Malfoy watched both Harry and Ron strut into the Great Hall, Theodore Nott beside Crabbe going slack-jawed at seeing them. It showed to Draco that events like those will always happen even if it's not him on the opposing end. He had suspected it when Theodore Nott had done the Remembrall thing that he had done before. Potter got into the Quidditch team once more. The confirmation of that came in the form of a broom-shaped parcel that very morning by owl post. Guess time is always compensated in one way or the other. The thought worried the Malfoy heir greatly.
"Bloody Dumbledore and his bloody favoritism" Zabini muttered under his breath.
"There's no use complaining about what we can't do anything about" Draco muttered and watched the Blaise boy let out a huff. He saw the Potter and Weasley rush out of the room. "You two, do not move" he hissed to Crabbe and Goyle as he stood, half jogging out of the Great Hall.
Malfoy followed them halfway to the entrance hall before stopping. The two he had been following had stopped at the base of the stairs. Weasley was looking quite smug while Potter had a small smile on him.
"Curious about what he got, Malfoy?" the ginger asked, his tone smug.
"Gee, I wonder what could be in the broom-shaped package there," Malfoy said it louder than he meant to. Weasley blinked in shock before his face reddened in embarrassment while Potter looked like he was holding down a snort or a small bark of a laugh.
"That's not just any old broomstick!" Weasley cut in, his face still burning red from before. "It's a Nimbus Two Thousand. What did you say you've got at home, Malfoy, a Comet two sixty?" he grinned at a slightly uncomfortable Harry. "Comets look flashy, but they're not in the same league as the Nimbus."
As if your family can even afford that, Malfoy kept the comment to himself and his mind. Instead, he was focused on Potter, who looked slightly uncomfortable at this small gathering.
"Congratulations on making it to the Gryffindor team, Potter" Draco stated after a pause, surprising both Weasley and Potter. "Don't look at me like that. It's not that hard to connect the dots" he smirked.
"Guess it's no longer a surprise then" Potter sighed, a small smile on his face. Weasley looked between them, being completely ignored at that time. Which made his chest puff out and face go redder than his hair. But whatever comment he had, was left in his mouth.
"Not arguing, I hope, boys?" squeaked the diminutive Professor of Charms.
"Just congratulating Potter here, Professor Flitwick" Draco smiled at his Professor and then turned to Potter. "And Potter, I'm sorry for your loss."
The comment had caught everyone off guard. Potter was confused for a moment before it clicked for him. Professor Flitwick seemed to have been the first one to get it and was smiling proudly at his student.
"Than-" Potter went to say, but Weasley's sudden outburst cut him off.
"HOW DARE YOU BRING THAT UP!" shouted the ginger boy. "ALWAYS TRYING TO RUIN OUR MOMENT LIKE THIS. GO BACK TO YOUR DEATH EATER FRIENDS AND THINK ABOUT LICKING THE DARK LORD'S FEET YOU SNAKE!"
"Mr. Weasley!" Professor Flitwick exclaimed in horror. "That was completely uncalled for from you! Five points for Gryffindor and detention with me this weekend!"
Weasley gaped at the Professor but Potter was staring at Draco. He gave a small thankful nod and Draco smiled and gave him a nod back. The Malfoy heir gave the Charms Professor a respectful bow before leaving, a venomous glare pinned at his back from the ginger.
Draco returned to The Slytherin table back at the Great Hall. The others threw him curious looks before their attention was drawn to a very pissed of Weasley, who came stomping in and sat down at The Gryffindor table. Potter was not with him, something that seemed to make Draco feel accomplished.
"What happened to him?" Daphne Greengrass questioned. Draco explained the confrontation he had with Potter and Weasley. By the end of it, all the Slytherin that heard him either were chuckling, laughing, or smirking at the Gryffindor table.
"You've been looking quite friendly with Potter" Crabbe's comment had caught Draco off guard. When he looked at the boy, he noticed that Crabbe had not been amused like the rest. "I hope you haven't forgotten who the enemy is."
A tense silence fell over the people around them and Draco's face drained of the amusement it held, not wearing an emotionless mask. "Don't presume to think I haven't forgotten our real enemy" the Malfoy heir spat with such force that Crabbe seemed to stiffen. The blonde looked to the head table and the rest followed his gaze. "Albus Dumbledore is the person we need to be looking out for. Not Potter who is impressionable about everything."
He turned back to Crabbe who met his gaze with not the same intensity as before. "Potter grew up with muggles. He has no idea of the name he carries. He's half blood who has yet to know what his family is worth. Gain him as an ally and…" he let the words hang. The rest of the Slytherins seemed to be in deep thought after that. All except for Crabbe who was still looking at Draco with narrowed eyes.
"He is the enemy of The Dark Lord" the boy insisted.
"He is a pawn Dumbledore used. If you want to blame anyone, blame Dumbledore for his demise. Potter, can be brought to understand us. Maybe not share our views, but stand beside us and support Slytherin House" he then leaned forward, eyes narrowed and cold. "Do not mess this up for us Crabbe. Otherwise, things won't be pleasant for you."
Crabbe flinched and took a sharp inhale. He gave a swift nod and Draco leaned back. "This goes for the rest of you as well" his eyes went over the students around him. "Do not mess this up for us. The Potter name holds power and can sway many things for us. So, be careful how you are around him or Gryffindors in general. Understood?"
A round of nods went at his little speech and Draco stood. He bid them farewell and made his way back to his dorm. He was sure to keep his words hushed, so no one but those that needed to hear had heard. And with that little speech, both those of Death Eater families and those not of Death Eater families were aware of what was at play, even if the real reason was hidden from them.
An echoing pop was heard by the blonde when he entered his room. Draco found Dobby standing in the middle of his room. He closed the door behind him, locking it, and then held his hand out. Dobby the house-elf put the letter into his hand.
Draco
I hope this letter finds you well. Potter's home life has not been the best. After Dobby found the location, it took me a simple Imperius to make his aunt talk. Abuse is prime on the list of things wrong with the magic-hating family. For our plans to go through, we can use that to our advantage. It's no secret that Dumbledore put him there. Use this information wisely.
Lovingly,
Mother
So formal, the boy thought. But the woman had done a good job in finding some vital information. He looked to Dobby who was nervously wringing his hands then to the letter in his hand.
"Destroy it right now," he told the elf. Dobby nodded furiously before taking the letter and burning it to ashes in his own hands. Draco then moved to the study table and quickly took a parchment.
Mother
The information will come to great use. But to do anything more, we must find a way to have Potter fully trust me. The Weasley idea is going through without me having to do much. Look into any way that Potter can be taken out of Dumbledore's hold.
Your son,
Draco
"To mother" he held the letter to Dobby, who took it without another word and popped out of the room. Draco kept his eyes on the spot the house-elf had been on before looking to the door of his room.
He hadn't noticed it before, but today was the thirty-first of October, and Potter had gotten his broom today. If his memories served him well, those two events had happened on two different days, maybe even months apart. His memory was a little foggy, but he was sure of that much at the least.
Then again, this time around the incident with the Remembrall had happened much later, the boy thought. The last time around it was the first lesson. This time around it was around the final lesson, closer to Halloween than the start of the semester. Draco was sure it was him behaving civilly with Potter that had pushed this back. But Theodore Nott had acted in his stead to make sure the incident happened. Was there something Draco was missing here? Were there some rules about certain events that had to happen? If so, then did it mean that everything that had happened will happen again, but can be delayed with the right interventions?
He quickly shook his head. This was not the time to double guess his plans. He would stop Voldemort from rising, even if it means him ending up in the line of fire. Or worse. He had to keep the belief that he could change it all.
I need to get some books on this and read, the boy thought as he made his way to the final class of the day, History of Magic. The class was boring as ever, the ghost droning on about one war or the other that Draco did not listen to. He could always read it from the textbook later.
"You've given quite a scare to everyone today" Draco looked to his side, finding Daphne Greengrass sat beside him. "None of them want to sit near you."
Draco blinked before looking around. It was true, there was one bench gap between him and the person closest to him, from all sides. "And I haven't scared you yet?" he asked, looking back to the Greengrass femme.
"I have no reason to be afraid" the girl answered coolly, "it's not like I had a vendetta against the boy."
Draco hid a smile from the now confident girl that sat beside him. It took her a bit, but she was finally able to lose her shyness around him and hold herself as an equal, something he didn't mind at all. It was a refreshing change from the fangirl, the bodyguards, and the silent head bobbers.
"The Greengrass was always a neutral family" he shook his head with a smile.
"Of course," the pureblood spoke with absolute grace and confidence, "We don't concern ourselves with the mindset of those not us, and have allies on both sides."
"Even the Potters?" Draco asked curiously.
"Especially the Potters" the girl winked. "His grandmother and mine were both from the same house after all."
"Really?" now that was a complete surprise for the blonde. He had not expected there to be someone in Slytherin who would openly say something like that. But, it did give him an idea.
"Say, how would you like to make friends with Potter?" he asked, and it was Greengrass's turn to be surprised.
"Me? Friends with Potter?" she asked, "why would you suggest that?"
"Why not?" the boy shrugged. "I began my friendship with Potter on the basis that we are in some way family, his grandaunt and my mother being Blacks. You having a family friend would only boost your chances with starting a conversation with him" he hummed softly. "Plus, it will show him that not all of Slytherin House is as bad as the rumors go."
"I don't like being told who I should and should not be friends with, Malfoy" the blonde femme spoke coldly. But Draco could see it in her eyes. She was considering his idea.
The Halloween feast was not something Draco wanted to miss. After the final lesson of the day, he made his way to the Great Hall, followed by the usual entourage. A thousand live bats fluttered from the walls and ceiling while a thousand more swooped over the tables in low black clouds, making the candles in the pumpkin stutter. When they sat, the feat appeared before them in golden plates.
But before Draco could begin. Quirrell stormed into the great hall, panting and heaving.
"Troll-in the dungeons-thought you ought to know" he muttered before fainting.
Nice acting, the Malfoy heir thought as chaos broke out in the Great Hall. It took several firecrackers from the Headmaster's wand to quiet them.
"Prefects" the headmaster rumbled, "take your houses back to their dormitories, immediately!"
Draco heard someone from his house bring up the fact that the Slytherin Dormitories were in the dungeons. But the headmaster paid him no mind. Typical.
Draco followed his perfect out of the Great Hall. Around the bend to the dungeons, he broke off from the rest and hid into one of the unused classrooms.
"Time to find Potter and Weasley" he murmured, casting a silent disillusionment charm on himself before stepping out once more. He walked for a bit before finding the two he had been looking for, walking with the Hufflepuffs. He followed them, breaking away from the Hufflepuffs when they did. Down an abandoned corridor, they walked before Draco saw them suddenly stop.
All three, one hidden from the other two, watched Snape walk down the corridor before vanishing on the other end of it.
"What's he doing?" he heard Potter whisper to Weasley. "Why isn't he with the other teachers in the dungeon?"
Draco remained silent, letting the other two talks and follow the professor instead of going wherever they were heading before. But then they stopped as the pungent smell of the Troll pierced their senses.
Draco watched the Troll in all its twelve-foot of ugliness peer into the girl's bathroom. He also watched Potter and Weasley study it before trapping it in the bathroom. It was a solid plan, had it not been for the scream of Granger coming from inside it.
The two rushed in and Draco followed silently. His eyes were on the Troll that was hovering over a petrified Granger. He watched Weasley and Potter try to distract it. When the thing raised its club to attack, Weasley did something very clever.
"Wingardium Leviosa" the boy muttered and made the club stop over the Troll and float. The Troll in his confusion began to look around for it. But Weasley kept it steady over him.
I could take advantage here, Draco thought and with a silent flick of his wand disrupted The Weasley's focus. The club came down harmlessly on the Troll's head.
He watched the Troll approach the two boys with a roar, while he remained hidden and in silence. If the Troll could take out Weasley right here, it would make his work all the easier. Without Weasley in the way, he could work with Potter and influence him better. Without Dumbledore's man in his ear, Potter would be easier to influence and pull away.
Damn you, he thought, casting a silent spell and cushioning the blow that the Troll launched at Weasley. The boy was still hit, but not as hard as he would have been without the spell. But still, Draco watched the Weasley boy go through one of the stall doors and crumple on the toilet.
The Troll turned top Potter but a red light hit it in the face and it fell over, its head reduced to nothing. Draco looked to his left and saw McGonagall with her wand raised and the tip of it smoking. Snape was there as well, not yet fully inside the girl's bathroom.
Draco pushed himself against the wall as both teachers entered the bathroom. As McGonagall began her lecture and berating of the three and their actions, Snape rushed to get Madam Pomfrey, and Draco silently walked out of the bathroom and back to his dormitory.