Draco Malfoy, Broken

Chapter 66 – Maneuvers

Published – 1/29/2020

Harry led the way back to the common room. Blaise and Draco walked behind him, not talking. Harry could feel that Draco was upset with him, scared about what happened. He wanted to wait until they were in their dorm room to talk about it. His hands were still trembling as the adrenaline slowly wore off. Exhaustion was starting to settle in, but he wasn't out of it, yet. He had to make sure that Draco was okay. They had to talk about it.

When he walked into the common room, he motioned for Hermione, Luna, Ginny, Daphne, Theo and Neville to join them. He wasn't sure why he wanted Ginny and Luna, but he had a feeling that they should be a part of this, if they weren't already.

"Harry, what happened?" Hermione asked, as soon as the wards went up.

"I just got back from seeing Hopkirk and the minister. Sit down, everyone," Harry said, gaining his stride and pleased that they all listened, even Blaise.

Theo and Daphne sat on his trunk, Neville and Hermione took Blaise's, and Blaise took a seat next to Draco on his. Luna jumped onto Draco's bed and sat in the middle with her legs crossed, Ginny next to her.

"Most of you know some of what is going on, but we all need to get on the same page," Harry started, looking at Luna and Ginny, and then to Draco.

"There's a conspiracy at the Ministry. A group of Death Eaters and their collaborators are actively taking over to gain power and hide their war crimes. They are what is left of Voldemort's forces, at least the part that still wants power. They will do anything to silence their opposition and hide their involvement in the war. I know we could just chalk it up to the Ministry being the corrupt, bureaucratic power hub it has always been... but this is worse. To me the war is not over..." he trailed off and looked at his friends.

Draco's hand was shaking and Blaise took it. Daphne leaned into Theo, who wrapped his arm around her. Neville retained a death stare at the floor. Hermione had some tears in her eyes. Ginny looked pissed, but Luna took her hand and smiled. This wasn't news to her.

"It started?" Hermione asked.

"No... judgment day has been delayed..." Harry smirked.

"Harry..." Hermione sighed.

"But... it's bad. Draco... I want to be clear that I trust you. I always did, but I just had a feeling I couldn't tell you about all this, yet."

"And you were right," Blaise murmured.

Draco nodded. "I understand, Harry. I'm not stupid... and I knew you were up to something."

"Wait... Harry was right and you telling him, now? What happened?" Hermione asked, worriedly.

"Well, Draco has a new probation officer and Dawlish is gone. So, Draco's there's no one else that can force it out of you, right?" Harry asked, kneeling down in front of him.

Draco shook his head, but Blaise said, "No, SAD is the only threat here. I asked him under the Veritaserum."

Hermione jolted at that and everyone looked at Draco who frowned and said, "Technically... the Ministry can still order me to talk."

"The Ministry isn't going to get their greasy hands on you, again," Harry vowed with every fiber of his soul.

Draco's grey eyes looked at him. "Maybe, maybe not... but with what is at stake, I won't tell them anything, willing. I was getting pretty good at resisting it."

"You were?" Harry asked.

"You can beat Veritaserum?" Blaise said, shocked.

"Not beat it, per se, but answer only parts of the question that I want to... if I'm not too emotionally-affected. I didn't lie about anything to you," Draco whispered, and Blaise accepted it.

"Veritaserum? They've been using Veritaserum on you?" Hermione said, in shock.

Harry straightened up. "Four times... at least... more I imagine in interrogation. They wiped all of that, didn't they?"

"I guess. I don't remember getting interrogated," Draco whispered.

"Wiped? The Memory Charms, then?" Daphne whispered.

"Draco... can I ask you about what happened after you were arrested?"

Draco lowered his head. "I... remember them taking me away... waiting in a cell, tired. It's... there wasn't anything.... I just remember being afraid and hopeless, but I think that was the Draught of Despair."

"Draught of Despair? Oh, Merlin, that's nasty stuff," Hermione said.

Harry nodded. "Draco... I need to know something. If you knew, would you have told them who the other Death Eaters were?"

Draco lifted his head up, anger lining his face. "Of course, I would have! Do you have any idea what those assholes did to people... to my mother?"

"Okay... okay... it's just... you were at the meetings, Draco. You knew who they were, right?" Harry asked and Draco's face crumpled in confusion and then fell.

"They took it out," Draco said, dropping his shoulders.

"It's still in your head, Draco," Hermione said. "And for the amount they took... they couldn't have put a strong block on it. You'd be... umm... mentally impaired if they did. We might be able to break it."

Draco nodded, but didn't seem to believe her. Harry wasn't sure either. They'd be fishing for memories that they hadn't seen or knew about and wouldn't be useful as evidence, as anyone could claim that his memories could have been tampered with it.

"Draco... we could..." Harry began. "We'll figure it out."

Daphne leaned forward and said, "But... one thing... Draco... you told me once that you had proof against them... the Death Eaters? Do you remember that?"

Draco shook his head and frowned. "I don't."

"Do you know what you could have had?" Harry asked.

"No," Draco said, trembling.

"Harry... why don't we save the interrogation for later?" Luna said, from behind Draco.

He looked at her. Harry knew that Draco's connection to her had run deep. He even told Umbridge that he was linked to her, whatever that meant. He nodded, trusting her judgment on the matter.

"I'm going to talk about what happened tonight, is that okay, Draco?" Harry asked.

His cautious, emotionally drained eyes looked at him and he nodded.

"Your mum told me something when I visited her, Draco. That you have a good week and then you have a bad week. I took me that to figure out she was right. I always assumed that it was just mood swings... coincidence. But your bad weeks always started on Tuesday... every other Tuesday. When you had your probation meeting...."

Draco lowered his head. Harry guessed that Draco thought that he was chiding him, and Harry knelt down in front of him.

"I'm so sorry that I didn't notice it sooner."

"It's not your fault," he whispered.

"It's not yours, either, Draco. She had no right to do that."

"Who's she?" Hermione asked, quietly.

"Umbridge..." Draco whispered.

"Umbridge!" several voices chimed, all in various amounts of shock and disgust.

Harry stood back up and faced them. "She was threatening to send him back to Azkaban. She used the Veritaserum on him, physically and magically forcing him to take it. She used Imperius, too."

Draco shuddered and looked away. Blaise's free hand was clenched so hard that his knuckles were nearly white.

Hermione gasped. "Merlin! How could she be a... Hopkirk?"

"Yes. Umbridge divulged to me that Hopkirk appointed her the night that Draco's appeal was granted. She was charged with the primary purpose of making Draco's life miserable and make him want to...."

"Kill myself," Draco finished.

Blaise's eyes went wide and it was obvious that Draco did not discuss what happened at all. The others offered more cries of astonishment.

"Why?" Hermione asked, apparently the only one who was brave enough to ask.

"To make sure that Draco doesn't get his memories back and implicate them. Kinda a big career-killer if it comes out that they were Death Eaters."

"Fucking hell," Theo muttered and leaned down, his elbows on his knees. "Can this shit get any worse? What else happened?" Daphne rubbed his back.

Harry frowned and said, "They're trying to overthrow the Ministry and maneuvering to take power. Umbridge said they're in league with the Lestranges and Scabior and his werewolves and they erased the memories of any person that was arrested and convicted for war crimes."

Hermione's eyes went wide. "It wasn't just Draco?"

"No... hell... they even used Imperio and Confundo on some of them. Draco's father testified against him for that reason. They made sure Draco stayed quiet."

"This is serious... people were wrongly convicted," Hermione said, her hand covering her mouth.

"Oh, I think they all deserved prison time..." Blaise huffed.

"Maybe... maybe not. At least, Draco didn't deserve it... how many others, Blaise? They could have been forced to things. She said that there was one... Pius Thicknesse... who was under the Imperius Curse for the whole war."

"What? Voldemort's puppet minister was forced to do it?" Hermione said, shocked.

Everyone seemed surprised at this. Until today, he had also thought that Thicknesse was one of them. "Yaxley was controlling him."

"Merlin... what happened to him?" Hermione asked.

"Kingsley quietly pardoned him, I guess. Got some evidence from Snape? Umbridge said that Thicknesse escaped before Hopkirk and her horde could get him."

"Harry... why would Umbridge tell you all this?" Hermione said, scrutinizing him.

Harry smirked. "I convinced her with my willing personality."

Her eyes narrowed. "What did you do?"

"Nothing much. She just had an urge to confess."

"The Veritaserum? That can come back against you, Harry! What if she tells them?"

"I don't really have to worry about that... I Obliviated her," he announced and everyone seemed a little shocked. Well... everyone besides Luna.

"Harry!" Hermione snapped.

"Hey... I didn't kill her."

"Harry!"

"She hurt Draco... I really wanted to."

"Don't. She's not worth it," Draco whispered.

"You are worth it. I don't regret a second of it. We needed that confirmation. You needed to hear it, to understand why they been targeting you," he said and knelt down, again. "Draco... you knew that she was erasing your memories... why didn't you say...."

"Harry," Luna said, disapprovingly. "You know why."

"Right... sorry. Can I ask how you figured it out?"

Draco shrugged. He didn't seem willing to talk about it.

"It's fine, Draco... I just wanted to say how... proud I was watching you fight her. You didn't break. She had to resort to potions and spells. And after everything you went through... you still told her, 'No'."

"Fat load of good it did me," Draco said, but blushed at his praise.

Harry stared at him, determined to set his mind at ease. "She didn't win, Draco. You're here with me, now. She's going to pay for it."

"Really? Hopkirk is going to persecute her?" Ginny asked.

"Possibly... but she sure resisted it though."

Hermione gave him a look. "She did?"

"After my intensive interrogation with that cow, I sent Draco to Professor McGonagall and Apparated the bitch to the Ministry. I threw her onto the floor in Hopkirk's office and sent a Patronus to Kingsley. Then there might have been some yelling on my part."

"Might?" Ginny scoffed.

Harry smiled and remember the look of fear on Hopkirk's aging, gnarly face. She was nearly in shock and her new witchy assistant fetched Robards, and then called two other Aurors were in the office within seconds. Harry yelled a whole bunch, half of which he didn't remember... mostly. Things like "What the fucking hell was Umbridge doing with a Ministry job" and "Why is it okay for her officers to illegal dose her charges against their will?" Hopkirk could only splutter in response.

Harry held up the bottle of clear liquid and growled, "Let's see what secrets she's going to reveal to me", and dropped some in her mouth, giving him an alibi.

"That won't be happening, Mr. Potter!" she shrieked. One of the Aurors behind her readied his wand. Harry thought he looked familiar, but Harry couldn't place him. He did keep an eye on him as he looked at his new nemesis properly.

"That's Warlock Potter, by the way." 

"What you just did was illegal!" she shrieked.

"It's only illegal if I wake her up and question her! But to be clear, she had no scruples against using it against Draco Malfoy when he was tied to a chair and under her Imperius Curse!" Harry roared, as Kingsley arrived with two more Aurors.

"Imperius Curse? What is going on, Madam Hopkirk?" he said, with his wand out.

"She assigned Dolores-fucking-Umbridge as Draco's probation officer! And that bitch used Imperio and fucking Veritaserum to control and torture him!" Harry roared and chucked the bottle at the floor in front of their feet, sending glass everywhere.

Robards and one Auror he knew lifted their wands, but Madam Hopkirk stepped in front of them, to stop them from attacking him. "Control yourself, Mr. Potter! These are wild accusations to throw at someone's character!" she crowed.

"Again, I'm a warlock. I saw it happen and, if that's not enough, here's her half-formed wand! Prior Incantato!" he growled, putting his wand tip to Umbridge's ugly wand.

Harry felt a tightening presence in his mind as the echo of the Imperius Curse darkened the atmosphere of the room itself. Then he felt pressure on his skin from the Freezing Charm on and off, followed by wispy rope echoes. Then came the spells Harry didn't know about. He just heard screams of the Cruciatus Curse when Robards ended it with Deletrius.

"We must take that into evidence!" he growled.

"My evidence? You want my evidence?" he sneered, gripping it tightly.

Robards stepped forward, but Hopkirk growled, "Gawain! Enough! Mr. Po-"

"Warlock!" he growled, again. He wasn't concerned that much with his title, but for her acknowledgment of his position.

She ignored him. "If there are crimes that have been committed by this apparently unreformed woman, then we will need the evidence," she said, pointedly.

"Unreformed? You thought this toad was reformed?" Harry prodded the thump on the floor with his foot.

"Why, yes. She passed our required examinations and was acting under the Imperius Curse during the war. We couldn't let an innocent woman be punished for crimes she didn't want to commit? Like your Mr. Malfoy, right?" she said, with a honey-layered voice that didn't trick Harry at all.

Harry straightened up and glowered at Hopkirk. "Don't you dare compare this bitch to Draco! She wanted to work for Voldemort. She's a lying, racist whore!"

"Harry, calm down!" Kingsley interrupted, attempting to bring order to the chaos.

"She forcibly used Veritaserum and the Imperius Curse on him!" he bellowed, shaking.

"I understand... we will figure this out!"

"There's nothing to figure out! How could she assign Umbitch to Draco!" he roared. The Aurors behind Hopkirk were getting ready to attack.

"Madam Hopkirk?" Kingsley asked, holding up his hands.

"I thought that with their shared mistreatment at the hands of Death Eaters they'd be more compatible. Draco was one of her pupils? How would I know this would happen?" she said, feigning innocence. "Madam Edgecombe said they worked so well together a few years ago."

"What? You're kidding, right? The year that she sicced fucking dementors on me, tortured students with a Blood Quill, tried to slip me Veritaserum and almost used the Cruciatus Curse on me?"

Robards snorted. "Almost and there's no proof that...."

"What am I, chopped liver? I witnessed those things... I fucking experienced those things!" Harry growled and brandished his scarred right hand, with "I must not tell lies" on it. "She admitted to trying to kill me!"

"It was a trying time... she was trying to do what Cornelius told her and misinterpreted him," Madam Hopkirk said with an evil smile.

"ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME!!!" Harry roared, getting Robards to lift his wand, again. The one next to him lifted his arm, too. Harry wasn't too lost in his anger to see a black mark on his left forearm. A Death Eater? Great. He didn't even bother to hide it, though it was rather dark, compared to Draco's faded brand.

"Harry! That is enough swearing!" McGonagall snapped as she burst into the room. "Shouting will not help your cause!"

Harry gave her a warm smile, but growled, "Like I care... I'm f...um... I'm pissed!"

"Better. I have it from Mr. Malfoy that he was assaulted by this... person," the headmistress said, glancing darkly at the body on the floor beneath her before looking at Hopkirk. "Did you instruct her to give Draco the Truth Potion?"

Madam Hopkirk came up short. No silver tongue would save her if she said yes. She had to deny it. "No... she took her role too far."

"Too far?" Harry sneered.

"She must have been concerned about what he was hiding," she said, shaking her head, explaining away what her officer had done. When the ship starts sinking the rats are the first to jump off. Umbridge's time was over.

"Indeed?" McGonagall scoffed.

"So... you know it's illegal to question someone under Veritaserum, right?" Harry growled.

"Of course! I'm the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement!"

Harry dropped his tone to a slow mocking one. "And... does... your... department... members... know... it... is... illegal? Or are they all incompetent?"

"Mr. Potter!" she hissed.

"Warlock. Answer my question."

"She was new and there are special circumstances where it is permitted," she smiled, sweetly.

"Really?" he snorted. "And are there exceptions for the Imperius Curse?"

Her glare returned. "You've used it before."

"True... and if you want to pick up a case against me... go for it!" he growled.

"We wouldn't do that and it is our choice, Mister Potter," she sneered.

"Warlock. And as I recall, I've already educated you on the fact that I have the power to... order formal investigations?"

Hopkirk looked like she had been slapped. "I don't have to do anything!"

Harry snorted and handed Umbridge's wand to Kingsley. "Hmmm... this is for you, Minister. I can trust someone to do their damn job."

The head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement was fuming, and it made Harry so very, very happy.

"Madam Hopkirk..." Kingsley began. "I demand that she be arrested and charged. She must be tried and she will have to defend herself, unless you are trying to cover her crimes?"

"I am not! He can't just demand..." she began.

"I sure as hell can!" Kingsley growled. "If you want to defy my orders, you can look for a new job while I start the petition to censure you from the Wizengamot!"

"You'd never get enough votes!"

Harry laughed. "You'd be surprised how... persuasive I can be. Where's McLaggen, now? The mere impropriety of being scuttled by the Chosen One... sent him packing."

"Just try!" she shrieked.

"Now, really... the both of you!" McGonagall huffed annoyed.

"Yes, enough. Arrest her! Now," Kingsley ordered.

"Fine! Williamson take her down to the cells on ten."

"Yes, Madam," said the Auror that Harry didn't recognize. He bound her and floated her out the door, followed by one of Kingsley's Aurors. Maybe there was a civil war about to break out within the Ministry, if the Minister had his own Aurors. Harry knew Kingsley wasn't stupid and he wished that he could bring him into their fold.

McGonagall stepped forward, taking charge. "Great... now that the excess roughage is gone, we need to address a bigger issue, rather than continuing this pissing match. Who is Draco's new probation officer going to be?"

"I'll assign...."

"The hell you are!" Harry shouted. "You assigned Umbridge to his class! Let's not forgot our favorite Death Eater Dawlish, who you also assigned!"

"I had no idea that he was a Death Eater! He's been an Auror since the days of Barty Crouch, over twenty years! The man has arrested many Death Eaters over the years!"

"Maybe you suck at your job?"

"I demand an apol-"

Professor McGonagall threw her hands up between them. "Calm down! I have an amicable solution. As a member of the Wizengamot, I will accept responsibility for Draco, as he will be at my school for most of his probation, anyway. I will be in the best position to monitor his conduct." 

Hopkirk shook her head. "It has to be a member of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement!"

"Technically, warlocks are members of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Mafalda. You should know that. That's why they can order investigations," Kingsley said, agreeing with McGonagall. "This is an easy solution and I also have the authority to approve this."

She puffed up. "Minister! This is my department."

"No... you completely buggered this one up. The request is reasonable."

"Reasonable? We can't trust her to...."

"I beg your pardon!" McGonagall snapped. "I've been teaching for over forty years. I taught your children and your grandchildren, Mafalda! Yet you don't trust me to handle one boy who's been horrifically abused by the Ministry long enough!"

"You're too close to Potter!" she said, and winced as though realizing that argument wasn't going to get her anywhere.

"I'll alert the masses! Madam Hopkirk doesn't like me!" Harry snorted, the Auror next to Kingsley smirked.

"I meant that you are biased! He's your... boyfriend."

"That he is!" Harry growled at her inflection and the marked Auror next to Robards looked at him surprised. Maybe he was a homophobic idiot, too.

McGonagall held up her arm toward Hopkirk, her fingers rigid and straight in form of a knife-hand. "Yes, I am biased... in that, I want to make sure all my students have meaningful and pain-free lives. Draco has been denied it far too long and I insist you agree to this at once, or we part ways here!"

Harry looked at her in amazement. Dumbledore had broken with Fudge much in the same way, and he loved her for it. She was willing to go to war on the spot for Draco.

The minister held up his hands. "That's not necessary, Minerva. Madam Hopkirk... draw up the parchment, now. We will both sign it."

Hopkirk was shaking. Harry had a feeling that she wasn't strong enough to break with Kingsley right then and there. He smiled, almost wishing that she would and tilt her hand, now, rather than wait for all her pieces to be put in place.

"Very well, Auror Montague! Go get Karen," she spat.

Harry looked at the Auror by Robards and fully recognized the old Slytherin captain. He had left Hogwarts three years ago, now, and was a little gruffer than before, especially due to his trip to through the Vanishing Cabinet, thanks to the Weasley twins. The Slytherin slipped past and came back shortly with the assistant with the resting-bitch face. Hopkirk shouted instructions to her and she drew up the orders. Montague returned to his position behind Hopkirk, pretending to be menacing. The assignment parchment was signed by McGonagall, Kingsley and Hopkirk.

"Excellent, now, I have a demand," McGonagall began. "I want to amend Draco Malfoy's probation agreement."

"No," Hopkirk growled. "No changes."

McGonagall ignored her. "Either you drop the requirement that he must pass all of his NEWTs with an E or higher or you release him from his spell-casting restrictions."

Minister Kingsley nodded considering the request, but Harry smiled and would have kissed her for that. Draco could be free of the threats that they are all using against him.

"It can't be done!"

"I insist," the headmistress said, placing her hands on her hips. "If he can't practice Defense Against the Dark Arts, it's unthinkable that he should be forced to be tested on it, or any other exams! He can't properly train nor have the confidence necessary to complete his all examinations!"

"The whole Wizengamot agreed to these terms, we can't just change them!"

"No, they didn't. Barely half did," Harry growled.

"Do you wish to ignore the majority of the Wizengamot? If you are a warlock, you would know the importance of honoring the Court's decisions! Do you care nothing for tradition and the will of the people?" she said, with the air of righteous indignation.

"No, I don't," Harry said, frankly. "This is the same Wizengamot that kicked out Dumbledore when he called for war? The same one that rubber-stamped Thicknesse's accession to power and every decision he ever made? The Court that sent an 18-year-old to life in Azkaban without asking for a statement or even allowing him an arbitrator or any type of legal defense! You say tradition and will of the people? I say the will of the few and this system has gone unchecked for far too long," Harry snapped.

Everyone in the room looked at him completely shocked. Montague dropped his wand and had to scramble to pick it up. His new enemy sent her sights on him and whispered, "Are you threatening to rebel against the Ministry and the Wizengamot? For us to descend into anarchy?"

"No, of course, he isn't," McGonagall said, quickly, before Harry could respond. "He is merely stating that the Wizengamot has made several mistakes and has... repealed... many of its decisions. It can do it, again. But we can forego assembling the horde if both you and Minister Kingsley agree to it, as a... majority of the leadership council, since the chief warlock isn't here. If the other members wish to object to it, they can call a full-court meeting. But if you refuse than Warlock Potter and I will have to assemble the electorate to do it."

Madam Hopkirk glared, shaking with fury. Harry had to give it to McGonagall, he almost overstepped there. It was too early for war.

Kingsley cleared his throat. "I also have the power to pardon Mr. Malfoy and redact his criminal record. I don't want to carelessly undermine the Wizengamot's decision, but these restrictions are far too contradictory for my own liking."

"You can't...."

"Can. I'm the Minister of Magic. I'm endowed with all rights and privileges that come with that role, including the power to check the Court."

"To arbitrary undo the decisions of the Court..." she started, loftily.

"Madam Hopkirk... I suggest you consider adjusting his probation," Kingsley said, lazily, with a hint of amusement.

She huffed for nearly a minute and said, "Very well. I will agree to remove the NEWT re-"

"No," Harry growled.

"Excuse me?" she hissed, glaring at him as he had interrupted her.

"Harry?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"No. You will agree to remove the restrictions on his magic, his ability to defend himself and any other proviso that he is required to submit to the will of anyone but Professor McGonagall."

"You gave me a choice and I picked...."

"No, the headmistress did. Now, it's my turn to put my say into it."

"You've said quite enough!"

Harry laughed. "Maybe to you. But if you won't lift the restrictions... my next stop is the atrium should be enough wizards there. Then I'll be off to the Daily Prophet and every other newspaper I can find."

"What?" she said, going a little white.

"I'm sure that wizards and witches would love to hear how a Voldemort supporter and a known half-blood and muggleborn hater, was still able to gain a position at the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Add to that, your officers are regularly using Veritaserum and Unforgivable Curses on their charges. Do you think that the remaining muggleborn population will find that news interesting? I think Dirk Cresswell's sons and his friends would have a lot to say about Umbridge and his stay at Azkaban and his murder because of her meddling. They surely wouldn't like Runcorn's slap on the wrist, for sending him there, either."

"I-I..." she stammered, her face white and her chin trembling feebly.

"I bet you'll be covered in soot and shit from the howlers and owls raining down on you, if they don't storm your office, clamoring for your head on a platter!" he growled.

"But...."

"So, what's it going to be?"

"You are using the media to maneuver the Ministry into doing what you want!"

"I guess I am. That's why we put up with them. Your answer?"

She shook her head and steadied her nerves. "If you agree... not to do that, I will remove those parts of his probation."

"You'll get my word and nothing more. I'll not sign anything, because if you attempt to renege on your end... or take Draco on some trumped-up charge... I will sink you, without a second thought."

She stammered. "It will take me a few days to...."

"No. We sign it, now. You'll get Gringotts to notarize it and it will be changed, today. I'll not suffer Draco to any more illegal interrogations or public beatings because of this provision!"

"We can't just change a sentence without...."

"Find a way and do it quickly, Hopkirk. I have to get back and calm down my boyfriend... and then we need to get to some sleep for class, tomorrow."

Montague gave him a weird smirk as though that amused him and Hopkirk screamed for Karen. She scrambled to pull the correct forms and Kingsley told a female Auror named Solveig to go get a goblin notary. The whole process took less than ten minutes. Solveig had no problem getting a Gringotts goblin to come, as she offered triple the fee as compensation and apparently threatened that Harry Potter, the Minister of Magic and the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement would be forced to visit them, if they didn't come. That seemed to cinch the arrangement.

The clerk, Mr. Warax, was accompanied by the head security goblin, Mr. Arkok. Harry greeted him by name and with a bow. Both goblins seemed very pleased with that acknowledgment. Harry introduced himself to the Verifier, as well, who seemed interested in meeting him. The wizards and witches in the room watched him with expressions ranging from shock to disgust.

"Nice to see you, again, Mr. Arkok. I see they sent you here, just to make sure I don't stop by, huh?" Harry said, in jest.

The goblins cracked a smile. "Indeed, but I feel that I have convinced them to rescind the security measures on you."

Harry laughed. "Well, I did always enjoy being frisked every time I went to my vault, but thank you." The goblin nodded and resumed his professional role as an intimidating security goblin.

Mr. Warax examined the forms to be magically bound. After some more haggling with Hopkirk, they settled on the terms. When the forms were signed, the Verifier presented it to Harry, angering Hopkirk and Robards.

"Very nice. Perfect. I always get excellent service whenever I do business with Gringotts. If ever there is something I can do for you, Mr. Warax and Mr. Arkok... don't hesitate to ask," Harry said, giving a bow to them. He knew it was always wise to give the goblins their due respect.

The goblins both bowed back and provided triplicate copies of the changes to Draco's probation before they Disapparated from the office.

"Is that all?" Hopkirk spat.

"For now. Remember I protect my own and I'll die again if I have to."

"Really, Harry? Once was enough for me. Goodbye," McGonagall said and dragged Harry out the door by his shirt, all the way to the floo. She was angry, but didn't take it out on him, yet. A quick, "We'll talk about this tomorrow" was all he got as he climbed the steps to her chambers to see Draco.

Harry looked upon his friends as he recounted what happened at the Ministry, minus most of the swearing, and they listened in silence.

"Goblins only bowed to you?" Blaise asked, impressed.

"In front of the minister, too," Theo muttered.

Harry didn't know what they were on about, but turned to Hermione and handed her Draco's missive. If there was anything wrong, she would see it.

"Do you really mean that?" Neville said, speaking for the first time.

"Umm... yes... but which part did you mean?" Harry said.

"About how you said that that Wizengamot is too powerful?" Neville said and Harry looked confused. He didn't say those exact words, but he had said close enough to them.

"Yeah... I believe that completely. I mean Hopkirk is pretty much the chief warlock and the head of Department of Magical Law Enforcement. It's freaking crazy! Fudge was the minister and the acting-chief warlock, too, in his time. It can't be like that. What if Kingsley wasn't there?" Harry stopped short.

Fuck, what if Kingsley wasn't there? There was already a plan that he was going to be attacked. Harry knew war would start that day, possibly stayed due to the fact that the Wizengamot had to convene to elect a new minister, if Kingsley died. But then Harry would have an open forum to lay out all Hopkirk's recent activities. He wouldn't let her become minister. At least, Kingsley had his own guards, not to mention being a powerful Auror himself.

"Harry?"

"We need to start training, again... like when Fudge was in charge."

"Potter's Army," Luna said, with a smirk.

"But we were originally the DA," Ginny said.

"I'm not going to be in a group named after Dumbledore," Blaise said, dismissively.

Harry gave him a look.

"What? He was your mentor, not ours. He didn't give a flying fuck about us. You can name it after Snape or McGonagall if you want," he said, bitterly and Draco even looked at him.

Harry raised an eyebrow and filed that statement for future discussion. "Okay... your opinion is noted. We don't need a name, anyway. I'll talk to the headmistress about getting a space to practice and we start doing drills an hour after dinner, cause Blaise and Hermione teach class until five on most days."

"I don't need practice!" Blaise scoffed and his wand tinted blue for some reason.

"Really? How about we duel in class next Tuesday and we'll find out?" Harry challenged and Draco winced. He looked at Blaise and then back to Harry.

"Don't worry, Dray. I won't permanently disable your boy toy."

"And I won't put Blaisey-poo into the hospital ward."

"This might get interesting," Theo nodded, approvingly.

"Alright, guys! Back to this war thing. We're rebels, now?" Daphne asked.

"Not rebels! We are activists seeking to change how the Ministry..." Hermione began.

"Nope... we're rebels. The revolution is going to start... sooner or later. I mean... we got to change something! They've got almost all the power. Like how did Voldemort take over so easily? Why can the Ministry sway the media so much? Right now, the Ministry is the accuser, as well as the judge, the jury and the executioner! We had to appeal straight to the same group of self-elected people that already convicted Draco, to get him free! How fucked up is that?"

"It's always been that way."

"Yeah... it's time for a change," Harry huffed.

"Harry, the Wizengamot... they were chosen... we were chosen to be in charge," Hermione said, cautiously. "And the original ones were the most powerful wizards and witches of the time. These warlocks have been on the council for decades."

"Yes ...and that's not going to make them corrupt at all. They convened to create laws... but they also convict people who disagree with their laws. It's too much power in one place. We need a separate court system, the right to legal counsel, and an appellate system. There should be a jury of someone's peers, not a fricking kangaroo court."

Blaise grimaced and laughed. "Maybe I'm going crazy, but Potter is making a lot of sense to me."

"Shut up, Blaise."

"I was agreeing with you," he huffed.

"Yes, but you were being obnoxious about it," Harry said, giving him a smirk.

"Was I?" Blaise smirked and his wand went blue, again. "I guess I was."

Harry sighed. "Alright... it's been a long night... and I still need to get my rear-end chewed out by McGonagall, tomorrow. Let's get to bed."

Hermione handed him the notice back as she got up. "It looks good. Draco can perform any spell short of an Unforgivable."

He grinned, relieved. "Thanks."

"Don't ever go to the Ministry without me, again, Harry," she scolded and poked his chest.

Harry agreed, but said, "I'm fairly certain it's in everyone's best interests not to go there, for the time being."

After a short goodnight, Luna, Ginny and Hermione all left and it didn't take ten minutes before the others were in bed. Draco hadn't moved, even after Blaise got up. Harry wasn't sure if he was mad or scared. He walked over to him and knelt down.

"Draco?" he said, quietly.

Draco just nodded and stood up, pulling his robes off and stripping to his boxers. Harry did the same, now more worried. Draco barely said anything, since he came back. Harry slowly came over to him, on his side of the bed.

"Do you want me to go?" Harry whispered, aware that Blaise and Neville, not six feet away, was most likely listening.

Draco shook his head and motioned for him to get on the bed. Harry slipped in under the covers. Draco cast the privacy wards on the curtains and got in, too. He put his back into Harry's chest and Harry rested his head on Draco's and wrapped his arms around him. Harry really wanted to see into his eyes, but he was looking up at the canopy.

"Draco? Are you okay? Please... answer me."

It took a second for him to answer. "I don't know."

"I'm sorry I scared you," Harry said, quietly. Guilt was flooding in, no matter what he gained today. Draco needed his emotional support and Harry had abandoned him. He didn't want to go, but he didn't want to start a war by keeping Umbridge long enough to make them worry.

"I'm... just numb right, now. I haven't really processed everything."

"I know. It was a lot, but you're free, Draco. You can cast spells, now. You can do anything you want with Bill."

"That is my least concern right now," Draco said, irritated.

"Oh... what are your concerns?"

"Harry... you... broke the law... in front of me! What if...."

"You don't have to tell them anything, Draco. I'll never let them get their hands on you, again."

"And that's the crux of the problem... we can't just... go to war! Can't just change everything. It's been this way for over five hundred years!"

"Yeah... and they used to burn witches at the stake and draw-and-quarter traitors. Times change... and it's about time the wizarding world to catch up. Equal rights, due process, and enfranchisement? Even the muggles have a better system of law and politics than we do!"

Draco turned his head to look at him with one eye. "Really?"

"Yeah, I learned about it in the muggle school before I knew I was a wizard. The Magna Carta? The Bill of Rights? Do we even have solicitors or attorneys?"

"Barristers? Yeah, some. But they are usually for handling accounts and settling civil disputes."

"Not for criminal matters, though? That's strange, isn't it?"

Draco, who had no notion of legal rights of the average muggle, just shrugged. "Doesn't it complicate things?"

Harry tilted his head. "Yeah, but think about it... if your barrister was there during interrogation, they wouldn't have been able to do that."

"Unless my supposed counselor was in on it, too? Or they would just mind wipe him, too," Draco murmured.

Harry sighed.

"Harry... this is dangerous. I don't want to lose you. What happens if she wins?"

Harry considered that. "Blaise and Theo can take you."

"I know they can... but I love you, Harry. This could go south, quick. Treason... bounties... snatchers."

"Draco... I had Voldemort and the Ministry trying to catch me for a year."

Draco groaned. "You got picked up by fucking Greyback and he could barely use a wand."

"Well...I broke the taboo," Harry explained, still kicking himself for that one. How close they had come to dying... but Draco had saved them.

"Got a hi온라인카지노게임 of that problem, eh? Voldemort had his moments coming up with that idea. He honestly thought you'd be picked up a lot sooner than that, what with your hi온라인카지노게임 of saying his name openly and all."

"You say it," Harry said, cautiously.

"You must have rubbed off on me. Harry... this is too dangerous," he said, again.

"War always is Draco. I know you're scared, but they're never going to stop trying to kill you and probably me, now. The Death Eaters are still out there, killing and turning people against their will. They're planning on killing Kingsley. He's my friend. They killed and convicted people illegally, and regardless of the fact they deserved it. Draco... you might have died in Azkaban without anyone knowing that..." Harry stopped and started crying. His breath was shaky. "You didn't deserve that...any of this, Draco."

Draco snuggled in closer. "I'm here, now. I don't want to lose you, Harry. I don't want you to die. I don't want you to get thrown into Azkaban."

"That's not going to happen."

"It could, Harry!"

"Maybe... but... the only other choice is to run and leave everyone we know, all the wizards and witches of Britain, and all future ones to a power-hungry woman and her supporters. It'd be no different than if Voldemort was around, Draco. Just a different name and slightly less terrifying."

Draco nodded and he let out a long breath. "Yeah... you're right. We have to try... but there was one other big thing I'm worried about, Harry."

"What?"

"I don't want you to lose yourself, Harry. I mean... you gave her exactly what she gave me, but... I don't want you to lose your soul, Harry. Imperio? Obliviate? That's getting near the line of right and wrong. It is exactly what they did to me. I could have lived without those memories. You didn't have to sink to her level. I mean... you wouldn't even kill Voldemort."

Harry squeezed him. "No... I didn't want to split my soul for a man like him and I'm sorry, but I had to use those spells. It was that or go to war, right then and there. If Umbridge had told them that you knew about the Memory Charms, they would have come after you immediately. I had to wipe her mind of it all. We are not ready."

"But you gave her Veritaserum... you still used the Imperius Curse, Harry."

"Draco... think... what's going to happen to Umbridge?" Harry said, plainly.

"You said that she is going to prison?"

"No... she won't last a day. They can't risk her either telling the truth or being the physical proof of the corruption of the system. Hopkirk tried to delay releasing you from your probation requirements so she had time enough to get rid of her. They're either going to kill her or give her the kiss. Then she gave claim that I'm just throwing wild conspiracy theories if I do go public, and Kingsley and his men aren't going to be able to question her because she'll be gone. She already told us, remember? If any Death Eater is caught... it's death. I had to get her memories out of her, whether they are admissible or not, because they're going to be gone if I didn't. I honestly have no desire to ever look at them, but they could be useful."

Draco's shoulders dropped. "Yeah... you're right."

"I'm sorry I went a little dark... but these are the type of people we are dealing with. They'll do anything, break any laws and kill anyone they have to, because they are desperate not to get caught. They can lose everything if they are found out."

Draco nodded. "I understand. But Harry? Don't stoop to their level. They aren't worth it. I realize that there are legitimate reasons to use Imperius... but it's fucking terrifying to not have control of your body."

"I know, but I didn't make it terrifying, Draco. She wasn't in a daze or in pain. She was pissed."

"You can feel it? And control it... like that?"

"Yes?" Harry said, wondering what he meant. "Draco?"

"My father... he made me feel it... afraid and in pain. He felt that. He felt what I was feeling and still left it on me?" he said, tears came out.

Harry felt him shivering and held him tightly. No wonder Draco was so rustled up. "You said you hated it... more than the Cruciatus Curse."

Draco nodded. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Okay," Harry said, gently.

Draco rolled to Harry's side, curling in next to him and put his arm across Harry's chest. "Thank you for saving me... again."

Harry looked at him and kissed his head. "I'm so sorry I didn't notice sooner."

"It's not your fault. I was scared."

"Don't be. Not anymore. You have no one holding a sword over your head, Draco. Not anymore. No more threats, extortion or blackmail. Just tell me from now on, okay? I didn't lose my head. I didn't kill her, did I?"

"No."

"Just trust that I will protect you, Draco. Don't let anyone hurt you without telling me, anymore... and don't worry about Blaise doing something."

Draco took a deep breath. Harry waited patiently for him to speak. "It all seemed so... hopeless a few weeks ago. They had me trapped... they knew everything. She ripped it all out. I couldn't fight back. I'm... just used to... it. It's hard to resist, knowing that people can hurt me so much."

"I know, Draco. I hope that we can work on getting you stronger. You're not a victim anymore. You're a strong, proud man... you shouldn't take shit from anyone."

Draco just cried more and Harry wasn't sure how to comfort him, other than holding him tighter.

"One day... I promise you, Draco," he whispered.

Draco shook his head. "Harry, I...."

"Yeah?" he said softly.

"I don't think I can... get better. This is a part of me, now."

"I don't believe that," Harry whispered. "I mean it's a part of you... but you can always get better, Draco. Don't give up, please."

Draco sniffled. "I'll try."

"Thanks. I'm sorry I left you with McGonagall and Blaise. Do I need to thump him a good one for you?"

"No. He let me ask him questions after... I didn't mind. He didn't go too deep. But he does know about... what we've been doing... alone."

"Really? He asked you about that?"

"He was trying to annoy me. Keep my mind off the other... stuff. I asked him about Neville, too."

"Okay. I guess it's fine. I'd hate to have to put him into the hospital, again."

Draco nudged him. "Don't... and this duel you are going to have...."

"It's nothing, Draco... just messing around. We aren't going to be throwing Blood-Letting Charms... well, I'm not. I'm not sure about him."

"Well, you never know. Blaise's mum taught him to inflict as much pain as possible to win a duel."

"I'll live though."

Draco rolled his eyes. "It still makes me worry."

Harry shrugged, but wasn't concerned about it at all. "I wasn't kidding about practicing every day. It's going to help."

Draco started shivering. Harry didn't want to push him anymore tonight. He whispered that he loved him, over and over, until Draco slowly relaxed. "Maybe... but thanks... especially... for... not making me talk. That meant a lot to me."

"I couldn't. You were so scared. I would never make you do something like that against your will. I guess sending you through the floo was a bad choice?"

"The note burned in the fire. She figured it out."

"And she sent for Blaise to... who took advantage of your situation?" Harry said, annoyed.

"He asked and I said yes."

"I don't think that counts. Maybe I should kick his butt."

"You can try."

"Wait... were you lying when you said that you thought I can take him?"

"Yes and no," Draco said, ambiguously.

"Guess we will find out," Harry chuckled. "Hey, did you ask him about that blood he took?"

"Oh, yeah. I forgot." Draco looked up and laughed a little. "Maybe you can locate your balls and ask him yourself?"

Harry seemed surprised by his taunt, but smiled. "I think you got them, still."

"Oh really?" Draco muttered and moved his hand down to his groin. "I found them. I think they're a little bigger from all that posturing you were doing at the Ministry."

"Posturing?" Harry scoffed.

"Yeah, threatening to go to war and/or politically destroy people is textbook posturing."

"I would actually do it."

"But you were trying to throw them off your rebellion by focusing only on Umbridge."

"True... I did slip up... mentioning the changing the system... even Runcorn. That wasn't exactly public knowledge that he was a Death Eater."

"You didn't call him a Death Eater, though, did you?"

"No."

"I wonder why I still remember him as being one."

"Hmmm... maybe they asked only about the meetings and Death Eater activity. Are you certain he was Death Eater?"

"I didn't know about before, but I knew he was at the Battle, in Death Eater robes. I wasn't exactly concerned with labeling him, right then."

"They were sloppy, then, if they didn't erase all of it, or just left in parts that had too many witnesses. They didn't want to be obvious. Runcorn was already hung from being captured."

"They weren't as concerned, since they were trying to kill me."

"They failed and we are going to make them pay for what they did," Harry growled.

"Hush... you're supposed to be calming down to go to bed."

Harry stretched and maneuvered his legs around Draco's. "Fine. I'll concede. But Draco?"

"Yessem?" Draco said, already slipping into sleep.

"Will you tell me... one day... what happened to Blaise?" Harry asked.

Draco's eyes opened and he looked at him. "No. You have to ask him, Harry. He'll answer you. He considers you his friend, now. I asked him, under oath."

"What?"

"He had a spell that would let me know if he was lying. He let me ask him anything."

Harry nodded, approvingly. "The blue wand? And you asked him that?"

"Basically."

"You aren't going to tell me what you guys discussed, are you?" Harry said, with a grin.

"Maybe one day. You need to know a lot more about us Slytherins first. You wouldn't understand."

"I suppose. You guys do strange things sometimes, but you're always on the same page. A unit. Even when I was on good terms with... Ron... we weren't that close."

"You've just been through different things... and I've known Blaise and Theo for a long time Harry. We all have similar dark childhoods of growing up. We didn't have siblings or family that we were allowed to speak to. We all had quiet, emotionally repressed upbringings and we are the end of our lines. We bonded over it more when we lived together in the same room for eight years. Harry, does your childhood compare to Ron's or Hermione's?"

Harry shook his head.

"Then it's different. Not worse or better... just different. They can't understand what you went through and you wouldn't understand theirs. But by our third year, our bonds were sealed and by our sixth year they were cemented."

"Damn... makes everything I did... seem insignificant."

"We just went through different things, Harry. You do remember that Theo and Blaise stayed out of the war? And if you hadn't been caught and brought to my house, my contribution would have been nothing, too."

"You did help out at the Battle, Draco. So, did they."

Draco yawned. "Can we sleep, now?"

"Sure... Dray."

Draco lifted his head up to stare at him and shook his head. "Well, that's one way to shut you up." Draco kissed him and plopped his head on his chest, quickly falling to sleep.

Harry soon followed, contently holding Draco. His dreams weren't pleasant, featuring the evil bitch, herself, but he didn't thrash awake. Draco woke him up, when Theo and Daphne lowered the wards. They were already up said there was an owl. Draco took the message and unrolled it.

"The headmistress wants you to report to her office, alone."

"Probably to yell at me. Alright... time to face the music," Harry said and then got up, pulled on his clothes, kissed Draco and left out the door.

"Hang on, Harry," Neville said and followed him out.

"What's up?"

"We aren't allowed to wander around alone."

"She told me to."

"She said not to be alone. I can wait outside the door."

"How is that any safer?" Harry said, as they walked down the steps.

"I'm a professor," Neville said, with a smirk. "Still automatic expulsion if they attack me."

"Do you know how many professors I've attacked?" Harry scoffed. "I'll be fine. I don't need a witness to her scolding me like I'm eleven, again."

Neville laughed and then his smile died. "Yeah... she does get mad. Third year... I was in tears after that password thing."

Harry nodded and sighed. He left out the common room just he heard Hermione calling for him not to wander off on his own. He slipped down easily to the headmistress's office, only running into Smith, who ducked into a classroom and shut the door the second he saw him. Harry got a good smirk off that one. Draco asked him to leave him alone, because of Fawley... whatever that meant. As long as the cocky shit kept his mouth shut, he wouldn't touch him. Of course, if Zach was going to scamper like a frightened kneazle whenever he saw him, that was going to be easy.

"Gingerbread," Harry said, giving the new password to the gargoyle to face his punishment.

What felt like hours later, Harry climbed back down. He shaking a little, thoroughly shamed and frustrated at being dressed down in front of all the portraits, including Dumbledore and Snape. McGonagall nearly shouted herself hoarse. Questions were thrown at him like so fast that she didn't even give him a chance to respond to them.

"What were you thinking, going to the Ministry? Did you even think? Do you realize that you could have been arrested? That you could have gotten Draco arrested or killed if you slipped up? You almost did, quite a few times! You think that you can just walk into the Auror office and challenge someone like her? What if I hadn't got there? Or Kingsley? You couldn't have spared five seconds to talk to me? You're lucky that you didn't start a war!" she roared and then wouldn't let him even try to explain as she continued to give him a good tongue-lashing.

That had been one of the most enduring lectures he had never gotten. He mumbled out some apologies, but she wouldn't accept them. She gave him detention for the rest of week, threatened to revoke his weekend visits with Teddy if he ever left campus again without her direct permission and, worst of all, ordered him to report to Madam Denkar immediately and every day before class starts.

"And if you miss any appointments, you can expect another meeting with me!" she shouted as she sent him out the door.

Harry scuffed his shoes as he dragged his feet down to her office and grudgingly knocked on the door. He heard her voice and opened it.

"Good morning, Harry. I've been expecting you," she said and his temper immediately sparked up.

His eyes flashed as he took the seat by the fire, annoyed by everything around him. "Of course, you have. Been talking about me a lot, huh?"

"No. I can't, Harry. I promise you that I can't speak about anything we discuss. What we speak about, stays here. I knew you coming due to the owl Minerva sent me this morning, confirming my availability."

"Sure."

"Harry... she did mention that you needed to come see me every day from now on."

"Until when?" Harry growled.

"I guess that's going to depend on you. You've been fairly reluctant to work on your mental health so far."

"That's not likely to change," he huffed, leaning back into the cushions and crossing his arms.

"Well, then I'd say it's going to be awhile," she said, in an as-a-matter-of-fact tone.

"You don't think that forcing me to come here is... counter-productive?"

"Are you suggesting that your anger will trump any good that you might get out of our meetings?"

"Yeah!" he sneered.

She smiled in a way that Harry didn't like. "Do you think that it's better to work out your anger on me or your friends? Your boyfriend?"

Harry glared at her, but didn't answer.

"I can help with that, you know?"

"I bet you can, but I don't take my anger out on Draco."

"Are you sure?"

Harry clenched his fists and didn't take the bait. She was trying to get him to talk.

"Would you say that your activities yesterday were ones made out of anger?" she tried.

Harry shook resisting the urge to either storm out or start swearing. He'd underestimated her last time.

"Harry?"

His eyes met her eyes and he hated the formality of all of it. This was stupid bullshit. "So... she did tell you what happened." He looked away from her, hating himself for speaking, for raising to the bait, even a little.

"You flooed out of the Hog's Head, Harry... with Draco and then with Umbridge. Hagrid was the one who told me to keep my wand close and prepare for an attack. I didn't picture him as the melodramatic type, so I minded his advice."

Harry didn't believe her. McGonagall would have told her.

"You don't believe me? Ask Hagrid then. He insisted that I returned to my lodgings, when I saw him standing guard at the entrance. I'm not exactly a dueler. I've spent most of my time in the muggle world, so if there is another battle... I'm afraid I'll be on triage duty."

"Another battle?" Harry asked, wondering how much she knew.

"I was joking, Harry."

"You often make jokes of war to someone who has lost friends and family in the last one?" he snapped.

Eirene straightened up, apparently not expecting him to go on the offensive. "I do apologize. No, I do not, but after that little incident, I'm starting to think it isn't really so farfetched. But I apologize for my carelessness."

Harry resumed his staring at the floor.

"Why don't we talk about Draco?"

He sulked. Merlin, this was torture. He had no intention of speaking with her about such private things.

"You remember last Friday when you left? You gave me permission to tell him anything?" she pressed on.

Harry glanced at her but other than that didn't reply.

"I... did not think that was the best choice."

"Oh, but I should let the headmistress know everything," he retorted throwing his hands in the air.

"I don't really care if you do or don't give permission. I asked because she has a vested interest in you and knows you better than I do. I just wanted to know if you considered Draco's reaction to your declaration?"

Harry met her eyes confused.

"You said it in front of him."

He wasn't sure what she was getting at. He wanted Draco to know everything.

"I see you haven't, but when I asked Draco about his privacy concerns... what do you think he said?"

Harry thought about it and then that squirmy feeling in his stomach started to settle in. "You mean my "declaration" forced him to do the same?"

The healer didn't answer him immediately. "Do you think that Draco is someone who often opens up about his past?"

Harry brought his hands up to his face and rubbed his eyes. "No."

"Do you think he needs help? Maybe needs some guidance, someone neutral to talk to?"

He thought how Draco said that he couldn't fight back, that he would never get better and he nodded.

"In knowing that you can know anything... would make him more or less receptive to seeking help?"

Harry groaned. Why was everything so complicated?

"Harry?"

"Less."

"Had you chosen to tell me your choice in private, rather than boldly declare it out of spite, I would have walked you through this."

"I'll talk to him."

"I didn't explain it to prompt you to do anything. I wanted you to consider how your words affect him."

"Yes and I'm assuming that you want me to fix it?"

"No, you assume incorrectly. I want you to be more careful about what you say to him."

"I'm always careful with him," he snapped.

"I'm sure you are, but that doesn't mean that he won't follow your decisions regarding his health care concerns."

Harry swallowed. "I'm not sure what you mean?"

"How receptive is Draco going to be to seeking help if you... fight this so much?"

Harry froze.

"Do you think that Draco will want to talk if you've declared that you will... "never" talk to me?"

Shit, Harry thought. "I didn't think about that...."

"Evidently. But I've found that people are generally less willing to do something... if their friends and family view it as a weakness."

"Weakness?" he growled.

"Yes. Do you think asking for help is a weakness? Shameful?"

"No!"

"Does Draco know that?"

Harry gritted his teeth. "I...."

"Harry... there is nothing wrong with getting help. You've been through many hardships...."

"There's nothing wrong with it, but I don't need help!"

"Does Draco?"

Harry pulled up short. This is exactly why he hates healers. Fucking all-knowing pricks. He should just go back to ignoring her.

"Harry... do you think that Draco should be seeing me?"

Though he was annoyed by it, he nodded.

"Would Draco think you need help?"

Harry flinched, but stared at her accusingly. It went from Draco back to him. He started shaking as the anger turned on. What the hell was she playing at? Maneuvering him to get him to talk?

"Harry? What do you...."

"Stop using Draco to get me to open up!" he snapped.

Madam Denkar stared at him.

"What? Do you want me to rescind my declaration? Get me to talk to Draco about opening up? Maybe let you talk to McGonagall all about me! Stop messing with my head!" he yelled, ready to attack.

She didn't respond to his anger. "I don't want any of those things, but Harry... you're losing control... you realize that, right?"

"I'm not losing anything. Are we done?"

"Professor McGonagall said that you would be coming every morning for an hour before class...."

"Yeah... you're both in cahoots about it. She was just waiting for a chance..." Harry seethed.

"Harry... she brought me out specifically for you, as well as Draco and your friends. Everyone else... is secondary in her mind. That she is worried about you, is an understatement. She might need me soon with all the pressure and concerns she has."

Harry gave her a look.

"Harry... your health and mental state are important to her, to your friends... to your boyfriend. They want you to get help."

"I-do-not-need-any-help!" he growled and stood up. "We're done."

"Harry!" Madam Denkar said, but didn't stop him as he crossed the room to leave.

Harry stopped at the door and turned, "Don't call me, Harry." He stormed out of the door, glancing at a shocked Corner who had been in the waiting room. Harry ignored him and exited out into the hallway, fervently wishing that one of the SAD members would attack him. He needed to punch someone... vent his anger out on. He knew he couldn't go back to Draco this agitated. So, he went outside to the lake, letting the morning coolness quench his temper.

***

Draco was relieved when Harry turned up halfway through Potions, though confused why he was red and shivering from the cold. He cast a Warming Charm and Harry thanked him quietly. He gave him a questioning look, but Harry didn't offer an explanation. Slughorn had gone through the methods to test their Wolfsbane potions and Draco setup for theirs, as Slughorn came to their table and complimented them on their potions. Draco put everything away and Harry just sat in his chair, his mind elsewhere.

"Harry, what's wrong?" Draco asked as Slughorn had released them.

"Nothing."

"Really?" Draco said and pulled him out of his seat and out into the hallway. He led him away from Blaise and the others. "Harry, talk to me. I'm worried. Was it Professor McGonagall?"

Harry's green eyes looked at him, making his stomach clench a little at the pain in them. "I... she just yelled at me and then sent me to Denkar. I didn't like it and I went outside to cool off. Sorry...."

"No, I am. You did it to protect me. I'm sorry she yelled at you for that," Draco whispered, remembering the immense relief, followed by crippling fear he felt when Harry Stunned Umbridge. Relief that she was gone and fear that Harry could have asked anything. But he didn't. Not in any way. He would have kissed him for that right then and there, if he wasn't so worried about what was going to happen.

"It was mostly about my decision to go to the Ministry... without her and nearly got arrested for attacking the Aurors. It was pretty stupid," Harry said, his shoulders sagging under the guilt of everything.

"I don't think it was," Draco said, truthfully.

Harry's head lifted a little. "I could have messed things up."

"But you didn't. You sent me to McGonagall, you sent a Patronus to Kingsley. You wanted to talk to her alone without them restraining you. But they came... and you got me freed."

"McGonagall came up with those things... I just wanted to yell. Maybe curse them and start the war, too."

"Harry... you saved me. You're always going to be my hero for that."

Harry gave him a smile and nodded. "Thanks. I also have detention after class for the next week. She was pretty mad."

"Okay... come on, we don't need to be late for Charms."

Charms went by quickly, practicing more portkey augmentation, and they headed to lunch. He got a summons for his own appointment after Ancient Runes. As they ate, Draco saw Ron give the signal: eye contact followed by a casual wipe of his head. He had left a note in the loo. It would be the closest one to their classrooms. Simple arrangement. When lunch was over, Harry headed toward McGonagall's classroom, and Theo, Terry and Hermione went with Draco to class. They didn't question his request to stop at the loo on the way. He went to the last stall on the right and found the encoded message.

Library after four, if you can manage. Restricted Section. I'll have them set up a distraction.

Ron was maneuvering SAD into their trap. Draco Vanished the note. Blaise would be teaching until five and Harry was in detention, it was the best time for their plan. He had to get Theo to agree to for detour after his appointment. He wondered if Daphne would go in on it, but it was too much of a risk right now. He went out into the hallway, continuing down the hall and Ron was casually leaning on the wall. Draco skirted him around deliberately touching the opposite wall, trying to avoid him as much as possible. The signal that he accepts.

Hermione didn't make eye contact with her ex-boyfriend, who frowned. Theo stared him down as they walked by. Terry put himself between Draco protectively as they went around, which Draco definitely appreciated, even if it was just Ron. He had surprisingly enjoyed the Ravenclaw's company as he did Granger's. They had started working with each other in Arithmancy, too. He had never had anyone to study with before and they enjoyed debating their answers, as well their translations in Ancient Runes. Theo had always been in that class, but he wasn't exactly a conversationalist.

After class, Terry and Theo walked him to his appointment, as Hermione had to go to class. Theo tried to be reassuring, but he couldn't talk about it any more than Draco could. They entered the waiting room and Theo just stood in front of him and hugged him briefly.

"D-Daphne and I will be here at four... okay?" Theo said, nervously. "Unless you want me to wait for you?"

Draco shook his head and glanced nervously at the healer's office door. "I'll be alright. I won't leave early. Just be careful... coming down."

"Don't worry about me," Theo said, gruffly, but nodded to the office door. "Are you going to be okay in there?"

"I'll manage, but I need to go to the library after it's over. There's a book I want to look for."

"Shouldn't we wa-"

"I don't want to go after dinner and I have class tonight," Draco mumbled.

"I can come," Terry offered, but Draco shook his head.

"We'll be alright. It's just the library. Madam Pince will be there." Theo nodded. He didn't like when it was just the three of them, but said that he would be there by four and not to leave without him and Daphne.

Draco agreed and knocked on the door. Whatever hope and determination he had built up since Harry rescued him last night, slowly deflated. With Umbridge and Dawlish gone, his biggest fear lay on the other side of the door. He didn't want to go deeper into the pit... go through it all, again. He told the headmistress what Umbridge stole from him... she would have told the healer. She knew... and she would pick at the scab. His deeper fear was that she might see how unstable he was and send him to St. Mungo's. He only somewhat acknowledged that the fear was a little far-fetched, but the pit wasn't.

"Come in," her voice called and Draco started shaking.

"Oh, Draco... it's going to be okay," Daphne said, reaching out for him.

"We can just go back to our room," Theo whispered. He had had his meeting yesterday, after lunch. Blaise had been watching out for him when they went down to dinner and that was the only reason Draco had gotten away so easily. Of course, Harry had followed him instead and Draco was grateful that it was him. If Blaise had followed him, it would have been a lot worse... for Umbridge.

"I don't really have a choice. Go... I'll be alright," he said and opened the door. He gave one last look to his friends and entered the room.

"Good evening, Draco. How was your day?" Madam Denkar asked politely.

Draco didn't answer. He couldn't. He just shut the door and took his seat. He tried to steady himself, but was failing. He didn't meet her eyes. She was going to ask... she was going to rattle the fence, the only thing keeping the pit closed off. His eyes watered and trembled more.

"Calm down, Draco," she said, quietly and thankfully did not move closer. "Why don't we do some breathing exercises?"

He nodded and she guided him through breathing for nearly twenty minutes. He wasn't getting any calmer though.

"Draco, do you think you can talk, now? We can talk about anything you want. Your classes, quidditch? Even Harry. Is everything okay with you two?"

Draco wasn't lured in by her soothing voice. She knows. She only wanted to talk about that. What the Veritaserum forced out.

"Draco, I know you're scared, but...."

"She told you..." Draco whispered.

Ms. Denkar frowned. "I don't want to lie to you... but neither of us were very surprised by... what was forced out of you. We can talk about it, but I don't think you're ready for it."

He wasn't ready for it. He'd never be ready for it. He looked at the fire and didn't engage with her anymore, despite her calm, inviting voice. He wouldn't talk about it. He wasn't going to never talk to her. He couldn't. If he cracked in her office... she'd send him to St. Mungo's. They would never stop trying to pull it out. When their hour was up, he just left without another word. He had to keep his silence.

Theo and Daphne were waiting for him and they walked out into the hallway. He just led the way to the library, slivering, trying to get ahold of his emotions.

"Draco? Are you sure that you still want to go?" Daphne asked.

No, he thought. "Yes. I need to get some books."

Theo and Daphne both were ready to grab their wands. They didn't like the idea of wandering around without Blaise. He knew that they would never agree to do this, again, but he would take the opportunity. Nothing happened on the way there and the library wasn't exactly empty either, about ten students milling around. He noted that Madam Pince was sleeping at her desk, almost drooling on the book in front of her. Draco was sure that was abnormal. Theo gave her a look and didn't like it at all and then glanced around.

"There aren't any Slytherins here," Theo muttered, anxiously.

"It's the library. Nothing is going to happen," Draco lied. He hoped nothing bad happened to them.

"Just hurry up and get your books. We should have let Terry and Hannah come," Daphne said.

"We should leave," Theo said, looking for threats

Draco ignored Theo's protests, said to just wait there, and went toward the Restricted Section at the back of the library. He side-stepped the rope that knew he had permission to enter and perused the titles. He had to find at least one book to take back with him as he tried not to seem like he was on the look-out for vigilantes. He didn't know how long he had to wait for the bastards to show up. He did find some core magic and dropped them in his bag. Perusing the shelf, he found another ancient text that was slightly pushed out. It had to be hundreds of years old, and he wasn't sure it was about core magic. Soul Mutations and Seductions: The Mysteries of Soul Magic. He felt drawn to it though like he felt like it would help.

He heard voices from the front and just put the book in his bag, when he saw movement out of his eye. A masked figure stepped out from behind the shelf. Draco dropped his bag and backed toward the front. But more came from the end of the aisle. He had no idea if Ron was actually there, but he just backed into the books that whispered inaudibly. He almost felt like they were talking to each other, but his enemies advanced. He heard Theo shooting for him in the distance as five surrounded him.

"Well, looks who we found," the unidentifiable voice said, but the red-striped mask labeled him the leader. "You think you can get Dawlish fired and everything will be fine?"

"I d-didn't..." he started, but hands reach for him and secured his hands behind his back, keeping a tight hold on his shoulders.

"Do it," the leader ordered.

A taller figure stepped forward. At least, Weasley was easy to spot. The panic in Draco's heart slowed down. He believed him. He believed that Ron was there to help him. He forced his facial features into a look of fear and trembled. He was well versed in games having spent most of his life trying not to look terrified.

"Hold the fag. I want to hit him properly," Ron, he assumed, spat, vicious.

His helpers lifted him up so he was wide-open. Fear wasn't there when he whispered, "Please... don't...."

"Shut up, Ferret! You deserve this!" Ron hissed.

Draco looked into his eyes and Ron's blue eyes blinked at the check. He broke eye contact and braced himself as Ron pulled his arm back and landed several solid hits into his stomach. He cried out and the ones holding him lifted him higher.

"Harder! I want everyone to see that nothing has changed," the leader encouraged.

"I should mark his pretty face up!" Ron growled, though his eyes looked afraid. Luckily, only Draco could see them. Draco lifted his head to give better access and Ron hit him right in his nose, breaking it. He unwillingly grasped out in pain. Blood gushed out of it and the crowd of onlookers laughed and dropped him to the floor.

"I think he looks better now!" scoffed another and laughed.

But an ear-splitting scream came from the entrance, Draco looked up and listened as the wailing continued. It wasn't Theo or Daphne, but the room went dark as the candles slowly went out. Theo was drawing the air toward him and the only light came from the windows. Suddenly a blast of air rushed through the library, sending quills, parchment and loose pages everywhere. His foes scattered, maneuvering through the stacks, and Theo sent spell after spell at them, knocking bookcases and tables everywhere. Draco made his way to the front and saw Theo drop two as about ten of them ran out of the entrance. Theo went after them and Daphne Stunned another about to hit him from behind and there was one sobbing on the floor with horrible open-fractured legs.

"Theo! Come back! Don't go after them!" she yelled, desperately.

Draco came up next to her and holding his bleeding nose. "Theo!" he called.

He made to step forward, but Daphne put her hand on him, protectively. "We don't know if they all left!"

Draco noticed that there were younger students hiding under the tables and the kid with the broken legs was still writhing in pain on the floor. He didn't want to know what spells Theo cast. Daphne was watching everyone and glancing at the door. They heard loud banging and yelling come from the hallway. Draco's stomach dropped. If anything happened, it would be his fault.

"Theo..." she whispered, wishing he would come back.

"We can go after him," Draco murmured. She shook her head.

But Theo came back dragging one back with him at the direction of his wand. He had a cut above his eye and he was shaking.

"Theo! Are you okay?" Daphne asked.

"Y-Yeah. One sent a suit of armor at me and they booked it in different directions, already Vanishing their robes and masks off."

"You shouldn't have gone after them," Draco murmured.

"Maybe. I'm sorry they got you, Draco. They came in the front door ready to fight. I couldn't save you."

Draco shrugged. He barely felt the hits anymore. He wondered if Ron healed him, before he left. "I'm fine. Just some bruises."

"Good," Theo said, as Daphne punched him in the arm. "Oww! What was that for?"

"Running after them? They could have set a trap! They could be hiding in here!" she growled, gesturing to the students under the tables and labyrinth of bookcases. Theo lowered his head.

"It's okay. We're both okay. You guys got five of them," Draco said.

"Six."

"Six?" Draco asked, looking at the four bodies that were starting to move and the crippled kid.

Theo nodded to the main desk and Draco noticed there was a dent in the wood wall behind it. He went over and looked down to see a masked figure slumped on the floor in a bloody heap. Theo was pissed.

"Did you slam him into the wall?"

"He sent a spell at Daphne."

"Well, he'll regret that tomorrow," Draco smirked, as his bloody nose dripped over Madam Pince's desk. She was still asleep.

"Should we tie them up?" Daphne asked.

"I don't think so," a voice hissed as a masked figure came out from behind the stacks. One arm, wrapped around a small mousy-haired boy's neck and the other was holding a wand to his throat.

Both Theo and Daphne pointed their wands at him. Or maybe it was at her. The Volubilis Potion wasn't working right. It had to be Tracey.

"Na uh... don't try me!"

"And what? You're going to kill another student? You don't think the Aurors will investigate? Do you want to go to prison for the rest of your life?" Theo sneered, twisting his wand. He would hurt her if he got a chance. Blaise had taught him a lot over the years.

Tracy seemed to consider that challenge and laughed. "Kill? No... maybe... burn. Favillo!" she growled and they all flinched as the wand tip seared bright red.

Dennis screamed as it burned the skin on his neck. "No! Please!"

"Quiet! Finite. Now, drop your wands or he'll scream some more!"

"Do you think we're stupid? We aren't going to be defenseless!" Theo growled.

"People will come! There are ten other students in the room. Let him go!" Daphne yelled.

"Thanks for reminding me to hurry. Drop them and back away or he burns!" she retorted.

"I'm sorry!" Dennis said, through more tears. He had a bump on his head and a black eye forming. At least, he had resisted her.

"Theo... help is coming. Let her go. This isn't life and death for us," Draco said, looking at the young boy's frightened eyes.

Theo reluctantly dropped his wand and Daphne did the same. They stepped back. Tracy spelled the ones on the floor awake and backed to the door still holding her prisoner hostage.

"Hurry up!" she yelled and the four ones who could walk, ran out of the entrance. She left the two injured ones to their fate and continued backing down the hall.

"Give him back, Tracy!" Draco growled.

"Please, it hurts!" Dennis said, trying to escape.

She jerked. "I'm not Tracey!"

"Sure. Give me the boy!" Draco insisted. He still had his wand, and the power to do spells without it.

Tracey growled and sent a Severing Charm at one of the chandeliers. It dropped to the floor right by them, making them jump in alarm. She pushed Dennis at them and fled. Draco did not give chase and stopped Theo from going.

"She's not worth it," Draco said and helped Dennis up. His red eyes were wet and he was shaking. Draco tried to heal it the best he could, but there still was a red burn mark.

"I'm so sorry. When the fighting started... I just hid. That's what my brother told me to do... during the war. It was just like the Battle... screaming and things exploding. Crying."

"You were at the battle?" Draco asked the small kid. He had to be thirteen or fourteen during the battle.

"Y-Yeah... we got the message from Neville when we were holed up in York and came. He told me to hide... but I still heard... everything," Dennis said, tears bursting out of his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Dennis," Daphne said. "That must have been scary."

He wiped his eyes and nodded. "I didn't mean to get scared, but... I remember. Some Gryffindor I turned out to be."

"You did what you're supposed to. Your brother taught you well," Daphne praised, but that made him cry more.

Some of the other fifth years finally crawled out and took him with them back to Gryffindor, as Ernie, Terry, Hannah and Susan arrived.

"Is everything alright? Wayne and Rivers came running into the Great Hall... and we saw Tracey on our way here."

"Did you?"

"Yeah, we figured that something was going on... are you guys okay?" Terry asked.

"Fine," Draco grunted, but then Terry pointed his wand straight into Draco's face and he felt his nose snap back into place, again.

"Thanks," he said, rubbing his nose.

"What about... that one?" Ernie said, squeamishly pointing to the kid with both shins broken in the middle at right angles.

"He or she is regretting their life choices right about, now. Let's see if we can unwrap this one," Theo said, and they tried a half-dozen spells to remove their cloak and mask. Draco wandered over to retrieve his bag and when he returned nothing had changed.

Terry knelt down and poked the kid, who cried out in pain. "Take your mask and robe off and we might take you to the hospital ward before the headmistress's office."

"And I won't kick your legs along the way," Theo huffed and Daphne rolled her eyes.

"It's Armano Evanesco," the kid whimpered.

Ernie did the spell and the garments Vanished. Draco recognized the Ravenclaw. It was Stewart Ackerley. Theo went over and did the same and pulled out Jimmy Peakes, the Gryffindor beater.

"Let's get them to the hospital ward," Ernie growled, taking their wands and tying up Peakes.

"We should question them," Theo said, flatly and three Hufflepuffs looked at him surprised.

Terry just nodded and nudged Ackerley's leg with his foot. He yelped and Terry said, dryly, "He'll probably talk."

"It's torture! We... or rather Blaise and Harry, can question them after they get medical treatment," Ernie said, not budging on the matter.

"Hufflepuffs," Theo said as an expletive, and then set and splinted the Ravenclaw's legs with audible snaps. Ackerley sighed in relief.

He bound his hands and magicked him onto a stretcher that he conjured. Theo then began restoring the library and its books to their proper positions. More students had slowly emerged from their hiding spots with the arrival of the Head Boy and his gang.

"Should we wake her?" Daphne asked, nodding to the librarian.

"Let sleeping librarians lie," Theo said, and lifted Peakes, groggily to his feet and Ernie directed the litter as they went to the infirmary.

Madam Pomfrey accepted them without question and bound the two SAD members to the beds at Theo's request. She treated Draco first, whose nose had already healed. She gingerly assessed it and praised Terry for the effectiveness of his charm, but still scolded him for not just bringing Draco to her first. She offered to heal his bruises, but he shook his head. He needed to wear it as a badge of honor. When the headmistress arrived, she nearly put the school in lockdown after Daphne recounted what happened, but they convinced her not to. Draco didn't want everyone to be punished just for him.

She sent them to dinner and ignored Madam Pomfrey's request that her interrogation wait until they had some rest. McGonagall looked ready to flay them alive when they left.

"I think she might get the scrawny gits to talk. Both of them are what fourth years? Or fifth years? Salazar, what the hell were they doing there?" Theo said, surprised. "They were no match for me!"

"Their friend Nigel was killed in the Battle," Draco said, quietly, and his friends all looked at him. "They said so when they beat me up on the first day of class."

"That doesn't make it okay," Terry said, glancing back at the door. "Stewart should have used his head. He was bound to get caught, at least with a direct attack."

The Hufflepuffs gave him a look. Theo smiled a little. "That there is why Slytherin and Ravenclaw get along. They're not stupid, usually. Let's go wait outside of Blaise's classroom to share the good news."

"Good news?" Ernie said, in disbelief.

"Yeah, we just caught two SAD members," he replied and looked at Draco as they walked. "You're alright, right?"

Draco nodded. "They only got a few punches in."

They stopped outside the classroom and Daphne said that she was going to the loo and quickly left. Susan and Hannah had to jog to follow her. But they didn't have to wait that long. Blaise and Hermione let out their class and they slipped in. Blaise immediately went to Draco to examine his bruises and then noticed that Theo had an injury. Theo had to reassure him a few times that he was fine, much to the other's confusion. Daphne returned and said that she wasn't feeling okay and wanted to just go back to the dorms. She was a little worked up, said it reminded her too much of the Battle. Theo left Draco in Blaise's care and walked her back to the dorm. Hermione went with her, concerned.

Blaise really wanted to get some answers, but looked at Draco, who dropped his head. "Draco? What happened?"

He hated this part for two reasons. One, he was about to bring some pain to Weasley and, two, this would hurt Harry and Hermione. He wouldn't have been able to lie to Harry. Blaise... he was okay with that. They were Slytherins and it was acceptable, but Harry was a right-is-right, wrong-is-wrong Gryffindor. Omitting the truth was one thing, lying to his face was another.

"There was a tall one... and he called me... Ferret," he said, looking morose. He didn't even have to fake it. All he had to do was let Blaise decipher and disseminate it.

"Weasley," he growled and looked at Draco concerned. "Dray?"

"I'm not positive... might be someone else."

"Yeah? Who?"

Draco shrugged and, luckily, Neville came in and looked at him. "I just heard. Is everyone okay?"

"Yeah. Theo got two of them and the headmistress is ripping them a new one."

"Oh! Good... he caught two?"

"Ackerley and Peakes."

"Peakes? Hell... he was a big supporter of the Anti-Carrow group we had," Neville said, lowering his shoulders.

"Neville's Army, you mean? But yeah... I guess he felt the war wasn't over for him," Blaise said, with a smile.

"Ha ha. Ginny and Luna had just as much to do with it."

"Sure, they did. Let's go down to eat and then go find out if the chickies sang for the headmistress," Blaise said.

Draco was relieved that Blaise didn't question him more thoroughly and followed him out the door. Weasley's plan was just starting to roll. They figured that at least two or three more attacks would maneuver SAD into a nice sense of false security. Ron was adamant to get the map back first and that meant working Smith. Dean was on that mission. Despite almost getting Theo and Daphne hurt, Draco thought it wasn't a bad day.

***

Blaise was pissed. Peakes and Ackerley had decided to not to talk, even when their friends came by to plead with them and McGonagall offered to not expel them if they did. She took their wands, put them in separate private rooms and stationed prefects outside their door for the night, while they waited for their parents to come the next day. Truthfully, Blaise hoped their parents couldn't talk sense into them, so they would get expelled. He didn't want to have to deal with them for two more years.

Blaise mentally jolted as he realized that he already was planning on staying here for years... maybe for the rest of his life or as long as Neville was there. They could spend summer holidays searching for new plants and learning combat magic around the world. He really wanted to go to Italy and learn about his clan and maybe go to Africa. He had heard that some tribes don't even use wands. That would be something. He smiled as he considered that he had a future, now, and a real family: his mom, his brothers and... his husband. His soul hummed at that word.

"What are you smiling about?" Draco asked as they were walking down to Home Ec. Theo also was glancing at him, confused by his expression, which had been irate and menacing up until then.

Blaise put his game face back on. "Nothing. Come on, we need to hurry."

"Hurry? We're like twenty minutes early?" Draco said and Theo shrugged.

"I know. I was hoping for a chance to talk to... ah, there she is," Blaise said, setting his sights on Pansy.

Draco looked up and saw Pansy walking with Harper. "Blaise?" he questioned.

"Pansy!" Blaise called, ignoring Draco.

She stopped and frowned. Harper tensed like he was about to get hexed. She snorted. "Shit. What do you want?"

"A word, if you wouldn't mind," he said, and stopped in front of her.

"I do, but I can't really deny you it."

"You can try," Blaise said, with a smirk, but looked at her boyfriend. "No offense Harper, but scram."

Harper looked at them and Pansy. The kid wanted her approval to leave and wouldn't willingly leave without it.

"It's okay. He isn't going to kill me in the hallway. I'll see you when class gets out," Pansy said and touched his hand.

Harper didn't want to take her word at it. "Pansy, I don't want to...."

"Please, honey. Draco is my friend and he wouldn't let anything happen to me, you know that."

Draco glanced worriedly at him, but nodded all the same.

"Everything is going to be fine. Go on," she responded. Harper put up some more fight, but Pansy put her foot down and he reluctantly left, looking morose and a little afraid. When he was out of earshot, Pansy turned to face him and growled, "What is it, Blaise? What did I do to earn your ire?"

To the point, as always. He never could have handled her. High maintenance. "What makes you think I'm angry?"

"You have voluntarily spoken to me, outside of class and casual niceties, maybe twice. Speak to your point, now, or I'm walking," she threatened.

Spunk, she did have. But she was also one of the few people who knew of Draco's preferences before SAD found out. She also could ferret out gossip like a niffler looking for gold. He had to ask her. "I want to know if you told anyone that Draco was gay. I mean before the Prophet posted about it."

Her mouth dropped and Draco and Theo looked at him, surprised. She spluttered, "You jerk... you actually think that I had anything to do with that article?! You really think I would do that to Draco?"

"It could have been an accident. I just wanted to know if...."

"Fuck you, Blaise!" she spat. "I figured it out in our fourth fucking year when he wouldn't even look at my breasts. I never told anyone! Not even him, the dense prick."

"Hey!" Draco said.

"It's true love, face it," Pansy huffed. "We were friends and I cared about him. I always protected his secret. Fuck you for suggesting...."

"Cut the melodrama, Pansy. Malcolm is the one who told SAD. Do you know what those fucks did to him?" Blaise growled and Draco lowered his head.

"I can imagine."

"Well... imagine it, but worse. You are on the shortlist here. Malcolm said that he had it from someone with first-hand knowledge. Who else knew?"

"Here? No one. Unless they caught Draco and the Chosen Git out in the open."

"He's my boyfriend, Pans," Draco huffed.

"Enough, Dray. You're sure, Pansy? I just wanted to ask you if you knew of anyone else."

"No one that I know of. Crabbe and Goyle knew, and not from me, about him. But I made sure they didn't tell anyone."

"You did?" Draco said, softly. He looked at her and Pansy nodded, somberly.

"Of course, Draco. I'm cold, not heartless. I merely suggested that if people found out about you, that they would assume that his two lugheads were on the down-low, too. Worked like a charm."

Blaise smirked. "Thank you for that. Do you think you can look into it? I know you're tutoring the younger students, can you ask them?"

"Me? Do work? You're funny."

"Pansy...."

"Fine. For Draco, not for you, prick."

"Course not."

"I notice Queenie isn't with you."

"Not with your hi온라인카지노게임 with her," Blaise snorted. "But sorry for the inquisition and thanks."

"Whatever. Come on, Draco. It's pie day. Got to fatten up your man."

Draco blushed and bid them goodbye as she walked him into class. He gave Blaise one more look before he disappeared into the room. Blaise didn't think that Pansy was lying. He waited about five more minutes until Harry showed up.

"What'd you get?" Blaise asked.

"Made me write an essay about what would have happened if I did start a war," Harry said, exhausted.

Blaise had to applaud internally the headmistress's choice of punishments. Harry, the poster boy for anger-control issues, could have messed it up. "Sorry. You alright?"

"Bit bracing to stand back and wonder what could have been. I didn't even think of not going. I just wanted to yell to her," Harry said, morosely.

Blaise nodded. "Giving in to your emotions is typical behavior for you, Potter. But... I've stood back and watched people hurt Draco and regretted it. I understand the impulse. Just... learn from it and don't go half-cocked, again. You have to learn how to maneuver people into doing what you want them to do."

"Thanks, I guess. It seems weird that you're preaching restraint. But you're going to have to watch Draco in the mornings. I'm also being sent to her daily, now."

"Well, that's just... mean. Sucks, I'm sorry," Blaise said, knowing if it had been him, he would have super pissed.

"Yeah... see ya," Harry said, and went into his class.

Blaise and Theo started walking and when they made it to the staircase Harper was waiting for them.

Harper leveled with him. "You know I respect you, Blaise, but she's my girlfriend."

"Relax. No harm, no foul. Just asked her to look into Malcolm. He's the squealer who told SAD about Draco. He knew, not guessed it."

"Okay... why ask Pansy?"

"She knew about Draco. Wanted to know if she told anyone. She didn't. I didn't want you inferring if we started arguing," he explained, but when he saw Harper's confused look. "She's only friends with Draco. She and Daphne used to fight like cats. She's been pissed at me since I stole one of her boyfriends awhile back and I don't think she's talked to Theo since first year."

"I'm mentally challenged," Theo grunted and when Blaise gave him a look, he added, "That's what she said."

Blaise nodded and briefly considered hexing her for that.

Theo smirked as though reading his expression. "We were eleven, Blaise. It was a long time ago. We know how Pansy is."

"Fine, but we didn't threaten or harm her, Harper, so relax."

"Okay... that was rough. Please don't do it, again. She's probably going to be pissed at me for leaving like a coward."

"She would have been mad at you for staying, too. She's a tricky one. She'll trap you in predicaments like that. If she does, just ask her how'd she react if you had stayed against her orders. Call her out on it."

Harper stared at me and asked awkwardly, "Have you... and her... ever...?"

"No. As far as I know she never willingly coupled with anyone. She stayed with Draco for the illusion, I think. He never touched her and she liked that about him. She was safer and so was he. I don't know what happened to her last year. She was with Crabbe... for protection and status... more than anything. But considering the bastard he was...."

Harper nodded grimly. Blaise liked the kid. He had strength and loyalty, a rare thing in Slytherin.

"Harper? You know that her parents won't... accept you?" he said, suddenly.

"Not pure enough, huh?" Harper grunted and lowered his eyes.

"The money thing, too. I'm not trying to make life more difficult for you... just think about what you are going to say to her when the moment comes. Convince her that you're worth it. She's a romantic bint."

Harper grimaced. "Do you think she'd pick me?"

Blaise considered it and nodded. "I've seen her with you. She's not a galleon digger. She wants a family. She stayed with Draco for appearances up until last year. She wanted nothing to do with her parent's plans for her. Just think of the life she wants and promise her the moon."

Harper smiled. "Thanks."

"Aww... that was cute," a voice came from above and descended down the steps.

Blaise looked and saw Fawley coming down. "Hey, Fawley."

"Blaise... Harper."

"Roaming the halls?" Harper asked, his classmate.

"You could say that, but I was looking for you, Blaise."

"Well... should I leave you two alone?" Harper said, backing away.

"What?" Blaise said and realized what he meant. "No. That won't be necessary. What's wrong?"

"Not wrong... but where'd you get those galleons from?" Fawley asked and Harper looked at Blaise, confused.

"I lost a bet," he explained. He had paid off Fawley a few days ago. "Umm... Gringotts? Why?"

"Really? They gave you a fake one, then. My bag got a little warm today. So... checked the coins out. This one is different and is lighter."

"Oh... sorry. I didn't check every coin. I'll get you another one," Blaise said, as he paid his debts.

"I don't care about a single galleon. It's just strange and all. You got it from Gringotts?" Fawley pressed.

Blaise turned over the coin and his eyes went wide. He remembered Dean throwing him a galleon and he put it on his bag. He had forgotten about it, because he didn't understand why Dean gave him one galleon.

"You said it got warm?" Blaise asked.

"Yep."

"Protean Charm?" Theo offered, making Harper and Fawley jump as Theo had successfully blended into the wall.

"You can do a Protean Charm?" Fawley asked.

"Probably. They aren't usually covered until in Charms next semester, but I got it from someone...."

Then he read the small letters on the back. Library now. He nearly dropped the coin and looked at Fawley, who looked at him confused. He waved his wand and the privacy wards went up.

"This is how those SAD fucks have been talking to each other! That stupid fucking idiot couldn't have spent five more seconds to explain it. He just told me to give it to Hermione."

"Really?" Harper said and looked at the coin's message. "That was from earlier? The showdown in the library?"

"Yeah... where Theo kicked their asses."

Theo looked a little smug. "They tried to hex Daphne."

Harper and Fawley laughed.

"Fawley, thanks," Blaise said, looking at him. "I'm glad you found this."

"Sure... no problem," Fawley smirked.

"Harper... we have to nail these fuckers, can I count on you to rouse our house?"

"Of course!"

"Just don't tell them how we know."

Harper rolled his eyes. "Yeah. I'll have them in groups ready to go. How will you get the message to me?"

"Patronus."

"A Patronus? A corporeal one?" Harper asked, surprised. Slytherins aren't really known for being able to conjure one.

"Yep. Neville helped me. It's a tiger."

"Figures. You always were lithe and deadly," Fawley said and Blaise glared at him. "Hey, I got a horse."

Blaise laughed. "You would, you protective, horny fucker."

"I'm also well-hung," Fawley joked, earning looks from Theo and Harper. "And, to think, they called you the Italian Stallion...."

Blaise smiled. "I think you took over that role, Fawley. Your Patronus suits you well."

Both Theo and Harper were still staring at them and Fawley chuckled, "Oh, Rowena... we're scaring the heteros. Alright, I'll see you later, Zabini."

"Fawley," Blaise said, giving him a two-finger salute as he went back up the stairs.

"Salazar... he's worse than you were. You know he used to be trapped in his books and barely talked to anyone? Good job breaking him out of his shell, Blaise. He's happy, now." Harper said.

Blaise nodded. "He is. He figured out who he is."

"He was a little heartbroken when you left him," Harper said. He had spent more time with Fawley than Blaise had, as they were in the same classes.

Blaise let out a sigh. "I know, but he's... well... that Patronus says it all. He protects his herd, he loves to fuck and he's aggressive... dominant."

Harper looked down and shifted his feet. "Oh... I get it. I guess."

"I've been through all that already. Neville is my love and Fawley's a good friend, but he's not the one for me. I hope you feel that way with Pansy, Harper. You've been through a lot this year."

"Thanks. Call for me, though? I'll sound the war horn," Harper said and went down the steps to the dungeons.

Blaise and Theo walked back to dorms. The girls had claimed one table to do homework, something Blaise was never good about doing. Plus he had even more now that he had to assign and correct homework. He thanked Circe that Hermione was willing to help with the younger students. They were a handle, but the Slytherins maintained a silence whenever he was talking. They respected him and he loved it and them. He never thought that he would like children.

"Hey, Theo. I'm feeling better. Let's go get your homework and I'll help you do it," Daphne said, and they went up the stairs together. Not at all convincing anyone as to what they were going to do.

Blaise grimaced and remembered that he should tell Theo that Draco knew. He owed him that much. He had no idea how Daphne would take it. She'd forgive Theo, but he hoped that she didn't blame him for it. He was just starting to appreciate her friendship and he had lied... or at least omitted their one-night sexual encounter that they both hated. Just like his time with Daphne. He appreciated the irony of it.

"Hey, Blaise," Ginny called. "Neville has rounds, if you're wondering where he is."

"Rounds?" he said and remembered that had been Neville's excuse when he took him to his private room. "Oh, I should see if I can find him. A lot happened today." He didn't wait for any comments and just left. He nearly ran to their room and knocked, before saying, "Belladonna."

"There you are," Neville said, only wearing pants, lodging on his bed on his side.

Blaise's cock twitched in anticipation. He dropped his robes as he shut and locked the door. He started to pull off his top, anxious to get on the bed. They had stuff to talk about and Blaise knew he was putting off telling him more, but he wanted contact.

"Are you okay?" Neville asked, sensing his distress.

"It was a trying day."

"Why don't you lie down? I can give you a back massage? Loosen you up? You can talk if you want, or just relax."

Blaise stared at him. No one had ever offered that to him. It was always sex. Comfort was rare, even with Fawley. His hands shook for a different reason. Some part of him was still afraid that Neville would reject him.

Neville got off and pulled him to the bed. "Shh... I'll take care of you."

Those words just made his anxiety melt away. He rolled onto his stomach as Neville straddled him. His strong hands pressed against his skin hard, wiggling his fingers into areas often ignored. He melted and moaned heartily as Neville worked his back.

"I'm going to have to maneuver you into this position more often. You're so tight," Neville said, and leaned down to kiss the back of his neck.

"Thank you... it feels amazing."

"You're welcome, Boo," Neville said and added, "If you're very good, there might be a happy ending after the massage.

Blaise turned his head to look at him with a smile. "I'll be a good boy." His wand stayed brown.

***

Zach rocked back and forth at the table, in a state of panic, since Fawley left him in his room. If he had just kept his stupid mouth shut, he wouldn't have left. Anyone could find out that he told him. He knew his fears were unjustified, but the lack of sleep was seriously damaging his cognitive thinking skills. It had been nearly four weeks since he slept longer than an hour. His hands didn't stop shaking anymore, his magic was almost non-existent and every waking second, he was crying and completely distraught. It was only the potions and the glamour spells that kept him from being carted off to St. Mungo's. He opened his bag and pulled out another Calming Draught. He'd already taken one, but he was going to explode if he didn't take another one.

He had shown up earlier than he should have, but he was becoming an even bigger target for the frustrations of his non-friends. He imaged it would take much for them to force themselves on him. He was completely defenseless at this point. He couldn't hex someone if he tried and there was no one who really cared enough to check on him to release him from his bindings when they did tie him up.

After lunch, Wayne took the opportunity to search him for the map and left him there for nearly three hours, silenced and squirming on the floor like a fucking flobberwurm. Dean reluctantly let him go when he came upstairs. He just shook his head in disgust at him and left after that. Zach was sobbing and had to crawl to the bathroom after that. It took another thirty minutes to calm down enough to try for release.

Now, Fawley had been gone for over twenty minutes, and Zach was just about to snap from the pressure, when the door opened and Fawley stepped in. Despite the Calming Draught, he cried and Fawley immediately hugged him, rubbing his back.

"I told you that I'd be right back," he said, holding him.

Zach could not calm down. "You told them," he whispered.

"I had to. Those SAD fuckers launched a full-scale assault on the library. Dean could eventually tell Blaise to use the coin to track their movements. He might have come to me to get it back. I promised you that I'd protect you and I covered for you, made it seem like I stumbled upon it. So, relax. They don't know that you had anything to do with it. It was Dean's coin, not yours."

Zach cried some more as he lamented over what had happened an hour ago when he came in and Fawley was rooting through his bag. Fawley barely acknowledged him entering as he kept pulling out his stuff.

"What are you doing?" Zach asked, sitting down at the table.

"Something in here burned me earlier. But you're a little early, aren't you?" Fawley asked, and he was, by over three hours. But Wayne had attacked him, and he didn't want to be in the same room with him and especially with Oliver there, too. Dean was his only protection and he didn't care about him. He was chopped liver and they were ready to eat him alive.

"Do you want me to leave?" Zach mumbled, looking at the floor, praying to Helga and all her descendants that he wouldn't make him leave.

"No. Did you eat?" Fawley asked.

Zach shook his head and said, "I'm not hungry."

"You have to eat, Zach."

He ignored him. There were more important things. His hour was up. "Can you... please?"

"Zach..." Fawley sighed, clearly exasperated, but slid his hand down past his trousers and tugged his hard member. Zach moaned abashed until he came.

"Thank you." He felt so much better when Fawley did it.

"Yeah," Fawley said, slightly disgruntled.

Fawley was not one who became easily aggravated. Zach could guess why. Reciprocation. Fairness. Zach hadn't done anything for him, though it had been almost a week since he knocked on his door. He made a request and wasn't pushing him. But that was only going to last so long. But he realized that Fawley had a huge pile of coins on the table. Had to be a nearly hundred galleons.

"What's with the gold?"

He shrugged. "Won a bet."

Zach thought he meant the one with Blaise. They definitely bet a lot of galleons on him. He was about to ask if he gets a cut when he spotted and picked up the SAD coin. It wasn't nearly as good as Granger's coin from fifth year. It was missing a few things. He flipped it over and it said the same message as his own coin had sent him a few hours ago. He ignored it. But he had a choice, now: play dumb or tell Fawley.

"Where did you get this?" he asked, generally.

Fawley looked a little guilty and didn't look at him. "It's from Blaise." He went back to checking his winnings.

Zach rolled the coin in his hand, so easy to make it disappear. But he held it out for his... friend. "Fawley, this is a SAD coin. It's how they communicate."

Fawley dropped the coin he was examining and took it. "SAD? What is it? A Protean Charm?"

"Yeah. The message is on the back," he said and Fawley flipped it over.

"This is incredible. Who did this?"

"Sue Li and Lisa. Maybe Dawlish. Hermione made the original ones."

"What?" Fawley said, "Hermione is in SAD?"

Zach shook his head. "For the DA. I was in that group, too."

Fawley nodded and gave him a look. "You were in Potter's DA?"

"Trust me, he wasn't happy about it," he said morosely. No one had wanted him. Ernie and Justin had been talking about it and he jumped at the chance to join a group. He closed his eyes, wishing he hadn't been so stubborn and asked for help back then. He so wanted to sleep, though.

Fawley then said, "I got to get this to Blaise."

Zach jerked awake. "No! You can't!"

"I have to, Zach," Fawley said, a little shocked.

"You didn't take my map!"

"This is mine. I'm not taking it from you. I'll be right back," he said, pointily and got up.

"They'll know! Please, don't!" he begged.

Fawley stopped and turned back. "I won't tell them you told me, okay? But I have to give this to Blaise. That's going happen."

Zach didn't reply.

"I'll be back as soon as I find him," Fawley said. "Might take a bit.

"He's probably on his way to Malfoy's class. Home Ec. Or he might be in the dorm. Password is "Remember"," Zach said. He'd memorized where Blaise and Draco should be at any given time. Too risky to pull out the map every second.

Fawley looked at him. "Thank you."

Now, Fawley was back from his trip and staring at him, a little concerned that he was so despondent. He tried to talk to him, but Zach wasn't interested in conversation. Fawley lifted the menu, ordered some soup and pushed it in front of him.

He shook his head. Food was the last thing he wanted, though he hadn't really eaten in days. He didn't go to the Great Hall anymore. Everyone just laughed at him. "I'm not hungry."

"Eat. I'm worried about you," Fawley whispered.

Zach didn't argue with him and slowly ate. His stomach did not like food after skipping so many meals. But he listened to Fawley, who occasionally rubbed his cheek affectionately. Zach felt calmer every time he did. He finally finished and resisted the urge to throw it back up. He hugged his middle for nearly ten minutes, forcing it down. Fawley rubbed his back and Zach loved it.

"You can end this pain, you know?" Fawley whispered, his eyes full of sympathy.

"I can't. Please, don't push me."

"Okay... everything else is going fine? Anyone mess with you?" Fawley asked.

Zach thought about telling him about his dorm mates, but there was nothing he could do about that. It'd only make it worse. "Potter pinned me to the wall, but Malfoy told him to let me go."

"Did he? Do you want me to talk to Potter?"

Zach looked at Fawley, kind of surprised that he would go against the Savior. "No, it was a few days ago, but thank you. They mentioned you... that I was yours."

Fawley sighed. "It was the easiest way to explain it. I'm protecting you. You're not required to be mine or do anything, I promise I will protect you."

"I know that, thank you," Zach paused and then manage to show some nerve. "I haven't seen anyone here."

Fawley looked at him. "No. No one knows I live here... students anyway."

"I haven't seen you with anyone, either."

"Oh, Zach, have you been spying on me?" Fawley said, smiling.

"I didn't know... what you wanted," he whispered.

Fawley straightened up and took ahold of his trembling hands. "You wanted to understand what I wanted? What kind of relationship I wanted?"

Zach nodded.

"An exclusive one. I might get around... but I'm loyal. I won't be with anyone else and I wouldn't want you to be with anyone else, if that helps you understand."

Zach nodded, again, and took a deep breath. "I'm ready to reciprocate."

Fawley's eyes went wide. "Zach... you're in a bad place right, now. Maybe...."

"No. Fair is fair. You take care of me. I want to return the favor."

"If you want. I am not going to force you into anything," he whispered.

"I know."

"Zach...."

"You said that... you'd do it..." Zach explained, unable to say the words aloud. He pointed to his mouth.

"You want me to go down on you?"

Zach flinched and nodded. "Then I'll do it."

"That's a big leap. Why don't you just do some touching?"

Zach shook his head and held up his sore, cramping hands. "They hurt too much."

Fawley took them, again, and rubbed them gently. Zach whimpered. "Tell me if you're hurting, okay? I'll make a murlap suave for you to soak them in tomorrow."

Zach nodded and felt his prick harden. It was time. He stood off, dropped his robes and removed his shirt. Fawley had a look of surprise on his face, but stood up and followed his lead. But he took off everything this time. Zach just watched, stunned. He was big. Bigger than he was. Fawley stepped forward, so that they were almost touching.

"It's your choice, Zach," he repeated, and Zach reached out and touched his chest.

"H-How... w-where?"

Fawley nodded to the bed. Zach dropped his trousers and everything else. He sat down on the bed and Fawley pushed him onto his pillows. "Relax... Zach. I'll take care of you."

Fawley's hands trailed down his chest and stomach, slowly, and finally touching his dick. Zach nearly shrieked when Fawley's warm mouth closed around his head. He swore, thrashed and wiggled as Fawley destroyed his restraint. He had no fucking idea it could feel so good. He screamed his protector's name as he came and was shaking in relief as Fawley laid next to him, watching him come down from his orgasm.

"Holy Helga... does it always feel like that?" Zach asked.

"Yeah. It always feels awesome. You doing... okay?"

"You could say that," Zach murmured, sated, and looked at his lover. "You'd do that every night... if I reciprocated?"

"Yes, honey. I would. I'd rather be fuck buddies than be your unpaid rentboy."

Zach looked at him and nodded. "My turn, huh?"

"You don't have to."

"If I want you to keep doing that, I do," Zach muttered.

"True."

"I never did... it before." He didn't want to say the word.

"I know. Just don't try to take it in all at once. You probably still have a gag reflex. It's normal when it's your first time," Fawley said, quietly.

Zach nodded and got up. Fawley took his spot on the pillows and his dick was fully erect. Zach just copied what he had down. His hand went down Fawley's muscle chest, that he really did love touching, and his firm stomach to his dick, which ticked at the contact.

"You won't tell anyone?" Zach asked glancing nervously at Fawley's face.

"I promise I won't," he said, gently.

Zach trembled and lowered his mouth down. Fawley didn't scream like he did, but the sensual moans where there. He said his name. His name... like they were a couple. Zach went lower and remember Fawley's warning. His throat did not appreciate the obstruction and wanted it gone, but Zach was determined to do this properly. Fawley had been so good to him. He wanted to make him happy. He could taste the bitter, salty taste of Fawley's precum coming out. He sucked harder, determined to milk his appendage for every drop. He went up and down his shaft, trying to go deeper and test his limits.

Fawley rushed out a warning. "Zach... I'm coming to come. You don't have to swallow. It's a lot at once."

Zach eased back, but didn't let go. He would take Fawley's load. He sucked at the head until Fawley released and his mouth filled up with his fluids. He forced himself to swallow it all and lapped at Fawley's soft member until he had gotten everything.

"Rowena's wit... Zach... that was amazing," Fawley breathed and Zach hummed at his praise.

Zach laid next to him and Fawley cupped his face and kissed him. He was surprised, but kissed him back. He had never kissed anyone before. Fawley let go and stared into his eyes.

"Are you okay? Not too traumatized?"

"No. It was fine. I liked making you happy," he admitted, truthfully. Fawley had saved him. He cared about him and no one had ever cared about him before.

"I am happy, Zach. As long as you are okay with it?"

Zach nodded, but lowered his eyes. "You helped me so much... more than anyone ever has. I don't mind being... with you."

"I like being with you, too, Zach."

Zach snuggled up next to him. He wondered if that meant they were boyfriends, but he was too afraid to ask. Fuck buddies is what Fawley called it and it was better than nothing. He wished that it could just be him and Fawley together forever. But it would never be that easy. He was stubborn prick and Fawley was the richest kid in the school. Zach was his dark secret, easy to dispose of at the drop of knut.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm tired," he lied. Well, he really was tired, but he doubted that he could sleep. So, he did what he knew. He kept his mouth shut and didn't say anything like he always did. Fawley stroked his cheek and stared into his eyes.

"Sleep. Wake me up when it hits, okay?"

Zach nodded, but didn't sleep. He woke up Fawley twice, but the third time, Fawley was sleeping so peacefully, he couldn't bring himself to do it. He slipped out of bed, walked over to the table and thought about Fawley as he used his crippled hand to pump himself. He finally came and started crying. He was so fucked. Trapped. He was considering giving up.

"Zach?" Fawley said, getting up and coming over to him.

He didn't answer and after a few minutes of trying to reach him, Fawley picked him up. He was not light either, though he had lost a lot of weight this month due to the potions... and not eating and sleeping. Fawley carried him back to bed.

"I told you to wake me up," he whispered as he tucked him under the covers.

Zach didn't say anything. It was always safer. Maybe he just wouldn't talk anymore... see where that got him. He couldn't meet Fawley's eyes.

"Hey... look at me," Fawley said, gently. Zach complied. The fire was still crackling and lit up his face. "It's going to be okay."

Zach dropped his eyes. He was never going to be okay. He broke down crying and Fawley held him tight, for a long time.

"Zach?" he tried, when he stopped whimpering.

He didn't want to answer. He just looked at Fawley and then cried into his bare chest, more.

"Merlin, Zach. I'm right here. What's wrong? Come on... talk to me."

Zach just shook his head, but Fawley pulled his head up.

"Honey? Come on...."

"No, please..." he begged, cursing himself for answering. He just wanted to be invisible.

"Oh... honey... why don't you talk to me about quidditch? Why do you like it?" Fawley asked, trying to distract him. It worked.

"T-There's no w-walls. It's the fresh air... open s-sky. The adrenaline as I maneuver across the pitch, carrying the quaffle. My teammates support me, not try to attack me. No skill involved. There are no expectations other than scoring. My team didn't hurt me if a missed a goal, which I rarely did. It's the one thing I'm good at."

"Zach... there's skill. You were amazing in that Gryffindor match three years ago. You beat them almost single-handedly."

"Weasley sucked at being a keeper."

"And what, the other six members just let you score on him?"

"They had new beaters and Ginny was the seeker."

"Their chasers were awesome, Zach. They should have had more interceptions, but you didn't give them a chance. You didn't let them score. If your seeker hadn't been sick, you would have slaughtered them. Why do you think McGonagall picked you to be the captain?"

"I haven't been on a broom in a month," Zach said, hating himself. There was no way he could fly when it triggered. He hadn't even called a team practice, yet.

Fawley sighed. "I'm sure you're good at other things."

"Yeah right. I've always been a weak bitch," Zach said, crying, again.

"Holy eagle shit... you aren't weak. You're going through a lot." Fawley held him and after another bout of sobbing subsided, he asked, exasperated, "Zach, how the fuck did you get the mind healer to sign off on your form?"

Zach wiped his eyes and looked at him. "I lied. I'm good at that, too, I guess. I took two Calming Draughts and put glamours up."

"She still didn't see through it?" he laughed, dryly.

"She tried. My dad's sent me to enough healers that I know the drill. They want to see you connect with your surroundings, be calm and admit your faults. They're pretty easy to manipulate and I maneuvered them into telling my father what he wanted to hear. She was tricky. Very confused about my answers, but she didn't have enough time to figure out what was wrong."

Fawley considered this. "Do you lie to me?"

Zach looked at him. "No... well... a little. I'm not exactly okay."

"How about wanting to do this?"

Zach met his eyes. "I liked it and you. I didn't lie. You're the first friend I've ever had. I don't have to lie to you. My dad... he didn't even know until my third year that I was in Hufflepuff. I don't think he even knows I play quidditch. He thinks I can talk to people and I'm showing people that I'm in charge, because that's what he has to hear. I can't promise you I won't lie, but not about the big things."

Fawley nodded. "Really third year? He wanted Slytherin for you, then, I suppose?"

"Yeah. I knew I'd never survive it."

"My dad wanted me to be in Gryffindor, like him and my brother."

"Ravenclaw is a good house."

"Unambitious, generally. Not a leader or fighter, but he wasn't upset with me or anything."

"Mine was. Course, he was madder that I lied about it."

"You didn't think he'd notice eventually that you weren't in Slytherin?" Fawley asked, wondering how Zach thought that his plan wouldn't backfire.

"He didn't really have the time of day for me. Just quiet suppers where he barked orders at the house elves and his assistants. He found out when he got a letter from Professor Sprout saying my grades sucked and she was concerned."

"Did he hurt you?" Fawley asked, gently.

Zach bristled at the comment. "No. J-Just yelled."

Fawley looked at him for a bit. "I see. So, that's how you wound up in Hufflepuff? Opted out of Slytherin?"

"Yeah. I'm too stupid for Ravenclaw and I'm too much of a coward for Gryffindor. There was only one another choice," Zach said.

"You're not stupid, Zach, and you're withstanding more pain and suffering that most people wouldn't have been able to handle. Most people would have surrendered and begged for release."

Zach shivered. He lowered his head more. "I don't know how much more I can take."

Fawley hugged him. "Zach... just apologize. That's all you have to do."

He sobbed, and repeated, "I can't. I can't!"

"Why not?"

He said nothing. He couldn't tell him. They'd hunt him down. SAD would tell his father and he would disown him. He had no future without him. He was barely more than a squib and he was hiding it for so long, that it was a part of him.

Fawley sighed. "Honey... please tell me."

He shook his head. Time to go back to not talking. He really wanted to see how far it would go. Fawley tried to convince him to talk, but he didn't reply. Silence was safer. Fawley helped him come when it triggered, again, and then he forced him to go to sleep with a lite Sleeping Potion. He went out like a candle, but was woken up when his dick started hurting. He felt Fawley's hand pumping it, but his blue eyes opened.

"Sorry, didn't know if it'd help or not," he explained.

His decision to not talk was already forgotten. "It doesn't work like that. I have to be awake... in the moment. Stimulation isn't enough. I need to be actively engaged. It's why it takes so long for me to... do it. Why my hands hurt...."

"Well, you're awake, now. Let me stimulate you."

Zach smiled and, immediately, perked up. Fawley helped him come and a few more times until morning. He forced another meal into him and asked him to come there at lunchtime. Zach didn't agree, because he didn't want to promise something and not come. His dorm mates would be wondering where he was for the last ten hours. They didn't need anything more to be suspicious about.

Fawley helped him get dressed and gently caressed his cheek while he stared at him. "You can come to me for any reason, alright?"

Zach nodded and couldn't help but say, "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Zach left and considered his next set of maneuvers. Ron had taken his bait and joined. He only had to help him trap the fuckers, but they would hang themselves with the rope they made. But he needed to get rid of the map, still. Dean would be a good mark for that. Zach just hoped they would get a move on, so he could be rid of the pricks. He slowly trudged up through the sleeping portrait of Joan and up the steps. He quietly entered his dark room and went toward his bed.

"Well... well... look who the kneazle dragged in," Wayne said, lounging in Zach's desk chair. He stood up, walked toward him on his brand-new, muggle-made kneecaps and grabbed the front of his robes, lifting him up slightly. "Let's talk about where you ran off to, bitch."

Finally! Sorry about the wait... but wrote an extra-long chapter to make up for it. Broke 21K words! Longest chapter! I could have stopped, but it all kinda tied in with each other. But I got distracted this last month. Beat Majora's Mask on N64 in four cycles! Woot woot! That took a bit and I got Disney Plus. Fun! But since I started writing this tome, I don't usually watch TV. I kinda enjoyed vegging out for a bit. Break needed.

In other news, I've started Duolingo app and maybe brush up on my french. I'll give a whirl, eh?

So... I've been enjoying breaking Zach... am I cruel?

Anyone get psyched out by the pic at the top? Wa ha ha ha... it would be perfect. Wouldn't it?

I can't promise when 67 will come out, hopefully by ides of February? But thanks for holding out with me and thanks for all your support!