Alright. I'm posting this 1) because I got reviews and was pleased, 2) 'cause I couldn't stand to not post it, or 3) cause I was bored and wanted to do something with my time.
In the darkest hours, when the flame of light flickers and threatens to die… Who will step forth to rekindle the flame? Who will come forward and resurrect hope from the brink of insanity? Who will be there to save the savior?
Every chapter of this story (including this one and excluding it's predecessor) will be run past my official story-checker and Beta, 'Rai. Mondo Thanko for 'Rai-chan!!
I also forget to mention that there would be implied SF/DT later on. Gomen ne!
Fred and George have returned to school at the insistence of their mother to complete their education. .
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The thestrals had seemed to stare at the distracted Potter as he slowly ambled up to a carriage and slipped into it. As he climbed back out and approached the entrance hall, their spooky white eyes had followed his motions diligently. As he filed into the great hall, flanked by his best friends, it seemed the students were watching him also. Like the whole world knew something had changed, was different, and they were wary of this new boy in front of them. Dumbledore nodded politely to Harry when they made eye contact. Everyone else turned away and stared intently at something else.
Harry seated himself silently at the Gryffindor table, where Fred and George offered him warm smiles and friendly handshakes. Neville Longbottom sat with Ginny Weasley to the left of the twins. He smiled nervously at Harry, and turned back to the Weasley daughter. Harry seemed to be in a dream state as the sorting came and passed and the feast began. Hermione kindly added food to his plate when it seemed he had forgotten what to do. She gave him a concerned smile before turning to attend her own hunger. Harry poked at his food some, but found people around the hall to be of much more interest.
At the Hufflepuff table, girls were giggling and chattering wildly about their summers. Boys were laughing raucously and telling jokes they'd learned over the break. The Ravenclaw table was doing much the same, while a few of their students were also talking avidly over school books or summer essays. As Harry's eyes slid over the Slytherin table, his gaze snagged on the platinum-haired student who sat isolated towards one end of the table. His goons seemed not to notice, as they were staring with fascination at the boy known as Blaise near the other end of the table.
Draco was poking at his food, occasionally brushing a hand over his blonde hair. Harry noticed that the silken strands hung in his eyes alluringly, free of gel. The look suited him( and in no way resembled the atrocious chili bowl Tom Felton tortured us with in the PoA movie.) Almost as if the other boy knew he was being watched, stormy light gray eyes rose up to meet Harry's emerald gaze. They held that gaze for a moment, until Harry tore away from it. His cheeks, for some reason, burned a slight pink at being caught staring at the god-like Slytherin.
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Draco was idly shoving his food around his plate while thinking about nothing in particular. Everything around him seemed to have changed so much over the summer. He'd sent Crabbe and Goyle to follow around his best friend. Their antics had become most tiresome to him. Blaise didn't mind the obnoxious dunder-headed duo.
As Draco contemplated the sudden turn in his life and personality, he felt warmth spread across him. As if someone were watching him. He looked up from his plate and locked eyes with none other than Golden-Boy-Potter. He almost immediately felt silly and childish for the name that a year ago sounded clever and derisive. Yes, the Potter boy had changed over the summer as well. He'd grown up, become less the tempered teen and more a brooding adult. Potter was unusually quiet, his friends chatting between themselves rather than trying to include him in their conversation. What changes had occurred in Draco's long-time rival?
As Harry looked away, Draco thought about how they'd come to be rivals in the first place. Draco's gaze fell back to his plate. It had started all those years ago, in first year when Harry had rejected Draco's friendship. They would have made magnificent allies. A pair to be reckoned with. But Harry's rejection had blown this idea out of the water. The cruel accusation in Harry's eyes all those years ago had stung Draco's pride. Had made him burningly jealous of the celebrated young Gryffindor. Now that he thought about it, Draco supposed he had been a bit of an ass when he'd offered his hand to the young wizard. A bit…He chuckled to himself.
In the years that followed, he'd done everything in his power to make Harry Potter's life miserable. Year after year, Harry was the poor, tragic hero. And year after year, Draco was the spoiled rival that was constantly shoved back into the shadows. And then, in fifth year, there was a battle in the Ministry of Magic. Draco's father was arrested as a Death Eater and imprisoned. Harry's godfather fell through the veil of death. They'd both changed that summer. For better or worse was undetermined, but they most certainly had changed.
Malfoy Manor had become a quiet place. A lifeless place. It's immaculate cleanliness, which without the house elves in the manor would probably have given way to dust and grime, seemed no longer a badge of good breeding and class. It was now a painful reminder of a past that now seemed dark and dismal. It had taken Draco's mother weeks to finally come out of her room. And weeks more to remember how to speak without a trembling fragileness shattering her voice. It seemed to Draco that the worlds axis had been tilted, and everything was now different and off-kilter.
With an audible sigh and a fierce frown, Draco shoved his plate away and stood. Nobody cast him a second glance as he quietly stalked out of the great hall. Nobody except an green-eyed Gryffindor who quickly stood to follow.
-------------(I know I'm rambling a lot about how different things are, but it's to truly emphasize the way everything has changed over the summer. Don't worry, real story is on the way.)
He didn't know what made him rise and follow as Draco Malfoy exited the hall, but whatever it was he didn't question it as he left his friends gazing questioningly at his retreating back. He jogged quickly as he passed through the doors, trying to catch up with his former nemesis. Former…? His mind questioned distantly.
"Draco!! Draco, wait." He called softly. The other boy stopped and turned a questioning glare on him. He found himself fighting not to squirm under the scrutiny. "Urm, I uh… May I walk with you?"
Draco shrugged. "I was on my way up to the astronomy tower." He said before turning and continuing to walk. Harry quickly fell into step beside him.
"It's been a long summer, hasn't it?" He said, almost conversationally, "Feels like a lifetime has passed. I almost don't know what to do with myself."
Draco nodded silently. He gave no signs of speaking, so Harry barreled onwards. "What courses are you taking this year? I managed to pull an O in all my basic classes. I've dropped Divination, though. Seems a rather useless class to me. I've gone on to the N.E.W.T. level DADA, Charms, Transfiguration, and Potions. I also kept Astronomy and signed on for Muggle Studies… How about you?"
"I opted for Ancient Runes rather than Divination." Draco said, not to Harry's surprise. But what he murmured after that did throw Harry for a loop, "Mother wouldn't let me take Muggle Studies. I must have asked a hundred times."
"You actually want to take the class?" Harry asked, unable to hide a bit of the surprise.
"Yes." Draco said curtly, swiping a hand through his hair, "After all, a good wizard shouldn't be completely ignorant to muggles. My father took muggle studies. Though I suspect it couldn't have been willingly."
Harry let it go without comment. He didn't really know what to say about Draco's father. Harry wasn't in the least bit sorry that Lucius Malfoy was in prison, but he did feel bad that Draco was now fatherless. He knew the feeling. "Well, it'll be an interesting year I hope."
"They usually are." Draco said slyly, "After all you're always getting into one form of trouble or another."
Harry grinned and in his defense said, "Not that it's my fault! I'm like a walking magnet for all things against the rules! Look at my friends!"
Draco snorted, "Granger couldn't get herself into trouble if her life depended on it. Let's face it Potter, you're a class A trouble-maker. With a capital 'T'."
They chuckled quietly, continuing their friendly banter all the way to the tallest tower of the castle. As they ascended the stairs, they fell back into quiet conversation. And as they at last stood out in the cool night air, with the stars glinting brightly above them they fell completely silent. It was clear once more, all traces of the earlier rain had vanished. The fingernail moon shined unobstructed above them.
"It's nice out here. There are no city lights to outshine the stars." Draco said softly, leaning against the cool stone of the guard wall. "You can see every single star shining in all it's heavenly glory."
Harry nodded as he came to stand beside his companion. "I've never really looked at them much before just to look at them… But they really are beautiful."
"Look there. The constellation Orion." Draco said, tracing a finger across the air. "I can name all the stars in the constellation."
Harry watched his finger closely as it made its track from star to star. "Bellatrix and Sirius are a part of that constellation…"
Draco turned to Harry, watching closely as those emerald fires seemed to dim and lose focus. "You miss him a lot." He observed. Harry turned to meet Draco's probing gaze. "You must hate her. Black was the only family you had left, wasn't he? If it's worth anything, I'm sorry it had to end up this way."
Harry looked at him. "It's worth a lot to me." Was all he said before turning to silently gaze at the heavenly bodies above them. A sudden streak of light arced across the sky and Harry couldn't squelch the excitement. "A shooting star. Make a wish!"
They both closed their eyes. With all their hearts and wills they wished. I wish for change… I wish for change… They stayed like that, side-by-side with their eyes tightly shut for several moments. And then they both turned and looked at the other.
After a long while, Harry broke the silence. "Hey… 'Mione found a book for me with a section in it about Animagi… We were thinking about constructing a potion we found in it. One that, incase we can't master animal forms on our own, should in effect do all the work for us… And, I uh, well I'm not sure if we can do it just the three of us… Would you, maybe… consider… I don't know, helping?"
Draco sat quietly for a long moment, watching carefully the hopeful flicker in Harry's eyes as if searching for deceit. He smirked when at last he was satisfied and said, "I suppose there's no harm in it. After all, it's bound to be interesting with the three or you working on it."
Harry grinned with a sudden joy he hadn't felt all summer. It seemed all their years of rivalry were just a dream. A breeze caressed the air around them, and Harry mused that it could be called a 'wind of change.' He and Draco sat at the top of the tower for several long hours, talking quietly and laughing about fights that years ago had seemed anything but funny. Harry even managed to get Draco to chuckle about being the 'amazing bouncing ferret' in fourth year. Neither of them were keeping track of time as they talked, but eventually they both felt their minds drifting and their eyelids drooping. They parted ways at the base of the tower, both with a sudden lightness burning in their chests.
I hope this is change…
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"WHAT?!?!?! Malfoy?!?! THE PRINCE OF BLOODY SLYTHERIN?!" Hermione was speechless after learning that Harry had not only spent most of the night talking to his greatest rival, but had invited him to help them illegally become underage Animagi. Ron, however, was not so blissfully quiet.
"Come off it, Ron! It's not that big a deal! We've worked out our differences? What's so wrong with that?" Harry said defensively, scowling as his happy little bubble was shattered into a million furious pieces. "I thought you'd be PLEASED that we don't have to fight with him anymore!"
"Are you DAFT?!?! Have you forgotten all the torment he put us through??? Have you forgotten what he calls HERMIONE every chance he gets?!" Ron was in total disbelief that Draco could be anything but the spawn of Satan. "He's a spoiled, rotten GIT! He's probably out there laughing right now at what a FOOL you're being for thinking otherwise!"
"Ron!" Hermione scolded as she at last found her voice, "Would you at least let Harry explain himself before you go off your rocker?" She turned her steady gaze to Harry, scowling expectantly, "Explain, Harry."
He huffed and glared at the both of him. "He's different! You had to have noticed. Just look at how he was at dinner! And when I talked to him on the train-"
"How long have you been FRATERNIZING with the enemy Harry?!?! ON THE TRAIN?!?!?!?!" Ron cried accusingly, tugging at his flaming hair.
"-on the train, he was like a completely different person! He hasn't done anything worth suspicion yet."
"YET!" Ron put in.
"At LEAST we could give him a chance! He even… he even said he understands about Sirius." Harry added the last part quietly, averting his gaze. He hadn't talked much to his friends about the death of his godfather.
"Oh, Harry…" Hermione said softly, resting her hand gently on his arm, "You can't let his death get to you like this. This is Draco Malfoy we're talking about. The son of a death eater… his mother's sister killed Sirius. Think about that."
Harry shook with a sudden rage. "But at least he understands." He said deliberately. "And he's not his father. He's not his mother. And he is NOT Bellatrix LeStrange. At least he knows SOMETHING about what I'm feeling!! Not like the two of YOU. You don't have a bloody CLUE who I am anymore, do you?!"
Harry's sudden anger left Hermione and Ron taken aback. "Harry… It's not like that, mate…" Ron began, "All we meant was that-"
"I don't give a damn what you meant!" Harry barked. He then turned and darted up the stairs and slammed the dormitory door behind him. Seamus, Dean and Neville woke and stared curiously at him, but said nothing as the angry boy flopped on his bed and ferociously slid the curtains closed. He lie awake in bed long after Neville's soft snores filled the air and Ron came creeping into bed. It was, in fact, nearing dawn when he finally shut his eyes to rest. His sleep was filled with anger and fear, nightmares of veils and fire and earthquakes. As he bolted upright in bed, sweat gleaming on his forehead, he even thought he heard a high, cold laugh echoing in his ears.
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Harry left for breakfast long before the rest of Gryffindor became awake and active. His mind was full of cogitations concerning Draco and his friends' reactions. Were they right? Were they wrong? Could he really risk alienating his best friends of over five years for Draco Malfoy, the Slytherin who had tormented him since first year? He remembered standing up on the tower, wishing for something to change. Something to give way and show him a different path. He wondered if maybe he could find change in befriending Draco. As Hermione and Ron sat down on either side of him, not saying a word as their schedules were passed to them, he found himself wondering if maybe he didn't want to be The-Boy-Who-Lived at all anymore. He was drowning in his depression and these unanswerable questions even as he silently made the trek to his first class.
The day was both long and short for Harry. After he finally escaped from Defense Against the Dark Arts, which was now being taught by a pair of strange blue-haired female, he retreated to the deserted astronomy tower to reflect. He hadn't spoken to Draco the entire day. Nor had he spoken with Ron or Hermione. His mind was in a state of confusion. On one hand, his friends had a point on the subject of Draco's torment. On the other hand, Harry truly wanted to believe that Draco had changed and could be his friend. He desperately needed something to convince him that he was alive. That he wasn't alone… As he thought it he looked down at his arm, where thin white lines traced across the soft underside of his forearm. He pulled out his wand and drew the tip across the skin on his wrist, muttering incidere as he did so. A thin line of blood flowed forth from the fresh cut and trickled down his arm. For every tear that rolled down his cheeks, Harry repeated this process. Until his head felt light and he had no more tears to cry.
To be continued…
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Omg, I had issues with this chapter. I kept wanting to end it, but I didn't WANT to end it, but I was running out of legitimate things to type… . Please review, I'm sorry if it sucks.
Rai: No you're na…. Silly fish head, ending's for losers!
Incidere- cut into.