The Secret Riddle {Wattys2017}

22: Last Chance

~ Madeline Riddle ~

Months have passed since Daddy told Draco and I about our forced engagement. We've only seen each other twice since then and that was during Draco's Christmas holiday. It's nearing the end of the term and the Cabinet, to my knowledge, isn't in working condition yet. Daddy gets more angry as the days go by, making Mum and I feel as if we're walking on egg shells around him. He's already snapped at multiple of the manor's house elves and he snapped at Mum once. Which resulted in Mum ranting at him for an hour and a half. I heard her yelling at him from my bedroom, three floors up from where they were talking.

I was reading in the foyer when I heard the pop of apparition. I look up to see Bellatrix, Fenrir, and the few trusted others standing a few feet away from me. I stand up from my chair and after a second Mum and Daddy enter the room. They greet each other with quick handshakes and quiet words.

"Maddy! Ready to go back to Hogwarts?" Bellatrix asks with a cackle at of her sentance.

"Why? Is the Cabinet finally ready?" I ask, with a little excitement.

If we're going back to Hogwarts that means that I'll be able to see Draco. I haven't seen him in months and his letters are rare, like once a month rare. At least they're long letters though, telling me about the whole month. Parkinson has sent me a few letters and Zabini writes me less then Draco.

"Yes, it's finally ready!" Bellatrix explains, her eyes wide with excitement.

"Great. Infiltrate the castle tonight and complete the mission" Daddy says.

"What even is the mission?" I ask.

"The mission is to kill Dumbledore"

I look at Daddy with wide eyes. He wants us to kill Dumbledore? We're no bloody match for him! Maybe all together but one on one we're all children compared to his ability with magic.

"O-okay" I stutter.

"Don't worry Maddy. It'll be you all and Draco against the old man, you'll be fine" Daddy says.

I nod.

Both he and Mum pull me into a hug. I hug them both back before pulling away after a minute. I need to change out of my pajamas.

"I need to change my clothes, I'll be right back" I say.

Before anyone could say anything, I sprint out of the room and all the way to my bedroom. After catching my breath, I walk into my closet and pick an outfit. I picked a knee-length black dress that flows out at the end, black high heel boots, a black cloak, and I put on some dark makeup. I grab my wand and shove it into my boot before leaving my room.

I return to the foyer and no one as moved a visible muscle ever since I had left. Daddy and Mum seem to lighten up when I entered the room.

"Ready to go to Borgin & Burkes, Maddy?" Bellatrix asks.

"I was born ready" I reply.

~~~~~~

Four and a half hours later is when Bellatrix decides that it's time to enter the Vanishing Cabinet. The one here at Borgin & Burkes is connected to the one inside Hogwarts, as long as both are in working condition. Draco is supposed to open it at five-thirty pm and it's currently five twenty-five pm. I draw my wand before the lot of us climb into the large cabinet.

A few minutes later a door somewhere opens and we all leave the cabinet. We're in Hogwarts. We're inside of the Room of Requirement.

"Maddy" Draco says quietly.

I launch myself at him, crushing him in a hug. He hugs me back and kisses the top of my head.

"Let's go lovebirds! We have a headmaster to kill!" Bellatrix says in a sing-song voice.

The woman is clearly insane but she somehow manages to make every situation lighter by acting as if what we're doing is a normal occurrence.

Draco and I pull away from each other, except for our hands. We remaining holding each other's hands, the ones not holding our wands that is.

We leave the Room of Requirement and quietly walk through the dismally lit halls of Hogwarts castle. A wave of memories of First Year with Harry and Ron pass over me, making me want to cry for a split second. The one who was friends with Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley was Hermione Granger, and she died the second I found out who my parents really were

We finally arrive at the entryway to the Astronomy tower, where Draco said Dumbledore currently is. One small part of me wants to turn back and warn everyone of what is planned and what we're going to do. But the rest of me wants this to happen. Hermione Granger versus Madeline Riddle and Madeline is currently winning.

I take the lead of the group, Draco following right behind me. We're no longer holding hands but I don't care. His very presence is reassuring.

We walk into the Astronomy tower to find Dumbledore standing there alone. This doesn't seem right. Are there Aurors hidden somewhere, waiting to take us in to the Ministry.

"Ah, Mr Malfoy and Miss Riddle. I've been waiting" Dumbledore says calmly.

"Shut up, old man" Bellatrix says from behind Draco.

"Ah, hello Bellatrix and others" Dumbledore says.

"Madeline, hurry up and kill the old shit" Bellatrix barks.

I spin on my heel and look at Bellatrix with a hint of horror in my eyes. Daddy never mentioned this.

"Do it, Maddy. Now" Draco says.

I turn back to Dumbledore. He smiles a warm smile at me.

"You don't have to do this, Miss Riddle" He says calmly.

"I have to! I have no other choice!" I yell at him.

I yank my cloak away from my arm, showing Dumbledore the Dark Mark on my forearm.

"Ah, it seems you don't. Unless you switch sides, again" Dumbledore says, a glimmer of something in his eyes.

Despair? Dissapointment? I really don't care, to be perfectly honest. It's my job to kill him and I will do my job.

"Kill him!" Bellatrix shouts.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!" I yell, pointing my wand at Dumbledore.

A green spark of light shoots out of my wand and hits him square in the chest. He falls backwards and out of the Astronomy Tower.

Bellatrix begins to cackle as I go into shock. I just killed Albus Dumbledore.
I just killed my last chance of going back to the light, my last chance of going back to being good Hermione Granger.