~ Chapter Nine : Consequences ~
Dumbledore's Office
Harry and Draco sat side by side in front of Dumbledore's desk. The headmaster was gazing at them while sucking on a sherbet lemon. Finally he swallowed.
"Boys, I understand why you did what you did and that you were doing it for a good cause. We have been trying to prove Sirius's innocence for a long time now," Dumbledore sighed. "However, I must say I am not impressed by the means by which you accomplished this feat."
Harry looked terribly guilty. He hated disappointing Dumbledore and he knew that, although he was happy to be free, Sirius was also disappointed that Harry had had to go to such extreme lengths to gain his freedom.
"I will have to inform the school of these events tonight before dinner. It would not do for a student to see the dark mark on one of your wrists and panic. Both of you will also apologise to Mr Abbot and Mr Bones for sullying their reputations, in my office after dinner," Dumbledore said firmly.
"Yes, sir," Harry said quietly. Draco nodded.
"One more thing," Dumbledore suddenly looked grave. "Severus will have to inform Voldemort of what really happened last night. It is the only way to ensure the safety of Mr Abbot and Mr Bones. However, that will make the two of you targets. Well, Harry it will make you even more of a target, but Draco, your father will be aware of your true allegiance."
Draco looked slightly shaken. He'd known this would be the consequence of his actions but to hear Dumbledore say it in such a clear cut tone made it that much more real. Harry reached over and laced his fingers with Draco's. Dumbledore's sharp eyes noted the gesture but he did not react to it.
"Professor Dumbledore?" Harry said uncertainly.
"Yes, Harry," Dumbledore replied, a slight twinkle in his eye.
"What about Percy Weasley? Have you found out anything about him?" Harry asked curiously. He simply couldn't believe that Percy would willingly join the dark side.
"I'm looking into it," Dumbledore replied, the light dying in his eyes. Harry frowned. He hoped for Ron's sake that his brother was going to be a spy and not a real Death Eater.
"Go now, boys. I'll see you at dinner," Dumbledore said, dismissing them.
Harry stood up and tugged on Draco's hand to get the blonde boy standing. They left the office in silence. Just before the stepped out from behind the Gargoyle, Harry gave Draco's hand a gentle squeeze and then let go. Neither of them wanted to be seen holding hands just yet.
The Library
Harry had correctly predicted that they would find Hermione, and most likely Ron, in the library. Their O.W.L's were only eight months away and Hermione would be spending as much time studying for them, as she would spend on homework.
As predicted, the pair of them were seated at a table in a quiet corner of the library. The rest of the student body had learnt the hard way not to interrupt Hermione while she was working, so Harry was fairly confident that they could talk without being interrupted.
Harry shot Draco a reassuring smile and strode over to face his best friends, who undoubtedly had many questions. Draco trailed after him, cursing his bad luck for falling for someone with such appallingly bad taste in friends. He and Harry were on the edge of…something and he didn't want to share it (or Harry) with anyone else. It was such a tentative, tremulous relationship that they had and Draco was loathe to test it just yet. Especially considering that Harry and himself had yet to discuss exactly what was going on between them.
"What's he doing here?" he heard Ron hiss at Harry.
"Relax, Weasley. I'm not going to hex you in the middle of the library," Draco drawled, his eyes as mocking as his tone.
"I should hope not," Hermione said, glaring at both Draco and Ron. "Now Harry, sit down and tell us everything."
Harry grimaced slightly but sat down as he was ordered. Draco, wishing he could be anywhere but with former Gryffindors, sat down in a chair next to Harry.
"Well, let's see. Draco and I got to talking, in the common room and he told me about Wormtail visiting his house with Voldemort, which gave me the idea of capturing him so Sirius could be proven innocent," Harry explained, glossing over the details.
"Oh please," Hermione said scathingly. Draco, Harry and Ron stared at her, startled by her abrupt tone. "There's more to it than that. Sirius said you had to do something that disappointed him. What was it?"
"Okay, fine. So…we…uh," Harry stumbled over the words. It hadn't seemed so bad in theory, getting the dark mark. And even explaining it to Dumbledore and Sirius hadn't been too bad. But to tell Ron and Hermione, that was going to be tough.
Suddenly, Harry was aware of a hand on his knee, under the table. Draco. The blonde wasn't looking at him, he was currently glaring at Ron, but Harry could tell he was aware of Harry's discomfort and was offering reassurance. It gave Harry the strength he needed to get through this conversation.
As Harry recounted the events of the previous night, Draco watched Weasley and Granger closely. Naturally they were both horrified in all the right places but Draco's eyes narrowed as he noticed Granger's calculating glance between himself and Harry. She definitely knows something, Draco thought, remembering her strange behaviour during Herbology. She knows something I don't and I don't like it.
"Well, I can't say I'm all that impressed by the two of you becoming Death Eaters, but I guess it was for a good reason," Hermione said finally, after Harry had finished his story.
Ron stood up, looking furious. "It was you, wasn't it!" he said, pointing an accusing finger at Draco. "You somehow convinced him to become a Death Eater with you!"
"Don't be stupid, Ron," Harry said angrily before Draco could defend himself. "I had to talk him into it. He was dead set against either of us becoming Death Eaters. And besides, we didn't plan for that to happen. We just wanted to get close enough to Wormtail to be able to portkey him to Dumbledore's office."
Both Ron and Hermione looked as surprised by this announcement as they were by Harry's anger. It took a lot to make Harry angry, especially Ron but it seemed as if the red-head had succeeded this time. Ron sat back down, looking defeated. It seemed that he had lost his best friend to a Malfoy. A Malfoy!
Draco looked annoyed that his true loyalties had been revealed. He tried to glare at Harry but it didn't hold the venom that it once did.
Harry grinned at him. "Don't look like that, Drac. It was bound to come out sooner or later that you're a good person."
Draco stared defiantly at the three of them. "Just because I'm not evil doesn't mean I'm going to be nice to anyone."
"Of course not," Harry agreed, still grinning at the blonde. "Do you think you might make an exception for some people?"
"Perhaps I might be nice to one person," Draco allowed as he gazed levelly at Harry, a smile tugging at the edge of his mouth.
Hermione stifled a grin as she realised they were flirting. Who would have realised, she thought, that all these years of fighting were actually a bizarre form of foreplay!
Great Hall
That evening, Harry and Draco sat together at the Slytherin table silently. Sirius was again seated opposite them but the happy mood from breakfast was gone.
Eventually Dumbledore stood up. "I will not keep you from your dinner. However, I have an important announcement. As you all know, Sirius Black is staying with us at the moment. His innocence was finally proven last night after many years. However, his freedom comes at a terrible cost. Last night, two of our students were initiated as Death Eaters."
Many students looked horrified at this news.
Dumbledore continued sombrely. "They were forced to do this so they could get close to the man who framed Sirius. Obviously they were successful in capturing him and Peter Pettigrew is now in Azkaban awaiting trial. That still leaves us with the problem of the two students who are now sporting the dark mark on their wrists. They are two students who are firmly on our side and you need not fear them."
Dumbledore paused, as was his habit when imparting particularly remarkable news.
"The two students are Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter," Dumbledore finally stated when he was confident that he held the attention of every single person in the room.
There was instant uproar as every single head swivelled around to face them. Draco glared around at them all, as if daring them to confront him about it. The former Slytherins looked absolutely shocked that Draco had joined Dumbledore.
Seamus and Fred were staring at Harry like he was some sort of hero.
"You actually went to a Death Eater Meeting and were initiated?" Fred said, awed.
Harry nodded warily.
"Wow, can I see it?" Fred asked. Seamus looked interested too.
Harry reluctantly pulled back his sleeve and showed the boys the tattoo.
"Cool," Seamus said excitedly.
"No, it is not cool," Sirius said sternly, glaring around at the two of them. They looked suitably chastened but Harry could see a sparkle in their eyes still.
Food suddenly appeared on the tables and interest in Harry and Draco died in favour of eating.
Dumbledore's office
After dinner, Harry stepped into Dumbledore's office and encountered a very angry Michael Abbot and Alex Bones.
"You bastard," Alex snarled before slamming his fist into Harry's face. Harry fell backwards against Draco who had followed him in.
"Now, boys, I hardly think that sort of behaviour is called for," McGonagall said sternly.
Both Snape and McGonagall were present as they were the heads of houses of the students involved. Dumbledore was seated behind his desk, looking disappointed at all of them.
"Sit down, all of you," Snape snapped, his eyes flashing angrily around at them all.
The four students sat down – the Slytherins on one side and the Gryffindors on the other. McGonagall and Snape remained standing.
Alex and Michael were glaring furiously at Harry and Draco. Harry rubbed his jaw and winced. It seemed that Alex packed quite a punch and he knew, based on his recent history with Draco that Madam Pomfrey wouldn't heal it with magic.
"I have told the boys about the Polyjuice Potion," Dumbledore said gently to Harry and Draco. The two Slytherins looked away guiltily.
"I just want to thank you both," Michael said icily. "Not only do many people believe we are Death Eaters, but now most of the school thinks we're gay. So thank you very much for making our last year at Hogwarts such a memorable time."
"Why on earth would the students think you are gay?" McGonagall asked them, looking confused.
"There is a rumour flying around the school that Bones and Abbott were walking through the school last night holding hands," Snape said, arching an eyebrow questioningly at Draco and Harry.
Harry blushed and stared down at the floor while Draco glared at everyone.
"So it was us, so what?" Draco demanded.
"OH MY GOD!" Alex exploded. "You have no idea what you've done, do you? And you don't even care. You have ruined our lives. I could kill you for what you've done."
Draco paled as it sank in that he had played with two people's lives without really thinking about the consequences for those two people, but he refused to look away from Alex's eyes.
"That is enough," Dumbledore said finally. "Harry, Draco, apologise to the boys and then you may go back to your dorm."
"I'm sorry," Harry murmured, glancing over at the two stricken seventh years.
"I'm sorry too," Draco said, and actually sounded like he meant it.
The two Slytherins slipped out of the room and fled back to their common room.
TBC