Disclaimer: Nothing related to Harry Potter belongs to me. It belongs to J.K. Rowling.

Chapter Twelve: Divided Loyalties

Harry didn't stir from his place in front of the fire until he felt Draco stirring behind him as he awoke from a restless sleep. Apparently being so close to both Severus and the other Slytherins made him nervous, not that Harry blamed him. Of course, having a legendary beast guarding him might have had something to do with his restlessness as well, but that was his own damn fault for spying on Harry last night.

"Potter?" he asked softly, not wanting to disturb Harry if he was asleep, but wanting his permission to move lest he be attacked and killed by the were-Jachyra. He was under no illusions about his precarious position, and knew that Harry was well within his rights as a Jachyra to kill him if felt that he was threatening those he was bonded to.

Harry turned to face him, and Draco drew his breath in a sharp intake as he saw the keen intelligence staring out at him from those startlingly vibrant violet eyes. My name in this form is Amarth, unless you are still loyal to Voldemort, in which case you may call me Morkeleb.

Draco started at hearing Harry's voice in his head, low and dangerous. Not thinking, he nodded dumbly in acquiescence, then paled as Amarth's words sunk in, as well as the implications. "Morkeleb?" he asked shakily, fear evident in his voice. "He's named you 'Dark Silver'!"

Amarth nodded his head, starting at Draco suspiciously. Does that name hold some significance for you, Malfoy? His tone was warning, and Draco was aware that he had best be honest, unless he wanted an enraged Jachyra on his hands.

The Slytherin prince looked at him and replied, "Call me Draco. Once work of my treachery reaches my father's ears, I have no doubt I'll be disowned. As for the name, it does indeed hold significance, but I'd much rather tell you at the same time that I tell Professor Dumbledore, so that I don't have to explain it more than once. It gives me the shivers just thinking about it."

Amarth nodded his great shaggy head and rose with liquid grace to his feet, padding silently out of the room and into Remus' bedroom. Draco watched him go in awe, marveling at the sheer strength and power that emanated from the lycanthrope. He knew then that he'd do anything to avoid pissing off the Boy Who Lived.

A few minutes later, Amarth came back out of the room and headed down a small side hallway. Draco heard the quiet click of a portrait opening and shutting. He waited tensely until the Defense professor walked out of his bedroom. He knew that he had given this man plenty of grief and cost him his job in his third year, and now the werewolf had his chance at retaliation.

However, Lupin just smiled at him and moved into the kitchen, calling back, "Harry and Severus will return soon and we'll all have breakfast here before going to talk to the Headmaster, all right?" He popped his heack out the door and frowned, seeing Draco frozen on the couch, his eyes swirling with barely contained panic.

Confused, Remus used the mind link to talk to Harry. \Amarth?\ he asked gently, not wanting to disturb him if he was getting Severus out of bed, a job which Remus did not envy him for. Receiving an inquiry as to his purpose in contacting the Jachyra, he spoke again. \Young Mr. Malfoy is currently having a panic attack out here. Any idea why?\

Amarth sent him the mental equivalent of a shrug and replied I don't know. What did you say to him?

Remus started to deny saying anything that would cause this reaction in Malfoy, but then he paused as comprehension slowly dawned. \Mr. Malfoy doesn't know that Severus isn't a loyal Death Eater, does he?\ If Draco still believed the Potions Master to be faithful to Voldemort, then of course he'd be terrified, thinking that it was Harry and Remus who didn't know about the other man.

Amarth sighed, Go ahead and tell him, would you? he asked after a brief pause, in which Remus suspected that the Jachyra had been speaking to Severus. My Jachyra form strongly believes Draco to be sincere, but if he is not, then I will know of the deception immediately and we can take further action from there

Remus just sighed and promised to explain to Draco before they returned. It wouldn't do to have the young Malfoy heir try to flee or attack Severus when he entered the room.

Once the link had been closed, Remus turned to face Draco, who, fortunately, hadn't moved from his position on the couch. "Mr. Malfoy," he began, then paused when the blonde flinched at his formal tone and murmured, "Please, call me Draco. I'm sure to be disowned if I live long enough."

Remus frowned, then continued, "All right, Draco, there's something I need to tell you about Professor Snape. Amarth thinks you're sincere in your desire to join the Light, so he and Severus gave me permission to tell you this. Severus Snape has been spying on the Dark Lord since about five months before his first downfall. He serves the Light and Dumbledore even now."

He waited patiently for his words to sink in. He could tell the moment comprehension dawned, as silver eyes calmed and widened as surprise and disbelief replaced his fear. "Professor Snape is a traitor?" he choked, hope evident in his voice.

Remus frowned at him and shook his head. "No, Draco, Professor Snape is a spy for the Light, who hasn't ever been truly loyal. He made a grave mistake as a young boy, one that I, unfortunately, helped bring about, and he has spent his whole life atoning for that brief, but irrevocable, lapse in judgment."

At this time, Severus walked into the room with Harry pressed against his side, back in human form. Severus raised an eyebrow at his student and godson and remarked, "It's true, Draco, as I am sure the Headmaster will tell you when we visit him. For now, come eat."

Draco moved on automatic as he sat at the table and began eating, his mind whirling with too many thoughts to even consider that his professor might be lying to the Light and poisoning his food. Snape had managed to escape Azkaban and fool not only his father and the other Death Easters, but also the Dark Lord himself, who was rumored to be a master at Legilimency.

If what they were saying was true, then Draco's opinion of the Potions Master had just risen considerably. After all, Draco had seen his godfather groveling at the Dark Lord's feet and kissing the hem of his robes next to his father. He had watched the stoic man writhing under the Cruciatus curse, his pride not allowing him to scream or show his agony on his face, even as his body betrayed him. Draco saw Snape torturing muggles and creating potions to ensure that Voldemort still considered him a loyal, and useful, follower. He sacrificed the few to save the many, Draco realized now, and he respected him greatly for that.

Something of what Draco was feeling must have shown on his face, because Harry turned to him, eyes twinkling with barely suppressed amusement, and grinned at him, dropping him a quick wink before turning back to his food.

After breakfast, they left Remus' living quarters and headed for Dumbledore's office. About halfway there, Harry froze, staring wide-eyed at Draco and trembling slightly. The silver-eyed boy stared back at him curiously. Growling in frustration, Harry positioned himself next to Draco and took his hand. At the professors' astonished gazes, he said shortly, "He overheard everything, even though I wasn't talking to him directly."

Comprehension dawned in the eyes of the two men and they looked at Draco oddly for several long moments, making him fidget nervously. It was Severus who voiced it out loud. "This could be bad, depending on which way this meeting goes." Harry and Remus just nodded solemnly and continued their trek to the Headmaster's office. Draco, more confused than ever, let Harry lead him silently. It was obvious that the other boy felt the need for physical contact with him, but he wasn't quite sure why.

When they entered his office, Albus Dumbledore looked gravely at Harry and Draco's clasped hands, then stared pointedly at the raven-haired teen, who flushed lightly and simply told him, "He knows, and he wants to join the Light side."

The old wizard stared at him for several long moments, apparently hoping for further enlightenment, but Harry refused to say anything. When it became obvious that no more information would be forthcoming, he sighed and gestured for them to have a seat. He then turned to Draco and started asking him questions. Draco explained his reasons for wishing to join the Light, and gave the Headmaster a great wealth of information that even Severus was not privy to. There were advantages to being the son of Voldemort's right-hand man, though they were not privileges that Draco was particularly interested in.

As a conclusion, he turned to Harry, who had released his hand but was still sitting protectively close to him. "I believe you wanted to know the meaning behind the Dark Lord's name for you?' he asked, and smirked as everybody in the room, except for Harry, jerked in reaction to his question. Harry simply nodded, silently encouraging him to answer.

Feeling everyone's attention on him, Draco began. "You are aware that the Dark Lord had a muggle father and so is not a pureblood as he leads all of his followers to believe?" Upon receiving nods from the assembled group, he spoke again. "This is information that only the Dark Lord and I are privy to, I imagine. I know it only because I went exploring and found out."

Taking a deep breath, he braced himself before spitting it all out at once. "When the Dark Lord killed his parents, he tortured them to death. As he was still underage when he murdered them, he used a muggle method and carved them up. His dagger was named Morkeleb, because it was a beautiful and pure silver, but it was tainted with Dark Magic and Dark Blood. Hence the name Morkeleb, or 'Dark Silver'. When he was done with the blade, he destroyed it utterly, leaving no trace of its existence."

Harry was the first to grasp the implications of his story. "So Voldemort sees me as his new blade, does he? A Light creature bound to Dark Wizards, who he intends to use to kill those who oppose him, thus tainting his blade. When he is done with me, he plans on destroying me, hence the name Morkeleb." He snorted rather inelegantly. "Hn. I guess I'll just have to show him that this particular blade isn't choosy, and will readily, even eagerly, turn on its 'master', given the right provocation.

He glanced over at Draco and offered him a small, but genuine, smile. "Well, Draco, it looks like you'll be staying with us too, while I sort out this new complication to the bond. Congratulations, and welcome to the family." The office fell into silence once again as the five wizards contemplated where they might end up next.

Quick Note: Yes, I know that Tom Riddle killed his parents with magic in canon. I changed it, 'cause that's what fit. That's all.