Chapter Seven: The State of Denmark
Suddenly, the Great Hall was filled with the sounds of whispers.
"A Malfoy in Gryffindor?"
"Can you believe it?"
"They've always been sorted into Slytherin!"
Julian groaned as the hat was taken off his head and he was directed to his house table. He smirked as he saw the shocked look on Severus' face and the scandalized look on Draco's.
If there was a word to describe the Gryffindors, it would be… common. He ended up sitting next to a pudgy dark-haired boy, a bushy-haired girl, and a red-haired boy that seemed quite familiar.
The headmaster signaled the start of the feast with a bellowed 'Tuck in!' and huge platters of food appeared on the table.
"You're that boy I saw in Diagon Alley, aren't you?" said the red-haired boy around a mouthful of food.
"Talking with your mouth full? How very plebian," replied Julian, ignoring the boy's question.
"Sod off, Malfoy!" cried the red-haired boy.
"I didn't know that Malfoy had a brother," remarked the bushy-haired witch carefully as she picked at the food on her plate.
"That is because he does not have a brother. I'm his cousin." Obviously, he added silently.
"Oh," said the witch. "I'm Hermione Granger, and that's Ronald Weasley and Neville Longbottom, and you're Julian Malfoy."
"I'm well aware of my identity, Miss Granger, was it? I've never heard that surname before. Are you from the continent by any chance?" asked Julian as he studied the aforementioned students.
"No," said the girl, flushing lightly. "I'm muggleborn."
Longbottom certainly didn't seem like much, but according to the Dark Lord, he was one of two children prophesized to defeat him, and it was his opinion that since Harry Potter had been taken care of Dumbledore was training Longbottom to be his protégé. Draco had told him all about the other Gryffindors, of course. The Weasel – as Draco called him – was quick to anger though he had no skill to back up his taunts, and the Mudblood was an insufferable know-it-all. Though Julian suspected Draco was more than a sore about the fact that a mudblood continually bested him.
"Ah," said Julian softly. "I've never met a muggleborn before. They aren't allowed in Durmstrang."
"Not allowed?" The girl seemed outraged. "Why not?"
"Who cares?" said the red-haired Weasley. "Everyone knows Durmstrang is for Death Eaters in training!"
"Gran says Durmstrang is just very selective," commented Longbottom.
"Of course we are selective," retorted Julian. "Our curriculum is much more strenuous than Hogwarts. Just being magical doesn't entitle you to an education. You have to earn it."
"That's completely unfair!" said Granger.
Julian shrugged, but said nothing more. How could he have allowed the Dark Lord to talk him into coming here! This was a disaster in the making. Not only was he was surrounded by blood traitors and mudbloods, but both the Weasleys and the Longbottoms had fought actively against the Dark Lord. He would have to tread very carefully here. He decided the best possible solution would be to ignore them all fully. He needn't make friends in Gryffindor or in Hogwarts for that matter.
Eventually the shock of Julian's sorting seemed to have passed and conversations continued around him.
"So, do you play Quidditch?" asked Weasley.
"Yes."
"You any good?" asked an Irish boy whose name Julian neither knew nor cared to know.
"Hey, I bet he's met Krum!" said another boy. "Bloody brilliant, he is."
"Have you?" asked the Irish boy excitedly. "Have you met Krum?"
"Of course I have."
Weasley gaped. "What's he like?" he breathed.
Julian shrugged again. "Like any other Qudditch player, I suppose. Do close your mouth, Weasley. It's very unbecoming."
Weasley flushed angrily, but he did manage to close his mouth. By the end of the feast, Julian had decided that he would rather spend vast amounts of time with both Pettigrew and Pansy – together – than to listen to the drivel the Gryffindors spewed.
Finally, the feast ended, and Severus stormed over to the Gryffindor table.
"Mr. Malfoy, come along!" he barked.
"Professor! How good to see you again," drawled Julian. "You've met my dinner companions, I take it?" He motioned to the trembling Longbottom, pale Weasley, and the mudblood.
Obsidian eyes narrowed. "Unfortunately," he sneered. "Now, if you are quite finished, I will show you to your room."
"As you wish Master Snape," retorted Julian cheekily as he got up to follow Severus out of the Great Hall.
Silence fell over the table before Julian heard Weasley whisper. "Was he flirting with Snape?"
"I think so," replied Longbottom in an equally horrified tone.
Severus was furious. Gryffindor! How could a Malfoy be sorted into Gryffindor? The staff was as shocked as the students seemed to be. No doubt Lucius would be unhappy… and the Dark Lord! His heir, a Gryffindor? It just wasn't possible! And he just knew all of this was going to somehow be his fault. Damn that foolish boy!
He collected the boy from the table and stalked out of the Great Hall. He didn't speak another word until they reached his quarters. He snarled the password and entered the room.
Julian was rather amused by the entire situation. Severus was clearly out of sorts. The room he found himself in was much smaller than he was used to, especially for a living area. There was a couch and an armchair in front of a small fireplace. The rest of the room was covered in bookshelves. He supposed it would have to do.
"Fancy showing me the rest of our quarters?" asked Julian sweetly.
Severus glared but nodded in agreement. This did not stop his vitriol, however. "I'm sure this will not be up to par with your standards, but you would do well to hold your tongue if that is the case. Your bedroom is the first door to the right. I've requested an en suite, so I'll thank you not to disturb my bathing area. My room is the first door on the left. You will never – in any circumstance – enter that room unless given my express permission. I expect you to clean up after yourself. I understand that may be a foreign concept for you, but as I do not stand for laziness; you should endeavor to familiarize yourself with the processes."
"Of course," replied Julian. "That's perfectly understandable, and I wouldn't dream of violating your privacy, sir."
"See that you don't. Also, I do not expect your friends to congregate here. I'll not have Gryffindors in my private quarters."
"Thank Merlin for that! I don't think I could stand spending more time with them than absolutely necessary. Plus I feel quite safe in my assumption that no Gryffindors would ever willing come here. Did you see the way Longbottom and Weasley looked when you came to the table?" said Julian, stifling a laugh. "Well, sir, unless you need anything further I think I'll turn in."
Severus' eye twitched. "As I've said before, Mr. Malfoy, I have no need for you at all."
Julian sighed. "The lady doth protest too much, methinks" he murmured softly as he went into his room, leaving the seething man behind.
His trunk and Nxy's cage were sitting at the foot of his bed. Despite his Gryffindor sorting, the room was decorated in Slytherin colors. The room and en suite were quite small but more than adequate. It would have to do for now. Nxy was anxious to explore the rest of the quarters, so Julian left his door slightly ajar while he took a bath in the en suite.
No sooner had he sank into the nearly scalding water than a blood-curdling shriek resounded through the quarters.
"And keep your bloody snake in its cage!"
A Cheshire cat grin spread across Julian's face. Baiting Severus was turning out to be a very pleasurable experience.
"I can't believe you're in Gryffindor," spat Draco the next morning as they walked to the Great Hall, his entourage following behind them. "I wrote Father last night. I'm sure he'll demand a resort."
Julian sighed. He hadn't got much sleep last night. The dungeons were unnaturally cold and drafty. Not to mention the late night visit from his uncle. Lucius had arrived sometime after midnight angrier than Julian had ever seen him before. Apparently, news travels fast in Britain, and he was already aware of Julian's placement, as was the Dark Lord. Lucius was unhappy to say the least, but the Dark Lord, surprisingly enough, thought it would be easier for Julian to stay under the radar in Gryffindor. It was only at the Dark Lord's insistence that Lucius had not demanded a resort.
At least it was his hope that if Julian played nice with the blood traitors, Dumbledore wouldn't feel the need to watch him excessively. Julian could read the underlying message: if Julian played his cards right, not only would he be able to successfully accomplish what he'd set out to do, but perhaps he could sway some of the Gryffindors to their side along the way, and it wouldn't be completely remiss if he became close to the Longbottom boy. Not that anyone thought he was a real danger to the Dark Lord. Even if Dumbledore believed him to be the proclaimed "Chosen One", Julian gave divination very little merit. And, according to Draco, the boy was practically a squib.
In the end, it all came down to one thing. Whether he wanted to or not, Julian would do what had to be done like any Malfoy would. He could be polite to the blood traitors; and maybe even cultivate a friendship or two. At the very least, he could surely withstand a year here. Then, once the Dark Lord has reached his full power, the blood traitors and mudbloods would be in their rightful place.
"It's really not necessary, Draco. Did you know that Severus is terrified of snakes?" Julian asked, effectively changing the subject. Just because he'd accepted being in Gryffindor didn't mean he liked it, and he certainly didn't want to talk about it.
"Is he really?" crowed Draco.
Julian nodded. "Imagine that, the Head of Slytherin, terrified of snakes. Poor Nxy, he really frightened her with his girlish shrieking."
"Was that him? I wondered what it was… So, where's Nxy now?" asked Blaise.
Julian grinned, motioning towards his robes. "With me, of course, you don't think I'd let Severus intimidate me, do you? He's not half as terrifying as he believes himself to be."
Blaise's only response was to raise a dark eyebrow.
Upon arriving in the Great Hall, they separated. Julian went to the Gryffindor table; the others went to the Slytherin table. He grimaced slightly as he approached the table. Well, let the show begin, he thought. He took the empty seat in between the Longbottom boy and two identical red-haired boys.
"Good morning," he said as he filled his plate with food. He forced a smile on his face as he turned to the redheads. "I don't believe we've met. I'm Julian Malfoy."
"I'm George," said one, grinning madly.
"And I'm Fred," finished the other.
"Weasleys I presume?" he asked.
Their matching grins were answer enough.
"I see our reputation has preceded us, brother of mine," said George, wiping an imaginary tear from his eye.
Just then Weasley and the mudblood came to the table. Julian was thankful not to be sitting near him. The boy was completely unkempt, and his robes were frayed on the ends.
"Hey, Malfoy, why weren't you in the dorm last night?" asked Weasley. Julian recoiled slightly. The boy was talking with his mouth full – again. It was utterly disgusting.
"Honestly, Ronald!" admonished Granger huffily.
Weasley gave her a befuddled look as he continued racking food into his mouth.
"It's impolite to talk with your mouth full!" she continued, sighing exasperatedly. No one else seemed to notice their bickering so Julian was sure this was not the first time it had happened. The girl certainly was bossy.
"Why weren't you in the dorms?" asked Longbottom quietly. "I know it can't be easy being in Gryffindor – everyone thought I should be in Hufflepuff after all – but we aren't that bad. Honestly." Longbottom's sincerity was rather charming; even if the thought of being friendly to the so-called "Chosen One" made Julian feel nauseous.
Julian rewarded him with a small smile. "I thank you for your concern, Longbottom, but it isn't anything you've done. I've been apprenticed to your Potions Professor; and by law, all apprentices much stay with their masters."
"Bloody hell, mate, you're an apprentice to the greasy git?" Weasley exclaimed.
Julian's grey eyes narrowed. "Severus Snape is one of the foremost leading Potion Masters in the wizarding world. Not only was he the youngest Potion Master in a century, but he has pioneered several trademark Potions. You are lucky enough to learn under him – something many people would give anything to do and that I am sure is completely wasted on you. He deserves your respect," he said in an icy tone. "You'll find that I don't take kindly to those who insult him. Is that understood?"
A few nods were his only answer. Inwardly, he sighed. How was he supposed to play nice with them?
Granger recovered first. "I've read all about apprentices! It's an honor to be chosen, but I thought you had to complete your OWLs and NEWTs first."
"You do," replied Julian.
"So you have then?" she pressed.
"Of course," he said but didn't go any further.
"I'm pants in Potions," lamented Longbottom. "My gran says it's a shame because Herbology – my favorite subject – goes along so well with Potions."
"It's not your fault, mate. You know Snape has it in for you! Even if he didn't, the other Slytherins are always sabotaging our potions!" said Weasley, indignantly.
Julian fixed an icy glare on him, but before he could comment, Professor McGonagall turned up with their time tables.
"Welcome to Gryffindor, Mr. Malfoy. Even though you will not be rooming with the others, you will have access to the Common Room, should you want to spend time with your housemates. The password changes weekly and you'll find that a prefect can always give it to you, if you ask. Now, normally, I am the one to make my house's time tables, but since you must balance your coursework with your apprenticeship, Professor Snape and I both worked together. If you have any problems, do feel free to come to me," she said as she handed him the parchment.
A brief look told him that he had been correct in his assumption. He would have very little free time. Along with his required classes – Defense Against the Dark Arts, Charms, Transfiguration, and History of Magic – he was also taking Arithmancy, Ancient Runes, and Care of Magical Creatures. Severus also had him attending Potions class both with his year-mates and with the NEWT class. Then, there was the required lab hours, most of witch occurred in the evenings and throughout the weekend.
Suddenly, Granger gasped loudly. "Look," she said, indicating the copy of the Daily Prophet she was immersed in. "'Ollivander, maker of Wands since 1882, was found dead in his shop sometime yesterday, September the 1st. While cause of death remains unknown, foul play is suspected,'" she read aloud to them.
Julian's fork fell noisily to his plate. Ollivander was dead, and not even two days ago his uncle had assured him he would take care of the case of mistaken identity. While Julian certainly had no qualms about killing – they were about to be in war, after all – but this seemed a bit excessive. Surely Lucius hadn't killed the man because he'd called him Harry Potter. This led him to wonder if Severus might not also become involved. He had witnessed the event after all. He certainly loved his uncle, but he had come to care for the bristly Potions master as well. Nothing doing, he would just have to warn him to steer clear of Lucius.
"Well, well, if it isn't the Weasel, the Mudblood, and Tubby," drawled Draco from behind him, breaking him out of his thoughts.
"Manners, Draco," snapped Julian. He didn't really care if Draco liked them or not – he certainly didn't –, but openly antagonizing one's opposition was very foolish. After all, alienating potential allies could be quite costly in the end. Take his uncle for example. He was no more under imperious than Julian was, but his well-placed connections in the Ministry allowed him to walk away from a prison sentence while other Death Eaters continued to rot away in Azkaban.
Draco sneered and narrowed his eyes but said nothing further to the Gryffindors. It was then that Julian noticed Blaise next to him, an amused smirk on his face.
. Pushing his plate away from him, Julian stood up. "It seems we have Potions together, cousin. Care to show me the way to the classroom?"
"Of course," Draco replied haughtily. "Let's go."
"Well played," murmured Blaise beside him, his lips curving into a soft smile. Draco was ahead of them, showing Julian various points of interest along the way, his air of superiority firmly in place. Julian was amazed in spite of himself. No wonder the Dark Lord always spoke so fondly of Hogwarts; it was a truly magical place.
"I do my best," replied Julian with a smirk.
"Of that, I have no doubt."
Severus' obsidian eyes fell immediately on Julian when he walked into the class room. Julian was thankful the only other occupants of the room to witness Severus yelling at him were Draco and Blaise.
"I expect you hear at least a half hour before classes begin from now on, Mr. Malfoy, so that you can help me set up for the day. Today, you are to observe the rest of the class paying close attention to any mistakes that are made, Mr. Longbottom in particular. Hardly a week goes by without him melting or exploding a cauldron. See to it that this is no longer the case. And don't forget to tie back your hair!" he snarled.
Heaving a sigh, Julian pulled his hair away from his face, fastening it with a clip at the nape of his neck. "Yes, Professor," he replied dutifully, stifling a laugh. It would not do for Severus to hex him on the first day of class.
He followed Severus as he walked towards his private office. Draco and Blaise were already seated at a table near the front of the room and none of the other students had entered the class yet. If he planned on warning Severus, it was best to do so now.
"Sir, may I speak with you?" asked Julian tentatively.
Severus closed his eyes for a moment. "Yes," he replied in a clipped tone.
"Have you read the paper this morning?"
Severus opened one of his eyes. "No, I haven't. I've had other duties to attend to as you are well aware. I'm sure there was nothing of any importance in it."
Julian chewed worriedly on his bottom lip. "See, one thing you have to understand, Professor, is that my uncle has always been very particular about those I come into contact with. At school, I'm afford a certain amount of freedom, but my… activities as well as playmates – not that I had many, mind you – have always been closely monitored. My father was able to provide a leeway of sorts, but since my uncle is the Head of the Family, his decisions are final."
"That doesn't seem so terrible," commented Severus lightly. In truth, it was classic Lucius, controlling to a fault. Whatever it was Lucius was hiding, it was no small matter.
"It's not," Julian amended quickly. "I told Uncle Lucius about Ollivander. In hindsight, perhaps it wasn't the best thing to do, but it just seemed like something I ought to do. He's just always so particular…" Julian trailed off.
At Severus' raised eyebrow, he continued. "Day before yesterday, I told him. Then, Ollivander was found dead in his shop, just yesterday morning."
Severus drew in a sharp breath. Of course he had been. It was Lucius' way. If the person in question could not be black-mailed, bribed or intimidated, they were killed. The sound level in the adjoining classroom had risen to a dull roar, signaling the arrival of the Gryffindors. He sighed heavily and rubbed his eyes.
"We'll discuss this further later on. For now, endeavor to keep your mind on the task ahead of you."
Julian nodded and the two of them entered the classroom together.
