It was already day break when Draco returned to the cabin.

"Well there you are!" Glasses exclaimed when he saw him, "Ain't you nice? Just drop us right along the roadside without as much as a 'see you later, guys'!"

"It's not as if I had a whole lot of time for a tearful farewell," Draco retorted.

"And what was so important that you felt the need to depart so unceremoniously?"

"My mum's here. And Professor Snape," Draco explained. Glasses studied him for a moment.

"What does that mean?" he asked carefully.

"Well, I guess it means that I'll be going home soon."

"Why?" Glasses asked coldly.

"Why?" Draco repeated.

"Why do you even want to go? You could stay here. You could go to school with us next year. It would be great! And Raven's trying to find Jay a place to stay- he's talking with him right now! Maybe he could find one for you too. Maybe some place together." Draco didn't know what to say. He was so pleased that Glasses wanted him to stay and he didn't want to hurt his feelings.

"Look, you guys are great and don't think I haven't considered staying. I've been arguing with my mum about it for most of the night. But this isn't my home and I have to go back. I can't just leave and let the Dark Lord take over everything. I have to fight. Don't you see?"

"Yeah, I guess so. But, I mean, what can you do?" he asked seriously. Draco thought for a moment.

"Loads of stuff! I've got lots of information. I can help convince the others not to join the dark side. I don't even know yet, but I sure can't do anything if I'm not there!"

"You can't do anything if you're dead either," Glasses pointed out.

"Well that's just a chance I'll have to take. I wasn't born yet during the first war. If I'd known it would be like this… I mean, I actually helped them! When I think of what I almost did…And loads of people who haven't done anything wrong are risking there lives. How can I just sit here?" Glasses sighed and sat down beside him.

By and by, Jay came walking up the steps.

"What's wrong?" Jay asked.

"Draco's leaving," Glasses said simply.

"When?"

"I'm not exactly sure," Draco told him, "But soon. My mother and teacher are here." Jay looked at them both and then broke into a huge smile.

"Well isn't that a coincidence?" he said, "Because Raven thinks I should go with you." Draco and Glasses looked at each other.

"What!?" they shouted together.

"For an independent study in selflessness and courage."

"I didn't think teachers could give you assignments that could get you killed!" Draco exclaimed, "Hope nobody tells Professor Snape. There won't be any Hufflepuffs left!" Jay and Glasses stared at him. Glasses said, "Well if he's going, I'm going." right as Jay said, "What in the world is a Hufflepuff?"

"Right, and how's that going to work, with your overprotective mum?" Draco asked Glasses, "Dear Mum, I'm going to England to fight dark wizards. Love you, Randy?"

"More like, Dear Mama, I've taken a position as a foreign exchange student. I'll write you once I get there. Love, your son."

"You think she'll buy that?" Jay asked uncertainly.

"and if she doesn't?" Glasses asked. Jay developed a sinister grin.

"So that's that," he said, "We're all going!"

The day came and went without Draco hearing any word. Jay and Glasses could speak of nothing but the upcoming trip. Draco didn't say anything to them about it. As happy as he was that they wanted to go with him, he didn't really expect it to work out.

Dinner that night was a nightmare. The menu was a Mexican fiesta, which involved dozens of dishes for each table. The boys were so busy carrying plates out of the kitchen they barely had time to each themselves. By the time they'd finished cleaning all the dishes the sun was beginning to set.

As they were crossing the field from the dining hall to the road, Draco noticed dozens of lights coming from the direction of Morning Star.

"Hey, look at that," Draco exclaimed.

"Look's like Whitewolf has come back," observed Jay.

"Good!" said Draco sarcastically, "Maybe now he can work me into his schedule."

That night, Draco couldn't sleep. There were so many questions in his mind, his thoughts raced from one worry to another without rest. He rose quietly and took the medicine flute from under his bed. He climbed down the ladder and made his way down the path. There was a place along the creek where a fallen tree stretched out into the water. Draco climbed out on the tree trunk and sat with his feet dangling in the water to play the flute. As he played, he felt calmer and his mind became clear.

Suddenly, he felt a presence beside him. Draco looked up to find an elderly man sitting beside him on the log. He wore a woven tunic with the image of a wolf and a star on it.

"You getting very good with that flute, Draco," he praised in a calm voice.

"Are you Whitewolf?" Draco asked.

"I am."

"I've been waiting for you."

"I know. I'm sorry you've have to wait so long. I know it has been hard for you."

"Mariana said you had a meeting and decisions to make."

"That is true." Draco paused. He didn't want to seem like he was getting into Whitewolf's business.

"Do the decisions have to do with what's going on in England," he asked cautiously.

"As a matter of fact, they do," Whitewolf replied.

"Can you tell me what you've decided?" Draco pleaded.

"I'm afraid we haven't yet," was the response.

"Can you help us?" Draco asked him, "Or don't you want to get involved?"

"That's just it, Draco. We aren't sure what we can do."

"You can help us fight the Dark Lord. As powerful as you are, surely you can help us stop him!" Draco was shouting now but Whitewolf didn't seem to be angry.

"But what you must understand is, the Dark Lord is not the problem…"

"What!?" Draco cried in outrage, "Of course…"

"Stop, Draco," Whitewolf commanded. Draco obeyed, though his lips were trembling.

"Your coven is broken. It has been for centuries. From generation to generation, the children in your country have been purposefully and systematically divided against each other. You have seen this yourself, many times. Have you not?" Draco nodded, but he couldn't look at him.

"As long as this division and hated exists, there will always be a war and there will always be injustice. So you can see, there doesn't seem to be much to fight for." Draco looked up.

"But, sir, we can't just give up! This is my home! No one wants it to be this way. It's just that no one knows how to fix it. Like you said, it's been this way forever. There has to be something we can do. Lots of people are still trying. Maybe they will fail, but how can we not fail if we don't try?"

"You ask a great deal of us, Draco Malfoy," Whitewolf whispered to him, "But the cause is worth the effort."

"Then you'll help us fight?" Draco asked.

"We will try. You must go back now and I must go and speak with my coven."

"Yes sir," Draco responded.

"We will leave tomorrow evening, after the bon fire," he declared and rose from the trunk.

"Wait!" Draco shouted, "What about Professor Snape?" But Whitewolf had already gone.