Sage | H. GRANGER

thirty

    "Do you honestly think this will work?" Sage muttered as they quickly snuck out of the castle and followed down the path to Three Broomsticks. Their hoods were up, hiding their identity from any onlookers.

"No, but it's worth a shot." Draco replied as he held the door open for Sage to walk into the pub. The pub was nearly empty, except for a few seemingly drunk wizards. Candles and torches illuminated the cozy bar, giving them enough light to spot their target immediately. Draco pulled Sage by her wrist to a table hidden by shadows. They sat across from one another, their heads down. IT wasn't long after they were seated that the woman they were waiting for came to take their order.

"What can i get you two?" Madam Rosemerta asked while throwing a dirty rag over her shoulder. Sage glanced up at Draco who nodded solemnly. Without detection, Sage pulled her wand from her robes and pointed it to Madam Rosemerta. A look of confusion washed over her face, but it soon went stoic as Sage muttered a curse she hated so much.

"Imperio."

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"Sage!" Draco shouted once he entered the Room of Requirement two days after their completion of the first part of their plan. Sage snapped her head up in surprise.

"What? What is it?"

"It's Weasley. He's in the infirmary. They're saying he was poisoned." Sage went cold, her heart beating wildly. A wave of denial washed over her body as she pushed aside the books that rested on her lap.

"Y-You don't think tha-"

"What else could it have been?" Draco cut Sage off quickly, crushing the tiniest sliver of hope she had. The shock that had entered her system was soon replaced with a stinging cold rushing through her veins. All she could think about was the fact that this is the second time she had harmed an innocent. This was the second time she had nearly pushed someone over the edge.

Sage was pulled out of her thoughts by a burning sensation in her left arm. A sharp gasp escaped her lips as fear washed over her body like a tsunami. Her eyes met Draco's fearful ones. Taking a deep breath, She stood up from her seat and grabbed her forgotten cloak.

"C'mon. We don't want to keep them waiting." Sage said, her voice much stronger than how she felt. Draco nodded, his face as white as a sheet. He plucked up the courage and pushed himself to walk out the room with Sage. Night had fallen during the time they had spent in the room. There were students scattered along the halls, chatting happily as the two Slytherins passed them. Sage glanced at Draco and nodded solemnly, pulling her hood over her head to hide her identity. Slowly, they walked down the dark passage into Hogsmeade. They continued on, trying to find a hidden area to apparate back to Malfoy Manor. Finally, in an alley illuminated by the glow from the neighboring shops, Sage and Draco clasped hands.

"You ready?" Draco asked softly, his hands trembling with fear. Sage nodded silently. Draco took a deep breath and allowed them to be whisked away in a snap.
Roughly, they landed on the front steps of the manor. Sage pulled her hood off and pushed her hair behind her ear. Another snap made the two jump and tense. Behind them, Alaric stood with a sheepish smile.

"Sorry, guys." Sage laughed softly, shaking her head. Draco pushed the door open with one hand, walking in cautiously. Sage and Alaric trailed behind him, their bodies tense and their eyes full of fear. As they walked into the main hall, they were met with the worried face of Narcissa Malfoy. A permanent frown tugged at her lips as she beckoned the three friends to follow her. They walked through the maze of hallways into an old office that was illuminated by the glow of the fireplace. Sage felt her body run cold as she registered the person that sat in a polished chair in front of the fire. She could see the snake that slithered around its owner's feet lift it's head and peered at them. Her mouth was dry and her heart seemed to have stopped in her chest.

"You must be wondering why I called you three here." The chilling voice of Lord Voldemort echoed around the room. Sage shut her eyes tightly, trying to keep down the bile that threatened to spill from her mouth.

"I assigned you three this task with full confidence in your ability to complete it, but lately I have been-" Voldemort paused, standing from his seat with poise. "-doubting your, shall I say, dedication." He said as he turned around to face the deathly pale trio.

"Dawson." Lord Voldemort called out, startling the Ravenclaw."

You were told to watch over their progress and report it back to Bellatrix. Now, lately you have been reporting that though progress is slow you are confident that the tasks will be completed soon. Is that right?" Alaric shakily nodded, his words unable to come out.

"Regardless of what you have said in these reports, i can't help but think that you're slightly biased. They are your friends after all." Silence flooded the room. Lord Voldemort stepped closer to the trio, his eyes trained on Alaric. "I can't afford to have anything less than perfection, Dawson. You understand that." Another nod.

"Good. Then consider this your motivation." Voldemort said as he swiftly pulled his wand from his torn robes.
    "AVADA KEDAVRA!"
    Sage felt her breath catch in her throat. In an instant the life left Alaric's eyes. Sage moved to go to him, but Draco quickly grasped her wrist preventing her from moving from her spot. Sage thought to herself as she attempted and failed to get out of Draco's grip. Sage could feel screams of her own leave her body as she kept her eyes trained on the lifeless body of her best friend. But, she was in denial. There's no possible way Alaric could be dead, he just couldn't be.
    Ragged breaths left Sage as she let her head fall, her hair covering her tear stricken face.
    "This is just a reminder of what is to come if you do not complete your tasks." Voldemort spoke, breaking the tense silence. With nothing else to say, he strolled out of the room, his snake following, unbothered  by the unconscious body that laid by his feet. Sage ripped herself out of Draco's loosening grip, rushing to her friend. Her fingers moved to his neck, trying to find a pulse. A string on no's flowed out of her mouth.
    "I-I can't find a pulse, Draco." She shouted, more tears falling from her eyes. She moved to put her ear on his chest, praying to hear any sort of beating. But, nothing was heard. Sage lifted Alaric's body onto her lap, brushing the hair out from his peaceful face.
    Sage didn't know what to do. She felt as if her heart had been ripped out of her chest. She didn't feel Draco holding onto her, or tears of own falling onto her head. Alaric Dawson was a kind soul, who didn't deserve this shitshow of a life that had been forced on him. She didn't hear when Narcissa opened the door to the study or she called for the two distraught teens to leave. It was only when she felt the rough hands of Lucius Malfoy on her biceps Sage reacted.
    Heartbroken shouts escaped her lips as she struggled against Lucius' strength. She couldn't leave Alaric alone, not now. She was all he had. Her words became slurred with her cries of despair. The night continued on in a blur. Sage and Draco were forced into secrecy, swearing not to tell of the events that had happened at the manor. They were told that a story would be fabricated. That it would be rumored that Alaric had snuck out of Hogwarts and fled to his home where he met his parents. Sage could hardly keep up, her mind scrambled.
    Sage knew now that there was no way out. They were too far gone. Alaric was just a tragic reminder that Sage and Draco were pawns in this horrible game

A/n:
this chapter didnt come out how i wanted
let me know what you thought!
until next time
-outlaws