Loyalty vs. Love
A week after Valentine’s Day, Dumbledore summoned Draco and Harry into his office. Draco already had an inkling why the headmaster wanted to see them and what he wanted from them.
“Lemondrop?” Dumbledore offered when they entered the office. Harry took one while Draco politely declined. His parents had taught him to never accept sweets from suspicious looking people, and the headmaster definitely was suspicious with his merrily twinkling eyes and colourful, flowery robes.
“I’m sure, you boys are wondering why I summoned you here.” Dumbledore said.
“You want us to help you find the diadem-horcrux because you couldn’t find it yourself, right?” Draco drawled. Harry elbowed him and whispered “Don’t be rude.”
“Very well deduced, Mr. Malfoy. I’m glad to have such a clever head on our side” the headmaster said astonished.
Draco inclined his head and bit his lip to suppress a snarky comment. He was on Harry’s side, not “their” side that was led by Dumbledore. The old man was alright with sacrificing people – Harry – for his cause, so Draco felt more than a little rebellious.
“I understand, that you young people have a better understanding of the castle and its hiding places. I would be delighted, if you assist me in the search. It would also be educational for you to deal with a horcrux yourselves, so you may be able to deal with the last one. I’m afraid, the possibility of being confronted with the last one in battle here at Hogwarts is high.”
“You seem eager to let children fight for you” Draco said speculatively.
Dumbledore narrowed his eyes slightly. “I’m afraid an involvement is inevitable. Voldemort will come to Hogwarts to remove the last obstacle, that means killing Harry. And when he comes, the students will be endangered. That’s why I let everyone willing train to be prepared.”
Draco wanted to argue with Dumbledore some more, wanted to confront him to train child soldiers. And why weren’t the adults enough? Why push the fight onto children when Dumbledore had his precious Order? But he was stuck on another part of Dumbledores word. “What do you mean, Voldemort wants to kill Harry? Why? I thought, the Dark Lord doesn’t know about Harry being a horcrux. Besides, Harry isn’t a horcrux anymore, so what use has he to him?”
Dumbledore glanced at Harry who sat quietly in his seat. Sighing, Dumbledore explained. “There is a prophecy that states ‘either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives’. Tom knows of this, so he will come to kill Harry.”
“So, either Harry dies and we are all doomed, or he becomes a killer” Draco said faintly. He looked at Harry who was pale as he was reminded of his fate but had a determined look on his face. Draco took his hand and squeezed it. “That’s not fair.”
Dumbledore’s eyes sparkled as he watched the interaction. “To widen the chances for Harry’s success we have to destroy all the horcruxes. I take it, you’re up for the task, young Malfoy?”
Draco nodded stiffly. “I’d do anything for Harry’s sake.” The twinkle in Dumbledore’s eyes intensified.
“Harry?” the headmaster inquired. “You can count on me, sir” the black-haired male answered dutifully.
“Good, good. I’m quite certain that the ghost of the Grey Lady knows something about the diadem because she is the daughter of Rowena Ravenclaw, Helena. She wouldn’t speak to me, but maybe she will listen to younger people. That’s the only clue we have regarding the diadem. I want you to find the diadem and bring it to me, so we can destroy the horcrux in my office.”
“Well, that was a bust.” Draco sighed. They had talked to the Grey Lady. She was unfriendly at first but with a little sweet talking and complimenting she willingly told how the young Tom Riddle, a very handsome boy, charmed her to give away the hiding place of the diadem. No wonder she wouldn’t talk to Dumbledore, he was neither handsome nor a charmer.
That Voldemort took the diadem from the Albanian forest and returned then to Hogwarts to hide it wasn’t very helpful, though. All the Grey Lady could tell them was that Tom Riddle seemed very confident in his hiding skills.
So now, Harry and Draco trudged through the castle, having no clue where to search. “Maybe we need to put ourselves in Voldemort's shoes” Harry mused.
Draco scrunched up his face. “No, thanks. I’m not going to pretend to have the mindset of a maniac.”
Harry ignored him in favor of mumbling to himself deep in thoughts. “Where would we hide something if we were sure that no one else would find this place?”
“McGonagall’s private chambers would definitely be a place no one would dare to search. Maybe he hid the diadem between her knickers.” Draco snickered.
Harry slapped his arm. “Be serious, won’t you?”
The blonde Slytherin smirked “I thought that was your godfather.”
Harry groaned and took out the Marauders Map. “I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.”
Draco took a look over Harry’s shoulder and gasped. “You have a map of Hogwarts that shows you all the names of the people in the castle? Seriously?”
Harry shot him a warning look. “Yes. It shows every hidden passage. We should find suitable hiding places with this.”
Draco inspected the map and frowned. “I don’t see the D.A.'s training place anywhere.”
Harry took in a sharp breath. “Draco, that’s it! The map doesn’t show the Room of Requirement because its creators didn’t know the room existed! And we found it last year by accident! The room gives you the place you wish for. If Voldemort knew of it and wished for a room to hide the diadem, the room would give it to him!”
With an enthusiastic “Come on!”, the Gryffindor dragged Draco to the room.
As it turned out, Harry was right in his assumption. On the seventh floor, Harry paced three times in front of the entrance to the Room of Requirement, thinking about a place where he could hide something. A room appeared, full of old stuff. There were mountains of books, toys, furniture. Everything possible was to be found in the room.
It took them nearly two hours to find the diadem in all the piles of junk. Draco wanted to give up several times but Harry stubbornly continued searching until something sparkling caught his eye.
Crying out triumphantly, the Gryffindor held the diadem up and they returned to Dumbeldore’s office. Draco was feeling very smug that they found the horcrux in just one day – well, Harry found it. But Dumbledore didn’t, though he probably searched the whole past month. And that was something to feel smug about, Draco thought.
Dumbledore praised them highly and presented Harry with the sword of Gryffindor. Draco wondered what use the horcrux destruction demonstration would be to him. He was a Slytherin, he couldn’t wield the sword. And will Harry have to carry the sword with him all the time during the battle until a chance to kill the snake presented itself? This whole thing was not quite sophisticated, Draco sniffed. He would have to ask father for a horcrux destruction spell.
Harry swung the sword and slammed it against the diadem. A dark blood-like substance oozed from where the diadem was cut and a very loud, high pitched scream rang trough the office. The scream mixed with Harrys own screams of agony. The sword fell out of Harry's hands and the boy fell onto his knees.
“Harry!” Draco yelled worriedly and rushed to his side. But Dumbledore was faster and took hold of the Gryffindor. “Would you wait outside, please, Mr. Malfoy?“ the headmaster asked.
“Wha–No! I won’t leave Harry’s side!” Draco protested and made to grab Harry’s hand, but Harry said “It’s alright, Draco. I’m fine. I’ll be with you shortly. Let me speak privately with Dumbledore, yes?”
Pinching the bridge of his nose the Slytherin nodded and left the room.
Dumbledore helped Harry sit in a chair and opened a desk drawer. “Remus left me chocolate, have some.” Harry took a bite and immediately felt better.
“Was destroying the other horcruxes like this?” he asked and shuddered.
The headmaster nodded. “Yes, it has a temporary weakening effect. I meant to ask you how the D.A. is going.”
“It’s going great, we’re making steady progress. Draco and some of the Slytherins helped us making adjustments and how to act with darker spells.” Harry explained and took another piece of chocolate.
“You and Mr. Malfoy are getting along better than expected. I’m glad that the arrangement doesn’t burden you further.” Dumbledore gave Harry a knowing look.
The Gryffindor blushed as the headmaster continued with twinkling eyes. “Love is the most powerful magic there is, Harry. I think your relationship with young Mr. Malfoy is giving you the strength you need for the upcoming struggles.”
“You seem naively loyal to Dumbledore” Draco said when Harry exited the headmaster’s office.
Harry got defensive. “He is my mentor. He has guided me wisely all this time. I entrust him with my life.”
“I understand that. But you shouldn’t follow him blindly. If not for Sirius he would’ve involved you without telling you everything. I’m afraid he’s using you.”
“If I am able to save the people I care about, I don’t care if he’s using me.” Harry’s voice sounded hollow, resigned.
It made Draco incredibly angry. Where was the boy who fought for his own opinion of what was right? Where was his hotheaded boyfriend that wore his heart on his sleeve? “So you would die willingly, if he told you it’s for the greater good?”
Harry’s face was blank. “Yes, I would.”
Dracos chest ached. It hurt to hear how lowly the person he loved valued his own life. “And if I told you to live and fuck the greater good?”
Harry said nothing.
“You know, I think it’s cowardly to die. It’s the easy way out, saying you could die peacefully because it’s for the sake of others. It’s also very egocentric, if you think sacrificing yourself alone is anough to save us all. The really courageous thing is to say you want to live, to stay with the people you love, and go through the hard times together. Think about it. If you are so willing to throw your life away, you make me wonder, if it’s really love you feel for me.”
With that Draco left for the dungeons. He didn’t like this. He didn’t like this at all. He needed to show Harry how much he was loved and needed alive.