he did not know which. He burst the door open and stepped out and shouted: "Expelliarmus!" at the old man.

He was very pale, hunched, probably hurt, but his Headmaster showed no sign of panic or distress. His blue eyes looked straight into Draco's own and he said: "Good evening, Draco."

Draco hastily looked around, nobody else was there. If Potter had been there, he would've disarmed Draco by now. It was strangely not comforting.

"Who else is here?" he asked anyway, for the sake of it.

"A question I might ask you. Or are you acting alone?" Why was Dumbledore so calm?!

"No, I've got back-up. There are Death Eaters here in your school tonight."

He had done it, he had actually done it, but he wasn't proud anymore like when he'd spoken to Pansy.

"Well, well. Very good indeed. You found a way to let them in, did you?" Dumbledore was still as calm as ever. Why wasn't he frightened? Why wasn't he begging for Draco to spare his life?

"Yeah. Right under your nose and you never realised!"

"Ingenious," said Dumbledore. "Yet ... forgive me ... where are they now? You seem unsupported."

"They met some of your guard. They're having a fight down below. They won't be long ... I came on ahead. I-I've got a job to do."

"Well, then, you must get on and do it, my dear boy," said Dumbledore softly.

Draco stared at him, trying to raise his wand but his arm felt mechanic and stiff. Now that he saw the old man, he didn't feel like doing it. He didn't realise the point of it.

"Draco, Draco, you are not a killer."

"How do you know?" he said defiantly. He wouldn't tell him what he was and what he wasn't. Nobody knew that anymore, not even he himself.

"You don't know what I'm capable of," he went on, staring at the man, "you don't know what I've done!"

"Oh, yes, I do," said Dumbledore mildly. "You almost killed Katie Bell and Ronald Weasley. You have been trying, with increasing desperation, to kill me all year. Forgive me, Draco, but they have been feeble attempts ... so feeble, to be honest, that I wonder whether your heart has been really in it..."

He felt his face grow warm. Dumbledore wasn't seeing through him, was he? Who did the old codger think he was? "It has been in it! I've been working on it all year, and tonight—"

He suddenly heard muffled yells from inside the castle. He glanced over his shoulder. It made him more stressed. What if the battle moved closer? Perhaps he didn't have much time. He had to pull himself together and do this!

"Somebody is putting up a good fight," said Dumbledore conversationally. "But you were saying ... yes, you have managed to introduce Death Eaters into my school which, I admit, I thought impossible ... how did you do it?"

Draco was still looking behind his shoulder. He really didn't want the Death Eaters to join him there when he wasn't able to do it. No, a voice inside him tried convincing him. My family needs this. My father needs this. I'm the only one who can save us. I've got to do it.

"Perhaps you ought to get on with the job alone," suggested Dumbledore. "What if your back-up has been thwarted by my guard? As you have perhaps realised, there are members of the Order of the Phoenix here tonight, too. And after all, you don't really need help... I have no wand at the moment... I cannot defend myself."

Draco stared at him. What was he doing? Trying to use some sort of quirky psychology to try to turn him over? He would kill him and that was final. There was nothing the old man could do about it.

"I see," Dumbledore went on. "You are afraid to act until they join you."

"I'm not afraid!" Draco snarled, heat rising to his face. His heart was beating fast. He felt sick. Properly sick. "It's you who should be scared!"

"But why? I don't think you will kill me, Draco. Killing is not nearly as easy as the innocent believe ... so tell me, while we wait for your friends... how did you smuggle them in here? It seems to have taken you a long time to work out how to do it."

He felt the urge to vomit – the nauseau that had been becoming worse all evening was threatening to spill over. He gulped and tried breathing deeply for a moment. He was still pointing his wand at Dumbledore, right at his heart. He would do it. He would do it. In a minute. He just needed to calm himself down a little. However, he could not help himself from answering Dumbledore's silly question. "I had to mend that broken Vanishing Cabinet that no one's used for years. The one Montague got lost in last year."

"Ah…" Dumbledore sighed, half groaned. He closed his eyes for a moment. Yeah, bet you didn't think of that, did you! Draco had outsmarted them all.

"That was clever... there is a pair, I take it?"

"The other's in Borgin and Burke, and they make a kind of passage between them. Montague told me that when he was stuck in the Hogwarts one, he was trapped in limbo but sometimes he could hear what was going on at school, and sometimes what was going on in the shop, as if the Cabinet was travelling between them, but he couldn't make anyone hear him... in the end he managed to Apparate out, even though he'd never passed his test. He nearly died doing it. Everyone thought it was a really good story, but I was the only one who realised what it meant – even Borgin didn't know. I was the one who realised there could be a way into Hogwarts through the Cabinets if I fixed the broken one."

"Very good," murmured Dumbledore. "So the Death Eaters were able to pass from Borgin and Burkes into the school to help you... a clever plan, a very clever plan... and, as you say, right under my nose..."

"Yeah," Draco replied, and in some twisted way he felt comforted and encouraged by Dumbledore's praise. "Yeah, it was!"

"But there were times," Dumbledore went on, "weren't there, when you were not sure you would succeed in mending the Cabinet? And you resorted to crude and badly judged measures such as sending me a cursed necklace that was bound to reach the wrong hands... poisoning mead there was only the slightest chance I might drink..."

"Yeah, well, you still didn't realise who was behind that stuff, did you?" Draco said, feeling a bit more self-assured.

"As a matter of fact, I did," said Dumbledore. "I was sure it was you."

Draco frowned. He'd known? "Why didn't you stop me, then?"

"I tried, Draco. Professor Snape has been keeping watch over you on my orders—"

Draco felt like laughing. "He hasn't been doing your orders, he promised my mother—"

"Of course that is what he would tell you, Draco, but—"

"He's a double-agent, you stupid old man, he isn't working for you, you just think he is!"

"We must agree to differ on that, Draco. It so happens that I trust Professor Snape—"

He couldn't possbly be serious, could he? Not after the way Snape had tried to steal Draco's glory all year. "Well, you're losing your grip, then!" Draco sneered at the old man. "He's been offering me plenty of help – wanting all the glory for himself—' wanting a bit of the action—' What are you doing? Did you do the necklace, that was stupid, it could have blown everything—' But I haven't told him what I've been doing in the Room of Requirement, he's going to wake up tomorrow and it'll all be over and he won't be the Dark Lord's favourite any more, he'll be nothing compared to me, nothing!"

"Very gratifying," said Dumbledore mildly. He still wasn't taking him seriously! "We all like appreciation for our own hard work, of course... but you must have had an accomplice, all the same... someone in Hogsmeade, someone who was able to slip Katie the— the— ah…."

Dumbledore closed his eyes again and nodded, as though he was about to fall asleep. Was he already dying?

"... of course... Rosmerta. How long has she been under the Imperius Curse?"

"Got there at last, have you?" Draco taunted him. He was becoming surer by the minute, until he heard more yells from below, even louder this time. Was the battle moving closer? He certainly didn't want to be stuck up there with the entire Order of the Phoenix downstairs.

Dumbledore went on: "So poor Rosmerta was forced to lurk in her own bathroom and pass that necklace to any Hogwarts student who entered the room unaccompanied? And the poisoned mead ... well, naturally, Rosmerta was able to poison it for you before she sent the bottle to Slughorn, believing that it was to be my Christmas present... yes, very neat... very neat... poor Mr Filch would not, of course, think to check a bottle of Rosmerta's... tell me, how have you been communicating with Rosmerta? I thought we had all methods of communication in and out of the school monitored."

"Enchanted coins," Draco hastily replied, breathing deeply and quickly, feeling panick starting to rise again. His wand hand was shaking – FUCK! – he hoped Dumbledore wouldn't notice. He would do it, he would. In a minute. "I had one and she had the other and I could send her messages—"

"Isn't that the secret method of communication the group that called themselves Dumbledore's Army used last year?" asked Dumbledore. His voice was light and conversational, Draco couldn't look at him.

"Yeah, I got the idea from them," Draco smirked. "I got the idea of poisoning the mead from the Mudblood Granger, as well, I heard her talking in the library about Filch not recognising potions…"

"Please do not use that offensive word in front of me," said Dumbledore.

Draco gave a cool laugh, shaking his head. "You care about me saying 'Mudblood' when I'm about to kill you?"

"Yes, I do. But as for being about to kill me, Draco, you have had several long minutes now. We are quite alone. I am more defenceless than you can have dreamed of finding me, and still you have not acted…"

The panick was rising quickly. He closed his eyes and let out a tensed breath. In a minute.

"We decided to put the Dark Mark over the Tower and get you to hurry up here, to see who'd been killed," he said, just to keep himself calm. He had no choice but to talk to the man. "And it worked!"

"Well... yes and no…" said Dumbledore.

There was a bang and shouts from below, louder than ever; it sounded as though people were fighting on the actual spiral staircase that led to they were standing, it made Draco jump and his heart starting to pound in his ears again.

"There is little time, one way or another," said Dumbledore. "So let us discuss your options, Draco."

"My options!" Draco exclaimed. He was about to lose it. "I'm standing here with a wand-I'm about to kill you—"

"My dear boy, let us have no more pretence about that. If you were going to kill me, you would have done it when you first Disarmed me; you would not have stopped for this pleasant chat about ways and means."

"I haven't got any options!" he finally spluttered out. "I've got to do it! He'll kill me! He'll kill my whole family!"

"I appreciate the difficulty of your position," said Dumbledore. "Why else do you think I have not confronted you before now? Because I knew that you would have been murdered if Lord Voldemort realised that I suspected you."

Ugh. Draco winced at the sound of the name. How could Dumbledore possibly have known everything? He'd barely seen him the past year!

"I did not dare speak to you of the mission with which I knew you had been entrusted, in case he used Legilimency against you," continued Dumbledore. "But now at last we can speak plainly to each other… no harm has been done, you have hurt nobody, though you are very lucky that your unintentional victims survived... I can help you, Draco."

"No, you can't," Draco went on desperately. This was it. He had to do it now or the people on the stairs would joint hem. Oh how he wanted to get away. "Nobody can. He told me to do it or he'll kill me. I've got no choice."

"Come over to the right side, Draco, and we can hide you more completely than you can possibly imagine. What is more, I can send members of the Order to your mother tonight to hide her likewise. Your father is safe at the moment in Azkaban... when the time comes we can protect him too... come over to the right side, Draco... you are not a killer..."

There was a rush of blood to his head and he felt almost dizzy as he wordlessly stared at Dumbledore.

"But I got this far, didn't I?" he said slowly. "They thought I'd die in the attempt, but I'm here... and you're in my power... I'm the one with the wand... you're at my mercy..."

"No, Draco," said Dumbledore quietly. "It is my mercy, and not yours, that matters now."

He closed his eyes for a moment, his eyelids felt heavy. He could do it… He could accept Dumbledore's offer of help… He'd wanted to get out for a long time. It wasn't like he thought it would be. It was much more frightening and severe than he had imagined. He had no idea what he signed up for. His dad had put him in this position, he had been put into it, and it had not been by free choice, even though he'd thought that at that point. He'd wanted it once, and realising that made it even clearer to realise that he didn't want it anymore.

He opened his eyes and looked at the old man again; he was looking at him with warmth in his eyes. After all this, he still looked at him that way.

Draco felt his wand hand drop slightly, but then…

Suddenly footsteps were thundering up the stairs and a second later he was pushed slightly out of the way as Bellatrix and the rest burst through the doors and joined him. Assumingly, they had won the fight downstairs, which was both comforting and unsettling for Draco.

"Dumbledore cornered!" Amycus Carrow leered. "Well done, Draco, well done!"

They had all doubted him, but no more. Draco raised his wand again, feeling more secure now.

As they Death Eaters acquantainted themselves with Dumbledore, Draco tried controlling his breathing. Bellatrix unsettled him, he wished her gone.

"Do it," Greyback rasped from his left side, hurrying him on. Draco shuddered unwillingly.

"Is that you, Fenrir?" asked Dumbledore.

"That's right. Pleased to see me, Dumbledore?"

"No, I cannot say that I am..."

"But you know how much I like kids, Dumbledore."

"Am I to take it that you are attacking even without the full moon now? This is most unusual... you have developed a taste for human flesh that cannot be satisfied once a month?"

"That's right. Shocks you, that, does it, Dumbledore? Frightens you?"

"Well, I cannot pretend it does not disgust me a little," said Dumbledore. "And, yes, I am a little shocked that Draco here invited you, of all people, into the school where his friends live..."

Stop talking. He couldn't hear it anymore, especially not Greyback's raspy voice from behind those teeth.

"I didn't," Draco finally said. "I didn't know he was going to come—"

"We've got orders. Draco's got to do it. Now, Draco, and quickly."

"He's not long for this world anyway, if you ask me!" said the lopsided man, to the accompaniment of his sister's wheezing giggles. "Look at him-what's happened to you, then, Dumby?"

"Oh, weaker resistance, slower reflexes, Amycus," said Dumbledore. "Old age, in short... one day, perhaps, it will happen to you... if you are lucky..."

"What's that mean, then, what's that mean? Always the same, weren't yeh, Dumby, talking and doing nothing, nothing, I don't even know why the Dark Lord's bothering to kill yeh! Come on, Draco, do it!"

Draco was shaking, and staring terrified into Dumbledore's eyes, his wand arm still raised and pointing straight at him. But at that moment, there were renewed sounds of scuffling from below and a voice shouted, "They've blocked the stairs-Reducto! REDUCTO!"

"Now, Draco, quickly!" shouted Dolohov. Draco didn't know what he was doing, but he couldn't say the words, he just couldn't.

"I'll do it," snarled Greyback, moving towards Dumbledore.

"I said no!" Dolohov reprimanded him; there was a flash of light and the werewolf was blasted out of the way; he hit the ramparts and staggered, looking furious.

"Draco, do it, or stand aside so one of us—" screeched the woman, but at that precise moment the door to the ramparts burst open once more and there stood Snape, his wand clutched in his hand as his black eyes swept the scene, from Dumbledore slumped against the wall, to the rest of them.

"We've got a problem, Snape," said Amycus, making Draco's heart beat even faster and panick rise again, "the boy doesn't seem able—"

But at the same time, Dumbledore had spoken Snape's name in a pleading, begging sort of tone Draco thought he'd never hear escape the Headmaster's lips. It was so weak. Suddenly Draco was pushed roughly out of the way as Snape stepped forward, his wand raised firmly, stared at Dumbledore for a second as the world seemed to pause. The Death Eaters around him had all silenced down and Draco finally lowered his aching wand hand, as Snape uttered the words.

"Avada Kedavra!"

Draco didn't know what had happened. He watched in what seemed like slow-motion as Dumbledore fell backwards with the green shot of light, and all Draco saw – eyes and mouth wide open – was Dumbledore's expressionless face as he flew over the edge of the Astronomy Tower.

Snape had done it. Snape had killed him. In shock, he realised he was being dragged along by someone, and he realised it was Snape – pushed through the door and hastily down the stairs inside the tower. His last chance of help was falling down the Astronomy Tower, while he was being dragged away from the scene roughly by the murdered himself.

"We've got to leave!" Snape was shouting at the Death Eaters, "the Order are too many, we can't take over the school, we've got to leave!"

Down the stairs they ran, Draco was first, pushed by Snape, and they were followed by Bellatrix, Greyback, the Carrows and Yaxley. Suddenly behind him he heard a "PETRIFICUS TOTALUS!" and as Draco shocked looked behind his shoulder, he saw Potter, stepping over Yaxley's unmoving body, roaring and running after Snape. It made Draco snap back to reality and run more properly. He just wanted to get out – now. They reached the end of the staircases of the Astronomy Tower and found themselves in the midst of the battle in the corridor – The Order of the Phoenix as well as Death Eaters everywhere, screams, spells, lifeless or unconscious bodies, crashed glass, but he and Snape just kept running through it. Bellatrix and the rest sent away a few curses, but he and Snape just ran through it – the job was done, it was over. One by one, they lost Greyback and Amycus – Potter was by their heels, ravingly sending hexes around him, trying to get up to them. Students – kids – were duelling Death Daters, and Draco felt sick. It was wrong. Snape called everyone back as they were running, and more Death Eaters joined them on their way.

"Potter's behind us!" Draco shouted, gasping, at Snape while they ran as quick as they could.

"We've got to leave! We've got to make it for the gates so we can Disapparate!" Snape was yelling at him as they reached the big main-staircase.

Draco was sweating and panting as they finally ran down the final steps of the grand marble staircase and reached the Entrance Hall. They had finally shaken Potter and the Order off – it was only them now, him and Snape, the murderers. Bellatrix and the rest had sped up and run past them and were already well out on the grounds.

They ran through the hall and out the big wooden doors and were out on the grounds in the darkness and cold. Close now, close to rescue. Bellatrix and the others had started duelling Hagrid who had come out of his hut to stop them leaving, and suddenly Draco heard a yell from not too far behind him, and he turned while running and saw Potter again – where had he come from? – who had caught up with them, hit in the back by a spell from one of the Carrows who were behind him. Potter started duelling them while Bellatrix and the rest set fire to Hagrid's house. Draco couldn't take it.

"I can't go on!" he panted out desperately to Snape, who was half-dragging him along by a harsh grip on his arm.

"Just through the gates, Draco!" Snape shouted firmly, his grip tightening even more as he sped up.

"Stupefy!" Potter was running full force towards them, and the red light just missed Snape. Snape stopped and shouted: "Run, Draco!" at him and he confusedly went on doing so, even though his Head of House stayed behind to duel Potter. He kept running, his heart and entire body aching, and looking over his shoulder every now and then. What was Snape doing?

"Snape!" he shouted breathlessly, but Snape was sending Potter to the ground. All around him, Death Eaters were running past, faster than him, reaching the gates and disappearing in swishing twirls of 0nothingness, while Snape was still back there.

"Snape!" he roared with all strenght he had left which was not much. He finally passed through the school gates and was now outside, but he couldn't Apparate on his own, which Snape very well knew. What the bloody hell was he doing?

Finally Snape began running towards him, leaving Potter wandless on the ground, Draco felt dizzy and panicked, and screamed desperately: "I can't Apparate!" as soon as Snape reached the gates, and he hastily grabbed Draco's arm harshly and in a second they were gone.