All characters belong to their respective entities: JK Rowling, George R.R. Martin, HBO and anyone who owns the rights that aren't me. I'm not an expert on GOT mythology, that being said I will try and research cognizant points throughout lore but this story is not meant to be GOT canon, so please don't expect that going into this...it is just a plot bunny that wouldn't leave my mind so I decided to put it down. Hope you all enjoy it!
Traditions were strange things. There comes a time in every culture, society and individual where traditions are adopted at face value. We don't always remember why we practice them, or the significance of what they mean...but we embrace them as our own.
We believe in their value and the lessons they teach.
Traditions come from stories. Stories of the past. Of the people who lived them. Why they suffered, what they fought for and how they conquered.
But sometimes, stories are forgotten...or, perhaps not all of it is lost to the annals of History. Sometimes stories becomes myths...
Which become legend.
And while they are remembered, it is not with the same reverence that traditions are, but with the skepticism inherent when faced with the cold realities of the present and future.
It is hard to look to the past when you see no hope for the future.
Draco felt this keenly as he sat quietly on the train ride to Hogwarts, September First of his sixth year. He'd been branded into the service of the Dark Lord earlier that summer and as a consequence, had been given an impossible task to complete upon his return to school.
A task which would likely see him dead before his seventeenth birthday.
Draco looked up briefly as the Carrow twins walked past him on their way out the the Slytherin compartment. They nodded to him which he returned, before his attention was drawn back to the scenery passing by outside the train windows.
Then in a flash, the entire compartment was flooded with darkness as there were several students coughing and raised voices of shock yelling out.
Draco stood up in a panic, his voice clearly raised above the mumbles of his classmates as he demanded in an authoritative voice, "Who's there?"
Blaise had also stood, reiterating Draco's words as his dark eyes scanned through the dense mist.
There were a few more murmurs, cries and people shuffling as Pansy said placatingly, "Relax boys, it's probably just a first year messing around."
Draco looked around the compartment again as the darkness faded, clearly not convinced that this was a random occurrence, but Pansy's voice was cajoling as she pleaded, "Come on Draco, sit down—we'll be at Hogwarts soon."
He stared around the compartment one last time before he slowly took his spot across from Blaise and Pansy.
"Hogwarts," Draco scoffed shaking his head slightly, "what a pathetic excuse for a school. Think I'd pitch myself off the Astronomy Tower if I'd thought I'd have to continue for another two years."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Pansy leant forward asking on concern.
"Let's just say I don't think I'll be wasting my time with Charms class next year."
Blaise scoffed and Draco glared at his housemate.
"Amused, Blaise?" Draco drawled arrogantly, "We'll see just who's laughing in the end."
Draco sat back and tilted his head subtly towards the luggage rack, where a case moved ever so slightly and his gaze narrowed.
It was about an hour later the train pulled into Hogsmeade station and Draco watched his housemates grab their belongings to head towards the platform where Hagrid was waiting.
Pansy turned around next to Blaise, her expression questioning and Draco replied to the unasked query, "You two go on, I want to check something."
It was a few moments later that the Slytherin compartment emptied completely and Draco stood, reaching for his own bag from the luggage rack over his head and walked towards the compartment door...
Closing it completely and sending out a silent spell to close all the other windows simultaneously, so no one from outside could see what he was about to do.
With his back to the open compartment, Draco taunted angrily, "Didn't mummy ever tell you it was rude to eavesdrop, Potter...
He then turned and whipped out his wand in an instant, pointing it towards the same spot from earlier and yelling out, petrificas totalis!"
There was a thud, as a large object fell to the floor...it's mass protected from sight by an invisibility cloak.
Draco moved over and pulled down the offending item, and sneered hatefully, "Oh, yeah...she was dead before you could wipe the drool off your chin." He then slammed his foot down on Potter's face, instantly breaking his nose and before replacing the cloak back over the petrified body, he snarled, "that's for my Father! Enjoy your ride back to London."
Moving back towards the door, Draco grabbed his bag and opened the door, striding through it in righteous fury as he walked alone onto the platform and headed for the castle, but was stopped by an Auror patrol going through each student's items before they embarked onto the grounds.
That was where Severus found him.
"Draco."
The young wizard eyed his godfather with disdain. It was no secret that the Dark Lord favored Severus, now that his Father was rotting away in Azkaban. Logically Draco knew that it wasn't Snape's fault for the disaster at the Ministry but he also couldn't get over his anger at the fact that his Father was imprisoned and the Malfoy name tarnished.
Barely acknowledging his godfather, Draco went to leave when he noticed Potter and the Lovegood witch standing down the path.
At least he had a sense of perverse satisfaction that Potter's nose was dripping with blood, even if he'd been discovered before the train could leave.
It was about an hour later when Draco found himself sitting down to the Welcome Back Feast and he couldn't help but stare morosely into his meal as he picked at his food. He barely had much of an appetite these days.
He even noticed Potter coming into the Hall, his robes soaked in blood causing Draco to smirk as several people noticed the Boy Who Wouldn't Die and from the amused look Blaise sent his way...at least one person knew how Potter had gotten into the state he was currently in.
Then fucking Dumbledore had to stand up and give his usual pontificated welcome back speech.
The room quieted as the old wizard began to speak.
"Very best of evenings to you all. First off, let me introduce you to the newest member of our staff...Horace Slughorn."
There was a smattering of polite applause as Dumbledore pointed out the rotund man over his left shoulder, but most of the students just seemed confused.
"Professor Slughorn, I'm happy to say—has agreed to resume his old post as Potions Master. Meanwhile the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts will be taken by Professor Snape."
Slytherin House erupted in surprised glee, while Draco just sat there disinterested.
The other houses weren't too thrilled with the news either, as everyone stared at each other in shock.
But Dumbledore wasn't finished.
"As you know, each and every one of you was searched upon your arrival here tonight and you have the right to know why. Once—there was a young man, who like you...sat in this very hall, walked this castles corridors, slept under its roof and he seemed to all the world—a student like any other. His name? Tom Riddle."
Gasps and murmurs fell over the room as Dumbledore went on...
"Today of course, he's known all over the world by another name. Which is why as I stand looking out upon you all tonight, I'm reminded of a sobering fact—every day, every hour—this very minute perhaps; dark forces attempt to penetrate this castles walls. But we're not alone. As I look out at all your faces, I hold onto the simple fact that as powerful as those dark forces may seem to be—there is hope in the unlikeliest of places. One of the foundational truths of our very magic lies in the past. Before the time of Merlin and Morgana and Hogwarts itself, the most powerful of all magic users hid themselves away to preserve and protect against those who would seek them out—their secrets...their magic."
Everyone stared at each other, as the looks of confusion deepened and it was clear that the majority of the students there—except a select few, who had heard the stories of the great Houses of old—knew of what the Headmaster spoke.
"Tomorrow morning, after breakfast you will all gather out into the courtyard as we greet a most welcome and noble guest to our school. A powerful ally, who's magic is greater than all those who've come before."
Everyone stared at the Headmaster as if he'd lost his mind, but Blaise just lifted an eyebrow at Draco who shook his head subtly.
There was absolutely no fucking way that what Dumbledore was hinting at was true.
No fucking way!