The Phoenix and The Dragon

A/N: Thank you for reading and sorry for the long wait. I am currently updating "Staking Claims" but I've had a hard couple of weeks and don't know how long things will be. Please bear with me.

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Harry opened the door to his small room and motioned them inside, not taking his eyes off his two captives for a moment. The portrait was sitting in the middle of his bed, thankfully face up. He walked over and quickly, deciding what his best vantage point in the room, propped it on the desk and stood with his back against the far wall.

Dumbledore just smiled at his audience.

“I think I have some explaining to do.”

“Yes,” Harry smiled grimly, lips tight, “you do.”

“Well then, shall we start from the beginning?”

When no one showed a preference for other wise Dumbledore began speaking. He talked about learning of the unbreakable vow between Narcissa Malfoy and Snape. He talked about the search for the Horcruxes. He talked about Malfoy’s many botched attempts at murder, at which point Draco, sitting next to Harry, blushed furiously in shame and dropped his head. Dumbledore discussed the Order’s involvement or rather their lack of involvement in the horcruxs hunt. And finally he talked about his withered hand and the curse on the Gaunt Family ring.

“You see the curse of the Gaunt Family heirloom was slowly spreading from my hand and there is no known cure for that particular curse. Nasty painful thing it was. Typical of a family with a long history of dark arts practice and skill. It would have killed me Harry. That is why, once Severus told me about his meeting with Narcissa, I agreed that the vow would need to be fulfilled.”

“So the curse wasn’t just on your hand?”

“Are you daft Potter, he just explained the whole thing!” Harry rounded on the blond seated bedside him on the bed.

“I was just clearing things up ferret!”

“Well your bloody thick for being the savior of the wizarding world Potty!”

They both closed their mouths as their ex-Headmaster’s laugh tinkled in the room.

“This arguing brings me to my next point. I believe before you returned from downstairs Severus and Draco approached you with a request Harry.”

The Gryffindor nodded his head vigorously. “Yes, they said they wanted Malfoy to stay here, with me. This is not a good idea sir.”

“What makes you think that Harry?” Dumbledore looked imploringly out of his small wooden frame, as if he couldn’t guess.

“Yeah, how come Potter?” Draco’s smirk was firmly in place, exactly how Harry remembered it and just as infuriating.

“Shut it Malfoy.”

“Boys.”

“Oh, I’ll shut it alright! I’ll shut you up good that’s what I’ll do!”

“Let’s just see you try then!”

“Boys.”

“I won’t have to try, that’s the beauty of it Potter.”

“Malfoy, you couldn’t beat your way out of a wet paper bag.”

“BOYS!!” The two bickering teens froze. The ex-Headmaster rolled his eyes and leaned back in his chair.

“Maybe that was the wrong question. Let me just say Harry that I do think it is a good idea. In fact, it was my idea.”

“What?” Harry’s eyes were wide and his mouth was a limp ‘o’. “But Headmaster, he can’t stay with me. I won’t even let Ron and Hermione stay with me!”

Draco looked perfectly smug as Dumbledore’s portrait continued to explain.

“Harry my boy, Severus and yourself are more used to and adept at contending with Voldemort, Draco is not. Also, while this house still protects you from Voldemort’s grasp, Severus is forced to move about in the open. He does not have the advantage of a safe haven and will not until his name is cleared.”

“How could that happen sir, I hardly believe him.”

“You see Harry he will be attempting to get a hold of my pensive where I have stored the memories of our meetings and contact Minerva. Draco would only be a hindrance to this process, whereas Draco’s skills might be better suited to you and your purposes.”

“How can he possibly be useful to me?”

“Well, for one, he is an outstanding legilimens and occlumens, which unfortunately Harry and to the disappointment of Professor Snape I might add, you are not. Also your knowledge of the defense against the dark arts coupled with his general dark arts familiarity would be a rather marvelous asset, don’t you think? And finally, I believe his understanding of Voldemort’s inner circle and the minds of his fellow Death Eaters could be a major unforeseen advantage.” At this Draco scoffed.

“They are not my fellow anything’s!”

“Of course not master Malfoy. I was simply implying that having spent some time, however detrimental or strenuous to you it was, in their company, you would have a better understanding of them then Harry or myself.”

Draco merely nodded.

“He needs your help and he has some ability to help you which he is offering to do. Together I think, and have always thought so in fact, you two would make a formidable team.”

Harry creased his eyebrows in deep thought. His hesitancy must have shown on his face because Draco broke the silence with a final plea.

“Look at it this way Potter,” he smiled wryly, “you won’t even have to care about endangering me because I’m pretty much dead meat anyway. Isn’t that why you don’t want the rest of the Golden Trio coming along?”

Harry sighed exhaustedly.

“Malfoy, I don’t want anyone to get hurt. Not even you.”

“Then let me stay and come along on this quest thing you’ve got. I hate to admit it but I can’t think of a safer place to be.”

Harry could only nod in response. He wouldn’t say it but Malfoy was right and maybe Dumbledore too. He would need all the help he could get and he knew it. He’d simply add this whole mess to the list of things to blame on old Voldie.

Severus, who had been quiet during the discussion, smiled wider than Harry had ever seen.

“Thank you, Potter.” Dumbledore’s portrait beamed at the greasy haired teacher and for a split second Harry thought he saw the old twinkle return to the Headmaster’s eye.

“Indeed,” commented the delighted portrait. Harry finally turned back to his rival. The reaction he expected was not the reaction he received.

“Thanks Potter. You’ll regret it, I know you will, but thanks all the same.” Harry let out a relieved laugh.

“You’re probably right you know.”

“I’m definitely right. But I promised to help you the best I can to beat Vol-, er, the Dark Lord I intend to keep that promise.”

“Not for me you won’t, for yourself maybe.”

“Absolutely, I wouldn’t be a Slytherin if I went around doing nice things for other people Potter. For once though it seems we have the same goal, you and I, and I’ll have you know you’ll be damn glad to have me on your side when it comes down to it.”

“I hope your right.”

As Harry and Draco watched Severus’ retreating form leave the walkway on Privet Drive he doubted it, but he hoped. He also hoped he didn’t get banished to the cupboard when he broke the news to Petunia and Vernon that they had inherited another freaky teenager from ‘St. Brutus’ School for Incurably Criminal Boys’.

“So, Potter, you want the right side of the bed or the left.”

“Shut it Malfoy.”

“The left it is then.”