The Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry stood before the two boys, a look of something dangerously close to disguist gracing his normally smiling face. Now he scowled, looking first at one, then at the other. He could only imagine what was going through their heads right now. They were probably worried about being expelled, or worse, punished severely. There was no doubt that the pale boy next to Harry Potter would be punished by his father. In that, there was no question. Lucious Malfoy would definitely have his "talk" with Draco. "Well now..." He finally began to speak to the axious twosome. They each raised their heads to look at him, eyes brimming with curiosity. The fist fight they'd started in potions, which had invovled the entire class, Gryfindors against Slytherins, and knocked over countless ingredients and other items belonging to Professor Snape was definitely not expelling material, but it could grow into something so large.
"You two hate each other, don't you? I've noticed this... It is similar to a couple of other rivalries I've had to deal with... but I now know how to solve it." Harry glanced at Draco, and Draco at Harry. 'Solve it?' The two of them thought at, more or less, the same time. Even Headmasters couldn't "solve" a rivalry as strong as this. Dumbledore raised a hand. "Ah. I know what you're thinking. So close to the end of the year! This man must have worked himself too hard; he's crazy. Insane... mad... yes, yes. And I have been called all those things many many times before, but this time you are justified in saying it." "You're crazy." Draco and Harry said simeultaneously. Well, he had given them persmission. Why not take it? "Yes, yes," Dumbledore repeated, setting his hand on a pile of papers with so much information, and such small print, it was no wonder he needed those half-moon spectacles. "I've already made the arrangements, and talked to each of your families... Those telephones are very interesting, but I do believe Mr. Dursely understood me. He wasn't happy, though I can say the same for Mr. Malfoy...." He trailed off, speaking of cuss words and curses to his name he'd heard in each of the conversations.
"The problem is the same as the problem between the late Mr. Potter and our dear Professor Snape. When they were in school, neither of them understood the other, and therefore, the lifestyle they were involved in, and all those etceteras that are mashed in with those two things. For exactly half the summer, you, Harry, will spend your time with Draco at the Malfoy Mansion." Their jaws went slack at the same time. No... it couldn't be true... "And you, Draco, will spend half the summer with the Durselys, or at the Weasly home... whichever one Harry will be at." "YOU CAN'T DO THAT!!" Draco shouted suddenly. "IT'S NOT HUMAN!! THIS ISN'T PUNISHMENT, THIS IS TORTURE!!" "I'm sure you would have been through much more than torture, had I allowed your father to deal with it instead of myself." Dumbledore spoke quietly, though it was enough to get Malfoy to shut his mouth. Harry was still in shock. The two were silent on the walk back down the halls, not prepared to tell anyone of their punishments. Not prepared to accept them, but accept them they must. This would be the summer from.....
"Hello!" Hermione chirped, but Harry just shook his head. The entire ride back to Kings Cross was a terrible one for Harry. He sat among all his friends, but it didn't seem to comfort him at all. In fact, he was bringing everyone down with him. His gloomy attitude was infecting everyone in the car. The famous Harry Potter: A downer. Ron pat his back and gave him a weak smile, which, as expected, didn't help at all. "Ah, cheer up, Harry! You'll be okay!!" Harry just sighed and shook his head, the black, unruly and unkempt hair flailing about in the air. His scar appeared and disappeared behind it, and then he finally stopped. He looked out the window in horror. They were nearing the station. Any minute now the train would stop and he would be forced to accept his fate. His death at the hands of Malfoy in the Malfoy Mansion. He'd heard about the house; how dark and cold it was. It's size (rather large) and it's history, belonging to every Malfoy down the line, and it would later belong to the one and only: Draco Malfoy. May the heavens forbid it. May some sort of misfortune, or good luck, befall them all so Harry and Draco wouldn't have to put up with each other more than they had to. "Help me, God." He whispered, before grabbing the rest of his sweets, stuffing them in his pocket, and making his way off the train and into the worst summer of his life.
Draco also had a sense of impending doom. His father was going to be furious and... who was it Harry lives with? The Dooslers? Whatever. They were a Muggle family, and Draco had had his fill of those already. The number of "Mudbloods" in Hogwarts astounded him, but he always had an opportunity to insult at least one every week. He didn't plan on speaking to these Dursloops whatsoever. He would play the part of a mute, and if they were smart Muggles, they would follow his lead and do the same. Crabbe and Goyle stood beside him. He didn't have to look into their faces to know they, and every one else who knew him, were wearing expressions of pity. Everyone was pitying the two of them. Their rivalry was very well known, to say the least. Let's not begin with anything more than the least. To do so, would be like trying to tell a person who has never understood war it's meaning. An impossible task.
Lucius Malfoy stood on the edge of madness. He had to calm himself down and remember who he was. 'Don't scream at the boy until we reach the Mansion...' He told himself. 'Don't scream....' Everyone was watching Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy as they each made their way to Lucius. Goodbye Hopes and Dreams, Harry thought. And hello Nightmare. The two boys glared at each other as everyone made way for each of them. Ron wished his best friend good luck, and Hermione felt as though she would cry. Poor Harry... she thought to herself. Poor, poor Harry... Ginny stood by her brother, not knowing whether to pray Harry wouldn't come to their house the second half of the summer, dragging Malfoy along with him, or to pray he did, so they could protect him from Malfoy.
When they arrived at the Malfoy Mansion, by way of broomstick, the two boys looked to each other without hatred, but now with dread. They were going to be stuck together. One big, happy slumber party. "Great..." Draco mumbled when they arrived at the elaborate front gate. "Smile and bear it." His father muttered. He now turned his attention to Harry, who visibly winced under his gaze. "You..." He seethed, grabbing his robes and pulling him closer so Lucius would know distinctly if Harry's eyes diverted themselves from the gaze in which they were locked. "I don't want to hear a word out of you. Do you hear me clear, boy? Not. one. word." He released Harry, or rather, shoved him aside. He caught himself against the gate before he fell. He expected Draco to find some pleasure in this embarrisment Harry had just been put through, but he actually seemed sort of embarrised himself. As if he were thinking 'Why do you have to be like that, dad?'
As the Muggle-raised boy had assumed, Malfoy Mansion was, indeed, large. The tall, stone structure towered about 1/4 the size of the Hogwarts castle. After years with the Durselys, Harry had assumed that there were houses, and there were castles, but he'd never taken into consideration another category: mansions. He was in awe, and in this, Draco took pride. Then horror struck him. He may spend half the summer in his own home, but the other half would be in the Dulswoods... which meant if Harry was this suprised at the sight of the Mansion, then... what enviornment has he grown up in? He was suddenly struck with the horrible image of a wet cardboard box in the yard around a tree, in which other cardboard boxes were housed. No! That couldn't be what Muggles live in. Hadn't he paid more attention in school? Recalling his studies, he was not comforted with the facts that Muggles can live in a range of alley ways and park benches to Mansions such as the one he lived in. He cursed under his breath and prayed his father hadn't caught what he said. Lucius whirled around to glare at his son, but nothing more.
Harry was shoved into a large guest room, and behind him, the door was immediatly locked. "Hey! What about food?" He called, then realized he was talking to the man who shoved him in: Lucius Malfoy. The first words he'd spoken to Harry had told him silence would not shorten his life span, but now he may have just sealed his fate. He recieved only the sound of footsteps receeding down the hall. 'Great...' He muttered. 'I'm stuck here for half the entire summer without food, without rescue, without anything to do. I'll die.....' Dumbledore appeared in front of the door and opened it for Harry. The 15-year-old was estatic. "You're here to save me!!" He shouted, about to run and hug Dumbledore, yet doing a wonderful job at controlling the urge. "You changed your mind! You decided that mopping floors was a better punishment! A summer with Malfoy is too harsh! You came to your sense!! You're sane!!" But Dumbledore shook his head with a smile, the light glinting off and on his half-moon spectacles. "No, no. None of those, actually. I believe I still am quite crazy, but I think this may actually work. Anyways, I'm here to inform you of a change of rules.
"You and Draco Malfoy must spend your time in the same room for this half of the summer.... getting to know each other! You may have met similar conditions at the Dursleys, but I assure you, this time you'll have company! You're not to leave each other except if it is something dreadfully important or you have to use the toilet or shower or other etceteras. Is everything clear?" Harry stared at his Headmaster, numb and in shock once more. 'No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. This can't be!!' His mind screamed at him to do something, but he couldn't move. "W... w.... what?" Apparently, Draco had been aware of the Headmaster's arrival stood behind him, stuttering nonsense. "I think it's a good idea! I'm so marvelous, sometimes I amaze myself!!" He chuckled to himself, looking proud at what he had done. Both boys were in shock now. Dumbledore led them into Draco's room. They numbly followed. They each sat down. Draco sat on the bed, Harry in the chair at his desk. "Well.... It seems as though they won't be waking up for a while now... ah, well. Time to visit with Lucius. OH LUCIUS!!!"
"You two hate each other, don't you? I've noticed this... It is similar to a couple of other rivalries I've had to deal with... but I now know how to solve it." Harry glanced at Draco, and Draco at Harry. 'Solve it?' The two of them thought at, more or less, the same time. Even Headmasters couldn't "solve" a rivalry as strong as this. Dumbledore raised a hand. "Ah. I know what you're thinking. So close to the end of the year! This man must have worked himself too hard; he's crazy. Insane... mad... yes, yes. And I have been called all those things many many times before, but this time you are justified in saying it." "You're crazy." Draco and Harry said simeultaneously. Well, he had given them persmission. Why not take it? "Yes, yes," Dumbledore repeated, setting his hand on a pile of papers with so much information, and such small print, it was no wonder he needed those half-moon spectacles. "I've already made the arrangements, and talked to each of your families... Those telephones are very interesting, but I do believe Mr. Dursely understood me. He wasn't happy, though I can say the same for Mr. Malfoy...." He trailed off, speaking of cuss words and curses to his name he'd heard in each of the conversations.
"The problem is the same as the problem between the late Mr. Potter and our dear Professor Snape. When they were in school, neither of them understood the other, and therefore, the lifestyle they were involved in, and all those etceteras that are mashed in with those two things. For exactly half the summer, you, Harry, will spend your time with Draco at the Malfoy Mansion." Their jaws went slack at the same time. No... it couldn't be true... "And you, Draco, will spend half the summer with the Durselys, or at the Weasly home... whichever one Harry will be at." "YOU CAN'T DO THAT!!" Draco shouted suddenly. "IT'S NOT HUMAN!! THIS ISN'T PUNISHMENT, THIS IS TORTURE!!" "I'm sure you would have been through much more than torture, had I allowed your father to deal with it instead of myself." Dumbledore spoke quietly, though it was enough to get Malfoy to shut his mouth. Harry was still in shock. The two were silent on the walk back down the halls, not prepared to tell anyone of their punishments. Not prepared to accept them, but accept them they must. This would be the summer from.....
"Hello!" Hermione chirped, but Harry just shook his head. The entire ride back to Kings Cross was a terrible one for Harry. He sat among all his friends, but it didn't seem to comfort him at all. In fact, he was bringing everyone down with him. His gloomy attitude was infecting everyone in the car. The famous Harry Potter: A downer. Ron pat his back and gave him a weak smile, which, as expected, didn't help at all. "Ah, cheer up, Harry! You'll be okay!!" Harry just sighed and shook his head, the black, unruly and unkempt hair flailing about in the air. His scar appeared and disappeared behind it, and then he finally stopped. He looked out the window in horror. They were nearing the station. Any minute now the train would stop and he would be forced to accept his fate. His death at the hands of Malfoy in the Malfoy Mansion. He'd heard about the house; how dark and cold it was. It's size (rather large) and it's history, belonging to every Malfoy down the line, and it would later belong to the one and only: Draco Malfoy. May the heavens forbid it. May some sort of misfortune, or good luck, befall them all so Harry and Draco wouldn't have to put up with each other more than they had to. "Help me, God." He whispered, before grabbing the rest of his sweets, stuffing them in his pocket, and making his way off the train and into the worst summer of his life.
Draco also had a sense of impending doom. His father was going to be furious and... who was it Harry lives with? The Dooslers? Whatever. They were a Muggle family, and Draco had had his fill of those already. The number of "Mudbloods" in Hogwarts astounded him, but he always had an opportunity to insult at least one every week. He didn't plan on speaking to these Dursloops whatsoever. He would play the part of a mute, and if they were smart Muggles, they would follow his lead and do the same. Crabbe and Goyle stood beside him. He didn't have to look into their faces to know they, and every one else who knew him, were wearing expressions of pity. Everyone was pitying the two of them. Their rivalry was very well known, to say the least. Let's not begin with anything more than the least. To do so, would be like trying to tell a person who has never understood war it's meaning. An impossible task.
Lucius Malfoy stood on the edge of madness. He had to calm himself down and remember who he was. 'Don't scream at the boy until we reach the Mansion...' He told himself. 'Don't scream....' Everyone was watching Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy as they each made their way to Lucius. Goodbye Hopes and Dreams, Harry thought. And hello Nightmare. The two boys glared at each other as everyone made way for each of them. Ron wished his best friend good luck, and Hermione felt as though she would cry. Poor Harry... she thought to herself. Poor, poor Harry... Ginny stood by her brother, not knowing whether to pray Harry wouldn't come to their house the second half of the summer, dragging Malfoy along with him, or to pray he did, so they could protect him from Malfoy.
When they arrived at the Malfoy Mansion, by way of broomstick, the two boys looked to each other without hatred, but now with dread. They were going to be stuck together. One big, happy slumber party. "Great..." Draco mumbled when they arrived at the elaborate front gate. "Smile and bear it." His father muttered. He now turned his attention to Harry, who visibly winced under his gaze. "You..." He seethed, grabbing his robes and pulling him closer so Lucius would know distinctly if Harry's eyes diverted themselves from the gaze in which they were locked. "I don't want to hear a word out of you. Do you hear me clear, boy? Not. one. word." He released Harry, or rather, shoved him aside. He caught himself against the gate before he fell. He expected Draco to find some pleasure in this embarrisment Harry had just been put through, but he actually seemed sort of embarrised himself. As if he were thinking 'Why do you have to be like that, dad?'
As the Muggle-raised boy had assumed, Malfoy Mansion was, indeed, large. The tall, stone structure towered about 1/4 the size of the Hogwarts castle. After years with the Durselys, Harry had assumed that there were houses, and there were castles, but he'd never taken into consideration another category: mansions. He was in awe, and in this, Draco took pride. Then horror struck him. He may spend half the summer in his own home, but the other half would be in the Dulswoods... which meant if Harry was this suprised at the sight of the Mansion, then... what enviornment has he grown up in? He was suddenly struck with the horrible image of a wet cardboard box in the yard around a tree, in which other cardboard boxes were housed. No! That couldn't be what Muggles live in. Hadn't he paid more attention in school? Recalling his studies, he was not comforted with the facts that Muggles can live in a range of alley ways and park benches to Mansions such as the one he lived in. He cursed under his breath and prayed his father hadn't caught what he said. Lucius whirled around to glare at his son, but nothing more.
Harry was shoved into a large guest room, and behind him, the door was immediatly locked. "Hey! What about food?" He called, then realized he was talking to the man who shoved him in: Lucius Malfoy. The first words he'd spoken to Harry had told him silence would not shorten his life span, but now he may have just sealed his fate. He recieved only the sound of footsteps receeding down the hall. 'Great...' He muttered. 'I'm stuck here for half the entire summer without food, without rescue, without anything to do. I'll die.....' Dumbledore appeared in front of the door and opened it for Harry. The 15-year-old was estatic. "You're here to save me!!" He shouted, about to run and hug Dumbledore, yet doing a wonderful job at controlling the urge. "You changed your mind! You decided that mopping floors was a better punishment! A summer with Malfoy is too harsh! You came to your sense!! You're sane!!" But Dumbledore shook his head with a smile, the light glinting off and on his half-moon spectacles. "No, no. None of those, actually. I believe I still am quite crazy, but I think this may actually work. Anyways, I'm here to inform you of a change of rules.
"You and Draco Malfoy must spend your time in the same room for this half of the summer.... getting to know each other! You may have met similar conditions at the Dursleys, but I assure you, this time you'll have company! You're not to leave each other except if it is something dreadfully important or you have to use the toilet or shower or other etceteras. Is everything clear?" Harry stared at his Headmaster, numb and in shock once more. 'No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. This can't be!!' His mind screamed at him to do something, but he couldn't move. "W... w.... what?" Apparently, Draco had been aware of the Headmaster's arrival stood behind him, stuttering nonsense. "I think it's a good idea! I'm so marvelous, sometimes I amaze myself!!" He chuckled to himself, looking proud at what he had done. Both boys were in shock now. Dumbledore led them into Draco's room. They numbly followed. They each sat down. Draco sat on the bed, Harry in the chair at his desk. "Well.... It seems as though they won't be waking up for a while now... ah, well. Time to visit with Lucius. OH LUCIUS!!!"