Forever And Always | D.M

Chapter 26

I woke up in the middle of the night, unable to sleep. I decided to get dressed and head to the Astronomy Tower to clear my mind. I was lost in thought when someone apparated right next to me, nearly giving me a heart attack. It was Harry, and he was with Professor Dumbledore, who looked hurt. Harry suggested we take him to Madam Pomfrey, but Dumbledore refused, insisting that Harry go fetch Severus.

Suddenly, we heard footsteps approaching, and Dumbledore told us to hide below and not to speak or be seen without his permission. He instructed us to stay put no matter what happened. I was scared but trusted Dumbledore's judgment. We hid below, and I held my breath as the footsteps grew louder. I wasn't sure what was happening, but I knew that I was in good hands with Dumbledore and Harry.

Draco stood at the top of the Astronomy Tower, his wand shaking in his hand as he looked down at the man before him. "I have to do it," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Professor Dumbledore looked up at him calmly. "Do what, Draco?"

Draco took a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves. "I have to kill you or he'll kill me."

Dumbledore's expression didn't change, but his eyes seemed to grow even more piercing. "And so you've come to do it?"

Draco nodded solemnly, his eyes filling with unshed tears as he reluctantly revealed his dark mark to Dumbledore. His arms shook with fear as he showed the mark, knowing full well the consequences this would have on his life and the lives of those around him.

He had not expected this decision to be easy, but he had made it anyway, and now he had to face the consequences. Even though his heart was heavy, Draco was determined to stand firm no matter what happened next.

Dumbledore looked at him for a long moment, his eyes seeming to search Draco's soul. "You have a choice, Draco. You always have. You don't have to do this."

Draco shook his head, tears streaming down his face now. "I can't. He'll kill my family."

"I understand perfectly," said Dumbledore. "You have been trying to kill me all year, haven't you?"

Draco looked surprised. "How did you-"

"I have my sources," said Dumbledore, smiling slightly. "But that's not important right now. What is important is that you didn't succeed."

Draco looked angry. "I could have killed you if I wanted to," he said. "I had plenty of chances."

"Perhaps," said Dumbledore. "But you didn't, did you? And now you're here, with me, instead of running away like a coward. That takes courage, Draco. It takes courage to confront your enemies, even when you know you can't win."

Draco looked like he wanted to argue, but then they both heard footsteps coming up the stairs.
But one of the Death Eaters, a woman with wild black hair, leaned in close to him. "Do it," she whispered. "Kill him."

Draco looked like he was about to faint, but then a figure appeared on the tower. It was Snape.

"Severus," said Dumbledore, sounding surprised. "What are you doing here?"

Snape ignored him and looked at him for a moment, then raised his wand and pointed it at Dumbledore. "Avada Kedavra," he said, and a bright blue light shot out of the tip of his wand.

Dumbledore fell backwards, his body hitting the ground with a sickening thud. Harry, who had been hiding in the shadows, felt a surge of grief and anger. He had trusted Snape, and now he had killed the one person who had always protected him.

The Death Eaters laughed and disappeared into the night, leaving Harry and me alone as I cried into Harry's chest.

"Harry instructed me to go find the others and inform them of what had happened, once I had composed myself,"

"Okay," I uttered as he scurried off to chase after Snape and the others.

I walk down the dimly lit hallway towards our common room, my heart pounding in my chest. I know that I have to tell Hermione and Ron what I just saw, but the words are stuck in my throat. The events of the past few hours have left me shaken to my core, and I can barely process what has happened.

As I approach the entrance to the common room, I see Hermione and Ron sitting on the couch, their faces etched with worry. They turn to me as I enter, their expressions questioning.

"What happened, Sofia?" Hermione asks, her voice laced with concern.

I took a deep breath and began to recount what had happened in the Astronomy Tower. I told them about Snape's betrayal, and how he had killed Dumbledore. Ron's face turned white as I spoke, and Hermione's eyes filled with tears.

"We have to go see for ourselves," Hermione said finally. "We have to see what's happened."

I nodded, knowing that she was right. We made our way outside, and as we stepped into the courtyard, I saw that a crowd had already gathered around Dumbledore's lifeless body. Harry was kneeling beside him, tears streaming down his face. Ginny was beside him, her hand on his shoulder.

For a moment, we all stood there in silence, paying our respects to the fallen headmaster. Then, as one, we raised our wands, casting a spell that would honor Dumbledore's memory. The light from our wands illuminated the courtyard, casting a golden glow over everything.

As we stood there, I knew that nothing would ever be the same again. Dumbledore had been a constant in our lives, a mentor and a friend. Without him, Hogwarts would never be the same. But as we paid our respects to him, I knew that we would carry his memory with us always and that he would live on in our hearts.

"Goodbye, Professor," Harry whispers, his voice breaking. "We'll never forget you."

The words echo through the night air, and for a moment, it feels like Dumbledore is still with us. But as the last flickers of light fade from our wands, we know that he is gone.