Chapter 2
"So what do we do?" Ron asked.
"I...er…didn't figure that out." Draco said sheepishly. Ron sighed and rolled his eyes. Before Draco could retort, a grey cat came strutting around the corner. Bright yellow met his grey eyes.
"Damn!" Draco whispered. Ron grabbed Draco's upper arm and pulled him through the tapestry that brought him there. Mrs. Norris' meows echoed after them through the empty halls.
"What is it, my sweet?" They barely heard Filtch say.
"That path leads to right outside your common room." Ron whispered, pointing to the left, while going towards the one ahead. Just before the red head vanished, Draco called out.
"Weasley!" Ron turned around. "Er… thanks." He was going to leave but Ron called back.
"I'm doing it for Harry." Both quickly retreated to their designated dorms.
&&&&
Ron awoke the next morning, completely forgetting about yesterday's ordeal. When he rolled over to ask why his black haired friend hadn't gotten him up, the memories came rushing back. He rolled over, thankful it was Saturday.
"Won-Won! Get up! Hogsmead is waiting!" Lavender came prancing through the doorway and sat at the foot of Ron's bed.
"Lav, sorry, but I don't feel that great today." He lied quickly. His goal was to go to the library and figure out what the bloody hell Lilor was.
"Oh, I'll stay with you Ronnie-Poo!" She said happily.
"No!" He said, then, as her face fell, added "I don't want to stop your fun. Go with Pavarti, I'll see Pomfrey after I take a shower, okay?" He hoped she would go for it, and…
"Alright. Take it easy Ronald!" She warned. After giving him a gentle hug, she ran off to find her friends.
"Finally." He said to himself. Pretty sure he was one of the only allowed to go left, he headed for the shower.
In forty minutes he was outside of the library. As he walked in, he was thinking of exactly what he was looking for.
Before he could come to a decision, a blonde haired boy got his attention.
"Malfoy?" The boy's head shot out of the book he was holding.
"Oh, it's you."
"Why are you in here?"
"Why do you think? I don't like how things are now and I want them normal." He explained quietly.
"But You-Know-Who has power, Harry's on your side, Dumbledore and Hagrid are gone, and the pancakes are rubbery!" Ron said grumpily.
"I don't want the Dark Lord to have power, Potter's your friend, who cares about Dumbledore or Hagrid, and… did you say the pancakes are rubbery?" Draco replied. Ron nodded solemnly.
"Damnit!"
"Anyway… I thought you were following in daddy-dear's footsteps?" The Gryffindor said quizzically. The blonde looked murderous.
"Why in the name of Merlin would I want to follow that bastard! And You-Know-Who is going to lose, why side with him?"
"But I thought…"
"Thought what? That I like to torture muggles and kill innocent people? Perhaps my main goal in life is to rid the world of mud bloods." Ron had lost all ability to speak. "Listen, Weasley. Granger may not be my favorite person, but I don't wish her death. And Potter, we may be enemies... But I'll help him in anyway I can in the war against the Dark Lord." Ron stared at him in shock.
"Then why are you always such a prat to us?" He said slowly. Draco had a pained expression. He struggled to open his mouth.
"None of your bloody business!" He turned back to the book. Ron, wondering the reason, headed for the shelves.
"Mixed Magic." He read. "Sounds good." He told himself as he pulled it off the shelf.
"Oi, listen to this!" Draco said excitedly. Ron rushed over to him as the blonde began to read.
"Of the many spells that can come from mixing, Lilor and something I can't pronounce are the worst. Very few ways exist to reverse them. Even if you figure out how to, the spell is immensely complex. We suggest you try never to mix." Draco looked up.
"End of chapter. Well that was bloody helpful!" He threw the book aside and went to fetch a new one. Ron scanned through his and found a chapter on their spell.
"Shit! Nothing useful in this book either!" Ron tossed his book on Draco's previously discarded one.
"Nor in this." Another book joined the pile.
In an hour, there were five stacks of useless books.
"There has to be something in the restricted section!" Draco complained.
"Harry's cloak!" Ron exclaimed. When Draco gave him a blank stare, he went on.
"Harry's got an invisibility cloak! If you could get it from him…"
"Why would he let me take something like that without asking where I was going and why?"
"Who said he has to know?"
"If he catches us…!"
"We'll be invisible for crying out loud!" Ron argued. The Slytherin had a battle in his head.
"Fine. But I'm blaming you if we get caught." Ron nodded in agreement.
&&&&
"Where were you all day?" Harry asked Draco when he walked into Slytherin common room at six that night.
"I came back here early. Pansy tried to hold my hand." Draco answered convincingly. Harry and Blaise flinched.
"Sorry mate." Draco simply shrugged.
&&&&
After dinner, Draco's owl came soaring through his window.
soon as possible, library
-RW
Draco looked up. No sign of anyone around. He quickly walked over to Harry's chest and dug threw it. A few seconds of searching later, and he held the watery material in his hands.
Stuffing the cloak in his robe, Draco made his way down the stairs.
"I'll be in late. I'm meeting someone." Draco said with a wink to his friends before heading off to the library.
"Weasley." Ron turned.
"You've got the cloak, I see."
"I hope you don't, it's supposed to be invisible." Draco joked. He held up part of the cloak so his legs showed. The Gryffindor slipped under next to the blonde.
"This is closer then I've ever wanted to be to you." Ron whispered.
"Feelings completely mutual." Draco replied, just as quiet. Together, they crept through the oak doors of the library. They had just made it to the door for the restricted section when:
"Merlin's left saggy…!" Ron said before Draco threw a hand over his mouth. His eyes followed to where Ron's were so intently staring. Draco's jaw dropped.
There, laying on a small cot in the corner, was Madam Pince cuddled up with…
"Filtch?" Draco whispered in disgust. Both boys shook their heads to rid themselves of the image as they made their way past through the next door.
"Split up. If you hear someone come, run back to our dorms and we'll try another night." Ron recited the plan again.
"I know! Now go!" They went their separate ways and began to search for any help.
Twenty minutes later, they met at the back.
"I found eight books that might have something in them." Draco said.
"Good, I've got nine. Let's start reading."
The next two and a half hours were filled with reading big fat books. During which one would say they'd found something, read it aloud, and swear when they figured out it was as useless as the last.
"We've been at it for nearly three hours, and have found nothing! Absolutely nothing!" Draco said annoyed. Ron just rolled his eyes.
"Last book." He reached over and lifted up and old battered one.
"I bet it's as helpful as the rest." Draco mumbled. Rom rolled his eyes again. Though both held their breaths anyway as he opened the book.
"It's all about Lilor!" Draco exclaimed, reading over Ron's shoulder.
"Chapter 16: Reality." The boys looked at each other before frantically flipping through the pages.
"As you've learned, the spell is nearly irreversible." Ron read.
"Well duh!" Draco interrupted. Ron glared at him. Heart rate rising, he read on.
"The only known way is extremely difficult, and fatal if completed incorrectly. As of now, this is reality. How things used to be is the dream. The longer the time until you've finished the task, the increase in complexity. You're original lives are contained as a dream from childhood in the back of everyone's memory. However, the memories you would have, had you lived this life, are also in the backs of your own minds. Now you have two options: One, allow yourselves to slip into this new life, and simply forget the previous, or two, convince the affected he had lived another life." Ron looked up. "It didn't say how long we have."
"Well, I'm not giving up!" Draco said forcefully. Fully aware that he had already slipped a bit.
"Same here. I think we should get some sleep. Then brainstorm tomorrow night." The Gryffindor agreed.
"Brainstorm what?" Malfoy asked, feeling extremely stupid.
"How to convince Harry!" He replied exasperated.
"I'm tired, give me a break!"
"Merlin…" Ron whispered.
"G'night." The boys said before walking their separate ways. Ron assured Draco he would be find without the cloak.
It was one in the morning. The red head was too tired to care if he got caught as he walked sleepily through the halls.
'How in the name of Merlin are we going to get Harry to remember! Bloody hell!' Ron flopped himself facedown in his bed. He barely noticed that he had turned or walked down several flights of stairs. Without undressing, Ron fell into a deep sleep.
Ron's Dream
"Ron!" Mrs. Weasley said, wrapping her son up in a hug. "It'll be okay. We'll get her back." The woman mumbled more to herself. As he looked around the room he saw that his whole family was there, looking mournful. But something seemed off.
"Mum, where's Ginny?" He asked quietly. His mother's sobs only increased and she fell to the floor.
"Molly, dear." Mr. Weasley said, helping his wife to stand. Ron walked over to where his four older brothers were huddled around the fireplace.
"I can't believe she's gone." George said, shaking his head. Percy opened his mouth to agree, but only a small squeak escaped. Bill tried next.
"But who would do this? She was so nice, and it's her first year!" The oldest said sadly. Before Ron knew what he was doing, he stood in front of the group.
"It was the Malfoy's. Harry's a parseltongue, and Draco has always hated us! Together, they could have attacked every single muggleborn here and never be suspected because of their father!" He yelled out. Ron couldn't handle his anger any longer. He stormed out of the headmaster's office and down the hall. He walked to the dungeons and stood where he knew the entrance to Slytherin common room was. He waited until someone walked out, then quickly dashed in.
"Hold it, you're a Gryffindor!" They yelled to his back, but he paid them no attention. He ran, full out until he reached the boys staircase. Harry was standing at the foot of it, snogging some girl.
"Potter!" He screamed in his ear.
"Bloody hell Weasley! Why in the name of Merlin are you here?" The brunette asked. Ron ignored the question and punched him square in the nose.
"You're the reason my sister's dead!" He said, bringing his arm back for another swing. Draco came walking down the stairs, and froze the boy before he could attack.
"She was a filthy bloody traitor, and deserved what she got. I take great pleasure in knowing that I'm the one who rid the world of her." He smirked. Ron wished with all his might to wipe the smile that was growing off his face.
"But it's not like you have any proof. You can't tell a bloody soul, and you know why? Because I've cast the Fildealus charm on it." Draco said, waving his wand merrily.
"Now go talk to your pathetic family, and cry over your pathetic sister." Harry said. Ron felt the spell leave him, and dashed out of the hall. He could feel the tears threatening to spill from his eyes. He ran to the deserted passageway on the third floor and lay on the ground behind the tapestry, letting his emotions flow.
Suddenly, the dream changed. He was sitting in the Common room with Fred and George. He glanced at the clock and saw that it was two in the morning.
"Do you reckon it's safe to go now?" Fred whispered to his twin. George nodded and looked towards his younger sibling.
"Ready, Ron?" He asked. Without fully knowing what he was agreeing too, Ron shook his head. The three quietly made their way down to the library, checking the Marauder's Map often.
"Okay, now remember, were looking for anything about Nicholas Flamel." Fred whispered into the night. Ron knew what they were doing now. He walked quietly around the restricted section, wonder why the name was so familiar.
"Oi, Snape is coming!" George whispered. He ran over to Ron and grabbed his upper arm, dragging him off to the secret passageway right outside the entrance to the library. "Fred!" He yelled back to his twin, once he noticed he was alone. He saw his brother running down the opposite hallway. Soon after, an enraged Snape went in the same direction. Fred rushed by the door, as close as he would dare, and signaled for his brother's to leave.
Ron pulled the twin behind some bookshelves as the potions master ran by, catching up with their brother. George was getting ready to hex him, when Snape's wand flew out of his hand.
"Mr. Weasley! You will be expelled for this! Out in the middle of the night, in the restricted section of the library, and attacking a teacher while on the run from him. Dumbledore will have a field day with this."
"Greasy git!" George breathed as he watched the professor gladly escort Fred out of the library and to the headmaster's office.
"Is he really going to be expelled?" The eleven year old Ron asked. George looked at him sadly.
"I think so." The two made their way back their dorms. Not caring how much noise they made.
Again, the dream changed and Ron was now standing in front of eleven year old Hermione.
"I can't believe you Ronald Weasley! Really the nerve!" She huffed. Ron could tell she was close to tears, but she held them back.
"But…" He stuttered, not sure why he was being yelled at. Hermione reached up and slapped him across the face before he could finish his sentence. He watched as the angry girl ran away from him.
"Nice. You're the only one brave enough to tell her she's an insufferable know-it-all!" Seamus Finnegan said, patting a stunned Ron on the back.
He watched as the world spun, then he was sitting, holding a newspaper in his hands.
'Sirius Black, finally caught!' the heading read. He scanned the article and discovered that Sirius was found somewhere in London and had been given the Dementor's kiss before having his body thrown into Azkaban.
Another flash: He was in the Three Broomsticks sharing his first kiss with Lavender in third year.
Flash, he was in a shouting match with the Malfoys. Something about Quidditch. Flash, Hermione was crying and Draco was laughing. Harry was miming raising his hand and jumping up and down in eagerness. He watched as Hermione attempted to run, but Crabbe and Goyle pushed her back towards the boys. She ran the other way and found Blaise Zabini blocked her path. Ron wanted to go to her side and help, but then Cedric cut in front of him.
"Malfoy! Malfoy! Both of you have detention with Sprout tonight at 6. Tell her I sent you." He watched as the boys glared and strutted away, their cronies following them.
"Are you alright?" He asked Hermione. She nodded, not looking up. "You're Hermione Granger, right?" She looked up in shock. He smiled as she quickly wiped her tears away.
"You know my name?" Ron watched the couple walk away, talking quietly. He stood their watching as the memory faded, reappearing in a dimly lit hallway.
"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting." Professor McGonagall said before walking through the large doors behind her. Ron turned and saw Harry standing next to him.
"I wonder what house I'll be in." He said nervously. His green eyes shifting uncomfortably. A blonde figure walked in front of the pair.
"I'm Draco, Draco Malfoy." The boy said. Ron couldn't help but snigger at his name. "Think my name's funny do you? No need to ask who you are. Red hair, and hand-me-down robes. You must be a Weasley." He turned his attention away from the glaring Ron back to Harry. "You'll soon find out that some wizarding families are better then others." He glanced towards Ron, "I can help you there." Draco stuck out his hand and waited for Harry to accept. Harry hesitated for a second then reached out and grabbed the blonde's hand. Ron watched as the scene blurred around him.
End Dream
Ron jumped awake. He was covered in a cold sweat.
"The memories you'd have, had you lived this life, are in the backs of your own minds." Ron recited. "Oh bloody hell!" He had to get things normal. His eyes saw the slightly glowing clock in the corner.
4:34.
Great, working off three and a half hours sleep always promised a horrible day. Now that he was up, he might as well start planning.
&&&&
Draco's Dream
"Open up." Harry said. Draco stared at him in amazement.
"That is the coolest thing ever!" Draco said in amazement. The sink fell down out of sight and a huge tunnel was revealed.
"What are you doing in here?" A voice asked behind them. Moaning Myrtle was hovering above the nearest stall, staring curiously down the hole.
"Chamber of Secrets. Now don't you dare tell a soul who what were doing, or we'll have to kill you." Harry said with a smirk. Draco copied it and they jumped quickly down into the darkness.
"Lumos!" The Slytherin's said. They landed with a crunch at the bottom.
"Are these dead animals?" Harry asked.
"Well a Basilisk lives down here. What else do you expect it to eat?" Draco replied as though Harry was the stupidest person ever. Together, the boys walked cautiously through the pipes, towards where the giant snake must be.
"Come out!" Harry yelled in Parseltongue. Draco shut his eyes quickly.
"Harry, cover your eyes! You dolt!" He yelled to the right of him. But Harry stood there, confident as ever.
"Look away." He commanded the snake as its body slowly emerged from the mouth of Salazar Slytherin. Draco slowly removed his hands and stared in awe at the massive creature.
"He won't attack us. I can talk to it, the first in many years. He will obey our every command." Harry grinned at his best mate and Draco grinned back. They made their way back through the maze and flew themselves up with spells.
"Now the question is what are we going to do with him?" Harry asked.
A bright white flash appeared, and when it was gone Draco was staring into Hagrid's hut.
"Look at that great oaf. He's got himself a nice little dragon." Harry said in a mock baby voice.
"Shh. Listen." They pressed their ears against the window and over heard Ron talking.
"We can take him Hagrid! To the top of the Astronomy tower. Tomorrow at Midnight. My brother, Charlie, said he can pick him up with a few friends."
"Don't worry, he'll be fine!" Zacharias Smith spoke up. The boy's laughed as they heard the giant blubbering away.
"Over a stupid dragon? Come on we have to Sev!" Harry led the way to their head's office.
"Why, exactly, are you two bothering me in the dead of night?" He asked very angrily.
"Hagrid's got a dragon in his hut." Draco and Harry said together. They looked at each other in repulsion.
"Never. Do. That. Again." Snape said to them. Harry held up a hand to show that he was about to speak.
"Tomorrow at midnight Weasley and Smith are going to take him to the top of the Astronomy tower. You should be up there, just to, you know, say hello." Draco smiled evilly as his friend relayed his plan to their professor. Snape thought about it for a few moments.
"I think I shall have a talk with Argus Filtch in the morning at breakfast." The boys gave identical smirks and turned to leave.
"I suggest you get some sleep." He called to their retreating backs.
"Yea, Draco you definitely need your beauty sleep." Harry teased.
"At least when I get some it helps." Draco replied. His friend shoved him playfully and they raced towards their beds.
Draco watched Harry fade away then reappear two years later. They were standing in front of his father.
"Draco got attacked by that bloody hippogriff!" Harry said to Lucius. The man stared with distaste towards the cabin past the window. He turned to face his son lying in the hospital bed.
"I shall speak to the board. You will have that Hippogriff's head." He said before striding out, black cloak flowing behind him. The boys waited until they were sure no one could see them, and then Draco held out his fist while Harry hit it with his own.
"I'm so good." Draco said happily. Harry cocked an eyebrow.
"You're so good?"
"We're so good."
The white room went whiter until all Draco could see was the blinding light. He reappeared back in their second year. Harry was standing on the other side of Lucius. Each had one of his hands on their shoulder.
"Good day, Dumbledore." The man said with a smirk so like his son's. The old wizard gave the death eater a smile and continued to follow the ministry officials.
"Where's he going?" A first year asked Professor McGonagall, not to far away.
"I'm afraid he's going to Azkaban." She said trying to keep herself composed. The girl looked up at her professor.
"What's that?"
"An island where you go when you've done something that the ministry doesn't approve of. It's a horrible place, and you are constantly tortured. "The younger girl's eyes opened wide and she stared after the headmaster.
"Look at her face." Harry said pointing to the girl. Draco turned and saw he eyes shining with tears.
"Now, now boys. Be nice." Lucius said without really meaning it. Draco turned to look at Harry again, but the scene changed. They were once again in third year.
Draco noticed that they were on the hill where he watched the supposed killing of Buckbeak. Harry was staring at the hut with his omnioculars.
"Look! That great oaf is trying to save that monster!" Draco quickly grabbed the binoculars from him and searched the grounds.
"Ha! Mcnair is getting mad at him!" The boys watched as Hagrid was throwing pumpkins at the executioner, trying to keep him away from the creature. Several ministry officials came running and threw a magical net over his massive form. He immediately stopped moving and fell to the ground.
"Man, I love their weapons!" Draco said. Harry nodded in agreement before heading off down the stairs towards to action.
"Where are you going?" Draco called after him. "You know we can't go near there!" But the raven haired boy paid no attention. He crouched behind a bush not to far away. Draco sat next to him in a few seconds.
"Damn you. If we get in trouble with my father…" Draco warned. But Harry waved his words away.
"Live a little! Don't be so scared to get close to the edge!" Harry whispered to him. They watched as Hagrid was levitated, still in the net, to the fireplace in his house. Harry ran around the side of the yard and peered through the window. Three ministry officials were leading Hagrid towards the now green flames.
"Rubeus Hagrid, you attacked a Ministry Official, you shall therefore face trial. Until that can be arranged you shall have a cell in Azkaban. Perhaps you can be near your beloved Dumbledore." The man taunted. Draco smiled with glee then raced around to where the Hippogriff was again.
"Harry!" He called out. His friend quickly returned to his side. They turned the omnioculars to record, and filmed the beheading. Draco watched Harry turn the dial and as he held the binoculars to his face, he didn't see the execution again. Instead he saw a dimly lit hallway.
"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting." Professor McGonagall said before walking through the large doors behind her. Ron turned and saw Harry standing next to him.
"I wonder what house I'll be in." He said nervously. His green eyes shifting uncomfortably. A blonde figure walked in front of the pair.
"I'm Draco, Draco Malfoy." The boy said. Ron couldn't help but snigger at his name. "Think my name's funny do you? No need to ask who you are. Red hair, and hand-me-down robes. You must be a Weasley." He turned his attention away from the glaring Ron back to Harry. "You'll soon find out that some wizarding families are better then others." He glanced towards Ron, "I can help you there." Draco stuck out his hand and waited for Harry to accept. Harry hesitated for a second then reached out and grabbed the blonde's hand. Draco watched as the scene blurred around him.
End Dream
Draco's eyes popped open.
"I can't let myself slip. Remember the truth!" He repeated this over and over in his head. Slowly, the chants put him back to a dreamless sleep.
&&&&
Ron paced the floor around the couch.
'First step of getting things normal.' He started. '1. Break up with Lavender, 2. Befriend Hermione, 3. Get her to break up with Cedric, 4. Start the DA and invite Harry, 5…' After going through the list six times, he still couldn't get past four. How much time would it take to get Hermione and Cedric to split anyways? Also, who would want to get in the DA. They don't have Dumbledore, haven't for about three years, and Harry's not there to spark their interest.
By the time all that was done ('if ever' Ron thought) Malfoy would probably have forgotten the truth, and Harry would never believe him over Draco.
Ron looked up at the clock again. 5:16. He was dead tired, and it was a Saturday he remembered.
"Bloody hell, screw this!" The red head walked back up the stairs to his dorm and passed out as soon as his head hit the pillow. He to had a blissfully dreamless sleep.
