Chapter Ten

Kade sat next to his father and across from his new servant. Albus sat next to Severus looking anxious.

"Kade, will you tell us what happened? Did you see Voldemort?" Albus asked. His blue eyes weren't twinkling and he looked...old.

"I opened my present to see a ring. I immediately placed it on my finger. It was beautiful. I then glanced at the bottom of the box and saw the dark mark. The next think I knew....I was gone. I appeared in a room that seemed to be empty. It was decorated nicely. I immediately took the ring off and threw it down. Then Voldemort appeared." His father gasped and Kaden rolled his eyes.

"Well he did a spell to check how powerful I was. The incantation is 'Magisarus'. He then proposed a deal."

"And what is the deal?" Severus asked quickly.

"I am sorry about this Severus...I thought this wise at the moment. Number one, he provides me with a house with enough money for furnishing. Number two, he will not let his death eaters hurt me or my servant. Number three, I get to choose a servant and have his mark removed...he works for me. Number four, me or my servant do not have to go to meetings unless I want to go or it is in regards to me. Number five, I get protection of five people, unquestioned, unless they end up on his major hit list."

"What do you have to do for him?" Lucius asked, desperately.

"I have to provide information on people when he asks for it and I will remain loyal to him unless he explicitly hurts me."

Albus' eyes were twinkling again. "What did you decide?"

Kade looked down. "I agreed."

Severus came over and knelt before Harry. "Kade...who did you choose?"

"You...as my servant. We have to go to the next meeting, you will have your mark removed then." Severus smiled.

Severus then pulled Harry up and swung him around. "THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!"

Lucius then looked up. "Who did you choose to protect?"

"Draco, Felicia and Hermione...I haven't decided on two more yet."

Severus bristled. "Why didn't you choose Albus or Lucius?"

"They are on his hit list...it would have made me look suspicious even if I could have chosen them."

Albus nodded. "You are correct. He still has no clue that you are Harry Potter?"

"No...hopefully he never will."

"Kade...here is my deal. I want you to report to him and go to at least every third meeting. You will run what you are going to report to him by me first, correct?"

"Yes, headmaster."

"Kade, Severus, come see me tonight please. I will be at Hogwarts."

The two men nodded. Albus said his good-byes and then left. Severus looked at Kade who was avoiding the blonde man next to him. "Well...I will be going to start something to eat now...I am sure that we are all hungry." Severus walked away, eager to be away from the two before the fireworks started.

Kade stood. "I will be going to my room now. Good day, Mr. Malfoy."

"Kaden?"

Kaden whirled around and faced his father. "SO...IT'S KADEN AGAIN IS IT? I THOUGHT I WAS 'POTTER'. THAT'S WHAT IT WAS WHEN I LAST SAW YOU. I WAS NO SON OF YOURS!"

"KADEN XAVIER MALFOY! DON'T YOU DARE SPEAK TO ME IN THAT TONE!"

"Why should I listen to you. You already disowned me..." Kade looked at his father with a stern face and icy glare. "You know, dad, I didn't ask to be part of your family! I understood that I had no family. Then you came along and gave me a brother, mother, father. I was happy before you TOOK IT ALL AWAY FROM ME! Do you have any idea how it feels to have your family taken away? WHAT ABOUT HOW IT FEELS TO HAVE YOUR FATHER SAY HE DOESN'T WANT YOU!? WHAT ABOUT IT FEELS NOT TO BE ABLE TO CRY PROPERLY AT YOUR MOTHER'S FUNERAL BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T KNOW HER VERY WELL? WHAT ABOUT HOW IT FEELS TO CRY YOUR HEART OUT THAT YOU ARE BLAMED FOR IT?!?!" With these last words, Harry sank to the floor crying.

Lucius walked over to his son and knelt before him. He then pulled Kaden into his arms. "Kaden...you are my son and I love..." Kaden jerked back from his father. "DON'T YOU DARE SAY THAT YOU LOVE ME! I WOULD BE SURPRISED IF YOU KNEW WHAT LOVE WAS! DON'T SAY I AM YOUR SON BECAUSE FAMILY DOES NOT TREAT EACH OTHER LIKE THAT. YOU ACT LIKE YOU WANT TO BE HERE FOR ME NOW...BUT WHERE WERE YOU WHEN I NEEDED YOU THE DAMN MOST! I AM NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU! ADMIT IT! I DON'T LIVE UP TO YOUR STANDARDS!" With that, Kade stood and ran up the stairs to his room, his haven.

Lucius Malfoy got to his feet and walked to the kitchen. Severus was facing the door, mouth agape, holding a bag of carrots.

Lucius looked at his childhood friend, "I don't think I will be staying for dinner." Severus then shut his mouth and nodded slightly. Lucius went home.

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

Lucius walked out of the fire place in his study. His son was seated the chair in front of his desk. "Yes, Draco?"

Draco looked up at his father. "Where were you?"

Lucius sighed. "I went to Severus's manor. I went to apologize to Kade. He was abducted by Lord Voldemort." Draco flew out of his seat. "WHAT?!"

"He's back now. I can't tell you much, I don't know what all I can tell you...anyway, he is fine."

"Did he forgive you?"

"No. He didn't forgive me. I am going to write him a letter."

"I will deliver it. I am going to see him. That was what I came in here to tell you, that I was going. Firetalk me when you are finished writing it."

Lucius nodded and Draco left. Lucius then got his best paper and a quill with royal blue ink. He had a very important letter to write.

An hour later, and ten pieces of parchment, he was done. He soon sent the letter off with Draco and started to read a book.

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

Draco came out of the fireplace in the manor living room. "KADE?" He shouted. Severus stepped out of the kitchen and smiled. "He is upstairs in his room. Hopefully, you can get him out of this mood and get him to come to dinner?"

"I will certainly do my best."

Draco walked up the stairs and knocked on his brother's door. "Kade? May I please come in?"

The door opened and Draco saw his brother sitting on his bed reading a book. He spied the name and laughed. "Honestly, Kade, this is creepy. I thought that I was supposed to be the twin?"

"What do you mean?"

"Dad is engrossed in that same book at home. Do you two always read Gilderoy Lockhart when you are depressed?" Kade snorted and closed the book before dropping it on the floor. "What do you want?"

"Dad wrote this. I came to deliver it." He handed Kade the letter. "Before that I had come to talk to you, I didn't know you had bee abducted. What happened?"

Kade then explained what had happened, Order be damned, this was his brother.

Draco hugged his brother. "Dad really is sorry about all of this. He really is. But no matter what you decide, I will always be your brother, and I love you."

Kade hugged his brother tighter, "Thank you, Draco."

Draco stood. "Well...I better be going now. And you still have to eat dinner and go see Dumbledore. Owl me?"

"Okay." Kade said with a small smile.

Draco then was gone and Kade looked down at the scroll in his hand. He walked over to his desk and opened it up. He looked down to see his father's familiar elegant scrawl and began to read.

Dear Kaden,

I do not know how I can completely apologize for what I have done. There was no excuse.

It is NOT your fault that your mother died. It is no one's fault but Voldemort. You deserve a family, I am happy that I could give you one.

It was completely out of order for me to say the things I said to you. You are not to blame. Don't blame yourself. It isn't your fault. Your mother was at the station to get you on her own free will.

I have been stupid to think it was your fault. I was just looking for someone to blame and you were who I thought to be angry at. You were the easiest person to be angry at.

I think I kind of took your not crying much as a sign that you didn't care. But really, you did. It was pointed out to me by someone that you had it the hardest of all. You lost the mother that you barely knew. You lost a wonderful person before you really got to know them.

I know I don't deserve you or your brother. You are miracles. But nonetheless, I ask for your forgiveness. I truly do love you, no matter what. You are my son, a Malfoy, and you please me constantly. I am proud to say that you are my son. Please, forgive me. I will not blame you if you do not, but...please. I love you more than you could ever know.

Please think about coming back to me. I love you so much.

Love from your father,
Lucius Aurelius Malfoy

Harry smiled as he put the letter down. He would forgive his father. He couldn't have him or his father die on bad terms with each other. He would go see his father, but right now...he had a meeting to attend to.

Kade walked down the stairs and ran into Severus, who it seemed was going up the stairs to coax him out of his room.

"OUCH! Sorry Sev!"

Severus grunted. "It's okay. So...are you ready to eat?"

"Actually, I would prefer to go get this meeting over with. We can eat afterwards."

"As you wish...master." Severus teased.

Kade turned to Severus. "If you DARE call me that when we are no around the dark lord or his representatives you will pay DEARLY!" He then pointed his wand at Severus. "RICTUMSEMPRA!" Severus started to laugh and bed Kade to stop the tickling curse that was torturing him.