Two Sides of the Serpent // Draco Malfoy

Chapter Sixteen: Dumbledore's Fall

Late that night, the castle was bathed in a eerie silver glow as the moon hung high above. The air around us was thick, almost suffocated, as we pressed forward. The shadows casted on the walls held a sinister touch to our clandestine meeting. The common room was nearly emptied with muted conversations, a typical night for the rest of the school. Though Draco and I had much bigger plans.

Draco remained in the hospital wing as I ventured to his dorm, fetching him a fresh pair of clothes. He has been in the ghastly gown since the incident, needing a fresh start. Especially before we acted. I rummaged through the drawers, grabbing the selected items before returning to him.

Back at the hospital wing with clean clothes for Draco, the gravity of the impending mission weighed heavily on my mind. The castle was shrouded in an eerie silence, the looming specter of darkness encroaching upon us. I found Draco staring at the ceiling, lost in contemplation and thoughts about the dangerous task that awaited us.

Approaching his bed, I watched as he swung his legs out and slowly sat up. His eyes were filled with a mix of emotions, ones I was unable to read.

Draco took the clothes and nodded. "Thanks, Evelyn," he said.

I offered him a supportive smile, my own feelings mirroring his. "We need to be prepared for tonight," I replied, the weight of our mission hanging heavily in the air.

Draco donned the fresh clothes, then held out his hand. "Come on," he whispered.

I took it without hesitation as we snuck from the wing, escaping the sterile scent behind us. Each step we took into the haunting shadows echoed the perilous decisions we had made and the secrets we harbored. The castle, usually bustling with life and activity, now stood eerily still. There was no turning back, no room for hesitation.

We continued up the Astronomy Tower, sharing an uneasy glance as we approached. As we neared the top, the sound of hushed voices reached our ears. He stopped in front of me, holding up his hand.

"Stay here," he whispered, his tone tinged with urgency.

I stood in the stairwell as I watched him continue up the stairs stealthily. He disappeared from my sight, his voice was unclear over the wind whipping through the tower. I took a few steps forward when I recognized the other voice. Dumbledore.

"Have you been whispering to yourself, Draco?" Dumbledore's voice was calm and compassionate.

Draco remained silent, his wand raised and pointed at the headmaster.

"Draco," his tone was gentle, "You are no assassin."

A note of desperation colored Draco's voice as he replied, "How do you know what I am? I've done things that would shock you."

Dumbledore's voice was understanding as he continued, "Like cursing Katie Bell and hoping that in return she'd bear a cursed necklace to me? Like replacing a bottle of mead with one laced with poison? Forgive me, Draco. I cannot help feeling these actions are so weak that your heart can't really have been in them."

His distress was palpable as he cried out, revealing his dark mark. "He trusts me!" he exclaimed. "I was chosen!"

Dumbledore, still composed and compassionate, pulled out his wand. "Then I shall make it easy for you."

Draco, filled with determination and conflict, shouted, "Expelliarmus!" successfully disarming Dumbledore.

"Very good. Very good," Dumbledore praised.

As the tension mounted, the door below opened, and Dumbledore's attention shifted. "You're not alone," he noted. "There are others... How?"

Draco clenched his jaw, his wand still aimed at Dumbledore. "The vanishing cabinet in the Room of Requirement. Evelyn and I have been mending it."