Ch. 34

Harry's whispered answer of "Imperio" to the question of what spells he had been doing completely shocked the two men in the room. Sirius couldn't seem to find words to say anything at all as he just sat and stared at the nine year old child. Severus, for his part was busy thinking of how talented the child actually was. "No wonder the child is considered a Prodigy. Even people twice his age have problems producing that spell correctly. Of course we don't know he did the spell correctly. For his sake I hope he did not in this instance!"

Coming to terms with the news a little faster than Sirius seemed to be able to, Severus clears his throat. "Well young man, this explains why you are ill right now. As I told you before, you overused your magical ability. In your case, with the aforementioned ability being so high, you really had to work at this. How long have you been practicing these spells?"

"Professor Snape sir, I didn't mean to say I had practiced the imperio. I was saying I had been asked to teach it. I haven't had the chance to try it out yet. The only spell I did was Expelliarmus. That's not a hard spell, it's easy to do so I don't know why it would wipe out my magic."

Sirius finally finding his voice says "Well Harry, expelliarmus might be "easy" as you seem to think but it is still an advanced spell for someone your age. I am extremely happy to hear you did not conduct an imperio. If you had your bum would be in much greater peril than it is at this time. Imperio is one of the 'unforgivables'. Anyone doing those spells risks prison for adults and expulsion from school for students! You and I will talk more about this later. Right now I want you to answer honestly all of Professor Snape's questions."

"First question young man. Were you in the Amusement Area tonight after hours?" Snape asks.

Not meeting his Dad's eyes, Harry answers "yessir".

"Were you teaching the spell to Draco? Remember you promised honesty!" Snape says watching Harry's eyes shift to Sirius.

"Yes Sir, we were practicing there. He asked me to teach him defense spells. We'd worked on some earlier and he wanted to work on those and this new one. We met up in the Amusement Area because it was quiet and restricted from other kids. We didn't want other kids in the way as they might be hurt."

"Harry, what else went on in that room? There must be something else you aren't telling us, because the spell you mentioned wouldn't deplete you quite this much. What else happened? " Snape questions looking directly into the boy's eyes.

"Well we did do a Wizard's Oath first. Could that be what's wrong?"

"You boys did a blood oath?" Sirius asks sternly.

"NO Sir, it wasn't blood. We spit and shook and called Wizard's Oath. We didn't do a blood oath, I promise!" Harry answers not liking the look in Sirius' eyes. Whatever a blood oath is it must be bad. He thinks.

"A wet Wizard's Oath? Yes, that would do it. You see when I came in to the room, you were essentially caught doing what the two of you made an oath not to share with anyone. That was what your oath stated wasn't it? Not to share what you were doing in the room."

"Umm well, it was more a no tattling thing than a not sharing thing, I guess. We promised to keep what we were doing a secret." Harry replies.

"When I walked in the two of you were found out so the secret was broken. I take it you didn't specify which secret you meant? Breaking into the room or doing magic without permission or doing magic unsupervised that was beyond your level?!" Snape's voice growing louder with each word.

"No sir, we didn't specify anything." Harry whispers into his pajama top.

"You two are both in deep trouble young man!" Severus tells Harry. Then addressing Sirius he says "I will oversee detentions for the use of unsupervised magic, Sirius. Whatever other punishments you want to hand out, I will duplicate for Draco. I'm going to be having a very long and on his part, painful discussion on the attempted use of an unforgivable! I will leave potions here for Harry. He should be just fine by tomorrow evening."

"Thank you for the help and the understanding. I will make sure this behavior is not repeated ever again. If you will wait on the detentions until next Monday, I believe Harry will be ready to serve them by then. He will need a few days to recuperate. I will be letting you know what to assign Draco. I believe the beginning of the boy's punishment will be the same."

Severus nodding his understanding, says "Very well then, I'll just see myself out as I have a need to see my Godson."

Having started to feel very sleepy after taking the first of many potions, Harry felt he didn't quite understand all that was just said. He did catch the part about Draco getting a spanking well enough.

"Dad?" Harry whispers. When Sirius looks at him with the sternest look Harry ever remembers seeing he swallows once before bravely asking " Draco is going to get a bad spanking. Do you plan to do that to me too?"

"I'm not answering that right now. I need time to think this through and you need time to rest before we get into the punishment. You will be punished Harry. I'm sure you know that. Right now you need to clear your mind and rest." Sirius moves closer to the bed, puts his hand on Harry's eyes and closes them. "Sleep Harry, we'll have plenty of time to discuss all of this when you are better."

Returning to his quarters, Severus checks the time. Finding it now three o'clock and deciding classes should be over for Draco for the day, Severus calls for a house elf. When she appears, he says "Muffy, Please go get my Godson, Draco and return here with him."

"Yes sir, Professor Snape, Muffy will return."

Ten minutes later Muffy pops back in to the kitchen. "Professor Snape, Sir? Muffy can not locate young master Draco anywhere in the castle. No one seems to have seen him. Shall I continue to search?"

"No, thank you that won't be needed at this time."

Pondering over where Draco might be, Severus decides to check to see if the boy attended any classes today. "Minerva McGonagall's office" he says stepping into the floo.

Stepping out in front of a shocked Professor McGonagall he says "Excuse my rude entrance Minerva. I don't have time to request and receive permission to enter. I am looking for Malfoy. Did he attend your class today?"

"No, both he and Harry were absent. I have since learned Harry is ill and with his Father. Have you checked Draco's dorm? It could be he is also ill."

"Thank you, I was heading there next."

Walking quickly he reaches the Junior Slytherin's dorm.

"Professor Lupin? May I check young Draco Malfoy's room? He's gone missing and I need to find him." Severus asks stopping in at the Head of House quarters first. There are steps that must be heeded although he wishes to skip them and go directly to the boy's room.

"Is the child in some kind of trouble in Potions?" Remus asks seeing the brooding look on the other man's face.

"No this trouble is between Godfather and Godson not Professor/student. Draco apparently asked Harry to teach him Imperio! They never attempted it though thankfully! He's still got to answer to me about this behavior."

"Certainly, go right up, it's the first room at the left of the stairs."

Reaching the top of the stairs, Severus opens the door not bothering to knock first. He isn't all that surprised to find Draco curled up in bed asleep. Walking over to the bed, he carefully picks the child up. Quietly accioing extra clothes for the boy and then vanishing them to his own quarters, he walks out of the room. Heading downstairs to the floo network, Draco begins to wake up.

"Uncle Sev? Why are you carrying me?" Draco rouses enough to ask sleepily.

"We'll talk later, just rest for now."

Seeing Remus waiting at the bottom of the stairs, Severus tells him "I'm taking him with me. He won't be back to the dorm for a couple of days. He and I have some talking to do in private. If anyone asks about him, use your best judgment on what to tell them. If for some unknown reason, either of his parents happen to request to see him go ahead and tell them he's with me."

Waking up later that evening in his room at his Godfather's quarters, Draco begins to worry. If he's here then that means he is either very sick or in deep trouble. Deciding to go with the last option since he doesn't feel all that sick, he eases out of bed, tiptoes to the bedroom door and peers out.

"I see you are awake. Would you join me for tea?" Severus asks as he sees the boy in the doorway.

"Are you mad at me Uncle Sev?" Draco asks as he sits down on the couch.

"Should I be?"

"I don't come here overnight when it's not a holiday, unless I am sick or in trouble. I was wondering if I am In Trouble as I don't feel sick."

"Let's drink our tea and enjoy the sweets. After that we'll get ready for bed. It has been an emotionally tiring day for me. You and I have much to discuss tomorrow, Draco. For now we'll just have our tea."

Draco nods slowly not feeling at all reassured by his Uncle's response. Trying not to break down from the stress of the day he sips at his tea. All too soon Tea Time is over and bedtime is here.

"All right Draco, into bed with you. We have much to talk about tomorrow but for now it's time to sleep. I'll see you in the morning. Do you need something before I leave?"

"No Sir." Draco whispers wishing he had his small stuffed dragon he keeps under his pillow. His Uncle is one of the few people who know he has a toy to sleep with.

Reaching under the pillows, Severus pulls out the toy. "Here's Puff for you. I didn't leave him behind."

"Thank you Uncle Sev! I need him tonight."

"You're welcome Draco. See you in the morning."

Drifting off to sleep, Draco remembers how his Uncle used to pat him on the back and say "Sleep Well Dragon" on his other visits to his house or Quarters. "I guess he's pretty mad at me to not do that." He whispers as he feels his eyes closing again.

The next morning Draco opens his eyes to find himself not in his bed in the dorm room, but in his room at Uncle Sev's quarters. "So it wasn't a dream last night. I really did have tea down here. That means I was brought here. That means I'm in…. he knows!"

After several minutes of calming breaths, Draco decides to face his Uncle. Opening his bedroom door and walking out into the main room he finds Severus having toast and coffee at the coffee table.

"Good Morning, Draco. Would you like something to eat?"

"No Sir, I don't. I'm guessing you brought me here to talk to me about what we did in the Amusement Area. I'm really sorry, Uncle Sev! I didn't know what else to do! Please don't whip me! I did it for a reason." Draco rushes to get all of this said.

"Draco, take a breath and calm yourself! You're going to pass out if you don't! " Waiting several minutes for the boy to get his breathing under control, Severus thinks about how to approach the topic he wishes to discuss. He knows from previous experience that the best way with Draco is a straight to the point question. He knows Draco has been taught by his Father to immediately respond to direct questions.

Eying the child sitting in front of him and seeing the color back in his face, Severus decides to start the discussion. "Well Draco, you said you had a reason for your behavior. Everyone has a reason to do what they do. People don't just act without some reason. If you are thirsty, you get a drink. What I would like to know is what your reason was for asking Harry Potter to teach you to do an Imperio spell?"

Staring at his Uncle, wide eyed and open mouthed, Draco gasps "He told! He broke the oath!"

"Young man that is not an answer. Now give me an answer to the question!"

"I had to Sir. I had to try to learn it. We didn't do the spell. Harry said he needed to practice it some first. We were going to try it tonight. I heard Harry got sick so I won't be doing any practicing tonight."

"YOU would not be doing any practicing even if Harry was not sick, young man! Your days of casting spells and using magic without supervision came to an end as of last night! Your oath was broken by me not Harry. When I came into the Area where the two of you were, your secret was up. This is one reason Harry is sick. Another is it took too much of his magical ability to try to teach you the spells. He is worn out and needs days to rest to build up his core levels."

"Draco what were you thinking? You know better than most children your age, how dangerous the dark magic is! Why would you even ask someone to help you learn an unforgivable like Imperio? Give me a good reason this time or I will be taking my belt to your backside!"

"I didn't DO the spell! I just asked about it! You can't wallop me for that! That's unfair!" Draco snaps out angrily.

"You have until the count of five to answer my question. ONE….. TWO…. THREE….. Draco sees his Uncle remove his house robe as he reaches to unbuckle the belt.

"Father MADE ME! Please Uncle Sev! I didn't want to try it but he said I had to know it. I had to know that and expelliarmus and accio and be able to transfigure a plant into a knife. If I didn't know these things by the time I went home he would beat me again!"

"Draco, stop exaggerating as it isn't going to get you out of punishment. You know better than to lie to me." Severus says thinking the boy is just pulling his usual tricks to get out of consequences.

"How many times have you snuck out of your Dorm after curfew to work on these spells?"

"I don't know the number but it's been going on since Christmas break ended. That's when he told me I had until Easter to learn those four things and if I didn't know them he would get me. I could learn most of them by myself with practice but the two hardest ones I had to get Harry to help. Nobody else in the Junior Level knows those spells. We weren't trying to do wrong by breaking into the Amusement Area. We just needed a ….."

"place to hide?" Severus finishes for him.

"Yes Sir."

"You knew the Area was off limits after curfew. Everything is off limits after curfew! You also knew you were breaking into a forbidden place. Then when you heard someone coming you hid. Draco these are serious problems here. Being out after curfew and breaking into a room you knew was off limits are bad enough. Then we have the use of underage magic without permission plus trying to convince someone to teach you an unforgivable. Does this pretty much sum up your behavior?"

"Yes Sir."

"I have one other question. Draco, how did you and Harry manage to get around the security passcode system. I know the system would not have accepted any student's pass card at that time of night."

"Harry used the faculty code for his Dad. He said he found it in his Dad's office. I didn't have anything to do with it! Honest, Uncle Sev!"

I believe you but that does not excuse your other behavior. You broke many rules Draco. You know that don't you?"

"Uncle Sev, I'm sorry!"

"Young man, as I'm sure you knew you would, you have earned a trip over my lap! Come here."

"Not hard Uncle Sev! I'm really sorry! Please Not hard! I won't ever do it again, I promise!"

"We're doing this bare Draco. I need to make sure I am not too harsh. Accio paddle."

"NO! Not the paddle! Please Uncle Sev! PLEASE?"

"You are going to get twelve with my hand and the paddle so accept it. Now be still." Severus lifts his hand and smacks the boy on his bare bottom six times. Picking up the paddle he applies six smacks a little stronger than with his hand. Finished he allows Draco to stand and helps him fix his pants.

"Draco, I hope you learned something today. The lesson I'm trying to get across is: YOU make the decisions that have an effect on your life. You chose to disobey and put someone in danger because of it, therefore you were in control of your punishment. You knew what you were doing was wrong but did it anyway. When you deliberately disobey you receive harsher punishment."

"Yes Uncle Sev. I do understand. May I go to my room now?" Draco asks, tears streaming down his face as he tries to rub the sting out of his bum.

"Not yet, we still have to discuss the rest of your punishment. You are restricted here to my quarters for the rest of the school term. I will have your clothes and school materials moved tomorrow. You go to classes and eat meals during the school day with your friends, then come here to stay. You have just been grounded from the dorm young man! "

"You already walloped me with that stupid paddle and that should be enough! I shouldn't have to come here every day and not get to play any! That's just not being fair!" Draco ends in a shout.

Reaching over, taking the boy by his arm, Severus walks him to his room. Leading him inside he then delivers two hard smacks to the boy's backside. "You do not raise your voice to me or talk back! You either be respectful and do as you are told or we use that paddle on your backside again! I never said you were restricted from play for the term. You will be restricted to your room after classes for one week. After that you will be allowed visits with friends as I decide."

"Yessir. Uncle Sev?"

"Yes?"

"Are you going to write or firecall Father about this? PLEASE Sir, don't tell him. He'll punish me for not being Slytherin enough to pull off my plan. Then when he finds out I can't do the spell, he'll take the cane to me again! Will you teach me imperio? You know how to cast it!"

"DRACO LUCIUS!" Severus says incredulously, completely missing the boy's words about his father and focusing on the unforgivable spell.

"Sir?" Draco asks shrinking into his clothes and wishing he could shrink into the floor. His Uncle's eyes and tone are in the danger range.

"After just being soundly spanked for trying to get someone to teach you that spell, you turn around and ask for it to be taught again? Are you addled young man? Maybe I was wrong in thinking you don't need a whipping today! Maybe you do to get it across that you are forbidden to attempt the imperio spell!"

"No Sir, I'm not in need of a whipping, sir! I am just worried, sir. "

"So I have your word you will not ever use or attempt to learn imperio again?"

"Yes Sir you have my word."

"For your bum's sake, you had better remember this conversation! It will not matter to me how old you are if I ever hear of you trying to do an imperio. I will take my belt to you! You know I always do as I promise and this is a promise!"

"Yes Sir, I understand."

"Good, now undress and get in bed. You need more rest than you had last night. I don't want you getting sick on me as well. Harry is a sick young boy right now. I'll wake you for lunch later. "