Chapter 1

Cash, Rain, and Memories

"No. We will teach him at home."
The lie seemed to come easily to the younger man, as he looked at the shorter -though still rather tall in stature- older man.
"But most magical children do not study at home...though it is not unheard of, but the mother..."
The older man trailed off as he crained his neck around the younger man to see inside the house; trying to catch a glimps of the child they spoke about. As he did so, bright eyes peerd at him from around a corner, and a tuft of red hair was just visible as the child stared at the white haired stranger.
"Dani will learn from a relative. Thank you for your visit, Professor Dumbledor."
The old man, known as Dumbledor, stroked his beard as he peered over his half moon spectacles at the younger man. He looked as though he were about to open his mouth, but meerly nodded as the door was shut hard in his face. A small pop, and he was gone as the red headed child slipped back into the bedroom.

Hard times.
Harder than should be expected for a child so young who had already lost so much. Danielle, named by his mother who had assumed he would be a girl at birth, sat in the living room watching another storm roll closer. The window slightly ajar, as he watched the barren field in front of his small home turn from a tawny brown into a rich chocolate color as it started to rain. The earth released that heavenly sent that he loved so much, reminding him of that day that the old man came to his home, and asked to speak with his father. He had only caught a glimpse, but he seemed so odd in the dark navy robe that had countless stars. That memory seemed like a dream all these years later.
"Maybe the rain will make the plants grow."
He jumped at the sound of his father behind him, looking out the window just as he did, but not with the same feeling. His father always spoke of the same things, and repeated them over and over, but nothing ever grew in the field in front of them; they almost always were hungry. The young man he had been four years prior was no more. His father had deep lines in his face, and the thinning blonde hair was almost white. His eyes, which matched his sons in the deep ocean-like hue, had a sadness in them, and always looked tired. Dani had none of his fathers looks besides those eyes. Where his father's hair was blonde his was a vibrant auburn, falling over his shoulders in messy curls like his mother. It if were not for his eyes he would be a spitting image of his mother. The same feminine features, and the same small spattering of freckles across his face.
He hated how he looked.
Every time he looked in the dingy mirror in the bathroom he was reminded of his mother, and a pang of loneliness hit him. Ever since that day he had been excited at the promise of learning what the old man had talked about. Even if he did not understand. Wizard. The word he did not understand. The old man Dumbledor could not mean a magical being like those in his picture books that had long been sold for food money. The lessons never came, and his life slowly had dwindled into a place of hunger and disdain. His sullen face only ever lit up with the rain, and maybe a part of him had hoped that he would see the old man again, and he would come bringing another letter with that golden seal his father had broken four years ago. He remembered how quickly his father read through it, and had sneered and handed it back to Dumbledor. He never came back, and Dani wondered if he knew his father had lied.

As the rain started to get heavier he saw a car at the end of the lane turn into their drive. He watched as it started down the winding road, and finally came to stop in front of their small house. They never got visiters, and his heart skipped a beat. He found himself hoping it was that old man so many years ago come back to claim him.
"Oh...Oh no."
His father jumped, and he heard him swallow hard as he moved from the window. He repeated the words again.
"oh no...oh no...Dani go to your room...and don't come out till I call."
The command was harsh, and as his father started to fret about the living room he slunk back to his bedroom, but kept the door open a hair.
"They were supposed to come next week!"
He heard his father screech as he kept glancing from his father to the window. There was a knock at the door and he saw his dad jump slightly at the noise, and rush forwards to answer it quickly. He bowed deeply to the man on the other side of the doorway, and moved to let him in.
On the other side stood a tall pale man with silvery blonde hair, and an air of importance that bordered on pomposity.
"Thomas."
The voice was cold, and he spoke down his nose at Dani's father. Behind him stood what looked like two pigs disguised as humans, ugly, and bruitish. The pale man spoke again before his father could open his mouth. Thomas was trembling. He was hunched over in a half bow still, looking older than he really was.
"L-Lucius...I...I did not expect you so soon."
The man snarled, and looked at him with disgust at being addressed as such.
"Lord Malfoy to you...muggle."
He hissed with annoyance.
"We did not expect my house elf to be removed so soon...and the new one...Draco doesn't like him, and wants his friend as was promised. I heard your only heir was a wizard. I was surprised considering your background being entirly muggle, but his mother was a pure blood, so it probably made its way there...thankfully. Has he been trained? Draco said he has never seen the boy at Hogwarts."
Hogwarts
Dani turned his head so he could see better, not daring to open the door any more, but he wanted to know more! This man must have been a wizard! That was why he walked like he owned the world. The word run in Dani's ears. He knew he was different, but he...a wizard? His father never talked about it, but he could do strange things.
"Magic..."
The words whispered out of his mouth as though they were a wish. This was what he had been dreaming of since that old man came.
"N-no...my lord...h..his relatives did not want anything to do with me...not after her...her..."
He looked worried to say it. He knew his father never talked about their mother and how she died. She just did not come home one day. She was ill, almost constantly, but he never said why she had died. It was not long after his fourth birthday. He knew his father had asked before Dumbledor came to visit, but he was told to keep quiet, and never said anything to the old wizard.
"Oh how pitiful. You knew his mother was a pure blood! Did you never mention the child, or did that just slip your mind you oaf?!"
The anger that was plastered over Lucius' face was more apparent in his voice. He raised it slightly when he spoke again.
"Any of the pure blood families would have gladly taken the boy from a muggle home, and raised him well! Angelica's family had great allies, and had strong ties with ours. We would have taken him in, but you probably never went to their homes did you?! Probably sent letters out, and lied about the child's abilities, but you can not lie to me. Rumors spread like wildfire, Thomas, and yours is rather large."
His father was cowering, and wringing his hands over and over. He did not deny it for a few moments, and finally, barely above a whisper, spoke.
"I...I did not want him to leave...I was afraid...after...after the rumors...about...you-know-who..."
This seemed to anger Lucius even more. He now stared at Thomas like a bug that needed to be squashed, or a stain on a shirt.
"He leaves with us now. The contract is still the same, but he will learn how to be a true wizard, and unlike this pitiful squalar, he will want for not...fetch him."
Then there his father was. Standing over him after wrenching open the door. Causing Dani to fall backwards onto the floor.
"What does he mean dad?"
The words were soft, but his voice still cracked with fear. Though he were to leave this place, what had he meant by contract? He was half dragged to the living room, and his father made him stand straight.
"He is so short...are you sure he is a boy?"
The words came out in an amused tone as Lucius took Dani's face in his hands, and turned it left and right.
"Exactly like her...pitty about the eyes...he would have looked better without the muggle part of him."
He let go and snapped his fingers. one of the large pig-like brutes pulled him over behind Lucius who conjured a piece of paper out of thin air, but Dani did not see how.
"The boy for 10,000...muggle dolars. As promised."
He stated as his father snatched the paper and signed greedily. He felt his world crack.
Had he just been sold?!
"What is he talking about dad?"
His voice broke even worse than in the bedroom as he looked around Lucius to his father who was hungrily looking into the bag Lucius Malfoy had just handed him.
"You are lucky boy. Your father has just signed over his custody rights to you. You will want for nothing, and will learn how to be a propper wizard. Just like my son. We have legally adopted you...as the muggles say."
Lucius had turned around, and now Dani had a clear view of the paper, and what looked like a short stick in his free hand. Dani watched as he touched the end of the wood to the paper, and for a moment he thought it would catch fire, but instead a glowing emblem appeared to have been burned onto the paper.
"The deal is struck, you are now my charge. Lets go."
He did not remember yelling, but as he fought the two men's grasp, he felt a shock as he was slapped across the face, and was shoved into the car. The rain. He did not feel the rain as it hit his face. He was crying as he looked out the window, barely able to make out his father closing the door to his home without looking at him.
The rain continued to fall harder.
Washing away the fact that he ever lived there.
His future unknown, and his heart longing more than ever for his mother.