Atlas Malfoy and how history repeats itself

Part 41

Not even a week later, Severus grabs me and begins dragging me down parts of the castle I've never been to. I ask, "Severus... what is happening?"
We make it to the room of requirements, where aunt Bella and a few other death eaters file out. I can't help but groan a little bit as she wraps me into a hug and kisses my forehead. We walk to the astronomy tower, and it takes a lot. My leg has been playing up ever since I had the day or two where I couldn't walk.

I'm kept behind while Draco walks ahead, his wand out. He shakily walks over.
"Good evening Draco." Dumbledore says, nodding, "What brings you here on this fine evening?"
"Who else is here?" Draco spits, "I heard you talking."
"I often talk out loud to myself." Dumbledore smiles. He says, "You are no assassin. You cursed Katie Bell hoping that in return she would bear a cursed necklace to me. Forgive me, did you really think I would die?"
"Trust me," Draco snaps, pulling up his sleeve and revealing the dark mark, "I was chosen."
It suddenly dawns on me what we are doing. Dumbledore is going to die tonight, and it will be at the hands of one of these people. Dumbledore nods and Draco expels his wand from his hand.
"You know nothing."
Bella walks ahead to Draco, joining him. Dumbledore says, "Hello Bella."
"Silence, old man." Bella laughs at the sight of him. I'm walked over, but I feel my energy depleting with every step.
"Atlas?" Dumbledore sounds the most surprised he has through this whole ordeal. I blink back tears and he says, "You have the power to step away from these people."
"No," I say, shaking my head and staring at the ground, "You don't understand. These people... no."
"You can leave. You do not have to do this Atlas."
"I need to be here." I cry, "What do you not understand? I need to be here."
"Do it Draco" Bellatrix hisses, "This is your moment. Go on Draco, NOW!"
Severus steps in front of all of us and I stop listening. I can't breathe as I watch a flash of green light and Dumbledore fall from the tower.

I'm shoved down the stairs and we walk, smashing things as we go along. I'm seventeen. I can use magic. I can use magic to do this. We walk through the forbidden forest to Hagrid's hut, which Bellatrix sets of fire. Bella grabs my hand and whispers, "Isn't this incredible? Do you love it?"
I nod and she says, "You are hesitating. Set that well on fire."
I look over to what she is pointing at. Hagrid's well that he loved. I shakily hold out my wand with my right hand. Bella is clinging onto my left.
"Do it Atlas."
"Incendio." I whisper. The well lights up and I gasp. Bellatrix says, "You will go far."
"I want to go home, Aunt Bella." I cry.
Harry screams, "HE TRUSTED YOU."
He screams off a spell. Severus blocks it. Harry fires a few more and yells, "FIGHT YOU COWARD. FIGHT."
I shake my head as Bella whispers, "Hurt him Atlas. Hurt him and be proud."
"I can't Bella."
Bellatrix nods and says, "Cowardly."
"No," I shake my head, frantically trying to come up with an excuse. I say, "No. I might miss and hit Severus."
"Not so cowardly after all."

Bella dances round Hagrid's hut, screaming and chanting. I need to go. Everything feels so busy. I don't understand what is happening. I just need to survive until Bill's wedding. Bill asked me to go. Bill said I had to go. I need to get home. I stumble to Severus, and we apparate back to the manor. Mum wraps Draco into a hug, and she mumbles something to him. I stand, frozen, until Bellatrix says, "That was fun! We should do it again. I did the mark in the sky. You saw it, Atlas. You could do that one day. The Dark Lord said if you went to Dumbledore's death, you could actually sit in on meetings. Just imagine. You and I could do so much. We could kill so many-"
"My daughter wont be killing anyone, Bella." Mum says, glaring. She lets go of Draco, who stumbles off to his room. Bellatrix visibly sinks down and says, "Your daughter is seventeen. I don't mind her calling me Bella. Therefore, she can make her own decisions."
"While she is living here, she wont be killing anyone." Mum snaps, "She has a wedding to attend in not too long. You are going to leave her to rest, and her sitting in on Death Eater meetings does not make her one. She is a child."
"And Draco?" Bella snaps back, "Is Draco not a child?"
"I had no say over that Bella." Mum says. Bella retorts, "What makes you think you have say over her getting a mark? Atlas, do you want a mark?"
I shake my head slowly, to which Severus says, "The Dark Lord has said he will not be giving her one until she is much much older. She has no choice in the matter. Atlas, leave the room."
"Don't you dare leave the room Atlas." Bella snaps.
"Leave Atlas." Severus yells.
"Don't you DARE!" Bella screams. I sit on the sofa, too scared to move. Bella nods and says, "Good choice Atlas."
Severus shakes his head in disgust and I say, "I want everything to go back to normal."
"It'll be correct in not too long," Bella says smiling, "You'll be in your rightful place, and so will Muggle borns. It has never been better to be a pureblood. You are better than them, and you will learn to act like it."
I nod, tears rolling down my face. Bella says, "No Atlas. Don't cry."
"Bella," Mum says, "She is a child. Stop trying to tell her what to do."
"She is my niece Cissy-"
"She is my daughter. Go. Leave this room now. Severus and I need to talk."

Bella looks furious, but walks out with her head held high. Severus waits for my mum to start talking, and mum says, "Did my son kill Dumbledore?"
There is a silence before Severus says, "No, so be prepared for the next meeting."