Why Draco was sitting in the Headmaster's office, he had no clue. Dumbledore was nowhere to be seen, and if he didn't hurry up, Draco would be late for dinner. Not only that, but he would be left with no food because Crabbe and Goyle would eat everything that was untouched by the other Slytherins. And he couldn't go to the kitchens afterwards because he had to hold Quidditch tryouts. Where was the man who Voldemort feared?!
Right on cue, Dumbledore walked through the door.
"I suppose you are wondering why I have called you at such a time," he began without wasting a beat. He walked briskly to his desk and took his seat. "Have you heard the term, 'Horcrux,' before?"
Draco frowned as he tried to remember if he had, but eventually shook his head. "No, sir. I don't recall hearing of it."
"Well, I am sure that you remember the diary that possessed Ginny Weasley in your second year."
Draco only nodded in confirmation so that Dumbledore could get on with whatever he was telling him, but the old man merely sat there, as if waiting for Draco to make some connection.
When he did, he let out an embarrassingly loud "Oh!"
Dumbledore chuckled as he folded his arms on the desk.
Nearly blushing (Malfoys didn't blush), Draco said, "The diary was a Horcrux."
"Indeed. A Horcrux is an object that contains a part of one's soul. In order to create a Horcrux, you must commit one of the worst crimes."
"Murder," Draco realized.
"Exactly. When you kill someone, you can then transfer a piece of your soul into an object. Can you guess why Voldemort was never dead in the first place?"
"He made Horcruxes so his soul would never enter the realm of the dead. It couldn't because it was split up into pieces and scattered."
"So what do you think happened when Harry Potter stabbed the diary with a Basilisk fang that year?"
"He destroyed it, didn't he?" If all the Horcruxes were found and destroyed, then would Voldemort be dead? He voiced this to the headmaster.
"No, not dead. But then he would be vulnerable to death." Dumbledore rose from his seat and began to walk around his office. "Voldemort could be killed if he had no more Horcruxes, and that is why I have enlisted your help."
The old man turned to face Draco.
"You want me to help you find these Horcruxes," Draco realized aloud.
"Exactly, but not exactly."
Draco was really confused now.
"There is a lot of work to be done," Dumbledore told him as he approached his desk and sat back down. "We need to know how many Horcruxes there are, but I am currently unsure of a way to do that. I do, however, know that Tom Riddle asked a certain professor here for information about them."
"That's why Slughorn's here."
"Yes, and also because we needed a teacher. I need to collect a memory from him, but I won't be entrusting you to that task."
Frowning, Draco asked, "Why not?"
"I understand you already have quite a bit to do this year...including killing me." Dumbledore watched his student perceptively as Draco answered:
"Snape told you, didn't he?"
"He's given me a great amount of information over the years. Now, I must give you some: you must successfully bring the Death Eaters into Hogwarts at the end of the year."
Draco stood up and insisted, "No way! I thought we were trying to make sure that didn't happen! How can-"
"Which is what we will discuss momentarily," Dumbledore interrupted. "Or at least we will in a few weeks. Throughout the year, I will provide you with help. And you will take it. By the end of the year, you will have an understanding of why this needs to happen. You will realize it is the only way. Right now, we must discuss something more important. I have been in touch with your father."
Calming down, the sixth year took his seat. "And?"
"He has brought my attention to something I should have thought of before. Have you-" Dumbledore stopped himself.
"Have I what?" Draco asked, on the edge of his seat.
"Never you mind. I will not trouble you further."
"If Lucius is in danger, then I have a right to know," Draco demanded.
Dumbledore sighed. "No, there is nothing wrong. Your father is quite safe. In fact, he has been assisting me with something that I'll be sure to tell you about later."
"Did he say anything else? Specifically about me?"
"Oh, of course!" A large grin appeared on the old man's face. "He wanted to thank you for breaking the curse again and he wishes you luck in all your endeavors. Also, he's sorry that you were made a Death Eater so much earlier than anticipated."
Draco was relieved and barely heard Dumbledore speak, but he got the gist of what Lucius was trying to say. "All I've got to say to him is that I don't think he's at fault for any of this and that family does what family does for family."
"That last part," Dumbledore said, "Lucius said that to me as well."
"Yeah, he used to tell me and Mother that all the time," Draco recalled. Suddenly, he had a thought. "Do you think I'd be able to speak with him?"
Shaking his head, Dumbledore told him, "I'm afraid you must wait some time."
"That I can do. Anyway, what about the Horcruxes? When do we find them?"
"Well, I may have some clue as to where the next one is, but I'll have to do some more research. No, you can't help," Dumbledore finished as Draco was about to offer his assistance. "You've got quite a bit on your plate."
"Plate. Dinner!"
"Ah, yes. You had best get to it, then."
"But about what you just said, I don't really have a lot on my plate." He didn't have to worry about the Vanishing Cabinet stuff for a long time and Dumbledore said they'd figure the end of the year out, that they would talk about everything soon. His schoolwork would be easy to get through since he already knew a lot. "All I really have to do this year is focus on Quidditch."
"That you may think," Dumbledore said mysteriously, "but you never know when you have too much time or when there is not enough."
Draco wondered why his headmaster always spoke in riddles, but he shrugged it off. "I'll go eat then."
As Draco walked out the office, he felt Dumbledore's eyes piercing the back of his head.
