Disclaimer:I do not own any of these characters. If I did I would probably be rich. I do thing Warner Brothers owns the movies, and some formerly small British company owns the copyright to the books. Also, this is slashy. No, I'm not some raving homo (Though I don't mean offense to any homosexuals). This was written for some friends…I hope they like it.
Crabb and Goyle had left by the time Draco chose to leave the cart. The Hogwarts Express had been stopped for a few minutes and most of the people had already left. He took a deep breath still so unsure of himself and stepped out of the train. He was fully clothed in his black Hogwarts robes with his under clothes showing his Slytherin colors. A dark smile crept up across his face as he looked at the school. His mind wanted him to scream, his heart wanted him to cry out for help, but his mind told him to be a good evil student and go on with the way the Malfoy's had always been in this school.
Draco moved to the carriage with a slight smirk. Pansy was standing out waiting for him, "Draco! You missed Crabb throwing a second year out. The kid was crying just watching us come into the carriage!" The girl's voice drove even more railroad spikes through his head.
"Well, Bloody hell!" Draco said with a look of disappointment plastered on his face, "I really would have liked to see that." He was lying about everything, and was sure about nothing. He made his way into the carriage, and sat across from Crabb and Goyle. Pansy made her way into the carriage and sat beside Draco. She was a born leader, much like Malfoy was, but she was Joseph Stalin incarnate. Draco smiled lightly as she link her arm with his and groped that arm and shoulder with her other hand, "I want to be back in the Leaky Cauldron…Now, Harry will be every so close…yet so far away."
Pansy's voice rang out again as she began another story, "My father has recently been accused as a Death Eater…" She began her story with what seemed like interesting news, "He lied to the Ministry of Magic to their face! And they took it like it was the whole truth, and nothing but it!" Her high pitched voice seemed to go on the whole carriage ride. Laughs broke out from both Crabb and Goyle, but merely smiles were created on Draco's face. His mind was still lost in thought.
"Am I good enough for this school?" His mind was ravaged with thoughts, "Do I belong with these worshipers of darkness. Must I relate to only them…don't you think I could be with Harry, and his filthy half-breeds of friends." He couldn't concentrate of any of the words.
"Draco!" His name rang out through the carriage.
Draco's mind was pulled away from his thoughts as he turned to look at Pansy, "Yes?" She had already gotten out of the carriage and was waiting for him to escort her into the castle. Draco inwardly rolled his eyes as he got out of the carriage, "Do I look like her slave? What does she take me for…some mongrel…some stupid git!"
Pansy waited and smiled a grotesque excuse for a smile as Draco moved beside her, "What are we going to do to Harry Potter this year?" Her voice was low so none of the other teachers could hear them, "Are we going to hex him good?"
"I need my revenge…" Draco's voice was dark and sinister as a dark smile crept across his face. His robes swished as he moved with the same dark smile plastered on his face. He would keep to routine, and hopefully everything would push themselves back into place. His life had to sort itself out.
Harry stood tall preparing to enter the large room in which they would have the sorting, Dumbledore would give them a nice speech, and where they would eat. Everything would start off well, and hopefully the rest of year will follow.
"Potter," Draco's voice was deep and scornful as he said his name. Harry turned instantly looking at Draco, "Just because you think you are the greatest, doesn't give you any bloody right to be some little rat. You had no right to do what you do to my father." His voice was deep and demanding.
Harry stood tall with a glint in his eye as he looked at Draco, "Malfoy, you are incorrigible. Your father is one of the most evil wizards there is, but he is a pathetic excuse for even that. He is a follower, just like you are. Voldermort would never recruit someone as an equal, they are all his servants. His puppets. Things for him to play with..."
Draco pulled out his wand but the sound of many footsteps, "Later…" His voice was still scornful as he pushed passed Harry and entered the large dining hall. The four of them made their way to sit next to the other Slytherin's. Draco watched as Harry sat with the other Gryffindors. He tried to continue his dark smile, but it wouldn't hold.
He felt alone. He looked around the room and he seemed to have nothing here. Crabb and Goyle were nothing but slaves. Pansy was only with him because she knew of his own connects to the Dark Lord himself. These people used him as much as he used them. The room was filled with people, but he was still alone.
The sorting seemed to take even less time than it usually did. The hat seemed merry, but the same cryptic warning of togetherness still held true when it came to the end. Draco cheered as the name 'Slytherin' was the first to be called and the boy came over to sit with the other Slytherins. He looked at the dark blonde youth, someday that boy could be like him. The boy would be dark, sinister, and would want power, but in the end he would find that he is alone.
Dumbledore stood up to speak. He cleared his throat and the whole room went silent, "As you know," His voice rang out in the hall, "Voldermort has been found out. His reign of terror has begun to consume us already. It took the world of magic almost a year to decide that he has actually returned, and even now there are still many skeptics.
"I would like for everyone to stay on school grounds during this year. Hogsmeade will be off limits to everyone. Although, our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Miss Willow Rosenberg, has asked that if you would like anything from a Butterbeer, to Berty Bott's Every Flavor Beans, you can ask her and she will get it for you.
"All first years take heed that the Forbidden Forest is off limits to everyone. The Quidditch team will have tryouts all this week and into next. Now, I believe Professor Rosenberg," Dumbledore's words seemed like he could add so much more, but wanted to keep the panic level down.
The woman who would be the next Defense Against the Dark Art's teacher stood up. She was shorter than a lot of the other teachers, but she was skinny and she seemed really chipper. Her curled red hair fell below her shoulders. Her robes were a pale green that seemed to make her green eyes glow even brighter. As she spoke, her voice seemed to be filled with confidence, yet had an edge that showed a behavior that Hermoine Granger would know perfectly.
"Hello," Professor Rosenberg's voice rang out. She was American, which could be told almost instantly, "I would also like to welcome everyone to Hogwarts, not only for the first years. We are going into a very hard time, and like the Sorting Hat said, we need to stick together through this time, and not be separated by our houses." She smiled lightly which seemed to light up the whole room, "I wish the best of luck for this next school year, and I hope that we can all stay safe, and we will have a good year." She sat back down with the same grace she stood up with. The smile was still on her face as the teachers, followed by the students, began to clap.
Dumbledore stood back up, "Thank You Professor Rosenberg, now without further adieu. Let us eat!" He spread his arms open as if it was a signal for all of the tables to become full with House-Elf-Made food.
Draco grabbed a large amount of food and threw it on his plate. He looked back up at Professor Rosenberg. She didn't seem nearly as bad as the other teachers did, and her voice seemed to make her actually care. Draco hastily ate his food and went out into the hallway. His mind once again was ravaged with thoughts, "What am I doing?" That simple question was inside his head, plaguing him.
Draco stood up straight as he heard people began to rise from their chairs. His eyes watched as first years from a variety of houses came out with their Prefects. A sneer came across his lips as Hermoine Granger and Ron Weasley walked with the Gryffindor first years. Draco looked at Pansy with the Slytherin first years. The two of them moved through the corridors going to the Slytherin commonroom.
Draco walked into the Defense Against the Dark Arts class the next morning. The class had been moved so much over his years as Hogwarts that he wasn't surprised when it was moved again. The classroom doors were large and opened into a well lit room. The room had three different levels. The levels at which the tables where students were already sitting, the stage-like place where Professor Rosenberg would stand and conduct class, and finally the stairs that would go into the Professor's office.
Draco was stunned with a thought as he looked at the room. It seemed to be the same room he had in his second year. He took a deep breath at the awe of everything. The whole room was different than it had been in that year. That second year the room was filled with mostly pictures of Gilderoy Lockhart, but now it was filled with weird items that seemed to be from a variety of animals.
Professor Rosenberg smiled as she came down from her office. Her robes were a white that made her skin seem much paler. She looked down at all her students as a smile came across her face, "Welcome to Defense Against the Dark Arts." Her voice seemed silky smooth as she spoke to them, "I do believe this is 6th year Gryffindor and Slytherin's?"
"Yes," Hermoine rang from the front row. She too had the same smile plastered on her face. She smiled a broad smile as she look up at the teacher. Her wand was out ready to go as she looked at her, "Hello Professor Rosenberg."
The Professor merely acknowledged her with a slight smile and a nod. She looked at the class as a whole and opened her mouth to speak, "Many of you can already tell I am not from Great Britian. I'm from America, more precisely Southern California. I graduated from the Salem Institute nearly 4 years ago after my 17th birthday, and am now here to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts. The Headmaster has told me that you have had a new teacher of this course every year since your first year. I am going to hopefully fill in the blanks of your first five years and hopefully give you some insight to what you will be seeing next year."
Hermoine already had her hand up ready to ask a question. Professor Rosenberg just smiled lightly, "I'll answer your questions in a moment." She quickly went on with her speech, "This class is going to be very open, and you start under my full trust. You can call me Willow here in the classroom, but everywhere outside of class you will call me Professor Rosenberg, or Miss Rosenberg, either one will do. I will dwindle in all types of classes from potions to charms, and you should be expected to be at least mediocre when it comes to those two courses. Now, Miss Granger is it? Your question, please."
"Will we be discussing things like the Patronus charms?" Hermoine was lost in thought as she spoke the question. She herself had long been able to do a Patronus charm, but she knew there was quite a few in he class that didn't.
Willow smiled as she looked at Hermoine, "I would like to speak with you after class, don't be alarmed, I would just like to speak with you." She moved her gaze to the rest of the class, "I heard of the 'Dumbledore's Army,' that was created last year since the teacher of this course was working for the Ministry of Magic and not the school. I would like to talk to anyone who was involved and see what you learned. Those students who can show me what they can do, including a Patronus charmed, may be exempt from this course until after Christmas, though it might be wise to stay in here and learn with the other students so you do not need to make up the few new things they will learn that you others will not."
Hermoine rose her hand once more, and with a simple nod began, "I will say I was part of DA, and would tell you whatever you need to know." She smiled lightly at the teacher as she set her hand on top of her, 'Dark Arts; A Guide to Darkness' and 'Protection Against the Darkest Evils' books.
Willow nodded as she looked at the rest of the class, "Today, I am going to let you people talk amongst yourselves, and tomorrow we will start with the Patronus Charms." She steps down off the stage she was standing on and went down to Hermoine, "Miss Granger…I would like to speak with you now if that's alright."
Hermoine nodded and stood up. The two of them walked into the office at the top of the stairs. The class sat for a moment coming to a realization of what happened. Then as if everyone got the drift, everyone began talking to their friends.
Draco looked up at the teacher's door wondering where they had found this teacher. Harry and Ron were sitting in the front row talking, while Pansy, Crabb, and Goyle were all sitting together. Draco had chosen the seat by himself. He looked at the teacher with a raised brow, not sure how he would react to this year of DADA.
"Willow Rosenberg…" Draco muttered to himself as he continued to look at the door.
A boy sat down next to Draco, "You are Draco Malfoy?" His voice was truly American. He looked at Draco with a large smile on his face. His brown hair covered his eyes and the glasses seemed to make him look quite close to what Harry looked like. He seemed like he wanted to be Harry.
"Who in the name of Merlin think you have the right to ask me such a thing?" Draco's voice snapped out at him as he looked the boy over. He was wearing silk silver robes that seemed to flow over his body like Draco's own silk robs did.
The boy put out his hand, "Rowan Rosenberg," His voice was simple and to the point as he spoke. He looked Draco over once more, "You were alone, and I knew who you were, so I was thinking that even the rich and famous shouldn't be alone."
"Famous?" Draco raised a brow at that word. He wasn't quite sure who this man was, but it didn't matter. He knew of him, and that was all that mattered. He reluctantly took his hand and gave it a light shake, "Who are you?"
Rowan let a smile grace his lips as he looked Draco over for a third time, "Rowan Rosenberg. Brother of Willow Rosenberg. I'm getting tutored by my sis'." He let another smile cross his lips, "I should be in Ravenclaw at least that is what that damnable thing called a sorting hat said, but Willow told me to stay out of the Houses and just sit in on classes."
"Why are you talking to me?" Draco looked into the hazel eyes of the boy not sure what to get from him, "And why do I continue to talk to you?" His nose wrinkled up like they had just smelled something horrid.
"You are the son of a Death Eater," Rowan's voice was silent as he said this, "And you continue to talk to me because you have something that you would like to tell to someone, and just can't come right out and say it to yourself or to the person." Draco's mind recessed into what it was only 3 days earlier. He turned to Rowan with an aghast look plastered his face, "How dare you…" His words were like pieces of glass being shoved through titanium. "Dray," Rowan said with a large smile on his face, "You just need to lighten up a bit. You are not your father." His voice was sympathetic even though the smile still rested on his face.
"Leave now!" Draco says a bit louder than he meant to.
Rowan promptly stood up and made his way to the front row beside Ron and Harry. He was quickly in on their conversation, and soon all three were laughing.
"What the hell did he mean by…'you have something that you would like to tell to someone…' " Draco's mind wandered once again as he looked at the front row. He took a deep sigh and then a quick breath. He didn't know what was happening, what was going on. He looked back up at the door that Willow had gone in only a few minutes before, "Who are Willow and Rowan Rosenberg?"