To Have and to Want

At seven o'clock, Harry, not telling Hermione or Parvati, put on his invisibility cloak and headed to the third floor. He got a bit surprise at the suit of armor the note indicated. Harry recognized two people, a boy and a girl, as Slytherin students from his year. The boy, he was pretty sure, was Theodore Nott, but he couldn't remember the girl's name.

"I still think this is a stupid idea, Theo," she said.

Nott shook his head. "I don't see another way. I'm not--"

"He's still a Gryffindor. And a Potter."

"That's right, I am," Harry said, taking off his cloak and pointing his wand at Nott. "You called me here. Why?"

"Hey, Potter," the girl said, "lay off."

"Who're you?" he asked.

"Daphne Greengrass," she replied. "This is my boyfriend, Theodore Nott."

"I know who you are," he told Nott. "I also know who your father is."

Nott grew angry. "Not all of us have the luxury of freedom to think what we will of our parents."

"Luxury?!" Harry nearly cursed Nott.

"Theo--"

"I know, Daph. Potter, I'd like you to come into our common room."

"I don't understand," Harry said.

"First, I want you to look at what's going on."

Harry thought for a moment. Nott's father was a Death Eater. Then again, everything was too strange. And what part did Daphne Greengrass play here? He might find out something useful--he did so last year, when he eavesdropped on Malfoy and other Slytherins. He paid for that information with a broken nose, but that seemed a small price now.

"Just remember, I've dueled with Voldemort. If you try anything--" He tapped his finger with his wand.

"Just put the cloak on and follow us, Potter," Nott said.

"How did you know I had an invisibility cloak?" Harry asked.

Nott turned. "Malfoy," he said. "He boasted quite a bit last year how he cornered you spying on him."

Harry nodded , and followed Nott and Greengrass, under the cloak. All this made very little sense, and he wanted to know more.

"Morin Vale," Nott said. A piece of a stone wall, richly decorated by snakes, opened, and Harry stepped in.

He had been here before, Polyjuiced into Goyle, but he didn't really look around then. If it wasn't for the decorations, Harry wouldn't have guessed this was the Slytherin common room. The only significant difference from the Gryffindor counterpart was the absence of cheer in either the atmosphere or the occupants.

Pansy Parkinson looked up, saw Nott and Greengrass, and lay back on her couch. Nott sat down on the sofa across from her, and opened a book. Greengrass lay down on her stomach, placed her feet on her boyfriend's lap, and turned her attention to a chessboard at the head of the couch.

There were few students, and most looked a bit afraid, and gave the seventh years a wide berth. Harry remembered that Blaise Zabini was Head Boy, but apart from him, Nott, Greengrass, and Pansy Parkinson were the only ones from his year. Harry decided that Millicent Bulstrode's parents didn't let her come back. The absence of Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle didn't need an explanation.

The outside door opened and Blaise Zabini walked in, followed by a throng of admirers. Pansy scooted over, and Blaise sat down on her couch.

"May I have your attention, please," Zabini said, standing up and facing the front of the common room.

Almost all students looked up. Zabini was tall, handsome, had an imposing appearance, and prominently displayed his Head Boy badge. Only a few students went back to their previous activities, Nott and Greengrass among them.

"As your Head Boy, it is my duty to inform you that you are the future of the wizarding world."

Harry stumbled. Why did Nott want him to hear this?

"A lot of people, in this school, in the Ministry, think you are idiots. Slytherins have produced the finest wizards in Britain for a thousand years, they didn't do that by stupidity.

"Those who think you are idiots," Zabini continued, "will try to drag you into their so-called war. That's the height of stupidity. Let the dark Lord kill all the Mudbloods and blood traitors. Then, real wizards will be in charge. You have seen what a lack of good Slytherins leads to. We've now got a blood-traitor for a Head of House, a Mudblood for a Headmistress, and a--"

At this point, Nott quietly put his book down. "Zabini, shut up," he said.

"Oh. It's you. Your father--"

"I told you to shut up!" Nott yelled. "You have no idea what you're talking about. Slytherins in general aren't idiots, true, but you are."

Pansy got up and stood at Zabini's side. "Nott, you know Draco--"

"I don't care about Malfoy, Parkinson. Zabini's full of it. He thinks he'll be a leader in the wizarding world."

"And what of it?" Zabini demanded.

"Oh, nothing." Greengrass rose on her couch. "Just that if you let the Dark Lord 'kill all the blood-traitors and Mudbloods', he'll be in charge after that. Not you."

"Since then did you become Dumbledore's mouthpiece, Greengrass?" Pansy demanded.

"If Dumbledore said magic exists, would you deny it?" the other girl retorted.

"What's your problem, Nott? Go fight the Dark Lord--"

"I've got a problem. You're talking out of your arse. You know nothing about the Dark Lord. Neither do they." He pointed around the room. "If they do as you say, it's liable to get them killed."

"As Head Boy, I'll--"

"What?" Nott said, and Harry couldn't help but be impressed with the speed Nott pulled out his wand and pointed it at Zabini.

Pansy and Blaise drew their wands.

"Ministry decrees can prove useful, Nott," Zabini hissed. "A son of a Death Eater, attacking a fellow student... after what happened last year..."

"Don't try it, Zabini," Daphne Greengrass joined Nott.

The entire house began forming into two groups behind the seventh year students, Blaise Zabini and Pansy Parkinson on one side, Theodore Nott and Daphne Greengrass on the other.

"Go fight the Dark Lord, Nott. Even if you live, Potter will get all the credit. Our Mudblood Headmistress and the Ministry will see to it." Blaise left and headed upstairs.

Nott silently cursed. "Now, Theo," Daphne Greengrass said. "You knew--"

"He's deluding himself, Daph. I used to be like that," he whispered.

"I know. Come on."

Nott and Greengrass headed outside. Harry followed, and took off the cloak as soon as the door shut.

"It's late, Potter, so lets' save the discussion for tomorrow. I'm lucky Greengrass is here, or Zabini would get suspicious why I left."

Daphne blushed. "Can we meet tomorrow evening?"

"Sure," Harry answered. He thought about the location. "Quidditch locker rooms," he decided. "They're not holding the tournament this year, so it'll be empty."

"All right, Potter. See you then," Nott said, and departed arm in arm with Greengrass. Harry put his cloak back on and headed the other way.

XXX

Theodore Nott and Daphne Greengrass entered the locker room sometime after eight.

"Where is he?" Nott asked.

"Right here," Harry replied, taking off the cloak and revealing himself on his broomstick, hovering next to the ceiling.

He landed. "We'd better hurry. My girlfriend freaked out last night when I returned at one in the morning. What's the meaning of all this?"

Not looked at him. "Potter, what conclusion would you draw from what you saw last night?"

Harry had thought about this for almost the whole day. "I'd say there's a civil war in your house."

Nott and Greengrass nodded. "That's precisely what I concluded."

"I've been telling you this forever, Theo."

"I know. I learned eventually, didn't I?"

"Please explain carefully."

"The 'civil war', as you put it, Potter," Greengrass said, "has started the moment the Dark Lord came back. With so many children of Death Eaters, with one of them running the House, it was inevitable."

"Daph, I'm one of those 'children of Death Eaters', in case you forgot."

"I didn't. But I think you should tell Potter why--"

"I will. Potter, I will only tell this once. Even two years ago. I'd not even talk to you. But then, when the Dark Lord came back, we've had Umbridge. I was expected to get into the Inquisitorial Squad and basically be Malfoy's dog. Crabbe and Goyle may be stupid enough to do that, but I'm not. And then, Daphne was caught breaking one of her idiotic decrees. I stepped up for her, got an Umbridge detention--you know what that is, Potter." Harry didn't even bother asking how and only raised his hand, showing the still-visible I will not tell lies.

"--and I've had enough. And then I come come, and my father's never home 'cause he's out there serving the Dark Lord, and can be killed by either side at any moment, and I see Malfoy, who's expected to replace his father if something happens--as it did. My mother's gone abroad to stay safe. Only I know where.. and I... well, Malfoy's right about one thing. If the Dark Lord takes over, nothing will make a difference but how you served him. I didn't serve him, and I have no intention to. Zabini think he can win by staying neutral. Knowing my father, knowing how the Dark Lord operates, I know that's nonsense." He paused. "I want the Dark Lord to be defeated."

Harry looked at him. "That still doesn't explain why you came to me. There's--"

"I thought you were smart, Potter," Greengrass said.

"You've figured out there is a civil war--"

"And you want to win it," Harry realized.

"Until this year, we had no chance. Snape was in charge, Malfoy was running the show, Crabbe, Goyle and Parkinson followed his whims--and you saw Zabini yourself. But we have a chance now. And I'd like my chances of success to increase."

"So you want my help," Harry said. "But what do you think I can do? I'm not exactly likely to persuade Slytherin students--"

"No," Greengrass agreed. "But you can persuade students from other houses that not all of us are Malfoys. If they know people from other houses--make friends, contacts--"

"Date," Nott interrupted.

She blushed. "I'm over that, Theo. The point is, it's hard for a Slytherin to do this now. And you can help with that."

"I'll try," he said. In his mind, he already had a possible idea. "I'll get back to you in a few days. Meanwhile, can you tell me if Zabini tries anything unusual? It's quite possible he's been put under the Imperius Curse."

"He wasn't, I'm pretty sure," Nott said. "Zabini has always been a bit... self-impressed."

"He asked me out, and freaked when I refused," Greengrass added.

Harry nodded. "Thanks. I'll try to contact you as soon as possible. The Ministry isn't intercepting intraschool owls, so I'll just write a note."

Nott and Greengrass agreed, bid him goodbye, and left. Harry did the same.

When he got back to the Gryffindor tower, he found Parvati and Hermione waiting for him. Both were angry.

"Second night in a row!" Hermione said. "Where were you?"

"Hey, I didn't do anything dangerous. I didn't even leave the school."

"The two are not the same. Where?" Parvati demanded. "You're not seeing someone else, are you?"

"Of course not. Please, Parvati. I'll tell you."

"And--"

"And you, Hermione. This is related to the fight against Voldemort."

"What?" Hermione demanded. "What did you--"

"No important information," Harry said. "However, I'll need your help."

"In what?" Parvati asked, still angry.

"I think it's long overdue," Harry said quietly, "that we have another meeting of the D.A."

XXX

Next Wednesday, harry and Hermione waited in the empty Defense classroom Professor Lupin and McGonagall agreed to lend them.

Harry worried that no one they didn't really know would come, and that he wouldn't be able to keep his promise to Nott and Greengrass this way. Hermione tried to find out where he'd been for two nights last week, but Harry avoided answers.

Parvati walked in, kissed Harry, and sat down on one of the desks. Next came Hannah Abbot and Terry Boot. Luna Lovegood floated in, greeted Harry in a lyrical voice, and sat down cross-legged on the floor. Neville, Dean, and Ron walked in five minutes later. Neville sat down next to Luna and took her hand. Padma and Ginny entered right after, and, ignoring a glare from Ron, stood next to Hermione. Harry was about to open the meeting when Zacharias Smith strode in, looked the group over, and headed to the back of the room without a word. Harry shrugged and closed the door.

"Welcome back," Harry said. "I hope you understand why you're here."

"I don't," Zacharias Smith protested. "We started meeting so we could pass O.W.L.s. Now that we've got--"

"Then you really don't understand why. Next year, most of us will be outside Hogwarts, on our own. When Death Eaters--"

"You want us to fight for you, Potter. I have no intention of risking my hide. There are Aurors--"

"I'm not asking anyone to fight for me. Anyone. But you may end up having to fight whether or not you want to. Death Eaters do not attack only Aurors, you know. You're free to leave. At this point, we're here to exchange knowledge that'll help us survive this war. In that interest, I suggest we welcome two new members." With that, Harry reached and pulled the invisibility cloak off Nott and Greengrass.

Several students gasped. "What?" Dean demanded. "They're Slytherins!"

"So?" Hermione said. "Harry, were--"

He nodded. "They asked me to help them make the rest of their house see the light. Who was I to say no?"

"And with Blaise as Head Boy, they're going to need all the help they can get," Hermione muttered.

"His father's a Death Eater!" Ron shouted.

Harry turned and walked up to him. "Oh, yes. All family members think alike. Your own family is a stellar example of that." A burst of laughter came from the room. Ron looked like he could kill Harry.

"I think we should welcome them," Harry said firmly.

"But Slytherins--" Dean tried again.

"Slughorn's a Slytherin," Harry said. "Enough. We're here to share knowledge. For instance, Nott has told me about a very useful spell that certainly won't be taught in any course. If you will."

Nott stepped up. "Try to disarm me," he said.

"We all know Expelliarmus, Nott," Ron said.

"Then try--"

"Expelliarmus!" Ron shouted.

The spell did nothing.

"That only works in a duel, Weasley," Greengrass said.

"Well, this doesn't," Hermione replied. "Accio Nott's Wand!"

No wand came. Hermione tried again, with the same results.

Terry Boot, who was carefully scrutinizing Nott, shook his head.

"He doesn't have his wand on him."

A blue bolt hit Boot in the stomach. "Don't I?" Nott asked, still pointing his wand at him.

"How did you do this?" Padma asked.

For demonstration, Nott put the wand into his shoe, and, still holding it, said, "Secretio wand." Then he let go, and the wand vanished.

"This is a combination of the invisibility and protection charms. The summoning charm requires you to focus on the object's location. If you don't know where someone concealed the wand, you can't summon it."

Harry stepped in. "I presume that if you you're up against a skilled Legilimens, he can figure it out."

Nott nodded. "Nothing is foolproof."

"Take note of this," Harry turned to the rest. "Even something relatively simple may allow you to get an extra spell in when you need to. However, Voldemort is a skilled Legilimens, as are several prominent Death Eaters, including Snape."

"But then, what's the point?" Hannah asked.

"I'm not the one to ask," Harry said. "I don't know Legilemency--but I suspect it's a complex branch of magic, which is difficult to learn, and , from what I know about Occlumency, very difficult to use in the heat of battle. The only ones whom I know can do it are Voldemort and Snape. And as for Voldemort... if you ever end up facing him--try to get away at any cost."

"Why?" Boot asked.

"Because only two people ever dueled with him and lived to tell about it--and I did so by sheer luck. Voldemort's more powerful than any of us. But he's even more powerful with Death Eaters alongside him, so I'm not telling you to run all the time."

Harry looked at his watch. "Same time next week," he said. "Think of something only you might know, and then you can share with the rest."

The students started to leave. "Parvati, where're you going?" Harry called out.

Half the club laughed. Parvati glared at him, but stayed behind. "Colloportus," she said when the last student (Ginny) got outside.

She smiled. "Oh, you'll pay for that, Potter."