When All is Lost One is Found

Chapter 88: The Darkening

When All is Lost, One is Found

Author: Rinoaebastel

Chapter 88: The Darkening

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter and gain no profit from this fanfiction other than writing practice. JK Rowling owns Harry Potter.

AN: This story may contain scenes taken from the Harry Potter movies and books, but it's not exact dialogue, just rewording of dialogue or omission. It is not marked.

It almost appeared as if Dumbledore fell in slow motion. His clothing fluttered out, his white hair covered his face, and his blue eyes were still open as he stumbled back and fell out of the window.

His gut twisted with every movement and his body remained tense as the man went out of sight.

He waited. One heartbeat. Two. Three. And then barely managed to take a trembling breath.

Now everything was set in motion. His destiny forged with no chance of changing it. With his lips parted and his eyes still locked on the window, he knew he had to move. He had to start saving lives by killing others. He would be seen as evil to the world and additionally labeled as a traitor to his colleagues.

At least Hermione knew the truth.

It hadn't hurt to kill the man as much as he thought it would. He didn't want to do it, he'd tried every way to avoid it, but the feeling of it being a mercy killing, and something the headmaster desired, made it less strenuous on his soul.

He took another deep breath and decided to act. He walked over to Malfoy and gripped his shoulder. "Let's go," he said. His destination was clear. He needed to leave Hogwarts and save not only his still shocked godson, but also the students downstairs.

The mission was done. He could make them leave without casting suspicion on himself.

They descended the stairs, Draco following but still in a sort of shock at what just happened. This boy may have been raised in a toxic environment, may have been arrogant and spoiled, but he was not evil. Evil wasn't born, it was made, and he was the walking evidence of that.

The rest of the Death Eaters were behind him, following quickly without a word.

Without stopping or slowing down, he went through the door at the bottom of the tower. They rushed through the castle, spells flying around them and bodies crumbling to the ground or hitting against the walls. He paid just enough attention to avoid the danger.

"It's done!" he yelled, telling the Death Eaters around him it was time to leave. When their attacks stopped because of his words, a twisted feeling surged inside him. And when the small force of intruders ran after him, it grew. He felt a sick pride that those radical purebloods followed his orders. The power was satisfying no matter where his loyalties truly lie. He supposed that dark part would always be within him.

He pushed down the guilt that bubbled in him for feeling that way and replaced it with focus. The sooner he got the Death Eaters out of the castle, the sooner the students would be safer. He occasionally glanced around, looking for Hermione, but saw no sign of her.

As they walked through the corridors, several Death eaters set about breaking anything they could as they moved. He heard Bellatrix's laugh echoing with every crash and explosion.

Not even the fresh air he relished in at times was enough to relax him. He narrowed his eyes when he saw the small cottage on the field explode and the remaining wood and splinters being consumed by flames. Bellatrix danced around once, laughing as if this was the best thing that ever happened to her.

The desire to kill that woman festered in him, but he had to push it down. She was the Dark Lord's favorite puppet, so killing her without permission would be an early death for him. There were times, including now, where he wish the Dark Lord would order her death. He'd thought about asking for it when the Dark Lord granted him a reward. But he never had. It would've been too suspicious.

"Coward! Traitor! Come and fight me. Stop running!"

Everyone stopped. He gritted his teeth and turned toward the voice, while all the Death Eaters with him went silent.

Why now? The idiot boy should've known better than to follow them. He'd just left his friends in the castle behind to pick up the pieces. Careless. So Careless.

His disgust turned to rage when the boy lifted his wand at him. An image of Potter's father flashed in his mind.

Bellatrix screamed and sent the boy to the wet grass. As pleasant as it was for him to see that boy eat dirt, Potter had to survive for now.

"Don't kill him!" he ordered and turned to Bellatrix. He knew she would listen to him now. He'd done what others feared to do, what no one had tried to do for centuries.

He'd killed the most powerful wizard in the world. One that even the Dark Lord feared.

"Potter's life belongs to the Dark Lord. I don't have to remind you what will happen if you take his life. Everyone leave. I will be behind you."

She turned and the others followed silently.

"Crucio!"

His body turned by instinct at hearing the spell. Potter was on his feet and walking forward. He should've known better than to speak an attack to an enemy that had just killed a powerful wizard.

He easily countered the spell, sending it to the side. It collided with a tree, scratching the bark due to the weak casting. Though Potter did feel hate toward him, it wasn't enough to severely damage him.

Potter sent another spell, forcing him to repeat the action.

"You're too stupid to cast with your mouth closed," he snapped, trying to teach him something before he had to leave. His last lesson as his teacher.

He turned to leave Hogwarts' grounds when Potter lowered his wand.

"Sectusempra!"

The scream made him jerk around to face him once more. He shielded the spell and his eyes focused and narrowed onto Potter.

That despicable. . .

The past was coming back to haunt him. The boy was as much as a rat as his father. To attack him while his back was turned proved he had no honor.

He lifted his wand, and with a silent spell, sent him backwards, disarming him in the process.

His feet dug down into the damp soil with each step he took towards the boy, smashing flowers, bugs, and any other creature unfortunate enough to encounter the sole of his boot. The blackness of his soul matched the sky above him and it took every piece of restraint he had not to place his foot on Potter's head and press it into the ground until his skull cracked.

He stared down into green eyes. Eyes so much like Lily's eyes.

And felt... nothing.

AN: We continue and despite all his good intentions, he has to deal with his darkness... Hope you liked it and let me know what you think. See you on 25th.