Feeling Again-Mattheo Riddle;Book 2

Chapter 4: Unfortunate Endings

When we arrive back at the astronomy tower, Dumbledore is in no shape to be moving. I'm surprised he's standing at all. "Listen you two, you need to get under the Astronomy Tower. Don't ask questions, go!" With hesitation, Harry and I reluctantly follow Dumbledore's instructions. 

Once we reach downstairs, I glance at Harry, who's already looking at me with fear in his eyes. We both take out our wands, pointing it up and preparing for any attack we may have to make. I flinch when I hear someone's footsteps. I look up through the cracks and see Malfoy's slender figure, holding up a wand to the unarmed Dumbledore. "Malfoy-" Dumbledore begins. 

"Shut up!" He says, his voice shaky and uncertain. "Just... argh-" I've never heard him sound so defeated, so unsure about it. His throat releases a small cry. 

"You don't have to do this boy, I can help you-" 

Malfoy takes another step forward. "I don't want your help! I have to do this! I have to kill you." A shiver goes up through my spine, hearing the quiver and guilt in his voice. "Or he's going to kill me." Dumbledore's face fills with pity, as he stays standing. Malfoy, who is still standing in front of Dumbledore, turns around at the sound of footsteps.

More death eaters. 

Bellatrix, Greyback, and many others who I don't recognize are there. 

"Where in the world is Gale?" One of the death eaters ponders. A shiver goes through up my spine at the name of Tyler's father. The one who started all my hell. 

"He's busy at Malfoy Manor," Bellatrix informs, crazy lacing her tone. "The better question is, why hasn't Malfoy done the job yet?" She cockily turns her head behind her, and behind her is a terrified looking Malfoy "Were you waiting for us so we could watch? How polite of you!" Bellatrix cheerfully says, motioning Malfoy forward. "Well, we're all here now. Do it, Malfoy." Malfoy turns his face back to Dumbledore, his arm shaking. 

I hear something next to me, turning my face in the direction of Harry's gasp. In front of him is Severus Snape, holding a wand to Harry's neck. I point my wand at him, but I know better than to engage with him in a duel. Snape holds a finger to his mouth, shushing us. 

I don't remember what happens, I assume he casted some spell, because when I'm conscious again, I'm still down here with Harry, but Snape is up there. And Mattheo. 

"Severus," Dumbledore says. "Mattheo," he also greets. A breath catches in my throat, but this time, I know it isn't out of betrayal for me. 

Bellatrix, cleary getting impatient, walks over to Mattheo, hitting his shoulder. "Well, since he is Malfoy is too cowardly to do this, maybe Lord Voldemort's son oughta do it. Everyone's recently been getting a feeling that your loyalties are lying in the wrong places, why don't you prove us wrong, eh?" 

Mattheo hesitates, taking a step forward, holding out a wand. Despite his arm remaining steady, I can see the redness forming in his eyes, as it always does when he holds back tears. 

"No." Snape's voice pierces the silence that formed while Mattheo weighed every decision ever possible. He steps forward, nudging Mattheo behind him. He stares at Dumbledore, his face conflicted, before glancing back down at the floor. 

"Severus..." Dumbledore's voice comes out in the silence, forcing Snape to look back into his friend, his boss, his savior's eyes. "Please." 

Before I can even comprehend Dumbledore's request, the killing curse exits Snape's wand and into Dumbledore's heart. As he falls into the air, I faintly hear Harry collapsing onto his knees next to me, and the death eaters cheering and whooping as they make their way down. 

"Harry, get up!" I almost yell, pulling him up by his arm. "It isn't over yet." 

***

"Snape!" I yell out, sending a curse in his direction, managing to push him forward ever so slightly before he deflects most of the spell. It's taking every single fiber within me not to unleash any dark spells- especially when Bellatrix sets Hagrid's hut on fire. 

Fuck it. 

I scream to leash the darkness being suppressed in my hand right at Bellatrix, relishing in her scream, before being knocked back by one of Snape's incoming spells. Harry is next to me. 

"You dare use my own spell against me, Potter? The half blood prince, it's me." I turn to Harry, and glance back at Snape, shock written all over both our faces. 

Mattheo is running back, leaving the group of death eaters who are entering the Forbidden Forest. Snape firmly grips Mattheo's shoulder, who looks helplessly at me. "If you want your little girlfriend to stay alive, I suggest you go to Malfoy Manor and listen to your dad." 

He looks at me, and then at Snape. "Tell me where Adalie is," he commands, pushing off Snape's hand. "You haven't been telling me since I asked you last month. Where. Is. She" 

"Back at Malfoy Manor. She's alive, but barely. I suggest you get to the Manor before that changes." Mattheo looks at me one more time, and I just nod, smiling at him through the pain I was feeling as he runs into the Forbidden Forest. I can't imagine the guilt he's feeling about Adalie. 

Snape looks at us one more time, a foreign expression on his face, before walking into the Forbidden Forest to join his team. At that moment, something flipped. A dent in my heart that never quite went away.