บท 118: The Fall of a Hero
Reunited with Luna, Izzy felt a wave of relief wash over her. The chaos in the Grand Hall was subsiding, but the battle was far from over. Screams and shouts echoed through the corridors of Hogwarts, and the sounds of spells being cast and walls crumbling reverberated through the ancient stone.
"Izzy, we need to help the others," Luna said, her voice calm but urgent.
Izzy nodded, her resolve hardening. "Let's go."
They moved quickly through the castle, their wands at the ready. Along the way, they encountered pockets of resistance—students and teachers fighting bravely against the invading Death Eaters. Izzy and Luna joined the fray wherever they were needed, their spells precise and powerful.
As they reached the third floor, Izzy paused, hearing the distant sound of a struggle. "This way!" she called to Luna, leading her down a corridor that overlooked the courtyard.
They burst into a room just as a group of Death Eaters cornered a pair of younger students. "Expelliarmus!" Izzy shouted, disarming one of the attackers. Luna followed with a well-aimed Stupefy, knocking another unconscious.
"Get to safety!" Luna urged the students, who nodded gratefully and ran towards the nearest exit.
As they continued to fight their way through the castle, Izzy's senses were on high alert. The adrenaline coursing through her veins kept her focused, but a nagging feeling of dread gnawed at her. Something was terribly wrong.
She and Luna reached a large window overlooking the courtyard just in time to see a figure falling from the Astronomy Tower. Izzy's heart stopped as she recognized the flowing silver hair and the unmistakable silhouette of Albus Dumbledore.
"No," she whispered, her voice breaking. "No, no, no!"
Her eyes followed Dumbledore's descent, time seeming to slow as he fell. The thud of his body hitting the ground was drowned out by the roar of chaos around them, but the impact hit Izzy like a physical blow.
"Dumbledore," Luna gasped, her voice filled with shock and sorrow.
Izzy's mind raced, her heart pounding in her chest. She knew this moment from the books, but seeing it happen before her eyes was a different kind of horror. Tears blurred her vision, but she forced herself to stay focused. There was still work to be done.
"Snape," Izzy growled, fury igniting within her. "He did this."
She knew what came next. She had to find Snape, to confront him and understand his actions, even if the knowledge tore her apart. But first, she needed to ensure Luna's safety.
"Luna, stay with the others. Help them get to safety," Izzy said, her voice trembling but resolute.
Luna grabbed her hand, her eyes filled with concern. "Izzy, please be careful."
"I will," Izzy promised, squeezing her hand before letting go. "I'll find you once this is over."
With a final, lingering look at Luna, Izzy turned and sprinted towards the Astronomy Tower. Her mind was a whirlwind of emotions—grief, anger, determination. She knew the truth of Snape's actions, but the betrayal felt no less real.
As she neared the tower, she saw flashes of light and heard the sounds of battle. Students and members of the Order of the Phoenix were locked in combat with the Death Eaters. Izzy pushed through the fray, her eyes scanning for Snape.
She spotted him near the base of the tower, his face set in a grim mask. Izzy's heart clenched with anger as she raised her wand. "Snape!" she shouted, her voice cutting through the din of battle.
Snape turned, his eyes meeting hers for a brief moment before he raised his wand defensively. "Not now, Izanami," he said coldly, blocking her curse with a flick of his wand.
"How could you?" Izzy screamed, her voice raw with pain. "You killed him!"
Snape's expression didn't change, his focus remaining on the fight. "You don't understand," he said, his tone flat and devoid of emotion.
"Make me understand!" Izzy demanded, her wand trembling in her hand.
But Snape didn't respond. He parried her next spell and then, with a final, piercing look, he turned and Disapparated, leaving Izzy standing in the midst of chaos, her heart shattered.
The battle raged on around her, but for a moment, Izzy felt frozen in place. Dumbledore was gone. The mentor, the guiding light in their fight against Voldemort, was dead. And Snape, the man she had trusted to an extent, had dealt the fatal blow.
But there was no time for grief. She had to keep fighting, for Dumbledore, for Luna, for everyone who was counting on her. Gritting her teeth, Izzy raised her wand and plunged back into the battle, determined to protect Hogwarts and honor the memory of the man who had believed in her.
----
Albus Dumbledore stood in the shadows of the Astronomy Tower, his mind a whirlwind of thoughts and strategies. He had anticipated this night for some time, the night when everything would come to a head. He felt the weight of his decisions pressing down on him, knowing that the safety of so many depended on the outcomes of this battle.
Below him, the castle was in chaos. The sounds of spells being cast, the cries of fear and determination, and the explosions of magical duels filled the air. Dumbledore's heart ached for his students, but he steeled himself, knowing that sacrifices had to be made for the greater good.
He had arranged everything meticulously, trusting Severus Snape with the most dangerous and heartbreaking task of all. He knew the young man would face unimaginable scorn and hatred for what he was about to do, but it was necessary. The future depended on it.
Dumbledore's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of hurried footsteps on the stairs. He turned to see Draco Malfoy appear, his face pale and his eyes wide with fear. The boy's wand shook in his hand as he pointed it at Dumbledore.
"Good evening, Draco," Dumbledore said calmly, though he felt a pang of sadness for the young man who had been forced into this terrible position.
Draco's voice trembled as he spoke. "I-I have to do this. They'll kill my family if I don't."
"I understand, Draco," Dumbledore replied gently. "But you don't have to do this. There are other ways."
Draco's eyes flickered with desperation, but before he could respond, more figures appeared behind him. Bellatrix Lestrange and several other Death Eaters emerged from the shadows, their wands aimed at Dumbledore.
Bellatrix's eyes gleamed with madness and triumph. "Well, well, if it isn't the great Albus Dumbledore," she sneered. "Your time is up, old man."
Dumbledore remained calm, his eyes flicking over the group. He had expected this, but it didn't make the situation any less dire. He knew he was severely weakened, the curse from the ring spreading through his body, and he wouldn't be able to fend them off for long.
"Severus," Dumbledore thought, hoping that his faith in the man would be enough.
Before anyone could make a move, the door to the tower burst open, and Severus Snape appeared. His face was a mask of determination as he pushed past the Death Eaters and approached Dumbledore.
"Severus," Dumbledore said, his voice a mere whisper. He looked into Snape's eyes, pleading silently for him to do what had to be done.
"Please," Dumbledore breathed, his voice barely audible. "Please, Severus."
Snape's eyes were filled with torment, but he nodded almost imperceptibly. He raised his wand, and for a moment, the world seemed to hold its breath.
"Avada Kedavra," Snape said, his voice flat and emotionless.
A flash of green light filled the tower, and Dumbledore felt himself lifted off his feet, the world spinning around him. The last thing he saw was Snape's tortured expression, the pain in his eyes matching the pain in his own heart.
As he fell from the tower, time seemed to slow. Memories of his long life flashed before his eyes—his triumphs, his failures, the faces of those he loved and lost. He thought of Harry, of the task he had set before the young man, and he prayed that his death would serve as the catalyst needed to bring about Voldemort's downfall.
The impact with the ground was swift and final, and the darkness closed in. But in those final moments, Albus Dumbledore felt a strange sense of peace. He had done everything he could, and now it was up to the living to carry on the fight.
The sounds of battle continued around him, but Dumbledore's journey had come to an end. He could only hope that the light would prevail, that love would conquer hate, and that the world would find peace once more.
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