Chapter 1

Switching Sides

Draco's POV:

I'm scared. There, I said it. I'll say it again, I'm scared as hell. I think I've done pretty well so far, but now I've given up. I can't do this anymore. It's not that I'm becoming a goody-two-shoes, I'm just no longer bad. Professor Snape was taking me to Hogwarts to see Dumbledore. He said that the old oaf would be able to fix my problem. Doubtful.

We arrived at Hogwarts late at night. The sky was pouring and I was drenched. Like I needed the discomfort of wet clothes. Snape took me to the seventh floor. Our footsteps echoing loudly. Odd how eerie Hogwarts can be without the students and staff. We arrived in front of a gargoyle and professor Snape muttered something under his breath. No doubt it's the password. The gargoyle leaped aside to reveal a spiraling staircase. Snape let me ascend it first. I awaited Snape on the landing, thinking he should knock on the door. He didn't have to. A voice said to come in so I opened the door and walked in.

I stood in front of the headmaster's desk and in mere seconds Snape joined me. I stood there shivering from the cold, wet clothes, or maybe from the horrible fright climbing up and down my spine. Dumbledore sat there looking from me to Snape with those blue eyes. How I loathe those eyes. He beckoned to two chairs in front of the hearth. A blazing fire was roaring with warmth. Snape and I quietly took our seats and Dumbledore approached us. I didn't feel like talking, so Snape did most of it for me.

'Headmaster, as I've informed you, Malfoy is rethinking his current position. And he, how did he put it? Wants out.'

That was putting it mildly. The oaf looked at me and conjured a chair for himself and sat down.

He looked pointedly at me and asked, 'Is that true, Draco? You don't want to become a Death Eater?'

I looked at him and smirked. 'Headmaster, I never asked to be a Death Eater. I was born into it. But to answer your question, no, I don't.'

Dumbledore stood and started pacing. He then looked at Snape and said, 'Professor Snape, would you leave us alone pleas.'

It wasn't a request. Snape left and I was alone with the man I hated so much. He paced again and it was driving me mad. So I concentrated on drying myself. He stooped and sat across from me on Snape's abandoned chair. He looked me over for a few more seconds.

'Why now, Draco?'

I didn't understand the question. 'What do you mean?'

'I mean what made you decide to leave and come here?'

I thought for a moment then said, 'They wanted too much. I can't do this anymore. She killed him. I know what ever the Dark Lord asks must be done, but like this? No, never like this.'

I could tell Dumbledore was confused. I wanted him to talk though. My mind was simply reeling too much for me to talk.

'What exactly are you talking about?'

I looked up at him and my smirk slid off of my face for the first time that night. 'Sirius. Aunt Bella killed him. He was her cousin. Father always said family is everything. But my aunt killed her cousin. And as if that wasn't bad enough the Dark Lord wants me to do something I'm not even sure I'm capable of.'

Dumbledore put a hand on my shoulder. My first instinct was to shrug it off, but I thought better of it. After all, he was the one who could help me.

'What has Voldemort asked you to do?'

I cringed at the sound of the name. The only people foolish enough to say that name were Dumbledore and Potter. Oh, Potter would gloat if he knew what I'm doing. I thought of a good way to explain things to Dumbledore but I decided to be direct.

'He wants me to let a bunch of Death Eaters into Hogwarts and then he wants me to kill you.'

Dumbledore didn't seem surprised at all. It was as if he'd expected it. He asked me to leave and let Snape in. He wanted to talk to him privately. I went down and told professor Snape that Dumbledore wanted to see him. He asked me to stand next to the gargoyle and just wait.

Professor Snape re-entered the headmaster's office and sat down in the chair across the desk. Dumbledore looked worried. Snape was less so.

'Mr. Malfoy told me the Dark Lord wants him to let Death Eaters into Hogwarts and then he wants him to kill me.'

Snape raised his eyebrows. 'Is that all he said?'

'I could tell he didn't want to elaborate, so I didn't press him.'

'That's very considerate of seeing as he would have tried to kill you.'

'I don't think he would have. Professor Snape, what do you suggest we do?'

Snape thought a moment then shrugged saying, 'Well, headmaster, I think we should take him out of his parents' house. I could tell them that he is spying on Potter and the order, while in fact he is safe away from the Dark Lord.'

Dumbledore interlaced his fingers and looked at Snape over them. 'You mean to turn him into a spy, like you?'

Snape shrugged. 'That won't necessarily happen.'

'But it could. Will Draco do it, though?'

'I honestly don't know.'

Professor Dumbledore thought about the concept for a while. Finally he said, 'He should stay at your place for the time being. After I've got everything in order I'll ask you to bring him to number twelve Grimmauld place. He will stay there until the first of September, but you are not to tell him that yet.'

Snape inclined his head and said, 'You needn't worry, headmaster. Shall I go now?'

'Yes, I think you should. I have many things to arrange.'

Harry's POV:

Professor Dumbledore sent me an owl. He's coming to talk to me about something important. I've made sure the Dursleys won't be home when he arrives. At the day of Dumbledore's arrival I made very little fuss about the Dursleys' outing. I didn't want them to suspect anything. After they left I went upstairs to pack my trunk. I had hoped Dumbledore might take me to the Burrow.

In mid-packing I heard the doorbell ring and I ran to open the door. I let the professor in and showed him to the living room. I offered him something to drink but he declined saying, 'We have much to discuss, Harry.'

I sat down next to him and waited for him to talk. I was still ashamed at my behavior in his office over a week ago, so I did whatever he wanted me to. He told me that Sirius had left me his belongings in his will. Unfortunately that meant Kreacher too. Then Dumbledore started talking about Malfoy. Like I need to hear about him. I could feel my blood boil at the mere sound of his name.

'Mr. Malfoy came to me with a request, Harry. He wants me to keep him safe and away from Voldemort.'

I sat up strait at that. I couldn't process the thought. Malfoy not a Death Eater? That sounded wrong.

'Harry, I know you have ensues with the boy, But I believe he is sincere. And I have a plan in store for him. But I can't implement it without your help.'

I raised my eyebrows. 'My help? What would I have to do?' I really didn't want to have anything to do with Malfoy but after what I did to Dumbledore's office I owed him my attention.

Dumbledore explained, 'I want you to spend the rest of the summer at number twelve Grimmauld place with Draco.'

My eyes pealed open. 'What? No, no, I can't do that.' At that point I started pacing. 'You want me to live in the place Sirius hated and to live there with Malfoy! I can't do that! I won't!'

'Harry, hear me out.' I caught Dumbledore's eyes and thought I should sit back down. His gaze was so intense, I was curious to know what he was thinking.

'I think if you were to live with Draco, alone for a while, he might agree to become our spy. Snape has already informed Lucius that Draco has devised his own plan. He would pretend to join us while he gives them information about us.'

'So Draco would be a double agent?'

'A triple agent actually. But you get the idea. Now your part in all this is that I need you to get into Draco's head. Convince him to do it. It will take a great deal of courage on his part and I think if you befriend him he will muster up that courage.'

I sat quietly for a long time, contemplating the possibilities. In spite my loathing Malfoy, having him as a spy would be great help to the order. So reluctantly, I agreed to do it. I was surprised to learn that Dumbledore wanted me to pack and go with him to Grimmauld place right then. I took a few minutes to pack the rest of my things and brought my trunk to the door along with Hedwig's cage.

Dumbledore charmed my trunk and sent it to Grimmauld place ahead of us. 'Now, Harry, the Weasleys would occasionally have meals with you and the order will keep having meetings there every once in while, so you will not be completely alone. And you will have Kreacher around to do your bidding.'

He then walked out and asked me to hold onto his hand tightly. It was my first Disapparation and I hated it. It was like being crushed by tons of water, like drowning. And it was dark and I couldn't breath. As we reappeared at the familiar entrance to number twelve Grimmauld place I gasped.

'Harry, are you all right?' Dumbledore asked with concern in his voice.

'Yes, but I've decided that I prefer broom flying.'

Dumbledore cocked his head and said, 'I don't like Disapparation, either. Now, Harry, listen. Professor Snape will be here soon with Mr. Malfoy. I need you to behave yourself.'

Behave myself! What did he mean by that? And what am I? Ten? Either way I nodded.

'Now I must leave you, Harry. I'll check up on you and Mr. Malfoy later.' And with a crack, he was gone. I opened the door quietly so as not to stir Mrs. Black. I went upstairs to the second floor where the room I shared with Ron was. I expected to find my trunk and Hedwig there, but instead I found Kreacher.

He bowed as always and said, 'Welcome back, master. Professor Dumbledore asked me to place your belongings in the big room on the third floor.' I could hear the venom in his voice.

I looked at him with despise but then remembered Hermione. Maybe kindness would soften him up. 'Thank you, Kreacher. I would like you to inform me at the moment Snape arrives.' As he was leaving I said, 'And Kreacher, no more bowing.'

That was all the niceness I could muster. I went up to the third floor, which wasn't so different from the second. The wallpaper was peeling, but the floorboards weren't as creaky as the second floor's. I'd never been up there before but I easily found the room with my things in it. It was this big room with dark wallpaper. The carpet looked moth-eaten, but the blankets looked new. I bet Draco's room was the same. There was a huge four-poster bed in the middle of the room. Hedwig's cage was perched on a coffee table in front of a couch. My trunk was at the foot of the bed.

As I sat on the couch, stroking Hedwig's feathers I thought of a way to get into Draco's head. This wasn't going to be easy. I have to manipulate him to befriend him. But isn't that against the idea of friendship? And how on earth can I live with Malfoy without killing him or getting killed myself? That's when Kreacher popped in.

'Master, they are here.'