Chapter 11 - The Revelation

Harry secured his shield cloak around his body and pulled the hood up just far enough over his head that it covered his scar, the top of his eyes and shadowing his entire face. He charmed his eyesight and wasn't at all worried about having to look at the ground in order to see where he was walking. He didn't intend to make his trip into Diagon Alley a long one. He silently Apparated from his spot deep in the forest, arriving just around the bend from Mr. Ollivander's shop. He kept his head down as he trudged through the snow to the front door of the wand maker's shop. The bell on the door tinkled as Harry entered Mr. Ollivander's shop. He pushed back his hood only enough for Mr. Ollivander to see the scar on his forehead. Once he saw the recognition in the old man's eyes he pulled his hood back so it would cover his forehead again.

He looked at the wand maker with questioning in his eyes. "Can we make this conversation private?"

"Certainly, Mr. Potter," Mr. Ollivander responded. "Lock the door." Harry did that at once and then approached Mr. Ollivander at his counter. "What can I do for you?"

Harry pushed his cloak aside and unsheathed the sword on his hip. Fear flashed in Mr. Ollivander's eyes for a brief moment but vanished the moment Harry flicked the sword and produced a blue bird.

"I believe Slytherin's wand is within this sword," he told Mr. Ollivander as he set it down on the counter. "Can you extract it?"

Mr. Ollivander picked up the sword, closed his eyes and nodded. "Yes, there is a wand at the core of this sword." He opened his eyes again and looked Harry directly in the eyes. "I will destroy the sword in the process."

"I don't care about the sword. I just want to know if that is Slytherin's wand."

Mr. Ollivander nodded slightly. "I can remove the wand and test it," he said as he studied that embossing on the sword. "However, this crest of Slytherin's family and the age of the metal used to forge this weapon leave little doubt that you are right in concluding Salazar Slytherin's wand has been found." He set the sword down and peered into Harry's eyes. "There is more isn't there, Mr. Potter?"

Harry nodded quickly. "I believe using all four founders' wands will be necessary during my final confrontation with Voldemort. I'd like to try the other two wands."

Mr. Ollivander said nothing as he swept into the back of his shop. He emerged several minutes later carrying the other two boxes that Harry had seen during his last visit to Ollivander's shop. He set them on the counter slowly opening each container for Harry. Harry reached into the solid yellow box first. He clutched Hufflepuff's wand in his hand, pointed it up into the air and gave it a flick. His hand vibrated slightly but he produced the bouquet of daisies he had been concentrating on. He set the wand back down and picked up Ravenclaw's wand. This wand seemed to disagree with Harry even more than Hufflepuff's as it pulled more significantly in his grip but still produced a fountain of water. Harry returned that wand to its box also and closed each case gently. His hands lingered on the boxes as he looked down at them. They weren't matches but they certainly hadn't reacted badly to him.

"Mr. Ollivander…" Harry paused unsure of how to word the question that was forming in his mind.

"Take them, Mr. Potter," he told him without needing to hear the question. "I will send you an owl as soon as I have this one," he pointed at the sword, "ready for you."

Harry scooped up the boxes, tucking them into his cloak. "I will return all four of them to you when I've finished this."

He nodded at Harry. "Does anyone else know about this wand?" he asked picking the sword back up.

Harry nodded. "Only those I trust with my life," he answered. "I didn't think it was wise to tell anyone else. I don't want to risk any chance that Voldemort finds out about it. I'm certain he would covet this wand as a prize like no other."

"That we can be certain of," he shuddered slightly as he said this.

Harry unfolded the parchment that Hedwig had just laid in front of him. He immediately recognized Professor Dumbledore's loopy handwriting.

Harry,

Please meet me in my office tonight at ten o'clock.

Professor Dumbledore

"Thanks girl," he told his owl as she dunked her beak into his goblet of pumpkin juice.

"Oh Hedwig," Ginny stroked her back as she sat at the table with a letter in her hand. "Do you mind taking this to dad?" Hedwig hooted and nipped Ginny's hand. "Thank you, sweetie," she told her as she tied the letter to her leg. After watching her fly out of the great hall she turned back to Harry and noticed his face was a bit queer. "I'm sorry, Harry, did you need her for something? I didn't even ask you that was really rude of me."

"No." Harry shook his head frantically. "You can use Hedwig any time you like. I don't mind sharing her with you, you know that."

"What's with the look then?"

"You didn't tell her Mr. Weasley," he pointed out. "You told her dad."

"Well, he is our dad… Well, you know what I mean, Harry."

He nodded. "Yeah and obviously Hedwig does too."

It was then that Ginny recognized the look Harry had. It was amazement. He still found himself in awe of the fact that he appeared to have a real family now. She imagined that fact was finally sinking after almost seven years.

"You know Harry, no matter what happens we will always be your family. You're as much a Weasley as you are a Potter."

Harry opened his mouth but instead of speaking he saw Malfoy stroll right up to the Gryffindor table and stare at him.

"Well, well, potty and weasel," he sneered. "Have you managed to get pregnant yet, Weasley? It would be a sure way into Potter's vault. You know how honorable those Gryffindors are."

"Shut up, Malfoy," Harry spat through gritted teeth. "Don't make me embarrass you in front of the entire school."

"Come on, Potter, everyone in this place knows that you've turned her into your slag."

Ginny and Harry both jumped up in rage but Harry made it over the table first. He grabbed Malfoy by his tie and pulled him into him as he balled up his fist and threw it into his nose. Harry's hand throbbed painfully and Malfoy's nose gushed immediately.

"Apologize to her!" he bellowed.

"No." Malfoy smirk grew wider. "I wouldn't apologize to that blood traitor if my life depended on it!"

Without a word Harry's wand slipped down from his arm holster into his hand and he tucked it tightly up under Malfoy's chin. "Your life does depend on it," he growled in a low tone that let everyone around them know that Harry was dead serious.

Crabbe and Goyle now looked concerned and they shifted their gaze over to Ginny, who was standing right behind Harry on the bench. They may have advanced one her but the teachers running from the head table deterred them.

"Harry," Ginny said softly to get his attention.

Harry didn't look but he knew Snape, McGonagall and Flitwick were running towards him. "Accio wand!" His second wand flew into his free hand and he cast it in a circle above his head. A white translucent light swirled over his head then fell around both boys.

"They'll not reach you now, Malfoy," Harry told him with a smile, "no one to save you. I'll take that apology now."

"Potter!" Snape shouted. "Potter, take that shield down right now!"

Harry ignored his trainer.

"Miss Weasley," Professor McGonagall pleaded with Ginny. "Talk to him, tell him. He can't hurt Mr. Malfoy."

Ginny just shrugged. "It kind of looks like he already has hurt him, Professor."

All three professors were forced to turn their wands on Harry's shield and attempt to remove it. But try as they might it would not come down.

"It's no use," Snape finally said. "It's a very strong armor shield. It's not coming down without a direct hit from a killing curse."

"Hear that, Malfoy," Harry's voice had turned sadistic. "Now apologize to her or I'll put my foot so far up your arse you'll be licking my toes, but then you'd probably enjoy that wouldn't you, puffer?"

"I'm not a puffer!"

"Had me fooled! Always with your giant puffer boyfriends in tow. Can't let them get too far away from you, can you? You've turned them into your little whores, haven't you?"

Malfoy wheeled around bounced off of the shield they were encased in and socked Harry in the jaw. Harry dropped his wands, which had been charmed to fly back into their respective holsters, and started punching Malfoy with great fury. The two boys wrestled, kicked, punched and rolled within Harry's armor shield into the next table. The shield repelled anyone who was too close to it thus sending Crabbe and Goyle, as well as a few Hufflepuffs, skidding down the row between the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff tables.

The skirmish continued for several long minutes before Malfoy's robe was finally dislodged and everyone near him saw it. The Dark Mark burned into his left forearm. A great gasp filled the hall and suddenly the professors stopped trying to take down the shield. Ginny reacted the only way she knew how in the presence of a Death Eater, she activated the tattoo.

Harry immediately clinched Malfoy by the neck, lifting him into the air as he summoned his wand again. With one tap the shield was down and Malfoy was hurtled from Harry's grip. He crashed into a bench and rolled on the floor in pain. Harry stalked over to him and lifted him into the air once again.

"Death Eater!" Harry shouted.

Screaming erupted and students began pushing their way out of the hall. Ron, Hermione, Neville and Luna had to fight the tide of students cascading from the Great Hall in order to get to Harry and Ginny. The professors were now standing behind Ginny with their wands drawn. Not to Harry's surprise a few students stayed in the hall. Crabbe, Goyle, Parkinson, and a Ravenclaw boy Harry didn't recognize. All four of them had their wands trained on Harry.

"Let him go, Potter," the Ravenclaw insisted as he stepped closer.

Snape swirled around, aiming at the Ravenclaw. "Brownfield, your mother will be so disappointed."

"She'll get over it," he hissed.

"You are outnumbered," McGonagall said in a very calm voice. "There are five of you and nine of us. Be reasonable and let us help you out of this situation. We can provide shelter and safety from the Dark Lord."

"Shut up, Professor," he ordered. "Now let him go, Potter, and no one need get hurt."

Harry's eyes darted over to Hermione. She cocked her head to the side and then realized what he was trying to tell her. He flipped his wand over to her and as she caught it she gripped Neville's hand very tightly. He understood that she now had Harry's wand and he brought his together with it.

"Minuo!" Hermione and Neville shouted together.

The curse hit Crabbe pointed blank, ricocheting off of him and bouncing into Brownfield. They both fell to the ground bleeding from their abdomens. Harry dropped Malfoy and his second wand was in his hand. Blazing light filled the hall as the fighting broke out in full force. The teachers were trying their best not to injure any students and the sextet was firing off any hexes they could to bring down the quintet of rogue students.

Malfoy was backing towards the doors but Harry kept him engaged. It was obvious that Malfoy's dueling skills had improved considerably since the last time he and Harry had dueled but he was mostly relying on his defenses: shield, conjured items and transfiguration. It seemed all he could do to hold off Harry's attack.

Flitwick suddenly ran out of the hall and Harry could hear him shouting at the students lingering in the entry way to clear off, get to their dormitories immediately. He knew that Harry and Malfoy, as well as the others, were about to come bursting out of the Great Hall in the midst of their dueling.

As soon as Malfoy cleared the doors he turned tail and ran. Harry quickly hit him with a leg locker curse causing him to tumble head over feet out of the front doors. Harry rushed to him and hoisted him back into the air. He stared into Malfoy's eyes and even through his own anger, through every feeling of hatred that he'd ever had for Malfoy, he saw it. Malfoy was trying to communicate with him. Harry's eyes darted around looking for someone else that he maybe trying to send a message to but only he and Malfoy were outside of the castle now.

"You have to let me go, Harry," he said very quietly.

Harry… he'd never called him that before.

"I won't let you in again. Do it quickly!" Malfoy insisted in a low hiss.

"Legilimens," Harry whispered and was flooded with one image: Malfoy being marked. Along with that image was one feeling: he did not want to be a Death Eater but had no choice. He and his family would be killed if he turned away.

Harry released him. Malfoy fell to the ground and quickly fixed his legs. He sprang up from the ground and started to say something but stopped as voices were beginning to echo out of the castle.

"You better hit me with something," Harry told him.

Malfoy nodded quickly and drew back his arm and punched Harry right in the eye. His glasses shattered and Harry stumbled backwards.

"Stop messing around!" Malfoy shouted at his fellow Death Eaters. "We have to get out of here before Dumbledore gets here!"

Parkinson, Brownfield and Goyle came stumbling out and the four of them ran for the gates. Harry half heartedly gave chase as he built a barrier around the information that Malfoy had just shared with him. He hated the idea of protecting Malfoy but he knew he must do it right now. He couldn't let Voldemort find out Malfoy's discontent with becoming a Death Eater.

"I'm sorry, Professor," Harry bent over panting as he stopped chasing. "I couldn't do it. I know they're Death Eaters now but I couldn't bring myself… I hate Malfoy, but I still couldn't…"

Professor McGonagall laid a hand on his back his he caught his breath. "It's all right, Potter. No matter what we feel personally, it's very hard to believe it when a former student turns this way."

"But I could've… you know."

"You're not weak because you couldn't take another person's life," she said sternly. "Don't ever think that."

He stood up straight and nodded at her. "I only saw four of them. Did we get one?"

She nodded. "Yes, Crabbe. Professor Snape and Mr. Weasley have taken him to the infirmary. Speaking of which, we need to get you up there."

Harry allowed Professor McGonagall to escort him back into the castle. Ginny was waiting for him at the entrance. Together they walked to the infirmary. Madam Pomfrey rushed about as she tended to the injuries. Everyone involved in the Great Hall duel had some type of injury. Crabbe was worst of all. Aside from taking the full burnt of the joined cutting curse Hermione and Neville sent at him, he'd been hit by a bludgeoning curse right to the chest. Ron and Neville were arguing over who had gotten him with it but from the looks of it, it may have been both of them.

When Professor Dumbledore arrived Professor Snape recounted the events for him. He shook his head sadly as he listened to the fact that five of his students had been revealed as Death Eaters.

Harry and Ginny sat on a cot together as they waited for Madam Pomfrey to heal their scrapes and bruises. As they waited Harry charmed his eye sight back to perfection because he hadn't bothered looking for his shattered glasses before coming back into the castle. Professor McGonagall sat across from them as she too waited with blood trickling from her temple.

"I do not condone that behavior, Potter," she said sternly. "Twenty points from Gryffindor for fighting and detention Saturday night."

"Professor!" Ginny yelled. "How can you do that? If he hadn't—"

"Quiet Miss Weasley," she snapped. Her attention focused back to Harry. "Fifty points to Gryffindor for discovering five Death Eaters among us and helping us to get them out of the school. Thank you."

After being healed Harry went over to Dumbledore, who was now talking with two Aurors.

"Well done, Potter," a man Harry hadn't met before told him as he vigorously shook his hand.

"Thank you, Sir," he said modestly but turned his attention back to the headmaster. "Professor, I need to talk to you… in private."

"Yes, I assumed as much. Mr. Deter, Mr. Turner, I'm sure you will find my professors to be most helpful to you. Excuse us."

Harry and Dumbledore walked quietly through the castle. They said nothing to each other even once they entered the headmaster's office. He silently poured Harry a glass of mead and handed it to him. They sat in silence as they both drank from their glasses. Finally, it was Harry who drained his mead first and set the glass down.

"Thank you, Professor, I really needed that."

"I thought maybe so," Dumbledore set his glass down as well, "and I suspect it had nothing to do with the duel you were just in."

"I hope I'm not that easy to read right now," Harry said shaking his head.

"No, it isn't you, Harry," he told him with his calm voice. Harry was already beginning to feel better just sitting and listening to the headmaster speaking. "But I do hope Mr. Malfoy can hide his emotions much better now that he's gone to be a Death Eater full time."

"You know?"

"He never told me but I suspected."

"Why did he choose to tell me, Professor? Why not you?"

"Because he believes you are the only person that can save him," Dumbledore explained.

"Why?" But Harry realized that already. "He knows about the prophecy?"

Dumbledore nodded. "I assume by letting him go today that you've decided to help him?"

Harry was so irritated with himself over that decision. "I couldn't help but feel sorry for him. I don't know why."

"Because you are compassionate, Harry."

"Does anyone else know about Malfoy?"

Dumbledore shook his head slowly. "And I don't think we should tell anyone about him. He hasn't consent to feed us information but I believe he will, so let us gain his trust by helping him right now. I'm sure we will have the opportunity to communicate with him at a later date."

"I won't tell anyone, Professor. Just let me know what I need to do to help him. I don't like the stupid git but no one should be backed into the corner like he has been." It was then that Harry realized something about Malfoy. "Do you think it has always been this way for Malfoy? Do you believe he is evil, or even bad or just trying so hard to please his father?"

And if that held true then Harry realized that Malfoy had started that fight on purpose. He needed a way to tell Harry. Not only had he succeeded in letting Harry know the truth but he had also successfully ratted out a student Harry would have never considered as a Death Eater. It seemed the only human thing to do, the compassionate step was to let Malfoy go and hope he would help him in return.

"It's not a simple question to answer, Harry, but in short order, I do not think Draco is evil. I think he is confused. Torn between what he has been brought up to believe, arrogances and what he actually believes. I've always had hope for him."

"You have hope for everyone, Professor," Harry said with a weary smile.

"Quite right, Harry, quite right."