Hello all! This is my first story on Fanfiction although it's not the first story I've ever written. This story starts off in 7th year. I completely disregard Half-Blood Prince because I just really hated it. In this story Dumbledore is alive and kicking. Ginny will NEVER be a possible romance for Harry in this story or any other I write (sorry H/G) fans. Reviews are welcome, good and bad. I would very much appreciate it if you told me what you think even if it isn't something I want to hear, it really helps. Well, that's it for now, enjoy (hopefully :))
Oh, and I do not own any of these characters they belong to J.K. Rowling, although there will be a few of my own additions THOSE are mine.
The Burrow was as lively this morning as it has always been. With only a few days left until the beginning of Ron, Harry, and Hermione's seventh year and Ginny's sixth there was a lot to be done. Hermione had decided a couple of week's ago to finish summer at Grimmauld with Harry and somewhere down the line they'd both decided to come to the much more homey Burrow, residence of the Weasley's. There was a lot of tussle and bustle as Mrs. Weasley gathered all of the mumbling still sleepy minors into her living room.
"Me and Arthur are going with you all to Diagon Alley to fetch your things for the term."
Ron was the first to protest.
"Oh, come on Mum! We're almost of age we can get our things ourselves. We don't need you and Dad to tag along."
Ginny nodded in agreement.
"We'll be alright mum, just give us the money and-"
Mrs. Weasley shook her head quickly and firmly.
"It is far too dangerous even in a place like Diagon Alley," she cast a sidelong glance at Harry who stood solemnly next to Hermione.
The mood before was light but now that the word dangerous had been thrown out it was as if a storm had settled within them all. Lately there had been little peace to be had with the impending war on the horizon. No one was allowed to go anywhere alone and younger wizards were expected to have constant supervision. The atmosphere had put a stressful toll on everyone. Everyone seemed to be expecting Voldemort to drop out of the sky and kill them all, they were so skittish. The summer had been a nice reprieve since virtually nothing happened, which meant no one had been killed. Despite the event less summer no one was taking it for granted, things could change at the drop of a dime and everyone knew it.
Just then Arthur Weasley came flooing in from the fireplace holding another muggle contraption looking right pleased with himself. He heaved the heavy boxed object to a nearby table and stood studying it for a few moments, only when his wife cleared her throat did he seem to notice the others.
"Oh! You're all up and about I see. Do you see this marvelous contraption? I was wondering if Harry or Hermione could tell me what it is," he looked pointedly at them.
"Arthur forget that ridiculous thing! We are supposed to be taking them to get their things for school."
Mr. Weasley eyed his youngest two children noticing the pained expression on their faces.
"They'll be alright by themselves. They're all competent witches and wizards."
"But Arthur-"
"Molly, it'll be fine."
Her expression was unconvinced and she made to further her argument when he stopped her.
"How about this, if they're not back in a couple of hours then we follow them?"
"I don't know......" Mrs. Weasley trailed off eyeing them.
"We've been in worst situations than taking a stroll down Diagon Alley, I'm sure we'll survive this," Ron said wryly.
Harry chuckled and Hermione elbowed him before his expression was serious again.
"Fine," Mrs. Weasley sighed, "But if you're all not back in a couple of hours I will come looking for you."
Ron and Ginny groaned when her gaze lingered on them.
"We'll be careful Mrs. Weasley, we promise."
Hermione gave the woman a warm hug hoping to relieve some of her fears.
"I know you will dear, I just worry so," Mrs. Weasley hugged her back, "Now get going before I change my mind."
They all turned quickly towards the fireplace and took turns.
They had all been in this particular bookshop for almost 20 minutes and all were fed up and ready to go except Ginny who seemed to take the longest in finding her books.
"How hard can it be to find one book?!" Ron asked Ginny exasperatedly.
She rolled her eyes.
"Bugger off Ron I'm sure it's here....somewhere," she said her voice filled with doubt her eyes roaming the shelves.
This time it was Ron's turn to roll his eyes. He walked to the front of the store where Harry and Hermione stood impatiently.
"What's taking her so long?" asked Harry.
"She can't find her 6th Year's Guide to Potions."
"Well, why didn't you help her?" Hermione asked impatiently.
"It's her books not mine."
Hermione shook her head and turned around heading towards the counter to pay for her things when she stopped abruptly. Four boys were coming into the shop. Four slytherin boys. She could feel Harry and Ron at her sides as the four boys stopped in front of them. The blonde one smirked as he eyed the brave trio.
"What a pleasant surprise. The golden trio in all their," his eyes wavered on Ron, "Pathetic glory."
"Sod off Malfoy!" Ron growled.
"As you wish," Draco Malfoy took a step forward towards them and before anyone could blink everyone's wands were drawn except for Draco's and Hermione's.
Draco didn't even blink but his smirk grew larger. Harry's wand was aimed at Blaise Zabini and Ron's wand was moving back and forth between Crabbe and Goyle. Zabini had his wand trained solely on Harry and Crabbe and Goyle didn't know who they were supposed to be aiming at so they swung theirs back and forth.
"Really? How old are we?" Draco asked eyeing the trio.
Hermione put her hand on both Harry and Ron's arms.
"It would do no good to hex them here. Lower your wands."
Draco nodded.
"Please, do what your mother tells you and lower your wands," his voice turned dark, "You don't want me to pull out mine."
Harry scoffed.
"Go ahead Malfoy. We'll see who's the last one standing."
"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed.
Harry's expression didn't change, he stared hard at the guys in front of him daring them with his eyes to do anything funny.
"Come on Harry lets just hex them all into oblivion!"
Hermione stared at Ron in shock. Had they all gone mad? She knew they were both anxious with everything going on but trying to have a battle in the middle of a shop was out of the question.
"Malfoy why don't you and your goons go elsewhere?"
She watched his grey irises turn dark.
"How pathetic a society we live in. If things were as they should be this shop would say 'no mudbloods allowed'."
This time Hermione's face darkened and without thinking she reached into her pocket and pulled out her wand aiming it directly at Draco's chest. When she did that he had grasped his wand as well aiming it at her.
"You're dead Malfoy," Harry promised.
"Let me have him Harry!"
Several tense moments passed in which they all aimed steadily at the other. Crabbe and Goyle had perspiration on their heads from the swinging back and forth of their wands and were hoping that Draco would tell them, soon, that they could lower it. Just when the tension seemed its most unbearable an old man in a blue tunic hurried over to them from the back.
"All of you lower your wands. Now!"
Hermione blinked and slowly lowered her wand with Ron and Harry following in succession. She couldn't believe that she'd let Malfoy goad her. She watched him slowly lower his wand his eyes never wavering from hers. Zabini, Crabbe, and Goyle all followed his example.
She watched Malfoy closely a little unnerved at his presence. She didn't know what it was but there was something distinctly darker about him. He didn't seem like a boy at all, nothing like the little ferret who'd tortured them all through their previous years. He was more mature. His hair wasn't slicked back and it hung in his face lending him a dangerous look. He towered over her slightly with several inches and his physique was lean and strong. His face was mostly angular but soft in the appropriate places giving him the look of a fallen angel. He had grown into a handsome young man, even though Hermione would be loathsome to admit it.
Without another word he turned around and left the store with his flunkies following him. Ron visibly sighed while Harry just looked on angrily.
"Are you three going to buy your books or are you going to storm out as well?"
They all turned to look at the small man who seemed to be engulfed by his robes. He had to be an inch or two shorter than Hermione.
"Well?" the man questioned as they continued to stare.
They all had the grace to look ashamed and followed the man to the wooden counter. He studied all of their books and asked if they were paying together or separate.
"Separate," they all said.
They all reached in their pockets for the appropriate amounts when they heard the man in front of them gasp. They looked up to see him staring wide-eyed at Harry. They all knew that look as they had seen it time and time before.
"You," he pronounced the word heavily, "You are Harry Potter."
Harry's face looked sheepish and Hermione smiled. She knew how much it embarrassed him.
"Yes, I'm Harry Potter," he offered his hand, "Pleased to meet you sir."
The man took his hand vigorously and shook. From the look on Harry's face it was obvious the thin old man was stronger than he looked.
"I can't believe it! Harry Potter in my shop," the man said wondrously.
Harry's face was reddening so she decided to intervene.
"Sir, not to interrupt but we're in an awful hurry."
The man looked at her and Ron seeming to remember that they were actually there.
"Yes, of course!" he handed their books to them, "You must be on your way, I'm sure."
"But sir, we haven't payed for these," Harry voiced.
The man shook his head.
"No need too. Harry Potter and his friends are welcome in my shop at any time."
"You mean we don't have to pay for these?" Ron asked incredulously.
The man looked at him as if the question appalled him.
"Of course not!"
Hermione watched Ron and Harry grin at each other. She nudged Harry in the side. Harry looked at her and she widened her eyes to convince him wordlessly. Harry sighed.
"Sir, we couldn't take these, we have the money right here."
Harry reached into his pocket and the man rushed around to their side.
"No! Consider this a gift from an old man. You wouldn't begrudge an old man. Would you?"
They all shook their heads no and the man smiled. Ginny came walking up holding her book in her hand as if it were a prize.
"I knew I'd find it. I told you Ron!" she held her book out to Ron, "You can pay for it with your books."
"We don't have to pay," Ron said happily.
Ginny looked at him quizzically.
"We don't?"
"No, you don't. It would make an old man proud if you would grant me this luxury."
Ginny stared at the old man stupidly.
Hermione eyed a clock over the door.
"We only have 20 minutes left and we have two more stops to make."
The old man smiled opening the door for them.
"Please, do not let me keep you. I apologize for the delay."
They thanked him profusely and hurried out of the shop. Harry turned back to look at the older man and saw that he was watching them with a peculiar glint in his eye. Harry wondered vaguely who the guy was before he was dragged into another shop.
Draco lounged in the antique comforter in his personal study. His face looked relaxed and some would even say he looked at peace but there was a storm in his eyes. It would seem he stared into nothing because he seemed a mile away but he was seeing horrors that he'd been exposed to much too soon. These horrors were supposed to be a natural part of his life, he was supposed to welcome hatred, cruelty, and torture. He couldn't help wondering where the line would ever be, when the chaos would ever end.
His eye caught a book on the desk next to him and it made him think vaguely of his run-in in Diagon Alley earlier that day. They were his enemies, had been since their first year at Hogwarts, but he constantly questioned over and over if he could do to them what he'd seen people like his father do to others. He sighed and put his head in his hands. He hated this indecision within himself. He felt like a traitor to his family and to himself. He was a Malfoy. A pureblood. His father was one of the Dark Lord's most faithful followers. He'd been put into grueling training ever since the end of sixth year to become a Death Eater and he was tired mentally and physically.
He tried his best not to think derisive thoughts about Voldemort and the position he'd put he and his entire family in for fear that somehow somewhere the powerful wizard would hear them. He shuddered mentally thinking of the times he'd been in the Voldemort's company, there was something completely ethereally evil about him. Just being near the dark wizard seemed to bring about the most terrifying feelings. Over the course of the summer Draco had in fact become a man and he did not scare easily, not anymore. He grimaced remembering his first meeting with the Dark Lord in which he'd cowered and whimpered like a little boy. He was a far cry from the spoiled little insolent he used to be, although he was still classically Draco.
He pulled his wand out and studied it in his hand thinking about the horrors he'd had to commit with it, thinking of the horrors he was expected to commit. The golden trio definitely had no idea just how dangerous he was, if they had they would've thought twice about aiming their wands at him. He grinned wryly thinking about the bushy haired know-it-all.
"Stupid mudblood."