Points of Authority

Author's Note: 'Ello 'Ello! I hope you enjoy this chapter! Oh, and please review! I never send chapters out of I don't get over five reviews. Thanks!

[Note: Read the PROLOGUE if you want to understand what is going on!]

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Outside

It's hard to explain
Inherently, it's just always been strange
Neither here nor there
Always somewhat out of place everywhere
Ambiguous
Without a sense of belonging to touch
Somewhere halfway
Feeling there's no one completely the same

Standing alone
Eager to just believe
It's good enough to be what you really are
But in your heart
Uncertainty forever lies
And you'll always be
Somewhere on the outside

Early on you face the realization
You don't have a space
Where you fit in
And recognize you were born to exist

Standing alone
Eager to just believe
It's good enough to be what you really are
But in your heart
Uncertainty forever lies
And you'll always be
Somewhere on the outside

And it's hard
And it's hard
And it's hard

Irreversibly
Falling in between
And it's hard
And it's hard
To be understood
As you are
As you are

Oh, and God knows
That you're standing on your own
Blind and unguided
Into a world divided
You're thrown
Where you're never quite the same
Although you try
Try and try
To tell yourself you really are
But in your heart
Uncertainty forever lies
And you'll always be
Somewhere on the outside
You'll always be
Somewhere on the outside

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Chapter One: Points Of Authority

Forfeit the game
Before somebody else
Takes you out of the frame
And puts your name to shame
Cover up your face
You can't run the race
The pace is too fast
You just won't last

You love the way I look at you
While taking pleasure in the awful things you put me through
You take away if I give in
My life, my pride is broken

You like to think you're never wrong
You live what you've learned
You have to act like you're someone
You live what you've learned
You want someone to hurt like you
You live what you've learned
You want to share what you've been through
You live what you've learned

You love the things I say I'll do
The way I'll hurt myself again just to get back at you
You take away when I give in
My life, my pride is broken

Forfeit the game
Before somebody else
Takes you out of the frame
And puts your name to shame
Cover up your face
You can't run the race
The pace is too fast
You just won't last
You just won't last

Forfeit the game
Before somebody else
Takes you out of the frame
And puts your name to shame
Cover up your face
You can't run the race
The pace is too fast
You just won't last

"Y

oung Master Malfoy! Sir! Please, it's time to wake up!" a shaky voice announced. Draco squinted one eye open and saw the house elf, shaking with fear, calling Draco to wake.

"Father sent you?" Draco asked drowsily.

"No, sir, Master is out already." The house elf stuttered.

"Damn. I had to ask him about the latest assignment he gave me." Draco buried his face in his pillow. "Did he leave me anything?"

"Yes, sir, Master left you a stack of work." The house elf sounded extremely uncomfortable.

"Ugh." Draco grunted weakly into his pillow. "You are dismissed." Draco said. The house elf trotted quickly away. Draco sighed and turned over. He was being terribly overworked, and it was only his first day of summer vacation. Draco already missed the Hogwarts halls where he was feared and respected. Here he was to be seen and not heard, and sometimes he wasn't even supposed to be seen.

Draco slowly put his feet out from under the heavy blankets and onto the floor. A chill ran up his back. The stones were freezing, and Draco felt like he had just stepped onto ice. The entire Malfoy Manor was always freezing, no matter how hot it was outside. The stones seemed to seep cold air, and Draco always wore heavy black robes to keep warm.

Draco quickly changed into his robes and straightened up his vanity. He put the parchment into a stack and put the quills into the ink well. He then went out into the hallway, following the familiar path to the Great Hall.

"Get me breakfast." Draco ordered a house elf. The house elf turned away from the vase of flowers it was attending to and bowed, then stumbled away to the kitchen. Draco sighed. At least some people here listened to him.

***

Draco-

Read Decoding Ancient Runes and History of the Runes. I will expect you to be able to turn in a fifty-page essay on Morte DeVitalizar and his study and decoding of the Ancient Runes. I also want you to write a ten-page essay on the Vampire Crisis in Norway. There is a pack of Daily Prophet clippings for you to read about the Vampire Crisis. Include how you propose to solve the Crisis and what you feel the Norwegian Magical Government is doing wrong. After you're done, I want you to pick one article from the Daily Prophet and write a five-page essay and summarization of it.

If you haven't completed all of this by the time I get home, there will be consequences.

-Lucius

Draco scowled at the note Lucius had left him. "There will be consequences!" Draco mocked, making a face. He picked up Decoding Ancient Runes and began to read.

***

Draco finished his work with lots of extra time to spare. He knew that he had about seven hours before Lucius got home from his job at the Ministry. Draco grabbed his broom. Might as well go to Hogsmeade, Draco thought, and get away from here for a while.

Draco took his broom downstairs. "Tell Mother that I went to research Runes at the Prophet Library." Draco ordered a house elf. The house elf promptly scurried off towards the gardens, where Narcissa was working.

Draco went out the front door and kicked off. He soared high up into the clouds. He liked flying. He felt like he was leaving Lucius, Voldemort, and all his other problems down on the ground. It was a much-needed escape for Draco.

He landed gracefully in Hogsmeade. He had been to Hogsmeade so many times that he knew the place as well as he knew the back of his hand. Draco went down one of the gravel streets, looking thoughtfully at the buildings. He figured he'd go into the Three Broomsticks first, and then work his way down to the Quidditch shop.

Draco went into the cozy pub. He sat down at a booth by himself. He was hoping no one would come by who worked at the Ministry. Lucius wouldn't be happy if he found out. He would much rather see Draco studying his Dark Arts then "mingle with common scum," as Lucius would say.

"Can I help you, sir?" a fat wench asked Draco.

"Yeah… I'll have a Butterbeer, please." Draco said.

"Coming right up, sir." The wench said, wobbling off.

Draco sat with his face towards the table, hoping his silver hair would cover his face well enough that no one would notice him.

The wench came back with Draco's Butterbeer very quickly. He sipped it tiredly. He didn't want to go back home to the Manor, but he new Lucius would find him anyway. Draco looked around. Half the people in the pub were probably spies for Lucius. Draco smirked and returned to his Butterbeer.

Of course half the pub weren't spies for Lucius. But the truth was that no matter where Draco went, Lucius would find out. Lucius would probably find out that Draco had been to The Three Broomsticks, too. There was no escaping Lucius. He knew every move Draco made and every word he said. And that's the way it had always been.

"Draco Malfoy, is that you?" Draco heard an aristocratic voice ask. He looked up to see one person he really could have done without seeing that day.

"Oh, hello Professor…" Draco said unsurely as Hogwarts professor Severus Snape slid into the booth across from Draco.

"How has your summer vacation been so far?" Snape asked.

"It's been… good." Draco lied.

"That's nice to hear." Snape smiled. "How's Lucius? Narcissa?"

Like you care, Draco thought. He knew that Snape was aware of the fact that Lucius hated him ever since he turned away from the Death Eaters. But Snape had always shone a certain interest in Narcissa. "Father is fine, and so is Mother." Draco said.

"That's good. Oh, I have the most exciting news!" Snape said.

Wow, maybe he discovered the shower, Draco thought. "Hmm?"

"Well I got a order approved for 500 dozen Pilatous Pintouferous, which is a strong herbal liquid that strengthens potions! Your class will be able to use it next year." Snape said happily.

What a loser. He has no one to hang out with so he hangs out with one of his students, Draco thought. "Ooo, that's delightful." Draco said tonelessly.

"It is, isn't it? I'm thrilled about it. It's very hard to get." Snape smiled.

Loser, loser, loser… Draco thought as Snape carried on. Draco let his mind drift off.

"Who do you respect above all other living and non-living things? Who do you bow before? Who do you die for?"

"Voldemort…"

"Who is the all ruling Master, who you will never turn you back from?"

"Voldemort…"

"Who will you obey no matter what the cost?"

"Voldemort…"

"Who's call will you answer when he is in need?"

"Voldemort…"

"Who is the one you were born to serve and will die serving?"

"Voldemort…"

"What is your name?"

"Draco Malfoy."

"Who do you serve?"

"Voldemort."

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I'm not enough… I'll never be enough for Father. I will never amount to anything, and I will bring shame to the Malfoy Family line. I will be the one who ruins everything. If I don't be careful, I'll even ruin it for all the Death Eaters. I'll stunt the growth of the Dark Side with my inanity…

"Draco?" Snape said. This snapped Draco back into reality. He had been thinking about his Death Eater vows and his worries while Snape went on about Pilatous Pintouferous. Draco had completely lost track of time. He looked at his silver Muggle watch that he wore every day but hid from Lucius. It was 6:15 PM; over two hours after Lucius had gotten home from work. Draco choked a little. Lucius would not be happy at all.

"Oh… Professor, I have to go. See you around." Draco said, running out the door and kicking off into the sky on his broomstick.

***

"DRACO!!!!! WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?!?" Lucius boomed the second Draco walked in the front door.

"I was at the Prophet Libraries…" Draco lied.

"HOW DARE YOU LIE TO ME? YOU THINK I DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU'VE BEEN? I KNOW EVERYTHING YOU DO! TELL ME THE TRUTH!" Lucius demanded.

"I was at The Three Broomsticks…" Draco said.

"FOR NINE HOURS?" Lucius screeched.

"…I was talking to someone." Draco said quietly. He didn't want to say that it was Snape he was talking to. Lucius was already angry enough.

"WHO?" Draco knew Lucius would ask this, but he was hoping he wouldn't.

"…With a professor from Hogwarts." Draco whispered, but Lucius's sharp ears still picked it up.

"WHICH ONE?" Draco felt his stomach fly away. He knew Lucius would keep interrogating until he had all the facts, all the way down to every word said in the conversation. But Draco wasn't going to give him his information easily.

"Professor Snape." Draco said, and cringed under Lucius's outburst. Lucius hit Draco hard on his head.

"ARE YOU STUPID? HE TURNED HIS BACK ON OUR MASTER! YOU ARE FORBIDDEN TO TALK TO THAT BLOODY TRAITOR!" Lucius yelled, granting Draco a few more forceful blows on his head.

"I-I'm sorry! I wasn't listening to what he was saying, anyway! Father, I was thinking about my studies! I'm sorry!" Draco pleaded as Lucius hit Draco repeatedly. Draco had come so accustomed to the beatings that he could stand it a lot more. It hurt like hell, but Draco could stand there and take it.

"You listen to everything I say! That's what you do! You know who you are, don't you? You know you are the heir of Voldemort! You have to learn how to be disciplined! I am your Master, along with Voldemort! You will do well to remember it! When I tell you to do something, you will listen!"

"Yes, Father!"

"You respect your Masters above all other living and non-living things! You bow before us! You die for us!"

"Yes, Father!"

"To you we are all-ruling, and you will never turn your back to us!"

"Yes, Father!"

"You will obey us no matter what the cost!"

"Yes, Father!"

"Our call you will answer when we are in need!"

"Yes, Father!"

"And you will die serving us." Lucius said, grabbing Draco by the collar of his robes and pushing him backwards into the wall. Draco's head hit the wall and he was knocked unconscious.

Lucius smirked. Learned your lesson, have you?

***

"Oww…" Draco moaned, opening his eyes. Morning light stung his eyes, and he closed them back up. He had a splitting headache.

"Good morning, Draco." Draco froze when he heard the voice of his father. He knew that tone. It meant he was angry and Draco was going to get hurt for it.

"Oh… good morning, Father." Draco said, opening his eyes.

"Do you remember what happened last night?" Lucius asked.

"…Not really." Draco said. In truth, he really couldn't remember much after getting home. He did know that he got a bad beating, though.

"Do you need a reminder? I'll be happy to re-enact the scene for you." Lucius said, pulling Draco out of bed by the collar of his robes.

"No, no!" Draco pleaded as Lucius began to beat him over the head. When Draco had a nosebleed and was bleeding from several places on his head, Lucius threw him back into the vanity. The mirror shattered to a million pieces and Draco hit it. He could feel the bits digging into his skin, burying themselves deep in his flesh. It was the last thing he felt before he blacked out again.

***

Draco felt like someone had chopped his head in half. His headache was so bad it was crippling. He felt little pings all over his back and arms. It took him a few seconds to realize that it was the glass from his mirror stuck in him. Draco opened his eyes and looked around. He was still lying in a mess of broken glass and wood from the vanity. Draco looked at his arms. He could see the glass sticking out from the cuts, and it made him sick. He could perfectly well stand seeing other people getting legs and arms cut off, but seeing his own blood scared him to bits.

Draco was remembering all the times something like this had happened…

A seven-year-old Draco awoke sleepily. He could hear the entire Malfoy Manor was silent. No one else was awake besides Draco. He had gotten a good beating the other night, and all he wanted to do was make Lucius happy.

He snuck downstairs into the kitchen. He wanted to make Lucius the best breakfast he had ever had. But Draco was only seven, and not much of a cook at all. He took out some pots, pans, and pancake mix. Draco poured all of the mix into a pan and put it over the stove, without even bothering to light the stove because he didn't know how to. He poured in all kinds of other things like salt and pepper, and whatever else he could find that looked like it might be in pancakes.

Draco put the runny mess on a large plate, then cracked two eggs and put the gooey liquid onto the plate. Draco poured a glass of orange juice, but he spit some on the floor in the process. The kitchen was a mess by then. Draco was proud of his dish, though. He paraded upstairs and into Lucius's bedroom.

"Daddy! Daddy! Wake up! I made you a yummy breakfast!" Draco shouted, smiling proudly as he held the plate that was dripping messy eggs and the pancake-concoction onto the floor. Lucius sleepily looked at Draco. Automatically, Draco could see a violent light flash through Lucius's eyes. Draco dropped the plate. He knew he was going to get a beating, thought he really couldn't think of why.

Lucius leaped out of the bed and hit Draco backwards. Draco stumbled and fell, crying. Lucius kicked him forcefully, and then picked him up by the collar his robes. Draco shrieked. Lucius stood Draco back up and started to repeatedly smack his face. Draco was crying and screaming.

"WHY ON EARTH WOULD YOU DO SUCH A THING?!" Lucius yelled. Draco, cringing under Lucius's repeated blows, pleaded with his father.

"I'm sorry, Daddy! I'm sorry! I wanted to make you a nice breakfast!" Draco wept. Lucius took no remorse and continued to hit Draco until the little boy went out cold.

Draco scowled at this memory. He scowled at all the other times that were running through his head that had an ending of him pleading for Lucius's forgiveness.

Next time I won't say a word, and he won't get any satisfaction out of it, Draco thought.

Draco tried to stand, but he found that he couldn't. Draco gingerly gazed down at his leg. He vaguely remembered a snapping sound when that leg had hit the wall.

"Damn," Draco said, "that bastard broke my leg."

Draco looked in disdain at his dresser across the room. His wand was ever so conveniently placed out of his reach. Draco cursed out Lucius under his breath.

Draco knew that he was going to have to wait until Lucius got around to coming up to his room to get healed. He'd have to lay there with glass digging into his flesh and the extreme pain of a broken leg for quite some time until Lucius decided to come up.

Draco often fell into such a situation. He often was at the mercy of Lucius. Draco found it hard to count the times something like this had happened. Lucius was like Draco's master, and Lucius rarely decided not to practice this right. Draco feared Lucius more then anything; more then even Lord Voldemort.

It was something Draco had come accustomed to. He hated Lucius, but he knew Lucius better then he knew himself. He knew that when he spoke to Lucius, he had to keep a flat, dead tone to his voice. He couldn't use expression because it was the way that Draco said something that would through Lucius into a violent fit. He also knew that he should never look noble in front of Lucius. That was a sure-fire way to get a real bad beating.

Draco knew the rules, both written and unwritten. But he knew that the most important rule was that Lucius and Voldemort were the top. Draco was below them in everything, and Draco knew that everything they said was law. Those were the points of authority.

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A little short, I know. But since it's a starting chapter, it's going to be short. So will the next few. When there is more action, I'll make them longer. ^-^ Love ya!

And I am very aware of the boring-ness of that chapter. I will try to make it more interesting next time ^-^

Next Chapter: Draco delivers the smackdown, some deadly creatures; white silk dresses, a talking cat, faeries with a serious horn for Draco, and togas. Yes, togas. Why not?

Virginia: Draaaco! Oh Draaaaaaaaco!

Draco: ::is scared to ask:: W-what?

Virginia: Won't you please say thank you to our reviewers?

Draco: That's it? Okay. Thanks so much to Dark Crystal, =Skade=, Portia, MuShRoOm, *Altra*, Seagull Laridae, ZONKOFRED (Yeh, Jill, Ginny will be in it sooner or later ^-^), ProfLupin (reviewing twice, eh, Talya? Well I know the second one is for the other chapter that I took out, so… ^-^) Ayla Pascal, Meghan~Jinx, Stephie, *sparkliez*, Angel, Dauphin, Nagh, and Demon. You guys are great!

Virginia: Thanks, Draco! Now you will dance. Um… ballet this time!

Draco: I don't think so…

Virginia: Oh yeh? That's funny, because I think so. ::Draco appears in tight pink leotard and tutu.::

Draco: ::dancing around merrily:: I hate you, Lewis!

Virginia: No you don't! You love me!

J REVIEW PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!