The Adventures of a Death Eater

Chapter 16: What I've Done

Artemis

I could feel my mind racing as we reached the spiral staircase to Dumbledore’s office. I stared at it blankly for a moment. I couldn’t believe I was actually going to go through with this. It wasn’t like me to kill someone, at least not someone I knew. My thoughts swirled, churning. Even now, I still didn’t know how we were going to pull this off.

I felt a nudge against my shoulder, shaking me away from my subconscious. I looked to my right and saw Malfoy giving me an expectant look. “Are we just going to stand here, or are we going to kill him?” he asked.

“Yea, we’re going,” I muttered almost incoherently. I looked to the door. And I said the only password I could ever remember Dumbledore having. “Lemon drops.”

Right before my eyes, the statue twirled, allowing us access to the stairs. Malfoy and I began our climb, slowly towards the room that held our destiny. Upon reaching the room I drew a deep breath before stepping into the dim lighting of his office. Dumbledore sat at his desk, working on who knows what. I cleared my throat, hoping to get his attention. Sure enough, the old man looked up at us.

“Good evening, boys,” he greeted, wearily. “What brings you here after I accept visitors?”

I looked to Malfoy, hoping he had a witty response to Dumbledore. When he said nothing, I knew I had to do it. “I don’t suppose you’ll consider a peaceful surrender?” I wondered, carefully drawing my wand from my pocket, aiming it at the headmaster. I noticed Draco had done the same.

He was taken aback for a moment, almost shocked that this was happening. “Lower your wands boys. Whatever this is, we can talk about it without them involved,” he muttered calmly, though I had noticed he had pulled his wand out as well.

“Expelliarmus!” I cast, knocking his wand out of his hands, causing it to fall to the floor several feet away from him.

“You don’t get it old man,” Malfoy hissed. I wasn’t expecting him to go that far. “We have a job to do.”

“Then go right along and do it, boys,” Dumbledore insisted.

I glanced over to see how evil Draco truly looked right now. I suddenly wondered the same about my face as I added, “We have to kill you.”

Dumbledore was silent for a few minutes, piecing things together in his brilliant mind. “I trust that Lord Voldemort has put you two up for this?” When neither one of us responded he continued. “You know you don’t have to go through with it. The Ministry will protect you, and all those you care about. Your families, Ms. Taylor and Ms. Parkinson...”

“You obviously haven’t noticed we’ve infiltrated the Ministry,” I brought up. “We’re in control. We have all the power. And in order to keep it, we have to get rid of you.”

Dumbledore seemed to be at almost a loss for words for a moment. “You boys don’t have the kind of character to kill someone. You don’t have it in you. Neither one of you do. You both are better than that.”

"You don't know what I'm capable of; you don't know what I've done!" Malfoy retorted, rather aptly.

I decided to play with his mind. I used my vampiric speed and moved to the other side of the office, allowing Malfoy and I to practically corner him. “And you obviously don’t know who you’re dealing with,” I hissed. “I am capable of more than you could ever fathom.” I was sure he had caught a glimpse of my fangs in the lighting, and, quite frankly, I didn’t care.

Dumbledore sighed deeply. “Artemis, I was always aware of your special abilities. If it wasn’t for me, you wouldn’t have been able to get in to Hogwarts. No one wanted a vampire around the other students, but I didn’t find reason to discriminate against you. After all, your parents were outstanding so the same was expected of you.” He paused for a moment. “Though none of us expected you to become a Death Eater. What would your mother think?”