𝑩𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌 || h.potter

forty-five || Year 6 ✔️

Amelia was there in the Astronomy Tower, waiting. She leans into the railing, looking at the dark sky, humming a tune. Suddenly, there was a crack. Amelia whirls around, and sees Dumbledore and Harry. Amelia lets out a sigh in relief and takes Harry into a hug, Harry returns the hug then turns to Dumbledore.

"We need to get you up to the hospital, sir, to Madam Pomfrey --" said Harry, Amelia looks at Dumbledore, who looks very weak and pale.

"No. Severus... Severus is who I need... Go and wake him... Tell him what has happened..." stuttered Dumbledore. "Speak to no one else both of you...I... I shall wait here..."

"All right. Okay." nodded Harry, he takes Amelia's hand then Harry gently disengages from Dumbledore, leaves him leaning against the ramparts. He and Amelia dashes to the stairwell door and, Harry glances back, sees Dumbledore muttering wearily as he gesticulates with his blackened hand.

"Sir, are you... praying?"

Dumbledore smiles faintly. "No, Harry. I do not pray. I was merely closing a window -- the one that had allowed us to Apparate."

Harry nods, begins to open the door, when footsteps sound. Amelia and him Draws their wands.

"What was that?" whispered Amelia.

Dumbledore cocks his head, listening. Wincing, he straightens up, as if to mask his infirmity. "Hide below. And do not speak or show yourself without my permission. No matter what."

Harry looks down, through the latticework at his feet, to the tier below. The footsteps draw closer.

"Do as I say, both of you." commanded Dumbledore. Harry hesitates, Dumbledore's eyes blaze... "Trust me."

Harry nods and slips his wand in his pocket. He walks down, he looks at Amelia, who's being pulled by Dumbledore and he whispers to the girl. "Take care of him, Amelia. Please."

"Of course, Professor." Amelia looks at him confused and nods. When she and Harry reaches the level below, the door bursts open.

Harry and Amelia peers up through the grid, and watches Draco come into view.

"Good evening, Draco. What brings you out on such a fine Spring evening?" Dumbledore asks calmly. "Or is it Summer?"

Draco stands poised, wand in hand, eyes darting about. "Who else is here? I heard you
talking."

"I often talk aloud to myself." replied Dumbledore. " I find it extraordinarily useful. That which sounds sane at a whisper can seem utterly mad when said for all the world to hear. Haven't been whispering to yourself, have you, Draco?" Draco eyes Dumbledore with unease. "You are not an assassin, Draco."

"How do you know what I am? I've done things that would shock you." spat Draco.

"Like cursing Katie Bell and hoping
she would, in turn, bear a cursed necklace to me?" Dumbledore lifts a bushy brow. "Like replacing a bottle of mead with one laced with poison. Forgive me, Draco, but these are attempts so feeble I cannot help but question if your heart has been really in them. I'm curious. When Voldemort gave you this task, when he asked you to kill me, was it in a whisper?"

"He trusts me! I was chosen!" Malfoy thrusts out his arm, pulls back his sleeve and reveals the dark mark.

Dumbledore barely looks at it. "Then I shall make it easy for you."

Slowly and without intent, Dumbledore draws his wand. Instantly Malfoy raises his own. "Expelliarumus!"

Harry watches in horror as Dumbledore's wand flies free, clattering across the grid above. Amelia holds Harry, keeping him from doing anything.