Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters, places, names, plots, historical incidents in the magical world, ghosts, objects or anything else that the genius J. K. Rowling has come up with. But do try not to steal my plot. Ask nicely and I might let you.
Harry Potter and the Light of Life
Chapter VII: Fate's betrayal.
"Don't get worked up, Harry. It's not worth it." Leia said, her voice as calm as ever. Harry, who was standing a few steps further up than her, felt the need to hex her into oblivion. Why wasn't she screaming at him at least? Then he would have the right to scream back!
"I'll tell you why I don't think it is a wise idea to treat Malfoy like you do," continued Leia.
"Why would I be interested though?" said Harry. She again ignored his protests.
"Do you believe a leopard can change its spots, Harry?"
"You mean, can a person change from bad to good? Yeah, I guess so, but Malfoy is different. It's in his blood to be evil." Leia sighed.
"So you're saying that if a person is evil or not depends on their parents? Their heritage?"
"Yes, I do," said Harry, not getting what she wanted with stating the obvious. "In most cases, like the Malfoy case. But of course, there are exceptions, like Sirius."
"So most wizards who have dark wizards as parents usually turn out bad?"
"Let me think. Salazar Slytherin-Tom Riddle...as bad as it can go. Malfoy senior-Malfoy junior...the one a copy of the other. Goyle senior-Goyle Junior, yeah, it fits there too. So I think I'll answer yes to that question."
"But you also believed we all could change. Can't we all shape our own fate?"
"You are twisting my words!" Harry yelled, and turned to leave.
"No, I am not, I am merely trying to make you see something. Harry, listen to me!"
Harry continued walking, but he could clearly hear what she was saying.
"If fighting against You-Know-Who's beliefs shall be considered right, you can not judge the bad guys as they judge our side! You have to believe that everyone is equal, that we are all the same! You have to have faith that there is enough good in everyone! You can't judge them for what they are born as, then you turn as bad as them! If you judge Malfoy for who he was born as, he can judge Hermione for being Muggle-born! Don't you see?" Harry had turned on his heels a long time ago, and stood face to face with Leia again.
"You don't understand! He's a vermin, his aunt kill-"
"I know what he is! Hermione and Ron yelled it my face, so there is no reason for you to repeat that," Leia said, looking sadly at Harry. "But if you judge Malfoy in that way, what you fight for is no longer right in my book," She still wasn't yelling, but her voice held a note of desperation that Harry hadn't heard before.
"I don't care about your book," growled Harry. But Leia didn't give up.
"After you have killed You-Know-Who, what will you do then? Hunt down every pure-blood-"
"Only the ones who follow Voldemort! Every Death Eater, and all those who have connections with them, everyone shall get their punishment."
"And Draco Malfoy?"
"I'll make sure his name gets so dirty that he can't wash it clean, even in a 100 years. After what his family has done to me, I will make sure he pays."
"And that is exactly what You-Know-Who is doing! He is just paying back for how terrible the Muggles treated him. Don't you see Harry, you are turning as bad as them! I know that everyone will never love you and the cause you fight for, but you can make sure you give no one a just reason to hate you! Lucius Malfoy is not the same person as his son, you can hold Draco responsible for his father's actions!"
Harry glared at her. Had she gone mad? What was she thinking, that Death Eaters put down their wand if you smiled at them and offered them cookies?
"You have to give them a chance," she continued.
"Malfoy has spent his."
"What if he wanted to come over to our side, have you thought about that?"
"Not even a snowflake's chance in hell," said Harry. If Malfoy ever did anything unselfish, Harry would eat his own shoe.
"He was standing with Zabini. Tell me if I am wrong, but I thought the Zabini's to be as Dumbledore friendly as the Weasley's."
"If I should make a guess, it is probably Zabini who has turned evil. They are both Slytherins, Leia!"
"Don't you trust anyone who is not a Gryffindor?"
"WHAT IF I DON'T!" screamed Harry, making Leia step away from him. "YOU DON'T SEEM TO HAVE REALISED LEIA, THAT THERE ARE BACKSTABBERS AND BASTARDS IN THIS WORLD! WE ALL HAVE TO JUDGE, OR ELSE WE END UP DEAD, LEAVING VOLDEMORT TO FINISH WHAT HE HAS STARTED! SO YES, I JUDGE DRACO MALFOY BECAUSE HIS FATHER IS A DEATH EATER! HIS MOTHER'S SISTER KILLED MY GODFATHER AND YOUR FRIENDS WITHOUT BLINKING! IN THE YEARS I HAVE KNOW MALFOY, WHICH IS MANY MORE THAN YOU HAVE, HE HAS DONE NOTHING TO PROVE ME WRONG IN THINKING SO ABOUT HIM!"
"Then we really shouldn't be talking together, and surely not be friends!" yelled Leia back, for the first time sounding angry.
"And what has that to do with Malfoy?" yelled Harry back.
"BECAUSE BOTH MY MOTHER AND FATHER WERE DEATH EATERS!"
A/N: You are probably wondering what just happened. Oh, bugger. The cat is out of the bag. What has Leia been up to? Is she evil? And what will Harry think? Find out in the next chapter...
