Stay With Me | Draco Malfoy [5]

Chapter 4 - Dumbledore's Brother

TW: Very slight swearing

Katiannes's POV

We apparated to Hogesmade. The air was foggy, and the ground was covered in a blanket of white fluffy snow. It seemed so empty- so quiet, so peaceful; that is, until an obnoxious alarm sound broke the silence.

We heard shouting and running from a distance, leading to us going to hide; hoping that the snatchers wouldn't find us.

They were so close, right in front the table we hid behind. I covered my mouth to stop my panicked breathing, but my heartbeat felt like it was louder than ever.

And then- they finally left, leaving us alone once again.

Right afterwards, we ran away again, wanting to get as far away from the snatchers as possible, Though, we came to a dead end.

"Over here, Potter." A deep voice stated. I knew that we shouldn't follow someone just like that. They could've been working with You-know-who, or just some other bad guy. But at that moment, we really didn't have a choice; it was to trust that guy- who looked awfully like Dumbledore- or get caught by the snatchers.

We all went down these rickety wooden stairs, following the guy into an old-looking little house.

"Did you get a look at him?" El asked.

"For a second I thought it was-" Ron then started saying.

"I know, Dumbledore." Hermione cut him off.

Cautiously, we walked deeper into the small house, though through all of the little knick-knacks, this one moving painting seemed to catch my eye.

It's of this girl, who seemed like she was in her early teens, with long wavy brunette hair and wearing a striped blue dress. There was nothing particularly interesting about her that caught my attention, but it did leave me wondering who it was.

Then, looking over to a mirror that hung on the wall- with a piece missing on the corner- I saw only Harry's face.

"Harry- I can see you in this." Hermione stated, all of us looking over to my brother who held his broken piece of mirror.

"You bloody fools! What were you thinking coming here? Do you have any idea how dangerous it is-" The person who looked oddly like Dumbledore shouted out.

"You're Aberforth- Dumbledore's brother?" Harry quizzed, all of us looking over to the man. "It's you who I've been seeing in here- you're the one who sent Dobby."

"Where've you left him?" Aberforth then asked at the mention of Dobby.

"He's dead." I then declared, having flashbacks of that day.

"Sorry to hear it. I liked that elf." The man then stated.

"Who gave that to you- the mirror?" Harry questioned all of a sudden, changing the subject.

"Mundungus Fletcher, 'bout a year ago." The man responded.

"Dung had no right selling you that. It belonged to-" Harry started yelling out; I could practically feel the anger radiating off of him.

"Sirius. Albus told me. He also told me that you'd likely be hacked off if you ever found out I had it. But ask yourself where you'd be if I didn't." Aberforth lectured, walking closer to us.

None of us replied- I mean, how would we? The man has a point.

"Right then. Reckon you're hungry. Let's get you fed, then think of the best way to get you out of here." The man then said.

Time skip

Aberforth arrived with a tray of food and drinks- El, Ron and Hermione immediately going to get some. But Harry and I didn't move; how could I possibly have time to be hungry when all of this sh*t is going on?

"Do you hear much from the others? From the Order?" Hermione asked, taking a sip of her drink.

"The Order is finished. You-know-who's won. Anyone who says otherwise is kidding themselves." Aberforth expounded- though his words brought anger to my veins.

You-know-who haven't won; not yet, not ever even. I wouldn't allow it. I did not lose almost all of the people I love just for us to lose this war. Because of him, I'd never been able to spend time with my parents. Had to lose my godfather only after two years of knowing him.

Lost a good friend- even if he was an elf, still meant a lot to me. And Professor Dumbledore, my mentor- even someone that could pass as a father figure- gone, because of Voldemort.

I did not lose them- my family- just to fail; I did not lose them just so Voldemort can take over! I want him to crumple- I want him to die. I want him to realise that after years of work, he still lost; because someone like him doesn't deserve to win.

"We need to get into Hogwarts. Dumbledore gave us a job to do." Harry stated, standing as still as a statue.

"Did he, now? Nice job? Easy?" Aberforth questioned.

"We've been hunting Horcruxes. We think the last one's in the castle, but we'll need your help getting in." The raven haired boy said, his voice straight-forward and stern.

"It's not a job my brother's given you, it's a suicide mission. Do yourself a favour, boy. Go home- live a little longer." The man then spoke.

Though that was my last straw- I am done with him trying to convince us that there is no hope. It may seem like Voldemort has taken over, but that doesn't mean we should stop here! It means we should keep going until he is gone.

"Dumbledore trusted us to see this through!" I yelled out, glaring up at Dumbledore's brother; though all I could see was red.

"What makes you think you can trust him!?" Aberforth then said, his voice raised as well. "What makes you think you can believe anything my brother told you! In all the time you knew him, did he ever mention my name? Did he ever mention hers?"

"Why should he-" I tried to ask, though I got cut off.

"-Keep secrets? You tell me."

Silence fell upon us, though I spoke up again.

"I trusted him." I uttered out.

"That's a kid's answer. A kid who goes chasing Horcruxes on the word of a man who won't even tell her where to start. You're lying. Not just to me, that doesn't matter, but to yourself as well. That's what a fool does." Aberforth shouted out.

"You don't strike me as a fool, Katianne Potter. So, I'll ask again, there must be a reason." The man finished saying, though this time I stayed quiet- scared that what might come out of my mouth next will be filled with so much anger and hatred that they might see me differently.

"We're not interested in what happened between you and your brother, I don't care that you've given up- I trust the man I knew; we need to get into the castle tonight." Harry muttered out, his voice quieter then mine was.

"You know what to do." Aberforth murmured, looking over to the painting of the girl in the striped blue dress, who turned around and walked away; her figure shrinking and shrinking until it disappeared.

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