this either — not tonight, not on Harrys birthday, not when-
The touch of a hand on his shoulder almost made him jump out of his skin. Reflexively, his hand flew outward — but his enchanted sword was, of course, gone. He turned quickly, and saw, standing before him with a serious look in his blue eyes, Albus Dumbledore.
'Mister Malfoy,' said Dumbledore quietly. 'I was wondering if I might have a moment of your time.'
Still in a haze, Draco followed Dumbledore down the hall and into the drawing-room, which was empty of other guests, and lit with a myriad of hovering colored lights. A faint fire sputtered in the grate.
He could see himself in the mirror over the fireplace mantel: he looked tense, cold and tired. Over his shoulder, he could see the reflection of Dumbledore, standing behind him, looking remote and a little severe, the usual twinkle gone from his eyes.
This wasn?t the first time he had seen the Headmaster since the end of term. Dumbledore had come to the Manor a few days after Draco and Harry had returned, and had spoken with all of them — Harry and Draco, Sirius and Narcissa — separately and together. He knew as much as anyone could about the events that had transpired, down to the last details. He had even commented with some wry amusement that there were no discrepancies in the stories Draco and Harry told, none at all — 'Usually, unless people have agreed on a story beforehand, some details differ in the remembrance. But not yours.'
Harry had shrugged. 'Maybe we just see things similarly.'
Dumbledore had shaken his head. 'No. I don?t think thats it,' he?d said, but had refused to elaborate further.
'So,' said Dumbledore, now. Draco could feel his gaze on the back of his head. 'Draco. You don?t seem to be enjoying the party.'
'I?m just tired, Professor.'
'Yes. One would imagine you might be.' Dumbledore came to stand near the fire; Draco edged away to give him room. He heard Dumbledore sigh. 'So. Who was that girl and what was in the message she gave you?'
Draco turned swiftly and saw the Headmasters sharp blue eyes on him. 'You saw her?'
Dumbledore nodded. 'One of the Singapore Malfoys, if I?m not mistaken. I recognize the gold poppies.'
'How did you know she gave me a message?'
'It was obvious she was at the party merely because of you. She sought you out across the dance floor, and as soon as she had…danced with you, she vanished.'
'Girls seek me out all the time,' Draco felt compelled to point out.
'It hardly makes this a red-letter day.'
'Its refreshing to see that your vanity is intact, Draco. I?m sure girls do seek you out, as you say, but…girls who bear the Dark Mark?'
Draco started slightly. 'Did she? I didn?t see it.'
'You hadn?t borrowed a pair of Fred and George Weasleys X-Ray Specs.'
Draco almost smiled. 'Do those things really work?'
Now Dumbledores eyes did twinkle. 'I think they work extremely well.' He sobered then, and his expression darkened. 'Draco…what was in the message she delivered?'
Draco looked down. 'The truth,' he said. 'And probably some lies.
Headmaster…' He took a deep breath. 'My father is alive.'
Draco held his body tensed for the headmasters reaction, but there was none.
'Yes,' said Dumbledore mildly. 'I rather thought he might be.'
There was a silence then; only the crackling of the fire broke it.
'Theres more than that,' Draco said finally. He turned and met his own reflection in the mirror again. Over his shoulder, he could see the headmaster watching him. 'Hes in service to Voldemort…and he was glad I?d killed Slytherin. He said I?d taken care of the only wizard who could possibly have been an impediment to the Dark Lords rise.'
'Did he, now.' Dumbledore was looking at the fire, his face impassive. 'What does that mean to you, Draco?'
'That nothing I do is right.' Draco leaned forward until his forehead was resting against his clenched fist on the mantel. 'Whatever part of Harry is in me….whatever that voice is that says to struggle and not to waver and to do whats right… it doesn?t work, not in me. I told Slytherin once that you can?t do good with powers that come from Hell. I thought I was doing the right thing and all I did was clear a path for the Dark Lords rise.'
'Only if you choose to look at it that way.' The Headmasters voice was clear and steady. 'Or you could look at it this way. Salazar Slytherin was an immensely evil, immensely powerful sorcerer.
Unopposed, he would without doubt have conquered the wizarding world, and the toll of death and destruction would have been immense. That you prevented. We will deal with Voldemort in our own time. In any case, the battle against Slytherin was yours to fight. The battle against Voldemort…that is Harrys.'
'But if I had known…'
'What would you have done differently? At what point could you have stepped aside? Life is not easy, Draco. The past tempts us, the present confuses us, and the future frightens us. No choice is simple and no one can know what the future holds. Do you think that Harry, when he chose to share the Triwizard Cup with Cedric, knew that it would result in Cedrics death? Did Sirius know that when he trusted Peter Pettigrew, it would mean the death of James and Lily?
What matters is that one fragile moment, the moment of choice. If what you chose was right, no one and nothing can take that from you, not even the uncertainty of the future.'
Draco didn?t life his head, but he felt a slight resettling inside himself, as if a weight had shifted. 'Theres one other thing,' he said. 'Something I don?t understand.'
The Headmaster raised his hand, and the fireplace poker flew into it. Draco watched out of the corner of his
