Chapter III: A New Regime Begins

It had taken nearly a week for Harry to convince Hermione and Ron of Draco's sincerity to change sides after he had revealed the truth of his father's murder to him. They had yelled at him for being so trusting with the blonde, but Harry held his ground and told them that no matter what house you were in; there were larger things going on right now and everyone in any house had the right to choose a path for themselves.

He told them he approached him because Draco deserved the truth and not some half-truth that would be fed to him from someone who wanted him to do what they wanted him to. He was Lord Peverell now, and Tom knew it and was angry about it.

Hermione and Ron went quiet at this; not knowing how to respond.

Draco and Harry's meeting had been postponed three times now so Ron and Hermione could be convinced further, and he had told them of the first meetings on-goings. The truth of the matter was they held a grudge over Malfoy for the things he'd said and done when he never wanted to do them and the fact he had kept Harry's secrets from his house so far was proof of this.

Yet Ron and Hermione were sure this was some trick he was pulling until the time was right to reveal it all to the rest of his house-mates.

"Ron, Hermione; the only thing I can tell you do now is to come with me when I meet him again and question his motives for yourselves. I need more than just Gryffindor on my side for this war to go in my favor and Draco rules the student body of Slytherin House inside of Hogwarts Castle. If he sides with me altogether; there is a large chance the rest can be convinced to as well. Then the rest of the school will follow suit because they will see a Gryffindor and Slytherin united front."

"Isn't this what the Sorting hat has warned us for years now to do? To be able to place our house rivalries and grudges aside, so that the negative feelings faded and we can call a truce between the houses to then end a war that could destroy all of us later?" Harry yelled at them again

Ron and Hermione flushed red as they remained quiet.

"Draco has made it clear as day he wants this as he has not revealed anything to his house-mates for a week now and you still do not want to give him the benefit of the doubt that anyone can change when given the proper opportunity. Isn't that a little prejudicial?" Harry asked quieter now

Finally Hermione gave in and sighed, "Alright Harry, you win for now. We'll come and meet him with you and see this change for ourselves. However, Ron and I still hold the reservations we have that he is truly changed"

Harry smiled, "I never asked you two to believe he would totally change all his ways in one night, Hermione. In fact, I believe Draco will still be a pain in my ass sometimes, but it far less so than it has been for the last six years."

They seemed more convinced by this now and agreed to come along with him next time. Harry sent a note coded to Draco to meet them in the room they went to before tomorrow before lunch.

The next day's morning classes went by smoothly and with any kind of fighting at all in the hallways between them. This further convinced Harry's two friends that maybe they had been wrong and should give Draco the benefit of the doubt Harry asked them for.

So, before lunch the three went to the room of requirement and waited for the blonde. Ten minutes passed and Ron along with Hermione seemed anxious. Harry however seemed calm as ever. His friends had noticed his new maturity at the beginning of the year due to his role in the war. They thanked the stars for it most times as it had leveled out Harry's atrocious temper somewhat. But, he still had that fire in his temper when he was truly angry.

At ten past noon directly, the door opened and the blonde hair that only could be Draco Malfoy had appeared. He wore a disgruntled expression and seemed irritated about something or the other.

"I see Pansy was firmer in finding out wherever you were headed this time?" Harry asked the blonde

He made a scowling face at Harry.

"She is a good friend, but she is too dense to realize that I do not want her affection nor do I need her mothering me and telling me to be careful all the time. It is not as though I cannot protect myself. I swear one day she is going to go too far and I may do something I will regret." He said

"Draco, there is nothing wrong with someone caring about your welfare." Harry said tightly

Draco looked at him, "I know, but it's just too much smothering sometimes. It drives me mad and want to climb a tree to get away from her, you know?" He smirked

Harry smirked at him, "I know exactly how that feels, believe me."

He diverted his eyes at Hermione before she noticed and the Harry smiled.

"So now that we are all here, I believe Ron and Hermione want to ask you something Draco?"

Draco sighed, "I figured this was coming anyways. Alright, I will try and answer your question to the best of my capabilities as long as we do not delve too far."

The two behind Harry seemed shocked at his forwardness and his willingness to give in to their curiosity. They all sat by the fire on the floor, but Harry surprised Draco by sitting beside him to show he stood by his word.

This action reinvigorated Draco to make the change, as no one had ever willingly wanted to trust him before and the action meant more to Draco than he could express.

"Draco, you realize now Harry is an important figure to the war and he will always be hunted for as number one on Tom's hit-list. Your father's death has woken you to his true ideals, but Ron and I want to make sure this change is true and not blinded by a sense of getting revenge." Hermione said

"Avenging your family is all well and good, but if we win and there is nothing else to go back to; what good is there from it?"

Draco nodded in understanding to her words.

"We want to know that if this change is genuine; that you will stay on our side and not think twice about going back. Harry needs all the help he can from people he considers an ally and possibly a friend."

Draco seemed to gather what they wanted to know, "Hermione, Ron; I cannot express my apologies enough for the first six years of strife I put on you all. I was led to believe in ideals that were bred into me from birth, but in recent times; those ideals have become somewhat inconsequential to the larger picture here."

"Harry's willingness to set the truth before me as to the nature of the real reasoning to my father's murder has made me realize that perhaps what I was led to believe isn't as truthful as I thought for years now." Draco sighed

"I will side with you all now and I intend to stay firmly put there. My father will be avenged. Lucius, as a teen, was forced into serving Riddle by my grandfather Abraxas a long-time ago. Abraxas and Riddle were friends here, and whilst Lucius never want to serve him; he feared what his father would do to him if he said no."

"I never knew my grandfather; he was a famous potions maker and had created several things that the dark lord uses now as combat potions. I know he died of dragon pox and this was before I was ever born."

"But Lucius was still forced to serve Riddle, and I will not make the same mistake twice. I have already told Harry that I am the new Lord Malfoy now, and that as such I will now take an active role in changing the belief in our community about what they want to see in my family."

"Last weekend, I went home to Malfoy Manor. Fortunately, the dark lord has moved into his own home, so I was able to speak to my mother about what I was planning on doing. My mother broke down and cried in happiness for the first time in years. I used the ancient familial magic on the wards of Malfoy Manor to secure my home from Tom Riddle. Bellatrix and her husband Rodulphus are no longer welcome there either nor is Rabastan."

"I hope by now you see that I intend to do what I can in my power to make things right." Draco said softly

Ron and Hermione were stunned by the confession and had remained silent as if thinking. It was then Ron made the first move to say something.

"Malfoy, I don't think I'd ever believe I would be saying this to you but…I believe you somehow and if I can say this; then there should be no doubt." Ron said sternly

Draco nodded.

"However, if you go back on your word; you know the price already you will pay for it. You will lose Harry's trust and friendship, and any sort of protection he could offer you would then be withheld. My family would be fighting fiercely to bring you down along with Hermione. So, all I have left to say is… do not make me regret trusting you now." Ron said

Draco seemed relieved, "I will try my best not to."

Harry smirked, "Well now that all this weird and emotional stuff is done between you three, I think Draco and I have some planning to do. So Hermione and Ron, you are able to go to lunch if you want now."

The other two took a hint and they stood to leave after giving Draco and Harry their goodbyes. Draco looked at Harry with a smirk, "You really do own Gryffindor House, don't you?"

Harry raised an eyebrow, "Of course, did you ever doubt that I didn't?"

Draco shook his head in mirth, "No, but some of the other might have been fooled."

"Anyways, what's this Slytherin Convert plan of yours?" Draco asked

Harry paused, "I am going to take a big risk, but I will sure my safety first before doing it. I don't think that revealing the truth of your father's death will be enough to sway them all in my favor. Nor do I think revealing your switch this early on is wise."

Draco seemed to think, "Perhaps, but what do you propose we do before then?"

"I need to get into your common room under my invisibility cloak. Then I will set up some secrecy wards unknown to the rest of your house. These wards will ensure that the information given to them will remain a secret until I know I can trust them all to keep it as such."

"Then after the ward is in place and I signal you; you will appear to have something come up and leave the common area. I will remove the cloak. We'll wait about ten or minutes before you return again and call a meeting of the house with everyone in attendance."

"I'll be in my cloak, but you can say whatever you want before I reveal myself to them. I figure shock is a good way to get them to respond. After this, I'll take over with phase two."

Draco raised an eye, "What is phase two exactly?"

Harry smirked, "A good look at my past and why I am not the pet of Albus Dumbledore everyone believes me to be. Also, a good look at what being a true 'death eater' is versus what they think it is."

"After this you can make some statement about the truth of your father's murder and if they question; we will both attempt to explain with my memories as best as we can."

Draco thought about it, "You're right; the plan has many risks and loopholes if it doesn't work the way you thought it would, but I believe if this goes on properly…we won't have too much to worry about and you will have converted my house to your favor." He said

Harry nodded, "I am glad you think so. Well, do you want to go to hall for the remainder of the lunch meal? Or could I convince you to stay here with me and eat?" Harry asked him

Draco looked at him suspiciously, "Why?"

Harry smiled, "I thought if we are to be friends and allies that perhaps it would best if we acted like it before we go on with your house. In order to do this however, we have to understand each other in ways they don't know of."

Draco seemed to agree, "Alright then let's eat here and start this friendship building session you seem so eager to start"

The sarcasm here was apparent to Harry.

Harry smirked at the blonde and snapped his fingers, "Dobby." He called

A small house-elf with large green tennis ball sized eyes appeared in flash of colors. He wore mismatched socks and had an array of colors of clothes that made Harry want to laugh.

"Harry Potter, sir! You called Dobby? What can Dobby be doing for Harry Potter?" He asked until he noticed Draco.

He squeaked and then hid behind Harry.

"It's alright Dobby, Draco won't hurt you. He is here on my request and we are discussing his switch to the light side now. The dark master killed Lucius a few weeks ago, and Draco doesn't wish to follow those steps." Harry told him

Dobby looked at Draco uncertainly and then at Harry for the truth. Harry's smile and sincerity made Dobby have hope that maybe the young master Malfoy would change for the better now.

"Alright, what can Dobby be doing then?" He asked

"Can you bring us lunch as we discuss something important?" Harry asked gently

Dobby nodded, "Certainly. Anything for Harry Potter, sir!"

Dobby vanished and appeared quickly again with lunch plates and then gave Harry a bone-breaking hug before he vanished out of sight once again.

Draco was utterly confused now, "That was our old house-elf, right?"

Harry nodded.

"How exactly does he know you and vice versa?" Draco asked

Harry smirked at the blonde as he realized his little scheme worked and Draco was starting the process of the trust building now.

"In our second year, Dobby came to my summer residence and warned me not to go back to school that year since terrible and atrocious acts would be committed there. He had intercepted all my mail that summer, hoping that if I thought my friends abandoned me that I would not want to go."

"However, that plan backfired on him when I chased him to grab the letters. My aunt and Uncle were downstairs hosting some guests and I had been warned to stay out of sight, but Dobby went out of the room and then levitated a cake my aunt made over the guest's wife's head."

"He threatened me that he would drop it unless I promised I would not go back to school. Of course I couldn't so Dobby dropped the cake on her and vanished from sight; making me appear the culprit behind the act."

Draco seemed interested in the tale, "What happened then?"

"I was locked in my room and my uncle had placed bars on my window in hopes this would keep me from going back to the school. That backfired when Ron and his older twin brothers got worried for my lack of response to the letters."

"That was what started the trouble Mr. Weasley had about his enchanted Ford Anglia."

"They drove it there under the cover of night and used it to pull the bars from the window. This was after the twins had snuck downstairs and retrieved my school things from the locked cupboard under the stairwell."

"My uncle tried to stop them from taking me by grabbing onto my foot, but I kicked him as they started driving and my uncle let go and fell from the window to the ground."

"When I stayed then at Ron's home, it was then I first saw a magical household and I loved it. But when we were due to return to school Dobby locked the platform to the train so Ron and I couldn't get on."

Draco started to realize, "So that's why you both made such a ruckus in getting here that year. You flew that car here from the station in broad daylight." He asked

Harry nodded and smiled, "Yes, we were younger and more stupid I guess. We were more worried about not being there and at the feast that our brains told us to fly the car there. Completely forgetting I had an owl at the time and could have sent one to the headmaster about the locked platform."

"Later on, Dobby was the one who had bewitched that damnable bludger to chase me during the quidditch match. Which then left Lockhart removing my bone in my arm, and me ending up in the hospital wing to re-grow them."

"Dobby then visited the hospital that night and apologized insincerely about locking the platform and the bludger while he expressed that it would have been better for me to have been expelled than to be at school where history was to repeat itself."

"That got me on my thinking nerve. By then numerous students had been attacked and the school was on the verge of closing if another one died like last time it had happened fifty years before. The school thought I had been doing it since we all discovered I was a Parselmouth that year." Harry said dryly

Draco flushed in embarrassment and muttered an apology.

"Don't apologize Draco, because it was this gift that allowed me to know exactly what was going on after that. All year I had been hearing a voice that no one else could hear and all it ever said was 'rip, tear, kill' in my ears, so I was worried."

Draco paled considerably, "I don't think I'd like that."

Harry smirked, "Well, that was the worst part until the end of the adventure that year."

"Why?" Draco asked curiously now

"Because a second year student should never have to battle a seventy foot basilisk hell-bent on killing you all because of a diary given to a female student." Harry said sadly

"A diary caused all that drama?" Draco yelped in shock

"Not exactly. Your late father had unwillingly given the diary to Ginny Weasley during his and Arthur's squabble in Flourish and Blotts bookstore. Later on, I found out the diary contained the memories of a bitter 16 year old Tom Riddle inside of it."

"The diary had urged Ginny to do things she never would have normally done. It had possessed her. Finally, it came down to Ron and me going to Lockhart for aid and exposing him as a fraud. Ron's faulty wand backfired on him after he grabbed it from Ron and tried to Obliviate me and him to forget he was a fraudulent crook who had taken others accomplishments and made them his in his books by making the true achievers forget they'd done it."

"Then when the tunnel to the chamber collapsed, Ron and I were separated on opposite sides of the fall. I went ahead to discover the diary Ginny had been given was draining away her life-force to revitalize Tom again."

"Tom called the basilisk and we battled. One its fangs had gotten lodged in my arms and the poison had set. This was much later on though. Fawkes brought me the sorting hat which gave me the sword of Gryffindor. The sword allowed me to kill the fiend when I shoved the blade through the beast's upper mouth and into its brain; effectively killing it."

"Tom had laughed at my efforts because the fang lodged in my arm was done as I killed it. Fawkes had retreated by then and I was so angry at Riddle since he seemed to think he had one. Until he noticed I had his diary and a basilisk fang in my hand too late."

"He tried to stop me, but I plunged the fang into the book several times over and his memory-self vanished and Ginny returned to life. I was dying though until Fawkes returned to me and cried on my wound from the snake."

"Phoenix tears have immeasurably powerful healing properties and the older the phoenix the more powerful they are. Fawkes was ancient as Dumbledore had him, but formerly he served Godric Gryffindor and before him Merlin."

"The tears Fawkes shed on me had evaporated the poison from my body and healed the wound mark, leaving no scarring there at all." Harry said

"I see." Draco said

"It was just before the end of term that your father visited the school and I remembered that it was him who had given the book to Ginny in the first place. The reason I did is because Ginny had tried to dispose of the book and I found it. The diary showed me false images from fifty years ago of what happened there."

"There's another little side adventure to this tale in relation to the images the diary told me, but we don't have time to discuss them. In the end, after I realized Lucius had given Ginny the diary and that Dobby served your father; I decided to play a prank on your father."

"I removed my sock and hid it in the diary and then tried to return it to him by telling him he was forgetting something. Lucius tried to deny it was his and threw the book at Dobby."

"Dobby discovered the sock and had told Lucius 'Dobby was given a sock. Master Lucius has given Dobby clothes..Dobby is free." Harry reiterated

"Lucius was less than pleased this and drew his wand on me, but Dobby yelled at him as his former master."

"You will not harm Harry Potter."

"The Dobby did some kind of magic and your father went flying down the hallway and down the stairs. He did not dare come back again for another round."

Draco seemed impressed, "Well, that was interesting. I had wondered why Dobby was set free to begin with and now I know why my father always looked irritated when I asked him to tell me why."

"But we better go now if we do not want to be late for charms class. However, can we keep meeting here and exchanged stories like this? I admit this one has made me curious of your other adventures here the last few years." Draco asked

Harry smiled, "Sure, why not? I mean it's not like were supposed to be keeping secrets anyways. That's not what friends do to each other. Admittedly though, there are just some things I do keep from Ron and Hermione because they are just too personal."

Draco raised an eyebrow with a smirk, "That will be the next story you tell me then."

Harry snorted, "Yeah right. It's your turn to tell next time, remember?"

Draco smiled as innocently as he could get to this, "Right…I forgot. Okay, so then you'll tell the time after that then."

Harry just snorted to that as they left separately to avoid suspicion from others and made their way to charms before it was too late and they were tardy.