Chapter Three: The Wise and The Stupid

There are several dialogue quotes taken from JK Rowling's Sorcerer's Stone in this book. This is to convey the same story she wrote, but from another character's POV. The quotes taken directly from the book have three quotation marks (instead of two) around them to signify she wrote them and that I am citing them. Because I am transforming pieces of her work into something new this falls under the Fair Use Act. Additionally, JK Rowling has stated that she is okay with noncommercial fan fiction. All direct quotes, the Harry Potter storyline, and the characters all belong to JK Rowling.

Draco and his mother returned to the manor that evening content with their day. Draco spent a few hours folding up his clothes, gathering his books, and neatly packing everything into his trunk even though he still had a whole month until the start of school. Of course, Draco needn't worry about packing his own trunk. His family had several house elves. However, Draco found it calming, and didn't like the idea of others going through his stuff.

Draco heard a crash from downstairs followed by screaming. "You stupid, useless, idiot!" He heard his father yelling. "Many apologies Master," he heard another voice cry, "Dobby will shut his hands in the door as punishment for his clumsiness." Draco rolled his eyes and laid down on his bed. Even though he would never admit it, he felt a little bad for Dobby, one of his family's many house elves. Dobby was an idiot and a clutz, but Draco didn't like to see him in pain.

When Draco was really little Dobby used to play games with him and keep him company. Lucius was always busy meeting with men who scared Draco, and he would lock himself in his room refusing to come down even for dinner.

One day Lucius tried to force Draco to come down and meet his friends, but Draco refused and hid from his father. Dobby found Draco crying, hidden in one of the bottom cupboard doors of an old china cabinet in his room. Dobby felt sorry for Draco and snuck up some food for him. This soon became a common occurrence where Dobby would bring up food for Draco and spend time with him.

Draco saw Dobby as a friend and as a guardian. However, when his father heard of this, Dobby was punished far worse than anything Draco had ever seen. House elves are unable to disobey direct orders from their master, and Lucius had made Dobby hit himself so many times that he broke his own leg and was not allowed to mend it. Dobby had to walk on a broken leg until it healed on its own.

Draco on the other hand was punished for an entire week. He was forced to sleep on the kitchen floor for a week with no pillows or blanket to keep him warm. He was fed scraps from his family's table, and worst of all he was completely ignored, practically exiled by his family. Lucius had screamed at him that if he wanted to act like a house elf, and fraternize with the house elves, he could live like one too. After that his father gave him the silent treatment, and his mother followed suit although Draco could see the pain behind her eyes.

After such events Dobby and the other house elves kept a big distance between them and Draco. They spoke to him in few words only when absolutely necessary, and only came near him to do their job. Draco could not blame the elves for being scared of him, and he couldn't blame his father for wanting the best for him, so Draco blamed himself. Draco spent nights agonizing over the pain he caused Dobby, agonizing over the shame he caused his mother and father to be seen playing with a house elf, agonizing over the uncontrollable fear and anxiety that constantly lived inside of him. Draco spent many nights crying into his pillow, shaking, clenching onto his bedsheets to ground him. He desperately wished that life was less complicated.

Draco heard a small knock at his door snapping him out of his thoughts and memories. "Come in," he said and a small female house elf came in. Avoiding eye contact she spoke, "your father requests presence in the dining room." Draco nodded, but the house elf turned to leave without waiting for an acknowledgment from Draco.

Draco made his way down the grand stair case and to the dining room door. To his surprise, his mother and father were not the only people sitting at the dining room table. Several men dressed in dark robes and two young boys who looked to be Draco's age turned to look at Draco. "I'm sorry father," Draco started. "I should have knocked, I didn't realize you were having a meeting."

"Nonsense," Lucius replied. "come sit down with us." Draco felt his heart sink as he sat down in a large black chair lined with dark green cushions. His father's friends and business partners always made him feel a bit uneasy. "This is Severus Snape." Lucius began. "He is the potions teacher and the head of the Slytherin House at Hogwarts. You will be seeing him quite often."

Draco smiled nervously and said "It is an pleasure to meet you sir. I hope to be sorted into your-."

"He WILL be sorted into your house along with Crabbe and Goyle." Lucius cut in. "Draco, this is Gregory Goyle, and Vincint Crabbe. They are going to be first years this year too. Their fathers and I are very good friends and we thought it beneficial for you all to meet as I am sure you will make great friends."

Draco's heart sunk even further into his chest. He had been looking forward to choosing his own friends at Hogwarts. He thought that if he had been able to make some worthy friends on his own, his father might be very proud of him. He looked at his mother and calmed down a little at the sight of her reassuring smile. "Great to meet you guys too," he said with a smirk. "I am sure Hogwarts will be even better now that I know who I am permitted to hang out with."

Lucius glared at Draco, and Narcissa rolled her eyes and gave Draco a pleading look. Luckily, neither of the two young boys nor their fathers had gotten the sarcasm in Draco's voice. The boys gave him a smile, and Draco decided that they must be the stupidest people to ever attend Hogwarts.

Professor Snape on the other hand had caught wind of Draco's comment, but smirked in appreciation. "It's nice to meet you Draco," Snape said in a slow, drawling voice. "I believe that you will find a number of dignified witches and wizards to spend time with in Slytherin house."

"Draco has quite a good mind, and an affinity for learning." Narcissa cut in, "He just needs a mentor, someone to guide him on the way to greatness. I was hoping you might take him under your wing."

"Those who have respect for the fine art of potion making are more than welcome to seek extra work with me." Snape said in his low stern voice.

Narcissa smiled and nodded towards Draco. She knew him well, and he already liked Snape from what he had seen so far. He seemed wise and not overbearing. Draco truly did love learning and wanted nothing more than to achieve greatness, but with the eyes of his peers on him, he let out a small snigger along with young Crabbe and Goyle. However, Snape caught Draco's eye in a way he did not bother to with the other two boys.

"It's good that you boys have each other" Narcissa spoke again. "You may find that lesser wizards are jealous and cruel. Slytherins are often disliked among the other houses, because they aren't good enough to get in, isn't that right Severus?" Narcissa asked with a worried look on her face.

"Not all Hogwarts students appreciate a long blood line, or students who take their potential seriously," replied Snape.

"Which is why we considered sending the boys to Dumstrang" said Lucius gesturing to Crabbe and Goyle senior. "Dumstrang's headmaster is a close personal friend of mine, and he is no muggle loving fool-"

"But we agreed that Bulgaria was too far away to send Draco." Narcissa interrupted. "And I reminded Lucius and several of the other parents that it would be a shame not to study under you, Severus."

"How kind of you Narcissa." Snape said with an unreadable face. Draco decided that he liked that about Professor Snape. He kept his cards close to his chest never really showing what he was thinking.

"Yes well," spoke Lucius. "I'm sure the boys are aching to go outside. Why don't you show our young guests the grounds, Draco."

"There's nothing to do" Draco complained glumly as the three of them made their way to the gardens, away from their parents.

"We can try out some magic," Crabbe offered, pulling out his wand.

"And risk being expelled before we even get to Hogwarts? Please," Draco sneered, rolling his eyes. "tell me you're not that thick."

"The rules don't count till you start school. My cousin spent all summer jinxing the neighborhood kids before his first year. Unless of course you're too scared" Crabbe sniggered and looked at Goyle who was smirking.

"Scared?" Draco scoffed. He knew that the two boys standing in front of him were dumber than him, but broad and destructive. They needed a leader, and Draco had one opportunity to impress them into following him. He pulled his wand from his pocket and shouted the first spell that he could think of, one he had read about, but never thought to try, "Flipendo!"and with that, Crabbe was knocked back about ten feet.

Goyle raised his wand to jinx Draco, but Draco was faster and shouted his second ever spell "Expelliarmus!" And with that Goyle's wand was knocked out of his hand, flying several feet away.

Draco stood in amazement for a moment. He had never intentionally done any magic before and had not really expected to succeed at his first attempt. Crabbe sat up slowly rubbing his head and looking impressed. "First time, eh?" Goyle asked.

"Excellence runs in my family," Draco responded with a smirk. "I don't really need the outside practice unlike you two warts."

Crabbe and Goyle looked at each other for a moment. "Alright," Crabbe spoke. "Friends for real then?" he asked, holding out his hand.

"I guess you lot are good enough" Draco smirked, grabbing Crabbe's hand to shake.

"See you on the train then" said Goyle and the two boys ran to join their fathers who were motioning them over as they walked to the front gate. Snape who was with them, turned to give Draco a last look before following the group out. For a moment Draco, even thought he may have seen part of a small smile on Snape's face, but decided it must have been his imagination.

Draco sighed a breath of fresh air lounged around outside until his mother called him in.