A Flower's Magic

Summary: Translated from Umbre77's. Captured by Voldemort, Harry has no other choice than accepting defeat. But Draco Malfoy, for his part, doesn't want to die! Even if it means changing the past to save himself! Slash

PS: This takes place before the Deathly Hallows

Author's Note: Hello chicks (yeah I know). We are Saturday and after fast RAR ('cause I was prepared yesterday), I'm posting this… Thing. I don't like this chapter because, though important for the story in the long run, it's absolutely… average, with its lack of contents, I think. Sooo, I decided to be crazy and post two chapters for the price of one 'cause… Bloody hell there's nothing in this chapter and well you really shouldn't bullshit people like that, right? So, well… consider it a gift, for whatever reason! I'm so nice, huh? Or utterly stupid for losing like that precious chapters in advance! Lol

Translator's Note: Hum, so I'll try to stick to what she said, which means double the workload u.u. Just so you know, I hesitated to do it at first… Thankfully, I started early so I'm posting on time. That also means my beta is unable to correct any of it before posting time, so I'll just check it over once it's finished and hope for the best. Lol Hope you enjoy (after all the sweat poured into it ;P) and please review!

Beta: SanguisRubeus

Warning: This is a translation from Umbre77's fiction; I own nothing (except the mistakes you might find)

oOo

Chapter 7: The Hidden Allies

March 1976

"I have a bad feeling about this!"

Harry jumped at Draco's voice. The blonde was laying full length on the bed while reading, silently, a heavy tome speaking about mediwizardry. He glanced up at him, staring.

Draco always wore the same bob; he had thrown a fixing spell on it, so that as soon as his hair grew too long, it will become short once more. Harry had asked him to do the same spell on him and now, he had short hair. It came a little past his ears and had rather light layers. Due to the 'Potter feature', it had been messy, but Harry had thrown several spells to make it smooth. Then, with another spell, he had forced each tip out to the outside and to curl up. This gave him a charming little mischievous look.

Most interesting was the gathering of all the black locks into a huge, fine braid. It passed on his forehead and disappeared under his hair. It circled his head while but was concealed by the white, although it was easy to detect under the hair ends. Yet, it fell back into his back and came almost to the kidneys. It was the only hair that Harry was growing, and he planned to give it a fixing spell soon. It was already pretty long!

Other than their hair cut, they changed another physical part of them: they each sported a tattoo. Harry had the courage to do it on his face. It was a double bladed scythe whose handle was fitted with a string at the end of which hung a complicated watch sporting many figures. If the scythe was on his forehead (one of the blades slicing through his scar), the watch took his whole right cheek. It was beautiful; he had to admit, and it attracted attention. Dumbledore had been rather impressed to see it, especially after finding out that the clock hands moved.

There were several circles of numbers. One indicated time while the other figures seemed unimportant. These included a circle whose figures were only up 7. For now, 1 was green, while the others were red. They represented the Horcruxes and whenever one of them was destroyed, a number would to change colour. When all are reduced to ashes, the figures were to melt together and become a simple decorative green line.

The scythe was black and silver. Its handle was cleverly decorated with runes. The chain of the watch was full of small writings relating the prophecy. The letters, however, were so small that they could barely be read. In addition, since the chain was done in three dimensions, some letters did not appear. They were hidden on the far side of the chain. The chain sometimes moved, revealing the hidden letters, but concealing those that had been disclosed.

The watch was silver with shades of green. Harry had not chosen this colour as a sign of respect for Slytherin, but it agreed with his eyes. In the centre, in gold were the letters HP. They were slightly transparent, so that the numbers were more visible in the foreground.

Draco had refused to be tattooed on the face, though he preferred the throat and torso. On the throat was the same watch as Harry. The difference was the colours; he had benefited from the blue and not green. In the centre was the initials DM that were represented in gold also. Of the three rings of numbers, only the ones representing the Horcruxes and time were similar to Harry's. The other numbers were meaningless to the eyes of any other besides Harry and Draco and, they were different from those of the former Gryffindor.

Draco's chain was lost in his clothes as it went over his chest and met his heart to form a symbolic shield; a shield representing the Malfoy crest. Because it was hidden, Draco had been able to do it. That way, it didn't feel like he was denying his origins. On the chain, he had engraved the words: "I promise." It symbolized the oath he had given Severus to save him, but also to himself, to kill Voldemort all costs and protect Harry.

"What are you talking about?" asked the latter.

" Things" replied Draco. "Do you realize that we are in February and in August, we return to England?"

Harry shivered. Yes, the real fun would begin at last...

"I know", he said. "I also dread it. We've lived away from the world for six years. If Dumbledore hadn't kept us informed, we would know nothing!"

And being informed, they were. They received true activity reports every week of the latest events. The letter, comprising of several long scrolls, had summaries of Dumbledore's progress as well as those of his presumed allies and actions. It also contained information about their protégés Regulus, Severus, Lily, James, Sirius, Remus, Peter, Lucius, and by extension, Narcissa. The news was not great on that front. Lily hated James, but Harry did not seem alarmed, to Draco's surprise. He explained that it would be in seventh year that his mother and father had began dating, by whatever miracle.

As for other things, it stagnated. Regulus denied the existence of his brother since his first year at Hogwarts. Remus lived a conflicted relationship with his father but was doing rather well. Peter was just the little terrorized and opportunistic 16 years old. Severus, was still, more complex since he was enclosed, mysterious, he feigned indifference while usually declaring war on the Marauders. Nothing filtered about his home life. Yet, Draco was sure that something was happening. Severus hated Muggles and knowing that his father was a Muggle, was cause for concern...

"We're not acting enough", Draco breathed. "We are ready goddammit! Can't we start now? Fixe has nothing to teach us anymore... We spend our time doing exercises again and again... and are executing them perfectly!"

"We're honing our skills", Harry explained calmly.

"And while we honing, Voldemort recruits, he moves forward and goes to war..."

Harry sat up in bed, looking at his partner, his friend now.

"You fear for your father because he hasn't contacted Dumbledore."

Draco was silent for a moment, and then nodded. They still did not know whether Lucius had joined Voldemort or not. They knew that the man was quite unstable, due to Narcissa's many miscarriages. But they knew nothing of his political decisions.

"I would at least like some hope, about him... a sign, anything..."

Harry winced. They both knew that Lucius would not make the slightest move until they returned, hence the silence from the future Death Eater.

"Whatever happens, we delayed his induction, right?" Harry asked. "That can only be positive..."

"I would prefer if he didn't get inducted at all!"

Harry sighed in response. Yes, he would prefer, too. Minus Lucius Malfoy, Voldemort lost strong support. But, if Lucius did not become a Death Eater, then whom would get the diary? He had not yet dared to talk to Draco about it... Their different rescue attempts were likely to put them in a tight spot, about the Horcruxes. He fidgeted, uncomfortably. How could he talk to him without making him angry? That was the main problem. Draco would refuse letting Lucius become a spy and he felt disgusted at himself for even considering it. But more than Lucius, there was also Regulus Black... He was the key to the Slytherin locket Horcrux. He was aware that with Sirius' brother, he would have to play a dangerous game. And the success of the game depended on his courage to take THE decision. The same one he tried to push away but seemed more tempting by the day.

"Draco", he murmured, drawing his attention. "Saving your father... Severus... Regulus... These are good things, but in this case, it hinders us greatly."

The blonde sat up in his chair, so now that conversation finally came. He knew Harry had been brooding dark thoughts for some time and that all they had focused on was their different missions, until now.

"What do you mean?" he said. "Explain yourself."

Harry hesitated a long minute before daring a gaze into the eyes of his partner.

"I have a lot of information on Horcruxes... but this information will be void if we prevent your father and Regulus from becoming Death Eaters. You have to believe that using them disgusts me. But if we want to kill Voldemort, we must destroy the Horcruxes... "

Draco breathed for a long time, in an attempt to stay calm. A tiny part of him knew Harry was right. But he didn't want to acknowledge it. He didn't want his father wasting his life. Especially if he could help it!

"I don't want that... We have to find a solution, because I don't want to... I don't want my father to become a Death Eater, Harry, not if I can help it..."

The former Gryffindor shivered. Draco rarely used his real name, but when he did, he marked his sentences with feelings such as anxiety and a lot of hope in the present case. The young man smiled.

"I know," he said. "That's why I thought that someone could replace your father alongside Voldemort... "

Draco turned his head towards him, frowning.

"Who are you talking about?" he asked. "I don't want Severus..."

"I'm not thinking about anyone at this time", said Harry, making Draco's eyes suddenly go wide. "I am the one who best knows Voldemort. I know his tastes, desires, dreams and nightmares. I would have no difficulty in being accepted by him, to flatter him as he wishes."

"Out of the question!" cried the blonde, paralyzed, "you don't seriously think that, do you Harry?"

"I've been thinking about it seriously for a while now and believe me, it will be a devilishly effective plan! This way, I could spy and provide information to the Order and I could also, if he trusts me enough, end up with one of the Horcruxes in my possession..."

"But you could also get you killed! Holy shit Harry! We came here to kill him, to destroy the Horcruxes, but... do you ever think of after?"

Harry frowned, puzzled. The what? After? Puzzlement must have shown on his face as Draco made a long angry growl.

"Damn, you don't even consider it. The post-war, stupid Potter! What will you do once the war is over?"

Harry was, for a long time, destabilized by the question. Once the war was over... Not so long ago, he was certain of having to die. The extraction of his Horcrux and its destruction, a few days later, had made his death non-mandatory. But he still didn't think to survive this war. For now, he saw himself only as a fighter. The fact frightened him. What exactly had he become? Was he now nothing more than a gun pointed at Voldemort? When had he erased all that had mattered to him, to look only at his enemy and his approaching death?

"Harry", Draco called, bringing him back to the present. "Are you alright? You're deathly pale!"

He didn't answer; instead, he shook his head and opened his arms desperately. Even if they needed less and less often to take refuge in each other, they still needed comfort from time to time, and the gesture was very familiar to Draco. He jumped up from his seat, ignoring the book falling to the ground and ran up to him to take him in his arms.

"I never... I mean- I did not think there could be an after..."

Draco did not answer. He had already long understood since that day in Dumbledore's office, when Harry ran off to go take the Horcrux diadem of Ravenclaw while he was exhausted. The determination in the eyes of the survivor had left him in no doubt in the man Harry had become. The Chosen One and until he killed the Dark Lord, he would see nothing else. Merely thinking about a possible future destabilized him completely. For apart from the war, he didn't exist. If they won their fight, Harry would have to be carefully monitored. Otherwise, he risked falling into depression.

"Relax", he said, stroking his back. "You don't have to think about it if it scares you..."

"What scares me is to see that I have not even imagined surviving", Harry replied. "When did I become a weapon, Draco? When did I stop thinking like a human? At exactly when did I decide to sacrifice myself to destroy him at all costs? ...Before the Horcrux inside me was extracted, it did not even bother me to end my life to kill Voldemort... so how do I-? ...what do I have to- Help me!"

Draco answered by pressing harder against him. Harry gasped difficultly. In Draco's arms, he felt good and protected. Given their common past, this was contradictory.

"When I think of the future," Draco murmured against him, "I can't help but be horribly selfish. I see us both alive, of course. In my more modest desires, we are at Hogwarts. We are both happy, we help students and we just have this little life, under Dumbledore's protection."

He paused, continuing to massage the other's back. He dared not say how they both behaved, that in this dream, they were lovers and happy. Harry was not ready to hear that...

"In my most selfish delusions, we revealed our identity to our parents and Lucius comes to see me regularly. We are virtually the same age, without a father-son relationship, we're friends. He doesn't see me as a son while I can pass as his brother and I guess I'm just fine with that. In this dream, I often play with myself, the baby me. You also share some relationship with your parents that you see regularly. I can't imagine it clearly, because I don't really know them but at best, you are good friends... and you often get to babysit you, too. That tiny baby Harry soon to be born... "

Harry smiled at that, Draco's dreams were pleasant. it was almost like being there. Eyes closed, he imagined for a moment this story of him, becoming friends with his parents... To discover himself and helping him evolve. He imagined becoming friends with Sirius. Hearing some of his jokes, seeing him smile... and Remus... He would be the most reserved of all but the mildest ... It was such a sweet vision. He began to add Regulus... though it was hard because he didn't know his face. He slowly included many others, such as Severus, Albus, Hagrid, the Weasley's ... He could make friends with the Weasley's, even if their relationship would never be the same...

"It's such a nice dream", he said against Draco's reassuring shoulder, "would you mind if I borrow it sometime?"

"Please do," answered Draco, "but don't steal it from me... I need it too."

Harry smiled. Draco's dreams ...like him, he was human and therefore dreaming... but even if it was nice, it didn't change anything.

"These dreams are beautiful, but they won't be realized without Voldemort's destruction", Harry replied. "We need to get hold of the diary and we can't do it without spies. You don't want to sacrifice Severus or your father and I have some qualms about putting Regulus in danger, but we have no choice. If you don't want to give some your protégés, unfortunately, that means sealing Regulus' fate and it is as a Death Eater that I can best help him..."

"No," Draco moaned against him. "Please, not that! Don't get marked, don't become a Death Eater! You will be hated! Pursued by the Ministry, once everything is finished."

"Not if we work smarter! Dumbledore will only have to prepare a number of vials in which we will store our various discussions. You will both know that I am a spy and I-"

"No!" Draco intervened. "Please, Harry, don't do that. Believe me, this would be the worst possible solution! I- I could do it, if you want..."

"Don't even think about it!" Harry roared. "I don't want it to be you! That is why I proposed it be me."

"So we have a problem because I refuse you risking your life doing that!"

"But who better than me, Draco I could persuade him without difficulty and I could-"

"I know!" cut the blonde. "I know, good god, but how can we convince others to join us if you become a Death Eater? How will you change Regulus Black's opinion? This is a bad idea, Harry. Goddammit, please find another solution, but not that!"

Harry sighed against him. Another solution that's so difficult! What to do?

He thought all day. By mutual agreement, Draco and he both decided to think about it separately. So when they sat down for dinner at the large table in the dining room that evening, they both maintained a dark and disturbing silence. Fixe, who was not accustomed to see them so calm and thoughtful, kept silent and waited for any reaction.

Dishes followed, appearing and disappearing from the table, when Harry suddenly gasped which froze the two other people.

"But of course, it's so simple!" he exclaimed, rising in an almost victorious movement. "Draco, I found it!"

The latter raised an eyebrow. Obviously, he did not understand the joy of his partner either. He gazed, attentively.

"You found it?" he said, "Who? What? Not you, right?"

"No, not me", Harry replied. "While I still believe that it would be probably a better idea, I think I found who could spy on Voldemort better than anyone in the world, probably even better than me!"

Draco frowned at the sound, while Fixe remained perplexed.

"Because you thought about becoming a Death Eater?" she wondered.

"I had thought of this perspective, in order to get closer to the Horcruxes", Harry explained. "By saving Regulus, Lucius and Severus, we lose a spy, but also two people who have been in direct contact with a Horcrux. So I thought making my way into the enemy forces in order to be in the best position possible, to learn about their new destination... But Draco did not agree, he forced me to think about another possibility and I found it. What is Voldemort's biggest flaw?"

Draco now looked a little lost, the biggest fault of that megalomaniac freak?

"His madness?" he suggested.

"No," Harry replied. "His pretentiousness, Voldemort is convinced he is better than anyone in the world. He is superior beyond measure. Superior to purebloods through his heritage with Slytherin, superior to Mudbloods and Muggles for the same reason... But above all, he is superior to all existing creatures by his Wizarding status. So... what creature is lowered non-stop and ignored by the majority of wizards?"

Draco raised an eyebrow. What was he talking about? He could not even see what he was talking.

"Ah!" Harry laughed, obviously pleased with his lack of responsiveness. "You see! You don't even think about it! Obviously, you have always found their existence normal. You don't even suspect the destructive power that can have one of these creatures!"

"What are you bloody talking about?" got out his angry partner, reaching the end of his patience.

"But of course, the house elves, Draco," Harry replied, victorious, "the house elves!"

The blonde's eyes widened, looking at the dishes placed on the table. Why had he not thought about this before? House elves were everywhere!Leaving one in the right place at the right time could give its master a thousand practical information...

"But the elves are extremely loyal," intervened Fixe, attracting their attention, "How do you entice them?"

"Easy," Harry replied, "The elves serving Death Eaters families will quickly get tired of Voldemort. I know only because I knew one on a fairly regular basis. Furthermore, I don't ask them for information on their masters... only Voldemort. The difference will be sufficient. At worst, I could ask Lucius Malfoy to give me Dobby. I know him well, he doesn't know me yet, but I know how to coax him."

"You're one bloody snake, when you want to be", Draco laughed, the elves. The worst is that Voldemort is so convinced of being better than them, that he will not even think about it!"

Harry gave him a victorious smile upon hearing that. Yes, the elves would help and if they did not...then it would be time for him to return to his first plan: become a Death Eater.

To be continued...