CHAPTER ONE
❝gourmande❞

⋆

TRUST IS EARNED WHEN ACTIONS MEET WORDS.

The statement rang true for Rosalie Allen when facing the Death Eaters. However, it did not see itself true with Dumbledore, who seemingly trusted her words before her actions went to prove them. He picked her out exclusively, trusting her to complete what he wanted. Maybe the saying was true in all cases and he had seen her actions before picking her, assuring himself that he could trust her from the beginning.

But the Death Eaters did not know Rosalie and had not studied her before she had come to them with the promise of following them and leaving with a mark on her left arm, forever branding her to their cause. They had not raised and groomed her, brainwashing her for their good from the very beginning. She was a newcomer in a time when most new arrivals to their cause were expected to be the children from the older generation.

It did not help that she stood before them a child, underage, and in red robes that symbolized the house that they opposed the most. It was strange to see how much their world depended on the Hogwarts housing system, and how hostile they were to those who looked like her even if she was willing to help them. The only one among them that was just like her was Peter Pettigrew, who had proved himself valiant in three different cases, gaining their tolerance and trust.

But Rosalie...Rosalie had not given out details of where the Potters lived, leading to their deaths on her own first birthday. Rosalie had not faked her death and made someone else a murderer. She had not raised Voldemort from her near-death form only two years ago.

She had come knocking at their door a year ago with a promise to follow Voldemort to the word and memories to justify why she would, leading Voldemort to welcome her. And oh, how her life had changed in the past year.

It was easier for them to take her on their others, she supposed. If she betrayed them, there would be no one asking questions when she showed up dead. There was no family, her mother had died when she was a child and now her father passed just this summer, buried in her old backyard since she didn't want to pay the expenses of cremation or burial in a proper graveyard – he didn't deserve that. And she had no friends, isolating herself since her first year after Christmas.

No one would miss her, which made it easier for her to be welcomed into the ranks. Well, not welcomed perhaps, but begrudgingly accepted along by the others.

The pristine girl was clad in black, their naturally chosen color to represent them, as she sat in the parlor of the Malfoy Mansion with the heir to the residency beside her. Where Rosalie was good at masking her emotions, keeping a stoic expression always, Draco was learning. She gave him credit, he looked better than what Rosalie would have expected from him, but it could definitely be worked on. She would help him, though, she was kind in that way.

The Dark Lord himself sat in front of them with a sick grin on his face. It made her insides twist and turned as chills slithered up her spine but she did nothing to shake them away. That would be a sign of weakness and that could never be allowed.

"Draco, Rosalie...thank you for joining me today," he greeted them, as if they had much of a choice to be there.

The Malfoy boy lived in the mansion which meant no escape for him and Rosalie had pledged her loyalty and she needed to prove it. The meeting seemed important and she would have to report it later to Dumbledore when she saw him later in the week, or maybe even tonight if it was large enough.

"We have much to discuss for your next year at Hogwarts," he told them, "I have a certain mission for you two, one that I think you should be able to complete perfectly."

It was not a judgment call but an expectation. An order or there would be consequences. The two both knew it as they started back at him. They never broke eye contact, they couldn't.

"As you know, your very own headmaster has been an obstacle of mine in the past and now...well, I finally think that it is time to remove him," Voldemort said, wording his sentences carefully, "He has been getting on my nerves more in the past years and I think it's time that I finally took care of it. Or, well, you will take care of it for me."

The sick smile dropped from his face and all attempted humor was left behind. His soulless, black eyes stared at them and Rosalie felt the chills slithering up her spine but she did nothing but stare back even though she wanted to look away more than anything.

"By the end of the year, I want Albus Dumbledore dead. I don't care what measures you need to go to, but I want him dead," he told the two of them firmly. "He has stood in my way long enough. Also, I want the Death Eaters to invade. However you think best to get us there I don't care, but it will be done. Am I clear?"

Rosalie swallowed. Dumbledore was her employer, her whole reason for being her, she was his spy and now Voldemort wanted him dead. How would she continue without him? Oh, she would definitely need to inform him about this tonight, she could not wait a few days until their scheduled meeting, it was too important – this was his life in her and Draco's hands.

She knew that she could not kill him, and she imagined the same for Draco from what she could tell by his eyes. This was not what she wanted, but it would have to be done. And all for her glory. Yes, she would be remembered. Known forever as the girl who killed Albus Dumbledore. Is this really how she wanted her glory – how she would be known forever?

She could hear her father's voice in her ear, calling her gourmande. The greedy girl who couldn't wait to find another way for remembrance, who took the first thing that was offered to her even though it was horrible and terrible and was leading to this – murder.

She was a greedy girl indeed, incredibly selfish, but it was too late to turn back.

"Yes, my lord," she and Draco answered in unison.

Her instructions were clear, no matter how much she wanted to disobey. What he said must be done and it didn't matter how she felt about it. She was only one person in the ranks where the others would gleefully laugh and grin at his death, so excited.

There was no confusion in what he ordered, only a want to pull away and turn back time to stop herself from agreeing to this.

"Good," Voldemort said, the smile returning to his face, "This meeting is over. You are free to go."

He stood up and left the room, his snake, Nagini, slithering behind him to follow. Rosalie closed her eyes, letting the order sink in. She stood up next and Draco went after her.

He didn't say anything but Rosalie felt obligated to. "We'll talk more about it later, for now I have to go," she told him.

Leaving through the front door, she went past the gate and left the mansion. She had to talk to Dumbledore; this was too important to wait.

°°°

HOURS LATER, Rosalie met with Dumbledore. The old man sat down on the other side of her at the kitchen table of her uncle's. Kingsley Shacklebolt was out at work, where he always was trying to save the Ministry from its own corruption coming from the Death Eaters and its need to be ignorant from the dangers of the world.

There was not a smile on her face but there was a small one present on Dumbledore's who tried to remain cheerful even though there could not be a good reason as to why she called him to meet, which he knew. "You rang?" he asked.

She nodded, "I got urgent news from the Death Eaters, it couldn't wait."

"I understand," Dumbledore told her calmly, "They are always so fast moving...no patience in their ways. It has always been about taking power now, no tyrant really wants to wait to enact their plans, Voldemort is just the same."

But Rosalie did not have time for games, she could not entertain Dumbledore tonight, not that she ever could really. Their meetings had always been right to the point, no foul play. In these times with war brewing, there was never time.

"He's ordered me to murder you," she blurted out, bluntness taking her. "Draco Malfoy and I, really."

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow and titled his head, "And will now?"

"Not now," Rosalie shook her head, "He gave us the deadline of the end of the school year. He wants a Death Eater invasion and takeover of Hogwarts. My guess is that he'll want it as soon as possible, he's ready to fight now."

"Or so he assumes that he is," Dumbledore corrected her, "They always think they are until they're proven wrong."

Rosalie frowned, confused at where Dumbledore had gained all of this knowledge on tyrants. She did not take the time to question him on this, what good would it do?

"What should I do?" she asked him instead, seeking his advice and guidance.

"Well, murdering me would be the safest option for the both of you. And the option which will be chosen in the end," Dumbledore said after a pause.

Taken aback, Rosalie leaned back farther in her seat. "You can't be serious."

"It has to happen. He knows that he cannot obtain that he wants unless I am in my grave, and in my grave I so shall be. Oh, don't worry dear, I have lived long enough," Dumbledore assured her when he saw the look on her face.

"But you can't die. The world still needs you, we can't continue to fight him without you," Rosalie protested. He couldn't give up this easily – he had to fight. He couldn't just let her kill him.

"Miss Allen, the world can and will continue without me. As I have said, Harry is your hope. I will be taking him under my wing this year and training him, I will teach him all that he needs and when the time comes, he will be ready to face off against Voldemort and end him. Trust me, he will not win."

Rosalie nodded. Dumbledore had never let her down before, so she could trust him. His actions had followed his words before, so why would it be any different now?

"I can't kill you, though. Neither can Draco, I saw it in his eyes," Rosalie informed him, "We can't follow through with Voldemort's order."

"Ah," Dumbledore stood up and walked to the other side of the table and placed a hand on her shoulder, "Do not worry about that, dear, it is all taken care of."

"How?" she asked him, turning her head up to look at him, "How could you prepare?"

"As I said, he knew that I am his greatest obstacle. With me gone, he will think that he has practically won the war already. How could a teenager fight against him without my help? How foolish his logic is," Dumbledore shook his head, "I have always known that this would land in his plans somewhere along the line, I just did not know where. So I have prepared. All of it is under control, you just have to be ready when it does come."

"How can I go on without you?" she asked him, the burning question her mind even more than the movement.

"As you have while I have been here," Dumbledore told her easily, "You are a very smart girl, Miss Allen, and you know how to trick him even without me here to support you. You will continue and when the time comes, you will help Harry on his journey."

She frowned at him. "What journey?"

"All of that will be explained in the future," he did not answer her question, "For now, we will prepare you. Do not worry, you still have all summer before this pressing mission becomes of fruit."

His words did not comfort her, but she nodded anyway. When he left, she poured herself a glass of Firewhiskey. She needed it for the year ahead of her.