Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I do not own any of these characters.
Chapter One
"Through here, Draco."
Draco lowered his blonde head to walk beneath a branch, and stood beside Professor Snape, both of them staring at the flashy nightclub, a sign on the door that said, "PLAYWIZARDS LIVE!" Draco smirked, but the look on Snape's face told him that he hadn't brought Draco here to watch naked guys. They were on the run, after all.
He ran a hand through his hair as they entered the club, and just as Draco had expected, there was a muscular naked man dancing on a broomstick pole that aroused Draco much more than seeing Pansy naked. In fact, he shivered at the thought.
"Professor Snape," Draco called over the loud music and crowd at his teacher, who was walking swiftly through the club and found a table in a corner. "Professor Snape," he repeated, sitting down beside him. "What are we doing here?"
"We're waiting," Snape said.
"Anything to drink?" a pretty waitress asked when she came up to their table.
"Sure, I'll have a firewhiskey," Draco said, but Snape shot Draco a reproachful glance and waved the waitress away.
"We'll have nothing tonight, thank you," he said, his voice low and menacing. The waitress winked at Draco before walking away. Why do all the girls love me? He thought.
"Didn't know you were one to drink firewhiskey," said Snape nonchalantly. Draco shrugged.
"Didn't know you were one to go to strip joints out here in the middle of no where," he sneered.
Snape lowered his brows menacingly and leaned into Draco.
"Would you rather be out in public where the Dark Lord can find you and torture you until you are begging for an excruciatingly painful death?" he said. "Besides," he straightened up. "I told you, we're meeting someone."
"Who?"
But just as he asked, he noticed that Snape sat up alertly, gazing strategically across the room. Draco followed his gaze and his eyes settled on a tall man with freckles and poofy red hair—none other than Percy Weasley.
"What's he doing here?" asked Draco, but Snape ignored him and watched Percy intensely. He was sitting at a table, stuffing money in a particularly tasty stripper's g-string when the pretty waitress walked by.
"Change your mind?" she asked, smiling.
"Um, we will have something to drink. Two butterbeers, please," he said.
"Sure," she said, smiling. A few moments later, they watched as Percy walked over in their direction, presumably heading for the loo. When he saw Snape, his hand fell and he dropped the whiskey he was carrying. He walked over the mess and walked toward Snape, his eyes glued.
"Severus," he whispered. Snape stood up and took Percy by the crook of his elbow.
"No time to explain," he muttered. He motioned to Draco to walk out, and Snape and Percy followed.
"It is urgent," said Snape. Percy didn't ask any questions, but turned to Draco.
"Are you old enough to apparate?" he asked.
"I am," said Draco, straightening up.
"All right," said the boy. "My house, then."
Draco turned swiftly and thought hard about his destination. He felt the unpleasant illusion of being squeezed tightly through a tube, his body suffocating, and then in an instant he could breathe again. He opened his eyes and stood in front of an old Victorian house; the white paint on the shutters was chipped, and the house was not very large or impressive from the outside, despite the era of its style.
"Where are we?" Draco asked, looking up at the house in disapproval. Severus held his hand up to silence Draco, and gestured for him to follow Percy. Draco noticed then, standing behind him, how young Percy looked up close. He was not much older than Draco, only 21 or so, and he looked pale, but not like Draco, in which the pale skin and blonde hair made him look angelic; no, Percy looked sickly and unnatural, as if he hadn't seen daylight in ages.
Percy opened the door and lead Draco inside, Snape close behind. Upon entering, he immediately took out a wand and flicked it at the door.
"Lock charm," he explained.
"Perhaps a concealment charm would also be wise," suggested Snape.
"It would. That's why I have one on the entire house," he said. "Tea?"
Percy turned the light on and Draco could finally observe his surroundings. They stood in a foyer, a closet door to the right of them, and a flight of wooden stairs to the left that lead, Draco assumed, to the bedrooms.
Draco followed Severus and Percy into the kitchen. It was small, just some counters and a table, that connected to the bedroom. There were moving dishes, dusters, etc. doing housework.
"Sorry," said Percy, handing his guests their tea. "I've been neglecting housework."
Draco took a sip of his tea and sneered. He took sugar with his tea.
"Bitter," me muttered into his cup.
---
Percy showed his guests to their bedrooms shortly after having tea. As he lead his guests upstairs, he reflected on how Snape looked the same as he did four years ago during Percy's last year at Hogwarts. He still had his long, black robes and hair, and the dark eyes that had once intimidated him. Draco, as always, looked so much like his horrific father; the white-blonde hair and pointy features. It would have disgusted him to have someone related to a Death Eater in his home if it weren't for his trust in Snape, and of course, Albus Dumbledore's judgement.
"Professor," Draco said, his voice quick and arrogant, "how long will we be staying here?"
"As long as we need to," said Severus.
"This is your room," Percy said to Severus. "Yours, Draco, is down the hall."
"Didn't know you could fit two bedrooms in this place," Draco muttered before leaving the room. When he was gone, Percy turned to Snape.
"What should we do?" he asked.
"Contact Lupin Remus," he said. "We'll discuss the situation. And in a couple of days, we can contact the rest of the Order."
Percy nodded and left the room to go down to the kitchen.
"Hello Humphrey," Percy said to his black owl, who cooed at his owner. "I have a job for you." He hooked the parchment to his owl's leg and opened the kitchen window, sending him into the sky.