Fifteen
Braedon was fifteen
"They're sending my father to Azkaban," Draco said. His eyes closed as he reclined on the bed beside of Braedon."
Braedon looked at him in surprise. "Really? I thought that he could get out of anything."
Draco glared at him, but he had mentioned other times that Lucius had been absolved of wrongdoing simply by being a Malfoy. "Not this time," Draco said and Braedon thought that he was trying very hard not to cry. "They caught him cleanly. And Harry Potter was involved. What's worse, I don't think that the Dark Lord is pleased with him at the moment."
"I'm sorry," Braedon said, but inwardly he was cheering. Lucius was going to Azkaban and Braedon wouldn't have to worry about being called to his rooms again. It had happened twice since the first time. Braedon always cried, but at least Lucius gave him nice gifts. Braedon began giving Draco hints that he deserved nice things when he pleased Draco in bed, and his once plain bedroom was now full of frivolous luxuries.
Draco sighed. "It is up to me, to take care of everyone now that father cannot. Mother, the House Elves, the Owned, the Manor, all the Malfoy property – it is my responsibility."
"I'm sure that you'll do well," Braedon said, smiling. No matter his father said, Draco was a much better person than Lucius.
Braedon practically skipped downstairs and into the kitchen to get a snack. He poured himself a cup of milk and then glanced over to see Solon sitting at the small table. Solon looked awful – pale with dark circles under his eyes. Suddenly, Braedon felt a burst of pity that was much more severe than what he had just felt for Draco. Solon had lost Lucius and Lucius meant the same to Solon as Draco meant to Braedon. Braedon sat down across from him.
"I'm sorry about Lucius," he said. "Draco told me."
Solon smiled sadly. "I don't know exactly what I'll do with myself," he said. "Everything has always been all about Lucius. That is how it is supposed to be for us. I bet you're thrilled, aren't you?" Solon looked at Braedon.
"Well … no," Braedon lied. "I am sad for you and Draco. But I'm happy that I don't have to go to Lucius' rooms anymore."
"And I'm happy that I don't have to take you," Solon said in a low voice. "You know that, don't you? That I never wanted to have to take you."
"Yes, I know," Braedon said.
-- -- --
Braedon hated his school. He had fallen far behind in his studies. Worse, were the two boys in his own year who sat behind him.
"I think that you forgot to wipe the kohl from your eyes, whore," Kamus whispered to him one morning before class started.
Braedon sneered. "Still jealous, Kamus?" he asked, giving the boy's shoddy black robes a look of disgust.
"Jealous," asked Nigel, the other boy. "Why would he be jealous? All of us don't aspire to whoredom, you know."
Braedon looked Nigel up and down. "No. That I can see. You apparently aspire to be a Low Owned dirt farmer like your family and Kamus here aspires to be a kitchen boy."
"Better than a prostitute," Kamus whispered, for the teacher had walked into the room.
"Please," Braedon scoffed. "I am invaluable to Draco who is practically Lord Malfoy at the moment."
He turned away from them, angry but not surprised. Those two had always been jealous of Braedon's family and of his status as a Pet. One of them could have just as easily been chosen for the position, if Braedon hadn't been around.
"I heard that he was 'invaluable' to Lucius a few times as well," Nigel sniggered to his companion.
Braedon whipped around in his desk. "Where did you hear that?" he demanded.
They laughed at him. "What's wrong, whore?" Kamus asked. "Don't want us to talk about all of your customers. Tell me, how many times did Lucius have you?"
"Not nearly as many times as he had your mum," Braedon snapped. Kamus' face turned red and Braedon knew that he had struck a nerve. Kamus' sister had her blonde hair from somewhere after all. He smirked.
"You take that back," Kamus hissed and Braedon reached for his wand, on guard as a result of Kamus' confrontational tone.
At that moment, however, the teacher noticed them. "Boys, would you kindly stop talking?" he said. So nothing came of the argument.
-- -- --
Braedon blushed when he ran into his mother on the way to sneaking up to his own room. He didn't like it when his parents saw him with his makeup on, but sometimes it couldn't be avoided. At least it wasn't his father. "Sorry," he said, trying to push past her quickly, but she put a hand on his shoulder to stop him.
"Braedon," she said, "I spoke with your teacher today."
Braedon groaned. "What did he tell you?"
She smiled. "The same thing that he always tells me. That my son is not trying his very hardest."
Braedon rolled his eyes. "I hate school. I can never concentrate. Kamus and Nigel …"
She gave him a long, penetrating look. "Kamus and Nigel what?"
"Nothing," Braedon said, looking down. "It just seems so pointless. I already know where I'm going and I don't need advanced magic to get there."
He expected his mother to argue with him. To tell him how important his education was and how he was stupid to depend on Draco. Instead she reached out and stroked his cheek. "Yes, more magical training may not be necessary for your purpose. Still, it can't hurt." She sounded as if she were talking as much to herself as to Braedon.
"My purpose?"
"Yes, your purpose in life," she said. "Everybody has one."
"Oh," Braedon said. It was just some of her seer mumbo jumbo. As he had not inherited her gift for seeing, he never paid it much mind. His mother was so quiet when he and his father argued, that Braedon often forgot that it had been her who put him forward as a Pet for Draco. So she couldn't disapprove too strongly of their relationship.
She gave him a hug, which he quickly shrugged off, and walked away.
-- -- --
Braedon spent the first night of Christmas holidays in Draco's arms, thoroughly happy. The next night was much less joyful.
Braedon took the stairs to Draco's room two at a time. He reached the door, flung it open and found Draco in bed with Kamus. "I – I'm sorry," he stuttered as they both looked up at him. He could see the look of triumph in Kamus' eyes. Braedon turned and fled slamming the door behind him.
Solon was not sympathetic. "Oh come now, you didn't actually expect him to be with only you for the rest of his life, did you?" he asked when Braedon told him a few minutes later.
Braedon sighed and looked at his shoes. "Well, I knew that he would get married. And I know that he fools around with that awful Parkinson girl at his school. But – but Kamus is an Owned boy. I guess that I always thought that I would be enough for him."
Solon shook his head. "Listen to me. You are not Draco's lover, so you best get that idea out of your mind. You are his favored plaything. But if he sees another toy that he wants to play with, then he'll take it."
"I'm his whore," Braedon whispered, his eyes on the wood floor. "Just like Nigel and Kamus said. Just like my father said."
Solon shook his head again. "No, you are not," he said, firmly. "Kamus is his whore. He'll give Kamus a present or two and the boy can parade his newfound popularity with his Owner around village, but Draco will tire of him in a day, a week, a month, a year – the time varies, but the outcome never does. You are his Pet and thus share a deeper bond with him. He does love you, but it cannot be as it was when you were little boys. He loves you as a man loving something inferior to himself, not as a man loves his wife or lover or brother. Do you understand?"
Braedon shrugged, not wanting to believe. "Maybe Lucius is like that, but Draco isn't."
"I think that he just proved otherwise," Solon said.
An hour or so later, Draco found Braedon in the servants quarters. "I'm sorry that you saw that," he said. "I didn't think that you'd be coming up for a few more hours."
Braedon noted that Draco was sorry that Braedon had seen it, not sorry that it happened. He looked away from Draco. "You have nothing to apologize to me for," he said, with great effort. "We are not bound to one another in that way."
"Oh," Draco said. He did not disagree, but still, he sounded a bit guilty. "Listen, if you were around a bit more, then maybe it would be easier for me not to turn to others."
Braedon stiffened. There was only one way for him to be around more than he already was. "I mean, you were at your parents house and Kamus was right here and he's been after me for ages and I --" Draco shrugged.
It sounded so silly, but Draco was just spoiled enough to think that an hour or two of waiting was a tragedy. "You want me to take the black," Braedon whispered. "To become House Owned."
"Yes," Draco said, boyishly shy. "I do. But it is only a request, not an order. I know that the Owned think less of the House Owned than the High Owned, but Owners really aren't caught up in that sort of silliness. You would be my most trusted advisor. And my adored one." He reached up and pulled a lock of Braedon's hair from his face and smiled that irresistible Malfoy smile.
Braedon took a deep breath. "Sure," he said, trying to be light, but his voice was quivering. "I'll do it."
-- -- --
Braedon's whole world was spinning. Only an hour ago, he had been back at Malfoy Manor, bored out of his mind. Now he was at St. Mungos , preparing to confront Draco.
It had all been so confused. The owl from his father saying that he had been found out as a spy. That Lucius Malfoy had been killed and Caydon had something to do with it. His mother pleading with him to go to St. Mungos because Draco would listen to him. He would be able to talk Draco out of killing Caydon and their father. And of course Braedon agreed because even though they may not think much of him, they were still family.
It had sounded easy enough when he was reassuring his mother, but now that he was here, Braedon was less sure. It was not easy to persuade Draco of anything. He wiped his hands on his black robes, a nervous habit.
The "persuading" didn't last long. When Draco hit him, Braedon knew that their relationship had changed as irrevocably as when Solon had beat him as a child for daring to lay a hand on his Owner.
-- -- --
All the warnings that his father had given him about becoming House Owned raced through Braedon's mind. If he had only distanced himself from Draco, if he had stayed High Owned, then he could be moving with his mother and sister to the smaller house. Demoted, but not directly under the thumb of an Owner with a grudge.
Braedon shivered when Draco entered the bedroom and raked his eyes across Braedon who was sitting on the bed. He had never felt scared or intimidated by Draco before, but at the moment he was reminded of that first time that Lucius had used him. How helpless he had been. How terrified.
Braedon would not have been at all surprised if Draco had beaten him. After all, his Owner had physically attacked him a few days ago. Draco, however, merely looked at him with cold eyes – those reminded Braedon of Lucius as well.
"I heard that you spared my father and brother," Braedon said, softly. "Thank you … Master." He had never called Draco master before. Draco's head snapped up, but he made no comment.
"I didn't do it for them or for you, for that matter," he answered, instead. "I cut a deal with Dumbledore. He adores your father, you know."
Braedon thought it wise to keep quiet. Draco reached in the pocket of his robe and pulled out a small vial. He tossed it to Braedon and Braedon sighed in relief. It was the potion that turned him into a woman. At least it was something familiar.
"Drink it," Draco said and Braedon did so.
-- -- --
The following morning, Braedon lay on Draco's bed in a fit of worry. Draco had not been cruel, but the potion had still not worn off. It always wore off by the morning.
When Draco finally awoke, Braedon asked him the question. "Dra – Master, when will I change back?"
Draco gave him the oddest look. "When I say you will. Now get dressed and go away. I don't feel like looking at you anymore."
Braedon tried to hide his shock as he shimmied into now too big robes. He didn't mind changing every now and again for Draco, but he didn't want to spend days at a time as a women and he certainly didn't want to live his life that way.