Draco watched Dumbledore's phoenix as it preened its magnificent plumage. He glanced at his watch and sighed wondering how long he would have to wait.
Slowly he felt his reluctant eyelids begin to droop, and they eventually fell shut allowing Draco Malfoy a moment of peace from his previously frantic thoughts.
Draco was sleeping soundly in his chair when Harry appeared.
He didn't notice as Harry gently lifted the magnificent Gryffindor sword from the shelf.
He didn't even stir as Harry walked quietly towards the window.
But the Slytherin's eyes shot open as one of Dumbledore's numerous foe-glasses crashed to the floor.
When he was met by the sight of a shimmering ghostlike Harry, who had frozen in a horrified pose across the room, Draco screamed.
***
Harry had seen Draco snoring slightly in a chair and had tried not to make any noise at all. That wasn't exactly hard when you were a spirit-like being. In fact, the real effort was involved in actually being able to affect your surroundings.
It had been difficult to lift the sword with his translucent fingers, but the sword seemed to almost instinctively meld to his hand once he had gotten it there.
Harry hadn't been able to dwell on that for very long however, because out of the corner of his eye he caught a glimpse of his own reflection in Dumbledore's nearest foe-glass.
His own dark image glared back at him and out of sheer horrified surprise Harry knocked over another foe-glass with his elbow.
The mirror-like device crashed on the floor and splintered into many pieces, and in each shard Harry could see his green eyes thrown back at him full of hate and malice.
*~~~*~~~*~~~*
"When will I ever stop feeling utterly confused?" Muttered Sirius to no one in particular.
"Harry has that effect on most people Sirius. And so did James if I remember correctly." Said Arabella in reply.
"Oh no! I was always on James' wavelength. That's why it's so strange. I don't have a clue what's going on in Harry's head."
"They're different people Padfoot. Besides, I doubt that Harry knows much of what's going on in his head at the moment, thanks to Voldemort's spell."
Said Remus, ignoring the twitches at the name.
"If only Dumbledore would explain things properly again. I wasn't really listening properly before." Confessed Sirius.
"Where is Dumbledore?" Said Ginny, suddenly animate after having been sitting in quiet contemplation since Harry's departure.
"No doubt he's got things to do… As have we." Said Arabella knowingly.
"But… What about Harry?" Said Sirius, looking a bit panicked.
"I hate to say it, but there really isn't anything you can do Sirius." Said Arabella standing up and straightening her robes brusquely.
"We have to get this school functioning as normally as possible. There has been far too much disruption to lessons already." She continued determinedly, her commanding voice challenging them to disagree.
"Of course… I feel quite well enough to resume work." Said Dawn, who still looked rather pale.
"Are you sure Dawn?" Asked Remus concernedly.
"Quite, Thankyou Moony." Said Dawn with a small grin. "Although I wouldn't mind a little help catching up on what's been taught and future lesson plans… care to collaborate?"
At this Remus blushed almost unnoticeably but nodded, and the two of them left the room.
"Ginny, would you please find Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom and your brother, and bring them to my room. I'll need to have a quick chat with the four of you before I get on with my work." Said Arabella smiling kindly at Ginny who was fiddling with her robes.
I'll just pace around being an anxious Godfather and do nothing shall I?" Said Sirius mutinously.
"No Sirius. I suggest you find Dumbledore, but make sure you use Harry's invisibility cloak. I'm sure Minerva wont succeed in keeping the students cooped up for much longer and we don't want you scaring anyone or getting caught."
"Alright." Mumbled Sirius pulling the cloak from his pocket and disappearing from sight… Suddenly, for the first time in a while the Hospital Wing was completely empty.
*~~~*~~~*~~~*
When Harry failed to move Draco started to compose himself.
"Potter?" He whispered standing up a tad shakily.
"Hey! Harry Potter! Can-you-hear-me?" He said raising his voice.
Harry's translucent visage turned towards him and the haunted look in his eyes made Draco close his mouth.
"What's going on in here?" Asked Dumbledore as he entered the office. "Harry, shouldn't you be going? You haven't got much time."
Draco was surprised to see Harry's face flooded with sudden determination and focus.
Without a word he vanished from the spot.
Draco blinked a couple of times before looking back at Dumbledore.
"Is he… dead? What's going on?"
"Mr Malfoy I believe you claimed to have seen Salazar Slytherin's ghost and talked with him." Said Dumbledore calmly.
"Well, yes." Replied Draco still feeling unsure about what he had seen.
"I'm afraid you were mistaken." began Dumbledore.
"I am not a liar!" Shouted Draco, angrily interrupting.
"I did not suggest you were lying, merely mistaken. The one you spoke to was actually the product of a spell involving Mr Potter. His alter ego if you will. Who took the form of the heir of Slytherin."
Draco frowned but said nothing so Dumbledore continued.
"Harry's alter ego has since taken control of his body and the Harry you saw just now came here to collect the sword of Gryffindor. It is my belief that the two alter egos will have to fight one another for control. In order to conquer the curse Harry needs to use the source of magic which the sword provides to counter the dark magic in the spell."
Suddenly wishing that Crabbe and Goyle were around so that he wouldn't feel quite so ignorant, Draco tried to ponder on what Dumbledore had said and eventually he felt that he partially understood what was happening.
"Draco, I believe you came here, not to discuss Mr Potter, but yourself and your place here at Hogwarts." Said Dumbledore focusing on Draco.
"Don't you mean my place out of Hogwarts. I was leaving remember." Said Draco scowling.
"I would prefer that you stay, but it is ultimately your decision." Said Dumbledore leaning back into his chair.
Suddenly Draco realised that he was only going to find his way out by telling Dumbledore everything.
"My Father has asked me to spy on Harry, to become a servant of Voldemort. I don't want to throw away my freedom, but I suddenly feel like I don't have any to throw away. It's a lose-lose situation."
*~~~*~~~*~~~*
Snape woke up feeling numb. Too much had happened recently to leave any room for processing it all.
As he rummaged around his desk for the first time in weeks Snape found a lunar chart and realised with a groan that he would have to brew some more Wolfsbane potion.
"No rest for the wicked." He lamented with a sneer.
When Lupin arrived in his office Snape was less than pleased to see him.
"I'm just here to pick up some of Dawn's class notes, she used your office briefly while you were away."
Snape followed Lupin's eye-line to the uncharacteristically disorganised desk and frowned.
"Good luck finding them." He said simply with a shrug of his shoulders as he seated himself by the fire.
Lupin didn't say anything aloud, but the resigned look on his face spoke a lot about his reaction to Snapes unwillingness to help.
Snape watched as Lupin waded through the piles of papers until he found the relevant notes.
"You can see yourself out werewolf." Grumbled Snape towards the fire.
Lupin turned to leave but then he turned back.
"You don't have to brew the damned potion if you don't want to. I talked to Dumbledore, I convinced him to let you have this month off. I'll be fine without it, I managed before…"
Snape sat up stiffly. He realised suddenly that he needed the responsibility. After having betrayed himself as a spy to Voldemort feelings of uselessness and unrest had torn at him.
"I'll make it." He said simply not looking away from the fire.
*~~~*~~~*~~~*
A/N
Next chapter… Voldie and Dark Harry verses good Harry
Excited???? I am!
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