On the first Saturday Draco met Harry in the Room of Requirement, they didn't discuss anything important. Draco wasn't sure what to expect, but he was glad Potter wasn't planning to spend time interrogating him or proposing half-witted ideas that he would keep shutting down. Instead, they explored the room.

Students for decades, centuries even, had been using this place as a communal dumping ground for shit they didn't need anymore. They had no idea how deep it went; the room continually expanded to make more space. It was tense at first, neither knew how to talk to each other. They were only a few metres into the massive piles when Potter started being reckless, opening drawers and rifling through the contents.

"You shouldn't be touching everything. I'd bet my wand plenty of this stuff is cursed."

"Oh." Potter pulled his hand back quickly and let his hands hover awkwardly above the drawer trying to decipher what he could touch by sight alone. Draco sighed.

"You can check for magical presences."

"Right." Potter nodded but still looked uncertain.

"You don't know how to, do you?"

"I do, I just haven't done it in a while," he mumbled.

Draco demonstrated the charm on a chest of items near him. Potter readily cast it, and when his drawer didn't display anything he went right back to rifling through it.

"You know for being a famous wizard your knowledge of basic magic is pitiful."

"It's not like it's my fault," Potter said and he pulled out a tattered diary. "I grew up with muggles."

"What?" Draco paused his rummaging. It was Potter's chance to look smug.

"You didn't know? I guess it's a good thing because you would probably tease me for it. My only living family is my mother's sister. I grew up with my muggle cousin."

That… did explain a little. Potter was weirdly clueless about a lot of stuff. "But you did grow up with magic right?"

"Nope. Or at least only whatever accidental magic I did, but I didn't even know magic was real until my eleventh birthday."

Draco's mouth dropped open. "How is that possible? You're Harry Potter!"

Potter's lip curled into a frown. "Ask Dumbledore, he's the one who put me there."

Draco could hardly believe would life have been like living as a muggle?It was unfathomable, and Draco found himself feeling just a tad sorry for Potter.

"Does that mean you didn't know who I was when we met?" Draco had always assumed Potter's initial indifference was because of some prejudice, not because he'd never heard of the Malfoy name.

Harry laughed. "Of course not, I didn't even know what Slytherin was."

Draco choked. "No one told you?"

"Well, not before that point, but Hagrid did later that day. Said 'There's not a bad witch or wizard who wasn't in Slytherin' or something like that."

"Is that why you turned down my offer, before the sorting?" That moment had caused Draco a lot of turmoil. His parents told him that he needed to befriend Potter and when he didn't want anything to do with him, he had been upset for weeks.

"Yeah, that and you were being a prick," Potter added, grinning.

"I wasn't a prick, I was just trying to help you."

"You were a prick," Potter said with a laugh.

"You still are," Regulus chimed in from behind him.

Draco grumbled a denial under his breath and went back to his chest. It was hard to be too bothered when neither sounded serious about the insult.

The second Saturday Potter got bolder.

"So let's get this straight. If I can find a way to remove the mark and get you and your family to safety, you'll give up on killing Dumbledore?"

"That is what you vowed," Draco said blandly.

"And by family, you just mean your mother right? I guess I should've classified earlier." He brushed his hair back nervously, and said with a grimace, "Bellatrix is your aunt right?"

"You didn't think it was important to specify that sooner?" Potter didn't think anything through. "I don't care about Bella, but my father is family."

"Do you think he'd leave willingly?" Potter asked hesitantly.

"No," Draco admitted.

"Then I'm not helping him. He tried to kill me."

Draco bit his cheek. He knew his father would never leave the Dark Lord, he was too loyal, but he couldn't outright disclude him. Draco settled for not disagreeing.

"I have nothing against your mother though. The Order can protect you and her."

Draco snorted. "As touching as that thought is, offering protection and actually being able to provide it against the Dark Lord are two different things."

"He hasn't found us yet," Potter said defensively.

"Fidelius charm right?" Potter nodded, looking a little surprised at Draco's correct assumption. "Do you really think they tell a Death Eater the location?"

"Well, hopefully, you'd be a former Death Eater at that point. Besides, Snape knows."

"What? He's loyal to the Dark Lord."

"He's a spy for the order. Dumbledore trusts him," he said, clearly a little frustrated by that.

That couldn't be right. Snape had been willing to help him kill Dumbledore, but it was something he should probably keep to himself. "Fine, even if they tell me, what if the secret keeper dies? What wards are in place?"

"I doubt the secret keeper is dying anytime soon, but I don't know."

"And what measures are in place when you leave? Against tracking spells?"

"Uh, I don't know. I'm not actually part of the order?" Potter said uncertainly.

"What do you mean? You've faced the Dark Lord more than the rest of them!"

"They think I am too young."

Draco didn't know what his face did, but Potter guessed his thoughts.

"Guess Voldemort doesn't have the same reservations?"

"Guess not." And neither did his mother Draco thought bitterly.

"The Order is safe though. Dumbledore is the only one Voldemort fears right? It's for good reason. If you ask him, he'll make sure you are protected."

"I can't risk it."

"Why?"

"I am not going to the man I have been instructed to kill. Imagine - Oh hello headmaster, I have spent the last month trying to kill you but you still help me out right?"

"I really don't think he'd mind," Potter said with a frown.

"Whatever, I won't do it. And you can't either."

"I know, the whole unbreakable vow thing." He waved his hand in the air. "You'll consider going to the Order though?"

They spent the remainder of their time together discussing the Order and its merits. Draco remained unconvinced, but Potter was so damn insistent that it was the right move. Draco had to keep reminding himself that Potter probably wasn't going to figure out a way around the dark mark or how to get his mother hidden away safely. Whatever they discussed was likely pointless anyway. If it made Potter feel better, who was he to stop it?

Regulus was always there, but never said much. He knew Regulus was indulging his relationship with Potter because he liked Potter, not because he thought it was going to work. Draco found himself stubbornly holding onto that spark despite all the evidence to the contrary. Potter was probably not going to figure it out but probably wasn't absolutely.

As expected, Regulus did love the potential of the Room of Requirement. He instantly decided It was the perfect spot to work on the vanishing cabinet. They finally took the time to read through Burke's instructions and as Draco anticipated, Regulus understood exactly what they needed to do. They started practising the spells they'd need during their limited free time.

Regulus was pouring so much energy into his task that Draco started to feel a little guilty about how little they had been focusing on bringing Regulus's body back. They were lucky if they got in a few hours a week, but it was dwindling. Between NEWT-level assignments, scheming for his task, and now his meetings with Potter, there just wasn't time. He vowed that as soon as Dumbledore was dead he would get Regulus back, no matter what. He owed him.

The first quidditch match of the year provided their first and best opportunity to move the cabinet to its new location. Draco hadn't resisted when Regulus proposed it. Almost all of the staff and students would be out of the castle and it was obvious that they weren't going to get a better chance. The only problem was that Draco had to miss the match, Gryffindor vs Slytherin. It would be his first time missing a match since he joined the team in second year, but he didn't have the luxury to partake in hobbies. He was struggling enough to make routine practices.

On the day of the match, he faked a stomach ache and landed himself in the infirmary. He moaned while Pomphrey fretted about trying to diagnose a fake illness but trying her best to not insult Draco by calling it bogus. When she deemed him unlikely to die in the next few hours, she headed down to the match to be the on-duty medi-witch. When the match was officially scheduled to start, he carried out the plan.

Draco made his way to the first floor, levitated the cabinet, and got it into the Room of Requirement without issue. It was easier than he had hoped for considering their last plan with the necklace. They didn't run into anyone, not even Mrs. Norris. Draco considered moving the potions too, but Regulus pointed out that it was probably better to keep that knowledge away from Potter. They could excuse away the cabinet if Potter happened to stumble upon it, but the potions, not so much. So Draco returned to the infirmary and later his dormitory feeling rather satisfied with himself.

Because of the match, Potter had suggested they meet on Sunday instead. Draco was already in the room having spent the earlier part of the day repairing splinters on the cabinet when Potter burst in.

"Why did you miss the match?" It was the angriest he'd seen Potter since they started their weekly arrangement.

"I was sick."

"Bullshit. You've made them reschedule the match over a scratch before. Why?"

Draco bristled. "It's none of your business."

"All of your business is my business now. I am giving you a chance to be honest."

Draco just glared defiantly.

Potter glared back and said, "Fine. What did you take to the room during the match?"

"I didn't take anything," Draco lied, but Potter's confidence made him weary.

"You're a shit liar, you carried something big and wooden. What is it?"

"How - ?" Potter was at the match, he hadn't seen anyone. Did he have the room monitored?

"Tell me. I'll just look around for it if not." To prove his point he started walking forward down one of the paths.

Draco ground his teeth, Potter wasn't going to drop it. "It's a vanishing cabinet."

Potter looked at him appraisingly, and finding what he was looking for said, "Show me." Draco led him to where he had placed the cabinet in a deeper, but more open part of the room.

"This is like the one at Borgin and Burkes!" Potter exclaimed.

"How do you know that?!" Draco was confused. Potter had somehow become a genius overnight.

"I followed you that day in Diagon Alley," Potter admitted a little sheepishly, his earlier anger dissipated.

"What?" Draco couldn't process.

Potter ignored his question. "What does it do?"

"It can transport objects. You followed me?!" Draco asked incredulously.

"Oh, that's handy. You aren't using it for your 'task' are you?"

"No, it's a personal project," Draco replied, hoping Potter wouldn't know whether that was a lie. "How did you know I moved it?"

Potter gave a sheepish look again. "I had you followed."

"By who?" Draco was sure that no one had seen him.

"Kreacher."

"Kreacher?!" Draco and Regulus both shouted. Potter clearly didn't expect Draco's reaction.

"Calm down! Yes, Kreacher. He's mine now. Sirius left everything to me, including him," he said, lip curling with disgust.

"What have you done to him?"

"Nothing," Potter said, looking dumbfounded. That couldn't be right. Draco had started to believe the elf was dead.

"I haven't been able to call him!"

"Yeah," Potter said like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "He betrayed the Order. He's not allowed to talk to anyone else."

"Can you call him?"

"Sure, but, why?"

"Just do it." Draco needed proof. Potter shrugged not seeing a problem with it.

"Kreacher!"

Kreacher appeared looking the same, with his slouched form and too-large ears. Draco could feel Regulus's relief at the sight of the elf.

"What does Master want? Kreacher must remind you that Kreacher does not want to be following the rightful heir, the superior, he has the purest blood-"

"Kreacher?" The elf jerked his head and his eyes went comically large hearing Draco interrupt him.

"Master Malfoy!" He lunged forward grabbing Draco's robes, burning his face into the fabric, and inhaling his scent. Draco froze awkwardly. One of Kreacher's bony hands came up to inspect Regulus's ring on his hand and pressed it to his forehead.

Regulus knelt beside him and whispered, unheard by the elf, "I am so glad you're okay."

"He likes you?" Potter asked, astounded.

"Of course he does."

"But Dobby said you treated elves horribly!"

Draco snorted. "I wouldn't trust a word that came out of his obnoxious mouth."

Kreacher was crying now. Draco patted his back hesitantly. "Uh, everything is alright Kreacher." The elf met his gaze, hopefully understanding that it meant Regulus was alright too.

"Kreacher has missed yous." Both Regulus and he noticed the plural.

"I've missed you too," Regulus said. Draco wished there was a way to relay Regulus's message without Potter knowing. Regulus had an unnatural attachment to the elf, something Draco didn't want to take away. Regulus was lonely enough, focused so heavily on Draco with no one else even knowing about his existence.

"Would you let him come to me if I called?" Draco asked Potter over Kreacher's muffled sobs.

"No! I'm not letting him be a traitor again."

"You can forbid him from talking about the Order. I just think it would be good for him to see other people."

"He sees other elves in the kitchens."

"He's been working at Hogwarts?" They'd gone months without knowing Kreacher was in the same castle as them.

"Yeah, Dumbledore suggested it."

Draco considered. He had to do this for Regulus.

"Please, let him come to me when I call him," Draco felt his face flush as Potter's mouth dropped open.

"I don't think I've ever heard you say please seriously before."

"I don't usually need it," Draco tried to sound serious rather than embarrassed, Potter had to know that this was important to him.

"Fine, but Kreacher, you can't talk about the order and you can't leave Hogwarts."

Kreacher nodded his head enthusiastically. "Kreacher will obey anything if he can still be close to Master Malfoy."

"Thank you, Draco," Regulus said. Draco hoped he really did appreciate it. It wasn't a lie that he often didn't say please.

Potter dismissed the elf after another minute, looking confused by the whole interaction. Draco was just pleased that he was able to get Regulus his elf back.

It happened because Draco wasn't paying attention. They had finally finished their first potion, the one that stopped someone's heart. He was pouring it into a vial, unwisely, over the other brewing potion. It only spilled a drop into the other cauldron, but it immediately began to bubble and smoke.

White gas rapidly filled the space around him. Draco started involuntarily coughing. Whatever it was stung his throat.

"Get out! You don't know what it could do," Regulus shouted, backing up from the offending cauldron.

Draco tried to hold his breath and quickly started pouring the remainder of the potion into the vial. He wasn't going to let weeks of work go to waste.

"Draco now!"

Draco ignored him, trying to get the last of it. His eyes started to sting, blurring his visions. The moment he got the vial stoppered, he fumbled around for his belongings, stuffing the potion into his pack. When he got out into the hallway, he noticed the gas hadn't gotten that far yet. He was wheezing and could barely see, but was able to cast a sealing charm on the door. Hopefully, no one would try to go in.

"You need air," Regulus said, panicked. Draco still couldn't get in a proper breath but tried to deepen his breathing as he made his way up to the astronomy tower. Regulus kept coaching him through his breathing, telling him to keep it easy as he climbed the stairs. He knew he should count himself lucky. Snape had drilled into him the danger of potion accidents. Most ended in explosions. Even now, he probably should go to the Infirmary, but he didn't have a good excuse for why he had breathed in toxic gas.

His throat was still irritated and swollen minutes later, but his eyes had stopped watering. The cool air was helping. Regulus was clearly still on edge, but he too settled down as Draco's breathing became easier.

"You like being up here," Draco commented, annoyed to find his voice so raspy.

"It's peaceful," Regulus said simply, and added on, "James and I started meeting here at first."

He waited hesitantly for Draco's response. When it didn't come, he asked, "Does it bother you? Me talking about him?"

Draco frowned. It probably should bother him. Part of his deal with Regulus was for him to avoid talking about his past romantic relationships, but Draco couldn't help but notice the way Regulus lit up when talking about James. His normally stoic face always became more animated. "I guess it's not that bad."

"Do you want me to not talk about him?"

"No, you can," Draco said hoarsely.

"He was a lot like Harry is," Regulus said. "They just do things. Thinking comes after."

"I don't get why Potter would ever choose to help me." It was true, and he didn't know if Regulus had felt the same way about James.

"I found that Gryffindors don't often think much beyond, 'I should so I will'. It's less transactional than you would do things."

"It's idiotic."

"I bet he would say the same about you."

That was probably true. Harry was truly something else. He had such unfailing loyalty that things would work out, but Draco was a realist. Everything he had seen from Potter recently he was just a better person.

Regulus interpreted his conflicted expression. "It's not good or bad. You're just different."

Draco nodded, but couldn't chase the thought away.

Because of repairs to the vanishing cabinet Draco found himself in the Room of Requirement more days than not. It took days to get the cosmetic damage fixed to the level Burke specified. They had started the spell work when Potter began showing up in the room at the same time. He said it was just because he needed space to study, but Draco didn't buy it. Potter could study anywhere.

"You'll think it's dumb," Potter said.

"I already think that about you," Draco replied.

Potter rolled his eyes. "You know Dean Thomas right?'

"Yeah." He was another Gryffindor, although Draco wasn't sure if he'd ever talked to him.

"He's dating Ginny and they are pretty, er, public about it," Potter admitted uncomfortably.

Draco snickered. "Some public snogging makes you uncomfortable enough to hang out with a Slytherin instead?"

"It's more like..." Potter hesitated trying to find the right words. "You can't tell anyone, but I like Ginny and I get annoyed that she's with someone else you know?"

Draco did not know. He'd never wanted to date any of the girls in his house. "Weasley? Really?"

"She's cool I guess," Potter said blushing. Draco scowled. "You've just had some bad interactions."

"Badis a nice way to phrase it. Glad to know I'm the rebound." It slipped out of his mouth without thinking. Potter blushed harder.

"You know it's not like that. It's quiet here." He gestured vaguely to the room. "How is the cabinet?" It was an obvious attempt to change the topic.

"I'm still trying to get the right charms to stick," Draco said, annoyed.

"Do you think you could get your mother through it? If she could get into Hogwarts, it'd probably be a lot easier to get her to a safe house." Potter was too determined.

"It's not meant for people, you saw how Montague was."

"But that was because the twins broke it right?"

"I suppose. I need to get it working with simple objects before we can do anything else."

"You can figure it out though right?" Potter said hopeful.

"I'm trying." Draco sighed and leaned back into a stretch. "Let's take a break. I'm sick of looking at this."

They went to a new pile of trinkets and started hunting. Almost immediately Draco saw Regulus freeze, staring at something at the top of a pile. Draco tried to take a mental note of what it was so he could ask Regulus about it later. It looked like some sort of blue necklace. Or maybe a tiara?

Potter interrupted both of their focus when he said, "What was it like when he put the mark on your arm?"

"It's not exactly pleasant conversation."

"I know, but maybe if I knew how it worked I could somehow help find a way to create a counter curse."

"I doubt it, it's pretty dark magic."

"There isn't any harm in telling me unless you are too scared to." He said teasing.

Draco clenched his teeth annoyed. "Fine. The incantation wasMosmorde. It hurt like hell. Then he used parselmouth to make the snakedigdeeper."

Harry grinned at him. "What's that look for?"

"Parselmouth, eh? I reckon I might be the only person able to help you with that."

A beat of silence crossed over the room. How could Draco have forgotten?

"He's a Parslemouth?!" Regulus almost shouted. That might have been something Draco mentioned sooner.

"But you can't just undo the spell," Draco spluttered.

"Probably not, but it's something right?" Potter said, still grinning. Draco's arm itched at the thought. It was definitely something. Draco tried not to feel lighter. Potter probably still wasn't going to be able to do it.

The next day, Draco returned to the Room of Requirement under the pretence of charming the cabinet but instead headed deeper into the room.

"I thought we were doing the cabinet."

"We will, but there was something I wanted to check first."

Regulus followed suspiciously until Draco was standing right in front of the object Regulus had frozen in front of.

"Don't." Regulus bit out.

"Don't what?"

"You should forget about that thing."

"Tell me why," Draco had figured that this was important to Regulus, but he hadn't imagined this extreme of a reaction.

"No."

"A deal then?"

"No."

"Fine." Draco reached up to grab the thing. If Regulus wouldn't tell him, he'd figure it out himself.

"Don't touch it!"

Startled Draco pulled his hand back.

"Why?" Draco asked, but just Regulus clenched his mouth shut. Draco reached up again.

"Stop!"

Anticipating the reprimand, Draco left his hand hovering away from it.

"Then tell me." Regulus still looked uncertain, but there was something in his eyes, fear.

"Why are you so scared of this thing?"

"Can't you feel how dark it is?"

Draco looked to where his hand hovered next to it. Honestly, he couldn't. "No, I can't."

Regulus looked sceptical. "Then just trust me it's evil."

"That's not good enough. Tell me what it is." Draco wasn't going to let Regulus off the hook so easily.

Sensing that determination, Regulus answered, "It's a diadem. Rowena Ravenclaw's unless I am mistaken."

"It's been lost for centuries!" Draco remembered it from History of Magic. It was a great magical mystery. "Why would it be dangerous?"

"That is one secret I don't want you to know."

Draco frowned. Regulus had been honest almost to the point of bluntness. Recently, there were even fewer secrets between them. He knew about Regulus's betrayal. He knew about James. There weren't many things he still avoided.

"Does it have to do with the locket Kreacher has?" That was the only other dark object that could trigger a reaction like this.

"It does."

"Are you going to tell me what it is?"

Regulus remained silent.

"Why not? I am capable of handling it. I have the ring." He pointed to the gold band that contained his memories. "If the knowledge is that dangerous, I'll just lock it away. What could be so terrible that you still don't want me to know."

"It was the final straw of my betrayal."

"Wouldn't you like it if I followed your footsteps?"

"I'd like for you to stay alive," Regulus said bitterly.

"I deserve to know."

Regulus took a moment to respond, considering his words.

"I'll tell you, but only if you understand what you are asking for. This knowledge could get you killed. Itdidget me killed."

"I know."

"It's dark magic. Darker than what you've encountered."

Draco swallowed, refusing to let that make him feel nervous. "Okay."

"You can't let anyone else know. You can't let anyone else get a hold of it."

Draco nodded. "I know. What is it?"

Regulus took a moment, still uncertain. "I am giving you one last chance. Drop it."

Draco met his gaze determined. Regulus sighed in defeat.

"It's a horcrux." That was a completely unfamiliar word to Draco.

"What's a horcrux?"

"It contains a piece of someone's soul."

"His soul?" Draco's stomach turned. "Like you?"

"No!" Regulus said, aghast, "He ripped his soul apart and jammed a piece into that."

"The locket is one too?" Dread sunk in.

"Yes."

"How many are there?"

"I don't know. Until yesterday I assumed that he only ever had the locket. Even just one is bad enough. He can't die unless all of the pieces are destroyed."

Draco understood then. Anyone who opposed the Dark Lord was doomed. They were literally facing immortality. Regulus had seen a chance to at least give someone a fighting chance and took it, his final push to betrayal was hope that someone would be able to end it. Draco could understand that, but his reaction was different. He felt utterly hopeless. The Dark Lord would never be beaten. He would be fighting his whole life, no matter how long it was.