Chapter 32: The Newest Recruits

Note: Hello Lovelies! I am very sorry for taking a while to get this out! I would have gotten to it sooner, but never have time. I do have two piece of news for you guys,
The first news is after talking to my lovely beta, we are both very busy with school work and not have enough free time on our hands, we have decided to post chapters very other week instead of every week. We would have continued on, but it is unfair to you guys, when I promised every week and I am not able to do so, so from now on expect chapters every other week.
Onto the second part I have to tell you this fic only have has 2-4 chapters left in it! Yes, this part is coming to end here soon, but fear not I will be continuing on in a second part, which will be book two!
With that out of the way I do hope that this is fine with you guys, and I do hope that you keep reading! A shout out to my beta once more for reading over this! Enough of this I will let you go on to reading!

"Draco, G-Gemma, c-can I-I speak to you two? I-it's kind of important." Harry stuttered, once he was back in the common area. Upon seeing both of his friends in the corner of the room, looking very concerned.

"What is it Harry?! Are you okay?!" Draco asked, quickly standing up.

"What happened?" Gemma asked at the same time as Draco, but stayed seated, just turning a bit in her seat to get a better look at the younger snake.

Harry gave them a small smile. "I-I'm fine, b-but I know even if I say that you still worry about me. S-So you might have noticed things have changed recently, a-and I would like to talk to you guys…somewhere a little more private than this." Harry paused for a moment to cast a look around the room. Every Slytherin, even though they were not looking, were listening in to what was being said.

"Sure, thing Harry! Just follow me!" Gemma said, scrambling out of her chair for the first time since he arrived in the common room, "Perk of being a Prefect is that we have our own rooms! I will even put up a silencing spell as well."

The two first years scrambled after the older girl up a set of stairs to her own room. It was much like the other dorms, but with a single bed a desk sitting near a window looking into the Black Lake; it had its own wardrobe, and a small bathroom with a small shower, a sink mirror combo, and a toilet. It was their choice if they wanted to use the Prefect baths or not, at night. It also had a small sitting area with a small fire place to entertain guests or work with a group for homework. "Welcome to my room!" Gemma said as the two younger snakes that slowly made their way into the neat looking room.

"Harry, if either of us are Prefects in the future, if we need a place to crash because of the others being loud, we allow each other in." Harry just nodded his head, thinking of the same thing, or for him go to Sev's room at least.

"Well don't just stand there you two! Come in and make yourself at home!" Gemma said with a smile. Draco and Harry quickly moved into the room, taking a seat near the fire place; letting the fire take the edge off the coldness of the dungeons.

After a minute of silence, Draco couldn't help himself anymore. "So Harry, what is troubling you so much?" Gemma sent a glare at the blonde boy, before turning back to Harry who was giving Draco a small smile.

"Sorry," Harry said bashfully, "I was thinking about where to start. I guess it really started with after Sev and I left the manor to come back to Hogwarts." Harry turned to Gemma, "I guess I should first explain what Draco already knows, but you don't Gemma. It is not known yet, except for the Malfoy's, I've lived with Severus since the start of the summer. I-I don't want to tell you just yet how I came to be there, so please don't ask, but I am now Sev's ward. So, I was staying with Sev when we came back and I went exploring around the castle, w-well Professor Quirrell caught me out of the rooms one point, a-and he invited me to his room for a cup of tea." Draco leaned forward placing his hand on Harry's knee, he knew that Harry always got headaches when he got close to the Professor, but he had no idea of why it happened. "I got a shock of my life seems like an understatement at this point, but I found out something shocking… The Dark Lord has been Professor Quirrell this whole time, or kinda has been." Harry set off explaining everything that happened between the Dark Lord, Sev, and himself, leaving out what happened in the past seeing as that is something that should stay between those that are close to him. He then went on explaining what the Dark Lord set for his task. "I-I am supposed to retrieve the stone for him, but he isn't going to use it, like one would think. I-I convinced him that it would be a better move to take the stone and give it back to the owner since it seems like the headmaster stole it from him originally. B-But I am going to need help with this, and have asked if I could possible tell two people, with you guys in mind, he said that I could as long as I knew they were loyal, and that if you guys would swear a vow; either to never speak of the things that were said here and now, and go on with your life, or to help me out through. I-I don't care which you choose, just know that you two are my closes friends here." Harry mumbled, a blush making a way up his face, casting his eyes downward.

These two people where the first "friends" he ever had, no one has scared them off and so far, they never turned their backs on him. He was very grateful to these two for not giving up on him just yet, for Draco being there since he first entered this magical world and Gemma for being a mother hen to him while he seemed to be the outcast of the young snakes. He was getting a little nervous at the long, pregnant pause that took place, taking his bottom lip between his teeth, when someone tackled him back onto the floor.

"Stupid, Potter!" Draco yelled at the raven-haired boy, "Like you could get rid of me that easily! You are not about to start on wild, crazy adventures without me. If you think so much about going on one, make sure to tell me in advance so I can save you." Harry felt tears come to his eyes and he hugged Draco back, hiding his face in the blonde's robes.

Gemma just smiled at the two younger boys. "Of course Harry, I will help you! You need to the help of a Prefect if you are going around breaking the rules!" She gave him a bright smile, "I am happy that you included me in this, that way I do not have to worry about you going off doing something stupid!" If it was even possible, Harry's face got even redder than it was before.

"Thank you, guys, so very much… there is one more thing that I have to tell you before we leave to talk to Professor Quirrell. This is something completely different than what we just talked about. I know that you two have been worried over my mental state since the first week back; trying to help me in sneak ways such as extra food or sleep." Both of his friends blushed, thinking that they had hidden it well enough, since they are Slytherin's, but they were worried for their friend when he looked on the verge of collapse.

"I-I first want to thank you both, if it wasn't for you two I would have ended up in the hospital wing for a day or two. I also wanted you to know, I am getting some help after Severus tricked me into seeing someone. I-I do have a long road ahead of me, but I am hopeful!" Harry said with a smile, Gemma couldn't hold herself back any longer before joining the first years on the floor, causing them to have a group hung.

Yes, this is what Harry needed, a support system throughout his schooling at Hogwarts, and he could not have asked for a better group of friends than what he already had. Of course, he couldn't forget about the four loins, but right now he needed his calm snakes, before he told his loins of anything, especially those twins.

* * * * MAGICAL LINE BREAK * * * *

It was an hour after everything was said that Harry and his friends make it to where the Dark Lord would be. Harry was sure that he had made the right call. He was happy that his friends where going to help him through everything, even if that meant joining the "Dark" side with him. Right before they left Gemma's room he had explained why he was going to give support to the "Dark" side, why he felt the way he did. He told them that if any point they wanted out, he would find them an out no questions ask; it was the least he could do for his friends, knowing what they are giving up for him.

Draco just scoffed at Harry, his family might have been Grey, but they did swing more to the Dark. Gemma didn't care to share much of her family, just saying that she would stick with Harry since he was her little brother in everything except blood. It was time to face the Dark Lord, hold his head high; he now had his own support with his friends and Severus behind him. He just hoped that this was the right choice in the war.