The farewell feast was over. All the bags were packed for the trip home tomorrow. Although it was late, Malcolm needed to say one more goodbye. That was why he was walking down a dusty, seldom used hallway. He came to a rusted door, and whispered the password.
"I was right," Fred said, coming out of the shadows.
"Malcolm, my good friend," George said enthusiastically, "You know the password, don't you?"
"This is great," Fred told Malcolm, "George and I found this door our first year, and we've never been able to get past it. We tried everything."
"And now we will, thanks to you," George added.
"I'm only going to visit a friend," Malcolm said, glumly, "You're more than welcome to join me."
Malcolm opened the door, and Fred and George caught their first glimpse of the field of grass on the other side. In the moonlight, they also noticed the stones and realized what they were seeing. As Malcolm walked through the door, George carefully closed the door behind him. Then the two boys returned down the dusty corridor to the Gryffindor tower.
Some doors are meant to be left unopened.
*
"Are you excited to be going home?" Neville asked as they boarded the train.
"Kind of," Malcolm replied, "It would help if I knew where my home was. The Weasleys are going to take me there after they drop off their kids."
"Then you're staying in England?"
"Yeah. Dumbledore said it would be safer since I go to school here. The Department of Magic objected at first, but David Winter argued strongly for the move, so they agreed."
Neville was clearly impressed. "Mr. Winter must care for you a great deal."
"Not exactly."
The two found a compartment, and Ginny soon joined them. "Remember, Malcolm, you aren't to use magic until you get back to school."
"I don't have a wand anymore," Malcolm said, "and Mom says I can pick up a new one when I head back to school in September."
"Your mother is a wise woman."
"Hello, Neville, Sis," Fred said as he opened the compartment door. "Malcolm, stop by later, we want to talk to you about next year's Quidditch Team. We're in the third compartment of the next car."
"You have got to be kidding."
"Seriously," Fred laughed, "we have a surprise for you."
"Cool," Malcolm said, "If it's anything like those chocolates, you guys are going to make a fortune."
After Fred left, Ginny commented, "The twins don't know."
"What don't they know?" Malcolm asked.
"They didn't tell you?" Ginny asked in surprise. "I don't think I should tell you. I might spoil it."
"Can you tell me?" Neville asked, and Ginny whispered into his ear.
Neville laughed, and said, "You're right. Don't tell him. It will be a great surprise."
[I hate this. It's like seeing all of your Christmas presents under the tree, then being told you have to eat all of your dinner first, while you're eating breakfast.]
*
As Malcolm walked into the adjoining car, he was suddenly grabbed, and pulled into the first compartment. He was pushed into a seat and found himself facing an angry Draco Malfoy.
"Don't you listen?" Draco hissed. "I told you they were dangerous, but you won't stay away from them. I can't protect you if you won't pay attention."
"Draco, what are you talking about?"
"Potter," Draco sneered, "Don't you understand about his scar? Voldemort gave it to him along with his power. It links them. It lets Voldemort control Potter. Can't you see that?"
"Draco, calm down."
"You stupid fool," Draco said, almost yelling, "People are dying. They even attacked you. If we don't stop them, they'll destroy us all. I've heard father talk about the old days. I don't want that to happen again. I don't want to lose you, Basil."
"We're ready," Goyle said as he approached the compartment. Crabbe was standing behind him, and both had their wands ready.
"What are you going to do?" Malcolm asked.
"What we have to," Draco whispered, "We may not be able to stop Voldemort, but we can stop his tool."
Malcolm grabbed Draco's shoulder, but the older boy knocked the hand away, and punched Malcolm hard in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him.
"I'm doing this for you, Basil," Draco whispered to the gasping boy, then turned on his heels and walked out of the compartment, Crabbe and Goyle following.
Malcolm struggled to his feet and managed to walk to the twins' compartment. He opened the door and gasped, "Draco, flipped . . . He's after Potter."
In a flash, the twins were gone. "I'll help you," Lee Jordan said and helped Malcolm onto the seat. As Lee pulled out his wand, Malcolm looked at him in surprise.
"You're not going with them?"
"I'd only be in the way," Lee said, as he waved his wand over Malcolm's body. "I'm not much of a fighter," he added, "and it looks like you'll be fine."
"You're a healer?"
"I'll be studying at St. Mungo's, after I graduate from Hogwarts. Madam Pomfrey has been teaching me a few things in the meantime."
*
By the time Malcolm was sitting up, word already had filtered through the train about the duel. The Slytherins lost and were lying in the passageway with multiple hexes.
"I suppose I should thank you," Lee said, "for helping Harry."
"I didn't do it to help Potter," Malcolm said, staring at the floor. "I did it for Draco." Had Malcolm looked up, he would have seen a very surprised Lee Jordan.
"Could you explain that?" Lee asked, but Malcolm shook his head.
"There's too much I can't tell," Malcolm answered, "but Draco believes that Voldemort is controlling Potter though that scar he has."
"Draco Malfoy was trying to be a hero," Lee said in wry amusement, "I'll have to remember that he's one of the good guys."
"Only until he gets home," Malcolm added sadly, "For all that Draco believes, he'll follow his father, wherever he leads."
"I'll help," Lee said, after an awkward silence.
"Excuse me?"
"When the train stops, I'll remove the hexes. I think I know enough to counter anything the twins can cast, and they're two years ahead of Potter."
"Thanks," Malcolm said sincerely.
*
Lee and Malcolm made their way through the train until they came to where the bodies lie. The car was empty except for the five students. Methodically, Lee went from one Slytherin to the next, removing the hexes. When he was done, the three Slytherins looked as though they were only sleeping.
"Enervate," Lee called out three times.
Crabbe, Goyle and Malfoy slowly rose to their feet, casting wary glances at Lee Jordan, and his wand. When Crabbe and Goyle looked at Malcolm, it was with nothing except pure hatred.
"What happened between us," Lee Jordan said, "will stay between us, unless you wish to tell someone. For my part, I will say nothing."
Draco nodded, then turned to Malcolm and said, "You shouldn't have done that."
"I had to stop you."
"That wasn't what I was referring to," Draco said, nodding his head in the direction of Lee Jordan. "We could have claimed that WE were attacked."
"I didn't think of that," Malcolm admitted.
"We might still give it a try."
"Draco," Goyle said.
"I will talk to Malcolm, first," Draco said evenly.
"He's the enemy," Crabbe exclaimed, "he already proved it."
"Malcolm has been my friend for two years," Draco said angrily, "I will talk to him one last time. Wait for me outside."
"Draco," Crabbe hissed.
"OUTSIDE. NOW," Draco demanded.
Bitterly, the two Slytherins left. Draco turned to Lee Jordan and said, "I'd like to talk to my friend in private."
Lee looked at Malcolm, who nodded, and said, "for the record, I didn't think of it either."
"You made your point," Draco said, "but, thank you, anyway."
Lee nodded, and left the two boys alone.
"You were wrong about Potter," Malcolm said.
"It doesn't matter, now," Draco said, "I thought I was doing the right thing. I owe you an apology."
"You don't owe me anything," Malcolm told him.
"Sometimes, I don't know where I stand in the world," Draco admitted. "I wish I could be as sure of myself as you are."
Malcolm laughed. "It sounds like you are. I'm never sure of anything, but . . ." He pulled a worn letter out of his pocket. "When I first came to Hogwarts, I didn't know what to do, so I wrote to Stevie and asked for his advice. This is what he sent me."
Draco took the letter, and read the first part, the put it away. "I promise I'll read it when I get the chance," he said. "Stevie's the only person I ever met that made me glad he was smarter than me. Give him my best."
"I don't think I'll be seeing him for a while. They tell me it's not safe."
"You were the best friend I ever had, Malcolm. I'll miss you."
"I'll miss you, too," Malcolm said, sadly, "I just wish we were two different people, so we could remain friends."
Draco's eyes twinkled. "We both don't have to be two different people," he said conspiratorially. "Only one of us does."
[The Seminar? Draco knows.]
Draco put his arm around Malcolm's shoulder, and said, "You know, Louis. This could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship."