Through the Darkness | Draco Malfoy

Forty five

It was a very late hour, all students were in their dormitories, and some were sneaking out while McGonagall was chasing them.

But Aries didn't the bother herself by hiding, she just left the Gryffindor common room running after she broke in Ron's dorm, woke him up to ask where Harry was.

And she looked everywhere. After realizing that Dumbledore wasn't in the school as well, she guessed the only place they would be at is the Astronomy tower.

While running upstairs, she heard voices, making her slower her pace and take out her wand.

She reached the top and saw someone tall standing in front of her, with his wand pointing at Dumbledore from the other side. But his height wasn't the first thing she noticed, it was his platinum blond hair.

"Come over to the right side, Draco, and we can hide you more completely than you can possibly imagine. What is more, I can send members of the Order to your mother tonight to hide her likewise. Your father is safe at the moment in Azkaban. When the time comes, we can protect him too. Come over to the right side, Draco, you are not a killer."

Malfoy stared at Dumbledore. "But I got this far, didn't I?" he said slowly. "They thought I'd die in the attempt, but I'm here, and you're in my power, I'm the one with the wand. You're at my mercy."

"No, Draco," said Dumbledore quietly. "It is my mercy, and not yours that matters now."

Suddenly, Dumbledore looked at Aries, making Draco slowly turn his head and see Aries standing there in shock with her wand pointing right at him.

"Draco," she whispered. "What do you think you're doing?"

He blinked. "How did you..."

Before he finished the sentence, she raised her wand even higher, her blue eyes blazing with pure rage. "No." she pointed her wand at Draco.

Her hands were trembling, Draco can see that.

He gulped hard, trying to find something to say, anything, but Aries wouldn't allow it. Instead, she moved closer to him, whispering. "Don't do this Draco, don't do this..."

He swallowed hard, trying to hold back tears. "Aries, move aside."

Her eyes filled with tears "You hurt me so many times this year, Draco." She looked at him with so much pain. "I just wanted to help you."

He looked at her for a long minute, she was holding onto her wand tightly, shaking. Draco shook his head, "You can't help me."

Suddenly, four people in black robes burst through the door onto the ramparts.

A lumpy-looking man with an odd lopsided leer gave a wheezy giggle. "Dumbledore cornered!"

"Good evening, Amycus," said Dumbledore calmly as he placed a hand on Aries' shoulder, moving her aside. "And you've brought Alecto too. Charming."

Aries' eyes widened after she spotter Fenrir Greyback, she remembered the way he attacked her back in the Burrow, the pain he caused.

Fenrir quickly recognized her, sneering. "Ah, the petrified little puppy finally found the courage to come back. How does it feel?" he pointed at his face.

Draco frowned and looked at her, he never noticed those scars before, he was shocked.

"Is that you Fenrir?" asked Dumbledore.

"That's right. I wouldn't want to miss a trip to Hogwarts, Dumbledore," rasped Fenrir. "Not when there are throats to be ripped out. Delicious, delicious."

Aries pointed her wand at Fenrir, her hands still trembling as her breath started to feel heavy.

Fenrir cocked his head to the side slightly. "Oh? Are you going to cast a spell at me?" he asked mockingly.

"Beautiful girl, could work as a plaything for us." said Amycus coldly. "For pleasure, for torture, you name it."

Draco clenched his jaw. He knew how cruel and merciless these people can be. They were ruthless murderers. He heard how they spoke of her, it was disgusting.

"Draco, do it or stand aside so one of us —" screeched the woman, but at that precise moment, the door to the ramparts burst open once more and there stood Snape, his wand clutched in his hand as his black eyes swept the scene, from Dumbledore to the four Death Eaters.

Aries felt relief flow through her body, she slowly lowered her wand "Professor," she breathed out shakily.

"We've got a problem, Snape," said the lumpy Amycus, whose eyes and wand were fixed alike upon Dumbledore, "the boy doesn't seem able —"

But somebody else had spoken Snape's name, quite softly.

"Severus," for the first time, Aries saw Dumbledore pleading.

Snape said nothing, but walked forward and pushed Malfoy roughly out of the way. The three Death Eaters fell back without a word. Even the werewolf seemed cowed.

Snape gazed for a moment at Dumbledore, and there was revulsion and hatred etched in the harsh lines of his face.

"Severus, please."

Aries' eyes widened, she shook her head quickly, "Wait, no, no—!" she almost pushed Dumbledore but a spell threw her away before she could reach him.

Snape raised his wand and pointed it directly at Dumbledore. "Avada Kedavra!"

A jet of green light shot from the end of Snape's wand and hit Dumbledore squarely in the chest. He fell slowly backward, like a great rag doll, over the battlements and out of sight.

Aries was about to jump after Dumbledore, but Snape pulled her back by the back of her robe, causing her to fall backwards harshly.

"No, let go of me!" she screamed, and tried to jump again but Snape was pulling her back.

"Enough resisting!" he yelled. "He's gone!"

She did not listen, instead she turned into a dog, bit Snape's arm and again was about to jump, but before she did, Fenrir jumped on her, and pinned her to the ground, then tied a rope around her neck.

It was so tight, that she turned back to human, and tried to take it off, but Fenrir made it tight enough that she won't escape unless if she wants to break her neck.

"That's better." said Fenrir.

Snape bent down and took the rope, he stared at Aries' watery eyes, then got up.

"Stand up."

She panted, looking at the floor, then got up on her feet, feeling like a slaved dog being dragged by those men. They pulled her all the way downstairs.

Draco kept glancing at her, afraid, worried, she noticed but kept her eyes down.

It was getting harder and harder for him to look at her. Every second she remained quiet, his heart ached, and every second she kept silent, the guilt started eating at him even more.

The group walked out of the school after destroying everything including the Great Hall, leaving behind piles of broken tables, chairs, and smashed glass everywhere.

And this time, they reached Hagrid's cabin and burned the entire cabin.

It looked horrible, burnt beyond recognition, the fire almost devoured everything inside of the building, and the flames roared and lit up the whole dark night.

Aries wasn't surprised anymore, she was numb now, it seemed that she couldn't feel anything anymore, she only thought and hoped.

"Stupefy!"

Aries turned her head quickly and saw Harry aiming his wand towards Snape, but Snape deflected the spell with an almost lazy flick of his arm.

"Harry!" Aries called out desperately, but Alecto grabbed her by the rope and pulled her away. "Let me go!" she cried, squirming, but the grip on her tightened.

"Stay still!" ordered Amycus.

They didn't even have to look at her; her pleas sounded desperate to their ears, it was clear that she was terrified.

"Come on," said Amycus, dragging her along.

She didn't want to think anymore, she knew for sure that everything is over, her life is over. Her brothers and her friends are going to die.