Disclaimer: The world of Harry Potter, its characters and settings are the copyrighted works of J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros., her publishing companies and affiliates. No profit was made from the writing of this story nor was any malice intended in any way, shape or form to the author or the actors/actresses who so brilliantly have brought them to life.

Chapter 1

It was a fine summer day.

2 toddlers were playing and laughing in the beautiful garden of the Malfoy Manor. Flowers of every colour bloomed. This cheerful garden formed a stark contrast to the white and splendid building behind it.

The children were watched over by several timid-looking house elves. Although their little heads were bowed as a sign of submission, they were very alert in case of any emergency.

One of the toddlers was the Malfoy heir, the one and only rightful successor of the Malfoy inheritance. He was a pale, blond boy and was very well-dressed for a play date. The other one was quite different from the Malfoy boy. He had messy jet-black hair and beautiful green eyes. He was dressed only in simple t-shirt and shorts but he too, was the sole heir to a great fortune. The Potter fortune.

The boys were having so much fun playing together. They have been best friends and playmates since their earliest memories. And once a week, their parents get together to have dinner. It was sort of a tradition, seeing that James Potter and Lucius Malfoy had been best friends in school. It was only right that their sons be best friends too.

Draco held up the toy broom and gave Harry a cheeky smile. "Let's ride on it together, Harry!"

Little Harry hesitated for a split second and nodded his head vigorously, eyes shining with excitement.

The boys straddled the toy broom and got ready to take off but a house elf stopped them. The house elf was dressed in a torn pillow cover and although his head was bowed, his eyes were bright and he seemed spirited.

"Young masters, Dobby can't let both of you ride the broom, masters. It is dangerous. Very dangerous."

Although Draco was only 5 years old, he was already very good at getting what he wanted and the house elves were all afraid of him. He gave Dobby a death stare and threatened to tell his father that Dobby did a bad job at looking after Harry and him.

Poor Dobby's eyes filled with tears and his lips quivered with fear. He knew what would happen to him if young master Draco really did complain to Master Malfoy so he let the boys continue but hit his head on the ground repeatedly as punishment for disobeying Master Malfoy and upsetting young master Draco.

With a jerk, the broom started to rise and Harry held on to Draco's waist for fear of falling off the broom even though it was only a few metres high.

Draco giggled, "Stop tickling me, Harry!"

"I'm not tickling!" Harry answered and held on even tighter.

Draco giggled again and the broom jerked unnaturally. It was a toy broom after all and not designed to take the weight of 2 boys. So it gave way and the boys tumbled to the ground.

There was silence at first and the house elves were too shocked to react. The elf called Dobby started to hit his head even harder against the floor. Then the boys' laughter filled the garden and they began wrestling playing on the grass. When they got tired, they lay on their backs and watched the clouds floating in the sky.

"Draco, can we be like this forever?" Harry asked innocently. Draco was his best friend and he would be so sad if Draco left him. He wanted Draco to be with him and by his side forever.

Draco's small hand found Harry's and he held it tightly.

"Of course. Nothing will ever bring us apart. Ever! We will be together forever, Harry."

To the boys, it was merely a childish and innocent proclamation of simple friendship, love between two very good friends. But to the deep and old magic protecting the Malfoy grounds, it was something very different. And unbeknownst to the boys or their parents or anyone else except the house elves, things were already being set in motion.

Inside the manor, Draco's and Harry's parents were talking in the study.

"This is a dark, dark time, James. I will not do what you are asking me to." Lucius Malfoy said heavily. "I have a family to think of and I will not jeopardise their safety. I'm sorry."

James Potter sighed and looked towards his wife for support. She gave him an encouraging nod and he continued, "Please Lucius. I'm asking this as your best friend and as a fellow husband and father. I only have you and your family's best intention in mind. Voldemort is on the rise and if we don't do something about it, the wizarding world will fall. Our families are some of the oldest and most powerful wizarding families. Surely Voldemort has approached you and asked you to join him? "

"Yes, he has."

"So please, Lucius, please don't do it. So many innocent lives have been lost. Join Dumbledore instead. I'm sure we will be able to defeat Voldemort, especially since Dumbledore is the only wizard Voldemort has ever feared. Think about it, Lucius."

"And even if you don't join Dumbledore, just stay neutral and don't join Voldemort." James added as an afterthought.

"I will think about it."

"That's all I'm asking."

There was a prolonged silenced after that. It was as if the four adults were all contemplating theirs and their children's future in this uncertain time.

Voldemort was on the rise and he was recruiting all that was useful to him and his rise to power. He targeted many old wizarding families and had used his charm and persuasion to successfully bring many of them to the dark side. He had approached the Potters some time ago and they rejected him right away. As long as James was concerned, killing innocent lives was wrong and unforgivable no matter whether it was muggle or wizard lives. If Voldemort was in power, he would surely lose his dear Lily.

To Lily Potter, she was only worried about her precious son Harry. She only hoped for a safe and healthy environment for him to grow up in but bloody Voldemort just had to show up. She knew Voldemort wanted her dead since she was a muggleborn but what about her Harry? He was not pureblooded either and thinking about anyone hurting Harry made her so scared. She would do anything to protect him from any harm.

Lucius Malfoy had always been a cunning man but James was his best friend and he didn't want to upset or betray James. The Dark Lord approached him several days ago and spoke of great things. Lucius was tempted, very tempted. Furthermore, he was promised many splendid things if he were to join the Dark Lord's ranks. Power, money, prestige. It was a difficult struggle but he knew what was best for him and his family and he was going to stick to his decision. Nothing and nobody could sway him.

Narcissa Malfoy was a very smart woman too. However, she would listen to her husband and would only be concerned if Draco's safety was put at risk.

Narcissa was the one who broke the silence. "James, we will consider your proposition."

James nodded.

"Now, shall we have dinner?"

Everything went wrong for Draco after dinner.

Harry and his parents were invited to the study again. For some reason, Draco was not allowed to go. It was the first time he was denied something. Draco wanted to be there because Harry was there. He just wanted to spend more time with his friend and he couldn't understand why he wasn't allowed to be there with everyone, having fun.

He sulked all the way to his room and he even threw a huge tantrum, throwing his toys on the floor and kicking his blankie off the bed. The house elves were shaking and punishing themselves for upsetting young master Draco. And then he saw something that made him smile. It was Harry's toy horse. He had accidentally left it in Draco's room when they were playing last week.

Although Draco was young, he was a Malfoy through and through. Harry's toy horse gave him the perfect reason to go to his father's study. He was just there to return Harry's thing. It wasn't like he wanted to be there or anything. Draco smiled a silly smile and made his way to the study, as stealthily as he could manage.

As he neared the study, one small hand clutching the toy horse, he heard shouting and banging noises. It seemed like his parents and Harry's parents were arguing. Draco was scared but it all stopped with a flash of bright green light. The house was silent and Draco could hear his own heartbeat. Then he heard his mother sobbing.

Draco really wanted to know what had happened so he pushed open the study door and what he saw made him gasp. Uncle James and Aunt Lily were on the floor. Their eyes were wide open and they were motionless. Then he saw Harry on the floor too but in the other corner. He was motionless too. Draco knew they were all dead.

At that moment Lucius turned around and saw Draco at the door. Draco had never seen his father look so angry before. Lucius grabbed Draco and gave him two tight slaps across the face. Lucius had never laid a hand on Draco before this. That was the extent of how much Draco was pampered.

"Don't you dare breathe a word to anybody about anything you saw. You understand me?" Lucius asked harshly while shaking Draco's shoulders.

Tears rolling down his cheeks, Draco nodded but silently hated his father for hitting him. And he hated his parents for doing this to Harry and his parents. Harry was gone, forever taken away from him. They will never be together forever.

Author's note: Hi all, this is my first story. Be nice. :)