Draco looked around the Headmaster's office. Fawkes the Phoenix glared at him with one beady eye in a peculiar and unfriendly way. The Sorting Hat sat on a high shelf and seemed to sneer down at him. The paintings of Headmasters long past looked out from their frames, trying their best to ignore him. A very busy and annoying room, thought Draco. He hated it.

Dumbledore took his time getting to his seat behind his desk and finally sat. He measured Draco in that uncomfortable way of his, as if he could see exactly what Draco was thinking. Maybe he could. Then he'd get an eyeful, wouldn't he?

He steepled his fingers and simply gazed at the Slytherin. Draco tried to find a comfortable spot on his seat. "Well, what?" cried Draco, unable to contain himself any longer. "Sir?" he remembered to add at the last minute.

"It's curious, is all, Mr. Malfoy, that you and you alone have retained your powers while the entire rest of the school has lost theirs. The fact that you are the son of a notorious Death Eater, the right hand of Lord Voldemort, is mere coincidence? Yes?"

"Yes. Mere coincidence. Though I don't expect you to believe me. Sir."

"I believe you if you say so, Mr. Malfoy. I am always willing to believe the best in my students."

And that's what makes you an old fool! Draco thought to himself.

"True, I may be an old fool," he said with a shake of his head. Draco's eyes widened. "But I'd rather give the benefit of the doubt than make a student feel unworthy. And I do not believe you are unworthy, Mr. Malfoy. I think you are an achiever of great things. And there are many more great things in your future. The question is, how will you shape that future?"

Draco leaned back, not exactly at ease but not on alert anymore. "What do you mean, sir?"

Dumbledore slanted forward over his desk. "I know that there are many…forces…trying to influence you, Mr. Malfoy. But you must know, that the decision ultimately lies with you."

"Forces? I don't know what you are talking about."

"Really, Draco. Your father must have spoken of my abilities." Then he smiled and chuckled. "Yes, I can just imagine in what way. Well, let me just say, that I understand you have pressures of family from your incarcerated father, your cousins, and from the Dark Lord himself."

Draco blanched. He gripped the arms of his chair.

"I know, for instance, that your father and your aunt Bellatrix LaStrange would like to see you become a Death Eater. I know that these forces are strong and have influenced you for some time, but I hope that the decision will be made by you and your desires rather than a need to prove something. For this is a decision that will haunt you the rest of your life-for however long that may be."

Draco frowned. Was that a threat? Or a prediction? Draco felt the sweat darkening his shirt.

Dumbledore toyed with a quill, spinning it in his fingers. "I need not tell you how vulnerable we are at the moment. The castle has magic of its own, protecting us. But that magic, too, appears to have been wiped clean. We are helpless now if Voldemort should discover it. This is very grave indeed, Mr. Malfoy. Should Voldemort discover us, I have no doubt that many if not all in this castle will die. And while I know you have no especial love for Harry Potter-" Dumbledore's eye twinkled in a way that made Draco's throat dry up. Could he possibly know? "-I do not think you would actually wish to see harm come to him. I do not think I am giving away any secrets when I tell you that Lord Voldemort has a special interest in seeing Mr. Potter dead. And so, Mr. Malfoy, I have a request of you. This request will be difficult, possibly the most difficult thing you may ever be required to do. It will stretch you as a young wizard and possibly influence the future outcome of your choices and career."

Draco swallowed. "You're not making this any easier, sir."

Dumbledore chuckled. "Yes, I do get carried away sometimes. But it is true that it will be difficult in more ways than one. You see, since you are the only one with magical powers, we at Hogwarts need you to protect us."

Draco heard the words but they didn't quite absorb. "I'll have to what, sir?"

"Protect us. And in particular, Harry Potter."

"Potter?" Draco didn't realize he had leapt to his feet.

"Yes. As I said, it will be difficult. You see, Harry is even more important than I. It is vital that he is protected. So much so, that my plan is to put the two of you together in a secret place within Hogwarts until the source of this problem is discovered."

"Together with Potter?" It was a mad idea, and yet Draco's heart pounded at the possibility.

"I'd put you two to work, of course, trying to figure out the cause of this event. Mr. Potter has a great deal of experience in these matters." He leaned back in his great chair and folded his hands. "Can we count on you, Mr. Malfoy?"

Draco sat in stunned silence. There was no question that he enjoyed the fact that everyone was helpless but him. Quite the novelty. But he was equally intrigued by getting to spend so much time alone with Harry, possibly his only and last chance.

He feigned indifference. "No offense, Headmaster, but my being a Slytherin and all-"

"What do you get out of it?"

"Precisely."

"The satisfaction of a job well done." He looked at Draco's expression and shrugged. "Well, I had to try. I don't suppose you'd be impressed by saving the Wizarding world either?" He aimed an eye at Draco and shook his head. "How about the opportunity to do something truly unique? Who knows? You might very well achieve your heart's desire in the process."

There was that damned twinkle again. He hated that about Dumbledore.

"Something unique, eh?"

"Never been done," said Dumbledore. "You'd be the first. And in so doing, your name and deeds will be added to Hogwarts, A History. That will be quite a legacy for you and for Slytherin, Mr. Malfoy."

Draco felt a bit puffed in the chest. His name in the annals of history. Side by side with Salazar Slytherin. He liked the sound of that.

"All right. You've got a deal."

"Excellent." He rose. "I'll get Mr. Potter and we will find a place to put you two."

Draco smiled to himself. Interesting. Alone with Potter, and Draco was the only one with magic. Yes, this could prove very interesting indeed.


On to Chapter Three
"Hidden Suite"

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"Loss"

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