Timeline: AU after MoM for HP, still end of S5 for Buffy
AN: Thanks to all my reviewers, I never knew there was such joy to be had from reviews!
Summary of Chapter: What did Dumbledore have to say about Draco's behaviour with D. Umbridge... find out here.
(flashback)
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This scene takes place the day after the Ministry of Magic debacle.
Draco avoided Dumbledore's stare by having a good gaze around the Headmasters office. The sorting hat situated on one of the top shelves catching his attention and Draco remembered fleetingly how much he had desired be in Slytherin in his first year at Hogwarts.
The sorting hat had barely touched his head when it yelled out, sending him into that den of snakes. He shook his head to clear out the old memories and turned his attention to Dumbledore, aware that the old wizard was now talking to him.
"Excuse me?"
Dumbledore smiled.
"I said, would you like a sherbet lemon?" He said, offering the glass bowl of sweets. Draco dumbly looked at him like Dumbledore had just announced he was the Dark Lord's long lost twin. He had called him to his office to offer him sweets?
Dumbledore sighed.
"Firstly, Mr. Malfoy, as I'm sure you are aware by now, your father has been taken into custody after his involvement in the affair at the Ministry of Magic last night."
Draco remained impassive, his mother having already told him all this, so it was no mean feat.
Again Dumbledore sighed.
"Severus, could you please leave the room."
Snape looked surprised. He moved forward until he was in Draco's line of sight.
"Professor, as his Head of House, I must insist-"
"Now, please."
Snape turned on his heel and strode from the room. Draco caught the look on Snape's face and was glad he wasn't facing the Potions Masters wrath himself. Poor luck on the fool who did.
Dumbledore sat back in his chair. He fixed Draco with what seemed to be a look of great foreboding.
"There is a war brewing, Mr. Malfoy." Dumbledore said bluntly. At this, Draco was surprised. "And what every person in the wizarding world has to decide, what you have to decide is, where does your allegiance lie?" The aged wizard fixed Draco with his kind blue eyes. "I'm not asking for an answer now, Mr. Malfoy. I wouldn't expect you to tell me the truth at this point anyway. I want you to think about it, think long and deep. Because when the time comes, you have to be ready to choose."
You think it's that easy, don't you? Draco wanted to shout. You think it's always that easy. A simple choice? Right or wrong, good or evil, light or dark. What about loyalty? What about family? His rage simmered behind a thin veil.
Dumbledore seemed to sense this. He leaned forward, shuffled a few papers around, giving Draco ample time to get a lid on his feelings. After a few moments, he looked back up again.
The quiet, blank look had returned to Draco's face. In that moment Dumbledore felt all his 115 yrs. Taking a deep, calming breath, he spoke.
"Secondly, there is the matter of your punishment…"
"Punishment? What for?" Draco exclaimed
Dumbledore fixed him with a firm look. "You don't expect your behaviour during the past few months to go unpunished do you? Dolorous Umbridge may have been a headmaster of this school for a short period of time but she did not force you to act the way you did. You had a choice." Draco glowered. Dumbledore continued, "Do you understand the term 'community service', Mr. Malfoy? I daresay you would. It's a muggle term whereby a court of law sentences a law breaker to do work for the local community wherein the law was broken, i.e. picking up litter.
"Of course, technically, there has been no law broken here, nor has there been a court of law. None the less Mr. Malfoy, I am ordering you to complete 100 hrs of community service for your appalling behaviour in the last few weeks."
"What? Picking up litter?" Draco was disgusted by the idea.
Dumbledore chuckled at this.
"If you'd like. However I was thinking something more in the lines of helping Madam Pomfrey in the hospital wing."
Draco looked relieved. Indoor work, that'll be easy, he thought.
"Of course, I must ask you to not aggravate the patients. And to be courteous and civil at all times." Easy-Peasy, Draco mused. "You must do all work or errands that you are asked to do." Okay, maybe not. "And to make sure you do them."
Dumbledore pulled something out of a drawer. It seemed to Draco like a miniature hourglass on a chain.
"This is a timer. While you are on community service the grains of sand will fall from the top to the bottom, in a countdown as it were. However if at any time you do not comply with the rules of your engagement, the grains will fly back up to the top, in proportion, increasing the length of time you must work.
"You must complete a minimum of 30hrs before the end of the school year and the remaining hours can be worked as a volunteer at St. Mungo's."
Draco felt like punching the wizard right into his smug grin. He bore his teeth in what he felt was a smile.
"Do you agree, Mr. Malfoy?" For the first time, there was a hint of steel in the Headmasters voice.
"Do I have a choice?" Draco nearly growled.
"There is always a choice, Mr. Malfoy."
Yea, Draco thought bitterly. This, or expulsion, and there is no way I'm going to be expelled. But then, he thought, how bad can it be?
So he agreed, and was told to report to Madam Pomfrey immediately. As he walked along, he slipped the hourglass into his pocket. He began to fell happier about the type of work as he got nearer to the hospital wing. After all, Potions was his favourite class and this is where he would be seeing the potions in action.
It was only stepping through the doors into the hospital wing that he realised who the patients were and just how hard this was going to be.
"No!"