Decreso Aetas

Draco stopped in front of the entrance to Dumbledore’s office and fell to his knees, his lungs desperate for oxygen. It was no mean feat running that far of a distance. The Invisibility Cloak had long since fallen off of them farther down the corridor. Harry leaned against the wall and slid down into a sitting position on the floor. He looked very tired, extremely confused, and thoroughly shaken.

“I - Ice Mice,” Draco managed after catching his breath. The gargoyle moved aside to reveal the ever-familiar spiralling staircase. Harry peeked around the edge of the opening in the wall and observed the stairs ascending with mounting curiosity. Draco stood up, grabbed Harry by the hand, and pulled him onto the bottom step.

When they reached the very top, Draco knocked on the large oak door. A low “come in” was heard from inside. It was no surprise to Draco that the Headmaster was up during the early hours of the morning. With Harry by his side, he opened the door and entered the spacious circular office.

Professor Dumbledore was seated at his desk, wearing a midnight blue night robe and surrounded by stacks of parchment and assorted contraptions. He looked up from the long piece of parchment he had been writing on and laid down his quill. A worried expression crossed over his feature before he gave both of them a small smile.

After conjuring up a chair in front of his desk, the Headmaster motioned for Draco and Harry to sit down. Draco eyed Dumbledore with no expression making an appearance on his face before sitting down and pulling Harry onto his lap. Harry adjusted his position, squirming to find a comfortable spot. Draco’s eyes widened, the movement very uncomfortable against...certain parts of his body. When Harry stopped, after what seemed like forever for Draco, he leaned back against the blonde’s chest and rested his head against his right shoulder. As if acting upon instinct, Draco ran his slender fingers through the small boy’s midnight locks. Harry’s eyes fluttered closed as if he was being lulled by the blonde’s gentle touch. Draco couldn’t help but smile slightly at the small boy’s innocence.

Professor Dumbledore cleared his throat, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. Draco’s head snapped up at the noise, then realised what he had been doing. His hand froze and fell to his side. A sudden wave of anger washed over him, and he began to wonder whether the man had put him in this seating situation on purpose. But before the blonde could say what he really thought of the man, the latter began speaking.

“Now, what’s the reason for your sudden visit, Mr. Malfoy?” the Headmaster questioned, suddenly growing solemn. “Please explain.” Harry stirred at the sound of the man’s voice and opened his eyes, now alert. He sat up a little more, much to Draco’s relief, as he had been growing quite uncomfortable. At the same time, the blonde was feeling slightly triumphant; so the man didn’t know everything, as everyone seemed to think.

“Well, this is still a bit confusing, as well as out of place,” Draco began, feeling reluctant to explain this to the man. “I specifically remember Granger saying something to Weasley about Potter not being able to remember anything that happened during the past twelve years. Well, a little less than an hour ago, he woke up sobbing and said he dreamed about people fighting and dying, and that he seemed older. The only thing I could make that out to be is of a war, but he isn’t supposed to remember anything.” He stopped to catch a breath, all the while glaring at the man, who seemed oblivious. Once again he was feeling as though he was put up to this on purpose. “That’s why it doesn’t make any sense. I don’t know whether this is a rare case when he can remember things or he just isn’t in his right mind.”

“That does seem out of place,” the Headmaster said thoughtfully, more to himself than to Draco. “Maybe it would be best to have Mr. Potter explain it himself in more detail.”

Oh, well done! Draco thought sarcastically. Why didn’t you think of that in the first place? The Headmaster stood up and walked over to where they were seated, looking intently at the small Gryffindor.

“Okay, as much as this may upset you, Harry, I’d like you to tell me exactly what you saw in that dream,” Dumbledore said quietly. His piercing blue gaze must have stirred something in Harry, who buried himself under Draco’s arm. It seemed to have worked, for he began speaking, though quietly.

“There were people running everywhere,” Harry began weakly, looking as though he would rather be anywhere but here, reliving the horrible nightmare. “I seemed older, like Draco.” He paused, looking up at the blonde fearfully. Draco felt an odd rush of sympathy for the small boy, but it passed as quickly as it had come. “Many people were being hurt and there was a lot of scary men wearing black. I saw Draco and he wanted to help me kill this man that we didn’t like. His name was Volder...Voldi...” He stopped, looking highly confused and irritated that he couldn’t remember.

“Voldemort,” Dumbledore finished, instantly receiving a nod from Harry, who still looked frightened about doing this.

“Draco told me not to tell anyone that he was going to help -” Harry instantly stopped himself, quickly putting a hand over his mouth and looked up at Draco. His emerald eyes were as wide as ever. “I didn’t mean to say it,” he said, his voice now high-pitched with fear. “Please don’t hurt me.” He leaned away from the blonde, his whole body shaking, not taking his emerald gaze off of him.

“It’s okay, Harry,” the Headmaster said in soothing tones. “We are already aware of this situation. Please continue.” Harry’s expression instantly relaxed. Casting one last fearful glance at Draco, Harry began speaking, looking down at his feet.

“Those scary men kept trying to hurt us,” Harry said quietly. “Draco even killed one, but he got hurt.” He then turned around to face the blonde once more, getting up on his knees. He ran a small finger down Draco’s left cheek, tracing the faint but visible battle scar. The blonde closed his eyes for a brief moment. He now felt a faint tingling sensation along his cheek where Harry had touched him. He was also hit by a wave of memories of what had happened, memories he thought he wouldn’t have to re-live

Dumbledore watched the scene in front of him with faint fascination; who would have ever thought there would be a point in time where the two boys in front of him would ever get along? He also felt troubled; if Harry was able to re-live this with such detail, what else could he possibly be able to see?

The Headmaster was brought back to reality by Harry’s quiet voice. “I was hit withâ?omething that felt like fire. My whole body felt like it was burning. I felt like I was going to die.” The small Gryffindor began trembling. As if acting upon impulse, Draco wrapped his arms around the boy, trying to calm him. He knew the effects of the Cruciatus Curse, having learned them in Fourth year, and he had witnessed Harry being its target during the battle. “A lot of other things happened,” Harry continued, wearing a pained expression. It looked as if he was trying to remember something, but how someone would want to remember what had happened would be beyond anyone’s guess.

Harry buried himself deeper in Draco’s embrace. “The last thing I remember is me and Draco saying weird words and a lot of green light. I also remember my head feeling like it would split apart.” He reached up to his forehead and touched the ever-familiar lightning scar. The Headmaster nodded, a worried expression flitting across his features.

“Well, I have come up with a possible explanation for this, Mr. Malfoy,” the man informed Draco. “Even though he has decreased in age, he has still been with us for a little over seventeen years. I am wondering if it is possible that his memories of those past years have been stored in the back of his mind, and he is now re-living them only through dreams. He just won’t realise that those particular things had actually happened.” Draco nodded, this theory making at least some sense. He looked down at Harry, who was now asleep. How he could fall asleep that fast was beyond Draco’s imagination.

It was then that Draco’s lack of sleep hit him hard. His eyelids felt heavy and his muscles were straining to support his weight. He glanced out of the window and noticed that there was a faint glow on the horizon, signalling the beginning of the sunrise.

The Headmaster must have noticed Draco’s lack of energy as well. He stood up and went over to a cabinet that hung on the far wall close to the window. After unlocking it with numerous keys, he opened it and pulled out a small vial of potion. “I would now like the two of you to head back to your dormitory and get some sleep.” He handed the vial to Draco. “This is just a simple Sleeping Potion. I would like you to give some to Harry. It will allow him to sleep peacefully without the nightmares. Due to his small size, he will only need a small dosage. You can leave the rest for yourself so you can sleep peacefully as well.” Draco nodded.

That was when he realised he was holding Harry. Disgusted with himself, he let go of the boy, who instantly woke from his light sleep due to the sudden movement. He looked up at the blonde, a pout pulling at the corners of his mouth. He climbed off of his lap and went to stand behind Dumbledore. The Headmaster looked down at Harry, who now looked upset. Draco stood up slowly and stretched, his eyelids feeling as heavy as ever. After pocketing the vial, he bent down to pick up Harry, but the boy moved out of his reach.

“I want to walk,” Harry said, not looking directly at the blonde. Draco figured that the small Gryffindor was upset at him for waking him up like that. Draco rose an eyebrow at the boy, but only received a glare in return. Instead, Draco held out a hand for Harry to take. Harry glanced at the blonde’s outstretched hand before placing his small one in it, looking reluctant.

Draco turned, getting ready to leave the office, before Dumbledore stopped him. “Just be careful, Draco,” he said quietly. “If something out of the ordinary happens, you’ll know where to find me.” With that said, the Headmaster opened the large oak door and showed them out. Draco and Harry stepped onto the spiralling staircase and descended.

The sunlight was casting a dim glow along the corridor. Draco led Harry to a staircase and they began making their way down. Harry was walking sluggishly, his eyes half-closed. Ignoring the boy’s half-hearted protests, Draco picked him up and carried him down. Harry instantly quieted and rested his head against Draco’s shoulder.

They reached the Entrance Hall in a matter of moments. The castle was pretty quiet, the fact being that it was still pretty early. Harry shifted slightly in Draco’s arms, but stayed asleep.

“Malfoy?”

The voice stopped Draco dead in his tracks. He turned quickly and saw the youngest Weasley, along with a group of friends, all sleepy-eyed and tousle-haired. She instantly stepped back a few paces. “I thought you were sick, and -” She the gasped, her mouth agape. Her hand then flew up to her mouth, her eyes wide. “Is that Harry?!” she shrieked. She peered at him; the glasses and exposed scar gave her the answer. Her friends began whispering among themselves.

Draco looked at them all, thoroughly confused. But how can they see- - He instantly stopped his thought as something clickedâ8e’d forgotten to retrieve his Invisibility Cloak

“But...but what the hell happened to him?!” Ginny, whose face was the exact same shade of red as her hair, looked intently at Harry. She hurried over toward them and began shaking him gently, trying to wake him. “Harry,” she whispered. “Harry, wake up.”

Harry stirred before those stunningly green eyes opened, looking slightly glazed over. When he saw Ginny’s face a mere few inches from his own, his eyes widened in fright. He quickly buried his face against Draco’s neck, clinging to the blonde for protection. Ginny eyed Harry, her face expressionless, before rounding on Draco. “What have you done to him?” she asked, her voice now a deathly whisper. “Why is he acting like -” She stopped herself, averting her gaze to something over Draco’s right shoulder. She looked as if she was ready to speak, but someone else cut her off.

“Mr. Malfoy, hurry through that door to your right and close it tightly behind you,” a voice whispered in his ear. “Hurry!” Draco didn’t hesitate. He turned quickly and threw open the door; he caught a quick glimpse of Professor McGonagall pulling out her wand before he slammed the door behind him. He found himself crammed in a broom closet.

Casting dirty looks at the cobwebs that decorated almost every empty space, Draco turned to face the door. Ginny’s shrieks penetrated through the solid oak. He could also hear Professor McGonagall’s voice among the redhead’s, but hers sounded a bit reassuring. Draco’s temper was beginning to rise along with Ginny’s voice, his brain searching for an answer to why he was told to come in this closet of filth. Harry was getting restless, fidgeting against Draco, but not daring to utter a word.

The answer to his question came a moment later when he heard a loud “Obliviate!”from the other side of the door. The flash of light was bright enough to be seen through the cracks in the doorframe, dimly illuminating the closet for a brief moment. Draco then heard rapid footsteps heading in their direction. Professor McGonagall threw the door open, looking extremely harassed. She grabbed Draco by the arm and pulled him out, dragging him along with her. “We have to hurry,” she said breathlessly. “They will be regaining their composure soon enough.” Draco chanced a glance at the redhead and her group of friends, all looking dazed and lost. Draco changed his hold on Harry, who was now looking frightfully at the other students.

When they arrived got to the dungeons, they slowed to a walk. They arrived at the portrait of the silver dragon that led to Draco’s dormitory. That was when Professor McGonagall rounded on the Slytherin.

“What were you thinking, Mr. Malfoy?” she questioned, her voice strained. “You know you’re not to be seen!” Her face was pale, though there were faint red patches in her cheeks. The pointed hat that sat on top of her head was slightly askew. “Explain yourself.”

Draco sighed deeply before telling her about Harry’s nightmare and their visit to the Headmaster. He also informed her about having accidentally leaving his Invisibility Cloak behind. He said it all with reluctance, getting really sick of having to explain everything.

“But how could you be so careless?” she asked. “The spell I cast on those students may make them forget what they have seen, but that doesn’t mean they won’t be suspicious of anything when they regain their memories.” She rubbed her temples, closing her eyes. “It would be best for you to go to sleep now as Professor Dumbledore has suggested,” she said after a few moments, opening her eyes and giving him a piercing look. She quickly cast a glance at Harry, who had his arms around Draco’s neck, fighting to keep his eyes open, before saying, “I need to inform the Headmaster about this. Good day Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Potter.” She turned on her heel and walked briskly down the corridor and out of sight.

His head pounding and Harry growing heavier with every passing moment, Draco turned to face the portrait. “Salazar, King of Serpents,” he mumbled to it. It opened with a roar, causing Harry to jump slightly. Draco walked over the threshold and headed directly for the stairs, his feet feeling like lead, making every step difficult.

He had finally entered his bedroom. Draco never thought he would be so happy to see a bed. It had never looked so comfortable. After putting Harry down, he leapt onto it, landing on his stomach. Something nagged at the back of his mind, telling him he was forgetting something. He rolled onto his side, his arm over his eyes. That was when he felt that ‘something’ digging into his leg. Putting his hand in his pocket, he felt something small and solid. He pulled it out and saw that it was the vial of Sleeping Potion that Professor Dumbledore had given to him before they left. The blonde then glanced at Harry, who was laying down on the carpet, gazing up at him.

“Come here, Potter,” Draco mumbled, uncorking the vial. Harry stood up and walked a few steps toward him. The small Gryffindor eyed the clear liquid. “This will help you sleep. It will also stop you from having any nightmares.” The blonde then motioned for Harry to come closer. The small boy obliged, stopping right in front of Draco, resting his small hands on the blonde’s knees. Draco reached up, rested his hand on the back of Harry’s head, and then rested the vial against his lips. The young Gryffindor tilted his head back and downed a small gulp of the clear liquid.

“It tastes funny,” Harry said, wrinkling his nose in distaste. Draco downed the rest of the potion, instantly agreeing with him; it did have an odd taste.

The potion’s effects kicked in almost immediately. Draco’s eyelids felt very heavy and Harry was fighting to keep his head up. The blonde crawled under the sheets and rested his head against the pillow. Before he fell asleep, he felt a small body move up against his own and a small pair of arms wrapping themselves around his neck...