Chapter 1

It is the unexpected that changes our lives. – Anonymous.

Any other day and he would have managed. Any other day, he would have gone with his daily chores without a care in the world. But today …. Today was different. Today was the day he was supposed to return to Hogwarts to complete his "education". He had woken up early in the morning having had a restless night. Since then, Draco Malfoy had tried every trick in the books to calm his nerves down and failed every time. He still couldn't believe that he…. Of all people was invited to stay at Hogwarts and finish his term if he wished to. He remembered his first reaction at receiving the letter that day.

He had been sitting quietly in the confines of his study, a book in hand, sipping his favourite tea…..when a sudden whooshing sound caught his attention. It was a familiar sound….. He knew that sound. But it couldn't be it….. It had been so long since he had received any post that he mistook it for an ordinary bird. Just when he was about to turn his attention back to his book, he heard the sound again and this time his eyes clearly caught site of a large fluffy owl trying to enter his window. Startled at the site in front of him, Draco stilled at his spot.

Who in this world is sending an owl to me…!

The owl had now positioned itself on the thin sill of his window, lightly pecking at the glass and scratching its head against the wall around the window frame. Draco willed himself to get up and had opened the window only slightly when the owl fluttered inside his study noisily, settling itself on a large stack of books that lay on his table. Frowning, Draco moved forward towards the bird who was now hooting happily while holding out its leg towards the wizard in front of him.

Sighing heavily, Draco pulled out the parchment and it was then that he noticed the familiar crest on the envelope. It only confused him further…

A letter from Hogwarts ... what's going on?

Unable to judge the purpose of the letter….. Draco hastily tore the envelope and was shocked at the words he read…..

Dear Mr. Malfoy,

I am pleased to announce that Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is set to re-open this year. It is with great pleasure that I invite you to be a part of the school once again and complete the remaining of your term.

Please find a list of essentials attached with this letter along with the details of the reopening ceremony.

Prof. Minerva McGonagall

Headmistress

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Draco reread the letter again and again not believing his own eyes….. He turned the page to find a list of prescribed books and ingredients attached along with a brochure. The Brochure gave away details of the re-opening ceremony to be held at Hogwarts on the 1st of September. Draco noticed a single picture of Hogwarts published on it and nostalgia took over him….

They rebuilt it… Draco thought to himself, a single smile crossed his face.

Even after sustaining the injuries of the Battle, the castle exuded the warmth it always had.

So unlike me…

Draco shivered at the thought and the smile faded away.

Hogwarts was once again to be the home of young minds. It had been Draco's true home for a very long time. And now…. It could be his home again. The thought caused several emotions to rise inside Draco. He felt happy at the idea of being back and yet a strange dread spread throughout him.

Draco hastily folded the letter back and put it in the drawer. He was lost in his own world when a light pecking sound caught his attention. The large, fluffy and extremely grey owl was now pecking lightly at his books and the table. Draco offered it a few nuts kept besides him and the owl hooted happily and took a flight out of the window. Draco stared at it till he could no longer make out a sphere in the sky, wondering what he would do next.

But now that day had arrived and Draco still could not come to terms with his own decision ….

A loud hissing sound pulled him out of his reverie. The kettle on the stove was now jumping up and down, his tea being done. Draco pulled it off the stove and started to pour himself a cup when he caught movement outside his window. This time there was no mistake. He could clearly make out a grey sphere hopping on his window sill. Draco was way too nervous at the site to pay attention to his cup and ended up pouring the tea on his hand.

Shit…. Draco gasped with pain. Wiping his hand with a cloth and cursing the fate, he hurried towards the window. When Draco looked at the post, he was surprised to find a single note which Draco found beyond his point of understanding. It read –

Hope to see you at the Re-opening Ceremony. Have a safe journey.

Draco turned the page again and again to find any indication he could find of the author but in vain. He couldn't imagine anyone waiting for his arrival anywhere on the face of the world let alone at Hogwarts.

Draco looked at the owl only to find it long gone. He had intended to write back a reply to the author asking them about their identity and send it along with the owl back to its owner. But his chance to do that was now flying away from him literally.

It can't be McGonagall… she would have signed the letter and attached a big Hogwarts crest on the envelope like last time. But then whose owl was it?

Draco had just assumed that it belonged to the owlery at Hogwarts and was the one used for official post. But he now knew that his assumption was wrong and that it belonged to someone he knew.

The more he thought about the note, the more he got confused.

Someone's waiting for me….. But who?... It doesn't matter they only probably want to kill me after I reach there….. but then why would they wish me a safe journey?

Draco's mind was going to explode with his thoughts…..Enough thinking. He had already decided he would go. His decision was not going to be affected by the letter. If anything, he now had a reason for being there. With that thought, Draco made up his mind and went back to his room to pack his stuff.

Draco Malfoy was going back to Hogwarts.