Draco paced through the corridors as the clock rang out, it was nearly two in the morning. He wondered what reason that crazy old Professor McGonagall had for summoning him from his bed at this hour, but her owl was insistent that he go right away. The previous year, Draco had taken a task from The Dark Lord in order to prove himself, as well as to stand up to his father and show that he was capable of anything.
Voldemort ordered him to kill Dumbledore.
Draco remembered that he thought about how he could not possibly follow through, but he had to because Lord Voldemort would have murdered him and his family. So Draco took the mark— it was supposed to be an honor— and attempted to do as he was told.
Draco finally reached McGonagall's office and before he could think to knock, the door was opened in front of him and closed once he entered.
"Sit, Mr. Malfoy," the old woman invited him as she motioned to the chair in front of her desk. She was in her dressing gown with a long overcoat on, eyebrows knit together and stress apparent in her features. Draco was sure she hadn't known, but she had been one of the Slytherin boy's favorite professors while at Hogwarts. Her quick wit and knowledge made her classes somewhat easy to bare.
"Mr. Malfoy, I'm assuming you are under the protection of the Dark Lord, am I correct in assuming that?" Professor McGonagall queried, and Draco studied her face for a moment.
"You would be correct," Draco answered after he calculated for a moment and relaxed into his chair a bit.
"Because if he weren't, I'd be willing to offer you protection in exchange for something," she pressed on. Draco knew for a fact the Dark Lord was anything but protecting him, more like threatening his family at every chance. Draco swallowed a breath of air and raised an eyebrow.
"In exchange for what?" Draco asked, but the woman shook her head pushing a piece of parchment his way.
"This is a contract. I will explain a few things to you, however I can not tell you the rest until you agree to this protection and sign this contract," McGonagall told him. This was a secret that couldn't get out. Draco read over the contract carefully.
"I, Draco Malloy, do hereby give my consent to be taken in by the Order of the Phoenix and protected from the powers of the Dark Lord to the best of their capability on the following terms;
I will sign a contract in my blood.
I must not tell anyone who could be in any direct or indirect contact with the Dark Lord or any of his followers.
I must swear secrecy to the Order.
I agree to be watched at all times by a member of the Order.
I consent to give any information of my knowledge that could help aid the Order to the downfall of the Dark Lord."
Draco read through the form a couple times before looking up at his professor who seemed in desperate need of his assistance.
"You want me to be your spy?" Draco asked in clarification, and McGonagall squeezed her eyes shut before regaining eye contact with the boy and nodding her head. She brandished her wand and summoned a quill, to which Draco would sign in his blood the contract before him. He sat in silence for a few moments, as his brain ticked over the risks and benefits.
"I do have a couple conditions," Draco finally spoke, his voice level as he set the parchment down, "I will ask for a few simple requests in order to help me better perform this. First one being my mother. I want her protected at all costs. If the Dark Lord were to find out about this, she will be the first one he goes for and I want to assure her safety," Draco began. McGonagall decided that was fair enough and waved her wand, a section appearing on the parchment for what Draco will get in return, and his mother's safety fell underneath that category.
"The next thing is that I'd like to not attend Hogwarts if I am to do this. It would be much to difficult for me to act like nothing is wrong in front of people who have known me most of my life," Draco listed.
McGonagall wracked her brain thinking of where she could hide Draco before it hit her. Harry was out on an adventure to find whatever it was that Dumbledore told him about last year. If Draco were to join him, they could know the Dark Lord's steps before he even took them. It was brilliant, however she knew neither boy would agree so she decided to keep it a secret, or surprise she thought. Yes, an unpleasant surprise.
"Of course," McGonagall agreed, "I actually have the perfect place for you, I'll just have to tie a few loose ends to make it happen," she explained, and this was true. She'd have to owl Harry and wait for a reply, it could take the week to accomplish, but she was hoping less.
"That's all I had in mind and you've agreed to both so I suppose we have come to an agreement," Draco took an anxious breath and skimmed the parchment once more with his eyes before taking the quill and signing the bottom of it, McGonagall signing underneath his name.
"I will have your mother relocated within the day, you may take up to a week, possibly less," McGonagall told him, and Draco nodded his head, a weight in his chest at what he'd just done. Part of him was disappointed in himself for stooping this low, but part of him felt a bit of relief at not being at the Dark Lord's mercy every time he called. "Oh and Draco?" the professor added, "You are not to mention this to Headmaster Snape," McGonagall demanded, and Draco's eyebrows furrowed but he nodded in response. The young boy glanced at a painting above McGonagall's desk that was currently empty, guessing that it was a portrait of Headmaster Dumbledore.
"I promise," Draco assured her slightly confused, however he decided that he could use some sleep if at all possible. The past year he'd become accustomed to little to no sleep, whenever he fell asleep his body never rested as he tossed and turned due to nightmares. But the young Slytherin never let it show, using potions to conceal the dark circles under his eyes.
The next few days went by unbearably slow, Draco awaited word from Professor McGonagall, however she told him she was waiting on an owl and that Draco should have his things packed regardless and be ready at a minute's notice. And so he was; he couldn't sit through the Carrows torturing any more children, he wanted to interject and make them stop, but he couldn't give away his stance.
He was on day three of not hearing back from McGonagall when his Aunt Bella decided to pay the castle a visit with an order from Lord Voldemort. That was the thing about Snape being headmaster, any Death Eater could just stroll in and out of the castle as they pleased and it set the student population at unease.
"Draco dear, you haven't seen that scarhead around here, have you?" Bellatrix gave an evil grin, moving a strand of hair out of her face using her wand. Draco shook his head and remained quiet.
"And have you heard from your mother? She ran off the other day and hasn't come back," the maniacal woman grilled him.
"No. She didn't say where she was going?" Draco asked, feigning worry for his mother. Bellatrix giggled and let out a sigh before she pat Draco on the head and skipped away from him. There were many encounters like this from quite a few different people throughout the day, and quite frankly Draco was getting tired of the constant interrogations.
After Transfiguration class, Draco stayed back and approached his Professor's desk, the woman greeting him with a rare smile.
"Mr. Malfoy. I'll ask that you meet me in my office with your belongings at three tomorrow morning," she spoke quietly, and the Slytherin's eyebrows rose. He nodded his head in shock as he'd been expecting bad news, and was quickly on his way out. He wished he could skip the rest of his classes that day, but that would raise suspicion. Draco had to spend the rest of the day acting as if nothing had changed.
*A few days earlier*
"Mrs. Weasley, we can assure you that though you will want to turn this guest away, she has promised to remain civil," Lupin explained, standing the redhead up and leading her to the front door. Molly had thought about all of the people it could be and would only turn away very few people
"I told you Remus, I'm willing to take anyone in so long as they agree to help our cause," Mrs. Weasley smiled, and when Lupin opened the door her jaw dropped. There stood a woman with an emerald green overcoat, the hood up to shield her platinum blonde hair and ivory skin.
"Narcissa," Molly grumbled and her nose scrunched up. The woman gave her a cold look, however her eyes were pleading silently. Molly could tell she had no intentions of fighting, so she stepped aside and allowed the woman into her house.
"Thank you Molly," Narcissa gave a ghost of a smile before holding her hand out to the witch before her. Molly was shocked, however she took the woman's hand and shook it. Sure, it had never been this woman to put her family down, but she sure as hell never tried to stop it. But then again, Molly didn't try to pull her husband away from the arguments either.
"So we're okay then?" Lupin clarified, stepping back and looking back and forth between these women. They both nodded, and Molly offered to grab one of Narcissa's bags as a sign of peace. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad.
*Present day*
Draco finished his dinner and decided to go to the library so he didn't have to deal with any of his classmates. These were his last hours at Hogwarts, he wanted them to be peaceful; easy to deal with. So he picked a table in the far corner and sat down with a book. His eyes skimmed over the words but his brain was elsewhere, wondering where he would be relocated to. He'd gotten news that his mother was with the Weasleys and was actually enjoying herself, but Draco hoped he wouldn't end up in the same place.
After some time, Draco decided to go down to his dormitory and pack all of his things into a small book bag with an expansion charm on it, and lay in bed until he was told to go up to McGonagall. It neared midnight and his peers were all asleep as Draco played with his wand, sending different colored ribbons of light out the tip.
"Finally," Draco mumbled as the clock tower rang out, only able to hear it faintly but it was indeed three chimes. He slung the backpack over his shoulder and gave his dormitory one last look. This was supposed to be a sad moment for Draco, bittersweet even, but all he could feel was happiness at the chance of a new start. He nearly ran to McGonagall's office and pushed the door open without knocking, and what he saw when he entered sucked the happiness from every fiber of his being.
"Potter?" he spat, tossing his bag aside and looking at his Professor as if she were mental. Potter stood next to McGonagall looking very thin and beat up, face dirty and body riddled with scrapes and cuts. The boy seemed as if he didn't know he would be bringing Draco along as he was now pulling his wand on the boy.
"Malfoy is coming with us? You're serious? It could have been anyone else?" Potter whined, and the two went back and forth for a minute before McGonagall waved at them to stop.
"You signed a contract, and you also Harry. You will act kindly toward one another, or at least don't say anything at all," McGonagall demanded, "Draco has agreed to help us, and I see this as a fit job for you Draco. And Harry, Draco needs eyes on him at every moment to ensure his safety," McGonagall explained, and Harry thought just then that she sounded more loony than Dumbledore himself. But Snape was questionable as a spy, so Harry decided he could bring himself to understand this. But he sure as hell wouldn't like it.
"I'm not getting the others to like him. Or even treat him kindly for that matter. He tortured the three of us for six years Professor," Harry started, but was stopped once again.
"They will treat him with the same treatment they would like back from Mr. Malfoy," McGonagall told him, and Malfoy picked his bag up.
"Now I would like to let you know that I want check-ins monthly, to make sure you haven't killed each other," McGonagall explained, and Draco cut in.
"How many people do I have to deal with?" Draco asked with a groan. He could hardly deal with Potter, assuming his friends were with him as well. Harry rolled his eyes and reached a hand out to Draco.
"I will guess you're better at apparition than I am so I need you to do this," Harry explained. McGonagall watched them close as Draco reached for Harry's hand, who she was surprised was keeping his cool. She was pleasantly surprised by the both of them in all honesty. They haven't murdered each other yet.
Harry leaned forward and whispered the location in Draco's ear with a side glance at McGonagall before they were gone. This was going to be a long year.