A/N: I am so sorry it took me so long. And I wish I would have time to respond to all of those nice reviews, Thank you so much guys! Well don't worry I have not given up on this story!
Disclaimer: Read the first one.
Childlike
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"So what do you think, Professor?" Harry sat staring at the wizened old wizard in front of him. Across the expanse of the wooden desk, Professor Dumbledore sat in deep thought. The twinkle in his eyes were dimmed at the news that Harry had brought him.
"So young Malfoy is being held against his will? By his own mother. And Lucius Malfoy is supposedly dead? This is indeed grave news." Dumbledore tapped his long fingers on the sides of his desk in thought. "How can we help young Mister Malfoy?"
Harry stared at the Headmaster, at a loss for any ideas. "Could we send someone in to get him?" He asked as a weak attempt.
Dumbledore nodded slowly. "Perhaps." He turned to the fireplace and called through the roaring flames. "Severus? Could you please come to my office?"
When Dumbledore turned back to Harry, he was met with Harry's dubious stare.
"How is Professor Snape going to help?" he asked the Headmaster.
"Patience Harry, Professor Snape knows the Malfoy family very well. He may be able to give us an insight on what is going through Narcissa Malfoy's head."
The door to the office opened slowly and the dark, hooked nosed Potion Master stepped in. He saw Harry and his already sour expression darkened into a deeper one of loathing. "What is it, Headmaster, that you wanted to see me for?" he asked in an oily voice,
Dumbledore gestured to a seat next to Harry. "Sit, Severus, sit. Young Harry here brings us some startling news."
Snape shot Harry a death glare that could kill a healthy plant, "And what news does he bring?"
Harry felt slightly annoyed at the conversation of him in third person. They were talking as if he wasn't there at all. The only indication that they acknowledged him was the horrible death glare that Snape so kindly bestowed upon him.
Dumbledore finished explaining Draco's letter and let the news sink in. Snape stared at the Headmaster in slight shock. "What..what are we going to do about it? We can't leave him in that house. And Lucius dead? How can we not know that?"
"Harry here suggested that we get someone to go into Malfoy Manor and sneak young Malfoy out." Dumbledore gave Harry a small smile.
Snape gave Harry a large scowl. "I'm sure Potter was suggesting himself for the heroic deed?"
Dumbledore shook his head. "No Severus, in fact that is why you are here. Not only do I know you know the Malfoy home the best, I know that you are very close to Draco. And perhaps you retrieving him would be the best choice."
Harry watched Snape's response. A look of grime resignation was on the Potion Master's face. And for a moment, Harry was sure that the old grease ball would flat out refuse Dumbledore. But in the end, he nodded and stood.
"I will be going immediately." Snape stated and strode quickly out of the room without waiting for a reply from either Harry or Dumbledore.
Harry turned and looked at the Headmaster. The old wizard looked tired and concerned. "Something is up, Harry. Voldemort has been quiet for too long. And this news about Lucius is just more strange bits of information that has reached my ears. Something is brewing. Will you, Ron, and Hermione meet here on a week from Monday? I believe it is time for you to meet the Order. Now hurry back to your dorm."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Narcissa had left and Draco was alone again. Alone for the night. Nini had stopped bringing his meals and another male House Elf was doing her job. To pass some more of his time, he tried once again to study some of his books.
But it was hard to do that when: One you don't have a wand. And two, you don't even have enough light to read by.
But Draco insisted and was spending minutes, laying on the dusty old bed with a book propped up on his arm.
"'The Solarius charm is the charm that enables one to generate sunlight in a room for as long as the caster wants the light there.' Hmm, that would one charm I wouldn't mind having right now. That or maybe Alohamora. Either one would be nice." Draco stated to himself as he read out loud to the dim room.
Crrreaakkk.....
Draco's hypersensitive ears perked up at the sound of a footstep on the attic stairs. He knew that his mother wouldn't be heading up here at that this time of night and all the House Elves were silent when they came up the stairs. This was a whole new person.
Draco stared at the door knob of the attic door. Was there someone coming up here? His father? He knew that he couldn't be dead! He knew his mother had been lying!
He heard a softly whispered spell and then the door slowly opened and Draco could feel his heart thumping loudly in his chest.
The door opened to reveal Professor Snape. Draco stared in shock at the sight of his Potion Master standing on the other side of the attic door. He couldn't tell whether to be elated or disappointed.
"Draco?" Snape whispered, trying to see in the dimly lighted room.
Draco decided to be elated as he jumped off the bed and raced to Snape. "Professor Snape!" as he threw his arms around the startled teacher.
"Draco," Snape cautioned as he awkwardly patted Draco's back. "You must be quiet. I am here to get you out of here."
Draco pulled back and looked up at Snape and nodded. "Let me get all my things and we can go, right?" he asked eagerly.
Snape nodded. Draco felt his teacher's eyes on him as he quickly gathered all his things. He felt slightly embarrassed as he realized how he must look to him.
He was small.
Weak.
Thin.
White.
And still childlike.
But as Snape helped him with all of his things and proceeded to help he out of his attic prison, he had to thoughts.
One: he didn't care what Snape thought of how he looked.
Two: Potter must have gotten his letter after all.
Disclaimer: Read the first one.
Childlike
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"So what do you think, Professor?" Harry sat staring at the wizened old wizard in front of him. Across the expanse of the wooden desk, Professor Dumbledore sat in deep thought. The twinkle in his eyes were dimmed at the news that Harry had brought him.
"So young Malfoy is being held against his will? By his own mother. And Lucius Malfoy is supposedly dead? This is indeed grave news." Dumbledore tapped his long fingers on the sides of his desk in thought. "How can we help young Mister Malfoy?"
Harry stared at the Headmaster, at a loss for any ideas. "Could we send someone in to get him?" He asked as a weak attempt.
Dumbledore nodded slowly. "Perhaps." He turned to the fireplace and called through the roaring flames. "Severus? Could you please come to my office?"
When Dumbledore turned back to Harry, he was met with Harry's dubious stare.
"How is Professor Snape going to help?" he asked the Headmaster.
"Patience Harry, Professor Snape knows the Malfoy family very well. He may be able to give us an insight on what is going through Narcissa Malfoy's head."
The door to the office opened slowly and the dark, hooked nosed Potion Master stepped in. He saw Harry and his already sour expression darkened into a deeper one of loathing. "What is it, Headmaster, that you wanted to see me for?" he asked in an oily voice,
Dumbledore gestured to a seat next to Harry. "Sit, Severus, sit. Young Harry here brings us some startling news."
Snape shot Harry a death glare that could kill a healthy plant, "And what news does he bring?"
Harry felt slightly annoyed at the conversation of him in third person. They were talking as if he wasn't there at all. The only indication that they acknowledged him was the horrible death glare that Snape so kindly bestowed upon him.
Dumbledore finished explaining Draco's letter and let the news sink in. Snape stared at the Headmaster in slight shock. "What..what are we going to do about it? We can't leave him in that house. And Lucius dead? How can we not know that?"
"Harry here suggested that we get someone to go into Malfoy Manor and sneak young Malfoy out." Dumbledore gave Harry a small smile.
Snape gave Harry a large scowl. "I'm sure Potter was suggesting himself for the heroic deed?"
Dumbledore shook his head. "No Severus, in fact that is why you are here. Not only do I know you know the Malfoy home the best, I know that you are very close to Draco. And perhaps you retrieving him would be the best choice."
Harry watched Snape's response. A look of grime resignation was on the Potion Master's face. And for a moment, Harry was sure that the old grease ball would flat out refuse Dumbledore. But in the end, he nodded and stood.
"I will be going immediately." Snape stated and strode quickly out of the room without waiting for a reply from either Harry or Dumbledore.
Harry turned and looked at the Headmaster. The old wizard looked tired and concerned. "Something is up, Harry. Voldemort has been quiet for too long. And this news about Lucius is just more strange bits of information that has reached my ears. Something is brewing. Will you, Ron, and Hermione meet here on a week from Monday? I believe it is time for you to meet the Order. Now hurry back to your dorm."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Narcissa had left and Draco was alone again. Alone for the night. Nini had stopped bringing his meals and another male House Elf was doing her job. To pass some more of his time, he tried once again to study some of his books.
But it was hard to do that when: One you don't have a wand. And two, you don't even have enough light to read by.
But Draco insisted and was spending minutes, laying on the dusty old bed with a book propped up on his arm.
"'The Solarius charm is the charm that enables one to generate sunlight in a room for as long as the caster wants the light there.' Hmm, that would one charm I wouldn't mind having right now. That or maybe Alohamora. Either one would be nice." Draco stated to himself as he read out loud to the dim room.
Crrreaakkk.....
Draco's hypersensitive ears perked up at the sound of a footstep on the attic stairs. He knew that his mother wouldn't be heading up here at that this time of night and all the House Elves were silent when they came up the stairs. This was a whole new person.
Draco stared at the door knob of the attic door. Was there someone coming up here? His father? He knew that he couldn't be dead! He knew his mother had been lying!
He heard a softly whispered spell and then the door slowly opened and Draco could feel his heart thumping loudly in his chest.
The door opened to reveal Professor Snape. Draco stared in shock at the sight of his Potion Master standing on the other side of the attic door. He couldn't tell whether to be elated or disappointed.
"Draco?" Snape whispered, trying to see in the dimly lighted room.
Draco decided to be elated as he jumped off the bed and raced to Snape. "Professor Snape!" as he threw his arms around the startled teacher.
"Draco," Snape cautioned as he awkwardly patted Draco's back. "You must be quiet. I am here to get you out of here."
Draco pulled back and looked up at Snape and nodded. "Let me get all my things and we can go, right?" he asked eagerly.
Snape nodded. Draco felt his teacher's eyes on him as he quickly gathered all his things. He felt slightly embarrassed as he realized how he must look to him.
He was small.
Weak.
Thin.
White.
And still childlike.
But as Snape helped him with all of his things and proceeded to help he out of his attic prison, he had to thoughts.
One: he didn't care what Snape thought of how he looked.
Two: Potter must have gotten his letter after all.