Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, or any of the characters that might appear in these stories.

Part six: Draco finds an interesting artifact, and learns something important, although he doesn't know it yet. As always, please R &R. Thanx.

A/N: I did mention in my description that I tend to get writer's block. I'm really trying, but maybe if I can get a few more chapters up on this one, I'll figure out what I want to say in 'New Beginnings'. Thank you to everyone who reviewed, maybe you can give me some hints as to where you think this is going.

Payback

By: WhyteRoze28

Chapter 6

"Draco, are you all right?" he asked, taking in the crestfallen expression on the blonde's face, and the tears that were threatening to fall from those silvery gray eyes.

Draco looked up at him, and shook his head. "He's escaped," he stated, hollowly. "My father's alive, and no one knows where he is."

Harry was staring at him in shock, and Draco couldn't blame him. It was all he could do to make himself think the words, much less believe them. It was taking all of his strength to remain on his feet.

Harry grabbed his hand, and dragged him to the Room of Requirement. When Draco saw where they were, he breathed a small sigh of relief. He knew that he could take some time to pull himself together in here.

"Stay here, Love," Harry whispered, as he helped the blonde to the sofa, which was now in the center of the room. "I'm going to go get our friends. I think they should know what's going on, and help us come up with a plan..."

Draco smiled. Trust Harry to go running for help, when he knew he couldn't do it alone. It was actually becoming kind of endearing, come to think about it. Especially since the object of their plans wasn't him anymore.

He stood up and began pacing. The room had changed again, and Draco walked over to the wall, examining a giant map hanging there. It showed Hogwarts in full detail. And as he watched, he saw little dots crawling over every inch of it.

Most were labeled with names of students or teachers, but he also saw the ghosts, Peeves, and one somewhere in the Forbidden Forest labeled Grawp.

'Wonder who that is?' he mused, then he began to search for Harry's name. He found it in the Potions Classroom. Snape, Ron, Ginny Blaise, and Hermione were there as well.

"It figures," he laughed. "Of course Potter would have to tell Snape."

Suddenly, the map wiped itself clean. As Draco stared at it in amazement, words began appearing on it.

Snape? Would that be Severus Snape?

Draco was stunned. He knew now what this was. It was the Marauder's Map that Harry had mentioned having. He had finally told Draco about using it to escape to Hogsmeade in third year, and then about how it had insulted Professor Snape. But he hadn't told him where it had come from, or who had created it in the first place.

"Uh… Yes. P-Professor Severus Snape, Head of Slytherin House," he stammered.

Snivellus… a teacher. Oh, that is too rich. Wouldn't you agree, Prongs?

Definitely, Padfoot, but I'm more interested in this Potter the boy mentioned. Is he a teacher, too?

Draco gaped. Harry, a teacher? Obviously he hadn't ever tried to speak with the mapmakers, for that was obviously who these people were. And if he had, then they'dknow who he was talking about.

Then he heard footsteps in the hallway, and whispered, "I think people are coming. Can we continue this later?"

The map instantly went blank.

Draco walked over to the sofa and threw himself back down on it, just in time. Severus and the others rushed in, and Harry immediately went to Draco's side.

"Are you feeling any better?" he asked, his voice thick with concern.

"A bit," Draco replied, realizing that he had almost forgotten about his father's escape. Then he leaned over and whispered in Harry's ear. "Your map helped me out."

Then, seeing Harry's confused look, he jerked his head in the direction of the now blank parchment on the wall. As Harry saw it, his eyes widened, and he started to stand up, but Draco grabbed him.

"I don't think you want Professor Snape to notice it, right?"

Harry nodded, and they both began to turn their attention to the situation at hand.