Chapter 1 - 'There's not a single witch or wizard who went bad that wasn't in Slytherin'
During the week Draco had to reevaluate his earlier statement of the current conditions in the school. He had not thought that things could get much worse, how very wrong he was.
The inquisition grew to alarming number as the days passed, and they were relentless in their pursuit of rule breakers. Even if most of those rule were made up especially for the occasion. It was becoming increasingly difficult to avoid breaking regulation, simply because one could not possibly remember all of them.
On Tuesday the 'no proximity' rule was granted followed shortly by 'no hexes or study-groups'. The best tactic was to avoid the inquisition whenever possible, that was the only way to be certain. That is, if you weren't a part of the inquisition, they didn't have to follow any of those bloody rules.
Despite the increasing problems the blond Slytherin made sure only to write the most necessary to his parents. Draco was quite sure that none of the owl that left this place did so without having the letter they carried censored and there was talk of removing the owls completely. Regardless Draco made sure not to be entirely truthful in his letters.
Much could be said about Lucius, but he was fiercely protective of his only son. His parents had lost three other children before him in childbirth and would have lost him as well if not for an extremely skilled Healer.
If one needed an example, they only had to look two years back, the so-called 'hippogriff' episode. In hindsight Draco might have overreacted, just a bit. But what would you do when attacked by such a beast in bright daylight with a teacher on the spot? It practically tried to devour his arm and he did nothing. That stupid giant wouldn't know a brain if it hit him in the face.
Now there is an image…
On the firstie-front he was quite sure that he had made a breakthrough. Mafalda had had some trouble with her classmates due to her heritage, but he had straightened that out quickly. By the end of it he had made it sound like the Weasleys had just abandoned the poor squib in the muggle world, where she had been fortunate enough to find a fellow squib with whom she married.
Not, that it is not true…
He ended the deal with a breathtaking speech about how fantastic it was that she was able to break free from the suppressive(and wrong)teachings of a blood-traitor family. It was quite easily done since everyone knows how low half-bloods and blood-traitors rate family. In a Slytherin family no one was abandoned not even squibs, only those who chose to leave on their own accord permanently left the family.
Though he wasn't sure that he could speak on behalf of the black family, He admitted to himself, they had their very own ball game going on.
"When class is over, wait for me here, I will be back as fast as I can" Draco said as soothingly as he could muster, which by judging at Mafaldas face wasn't that reassuring. She put on a brave face despite her discomfort and disappeared into the classroom with a small wave of her hand.
When he was sure she was safe inside with a teacher there he quickly vanished down a hidden path. All the Slytherins had made a point about not being seen escorting the first years, so that 'Pinky' wouldn't catch wind of it. While he was walking on the secret path, Draco came to the conclusion that it might be beneficial to get some faces on the names he learned of yesterday, so he headed for the library. It had quite a number of well-stocked photo albums, of Hogwarts' population during the ages. Both past and present.
A few corridors further down his path, the blond decided that it was safe enough to leave the secret corridor and left it through an armor that moved aside when he lifted its little finger on the left hand. He had only just left the corridor and taken a few steps towards his intended location before he heard voices coming from a corridor behind him.
"Leave me alone, I haven't done anything!" a desperate young voice cried, making Draco drop his chain of thought and immediately walked towards the noise. Despite the current state f the school he was still a prefect and intended to act as such.
"But you have, snake, by being in the hall when you obviously should be at class. But perhaps you don't think it worth your time, is that it?" said a menacing voice, considerable older that the first one.
"It is all the same about you damn snakes, nothing good ever came out of Slytherin and it doesn't seem that's about to start now." The voice continued in an increasingly violent tone. "You are all liars, cowards-"
"And what do you call this if not cowardice, three fourth years ambushing a first year in a dark corridor?" Draco stepped into the scene with a straight back and menacing grey eyes growing angrier as he saw the situation before him.
"If that matches up to your standards of bravery, it is little wonder that everyone else sees your house as a joke gone wrong." The small boy wrestled himself free of the crushing grip on his lower right arm and bolted behind Draco who stood his ground with his arms crossed over his chest.
"Stay out of it snake, we were only dispensing justice" half yelled the one who had previously capturing the first year, but to Draco immense satisfaction the bully looked a bit worried for a moment at the prefects sudden appearance.
"By whose authority?" Draco asked evenly with a cold glare directed at the cretin, having noted before he entered the scene that none of them bore the badge of the inquisition.
"By our own, and that of the ministry. This is the time of change, soon all will stand up with us, and your pathetic kind will be set in you proper place." He gained more courage as he talked himself warm, the words growing louder and he dared raising his eyes till they met Draco's.
"Azkaban is the only place for a snake. You all turn dark eventually, we all know it, and so we might as well get rid of you sooner than later. If my father had say in the matter the lot of you would be carted off to Azkaban after the sorting."
He stepped forward in a threatening manner, and said with a dark promise. "And that he soon will, he has the ear of Minister Cornelius Fudge, snake, so you better watch it!" Apparently somewhat proud of his little speech he let a smug smile sneak across his face. His companions nodding eagerly one even had the gall to hiss at him. Him!
"If that is indeed is your answer, it will be ten points from Hufflepuff each, for ambushing a younger student intending on harm, and another five for disrespecting a prefect." Draco was most happy to see the smug grin being washed off quicker than it had appeared, turning into one of rage. He drew his wand and was just about to hex the Slytherin Prefect into the next millennium when the blond said the next words carmly.
"I do hope you realize that harming afore mentioned prefect physically, requires a far more severe punishment." Disheartened the bully lowered his wand reluctantly his eyes nearing the quality of murder. "And, if you do not want me to take another five points per person for being in the hall when you should be at class I suggest that you leave immediately.
"You will pay for that death eater scum" The coward promised before he took down the hall followed by his goons.
Wow, how inventive! As if I haven't heard that one before. The blond Slytherin thought as he directed his gaze to the First year.
The boy was understandably quite distraught and after having a look at his arm Draco decided that he had to go to the hospital wing – there goes that free period. He could of course have taken the boy to Professor Severus instead, but he thought better of it. That man had the temper of a Dragon, and right now the boy needed the soothing hand of the resident healer.
The boy's name turned out to be Goran Winter, a rather bulky name for such a little guy, who appeared to be quite talkative, once the shock had passed. He insisted upon the nickname 'Gor', as he thought it far manlier than his real name. Luckily the arm was not severely damaged but he would have had some bruises if Pomfrey had allowed it, and that she didn't.
Not soon after they had entered, Goran was put in a bed with a chocolate frog in one hand while Pomfrey fixed the other arm with a white salve. Draco stayed for a while in the hospital with the child, until another Slytherin showed up to escort him to the common room when Pomfrey was done.
Pomfrey did not comment this at all but seemed to approve of the concern showed to the first year.
"There is nothing to make a fuss about mister Winter, you will be right as rain in no time." She smiled at the child. With Goran left in the best hands Draco took his leave, by the time Draco managed to escape the confines of the healing wing it was barely in time to make it back to Mafalda.
She looked a bit nervous and was looking up and down the almost empty corridor before she caught sight of the fifth year prefect.
"How was class?" He heard himself ask, more out for politeness than interest. Glad of the attention she began spinning a most exiting tale. Apparently McGonagall had instructed the class to transfigure cups into mice - rather advanced for 1st years by Draco's estimation.
Mafalda it turned out, was about the only one who got it right and earned 3 points for Slytherin
No, big surprise considering it was McGonagall, instead of deduction point like professor Snape she simply refused to reward any.
According to Mafalda the Slytherin side of the class did relatively good but the Hufflepuffs were disastrous. One cup sprouted legs and ran away, another grew a tail that refused to let go of a student's hand, he was sent to the hospital wing soon after. The worst incident was a cup that only got the head right. When the silly student tried to correct the mistake, the mouse head went right ahead and bit a chunk of his wand. Oddly enough no points were lost in the incident.
Lost in his own thoughts the Slytherin Prefect didn't see where he was going and was rammed by something that must have been a nimbus 2001 at maximum speed. Ready and most eager to give the culprit a word of his mind, his eyes meets with two emerald ones - Potter!
He was just about to inform the pothead about his uncanny resemblance to backside of a Blast-Ended Skrewt. But then he remembered the original plan- lying low. Banshees' breath this would be a long year!
"Might I suggest stronger glasses Potter? Yours, it appear, are not working"
Perfect response, perhaps a bit on the unfriendly side, but not overly hostile, it is just a polite suggestion between classmates. Draco thought inwardly.
"They work perfectly fine Malfoy!"
"Really? So you find it an enjoyable habit to run into people?" Draco countered with an innocent expression.
"Yes! I mean no! I don't have time for this" And with that, he was off, not even an 'a am sorry for pestering you with my presence' or anything. What on earth was wrong with scarface? Not even a decent comeback?
Then it hit him, Defence against the dark arts was moved yesterday, the class begins in five minutes and it is in the sixth floor!
"Come Mafalda we are late" Sprinting down the more unused part of the dungeons to the potions classroom, he makes it in god time, sending her in before turning to bolt to the fifth floor. Before he manages to though, a small slim hand grabs his and holds him back.
"Wait Draco! You forgot you galleon!" Surprised he stopped as the young girl passed him the galleon she spoke of.
"You dropped it then you ran into Wonder boy" She smirk's a smile worthy of a Malfoy and disappear into the classroom.
As Draco takes off down the hidden corridors in a fast running pace in an attempt to still get to his class on time. Despite his hurry he cannot help to dwell on Mafalda, he can't help being proud of the little first year. It seems like he is having a positive effect on her. Wonder boy. She had said, he simply had to remember that one.
**
Title is a Quotation from Hagrid from the first book.
Author's note: a short one this time, I know, but is seemed the right way to end the chapter, more will be up soon.
Ps. Pardon any spelling mistakes that might be found. English is not my native tongue.