Slytherin Royalty

Chapter Two:

Of Thoughts and Threats

Camden's Point of View

The cupboard was cramped and even though my knees were pulled up to my chest, I was still being stuck by random objects on the floor. I blew at a strand of my straight blonde hair and sighed. I suppose I was lucky to have gotten off so easily. Malfoy in a foul mood usually meant hell for anyone, especially me. I couldn't help but wonder if the cause of this temper was really something so trivial as Slughorn or if it went deeper than that.

Lives are usually hard and its even rougher when you are the child of a Death Eater. Life then is rough beyond belief. I know myself how it is. Secret happenings in your sitting room. Random people running through your house. And, of course, the constant fear that you might anger the Dark Lord. Then, you wouldn't have to worry about living.

It wasn't a stretch of the mind to figure out that the Malfoy's were deep into the inner circle of the Dark Lord. Everyone knew it. I even suppose Dumbledore would know, too. I mean he's actually rather intelligent and all that. It's not like half the school isn't aware that most of the people in Slytherin have been exposed to some of that shit at some point in their life.

I heard my older brother Adrien saying something about the Dark Lord giving Malfoy a choice. Choices are usually rather nasty in my world. It's mostly between Life and Death and most people choose Life, no matter what the cost. I've seen what that kind of choice can do to a family. My best friend in the whole world, AmberLyn Katinka, was killed along with her younger brother, Atakin, when her father had been faced with the very same choice. It was horrible. Her mother was placed into Saint Mungo's not long after.

I wondered vaguely if I'd be out before dinner and then sat straight up at my second thought. Will I ever get out? My head hit the low ceiling and I cursed under my breath. It was a force of habit that the words that could possibly save me would come out softly. That's mostly my life when I'm at home, unless Remy or Sheri has come to visit. Even though Remy will eventually take over all that belongs to the name of Tarragon, he chooses not to stay at the house with the rest of us. Neither of them do. Makes for very uncomfortable times. Remy and Sheri are undoubtedly my father's favorites and when they are not home, he is in a constant state of terrible displeasure. Otherwise, he's just displeased. I've never known my father to be a happy man but the eldest Tarragon twins make my father resemble a normal person, at least.

My eyes were beginning to close. I wondered what time it was. The light being shafted into the room wasn't very bright which led me to believe it was close to sunset. Then again, who knew how often the windows were cleaned.... I shuddered with self-pity. If I couldn't pity myself, I doubt anyone would. Yes, I know. I'm selfish. But humans are essentially selfish beings.

My last complete thought before I surrendered to the depths of the realm of dreams was that there would be hell to pay when and if I was released from my hateful prison.

----------------------------------------------------Malfoy's Point of View-----------------------------------------

I stretched and smiled as several people eyed me with open interest. Dinner tonight had been really quite wonderful. The smile on my face soon faded as I realized that Potter and his two hapless followers had turned to stare at me from the Gryffindor table. It was replaced with my trademark smirk and I watched as Granger turned slightly pink. I suppose it was somewhat flattering that even a Mudblood found me attractive. After all, I was attractive and I'm pretty sure the Mudblood is female, so why shouldn't she take it all in? My smirk faded as my thoughts once again returned to the girl I had left in a broom cupboard.

I don't know why she could annoy me so easily and I didn't want to believe the immediate answer... that I actually cared about what the Tarragon Princess thought of me. She didn't seem to care very much one way or another about me and I … wasn't really that used to that. Everyone else did. Hell, even Potter cared more about me then she does and that's just wrong. I frowned , too deep in thought to notice the Great Hall had almost completely cleared. I was taken out of my trance by a shrill, incredibly high and very obnoxious voice that I knew immediately belonged to Pansy Parkinson.

"Draco! You have to get to the Common Room so that you can get ready for your rounds!," she said straight into my ear in a commanding voice.

I sighed and rubbed at my ear as I took her arm and led her down to the Dungeons. The only reason I even bothered with her was because Lucius had told me to. I simply wouldn't have been bothered with her if he hadn't. The girl was annoying, not very intelligent, and rather ugly. I mean, sure, I suppose most people would call her pretty in the least, but she didn't exactly do it for me, you know?

I shed my robes in the Common Room. I preferred not to be hindered by them when I took the rounds because they just bothered me and got in the way. At half past eight, I left the Common Room and went about my way, sauntering up and down the corridors until I came to the place that had been plaguing my thoughts since after Potions. I let the door swing open and raised an eyebrow at the small girl who was curled into herself and quite obviously deeply asleep. The corner of my mouth curled up and I lazily drew my wand and shot a stream of ice cold water directly into her face. She shot up and squeaked in protest as she injured herself on the ceiling.

"Ah, Tarragon, you are not supposed to be out of your House at such a late hour. I should take points off but that wouldn't be good for my own House, eh? Be lucky you are in Slytherin or you would really be hated by your Housemates." I said softly into her face as I dragged her out of the cupboard and into a standing position before shoving her into the wall.

"Listen, Tarragon. You've been a pain in my ass for quite some time now. You really must decide if you really are a Slytherin or not so the rest of us can rest easily. I'm tired of your bullshit and you getting along so well with Mudbloods. Yes, I know all about that. You're making us look like shit and that won't do. Especially me, because technically, you are mine. I fucking own you, Tarragon. It's the owners job to punish what's theirs. Don't forget it, Tarragon. You got off easy this time. I expect the next will be worse. But there won't BE a next time. Right, Tarragon?" I said in a deadly calm voice to the obviously terrified girl, satisfied with the enthusiastic nodding of her head.

I let her go and she ran for the Dungeons. I frowned slightly and then grinned. Well, it looked likes my work is done there, I thought proudly and shoved my hands into my pockets, whistling an odd little ditty as I continued my rounds. Tomorrow would prove to be a better day. Of that I was certain.

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Author's Note: Well, do we like it? I'm unsure if Draco is right or not. I mean, does he seem... Draco-like?

Thanks to the following people for reviewing the first chapter:

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