There was a light tapping at his study window causing Lucius to look up expectantly and then in surprise when he saw his Son's owl waiting patiently to drop off its letter.

Lucius let the bird in and took the scroll, and then sat down at his desk while Draco's owl ate a treat from the perch by the window—clearly expecting a response of some kind.

Dear Father,

I am sorry to bother you but something has come to my attention and I find myself in need of your advice.

Last evening Theo left our common room after curfew and didn't return for some time. He admitted that it had something to do with Hermione Prewett but didn't offer any details.

This morning I ran into Miss Prewett and Potter at Madam Hooch's office. I witnessed Potter going into some kind of trance and I noticed Theo do the same thing the night prior before he left the common room in a hurry.

I've come to the conclusion that Miss Prewett is a telepath. I believe that somehow, she is able to communicate mentally without the need of a spell. She has been wandless since the Ministry battle and appears to be developing powers unheard of since perhaps the time of Merlin and Morgana.

Theo seemed worried last night and if I had to speculate as to the why—I tend to believe her magic is becoming unstable. She turns seventeen in three weeks and I don't have to tell you what that could mean.

I believe the Pucey's know this too.

You mentioned you weren't privy to the circumstances surrounding her powers manifesting and it has left me wondering if she was somehow cursed and then died...allowing her glamour to be broken and her powers manifesting. If her glamours didn't break at the moment of death...that would be simply unheard of. And if I'm right...I'm thinking her glamours dropped when her powers manifested in full sometime after, leading me to believe she has much more power and control over her magic than even Merlin himself.

Her parents are letting the magic choose for her. They either knew who her potential bonded was via a Prophecy, or they simply didn't have enough information to stipulate a betrothal in their wills.

I tend to think it is the former.

And if I'm right then Dumbledore knows who that person is.

And I think we both can guess why he let you retain that information and why he let you go.

Please confer. I feel as if I'm losing my mind. This is all I've been able to think about for months and I can't help but wonder if this is wishful thinking on my part or not.

Your Son,

Draco

Lucius read the letter several more times and at the last pass, he smiled widely.

His son was very clever. Everything made so much more sense now.

This was why Dumbledore had let him go. The old coot knew whom the Prewett Heiress mate was and since he couldn't change fate, he bound the Head of Miss Prewett's mate's House into an unbreakable bond to protect the witch. To put her first and make sure she wasn't to come to any harm.

Ingenious.

If he had been sent to Azkaban with Draco being underage—it would have caused many issues—the least of which was that his son wouldn't have been able to make any kind of complete vow or magical bond and House Malfoy would've been left vulnerable. Draco's magic not being fully developed yet, and the Malfoy House Magic left compromised, would have had serious repercussions for the stability of Miss Prewett's magic. She may have attempted to manifest early—only to force an incomplete bond.

She would've been susceptible to bond sickness if her powers had become unstable to the degree that her magical core would've been affected...as would have Draco's. His son would in all likelihood, have perished due to the inequality of such a bond forming before his magic was ready to accept it.

Lucius shuddered to think of what the consequences of such a travesty might've been.

He stared at the parchment for an interminable amount of time so he didn't notice his wife coming into his study.

"Luc?"

Silver eyes met his wife's blue-grey as he swallowed and silently handed her the letter from their son. He watched closely as she read the missive, her features a stoic mask until she lifted her eyes and caught his again.

There was understanding there. A tinge of smugness but mostly relief.

"This is why he spared you?"

Lucius nodded. "I believe so."

"We can't tell anyone Luc. Draco needs to keep this to himself. If this is true, and any of the other families get a whiff of this? They could try and have our son killed."

Lucius face paled as that thought hadn't even registered with him.

He pulled out a piece of parchment and sent off a quick note to his son, and then he took the letter from his wife and threw it into the fireplace and cast an incendio.

His clever wife was right. There was no way anyone could suspect the truth.

He would have to make some kind of talisman for his son. Something to protect him from harm.

Back at Hogwarts Draco waited for his Father's owl as he sat at the Slytherin table and picked at his food. Both Theo and Blaise were giving him looks of concern but Draco couldn't help it. He needed to know if what he was thinking had merit and something told him to keep this to himself.

He wasn't stupid. He knew what might happen to him if anyone suspected the truth.

It was a few minutes later that the Hall was besieged by owls and his gaze leveled on the Gryffindor table as he noticed Pucey's owl dropping off a letter for Prewett. He shook his head and took a bite of his porridge...not needing to see her happy smile or know how disappointed she would be if she knew that her likely bonded was him.

As he was finishing up, his owl returned and dropped off a small scroll. Taking it, he stood and grabbed his book bag telling Blaise and Theo he'd see them both in potions.

When he found a private spot, Draco cast a notice me not charm and a silencing spell before opening his Father's letter.

Once again, it was brief and to the point.

My Son,

Again you impress me with your astute deductions.

Keep this to yourself.

I will be sending you a gift shortly for your protection.

Your Father

Draco took the note and cast an incendio, burning the letter to ash.

He needed to talk to his godfather and get working on perfecting his Occlumency.

As he made his way to potions, Draco couldn't help but wonder how Pucey would take it when he realized that Hermione Prewett wasn't meant to be his.

Draco couldn't help but think his friend wouldn't be taking it well at all.

He knew he wouldn't, if it had been him.