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Harry isn't sure how things got this far.
He is currently watching as Dumbledore tries to reason with Malfoy on the Astronomie tower.
It's surreal. He should have known when he, yes somewhat obsessively watched Malfoy over the year.
From the moment he first saw Malfoy go in that alley with his mother it was clear. Something was up. He should have been more conscious of him.
If that was even possible with Harry almost every second watching the Map for Malfoy.
Maybe things would have ended differently if he instead of fight with him tried talking, but there has been too much bad blood between both for this to ever be a thing to think about.
Here now, Harry saw someone he was always searching for when he was staring at Malfoy. Here he saw for possibly the first time the person beneath that arrogant asshole.
Harry wishes he could have saved him.
Before he can even attempt to go upstairs Bellatrix and her ansamble show up. Bellatrix is a truly frightening woman, she is the definition of Beauty that deceives, she would do well as a Dorian but Harry doubts anyone would ever be willingly her Basil. Now that he thinks about it maybe he would have been Basil for Draco if things were different.
Shivers run down his spine as Bellatrix taunts Draco to kill Dumbledore. No doubt the headmaster knows a way out, he always does. Merlin, Harry hopes that Dumbledore has a way out. He doesn't know how he is supposed to defeat Voldemort without him.
Harry is again about to try to go up to help, but the wand that greets him as he turns around makes him hesitate.
Snape lifts his finger in a gesture for him to stay quiet. As if Harry doesn't already know the danger of being found.
Snape looks at him for a short while as if remembering something Harry wasn't privy to. Harry wonders all the time what the dark professor thinks. Wants to ask him about his Mother, because for all that it's great the only thing he knows about her is that he has her eyes and she was great at potions. That isn't much to go on.
Snape goes silently backwards wand still raised. When he is gone Harry silently turns around again to watch the horrifying scene above him. Draco looks close to breaking down and Harry wants to run up and either hug or punch him. How did the snobbish boy even get this deep into things? Probably his parents, but even then he could have gone to someone, surely, right? He could have come to him. But before that would have happened Hell would have to freeze over. Well that apparently happened now. None of this would have happened if he just told someone.
Now that Snape is there, Draco looks even more spooked. Snape puts a hand on Draco's shoulder that looks somewhat comforting and Dumbledore begs him to reconsider.
Harry has never felt so helpless and enraged. What should he do? Can he even do something without going against Dumbledore's wishes to stay hidden? How could Snape do this?
....
Before Harry has time to rethink everything he has ever thought Snape speaks those awful dreadful words "Avada Kedavra". He see's the light leave the Headmasters eyes before his body has time to fall. He see's them look down for a second and the light leaving.
Harry is shocked. The Headmaster apparently didn't have a plan out. With all the Death he has experienced in his life this might be a breaking point. The Hopelessness becomes a knife that twists his insides sharp but all he feels is numbness, maybe he is in shock.
His knees hit the ground and he can only barely hope no one has heard him.
Bellatrix and the others she has draged up here celebrate. It's a grating sound and Harry wants nothing but to bash her head in muggle style. Hearing this again, her laughter the same as when she killed Sirius. Nothing could ever describe is unadulterated fury.
Snape looks impassive as always and Draco seems to be in the same state of shock as Harry, even if he hides it better.
Something next to Harry clatters, a pot Harry accidentally knocked over in his fury and shock.
Draco seems to be snap out of whatever trance he was in and looks down. The others haven't heard, to caught up in their victory. But Draco's and Harry's eyes meet. Draco looks suprised to find him beneath them for a second before panick kicks in.
He looks up to the others and see's them dancing in glee. He looks down again to see Harry and a looks of decision crosses his face. Harry is scared he'll tell the others but that's not what Draco does. No, he tells them they should leave as fast as they can before they get caught. Draco looks down for a quick second again and he nods in goodbye.
They leave.
Harry hears them retreat.
He doesn't know what to feel.
The anger wins and he begins running.
