Dumbledore fell as the green light hit him squarely in his chest. He was killed.

I felt faint. No. Snape did not just kill Dumbledore. Please, no. No, no, no, no. Not Dumbledore.

Havoc wreaked in a few short seconds. The rest of the Death Eaters appeared, fighting with members of the Order. I was no longer immobilized. I caught glimpses of my friends, members of the D.A. and the Order of the Phoenix, teachers, students, all fighting Death Eaters, the followers of Lord Voldemort.

My head was spinning. I stood at the top of the stairs alone, my head in my hands. No… Red and green and yellow and every color jets of light shot around me, but I didn't care. I didn't want to fight anymore.

All I wanted was to make Severus Snape die the most painful death possible. And to punch Draco in the face, that absolute asshole! It was his fault Dumbledore was dead, wasn't it?

I tore off my cloak and ran down the stairs. If anyone noticed me, they were too busy fighting to care. I heard shouts ands screams, but angry tears were slicing my eyes.

I found Draco Malfoy first just outside the Entrance Hall. He looked at me, his eyes frightened and wild. "Haile…please…"

I threw back my hand and slapped him across the face like I had done in third year except harder this time. "HOW COULD YOU!" I screamed, angry tears stinging my eyes, clouding my vision.

Snape wasn't amused. "Stupid girl, it was your own fault, you knew well enough what would happen in the end…" His eyes were cold and angry. "Come, Draco—"

Draco wouldn't budge. "You know it isn't like that," he said, his voice still shaking.

"I hate you," I hissed with more viciousness than I ever thought I possessed.

His face looked hurt if anything. He stood there staring at me. Snape pulled him away. "LET'S GO! You don't need this filth! WE MUST GO, DRACO!"

I ran after them, in the cold night air. "COME BACK YOU COWARDS!" I screamed after them, pulling my wand out, angrier than I've ever been in my life.

Death Eaters were following Snape's lead. One jinxed me. Agonizing pain shot across my body…please, let it stop…let me die…make it stop….

"STOP IT!" cried Draco, agonized. "STOP! LET HER GO!"

Snape roared, "ENOUGH! Leave her! Let's go!"

The Death Eater quit, and ran after them. I used a spell on Snape that I learned from my Potions book. Snape stopped and turned around. Draco lagged behind with him, while the other Death Eaters ran past us.

"You dare use my own spells against me?"

"What?" I shot at him.

"That's right, Potter. I'm the Half-Blood Prince. You're just like your filthy father…"

Realization poured over me like cold water. I woke up from a reverie. Severus Snape, the Half-Blood Prince. Of course.

"KILL ME THEN!" I screamed at him.

Snape's face crinkled up. "I wouldn't kill you, Potter, don't you see?" Snape spat at me. "Lily's daughter… I couldn't hurt you…"

"YOU BETRAYED DUMBLEDORE!" I screamed. "You were with Voldemort ALL ALONG!" Angry tears streamed down my face. "AND YOU!" I screamed at Draco. "HOW COULD YOU! AFTER EVERYTHING! AFTER EVERYTHING WE HAD!"

"I didn't want to hurt you," Draco said, coming towards me despite Snape's protests. "Haile, please, you're the most important—"

"No I'm not," I said coldly. "Or else you would be standing here with me. Go. Go back to Voldemort, you coward."

"Draco, go ahead with Fenrir. GO NOW OR THE DARK LORD WILL BE MORE FURIOUS THAN HE IS NOW," Snape hissed at Draco.

Draco took one last look at me: "Haile…I…" But Fenrir Greyback appeared from behind, and Apparated with him on the spot.

He was gone.

Snape surveyed me for a second, then said quickly before I had a chance to do anything, "Draco Malfoy does not care for you. He does not love you. He used you. Forget him. You need to focus on other things."

And then he was gone, too.

My heart sank in my stomach horribly…then I felt like I didn't even have a heart anymore. I was nothing.

Soulless.

Useless.

Loveless.

Nothing had ever hurt me so bad in my entire life. This feeling was worse than losing Cedric, Sirius, and even just now—Dumbledore. The weight of this pain was excruciating—to the point where I didn't feel anything. I was an empty entity; there was nothing in me.

After they were gone, I trudged back up to the castle, angry tears evaporating from my eyes. There was nothing left to cry for. Dumbledore was gone. Draco was gone. Snape was gone.

Draco never loved me. He never could.

Why was I such an idiot all year when I could have informed Dumbledore right away that he was a Death Eater? But I actually felt sorry for him, and made that ridiculous Vow. I was such an idiot.

Hagrid saw me from his cabin. "Just fought three Death Eaters!" Hagrid boomed. "Scum…coming into the castle… the Dark Mark conjured by the Malfoy boy, would you believe? Dumbledore—"

"Dumbledore's dead, Hagrid," I told him stiffly. Saying the words made it final, and I didn't enjoy the feeling I felt at all. A rock had sunk in my chest, and my throat was tight.

Hagrid refused to believe me, but when we walked back into the castle, his body was still laying there. I approached it, and saw the locket hanging out his pocket.

I snatched it up while Hagrid sobbed at the horrific scene, and opened it, curious. All that was left inside was a piece of parchment. I read it, and then I sat down on the floor and tried not to cry.

Ron and Hermione rushed to my side. "HAILE!" Hermione sobbed. "Oh, Haile, I simply can't believe…"

The rest of the Order and teachers swept to the scene, surveying the body of Dumbledore solemnly. "We'll have to hold a burial," said Professor McGonagall. I realized she'd be the new headmistress.

"Yes," Professor Flitwick agreed. "I'm sure all the students would like to pay their respects."

After, the members of the Order and Hermione, Ron, and I discussed everything that had happened. They filled me in on the fight with the Death Eaters, and I told them how Snape betrayed Dumbledore.

Every single one of them was as shocked as I was.

"Severus?" McGonagall said shocked. "I… but Dumbledore trusted him all these years…" Then she looked at me. "Haile, where were you and Professor Dumbledore tonight?"

"It's classified," I said immediately. "Dumbledore didn't want me telling anyone. It's a duty that I must now take care of."

"Surely you wouldn't mind a bit of help?"

"No, Professor. I'm sorry, but I really do know that this was meant for me."

Worse yet, Bill had been bitten by Fenrir Greyback. We gathered in the Hospital Wing where he lay. Mrs. Weasley was sobbing, and Mr. Weasley looked solemn. Fleur was tending to his wounds.

"Oh, and he was going to be married!" Mrs. Weasley cried.

"What do you mean?" Fleur shrieked angrily. "You think that Bill will not marry me? It would take more than these bites! I am good-looking enough for the both us, I should think! I do not care how he looks!"

Mrs. Weasley looked taken aback, and then said very quietly, "I think you two will have a very happy and long marriage."

Fleur reached over and embraced Mrs. Weasley tightly, and they both were crying now.

Now it was Tonks turn to explode. "SEE! SHE still wants to marry him even though he's been bitten! I don't care either, I don't care!"

"Now is not the time to discuss this," Lupin said embarrassed. "I have told you that I am too old and poor for you, not to mention dangerous…"

"Ridiculous, Remus," Mrs. Weasley said, shaking her head.

Soon after, Ron, Hermione, and I returned to our dormitory. I filled them in on what happened.

"So you didn't get a Horcrux?" Hermione asked me, crestfallen. "Someone took it?"

"Who's R.A.B.?" Ron asked, taking the note that was left in the locket. "He said he was going to destroy it himself."

"I don't know," I said miserably. "Dumbledore's dead, guys. Which means it's up to me to find the rest of the Horcruxes."

"And us," Hermione said dangerously. "We're coming too."

"We'll talk about it later," I said shaking my head.

"So Snape was the Half-Blood Prince all this time," Ron said shaking his head. "Of course! Why didn't we realized it until now?"

I shook my head. "And Draco…he's gone, with Snape, to Voldemort. He…Hermione, Snape said before he left…that Draco never loved me." My voice caught in my throat, and tears stung my eyes.

And then I let it all out right then, and sobbed into Hermione's immediate consoling arms. Hermione held me really tightly, as if trying to absorb all my heartbreak, guilt, and sorrow.

Ron was saying, "What the bloody hell…"

I cried until I couldn't cry anymore and when I was finished, I promised myself I wouldn't cry over that absolute asshole Death Eater ever again. What was done was done, and the only way I could correct this was to do what Dumbledore wanted me to – destroy the rest of the Horcruxes and make sure Voldemort was dead.

Hermione made me feel loads better. "Haile, you can't blame yourself," she said quickly, after I told her about the Vow. "You did the right thing, you're a good person. Any Gryffindor would have done the same. It was brave of you to make that Vow. And Draco didn't kill Dumbledore, H. Snape did. He would have done regardless, it seems. Whether Dumbledore expelled Draco in the beginning of the year or not."

Ron was very angry with me, and didn't talk to me much until the day of Dumbledore's funeral. He obviously didn't agree with my choice of guys: George and now Draco Malfoy.

The entire school (or the students that were left) including the teachers, witches and wizards who had come from all over, and I had gathered around his coffin to pay respects.

Many people made speeches about his greatness, but I found myself remembering his simple funny words, "Nitwit" "Blubber" "Oddment" "Tweak".

I found myself remembering the good times. The times he helped me through. The times where he made me laugh. I remembered him as a great wizard, one above the rest.

Dumbledore had left me with a job to do. And I was damn well going to do it.

Find the Horcruxes and destroy them. And kill Lord Voldemort. And Severus Snape along the way, if I could.

I just couldn't believe Dumbledore was dead. It was so unreal. He was still symbol of hope and strength for the wizarding world, and now he was gone.

Ron had forgiven me finally. We spoke after the funeral. "I can't believe you snogged Malfoy," he said, bitterly, "but just know, Haile, that Hermione and I are behind you all the way."

"We're coming with you," Hermione said.

"I'm not returning to Hogwarts," I told them.

"We know," Hermione said sadly. "But we are coming."

"After the wedding," Ron reminded me.

"Right," I said, remembering. A wedding in these times. It was beautiful yet out of place.

Draco Malfoy was right about one thing he said earlier this year. I did hate him now.

But I could never stop loving him, no matter how I tried. I looked down at the ring he gave me. I tried to take it off – but it wouldn't budge. I tried everything; even had Hermione try. But it stuck permanently, so I left it alone after a while. It was rather pretty.

But dealing with Draco and my feelings for him could come later. For now, making sure Lord Voldemort never killed anyone again was my main priority.