Zadok's POV

I stood with unblinking eyes and unfeeling heart like I was watching and listening from someone else's perspective. I wasn't Zadok that was standing there, but someone else in my place. Aunt Cissa- was she even my aunt?- looked pale and it was obvious that what she had said was meant to be a secret. That turned out well.

Who are my real parents?

Why am I here and not with them?

Who are these people I thought i knew?

Who am I?

My thoughts twisted and flew and encompassed my mind in a fury of doubt. So many questions and possibilities swirled around and I hardly felt my feet as they moved to carry me out of the room. I ran and I ran, hardly caring where I ran to. Out, out, out, out. I need out of this house. Get away from these people.

I pushed open the great hulking doors of Malfoy Manor, once my home now just painful to look at. Narcissa's words echoed around my head, "I remember when you brought him home…". My breath was becoming labored and it wasn't exactly warm out. In my panic, I didn't even bother to think about my personal health and wellbeing.

I slowed to a walk and took a look of my surroundings. I was in a wooded area, probably the ones behind the Manor that Severus always told us to stay away from. Everything was unfamiliar and I couldn't find my bearings as it was starting to get dark with the first beginnings of night. "Well this turned out to be a great birthday."

I gave a sigh and decided to sit, my feet were killing me. Dress shoes were not made to be comfortable. I leaned back against the fallen tree that I had stopped at and waited. I had no doubt that they would find me, I just had to be patient.

After a while, I thought I could hear the faint, distant sound of feet racing across the ground. The footfalls grew louder and I stood up in preparation for more company. I watched as Draco and his friend Harry raced towards me.

Of course, he had to bring his boy toy with him. A sneer was forming on my face, growing worse as Draco came closer. "What his he doing here?"

Draco jogged to a stop and Potter settled next to him, much closer than is necessary. The bespeckled raven thought he was discreet with the way he reached over and grabbed Draco's hands, but I noticed it. "What the bloody hell was that, Zadok?"

"What was that? That was me finally being fed up with all the lies your family has been feeding me for the past eleven years of my life." I scream. How dare he ask me what my problem was when his mother accidentally let slip that I was adopted. Or did she steal me away from my real family? Merlin, what had happened all those years ago?

I think I'm going to be sick… .

Draco looked confused and his "friend" looked lost beyond rescue. His face was kind of hilarious, but I was in no laughing mood. Did Draco not know why I ran away? Or was it something else that had him so confused? "You didn't hear what Narcissa said?" Draco noticed that I didn't add the 'Aunt' to his mother's name, but wisely didn't say anything.

He shook his head and Potter had a pink tint to his tan cheeks. Whatever had happened between the two boys must have been so distracting that they had not noticed the entire scene. "Harry and I were a little busy." That much was obvious.

"We're best friends, Dray, you're supposed to be there for me. Is Potter really that much more important then me?" My voice grew raspy, but not from tears or anything so weak as that. The growl that rose from my chest was pure unbridled anger and it was all focused on Draco and his boyfriend Harry bloody Potter. "You blew me off to snog bloody Harry Potter, didn't you?"

If it was possible, Draco paled further and took a step in front of Potter. Dumb move, Draco, now I know your weakness. With a sudden pull that seemed to come from deep within me, I force of uncontrollable magic shot from my chest and enveloped the unsuspecting Potter. A scream of pain shot through the thickening air and most confusing of all it was from Draco not his silly little toy. What was happening? I hate Potter, but Draco was family, blood or no blood relations involved. I tried to stop the force that was my magic, but no wishing would save Draco and Potter.

Suddenly a golden light forced itself from Draco's chest and raced to meet mine. The screaming stopped, but Potter crashed to the ground in a lifeless heap. Oh, Merlin, did I kill him?

Another scream tore from Draco, but it was like his heart was speaking not Draco. The shout was threaded with agony and the deep pain of loss; and it was almost unbearable to hear. Someone make it stop, make it all stop. As if my prayers had been heard from God, Severus apparated into the clearing with a 'pop!' He took one look at the scene and sent a stupify my way. I was too distracted by my duel with Draco to properly defend myself and everything spun as I crumple to the ground. The last thing I see before my eyes close is Draco crawling over to the prone form of Harry and wrapping what looked like- wings?- around him. That spell must have messed with my eyesight, then my eyes close.


I tried to open my eyes but the bright lights that assaulted them soon after made me stop. I groaned as I felt the fuzzy, dull pain in my head. It would probably get worse once the spell wore off more, but I tried not to think about it. Actually I tried not to think at all. I attempted to sit up, but that proved futile when the world began to spin again.

Where am I? I took a look around and the place didn't look familiar at all. There was no one around and the room was empty but save the bear essentials. The only thing was was that there was two of everything. It kind of reminded me of when Draco and I went camping. Oh. Oh.

All the memories came flooding back to me and I remembered the fight with Draco, Potter's collapse, and Aunt Narcissa's words. I also began to feel again and it wasn't all that pleasant. I assumed getting thrown on the hard ground would do that to a person, but I tried not to think much at all. A sharp pain consumed my head and all i could think of was getting a Dreamless Sleep. I didn't want to remember this and definitely not right now. I didn't realize I was screaming until a bright light shown the otherwise dark room.

The silhouette of a woman stood over me and she seemed to be trying to cast some sort of spell over me. I didn't really care what spelled she cast as long as she took away the overwhelming pain that seemed to control me. Memories continued to resurface with every moment that I lay there. I remembered the party in vivid detail and Draco fighting for Harry. I thought I could remember the image of white fuzzy things reaching from Draco's back, but as soon as that though surfaced I forced it back down. That was probably a hallucination.

All of a sudden, the pain came to an abrupt end and the memories stopped flowing so forcefully. I took in big gulping breaths and tried to calm my racing heart. I blinked a couple of times and it took a minute for me to realize that the woman had been the one to help me and that she was still standing over me. I closed my eyes and waited for the last of the pain to go away before counting backwards from three and opening my eyes again.

"Welcome back, dear. I thought you were never going to stop that horrible screaming." She stood dressed in plain black gown with a white apron. She was probably the nurse, if her head gown and the fact that she had healed me had anything to say. Her kind blue make me feel welcome and at home. "How do you feel?"

I gave her a weak smile and sat up, sighing in relief when I wasn't immediately hit with a dizzy spell. "I'm feeling much better, thank you. Um, do you know what happened and how I got here? And where is here?"

"Don't worry, Mr. Black, nobody expects you to remember anything after that fight you and Mr. Malfoy had. You are at Hogwart School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and as for what took place before you got here, I don't know. You would probably have better luck asking Mr. Malfoy rather than myself. My name is Madam Pomfrey and I am the Healer of this school." After she said that she pointed to the bed right across from me where Draco was sound asleep. At first glance that wouldn't seem too odd except for the fact that he had Potter wrapped in a pair of white wings. Huh, guess I wasn't dreaming.

I probably would have woken Draco up just to get the answers I wanted, but i couldn't bring myself to interrupt. He looked so peaceful and I hadn't seen him look like that in a long time. Call me soft, but I do care for my cousin. I fell back onto the bed with a sigh that seemed to make me deflate three sizes. "May I ask you a question, Madam Pomfrey?" She raised her eyebrow and motioned for me to continue. "What is Hogwarts?"

The Healer gasped and her eyes widened. She started to explain but was cut off by a loud screech coming from the door. We book turned to look and I saw a young girl, who seemed to be around my age. Her hair was a fiery red and her eyes held an anger to match. In all honesty, she kind of scared me a bit.

"How do you not know what Hogwarts is?" She ran towards me and I thought I could here Madam Pomfrey say 'oh dear, not again' but I was too focused on the angry girl who suddenly tackled me. Now don't get me wrong, I am not weak by any means. However, I am still recovering from my fight with Draco and potion or no potion I was still tired. Her arms went flying around my neck and her legs on either side of my waist. All in all, it was a very compromising position to be in with a stranger.

I sat there frozen and the girl seemed to realize her mistake and got off of me. I quickly glanced over at Draco and Potter and saw that they were still asleep. I breathed a sigh then brought my eyes over to the girl, who now stood on the side of the bed with her head hung down in embarrassment. I noticed a light dusting of pink across her cheeks but decided it was best not to bring it up.

"Who are you?" Quick, simple, and to the point. Just like I was taught.

The red-haired girl finally looked up and I was surprised to see that she was kind of pretty. As quick as the thought popped into my head I dismissed it. I seemed to be doing that a lot lately. She had clear blue eyes stood out against her messy red hair. She flashed me an apologetic smile and held out her hand, "Sorry, I got ahead of myself. I'm Nymphadora Tonks, or just Tonks for short. I attend the school here and was asked to take you to the Great Hall for the Sorting Ceremony. We better hurry though, I still have to get sorted, too."

I sat there gaping at her, but I reached my hand out to shake with her. I had so many questions and yet I couldn't find my voice to ask.

She laughed at me, her eyes shining with mirth. The newly named Tonks pulled me out of bed using the hand still in her grasp. "Well, c'mon! I'll answer all your questions on the way, but I seriously want to go and see what house Weasley get sorted into!" I couldn't find it in myself to tell her no so I just followed her out of the room. I looked back on more time to see that Madam Pomfrey had disappeared and Draco and Potter still fast asleep in their bed of feathers.

"Ok, Tonks. Can I ask you a question?"

"I'm going to say yes, even though you technically already did," she said as she dragged me down halls with armor and painting that moved and laughed and had conversations. I suppose I should have expected such things from a school of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

"Why am I here," it was a simple enough question, but apparently not to Tonks as she stopped walking to face me properly. Her face was a mix between confusion, wonder, and outrage.

"Duh, you're a wizard aren't you?" I nod. "There's your answer." She promptly turned around and continued down the hall only stopping to ask if i was coming. This girl was really something and i was quickly figuring out that I liked this. When I finally caught back up, she glanced at me and asked, "What's your name? I think I told you mine, but I don't remember you ever telling me yours."

I looked at her from the corner of my eye, but she wasn't paying any attention to me. I noticed that two large wooden doors marked the end of our journey as she stopped for the second time during our trip, right in front of them. We stood there for a minute or two in silence before I decided to speak up. "Aren't we going to go in?"

Tonks gave a laugh that echoed in the empty halls and grabbed my shoulder to steady herself as she giggled. I don't know what was so funny, but I was beginning to find it hard not to join in. She finally stopped and straightened herself out. A couple stray giggle escaped her lips and she wiped a fake tear from her eye. "We are, but you didn't answer my question. What's your name?"

My confusion quickly vanished and I marveled at the logic of this girl. All this to find out my name? "'It's Zadok Black."

Tonks looked at me with her glittering blue eyes and then turned and pushed open the great wooden doors, "Well, Zadok. Welcome to Hogwarts." What happened after that was something I would remember forever.