Harry Potter and the Sword of Gryffindor - 10. Chapter 10

The rocking motion of the Hogwarts Express lulled Harry into a state just shy of sleep. He was sitting in a car with Ron, Hermione, and Draco, and had long since tuned out the debate going on between Draco and Ron. Hermione was reading the paper and he had given up looking at the picture of Draco and he visiting the opening of the newest "Potter School for Personal Defense." That was not how he had wanted to spend the last day of his holiday with Draco, but what he wanted didn't count when it came to the war.

The dinner with the Weasley family was a huge success. He'd managed to keep them from killing Kreacher, and Kreacher had been downright pleasant when Mollie said he'd done a good job preparing the dinner. Kreacher had also found a family of elves without a home, and Harry had accepted their service. Draco had to walk him through the ceremony, but it was done. Hermione had a fit when she found out he didn't hire them. That argument lasted for two hours and she had kept trying to give them clothes until they left for King's Cross Station.

The new elves turned out to be relatives of Kreacher whose family had died in the Christmas Terror.

Harry had been asked to attend another meeting at the Ministry with Dumbledore, and was informed that a special committee was being created to 'deal with the Voldemort matter'. Cornelius Fudge himself asked Harry to serve on the committee, and Dumbledore promised that arrangement would be made to make it possible while Harry was at school. Since Dumbledore was the chair of that committee, Harry doubted there'd be a problem.

Harry came home from that meeting and immediately sought Draco, who was in the sitting room having a cup of tea. As soon as Draco mentioned that owls had come from the school saying they needed an extra cauldron for the new semester, Hermione and Ron had volunteered to go to Diagon Alley for them. That was all Harry needed to hear and he all but ripped Draco's clothes off.

Poor Tonks, who had arrived recently, and who Draco had forgot about when Harry ripped his shirt off, happened to walk in at just the wrong moment. Harry had been enraptured in the expressions on Draco's face when he heard a gasp and looked up. Tonks was blushing a bright scarlet, stammered a moment and then ran. Harry was tempted to stop at that moment, but Draco wrapped his legs around him and made it very clear he wasn't going anywhere.

A few hours later, Tonks was still in her room, refusing to come out. What had started as a chess match in the library soon become another love session. This time Tonks didn't walk in, but Ron and Hermione did. Ron just fainted while Hermione started to hyperventilate. Draco growled when Harry tried to take his legs off of Draco's shoulders, and Hermione jumped at the sound, grabbed the unconscious Ron and hauled him out of the room.

Ron, Hermione, and Tonks all refused to come down for dinner and Kreacher had one of the other elves take the roasted pork to their rooms.

The next day, Draco had made "Do NOT Enter" signs that prevented a reoccurrence. The one time Harry tried to talk to Ron about it, the red-head had blushed from head to toe and said "Look, Harry, I just don't ever want to see Draco Malfoy fucking my best friend. I'm scarred for LIFE!" Do you know how many times I taunted him by saying 'You just want to fuck him!'?" Oh man, I'm getting sick just thinking of that. Why couldn't it have been YOU fucking HIM? I could live with that memory, but this?" Harry had just mentioned that if Ron wanted to know what it looked like when Harry was on top that he should ask Tonks. Ron just ran from the room screaming.

He'd heard Ron begging for her to obliviate the memory, but she refused unless he could do the same for her memory. Draco cheerfully offered to do it for him, but somehow Ron misinterpreted that and ran to Harry saying he thought Draco had made a pass at him. Harry had laughed and pointedly asked if Draco's bracelet had fallen off. Of course it hadn't so Ron had to apologize to Draco.

As the train rocked soothingly, and without really thinking about it, Harry reached out and took Draco's hand in his. He'd been a virgin for the first 16 years of his life, he'd dated Draco for months before they ever did more than snog, but now that they had, he felt like he couldn't get enough. Whether it was just oral, or if it was more, regardless of who was top or bottom, Harry just loved every second of it and couldn't get enough. He was sore all over, and had bruises and scratch marks, as did Draco, but he just couldn't seem to stop. He'd considered for a moment getting one of them to move out of the shared room, but the thought of losing that nightly contact with Draco was just too much to bear. They'd just have to test their willpower and keep their promises about 'inappropriate' levels of intimacy while at school.

Of course Hogsmeade weekends they'd bend the school rules (okay break them) and apparate to Black Manor.

"So look," Ron was saying forcefully. "We can come up with all the emergency plans in the world to keep the younger kids safe during an attack but if even one Death Eater In Training knows those plans, they'll be worthless."

"You're not listening to what I'm saying." Draco growled irritably. No one got under his skin like Ron did. "That's the beauty of what I'm saying! It's not really a plan that can allow an attacker to prepare for effectively. By grouping the students together like this, and letting each group choose the spells they use effectively the attackers will have to form large groups of their own, and when they do the older students and Professors will be able to combat them more effectively."

"What lot of good can a first-year casting a weak Expelliarmus do?" Ron retorted."

"One?" Hermione spoke up, joining the debate at last. "Not much. But ten of them being escorted by second and third year students using more advanced spells? I think that might be more effective."

"But it puts them at risk instead of in a safe spot!" Ron was almost whining now.

"Actually, it prevents the attackers from having a single goal." Draco countered a little more calmly. "It makes it more difficult to hunt down students when they are in big groups moving around the castle."

"Surely you're not supporting the idea of putting kids at risk, Harry?" Ron said, snapping Harry out of his restful state.

"Let's discuss it at the Order meeting and see what they think." Harry said, remembering the plan from when Draco had discussed it with him. "Then I'll take it to Dumbledore."

The sound of the door opening brought an immediate silence to the four, and Harry was surprised to see Crabbe and Goyle standing there. The two looked…worried and Crabbe's voice confirmed their worried state when he spoke.

"Harry, Draco, we're supposed to get you two to come to the Slytherin car."

"I didn't know the cars were divided by Houses." Hermione said with sniff.

"This isn't the time for semantics, Granger." Goyle said sharply before turning back to Harry and Draco. "Most of the Slytherins are gathered in the next car forward. There's a small group of sixth and seventh years who want to speak to you two."

"Why?" Ron sneered. "So you can beat them both up this time?"

"It's not like that." Crabbe said. "A bunch of us got some new instructions over the holidays and they want to share them with these two. I'm sure Harry will tell you two about it when they're done."

"Harry?" Draco asked, his eyes telling him that he wanted to go. Harry just nodded, told the other two they'd be back, and followed the hulking forms of the two Slytherins to the forward car. As soon as they reached it, Blaise Zabini grabbed them and pulled them into a very crowded compartment. Goyle and Crabbe took up positions outside it, blocking anyone from looking in. Michael Connors and Jeanne Marditch, two seventh year Slytherins were seated across from Millicent and Pansy Parkinson. Four more people Harry vaguely recognized as seventh and six year students were standing in the crowded room. Blaise was scrunched up against the door behind them.

"We're here." Draco said imperiously. "Before this damn compartment overheats from all these bodies why don't you tell us what's going?"

"Thank you for coming." Michael Connors said in very neutral tones, eyeing them warily. "Draco you know what all of our families represent."

"The most prominent pureblood families stupid enough to follow Voldemort." Draco sneered back.

"Draco!" Pansy barked out sharply. "Your own father is his right-hand man!"

"His mistake." Draco said simply, waiving a hand like he was shooing a fly way.

"Well, your little engagement has stirred up quite a hornet's nest." Blaise said from behind him, and Harry was surprised to hear the muggle expression as Blaise continued. "As did the actions of your fiancé here. He's got half the pureblood Death Eaters worried about their own necks now."

"Aster's father got caught on the Weasley raid." Millicent said, a note of concern in her voice. "She's all worried that she'll be kicked out of Hogwarts now and she's only in fourth year."

"Excuse me," Harry cut in sharply. "Not to sound sanctimonious, but I could care less about her father getting caught while trying to kill my friends. Now will you please explain why you dragged me to this meeting of Junior Death Eaters R Us?"

"What we say here is sealed to Slytherin." Michael Connors said sharply at that.

"He's not Slytherin." One of the sixth years Harry didn't recognize said.

"He almost was." Draco said, and Harry hissed at the thought Draco was going to reveal that now. He wouldn't stop him, but he would demand an explanation in private. "The Sorting Hat wanted to put him in Slytherin that first year, but he'd been led to believe that everyone in Slytherin followed Voldemort and would want to kill him."

"Well, he was partially right." Pansy Parkinson said with a sharp laugh. Everyone was now eyeing him carefully.

"Potter," Michael Connors said after a bit. "Sealed to Slytherin means that what we discuss here does not leave Slytherin House. If you feel the need to discuss it with a Professor, you do it with our Head of the House. Can you live with that?"

"Yes." Harry answered without hesitation. He couldn't help but smile wickedly and ask a question. "Does this mean I'm on an honorary Slytherin now?"

"We might make you our mascot." Blaise said from behind him and everyone in the room laughed. Tension seemed to drain out of the room at that, and Michael was actually smiling as he started to speak again.

"Potter, everyone in this room is the child of a Death Eater." Michael said it like it was just a simple fact, which in a way it was. Harry already knew that piece of information before he'd even come here. "Some of us have every intention of joining the Dark Lord when we graduate, some of us don't know, and others of us probably think about joining your side."

"Dumbledore's side." Harry corrected.

"No." Michael corrected him softly. "Your side. If any of us follow Dumbledore, it will be because they choose to follow you. Just ask Draco. He understands. Dumbledore couldn't stop him last time. You did. You faced him at eleven years old. I know when I saw him last summer I all but pissed my pants and was jumping at shadows for days. All of us who have seen him react that way, and we're technically on his side, not his enemy like you are. You worry him. He believes that you are the only person capable of killing him and the only thing he really fears is death."

"I know that." Harry said sharply. "I was there when he dueled Dumbledore and I saw his reaction when Dumbledore laughed at that statement and told him there were worse things than death."

"That really happened?" Pansy Parkinson whispered, her eyes wide. She just stared at Harry after that.

"Anyway." Michael said impatiently. "Here's the deal. Your little prancing around the Ministry has really thrown him for a loop. He never expected you to act so…publicly and skillfully. He had you pegged as an angsty teenager who would spend the year moping around about his godfather's death."

"Move on." Harry said, his anger showing dangerously in his voice. Michael actually gulped, and Harry realized he was now gripping his wand. He forced himself to relax, waiting for Michael to continue.

"Well, um, so, basically Voldemort realized that the only real resistance his attacks met, were, like you said in the Prophet, from students who had been training." Michael said swiftly. "Now you're getting these schools set up for the general population and so far the ones that have been started are all crawling with Aurors and the people he has in the Ministry have all clammed up tight so he's starting to worry."

"And?" Harry asked impatiently, surprised at how much he was learning, and wondering if he'd be able to get out. Then he remembered Crabbe and Goyle outside, whose loyalties he trusted and he relaxed a little more.

"If Voldemort is worried, you can bet our parents are ten times as worried." Millicent said softly. "They don't want your side to win, but they don't want to see their families destroyed."

"We all know about how Lucius was at your engagement." Michael added. "To the families that event showed that you have come to…understand a little about our traditions and that maybe you can be approached, cautiously."

"You call cautious you dragging me up to your car, stuffing all of us into this compartment with those two goons, who I know are responsible for beating up Draco, standing outside?" Harry said forcefully.

"Everyone else in Slytherin thinks we're just discussing some type of arrangement to admit Draco back into Slytherin fully and to…welcome you as his fiancé. They think it's a pureblood thing, nothing to do with him."

"I've never yet met a Slytherin who was stupid." Harry said.

"What about Crabbe and Goyle?" Millicent murmured.

"Please, I'm not that stupid either." Harry retorted, getting a chuckle from her. "So what exactly is it that you're wanting here?"

"Our parents want assurances that we'll be safe." Michael said softly. "Voldemort has decided that he has to take you out. When he's developed a plan, they'll give us the basic information and arrange it so that if they have to participate they'll either be captured or 'escape' from the failed attack. Nothing more, though. None of us will share any information about any other attack or anything like that. Just an attack on you or the school."

"I'll think about it." Harry said, stunned for a moment. "But I want to make this clear, if a single student dies in any attack, or any of your parents actually cast one spell against a student, they will not receive one ounce of support from me at their trial."

"Understood." Michael said in a firm voice. "We'll pass anything else along through Draco."

"One more thing." Harry said, and Blaise stopped opening the door behind him. "If any student at Hogwarts has accepted the dark mark, they better show up in my rooms the first week of school and talk with me. If you don't, and the dark mark is found on you, you can expect the Dementor's Kiss."

A couple of the people in the room hissed at that, but a single look at his eyes told them how serious he was. A couple nodded as if they understood, and he noticed Pansy starting to raise her right arm to touch her left. She dropped it back down though, and looked at him with eyes that said he'd be seeing her soon.

"We're all students together." Harry said in a much softer tone. "I'd like to think that when Draco and I get married all of you will be there, and will be welcome there. My war with Voldemort is not about purebloods, half-bloods, squibs, or muggles. It's about the fact that he killed my parents, he killed Cedric Diggory because he was a 'spare', and he helped cause the death of my godfather. He's tried to kill me every year since I've been to Hogwarts and I have no doubt he'll keep trying to kill me until one of us is dead. I've got news for him and for you, I don't care what you've done to other people at this point, I'm not helping the Ministry get organized just to save people's lives. It's nice and makes me feel better, but it's not as important as the main goal, to make sure Voldemort never has a chance to try to kill me or the ones I love again. He fears death, in fact it's the only thing he really fears. That's good, because that means he fears me. I will be his death."

He turned and Blaise shoved the door open. Crabbe and Goyle stepped aside and he started to move out of the stifling compartment when another thought struck him. He turned and faced the silent group in the apartment and smiled viciously.

"Oh, and if anyone wants to really kiss up to me," He said in a voice dripping with malice, "all you have to do is tell me where I can get my hands on Beatrix Lestrange. I want to show her I've learned the Cruciatis very well. It will be interesting to see how long she lasts until she goes insane."

He turned and headed back to the compartment where he'd left Ron and Hermione. Draco walked behind him until the reached the appropriate car. Then he grabbed Harry and pushed him into an empty compartment. Harry expected lips to meet his and was shocked when he felt the sting of a slap on his cheek.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Draco asked a stunned Harry. For the longest time, Harry couldn't answer, his mouth opening and closing in shock, his cheek afire. Draco had slapped him.

"Why?" Harry murmured, touching his cheek in shock, eyes glazed in hurt as flashes of memory welled up, Uncle Vernon's cruel fist a constant reminder.

"If I ever hear about you even thinking of using one of the Unforgivables again you will have the distinct pleasure of seeing my bracelet fall to the ground!" Draco shouted, his eyes alight with fury. "I saw it used on my mother once, Harry Potter. I know what it can do to people, I know how it affects your magic, how it affects your thinking I know how it changed my father and I will never be married to a Voldemort! Do you hear me?"

"I…I hear you." Harry whispered, tears starting to stream from his eyes. Draco's anger started to fade from his face, but it all became blurry.

"Oh, Draco." Harry whimpered. "I stood there and watched her cast that spell. He was taunting her, and then it hit him and he fell. I caught up to her and I used it…"

"Cruciatis?" Draco asked in a horrified whisper. Harry just nodded.

"I couldn't hold it on her long. She said it was because I didn't really hate…"

"Shh, love." Draco whispered, taking the now weeping Harry into his arms. "I'm so glad you couldn't really hate her. I don't want you to be that kind of person. That's not the man I love. We'll catch her, and she'll be punished, but we will not use one of those curses on her. Okay?"

"Okay." Harry whimpered, letting the tears flow as Draco hugged him. They stood like that for a long time, long enough that the train was slowing to a stop by the lake before they realized so much time had passed. Darkness had long since fallen, and Harry quickly composed himself before they went to find Ron and Hermione.

"Merlin's Beard, Weasley!" Draco shouted when they did find them. "I know you want revenge for catching Harry and I, but this is really gross!"

Harry didn't know what was more funny, Draco's aghast expression at finding Ron leaning back in his seat with Hermione bent over him, Ron's sudden blush, or the sight of Ron's hard penis as Hermione abruptly sat back up in her seat and donned an expression that would have done McGonagall proud.

"Hey, Head Boy." Draco drawled as Ron desperately tried to stuff himself back into his pants. "Don't you think Prefects should be punished for violating school rules regarding "inappropriate intimate behaviour?"

"You're right, Draco." Harry said with a smirk. "Detention with Filch tonight. The both of you! Be nice or I'll explain the reason why."

Hermione's gasp of outrage was quickly followed by her rushing to cover Ron's mouth as he began cussing at Harry. Draco and Harry started giggling like they were first years as they rushed forward, Ron following closely behind with Hermione practically being dragged down the passageway as she held onto Ron's hand. Heads poked out of compartments as Ron chased them through the entire train. Fortunately the train was stopped by the time they reached the forward car, so Harry and Draco jumped out and rushed towards the first carriage. Draco peeked his head out and started laughing. Harry joined him and also started laughing at the sight of four Gryffindors and four Slytherins standing between Ron and their carriage as he kept shouting every dirty word he knew at the two of them. The carriage took off, with just the two of them inside and Draco leaned forward to start a snogging session.

"You know, we really should worry." Harry said between giggles and kisses.

"Why's that?" Draco asked.

"His brothers do own a joke shop." Harry reminded him.

"I thought you were a primary investor in that business?" Draco asked.

"Well, I am, kind of." Harry admitted.

"Good, then we'll have no problem getting him back if he gets us." Draco smirked, kissing Harry again.

The ride to the Castle was too short for Harry, and long enough for Ron to calm down. When Ron apologized for losing his temper, Harry apologized for walking in on them and giving them detention. He even backed down on enforcing it, after Draco stomped on his foot.

It was dinner time, and Draco separated from Harry at the Great Hall and went to his own table. Unlike the situation before the holidays where he was forced to sit towards the end, Draco was welcomed back to the middle of the table. The feast was good, even though Harry had to deal with Lavender and Parvati trying to dig out exactly why Ron was so pissed. The red head just glowed a bright red while Hermione went into a McGonagall-in-a-huff routine that had Harry laughing his head off.

After the majority of students had finished their deserts and were catching up with each other over the holidays, Dumbledore stood and the hall went immediately silent. The mood seemed to change as people began to remember the events of the tragic holiday and the good cheer that had filled the room began to fade. The Headmaster's face was serious, and sadness shone in his eyes.

"Students, Professors, Staff, welcome back to another term at Hogwarts. I wish I was welcoming all those who left a few short weeks ago, but these dark times have made that impossible. As most of you know, Voldemort's forces struck hard over the Holiday, killing many, many people. Among them were three of your fellow students. Lucas Ridgeway of Ravenclaw stood bravely against the Death Eaters attacking his home, bringing two of them down before he was killed. Marjiata McColan of Slytherin died defending her family from four Death Eaters. Parva Singh of Hufflepuff gave her life protecting her young sister, who is here with us tonight because of her bravery. Parva also managed to strike down a Death Eater before she was struck down by two more."

Several sobs wrenched through the hall at that moment, and Harry felt tears welling to his eyes. He'd known none of them well, but remembered helping them throughout the last term in the D.A. meetings. He viciously fought down the little worries and doubts of whether he could have done any more for them. From the Hufflepuff table a wail let loose from a young throat and he turned to see several sixth and seventh year Hufflepuffs comforting a young first year girl, obviously the sister of Parva. Professor Sprout got up from the head table and made her way over there, carefully lifting the girl from the arms of a seventh year student and comforting her in a soft voice. As he returned his gaze to Dumbledore, he noticed tears falling down Hermione's face.

"As I said following the death of Cedric Diggory," Dumbledore continued once Sprout had the young girl calmed down, "Voldemort has returned. His attack this last holiday period has taken the lives of three more students. Many of your Professors, and I, were here the first time he struck our world, and we know from that experience that it is likely more of us will not return after this term is over. That is unacceptable."

Dumbledore's voice now took on a tone of steel, an edge that Harry remembered well from when the Headmaster had faced Voldemort in the Ministry and a tone that most of the people in this hall had never before heard. Gone was the wise, slightly foolish old man most of them knew. This was the powerful wizard that Voldemort feared, and Harry felt a stirring of confidence in himself, and by looking around the room saw that confidence filling many faces. A look at the Slytherin table revealed several different reactions, including a look of worry in the faces of some of the students with whom he'd spoken earlier.

"The Ministry has wisely decided to allow more preparation to take place at this school than it was previously wanting." Dumbledore said smoothly and firmly. "Despite the fact that we are in middle of the year, changes will be made in the curricula to reflect these dangerous times. Classes will not begin tomorrow in order to allow students an opportunity to choose the new courses that suit them best. I assure you, that those not wishing to make any changes will continue to be able to take their current courses. While Hogwarts will stand to prepare you for these times, we will not forget that other, more peaceful uses of magic exist.

"Many of you have availed yourself of the D.A. sessions that were offered last semester. They will continue to be offered, although on a more official basis and with more frequency. We also will be welcoming a new Professor who will arrive tomorrow. Shacklebolt Kingsley is an Auror who will be stationed here at the school and will be teaching very advanced courses for select students.

"The perils of our times have grown, but do not fear for your safety while in this school. We will do everything possible to protect each and every one of you while you are here, and while you are here we will prepare you to defend yourselves for when you graduate. When you go to your dorms tonight, sleep soundly, because you are safe under our protection. When you wake, be ready to learn. If you do these things, then he will never be able to win. Now, go to your common rooms and prepare yourselves for a safe night's sleep. In the morning there will be information for you about the changes that will offered and you will have plenty of time during the day to make your decisions. Goodnight."

As Dumbledore finished, the hall remained quiet until a few students in Hufflepuff began clapping and cheering. Soon most of the students had taken up the cheering and the mood in the room changed from one of fear to one of confidence. It helped Harry understand the importance of Hufflepuff loyalty. Their courage was quieter, less obvious than that of the Gryffindor, but just as steadfast and in some ways more inspiring when it showed. He looked up at Dumbledore, who smiled gently at him, and somehow Harry knew the man wanted to see him after the hall had cleared. As most of the staff left the room, the Prefects began to herd their houses towards their common rooms. Cho appeared out of nowhere and wrapped him in a hug.

"Oh Harry," She murmured into his ear. "I'm so glad you're safe!"

"Thanks, Chang." He said, and she pulled back startled. He took that opportunity to cross his arms so that the Malfoy bracelet showed, with the crest pointing right at her. She glanced at it, sniffed then met his eyes again with a soft smile. "Is there something I can do for you?"

"Oh, I…uh…" She stuttered for a moment. "I…I thought we could go and visit all the common rooms again."

"That's a good idea." Harry said with a cold smile. "Why don't you go do that."

"Aren't you…" She started to ask, but her voice trailed off as he shook his head.

"I need to meet privately with Dumbledore. It's Ministry business." Harry said and saw her eyes go wide when he didn't use Dumbledore's title.

"I…uh…oh…okay." She said with a half-smile. "I guess I'll see you in the morning."

"In the morning, yes." Harry said, once more borrowing Draco's smirk. He didn't drop it until she left the hall. He sighed and made his way to the Headmaster's office. It only took him three tries to get the right candy. Dumbledore sure was on a muggle chocolate kick lately.

He was surprised to see Draco sitting there waiting for him. Dumbledore waived him to a seat and offered him a Twix bar, which he took but didn't open. Draco just leaned in and sniffed, then growled slightly. He looked so sexy with that jealous look on his face. Dumbledore's polite cough reminded him of where they were.

"You will have plenty of time later tonight to stare at each other." Dumbledore said in jolly tone. "For now, Harry, I have some things to discuss that affect the both of you."

"Why didn't you discuss them earlier in the week when you visited?" Draco asked suspiciously.

"Because it might take a few hours and I felt you two deserved the time while you were not…bound by the rules of this school. Rules, by the way, which I still expect you to follow."

"We understand, and will." Harry said a little sullenly, which caused Dumbledore to laugh for a moment.

"I no longer forget what it is like to be young, Mr. Potter." Dumbledore said, still chuckling. "I told you I made that mistake before and I have learned from that."

"Thanks." Harry said, hoping Dumbledore understood he was expressing thanks for that conversation at the end of last year as well as now. Dumbledore's nod said he did.

"Now, I have called both of you here because I know that despite five years of enmity, both of you have grown and come to act as a team. Those bracelets you wear, which I approve of most wholeheartedly, symbolize a promise of union that I believe already exists. Draco, I see your hand in a lot of the things Mr. Potter has done lately and I see his hand in many of the changes you have gone through as well. Harry, when your parents joined the Order many years ago, I always spoke to them as the team they were, and I will now do the same to you and Draco."

"Thank you Headmaster." Harry said politely. Dumbledore shook his head softly.

"When we are in this room, unless I am disciplining you for some infraction of the rules of this school, please call me Albus. You are still young, but you both have taken on the burdens of adults and have earned that privilege. I advise you though, do not abuse it out of this room."

"We won't, Albus" Draco said softly, a look of surprise on his face matching Harry's own. Harry just nodded.

"Good, now to business." Dumbledore said a little more swiftly than he normally talked. "Mr. Potter, you will be meeting with the Ministry's Emergency War Committee each Saturday at 9:00 a.m. Most likely they will go on past lunch so lunch will be at the meeting. If it's a Hogsmeade weekend, you may leave the school after that. You won't be expected to return to school until Sunday night at 6:00 p.m. on those weekends. I understand you have many…personal items you must take care of now. Use that time wisely. Draco, after much discussion it has been decided that you also will be allowed to attend these meetings to provide your unique insights into our enemy's thinking. While you won't share the ability to vote on the committee as Harry does, you will be important to its work, I believe. The same goes for you on Hogsmeade weekends as it does for Harry."

"Thanks, Albus." Harry said with a smile.

"Now, I want to prepare you for the changes to your schedules." Dumbledore continued. "Both of you are in Advanced Potions, which you will continue. Professor Snape has modified his curriculum and will be teaching potions that are not normally taught unless a student is accepted for Auror training. They are quite powerful and difficult to create."

"Aren't you worried about students who might become Death Eaters learning these?" Draco asked.

"All of these potions are already known to our enemy and his servants." Dumbledore explained patiently. "I will not deny a student the ability to defend themselves when what they are learning is already known to the enemy."

"That's reasonable." Draco said with a nod and it looked like Dumbledore held back a comment before he continued.

"Yes, well. Harry, I'm afraid you will have to be dropping your History of Magic and your Divination courses. You will continue your Care of Magical Creatures courses, as well as your Advanced Charms and Transfiguration courses. You will of course be taking the Advanced Defense courses Professor Kingsely will be offering. In addition you will be attending a regular session with selected faculty to teach you more advanced techniques not normally taught at this school. Various Professors will meet with you each day to give these lessons. Draco, you also will be taking the same courses, although your individual sessions will be slightly different based your own skills. I'm afraid you'll have to drop Muggle Studies and Arithmancy. Before you ask, your individual training will cover many different topics including Occlumensy, legilimancy, offensive potions, and other advanced areas. Harry can tell you how difficult some of these are Draco, and because you are at different levels in different areas, these lessons are being tailored to the two of you."

"Okay." Harry said softly.

"Now, in addition to these courses, your schedules are being adjusted so that you, Harry, will be taking over the instruction of First-Year Defense Against the Dark Arts."

"What?" Harry yelped. He didn't shout, didn't scream, didn't choke. He yelped.

"This has never been done before in the history of Hogwarts." Dumbledore said with a smile. "Then again we've never had a student face down a dark lord four times either. Harry, the first year of DADA training isn't just about learning basic hexes or about vampires, or other creatures. Indeed, Professor Lupin says he's pretty much completed the Creatures sections of the course. We need him to begin Double sections with second and third years who are woefully behind thanks to Madame Umbridge. The most important thing our first year students need to learn right now is to have confidence in themselves. They need to know that they can defend themselves. You have long since mastered the basic spells they will be learning. Remus will help you plan the lessons, Draco will help you deal with communicating effectively with the students, and who you are, and the fact that they are learning from you will help them and their families build confidence."

"Can we take House points if they misbehave?" Draco asked with a malicious smirk.

"Only while you are teaching a class." Dumbledore allowed. "If I find you are abusing that privilege, I will take it away."

"We won't." Harry said in a firm voice and glaring at Draco as he remembered a certain incident in the last year. Draco smirked back obviously remembering the same event and treasuring it greatly. For the first time in a while, Harry felt like smacking that smirk off his face.

"Oh yes, before I forget, Harry will also be taking sword fighting lessons with Professors Snape and Lupin every night at 7:00 p.m. Draco, if you wish you may join them."

"Sword fighting lessons?" Harry asked, confused. "Why do we need those?"

"That would be because of me!" A familiar voice said from behind Dumbledore. The Headmaster turned and picked the Sorting Hat up from a shelf and set it on his desk in front of Harry. The hat shook a little and faced Harry, waiving slightly.

"Oh yes, my boy, we do indeed meet again." The Hat said in its odd voice. "Once more unto the breech you go and my help you need again. Dawdle not, on your head I go!"

Harry took the hint and picked the hat up and once more placed it on his head. He could feel it rumbling around through his head, and he had to resist trying to use his Occlumensy lessons to kick it out. However, it didn't speak in his mind again, but spoke aloud so both the Headmaster and Draco could hear.

"Oh me, oh my." The Hat said after a while. "So many changes I see, so many things gone, so many things arrived new and bright. My, my, had we just met know I would not have doubted and to Slytherin you would go! Yet strong still is the bravery of Gryffindor, though dark things lurk now where before they did not dwell. So young, so much lost, but new things gained, bright and shining, a heart filling that was thought broken and empty. So much to see, so much to feel, rarely ever have I been so overwhelmed. Once before you used me to defend yourself, and a treasure I guard I did loan. Now do not bemoan it's loss, for I find you WORTHY!"

With the last word, the hat flew off of Harry's head like it had been blown by a strong wind. With his fast reflexes, Harry reached up to grab it, but instead caught something he had not seen in years. From the Sorting Hat Harry pulled out the Sword of Gryffindor. Golden hilt, studded with gems, three foot long blade, and the whole thing gleamed in the candlelight of Dumbledore's office. Draco looked at it with sharp eyes, immediately recognizing it from when Harry had told him the story of the Chamber of Secrets. Dumbledore was speaking softly to the Hat, almost like he was comforting it. When he was done, he turned back to Harry and smiled at the gleaming sword. He reached down and handed a sheath with a wide leather belt. Harry took it, and following the directions of the Headmaster belted it on over his robe. Harry sat back down, a little awkwardly since he wasn't use to wearing a sword, and just stared at Dumbledore in silence.

"Harry," Dumbledore began again. "I don't think I need to tell you that no one has worn that sword for more than a few minutes since the death of Gryffindor himself. I have here another sword I am going to give Draco. It looks very similar to Gryffindor's. The two of you will wear them at all times. I believe that your life will depend on it one day. As you discovered the other year, your wand and Voldemort's cancel each other out. If you are ever to defeat him, you will need another weapon with which to work. The Sword of Gryffindor has many properties, even the ability to work as a wand once it has bonded fully with its wearer. To bond, you will need to wear it, and use it constantly. This is not something to shirk off as you did certain lessons last year. Once you can use it as a wand, you will be able to face Voldemort on a more equal basis."

"Does it make me stronger?" Harry asked, touching the sword lightly.

"Not in and of itself." Dumbledore replied. "That is why we also will be giving Draco a sword so that the enemy will hopefully not realize you have it. If you face him again and you have that Sword, he will not expect you to be able to cast spells with it."

"The power of surprise is enough to overcome almost any odds." Draco recited softly from some book.

"Exactly." Dumbledore said with a pleased nod. "Now, tomorrow I will announce that you were both inducted into the Order of the Knights of Merlin this night. Since I'm currently the only surviving member of that Order, it will not be challenged. It should throw off any spies our enemies have here at the school."

"Albus," Harry said, tripping a bit over using the Headmaster's first name. "With all these new duties I don't know if I can still be Head Boy."

"I don't think you can be either." Dumbledore said softly. "I'm very glad though that you pointed that out first. If you will return the badge, I have a new one for you."

Harry reluctantly removed the Head Boy badge and handed it to Dumbledore. Draco touched his arm in sympathy, obviously remembering his own surrendering of his Prefect badge. Dumbledore smiled and then handed over two strange badges, giving one to each. Harry stared at his. It was circular, with a golden representation of Hogwarts gleaming in the middle, a silver star set in the middle of the castle, all surrounded by a circle that was pitch black dotted with the twinkling lights of stars and a crescent moon halfway up one side. Harry glanced over at Draco who held a similar badge, except his did not have a silver star.

"What is this?" Harry asked quietly. As he watched, the moon moved up slightly and he instinctively realized that the circle would change into day representing the time outside. With practice he might even be able to tell time by watching it closely.

"It is a symbol of a new organization I am creating during this time of emergency." Dumbledore said somberly. "There are only so many Professors, and with attacks happening everywhere, there are not enough Aurors to spare some to be stationed here. We are lucky to get Shacklebolt. In the event of an emergency, those who wear this badge, the Defenders of Hogwarts, will be empowered to aid in our defense. They will organize students into groups, escort them where they need to go and defend those students with their very lives. You, Harry, are to be the chief Defender. I will appoint three more from each house, the best sixth and seventh years in Defense of the Dark Arts. They will join the Professors in nightly guard duties, and during any attack, they will defend their fellow students allowing our Professors to focus on defeating any invaders. As chief of this group, you will set and maintain the nightly watch schedules and of course organize any defense efforts in case of an emergency. The duties are nowhere near as strenuous as Head Boy unless we are attacked, then they are far deadlier. Prefects currently perform watches, but they are focused on keeping students from breaking school rules. Such matters are not the responsibility of the Defenders. Of course, as Chief of the Defenders, you will require your own separate quarters and must be readily available to students and staff. As such you should obviously maintain the quarters you currently occupy. As your second, I see no reason why Draco should not continue to occupy those quarters as well. I've had Professor Flitwick do some modifications and there are now two bedrooms both connecting to the common room, although you will still have to share the bathroom. Filch was mightily upset at losing the storeroom and I did not have the heart to take another broom closet."

"Thank you, Albus." Harry said. Truth be told, the only thing he would have missed about being Head Boy was the room.

"My, my it is getting late." Dumbledore said softly. "Just a few last things to take care of. Since Gryffindor had the Head Boy position at the start of the year, I see no reason to not continue that. Ronald Weasely will take your place and occupy the usual Head Boy quarters next to Cho Chang's."

"Oh great." Draco muttered. "Now that git is really going to be insufferable."

"Quite right." Dumbledore said with a chuckle. "I also imagine Mollie is going to quite overwrought with joy, having two sons achieve that position."

"Let's just hope it doesn't go to his head the way it went to Percy's." Harry muttered, earning him a frown from Dumbledore and a giggle from Draco.

"Now, now, Harry." Dumbledore shook his finger. "Don't be so hard on Percy. He may deserve it but it just isn't proper."

That got both Harry and Draco laughing.

"Right, well we will also need a new Prefect for Gryffindor. I will think on that and announce it tomorrow. Please don't tell Mr. Weasley of his imminent promotion. I want to surprise him myself."

"No problem." Harry said with a smile. Truth to tell, he was looking forward to it as well.

"One last thing, I have a good idea of who I want for the Defenders from all the houses except Slytherin. Do either of you have suggestions?"

"Crabbe and Goyle." Harry said without hesitating. "Not only can they be trusted but they are quite good. We've been giving them private lessons."

"Yes, yes." Dumbledore said with a nod. "I often have found myself having to restrain from laughing as they played their act and fooled so many students about their intelligence. Although I must admit I really do believe they fell for the floating cakes."

"Merlin!" Harry muttered, having his world rocked. How did Dumbledore know? Oh wait, of course he knew. Dumbledore knew everything. Draco was just giggling. He sure did seem to giggle a lot these days.

"Who should be the third then?" Dumbledore continued.

"I thought I was." Draco asked, confused.

"You're Harry's second." Dumbledore explained with a trace of sarcasm in his voice. "Harry doesn't count towards the three from Gryffindor and you won't count towards the three from Slytherin. I would not have Slytherin complain they have fewer numbers than Gryffindor."

"Oh," Draco said, pausing to thing for a moment. "Blaise Zabini."

"Are you sure?" Dumbledore asked.

"With my life." Draco answered.

"Very well, then." Dumbledore said with a smile. "The pair of you are dismissed. Oh, Harry, I believe that last term you visited all the common rooms. That was well done. I suggest you take Draco with you if you have time tonight."

"Just what I was planning, Headmaster." Harry said as he and Draco rose from their chairs and left the room. He had kept the candy bar and put it in a pocket of his robe. He had a plan for it, but that would wait for a few minutes. Draco had donned his sword as they had left the office. As they walked towards the Hufflepuff common room, the few older students they saw just stared at them, jaws open. Fortunately none knew either of them will enough to come up and ask what they were for. One difference he noted was that while his hilt was gold, Draco's was silver. Both were just as ornate and obviously made in the same style. Given the colors of their bracelets he thought the differences would actually lend credence to story that would spread about why they had them.

Last week at the Manor, Dumbledore had given Harry a password that would allow him access to all common rooms, and all other student rooms within Hogwarts. It would work on basically every room except Professor's offices, Filch's office, and of course private quarters of Professors, staff, and guests. Silently he cursed not having such a password in previous years. He could have had so much fun. It was spelled so that even if someone heard it, it wouldn't work unless Harry was there. He entered the Hufflepuff common room and was surprised to see all the first years still awake. They were gathered around one of the older students, who was telling them a story. At first neither Harry or Draco was noticed, so Harry got to hear enough of the story to realize, to his embarrassment that the story was about his first-year encounter with Voldemort/Quirrel. How the Hufflepuff had learned the story, and in this detail he wasn't sure, but he suspected Hermione. He'd have to ask her about it. Of course when he was spotted by one of the first years, the story ended. They asked endless questions about his sword, but he gently told them Dumbledore would explain tomorrow. Then he spent a few minutes talking to them, answering question that the story had given them and generally trying to be pleasant.

A few stared at Draco like they expected him to still be vicious, but he actually was polite to them, keeping his caustic comments to a minimum. Harry was quite proud of him. While Draco still didn't like Hufflepuffs, he knew they were useful. When he gave the girl whose sister had died the Twix bar and told her it was from Dumbledore and him, she gave him a big hug and then hugged it to her chest. He idly wondered if she would ever eat it, or just hold it as a treasure.

Wait, she was eleven years old. It would probably be gone before she went to bed. She'd keep the wrapper though, and be very careful when she opened it. They only stayed for about ten minutes and headed to Ravenclaw.

Cho latched onto him immediately and dragged him to a corner demanding to know where his Head Boy badge was and what the new one was for. Seeing the vicious look on Draco's face, he told her Dumbledore would explain tomorrow and walked back to Draco's side. Draco sniffed loudly and let out a soft growling sound only Harry could hear. It was all he could do not to laugh out loud. They only spent ten minutes there before heading to Gryffindor.

'Merlin, I'm getting lazy.' He thought as he claimed the stairs. He'd gotten unused to them.

Gryffindor was harder to calm down about the sword and about his Head Boy badge and the new badges. Damn Gryffindor stubbornness. Ron and Hermione appeared just before they left, looking glassy eyed and both their hair were messed up. Draco giggled again, causing the entire common room to go silent. He blushed at that and remained silent, constantly poking Harry in the side as a signal to get out of there.

He was embarrassed.

Slytherin was the most…eventful. The common room was filled with older students, most of the first and second years having gone to bed. As word spread that Potter and Malfoy had shown up wearing swords, practically the entire house crowded into the common room. Their questions were almost impossible to deflect until Draco began to tell the story of Harry's most recent wearing of the Sorting Hat.

"There we were, waiting for the old geezer to show up after he made us go there after dinner," Draco drawled in that Malfoy voice he had used to torment Gryffindors for five years, "we both were bored so Potter here sees the Sorting Hat. He points it out to me and I decided to really see if that story he tells about almost being Slytherin is true. He puts it on and the damn thing burst into one of its usual drivel songs! Then it starts telling Potter that he's become more and more true and that if they'd just met, he'd not let Potter argue and he'd be…SLYTHERIN! Naturally, Dumbledore came in at that moment and got a shocked looked on his face! I thought he was going to burst his heart. He told Potter that in no uncertain terms are students EVER resorted!"

The entire house cheered at that point, and several of the senior Slytherins went so far as to pat him on the back. Draco grabbed Goyle's hand before he could slap Harry on the back with a comment of: "I'm the only one allowed to bruise him." That got another round of laughter.

Harry found out Zabini wanted to work in law when she started to develop an argument on why Harry should be resorted after all. Pansy loudly demanded that they get a petition together and have every Slytherin sign it, then beat the crap out of any Gryffindor who refused to sign as well. She thought if both houses agreed, they'd get Harry.

Harry just shook his head and wondered what might have been if these people had been his friends for six years. Wait, he'd probably be dead or a death eater.

Never mind.

Although Draco's story had scared him when he first started hearing it, he realized that it did something nothing else would have done. Every single Slytherin would now be told a secret, sealed to Slytherin, that Harry Potter had been one of them at heart. Putting issues of Voldemort aside, Slytherins were mostly from rich, pureblood families and were all ambitious. Fudge himself had been Slytherin, as were most Ministers. He was going to be married to a Malfoy, and these people who survived the war and weren't put into prison would be people he would need to know in the future.

Draco had just handed him more keys to success, the very keys that the Hat had offered him, and he had refused when he begged it to put him in Gryffindor. He now essentially had the best of both worlds.

It was late when they made it back to their own room. Sure enough there was a new bedroom, slightly smaller, to the right of his. Draco's trunk was in there, as were most of his belongings, but when they looked in the wardrobe, it was empty. A quick check of Harry's larger wardrobe showed it full to overflowing. Draco spent twenty minutes sorting out the clothes they used most often, then transferring their dress robes, a few older work outfits, and their Quidditch gear to the spare wardrobe in his room. Then they sat on the couch in the common room, letting the fire warm their bare feet.

They explored the now familiar territory of each other's mouths, necks, and chests for a while. It was when Draco pulled Harry's dick out of his pants that Harry remembered their promise to obey the school rules.

"Damn Gryffindor honesty." Draco growled, but a sly smirk soon appeared on his face. "Harry, the school rules don't forbid masturbation do they?"

"Not really." Harry replied after thinking for a moment.

"Then let's masturbate while snogging." Draco said, a gleam in his eyes. "It's not perfect, but I don't want you masturbating alone unless I'm not around."

"Oh thank god." Harry groaned. "Ron is going to be so happy to hear that."

Draco must have been listening to Weasley cursing on the train because Harry thought a lot of them sounded familiar. When he started to repeat himself, Harry decided to shut him up by kissing him. The shocked look on Draco's face when his own hand reached into Draco's pants was exquisite.

"Let's bend the rules a little while we're at it, love." Harry whispered. Draco's only response was a sultry whimper.