Chaos theory states that a butterfly flapping its wings in China can cause it to rain in Central Park. It is therefore possible that, in some parallel universe, JK Rowling is the author of

Draco Malfoy and The End of Days

An alterative history of events by HiBob

Disclaimer: The author does not, knowingly own any of the rights to the Harry Potter series of novels by JK Rowling. Nor does he expect to discover any such rights.

That out of the way, this is the sixth and last in the series of stories about Draco Malfoy as the Boy-Who-Lived. In retrospect, I should have made Draco's discover of his inheritance into a separate story, but there you are.

As an aside, I should have added to the prologue of the last Malcolm/Hogwarts story a short interlude where Malcolm and his family go to Surrey to meet their English cousin. They knock on the door of Number 4,Privet Drive. Harry answers the door, then lets them in while cheerfully calling for his Uncle Vernon. That didn't happen either.

I hope you enjoy the story and please let me know what you think.

Prologue

It was a somber group that met that night at Sirius Black's house. The summer holiday had barely begun. Events, however, could not keep this meeting from taking place. If anything, events forced it to take place this soon.

Albus Dumbledore, with a nod from Sirius, asked if anyone was unaware of why this meeting was called. He asked permission to take care of school business first. Turning to Claire Potter, he asked if she would accept the position of Transfiguration Professor for the upcoming year. Tearfully, she turned to James. Then she said she would be happy to accept.

"You were her brightest pupil," James assured her.

Albus turned to look at all the familiar faces. The Weasleys, all gathered into one corner. There were four of them, Percy having joined the group. By them, sitting next to Charlie and his fiancé, sat Angus McFusty with his niece, Aideen. The old man had to smile. The young girl was deaf yet turned it into a powerful asset. She had taken a position recently at a new joke shop that opened in Diagon Alley. Her meals were always in public. And her lipreading ability had already thwarted the casting of two silencing spells.

Sirius sat with Evelyn Brown, the Muggle Studies Professor. A muggle, herself, she managed to break through the barriers of prejudice of not a few Slytherins, thanks to her extracurricular classes in martial arts. The most striking result was the young man sitting in front of her, Adrian Pucey, who was in a quiet conversation with Remus Lupin. It was a small coup that he was here. Severus had vouched for him and the young man had even offered to let Albus give him veritaserum.

The Longbottoms were there as well. A dozen others were also in attendance. This was the strongest the order had been since the start of the last war.

"Arthur?" Albus asked. "Please tell us you can shed some light on what happened today."

"I was there," Arthur said as he stood up. Molly was holding on to his hand. "Too far away to do anything but close enough to see what happened. I heard Minerva shout. I turned in time to see the killing curse strike her. I know Draco Malfoy said something to Rozier, but I couldn't hear exactly what he said. I was told later, by a closer witness, that he said, 'I am the Dragon'. Then Draco Malfoy screamed." Arthur's shudder was obvious. "He disappeared while I turned my attention to putting out the fire of the shop that was behind where Rozier had been standing."

"And Draco?"

Arthur looked down at his youngest son present. "Percy happened to be at the Ministry when Draco appeared there. It seems he went to turn himself in."

Percy Weasley stood up. Albus noticed his pride warring with his nervousness. Neither was giving way. Necessity took over and he began to relate what happened.

It seemed that Draco apparated directly to the Ministry, appearing in the public area. He immediately demanded, loudly, to know where the Aurors' offices were. Percy, returning from lunch, was close enough to hear him. He walked at once and offered his services. He also asked why, admitting that he was stunned into silence. Draco Malfoy said he had executed the man who murdered Professor McGonagall. Others heard, as well. He never had a chance to escort Draco Malfoy because, less than a minute later, the Aurors had all come to them.

Percy's pride won the day. Not when he admitted that he decided to follow them as though he was part of the group. When Albus made it a point to say that the idea was 'pure inspiration'. Percy did admit that luck played a part. In the confusion of the moment, no one thought to question the presence of a junior clerk from a different department. "From the few remarks made to me, I believe the reason was because I was a Weasley. At least one Auror assumed I was there at my father's behest."

Albus noted the irony. For all the Aurors in the Order, the only member present was the assistant to the Deputy Minister of Sports and Games. And what Percy was telling them was another enigma. Draco demanded that he be arrested at once. If they tried to arrest him later he would assume it was an assault. Percy admitted that the originally phrasing was more colourful and extensive.

Albus understood that it was exactly the one thing to do if you wanted to confuse people. It was an innate ability that Draco Malfoy had. Being Headmaster, though, he had five years to watch the boy. He knew why Draco went to the Aurors. To be fair, Albus had no true idea of what Draco's long term plans were. What he did know was that Draco went directly to the Aurors because he had changed those plans.

"We're back to Square One," Sirius muttered loudly. Albus chuckled. It seemed that someone else also understood Draco Malfoy. Sirius proved the point by adding, "About Draco, I mean. This cancels everything we know about him."

Albus casually glanced at Arthur Weasley. The man had his perpetual troubled look and ready smile. He had watched an old friend die this morning. His words earlier were without emotion. He looked ready to do anything.

Albus almost missed it. Molly was still holding his hand. Holding him in place. She had the same look. Everyone else had looks of anger or sadness. Not these two. Having raised seven children, they learned the hard way to keep their emotions in check, regardless of what happened. He remembered a Howler and mentally added 'except for family'.

"Is he going to become suicidal, again?" James Potter asked. He was annoyed.

Evelyn Brown answered with a touch of anger. "He was never suicidal. The proper word is sacrificial. He used to think he had to die in order for us to win."

"She's right, James," Sirius added. "It took us months to get him to admit that he could survive."

"And now what?" James asked.

"Would you like my educated guess? I think he's change his attitude." Evelyn Brown smiled at the man. "It's now on the order of: You Can Take Merlin's Beard And Shove It Up Your . . ."

"PLEASE!" Claire Potter understood that Evelyn, to understate matters, was not in a good mood.

"Are we discussing Draco Malfoy?" Severus Snape was standing in the doorway, newly arrived.

After greeting the Potions Professor, Albus explained that they were discussing Draco's change of attitude. The boy went to the Aurors after leaving Diagon Alley. Severus smiled. He said to let him know when they were done. He would then explain what happened when Draco visited the Dark Lord.

Silence ruled. It was broken by Rita Skeeter.

"If I could publish any of this, I'd own the Daily Prophet."

Severus understood. Surprise was on everyone's face. That included, briefly, Albus Dumbledore.

"I think we should finish the current discussion, first," Albus insisted. "Percy?"

Percy nodded. He repeated that he followed the Aurors as they led Draco from the public area of the Ministry. When he heard Severus gasp, he repeated that Draco went there after killing Rozier.

In the end, Percy was standing in the corner while Draco stood before Rufus Scrimgeour. A half dozen Aurors were scattered throughout the room. At least four were holding their wands although none were pointed at Draco.

"He told them that he killed Rozier. He described the events and refused to make any explanations for his actions. When Scrimgeour pointed out that he killed a murderer, Draco noted that he also burnt most of the Most Potable Potions shop as well. Had he been facing the other way it would have been the Quidditch shop."

Percy mentioned the arrival of another Auror. This one had come from Diagon Alley. While everyone listened, the man related the events as described by witnesses. At least three had heard Rozier call Draco's name upon arrival. The man's wand was drawn. And pointed at Draco. Then McGonagall called Draco's name as a warning. That was when Rozier turned and shouted the killing curse before the Professor could react. When Scrimgeour asked, the Auror acknowledged that Draco appeared to be Rozier's target.

"Scrimgeour conferred with a pair of senior Aurors for a few minutes, then told Draco it was self defense. He also told Draco to get out and that if he ever returned to the Ministry he'd be shipped straight to Azkaban."

Percy followed Draco out the door and escorted him back to the public area. After the boy apparated, he tried to contact his father. He then contacted his mother. This meeting was the result.

"And Draco apparated," Severus told everyone, "directly to Malfoy Manor. We could all hear him shouting for 'that snakelike bastard'. As we stepped out, the Dark Lord reached for his wand. He raised it at Draco but the boy was already shouting the prophecy. When he reached the part about marking him as an equal, Draco revealed his scar. He added a 'thank you very much'."

Severus continued. Voldemort seemed amused. He added casually that they should duel. Draco refused. It was not the proper time.

"The Dark Lord laughed. He asked when the proper time would be. Draco answered, in a cavalier voice, 'once you've won. Whoever wins the duel will be in charge. I don't want to be in charge of a war. And you don't want to risk being weakened before you know you'll succeed'."

Professor Snape glanced around the room. "Both of them laughed. The Dark Lord said it was a very good idea. Draco bowed then to his 'Master'. Severus looked at Dumbledore. "There was more to the scene. A discussion of the course of events, when the final battle could be expected, how well things were going at the Ministry. Then Draco, almost as an aside, announced that he killed Rozier, that the man was a spy (thanks to veritaserum) and, for some reason, blamed it on a short blond boy. 'Oh, he did kill McGonagall first,' Draco concluded, 'I don't know if that was a good thing.' Draco went on to explain that he didn't know who they'd replace her with. He would hate to have an incompetent teacher."

Several eyes turned to Claire Potter with wry amusement.

"Do you know where he went?" Albus asked.

"He's still there. He was invited to dinner tonight and, in the meantime, Narcissa Nott and her son are giving him a tour of the estate."

Sirius Black snorted, disturbing the quiet that followed Snape's last word. "I don't know what he's planning but that was bloody brilliant." All eyes were on him. "Don't you see? Draco doesn't have to worry about us trying to do anything to him. And he doesn't have to worry about them."

Claire Potter's tone was more subdued. She turned to her husband. "James, do you remember? I said it, just last year. He's the harbinger. He isn't blocking us. He's protecting us. He's blocking him from reaching us until we were ready. And now he has stepped aside."

James sighed. "And now there's war."

"Are we ready? For the war?" Charlie Weasley asked.

"No," Kingsley Shacklebolt answered.

"Neither is the Dark Lord," Severus Snape added.

"Draco is," Evelyn Brown commented.

"I'm becoming very good at all this," Draco muttered.

Theodore Nott tried to smirk. "I assume you're not talking about the albino peacocks." He added softly. "I know how you feel. He murdered McGonagall You did the right thing."

"Your mother said the same thing about Simon. Dumbledore said the same thing about Quirrell. Kreacher said the same thing about Crouch."

Theo looked surprised, even more so when Draco added casually that the last part was still a secret. He asked how secret. He swallowed hard when Draco told him the total number of wizards and witches was now three.

"It's a test, to see if I can keep a secret," Theo said. He added, with a touch of pride and confidence. "You placed your trust in me. I will never betray that trust by revealing your secrets."

"I also have a favour to ask. I'm sorry but it's only a small one."

"Oh?" He was now suspicious.