We never went back to Malfoy Manor. The dark Lord may have been defeated but there were still those who may pursue us if they knew of our betrayal. An acquaintance of Fathers went to the Manor and transported all of our personal possessions to a loft apartment over the River Thames. The apartment was a world away from what we were used to but Father said it would be a fresh start for us, there was modern furniture so much natural light it was almost dazzling. Mother bought an office on the third floor to pursue her dream of a career in wizards psychology. She would be helping everyone to get over the trauma of the war at very reasonable rates and already had clients on a waiting list. Father drank veritusirum before the Ministry. Post war was a time of repentance and the newly formed Ministry allowed Father a clean plate. He was put to work as head of the cleanup of the muggle world and was promised he would later work for the Minister for Magic once again. I had options. I was offered a position on a twelve month course to become an Auror, set up to replace the fallen as quickly as possible. To everyone one's surprise I received a letter from the Ministry offering me a very well paid apprenticeship and promised job within the department for reversal of dark magic. I also received a letter from Professor McGonagall with an offer to return to Hogwarts. I had no real desire to become an Auror. Fighting other wizards after the war just didn't appeal, what if they sent me to capture or kill someone I knew? I couldn't do it, that much was certain. I had never loved being at school, though I did feel I could benefit from finishing my last year though it could be a little awkward after everything. My instinct was to take the job at the Ministry. Especially because I had learnt a lot of dark magic but knew nothing about how to stop or reverse any of it. Both Mother and Father wanted me to finish school before starting work. I wrote to the Ministry to ask if the job offer would be available from next Summer so that I could finish school first. Mother was particularly ecstatic when they wrote back to say I could start next Summer. I sent the owl back to the Ministry with a letter of acceptance and agreeing to a start date of August 1st. I then sent Fathers owl with a letter to Professor McGonagall accepting her offer to finish my final year of school.
That is how I came to be stood in Knockturn Alley with Mother on a sunny day at the end of August. Every single shop which was open here before the war had now been shut down. The ministry had given large grants out over the start of summer to Wizards and Witches looking to set up their own businesses who presented positive ideas which the Misinistry thought would benefit the community. I had read a detailed report about it a few days previously in the Daily Prophet, which was now run by the same man who owns the Quibbler. It was refreshing to have such honest reports. There were furniture shops and food shops in the reopened alley, restaurants and gift outlets, muggle technology shops and even a public library run by the Ministry. I didn't need any new books for school but I did need longer robes.
"Mother, I need robes. Should we try the new shop, Terrific Tailors?" I asked looking at the shop sign.
"Draco, you go sort robes and come find me in the dress shop next door when you're finished." She held out a bag which I took from her. "There should be fifty galleons, get yourself some clothes for everyday wear as well as school robes darling." She put a hand to my shoulder before heading to the dress shop.
Inside Terrific Tailors I stood gawping. Millicent Bullstrode sat at the counter with a sewing machine stitching away furiously beside her.
"Milly." She looked up.
"Oh hi Draco! Did you come for some robes?" She said cheerfully. "Are you going back to school?" She asked curiously and instantly blushed red.
"Yes, I'm here for school robes and some everyday muggle clothes which it seems you sell here as well." I said looking over at the racks of jeans. "Are you not going back to school?" I looked puzzled.
"Oh no, I applied for a shop grant. School just wasn't for me." She walked to the school section and pulled out robes in two different lengths. A tape measure flew over to me and began measuring my shoulder to wrist. "I live over the shop and work in the shop. I have a mortgage which I pay back based upon how much I make each month. It's a perfect arrangement so far." The tape measure moved to my back.
"It sounds like your set. I'm happy for you. Do you know anyone else from our year who is going back to school?" She thrust a robe at me to try on.
"No, as far as I know at least. Definitely none of the girls from out house. Have you not asked Goyle?" The robe fitted perfectly.
"Since the war he hasn't replied to a single owl. I think with Crabbe gone he must be really upset." I passed her the robe and she folded it and placed it beside another one on the counter.
"I'm sorry to hear. Well just think, if no one else returns you should get a dorm to yourself. Although, it depends where they house you, there's never been 8th years before." She placed seven shirts and four Slytherin jumpers on the counter with the robes.
"It will be a little odd going back I think." She placed four pairs of black trousers next to the jumpers.
"Do you need shoes as well? I have value dress shoes which I guarantee will fall apart after six months or I have Italian leather beauties which will last year after year. Are your feet still growing?" I frowned.
"I need shoes, I'll take the Italian." I bent to take my shoes off, as soon as I stood back up the tape measure wrapped around and under my foot. I shook it off and put my shoes back on.
"Size eleven, two pairs?" She bent to rummage through boxes.
"One will suffice. I like the look of those muggle shoes." She added the shoe box to the counter.
"So are you going to study the same classes when you go back?" She walked over to the muggle shoes. "These ones?" She pointed.
"Yes, those ones. I assume I'm studying the same, McGonagall just sent me a letter to take the train on September first and included the ticket. Oh, she recommended that I bring a pet too." I sighed.
"How odd." She looked to me. "These are called vans. They're super comfy, what colour did you want?" She waited while I looked them over again.
"The blue ones? I also like the grey and black." I paused. "What are the other Slytherin girls doing?" I asked. She pulled out two boxes and took them over to the counter.
"Pansy has a job as an apprentice at St Mungos and the twins both got apprenticeships' at a law firm. They get to represent muggles in disputes with Wizards. Didn't you get a job offer?" She went to the muggle clothes and pulled out a few different pairs of jeans. She paused to think before placing all but one of them back.
"Two offers actually. One at the Ministry. They agreed I can start next Summer after school is finished." I nodded to the black jeans she held up, they looked just right.
"Thats awesome, I don't know of anyone from our year who got offered a job working for the Ministry." She pointed to a rack of t-shirts and jackets. "These should all fit you, just pick out any you want." I set to rummaging. There was a group of plain, a group of quidditch themed and a bunch of band merchandise. I picked out mostly the band t-shirts and a bunch of plain as well as three jackets. I thought about how cold Hogwarts could get and picked out two more.
"Do you have pyjamas too?" She added some to the pile without showing them to me. She methodically folded and placed the clothes into card bags with her logo on the front. "Do you know where I can get a new wand? Seems everywhere I used to go is shut." I wondered.
"Six shops down from here, theres a lady opened a wand shop. I've heard she's no nonsense and very good at matching people to wands." The prices appeared on the counter in front of her. I was worried I wouldn't have enough money. "Comes to 52 galleons but you get friends and family discount, 47 galleons please." She smiled and me and I pulled the galleons out of the bag Mother gave to me. I sighed in relief that I didn't have the embarrassment of having to go get more money.
"It was nice to see you Milly. When I'm next in the area I'll be sure to come back in." She blushed a little but I pretended not to notice.
"See you soon Draco." I took my piles of bags and turned to leave. The door opened quickly.
"I told you Ginny, the new Nimbus is so much better than the Firebolt. It'd be like buying a broken cauldron instead of a new one if you went for the Firebolt." Hermione Granger and the Weasley girl bustled into the shop. They looked up to me and scowled. I scowled back and walked around them to leave the shop. I'm sure Granger and her cronies helped me out a little in the battle at Hogwarts, so I wouldn't be rude but that didn't mean I was about to start being nice.
I went to find Mother. Ladened with bags we went to the wand shop where she bought me a new wand and polishing kit. It didn't look dissimilar to my old wand which was now in the possession of Potter. The length and wood type was the same as the original one but instead of unicorn hair this one had thestral hair. It made for unusual, powerful and expensive wands but Mother insisted that the price was fine. We moved along to the new pet store. It seemed to have the oddest arrangement of creatures. In the centre of the shop there was a large fenced off pen with a sign above it. It read:
'Animals which might grow up to be big and scary are magically kept at the age of 4 months old in size. All animals have been approved to be pets of students at Hogwarts if the student is aged 15+. Ask for assistance and we will find the perfect animal for you.'
I looked into the pen. Tigers, lions, leopards, wolves, dragons, everything that would grow up to make a terrible pet. "Mother, don't you think Father would love a lion as a pet? The white lion would be perfect for him." It walked over to the fence where I stood. I reached over and petted its head.
"I think it would be good for you as a pet Draco." She replied.
"Mother, I can't take a white lion to school as a pet, that would be crazy." I frowned.
"Hogwarts have approved these animals as excellent companions for students Draco. You're right too, your Father would love a lion, it'd make him feel powerful. If you decided you couldn't handle a lion at school, we could keep it at home." Despite my hesitation, to own a lion cub would be awesome. I petted it some more.
"So can we get it?" I asked.
"Of course Draco. While you were busy petting away like a mesmerised child, the sales assistant had been setting up a pet carrier and supplies. I even paid for her already, her name is Maali." I grinned to myself while the shop assistant put Maali into the carrier. She was about the same size as a regular domestic cat, all white with sparkling blue eyes.
We decided to floo back to the apartment to drop off our bags and settle in Maali. As an adjustment period she would live in my room for the first few days at least. Mother decided to stay at home whilst I went back to Diagon Alley to get the rest of my school supplies.
"Draco, there's an owl for you." Mother said. I went out to the balcony which wrapped the full way around the apartment and snatched the letter from the tawny owl, impatient to finish my supply shopping. It read:
Dear Mr D Malfoy,
We have three students returning for an eighth year at Hogwarts. Each student (returning and not) has had an academic assessment by the teaching staff and the education department at the Ministry of Magic. I am pleased to inform you that you have achieved five outstanding grades in Defense against the dark arts, Potions, Care of magical creatures, History of magic and Astronomy at NEWT level.
As you made me aware that you will be pursuing a job in dark magic at the Ministry when you have completed your eighth year, I recommend that you return despite your awarded grades. Transfiguration has a key role in the dark arts and your assessed grade was barely satisfactory. Your grade for Charms was also lower than hoped. On your return and at your agreement you will be studying Transfiguration, Charms and a new class, Curse Breaking.
In addition to this I would like you to become a Professor for second year Defense against the dark arts. This will be probationary for the first month before being assessed. I will discuss this further with you on your return to school. If you consider accepting, please purchase and read the beginning of the following three books:
Defense against the dark arts: Level 2
A beginners practical guide to fighting the dark arts
Dark Arts: A history
As well as 'A guide to Curse breaking' for your new class.
Kind regards
Professor McGonagall
I sent the owl away and went back inside, passing the letter to Mother.
"Well done Draco, on the five outstanding NEWTS." She beamed.
"It feels like cheating, getting grades when I never took the exams." I sighed. Despite being spoilt by my parents, I had always preferred to earn something rather than be given it.
"Everyone has been given the same privilege Draco, there are still classes for you to take. If you try hard you could leave with eight outstandings, that would be wonderful for your career prospects." She read to the end of the letter. "Teaching sounds good, the Professor must have a lot of faith in you Draco, are you going to give it a try?" I looked at the floor. Teaching was never something that crossed my mind. I'm too impatient and patronising as well as violent and emotional. Even having a psychologist as a Mother hasn't improved any of that. And yet, McGonagall had faith in me.
"I'll try, I don't promise it will go well though." I looked at her peering gaze. Always trying to scrutinize. She took a purse from her bag.
"Sixty galleons. To buy your books and stationary and whatever else you need." I frowned at her before I grabbed the money. It seemed a lot. I pitched a handful of floo powder into the fireplace and leapt into it unphased. I enjoyed travelling by floo, it gave me an adrenaline rush like being on a rollercoaster.
I came out in Diagon Alley and walked to the stationary shop. I selected many rolls of good quality parchment and four sleek quills with black feathers. I added pots of ink and thought to add a red pot especially designed for marking papers. If I had to teach I wanted the ink to match. At the back of the store were glass cases which ensconced an array of elaborately beautiful quills. I picked out a peacock feather quill with real diamonds around the base. On sale at half price for ten galleons, It would be the perfect gift for Mother as her birthday was the day after leaving for Hogwarts. I moved on to the book store and went to the back for the dark arts and curse breaking books.
"Oh Hermione! I'm so glad you're going back to Hogwarts too! I mean, Ron's working in another country so we can hardly get upset and jealous about that. It's going to be so much fun the two of us back together in a dorm!" I turned at the loud horrible squawks which could only have come from Lavender Brown. She was trying to cling onto Grangers arm while Granger tried to get out of her grasp. Quite comical really.
"Sure Lavender, it'll be great." Granger tried to sound upbeat as the little Weasley girl tried to pry them apart. I turned back to the books making a pile in my arms of the ones I was required to buy and added a few extra which would help with my classes.
"And we'll get to take classes with the seventh years, I could even sit next to Ginny! Wouldn't that be great Ginny?" I looked around to see her reaction. Weasley looked furious as Brown grabbed her arm too.
"Would you just PISS OFF Lanvender?!" She pulled out her wand and pointed it at Browns face. She burst into tears and ran out of the shop. Mowing over several people who stood in her path.
"Thanks Gin but I have to live with her!" Weasley still looked mad as a troll, her ginger hair was flowing backward in the draft from the air conditioning, she looked like a tiger. Granger looked a little scared. "Come on. Let's get our books and get back to the Burrow. Mrs Weasley will want help cooking supper I'm sure." The two girls hurried past me to grab books and back without so much as noticing me.
Once i purchased my books I flooed back to the apartment to see how much furniture a white lion cub could destroy in the hour and a half I was gone.
This was set to be an interesting year.
A/N - let me know if it's worth writing more!