Sneaking out

When night time came, Cygnus had gone to bed, his eyes wide as he waited for everyone to fall asleep. It took a long while, as Draco and the others chose to talk until late, seeing as they didn't have any classes for the remainder of the term. He forced himself to share in some of the conversations, as well as eating some of the sweets the brutes had brought from the kitchens. He needed to act like normal as if there was no impending doom as if the Dark Lord himself wasn't possibly returning.

It was one in the morning when they all chose to go to bed, and another hour after that until he was sure they had all fallen asleep, after seeing their chest rise up and down rhythmically.

Slowly he slid off his bed. He was fully dressed, he didn't want to go through the hassle of getting changed, not to mention it would take too much time.

Once out of bed, he looked at his bedside table, and his heart nearly stopped.

Where was his wand?

"I knew you were up to something."

Cygnus sighed in exasperation. He should have known, everything had been too easy up to this point.

Turning on the spot, he looked behind him. Standing by the door of the dormitory stood Draco, still in his uniform, his arms folded in front of his chest, giving him a disapproving look. If the situation hadn't been so dire, he might have laughed at how much like their mother he looked, but at the moment he was in no mood. And besides, there were more pressing things to think about. Like how in Merlin's socks did he take his wand? He had been awake the entire time, and he had kept an eye on all of them? Could it be that he sneaked to his bed, and took it without him realizing it? If that was the case, he was never going to hear the end of it.

"Give me back my wand Draco." he hissed, walking to where Draco stood.

The blond looked at him with a defiant expression, lifting his nose up and looking down at him.

"Answer my question first," he said angrily, as Cygnus stood in front of him.

"You've been hiding a lot of things lately, don't think I haven't noticed. Sneaking out of the dormitory to do who knows what, acting strangely during exams when I know you don't even need to pick up a book to get a perfect grade." Draco said, with a sliver of concern in his voice that had him looking at his brother rather than taking his wand from him by force.

"What's going on Cyg?" he asked worriedly, and Cygnus sighed.

He should have known Draco would notice. The others may not be as observant, or maybe they were but they didn't know him like Draco did. They were raised together after all, and while they may have had different experiences in their upbringing, with him training until he could take no more, and with Draco having to learn how to be the heir of the Malfoy family, they both still knew each other enough to know when something was wrong with the other.

"Draco…" he sighed, feeling a little guilty that he had been ignoring Draco most of the term, and besides maybe if he played the guilt card Draco might drop the subject and go back to bed.

"What's going on Cyg?" He asked more forcefully this time as if he knew what Cygnus was planning.

"I can't tell you, so just give me the wand and let me through." He said annoyed, and by now he should know that the more annoyed he got the more stubborn Draco got in return.

"Why? Because it involves your filthy Gryffindor friends?" He asked angrily, his grip on Cygnus wand tightening.

Instead of getting angry at Draco he rolled his eyes and reached for his wand, but the blond simply raised it high enough so that it was out of his reach.

"Stop being so childish, and give me the bloody wand!" He barked, his voice a little bit too loud, causing Blaise to stir in his sleep, but not waking up.

"Childish? It's you who won't tell me anything. You won't spend time with me or with our friends, and when you do it's like it's another chore. It's like you don't care about us anymore, and it's thanks to the mudblood and blood traitor." He hissed angrily, and though he did feel a little guilty and annoyed at his brother, he didn't have time for this.

"No, it isn't." He said instantly, attempting to grab his wand, but once more Draco put it out of his reach.

"Then you don't care about us them!" Draco hissed.

"No!" He said annoyed, grabbing Draco's arm and trying to pull his hand down so he could take his wand, but Draco was taller and stronger so he managed to hold him back with his arm.

"Damn It Draco!" He barked, and once more he saw at the corner of his eye as Crabbe and Goyle stirred, but thankfully did not wake.

He continued to struggle with his brother, who really had to work hard in order to stop him from getting his wand. Cygnus was practically holding him by the collar of his robes, and yanking his arm down. And even when Draco practically growled at him angrily, he didn't stop. Both Hermione, and Ron were waiting for him, and if he didn't hurry then the Dark Lord could take the stone, and then what?

"Tell me!" Draco hissed lowly, pushing him back with his knee and gritting his teeth in anger.

Cygnus didn't say anything as he kept trying to get his wand. He could use wandless magic, but he wasn't as well versed in it, and he could really hurt Draco if he did it wrong. So he had no other option but to keep trying.

Freeing his hand from Draco's grip, and catching him off guard, Cygnus pushed his brother against the wall, causing him to lose his balance, leaving him with no other choice but to bring his arm down to stop himself from falling. Using the opportunity, Cygnus lunged for his wand but just as his hand touched it, Draco put his hand on his face and pushed him back.

"Damn it Cyg just tell me."

Cygnus face reddened from exertion, and he was very close to just using wandless magic, consequences be damned! Draco was asking for it! He needed to go to the third floor, and stop the Dark Lord, and here he was arguing with his brother as if they were still five! He won't have it.

With his magic drumming in his finger, he prepared to use it, but then he stopped when he looked at Draco. As he looked into his brother's eyes he could see the worry, anger, and frustration, something he had seldom seen in his brother. Last time, in fact, was after he had a particularly harsh duelling session with Yaxley and he had to spend an entire week bedridden. His father and mother had been furious at the man, but Draco was utterly terrified. He barely left his bedside, and he would fuss over him for the entire week. Granted they had been nine then, he had never seen his brother as worried as he had been then, but now he was seeing a sliver of that worry in his eyes, and that made him stop.

Cygnus let go of him and stepped back, looking at his brother with narrowed eyes.

"Fine! If you want to know so badly, fine!" he huffed, sliding his messy hair back, as his brother looked at him intently.

"There's something called the philosopher's stone hidden inside this very castle, it has the ability to grant eternal life and the Dark Lord is after it. Ron, Hermione and I are going to the third floor to get it before he can, meaning that we're all probably walking straight to our deaths? Anything else you like to know?"

Draco looked at him as if he had been punched in the stomach, his eyes were wide, and his mouth fell wide open in disbelief, and utter terror. He -like himself- had been brought up on the stories of how great, and powerful the Dark Lord was, so he knew they should fear him. Both of them weren't idiots, they knew their parents are dark side sympathizers, and they knew they were raised to be the same. They both believed in the supremacy of the dark arts, and though he doesn't believe in the pureblood supremacy, they both had to agree that the Dark Lord wasn't someone they should be messing with, but did he have any other choice?

"What?" He asked incredulously as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing, his eyes wide in terror.

Cygnus huffed in exasperation and reached for his wand which Draco relinquished without a fuss, but he still wouldn't move out of the way.

"I need to go Draco," he said annoyed, but Draco still looked at him with the same shocked expression.

Annoyed, and worried that he was taking too long, Cygnus pushed his brother away from the door gently and reached for the doorknob, however before he could even turn it Draco grasped his wrist.

"Are you mad?' was all Draco asked, as he looked at him as if he had gone insane, the same expression Ron and Hermione had given him when he told them he would be going to face the Dark Lord.

"What do you suggest? That I stay here and let my friends be killed? Now, let go of my hand before I jinx you." he practically growled in annoyance.

Draco quickly let go of his wrist, but he didn't move away as he kept staring at him with determination.

"I'll come with you then." declared Draco.

This time it was Cygnus who froze on the spot, his hand still on the doorknob. This was exactly what he was fearing, that Draco would want to come with him. Just like Hermione and Ron, he just knew he would react this way, so much for claiming he was so different from them. But with Draco, it was different also. He didn't care about Hermione and Ron, or the rest of society who wasn't pureblood, he just cared for his safety. Also, unlike his friends who he would risk his life to save, Draco was his brother and though they aren't related by blood he could never let something happen to his brother, he simply couldn't.

"Don't be daft Draco." he huffed, looking at his brother in the eyes, who was looking at him not paying attention to a word he said.

"Besides, I'll be fine. I've was groomed for this."

Draco shook his head.

"No, you weren't groomed to duel the Dark Lord, you were groomed to-"

"What's going on?" asked a confused, groggy voice.

Both Cygnus and Draco turned their heads to look at Blaise, who was rubbing his eyes tiredly and looking at them both, and Cygnus wanted to scream in frustration.

This is just what he needed, not only had Draco joined the bandwagon to accompany him but now Blaise? He knew -like Draco- he would want to come along, and he just couldn't let that happen. He wasn't going to let another of his friend put his life on the line.

Without thinking it, Cygnus raised his wand and pointed it at the wide-eyed, Blaise who opened his mouth to say something, but before he could Cygnus cast the spell.

"Somnum." he said, and a spark of yellow light flew from his wand, hitting Blaise straight in the chest. instantly, Blaise's eyelids dropped and he slumped back onto his bed, his chest rising up and down slowly.

"What did you do?" asked Draco worriedly, and Cygnus simply put his wand away and turned around, not at all phased that he had cast a spell on his friend.

"I just put him to sleep, he'll be fine," he assured as Draco looked at Blaise with worry, but didn't say anything as he accompanied Cygnus out of the dormitory, and into the empty common room. Since they all had finished their exams, everyone had taken the opportunity to go to sleep early for the first time in weeks, even the older years who liked staying in the common room late into the night.

"I didn't say I let you come," Cygnus said, walking to the common room door, and turning to look at a determined Draco who raised a brow.

"Who says I need your permission?" he asked, crossing his arms in front of his chest defiantly.

A few seconds of silence passed between both brothers as they looked at each other stubbornly. Cygnus knew he could just cast the sleeping incantation on Draco, and put him out of any danger, but at the same time, he knew that if he did that he would break the trust they had on each other. He'd never in his life raised his wand against his brother no matter how angry he may be, and for that, he knew Draco would never forgive him if he did.

Giving out an exasperated groan, he opened the door to the common room and exited as Draco gave him a wide smile.

Both of them walked down the dark, empty corridors, keeping to the walls rather than walking in the middle. They didn't want to be seen, Mr. Filch prowled the corridors this late at night and they couldn't afford to be caught, seeing as the squib would report them to a Professor and then they'd be in serious trouble.

"How are we going to get to the Gryffindor common room?" asked Draco, saying Gryffindor with a spat as if it was foul.

Cygnus rolled his eyes at his brother, not only did he have to protect him and his friends, but he also had to keep them from killing each other.

"I know the password," he said simply, rounding a corner with expertise, while Draco almost stumbled on his own feet.

"What is it then?" he asked curiously, righting himself up as if he hadn't almost fallen on his face.

"Wattlebird," he said offhandedly, and annoyed keeping his eyes ahead, the corridors were incredibly dark and he could barely see a thing.

Draco hummed, and almost tripped on his own feet again, and for the tenth time since they left the common room, no more than two minutes ago, he wondered why he let his brother come along. He couldn't even stay on his own two feet.

After walking for a little while, their pace slowed seeing as they didn't want to be heard, they were finally nearing the Gryffindor common room, and Cygnus could finally breathe. He didn't know why but he got this odd feeling that someone was watching them.

As if he had jinxed his own words, he heard a set of footsteps approaching them, and Cygnus froze.

By how faint they were he knew the person must be far, but he could also, tell it wasn't 's footsteps, the squib's were much more sporadic, these were sure and precise.

Stopping on the spot, and looking at Draco with worry, his brother looked at him confused.

"What is it?" He asked.

"Someone's coming, I don't know who it is, but I don't want to risk it."

Pointing towards the direction of the Gryffindor tower, Cygnus spoke again.

"I want you to go to the Gryffindor common room and wait there, I think that whoever is after us is one of the professors, I just want to make sure." He ordered, but Draco didn't seem like he was going to do as he said as he made a sour face.

"Why can't we stay together? We'll both wait here and we'll both go together. I don't see why I need to go.

Hearing the footsteps getting closer and closer, Cygnus felt a shiver run down his spine, as well as a hot spark of frustration towards his brother.

"Because I know my way, and I know how to hide, and that's a lot easier when there's just one of us. So go ahead of me, I'll be there soon." He said.

For a little while, Draco looked at him skeptically, but then he made up his mind and left him behind. He didn't see anything wrong with Cygnus explanation, and he was thankful.

Cygnus let out a sigh of relief. He knew that those footsteps didn't belong to a professor, they sounded too much like the cloaked figure's footsteps, and for that reason, he needed to get Draco as far away as possible. He knew he could stand his ground, and protect himself long enough to run away, but he couldn't do that with Draco around. He may be somewhat good with magic, and he may know how to protect himself better than most of their peers, but he was nowhere near the level of their adversary. He would be killed instantly, and at that thought, he felt a sliver of fear run down his spine.

He couldn't ponder too much on it however, as the footsteps behind him grow louder, his heart began to race, and his hands began to sweat but he stood his ground. Gripping his wand tightly, he waited for the stranger to arrive, everything that he had been taught quickly flashing through his head. As the footsteps grew louder, and when he felt the stranger right behind him Cygnus raised his wand, turned on the spot and pointed it at the stranger's neck. The stranger must have known he would do just that, as he too brought his wand up, digging it painfully in Cygnus neck with dangerous precision.

"What do you think you're doing?" asked a low voice, causing Cygnus hairs to stand on end as he looked up, and realized who the stranger was.

Standing before him, with cold narrowed eyes was Professor Snape.

Cygnus mouth comically fell open as he looked at the potions master in shock, while in return Snape looked at him with an almost bored expression.

He thought the footsteps belonged to the cloaked figure, they sounded too much like the footsteps that had followed him last night to not be his. At that thought, a treacherous thought went through his mind.

Could it be that Snape had been the cloaked figure? That was impossible, he would never. He knew Snape, he'd known him since he could remember in fact, he knew he wouldn't go after the stone. While Snape might be a follower of the dark, he knew he wouldn't take the stone, either because he just knew he wouldn't or simply because Dumbledore would have easily found out. The headmaster may have let someone slip by his watchful eyes, but he doubted he was clueless enough for Snape to be that someone. Still, though, he couldn't be too sure.

Even though he knew it was quite foolish, he kept his wand raised, pointed straight at the potions master's neck, Snape likewise did the same thing, but with an angry expression.

"I wasn't expecting you, Professor," he said coldly.

"And out of all of the Slytherin house, I didn't expect you to be out and about at night, disobeying school rules," Snape shot back disappointedly, not at all mindful of the wand pointed at him.

For a long while, both of them stared at each other in the eye, not backing down. He knew he couldn't beat Snape, he'd duelled him countless times and not once did he even manage to make the man move. He knew an incredible amount of spells, some of which he created, and he can easily switch between charms, and hexes to curses in an instant. Because of this, their duelling sessions never lasted longer than five minutes, and though every time he duelled him he managed to remain on his feet him longer and longer, he was far from beating him. And even though if Snape was really the culprit, he was still going to try and stop him, but he dearly hoped he wasn't.

Snape sighed and lowered his wand putting it away inside his wand holster. Cygnus gave him a mistrustful look for a second, but ultimately lowered his wand but didn't put it away.

"Off to get the philosopher's stone were you?" Snape asked as a matter of factly.

Cygnus eyes widened instantly, shocked that he had been figured out so easily. He opened his mouth to ask how he knew, but Snape beat him to it.

"Professor McGonagall told me of your concerns about it, and she also asked me to keep an eye on you, claiming you might do something reckless." He said as he took a step back.

"I thought it would be a waste of time, out of the both of you, you have always been the more responsible, and careful one, but clearly I was wrong." He said in clear disappointment, but Cygnus didn't care, not when all he could think about was the Dark Lord's return.

"But sir, the Dark Lord, he- the philosopher's stone I-"

"Is well protected, there's no need for three children going in, pretending to play hero." He hissed, and Cygnus narrowed his eyes.

For the first time ever he was angry at the potions master. He respected Snape, and thought very highly of him, not to mention that he did not want to disappoint him, but at this very moment all that was forgotten as he looked up at the man angrily. Why wouldn't they believe him? Sure they may be children, but they spoke the truth, someone is after the stone. And since no one believed them that left them with no other option than to go get it themselves, but clearly, Snape didn't understand that either.

"Clearly not, because just yesterday I overheard someone talking to himself, saying that he was going to get the stone once Dumbledore left the castle." He hissed back.

Instead of getting angry as he had expected, Snape looked at with almost shock, clearly not having expected him to say that. Cygnus knew Snape must have known someone was after the stone, even Ron knew, but for whatever reason, he didn't think that someone would actually try and get the stone. They really must think the big three-headed dog was a deterrent enough.

"Are you sure?" He asked, and Cygnus nodded fervently, glad that someone believed him for once, and thankful that he didn't have to put his, or his friends' lives in danger.

Not saying anything else, or asking him for evidence, clearly already believing him, Snape turned on the spot and walked the way he came from, and the exact opposite way of where the stone was being kept while Cygnus looked at him confused.

"Where are you going?" He asked.

The potions master didn't stop to clarify, as he kept walking, his long dark robes swishing from side to side as he did.

"To get the headmaster." He declared.

For a little while, Cygnus simply stared at the potion master's back, confused, but then he managed to regather himself as he put his wand away and ran to catch up to Snape, all the while relieved that Dumbledore was coming back. Now all they had to do was sit back, and let the headmaster deal with the intruder, while Ron, Hermione and now Draco simply had to wait in the Gryffindor Common Room. Away from danger.

Wow three chapters in one week, I just need one more chapter to beat my own record!

Anyways, I did say two chapters and year 1 will be done, but I had to squeeze in this chapter, so sorry.

Anyways, I drew Draco and Cygnus, you can see it on my Tumblr if you like, which you can find on my Fanfiction profile.

Next chapter will be an interesting one, so please review, and I'll see you next chapter.

P.S I'm thankful for all of you guys still reading, despite my short absence.