*~* Chapter One *~*
The vast black stone manor stood towering in the distance sending cold shivers up and down Magenta's spine. There was something about the entire place that just wasn't right. Perhaps it was the way it looked so cold and unlived in, or the way the dim sun cast eerie shadows around the area. Either way, as Magenta stood frozen in her tracks the wind blowing her long black hair around her face, she knew this was the most beautiful manor she had ever seen. She didn't exactly know why she was here of all places, considering she had never spoken more than a few words to Draco Malfoy. But when her parents had kicked her out of home a few days ago, she knew she needed to do something rash to get back at them. Her immediate thought had been Hogwarts, but her craving to learn more about the world had sent her here.
Magenta let out a deep sigh and clutched her black travelling cloak tighter around her against the cool breeze, she wasn't expecting welcome from the Malfoy's, on the contrary she didn't expect Draco Malfoy to even recognise her. But she had to try. Smoothing her hair away from her face, Magenta bit her lip and began walking up the long stone path to the Manor. She knew this decision of hers could be a dangerous one, she wasn't a fool, she was well aware of Lucius Malfoy's involvement with you-know-who. That was one of the reasons she was here. She didn't wish to join their side, her loyalty to Dumbledore was and always would be strong, but she was curious of the ways of you-know-who's supporters.
Magenta allowed her blue eyes to scan over the Manor as she approached the wide flight of stairs, which led to the double doors. Upon closer inspection she realised the Manor was not of stone, but in fact black marble, which had obviously over centuries begun to lose its sheen. Magenta's eyes were drawn to a large fountain set in the middle of the path, which hosted a statue of a snake twirled around the letter "M". Magenta suppressed a shiver she had never been a fan of snakes, and this one looked scarily realistic. Resisting the urge to run, Magenta forced herself to walk calmly away from the snake and up to the doors of the Manor. The doors were magical, which was obvious from the small emits of smoke that rose from them. Magenta was just working up the nerve to knock when the door was creaked open on its own accord. Magenta jumped back in surprise.
"Yes?" came a low and slightly creepy voice.
As the door fully opened Magenta realised that the voice came from a tall, thin mid aged man, who on first glance looked incredibly like Professor Snape. Magenta swallowed, "hi, um I'd like to speak to Draco Malfoy."
The man raised an eyebrow, "is he expecting you?"
"No," Magenta replied clutching her hands together to stop them shaking, "I'm a friend of his from school" she lied.
The man surveyed her for a long moment as if trying to decide whether she was being honest. He seemed to come to a conclusion, "what is your name?" he questioned.
"Magenta Collins," she replied, "from Ravenclaw house" she added quickly.
The man nodded, "wait here."
Magenta breathed a sigh of relief as he gestured her into the foyer and closed the door behind her before walking off. Magenta scanned the room she was in, it was huge, and her ex home would have fitted in here easily. It was lit by torches around the stonewalls and a large fireplace was burning merrily a little was away. From her position Magenta could see the hall that the man had walked down was lined with portraits. Fiddling nervously, Magenta pulled her gloves off her hands and shoved them into her cloak pockets. She wished she had of thought to pack her things before she had walked out, considering she was feeling extremely grubby from her trip on the Knight Bus and her walk from Wiltshire. The fact that she was here with nothing but the clothes she was wearing and her wand was a little intimidating.
Returning footsteps interrupted her thoughts, and Magenta looked around to see the one and only Draco Malfoy walking towards her, a strange look on his face, it was though he could hardly believe she was there, which Magenta supposed was really quite understandable.
"Collins," he stated coldly as he entered the room, "to what to I owe the pleasure?"
Magenta raised her chin, determined not to let his tone affect her, "I want to learn your ways."
Draco raised an eyebrow; "our ways?" he repeated slowly, "I don't understand."
"I think you do," Magenta replied.
Draco narrowed his eyes, "you, Muggle loving Magenta Collins, wish to learn the ways of." Draco paused and lowered his voice, "my father?"
"Yes," Magenta responded firmly.
Draco chuckled, "and here I was thinking you were some good little girl who spent way to much time around mummy and daddy. Surely they wouldn't allow you to come here, considering how close they are to Dumbledore. Unless they threw you out." he trailed off giving her a superior look.
Magenta narrowed her eyes, "you don't know what you're talking about."
Draco chuckled again, it sent chills of fear up Magenta's spine, "I know more than you can imagine." He reached into his black cloak and pulled out the Daily Prophet and tossed it at her. Magenta caught it, and briefly glanced down at the page it was open on, before she had to take a double take.
"Looks like your parents didn't want you to leave as much as they thought they did." Draco stated as he walked over to the fire and stood in front of it, with his hands behind his back.
Magenta gaped at the paper, there was her face smiling back at her, in a small add that read, 'Sweetie, come home' underneath. Magenta stared at the advertisement, and was surprised to feel not sympathy for her parents but hatred. Magenta crumpled the paper and squeezed in firmly in her hands, "what does this have to do with anything?" she demanded Draco's turned back.
Draco turned to face her, and walked over, "you don't understand what you're getting yourself into," he whispered fiercely, "you think you can spend some time here and then flounce back home to your mudblood loving ways?" he paused and searched her face before continuing in the same whisper, "because you can't Collins! And if you were as smart as everyone says you are then you'd turn around and walk straight back out that."
"Draco."
Draco froze, and Magenta immediately realised that he was telling her something he wasn't supposed to. Draco turned and Magenta followed his gaze to see none other than Lucius Malfoy standing arrogantly in the doorway, clad in a travelling cloak that caused Magenta to assume that he was going somewhere.
"Father," Draco replied calmly.
"Who is this?"
"Magenta Collins father, from school."
Lucius walked closer, "and what brings you here, Magenta?" he asked in a cold voice.
"I wish for you to teach me your ways." Magenta replied ignoring everything Draco had just told to her.
For the second time that day she was examined as if to tell whether she was being honest. "You're Murrey Collin's daughter correct?" Lucius asked.
Magenta winced slightly at the mention of her father, "yes I am."
Lucius nodded, "I am quite familiar with him and your mother, they kicked you out of home, yes?"
Magenta nodded.
"Well," Lucius replied, "I do not have time for this right now. I have an urgent meeting at the Ministry. You will remain here until I return." And with that he disappareted.
The vast black stone manor stood towering in the distance sending cold shivers up and down Magenta's spine. There was something about the entire place that just wasn't right. Perhaps it was the way it looked so cold and unlived in, or the way the dim sun cast eerie shadows around the area. Either way, as Magenta stood frozen in her tracks the wind blowing her long black hair around her face, she knew this was the most beautiful manor she had ever seen. She didn't exactly know why she was here of all places, considering she had never spoken more than a few words to Draco Malfoy. But when her parents had kicked her out of home a few days ago, she knew she needed to do something rash to get back at them. Her immediate thought had been Hogwarts, but her craving to learn more about the world had sent her here.
Magenta let out a deep sigh and clutched her black travelling cloak tighter around her against the cool breeze, she wasn't expecting welcome from the Malfoy's, on the contrary she didn't expect Draco Malfoy to even recognise her. But she had to try. Smoothing her hair away from her face, Magenta bit her lip and began walking up the long stone path to the Manor. She knew this decision of hers could be a dangerous one, she wasn't a fool, she was well aware of Lucius Malfoy's involvement with you-know-who. That was one of the reasons she was here. She didn't wish to join their side, her loyalty to Dumbledore was and always would be strong, but she was curious of the ways of you-know-who's supporters.
Magenta allowed her blue eyes to scan over the Manor as she approached the wide flight of stairs, which led to the double doors. Upon closer inspection she realised the Manor was not of stone, but in fact black marble, which had obviously over centuries begun to lose its sheen. Magenta's eyes were drawn to a large fountain set in the middle of the path, which hosted a statue of a snake twirled around the letter "M". Magenta suppressed a shiver she had never been a fan of snakes, and this one looked scarily realistic. Resisting the urge to run, Magenta forced herself to walk calmly away from the snake and up to the doors of the Manor. The doors were magical, which was obvious from the small emits of smoke that rose from them. Magenta was just working up the nerve to knock when the door was creaked open on its own accord. Magenta jumped back in surprise.
"Yes?" came a low and slightly creepy voice.
As the door fully opened Magenta realised that the voice came from a tall, thin mid aged man, who on first glance looked incredibly like Professor Snape. Magenta swallowed, "hi, um I'd like to speak to Draco Malfoy."
The man raised an eyebrow, "is he expecting you?"
"No," Magenta replied clutching her hands together to stop them shaking, "I'm a friend of his from school" she lied.
The man surveyed her for a long moment as if trying to decide whether she was being honest. He seemed to come to a conclusion, "what is your name?" he questioned.
"Magenta Collins," she replied, "from Ravenclaw house" she added quickly.
The man nodded, "wait here."
Magenta breathed a sigh of relief as he gestured her into the foyer and closed the door behind her before walking off. Magenta scanned the room she was in, it was huge, and her ex home would have fitted in here easily. It was lit by torches around the stonewalls and a large fireplace was burning merrily a little was away. From her position Magenta could see the hall that the man had walked down was lined with portraits. Fiddling nervously, Magenta pulled her gloves off her hands and shoved them into her cloak pockets. She wished she had of thought to pack her things before she had walked out, considering she was feeling extremely grubby from her trip on the Knight Bus and her walk from Wiltshire. The fact that she was here with nothing but the clothes she was wearing and her wand was a little intimidating.
Returning footsteps interrupted her thoughts, and Magenta looked around to see the one and only Draco Malfoy walking towards her, a strange look on his face, it was though he could hardly believe she was there, which Magenta supposed was really quite understandable.
"Collins," he stated coldly as he entered the room, "to what to I owe the pleasure?"
Magenta raised her chin, determined not to let his tone affect her, "I want to learn your ways."
Draco raised an eyebrow; "our ways?" he repeated slowly, "I don't understand."
"I think you do," Magenta replied.
Draco narrowed his eyes, "you, Muggle loving Magenta Collins, wish to learn the ways of." Draco paused and lowered his voice, "my father?"
"Yes," Magenta responded firmly.
Draco chuckled, "and here I was thinking you were some good little girl who spent way to much time around mummy and daddy. Surely they wouldn't allow you to come here, considering how close they are to Dumbledore. Unless they threw you out." he trailed off giving her a superior look.
Magenta narrowed her eyes, "you don't know what you're talking about."
Draco chuckled again, it sent chills of fear up Magenta's spine, "I know more than you can imagine." He reached into his black cloak and pulled out the Daily Prophet and tossed it at her. Magenta caught it, and briefly glanced down at the page it was open on, before she had to take a double take.
"Looks like your parents didn't want you to leave as much as they thought they did." Draco stated as he walked over to the fire and stood in front of it, with his hands behind his back.
Magenta gaped at the paper, there was her face smiling back at her, in a small add that read, 'Sweetie, come home' underneath. Magenta stared at the advertisement, and was surprised to feel not sympathy for her parents but hatred. Magenta crumpled the paper and squeezed in firmly in her hands, "what does this have to do with anything?" she demanded Draco's turned back.
Draco turned to face her, and walked over, "you don't understand what you're getting yourself into," he whispered fiercely, "you think you can spend some time here and then flounce back home to your mudblood loving ways?" he paused and searched her face before continuing in the same whisper, "because you can't Collins! And if you were as smart as everyone says you are then you'd turn around and walk straight back out that."
"Draco."
Draco froze, and Magenta immediately realised that he was telling her something he wasn't supposed to. Draco turned and Magenta followed his gaze to see none other than Lucius Malfoy standing arrogantly in the doorway, clad in a travelling cloak that caused Magenta to assume that he was going somewhere.
"Father," Draco replied calmly.
"Who is this?"
"Magenta Collins father, from school."
Lucius walked closer, "and what brings you here, Magenta?" he asked in a cold voice.
"I wish for you to teach me your ways." Magenta replied ignoring everything Draco had just told to her.
For the second time that day she was examined as if to tell whether she was being honest. "You're Murrey Collin's daughter correct?" Lucius asked.
Magenta winced slightly at the mention of her father, "yes I am."
Lucius nodded, "I am quite familiar with him and your mother, they kicked you out of home, yes?"
Magenta nodded.
"Well," Lucius replied, "I do not have time for this right now. I have an urgent meeting at the Ministry. You will remain here until I return." And with that he disappareted.