A/N: I found another good quote.

Writing and travel broadens your ass if not your mind and I like to write standing up - Ernest Hemingway

More Horcruxes

It was dark when Draco finally opened his eyes. The first thing he realized was that he was in the infirmary. His bed was screened off. He couldn't see anything. The second thing was that he felt, not tired, but drained. It seemed an effort to become concerned. He decided the best thing was to get up.

He felt stiff. As though he had been lying abed for a long time. It was an effort to stand but he managed it by holding on to the back of the chair by his bed. Walking was harder. His legs were all pins and needles. He took his time. That was the one thing he seemed to have plenty of. He took a step and almost fell. His firm grasp with his left hand and his use of his right arm to brace himself turned the fall into an awkward act of sitting down in the chair.

The chair thumped as it moved across the floor an inch or so. That seemed to be enough to attract someone's attention. Madam Pomfrey's voice was heard. She called his name. Two pairs of footsteps approached. The curtains parted and the healer was glaring at him.

"You never had enough sense to stay in bed. Your muscles . . ."

"Yeah. I know," Draco said with undirected anger. "How long have I been here?" He remembered that he had woken, then collapsed again almost at once. He remembered, vaguely, being awake briefly for a second time. "One week? Two?"

"Ten," Madame Pomfrey said in a small voice. "Do you know what happened?" She shushed whoever was behind her and out of sight.

"Yeah. Had that feelin' before. Simon Nott."

"DAMN." It was the voice of Sirius Black. It was angry. An undirected anger.

"We don't know," Madame Pomfrey said sternly to the hidden form.

"Don't we? Draco's not stupid. He'll figure it out if he hasn't already."

"We don't know." Madame Pomfrey said again.

But Draco did know. That day, now ten weeks gone, he was talking to Luna. Then he felt it. The same as when he killed Simon Nott. Except for the part about someone being in his head. That was when he had unwittingly made a Horcrux out of his wand. A sudden fear went through him.

"LUNA?"

"She's fine," Sirius said. He pulled the curtain aside so they could see each other clearly. "She wasn't hurt. It had to be something else."

Sirius told Draco what he thought had happened. Draco had to agree. It seemed the most obvious answer, although it was hard to accept. His agreement also caused Madame Pomfrey to groan, as though it affected her physically. After a moment, she said she needed to get the Headmaster. As she left, Sirius answered Draco's unanswered question.

"It's still Severus."

"How's 'e doin'?"

"As headmaster? Very good, I think. He's on the stern side, but I think its helping the kids. They know someone's in charge. They need that. After the battle." He paused before he said the reason. "Too many students are gone. Everyone knows someone who . . . didn't make it."

Draco tried to smirk. "An' Snape cuttin' off that snake's head right in front of Voldemort had nuffin to do wit' it."

Sirius grinned. "It had one wonderful effect. Sev glares at students now and they smile back." He put his hand on Draco's shoulder to emphasis his next statement. "They know he cares. He apparated away as soon as he killed that snake. He apparated no more than ten feet from me. As soon as Arthur gave you his permission, he ordered me to get the children out of there. Then he pulled out his wand and walked forward." Sirius grinned as he stood up straight. "Before that bastard announced he was still alive, I had two dozen Hufflepuffs following me full speed back to the castle."

He paused. "You know what was most curious. As we neared the castle, two Gryffindors (you know which two) suddenly appeared in front of the doors and pulled them open." He sat down on the bed. His face dropped. "I only lost two." He held his hand up to stop Draco from saying anything. "Evelyn already told me. How many would have been lost if I did nothing?"

Sirius looked at Draco and laughed. It was a laugh with no humour.

"You know, I always thought that if we won this battle we'd celebrate till dawn. It wasn't that kind of victory. We know it isn't over although we're all sure it's only a matter of time. And it hurt everyone. We're not celebrating. But, we're no longer scared. It's like Rita said. We stood up to the worst of it and we survived. We can console ourselves with this thought. We will never let it be this bad again."

"The Death Eaters?" Draco asked.

"A half dozen are left at the most. Only two or three of the inner circle. Scrimgeour's amnesty helped a lot. Part of the deal was that you had to spill your guts about everything and everyone you knew." Sirius laughed. A real laugh. "I think everyone who fought for him turned themselves in to the Ministry. Ten weeks and they still have a couple hundred to interview." He smiled at the thought. "He's done with. He's a hunted man and he has every Auror on two continents looking for him and those few followers he has left."

"Two?" Draco felt fear. "What happened?"

"He fled to the States."

"Not the continent?"

"Too dangerous. Dumbledore made a lot of friends. Any government there would arrest him at once. There's more places to hide across the water. Plenty of open spaces."

They were interrupted by the sound of the door to the infirmary. Several sets of footsteps approached. Madame Pomfrey appeared. Severus Snape was behind her.

"Draco."

"Headmaster."

"How do you feel?"

Draco thought for a while before he answered. He finally decided that the best answer was a shrug. In return, he received a nod. Uncle Severus understood. How do you explain the feeling of having your soul torn apart multiple times?

"Dean McCudgeon?" Draco spied the woman standing behind the headmaster, "You still here?"

"I left, then came back," she said in a sad tone, "I brought Jack here, for safety."

"Professor Adrem," Sirius explained. "She was murdered three weeks ago. Jack was supposed to be the target."

Draco had to ask. "And my last . . . incident?"

Sirius nodded.

Severus Snape began to explain. Voldemort was creating more Horcruxes to replace the ones that were destroyed. It was his belief that the man did not know the true source. He also believed that Draco's soul was being torn because the Dark Lord was using the Elder wand. The wand that Draco was the master of. It was the easiest explanation.

"From what Madam Pomfrey has told me, each incident was less severe than the previous one. Your condition was the result of your not having recovered from the previous . . . incident . . . before the next ritual was performed."

There was another interruption as food was brought. A table was conjured and Dobby appeared with a tray of sandwiches and a pitcher of juice. Draco remained seated as he ate. The others remained standing as they took their sandwiches. Uncle Severus, not eating anything, sat on the bed. There were too many things to discuss. And there might not be much time. Voldemort might perform another ritual at any moment. Draco was better but no one knew what effect it would have.

Most of it was nonsense as far as Draco was concerned. He didn't care about the Ministry. He didn't care about the Aurors. He didn't care about the school. He appreciated the efforts of everyone to bring him up to date on events but none of them seemed important. The closest he came was when Dean McCudgeon was telling him how the American Department of Magic was working closely with the Ministry. She mentioned Arthur Weasley twice.

"Another promotion?" Draco asked.

"Of sorts. Your government has placed him in charge of the investigation. He's even been to Boston to personally see the, um, crime scene."

"Scrimgeour's fit to be tied," Sirius noted. "He thought he'd get the job. He was planning on becoming Minister."

Draco suggested he tell the man to ask for Arthur Weasley's endorsement. He laughed when Sirius asked if Arthur would refuse the job. He told his former guardian that Arthur Weasley would rather go back to his old position.

"That won't happen," Uncle Severus told him. "Not after receiving the Order of Merlin. He was the Ministry spy in Voldemort's inner circle." He held up a hand to stop Draco from revealing the truth. "Because my involvement, and my loyalties, are no longer in question, I was able to confirm that fact."

Sirius laughed. "They gave Sev a medal as well. Order of Merlin, First Class."

"You deserve it," Draco said. He tried to sound sincere but it came out in a monotone.

Severus dismissed the matter. He said it wasn't important. They needed to discuss what to do with their charge. It would not do for Draco to leave the infirmary. He then had Madam Pomfrey conjure a mirror.

Draco looked at his reflection. His face had changed. The cheeks had sunken in. His brow protruded. His hair and skin had darkened. When he put his hand to his face, he noticed that the skin felt rough, almost leathery. He also noticed his hand. It was darker as well. And the nails were thicker.

Voldemort looked like a human snake. Slitted nose and red eyes. His skin was pale and had a fluid look about it. As though, like a snake, he had recently shed his skin. This was no surprise as Tom Riddle, on his mother's side, was descended from Salazar Slytherin, the man who chose the snake as the emblem of his house. Draco, however, was a dragon. And that was what he was becoming.

"How does Grawpina feel about this?'

The headmaster actually smiled. "I think she would approve."

"Merlin's beard," Sirius exclaimed, "Severus Snape told a joke."

"It was a witticism," Severus commented. "As it has to do with wit, you wouldn't understand."

Draco managed a smile. While the two had managed to become friends, the antagonism was still there. It made things seem normal.

Draco had company. It was Theodore Nott. The Slytherin couldn't help but stare for the first minute. Finally, Draco had to ask why he came. Theo said it was his mum's idea.

Theo was forced to explain something else first, because Draco had asked if his mother was still free. It was what happened after Draco fell, at the beginning of the battle. Narcissa Nott bolted from the Dark Lord's ranks before her sister had time to restore Voldemort. She even turned around to stun one of the Death Eaters who tried to stop her. Narcissa quickly found her son and, together with the Potters, they tried to defend the unarmed students around them from the werewolf attack.

Rita Skeeter put her on the front page a week later. Draco admitted he hadn't seen that issue. Rita portrayed Narcissa Nott as one more victim of the Dark Lord, escaping only when she had a chance. Then she turned and fought against Voldemort's forces, rescuing a handful of students from the battlefield.

"She ended that article saying that my mother may have the Dark Mark but she's no more a Death Eater than Arthur Weasley."

"They didn't arrest your mum, then?"

"Gave us a place to stay until they could find my father." Theo gave a wry smile. "Xenophilius Lovegood offered to put us up." He saw Draco's frown. "What?" His smile returned. "Sorry. I forgot who I was talking to. I should have said, 'Whot'."

"My fault." Draco tried to smile and failed. "You said your mother saved people. Sirius Black told me how he saved people." He hung his head. "I didn't save anyone. I'm the reason they died."

"Merlin's Whatever," Theo admonished. "The only one you killed didn't die. He was the one killing people, not you. He would have done it anyway."

Draco looked up to see the glint in Theo's eyes. It was anger. Anger at Draco. Anger because Draco dared to think such a thing. The Slytherin's lips curled into a mocking smile.

"As for saving people. You didn't have much chance, what with being dead through the entire battle." He laughed. "You don't know."

"DON'T KNOW?" Draco shouted as he stood up from the chair. He ruined the effect by collapsing back into it at once. "There's a lot I don't know. Don't know how to treat people. Don't know . . . nuffin."

"What happened?"

"Met this girl," Draco admitted. "Left her in the way. Nice of me, huh. Knock up some girl then run off." He wiped his cheek. "Draco Malfoy. Role Model." He laughed. "Don't do this at home, kids, unless you 'ave a few million Quid in the bank."

"You're going back," Theo offered.

"Like this?" Draco shook his head. "I'll send her money. That will make her feel better. Don't you agree?" His sarcasm was showing. "She can even give some to the folks o' the kid that I got killed."

"The one you petrified?" Theo asked. "First, I met that girl. Cassandra." He was smiling. "She loves Hermione."

"Whot?"

"Arthur Weasley took her to the Burrow. He said he promised you he'd keep her safe. That's where she met Hermione. The fact that they're almost the same age. And pregnant. And no husband around. They became instant friends. And Molly Weasley is going to be a grandmother twice over. She ordered Arthur to file for adoption, to make it official."

"Whot?"

"You're not going to make me repeat all of that?"

"No. I mean . . ." What did he mean? "She's going to be a Weasley."

Theo laughed. "In a sense. Won't change her name though. She'll still be a Malfoy."

"Whot?"

Draco was completely confused. He pointed out that he never married her. Theo asked about Dover. Draco was reminded that he held his own wand above their heads. The same way Fred had done. That was one more reason Cassandra and Hermione liked each other. They both had the same reaction when they saw the gold sparks washing over them as they kissed their new husbands.

"Din't see no gold sparks," Draco muttered.

"Did you have your eyes open?" Theo asked. He was clearly enjoying the conversation.

"No," Draco admitted.

"Next time, keep them open." In a laughing voice he added, "and start thinking of baby names."

"I'm only sixteen." Draco muttered. He then remembered that Janice was only sixteen when she married. And she started a family almost at once. "I guess it runs into the family."

"Be a good father," Theo said in a serious voice. "That's all I ask."

"He, um, or she will need a godfather." Draco looked up, hopefully.

Theo smiled, then frowned, then looked at the ground as though embarrassed. "I would be honoured," he said in a low voice. He had a smile as he looked up, "I guess that's fair payment."

"For telling me I'm married?"

"NO." Theo snorted. "For getting my picture on the front page of the Quibbler."

"Whot?" This time, Draco was laughing. "Why?"

"It has to do with you saving people. Remember the boy you petrified?"

Draco shuddered as the image of the crushed boy rose up. "I was the reason he was there in the first place. I didn't save him. I couldn't save him." He wiped his cheek again, "Madam Pomfrey told me. There wasn't enough time."

Theodore Nott was serious. "You gave them time. You petrified the boy. I have no idea how. And you did it in such a way that all they had to do was cancel the spell. That's what Madam Pomfrey did. At Saint Mungo's. With a half dozen Healers around her. It was close, but they had time to prepare. They each knew what they had to do. It took them eight hours."

"You know this?"

"I was there, in the waiting room, with the parents, and his aunt. And Mother. And Casper."

"Casper?"

"Any friend of yours is a friend of his. Especially if that friend is a Hufflepuff. You saved Casper's friend. Casper had to be there." He saw the question in Draco's eyes. "Aunt Bella died after the battle. My guess is that Voldemort didn't like the fact that every other member of her family betrayed him. Casper was put in Mother's care."

Draco shuddered. His fear would be confirmed later when he asked Uncle Severus. She died at the same time that Draco was talking to Luna.

"Anyway," Theo said, not noticing Draco's reaction, "The end result was that all of us at the Lovegoods went over to the Burrow for Christmas. And because of gifts from Molly Weasley, Mister Lovegood asked to take our picture for his paper."

Draco was handed a copy of the Quibbler. He unfolded it to reveal the front page. It was a group photo. Four students, all in Molly Weasley's knitted jumpers. Ginny, in Gryffindor colours, a large G in the middle. She was whispering something. Luna, in Ravenclaw colours, A large L in the middle. She was laughing while she had her arm around . . . Randall. Brown hair and a huge smile, his jumper bore Hufflepuff colours and a large R in the middle. At the end was Theo, wearing Slytherin colours. If you knew him, you knew by his look that, if he could, he would have torn the large T off his jumper and thrown it at the photographer