Forgetting the Past

Forgetting the Past

Chapter One: The Interview

Harry couldn't believe his eyes as he sat in the hard wooden chair behind a much respected desk that had only recently become his. He got up, his robes swishing around his ankles, as he took out his wand and played with it in his right hand. He laughed and then, finally, addressed the wizard who stood before him,

"Malfoy? Is that really you? What an earth would have possibly brought you back?".

"Shut up Potter," he grumbled half-heartedly. Then, amazingly enough, tried to smile as he looked up, "I need a job."

"It's Professor Potter now! A job eh?" Harry repeated amused. He was definitely not going to let this one go. After all those years... and finally here Malfoy was looking up to him! "Well that's not really any of my concern is it?"

"I want a job here," Draco answered him using all of his power to restrain himself.

"Here?" Harry gestured around the office using his beautifully toned arms. The wizards framed on the walls looked down on him rolling their eyes at his dramatics. You see, Harry Potter was now headmaster at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

"Yes."

"Teaching what?" he asked the scowling man seated in front of him, finally becoming serious.

"Potions," Draco said half smiling, "even you must remember that was my forte."

"Well we do happen to have an opening in the Potions department..."

"Really?" exclaimed Draco eagerly.

"Yes. But there is the small matter dear Malfoy of Professor Dumbledore's death all those years ago. After all it was almost thanks to you. How the hell am I going to ever trust you? I'm not like Dumbledore in that sense. He was much kinder and ready to forgive than I am. He trusted Snape. I never did. Why should that change now?" Harry sat back down deeply serious and becoming angry, as he often did when Dumbledore's death came up. He stared straight at Draco, unflinching, no longer intimidated by his wiry structure and black black eyes.

"I've changed Potter!" Harry gave him the sternest of looks, "Professor Potter. Honestly I have. Do you really think that I would ever work for you as my old self? I am not like Snape, just as you are not like Dumbledore, I would never be able to lower myself to working under the opposite side, even for the gain of my own side. I can't change the past, but please let it be enough to know that if I could, I would. I made a mistake and I have to live with the consequences to this day but I love this school. If I was ever happy in my childhood, it was here. Definitely never at home, I mean you met my father right? And I think it would be nice for us to get to know each other again, as our new selves." Draco finished his speech and looked up at Harry, smiling, his eyes changed from those black eyes of evil in his youth. They were a softer brown, filled with remorse and sadness and hope.

Harry was not sure what to think. This Malfoy seemed sincere but magic was a very powerful thing. Just because the Dark Lord had been killed did not mean that evil did not live on in his ex-followers or in wizards trying to make their own legacy. The similarity of this situation to one experienced by his own headmaster so long ago, struck him. He remembered the time Dumbledore had told him of Tom coming back to ask for a job. Tom couldn't be trusted then, Snape couldn't be trusted... perhaps Malfoy couldn't be trusted. He didn't know what to do so he sent him away, saying that it would take a few days to make up his mind but that he would be in touch shortly.

Malfoy left reluctantly and just as he was going out the door he turned back, "Goodbye Harry, thanks for the interview. It was really nice seeing you again."

The sincerity surprised Harry into a smile and a wave before he got up and began to pace. As he always did in extremely difficult situations he turned to the framed photo of Albus Dumbledore and pondered aloud what to do, "What should I do Professor? I don't want to trust him but something about him seems so different now, maybe he truly has changed. Would I be putting my students in danger? I just don't know..."

Dumbledore smiled down at Harry, "Do not be so quick to judge him Harry. Sometimes we need to completely forget our past to make room for the future. Especially in the magic world, people can change."

Harry thought about this as he grabbed his hat and left the office, mumbling goodbye to the many portraits and rushing down the staircase.