I would like to thank DisgruntledFox for being my first reviewer, I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I like writing it.
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Well, they'll call you a hero or a traitor
But you'll find out that, sooner or later,
Nobody in this world is gonna do it for you
Do what you gotta do…
* * * * * * * *
Draco stood in the hallway leading from the common room to the boys' dormitory, just watching. How different it was here, how much more peaceful things seemed than anywhere else. Not even at home could the others act the way they were now. Draco looked around the room.
Pansy was sitting on a couch, quietly reading to some of the first years, all of whom were watching her with adoring eyes. She read to them every night, always books they could use. It was a brilliant way for them to learn.
Greg was drawing one of the third years, a sad young girl who had just recently lost her brother. Draco briefly considered going over there to speak with her, but decided to let them be for now.
Vincent wasn't around, but Draco knew he was probably back in the dorms, working on his latest story. Draco wondered if it would be as sad as the others he had written lately.
Draco watched his friends interacting with each other, and felt a brief flare of anger. It wasn't fair they couldn't be like this all the time. But it was necessary. Just like Draco himself, all of them were forced to act the way they were taught to.
It was wearing on them. Draco could see the sadness in his friends whenever he looked at them, although he doubted anyone else would notice.
Draco cleared his throat. Pansy and Greg looked up. Greg whispered something to the third year he was drawing, and stood up.
"I've got to go now, but I'll see you all here again tomorrow, okay?" Pansy said, dismissing the first years. They all sighed in disappointment, but didn't argue. Even they knew something important was going on with the older students. Pansy walked over to Draco, Greg right behind her.
They walked into the boys dorms. Pansy followed; they had all long ago chosen to ignore the rule keeping the boys from the girls, and vice versa. Vincent looked up as they all settled on Draco's bed.
"Okay, any news?" Draco asked. Vincent closed his notebook.
"So far everything's working out. We've gotten word to nearly all of them, except for the ones too young to make the decision." He said.
"And?" Draco asked patiently.
"And they all agree. It must be done soon though," Vincent hesitated a moment. "Some of them may not last much longer."
"Any word from Brian Sinder?"
Pansy nodded, "Yes, he managed to convince his parents that the new broom was because he was going to try out for the quidditch team."
"Good."
"I'd like to add that, as we all know, Blaise has broken his leg, and will be unable to take the Morgrin twins."
Draco looked over at Greg. "Is someone else available?" Greg started to shake his head but Pansy interrupted him.
"I'll do it. Celina Broom is old enough that she can ride safely without me holding her."
"If you're sure…"
"Draco, I wouldn't offer if I didn't think I could do it." Pansy said indignantly. Draco smiled at her.
"Of course, thank you. And the tunnels? Where are we with them?"
"Nearly done. We're just inspecting the rooms and security now. It shouldn't be more than a week. Maybe sooner."
The four friends sat in silence for awhile. They often did, especially lately, just to be near each other. Although it was never spoken, each of them found comfort in the stillness. It seemed like there was always something to do, so why speak if they didn't need to?
"We're actually doing this, aren't we?" Pansy asked after awhile.
"Having doubts?" Draco raised an eyebrow at her. She shook her head.
"Not really. It's just… big, you know? This is going to change a lot for us."
"Isn't that the point?" Greg asked her gently. Pansy smiled at him.
"It is, isn't it?" She frowned again. "I can't help but fear what will happen if someone finds out before we go." Vincent nodded.
"Or if someone notices us taking the little ones. That's what I worry about." He said solemnly.
"We each have our doubts." Draco told them. "But we have to stay strong. It isn't only for us that we do this, remember that."
"Is it right, though?" Pansy asked. Draco looked at her questioningly. "To take the ones too little to agree." She told him.
"Pansy, what do you think will happen to them when we disappear? They will turn to the little ones, if we leave them. We can't let them grow up the way we did. They deserve more."
Pansy considered this for awhile.
"You're right, they do."
Greg put his arm around her.
"We're all having doubts, there's nothing to be ashamed of."
Pansy smiled again. Once more they lapsed into silence.
Draco found himself thinking about the conversation. 'If my closest friends and advisers are having these kind of doubts,
what about the others? Maybe it's time I speak to them.'
* * * * * * * *
"Harry?" Hermione asked. He looked at her expectantly. She had been staring at her book for the last half hour, a sure sign she wanted to talk about something, but wasn't sure how to say it. He hoped it wouldn't be about that incident in potions today, when Harry had lost them 20 points due to not paying attention. Not that it had been his fault…
"Yes?" he asked when he realised she was still waiting for him to say something.
"Have you noticed anything weird about Malfoy and his friends lately?"
Ron looked up from his books across the table.
"And this would be weird in some unusual way?" he asked with a snort. Harry and Hermione stared at him.
"I just meant that they're normally pretty weird and…" Ron's voice trailed off and he flushed. He'd forgotten that they had decided to stop being mean to the slytherins, at least when there wasn't a good reason.
"Thanks Ron, we got it." Harry told him. "Weird as in how?" he asked Hermione carefully. Truth was Harry had noticed something odd, but he couldn't place it. He hoped Hermione had some idea.
"They haven't been nearly as offensive as they usually are, and did you notice how you never really see the seventh years outside of class anymore?" Hermione paused. "Even some of the sixth years have been pretty scarce."
Actually Harry hadn't noticed that. All he'd noticed was that Draco had barely even spoken to him since the seventh year began. 'You'd think I'd be happy, but…'
"Why are you blushing, Harry?" Ron asked suddenly.
"Er… no reason." Harry decided that no, he did not like Draco Malfoy. 'It was just hormones, right? Every teenage boy goes through it.'
"You're still blushing." Ron told him. Harry glared at him.
"I am not; it's just hot in here."
"So what do we do about it?" Harry asked Hermione. "Do you think they're up to something?"
Hermione was about to answer when Ron piped up.
"When are they not up to something?"
Harry and Hermione stared at him again. Ron threw up his hands and sighed.
"I know, okay? What can I say, I've got a problem."
Hermione shook her head.
"No, we shouldn't do anything. Even Malfoy deserves the benefit of the doubt occasionally. Besides," she added "If anything serious was happening, Dumbledore would know about it."
"I guess you're right." Harry said. Although he'd be keeping a close eye on Draco anyway. 'For purely defensive reasons of course'.
"You're blushing again Harry."
"Shut up, Ron."
* * * * * * * *
The week passed quickly, with Draco barely even noticing. Despite his reassurances to his friends, Draco was extremely nervous. This was the first time he'd done anything so blatantly against his father's wishes. 'And what a way to start.' He thought.
Draco reached the portrait outside the slytherin dormitories and took a deep breath. It was time to address the troops. He snickered slightly to himself at the idea of these kids as troops.
"Freedom." Draco told the portrait. It swung open silently, then closed as soon as he'd passed. Draco paused momentarily as he realised that everyone, all the slytherin of every grade were waiting and watching him. It was slightly unnerving the way they were all staring at him. What if I mess this up? They're all depending on me! I wonder if this is how Harry feels…Draco shook his head. He wasn't about to doubt his plans now, it was far too late for that.
"You all know why you're here," Draco started, sounding far more confident than he felt. "And you all know what you have to do. Tomorrow is the day we've been waiting for, the day we've all been working so hard to reach. Our freedom lies in sight, and all we have to do know is stand up and take it. Never before have we taken the kind of chance we are about to take, and never before have we faced such risk."
Draco looked around the room, at the hope he saw in the faces there. "I'm not going to lie to you; this is very dangerous. If anyone of you is caught, you may not survive. I won't force you to go through with it, but I will ask you to remember this: We do this not only for ourselves, but for the ones who will come after us."
There was determination in everyone's eyes; Draco felt his own eyes sting.
"How many of you have younger siblings? Little boys and girls who are being raised to hate the world around them?" There was a whisper of noise from the group. "And how many of us have lost older siblings and friends to a fight we never asked for?" Draco saw tears in the eyes of many, although there was no sound. A slytherin never cries… "Now we will take our lives back, stand up for ourselves and protect the ones we love." Draco took a deep breath.
"Tomorrow we find our freedom!" There was a cheer throughout the room as he finished, and Draco smiled.
There is always a way…
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What do you think? Not bad for a beginning, huh? It wasn't as long as I would have liked, but there will be more. I kind of liked where this chapter stopped. Now all we have to find out is: What exactly are the slytherin planning? And what will happen when Harry finds out?
Oooo…
As a muse, I welcome all ideas. If I see one I like, I may include it in the
story.
The lyrics at the beginning are from Garth Brooks 'Do What You Gotta Do'
The Silver Muse
