Disclaimer: I don't own anything - who cares?

Summary: Harry and Draco's fates intertwine unpredictably. The war rages on and things get complicated. Dumbledore isn't as good as he seems. Will he turn dark as winning the war becomes even more difficult? How far will everyone go to win as the war consumes them. Warnings: Ron turns 'dark' in this fic. Violence etc in later chapters. The rest is a surprise.

Seventh Year

Chapter One: Malfoy's POV

Draco Malfoy stared at his flawless reflection, smirking with satisfaction. His last year at Hogwarts, or HW as he preferred to call it, was going to be exciting. In three weeks, he would receive the honorable dark mark from Voldemort, his lord and master. Not yet his lord and master, but soon he would be. He glowed with anticipation. His entire life he had been groomed and prepared for this unavoidable eventuality. His parents, Lucius and Cissa were both high-ranking Death-eaters, successful and respected. As a proud Malfoy he was expected to shine as a good example for the new generation of Death-eaters, climbing the ranks with agility like Lucius. His smirk faded at the thought of Lucius. He would have to be better than Lucius. Lucius, he knew, would not help him once he was marked. Lucius would consider him just another threat. Lucius was no father to him, never had been. He had always been a tough disciplinarian, never hesitating before administrating a cruel punishment on an innocent six year old. Cissa, his mother, rarely saved him from Lucius mostly because she was always out of the country on some mysterious top secret assignment for the dark lord with her sister Bella. Malfoy was a quick learner. He rapidly memorized everything he was supposed to do and everything that was forbidden. His father rarely got the chance to punish him more than a handful of times in his entire life.

The dark lord would lead them to a well-deserved victory after defeating his arch enemy, the arch mage Dumbledore, the leader of the Light. Malfoy never had doubts as to which side he was on. He had analyzed the politics of the situation to every last molecule, assessing and re-assessing who had greater chances of winning. Definitely, it was his side, the side of Dark Magic. Still, he feared defeat at the hands of the Light. There were always unpredictable events that could tip the scales, and he had to prevent such things from happening at all costs. He had chosen his own side out of birth and selfishness.

Every witch and wizard body was built to withstand the flow of magic within. Magic was of two kinds, light and dark. Draco had no illusions about dark being evil and light being good magic. You could Crucio someone with light magic as efficiently as with dark. The difference was in the nature of the magic itself. Most people were made of a mixture of the two, based on their genes and the nature of the body and which magic it could bear more easily. Similar to blood vessels, there were vessels within their bodies that permitted the flow of magic. Most people carried a mixture of light and dark magic, with a dominant side. Dumbledore, for example, carried a mixture with a dominance of light magic.

Malfoy had discovered pretty early on that his body carried purely dark magic. It was a one in a million chance, Cissa had told him when he was little. It was because of this that he feared the Light winning even more. Every spell he cast, whether it was to re-fix his already perfect hair or tie his shoe-laces, would leave traces of dark magic. If the light side won, he would probably have to go into hiding because the ignorant citizens believed all dark magic evil. They believed anything the old fool served to them. Other dark magic dominants would probably survive because they were a controlled mixture that could cast both type of spells based on the situation, like Blaise and Pansy. Plus, they would not become Death-Eaters, so they would not fight and their chances of survival became higher still.

Draco Malfoy wanted above all to be successful, and second came survival. He wouldn't beg to continue living. He would rather die than stain his pride. He would not die like a rat. With the fast approaching war he had little illusions about his chances at surviving, but he would do anything to raise his chances of survival. Anything.

Chapter 2: Head Boy and Head Girl

Malfoy entered the Great Hall gracefully, his robes flying behind him gently, his eyes cold silver as he scanned the noisy crowd. His blonde hair fell in icy spikes around his head, and some of it was tied neatly behind his head. Taking his seat at the head of the Slytherin table, he fell into a discussion with Blaise and Pansy. They talked softly amongst each other, reveling in the delicious events that happened during the holidays. They did not shout and scream their welcomes like the idiotic Gryffindor and the Hufflepuff buffoons.

Crabbe and Goyle sat close by with dumb expressions on their faces. His silver eyes acknowledged a few Ravenclaws and two Gryffindor's. Only a lucky few were personally acknowledged by the most popular boy in school. His popularity was decided early on because of his amazingly good looks and endless Malfoy fortune. Malfoy enjoyed the popularity and used HW as his practice ground for playing politics. He kept good ties with a few important people, exchanged favors and generally made sure that his spotless reputation as a richy rich playboy would remain so. No one knew he excelled in dueling. No one knew that his knowledge of dark arts and dangerous potions and herbs rivaled several Ravenclaws. He refused to even look at Hufflepuff's, and mudbloods.

At the thought of the disgusting species of mudbloods who were allowed to study in the same school with him, his mouth nearly twisted into a sneer mid-conversation with Blaise. He prevented it with his carefully controlled mask of indifference that he kept at all times.

The sorting and the old fools speech was now over. They didn't pay attention to either. The speech was just propaganda, the usual stuff.

'A war is coming', Blaise mimicked the old fool's twinkling eyes quite well. Every student in the school already knew it. It was so obvious that it was only ridiculous to keep repeating it. Pansy said it was probably for the sake of the idiotic Hufflepuff's and Blaise nodded.

Suddenly, a loud shout made it to their table from the other side of the Hall. The meal had begun, and some Gryffindorks were busy 'pranking' each other. It soon quietened down though, and Malfoy's eyes fell on Ron Weasley, the source of the obnoxious sound. His face twisted into an ugly sneer as he said,

'The range of sounds that Weasel can make is disgusting.' Pansy giggled and Blaise added,

'The smart-alec mudblood and the weasel got together over the holidays.' Pansy added,

'She finally lost her virginity.' Blaise snorted, trying not to laugh outright. They watched silently as the weasel and the mudblood fell into a private conversation, until their hands linked with each others. Malfoy felt nauseous, but schooled his face to remain unperturbed. Blaise was making gagging noises, while Pansy had started discussing whether they were the most unattractive couple with the girl next to her. Malfoy allowed himself a few moments to study Potter, his arch nemesis. He was laughing and talking away with his housemates, his cheeks flushed pink and his green eyes shining. Malfoy fantasized of the day when he would kill him. Watch him die. Torture him. All, or any of the above. His attention fell back to the head table in the front of the hall. Finally the moment all the seventh years had been waiting for.

The irritating old fool stood up to announce the Head Boy and Head Girl. For a moment the Headmaster looked right at him and his heart froze. Then his glance washed over him to others nearby. Malfoy nearly let out a breath of relief. He could meet the headmaster's eyes without giving anything away because he had been trained in Occlumency and Leglimency for several years by Severus, his godfather. Still, the arch mages faded blue eyes struck fear into his cold heart. What if he knew he was going to get the mark? What if he knew that he was a purely dark wizard? What if he knew?

The Head Boy was announced. Malfoy's face showed only arrogance and self satisfaction as his name was read out. He did after all, excel in academics, sports, and even in the complicated social spheres of student life in HW. The Head Girls announcement made him angry. He was not surprised that Granger the Mudblood had secured the position. He wanted to scream, being compared to filth like her. She was not worthy to be alive. His eyes showed nothing. He smoothly walked to the dais and collected his badge with a smirk and managed a fleeting glare at Granger when the old fool wasn't looking. She just grinned at his glare and bounced back to her weasel to celebrate. He didn't dare let his face show hatred right in front of the headmaster and she knew it. Malfoy shook the headmaster's icy cold hand without a twitch and reached his own table. Those of light magic felt cold to his skin, alien and rejected by his body. Especially powerful light mages like Dumbledore. He shivered inwardly. He was welcomed at his own table warmly, surrounded and congratulated by everyone. One nameless Gryffindor came all the way to the Slytherin table to congratulate him. He allowed himself a rare smile.