Chapter Three

Lucius wasn't at Malfoy Manor and so Draco was the one to break the news to his mother. 'He came home earlier for only a second and dropped Seth off,' she said, wringing her hands. 'The poor boy is very upset, I thought perhaps Apparition didn't agree with him, you remember how delicate you used to be Draco?'

'I'm afraid it's worse than that,' he said. 'You should sit down.' It was torture to hurt her, see her face crumple as she started to sob. They stayed together for some time. 'They have a squib programme in Beauxbatons,' Draco said.

'We've got to be so careful how we deal with it. If we make any enquiries the papers are bound to discover it. I would die if any of the girls found out,' she said, patting her tears. He wasn't really sure whether he ought to put his arm around her not but he came over all wooden and knew it wouldn't do any good anyways. She quieted down herself after a bit. 'You know they used to fake the death of a squib child once,' she said. Draco balked at the concept. 'Not that we would. I just wonder what your father wants to do. I suppose we'll have to spread the rumour that he's sickly.'

'And when he gets older?' Draco asked.

'We send him to a muggle school. Though that would mean he'd meet a muggle wife and oh! Your father would never stand it.'

'What choice do we have? We can't keep him locked up.'

'We'd lose all respectability though if anybody found out. Oh, everything is ruined.'

He comforted her as best he could but she didn't want to be consoled. She'd stopped crying but started back up again, in the pretty way of a well-bred witch. 'This will destroy your father,' she said between sobs.

'I wonder where he is.'

'Probably drowning his sorrows. You know how he gets.'

'Shall I look for him?'

'No, I think it's best I do. He's probably upstairs moping. Perhaps you could take Seth out for a while, he's with Tilly now but I don't like leaving them for long.'

'Yes, I had plans but I'll cancel.'

'Thank you Draco, you are such a darling. And Draco?'

'Yes mother?'

'Don't say anything to Seth just yet. We'll tell him when the time's right.'

So Draco, having sent the elf to inform Harry he wouldn't be over that evening, spent a few hours with Seth. It was his sixth birthday and he was in a sulk, with no wand. It all seemed so tragic to Draco. Here was a boy who ought to have the world kneeling at his feet and instead he was doomed to a cruel half–life. He didn't know what lay in store for him. Draco could see that one day Seth would remember his early years as his happiest, when he hadn't yet realised he didn't fit in. Ignorance is bliss and all that.

Except Seth didn't look very happy. He lay on his stomach, having quite decidedly the worst birthday of his life, doing a jigsaw. It was a scene enchanted to move but the characters scurried from his touch because he was hammering the pieces so violently. His eyebrows furrowed to form a deep V on his forehead and his mouth turned down at the corners. Draco, who didn't like to waste too much time on his brother, felt sorry for him. May as well give the boy one last good memory before trying to adapt to life as a muggle.

'Come on, it's your birthday, I'll take you out,' he said.

'Take me out?' Seth said. He already looked a good deal brighter. It was obvious he desperately wanted to be happy.

'Yup. Let's get your coat and tell the house-elf we're leaving.' He hadn't a notion where he could go but he helped Seth with his buttons and boots and instructed Seth to step into the fireplace and go to the Leaky Cauldron.

'Okay, Diagon Alley,' Draco said. 'First …ice–cream. Have you ever been to Fortescue's?'

It was still bright, being a pleasant early summer evening. There was bunting up in celebration of something or other and the street was merry and crowded with shoppers. This was a mercy because wherever Draco went he always seemed to be stopped by somebody who wanted his opinion or charity donation. In the line at Fortescue's he still felt relatively anonymous. Seth order four scoops and almost as soon as he got his fat little hands on it Draco envisaged it smeared all over his the duffle coat or on the ground. He couldn't help but be rather impressed when Seth managed to keep it under control.

They took a stroll down Diagon Alley.

'Was that the whole surprise?' Seth asked, when he'd finished his ice–cream.

'Greedy little bugger aren't you?' Draco said, not particularly bothered by this. It was getting a bit late and Diagon Alley was slowly starting to empty. 'I think, you might be old enough to start Quidditch now. How about a broom?' Surely Seth could still enjoy wizard pastimes even if he was a squib.

'A broom?' It was almost pathetic how excited the boy acted. 'Will you teach me to fly?' and when Draco nodded Seth let out a little squeal. In the shop Draco went for an expensive model and, for good measure, purchased one for himself as well as an ordinary set of balls. Teaching materials. The bill was substantial and when the assistant asked for money he only rolled his eyes. As if he carried that sort of money with him. 'Put it on my father's tab,' he said.

'Oooh Draco, could I get a beater's bat as well?' Seth asked, knowing he was pushing his luck. Draco only shrugged, may as well be thorough. Usually when he bought anything he arranged to have them sent home rather than bring them with him. However since they wanted use of them that evening he was forced to carry them. They weren't too heavy but the brooms were awkward and bulky.

'Here, we'll get some dinner and then start flying out on one of the back lawns at the manor.'

'Are we eating at the Leaky Cauldron?'

Draco grimaced. 'I was thinking more along the lines of the Eden or somewhere a bit more…upmarket.'

'But I've always wanted to go to the Leaky Cauldron.'

Draco vaguely remembered harbouring such a wish at about the same age. He shook his head. 'That's not a place for Malfoys. Poor people eat there.' Seth took the news with nothing more than a resigned sigh.

They still had to walk through the pub to get to muggle London and apparate home. It was busy, even for a Friday. There was a simply enormous party of people seated near the door and oh God, there at the end of the table was Harry. Right beside the door, absolutely unavoidable. Don't look up, don't look up, please just keep your head down Potter… 'Malfoy!' Harry cried, though the chatter of the room was so loud nobody turned to notice Draco.

'Potter,' he said coldly.

'This why you blew us off?' Harry said, glancing down at Seth who was holding his new broom and staring at the big family gathering.

'No,' Draco said.

'It's alright, tomorrow's probably better anyways. Gin and I had forgotten this started at six so you wouldn't have had much time to look around.'

'Mmmhmm.'

'It's my niece's birthday, well tomorrow really, but we're celebrating now, see her?'

Indeed there was a little fair–haired girl sitting at the top of the table, her face being wiped by her similarly blonde mother.

'It's my birthday too,' Seth piped up.

'And we've really got to get going,' Draco said. 'I'll be over tomorrow…let's say three.' With a curt nod, it would have caused him immeasurable pain to do anything more, he pulled Seth out of the inn behind him.

After dinner, hastily assembled by the elves, Draco brought his brother down to the walled vegetable gardens. He chose one which lay empty and once Seth had mastered the rudimentary basics of flying they began to play. They only used quaffles but the little fellow wasn't terrible, aim rather poor but he never fell off and appeared to have no fear of heights. They tossed the quaffle back and forth and Seth was entirely in awe of Draco's flying ability which was pleasing. It was rather fun to have your own personal fan who never grew tired of you and looked as if he knew with absolute certainty you were the most sophisticated, informed, clever person in the universe.

It was quite dark when they finally went back inside and their parents weren't home. According to the elves Lucius and Narcissa had left shortly after Draco and Seth and hadn't said where. Draco put Seth to bed, the boy was practically asleep on his feet, and then settled in the drawing room to wait for his parents. He wasn't worried, not yet when it was only ten, but he needed to be there for them.

He must have dozed off however because it seemed he only blinked and it was midnight and there were his parents climbing in through the Floo.

Happy that neither were drunk or actively crying, he hoped both had gathered their feelings about the squib matter and rose to greet them.

'So sorry we're this late,' Narcissa said. 'We went out for dinner to talk things through. I trust Seth is in bed.'

Draco couldn't help notice his father flinched at the mention of Seth. 'Have you any idea what we'll do?' Draco asked. 'You're not going to…to tell people, are you?'

'No.' Lucius face was stony, impossible to read. 'Out of the question. We only succeed in business because this family is respected. It's all about image. People need to see us without flaw for the reputation to survive.'

'Though I do feel terrible, it feels like we're denying him,' Narcissa said, sitting down carefully.

'There's no other option mother,' Draco said. He only wanted to be reassuring and not anger his father but she began sniffing again.

'Draco's right. We must be careful to keep him out of the public eye. We'll tell people he's sickly, quiet. A bookish boy. Hogwarts is too big and the damp would kill him and he needs sea air.' Lucius was talking in a way that made Draco nervous. The last thing he needed was an unhinged father. 'We'll get him a muggle tutor until he can go to one of their boarding schools.'

'And when he's older,' Narcissa's breath was coming in shaky gasps. 'He'll marry, marry a…' Two small streams of tears glistened on her high cheekbones. 'A…a…'

He knew she was trying to say muggle and decided to quickly take charge and intervene. 'Look, I think it's been a long day and we can talk about it tomorrow,' he said. Narcissa gave another sniff and closed her eyes for a brief moment, then nodded and stood up.

'We are so lucky to have you Draco,' she said and touched his cheek, giving him a watery smile. 'Do you want your old room tonight?'

He hesitated before saying, 'Yes.' Looking from his father, who wore an icy mask, and his mother, who was falling apart at the seams, he knew there was no way he could leave a six–year–old alone with them. Somebody needed to be around to make sure Seth wasn't neglected. If they weren't careful the boy would end up bitter and resentful and when he was of age he'd sell his story to the newspapers and ruin them. It seemed Draco was the only one who was in a position to take control. Suddenly he felt tired and his old bed never seemed so inviting.