Here's the next chapter! Hope you enjoy


"It's….It's…" Ginny stuttered. At this Draco pulled out another picture, it was a picture of Lauren and her friends probably a year younger.

"Us?"

Draco, Camille, and Ginny all turned around, it was Lauren who said it. Ginny was shocked, and almost felt incredible stupid for not even realizing that the students had the same symbols as the mysterious nine.

"You guys, ….." Ginny started to say but was cut off by the twins.

"Are amazing talented…." Nicole said.

"Have wicked costumes…." Lisa said.

"Can kick butt…"

"Very intelligent…"

Ginny started to laugh, "Well, yea but I was actually going to say Thank you."

Everyone gave a look as if they didn't understand. "I mean that night in Diagon Alley. You saved my family, my friends, and me. I wanted to thank you."

Scott walked over to the couch and collapse. "It's nothing can't handle." Ginny raised her eyebrow, as Jennifer smack Scott outside the head.

"So tell me guys how long were you guys fighting and what is with the masks. I know if my brother found out he would start treating you better Lauren." Ginny said. "Ginny, you can't tell anyone. At least right now, we will tell people over time, just we want a normal beginning of school with Hogwarts." "With Hogwarts?" Ginny questioned.

"Well, most of our school knows," Lauren started to laugh, "They know we want to keep it a secret, not only for us but also because of your Death Eaters. It would help us fight them, if they don't know our identities. However, besides that this was our time to start a new. We will tell your friends Luna and Neville soon, they seem pretty cool."

"Who's Neville?" Scott asked. "Some boy my age who's new in my house, but to answer the questions about the masks, honestly, it was for protecting our identities of us and our loved ones, but its just looks cool."

Everyone laughed and nodded at this. After she finished laughing Ginny asked what about the necklaces. "Oo, these Anna held out." It had a green string and at the bottom it had the symbol for the Earth house.

"Well, Anna just put it on." Lauren said, and Anna agreed. Anna put the necklace on, and in two seconds she had on another outfit much like the one she had on during the first time Ginny saw them all fighting. The girl had the brown mask and the green scripted 'E' on the side. She had on a brown shirt with long loose sleeves. The medieval style were on both of the sleeves, and it was also a little below the neck with green colored strings. The shirt Ginny noticed wasn't as short as it was, it was actually a lot longer. Ginny also noticed that Anna wasn't wearing jeans, she was wearing black sweat pants. She also had gloves on again, but instead of black, they were green.

Ginny started to say, "Why is it…" "Different?" Anna said, and Ginny nodded. "The necklace," Anna started to explain "goes with our mood and how we think, for explain if I think…"Anna paused and a moment later, the masked had disappeared. "I don't want a mask, the necklace will take it off." "Wicked…" "Cool? I know." Anna said while taking off the necklace and collapsing onto the couch next to Scott.

"How long have you guys been doing this?" "Well, I'd say about four to five years." Lauren stated. "LAUURREEENN!!!" Camille said. Lauren turned her head to face the little girl, "Can we have dinner now?" Lauren laughed, "Come on, want me to pick you up?" Camille ran to Lauren and jumped into the air for Lauren to catch her. "I'll take that as a yes." Camille giggled.

As they were walking towards the Great Hall, the trio was already there.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione sitting at the Gryffindor table eating dinner and discussing what the possibly class are in store for them. "I wonder how they are going to do the classes." Hermione said. "Hermione just relax you're going to find out in a little while." Ron said. "I'm just so excited, this isn't an everyday opportunity you know, we have to take advantage of it." The trio continued to talk, until Harry saw the little girl, Camille run up to Neville.

Camille was jumping up and down asking Lauren something. Lauren then shrugged and sat across Neville, and then more people sat around him. As they were introducing themselves, Harry noticed that Neville's cheeks got red when they feel upon a blonde haired girl in the group.

"I can't believe they are sitting at our table." Ron said in disgust. "Ron, the Merlin's Academy can sit where ever they want, and stop talking as if they are the enemy. Dumbledore brought the schools together to create a sense of unity and…" Hermione was interrupted by Dumbledore himself.

"Students," he started "I hope you enjoyed the presentations of your teacher, and your class schedules." At the mention of schedules, schedules popped up everywhere in front of the students and the professor continued. "We decided to place students in classes with their house and level of skill. This doesn't mean that there will not be classes with all of the houses and different years. So some 5th years for example may be placed in a 6th year course, this is only if we think the student is ready and will be able to pass a test. If we think you are creditable you will get a letter on your bed when we feel you are ready. This is all that I will say tonight you are dismissed."

Harry looked down at his schedule. He had his normal classes, 'Ew potions', he thought. However as he continued to look, he noticed he was level one in the light house, and the light house time frame had an open spot on Monday and Thursday, but it still said they had the class then. 'Strange' Harry said to himself, 'I wonder if that was a mistake.' Other than that he had another Defense class, called Defense against Elements. He looked over at Ron, it seemed that they had the same classes, and Hermione had there classes too, and extra, but that's normal.

"Oh man, can't wait for classes to start." Hermione said. "I can." Ron snorted. Hermione gave him a look that Harry never dared questioned and look the other way. He saw Ginny with her new friends, and she looked happy. To Harry, this wasn't Ginny's usually happy it was genuine happiness. Ginny was with Lauren, Harry didn't really know what to think of Lauren. He knew Ron disliked her but that is because she's friends with Malfoy, which Harry didn't understand that either. Lauren seemed to have a personality, Malfoy doesn't.

Harry looked at the group again but noticed Malfoy this time. He didn't look his usually cold hearted self; he seemed a little laid back almost happy, if the Malfoy family knew the term. A thought just came to Harry.

"Ron, Hermione," Harry said, and the two looked at him. "Wasn't Malfoy's father looking for Malfoy?" They nodded, and Harry continued. "Don't you guys find it weird how his father wanted to find Malfoy, yet he's here? Why was he missing in the first place?"

Ron just gave a shrug like 'whose cares.' Hermione stayed quiet for awhile and then said, "Well didn't Mr. Malfoy kill his wife? Do you think Malfoy cracked and is hiding from his father?" Harry then said "it could be."

Then there was an awkward silence and Harry then finally said, "Don't you think then we should give Ginny's new friends a chance?" Hermione nodded, but Ron was a little more hesitant.

"Come on guys, they are friends with the Malfoy, they can't be as good as we think they are." "Ron, maybe Malfoy changed." Hermione said. "What?" Ron screamed, "You think Malfoy can change from the cold hearted snake to a golden saint?" "Of course not Ron, we are just saying that we should give the friends a chance because we don't think that people who seem kind and genuine could be friends with the old Malfoy." Hermione finished saying.

Ron just walked away a little frustrated, and Harry and Hermione followed right behind him. All three thinking different things.

Draco Malfoy told himself, if someone told him a year ago that he would be where he was today, he would probably have laughed in their face. Draco always knew that he didn't want to follow in his father's footsteps, but his father was a very influential so Draco had to act like him before his father knew of Draco's plan to not follow him. However, until recent events Draco had no choice but to take action. Draco could remember it all like it was yesterday.

When Draco found out his father murdered his mother, he felt that his whole world turned upside. His mother was the only one he trusted and the only one to show him any type of love. The days before the funeral, he knew he would be leaving however he needed to do some things before he left. One of the first things he had done was go to Gringotts and took the separate account that his mother had made for him and put it under his name before his father could find it.

Draco had also talked to the lawyer before the reading of the will, which would take place the day of the funeral. He told the lawyer to not give anything that his mother put for him to his father. The lawyer agreed, after a generous offer that Draco had made. He also asked the lawyer to send what ever his mother left for him in his new account. Draco didn't want to know what was he got from his mother will, he wasn't ready to know. When he was at the lawyer he also told the man, that he wanted to disown his father as his father. The lawyer said it will be done but it until it is official, Draco will receive the letter.

He also packed a few belongings that he had, especially the golden locket snitch he got from his mother the past Christmas which had a picture of him and his mother holding his first broom.

The day of the funeral he did a shrinking charm to his luggage and then he told the two people he could trust that he was leaving. His mother's best friend and his own best friend, Blaise and Blaise's mother. He told them he was going to run away from his father, and that they should pretend to see him at the party to give him a head start. Draco told them that he would probably not keep in contact with them during the summer because he doesn't want to get them in trouble. The two understood. Blaise's mother was probably in more of a wreck then Draco was because his mother and she were best friends since Hogwarts. Draco also told Blaise that he would return to Hogwarts but when they would meet, it must be in secret as in to not draw attention to either or them. Blaise nodded and Draco told them both to be very careful and told them to go to the party. When they left, Draco was the last one left at the funeral site.

Draco knelt down next to his mother's grave and spoke his plan outside as if he was talking to his mother. He then asked out loud was he doing the right thing and asked for a sign. Then his life changed forever. A phoenix flew down from the sky and landed right next to Draco. Draco recognized the phoenix it belonged to Professor Dumbledore, it was Fawkes. Attached to Fawkes was a letter and Draco opened it.

To Mr. Draco Malfoy

I know of your decision to leave and I would like to know if you would like to take a wonderful opportunity for you. You do not have to accept, but if you would like to discuss it, please just tell Fawkes and he will know what to do.

From,

Professor Dumbledore

Draco reread the letter. 'How does that man know everything' Draco thought to himself. However for once in his life he actually considered about taking the offer. Draco looked at his mother's grave and then looked up to the sky. He remembered asking out loud "What should I do mother?" As if she was answering, Fawkes put his eye next to the almost dead flower next to his mother's grave. The phoenix's tear had hit the flower and brought it back to its healthy state. He laughed and said "Alright I'll go." He then took the flower placed perseverance spell on it, and took it from the ground. He also then placed a shrinking charm on the flower as well, and placed it in his locket on the other side of the picture.

Once he finished that, he kissed his hand and put his hand on her name on the grave stone and said "Goodbye mom, I'll talk to you soon." Draco then stood up and "Alright Fawkes, I'm ready." Fawkes then landed on Draco's shoulder and the next thing Draco knew, he was in the office of Professor Dumbledore.

The Professor told him that he would have let Draco stay with his godfather, Professor Snape but there were two problems. The Professor already had summer internships and it would be the first place that his father would look. Draco then told the Professor that he thought Snape was a Death Eater, but Professor Dumbledore told Draco that Snape was a spy.

Then the Professor told Draco about him staying in another school in America called Merlin's Academy. Draco also remembered the professor mentioning that the school would be coming to Hogwarts for the next school year, so it would be like Draco would be getting a head start in the learning.

Draco had accepted the Professor's offer, and that's how he had come to meet his favorite mentor, Professor Dorny. It is also how he meets his new friends and his best friend, Lauren. Draco remembered not really speaking to anyone when he arrived but Lauren would treat him no different. Then one night when Draco had finally cracked when realization hit about his mother's death, Lauren and his little angel Camille were there. From that moment Lauren and Draco were almost inseparable. Draco knew that Blaise and he were best friends, but this was different. It seemed that Draco and Lauren were on a different level, it was like Lauren was the sister he never had.

'If you joke flirt with your sister,' Draco laughed to himself. Lauren was always there for Draco, and Draco would always be there for Lauren. After lessons at the Academy and Draco started to talk more, he started too really like the other kids. It was like everyone was a family, and Draco was starting to be in that family.

These people changed him to become a better person and now since he's back at Hogwarts, he trying to use that new him and start other friendships or at least forgiveness. Since he turned over his new leaf, he started showing people respect and started to talk to people he never thought he would, such as Ginny Weasley. Draco noticed how the little Weasley had also changed over the years. She didn't follow the great trio around anymore; she did her own thing and stood up to her brother, which Draco found even better. Draco may have changed for the better but it didn't mean he had to like everyone.

"Draco," Camille said setting Draco Malfoy out of his trance. "Yes, little one." They were on the way to their new living corridor, as everyone went there separate ways and exploring the castle. "Are you going to stay with me and Lauren, forever?" Draco then asked the little girl, "Well, would you like me to?" The girl nodded. "Well then I'll stay." Camille smiled and hugged Draco and Draco picked her up. "Forever and ever?" Camille asked. Draco then said "Forever and ever," Camille then hugged him again and rested her head on his shoulder.

As Camille fell asleep and Draco said, "And that's a promise, I'm going to keep."


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