Title: Decent Into Deceit

Author: illusory

Rating: R

Warnings: Slash, language, violence, and blood. Yummy. Spoilers from all five books and also AU.

Pairings: DM/HP RL/SB

Disclaimer: Harry Potter is the property of J. K. Rowling and I'm just playing for my own amusement. I don't own anything except the little original things in this story and well the story it's self.

Summary: Things never go right for Harry Potter and trouble always has a way of finding him. Fortunately he has a new little gift that could help him stay one step ahead of his enemies. Unfortunately it may also drive him crazy if he can't find a way to control it first. Draco Malfoy joins in the fray as the line between friends and enemies become blurred and he just may be the key to keeping Harry from falling apart. That is if they aren't killed first.

Spreading Discord

> > > > > > > > > > > > > >

"How did it go with Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger?" Remus asks.

"About as well as expected, I suppose."

"I take it that it didn't go that well then."

"I managed to get away from them. Really though, it hadn't gone that bad, they were shocked, yes, and I know Ron is upset, but other then that, it couldn't have gone better."

I'd woken up moments ago to Remus moving around. We said our hellos and sat in comfortable silence till he decided to ask how things had gone. Just as well that the silence was broken… after all there is something that Draco brought up that really needs to be addressed.

"Remus, why didn't you tell me that you are going to be the Defense against the Dark Arts professor this year?"

"It happened after I'd taken you to Diagon Alley. Dumbledore couldn't find anyone to teach and after the disaster of last year he insisted that I come and teach again. He said Professor Snape would be more civil this time. Sirius doubted that, but you know there's no saying no to Dumbledore."

"Yes, I do know. Funny though how everything seems to come down to what Voldemort's planning or what Dumbledore wants, asks for, or what not, it's all the same."

"I'll take that as sarcasm because personally I find nothing funny about it."

"It was."

"Now Harry, just where did you hear that I'd be your professor again from?"

"I had an enlightening conversation with someone on the train today. Mind you it didn't end to well… or began well for that matter, but it hadn't been overly bad and in truth a fair bit better then expected."

Remus indulges me with an overly interested look, going as far as to turn in his seat to better see me.

"And do tell, who was this mysterious someone?"

"Not mysterious, just unlikely, and the conversation was held with one Mr. Draco Malfoy."

Remus doesn't even bat an eye at the name.

"What no hysterics? I was holding a fairly civil conversation with a Slytherin, but not just any Slytherin, no, but with the prince of Slytherin, Draco Malfoy."

He just smiles lightly at me.

"Am I supposed to be that shocked, Harry? Admittedly it wasn't expected, but it isn't really all that much of a surprise. Now, tell me everything that happened."

Remus leans forward at the last and it sends a shiver down my spine.

"You know every girl says that right as they go in for the kill. Then they proceed to wring every detail out of you, and I mean every detail. I've seen the vast amount of information they can glean that way and the trail of victims that follows in their wake."

Eyes are rolled in obvious exasperation.

"Harry, you're over reacting. I just want to know what happened. I'm really not that bad, but if you think I am then I really must warn you of Sirius' tendency to drill a person for information. If you think what you've seen in the past is bad, well it's nothing compared to what your godfather can do."

"I hope that wasn't meant to be comforting, because if you were going for comforting, you failed horribly."

"No, wasn't supposed to be comforting. Now, tell me what happened."

"Alright, alright, now it started shortly after I'd left Ron and Hermione…"

> > > > > > > > > > > > > >

I watch the thestral drawn carriages fill with students eager to get to the Great Hall as I make my way to the far end of the carriage line looking for an empty compartment. My on-board bag swings lightly as I walk and I focus on that alone, letting my vision blur to where I can just make out fuzzy images. If I don't focus I can better keep the visionary images from coming.

Hedwig has already left, flying ahead to Hogwarts.

At the end of the line I find an empty carriage, which I claim. For long moments everything is muted, with the door closed and curtains drawn, the outside fades away into soft noises within the dark confines of the carriage.

Then it's off and I'm on my way to Hogwarts once again. And even though it holds so many bad memories, it's still my home and the peace that comes with that thought lulls my mind and this time I give into it and let it take me under.

> > > > > > > > > > > > > >

The Great Hall is just as cheerful and welcoming as it is every year and a small smile escapes me as I look about. I get the normal glares from Slytherin and a few glances from Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff as I enter. As my gaze turns to Gryffindor however, I'm met with a bit of a surprise. Dean, Seamus and Ron frown at me and the girls from my year look away, dismissing me. The only sixth year that doesn't show some adverse feeling for me is Neville, who sits silently among them, watching me.

As I walk along the length of the table, spots next to people I know disappear as I pass by. Ginny waves me over though, but as I head toward her the spot to her left disappears. She glares at the person next to her and gives me a helpless look. I just nod my head once and walk to the end of the table, closest to the professors and take a seat in an area devoid of students.

Not wasting my time with my currently obnoxious housemates, I turn to survey the hall. Several of the students from varies houses stare questioningly at Gryffindor house, glancing at me occasionally before turning to talk with those next to them. Draco is talking rapidly with Zabini and Parkinson casting fugitive glances toward me. When he catches me watching him, he stops to stare with an almost desperate expression on his face, but he can't really care so much about me that he'd be desperate. For all his changes, he's still a Malfoy. I turn away first.

And last, but defiantly not least is the head table. The few professors looking at Gryffindor table are frowning, slight confusion on their face. Dumbledore's is most obvious. Snape simply sneers and Remus only frowns with displeasure at the Gryffindor table, giving me a slight smile when he sees I'm watching him. I smile back, but turn away as the McGonagall comes to stand at the front of the hall, list and Sorting Hat in hand.

And the Sorting begins.

> > > > > > > > > > > > > >

My plate has become a battlefield.

The carrot soldiers are torn to pieces strewn across the field of mashed potato snow with cannon ball peas littering the ground from where they've been tossed about the field of vegetable carnage.

It's my way of ignoring the whispers that I can't quite make out, but know are about me. Once the announcements for the year were over and the food appeared, they started. It was a ripple that started where Ron sits and it spread out from him in some kind of twisted chain reaction.

And just as I see it reach its peak at Gryffindor table, it spreads to Hufflepuff table sending them all into titters.

Perhaps it is more like a disease then a simple chain reaction. Yes, a plague that will sweep the school sending the masses into terrified and furtive whispers; no doubt questioning my sanity and loyalty.

And the whispers continue to spread, till Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Gryffindor all send me wary glances and indignant glares. The Slytherins are alone in not knowing what the plague that will haunt this school is. They watch though. Watch and study and know. It can not be hidden from them long and then the plague will continue its course through the students and seek the teachers next.

While the plague may end its course through the school it will manage to find its way out of these walls till it seeps into the Wizarding World. Infecting them.

I shudder at the thought.

This isn't going to be a good year.

For now though, the last of my soldiers have been slaughtered and that means it is time to go to bed and pray to non-existent deities for empty dreams.

I get up from my seat and make my way to the closest prefect, who unfortunately is much too close to Ron and Hermione for my liking.

"Excuse me, but would you please tell me the password for the tower?" I address the girl, whose name I can't seem to remember right now.

She glares at me.

"I don't think a traitor like you should be trusted in the tower alone." A familiar voice says.

I turn to face Ron.

"After all, who knows what you might get up to if ones there to see."

"That's rich coming from you, Weasley. Seeing as you know all about betrayal; I mean you do have years of practice."

The hall, which had been falling into silence, goes dead quite, till a wand could be heard were it to fall to the floor. Ron just sputters, eloquent as always, while his ears turn red.

"Don't even start Weasley, because I don't care."

With a flourish I turn away from him and leave the Great Hall.

Once the doors close behind me I hear the volume within rise. I make my way to a deserted hall and find an empty, dusty, classroom to go into. That door is then closed too and I lean against it breathing in and out and trying not to think about what just happened. And to think I put up with that idiot for five years. What a waste.

"Accio, Marauders Map." I whisper, flicking my wand to cast the spell.

I sit down to wait for the map to come to me and sure enough moments later it slides under the door and zips toward me. I catch it and unfold it.

"I solemnly swear I'm up to no good." I say tapping my wand against it.

Lines unfurl across the map's surface till the castle's layout is etched out along the parchment. I find the entrance to Gryffindor tower and check the password, lion's pride. How typical.

"Mischief managed."

And with another tap the lines disappear.

After making sure that the map is safely tucked away, I open the door and make my way to the Fat Lady's portrait.

"Password please." The portrait says when I reach it.

"Lion's pride."

"Thank you, dear. It's so good to have the school year starting again."

"Yes, it is good isn't it?" I say, hoping she won't go on much longer.

"Yes, I do so miss it when all of the children are gone. Oh, dear me. So sorry to be keeping you like this, well go in."

The portrait swings open.

"Thank you." I say as I enter.

"It's my pleasure love."

The portrait closes behind me

The colors, bright red and gold swirl about in a blinding whirl. Faces blend into the spinning colors and I hold on for dear life as the images before me leap back and forth in constant distortion. All the images fade and I find myself kneeling on the ground gasping as I try to breath through my constricted throat. I taste betrayal and rejection at the back of my mouth, the feeling radiating through my body.

As the feelings pass I slowly raise and turn from the once comforting common room. Looking at it right now brings dread creeping through my heart.

For now I'll be content to retire for the night and not see another person till morning.

I enter the dorm, dragging my feet and keeping my eyes open just enough to keep from running into anything. A soft hooting however causes my eyes to open a fraction wider. A snowy white owl is sitting perched on the headboard of my bed, waiting with a letter attached to its leg.

"Hedwig?"

I receive a clicking sound in reply.

"Sorry I didn't notice it's you right away girl. I'm tired and completely dead on my feet. Now what have you got for me?"

I come up to her after digging around in my trunk and procuring some owl treats. She sticks out her leg and once I have the letter removed she nips my finger and grabs the treats away from me and flies out the window.

"My, but some one is in a hurry." I mutter to the retreating form of Hedwig.

Looking down at the letter, which I now see is only a folded piece of parchment, I cautiously open it.

Harry,

I know that things didn't work out earlier, however I have taken your advice and discussed the issue with my friends. Perhaps we can try this again? I still would like to be friends and put this feud of ours behind.

As you know there won't be any classes tomorrow and it might be a good time for us to give this friendship another go. We'll be at the library after lunch if you'd like to come.

Draco

It won't do any harm to try again and I need to go to the library anyway… Who am I kidding, I don't even have to try and convince myself to go, I want to. With a sigh I get up, putting the letter away and getting ready for bed.

There's no way that it would have gone over well the first time. To the other Slytherins I'm still nothing more then Dumbledore's Gryffindor Golden Boy. I should have perhaps given it more time before storming out like I did, but what's done is done and I'll just have to see if things will sort themselves out.

That's tomorrow though. Right now I'm going to sleep, hopefully sleeping away Saturday morning.

> > > > > > > > > > > > > >

Breakfast is even more of a strained affair then dinner was last night. Of course it followed a rather tense morning filled with my dorm mates whispering about me behind my back and not even being decent enough to whisper where I couldn't hear what they were saying.

Most of the things they were talking about followed the lines that I thought they would. In the end it came down to me turning dark, betraying the light side and threatening Ron and Hermione. Supposedly I'd threatened them, on the train, with unspeakable torture, or some other rot that Ron made up. And yet for being so unspeakable, he's being awfully vocal about it.

That unfortunately didn't seem to be the only rumor spreading.

> > > > > > > > > > > > > >

"Harry?" A soft voice asks.

I look up from putting on my socks to see Neville standing in front of me. He's changed from what I remember, more self assured and not so scared anymore. At the moment however he's looking at me with confusion and far too much sadness.

"Is it true Harry? What Ron is saying?"

He doesn't look like he believes I'm going dark, or mad.

"That depends on what it is he's saying now."

"That you had bars on your window at home. That your relatives hate you and that's part of the reason you're going dark."

I close my eyes. He wouldn't, right? To go so low. This is probably payback for last night.

"Oh, Harry, he was telling the truth."

Neville sounds so sad when he says that.

"I'm not going dark, Nev."

Not all of what that bastard said is true. I open my eyes to look at Neville again. Neville smiles down at me, but his eyes are still so sad.

"I know that Harry, but I thought you should know. You know I'm still here for you? I don't believe the stuff Ron is sprouting, can't even figure out why he would."

"We had a little falling out on the train."

Neville just shakes his head.

"But that's no excuse for him to spread rumors and tell everyone who'll listen, your secrets. Friends fall out all the time. This is just ridiculous."

I've never noticed how calm Neville can be.

"It was more then just a falling out Nev. It was the falling out, the one that means we'll never be friends again." I say turning away and going back to putting my socks and trainers on.

"But why, if you don't mind me asking, it's just that the three of you have always been such great friends. What could have been that bad?" Neville says, sounding so confused.

"I found out some things that I wish I'd never known, but it'll be better in the long run. Better to break things off now and minimize the damage."

"I just hope that it was the right decision."

"It was and is."

"I'll still be here for you Harry. I'm your friend and I'm worried about you. And regardless of the reason, what Ron is doing is wrong and I just want to help."

"I know Nev and I'm thankful, I am."

Comfortable silence stretches out as I continue getting ready for the day.

"I'm going down to breakfast, Harry. Take care of yourself."

I turn back toward Neville.

"Don't worry, I will. And Nev?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

Neville's smile brightens up the room and I can't help but smile back.

"It's what friends are for."

> > > > > > > > > > > > > >

Done. I'm kind of disappointed in posting this. I wanted to wait until I had the whole chapter done, but when I had almost reached the end I decided that I didn't like a scene and that about half of the chapter would have to be rewritten. Then I got the bright idea to stop writing until I mapped out the story, but not just this one. So I'm mapping out all the stories that I'm working on and that means more time till the next update is out. I haven't given up on any of my stories though so don't worry about that. Updates will just be sporadic. Anyways hope you enjoyed and hopefully the next chapter will be out soon.