Echoes of Ambition & Entwined Fates: The Enigma of Tom Riddle

Dumbledore's Fate & The Battle

The night was dark, and we moved swiftly through the shadows. The Astronomy Tower loomed in the distance, the air heavy with the weight of the impending moment. Sirius and I had come up with a daring plan, one that might spare Severus Snape from the irrevocable act of killing Dumbledore.

I had explained my plan to Sirius, and he had reluctantly agreed to follow my lead. We couldn't let Severus's soul be damned by an unforgivable curse. As we reached the tower, we saw the confrontation unfolding. Dumbledore stood at the mercy of Severus Snape, who had been tasked with ending his life.

I signaled to Sirius, and he sprang into action. In one swift movement, he disarmed Dumbledore's wand, his eyes locked with Severus's, urging him to reconsider. For a moment, it seemed like Severus might change his mind.

But Bellatrix, never one to be ignored, disarmed Sirius in return. Our plan was unraveling rapidly. However, Dumbledore, in an act of desperation and cunning, decided to play his part in the charade. He acted as if he were helpless, as if Severus had indeed struck him down.

Before our adversaries could react, Dumbledore leaped from the tower's balcony, disappearing into the inky darkness. A collective gasp went up from the Death Eaters as they believed that their mission had been accomplished.

Sirius, and I exchanged a brief nod of confirmation before we fled the scene. We couldn't afford to linger any longer. As we reached a safe distance, we Apparated to Sirius's hiding place, where Dumbledore, to our great relief, joined us a short while later.

Our plan had worked, Dumbledore had staged his death, and Severus Snape had not been pushed to commit an act that would forever haunt him. We could only hope that our alliance with Dumbledore would lead us to victory, but we knew the darkness that loomed on the horizon was far from defeated.

Dumbledore's eyes held wisdom and gratitude. "Well done. You have unintentionally saved two lives," he said, his voice a soothing presence in the dimly lit room. I couldn't help but feel relief wash over me, knowing that Severus had been spared from the weight of an Unforgivable curse.

"Two?" I inquired, my curiosity piqued.

Dumbledore nodded, his long beard swaying gently as he did. "Yes, two lives," he confirmed. "Severus was to die at the hands of Voldemort in his pursuit of the Elder Wand, but now Bellatrix Lestrange will have to bear that unfortunate burden."

I nodded, understanding the implications. "But how can we ensure Voldemort sees Bellatrix as the target and not Severus?" I asked, aware of the complexity of our situation.

Sirius interjected, his tone filled with concern. "What about Harry, Albus?"

Dumbledore's gaze held a sadness, and he sighed. "Sometimes, sacrifices must be made for the greater good, Sirius. Harry must believe that Severus was responsible for my death. It is a necessary deception."

My heart ached for Harry, but I knew that in our fight against Voldemort, sacrifices were inevitable. I turned back to Dumbledore, and he looked at me with a warmth in his eyes.

"You have spared three lives today," he remarked, his voice filled with a mixture of gratitude and solemnity. "Remus would be thankful for your actions."

Sirius teared up happily knowing that Remus will be spared.

As I returned to the others, I found Harry in a state of profound sorrow. He had believed that Severus was responsible for Dumbledore's death, and the weight of the deception weighed heavily on him. It was a painful sight to behold, but I couldn't reveal the truth, for it was Dumbledore's wish that we protect Severus and keep Harry in the dark about our true intentions.

However, I had a mission to complete, one that would make Voldemort understand that Bellatrix, and not Severus, was the true master of the Elder Wand. I ventured back into the heart of darkness, knowing that the risks were great.

I arrived at the place where Severus had been ambushed. Nagini was on the prowl, her gaze searching for me, but she couldn't find my concealed presence. Severus had been wounded, and I knew that I had to act quickly.

Then, I spotted Draco Malfoy. I sensed a change in him, a shift in his loyalty, and I decided to confide in him, to make sure the message reached Voldemort without revealing my identity. "Make sure Voldemort knows the wand answers to Bellatrix," I implored. Draco nodded and departed, taking my plea with him.

Little did they know that the Elder Wand had answered to Draco when he disarmed Dumbledore, and subsequently, to Harry when he disarmed Draco back at the Ministry. It was a secret I had kept to myself.

In due course, the message reached Voldemort. Bellatrix stood before him, her eyes filled with manic fervor. Voldemort inquired, "Who disarmed Dumbledore before he died?" Bellatrix's response was proud, "It was a man who appeared out of nowhere, my lord."

Voldemort continued his inquiry, "Then, who disarmed the man?" Bellatrix responded boldly, "Me, my lord." Her answer filled with a misguided sense of loyalty.

With a sense of finality, Voldemort uttered the chilling words, "You've been a faithful servant, Bellatrix." A moment of bewilderment crossed her face before she let out a despairing scream. The Killing Curse escaped Voldemort's lips, ending her life.

I acted swiftly and pushed Antonin Dolohov just in time to save Remus Lupin. Dolohov's fate was sealed as he faced the giant's attack, and in doing so, I protected Lupin, ensuring his survival during the intense battle.

I grabbed Remus and urgently instructed him to Apparate me to the hiding place, sharing the location with him. In a matter of moments, we were reunited with Dumbledore and Sirius, who shared an emotional and joyful hug. "You're alive, Sirius?!" Remus exclaimed. Sirius nodded but quickly added, "I'll tell you everything later, but she has to leave." Dumbledore cast a spell, and I found myself back at the battle, determined to make a difference.

Unfortunately, I couldn't save Tonks, and my heart weighed heavily with her loss. With the battle coming to an end, my focus shifted to a final mission: preventing the separation of Fred and George Weasley.

I pushed Fred towards the explosion, creating the illusion that he had met his tragic end. With a swift word, he Apparated to safety as per my instructios, leaving George and the others believing he had perished. We quickly Apparated to the streets, away from the battle.

Later, I asked Fred to take me back to the battleground, making sure Fred knew the location where Dumbledore, Sirius, Remus, and Severus were. He left to reunite with them, while I stayed behind to face the final moments of the battle.

Harry and Voldemort stood face to face.