Chapter Eight

Draco walked out of the fireplace and into the study at Malfoy Manor. His father was smiling at him. "So, Draco, what do you want to do for the holidays?"

Draco glared at his father. "Nothing with you. You are my father, and I love you unconditionally, but right now, I really detest you." Draco then turned from his father and walked out of the room. Lucius stood back, mouth agape, before sneering and sitting down at his desk.

The day passed slowly. Dinner was quite and Draco didn't speak to his father. When Draco was done he walked straight to his room without a word. Soon after, Lucius followed.

Lucius fell into the most fitful sleep possible for a man who had just lost his wife and who's son was mad at him. He suddenly opened his eyes to see he was in a room. It had no walls, only windows circling around. When he looked out the windows he saw a skyline. It seemed he was in a city. He began searching for a door to get out when he heard something.

"Lucius?" A voice called.

Lucius spun around to see his wife. She was the most beautiful he had ever seen her, dressed in robes of dark crimson. Her long blonde hair fell around her, but she had a transparent look to her. She was carrying a single blood red rose with a black ribbon wrapped around it.

"Cissa?" Narcissa nodded.

"Where are we?" Lucius asked.

Narcissa smiled. "That doesn't matter. I came because I needed to talk to you."

"But your dead."

"Yes." Narcissa said, smiling sadly.

"Are you a ghost?"

"No, this is a dream. You will wake up when I am done speaking to you."

"Well what do you have to speak to me about, love?" Lucius said, tears falling down his cheeks.

"I have to tell you how you are sincerely screwing up. It was NOT his fault! He couldn't help what happened to me. I went to the station that day on my own free will."

"But if he hadn't found out you were his mother..."

"Then I would have never had those completely happy months before I died." Narcissa finished.

"It's his fault though."

"NO! IT'S NOT! Can you blame him for being born? Remember, Lucius, YOU took him away from the Dursley's and told him. He didn't ask for that. But he took it with a smile. He loved me and he loves you. Right now, he is in the worst possible position."

"I THINK I am in the worst possible position!" Lucius shouted.

"How?" Narcissa asked.

"You were taken away from me...the person I have loved for mostly my entire life...It is so strange for you not to be around...you aren't there to do any of the things we used to do together. My wife his dead." Lucius cried, falling to his knees.

Narcissa walked over to Lucius and cupped her chin in his hands.

"Lucius I must go, but..."

"NO! DON'T LEAVE ME AGAIN!!!"

"I have to...this isn't my place anymore...and you have things to do."

"Please..." Lucius said, helplessly.

"Lucius, there are two more things I have to say. Number one, while you have had me for all these years, Kade had just found me. He didn't know what it was like to really know me, do things with me. And he is taking this to all be his fault. He thinks he is to blame for the death of the mother he barely knew. But he loved me. Right at this very minute, he is sitting on his bed talking to Severus about how he wished he could cry, because he feels like it means he doesn't care if he isn't crying. But it isn't his fault. It's not yours either. It is VOLDEMORT! It is all his fault. And you are just allowing your son, who loves you, to blame himself and you are leaving him alone. I am sorry Lucius, but that is the most cruel thing you could have possibly done. The last thing I have to tell you is that, I will always love you...forever...you, Kade, and Draco are miracles to me, I will miss you, Lucius. Goodbye." Narcissa then leaned down and kissed her husbands lips. She then started to fade away. Lucius stood up as her hand disappeared from his chin.

"NO! DON'T LEAVE ME! PLEASE!!!" He fell to his knees and cried.

Lucius sat up quickly in bed. "Narcissa!" He cried. And then stood up. "It was only a dream...only a dream...only a dream..." He whispered over and over to himself. He walked towards his bedroom door and when he was about to open in, stepped on something. He jumped back as something pierced his food. He jerked his foot up and pulled a thorn out. "Lumos" He whispered. There on the floor right in front of his bedroom door was a single blood red rose, with a black ribbon tied around it.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Harry woke up the next morning with a headache. He sat up slowly in bed and squeezed his eyes shut when the light flooded the room. Severus walked in quietly and jumped when he noticed Kade was awake. "I didn't know you were up."

Harry nodded sleepily. "What did you need?"

Severus smiled. "My family has a...tradition. We give one present on Christmas Eve to each other. Since you are family...I figured I should give you this one ahead of time."

Harry smiled. He took the gift from Severus' hands. He looked at it and then frowned.

"What's wrong, Kade?" Severus asked, confused.

"I don't have more than one gift for you...and you already have Silvia." Harry said quietly.

"Don't worry about it. I will be perfectly happy with her!"

"Can we go to Diagon Alley?"

"Do you really want to?"

"Yes...then I can get you something."

"Okay. Now open your gift."

Harry took the lid of the box and gasped. In the box was a snake. It was a midnight blue with a silver stripe on it. "What?"

"Well, I really like Silvia, I thought you might like one. Do you like him?"

Harry smiled, nodding. "Yes. What is his name?"

"Why don't you ask him?"

Harry smiled and looked down at the snake. ~What is your name?~

The snake looked up at Harry. ~Master?~

Kade nodded. ~My name is Kade. What is yours?~

~Caius~

Harry nodded. ~This is Severus, a friend.~

~He speaks my language?~ The snake, asked.

Severus nodded. ~I do.~

~I am lucky, most snakes do not get masters with your talents.~

Kade and Severus smiled. Kade looked at Severus. "Thanks, Severus."

"Your welcome, Kaden."

"Well, let's go to Diagon Alley. Let me just put Caius up."

"Kade...I want you to keep Caius with you at all time, he has a charm on him so he can alert me if you are in danger. Hopefully, you will never need it...but I just thought..." He was cut off when Harry threw his arms around him.

"Thank you."

Soon Kade and Severus were walking happily in Diagon Alley. Severus was wanting to go to Flourish and Blotts and Harry was wanting to go to Quality Quidditch Supplies.

"Kade, you can go...meet me at Flourish and Blotts in an hour alright?"

"Deal."

Harry was admiring a new broomstick, Firestarter 3000, when someone tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around to face Felicia Granger.

"Hi Felicia."

"Hey Kade." Felicia said smiling. "Where's Draco?"

Kade looked down. "Dad is...disowning me. Draco is with him." Felicia gasped. "I am SO sorry."

"It's okay. Where is Hermione?" Felicia laughed.

"Sick, actually. She has the flu. I saw you in here and decided to bring you her Christmas present to you."

Harry was confused that Felicia had his gift with her when she didn't know he was going to be in Diagon Alley. But he shook it off. "Thanks." He took the present from her and was about you open in when she screeched. "NOT UNTIL CHRISTMAS! WAIT UNTIL THE MORNING!"

Harry laughed. "Okay...Okay..." He put the gift in his pocket and then looked at his watch. "I gotta go...Severus is waiting for me."

"Why is Severus waiting on you?"

"Come on silly, you know he is my godfather." A flicker passed Felicia's eyes but then she smiled. "I don't know what I was thinking. Bye Kade."

"Bye." Soon they were gone.

Kade stopped by Madam Maulkins and picked up Severus' gift. Soon he found himself back in his bed. He was going to sleep early. There was a big day ahead.

Severus walked in. "Goodnight, Kade."

"Goodnight Severus...OH! Can you get my gift from Hermione out of my robe pocket?"

"It thought you said she was sick, how did you get her present?"

"Felicia gave it to me in Diagon Alley."

"Oh okay." Severus did as he was asked.

"Goodnight Severus."

"Goodnight Kade, love you."

"Love you too." Severus shut the door with a smile and walked back to his bedroom. He was definitely looking forward to Christmas Day for the first time in years.

~*~*~*~*~*

The next morning, Kade woke up early. It was only six. He was to excited to go back to sleep though so he got out of bed and proceeded to the door. He smiled mischievously as he opened the door to Severus' room. Severus was sleeping peacefully.

Kade slowly walked over to the bed. He picked up his wand and pointed it at his professor. Since he wasn't an underaged wizard anymore life would be a lot more interesting. He smiled and muttered a spell under his breath. Suddenly, the covers were ripped away from Severus and he was dropped on the floor next to his bed.

"AARRGGHH!! KADEN XAVIER MALFOY!"

"Yes?"

Severus got up and glared at Kade. "What time is it, brat?"

Harry grinned. "Time to open presents!" Severus sneered.

"Give me ten minutes and I will be downstairs. I am expecting coffee." Kade laughed and walked out of the room. Ten minutes and a coffee pot later, Severus walked down the stairs muttering to himself.

Kade smiled, noticing that Severus was wearing the robes he had gotten him the day before. "So you like the robes then?"

"Yes...where is my coffee?" Kade laughed and handed him the cup.

The two then proceeded to walk to the living room. The tree was beautiful, covered in shining lights, ornaments, and tinsel. Underneath were dozens of presents.

They spent the next few hours opening presents. Harry received new robes, books, sweets, a necklace with protection charms on it from Draco. Severus had gotten him the next broomstick he had admired and new seeker gloves.

Severus received rare books and potions ingredients from Draco and Lucius, robes and a matching necklace from Draco himself.

They were talking about their plans for the day when the doorbell rang. "Do you want to get that?" Severus asked.

Kade chuckled. "No...I still have Hermione's gift in my room. I am going to go get it."

"Okay...I'll be down here when you are through. Don't take to long, it seems we have visitors."

Severus took his cup into the kitchen and cleaned up the wrapping paper with a swish of his wand. He then proceeded to the door. He opened it to see Albus Dumbledore.

"Good morning, Albus. How are..."

"Where is Kaden?" Albus asked, quickly.

"Upstairs in his room. Why? What's wrong?"

"Felicia Granger was kidnapped two days ago. We found her and she said that a death eater had stolen her hair for polyjuice. She said someone was going to take a present to Kade. I think it might be dangerous." Without a word, Severus turned and ran up the stairs with Albus at his heels. He opened the door to see and empty room, all that was there was a card on the floor. He opened in and gasped when he saw the dark mark drawn with Merry Christmas underneath it.

Severus screamed and fell to his knees. He then heard a voice downstairs. "SEVERUS?! KADEN!?" Lucius Malfoy was walking up the stairs and stopped when he saw Severus on the floor with Albus standing with an arm on his shoulder.

"Hey. Where is Kaden?"

Albus turned and looked at the elder Malfoy. "Lucius, it's Kade..."

"I know, I wanted to apologize."

"No! You don't understand. Kade has been taken by death eaters...a portkey." He then handed the card to Lucius who saw the picture, read the words, and promptly fainted.