Chapter Text
Harry had been looking forward to this afternoon ever since the plan was set in motion. Today was his final day as a social pariah. Sitting under the beech tree overlooking the lake, finally, two shadows appeared beside him. He just barely kept the excited grin from breaking across his face.
“Hiya, mate.”
He didn’t have to fight the smile anymore.
“Hi, Harry.”
At least they looked hesitant. He stared blankly at the unwelcome company.
“You’ve been impossible to track down lately, mate. But hey, anything to avoid the snakes, right?” Ron made himself comfortable on the grass.
Harry was still perplexed looking between the two visitors, silent.
“Oh, Harry, have they been mistreating you? Oh, it must be absolutely awful! We have to talk to Dumbledore about it! And that Umbridge woman! She’s absolutely vile!”
“Actually mate, that’s what we wanted to talk to you about.” Ron looked over his head at Hermione gesturing for her to go on.
While staring into the distance in disbelief, Harry spotted the two forms he had been expecting. They had paused a distance away looking at him pointedly. He shook his head subtly, waving them off. They’d have to have a fifth-year meeting soon, especially with wherever this conversation would be going.
.
.
.
At no point did they apologize. They didn’t acknowledge his obvious discomfort. They just talked to him as if their relationship hadn’t suffered repeated woes. They needed something from him of course. They needed him to be the savior again.
And most awfully, he was willing to help.
The students needed to be prepared. The war was here and Hogwarts had never been safe. He couldn’t be the only one equipped.
–
He knew they’d be worried if he didn’t get back to the dormitory soon, but he needed to decompress first. The magically conjured fire of the Room of Requirement was warm and soothing. If only he could floo home. Home– where Sirius was. He pulled out the mirror and ran his fingers along the edge. Maybe they could do it. Maybe they would find a way to defeat Voldemort and go on living. Training the students in self defense would help. Giving the Slytherins options would help. Dammit, he looked back into the flames, he was just so bloody helpful.
__
“Why are you even entertaining their idea?”
“He has a point, Draco,” Theo spoke up with others nodding in agreement.
“But why would you help any of those pricks? They treat you like shit. They turn on you every other week. They don’t deserve your help, Potter. You’re a Slytherin! Bloody act like it!”
Everyone looked at Harry.
“You’re right. They’ll tolerate me while I’m helpful and as soon as I resist, even a little, they’ll hate me again. And maybe if you were in my shoes, you’d be able to leave them behind, but I’m not you, Draco. They’re the closest thing I had ever had to a family until this year. What I want most is for people to stop dying, for the fear to end, for this damn war to end. And doing this will help. I think. The more people who can defend themselves the better, and I’m willing to teach them because no one else is. It should be Dumbledore and Flitwick and McGonagall, but they aren’t. This isn’t me rolling over and taking orders. This is me stepping up and making it clear I will stand for myself. This is how I can take control.”
Draco didn’t look satisfied, but Blaise stepped forward saying, “So we’ll change our plan too.”
–
In the following days, the Golden Trio was back together again. The Hogwarts gossip machine ignited.
“Well it's obvious isn’t it? He was sorted into Slytherin! I’d hold you at arms length for a while if you were.”
“I heard he was confounded that first week when he shook hands with Parkinson at breakfast.”
“Reckon they Imperio’d him?”
“No! He can fight it, remember.”
With each meal the empty seats surrounding Slytherin's greatest outcast increased until finally, the Golden Boy was tentatively welcomed once more to his former House’s table the first morning of Hogsmeade weekend.
As Harry walked alongside his old friends to the Hog’s Head, he was roughly jostled by a familiar blonde git. As said git looked back at him with a cheeky smirk, he had to bite his cheek to keep from smiling while Ron cursed after them.
They were arousing suspicion even though Hermione had oh so thoroughly thought everything through. Harry held back the urge to roll his eyes as the crowd of students gathered in a place no students would ever go. On the bright side, this would give Umbridge something to fix onto. She was practically chomping at the bit to catch them doing something.
__
“So?”
Harry looked up suddenly. Everyone was looking at him. “So what?” Had he missed something important? Hermione was the one giving the whole spiel. He just had to teach.
“Is it true?” Corner asked.
“Is what true?”
“What you said…”
Harry looked blankly into his eyes. “If you don’t believe me, that’s not my bloody problem. I’m not going to sit here and tell you all my traumatic stories. If you came for that, then get out. I have no patience for you. But if you think I’m telling the truth, even just a little bit, I will prepare you as best I can for what's coming. I’ve seen enough dead teenagers.”
No one dared to ask him any more questions after that. Hermione finished up the meeting and Harry dodged their disapproving glances and questions as he claimed to need something from his dormitory.
______
He was putting off calling Sirius. He was putting off talking to the snakes. He hadn't touched his parchment to start the 2 foot essay on Chinese Chomping Cabbages. He just wanted to get away from it all for a moment.
But really, what was the good in being alone? His newly acquired companion only gave him an uneasy look as he wordlessly twirled the invisibility cloak over their heads and began walking. He paused fully when Harry opened the door to the girl's lavatory, and Harry had to pull him over the threshold by the arm. With a stern look to stay quiet, Harry continued pulling him until they were just in front of the sink with a nearly imperceptible snake engraving.
“Open," he hissed, feeling the arm in his hold flinch ever so slightly. He battened down the hurt at the reaction and turned to watch his companion’s face as the stones pulled away to reveal the spiral stair.
He gestured, after you, with a cheeky smile.
___
It was only after Harry removed the cloak that Draco finally spoke.
“What the bloody hell is the place?" He has seemingly forgotten his usual polish. Harry quite liked him this way.
“Guess! “
“Guess? The fucking sewer? “
“Nope!” Harry casually magicked the collapsed tunnel to rights and led him through. It was flattering that Draco followed.
“Welcome, Draco! To Salazar Slytherin’s Chamber of Secrets!” He threw his arms out with gusto as the tunnel gave way to the chamber in all of its glory.
Draco had hit his shoulder a total of six times before demanding Harry answer all of his questions. What had happened? Was that a fucking basilisk corpse? Did you seriously defeat a basilisk at the age of twelve? You belong in St. Mungos, how are you still alive? And so on.
After marveling at the grandeur of the Chamber, the two began to wander through the maze of tunnels feeding into the chamber. Harry wanted to know if they all had hidden entrances, perhaps one in a boys' lavatory. So they could get in without feeling like creeps next time.
As Harry scanned the walls for hidden snake insignia, Draco broke their wordlessly agreed upon silence.
“Are you finally going to talk about whatever it is that’s bothering you?”
Harry glared at Malfoy, who pointedly glared back. “I- I suppose it was naive of me to think our plan would work out.” Harry kicked a stray stone across the way. “I guess I just wanted to be your friend.”
“Giving up on me this easily now, are you, Potter?” Malfoy sassed.
“No," Harry huffed out a dry laugh, “I just had a bit too much hope ‘sall. Should've known better.”
They continued on in silence for a few moments. Harry’s eyes stared unfocused at the ground as he twirled his wand in his fingers.
“Now Potter, do you truly have so little faith in my cunning? Don't you know we will just make another plan? And another one if need be. And another, knowing you. And probably five more after that. We aren't going to give up when we finally have the pieces we need to survive this! Now that we are actually working together with you of all people!”
It was supposed to warm the numbness growing inside of him, but all he heard was their need for a pawn. And he was it. He swallowed tightly and nodded. His head stayed down. He cared about them too, of course. Of course, he would do his best to be what they needed. Especially if it meant that people he cared for would be spared the dark mark and its megalomaniac puppeteer. He could do it. He… he probably wouldn't have much longer to spend with anyone anyways. He could be the saviour again. If it meant he could be by his side for just a little while.
Once polished shoes, now scuffed and muddy interrupted his view.
“Harry?”
He sounded strange. Harry looked up.
Draco was just in front of him, looking at his face closely, and he felt like he couldn't escape.
“What is it?” Draco sounded impatient.
“What d’you mean?” Harry could've sworn he had just heard his name in Draco's voice.
“Something I said bothered you? Or you don't agree? You aren't actually thinking of giving up now, are you?” He sounded disgusted at the thought.
“No! No, Draco, I– it's nothing. At least, nothing I feel like talking about, honestly.” Harry hoped beyond hope he'd leave it alone for now. Maybe one day it would be nice for someone to pick away at his thoughts. Pick away at the idea that he only has a few more years remaining. Pick away at the festering wound of always being useful. Maybe one day he could be ‘just Harry.’ Maybe one day someone would still want him even if he were ‘just Harry.’
“Well.” He stopped at what was the apparent end of the tunnel. “Maybe we can come back down here soon and explore. Maybe next time we need a new plan.” He smirked at the blonde boy who was glaring at him for the dismissal, but who was just as excited to see where this supposed dead end would actually lead them.
__
“My my my, you nearly missed curfew, wherever were the two of you spending so much alone time?” Pansy snickered from her perch; their other yearmates giggling along.
“Potter was just showing me his basilisk,” Draco said.
“What?!” Pansy jumped up as the peanut gallery burst into hysterics.
“Draco!” Harry admonished.
“Wait! No! Not–” Draco had flushed an intense shade of red.
“Good for you Draco. Is there anything else you’d like to share with the class?” Blaise teased.
“No– it's an actual basilisk!”
“Good for you, Potter!” Theo thumped him on the back.
Harry couldn’t stop laughing long enough to help the hot-faced blonde.