𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐏𝐄 𝐃𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐈𝐒

IV

Act IV.

Ubi dubium, ibi libertas.

Where there is doubt, there is freedom.

Draco peeked over the rim of his goblet in apprehension to where the Headmaster was mixing his own concoction in preparation of the Wizard's Pact. He would never admit it but his hand was shaking badly from anxiety as conflicting thoughts flickered through his mind. Was he doing the right thing? Should he back out of it now? No! He had to do this! It was the only way to be sure. Plus the Pact would ensure that his secrets stay safe. Even someone as powerful as Albus Dumbledore could not break such a sacred rite and even then the old coot would probably be too much of a Gryffindor to use it against him.

"Are you ready, Mr. Malfoy?" The professor asked with a gentle smile, his eyes for once absent of that damnable twinkling.

Draco swallowed this nervousness down and replied, "Yes, sir."

"Alright. Do you Draco Lucien Malfoy consent to enter into a Wizard's Pact with Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore?" Dumbledore intoned with a slight smile.

Merlin! How many names can one person have? Draco thought incredulously as he heard the headmaster's full name. His incredulity must have shown on his face for the professor cracked a small smile at him. Flushing and clearing his throat for being caught acting like an imbecilic child; he struggled to return the atmosphere back to its original somberness. After all a wizard's pact was nothing to laugh at. "I do and do you Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore consent to enter into a Wizard's Pact with Draco Lucien Malfoy?" Draco managed to reply with a straight face although it was hard. Honestly! Wulfric? What kind of sadistic bastards would name their child such a thing?

"I do." Dumbledore answered as he reached for his cup while Draco did the same and they both drank the cup in unison.

Draco winced as he felt the mixture work its way down his gullet, its cohesive texture making it difficult to swallow.

"Very well then." Dumbledore said as he set aside his cup, smiling and looking for all the world like he just drank a most delectable sweet. Draco wrinkled his nose. I should have known his taste in drink would match the one he has for clothing. He thought in distaste as he surveyed once again the man's canary yellow robes.

"How about we take turns answering each other's questions? This way both of us will have the answers we require tonight." Dumbledore's words broke through Draco's chain of thought. He hastily nodded his head and began to think of the many questions he needed answers to and how to word them without giving too much of himself away.

"Alright. How about you go first, Mr. Malfoy, since you seem to have a lot on your mind." Albus offered graciously, wanting this meeting to have a favorable outcome, for truth be told, he had always wanted a chance to sway this particular student from the path he seemed set to take.

Draco shrugged and took this chance that was offered to him, anxious to get this over with but still extremely wary of whom he was talking to. Merlin knows he had never felt comfortable speaking to this man and so he asked as vaguely as the truth serum in the pact would allow him, "Say that someone I know wanted shelter from you, would you be willing to provide it? And if so, under what terms?" He inwardly groaned after the question left his lips for he knew he didn't fool anybody with that phrasing, let alone the original Savior of the Wizarding World. Smooth, Draco, Real Smooth. He berated himself.

As if to validate Draco's thoughts, the old fool smiled with that expression he only used when he was extremely amused with something, which in this case would be Draco's discomfort. "Mr. Malfoy, there is no need to be so evasive. We are under a wizard's pact as you well know. Let the truths spoken be complete ones for I assure you neither one of us can speak of this to anyone else."