Dreams of Fire

While Ginny and Severus had been talking, a distracted Draco had been aimlessly wandering around the castle. He wandered into a corridor he couldn't remember ever seeing before. At the end of the corridor a door stood, with a symbol burnt into it. He cautiously pushed open the door. As he gazed into the room, he took in a sharp breath and leaned against the wall to steady himself.

Meanwhile, Ginny was running around the castle trying to find Draco, and failing miserably. Snape's words were echoing around her head 'It is time for the Frozen Flame to melt... If Draco finds out...' Had she known it at the time, as she stood, puzzled as to where he could be, if she has pushed the door to the right of her, it would have taken her to the corridor where at that very moment, Draco was gazing into that room.

Draco was currently staring at a flame that stood on a pedestal, dominating the entire room. It didn't seem to be an ordinary flame, as, from time to time, it altered colour, from bright gold, to cold silver. It was surrounded by symbols drawn on the floor. When he recovered his breath, Draco started walking towards the flame.

Ginny was still dashing around the castle when she ran into Professor McGonagall. 'Ginny Weasley, I've been looking everywhere for you. You are supposed to be in Herbology. Please explain yourself.'

'I... er... what I mean is... I was looking for... erm... Professor Snape.'

'You were looking for Professor Snape? He is teaching a class at the moment, and if you need to see him, surely it can wait until later, when you are not supposed to be somewhere? Yes?'

'Yes Professor.' Ginny picked up her bag and walked to Herbology, still wondering where Draco was, and hoping he hadn't got himself into any trouble.

Meanwhile Draco had started to move towards the flame; glancing at the symbols he was walking upon, occasionally wondering what they meant. Suddenly a blast of cold air flew through the window, and Draco stopped. He looked up at the flame, noticing that the heat had gone. Sure enough, the flame had frozen. It was no longer changing colour. Then Draco looked down; the symbols on the floor had turned gold-red, and were warm. He ran to the door, his face flushed.

Draco dashed into the Slytherin Common room, to be met by accusing stares. Crabbe and Goyle were standing at the front of a crowd of fifth year Slytherins. 'We know what's going on. You and that Weasley girl' spat Crabbe, 'You end it, or you're ended here.'

'What? Why? How? I mean...' Draco's voice tailed off as Goyle started to move towards him.

'We know, Draco. You now have a choice. Her or us? You can either finish it and stay in Slytherin, or you can keep it going, and be thrown out.'

'You can't do that, I'm supposed to be in Slytherin, this is where the sorting hat put me, l belong here.'

'Sorry Draco, but I think you'll find that if a certain number of students in the house want you out then we are fully entitled to make these demands.'

'Hang on a minute. Just slow down, I can't take this in. You want me, Draco Malfoy, to leave Slytherin? You all know fine well that I belong in here.'

'Draco, believe me, we're all sorry to lose you, but you've stopped being a Slytherin in heart and mind. This is the only way. We can't have anyone in here that's not willing to... well, keep up the feud with the Gryffindors at least.'

Something seemed to talk to Draco in his mind, he couldn't make out what it actually said, but he knew what it wanted him to do. He spoke. 'I'm sorry guys, but she's attractive and female and you lot... well you're just... you lot. She's... she's...her.' With that Draco walked out of the room, wondering if the choice he had just made would destroy his life.

Draco walked up to the staff room, and knocked on the door. 'Erm, Professor McGonagall, can I see Professor Dumbledore?'

'Why, Draco? He's not here, he's in his rooms.'

'It's important. Can you tell me how I can see him?'

'If it's that important, I'll take you to him.' McGonagall closed the staff room door behind her, and turned to Draco 'Follow me'. They walked through a maze of passages and doors until they came to a gargoyle. It lifted it's head and said 'Yes? Password?'

'Butterbeer' The gargoyle moved to the side, leaving an archway for McGonagall and Draco to pass through. Dumbledore was standing at the end of a very long passage. 'Ah, Draco, I wondered when I'd be seeing you. Come in. Professor,' he said, nodding to McGonagall, 'thank you, you can go. I may need to see you later.' Professor McGonagall nodded to Dumbledore and climbed back out of the gargoyle.

Dumbledore turned to Draco. 'Mr Malfoy, please come in.' Draco stepped through the door into Dumbledore's office, noticing the Phoenix as he did so. 'Is that a...'

'Phoenix? Yes Mr Malfoy, that is Faukes.'

'Wow,' said Draco, wandering over to a shelf in the corner of the room where a sword was lying, 'Is that...'

'Godric Gryffindor's sword? Yes Mr Malfoy. Mr Potter pulled that out of the Sorting Hat in his second year.'

'Trust Potter, couldn't he just stick to a rabbit like everyone else?'

'Mr Malfoy, was there something, or did you just...'

'Ooh, is that...'

'The sorting hat? Yes Mr Malfoy.' said Dumbledore, wearily.

'And that...'

'A pensieve.'

'And that...'

'Salazar Slytherin's wand, yes, Mr Malfoy, now, can we talk?'

'Sorry Professor.'

'So...' said Dumbledore, 'what was it you wanted?'

'Erm, well, it's a long story.'

'Just tell me about what happened in the common room, I know about you and Miss Weasley.'

'Oh... ok. Well, they want me out of Slytherin. Can they do that? Do I have to be resorted? And I heard this v...'

'Yes, Mr Malfoy?'

'It's nothing, really. So, can they do that?'

'So, your classmates want you put in a different house because of Miss Weasley. The Sorting Hat put you in Slytherin, so only the Sorting Hat can change it. There's on way to do this, try on the sorting hat again.'

Dumbledore walked over to where the Sorting Hat was lying and picked it up. 'Here Draco,' he said, holding it out for him to take, 'I'll leave while you try it on.'