Disclaimer: Oh yes, of course they're mine. Just as the sun is made of ice
and money grows on trees. Miss Rowling? If you wish to sue please find
someone else, I can't even afford a lawyer let alone a settlement.
Warnings: Nope, none.
.
.
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Blood & Nails.
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Part Six. From The Top.
Draco and Snape were just about to leave when a small, hairy creature launched itself at Draco from where it had been sleeping, on the mantle over the fireplace. Draco just managed to grab it before it latched it's claws into his skin and looked at what was obviously a black cat. It had peculiar grey eyes, and they vaguely reminded him of his own.
"Er, sir? What the hell is this?"
"That's Steel. He was a gift for my birthday, two years ago."
"What idiot on this earth would buy you a cat?"
Snape smiled. "You." He walked out leaving the door open for Draco to close and lock.
"Damn." Draco whispered. The cat purred, obviously recognising his voice.
"Bring him, will you? He likes to play with Fang." Snape's voice called back.
Draco raced to catch up. "I can't believe I bought you a cat." He placed said cat on the ground so it could walk along with them. "I can't believe you didn't drown him!"
"I tried. You and Harry charmed him against such actions."
Draco recognised the humour behind the words and smiled. "I still can't believe the phantom thought I'd ever buy you a cat."
"Not everything has remained the same. Why didn't you go back with your parents? I would have thought, what with your disorientation, you would stay with them until you were back on your feet."
"Don't get me wrong, I love them, I really do. But I'd go nuts. All they kept saying was how unfair the Ministry had been over the whole matter. Over and over again. I had to beg them to leave by claiming to need more rest."
"Well, they were a little insulted at the idea of you being a mass murderer. But you know your parents."
"Yeah, don't remind me."
Steel left down the corridor as the Gargoyle moved aside. Dumbledore must have been expecting them.
"Damn Dumbledore." Draco muttered as he walked up the stairs. "I wish he wasn't so right all the time."
"Indeed. It gets annoying after awhile."
Dumbledore greeted them warmly and the three men sat. "Now, Draco. First off, it's a pleasure to see you again. I trust you had a good night's sleep, back in your, er, well, *a* bed."
"No, actually, I didn't." Draco said, his hand starting to scratch up the arm of the chair he sat in. Remembering the blood in his dream.
"Oh. I'm very sorry."
"Thank you. Now, I'm sure you know why I'm here."
"Ah yes. You wish to finish your studies. Get back on track as it were, marvellous. I think it's a splendid idea."
"Thank you. Can it be done?"
"Oh, of course, of course. I've already taken care of most of the details. You don't even have to stay here. Study at home and just come in once a week for the practical work. Does that sound good?"
"One day of school a week? Why couldn't we have done that from the start?" Draco smiled.
Dumbledore returned the smile and handed over a few forms, apologising but saying they were necessary. And Draco spent the next four hours reading, signing and bitching about the Ministry for himself.
----------
"In principle, it's simple. Go back to what I know." Draco said, the phone wedged between his shoulder and ear as he rummaged through a box. "And what I know is how to be a student. Well I know how to be a spy too, but that's not needed anymore, thankfully."
"So you're going to do the N.E.W.T.s and all that? Finish your basic education?" Hermione said through the line. "And then see where you go from there?"
"Exactly, which is why I need all my old stuff."
"Well neither you nor Harry ever threw *anything* out as far as I know. So everything should be there somewhere."
Professor Snape had taken Draco to a storage warehouse, similar to the idea of Gringott's, where his phantom self had kept all his old things after moving in with Harry and the blonde was currently going through everything. After about an hour of that, he had asked to use the company's phone, in hopes that Hermione or Harry would have more luck in knowing what to look for. Or at least a good locating spell.
"Any ideas, Hermione?
"Okay, when we were packing everything up, you put me in charge of the books so they wouldn't get too damaged. I grouped all the school things together in a large, blue box. Can you see one?"
Draco looked around. "Um, there's about six of them."
"Look for one marked 'Primary Academic Readings'."
Draco stopped what he was doing and took the phone away from his ear for a second so he could give it a incredulous look. "Jesus. Couldn't you have just put 'School Books'?"
Hermione's soft laughter reached his ears. "That's exactly what you said at the time. ...... Oh sorry, um ...... "
Draco returned the phone to his ear and cut in. "Hermione? Remember? I only have amnesia." He stressed the last sentence.
"I don't think that's a very good way to look at it."
"No. But it is the easiest, and I need that right now."
"Very well, I'll try and remember that it was you, but not you, but you, for your sake."
"Um, thanks er, *we* all appreciate it."
She laughed again at his tone. "Have you found the box yet?"
Draco was, at that moment, balanced on one foot, leaning on a box, trying to see around another box, to read the label of yet another box. "I have too much junk, I'm throwing it all out." He complained, knowing that he wouldn't. The phantom had correctly summarised that he never got rid of anything. "Um, yeah, I think this is it. Primary ..... Yeah this is it."
"Okay, good, now that should hold everything, your texts, your assignments, your notes from class, and personal research, everything."
"That's great. How do I unearth it?"
"Unearth it?"
"Yeah, it's under like five others."
"Oh, well you could do a switching spell."
"Yes, I could." Draco dragged out the pause and then smiled. "You want to tell me how?"
"Oh, sorry, sorry. Okay first you have to select the box you want."
Ten minutes later, he finally got it right without causing a landslide that he had to keep freezing and straightening out.
"Great. Now, how the hell do I get it home?"
"Shrinking charm. It's only temporary, but it'll last long enough."
He'd only just put it down in the cleared space in the living room of his apartment, when it gave a tremor. The first sign it was about to get bigger. He backed off as the box expanded back to it's original size. It was almost as tall as he was and it was about twice his width. He was about to open it when a knock came at the door. He opened it to hear the last of what an older Hermione was saying to an older Ron as Harry, who he'd already seen, hovered in the background.
" .....know that wasn't him. Oh, hi Draco." She said brightly.
Draco nodded to them. "Hey, er, what are you all doing here?"
Hermione smiled wider. "We came to help with your school material. I remember quite clearly that there was a lot of it. And you've been through so much already, in the last couple of days. It won't be too bad, it's all in order and everything, just getting it out of the box, resorting it, and finding somewhere to put it all. You've got seven years worth of things to go through."
Draco's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "You came to check I didn't get it all out of order, didn't you?"
Hermione took on a haughty look. "Listen, buster. I spent four long and painful weeks sorting all that out into a decent, organised system. You're damn right I'm making sure you don't mess it up." She walked over to the box and Ron followed her, keeping a lot of distance between himself and the blonde.
"Sorry." Harry had come to stand next to him. "We couldn't talk her out of it. She insisted we come over and handle your papers as if they were fine china."
"That's okay." Draco looked to where Hermione was directing Ron as the redhead carried things to different parts of the floor. "I got rather lonely last night. I'm sure you'll make good company."
"I don't think Ron will." Harry muttered so the other two couldn't hear them.
Draco frowned. "Why not? I would have thought we could at least tolerate each other by now."
"You could ..... and did! Until ...... " Harry trailed off and looked away.
"Until what?"
Harry smiled grimly. "Until he had a run in with Mortel."
The other two must have heard what he said, because they both froze and looked over.
"Who's Mortel?"
Ron cleared his throat. "He attacked me. I don't remember much of it but I do remember having to spend six days at St Mungos to heal the artery in my neck."
"He cut you?" Draco looked from one to the other with all three of them, feeling the change of mood.
"Er, Ko, um, I mean, Draco? Until two evenings ago, everyone firmly believed *you* were Mortel, so Ron's a little jumpy." Draco frowned harder in confusion, so Harry clarified. "Mortel is what the serial killer called himself."
"Oh." Draco looked to Ron, who did still seem a little skittish when under the blonde's gaze. "Right. Sorry, still a little new at all this." Ron actually took a step back when Draco looked at his throat. He ignored the thought that told him that had been a stupid thing to say.
To Be Continued.
Warnings: Nope, none.
.
.
.
Blood & Nails.
.
Part Six. From The Top.
Draco and Snape were just about to leave when a small, hairy creature launched itself at Draco from where it had been sleeping, on the mantle over the fireplace. Draco just managed to grab it before it latched it's claws into his skin and looked at what was obviously a black cat. It had peculiar grey eyes, and they vaguely reminded him of his own.
"Er, sir? What the hell is this?"
"That's Steel. He was a gift for my birthday, two years ago."
"What idiot on this earth would buy you a cat?"
Snape smiled. "You." He walked out leaving the door open for Draco to close and lock.
"Damn." Draco whispered. The cat purred, obviously recognising his voice.
"Bring him, will you? He likes to play with Fang." Snape's voice called back.
Draco raced to catch up. "I can't believe I bought you a cat." He placed said cat on the ground so it could walk along with them. "I can't believe you didn't drown him!"
"I tried. You and Harry charmed him against such actions."
Draco recognised the humour behind the words and smiled. "I still can't believe the phantom thought I'd ever buy you a cat."
"Not everything has remained the same. Why didn't you go back with your parents? I would have thought, what with your disorientation, you would stay with them until you were back on your feet."
"Don't get me wrong, I love them, I really do. But I'd go nuts. All they kept saying was how unfair the Ministry had been over the whole matter. Over and over again. I had to beg them to leave by claiming to need more rest."
"Well, they were a little insulted at the idea of you being a mass murderer. But you know your parents."
"Yeah, don't remind me."
Steel left down the corridor as the Gargoyle moved aside. Dumbledore must have been expecting them.
"Damn Dumbledore." Draco muttered as he walked up the stairs. "I wish he wasn't so right all the time."
"Indeed. It gets annoying after awhile."
Dumbledore greeted them warmly and the three men sat. "Now, Draco. First off, it's a pleasure to see you again. I trust you had a good night's sleep, back in your, er, well, *a* bed."
"No, actually, I didn't." Draco said, his hand starting to scratch up the arm of the chair he sat in. Remembering the blood in his dream.
"Oh. I'm very sorry."
"Thank you. Now, I'm sure you know why I'm here."
"Ah yes. You wish to finish your studies. Get back on track as it were, marvellous. I think it's a splendid idea."
"Thank you. Can it be done?"
"Oh, of course, of course. I've already taken care of most of the details. You don't even have to stay here. Study at home and just come in once a week for the practical work. Does that sound good?"
"One day of school a week? Why couldn't we have done that from the start?" Draco smiled.
Dumbledore returned the smile and handed over a few forms, apologising but saying they were necessary. And Draco spent the next four hours reading, signing and bitching about the Ministry for himself.
----------
"In principle, it's simple. Go back to what I know." Draco said, the phone wedged between his shoulder and ear as he rummaged through a box. "And what I know is how to be a student. Well I know how to be a spy too, but that's not needed anymore, thankfully."
"So you're going to do the N.E.W.T.s and all that? Finish your basic education?" Hermione said through the line. "And then see where you go from there?"
"Exactly, which is why I need all my old stuff."
"Well neither you nor Harry ever threw *anything* out as far as I know. So everything should be there somewhere."
Professor Snape had taken Draco to a storage warehouse, similar to the idea of Gringott's, where his phantom self had kept all his old things after moving in with Harry and the blonde was currently going through everything. After about an hour of that, he had asked to use the company's phone, in hopes that Hermione or Harry would have more luck in knowing what to look for. Or at least a good locating spell.
"Any ideas, Hermione?
"Okay, when we were packing everything up, you put me in charge of the books so they wouldn't get too damaged. I grouped all the school things together in a large, blue box. Can you see one?"
Draco looked around. "Um, there's about six of them."
"Look for one marked 'Primary Academic Readings'."
Draco stopped what he was doing and took the phone away from his ear for a second so he could give it a incredulous look. "Jesus. Couldn't you have just put 'School Books'?"
Hermione's soft laughter reached his ears. "That's exactly what you said at the time. ...... Oh sorry, um ...... "
Draco returned the phone to his ear and cut in. "Hermione? Remember? I only have amnesia." He stressed the last sentence.
"I don't think that's a very good way to look at it."
"No. But it is the easiest, and I need that right now."
"Very well, I'll try and remember that it was you, but not you, but you, for your sake."
"Um, thanks er, *we* all appreciate it."
She laughed again at his tone. "Have you found the box yet?"
Draco was, at that moment, balanced on one foot, leaning on a box, trying to see around another box, to read the label of yet another box. "I have too much junk, I'm throwing it all out." He complained, knowing that he wouldn't. The phantom had correctly summarised that he never got rid of anything. "Um, yeah, I think this is it. Primary ..... Yeah this is it."
"Okay, good, now that should hold everything, your texts, your assignments, your notes from class, and personal research, everything."
"That's great. How do I unearth it?"
"Unearth it?"
"Yeah, it's under like five others."
"Oh, well you could do a switching spell."
"Yes, I could." Draco dragged out the pause and then smiled. "You want to tell me how?"
"Oh, sorry, sorry. Okay first you have to select the box you want."
Ten minutes later, he finally got it right without causing a landslide that he had to keep freezing and straightening out.
"Great. Now, how the hell do I get it home?"
"Shrinking charm. It's only temporary, but it'll last long enough."
He'd only just put it down in the cleared space in the living room of his apartment, when it gave a tremor. The first sign it was about to get bigger. He backed off as the box expanded back to it's original size. It was almost as tall as he was and it was about twice his width. He was about to open it when a knock came at the door. He opened it to hear the last of what an older Hermione was saying to an older Ron as Harry, who he'd already seen, hovered in the background.
" .....know that wasn't him. Oh, hi Draco." She said brightly.
Draco nodded to them. "Hey, er, what are you all doing here?"
Hermione smiled wider. "We came to help with your school material. I remember quite clearly that there was a lot of it. And you've been through so much already, in the last couple of days. It won't be too bad, it's all in order and everything, just getting it out of the box, resorting it, and finding somewhere to put it all. You've got seven years worth of things to go through."
Draco's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "You came to check I didn't get it all out of order, didn't you?"
Hermione took on a haughty look. "Listen, buster. I spent four long and painful weeks sorting all that out into a decent, organised system. You're damn right I'm making sure you don't mess it up." She walked over to the box and Ron followed her, keeping a lot of distance between himself and the blonde.
"Sorry." Harry had come to stand next to him. "We couldn't talk her out of it. She insisted we come over and handle your papers as if they were fine china."
"That's okay." Draco looked to where Hermione was directing Ron as the redhead carried things to different parts of the floor. "I got rather lonely last night. I'm sure you'll make good company."
"I don't think Ron will." Harry muttered so the other two couldn't hear them.
Draco frowned. "Why not? I would have thought we could at least tolerate each other by now."
"You could ..... and did! Until ...... " Harry trailed off and looked away.
"Until what?"
Harry smiled grimly. "Until he had a run in with Mortel."
The other two must have heard what he said, because they both froze and looked over.
"Who's Mortel?"
Ron cleared his throat. "He attacked me. I don't remember much of it but I do remember having to spend six days at St Mungos to heal the artery in my neck."
"He cut you?" Draco looked from one to the other with all three of them, feeling the change of mood.
"Er, Ko, um, I mean, Draco? Until two evenings ago, everyone firmly believed *you* were Mortel, so Ron's a little jumpy." Draco frowned harder in confusion, so Harry clarified. "Mortel is what the serial killer called himself."
"Oh." Draco looked to Ron, who did still seem a little skittish when under the blonde's gaze. "Right. Sorry, still a little new at all this." Ron actually took a step back when Draco looked at his throat. He ignored the thought that told him that had been a stupid thing to say.
To Be Continued.