He stood in the threshold, running his elegant hands through his hair. His angular face turned to left, looking down the hall, and then repeated the action to the right. He let out a sigh and crossed his arms back over his chest. Nearly a minute later there was a crack.
"You're late." The blond said.
"I know, I'm sorry, I just keep forgetting to set the charm to remind me to come here at four, so instead it always ends up going off sometime around two and I-"
"Enough." He paused, knowing the man would wait as long as Draco told him too, like a well-trained dog. He took in the nervous wreck in front of him, noticing the haggard wrinkles time had forced on the once youthful face much before it was necessary. "Just get in already." Draco barked. "And don't touch anything."
The two entered what seemed to be nothing less but a flat held together by only magic, much too shabby for the once prince of Slytherin to actually live in. It reminded the man of home, but he was soon pulled from that train of thought when his master started speaking again.
"Well?"
"Uh," the man thought, looked at Draco as if waiting for a cue and said, "Well… what?"
"You really are useless, aren't you? Tell me what I pay you for."
"Of course, sorry." The man collected his thoughts and took a deep breath, "He hasn't been doing much lately. He's left his flat twice this week, once to buy some things from the chemist and another time to pick up a few potion ingredients. I think he got some rare things too, he even stopped at gringotts before going in."
Potions? Why would he need rare potion ingredient,. Was all Draco could think at the moment.
"No one came in either, at least not the muggle way-"
"Oh like that's really a lot of help, why didn't you just tell me 'well no one came in… through pipes at least'" Draco was seeing this quickly going nowhere. "Get out."
"Already? But I've got more to tell you!"
"No, you really don't, at least not if it's as utterly useless as anything else you've told me today. Now leave, I have places to be."
The left the room, and nearly immediately after heard what he thought to be the sound of breaking china. Pity it was, he could've used a new set.
Draco found the old man he'd stupefied earlier, (he had to in order to "borrow" this flat) reversed the cast, and appareted away.
Draco was currently living just outside of a small wizard community in Scotland, the only reason was for the privacy, muggles could see the near castle he lived and there and wouldn't think it was odd at all.
Storming through his hall he quickly advanced up the grad staircase, nearly tripping on one of the last steps. He passed a few doors and made a sharp left, ending his little journey in a office with deep wood paneling and many portraits.
He began rummaging through paper on the desk until he found what he was looking for, a letter, addressed "Master Draconis Lucius Malfoy." Seeing the master always reminded him of the power he had come into as late, even if was through bad faith.
His mother and father had gotten into a large disagreement a few weeks before the end of Draco's final year at Hogwarts, namely about if Draco should have to take the mark or not even after Voldemort's demise. Narcissa argued he shouldn't have to, for many reasons, each of which made sense, but Lucius didn't think he needed to argue his point, and even after just having escaped life in Azkaban by saying all he'd done in the last twenty or so years what due to a very strong imperious, he killed his wife. He was sentenced to life, and his previous plea of imperious was now being questioned.
The letter had been read many times over, the creases in it were well-worn, and there were smears on the parchment from old tears. It was from his mother, she was well aware that one day she'd die, and most likely before Draco was ready for it.
My most precious gift-
I'm sorry. I know if you are reading this, my sweet, I must be dead. If it's your fathers doing in one way or another, I can't say I'm surprised. You have to understand how our marriage came about Draco, it was more political and fiscal planning that formed our bond then love. If there's one thing I want you to do Draco, is find the person you belong with for the right reasons.
Your father was once a better man Draco, even though I knew his heart would never belong to me, and mine never his, he was still a perfect gentleman. He only became a Death Eater to protect me. In our sixth year
The rest of the letter was seemingly ripped. It had come to him in this form, and the handwriting on the outside did not match his mothers. He didn't question if it was true or not, he wanted something to believe in. He needed something to believe in.