Chapter Twenty-One: Back at the Cauldron

Author's note: Just for the sake of a reference, Mugsy was the greatest Bugs Bunny character EVER! He was a gangster who was about as tall as my cat, wore an enormous hat, smoked like a chimney, and was tougher than the Godfather...no joke! I loved that guy!

Mab's Cauldron was completely packed with dancing witches and wizards. The music blaring from the stage drowned every noise quieter than a shout. Magical lights flickered and flashed in time with music off of the stark black floor, ceiling, and walls. Draco's blue-green eyes drank it all in greedily as they stepped inside.

"Go shake your ass, kid," Rose shouted to her young companion. "I'll be upstairs."

He seized her arm. "You can't leave me, yet. I've never done this before!" he shouted back, a look of absolute fear in his eyes.

"You've never been to a club?" she yelled.

"Do you think my father would allow me to be seen in a place like this?"

Rose rolled her eyes. She should have known. The first time she visited a nightclub, it was a muggle rave and it took her companions two hours to talk her into ungluing herself from the wall. At least Draco was willing to try.

"Okay, okay, I'll go. I like this song anyway," she shouted, as the band struck up a blaring beat.

By the time they'd reached the floor, Rose had forgotten her age and was screaming and jumping with the rest of the crowd. Draco was proving that there was one thing he did better than fly, and the pair was already drawing appreciative glances from the crowd around them. They traded partners several times, Rose winding up with three pretty good-looking wizards and two gorgeous witches. When she finally left the floor, she caught a glimpse of Draco swaying to a slow, mysterious song with a curvy redhead in matching leather pants. She smiled contentedly as she ordered a drink at the bar, certain that this was worth the risk.

For three hours straight he danced, occasionally joined by Rose, but mostly with one or more of a steadily-growing chain of admiring young women. It was hilarious watching them vie for his attention, desperately trying to outdo one another. When he finally met Rose at the bar, she was happily sipping a butterbeer and guarding the one she'd bought for him.

"Well, well," she shouted. "A hundred girls fighting for your attention and I'm the lucky one who gets to buy you a drink."

"Thanks," he returned, taking a long pull on the bottle. "For everything." His eyes roamed the crowd where a huge group of now-familiar girls was dancing closer to him, shaking everything they had in a blaring effort to impress. "Can you believe them?" he exclaimed.

"And they don't even know you're rich." She smiled warmly. "You'd better get back to them," she added. "They're starting to give me the evil eye."

"I'm tired of dancing. Let's go do something else." His eyes were still alight with excitement, and Rose knew that there was little she could deny him tonight.

"Okay." She checked her watch. "We have a few more hours. What do you suggest?"

"Do they really have wand-tag in the basement?" he asked.

Rose groaned, recalling her last game, then brightened. "If we team up, we could really kick some ass," she suggested.

"You're on." He flashed his most dashing smile.

Ten minutes later they were checked in with player names: Dragon and Mugsy, respectively.

A quick rule-briefing was required before the next round started. They checked their real wands and received new ones which were enchanted specifically for the game, and took off into the three-level labyrinth to hunt.

There was no music here, but a rich, tribal beat reverberated from the walls and could be felt within. Just as they did upstairs, the lights pulsated to the rhythm, and the sound of shouting players could be heard in the distance already.

Draco tagged Rose closely, watching for signals as she crept through the maze at a crouch. He picked up cues quickly, learning to walk from toe to heel, to crouch and check around corners before moving ahead, to watch for shadows thrown by the ever-moving lights. Such a bright student was he that, within half an hour, Rose had decided that if Alex ever went on another heist, she was taking him with her.

The first four players went down quickly, cornered by Rose and Draco, the others were more skillful. Reaching a split level, Rose guarded as Draco scurried up the ramp to next platform and quickly dove behind a column as a shout was heard from across the room. A jet of arching red light barely missed him. With her cover gone, Rose was forced to run for it. She just barely made the column in time. The red light almost grazed her head as she dove.

"Great Merlin, you're quick!" Draco whispered in her ear.

"I played a lot of sports growing up," she lied.

"You'll have to show me your quidditch moves sometimes," he said, quickly checking for the movement of their attacker.

"No, I've never flown. I played ground sports," she clarified.

"I think this guy's just toying with us," Draco complained, checking around the corner and cursing lightly at what he saw.

"Alright, I'll draw him out, you hit him when he shows himself, okay?"

"Okay," he agreed.

"Tell me when it's clear," she ordered, getting ready to spring.

"Okay...go!" he shouted.

Rose sprinted up the rest of the ramp, and dove for a raised block just as two voices shouted simultaneously. A vehement curse was heard from the opposite side of the room just as a bolt of light shot past her, and Rose beamed with pride as Draco raced behind the partial wall to her left. She checked the ceiling for the score. They led by two hits with Draco leading her by one. There were six players to go.

The next area was accessed by a long, thin stone bridge which was little more than a plank. Rose and Draco eyed it with trepidation. "How's your balance?" she whispered harshly, trying to be heard over the rhythm, but not by the others.

"Not bad," he returned, looking a bit nervous. "How are we going to do this?"

"We'll just have to run for it separately. I'll cover you, first. Head for that raised incline by the right wall."

Draco nodded, a look of concentration shadowing his normally youthful features. Look at how focused he is, Rose thought. Just like his father. She gained two hits, one right after the other, as he crossed the bridge, the players on this side obviously not knowing that the blonde boy in leather had a partner. Laughing excitedly they checked their scores on the ceiling. Rose now led Draco by one, together they led by three. One other player had scored...probably on the third level. That left three more players.

When they reached the third floor, Rose dragged Draco to the top of two joined pillars half hidden by a wall. "Tell me again what we're doing up here," Draco whispered harshly in her ear.

"This is a basic rule, Draco. Never forget it," she began, checking the place carefully for the remaining three. "People never look up." She spotted a shadow in the pulsating blue light on the wall to her left stalking their way, his eyes scanning the area directly below them, and struck, hitting the player squarely in the chest. She smiled triumphantly at Draco as the player glowed red. "See?"

As usual, he had already caught on and was taking aim at a young girl in red moving for what she thought was better cover, her back to the wall beneath them. Draco tagged her quickly and she threw down her wand in a snit as her body began to glow, signalling her removal from the game. Rose nodded as they spotted the last one hidden behind a raised platform across the room.

There was no way to get a clear shot at her. "You'll have to make a run for it," Rose whispered. "Head for that half-wall and I'll cover you. Stay low. When you get to the other side you should have a clear shot. "

Draco nodded, excitement dancing in his eyes, his lips curled into a grim smile as he leapt from the pillar and made a dash for the half wall to their right as he'd been told. Alex got two shots, which were purposely aimed too high, at the witch as she stood to take aim at Draco. The light hit directly above her head and she crouched low again, cursing violently.

When Draco finally reached the end of wall, Rose saw his head peek once, then twice, checking his shot. Sure that he was in no danger of missing, he struck quickly.

The last player had fallen, and they were tied for first. Rose let out a shriek of joy at their victory just as Draco's voice rang out from the floor. She looked down at her own glowing body in horror as music began blaring from the walls signaling the end of their game.

Draco bowed arrogantly in her direction.

She leapt from the wall laughing hysterically. "You backstabbing bastard! You wouldn't have made it past the first floor without me!" she shouted, shoving him playfully.

"This is a basic rule, Rose. Never forget it," he said, mocking her earlier lesson. "Allies are pawns. They should be played to full advantage and sacrificed without remorse when necessary."

A shadow fell over Rose's heart. "A lesson from your father?" she asked as playfully as she could manage.

"A Malfoy family tradition," he answered with great pride, patting her on the back.

"That's quite a family you have." She shook her head in amazement both at his remorselessness and her own stupidity. How had Alex ever dreamed of trusting Lucius? He would put a knife in her back the moment he saw an advantage in doing so and never lose a night's sleep over it.

"Come on, Drac," she said cheerfully. "I'll buy you a drink."

"How about a firewhiskey?" he asked conversationally.

"How 'bout not?" she shot back.

"Oh, come on! I'm nearly sixteen," he argued.

She rolled her yes. Sixteen! Wow! Practically a man! However, he had been through a hellish summer because of her. "Alright, I'll let you try one."

He favored her with a disarming smile before they jogged up the stairs. Rose noticed the fatigue before they reached the ground floor. The effects of having almost zero sleep in two days was beginning to take its toll. She ordered an Ogden's for herself and a butterbeer for Draco, then switched when they left the bar, wandering the perimeter of the dance floor, laughing and talking.

His first drink was as wretched as she suspected it would be. He choked, sputtered, coughed...then tilted the glass back again. Rose laughed at his determination.

Draco became even more charming with the firewhiskey running through his veins, flirting shamelessly with so many girls that Rose lost count. She let him wander on his own for awhile as she shared one last slow dance with a woman who could have been Lucius Malfoy's long-lost sister. She had shamelessly roving hands, and Rose did nothing to discourage them. It had been years since she'd been in the arms of a woman and she had forgotten the subtle differences, the feeling of power as she was invariably stronger, and the sweet scent of perfume, a softer touch, a higher laugh, and she was drunk with this lithe blonde girl in her arms. A bit carried away with lack of sleep and the disappointing knowledge that she had to leave, she kissed her tenderly before pulling away and leaving her on the floor.

Draco was waiting by the bar when she finally managed to slip through the crowd.

"You could have just told me." he said, a bit uncomfortably.

Rose scowled her lack of comprehension. "Told you what?"

"That you're gay. It doesn't bother me," he shrugged loosely.

Rose smiled warmly at his mild state of inebriation and forced herself not to look down at the bulging evidence that her 'lifestyle' was a bit more than just okay with him. "Draco, I've been with a few women, but I'm not gay."

He gave her a disbelieving look.

"The political term is bisexual, but you can just call me 'open to all of life's pleasures.'" She laughed with him at her joke, then raised her eyebrows as she checked her watch. "It's time to go, little dragon," she said regretfully.

"Oh, come on. One more dance," he coaxed.

"No more dances," she said firmly. "No more drinks, no more wand-tag. We have to go. I am very attached to my life and I want to keep it as long as possible. Okay?"

He sighed resignedly. "Alright. Fine."

A few seconds later they were home and Draco was disengaging himself from Rose's embrace in front of the gate. "You have got to learn to apparate," she complained.

"You have got to get clearance to apparate into the sitting room," he shot back with a slight slur.

"I don't think your father trusts me that much."

Draco looked at her seriously, his eyes just a bit unfocused. "Don't take it personally. He doesn't trust anyone."

The shadow over her heart darkened. "I know," she whispered to his back as he weaved a crooked path up the walk.

Author's Note: Sorry I was late updating . I've had a killer case of the blues, lately. As Slytherin Sagittarius would put it, "Darth Real Life" has been pouring lemon juice on some old, but unhealed wounds. Thanks for being patient with me,

Silverfey: Hope the "partay" did not disappoint. Draco so deserved this.

Lady Jenilyn: What Severus has been doing will be outlined in the next chapter. For now, we'll just be happy that poor Draco got to have some fun. The guys in your town sound like real winners. I'm sure after you had that exploding colors thing kicking, you could go down to the local bar and swill some cheap beer. Yeehaw!

Fleur K: Alex needs to be careful what she wishes for, I think. As for Draco, yeah, he really deserved a night out on the town. I'm with you in hoping that Lucius doesn't find out. That would be really ugly.

PPP: I've always thought that Lucius was one hell of an orator. In fact, with the choices I've been given, I think I'll vote for him this year.

Arabella Minerva: Thank you for your kind words. You are welcome to borrow the idea of the poisoned blade.

Annie: It's good that you're still wary of Lucius Malfoy. That's always wise. I'm glad you liked Draco's outfit. It almost caused me to have inappropriate feelings for a kid (blush). Severus is coming back next chapter, don't worry. And, you're right. One slip and Alex could lose it. It's cause for concern. I am beyond flattered that you think I write well. Thank you for respecting my secret identity. I'd hate to die of embarrassment. I'm actually giving serious consideration to burying a painful first experience and going back to college so that I can teach English/Lit. What do you think?

Arwen 78: Hi, there! I'm glad that you haven't left me. It's always a joy to get your reviews. That's a good point about missing out because we're not happy with the direction a story takes. I'd make everyone happy if I could, but it's not to be.

Rycca Wolfbane: Sweet Merlin, it's good to see your name again! I really missed you! But, "Ugh?" What do mean, "Ugh?" Are you out of your mind??!! It's Lucius Malfoy! (Sigh) I think I need to go lie down. But first, I'll answer your query. He's not mad at Rose. He's distracted, and disappointed, and completely unused to not getting what he wants. More about that in that in the next chapter. For now, I'm interested in your prediction something will happen to Draco. That would soooooo bad for Rose. I shudder at the thought.

Zariva: Not happy about the bracelet, huh? Then, you're just going to hate... oh, wait, I can't tell you about that, yet. Sorry! I think it's sweet that you have a romantic heart, but Lucius and Alex are awfully involved in their various manipulations to fall too hard. I'll give you this: I think it softened their respective feelings for one another. Thank you for your reassurance that you will tell me (gently, of course) if you see anything that could use improvement. I appreciate it, just be cautious of my ickle feelings, They bruise easily. I hope that you continue to enjoy my characterization of Draco. He's a lot of fun to write. By the way, what do you teach?