A/N Hey guys, I know it's been awhile and I said I would most likely be able to post more frequently now, but turns out I won't be able to be as frequent as I want to. Some things have come up and I'm trying to finish it quickly so I can get back to this. So here is chapter twenty-five, and I hope I can post another chapter next week. Anyway, hope you guys had a Merry Christmas. :)
"Honestly, Draco!" Pansy murmured, handing him some toast as she, Blaise, and Theodore exited the Great Hall just as he was about to head in. He took it and turned back around. Feeling a piece of paper, he slipped it into his pocket. "Draco! Why weren't you there for Professor Snape's lecture to the first years?" She spoke quietly, staying on his trail so the others wouldn't hear. "We were made Prefects, Draco. We can't let him down."
"Parkinson," Draco's voice was cool and his tone clipped, "I have no desire to speak to you at the moment." His free hand was still clenched, and he could feel the blood dripping down his fingers, so he carefully kept it out of view of the others as he walked.
When he finished the toast, he brought out his wand, giving it a subtle flick. Seconds later, he could feel his palm drying. Carefully, he pried his fingers from his hand and entered the charms classroom.
Professor Flitwick was already standing on his chair and motioning around, his top hat swinging from side to side. The part goblin, part wizard looked over at the small group and said in his squeaky voice, "Quickly, quickly, get into pairs. Mr. Zabini and Mr. Malfoy. Miss. Parkinson and Mr. Nott. Quickly, quickly now."
Blaise and Draco hurried to a corner and faced each other, waiting for their professor to tell them what to do. As they stood there, Blaise cocked his head to the side, raising his eyebrows before casting a spell for them to hear others but not the other way around. "Did you receive my letter this summer?"
"I did. Perhaps we can speak of this outside of class," Draco replied as Flitwick announced they would review on summoning spells. "We can discuss things where we met last time."
Blaise raised his wand and nodded, pointing at Draco's bag, "Accio book." Three jumped from their places and towards Blaise, but the blonde simply waved his wand and they went back to him.
"Excellent!" The tiny professor bounced up and down as he came towards the duo. "Ten points to Slytherin!" Then he went off, giving points to Ravenclaw or Slytherin students who did well.
"If you try to touch my possessions again, Zabini, we will have a problem."
Blaise narrowed his eyes, "I believe we already have a problem."
Draco cocked his head to the side, egging the other boy on; he figured he might as well get started on Dumbledore's project and quickly cast off the spell keeping the others from hearing them. "Mmm, no need to be jealous you aren't as talented at magic as I am. You can't even perform minor charms without speaking." Hopefully the other boy would be quick and follow his lead.
Confusion flashed through Blaise's eyes before it was shut down, a smirk slowly crossing the Italian's features. "I have no need for jealousy." Blaise once again pointed his wand at the books and muttered, "Accio books."
Draco growled and forced them to return to him. Blaise had apparently caught on and was doing a very good job at getting Draco angry. "Do not make me repeat myself, Zabini."
"What's so special about those books, Malfoy? Hiding something?"
"Nothing to concern yourself over," Malfoy sneered, his wand pointing directly at the other boy. He had to pay for his disobedience. "I'm sure you're just dying to learn something about my family in order to raise your minor social standings."
Blaise's eye twitched and he growled, "Do not bring my family into this."
"What family? Your mum, the whore?" Malfoy grinned as Blaise slashed the air with his wand even as a few Ravenclaws gasped. Blocking the jinx, Malfoy jeered, "Surely that isn't the best you can do."
As if proving a point, Malfoy sent a stinging hex towards the other boy, anger in the brown eyes almost tangible. It was a beautiful sight, and Malfoy couldn't get enough.
"Come, this is boring. If you want a duel, stop acting like it's a cat fight. It's unbecoming."
"That's enough!" Flitwick's voice came from the side, jarring Malfoy back into reality.
With a headache, Draco stumbled back when he was hit with a stinging curse and was thrown backwards into the wall. Stifling a cry as his back screamed at him, Draco carefully got to his feet.
"Mr. Zabini!" Flitwick's eyes were wide and surprise clearly etched on his face. Pansy's mouth was open and Draco wanted to curl into a tight ball at the shock that covered most of the students faces.
Never had he ever gone after one of his own.
But it hadn't been him. It hadn't. Draco stopped himself from gripping his hair, but Malfoy simply smirked and spoke his thoughts, You wanted a fight. I gave you one.
Ignoring the looks at him, Draco argued with himself. Not like that.
You chose this path, I'm showing you the repercussions. Chose the right path, and you gain more than loneliness and pain. Join our Lord.
No...
"Detention, Mr. Zabini, and thirty points from Slytherin for attacking another student. And Mr. Malfoy! That is no way for a prefect to act!"
Draco composed himself and straightened himself out. "Forgive me, Professor. I simply was stating the truth. I hadn't considered Zabini's reaction. I had no intentions of starting a fight." Even as he spoke, he figured out a way to join the Slytherins - or some of them - and other Houses. It would start in the next class.
"Yes, I suppose you hadn't." The bell rang, but the rest of class stood riveted to their spots. "Dismissed. Practice the summoning spells a bit and read the next chapter to make objects move to your will."
Draco glanced around and saw Pansy glaring at him before her whole body tensed and her eyes went glassy before returning to their usual bland stare.
"Draco, we have potions next."
How could he have been so blind? How couldn't he have noticed? It was so obvious, just staring at him from the very beginning.
It explained why she was always moody. Why she couldn't seem to choose between being with him or Blaise.
Someone had her under the Imperius Curse.
"Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Potter," Snape talked slowly, eyes glaring at the raven haired boy. "You will be partnered together. Perhaps Mr. Malfoy will be able to teach you something of potion making."
A few of the Slytherins chuckled, but it wasn't as loud as it usually was. Harry glanced over his shoulder and peeked over at the blonde, but Malfoy was staring straight ahead. His whole body was tense, but otherwise he looked as he normally usually did. There wasn't any hint of Malfoy's earlier palm injury, so what would have caused him to bleed?
"Mr. Potter, it is required that you move and not stare."
Harry felt a flush heat up his skin, but he quickly packed up his bags and trudged over to the Slytherin Prince. He nodded at the Gryffindors quiet condolences as he walked past them before slipping into the empty seat next to the blonde.
"Malfoy," he hissed.
Said boy glanced over at him, gave a nod, and turned back to the front. Harry couldn't help it, his mouth fell open. Luckily, though, most of the attention was back on Snape who was still assigning partners.
"Mr. Weasley, do not ruin Mr. Zabini's potions. Miss Granger, don't badger Miss Parkinson or you will find yourself with detention. Mr. Finnigan, since you are prone to exploding things, I will pair you with Mr. Nott who will keep you in check. Mr. Longbottom with Miss Bulstrode, perhaps she can keep you in line."
The list went on, but Harry still couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that Malfoy had done nothing to mock him. He hadn't even bothered to state Harry's name.
Deciding not to push his luck, Harry pulled out his potions text, paper, quill and ink. He saw that Malfoy had pulled nothing out, instead opting to stare at nothing.
But then, those gray-blue eyes met his and a smirk covered Malfoy's face, "Potter, haven't you heard that staring is rude?" Platinum blonde hair fell to the side when Malfoy cocked his head, and Harry could see the bags under his eyes.
"You don't look too good, Malfoy. Something crawl up your ass?"
Something that looked like relief flashed through Malfoy's eyes before it was quickly reined in. But it couldn't have been. There would have been no reason for the prat to feel anything like relief. "At least I'm not the one with a disgusting mutt running after me. Honestly, it seemed to act more like a human than a dog. It was horrifying."
Harry's blood ran cold. Malfoy must have known that Sirius was an animagus, or he he got lucky on both accounts. He had to get hold of his godfather and see if anyone on the Malfoy side of the family knew anything about that.
But he said that no one but James, Remus, and Pettigrew knew. And if Pettigrew knew, then the Dark Lord would know. And if the Dark Lord knew, then the Malfoys would know.
"Potter!" Malfoy's snappy voice had him tuning back in and blinking owlishly at the other boy. "Honestly, Potter, are you incapable of hearing?" The boy glared as he pointed to the board. "Go get the ingredients."
"Why should I go get it?"
"I can easily make you fail."
"What about you being a prefect?"
"Thank you for reminding me, Potter. Now go get the ingredients or I'll give you a detention."
With a huff, Harry pushed his chair back and stomped up to the cabinet. As soon as he got there, he met up with Ron and Hermione who threw him pitying glances. "Can he give me a detention for not getting the ingredients?"
"I'm sure he'll spin it some way to justify it," Ron mourned as he pulled out his own needed supplies. "I wish I had thought about it, though. I would have my own personal Slytherin slave for a whole period." He cast a look over his shoulder to see if any of the Slytherins heard his comment, but they were all too far away.
"Really, Ronald." Hermione rolled her eyes as she headed back to her desk. "Then he would have told Malfoy or Parkinson and they would make your whole day a bad one. Now behave!"
Harry smiled at the two before heading back to his desk by Malfoy, who seemed to be fidgeting just a tad. Narrowing his emerald eyes, Harry frowned at the boy, who caught the look.
"Potter, don't make me repeat myself about staring."
Sitting with an unnecessary thump, Harry plopped the supplies on the table and frowned at the board. He would have sworn that Snape wrote small so that he wouldn't be able to see.
"Start grinding the moonstone into a fine powder, Potter." Malfoy had already filled the cauldron with some sort of substance and was staring at it intently. The blonde boy had rolled his robes up his arms so it wouldn't get in the fire, and because his hair kept getting in his face, Malfoy had to constantly move his head around. "Grind, Potter, grind. One would think you would know how to handle that by now."
"You're helping."
"I'm not helping, Potter. You are a tool for me to use. I don't wish to fail because of your inadequacies."
"Draco," Parkinson's voice had Harry turning, but Malfoy's attention stayed intent on the brewing potion. The girl had a sneer on her face when Harry faced her.
"I won't repeat myself again, Potter. Grind the Moonstone."
Hastily turning back to his workspace, Harry started doing as he was told.
"Draco, are we -"
"Parkinson, I believe I already told you to not speak to me today."
Harry froze. Malfoy was in a spat with Parkinson? But Slytherins were never in spats with each other. They were in arguments, but never to the point where they ignore each other completely. It was so... un-Slytherin like.
"Potter," the growled word had Harry hastily going back to his grinding. When he was finished, Malfoy scrutinized it before giving it a curt nod. But when Harry went to put it in the potion, a pale hand shot forward and grasped his wrist. "Not now, Potter! Do you not know how to read instructions? This is the Drought of Peace, not a Burn Healer."
With a sniff, the hand released his wrist and Harry dutifully put the moonstone back on the table. If he was going to at least pass the class, he might as well let Malfoy order him around - even if that meant grinding his teeth in the process.
"Do the same thing with the porcupine quills." Malfoy snatched the moonstone away from him, though his eyes never left the potion.
As Harry grinded, Malfoy slowly added the moonstone in. The black haired boy didn't mean to, but he blurted out, "What's so special about the timing?"
The blonde twitched, literally, but kept adding the ingredient in a little bit at a time. When it was fully in, he stirred it counter-clockwise three times, and then clockwise four times before lowering the flame temperature and staring at Harry.
"That is the most inane question I have been asked. Have you not been paying attention? Or do you really not know how to read?"
Harry felt his whole face flush before glaring at the quills as he smashed them.
"I believe they're finished." Draco used his wand and directed the bowl of powder in front of him. "Cut the Valerian root into quarters, all four of them." As Harry carefully got out his knife, he barely caught Malfoy's next words. "Timing is what keeps many potions nonlethal or in pristine condition. If you are off, the worth of the potion is decreased. Anyone who has eyes and ears know this."
He heard someone suck in a deep breath behind him, and Harry could only guess that it was Parkinson. But he wasn't paying attention to the girl behind him, he was too focused on the boy staring intently at the potion.
Even as Malfoy put in a tiny bit of the powdered porcupine quills, he muttered, "Quarters, Potter."
It took the whole class period, but by the end of class the two had a near perfect Draught of Peace potion. The only other team who had anything near as theirs was Hermione's and Parkinson's.
Though Harry didn't take any credit at all for himself. According to Malfoy, Harry would have ruined the potion if the blonde hadn't been there to stop him.
Snape must have agreed because he awarded Slytherin ten points for dealing with an 'imbecile'. When Snape turned to Malfoy, Harry saw the boy's whole body tense up and give a slight tremor.
The Slytherin moved his hands under the table, but Harry could see them clenching his robes, and by the time the potions master walked away, Malfoy had a slight sheen of sweat on his forehead.
Harry looked around and behind him as discreetly as possible, but no one seemed to notice the difference but him.
As they all got dismissed, Harry watched Malfoy stuff everything away before leaving in a dramatic way. When he joined his two friends, Harry decided then and there that he was going to keep a close watch on Malfoy, and figure out what the hell is happening to him.
As soon as he was out of sight of anyone, Draco put on his disillusionment spell and entered the first empty classroom he could find. When the door closed, he collapsed on the ground, moaning and clutching his head.
Sev had left no prisoners when he had entered his mind. In seconds all that he had strived to do had come crashing around him. His whole landscape was in tatters after his godfather's attack.
It felt as if his mind was on fire.
He curled up in a tight ball, closed his eyes, and tried to regulate his breathing. In, out, in, out. That's all he focused on. In, out, in, out.
It wasn't working.
With a groan, he rolled to his other side, hiding from the light that spilled into the room.
Grateful that he didn't have to worry about getting to the Study of Ancient Runes for the next hour, he was also perturbed that he would most likely miss lunch because of Sev.
But then, an idea for how to get his mind off the pain came up. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the paper Parkinson had handed him earlier that day. On the top was Draco Malfoy in a script he didn't recognize. But when he opened it, it was all too familiar.
Brat,
It might be easier to get along if you're not acting like you have a stick up your arse. Maybe act like a kid and talk about school.
Failing any classes?
S
He rolled his eyes before curling his arms around his legs. That stupid mutt was rude and obnoxious. If he was honest with himself, he would even admit he found the man slightly amusing.
He had an hour, and he couldn't find the energy to be hungry and go to lunch. So he stayed curled up and tried to get the pain in his head to stop.
Thank Merlin.
It was after class and Draco was in the Come and Go Room. Thankfully, the room hadn't been the cold one. Instead, on the desk in the middle of the room, there was a vile of headache relief.
He went straight towards it and gulped it down. The headache had followed him everywhere that day. As the pain finally started to fade, Draco sighed and rubbed his forehead, speaking out loud, "Alright, come out."
Blaise appeared beside him, a large frown in place. "I hope you have a purpose for what you did in Charms today."
"Yes, I'll explain in a moment. I need to see if the hellions are here or not."
"Present!" Both came into sight with their arms high in the air. They had grins on their faces as they stared between the other two boys. "What happened in Charms?"
"I believe he called my mother a whore."
"He what?" The two looked at the blonde.
"You haven't been that..." George started.
"... What's the word we're..." Fred sighed.
"... Looking for? Vocal?"
"... Close enough. You haven't been..."
"... That vocal against anyone except..."
"... Maybe us Gryffindors."
Draco pursed his lips before smoothing down his facial features. "There is a reason I did what I did. I'll get to that in a moment. Ask your questions, Zabini."
"Why were you acting strangely last year?"
Draco raised a pale eyebrow, "You'll need to be more specific."
Blaise glared at the blonde and nearly bit out, "You acted differently than you had in the previous years."
"I'm not allowed to change over the years?" The words came out harsher than he intended, and Draco closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. "I never changed."
Blaise didn't reply, just crossed his arms and waited.
"Blondie, stop playing with him." Fred walked forward and dropped his head on Draco's right shoulder.
"It's no laughing matter." George mirrored his brother's pose, though his smile betrayed his words.
"The only way to get your attention was being obviously different. However, it took longer than I imagined." Draco smirked at Blaise's deepened frown. "First off, what is your stance on the war?"
Blaise shook his head, a tiny sneer in place, "You don't honestly think I'll tell you anything without having you under the Unbreakable Vow?"
Draco smirked, "Well, if you don't tell me I can easily pass on the information that you are working for Dumbledore to the Dark Lord." A sharp pinch from one of the twins had Draco fighting the urge to elbow them both. "Very well, we'll make an Unbreakable Vow that I will not tell anyone of what you tell me in this room - except for the Hellions - until you release me from the Vow."
"That is acceptable."
Shrugging off the Weasley's, Draco and Blaise quickly did the vow with George acting as the Bonder. It was over quickly, and the blonde repressed a shudder as the magic seeped into his blood to lie dormant.
Instead, he shrugged his shoulders and said, "Now, affiliation."
"Neutral. My family has never been on a side of the war."
"What are your views on house unity?"
"This time I will receive answers, not the other way around."
The twins went back to their positions on Draco, who tried to jolt them off, but they just kept going back. "He's right, you know."
"If he answers the bloody questions he'll get his own!" He snapped, finally letting his anger rise. Cool, blue eyes latched onto deep, brown ones. "Answer the question, Zabini."
"You called my mother a whore. I don't think I will."
"Then you will get nothing and you made the vow for naught."
Blaise face twitched, and Draco feared that he had pushed the boy too far. But then the Italian boy spoke, "I have nothing against it."
Draco felt himself sag in relief before he simply plopped onto the ground. The twins looked down at him, but then they shrugged and sat down beside him and put their heads back where they were before.
"Get off me."
"No. Don't you..."
"... remember what we..."
"... said earlier? We like..."
"... hugs and touchy-feely..."
"... stuff, so you're stuck with us..."
"... doing this."
He had no idea who was talking when, so he massaged his head and looked back at Blaise. "Good. Alright, whatever is going to be said and what has already been said is not important, so it shall not be repeated."
The two on him patted his head, and he tried to swat them away, but that just ended with the twins laughing in his ears. Blaise gave a minute nod.
"I am the son of a Death Eater, but I have no desire to go down that path. So I'm a double agent for Dumbledore." Draco's eyes narrowed even as his eyebrow twitched in irritation at the man's name. "One of my goals is to start house unity."
The twins snorted as Blaise laughed, "You're doing a good job of it."
"It's a start."
Blaise sobered quickly. "No, it's not going to work. So far you've only caused anger and issues."
"Ah, Blondie," the twins sighed, hiding their snickers as best as they could and failing horribly at it.
"That's the whole point. I'm going to be the reason why the houses unite. I'll turn Slytherin against me and use the other houses to overthrow me. Or at least that's what Dumbledore's plan is."
"What?" The twins jerked back and yanked Draco around to face them. "He can't do that!"
Draco raised a pale brow, "Really now?"
"Everyone will hate you."
"They already do." Draco waved a hand to stop their badgering before turning back to Blaise. "You'll be playing a role in uniting the houses."
"And I'll be doing that how?"
"You'll be the one to suggest using the other houses and eventually befriending them." He pointed over his shoulder to the two behind him, "You can start with the hellions."
"What's in it for me?"
"You'll be known for uniting the houses, and 'dethroning' me, as Dumbledore put it. It'll also be a way to get back at me for the 'whore' comment."
Blaise nodded, and pondered on it, "I'll think on it."
That would have to suffice for the moment. "Does that answer most of your questions?"
"Why were you trying to get me specifically to follow you?"
"A gift from my mother tells me who is trustworthy."
Blaise gave a nod. "That is more than adequate for the moment."
"I thought so. However, there is another thing you must know. Parkinson is under the Imperius Curse. Maybe you could work her off of that."
"We'll see." Blaise turned and left the room, leaving Draco alone with the hellions.
"Work on meditating. Hopefully you've been practicing."
The two nodded before scampering to a corner and Draco worked on his reply to Sirius. He stared at the blank paper, wondering what to write, so he wrote whatever came to mind.
Mutt,
You want me to be like you and speak of things such as: my time at Hogwarts is rotten, and I can't stand having to lie to everyone.
That wouldn't do. Draco crumpled the paper and set it on the table to begin again.
Mutt,
You wish me to talk like you or your godson? I shudder at the thought. I have not been raised to act according to your ways. I shall continue to be as I am, and you will have to suffer while I find amusement.
Maybe you would like to share your thoughts of why you were on King's Cross in clear view of known Death Eaters who, by now, know of your animagus form because of Pettigrew. I know because of what I was told happened at the first meeting.
Try not to be caught, though I figure that might be too much to ask.
D
"What's this?" Hands passed Draco's line of vision, heading for the crumpled paper. Draco smacked them both away and set the paper on fire. Blasted, nosey Gryffindor twins.