And here is the new chapter! Sorry it took so long. I've revised all the chapters before this slightly as well, nothing too major, I did tone Harry's powers down slightly though.

ShadeDancer

Disclaimer: Yeah, I don't own Harry Potter, I just like to write my own version of it.

Chapter 7: Concessions

September 1st came and Harry greeted the day with both happiness and sorrow. Sorrow that he would be leaving home and his parents, yet happy to be going to Hogwarts. He was going to revel in every moment of his new status and looked forward to shocking almost the entire student population of Hogwarts. There were only two things that he currently had to take care of and by the time the train was halfway to Hogwarts he should have received his answer to one of the problems. The other would only require a small spell on Ron Weasley to keep the git from blabbing anything; Goyle, who was pretty talented at charms, was taking care of that since Harry and Draco were going to remain out of sight until the welcoming feast. They hadn't seen the need to worry about Hermione, she knew how to keep a secret.

"Isn't that Hedwig, Harry" Crabbe asked pointing to the window.

Harry smiled and opened the window "yeah, it's Hedwig. What do you have for me beauty?"

Hedwig cooed prettily to them and stuck out the claw with a piece of parchment tied to it. Harry relieved Hedwig of her burden and stroked her majestic head softly before presenting her with an owl treat. Quickly he read the parchment and nodded to himself, good, things were going to work out.

"Well" demanded Pansy "are you going to tell us what it says?"

Harry passed the parchment to Draco and allowed his brother to read it and the others crowded around. When they finished reading smirks were firmly plastered across all their faces.

"Very strategic" Blaise complimented "you keep the wizarding world happy and get what you want at the same time, the other privileges are not to be faulted either."

They spent the rest of the ride enjoying sweets, playing games, and discussing whatever topics came to mind. No one bothered the Slytherins either until the announcement came echoing through the train that they would be at Hogwarts in a few minutes and for students to don their robes but leave their luggage on the train. It was then that Millicent burst into the compartment. She was a quiet sixth year Slytherin whose unobtrusive demeanor made her the perfect one for spying and they had employed that talent by posting her in the compartment across from Ron and Hermione.

"What do you have for us Millie?" Harry asked as he finished pulling on his robes and fastening them.

"Tons of activity in the compartment" Millie told them all "it must have made it around the train that you hadn't been seen with your tag-a-longs and people are worried. Of course Weasley could only glower at people when they mentioned your name and Granger said that she didn't know where you are, which is true, she doesn't know that you are sitting with us. Longbottom, Lovegood, and the Weaselette sat with them the whole time trying to speculate on where you were. I cast the charm on the Weaselette earlier as well to make sure she didn't let anything slip."

The train came to a smooth stop and even though it was dark Harry and the other Slytherins pulled up hoods of their cloaks in order to hide their identity as they made their way to the first few carriages in line before anyone else could. Harry wanted to be in the Great Hall and sitting at the Gryffindor table absorbed in a book before anyone else came in. He was going to avoid answering questions as long as he could and sitting at the Gryffindor table would also show the Gryffindors when the truth came out that he was still willing to sit among them and be considered a part of their house. Hopefully that would be enough to convince most of them that he wasn't betraying them.

Whispers did indeed fill the air though when Harry was seen sitting at the Gryffindor table and pretending to ignore them as he read his book, his hood still covering his face from sight. In reality he was taking in every word he could and his eyes were scanning the crowds of students around him. Only the Slytherins weren't joining in the rumors going around and that was because most of them were already in the know. Most of the whispers were about him, the stranger sitting at the Gryffindor table, but others were worried questions on where Harry Potter was. The hushed and worried conversations continued even as the students took their seats at their house tables. The Gryffindor's took their seats as well though a great many glances were sent his way and the ones that sat closest to him were Hermione, Ron, Neville and Ginny. He suspected it was more to keep an eye on him than anything else; he was an unknown factor to them and in these dark times, a threat. It would be hilarious when they realized that it was him.

Things did settle down slightly during the Sorting, but the whispering started up again when the hat still stayed upon the stool and Dumbledore did not announce the beginning of the feast right away as he usually did. Instead the aged Headmaster made his way to stand next to the Sorting Hat and he swept his eyes over the crowd before speaking.

"A time of darkness is trying to overcome us, but even in such times hope is still to be found and dreams can be realized if one does not give up. You have sitting among you tonight one such person who has had one dream realized even at a great cost. I ask them to come forward so that they can be reintroduced to the population of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

Gracefully Harry rose and walked towards the Headmaster, hood still covering his face and book held loosely at his side. He was the very picture of secretive grace.

"Good evening Headmaster" he greeted politely and received a smiling nod in return before he turned to face the assembled student body.

The hall was silent as the Headmaster addressed them once again "I would like to reintroduce to you Harry James Potter reborn in blood as Harold James Lucas Potter-Malfoy."

At the last Harry reached up with an elegant hand and pushed the hood carelessly back to reveal his face. Gasps filled the hall before silence reigned. If the Headmaster had not announced it and the eyes had not shown with the same green luminance then most of them would never have believed it. Where they were used to seeing black hair they now gazed upon the white-blond hair of the Malfoy's with hints of gold highlights that shined in the flame of the candles, and his hair was no longer short and messy but fell in a silky wave down slightly past his shoulder blades. His carriage was also more aristocratic and proud; he no longer looked like a young boy that was thrown into danger, but a warrior that would bravely face the troubles that came his way. Here before them was the Savior of the Light.

Professor Snape stepped forward then.

"A petition has been set before me" he spoke to the Headmaster but loud enough for everyone to hear "and as Head of Slytherin house I allow for a case to be made to give the status of Slytherin house to one Mr. Harold Potter-Malfoy."

Dumbledore inclined his head "Petition accepted and case granted pending judgment. Harry, please put on the Sorting Hat."

Harry did as instructed but unlike his first year the Sorting Hat did not keep the comments between itself and him. It spoke to the whole hall.

"In first year this child, this teen, asked to be placed in Gryffindor though it was not where I was so inclined to put him at first. I now gladly accede to the request made and grant upon him a second house. By dint of original Sorting you are a Gryffindor and have proved it time and again, but there is also more to you than your brave tendencies so I add upon your house placement and grant you another home in Slytherin!"

Snape gave him an encouraging nod as Harry stood from the stool and bowed slightly to the Sorting Hat before allowing Dumbledore to charm a second house badge onto his Hogwarts robes. Now next to the proud lion crest of the Gryffindor house rested the cunning serpent of Slytherin.

"See me after dinner" the Headmaster instructed softly "and we shall discuss your new arrangements."

Harry walked over to the Slytherin table and said a few words to his friends there before heading back to the Gryffindor table and resuming his seat beside Hermione. They had decided earlier that Harry risked alienating the Gryffindors too much if he sat at the Slytherin table directly after his new Sorting and they couldn't afford to lose their support in the upcoming war. As he sat Hermione looked to say something, but waited until Dumbledore announced the feast and food appeared upon the table. Then she launched straight in but was cut off by Ron, who was surprisingly ignoring the abundance of food set before him.

"Why are you sitting here you traitor? Why don't you go where you belong with the rest of the slimy snakes" Ron hissed.

Harry's eyes were shuttered as he looked upon Ron "you should know above all the others here that I am not a traitor; you were there when I explained to Dumbledore. If you could manage to get over your prejudices you would be able to see reason. It is choices who make us what we are and in first year I went against the Hat and chose to be placed in Gryffindor over Slytherin; now I am listening to the Hat and trying to unite the houses and following my beliefs. I am proud to be both Gryffindor and Slytherin for while each house has its faults they also have their good points. Perhaps though I made a mistake by sitting here tonight and thinking that you would believe my sincerity. I'm starting to realize where the true backstabbers are, and it isn't Slytherin. You would do well to remember Wormtail, Ron, I believe you should be well acquainted with him."

Harry made to stand and leave but Hermione laid a hand on his arm and glared at Ron.

"Please stay Harry" she said "you're still our friend. Ron just needs time."

Ron snorted at that but did not deign to comment; in fact he ignored them for the rest of the feast, preferring to shovel food into his face than look at those sitting around him. The other Gryffindors did not follow Ron's example but showed an uncharacteristic fairness by hearing Harry's side of the story before judging. They had known Harry for years and knew his beliefs in the war, he had been a leader of their house even if he had acted like he didn't realize it and they weren't about to write him off as a lost cause as easily as Ron was. By the end of the feast those in Harry's year as well as Ginny were pretty much comfortable with their friend as well as the new changes he had undergone. They had also agreed to a tentative truce with the Slytherins for Harry's sake, but that wasn't to say that any changes were going to be made right away; there was too much animosity between the two houses for it to die overnight. Before anyone knew it Dumbledore was giving his end of feast speech and the prefects were leading the younger years to their dormitories. Harry though loitered behind to wait for Dumbledore to finish speaking to the professors and it seemed as if his fellow year mates in both Gryffindor and Slytherin were intent on waiting for him as well. Unfortunately Professor Snape had other plans and thwarted them.

"There is no need for you to wait for Mr. Malfoy" he said moving up behind Harry and eyeing in amusement the space the two houses had left between each other as they stood on either side of Harry "there are many arrangements that need to be made for Mr. Malfoy and he will see you in the morning. Curfew will be starting soon and I do not think you wish to start the first day of classes in the negative."

Reluctantly the others bid Harry goodnight, knowing Snape was serious about taking the points. The last two people to leave were Hermione and Draco who eyed each other before hugging Harry, one as a friend and the other as a brother before joining their housemates heading to their dorms. Harry couldn't help but grin, no insults had been traded but he still had a lot of work cut out for him.

"To my office I think Harry" Dumbledore said coming up behind him "we shall be more comfortable and Severus and Minerva shall join us shortly."

The Gargoyle jumped out of their way as Dumbledore uttered yet another password out of a long list of candies, 'milkduds', and they found themselves riding the revolving staircase to the Headmaster's office. Once there they made themselves comfortable and Fawkes flew over to land on Harry's knee, trilling happily at him. It was a soothing sound yet the words Harry could hear in the music were even more heartening. Fawkes foretold of companions that were to come and join him in the battle, ones that would bind themselves to him in the purity of love. His family had already joined with him and his friends surrounded him; but Fawkes spoke of his familiars, teachers, and a lover that had yet to formally bond with him. Between all of them would be a bond of blood with Harry at the center of them all. It would be with these people beside him that he would face down Voldemort and hopefully secure victory. But for now he would wait and prepare as he tried to enjoy what little bit of a normal life he had.

Fawkes finished his song of prediction and promptly burst into flames upon Harry's lap, his power spent. Gently Harry stood, keeping his robes folded into a cup so as not to spill the precious ashes over the floor as he walked to Fawkes perch. Gently he lifted the ragged newborn form of Fawkes and perched the baby phoenix on his shoulder while he tipped the ashes in the dish present for when Fawkes went through a burning day. Then he carefully set the bird on top of the ashes, smiling as he watched Fawkes burrow down into the ashes as if they were a nest before the tiny phoenix gave a happy chirp. Even though the chirp was no where near able to be compared to Fawkes usual robust song it was still beautiful and comforting.

"Funny" Dumbledore commented as Harry retook his seat "I had not thought Fawkes so close to a burning day."

Harry chose not to reveal what the phoenix song had imparted to him and instead shrugged, turning to face his two heads of house as they had just joined them.

"Ah, there you are" the twinkle was back as the Headmaster offered around lemon drops "I believe I have an excellent solution to Mr. Potter-Malfoy's situation and only need for you to point out anything you see as a problem. Harry will continue to use the rooms he stayed in over the summer, an option I was already going to present to him though now it will be a definite thing. He will also have open access to both the Slytherin and Gryffindor common rooms and any points received or lost will affect both houses. As for meals it is his decision on where he wishes to dine. Minerva, you and I shall draw up a class schedule for him though there shall not be many conflicts as the sixth year classes are not all divided according to a students house. Is there anything I have missed?"

Neither head of house were going to argue with the Headmasters plans as he had basically stated that it was how things were going to be but there was one important topic that had not been discussed.

"What about Quidditch? Harry was to be Gryffindor's captain this year."

It was a given that Harry was the best Seeker Hogwart's had seen in a long time and Gryffindor would have held the Quidditch cup every year since Harry had joined the team if not for a few unfortunate circumstances. It was also known the Gryffindor and Slytherin teams were the biggest competitors for the Quidditch cup and Harry couldn't play on both teams at once. Dumbledore pondered over the question for a moment.

"I believe it would be prudent to leave Harry as the Gryffindor Seeker as Slytherin already has Draco Malfoy playing that position, at least in the games where Slytherin and Gryffindor face off. Slytherin is however able to substitute Harry in any games that are not Gryffindor vs. Slytherin. It gives both teams a fair shot. The only other alternative I could think of would be to sit Harry out of any games that are Gryffindor vs. Slytherin though I do not believe that would be accepted favorably by many parties."

The annoying technicalities worked out, Harry was finally allowed to depart for his rooms where he found his trunk already waiting for him and the bed turned down. He was glad that things had worked out as they had and he had been allowed to stay in the rooms he had inhabited for most of the summer. It didn't matter to him that it was the Headmaster's way of trying to show favor to him; it was making things easier for him by making it so that he did not have to chose between which house to make his home in, a choice the Gryffindor's would have seen as a betrayal, and it also granted him privacy he would not have in a dorm. No one could enter his rooms without his permission except for the Headmaster and though some would call this favoritism, Harry was able to excuse it as the only logical conclusion to his status as both a student of Gryffindor and Slytherin. Harry fell asleep not long after that thought, pleased with how his life was beginning to turn out for the better.

Posted On: April 13, 2005