Disclaimer: I own nothing except the plot and a couple of lava lamps…ooo…lava lamps…
A/N: Okay, so I haven't updated in a few months, but I have a good excuse! It's the teachers at my school…it's all their fault, giving me 50 projects…not my fault at all, nope. Anywho, I've delayed you long enough…on to the story!
The Dragon Element
Chapter 3- In the Face of Fire
Draco sat down in Advanced Magical Theory after having Madam Pomfrey heal his arm. He sighed. His body still stung from Potions, and his mind was reeling. At least he could be thankful that the buffoons he called his friends were not in this class. When he had chosen Magical Theory as one of his electives in 3rd year, of course they had signed up too, but last year Draco had been promoted while Crabbe and Goyle remained in the beginner's class. Only a select few were chosen to participate in the accelerated version of the course. The students mostly consisted of 6th and 7th years; the only other 5th year Draco was familiar with was Hermione Granger. She sat by the window; her hair shining burnished gold in the growing light of midday. Draco couldn't help but staring. The light gave her a shimmering halo and the aura of an angel. He shifted his gaze to the blackboard. It was filled with odd symbols, some sort of unfamiliar runic language. Draco could decipher the words "earth" and "water," the rest were unknown to him. Hermione was looking at the board as well; her expression was arranged as comprehension mixed with puzzlement.
The door to the classroom opened slowly, and a petite witch walked in. Her brown hair was gathered into a bun, which sat at the nape of her neck. She had silvery robes that matched the frames of her oval glasses. She walked to the board and started to write in neat block lettering: "Professor Kenton."
"Good morning class. As you can see, my name is Professor Kenton, and I will be filling in for Professor Fletcher. She has had a family emergency and will probably be gone for several months."
Draco couldn't help but silently cheer. Professor Fletcher had hated him. She had gone to school with his father, who had made her life a living hell. Apparently, she wanted to get revenge by treating Draco like a dead flobberworm. Draco had lost numerous points and gained several detentions, just by sitting quietly and paying attention.
Professor Kenton's clipped accent broke through his train of thought.
"Would you all please get out a quill and parchment, and begin copying down these symbols. In about ten minutes, we will begin discussing how these will relate to our new course of study."
Draco removed his quill and a roll of parchment from his bag, and began carefully copying the complex signs. He had barely finished before Professor Kenton called for them to stop.
"Does anybody know what you just copied?" she asked. To nobody's surprise, Hermione's hand was raised in the air. "Yes, Miss…?"
"Miss Granger, professor. What we just copied were notes on the preparation for a spell, using the elements earth and water."
"Very good. Take 5 points for your house. As Miss Granger just stated, those were indeed preparations for a spell, using elemental magic. Elemental magic is quite different from the magic you are used to. Does anybody have any ideas why?"
Draco thought for a moment. He had heard of elemental magic before. Those who could use it were highly powerful, and very rare. Draco remembered his father casting a spell, he knew somehow it was to create a wall of fire, but why, he couldn't quite fathom at the time. He supposed it was just another ward to put around their mansion, but now he realized that it was a form of protection for something much different.
He was maybe four at the time. He watched from the doorway as his father chanted a spell. The words were beautiful and mysterious, yet were spoken cruel and cold, like ice. He stood in front of a fireplace, his back towards Draco. He made a few simple gestures, and turned around, the empty blackness illuminated by a ball of white flames. His father smiled triumphantly for a moment, then recoiled. The flames grew, then vanished, but not before leaving him burnt and bleeding. His arm was blackened by ash, the red blood running freely. Draco recalled his father swearing after the spell had failed. He started to throw things, like pieces of crystal, dashing them into the stone wall in his painful fury. Then he turned his eyes upon Draco. They were cold, empty. Fathomless, yet hungry. He had grabbed Draco around the arm, his icy fingers leaving black and blue marks on his pale skin.
"What were you doing, boy?"
"Nothing, father."
"Liar. Now, tell me the truth! What were you doing?" Draco winced as the grip tightened around his wrist and as nails dug half-moon imprints into his arm.
"I wasn't doing anything." Draco's blue eyes widened, his innocent tone shaking with fright.
"You lie, and in this house, liars get punished…" He smiled, almost demonically. If he turned that gaze on anyone else, they would have most likely have run under the nearest piece of furniture, cowering like they were about to get the Dementor's Kiss, but Draco did not cringe or shy away, he simply looked into his father's face, his own void of all emotion.
"I have done nothing, father." Draco turned to leave, but Lucius had grabbed him again.
"I don't like your tone, boy. Maybe the Cruciatus Curse will teach you some manners?"
Draco tried to pull away from him, but Lucius had already grabbed his wand and shouted the curse. It hit Draco in the back with the force of a cannonball, the pain quickly spreading to engulf him. He could feel his blood boiling; it was pounding in his ears and head. He felt as though a pillow was being pressed over his face, he couldn't breathe; he was drowning in pain. His bones felt like they were splintering into millions of tiny shards, poking his flesh. He dimly knew that he had dropped to his knees, but he refused to scream. The pain kept coming in fresh waves, he suspected his father kept renewing the curse. It felt as though he was being stabbed, strangled, suffocated and drowned all at the same time, but Draco could not make a sound. He closed his eyes tightly, knowing that all he had to do was scream, and it would be over, but still he would not surrender. The curse hit him again, but all of the sudden, it disappeared. Draco opened his eyes, squinting through the dimness. He could discern two figures; his mother was trying to wrestle the wand away from Lucius. He looked up at her, and their eyes met for a moment.
Her mouth formed the words, "Go, go now!" and her eyes accented her plead. Draco pulled himself from the ground and left as fast as he could manage but not before his mother collapsed into tears.
Draco shook his head. Of all his memories he hated that one the most. He could feel the tears rising in his eyes, threatening to fall. He bent down in his seat and wiped his face with his robes, on the pretense of picking up a quill. Thankfully, nobody had noticed his trip from reality. Professor Kenton was still discussing elemental magic, and the class appeared to be listening, completely fascinated.
"Mr. Malfoy, do you know why elemental magic differs from conventional magic?"
Draco thought for a moment. "Well, conventional magic requires a wand to focus the magic. In elemental magic, the spell caster simply uses a form of the element that they are using in their spell to help channel and focus the spell. Also, only certain wizards and witches can perform elemental magic, Sorcerers, I think. Those who aren't Sorcerers who try and use elemental magic can't get it to work, or they'll injure themselves."
"Very good, 10 points to Slytherin, it looks like. Have you studied elemental magic before, Mr. Malfoy?"
Draco looked slightly embarrassed. "Er… I read a book once about it, that's all."
"That should help you with tonight's homework. I would like everyone to write a 3-foot long essay about some form of elemental magic. It can be about a particular Sorcerer, the elements themselves, a certain spell, anything. You are dismissed."
Draco gathered his things and made his way towards the door, careful to avoid the other students, Hermione in particular. He chanced a glance at her during class. He thought she seemed rather impressed with his knowledge of elemental magic, but he couldn't quite tell. Not that he cared what the stupid Mudblood thought, that's all she was, a Mudblood, not worth even thinking of. A few seconds later, he arrived at the Great Hall; surprised that he had no idea how he had gotten there. He sat down at the Slytherin table, and almost immediately after, Crabbe and Goyle sat down on either side of him. He contemplated skipping lunch and going straight to the dormitory for the rest of the day, but after missing breakfast, Draco was starving, so he resigned himself to another lunch with only them for company.
~~
Hermione sat at the Gryffindor table, after finding Harry and Ron. They were chatting about how Divination had been another nightmare. Apparently Professor Trelawney had knocked over the crystal ball they were looking at after she saw Harry's death, again.
"I mean, there's only so many times I can die, I must be a medical miracle right now, either that or the old bat's trying to psychologically poison me so one day I just try and swallow a knife or something."
"Swallow a knife, Harry? What's wrong with the classics? Jumping off a cliff or something, perhaps."
"Too overdone, if that idiot is going to drive me to kill myself, I at least want to go out in style."
Hermione sighed. "Honestly Harry, if you want to commit suicide "in style" why don't you go and choke yourself on a sequined dress or something? Swallow a knife my -"
"A sequined dress Hermione? I thought those things went out ages ago," Ron laughed.
"I'm so sorry Ron, of course you're right, how could I have ever been so stupid?" Hermione said, her voice practically dripping with sarcasm.
"Hermione, are you all right?" Harry asked, "I mean, you're acting really strange."
She sighed again. "I'm not sure anymore, I guess I'm just stressed because all this work is getting to me, I mean I have regular homework, extra studying, OWL practice papers –"
"Hermione, you're starting to overwork yourself again. How about tonight we go to Hogsmeade, and I'll get you some butterbeer."
"That's nice, get me drunk," she laughed.
"Hey, it will make you relax a little," said Ron.
"Okay then, ton -" As she spoke, an owl dropped a letter into her plate of Yorkshire pudding. She wiped it off and opened it, laying the message flat on the table.
Your detention will take place at 9 o'clock tonight in the trophy room. Your absence from this detention will result in a loss of 100 points for Gryffindor, and a month's worth of detention. Signed, Professor S. Snape"Well," Hermione said, folding up the note, "that bastard has to ruin everything."
Harry smiled. "Cheers, Hermione."
A/N: There's the long awaited chapter 3. By the way, there seems to be something wrong with the italics…the whole flashback, and the note to Hermione are supposed to be in italics. Oh well. Please tell me what you think by clicking that lovely purple (or whatever color it is) button down at the bottom of the page. I love reviews; they make me want to write more! Thank you to all who reviewed the last chapter, and thanks to my beta readers, once again. In the next chapter: detention! Woohoo…that will be interesting…so, if you would like to read it, review!