way to go, tiger | Lorenzo Berkshire

࣪𖤐 Y6 | 18 . Dumbledore

HOPE UR OK — OLIVIA RODRIGO
'I knew a boy once when I was small, a towhead blonde with eyes of salt.'

"I understand the difficulty of your situation, Draco. Why else do you think I've not confronted you until now? I knew you would've been murdered if Lord Voldemort realised I suspected you."

Draco's bottom lip quivers at the mention of his name. Cassie wonders just how deep of an effect Voldemort has on him. She hopes that when this is all over, he'll get better. He'll get the help he needs, even if it's Cassie doing it herself. She will do absolutely everything she can to help him— and the others, of course. Leaving them behind is not an option. As Mattheo once said, 'Then I guess we'll have to stick by your side for the rest of your life.'

"I didn't dare question the mission I knew you'd been given in the case of Legilimency. But now we can speak truthfully to one another. No harm has been done, you have not hurt anybody; although you are extremely lucky none of your poison victims died. I can help you, Draco." Dumbledore says, and Cassie debates whether that's possible.

"No, you can't! Nobody can! He told me to do it or he'd kill my family."

Cassie feels like she's going to be sick.

"If you join me, Draco, I can send members of the Order to keep your mother safe tonight. Your father is safe in Azkaban— when the time comes, we can protect him too."

"No, no, I'm not talking about them. Yes, I wish for my mother to be safe, but it's not them. He said he'd kill my family— my friends. He'd be more than happy to take out Cassie and Enzo, but he was all the more willing to kill his own son."

Another tear falls from Cassie's eye and she forces herself to stifle her sobs. She curls up against the pillar, putting her head in her hands. Draco's doing this for them. Cassie, Enzo, Mattheo, Blaise, Pansy and Theo. It's all for them. Not his father.

Not his father.

Cassie feels like she's choking all of a sudden.

Forcing herself to breathe, she closes her eyes and rests her head against the wall.

"Come over to the right side, Draco. I can keep them all safe. Cassiopeia and Lorenzo are already as safe as can be— you needn't worry about them."

"How so?"

"I assume Cassiopeia is either fighting alongside her father, or wishing she was. Lorenzo will be wherever Cassiopeia is, and Remus Lupin will not let anything happen to his daughter."

Tears. More tears.

Cassie presses the back of her hand to her mouth. She can't cry like this. They'll find her.

"You're not a killer, Draco." Dumbledore states. Cassie nods along as if he could actually see her.

"But I got this far, didn't I? They all thought I'd die in an attempt, but I'm here, and you're at my mercy. I'm the one with the wand, I hold all power." Draco replies.

"No, Draco." Dumbledore's voice is soft all of a sudden. It's the same tone he had when explaining Amos' untimely death, and what would happen to Cassie after Cedric's. "It is my mercy, and not yours, that matters now."

Draco is about to respond when pounding footsteps thunder their way up the stairs. Before Cassie can see what's happening, Draco is pushed to the side and four Deatheaters stand facing the Headmaster.

That means they won the fight below.

Where is Remus?

Remus.