This chapter is dedicated to snazzy1 who reminded me that Draco would not 'be happy with the current state of affairs'.

The World's Gone Crazy . . .
By Allanasha Ke Kiri

Chapter 48:

Draco Malfoy was many things, but patient was not one of them. He'd never been one for sitting around and waiting for things to happen, especially not if they revolved around him. And yet, that was exactly what he was being forced to do, and it was driving him crazy!

James seemed more than content to just go on as if everything was normal, pretending nothing was out of the ordinary, and not telling him anything. Draco Malfoy had also never been able to leave a secret unturned. It was one of his few faults.

Well, what others concidered a fault anyway. As far as he was concerened, what better way to twist things to your advantage than if you know everything. Yet, there was James, refusing to tell him anything, because it would mean he was safer. Well, he was sick of it. He wasn't some weak willed girl who would break at the first sign of pressure! Hadn't he shown that well enough last summer when Dumbledore had attacked?

Sure, he wasn't the one who got them out, he hadn't even had his wand with him at the time, but he hadn't been completely helpless. If it wasn't for him, James would have been hit with the slashing curse. So, why did James insist on treating him as if he couldn't handle anything? That he'd screw things up?

Draco quickly glanced over at James, who was smiling slightly as he talked with Pansy. He seemed, for all the world, as if everything was alright. As if he hadn't just faced Dumbledore the night before, again. As if it hadn't been willing, for the most part; as if he hadn't saved the ungrateful Gryffindor's arse.

How did he do it? Pretend that nothing was wrong, that everything would work out in the end. Did he really believe it? Or was it just another act to make him relax? Well, if that's what it was, then he had another thing coming, because Draco was anything but relaxed.

He didn't let it show, however. Instead, he kept quiet, allowed his eyes to watch, and gained any information that he could; looking for the barest hints that James wasn't as comfortable as he let himself seem. He found them. They were small, in comparison to some of his other actions.

It was in the way he tensed whenever someone moved to quickly, and how his right arm seemed to twitch, as if he wanted to reach for his wand. It was in his smile, that seemed slightly forced, and in his eyes, that were a darker blue than normal. And it was how he hadn't once casually touched him.

Anyone else might have missed the signs, but Draco had learned to watch for those. James wasn't one to admit that he wasn't alright. It was one of his more Gryffindor traits that Draco found quite annoying at times.

But Draco said nothing, allowing James to play his game and fool everybody. Well, everybody but the headmaster. Though he was probably the only one to see the man's worried looks directed at his nephew. Perhaps he had learned James' subtle signs as well. He had had longer to learn them after all, so it was really no surprise.

But, also, the headmaster didn't seem to keen on stepping in. Perhaps he thought it was a problem with their relationship, and wasn't going to step in unless it seemed to get worse. It was a logical conclusion, he supposed, and pushed it from his mind.

He watched for three days until he'd had enough. Three days of James' fake smiles, little twitches, and silence on anything to do with Dumbledore. So, finally, after dinner had ended, Draco felt carefully controlled rage fill him.

"I've had enough of this," Draco hissed, grabbing James' arm and pulling him from the other Slytheirns.

James silently followed behind, and, when Draco glanced back, was wearing a confused expression. Draco did not stop until they were at the Room of Requirements, and then he yanked James inside, making the door disappear, and requiring it to stay gone until he wanted it back.

James stared at him in worry. "Draco, what's wrong?" he asked.

"Wrong?" Draco hissed. "What's wrong? You are!"

James blinked, a flash of hurt flickering through his eyes before blanking. "I see," James said softly, his hand going up to finger the necklace. "Well, it was nice to know."

Draco blinked, frowning. What? . . .

Suddenly, realization filtered through him, and his anger rose once again. "Damn it, stop twisting my words!"

James' eyes snapped to his. "What?"

"I know what you're thinking, and stop it! This has nothing to do with us!"

"Then what the hell did you mean?" James fired back, his own anger obviously rising.

"How you're acting."

James frowned at him. "I haven't been acting any different than normal."

"Bullshit!" Draco snapped, causing James to blink in surprise. "I know you James! I've been watching, and you have not been normal."

"If you're such an expert, then what, exactly, have you seen?"

Draco eyes narrowed. "Little things, always little things. You're constantly trying to reach for your wand, especially around Black, which makes me think that something happened that neither of you are talking about." He watched James look away, and knew he was right. "You're smiles are fake. You don't want us to know, so you're going on as if everything is normal, even though it's not.

"You're eyes are always darting around, as if you're waiting for something to happen, but you don't what. You look as if you're ready for a fight! It makes me wonder, and worry, about just what happened Saturday night."

"I can't tell you, Draco," James said, his voice hard, yet soft.

"Like hell, you wont," Draco snapped. "Because neither of us are getting out of here until you do." James glared at him then. "What they hell, Draco! I've already told you that I can't tell you! Why do you insist on this!" His arms spread out to encompass the room."

"Because something is obviously bothering you. You're carrying too much weight, and if you don't let some of it go, you'll break! And I don't want to see that happen."

"I wont break, Draco."

Draco shook his head. "Neither will I,"

"What are you talking about now?"

"You're hiding something about that night, because it's 'safer' if I don't know."

"And it is!"

"What are you hiding from me?" Draco demanded.

"The only reason I'm hiding it is because it would be dangerous if it was found out you knew!"

"And like me knowing that you spy isn't?"

James was silent a moment. "Well, I didn't exactly tell you about that on my own, did I?"

Draco's jaw clenched, and he changed tactics, he obviously wasn't going to get him to say anything like this.

"You're doing this for me and my family, aren't you? So, don't I have a right to know what you're doing?"

James closed his eyes, pain etched on his features. "I can tell you a lot of things, Draco, but I can't tell you this. If it gets out that you know, it would endanger, not only you and your family, but me, and several others as well."

"What others?"

"People I wont be able to help because I'll be dead, or hunted."

"I can keep a secret, James."

"Draco, I'm not even sure I can keep this one."

Draco blinked. "What is it?"

James shook his head. "I can't tell you Draco. I wont tell you."

"James, I-"

"NO, Draco!" James snapped. "And it doesn't matter how many times you ask, or corner me, or . . . whatever. I will not tell you this! My Uncle knows, that alone should be good enough for you."

"But he's not doing anything!"

"He is doing more than enough," James said. "He's doing as much as he can."

"And still letting you go out there!"

"Because I choose to, Draco."

"WHY!? There is plenty of time to tell my parents and get them out of here. You don't have to do this!"

James sighed, tiredly, closing his eyes and covering them with his hand. He was silent for a long moment, and Draco almost repeated the question.

"There isn't anyone else," he said finally. "Dumbledore needs to be stopped, and the only way to do that, is to have inside information."


It was nearing curfew before Draco let him out, and that was on ly after James had told him countless times that he wasn't going to tell him anything. James didn't even look back as he left the room.

He could understand where Draco was coming from, knew what it was like to be left out of the information loop, but he just couldn't risk it.

Was this what his Dumbledore went through with the information of the prophecy? If so, it sucked.

James sighed, letting himself fall onto his bed, his momentum bouncing him twice.

Draco wasn't happy with him at the moment, but he'd get over it . . . hopefully.


"Hello, James,"

James blinked, turning to face the voice. "Oh, hello, Luna." he smiled slightly. "What are you doing out here?"

Luna gave a small shrug and moved to sit by him on the bench overlooking the Quidditch pitch.

"You looked like you could use some company."

James smiled before turning back to the pitch. "Not really in the mood to talk right now."

"That's alright," she said softly. "You can't hear as many things when you talk."

James blinked, his eyes sliding back to her. "What do you mean?"

Luna carefully set her hands in her lap, tilting her head to the side. "Just . . . things," she said, her eyes drifting closed. "The wind, plants, the ground. It all speaks, you know. You just have to be very quiet to hear it."

James' lips twitched slightly, amused. "What does it say?"

Her eyes opened once more. "You can't hear it?"

James shook his head. "No,"

She frowned slightly. "You should."

Luna made a noise at the back of her throat and turned back to the pitch herself, sighing peacefully, her eyes drifting shut once more. James stayed silent, leaning to rest his chin on his hand.

"They don't want you to leave," she said. "They like you here."

"Well, I don't really want to leave Hogwarts either," James said.

Luna shook her head. "It's not the school they don't want you to leave . . ." Suddenly, her eyes snapped open, and she spun to face him completely, her eyes wide and staring at him in wonder. Slowly, she leaned forward.

James leaned back slightly. "Luna . . ."

Then, one of her hands raised, and a finger touched his forhead, tracing the hidden lightening bolt. James stared at her in shock.

"I know who are," she whispered, smiling slightly.

"Luna, you can't-"

"Secrets are made for a reason, James," she said. "It's not my place to tell someone else's unless they want me to."

Then, before James could say or do anything, she was up and skipping away, and James couldn't make himself call to her.


O.O

Bloody hell, I didn't see that coming. (raises right hand) I swear. It just sort of . . . happened. Yikes! I can't believe I let that happen. I'd only originally planned to have Luna spout her usual stuff, and make James smile, you know, lighten up the chapter a bit but . .

Well, erm . . . I think this means my muse is back. If it isn't I come up with some very strange things. (blinks)

(Is still in shock) So, yeah. Hope you enjoyed it.

Until next time,

Allanasha Ke Kiri