So, chapter 38. This is a long one. Probably the longest I've written so far – so I hope you'll enjoy it. It's a bit more action in this one, opposed to the latest ones I've posted.

And if I've understand it right; there is some confusion about Alice's behaviour. But I promise you all, there is an explanation that will be given, if you haven't already figured it out. But it won't come just yet, in a few chapters perhaps.

Thank you all for reviewing! I think this last chapter is the one with the most reviews ever – so why don't we this one even more? ;) Well, thanks again for reading, reviewing, putting on favourite and alert! Cheers!

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Chapter 38

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Alice was completely still, she hadn't moved for quite the while. If you don't count the small motion of her right hand spinning the ring on her left hand around her finger. Alice felt a bit numbed. As she had done the last couple of days. Daphne was a bit out of it as well, not her usual self. And then there was Blaise and Draco, perhaps a bit numbed themselves. Summer had come for real, the heat and the flowers were just beautiful. Alice sighed over and over again, not sure what to make of herself this day.

"Alice, please, will you stop it?" Daphne said and grabbed her hand. Alice looked up at her and stopped the spinning of the ring.

"Sorry", she said. Alice looked around; the weather was nice but the grounds were empty. Probably because it was lunchtime and most were in the Great Hall.

"You know..." she started and started twisting the ring around her finger once more. "I'll be leaving soon."

"We all will", Daphne said with a smile. Alice shook her head.

"No, I'll be leaving tonight." She had a strange feeling that tonight would be the night. She closed her eyes and let the sun warm her skin for a quiet moment. When she opened her eyes again Daphne looked at her with concern.

"Will I ever see you again?" Daphne asked softly.

"I don't know..." They looked at one another with understanding. "I wish I'll be able to explain some time", said Alice, her voice unsure of the words.

"It's fine Alice, really", Daphne said, but Alice didn't miss the tears she was blinking away.

"Daph", Alice put an arm around her as comfort.

"Just come say goodbye before you leave", Daphne said.

"I will", said Alice, still with the arm around her best friend. Blaise came walking towards them with his usual, proud posture and his hands in his pockets. Not to Alice's surprise, he sat down next to Daphne in the shadow of the tree.

"I'll see you later guys", Alice said and got up. Daphne reacted immediately and took a firm grip on her hand.

"Promise you'll write to me, as often as you can", she demanded and the tears started rolling down her face.

"I promise", Alice said with a smile. Daphne turned towards Blaise and leaned her head against his chest to hide the tears from the rest of the world. Alice was heading for the castle, but made a turn in her way and started walking along the line of the forbidden forest instead. Even though the place was rather dull and all too dark for Alice's liking she found it the perfect place for cleansing her thoughts. There were certainly a lot of thoughts that had reason to occupy her mind. If tonight was the night, things would change beyond reckoning. They'd have to leave and face him. Alice's eyes went down to her left hand and to the ring upon it. It was the sapphire ring Draco always used to wear. She smiled at the thought of him – and the thought of how great they were together. That pounding feeling in the chest, the smile upon their lips and the tingle when their bodies touched. What would it cost them now? What would become of them when things changed like this? Alice didn't even notice she'd walked all the way up to Hagrid's hut and that she'd almost run over the dog.

"Miss Gaunt", Hagrid said. "Alice." Alice looked up at her abnormally large professor. "Yer alright there?"

"I'm fine, thank you", she said, not completely telling the truth. "Actually, sir, there's something I've meant to ask you." Hagrid looked surprised but invited her to ask the questions she had.

"Well, you went to school with someone I unfortunately happens to know. Tom Riddle, right?" He nodded. "Was he ever a good person?" Once again, Hagrid looked surprised and didn't know what to say.

"No", he then said after a far too long moment of silence. Perhaps that's why he had gotten the unpleasant feeling from her – the feeling that she knew far too much and was far too bright for a girl her age. There was no other reason – this girl, this child was without doubt Tom Riddle's daughter. He wondered how many else that knew. Was he supposed to tell Dumbledore about this, or did he, as Hagrid thought, already know about it? Alice walked on, as if she never had bumped in to Hagrid in the first place, occupied once more by her thoughts. And then she realised it.

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Professor Dumbledore was waiting patiently for the girl before him to catch her breath. He had, to say the least, been rather stunned when Alice had run in to his office. She finally had calmed herself enough to look at him and speak.

"Tonight", she said and took a deep breath before she said the word again. "Tonight."

"What about tonight?" Alice looked around in the room.

"You're leaving?" She asked at the sight of his travelling cloak.

"Just momentarily. I'll be back for tonight", he said and clutched his hand together underneath his chin, like he always did.

"I have a feeling that tonight is the night", Alice said, without really clarifying what she meant. Dumbledore smiled over his glasses.

"Then tonight is the night", he said, calm as ever. Alice felt the panic building up inside of her.

"You're just going to accept it? Don't you understand what is going to happen?" She was halfway out of her seat before he interrupted her.

"I know very well what's about to happen tonight, Alice. There is no need to worry." He smiled again, that calm, knowing smile.

"But I'm not ready..."

"No one is ever ready for something like this." Alice felt uncomfortable, knowing this was probably the last conversation she'd ever have with the man. "I've spoken to Severus, Alice. Everything is taken care of. He will escort you to the location when the time has come." Alice didn't say anything; she couldn't say anything. Maybe her guts were wrong; maybe there was a long time before it'd happen. But then again, her guts never seemed to be wrong.

"Don't pity me, Alice. I've lived my life and I am pleased with it. Death would come either way", he said with a smile.

"Thank you", said Alice, she finally had found her voice again. "For setting me straight." Alice got up and left with that. There wasn't much more to say. Well, actually there was a lifetime of things she would like to say, to talk about. But it had to be enough. He was right, she wasn't ready, she never would be. But at least she knew he'd be proud of her as long as she did her best. His eyes told so. Alice rounded the corner and hurried passed Harry Potter and professor Trelawney; they didn't even seem to notice her. And then all of the sudden Draco stepped out in from of her and picked her up in a tight embrace.

"I did it Alice", he whispered before putting her down and giving her a loving kiss. The relief and happiness glanced in his eyes and those small stripes of blue, that mostly went unnoticed, lit up like they always did when he met her gaze. "They'll be coming soon." Draco picked up something from his pocket; a coin by the looks of it.

"Dumbledore's left the castle", Draco said – which made Alice wonder what kind of coin that actually was. That was it then. All they could do now was wait. The waiting was probably the worst part. Blaise and Daphne sat quiet next to the couple by the fireplace, feeling the tension of the coming event. Draco was shaking, jumping at every movement in the room. Alice felt calm, she was confident everything would work out like planned and most importantly, she had confidence in Draco.

"Have you packed your bag?" Alice asked, finally breaking the silence. Draco nodded.

"Alice", he whispered, none of the others heard. "What if I fail and Dumbledore kills me instead?"

"No, Draco", she said and stroke his cheek. "He wouldn't kill you, he'll never kill you. If anything, he'd protect you." They went back in to silence again. The very air felt thick and there was a foul smell lingering because of a group first-years. Altogether, it was hard to breathe. Alice was the one to break the silence again.

"I can' just sit here, it's driving me nuts", she said and the rest agreed.

"I've got to go do something", said Draco and got up from the sofa.

"You want company?" He hesitated, rocking back and forth on his feet. "No..." He finally decided and left the room in a hurry. He had every little detail planned out; the first destination was the room of requirement and the vanishing cabinet there. The corridors were less them empty. He recognized most of them – all friends of Harry bloody Potter and most of them were in that silly group Dumbledore's Army from last year. Had they been a bit less ignorant they'd discovered him. But Draco had become rather familiar with shortcuts and secret passages this past year. The corridor on the seventh floor was, however, empty. He stepped back and forth three times and the door became visible. Well inside, he made his way to the cabinet quickly and put the note inside it; the not that told the other to come through, the note that set tonight's event in motion. He didn't stay long enough to see everyone that came through. He walked the path towards the astronomy tower. It was the best place – no one could ambush him and no one would be able to escape. There was only one way out of this. The death of Albus Dumbledore. Draco focused on his breathing, it was hastened and uneven. He was scared – of course he was. This was after all Albus Dumbledore, legend, headmaster, powerful. But he'd been trusted with this; he hadn't doubted Draco's ability to see this through and Draco had no plans on failing.

The Death Eaters had caught up with him and were walking slightly behind him, keeping careful eyes on everything. And there it was, as they turned to corner the Weasley girl was standing by herself in the middle of the corridor. Draco raised his wand and shot a silent spell towards her – his aim perfect yet the spell yawed to the left and hit one of the armours standing there. And then, out of nowhere the corridor was filled of her friends. Draco had no problem dodging the few spells that were casted towards him. Apparently he wasn't seen as the treat. Alecto Carrow took a grip around Draco's collar and pushed him forward.

"Get on with it!" She hissed at him. Draco passed the fighting group unnoticed and headed for the astronomy tower. He picked up the coin as he got to the top of the stair. He's back. Draco went over to the far end of the room and glanced down towards the lights of Hogsmeade. For a second, Draco hesitated. But then again, the others were downstairs, fighting, he couldn't leave now. Everyone would know then, that he'd failed, that he was nothing; just like they accused him of being.

"Morsmorde!" He said firmly and pointed to the sky. The mark, the dark mar, his mark appeared above his head. Then again, he could do nothing but wait. He went outside, closed the door behind him and sat down. The narrow space felt lonely; perhaps it'd been better if he'd asked Alice to come. No, she had to be left out of this, of this part of the plan. He couldn't sit there; his nerves would get the best of him. Grunts, panting, the screaming of spells yelled trough the castle. The fight had moved from the corridor to a wider, more open area. Draco hid himself behind a corner. He couldn't risk getting hit himself, then the whole mission would fail before it'd started for real. He shot all kinds of spells he could think of around the corner, aiming carefully so they would only hit those of the opposite side. But just as before, the spells changed direction and hit the wall beside whoever he'd been aiming for. He pulled up the coin from his pocket once more. A new message was sent. Dumbledore had left Hogsmeade, heading for the astronomy tower. Draco felt his pulse rising again. This was it then. He'd gone over it so many times in his mind it didn't feel real. Dumbledore the fool, taking his bait so easily. Draco stepped over a body, he didn't have time to see who it was, someone from the other side, as they were not wearing the robes Death Eaters wore. He heard a cry from afar, closing up on him. It was the bird, that bloody bird of Dumbledore's. Draco tried to pass it, but the broad wings of colourful feathers made it impossible.

"Fawkes." The bird turned its head and looked down the corridor. Draco passed it silently and the bird walked over to Alice instead. "You know what to do", said Alice and the bird miraculously flew away. Draco didn't have time to stop and talk to her, even though that was probably the thing he wanted to do most in the world. He wondered what Alice would do in his place. Would he have done it? No, she was braver then that. She would dare defy her father, unlike him. He was weak, fragile and he would fail. No! Those kind of thoughts could not have voice again in his mind. They were rubbish and could not fill his mind in a situation like this. No. Draco opened the door and stepped in to room, filled by the chilly night air. Draco reacted instinctively as he saw the old man pull out his wand.

"Expelliarmus!" Silence followed.

"Good evening, Draco." Draco stepped forwards, glancing around quickly to check that he and Dumbledore were alone. His eyes fell upon the second broom.

"Who else is here?"

"A question I might ask you. Or are you acting alone?" Draco's gaze shifted back to Dumbledore, who was in the greenish glare of the Mark.

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

"Well, well," said Dumbledore and Draco felt almost as if he'd shown the man an ambitious homework project. "Very good indeed. You found a way to let them in, did you?"

"Yeah," said Draco, who was still panting from the run. "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. There was silence. Draco could hear sounds of the Death Eaters' distant fight, and in front of him stood Albus Dumbledore who, incredibly, smiled.

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

"'How do you know?" said Draco at once, and just as quickly he realised how childish the words had sounded.

"You don't know what I'm capable of," he continued, "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..."

"It has been in it!" said Draco vehemently. "I've been working on it all year, and tonight..." Somewhere in the depths of the castle below a muffled yell could be heard. Draco felt his body stiffen and glanced over his shoulder.

"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?" But Draco didn't respond; he was still listening to whatever was happening below and his whole body had frozen.

"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 merely stared at him.

"I see," said Dumbledore kindly, when Draco neither moved nor spoke. "You are afraid to act until they join you." Once again Draco's thoughts went to Alice. She wouldn't have hesitated, would she? It was best to just get it over with.

"I'm not afraid!" snarled Draco, though he still made no move to hurt Dumbledore. "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." Draco felt both like to shout it out loud, and to vomit. Two urges he pressed down inside of him. He gulped and took several deep breaths, glaring at Dumbledore, his wand pointing directly at the latter's heart. Then, as though he could not help himself, he said, "I had to mend that broken Vanishing Cabinet that no one's used for years. The one Montague got lost in last year."

"Aaaah." Dumbledore's sigh was half a groan. He closed his eyes for a moment.

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

"The other's in Borgin and Burkes," said Draco, "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." It didn't matter if Draco told him this, this old man was about to die anyways.

"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," said Draco. Alice had been right about him after all. He wasn't anything like the others had told – like his father had said. "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?" Dumbledore slid a little down the ramparts, the strength in his legs apparently fading.

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

"Why didn't you stop me, then?" Draco felt surprised.

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

"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-"

"Well, you're losing your grip, then!" sneered Draco. "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!" Draco left out the part of how the Dark Lord would finally see him as worthy – worthy of her.

"Very gratifying," said Dumbledore mildly. "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, aaaah..." Dumbledore closed his eyes again and nodded, as though he was about to fall asleep. "Of course, Rosmerta. How long has she been under the Imperius Curse?"

"Got there at last, have you?" Draco taunted the old man. He felt a bit curage started to creep back as Dumbledore realised his actions, and were rather impressed with it. There was another yell from below, rather louder than the last. Draco looked nervously over his shoulder again, then back at Dumbledore, who 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," said Draco, he felt like he needed to tell Dumbledore this, as if he had to. His wand hand was shaking badly, though his voice had been so steady. "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, but he was slipping an inch lower down the wall as he said it.

"Yeah, I got the idea from them," said Draco, with a pleased smile. "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 harsh laugh.

"You care about me saying "Mudblood" when I'm about to kill you?"

"Yes, I do," said Dumbledore, and this time, his feet slide a little on the floor as he struggled to remain upright. "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..." Draco felt his face pulling an unwanted expression. No, he had to do this.

"Now, about tonight," Dumbledore went on, "I am a little puzzled about how it happened... You knew that I had left the school? But of course," he answered his own question, "Rosmerta saw me leaving, she tipped you off using your ingenious coins, I'm sure."

"That's right," said Draco. "But she said you were just going for a drink, you'd be back."

"Well, I certainly did have a drink, and I came back, after a fashion," mumbled Dumbledore. "So you decided to spring a trap for me?"

"I decided to put the Dark Mark over the Tower and get you to hurry up here, to see who'd been killed," said Draco. "And it worked!"

"Well yes, and no", said Dumbledore. "But am I to take it, then, that nobody has been murdered?"

"Someone's dead," said Draco and his voice went, unwillingly, up an octave as he said it. "One of your people. I don't know who, it was dark. I stepped over the body... I was supposed to be waiting up here when you got back, only your Phoenix lot got in the way ..."

"Yes, they do that," 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 where Dumbledore and Draco stood.

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

"My options!" said Draco, a bit louder then he'd meant. "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!" said Draco and the colour left his face. He had to do this, to prove himself, to make sure he saw how worthy Draco was... "I've got to do it! He'll kill me! He'll kill my whole family!" Dumbledore looked at him as if he knew there was something more to it.

"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." Draco reacted as he spoke the name.

"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," said Draco, his wand hand shaking very badly indeed. "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."

"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." Draco couldn't get himself to speak; instead he stood there, with his mouth slightly open and his hand, in which he held his wand, dropping by a fraction. But suddenly footsteps were thundering up the stairs and a second later Draco was buffeted out of the way as four people in black robes burst through the door on to the ramparts. A lumpy-looking man with an odd lopsided leer gave a wheezy giggle.

"Dumbledore cornered!" he said, and he turned to a stocky little woman who looked as though she could be his sister and who was grinning eagerly. "Dumbledore wandless, Dumbledore alone! Well done, Draco, well done!"

.

"Daph, I can't live like this, it's not a life." Daphne looked as if she was about to cry. Then she picked Alice's hand up and watched the ring on her finger and the tears started streaming down her face.

"You shouldn't have to live like this, Alice. You're supposed to get married and have beautiful children with Draco and we'd be neighbours and our kids would grow up together and be like sisters and brothers and we'd have a nice, calm life and drink tea every afternoon at four, talking gossip about the other ladies in the neighbourhood and, and..." The sobbing took over and Daphne couldn't get another word out. Alice stepped forward and put her arms around her friend.

"I'll be fine, yeah?" Alice said with a smile. "And so will you." Alice stepped out of the embrace and turned to the second person in the room. Blaise had a crocked smile on his lips and his hands in his pockets.

"See you later", he said and bent down to give her a kiss on the cheek. Alice couldn't help but smile herself.

"See you", she said, even though it probably was a lie. To ease the parting, Alice didn't say much more. She gave them one last smile before turning around and leaving. They'd be alright, she told herself, they had each other. Alice made haste through the corridors – she was to reach the gates before Draco did and Disapparate as soon as he was outside as well. Alice started running, she felt as something was slightly wrong. The big Gryffindor hourglass had broken, leaving rubies all over the floor. Harry Potter were just a few yards before her as she got out of the castle. He was running after what seemed to be Severus, Draco and some other Death Eater. Alice ran. The grass was wet and slippery. Someone cursed Harry from behind her, making him fall on his face. Spells were casted back and forth over the ground. Alice caught a glimpse of Hagrid – who'd left his hut to join the fight.

"Run, Draco!" Severus had yelled. The blond-haired boy turned towards the gates again and started running. Alice didn't have time to stop and wait for Severus. She kept running towards the gates, towards Draco. Her heart started pounding. This was it then – Draco wasn't aware of her plans, he'd just have to go with it. Not that she thought he'd mind, the other way around actually.

"Draco!" She yelled as she got closer to the gate. "Draco!" Hagrids hut had taken fire, giving the scene a strange light. Draco's expression only reflected the shock and the fear he felt.

"Alice", he said as she caught up with him.

"Are you alright? Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine", he said and took her hand. They started running again. There were only a few yards until they were beyond the Hogwarts ground and would be able to Disapparate.

"Draco listen to me", Alice said – she could see his mind starting to wander. He wasn't fine, something had happened. "Draco, we're not going home, do you understand? Just follow my lead and everything will be alright." His grip around her hand tightened and they stepped in the Apparition. The air tightened around them, but only for a moment before they could breathe again. Alice opened her eyes.