CH-10

I his jaw clench as he attempts to control his temper.

"Regardless, you'll have to come," he says evenly.

I nod. "Very well."

"Then your last condition?"

"I'll choose my contact."

"Do you have anyone in mind?"

"I want Granger."

"No," he says immediately.

"Well then, I suppose that's that," I say, getting to my feet. "You can keep the list of shift changes. Call it a parting gift."

"Malfoy, hold it," Potter says. "Sit back down—please."

I watch him as I sit down. What's going on in that head of his?

"I want to know why you would ask for her," he says slowly.

"Why not?"

"I was under the impression that you hated her. Something about Mudblood scum, remember? I just want to know why you would choose her when there are so many other—"

"I have my reasons," I say. "Knowing my rationale won't help you if your goal is to persuade me to choose someone else. I won't change my mind. Now, make your decision. If you can't meet my conditions, I won't help you. After all, it's my neck that will be going on the line."

"Let me think about it."

I shake my head. "I don't have time for that. Can we work together or not?"

"Don't you think you should at least give her a choice to reject you?" he asks.

"Potter, I don't have to be here right now. I can stay on the winning side and be perfectly fine. I don't have to help you. This is something you don't seem to understand."

"Oh I understand, all right," he says. "I just don't want—"

"Then it's simple," I cut him off. "I'll walk out, and we can act like this never happened."

I almost want him to turn down the deal. After all, offering this deal in the first place was a death wish. Who would be thick enough to do this? Oh right, I would.

But he's considering it, and that's enough. I'm almost positive that he'll accept.

It's true that the Order is in trouble.

Although most members of the Order have remained unscathed, Muggle cities are being decimated all across the globe, and there isn't much they can do to stop us without inside knowledge so that they can reach the targeted cities in time to make a difference.

Finally, his green eyes meet mine. I can see that he's given up.

"Fine, I accept," he says.

"Good. When do you want to examine me?"

He doesn't reply.

Since I still have eye contact with him, I dive into his mind. He flinches, and I can feel him scrabbling, trying to keep me out. But his walls are weak, and I pry them apart with hardly any effort.

I'm looking at the back of a rather large boy's head. What the…?

I try to move closer to the present. He's moving down a hallway at Hogwarts, and I hear soft sounds that seem to be someone crying. Then I recognize the voice—it's me. This must be sixth year.

Repressing the anger that rises as I remember how I was attacked, I continue flipping through memories.

I see a dingy room, with a long, very old-looking table in the middle. Many people that I recognize from school sit on either side. There's a fire roaring in the fireplace at the end. Kingsley Shacklebolt is speaking.

Yes, this is what I'm looking for.

I skip forward a few meetings until I hear my name.

"Are we really going to trust Malfoy?" a dark-skinned girl asks.

I recognize her as one of the Chasers on the Gryffindor Quidditch team, but I don't know which she is.

Then Kingsley Shacklebolt is speaking, "We don't trust him. Harry and Ron will meet him to see what he has to say. If he seems trustworthy, they will render him unconscious and bring him here, so that there will be no risk of breaking the Fidelius Charm."

Render me unconscious? Not without my permission.

I withdraw from Potter's mind, and he bolts to his feet.

"Malfoy, you had no right—"

"So, how are you planning to 'render me unconscious'?" I ask him.

He glares down at me.

"It's all right, go ahead and Stun me. I won't resist."

"I should kill you," he mutters, pointing his wand at me.

"You probably should," I reply, smirking.

A flash of red light blinds me.

My body feels really, really stiff.

I'm in a sitting position. Did I fall asleep waiting for Potter and Weasley?

I feel extremely groggy, and I can't open my eyes. I start to lift an arm and find that something's restraining me.

Ropes.

I'm tied to a chair. Then I can't possibly be at Spinner's End.

Oh.

I recall giving Potter permission to Stun me in order to take me to the headquarters of the Order. Ah, so I'm tied up at Order headquarters.

Finally, I open my eyes.

Facing me is an arc of four seats. Farthest to the right I see Professor McGonagall, stern as always. Beside her is Kingsley Shacklebolt, who doesn't look as intimidating as they always say. Lupin looks raggedy, as usual. And my disowned cousin, Nymphadora, sits next to him. I heard of their marriage. It's strange to actually see them together. I can't believe she chose to marry a werewolf.

Then again, I'm hopelessly attracted to a Mudblood, so I can't exactly judge her.

"You're awake," Nymphadora says.

I only nod in reply. I haven't spoken to her in years.

My eyes rest on Shacklebolt briefly, but I shift my gaze to Lupin soon after.

Shacklebolt is the only threat to me mentally. But I'm not worried. He can't be a more powerful Legilimens than Aunt Bella. I shift the barriers in my mind around, hiding away memories that are important to me or reveal secure locations.

"Hello again, Mr. Malfoy," McGonagall says.

"Hello, Professor McGonagall."

She looks at me with a bitter expression. "Hogwarts has been closed for a few years now, Mr. Malfoy."

"You were still a professor," I counter.

"We understand that you would like to turn spy for us," Shacklebolt says.

His voice is deeper than I'd expected. It didn't sound this deep in Harry's memory.

"You understand correctly, then."

"Give us a reason to trust you," Nymphadora says.

"I don't have one," I say truthfully. "There's no reason for you to trust that I can give you any information that you need. But I can."

"Would you consent to being looked at through Legilimency?" Lupin asks.

"You're not a Legilimens," I say. "But sure, I don't mind."

.

.

.

Subscribe to me Patreon for more advanced content ...🎉

patreon.com/Fictiontopia 🎉