A Flower's Magic

Summary: Translated from Umbre77's. Captured by Voldemort, Harry has no other choice than accept defeat. But Draco Malfoy, for his part, doesn't want to die! Even if it means changing the past to save himself! Slash

Author's note: Good news, I've started writing chapter 19, so we still have a margin…

PS: This takes place before the Deathly Hallows

Warning: This is a translation from Umbre77's fiction; I own nothing (except the mistakes you might find)

Translator: Layrel

Beta: Little Karma

oOO

Chapter 1: Albus Dumbledore's last trump card

1971…1971…24th December 1971… The date kept circling inside his head. It was impossible! Unthinkable! They couldn't be there! It was a mistake! It had to be!

"Ma…Malfoy," he said, "it's a joke, right? It can't be… I mean…that… It's…"

"It's the truth." Interrupted the blond, annoyed by his stammering. "We went back in time, Potter. We're in 1971 and it's Christmas Eve!"

Harry swallowed. The words kept repeating themselves but his mind refused to acknowledge them. He couldn't accept this!

"We're violating one of the most important rules of the magical world! No one has the right to change the past! No one!"

Hermione's voice kept echoing in his mind, giving him a headache. He let himself fall against the tree, the watch still in his hand.

"Why? Why are we…"

"It was Dumbledore's idea." Replied his guide.

Harry lifted his head so quickly he could hear the bones in his neck crack. A shiver of pain raced through him but he ignored it.

"How…?"

"I don't know. After Severus killed him, he took me home. At Malfoy Manor. He spoke up for me to… to him but he wouldn't hear of it. He tortured me and threw me in the dungeons. One day, Severus came to visit. He explained he was giving me a second chance and that I should do everything to satisfy him. That he was working on some task Dumbledore gave him to get us rid of him. A month later, I was back in the dungeons. He punished me because I couldn't kill. That day, Severus came and explained to me Dumbledore's plan…"

Malfoy looked sombre and shivered from the cold air. He didn't stand up though and took a breath to continue his story.

"From what he told me, Dumbledore knew he was dying. He had contracted some weird disease. That's what blackened his hand."

Harry blenched, his eyes widening at that. It wasn't a disease that had blackened his hand. It was the horcrux hidden in the ring! Did Snape know that? If he did, had he consciously lied to Malfoy?

"Apparently, that disease was going to kill him. So when he discovered I was tasked to off him… And that Severus was risking his cover as a spy to save us both… He asked him to kill him if I couldn't. I don't know how but he made him promise."

"For the last time, Harry, do I have your word that you will do everything to make me drink this potion till the end?"

Dumbledore and his damned persuasion skills!

"But he had a plan…in case things turned sour after his death. I don't see how things could have turned for the better, but the old fool seemed to think there was some hope, even if he died. Well the plan was simple: if things turned nightmarish, Snape was to go back in time, warn that time's Dumbledore, maybe kill Voldemort for good himself before his first Fall!"

Harry's eyes popped out and he felt his mouth opening. Kill Voldemort. Before his Fall; before his parents' death.

'But his plan had a flaw' he thought. 'Dumbledore knew about the horcruxes and I. So he knew Snape stood no chance, along with Malfoy…'

He frowned, rubbing his forehead painfully.

"Snape told you nothing else? Why didn't he come himself?"

"Apparently, he didn't want to. I don't know why, but this past… He had no wish to live here permanently…"

"Permanently? You mean we'll never be able to go back to our own time?"

"Think for once, Potter! If we change the past, the future, Our future, will never come to pass. We'll never be able to go back!"

Harry swallowed. Never. Never! He closed his eyes and leaned against the tree trunk again. He would never see their time again. His friends… Another shiver ran down his spine. His friends were dead anyway. Even if he went back, he would not be able to see them. Here, at least, everything would change… He could prevent the Weasley's atrocious death…and Hermione's…and everyone else's!

Quickly, he opened his eyes and turned his head towards Malfoy.

"Ok, what's the plan?" he said.

The blond seemed surprised to see him accept their situation so fast.

"Go see Dumbledore. Tell him everything. And see from then on with him. That's all Severus told me."

The brown haired boy nodded and, with some difficulty, got up.

"Well, where are we?"

"The Forbidden Forest" answered Draco while getting up.

He winced painfully.

"In our time, he lifted the anti-apparition wards but, here, they're still up. We should have therefore landed in the Forest, just next to Hogwarts."

The brunette nodded and looked at their surroundings. A clearing in the mass of trees informed him quickly. The castle was that way, without a doubt.

"Will you be able to walk on you own?" he asked the blond. In the daylight, he looked even worse!

"Yeah. The Painless Potions are still working well enough!"

Harry only nodded and turned again towards the forests' edge. It was one thing to know where the castle was, but another altogether to find Dumbledore. The old headmaster, even if he were in his office, would have a weird password impossible to find… And he had no wish to ask everyone in the castle for it!

Focused as he was on his thoughts, he didn't notice that they had reached the Hogwarts' grounds, or that a few students were playing in the snow. It was the laughter that surprised them. He started and lifted his eyes. They were only four and running after each other, snow balls in hand. A small smile graced his lips upon the sight of such innocence. From the coloured scarfs, he recognised two Hufflepuffs, a Ravenclaw and a Gryffindor. It was Winter break and they must've been the only students left. He had also, in the past, played on the grounds with Ron and Hermione…

Heartache drew him away from the thought. That, and the dark shadow towering over him. Lifting his eyes up, Harry almost wept in joy, before remembering that the Hagrid in front of him didn't know him yet. The half-giant's suspicious look hurt him but he didn't doubt they would become good friends again. With some difficulty, because of the cold and pain he felt, he smiled.

"Hello." He said.

He heard Malfoy stop behind him. He of course had had some trouble walking.

"Hullo" responded Hagrid, distrustful. "Who're yeh and what're yeh doin' here?"

Harry shrugged. He couldn't present himself as Harry Potter so he couldn't answer.

"We are travellers. We are hurt, hungry and cold and above all, we wish to see Professor Dumbledore urgently. Could you go fetch him? We promise to stay here."

Hagrid seemed to size him up. He tilted his head, as if his face looked familiar to him but couldn't put a name on it. Harry shivered at the thought. His father was at Hogwarts now, being 11… Did they look so much alike that Hagrid could notice familiar traits? The half-giant finally took a step back.

"Higgins!" he shouted.

One of the kids stopped playing and ran up to them.

"Sir?" he said, looking at them curiously.

"Go an' fetch Professor Dumbledore. He's need'd here…"

The boy nodded and left running. The tree other children came up closer. Harry shivered as he watched the Gryffindor. His face was familiar yet he was not one of the Marauders.

"Hello!" said one of the Hufflepuffs. "Who are you?"

"Travellers" answered Harry.

"My name is Drake" Followed Malfoy. "Drake Manfred. And this is Ash Promise."

Harry stifled a laugh at the ridicule name Malfoy had given him. Blondie didn't look too hard for a name! His last name's first letter and a whole that sounded vaguely like his own name… Such an idea!

"I'm Franck Longbottom!" exclaimed the Gryffindor. "Why are you here?"

"We wish to see Professor Dumbledore," answered Harry, looking as the old man just walked down the front steps.

"Whew," said one of the Hufflepuffs close to Draco, "You stink!"

The blond restrained himself from grunting in annoyance. He was perfectly aware of that, thank you very much!

In front of him, Harry couldn't prevent himself from laughing. He stayed focused on the approaching headmaster tough. When he got closer, he stopped and stared at them both.

"They want'd teh see yeh, Sir." Said Hagrid. "They came ou' of the forest…"

The old headmaster nodded his head. In front of him, Harry could hardly breath. It was like a dream come true. Albus Dumbledore was in front of him, alive, breathing…and looking at him with a questioning look. Malfoy laid his hand on his shoulder and Harry only then noticed he was hyperventilating and crying. The people present were looking at him with surprise. Next to him, Malfoy was quiet but the hand on his shoulder was holding him so tightly it was painful.

"We need to talk." Said the blond. "In private. About really -really- important things!"

The headmaster vaguely nodded, still staring at Harry. The latter eventually averted his eyes. It was so hard seeing people he had seen die still alive. To see them looking at him with mistrust and not being able to simply tell them he loved them with all his heart, and that he was happy to see them again. Oh yes, so happy!

A push made him move forwards. He noticed after a moment that they were getting close to the castle and that Malfoy was forcing him to move with a hand in his back. He waved him off, and the hand disappeared. Entering Hogwarts seemed also difficult. The front steps reminded him of dozens of good memories, but also his arrival, 20 years later, surrounded by Death Eaters. A shiver ran down his back, followed closely by a second one, caused by the halls' warmth, which were empty. They passed many hallways and passed along some stairs until they were in front of the gargoyle. Harry wasn't surprised to see it moving away without a password. It must've recognized Dumbledore. They went up the stairs and, as they arrived upstairs, Harry choked up again upon seeing Fawkes. On his perch, the phoenix turned around to face them. He seemed quite young, a sign he had burned not long ago.

Surprisingly, the moment Harry sat down, the bird landed on his armrest. Behind his desk, Dumbledore seemed as surprised as Malfoy. Harry, on the other hand, only smiled slightly. Fawkes didn't know him, without a doubt. But he also knew the phoenix could read feelings as easily as a human reads books. Harry's joy to see him again was enough for the animal to trust him, even if he was puzzled.

"Well… If I was not already sceptic considering of your appearance, here is something that would surprise me even more!"

Harry looked up at him. He swallowed. How was he going to tell his story? How to do it?

"My name is Draco Lucius Malfoy," said his neighbour, making him jump. "I am 17. I am the son of Lucius Malfoy and Narcissa Black. And I come from the future."

Harry stared at him. He hesitated for a moment then gathered his courage.

"My name is Harry James Potter. I am also 17. I am the son of James Potter and Lily Evans. And I come from the future."

In front of them, the headmaster was looking at them with renewed interest. Harry noticed he didn't hesitate to look in their eyes to see if they were lying or not.

"You know Voldemort?" asked Harry, Dumbledore staring at him immediately. "We do. Malfoy just spent 6 months in his dungeons under torture. And I… I spent a couple of minutes there, before our hurried departure. We are here…because…huh…"

"Because he won," continued Malfoy. "In 20 years, Voldemort won. You're dead. The order of the phoenix is buried. Practically no one fights against him. He even moved in Hogwarts. He reigns there as if it's his castle!"

Dumbledore raised a hand, interrupting them.

"Wait a second." He said. "Should not silence be …?"

"No" said Harry. "We're here, in this time, to tell you all this. We're here to kill him before it all happens. Because if it does…then believe me, it will be worse than any nightmare you could ever have. Malfoy isn't lying when he says everyone is dead. I saw them all, dying one after the other. My own parents died when I was only a toddler. And the majority of the order of the phoenix's members was killed during the six months following your death…"

He fought briefly against tears. He felt compelled to beg Dumbledore for forgiveness. That he had honestly tried to destroy Voldemort during those five months. That he had looked for the Horcruxes desperately. That he was sorry he failed… But this Dumbledore knew nothing about this mess yet.

"I believe we should start with the beginning." He sighted, tired. "You probably know of Voldemort 's aims?"

"I am afraid not." said the old man. "Although I do know what kind of nefarious person he is, I haven't seen him for at least a decade. Which makes me surprised to hear you talk in such terms…"

Harry glanced at Malfoy, unsettled. The latter sighed.

"The first war only began in 1974. Technically, we're 3 years early, but Severus believed it was better like this, to have some leeway."

"Some?" asked Harry. "Why not even go back to his childhood while you're at it? We could've simply killed him as a child!"

"Because you would be able to kill a child?" countered Malfoy.

Harry opened his mouth, ready for a come back, but then closed it. No, he couldn't. Even if that child was a psychopath!

"That's what I thought." Continued the blond boy. "Ok… Well, here it hasn't started. But in three years, he will begin gathering followers. He will start killing, and corrupting. It will be a war! You have to be prepared, because he will be merciless. That war, from where we come from, is the first war. It will end in 1981. Our goal, by coming here, is to make sure it definitely ends in 1981."

"Why did it not end in 1981?" asked the old man.

He seemed to be trying to understand, Harry sighed.

"We have to start with the beginning Malfoy." He said. "You're confusing him more then anything else. So…Voldemort. Also known as Tom Riddle. Set on gaining power. He thinks that muggles and muggleborns should die. That he's the best, because he's Slytherin's heir. He's powerful and cunning. He fears only two things: you and death. Your fate will get settled in 1994: you'll be killed an evening in June… For death, it gets complicated and I will explain in due time."

Next to him, Malfoy was staring with a questioning gaze. Harry vaguely waved him of, preventing further questions.

"I don't know what happened during the first war." He continued. "Only that there many deaths, sadness and treason, that people were terrified and that giants, dementors and some others creatures allied with him. He promised power to the purebloods freedom to the rejects of the current society. The power hungry Purebloods quickly accepted to join. Sadists came naturally. A true war started against them. The ones rejecting to follow were either killed, or imperiused. Terror quickly settled amongst the population. You, on the other hand, created the Order of the Phoenix in order to fight against Voldemort and his organisation. You took everyone trustworthy. To my knowledge, there was ever only one traitor in the whole organisation."

He closed his mouth a moment, thinking. Malfoy tried to talk but Harry made him quiet.

"Leave it." Harry said. "I know more about this than you do!"

The blond boy answered with an annoyed sigh, but Harry was already explaining again.

"I don't know how this war was faring, but I'm sure of this: one day, you had an interview with a potential Divination professor. My parents were already adults and married. Severus Snape was also a Death Eater – that's his followers' name. That day, you went to the Hog's Head to meet the applicant. It was a woman, Sybill Trelawney, and even if she sounded completely fake to you, that day she had a trance, a real one. She gave you a prophecy."

Next to him, Malfoy started to get agitated. When Harry turned towards him, he saw that the blond was completely captivated by his story. Of course, his father must've talk to him at least once about this, during his fifth year. Maybe even after, if they had met again, he didn't know, but that meant Malfoy knew the prophecy was important.

"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches… born to those who have thrice defied Him, born as the seventh month dies… and the Dark Lord will mark him his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not… and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives… the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies…"

A deafening silence fell over the office. Fawkes put his head on Harry's shoulder as the latter starred at the old headmaster.

"That child is me." He said, ignoring Malfoy's gasp. "I was born the 31st of July. My parents… well I don't know how but they defied him thrice. And more importantly… he marked me as his equal."

Saying that, Harry swept away his hair, revealing his scar.

"The 31st October 1981, the day he died for the first time, he came to my home. My parents were in hiding because you told them he would try to kill me. They had a Secret Keeper named Peter Pettigrew. You thought that it was Sirius Black, my father's best friend, but they lied to you. Unfortunately, Pettigrew was a traitor and revealed their location to Voldemort. The latter came one Halloween night. He killed my father, then my mother, even if he didn't want to kill her. She was protecting me and hindering him. She begged him to let me live, to take her life instead. But he didn't care and killed her. That's what saved me. It's old magic, you told me… My mother's love protected me. When Voldemort flung the Killing curse at me, it… let's say it rebounded. And Voldemort was destroyed. Or at least, partially, because he couldn't die."

Dumbledore now seemed captivated by his words – and he wasn't the only one. Malfoy was definitely drinking in his words.

"What Voldemort fears the most, after you, is his death. In order to prevent that, he created horcruxes."

This time, Dumbledore's eyes widened. Malfoy, for his part, seemed clueless. He visibly didn't know what they were and Harry decided to explain. After all, they were partners in this endeavour now.

"A horcrux is an object, or a living creature, in which resides a piece of one's soul. This way, when if the person is killed, their soul cannot disappear because the horcruxes forces the soul to stay on earth. Because of this, when Voldemort was hit by his own curse, his soul stayed 'earth-bound'. To our knowledge, there exist seven of them. In this time, I mean in 1971, I know there are at least four. I don't know when the others will be created."

"Sweet Merlin!" exclaimed Malfoy. "Was Severus aware of this?"

"I don't know." Answered Harry. "But I think not. He would have told you otherwise. What is the point of going back in the past if you don't know the most important facts? No, I don't think he knew. On the other hand, you said this was all Dumbledore's idea?"

"Yes, that's what Severus told me…"

"Humm… Then it's possible that Dumbledore specified that I was the one to go. Think about it! He could've given you the petals a lot earlier! He was free to come see you whenever, wasn't he? Why give them last night? To bring me to you, and more importantly so I could go back in time with you!"

"That's too far-fetched, Dumbledore couldn't guess it would turn in such a situation!"

"That you would come with me certainly not, but that Snape would find me and go back with me, that he could do! Snape just altered things. He wanted to save you and himself, I think…"

"What do you mean?" asked Draco.

"Well, if we kill Voldemort quickly enough, then maybe Snape will never become a Death Eater! He won't have to live with his old memories, given that they would have never happened in the first place!"

Malfoy nodded, it made sense. In front of them, Dumbledore was following the conversation, interested.

"But isn't Severus Snape a Death Eater?" he asked.

"He's a double agent." Answered quickly Draco.

"Apparently, he has your complete trust." Followed Harry.

"You do not seem to like him, though." Insisted the headmaster.

"Let's say there is a certain… shared animosity between us. It's a long story and I'm not sure I want to tell you about it right now… The focus, for the time being, is Voldemort. He has to be killed before 1981! The seven horcruxes must be found. I don't know the exact dates of creation, but I know he had them all before 1981. He already has at least four. Unfortunately, we cannot kill him unless the last ones are destroyed. Or he will come back, like in our past. He came back during our fourth year…and the second war began."

Dumbledore nodded pensively. Harry held his tongue. He didn't know what else to say. His head was killing him from overworking. Bloody hell, in his time, only two horcruxes remained and now he had to start all over again! At least, he knew where they were this time. At the thought, his eyes widened. What an idiot!

"Wait, he came a decade ago?" he asked.

The headmaster confirmed. Harry had a vague smile and stood up. He didn't wait and practically ran out. He vaguely heard Malfoy calling after him and following him, along with Dumbledore as he kept running. He ran trough the stairs at such a speed he felt like he was flying. If only he could already get one! Just one!

The bare wall of the Come and Go room quickly came before him and he stopped. He heard Dumbledore and Malfoy reach him as he has turning a third time in front of the wall. That was the reason he had been captured. He had come to Hogwarts for that horcrux! If he followed this reasoning and he remembered Dumbledore's memory of Voldemort coming for a job application correctly, Ravenclaw's diadem was in the Room of Requirements. Unfortunately, in his time, he had been unable to ever confirm this theory.

The door finally appeared and he entered right away. He wasn't surprised to see the room's mess and ignored Malfoy's breath intake. The latter must've recognized the room where he had spent the majority of his sixth year but Harry was focused on something more important. What was the point in speaking about that now? What was done was done… And he had heard enough on the tower to know the blond boy's motivations – understandable motivations. He didn't know how he would've acted had it been him.

"What exactly are you looking for, my boy?" asked Dumbledore.

"Ravenclaw's diadem." He answered.

"But it's a myth!" exclaimed Malfoy.

"No. I have no proof, but I know there's a diadem here. And that it's a horcrux. If you find it before me, do not touch it and call me!"

He receded without waiting for an answer. He couldn't remember the place where he had seen it very well, but he remembered seeing it there when hid Snape 's potion manual. He was aware, of course, that destroying Ravenclaw's horcrux would change nothing. There were still six others to destroy. But just destroying this one would still be a nice revenge.

"Hey, Potter," whispered Malfoy next to him. "Do we really have to do this now? I'm dead tired…"

"Oh, I'm sorry, go on and sit down, I won't mind. But personally, I just want to get my hand on this…"

His eyes were looking everywhere. He heard Malfoy sigh and Dumbledore chuckle. He didn't care about resting; he wanted to get his hands on that thing once and for all! Walking thru the alleys, he sighed heavily.

"If only the Room was smaller…" he said.

"My boy," stepped in Dumbledore, "I believe Mr Malfoy is correct. To do this can wait until later day. You are both exhausted and are in dire need of a bath, a good night's sleep, a good meal and medical attention. Maybe…"

"No." interrupted Harry. "I know I don't have to do this today, but… I got captured as I was looking for this. In my time, it was the second to last left."

"What are the other ones?" asked Malfoy, looking around him.

"Slytherin's medallion and ring, Voldemort's diary, Hufflepuff's cup and a snake belonging to Voldemort."

There was a heavy silence then:

"But that's only six! What of the seventh?"

Harry stopped walking.

"No need to know what it is," he coldly replied, "I'll deal with it personally…"

Silence followed the declaration as Harry started walking again. The seventh…He put a hand over his stomach. The seventh… A shiver went down his spine and he stopped. He could feel it. Deep inside, a dark shadow was growing restless. He wasn't far. Looking up, he searched around him. He was there… a few feet away. His eyes wide, Harry felt tears pooling up again.

For a month, he had despaired to find it. And yesterday… Yesterday, he had went to Hogwarts, hidden under his father's invisibility cloak, wand in hand. He had arrived but before he could understand what was going on, a dozen Death Eaters captured him. He could only admit defeat. But now, he had to start all over again… No, not had to, but could! He could save everyone, even if they didn't ask for it. And for that, they had to start now, while they still could.

"In fact, there is at least five horcruxes, right now." He said. "What is left to know is whether the last two are already made, and if they are, where they are. All of them! Because I'm certain that some where given to loyal Death Eaters; Death Eaters that are only children at the moment…"

He prudently walked towards the filthy diadem, which almost seemed to glow under the Room's light.

"We will have to wait then." Concluded Dumbledore.

"Probably" answered Harry. "The problem is that I would have liked to prevent at least one of those Death Eaters from become Voldemort's lap dog."

He extended his hand and brushed it against the diadem. A pulse of magic ran up his arm but he ignored it; it always happened when he touched a horcrux.

"I have to destroy it." He said, facing the two others. "But…the means I found in my time are not…accessible right now."

"What means?" asked the headmaster.

"Basilic venom. I killed it…but here, it's still alive and I have no wish to face that again."

The older man seemed to approve.

"You seem to have lived a lot of adventures, Mr Potter…"

"A few, yes." Said Harry, a small smile playing on his lips. "But I don't have the energy to tell you right now. I think you're right; we need some sleep, a bath, food and medical attention, especially him. If you want, I can tell you all that tomorrow."

"Gladly. We all need, I think, to think of the actions to take from here. After all, you have given me information that needs full attention. And you…well you have an important mission to fulfil."

"What of the horcrux?" asked Malfoy, blinking against sleep.

"We'll see about it tomorrow." Answered Harry. "Professor…I don't have a wand anymore and neither does Malfoy…"

"We will think it over tomorrow. As for the object…"

He looked around him and took an eraser, which he enchanted. It became a thick metal box that the headmaster opened.

"Put it in here and take the box with you. It should stay still inside. Come… I will guide you to some rooms that should suit your needs. We will talk again tomorrow; of what is the suitable course of action, what you have experienced, and what we will do with this object."

Harry nodded, hugging the box to his chest. He followed the old man out of the room, Malfoy behind him.

To be continued…

Author's note: Here's the first chapter. It doesn't reveal much, but I like it. I hope you do too! I challenge you guys to guess who I'm going to stick Harry and Draco with…Just to see what impossible things you come up with…or to mess with you because you found the right answer!

See you later!