Draco stood in the owlery, angrily writing a letter. The hooting of the owls around him only worsened his mood.
Dear Mother,
I hope you are enjoying your trip in France while I am trapped in this filthy castle with spoiled Harry Potter and an old codger for a headmaster. I don't see why you couldn't have taken me with you. You're not the only one who needed a break.
Thank you for the Gubraithian Fire, although I don't see how I could use a fire that never goes out. What I could use is a vacation away from all of these bloody fools!
Unsincerely,
Draco
He didn't think the letter would accomplish anything. Narcissa Malfoy would certainly not appreciate his tone, but Draco didn't care. How could she just leave me here? He thought as he tied his letter with a red ribbon. He walked over to his eagle owl and began tying the letter to its leg. "Pester her for some nice food, Rapax." He told the bird. "It's the least she can do." He carried the owl to the window and watched as it flew off into the horizon.
Crabbe and Goyle were waiting for him outside of the owlery. They had insisted on spending Christmas break with him and refused to take 'no' as an answer. Draco was in no mood to socialize with others. He was headed towards the Slytherin dormitory in order to relax by himself.
When they reached the third floor, they ran into Hermione carrying a stack of books. "Draco?" She said, sounding surprised. "What are you doing here?"
"I go to school here." He replied tartly. "Honestly, I don't know why people think you're so smart."
Hermione glared at him. "You're usually not at Hogwarts during Christmas break."
"What's it to you?" Draco demanded, his temper rising.
"Nothing. I was just wondering why…" She wasn't able to finish her sentence, for at that moment Draco had taken out his wand and pinned her to the wall. Her books fell to the floor.
"It's none of your business why I'm here, Granger, so stay out of it!" He yelled.
"Put me down!"
He picked up one of the books off the ground. "What do you have here?" The title read: Cooking the Muggle Way by Mordicus Egg. "You don't need this. You're great at being a Mudblood on your own."
"Put that down!"
"Which is it? You or the book?" Draco teased. Crabbe and Goyle laughed behind him.
"Leave her alone!" A voice called from down the corridor. Draco turned and discovered the voice belonged to Luna Lovegood.
"This is none of your business, Loony, so get out here!" Draco snapped.
"Yeah, Loony!" Crabbe and Goyle agreed.
Instead of leaving, she approached. "Why are you doing this? What did she do to you?"
"I told you to get out of here!" Draco repeated.
"I'm not going anywhere until you release her." She glanced at the book in his hand. "Since when are you interested in Muggles?"
"What? I'm not!" He threw the book into the pile of other books on the ground. He thought he heard a squeal from Hermione, but he dismissed it from his mind. His face had grown red-hot in anger. "I told you to stay out of this!" He pointed his wand towards Luna, but instead of attacking her, it shot out of his hand and flew behind him. Draco spun around, confused.
Professor Severus Snape was standing in the middle of the hall with his wand in one hand and Draco's in the other. "Were you seriously considering attacking a fellow student in front of me, Mr. Malfoy?"
"Professor, I…" He couldn't think of an excuse.
"Miss Granger, are you harmed?" Snape asked, ignoring Draco.
"No. I'm alright." Hermione replied.
"Miss Lovegood?"
"I'm fine as well. Thank you." Luna answered.
"Then off with you."
Luna helped Hermione pick up the books and they hurried off in the opposite direction. Snape turned his attention to Draco. "Detention, Mr. Malfoy. Now."
"What? What about Crabbe and Goyle?"
Snape glanced around. "What about them?"
"They were part of it. They…" Draco looked around. Crabbe and Goyle were nowhere to be found. Those traitors! They must have heard Snape approaching. Of course they no longer want to hang out with me, now that I'm in trouble. Snape had already begun walking down the corridor. Draco hesitated.He considered escaping, but dismissed the idea. There would be no way he could get away with it. Plus Snape knows where the Slytherin dormitories are. He reluctantly followed. He wanted to stare at his shoes, but he refused to be viewed as defeated, so he fixed his eyes on Snape's back.
They walked in silence for a while: Snape leading with never a glance behind him, Draco following, keeping his distance so passerby did not connect him with Snape. He knew it was a desperate hope, but stayed away nonetheless.
He was just about to ask the Potions Master where he was taking him when there was suddenly a loud BANG. Snape stopped in his tracks and stared at the floor. The sound had come from the floor directly below them. A second later, the professor swirled around, his furious eyes seeming to pierce through Draco's skull. "What did you do this time?" He said through clenched teeth.
"Me?" Draco raised his hands in protest. "That had nothing to do with me. How could it? I've been here trailing you." Snape growled, but to Draco's relief he eased himself and glanced at the ground below them again. "I don't suppose… Very well. Come." He hardly waited for Draco before he hurried down the corridor towards the staircase. Draco struggled to keep up, not bothering any longer to keep his distance. Anyone on the first three floors could have heard that noise. It wouldn't be suspicious for me to check it out. For all anyone knows, Snape just so happens to be nearby. But there was no one in the halls except for the two of them.
When they reached the second floor, everything seemed to be normal. The halls on this floor were also empty, but that was to be expected. Many students returned home for the holidays. Draco became disappointed. He had expected someone to be in trouble. He slowed his pace, assuming Snape would do the same, but instead the professor kept up his pace and swiftly made his way down the corridor. Within a few moments, somebody came rushing out of a hallway from the left. Snape slowed to a walk and Draco followed suit. He was still too far away to make out the person's face, but there was no mistaking that flaming-red hair. This is even better than I hoped. A Weasley is going to get in trouble! I must watch this! The boy hadn't noticed them yet.
"What a surprise, to only find one Mr. Weasley. I had come to the conclusion after these years that the two of you relied on a symbiotic relationship." Snape said in a cold voice. "Tell me, where is your other half?" The professor briefly glanced down the hallway the way the twin had come, but quickly returned his gaze to the boy.
Even better yet! Draco thought gleefully. Not just any Weasley in trouble, but one of the twins. Surely they won't get off the hook this time, not when Snape's the one who caught them. "Yeah, Weasel." Draco added, smiling. He couldn't help himself. The Weasley boy glanced at him, his frown growing deeper.
"Quiet, you." Snape snarled. Draco was surprised to see Snape looking directly at him. "You've no room to gloat seeing as you're in trouble yourself." Draco quickly wiped the smile off of his face. Did he have to say that aloud? I know I'm trouble, but he doesn't have to know that! He thought as he went back to staring at his feet. Snape crossed his arms as he turned back to the Weasley. "Now, what have you done to cause explosions? Surely you should be relaxing on Christmas of all days." Small explosions and hissing sounds emanated from the hallway to the left.
The Weasley boy glanced back at the hallway before answering. "I'm sorry, Professor." The twin sounded mature and apologetic. Not for the first time, though. Draco thought. He uses this voice when he tries to get out of trouble. Snape's not falling for it, weasel. He listened to the twin's story, secretly amused and waiting for Snape to become furious. "I wanted to test a new product to surprise Fred as a Christmas present, but they're not responding the way they should. I couldn't vanish them. Containing them was the best I could do." He led Snape to the end of the corridor, waving his hand to explain what he meant. Draco followed. Fireworks littered the ground, each of them multiplying rapidly. Every once in awhile, a firework exploded. Colored smoke came from some of them,rising almost to knee-level, but it did not leave the hallway. Some sort of force-field held the smoke back. Draco was impressed, but he would never had admitted it. He noticed his awe was showing on his face and quickly returned it to a bored expression. I don't think anyone noticed. He thought, studying George's and Snape's faces. Good. Snape turned his attention to Draco and he was afraid the professor had noticed after all. Snape seemed annoyed. That must be because of the weasel. Draco thought, relieved.
"Mr. Weasley," Snape said, facing George, "Professor McGonagall will be hearing about this. Perhaps she and Flitwick can find a way to clean up your mess. I have something else to attend to at the moment." Snape motioned to Draco to follow. So much for no one knowing I was with you. Draco thought sullenly, but he followed the professor anyway. Before reaching the end of the hall, Snape turned and added, "And George?" A smirk grew on the professor's face. Draco was glad it was not aimed towards him. "Don't think you'll be let off easily because McGonagall goes soft during the holidays. You will be serving detention with me every night for a week once classes resume. Do you understand?" Draco laughed and opened his mouth to tease George, but Snape hit him on the head and he remembered his own punishment. "Yes, sir." George answered. Wait a minute, Draco thought, why do I get detention during the break and the weasel doesn't? At least he has a longer punishment. He comforted himself on that. "Draco Malfoy." Draco followed the sound of his name and was shocked to find Snape standing at the end of the hall, waiting impatiently for him. How had he moved that fast? He thought as he jogged to catch up to him. I need to pay attention more before Snape lengthens my detention.
He gave up trying to stay a few paces away from Snape. It's useless now, since he's already told the redhead about my detention. "Where are you taking me?" He grumbled. Snape remained silent, so Draco repeated his question. Still no answer. He opened his mouth to ask again, this time in a louder tone, when Snape finally responded, "Will you stop blathering like a child? Patience is a virtue, they say." Draco grumbled again; it was not the answer he had wanted. The professor mumbled something under his breath, but it was too soft for the boy to understand. "What caused you to attack the Granger girl earlier?" Snape asked audibly.
"You won't answer my question, so why should I answer yours?" Draco remarked. Snape glared at him. "I don't see how it's any of your business."
"Very well, don't tell me. I already know, anyway." Snape said slyly. Then why had he asked? Draco thought, frustrated.
Neither of them talked again as Snape led him down two flights of stairs and into the dungeons. Perhaps he's taking me back to the dormitories! Maybe I'll be let off with a warning. Draco thought excitedly, but frowned when Snape walked right past the staircase leading down to the dormitories. If he's not taking me back to the dormitories, then… Draco slowed his pace a bit. He knew where they were going now and he was in no hurry to get there.
They finally stopped in front of a dark wooden door. Draco's stomach dropped. The potions classroom, Snape's territory. The professor could make him do nearly anything for his punishment and get away with it down here. Before opening the door, Snape turned to him and smirked. Oh no. Draco thought glumly as he hesitantly followed the professor inside.
Draco shivered upon entering the room. He was used to the cold Slytherin dormitories, although the large fireplace in the common room usually helped with the temperature. This room, however, was much colder, especially since it was winter, and had no fireplace. He could see his breath form a fog cloud in front of him before slowly dissipating. The dim lighting added to the eeriness of the room; there were no windows and only a few lit candles scattered about. Placed all around the room were preserved animal parts and plants in glass jars. Although Draco had seen them countless times during potions class, they never failed to be creepy. The place was silent except for the gargoyle fountain located in the corner, gushing a stream of water out of its mouth and into the basin below. To the right was the door to Snape's office. It was nearly identical to the one for the classroom. Snape stepped up to the door. He started to open his mouth to speak, but quickly turned to face Draco as if he had forgotten he was there. "Muffliato." He said as he pointed his wand in Draco's direction. Suddenly a buzzing sound filled his ears. It seemed to come from nowhere and everywhere at once. Draco saw the professor's mouth move in speech, but could not hear what he was saying over the buzzing. The office door opened and Snape entered, motioning for Draco to follow. He obeyed.
Snape's office was little different from his classroom. Shelves lining the walls held more jars of pickled animal and plant parts. A desk and a dark leather chair stood in the middle of the room. His desk was littered with items, including several parchment rolls, a goblet of dark liquid, a silver tray of odd-looking snacks, a quill and ink well, and many tools that Draco could only guess the uses of. A small fireplace was set into one of the walls, the logs currently unlit and covered in ashes. Draco quivered in the cold and wished a warm fire was blazing. In one of the corners stood a cabinet full of many potion ingredients. Draco remembered when a student stole some items out of that cabinet along with Snape's furious reaction. He vowed to stay several paces away from that cabinet at all times.
The Potions professor sat at his desk, grabbing some fresh parchment from a drawer and making room for it. He looked up at Draco and his mouth started moving, forming words, words that Draco could not hear. The buzzing noise was still filling up his ears. "What?" He couldn't hear his own voice. He wasn't sure how loud he was speaking. Snape stared at him, clearly annoyed. Snape seemed to repeat what he said, his mouth opening wider and the words being formed slower, but Draco still could not hear anything he said. "I don't understand." He hoped he wasn't yelling. Snape glared at him with furious wide eyes. He stiffly pointed to the clean parchment, the quill, and the glass jars lining the walls. What? He wants me to write about something. The jars? He wants me to write about the jars? In response to his silence, Snape's mouth began forming two words slowly, over and over again. Draco strained to understand. Lam. Them. Lam. Them. It made no sense to him. Snape's mouth moved even slower and more deliberately. N-am. Th-em. N-am. Th-em. Name. Them. Name them. Name them! He wants me to name the jars? The stuff in the jars? Is he mad? I can't do that! Snape nodded his head, the annoyance plain on his face. Had I spoken aloud? He couldn't tell. "I don't know what they are." He said.
Snape spoke an unheard spell and several books flew into the office. They landed in a neat pile atop the desk. Draco read the spines. The Encyclopedia of Bat Eyes, all six volumes. Lizard's Claw from Africa. Newts of Bognor. Encyclopedia of Toadstools. Snape wrote something at the top of the parchment before leaving Draco alone in the office with the strange jars. Malfoy made his way to the chair hesitantly. He wasn't used to being allowed in Snape's office, let alone in his chair. The parchment in front of him was blank save for a single line at the top that read "Do not break anything". He decided to simply examine the jars without touching them. One of the jars contained what looked like the head of a lizard floating in sickly green liquid. Look at you. You've gone and lost your head. He thought musingly. There was no sense in speaking out loud if he couldn't tell he if was actually speaking. He opened the book on lizards and was horrified to see hundreds of species within. Oh bloody hell. This is going to take all night!
After an hour of peering into jars, rummaging through books, and jotting down what he found, Draco's hand began to ache. He slumped back in the chair and closed his eyes to relax.
"What have we here?" A scratchy voice said.
Draco opened his eyes quickly. "Who's there?" He called, but his question was answered when he looked upwards. In the corner of the dungeon ceiling floated a little man with pale skin, black hair, black eyes, and a nasty grin reaching ear-to-ear.
"Do please fear, for Peeves is here." The poltergeist cackled.
"Peeves!" Wait, I can hear again! The buzzing in his ears had ceased, probably long ago.
"That is my name and trouble is my game."
"Off with you! I don't need you making my day worse than it is." Draco shouted. "Out! Out!" But Peeves only listened to two people and Draco was certainly not one of them.
From behind his back Peeves produced a red Christmas tree ornament. "I just wanted to give you a little PRESENT!" He shouted the last word as he chucked the ornament at Draco's head. Draco moved out of the way just in time. The little glass ball whizzed by his ear and crashed against a jar containing a toad preserved in purple liquid, its contents spilling.
Draco gasped. "PEEVES!" Loud footsteps were approaching the office door. "Smell ya' later!" The poltergeist exclaimed as he swiftly left the room through the ceiling. The door slammed open, causing the jars to rattle. Professor Snape stood in the doorway, anger creasing his eyebrows. "What happened?" He demanded.
"It was Peeves!" Draco quickly explained. "Peeves came in here and threw a glass ornament at me. He missed, of course, but he hit a jar."
"You expect me to believe a poltergeist was responsible for this?"
"It's true!"
"Peeves has never bothered me in my office before. Why would he start now?"
"I don't know. Perhaps he knew I was in here instead of you."
Snape stepped over to the broken jar. "The preservation has been destroyed. You will pay for this, boy!"
"Me? But it was Peeves!" Draco whined. "Can't you just refill it with magic?"
Snape spun on him. "You imbecile! You ignorant fool! Do you think everything can be solved by magic?" Draco didn't answer, for that is exactly what he had thought. "What is the name of that specimen?" He pointed to the broken jar.
Draco hesitated. He hadn't expected the question. "I don't know, sir. I hadn't gotten to it yet."
"Yet it seems as though you've had no problem getting to it." Snape snarled, pointing to the broken glass. "That is a crested toad and it costs nine galleons. You will cover the cost." It was not a question. "Now get out of my office."
"Should I wait in the classroom while you clean this up?" Draco asked uncertainly.
Snape's face boiled with fury. "Just get out."
"What do you mean, though? Do you want me to…?"
"GET OUT!"
Draco jumped. "Yes, sir." He stammered and hurried out of the office.
He didn't slow his pace until he got inside the Slytherin dormitories. Crabbe and Goyle, to his relief, were nowhere to be found. He slumped into a chair near the blazing fireplace. Warm. He thought. So warm. He sighed, thankful that he couldn't see his breath. That Peeves! Always causing trouble! At least I'm out of detention. At least there's that. Perhaps this Christmas won't be so dreadful after all. He soon fell fast asleep in the chair.