Descent-- Sequel to Masquerade

16. Finestra

"How poignant to see you again," I said, the wind whipping around both of our cloaks in haphazard harmony.

  "The pleasure would be mine," Dumbledore said pleasantly, as he emerged from his disguise, his half moon glasses glittering in the dark.

  I looked at him icily, knowing what would come next. "After Davies made his first move, I did some research."

  "And what did you find?" Dumbledore pressed.

  "Order of the Phoenix," I laughed ruefully, "I almost thought it was mere coincidence, but it seems you are serious."

  "Not coincidence," Dumbledore stated, "your organization was represented by a Phoenix, to overthrow Grindelwald, now the mission has changed to young Tom Riddle."

  "Riddle can't be killed," I said flatly, "What are you planning to do?"

"We are still hoping that negotiations can be an option, but as you know, Tom is not one to easily accept...for now, we need your help," Dumbledore said, his voice reaching a serious tone.

  "Help—" I mused, leaning against the banisters, "I never expected you out of all people to soften your words. If you mean to betray, then say betray, if you say be a traitor than say be a traitor."

  "I want you to be part of the Order."

I looked up sharply. "And what of Tom?"

Dumbledore looked at me steadily. "I know you tried your hardest, Adeline—" his voice grew softer, "but a child born of Amortentia cannot love, so as the book says. You have tried this long—Tom will never see this. He will never stop. But his goals will not only affect him, so many people got hurt, so many families torn apart. How many more people need to die for him to stop? No, Adeline, you and I both know how much he is like your father. He will never have enough. He will never be satisfied."

  My fist clenched. Shaking.

Grindelwald. Killing, torturing,experimenting.

I didn't want to leave Tom, didn't want to leave him in the darkness. But didn't he choose the darkness already? Viktor, Boris, Blagun. How many of them have to die? How many more Adelines in the world have to die for Tom to stop? How many more Viktors? How many more Blaguns? How many more Boris'?"

  He chose his path long ago when he killed his father. I chose my path long ago when my father killed my mother. In Hogwarts, those paths crossed. But since the beginning, they were bound to be divergent.

  "I'm in." The words were soft, barely above a whisper and filled with broken fragments.

  Two words with more power, and two words that spelled of my descent into darkness.

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Hi guys. I'm sick. I feel like sh*t. But here you all go.
After this is Part 2—this book is actually almost over.....