Learn to love

The Tower

Time jump:

Staring at the letter in my hand I kept reading over the words over and over. Scrunching the paper up in a ball I tossed it into the fireplace. As the paper burned a black fog in the shape of a skull, flowed out. 'Geez, even the papers are evil.'

"Ready?" Draco walked into the common room with his coat in hand.

I glanced over his shoulder towards the window. A dark cloud was moving over the school, blocking the evening light from them. In a way, it was blocking all hope from the school. And after tonight I doubt there would be any hope left. I was going to be the one to blame in the end.

"Athena?" Draco stood by the door motioning me to get going.

"Coming." Snatching my jacket from the back of the couch, I followed him out.

As we walked down the corridor I took in the area. I never noticed just how beautiful the school truly was. The details on the pillars and walls. I listened to the clueless students laughing in the distance. Unaware of the horror we were going to commit. With each step I took, the heavier my foots got. Stepping into the Room of Requirement, Draco led us to the cabinet. Uncovering it we stood back and watched. I silently prayed for what or whoever would listen to me. Hoping it wouldn't work, but at last, the divine was not in my corner. The cabinet door opened slowly, as a major black fog sweeper out. Gritting my teeth, I grabbed Draco and pulled him out.

"Bellatrix?" I growled. "Out of all the death eaters you had to get her!"

"I didn't ask for either." Draco snapped. "Father sent them."

"As if this wasn't stressful enough, they send the least adequate one to deal with this." Running a hand through my hair, I took in a deep breath. "Now we wait." Leaning against the wall I glanced out the window. The light was long gone from the skies. Nothing but darkness dwelled. Seeing the dark mark form over the Astronomy Tower I let out a shaky breath. "Let's go."

I let Draco once again take the lead as we climbed the stairs to the top of the tower. I frowned at hearing Dumbledore speaking. He should be there alone. So, who the hell was he talking to? As I reached the top of the stairs, I pulled my wand out. So far it was only Dumbledore in the tower.

"Evening Draco, Athena." Dumbledore spoke with a soft tone. "What brings you here on this fine spring evening?"

Something was off, he looked tired. Almost hurt in a way. "Out for a stroll professor."

"Hmm."

"Who else is here?" Draco demanded. "We heard you talking."

"I often talk aloud to myself." Dumbledore was completely unfazed by the fact that his student was aiming a wand at him. "Have you been whispering to yourself, Draco?"

I stood back not interfering in their one-sided conversation. It wasn't like I had to intervene unless he coward away. But if I was being honest to myself, it wasn't looking too well.

"Draco, you are not an assassin." Dumbledore whispered.

"How do you know what I am?" Draco has a tremble in his voice, showing the hesitation and fear he was feeling. "I've done things that would shock you."

"Like cursing Katie bell and hoping that in return she'd bear a cursed necklace to me?" His eyes landed on me, causing me to flinch. "No, that was Athena. But, replacing a bottle of mead with one laced with poison, that was you. Forgive me, Draco. I cannot help feeling these actions are so weak that your heart can't really have been in them."

"Well, in our defense the necklace was a spur of the moment." I mumbled. "Didn't get enough time to properly set everything up."

"And the bottle?" Dumbledore chuckled. "Was that a spur of the moment?"