A/N: Hello everyone! This will be my first chapter-length Harry Potter story and it's one I've been working on for a while. This is just the prologue, but I'm putting it up to gage interest in the story.
Summary:In 1869, Draco Malfoy, the last of the great Malfoy family, vanished without a trace. In 1998, Harry Potter finds an heirloom in the Black vault left to him by his godfather. Oddly taken with the mirror, he brings it back to his home, but soon after, Harry begins to see the image of a beautiful man in the mirror. Slash. H/D. EWE. AU. Possible Adult Content (not too explicit, though).
As a background for this story, think of every thing you know about the HP canon. Now remove Draco (And the Malfoys. The Blacks still exist up until Sirius.) and replace him with some other Slytherin of your choice. Anyone, really. There really isn't a place for them in this story as of right now. Voldemort has been killed and, in this story, Sirius is the last Black able to inherit and he leaves everything to Harry. So Harry now holds the Black and ancient Malfoy vaults. Draco will be a bit different attitude-wise, because he has now been raised in a different time with different customs and ideas. So, I imagine because Voldemort was non-existent in Draco's time, resentment towards Muggleborns was more of an elitist idea, rather than a political ideology. So Draco won't be cruel and scathing and hateful towards Muggleborns, but he will still be arrogant and self-important. At least he will if I write him correctly.
This is un-betaed, so any and all errors are my own. Also, there is a disclaimer on my profile about my update times. I'm a PhD student and I'm trying to write my own novel, so I have very little time. I write fanfiction as a stress-relief. So there may be long times between updates. I'll try not to, but I've been pants about updating my other two 'In-Progress' stories, so no promises.
So I hope you're intrigued by my new story and please let me know if you're interested in reading more! Enjoy! ~AJ Kelly
Disclaimer: The Harry Potter Series and all recognisable characters belong to J.K Rowling, Bloomsbury Publishing, Scholastic Publishing, and all other associates. No money is being made and no copyright infringement is intended. Only this rather lame plot is mine.
Prologue, 1869
With a heavy sigh, Draco Malfoy threw the roll of parchment on the desk and took a big gulp of his scotch. Sorting out the business' finances was never his favourite task, however it was a necessity that he was forced to do. Since his father's death five years earlier, Draco had become head of the Malfoy family and all that it entailed, and that included the finances. Draco had never wanted to become head of the family, rather it was a role forced upon him. As the only child, he had never been given much of a choice.
Draco closed his eyes tightly and pressed his fingertips into the corners of his eyes. He was beginning to see double and no amount of scotch, Firewhisky, or energy potions were helping. Giving up, Draco stood up and deliberately covered the finance sheet with a blank piece of parchment. Maybe if he couldn't see it, it would go away. Or calculate on its own, which would be even better.
He could have easily asked the family accountants to deal with the finances, but Lucius had engrained early on that only a Malfoy should be trusted to know the exact amount of the Malfoy assets. The accountants were for the odd project and legal disputes.
"Pippsy," Draco called out for his house elf. A second later there was a pop announcing the elf's arrival.
"Yes, Master Malfoy? What cans Pippsy gets, sirs?"
"I'll be having a guest for dinner tonight. Set out a place for him and when he arrives send him to me."
"Yes, sirs, Master Malfoy." The house elf said, eyes wide in astonishment. She disappeared before Draco could retaliate. It wasn't for a house elf to hold an opinion on their master. Granted, Draco rarely had people over. Fine, he never had people over. But that didn't mean that when he actually did, the house elf had to express astonishment.
It wasn't like he wanted to have his guest over. It was purely for business and Draco wanted to get it over with so that he could return to the isolated comfort of the study. Or maybe he'd go to the library. The study was, after all, where the bloody finance report was. Yes, best to just avoid that wing for now.
He turned to leave when his reflection caught his attention. He studied his reflection in the ornate gold mirror that had been passed down for generations. His pale blond hair fell freely into his grey eyes, having been too lazy to brush it back earlier in the day. Draco had the Malfoy jaw line, but he had his mother's, Narcissa Malfoy née Black, small frame and cheekbones. His father had hated how fragile Draco had looked as a child, so Draco had quickly been trained to be a 'Good Malfoy,' who was the definition of strong, beautiful, and intelligent. Now that his father and mother were gone, Draco was struggling to find himself beneath all the training.
Draco felt his magic hum, alerting him to his guest's arrival. Sure enough, moments later the door opened and a tall, broad man swept into the room.
Draco narrowed his eyes instantly, "What are you doing here?"
"We have business to discuss, Malfoy, and I won't let you avoid me again."
"I'm not avoiding you, you imbecile. I've told you 'no' several times. There is nothing to discuss. Now I'll ask you to leave, as I have an appointment for dinner that should be arriving soon." Draco walked towards the door, trying to herd the man out of his house.
"He's not coming," the man said simply. He walked around Draco's desk and sat in the grand chair. To add further insult to injury, he placed his dirty boots on the desk. Draco scrunched his nose as he watched clumps of dirt fall on his papers.
"How do you know?" Draco asked.
"He had… a problem."
Draco's entire body tensed in warning. Draco knew this was a man not to be trifled with. He was cruel and powerful, and for some reason had singled out Draco for a business opportunity that was highly illegal and the profit wasn't worth the risks involved. But when Draco told him 'no' his face had twisted into a snarl and his hand had wrapped around Draco's throat, choking him until Draco had managed to hex him and quickly escape. After that, Draco had tried to avoid him as much as possible. His owls and multiple floo calls had all been ignored even though Draco knew it would only upset him further.
"What did you do?" Draco whispered into the sudden tense silence. He let his wand fall from his wrist harness and he caught it in his hand, making sure to keep it out of sight. The man watched him closely, twirling his wand between his fingers. Draco moved his fingers slowly, trying not to draw attention.
Just as his wand had slid into position, the man's eyes snapped to his hand. He saw Draco's pristine wand glimmer in the light of the fire. With a flick of his wand and a muttered Expelliarmus, Draco's wand went sailing into the air, dropping to the floor and rolling into a dark corner.
Draco tried not to panic, but he was now defenceless. The only thing he could do was run, but he knew the man would attack him before he could make it out the door. The man watched the terror flit across his face, a cruel smile twisting his mouth.
"Tsk, tsk. Nothing nearly as bad as I'm going to do to you, Malfoy," the man snarled, finally showing some emotion.
"Look, I haven't told any one what you're planning, I'll stay silent. I just don't want any part in it."
"That's not good enough. You're a Malfoy. You're a manipulative bastard who would tell me anything to save your own neck. I can't trust you, and you know too much."
"I'll make an Unbreakable Vow, I'll do whatever you want. I swear I won't tell anyone," Draco hated that he had to plead. It was beneath a Malfoy to beg for anything. But this was his life, and Draco didn't want to die.
The man launched to his feet, wand raised and aimed straight at Draco. "There's nothing you can say, Malfoy. It's too late. Let me say, I would have gladly considered you a business partner, but now I'm quite eager to kill you. I've waited for this moment for years."
"Please," Draco said weakly, "Please."
The man came forward until he stood in front of Draco. "No amount of begging will save you, Malfoy. You've dug your own grave, and now I'll make you lie in it."
"Please, I don't want to die."
"There are things worse than death, Malfoy," the man replied.
Draco shut his eyes and tried to calm his breathing, knowing that even in death a Malfoy had an image to maintain. The man raised his wand and muttered a curse that Draco couldn't hear. A blue flash of light illuminated the whole room and then Draco Malfoy, the last of the Malfoy line, was gone.
A/N: So this is the shortest chapter I'll put out, but it is just a prologue. Please let me know what you think and if you are interested in this story. Thank you for reading! ~AJ Kelly
