DISCLAIMER: All characters, settings, and magical occurrences were all conceived and created in the brilliant mind of J.K. Rowling. I own nothing but the plot and the muses hard at work on the next chapters.

WARNING: This story will contain SLASH of both varieties. If that's just not your cup of tea, no problem, just click the little back button. It'll save all of us a little trouble in the end I think. Don' say I didn't warn you.

PAIRINGS: Ron/Draco, Blaise/Hermione, Harry/Pansy, and a little Ginny/Neville.

……

Chapter 1

Harry could feel a faint breeze blowing into the dormitories through an open window. Lately, Ron had obtained an annoying habit of leaving at least one window open. Claimed it was too warm in there for him. Harry on the other hand, completely disagreed but didn't argue. Instead, he yanked the soft blanket further up and wrapped himself in its warmth. But not tonight. It was too cold.

He sat up at first, trying to fully wake up. It had taken only a strong gust of wind a minute before to wake him and he was still trying to adjust. Finally, he threw his bare feet over the side of the bed and stood, inching quietly towards the window. As he pulled it shut, something else caught his eye and the air was soon forgotten.

It was Snape. Now Harry had seen him a few times that year returning from Death Eater meetings. Part of his was glad to see him return safely but the part of him that remembered he had Potions the next day was on the opposite side. Snape was a lot testier on days after a meeting. That wasn't what was strange though. It was Dumbledore and McGonagall who'd thrown on their warmest attire and were engaged in conversation with him. It didn't look good at all.

He looked over to Ron and wondered faintly if he should wake him. He'd feel rather silly to have woken him and it turned out to be nothing. Harry was sure that's what it was. He pulled the window the rest of the way shut and sauntered back over to bed, hearing a grumble of thanks from Seamus, and pulling the blankets back up. He still couldn't help but replay the images in his head again. Snape had looked awfully worried.

It wasn't long though before sleep claimed him. Harry had found it easier to sleep now that he had better ability with his Occulemancy. It meant less horrifying dreams and a more rested Harry in the mornings. But he didn't get well rested. It seemed like only seconds after he'd drifted into a deep sleep that arms were shaking him, and rudely yanking him from his serene state. He gave in, although it was rather reluctantly, when he noticed that the man shaking him had a beard similar to that of Dumbledore. Moments later, he was wide awake, noticing two others had received the same treatment as he had.

Dumbledore had them assembled in the common room to wait for the others that would be joining them. Harry wasn't too surprised to see that Ron was with him and that Hermione and Ginny were following behind McGonagall. He was however, a little shocked to see Neville standing amongst the ranks. The five of them exchanged nervous and unsure looks before they were herded out and down to Dumbledore's office.

Even more surprising than being woken up, was who was waiting rather impatiently in the office for them. Harry would've guessed he'd find Snape but was a bit thrown off by the three students seated across from Dumbledore's desk. Draco Malfoy, Blaise Zabini, and Pansy Parkinson. None of them seemed too excited to be there either. It didn't surprise Harry at all that Malfoy was the picture of perfection even in the middle of the night. It was rather unnerving.

"Please, all of you, make yourselves at home. I'm afraid we may be here for some time. There are many things we need to discuss and not much time to do the discussing." He went about with his wand and offering tea to those who now inhabited his office. Many indulged themselves, hoping to wake up a bit more before they had to listen to what was about to be said.

"We've learned tonight that Voldemort has increased his control of the Ministry of Magic. With Lucius Malfoy spreading fear to everyone there, everyone is backing him up on taking over the school. I'm sure you can all guess what that will mean for us. If Lucius Malfoy and the Death Eaters take over the school, it won't be long before Voldemort himself shows up and I think all of us know we aren't prepared to fight such a battle." Dumbledore paused momentarily to let the news sink in. He wasn't sure if they all understood what that meant but each one of them know it wasn't good.

He cleared his throat and continued on. "We know that there isn't much time and what we have to do is stall. The Ministry is supposed to be here in the afternoon to assume control over the school and the students. I'm not sure how much longer after that Voldemort will appear but we think we may have a couple weeks time. Severus came tonight with information that he's not ready to fight a battle either. So we have a little time on our sides."

"That is where the eight of you come in." McGonagall interjected, looking over each of them. "The Headmaster asked us to assemble a group of you that could leave the school."

"Leave the school to go where?" Malfoy quickly interrupted.

"There's a spell. No one has actually claimed to have found it, but it's said to have been created during Medieval times as an extreme alternative to the Killing Curse. The artifacts that may have contained such information have stayed in the family with him they originated years and years ago."

"We have them." Draco spoke again realizing where this was going.

"The Ministry investigated the Manor years ago but Lucius did an excellent job hiding them. But he's bragged for years at possessing them. We know he has them, where is the only question that remains." Snape went into further explanation, not enjoying fading into the background.

"So you want the eight of us to charge into Malfoy Manor looking for these documents?" Harry questioned lost by this point. What sense did it make to send them to the heart of the problem.

"I understand your concern Harry. I've been contemplating this decision myself. I don't think anyone would expect me to send eight of our best students off like this. And certainly not to the one place that could be the most dangerous. Believe me Harry, I've gone over every other possibility." Dumbledore sounded sincere enough so Harry intended on humoring him until he knew more of what was going on.

"The only problem is that we aren't sure that Lucius still even has the artifacts. With He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named assuming power again, we believe he may have transferred all of that to him. That means, they could be at his old residence. The Riddle House." McGonagall seemed a lot calmer than she actually was. She was petrified of sending them out there like this but from their point of view, there was no other option.

"So what is it you want us to do?" Hermione was growing uneasy.

"We need the eight of you to find out if Voldemort is indeed in possession of these documents and secure them ourselves. I think this may be the way to defeat him once and for all and he knows it. If you accept, the four of you are going to be separated into two groups and at daybreak, will leave the grounds. As I've said, you have two weeks at the most which should be enough time to get to your destinations."

"And if we decline?" Pansy spoke up from the silence.

"Then we don't have much hope otherwise."

"I'll do it." Ron spoke up causing murmurs from the others to fill the room in agreement.

"You won't be allowed any to very little magical ability. Your magic will be easily traced, at least those of you who are still legally underage. Most of this will be carried out on foot although at times broom may be the only way of going about it." They all were feeling completely overwhelmed. The Headmaster had just sprung all of this on them and was expecting them to leave at the first sign of sun. It was all happening too fast and Blaise knew she might need some sort of draught before the morning came.

"I understand how you are feeling. But we have to act fast. Time is slipping away. Soon it might be too late." Dumbledore paused and offered a weak smile. "The spell you are looking for is in Salazar Slytherin's own books. It was a very medieval spell but he seemed eager to get a chance to use it. Thankfully he never got that chance. We aren't sure exactly what it entails but all of that should be listed with the parchments. Once you have the spell, apparation will be up to you. You won't need to worry about being caught as by that point, you'll have what we need to defeat this evil. I don't want to keep you much longer. I'm sure each of you needs a little time to gather yourself and prepare. Mr. Malfoy, Miss Zabini, Miss Granger, and Mr. Weasley will leave for Malfoy Manor first. Carry only what you need as it will only make things harder. Bring two brooms for the four of you, as well. Mr. Potter, Miss Weasley, Mr. Longbottom, and Miss Parkinson, you will leave half an hour after they have. The same things apply although I do hope you'll bring your Invisibility Cloak, Harry." Harry just nodded and Dumbledore went on. "I can't offer help when the time comes. I can't even go down to meet you. I have faith in everyone of you and I know that you can do this."

"It seems to me, we have to do this."

"I suppose you're right, Harry. Time is scarce and you may be last hope we have."

……

Draco seemed to drag as he walked the seemingly endless path back to the dungeons. Pansy and Blaise were walking with him but he felt so alone. They were going to have to do this. They'd foolishly agreed and now he was going to publicly betray his family and the cause he was supposed to support. He'd be exposed for what he'd really become and the thought sent chills through his body.

Blaise seemed to sense his uneasiness and reached out and took his hand. She smiled lightly, catching up with the pace he was at, leaning close.

"Worried?"

"What was your first indication?"

"Try not to. I mean honestly, Dumbledore wouldn't send his Golden Boy off to be slaughtered would he?"

"You forget we aren't with Potter."

"Yeah but we are with The Weasel and Granger. We'll be fine." She could tell by the look on his face it was more than that. "There's something else isn't there?"

"Your father?" Pansy had chosen to enter the conversation at that moment and drifted closer to the pair.

"Not just him. What are we supposed to do when we're summoned? We just don't go? They'll know instantly and they'll be looking for us. All three of us will be known spies and who knows what'll happen to Sev. He's supposed to keep tabs on us. How would he not know we've been reporting to Dumbledore? This is all just crazy."

"Woah, woah, woah! You're thinking too far into this. Sev's going to be fine. No one is going to suspect him in this. He may be a greasy git sometimes but he's a smart guy. He knows what he's doing." Pansy was beginning to make sense and he slid an arm around her, pulling her close to the pair.

The trio had so far become the only Slytherins to take the mark and had since bonded. It wasn't about foolish school crushes or Quidditch for them any longer. In the year that had passed, they had to grow up quicker than anyone should have to. But having a skull burned unmercifully in your skin will do that to someone.

Blaise took things a lot harder than the others. Her parents had been neutral in the first bout with Voldemort but with his return, her father learned it might not be so easy this time. Blaise still woke with nightmares of taking the mark and it left her tiptoeing into bed with Draco. Of course he wasn't used to having to be so reassuring but he knew she didn't have anywhere else to go. And he knew that if he needed it, he could crawl into her bed any night.

Pansy, much like himself, put on a stiff face. She preferred not to talk about the memories of that night and when she suffered through a particularly bad night, she used extra vanity spells in the morning and went on. Draco knew she spent an awful lot of time making sure she had enough clothing to efficiently cover the blemish on her left arm. She didn't rely on the two of them for strength too often. She was a very self-reliant person beyond the superficial behavior.

Draco took things just the way they came. He never spoke of what happened after he'd been summoned. He'd listen for hours to Blaise and Pansy but never once shared his own experiences. They were too painful for him to bring to the top and whether or not he liked it, a Malfoy didn't flaunt emotion like that. He let it slide with the girls, after all, they were both so strong that they were occasionally entitled to such behavior. He on the other hand felt weak. He should've stood up against his father and told him that he didn't want the Mark. He should've done so many things that he never did. He knew if he'd chosen to do things any differently he'd be dead but still the thought haunted him.

"I really hope you're right, Pans."

"Of course I am, when am I not?" She smiled lightly. "Are you guys going to try and get some sleep?"

"I might, I have a feeling it won't be that easy either." Blaise groaned as Draco muttered the password to the still dark common room.

"It doesn't help to know that in the morning we're stuck spending the next two weeks in nothing but Gryffindor company. At least you two have each other. I'm stuck with Potter and his bumbling fan club." The other two smirked in response to her complaining and she gave up, trudging up to her dorm to try and get at least a little sleep before they had to leave.

"You going to bed?" Blaise questioned, as the pair stopped in the common room.

"I think I might try."

"Can I join you?"

"Keep this up Zabini and people may begin to question your sexuality." The pair started up towards Draco's own dormitory. It was pretty much silent in there, the only noise were the snorting grunts and snores from the other beds that were occupied.

"Then they'd see me cast a longing glance in Lisa Turpin's direction and I'd erase all doubt they could muster." She smiled but they didn't talk any longer as the pair all but collapsed into the four poster bed of Draco's and pulled the curtains shut. Draco couldn't help but think this might be his last night behind those curtains and although he never spoke his concern, he was scared.

……

Things in Gryffindor Tower were much more hectic and a lot less understanding. Hermione was frantically reading everything and anything within a five mile radius, hoping to find the spell. She knew it was pointless but she could try. Ron was pacing anxiously and muttering about spending two weeks with that Malfoy git. Ginny had decided to pick through what she had and shrink nearly everything so that she might be able to carry it. At the same time she was reading notes about how to execute the Engorgio spell. Neville was just nervous. It was the only way to describe him. He was a mess.

The five of them were all in the common room trying to remain as quiet as possible while waiting for the time to come and for their departure. No one dared to mention it yet. It seemed they all liked the prospect of pretending that maybe sunrise wouldn't come, foolish as it was. It was an alternative to worrying about what might happen to them outside the walls of Hogwarts.

Harry wasn't even sure where The Riddle House was. Sure, the other group was going to have no trouble. After all, Malfoy lived there. Harry on the other hand was at a loss for where it even was, let alone in which direction to set out. He doubted that there would be any maps either. The Riddle House wasn't something most people went out searching for a good time. Most people avoided the place altogether. Especially after the Ministry refused to allow The Order the keep an eye on the house to begin with.

Hermione, although engulfed in one of the books she was reading, patted is hand which rested upon his knee. She could tell he was a mess. She herself wasn't too far from it if truth be told. Hermione just knew that she was going to need to remain calm and collected. Especially since she'd be traveling with Draco Malfoy. She sincerely hoped this wasn't one big mistake just waiting to be made. She would be prepared. She'd pulled out every spell book she could find and quite to her own disgust, ripped out pages that could be of help. Invisibility spells, repelling charms, and some defensive tactics which come in handy. She didn't know if it would help but she needed to do something.

"Are you defiling that book, Hermione?" Ron questioned from the chair across from their couch.

"I'm trying to find spells that might come in handy."

"I never thought I'd see the day. Hey Harry, hand me Hogwarts: A History and we're start ripping pages from that." He continued joking, somewhat lightening the mood with the group.

"Don't you dare!" She warned but it was too late, Harry had the book and had already gotten up, tossing it off to Ron as Hermione lunged at him.

"Come on Hermione, it could be useful." Ron teased opening the book and gripping onto one of the pages. He tossed it off quickly to Harry again as Hermione fell a top of him in the chair.

"Good point, Ron. And I think it'll be fun." Harry chided scrambling through pages, pretending to be looking for something useful. He stopped paying much attention to the brunette though and soon found himself tumbling back, no way of throwing the book off. As the pair of them hit the ground, Hermione secured her book and gave a smug smile.

"So much for quiet, huh?" Ginny smiled seeing Seamus wander down the stairs and give them a suspicious look.

"You think you all could keep it down a bit." The group laughed audibly and he gave up, shaking his head as he walked back up the stairs.

So all they could do was wait. Wait until the sun peeked it's way beyond the horizon and light the way they would be traveling. Only a few more hours time for them to remain in the safety of Hogwarts. No one was sure what to expect but most of them expected the worst.

……

Alrighty, what did ya'll think? I got this little plot bunny and decided to start it. I'm not sure length wise where this is going but there's quite a bit that I already have planned out so it should get up there in chapters. As long as I get lots of praise and encouragement! Though I'd include just a little bit of character note before the story goes on any further…

There isn't any certainty as to Blaise's gender and I know people usually portray him as a guy but I like the idea and she's going to be important later on. On the same note, I know Draco was being awfully nice to the two of them. But I look at it this way, they're all trying to deal with what's going on and it's natural to cling to anyone that can understand. Don't expect him to be that way with the Gryffindors. Oh no, no, no. The three of them are just relatively close.

I'm searching for a BETA too! I'm going to keep updating but it won't be as quick. I really need a second opinion about what fits and what doesn't. So if you are interested, you can e-mail me, or contact me VIA AIM. I'd be VERY appreciative.

If you have any questions, concerns, comments, PLEASE, don't hesitate to leave me a review. In fact I'd love you forever if you did. I'll include responses in the next chapter.