Harry Potter and the Last Stand

Chapter Three

In the morning, Harry slowly made his way down to the Great Hall for breakfast, ignoring his friends. Walking through the corridors, Harry barely noticed the other students. He slowly lowered himself into a seat at the Gryffindor table, and started pushing his food around on his plate. He glanced up slightly as Hermione and Ron joined him.

Professor McGonagall was slowly making her way down the table, handing out the student timetables. Harry didn't even look up as he took his timetable off the Transfigurations teacher. He looked it over, saw that he had double potions first followed by transfiguration and double herbology. His last period of the day would be free. Harry slipped the timetable into his bag and returned to pushing his food around his plate, thinking.

He looked up when he saw Draco Malfoy enter the hall, his face hardening. He was about to get up and go for the Slytherin when about a hundred owls flew in. The morning post had arrived.

Hermione took her Daily Prophet and paid the delivery owl, she then started reading silently. Ron, as usual, had post off his mother. Harry looked surprised when Hedwig landed in front of him, with a letter tied to her leg.

Harry took the letter from Hedwig and let the owl eat his bacon as he looked at it. He slowly slid the letter out of the envelope, not recognising the handwriting. Inside was a short letter and a golden chain with a silver and red heart attached. He looked at the chain, which was obviously made for a man, with a confused look in his eyes, before turning his attention to the letter.

My Dearest Harry,

I know I am probably the last person that you want to hear from, but please hear me out. I need to talk to you about what happened and I want you to take this necklace as a symbol of my love, sorrow and pain. I would like for you to meet me tonight at midnight in the Astronomy Tower. Please be there. This is not a trap.

I hope to see you tonight

Draco Malfoy

Harry looked up sharply, just in time to see Malfoy himself leaving the hall, on his way to his first class.

'Is something wrong, Harry?' Hermione asked, concerned for her friend, as she started picking up her things. Harry didn't answer, but silently showed her the note. Hermione frowned as she read. 'What necklace?' she asked, eventually, as the three friends started heading for their first classes. Harry showed her the chain. 'Oh!' she exclaimed. 'That's so beautiful!'

Ron looked over her shoulder so that he could see the note. 'Are you going to meet him, Harry?' he asked.

Harry shrugged. 'I guess,' he replied. 'But I'm not going unprepared.'

'I'll talk to you more about it later, Harry,' Ron said as he started to head towards his first lesson, which was Divination.

Harry nodded absently as he and Hermione headed down to the dungeons, deep in thought. What could Malfoy possibly want to talk to him about? he wondered.

Harry pulled himself out of his thoughts as he and Hermione sat at a workbench at the back of the classroom. The new teacher was already present which was unusual. The students were used to Snape sweeping in after the students had entered, ready to catch stragglers. 'Good morning,' their new professor intoned, sounding extremely like Snape, except feminine. 'My name is Professor Gerard Skoob. I will be teaching potions to you who have been deemed worthy of studying in the advanced class for your NEWTS. You will not talk during my lessons unless you are told to. You will be put into pairs and you will stay in those pairs for the whole year. I will not accept half-hearted essays. I expect all of my students to work to their highest ability. Do you understand?' The class nodded silently. 'Good. Then I will put you into your pairs.'

Harry was half pleased half annoyed to be paired with Hermione. He was hoping he wouldn't have to deal with her continuously asking him if he was ok. On the other hand, she was the smartest student at the school. Harry quickly joined Hermione setting up the cauldron as Professor Skoob wrote everything they needed to know on the blackboard with her wand. Harry sighed. He had a feeling that seventh year potions was going to be the same as any other year that had Snape.

As Harry tried to ignore Rons' incessant chattering about how his day had been, he tried to think about what Malfoy wanted to talk to him about. By now he had decided that he would meet with the other teen, but that he would go prepared for all eventualities. Harry quickly dropped his bag in his dorm room and started reading his potions book, much to Rons' annoyance.

When midnight was nearing, Harry silently pulled on his invisibility cloak and looked at the marauders map. The corridors that he would have to travel were clear. Filch was in the dungeons, as was Mrs Norris, Filch's annoying cat. And Malfoy was already waiting for him in the Astronomy Tower. Harry quickly left Gryffindor Tower and headed down the corridor.

It only took Harry ten minutes to reach his destination, meaning he was five minutes early. He decided to wait for a while before announcing his presence. He stood, invisible, by the door watching Malfoy pace back and forth nervously. He looked as if he had a lot on his mind and he was obviously scared, because he kept looking around himself as if to make sure he was alone, and rubbing his left arm, where Harry new the Dark Mark had been burnt into the teens skin.

Just before the clocks started ringing, Harry took off his cloak and entered the small tower room. 'What did you want to talk about, Malfoy?' he asked dangerously, making the other boy jump almost out of his skin.

'Oh, Harry, it's you.' Malfoy looked around again before continuing. 'I need your help.'

'My help?' Harry laughed, 'Why should I help you, Malfoy? What have you ever done for me except try to hex me every chance you get?'

'I know I'm the last person you would want to help, but I'm in serious trouble and you're the only one I could think of that could help me.' Malfoy's voice was pleading and filled with desperation. 'Please.'

Harry thought about it for a moment. 'What sort of trouble are you in?' he asked, eventually.

'The Death Eaters,' Malfoy replied, watching Harry's face harden. 'And Voldermort. They wanted me to kill Dumbledore but I couldn't. So they decided that I should kill someone else instead, but I couldn't o it then either. They tried five times to get me to kill someone but I just couldn't and now they want to kill me. That's why McGonagall insisted I come back to school. But their are other kids here who are working for Voldermort, and I'm scared. There's no one else I can turn to. Please, help me, Harry.' By now Malfoy had started crying uncontrollably.

Harry watched him cry, thinking. Finally, Harry walked over and pulled Malfoy into an awkward hug. 'I'll help you,' he whispered. 'On one condition.'

Malfoy looked up. It was clear that he would do anything. 'What is it?' he asked.

'I want you to tell me everything you know about Voldermort and the Death Eaters.' Harry looked down at the boy shaking in his arms. 'And I want you to fight them with us.'

'Okay,' Malfoy said, nodding. He sounded scared, but he didn't hesitate in his answer.

'Good. Now you're gonna stay in Gryffindor Tower. It's not safe for you in your own house anymore.' Harry talked staedily and sternly, sounding very much like a teacher. He pulled Malfoy to his feet and led him back down to his own common room, where he set up a makeshift bed on one of the couches by the fire for Malfoy to sleep on. He then went upstairs to his own dormitory, leaving a couple of notes so that the other students would know that Malfoy was sleeping here for a couple of nights. He knew they wouldn't be happy about it, but he decided he would explain in the morning. Right now he was too tired.

As soon as Harry closed his eyea, the dream started.

Harry was standing at the edge of the school Quidditch pitch. It was dark and it was raining. Harry heard a noise behind him. He turned slowly, feeling his scar starting to burn. Standing behind him was Snape. Harry could see others behind him and knew they were surrounding him. Voldermort stepped out of the group and lifted his wand. Harry couldn't hear the words, but he knew what they were anyway. His conclusion was right. The bright green light hit him right above his heart. Harry vaguely heard screaming as he fell to the floor...

Harry woke up screaming. Ron, Dean, Seamus and Neville were all by his bed, looking terrified. Harry shook off their concern as he rubbed his forehead and quickly told him about his latest nightmare. There was a shocked silence when he finished.

A.N. - Please review