Author's Note:
I really do apologise that it had taken me this long to write this next chapter. Truthfully, I finished it a long time ago and then I forgot about it. I've been weighed down with endless amounts of work. I'll still be really busy with Prelim exams and then the HSC but I'll try to do as much as possible.
I went over this again and I made a lot of changes. I have another one or two chapters finished but I'll see what you think of this one. Again, sorry for the wait!
Chapter 7
Dumbledore was sitting, quite idly, waiting for one of the two boys in front of him to speak. Harry and Ron were, on the other hand, staring at him unsure of what to say. He seemed thoroughly disappointed in their actions of immediately and seemingly eagerly disowning the two girls as their beloved friends. Harry opened his mouth temporarily but closed it quickly. He really had nothing to say that he was sure would take away the disappointment and annoyance in his Headmaster's eyes.
"Harry and Ronald, I must say that I was quite ashamed to hear of the commotion the pair of you had caused the other day in the Great Hall, especially as you were aware of the task that I had given to the girls. If you were unaware then you may have had some reason to act to rashly and unfairly but you knew of what they had to do and though you may have been upset about it, there was and is nothing in your power that you could do."
"I would also have understood if you had told me that your actions were for show to pretend to be upset with the relationships of the girls with Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Zambini but as it is, you have not said anything, leading me to assume that it was not, in fact, acting on your part. Even then I would be disappointed. You are to be supportive of this relationship to make the boys want to be on the Light side."
The boys did nothing but lower their heads, a bright flush arising to their cheeks. Ronald opened his mouth much as Harry had done before but he too said nothing. He was quite sure that there was something he needed to tell the Headmaster about something or rather that he had overheard when the four had been speaking to one another but what it was, he just couldn't remember. Shrugging it off, he turned his attention to Dumbledore who seemed ready to speak again at their lack of response to his words.
But just as he was about to, the door flew open and a rather excited Hermione and Ginny appeared, Draco and Blaise right behind them looking quite nervous. Harry and Ron scowled at their appearance. Whether or not they were supposed to act supportive, they already hadn't and so there was no use in changing their ways now. Draco and Blaise eyed the two boys nervously for a second before grasping the girls' hands and shaking their heads gently. "Uhh…Professor Dumbledore…we'll come back later…we'd rather discuss this in privacy…" Draco muttered, wringing his hands anxiously.
Dumbledore however shook his head. "Boys…whatever is spoken can be said in front of these two boys. I can assure you that they will not use anything spoken here against you." He stated, glaring harshly at Harry and Ron before smiling at the two Slytherins. Draco glared inwardly. He was going to have to come across as a weak pansy in the presence of The-Boy-Who-Unfortunately-Lived and his Fire-Headed-Sidekick. Great, stupid bumbling pricks.
"Well… Draco and Blaise are here to pledge their allegiance to the Light Side." Hermione announced, a pleased grin spreading across her face. Harry and Ronald spun in their chairs so that their whole bodies were facing the intruding group. Their faces portrayed nothing less than shock before they gaped at the two Slytherin boys. Dumbledore looked extraordinarily excited and urged the four inside.
"Boys, I would like to hear what you have to say." Draco and Blaise glanced at each other before glancing rather nervously at Harry and Ronald and coughing in a manner than seemed to convey their anxiety. However under their breath they muttered softly, 'fucking pricks'. Dumbledore smiled widely at their 'apprehension'. "Now boys, if you are to be on the same side you must learn to accept each other. They have the right to hear what you have to say. After all, we do depend on Harry, do we not?"
Draco sighed before he spoke.
"Well, as you all know, Blaise and I have been dating Ginny and Hermione respectively for the past three months. Our whole lives we've been told of how Purebloods are superior but never were we given love and care. But it's been so different with the girls. They've shown us something that we've never had before and truthfully, its something so amazing and beautiful. I don't know how I'd live without it now. They…" He spared a quick glance at the two Gryffindor boys and then at the girls.
"They showed us what love was, what…what it was to be needed and wanted. Our fathers are too blind to see it and Voldemort… well he's just too hypocritical to understand anything. I mean I'm sure our mother's loved us but they never showed it and now…they've been so surrounded by death and hatred that they've become what me and Blaise were; unloving and cruel. We… we want to support a side that know what love is about and that can spread hope around the world, not despair and death. It's pointless. I guess that now that we can actually love, it is just impossible to be so heartless. I-I can't hurt anybody because of their heritage anymore…especially now that I'm in love with Hermione who well…was a Muggleborn and they cared for her amazingly. And I guess it's the same for Blaise. If it weren't for the Muggles, he wouldn't have his sister, I guess."
Harry and Ron snorted with laughter. Draco's recital had been so damn clichéd that it was almost impossible for Dumbledore to actually believe it. Dumbledore nodded with apparent understanding before turning to Blaise.
"I don't have much to add. I guess Draco summed it all up. But the past few months have been the greatest that we've both ever experienced and we've learnt so much. There is no way that we could ever support the Dark Side. If you don't believe us, we… we'll even take Veritaserum." Draco nodded wholeheartedly as did Hermione and Ginny, much to the shock of Harry and Ronald who were so sure that the boys had been bluffing.
Dumbledore nodded as well. "Very well. I unfortunately don't have any of the potion on me at the moment. I do, however, believe that Professor Snape is brewing some at the moment. I will fetch you in about two days." The boys nodded before taking the girls' hands and quickly returning to their quarters.
Hermione and Ginny had forced smiles onto their faces until the portrait closed behind them. It was at that very moment that they spun to face the boys. "Oh really, boys. Great going…yeah right up to the bit where you suggested the fucking use of Veritaserum! Nice going genius. Are you having problems understanding this? I mean really if you are, help me to help you." Hermione blurted out, under heavy sarcasm. "Help me to help you." She repeated a few times before the boys burst into laughter. Much to her anger, the boys only seemed to have this in response to her outburst and their actions with Dumbledore. She glared deeply before beginning her chant of the words 'Help me to help you.'
Blaise sauntered over to the fireplace, throwing in a handful. Tom Riddle's handsome face appeared, smiling out to his children. "I take it that you have spoken to Dumbledore?"
Blaise nodded. "Yes, but they seem very doubtful. We are to take Veritaserum in two days. Would it be possible for us to get it by tomorrow?" The Dark Lord nodded once, looking quite proud of himself.
Ginny stood up, quickly moving over to the grate. "If I may ask, what exactly is 'it'?" But the men just shrugged before the Dark Lord's face turned its attention to Hermione who was staring Draco in the face and continuing her mantra. Grinning out he called over to the girl.
"Hermione dear. Help you to help him do what exactly?"
Herimone rolled her eyes, momentarily forgetting who she was speaking with. She rambled on for a few seconds about how idiotic the boys were and how they were going to be found out.
The Dark Lord smiled before stating quite simply; 'Don't worry about that. You'll have it to make sure they don't know the truth."
Hermione's curiousity had been piqued much as Ginny's had been previously. "What is 'it' exactly?"
Just as before Tom Riddle shrugged before his face disappeared. Humphing with ire, she moved back to where her husband was seated. "If I didn't love you so much, I would be really angry with you." Draco let out a small bark of laughter before kissing her gently.
"If you didn't love me so much, I don't know where I would be." Hermione couldn't help but grin girlishly at his remark, blushing deeply. Draco's eyes seemed to darken. "That's it, woman, we're going upstairs." He picked her up and took her up the stairs to their dormitory, Hermione giggling the whole way up.
Blaise couldn't help but shake his head. "I don't want to know."
Hermione gasped with shock as the burning feeling in her arm returned for the second time that day. Tom Riddle had 'popped in' earlier to tell them that they could anticipate the arrival of 'the thing' when he next came.
This thing is seemed was an Anti-Veritaserum and it did just what its name suggested. It's effect would last for precisely twenty-four hours and after two hours of consumption, the potion was completely undetectable.
Rolling out of bed, she shook her head at the sluggish movements of her husband who was struggling to open his eyes. "Get up, you lazy boy." She teased, rushing down to the common room.
The Dark Lord was awaiting their arrival, Blaise and Ginny being in a similar state of mind as the blonde boy. "Hello Hermione. I have the thing that I promised you." Hermione growled with frustration before realising whom exactly she was speaking to.
"Oh. Umm thanks. What exactly is this stuff made of? Why haven't I heard of this before?" He had handed her four vials of a thick purple substance that happened to have quite a rotten stench to it.
Tom laughed. "Trust me, the combination of materials is so vast that it's not work me telling you. And the reason that you've never heard of it is because apart from you, Draco, Ginny, Blaise, Snape and myself neither had anybody else. Snape and myself worked long hours for this until we found the perfect combination to combat the Veritaserum. We had to get the right potency. Now listen carefully; Snape says that he'll give the potion to Dumbledore at approximately eight in the morning tomorrow so you can take it at six and they will not be able to detect a thing. See you when it is over, children." He said, disappearing into the fire once again.
Hermione couldn't shake the grin that had now planted itself on her lips. This was marvellous! They had a way of tricking the 'great' Dumbledore. "DRACO! BLAISE! GINNY! Let's go! Dumbledore will want us in an exactly two hours!"
At least half an hour before the four had departed to the Headmaster's office, Blaise and Draco had gulped down the concoction that Snape and Voldemort had developed. Cocky as it sounded, they doubted Dumbledore would even bother to check for an Anti-Veritaserum. As far as he knew, it was impossible. Hermione couldn't help but quiver at the idea of this concoction failing. All her years of reading and studying had never even produced the idea that such a potion was possible. What if Snape and Tom had given them the wrong potency? What if the potion didn't work as they had thought it did? Dumbledore, quite obviously, seemed excited and the two Gryffindor boys were sneering at their Slytherin counterparts.
"Um…Professor, is it vital for Potter and Weasley to be here?" Blaise asked, shifting his eyes from the professor to the boys and back to the senile man. Dumbledore merely nodded in response before handing them a vial each. The boys downed the contents quickly, placing their complete confidence in the Anti-Veritaserum potion.
"Mr Zambini and Mr Malfoy, you do understand that we must give you questions to ensure that the Veritaserum is in full use? Do you also understand that these questions will be of a very personal nature to ensure, in my mind, that you are being forced to tell the truth?"
The two boys nodded, grimacing at the questions that may be asked.
"Mr. Zambini, have you had sexual relations with Miss. Weasley?"
Blaise's eyes widened with horror at the question. Ginny's own brother was seated directly across from him. His eyes darted from the Headmaster to Ron and then to Ginny who merely nodded gently. His eyes flew back to Ron as he seemly struggled to withhold his answer.
Dumbledore smiled gently. "I ensure you that regardless of your answer, there will be no repercussions. If you happen to say yes, I shall ignore this fact and I will ensure that Mr. Weasley will have nothing to say on the subject."
Blaise smiled nervously before reluctantly answering, 'Yes.' Ron's face burned red in an instant as did Harry. The two boys leapt from their seats only to be restricted by an invisible force and were knocked back into their seats. Glaring deeply, Ron resorted to muttering threatening obscenities. Draco turned to Blaise with a raised eyebrow as did Hermione to Ginny, muttering something about 'discussing this later'.
"Ah. And Mr. Malfoy? Have you had sexual relations with Miss. Zambini?"
Wincing softly, he muttered a quiet 'sorry' to his closest friend before closing his eyes and stating a clear 'Yes, sir. I have'. Blaise turned his head sharply at his friend, whispering that they'd be having a lengthy talk about it later. Harry was fuming, on the other hand. Hermione had refused him endlessly in the previous year, this partially being the reason behind his violent actions against her. He was always so highly stressed and she would do nothing to help him relieve it, which would infuriate him.
Hermione blushed softly while Ginny smirked later at her. "God, Hermione." She said loud and clear. "What d'you mean we'll be discussing this later. You're in the same boat!" She ended with a loud giggle that earned her a deep glare from her brother. He was muttering softly to himself still. Just wait until he told the family!
Dumbledore however seemed quite pleased. "Well, now that all the embarrassing questions are out of the way I am sure that you are telling the truth. I doubt you would've said that you had in the presence of the girls' respective siblings if not under the influence, as we call it. Let us continue. Draco and Blaise, where does your heart belong in this Great War?" His voice took on a friendly and welcoming tone.
"To the Light Side" "To Potter and his cause." came the two replies. Dumbledore smiled softly.
"How did this change of heart come about, boys?"
"Hermione and Ginny showed Draco and I respectively how to love." "We grew up lovelessly but being with the girls showed us the meaning of life."
Seemingly pleased with these two replies, Dumbledore beamed up at the boys. "It would seem that your stories are all in order and you were speaking the truth. I should've believed it when you yourself offered the use of Veritaserum! Now, I'd like to welcome you both to the Order of the Phoenix!" With a bright smile he handed the boys two badges that matches those of Hermione and Ginny.
Hermione and Ginny both squealed with delight, rushing to the boys and hugging them close. Blaise whooped lightly, returning Ginny's hug while Draco smiled at Hermione before pulling her in and fastening his lips onto hers. Harry's eyes widened with anger but his attention was diverted by Ginny's soft gasp. Blaise had lifted her into his arms and was placing quick kisses along her collarbone. Harry and Ron couldn't help but stare with the utmost horror and disgust.
A soft cough interrupted them. Draco and Blaise both released the girls quickly and turned to the Headmaster. "S-Sorry, Headmaster." Blaise muttered.
Nevertheless, Dumbledore's eyes sparkled brightly. "Ah, young love. Don't mind me. I'm sure that you are off to celebrate! We'll call you with your badges as soon as possible. Goodbye now!"
The girls jumped on the boys backs as they left, hitching a ride back to their quarters. Harry and Ron jumped up, the invisible barrier disappearing, as they moved to follow the two couples. "Oh, Harry and Ron?" Dumbledore called them back. "I'd expect that you do not do anything rash. I have placed protection charms on the four of them. Any actions that you attempt will only end in it backfiring on you and you two will be the ones harmed. Do beware."
Harry growled angrily before stalking out of the room. "Yeah, what he said." Ron muttered. When he reached the door he turned again, "And this time, I do think you're a crazy old bat." He slammed the door behind him.
Dumbledore merely chuckled lightly at the boys. "Ah yes, young love." He stated once more before turning to the piles of Order of the Phoenix documents that he needed to take care of.
Author's Note:
Thank you for being so patient with me and my inability to stick to something. Hopefully you enjoyed it, there is another one or two chapters on the dinner, I'm not too sure.
Please Review and tell me what you think.