HP/LOTM: Visionary - 388

Chapter 388: Act One — The Death of Dumbledore

They flew to the tower and found it empty.

"Go and fetch Severus here at once. Speak to no one, and do not remove your Invisibility Cloak," Dumbledore said, waving Harry on.

Harry had just pulled the Cloak over himself when footsteps approached. With a silent Full Body-Bind Curse, Dumbledore froze him in place.

Draco burst onto the tower. One sharp Expelliarmus knocked the wand from Dumbledore’s hand.

Seeing this, Harry’s gut twisted. He felt certain it was his fault Dumbledore had lost his chance to defend himself.

Draco glanced around, searching for the owner of the second broomstick.

"Good evening, Draco. On this lovely spring night, what wind has blown you here?" Dumbledore spoke first.

"Where is the other one? Who owns that broom?" Draco shouted at him.

"Oh, I was talking to myself. I often do. Have you never tried it?" Dumbledore clasped his left hand around his right wrist and held them before him.

"Draco, you are not a killer," Dumbledore said gently.

Though he had accepted a terminal and entered Aiden’s camp, Draco was still an undercover agent inside the Death Eaters—Aiden’s plant. He did not know what plans that horned devil had, yet here he was, wand raised at an old man who still regarded him with kindness and mercy.

"How do you know I am not! I have done things that would make your blood run cold!" Draco took two steps forward.

"Such as?" The watcher’s phantom quietly let his power seep out.

"I cursed Katie, so she would take that cursed necklace to Prewett. And I sent Slughorn the poisoned mead. It was me!" Draco’s face was twisted by conflict.

"Forgive the bluntness, Draco, but those methods were childish—so much so that I wonder if you truly tried," Dumbledore said, shaking his head.

Click.

The door at the stairwell opened.

"Others as well?" Dumbledore looked to Draco.

"The Vanishing Cabinet. I fixed it. It is a pair—one here in Hogwarts, the other in Knockturn Alley."

Draco’s wand trembled. Having thrown in with Prewett, he could not complete the Dark Lord’s task. To avoid dooming himself and his family, he had no choice but to point his wand at Dumbledore.

All he needed was to speak that well-known incantation, and Dumbledore would die. He would become the Dark Lord’s new favorite and win her favor.

"Then do it, my boy," Dumbledore said, warm as ever.

Draco stared at him, lips quivering. The incantation he knew by heart would not pass his throat.

"My dear boy, do not pretend. If you meant it, you would have killed me the moment you disarmed me—not stood here pleasantly discussing how you might go about it, would you?" The wind at the tower’s height teased Dumbledore’s beard.

"Now we can speak plainly. You are fortunate. Those you hurt by mistake lived, and nothing was irreparably damaged. I can help you, Draco."

Malfoy’s face went as pale as Dumbledore’s. He rolled up his sleeve and bared the mark. "I have no choice. She will kill me—kill my whole family!"

Harry trembled at Draco’s words, but the Full Body-Bind on him was too strong. Even calling on the power of love could not break it. That odd resistance gave him a strange feeling, but there was no time to think; Dumbledore’s voice pulled him back.

"Come to the right side, Draco. We can hide you somewhere utterly safe. Tonight, I can send Order members to fetch your mother. Your father is currently in Azkaban—he is in no immediate danger. You can hide with your mother."

"Give it up, Draco. You are not a killer..."

The "Dumbledore" on the tower strained to mirror the man’s way of thinking, terrified of exposing a seam.

Draco wavered, a storm of pain, remorse, self-reproach, and desperate hope pulling him back and forth—until his wand began to lower.

"I have known for quite some time," Dumbledore said, seeing Draco relent.

"Then why did you not stop me?" Draco roared.

"I had Severus watching you," Dumbledore replied with a gentle smile.

"He belongs to the Dark One, did you not know? The Dark Lord ordered him to kill you—and ordered me to kill Prewett!" Draco spat.

"And still I believe him..." Dumbledore began, but the other Death Eaters had already burst onto the tower.

"Well, what have we here?" Bellatrix twirled her wand.

She draped herself lazily over Draco’s shoulder and purred, "Well done, Draco."

"Good evening, Bellatrix. Will you introduce your friends one by one?" Dumbledore took a few steps back, leaning against the parapet.

"No, Albus, we have no time," Bellatrix said, hearing the mounting explosions below and growing anxious. "Do it, Draco!"

But Draco still could not. Fenrir at his side bristled.

"He has no stomach for it—just like his father. Let me do it."

"With what—your broken arms? Going to hold the wand between your teeth? The Dark Lord’s order is that the two of them do it," Bellatrix said, pointing her wand at Fenrir, then shoving Draco. "Quickly. If you cannot kill Prewett, kill Dumbledore. Do it, Draco—now!"

She pressed him, and a voice cut across hers.

"No."

Snape strode from the back. Bellatrix’s eyes narrowed with suspicion. The others stared at him with open malice.

"Severus, please," Dumbledore said, bloodless and pleading.

Snape held Dumbledore’s gaze for a heartbeat, his face carved with deep rancor and hatred.

He raised his wand and pointed it at Dumbledore. "Avada Kedavra."

He raised his wand at Dumbledore. “Avada Kedavra.” A jet of green light hit Dumbledore squarely and hurled him into the air; he pitched backward over the battlements and vanished from sight. He died instantly.

"Haha!" Bellatrix sent fireworks screaming into the sky.

"Go. If you wait and the Order surrounds you, you are finished," Snape snapped, dragging Malfoy away.

"And do not forget—Aiden Prewett is still in the school."

His voice echoed over the tower, sending a chill through the Death Eaters.

None of them dared linger. They hurried after him.

The Headmaster’s phantom died, and the Full Body-Bind on Harry broke.

Eyes blazing red, he tore off the Invisibility Cloak and sprinted after them.