A Piece of Advice
By J. Lynn (j.lynn@email.com)
J.K.R. will own the world by the time she's done.
Author's Notes: This story is the second in the Acceptance series. The sequence for the series is Choices & Fortunes, A Piece of Advice, Becoming Slytherin and Acceptance Of Things To Come.
Author's Notes: This story takes place on the Hogwarts Express, at the beginning of the third year.
"What the hell do you think your doing Malfoy!"
Draco Malfoy locked the door to the lavatory before turning to face his captive.
"I'm here to talk to you," the words were spoken with the tense air of someone who knows they haven't got much time to do what's necessary.
"What? More threats? An offer from your dad to join his bunch of terrorists? Or do you just want to insult my parents again?" Harry Potter, folded his arms and glared at the fair-haired child in front of him.
"Shut up. I don't have time to deal with your blustering. I need to talk to you, this is important." The urgency of his words seemed to penetrate Harry's outrage, however unwillingly.
"Fine. What do you want?" Glare still firmly in place Harry settled his back against the wall to watch the other boy.
"Last year you said that my father had sold himself, and me, to Voldemort." Malfoy paused, grasping for words.
"Yeah..." Harry prompted.
Draco turned, looking Harry in the eye. "Well I want to know what you're going to do about it."
Harry started. Baffled, he asked, "What on earth are you going on about?"
"You're supposed to be the savior of the wizarding world, well now I want you to save the Slytherins."
"Huh?"
Rolling his eyes, Draco continued. "Look, you were right. We, the Slytherins, have been sold to evil, either by our parents, or by all the people who tell us we can't be any better."
"And what does this have to do with me?" Harry inquired.
"What it has to do with you, is one day you'll be the one everyone will expect to fight the war our parents are planning, and who do you think you'll end up fighting?"
"You?"
"Yes Potter. You'll be fighting practically every Slythern born in the last fifty years. From my father, to me, to the first years out there who will be told they have to be evil because we fit into your nicely labeled boxes better that way. We've been consigned to evil, even though we're just children, but you can change that."
Harry rubbed his hand over his face wearily. "I'm confused. What do you want me to do?"
"I want you to reclaim Slythern. I want you to give us the option of being something other than evil."
"How?"
"How do you give anyone a choice? You ask them a question. Offer to let us be yours, one of the good guys, instead of the villains." Draco entreated, begging for a chance for himself, his friends, his house.
"And why the hell would any of you listen to me? Haven't you all been ready to be as evil as everyone expects? Why should one nay-sayer make any difference?" Harry demanded.
"By the time you're ready to ask us to join you, I'll have them ready to give you a chance. But you have to understand us before you can ask."
Harry sighed, "I don't get it. Why should I understand you?"
Draco's eyes sharpened, "Because you'll have to know us to use us. We won't let you waste our talents by treating us like Huffelpuffs. You have to know what makes us Slytherin, our strengths and our weaknesses if you want to win even the smallest first year over permanently. Otherwise you'll screw this up before you've even begun."
"I'll do my best, but I don't know how I'll-"
"Look, I'll send you some things that will help. Study them, and when you're ready we'll be ready," Draco nodded, and began heading for the door.
"Draco," Harry called out, "Why are you doing this?"
Draco paused, hand on the door knob. "Because I, my housemates, and, someday, my children will deserve better than this." He turned to glare at Harry, "All I can do is prepare for change, it's up to you to bring it. And if you screw us over, God help me, I'll cut your heart out with a spoon and serve it to Voldemort himself."
Harry gave Draco a contemplative look. "You know Malfoy, you might not be quite as bad as I thought."
"Tell any one and I'll make sure you'll never have children," Draco moved out the door, and down the hall way, throwing the threat over his shoulder before hurrying away.
For his part, Harry shook his head, and consigned the conversation to the back of his mind before moving to rejoin Ron and Hermione in their compartment.
******
Later that night, as Harry watched Draco greet a new first year, he felt a little bit more hope for the future.
fin
By J. Lynn (j.lynn@email.com)
J.K.R. will own the world by the time she's done.
Author's Notes: This story is the second in the Acceptance series. The sequence for the series is Choices & Fortunes, A Piece of Advice, Becoming Slytherin and Acceptance Of Things To Come.
Author's Notes: This story takes place on the Hogwarts Express, at the beginning of the third year.
"What the hell do you think your doing Malfoy!"
Draco Malfoy locked the door to the lavatory before turning to face his captive.
"I'm here to talk to you," the words were spoken with the tense air of someone who knows they haven't got much time to do what's necessary.
"What? More threats? An offer from your dad to join his bunch of terrorists? Or do you just want to insult my parents again?" Harry Potter, folded his arms and glared at the fair-haired child in front of him.
"Shut up. I don't have time to deal with your blustering. I need to talk to you, this is important." The urgency of his words seemed to penetrate Harry's outrage, however unwillingly.
"Fine. What do you want?" Glare still firmly in place Harry settled his back against the wall to watch the other boy.
"Last year you said that my father had sold himself, and me, to Voldemort." Malfoy paused, grasping for words.
"Yeah..." Harry prompted.
Draco turned, looking Harry in the eye. "Well I want to know what you're going to do about it."
Harry started. Baffled, he asked, "What on earth are you going on about?"
"You're supposed to be the savior of the wizarding world, well now I want you to save the Slytherins."
"Huh?"
Rolling his eyes, Draco continued. "Look, you were right. We, the Slytherins, have been sold to evil, either by our parents, or by all the people who tell us we can't be any better."
"And what does this have to do with me?" Harry inquired.
"What it has to do with you, is one day you'll be the one everyone will expect to fight the war our parents are planning, and who do you think you'll end up fighting?"
"You?"
"Yes Potter. You'll be fighting practically every Slythern born in the last fifty years. From my father, to me, to the first years out there who will be told they have to be evil because we fit into your nicely labeled boxes better that way. We've been consigned to evil, even though we're just children, but you can change that."
Harry rubbed his hand over his face wearily. "I'm confused. What do you want me to do?"
"I want you to reclaim Slythern. I want you to give us the option of being something other than evil."
"How?"
"How do you give anyone a choice? You ask them a question. Offer to let us be yours, one of the good guys, instead of the villains." Draco entreated, begging for a chance for himself, his friends, his house.
"And why the hell would any of you listen to me? Haven't you all been ready to be as evil as everyone expects? Why should one nay-sayer make any difference?" Harry demanded.
"By the time you're ready to ask us to join you, I'll have them ready to give you a chance. But you have to understand us before you can ask."
Harry sighed, "I don't get it. Why should I understand you?"
Draco's eyes sharpened, "Because you'll have to know us to use us. We won't let you waste our talents by treating us like Huffelpuffs. You have to know what makes us Slytherin, our strengths and our weaknesses if you want to win even the smallest first year over permanently. Otherwise you'll screw this up before you've even begun."
"I'll do my best, but I don't know how I'll-"
"Look, I'll send you some things that will help. Study them, and when you're ready we'll be ready," Draco nodded, and began heading for the door.
"Draco," Harry called out, "Why are you doing this?"
Draco paused, hand on the door knob. "Because I, my housemates, and, someday, my children will deserve better than this." He turned to glare at Harry, "All I can do is prepare for change, it's up to you to bring it. And if you screw us over, God help me, I'll cut your heart out with a spoon and serve it to Voldemort himself."
Harry gave Draco a contemplative look. "You know Malfoy, you might not be quite as bad as I thought."
"Tell any one and I'll make sure you'll never have children," Draco moved out the door, and down the hall way, throwing the threat over his shoulder before hurrying away.
For his part, Harry shook his head, and consigned the conversation to the back of his mind before moving to rejoin Ron and Hermione in their compartment.
******
Later that night, as Harry watched Draco greet a new first year, he felt a little bit more hope for the future.
fin