Voldemort strolled down the quiet halls of Hogwarts, his every step echoing off the grand walls. He knew his way around the school like the back of his hand; finding the DA meeting wasn’t a problem to him. He decided to knock before entering, and when no one replied, he turned the knob and entered anyway.
A wind of sound crashed into him like a bucket of cold water. He cringed for a second then heard someone call him.
“Draco!” Hermione acknowledged. “What are you doing here?”
Voldemort looked down at the girl, filled with disgust; the Mudblood who’s always with Harry Potter, he realized. He was tempted to curse her, but Draco’s warning resounded in his head before he did anything. Besides, although he didn’t particularly like her, there was an uncontrollable tingling feeling inside him when he looked at her. He smiled and replied, “DA meeting right? So what are we doing?”
He observed the room and almost laughed aloud as he saw the children and their pathetic attempts at performing the Unforgivable Curses.
Hermione pulled Voldemort to the side. “Draco, what are you doing here?! You know how the others feel about you…especially Dee. She still thinks you’re half Voldemort.”
Voldemort laughed. “You have no idea.”
Hermione gave him a mean glare, which prompted him to elaborate that he was “just kidding”. For some reason, Hermione even was able to intimidate the most dangerous man in the magical world, and while it made Voldemort uncomfortable, he liked that.
“You should leave,” she continued, already pushing him towards the door.
“But wait!” Voldemort cried. “I can help!”
“That makes it WORSE Draco. It’s not going to comfort anyone here that you can do the deadliest curses on this planet.”
Voldemort sighed and gave up as the last of his body was shoved through the threshold.
Oh well, he thought to himself. Missing the DA meeting isn’t that big of a loss; I can have a first hand examination of the battlefield now. He finished his trip around the school, every now and then stopping to picture how the students would scream at the horrors he unleashed then die.
**
It was midnight when the trio decided that students who couldn’t get past Cruciatus would have to be dropped. Another meeting was called for Thursday, and not a second of spare time was to be wasted. The students left one by one and returned to their rooms. Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Ginny stayed behind to call forth the light maps.
Shutting the door behind the last member, Ginny heaved a loud, exhausted sigh and plopped down on a cushion chair that she summoned just seconds before. Harry set up everything for Hermione, who was busy reviewing the spell again. Ron stood to the side, still practicing his Imperious Curse; he’d managed to get the spider to lift a leg, but he was aiming for a jump.
“Okay, lights are going out,” Harry announced as he flicked his wand; Ron automatically sent the spider away.
Hermione began the incantation and within a few minutes the map appeared.
“Brilliant!” Ron approved as he stepped in closer to the table.
“Hogwarts,” Ginny demanded as her wand touched the bright light.
The map spun wildly and reappeared as a magnified blueprint of Hogwarts. Hermione took her wand and traced it down the length of the map, reciting a spell to reveal everyone who was not in their room.
“What the…?” Harry whispered as he poked his wand at a specific name that was traveling towards the dungeons.
“Volde”“ Ron began, but his expression finished his sentence better than he could.
Ginny pointed her wand where Harry’s was and said, “Ocule!”
The little name then disappeared, so did the map, and a visual of the person took their place.
“Oh my god,” Hermione said disbelievingly as Draco appeared on the screen.
“There’s gotta be some mistake-” Ginny tried reasoning.
Hermione shook her head. “No. The map is never wrong.” She took a step back and sat down on a chair. “Get comfortable. We’re going to be watching him for a while.”
Ron groaned, but was happy again once he conjured a bed to lie on. Ginny and Harry sat on the other side of the table, whispering quietly to each other. Hermione smiled to herself, she was glad that Harry had finally gotten back together with Ginny, and she sighed happily.
“So, she gave you another prediction?” Ginny asked in awe.
“Yeah…here.” Harry pulled out the small piece of parchment that he showed Hermione earlier and handed it to Ginny. Ginny read it once, then twice, and then three times.
“Hermione said that there was something about that last line…” Harry told her, hoping it would be helpful.
Ginny nodded and focused all her energy into figuring out the concluding sentence.
“Time recognizes untrustworthy strangers, take validity over lies, disregard emotional, moral, or rational tendencies.”
After skimming it over and over, her eyes became unfocused and took in only some of the letters while she recited it repeatedly in her head. Ten minutes passed, and Ginny’s mind no longer comprehended the words that were playing like a broken record inside her head. Her eyes kept skimming the sentence, and then it came to her.
“Harry!” she said suddenly with a touch of enthusiasm. “Harry, I figured it out!”
“Really?” Harry asked eagerly, moving closer to her to look at the paper.
Ginny nodded. “Do you have a quill?”
Harry pulled a spare out of his pocket and handed it to her. Ginny then started writing hastily on the little parchment.
“Look…T-r-u-s-t”v-o-l-d-e-m-o-r-t…that’s what the first letter from each word spells out…quite a hidden message you got there.” She returned the paper to him, proud of her work.
Harry narrowed his eyes. There has never been a prophecy or prediction or anything for that matter that had hidden meanings in that fashion. “Trust Voldemort huh?” he said quietly to himself. He looked up at the sleeping Draco, hesitant to agree.
**
Two hours passed. Ron had fallen asleep, his soft snores were like a lullaby in the background, but even so, Hermione dared not to close her tired eyes. She watched as Draco/Voldemort, she still didn’t know what to believe, slept peacefully on his bed. Then she heard rustling, squinting her eyes, she tried to see if it was Draco that was making the noise, but then a little giggle joined the sound. Her eyes widened as something brushed across her back in a very disturbing way. She turned around immediately to see whom the offender was. Harry and Ginny were on the floor, making out.
“Ew! Guys!” she scolded in the loudest whisper that wouldn’t rouse Ron.
Harry raised an eyebrow and looked at Hermione.
“Hey Hermione,” he replied casually, and then kissed Ginny again.
“I’m still in the room…” she said annoyed, brushing loose strands of hair out of her face.
“Come on, there’s no point to this, look…he’s sleeping!” Harry said as he threw an arm at the block of light.
“Fine, you two go back to the common room; I’ll watch Draco on my own, since I seem to be the only one who cares,” she hissed angrily.
Harry, too tired to argue, but also too tired to stay, shrugged and got up.
“We’ll take over at five, okay?” he said as he pulled Ginny up.
“Fine,” Hermione replied carelessly, crossing her arms.
Harry woke Ron and the three of them headed back to their soft mattresses.
Hermione huffed, angry that Harry was being so difficult. She sighed and put aside her annoyances, focusing all her attention back on the map.
**
Draco paced nervously around the underground dungeons. The babies were all fast asleep. What was he doing? Why was he working with Voldemort?! He felt his breathing quicken and quickly lost his breath. He was so weak; not only had he switched bodies with Voldemort, they literally seemed to have switched both body and part mind. He felt things he’s never felt before, and he could barely walk twenty feet without having to stop to breathe. He had to get his body back, fast. He could feel Voldemort dying; although he was getting more powerful every day through magic, his health life was bringing him down.
He walked out of the room and his feet carried him to the vortex he wanted; it was funny, he seemed to know things that he shouldn’t have known, and he could definitely do things that he shouldn’t do (but hey, he got the chance to taste power; there was no way he was going to give it up without enjoying it first). He was just about to leave when a red haired man walking down the hall parallel to where he was caught his eye.
“Arthur,” he called. The man stopped in his tracks and turned his head.
“Yes master?” he replied respectfully.
“Come here,” Draco requested, in a voice that almost showed affection.
“Yes sir?” Mr. Weasley questioned as he walked towards Draco.
Draco looked at the man’s glazed eyes and muttered to himself. “Interesting…”
“What is sir?”
“Finite Incantatem!” Draco said, putting a hand an inch away from Mr. Weasley’s face.
“What are you doing?” he asked, wondering what spell the Dark Lord was trying to take off of him.
Draco frowned at the negative response. What curse did he use? He asked himself…if not even I can take it off…Doesn’t matter, a voice said in the back of his head. All spells of dark purpose can be broken with the strength of heart. Draco thought about what the little voice said, and then understood what he had to do.
“Come here, Arthur,” he said as he took a seat in the lounge. Mr. Weasley followed and sat down beside him.
“Tell me, how many children do you have?” he asked, looking at the man with worried eyes.
“Seven, sir. Seven children,” he replied detachedly.
“What are their names?” Draco pressed on, trying relentlessly to draw forth some emotion from the old man.
“Bill, Charlie, Percy, George, Fred, Ron, and Ginny.”
“Aren’t you worried about them?”
“Should I be sir?”
“Will you be?”
“If you ask me to…”
“Okay, worry about your children,” Draco almost demanded. Mr. Weasley’s facial expression instantly transformed from vacant to concern. Draco watched on disgustedly as he began expressing his concerns for his children without heart.
“Stop. STOP!” Draco cried. He sighed loudly, rubbing his forehead with his right hand. There has to be some way to get to him, he thought desperately. Well, there is one way…Draco considered the pros and cons of his newfound idea, and decided it would be for the best.
“Arthur…” he began. “Ginny…”
He saw Mr. Weasley’s eyes flash for a second. “Ginny what?” he asked, once again robotically.
“She….she’s dead,” Draco stammered, hoping his acting skills were credible.
Then it hit him. Mr. Weasley bent down slowly and grabbed at his chest, gasping for breath. He let out an agonized cry as he collapsed onto the floor. Draco watched with anticipation; was this what was supposed to happen?
“Mr. Weasley?” he asked timidly, regretting what he had just done.
The man looked up, sweat running all over his face, and horror struck him like lightning.
“What…what do you want?” he asked, stumbling backwards.
“Mr. Weasley, calm down, I’m not Voldemort,” Draco explained at once.
Mr. Weasley shook his head horrified, turned, and ran for his life.
“Oh great,” Draco sighed. “That was brilliant.” He closed his eyes and tracked the man down with his senses. Then, without knowing it, he appeared right in front of him.
“Cool,” he whispered. “Hi sir. I’m Draco Malfoy.”
Mr. Weasley looked at him with wide eyes, but was starting to believe him. Why would You-Know-Who play around like this? He should be dead if this was really He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. He hesitated, then replied calmer, “Draco…? What…how…”
“It’s a long story, but I’m here to help. Common, let’s go.”
He took Mr. Weasley forcefully by the arm and sent them through the nearest vortex.
**
Hermione was just about to let one eye rest when the door flew open.
“Hermione,” Draco whispered loudly.
Spinning around, she fell off her chair as the most hideous creature met her eyes.
“Hermione, it’s me…Draco,” he continued, “Voldemort somehow made our bodies switch…and, well, you see the results!”
“Draco?” Hermione asked…so it the map was right, she thought.
Draco nodded. “I got Mr. Weasley. Where’s Ron and Ginny?”
“They’re back in the common room…” Hermione replied slowly, still recovering from shock.
“All right, I’ll meet you there,” Draco said as he vanished.
**
Ginny screamed when Voldemort appeared in front of the fireplace.
“My, my, my. What are you guys doing here?” Draco said as he tsk-ed at the kids. Harry jumped up and pushed Ginny behind him protectively.
Draco laughed. “Calm down Potty, I’m not Voldemort. But I do have all his powers, so don’t even think about doing anything.”
Harry let out a relieved sigh. “You know, I never thought you could get uglier than your usual self, but hey, I was wrong!”
Draco scowled, but then smirked as he replied, “Just cause you’re jealous of me doesn’t mean you have to go insulting me. I’m sure you’d be grateful if you looked half as dazzling as I do now.” He flipped a side of Voldemort’s robes in a nonchalant fashion and grinned happily at Harry’s disgusted and insulted expression. Then Hermione came barging in.
“Do ya think you could have at least given me a ride and saved me that trip?” Hermione fumed as she caught her breath. Draco suppressed a laugh.
“Sorry luv, but I’m sure you would have preferred those stairs than the scene I barged in on here.” His smiled widened to the edges of his face.
“Please Draco, don’t ever, ever, smile like that again. It’s creepy enough to have you looking like Voldemort; we don’t need an image of him all giddy,” Harry commented.
Draco then smiled even bigger and looked straight at Harry, Harry shivered at the unwelcome sight.
“Oh yeah, Gin, I got a little present for you,” Draco said, returning his face to normal.
Ginny raised an eyebrow, not really wanting to know what this “present” was. Draco bent down, reached his hand through the vortex and tugged. Arthur, in response, came flying through and landed on the floor with a hard thump.
“Daddy!” Ginny cried happily as she fell to the floor to give him a hug.
“Sweetie,” Mr. Weasley replied, returning her hug. “I’ve missed you so much!”
Ginny started crying happily and squeezed her father affectionately.
“Where’s Ron?” he asked, looking around.
“He’s sleeping,” Harry answered. “Want me to go get him?”
“Nah,” Mr. Weasley said, waving his hand. “Let him sleep.”
Harry smiled as he looked up at the boy’s dormitories.
“So…not to ruin the perfect moment, but, can someone help me out?” Draco asked.
“How do you plan for us to ‘help’ you?” Hermione replied.
“I can sense Voldemort is dying, and if I don’t get out of this body, fast, I’m going to be the one who dies, not him,” Draco said with a little alarm.
Hermione frowned. “Well, we don’t know what spell he used on you…”
“That’s the thing, it’s not a spell…Voldemort has this sort of tenth sense…he can tell when he’s under the influence.”
“Tenth sense?” Harry asked amazed.
“Yeah, it’s pretty cool,” Draco said happily. “He has all the five senses, plus the normal sixth sense where he can tell if someone’s watching him, and he can also detect traitors, liars, etcetera. His eighth sense includes detecting power, which unfortunately, you radiate a lot of.”
Harry smiled proudly.
“Don’t let that go to your head Potter, I’m just telling you things that might help later on. His ninth sense can detect disguises so don’t try anything like the Polyjuice Potion. And then there’s his tenth sense.”
“Wow,” Hermione said after he finished. “Do you know any weaknesses?”
Draco rested his chin on one of his hands, contemplating. “Well, all I know right now is that he’s going to die soon if his health doesn’t improve. If you strip him of his powers somehow, you could probably kill him by simply pushing him.”
Ginny laughed at the image. Poof! There goes the evilest man alive, she thought to herself.
“Alright, well before we start figuring out how to change you back, will you draw a map of all the vortexes?”
Draco shrugged, “Why not?” He conjured a sheet of parchment and a quill out of thin air. It took him less than minute, but the outcome looked like a masterpiece. It wasn’t just a picture, he had little 3-D walls protruding from out of the paper, and it was Hogwarts down to the very last dust particle.
“That’s a very nice quill,” Hermione commented, extremely pleased with the result.
Draco grinned. “Oh yeah! Another thing we have to watch out for…the army. I don’t know how to kill it, which means Voldemort doesn’t know how to kill it either…I guess he doesn’t plan on losing those kids huh.”
Harry frowned. “What do you know about ‘his army’?”
“Well, I am a very important part of it. I’m the key. Basically, I created them.”
“You remember the process?”
Draco nodded solemnly. “Voldemort and I merged our blood with unicorn blood. Then he performed a protection spell over it, followed by a wide variety of other spells. Within a few days, they formed into little balls, which I watched over every night. These things are going to be overwhelmingly powerful if they ever reach their full maturity. They’ll have all of Voldemort’s powers and the Unicorn blood makes them stronger.”
“Why did you help him back then?”
Draco shrugged. “I really can’t tell you that. I’d say it’s some sort of spell, but it wasn’t.”
“It was probably part of being the key to his army,” Hermione suggested. “There’s no point in creating you if you don’t agree to do what you’re supposed to do, right? So he must have factored that in when he and Lucius planned you.”
Draco frowned. “Great,” he replied sarcastically. “I know one thing though, once I’m back in my old body, I won’t be able to keep control of my own mind. The only reason why I know everything so clearly right now is because my mind is protected by Voldemort’s body. I’m under zero influence of anything; I’m completely myself, probably for the first time in my whole life.” He let out a sigh.
Harry looked at him sympathetically. “Well, we have to get you out…you’re dying…”
“I know,” Draco replied sadly.
“Make a list of everything that’s happened to you up to the point where the switch occurred,” Ginny said, pushing a sheet of paper towards him.
Draco picked up the parchment and looked at it. Then he shook his head. “I don’t think that’s going to help.”
“It’s worth a try, don’t you think?” Hermione said.
Draco looked at her, he’s been suppressing it for a while, but being around these people mad him angry and want to kill…he knew it was part of being Voldemort, but that still didn’t make it any better. “Hermione…I’m tired. I’m going to go sleep.” And at that, he disappeared.
“What was that?!” Hermione said angrily when he left. “It seemed like he doesn’t want to switch back!”
“Maybe the power got to his head,” Ginny suggested.
Hermione frowned. “Whatever, it’s his life.” She stormed to her room and slammed the door loudly behind her.
Harry and Ginny look up worriedly. Mr. Weasley, who was standing quietly to the side like a statue, cleared his throat. Ginny averted her gaze to him.
“Yes daddy?” she asked with an upbeat tone.
“Where am I going to sleep?”
Harry smiled. “You can have my bed, I’ll take this couch tonight.” He patted the sofa next to him.
“Ron’s going to wake up to a big surprise!” Mr. Weasley grinned and gave the two of them a wink before disappearing behind Harry’s bedroom door.
Harry pulled Ginny closer to him. “Wanna join me?”
Ginny giggled and poked him playfully in the stomach. Harry laughed and picked her up, causing her to scream. She covered her mouth immediately and laughed even harder. Putting her down, Harry gently pushed her hand away from her mouth and kissed her. They fell onto the sofa, but didn’t let that break them apart. Harry hugged her tightly and together they fell asleep next to the warm blazing fire.
**