Chapter III
Draco's POV
Draco had packed his suitcase the night before. Now he was sitting popped out on his bed trying to read while Harry was throwing stuff in his chest. They still haven't talked ever since their argument in the Room of Requirement.
Draco understood where Harry was coming from with his organization, he admired him, but he still thought Harry was taking an unnecessary risk. There was some dark wizard out there who was after his skin and he was risking everything for a school gang.
"Have you seen my…" Harry started, but stopped mid-sentence once he realized that they were not speaking at the moment.
"Under the bed," Draco sighed long suffering.
"How do you know what…" Harry started to say, but he did find his favorite pair of socks balled under the bed.
"You always throw them there," Draco said.
"Thank you," Harry said cold. He had to rein himself in and remind himself to be cold, Draco knew because he slipped all the time and caught himself mid-sentence.
"I do not want us to be enemies, Harry," Draco pleaded.
"Then what do you want?"
Oh, so many things…Draco thought looking at the shape of his friend still bent over his chest. I wish I had my mum back, I wish I could trust my dad, I wish Cedric was alive and not dead by my hand… I wish I could just go back to Sirius with you… I wish… Draco stopped his toxic track of mind.
"For you to be safe," He said in the end.
"I am safe," Harry's tone got louder.
"She knows something is up, she employed a lot of Slytherins on her side… I can't protect you forever… I heard she is planning on forming a special team, an Inquisition team."
"Who would join that?" Harry puffed.
"The people that gave you hell in second year, the people that thought you were a fraud," Draco tried very hard to keep his voice down.
"I am used to have people doubt me and spread lies!"
"But if she catches you… We both know she won't just expel you, Harry!"
Harry sighed and took a seat on his bed; he clutched a shirt he was trying to fold like a lifesaver.
"Then join us, help us be safe!" Harry pleaded.
"I am joining the group she is making," Draco announced.
"You are what!?" Harry screamed loud enough to rattle the windows.
"I will have all the inside information that way."
"We do not need a spy!" Harry spat.
"You need all the help you can get, if you continue to be this stubborn!"
"Are you trying to punish me with this?"
"Not everything is about you!" Draco argued, trying not to think that it was, he was doing it only for Harry.
"Boys, come to the Great Hall for the roll call," Pansy called slipping into the room. "Please, tell me that is not your unfinished luggage," She widened her eyes shocked.
"Then I am not telling you," Harry grinned.
"Useless, the lot of you!" She sighed and waves her wand muttering an unknown spell, Harry's clothes flew into the luggage and the chest closed with a bang.
"Be there in 2 minutes!" She said pointing her wand threatening at them.
"She's so scary," Harry whispered after Pansy had slipped out of the door.
"Finally, something we can agree on!" Draco said rising from the bed.
"We agree on a lot of stuff!" Harry argued.
"Only not on the important ones apparently!"
"We are ultimately on the same side, right?"
Draco was quiet for a long time.
"We are," He whispered in the end. Harry's beam could rival the sun.
Since his mother death, Lucius Malfoy was Draco's legal guardian. He was still the Black Heir and would spend some holidays at Grimmauld Place, but he was asked to check with Lucius. The Ministry had changed a lot since the trial for his custody; as soon as his mother was murdered his custody was in question since he was still a minor.
Sirius had filed for full custody as the Black patriarch, but the Ministry considered him unfit to educate a young pureblood, due to his transgressions… Lucius, who was seen as an upstanding citizen was given full custody and most of the holidays. They were lucky the heir laws were so old because otherwise Lucius would have contested that as well.
Draco didn't know what to feel anymore, at the time of the trial he didn't feel anything, but cold. It was like everything was happening to someone else, like a bad dream he would woke up from soon enough. But time had passed, hours, days, months and he was still in a world where Narcissa Black was not anymore.
The people he cared for the most had died… Remus had been hurt and now Harry was just pushing his luck. It felt like he was cursed, but Draco had never heard of a dark curse such as this… He did research it for days, as he did a mean to bring his mother back, but she was not Voldemort, she would hate half of a life he had. He needed months to come to terms with the idea that she was gone… and that he can't do anything about it no matter how strong he was or becomes.
He was not losing anyone else… No matter what he had to do!
The Manor looked better than it did the last time Draco was here. The garden was still in the work from what Lucius wrote, but everything was covered in snow now anyway. When Draco arrived the tree was already set in the hallway by the main staircase. No personal touch to it whatsoever, even the globes were family heirlooms, cold, impersonal like the eyes staring at him from the paintings in the hall, all those people he didn't know silently judging his every move.
Lucius was not in to greet him; a house elf helped him with the luggage. He had his own room, sparsely decorated since most of his belongings were stuffed into his luggage. Andromeda, who took the house he grew up in asked if he wanted something from his old room, but he wanted everything to remain exactly the same there.
He hadn't visited the house since that night… He told himself he would, to tend to his mother's roses or just roam the halls, but he couldn't get himself to. He looked at the window overlooking the garden, he hoped Lucius would plant rose bushes there.
His father was not back before dinner so he ate alone at a huge table with only an elf serving him. He asked the elf to take a seat and eat with him, but she refused. The house seemed entirely too big.
Lucius was back for breakfast. He didn't apologize, but he did ask Draco about school so there was that at least. He let Draco know that they would be hosting a Yule Dinner for some friends and business partners; he was kind enough to ask some friends from Draco's school to attend, some from the "right families".
Pansy was one of the people attending. Draco stuck by her side the whole evening. Theo's eyes were watching them move from across the room, Pansy flipped him up once very unlady like, Draco loved her a tiny bit more for it.
Their betrothal was announced at midnight; Theo smiled smugly and congratulated them. Pansy smiled and accepted the congratulation by his side, two prize animals for them to apprize. They hated every minute of it.
As soon as the parade was over, Pansy and Draco sneaked on the balcony with a bottle, he never tasted alcohol before, but there was always a first.
"I do not expect you to be faithful," Pansy said taking boldly the first gulp.
Draco choked on air as Pansy tried to swallow the burning alcohol.
"This whole thing is fucked up," He said taking the bottle and taking a big swing.
"It is what it is," Pansy sighed and collapsed in a heap on the hard balcony floor.
"Do you really want to get through with this?"
"I accepted my fate a long time ago," She sighed.
"I… do not even like girls," Draco seat himself by her side.
"I do not expect you to love me!"
"But I do love you, only not…"
"It's okay, Draco, a lot of people are trapped in a loveless marriage, at least with us we both know how we stand."
"Don't you believe in love?'
Pansy puffed and took another swing of the bottle. "I have never met a truly long term happy couple in my life."
"Maybe… But I would still want to try…"
"We have time; they expect us to marry after Hogwarts," Pansy rolled her eyes.
"And what if I fall in love?" Draco asked.
"It won't last forever, it never does," Pansy sighed. If Draco didn't know her better he would have said she was talking from experience, but she had never been in love. "What about Harry, though?"
"What about him?" Draco asked in a loud alarmed tone.
"Draco, do not insult my intelligence," Pansy glared raising a threatening eyebrow at him.
"I do not know what you are talking about!"
Pansy sighed long suffering, "Of course, as you wish."
Draco helped her up and they return to the party. Pansy had no idea what she was talking about, Draco told himself and alcohol was not as good as everyone hyped it out to be.
He got to spend a few days between Christmas and the New Year at Sirius's. Lucius dropped him off at the door and apparated before anyone from inside got to open the door. Draco rang the doorbell on his own, inside the house was loud so he assumed everyone was there already. Andromeda opened the door and enveloped him in a bone crushing hug.
"I am fine, aunt Andi," Draco squirmed in her arms.
"Draco is here!" She announced loudly.
"Draco!" Dora barreled into him.
"Dora!" He smiled warmly at her.
The rest of the Black family appeared in the door. Sirius looked worried and bone tired, but he beamed at the sight of Draco nevertheless.
"Get the boy inside, we all want our turns!" Remus's voice called from the inside.
Sirius laughed and rushed him past the wards. The familiar magic settled over him like a caress over his skin.
"I am glad to see you!" Remus said warm. He still wobbled, not fully healed from the attack.
"Draco!" Lily was rushing from the kitchen. She smelled like cookies when she hugged him.
"I am happy to see you all," Draco said removing his winter coat and scarf.
"You are late!" Harry admonished him from the door. He is covered in flour and grinned stupidly, wide and beaming.
"You look ridiculous," Draco couldn't help but laugh at the sight of him.
"I am learning how to bake, the muggle way," Harry said proud.
"Who is supervising him?" Draco asked.
"Kreacher and I, don't worry," Lily reassured.
"Hey! I am a very able baker!"
"Does anyone smell burning?" Dora asked.
Harry and Lily rushed to the kitchen. Draco laughed loudly till he couldn't breathe anymore, he felt like he hadn't laughed like that in years.
The dinner was delicious, the cookies are burnt, but Draco lied about them to see Harry beam proudly.
After dinner, the Floo roared to life.
"We need an order meeting!" Severus proclaimed loudly.
"Dora, take the kids in the bedrooms, make sure they stay there!" Andromeda said authoritarian.
"But I want to…" Harry began.
"Harry, now!" Lily said glaring at her son.
"Come on!" Dora jumped from her chair and led Draco and Harry upstairs.
"If that talk is about Voldemort I need to know as well!" Harry protested once they were inside the bedroom.
"Harry!" Draco sighed.
"I am not a small kid, I already confronted him once!"
"And only got away because of his hubris, we are not taking any chances," Dora pointed out.
"That won't stop him from going after me, will it?"
"No, but the people downstairs will!" Draco reassured him.
"I do not want people to die for me!" Harry argued loudly.
Draco widened his eyes and stared in horror.
"Like my mum did?" He asked icily.
"Draco I…"
"Yes, she was killed by them and you should freaking respect that and not put your life in danger! Do you have a death wish? Because it looks like it!"
"I do not…I just want to fight my own battles!"
"Voldemort is not fighting alone and neither are you!" Draco almost screamed the last part.
Harry looked crestfallen.
"How about chess?" Dora said loudly.
"Sure…" Harry whispered.
The next morning, Severus was sitting at the table. Sirius was sitting the farthest for him he could get around the round table. Andromeda, Dora and Ted were absent, but Lily was already there sipping her coffee.
"Due to circumstances, we decided that both you and Harry should take Occlumency lessons," Severus said as soon as Draco sat down.
"Why?" Draco narrowed his eyes.
"Irrele…" Severus stared.
"Voldemort," Sirius said simply.
Severus glared at Sirius who started sipping his coffee undisturbed.
"Who is going to teach us?"
"I am," Severus said.
"At school? Won't people get suspicious?" Draco asked.
"Not if you are both in detention for the rest of the year."
"Why would we be in detention all year?"
"McGonagall gave you the detention, but asked me to conduct it since she is too busy. We will start with 3 lessons a week and move from there. "
"Understood. Thank you for teaching us and taking the risk"
"You are welcome. I assume Harry is still sleeping?"
"Like a baby… a snoring baby."
Sirius sputtered and Lily smiled indulgently.
"Let him know, I have to go now, it is too dangerous already," Severus rose from the table. "Thank you for the tea," He turned to Lily and bowed his head.
"That is my tea actually, my fancy one too," Sirius muttered.
"Be careful," Lily said putting her hand on Severus's arm.
"You too!" Severus nodded and walked towards the hallways and the Floo.
True to his word, Severus got them detention for a whole year for misdemeanor. McGonagall looked rightfully furious when she dished that one out. They were to meet Snape in the first day of term after the normal classes.
"Are congratulations in order?" Pansy asked during lunch.
Draco frowned.
"Come on, people to not get this much detention for nothing."Misdemeanor" too broad, last person to get that much was Blaise when he was caught snogging Tracey Davis in the library last year."
"I didn't know Blaise went for…" Draco trailed of.
"Anything with a pulse?" Pansy completed laughing. "How did you even miss that? It was near the end of year"
"Yes… I was pretty preoccupied at that time…"
"Anyway… You and Harry? Finally happening?"
"We…" Draco knew he could trust Pansy with anything and she would never betray him, not willingly at least. "We got in trouble because we sneaked out after hours under the Cloak and McGonagall caught us trying to prank Umbridge."
"So no congratulations yet," Pansy sighed defeated.
"You are way too invested in my love life."
"I am trying to live vicariously through you since I have no life of my own," Pansy joked.
"We talked about it, if you are interested in someone…"
"And I told you before, what good will it do if nothing can came of it."
"Then why do you…"Draco asked staring over at Harry with his Gryffindor friends.
"Because I love you both and have eyes!" Pansy puffed.
"Why does it matter? I am promised to you, like you said nothing can come of it."
"Since when are you following traditions?"
"Since now!"
"I need you to clear your minds first. Every person has their own technique for that, imagining a blank page works usually, so start with that," Snape started his lesson. "I will try to get inside your heads and I want you to block me!"
Draco didn't have time to concentrate on anything till Severus attacked. He could feel him rattling inside his thoughts, the surface level, impressions about the room, the lesson, his discussion with Pansy from earlier today that was at the far front. Severus pulled back abruptly.
"Neither of you didn't even try," Severus snapped. Draco thought he had a look of pity in his eyes, but he didn't had time to linger before the next attack.
By the end of the long lesson, neither managed to block Severus from their mind. He was exhausted, panting on the floor.
"See you both here tomorrow and I expect some results," Severus snapped again.
"He is so mean because he is worried," Draco explained to Harry while they were making their way to their dorms.
"I know," Harry sighed.
Draco completely forgot about Valentine's Day. He only remembered about it when he entered the Great Hall and some decorations were floating from the ceiling.
"I am surprised she even let us decorate since she is giving people detention for standing too close," Hermione puffed.
"Blaise has detention almost every day of the week," Pansy sighed.
"You and Harry too," Hermione smirked.
"For the last time, we had ours way before," Draco sighed exasperated. "Why are you pestering only me, go to Harry as well."
"You are way easier to rouse," Pansy smiled fondly at him.
"My friends are harpies"
Hermione's eyes lit at the reference, she was looking like a lion ready to pounce and open the discussion about muggle mythology book that she lent him.
"So are we going to Madame Putifoot?" Pansy intercepted her.
"Yes," Draco said dazed.
"Oh, you will meet Harry and Cho there then!"
"Harry and Cho?" Draco asked.
"Yeah, she asked him out and they are going to the tea shop as well."
"Oh…"
"We are going to the tea shop!" Pansy stated firmly when they were alone.
"I do not want to… interfere on Harry and his date."
Pansy raised one perfect eyebrow at him.
"You do not want a date anyway!"
"Well, now I do!" Pansy said stubbornly.
"Pansy…"
"Draco…" She mocked him with a whinny tone.
"But we stay away from them!"
"Of course!" She smiled with a fake innocence.
"I know I proposed this, but this is weird," Pansy said.
"He never said he was interested in her," Draco whispered.
"Look, your jealousy was cute at first, but this is creepy."
"Jealous? I just feel…betrayed. I am his best friend, I should know about this, from him and not Hermione."
"And we are hiding behind a menu because you are friend-betrayed?"
Draco glared at her.
"It's like with Cedric all…" Pansy started, but stopped. Draco's face turned grim.
"Don't mention that name," Draco said in an arctic tone.
"Draco…" Pansy grabbed his hand over the table.
"You are right, we should go!" Draco retreated his hand and jumped to his feet.
"Draco!"
"Draco?" The second voice was not Pansy's…
"Black and Parkinson, of course," Chang said in a tight voice.
"We were just leaving!" Draco said not daring to look at Harry's table.
"You can celebrate Valentine's Day with us, a double date," Chang said in the deafening silence.
"We are not on a date," Harry and Draco said in the same time.
There was silence and some whispers. Chang rose from the table.
"Excuse me… I think there has been a misunderstanding here!" She started diplomatically.
Pansy took a huge breath, "Harry, what is today?"
"Tuesday?"
Pansy took a seat at the table and dragged Draco down to it as well.
"You accepted to go with Cho on a date on Valentine's" Pansy continued like talking to a child.
"I… you asked me to go and have tea with you...You wanted to date me?" Harry realized.
"I didn't realize he was taken, I am sorry," Chang turned to Draco.
"He didn't realize he was on a date" Pansy repeated in a daze. "You are lucky you're pretty!"
Chang rose from the table, "I am so sorry"
"I will come with you," Pansy sighed and rose. "You will both stay here and talk things out," She hissed at her friends.
Draco nodded, "You didn't realize…You are definitely no Ravenclaw."
"And you are no spy, hiding behind menus?"
"How did it go?" Pansy pounced on him as soon as he got inside.
"I know what you want and no," Draco said.
"Really!?"
"Pansy!" He hissed.
"So you will wait till he has a real date next time?" Pansy threw at him and stormed off.
Now… that was a tough one to digest.
"Okay, so I had my Divination class" Pansy proclaimed loudly.
"I still don't understand why you take that class, is nonsense"
"Very true, but is an easy grade and I need it"
"Who is even teaching it, didn't Umbridge sack Trelawney?"
"She did actually, a centaur taught it!" Pansy said excited.
"Okay…"Draco said unimpressed and took another bite of his lunch.
"He went and talked a bit about our fortunes" Pansy continued.
"Is everyone going to die again?"
"No, but Harry is going to meet the love of his life, he is at a crossroads"
Draco struggles not to choke on his potatoes.
"Did…he say anything?"
"Laughed honestly, he doesn't believe in prophecies either"
"And why is this even news then?"
"Because it was obviously about you!"
"He already "meet" me!"
Pansy pouts at him and smacks him over the head.
"Hermione knew why she quit that class, is gibberish"
"It's fate!" Pansy whined.
"What did he said about you then?"
"…Yeah, maybe you are right about prophecies" Pansy said cryptic.
She refused to say anything no matter how much Draco pestered her.
Umbridge went one step farther in her war against the school. She created the Inquisition Squad, mostly of pure-blood Slytherins that aligned with her ideals. She didn't call Pansy or Blaise in, but she did interview Draco for it.
"Mister Malfoy, please, come in," She chirped in her forced sweet tone.
Draco clenched his fists and took a seat. Her office was horrible, like some muggle grandma had decorated it. He refrained from correcting her about the name; she always preferred to call him Malfoy whenever she could.
"Professor, you summoned me?" He started forcing a polite smile.
"Yes, as you know I am starting my own… little group to ensure peace in the school. Your father has insisted for you to join, but honestly I do not think you are suitable for it."
"From what I have seen, the criteria are to be pureblood and from a good house."
"And to have outstanding morals and values."
Draco had to bite his tongue at that knowing Theo was currently running the gang.
"I am sorry Professor; I do not understand how those do not qualify me…"
"You see, even if this is my first year teaching, I have been monitoring the school for a while and especially Harry Potter's antics. Your name and his often come up together. You are also the heir of a house that has very opposing values to what we stand for."
"I did not choose what house I am the heir of," Draco piped in.
"But you could have, since it's pretty easy to get disowned in that particular family. I am sure Sirius Black could help you with that."
"I think that my position as Harry Potter roommate would be advantageous to us."
"Mister Malfoy, you are Potter's friend; some say his best friend. Some say more, but I do not want to dwell on the extent of the corruption you were subjected to. In short, I do not trust your intentions, even if your respectable dad has vouched for you. I need proof of your allegiance."
"What kind of proof?"
"Tell me where they are meeting!" Umbridge's eyes were shinning with a weird light.
Being part of the Inquisition Squad was never really going to be fun, Draco knew that going in. But what it actually turned out to be… Umbridge used them to reinforce her rules. In his first day, Draco had to give Blaise detention for breaking the fraternizing rule and kissing a guy from Ravenclaw. Blaise just stared at him blankly and took his punishment.
The next day, Draco saw Blaise cradle an injured hand. The guilt was chocking him.
He tried not to give people detention anymore after that. It was surprisingly hard since his friends were really keen on breaking rules. He had to stop Harry going out in his girl's school uniform at least two days a week, help Blaise sneak whoever he was dating in… having a double life was tiring.
Draco had to turn Creevey in, he found him taking pictures of the forest after curfew. Creevey was talking a mile a minute excited to show him the landscape pictures only laminated by the moon and how the charm he used on the lenses worked. Draco tried to sneak him into the common room before someone else saw him.
"Mister Malfoy!" Draco heard Umbridge's voice behind him.
Creevey made a step back hiding behind Draco like he could protect him, like it mattered.
"I was just bringing back a student, Professor," Draco said in a leveled tone.
"Mister Creevey, what were you doing?" Umbridge asked in her sweet tone.
"I was taking pictures, miss. I have this new charm on the camera and…"
"The camera is muggle technology and is not allowed inside the premises."
"I was… only…"
"Mister Malfoy, secure the device, please. I am confiscating it."
Draco took the camera off Creevey's neck. The younger's boy big innocent eyes looked at him pleading for help. Draco couldn't bear it so he yanked the camera and handed it over. Umbridge smacked it to pieces with a crushing charm, it was unrecognizable in only a few seconds.
"Go to your room, Colin," Draco said.
"Mister Malfoy, but he wasn't punished" Umbridge voice rings unruffled.
"But…" Draco swallowed.
"Extend your hand!" Umbridge called.
Draco could feel Creevey's eyes on him, but couldn't bear to watch. He heard the screams, but he didn't flinch. He knew it couldn't last as long as it felt, but it must have been minutes long.
"Mister Malfoy, take mister Creevy to his room," Umbridge said in a leveled voice.
Draco nodded. He couldn't even rise his eyes. Creevey was so silent he had to strain to hear him following.
They were having their Defense against the Dark Arts exam. They were sitting in alphabetical order, but as always, Umbridge addressed him as Malfoy and not Black, so he was sitting at the end of the classroom. The exam was pretty easy, he didn't even had to concentrate fully on it. Draco finished his exam and was now watching others. Weasley was fretting on the other side of the room, sneaking glances behind him at the door.
There were only a few minutes left when the door banged to the wall. Draco turned surprised. Peeves entered first and started throwing the desks around in his path. Draco jumped from his desk as the poltergeist made his way up to Umbridge. Umbridge dodged and the poltergeist disappeared with an evil laugh.
Through the open door, Fred and George Weasley burst in on their brooms.
"No flying in the halls!" Umbridge's voice called.
One of the twins, Draco could never differentiate them without the name sweaters on, pulled out his wand and a red and gold firework went off. The other one grinned and set off another one. Umbridge screamed, but her voice drowned in the noise.
"Let's blow this joint!" one of the twins screamed over the noise.
"I was never interested in higher education!" The other grinned.
They set off small fireworks all over the room, desks were upturned, exams papers were flowing all around them and Umbridge was in hysterics.
"The Inquisition Squad, escort everyone to their dorms!" She squeaked.
"What about the exams, Professor?" Harry asked in a fake innocent voice.
"Let's go, Potter!" Draco snapped to action grabbing him before Umbridge would focus all her ire on him.
"That was awesome!"
"Shut up and go," Draco whispered. "You had something to do with this?"
"No and now I regret it!"
Draco glared at him and tugged on his hand. Stupid freaking… Should be in Gryffindor.
"Mister Malfoy, I didn't expect you," Umbridge smiles fake.
"I wanted to state that Potter had nothing to do with the incident that occurred during our exam."
"Is that so?"
"Yes, madam."
"My patience is running out. You said you would exchange the location of their little meeting club for being admitted into the Inquisition Squad, and you did not fulfill your part."
"They meet in the Room of Requirement, but I do not know how to get inside," Draco said.
"Fine, point me to a member that is willing to talk."
"Excuse me?"
"I want a member now. Unless you think Potter would talk. I mean everyone would under the Potion…"
"I understand."
In the end he took Marietta Edgecombe to Umbridge.
Draco didn't send his Patronus ahead like he planned initially. He managed not to be in the squad capturing students at least, but that was a small mercy. Only Harry, Hermione and Ron were captured in the end. Pansy managed to get away and return to the dorm.
"She has Harry!" She said out of breath as soon as she stormed into his room.
"I told you," He said from his bed where he was pretending to read.
"She will hurt him!" Pansy insisted fanatic.
"She doesn't have that kind of power," Draco sighed.
"Are you willing to risk it?" Pansy asked her eyes shining.
Draco grabbed Harry's cloak and burst out. He entered the Room of Requirement, the Inquisition Squad was still there, but no Umbridge or the trio he was looking for. He tried Umbridge's office. From outside he could already hear her screaming at someone.
The trio let her into the Forbidden Forest. The night was cold and Draco could see the moon rising, it was going to be a full one. Both Sirius and Remus had told Harry and Draco numerous times not to go into the forest on a full moon, since Sirius had gotten a part of the land for Remus to transform freely on. As Draco followed them, he knew where Harry was taking her.
They got into a clearing. It was dark without the moon fully up in the sky. Remus was with someone. Draco had only seen him at Narcissa's funeral, some guy working in the shop, but his name escaped him.
"Harry?" Remus turned towards him. "You should not be here" His voice was shaky.
"Professor Umbridge wanted me to show her where the leader of the resistance group is," Harry said dry.
"Umbridge?" The other guy snarled. His canines were bigger than normal and his eyes were tinted yellow. Another werewolf, Draco realized.
"Bodin!" Remus warned.
"That bitch ruined my life!" Bodin revealed his fangs and made a step towards the group.
Remus stepped in front of him. Ron and Hermione were taking a step back, but Umbridge and Harry held their grounds.
"The kids are pack," Remus said. "And this is not how we deal with it, killing her will not solve anything. She is just a product of a society and way of thinking." How Remus could be that eloquent when his body was shaking ready for transformation was beyond Draco.
"Werewolves," Umbridge spat like the word was poison in her mouth. "You… are Remus Lupin, you were a professor here! Are you the one perverting the young minds of children? Talking to them about Dark Lords when they should actually be afraid of you?"
Bodin growled. He started shacking and crumbled to his knees. Remus was still standing in front of the kids.
"Go, now!" Remus said turning to the kids.
"See, kids? This is the true evil, he will rip you to shreds, no matter what his human deceiving self says. This is what you should have been fighting against, not phantasm!" Umbridge shouted turning to the trio of students.
"I rather take my chances with the werewolves than with you, thanks," Ron growled.
"Harry, go!" Remus ordered. He raised his head, sniffed the air and staree right at Draco under the cloak. "Go!"
"Petrificus totalus!" Umbridge cast and Harry and the others froze. "No, I think you should see what is truly behind the façade of this human face."
Bodin's bones started breaking and his clothes ripped. It was like his body was crumbling and then rearranging itself.
"Undo… the spell…" Remus growled through clenched teeth.
"They always wanted a more physical approach," Umbridge said.
Draco didn't know if Umbridge though she could protect all of them from two grown up werewolves, but he didn't want to stand and watch. He hit Umbridge with a Petrificus Totalus and release the spell on the trio.
"We should go…" Hermione, always the more rational one, said and made a few cautious steps back.
"But what about Umbridge?" Harry asked.
"She kind of deserves it, mate," Ron mumbled.
By this point, Bodin was fully transformed and Remus was more wolf than human.
Umbridge stood there frozen, no expression on her face. Bodin tried to jump at her, but Hermione had time to cast a shield in front of her. Bodin attacked the shield with sharp claws and fangs. Ron and Harry took an involuntary step back like their instincts was screaming at them to go. Draco felt it too, something primal telling the pray to escape before the predator gets to it.
Bodin stopped his attack, panting. Harry and Ron took this moment to drag Umbridge further away and then Harry levitated her. Hermione kept the shield up as she was retreating.
Draco followed them maintaining the shield spell that got weaker with every lounge. Remus rose, he was bigger than Bodin. His fur was the same shade of brown as his hair, Draco noticed, but nothing in the beast was his family member.
Bodin caught a whiff of a new scent and abandoned the chase; he turned straight to Draco. He thought he had enough time to drop the shield on the others and cast for himself, but the werewolf was already jumping.
A shadow blurred in midair as Remus tackled Bodin to the ground. His eyes were shinning yellow again and he snarled at the other male. Bodin bowed his head.
Draco took the moment to escape himself.
Umbridge didn't tell anyone what happened in the woods. The trio kept their mouths shut as well. Umbridge handed in her resignation a few days after.
Draco found out from a letter Sirius sent that Remus was aware enough to let them escape and if Remus smelled him there he didn't tell Sirius. Sirius himself had been at a meeting, an Order meeting by the looks of it. Apparently, the Death Eaters were planning to steal something from the Ministry, but were stopped.
The worst part was Harry ignoring him. He never did that before, Harry was always there no matter how Draco fought against it. Pansy was giving him a wide breach as well and everyone that was in the Hogwarts Army was glaring at him every chance they had. He wanted to scream in their face, but what good would that do.
He stayed with Slytherins in the compartment, Crabbe and Goyle were easy to bare, once you realize that there was no real malice behind them. They just followed whoever intimidated them and Draco got pretty good at that. Blaise was still around, in a corner watching him, not saying a word, as if he was trying to figure out a puzzle.
He did not miss Harry, not one bit!
Lucius was in a meeting and could not pick him up at the station. Sirius took him with them as Lily took Harry. Sirius came with his blasted bike again.
"I heard you had a pretty eventful last semester," Sirius started.
Draco grunted a response.
"Is that so? Please, tell me more," Sirius mocked. The bike took a wild turn and Draco shut his eyes.
"If I die like this, Remus is going to kill you."
"I can make it look like an accident," Sirius laughed and accelerated.
They passed by the turn for Grimmauld Place.
"Where are we going?"
"I think it's a great day to study some family history, you know how purebloods love genealogy."
"Are you taking me to a library?"
"Better," Sirius grins.
They arrived at the cemetery, the same one his mother was buried in, and walked to the Black crypt. They had some kind of mausoleum built from black marble with gargoyles and iron gates at the door. Draco visited it a few months ago to see his mother's grave.
"You should have told me we are going to see her grave, I would have brought flowers."
"We are not, I mean, not only hers," Sirius said.
Narcissa's grave was filled with flowers and candles. It took Draco months to even get the courage to visit it, then he did and he felt nothing; his mother was not here. Then he laughed thinking about how Narcissa would have words about the flowers placed there and where her grave was reported to the others. But he felt like he had to, so he came back.
Sirius revived some roses in a vase. Draco lit a candle.
"Let's take a few steps."
The place was creepy. Draco always thought so. It was reserved only for the Black family and the heirs, no spouses or adopted children. It was magically enhanced and the spiral staircase was going down chronologically to the first ever Black.
They took a few steps by graves of recently deceased Blacks that Draco hardly if ever knew. They stopped by an old grave Draco never visited. He used to come here with Narcissa to put fresh flowers at his grandparents' graves, but never stopped at this one, Regulus Black.
"He was my younger brother, you know," Sirius said suddenly. Sirius never talked about his brother. Narcissa and Andromeda mentioned him once or twice, but only in childhood memories, never when he was older. Like he disappeared when he turned 14 although he died at 18. Draco found out he was a follower of the Dark Lord and died a bit before they lost the First War.
"He died very young," Sirius continued. "He was named heir when I left home. I got away in time, but he was trapped there and all those expectations fell on him. He had to be the perfect son and heir, because I was not," Sirius's voice shakes. "He joined the Death Eaters because that was what most of our family did at that time. Except your mother, bless her, she was always smart."
"How did he die?" Draco asked.
"We always thought he died in the War, a meaningless fight somewhere," Sirius said. "But that was not true. He betrayed Voldermort."
Draco turned to Sirius surprised.
"Voldemort was taking precautions in case something were to happen, he found a way to keep himself alive by dividing his soul into pieces. He wanted to use a locket and to test the defenses he took Kreacher, our house elf. Regulus was heir so the house elf responded to him, being left to die Kreacher used his magic to return home to his master. Regulus was not happy about how Voldemort treated those beneath him, so he took the locket and planned to destroy it himself. He died before he got to do it," Sirius said.
"How did you find out?"
"Kreacher told us, he finally deemed us worthy of his loyalty and brought us the locket and told us the whole story."
"But Voldemort is back, even without the locket," Draco frowned.
"He is, because they still exist. We took care of the locket already, but we do not think it's the only one."
"So we have to destroy these and he dies?"
"That is the current theory."
"How many?" Draco whispered.
"We do not know."
"Okay, thank you for sharing this with me."
"This is not why I brought you here" Sirius said.
Draco frowned.
"I wanted to tell you Regulus's story so you do not make the same mistake," Sirius continued.
"Joining the Dark Lord?" Draco frowned.
"That and also thinking you have to do everything alone. If Regulus came to me, if he asked for help… Even if we were at odds, he was my family… I would have helped him no matter what."
"I don't know why you think I…" Draco started.
"Because I see him in you, the same stubbornness, the same will to please others, the same feeling of crushing responsibility. He didn't have to do everything alone and you do not have to either."
"I have not joined Voldemort," Draco said in a cold tone.
"I know, but I wanted to tell you that you have help, that you have family and we are here for you no matter what."
Draco felt like he was chocking, he did not trust himself to speak so he only nodded.
"Great talk," Sirius murmured and patted him on the shoulder.