A/N: Two days in a row?! Yay for neglecting my other responsibilities! Please review! Thank you all for reading 3
Chapter 41: The Assignment
The bell above the door tinkled as Draco entered the Aldea News's office on a crisp August morning.
"Good Morning, David!" John, the editor, greeted Draco.
"Morning," Draco replied with a smile.
"How are the photos for tonight's edition coming along?"
Draco grinned and pulled a folder and slid it over the desk to John.
John raised an eyebrow. "Will I approve of these?"
Draco chuckled. "I hope so." He then headed over to his desk and dropped his bag down by his chair. He swiveled in his chair to face John, who was thumbing through the photos of the new bookstore that had opened up the previous week. "So, what do you think?"
"Nice work," John responded. He turned to Draco. "You ready for your next assignment?"
"Yes, sir."
John rested his elbows on top of the divider between Draco's desk and his. "So, I assume you've heard about the situation in England?"
Draco's heartbeat quickened. "Sorry?"
"You know," John said, almost offhandedly. "The thing with that crazy guy who had no nose who hated No-Majs and 'Muggleborns'?"
"Er, yeah," Draco said tentatively.
"Well, we were hoping to run a story about how that whole situation is panning out after that crazy battle at that crazy school. And since you're British, we were hoping to send you over there to take some pictures and interview some people. Sound good?"
Draco's heart dropped to his stomach. "Well, I haven't really been to England in quite a while..." An idea came to him. "And I didn't go to Hogwarts- that's the school it was, I think- so I don't know where it is..."
John looked confused. "But aren't you from the UK? Where did you go to school?"
"Beauxbatons," Draco replied quickly. "My parents had a house in France. They wanted me to stay away from Hogwarts."
"You speak French?" John asked, growing skeptical. Draco discreetly pulled down the left sleeve of his shirt, panic rising in his voice.
"Yes, I do," Draco replied. "I met Dominique at Beauxbatons."
John raised an eyebrow. "You don't want to visit England?"
Draco immediately thought of his mother. The gears in his mind began turning. If he went back to England, he might be able to visit his mother, now that she was free. And with his American alias and some Transfiguration, he just might be able to stay under the radar for some time...
With a sigh, Draco asked, "Are you sure there's no one else who can go?"
"Yup," John replied matter-of-factly.
"Alright," Draco said, defeated. "I'll have to check with Dominique first, though."
"Atta boy," John said, clapping Draco on the shoulder. "Now, get to work on that layout!"
That night, nursing a glass of firewhiskey, Draco sat on the couch with Dominique, his heart heavy.
"Are you sure you're okay with going back?" Dominique asked him. "Is it safe?"
"I don't know..." Draco responded with total honesty. He was so scared. But he was also just a little bit excited to go back. To see his mother.
Dominique bit her lip. "Well, I suppose as long as you're safe..."
Draco turned to face her. "I'm scared."
"I know," Dominique said. "I would be too."
"So what should I do?"
Dominique thought for a moment. "Is there any reason that you really want to go?"
Draco was silent for a moment, then breathed in, "My mother."
"Ah," said Dominique. She sighed. "That's really difficult."
"And I don't know who I'll see there, if I'll see my father, if he lets me see my mother, I don't know where she is even..." Draco let out a huge sigh. "I don't know if it's worth it."
"Is there any way you could contact your mother?"
Draco shook his head. "Owls can be tracked, Floo is monitored, and she doesn't get Muggle post... But if I don't go now, I don't know if I'll ever find her."
Dominique gave Draco a knowing look.
A week later, Draco Malfoy, also known as David Matthew, right then known as Oliver Johnson, shot out of the fireplace at the Daily Prophet's office in Diagon Alley. It was exactly three months after the Battle of Hogwarts.
A/N: A review right now would be nice!