The summer was coming to a close but Draco Mafloy was in no fit state to call it quits just yet. Being the upstanding gentleman that he was, he'd made sure to keep in regular correspondence with his fellow Slytherins over the holidays. Almost everyone (even the barely literate Goyle) had dignified him with a response. The only one who had disappointed him so far was Harry Potter.
At first Draco was angry. Who did Potter think he was? Did he think he was too good to bother writing back? Draco was somewhat disappointed. He and Potter mightn't have been the best of friends, but he liked to think they'd come to a sort of understanding last year. It was most unlike Potter to act like this. Of course, that didn't stop Draco from firing off a few more owls telling Potter how much of a prat he was. However, when those yielded no response, Draco's displeasure turned slowly to concern. Either Potter would not respond or he could not respond. As the days turned into weeks, he was beginning to suspect the latter.
Today, Draco's suspicions were confirmed by a visit from Theodore Nott. Theodore (Teddy for short) was one of his and Potter's fellow Slytherins. He was a closer friend of Potter's then Draco was and, therefore, was far more likely to have gotten some sort of response out of him. Yet, as Draco quickly discovered, Nott hadn't had any luck either.
"It makes me sick," Draco spat as they strolled, aimlessly, through the beautiful gardens of Malfoy manor. "Potter living with those muggles. Someone should really do something about it!"
"I must have sent him about five owls," Teddy replied softly. "Do you really think they're withholding Harry's mail?"
"Of course they are," Draco said impatiently. "You heard how Potter used to talk about them. And remember the way he looked at the start of last term? They barely even feed him over there."
"I wonder if they've even taken him to Diagon Alley either?" Teddy mused. "Term starts next week. Harry better be ready for that."
"That's just it. Nott," Draco said with a slight hiss. "What if those muggles aren't letting him come back? What if they're trying to keep him trapped in the muggle world?"
The two young Slytherins fell silent, the full effect of Draco's words washing over them. They had both been brought up with anti-muggle sentiments, but for the first time, the two boys truly understood why. Draco was the first to break the silence.
"I'm going to talk to father. Maybe he can get Potter out of this mess."
"What will he do? Curse them?" Teddy asked hopefully.
"He'll do something," Draco retorted proudly. "You know how much sway father has with the ministry. And he's on the board of governors. If anyone can help Potter, it's him."
"Right," Teddy replied, resisting the urge to roll his eyes.
Teddy left shortly before dinner, leaving Draco to make a half-hearted stab at his charms homework. He couldn't concentrate. For the first time in his life, he felt as if he was witnessing true injustice. He chewed, viciously, on the end of his quill, eyes drifting from the barely formulated essay and over to the window, overlooking the gardens. He took so many things for granted. Why was he surrounded by such wealth and comfort while Potter was left to suffer under the whims of common muggles? It was an outrage. And, like all outrages, it was nothing his father couldn't put right!
"Dobby! The wine!" Narcissa Malfoy ordered from her end of the lavish dining table. Opposite her, her husband, Lucius, sat comfortably. There was a regal look about him as his grey eyes swept over the banquet their house elf had prepared for them. Draco was seated across from them, in the middle, looking especially fidgety and glancing, every so often, in his father's direction.
"Something on your mind. Draco?" Lucius asked, meeting his son's eyes at last.
"Yes," Draco answered, choosing his words carefully. "Do you remember how I told you that Harry Potter has to live with muggles over the summer?"
"Oh the poor boy," Narcissa sighed. "How dreadful for him."
"Yes quite," Lucius agreed, smirking slightly. "What of it Draco?"
"Well… I'm getting a bit concerned. He hasn't responded to any of my owls and Theodore told me, earlier today, that Potter hasn't written back to him either."
"Most irregular," Lucius agreed. "Harry Potter is a friend of yours is he not?"
"Yes," Draco replied. "We're starting to think the muggles might be intercepting his owls."
"My dear Draco. Do you really think mere muggle's are capable of doing that?" Lucius chortled. "Highly unlikely."
"Well something's going on," Draco said with a hint of impatience. "And Potter has told us things about those muggles. They don't feed him very well and they're quite nasty to him. I think they're up to something."
"Draco may be right. Lucius," Narcissa said softly, holding out her glass absent-mindedly for Dobby the house-elf to refill. "You've heard nothing from Potter these holidays?"
"Nothing at all," Draco answered. "And term starts next week. What if they're trying to keep Potter from going back? He told us last year that they didn't want him coming to Hogwarts in the first place."
"Interesting…" Lucius murmured. "I will look into it. Draco. But, for now, lets have no more talk of muggles at the dinner table. It's not especially appetizing."
Draco didn't have to wait long before his father had found out a few choice details about the Potter situation. He had pulled a few strings at the ministry and around Diagon Alley. Lucius was quickly able to determine that Potter had not been seen purchasing any of his school equipment (and shopkeepers seldom failed to remember Harry Potter). A quick apparation to Potter's house in Little Whining also revealed even more startling news. One of the bedrooms seemed to have bars on its window.
"It was all I could do not to go in there and teach those muggles some respect," Lucius said with a slight sneer. "They really are out of their depth trying to hold a wizard captive."
"What are you going to do?" Draco asked, still outraged.
"I have already sent them an anonymous letter telling them it's not in their best interest to keep Potter out of Hogwarts," Lucius replied with a smirk. "I made it clear that there will be consequences should they fail to comply."
"What about his books and things?" Draco asked.
"I've taken the liberty purchasing them for him," Lucius replied smugly. "It seemed unlikely that Potter will be able to get to Diagon Alley."
"And what if the muggles don't listen?"
"Come now Draco! Do you really think a few muggles can stop Harry Potter from returning to Hogwarts?"
"No," Draco admitted. "But I can't believe they'd try!"
"Muggles are foolish and barbaric creatures," Lucius sighed. "They have tried, for years, to control witches and wizards. But, in the end, they must all learn to submit to their betters. Even Dumbledore, the great muggle-loving fool, will have no choice but to act if these muggles keep Potter from attending Hogwarts. We can only hope Potter doesn't do anything rash in the meantime. Not after the last incident."
"What incident?" Draco asked quickly, eyes narrowing.
"I found out, today, that Potter received a warning from the ministry for using underaged magic. It happened about three weeks ago. Rather foolish of him."
"Yes," Draco agreed, smirking to himself. "I didn't think Potter would be that stupid."
"Well, at any rate, he seems to have learned his lesson," Lucius went on. "He hasn't done anything else since then. It shouldn't be too difficult for the boy to make it through another week."
Draco was so immersed in the story of Potter's miserable summer that he couldn't help but write to all the Slytherin's in their year to regale them with the tale. He even wrote to Goyle, who would probably only get the gist of it. Draco was sure to mention the fact that his father had the situation well in hand and that the muggles were as good as dead if they didn't do as they were told. Draco also stressed that he was the first one to realize that there was something funny going on (well I am a Malfoy after all!)
Draco slept soundly that night. His last thoughts were of all the letters he'd sent Potter. Some of them had been quite nasty. Hopefully the muggles had disposed of them. He had no way of knowing that those very letters were in closer then he could ever imagine. Dobby the house elf had made sure that.