Disclaimer: I own nothing. Nothing at all. Well, there are a few original
characters, but other than them I own nothing. Nothing at all.
Lost
Summer holidays. For most teenagers this is a holy time, and there are very few ways it can be ruined. But there are a few. If you attend a boarding school, summer holidays can be ruined if you're returning to a family you can't stand. They can also be ruined if you don't have a family to return to.
Draco Malfoy sat stiffly in the back of a Muggle car, his Potions Teacher and Head Of house, Severus Snape sat next to him, looking equally uncomfortable.
"Tell me what happened." Draco said quietly. He had got off the Hogwarts Express as normal, but instead of finding his mother waiting for him, he had found Snape instead.
"About an hour after you left, we received an owl from your house keeper." Snape told him, "Your mother...she's dead Mr Malfoy, I'm sorry."
"How." Draco asked hollowly.
"Suicide." He told the boy. "There's no doubt about it."
"Will I go back to the Manor?"
"No. We have been trying to locate a family member but..."
"None will take me." Draco nodded. The Malfoy's lived in France, and most of his mother's family were in Azkaban, "I understand. Where will I go?"
"I have asked the Ministry if I can be given legal guardianship over you, they are considering it, but I believe they will turn me down." Snape told him.
"Why?"
"I am your teacher, as well as your Head of House." He explained gravely, "They believe that it would...complicate matters. There is a family that they are looking into, it looks quite likely that you will go there, despite my objections."
"Objections?" Draco sounded startled, "Who is it?"
"The Weasley's." Snape replied.
"I won't go." He said immediately, "How could anyone even think...how could they afford another child? And shouldn't the fact that I'm an only child factor into it? I wouldn't know how to act with siblings. I won't go."
"If the Ministry appoint Arthur and Molly as your guardians, you won't have any choice." He sighed, "The Weasley's are doing well for themselves, Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes is said to be quite popular, and as they have less children to provide for...besides, if they get guardianship over you, they will receive money from the Ministry in order to provide for you."
"That's why they're doing it!" Draco exclaimed, "They want the money! I bet they'll lock me up in a basement and feet me leftovers."
"There will, of course, be a Ministry Worker coming to visit you regularly to make sure that you're happy and being well looked after." Snape ignored Draco's comment, "And as you are the soul recipient of your parent's funds, you will not be living in squalor."
"I've got all my parents money." The boy repeated, "I could buy my own house, why do I need to move in with the Weasley's?"
"You won't receive full access to that money until you are of age." The Potions Master explained, "Until then you will receive a monthly allowance."
"I bet the Weasley's hate being lumbered with me." Draco said.
"They requested it, just as I did." Snape assured him.
"Well, it might not even matter. They might decide that I'd do better living with you."
"Please tell me you're joking." Ron whispered, looking ashen.
"No, we're not." Arthur Weasley said.
"Dad!" Ginny almost shouted, "How can you? After what his father did? After everything he's done?"
"Draco isn't responsible for his father's actions." Arthur reminded them, "And I know you don't exactly get on well at school, but apart from trying to get you to loose some house points, and the occasional jinxing, has he ever done anything truly terrible?"
"He worked for Umbridge!" Ron exclaimed, "He's been trying to get me, Harry and Hermione expelled for years! He's practically got 'Junior Death Eater' written all over him!"
"And wouldn't it be nice if we were able to change him?" Molly cut in, she had been silent since the beginning of the conversation, "Besides, with his Father in Azkaban, and his Mother dead, I doubt being a Death Eater looks very appealing to him at the moment. I very much doubt that boy has ever had a good family environment, maybe that's all that it'll take to bring out the good in him."
"I doubt it." Ginny snapped, "He's just like his father, and I won't ever accept him as family."
"It's not even confirmed yet." Arthur told them, "For the moment he's staying at the leaky Cauldron, where he'll be looked after by Tom. We'll know in a few days time. If we do get guardianship, he'll only be obliged to stay here until he's of age, and then, if he chooses, he can leave. Most the time you'll all be in school, so it won't even matter."
"How will I face the other Gryffindor's if they find out that Malfoy is my foster brother?" Ron asked.
"Stop thinking about yourself Ron." Molly scolded, "That poor boy's father is in prison, and he has just lost his mother. I can't imagine what sort of pain he's in."
Draco lay down on the bad and stared up into the ceiling, trying to make sense of the feelings that were filling up inside him. His father was in prison, and was not supposed to come out for a very long time, that he knew. It didn't matter; he'd break out in a little while. But his mother was dead, that was harder to accept. And for it to be suicide, that was worse. You couldn't seek revenge for suicide.
He wasn't used to being sad. He knew fear, he knew fear very well, and he knew anger and frustration. But not sadness, he'd never really been sad.
Standing up, he walked over to the mirror and peered at his reflection.
"You could cry." It said, obviously trying to be helpful.
"I will not cry." He growled, "I'm not a child, and I do not like that my fate is in the hands of adults I don't know."
"I was only suggesting..." But he cut it off.
"Don't talk to me." He snapped, picking up an empty vase from the mantle piece.
"But..."
"Don't talk to me!" He hurled the vase at the mirror, shattering it into a thousand shards. One large shard landed near him, and he sat down and picked it up, looking at its sharp point. Without knowing why he brought the edge to his arm and cut along gently, watching the blood well up. Only then did he cry.
"This is very decent of you Arthur." Odo Lombard, Minister for the Care of Minors, said, "I can't think of many who'd be willing to take on the son of Lucius Malfoy. In fact, I was rather surprised, what with you relationship with him not being too good."
They were sat at the table in the Burrow's kitchen, both sipping the tea that Molly had made for them.
"Well, neither Molly nor I could really stand the idea of him going into care, he wouldn't know how to cope." Arthur explained, "I mean, this isn't what he'd be used to either, but at least he could have some sort of normal life, right?"
"That's what we're hoping for, yes." Lombard nodded, "Um, I hope this isn't...I mean...your not doing this as a sort of revenge, are you?"
"Odo, please." The red haired man looked shocked, "I dislike Lucius Malfoy greatly, yes, but I have nothing against his son. You know me, would I ever do anything that would be against a child's best interest."
"Of course, of course." He nodded, "I had to ask, as it was seen as an issue, but I'll assure everyone that there is no need to worry. One more thing...Draco isn't very fond of Muggles. What with your line of work being..."
"I don't think any of my children are as interested in Muggles as me." Arthur laughed, "I won't try to impose any of my beliefs on the boy. Hopefully he will come to realise on his own..."
"...That Muggles are not beneath us." Lombard coughed and straightened his robes, "Well, I think that's it. I will recommend to the council that you be given full Legal Guardianship of Draco. If you are, he'll be legally obliged to stay here until the age of seventeen, then after that it's up to you. And Draco of course."
"Thank you very much Odo." They both stood up, and after shaking hands, Lombard left using the fireplace.
"You can all come in now." Arthur said, and Ron, Ginny, Fred and George all walked into the room, looking sheepish, "Well, it looks promising."
"For you." Ginny muttered.
"Do you know how many times that git has insulted you and mum?" Fred demanded, his face going red.
"I am very much aware of what Draco feels for our family." Arthur informed them, "But that's because he was raised to believe that. Once he gets to know us-"
"Don't be naïve." Ginny snapped, "He's sixteen! He's fixed in his ways."
"He's fifteen." Arthur corrected.
"What? Malfoy's younger than me?" Ron asked, looking both shocked and pleased, "When's his birthday?"
"August the twelfth." Their father said, looking at a piece of paper Lombard had left him with Draco's details on them, "Isn't that nice? If we do get custody, we'll get to celebrate his birthday here."
"He'll just sneer at whatever we get him." George told him.
"Why are you ruining our lives?" Ginny asked, sitting down, "You don't want another son, do you? Because there are much better candidates."
"Ginny, please try to understand," Arthur sighed, "If Harry's uncle or aunt, or Hermione's parents were to die, we'd take them in, wouldn't we? If something were to happen to either mine or your mother's friends, we'd take in their children without thinking twice."
"Yeah but-" Ron interrupted, but his father cut him off.
"I know what you're going to say Ron." He told his son, "They're our friends; of course we'd help them in a time of need. But what does it say about us if we're only willing to help those who we know and care about? Being a good person means helping those that we'd rather not. It'll be hard, Draco will most likely not be happy, but we will show compassion and understanding, and if it doesn't work out at least we'll know we did the right thing."
"His dad tried to kill me." Ginny whispered, than added, "Twice."
"And he's paying for that, and all the other crimes he's committed." Arthur pointed out, "Don't blame Draco for Lucius's wrongdoing."
"I'll do whatever I damn well like." She snapped, storming out of the room. Fred and George glared at their father before following their little sister.
"I'm hoping against all hopes that one day you'll thank me for this." Arthur told Ron, the only one of his children still in the room.
"Sorry dad, but I really doubt it." Ron replied, patting his father on the back before leaving as well.
"So we are decided?" Cornelius Fudge asked, looking over the papers.
"It seems like the best decision." Lombard said, "They're a good family, we all know how well their children have turned out. He will do well there."
"I disagree." One man said, a short man with a slightly nervous look to him, "He would do much better with Severus Snape."
"We have discussed this Price." Lombard sighed, "Severus Snape is his Head of House, and has no prior experience of raising children. It will complicate things between the two of them. No, Draco has to be in a situation where he has parental figures. That is not something Severus Snape can provide."
"But the Weasley's..." Price started, but was cut off by Cornelius Fudge himself.
"Are a very good family, who have never committed a single crime." He pointed out, "Whereas Severus's record is slightly less than spotless."
"Nothing has ever been proved." Price reminded the Minister, but there was no conviction in his voice, he had lost his argument.
"You are the only one of us who disagrees." Lombard said finally, "Unless you tell us right now why he shouldn't go to the Weasley's, we'll have to make the decision despite your objections."
But Price remained silent, and when one of the documents was placed in front of him, he took out his quill and signed it.
"Odo, tell the Weasley's that they will be receiving Draco tomorrow at mid day." Fudge said finally, "I'll tell the boy myself, and arrange his transport."
Tom knocked nervously on the door of his young charge, but was greeted with silence.
"Master Malfoy?" He called hesitantly.
"Go away!" Came a voice from within the room.
"I just talked to Minister Fudge, Master Malfoy." Tom called through the door; "He's coming to collect you at ten tomorrow morning. I thought you should know."
"Now I know." Replied the voice, "Now go away!"
"Ok, Master Malfoy."
Draco listened to the sound of Tom walking away, looking around the now wrecked room. He held his arms in front of him, palm up, and looked at the many scars that now laced them. He couldn't quite remember what he was thinking each time he cut, except the surety that it would be better afterwards. Except it wasn't better. His father was still in Azkaban, his mother was still dead, and, it looked like, he was still going to live with the Weasley's.
Pulling out his wand he repaired the mirror and healed his cuts. The room was still a mess, but he was able to clean it up a little. Surely the House Elves would take care of the rest.
"Well, that was unreasonable." The mirror muttered under its breath.
"I will smash you again if you talk to me." He told it, and was left with nothing but a slightly resentful silence, "I am not going to live with the Weasley's."
The mirror, wisely, stayed silent.
Cornelius Fudge and Odo Lombard sat in the Ministry car, watching the streets pass them by. Neither was particularly used to this type of transport, but it was the only way when minors where involved.
"Should you tell him or should I?" Lombard asked eventually.
"I'll do it, I used to see the boy quite regularly, and he knows me." Fudge replied.
"Yes, he knows you as the man who allowed his father to be put into prison."
"Are you being disrespectful to me Odo?" The Minister snapped.
"Of course not Sir." Lombard said quickly.
"I didn't think so." There was a moment's silence, "Perhaps you should tell him, I'll wait for you in the pub itself."
"Is the room ready?" Arthur called, straightening his robes.
"It was until the twins decided to 'help'!" Molly called back, "Honestly, there was no need..."
"You can't give him Percy's room!" Came a shriek from Ginny, "What if Percy wants to come back?"
"He can bunk with Ron when he comes to visit." Her mother replied, "He made it very clear that he wished to remain in London. Draco will need a room."
"Why can't we stick him in the attic with the ghoul?" Fred asked.
"How comes Percy has to stay in my room?" Ron wailed
Arthur sighed, looking over the living room. Even at it's most spotless it was still shabby, and there were only a few short hours until Draco arrived.
"Molly, I'll deal with the room. Why don't you start on Lunch, so you're not panicking ten minutes before he arrives?" He called up the stairs, and his wife appeared above him, looking relieved.
"Thank you dear." She said kindly, "The boys are driving me mad, and Ginny's having a strop. When you're done with the bedroom, I think you should have a word with her."
"I will." He kissed her on the cheek as they passed on the stairs, and then made his way to Percy's old room. It was next to Ginny's, and her door was open a crack. He could see her peering at him through it, but when she saw she had been noticed she slammed the door shut.
"Ah, the joys of parenthood." He muttered pushing Percy's room door open. Inside all he could see was a mass of feathers. On the bed sat Fred and George, their hair full of white.
"We thought we'd plump the pillows." George explained.
"We might have got a bit carried away." Added his twin.
"You two enjoy being responsible adults, don't you?" Arthur asked, and his sons nodded, looking worried, "Your business is doing very well, I dare say you earn even more than me, correct?" Again, they nodded, "But the funny thing is, you still live in my house, and unless you clean this room up this very instant I won't hesitate to ground you both for a month, understood?"
He didn't shout, he never shouted, but from time to time his voice took on a gravity that was impossible to disobey, and the two boys, sighing, began to clear up the mess they had made.
"I'm going to talk to Ginny, I really hope that the room is clean by the time I'm finished." He left the room to a chorus of 'yes dad's', and made his way to his daughter's room, knocking softly on her door, "Ginny, can I come in?"
"No!" She shouted.
"Please Ginny." He pleaded. Like a lot of father's, he was terrified of his teenage daughter, and was very much aware that she had the power to make his life miserable. It was something she must have learnt from her mother.
"Go away!" She shouted, and something bashed against the door. Great, he wasn't even in the room and she had begun throwing things.
"Won't you even talk to me Ginger Bear?" he called, using her baby name. It was a weapon he didn't use often, for though it had been known to calm his daughter, it had also been known to cause minor tantrums, and even major hysterics. This time, however, it worked. There was the sound of footsteps, and the door opened slightly. He opened it to find her already back on her bed.
Ginny's bedroom was that of a girl's who hadn't been given the opportunity to assert her teenagerness on it yet. She was rarely at home, so it still looked like it had when she had first left for Hogwarts. The only difference was that she had got rid of her cuddly toys. Well, most of them.
"Dad, please don't let him come here." She whispered, "I hate him, I hate everything about the Malfoy's. You put that hate in me."
"Where else would he go?" Arthur asked, "Who else would take him?"
"Isn't Tonks his cousin?" Ginny asked, "Why can't he live with her mother?"
"Andromeda is married to a Muggle Born, Ted Tonks." Her father reminded her, "A Malfoy living with Weasley's is a far enough stretch, but we are purebloods, that'll mean something to him. He would find it impossible to live with Muggle Borns."
"Doesn't he have any other family?" her voice was desperate.
"Most the Blacks are in Azkaban, that's his mother's side of the family, and Lucius Malfoy was the only one of his family left in England, the other's are all in France." Arthur explained, "If Sirius were still alive and had been cleared, then perhaps he could take him, but he's not. We're the only people he has."
"I don't like it." Ginny told him, "But maybe I understand it, a little. But why does he have to have the room next to mine?"
It was almost exactly ten when Draco heard the knock on the door. No House Elves had come to clean the room in the night, and it was still a bit of a mess, but there wasn't much he could do about that. They'd probably clean up after he left.
"Come in." He called, and a wiry looking man entered the room, looking rather nervous.
"Draco Malfoy?" He asked, and Draco nodded, "I'm Odo Lombard, Minister of the Care of Minors. Minister Fudge and myself have come to collect you."
"Where will I be going?" The boy asked, dreading the answer.
"After much deliberation, we decided the best place for you was with Arthur and Molly Weasley." Lombard told him, "They're a very good pure blood Wizarding family, and have raised all their children very well."
"I don't want to go." Draco replied, "P-p-please don't make me go."
"There were several other candidates." The older man told him, ignoring the boy's words, "But we decided that you needed a stable family environment. We think you'll be happy there."
"I won't be." He was looking more and more distressed as the conversation went on, "I can't live with the Weasley's. Don't make me beg."
"I'm sorry Draco." Lombard finally seemed to have heard what was being said to him, "But the decision has already been made. The Weasley's are a good family; they'll treat you with care and respect. Please do the same in return."
"I'll...try." Draco finally agreed.
"I say, you do seem to have made a bit of a mess of the room." He said, peering around the room, "Is that a blood stain on the carpet?"
"Uh, red ink." Draco replied quickly, "It's not a huge mess, nothing the House Elves can't handle."
"The leaky Cauldron doesn't have House Elves." Lombard told him.
"Oh. Sorry."
Lunch was almost ready, the twins had cleaned Draco's bedroom and Arthur had spent an hour removing all their 'little jokes'. Everyone had put on their best robes, and the house looked presentable.
"You'd think that the Minister of Magic was coming to visit, the amount that you two are fussing over this." George said. He had Fred wore considerably better robes than the others, although they had bought Ginny some nice robes for her Christmas present, so she looked quite nice.
"He is, he's bringing Draco." Arthur explained.
"Does the Minister get involved with all the cases of orphaned Wizarding children?" Fred asked.
"Well no, but..." His father was cut off by the doorbell sounding, and rushed out of the living room to get the door. He reappeared a few minutes later with Fudge, Lombard, and a very uncomfortable looking Draco.
"Well, there are a few things we have to go over, so let's begin, eh?" Fudge said cheerfully, and everyone sat down.
A.N. Ok, this story is really random and I'm not sure where it's going. If you think the whole situation is totally unrealistic then I really agree with you. But I am cursed with ideas that don't leave me alone until I write them down so...
And also, I'm obviously insane and therefor cannot be blamed for any of my actions.
Please don't flame me!
Lost
Summer holidays. For most teenagers this is a holy time, and there are very few ways it can be ruined. But there are a few. If you attend a boarding school, summer holidays can be ruined if you're returning to a family you can't stand. They can also be ruined if you don't have a family to return to.
Draco Malfoy sat stiffly in the back of a Muggle car, his Potions Teacher and Head Of house, Severus Snape sat next to him, looking equally uncomfortable.
"Tell me what happened." Draco said quietly. He had got off the Hogwarts Express as normal, but instead of finding his mother waiting for him, he had found Snape instead.
"About an hour after you left, we received an owl from your house keeper." Snape told him, "Your mother...she's dead Mr Malfoy, I'm sorry."
"How." Draco asked hollowly.
"Suicide." He told the boy. "There's no doubt about it."
"Will I go back to the Manor?"
"No. We have been trying to locate a family member but..."
"None will take me." Draco nodded. The Malfoy's lived in France, and most of his mother's family were in Azkaban, "I understand. Where will I go?"
"I have asked the Ministry if I can be given legal guardianship over you, they are considering it, but I believe they will turn me down." Snape told him.
"Why?"
"I am your teacher, as well as your Head of House." He explained gravely, "They believe that it would...complicate matters. There is a family that they are looking into, it looks quite likely that you will go there, despite my objections."
"Objections?" Draco sounded startled, "Who is it?"
"The Weasley's." Snape replied.
"I won't go." He said immediately, "How could anyone even think...how could they afford another child? And shouldn't the fact that I'm an only child factor into it? I wouldn't know how to act with siblings. I won't go."
"If the Ministry appoint Arthur and Molly as your guardians, you won't have any choice." He sighed, "The Weasley's are doing well for themselves, Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes is said to be quite popular, and as they have less children to provide for...besides, if they get guardianship over you, they will receive money from the Ministry in order to provide for you."
"That's why they're doing it!" Draco exclaimed, "They want the money! I bet they'll lock me up in a basement and feet me leftovers."
"There will, of course, be a Ministry Worker coming to visit you regularly to make sure that you're happy and being well looked after." Snape ignored Draco's comment, "And as you are the soul recipient of your parent's funds, you will not be living in squalor."
"I've got all my parents money." The boy repeated, "I could buy my own house, why do I need to move in with the Weasley's?"
"You won't receive full access to that money until you are of age." The Potions Master explained, "Until then you will receive a monthly allowance."
"I bet the Weasley's hate being lumbered with me." Draco said.
"They requested it, just as I did." Snape assured him.
"Well, it might not even matter. They might decide that I'd do better living with you."
"Please tell me you're joking." Ron whispered, looking ashen.
"No, we're not." Arthur Weasley said.
"Dad!" Ginny almost shouted, "How can you? After what his father did? After everything he's done?"
"Draco isn't responsible for his father's actions." Arthur reminded them, "And I know you don't exactly get on well at school, but apart from trying to get you to loose some house points, and the occasional jinxing, has he ever done anything truly terrible?"
"He worked for Umbridge!" Ron exclaimed, "He's been trying to get me, Harry and Hermione expelled for years! He's practically got 'Junior Death Eater' written all over him!"
"And wouldn't it be nice if we were able to change him?" Molly cut in, she had been silent since the beginning of the conversation, "Besides, with his Father in Azkaban, and his Mother dead, I doubt being a Death Eater looks very appealing to him at the moment. I very much doubt that boy has ever had a good family environment, maybe that's all that it'll take to bring out the good in him."
"I doubt it." Ginny snapped, "He's just like his father, and I won't ever accept him as family."
"It's not even confirmed yet." Arthur told them, "For the moment he's staying at the leaky Cauldron, where he'll be looked after by Tom. We'll know in a few days time. If we do get guardianship, he'll only be obliged to stay here until he's of age, and then, if he chooses, he can leave. Most the time you'll all be in school, so it won't even matter."
"How will I face the other Gryffindor's if they find out that Malfoy is my foster brother?" Ron asked.
"Stop thinking about yourself Ron." Molly scolded, "That poor boy's father is in prison, and he has just lost his mother. I can't imagine what sort of pain he's in."
Draco lay down on the bad and stared up into the ceiling, trying to make sense of the feelings that were filling up inside him. His father was in prison, and was not supposed to come out for a very long time, that he knew. It didn't matter; he'd break out in a little while. But his mother was dead, that was harder to accept. And for it to be suicide, that was worse. You couldn't seek revenge for suicide.
He wasn't used to being sad. He knew fear, he knew fear very well, and he knew anger and frustration. But not sadness, he'd never really been sad.
Standing up, he walked over to the mirror and peered at his reflection.
"You could cry." It said, obviously trying to be helpful.
"I will not cry." He growled, "I'm not a child, and I do not like that my fate is in the hands of adults I don't know."
"I was only suggesting..." But he cut it off.
"Don't talk to me." He snapped, picking up an empty vase from the mantle piece.
"But..."
"Don't talk to me!" He hurled the vase at the mirror, shattering it into a thousand shards. One large shard landed near him, and he sat down and picked it up, looking at its sharp point. Without knowing why he brought the edge to his arm and cut along gently, watching the blood well up. Only then did he cry.
"This is very decent of you Arthur." Odo Lombard, Minister for the Care of Minors, said, "I can't think of many who'd be willing to take on the son of Lucius Malfoy. In fact, I was rather surprised, what with you relationship with him not being too good."
They were sat at the table in the Burrow's kitchen, both sipping the tea that Molly had made for them.
"Well, neither Molly nor I could really stand the idea of him going into care, he wouldn't know how to cope." Arthur explained, "I mean, this isn't what he'd be used to either, but at least he could have some sort of normal life, right?"
"That's what we're hoping for, yes." Lombard nodded, "Um, I hope this isn't...I mean...your not doing this as a sort of revenge, are you?"
"Odo, please." The red haired man looked shocked, "I dislike Lucius Malfoy greatly, yes, but I have nothing against his son. You know me, would I ever do anything that would be against a child's best interest."
"Of course, of course." He nodded, "I had to ask, as it was seen as an issue, but I'll assure everyone that there is no need to worry. One more thing...Draco isn't very fond of Muggles. What with your line of work being..."
"I don't think any of my children are as interested in Muggles as me." Arthur laughed, "I won't try to impose any of my beliefs on the boy. Hopefully he will come to realise on his own..."
"...That Muggles are not beneath us." Lombard coughed and straightened his robes, "Well, I think that's it. I will recommend to the council that you be given full Legal Guardianship of Draco. If you are, he'll be legally obliged to stay here until the age of seventeen, then after that it's up to you. And Draco of course."
"Thank you very much Odo." They both stood up, and after shaking hands, Lombard left using the fireplace.
"You can all come in now." Arthur said, and Ron, Ginny, Fred and George all walked into the room, looking sheepish, "Well, it looks promising."
"For you." Ginny muttered.
"Do you know how many times that git has insulted you and mum?" Fred demanded, his face going red.
"I am very much aware of what Draco feels for our family." Arthur informed them, "But that's because he was raised to believe that. Once he gets to know us-"
"Don't be naïve." Ginny snapped, "He's sixteen! He's fixed in his ways."
"He's fifteen." Arthur corrected.
"What? Malfoy's younger than me?" Ron asked, looking both shocked and pleased, "When's his birthday?"
"August the twelfth." Their father said, looking at a piece of paper Lombard had left him with Draco's details on them, "Isn't that nice? If we do get custody, we'll get to celebrate his birthday here."
"He'll just sneer at whatever we get him." George told him.
"Why are you ruining our lives?" Ginny asked, sitting down, "You don't want another son, do you? Because there are much better candidates."
"Ginny, please try to understand," Arthur sighed, "If Harry's uncle or aunt, or Hermione's parents were to die, we'd take them in, wouldn't we? If something were to happen to either mine or your mother's friends, we'd take in their children without thinking twice."
"Yeah but-" Ron interrupted, but his father cut him off.
"I know what you're going to say Ron." He told his son, "They're our friends; of course we'd help them in a time of need. But what does it say about us if we're only willing to help those who we know and care about? Being a good person means helping those that we'd rather not. It'll be hard, Draco will most likely not be happy, but we will show compassion and understanding, and if it doesn't work out at least we'll know we did the right thing."
"His dad tried to kill me." Ginny whispered, than added, "Twice."
"And he's paying for that, and all the other crimes he's committed." Arthur pointed out, "Don't blame Draco for Lucius's wrongdoing."
"I'll do whatever I damn well like." She snapped, storming out of the room. Fred and George glared at their father before following their little sister.
"I'm hoping against all hopes that one day you'll thank me for this." Arthur told Ron, the only one of his children still in the room.
"Sorry dad, but I really doubt it." Ron replied, patting his father on the back before leaving as well.
"So we are decided?" Cornelius Fudge asked, looking over the papers.
"It seems like the best decision." Lombard said, "They're a good family, we all know how well their children have turned out. He will do well there."
"I disagree." One man said, a short man with a slightly nervous look to him, "He would do much better with Severus Snape."
"We have discussed this Price." Lombard sighed, "Severus Snape is his Head of House, and has no prior experience of raising children. It will complicate things between the two of them. No, Draco has to be in a situation where he has parental figures. That is not something Severus Snape can provide."
"But the Weasley's..." Price started, but was cut off by Cornelius Fudge himself.
"Are a very good family, who have never committed a single crime." He pointed out, "Whereas Severus's record is slightly less than spotless."
"Nothing has ever been proved." Price reminded the Minister, but there was no conviction in his voice, he had lost his argument.
"You are the only one of us who disagrees." Lombard said finally, "Unless you tell us right now why he shouldn't go to the Weasley's, we'll have to make the decision despite your objections."
But Price remained silent, and when one of the documents was placed in front of him, he took out his quill and signed it.
"Odo, tell the Weasley's that they will be receiving Draco tomorrow at mid day." Fudge said finally, "I'll tell the boy myself, and arrange his transport."
Tom knocked nervously on the door of his young charge, but was greeted with silence.
"Master Malfoy?" He called hesitantly.
"Go away!" Came a voice from within the room.
"I just talked to Minister Fudge, Master Malfoy." Tom called through the door; "He's coming to collect you at ten tomorrow morning. I thought you should know."
"Now I know." Replied the voice, "Now go away!"
"Ok, Master Malfoy."
Draco listened to the sound of Tom walking away, looking around the now wrecked room. He held his arms in front of him, palm up, and looked at the many scars that now laced them. He couldn't quite remember what he was thinking each time he cut, except the surety that it would be better afterwards. Except it wasn't better. His father was still in Azkaban, his mother was still dead, and, it looked like, he was still going to live with the Weasley's.
Pulling out his wand he repaired the mirror and healed his cuts. The room was still a mess, but he was able to clean it up a little. Surely the House Elves would take care of the rest.
"Well, that was unreasonable." The mirror muttered under its breath.
"I will smash you again if you talk to me." He told it, and was left with nothing but a slightly resentful silence, "I am not going to live with the Weasley's."
The mirror, wisely, stayed silent.
Cornelius Fudge and Odo Lombard sat in the Ministry car, watching the streets pass them by. Neither was particularly used to this type of transport, but it was the only way when minors where involved.
"Should you tell him or should I?" Lombard asked eventually.
"I'll do it, I used to see the boy quite regularly, and he knows me." Fudge replied.
"Yes, he knows you as the man who allowed his father to be put into prison."
"Are you being disrespectful to me Odo?" The Minister snapped.
"Of course not Sir." Lombard said quickly.
"I didn't think so." There was a moment's silence, "Perhaps you should tell him, I'll wait for you in the pub itself."
"Is the room ready?" Arthur called, straightening his robes.
"It was until the twins decided to 'help'!" Molly called back, "Honestly, there was no need..."
"You can't give him Percy's room!" Came a shriek from Ginny, "What if Percy wants to come back?"
"He can bunk with Ron when he comes to visit." Her mother replied, "He made it very clear that he wished to remain in London. Draco will need a room."
"Why can't we stick him in the attic with the ghoul?" Fred asked.
"How comes Percy has to stay in my room?" Ron wailed
Arthur sighed, looking over the living room. Even at it's most spotless it was still shabby, and there were only a few short hours until Draco arrived.
"Molly, I'll deal with the room. Why don't you start on Lunch, so you're not panicking ten minutes before he arrives?" He called up the stairs, and his wife appeared above him, looking relieved.
"Thank you dear." She said kindly, "The boys are driving me mad, and Ginny's having a strop. When you're done with the bedroom, I think you should have a word with her."
"I will." He kissed her on the cheek as they passed on the stairs, and then made his way to Percy's old room. It was next to Ginny's, and her door was open a crack. He could see her peering at him through it, but when she saw she had been noticed she slammed the door shut.
"Ah, the joys of parenthood." He muttered pushing Percy's room door open. Inside all he could see was a mass of feathers. On the bed sat Fred and George, their hair full of white.
"We thought we'd plump the pillows." George explained.
"We might have got a bit carried away." Added his twin.
"You two enjoy being responsible adults, don't you?" Arthur asked, and his sons nodded, looking worried, "Your business is doing very well, I dare say you earn even more than me, correct?" Again, they nodded, "But the funny thing is, you still live in my house, and unless you clean this room up this very instant I won't hesitate to ground you both for a month, understood?"
He didn't shout, he never shouted, but from time to time his voice took on a gravity that was impossible to disobey, and the two boys, sighing, began to clear up the mess they had made.
"I'm going to talk to Ginny, I really hope that the room is clean by the time I'm finished." He left the room to a chorus of 'yes dad's', and made his way to his daughter's room, knocking softly on her door, "Ginny, can I come in?"
"No!" She shouted.
"Please Ginny." He pleaded. Like a lot of father's, he was terrified of his teenage daughter, and was very much aware that she had the power to make his life miserable. It was something she must have learnt from her mother.
"Go away!" She shouted, and something bashed against the door. Great, he wasn't even in the room and she had begun throwing things.
"Won't you even talk to me Ginger Bear?" he called, using her baby name. It was a weapon he didn't use often, for though it had been known to calm his daughter, it had also been known to cause minor tantrums, and even major hysterics. This time, however, it worked. There was the sound of footsteps, and the door opened slightly. He opened it to find her already back on her bed.
Ginny's bedroom was that of a girl's who hadn't been given the opportunity to assert her teenagerness on it yet. She was rarely at home, so it still looked like it had when she had first left for Hogwarts. The only difference was that she had got rid of her cuddly toys. Well, most of them.
"Dad, please don't let him come here." She whispered, "I hate him, I hate everything about the Malfoy's. You put that hate in me."
"Where else would he go?" Arthur asked, "Who else would take him?"
"Isn't Tonks his cousin?" Ginny asked, "Why can't he live with her mother?"
"Andromeda is married to a Muggle Born, Ted Tonks." Her father reminded her, "A Malfoy living with Weasley's is a far enough stretch, but we are purebloods, that'll mean something to him. He would find it impossible to live with Muggle Borns."
"Doesn't he have any other family?" her voice was desperate.
"Most the Blacks are in Azkaban, that's his mother's side of the family, and Lucius Malfoy was the only one of his family left in England, the other's are all in France." Arthur explained, "If Sirius were still alive and had been cleared, then perhaps he could take him, but he's not. We're the only people he has."
"I don't like it." Ginny told him, "But maybe I understand it, a little. But why does he have to have the room next to mine?"
It was almost exactly ten when Draco heard the knock on the door. No House Elves had come to clean the room in the night, and it was still a bit of a mess, but there wasn't much he could do about that. They'd probably clean up after he left.
"Come in." He called, and a wiry looking man entered the room, looking rather nervous.
"Draco Malfoy?" He asked, and Draco nodded, "I'm Odo Lombard, Minister of the Care of Minors. Minister Fudge and myself have come to collect you."
"Where will I be going?" The boy asked, dreading the answer.
"After much deliberation, we decided the best place for you was with Arthur and Molly Weasley." Lombard told him, "They're a very good pure blood Wizarding family, and have raised all their children very well."
"I don't want to go." Draco replied, "P-p-please don't make me go."
"There were several other candidates." The older man told him, ignoring the boy's words, "But we decided that you needed a stable family environment. We think you'll be happy there."
"I won't be." He was looking more and more distressed as the conversation went on, "I can't live with the Weasley's. Don't make me beg."
"I'm sorry Draco." Lombard finally seemed to have heard what was being said to him, "But the decision has already been made. The Weasley's are a good family; they'll treat you with care and respect. Please do the same in return."
"I'll...try." Draco finally agreed.
"I say, you do seem to have made a bit of a mess of the room." He said, peering around the room, "Is that a blood stain on the carpet?"
"Uh, red ink." Draco replied quickly, "It's not a huge mess, nothing the House Elves can't handle."
"The leaky Cauldron doesn't have House Elves." Lombard told him.
"Oh. Sorry."
Lunch was almost ready, the twins had cleaned Draco's bedroom and Arthur had spent an hour removing all their 'little jokes'. Everyone had put on their best robes, and the house looked presentable.
"You'd think that the Minister of Magic was coming to visit, the amount that you two are fussing over this." George said. He had Fred wore considerably better robes than the others, although they had bought Ginny some nice robes for her Christmas present, so she looked quite nice.
"He is, he's bringing Draco." Arthur explained.
"Does the Minister get involved with all the cases of orphaned Wizarding children?" Fred asked.
"Well no, but..." His father was cut off by the doorbell sounding, and rushed out of the living room to get the door. He reappeared a few minutes later with Fudge, Lombard, and a very uncomfortable looking Draco.
"Well, there are a few things we have to go over, so let's begin, eh?" Fudge said cheerfully, and everyone sat down.
A.N. Ok, this story is really random and I'm not sure where it's going. If you think the whole situation is totally unrealistic then I really agree with you. But I am cursed with ideas that don't leave me alone until I write them down so...
And also, I'm obviously insane and therefor cannot be blamed for any of my actions.
Please don't flame me!
