Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, everything belongs to J.K. Rowling.
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Friend or Foe
Chapter 11: An Ally
Draco looked up when the gargoyle's statue jumped aside to reveal Albus Dumbledore.
"Mr. Malfoy?" Dumbledore seemed surprised to see Draco there.
"I wish to talk to you in private, headmaster," said Draco.
Dumbledore regarded him with curiosity, then gestured Draco to the staircase. "Come in."
Draco ensured his Occlumency shield was in place before he followed Dumbledore to his office.
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"How can I help you, Mr. Malfoy?" asked Dumbledore after Draco had seated himself.
"I want to be a spy," said Draco simply.
Dumbledore's eyes widened. "A spy?"
Malfoy nodded. "I've been marked recently, as I'm sure you know, but I don't want to be a Death Eater."
Dumbledore looked thoughtful. "Why don't you want to be a Death Eater, Mr. Malfoy?"
Draco wanted to tell Dumbledore that it was none of his business, but held his tongue. It would do him no good to make Dumbledore even more suspicious of him. So he answered truthfully instead.
"I don't want to be a killer like my father," he said as calmly as he could. "Those muggle kids have done nothing wrong, but the Death Eaters killed them in cold blood without a second thought. It's just... disgusting. And they even took pleasure in hearing those muggles scream during torture sessions. I… don't want to be like them," said Draco.
Dumbledore stared at him and immediately Draco felt the familiar sensation of someone trying to invade his mind.
"Memories can be faked, headmaster," he stressed Dumbledore's title with a hint of sarcasm. "You can test me with Veritaserum, but I have to be the one who sets the questions."
Dumbledore smiled. "So you are trained," he said. "Yes, memories can be faked, but nothing can deceive a phoenix's feeling."
Draco was startled when a phoenix flew towards him. He had noticed that phoenix when he entered the office, and guessed that it must be Dumbledore's pet. To his amazement, the phoenix soon perched itself on his shoulder.
Dumbledore's smiled widened, his eyes twinkling annoyingly. "This is Fawkes, young Malfoy."
Draco didn't know what to do with a phoenix on his shoulder. Hesitantly, he petted the phoenix cautiously and let it fly back to its stool.
"What's that for?" he asked.
"Fawkes will know if you've been lying," said Dumbledore.
Draco simply nodded.
Dumbledore studied him for a while, then said, "Being a spy is dangerous, young Malfoy. It will be safer for you if you stop going to the meetings instead. You will be protected here."
"I'm not a child," said Draco coldly. "I don't need protection. I want to help, and you need more than one spy."
Dumbledore looked up sharply.
"Yes, I know Professor Snape is a spy," said Draco.
"How?" inquired Dumbledore.
"I have my way. Don't worry, neither I nor my source will report it to the Dark Lord," said Draco. "But we are talking about me being a spy, headmaster."
Dumbledore frowned slightly, then sighed.
"Yes, we do need another spy," he said. "If being a spy is your choice, I think you can cooperate with Professor Snape and assist him in spying on the Dark Lord. I will talk to him about this and ask him to tell you what you should do."
Draco nodded and dismissed himself quickly.
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As Draco was on his way back to the dungeons, he thought back at the sudden turn of events that lead him to his current position.
Draco's original intention had been to spy for Potter, but Potter had turned down his proposal rather quickly, with a vague reason.
"I can spy for you."
Potter stiffened. "What?"
"Remember what I told you on the Qudditch match that day?" asked Draco.
"A Slytherin will always find a way to get what he wants," Potter quoted him softly.
"I can't make the choice. Being disowned by my father or killing others for my father, so I… choose a way in between," said Draco.
Potter looked uneasy. "You should talk to Dumbledore," he said.
Draco snorted. "I may not be loyal to the Dark Lord, but that doesn't mean I am loyal to that old fool," he said.
"But-"
"Father told me Dumbledore has been manipulating you, trying to mould you into a perfect symbol of the light and a weapon to kill the Dark Lord," said Draco. "He has been keeping information from you."
"I know… and I'm not saying I trust him. He's been keeping too much from me, I have no reason to continue trusting him," said Potter, "but that's… not the point."
Draco frowned. He couldn't understand why Potter seemed so anxious.
Potter rubbed his forehead, an act Draco discovered was a sign of anxiety. "Dumbledore and I are… on a different road. We both want to stop to war, but with a different way. Only Dumbledore can make full use of your information."
Draco was further puzzled by Potter's behavior. "A different road? What do you mean?"
Potter stared at Draco, as if trying to judge whether to answer Draco or not. Draco did not like that look at all.
"You'll find out soon enough," said Potter finally, "if I am to teach you how to guard your mind."
Draco had been quite reluctant in accepting Potter's offer. Having civil conversation with Potter was one thing, but letting Potter teach him was an entire different matter. Though in the end, Draco was glad that he had let down his pride once and allowed Potter to help him, otherwise Draco would have been dead by now. Draco had been summomed two days after he had finally learned Legilimency. It would have been impossible for him to manage guarding his mind had Draco chosen to learn on his own.
After Draco had mastered Occlumency and moved on to learning Legilimency, Potter had reluctantly agreed to lower his mental shield for Draco to learn to invade another's mind easier. Therefore Draco had learned much more about The-Boy-Who-Lived than he wanted over the past four weeks. But of course, that went both ways; Potter had also viewed quite a number of Draco's private memories during their training sessions. And their relationship had kind of evolved into a tentative friendship through the sharing of memories.
Draco had been surprised to find out about Potter having such a childhood. The way the Dursleys treated Potter was unacceptable. He had even broken down in laughter when he saw Hagrid giving Potter's cousin a pig tail. How suiting. What Potter had said after that was not that hilarious though…
"Do you know why I didn't shake your hand that day on the train?" asked Potter casually.
Draco's face darkened. He was still angry with Potter for denying his friendship that day.
"Guess who you reminded me of with the way you act?" said Potter lightly.
Potter's statement managed to make Draco speechless.
Yet the shock of finding out Potter's home life was nothing compared to that when Draco found out what Potter meant by 'a different road than Dumbledore's'.
"Let's try again," said Potter.
Draco cleared his mind, then pointed his wand at Potter.
"Legilimens!"
Potter sitting in a dark room, eyeing something glowing brightly in the dark… An old man pointing at some colorful stones in a cabinet, talking eagerly… The old man pointed his wand at Potter. Potter looked into a mirror, watching his feature changed in fascination… Potter, in his disguise, put on the sorting hat and the hat yelled 'Slytherin' loudly…
Draco found himself being pushed out of Potter's mind.
Before Draco could say anything, Potter said, "So you finally come across that one." He sighed. "Well, I promise I'll tell you, so…"
Draco frowned. "What do you mean? And what's that I saw in your mind? You-"
Potter held up his hand to stop Draco's questioning.
"There's still more," said Potter. "Try the spell again, Malfoy, I'll direct you to several specific memories this time."
Confused, Draco did as he was told.
"Legilimens!"
A dark haired boy who looked similar to Potter was sitting idly under a tree, waving his wand in the air to move some flying alphabets around… The same boy standing in front of a door with Potter, still in disguise, and with a mock bow opened the door to reveal a large room, the HA room. The boy laughed heartedly at Potter, who was looking at him in disbelief…
Draco watched several more memories, all concerning Potter and the mysterious boy, who was a Slytherin and was obviously a good friend of Potter, before he was pushed out of Potter's mind again.
"Time travel," said Potter before Draco could ask any question. "This summer I found a magical stone that sent me back in time. I lost my memory and spent a year in the past."
"What?" Draco stared at Potter, dumbfounded. "Time travel?"
Potter nodded. "When I came back, no time had actually passed, so no one even knew I'd been gone for a year."
"You were sorted into Slytherin?" That was the first question that came into Draco's mind.
Potter chuckled. "What? You of all people should know how Slytherin I can be," he answered in amusement.
"Are you… serious, Potter?" said Draco. "You are telling me you've spent a year in the past, sorted in Slytherin, came back after a year and no one ever found out?"
Potter nodded, his eyes dancing with amusement, obviously at Draco's reaction.
Draco considered what Potter had just told him. That was… too far-fetched to be a fake story. Potter was too Slytherin to make up a story like that to deceive Draco. Besides, that would be a perfect, though outrageous, explanation to Potter's sudden change this year.
"Who's that kid?" he asked. Then something clicked. "He's that 'friend of yours' that you've mentioned so many times, isn't he? The one who found all those secret rooms."
Potted nodded, a sad looked passed his eyes. "Yes, that's him," he said. He stared at Draco closely, hesitated, then continued, "His name is Tom Riddle."
Draco frowned. "Riddle?" he said. "He's not a pureblood, is he?"
Potter blinked, as if he didn't expect this kind of reaction from Draco. "No, he's not a pureblood, that's why most Slytherins hated him at that time." He eyed Draco oddly. "Haven't you heard of his name?"
"No. Why?" asked Draco.
Potter rubbed his forehead. "Do you recognize his wand?" he asked slowly.
His wand? Draco tried to picture the boy's wand in his mind. The shape. The color. It did look familiar… Then Draco felt his blood turned cold as he remembered where he had seen the wand before…
"Now, raise your left arm."
Draco rolled up his sleeve and tried desperately to stop himself from wincing as the Dark Lord pressed his wand onto his skin.
Draco gasped and stared at Potter with wide eyes.
Potter nodded in confirmation.
"Tom Marvolo Riddle," Potter said, writing out the name in the air with his wand as he did so.
He glanced at Draco, then, with a look of resignation in his eyes, waved his wand at the hovering letters.
The letters rearranged themselves and Draco had a dread feeling as four words began to form before him.
I AM LORD VOLDEMORT
The boy in Potter's memory… Voldemort… The Dark Lord… and…Potter had called him 'friend'…
Potter had told him more about his time travel trip after that, and his relation with the young Dark Lord… or Tom, as Potter had insisted many times that 'Tom' was not a Dark Lord the time he met him.
Draco had been surprised to know how defensive Potter was of the Dark Lord and that Potter still considered the Dark Lord his friend.
"He's a Dark Lord, Potter. A sadistic bastard," said Draco, remembering what had happened when he was initiated.
Potter glared at him. "Don't call him that," he said.
"He tried to kill you, remember?"
"I know. And he's the one who kill my parents," said Potter "But Tom's my friend… I can never hurt him," he sighed and hung his head.
Draco admitted that he couldn't understand how Potter could still consider such a bastard friend, especially since said friend had been trying to kill him for years. But then, it was not as if Draco knew that much about friendship anyway. He hardly had any friends in Slytherin. All his so-called friends were assigned to accompany him because he was a Malfoy. Though he would never admit it aloud, especially not to Potter, Potter was probably the first person that Draco could truly call friend.
Draco might not understand why, but he knew how important friendship was to Potter. Potter had always treasured his friends, Draco had known that for a long time from the way Potter cared for Weasel and Granger. And as Draco became closer to Potter this year, he could tell that Potter even cared for him, when they had been despising each other since the first day of school. So Draco knew there was no way Potter could ever hurt his friends, let alone kill them.
So Draco had gone on to ask Potter what he planned to do, and that was when he realized how insane Potter was.
"What?" Draco stared at Potter in disbelief. "It's-"
"Insane," Potter finished it for him. "I know. But it's worth a try."
"Worth a try?" said Draco. "Honestly, Potter. To redeem the Dark Lord? That's just… crazy!"
"I don't care," muttered Potter. "Tell me I'm acting like a reckless Gryffindor or whatever, I have to try. I believe in Tom. I know there's still good in him," Potter said with determination.
"Stubborn idiot," Draco muttered. "You'll get yourself killed!"
"Maybe," said Potter. "But I can never kill him, so… I guess I'm going to die either way."
Draco frowned. "What do you mean? You are going to die either way?"
Potter shrugged. "Forget it," he said, waving his hand. He looked back at Draco. "That's why I don't need you to spy for me," he said. "The road I have chosen is for me alone. No one else can help me. I'm sorry."
Draco was surprised to hear Potter apologizing to him. "Potter…"
"Talk to Dumbledore," Potter continued. "I'm sure he'll know how to help you."
Draco was about to protest when Potter interrupted.
"He is the only one who can help you, and you know that."
Draco had no choice but to admit that Potter was right. From the turn of events, it was obvious that it would be pointless for Draco to spy for Potter.
Draco sighed. For the first time in his life, he was worried about someone other than himself. He was actually worried about Harry Potter of all people. Potter had asked him to help him with something… and Draco had been so shocked with what Potter had asked him to do that he had even considered telling someone. But somehow, he didn't want to break Potter's trust. Besides, there was actually no one he could pass on the information to. Dumbledore was out of question. Potter might be insane, but Dumbledore was both insane and manipulative. Draco would never side with that old fool. Since his godfather was spying for Dumbledore, he couldn't tell Severus as well. Telling his father would be pointless as well since his father would most probably pass the information to the Dark Lord, who knew exactly what had happened.
He shook his head to clear his thoughts. With Potter taking his own side, he couldn't help wondering how the war between light and dark would turn out.
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It was the night two days before the beginning of Christmas holidays when Draco was summoned again. He hesitated, then, sighing in resignation, he took out his fake alleon and set the time to contact Potter.
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"That's all for my report, My Lord." Severus bowed down from his kneeling position before the Dark Lord.
The Dark Lord nodded. "Go back to Hogwarts and report to me any news of the old fool."
"Yes, My Lord."
"You are dismissed."
Severus frowned behind his mask. Dismissed? But the meeting was not over yet. He swallowed. So the Dark Lord was suspicious of him.
He bowed again and kissed the hem of the Dark Lord's robe. He got up then walked towards the edge of the apparation ward. Just before he apparated away, he caught a glimpse of a cloaked figure walking out of the shadows and towards the Dark Lord.
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He walked slowly out of his hiding place towards the crowd of Death Eaters, face hidden by his hood, eyes focusing on the one sitting high before all of him, Voldemort.
Almost immediately as he walked out, he was at the wand point of nearly every assembled Death Eater. He held up his hands in a gesture of peace. He looked up at the Dark Lord, who was watching him with narrowed eyes.
"Who are you?" accused one of the Death Eater.
He raised his hand and lowered his hood to reveal his face.
Several gasps were heard followed by his action.
"Harry Potter," said the earlier Death Eater, raising his wand in an attack stance.
"Lucius," a hissing voice stop Lucius Malfoy's action and silenced every other Death Eater.
Voldemort stared at Harry with his crimson eyes, pointing his own wand at him.
"Potter," he said with a cold voice. "What are you doing here?"
Harry's eyes kept on the man who was once his friend. He lowered himself slowly to a kneeling position.
"I am here to join you."
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A/N: Finally I've reached this part. Next chapter will be, obviously, about the meeting of Harry and Tom. I just can't wait writing it! But I'll wait until I've finished reading HBP first.
SBR: No, Draco didn't know Snape is a spy until Harry told him.
xxlostdreamerxz: Thanks for the idea, but no, I don't think so. There's not much to tell after the ending of this one. But of course, I can't say for sure, there are several possible endings and I still haven't decided which one I'm going to use.
Amayaris: You have to wait and see what Snape's up to.
The game? Gryffindor, of course, from what I see, Harry is definitely a better seeker than Draco.
By the way, sorry I still haven't replied your mail. I'm busy getting this out before HBP.
InsolventDarkTazz: Here you've got another Harry/Tom interaction. As for ships, there will be no pairing in this fic.
Again, thanks for Irihi Safaia and all reviewers! Have fun reading book six and don't forget to review!