"...and then, this summer I ran away from home once and for all. You see sir, I'm just sick of being who everyone WANTS me to be and not who I want to be. And also, I don't want to join with You-Know-Who like all the other Slytherins. And all this time I was only the way I was so I could have friends in my own house. But now I realize that I was just doing what everyone expected me to, to be cruel and evil and have friends of that same stature."
Draco had been talking to Dumbledore late into the night about the matter. They had arrived in his office some ten minutes after dinner which was around 7 pm and it was now 9 oclock in the night. Everything had gotten out of his system except for one thing, the thing he didn't want anyone to know because he just found out recently.
Dumbledore nodded to everything Draco said, keeping those hypnotic blue eyes upon him every second.
"And not until just recently did I realize that I didn't want to be that way. And the whole point of this is yes I want to be resorted into ANY house. ANY house but Slytherin." Draco heaved a deep breath and awaited Professor Dumbledore's reply. The silence was pure agony on Draco's behalf. Would he even allow a resorting? He certainly hoped so.
"You know Draco..." he finally said, Draco's shoulders relaxed. "I would like to tell you a story. I once had to resort someone. A young Ravenclaw girl, oh about 44 years ago it was..this girl was MOST popular in her house. In fact all over school she had friends. Except for in Slytherin. Oh this girl was witty, charming, smart. Everything a well brought up girl should be. Until her 5th year. She was assigned a Defense Against the Dark Arts assignment with a young Slytherin boy in the same year as her. Now this boy was extraordinarily popular in Slytherin, he was rich, powerful, he had everything. He was also very cruel to everyone not in his house...with the sudden exception of this girl. They became closer and closer and usually you would think the good would influence the evil to turn themselves around. But no. The boy overpowered the girl with thoughts of darkness and evil. Finally she went to me asking me to resort her to Slytherin. Not just to be with this boy, but to gain the power this boy had. She had told me she was sick of being smart and not getting any power from it. Not being high in society. Not having any money. Having a poor household. So The resorting for her was witnessed by her new friends from Slytherin, including the boy, and her old friends from the other houses. She was resorted indeed into Slytherin, leaving and betraying her old friends for the riches and power that overcame her."
"She spent her remaining two years of Hogwarts with that boy in Slytherin. When they left they got married and...had a son. Whom they seemingly wanted to follow in their footsteps."
Draco's eyes became wider and wider with every sentence of this story. His ears keen for more. "Who were these people Professor?"
Dumbledore sighed. "Narcissa Fortenson and Lucius Malfoy." Draco's face fell and he looked away. "I should have known." he spat.
Dumbledore walked over to Draco and put a hand on his shoulder. "But Draco, there is something good about YOU."
Draco looked up. "I was sorted into Slytherin wasn't I? What's so good about that?" Dumbledore kneeled to look right into Draco's eyes.
"That was because like you said, not until recently did you realize that your father's ways were wrong. At the time you idolized him. Just like everyone else. You got irritated with him but you didn't know why, you thought you wanted all the same things he did until recently when you realized that you were being your FATHER and not yourself. You have the wit your mother once had, but the knowledge and intelligence you have is greater than hers because of this realization. And that Draco, is why I am going to arrange this resorting, because I'm sure the sorting hat will oblige to your new-found knowledge. I will arrange it for tomorrow after dinner. I will invite your old and new friends. That is all. I bid you good night Mister Malfoy."
Draco had a wide smile on his face as he left. But before he reached the door he turned and smiled right into Dumbledore's eyes. "Thank you sir. Thank you SO much!" And with that, he bounded down the stairs, out of the stone gargoyle to tell his new friends the wonderful news.
Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Tru were sitting in the library that next morning when Draco came in to tell them the news. He "failed" to retell the story of his mother joining Slytherin in the process. He wasn't exactly sure if he wanted them to know about that. So he decided to keep it just to himself. But the joyful comments that reached his ears made him smile to the point of stretching his lips one mile away from his body on each side.
"That's so wonderful!" Tru shouted giving Draco a big hug. Draco seemed surprised by this, he'd never received a hug before, not even from his parents. Slowly he put his arms around Tru in return.
Her hair smells nice...wait..what?
They parted from their hug and Tru beamed at Draco turning to the others. They all smiled at him and shook his hand. "When is it going to be?" Ron asked as he shook Draco's hand and they all sat down.
"Tomorrow evening after dinner Dumbledore said." Draco replied staring around. "Is everyone going to be there?" Harry asked.
"No, just you guys and..." Draco gulped. "My old friends from Slytherin. There was an awkward silence then that fell around them. Draco looked over at Tru. Her eyes were full of hope for him. She had given him something that he'd wanted for so long. A friend. He smiled and didn't realize he was staring at her until she looked at him and he withdrew his gaze.
Tru smiled back and ran a few fingers through her hair. "Well we would be happy to attend Draco." she smiled and he looked up at her, a half smile on his quirky face.
"Thank you."
