"One tear in the dropping rain
One voice in a sea of pain
Could the maker of the stars…
Here the sound of my breaking heart?
One life, that's all I am
And right now I can barely stand"
-Hold My Heart
Chapter 14: New Allies and New Roommates
Past Disclaimer applies.
"Potter," somebody hissed from around the corner as Harry cautiously entered the dungeons.
Pulling out his wand, being that he had no idea what or whom awaited him, the Gryffindor then slowly made his way towards the place the voice had come from.
"For Merlin's sake, Potter, would you put that away?" hissed Malfoy once Harry had come into view. The other boy had nearly jabbed him in the eye with his wand as Draco was about to turn the corner to see what was taking so long.
"Sorry," Harry muttered half-heartedly as he pocketed the 11inch Holly.
"Yeah, yeah," the Slytherin then got to the point, "Just follow me," he ordered before taking off rather quickly in the opposite direction.
Still feeling a bit uneasy about the entire situation, the Gryffindor hesitated and pulled out his wand once more before following the prat anywhere.
"I thought I told you to put that away?" Malfoy spat, noticing the wand held firmly in the other teen's hand once more.
"Again, sorry," Harry said for the second time, yet still not meaning it, "But I honestly don't trust you," he told the blonde rather bluntly.
Draco merely sighed, "Whatever, Potter," he refrained from rolling his eyes when Harry's grip around the small piece of wood tightened, "Are you coming inside?" he then gestured to the now open portrait before them.
Peering into the room, Harry realized that this was the Potion Master's private quarters. He recognized it so easily from the memory he and Dumbledore had witnessed just moments ago. The only difference now was that instead of being in that room with Slughorn and Voldemort, Harry would be inside it with Snape and Malfoy. So, basically, it would be two people that hated him versus just the one from before. "Great," he thought, "Well, at least neither one of them is out to kill me," Harry added optimistically before putting in a negative, "… I think."
"Well?" Malfoy asked, breaking the raven-haired boy from his train of thought. Looking back at Draco, he noted that the blonde was now very irritated. Oddly enough, however, it amused Harry to no end.
"Yeah, don't get your wand in a knot," he told the boy, before quickly entering to avoid any retaliation.
"Ah, and Mr. Potter has finally decided to grace me with his presence," came the voice Harry knew all too well. "Late," Snape stated, "As per usual."
Only three seconds had he been in the room and the Gryffindor was already being insulted. If this was all he was called down here for, Harry thought, then there was no point in sticking around.
"Take a seat," the Professor directed him towards the couch placed before the chair he currently sat in. Draco had already seated himself on the opposite end of the (green, of course) sofa.
Realizing that he would not be going anywhere, despite what he so desperately wanted, Harry complied and sat beside the other boy. It was then that he remembered all of what Dumbledore relayed to him. Snape…spy…horcrux…snake…Harry needed answers, and he needed them now.
"Sir-?" he began only to be cut off by a hand raised by Snape to silence him.
"As I understand it," the Professor spoke, "You have just come from a meeting with the Headmaster," he then eyed the boy before him, "Am I correct?"
Harry merely nodded.
"Are you incapable of answering me vocally Mr. Potter, or-"
Exasperated and extremely annoyed, the Gryffindor took his turn in interrupting the other man, "Yes!" Harry then told him sarcastically, "You're right, as usual."
Much to his surprise, Snape just smirked at him before continuing, "So, I am certain that he has told you of my prior status." He told the boy as more of a statement than a question, so Harry chose to remain silent. "We shall discuss the matter in due time, I assure you," he watched the frustrated look appear across the boy's face, "But for now we have more important topics cover."
Harry took a deep breath and bit back the protests he was about to make. "And what would that be?"
"What would that be, sir," Snape corrected, much to his displeasure. He could hear Malfoy trying to stifle a laugh beside him, which only angered him further.
"And what would that be, sir?" Harry said again, through gritted teeth this time.
Surprising him for a second time that night, Snape gave him a look that was almost, what?-sympathetic? ("As if that were even possible," Harry thought) and spoke with a softer, somewhat nicer tone than before, "It is no secret in regards of what happened to young Mr. Weasley this past year, as I'm sure you know," the Professor began, "And while it is most unfortunate-"
"Unfortunate?" Harry interrupted. "I didn't come all the way down here for this," he told the two. The teen no longer cared about what Snape was once hiding. Regardless of what Dumbledore said, he would get the details out of the Headmaster one way or another. Clearly, talking with the Potions Master about his previous spy status wasn't an option. Not when all the git wanted to do was talk about his late best friend. The subject was plenty hard to speak of with his closest friends, let alone the bat of the dungeons. So, after coming to that conclusion, Harry got up and prepared to leave.
"Where do you think you're going, Potter?" Severus rose as well, "This discussion is hardly over." As an argument was evidently about to take place, Malfoy chose to stay seated and remain silent. For once, he thought it best to steer clear of fighting with the other boy.
"I don't need your pity!" Harry told the older man, taking a courageous step forward in the process. "And I sure as hell don't want your condolences," he spat. "You didn't even like R-" the Gryffindor still had a hard time mentioning his mate's name. Even when he was trying to make a point…he just found it difficult.
"I was not offering my condolences, nor was I trying to display any means of pity towards you Mr. Potter," Snape took the brief moment of silence to have his word, "Whilst I should not have to explain this to you, I shall inform you that I was merely stating the facts in an attempt to get to my point."
"Where exactly does he fit into all this?" Harry asked, slightly lowering his voice, "What does he have to do with anything?"
"If you would kindly retake your seat I will illuminate you," he told the boy with his infamous sarcastic tone.
Several moments passed before Harry finally decided to give in. It wasn't until then that he sat back down next to Draco.
"Ten points from Gryffindor and a detention for the next Saturday," his Professor informed him before carrying on with their previous conversation.
"What? You've got to be-" Harry tried protesting.
Snape raised a brow, "Would you like to make that twenty and a month's worth of detentions, Potter?" he tried.
The teen wisely remained quiet and just shook his head.
"You will not raise your voice at me again," he informed the raven-haired teen, "do you understand?"
Harry took a deep breath, "Yes, sir."
Unable to contain himself this go round, the Slytherin laughed.
"Hush, Draco," his godfather silenced him within a matter of seconds, causing Harry to take his turn in laughing at the other boy.
A stern look was all it took for him, however, to quickly shut his mouth.
"Now, then," the Professor began once more, "As I was saying earlier-"
"Could we just skip the part about," Harry swallowed, "About him, sir?" he pleaded, not wanting to be reminded once more that night.
Snape eyed him carefully before reluctantly agreeing, "As you wish Mr. Potter." He noticed the boy sigh in relief. "If I may continue without interruption this time, it would be much appreciated."
Harry lowered his head, "Yes, sir," he mumbled.
"Another was lost that night, as I recall," the Professor went on, getting straight to the point this time. It was here that Draco began to really pay attention. "Lucius Malfoy was murdered, by your godfather no less, that night," he said whilst looking at Harry.
"Are you expecting an apology?" he turned to the blonde beside him. "Because for one thing, I'm not the one who-"
"I thought we agreed on no further interruptions, Potter," Snape spat, becoming increasingly agitated. If Severus had known the boy was going to make communicating with him this difficult, he would have never agreed to the Headmaster's request of having this conversation. Dumbledore had insisted that Harry needed to know exactly why Draco's persona will have changed, why the Potion's Master went out of his way to protect the foolish Gryffindor all these years, and just why the need to learn Occlumency was more important than ever before.
"I'm just saying that-" Harry tried explaining.
"I don't want an apology, Potter," Draco spoke up, "I know you're not the one who killed my father," he informed him, "but even if you were, it wouldn't make a difference. I'm not sorry he's dead and I don't expect or want anybody else to be."
Harry could only gape at him. Why would he not be devastated at the loss? It was his own flesh and blood for Merlin's sake!
"Yes, it seems the Mutt was able to accomplish something worthwhile for once in his pathetic life," Snape drawled on.
"Don't say a word against-"
"You will lose your attitude, Potter, or I will refrain from explaining anything to you," Snape cut the teen off.
Realizing that he wouldn't be getting even a full sentence in at this point, Harry took yet another deep breath in an attempt to calm down.
"Lucius was never a good man," the Professor went on. Harry couldn't keep in the scoff that escaped his lips at those words. After shooting his student a warning look, he proceeded, "Not even towards his family, was he halfway decent."
Emerald eyes looked back and forth between Snape and Malfoy. What were they getting at?
"My father was abusive," Draco cut the conversation short. "Why are we telling him this?" he asked his godfather.
"Because Potter and his lot would be expecting anger and resentment from you," Snape informed, "And when you instead acted civil, they became curious," he then insulted the other teen by saying, "and we all know that Mr. Potter's curiosities have led to nothing but danger to himself and those around him in the past."
"Was that necessary?" Harry shot a glare at his Professor.
"Someone's sensitive," Malfoy snickered, causing him to instead narrow his eyes at the other boy.
"Alright," the Gryffindor huffed, "If somebody doesn't tell me-"
"Be silent for two minutes and all shall be explained," Snape prevented him from finishing yet another sentence.
"Look," Draco decided that with the other two constantly arguing it would be easier for him to just do this, "My father was a deatheater, as you obviously knew," Harry nodded, "With that, he was expected to act a certain way," Malfoy sighed before continuing, "And in turn, he expected my mother and I to behave in a particular manner."
Harry's stomach churned. He didn't like where this conversation was going. The Gryffindor had a hunch that it was headed to a dark place...and although his assumptions had been wrong many times before, Harry was almost certain he was correct in this.
"My father took his job quite seriously," Malfoy told him, "He was very faithful when it came to the Dark Lord," the boy shook his head, "The man expected me to join his ranks this past summer."
"Did you?" Harry couldn't help but ask.
The Slytherin rolled his eyes, "No, Potter," he then pushed up his sleeve to reveal his un-tattooed arm. Not that it was any of the bloody Gryffindor's business. The blonde was simply proving a point.
"Anyways," Draco went on, "to make this easier for you to understand, I'll be blunt," he then looked at Harry in a way the other teen wasn't familiar with. He looked completely serious as opposed to the foul looks he typically wore in Potter's presence. "My mother was forced to become a deatheater and was instructed to associate with those of only a pureblood status," he then gave off a look that was almost…guilty? Harry couldn't be sure because the mask was back up moments later and the blonde continued speaking, "While I was made to eventually join the Dark Lord's ranks as well as refrain from being friends with anybody outside the Slytherin house. In fact," he informed the teen sitting beside him, "When my father learned that I had originally tried to become mates with you back in first year, he became angry, I guess you could say, and ordered me to make your life miserable from that day on," Draco then smirked, "Because nobody rejects a Malfoy, you see," he elaborated.
Harry snorted, "Of course."
"Yes, we are all aware of what if must mean to be a Malfoy," Snape somewhat insulted the other teen for once, instead of going after the raven-haired one. "Continue, if you would," his godfather instructed.
Not appearing to be affected by the small blow, Draco did as he was told. "At first I was all for making your life a living hell," he told Harry, who merely shook his head, "but as the years passed, I grew tired of the constant fighting."
"So, what kept you from just laying off us?" Harry asked, referring to him as his friends.
"My father," Malfoy said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "After telling his master that he had his son tormenting 'The-Boy-Who-Lived' at school, he was pleased," he told Harry, referring to Voldemort's pleasure of his enemy being bullied both in and out of Hogwarts, "My father literally lived to make the Dark Lord proud, so it was only to be expected that he would wish for me to keep it all up."
"And you couldn't just lie?" Harry inquired. Wouldn't it have been easier to just say he was obeying his father without having to do something he didn't wish to?
"Are you really that daft?" Malfoy spat. At his godfather's firm gaze, the young Slytherin mellowed down and explained, "Ever heard of a pensieve, Potter?"
"Yes," he nodded, "Why?"
Draco sighed, "Well, for one thing, he would know when I was lying to him," he told him, "How he always figured out if I was deceiving him, I'll never know," the blonde shook his head, "but if he ever doubted me, all my father had to do was ask for my memories, which he often did," Draco added, "and he would easily be able see whether or not I was actually doing as I was previously told."
"So, as you can see, Mr. Potter, many of Draco's actions were not at his fault-" Snape tried telling him.
"Like that's any excuse," Harry countered, "He didn't have to go so overboard half the time," he told them, "and letting him get away with all of it was completely unfair," the Gryffindor stated, "Even if his father was making him act that way."
"Five points from Gryffindor for yet another unnecessary interruption," Snape said, "And the school-year hasn't even officially started. Even for you, Mr. Potter," he informed him, "This must be a new record."
"Well if you weren't such a-" Harry muttered under his breath.
"Are we going for another five, Potter?" his Professor inquired with his ever-present sneer.
The teen could feel his face grow hot as Malfoy began to laugh once more at his expense. "Alright, so now I know why Malfoy's been acting odder than usual," Harry began, immediately shutting off the other boy at his remark, "Now can you tell me why you decided to act as a spy for the order?" he asked, desperately wanting to know why the man who hated him so was actually risking his life to keep him safe all those years.
"First," the man told him, "You should know that in addition to the information Draco has informed you of, both he and Narcissa are being moved into Grimmauld Place in order to keep the two safe," before Harry could even begin to protest, Snape continued, "Narcissa, also, has been inducted into the Order for further safe-keeping seeing as both she and Draco have rejected the Dark Lord. After Lucius' death, he expected both to take his side," he explained, "and when they did not, the Dark Lord grew angry and immediately sought them out."
"Is there nowhere else to keep them?" Harry complained, "Why Sirius' place?" he asked. Seriously, of all homes, it just had to be the one he would be living in from now on. 'Luck is clearly on my side', he thought sarcastically.
"It wasn't exactly my first choice either, Potter," Draco spat before his godfather could respond.
All Harry could do was glare at the blonde before Severus spoke up again, "Narcissa, as I'm certain you were unaware of, is the Mutt's cousin." The Gryffindor was clearly shocked at this news, the Potions Master noted, thus confirming his earlier statement, "And being that the Order uses Grimmauld Place as a safe house of sorts, it is the only place they would be truly protected."
"What about your place?" Harry pried. He just couldn't stand the thought of sharing the house with Malfoy and his mother, especially not when he finally got to be with Sirius.
"Did you not hear me the first time, you insolent child?" Snape hissed, "Now that my ranks amongst the Dark Lord are non-existent, what on earth could possibly lead you to believe that they would be safe with me?"
"Wait," Harry put two and two together, "You're not moving into Sirius' house too, are you?" he shuddered at the thought.
Severus could not help but to roll his eyes at that one, "No, Potter," he told the boy, "While I'm sure living with both you and the Mutt would be pleasurable, I shall be staying at Hogwarts until it is safe to do otherwise." Harry then opened his mouth to speak, but Snape prevented him from doing so, "And no, Potter, they cannot live here for neither Malfoy is working at the castle."
'Lovely,' Harry thought to himself, 'Just lovely…' He sighed, "Alright, so now can you tell me-"
"It's getting late," Severus cut him off for what was probably like the billionth time that night. "We will finish this discussion throughout your detention next Saturday."
'Great,' the raven-haired teen thought once more, 'More Snape-bonding time…'
"Could you at least tell me what the last Horcrux might be?" Harry tried as Malfoy began making his way towards the door, "Professor Dumbledore said he suspected another, but wouldn't tell me what it was," he told the older man. Deep down he knew Snape wouldn't tell him, but he felt that it was still worth a shot.
As Harry waited patiently for some sort of response, he found himself receiving that look again. Again, he was getting nothing more than pity as his answer to that question. Coming from Dumbledore, the feeling was confusing…but from Snape, to be given such a look was downright creepy.
"Another time," was all the Professor told him before the younger Slytherin came forward and dragged Harry out the door.
"Don't give me that look, Potter, my godfather clearly wasn't going to tell you whatever it was that you wanted to know," he told the Gryffindor who was currently eying him down.
"Fine," Harry sighed, "Whatever, I'm going to bed," and with that he turned to make his way back up to the tower.
Draco was also about to head back to his rooms as well before he remembered something, "Oh, and nice necklace by the way."
At those words, Harry very quickly turned back to face Malfoy, "What did you say?" he asked, disbelievingly.
"Your necklace," he pointed at the pendant hanging around the other boy's neck, "Must've cost whoever gave it to you more than a galleon or two," Draco said.
"Do you know who-?" Harry went to ask.
"All I'll say is that it wasn't me," the Slytherin smirked before heading back to his dormitory. As he walked away, the blonde left a very confused Harry Potter behind.
…
Back in the Gryffindor Common Room Hermione was pacing back and forth quite worriedly. It was only a few minutes away from curfew and her best friend had yet to return from his meeting with Malfoy and his godfather. She still hadn't the slightest clue as to who the man even was and, in turn, started growing more and more concerned with each moment that passed. For all she knew, the man could actually be a deatheater who had succeeded in luring Harry into his trap.
Hermione was just about to go to the headmaster with her fears when she heard a soft tapping coming from the outside of the Fat Lady's portrait. Without giving it a second thought, as she hoped her friend was on the other side, the brunette swung the picture open only to reveal a sixth year Slytherin by the name of Pansy Parkinson.
"Just who I was looking for," the girl told Hermione before she had the chance to say anything. "It's Granger, isn't it?"
A/N: Alright, so how was it?
What do you think Pansy wants with Hermione?
Please give me your thoughts and feel free to ask any questions.
I'll answer them at the end of the next chapter.
Also, any opinions you may have can affect the outcome of this story, so don't be shy!
Oh, and I'd like to thank my reviewers so far, for you all give me the inspiration to keep posting.
IceBlueCrystal: to answer your question, things have been altered a bit for the story. Sorry, if I confused you!