Another new chapter. I hope you like it. Chapter nine sees Abigail and Draco start their Hogwarts Adventure! Stick with it, we're getting there! Promise! Anyway please leave a review!


Wednesday 31st October - Wednesday 7th November 1990


Malfoy Manor
Wednesday 31st October
Late evening.

"I'll do it in a minute, Draco. I want to talk to Sev' first." I snapped.

"We're going to Sweden tomorrow! You need to pack, Abigail!"

"Don't call me that, Draco Lucius Malfoy." I growled. We made a deal long ago that he would never call me that, I'm not sure why we did but we did. Even though I didn't mind being called Abigail whenever Draco did it ground on my nerves.

"Most of my stuff is in my trunk anyway so I'll start packing once I've talked to Sev."

"Fine!" Draco snapped and stormed out of my room slamming the door behind him.

I flopped on my bed and took the parchment out of my pocket.

Sev?

Yes?

What are you up to?

Detention with George Weasley.

Dumbledore let you conduct a detention on feast night?

What the headmaster does not know will not hurt him.

I rolled my eyes and wondered what to talk about. I wanted to ask how he was getting along with Professor Lupin but I knew he was always miserable on Halloween and didn't want to make his night any worse.

We're going to Sweden tomorrow. Narcissa says it's really cold over there so she brought me a couple of warm travelling cloaks. They're really nice, one is green the other is black.

I think you will enjoy Sweden.

Draco said he'd beat me in a snowball fight. He said we could have one on brooms!

No. Absolutely not.

Oh, come on, Sev. I won't fall off. I can do sticking charms now too. Anyway we'd only fall into snow banks.

Where in Swedenare you visiting?

A place called Durmstrang I think. Do you know where it is?

It is a school like Hogwarts. I believe a man called Igor Karkaroff resides there. Beware of him of him. He was a Death Eater in his youth.

I'll keep an eye on him. Maybe I'll watch him to see how a Death Eater conducts himself.

Do not be near him when you are alone, Abigail. He is still a dangerous man.

Alright… um, I have to go. Lucius isn't happy I'm not packing. Love you!

"Durmstrang? Lucius are you mad?" I yelled. I had come unannounced through the floo in his study. Before he could offer me any wine I had grabbed his collar and yelled in his face.

"I will keep Abigail safe I assure you, Severus." He gulped.

"You know who she is! What if he recognises her heritage?"

"She will be safe!"

I let him go and shoved him back slightly. He stumbled but was caught by his arm chair. He stayed sat down in it. I paced back and forth wondering where to begin with this ludicrous idea.

"Lucius I heard – SEV!"

I spun round a smile plastered a forced on my face. I bent down and hugged her when she ran over to me. Even though I was angry it was unbelievably good to see her again. Wearing white cotton pyjamas of a tunic and trousers Abigail looked like an angel with her glossy black hair reaching down in ringlets to the middle of her back.

I heard the door close and assumed Lucius had excused himself.

"I missed you." Abigail whispered. She was crying a little.

"I missed you too, my little ten year old lump." I whispered back.

She pulled away from me and wiped her green eyes… wait a minute since when were her eyes green?

"Oh I forgot to tell you! My eyes have been changing colour for a while. They seem to have stopped with green. They went blue first but now they're green."

"So I see. I also believe you have grown since I last saw you."

"Haven't. Narcissa measured me the other day and I haven't grown. How come you were shouting at Lucius?"

"He is taking you to Durmstrang. You will be in danger there. Promise me you will not go anywhere without either Lucius or Narcissa."

"Alright."

"Thank you. Come it is time you worked on occlumency. I will stay with you if you wish."

"Please. Can I show you my shields?"

"I have been wondering how far you have progressed since I last saw you."

Abigail pulled me out of the study and dragged me all the way into her room. On the way I passed Lucius and made a point of shooting daggers at him. He paled slightly. Abigail pulled me into her room and shut the door behind us. I pulled her desk chair up to the side of the bed and sat down.

"I need to concentrate for a minute because I lost the shields earlier. It gets more difficult as you add more things to it."

Abigail then closed her eyes and slowly evened out her breathing. Moonlight fell through the gap between the curtains and fell across her head and shoulders. It looked like she was softly glowing. After a couple of minutes she opened her eyes and nodded her head.

I took out my wand and spoke the spell.

I couldn't see what her shields were made of but I could feel their strength. They lasted a couple of minutes before they began to crumble. She concentrated and built them back up but still they did not last long. I pulled out of her mind.

"You have made and impressive start." I said.

She smiled and got off the bed. "Lucius has asked us to draw pictures of our shields as they develop." She pulled a piece of parchment from the draw of her desk. "Here's mine. Look."

It was a picture of the lake from a point of view that meant you could see the mountains and below the water line. In the water there was a mass of weeds and other plants that grew on the bottom of the lake. A giant squid could be seen hiding and the beginnings of a Merfolk settlement. There were a couple of Grindilows too. The last time I had seen it it was just a lake.

"You have progressed well."

"Thanks."

"I understand you have an early start tomorrow. Is it perhaps time you went to sleep."

"I don't want to." she looked to the floor and hid behind her hair.

"I will stay with you until you fall asleep if you wish."

"Alright." She said quietly and let me tow her to the bed.

She got under the covers but pulled me down next to her and wrapped my arm around her shoulders. I inwardly sighed knowing that by the time she was asleep enough for me to leave I'd have numb arm and sore back. However I made myself as comfortable as possible and absently stroked her hair. She had always found that soothing and it helped her to drift off.

"Why was George in detention?" she asked.

"He failed a homework assignment and had to do it again."

She yawned and began playing with a loose button on my jacket.

"How are Charity and Min and Mo and Dumb-a-Dore?"

"They are well. Charity and Albus miss you the most I think."

"I miss them too. I'm going to write to them after we get back from Sweden."

"They'll like that."

"Are you tired?"

"It is almost midnight, Abigail." I yawned. "I should get back to Hogwarts."

"You said you'd stay until I fell asleep." She grouched and hold onto the button tighter. "We're getting up at half five tomorrow so you won't be late. Please, Sev."

"Alright." I sighed.


Thursday 1st November


Malfoy Manor
Early Morning

A really bright flash woke me up. I sat up really quickly and rubbed my eyes. Narcissa was stood in front of my bed holding a camera. I felt Sev sit up behind me and I knew there was a scowl on his face.

He swore and jumped off the bed.

"I can't believe I fell asleep." He muttered.

I giggled then hid below the covers so he couldn't glare at me.

"Abigail, I have to go."

He pulled the covers off me and kissed my cheek before quickly leaving the room.

"Um…Well that was quick." I said before giggling again.


Sweden
Durmstrang
Evening

Everything was white. Even the sky was white. We were on a huge boat and the sails were flapping in the wind. It was then that I noticed that the sea was frozen over closer to land. I heard one of the crew walk up behind me. He put a hand on my shoulder and when I looked up I saw that he was smiling at me. It was a creepy smile that I didn't like but I smiled back anyway.

"You have never seen anything like this I think." He said. He had a deep voice that I didn't trust. He had dark brown hair that covered his ears and a beard. Dressed in fur lined clothes you almost couldn't tell where he ended and his clothes began.

"No I haven't." I lied. I'd seen the Grate Lake at Hogwarts frozen over many times but before we came here Lucius said we had to keep my existence a secret from everyone as this school was possibly crawling with followers of the Dark Lord. I was now Abbie Green, a family friend who was learning social etiquette and touring the many destinations that the Malfoys were visiting. I wasn't allowed to let anyone know that I knew Sev and I had to ensure to stay with Lucius or Narcissa at all times.

"You vill see many things here that you vill never see in your precious Eengland."

"I am looking forward to it very much." I smiled like a good young lady.

The man thankfully walked off. I pulled my cloak tighter around myself and rubbed my gloved hands together some more.

The captain of the ship called for the anchor to be dropped. A sled was loaded with our trunks and another, this one pulled by Thestrals apparently, was the one that we climbed aboard. The inside of our sleigh was lined with fur to keep us warm. The Thestrals pulled off and the sleigh began moving at a steady pace.

There were hills everywhere, all of them white to blend in with the sky and snow covered ground. We rounded a corner and a magnificent castle rose up out of the landscape. It was smaller than Hogwarts, only three or four stories high but tall walls with battlements and fortifications surrounded it looked as if they were repairing for attack even though we lived in a time of relative peace. It stood on an island which was surrounded by ice. Turrets rose into the air at all four corners. They had flags on them with the school coat of arms emblazoned on them.

"The Malfoys have arrived!" one of the people in the nearest turret shouted down to people who were hidden behind the walls.

A door I hadn't even realised was there opened. Bricks faded and left a large arch for us to enter through. Inside the castle many people cheered as we entered. A tall man all dressed in furs and leather raised his hand to make the cheering students quieten down.

Lucius got out of the sleigh first and helped Narcissa down. Draco followed her and offered me his hand. Normally I wouldn't have taken it and normally he wouldn't have offered it, but I was supposed to be learning to be a young lady so I had to grasp his hand and slowly step down from the sleigh. The long, full skirt I had to wear was getting in the way a little but I managed to somehow make myself look graceful.

Cold air hit my face straight away and blew my hood off. I pulled it back on and held it closed under my chin so it stayed up.

"Good morning. I am, vot do you call it in eengland? Ze Headmaster Igor Karkaroff." The tall man, also with a beard and moustache, said to Draco and I.

I shivered and not from the cold. That man had a Dark Mark on his arm. I know Sev had one too but Sev was a good guy. Not a follower of the Dark Lord. He knelt down in front of me and held my chin in his fingers. His hands were really cold and his nails dug in a little.

"Who iz this pretty lady?" he asked. His breath was really warm and slightly damp.

"This is Abigail Green, Igor. A family friend. I hope you do not mind that we have brought her." Lucius said.

"Vot do you think of my country, Miss Green?"

"I haven't seen much of it, Sir, but what I have seen is beautiful."

"Good girl." He said and patted my head.

He stood up and smiled at Draco who shivered too.

"I expect you will grow up to look exactly like your father."

"I hope so, Sir." He smiled.

He was so much better at this stuff than I. I needed to be more like him when it came to meeting people. He was confident and pretended he was better than everyone else. He walked tall and proud. I stood up a bit straighter and looked at Karkaroff like he wasn't worth my time. When he looked down at me he flinched back and turned back to Lucius.

"Ze children are cold I think. How about we get zem inside?"

"Yes, let's."

Karkaroff led the way. Lucius turned back to me momentarily and winked. I winked back.


"That was totally awesome!" Draco exclaimed as soon as Karkaroff had left our room. He'd given us a tour of our room. I mean seriously how hard was it? Beds, drawers, desk, bathroom. That's all there was.

"I was just acting like you." I shrugged and flopped onto my bed. "These are so soft! Really warm too."

"But he actually looked scared! I mean you didn't even look like you were trying and he flinched back!"

"Well then your mum has taught me well. You didn't even have to act out there." I sighed.

"Well that just means you're a shy girl then."

"Shut up." I threw a pillow at him and then jumped on his bed where he was lying down and punched him in the arm a few times.

"Abigail!" Lucius barked.

I slowly sat up and peered at Lucius through the curtain of my hair. He looked angry and slightly disappointed in my behaviour. His arms were folded and he was holding his cane.

"Yes?" I asked. I sounded like I thought he was the one in the wrong. I hadn't meant to and I knew I was in trouble unless I made an excuse quickly.

Lucius simply arched his brow. Never a good sign. It was as bad as when Severus looked down his nose at you.

"I was seeing if Draco could react to an assault quickly, Sir." I said politely. "He's failing at the moment as he hasn't ARGH!"

Draco launched himself at me. We tumbled to the floor and landed really hard. I landed on my elbow and he smacked his head on the floor. Then the quilts and blankets fell on top of us too. They were really heavy and with Draco lying on top of me doing nothing I couldn't do anything.

"Draco?"

Nothing.

"Draco?"

"Murmph."

The blankets were lifted off of us.

"Draco?" I asked again and shook his shoulder.

"Dragon? Son?" Lucius asked.

"Papa?" Draco's voice was really quiet and he spoke the word slowly.

Carefully Lucius lifted Draco off me and lay him on the bed. He then bent over Draco and with his wand whispered a few spells. Moments later Draco was sitting up like nothing had ever happened. Lucius hugged him and then I did.

"Draco are you alright?" I asked.

"Of course I am." He said grouchily. "Why wouldn't I be? How did I get up here?"

"Pixies." I lied. "Giant, yellow horned pixies."

"Really?" he asked.

"Yep."

"Aw, cool! Mother!" he called and ran out of the room.

I laughed along with Lucius who then asked how I always managed to get him to believe me.

"Simple. He thinks that because I live with Sev I know more than he does."


Friday 2nd November


Durmstrang
Morning
Breakfast Time

Karkaroff made me sit next to him at the table for breakfast. No one was happy about it, least of all me. I didn't like him at all. He was more than a little creepy and kept asking annoying questions.

"You like my school?" he asked with his mouth full.

"It is very impressive, Sir." I replied. Although I had a full plate of food in front of me I didn't want to eat it even though it really did look good. There was bacon, sausages, beans, eggs and hash browns. It didn't even smell good this morning even though I really like English breakfasts.

"And your rooms? You were not too cold last night I hope?"

"No I was not." I shovelled a forkful of bacon into my mouth and nearly gagged on it. It probably tasted fine but I just wanted to spit it out. I saw Draco down the far side of the table. He was eating fine even though he looked as interested in food as I did.

"I thinks I am recognising you from some place."

I almost choked on my food. This could not be good. I hid my panic and smiled up at him.

"I'm not sure how, Sir, no one I know has ever mentioned you before."

"Then perhaps not but your hair does look familiar." He tried to touch my hair again but when he saw me glaring at him he let his hand drop.

"You don't want your hair getting mussed I see." He joked. "No I suppose not."


Friday 2nd November


Hogwarts
Lunch hour

What was taking the old codger so long? I asked myself as I paced back and forth in his office. Lunch had only just started, true, but he said he would only spend five minutes down there talking to Minerva about one of the Gryffindors. Annoyed I strode over to the office door and flung it open.

"My boy, thank you for welcoming me to my office." Albus smiled his eyes twinkling as ever.

"Would you like a lemon drop, perhaps?" I sarcastically asked. "I do not care for them myself, but I know my guests enjoy being offered them whether they are fond of them or not."

Laughing, the headmaster entered his office and swept behind his desk, his purple robes trailing behind him.

"Is there something I can help you with, a problem you would like to talk over perhaps?"

"She arrived there yesterday and I have heard nothing!"

"You are talking of Abigail?" Albus in his infinite wisdom asked.

"No headmaster, Minerva." I drawled and threw myself into my usual chair. "She could be in any amount of danger and I will not be there to protect her. Why did you suggest this to Lucius?"

"I suggested it, my boy?"

"Do not pretend you do not know of what I am talking!" I leapt out of my chair and stood in front of his desk to loom over him. "You requested Lucius to take Abigail to Durmstrang so that she would know where it is when she meets the Dark Lord. You asked me to allow him to take her there without revealing that he would do so and so the pretence of a staying with them for a year was devised."

"Your skills and suspicions of a spy have not left you I see."

"It seems I need them even now amongst those I consider worthy of my trust. Do not lie to me ever again, Albus, or I swear to God, Azkaban or not I will kill you if Abigail comes to harm." I growled.

He flinched and had the decency to look ashamed of his actions. How did he expect me to trust him enough to play spy in the future if he lied to me about Abigail's safety? If he had told me about the thinking behind the trip to Durmstrang I would have been angry to begin with but then accepted the reasoning and allowed her to go if she wanted. Lying to me behind my back… I almost couldn't believe he was doing it.

I stormed out of the room and slammed the door behind me, glad that I had no more lessons to teach. Once down in my private chambers I pulled out my parchment and picked up a quill.

Abigail?

Hey, Sev! Guess what?

In a minute, Abigail, I need to talk to Lucius.

Severus? Lucius wrote.

You bloody lying, conniving, backstabbing… bastard!

I wondered when you'd figure it out. Forgive me.

Forgive you? Lucius, you lied to me! About Abigail! Next time, tell me.

I will. Narcissa told me I should tell you the truth – I should listen to her more. Dumbledore and I had hoped you would not figure out the true reasoning of the trip. Alas we were wrong.

If you think you could keep something like this a secret from me for long then you underestimate me greatly, Malfoy. Abigail still has her emergency port key?

She keeps it with her always.

If she has to use it or she tells me she has been hurt in anyway, by God, Lucius I will curse you like I used to on the Dark Lord's orders. But that will be nothing compared to what I will do to you in the event that happens. You will die slowly, begging for mercy and will wish for death before the end. Do you understand? Life imprisonment in Azkaban and the Dementor's Kiss would be worth it.

Abigail is well cared for and watched over, I assure you, Severus. No harm will come to her here. Especially if she keeps her act up. Scratch the ninth rune down from the top left hand corner to banish this conversation. I do not think young Abigail will want to read how protective of her you are.

Puzzling over what Lucius meant about 'her act' I did as instructed and the writing disappeared. Taking a breath to calm myself I asked Abigail what she had been doing.

The first years let Draco and I play quidditch with them! It was really fun even though it was snowing and none of us could really see where we were flying. I didn't know where the goal posts were until I got hit in the head with a quaffle that came through the other side!

I read the passage nearly having a heart attack. Didn't that child know what she was doing to me? I was going to die an early death if this conversation carried on the way it was going.

Are you hurt?

No. It was really fun! Draco was made beater and I was seeker.

Again my heart skipped a beat. Maybe I should be checking for gray hairs?

Seeker? Are you mad? You could have been killed! Fallen off your broom at the very least!

I was going to continue telling her off when her writing appeared on the paper.

Well I did fall off once or twice but the snow was about ten feet deep so I was fine… until it collapsed on me and they had to dig me out. I'm in the hospital wing right now getting treated for near hypothermia I think the nurse called it.

You said you were not hurt!

Just messing with you, Sev. Okay well I did fall off a couple of times and I did need digging out of the snow but I'm not in hospital. Eating brunch actually. Let's talk about something else seeing as you're too afraid to talk about our quidditch adventures.

Abigail!

Yes?

Tell Draco to stop smirking. Have you encountered Karkaroff as of yet?

Ugh. Yeah. Creepy. I scared the hell out of him.

Good girl. I wrote with a smirk imagining the scene. I had never thought that man worth my time but had had to tolerate him as he was also a servant of the Dark Lord. Many times I had wanted to show my distain for him. It only figured that Abigail would be the first to do so.

It was nothing. He made me sit next to him at dinner yesterday. Haven't had to be anywhere near him since I glared at him. Oh and Draco broke his head.

How may I ask? And Abigail… Don't curse.

She explained and then told me about the rest of her time that she had already spent there. Narcissa had already made them go on a tour of the school and told them that they should remember as much of the castle as possible. Already Abigail had an amazing capability to absorb and remember information and places so I suspected she had actually found the challenge enjoyable.

I sat back in my chair and realised I was slightly jealous that the Malfoys were the ones taking Abigail places. I knew I would have to get used to sharing her in the future if I was to survive the pending war.


Wednesday 7th November


Malfoy Manor
Very late at night

"You can't fall asleep there, Abigail. It's a settee." Draco said in a very pompous way.

"Watch me." I muttered.

Severus? We're back. Thought you might like to know. Abigail is fine and well… Sleeping on the settee at the moment. Karkaroff looked relieved when we left. I think Abigail may have had something to do with that.

Lucius?

Yes?

Never wake me up again.


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