A/N: Well you guys know that the characters, main plots, some situations etc belong to Queen Rowling, this time I had even incorporated the Sorting Hat's song which also belongs to her. I took it from Harry Potter wikia. So there, no claims. That being said, Here you go. Reviews, all sorts of them, always more than welcome!

CH 04 - Draco's Dilemma

'Who does he think he is?' Daphne Greengrass ranted angrily to her best friend Elisha. 'I mean he HAD to insult Slytherin out of the blue. '

They were sitting at the Start of Term feast; the sorting just having finished and the new students joining their respective tables. The sorting had branched out this year and had given them quite a long song, about friendship, loyalty and school unity.

'Well can you really blame him? Only Slytherins that talk to him, have made his life hell over the years,' Elisha said reasonably. 'And the rest of us, haven't said a word to him, so he won't even really know how we are.'

'And besides,' Elisha forced on as her best friend showed every sign of interrupting. 'You didn't really help matters, did you? You went and made a simple bump a huge deal,'

'A simple bump? the guy was storming in like he owns the place. Draco's right; being Dumbledore's favorite gives Potter the impression that he owns the place,' Daphne muttered angrily.

'Rich of Malfoy to say that, seeing that he thinks he owns the place and he is no one's favorite,' Elisha replied, rolling her eyes. 'Well apart from Daddy dearest being a governor once upon a time,'

'Can we focus on hating Potter?' Daphne said, rolling her eyes as well. 'The way you go on about Draco, one would think there is a humongous amount of unresolved sexual conflict between you too,'

'Oh please, there is a higher chance of me having unresolved sexual tension with a hippogriff,' Elisha retorted, before adding with a sly grin etching on her face, 'And incidentally, why are you so worked up about Potter, anyway? Has Harry Potter got under the skin of the Ice Queen by any chance?'

Daphne looked a little surprised herself. 'Well no, I'm just starting to realize that Draco was right along, that's all,' She defended lamely. 'It has increased my conviction that all this You-Know-Who crap is probably a cry for attention as well,'

'I don't think so,' Elisha mused. 'My folks believe him and they are normally so hard to please. They reckon Dumbledore, won't go to so many extremes to defend him, if there isn't a truth to it,'

'Yea, Daddy thinks so too,' Daphne said in spite of herself. 'He also thinks all the stuff the Ministry is sprouting about Dumbledore wanting power can't be true,'

'Exactly. And besides, my dad has always said that You-Know-Who is not dead and that he would one day return,' Elisha told her best friend. 'And you really have the wrong picture of Harry Potter. I actually have people I know and like in Gryffindor and they tell me that Potter is nothing like the Prophet describes him to be. He normally just keeps his head down and tries to divert attention,'

'Well, he is still a judgmental loony,' Daphne said stubbornly.

'And so were you, you did tell him that he thinks the whole world should bow before him,' Elisha said ginning, as she helped herself to dessert.

'Only because, he insinuated that I was a conniving idiot just cause I am a Slytherin,'

'And while I agree, that he may have overreacted,' Elisha said slowly, now looking over at the Gryffindor table towards a certain fifth year with a mop of untidy hair. 'Put yourself in his shoes for a second. How would he feel right now, with the whole wizarding world calling him an attention seeking prat and I am sure, loads of people Malfoy included would be shoving that up his face, too. Maybe he just expected you were about to do the same,'

Daphne sat quietly for a while following Elisha's gaze to the Gryffindor table, comprehending the truth in her best friends words, 'But I wasn't,' She said.

'I know that,' Elisha replied. 'But he doesn't.'

'Okay maybe you are right,' Daphne admitted. 'But why are you in such a hurry to defend him anyway,'

'Well I sympathize with the situation he is in. It's gotta suck,' Elisha said before adding with a mischievous twinkle, 'Plus, he is kinda cute. Makes me want to feast,'

Daphne rolled her eyes and turned away from her best friend.

************************************************** *********************************************************************
'Stop talking and listen to the song,' Hermione snapped at her two best friends as Harry and Ron had been chatting quietly while the Hat was singing. They immediately shut up and started listening.

So Hogwarts worked in harmony
for several happy years,
but then discord crept among us
feeding on our faults and fears.

The Houses that, like pillars four
had once held up our school
now turned upon each other and
divided, sought to rule.

And for a while it seemed the school
must meet an early end.
what with dueling and with fighting
and the clash of friend on friend.

And at last there came a morning
when old Slytherin departed
and though the fighting then died out
he left us quite downhearted.

And never since the founders four
were whittled down to three
have the Houses been united
as they once were meant to be.

And now the Sorting Hat is here
and you all know the score:
I sort you into Houses
because that is what I'm for.

But this year I'll go further,
listen closely to my song:
though condemned I am to split you
still I worry that it's wrong,

Though I must fulfill my duty
and must quarter every year
still I wonder whether sorting
may not bring the end I fear.

Oh, know the perils, read the signs,
the warning history shows,
for our Hogwarts is in danger
from external, deadly foes

And we must unite inside her
or we'll crumble from within
I have told you, I have warned you...
let the Sorting now begin.

As the sorting hat's song ended, there was a spread of chatter within the great hall. Even some of the teachers seemed amazed by the Hat's warning.

'Wow' Harry said, awestruck. 'That is not the song it sang when it sorted us!'

'Well, if you and Ron actually bothered to listen,' Hermione said impatiently. 'You'd notice that it sings a different song each year,'

'Yea but still,' Ron chastised. 'This one sounded a warning. How many of those have you heard the hat sing, Hermione?'

'Oh well, it's the first time I'm hearing it,' Hermione consented. 'But I've read in Hogwarts: A History, that the hat feels honor bound to give warnings when it feels the school is in danger,'

'How'd it know that the school's in danger if it's a hat?' Harry asked, surprised.

'Well it lives in Dumbledore's office, doesn't it?' Hermione shrugged. 'I bet it picks stuff up,'

Before either of them could say a word in reply, the sorting began and Hermione made a face that showed that she wouldn't talk during the sorting. One by one, all the lined up first years went up to the stool, put the hat on and waited, as they got sorted. Finally, with (Wells, Ray) being sorted into Slytherin, the sorting ended and Dumbledore got up to his feet.

'There are many announcements I'd like to meet, but there would be a time for that. For now, TUCK IN,' He said waving his hands as food magically appeared on the tables.

As Ron, loaded his plate with food Harry turned on Hermione, 'So this year,' He said, still interested. 'It warns us to unite within Hogwarts, all the houses because there is a danger out there?'

'Yea and we all know what that danger is,' Hermione nodded as she primly tackled her casserole with a fork.

Harry looked over at the Slytherin table where Malfoy was leaning in to talk to Daphne Greengrass. Somehow, this annoyed him. 'Fat chance,' He muttered.

'Well I really think it's sad that we can't try for some inter house unity,' Hermione scolded.

'Don't you get it, Hermione?' Harry said, exasperated. 'Slytherins don't want to be pals,'

Mouth too full to speak, Ron nodded in agreement while Hermione responded, 'If you are talking about what happened in the train – '

'Whaddihappenintran' Ron cut in, his mouth full of fried potatoes.

'Bless you,' Harry said, amused as Ron struggled to swallow the food. Once his air way was free, once again, Ron repeated, 'What did happen in the train, you never got around to telling me,'

Harry recounted the story to Ron quietly, so Neville who had got out his mimblus mimbletonia and was examining it, couldn't hear. Harry noticed that Hermione had the same look she had when Harry had told her the story.

'You think I overreacted, don't you?' He shot at her.

'Well by the sound of it,' Hermione said sipping pumpkin juice. 'You both overreacted. I mean, you just bumped into each other. What's there to get so worked up about,'

'She insinuated that I want people to worship me,' Harry said fiercely.

'She is from Slytherin and by the looks of it, friends with Malfoy,' Hermione said calmly. 'When you went in and insulted her house, you probably proved all she has heard of you,'

'She is friends with Malfoy, Hermione. She would have believed that rubbish even if Harry hadn't said anything,' Ron said while Harry nodded.

'All I'm saying is that people are unsure of what's going on and there are bound to be people who are skeptical but if you draw, your wand at all of them you are not exactly doing a job of proving the Ministry wrong about you being unhinged, are you?' asked Hermione seriously.

When neither of them responded (Ron mainly because his mouth was full again), Hermione added, this time leaning closer to him, so no one could her, 'And one more thing. You know whose daughter Daphne is right? You told me about meeting Reginald Greengrass and how he offered to help you if required it. The Greengrasses were neutral in the last war, Harry but the fact also remains they have never been dark wizards and they don't just bow to the ministry either. He could be a powerful ally to have. If we are going to survive this war, if you are going to survive all the Ministry's torments you are going to need more powerful political allies than Dumbledore and the Order. And I don't exactly see Reginald being too pleased about you having an animosity towards his eldest, do you?'

Harry shook his head slightly knowing that she was right. He had liked Reginald Greengrass too and not just because the man had offered him help or the Chief Warlock's vote had been the deciding factor for him being cleared of all charges, but also because he had got a good feeling from him, a sense of deep assurance which he had come to associate with Dumbledore, Remus and Sirius.

'And Daphne Greengrass really isn't that bad, Harry. ' Hermione said breaking Harry from his thoughts. 'She may be friends with Malfoy but she doesn't really bully people like the typical Slytherin does. To be honest, even Malfoy is usually at his best behavior when with her,'

Harry remembered Daphne telling him that she hadn't worn the 'Potter Stinks' badges last year. 'Maybe I did overreact,' Harry said sheepishly. 'It's just, all these rumors and muttering is getting to me. And when she called me a sympathy seeking prat – '

'I know Harry, I know,' said Hermione as she reached out to hold his hand. 'But they'd all know, soon, they'd all know that you were right. That Dumbledore was right. It's like Snuffles said, they'd soon be begging us to forgive them and I'm not sure I'd be ready to,' She finished with an unusual amount of bitterness for Hermione.

'Speaking of the mutt,' Harry said fondly, glad that they could stop talking about Daphne Greengrass. 'Where did you leave him, Ron?,'

'At Dumbledore's office,' Ron replied with a shrug as he helped himself to ice cream. 'McGonagall said she'd let us know when we can meet him,'

Harry once again hoped against hope that his godfather would be safe. Only Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall from the castle's inhabitants knew that Sirius was residing, apart from Harry, Hermione and the Weasleys. Before any of them could say any more, the food vanished from the plates and Albus Dumbledore, got up to his feet raising both his arms in warm welcome.

'To our new students, Welcome,' Dumbledore said beaming down at them, as if nothing could genuinely make him happier than seeing all of them looking up at him, 'And to our old hands, welcome back. Now before, I disperse you to return to the warmth of your dormitories, I have a few start of term announcements to make,'

They listened as the headmaster made the usual announcements, about the forest being out of bounds, about quidditch tryouts and the list of banned items that Filch has reminded him of, among other things. Then to Harry, Ron and Hermione's dismay, he introduced Grubby Plank as their Care of Magical Creatures for the time being, not mentioning anything about Hagrid's absence.

Then Dumbledore proceeded to introduce the new Defense against the Dark Arts teacher.
'I would also like you to welcome, our new defense against the dark arts teacher Professor-'

'Umbridge!' Harry hissed angrily to Ron and Hemione, just seeing the toad like woman. 'She was in my hearing; she is senior undersecretary to the minister. She talked in favor of conviction and voted the same,' He ended bitterly.

Dumbledore was continuing with his talk when Umbridge interrupted with a little cough. Seeing this as a cue, that the new teacher wanted to address the students (something that has never happened before) Dumbledore sat down smartly and watched attentively as Umbridge got up to her feet.

Too tired and bored to listen to her frog like voice speak, Harry and Ron dazed off but Hermione it seemed was as intent as Dumbledore in listening to her. When, she had finished talking and Dumbledore had dispersed the students, Hermione muttered, 'Yes, that was very illuminating,'

Ron looked at her, surprised. 'I thought it was a load of tosh,' He said.

'There was a lot of important things hidden in the load of tosh. It basically means, that the Ministry of Magic has decided to interfere at Hogwarts,' she said with a rather pointed look at Harry.

Harry knew what she was thinking. Maybe, he did need more powerful allies than the Order.

************************************************** ************************************************** ****

Draco Malfoy sat on his four poster bed deep in his thoughts. His .. well, for the lack of a better term, friends Crabbe and Goyle had gone to try and pig more food from he Great Hall. Draco was glad for the solitude as he desperately needed some time to think. He got up from his bed and started pacing near his bed. He had been given a task, one he did not know whether he could accomplish but all seemed to be riding on it; the safety of himself, his family and his future, everything.

It might have been easy If the only question that Draco faced was whether he could accomplish this task or not, but that was not the case. For the first time in his life, Draco Malfoy found himself in a deep moral conflict. He was not only questioning whether it would be the right thing to carry out the task in front of him or not, but he was also questioning his whole belief system. The values, that he had grown up with, the ones he had always so pompously defended; were they right?

He let out a small sigh as he remembered how he had come to be in this dilemma.

It was a week before his return to school. He had been sitting in his room, trying to finish his wretched Herbology homework which he had left till the last minute as usual, when his father entered without so much as a knock. 'Draco,' He said coldly looking at his only son, without any other greeting. 'Your presence is requested,'

Draco shuddered; he need not ask his father who had requested his presence. The Dark Lord has made the Malfoy Manor his base of operations and he, himself was residing in the manor along with a handful of death eaters. Draco had so far, managed to keep away from his father's master. Why? He was not sure. Draco had been raised to believe the pureblood views his father had indoctrinated in him. He could not remember a time when the dark lord had been last powerful, but his father had always talked of his master with great, almost loving reverence. He had not seen this side of his father towards anyone including himself or his mother.

Draco had never been close to Lucius Malfoy. His father, had always remained busy in his may ambitious pursuits. Sure, he always got what he wanted but they had no emotional connection, whatsoever. Lucius also happened to be a strict disciplinarian. Whenever, Draco had strayed from the pureblood norms that had been expected of him, his father had lashed him with his can and as he grew older the punishments grew too. Draco, had no respect for Lucius and he was sure his father had no love for him. His father, helped him get his way in school and get whatever he wanted and he made sure, his father had a prim and proper pureblood prince to show off to the world.

During the years, when the leader of the dark order had been in exile, he knew from the way his father talked that he would like nothing more than to be at his side, torturing, manipulating and murdering. But the older Malfoy was also too much of a coward to be behind a master, who could not protect him. Now that he was back, Lucius had taken his role back in the inner circle of the dark lord.

As for Draco, he had always sprouted out the pureblood sentiments that his father upheld. When, he was small he had found a muggle friend in the park and had spent the evening playing with him. When the Malfoy family patriarch found out, Draco got a beating like he had never got before. From that moment on wards, Draco learned three thing; 1) Muggles and Muggleborns were not to be befriended, 2)If he alienated them, he would be rewarded for it and 3) if he befriended them, he would be in trouble. The way Draco saw it; there was not much of a choice there.

Over the years, he had grown accustomed to this; he had grown proud of it. He had bullied mudbloods just because they are there, it was familiar; it gave him a sense of normality. But that was all there had been to it, did he really want to eradicate them? No, Draco had no such ambitions. He had first felt a sense of exhilaration when the dark lord returned. His father, would have power beyond many others, the Malfoys would be revered above all in the pureblood society the dark lord creates.

Then he had gone home to the summer holidays and he had witnessed in his own home, frequent torture and even murder for the sake of creating this pureblood societies. His fairy tale picture had broken. He saw for himself how deranged certain followers of the dark lord were and he saw that none of them were people he'd like to see governing the wizarding world. He saw the dark lord torture his own death eaters and he wondered whether this was the man that would build all their futures. He heard them all, including his father sitting around drinking, laughing about the murder, rape and torture. He no longer felt exhilarated for a day where the dark order would be dominant but nor was he fearful of it. He would be back in Hogwarts, soon and he knew he would be protected, whatever happens. His father might torture him, but Draco was sure that Lucius would never let any real harm come to his own son. So, what if a few hundred people died, he and the people he cared would be safe, would they not?

Or that's what he thought, anyway. Draco looked fearfully into the cold eyes of his father. 'W-Who?' He asked.

'The Dark Lord, of course, you stupid boy,' Lucius snapped. 'Now, hurry up. He does not like to be kept waiting,'

Draco jumped to his feet, nearly shaking as he followed his father down to the stony dungeons of the mansion into the dark lord's chosen quarters. Trembling form head to foot, Draco entered the room and found himself face to face with the dark lord. Pale skinned, snake like, inhuman the darkest wizard that had ever lived.

His father knelt before the dark lord and Draco quickly mimicked.

'Draco,' said Voldemort in a cold, sinister voice. 'I hope I find you well, child,'

'Y-Yes, my lord,' Draco stuttered.

'There is no need to fear,' Voldemort said in a cold, but charming voice. Draco, did not know how the charming tone made him tremble more than the sinister one had. 'I am your master, am I not? You are with friends here, Draco. With family,'

Draco shuddered as he tried to stay still, 'Y-Yes of course, my lord,' He said.

'There is a task that I require of you, my boy. A task for which you are uniquely positioned,' Voldemort told him.

'My Lord?' Draco asked unable to hide his shock. What can the strongest dark wizard that have ever lived want of him.

'I need you to be my eyes and ears in Hogwarts. I want you to keep watch on Harry Potter and report to your father, at intervals. And when the time is ripe, you will, according to your father's directions, you will bring Potter to me,' Voldemort ordered. 'Do you understand, Draco?'

Draco stared at the cold brutal face, unable to breathe. The dark lord had demanded that Draco delivered Harry Potter to him. He did not know what to think, he didn't know what to say or do. Was, he a fifteen year old being enlisted to bring his school rival to his death. Before he could think anymore, Lucius nudged his son.

Frozen and shivering, Draco nodded. 'Y-Yes m-my lord,'

Voldemort's cruel face spilt into a sinister smile. 'Good, as expected from the son of Lucius Malfoy,' He said softly but his voice seemed to radiate through Draco's very being. 'If you succeed Draco, you and your family would be rewarded above all my followers, Draco,'

When Draco, was unable to reply to this, Lucius said, 'My lord is most gracious, is he not Draco?' At his father's voice Draco shook out of his dilemma and nodded vigorously.

'Good, you may go now, with Lord Voldemort's blessings,' Voldemort said dismissively.

Draco leapt to his feet and started to hurry out of the room when Voldemort spoke again, 'One more thing, Draco.'

Draco turned to face his master again, throat too tight to speak.

'Be warned. I have my eyes and ears, throughout the castle, young Malfoy' Voldemort said, his sinister red eyes fixed on Draco. 'If you fail or if anyone else finds out about your mission, If anyone is tipped off in anyway, you and your family would be begging on bended knees, for the sweet relief of death,'

Draco shuddered as he sat on his bed in the Slytherin Common Room. Every time, he thought of those cold eyes, he felt himself shiver. His whole core threatened to break. He did not know what to do.

The task itself had been simple enough. Keep tabs on Potter and when the time is ripe, follow instructions to bring him to the dark lord. Draco Malfoy was by no means a stupid person, he was one of the most intelligent and cunning individuals even in Slytherin. He knew that he could accomplish this task. But did he want to?

Harry Potter had been a thorn at his side for very long. He and Potter detested each other, he had not wasted any opportunity in trying to get Potter into trouble, to humiliate him, to alienate him, even get him expelled. But Did Draco hate Harry Potter, did he loathe him enough to send him to his impending death? The answer was No. Potter was Draco's school rival, someone he just sought to outshine. Draco had just hated the fact that Potter always got more attention than himself, the Malfoy family heir; who was Potter compared to him? And what he hated more about Potter was that the boy had rejected him.

The first day of school, Draco had offered him the hand of friendship. Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter, together as best friends, what couldn't they have achieved? Instead he chose to fraternize with weasel king. This had been a wound on the blonde's ego. People do not reject Draco Malfoy, Draco Malfoy rejected other people. That's just the way things worked.

But despite this, as he sat introspecting Draco Malfoy knew one thing. He might have a strong school boy rivalry with Potter, hating him enough to want the boy expelled but he had never wanted him in mortal danger, never wanted him to die as was the case of mudbloods and blood traitors too. And what's more, Draco couldn't force himself to be the one to finish the boy's life by his conscious actions.

But what choice did he have?; Absolutely none at all. If Draco didn't send Potter to his death, He couldn't even imagine what the Dark Lord would do to him and his family. Then with another shudder, he remembered the other conversation he had that day. Well not, as much as a conversation as a warning he had got.

After, Lucius Malfoy had dragged his shivering, trembling, terrified son from the room, he had pressed his long fingers around Draco's throat and had said, 'You listen to me now, Draco. I have spent my whole life proving my loyalty to the dark lord. If you mess this up, if you disappoint the dark lord now, I will kill you before he gets your hands on you. I will kill you, so that I can prove my undying loyalty to my master,' He had then released his son's throat and told him to go.

And at that moment, that was when his childhood really ended, when his fairy tale shattered and his world came tumbling down.

A/N: I had to break down this into two chapters so not to make it absolutely too long. I will have to bring some changes to it and stuff and It would be up day after tomorrow at the latest. Read, Review!