Go back in time: First year (Translation)

Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at http://archiveofourown.org/works/49748638.

Rating: General Audiences

Archive Warning: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Category: M/M
Fandom: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Relationship: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter
Characters: Ron Weasley, Neville Longbottom, Rubeus Hagrid, Minerva
McGonagall, Severus Snape, Albus Dumbledore, Tom Riddle |
Voldemort, Quirinus Quirrell, Sirius Black, Pansy Parkinson, Theodore
Nott, Blaise Zabini, Fluffy (Harry Potter), Daphne Greengrass, Slytherin
Students, Slytherin Quidditch Team Members, Draco Malfoy, Hermione
Granger, Harry Potter
Additional Tags: Fix-It, Time Travel Fix-It, Slytherin Harry Potter, Good Slytherins, Good
Draco Malfoy, Gryffindor/Slytherin Inter-House Relationships,
Quidditch, Draco Malfoy & Harry Potter Friendship, Pureblood Culture
(Harry Potter), Wizarding Traditions (Harry Potter), Protective Harry
Potter, BAMF Draco Malfoy, Powerful Harry Potter
Language: English
Series: Part 5 of Go back in time
Stats: Published: 2023-08-30 Updated: 2024-03-04 Words: 27,007 Chapters:
9/10
 Go back in time: First year (Translation)
by SonOfTheMoon

Summary

A rewrite of "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone".

.。・゜・。..。・゜・。..。・゜・。..。・゜・。
Draco falls into the 《Friendfyre》, but when he opens his eyes he's in 1991, about to go
shopping for his Hogwarts robes. Now he'll have to do everything he can to straighten out his
future, and that includes befriending.... certain people.

A translation of Go back in time: First year. by SonOfTheMoon

 Chapter 1
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes

"It begins with an ending."

Draco never had been a friend of Potter, perhaps at some point in the war they had come to an
unspoken truce, where he would help him out of Malfoy Manor and Potter would save the
world.

However, he doesn't know at what point it all went to hell. Maybe it was when he decided
that continuing to feign loyalty to the dark lord in the middle of Hogwarts was the most
ridiculous thing he could choose in life. So he had helped the golden trio, but the friendfyre
was there in a second, and Potter was trying to save him, the fire was embracing, too close to
him... and it could have consumed Potter as well, and that was not something he could afford.
For once in his life he thought of the good of others, and not just his own. He looked into the
eyes of his school rival with determined resolve, and caught the pure horror in those bright
green eyes before he let himself fall into the fire.
It was all over almost immediately.

And then... he got out of bed, he was sweating, his body too hot to be normal.

He looked around, noticing that he was in his own room... but even this one looked different.
The pictures, the books and the order itself were very different from Draco's room, it looked
more like it had before he had first left for Hogwarts-

He jumped out of bed, shuddering at the contrast of heat between his body and his
surroundings. He ran to the large mirror in the bathroom, almost falling into the doorway, his
grey eyes staring in horror and some amazement at the reflection.

His eleven-year-old self was staring back at him. Then he looked at himself, not just at the
reflection, and realised that his body was smaller, there was no trace of dark mark or the scars
from Potter's sectumsempra. And he couldn't even begin to think that all of the above had
been a dream, because the clothes on him were fucking burnt in places, and there was even
soot on his face.

He had died. He was incinerated... but then, why was he here now? How come he was there?

He took a deep breath, trying to calm his swirling thoughts, trying to understand. Was this a
reward for sacrificing himself? A chance to change everything, to make it better?

He heard footsteps outside his room, and quickly closed the bathroom door. He had no way to
explain the burnt clothes, not now, but if he had some time he could ask an elf to get rid of
them, right?

He thought quickly about how to stay in the bathroom without the other person getting
suspicious, but the knocking on his front door came too soon.

— Draco, are you awake? —his mother's voice echoed through the vast empty space, and
Draco was never so aware of how huge and hollow everything in that house was, filled with
nothing but expectations, demands and idealistic prejudices that would do nothing but bring
them to their end.

But Draco wouldn't be like that, not again. His father's trial was no longer something that
held any importance in his mind, not knowing where it would lead them. No. He had a better
plan, one where he didn't end up dead.

—Yes, mother. I'm awake.

Much more than he ever was.

—Amazing, son. Hurry up and get dressed and go downstairs for breakfast, we're going
shopping for your things for Hogwarts today.

The almost silent sound of her dress dragging outside gave him a hint that he was alone. He
thought for a minute about which of the elves he should call, which one of them wasn't going
to say anything.

He hurried to get out of his ruined pyjamas when he remembered him, the elf who had helped
him get the golden trio and others out of the manor. Oh, yes, of course. Dobby.

— Dobby! —he called, anxious to get rid of the clothes for good. The loud crack alerted him
to the elf's presence in his room.

— Yes, young Master Malfoy, sir? What do you need Dobby for? —the high-pitched,
trembling voice brought him an unfounded peace, almost familiarity.

—I need you to get rid of some... tattered pyjamas. —he heard a squeak of understanding—.
And I don't want anyone to know about this, Dobby. No one.
Another affirmation and he dropped the pyjamas at his feet, hearing one more snap outside,
and the clothes were gone. He sighed in relief, leaning against the door.

—Thank you, Dobby. —He spoke again, a muffled exclamation from the little creature, and
several babbles that he didn't take the time to decipher. He allowed a few minutes of that and
then sighed, —You can go, I'm sure you were busy... I'm sorry to have distracted you.

Well, he had apologised to an elf, how affected had he been by living with the dark lord,
Death Eaters, a war and dying?

Enough, it seemed.

He got ready almost automatically, not daring to look in the mirror again. It was so strange to
be at that stage of his life again, even more so knowing all that was to come about them.

And what he would do... or would have done in the past, or future? Anyway, that wasn't
happening again. For once in his life he would take matters into his own hands. His father
wasn't going to tell him how to handle himself, not from now on.

He went down to breakfast, chin up and a much more... knowledgeable,

almost millennial look, having a youthful glow, but ancient knowledge. An antithesis in itself.

He said nothing during the meal, silently listening to his parents boast about whatever it was
they were talking about. Draco sometimes understood why he was the way he was, but at
other times he just wanted to evaporate them, so he wouldn't have to be like them. Never
again.

He continued his silent treatment during their walk through Diagon Alley, his parents had
been giving him confused looks, even going so far as to stand in the window of Quality
Articles for Quidditch, trying to get a reaction, but Draco barely blinked at the broom.
When they reached Madam Malkin, however, her son asked them to go get his other things,
because he was irritated at being surrounded by so many people, Lucius might have
reprimanded him, but Narcissa urged him to leave quickly. She wasn't comfortable in such
crowded places either, so she thought she understood her son a little.

Little did she know that what Draco was really doing was dispatching them so he could have
his meeting with Harry Potter and start moving his pieces carefully. The game was kicking
off from this point on, and Draco had to concentrate on not losing this game because he didn't
have another chance.

He entered the shop, being greeted by the plump woman, a friendly smile and quick steps.
Soon he was on a stool, standing still so as not to get in the woman's way, and also so as not
to be stabbed by a pin.

The bell rang, but Draco concentrated on keeping his eyes on his feet. He knew what was
coming, he knew it had been... unpleasant. And that he had to change it, but he wasn't really
sure Potter liked his current self.

He heard the rattle of the bench wobbling under the extra weight and finally looked up. Green
eyes with flashes of gold watched him nervously, and Draco for the first time saw Harry
Potter in a different light. The first time they had met, Draco hadn't paid any attention to the
boy, just wanted to talk a bit without caring at all what he looked like or where he came from.
Much less who he was...but, now that he knew who the person he was talking to was,
everything had a different, almost shadowed hue in the bright place.

— Hello, —he spoke, with conciliatory calm this time,— Hogwarts too, mh?

The jet-haired man looked at him with wide eyes, as if he was waiting for him to start
shouting in his face, how could he not notice the first time? Draco doesn't know. Not that it
matters much now. Harry nodded, a flash of excitement shone through him, Draco nodded
back.

— How are you doing with the shopping? I want to go home already, there's a lot of people
pushing and shoving out there. —he grumbled, letting out an exasperated sigh, glancing back
at the witch who was fixing his robes, making sure he hadn't disturbed her by moving, he
found himself with a small smile and turned back to Potter.
— It's insane! There are so many people... and so many strange things. — he almost gasped,
real excitement in it. Then he looked embarrassed and cleared his throat. But Hagrid's helping
me today, so I don't get lost, or something.

The blond nodded, understanding. The first time he'd set foot in Diagon Alley he'd been
shocked too, and he'd lived in magical society, he'd been exposed to the whole world at a
very young age, but Diagon Alley was something else entirely, no matter which family you
were from.

— I know, it's completely crazy to see so many magical things in one place. — he laughed,
feeling a little weird. He hadn't even been able to smile in months, so he wondered if this was
just nervous energy coming out in different ways.

Potter nodded fervently, agreeing with him, and Draco felt a soft tug at the corner of his lips,
almost smiling at Harry Potter.

Madam Malkin's voice interrupted their talk, and it was then that the boy had to leave. The
blond turned to look at him and Draco smiled reassuringly, shaking one of his hands at him.

— See you at Hogwarts, — he dismissed the blond, who nodded again and ran for the door
without even saying his name. And Draco almost rolled his eyes at the lack of politeness, but
he already knew Potter, so he didn't give it a second thought.

It was hours later, sitting on his windowsill, that he began to think about what he could
remember of the first years. The third floor in first year, the Chamber of Secrets in second,
Black in third-

He looked down at his hands as he remembered that part. Black was related to him, to some
degree, but after third year he had simply disappeared, and Potter didn't even seem bothered
by it.
 There was something odd, something Draco would have to find out, because he'd heard a lot
of things being among Death Eaters, but what was never really talked about was Black's
absence, the more they seemed to hate him, especially his Aunt Bellatrix... and that rodent-
faced man.

He needed to get going, so he cautiously made his way to the library at Malfoy Manor, ready
to ransack it and find out as much information as possible, he would even take documents out
of his father's office. He was tired of secrets, and if no one was willing to be truthful, then he
would to find out by his own methods.

Chapter End Notes

well, hi.

this is my first story from this ship, and I'm scared yk.

I'm sure not even my mom would read me, but here's the trying. If it gets more than one
vote, I'm doing it haha

if anyone is reading this, I'll see you in the next update, which I don't know when it's
going to be (or if it's going to exist), but I hope is very soon.

and also excuse me if there is something badly written! English is not my native
language

ig: @lauumolinas
 Chapter 2
Chapter Notes

Sorry if there is something badly written, English is not my native language :)

"First year at Hogwarts.".

Draco hadn't looked for Potter on the train, knowing he would be with Weasley and that was
a discussion that wouldn't happen again, so he waited until they reached the stairs to approach
him, gently touching his shoulder. When the chosen one looked up at him, Draco was
surprised to receive such a big smile.

— Hi! I didn't manage to find you on the train, and I couldn't ask anyone about you either
because I didn't know your name...— Potter looked appropriately embarrassed when Draco
arched an eyebrow at him, and the blond shouldn't have felt the satisfaction that rose in his
chest.

—My name is Draco — he supplied, a sneer underlying his tone. He heard a snort of laughter
and almost froze, but then he remembered who Potter was with now. Of course he wasn't
going to get away with this.

Potter, however, scowled at Weasley.

— Why are you laughing?

Draco looked at Potter, feeling a little unsettled, but without his cold mask stirring for a
second. In all the ways he could imagine this, it never came to Potter getting angry with
Weasley.

The red-haired boy looked at the boy in shock, and a little irritated that he would defend
a Malfoy above all else. Miss McGonagall arriving was the only thing that stopped the
dispute. She began her speech, but Draco barely and barely focused on the murmur of her
voice, moving a little away from the duo, settling back between Vincent and Gregory. The
familiarity of the situation would keep him focused enough, without the extreme need to look
over his shoulder at every turn, not with the two of them there.

He came back to himself as he walked down the corridor to reach the place where the Sorting
Hat awaited them, currently intoning its song, under the wondering eyes of everyone, even
those who already knew it would happen, and even knew the lyrics by heart.

"[...] those people who would use any means to achieve their ends..."

Draco smiled, almost mockingly. Every day since he had been presented with this new
opportunity he had been doing exactly that.
The names began to echo around the room, with their respective house announcements and
applause. He was almost absent as he listened to them echo, vaguely remembering where
they would all go anyway.

—Malfoy, Draco. —McGonagall called and the blond moved like an automaton to the stool,
facing the front, where the four long tables were. The hat was barely held above his head
before he exclaimed that he was going to Slytherin.

He didn't smile, didn't give anyone a second glance, just walked gracefully over to where his
comrades were waiting for him, clapping along with the rest of his house. He sat there,
staring at the flat, empty surface of the table, listening to everyone's speculation for a few
long minutes until McGonagall's voice echoed through the dining room, calling out to Potter.

Whispers were raised, speculation from the other tables, in Slytherin all agreed that he would
be in lion house. Draco met the nervous green eyes among the sea of heads that separated
them, and smiled encouragingly. He felt a tug of satisfaction as the tension in Harry's
shoulders seemed to disappear.

The dining room fell silent as the hat pondered what decision to make, and even Draco was
beginning to grow impatient as even more time passed than the first time. Then the cloth
ripped to reveal his mouth again.

— SLYTHERIN!

Draco froze where he stood, halfway through celebrating, while his house was in complete
shock, looking up at Potter and then back down at themselves. The blond started clapping at
last, still somewhat confused by what had happened, and his friends, at least the ones who
were already there with him, followed suit. And soon the whole house was clapping for their
newest member.

They gave the boy a space next to Draco, assuming he would want him by his side, and, if he
was honest, the blond himself wasn't sure about that. He wanted to patch things up with
Potter, to create an alliance with him and get a place on the side of the light, but it wasn't in
his plans to separate him from his friends. That wasn't something he wanted to do, not even if
it meant taking Weasley out of the picture.
The list of names went on, but the mood seemed to dim in the air, and even the snakes
seemed somewhat out of place, or well, so Draco could tell being part of the group.

When the last boy from his house, Zabini, arrived at the table, Draco decided to look at the
boy next to him, who had his hands tucked between his thighs, looking so out of place that
Draco was tempted to ask if there hadn't been a mistake in his selection, however, it didn't
seem to be polite.

He touched his shoulder and tilted his face towards the boy.

— Are you worried that Weasley won't want to talk to you anymore because you're part of
us?

Potter startled, immediately looking him in the eye. Draco smiled at the sincerity of the
reaction.

—I hadn't even thought about that— the boy muttered, Draco blinking in confusion, which
seemed to encourage the other to speak—. I was more worried about you not talking to
me...uh, and how other people look at me.

The blond nodded, understanding half the sentiment.

—In the first place, why wouldn't I want to talk to you? —he waved his hand in the air, as if
trying to evoke the ridiculousness of the thought—. And secondly, we can fix that.

He leaned over to his other side, ordering Goyle to spread the request to the elders. Soon they
had one of their prefects rising from his place, walking over to the teachers' table, nodding
towards them. And the Bloody Baron heading towards the other ghosts.

McGonagall stood up again, drawing everyone's attention.

—The Headmaster has a few words for everyone... If you could all behave yourselves, that
would be wonderful.

The older ones shuddered, and urged the younger ones to stop staring so brazenly at the snake
table. Dumbledore stood up, smiling at everyone, but Draco carefully avoided his eyes, well
aware of what the man could do.

— Welcome,— he exclaimed, opening his arms —Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts!

Before we begin the feast, I want to say a few things to you: Nuts! Whiners! Trinkets!
Tweak! Thank you very much!

The dining hall erupted in applause and everyone proceeded to gasp as the food appeared,
perhaps that was another thing that would never fail to impress. Draco poured himself some
of what he had on hand, earning a confused look from his friends. Potter, on the other hand,
was looking at all the food, not knowing where to start.

Draco looked at him, arching his eyebrows, and that was when the black-haired boy
remembered that he could move and take something for himself. They ate in silence, barely
glancing over his plate, as the noise of the entire school grew louder, perhaps momentarily
forgetting Harry Potter being elected to Slytherin.

Dinner ended, and the director gave the appropriate warnings, but Draco paid no real
attention, far more busy thinking about the letters he had been sending to the Head Auror. A
little curious as to what the outcome would be.

The students began to move, and Draco instinctively followed the sea of green. His friends
were talking to each other in whispers, but Potter stood silently beside him, glancing at him
sporadically. Draco had taken his hand at one point, and that was what finally quelled the
growing concern in the green eyes.

They arrived at the dungeons amidst murmurs, the older students clustering behind the first
years. Draco stood between Potter and Theodore, staring straight ahead, seeing nothing in
particular.
But when he caught Severus Snape entering the room out of the corner of his eye, he
unconsciously let go of Potter, straightening his posture. This was immediately copied by his
fellow students.

The man looked at the students of his house, grimacing in an almost smirk-like manner. He
proceeded to stand firmly in front of the semicircle that had formed.

—I am Professor Severus Snape, the Head of Slytherin and your Potions Professor... —he
began, his voice ringing clear in the abysmal silence of the room—. I do not expect anything
less than excellence from you. Only wizards worthy of a great future reside in the House of
Salazar; powerful wizards who must create their own path to success.

His eyes flickered to them, particularly the bespectacled boy, and Draco couldn't help but
understand everything that look meant. He shivered imperceptibly, cold sweat breaking out
on his palms.

—The prefects will be in charge of guiding you through this first week, so that none of you
get lost. We're a close-knit house, we don't go out there alone. Never. —he lowered his voice
a little, almost looking comforting. Draco nodded, knowing what his godfather meant. —You
only have each other here, house loyalty is something that is not up for debate. You already
have three quarters of the school against you, you don't need to fall apart over internal
conflicts as well. You can have problems, hate each other if you want... But out there we are a
strong and united front.

Once everyone had the same look of understanding, standing in firm, unwavering stances, the
teacher continued.

—Your timetables will be given to you tomorrow before breakfast. If you have any questions
or problems, don't hesitate to come to a senior, or to me. —he turned, almost retreating, as he
looked back at them—. I won't tell you not to break the rules... but I do order you to be
careful. You must not get caught doing it

The new brood of snakes nodded, sly smiles dancing on their lips. Well, most of them. Draco
had a blank expression, and Potter was looking at the blond with pure curiosity.
Gemma Farley stood in front of the whole group, a sideways smile towards the elders,
dismissing them all with a hand thrown in the air. Almost dismissive, receiving jeers without
a real bite.

—I'm your prefect, my name is Gemma Farley. I'll only be with you this year. —She gestured
to another girl, who gave a partial bow, hesitant due to the mix of titles in her ensemble.
Draco couldn't blame her—. This is Peyton Loughty, the second prefect, who you will enjoy
for the first two years. Next to her is her prefect Gael Berrycloth, and the one who looks like
an idiot on the verge of collapse is my partner, Edrick Amery. Whatever problems come their
way, come to us.

Firm nods and then they were being led down different corridors, each headed for their
rooms. Berrycloth was in the lead, speaking.

—The first rooms are for the older students: seventh, sixth and fifth. In the middle are third
and second, and at the end, between the fourth year rooms, are the first years, near a hidden
corridor.

Draco could see through his peripheral that everyone was watching the area, but it was
Potter's confused look that made him lean slightly to his side.

—It's in case there's an attack. So that the younger ones are protected, the older ones stop the
attackers and the fourth years take the first years out, and protect them until they're sure
there's no longer any danger nearby. —He explained, trying to be clear with his words. The
boy's eyes sparkled in understanding, and Draco smiled almost unnoticed. His prefect
confirmed his statement, smiling approvingly at him.

They reached the end of the long corridor, and all stopped in front of the three dark wooden
doors.

—Unlike the other houses, we are few in number, so we are allowed to live with fewer
housemates. You will go in pairs, your choice, but remember it is permanent. There is no
change after this, you will be together for the next seven years.
They began to look at each other as the prefects left. Draco was looking at what was his
room, obviously the middle one, and wondered what would happen this time, because when
this happened the first time, there were five of them, and he ended up sharing with Crabbe
and Goyle.

He looked at his mates and realised: he had to make the decision. He had the highest title, or
well, so they thought. Draco was pretty sure Harry Potter had a few titles over there, but there
would be more time for that.

He sighed.

—Potter, with me. —They all nodded, and he clung to his side, though he had never really
moved from there. Draco felt a faint tenderness, which he hid perfectly with his blank mask
—. Vincent and Gregory, to the left. Blaise, Theo, to the right.

When everyone had nodded, and no one seemed to doubt his decision, he turned, walking
towards the middle door, which was beginning to write the names of the chosen couples on
its plaque.

He could almost breathe a sigh of relief as he stood in the dark space, partially lit by small
candles. He glanced over at his partner, who seemed to be taking in the place in awe.Draco
decided that the bathroom was calling him, so he gave in to his desire for hygiene. He was in
there for about twenty minutes, doing everything on automatic, until he thought it was
enough.

When he came out, Potter was sitting in the middle of one of the beds, already facing him.
They locked eyes for a few seconds, but Draco looked away, overwhelmed by how open and
sincere those green windows looked.

—Draco...— He looked at the boy again, sitting up in his own bed. He nodded, asking him to
continue—. Did you know who I was?

Draco sighed, his eyes trying to shy away again.

—Not really, not when you came into the shop...— That was a partial lie, wasn't it wrong,
wasn't it?—. When I first saw you, you were just an ordinary boy, I didn't think you were...—
he made a grand gesture, as if he wanted to encompass everything Harry Potter meant to the
magical world with his hands. Harry shrunk in place—, You know, the boy who lived. It's not
like you've told me your name either, as if I even suspect anything...

Potter nodded, looking at him for a few seconds, just to be sure of the sincerity that shone
through that silver sea.

—So, Potter, anything else?

The black-haired boy thought about it, just for a few seconds, but shook his head. Draco
smiled slightly, trying to reassure him.

—Good. Tomorrow the whole world will know about your new... condition. And I don't
know if you've been told about this before, but we snakes aren't exactly well-liked. —He
waited for a reaction from the brunette, and when he saw him nod hesitantly he almost smiled
—. We're cruel, we're prejudiced, we do dark magic, and we're all malevolent wizards who
believe in blood supremacy... —Potter blanched, blinking at him with wide eyes, like a serf
caught before a hunter—. I'll start by saying that what I just said is partially true, Potter.
There are people here who believe in blood supremacy, there are boys who practice the dark
arts, and there are cruel people... just like in any other house. There are pure-bloods
everywhere who hate Muggle-borns and only tolerate half-bloods. There are evil people, and
there are dark believers who aren't exactly in Slytherin. To say that we are all like that is
prejudiced in itself.

Harry nodded, leaning closer to him. Draco sighed, almost relieved that the boy wasn't
shutting down. He was speaking from knowledge, having lived in Slytherin when the war
was just stretching its first cold fingers, seen many of his peers try to get away from enforced
servitude, seen others who would have openly fought against the Dark Lord had they been in
another position. Not all of them were sons of bitches with purist beliefs.

—If you ever come across someone willing to kill you, I assure you, Potter, you won't have
time to check which house they were from, or which school for that matter. —He grinned,
plopping down on his bed, on his side, looking at the chosen one—. Besides, the black magic
thing is moot?

— In what way is it moot?

—You can't get a cure for a disease you didn't study, can you? —The boy nodded,
understanding where Draco was going now—. We wouldn't know how to defend ourselves
against everything out there if we didn't study them first... but it's true that dark magic is a
dangerous thing. Very tricky. It's not something to be trifled with, or underestimated.

Saint Potter nodded, falling back onto the bed as well. Both boys were silent after that,
looking at each other, thinking of the next step to take.

Draco shuffled a little, crawling under the covers, curling up, ready to sleep when the other's
raspy voice distracted him.

—Draco... —he called, and he hummed to show he was paying attention to him—. Call me
Harry.

The blond stood still, staring wide-eyed at the dark silhouette in the other bed. A few long
minutes of silence passed before Draco let out a clipped noise.

—All right. —He commented, curling up in his bed, almost hiding in the covers—. Good
night, Harry.

Whether or not he received an answer, he couldn't say, as his ears felt clogged with shock.
Never in his life had he thought this could happen to him, let alone the way he had been
getting along with the chosen one all this time.

Maybe things could get better.

 Chapter 3
Chapter Notes

Sorry if there is something badly written, English is not my native language :)

See the end of the chapter for more notes

"Primera semana de clases".

Draco descubrió lo horrible que era ser el centro de atención de Harry. El niño parecía querer
salir corriendo cada vez que más de dos personas lo miraban a la vez. El rubio, en un
momento, cansado de casi correr detrás del-elegido cada diez minutos, decidió que ya era
suficiente.

— ¿Has perdido algo? ¿No tienes una vida que llevar? ¿Por eso metéis las narices donde
nadie os ha llamado?—exclamó en medio del pasillo, camino a Transformaciones. Algunos
tuvieron la decencia de apartar la mirada y otros se sonrojaron.
Harry le agradeció fervientemente, mirando sus manos mientras esperaban al maestro. Draco
le dio un suave apretón en el brazo, sonriéndole con labios apretados para tranquilizarlo.

Su grupo formó una especie de caparazón a partir de ese día. Harry y Draco en el medio, con
las niñas y los niños rodeándolos, evitando aún más miradas indiscretas. E incluso los chicos
mayores amonestaban a cualquiera que pasara más de cinco segundos con los ojos pegados a
Potter.

Más allá de la atención poco apreciada, fue una semana tranquila. Incluso si el rubio no lo
supiera, diría que nada extraño volvería a suceder. Pero, claramente, eso era utópico.

La primera clase de Pociones llegó más rápido que nunca y Draco no sabía si estar
emocionado o no por su materia favorita. Tenía curiosidad, sobre todo, por ver cómo se iba a
comportar su padrino ese día.

También quería empujar la cabeza de Harry contra la de Weasley, para alinear sus células
cerebrales y dejar de mirarse mal en cada pasillo que encontraran. Draco no extrañaba en
absoluto sus discusiones diarias y sus miradas de muerte. Podría vivir sin ellos, pero
preferiría ser el objetivo de ambos que tener que soportar que se lo entreguen el uno al otro.
Fue molesto.

Draco se sentó con Blaise y dejó que Theo cuidara de Harry Potter. Casi sonrió cuando el
castaño aceptó sin problema. Quizás, con la paciencia de Theodore, el niño que sobrevivió
podría entender mejor el tema. Esperemos que pueda aprobar con notas ligeramente
superiores a las aceptables.

The door closed with a click, and Professor Snape's figure rose from between their desks. He
glared at the entire class with intimidating eyes. Draco almost rolled his eyes as he paused
longer than he should have at the spot where Harry sat.

—You are here to learn the subtle science of making potions. —he began, speaking almost in
a whisper, but the students were so quiet that it didn't take much more than that to hear him
clearly. Snape was definitely not one to be disobeyed—. There will be no stupid wand
movements here, and many of you will doubt the magic of this. I don't expect you to
understand the beauty of a gently boiling cauldron, with its glistening vapours. The delicate
power of liquids sliding through human veins, bewitching the mind, tricking the senses. I can
teach them how to bottle fame, prepare glory, even stop death... if they are anything more
than the cork oaks I usually have to teach.

His cape billowed as he began to move through the pews, his footsteps unheard, more as if he
were slithering like a snake. To the horror of mostly for the garnet side, clearly. The Salazar
heirs were calm, facing forward, their parchments arranged and quills within reach.

Pansy rolled her eyes and gently elbowed Draco.The blond glanced over at whatever was
causing his friend's amusement, and saw Granger on the edge of her chair, eyes large and
bright, as if taking the words as a challenge. She looked ready to raise her hand.

— Weasley! —the professor called, causing the aforementioned boy to startle—. I assume
you opened one of the books I asked for before introducing yourself to my class... so tell me,
what do you get when you add asphodel root powder to an infusion of wormwood?

The class waited in silence, as the red-haired boy tried not to shiver from the undivided
attention of those cold black eyes. Draco wished he could feel sorry for him.

—I don't know, sir.

The snakes arched their eyebrows, but Draco was staring at his parchment. Out of the corner
of his eye he could see Granger's trembling hand, eager to answer it.

—Let's try that again, Mr. Weasley. —he asked, mockingly. Draco thought he could smell the
redhead's fear—. Where would he find a bezoar?

—I-I don't know, sir.

Draco began to write to that point, earning a glare from Blaise. Then from Pansy, but Draco
didn't return them, instead concentrating more on his writing.

—Apparently I expected too much from you. —the professor commented, in a scathing tone
—. What's the point of being the son of wizards if you don't know the most common things
about the world you live in? One last chance, Mr. Weasley. Tell me the difference between
aconite and wolfsbane.

At this point, Draco could glimpse Granger's body standing almost in front of Professor
Snape, and he felt uncomfortable. That wouldn't make the professor take any notice of her at
all.

—I don't know. —he heard the shaky voice, and Draco wanted to dig himself into a pit. How
did he enjoy this the first time? it's bloody awkward, for everyone—. But Hermione seems to
have the answers, could you ask her...?
The blond almost groaned at the idiocy, felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to look at Harry,
who looked confused. He waved towards the scene of the Gryffindors, then scrunched up his
face. The brunette smiled with amusement, and Draco smiled back. His discomfort dissipated
a little.

Snape turned to the girl and almost snarled at her as he spoke—. Sit down, Miss Granger.

Snape turned hastily and his eyes flashed at Draco, who was still partially turned. He pointed
at him and the blond immediately stood up, keeping his eyes on the corner of his teacher's
eye.

—We heard you, Mr. Malfoy.

—The mixture of asphodel root powder and wormwood produces a very powerful sleeping
potion, known as the 'living dead philter'. —Snape nodded, waving his hand for him to
continue—. A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat, it serves to save you from
most known poisons. And aconite and wolfsbane are the same plant.

The professor's look was one of pure indifference, but the blond saw the proud gleam flicker
in his eyes. He sat down, hurrying to finish writing that down, as his professor made his way
back to the front of the class.

—Ten points to Slytherin for correct answers. —he announced, waving his wand in the air to
erase what was there—. I hope you wrote down Mr. Malfoy's answers. Oh, and five points off
for Gryffindor for Mr. Weasley's contempt. I will expect you in my office next week as soon
as you have finished your timetable.

Without waiting any longer, the professor began to write down on the blackboard a recipe for
curing boils, and indicated the page they should turn to. Draco began to write everything
down almost without looking at the board, already knowing these things by heart.
He noticed the man's stare, but gave not a hint of it, going about his business, even going so
far as to look up the ingredients to begin with, while Blaise was still idly copying everything
down.

The class itself was no big deal, not for Draco, who did everything on automatic, including
keeping Harry from messing up the potion, and Theo from dying of stress. The most relevant
thing was the explosion in Longbottom's cauldron, but the blond barely blinked at that.
Knowing a little more about the clumsy boy... even he felt a little bad to laugh, so he
remained stoic.

Harry was the other one who wasn't even grimacing in amusement.

Class ended quickly after that, and Draco walked out with his friends, not really paying much
attention to anything. Harry stood silently beside him. They looked at each other for a few
seconds, but contact was quickly lost when someone shoved the blond as he passed.

— Hey, watch where you're going! —Pansy exclaimed—. Oh, right, a Weasley it had to be.

The blond sighed, refusing to be a part of it. Enough was enough for one day of Weasley.

He started to walk away, to everyone's surprise, without so much as a glance at the red-
headed boy. Crabbe and Goyle hurried after him, accustomed to following him. The others
lagged a little further behind, but they eventually gathered in the dining room. The large
group of Slytherin gathered at the end of the table closest to the entrance, still muttering
about how rude Weasley was being.

Harry tapped his shoulders and Draco turned to look at him, arching his eyebrows. His
cheeks were a little full from the food, and the black-haired boy wrinkled his nose in
amusement.

— You won't say anything about what happened?

Draco thought about it, looking towards the lions' table.

—I think it's a stupid thing to say. He was mad at the professor, but since he can't take it out
on him, he comes to the nearest thing... it's not surprising. I don't care, really. —he shrugged
his shoulders (it was strange even for him what he was saying. Draco of the past-present
should be more irritating but he just couldn't find it in him to get angry about something so
childish)—. I'm a Heir, I must behave like one... fighting with an honourable member of the
Weasley family would not be decorous.

Everyone who understood shuddered. While both Blaise and Theo were heirs like him,
neither of their families had as much power as the Malfoy family. All the girls nodded,
understanding what he was getting at, though none of them had the weight of a title on their
shoulders, not yet at least. Crabbe and Goyle just continued eating, used to Draco lecturing
them on the decency of an heir.

Harry was, by far, the most confused.

Draco, who had already assumed that his friend was unaware of many things about the
magical world, turned to him. Harry straightened up, almost familiar with the blond's gaze,
the one that told him he would explain something of the utmost importance.

—Magical society is divided by titles and offices, Potter. The vast majority are dukes or
marquises, but there are higher ranks. Blaise, Theo and I are heirs, in the future we will take
our fathers' place in the Wizengamont, we will bear the title we are entitled to. We will be
lords. —he made a flourish, while Theo and Blaise partially bowed—. The girls here, with
the exception of Daphne, hold the title of lady. Whereas Miss Greengrass is a future countess.

The blonde bowed a little more than the boys, and the others even more. Within the range
allowed by the table, of course.

—You, on the other hand, —the brunette turned to Draco, surprised— are a lord, from what I
understand. Your father was the head of the Potter family, but being... deceased. —Draco
found it difficult to talk about this sort of thing, Harry felt partially understood when he saw
how difficult the boy found it when he spoke of deaths. He wondered if he'd suffered a
profound loss before—. You become the undisputed lord. Though you can only take your
place in the Wizengamont when you're sixteen.
Everyone nodded, agreeing with Draco, while Harry took a little longer, taking it all in.
Meanwhile, the others began to eat, trying to let the subject drop on Harry.

If he had any doubts later, there was nothing they couldn't handle.

As they were about to leave the dining room a brownish-brown owl came to perch on Draco's
shoulder. The blond immediately recognised the stamp on the letter, so he hurried to take it
from the bird, and give it something to eat.

Dear Heir Malfoy;

I am contacting you due to a series of new developments.

As I have been telling you in previous letters, I have been investigating the Sirius Black
case for a long time, and this letter is to update you on the situation.

In good time, Heir, you were ultimately correct in your suspicions about the case.
Yesterday your uncle's trial took place, and after a gruelling cross-examination,
veritaserum and the Minister's demand to use the <uocen palmis> to summon Mr and
Mrs Potter as their final memorials, a verdict was delivered. So in a few days you will
receive a letter from a wizard and a psychomagician, telling you more about your
uncle's mental health, and you will also have to decide who will look after him from now
on, because he needs a permanent escort while this settles in magical society.

I suggest you start planning what you will do when " The Prophet " , and everyone else,
brings the story to light.

Sincerely, Amelia Bones.

Draco reread the letter one more time before realising that he had just gotten a prisoner out of
Azkaban by legal means, without his parents even suspecting it.

He glanced at his friends, who were watching him with varying levels of interest, while the
rest ignored him completely or partially. He was thankful that he was one of the few who
 would recognise the hallmark, as that was something that was commonly only used among
close friends or family.

—Later.

That was all he said before tucking the letter away between the pages of a journal that would
only open to his magical signature. No one insisted, though everyone was curious about the
mysterious letter, even more so after seeing the surprise in the normally neutral silver eyes.

Tenían el resto de la tarde libre, pero ya tenían tarea de Pociones, así que todos fueron a la
sala común, en un acuerdo tácito para sacarla del camino lo antes posible.

Chapter End Notes

A bit late, but here we are heh

Ig: @lauumolinas
 Chapter 4
Chapter Notes

Sorry if there is something badly written, English is not my native language :)

"A la medianoche".

La primera lección de vuelo era la más esperada por cada primer año, para algunos porque
querían aprender, otros porque ya sabían y querían volver a volar. Harry estaba en el primer
grupo, nervioso hasta la médula, pero emocionado más allá del cosmos.

Draco lo arrulló cuando Potter le dijo esto, burlándose de él todo el día con una voz de bebé
que hizo que las mejillas del niño se sonrojaran cada vez más.
Tenían una clase compartida con Gryffindor, para variar (al parecer). Y aunque llegaron más
que a tiempo, los leones llegaron con el mismo maestro. Si Draco quisiera parecer
impresionado, no lo lograría.

El rubio todavía se sorprendía buscando el trío dorado de vez en cuando, cuando la parte
esencial de ellos estaba a su lado, normalmente.

Madame Hooch entró en el campamento y sus ojos color ámbar los observaban a todos como
un águila. Parecía bastante seria, aunque nunca se notaba con sus profesores.

- ¿Que estas esperando? —ladró—. Cada uno de ustedes está junto a una escoba.
Rápidamente.

Draco volvió su mirada hacia su escoba, haciendo una mueca por lo destartalada que estaba
la barredora. Hasta el día de hoy no entendía por qué no les daban mantenimiento, eran
sumamente peligrosos en ese estado.

—Extiende tu mano derecha sobre la escoba. —ordenó, comenzando a avanzar por el pasillo
entre las dos casas—. Y grita "arriba".

Hubo un grito grupal y el rubio vio como la escoba de Harry, la suya, la de Finnigan y un par
de otros pares de escobas voluntariamente tomaban el aire. El elegido le dedicó una sonrisa
emocionada, Draco asintió con la cabeza con aprobación.

Otros, en cambio, no tuvieron tanta suerte.

It was a matter of a few more attempts until everyone had their brooms in their hands. The
teacher walked from end to end of the line again, correcting the posture or the way they were
holding the broom. This time the teacher had nothing to correct.

—Very good, now you'll kick hard. —Madame Hooch instructed—. Hold the brooms steady,
rise a few feet and then gently bend down. On the count of three...two....
Draco flinched when he heard Longbottom take off early.

The teacher and everyone else screamed, but Draco couldn't look away from the boy's
frightened face, and inevitably remembered his Aunt Bellatrix, mocking what he had done to
his parents.

— Professor, do something!

The blond was almost shaking at this point, the image of his aunt torturing a couple, with a
small baby nearby, playing over and over in his head. Draco gasped, not quite sure why, a
choked "Harry," as if the black-haired boy could do anything.

Which, it seemed, was possible. Harry, seeing his friend's nervous state, knew he had to move
and do something since Draco seemed to be on the verge of collapse. And when he heard
what sounded like a plea, he did the first thing that came to his mind.

He jumped on his broom and flew quickly towards Longbottom, diving after him when the
boy fell. He caught him cleanly, before landing cleanly on the ground.

— HARRY POTTER!

He looked towards where the voice came from, and saw Professor McGonagall and Madame
Hooch running towards where they had landed. Further back were all the boys, looking at
him with varying levels of astonishment, but the look that stuck with him the most was
Draco's look of relief.

Well, it had been worth it, even if they ended up expelling him for this.

—I've never... in all my time at Hogwarts...

Professor McGonagall was almost speechless with shock, even her glasses seemed to be
sparkling with fury.

— How dare you...? You could have broken your neck...

The teacher looked as if she would go on ranting, but Professor Hooch stepped forward,
resting her hand on the boy's shoulder.

—In all my years of teaching, I have never, ever in my life, witnessed such naturalness in
flying. Have you ever done it before, kid?

Harry denied, fervently. He hoped she could get him out of this mess.

The woman smiled, pushing his shoulder forward a little, beginning to lead him down the
corridors. Professor McGonagall followed them, still muttering about irresponsibility, but
Madame Hooch wasn't even paying attention. They reached the DCAO classroom.

By the time Harry got back to the Slytherin common room, almost the entire first year was
preoccupied, with Pansy pacing back and forth in the couch area, Theodore fiddling with his
book instead of reading it, Millicent and Daphne playing with Tracey's hair, who was on the
verge of biting her nails. Crabbe and Goyle were staring at their sweets without daring to
touch them, their stomachs twisting.

Blaise had one hand on Draco's neck, massaging it, and the blond hadn't taken his eyes off
the door. While he thought he knew what was going on, he wasn't above worrying. The two
missing people had been called by Edrick.

By the time the chosen one had set foot in the room, he was already being dragged out by a
very upset Pansy Parkinson. Harry was wringing his fingers, not quite sure what to expect.
But if he could expect anything, it wouldn't be a tight group hug. Draco just patted his head,
not moving from the couch. No one said anything, because everyone knew the blond wasn't
too fond of physical affection.
—Well, speak up! Did you get expelled? Will you leave?—Pansy shrieked, once everyone
was seated in a circle. Harry was still sitting on the floor, next to the blond's legs—. I'll talk to
my father, see if there's anything he can do to stop them from doing it-

— Right! We could move our contacts, Harry. —Blaise joined the conversation, still nuzzling
Draco's neck—. We won't let you leave.

The brunet melted a little, pure affection floating from his pores for his friends. Draco put a
hand in his hair, stroking it slowly. Harry snuggled into his leg, enjoying the odd cuddle
moment.

—I didn't get expelled, guys... But I thank you for your concern. I really do. —He opened his
eyes to look at them as he gave them the news—. Madame Hooch took me to Flint... —a
Cheshire cat-like grin began to form on his lips, as his classmates gasped, understanding what
the boy was about to say—. I start training as a Seeker next week...

—You're joking. —Theo said, straightening up in his chair. Blaise agreed, still with his
mouth hanging open almost comically. Harry denied.

—No, I'm not. Flint said that if Madame Hooch had that much faith in me, then I should be
tested. I was up against Terence Higgs a while ago, I earned my place... somehow.

— That's amazing, Harry! —exclaimed Daphne, clapping her hands. An impressed look from
Millicent showed how much she agreed.

—The youngest player in a century...— Draco spoke, in a neutral tone. The others looked at
him, wondering how he would react to that, considering how much the blond loved
Quidditch. A lopsided smile formed on his lips—. That's the coolest thing I've heard today...
But how could it not be? Quidditch is in your blood.

The others frowned, not understanding, so Harry crawled over to look at Draco a lot better,
without getting a pain in the neck.

— What do you mean?

—Your father was a great hunter.

There was a group gasp, and Harry felt his eyes sting. That was the first real, personal
information about his parents, since beyond Hagrid's babbling and some comment about his
eyes, he had nothing. The blond understood immediately, rising to his feet.

—Come, I'll show you what I'm talking about.

He led them all into a room of glass cases, where there were various plaques, photographs,
medals and other awards. Draco pointed to one in particular, where Harry's father's name was
mentioned. The dark-haired boy looked at it, teary-eyed, as Draco rubbed his back, and the
others stood silently around him, respecting the moment.

—He would have been very proud of you, Harry. —the dark-haired child turned and hugged
Draco, who wrapped his arms gently around him, still staring at the plates. He hoped, from
the bottom of his heart, that what he was saying was real.

When the moment had dissipated some of the sentimentality, and everyone began to walk
back to the common room, one of the prefects arrived in search of the girls. And as they were
leaving, Draco thought he was forgetting something extremely important, something that was
supposed to happen.

He didn't have long to think about it, because halfway down the corridor, he found his
answer. Harry and Weasley accidentally bumped into each other, and the blond understood
what was missing.

—Watch where you're going. —Draco rolled his eyes, and that detail didn't seem to go
unnoticed by the boy, who took two strides to stand face to face. Draco arched both eyebrows
at the outburst—. Something to add, Malfoy?

Weasley was pushed aside by a shove from Goyle, and had Crabbe facing him now. Draco
stepped back, where an amused Blaise and a confused Theo were waiting for him. Harry was
still glaring at the redhead.
— Brave of you to hide behind two elephants!

—I could find you anywhere, Weasley. —he growled, without much thought.

—We'll see you tonight then, in a magical duel... Or are you a coward who hides behind
cheap excuses, like your father?

Draco watched as Vincent began to clench his fists, ready to solve the problem. The blond
reached out one of his hands, to stop him, and faced Weasley.

—Tonight, midnight, in the trophy room. Bring someone who cares about saving
you, weasel.

Before the red-head could say anything, Draco continued on his way. Hearing several
footsteps behind him.

Harry was the first to catch up with him.

— What happened to the composure thing?

The blond let out a chuckle, amused by the insightful question.

—Nothing, Potty. I'm not going, it was just to get him to leave us alone.

The blond opened his mouth in disbelief.

— You can't do that, Heir Malfoy! —Theodore shrieked, mockingly. Blaise seconded him,
hilariously—. Magical duels are like a pact, you have to go. Besides, I don't want to hear
Weasley squeal about cowardice, not really in this lifetime.

The blond narrowed his eyes, but eventually gave in to the stubborn stares of the three of
them. Crabbe and Goyle were silently following them.

—Fine. Potter, you'll be my second... and yes, I'll explain to you what a magical duel is and
what your role is, but right now I want to get to the Slytherin room, thank you very much.

— ࿐*:·ﾟ

It was half an hour before midnight, so he and Harry slipped out of the common room,
already on their way to the duel. They were trying to be as quiet as possible, bearing in mind
that if they were caught sneaking out, it wouldn't just be a point deduction they would get.

They were halfway through, when they heard some unsubtle breathing, and then Filch's
voice. Both boys looked at each other before running away, between the shifting corridors
they abruptly bumped into a redhead, a brunette and a frightened boy. They locked eyes for a
second before the slytherins remembered why they were running in the first place, dragging
the lions with them, running up stairs and turning between intricate corridors. It didn't take
Draco long to know where they were running to: the third floor.

They passed Peeves, but they ran far away as well. They came to a closed door, which was
quickly opened by a swift alohomora from the blond. They rushed in, closing the door
immediately and leaning against it. They held their breath caught in their throats, until they
were sure there was no noise nearby. Somehow they missed the warden.

Draco felt his robes being tugged, so he turned partially in that direction, Neville
Longbottom's pale face making him worry, staring at where his eyes were fixed: a huge dog,
with three large heads, angry triplet stares. Saliva dripped from its snouts, and there was a
constant growl. The blond was impressed, but not frightened, not that he couldn't see the
trapdoor under one of the large hound's paws.
It took two seconds for the others to turn around and see the dog as well. Draco pulled out his
wand and opened the door with a flourish, the children ran out, while the blond cast silencing
spells at their feet, cursing under his breath for the children's carelessness. They reached the
top of the stairs, immediately darting into one of the empty classrooms.

— What was that! —shrieked the red-haired boy, clutching his hair, his voice trembling with
fear.

Granger was pacing from one place to the next, while Longbottom kept swaying nervously in
the corner. Harry was staring at his feet, eyes wild, looking so disturbed that Draco felt
nauseous. He took his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

Harry looked up at him, stepping a little closer, the mask of indifference he'd been creating
these days wrapping around his features. The blond had noticed, days before, that Harry
functioned best when in physical contact.

— Why would they have that at school? —shrieked, the red-haired boy's voice, again.

The chestnut stopped suddenly, looking at them all with wild eyes.

— Don't you guys use your eyes or what? —she snapped, angrily.

The blond cocked his head to one side, Weasley said something back, but he paid no
attention. Longbottom stepped closer to the group.

— Didn't you see where he was standing?

Draco smiled sideways, taking a step closer, to get a better look at everyone.

— The floor? —Neville muttered.

—I wasn't looking at his paws, there were three rabid heads there! —continued Weasley.

—No — Draco spoke, making eye contact with Granger—, Not the floor. There was a trap
door, the Cerberus is doing the same thing as in mythology: it's watching something.

The girl nodded, less annoyed to see that someone was paying attention to the surroundings
and not just the imminent danger. A few minutes later, Draco was politely waving goodbye,
suggesting they get to their common room as soon as possible.

The group separated, the two snakes walking silently until they reached their room. They
both settled down to sleep, still not saying a word. Draco worried a little, but let it be.
Everyone had things to keep to themselves.

Pero fue a la mañana siguiente cuando se dio cuenta de que Harry Potter no parecía querer
guardar secretos, al menos no entre ellos dos. Ya habían quedado para subir al comedor, pero
Harry quería hablar con él a solas.

—Cuando fui a Gringotts la primera vez… Hagrid sacó algo de una bóveda, diciendo que
sería mucho más seguro en Hogwarts. Y creo que sé dónde está.

Draco frunció el ceño, sumido en sus pensamientos. Normalmente no se involucraría, pero

algo le dijo que esto era importante.

—Bueno, investigaremos un poco sobre esto.

El pelinegro asintió, sonriendo ansiosamente a Draco.

—Ese algo debe ser valioso, ¿no?

El rubio arqueó las cejas, sonriendo. —Valioso y peligroso.
 Chapter 5
Chapter Notes

Sorry if there is something badly written, English is not my native language :)

"Víspera de Todos los Santos."

Era la mañana de Halloween cuando Draco se dio cuenta de que ya había pasado dos largos
meses en Hogwarts. Después de la escapada, no pasó mucho más, intentaron cumplir las
reglas tanto como fuera posible, pasando los días entre clases, tareas y viendo a Harry
entrenar para Quidditch.

De vez en cuando, se cruzaban con Granger, Weasley o Longbottom, pero las conversaciones
eran limitadas. La creciente tensión entre el pelirrojo y Harry era cada vez más molesta para
Draco. Aunque no sabía muy bien qué debía hacer en esos casos, el rubio se abstenía de
involucrarse en discusiones entre conocidos. Prefería dejarles resolver sus problemas por sí
solos.

Sin embargo, tuvo que recordarse a sí mismo que Harry y Weasley no eran amigos reales. Al
menos no en este contexto.

Mientras tanto, Longbottom parecía estar cada vez más a gusto con ellos, lo que dejó a Draco
sin saber cómo responder. Se habían conocido en varias ocasiones ya que ambos eran sangre
pura y sus familias tenían muchas conexiones. Sin embargo, el rubio optó por influir
sutilmente en el chico. Él y Harry se reunirían una vez por semana para hacer la tarea y Draco
aclararía cualquier duda que tuvieran. Con el tiempo, Hermione se acercó más al trío, aunque
todavía parecía desaprobar su aventura.

Draco estaba perplejo por su decisión de hacerlo; Claramente era más difícil capturar uno que
tres, pero fue su elección.

The lesson on incantations was straightforward for him, like all the others. Furthermore,
Draco was earning points consistently, executing all the required spells expertly for his
instructors. When his friends expressed their admiration for his prowess, the blonde simply
shrugged his shoulders.

It is not possible for him to explain that he is already familiar with all the material they will
cover within the next six years.

Hermione Granger may resent him a little more for doing all that. The teachers ceased to
solely rely on the girl, allowing other students to participate and contribute to the class
discussions.

They attempted to integrate students who could not answer as well. The girl only responded
when there was confusion amongst the rest of the class.

This day was a very important one for Harry, as it was the anniversary of his parents' death.
The blonde had spoken to his uncle days before and managed to get a picture of Lily and
James Potter when they were still at Hogwarts. Senior year, perhaps.
Although he had encountered difficulties finding an opportune moment to present it to him,
due to his timetable, and desired privacy when doing so. Amidst his lunch break, a letter
arrived, delivered by a distinctive bird. The blonde smiled. He could not help it.

His friends still looked at the boy suspiciously whenever that happened, because Draco hadn't
explained much about the sender of each letter, and Harry always got a little awkward and
distant when they all discussed it behind the blonde's back.

We all had secrets. If Draco didn't want to talk about it, why force him to?

Dear Draco, how are things going?

I'm writing to you because today is not a good day for me... but I guess you already
know that. This is almost a venting letter, and since you and Remus are the only ones I'm
allowed to talk to right now, and I know he's bad enough as it is, I'm coming to you to
talk about it.

I miss them every day, and it's getting worse. Knowing that I could have prevented it,
that if I had been the carer they would still be alive. They would still be there for me,
lecturing me when I do stupid things or laughing with me at the most idiotic things. To
support me when I feel like the world is falling apart... to tell me what an idiot I am for
not moving on with Remus (although you do that very well, Draco, I won't deny it).

I feel guilty for not looking after them. For not being there. I feel like it's my fault that
Harry doesn't know his parents, that if I had been his guardian, he wouldn't have had to
live with those horrible Muggles [...].

Draco, who was beginning to feel a lump in his throat, frowned. Muggleborns?
He looked up and focused on the black-haired boy in front of him, talking to Crabbe about
who knew what. Pansy elbowed him, trying to see the letter.

The blonde pressed the note to his chest.

— Do you know what privacy is, Parkinson? —he hissed, muttering, his face blank—. Stay
out of my business next time.

Harry shot her a curious look and Draco shook his head. Daphne nudged the blackhead
lightly, silently scolding her for her audacity.

I wish I could see him, talk to him... To know what he looks like, is he like Lily or
James?, does he like chocolate or vanilla?, how is he doing at school, is he any good?,
what about Quidditch?

I know these are stupid questions, and you could answer them without hesitation, but
it's... It would be different talking to him, you know?

Anyway, if you could tell me those things, I'd be happier.

As for the other things you asked me about, Remus is on it. There are a few legal things
we need to finalise, but he should have everything ready by the beginning of next year.
We also went to Gringotts, and as we've already found out, Harry is the Potter Lord by
right, but he has a few other titles. And even inheritances from other families who had
no one to give them to and ended up giving them to the 'benevolent hero'.

We are checking his accounts, his property and everything that was done in his name
when he was not present or in a position to authorise it, including the history books that
 you yourselves study.

One last thing, before you rush to answer me as you are wont to do, the Ministry sent a
letter yesterday informing us that my release will be published in The Prophet tomorrow.
There will be no mention of you, as you requested, but I would advise you to be prepared
anyway, you may hear things you won't like and I don't want you to feel bad.

Love, your fabulous uncle, Sirius.

PS: Remus sends his love, he wants to meet you and thank you personally (send him a
letter, please).

He wrinkled his nose fondly, tucking the burden into his diary. He looked at Harry, who stood
up quickly, the Jet following him out of inertia at the sight of him. Crabbe and Goyle could
read between the lines, so a single glance from Draco was enough to keep them from moving
from where they were.

They ran until they reached an empty room. Draco still didn't know why there were so many
unused rooms.

— What happened Draco, are you all right?

The blonde took a parcel out of his pocket, it was the size of a book, so it wasn't a problem.
The boy frowned and opened it carefully. But his composure vanished when he saw part of
the picture.

He tore the paper away and looked at the moving image. His parents were smiling at the
camera, looking so young and happy. James had a hand around Lily's waist as she leaned
against his shoulder.

The first tears came spontaneously and the blonde was there quickly, hugging him from the
side and resting his head on Harry's shoulder. He let him cry, clinging to the painting with
trembling hands. He knew this was something important, something that needed to happen.

—I wanted to tell you that there's... a ritual for Halloween that you might be interested in. —
The green-eyed boy looked at him curiously—. It's to 'communicate' with the ones we've lost,
a way to keep them close on such important dates, an unbreakable family bond in the magical
community... Well, the part of it that is interested in preserving the old wizarding community
and not just rebuilding it for the Muggle-borns.

The jet-haired man smiled at him.

—Oh, and one more thing. —Draco was a little nervous this time. With a flick of his wand
and a murmur, he cast a privacy spell so that no unwary eavesdroppers would be able to hear
—. This is more complicated, and I don't want you to... er, get angry with me. In the month
before school started, I did some research on my family tree and came up with some...
controversial names. One in particular caught my attention because it had been crossed out,
disowned and considered a traitor. Sirius Orion Black, he betrayed his family for his friends
and moved into the Potter house when he was sixteen. —Harry sat up and Draco made him
sit down while he went around explaining everything—. At the outbreak of the Second
Wizarding War, it was very clear that he was against the Death Eaters and not in favour of
dark magic... He, along with your father and others, openly stood up to the Dark Lord, facing
him on three separate occasions and coming out of all three alive.

Harry was on the edge of his seat, an embracing warmth running through his body, nervous
yet excited to learn more about his father, even if he hadn't yet connected the dots as to why
Black was important.

—Sirius Black was your father's best friend, along with Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew,
and when there was talk that the One-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was searching for the child
born at the end of July... You and your parents had to hide, so the Fidelio charm was used to
conceal where you would be, and you would have a guardian who was the only one who
could reveal the exact location... —The blonde took a breath and rubbed her hands on her
trousers, trying to release the tension—. For years it was believed that Black was the
Guardian and that he betrayed your parents, but when I was investigated, —Draco paused in
front of Harry, who stood up with an angry expression on his face. The blonde shook his head
and made him sit back down—. I found loopholes everywhere and I contacted Amelia Bones
to find out what had happened. Because he hadn't had a proper trial, so... It happened, about
two months ago, he was found not guilty after he was given Veritaserum and your parents'
souls were briefly summoned to find out the truth. Sirius wasn't the Guardian, he hadn't
accepted that because it was so obvious, they needed someone else, someone no one would
think of...

Harry cried again and the blonde made his heart sink to continue.

—Peter Pettigrew was the Guardian, Harry, he betrayed your parents and framed Sirius for it,
because of him Sirius Black lived in Azkaban for ten years... Sirius Black, who is your
godfather, your rightful guardian.

The Chosen One stood up, this time starting to walk himself. Draco could see something dark
in those beautiful, usually clear green eyes. He waited in silence until the boy turned to him
and hugged him tightly.

—Thank you for telling me, Draco. And thank you for getting him out of there... I can't repay
you, ever.
The blonde hugged him back, letting a few tears fall. He had been so nervous and stressed
about losing Harry because he hadn't been honest, and he hadn't even known it could come to
this, not when life without Potter's friendship had been a daily occurrence.

—I want to find Pettigrew, and I want him alive so he can rot in Azkaban like Sirius almost
did.

Draco broke away, the Jet gently wiping the tears from his face. They looked at each other
intently for several seconds.

—I want you to make friends with Weasley... We need his family's pet rat.

Potter had let go when he heard the request, scowling at him with an annoyed expression.

—But he's mean to you, Draco. How can he be your friend like that?

The blonde felt his insides melt a little, a soft smile appearing on his lips. Those words and
the forest green's sincere look made him feel cared for and loved.

He would cherish this friendship forever.

—Eat your heart out, Harry. Sirius told me that Peter was an Animagus. —The kid with black
hair stopped looking offended and frowned in confusion, the blonde smiled slightly and made
a new gesture in the air—. An Animagus is a witch or wizard who can transform into an
animal. Even when transformed, they retain human thought and reason. Although they do not
speak, of course.

Once the blonde had made sure Harry had fully understood his explanation, he became more
serious.

—They haven't explained how they found out the Weasleys' rat was him, but I trust them,
Harry. —He searched the other's gaze, eyes wide and sincere for the boy who lived. Harry
couldn't say no, and it began to sink in that Draco Malfoy had great power over him—. And
the Weasley boy doesn't want me around... Instead, you, the great Harry James Potter, can
convince him. That, and there's no rivalry between your families.

Harry still looked rather reluctant, his mouth twisted into a rather ugly grimace, as if he had
sucked on a particularly sour lemon. Still, he nodded and reached out to hug his best friend
again. Draco let him, resting his head on the boy's shoulder.

—I don't promise to be patient enough, I'm very new to this whole manipulative snake thing.
—The blonde gave an affectionate chuckle and squeezed him a little tighter before letting
him go. Harry pouted—. But I'll get that rat... By hook or by crook.

The blond shuddered as he saw that shadow in the enchanted forest again. He knew a dark
plot was brewing there, fuelled by anger, hatred, betrayal and a thirst for revenge.

Draco nodded, pulled out the Silence Charm and headed for the door, Harry behind him. He
was in the corridor when Draco decided to check the time, realising that they had missed part
of their first lesson, so there was no point in trying to go, but waiting in the library and
getting ahead on homework never hurt. Besides, he still had to explain the Ritual of Souls to
Harry and show him Sirius's letter to answer his questions.

—࿐*:·ﾟ

By dinner time, Harry had already lost his desire to be friends with the redheaded boy, as he
was still glaring hatefully at the blonde, and Harry had learned that he could
be very protective of those he loved, and Draco was high on his esteemed list. The boy was
becoming a real pain, but he had already given Draco his word, and getting Pettigrew was
more important than Weasley's stupid attitude.

With that in mind, he stood outside the doors of the Great Hall, waiting patiently. Neville had
told him that the red-haired boy was nearby when he greeted him, but he had denied knowing
where Hermione was, assuring him that he hadn't seen her since Charmed, which was pretty
much since lunch.

Ronald Weasley stopped at the sight of him, and next to him, Dean Thomas and Seamus
Finnigan. Harry arched his eyebrows as he approached, not the least bit intimidated by being
alone and obviously outnumbered. He shot a dark glare at the two intruders, who seemed
quite intelligent as they quickly excused themselves, leaving them alone.

—So, Weasley, I wanted to talk to you. —Harry began, and passing over the boy's
incredulous expression. He offered his hand—, I want a truce, no more glum looks, no more
mean comments, no more fighting. Just peace… And maybe to be friends.

The red-haired boy frowned, and Harry prayed for a little patience.
— Friends? You and me? —Harry nodded, his hand still firmly between them. Passers-by
looked at them curiously, but no one lingered for fear of the reprisals the older snakes might
take against them—. But you're Malfoy's friend, and you're angry with me because of him!

Harry began to feel his jaw creak from the pressure he was putting on himself by holding
back. He didn't like the way he was talking about his best friend.

—You were rude to him, you know that, don't you? Or would you have liked him to laugh at
your family like everyone else?

The boy opened his mouth to reply, but closed it as soon as he remembered that Draco
Malfoy was actually one of the few people who hadn't laughed at him because of the state of
his clothes or his family. He stirred uncomfortably as he realised.

—But his father is-

—I know, you told me. But that doesn't excuse you. —Potter pulled his hand away and
rubbed his temples—. Draco is not his father, any more than you are your brothers. Don't do
what you don't want done to you, Weasley.

The boy looked down at his dirty shoes for a few seconds, then looked up at the Boy-Who-
Lived and pressed his lips tightly together in a pale line. He held out his own hand in
embarrassment.

Harry let the corners of his lips curl a little and shook his hands.

—Still… Can we meet without him, even for now?

Harry had to stop himself from making a rude comment, instead he smiled, hoping to look
sympathetic as he nodded.
—Fine, but you'll have to apologise to him for teasing him.

The redhead nodded, a look of horror in his eyes at the prospect. Harry ignored it for the sake
of his plan, nodding as he walked away from the boy. While the boy had endeared himself to
him at the beginning, on this long journey Harry wasn't beyond choosing who to talk to, and
if Draco didn't ask him to, he didn't know if he could live with someone like Weasley. Not
with the past he had.

He sat down next to the blonde who was enjoying his meal as Daphne told him about an
event they had to go to as soon as school was out, Draco looked at him, his cheeks slightly
puffed from the food and Harry felt his stomach flip with affection. He nodded and Draco
mimicked the gesture, turning his attention back to the blonde.

Once seated at his table, the boy was able to take in the decorations in the Great Hall. There
were over a thousand bats hanging from the walls and ceiling, while another thousand flew
between the tables, looking like black clouds, and the thousands of pumpkins floating around
the place, with candles flickering inside, swayed from the passage of the animals. Harry was
in awe, so much so that if he hadn't had to help himself to food he would have missed Lily
Moon telling Sally and Millicent that Hermione Granger was crying in the bathroom, soon
the comment about being a second Myrtle flew, but Harry wasn't sure what it meant, or if he
really cared.

Draco turned to look at him and they both stood up, saying goodbye to their friends, saying
they had to get some things ready for the Ritual of the Souls. They understood, but found it a
bit odd that they had left their meals behind. Draco quickly sorted it out, asking Blaise to
save some for them and take it to their rooms later.

They left quickly, and might have run away if they weren't Slytherins.

They reached the bathroom, and after a morality debate of about five seconds, they went in.
Sobbing from one of the stalls told them exactly where the girl was. Draco approached the
door and knocked quietly.

— Leave me alone! —He heard her sobbing and the blonde wrinkled his nose. He didn't like
girls crying, not in his past life, not now and probably not in the future. It made him think of
his mother being sad, and that was something that always broke his heart.
—Granger, it's us… We were afraid we wouldn't see you when we heard you were here. —
The sobs had died down a little, but the hiccups and sniffling nose were still there—. What
had happened?

The door opened to reveal the girl with red eyes, cheeks and nose. Tears were still streaming
down her cheeks. Harry offered her a hand and she took it, turning the simple contact into a
tight hug. Harry gave the blonde a worried look over the girl's head, but Draco just shrugged.

—Talk to us, we can help. —Harry suggested, rubbing circles on his back.

—Unless you want to hit Weasley, there's not much you can do.

—I'd like to hit him. —Harry assured her immediately, and Draco let out a snort to hide his
laughter. Granger, on the other hand, was clearly laughing.

Draco moved a little closer to the door and wrinkled his nose.

—Something's coming… And it stinks.

Both Harry and Granger turned to look at him in confusion. Draco quickly stepped back,
putting them both behind his back. He immediately remembered what had happened on that
Halloween. The three children were trapped in the last sink, with the blonde in front of them.

The door flew apart and managed to hit Draco on the cheek. The lioness let out a frightened
scream as Harry pulled her closer, trying to hide her better.

The blond raised his wand and aimed it at the creature, causing ropes to bind the troll. The
kids jumped as it fell. Draco didn't wait a second before casting a stun spell. There was
silence for a minute, then the girl sobbed again. Harry put his arms around her and she
hugged him and Draco desperately.
Harry looked a little pale too, but Draco could only see the ugly creature lying on the floor.
With a small Leviosa, he levitated the hammer away, just in case. Just as he was about to turn
and try to calm the girl, he heard footsteps. He raised his wand without thinking, but drew
back at the sight of the teachers, who looked unsettled by the scene.

Snape took a few steps forward, seeing two of his students and a girl on the verge of a
nervous breakdown. His eyes narrowed as he looked from the unconscious troll to his
godson.

— What on earth were they thinking? —Professor McGonagall said, her anger much more
controlled this time, even cold. Harry looked at Draco, who still had his wand in his hand,
more than alert, as if expecting something else to come out of nowhere and try to attack them
—. You're lucky I didn't kill them, why aren't they in their dormitories?

Draco was still standing firmly between them and the teachers, so the children decided to
stand beside him and face the problems. Hermione Granger sighed, Professor Snape's icy
stare making her hair stand on end.

—They were looking for me.

—Miss Granger! —The professor shouted in shock, making Snape frown even more.

—Professor, if I may? —The blonde said, receiving an immediate nod from her—. We heard
from our classmates that Granger was crying here, and we were worried because we hadn't
seen her since Herbology. We were looking for her, so we didn't know there was a troll. We're
sorry.

Harry looked down, as did Draco and Granger. The teacher nodded, reassured by the
knowledge that the students had not gone looking for the creature on their own, but Snape
would not let go so easily.
—If you don't mind, Miss Granger, could you tell us what made you cry? And why no one
from your house told a teacher or stayed with you...— the teacher's hissing voice made the
girl bristle all over—. I mean, since Gryffindor is the most united house, don't you think that's
strange, Minerva?

The teacher blushed at the words and took a hesitant step away. Hermione raised her head,
expecting the professor's usual dark, contemptuous stare, but it wasn't there; in fact, he
seemed to like her. That gave her courage.

—Weasley was… cruel today, more than usual. And it was too much, I'm sorry, teachers, I-

—Don't apologise for other people's actions, Miss Granger. —The teacher hastened to speak,
holding out a hand—. We'll talk more about this in private, if you'd like to come with me?

The girl nodded and hugged her rescuers again. Before leaving, however, the head of the lion
house turned back to the little snakes.

—You were very brave and loyal, qualities I hold dear. Not to mention the mastery with
which they handled themselves in the face of danger. Fifty points for Slytherin.

Cuando sólo los miembros de la casa de Salazar quedaron en la habitación y Quirrell, que
parecía al borde del colapso, estaba observando al troll, Snape habló.

—Profesor, ocúpese de la criatura. Llevaré a mis alumnos a su sala común.

Sin esperar respuesta, la maestra salió del baño, seguida de cerca por Harry y Draco. A mitad
del pasillo, la profesora habló.

—Le doy veinte puntos extra, señor Malfoy, por prestar atención incluso cuando el peligro
fue eliminado.
Ambos chicos se miraron con sonrisas radiantes, sin esperar esto en absoluto.
 Chapter 6
Chapter Notes

Sorry if there is something badly written, English is not my native language :)

"Es ridículo."

Al llegar a la sala común, verlos intactos provocó miradas y suspiros de alivio, aliviando
considerablemente la atmósfera previamente tensa. El grito emocionado de Pansy al ver la
mejilla sangrante de Draco lo sobresaltó, pero Snape rápidamente le entregó una poción para
beber. Siseando ante la sensación de la poción quemándole la mejilla, rápidamente se limpió
la sangre, sólo para descubrir que la herida había desaparecido. Draco dejó escapar un
suspiro.

Mientras contaban sus experiencias recientes, Draco y Harry ignoraron las miradas sutiles
que recibieron por perseguir a un hijo de muggles. Después de disfrutar de un delicioso
festín, se retiraron a su habitación donde Draco se quejó de la mala suerte de la vida,
preparando las cosas para un pequeño ritual. Era simple, sólo la imagen de los Potter, un
arreglo de lirios y dos velas grabadas con símbolos especiales.
Harry se sentó donde Draco le había pedido, sintiendo una conexión intensificada con su
magia en ese momento. Sabía que tendría que consultar extensamente al rubio sobre esta
tradición más adelante.

El niño colocó las velas encendidas junto al cuadro y luego recibió un suave apretón en el
hombro.

—Habla con ellos todo lo que quieras, Harry. —Sacudió su cabello, dándole una reverencia
final al cuadro de los padres de su amigo—. Llámame cuando estés listo y puedo ir a la cama.

El joven de cabello oscuro reprimió un nudo en su garganta y escuchó la puerta cerrarse

detrás de él. Sintió que las lágrimas brotaban y la situación se sintió intensa, superando sus
expectativas.

—Hola mamá, hola papá... Ese niño que se fue es mi mejor amigo, me encantaría
presentárselos... Me encantaría conocerlos yo mismo, de verdad.—soltó una risa acuosa,
jugando con los dedos, pellizcando suavemente la piel—. Estoy en Slytherin, espero que eso
no te decepcione ni te moleste, ¡también jugaré Quidditch, como Buscador! ¿Eso te hace
sentir orgulloso? Eso espero.

Secándose las lágrimas que caían, las llamas se movieron, parpadeando. Harry sonrió con
tristeza, sabiendo que eso era lo único que podía obtener de sus padres.

—Hoy me enteré que tengo padrino y tío. También sobre la traición. Créeme, no voy a dejar
que esa rata se salga con la suya. Él pagará por lo que te hizo, por lo que le hizo a Sirius...
Por lo que me hizo a mí. —sacudió la cabeza, eso no era algo de lo que quisiera hablar en
este momento—. Espero poder irme a vivir con mi padrino, estoy seguro de que eso es lo que
querrías, porque odio a tu madre de familia. Son horribles... lo siento pero me trataron muy
mal. Quiero saber cómo es vivir en un lugar amoroso que se siente como en casa, sentir esa
conexión con ellos. Quiero vivir como un niño normal... Aunque sólo mis compañeros de
casa aquí me ven como un niño normal. Soy una especie de celebridad, aunque no sé cómo
hice lo que hice... Es raro. Todo aquí es, pero debería acostumbrarme. También debería
escribirle una carta a Sirius, como me pidió Draco. Prometo que me llevaré bien con él y me
portaré bien.

He gave a broken laugh and when the candle flickered once more, swaying in the air, it
shattered. He wept for a long time, his spectacles had flown to the ground.

He craved desperately to experience what having parents and celebrating important occasions
such as birthdays, Christmas, and many others together felt like. He yearned to converse with
both of them, to sense the feeling of being cared for unconditionally by two individuals. He
gazed at his friend's bed, the boy who always seemed to mock him, but ultimately expressed
his anxiety through numerous small gestures.

Perhaps he too could benefit from such companionship. He then contemplated Neville and
Hermione. Sirius... Perhaps he was not entirely on his own, and he had people who were
concerned about him.
—I'll talk to you again in Yule, Draco says the magic is purest then. —he saw the flame
flicker and then flicker twice more before it flickered out completely.

He wiped his tears carefully, rubbing the glass of his glasses to remove any moisture that
might remain on them. She got up and ran up the stairs. Sometimes it was fun to know he
was so far down the school, but there were also times when it was creepy. Right now it was
between the two of them, so he hurried to his friend.

—࿐*:·ﾟ

The following day, as soon as they both got up, Harry and Draco sent their letter to Sirius and
Remus. They used Aquila, Draco's eagle owl to deliver two to Sirius and one to Remus. After
that, they hurriedly got dressed. Harry wanted to see Hermione, and Draco was worried about
Granger too, despite denying it.

However, he struggled with his current best friend, which made him feel uneasy, given their
past interactions. Nevertheless, watching Harry fix his tie brought a smile to his face.

As Harry noticed him watching, he responded with an even brighter grin. They both got
dressed, but Draco stopped on the stairs. Harry looked at him in confusion, but Draco didn't
notice.

Today, news would be released about Sirius. Whilst he wasn't directly involved in the article,
he was still part of the family. He felt nervous, knowing that Harry, who is Sirius's godson,
would also be mentioned.

Harry grabbed his hand and gave him an instant comfort. He smiled helplessly, feeling a
sense of relief at having support.

He squeezed the boy's hand and walked up the last stretch that separated them from the
common room. There were still few students in the common room, but given the time of day,
that was hardly surprising. They barely acknowledged each other with a quick glance before
everyone moved on.

They waited for the other members of their year, who were sitting on the sofa talking quietly.

—Hagrid invited us to tea, do you want to...?

The blonde tipped his head to one side, he knew Harry went on these dates with the half-giant
quite often, but this was the first time he had actually joined in. He finally nodded, a smile
creeping across his lips.

—Sure, Harry. I'd love to join you.

The brunet smiled, put his arm around the boy's shoulders and snuggled in. That's how the
girls found them when they came up from their rooms. They cooed mockingly and settled in
for a hug as well. Draco scurried away, leaving Harry to sink into it alone. Then the boys
went upstairs and they could finally go to breakfast.

It was pretty quiet at first, but by the middle of breakfast, with the dining hall partially
packed with students, the mail arrived. Various owls and eagles delivered letters, parcels and
newspapers. It was the latter that got Draco's nerves on edge, even though he didn't even
blink when it happened.

He knew exactly when the story had reached the students. The muttering was loud and clear,
the saucy looks flying back to where they were. He sighed and looked at Harry
apologetically, but the boy just smiled at him.

Blaise watched them closely and held out his hand, a newspaper in it. Draco took it, frowning
at the front page. Well, at least the picture wasn't of Sirius being locked up.

« FREE DEATH EATER?

Sirius Black, the infamous wizard who allegedly betrayed the Potters in the past, has
been released from prison. But was Black really a dark wizard and a traitor?

Over the past few months, Chief Auror Amelia Bones has been taking an in-depth look at
Black's case, delving into his history from his school days to the Second Wizarding War.

The Chief Auror has conducted an exhaustive investigation into Black's case over the
past few months, starting from his school days right up to the Second Magical War. " It
was an exhaustive investigation because no one wanted to talk about it or give him the
fair trial he was entitled to ." said Ms Bones, who seemed a little irritated by the
Ministry's negligence. " In the end, I persuaded some senior officials to pay attention to
my evidence. The Wizengamont met without delay and, after a few arduous hours, it was
confirmed that Sirius Black had been wrongly accused " .

The Ministry's serious blunder led to an innocent person almost losing their life in
Azkaban. What actions will Lord Black take? And what are the consequences for the
Ministry?

And what will the child-who-lived say when he learns that his godfather was unjustly
imprisoned and cut off from his life for so many years?»

Draco glanced back at Harry, who was standing up. In pursuit, the blond abandoned his
newspaper and sprinted after him. Close behind, he discerned the footsteps of Weasley,
Granger, and Longbottom.

They sprinted to an empty classroom, Harry pacing like a caged tiger. If Draco didn't know
any better, he would assume that the boy had just found out what was going on. However, he
was aware that the boy was attempting to restrain his anger towards the Ministry. He wasn't
enraged by the misinformation he may have received. Granger seemed highly stressed and
almost on the verge of tears, as if she might cry for Harry if the boy didn't do it soon. Neville
appeared nervous, playing with his shirt sleeves and biting his lips so ferociously that Draco
felt it begin to hurt.

He watched as Weasley, holding his rat, stroked it with wild eyes. The animal squirmed from
time to time. The blond narrowed his eyes and noticed that he had a finger missing.

Damn it, this thing really was Pettigrew. It was disgusting to the naked eye, but knowing
what kind of person he was, it made him look even worse.

The redhead caught his gaze, and maybe he misinterpreted his look, or maybe he was trying
to be nice, but he handed him the rat and Draco took it lazily, resting it against his chest.
Harry stopped to look at him, a dangerous gleam in his eyes, and the blonde didn't know
whether to run towards him or away from him.

The door opened to reveal Professor Snape and Headmaster Dumbledore, both watching
them warily. Harry caught up with Ron's rat, an almost deranged look in his eyes as he made
his way towards Snape. Draco fired a mild Desmaius at the rat, earning a horrified look from
Weasley and alarmed looks from the others. Harry got everyone's attention again when he
spoke.

—That rat... It's an Animagus, professors. —Dumbledore blinked, the unearthly glow in his
eyes flickering even more. Snape frowned and drew his wand—. If you could reveal his true
form, I would be grateful.

Draco waved his wand again, wordlessly, to block any possible way out. Granger eyed him
suspiciously but said nothing. Then, seeing Weasley's intentions, he positioned himself
behind his back and grabbed his arms to keep Ron still. He wasn't going to risk using magic
on him in front of the authorities.

— Get off me, Malfoy!

Snape seemed to ignore them as he waved his wand, Harry releasing the rat as soon as it
began to show its true nature. To the horror of the Gryffindors and teachers, a dreadfully
emaciated man emerged. Weasley stopped resisting, choosing instead to grip Draco's chest.
The blonde released him when he realised there was no longer any danger on his side and
moved away to stand in front of Granger and Longbottom. The two were huddled together,
Weasley behind them, the three of them whiter than a sheet. Draco felt particularly sick at the
sight of the man.

—Peter Pettigrew... Well, that's interesting. —The Headmaster commented. Snape waved his
wand again, binding the man—. I think I'll go in search of the Minister and some Aurors.
Severus, take him to my office and look after him while I'm gone.
—Yes, sir. —the teacher bowed his head, looking at Harry with eyes full of more than the
usual discomfort, you could almost see the curiosity in them.

Once alone, Harry and Draco held hands as they stood together, hiding them between their
robes. They both looked at the lions, who looked stunned, horrified and full of doubt.

— How do you know so many spells? —the girl spoke first, and the blonde wrinkled his nose
—. And how do you know how to do them without speaking?

— That's what worries you?! We just saw a rat turn into a man! And that thing slept with me!

Draco felt sorry for him, shuddering as he imagined himself in his place. Harry squeezed his
hand, trying to give him some comfort. He took a breath, ready to answer the girl first.

—I know more spells than you because, unlike you, I come from a family of wizards, and
unlike Weasley or Longbottom, I've been taught magic for years. And I study hard. —the boy
explained, already knowing that he would have to answer this question at some point, so he
had come up with a perfect excuse—. And in my family, as in many others, the wands of the
ancestors are kept so that I can use them... It's not the same as having one of my own, but it's
good practice for anyone.
The girl opened her mouth, but thought better of it. She was talking to someone who
probably knew a lot more about magical culture, traditions and facts about purebloods than
she did. While one of them had only read about it in books, the other had probably seen it,
lived it and heard about it from the paintings of his ancestors.

—And on the other hand, ugh, disgusting, Weasley. I feel so sorry for you.

The redheaded boy looked a little grateful that someone understood his suffering.
Longbottom patted him on the shoulder, looking as sick as he was. Harry grimaced as well,
all feeling the same horror as Weasley.

They talked for a while, sharing their disgust at the rat, explaining a little more about who it
was and why they were calling the Minister of Magic and the Aurors. The most horrified this
time was Hermione, who it was and why they had called the Minister of Magic and the
Aurors. Neville took courage and joined in the hug, while he and Weasley just stood off to
the side, patting each other on the back. They shared a look over the trio's heads and smiled.

Well, maybe this time he could get along with Ron Weasley.

In the end, the five of them went to Hagrid's house that afternoon, with Draco and Harry
leading the group. They were getting on regularly due to the tension between Granger and
Weasley, who were arguing about everything. Draco was a little surprised that they were
getting on so badly, considering they had always been together in his past life. Well, from his
outsider's point of view.

Perhaps they had got on badly at first.

Longbottom was silent, too afraid to try and stop them. Both snakes felt a little sorry for him,
having to put up with them during lessons and breaks.
The wooden shed was rising in front of them, and Draco wondered vaguely how Hagrid
could possibly live comfortably in it. They knocked on the door and were quickly greeted by
the furry, happy face of the half-giant.

They entered, the lions looking around, while Draco only needed a quick glance to sit down
next to Harry, who was already waving briskly at the man.

— Hagrid! I want you to meet my friends, —the dark haired boy said. Draco unconsciously
moved closer to Harry as Fang leapt towards Weasley—. That's Ron Weasley over there,
that's Hermione Granger, the one hiding behind her is Neville Longbottom and this is my best
friend, Draco.

One by one they greeted the man as Fang seemed to lose interest in the redhead, looking
around before turning to the blonde. Draco shrank further back and Harry instinctively put an
arm around him, looking at Fang with icy eyes. He liked Hagrid's dog, but he wasn't pleased
to see his friend uncomfortable.

The dog stopped immediately and lay down. Hagrid blinked in shock and turned to the
children.

—Nice to meet you, guys... —he began, smiling kindly—. Another Weasley, eh? Behave
yourself, boy. —he blushed, and nodded—. And you're Lucius Malfoy's son, aren't you?

Draco looked at him, finding a certain reluctance and contempt in those dark eyes. He
salivated mischievously, feeling Harry tense beside him. He nodded.

—Yes, he is.

The half-giant nodded and immediately began chatting with the other boys about lessons and
the previous day's altercation. Hermione quickly spoke up though.

—It was really strange, and I don't know if anyone else noticed, but Professor Snape's leg
was injured, like a giant bite.

Draco and Harry looked at each other sideways, having talked about it the night before. They
both agreed on what might have happened. The blond cleared his throat when he saw that
Hagrid was too nervous to say anything.

—It must have been something unimportant, Granger. —he waved his hand in the air when
she opened her mouth to protest—. You'd better tell us, Hagrid, how much do you know
about the creatures of the forest?

The man looked so relieved that he began to talk and talk about creatures galore, and the
subject of Snape was forgotten for a while. He and Harry led the conversation through
various creatures, allaying suspicions perfectly, talking about random mythological creatures
until they got to the one they were interested in.

Hagrid didn't even notice what was going on, too excited to share his knowledge with the
curious children.
— Are you telling me you raised a Cerberus, Hagrid? —Granger shouted, leaning over to
him.

— Yes! He's such a cute pup, my little Fluffy. —the man sighed dreamily and they all looked
at each other, trying to understand how on earth anyone could give such a terrifying creature
such a name.

Weasley opened his mouth, and Draco anticipating that this would ruin everything, kicked
him in the shin. The boy looked at him in annoyance, but he shook it off, asking for silence.
Miraculously, all three lions complied.

— That's great! —Harry began, smiling brightly—. Can we see him, Hagrid?

—Oh, no, no. I don't have it, I lent it to Dumbledore.

Draco glanced warily at Granger before smiling kindly at Hagrid.

—That's a pity... But you could tell us something about him. I imagine it wasn't easy raising
and training him. —both Harry and Draco encouraged him to talk, getting enough
information to write a book on the subject, but they didn't stop there, moving on to other
creatures until it was too late and they had to get back for dinner.

The children said goodbye to the half-giant and promised to return soon, either together or
separately.

When they were far enough away, Granger shrieked and Weasley looked like he was going to
jump, while Neville looked worried. Draco and Harry shared a glance.

— Is what he just told us what I think it is?

Draco nodded—, Fluffy is on the third floor, guarding a trapdoor that leads to something of
great value. And we know how to calm him down... But if Hagrid tells us without noticing,
he could tell anyone who might be able to trick him.

—Snape. —Neville muttered and Hermione nodded, pointing at him.

— That's right! Snape had a huge tooth mark on his leg, he obviously wants to steal whatever
Dumbledore keeps there.

Weasley tilted his head slightly and Draco almost saw a light bulb go on.

— What they were trying to steal from Gringotts! —Granger gave him a dubious look, ready
for a rebuttal—. No, listen to me, what place would be safer than Gringotts itself? Hogwarts!

Granger asintió, al igual que Longbottom. Las serpientes simplemente los observaron
mientras discutían qué podría ser y por qué Snape querría robárselo. Draco sacudió la cabeza
y miró a su amigo, que tenía una expresión de apatía en el rostro.

Ninguno de los dos creía que Snape querría algo tan valioso que no tendría ningún sentido.
Además, Draco lo sabía, el principal sospechoso nunca fue el culpable.
 Chapter 7
Chapter Notes

Sorry if there is something badly written, English is not my native language :)

“ eraseD. "

The first Quidditch match of the season was about to begin, the doors that let the players in
were opening. The snakes stood smiling and proud as the lions gasped and groaned at the
sight of Harry Potter in uniform.

Marcus Flint smiled haughtily at the Gryffindor captain as he tried to say something to
Madame Hooch, who looked absolutely delighted to see Harry among the green and silver.
The lions' complaints died down when Professor Hooch herself barked at Wood who had
nominated the boy as seeker.

Soon the match began, everyone cheering for their favorites. Draco realized he almost had a
heart attack when a bludger decided to chase Harry, but fortunately Abe Cormac arrived to
clean it up and free his seeker. The blond was more nervous about what was going to happen
in this first match than the result itself, so he wasn't really paying attention to what the
announcer was bragging about, even though he knew it was in Gryffindor's favor.

He saw the golden glow of the Snitch flutter across the Slytherin zone and hit Blaise's
shoulder, who exclaimed his surprise, drawing the attention of some of the older students.
Harry seemed to see it at the same moment, darting towards it.

—You've got a good eye, Malfoy! —exclaimed Edrick Amery, one of his senior prefects—.
You should try out for the team!

The blond laughed uncomfortably, turning his eyes back to Harry. It wasn't really something
that was in his plans. He loved flying, and at one point he had loved Quidditch, but at the
moment that was just a vague memory. The war and the Dark Lord had extinguished all of
that for Draco.

He unconsciously squeezed his forearm, shuddering. His friends looked at him in confusion.
Harry decided that this was a good time to pass near the stands and Draco shouted back at
him, forgetting his troubles. The green and silver stands leaned forward expectantly as a
bludger nearly blew the boy who lived' head. Dodging it and avoiding certain death, Harry
had lost sight of the little golden ball. He paused above his head, looking in all directions, as
the players began to move again.

Suddenly Harry's broom gave a jolt, sudden and terrifying. The boy thought he might fall, but
he held on with all his might, both on his hands and on his knees. There was a scream from
the Slys as they scored a goal, and no one seemed to notice that one of their younger players
was having trouble with his broom.

Harry wanted to call a time-out on his captain, but the broom began to move on its own,
zigzagging and spinning in the air unexpectedly, almost knocking him over.

Draco, who had prepared for this, pulled out a pair of binoculars and searched the stands with
his eyes, but it wasn't until he got to the teachers that he noticed something strange. There
were two people moving their lips: Snape and Quirrell.

And the blond hadn't lived through a war and survived in the Dark Lord's troops on his
surname alone. He could see the psychotic, deadly look in the turbaned man's eyes, so it was
very obvious that he was trying to hurt Harry.

It was only a minute later that both professors jumped up in shock. Draco frowned,
wondering how he had failed at such a simple spell, when he noticed a maroon and black
cloak slinking down the steps. He noticed where the lions he lived with the most were and
quickly spotted the missing person.

They both did what they had to do anyway. In the air, Harry was able to mount his broom
again, having complete control of it. Theodore nudged him gently, giving him a knowing
look, Draco sighed.

—It's good practice, Theo. It's good for these things... You don't just have to read. —the boy
blinked, nodding seconds later, glancing towards the teachers' stands, and then back at the
game.

Just as Harry was coming down at full speed, holding a hand to his mouth. Draco grimaced
as the boy began to cough, giving the impression of being sick. Madame Hooch was running
to meet him when the boy raised his hand and a little golden ball glinted in the sunlight.

— I've got the Snitch!

The match ended in confusion, but full of shouts and celebrations from the green and silver
house. Draco and the others ran onto the pitch, arriving in time to see Harry's shoulders being
lifted off Harry's shoulders. The jet-haired boy smiled at them all, and Draco could breathe a
lot easier as he held him within arm's reach.

— That was amazing, Harry! I didn't know you could catch a Snitch with your mouth! —the
boy let out a laugh, handing it back to the flying teacher, who smiled thinly, walking away.

—Well, I didn't know that either. Until today, that is.

Draco and Harry looked at each other in silence, the noise around them fading into a muffled
echo. The blond smiled, soft and calm, while Harry smiled much brighter, draping one of his
arms over his friend's shoulders.

—You did well, Potter.

It wasn't until twenty minutes later, after Harry had showered and they heard Oliver Wood
about how "He didn't catch it, he swallowed it!" (Draco was amused to see the similarity
between the two captains) before going off to tea with Hagrid, that Draco was able to relax
completely. Harry was still hugging him by the shoulders, a bright smile on his face as he
waved goodbye to the other Slytherins in the distance.

When they got there, two warm cups of strong tea were already waiting for them. Hermione,
Ron and Neville were also there.

No sooner were they seated than the lions attacked them.

— You didn't tell us you were a player, Harry! —Weasley shrieked, his face red. Draco
sipped his tea, assessing whether it was an envious red or an excited red.

—He couldn't, it was supposed to be a surprise... And it worked perfectly. The look on the
Gryffindor team's face was hilarious, if I do say so myself. —Harry scoffed, settling back in
his chair. The red-haired boy groaned, dropping into his own. Neville sent them a smile.

—Congratulations, boys. It was a great game.

Both snakes obliged, sending twin smiles at the little lion, who turned cherry red in a flash.

Hermione cleared her throat, looking at her friends. Ron straightened up.

—Mate, it was Snape. —Weasley said. Draco refrained from rolling his eyes—, Hermione,
Neville and I saw him. He was the one cursing your broom, muttering, and wouldn't take his
eyes off you.

Harry sent a wary glance at the boy, then back to Draco. The blond kept his lips sealed,
glaring at the red-headed boy.

—Nonsense. —Hagrid said—, Why would Snape do something like that?

Hermione sent them all a flat look before speaking.

— He's obviously up to something! He's got a bite mark on his leg, limp and all. He's trying
to get past the Cerberus to get what Dumbledore is holding.

Draco slumped back in his chair, rubbing his temples. All that extra work so Hagrid wouldn't
suspect them and give them the information they needed and that silly girl was going off with
her big mouth in a fit of anger. Typical.

—How do they know what's in there? —asked the half-giant, looking nervous. He looked at
Harry and Draco, who both shook their heads immediately. The man seemed relieved to
know that the two of them weren't in on it—. Never mind, here are the key points: Snape
wouldn't try to kill a student. Much less steal something that Dumbledore himself is trying to
look after. Forget about the dog, the third floor and what's kept there. That's between the
Director and Nicolas Flamel.

Draco jumped up, before they ruined it any further.

— You've got it made! They were already getting on my nerves with their crazy theories
about a professor. Got to put some sense into those silly little heads, you know. —he let out a
long, weary sigh. Harry played along, nodding with a jaded expression. They both got up—.
We'd better go now, Hagrid. We'll try to make them understand that we're not supposed to
butt in where we're not wanted.

The half-giant looked so grateful that Draco almost felt bad for lying to him so blatantly.
Almost. (Not really.)

The snakes dragged the lions away, ending up in an area away from prying ears, but still
close to the school.

— Crazy theories, Draco Malfoy?! You saw it too, you know what I'm talking about!

The blond rubbed his eyes, praying for some extra patience. When nothing came, he looked
at her with icy, irritated eyes.

— You think it's okay to go around accusing teachers, and hope that there are no
consequences or that the person involved doesn't find out? Damn it, Granger, you're supposed
to have a brain in there. Learn how to use it and don't just memorise crap you won't know
how to use later.

The girl flinched, looking embarrassed and hurt. Harry stood on the sidelines, at Draco's side,
his expression unreadable.
—Learn to measure yourselves, and stop accusing people so easily. If you want information,
ask subtly, so you don't end up being suspected of anything.

With a final snort, Draco left, his cloak billowing behind him.

Harry just gave them a flat look as they complained about Draco's haughtiness. Then he let
out a laugh full of contempt, which made them remember who they were talking about and in
front of what person, Harry left as well.

Hermione, Ron and Neville stood watching his back disappear, feeling sick. Maybe Malfoy
was right and they weren't doing things right... And attacking him hadn't been a good
decision.

Once they were both locked in their room in the dungeons, Harry opened his mouth.

—You were a bit cruel to her, you know that, don't you?

Draco flopped down on his bed, nodding. He was still annoyed with her for raising her voice
and ruining all their efforts, but it wasn't right to attack her either. He would apologise
tomorrow.

He almost laughed at the knowledge that he would be apologising to Hermione Granger. It

was surreal.

—Well, I'm glad you know that. —the boy lay down next to Draco, looking up at him—. Is
there anything else?

—It wasn't Snape. —he muttered, shrugging his shoulders, his eyes closed—. I know the
hexes, Harry. Snape wasn't attacking you, though, Quirrell....

The jet-haired man frowned. Both he and Draco had a rather bad feeling about the man; in
the blond's own words, Quirrell was acting and appearing too vulnerable and weak to be real.
He was hiding something, there was no doubt about that.

Perhaps he was a Death Eater, or a lover of the dark arts... Maybe he believed that by killing
Harry Potter he would rise as a recognised dark wizard. They don't know for sure, but
something was there.

—I believe you, Draco. If you say it's Quirrell and not Snape, then it must be true. Though
telling the others that, I doubt it would help. —Draco looked at him, receiving a sweet smile
that he didn't hesitate to return—. Now, about Flamel... What do we know?

—Nicolas Flamel is an alchemist, Harry. —the boy nodded, eyes sparkling with curiosity—.
So it's not too difficult to find out what Dumbledore is guarding. He is a man well known for
being the sole maker of the Philosopher's Stone. An object of great value, not only because it
is the only one of its kind, but because of its ability to transform any metal into gold. —the
boy sat down, to get a better look at it. Draco could see a thousand ideas running through
those green woods—. And it can also be used to create the elixir of life, which would bless
the drinker with eternal life.
They looked at each other for a long time in silence.

— Who would want to steal that, so much as to want to get into a place with dragons?

The blond had a clear idea of who would be so desperate.

—࿐*:·ﾟ

Christmas was practically upon them, and Harry had a mixture of sadness and happiness
about him. He was pleased that he didn't have to go home, but a piece of his heart ached
knowing that Draco wouldn't be around to be together.

The blond had spent extra time with him, letting him cuddle and sleep with him to make up
for it even a little, and yet Harry knew he would only miss his presence more.

Everyone in his group would be leaving as well, even Neville and Hermione were leaving.
Luckily he'd be staying with Ron, which was something... Not what he'd expected, but it was
okay.

He let out a tired smile as the lions joined him at the school gate. He was waiting patiently for
Draco, who had something to ask his godfather (Harry couldn't quite get over the fact that his
Potions teacher was his friend's family), and luckily it looked like he wouldn't be doing it
alone.

—I hope you boys have fun here. I'll write as much as I can. —Hermione said, as she
wrapped a scarlet scarf around her neck. Neville was struggling with his gloves and hat,
trying to keep anything from falling off—. And I hope you like my presents.

Ron smiled uncomfortably. He was still feeling very tangled with the girl, always bordering
on hostility when it came to arguing.

Draco decided to arrive just then, as the silence grew thick and stifling. Harry was extremely
grateful.

—Granger, Longbottom, Weasley. —the blond waved, barely shaking his head. The lions
greeted him with much more energy. They'd managed to settle as quickly as they'd argued—.
Are you boys ready to go?

Longbottom and Granger nodded, settling back into their robes. The blond grinned, turning to
Harry, who was on the verge of pouting, so the blond put aside his aristocratic stoicism for a
moment and enveloped him in a tight hug. Harry melted into the contact and enjoyed the
warmth as much as he could.

After the hug, Draco gently patted the red-haired boy's shoulder, who smiled amiably at him.
They had started to get along relatively well in the last few weeks, much better than Weasley
and Granger's relationship was going, at least.
When the three of them left, and it was just them two, they decided to go inside to warm up
and have some hot chocolate. And for those first two days without their group it was like
that, just the two of them meeting up at some point during the day, hanging out together, until
they both had to go back to their respective common rooms. It was fun, Harry couldn't deny
that, and he had even grown a little bit closer to the red-headed boy in that time.

They played magical chess, ran around the Hogwarts grounds with the twins, and had even
thrown snowballs at each other. Harry had a lot of fun those days, so when Christmas came,
he had high expectations.

At the foot of his bed were piled several presents, more than he had ever seen. Harry
wondered vaguely if he knew so many people.

He crawled out of bed, noticing at first hand Vincent's and Gregory's presents, being the only
ones to use circular boxes. Then, almost as if they were in a row, were Pansy and Daphne's,
below them Millicent's, Lily's, Tracey's and Sally's. Next to them two large silver boxes stood
proudly: Theo and Blaise's presents.

In a tall tower were the presents from Flint, Montague, Pucey, Bletchley, Urquhart, Cormac,
Neal and Higgs. The whole Quidditch team. There were four of their prefects, all surrounding
the previous pile. A little further away were gifts with terracotta and maroon accents, much
shinier than anyone in his house would wear, so he approached with a frown, but ended up
smiling. They were the presents from Hagrid, Hermione, the Weasleys, Neville and his
grandmother, surprisingly there was also the present from his aunt and uncle. Plus one, which
he couldn't recognise so easily. But there were two in particular, lying on top of his boot, that
excited him the most, the gifts from Draco and Sirius (combined with Remus, clearly).

He started with those, opening Sirius's gift very carefully, coming across two books. He
swallowed the lump in his throat when he realised it was a photo album and a scrapbook, he
didn't recognise the handwriting on either title, so he assumed it was his parents' handwriting.
Apparently their handwriting was more like his mother's, contrary to what he thought.

He shook his head, refusing to cry so early, and set them on his bed, when he turned around
the gift wrapping was gone. He grabbed Draco's gift, excitement bubbling in his chest. He
opened the sleek black box, finding a beautiful snake made of white gold, with small jade
inlays.

Harry took it out carefully, staring at it for a few moments, the heat in his chest spreading like
gunpowder. He smiled, and it was as if the bracelet communicated with his magic, for soon it
was slipping on his right wrist, adjusting itself.

He pulled out a note, which was partially hidden in the box.

Harry:

I hope you like my present, and Sirius's. Be sure to send me the letter for him when you
reply to this, so you guys don't lose communication for so long.
 On the other hand, your bracelet has a little trick that's more for me than for you, but it
works both ways. Hopefully I won't have to explain it to you.

Merry Christmas, Harry. I love you.

Love, Draco.

Harry let out a gasp, that was the first time his best friend (or anyone besides Sirius and
Remus) had told him they loved him. He could frame this, never to forget that he was
important to someone. He kept the letter next to the first one he received from Sirius, and the
albums went with them.

He turned to the other gifts, though knowing that nothing could be better.

And he was right, partially right at least. All of his friends had shown off: Blaise had given
him a whole collection of books on Quidditch and Defence Against the Dark Arts, while
Theo had opted for a new Slytherin uniform, plus a set of dress robes.

Pansy had given him a black bag, apparently bottomless, with the Potter logo on the side.
Daphne, meanwhile, had sent him quill pens and two almost identical diaries, differing only
in the decoration of the spine, one having yellow lilies that would occasionally disappear and
reappear, intertwining with each other gracefully, and the other having small damasks
blooming at the bottom of the spine. A small note explained that they were journals for both
him and Draco. Harry wondered vaguely why she gave them to him instead of sending them
directly to the blond, but shrugged.

Millicent had sent him a maintenance kit for his broom, along with a small Snitch with an
'HP' engraved on it. The little ball activated and began to flutter around the room, but Harry
wasn't too concerned, looking at the other presents.

Lily and Sally seemed to have agreed to buy him things for Hedwig, but he was more than
happy about it. His little owl would have a better place to rest when she roamed his rooms, as
well as a new cage, which would shrink on its own. Tracey, for her part, gave him a large
book of traditional Pureblood etiquette and a white gold-plated pocket watch with the Potter
crest on the cover. He wondered if she was trying to send him a hint.

Vincent and Greg had sent him boxes filled to the brim with his favourite sweets, plus a
moving photograph of Draco wrinkling his nose disapprovingly. He wondered what was
going on in that picture.

The boys in his team sent him much more generic gifts, books, notebooks, pens, jewellery
and sweets of all kinds. One of them had saved his life, giving him a huge jewellery carrier,
otherwise he wouldn't know where to put it all.

Finally, he came to the gifts from his less aristocratic friends, and hoped with all his heart that
they were not books. Hagrid had given him a rustic flute, and Harry didn't hesitate to try
playing it, noting how easy it was. He made a mental note to go to the half-giant and thank
him personally for the nice present.
Hermione, of course, gave him a large book of fantastic stories from the magical world. He
assumed they were like Muggle fairy tales, and left it on his dresser to read over the next few
nights. He would also send her a letter of thanks (he had a lot of thank-yous to send that
year).

He quickly unwrapped the Weasley's, his eyes watering again. In those two days he'd seen a
lot of different jumpers with big letters on the chest, and he'd never expected to receive one
as well. He let out a shaky sigh, putting it on quickly. He was about to get up and run after the
twins and Ron, when he saw the last present.

He unwrapped it with a great deal of intrigue, seeing only his name on it in a handwriting that
was too slanted and round to be familiar. He grimaced at the hideous design, knowing that
Draco or any of the others would kill him if he wore such a thing. However, when he took it
in his hands he realised that it looked as if it was holding liquid. He picked it up and ran it
over his head, looking at himself in the full-length mirror Draco insisted on leaving it for his
use. His eyes widened almost comically.

His body was gone!

—࿐*:·ﾟ

Christmas lunch at Hogwarts was of the coarsest kind.

There were a hundred roast turkeys, mountains of boiled, baked and fried potatoes, large
ducks of buttered peas, and gravy boats full of delicious combinations of sauces. It was a
pleasant dinner, full of laughter and teasing from the twins towards Percy.

By the time they were leaving, Hagrid was drunk, kissing his teachers' cheeks. Harry
wondered vaguely if that would have consequences in the morning. It wasn't important
enough to worry about at the moment, playing in the snow like a normal boy.

The other half of the afternoon was spent in his room, writing thank you letters and, in some
cases, replies to letters, with thank yous added to the end of them all. By the time he got to
Draco's letter he was nervous, with the peripheral of his sight he could catch the silver glow
of the mysterious cloak.

Use it well.

He passed his breath, looking at it contemplatively, then checked the time. It was close to
eleven, curfew already underway for the entire student body. He nodded, partially to himself,
but fully to convince himself.

He finished the letter to his friend with a simple "I have to show you something when you get
back. It's amazing."

He sheathed his cloak, slinking out of the snake house. It wasn't clear to him where he was
going, so he wandered for a long time. He thought about the days he had been there, and
suddenly he thought of a place to go: one where he would never otherwise be able to slip
away. He hurried towards the Forbidden Section of the library. He wasn't looking for
anything in particular, just browsing the odd titles they had there, when the sound of voices
and footsteps startled him.

It was Snape and Filch, and though they couldn't see him, the corridor on this side of the
library was too narrow. He stepped back cautiously, extinguishing the light of his wand with a
muffled nox. He was grateful, suddenly, that Draco taught him spells this useful in his spare
time.

To the left of where he stood he saw a door ajar, and he didn't have to think too hard to step
through it. Anything was better than facing those two. He listened to the footsteps walking
away, intently, before truly relaxing. Harry called his day's exploration over, fully ready for
bed, but then he looked around, suspecting that he had found another disused classroom, like
so many others that existed at Hogwarts.

The school looked like it must have had many, many other classrooms, and Harry was
curious as to why they were gone. He supposed he should ask Draco later. Or Sirius, to find
out if there were any other classes in his time as a student.

He walked around a bit, noticing the dust particles floating through the air, a hint of
dampness in the place, along with various papers scattered on the floor. However, what
caught his eye in the room was the giant, magnificent mirror against the opposite wall. It
looked so out of place, being that it had a gilded frame, presumably gold, heavily worked,
and had brackets in claw-like shapes. An unintelligible inscription floated across the top of
the mirror, but that wasn't what Harry cared about now.

He turned around to look, just enough confirmation to know that what was on the mirror was
a lie. His heart pounded furiously as he turned his face back to the mirror.

There he was, his reflection, full of fear. However, he was not alone, behind him there were
many people, so many that he could not distinguish their faces, but the ones he could identify
the most were the most terrifying. There was a woman, very pretty, with dark red hair and
eyes identical to his own. He approached her unconsciously, seeing her crying with a happy
smile on her lips. Next to her, a tall, thin man was hugging her by the shoulders. He had
glasses and hair too messy to be normal. Just like him.

—Mom? —he whispered—. Dad?

 Chapter 8

"Fire and Punishment."

Draco had returned to Hogwarts a day ago, and he was already noticing the differences in
Harry. The boy was glancing over his shoulder from time to time, and was even a little more
reluctant to let the blond out of his sight more than necessary, and Draco was trying to be
patient, really, just standing there, trying to act like he didn't see how weird Harry was acting.

It lasted like that for the rest of the day. But he decided enough was enough as soon as they
were locked in his room.

—All right, Potter, talk. What happened while I was gone? -—he asked, leaning against the
door, arms folded, obviously unwilling to keep walking on a bridge of thin ice—. I was only
gone for two weeks, how badly did I lose my best friend?
He couldn't help but scoff, seeing as how close Harry and the redhead had become. He was
somewhat relieved to know that they had bonded equally, despite the rough start to their
relationship. However, it seemed that Harry didn't quite catch all the amusement in the
blond's voice, because he had turned to him with a look of horror and guilt.

—You didn't lose me at all! It's just that-, I, hell- I just needed to think and

— Hey, hey! Take it easy, Harry. It was a joke, I was just playing. —he peeled himself away
from the door, grabbing the hands of his friend, who had practically run to stand in front of
him—. Deep breaths, Harry. I hear you.

It took a few minutes for the boy to calm down, but when he finally did, he smiled at Draco.
The blond almost sighed in relief. It was the first real smile he could see from the boy.

—At Christmas... I received an invisibility cloak. —he muttered, Draco just blinked,
determinedly ready not to interrupt him. Harry wiped himself out a little—. I explored
through the Forbidden Section that night, and came to a room with a large mirror. I wanted to
tell you about it, but you weren't there to show you... So I took Ron. I saw my parents in that
mirror, Draco. They were there, along with my family. I also saw Sirius, Remus... You. They
were all there, and they looked so happy. —the blond was alarmed, squeezing a little tighter
the boy's hands, who looked grateful for the affection—. It was the Oesed mirror.

Draco ascended, having already heard about it in the future, he didn't quite remember the
dates, let alone why the subject came up (at the time he was busier trying to avoid getting
himself and his parents killed), but it had come up and now he understood much better the
boy in front of him, who looked as if he was about to fall apart.

—Ron, he saw himself, surrounded by gold, in a Quidditch uniform. —Malfoy arched his
eyebrows, not at all impressed. Harry let out a chuckle at his reaction, and the blond was
satisfied—. Then, the third night... The director was there. We talked a bit, he asked me to
guess what the mirror was for. At the end of that week, the mirror was gone, and I haven't
looked for it again, but....

—You had a little taste of what it was like to have a family. A warm place, full of people like
you. —Draco finished for him, when it became obvious that the boy wouldn't be speaking
any time soon. Harry nodded, grateful that his friend understood without the need to say
anything—. It's okay to feel empty, Harry. It's okay to long for that memory. It's one of the
few things you have of your parents, and even if your greatest longing can't be fulfilled... A
small part of it can come to pass, you know? —seeing that the boy didn't understand, he
rolled his eyes with poorly disguised affection—. Remus, Sirius and I are here, with you.
We're your little family, and though it's not much, nor can we ever replace the emptiness of
your parents-

Harry launched himself at him, squeezing his friend tightly. Draco only understood, hugging
him too. He left a soft kiss on the top of his head, rocking them for a long moment.

A while later, Draco was receiving one of the diaries that had come to Harry at Christmas, the
damascene one. The black-haired boy showed him the one he had chosen, with a bright
smile.

—Daphne gave these to us, although I don't understand why she sent the two of them to me.

The blond scoffed, pulling out a quill of endless ink that his godfather had given him for
Christmas earlier that year. He gently ran his index finger along the spine of the notebook,
feeling the magic tingle there, forming tiny specks of light in it. Harry gasped, impressed.
Draco instructed him to do the same, and when both magical signatures were completely
gone, Draco wrote on the first sheet. When Harry looked down at his own notebook he let out
a chuckle.

"You're an idiot, scar face. I hope you show me that invisibility cloak soon, it's not fair that
Weasley has already used it and I'm barely getting it all in."

Harry promised Draco before he lay down to sleep.

It eventually took a while for Draco to try out the cloak for himself, being that they were both
very focused on simply having a good year with the grades their house demanded. However,
around the end of April something surprising happened. Over the days they had seen Hagrid
act all nervous or mysterious, but it wasn't until Weasley dragged them up to the man's hut
that they understood why.
— Please talk some sense into him! —Granger shouted, as soon as she saw them inside the
small hut. Both snakes looked at each other in confusion, before catching movement in an
adjoining room, Draco gasped at the sight of a baby dragon running and spitting fire.

Fire, in a log cabin.

He stepped back, pale. Draco had developed a thinly disguised fear of fire. He died in the
flames, they couldn't ask him for peace at the sight of it, let alone could he get along with
animals so strongly associated with it. Harry stood in front of the blond, blocking his view of
the dragon, which was nearly burning a chair.

Harry said—, Hagrid, you can't have this here. It's dangerous. A Cerberus is one thing, a
thing that can set your house on fire is quite another. —Harry exclaimed, pointing at the
dragon and then at the half-lizard.

— But it's so adorable, so small too!

— And so illegal! —exclaimed the blond, still hiding behind his friend's back. Harry nodded,
sternly—. You have to get rid of it, Hagrid. It's dangerous, it's illegal and, most of all, it's
unlovable. It can kill you.

The man looked tormented, and Draco thought he could solve this without getting hurt. Or
get in trouble. He snapped his fingers, Harry looked at him over his shoulder, Granger tilted
her head, and Weasley stopped eating so he could look at him.

—Your brother, Charles or something. He works with dragons, doesn't he, Weasley? We
could ask him to come and get that thing.

— His name is Norbert! —cried Hagrid, looking like the Narcissa correcting him when he's
too rude to her plants. He sighed.
—Well, to take Norbert to a safe place, where he will learn to live with his own specie... and
where there are no children for him to roast.

So they arranged it, and luckily everything went well. The dragon was dispatched,
unfortunately thanks to Granger they ended up in big trouble. And, as expected, they had to
give an explanation to their Head of House so they wouldn't get even more punishment.

— What were they supposed to be doing, eh? Sneaking out of their rooms, running around
with some Gryffindors. You're Slytherins, kids, this is no way to act.

Draco and Harry kept their eyes on the ground, the brunet mostly at Draco's request, rather
than the scolding. The blond let out a sigh, straightening up, still looking away from his
godfather's dark eyes.

—I'm sorry, sir. It won't happen again. —he promised, and before the man could say anything
else, he added—, and if it's about the points lost, Harry and I can make them up, we've
worked hard all year to be able to get a lot more than that, and you know it, sir.

Snape, seeing that he wouldn't get the information out of them that night, not in a good way,
let them go off to their dormitories. And the next day, when the others saw the lost points,
they looked warily at everyone, but even when they found out who the culprits had been, they
said nothing. They had a lot of points, and the blond was the most consequential of their first
years, while Potter was leading them to win the house cup much more easily, so they knew
that quickly that minimal loss would be obsolete.

That night, after spending a hard day earning as many points as possible, both boys met up
with the little lions, ready to go after Filch at once.

—I'm sorry, boys, I...—began Granger again. She had apologized more than once that day,
and while the blond appreciated it, he was getting a bit tired of it, so he raised his hand, cut
out her.

—It's okay, Granger. It wasn't intentional, I understand. We can all make mistakes. Besides, it
wasn't even relevant to our house... To you, however, it seemed to be a disaster.
The girl nodded, that day was a complete horror, receiving insults and being picked on by
everyone in the house, not just those in her year. Draco grimaced at the sight of them in the
middle of the storm, but both he and Harry knew there was little he could do. If they got in, it
would be more trouble, and that wasn't the plan.

They arrived with the warden, who immediately started talking about what their punishment
would be like if he had anything to do with it. Longbottom was pale, Granger looked more
horrified than scared, while Harry and Draco just shrugged at every look the Gryffindors sent
their way. It wasn't that they weren't disturbed by Filch's talk, but they knew that hadn't
happened for over a century. Plus the blond's father wasn't above moving contacts to kick out
a squib threatening the safety of his firstborn.

Though Draco knew he would do it more to get rid of the man than for his son's safety.

At that moment, Hagrid approached them, along with Fang. He had a large crossbow, along
with his arrows, slung across his back.

—It's about time. — he said—. I've been waiting for you for half an hour. Is everything all
right, kiddos?

—I wouldn't be so kind to them, Hagrid— growled the man, coldly—. They are here to serve
a punishment, after all.

The men engaged in an argument, while the children moved a little farther away from hearing
them.

—Boys, I almost forgot to tell you this—gasped Granger, her eyes sparkling—, a few hours
ago we found out who Nicolas Flamel is. Thanks to Neville!

The aforementioned blushed, while the chestnut seemed unable to stop vibrating at the new
knowledge she possessed. The blond looked up at the towering forest towering behind him,
passing saliva. Despite trying to avoid the thought, the mere knowledge that when they
entered there they would meet the man who ruined everything for him sent shivers down his
spine. Lacerating fear coursed through his whole body, almost numbing him.

— What do you mean they already knew, Harry?—Longbottom, just as confused as she was,
looked at the blond, who returned to the conversation, easily finding that he had been
listening.

—Draco told me that same day, after the argument. I think I mentioned it to Ron during
Christmas break.

Before anyone else could say anything, Hagrid arrived beside them, looking irritated but
pleased at the same time. Draco guessed he had won the argument against Filch.

—Well, children, time to pay for your mistakes. We're going to the Forbidden Forest, we're
doing something extremely dangerous, so I'll ask you to stay with me. Follow me for a
moment.

The children looked at each other in fear. Draco could tell Longbottom was trembling, almost
certainly. Granger seemed to be nervously muttering some kind of mantra, while Harry stood
almost neutrally at his side. She looked at him, and instead of seeing fear, she saw curiosity.
Of course there was some wariness in the boy, but the embracing need to know what was in
those woods seemed too much to look really worried about what might happen to them.

—Look over there. —said the half-giant, pointing to a trail with the light of his headlamp—.
See that there, shining on the ground? The silver thing. That's...

—Unicorn blood. —Draco muttered, unable to stop himself. He earned stares from everyone,
but he was too busy staring in horror at the thick liquid that was slowly being absorbed into
the ground.

—That's right, Draco. —Hagrid nodded—. There is a unicorn that has been badly injured,
this is the second time this week that I have seen this. We will try to find this one, and
prevent it from suffering any more.
The children nodded, partially. Draco looked at the dog, who was still very much glued to his
master's legs. He wondered why he believed, at some point, that this animal could protect
him from something out there.

—Well! We'll split into two groups. Hermione and Neville with me. Harry and Draco will go
with Fang, since our children have already faced a troll without hesitation they will be fine.

The blond looked at him with a blank expression, wondering what the man was thinking
when it came to deductions. They could have beaten the troll by luck, yet here he was,
relying on the survival skills of some first year kids. Harry grabbed Fang's leash.

—If you see anything, or get into trouble, throw red sparks with your wands. We'll come with
you right away.

— ࿐*:·ﾟ

They had been walking for a very long time, Draco holding the lantern aloft, Harry walking
beside him, looking at the roots. By this point they had gone deep into the heart of the forest,
and the blood was getting thicker and thicker, and there was more.

Draco felt like his heart would leap out of his chest. He was holding his wand very tightly,
thinking of every defense spell he knew, but still doubtful that anything would work against
this man. Although, if he remembered correctly, at that time the Dark Lord wasn't him as
such. He was just using a container.

Draco stopped abruptly when Harry took his arm. He looked to where his friend was pointing
and felt the bile rise in his throat. The unicorn was lying on the ground, its long legs bent at
angles that were uncommon, its strands looking like rivers of light, unfurling across the
ground.
They heard something slithering, out of a bush came a hooded figure, approaching the
unicorn, like a beast on the prowl. It lowered its head towards the animal's wound. Drinking
its blood.

The hooded figure stood up moments later, pausing for a moment, almost as if frozen, before
slowly turning around. Draco dropped the lantern, its small flame barely surviving the
impact.

He was quickly approaching them, when Harry doubled over in pain, until he fell to his
knees. Draco did the first thing that came to his mind, standing in front of his friend, and in a
burst of adrenaline he shouted:

— Depulse!

The thing flew away, and Draco was ready to use a bombard, just in case, when a centaur
appeared in front of both wizards, standing between them and the Dark Lord. By the time
Harry felt the pain subside, only Draco and the Centaur were there. Fang had fled, as had the
hooded man.

—Are they all right? —asked the Centaur, causing Harry to rush to his feet. Draco took the
boy's hand as soon as he was standing.

—We're fine, thank you but... What was that?

The creature didn't answer, just staring at them both with those unearthly blue eyes.

—You're the Potter boy, wasn't it? —It didn't wait for an answer, bowing in front of them
both—. Get on, it's not safe for you to be here at this time.
Harry was the first to mount his back, followed quickly by Draco. The blond paid attention to
nothing but Harry's steady, sure heartbeat, reassuring himself that the boy was still alive. That
he was allright.

Harry remained silent, leaning back in his friend's embrace. That had been terrifying. And
very painful.

— Harry, Draco! Are you all right? What happened?

Granger was running towards them down the path, with Hagrid, Neville and Fang trailing
behind her. The blond blinked at her, confused to hear her call his name, as both he and Harry
got off the centaur, which Draco guessed was called Firenze, or something he half heard.

—We're fine...— The jet turned to Draco, carefully taking the blond's hand—. Right?

Draco nodded, slowly.

—We're fine, Granger. But the unicorn...

Hagrid moved a little closer, and Harry decided to take the floor.

—It's dead, near the clearing.

Thus ended their night, however, the next day Draco decided to talk to the others about it, all
too aware of the presence that haunted them. Leaving poor Longbottom out of it, enough of
that the boy had been through enough of his own.

—Tell us, Malfoy, what happened in the forest?

The blond was uneasily pale, his feet swaying in the air, the others had sat in chairs, in a
circle around him.

—It's... I know who's looking for the stone. —he fiddled with his fingers, his gelid eyes glued
to his hands—. Drinking unicorn blood is a monstrous act. Only someone who has nothing
left to lose would do it... Unicorn blood can keep you alive, even if you're on the verge of
disappearing, but everything has a price. You will get half a cursed life for such an aberrant
act.

Granger looked at Weasley and then at Harry, all three silently taking in what the blond was
saying.

—It's like this... Unless you're someone who just needs a little more time to get something
else. Something that will bring it all back to you.

— Of course...! —Granger shouted, looking up at him with wide eyes. He nodded—. The
philosopher's stone! But who...?

—Voldemort. —Harry and Draco said it at the same time, without even looking at each other.
The two lions flinched at the dark assertion.

Weasley hissed under his breath, something about the name they weren't supposed to
mention, while Granger looked very frightened. Still, she tried to be a conciliatory voice.

—We have to trust Dumbledore, he's the only wizard the-who-must-not-be-named is afraid
of. We'll be safe.

Harry nodded, but when he turned to face Draco, his look said anything but trust. They both
knew something bad would happen, and if the Dark Lord was already so close, even with
Dumbledore at the school, they didn't know how much they could trust.
They just hoped that the headmaster wouldn't move from the school, that was, for now, their
only hope.

Draco didn't believe in any hope, since he vaguely remembered that at some point the
headmaster had met with his father that year at that time. There was no doubt that something
bad would happen.
Chapter 9
 "Nearby"

Final exams took up all the children's time, effectively, preventing any of them from focusing
too much on the evil that stalked the school, hunting unicorns and threatening everyone's
safety.

Harry and Draco had a lot of nightmares. Screaming women and green lightning. Evil
laughter, disappointed looks and red lightning. Sometimes, burning flames consuming
everything.

The children slept together, holding each other tightly, as if to hide from their greatest fears.
Both were pale, haggard and looked nervous all the time. So far this week, their classmates
had already taken them to the nurse more than once, and Snape had even started giving them
hot chocolate with some calming potion every night. The man had spent a lot of time in the
common room in that period, helping his students prepare for their exams. Harry found it
endearing, as it was the first time he had seen anything like it.

When they gave their last exam, and only then, could they breathe easier. They were both
walking towards Hagrid's hut when they passed Professor McGonagall, whom they greeted
politely. She smiled at them, a little stiffly, but said nothing. They continued on their way and
saw their Head of House turn into one of the many corridors, and, seconds later, they were
coming face to face with Granger and Weasley.

— Thank to Merlin! —they both exclaimed, pulling them to a secluded spot: again, an empty
classroom. Draco wondered if this was going to become a tradition.

—We've got problems, boys. Draco was right when he said Hagrid might have opened his
mouth to someone other than us. He said it to a hooded man in the Hog's Head pub!

Harry blinked, puzzled, as Weasley nodded. The blond narrowed his eyes, the girl is still
calling him by his name.

—The one who gave him the dragon egg. —Harry suddenly muttered. Draco couldn't believe
anyone could be so careless, Hagrid be damned.

— Exactly! He also told him how to calm Fluffy down-

—That's not the worst of it! —interrupted Weasley, looking almost frantic—. The
Headmaster's gone! Our only salvation is gone!

Draco leaned against the wall, looking really sick now. Harry, meanwhile, had his eyes on his
friend, thoughtfully.
—Let's go get the stone. —he said, still focused on Draco—. We have to get it before he
does.

Draco nodded, still not moving away from the wall, thinking deeply about what they could
do. He looked at the other three children, just thinking that these eleven year olds lived
through all this alone, and still made it out alive the first time. It made him doubt the dark
lord a little. Why were they so afraid of him, if eleven year olds could stop him? Why weren't
any adults taking charge?

—Today, after curfew, we'll meet at Fluffy's door. —decided Harry. He sounded so sure that
neither of them rebutted.

— ࿐*:·ﾟ

Draco and Harry were standing in front of the door, under the invisibility cloak. They had
been there for over ten minutes, and the lions weren't coming. Harry had already scared the
poltergeist away with an absurd imitation of the Bloody Baron. The blond had laughed a little
at that, and Harry would brag about it later.

They heard soft footsteps, and saw the two boys arrive, both a little nervous about not finding
them there. Harry pulled the cloak off them. Granger almost screamed in fright, but Weasley
managed to cover his mouth.

—You're late. —Draco muttered grumpily, ready to open the door as Harry pulled out his
rustic flute.

—Neville tried to stop us. —the red-headed boy grumbled, and Draco smiled, imagining the
scene—. Hermione petrified him... I hope he don't hate us.

The door opened, and they cautiously stepped inside. There was a harp playing by itself,

Weasley and Granger walked ahead of them, and Draco might have snorted something about
impertinent Gryffindors. Harry sent him an amused smile before he set to playing the flute.
The harp was dying out, so if they didn't want to get into trouble, they'd better start now.

The group moved forward, Harry still playing. Weasley lifted the trap door, and before the
four of them, only unmistakable darkness appeared. They looked at each other, trying to see
who would go first. In the end, Granger took Harry's place with the flute, and it was the jet-
haired boy who went first.
— All's well! —he exclaimed, a few seconds later, his voice coming as an echo—. It was a
soft landing, you can come!

Draco dived first, then Weasley, both landing partially away from the brunette. He looked
down, barely making out where they had landed, when he heard Granger fall, not even
waiting to flick his wand, blue flames fluttering about, until the plant fell back completely.
The three of them looked at him, somewhat surprised.

—Uh, it was the Devil's Snare, it would have crushed us. —he shrugged, standing up and
looking around—. We saw it in Herbology, one of the first classes, remember?

Harry nodded, as Weasley frowned, trying to remember. Granger stared at him.

—Guys, over there. —Harry pointed to a stone passageway, which was the only path in sight.
Draco was already halfway down, as was the jet. The other two hurried after them.

They walked for a few minutes, the whirring sound getting louder and louder.

—Wings... —Granger whispered, Draco moved forward a little, with Harry close on his
heels. At the end of the corridor was a brightly lit room, it was full of keys with wings on
them, going from one side to the other.

Harry, Weasley and Granger ran, but Draco was too busy looking at the three brooms neatly
propped up against a wall.

—Weasley, tell me what kind of key the lock needs. —he asked, heading off without even
bothering to cover himself. He'd already seen that they wouldn't do anything to him.

—A big, old key... probably silver, like the handle.

Draco tossed the other two brooms to Weasley and Harry, with a final look, all three of them
kicked the ground to rise.

The keys moved very quickly, but it wasn't for nothing that Harry had been such a good
seeker. Draco himself was very good, when it wasn't against Gryffindor.

They circled for a few seconds before Draco pointed at it and Harry shouted.

—The wings are squashed on one side!

Weasley lunged, Draco moving underneath the boy, almost hunting them. Harry nodded.

— Let's round that up!

After a few seconds they were able to catch it. They rushed downstairs, and as they opened
the door, they ended up seeing the face of pure darkness again. When the four of them were
in the room, it lit up, revealing a large magical chess set.

Draco wondered if he could just fly past it, with the brooms from the previous challenge. He
didn't think they were there to waste time on a game. He turned to raise that with Harry when
he saw that Weasley had already entered the board.

He narrowly missed hitting his head against the wall in frustration.

Weasley positioned himself as the knight, chose Granger to be a rook, Harry as a bishop, but
stared at him, eyes confused, as if he didn't know where to put him.

—Malfoy, you will be the queen.

The blond arched his eyebrows, but the Weasley boy wasn't looking at him, so he simply
went to his place. The game went pretty well, generally speaking, and Draco didn't dare say
anything. At least not until the very last move.

—Weasley, there's no need to do that. —he spoke, for the first time, making himself heard
above the shouts of the other three. He pointed to a specific spot on the left, a spot that none
of the other pieces could reach, but which puts the king at risk.

— Just go there and then... ya’know.

— You'll put the king in check! Thank you, Malfoy. You're right.

The boy nodded, letting the move play out, and when it was his turn, he advanced confidently
to stand in front of the king, waved his hand, almost like a blunt weapon, and the king's
crown fell at his feet.

They ran quickly out of the room, into the next, where they found only an unconscious troll.
Draco was partially grateful, however, he frowned.

Why would Quirrell choose something he was so afraid of? He couldn't control it, besides
that… two trolls in one year? Where had the first one come from? There was no way he was
getting into the school without help.

They got to Snape's test, this one being a riddle. Hermione took a few minutes, before setting
aside two of the concoctions.

He and Harry looked at each other, seeing that the contents were too little for the four of
them. Draco closed his eyes, nodding. Harry smiled, taking the liquid. And when Harry
entered to the next room, Draco opened his mouth.

—It's not Snape. —the other two were startled—. It's not Snape looking for the stone. At the
Quidditch game, Quirrell was muttering and staring at Harry, and it wasn't the same half-dead
sheepish look he gives everyone. He was attacking, I know. —the kids looked at each other,
there was no reason not to believe him, but they were comparing the image of Quirrell and
Snape in their heads, and it was kind of... —He's hiding something or he knows something...
I don't know, maybe he's got Voldemort in his turban, but I assure you, in that room there’s
not Snape.

They looked at each other before Granger took some of the concoction.

—I'll go and send an owl to Dumbledore! I will trust your judgement, Draco.
Weasley nodded, taking a small drink as well. He passed it to the blond, who understood and
drank, leaving some for Harry.

—I'll go with McGonagall, you get Snape... I'd rather be expelled than have Harry die.

The three nodded and hurried off.

They passed through all three wards, and even put Fluffy back to sleep. Once at the base of
the staircase, the trio split up, taking different directions. Ron ran as fast as his legs would
carry him to get to the head of his house.

— Before you punish me or expel me, you have to listen to me!

Draco, for his part, had run faster than he had ever run in his entire life, not caring at all that
he had run into Filch, or that he knew that snakes don't run. He quickly knocked on his
professor's door, only to be met minutes later by his Snape’s grumpy expression.

—Draco, what-

— Quirrell's trying to steal the stone, he's reached the last test! Harry's with him, go help
him!

Snape froze for a second, searching his godson's silver eyes for any sign of a lie, but saw only
concern and pure desperation. He nodded, leaving his chambers.

At the same time, Hermione had never written a letter to someone older so casually before.
She sent an owl and after watching it disappear, ran inside again, where she bumped into
Snape and Draco, who were on their way to the third floor. He ran along with them, and then
ran back inside again, where he passed Snape and Draco, who were heading for the third
floor. She ran after them, joined later by McGonagall and Ron. As the adults started up the
stairs, Draco stopped both lions.

They understood, and simply waited there, walking in her case, standing motionless in front
of the stairs in the boys' case.

Relief washed over them as they saw Snape come down, with Harry in his arms. The
professor didn't look perturbed, and the boy's chest was rising and falling, so they assumed
nothing untoward had happened.

McGonagall was holding purple cloth in her hands, Ron and Hermione looked at each other
fearfully. Draco had been right, but... Where was Quirrell now? Had he escaped?

—Come with us, children. Poppy will give you something to calm you down, and tell us
exactly what happened here today.

They slowly followed the teachers, and for the first time in what seemed like years, Draco
took someone else's hand, someone who wasn't Harry. Granger was so frightened that she
offered him the touch, Weasley hugged him by the shoulders. Somehow, Draco felt it was
time to stop using their surnames when it came to talking to them.
Please drop by the Archive and comment to let the creator know if you enjoyed their work!