Much thanks to VyingQuill for beta-ing. *love*
Disclaimer: Just about everything you recognize belongs to Ms Rowling and her publishers. Just about the rest is mine.
CHAPTER FIVE
DECEIT
That night, Harry related the conversation between Malfoy and himself to Hermione and Ron. Their reactions, to say the least, varied greatly.
"Harry, I told you he might be needing your help...you will help him, won't you? You won't let an innocent soul like his go to waste just because his father wants him to, will you? I can help you do research on this Lost Unicorn...I'm sure the library has resources that will help us find it or something...I'm sure his father is putting a lot of pressure on him to become a Death Eater and all..."
"Hermione? Harry? Are you crazy? This is Draco Malfoy here we're talking about. The insufferable bastard who has been tormenting us for years. The one who enjoys getting us into trouble. What was that about his father pressurizing him into becoming a Death Eater? I thought he wanted to be a Death Eater? You know, I'm sure all this is just a ploy to get us all into trouble. I bet that once he gets the horn from the Unicorn he's going to become a Death Eater anyway. And we'll be helping him for nothing. We might even end up endangering the whole wizarding world. And then we'll see. Harry - you won't be the hero anymore, you won't be the Boy Who Lived; you'll be the Idiot Who Killed Us All. Hermione - you won't be considered the cleverest witch we've seen in a century, you'll be blamed for getting us all into trouble. All your bad habits at school - sneaking around at all hours - every little fault of yours will be scrutinized and people will wonder why they never saw you the way they should have. And..."
Ron paused for breath. Harry and Hermione stared at him, awe-struck. Finally, Harry sighed. "Ron, I admit I see your point now...maybe...I shouldn't have simply agreed to help him. But I won't back from my promise. Let's compromise. None of us here can trust Malfoy fully, so why don't we help him, but if there is any information we feel need to be withheld from him, then we will. And of course, I will do the actual handing over of the horn - if and when we get it, if we make the time limit. I will personally ensure that both Lucius and Draco carry out their end of the agreement. The world will be better with one less Death Eater, and this boy will make a good one."
Ron looked flushed from his earlier outburst, but seemed grudgingly pacified. "I suppose, a chance to rid the world of a Death Eater is better than nothing. But what if they use the horn for something evil?"
Harry had not considered that possibility yet. "We'll figure something out when the time comes," he replied. But he had Plans. Ambitious plans, but Plans nonetheless. Harry Potter planned to undertake the near-impossible. Harry Potter planned to reform Draco Malfoy.
* * *
Draco Malfoy entered his father's study silently. His father was standing at the window, gazing out thoughtfully.
"I have carried out your instructions carefully. Harry Potter has agreed to help us procure the coveted horn of the Lost Unicorn - I doubt he knows just how precious it is. He is convinced that if the horn were to be presented to your Master, then I would be spared the fate of a Death Eater." Draco laughed, mirthlessly, at this point. "Why would I want to be spared this fate, the only fate I have known since the age of three?"
Lucius continued staring out of the window for some moments. Presently he addressed his son, without deigning to turn. "You talk too much, young man. One day, that mouth of yours is bound to get you into trouble. Remember, boy - the more you speak, the more your opponent knows of you. Now, remove yourself from my sight."
The elder Malfoy saw his son's jaw harden. He saw his son turn around and leave the room without a word. He saw all this through the reflection on the window's glass pane. He had noted every word uttered by his son very closely. He had noted his son's very words - "your Master". "your Master". Not 'our', 'your'. It might have been a slip of the tongue, of course. Still, it never hurt to be careful. Especially not when loyalties are concerned. Was it just him, or was that last rhetoric question ironic? Lucius vowed to be more careful. To watch his son more closely.
"Just a precautionary measure," he assured himself.
He was rather proud of his son. He would be a capable young man. Lucius trusted him to be able to carry out the rest of the plan without fail.
"If," he reminded himself, "he hardens his heart. He is too much like his mother that way. Emotions always get in the way of things."
Then he redirected his train of thought. He thought of Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived. "Not for long," he thought. "The Potter boy doesn't know it yet, but pretty soon, his choice lies between serving the Master and dying. To him, there wasn't much competition."
"Farewell, Harry Potter,
"See you in the next lifetime."
-TO BE CONTINUED-
A/N: well? did you like that? it's 1 am now but oh well. do review!
Disclaimer: Just about everything you recognize belongs to Ms Rowling and her publishers. Just about the rest is mine.
That night, Harry related the conversation between Malfoy and himself to Hermione and Ron. Their reactions, to say the least, varied greatly.
"Harry, I told you he might be needing your help...you will help him, won't you? You won't let an innocent soul like his go to waste just because his father wants him to, will you? I can help you do research on this Lost Unicorn...I'm sure the library has resources that will help us find it or something...I'm sure his father is putting a lot of pressure on him to become a Death Eater and all..."
"Hermione? Harry? Are you crazy? This is Draco Malfoy here we're talking about. The insufferable bastard who has been tormenting us for years. The one who enjoys getting us into trouble. What was that about his father pressurizing him into becoming a Death Eater? I thought he wanted to be a Death Eater? You know, I'm sure all this is just a ploy to get us all into trouble. I bet that once he gets the horn from the Unicorn he's going to become a Death Eater anyway. And we'll be helping him for nothing. We might even end up endangering the whole wizarding world. And then we'll see. Harry - you won't be the hero anymore, you won't be the Boy Who Lived; you'll be the Idiot Who Killed Us All. Hermione - you won't be considered the cleverest witch we've seen in a century, you'll be blamed for getting us all into trouble. All your bad habits at school - sneaking around at all hours - every little fault of yours will be scrutinized and people will wonder why they never saw you the way they should have. And..."
Ron paused for breath. Harry and Hermione stared at him, awe-struck. Finally, Harry sighed. "Ron, I admit I see your point now...maybe...I shouldn't have simply agreed to help him. But I won't back from my promise. Let's compromise. None of us here can trust Malfoy fully, so why don't we help him, but if there is any information we feel need to be withheld from him, then we will. And of course, I will do the actual handing over of the horn - if and when we get it, if we make the time limit. I will personally ensure that both Lucius and Draco carry out their end of the agreement. The world will be better with one less Death Eater, and this boy will make a good one."
Ron looked flushed from his earlier outburst, but seemed grudgingly pacified. "I suppose, a chance to rid the world of a Death Eater is better than nothing. But what if they use the horn for something evil?"
Harry had not considered that possibility yet. "We'll figure something out when the time comes," he replied. But he had Plans. Ambitious plans, but Plans nonetheless. Harry Potter planned to undertake the near-impossible. Harry Potter planned to reform Draco Malfoy.
Draco Malfoy entered his father's study silently. His father was standing at the window, gazing out thoughtfully.
"I have carried out your instructions carefully. Harry Potter has agreed to help us procure the coveted horn of the Lost Unicorn - I doubt he knows just how precious it is. He is convinced that if the horn were to be presented to your Master, then I would be spared the fate of a Death Eater." Draco laughed, mirthlessly, at this point. "Why would I want to be spared this fate, the only fate I have known since the age of three?"
Lucius continued staring out of the window for some moments. Presently he addressed his son, without deigning to turn. "You talk too much, young man. One day, that mouth of yours is bound to get you into trouble. Remember, boy - the more you speak, the more your opponent knows of you. Now, remove yourself from my sight."
The elder Malfoy saw his son's jaw harden. He saw his son turn around and leave the room without a word. He saw all this through the reflection on the window's glass pane. He had noted every word uttered by his son very closely. He had noted his son's very words - "your Master". "your Master". Not 'our', 'your'. It might have been a slip of the tongue, of course. Still, it never hurt to be careful. Especially not when loyalties are concerned. Was it just him, or was that last rhetoric question ironic? Lucius vowed to be more careful. To watch his son more closely.
"Just a precautionary measure," he assured himself.
He was rather proud of his son. He would be a capable young man. Lucius trusted him to be able to carry out the rest of the plan without fail.
"If," he reminded himself, "he hardens his heart. He is too much like his mother that way. Emotions always get in the way of things."
Then he redirected his train of thought. He thought of Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived. "Not for long," he thought. "The Potter boy doesn't know it yet, but pretty soon, his choice lies between serving the Master and dying. To him, there wasn't much competition."
"Farewell, Harry Potter,
"See you in the next lifetime."
A/N: well? did you like that? it's 1 am now but oh well. do review!