Golden Thread Of Trust

Golden Thread Of Trust

Chapter 7: The Truth

Harry woke up, slightly disoriented, and discovered that he ached all over. He felt like he had been pounded on with a large steak hammer. Letting out a groan, he opened his eyes slowly, and found that everything was a blur. He reached out for his glasses on the bedside table and put them on. The familiar surroundings of the Hospital Wing came into focus. The memories of what had happened suddenly came back, causing a gasp to escape his lips.
"Harry, how are you feeling?" a familiar voice said, concerned.
"Professor Lupin!" Harry cried out, relieved. "I'm only fine. How's Draco?"
"Oh, don't worry about him. We've taken good care of him, all right," the teacher answered grimly.
Harry was confused.
"The last thing I remember is him collapsing next to me. Was he hurt?"
"No, only exhausted. But he won't be troubling you any more, Harry. They're keeping him confined until the trial."
The implications of what the teacher just said slowly sunk in.
"No! He's innocent! You've got the wrong guy!"
Remus Lupin frowned.
"Harry, all the evidence is pointing at him, not to mention the witnesses…"
"Witnesses? Hey, I was there too! Draco saved me! What did the others say?"
He already knew the answer, of course.
"That he attacked you, and used the Cruciatus curse on you."
"It's not true! I have to see Dumbledore about this!"

When the two of them reached Dumbledore's office, Harry felt a bit dizzy, and he gratefully sank into an armchair. The Headmaster of Hogwarts sat behind his desk with a grave and sorrowful expression on his face. Snape was also there, scowling as usual, but looking worn and worried. Draco sat in the chair next to him, his face a rigid mask, revealing nothing of what he was thinking. All Harry's efforts to make him meet his gaze were in vain.
"Harry," said Dumbledore. "I'm glad to see that you're up and about. We were just examining the evidence." He took something from the desk.
"Draco, can you confirm that this is indeed your wand?"
Draco said nothing, and his jaw was set in a way that told them that he wasn't going to either. Dumbledore sighed.
"It is his wand," Snape confirmed.
Dumbledore nodded and lifted his own wand.
"Prior Incantato."
A scream resounded in the air around them, and even though it stopped when Dumbledore finished the spell it seemed to linger in the compact silence that followed.
"We know that the last spell that was cast with Mr. Malfoy's wand was the Cruciatus curse."
"Professor, Draco didn't do that! How can you believe such a thing?"
"I don't want to believe that of any of my students. But I can't ignore the evidence, Harry."
"Well, I am an eyewitness too."
"And you're asserting Draco Malfoy's innocence?"
"Yes, I am."
"Tell us what happened, Harry."
"We were walking down a corridor when we bumped into a group of Slytherins. They disarmed Draco and started to threaten him, so I stepped in between. That's when they threw the Cruciatus curse at me. Draco scared them away."
"How exactly did he manage that without his wand?"
"I don't know, Professor. That was no kind of magic I know of."
"That was most likely the advanced Dark Magic that my wards detected," said Professor Lupin.
"Harry, are you absolutely sure that Draco Malfoy was the one who saved you, and that we can trust him?"
"Yes, I am sure, and I would trust him with my life, Professor."
This seemed to affect Draco, because he stirred a little in his chair.
"Well, then," said Dumbledore, and gave Draco his wand back. "The charges against Draco are dropped. But there are still a few things to take care of. What I want to know is: Who did cast the Unforgivable curse?"
"Blaise Zabini," Harry answered, his voice full of contempt.
"You two do realise that there is no way to prove that he is guilty, and that he will be getting away with this?"
Both boys nodded mutely.
"Now, Mr. Malfoy, I hope that you are aware of the fact that Dark Magic is strictly forbidden to use? Under normal circumstances you would face immediate expulsion."
"Yes," said Draco proudly.
"What did you do, exactly?"
"I used spirit magic to create an illusion. It scared them away."
"I thought you and I had an agreement that you should not use it?"
"Yes, Professor," said Draco quietly. "I didn't do it because it was fun, I did it to save Harry. The spirits are never going to leave me alone now, I'm afraid."
"Professor Dumbledore," said Harry. "What do we do if he tries again? That is quite likely."
"Draco, how well can you control these spirits?"
"As well as possible, I guess. In other words, not very well. They like me, though. They would never do anything to hurt me."
"You have my permission to use it, Draco, but only when in grave danger. You might need it, I'm afraid. Young Zabini must be powerful if he can cast such advanced curses with another's wand. Do you know why he did this?"
Harry looked at Draco, who turned his face away.
"He called Draco a traitor to his family and his House, sir."
Dumbledore sighed.
"The rivalry between Slytherin and Gryffindor has always been there, ever since the founding of Hogwarts, but throughout history there have been wizards and witches who could overlook the barriers between the Houses and befriend their customary enemies. Never let old customs of unreasonable hatred come between you."
The boys and the two teachers left and closed the door behind them, and Albus Dumbledore was left to his thoughts.
'I hope Hagrid was right when he trusted me to know what I'm doing. This has already caused more trouble than I imagined. Unforgivable curses! I wonder how she accomplished that particular friendship, though. Must have been an extraordinary effort.'