Chapter 30

                                    

                                          
This time, Harry was told to meet Dumbledore at the Astronomy Tower. 

                          
"Harry! You're here! We have to move quickly!" Dumbledore quickly walked over to Harry and linked arms. Dumbledore apparated Harry to a rock in the sea, in front of the rock was a large cliff with a cave in it. The breeze caused the water to fly around and hit Harry in the face a lot. 

                          
Harry noticed the cave from a memory that he visited earlier in the year. They entered the cave, but there was only a large wall. Harry noticed Dumbledore taking out a knife and placing it on his hand. Dumbledore stopped Harry as he tried to stop Dumbledore.
                          
"No, Harry. Your blood is much more valuable than mine." Dumbledore took the knife and sliced his hand. He wiped the bloody hand on the cave wall and the wall opened up to a large lake. By the opening of the wall there was a little dock where a small boat lay. 

                          
Dumbledore healed his hand and clambered onto the boat, Harry followed after him. The boat floated towards a small island in the middle of the lake. Harry looked down at the water, he could see hair, hands, and even silhouettes of bodies. It spooked Harry so he turned back to the boat and directed his attention to the island ahead. 

                          
The boat stopped and began to sink, both Harry and Dumbledore exited it and watched as it slowly descended into the water. Harry continued to stare and Dumbledore had to drag him towards the column at the top of the island. On the column was a basin full of what looked like water. 

                          
"You must feed me all of this. I may beg you to stop, but do not listen to me. Continue feeding me this until there is no more of it left. And you cannot protest." Dumbledore ordered him.
                          
Harry didn't want to do this, but he had no choice. He grabbed a medium sized shell from beside the basin and took a big scoop of the water. He gave it to Dumbledore to drink. He continued to do this until the water was almost gone. Dumbledore began to protest and begged for water. Once the basin was empty, a locket appeared in it. Harry grabbed it and returned to Dumbledore. Harry couldn't help himself, he bent down and got a scoop of water from the lake and fed it to Dumbledore. He got another, but this time a hand grabbed onto Harry's wrist. He jumped back and threw the shell into the water. More hands continued to grab at the island and pull themselves up. 

                          
What looked like skeletons began chasing after Harry, one after another climbing up onto the island. Harry tried to ward them off, but nothing worked.
                          
All of the sudden, Dumbledore stood up and cast a spell. A circle of fire began to swirl around his head until he moved his wand to face the bodies and water. The bodies burned and part like the Red Sea once the fire flew into their direction. Dumbledore summoned the boat from the water and fell to the ground. Harry dragged Dumbledore to the boat and rode it back to the cave entrance. He apparated them back to the Astronomy Tower. 

                          
Dumbledore sat down but quickly regained his strength. Harry stepped out by the banisters of the tower and looked up. The Dark Mark resided over Hogwarts. Harry gasped, what was going to happen? He walked back over to Dumbledore. 

                          
"We have to go now, Professor!" Harry pleaded.
                          
"No Harry, you must go. Leave me here, I have some business to attend to. Now leave or I will have to force you to leave!" Harry had no choice. He left Dumbledore and began to walk down the stair. But if Dumbledore thought Harry was going to leave, he was wrong. He stepped underneath the staircase and sat there. 

                          
Harry heard footsteps race up the staircase. He tried to move, but it looked like Dumbledore had paralyzed him. 

                          
"Good evening, Draco." He heard Dumbledore say calmly. Harry tried to gasp, Draco? What was Draco going to do?  "What brings you here, on this fine, Spring evening?"

                          
"Who else is here? I heard you talking!"

                          
"I was talking aloud to myself... I find it extraordinarily useful! Have you been whispering to yourself, Draco? Draco, you are no assassin."
                          
"What do you know? I've done things that could shock you!"

                          
"Oh, like cursing Katie Bell and hoping that in return shed gift me a cursed necklace. Replacing a bottle of mead with one laced with poison. Forgive me, Draco, I can't help feeling that these actions are so weak that your heart can't have really been in them."
                          
"You trust me? I was chosen!" With this statement, Draco unveiled the Dark Mark tattooed on his forearm. A pregnant silence of shock followed.
                          
"I shall make it easier for you." Dumbledore raised his hands in defense and Draco unarmed him. "Draco good, very good. You're not alone. There are others. How?"
                          
"The Vanishing Cabinet in the Room of Requirements, I've been mending it."
                          
"Let me guess, it has a sister? A twin."
                          
"At Borgin and Burkes, they form a passage."
                          
"Ingenious! Draco, years ago, I knew a boy who made all the wrong choices. Please let me help you!"
                          
Draco began crying. "I don't want your help! Don't you understand?! I have to do this! I have to kill you, or he's going to kill me. More sets of footsteps raced up the stairs. Amycus and Alecto Carrow, Fenrir Greyback, and Bellatrix entered the tower. 

                          
"Well, look what we have here!" Bellatrix announced. She walked over to Draco, whispered something in his ear, then kissed his cheek.
                          
"Good evening Bellatrix! I think introductions are in order, don't you?""
                          
"Love to Albus! But unfortunately, we're in a bit of a time schedule. Do it!"

                          
"He doesn't have the stomach, just like his father. Let me finish him in my own way!" Fenrir spoke up. Harry heard faint footsteps and looked over. Snape was staring at him, but a finger was over his mouth.
                          
"No!" Bellatrix screamed, "The Dark Lord has declared the boy has to do it. This is your moment, do it! Go on Draco, NOOWW!" She demanded.
                          
"No." Snaped walked up to where the rest were. Harry became filled with relief that someone was helping Dumbledore. 

                          
"Severus." Dumbledore and Snape shared a silent vow. "Please!" He pleaded. 

                          
Snape looked at him before announcing, "Avada Kedavra!"
                          
As the killing curse hit Dumbledore, Harry could feel the spell leave his body. And he could feel the tears stream down his face. He couldn't believe it, Dumbledore was actually dead. And Snape killed him. Of all people, Snape. Harry felt hatred for the man and his former professor burn through him.

                          
Harry could hear the footsteps retreat down the staircase. Now that the spell was no longer on him, he ran to attack Snape. However, someone else was standing there, sobbing. 

                          
"Draco! Come down here and fight!" Bellatrix screamed from the bottom of the stairs.

                          
Harry rubbed away the tears that kept falling and re-positioned his glasses. Harry stood there, staring at Draco. Draco stood there, staring at Harry. Neither of them took their eyes off of each other.

                          
"How could you?" Harry asked, a slight sob escaping his lips. "I loved you."

                          
"Draco! We need you!" Bellatrix's sing-song voice returned. 

                          
"He was going to kill me! And my mother and father! I couldn't let that happen. I-"
                          
Harry heard footsteps coming back up the staircase.
                          
"Where is he?" The voice of Fenrir Greyback snarled. 

                          
"Just up there!"
                          
Draco looked back up at Harry.
                          
"Goodbye Harry."
                          
"Goodbye Draco."