Special thanks to the folks on pa-atreon for making this possible. Now without further ado let's get into it.
Lucius's will was to be read today, which was a huge problem for me. Why? Because I still didn't have my NEWT results. I'd spoken to Fudge on the day I wrote the exams to see if he could hurry things up and he'd promisded to try his best, but I still haven't heard back from him so far. Even at the funeral, he'd assured me that he was still working on it.
I knew the Wizarding Examinations Authority was independent from the ministry itself, but I hadn't expected the Minister of magic to be unable to do something as simple as influencing when the results end up being released. After all, I wasn't asking him to change my grades or anything. To be completely honest, it was a bit scary.
If things didn't look up today, then I'd be left at the mercy of whoever Lucius saw fit to name as the Malfoy family steward for the next three years. After all, I could only claim headship if I was a legal adult at the time the will was read. If a steward was appointed, then I'd have to wait till I became an actual magical adult. Not a good idea.
Especially since Lucius' friends were a cabal of people I had no interest in doing business with. I could assassinate whoever becomes the steward, but that only guarantees suspicion being thrown my way. Narcissa could also be the steward, and even if she was still being distant, I honestly doubted I could bring myself to kill her. I didn't love her the way Draco did, but nonetheless, I still cherished her presence and what it meant for me.
Enough thinking about it though. It was scheduled for 2pm in Lucius's solar, so I might as well find something to occupy myself with till that time.
I went straight towards the basement. The manor was so large that it was practically impossible for it to not have a dedicated duelling room. This wasn't necessarily a duelling room, more like a room dedicated to the practice of dark magic. My knowledge of the dark arts was severely lacking, compared to what I'd need to have any chance of achieving my goals. With Lucius' magic added to mine, I was now ppowerful enough to use some of the more serious pieces of dark magic.
One thing the books didn't dive into enough was how much power the true dark arts required. A singl;e killing curse would have had me in the throes of magical exhaustion a single year ago. That didn't even factor in spells like fiendfyre that were known to be particularly magically tasking. Magical power mattered little in most other fields, as things like intent and knowledge could bridge the gap, but with the dark arts, power was everything.
Now, I had power to spare and dark arts to learn so I had to get to it. The first spell on the agenda was the acid curse. A nasty piece of magic that burnt through flesh like the most corrosive of acids.
I turned to the lifelike dummy in front of me and slashed my wand while screaming the incantation, "saure". The bolt of magic that came out was pitiful and dispersed before it could even hit the target. The Germanic spell was difficult to pull off. I'd been working on it for the better part of two days now, and I just couldn't get the intent to work right. It wasn't one of the spells Lucius knew so I couldn't even rely on his consumed essence for it.
Like I'd done every other day, I gave the spell a few more tries before moving on to more familiar pieces of magic. I wasn't going to be trying out fiendfyre in hewre, because no matter how well-warded this place was or how I trusted my mental discipline, courting death like that just isn't something I have much, if any, interest in.
"Avada Kedavra" I whispered while bring Hermione's still body to the forefront of my mind. The bolt of green bypassed the enchantments on the dummy and set it on fire. I smiled a grim smile and wondered about the use of the killing curse in overcoming wards. The part of the unforgiveables that ignored magical protections was actually designed with that specific purpose in mind.
The only issue I could see right now was the fact that the unforgiveables didn't actually destroy any magical protections. They just ignored them entirely. If I wanted to kill someone from across a ward line, then sure, but If I wanted access to the building protected by the wards in question, then I'd probably be best served with a different spell. Maybe Fiendfyre could even work for that.
I turned to a different dummy and brought up thoughts of Hermione's faceless killer before whispering again, "crucio". The dummy was sent flying back, but I honestly had no idea if the spell wven worked or if it was anywhere as powerful as it should have been. While the killing curse had essentially the same effect regardless of who cast it (as long as it was correctly cast, of course), the cruciatus and imperious were different in that their effects depended on the person actually using the curse.
Bellatrix Lestrange was known for a particularly nasty cruciatus, and the Puppet master, a wanted mercenary from Switzerland, was said to be able to control hundreds with his imperious. He was even one of the major suspects in the Durmstrang debacle (by those who believe the imperious was used)
Speaking of the Yule attack, so far the wizarding world was still on edge. The European ministries had been none too pleased about having their citizens die on British soil, and the British ministry wasn't happy about having their own citizens killed by their continental counterparts. It was a hot mess, and Dumbledore, who was supposed to be mediating the entire thing, was being ignored because of his 'proposterous' assertions that Voldemort had returned from the dead.
It was 'common knowledge' that true Necromancy was impossible. I knew he was right, but without the benefit of an outside perspective, I probably wouldn't have believed him. Now, he was being ostracized and the continents were hearing rumbles of war. It was unlikely that war would actually break out between the nations since the risk to the statute of secrecy was too high, but tensions were still rising.
Even the Tri-wizard tournament was being wound up very quickly. Fluer and I were going to be forced to duel for the trophy to satisfy our binding magical contracts, but even that duel still hadn't been arranged. Durmstrang and Beauxbatons had hurried off with whatever students they had that were still alive, along with the bodies of their classmates.
It was a mess. The entire affair. The entire country. Every day, the prophet came in with more and more inflammatory messaging. It was subtle, more subtle than what the prophet usually did, but they were laying the blame squarely on the foreigners and drumming up anti-foreigner sentiment in the citizenry. Subtle messaging was all the rage now.
The world was going mad, and all I could do was watch as the issue of Voldemort was completely ignored. In some ways, I could relate to how Harry Potter felt in his fifth year. Now that I no longer had the option of just going abroad and waiting out the entire thing, I needed the world to be prepared for Voldemort. I couldn't and wouldn't fight him alone. My thirst for revenge was enough to make me stay, but not enough to kill myself with my desire. I was vengeful, not stupid.
I turned to the last dummy and split open its stomach with a silent entrails-expelling curse before I turned it to ash with another swish of my wand. Elemental manipulation was my next focus for the day.
Swishes of my wand sent fire dancing through the air and I took control of the flames and started manipulating them into different shapes. Horses, dragons, birds, and snakes of fire went flying through the room, lighting up the way and creating shadows across the relatively dark room.
With that part of my training complete, I turned to leave and made my way back to my room. I couldn't do the last part of my training today since I had the will reading to attend.
For one of the first times since I started living in this world, I took a shower. A long cold shower. It gave me time to relax. I'd loved showers in my old life, and now that I felt the icy water running down my body, I wondered why I'd given up this feeling in exchange for scourgify spells.
I dressed qiuickly after the shower and made my way to the solar for the reading. I'd arrived at 1:40 so I had a few minutes till the solicitor was to arrive. I sat and waited with Narcissa. She'd come in a few minutes after I did and was content to watch me in silence. My attempts to break the awkward standoff were given one-word replies and nothing more.
"It's a beautiful day we're having," I'd said and cringed the moment the words left my mouth. I'd said some stupid things in my life, but this took the cake.
She'd only hmmed in reply, not even giving my poor attempt at cracking the ice a reply. I felt the pain of her distance in my chest like a knife to the heart. It wasn't easy for me to imagine this coldness continuing for all eternity. For as long as we'd be together. With Hermione gone, and Narcissa giving me a cold shoulder, I felt the thing I always thought I'd want to feel,. I felt truly alone, and even though I'd hungered for this peace for most of my life, I couldn't say I was enjoying this feeling.
It was a pain. An introvert like me unable to cope without the human connection he'd always sought to avoid. What a fucking shame.
I was spared my self-recriminations by the solicitor walking in. He was an aged man. Fucking ancient is what I'd have described him as If I was any less polite. His hair was completely grey, and he walked with a noticeable slump. His walking stick clattered along the floor as he moved towards the seat we'd prepared for him.
As he slumped in, I felt my heart skip a breath as I thought he'd actually died from the way he did it so suddenly. "Good, good. The concerned parties are here" He spoke up after a few seconds and assuaged my fears that he'd kicked the bucket in the last few seconds.
"This is the will reading of Lucius Abraxas Malfoy, signed and sworn" He spoke out in a monotone before getting into the meat of the matter. Luckily, in the moments before he could continue, we heard a pecking on the window. I turned and noticed it was one of the ministry's own hawk owls. I smiled as I rushed over to open the window.
The old man looked none too pleased to be interrupted in such a manner but I honestly couldn't care less at this point. I broke the seal and saw it was my NEWT results. I'd never read any document as quickly as I did in those seconds. The grades mattered little to me. All I cared for was the note that I'd achieved seven NEWTS and was now considered a fully trained wizard in the eyes of magic and law.
I smiled as I returned to my seat. A cough from the old man drew my attention to him once more. "If I may continue..." He said chidingly and I only nodded at him, too happy to be ashamed.
"To my son and heir Draco, I leave all that I have. The Malfoy name, titles, land, and wealth" My smile could have blinded the sun at that moment. "To my lovely wife Narcissa, I leave the dowry that was given to me by your father all those years ago. It remains in an untouched vault. I also leave the cottage in Scotland that you loved beyond all."
I turned to look at Narcissa at that and she looked not happy, but content like she'd expected it. Thinking about it, she might as well have. I wouldn't be surprised if she had been there when Lucius wrote the will.
"As a minor in wizarding law, Draco Malfoy will…" I coughed to interrupt the solicitor's attempt to assign me a regent and passed over the NEWT results to the annoyed man. He gave it a glancing look, and then turned to look at me with a gleam in his eyes I couldn't quite recognize.
"And that will be all then. The transfer of the vaults and property has been finalized. All young Mr Malfoy has to do is present himself at Gringotts to have the family vaults bound to him. As custom, my firm will be taking our fees from the vaults themselves. Thank you and I hope you will be contacting us when you're in need of our services" That was the last he said, and he made his way back toi the drawing room where he would floo out of the manor.
I heard a sudden cough and turned to Narcissa with a surprised look on my face. "You're no son of mine" She began and I felt something deep within me shatter from the pain of her words. "You've destroyed this family. Taken Lucius from me. From you. From us. The dark lord will come, and you will stand alone for your actions. I shall be heading to the cottage Lucius has left me. If you have any honour left in you, then never contact me again." Every sentence she said broke me more.
If I thought Hermione's death shattered all that could be broken with me, then I was wrong. Narcissa's words proved that I still had more to lose. She'd just taken it all, after all. I couldn't think of a reply to her words and just watched on in shock as she nodded and made her way to her room.
I sat there in the solar for close to an hour, not crying, but still sad beyond sadness. When I got out, I was met with Tilly who looked concerned and saddened. "Yes, Tilly?"
I asked to get her over with it. "Mistress Narcissa has left, sirs. Left and taken Milly and Willy" I nodded at her words even as I felt my pain amplify itself. Some part of me must have thought that she was only making an empty threat.
"Thank you for letting me know, Tilly. Prepare dinner for only one tonight" I walked out of the manor. I had work to do right now.
First of all, I focused and took multiple breaths before forcing the world to fold around me. It felt like being squeezed into the eye of a needle, as I apparated to the designated apparition spot in Diagon Alley. With the will read, I had little doubts that Voldemort would be coming for me eventually. It was obvious. At this point, I had two choices.
The walk to Gringotts was spent with me debating myself on the pros and cons of each of the options before me.
"Enter, stranger, but take heed
Of what awaits the sin of greed,
For those who take, but do not earn,
Must pay most dearly in their turn,
So if you seek beneath our floors
A treasure that was never yours,
Thief, you have been warned, beware
Of finding more than treasure there."
I read the poem aloud with a small chuckle. If I didn't know exactly how Potter had managed to rob this place, then I might have even been frightened. I'd probably need to make my own attempt at the place since I couldn't just trust cannon to repeat itself at this point. The Yule Ball had truly gone and fucked everything.
Even now, I could see it in Diagon Alley. Families hurried in and out of stores. Parents clung to their children even tighter than ever. The talk of war in the prophet sounded so abstract, but now that I could see it in person, I knew it wasn't as simple as anyone would want to make it. War is hell, after all.
I walked through the giant doors while ignoring the glares of the guards after spending a couple minutes thinking to myself outside.
The lines at the tellers were so long that I wasn't much enthused at the thought of having to wait so long. Another effect of the talks of war, I guess. If I thought war was coming to my home, then I'd probably also be withdrawing what gold I had left in the bank.
I looked for a way around the queue and couldn't even find any of the special tellers Lucius was fond of using. Resigning myself to a few minutes of idleness, I took my place at the end of the shortest line. Allowing my thoughts drift for a minute, I tried to plan out what I would be doing for the next few months. I had to train. A fucking lot. There were spells I needed to crack and master.
Not just spells though, there were other things I had to figure out in the next few months. I also had to find Severus Snape. He'd disappeared shortly after the Yule Ball, and while most took him as just another casualty of the ball, I knew he was alright at the end of everything. He'd killed Igor Karkaroff of all people.
Why Snape? I hear you ask. Simple. Information. He was a spy on both sides of the war. If there was anyone who'd know what targets I had to attack to hurt Voldemort, then it would be him. I still wasn't completely sure how to get him to give me the information I sought but we'll leave the crossing till we get to the bridge.
I was brought out of my thoughts by the man a few people in front of me suddenly beginning to shout. "What do you mean I can't withdraw all my gold?" He was breathing heavily. The goblin across from him said something that I couldn't quite catch.
"No, No. I need this gold. I have children. The world is going to shit. Let me take my money and be gone from this place. Please" From there, he broke into tears and started begging the goblin to help.
The goblin across from him just watched him with a straight face, as if he got this reaction all the time and cared little for it. I could even see the guards at the corners start walking to the man. If there was ever a moment to intervene, then this was it.
I walked forward, cutting through the line and walking to the sobbing wizard. "How much?" I asked the wailing man, and he must not have heard me since I had to tap him on the shoulder to get his attention before I could repeat the question again.
"How much is in the vault?" I asked more slowly this time.
"320 galleons" He said bashfully. I could understand his pain. That was a lot of money to leave behind. I turned to the Goblin teller who looked just about done with the entire situation.
"Give him the amount from my vaults." The man and the rest of the wizards in the bank who'd not even bothered to be subtle with their eavesdropping looked at me in shock.
The teller remained bored and simply stretched out his hand for a key and I passed him the key to my trust vault. I was yet to fully claim the Malfoy family vaults as my own.
"Yes, Mr. Malfoy" The teller said after examining the key for a few minutes. He took out a bag of gold and passed it to me. I quickly passed the bag to the man in need and waived off his thanks as well as the crowd's applause with all the grace of a stumbling elephant.
After a while, I was saved by the Goblin's coughs to get things moving. Since I was already at the front of the line, I walked up to him and told him I was here to claim my family vaults.
I was directed into a hallway off to the side and was met with the office of one of the account managers.
"Draco Malfoy. Everything is in order, just pass over your wand for registration" Account manager Eitri finally said after almost thirty minutes of confirmations and identity checks.
I passed over the wand and allowed him register it. When he stretched it back towards me, I practically snatched it out of his fingers with how naked I'd felt without having it in hand.
"Will that be all?" The goblin asked like he hadn't even noticed my accidental disrespect.
"No. I also require a list of the Malfoy properties on file with Gringotts." Lucius had never prepared Draco to take over the family, and that showed in my lack of knowledge of the various homes the family had in its portfolio. The ritual had only given me Lucius's magical knowledge so it was possible that there might be property that would be lost due to Lucius's carelessness in his lack of preparation for his own inevitable death.
The list wasn't incredibly long and included properties that had already fallen to disrepair. Of all the properties within magical Britain, the only ones that were habitable were the manor, and a smaller home in Ireland. I memorized the co-ordinates and thanked the goblin before taking my leave.
I walked out of Diagon in a hurry. I was a wanted man, after all. Nott had been clear in his threat. Not submitting to the dark lord meant death, and since I still hadn't bothered to submit, my position on the matter must be more than clear.
At the apparition spot, I focused for as bit and appeared right in front of the Ireland home. It was less a home and more a small castle but to-may-toe, toe-mah-toe. It had two floors and stretched out on the land it was situated on.
It was a beautiful white, made almost exclusively of granite, and towering over the forest surrounding it. I walked in and opened the gates with a wave of my wand, allowing the wards wash over me. Nothing particularly special, the goblins had noted. Just simple wards to prevent tresspassers and pests. There was also a caterwauling charm but that was irrelevant.
The place had little in terms of magical protection, but it had one protection that the manor didn't. Anonymity. Everyone in wizarding Britain knew the Malfoys lived in Malfoty manor. If I stayed there, it was only a matter of time until Voldemort decided to make an example of me, and I knew even the vaunted protections of Malfoy manor would not deny him for long.
I went into the castle, for that was what it was and took a look around. Most of it remained clean and spotless. The hedges were overgrown, and the forest untamed, but those could easily be fixed. The insides were sparsely decorated, and I found myself enjoying that fact.
It was nowhere near the ridiculous size of Malfoy manor, but that was a feature, not a bug. The rooms were clean and the master suite was untouched. I apparated back to the manor after I was finally satisfied that the place would suffice.
Dinner was short and solemn. I'd tried to avoid thinking about Narcissa's words and actions during the day, but as I sat to eat alone, I found myself with no other choice. There was a Narcissa-shaped hole at the table, after all.
After dinner, I instructed Tilly to pack up all the essential things within the manor that we would be needing and she went to do her duty without question or protest. If there was any feature of house elves I both loved and hated, it was that one. It made them efficient servants, but also made them terrible company and advisors. They were yes-men, without the privilege of being men. I almost sneered at the thought, but I resisted the urge and went to Lucius's solar to do some packing. Waves of my wand sent spellbooks and journals into empty chests and I made my way through the room, examining every nook to make sure nothing that shouldn't be left behind was left behind.
It was during my examinations that I noted a painting that was a bit askew. It was a painting of the manor itself, and as I reached to touch it and place it correctly, I found myself in a dark hallway.
I turned behind me and was met with a blank wall. I stretched to touch it and my hand passed through it with no resistance.
In perhaps the greatest display of stupidity ever seen, I stretched my head next and found myself back in the solar, right in front of the painting. It didn't take a genius to figure out what had happened. A secret passage-way. I went back in like a Gryffindor, and used the lumos spell to guide me through the hallway into a different room.
The candles in the room lit themselves up as I entered, and I looked around the room in shock. It was a library. A much smaller library than the one in the manor itself, and as I stepped to get a closer look at the books, I noted what they were. Memoirs. They were the journals of previous heads of the family. The one in front of me belonged to one Jaoquin Malfoy, who'd lived between 1790 and 1816.
I kept looking at the books and marveled at the treasure trove I'd found. The life and times of all the previous Malfoy family heads lay before me and before I could dive in and enjoy the reading, a voice jolted me out of my thoughts.
"Oh what the Malfoy line has fallen to. A boy too simple to even notice the eminence that lays before him." I jumped in surprise and looked around me, trying to figure out where the voice came from.
"What? Who's there?" I shouted while moving my wand around.
"A true simpleton" The voice called out again. A few more seconds of frantic search yielded nothing.
"Over here, boy. Here, to the left" The voice said with annoyance and I finally looked and saw a painting to my side.
It was of a blond man. He looked a lot like me, to be honest. Sharp cheekbones and a strongly defined jawline. His eyes were a deep blue and I noted the words below the painting, Armand Malfoy.
A/N; Thanks for reading. We're already halfway done with chapter 18 on the pa-atreon page. Feel free to join me there if you can. Same username as up here. The link's on my profile.