Chapter 2

Hermione was quite right. The map wouldn't be able to tell him why Malfoy was acting so strange since the beginning of the sixth school year. Harry had to find that out by himself. And since he was the owner of an invisibility cloak, he was sure that he would get some answers soon.

Right now he was standing in front of the stone wall that was the entrance to the Slytherin common room. Hidden by the cloak, Harry was waiting patiently for a student to appear and open the door for him. It was late and all the students had to return to their houses now. That was why Harry hoped that it wouldn't take too long for someone to let him in. Unknowingly, of course. He checked the Marauder's map and saw that a Slytherin was finally approaching. At the same time he noticed that Crabbe and Goyle were heading for their dormitories. Malfoy was still in the common room.

The Slytherin student appeared next to him, muttering the password and the stone wall opened up. While slipping undetected into the common room, Harry tried to commit the password to memory. It would probably be valid for a few more days and access to the dungeons might come in handy if the mystery couldn't be solved during one visit. As the student, who had entered the common room together with Harry, disappeared into the corridor that led to the dormitories, Harry thought himself to be all alone. But the map had clearly stated that Malfoy was still in here.

Harry carefully took a few more steps into the room and had a look around. It was slightly damp in here, there was a faint smell of mouldering wood and what little light the lamps provided, seemed to be swallowed up by the high dark stone walls. Harry couldn't imagine feeling comfortable in here. It was the complete opposite of the Gryffindor common room.

And then he spotted Malfoy sitting in an armchair. As silently as possible, Harry walked towards him and when he stood right in front of him, his eyes widened in shock. For a second, Harry thought that Malfoy was dead. He sat there like a statue. He didn't seem to breathe, didn't blink...but then Harry noticed that the Slytherin's hands were moving. Although very slowly, but it was enough to calm Harry's nerves. He didn't have to call for help. He stepped even closer to peer at the thing that Malfoy was holding in his hands. A black spider, the size of a Galleon, was painfully loosing it's legs, as Malfoy slowly ripped them out one by one. The sight of it made Harry feel queasy and he wondered if the Slytherin was aware of his actions. Maybe he had lost his mind? He certainly looked the part.

It was almost painful to look at him. His eyes were bloodshot, with dark circles around them. His face was even paler than usual and hollow-cheeked, his lips cracked and bleeding slightly. The school uniform he was wearing was a mess. There were stains on his white shirt and he buttoned it the wrong way. He had grime on his hands and face and there was even some in his hair, which looked greasy and dishevelled.

It was strange seeing him like this. For five years, Malfoy had always looked so immaculate. Not one hair had been out of place and now...

Of course Harry neither cared about Malfoy's appearance, nor for...well...him in general. But it was his concern, if the whole thing was somehow linked to Voldemort. And with a member of the Malfoy family, it almost certainly was.

Suddenly, Harry heard the rustling of robes and jumped aside just in time to avoid colliding with Snape, who was walking briskly up to Malfoy, grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and pulled him out of the armchair.

"What do you think you're doing?!", Snape growled.

Malfoy looked at him as if he'd just woken up. He blinked in confusion, shook his head slightly, tried to bring his eyes into focus and his mind up to speed. It didn't seem to work, though. He mumbled something that sounded like "What?" and swayed dangerously. Snape tightened his grip and snapped: "You reek! When was the last time you've had a bath?!"

Again, Malfoy seemed to have a hard time processing the question. Snape lost what little patience he'd had and slapped him in the face. A chocked high-pitched yelp came over Malfoy's lips and he would have fallen to the floor if it weren't for Snape still gripping the collar of his shirt.

"Now that I seem to have your full attention, Mr. Malfoy", Snape snarled, "would you care to explain to me the following: Why does it seem that attending school is suddenly beneath you?" The disoriented look on Malfoy's face had indeed disappeared but it was obvious to Harry that the Slytherin was still relying on Snape to hold him upright.

Malfoy cleared his throat and muttered: "I have other things to do, more important things."

"I assume you are talking about the task that has been given to you. But how, pray tell, will you finish your task if you are expelled?"

"What?"

"The other teachers have been pestering me with questions about you. You've missed too many lessons and now they threaten to expel you. I told them I would talk to you and here I am. Tomorrow you will go to each and every lesson that's on your timetable and you will continue to do so. You will act normal and inconspicuously. If anyone asks you why you've missed so many lessons, you will simply tell them that you've been sick but now everything is fine. Do you understand me?!"

"But I haven't got time for that. I have to finish..." Malfoy stopped himself.

"You must. There is no other way. You stand out, you attract too much attention, people already suspect you to be responsible for those incidents."

"I'm not!" Malfoy almost shouted. "That wasn't me!"

Snape shook his head and Harry noticed that he didn't believe Malfoy. "If you'd only tell me what you're trying to do, I could help you..."

"I don't need your help. I don't need anyone's help!"

"Keep it down, will you! And you forget that your father told me your little secret a long time ago, so that I could look out for you. I know for a fact that you need all the help you can get, especially since Crabbe and Goyle decided to..."

"Oh, shut up!" Malfoy shouted and tried to break free but failed. This enraged him even more. "I'm tired of it! Why does everyone think I need help, or protection?! I'm not a child anymore. I will do what I have to do on my own. I will prove to you all that I am not helpless. I am not a failure! Now get off me!"

"Don't be so childish. You don't have to prove anything."

"Oh, yeah? How can you say this and keep a straight face? If you're in on the grand secret, you must have heard how my father talks about me...the words he uses when he's not in public but surrounded by those in the know..."

Harry saw that Snape knew exactly what words Malfoy was referring to. And strangely enough, he thought he could see sympathy in the Professor's eyes but the moment had been so fleeting that he wasn't sure if he'd seen it at all.

"Be that as it may, you have to learn how to operate in the shadows. You need to keep up your act. You are a student at Hogwarts and nothing else. There is an apparition test coming up and you should be excited or nervous, pick one, I don't care. Get back on the Quidditch team, date a girl, study for tests in the common room, simply do what students do. Blend in. And whatever task the Dark Lord has assigned to you, use the early mornings or the late nights to...prepare, or what it is you have to do. But it is crucial to stop attracting attention."

"That's very nice and all, but you forget that I will attract attention in certain situations nonetheless. That's why I've been skipping lessons in the first place. Maybe the students won't notice...but the teachers certainly will."

"If students ask you questions, tell them to mind their own business and if a teacher wants to talk to you about it, well...make up stories. Nerves, headache, can't concentrate...things like that."

Snape let go of Malfoy and said: "And now, go and clean yourself up and go to sleep."

Harry red Malfoy's face and knew at once that he hated to be ordered around like that and that he probably wouldn't obey Snape. But the Professor must have seen it as well, because he said: "I will check on you later."

Malfoy grumbled something that Harry couldn't catch. The Slytherin walked slowly towards the corridor that lead to the dormitories but he suddenly stopped and swayed alarmingly, as if he was about to pass out. Nothing happen though and he continued to walk down the corridor but kept a hand on the wall for balance.

Snape called after him: "And Draco, stop taking those potions."

Malfoy turned around and stuttered: "W..what?"

"Don't take me for a fool. I'm an expert in Potions. It's practically written on your face. Wideye potion and some sort of memory enhancer, I believe. If you do not wish to lose your mind or to slowly and painfully decompose while you're still alive, I'd advise you to stop immediately. However, there might be withdrawal symptoms. I have a small phial in my office and its content would help you ease the pain during that time, but since you are so insistent that you don't need anyone's help, I'm not even going to offer it to you."

Malfoy glowered at Snape, turned around and continued to carefully walk down the corridor.

Harry knew now a lot more and yet it wasn't enough. Apparently Malfoy had to do something for Voldemort and it seemed to be both time consuming and complicated. There was some sort of secret between Crabbe, Goyle, Snape, Malfoy and his father. There were probably more people in on it, but Harry didn't know who they were. And that was it, really. Although, he knew now for sure that something was in fact going on and that Voldemort was behind it, but that didn't satisfy him. Harry had to know the details to be able to thwart Malfoy's and Voldemort's plan.

He followed Malfoy down the corridor to see if he'd be able to find out even more tonight.

And it looked like he was in luck. Crabbe was walking towards them. Malfoy immediately stared down at the stone floor, he was intent on ignoring Crabbe. It didn't quite work out, because Crabbe stopped at his side and said: "Draco...how...erm...are you?"

"As if you care!", Malfoy hissed but still didn't look at his former friend.

"I do. I care. You don't look...well. If I can do anything to help...I..." But Malfoy cut him off: "Oh, go to hell, Crabbe! You haven't received any money, have you?"

"No, but it's not..."

"Yeah, I thought so. Sod off!", Malfoy hissed and tried to storm away but it was more like a stumble. Crabbe was about to grab him in order to prevent him from falling but he thought better of it. Malfoy regained his balance and disappeared into what looked like the bathroom. Crabbe sighed. He seemed sad as he walked back to his dorm.

Suddenly, Harry stood alone in the cold stone corridor and wondered what this short fight had been about. He decided to stay put, since Malfoy seemed to follow Snapes' order to take a bath now and that wasn't something Harry felt comfortable spying on. He sat down on the floor, his back against the wall and closed his eyes for a while.