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Harry Potter and the Unusual Alliance	By : RikuRocks Category: Harry Potter AU/AR > Slash - Male/Male Views: 5752 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to Harry Potter, nor am I making any money from this work of fiction.

Chapter List
- 4
- 5
- 6
Chapter 5: The Locket of Salazar Slytherin.
The four teenagers� tender moment ended abruptly with a load crack.
Harry jumped up, Hermione shrieked, Ron gasped, and Draco�s head shot up so quickly that Harry thought he must have gotten whiplash. All of them simultaneously drew their wands as they recoiled at the sudden appearance of another being in the room.
�Kreacher,� Harry hissed once he recognised the elf, and each of the others put their wands away. �What are you doing here?�
Kreacher bowed low and grumbled, �Master asked Kreacher to bring him the locket from Malfoy Manor, and so Kreacher has brought it.� The elf held out a gnarled hand in which lay a heavy golden locket.
Harry immediately leaned forward and took the locket. As he held it up for inspection, Ron and Hermione walked over to stand on Harry�s other side while Draco leaned closer. Everyone fixed his or her eyes on the golden necklace.
The raven-haired teen heard Draco�s quiet drawl beside him, �Potter?� Once their gazes locked, the blonde� turned his eyes toward Kreacher, who was watching them closely.
Harry followed the fair boy�s stare and got the point. �That�s all Kreacher, you can go to bed now,� he decided to play it safe with the treacherous elf, �But you have to stay in this house and you still can�t communicate with anyone besides the four of us.�
With another bow and a loud crack, Kreacher vanished.
�I think this is it,� Draco commented quietly. �It has Slytherin�s mark on it.�
Harry returned his gaze to the locket and saw that there was an ornate serpentine �S� faded on the front. �It is it. It�s the same one from the memory.� He remembered that no one could open the locket before, but decided to try anyway.
As soon as the bespectacled teen gripped the locket, one of Draco�s pale hands flew over Harry�s tanned ones and held them still. �What are you doing, Potter? There could be protective spells or noxious curses on it.�
Harry almost found it amusing that his former adversary was trying to protect him from possible dark magic. �We all tried to open it last time and nothing happened�except that it wouldn�t open.�
�And how long has it been at the manor since then?� the silver-eyed teen asked, still not removing his hand.
�Good point.� Harry lowered his hands and Draco took away his. The green-eyed boy slid to the floor and lay the locket down and then the others moved so that they were all sitting on the floor around it.
Hermione took out her wand and pointed it at the locket, �Specialis Revelio.�
Suddenly a crimson glow appeared around the edge of the locket as the entire thing took on an iridescent sheen, and purple sparks erupted from it.
�Does anyone have an idea about what all of that means?� asked Harry, glancing at his companions.
�The sheen represents a ward, probably designed to cause the curse -represented by the sparks I�m guessing- to effect anyone who opens the locket by force, or by any means not allowed by the locking spell, which is most likely the red one, as it enveloped the seams that open.� Hermione stated more than suggested.
�I think it�s a blood locking spell,� added Draco. �I�ve seen my father use them.�
�You mean like in the cave?� Harry inquired.
�Not quite,� answered the blonde, �That one required any blood to release it. This is a more complicated version of that spell; it requires a specific blood source to ensure that not just anyone willing to bleed can unlock it. The ones my father set usually required Malfoy blood.�
�So we need some of Voldemort�s blood?� asked Ron. �How are we supposed to manage that?�
�That depends on who set it.� Hermione corrected. �It could have been Bellatrix Lestrange, Lucius Malfoy, Regulus Black, or even Slytherin himself, who set the blood lock, in which case, it would likely require their blood.�
�How do we find out whose blood we need?� questioned Harry; �And how do we get it?�
�Well if it�s any of the people Granger suggested, then my blood should work,� offered Draco before glancing at each of the others, �Anyone have a knife handy?�
Harry headed to his trunk; meanwhile Ron looked at Draco with a confused expression. �What? Hang on a minute, why would your blood work?�
Hermione answered for him, �Because Malfoy is blood related to the first three people I named and, as he was sorted into Slytherin, he technically has the blood of a Slytherin. These spells aren�t that particular, they�re just designed to keep the major population out.� She looked at the blonde, �Correct?�
Draco nodded, and then Harry returned with a small pocketknife. The silver-eyed teen held his hand out, and Harry placed the knife in it, but abruptly held onto both. �Wait, how much blood is this going to take? You�ve already lost a lot, I don�t know if��
The green-eyed boy trailed off when he noticed the expressions on all of the other teens� faces. Ron looked bewildered and a little amused, Hermione looked proud and astute, and Draco looked mildly confounded and almost fearful.
The blonde recovered first; �It shouldn�t take much, I�ll be fine.� His already soft voice dropped further as he added, �You didn�t use a lot in the cave, did you?�
Harry shook his head. �No, of course, Dumbledore opened it on the way in.� He was not sure why he added that last fact, but decided to let it lie. He released Draco�s hand and the knife. �Give it a go then.�
Harry noticed that Ron took out his wand as Draco unfolded the knife and wrapped his left hand around the blade. The pallid Slytherin tightened his grip as he slid the blade across his palm, and then squeezed his fist over the locket, causing blood to drip steadily onto it. The reaction was instantaneous; the red glow reappeared and then turned a brilliant white before the entire locket flashed and then returned to normal.
Draco folded the knife and handed it to Harry, who absentmindedly put it in his pocket. Ron and Hermione were still clutching their wands. Once again, everyone�s eyes were fixed on the locket.
Hermione cast Specialis Revelio again, but nothing happened. �It worked. Well, at least the protective spells are gone.�
Harry reached forward and opened the locket. Nothing out of the ordinary happened. The raven-haired boy frowned; he had hoped that opening it would prove something; instead, it simply exposed a tiny old painting.
It was a wizarding portrait featuring two witches and two wizards sitting together in front of Hogwarts. One of the witches laughed as she adjusted a yellow shawl around her shoulders, the other smiled tightly and wore a dark blue cloak, fastened with a brooch in the shape of a raven. One of the wizards was talking vivaciously as he sharpened a familiar sword; the other smirking wizard kneeled behind the rest, and appeared to be listening as he tucked a golden locket into his green shirt.
�This must have been painted while they were still friends,� Draco remarked quietly.
�Yeah, hard to imagine they grew apart,� Harry commented. �They look so happy together.�

�Well, one turned out to be a right foul git didn�t he?� Ron said vehemently, as he glared at Draco, who did not give any indication of noticing the redhead�s stare or tone.
�Yes, we all know the history Ronald, and this is a lovely relic, but we still don�t know if it�s still a Horcrux or not. Remember the diary?� Hermione looked from Ron to Harry, �It didn�t show anything when I checked it for unknown magical properties or hidden secrets.�
�How did you destroy the diary and the ring?� asked Draco.
�The diary I stabbed with the tooth of a Basilisk,� Harry answered, �But I wasn�t there when Dumbledore took care of the ring.�
�I�m going to check the study,� Hermione said as she stood, �There are all kinds of books on dark and ancient magic there.�
Draco stood as well. �Where are you going?� Ron asked suspiciously.
�We�ll go through the books faster if more than one person looks,� the silver-eyed teen replied simply. Ron hurried past him and started walking after Hermione. Draco looked at Harry over his shoulder as he crossed the room, �Coming Potter?�
�Yeah, might as well.� Harry grabbed the locket and stuffed it into his pocket. �I don�t know if it�s such a good idea to leave you and Ron together anyway, and I don�t know how Hermione will react if you two get in a row.�
�I don�t plan on fighting with him, but if he attacks me, I�m sure Granger will have us both in full body binds before we get too carried away,� Draco drawled as Harry followed him into the hallway.
The bespectacled teen had to stifle a snicker at that comment, all the while thinking that the blonde was probably right. Hermione could be scary when she chose to be.
As they approached the stairs, Harry noticed that blood was starting to seep through the cracks of Draco�s clenched hand. �Wait, Malfoy, let me see your hand.�
The pale boy turned and unfurled his fist, holding it up slightly so that the raven-haired teen could see it. Harry gripped Draco�s wrist and raised his hand further, then he pointed his wand at it and said, �Episkey.� The small wound closed, and Harry cast Tergeo to clean up the remaining blood before releasing Draco�s wrist.
The silver-eyed teen looked at his hand and ran a finger over the small scar that crossed his palm. �Thanks,� he murmured as he turned and continued down the stairs.
Harry nodded, even though the wan Slytherin could not see him. He followed the pallid boy down the stairs, wondering if the two of them would ever be able to live normal lives. Then, he wondered where that thought had come from to begin with.
A few hours later found the tired quartet in the study with a large collection of books strewn around the room. They had resumed their previous seating arrangement, with a few alterations that occurred during their research.
Harry stretched out across the couch he shared with Draco, and was fiddling with a velvet bookmark that had come out of one of the volumes they had checked. The blonde was sitting perfectly poised and delicately turning the pages of the tome he was reading, exactly as he had since they started. Ron was lying across the opposite sofa, having fallen asleep nearly an hour before, and Hermione was sitting cross-legged on the floor with her head rested against Ron�s thigh while she read with obvious annoyance.
Harry was about to follow Ron�s lead when Draco�s quiet voice started him into full awareness. �I think this could work to establish whether an object is a Horcrux.�
Harry positioned himself beside Draco as the latter adjusted the book�s position so that he could read it. Hermione came to Harry�s other side and leaned to read over his shoulder.
�What is this?� Harry asked, not bothering to read the indicated passage in its entirety.
�It�s a spell that was designed to distinguish a recently deceased Inferius from a person under the Imperius Curse,� the pale Slytherin explained.
�Oh! That could work!� Hermione said enthusiastically. �It would have to either detect a soul or a pulse, and there are healing spells that could be used for the latter, so why make another spell for it��
�Because such healing spells are more time consuming to learn,� Draco answered dully, �But it might work. I suppose it�s worth a shot.�
�It�s definitely worth a shot,� Harry corrected. �Good find; let�s try it.� He pulled the locket out of his pocket and held it out in front of Draco. He could have sworn he saw a perplexed expression cross the Slytherin�s drawn face, but it smoothed into his usual indifferent mask in a second.
The silver-eyed teen took out his wand, consulted the large tome before setting it aside, and then gracefully waved his wand with a flourish. It looked as though he were quickly drawing an intricate Celtic knot in the air. All the while, he softly toned, �victus corpus plasmatic vel� in such a rhythm, that it almost sounded as if he was singing to himself. As he finished, the locket took on an eerie moss-green glow.
�That�s the reaction an Inferius would produce.� Draco whispered, eyeing the locket warily.
Harry heard Hermione�s hurried undertone beside him; �The Specialis Revelio spell would have shown something like a transfiguration or a curse.�
�Then it is a Horcrux,� said Harry, who was also looking at the locket with a new sense of trepidation. �Now, how do we go about destroying the bit of Voldemort�s soul that�s inside?�
�What did I miss?� All three looked up at the sound of Ron�s groggy voice, and found him watching the three of them with a curious expression.
�The locket is a Horcrux,� Harry answered without preamble. Then, to the other two, he said, �The ring was intact after Dumbledore got rid of the soul inside, so there must be a spell or something that does it. Now we just need to figure that one out.�
Ron sat up and muttered something as he yawned.
Hermione rolled her eyes, �What was that, Ron?�
�I said, what about the killing curse? Isn�t the soul alive?�
�Ron, that�s illegal!� Hermione protested.
�Besides, I doubt it�s that easy,� Harry added, earning him a scandalized expression from Hermione. �It�s not like I�m going to live my whole life without casting it, Hermione, and it won�t even be the first Unforgivable I�ve used.�
�I still wouldn�t call that easy,� Draco said, nearly inaudibly.
Harry snorted, �It�s an inanimate object with a bit of Voldemort�s soul locked inside; my conscience will be fine.�
The bespectacled teen moved past the others and kept his back to them, but they each came to stand close behind him. The fact that they were willing to stand beside him, while he attempted to cast the killing curse at the tiny object, touched Harry greatly. He draped the locket over a sconce on the wall and pointed his wand at it. After a deep breath, he said, �Avada Kedavra,� in a low, steady voice.
A green light shot out of his wand and struck the locket, but nothing notable happened afterwards.
�Did it work?� Harry asked.
Draco stepped forward and stood beside Harry as he cast the same spell he had used previously. Harry released an irritated sigh when the locket once again took on an eerie moss-green glow, and Draco�s shoulders slouched slightly as he lowered his wand.
�Did anybody come across anything that might work while we were looking for the other spell?� asked Ron, looking at Hermione.
�No, and I thought we were looking for a way to detect a Horcrux and a way to destroy them.� Hermione shot the redhead an exasperated look.
�We were; he was napping,� Draco drawled quietly, �But I didn�t come across anything on destroying Horcruxes either. Actually, I didn�t find anything that so much as mentions Horcruxes directly.�
�I had the same problem at Hogwarts last year,� Hermione commented. �It seems they�ve been reluctant to mention them for a good many years now. I even pored through the restricted section and still couldn�t find anything.�
�Tell me about it,� the blonde commented. �I finally had to sneak into my father�s private study to find out what they were to begin with. Still, you can�t really blame them for being reluctant to inform the masses about something like this.�
Far from having a reaction that any of the boys would have expected, Hermione gasped and her eyes lit up. �But that�s it!� Her excitement earned a fond, amused look from Ron, a bewildered look from Harry, and a mildly curious look from Draco. �If we can just- But it would be very dangerous- Ah! Kreacher! It�s so simple, and with Malfoy- I�m sure we could-�
�Don�t bother, she does this sometimes,� Harry explained at Draco�s questioning expression. �She�ll tell us after she has it sorted out. Right now she�s just thinking out loud, well, half out loud.�
The blonde nodded, and all three boys waited through another minute of babbling patiently before Hermione came out of her machinations. �All right; Harry, you sent Kreacher to Malfoy Manor earlier. Therefore, he can tell us if it�s empty, and obviously, it must be empty for a little while, or someone would have stopped him from taking the locket. Then, we can go there tomorrow -whenever its empty- and Malfoy can sneak us into his father�s private study. It�s the only place we know of that actually has books that mention Horcruxes.�
Hermione�s proclamation was met with utter silence. �Well? What do you think?�
�She has a point,� Ron said hesitantly, turning to Harry before alternating his attention between his two friends. He ignored Draco entirely. �Lucius Malfoy is bound to have something on such a dark invention. Might have even looked into destroying them, in case he was to try and challenge You-Know-Who for his position.�
For a moment, Harry thought that Draco would surely hex Ron for that suggestion, and could not honestly say that he would blame him. Instead, the wan teen tuned his face away and stared coldly at the floor. Hermione gave Ron a reprimanding look, which seemed to puzzle the redhead.
�I don�t know,� Harry said reluctantly. �Breaking into Malfoy Manor to look for something that may not even be there doesn�t sound very appealing to me...especially when we�re counting on Kreacher to tell us when it�s safe for us to enter.� He retrieved the locket and shoved it into his pocket again. Then it hit him.
�What about Knockturn Alley? There�s bound to be a book on dark artefacts in one of the shops there.� He looked at everyone in turn, hoping that one of them would support this idea.
�Actually, with the short supply of reverences, it isn�t likely that they would, Harry,� Hermione stated. �Even if they did, it would be valuable, and they wouldn�t just leave it out for people to view.�
�We would have to tell the shop keeps what we were looking for. It would get back to V-Voldemort,� Draco added, still refusing to meet anyone�s gaze. �We would lose the advantage of surprise�and he might try to retrieve the others before we can reach them.�
�Plus, we know that Malfoy Manor has at least one book that mentions them, since Malfoy,� Ron indicated Draco to explain which Malfoy he was referring to, �Found out what they were there. We might blow our cover looking through every shop in Knockturn Alley for nothing.�
�We�re still relying on Kreacher to tell us when it�s the safest to go there,� Harry said bitterly. �He helped to get rid of his last master; I wouldn�t put it past him to try it again.�
�He helped�but, how?� Draco asked, finally looking at the raven-haired teen. �He would have needed permission just to leave this house��
�He took an order of �get out� literally. It was actually rather cunning for a house elf-� Hermione cut herself short at the sight of the glare Harry shot her. �Anyway, he went to your mother, who was the next in the bloodline.�
�Besides, Dobby managed to leave Malfoy Manor without permission in our second year at Hogwarts,� Harry told Draco.
The blonde looked thoughtful for a moment, before murmuring, �He had permission. I gave it to him.�
Ron�s jaw nearly fell off. Hermione blinked a few times as she registered the information. Harry mouthed silently for a moment before saying, �What?� in a very surprised tone. �Why?�
�I didn�t actually know who he was seeing or why,� the silver-eyed teen explained. �I just told him to make sure he was still available whenever my parents called on him, not to speak of my family to anyone, and not to tell anyone -including my parents- that I had done it.�
Hermione looked curious, �But why would you give him permission to see someone, especially without knowing who.�
The pallid boy released a soft sigh. �It�s not uncommon for wizards to test unfamiliar potions on their house elves to see if they brewed them correctly, or to test the results of experiments. I didn�t think anything of it.� Draco sounding oddly remorseful as he continued, �Until I tried to alter a blood replenishing potion that Snape had given me the recipe for, but I forgot about one of the ingredients reactions to non-humans�anyway, it didn�t go very well.�
Hermione looked like she was about to start up on one of her SPEW speeches, but Harry held up a hand to stop her. He wanted to hear this. After she seemed to regain her composure and Ron put an arm around her shoulders to calm her down further, Harry motioned for the pale Slytherin to continue.
�I fixed him quickly enough, but I felt�odd�about the incident.� Draco appeared pensive for a moment before continuing. �Later on, I heard him muttering about finding a way to speak to someone. I didn�t figure it was anyone important, I mean, he has served my family his whole life, whom could he know? So I told him he could go see this person, but only that particular person, with the conditions I mentioned.�
�So that�s why Dobby said you were a bad master for a house elf,� Hermione mused.
�Why did Snape give you a recipe for blood replenishing potion anyway?� asked Harry.
�Anaemia;� Draco�s gaze had returned to the floor, �But the point is, you should be able to make Kreacher help, if you decide you want to try Granger�s plan.�
�Wait�who would be at Malfoy Manor anyway?� Ron questioned, his brows furrowed. �Lucius Malfoy is in Azkaban, Narcissa Malfoy is in St. Mungo�s, and he�s here with us. Shouldn�t it be empty?�
�Well, normally, yes, but with the kinds of people that the Malfoy�s have associated with, I think it�s better to play it safe.� Hermione was obviously trying to phrase her statement delicately in front of the youngest Malfoy.
�I believe she means that getting caught unaware and subsequently murdered by Death Eaters before we�ve even destroyed the first Horcrux we�ve procured wouldn�t do any good,� Draco drawled, and Harry had the feeling it was meant to draw up a line of some sort. �And quite frankly, she�s right.�
The raven-haired teen looked at Hermione, deciding he would have time to figure out this new side of Draco later. �Okay, you said that nobody else is supposed to come here for a few days, right? Except for Mr. Weasley or Moody stopping by if they get the chance?�
�That�s right,� the bushy-haired girl said with a nod, �And Tonks pops in when she gets a chance, but she usually doesn�t stay for long.�
�Alright, Malfoy,� Harry turned to the pale teen, �Do you think we�ll be able to find anything remotely useful at Malfoy Manor?�
The blonde sighed and met Harry�s eyes; �Yes. There are plenty of shady books in my father�s private study. I was pressed for time when I snuck in before, since I couldn�t afford to raise any suspicion, but I found one book that mentions Horcruxes in detail�and there are others that might have some useful information as well, on more than just Horcruxes.�
�Oh! I hadn�t thought of that!� Hermione responded with the same enthusiasm she had before. �There could be books on all kinds of dark magic, hexes, and curses�they�re bound to mention a way to defend oneself from them as well. Do you think we would be able to take a few books back here?�
All three of the boys gave her their own versions of an incredulous look as they nodded. Clearly, none of them had planned to stick around to read them.
�Technically, we�re not even nicking them, since they�re from Malfoy Manor and we do have a Malfoy,� Ron added.
Draco looked slightly annoyed as he turned to the redhead; �Technically, they aren�t mine, so we are stealing them, but do we really have a choice?�
�It doesn�t matter, it�s not like we�re going to advertise what we�re doing anyway,� Harry stated before the other boys could start arguing. �Now that I got my initial questions answered, I agree that Malfoy Manor is our best bet. So...I�ll have Kreacher scout it out for a day, and tell us if anyone enters or leaves, then we�ll go for it the next day, at whatever time sounds best. Agreed?�
The green-eyed boy looked around at the other three teenagers. He had planned to embark on this task alone, but now he was pleased to have them at his side. Despite that, he still felt bad that he was putting Ron and Hermione in danger anyway�and Draco as well, which he had expected.
After everyone agreed to this plan, they began to discuss ways to phrase the orders Harry would give Kreacher, to ensure that he did not tip anyone off or leave out any vital information in his report. Finally, Harry called the wretched elf, and sent him on his task, trying his best to ignore the dubious commentary that Kreacher grumbled out the whole time.
After Kreacher had gone, and Hermione and Draco had returned the study to its previous state, the four teens retired to their respective rooms for the remainder of the evening. Harry vaguely wondered where Ron as staying, as Lupin had assigned Harry an Draco to the room that they had always shared in the past, and the room certainly didn�t look like it had been used by his friend.
After they had both changed into their pyjamas (Harry loaned Draco an extra pair), the raven-haired boy cast Muffliato at the door out of habit, at the same time his silver-eyed roommate put up a ward. When Harry asked the blonde about it, he merely replied �Habit,� with a small shrug. They each climbed into bed without removing either spell.
After Harry had settled down, he wondered if he would be able to convince Ron and Hermione to let him go on his own after this. Probably not, he thought with a frustrated sigh.
Draco�s soft voice started him in the otherwise silent room; �Something wrong, Potter?�
�What? Oh, no�well, yeah. I just cannot see how I�m going to be able to leave Ron and Hermione out of this without giving them the slip again. I hate to do that to them, but they won�t stay behind otherwise.�
�Hmm�I presume you�ve tried explaining it to them?�
It sounded more like a statement then a question, but Harry found himself replying anyway. �Yeah, but that didn�t work. Like I said before, at first I agreed with them, and we had a plan�sort of.�
�Sort of...?�
�Well, I was going to go back to my relative�s house, because Dumbledore had wanted me to, but just for a visit, and Ron and Hermione we�re going to come with me. Then we were going to go to Bill�s -that�s another one of Ron�s brothers- wedding, and then see my parents� graves, and then go after the Horcruxes together.�
�When did the plan change?�
�Well, McGonagall and Lupin thought it would work better if I stayed at my relative�s house for at least a couple of weeks, so that it could still count as home. There was no way that Ron and Hermione could actually stay there with me, so, they went off to the Burrow, and then we were all going to meet here after Lupin and someone else from the Order picked me up, and then continue with the plan from there.�
Harry rolled on his side, most of Draco�s face was hidden in the shadows of the room, but he appeared to be listening patiently. �After I was at my relative�s house, I started trying to come up with ideas on what the other Horcruxes were and where they were hidden. I couldn�t come up with much, but I started to have second thoughts about letting Hermione and Ron come with me. I knew it would take a lot of time, and would be very dangerous, so I decided to leave before anyone came for me.�
�Why did they want you to stay at your relative�s house to begin with?� the ashen boy asked delicately. �It doesn�t sound like you wanted to go back at all.�
Harry found himself replying before he had made the conscious decision to answer the pale teen. �I didn�t, but there was this protective spell that had to do with my mother�s blood; as long as I stayed at my aunt�s house, just long enough to be able to claim it as my home, I was safe.�
�So they wanted you to stay longer because they didn�t think that just a visit would meet the requirement of the spell,� Draco surmised.
�Exactly;� Harry rolled onto his back again, and tucked his hands under his head. �Now I�m not even sure if I want to leave them behind anymore. If they would just research with me and then stay somewhere safe while I go for the really dangerous tasks alone, then I would keep them involved, but I don�t think they�ll go for that.�
�So then you haven�t explained this. Well, you could tell them that you don�t want them to come, and then offer a compromise after they�ve protested. Suggest to them the situation that you just mentioned,� Draco suggested, making it sound like the most reasonable thing in the world before adding, �Only, you won�t be doing the dangerous tasks alone, Potter; I�m going with you. ...Although I�m not sure if Weasley will find that comforting.�
Harry chuckled; he could imagine the look on Ron�s face if he told him not to worry because he had Malfoy with him. Although he had to admit that he did find it comforting himself. It was nice to have someone to embark on this with that was not in it just for him. Not only could Malfoy take care of himself and be a big help on this task, but he also had his own separate motives.
As he watched the moonlight�s progress across the ceiling, Harry began to wonder when this change had occurred, if it truly was a change, and not just the crumbling of Draco�s walls. �Malfoy, why did you decide to go after the Horcruxes? I know it was to make Voldemort mortal again but�you�ve really put your life on the line now. Why did-�
The silver-eyed teen cut in quietly, �I told you, he has to be stopped. After he-�
Draco�s subdued voice wavered, and as he continued, Harry heard more and more of the thick, pain filled tone that he had heard in the park the previous evening. �He kept my mother alive so he could still use her against me�and still hurt us all. We will never be free, not while he�s alive�and I cannot be the only one in this position. It has to end. I don�t even care if I live or die anymore; I just want it to be over. He cannot harm my parents easily where they are now and I�m beginning to wonder if death really would be kinder then letting them live this way. So, one way or another, I will free my family from him.�
Harry did not know what to say. He began to remember things from the previous year at Hogwarts: Malfoy with dark circles under his eyes, looking thinner and ill. Malfoy crying as he told Moaning Myrtle, �No one can help me, I can�t do it�.I can�t�.It won�t work�and unless I do it soon�he says he�ll kill me�.�

Moaning Myrtle talking to Harry and Ron in the bathroom, �I mean he�s sensitive, people bully him too, and he feels lonely and hasn�t got anybody to talk to, and he�s not afraid to show his feelings and cry!� Too bad he had not gotten around to asking whom�
Harry recalled Malfoy telling Dumbledore that he did not have any options, that he and his whole family would be killed. His hand shaking as he turned a whiter shade of pale...before he lowered his wand, choosing to accept his fate instead of committing murder.
Then suddenly, another memory stood out to him�a conversation that Harry had listened in on, between Malfoy and Snape. One that the bespectacled teen was beginning to think he had gravely misunderstood. �I know what you�re doing, I�m not stupid, but it won�t work - I can stop you.�
�Ah�Aunt Bellatrix has been teaching you Occlumency, I see. What thoughts are you trying to conceal from your master Draco?�
�I�m not trying to conceal anything from him; I just don�t want you butting in!�
�So that is why you have been avoiding me this term? You have feared my interference? You realize that, had anybody else failed to come to my office when I had told them repeatedly to be there, Draco-�
�So put me in detention! Report me to Dumbledore!�

Harry had wondered what had happened to make Malfoy speak to Snape like that-Snape, toward whom he had always shown respect, even liking. Then, he remembered something odd that McGonagall had said long before that conversation, �-And what is more, Mr. Malfoy was not in Hogsmeade today because he was doing detention with me. He has failed to complete his Transfiguration homework twice in a row-�

At the time, Harry had presumed that the pallid boy was slipping up due to the stress caused by the mission that Voldemort had given him. However, Draco had always been smart, always coming in second for their year (after Hermione, of course). In fact, scathing and witty remarks aside, he had always been a good student as well, from an academic viewpoint.
Harry had been so caught up in suspecting Draco that he had not realized that the ashen boy was trying to be forced to see the headmaster without making it obvious that he was doing so.

Clever little Slytherin�

Draco had tried asking Dumbledore for help.

If only Harry had figured it out then. He could have helped. If Dumbledore had been given the opportunity to speak to Draco under less dire circumstances, he would still be alive, Draco would not be in his current state, nor would his mother. Dumbledore would be working on the other Horcruxes with Harry, and he would not have to decide to leave his friends or risk their lives.
Harry swallowed thickly and forced the endless �what ifs� away. He had already decided not to dwell on the things he could not change. He could not help anyone by allowing himself to drown in regrets.
Dumbledore would not want him to blame himself anyway, and with good reason. Harry knew, deep down, that none of it was not his fault�it was Voldemort�s. Draco was right; he had to be stopped, because no one would be free until then.
Harry turned onto his side again and, through the moonlight cascading into the room, saw that Draco had fallen asleep. He wondered if he could get the order to abide by Dumbledore�s offer. Probably not, he decided, but maybe he could get them to keep an eye on his mother. There had been murders in St. Mungo�s before. At least that would be something, and if they ever did recover, maybe it would teach Draco�s parents what made their side the right one. Their son certainly figured that out, and even went as far as joining the right side.
Comforted by such thoughts, Harry was soon sleeping as well.
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Harry Potter and the Unusual Alliance