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"You did what?!" gasped Neville.
Draco looked around. Once the horrible Care of Magical Creatures lesson was over and they had tended their injuries from the Blast-Ended Skrewts, Neville had asked Draco what had really happened with Dumbledore and Potter. They were currently in an empty classroom. Draco had cast a Muffliato, but still looked around to make sure no one was around.
"I broke Potter's nose," Draco mumbled. "And tried to kill Dumbledore."
Neville stared at him, mouth agape. "You- You-"
"Yeah, I know," muttered Draco. He had told Neville everything. About his summer. About Horcruxes. About his trip to Gringotts. And about the cup taking control of him and his subsequent attempt to murder Harry Potter and Albus Dumbledore. Seeing that Neville already knew about the time travel, he didn't really see a reason not to tell him about the Horcruxes as well. "They are both fine, though. It's not like I'd stand a chance against Dumbledore, possessed or not." Unless, of course, Dumbledore wanted to die again and Draco let Death Eaters into the school. But what were the chances of that happening again?
"Wow," Neville buried his face in his hands. "But hey - that means two Horcruxes are destroyed already. How many more can there be?"
Draco gave this some thought. "Not too many, I suppose. They're not exactly easy to make. And the Dark Lord has been gone for years so he can't have made any new ones in the last 13 years. But I know of at least one more. It's at Hogwarts, actually."
"What? Where?" Neville looked alarmed.
"In the Room of Hidden Things. It's a tiara. But calm down, Nev. We're save and I'm not in any rush to repeat what happened yesterday," Draco said.
"But we have to destroy it," Neville persisted.
Draco looked at Neville. It amazed him just how different he was from the original 14-year-old Neville. This new Neville was active and brave. More like his older, post-war self. "We don't have time for that now. Our next lesson will start soon and I really don't want Snape thinking I'm helping a serial killer or anything like that again, just because I'm late to my lessons... But we could try it on Saturday? Is that good enough for you?"
Neville nodded his head. "I guess. So, You-Know-Who is really coming back?"
Draco didn't say anything for a while. Then he nodded his head. "Yes. By the end of the year, I suppose. Unless my messing with the time line has changed his plans." Which wasn't all that unlikely, he had to admit. Pettigrew had escaped several months before he originally did. If he'd also found the Dark Lord sooner, then that could mean that he'd had more time to plan. And the events at the Quidditch World Cup had shown him that things were indeed happening faster. "But Dumbledore said they still attacked Moody and the Triwizard Tournament is still happening, so I don't think his plan has changed much, if it has changed at all."
Neville considered this. "So he will come back? And we can't stop that. But with your knowledge, we can bring him down much faster, right?" Neville asked hopefully.
"I don't know. We know about the Horcruxes and we are destroying them so that's a huge advantage. And Dumbledore seems hopeful. But things are different now. The Death Eaters are already becoming active. Moody, although he wasn't the real one, isn't teaching us. He was the one who brought the Dark Lord back, so I don't know what their plan is now…"
No one said anything for a while. "You said they killed Cedric this year?" Neville finally asked.
Draco nodded his head.
"We should stop him from entering his name," Neville said.
That was something Draco hadn't thought about yet.
"I know things might already be so different that he won't die, but if we know about the possible death of someone and are able to do something about it, I think we are obliged to do everything in our power to stop it," Neville continued.
Draco's mind was racing. Maybe saving Cedric would kill someone else instead. Maybe he wouldn't die anyways. But if he didn't die then another champion wouldn't die either, so nothing was lost. It was unlikely that another champion would end up in the same situation Potter and Diggory had. Only a Hufflepuff would share the victory, thus ending up in the graveyard together. Draco's head was spinning. But then another thought hit him: Cedric's father was the reason why his son had almost died traveling through time.
"Let's do it," he said. If stopping Cedric meant that there was a slight chance his son would not get into trouble in the future, then he was willing to risk it. "The students who want to participate need to put their names into a goblet at the end of October, as far as I remember. So, we still have some time to figure out how exactly we're going to do it."
Neville nodded his head. "I think we ought to go now, Divination is starting in a couple of minutes."
Draco laughed. "You should have dropped that. It's the most useless subject ever taught at Hogwarts."
"Now that I know you, though, I think my homework will get a lot more accurate," Neville chuckled. Draco noted how he didn't contradict him on the usefulness of Divination.
"Well, I have Arithmancy next. A bit more useful, I would say. Oh, I almost forgot," Draco rummaged through his bag and pulled out a few books. "Here. Stole them from my father's library. Some of them are on healing and some on the Cruciatus. Might help us with your parents."
Neville smiled at him. "Thanks."
After Arithmancy, Snape called Draco into his office.
"Sir?" Draco asked when he entered the office.
"Ah Draco. It is good to see you. Have a seat."
Draco nodded and sat down.
"I have heard you spent your first night back at Hogwarts in the infirmary?" Snape inquired.
"Y-yes," Draco had no idea how to explain this without talking about the Horcruxes.
"I hope everything is alright now," continued his godfather, studying Draco.
"Peachy," Draco smiled but knew it probably looked forced. "Congratulations on becoming the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher," Draco said, changing the topic.
Snape scrutinized Draco, but then smiled. "Thank you. It's long been an ambition of mine."
"I'm sure you'll be excellent at it."
"I do hope so, too," his smile faded. "You are not in any kind of trouble again, are you?" he asked.
Draco should have known changing topics wouldn't work for long. "No trouble, sir."
Snape sighed, seemingly annoyed with the lack of response from Draco. "The headmaster wants to speak with you." Draco stiffened. "You wouldn't happen to know why?"
"No idea," Draco lied.
Snape narrowed his eyes. "If you leave for his office now, you might make it back before curfew. If not," he handed Draco a piece of parchment, "this will excuse you should you run into any Professors or Mr. Filch."
"Thank you," Draco said and felt bad for all the lies he had to tell.
Snape looked like he wanted to say more, but ultimately just dismissed Draco.
"Headmaster?" Draco entered the office without much trouble. The stone gargoyle had just jumped aside when Draco approached.
"Mr. Malfoy, please, have a seat," said the headmaster once he saw Draco.
"I-I'm sorry for what happened yesterday. I really don't know what came over me," Draco mumbled, not looking into the headmaster's eyes, as he sat down.
"You have nothing to apologize for," said Dumbledore kindly. "Indeed, I feel like it is me who should apologize to you."
Draco's head perked up. "But you didn't do anything."
"I should have anticipated that the Horcrux would defend itself," Dumbledore continued. "Neither you nor Mr. Potter should have spent your first day back at the castle in the Hospital Wing."
Draco shrugged his shoulders. "Is it gone now?" he asked.
"Yes," smiled the headmaster.
"I'll get the diadem on Saturday," Draco said, deciding to be open about it. "I know where it is and how to get it."
"Why such a hurry?"
"The sooner we get rid of these vile things, the better," grumbled Draco.
Dumbledore nodded his head. "Bring it to me once you have it and be sure not to touch it."
Draco nodded. Dumbledore seemed to trust him, which was a surprisingly good feeling.
The next days were rather uneventful. Slughorn started his Potions lesson the same way he had in Draco's sixth year, just with easier potions. Again, they had to guess which potions the Professor was presenting them with and then brew a potion. The best potion, again, won a Felix Felicis – also called Liquid Luck. Draco really wanted the Felix Felicis, but also knew that it wouldn't be fair to take it away from Potter, who had won it originally and probably needed it to complete his task for Dumbledore.
The potion they had to brew was annoyingly easy – a Shrinking Solution. Snape had given them an essay about it during the summer holidays between their second and third year and had then have the students brew it at the beginning of their third year. Draco had had an excellent essay, having met Snape during that summer. Snape had told him of his own version of the potion, which was quite different from the school book version. Draco had also practiced the Shrinking Solution with Neville several times so Snape wouldn't have to threaten him with poisoning his toad again. It had worked, too, Snape hadn't found anything to criticize about Neville's potion.
Draco decided to brew the potion how it was described in the potions book instead of using Snape's improved version. He probably shouldn't meddle with time unnecessarily anyway. And Potter or maybe Granger would win the potion and probably save the day with it.
His potion turned out alright, not the exact acid green color Draco knew it should have, but close enough to have the promised effect and not kill the person drinking it.
"Time is up," called Slughorn, nearing the end of the lesson. "Stop stirring, please!"
He walked around the classroom, looking at the potions of his students and smelled some of them.
"Well done," he murmured once he saw Draco's potion, and gave him an appreciative nod.
Granger's potion also got an approving nod. But then, Slughorn's face was filled with incredulous delight.
"The clear winner!" exclaimed Slughorn and Draco nearly knocked over his cauldron when he realized, who Slughorn meant. "Excellent, excellent, Mr. Longbottom. Good lord, I have never seen such a perfect potion before. Here you are, then, here you are – one bottle of Felix Felicis. Just as promised. Use it well."
Neville looked dumbfounded and the looks on the faces of the others in the classroom weren't any better.
Draco flashed Neville a smile, but felt rather overwhelmed by the whole experience.
Draco was rather excited for their first Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson with Snape, which they had a few days later. The first thing he noticed was that he shared this class with the Gryffindors. He was pretty sure that hadn't been the case originally. He also noticed that there were no tables or chairs in the classroom, so all the students stood around Snape, who was standing in the middle of the classroom.
Snape started the lesson, not unlike Slughorn, similar to how he had started it in Draco's sixth year.
"The Dark Arts," said Snape, "are many, varied, ever-changing, and eternal. Fighting them is like fighting a many-headed monster, which, each time a neck is severed, sprouts a head even fiercer and cleverer than before. You are fighting that which is unfixed, mutating, indestructible. Your defenses must therefore be as flexible and inventive as the arts you seek to undo."
Snape seemed to be in a good mood. But then again, teaching DADA had always been his dream. And the students were more eager to learn about this subject than about Potions.
Snape proceeded to show them pictures of what horrible things the Dark Arts could do.
"Your previous teachers have done little to prepare you for the harsh reality of fighting the effects of the Dark Arts and defending yourself. We will change this. You won't need your books in this class as we will focus mainly on practical application."
The class was mesmerized by his speech. Surprisingly, even the Gryffindors seemed excited.
"Who in here can tell me something about the Protego charm?"
Granger's hand shot into the air. Snape took his time looking around at everybody else, checking if anyone else knew the answer. Finally, Theo raised his hand.
"Mr. Nott?"
"They create a magical barrier to deflect spells, in order to protect a certain person or area, sir."
"Very well. Five points to Slytherin. Who knows how many forms Protego has?"
This time, Granger's hand stayed the only one that was raised. "Very well – Miss Granger?"
"There are five forms. Protego, Duo, Horribilis, Totalum and Maxima."
It was a sign of just how good his mood must have been, that he gave five points to Gryffindor as well. "Does anyone know how to perform any of these varieties?"
When no one raised his hand, Theo said, "Draco does, Professor."
Draco glared at Theo and Snape raised an eyebrow. "Indeed? Would you be willing to share your expertise with the class?"
Draco wasn't keen on demonstrating just how beyond everyone else his knowledge was - really, he could cast a nonverbal shield charm in his sleep at this point. But he didn't have much of a choice.
"Sure," Draco smiled. "Who wants to attack me?" When no one answered, he continued, "Oh, come on. I'm sure some of you are dying to curse me into the next century."
"I'll do it," said Theo.
"Ok, throw your strongest curse at me," said Draco, getting into a fighting position.
"Alright," said Theo, grinning. "Petrificus Totalus!" he shouted without warning.
"Protego," yelled Draco, waving his wand in front of him. The white light from Theo's wand clashed into an invisible wall with a loud pang, briefly illuminating the whole room. The light bounced of the wall and back into Theo, who, with a yelp, flew several feet backwards, ending up in a Full Body-Bind himself.
Snape waved his wand, freeing Theo from the curse. "Well done," he smiled. "Ten points to Slytherin."
The others looked at Draco in astonishment.
"Anyone else wants a go?" asked Draco and was only met with shaking heads.
"As you have seen," continued Snape, "the incantation is Protego and the wand movement is a straight line," this he indicated with his own wand. "You will now divide into pairs. One partner will attempt to jinx the other. The other will attempt to block the attack. Carry on."
Draco practiced with Theo.
Typically, ten minutes into the lesson, Granger was able to block all of Neville's spells. With a little help from Draco, Theo was too, soon after.
"Miss Granger, Mr. Nott and Mr. Malfoy," Snape called, twenty minutes into the lesson. "I would like you three to partner up, as you seem to be ahead of your fellow classmates. Practice on each other. If you find the task too easy, try using the other forms of the spell or try casting nonverbally." He then went to help those who were still struggling with the basic charm.
"Wow," muttered Granger after five minutes of fighting Draco and Theo and actually having fun. "He is actually a pretty decent Defense teacher."
"Did you ever doubt that? Locomotor Wibbly!" asked Theo, mockingly, throwing a Jelly-Legs-Jinx her way.
"Protego Duo! Well, in Potions I never had the feeling that he actually wanted us to succeed," she said, blocking the jinx.
Another five minutes later, Potter was deemed good enough by Snape to join them.
"Hey, Granger," said Draco. "Fancy a duel? Just for fun, of course." When she looked at him uncertainly, he added, "and to practice our shields."
He was a bit bored by lazily throwing jinxes at the others and Granger was the best witch in the class.
"Alright," she said, still unsure of herself. She bowed to Draco.
Draco also bowed and grinned evilly.
"Colloshoo!" yelled Hermione.
"Protego!" the hex hit Draco's shield charm. "Titillando!" Draco yelled.
"Protego Duo!" Hermione cried, and the purple light hit the shield charm violently and bounced back, hitting Theo, who fell to the ground laughing. "Wingardium Leviosa," shouted Hermione and Draco felt how he grew lighter, soon floating in the air.
"Protego!" he roared, falling back on the ground. "Confringo!"
"Protego! Incarcerous!"
Draco deflected the spell and it hit Potter, who ended up on the floor, bound and gagged, next to the still laughing Theo.
"Harry!" shrieked Hermione and Draco, exploiting the distraction, cast "Expelliarmus!".
The scarlet light hit Hermione and her wand flew into Draco's hand.
Draco looked around. Everyone had stopped practicing to watch their fight.
Snape waved his wand to free Potter and Theo from the spells that had accidentally been cast on them. Draco was sure that Snape would kill them, but he just said, "10 points to each of you, for the display of excellent dueling skills."
The class applauded, and Draco handed Hermione her wand back.
"That was fun," she conceded.
Draco grinned. It looked like this year DADA might actually be fun.
TBC
That's actually two chapters, but the website didn't work yesterday, so I couldn't upload and wrote another chapter instead and then decided to upload both of them together…
Merry Christmas to everyone :)
As always, tell me what you think of this chapter.