Chapter 9
Hermione frowned and turned to Musa.
"Didn't tell us what?" Musa laughed and with a wave of her hand the doors slammed shut behind Malfoy.
"I didn't tell you guys about the contract I made Malfoy sign after he tried to use an unforgivable on me and got curious as to how I stopped it." Everyone's attention immediately switched to Malfoy at the words 'use an unforgivable' and he gulped as he realized his plan to make everyone blame her and ignore him had backfired.
"That's not the point. The point is that Malfoy is in here and no one except Malfoy and Musa know why!" Everyone glanced at Cho and she shrunk under Musa and Malfoy's glares.
"She is right. So Musa. Care to explain this contract we're hearing about?" Ron glared at Musa as he spoke sharply. Hermione looked between them and smacked Ron on the back of the head.
"You could be a little nicer when asking a FRIEND something." Musa shrugged it off but gave Hermione a grateful smile.
"How about I just show you all the contract?" Harry looked around the room before answering for everyone with a nod. At that Musa summoned a piece of parchment and handed it to Harry who read it aloud.
Draco Malfoy is required to open his mind to other people no matter their birth, background, or blood. He will try to understand what it would be like to be in that person's position and get to know someone before judging/bullying them.
He shall also choose his own path rather than the one laid out for him by his rather rude, close-minded father or anyone else. He shall live life for himself or those he loves and to please himself not others. (For instance making your father proud because, face it that will never happen Lucius Malfoy is a git that will never be proud of his son no matter what he does short of being a deatheater.)
He shall also keep anything told to him by Musa, Harry James Potter, or Hermione Jane Granger a secret unless given permission from Musa to share it.
Dumbledore's Army awaits. Make the decision Draco.
P.S. Breaking this Magical contract will release a string of painful and embarrassing hexes, not to mention the wrath of one Musa and her friends (The ones like her)
Everyone was silent after Harry finished reading the contract. Until Musa broke the silence.
"Now we can all see the decision Draco here made. Glad to see you amongst us." Harry looked back and forth between Musa's smirk and Draco's glare for a minute.
"Alright you heard the magical contract. Draco will be joining us and cutting back on the bullying. So move on and continue practicing." Everyone hesitated for a second but went back to practising their patronuses. Draco stepped around a patronus cat being chased by a patronus terrier then walked over to Musa who began working with him on performing his patronus charm. After everyone had emptied out of the room because the day was over Draco kept trying never succeeding in making a completely solid patronus. Never getting past a silver mist.
"GAAAHHH! This is impossible!" Musa sighed and got off the wall she was leaning on to walk over to Draco.
"I know you probably didn't have the happiest childhood but those with few happy memories actually make stronger patronus's because the few happy memories they have are so much stronger. You just need to find the right one." Draco narrowed his eyes in a familiar glare.
"How would you know? You probably had an easy childhood with a loving mom and dad. Besides I havent seen you even perform the charm yet." Musa raised an eyebrow.
"What happened to not judging with out knowing?" After that statement Musa pulled out her wand and closed her eyes.
"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" A wave of energy seemed to radiate outward from her making Draco step backward as he watched a burst of silver explode out of her wand and swirling around a moment for taking shape directly in front of him. He stared in aw at the humungous fox standing in front of him with nine tails. It looked him in the eye than trotted over to Musa and sat down next to her. She patted it on it head than it disappeared.
"That was a kitsune. A creature no one has seen and lived for centuries. Yours even had nine-tails. Its said when they gain their ninth tail their power amost triples..." Musa raised an eyebrow at Draco's knowledge of her Patronus.
"Much to powerful for someone who has had an easy life. Their memories would not be strong enough so what do you think that says about me you prick?" Draco flushed red and looked at his feet. After a second Musa reached out and grabbed his chin lifting his head to look into his eyes.
"Your memory doesn't have to be old, just a strong happy one. Even if you don't succeed tonight I'm sure you'll get plenty of new happy memories now that you're not going to be a total stuck up git." Then she turned and walked out.
The next few weeks went by quickly. Not only did people get used to Draco's presence at DA meetings but some began to try to include him in conversations and activities. Every day they met Draco practiced atleast two hours after everyone else left. At some point he accomplished his Patronus but ,to the surprise of almost everyone who expected him to be a show off, refused to show anyone it. During those weeks Musa stopped coming to the meetings and the only time anyone saw her was during classes until one afternoon Draco saw her going into the library.
"Hey! Musa!" She stopped and turned around grinning when she saw who it was.
"Hey Draco. What's up?"
"Where have you been the last few weeks? No one knows! Not even Potter and Granger." She paused for a second studing his face, seeming todecide wether or not to tell him.
"I've been researching Animagi. I was thinking of trying to become one someday." He raised an eyebrow.
"Really? Well when you begin trying let me know. I want to join you." This time it was Musa's turn to raise an eyebrow.
"Sure. I guess we can work together on it. How about next year if I'm still here?" He frowned wondering what she meant by 'if' but shrugged it off.
"Sure. Anyways we should go to the Room of Requirement now..." She though for a second before nodding and following him to DA practice.
After about ten minutes of DA practice there was a muffled boom followed by the chandelier shaking above their heads. Another slightly less muffled boom followed shortly after and after a few more tries some bricks gave out and a hole appeared in the wall. Cautiously Harry and Hermione peeked through it just to see umbridge pointing her wand at the wall with a disgusting smirk on her face.
"I'll make short work of this. Bombarda Maximus."
Draco dove and knocked Harry and Hermione out of the way, Musa threw a shield up in front of students near the blast and the wall gave out. Bricks flew through the air and Umbridge stepped through the large hole in the wall. Within the next hour Musa, Harry, and Cho got dragged away to Dumbledore's office by Percy, Umbridge, Minister Fudge, and another Ministry Worker.
"I've been watching them for weeks! See, Dumbledore's Army! Proof of what I've been telling you right from the beginning Cornelius! All this blasphemy about You-Know-Who returning, I saw right through it from the beginning! It's all covered up his plan to seize the Ministry."
Dumbledore didn't look shaken by the accusation at all.
"Naturally." Musa frowned at Dumbledore's answer but stayed quiet along with Cho. Harry on the other hand did not.
"No, Professor had nothing to do with it! It was me!" Musa rolled her eyes knowing that Dumbledore would never let Harry take the fall.
"Most noble of you Harry but as it has been clearly pointed out, it say Dumbledore's Army. Not Potter's. I instructed Harry to form this organization and I, and I alone am responsible for it's activities." Cornelius Fudge smirked.
"Dispatch for the Daily Prophet. If we hurry we may make the morning edition, and Shacklebolt shall escort Dumbledore to Azkaban to await trial for conspiracy." As he spoke Umbridge, Fudge, and Shacklebolt stepped forward closing in on Dumbledore.
"Ah. I thought we might hit this little snag. You seem to be under the illusion that I am going to, what was the phrase, come quietly? Well I can assure you I have no intention of going to Azkaban." Dumbledore then turned and looked Musa in the eye and winked. Umbridge turned red.
"Enough of this!" Suddenly Dumbledore's phoenix, Fawkes, swooped down and he grabbed Fawkes above his head disappearing in a burst of flame that knocked the ministry lackeys back. Shacklebolts smiled as did Musa and Harry.
"Woah. You might not like him Minister. But you gotta admit, Dumbledore's got style."