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It was early evening a few weeks later. The weeks had felt like years to Daphne and her friends. Hogwarts… was not really Hogwarts anymore. They would learn complete and utter nonsense. Alecto taught them how Muggles were just like animals, stupid and dirty, and how they had driven wizards into hiding by being vicious toward them, and how the natural order was being reestablished. Amycus was even worse, forcing them to practice the Unforgivables on animals, punishing them if they did not succeed. The halls were quiet, students did not dare speak openly. Even Voldemort's sympathizers, who still used every chance they got to make their lives more difficult, had grown rather subservient. It was as if all hope had left the castle.

The only light in these dark days were their Defense meetings. Neville had taught them how to brew various healing potions, which they had started stocking up on. He made quite a decent potions teacher, Daphne thought with a smile as she walked towards the Great Hall, Theo by her side. Neville knew how to make the most advanced potions. He even taught them how to brew a potion that helped with the aftereffects of the Cruciatus, a potion Daphne had never even known existed.

Cedric, true to his word, was teaching the younger members of their group the most useful spells he had learned during his time at Hogwarts. The twins were experimenting non-stop to turn their prank articles into the most useful things. And Angelina and the other Quidditch-enthusiasts were working out how to fly steadily enough so that they could cast spells while airborne. And Astoria had raided the library and was working on finding more spells that they could learn.

Daphne had just entered the Great Hall, lost in thought when someone yelled "Hey, Daphne!" She spun around to come face to face with the Weasley twins. "You too, Theo." They motioned with their heads for them to follow them.

"We just wanted to let you know," whispered George as soon as they were far enough away from everyone else so that they wouldn't be overheard, "that we would strongly advise against eating anything today."

"At least at your table," laughed Fred. "You are welcome to eat with us."

Theo looked over to the Slytherin table, where half of their classmates were already eating, then back at the twins. "They are going to kill you."

"If they ever figure out it was us," replied George. "Which they won't."

"Also, we've decided we don't care about getting into trouble anymore," continued Fred.

"Have you ever?" asked Daphne.

"'Course we have," said George. "Never been expelled, have we?"

"We've always known where to draw the line," said Fred.

"We might have put a toe across it occasionally," said George.

"But we've always stopped short of causing real mayhem," said Fred.

"But now?" asked Theo tentatively.

"Well, now-" said George.

"-what with Dumbledore gone and those two imbeciles teaching-" said Fred.

"-we reckon a bit of mayhem-" said George.

"-is exactly what the school needs," said Fred.

"You'll be expelled… or worse…" whispered Theo.

"You still don't get it, do you?" said Fred, smiling at him. "We don't care about staying anymore. The only reason why we're still here is to do our bit for Dumbledore. Protect those who can't protect themselves. And fight for what is right. If we continue to let them do what they're doing… we might as well drop out."

"Wow," replied Theo, "I really respect you guys. I'll miss you, too."

"Lighten up," replied George. "We're still here and the Carrows won't be able to put two and two together. I'm not even sure if they can put one and one together, but that's another problem."

"What about Snape, though?" asked Daphne. "He's never had any issues with math."

The twins looked at each other before they shrugged.

"I'd never thought I'd ever say this but… he isn't my least favorite person at this school," said Fred, "Dumbledore-betraying traitor that he is."

George nodded in agreement. "He gives us detention alright. But that's cleaning cauldrons or brewing potions for the Infirmary. Sometimes he lets Hagrid oversee our detentions, then we have to eat his cake… but he's never sent us to the Carrows. Never tortured us."

That much was true. And it aligned with what Astoria had told Daphne a few weeks ago. Snape had forced her to drink what seemed to be Veritaserum – only that Astoria had still been able to lie when the Aurors had interrogated her. And Daphne did not for a second believe that Snape had messed up. He had not been the most understanding teacher around, but he understood his subjects like no other. If the Veritaserum had not worked, it was because he had not wanted it to work.

"So, you're saying he is still on our side?" Daphne had asked.

"I don't know what I'm saying," Astoria had replied. "All I'm saying is that the Veritaserum did not work, and he did not say anything when he knew I was lying."

"What about Dumbledore, though?" Neville had asked.

"I don't know," Astoria had groaned. "I wish that I did. Apparently, he has disappeared… I'm not sure if that's good… what if he's really attacked Harry- Wait a second! They were going to search for something like the diadem. Do you remember what the diadem did to Crabbe?"

"You think he was possessed? But he's Dumbledore… and Crabbe's just Crabbe."

They had not been able to reach a satisfying conclusion about Snape or Dumbledore. But neither Neville nor Astoria had seemed hostile when they had been talking about him recently, so Daphne assumed that they were giving him the benefit of the doubt.

"Honestly…" Fred continued, "I don't think he much likes the Carrows, either. He's never had much patience for idiocy. And I'm pretty sure if you look that word up in the dictionary, you'll find a picture of those two."

Daphne and Theo chuckled.

"They aren't all future Death Eaters, though," said Daphne. "You can't electrocute all of Slytherin because some of them support You-Know-Who."

"That happened once, and we've already told you it was an accident! And Draco didn't die so… Anyhow, we know not every Slytherin is a lost cause. That's why we've warned you two."

Daphne glared at them. "There are more than just the two of us. Tracey, for example. She doesn't like to draw attention to it, especially not now, but she's not a pureblood."

"You can warn her, then. And everyone else you think is on our side. You know better who to trust than we do. The potion is in the desert, so you still have time."

Theo sighed. "Alright, I'll do it," he said and walked towards their table.

"So," asked George, "wanna join us at our table?"

Daphne sighed. "I guess," she said as she trotted towards the Gryffindor table. "What potion have you put into the food anyway? No electrocution, right?"

George glowered at her, but then his expression turned to one of amusement. "One of our own creation. You'll see."

"Draco gave us the idea," admitted Fred, "you know, when he was still one of us."

They had arrived at the Gryffindor table and Daphne sat down next to Neville. The twins sat down on the opposite side of the table.

Neville greeted her with a peck on the cheek. "What brings you here?"

"You'll see," grumbled Daphne, stealing some chips from his plate.

It did not take long, and Daphne could hear the first squeals from behind her. Absolute mayhem had broken out at the other side of the Hall, with half the table shrinking and sprouting fur.

"Ferrets?" laughed Neville. "Why ferrets?"

The twins shrugged, not taking their eyes off the commotion.

"Draco seems to have issues with them," replied Fred. "I wonder why, though. Look how adorable he is with his tiny paws!"

Daphne laughed as well, like the rest of the table she was sitting with. But then her gaze fell on the head table. "Uhm- you put something in the teachers' food as well?"

The twins followed her gaze. "We told the elves that we wanted all Slytherins covered," replied Fred. "The Carrows might be the only Slytherins who aren't the least bit more likable in this state."

"The elves forgot about Slughorn and Snape," commented Neville. "Oh shoot, Snape's coming our way!"

The twins quickly turned their attention away from the spectacle and started eating their food again- which amidst the chaos could not have been more suspicious.

"Ms Greengrass," greeted Snape as soon as he had arrived. "Any particular reason why you chose today of all days to have dinner at another table?"

"No, sir," replied Daphne. "I was just missing my boyfriend. We didn't share any classes today."

"Is that so?" he asked.

"Are you feeling well, headmaster?" asked George. "You haven't eaten anything tonight."

Snape glowered at him and Fred. "How very considerate of you to inquire after my health. I have been at this school long enough to know that food is only safe to eat when you two aren't behaving out of the ordinary."

"Have you been behaving out of the ordinary today, George?" asked Fred.

"No. Have you?"

"Not that I know of."

Snape sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Detention, the both of you."

"Why?" asked Fred. "Behaving oddly is circumstantial evidence at best. No court would ever find us guilty."

"In a rational world, perhaps," agreed Snape. "Not in this one, though. Two weeks."

"That is-"

"Three weeks," hissed Snape. "You can start today by brewing an antidote."

"Uhm, headmaster," ventured Daphne. When Snape did not give her a week of detention right away, she continued, "If you've known about the food, why didn't you warn the Carrows?"

Snape looked up at the head table and Daphne thought she saw something akin to amusement flit over his face, but when he looked at her again it was gone. "If you excuse me," he said without acknowledging her question, "I have to aide Professor Slughorn in his attempt to catch his students."

As he left, Fred leaned forward and whispered, "See?"

Daphne started to giggle. "Yeah, you're right. He doesn't seem to like them much."

"Yeh can put away the mice," Amycus started his lesson a few days later. It had taken the twins rather long to brew an antidote – a few wonderful days in which Snape had to teach a class consisting mostly of Gryffindors in the Dark Arts, and things had briefly been back to normal. No animals had come to harm during his stand-in class. Instead, they had practiced their dueling skills. Snape had been rather impressed with their performances - apparently, their extracurricular activities were already paying off.

Unfortunately, the respite had been brief as the Carrows had eventually been turned back and resumed their teaching practices.

By this time, every student's pet had mysteriously disappeared, and they all had to resort to practicing with mice.

"We're learning something else?" asked Pansy hopefully.

"No. Yeh'll practice the Cruciatus today… on them." With the last words, he motioned towards the door.

Romilda Vane, a Gryffindor girl two years below Neville, stumbled into the room, eyes big and scared. She was followed by another Gryffindor, whose name Neville did not know.

"We're practicing on people?" asked Pansy, sounding horrified.

"Brilliant!" said Crabbe and Goyle in unison. They'd quickly advanced to the top students of the class this year.

"You are crazy," mumbled Neville. "I'm not going to torture people," he said, louder.

"They are not people," replied Amycus. "They are half-blood and blood traitor scum who are serving detention."

Then a voice from outside the room yelled, "Let me go!"

"No!" screamed Daphne, just as Astoria was pushed through the door.

Alecto's head appeared in the door. "That's all of them," she said, and disappeared again, closing the door behind her.

"You're monsters!" yelled Daphne, storming towards her sister. "Where's your wand, Tory?"

"She took it," replied Astoria.

"Detention, Greengrass," barked Amycus. Then he smiled crookedly, "I guess that means you are fair game too."

The three younger students stood huddled together behind Daphne, who had her wand ready to defend herself and the younger ones.

Neville stepped next to Daphne. "You cannot expect us to torture each other. This is wrong!"

"Crucio!" barked Amycus, and Neville was knocked off his feet by a pain that was so intense, so all-consuming, that he no longer knew where he was... "I decide what's wrong and what isn't," growled Amycus. "Incarcerous!"

"Professor-"

"Expelliarmus!" Theo had lost his wand before he could finish his sentence. So had Daphne. And Neville – Neville had no idea where his wand had ended up.

"Another one you can practice on. Anyone else want to object?" When no one dared say another word, he barked, "Begin!"

"This is insanity!" yelled Daphne, this time at her classmates. "This can't be what you want. This can't be what you want the world to be like! Pansy – We used to be friends. Before Astoria started dating Draco, we were one big group of friends. Don't you remember?"

"You know," Pansy drawled, "I never managed the Unforgiveables on the poor innocent mice. With you two, I think I might finally manage… Crucio!"

Neville could do nothing as the curse hit his girlfriend and she went to the ground next to him, wailing and screaming.

One after the other, Neville could hear them fall and scream behind him.

Those who did not participate just stood there, too scared to do anything but watch.

Someone approached him. He looked up to see Tracey Davis in front of him. "I'm sorry, Neville," she whispered. "I have to do this." Her wand hand was shaking, her eyes full of unshed tears.

"You don't," he croaked. "Just pretend. I'll pretend, too."

She looked around, but no one seemed to pay them any mind. She nodded, then. "C-crucio."

Neville felt nothing but the residue of Amycus' curse, but he screamed as if white-hot knives were piercing every inch of his skin.

"Very good, Davis," said Amycus. "Ten points to Slytherin."

Tracey smiled uncertainly.

"Now you, Malfoy," ordered Amycus, before he went on to someone else.

Draco replaced Tracey in his field of vision. Pale and skinny, a cold sneer on his face.

Panic filled Neville. Being tortured by the Carrows, by Crabbe or Goyle, he could take that. But it would be quite different to be tortured by his former best friend. And he knew that Draco, every version of him, was perfectly capable of torture. He had tortured Pettigrew. Even a reformed Draco could and would use that curse on others.

"Please, Draco," he gasped, "you don't want to do this!"

Draco's face turned sour. "You don't know me!" he barked.

Neville fought the urge to contradict him. "Maybe, maybe not. But I know that you've been tortured this summer."

"Shut up!" yelled Draco, his free hand shooting to his head as if in pain.

"I can see it. Your family, those you think you can trust-"

"I said shut up!" cried Draco.

"Maybe you don't remember, but-"

"Crucio!" barked Draco and, for a second, Neville felt as if every inch of his skin was on fire, before the pain disappeared.

"Is that all you got?" asked Neville, unsure where this sudden rebellion was coming from. "You have to mean them, Draco. You need to really want to cause pain - to enjoy it - anger isn't enough."

"Shut it, blood-traitor!" hissed another voice.

Crabbe, Neville thought. "Uh-uhagh!" Crabbe's Crucio hit Neville like lightning, then he knew no more.

He woke up with Theo's white face hovering over him. "Blimey, Neville," he said, "for a second I was worried you were dead!"

Once Theo's face retreated, he could see that Daphne and Astoria were also there, both rather pale as well. The rest of the class seemed to have left.

"Monsters!" croaked Daphne, her voice hoarse. She slung her arms around Neville. "Bloody monsters!"

Neville just felt cold, and numb. His head felt as if it would explode any minute. His gaze settled on Astoria, who looked as if she had been crying. "How did you end up in detention?" he asked. He rummaged through his pocket, and thankfully the vial had not been broken during this ordeal.

"It's stupid, really," started Astoria. "Alecto was going on and on about how disgusting and stupid muggles are and… well, I asked her if she was one."

Theo laughed, the way one only laughed when things were spectacularly bleak.

Neville tried to open the vial of anti-Cruciatus potion, but his hands were shaking too much.

"It's not funny," complained Astoria.

Daphne reached for Neville's shaking hands, steading them, helping him open the vial and take a sip.

"It's true, though," replied Theo.

"There's a time and a place for getting a smart mouth. That wasn't it. You all were tortured because of me!"

Neville shook his head. The pain had receded and he passed the vial on to Astoria. "Every half-blood and blood-traitor could not utter a single word for the rest of the year – they'd find a reason to put us in detention. They'd find a reason to torture us."

"He's right, Tory. Don't blame yourself for this. And if you had not been among the students in detention today, we would have still refused to take part in this."

"I think," Theo said, "that someone has to stand up to them, even if it hurts. Fred and George are right – we're not learning anything here. Not this year. I chose to come back because this is not their school, it's ours. I want to fight for what is right. If we don't do that, we might as well drop out and leave the school to them. I want to fight for what is right. I want to help where I can… and I know that… that standing up to them, even if we lose, even if we end up in detention or they torture us… It still gives everyone else hope. I used to notice that when Draco did it. He was disowned for it. He was tortured for it. He lost his mind for it. For that sacrifice, I'm willing to do the same. To give others hope, like he gave me hope. Like he gave me the courage to stand up to everyone else in Slytherin."

"You are right," agreed Astoria after a while. Color had returned to her cheeks once she had taken a sip out of the vial. "You are so right. We always knew that fighting You-Know-Who wouldn't be easy. That it would be painful."

"We might be blood-traitors, but we are also of pure blood," Theo continued, "I don't think they're going to seriously harm us. They don't want to spill too much pure blood. If my enduring pain means some less fortunate stand a chance or feel hope… I'm willing to do it."

The others all nodded in agreement.

"I think," Neville said, "we'll have to brew more healing potions tonight."

Neville was on his way to the Room of Requirement that evening. They had to go there separately to avoid drawing attention, and Snape and the Carrows had introduced a few new school rules after the ferret incident. Student organizations were now forbidden, and curfew started one hour earlier.

He had almost reached the 7th floor when he noticed footsteps behind him. He left the stairs, hiding in an empty classroom. Carefully, wand in hand, he peeked out of the door as the sound of the steps passed the classroom. He nearly dropped his wand when he realized it was Draco.

His stomach was in knots at the sight of the other boy. He had tried to torture him just a few hours earlier. With that curse. But he was also clearly not entirely sane. But he hated Neville and was a wannabe Death Eater. He had been his best friend for years. He had tried to torture him...

But he ignored the complicated mess that his feelings were and forced himself to focus on more practical matters. What was Draco doing up here? Had he figured out what they were doing? Was he going to tell the Carrows?

When he was sure Draco could neither see nor hear him, he left the classroom behind and followed the Slytherin.

To Neville's immense surprise, Draco disappeared in a boy's bathroom on the 6th floor.

Should he follow? Should he leave? If he followed, Draco would probably notice him. But then again, it made more sense for him to be on the 6th floor than it did for the dungeon-dweller.

In the end, his feet decided for him. He only came to a stop right outside the bathroom, where he pressed his ear against the door. He could hear muffled voices. They sounded rather agitated. Had Draco run into one of their group? Were they in trouble? What should he do if they were? If Draco knew of their secret, he would tell the Carrows. And they would probably all get expelled. Or killed.

But what could he do to stop Draco from telling them? Talk to him? So far, that had not worked at all. He theoretically knew how to perform memory charms, but if he did that, the loose threads Draco's mind was holding onto would probably snap and the boy would descend into madness.

But he had to do something. Whoever Draco had confronted in there, they probably needed help.

He very quietly pushed the door open. Luckily for him, Draco was standing with his back to the door, his hands clutching either side of one of the sinks, his white-blond head bowed.

"Tell me!" Draco yelled, his hair wild, his eyes crazed.

"I- I don't know!" wailed a ghost in a Hogwarts uniform. Neville assumed it was Moaning Myrtle. He had never seen her before, but he had heard stories. "I don't know you. We have never talked to each other."

"Liar!" yelled Draco, sending a curse at her, but it went right through her, shattering a lamp instead. "Why's everyone lying to me? Tell me!" He sent another hex after her, but she disappeared in a cubicle and the hex blasted the door apart. Draco screamed in frustration. Then he spun on his heel, towards the door, and saw Neville. His wand was pointing at Neville within a second and Neville just barely managed to throw himself out of the way of a nasty Knockback Jinx.

"Stop it!" he yelled, as he jumped up, grabbling for his own wand, and conjured a shield charm. Curse after curse hailed down on him. "Draco - stop!"

"No!" hissed Draco. "No, no, no!"

Neville used the short pause in attack to throw his own Jelly-Legs Jinx at him, but Draco blocked it and raised his wand for another.

There was a loud bang and the bin behind Neville exploded. Neville attempted a Leg-Locker Curse that backfired off the wall behind Draco's ear and smashed a cistern. Water poured everywhere. Draco, his face contorted, cried, "Crucio!"

The curse hit Neville straight in the chest, knocking him off his feet, sending his wand flying.

He stared up at Draco, who was staring at him wide-eyed, his wand still pointed at him. Draco had used an Unforgiveable on him. Had used that Unforgiveable on him. Again. Without anyone else forcing him to. Dumbledore was gone, the school was run by sociopaths, his best friend was dead, and that stranger who had replaced him had just used that Unforgiveable on him again. Something inside of Neville snapped. "Do it, Malfoy," he panted. "Torture me. Or kill me if that is what you truly want. I am everything you hate. I am a Gryffindor. I am a friend of Harry's. I am a blood traitor. And if we're being honest, you never much liked me anyway." Draco was glaring at him, but Neville pressed on. "I won't fight back. I won't even tell any of the teachers."

Still, Draco hesitated.

"Do it!"

Draco's eyes narrowed. He let out a primal roar and swung his wand in a big motion over his head. But his spell was not aimed at Neville. Instead, it hit one of the sinks, blasting it to pieces. Water shot out of what was left of the pipes, soaking both of them even more than they had already been. Draco just stood amongst the broken china, breathing heavily, his eyes oddly distant.

Neville did not dare exhale, out of fear that any movement on his part would make the other boy snap completely.

"The world doesn't make sense anymore!" Draco wailed. He turned towards Neville once more. "I don't make sense anymore. And I don't know why." Something in between a laugh and a sob escaped him. "No one behaves the way they should, and I just don't understand. I am constantly confused. I've got headaches. I have these weird dreams… and no one talks to me! Not Crabbe, not Goyle, not Pansy… Not even my goddamned parents!"

Neville released the breath he had been holding and got off the ground. Draco's anger, frustration, and most of all pain were so palpable to Neville that it hurt. "Because they erased your memories, Draco. You had friends who cared for you. You had love. And you were happy. But they took that from you."

"You're lying," hissed Draco. "You did this to me! You and Potter and Dumbledore!"

Neville shook his head. "We're not your enemies. We've never been. We've never done anything to you. Maybe we retaliated every once in a while, but we never attacked you. If we are your enemies then only because you choose to see us that way. I think that deep down you know that, maybe you always have."

"Shut up!"

"I won't. I never will. Because you are right – this world is wrong. And we have to fix it. You, and I would say many of your "friends" as well, are starting to realize that, too."

"What are you talking about?" laughed Draco, but it sounded almost hysterical. "We are winning! There's nothing I ever wanted more."

Neville laughed, too. "Maybe. Maybe Voldemort taking over, Snape running the school, and torturing your classmates is a dream come true for you. But if it is so, let me ask you this – Why are you still not happy?"

Draco's eyes widened and he stumbled backward as if Neville had physically pushed him away. His mouth opened and closed but no sound came out.

Neville grabbed his wand from where it had fallen and walked towards the door. Before he reached it, he stopped for a moment and said, "If you ever want to know the truth, if you are ever ready to hear it, come and find me. I won't lie to you." And with that, he left Draco behind.

TBC

A.N. Not all that happy with the transitions but well… I've been debating for ages whether or not I should have Draco torture our new MCs. But I can't imagine the original Draco not having done so during his seventh year. I don't think he enjoyed it. I don't think he was good at it. But he must have if he survived the year. And I wanted to show that Draco truly is his old self again, even if a bit less sane.

I really have to come up with a new name for Dumbledore's Army now. Any suggestions?

If you liked this chapter, let me know with a review :) If you did not, also let me know!