See prologue for warnings and disclaimer.
Moonlight and Shadows: Chapter 6
Harry managed to secure the Head Boy dormitory in Gryffindor Tower to sleep that night, and he was quite relieved to be back within the stony walls of the castle once again. Ginny watched him take his belongings from the hotel room somewhat sadly, but Harry knew she understood.
Once outside, Harry said Kreacher's name and asked him to take his rucksack to his room. The elf gladly took off, and Harry set out to find Malfoy's cave again. It felt odd not to walk with his cloak for protection, but he wasn't bothered. He hurried up the hill toward the tiny light in the face of the mountain, standing right in the mouth of the cave when he reached it.
Malfoy had his back to Harry, but Harry knew that Malfoy knew he was there all the same. Harry walked a few steps into the cave, and saw that Malfoy had the Invisibility Cloak in his hands and was examining it.
"What made Dumbledore think you were so worthy of this, Potter?" he said finally.
"It was mine before Dumbledore gave it to me. It's been in my family for centuries," Harry answered truthfully. Malfoy was quiet a while longer. Then he turned around.
"And why would something so flawless be in your family?" he asked. Harry sighed.
"Just give it here, Malfoy."
"What if I don't?" Harry had a suspicion that it might come to this all along, but that didn't make him any happier about it.
"If you don't, then it makes me even more worthy of it."
"Oh," Malfoy scowled. "I thought we might duel for it." Harry sighed again.
"That's not the way it works, Malfoy. The cloak knows you're not its true owner, it won't always work properly for you."
"Perhaps if I killed you, then?" he said and stood up. Harry was losing his patience quickly. He'd had too many death threats in his life to count. It didn't seem to matter to anyone that he wasn't scared of death. He didn't actually know whether he was still immune to the Killing Curse, but he wasn't particularly ready to test it out, either. And coming from Malfoy, the mere threat was laughable.
"You aren't any more capable of killing me than Ron is of turning brunette," he said coolly, amused. Malfoy's eyes narrowed.
Then, without another word, he handed Harry the cloak. Harry looked at it, then back to Malfoy's face, and took it.
"Thanks," he said quietly, a little resentfully. He hadn't expected Malfoy to give in so quickly. And, he had to admit to himself, he had gone over a week now without using his wand for anything more than little household spells. He was aching for some sort of battle.
Malfoy glared at the ground and barely opened his mouth to say hurriedly, "Don't be so stupid, Potter. You lent me the damn thing."
Coming from Malfoy, Harry took that to mean an incredibly grateful "thanks." It was like hearing Dudley say he didn't think Harry was a waste of space.
There was a fire again in the cave and Malfoy sat down on the rock he'd occupied the night before. Harry wasn't sure whether he was being dismissed from Malfoy's presence or not, or what he was supposed to do or say if he stayed. He stood foolishly for a minute before Malfoy spoke.
"You need to fix up the dungeons next, Potter." Harry was shocked.
"That sounds like an order, Malfoy." He merely stared back at Harry.
"It's about time someone did. Believe it or not, people won't want to follow you around all their lives once they find out that you're actually a supremely ridiculous arse of a leader. Then where will you be? I've been trying to tell you that you aren't special for years. So you'll only believe it once the rest of the world starts to tell you so?"
Harry gritted his teeth and glared at Malfoy. But as much as Harry wanted to hate Malfoy for what he was saying, he knew all of it was true. Hadn't he already told himself that he was tired of being looked up to, that he wished people would stop looking to him as a god, since he certainly wasn't one?
"No," Malfoy continued. "Of course you're too stuck up your pole to realize that you're just another man like the rest of us."
Harry thought about this. He could stand being called a "ridiculous arse of a leader" and Malfoy telling him he wasn't worthy of being looked up to... but could he really ignore all that he'd done, all that he'd lived through?
"Oh," Harry said menacingly, barely controlling his temper. "I realize I can never be compared to your glorious Lord Voldemort. You really think he's great even after he failed?"
Malfoy was livid, and Harry found he couldn't really blame him. He'd promised himself that he wasn't going to make any more comments about Voldemort to Malfoy. It made Malfoy particularly menacing, and he realized that part of Malfoy's past would be uncomfortable. But he couldn't help it, not when Malfoy was being unnecessarily mean to him... not that mean, Harry supposed... but mean all the same. They'd always had to bite back, through all their years of throwing insults at each other. Fair was fair, that's how it had always been. And Malfoy had already showed that that wasn't about to change, even after the war...
"Anyway," Malfoy continued. Harry could tell he was trying to rise above the insult, but he could still hear Malfoy's voice trembling with anger. "If I'm going to be staying in this castle then the dungeons should be their best, and they should be a priority."
Harry shook his head at him.
"Unless you start helping, the dungeons are going to be the last place fixed up," he said. Then Malfoy's words sunk in. He seized the opportunity of a normal, civil conversation. "So you're staying then, to teach?" asked Harry in the most pleasant voice he could muster.
"What do you care, Potter? Anyway I don't know why I would, having to stay in the same building as you for at least another year." Harry disregarded this.
"But you are, anyway?"
"I don't know. And I don't even need to ask if you're staying or not– you'll probably be here 'til you die, just like Dumbledore, and probably preaching his words still then, too."
"Course I will. And what about you? Still going to follow in Snape's footsteps, even though he wasn't really the Death Eater you adored so much?"
"Obviously not. I would try not to get myself killed."
"Do you really still not understand, Malfoy? That there are so many worse options than getting killed?"
"Oh no, Potter, I get it. Seeing as one of those options is being split open in a dozen different places."
"That's still death! Even if it's more painful than Avada Kedavra, you could still die." Harry realized his words too late... he had really just admitted to Draco Malfoy that he could have killed him. Malfoy smirked.
"And everyone thought you could never kill anyone... little did they know that you might pick the most painful death for your enemies..."
"First of all, everyone knows that you could never kill anyone. Hell, Malfoy, I've never even seen you duel anyone! And also..." he paused, considering his words. "Also, you aren't my enemy. I don't know what you are. I suppose you're just an annoying little git." It was like telling Malfoy that he'd be the last to laugh if he saw him crying, but it was the truth. A real Death Eater who tried to kill him or his loved ones was an enemy. Not a wanna-be Death Eater who could barely raise a wand in his defense.
Malfoy narrowed his eyes. It was a backhanded compliment– Harry wasn't his enemy (or so he said... but real enemies would call themselves friends and then turn their backs on a person), but he definitely wasn't a friend... and he was insulting him, anyway.
"Anyway," said Harry, "I have my cloak, and I'm leaving. And if I see you tomorrow morning at breakfast, you can start on the dungeons with us. If I don't, you can either bugger off or help us with the seventh floor, and I'll decide about the dungeons later. As it is, you should probably give me some reason to do any favors for you, Malfoy, because I'm really not in the mood."
He looked at Malfoy, who was still glaring defiantly at him, and then he left. He might have actually gotten a one-up on Malfoy, even after his comment about not being enemies... it was the truth, he thought.. After all, everyone had a much different idea of "enemies" after the war.
And anyway, he almost felt as though he'd given Malfoy his own challenge. If Malfoy said "prove it," Harry had told Malfoy to give him a reason to do any favors for him, so if they both did their part, they were even. After all, Harry really had proved to Malfoy already that he wasn't going to laugh at him... what more could he do? He would have to show a crying Draco Malfoy to a crowd of people, while standing beside him and not laughing. Of course Harry could, because he was telling the truth that he wouldn't laugh. But the situation would never present itself.
So, he was left wondering what on earth Malfoy would try to do for Harry if he was so desperate for them to clean the dungeons.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Next Morning OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Ron had already told Harry and Hermione that he was going to take the job of Hogwarts Disciplinary Manager, and Harry could tell that Hermione was extremely exxcited at the prospect of teaching, even if it delayed her career as a Healer. But Harry struggled with his own plans. Of course he would never be able to become an Auror if he didn't finish all of his schooling.
But even through the last week, Harry had learned something about himself: he was easily restless. Any lack of mystery in his life meant that Harry was apathetic, dull, and dispassionate. Malfoy had given him something to investigate, but if they were to be colleagues, Harry would be less willing to risk pissing Malfoy off. Harry knew, and he sensed that Malfoy knew too, that their conflict was childish at best. And although Harry enjoyed putting the energy he had into their fighting, neither of them would ever win.
Harry doubted winning had anything to do with fighting, but momentary triumph was enough.
He walked into the Great Hall, plagued as usual by fans, and was immediately greeted by Hermione's bushy hair and squealing.
"Harry! Harry!" she called as she ran up to hug him. "You'll never guess what McGonagall said!"
"Er... what?" he asked as enthusiastically as possible.
"She said she could tutor me in the Healing arts while I'm teaching and doing seventh year!"
"That's great, Hermione. If anyone could handle that, it's you," he said, glancing at Ron, who was standing at Hermione's side and smirking at Harry.
"Thanks, Harry. Anyway, I honestly think it'll be great for McGonagall, too, so I'm excited. See, when I heard her and Madame Pomfrey yesterday, I realized that McGonagall must have been a Healer at one point, or at least have had some background in Healing, so I asked her about it. And at first she was a little touchy about it, but then I told her I was interested, and I asked her if she might like to teach me some things this year, so that maybe when I graduate I can go straight to an advanced level of Healer training. And she actually got very enthusiastic and she told me she'd love to teach me everything about it! I only hope that Madame Pomfrey doesn't get mad, because it seems like she thinks she's better than McGonagall... but I wanted McGonagall because she's getting on a bit, you know, and I could tell she was passionate about it, and she should get to relive that, right? Anyway I'm so excited, and now that that's settled, I'll definitely be staying here for this coming year, but–"
"Hermione!" said Ron suddenly. "Breathe!" He was staring at her as though scared she might faint, for she had scarcely taken a breath in her entire monologue. But he rolled his eyes at Harry. "What about you, mate? Think you'll stay? I think you'd be mad not to, there isn't much going for you if you don't finish seventh year..."
"Not sure yet," Harry said uncertainly. "I mean, you're right, I don't have much choice..."
"But then again," Ron continued, "They're offering you Minister of Magic, right? So you'd be set for life there, and everyone would be at your beckon call, and they'd listen to you..."
Draco Malfoy had just walked past the trio in the entrance hall, and Harry could tell he'd heard every word Ron had said. Ron hadn't noticed him, but Hermione looked like she was trying to decide whether or not to glare at him. He walked by the three slowly, obviously waiting for Harry's answer. Harry actually swallowed quickly.
"No..." he said, one eye still on Malfoy.
"No?! You're mad, mate... Minister of Magic?"
"No..." Harry said again, then looked at Ron. "No, I'd be a terrible leader, it'd only last so long, then everyone would realize..." he trailed off and looked back at Malfoy.
He looked at Harry with a smirk, and Harry could trace the lines of triumph on his face as well. Well, Harry wasn't going to argue with him– the boy had a point, he'd be a terrible leader after a while. He was reminded of Dumbledore, and how he'd said that he had realized he couldn't be trusted with power. But this didn't have to do with power, only the responsibility of decision-making, which Harry knew he didn't have enough experience with politically.
He narrowed his eyes again at Malfoy's retreating back and turned back to Ron.
"Kingsley's perfect for it, really. And I'm kidding myself if I think there's really anything else out there for me... there isn't, not until I finish seventh year. So..." he sighed. "So, yeah, I'm staying."
Ron and Hermione smiled joyfully and excitedly. Harry relished his decision to stay within the castle walls which felt so much like home for at least another year.
Breakfast was underway and Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat down to participate. Harry looked around once more for Malfoy, but he couldn't be spotted amongst the many people and families in the Great Hall.
"Harry, you've got to tell McGonagall as soon as possible that you're going to stay. She seemed desperate to know what your answer was, and she didn't believe that we didn't know," said Hermione. Harry finished breakfast and agreed to find her before they started work on the next part of the castle. Harry still was not sure between the seventh floor and the dungeons, and although Ron and Hermione were perplexed as to why Harry would want to fix up the dungeons so soon, they agreed to wait until he got back to start work on anything.
Harry turned the corner into the corridor outside of the Great Hall and abruptly came to a halt flat against the wall. Malfoy was talking to Professor McGonagall some distance away from Harry, but he could hear them if he strained. He happened to be behind a suit of armor, so he was out of sight from the two.
"...Glad to hear it, Mr. Malfoy. You will be Head of Slytherin House, then?"
"Yes, Professor, gladly," said Malfoy, and Harry could hear the delight in his voice.
"Excellent. Now then have you seen Mr. Potter?"
"Potter? Why would I care about seeing Potter?"
"I was merely asking if you had seen him, Mr. Malfoy, not whether you cared. And if the two of you are going to be on Hogwarts staff, I will require that you are both most courteous to one another. I am able to take away privileges from the staff as well as the students, and if it must come to that, I will certainly use that ability. I am sure neither one of you would want to sacrifice your positions for an old, childish grudge... am I correct, Mr. Malfoy?"
Before McGonagall had even finished her sentence, Harry took the opportunity to come out of his hiding place. Her back was to him, and he knew that Malfoy had spotted him immediately, being able to see easily over her shoulder. Harry was able to discern as Malfoy's eyes widened slightly, knowing Harry had heard their conversation, and then narrow as Malfoy developed a plan.
He had muttered a "yes, Professor," but in registering that Harry was there, he looked past McGonagall, attempted a wave, and said, "Hello, Harry!"
Harry was so surprised that he had to make a conscious effort not to stop dead in his tracks. He had been about to tell Professor McGonagall that no "childish grudge" would get in the way of his work, but it seemed that Malfoy had a plan, and Harry could think of nothing but to play along.
Of course, Malfoy's voice was comically strained, and he made it clear as Veritaserum to Harry that this was not a permanent arrangement, but merely designed for McGonagall's ears at the time. But all the same, Harry could not help feeling that there was a little mischief in this, and moreover, he was actually participating in it with Draco Malfoy.
Harry cleared his throat.
"Oh, hello Draco. I was just going to talk to Professor McGonagall about this coming year. You've accepted, then?" He was approaching the two of them, and smiled at Professor McGonagall, hoping to convey that he and Draco were on friendly terms.
"Yes, of course," Malfoy replied. Harry had caught up with them, and the boys both looked at Professor McGonagall. She looked puzzled, but Harry could have sworn that she'd seen right through their plan. She would never buy it...
"You see, Professor," Malfoy continued, "I believe you're right about our 'old, childish grudge'... there's no point in it. And Harry and I agreed that we simply aren't enemies anymore." He looked pointedly at Harry, and Harry could not believe his ears. So Malfoy was agreeing with him? Or was he just saying that for McGonagall? The tone of his voice implied some sucking up, but Harry had to remember that Malfoy was simply like that around teachers. Either way, he had said it, and Harry treated the statement with the respect it deserved as if it were the truth.
"Well," McGonagall said finally, after studying the two of them. "If you two have reached an agreement, I applaud you. You are quite right to come to the decision that after hard times like this past year, your real enemies will do much more than call you names. And I can assure you that if you aren't, at the very least, civil to one another, there will be consequences regarding your education and staff status here."
Harry and Malfoy both nodded. She turned to Harry.
"I suppose this means you are accepting the job, Mr. Potter?"
"Yes, Professor," he said.
"And will you also accept the position of Head of Gryffindor House?"
"Yes, Professor, thank you," Harry said happily. He glanced at Malfoy, whose expression said that he wished it weren't true, but that it was inevitable.
"Now," she addressed both of them. "You are part of the staff, so you will address the other staff members by first names. However, I will be overseeing your education, so you will continue to address me as 'Headmistress' or 'Professor.' Understood?"
They both nodded.
"Right then," she said. She scrutinized them again as if to see whether they would break out in a fight after she left. "I will be speaking to you later about staff rules, schedules, and other responsibilities." They nodded. "I will be in the Hospital Wing today, but Mr. Potter, good luck with... er... where is it you're cleaning today?"
Harry was caught off guard; he had not yet decided. But in getting slightly flustered, he managed to get Malfoy's gray eyes, which seemed to scream one word: favour... favour...
"The dungeons," he said.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Malfoy agreed to help with the dungeons for a while, and went down while Harry got Ron and Hermione. The dungeons were worse than Harry had expected. The footsteps of the giants had made most of the stone ceiling fall into the corridors, and it was harder to repair a ceiling than a floor or wall, which everyone quickly discovered. At first, Harry saw that Malfoy had taken it upon himself to supervise everyone's work. After only a half an hour of this, however, his behaviour started to affect the house elves as well as the flustered and defiant wizards, and Harry put a stop to it.
The dungeons took the whole day to fix, but looked even better than before the war. They'd managed to magically wash the stone as well as mend it and protect it, so now they didn't even seem as dark and foreboding. A false illusion to the poor first years once Malfoy starts teaching... mused Harry.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
A/N: I'm so happy! I'm on Chapter 6 and I already have Chapter 7 written! I'd love a few more reviews before I update, though :) Because all of your reviews are so lovely! Seriously, though, thank you all so much...
Ah hell... I might just update anyway. Chapter 7 is pretty good... but maybe like... FOUR more reviews? to make it a round 20? PLEASE?!?! puppy dog face... hehe. That's not really too much to ask, I KNOW there are a lot more of you reading than are reviewing (but thanks to those who do R&R, you're extremely kind :). So everyone review!