Chapter Text
Seeing a shadow come from the underbrush and lower its head to the unicorn's neck to drink from the wound, Draco could not help but scream. Turning on his heel, Draco took off after Fang. "What the hell was that, Potter?" Draco asked turning from the great boarhound retreating backside to look at Potter, only to see that the other boy was not there. "Oh hell, don't tell me," Draco said, looking over his shoulder and expecting to see the Gryffindor trying to battle against the shadow.
Once more the blonde found himself to be mistaken as he saw Harry curled up before the approaching shadowy figure, his hands clutching his head as if in pain. While Draco hated that Harry had spurned his friendship in favor of the Blood Traitor Weasely, he could not let the shadow reach the Boy-Who-Lived. "Alright Draco, it is no big deal. It is just some random dark shadow that killed a Unicorn and is about to reach Potter," Draco said trying to psych himself up. "Probably going to die, or get hurt, assuredly get dirty, but people will know, I did it to save Potter after he was abandoned by that bloody groundskeeper."
Trying to distract the shadow as it got close enough to reach Harry, Draco let out a loud war cry as he began to cast spells at the figure. For all the good he did, Draco might as well have been throwing rocks at the thing. He did manage, however, to get the thing's attention. To his shock, a wand appeared from where the shadow's arm was hitting him with a spell that sent Draco flying backward into a tree and dazing him. "The pest is dealt with, continue with the boy," a voice said though in Draco's current state he could not determine where it was coming from. While Draco did not see the speaker, he saw the shadow turn back to Potter. The shadow pulled the wand back into itself as it approached Potter who now appeared to be unconscious. Fearing for Potter, Draco pushed himself off the tree one hand clutching his side knowing that if he did not act Potter was going to die.
"You will not have him," Draco said as he lifted his wand, unfortunately, in his non-dominant hand.
"Leave now boy, and you can stay alive," the unseen speaker hissed.
"Not a chance," Draco said as he shakingly pointed his wand at the Shadow.
"Too bad, Lucius, always had high hopes for you," the unseen speaker stated as the shadow turned from Potter and started to approach Draco making him wonder how the shadow knew his father.
For the first time in his life, Draco's mind went blank as he was unable to think of a single spell to use against the shadow. Fearing he had brought out his death alongside Potter. He could only hope that the mutt could reach Granger, Longbottom, and the large oaf to bring them back before the shadow was done with him. As the Shadow got within five feet, Draco's magic got involved as it burst forth from his wand. Draco stared in shock as the shadow was tossed backward and into a tree. As it connected with the tree the shadowy enchantment obscuring the attacker vanished leaving Professor Quirrell. Though without his normal turban. "Useless fool," the voice said as to Draco's shock Quirrel, his head lolling to the side, stood up and moved as if he was a marionette whose strings were tangled. The D.A.D.A. Professor started to approach Draco creeping out the young boy with his movements. Rather than take time to wonder what was going on, Draco cast spell after spell at the man but it did no good.
After a moment, Draco aimed his wand upward and shot off a shower of red sparks. Not knowing how long it would take the others to get there, Draco quickly returned his wand to point at Quirrell. He suddenly thought of a spell as he cast one he had read about in one of his dad's books, "Stupify." As the ruby light shot from his wand, Draco watched it slam into Quirrel's form causing the man to collapse in a heap on the forest floor. Hearing a crash to the side Draco, while keeping his wand pointed at Quirrel's form turns to look to see the giant oaf, Hagrid, show up with his crossbow looking around the small clearing.
"H'rry," the oaf said seeing Potter's crumpled form.
"He can wait till later," Draco said, "I think, I found the person killing the Unicorns."
"What?" Hagrid asked turning to look at him.
"It was somehow, Quirrell," Draco said looking down at the D.A. teacher. "WHAT THE HELL!!!?"
"What is it?" Hagrid asked coming over his footsteps causing the ground to shake a little. "Sweet Merlin," the man said as both Draco and he looked at the back of Quirrell's head as the clouds overhead had shifted letting a little more moonlight into the clearing. Sticking out the back of the man's head was another face.
"What type of magic is that?" Draco asked semi rhetorically not expecting an answer from the oaf.
"No idea," the man said aiming his crossbow at the crumpled form of the two-faced man. "See to H'rry, while I handle him," Hagrid ordered easily lifting Quirrell's form onto one of his shoulders and turning around.
Draco grumbled a little as he limped over to Potter still clutching his side. He was just wondering how he would deal with the still-unconscious Gryffindor when Granger, Longbottom, and Fang showed up. Granger and Longbottom were distracted at seeing Quirrell hanging over the Groundskeep's shoulder. Draco rolled his eyes a little and not wanting to ask for help reached down and tried to pull Potter to his feet. However, as his flesh touched Potter's there was a flash of magic. "What the hell," Draco said moving his hand quickly away from Potter.
"Oh my, God," Granger's voice said in excitement rushing over with a shining look in her brown eyes.
"What do you want, Granger?" Draco asked with a sneer at the girl.
"I have read about that sort of thing," the girl said not answering his question,
"I say again, what do you want, Granger?" Draco asked stepping back a little from her.
"That burst of magic. Did you do something to save Harry's life?" the girl asked a twinkle in her eyes as she took a step closer to him.
"I stopped Quirrell from attacking him, I guess," Draco said taking another step back, and found himself backed into a tree.
"That is amazing you took down the man singled-handed, well, wanded, whatever," Granger said. "What spells did you use?"
"Well, I guess at the end a stunning spell, I read in one of my parents' books But before that, I don't know, it was strange my magic went haywire and did something, I have never seen, heard, or read about before," Draco said
"Oh, I have read about something like that as well. It is something similar to when a Muggle can access incredible powers when their loved ones are in danger," Grange said.
"What like they can use magic?" Draco asked.
"No, the one example I can think of is a child trapped beneath a car when its mother was able to find the strength to lift it and let someone pull them to safety," Granger explained.
"There is something wrong with your idea though. I don't love Potter," Draco said.
"You may not have love as if looking to become boyfriend or something, maybe not even his friend, but you care for him," Granger said.
"Fine whatever, you seemed to have made up your mind, but what was that flash when I touched Potter?" Draco asked.
"From what I read it is a signal of the presence of a Life Debt. You saving Harry's life from Quirrell connected you," Granger said.
"Fine, whatever just because we are connected does not change anything between Potter and me anyway. Now if you don't mind, we are getting left behind and Longbottom seems to be having trouble lifting Potter," Draco said.
There was silence between Granger, Draco, and Longbottom as they got Potter upright and secured between Granger and Longbottom's shoulders, Draco still being too weak at the moment to do the job of carrying the unconscious boy. So as the gap between him and the others grew, he was forced to limp slowly after them a hand holding his side. Once they reached the Hogwarts grounds proper, Draco saw Hagrid drop his crossbow and pull out a large pink umbrella, the oaf sent Draco a look before he aimed the umbrella at the castle and cast a spell that shot a white orb to one of the towers. "We'll just wait here," the oaf said keeping a firm grip on Quirell.
"I thought I heard you got expelled. How can you use that spell?" Draco asked.
"Why what spell was it?" Granger grunted as she and Longbottom gently placed Potter onto the ground in a seated position,
"If I'm correct it is a spell known as a Patronus. The spell has two uses to push back dark creatures known as Dementors, but it can also be used to send messages to others," Draco explained.
"Ay, it was that," Hagrid stated, "and most Magicals are taught it once they reach the age of adulthood, student or not to send quick short-distance messages. Either that or sending messages they do not want others to be able to intercept. And finding Quirrell like this, I think it is needed now." Draco was a little surprised to hear the man not sounding so wild anymore.
Less than ten minutes later, the group saw the doors to the castle open as Professor Dumbledore, the four Heads of House, and Madam Pomfrey rushed over the grounds to meet them. "Hagrid, what has happened?" Dumbledore asked as the group of staff reached them.
"Well, we found who had been attacking the Unicorns, Professor," Hagrid said as he dropped Quirrell to the ground at his feet. Draco was secretly proud of the strength of the stunner he had cast since the man was still unconscious.
"Dear Merlin," Professor McGonagall said as Sprout put a hand to her mouth feeling sick as she looked upon the man's second face.
"How strange," Dumbledore said arching an eyebrow at Quirell, "so I take it Quirrell here was responsible?'
"To tell the truth, Professor, I did not see it myself, but young Malfoy did along with Harry," Hagrid said almost making Draco fall over as the oaf patted his back and almost made his knees give out.
"Mr. Potter, will not be telling us anything for a bit," Madam Pomfrey said having finished examining the still-unconscious Gryffindor. Draco did his best not to grit his teeth seeing like most of the staff at the school, the Medi-Witch refused to use a student's proper title such as the case with Potter who should be at least referred to as an Heir.
"Well, Mr. Malfoy, was it Professor Quirrell who had been hurting the Unicorns?" the Headmaster asked as he and the four Heads of House turned to him.
"I did not see him attack the unicorn personality, but Potter and myself found the hurt unicorn and him coming along to start to drink its blood," Draco said causing the members of staff to gasp at what that all meant.
Professor Dumbledore then took out his wand and cast a Diagnostic Charm on Quirrell. "Madam Pomfrey, a second opinion if you would?" Professor Dumbledore asked as he looked over Quirrell's results. The Medi-Witch did as asked as she cast a spell on her passed-out co-worker.
"No, that is impossible," Pomfrey said looking at the results casting her spell a couple of more times, and got the same results. "We must contact the Ministry," she said.
"Care to explain for those of us who have not seen the results," Professor Snape said in his normal drawl, making Draco nod his head in agreement.
"It seems according to the results of the Charm, Quirinus is giving off two life signs, his own and someone named Tom Riddle," Madam Pomfrey said. Hearing the name both Professor McGonagall and Snape took out their wands and pointed them at Quirrell's form. Seeing the other was covering the man, they met eyes with each other before Professor McGonagall lifted her wand and cast a Patronus Charm sending what looked like her Animagus form zooming away from the castle.
"Am I missing something?" Professor Sprout asked.
"Tom Riddle was once a student at this school, but after he left he changed his name and gained a following of crazed Magicals that shared his beliefs. When he returned to prominence in our world, Tom started to be called what we all know as He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named," Professor Snape said shocking them.
"Is that what is affecting, Harry?" Longbottom asked.
"Not quite, Mr. Longbottom," Madam Pomfrey said. "I do detect some unusual magic in play, but Mr. Potter is just in a Magical Coma at the moment."
"Maybe, Potter and the rest of the students should be returned to the castle," Professor Snape said.
"They did fulfill the purpose of their detention, Professor," Hagrid informed the group of teachers.
"Very well, Hagrid, please deliver Miss Granger and Mr. Longbottom back to Gryffindor before delivering Mr. Potter to the Hospital Wing. Mr. Malofy, I hope I can trust you to head back to Slytherin on your own?" Professor Dumbledore asked.
"I can sir," Draco answered.
"Very well then, I wish you all goodnight. Please do not share with your Housemates what happened tonight. I have a feeling it will all come out in the Prophet as it is," the Headmaster said waving them off as a group of Aurors appeared at the school gates and began walking towards them.