Life Is As Sweet As A Cinnamon Bun
Prologue
This prologue depicts the change from Draco being a spoilt brat to a heartless monster. It starts right after N.4 and ends a few hours before Liasaacb starts. Everything goes into chronological order.
No-one was at the station.
The witch that sold sweets had found our bodies lying sprawled on the floor, covered in hex-marks - it was fortunate she knew a good deal of healing magic, or I would have been forced to walk through the station looking like mouldy porridge was on my face.
But as I walked out of the train, I saw other parents, leaving with their children, Crabbe and Goyle went too. But father was not here, nor my mother, not even a house-elf.
He was most likely busy, ever since Voldemort had re-appeared.
Suddenly, my father Apparated on the platform a few feet away from me. He looked in a hurry.
"Where were you? I looked dead stupid, all alone like-"
"Just shut it, will you?" Father nearly yelled. "I'm very busy, so don't start acting like a brat!"
I went dumb. Father had never spoken to me like that. What was wrong? He grasped my arm and suitcase roughly, then he Apparated right back at the manor.
"We'll be eating in an hour, and make yourself smart. We have guests." Then he quickly gave his coat to a house-elf, and marched down into the Baserooms.
I was too stunned and confused to give an answer. Father had never, ever acted like this towards me.
I went to the living room, my mother was resting, reading some magazine, about villas in southern France. What did she want to read that for?
"What on Earth is wrong with Father? He was late, and when he finally came to the station, he just Apparated me back to the manor!" I complained indignantly. My mother looked up from her book, frowning, and simply said,
"Your father's been extremely busy."
"Well at least he could find some time to come properly at the station, and be a little less rough!"
"He's under a lot of stress. And go change clothes, the McNairs are coming in an hour. I'm going to get ready myself."
She put the book down and calmly marched up the stairs, as if nothing was wrong. I was beyond indignation. I was furious. How dare my parents treat me like this!
My father strode across the living room at that moment.
"Go and get changed!" he barked.
I didn't dare reply.
*
"You've been learning your magic properly. But what's the use of that, if your body isn't in condition?"
"I've got my wand…"
"You need strength behind your spells. Physical strength. See that painted red rock, up the cliff?"
"Yes."
"Go and get it."
I stared up, the rock was fifty feet up the steep, rocky, slippery cliff.
"And no wand," my father ordered.
I started climbing.
*
I was struggling under the weigh of the books. Damn professors giving us as much homework as they could, of course. Crabbe and Goyle exchanging primitive grunts behind me. No doubt they had a significance to them.
WHACK!
I walked right into someone. Books tumbled everywhere. I tripped and fell on the floor, face down. I looked up, slightly dazed.
"Watch where you're going, mudblood!" I snarled. Granger wore her usual expression, lip curled in disdain, nostrils slightly flared, eyes flashing with anger. Her eyes strayed to my back neck, and widened in shock. What was she?… My collar must have gone undone. Furious, I got up and pulled it back in place, hiding the scar that ran from my back neck to my left shoulder blade.
I searched her stare. There was confusion, puzzlement. I gave her back a cold, glacial stare, silently demanding her if she wanted to ask any questions? She looked away. No? Good, mine your business.
"Yeah, that's it, scam off," I said as she rushed away, attempting to keep her pile of books from falling again. Later in Potions, I saw her quietly whispering to Potter and Weasley, and they were looking in my direction. I felt uncomfortable, but didn't show it.
*
I woke up in my bed, hot and sweaty. Crabbe snoring on my left. I rushed to the window, and opened it wide, breathing in the fresh air. I so wanted to be free, to fly out of the window and never come back…
I knew I was going through one of the worst parts of my life. I'd always had what I wanted, always been happy. But now it was the painful stage. Training for the Dark Arts would have been okay, it wouldn't have been so bad, but the way Father taught it, it was much, much harder. It felt as though he was eradicating my free will. I was craving friendship, care, and love. Sounds pathetic, doesn't it? But I truly wanted those things, those that I could have easily gotten, if I hadn't been such a spoilt brat. Now, of course, I realized it. But my pride held me back.
*
"Draco, I want you to read all of those books by the end of this week."
My father dropped a huge stack of books in front of me.
"Books on transfiguration?" I wondered aloud.
"Yes, read them all, and then we'll get on to practical work."
*
Hermione thought Malfoy had been extremely strange. The first sign had been that huge scar, on the back of his neck. She hadn't seen it clearly, but it didn't really look like a curse scar. His attitude was also changing strangely - he was much more quick to anger, irritable, as if searching to let out his anger on some innocent bystander.
Most probably this was due to Voldemort's return - maybe he was training for the Dark Arts… But he'd always boasted about his family, he'd be proud to do such horrid things. She sighed and dropped the matter - Malfoy's problems were of no concern to her, anyway.
*
Things were getting much more easier, straightforward.
I was starting to thoroughly enjoy the power just at the tip of my wand. I was strong, I felt it, and I loved it. I relished my power.
Now I understood the purpose of those two years' intense training. The results were truly satisfying.
But what I had not grasped yet, was that all this power would not be for me.
*
"Draco, you've been following my instructions fairly well. You've become strong, to serve the Master. But there are a few more things that you must learn, in order to be able to serve him properly."
"The Unforgivable curses?"
"Yes. First, you can start with the Cruciatus curse."
He took out a small lizard from a jar, and placed it on the table. It lay there, quivering.
"The spell is 'crucio'. You must contract your mind, tighten your nerves, and direct all the compactness through your arm, into your wand, and at your victim. Try it."
I did as Father had described, pronounced "Crucio!" and suddenly the lizard on the table started writhing and uttering small, raucous whines of pain. It kept rolling, twisting itself on the table, eyes popping, mouth wide open. The sight was almost comical.
"You can stop it now," said Father. I stopped concentrating, and the lizard went still, panting, trembling all over.
"All right, it seems you've got that one down easily. Now let's try the killing curse, I'd told you the words before."
"Avada Kedavra?"
"Exactly…"
*
"Draco, can I talk to you for a sec?" asked Pansy. I nodded, and told Crabbe and Goyle to go pig out somewhere. I followed her to an empty corridor, slightly puzzled.
"Well, it's like… You know we've been friends, for a long time, and I'd like to go, you know, a little further."
She took in a deep breath, then let out,
"The thing is… Um, will you go out with me?"
I laughed inside. I had no desire to go out with that little pug whatsoever, but what was tempting, she was offering me her trust. And she was obviously head over heels with me - I could hurt her easily, and take so much pleasure out of it, I could render her mad about it. Extremely tempting.
I took her hands softly, looked into her eyes, and smiled sweetly.
"I'm glad you took the first step, Pansy. The thing is, I often wanted to ask you that. But I guess I always chickened out."
At that moment I wanted to say, "No you little bitch." But that would only give me a short moment of pleasure, I'd play the game for longer than that.
I approached my face to hers.
"I'd be mad not to say yes."
She smiled euphorically, trusting me, loving me.
How sweet.
*
"Malfoy, Draco!"
I stepped into the office, and sat down in a chair. Sitting behind the desk in front of me was Dumbledore, and the heads of house. Harvey had been the new head of Slytherin house, ever since Snape had given his resignation. No-one knew where he was now.
"Draco Malfoy, along your seven years of study at Hogwarts you have been a very successful pupil. Your marks have always been at or above average, you have had few complaints about homework not being given in on time.
You've brilliantly passed your three basic NEWT's, in Transfiguration, Potions, and Charms. You also did very well in the two of the other NEWT's, in Defence Against the Dark Arts, and Broom Flying. However," said Dumbledore, "You have not passed you Care of Magical Creatures exam. You were quite under the average, I'm afraid. Nevertheless, your other exams permit you to pass graduation, and I compliment you on your achievements."
I shook Dumbledore's hand, then Harvey's.
"You know the procedures, Mr. Malfoy, there will be a presentation ceremony on the Leaving Feast. Please make sure you look smart."
I left as Dumbledore called "Meander, Samantha!"
That's it! Some parts are very mystified, others clear. Some details seem more important than they seem and I'll be using them in Liasaacb.
I wanted to write this "prologue" for this reason, but also to follow Draco's changes through the three-year gap, from the end of N.4 to where Liasaacb starts, a few hours after the last scene.