Chapter 11
It's Saturday morning and Harry is planning on taking full advantage of the brief respite from classes that the weekend brings. And, after the week he's had, can you really blame him? With the whole Dueling Club fiasco, Justin and Nearly Headless Nick's petrification, and the realization that Dumbledore is still determined to make Harry into his own personal attack dog, Harry feels as if he's entitled to a little R & R.
Harry woke up some time ago to the sounds of his friends rolling out of bed. He quickly weighed his options and made the executive decision to remain wrapped up in his blanket cocoon of warmth and denial for the foreseeable future. As such, he is still laying in bed, praying to whatever gods may be that Draco will take pity on him and let him ignore the universe in peace. Unfortunately, it seems as if the gods have abandoned him, and far too soon for Harry's liking, Draco is hovering over him.
"Time to get up!" Harry says nothing, feigning sleep. "Harry, I know you're awake, so get your arse out of bed. I want to know what happened last night!" Draco tries again, his voice firm and demanding. The blond's attempt is met with an obnoxious snore, proving to Draco that Harry is, in fact, awake, and currently ignoring him.
Draco takes a step back to assess the situation, trying valiantly to ignore the fact that Harry is now muttering something under his breath in an attempt to convince Draco that he's still sleeping. Draco hears the phrase "the chocolate frog was shiny, so obviously I had to kidnap it", and decides that enough is enough. The blond sends a meaningful look in Blaise's direction, motioning for him to stand on the other side of Harry's bed.
Draco and Blaise each take hold of one side of Harry's blanket and fling it up in the air, exposing Harry's curled up form. Harry immediately grabs onto the blanket, beginning a heated battle of tug of war that soon devolves into an all out wrestling match. In a flurry of flailing hands and kicking feet, Draco manages to wrangle the blanket away from Harry's grasp and throw it across the room to be caught by Theo, who has intelligently refused to take any part in this.
Harry sits up aggressively, his hair sticking up at odd angles and his expression twisted into one of pure fury and hatred. Theo shrinks back and promptly flings the blanket across the room, trying to maintain his innocence.
"Nice of you to join us, Ha-"
"Rictumsempra" Harry says calmly, having managed to retrieve his wand without his companions noticing. He's still staring straight ahead as his spell sends Draco falling to the floor in a fit of giggles. Harry slowly turns his head, setting his glare on Blaise and raising an eyebrow in a silent challenge. Blaise immediately backs away, raising his hands in surrender.
"Woah there, mate. Let's not be rash. It was really all Draco's fault, don't you think?" Blaise says, trying to placate the annoyed wizard. Harry growls and moves his wand threateningly, making Blaise duck and raise his arms in front of his face to try and block the incoming spell. However, the spell never comes, and when Blaise raises his head, he sees that Harry has flopped back on his bed and is now staring blankly at the ceiling.
"I assume it went well, then?" Draco says breathlessly as he rises from the floor. Harry grunts in response and sits up once more, crossing his legs underneath him and flinging his head back in annoyance.
"Dumbledore said I was able to keep Adira as long as Severus receives a sample of her venom. " Harry explains to his dorm mates. Despite his reluctance to actually get out of bed, he is excited about his new friend and happy that his dorm mates seem to share that excitement. Therefore, his annoyance is short-lived as his friends settle on their own beds to discuss last night's events.
"I can't believe that the old man let you keep her around, Harry. I mean, why would he? Especially after last year!" Blaise exclaims. Each occupant of the room has an identical look of confusion on their face as they contemplate the Headmaster's motives.
"I think he's trying to earn back your trust." Harry turns his head toward Draco sharply at the blond's statement, his eyes hardening into a glare.
"Ha! There is no way in hell that will happen!" Theo says through bouts of laughter. Harry snorts in agreement.
"You've got that right." Harry pauses, deep in thought. "It does make sense, though. After everything was revealed last year, he's probably grasping at straws trying to rectify the situation. I'd already thrown a wrench in his plans by being sorted into Slytherin. It's likely that this is a last ditch effort on his part to try to get me back under his control."
Draco sighs, standing up from his bed as he begins to pace back and forth. "What are we going to do about it, then? We can't just sit here and wait for him to make a move! We need to be prepared!"
"I agree." Harry says, heaving himself off of the floor where he was previously leaning against Draco's bed. He strides over to his best friend and places a hand on his shoulder, ceasing the boy's movements and causing Draco's eyes to meet his. "We'll figure this out, Draco. I promise."
The room lapses into a tense silence, each boy considering the situation at hand. Suddenly, Theo speaks, startling his companions. "We need to talk to Professor Snape." He says resolutely, earning a nod of agreement from Blaise, who is seated, cross-legged, on the bed next to him.
"Okay; That's a start. If there's anyone who can provide insight as to what Dumbledore is planning, it's him. I refuse to be Dumbledore's pawn, and I'm sure that Severus will support me if it comes to that." Harry squeezes Draco's shoulder. Their gazes are still locked and Draco notices the way that Harry's eyes are bathed in confidence and determination. He's proud of his best friend and the progress that he's made since they first met at Madame Malkin's. And he'll be damned if he's going to let some manipulative old man ruin that.
~~~Time Skip~~~
Later that day, Harry and Draco are walking to the Great Hall for lunch. After discussing Dumbledore's plans for a while longer, Blaise and Theo decided to go to the common room and play chess, while Draco stayed with Harry to become better acquainted with Adira. As Harry expected, they hit it off, and despite Draco's inability to communicate with her directly, they seem to be rather close already.
"There has to be something connecting the victims, right? I mean, it wouldn't make much sense if they were just random attacks. Especially considering the message that was written on the wall where Filch's cat was found." Harry says thoughtfully, turning his head slightly to look at Draco out of the corner of his eye.
"You're right." Draco replies, sighing. "Whoever this is does seem to be trying to make some kind of point." He pauses for a moment. "There is something about that message that bothered me. It was the way they addressed themselves. What was it? Enemies of…"
"The Heir." Harry supplies. "It said 'Enemies of the Heir beware.' But the Heir of what, exactly?"
Silence falls over the two friends as they attempt to fit the pieces together. FInally, Draco says, "The Heir of Slytherin!" Harry stops and looks at Draco, confusion furrowing his brow. "'The Chamber of Secrets has been opened.' Harry, it's obvious! If you believe the stories, Salazar Slytherin built a hidden chamber within the castle. It's said to hold some kind of horrible monster inside, one that can only be controlled by Slytherin's heir. I don't know how I didn't put it together before now!" Draco explains excitedly, his eyes lighting up at the revelation. Harry considers Draco's theory and quickly decides that it makes sense.
"Okay, so what would The Heir of Slytherin want?" Harry asks, beginning to walk toward the Great Hall once more.
Draco scoffs. "You're rather slow today. Harry, what is the one condition that Salazar Slytherin wanted every Hogwarts student to meet?"
Harry's eyes widen. "He only wanted to allow purebloods to attend!"
"Exactly!" Draco exclaims. "Whoever The Heir is, Harry, they're targeting muggleborns." Draco finishes solemnly, his excitement at figuring this out dimmed by the implications of his realization.
Harry considers this for a moment before stopping abruptly and grabbing Draco's shoulder, fixing him with wide, worried eyes. "But, Draco, if that's true, then Hermione's in danger! We have to warn her! We ne-"
Draco cuts him off. "We need to stay calm. We'll warm Hermione as soon as we can. But, we don't want the Heir of Slytherin to know that we've figured out who they're after. The problem would only escalate and-"
"The Heir of Slytherin, huh?" Draco is abruptly silenced by Ron Weasley, who has come to a stop next to Harry and Draco, and has apparently been listening in on their conversation.
"Hasn't anyone ever told you that it's rude to eavesdrop, Weasley?" Harry remarks scathingly, taking his hand from Draco's shoulder and maneuvering his body to face the red-headed Gryffindor.
Ron rolls his eyes, scoffing as he crosses his arms over his chest. Ron is flanked by Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas, who have taken on threatening poses and menacing sneers. Behind them are Ginny Weasley, Ron's younger sister, and Neville Longbottom. They seem to be uneasy, shifting on their feet and casting nervous glances at each other and their fellow Gryffindors.
"Well, Weasley, what is it?! We haven't got all day!" Draco growls, his lips curling into a sneer.
"Oh, nothing really. It's just that I agree with you, is all." Ron comments nonchalantly, surprising Harry and Draco.
"You do?" Harry asks skeptically. Harry knows that Ron's not finished. Weasley would never openly agree with him, and the Gryffindor's body language is practically screaming confrontation. Harry should just grab Draco and walk away, but his pride simply won't allow him to do so. Harry will not allow himself to look weak, especially in front of Ron Weasley, of all people.
"Well, yeah. We all do, don't we?" Seamus and Dean promptly nod their heads, confirming Ron's statement. "I just don't understand why you're acting like you don't know who the Heir is. I mean, honestly, could it be more obvious? Especially after your little performance at Dueling Club, Potter."
"What are you on about?" Draco questions, his tone low and threatening.
"Ha! And I thought you Slytherins were supposed to be smart, or something!" Ron, Seamus, and Dean laugh obnoxiously, while Ginny and Neville look increasingly anxious and worried. "Well, why don't I lay it out for you? It's you, Potter. You're the Heir of Slytherin, which means that you're the one going around petrifying people. Don't deny it, Potter. Everyone knows it's true. Besides, only a freak like you coul-"
After the word "freak" leaves Ron's lips, it takes less than a second for Draco to draw his wand and shout "Flipendo", knocking the Gryffindor to the ground.
"Petrificus totalus." Draco grits put, flicking his wand and pinning Weasley in place as he stalks forward. At this point, Seamus and Dean have backed themselves up against the wall, smartly retreating from Draco's fury. Ginny and Neville are huddled together about ten feet behind Ron, who is still immobile on the ground. The commotion has drawn a small crowd, and Harry is relieved to see that many of the gathered students are upperclassmen from his house. As Draco continues to stride toward Ron, the gathered Slytherins seem to come to an unspoken agreement. They begin walking purposefully over to Harry, who is still frozen in place as he tries to subdue the panic that has risen within him at Ron's words. By the time Draco is kneeling before Ron and yanking aggressively at his Gryffindor tie, every Slytherin present is standing around Harry to show their support, forming a united front and conveying a clear message: If you threaten one of us, you threaten us all.
Draco tugs Ron's face close to his and grits his teeth, maintaining his death-grip on the red-head's tie. "I don't give a rat's arse about your crack-pot theories or your meaningless accusations, Weasley. But, if you ever call him that again, I will personally see to it that you live out the rest of your life in unimaginable pain, do I make myself perfectly clear?" Draco's tone is cold and unforgiving, sending shivers of fear through the gathered crowd. There is no denying the truth to his words. If Ron disobeys, there will be hell to pay.
Ron says nothing, speechless under the crushing weight of Draco's predatory gaze, but he blinks frantically to convey his understanding. Draco narrows his eyes and growls before finally releasing Ron's tie, standing up from his kneeling position to look down at the Gryffindor.
"Finite." Draco spits out before he turns on his heels and walks briskly over to Harry. He stops for a moment, his surprise at the gathered Slytherins evident on his face.
"Just so you know, it doesn't matter what we think personally. You're one of us, and that means that we will always be there to back you up when you need it." One of the Slytherins answers Harry and Draco's silent question before waving them off. Harry and Draco smile lightly, despite the situation, finally understanding the true meaning behind the phrase "Slytherin unity." Draco quickly schools his features and ushers Harry away, sending a curt nod of thanks at his fellow Slytherins as he marches down the corridor with Harry in tow.
~~~Time Skip~~~
Draco decides to take Harry to the kitchens to eat lunch instead of the Great Hall, figuring that Harry would rather eat somewhere private after the events that have transpired. Draco knows he's made the right call when they enter the kitchens and the House Elves rush over excitedly to greet them, making Harry's face light up. Draco can tell that Ron's words - well, one word in particular - have had more of an effect on Harry than the dark-haired boy is showing, and the blond is determined to lift Harry's spirits. Which means chocolate. A lot of chocolate.
As the House Elves pull them over to the counter, Draco reflects on how he dealt with the situation. He'll be the first to admit that he could have handled things more delicately. But, when Ron called Harry a "freak", he quite literally "saw red", as the saying goes. He's never felt that level of rage before. Sure, he's been unbelievably pissed off more times than he can count (Harry seems to be supremely talented at invoking this particular emotion), but he's never experienced this kind of uncontrollably fury before. It's as if every instinct he has was screaming at him to protect, and harm, to make that idiot red-head pay. He hates that he allowed himself to lose control (He doesn't even want to think about what would have happened if a teacher had found them), but he doesn't regret his actions. Not for a second.
Draco feels something poking his side harshly, drawing him out of his thoughts, and he turns sharply to see one of the House Elves inspecting him. Before he can question the elf's motives, she looks him in the eye and calmly states, "Too skinny," before shaking her head and snapping her fingers to magically place a plate of food in front of him. The elf nods, clearly deeming her solution to the "problem" acceptable, and dissapperates away, reappearing with a soft crack on the other side of the room.
Draco hears Harry squeal beside him and he abruptly turns, expecting to see some sort of life-threatening danger. Instead, he is met with the sight of a wide-eyed Harry, who is staring, awe-struck, at the vast pile of sweets in front of him. Draco chuckles and shakes his head, sending a silent "thank you" to the House Elves for somehow knowing that Harry is upset and is in desperate need of sugar and chocolate.
"Draco, please slap me. I think I might be hallucinating." Harry mumbles, his eyes still trained on the pile of sweets.
"You're not hallucinating, you bloody idiot." Draco says, smacking at Harry's arm playfully.
"Oh…" Harry trails off, his tone far-away. "Are you sure?" The ravenette finally turns his eyes to look at Draco, a blissed out expression on his face.
Draco sighs. "Yes," he says, chuckling, "I'm sure." Draco pats Harry on the shoulder and turns back to his own food. Draco hears Harry shuffle around and he glances out of the corner of his eye to watch Harry slowly reach out to pick up a cauldron cake from the top of the pile. Instead of bringing the sweet to his mouth, Harry gingerly holds it in his hand, staring down at it with a forlorn expression. Harry's mood has quickly shifted from astonished happiness to melancholy, his crestfallen eyes looking unseeingly down at his chocolate. Harry's sorrowful demeanor is heart-wrenching, and Draco doesn't even attempt to fight the need to help that surges through him.
Harry opens his mouth before Draco has the chance to speak. "He's right, you know? I am a freak. I keep trying to deny it, but it's true. Everyone's thinking it, I know they are. I don't even know why I try anymore." Harry is on the verge of tears, contrasting his emotionless and resigned tone of voice. Draco feels his heart clench painfully, and he has to push down the whirlwind of emotions threatening to break through his calm facade. The blond takes a deep, heavy breath, closing his eyes for a moment before opening them and fixing Harry with a determined stare.
"Harry, Weasley's an idiot. He was trying to hurt you and he knew just what to say to do it. Just because Ron said it, does not mean that it's true. Besides, if Ronald Weasley spoke for the entire Hogwarts student body, then I would be seriously concerned for Britain's magical future. You're not a freak, Harry. Not for being a parselmouth, not for being a Slytherin, and, most importantly, not for being yourself. You are unique, and talented, and bloody incredible, and there is absolutely nothing that will make me believe otherwise." Draco pauses, standing and crossing the short distance over to where Harry is seated, wrapping the dark-haired boy in his arms. "I have your back, Harry. And so do, Theo, Blaise, Hermione, Severus, and the rest of the Slytherins. You, Harry James Potter, belong, and don't you ever forget that."
For the next twenty minutes, Draco let Harry cry into his arms, holding him tightly and whispering quiet reassurances. At some point, the house elves gather around them, joining in to show their affection and support. When Harry finally runs out of tears to cry, he looks up with puffy, red-rimmed eyes. And as he glances around at the gathered elves, and then to his best friend, he feels a genuine smile pull at his lips. Draco's right, he realizes. People like Ron Weasley will never be worth his tears.