Chapter 9
Dinner that night was lamb chops with mashed potatoes. Ron and Hermione were involved in a heated conversation when Harry joined them at the Gryffindor table.
"Hermione, come on! Just take the puzzle so I can see who it is!" Ron said, brandishing his puzzle in front of her. "I already know who it is anyway!"
"So if you know already, why do I still need to take it?"
"Why do you not want to take it then? That means it's someone else!"
"I know who it is," Harry teased.
"Oh really now?" said Hermione and Ron at the same time. They looked at each other furiously before glaring back at Harry.
"Yes, I do. It's pretty obvious, Hermione. Don't worry though. I won't tell anyone."
Ron shot him a hurt look. "What about me, huh?"
"It's for Hermione to decide when she'll tell you. You will tell him eventually, won't you?" he said, turning to Hermione.
"Oh, well, I suppose I will, won't I? But for the meantime, keep your mouth shut, Harry, or I might just tell everyone your little secret."
"What secret?" Harry said, flustered. "I don't like anyone!"
"Oh yes you do, Harry, and you don't even know it yet."
"How can I like someone without even knowing it?"
"Don't ask me," Hermione said, giving him an infuriating smile.
He shook his head at her and made his way towards the seventh floor. He paused before he opened the door to the Room of Requirement. He took a deep breath. Then he entered.
He gave a gasp of surprise as he stepped inside. He somehow was in a beach of some sort. He could feel the sand beneath his shoes. The waves lapped up, greeting him as they died on the shore. At first he thought that the doorknob must have been a Portkey, and he was stuck here, but then he saw Malfoy lying down on the sand, face turned towards the sky.
"Malfoy! What's this?" Harry called out to him, walking over as he spoke.
"It's what I required, Potter. I just concentrated hard on having a place where we can see the night sky, with all the stars."
"Sounds romantic," Harry said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "What's that got to do with Potions, might I ask?"
"Well, Potter, you might have forgotten that Snape might give a written exam, but I happen to know that Snape will. He will probably test us on why certain ingredients are added to certain potions."
"Well that does it. I'm going to fail."
"No you aren't. Not with me teaching you," Draco replied firmly.
"Well then what's with the change of atmosphere?"
Draco gestured towards the sky. "This will serve as a great blackboard. It will help you remember what I teach you. Now lie down beside me."
Harry reluctantly lay down, his face turned to the sky as well.
"Once upon a time, three mythical creatures engaged in mortal combat in the skies above the world: the dragon, the chimera and the gryffin." Draco raised his wand and pointed it at the sky. A projection of a shining green and silver dragon appeared against the black velvet sky, shooting out white flames. He flicked his wand again, and a chimera appeared with the head of a lion, the body of a wolf and a snake's tail. It roared ferociously, its tail rattling. He flicked his wand a third time and a gryffin appeared, giving a high-pitched cry and focusing its sharp eyes on the other two creatures.
"The dragon breathed fire and flew with incredible speed, making it a fearsome opponent. The chimera could look in all directions at once, making it almost impossible to beat. The gryffin watched the other two for a long time, looking for their weak spots. Finally he engaged in battle with the chimera and the dragon."
He pointed his wand at the gryffin in the sky, who flew downwards while the chimera wasn't looking. The gryffin flew at the chimera from below, beneath the projectile ground that Draco had conjured. The chimera was caught by surprise. It was the one direction it hadn't bothered to look in. The gryffin conquered it.
Then the gryffin began a sort of dance, which infuriated the dragon. The dragon tried to burn it with spurts of fire, but the gryffin dodged them, continuing to dance. It had reached the surface of the ocean. It flew out of the way just as the dragon charged at it. The dragon flew straight into the depths of the ocean, where its fire was permanently extinguished, and it suffered defeat. The three creatures vanished into thin air, leaving only the stars, twinkling innocently.
Draco turned to look at Harry, who was gazing up at the sky in awe.
"Dragon blood is used in potions for healing purposes, but the scales can also be used in making everlasting fires. The gryffin's talon clippings can be used in strengthening solutions and its feathers in potions that one uses to heal someone who has been confounded. Any body part of the chimera can be used in a potion much like the one Mad-Eye Moody used for his magic eye. But since a chimera is believed to be a mere figment of the imagination, precious few have managed to capture it and take a part of its body. We can only guess how Alastor Moody was able to do it."
Harry turned his face toward Draco, staring into his calm grey eyes. They were so close their noses were almost touching. "You know, the gryffin doesn't always try to fight the dragon. He's never intentionally quenched the dragon's fire either. Sometimes he even wishes he could kindle it."
"I know, Potter," Draco said. He held Harry's gaze for a while before standing up, brushing sand off his robes. "Well, I think I'll go for a swim. Join me, won't you?"
"I don't know," Harry said uncertainly. "I think I'll follow. You go ahead."
Draco shrugged. He walked over to the edge of the shore and took off his shoes and socks. He let the shallow waves wash over his feet. It was a pleasantly warm feeling. The water reminded him of the time when Harry had tended his wounds in the train compartment. He walked forward until the water reached up to his navel. He looked down. The water looked completely black, and almost opaque. The ripples he created shone silver under the beam of moonlight that fell upon them. He laid himself on the surface of the water, floating gently, his eyes reflecting the stars above him. His ears were submerged in water. He could hear the disquieting hum that you hear when you're underwater. It was strangely comforting. After a while he swam back to the shore. Harry was still there, watching him as he dried off.
"So anyway, I just taught you all the things I feel will come up in the test but aren't found in our text book. You can study the other facts on your own; they're all in the book anyway." Harry nodded.
Draco sat down beside him. "After my father died, I was so scared that the Dark Lord would come after me next, that he would hunt me down. But my mother said that the Dark Lord would never be able to go near me."
Draco kept silent for a while. Harry let him. He waited for him to speak again.
"My father used a piece of old magic to protect me. He used the same magic your mother used to protect you. When my father died, he made sure that Voldemort would not be able to lay a finger on me. But I know Voldemort will get me in the end." His voice was horribly hollow, like he knew and accepted this as the truth.
"No he won't," Harry said grimly. "Not as long as I'm here."
Draco looked at him. "You're going to save me now, are you?" he said mockingly.
"Yes." Harry's eyes had a stubborn, determined gleam. Draco laughed out loud.
"The day you save me is the day I stop calling you Potter." Then he laughed again, as though the whole idea were absolutely absurd.
Draco left first, the sand clinging to his feet as he carried his shoes in one hand. Harry stayed there for more than an hour after he left, and then he stood up to leave.
Dinner that night was lamb chops with mashed potatoes. Ron and Hermione were involved in a heated conversation when Harry joined them at the Gryffindor table.
"Hermione, come on! Just take the puzzle so I can see who it is!" Ron said, brandishing his puzzle in front of her. "I already know who it is anyway!"
"So if you know already, why do I still need to take it?"
"Why do you not want to take it then? That means it's someone else!"
"I know who it is," Harry teased.
"Oh really now?" said Hermione and Ron at the same time. They looked at each other furiously before glaring back at Harry.
"Yes, I do. It's pretty obvious, Hermione. Don't worry though. I won't tell anyone."
Ron shot him a hurt look. "What about me, huh?"
"It's for Hermione to decide when she'll tell you. You will tell him eventually, won't you?" he said, turning to Hermione.
"Oh, well, I suppose I will, won't I? But for the meantime, keep your mouth shut, Harry, or I might just tell everyone your little secret."
"What secret?" Harry said, flustered. "I don't like anyone!"
"Oh yes you do, Harry, and you don't even know it yet."
"How can I like someone without even knowing it?"
"Don't ask me," Hermione said, giving him an infuriating smile.
He shook his head at her and made his way towards the seventh floor. He paused before he opened the door to the Room of Requirement. He took a deep breath. Then he entered.
He gave a gasp of surprise as he stepped inside. He somehow was in a beach of some sort. He could feel the sand beneath his shoes. The waves lapped up, greeting him as they died on the shore. At first he thought that the doorknob must have been a Portkey, and he was stuck here, but then he saw Malfoy lying down on the sand, face turned towards the sky.
"Malfoy! What's this?" Harry called out to him, walking over as he spoke.
"It's what I required, Potter. I just concentrated hard on having a place where we can see the night sky, with all the stars."
"Sounds romantic," Harry said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "What's that got to do with Potions, might I ask?"
"Well, Potter, you might have forgotten that Snape might give a written exam, but I happen to know that Snape will. He will probably test us on why certain ingredients are added to certain potions."
"Well that does it. I'm going to fail."
"No you aren't. Not with me teaching you," Draco replied firmly.
"Well then what's with the change of atmosphere?"
Draco gestured towards the sky. "This will serve as a great blackboard. It will help you remember what I teach you. Now lie down beside me."
Harry reluctantly lay down, his face turned to the sky as well.
"Once upon a time, three mythical creatures engaged in mortal combat in the skies above the world: the dragon, the chimera and the gryffin." Draco raised his wand and pointed it at the sky. A projection of a shining green and silver dragon appeared against the black velvet sky, shooting out white flames. He flicked his wand again, and a chimera appeared with the head of a lion, the body of a wolf and a snake's tail. It roared ferociously, its tail rattling. He flicked his wand a third time and a gryffin appeared, giving a high-pitched cry and focusing its sharp eyes on the other two creatures.
"The dragon breathed fire and flew with incredible speed, making it a fearsome opponent. The chimera could look in all directions at once, making it almost impossible to beat. The gryffin watched the other two for a long time, looking for their weak spots. Finally he engaged in battle with the chimera and the dragon."
He pointed his wand at the gryffin in the sky, who flew downwards while the chimera wasn't looking. The gryffin flew at the chimera from below, beneath the projectile ground that Draco had conjured. The chimera was caught by surprise. It was the one direction it hadn't bothered to look in. The gryffin conquered it.
Then the gryffin began a sort of dance, which infuriated the dragon. The dragon tried to burn it with spurts of fire, but the gryffin dodged them, continuing to dance. It had reached the surface of the ocean. It flew out of the way just as the dragon charged at it. The dragon flew straight into the depths of the ocean, where its fire was permanently extinguished, and it suffered defeat. The three creatures vanished into thin air, leaving only the stars, twinkling innocently.
Draco turned to look at Harry, who was gazing up at the sky in awe.
"Dragon blood is used in potions for healing purposes, but the scales can also be used in making everlasting fires. The gryffin's talon clippings can be used in strengthening solutions and its feathers in potions that one uses to heal someone who has been confounded. Any body part of the chimera can be used in a potion much like the one Mad-Eye Moody used for his magic eye. But since a chimera is believed to be a mere figment of the imagination, precious few have managed to capture it and take a part of its body. We can only guess how Alastor Moody was able to do it."
Harry turned his face toward Draco, staring into his calm grey eyes. They were so close their noses were almost touching. "You know, the gryffin doesn't always try to fight the dragon. He's never intentionally quenched the dragon's fire either. Sometimes he even wishes he could kindle it."
"I know, Potter," Draco said. He held Harry's gaze for a while before standing up, brushing sand off his robes. "Well, I think I'll go for a swim. Join me, won't you?"
"I don't know," Harry said uncertainly. "I think I'll follow. You go ahead."
Draco shrugged. He walked over to the edge of the shore and took off his shoes and socks. He let the shallow waves wash over his feet. It was a pleasantly warm feeling. The water reminded him of the time when Harry had tended his wounds in the train compartment. He walked forward until the water reached up to his navel. He looked down. The water looked completely black, and almost opaque. The ripples he created shone silver under the beam of moonlight that fell upon them. He laid himself on the surface of the water, floating gently, his eyes reflecting the stars above him. His ears were submerged in water. He could hear the disquieting hum that you hear when you're underwater. It was strangely comforting. After a while he swam back to the shore. Harry was still there, watching him as he dried off.
"So anyway, I just taught you all the things I feel will come up in the test but aren't found in our text book. You can study the other facts on your own; they're all in the book anyway." Harry nodded.
Draco sat down beside him. "After my father died, I was so scared that the Dark Lord would come after me next, that he would hunt me down. But my mother said that the Dark Lord would never be able to go near me."
Draco kept silent for a while. Harry let him. He waited for him to speak again.
"My father used a piece of old magic to protect me. He used the same magic your mother used to protect you. When my father died, he made sure that Voldemort would not be able to lay a finger on me. But I know Voldemort will get me in the end." His voice was horribly hollow, like he knew and accepted this as the truth.
"No he won't," Harry said grimly. "Not as long as I'm here."
Draco looked at him. "You're going to save me now, are you?" he said mockingly.
"Yes." Harry's eyes had a stubborn, determined gleam. Draco laughed out loud.
"The day you save me is the day I stop calling you Potter." Then he laughed again, as though the whole idea were absolutely absurd.
Draco left first, the sand clinging to his feet as he carried his shoes in one hand. Harry stayed there for more than an hour after he left, and then he stood up to leave.