Author's Note: Yes, short chapters, I know, but I'm trying to let the plot
develop amid threats from Isis Malfoy (who knows what's going to happen)
that if I don't have 18 chapters of fluff first, then... well... I'm
letting it develop at its own pace, and no, it probably won't have 18
chapters before the good stuff starts, but I promise there will be some in
each chapter until the stuff hits the fan, ok? Thanks for the reviews!
* ** *** **** *** ** *
"Ahhh... young love," Albus murmured as Minerva and he walked back towards Hogwarts.
"Reminds me of when we were younger," Minerva replied, squeezing Albus' hand.
"My dear, we are still quite young enough," he replied with a wink. "Do you remember..." he whispered in her ear about one night he remembered in particular.
Minerva's cheeks turned pink. "Albus!" She stared at him in shock, then started giggling. "I didn't think you'd remembered that... you had woken up in the hospital wing, after all."
"I'm sure we could do it right this time," he said suggestively in her ear.
Minerva grinned and leaned up to kiss him. "Well, Professor, I think we should correct our past mistakes, that's why pencils have erasers, right?"
"Quite right, my dear," he said, holding the door open for her.
****
"Malfoy," the wretched voice spoke. The voice hadn't changed, and neither had the appearance, but Voldemort could feel his body recuperating. He was still pale as bone, thin as a skeleton, but his mind was strong and full of ideas for the downfall of all that was good at Hogwarts.
"Yes, Lord?" Lucius asked, bowing.
"You have a son, do you not?"
"Yes, my Lord, I do."
"He attends Hogwarts?"
"Yes."
"Bring him to me."
"Yes, my Lord."
Lucius sent the family eagle owl to Hogwarts with an urgent message for Draco.
~~~~*~~~~*~~~~*~~~~
Before the second hour had expired, Draco sidled into the dining room of his father's manor. "You called for me, Father?" he drawled.
"Our Lord has risen again, Draco. He wishes to speak to you." Lucius watched as Draco's eyes widened. "Remember what I taught you," he said, giving his son a few pointers before going to the sitting room to introduce him.
"My Lord, my son, Draco, is here," Lucius said, motioning to the door as he bowed.
Draco entered, keeping his eyes low. He bowed low, kissed Voldemort's robes at the foot, and stood. "You ask for me, My Lord?"
"You have a knowledge of Hogwarts that I do not possess. Tell me about Dumbledore."
Draco's eyes narrowed slightly. "He hires werewolves and half-giants to be on the staff and allows mudbloods to attend school with the rest of us. Recently, his affections for Professor McGonagall have become common knowledge. It's rather sickening, actually."
"You... remind me of someone, young Draco. Have we ever met before?" Voldemort said, peering at the boy between his fingers as he sat with his fingertips touching in a tall arch.
"No, My Lord. I'm sure I would have remembered," he replied, knowing that the Dark Lord was remembering the day Draco had told him that the Malfoy's would always be loyal.
"Ah, well, continue. How about Harry Potter?"
"Potter is Head Boy, and Gryffindor prefect. He has something of a friendship with Dumbledore. He rather openly displays his affections for, of all things, a mudblood. Frighteningly disgraceful, if you ask me."
"I want to know everything about the staff that you can tell me. Severus Snape, first."
Draco bowed slightly before telling Voldemort everything he knew about Snape, Sprout, McGonagall, Madam Hooch, Hagrid, Flitwick, Sinistra, Trelawny, Binns, Vector, and even Filch, Pomfrey, and Madam Pince, the librarian.
~~~~*~~~~*~~~~*~~~~
Minerva and Albus walked into the Great Hall hand in hand as they did every meal they took together. After sixty years of hiding, they could not honestly care less about any rumors of fraternization. They sat at the Head Table, and Albus gazed at the students before him. He stood and Minerva tapped on a glass with a fork to get everyone's attention.
The Hall grew silent quickly, and Albus started. "Enjoy!" he said, and the food appeared on everyone's plate. As the students and staff ate, Albus and Minerva had a quiet conversation over their own dinners.
"I wonder where Mr. Malfoy is tonight," Albus mused, noticing the empty spot in the midst of the Slytherins where Draco had been sitting since Crabbe and Goyle had been expelled.
"He wasn't in Transfiguration today, either," Minerva realized. She had meant to tell Albus, but had forgotten.
"Madam Pomfrey," Albus said softly to a woman a few seats down, "is Mr. Malfoy currently residing in your hospital wing?"
"No, Professor. Why?" Poppy replied.
"Hmm... maybe he is simply studying in the library," Albus said, his voice heavy with the humor he found in the comment.
"I'm glad you think that's funny. I for one would be grateful if he'd spend some time studying," Minerva said, taking a glance at the Gryffindor table. Head Boy and Girl, Harry Potter and Hermione Granger sat with Prefect Ron Weasley near the middle of the table.
* ** *** **** *** ** *
"Ahhh... young love," Albus murmured as Minerva and he walked back towards Hogwarts.
"Reminds me of when we were younger," Minerva replied, squeezing Albus' hand.
"My dear, we are still quite young enough," he replied with a wink. "Do you remember..." he whispered in her ear about one night he remembered in particular.
Minerva's cheeks turned pink. "Albus!" She stared at him in shock, then started giggling. "I didn't think you'd remembered that... you had woken up in the hospital wing, after all."
"I'm sure we could do it right this time," he said suggestively in her ear.
Minerva grinned and leaned up to kiss him. "Well, Professor, I think we should correct our past mistakes, that's why pencils have erasers, right?"
"Quite right, my dear," he said, holding the door open for her.
****
"Malfoy," the wretched voice spoke. The voice hadn't changed, and neither had the appearance, but Voldemort could feel his body recuperating. He was still pale as bone, thin as a skeleton, but his mind was strong and full of ideas for the downfall of all that was good at Hogwarts.
"Yes, Lord?" Lucius asked, bowing.
"You have a son, do you not?"
"Yes, my Lord, I do."
"He attends Hogwarts?"
"Yes."
"Bring him to me."
"Yes, my Lord."
Lucius sent the family eagle owl to Hogwarts with an urgent message for Draco.
~~~~*~~~~*~~~~*~~~~
Before the second hour had expired, Draco sidled into the dining room of his father's manor. "You called for me, Father?" he drawled.
"Our Lord has risen again, Draco. He wishes to speak to you." Lucius watched as Draco's eyes widened. "Remember what I taught you," he said, giving his son a few pointers before going to the sitting room to introduce him.
"My Lord, my son, Draco, is here," Lucius said, motioning to the door as he bowed.
Draco entered, keeping his eyes low. He bowed low, kissed Voldemort's robes at the foot, and stood. "You ask for me, My Lord?"
"You have a knowledge of Hogwarts that I do not possess. Tell me about Dumbledore."
Draco's eyes narrowed slightly. "He hires werewolves and half-giants to be on the staff and allows mudbloods to attend school with the rest of us. Recently, his affections for Professor McGonagall have become common knowledge. It's rather sickening, actually."
"You... remind me of someone, young Draco. Have we ever met before?" Voldemort said, peering at the boy between his fingers as he sat with his fingertips touching in a tall arch.
"No, My Lord. I'm sure I would have remembered," he replied, knowing that the Dark Lord was remembering the day Draco had told him that the Malfoy's would always be loyal.
"Ah, well, continue. How about Harry Potter?"
"Potter is Head Boy, and Gryffindor prefect. He has something of a friendship with Dumbledore. He rather openly displays his affections for, of all things, a mudblood. Frighteningly disgraceful, if you ask me."
"I want to know everything about the staff that you can tell me. Severus Snape, first."
Draco bowed slightly before telling Voldemort everything he knew about Snape, Sprout, McGonagall, Madam Hooch, Hagrid, Flitwick, Sinistra, Trelawny, Binns, Vector, and even Filch, Pomfrey, and Madam Pince, the librarian.
~~~~*~~~~*~~~~*~~~~
Minerva and Albus walked into the Great Hall hand in hand as they did every meal they took together. After sixty years of hiding, they could not honestly care less about any rumors of fraternization. They sat at the Head Table, and Albus gazed at the students before him. He stood and Minerva tapped on a glass with a fork to get everyone's attention.
The Hall grew silent quickly, and Albus started. "Enjoy!" he said, and the food appeared on everyone's plate. As the students and staff ate, Albus and Minerva had a quiet conversation over their own dinners.
"I wonder where Mr. Malfoy is tonight," Albus mused, noticing the empty spot in the midst of the Slytherins where Draco had been sitting since Crabbe and Goyle had been expelled.
"He wasn't in Transfiguration today, either," Minerva realized. She had meant to tell Albus, but had forgotten.
"Madam Pomfrey," Albus said softly to a woman a few seats down, "is Mr. Malfoy currently residing in your hospital wing?"
"No, Professor. Why?" Poppy replied.
"Hmm... maybe he is simply studying in the library," Albus said, his voice heavy with the humor he found in the comment.
"I'm glad you think that's funny. I for one would be grateful if he'd spend some time studying," Minerva said, taking a glance at the Gryffindor table. Head Boy and Girl, Harry Potter and Hermione Granger sat with Prefect Ron Weasley near the middle of the table.