A/N: This is an experiment. I'd like to hear what you think of it. Also, this is not anything about discriminating transgender people or any other person who is not cisgender. Be a bit hypocritical, mind you, since I'm non-binary myself. But the story does involve heavy discrimination against transgender people, which is why I introduce the story with an article written by Rita Skeeter. These are her thoughts, not my own, hence why she always speak of Draco in male form; that, in and off itself, is not a good sign for normal people, but the fact that she writes about Draco as if Draco is still a boy is just a subtle way of discrimination, and that concerns real life situations also.
This is technically labelled as a prologue, but I'd consider it a preview above anything else. As I said, this is an experiment, and I want to hear what you think before diving into this sort of story. There is actually a plot behind this that is more elaborate than you might think. It's pretty much canon divergent for the entire series, however, the changes that have happened in the past in this AU aren't actually significantly different enough from the first five books for me to rewrite anything. Still, there are changes you'll see if I get to continue this story; they'll mostly be referred to in past tense, via flashbacks and references made by the characters.
Anyway, let me know what you think, otherwise, I most likely won't be continuing this.
"Knowing what Thou knowest not Is in a sense Omniscience."
―Piet Hein―
THE ART OF DISCRETION
A Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince canon divergent fan fiction
by The Book Keeper a.k.a. Eltanin
Prologue
Latest news: SCANDAL FROM SACRED TWENTY-EIGHTH
BY RITA SKEETER
In a drastic turn of events, it appears as if Draco Malfoy, Student and Prefect of Slytherin House at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and Heir to the Malfoy Fortune, has been harbouring secrets from the public his entire life. Secrets, dangerous secrets, that may very well turn the good name of the Malfoys into something most scandalous.
In a brief leak, by most trusted sources of ours, it was suggested that the Malfoys, one of the Sacred Twenty-Eights, were undergoing several secret rendezvous over the last year specified for their only child. Curious, both reporters and Aurors alike have questioned about this development but to no avail.
Until last night. Through an anonymous tip it was suggested a dire accusation against the young handsome boy of sixteen; in fact, with specific details of this discovery, our informant has come forth with the revelation that the Malfoy Heir has decided to shed his skin and show his true colours. Draco Malfoy is, in fact, a girl… or rather… has undergone magical surgery to change his sex, though why such brilliance would go to such lengths are yet still unclear. However, it is certainly a grand sign of girl power, spectacular beauty and brains all sorted into one, and yet… why go through on such scandalous act of pure preposterous calibre when your life is perfect as it already is?
Truly, the act made by Draco Malfoy is not only perplexing but also very disturbing. When they existed the Department of Records just yesterday, with rumours suggesting that it was about making a thorough clean slate for the young man, reporters, including yours truly, approached them and bombarded them with curiosity, slating on how they could allow something so gruesome to happen to their child. For truly, it cannot be considered even normal, or more accurately, fair to do something like this against a child.
But the Malfoys refused to comment on the situation, shielding their only child while trying to mould their way through the crowd with a most curious companion at their side. The only answer we managed to obtain was from Theodore Nott, fellow Slytherin student and friend to the Malfoy Heir, and his answer was most curious of all.
"It's none of your fucking business of what's happening, so piss off!" He had sneered, and, in a last effort to gain answers, another reporter from Witch Weekly had managed to get a physical hold of the young Malfoy boy, trying to get a look at him and personally get to the bottom of this case. No other reporter was able to see clearly what transpired, but by the shocking gasps and outrageous disgust from those close enough to the young boy, it is presumed that a most enlightening development has occurred. Even more so, when Mr Nott exclaimed: "Get your bloody hands off my sister, you tosser!"
Whether another scandal lies underneath that is still unknown, but it certainly confirms one thing. The rumours say that Mr Malfoy and Mr Nott has always been as close as brothers, and in a fit of blazing anger, nobody would lie. Could there be more to that than just mere words?
The endgame of this confrontation resulted in heavy explosions of magic as Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy heroically intertwined to pry their son away from reporters alike, all four hereafter scurrying away before reaching the Apparition Point. Several are now craving compensation for their injuries performed at their hands.
The young youth to Mr Draco Malfoy, who has appeared in past articles made by yours truly, will return to continue his education at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry this September.
Well, Harry thinks dryly, trying to puzzle his way through this mess and blinking rapidly as if it will help confirm what he's just read; at least the Ministry knows how to divert the attention away from Voldemort.
A/N: I'm tired and I really need to prepare for my exam this Monday, but I'm restless so I wrote this. Again, let me know in the review section whether or not you guys like this. I won't be able to work on it properly before next week, anyway.
PS: I have a strong headcanon that Theo and Draco are as close as you can be without being brothers by birth. I also have a headcanon that they're shield brothers, an apt term I've decided to use and tweak to describe something fairly alike that of blood brothers for the HP universe. That was in case you wondered about why I write the way I do, especially concerning Theodore Nott. Needless to say, I'm of the opinion that Theo's father, whom I call Patroclus Nott (and that's not just for show; I named him that for a reason), is an arsehole, although that's a mild way of putting it, and that the Malfoys are practically his only family post his mother's death.