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Must…get…this…out…

Chapter 5: In Dumbledore's Office

Snape, Malfoy and Dumbledore reached the Gargoyle that adorned the entrance to the Headmaster's office.

"Mr. Malfoy, would you mind waiting down here for a few minutes while I talk to Professor Snape privately?" Dumbledore asked.

"Sure," Draco replied numbly, already turning to watch a portrait of Gwendolyn the Goblin-Killer smash a whining Goblin under her foot.

"Bertie-Bott's Every Flavor Beans." Dumbledore whispered to the Gargoyle, which swung aside to allow the two Professors to enter.

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"Have a seat, Severus. Would you like a lemon drop?" Dumbledore's eyes twinkled in mild amusement.

"No, thank you." Snape replied stiffly, "Headmaster, we should make it quick, before Draco gets into mischief."

"Ah…yes, the spontaneity of youth." Dumbledore's eyes became serious. "Can you tell me exactly what happened? Starting from the time you saw them in Umbridge's office?"

"Potter and his friends were being held in her office on charges of using her fire to send a message to someone without her permission. I believe she assumed they were either attempting to contact you or Black. She called me in to give her some veritaserum. I told her that I had none, assuming she would give them all detention and brood about the matter later." Snape paused to take a deep breath.

"Potter then did something that surprised Umbridge and me, both. As I turned to leave, he told me, 'He's got Padfoot! He's got Padfoot at the place where it's hidden!' Of course, I recognized that idiotic-"

"Severus…"

"That nickname for Black that was used by his friends. I hid it well from them though; even Potter looked devastated as I walked away. I still assumed that it was a minor issue and would be cleared up in the future. But, now, I was worried about the implications of Potter's cryptic statement. I contacted Black and discovered he was still in Grimmauld Place, I figured that Potter had some kind of dream that Black was in danger."

"He has had them often, then?"

"Yes, Headmaster, and I am not completely sure he has learned how to close his mind even a little bit from the Dark Lord's influence."

"Continue, please."

"I was returning to the office to release Potter and his friends, and tell them that Black was fine, when I met Fillius in the hallway. We were discussing the possibility of whether or not you would return to Hogwarts in the near future, when Miss Weasley and Miss Lovegood came running down that hallway. They informed us that Potter had been under the Cruciatus curse and was no longer breathing; we took him to the hospital wing, where Madam Pomfrey stabilized his vital functions. I informed you and the others before returning to the hospital wing."

"Then you are not aware of what happened in the office?"

"I assumed that Draco had something to do with the stunning of Umbridge and releasing of Potter, but I did not want to press him for information; so much relies on him choosing his future for himself."

"Indeed it does, Severus, I think it is now time for us to hear Mr. Malfoy's version of events."

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Draco's POV:

Those Goblins could be tricky creatures. The Goblin rebellions were a perfect example of magical creatures that had grown impatient of oppression and had gone on a murderous rampage. The thing about them was they were so unpredictable, one second they were cooperative and humble. And the next, Kaput! Wizards were dropping left and right.

It's a good thing people are more predictable. Maybe not the most predictable though, which explains my behavior in Umbridge's office.

I sighed in defeat. Either way, I lost. My father would kill me for saving Potter's life, especially since his death would have had no strings attached. If I hadn't stopped Umbridge, the Dark Lord would have grown more powerful in secret, eventually taking over the world.

But since I did stop her?

What had I gained? Harry Potter? Harry's friends? THAT'S likely. I laughed humorlessly; Weasley would kill me before he befriended me.

I had disobeyed my father, delayed the Dark Lord.

A butterfly beats its wings in China…

I was bloody philosophizing. I was about to admit that I had been the one to prevent the murder of the Boy-Who-Lived, and I was thinking about the butterfly quote. If something as small as a butterfly beating its wings in China can create a hurricane in America, why don't we just go to China and kill all the butterflies?

I was so dead. I was the butterfly that had stopped the curse, and signed my own death certificate.

"Mr. Malfoy." I spun around, jolted from my thoughts.

"Professor?"

"Come, Draco, and tell us all about it."

I gulped involuntarily.

At that moment,

I hated butterflies.

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Hospital Wing:

Lupin had managed to convince Madam Pomfrey that they would tell her immediately if Harry's condition changed, so Sirius had finally been able to transform.

"What's this I hear about you thinking Padfoot had been caught?" Lupin asked Hermione and Ron as Sirius sat on the edge of Harry's bed, holding his hand, stroking his hair and murmuring soothing words.

"Harry fell asleep during our final exam." Hermione started.

"History of Magic."

"He woke up screaming, we waited until the end of the exam to go find him. He was raving about seeing Sirius being tortured by Voldemort."

This caught Sirius's attention, "what," he breathed, glancing up sharply.

"He thought you were in the Department of Mysteries at the Ministry."

"How could he think that? You mean, Voldemort…" Sirius glanced towards his godson, realization in his features.

"He hasn't learned Occlumency yet?" Lupin frowned.

"Snape isn't exactly the best teacher." Ron and Hermione exchanged glances.

"I'll agree with that." Sirius growled.

"We tried to go to Umbridge's fire to contact you and make sure you were alright before we ran off on a half-brained rescue attempt." Hermione explained.

"This was Harry's idea…" Ron interjected.

"Why am I not surprised?" Sirius said fondly, ruffling Harry's hair.

"Kreacher told us you were at the Department of Mysteries." Hermione paused a moment to let this information sink in.

"WHAT!" Sirius roared, "I'll kill that house-elf, if it's the last thing I do."

"I wonder how he knew to say that." Lupin mused. "Who has he been in contact with?"

"That's beside the point! He was misleading my godson!"

"Either way, Umbridge caught us, tortured Harry for information, and then…"

"And then?" Sirius prompted.

"Well," Ron and Hermione exchanged glances, "we don't exactly understand it ourselves, but…… Malfoy stunned Umbridge."

There was a moment's silence as this new information sunk in.

"Malfoy? As in, Draco Malfoy? As in Lucius Malfoy's son?" Sirius sputtered.

"This is good, Padfoot, this is what we were hoping for." Remus smiled. "Draco accepting us instead of Voldemort."

"You wanted this?" Ron asked, incredulous, "The Order wants this slimeball on our side?"

"Yes Ron, he could be a valuable tool in the defeat of Voldemort." Lupin was obviously pleased, and so, it seemed, was Hermione.

"See Ron, you can grow to accept him." Hermione suggested.

"Accept him! ACCEPT HIM!  Hermione! Have you forgotten that this is the same boy who called you a mudblood?" Ron was desperately trying to convince his friend that Malfoy was bad news.

"He seems to have grown out of it, it's time you do too." Hermione said coldly. Ron realized he was fighting a losing battle.

"Fine, but I don't have to like him."

"But you will tolerate him."

"If I have to."

"Very well," Lupin smiled. "Now, we need to focus all our energy on Harry. Let us hope Draco was not too late in his attempt to save Harry's mental health…for all our sakes"

Ron, Hermione, Lupin and Sirius turned to the immobile boy, each lost in their own thoughts. Sirius, once again began to mutter comforting words, not caring whether or not Harry heard them, but hoping he did.

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The Office:

Draco stepped into the Headmaster's office, knowing that he was entering as a Malfoy and leaving… as a what?

What am I doing? Draco thought. Throwing my life away, everything I always wanted to be.

Then he remembered; Harry, screaming in agony on the floor of the office as the curse ravaged his nerves.

He imagined himself causing that kind of torture to innocent people.

He was almost sick then and there.

"Mr. Malfoy, please have a seat. Lemon Drop?" Draco shook his head, he was already feeling nauseated, a lemon drop might cause him to lose his lunch.

"Could you please explain to me the events that occurred in Dolores Umbridge's office, and your involvement in them?" Dumbledore fixed Draco with a reassuringly gentle, but firm gaze.

"Sir, I was a part of the Inquisitorial Squad, You know what this is?" Dumbledore nodded and motioned for him to continue.

"W…we were assigned by Umbridge to help her catch rule breakers and the like…anyway, we were in Umbridge's office…"

"We?" Dumbledore prompted. Draco opened his mouth to reply honestly, when he suddenly changed his mind.

"I don't sell out my friends, Headmaster, no matter what the price."

Dumbledore nodded jovially, "a noble trait, Mr. Malfoy. Continue, please."

"Umbridge wanted Potter to tell her what he was doing in her fire; Potter wouldn't tell her so…" Draco paused, searching for the words to describe the horror he had felt in the office.

"She cast the Cruciatus curse on him?" Dumbledore provided gently. Draco nodded mutely.

"I…I…I wanted it to stop. I didn't think I would…but I did…it hurt me…badly…Do you know what I mean?" He looked up at Dumbledore with red-rimmed eyes. Thinking of the curse had made him feel ill, and for some mysterious reason, terribly sad.

"I believe I do. Mr. Malfoy, you do realize now why they call them the unforgivable curses." Dumbledore handed Draco a handkerchief, which he accepted, humbled in his grief. There was a moment's silence while the two gathered their thoughts

"I can't go home, sir……you might never see me again." Draco hated to admit that he would be disowned or worse for what he had done.

"I believe you. This is why I will make arrangements for your summer lodgings until you are of age. Then, we can decide which path your life will take."

"Thank you, sir." Draco felt totally numb.

"If you would like to see Potter in the hospital wing, I would appreciate if you would send up the others."

"I will Sir. Thank you." The door closed behind Draco. Thank you Mr. Malfoy

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End of Chapter five:

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