A/N: Disclaimer in first chapter. And the plot thickening. Still haven't really decided which House for Tim. He's good, but as you can see, he can be a real arrogant jerk at times. Hence having him meet another one. Heh.

C h a p t e r F o u r: The Dragon and the Lion

Draco was sitting with the other Slytherin students on the train, when he felt a twinge in his left arm. The Dark Mark, only recently placed there, indicated his status as a Death Eater. Lord Voldemort also found it useful to contact his minions, and echoing his preference, the mark would hurt its owner, and summon them. When his father had brought him before the resurrected Dark Lord, Draco eagerly pledged his loyalty. It was the first time his father bestowed him with a look of pride, and that more than any promise of great power to come, was worth the pain of receiving the Mark.

He excused himself, and went into a nearby lavatory partition. He rolled up the sleeve of his shirt, and stared at the magical tattoo, still red on the edges. When he glanced up at the mirror, he saw his father staring back at him.

"Father?" He asked.

Lucius stared back at him coldly, "The Dark Lord has charged you with a sacred mission, boy. There is a new student by the name of Hunter. The Lord wishes you to watch for him, and report back to us frequently."

The blond teen nodded, "Shall I suggest which side he should take?"

His father smiled inwardly. His son showed promise at times with a cunning mind that might go far, and do the Malfoy name honor. But he still had a great deal to learn in how to best apply it. His only reply was, "Do so, but quietly. The Lord would be very displeased if you failed. Do not disappoint me." With that, he dismissed the connection, and his son was left gazing at his own reflection.
Anger crept into his voice as he calmly said, "I won't, Father." He recovered his arm, and buttoned the sleeve at the wrist. No matter how much he did, it never seemed to be enough in his father's eyes. Perhaps this mission will give him the recognition he had longed for so long, and the chance to excel beyond what his father has ever dared.

When he stepped out the narrow passageway, he bumped into someone. His lips curled into a sneer, and he snarled out, "Watch where you're going, oaf!" He stared back at the young man standing before him. For a split second, he thought he was looking at Potter, but this teen had slightly disheveled dark brown hair, and bright blue eyes which narrowed with anger. He straightened his glasses upon his face as he met Draco's gaze.

"Could say the same for you, arsehole." He shot back. "You bumped into me."

Draco was taken back. He was used to students from other Houses being resentful of him, but to insult him so directly was unexpected.
He went to grab his wand out his pocket, "You shouldn't have called me that, pillock." But a bright flash of light that pushed him back against the door stopped him.

"How?" He gasped as his eyes widened in shock. "Who are you?" He stared at the boy's glowing hands held out in front of him.

The other young man smirked, "I'm called Tim Hunter, and unlike you, I don't have to use something as backwards as a flipping wand."
Draco's eyes widened further in recognition, "You're him?" If this Hunter was this powerful, no wonder the Dark Lord was interested in him.

Tim snorted, "Who did you think I was? Bleeding Potter? He's alright, but we're not the same." He lowered his hands, and Draco felt the pressure against his body vanish. He straightened up, and placed his hand out in front of him.

"We haven't been properly introduced. I'm Draco Malfoy."

Tim shook the proffered hand, and studied him a little. "That's your real name? You must get hell for it."

The platinum blond blinked with surprise, and replied, "Sometimes. You're new, right?"

"Yeah, can't believe I'm supposed to go to a school called Hogwarts, of all things. Might as well called it Pig Pimples while they were at it."

Draco chuckled a little. Powerful, but he seemed alright. Maybe a bit arrogant, but then again, so was he.

"It does have its good points. Like if you're sorted into Slytherin. That's the only proper House there, you know."

Tim frowned, "Sorted? What do you mean, sorted?"

He smirked, "You'll see soon enough. Show you where you belong." He then asked, "You are a proper wizard after all?"

Tim replied with a rueful look, "Actually I've been called a mage." He then started heading into the lavatory, but Draco stopped him by grabbing his right arm.

"What's a mage?"

"Somebody who believes in magic, and doesn't bother with shit like wands and robes." Tim laughed, and closed the door behind him.

Leaving Draco standing in the passageway, and staring after him blankly. This Hunter was definitely stranger than he was expecting, and he found himself liking the other's cheek and arrogance. He seemed like someone he could almost relate to. It could be interesting having a real friend, and not just some minion hanging around to get favors. He headed back to rejoin his classmates, still deep in thought.

* * * * *

Tim did his business, and pondered for a moment. In discussions with Harry, Ron and Hermione, there was some mentioning on different Houses at the school. And he thought he remembered them stating something about Slytherin being a place for what they called Dark wizards. Dark as in evil he figured. Though, he had been told in the past that the user decided whether the magic was good or bad, depending on their actions. But anything to do with evil would be best to avoid. Too many people had been hurt in the past for him to go that path. He walked quickly back to the compartment.

Ron and Hermione were going over something called OWL's, and he had a feeling they weren't talking about birds like Yo-Yo either. Harry noticed his return, and nodded to him.

"You alright?"

He nodded back, and then with a curious expression, asked, "Any of you know somebody named Draco Malfoy? He ran into me down the hall." With a small laugh, he added, "Literally."

Three heads immediately turned in his direction.

"You met Draco? Are you all right?" Hermione asked.

"What did that ferret want now?" Ron was almost snarling, his tone decidedly angry. Harry was quiet, but watchful as he listened to his friends, and waited for Tim's answer.

"Guessing that's a yes? Why, what's wrong?" Tim commented with a shrug.

This time, Harry replied, saying, "Just that we've never gotten along with him since all of us started at Hogwarts five years ago. He insults and bullies us any chance he can get."

Ron added, "Especially Hermione here. Just because her parents are Muggles."

Tim blinked, "Muggles?"

Hermione explained, "It means a non-magic user. And Draco and some others think anybody from such an upbringing can't be a true witch or wizard."

"Which is a load of bollocks ("Ron!" Hermione hissed at him) because Hermione's always taking top marks in our classes." Ron went on to mention, which did earn him a small smile from her despite his language. His cheeks reddened, matching his hair momentarily.

Harry also said, "Plus, my own mum came from a Muggle family, and she was a strong witch."

Tim could understand a little of where he was coming from. He said, "Guess you could say the same for me of sorts. My mother, my real one, I think, was human; though I've also been told I'm part faerie. And someone recently told me that Tam Lin was also a mage."

"Exactly, and you might be more powerful than anybody." Hermione remarked with a knowing smile.

Harry wondered, "What do you mean by part faerie?"

He shrugged, "Well, Queen Titania once told me that she was my real mum, but then she wasn't, and yet she is, and not completely clear how that all works out." Tim then continued, "So ok, Draco doesn't get along with you, but I don't know... Bit of a prick, but he didn't seem that bad. Plus, I think I almost made him piss himself." He finished with a rueful grin.

Ron's face immediately lit up, and he eagerly asked, "Really? How? And please don't hold back on the gruesome details."

Tim then went to explain his encounter with the apparently infamous Malfoy. Hermione frowned when he mentioned how Draco tried to attack him, and Ron and Harry were both grinning at the thought of his shocked expression when Tim stopped him.

Hermione worriedly said, "That might not have been a good idea. What if word gets around that you can do magic without a wand? Not to mention, you could have gotten in trouble from the Ministry of Magic. Underage witches and wizards are limited in when and where they can use magic. You could have got into a lot of trouble."

Tim scoffed back, "Ministry of what? They actually try to regulate magic on this world? How bloody ridiculous!" He almost felt like kicking himself for letting that out.

Harry leaned back from where he was sitting, and asked uneasily, "What do you mean this world? Where are you from? What are you?" Ron and Hermione were likewise staring at him with suspicion.

Tim sighed, and explained, "Ok, I am from around here, just a different England. Magic's not as known, and you don't have this large community of magic users there. There's more science than magic really.

I was sent here because I need to learn how to use magic properly, and it was supposed to be safer here. Only not all that sure about that part since you're telling me there's Dark wizards, and some huge enemy named Voldemort who's tried to kill Harry here several times over, and he'll probably target me as well. Which isn't that much of a shock considering all the people I've had hunting me over the years. So he might as well take a bloody number, and wait at the end of the line." After finishing his diatribe, Tim sat down, and slumped into his seat. The rest of them continued staring at him in shock at this knowledge.

Harry then asked, curiously, "Are you famous on your world? Like random people coming up to you, and seem to know you better than yourself?"

Tim nodded, "You could say I was, especially magic groups. I'm barely old enough to shave, and I already have this huge bloody reputation ahead of me."

"I hate it," Harry stated plainly, not noticing Ron's surprised look at this. "Never asked for it, or even wanted it. And everybody expects so much from me. Just because I'm lucky."

Hermione quickly chided him, "But it's more than just luck, Harry. When you were a baby, yes. But you defeated He Who Must Not Named several times since."

Harry turned to her, and shot back, "It is luck. And yeah, I defeated him all right. Did a stellar job there by actually bringing him back into power. I'm no better than his Death Eaters."

"NO!" She yelled at him, "Don't you dare compare yourself to them! You're nothing like them." She calmed slightly when Ron placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"She's right, Harry. You've never attacked muggles or other mages like _he_ has, or they have. You've never placed the Imperio curse on people, and forced them to do horrible things. My dad told me some of the things that happened before, and I never really understood him until now HE's back. And it scares the hell out of me, but you've faced him before, and you're still here. Got to be for something."

Tim's gaze flickered between the three of them. Ron and Hermione were good friends, best to stand by Harry like they have. He couldn't help feeling regret for his own friends. His childhood friend, Jimmy died because him and Magic. His one time girlfriend, Molly was driven away by him and Magic.

"It really screws up your life, doesn't it?" He commented to himself, not realizing that he was overheard. Once again, he had a ring of looks in his direction.

"What does?" Harry asked.

Tim leaned back in his seat, and closed his eyes.

"Magic," he said.