Hi, I thought I'd put up a list at the beginning of the fanfiction outlining anything that might put people off reading this, for whatever reason (I could put all this in the tags if I was on AO3, but I don't like how it shows viewings and stuff it isn't as clear as on here). The list will (hopefully if I remember) be updated every so often to be as accurate as possible, so that I don't get hate from angry reviewers who got to, like, Chapter 50 or something only to find out that their notp was a main pairing or something.

So, this fanfiction includes:

- black!Hermione
- black!Harry
-minor OCs
-human!Basilisk
-minor character deaths
-mentions of blood and injuries
-human!Nagini

I know it's a little short right now, but hey, the story's only just started, there'll be plenty of time for me to indulge in all of your worst horrors (or favourite things) later.

Happy readings!

~Comix

Chapter One: In which Draco is a little shit, and Lucius makes a decision

As the son of a successful sea merchant, Draco Malfoy had been able to have many luxuries throughout his childhood. His mother had barely left his side. His father bought his affections. The world was his oyster.

This is what he knew when he woke up in his silk sheets and stretched, yawning widely. It was what he thought as he washed his face in the basin and a servant opened his curtains, letting the warmth sunlight warm him. It was what he believed as he sat down for breakfast with his mother and father. It was what he told himself as he made polite conversation with them. It was what he told his best friend Blaise around an hour later, as they looked across the docks, sat on some rocks not too far from his manor house.

"The world is my oyster, Blaise," he grinned.

"Sure." Blaise rolled his eyes. His entire family was currently in employment to the Malfoy family - his mother as one of Narcissa Malfoy's maids, his sister as an assistant cook, his father on one of the Malfoy's many trading ships, and himself being Draco's... butler. That was his official title, anyway, however it wasn't as such that he looked after Draco, but just kept him company, took the fall for him, and made sure he didn't die.

"Amused, Blaise?" Draco said, smirking. "It's true. This island, everybody follows my fathers orders and one day it will be mine. All of it." He pulled his shirt off and lay back, basking in the Caribbean sun.

"You shouldn't be doing that. You burn too easily." Blaise grumbled, but did nothing to stop him. "And how can you be so sure? Theo Nott's father is governor, not Lucius."

"Ah, but for how much longer?" Draco laughed. "My father is bringing in way too much money for the crown; they'll have to reward him somehow."

"And how will you run the business when it's yours? You know fuck all about the sea."

"A bunch of maps and maths, Blaise. That's all it'll be." He sat up and looked past the docks to the sea. "Trust me, Zabini. My future is spread out before me like the ocean, and..." his roaming eyes caught sight of Pansy Parkinson, skinny-dipping with her friends. "I like what I see."

Lucius Malfoy's son was a spoiled brat.

In fact, one could even say he'd been a spoiled brat all his life. As his son, Draco had had many opportunities that others couldn't afford. His mother had coddled him, and Lucius could admit, reluctantly, that he'd given the boy too much. And he'd turned into a little shit.

This was what he knew when his wife awoke him with a kiss. It was what he thought as he brushed back his long, almost-white hair and smiled slyly into the mirror. It was what he'd rather not think about as Draco sauntered into the dining room. It is what he admitted to himself as his son prattled on about things that hardly mattered. It was what he admitted to his wife soon after, as they took tea in the library.

"Our son's a little shit, Narcissa," he groaned, rubbing his eyes.

"Lucius!" His wife gasped, not appreciating her husband's vocabulary.

"It's true. He's a spoiled brat. We've been giving him too much, and expecting too little in return." He stretched back on his seat.

"He's just a boy, Lucius."

"Dammit Narcissa!" Lucius slammed his hands on the coffee table. "That 'boy' is well over the age I was when I inherited the company from my father. I have enough to worry about, what with those blasted pirates..."

"I thought you made a deal with them? To protect your ships?" Narcissa was genuinely concerned. Despite the fact that her sisters and their families sailed the seas, Narcissa had never been fond of the ocean - it made her seasick - so she didn't fully understand the finer points of piracy.

"With Voldemort - yes. But Dumbeldore's fleet? For as long as I am in league with the Dark Pirate Lord, I am a target."

"Then stop allying yourself with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named!"

"I can't... Dumbledore attacks fleets, but... Voldemort does much worse... But, that isn't our topic of concern, currently. We were talking of our son." Lucius stood up, and walked over to one bookcases that lined the walls. "I don't plan to die for a long time yet, Narcissa. But that doesn't mean I won't. And if I do, I need to know the business will be left in good hands."

"You've been coaching Draco in business since he could talk."

"And if I dealt with business on land, I would leave it at that. But, I do not. The boy needs to understand the waves." Lucius sighed. "I travelled on the HMS Slytherin myself for several years, it is how I keep the peace with my captains. I understand them, and they respect me."

"They shall respect our son, as well."

"Draco?" Lucius scoffed. "Not even the Zabini's respect him! They respect the cat more than him! The only reason the son keeps him company is because I pay him extra at the end of the week!"

Narcissa looked horrified at the information. "No..."

"I'm sorry, Narcissa. But... I believe it is best for the boy to spend a couple of months on one of my ships, the Endeavor."

"But, Lucius... What about the pirates?" Narcissa asked, looking at him desperately.

"The ship's current route is through waters which are rarely attacked. Besides, I would trust Captain Yaxley with my life." He pulled a book from the shelf and stroked the leather cover. "It's what's best for Draco."

"If you say so." Nacissa conceeded, also standing. "We'll tell him tonight, I suppose? During dinner?"

Draco didn't take the news well.

He screamed, he yelled and he hurled abuse at his parents. He held his breath until he turned blue. He pulled the books from the wall and punched the wall. He poured the soup from it's bowl and smashed the china on his chair. He stormed out into the garden and ruined his mother's flowers. He came back in and yelled some more. But it was the spitting, however, that was the last straw for Lucius's temper.

Lucius grabbed him by his collar and pushed him against the wall. "Listen here, boy. You are a man of class, and you are behaving like a heathen. You are boarding that ship, and no matter how many tantrums you throw, this will not change!"

"You never cared about me, you elvish sodomite!" Draco howled. "You never loved me! You were just waiting to get rid of me, you big-nosed son of a bitch!"

Lucius slapped Draco's cheek. "You dare to talk to me that way? My riches, my hard work, are the reasons you live the way you do!"

"That doesn't matter! I didn't ask to be born into this selfish, uncaring family! You didn't ask if I wanted this! So you don't get to choose my fate!"

"So you choose not to inherit the Malfoy fortune? That can easily be arranged!" Lucius thundered back.

Draco looked shocked, and lowered his gaze to the floor, spitting out, "I never said that, did I?"

Lucius let go of his shirt. "Then you will be going on that ship, and we will say no more on this topic."

AN: Hi guys! It's been a while, huh? Like, at least a year... maybe more... and I've spent that year planning this fic! It's working title is A Bunch of Maps and Mishaps, but I might change it later if something better comes up. I might take a little long to update since I'm still planning some parts (I want to include side-plots so the story isn't so plot heavy but I'm struggling to come up with piratey ideas) but I aim to be semi-regular with updates! Finally, there are no endgame pairings just yet, though I do have vague ideas, so bear with me and if I decide I'll update the thingy at the top with the pairing (though I will warn you now there is a 67% chance it will end up as Dramione since I enjoy writing Dramione a lot)!

As always, please review!

~Comix