The Secret's In The Telling by Sakuri

chapter 11

Chapter 11: Settling The Score

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"He WHAT?"

"Sshh!"

Ron stared at his friend, bug-eyed, and tried desperately to come up with something else to say. No words were forthcoming, however. Thunderstruck, he could only shake his head in disbelief.

The three were sat in their customary place by the fire, gathered close as Harry tried to keep the discussion quiet. So far, he wasn't having much luck. Ron's astonished outburst had attracted the attention of half the room.

"Look," Harry whispered, "I'm telling you guys first so you'll know why he's there. I don't want Gryffindor common room up in arms about it! So shut up, alright?"

The redhead blinked, then shook his head again. "But Harry! You're not gonna actually let him join, are you? I mean… it's Malfoy!" Thankfully, he'd successfully lowered his voice this time.

Harry shrugged. "There's not much I can do. Dumbledore's orders, isn't it." He shrugged, staring at the flames for a long moment as his friends absorbed what he was telling them.

"There's got to be something you can –" Ron tried to protest again.

"There's not."

Hermione, who had been silent in shock up until now, suddenly perked up. "But Harry, it's not as if Malfoy will want to join. Maybe he won't even show up."

He sighed and looked at her, realising he'd neglected to tell them the second half of the story.

The long explanation took him some time, with Ron's continuous interruptions and indignant outbursts, as well as Hermione's calmly posed questions he did his best to answer. He relayed what had happened up in the Headmaster's office, as well as the following conversation he'd had with Malfoy. As he spoke, Ron's expression turned from sullen to almost gleeful, while Hermione only looked more troubled.

"You mean Dumbledore's finally got control of the little git?" the redhead asked happily when Harry was done. "I always said that man was a genius!"

Hermione scowled. "You've called him crazy enough times, as well, Ronald. And anyway, I can't believe the Headmaster would do that!"

Harry raised an eyebrow and let out a slow breath, still staring thoughtfully into the fire. "Yeah, I know what you mean. Seemed fine at first, but the way Malfoy put it… Made me feel a bit guilty, to be honest."

Ron, once again, looked thunderstruck. "You two aren't serious, are you?"

The witch didn't seem to be paying any attention to him as she went on. "It's unethical! I could understand if he'd made Malfoy swear loyalty and just that! But making it so he had to obey? Dumbledore could make him do anything!"

Harry frowned uneasily. "Yeah, but he wouldn't. I mean… he's Dumbledore."

"Even so!" She was using the high-pitched voice of indignation they'd only heard her use when discussing S.P.E.W. "It's the principle. It's… it's slavery!"

"That's what Malfoy said."

They cast troubled looks at each other, unnerved.

Ron scoffed loudly, distracting them. "You're both exaggerating this. Think about it. How else was he supposed to make sure that prick didn't go running to You-Know-Who the first chance he got?"

Harry remembered the Slytherin's scornful, sarcastic words from earlier. Because the threat of what Daddywould do to me if I switched sides again just wasn't enough! He wondered, guiltily, if Dumbledore's measures really had been necessary.