Draco could only stare at Harry, his mind completely blank as Crab and Goyle lowered their wands, both sporting looks of shock. Harry was going to kill him. He didn't like to state the obvious, but the shock of it all had invaded his regular thought process. Had it not been for Crab and Goyle stunning him, he would be dead right now. He knew he should have been angry. He knew he deserved to at least kick him once as Crab and Goyle ushered him out of the train and into Hogsmeade Station, but the idea to do that was gone as his illusion of safety was as well.

Had it been intentional? Of course it had been. You don't stare into the eyes of your opponent with life ending rage as you cast an unforgivable. And if the boy who he knew that would never do such a thing went against himself and did it, what did that mean for Draco's future? What lay in store for him if he managed to accomplish his task? He threw the thought away as he exited the train, fixing his clothes in hopes of regaining the confidence he once had.

Line Break

Her thoughts were her only companion as she sifted through the compartments of the Hogwarts express. Boy did she want them gone. For weeks leading up to her assignment, she had been feeling conflicted with it. Spying for Scrimgeour? That meant she would be betraying the Order. Betraying her... friends? Acquaintances? Coworkers? Coworkers. That's all that she was to them, she decided. But they meant more to her than she to them, and the thought of betraying them ripped her apart.

Before she could continue down her downward spiral, she stepped through into another compartment within the train. There, several feet in front of her and laying on the ground, unconscious, was Harry Potter. She cast a detection charm around the messy compartment, making sure that the attacker hadn't remained. After ensuring that the coast was clear, she rushed over to his side.

Wooden splinters had ripped through his clothes, cutting into his skin. His wand lay a few feet from him, next to a broken table. Whatever fight that had happened here was serious. Probably a Death Eater, she thought. She moved her wand over him and muttered 'Rennervate' and watched as the boy's eyelids flew open, revealing wide green irises filled with fear, anger, confusion, and worry.

His hand instinctively reached for his wand but stopped once his mind registered the person that kneeled over him.

"Wotcher Harry." Tonks softly said, a concerned smile on her face. Harry returned his own gritted smile as he painfully sat up with Tonks's help. He grabbed his wand and placed it in his robes.

"Mind telling me what happened?" Asked Tonks, filtering her concern through her Auror training.

An emotion that Tonks couldn't discern flashed through Harry's eyes. He took a moment, as if retreating into his own mind before turning to her.

"I don't remember." He muttered.

Several seconds passed them by before Tonks slowly nodded, not believing a word he said. She then stood up, holding out her hand for him to take.

"I know you probably want to visit Madam Pomfrey and go to the feast, but Dumbledore will want to talk with you after you visit the infirmary." She said, watching as his mood turned even more sour.

Once Tonks had set the compartment back into its original state, she walked Harry to the castle. As they walked (Harry limping), Tonks noticed that Harry wasn't as focused. She would have assumed that he had a concussion but he hadn't exhibited any signs of having one. Instead, he seemed to be having an inner battle with himself.

She sighed. She understood all too well how the mind can weaponize itself against oneself.

"Penny for your thoughts?" She finally asked as they made their way through the gate. Harry gave her a glance and shrugged his shoulders. He didn't want to talk. Noted. It stung her a bit but they continued walking in silence for a few minutes before she spoke again.

"I know what you're feeling, Harry." She said as he turned his gaze to the ground. "I may not know what brought it on, but I know what it's like to fight your own self."

His gaze returned to her, eyes wide. She gave him a smile before returning her eyes ahead.

When they arrived to the doors to the Infirmary, Harry turned to Tonks. "Thank you." He spoke, sincerity bleeding through.

She gave him a quick hug before ushering him in. She quickly sent a Patronus to Dumbledore, notifying him of Harry's arrival and situation. After having given his start of year speech, he would have noticed Harry's absence and have gone into his office trying to contact any Auror/Order member to figure out where he was.

This is something that Scrimgeour would want to know, but she didn't know whether she had the courage to tell him. If she told him, his already cemented concerns would be blasted out of proportion. But the future that she wanted hung over her head. She didn't know what to do. In the end, she hung her head and returned to her duties, hoping the correct answer would drop out of the sky.

Line Break

The moment between the end of his healing and the arrival of Dumbledore stretched onto forever with his thoughts cramming into every single minute and second and anything lesser than that. How could he have done that? How could he have been on the verge of killing Malfoy? And yes, he thought, kill was the right word, for it had not been for Crab and Goyle stunning him before he could finish the spell, Draco Malfoy would be in the bed next to his, a blanket over his body and his mother crying over him.

A shiver ran down his spine, a shiver that permeated deeper than just flesh and blood, deep into his soul. Anger ran through his veins. Anger at himself. Anger at the other him. Anger at the hand he had been dealt with in life. His whole body was comprised of all the negative emotions that had crammed themselves into his mind over the last several years.

"You should have listened to me. Killed the Death Eater's son when you had the chance." Softly spoke the other him in his head.

Harry had to bite his tongue to stop himself from yelling at him. He closed his eyes and tried to calm himself down. He'd deal with his other self later, right now, he needed to come up with a convincing lie to tell Dumbledore. He knew that the lie he needed to come up with had to be expertly crafted. The wiser wizard would see straight through him.

After a few minutes, nothing came to him. There was no believable lie that he could tell Dumbledore.

Suddenly, the oak doors that led into the infirmary opened up, revealing Dumbledore himself. At seeing him, a part of Harry tensed up, but another relaxed.

"Harry," began Dumbledore, stepping into the infirmary, his eyes relaxed yet a twinkle of worry tainted them.

"Auror Tonks has informed me that you were attacked?" He asked.

And just as if magic, lies filled his head, all of them to avoid telling the wizard that he almost killed another student.

He nodded, trying to pick a lie from the sea.

"Would it have to do with Draco Malfoy?" He asked. And there went the hopes of lying. He knew. Draco had probably told him off.

"Sir..." Harry began, his voice being caught in his throat. And before he could recover and speak again, a cool feeling washed over him. His tensed muscles relaxed and he felt his mind calm down.

"Yes. It had to do with Draco Malfoy." Harry found himself saying, but it felt weird. It felt as if he wasn't in control of his own body.

"Did you know he's planning something?" He continued, an iciness entering his speech.

Dumbledore arched a curious eyebrow. "And what would that be?" He inquired. Harry had a feeling he knew.

"I don't know." He said as he felt himself regaining control over his mouth and body.

"Well then. We can't punish someone for something they haven't done."

Harry huffed in frustration, both of them. The old man knew that the boy was no good. His father was a Death Eater! What more did he need other than Harry's own word?!

'He knows something. See it in his eyes. The old man hides his cards. He is controlling you like a pawn.'

Harry stared into the blue eyes of the Headmaster. He had to understand.

"He's a Death Eater!" He found himself blurting out.

'No!' Abruptly spoke the other Harry in his mind.

'Don't reveal what you know! You know about this, you have control over this situation. Don't give your cards to Dumbledore.'

Harry clenched his hands. "Oh yes?" Asked Dumbledore, a twinkle in his eye. Harry sometimes hated that twinkle.

"How have you come about that conclusion?" He asked.

Harry faltered. Should he reveal that he was spying on Malfoy on two separate occasions? No, he decided.

"His dad was one, it stands to reason he's one as well." He offered pathetically.

Dumbledore nodded. "I understand your concern, Harry. But as long as Draco is in this castle, even if he were to be a Death Eater, can do nothing to you."

Harry slowly nodded, completely disagreeing. With all the things that had gone on in the castle over the last several years, he knew that it wasn't as safe as Dumbledore said.

'What he meant to say is, "as long as you do what I say and you stick by me, I will protect you'. Think about it, this castle isn't as safe as you want to believe. Everything has happened under Dumbledore's nose. And if he says that he can protect you against a Death Eater, then why couldn't he have protected the school from the troll in your first year. Why didn't he secure the stone with security that an eleven year old couldn't get into. Why did he not do anything about the Basilisk during your second year? The dementors? Barty?... Sirius...'

Harry shut his eyes.

"Are you ok, Harry?" Asked Dumbledore, placing his hand on the boy. Harry flinched away before nodding.

"Yeah, just a bit of pain," he said, his voice growing cold.

Dumbledore nodded, "if that is all, then I would like for you to remain in here for the night, Harry. The house elves will bring food up for you in a bit."

Before Dumbledore could leave, Harry stopped him. "What about Malfoy? Why isn't he here?" He questioned. He wasn't keen on seeing the boy, but if he remembered correctly, he had roughed him up rather good. A couple of broken ribs if he remembered correctly.

Dumbledore paused, back turned to Harry. "He stopped by earlier then left. Goodnight, Harry." And he left.

Harry shook his head, there were too many thoughts in his head that he needed to sort out. But it seemed that he wouldn't get the chance as Dobby popped into the infirmary with a platter of sandwiches and drinks. The little elf's ears perked up at the sight of Harry.

"Harry Potter!" He squeaked, making his way over, the big tower of sandwiches swaying. Harry gave him a tired smile.

"Hello Dobby, how are you?" He asked as he graciously took the platter from Dobby. Harry lifted the platter as Dobby hopped onto the bed, sitting down at the end.

"Very well sir. Dobby has been working hard here" He said as Harry took one sandwich and bit into it.

They both sat in silence for a long while after, Dobby playing with Harry's blanket and Harry eating his sandwiches. Once all the sandwiches had been eaten and all the drinks had been drunk, Harry bid his goodbye to Dobby.

Dobby took the empty platter and glasses from Harry.

"Hey Dobby," asked Harry. Dobby turned.

"Was there anymore food brought in here? Like, earlier?" He continued, waiting with bated breath.

Dobby shook his head, "no, sir, no one was here earlier." And with a crack, Dobby was gone.

'Told you,' chuckled the other Harry. 'You're being played.'

...

No one else...

Hi! Sorry, me again. Hope you enjoy this chapter, I know y'all weren't a big fan of the last one. That's exactly why I love reviews, it lets you know what works and what doesn't. Thank you all for leaving reviews, whether they were good ones or not. Please feel free to write one and leave your genuine thoughts in the comments. Enjoy!