Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter and Co. J.K. Rowling does.

Summary: After one very eventful night ten years ago, Voldemort was destroyed and Harry disappeared. Where did he go? What happened that night? Only one man knows the answer: a teacher named James, aka Harry. The ironic part: Ron and Hermione are in the same city. Will they ever come face to face?

Note: The answer is here. (Good news for future: I will probably write a flashback for Ciara.)

Chapter 9: Plans and Pills

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The next night Harry went out to meet Malfoy. But as he was walking through the common room, he heard a voice ask, "Harry Potter, just where do you think you are going?"

Harry turned around and was faced with a very angry Ginny Weasley.

"Um, Ginny, hi, I was just, uh, going to get a midnight snack."

"Yeah, right. Is that what you did last night?"

"You were watching me?"

"Yes, for three nights now."

"Is it 'Spy on Harry Potter' week or something? Why is everybody poking their nose into my business?"

"Because, people are staying up night after night to protect you and you are purposely sneaking out. There are Aurors outside this house, at the entrance, and positioned throughout the castle. What are you doing?"

"Nothing. Now Ginny, would you please go back to your room?"

"Oh, no, I know what you're trying to do, get rid of me and then sneak out. Well I--" a very strange look passed over her face, and then, she smiled, a rather evil smile, Harry thought. "Actually," Ginny yawned, "I'm kind of sleepy. I think I will go back to bed. Good night, Harry."

Ginny flounced back up the stairs.

Harry was slightly unnerved by her exit, but he didn't want to keep Malfoy waiting in the room and then have less time to think of an idea and therefore less time to sleep afterwards, so Harry hurried off.

He slipped the invisibility cloak over him and sneaked out through the corridors, back to the mirror room.

Sure enough, the other boy was there before him, sitting at a desk.

Harry slipped the cloak off.

"You know, Potter, it really is quite creepy watching a head suddenly appear from thin air," greeted Malfoy.

"Nice to see you too. How do you get here, anyway?"

"I used a spell."

"What spell?"

"A shadows spell. It makes you mostly invisible. Works fine."

"I'll have to try that one day."

"So, down to business. Do you have a plan?"

"Maybe."

There was silence as Harry tried to gather his thoughts.

"Mind telling me what it is?" asked Malfoy.

"How would you feel about being a spy?"

"No," said Malfoy flatly.

"Why not?"

"I thought we went over this. I don't even want to appear to be part of that cowardly group."

"Now just one minute!" shouted a female voice.

Harry and Malfoy spun around and glared at the intruder.

"Ginny!" shouted Harry, "What are you doing here?"

"Trying to figure out where you have been going," said Ginny angrily.

"My goodness, Potter, everyone wants to spy on you. Quite the new mystery, aren't we?"

"And now I find out!" continued Ginny, "You've been undermining everything we have worked for by meeting with this double-dealing Death Eater!"

"That's not fair."

"Oh yes it is! How can you turn against us like this? I thought you were the 'Great Harry Potter', come to save us all. Obviously not. Just where do your loyalties lie?"

"What are you saying?" asked Harry coldly, "That I've forgotten who I'm fighting? That I would walk straight into the enemies' hands? That I would forget what my parents died for?"

The room was deathly still, echoing with Harry's words. Ginny looked rather shocked at his tone of voice. Malfoy was still sitting quietly at the desk.

"You know, you could use that tone of voice and freeze the enemy to death," said Malfoy sarcastically after a moment.

"Oh, shut up, Malfoy," said Ginny.

"Look, Ginny, it is not was it seems. Malfoy does not want to become a Death Eater. He doesn't even support Voldemort." Ginny and Malfoy flinched. "He wants to become good, he wants--"

"Stop that!" said Malfoy. "I don't want to 'become good', 'join the light side', 'be a hero', or any of that crap. I just don't support the Dark Lord and don't want to get caught in the middle."

"Whatever, it doesn't matter. Point is, Ginny, that Malfoy is not a Death Eater and will help us fight."

"How do you know he is telling the truth?"

"I just do."

"Oh? 'You just do'," she said mockingly. "That's not good enough. Besides, he'll do more harm than good on our side."

Malfoy looked slightly hurt.

"Ginny, he will try his best and I know he will help."

"We've already got a Slytherin on our side and he's already a pain."

"Malfoy will be nothing like Snape."

"Hello?" said Malfoy irritability, "Honestly, I can hear you. And you do know that Snape is a spy for the Dark Lord."

"He still calls He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named the 'Dark Lord'," pointed out Ginny, ignoring Malfoy.

"And I call him Voldemort. So what? Call him the Dark Lord, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, or Tom Riddle for all I care, just don't call him 'Master'."

Ginny did not look convinced.

Harry gave and exasperated sigh. "What can I do to convince you?"

"Maybe if Ms. Weasley hears it from my mouth, it will make a difference." Dumbledore stepped out from under a shadow in the corner. Ginny jumped a mile.

"Professor? What are you doing here?" asked Harry.

"I had gotten word that the Mirror of Erised was being used, and so--"

"Wait, let me guess," interrupted Harry, "And so you came here to watch me and find out what I was doing, and you have been watching me for several nights now."

"Potter is the new mystery. Everyone wants to spy on him," explained Malfoy to Dumbledore.

"No. Not any more," said Harry, determined. He raised his voice, "If there is anyone, and I mean anyone in this room or who can hear me now, please come out so I can see you."

A few seconds passed in silence, then a shuffle of feet.

An Auror stepped into the room from the hallway.

Harry groaned and shook his head.

"I was only following Dumbledore," he said, "And now may I please continue my job?"

"Go ahead, Simon," answered Dumbledore.

The Auror muttered something to himself and stepped back outside the door.

"This is humiliating," sighed Harry.

"What about me?" asked Malfoy, "This is embarrassing for me, too. I'm not even in your little Auror-good-side clique. I'm not supposed to be associating with all of you, according to my father."

"I'm just confused," put in Ginny.

"Well, I can help clear things up a bit," said Dumbledore, smiling. "Mr. Malfoy, as I understand, you do not want to be associated in any way with Voldemort, and want to join our side. I think I can make it possible."

"Wait, just wait," said Ginny, "How do we know he is not trying to join our side so he can report information back to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named? He hasn't done anything to gain our trust."

Dumbledore smiled gently at her. "Harry says he can join. He has my full support."

"How does that make any sense? That's crazy." Ginny was at a loss. "Doesn't anybody find it strange? Isn't anybody worried?"

She looked around helplessly. Harry shrugged his shoulders in a "beat's me" sort of way. Malfoy smiled.

Ginny threw up her hands in exasperation. "This is so stupid. Completely loony. 'If Harry says he's all right'. What does that mean?"

"Mr. Potter posses an unusual amount of power within him, and can use that to sense other people's power and its intentions. Harry gets headaches from Voldemort, because Voldemort holds a great wealth of power and uses it for evil purposes. Even in Voldemort was to promote world peace with that power, Harry would still be able to tell if he was good or bad, because of what his ulterior motivations would be."

"Yeah," said Ginny dryly, "And Professor Trelawney can predict a birth. But if you guys want to get yourselves betrayed or killed, that's just fine with me!"

Dumbledore smiled. "Well, then, now that we have Ms. Weasley's consent, let's get on with business."

Ginny scowled at Malfoy.

"Professor, are you going to help?" asked Harry.

"As much as I can. But this is a serious decision for Mr. Malfoy." Addressing Malfoy he said, "Do you understand that this decision will dominate the rest of your life?"

"Yes," answered Malfoy.

"Do you understand that we will be trusting you and depending on you?"

"Yes."

"Do you realize that you will never be able to have strong family ties as long as they are supporting Voldemort?"

"Yes."

"And do you understand that you may be called upon to wage war against your own family and old friends?"

Malfoy hesitated, and with good reason. These were serious commitments, and he knew that he will be making powerful enemies that will do anything to stop him. But as he thought of the Death Eaters he saw, even the more "respected" ones by the Dark Lord, he knew that he could never stand to be known as one of them. And he thought about the killing of people he knew to be innocent, and also knew that he could never do that. He wanted to be remembered as someone who had done something good with his life, not hated and scorned upon.

And he answered, "Yes."

"Excellent. Now, I think I have an idea to break up this ceremony you must go to. But I need to know, do you want to make your change of sides known publicly, or do you want to be in secret, and maybe an informer for us?"

"I-- I don't know. I don't want to even come near another Death Eater ceremony, but if I am publicly against the Dark Lord, I will be in danger."

"Why don't you just lay low until after graduation?" suggested Ginny, getting into the idea.

"And how would I avoid getting the Dark Mark?"

"Oh, yeah." Ginny was stuck.

"Professor, can't you do anything to persuade Lucius Malfoy so Draco won't have to get the Dark Mark?"

Several eyebrows went up at the mention of Malfoy's first name said by Harry.

"I can talk to Snape about it, and maybe he will discuss it with Lucius. But I think the best thing right now is for all of us to go back to bed. Harry, Ginny, will you two give Mr. Malfoy and I some privacy?"

Ginny and Harry nodded their heads and left quietly, leaving Malfoy with Dumbledore, and sneaked back under Harry's cloak.

Once in the Gryffindor common room, Ginny and Harry sat down on the couch in front of the fireplace.

"Harry," said Ginny, "I'm sorry about creeping up on you."

"That's okay, just don't do it anymore," answered Harry, yawning.

"So is Malfoy really trying to be good?"

"He wants to, very badly."

"It's was nice of you to stand up for him."

"He let me. I think he is trying to be more civil to me, because he wants to be on our side."

"Do you think Dumbledore's plan will work?"

"I have complete faith in him. I'm rather tired, Ginny, so I'm going to go up to bed. Goodnight."

"G'night."

Harry walked up to his room and fell asleep the moment his head hit his pillow.

Dumbledore's plan did work, in fact. He got Snape to talk to Lucius, saying that Draco should really finish his education before getting the Dark Mark.

Draco started taking lessons from the Aurors along with Harry.

Ginny also got to take the Auror class, after much pleading to Dumbledore.

Until graduation, Harry and Draco "kept up appearances" and were as nasty as ever to each other during school, in public.

Draco and Ginny ended up meeting together in private, first as friends, then as boyfriend and girlfriend.

Harry suspected something going on between the two, but never asked a question.

War broke out about six months after graduation, and battles raged through out Europe. Voldemort was slowly expanding his reign of terror to Asia and America.

Both Harry and Draco were made Generals, commanding whole armies together.

Ginny worked as a doctor, heading up her own hospital.

Ron and Hermione stayed as an auror team behind the front lines, figuring out codes, eavesdropping, getting families out of areas that could be dangerous.

Draco and Ginny announced their marriage, much to the surprise of the Weasley's and Hermione. The couple married later that year.

And then, suddenly, that next year Voldemort started taking hostages.

Seamus was one of the first. Then Snape. More and more people were being captured.

And left behind on the victim's door, wall, or what ever was handy, was always a big scar-shaped mark, made with blood.

Harry became depressed and even more closed off. He kept talking to Dumbledore and the other leaders, trying to convince them to let him go after Voldemort.

But they would not let him.

Then, one dark night, the weather suitable for the situation, Harry received news that Sirius was taken hostage.

He broke down and didn't come out of his room for days.

People first knocked on his door, then banged, then finally used magic to open the lock. But Harry kept throwing them out, literally. A few well chosen words and the unwanted visitor for him or herself a few kilometers from the house.

Finally Draco snuck in quietly in the middle of the night and tied Harry's hands to his sides and gagged him.

It was morning and Harry awoke.

"Mrrph," said Harry, first dazed, then infuriated.

"Morning," answered Draco pleasantly.

"Mrrff nr mumif nuh."

"Ah ah ah, can't remove the sock until you agree to cooperate."

"Nuh mur muff nr uph!"

"I'll remove the sock, if you agree to eat this lovely soup I made you and not cast any spells on me."

Harry nodded slowly.

"I need you word, Harry. I don't want to end up in the ministry's bathroom again."

"Mrr-unph." That was Harry's word, Draco could tell.

Draco pulled the sock out of Harry's mouth.

"Thanks," said Harry dryly.

"No problem." Draco was still pleasant.

"Do you guys really end up in the Ministry's bathroom?"

"Yeah, and it's really pissing the Ministry off, you know."

"Sorry. I just don't want to be around anyone right now."

"Harry, if you want you godfather back, we've got to be together, fighting together."

"Easy for you to say. Being around people is painful, Draco, knowing that my very presence will most likely put them in danger and can possibly kill them."

"Staying by yourself won't help anyone either."

"I just don't know what to do, though."

"Well, for one thing, you can comfort Ron and Hermione. They are worried sick, you know."

"I don't want to be around them."

"Harry, they are your closest friends. You're giving them the cold shoulder."

"It doesn't matter."

"Yes it does! They might not be my favorite people, but it's actually driving me nuts to see you shoving them in the corner."

"I can't do anything else."

"What?"

"I mean, I can't be around them because they are my friends."

"That doesn't make any sense."

"You wouldn't know. Ron and Hermione are like brother and sister. I love them so much, and therefore I cannot put them in danger. I don't want anything bad happening to them, Draco. If something were to happen, I don't know what I would do."

"And what about me?" asked Draco, jokingly.

Harry gave a small smile. "I know you can take care of yourself, and I know that Voldemort won't want you. He doesn't know we're close friends."

"Ron and Hermione can take care of themselves, too."

"It's just not the same. I'm serious, Draco, I've known them for over seven years and I can't bring myself to put them in danger."

Harry was becoming more and more agitated.

"Come on, Harry," coxed Draco, "Eat some of this soup. You haven't had any food for days now, and getting upset will not help."

"I don't want soup I just want--"

"Yes?"

"I don't know." Harry looked helpless. "I want to get my godfather back. I want to get all the hostages back. I want to destroy Voldemort. But most of all, I just want to be gone. Disappear. Leave the wizarding world for good."

"Do you mean that?"

"I-- Well-- Yes. I do mean it. I think. It's not that I don't love my friends, but I am just so tired of the strain all this causes me." A tiny tear slid down Harry's face. "The whole world expects me to save them from a madman. To be their savior. But, I-- I just don't think-- Draco, I can't do it." Harry looked frightened at his realization. "What if I can't? What will happen? Who will save everyone?"

Frankly, Draco was frightened to death by Harry's talk, but he didn't let it show, trying to look brave.

"Harry, you can do it. Have no fear."

"There are so many questions, that no one can seem to answer. Why, why does Voldemort want to kill me? What have I done? And why does everyone expect me to save them? Why me? I need to leave this world."

Harry broke down and sobbed silently to himself.

Draco was taken aback and was at a loss of words, until he thought of something. Choosing his words carefully, he said:

"Harry, I know of a woman, in Scotland, I think, who makes a potion that will eliminate all magic inside a person."

Harry looked up at Draco with eyes wide in disbelief.

Draco went on. "My father threatened to send me there once, and so I do not know where exactly she is. But I think, mind you, I don't remember clearly, I think her name was Ciara. She lives in a muggle village. Not many people know of her, but she can make it possible for you to completely leave this world."

"Can it be true?"

"My father could have been pulling my leg, but I don't think he's that creative."

Harry gazed at the wall, thoughts far away.

"But you didn't hear that from me."

Harry made no reply.

"Come on Harry, stop thinking these awful thoughts. Sirius will come back. I promise. I know it."

Still it was silent.

"How about this soup I made you? It's good."

"Sure," said Harry finally, in a blank voice. "Yes, that's what I'll do."

"Eat soup?"

"Um, what? Yeah, okay."

"Good. You feel better in no time."

Draco untied Harry's bonds tied around his arms, and handed the bowl to Harry, making sure he ate every bit (it had pepper up potion in it) and then made sure that his friend was safely in bed and asleep before leaving quietly.

----(end flashback)----

James thought about those pills he had gotten from Ciara. He had searched secretly in muggle phone books for months to find her, and then sought her out after the battle with Voldemort.

She, luckily, didn't recognize him as someone famous. In fact, she never asked for his name, and Harry never volunteered it.

The pills were ready in two days, during which Harry stayed at Ciara's house. The pills were tailored to Harry, made it so they repressed his power, and made magic almost impossible.

That was in theory.

She did say that it would be hard for the pills to work because of Harry's power level. Harry would have to keep his temper in check and take the pills regularly for them to work well enough.

To make up for the less magic protection, she added a special part to the pills. She made them so that not only did the pills hide James' powers, but also so that his hair would always cover his scar perfectly. No amount of gel, or haircuts, or clips could keep the hair from staying stubbornly over the scar.

James had paid a fortune for those pills, but it was worth it. The jar kept refilling, and never left his side.

James thought back to his friend Draco.

He turned so caring, and so compassionate. If anyone ever needed to be rescued, Draco was always the one to burst into the house, or fight off the attacker, and be the savior of the person in danger. Draco could still put on his "proud Malfoy" expression and attitude and scare people half to death, but he didn't do it often. He really wanted to become a better person and change his reputation.

Much of the change was most likely Ginny's influence. They were so close, even right at first, and were obviously in love. They harbored a deep care and understanding for each other.

And James wished that Draco had never been taken hostage. People would never get to know the true Draco. He had become such a good friend of James', and James knew that much of his well being was based on Draco's care for him, all those nights that he had made Harry dinner, and made sure that he got enough sleep, and told him that everything was going to be all right.

He was a true friend, and it was James' only regret that he couldn't have realized that before the sixth year.

James' thoughts turned to Peter, and how many nights he, too, had stayed up to take care of James.

Peter is one in a million, thought James.

And suddenly, James knew that he couldn't lose Peter.

He must go back and apologize. He needed to explain.

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Thanks a ton to the people who reviewed! A list of thank-you's will go out next chapter.

Love to all, Adah