Harry dragged himself to Slytherin to get Malcolm Treeloft for his trip to the Ministry. He didn't know why he felt so tired. It seemed he could only think of one thing at a time. He knew he had to get Treeloft out on his project but there was something else urgent he needed to discuss with Dumbledore, but now he couldn't remember what it was.

He made it to Slytherin and reached it the same time Draco rounded the corner. Seeing him, he suddenly felt a surge of happiness and he tried to smile, but he had little energy even for that. Draco, on the other hand, merely glared at him. Harry tried to think. Had he done something to make Draco mad at him?

"What are you doing here, Potter?"

"I need to see Treeloft. Could you get him for me?"

Draco didn't reply but said the password and quickly swept through the door. Harry frowned. He needed to talk to Draco, but what about he couldn't remember. He yawned. Too tired. He'd have to drop by the hospital wing and get some pepper-upper.

After a short wait, Treeloft climbed through the door. He wore his sullen expression like a mask. Harry smiled, trying to brighten his mood. "Come on, Malcolm. It's not the end of the world." He laid his hand on the boy's shoulder and steered him down the passage, or was it to keep himself upright?

As they walked Harry asked, "Anymore thoughts on your accident, Malcolm?"

"No, sir," he answered quietly.

"Given any thought to telling me why you were near Hufflepuff?"

"I was just walking!"

"What about when you left my class yesterday?"

Treeloft stopped, jarring Harry. "Is everything going to be the third degree? Do I have to answer all these questions?"

"I'm just concerned, Malcolm. It seems to me that someone wanted to do you great harm. You could have been killed."

"Yeah? And who would have cared?"

Harry took him by both shoulders and looked him in the eye. "I would have. And if things are that bad that it doesn't matter to you, then yeah, I'm going to keep asking you questions. You don't have to be this sad, Malcolm. You know you can talk to me. I'd never tell anyone what you said."

Treeloft looked at Harry with a concentrated gaze, eyes narrowing, mouth falling lax. Harry could almost feel the sadness in his eyes. It might have been easier simply slipping into his mind but he didn't think that would be fair to Treeloft, too much of an invasion. Instead, he quietly contemplated the boy's brown eyes. Treeloft took a breath and opened his mouth to say something, when a group of girls turned the corner, laughing and chattering. The moment was broken and Treeloft returned to the sullen expression Harry had come to know. "Can we just get on with it?" he said instead, closed again.

Harry sighed. "All right. Let's go."

They got to Harry's study and stood before the fireplace until green flames erupted and Ron Weasley emerged, wiping off the soot from his cloak. "Hiya, Harry."

"Hi Ron."

Treeloft looked up at him sourly.

Ron measured Treeloft and then looked up at Harry doubtfully.

"Malcolm, this is Mr. Weasley. Ron, Malcolm Treeloft."

Ron extended his hand. "Mr. Treeloft. You and I are going to work very closely today. We've got a lot of interesting projects and we'll learn all about Muggles and the objects they use to get by. It's really quite fascinating."

"I'm sure it is. Sir," he said, eyes on the ground.

"Now remember, Malcolm," said Harry. "I want you on your best behaviour. If I hear of any trouble from you by Mr. Weasley, or any rudeness-"

"I know, Professor," he whined. "I won't do anything."

"Good lad. See you later. Ron."

Ron nodded to Harry and steered Treeloft into the fireplace. "Ministry of Magic!" he yelled and tossed down the floo powder. They both vanished in a flourish of green flames.

Harry stood at the fireplace for a minute, swaying with fatigue. He was heading somewhere, but where? Maybe if he just sat down a minute he could catch up. He settled himself in the leather chair at his desk and promptly fell asleep.

* * *

Draco entered the Slytherin common room and it was full of students. They looked up at him warily. "Is Adams here?"

Plainly the news of the suit had traveled to Slytherin. They all looked uncomfortable and dared not look him in the eye. "This stops here and now!" Draco announced. "I don't know what you've heard but I did not do what they are accusing me of. Haven't I got enough problems? You think I'd be stupid enough to molest a student? Especially a stupid little bint like Adams?"

Some of the students seemed to take this better and they chuckled. Maybe Adams wasn't much beloved by the others.

"I'm no idiot. I'm a Slytherin, for pity's sake. If I were to pick on anyone it would have been a Gryffindor-" Murmurs of approval rumbled through the room. "Not that I would molest any student, mind. I don't like any of you all that much." A titter of laughter. "So. I need to perform a little experiment. Who knows what this is?" He held up the phial, covering the label with his hand. He turned, showing it to the room. They could plainly see the color and the swirling motion it made in the bottle.

One sixth year near the dorm steps raised his hand. "I think it's Attitude Draught, sir."

"Excellent. Ten points to Slytherin. It is Attitude Draught. Is Attitude Draught dangerous in any way?" Heads shook. "Good. What are some of the properties of the draught?"

"It changes one's attitude," said a fourth year in front of Draco.

"It nulls the effects of Poly Juice potion," said a fifth year next to him.

"Exactly. I need someone here to give this Adams."

The room fell silent.

"Oh come on. It's just a change in attitude I'm looking for. I'm not going to do anything to her. She's obviously out to get me for whatever reason. Do you really want me to be kicked out of the school?"

There were mutterings of disapproval. Most of the Slytherins seemed to like Draco. He was just their kind of bloke.

"Well then. Who will be brave enough to do it? Anyone?"

A pause, and then a few hands went up. Draco smiled. "That's the Slytherin spirit, boys." He handed it off to one of the volunteers. The other boys who raised their hands gathered around him and looked at the bottle studying the liquid. Suddenly, Adams came down the dorm stairs and stopped dead when she saw Draco. Draco sneered at her and put his hands at his hips. "Hello, Adams."

All at once the group of boys grabbed her. She struggled and for one so small, she seemed to be managing too well on her own. But the boys were big and wrestled her to the ground amid the encouragement of the others shouting. Draco stood over the proceedings, thinking to himself that this would never happen in Gryffindor and how glad he was to be Slytherin.

They forced her mouth open and dumped the contents of the phial in. Scrambling out of the way, the crowd made a circle around her to watch, uncertain what they were going to see. She sputtered, rolled over on her hands and knees, and climbed to her feet. She wobbled a little from the affects and then turned her face toward Draco.

Now we'll see!

But besides a grin on her face and a brighter look to her eyes, nothing happened. Everyone in the room was disappointed. And Draco was downright furious.

* * *

Draco waited till the night when everyone was in bed. Since there was nothing for him in bed anymore, he got up and crept through his hidden door. The library was at the top of the stairs to the dungeons. He wondered vaguely where Madam Pince's rooms were. As long as she didn't actually sleep in the library he'd be all right.

He was terribly disappointed about the Attitude Draught. He was certain she was using Poly Juice potion to disguise herself, but now he wasn't so sure. But he was still certain she wasn't what she seemed. He had to get a look at those records.

He crept forward, aware how it looked for a grown wizard to be creeping around Hogwarts, especially when he was a teacher there, but it couldn't be helped. He made it to the library and pushed open the door. Now where were those records?

He made his way to her office and raised his wand. "Lumos," he said and looked around. A large file cabinet in the corner might be it. "Alohamora," he said, waving the glowing wand, and the drawers slid open. He thumbed through the top drawer. "Adams, Adams. Aloysius Adams, Amy Adams…Antonia!" He grabbed the file and drew it out. But when he tried to open it, it wouldn't budge. "Alohamora!" But it wasn't as simple as that. He suspected that it wouldn't open for him no matter what he did. "Damn!"

"Professor Malfoy."

Draco spun. His wand's light illuminated the face of Albus Dumbledore.

"This is very serious, Professor. Breaking and entering into school files?"

"Headmaster…I…I…"

"Please." He reached his open hand forward, beckoning for Draco to give him the file. Draco slowly surrendered it and stepped back, breathless. Once Dumbledore had it, he tucked it under his arm and said, "Would you come with me, please?"

Draco's shoulders wilted. Caught. There was nothing for it. He whispered "Nox," to his wand, put it back in his pocket, and followed the headmaster out. They walked in silence through the darkened corridors all the way to Dumbledore's office.

Once inside Draco was directed to a chair which he slumped into. Now he'd done it. How did it look to be caught red-handed with the file of the student he was supposed to have molested?

Dumbledore made his way sedately to his chair at his desk and slowly eased into it. He raised his eyes to Draco, looking at him over the rims of his spectacles. "I expected better of you, Mr. Malfoy."

"I'm…I'm sorry, Headmaster. I just wanted to see what was in those files. You see-"

"And I must say. I am very disappointed. I heard that today you incited the Slytherins to attack Miss Adams. Not only was this extremely unwise, but also very unprofessional."

Draco was beginning to think he hadn't changed at all from his Hogwarts days, the way Dumbledore said it. His face was stern. There was no hint of a twinkle in his eye. He felt again that horrible creeping feeling the day he was poised on the top of the tower to kill Dumbledore. His wand was aimed at the old man's heart but, even knowing his parent's lives were at stake, he couldn't summon the curse to do it. And then Snape had come up behind him and done it instead; that terrifying curse. And he watched Dumbledore sail over the edge of the tower in death-except that it hadn't really happened that way. At the time of course, Draco had thought it had. He lived with that nightmare, too. And now this other, as he faced the man he was once ordered to kill.

"But I was sure, I was positive she wasn't what she seemed. Otherwise, I never would have done such a thing, sir."

"Explain yourself, Mr. Malfoy."

"There's something not right about her. She's too strong for a little girl. And she can occlude her mind."

He raised his bushy brows. "Indeed. Interesting."

"I only forced her to take Attitude Draught."

"Ah! I see. And what happened?"

Draco blew out an exasperated breath. "Nothing."

"Hmm."

Draco looked up, now that the old wizard didn't seem angry with him anymore. "Sir, what about this suit? What's going to happen?"

"Cyrus Loengrin is determined to put it forth, I'm afraid. I believe he has it in for you, Draco. Any day now I expect the board to override me and force you to step down."

"Then maybe I should just do it now and get it over with."

"And have child molestation on your record, Draco? Oh no. I shouldn't think you would like that. There would be nowhere you would be welcomed. No. I suggest we fight it. But if you insist on breaking into school files and attacking the complainant, there may be little I can do in your defense."

"Sorry, sir. I…I just feel so helpless."

"Yes, I know. What about Harry? Surely he has some insights."

"Harry…is busy these days." He lowered his eyes. He could feel them stinging and he hoped Dumbledore would dismiss him before he burst into tears.

Dumbledore looked at the file he had placed on his desk. "Since you went to all the trouble to see this, we might as well have a look."

Draco's weepiness suddenly disappeared. He edged forward on his seat and stretched his neck to look at the file. Dumbledore performed a simple unlocking spell and opened the file. There were several parchments in it but when Dumbledore looked at them, he frowned. He lifted the pile of papers up and showed them to Draco.

They were all blank.


On to Chapter Nine
"The Dreamless Sleep"

Back to Chapter Seven
"Transformations"

Chapter Index

Mystwriter's Story Page