How They Fell

Chapter Twenty-Three


Becoming an animagus immediately made a massive difference to Draco. No longer was he morose and depressed, uncertain of who he was, or of his position.

He had been given an answer: he was like a panther, strong, powerful and elegant. He was dangerous when threatened, but like any cat purred when fed or petted.

He was something his father wasn’t, had never managed to be, and his research revealed that in one way at least he was better than his father. Panthers lived solitary lives; they answered and begged to no one. Instead of being the disgrace his father had labelled him for not following the Dark Lord, he was being true to his personality.

Draco discovered that panther’s were also sneaky and cunning. They lived up in the trees, using their strong muscles and sharp claws to drag their kills up into the branches, out of the reach of other predators. They were possessive, often using stealth to fight off others invading their territory.

The more he read the more he realised how many characteristics he shared with his other form. Panthers were not malicious; they killed at need or in self-defence. They were not evil, and if that was the case then neither was he, although Draco could not deny that he had made some disastrous mistakes in the past. He was also unable to overlook the fact that he had been a truly horrible person. But that was how he had been brought up to be, what he had been brought up to believe, and he had changed!

While these facts did not excuse his actions, they did allow Draco to stop blaming himself so fiercely.

The effects of this re-evaluation of his character were almost immediately apparent. Even by the following Monday he walked into the Great Hall standing straight once more. Gradually over the following weeks he began to feel a happiness and pride which was founded on a basic contentment with who he was, not on superficial values like wealth and rank as before. He had changed.

He had tried to kill himself and instead of dying he had been granted a blessing, a reprieve, his luck had turned. He had changed; he was a different person now.

Other people noticed the change in Draco as well. His teachers congratulated him as his grades improved and he began to participate in lessons again.

By December Draco was feeling happy and confident once more. He still had moments when he would slip into depression, but for the majority of the time he was fine. Although his new self still felt strange to him, and he discovered that it was something he had to work hard at. It was all too easy to find that sneer on his face, or to insult Granger. Instead Draco tried to become the man his father should have been, how his distant memories of his Grandfather seemed. He wanted to be polite, aristocratic and distinctive, with a commanding presence, not the weak sycophant his father had turned out to be.

As the weeks continued his exclusion from Slytherin and his failure to hold onto the position as head of his house, goaded him more and more. Watching the others out of the corner of his eye at meal times it became evident that, as a leader, Nott was useless. He seemed unaware of the fine line between respect and fear. In order to unite Slytherin house under him he had obviously over used the muscular strength of Crabbe and Goyle, as well as a few of the simpler dark curses and hexes. It was stupid! Slytherins did not like to be coerced and bullied, but to treat the house like some type of political game. The way to successfully unite the house was to leave each person with the feeling that they could manoeuvre to benefit their position, while, in fact, the leader controlled the entire structure.

One of the only good things his father had taught him was how to conduct such political manoeuvres. Ability to rule was deemed necessary for a Malfoy heir in order to keep the family in a position of power and influence. School, and the leadership of Slytherin house was considered both a practice ground and a preparation for the outside world. And Draco had lost his place.

He began to watch for openings, and it was not hard to find them. The children of death eaters, and those that Draco suspected to be, followed Nott closely, mostly without exception. They were either too blind or too scared to do otherwise. However, others were clearly chafing from the restraints and leadership forced on them.

Draco wished he could talk it over with Blaise. He had always been one of the most subtle and perceptive players of Slytherin politics, keeping out of the limelight himself, but always friendly with those who were in it. Draco noticed that while Blaise was friendly with Nott and his followers, he was not one of their number. He had not accompanied them when they went to inform him of his exile, yet he had also not broken that exile. Draco appreciated the game Blaise was playing. Nott and the others were too blind to see they were being used for information purposes. Blaise obviously took advantage of the fact that he shared a dormitory with the most influential people in Slytherin house.

Draco hoped that Blaise like others in Slytherin would be interested in changing the houses leadership. If he was then he would make a good ally for Draco, and besides he was one of the only people whose friendship he missed.

Accordingly, Draco sat down opposite him in a quiet corner of the library one Thursday evening. Blaise looked up at him with a questioning look as he did so.

Draco smiled slightly, a look he knew the other would immediately identify as one likely to lead to intrigue.

“How are things Blaise?”

“Things are ok Malfoy.” Blaise replied his eyes searching Draco for a clue as to what his purpose was.

“I am sorry we have grown so distant over the passed months, I have missed your insights into things.” He subtly emphasised the word insights, knowing that Blaise would understand he was asking for information and a potential ally. “But I have had other matters on my mind.”

“Yes I understand.” Replied Blaise still neutrally, he paused slightly. “It has been a very long time since we talked.” He smirked a little. “Too long.”

Draco grinned back, genuinely pleased. If he played his cards right he would have an ally.

“Do you have any plans for this weekend? I know it is a Hogsmede trip.”

“I shall be busy in the afternoon, but I would have time for lunch.” Blaise answered.

“Lunch it is. There is a small corner of the three broomsticks which is tucked behind a Christmas tree, meet me there at twelve?”

“Done. And now if you wouldn’t mind I have to finish this Charms essay.”

Draco, nodded, smiled, said goodbye and left, happy with the way things were going. Now if things went his way he would get a lot of useful information.

* * *

Saturday came quickly for Draco, and he happily made his way to Hogsmede.

Blaise was sitting there waiting for him. Draco could see a certain wariness evident in the way his eyes swept the room. He smiled reassuringly as he sat down. Blaise smiled back.

“I am sorry I could not have been friendlier in the library, but you understand.” Draco nodded, knowing that Blaise referred to the risk of them being over heard.

“You have to watch your back.” He answered with a shrug.

“It is nice to talk to someone who understands these things, Nott and the rest of them haven’t got a clue. It is good to have you back.” He paused slightly as though considering. “I was worried when you did not contest Nott’s seizure of the leadership.”

“It was…” Draco changed his mind and looked down slightly, unsure. “I tried to tell my self that I didn’t really care. I lied.”

“It’s understandable considering…” He let it drop.

There was a lull in the conversation while they looked at the menus; Draco was trying to regain his composure. They ordered their meal and conversation resumed.

“So,” started Draco. “Tell me all about the Slytherins.”

Blaise smirked slightly. “Divided and uncertain, while openly supporting Nott.”

“How many do you think would welcome a change in leadership?”

“Depends on the change.” Answered Blaise, with suspicious neutrality.

Draco smirked, then laughed. “Fine, fine I’ll tell you my intensions. Yes I do want to ‘relieve’ Nott of the burden of rule. He has shown himself unfit to do so.”

“You’re right there.” Blaise agreed. “He threatened a few too many people to get to the position.”

“And used Crabbe and Goyle a few too many times?”

Blaise laughed, nodding that his guess was correct.

“And let’s guess, Pansy’s dating him?”

Blaise roared with laughter. “How on earth did you know?” He asked sarcastically. “Well after you showed yourself to be…disinterested.” Draco rolled his eyes at Blaise’s hint. “She had to move on to someone, fortunately it was Nott.”

“Fortunately?”

“Yes, very fortunately, for a while she seemed to be considering yours truly as a possibility.” Draco laughed, knowing just how happy Blaise must have been with that prospect.

“So how many do you feel would honestly follow Nott, if I chose to show my, a – displeasure with his leadership?”

“Depends on how you went about it. If you did it the right way twenty to thirty, mostly with death eater parents.”

Draco raised an eyebrow. “So few?”

Blaise nodded. “He is not popular, he has none of your subtlety and is without a full understanding of the workings of Slytherin house. As Head Boy most students see you as the proper leader anyway, and that disastrous Quidditch match helped quite a few to see the advantages of welcoming you back.” Blaise paused from a moment, then fiddling gently with his glass, continued. “But if you made specific moves, you could whittle his followers down to ten or so.”

Draco sat up straight with surprise. “Ten? How?”

Blaise looked searchingly at Draco. “When news of your parents deaths was fully understood by the whole house, it had severe repercussions. Anyone with a jot of perception knew the suspicions were fake, and the fact that a high up, pureblood family, active supporters of the Dark Lord was struck…Well, it made a lot of people reconsider their previous opinions that they would be safe in the Dark Lord’s protection if they became his followers. A number of Slytherins look as though they are beginning to be uncertain about following in their parents’ footsteps. If you made it plain that their suspicions were correct, you could sway most of Slytherin house on to the other side.”

Draco paused for a moment in surprise, thought for a bit, then smirked slightly. “I knew you were good Blaise, I knew you played the game, but I never realised you had even me hoodwinked.”

Blaise replied with dispassion. “There are plenty of others like me, Draco, keeping our heads down most of the time.”

Draco made a show of thinking deeply, waiting Blaise out, he needed to regain control of the situation.

Blaise interrupted him, showing impatience for the first time Draco had known him.

“So?”

“So?” Draco answered his face blank.

Blaise smirked slightly bitterly and rolled his eyes. “You have an opportunity here that will never be repeatable. Things are at a greater discord in Slytherin than we’ve ever seen before. To the average Slytherin Nott and his flunkies represent the Dark Lord and his death eaters, and they begin to realise that they don’t like it. The shock of your family being killed adds to this. You are the only one who has the chance. You are all ready in a position of power, you have been our past leader, even though a year younger than those who should have been, and you represent you-know-who’s wrongdoings, on his own people no less.”

“What’s in this for you?” Draco asked.

“Everything, I don’t get to see my house mates turned into grovelling fools, I don’t get turned into a grovelling fool. And in case you’ve forgotten, he-who-must-not-be-named does not care for homosexuality.” Draco hid his annoyance with Blaises’ hints.

“And if Potter looses?”

“A risk. But if you do this then it makes the Dark Lord’s loss more certain. You know that most of his supporters are middle aged, he lost many in the first war, more have been lost since. Soon he will be needing new blood and you will be cutting off his supply.”

“Tell me Blaise, how long has your support moved in that particular direction?”

Blaise froze for a moment, becoming watchful again, but as Draco stared at him he answered.

“Forever.” Draco raised his eyebrow. “My grandmother’s a muggle ok?” Blaise growled. “Of course I don’t want her and all her kind to be slaughtered! No one in their right mind does. Even you never wanted to murder them all Draco!”

Draco looked down at his hands in contemplation. All of this certainly came as a surprise. Hmm, he did not like the fact that Blaise had hoodwinked him, that some one else had effectively beaten him at something –. Wait, that was the old Draco speaking, the new one had very different views. Then Draco realised something.

“Damn him!!!” He half shouted.

Blaise sat watching, tense. “Damn who?”

“Dumbledore! He knew this would happen! That’s why he made me Head Boy, the interfering old coot!”

A moment later Draco was startled out of his anger by Blaises’ guffaws of laughter.

“What’s so funny?” He sulked.

“A Slytherin, the whole house of Slytherin…and the Dark Lord, the direct descendent of Salazar himself…out manoeuvred…by a Gryffindor.” Blaise broke into helpless giggles and Draco couldn’t stop the laughter bubbling up in his own throat. It was very ironic.

Eventually Blaise managed to stop long enough to grow serious enough to ask Draco. “So are you going to attempt it then?”

Draco shot him an amused look. “I don’t really think that I’ve got a choice.”

Blaise nodded.

“And besides,” Draco continued with a wicked smirk. “It will be a nice challenge, hoodwinking stupid death eater wannabe’s and then there’s the whole revenge aspect as well.” Draco smiled sinisterly, then changed the subject, signalling that that conversation was over. “So, how was the rest of your summer, I never did find out.”

And with that they went on to talk about more mundane things, often stopping to laugh over their meal, as good friends as they ever were.

* * *

It took Draco until Monday to sort out all of the information Blaise had given him, and to come up with a course of action that would have the desired effect.

Draco immediately decided that his preferred technique, subtly would be wasted upon Nott, and wouldn’t have the desired effect of turning Slytherin house. No, he would have to wage war upon him and all of his followers, and he was rather looking forward to it.

Blaise had promised him his public support once the politics of the situation were more settled, and it was clear that Draco was winning. It was decided that he would work as a mole in the common room, gathering information and subtly undermining Nott’s position. Draco understood the importance of Blaise appearing to be neutral early on in the proceedings, however it did mean that until then he would have to watch his own back. Therefore a bit of caution and stealth would be necessary.

On Tuesday morning he made his opening gambit.

The seventh years were standing around outside the potions classroom waiting for the second year Hufflepuff’s to clear away. To Snape’s infinite annoyance this always lasted at least an extra five minutes, leaving his more important NEWT students waiting with nothing to do but listen to his shouts of:

“Idiot Hufflepuff! Aren’t you aware after one year of potions lessons that to pour any potion of the Hallogenic family down the sink is tantamount to poisoning the entire water system?”

And

“Who decided that it was a good idea to place a shrivel fig in the same tray as the salamander’s tail? Is the culprit incapable of reading the very clear labels which indicate where its correct place is, or did they want to fill my storage room with an unstable gas which would explode when in contact with any sort of fire? Oh it was you, Mr Dilman? The incapable of reading option then.”

On this particular day, Draco wasn’t listening to Snape’s reprimands, but waiting, his wand discreetly tucked up his sleeve. Most of the Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Gryffindor students were present and waiting patiently, but Nott and his group had taken to showing up fashionably late, strolling calmly along the corridor in order to gain the maximum attention from everyone.

However, their appearance was rather anticlimactic. They were a motley bunch, most often poorly dressed and they just didn’t walk in the right way to demand respect.

“Amateurs!” Complained Draco under his breath, rolling his eyes. He then pointed his wand at Nott and muttered a spell.

Suddenly Nott seemed to stagger slightly, his arms coming up in an attempt to balance. The whole seventh year potions set watched as Nott, as though in slow motion, slowly fell backwards – knocking over most of his followers behind him. Soon the majority of the group were scrambling around on the floor in desperate attempts to get up.

There was a brief pause of uncertainty from everyone present. But it was quickly broken by the deep bellow of laughter coming from Draco.

There was another slight pause before the others joined in. As Nott looked up as he made his way ungainly to his feet, he was confronted with the sight of his peers laughing, following Draco Malfoy’s lead.

Nott glared at Draco trying to figure out how to put him down, but his thought processes were interrupted by a fresh laugh from the person in question, who was now pointing at his feet and clutching his side.

“His laces are undone.” A Slytherin whispered loudly from the side.

Draco stopped laughing, stepping in front of Nott and saying with biting sarcasm.

“It’s called a knot, Nott! I had assumed you would know what they were…ah dear, it seemed I over estimated you!”

He smiled sardonically at Nott and made to stride into the classroom – but something stopped him. He heard a gentle laugh coming from none other than…Harry Potter!

Harry Potter laughing at something he had to say? Had the universe gone mad? What?

He paused, momentarily caught off balance and sent a brief questioning look at Potter, before striding purposefully into the classroom his cloak sweeping out behind him – that was how a leader was supposed to walk.