Ch1: Serendipity... In Disguise

Draco couldn't quite believe what he was hearing.

"Draco, listen to me. I am taking you to a safe place, somewhere no enemies will find you, if you cooperate with the people who run it." Severus is talking briskly, lowly. "I can't return there. After what I did, there's no going back. I am fully with the Dark Lord now… or I will be, after I get you there." Draco felt groggy, even though her should be fully awake. He didn't respond. "They will keep you safe," Severus continued.

Draco began to open his mouth. It was getting increasingly difficult to move. To think. A spell…?

As he began to slow, Severus picked him up, bridal-style, completely unalarmed. The hell? Why was his teacher spelling him? "I'm sorry about this, Draco." Draco struggled to yell at him, but it wouldn't happen. He glared instead. "These people… won't be people that you like, or even people that like you. You will be treated with suspicion, questioned about things you don't want to think about. But you're going to have to bear it. At least you won't be dead."

Just who were these 'people'? Where in the world was Severus taking him?

Severus suddenly thrust a piece of paper under his nose. "Read," he commanded. "Memorize it quickly. And make sure it's memorized." Draco obeyed… he couldn't do much else under the spell Severus had placed him under.

It was written on a tiny, worn and creased piece of parchment. Despite that, it didn't appear old. Just beaten. The writing seemed vaguely familiar, but Draco couldn't quite place it.

Number 12 Grimmauld Place. He repeated it to himself a few times, trying to engrave it in his memory. The next couple of minutes passed in silence.

Severus stopped abruptly. "Got it?" Draco had long since stopped repeating the words to himself. He tried to nod, say an 'ok', but it was too difficult. Severus nodded. "Very well." Quickly, he summoned the parchment from Draco's hand and lit in on fire. Draco started. "Now, think the name," he ordered, eyes flickering to a grubby alleyway between two houses.

Draco did, puzzled. His eyes widened as a house seemed to inflate out of nowhere in the same alleyway… the surrounding houses moved aside to give it enough room. Warily, Draco eyed a passing Muggle… not a blink.

"See it?" Severus muttered under his breath, so that only Draco could hear him. His lips barely moved.

Draco blinked a yes and rolled his eyes, hoping that was enough for his teacher. It was. Not hesitating, Severus strode up to the door.

He knocked once. Immediately afterwards, he set Draco on his feet and removed the spell. The effects were slow to wear off, though, so it was all he could do to stand.

They waited in silence for what seemed like an eternity, but was actually probably only minutes. Each time Draco raised his hand to knock again, his guardian would stop him. The spell lingered resolutely, slowing Draco's motions and thoughts. Finally, the door opened with an almighty groan.

He barely had time to register the black hair and wide, shocked acid green eyes before Severus hissed a "goodbye" in his ear and hurled him inside forcefully. The effects of the spell meant that he couldn't catch himself; instead, he fell into an undignified heap on the cold, dusty stone floor.

From his pathetic position, Draco heard Severus's voice yelling something urgently. Another voice, younger and full of raw rage, screamed impressive curses.

He turned his head laboriously, slowly taking in the scene before him.

Harry Potter, of all people, was at the doorway, his back to Draco and pointing his wand at Severus, spells of increasing darkness and intent to hurt streaming from his lips. Severus himself was blocking the spells, but with increasing desperation… the spells would soon hit him.

…and, possibly worst of all, a Death Eater stood behind Severus, waiting for the perfect opportunity and aiming for Severus's back as best he could.

"Severus! Sir!" Draco forced out in desperation. Why was it so hard to speak… o function!?!

"Draco-close-the-door," snapped Severus between spells and gasps of breath. Draco had never seen his teacher so discomposed- just how strong had Potter gotten?

Suddenly, closing the door seemed like an excellent idea. Somewhere, in a very remote corner of his mind, he realized that Severus hadn't taken the spell off him… his teacher had placed him under a lax Imperius Curse. But that didn't matter now… not when he could feel so happy just by closing a simple door.

Suddenly, walking was easy. He felt himself get up fluidly, moving up to the door and starting to go around Potter.

The Death Eater chose that moment to strike.

"Avada Kedavra!"

Black eyes widened in shock an instant before the spell hit. The body lurched forwards, slammed by the green light, and crumpled to the ground in a way that Severus would never do.

Draco's mind seemed to click-now the spell finally lifted. He started going into overdrive. He rushed up in front of Potter, rage coursing through. Remembering a spell once used against him, he screamed, "SECTUMSEMPRA!"

The Death Eater clutched a gloved hand to his bleeding chest, staggering. Draco shouted again.

"SECTUM-"

A resounding 'POP' drowned out the rest of the spell as the robed, bleeding man disappeared.

"NO!" Draco yelled, "Come back here, you bloody coward!"

Just as his eyes re-found Severus's crumpled, still body, he was grabbed by the shoulders from behind.

"Let go of me, Potter," he snarled.

"No," Potter growled back. "I want answers, now. Inside, Malfoy."

Draco couldn't believe it. "Severus Snape just died, right in front of you, and it's your fault! Don't you care!?!" What happened to the goody-twoshoes Potter from school? And what the hell was he thinking?

"I'm just sorry I wasn't the one to kill him," replied Potter venomously.

Draco couldn't take it. Swinging around, he punched the asshole Potter square in the jaw. The 'Chosen One' staggered, but retaliated quickly by punching Draco's nose. Blood spurted as Draco felt his nose break. Blinded and gasping in pain, he couldn't put up much of a fight as Potter unsympathetically grabbed him and wrenched him around, holding his hands behind his back.

"Experiallmus," he muttered darkly, lowly, catching Draco's wand with his free hand.

Now Draco fought. He twisted violently despite the fact he couldn't see a thing through all the blood. Potter kept his grip with apparent ease. "Let me bloody go!" Draco yelled thickly, voice muffled by the liquid in his throat. He coughed, spraying blood.

"No," came a stubborn, raw voice from behind him. Subsequently, Draco's hands bound tightly together- Potter had used a nonverbal spell on him.

Suddenly, Draco felt truly drained. It was too much… slowly, he sank into unconsciousness as Potter led him inside.