Heir Of Gryffindor
Chapter 13 - The Unexpected Visitor
Draco blinked, his jaw dropping. He had just been thinking of Luchesi, and she had just materialized from the air it seemed. "W- Lily?" asked Draco surprised. "What are you doing here?! You know your not supposed to be out of -"
"Its my fault. I have some news." said Harry. "And I would prefer it be secret from people who shouldn't overhear it." said Harry, slipping out of the invisibility cloak. Draco's brows rose into his hair. "So, you also have one, do you Potter? Interesting." he said. "And I'll only excuse you and the other two of your gang . . . if I get to hear the news." he said, smirking broadly.
Harry groaned. Being blackmailed wasn't exactly the best way about it, but if it was what it took - besides, thought Harry, this might actually be beneficial. "Hmm, yes. . ." said Harry, looking at Lily's pleading eyes. "Fine, but you must swear not to tell anyone else." said Harry, holding out his hand for Draco to shake in agreement.
Draco smirked. "Your turn for a handshake eh, Potter? Fine. Luchesi, quit it. You look like a puppy who got their bone taken away from them." he said, feeling uncomfortable. "I don't think Weasley will approve, but then, I owe him something." he said and smirked.
Harry smirked back. "Like giving Ron another sock in the nose for throwing Lily off the astronomy tower? I have to admit, you got him good." he stated. Draco and Harry threw each other an amused look towards the other when Ron came up. "Oh great, a complication. That's all we need." he said darkly, eyeing Lily next to Malfoy, which irritated him. And the look she had been giving Malfoy was eating at his heart - more jealousy to add to the fire.
"Ah, Weasley and Granger, at last." added Draco, smirking all the wider. Hermione looked surprised but shrugged, her eyes cool. "So, we'd better go inside before we draw anymore people." she said. Harry nodded, thinking of their practice place and did as was required to open the room. The door appeared and all five went in.
Harry wished for a table and one instantly popped up - with a unique map. "The marauders map!" called out Ron, Lily and Draco looking puzzled. "It shows all the - uh, nevermind. . ." said Ron, shutting up hastily. He stood on Lily's other side, and Draco smirked. 'Hello jealousy.' thought Draco, stepping a step closer, which made Lily flush.
"So, what's the news Potter?" asked Draco. Harry and the others besides Lily eyed him sceptically. "Well, one, we need to be able to trust you to fill you in. Hermione, remember that lovely charm you used on the galleon?" asked Harry and Hermione grinned, nodding. She drew the fake galleon out of her pocket, copied it and gave it to Draco.
"In fifth year, we used this to protect our . . . club. You guys burst in of course, but, the person who gave us away suffered severely. Boils are not nice, and the kind Hermione is able to produce lasts two weeks, and even nurses at St. Mungos are not able to reduce the time by much. Are you sure you'd like to join our little group?"
Draco grinned. "Ah, that's what happened to that girl that turned you into Umbridge. And I'm not a fool Potter. I won't give you away. I do know you and the headmaster will be plotting ways to take you-know-who down. And Granger, please, don't do that 'fear of a name only increases the fear of the thing itself' - I know. And I know something that you don't. In the past, you-know-who has used his own name in order to track down those who are against him - because only those people will use his name."
Hermione looked both impressed and stricken. Impressed because Malfoy had memorized what she had said, and stricken because of how much they had used the name. Of course, they were at Hogwarts and protected by Dumbledore, but out in the real world, had they used it, they would be hunted down.
"I - I see. Well, this is certainly news to us - t-thank you Malfoy." said Hermione, uncertainly. "That's absolutely brilliant." said Lily, looking happy for the information. Ron looked at Lily in surprise. "But your family are death eaters aren't they? So why are you suddenly telling us what could be damning information? If your found out, won't you be punished severely?" asked Ron.
Draco sighed. "I'm not certain how you knew, but my father is one. However, my mother is not a big fan of you-know-who, even though she is in the inner circle, she rarely has anything to do with the darker side of death eater stuff. And yes, I will probably become one if I have to. I'm going to be approached soon enough. But that doesn't mean I like it. You-know-who is a monster and not someone I'd like to serve, if I have to serve anyone. I'm too proud." he said. "Therefore, Potter, your the one that people keep talking about whose going to bring him down. I want a stake on that. So, consider me with you, but secretly. If I have to join, then I'll be a double agent."
"That's an interesting idea. . ." said Lily thoughtfully. Her father being an auror, she couldn't do that, even if she was a pureblood. "Alright Malfoy. We should keep up our appearances as well. Bickering with each other when we're out of here. Anyways, to the news." he said and pulled something from his pocket, laying it on the table. Hermione gasped. Draco looked surprised. "Blimey Harry, the deed to the shrieking shack?! How did you get it?!" asked Ron in surprise, staring at it. "What's the shrieking shack?" asked Lily and Harry thought for a moment. 'Use the room of requirement - a tunnel!' thought Harry and grinned, wishing for it. Immediately, a door popped into view.
"Why don't I just show you instead of explaining?" asked Harry, opening the door. The cool fall wind blew through the opening as Harry went in first. Draco scrunched up his nose unhappily at the dirt tunnel but proceeded behind Lily with Hermione and Ron taking the back. Soon they arrived to a very rundown house and with a few lumos spells, and a brilliant blue bell flame cast by Hermione floating around them, they got to see the old house. "Its not much, but we could make it into something awesome." said Harry. Draco nodded and Lily jumped happily. "Oh this will be wonderful!" she said, pulling out her wand from her pocket and casting the repair spell across the current room they had entered. Old wood pieces that had fallen quickly repaired itself, sealing. Then she cast the cleaning spell, making everything shine.
"Nice work Lily." said Ron, grinning. And then Draco smirked, stepping closer to Lily. "What is your favorite color?" he asked. Lily considered it and smiled. "I really admire Slytherin green or Aquamarine blue." she said. Draco smirked at Ron, who seemed to be steaming at the ears. "Ah, Slytherin green then." he said, pulling out his wand. With a repeated up and down swishing movement, color spread over the walls, turning them green. Then he repeated the motion, coloring the walls with white, copying it with trim.
"Wow, that looks really nice!" said Lily and Harry nodded. "Yeah, and that is one room done. Dumbledore requested that we do the rooms by house colors - but since we've never fully explored it, why don't we do that?" he asked. Hermione seemed cheered up by that and they explored. They found at least six bedrooms, a kitchen, living room, dining room and den. "Wow, what a house!" said Ron. "Yes, its very nice." said Lily. "But there's a lot of work to do." reminded Hermione. "Luckily we've got the holidays coming up soon. And the weekend is coming up." said Harry. "And there's one more thing I'd like to talk about - who else should we bring here? I mean, I'd really like if -"
"Ginny came?" asked Hermione with a Draco-like smirk and Draco laughed. "I was so right in second year, wasn't I?" he asked, a grin plastered on his pale face. Harry's face flushed. "Oh shut up Malfoy. Yes, Ginny, and maybe Neville too. We've also got a new student - Tess Welding. Dumbledore wants us to bring her into the group as well. So, her too I suppose. And we can add on rooms magically probably. Hermione, that'll be your department. We need more rooms for future people. I mean, in case the school is attacked, this would be a safe haven for the students, with maximum spells placed on the house and grounds."
"Hey Potter, how about adding a large basement?" asked Draco and Harry nodded, looking lost in thought. "That sounds like a good idea. We'll also be able to go to Hogsmeade. Your going to love this." he said, pulling out the marauders map and handing it to Draco. Draco's eyes followed the various names - Snape was in his rooms, still - that meant he was probably asleep. Most people would be around this time. "Hmm, interesting map you have there Potter." he said. "Better than you think - it shows secret tunnels to different places - and this right here leads to Hogsmeade." he said and grinned.
"Perfect for getting supplies." said Ron, wrapping his arm around Lily 'accidentally' while stretching. Hermione pretended not to notice - then snorted with laughter when Draco ducked under Ron's arm as well. "Hey Weasley, what do you think your doing?" asked Draco. "None of your busi- what the hell?!" yelped Ron, moving his arm quickly. Lily hadn't even noticed, ducking down to grab an old quill someone had just left on the floor of the den.
Harry snorted but continued. "Can anyone think of anything else?" asked Harry but they shook their heads. "Come on, we should head back then."
Right as Ron was going to get her hand, Draco scooped Lily up. Lily yelped, surprised but Draco interrupted what she was going to say by telling her that he didn't want her to fall on the way back. Then he handed her something. Ron couldn't see what it was, but he growled behind Malfoy. "Do you hear that Lily? Sounds like we have a kestral behind us." he sneered. Lily giggled softly, still protesting that she could walk fine, which sadly to her fell on deaf ears. Her face was heated brightly. Shortly after, they arrived at the room of requirement's door and he set her down. "Don't forget to take a look at that later - preferably alone." he muttered to her, Ron catching what he said.
"Well, night Gryffindors. Maybe we could add some other people you trust from other houses, like Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff." he suggested with a yawn. Lily flushed as he waved goodbye. "Sleep well!" she called as he closed the door lightly. "Ugh, why did Malfoy of all people have to be involved?" asked Ron wearily. Harry shrugged. "Sorry, but it was kind of a deal. And I think Lily liked the idea too." he said, his lips curling in a smirk as Lily flushed darkly. "I - well, it was my fault, but I think it was a good idea." she said hurriedly. "G-good night!" she said, bolting from the room.
Ron followed then Harry and Hermione shrugged, following them. The door disappeared behind them. "H-hey Lily, what was it that Malfoy gave you?" asked Ron. Lily shook her head. "I don't know, but he asked me to look at it in private. If its not too personal, I'll tell you." she said. Ron shrugged, disappointed that he couldn't see it. "Come on, I'll walk you to your dorm." he said and smirked to himself. That was one thing that Malfoy couldn't do, since they were in different houses. He looked around - apparantly, the room had let them out on the seventh floor, which was good - lack of teachers to catch them - or less of them, on the floor where the common room was.
~*~ -~*~
What the four didn't see as they climbed into the portrait hole was a small cat with glasses-like pattern markings. McGonagall watched them, aware of their disappearance since bedtime. Thus, without getting them into trouble just yet, would attempt to find out what they were up to. . . but now, it was time to talk with Professor Dumbledore, who she was certain, was behind this. . .