Chapter 2

Secrets, Lies, and other dirty tales

"HARRY JAMES POTTER!"

With a jolt, Harry fell off the couch he was napping on, and looked up into the dark brown eyes of Hermione Granger, his intelligent, bushy haired best friend.

"Oi, Hermione…quiet down, will you?"

"No, I will not! How could you? You went behind our backs...again!"

"Wha—?"

"I don't want to hear any more of your lies! I'm sick of it. I've stood by you for six years, through everything, but I won't support this! Especially with all the lies you've been telling."

Sitting up, Harry's tone grew serious. "Hermione, what the bloody hell are you talking about?"

"Don't play dumb, Harry! You're so selfish."

"I–"

"What's all the commotion down here?" a door opened, and a red haired, freckled faced boy, Ronald Weasley, stepped out of the boys dormitory stairwell, looking utterly confused…and a little frightened. "I could hear you two upstairs!"

"What's this about! Oh, let me tell you, Ronald. Harry here was with you-know-who last night. Again!" Hermione's eyes were wild with rage, her wand hand itching ever so much closer to the pocket where wand lay nestled among her Handheld Dictionary of A-Z Common Use Charms.

"..Harry?" Ron asked tentatively, suddenly looking ill.

With a sigh of deep exasperation, Harry nodded. "I'm sorry, guys…but Malfoy isn't nearly as bad as we thought...honest. And I've been helping him master a Punctum Hex…that's all."

"A Punctum Hex? Last I checked, you couldn't even successfully pull one off!"

"Harry, you know how you spending time with Malfoy makes us feel. He's the enemy. His parents are death eaters, and he's well on his way to becoming one…if he hasn't already."

"I can assure you that he isn't."

"And how do you know this? Huh? Don't tell me you've searched his body for the dark mark!"

"The dark mark is usually on the forearm, Hermione…you know this. I've used multiple revealing charms and I've found nothing. I don't think you need to worry about this so much."

Hermione stared at her friend with cold, calculating eyes. "We've risked our lives for you countless times, Harry. Hell, we're risking them now by even being here! And for what? For you. And you repay us by going behind our backs, and betraying our trust. How dare you? I'm done with this. Good luck, Harry."

With that, Hermione turned on her heel and left through the common room portrait entrance, making the fat lady giggle as she pushed upon the canvas. After the door swung closed, an uneasy silence settled upon the room as Harry and Ron stared across the room at each other, neither knowing what exactly to say.

"I...I didn't know you two were so opposed to me giving second chances." Harry could feel an immense burden settle upon his shoulders…and his heart.

"Mate, he's Draco Malfoy…he's been our enemy since day one. And now, all of a sudden, you two are buddy-buddy? It doesn't work that way…but I'm not going to give you grief over it. It's your decision. But don't expect me to become his friend. I still can't stand his ratty face."

"Well, Draco is a lot gentler than he comes off to be."

Oi, mate, don't gimme details." With a wink, Ron walked over to the nearest window and looked out over the great lake. "It's a nice day, eh, Harry? Why don't you go enjoy it? Get out of the common room for a bit."

"Well. I walked the grounds with Draco earlier…after the duel."

"Ahh. Well go again anyway. I have some studying to do, and I really need Hermione's help…but after that little episode, I don't think she wants to be near you..so..er.."

"I get it, Ron. I'll talk to you later."

Harry turned and exited Gryffindor tower, leaving Ron alone to stare out the window again, at a dark storm looming over the Forbidden Forest.

Bloody hell was the only thought running through the red head's mind as he settled into a chair to wait on his tutor.

….

Professor Minerva McGonagall swept through the great hall, cloak billowing behind her. She had received word that a Fiendfyre Curse had been set off in the dungeons below less than an hour ago, and she was now on her way to catch the perpetrator. Draco Malfoy.

"Malfoy! Over here. Now!"

The boy turned a snobby stare in her direction and with a few whispered words to his friends, which set off a round of giggles, stalked over to her.

"Yes, Professor?" his voice was full of sweet malice. Dressed in his every day, casual Slytherine attire, Malfoy looked odd peering up at the Gryffindor head of house, who was staring back with stern eyes.

"I've been told that you are the one responsible for the curse set off in the dungeons earlier. Is this true? Don't you dare lie to me."

"With all due…'respect', professor, Fiendfyre is a deadly curse well beyond my capabilities as a sixth year. Where in this bloody school would I learn magic of that proportion? Certainly you're not willing to teach it."

Raising herself to her full height, Professor McGonagall was truly a sight to behold when angry. "Damn straight I'm not, Malfoy. And you'd do best to hold your tongue." With her half-mooned spectacles sitting upon the room of her nose, she looked fierce.

"Me? Lie? I'm no liar, professor."

"You put on a show of being brave and strong, Malfoy, but really, you're only hiding behind your parents' power. But let me tell you this: Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy do not intimidate me in the least. And I would be proud to know that you told them so."

"I'm hiding behind no one, professor. Honestly, I didn't cast the curse."
"We shall see, Mal—."

All of a sudden, an explosion rocked the castle to its core. McGonagall looked away from her interrogation with panicked eyes. What was going on?

"Get to your dormitory. Go now."

"I…yes, professor." With that, Malfoy ran off towards the dungeons, as Professor McGonagall ran in the opposite direction, towards the ramparts.
"Professor McGonagall! We're under attack!"

"What are you talking about, miss Lovegood?"

Luna Lovegood, wearing a Ravenclaw skirt and cloak, ran up to the Transfiguration professor, breathing heavily. "Death eaters. Funny little men. They're just throwing themselves at the shield protecting the castle. I wonder if they know that they can't get in.." she looked away, deep in thought.

"Now's not the time to get sidetracked, Luna. Run get Professor Dumbledore, with all haste!"

"Aye, aye, Professor. Be careful, though. You've got snogglyworms trying to crawl up your nose…they're worse than boogies. Do be careful with those."
"Go!"

As the strange blonde haired girl ran off, another explosion rocked the castle. Whatever those death eaters were hitting the protection enchantments with was powerful enough to send shockwaves through the castle. Minerva McGonagall, widely known for her fearlessness and courage, was thoroughly worried. She had countless students to worry about.

Please hurry, Albus..