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Draco stared out the window in his room. He loved being a Prefect. The perks far outweighed all the boring meetings that he had to attend. Slytherin didn't even really need Prefects, they always just looked to the most influential families who were attending the school and went to them for advice and Draco was one of them so it was natural that he was nominated to Prefect status. But the Slytherins only came at set times and they were rather well behaved, rarely overstepping their bounds and if they did overstep them they had to deal with Draco Malfoy and no one wanted that because when Draco was called in he was never in a pleasant mood.



He was a Sixth Year this year and not even the Seventh Years crossed him or even attempted to make him angry. They weren't smart enough or stupid enough to try something foolish that would get them expelled or even killed that is if Draco was involved. Everyone feared the Malfoy name and what it stood for. Even the Slytherins who knew that his father was dead knew that Draco wasn't to be crossed because he was just as frightening without his father backing him.



He knew more in the field of the Dark Arts than any other Slytherin. He had known more than them by the time he had entered into his Fifth Year. Even now he continued to study and improve upon his knowledge in that area. Draco generally enjoyed learning and making sure that he was at the top of most of his classes. Next year he hoped to make Head Boy.



"Draco?" A soft voice came from the other side of his door making him start briefly. "Are you in there?"



He recognized that voice almost instantly. "Come in," He called out opening the door with a charm.



Blaise quickly shut the door behind him.



"If anyone asks I came in here for help with Arithmancy," Blaise said quickly looking around to make sure that they really were alone.



"Good excuse," Draco commented without getting off his bed but he gestured to a chair for Blaise to sit in if he wanted. "What is it Zabini? What have you come here for?"



"I'm just checking in to make sure that you are freely joining the Order," Blaise said looking over at him still standing as though unsure of his place and even more unsure of Malfoy's response. "Among a few other things."



"Yes I am joining," Draco said calmly rising and taking aseat in a chair, watching as Blaise took the other one across from him. "I told you that last night and a Malfoy sticks to their word and I won't be breaking that tradition just yet Zabini. I want my revenge as well, even more than Idid before. What else is there Blaise?"



"When you're a part of the Order expect a few surprises,"Blaise said quietly looking into the fire, knowing that he was about to say things that he was sure Harry didn't want him to say. "They won't necessarily be bad ones. I'm glad you're joining Draco. You're one of the few people who can challenge Harry anymore, besides a select other few, of course."



"Of course Blaise," Draco drawled not really understanding what was being said to him because everything still appeared to be mostly normal. "Do you really need help with your Arithmancy homework Zabini?"



"No," Blaise remarked stiffly and slightly offended that Draco would think he was that stupid. "I'll just say I had you check on an answer for me."



"Now get lost Zabini," Draco said looking pointedly at the door and standing, his irritation beginning to show through a bit. "Tell Potter same time, same place."



"I will," Blaise smirked knowingly at him as he moved to the door. "Don't be surprised if you're not the only one there."



Draco watched as Blaise shut the door softly behind him. It had been an interesting visit to say the least but Draco hadn't been at all surprised to have Blaise pass along information that didn't really help him.



But Blaise was always known for spouting off random comments that didn't make a bit of sense or the meaning was completely hidden and often wouldn't come to light until much later on. Draco wasn't even going to try and figure out what his purpose had been for coming. Blaise was simply Blaise, there was no other appropriate explanation to pin on him at least no explanation that any one had been able to make stick. He shook his head in disgust that he even cared so much about why Blaise had shown up and what his message really meant.



The day passed smoothly for Draco with no problems or anymore surprise visitations. At lunch he saw Harry get two letters and remembered suddenly that he had been getting aleast one note everyday during one of the meals but for some reason that fact hadn't really stuck out before. He watched the raven haired youth read them. He showed no emotion. Draco was pleased with that somehow knowing that it would come in useful that Harry was so stoic, much like the Potions Master.



He looked over at Snape who suddenly raised his gaze and looked straight at Draco as though measuring him and finally when he found him to meet his standards he nodded politely, which Draco returned. He knew that Snape was smart, smarter than he was and he also knew that he was involved in this whole Order thing in some way other than being amember. He was glad that Snape was involved. He would help make everything work.



At midnight he was waiting up above for Harry who arrived right on time. Just as he himselfhad done the day before.



"Harry," Draco inclined his head in greeting.



"Draco," Harry returned the greeting looking smoothly over at Draco. "I asked the others to give us fifteen minutes alone and that's all the time we'll have before they come up, in case you were wondering where everyone else was. Have you thought it over carefully and thoroughly, reached your final answer?"



"Yes," Draco said looking him right in the eye, unmoving and unafraid of what he was committing himself to. "I've decided to join your little crusade to kill the bastard as you so elegantly put it last night."



"You're the first person to join me freely," Harry told him bluntly and truthfully uncaring of how it sounded or appeared to be. "Everyone else did so because they were too close to me or because I held something over their heads and backed them into acorner until they agreed to help. But one thing that they all have in common is that they all believe in this cause now. Let me tell you one thing though Draco. You are to tell no one about the Order or tell anyone anything that we talk about, not even to Dumbledore because if you do Voldemort will be the least of your worries."



"Is that a threat Potter?" Draco smirked at him, finding it rather amusing that Harry Potter was threatening him, because he was one who was very knowledgeable in the Dark Arts, although Potter was as well.



"No," Harry said softly looking him over casually but inspecting him as one would a painting or perhaps a complex riddle before his expression became closed and when Harry met his eyes Draco felt a chill enter into his body. "It's a promise."



"I wouldn't cross him on that Mr. Malfoy," Snape drawled stepping out of the shadows to stand on the right side of Harry with an amused glint in his eyes as he looked over at Draco who still stood speechless at Harry's firm promise. "He's very persuasive and he's had plenty of practice at extortion and blackmail if you were wondering how he'll get you to agree to his terms. It's certainly not the Gryffindor thing to do, but Harry's never done anything the proper way as you should have caught on to by now."



"You have nothing on me Potter," Draco said with confidence that he didn't really feel at the moment.



"Don't be to sure on that Draco," Snape warned him with asmall evil smile since he was taking enormous pleasure in this exchange of delivering veiled promises and threats. "As someone in the Order is bound to have something on you and any of us would gladly spill our souls to Harry on any information we have that might be in any way helpful to him."



"But you're the Head of Slytherin," Draco protested catching Snape's thinly veiled threat instantly and not liking it one bit, especially as he knew that even if Snape didn't have anything on him personally he had things on the Malfoy name and his father. "You're supposed to help the Slytherins not rat us out to Potter's little club."



"The Order of Godric and Salazar outweighseven you and your family," Snape pointed out to him with grave seriousness that caused Draco to stare at him in mild disbelief. "We do what we have to so that we may ensure complete secrecy and trust among one another, which is vital to our survival and the completion of our ultimate goal. And we're willing to go to any lengths to keep it that way. We have no secrets here, none, Mr. Malfoy, and I expect you to remember that. The only secrets we have lay here within the Order itself and they travel no further except to other members.



"Also some of us in the Order have objected to your joining until a few things were pointed out to us. You would be a very valuable asset to our cause that none of us can deny, but we'll all be watching you and covering our tracks in case anything goes wrong and you decide to betray us. Many feel that is what will most likely happen now that we've accepted you. But I don't expect that anything like that shall transpire, will it Mr. Malfoy?"



Draco mutely shook his head in response, unable to voice anything.



Moments later Ron, Hermione, Lupin and Zabini came up next and took their seats on the warmed blanket that Harry had spread out for them. Madame White, Fred, George, and Ginny came soon after. Everyone was present and accounted for.



"Quite an interesting mix you have here Harry," Draco smirked at Ron who glared furiously back at him but remained silent after alook from Harry.



"There's a reason for it," Zabinisaid sticking up for the red-haired youth, something he wouldn't have done in public unless the circumstances were extreme, circumstances that would have lead to death or someone finding out about the Order. "We Slytherins hold Salazar's qualities but Harry is a blend of both his and Godric Gryffindor's. Our abilities are evenly matched and our traits are a perfect blend almost. Yin and Yang so to speak."



Draco glared at Blaise but declined to make any sort of come back to his little speech. He was still a little overcome by Snape's speech and now Blaise's defense of the Weasel.



"Explain why they're all here," He said turning to Harry expectantly like a child would do to a parent.



"Snape knows the most about Dark Arts here, working knowledge that is," Harry began looking at Draco with some amount of disdain which no one who was assembled missed. "Remus is a werewolf and will be useful on the field and he's good at countering the Dark Arts. Ron, Hermione and Ginny are going to protect me out on the field and help get rid of the Death Eaters who stand in my way. Madame White helps get us new material to study and learn. Zabini will be our turncoat, our spy who will betray joining Voldemort's cause at the last battle. Fred and George develop useful products just for our use alone. Charlie is going to try to provide us with a dragon or two and failing that he will be on a broom as will Bill Weasely. Bill is an expert with curses. Of course they're not here since they don't live in England. And Percy is watching everything that he can at the Ministry and keeping them off our backs and our tracks covered."



"Quiet an assortment," Draco said at last looking off into the distance thinking rapidly. "And all of them have their uses. Well done. It seemed as though they were just thrown together but I see that you actually thought this one out Potter. I suppose congratulations are in order."



"We weren't just simply 'thrown together' as you so eloquently put it," Lupin said still standing off to one side of the group that was seated before Harry, Snape and Draco. "Actually you'll find that Harry is quite resourceful and more dangerous than you ever would have thought of him to be. Whatever you think about any of us, whatever opinions or character flaws you think you know of get rid of them now. They'll do you no good here. Do you know how long the Order of Godric and Salazar has been around? How long it's been since we've had a new member?"



Draco shook his head in reply.



"It's been around for almost a year and a half," Hermione supplied the information readily enough. "And think about all of Fifth Year and how Harry and the rest of us acted. The last one of us joined more than eight months ago."



"All very well acted," Draco commented.



"It's more than that," Zabinisaid softly looking over at Harry before turning back to Draco. "Much more. We all have one goal, to get Harry in close enough to kill the Dark Lord or help him kill the Dark Lord. We're united by that goal too Draco. If we think that you might endanger the secrecy or safety of this group there will be problems and they'll be all yours. Nothing will be able to stick on any of us. We have our tracks covered. We watch each other's backs. While we'll watch yours we'll also be watching you to see if you betray us."



"In other words," Ron smiled maliciously at his rival as he proudly informed him of the punishment. "You'll be taking a walk into the Dark Forest."



"That doesn't scare me," Draco scoffed.



"It should," Snape leered maliciously at him and he said his next sentence with a certain amount of perverse pleasure. "After all, it's no ideal threat."



"Remember the Hufflepuff third year?" Fred asked with agrin as he spoke.



"The one who snuck out late at night?"George added happily as though they were talking about a pleasant new invention. "Into the Dark Forest?"



Draco nodded.



"We grabbed him," Fred stated without feeling.



"And disposed of him," George finished with finality.



"He knew too much," They both said looking at one another with huge grins back on their faces.



"You killed a student?" Draco asked, looking a little sick at the thought that they had dared to do so right under Dumbledore's nose, and get away with it no less.



"Something like that," Harry said softly when he noticed that Draco was looking at him funny. "I didn't kill him though. We just used several memory charms that are very old and complicated before sending him to Italy after creating a new memory base for him. He was an innocent so there was no need to kill him. Still willing to join?"



"I'm still joining," Draco said looking Harry right in the eye, knowing it was too late to back down because they'd hinted at what would happen if he backed out now. "It's too late for you to try and change my mind, and if you don't want me anymore, that's just too damn bad because you're stuck with me now Potter."



"Welcome then," Harry smiled at him.



"Here are the ground rules for you Malfoy," Snape said looking down at him after moving closer to Harry. "And you have to follow them because you're new to the Order and not all of us trust you. Remus, the rules if you please."



"First off Draco," Remus Lupin'sgold eyes were eerily bright in the dark. "Stay distanced from Crabbe and Goyle like you have been for the past few weeks. Distance yourself from the Slytherins but make sure that your power, respect and position are not diminished by doing so. Have Zabini be your go-between, have him be your little secretary. He's quite good with spells and charms."



"I've already done that," Draco said simply. "But I'll start using Blaiseand make them used to it. Is there anyone else in Slytherin you've had your sight on to join this little group of yours? If so you might want to tell me now."



"That's not important," Harry cut in quickly.



"Well then I don't see how I'm supposed to help you get them to join then," Draco spit out, eyes flashing.



"I haven't made up my mind whether I want them to join,"Harry said quietly trying to diffuse a possible fight in the works. "I want to see how you do first of all. As soon as I decide about the other members in question I'll let you know. Now let's move onto to other business for the night. Remus, can we get any extra help for providing the potion to our allies?"



"Most are leaning that way," Remus admitted with agrin. "But it needs to be most of them otherwise if we try and get them to help there might be a civil problem amongst them. The potion is very tempting to them though because it's hard to find anyone willing to make it every month and even harder to find someone who can make it well so that the effects aren't as bad as they usually are when the potion can be had."



"Get me an answer as quickly as you can," Harry told him. "But don't push them too much. Does anyone know if Percy's found anything?"



"So far he hasn't," Ginny spoke up quickly. "He said that he has to tread carefully because his boss is suspecting that he's doing something shady, but he'll have him thrown off his trail shortly."



"Good," Harry said with a tiny frown at this information. "One of you could try and arrange a meeting with Percy whenever he's next available. I need to speak with him. Fred and George, how do we stand with funding?"



"We're up two hundred," Fred supplied.



"And we're coming up with a new toy," George winked.



"It should be quite splendid," Fred grinned.



"For our special customers that is," George drawled and then flashed his own grin at Harry and everyone else.



Harry nodded approvingly at them.



"Harry," Hermione spoke up. "Bill sent me some new charms to try out. I'll teach everyone separately since it's easier that way. We're going to need a place to practice them and different times so no one is suspicious."



"That can be arranged," Snape said smoothly without ahitch.



"Is there any other pressing business?" Harry asked looking around at all the faces. "No? Good. If no one else wants the floor I suggest than we all go to bed since tomorrow we have classes and work."



Madame White stood and went up to Harry slipping him atiny package of fudge. She was always doing little things like that because she felt that he didn't eat enough, which was partially true. Harry was just too busy and stressed to eat properly, but he wasn't too underweight Severus made sure of that as best he could and everyone who was in the Order knew that.



"Now Harry," She said in her slight French accent that was only detectable when she was among friends. "You need to take better care of yourself. We can't let a good sneeze be the end of you my boy. That's some home made fudge Idid up especially for you."



"Thank you very much Madame White," Harry said with asmile.



She left soon after that. Next to leave were Ginny, Remus, Fred and George who had all been up since very early in the morning and in another week Remus would be changing into a werewolf so he needed as much rest as he could grab. Soon the only people left were Draco, Blaise, Ron, Hermoine and Snape along with Harry.



"Are you doing all right there Harry?" Ron asked looking at his best friend with some concern. "You seem to be a little out of it."



"I'm fine Ron," Harry said evenly.



"Are you really?" Blaise asked.



"Yes," Harry's tone was clipped. "I'm fine. I'm just a little tired is all. I didn't sleep well last night."



"Did you have more nightmares?" Hermione asked sympathetically.



"No," Harry said. "Just couldn't sleep."



"So Potter gets special attention?" Draco mocked.



"His nightmares are things that Voldemort has actually done," Snape coldly informed him. "We need to coddle him a little. No one else could bear what he has already borne all on his own."



"Everyone leave please," Harry stated firmly. "I need to be alone. I need to think."



They all left him. Snape being the last to leave after making sure that he could come down to his rooms anytime Harry wished.



Harry looked up at the dark sky. Clouds obscured the stars that night but the light wind felt refreshing after being inside all day. He realized soon enough that he was no longer alone. Draco stood not far off looking out into the dark. Harry stared at him briefly and ignored him. The two stood in silence and by some unspoken signal they both went back to their beds.