He never gives up
Lets go of his dream
His world goes around for his one true belief
Is that how you know
Is that what it means?

Silence greeted Harry's suggestion. McConagall stared at him as if he had grown another head. Draco and the rest of his house mates stared at him in surprise.

In the quiet, Dumbledore rose from his seat and walked to where the Sorting Hat sat on its shelf. He picked it up and placed it on his head. The other occupants of the room waited while he had a silent conversation with the Hat. When the discussion was over, he removed the Hat from his head and looked at Harry solemnly.

"It seems that Mr. Potter is full of surprises," he said, giving no indication that he already possessed the information Harry had just shared. "After considering this matter and consulting the Sorting Hat, it is my decision that Mr. Potter be moved to Slytherin House immediately. A second sixth year room will be added, and two of his year mates will be moved into the dormitory with him. I believe that one should be Mr. Malfoy. I will leave the selection of the other to you, Severus."

"I will consider the matter thoroughly, Headmaster," Severus said. "It might be better, though, to keep it to just the two of them for the time being."

"As you wish, Severus," Dumbledore said, seating himself once again behind the desk. He picked up his wand and waved it, transforming Harry's uniform and robes from Gryffindor to Slytherin.

"Minerva," he said as he set the wand down. "If you will, I would like you to get the three young men involved and the rest of the Gryffindor Prefects. Severus, your Slytherin Prefects are dismissed. The house elves will take care of the matter of moving belongings." Dumbledore then picked up his tea and began sipping it as McConagall left, followed by the majority of the Slytherins.

Draco stayed behind.

"Excuse me, Headmaster," he said, stepping up to Dumbledore's desk. "If Potter's staying here while the others are brought in, I'd like to stay for moral support."

"That is very thoughtful of you, Mr. Malfoy," the old man said, smiling at him paternally. "You may stay if Harry has no objections."

"No, sir," Harry said. "I know this might get nasty, and Ron at least is a little afraid of Malfoy."

"Very well," Dumbledore said. "Severus, would you come up to the library for a moment, please? Mr. Malfoy, Miss Granger I would appreciate it if you would go to the observatory. You may watch when your classmates enter, but you may not interfere. Professor Snape and I will be watching, as well. We will not allow anyone to harm Harry."

"Yes, Professor," Hermione said reluctantly, rising from her seat. Harry hadn't even noticed that she was there. She smiled sadly at him, and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, before walking past Dumbledore's desk and into his private observatory.

Draco did not smile. He gave Harry a nod and a pat on the shoulder, and then followed Hermione. For a few moments, Harry could hear their voices as they discussed who would be where and then even that trace of their presence died down.

Snape ran one hand through Harry's hair, and then bent to brush his lips over the scar. After that, the followed Dumbledore without a word, but he made sure that Harry saw which shadow he stepped into to conceal his presence.

Before Harry was truly prepared, the door opened to reveal Ron, Seamus, and Dean. The other Gryffindor Prefects filed in behind them, and then stood a distance away from them. Harry saw all of them focus on his robes, taking in the Slytherin colors and crest.

"So," said Ron. "The snake shows his true colors."

"You just couldn't wait to tell the Headmaster, could you?" Dean asked snidely. "You have no idea what a reaming we got from McConagall on the way up here! She took thirty points apiece! We'll lose the house cup this year, and it's all your fault!" Dean whipped out his wand and aimed it at Harry.

"Expelliarmus!" Harry cried, holding out his empty hand. Dean's wand smacked into Harry's waiting palm as the Griffindors turned pale at the display of both power and discipline.

"That tears it," Seamus said. "Only dark wizards can use wandless magic. He's been this way since second year. Snape must have just finished the job."

"Is that so, Mr. Finnegan?" Dumbledore said, stepping to the top of the stairs that led to his private library. He looked around the room for a moment, and then leaned on the handrail with his empty hands in plain sight.

"Nox."

At Dumbledore's word, all of the candles in the room extinguished themselves, and the room was plunged into the gloom of the fast-approaching night.

"Lumos."

Snape's voice was nearly inaudible, but it was enough to make the Gryffindors twitch and look up after the lights came back on to where their Potions Professor stood next to the Headmaster in an identical position.

"Mr. Finnegan," Dumbledore said. "You will serve detention with Mr. Filch for two hours every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday for the next two weeks. You will also write an essay detailing the discipline and power necessary for the use of wandless magic. It will not be less than three feet of parchment. You will also write an essay on the differences between dark and light wizards and magic. That essay will not be less than two feet of parchment. You will have both of these essays finished by November third."

"But it's Halloween tonight!" Seamus whined.

"Then you had better get started," Hermione said, stepping out of the observatory. Malfoy stepped up beside her. Both of them had their wands in their hands.

"You are dismissed, Mr. Finnegan," Dumbledore said. He turned his hardened eyes on Dean.

"Mr. Thomas," he said. "You will also serve detention with Mr. Filch on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday of the next two weeks, and you will write an essay of no less than five feet of parchment on the laws in the Wizarding world concerning partners of the same gender. You will also have his by the November third. You are dismissed."

"Mr. Weasley," Dumbledore said, walking down the stairs and stopping in front of Ron. "I have already written to your parents about your prejudices against Professor Snape. I am certain that their reply will prove an adequate deterrent to prevent you from allowing your opinions to cloud your judgement in the future.

"You will be punished for taking matters into your own hands that are best handled by and through a member of the staff." Dumbledore continued. "For the next two weeks, you will serve two hours detention each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday with Mr. Filch. Each Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, you will serve two hours detention with Professor Snape. You are dismissed. Your first detention will be tomorrow night."

"You will also hand me no less than three feet of parchment, Mr. Weasley," McConagall's voice came from where she stood at the doorway. "The paper will be on the importance of respecting authority and allowing disturbances to be handled by those in charge."

"You would have just let Harry get away with everything again!" Ron exploded. "He never gets punished for anything!"

"That will be another ten points from Gryffindor, Mr. Weasley," McConagall said, her face reddening with anger. "After your detentions with Mr. Filch and Professor Snape, you will serve detention with me." She stepped aside and motioned for Ron to precede her out the door. She nodded to Dumbledore and beckoned to Hermione, and then followed Ron.

"Severus," Dumbledore said, suddenly looking very tired. "Please take Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Potter to their dorm. This has been a very long day."

"What about the Halloween Party?" Snape asked. "I know that a large number of students have been looking forward to it."

"I just need some time to rest, Severus," Dumbledore said. "The students need time to get into their costumes. I know that Minerva will not forget that those who have been disciplined cannot attend the party, but you might want to keep an eye out, just in case they decide to try."

"Yes, Headmaster," Snape said. He did not have to tell both boys to follow him, and the three of them left Dumbledore sitting at his desk, looking incredibly old and frail for the first time in their memories.

~*~*~*~*~

In Slytherin, word had already spread through the Prefects about the events in Dumbledore's office. The entire population of Slytherin House was in the common room when Snape arrived with Harry and Draco following him.

"Mr. Potter is now a Slytherin, as he always should have been," Snape said. "I expect the rest of you to behave as if he were always here." His gaze swept the room, and then he left after a nod to Harry.

Once he was gone, Draco led Harry to the same couch that he and Ron had occupied during their unproductive trip to Slytherin in their second year. Draco dropped onto one end, and indicated that Harry should copy him. Harry let himself drop into the other side of the couch.

"So, Potter," Pansy Parkinson said, sitting across from them. "Where's your costume for tonight?"

Harry grinned. No one would ever expect what he was going to be dressed as.

"It's in my trunk," Harry replied. "You'll have to wait until I get into it."

"Would you like some help?" she asked, smiling at him. Harry couldn't help himself: he recoiled with a shudder.

"Not a chance, Pansy," Draco said. "If anyone's going to help Harry into his costume, it's going to be me. Besides, you know what happens to girls that go into the boy's dorms."

"That's just a story," Pansy said, waving her hand dismissively. "There's no way a dangerous curse is on the dorms."

"You are incorrect, Miss Parkinson," Snape's voice interrupted the conversation. "I would suggest you all get ready. Remember, this is for fourth through seventh years only. First through third year students will be having a party here in the common room." He waited while the students filed out to change for the party, then gave Harry one of his rare smiles and left in a sweep of billowing robes.

"Come on, Potter," Draco said, rising reluctantly from the couch. "We're not going to get out of it, so we might as well get ready." He led the way to their new room, which seemed almost bare with only the two beds in it.

Carefully, Harry extracted the magical box from his trunk and tapped it with his wand to extract his costume. He worked out the bodysuit, shoes, tail, and headpiece. He could not manage to fasten the wings himself, so he turned to ask Draco for help.

The two boys looked at one another and started laughing.

Ten minutes later, the Slytherin common room fell silent despite the large number of costumed students in it, as a Pegasus and a Thestral entered the room, arm in arm.

~*~*~*~*~

Would he walk on water?
Would he run through fire?
Would he stand before you when it's down to the wire?
Would he give his life up,
To be all he can?
Is that, is that, is that how you measure a man?

When the Slytherins entered the Great Hall for the Halloween Party, they found that the other three houses were already there. Several professors were ranged about the room, and Lucius Malfoy was in one corner, accompanied by his ever-present escort. He smiled when the Slytherins came in.

Harry wondered privately what Hermione was going to think of his costume, but then decided that he didn't need her approval. The other Slytherins seemed to think it was brilliant. Even Malfoy thought it was brilliant.

After a moment's pause, Draco turned to Harry and held out one hand.

"Would you like to dance, Harry?" he asked, a mischevious twinkle in his eyes. Harry looked up to where Snape was standing near one of the doors. Severus nodded slightly, so Harry nodded to Draco.

It was during the second dance that there was a sudden commotion in the corner where Lucius Malfoy was sitting. Harry and Draco turned to see Lucius sliding down the wall, his robes covered in shining crimson. The auror assigned to guard him was looking around on the floor, and then turned towards the main part of the hall.

"Stop that rat!" he cried.

Girls screamed and climbed onto chairs. Boys pulled out their wands and started looking around on the floor.

Harry saw a brownish lump moving across the floor, and pulled out his own wand, sending stunning spells after it as quickly as he could cast them. He could hear others, including the distinctive sound of Hermione's voice.

Finally, just before the rat reached the doors, it was pounced on by two balls of fur. Mrs. Norris grabbed its tail and Crookshanks grabbed its neck. The rat squealed and transformed back into Peter Pettigrew, which made him a perfect target for the assembled students.

Four curses hit him at once, and then one stunning spell dropped him like a marionette with cut strings.

Assured that the Animagus would not get away again, Harry turned towards Draco to find his dance partner walking slowly towards his father. Harry followed, watching while Draco worked at the straps that held the costume together and discarded everything but the white bodysuit and shoes.

When they reached the corner, Snape was kneeling next to Lucius Malfoy's body, his head bowed and his shoulders shaking. Several of the other instructors, including McConagall, looked as though they might be ill. Vaguely, Harry heard Dumbledore telling everyone to return to their Houses, and they could continue their activities there.

Draco dropped to his knees next to his father, ignoring the pool of blood that soaked through his clothes and seemed to cling to everything that came near it. Harry did not know needed more comfort, so he went to Snape first and put a hand on his shoulder. Severus reached up and squeezed Harry's hand, then released it. Harry interpreted that as a sign that Draco needed him more.

When Harry came around the body to Draco and touched his shoulder, Draco looked up at him with blank, empty eyes. It was as if the life had drained out of Draco when the blood drained out of Lucius' body.

"Draco," Harry said quietly. "You can't help him. Let them get him laid out. Come with me." He held out a black gloved hand, silently willing Draco to take it.

After staring at Harry like he did not know him, and then staring at Harry's outstretched hand, Draco put one hand in Harry's and allowed himself to be helped to his feet.

"Take him to Poppy, Potter," McConagall said, her voice choked with emotion. Harry nodded and started to lead Draco away.

"No," Snape said, rising from his kneeling position. "I will take charge of him. He is in my house, and his father . . . swore blood-brotherhood with me. Draco is my responsibility." He quickly scrubbed the remnants of tears from his face and faced McConagall unflinchingly.

"Very well, Severus," she relented. "He is probably going to need some calming potions, and then a Dreamless Sleep or two."

"I am aware of that, Minerva," Snape said. "Do not concern yourself. I know what Draco needs." He beckoned to Harry and led the two of them down to the dungeons. TBC

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