Author Notes: Okay guys, this my very first HP fic! I really hope ya'll like it. Please review, even negative reviews are accepted, not encouraged, but accepted. J Anyways, I am trying really hard to keep Draco and Lucius in character, not easy, but I try. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own any HP stuff, that would be the J.K. chic.
Chapter 1
Bethany sighed as the lazy autumn breeze ruffled her hair. Fall was coming, the trees were just beginning to show signs of changing and the wind had begun to take on that familiar autumn chill. The ducks and geese were headed for new lakes and streams and the squirrels were busy harvesting the last available acorns. School would be starting soon, something Bethany usually looked forward to. She loved seeing her old friends, meeting new ones, and learning more about the wonderful world of magic. Learning was the thing that really topped her list. All those fun pop quizzes and grueling transfiguration exams were enough to light up any teenager's day. She sighed as she rolled over and looked up at the clear blue sky. Her thoughts were then shattered by a bellowing call.
"Bethany! Come in, mom has some fun chores for you!" Bethany heard her older brother Jake call. She groaned and stood up, brushing the pieces of leaves that had clung to her jeans and sweatshirt.
"Coming!" She called then set off at a jog towards her home.
* * *
Draco tossed the crystal ball up into the air and deftly caught it. He was sitting in the formal study of Malfoy Manor. There was a foreboding air to the room, held by the huge mahogany and dark green leather furniture, in the large stone fireplace which held no merry flames to lighten the cavernous mouth, and in the great bookshelves surrounding the room filled with volumes upon volumes of dark magic.
He sat on the large couch with his long legs stretched out onto the priceless coffee table, which had been carved out of a single piece of mahogany. He tossed the ball again, but was startled by door crashing open. He deftly caught the falling object and placed it on the side table next to him.
"Get your legs off that table boy. Sit up straight and proper." Lucius Malfoy instructed his son briskly. Draco lazily stood up with slight smirk on his face.
"Father, how nice to see you. To what do I owe this honor?" Draco asked smoothly.
"You will not take that tone with me." Lucius said quietly. He looked over Draco.
"I see your mother has been spoiling you."
"No more than usual." Draco retorted smartly. Whap! A curse flew across the room and landed a blow right on Draco's cheek. His entire body whipped with the force of it. He caught himself on the arm of the sofa. He touched his fingertips to the injured cheek, where a large, ugly bruise was already beginning to form. Surprise flickered in his gray eyes before he straightened to face his father.
"I told you, I will not have any of your attitude." Lucius said an iron like cold in his eyes. When Draco did not respond he continued, taking out a parchment from his cloak.
"I received this the other day." He handed it to Draco, who cautiously accepted it and began to read:
Dear Mr. Malfoy,
We are happy to inform you that your son, Draco William Malfoy, has been accepted by the American Exchange Program. He has been placed to study at the Berkshire Institute of Magic for the next school year. We eagerly await your parental consent form along with a check for the amount enclosed to cover necessary cost. Please contact the office by Owl Post if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Ms. Catherine Holt
Mistress of Admissions
Draco raised his eyes to meet his father's. He tried to read his father's eyes but found nothing in the icy depths.
"This is very good, son, very good. Everything is going according to plan." Lucius said coolly, though a greedy gleam appeared in his eyes. He suddenly remembered Draco's presence.
"Go," he said simply, "Go and pack your things you leave first thing in the morning for this… Berkshire school." He ordered. Draco nodded and left, grateful to be out of his father's presence. He could not help but feel a tremor of joy run through his body. He would have an entire year away from the immediate presence of Lucius, away from the nightly Death Eater Meetings, away from the dark destiny that awaited him.
* * *
Bethany burst into the small cozy kitchen. She saw her mother cooking at the stove and smiled at the warm smells that tickled her nose.
"Bethany, I need you to feed the dogs, put in a load of clothes and then clean the bathroom." Mrs. Emerson said without even looking up from her cooking. The smile faded from Bethany's face.
"Why can't Jake do it?" she asked.
"Because Jake is up to his elbows in school work."
"School hasn't even started yet!"
"Maybe your freak school isn't in session, but us, what do you call us? Muggles? We muggles have to constantly keep at it you know." Jake kidded, ambling into the kitchen and snatching up an apple tossing it into the air, and catching it.
"Why do guys do that?" Bethany asked, annoyed.
"It secures us of our manliness." Jake answered taking a huge bite out the apple and taking the stairs out of the kitchen two at a time.
"Mom, I thought we were going shopping for school stuff today." She said, her spirits sinking.
"No, you are leaving for Janice's tomorrow, remember?" her mom asked. Bethany slapped her hand to her fore head.
"I can't believe I forgot!" she exclaimed. She and her friend Janice Rayne had decided that Bethany was to go and spend the week before school started at Janice's house in Vermont. It was closer to school and I would allow the girls to catch up before being thrust into school again. Plus, there was a darling little wizarding village, Janiper, close to Janice's home where they could get all of their shopping done.
"I told Janice's mom that I would send you by the Bell Line." Mrs. Emerson said, referring to the wizarding bus line.
"What! Why can't I just use floo powder!?" Bethany whined.
"Because I don't trust that stuff, anything that involves you standing in a pit of flames is a negative activity in my mind."
"Oh, okay then." Bethany said resignedly. "Hey mom did you know that my school is hosting a foreign exchange student this year?"
"No, where are the students coming from?"
"Well, there are two actually; both of them are from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." Bethany answered, seeing her mom flitch and the word 'witchcraft'. Her mother had been brought up in a Catholic home, while she was supportive of Bethany's talents, she still had trouble with the concept of witches.
"Where is that?"
"Don't know, some where in Britain I suppose." Bethany said.
"Ah," Mrs. Emerson replied going back to her cooking.
"You know in Britain they use floo powder all the time." Bethany said with the beginnings of hope in her voice, when her mother ignored the comment she sighed and then went to start her chores.
* * *
"Janice!" Bethany called when she saw her friend. She dropped her bags beside her. 'Wow, Janice has changed a lot this summer!' Bethany thought. It was true. Janice had lost the awkward clumsiness that characterized her tall friend. Instead, Janice now walked with a self assured grace. She had become tan, and her long blonde hair was sin streaked. She looked like your average fairy tale princess. Bethany felt plain and clumsy in comparison; she nervously tucked her short brown hair behind her ears and waved. Janice's blue eyes lit up when she caught sight of Bethany. She hurried over, giving Bethany a hug. She was sill a good five inches taller than Bethany, who was on the short side to begin with.
"I have missed you so much chica!" Janice said happily, her usual sunny disposition shining.
"Me too!" Bethany answered. "So, what have you been up to over the summer?" she asked. The girls picked up Bethany's bags and Janice led her down the street.
"Well, believe it or not, but I have been teaching Sunday school." She answered. Bethany goggled at her.
"Why?"
"Well it gave me something to do over the summer, and I really do like working with the kids. Plus, I find solace in the teachings of the Bible."
"Yea, one of the prominent being against witchcraft." Bethany muttered. Janice just rolled her eyes. "So where is your house anyways?"
"It is just around the corner here." Janice said dismissively. As they rounded the corner Bethany stopped in amazement. She had never been to Janice's house before. It was huge. The large Victorian style home was surrounded by a lovely English garden and protected by a white picket fence. All the flowers and shrubbery was in bloom despite the onset of the chilly autumn.
"How do you like it?" Janice asked.
"It's beautiful! How do you keep all of the plants in bloom?" Bethany asked.
"A simple little charm. The muggles can't see it because we placed a glamour over the entire thing." Janice explained as they neared the house. Janice pushed open the front door to the house and let Bethany in. She dropped Bethany's bags by the stairs, telling Bethany the house elves would take care of them. Bethany followed suit.
"So, where's your mom?" Bethany asked, usually Janice's mom sent owls to her just about once every week when she was at school. Bethany had just assumed that she was a very domestic type that would greet them at the front door with a plate of cookies and glasses of milk.
"I think that she had to go to one of her friend's house, something about a spell gone wrong or something." Janice shrugged. "Anyways, let's go on up to my room and you can fill me in on all the fun you've been having over the summer." Bethany agreed happily and Janice showed Bethany the way up to her room.
Janice threw open the door to her room dramatically and showed Bethany inside. It was like stepping back in time. There was a large, canopied bed caddy cornered on the far side of the room. There were a couple old tapestries hanging on the walls, and a small vanity near the closet. A large desk sat near the window, cluttered in parchments and quills. It looked like a princess's bedchamber.
"Wow, this is beautiful Janice!" Bethany exclaimed, going over and sitting down in a large armchair and looking at her friend with a huge smile.
"You never told me you had such a cool room!" she continued. Just then, a small caramel colored owl flew in the window and landed on the perch that stood next to the desk.
"Hey Sita." Janice greeted the bird, who didn't respond, it was too busy eating the food in its bowl. Janice rolled her eyes.
"I swear, that bird eats at least ten times her own body weight each day!" she complained to Bethany who just laughed.
"Well, at least you have an owl. Or any pet for that matter. I don't even have a toad." Bethany sighed.
"Be grateful you don't have a toad. Besides, what do you need an owl for? Your mom would have a heart attack if you came home with an owl, or a cat."
"So true, but still, I can complain can't I?"
"Of course, please do continue."
"Well, actually I am done, though it would be nice to have a pet, something I could relate to. I mean, I keep all my magic stuff put away because, well, you know my mom and dad for that matter. They try to be cool about the whole magic thing, but I still think that it kind of puts them on edge." Bethany sighed.
"So, they think you are a Satan worshiper?" Janice asked jokingly.
"No, they just, don't understand. They do try though. It would kind of be like hosting a werewolf in your house. You know that they are potentially dangerous. And ever since you were a child you have been taught, 'Werewolf equals bad', but you also know that they can't help being the way that they are, and you know that they would never hurt you on purpose." Bethany tried explaining, but she saw Janice's eyes start to gloss over, so she opted for a quick subject change.
"Anyway, have you heard about those two exchange students?" Bethany asked, Janice snapped right back into it.
"Yep, I heard they were both boys. British boys." Janice giggled. Bethany joined in, but somehow her heart just wasn't in it.