The shortest chapter yet.
Also one of my favorites.
My reviewers rock.
As does Nat.
Please review.
They still aren't mine. Well, Astrid is and that's a bit of a consolation. Not really. Most of it belongs to JKR. Part belongs to Bob Dylan and part I think belongs to Mary Frye, although I've heard it credited to many sources.
That being said.
*****
Dear Finley,
I'm sorry about that letter I wrote yesterday. Please know that I wrote it because I thought I could protect you from the horror that is my father. Obviously I couldn't. I simply hope you never had the chance to read that letter. Judging by the wax on the paper, you didn't. I don't know how I could manage knowing the last thing you ever heard from me was the pile of rubbish I wrote. Of course "watch out for the knicker-eating kneazles" isn't exactly the most romantic thing either, but that joke always did make you laugh. I simply with I had been able to warn you, or a least been there for you. At least you died standing up for what you believe. From what I've heard, you gave your captors hell before they had a chance to do anything to you. For that, Finley, I'll be eternally proud of you.
I don't know if you knew, but little Sloane lived through the attack. Greg takes after his father in the brains department and Goyle Sr. definitely botched up his end of things. The Ministry of Magic left Sloane's fate in Dumbledore's hands. Mum wanted to adopt her. I don't think she's ever really recovered from losing Barrett. Lucius ranted for a while about your parents and then Crucio'd mum for thinking about adopting Sloane. Dumbledore found a suitable family for her though. Well, a suitable father that is. You'll at least, find him suitable. I have to question Dumbledore's sanity though. Caroline Sloane Alexander is now Sloane Alexandra Lupin. Yes, your favorite DADA professor is now your baby sister's guardian. As long as he doesn't bite her, she should be okay. Well, he should probably refrain from exposing her to the Weasleys too. She is a pureblooded witch and destined to be in Slytherin after all. Maybe she'll give them hell for us.
In closing, I'd like to say thank you. Thank you for simply being you and being the light in the dreary Slytherin dungeon. I'm thankful for the all-too-short time I've had to get to know you. I will never forget you.
Love Always
Draco
The prince of Slytherin leaned back in his desk chair. He held the parchment up in front of him. Tucking a stray piece of silverfish hair behind his ear, he skimmed over the still-drying words he had written.
"Draco are you ready?" an impatient voice asked from the doorway. Draco spun hastily to shoot an icy glare a its owner.
"Mum says it's time to go," Astrid continued. Draco ran his hands through his silky hair. He hadn't put any gel in it for that day. Finley vastly preferred it without. He silently cursed himself for not wearing it without gel more for her.
"Fudge has sent along a piece he'd like you to read during the service," Astrid plowed through her messages when Draco didn't respond to her.
"What piece?" Draco finally asked. He carefully folded his letter and slid it into the pocket of his pristine black robes.
"The lyrics to a song by an American Squib," Astrid replied. Draco shook his head, dropping his forehead into his left palm.
"You don't want to do it?" Astrid guessed. She tentatively took a few steps towards Draco.
"What do you think?" Draco asked. "My girlfriend is DEAD!" He roared the last word. "Of course I don't want to read."
"Of course you don't," Astrid echoed softly. Draco took his glasses off and rubbed his eyes, shaking his hair out of his face in one fluid motion.
"You look like you could use a hug," Astrid boldly ventured. Draco stood and glared down at his sister.
"Yeah," he finally said. "I think I could." Astrid closed the distance between them and looped her arms around her brother's waist. She rested her head on his chest and tried to control her fearful trembling. He brushed his hand lightly over her pale hair before letting it land on her back. He patted her back twice. She took this action as a sign to let go of him. She stepped back from him. Identical silver-grey eyes met.
"Feel better?" she asked. Even her bold confidence couldn't hide the nervous tremble in her voice.
"Yes," he said, not cracking a smile or even so much as a smirk. "But just because I let you hug me doesn't mean things in public are going to change."
"Why would they?" Astrid asked, allowing an air of cold indifference to overtake her formerly warm demeanor. She flashed a carbon copy of his own smirk up at him.
"Hey kid, that's not funny," he scolded, almost cracking a smile for the first time since his mother had given him the news about Finley.
"Miss Astrid, Master Draco, Mistress Narcissa is telling me she is needing you at the carriage," Nolly, the house-elf, said. Draco turned to glare at the little creature. Nolly quickly ran form the room. Draco stepped in front of his mirror.
"Draco Malfoy, you're a sexy beast" the mirror purred. Draco smoothed his tailored, midnight black linen robes. He picked up his black dragon-hide cloak from the back of his desk chair and spun it around his shoulders. He slid the ornate silver clasp together to form a filigreed DCM at the base of his throat.
"Ready?" he asked Astrid. She nodded at him. He stepped towards her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. They both closed their eyes and a moment later, announced by a pair of soft pops, the pair arrived at the carriage. Astrid hurried to climb into the carriage. Draco stopped to run his hands over the broad back of one of the Abraxan pulling the carriage.
"Draco," Lucius called form inside the carriage. Draco's hands dropped sharply from the horse. He quickly clambered into the carriage and dropped into the seat next to Emma. Astrid sat on the other side of Emma, with Lucius and Narcissa facing them. Keiran sat between Narcissa and Lucius, glaring alternately at Astrid and Emma.
"Draco," Lucius said as the team of Abraxan took flight.
"Father," Draco replied.
"At the event we are about to attend, you are not to engage in any sort of behavior that would make you appear weak or even give the impression that you care," Lucius commanded.
"Father, I believe it would look more realistic if he did show emotion," Keiran began. "He was, after all, with the stain on the pureblood name."
"True, very true," Lucius murmured. Draco clenched his hands into fists.
"Keiran," he spat. He began to rise to his feet, fully intending to make his brother regret the day he was born.
"Draco Cullen Malfoy, sit down this instant before you make the balance of the carriage shift and cause us all to tumble to the ground to our deaths!" Narcissa commanded. Draco sank tensely back down onto his seat.
"At least then he'd be with his precious Finley," Keiran muttered. Holding out a hand to halt her older son, Narcissa cuffed the younger sharply on the back of his head. Keiran rubbed the spot and glared up at his mother.
"Draco," Narcissa said, ignoring Keiran. She reached into her handbag and pulled out a scrap of parchment. She handed it across the carriage. "This is what you've been asked to read." Draco took the paper from his mother and stared at the words, trying to ignore the looks Keiran kept shooting him.
*****
Draco looked down at the scrap of paper in his hands. Cornelius Fudge was standing at a makeshift podium, rattling on about what a great asset to the wizarding world Finley had been. Draco tried to block out the Minister's words. What would Cornelius fudge know about the way Finley's blue-black hair sparkled in the firelight or the mischievous glint she got in her eyes when she thought of something particularly funny? The Minister's words would never capture the way she barely poked her tongue between her thing red lips when she worked on a particularly difficult Arithmancy problem. The Minister would mention the girl's Quidditch career, but he wouldn't be able to express the look of pure elation on her face after she had flung her first goal past that git Weasley.
"That," thought Draco," was truly Finley." He let his eyes stray up to the dark mahogany casket just in front of the Minister's podium. The idea of Finley being caught up in a box for all of eternity made him feel slightly sick. A warmish breeze ruffled his hair and he knew that her free spirit indeed was free. He glanced around the small Alexander family cemetery. The cemetery was on the top of a hill. The view was unobstructed, mountains in all directions.
"She'll be able to see the sun rise and set," Draco noted. A stately old willow tree stood guard next to the wrought iron gate at the entrance to the cemetery. Draco's eyes quickly traveled over the three fresh mounds of soil that were Max, Juliet and Reece's graves, and fell on the arrangement of crimson roses resting on the top of Finley's casket. The Minister droned on. Draco zoned out staring at the roses. Two sharp fingers digging into his though brought him back to reality. He glared down at Emma who had been elected to sit in the front row with him while Lucius, Narcissa and the twins hung near the back. Emma indicated ever so slightly to Fudge. Draco glanced up at the Minister just in time to see him nod slightly. Parchment gripped tightly in hand, Draco stood up and made his way to the now empty podium. He stepped behind it, looked out over the audience and cleared his throat. He was many of his housemates seated around with their parents. A few Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws were sprinkled about with one lone Gryffindor seated in the back corner alongside a very prim older looking lady wearing a hat topped by a ridiculous stuffed vulture. He wondered what Neville Longbottom was doing at Finley's funeral before his eyes fell on the casket in front of him. He knew he couldn't stay emotionless if he looked at that damned box much longer, so he quickly looked up. His eyes locked with Astrid's. She nodded slightly. He cleared his throat again and began to read.
"May he bless you and keep you always. May your wishes all come true. May you always do for others, and let others do for you. May you build a ladder to the stars and climb on every rung. May you stay forever young," Draco's voice trembled through the first verse. The Quidditch team with the addition of little Trevor Nott, who Finley used to tutor, began making their way down the aisle. Draco swallowed hard and his eyes fell back on Astrid. So there were two Gryffindors in the crowd. She held his gaze as he began the second verse from memory.
"May you grow up to be righteous. May you grow up to be true," Draco's voice trembled over those two lines as well, but due to anger at whoever chose the stupid song more than nervousness. Only Astrid's steady gaze kept him on task.
"May you always know the truth and see the lights surrounding you. May you always be courageous, stand upright and be strong. May you stay forever young," Each of the six boys linked a hand through the handles on either side of the casket. At once they lifted and began a slow procession towards a freshly dug grave between Juliet and little Reece. Draco's voice strengthened.
"May your hands always be busy. May your feet always be swift. May you have a strong foundation when the winds of changes shift." Draco was on the verge of yelling. Every eye in the place was riveted on him while he remained in a staring contest with his little sister.
"May your heart always be joyful. May your song always be sung. May you stay forever young. Forever young, forever young. May you stay," Draco paused for a moment.
"FOREVER YOUNG!" the final words rose from the throat of every teenager gathered as a sharp cry, puncturing the crisp winter air. Draco saw a single tear slip down Astrid's check and was thankful that one of them was able to cry. Draco stepped down from the podium and headed over to the casket. The crowd followed. Draco placed his letter on the casket. Casey Warrington caught his eye and smirked at him. Draco immediately headed off to his family's waiting carriage.
*****
"I'm proud of you son, you didn't seem much like you cared," Lucius said, clapping Draco on his shoulder. Draco silently wondered why Emma had traded seats with Lucius.
"He probably didn't," Draco heard Keiran mutter. Neither Lucius nor Narcissa heard him. "He was probably just with her because she was a good shag." Balance be damned, Draco dived across the carriage. Wordlessly he smashed his fist into Keiran's jaw. The boy's mouth hinged to the left. Keiran looked up at Draco, blue eyes wide with surprise and fear. Draco drew his fist back a second time.
"Never let me her you speak of her that way again," he hissed. He tried to punch Keiran again but Lucius's vice like grip on his elbow stopped him and dragged him back into his seat.
"Take the traitor and go home before you get us all killed. I'm sick of looking at both of you," Lucius hissed. Draco grabbed the back of Astrid's cloak and with a soft pop they were gone.
*Pop*
Draco let go of his sister as soon as the pair landed in his bedroom. He took the three steps to the nearest wall. His left fist, meant for Keiran, instead crashed into the cold grey stone of the wall. He swung again. His fist met the wall with a satisfying crack. He felt the skin across his knuckles begin to split. One more hit and the skin ripped completely. Blood splattered down his robes and ran down the wall. He punched the wall twice more before the pain in his hand became too much. Instead, he drew his foot back and cracked it into the wall several times in quick succession.
Astrid sat huddled on the edge of Draco's bed and watched as his grief, sadness, frustration and whatever else poured out in one ball of anger. He crammed his foot into the wall twice more before turning and flinging himself face down on his bed. Great hiccupping gulps of air hitched in his throat, but his eyes remained dry. Blood poured from four gashes on the back of his hand. Astrid reached over and placed her hand lightly on his shoulder. She took a deep breath before she began to speak.
"ABIGAIL, LEAVE US!" Lucius roared, storming into Draco's room before Astrid had a chance to speak. Astrid scurried out of the room around her father as Draco sprang to his feet from the bed to face his father. Astrid shut the door silently behind her and crouched next to a statue just to the left of the door.
"Draco," Lucius said, cold and menacingly. "Explain yourself."
"Keiran made a comment about me only being with Finley because she was a good shag," Draco said, never breaking eye contact with his father.
"That is no reason to break his jaw," Lucius spat. The snake-topped cane lashed out and struck Draco in the left side of his head. The fangs of the snake caught Draco's left eyebrow and left a small crescent shaped cut. Draco's head snapped sharply right. Blood trickling in his eye, Draco turned back to his father. Lucius swung the cane twice more. The first hit caught Draco's right shoulder and the second hit struck Draco directly in his stomach. He clasped both hands to his stomach and breathed deeply to attempt to regain the air that had just been knocked out of him.
"Now never let me see you attack your brother like that again," Lucius said. Draco looked up at his father through a curtain of silvery hair. "Do you understand me?" Draco nodded.
"ANSWER ME WHEN I SPEAK TO YOU!" Lucius roared. He swung the cane one last time. The blow took Draco's left side. Draco gasped for air and tried to blink the blood from his eye.
"Yes," he said, in a voice barely above a whisper. Lucius turned on his heel and marched smartly out of Draco's room. As soon as the door clicked shut behind his father, Draco collapsed onto his bed. He lay on his right shoulder and pulled his knees towards his stomach.
Astrid, still crouched in the hall, watched her father storm by. She carefully rose from her hiding spot and approached the door to Draco's room. She knocked softly twice and when he didn't respond, she opened the door just a crack. Looking through, she could see her brother lying on his bed, staring at the wall. She walked quickly over to his bed and sank onto the dark green comforter.
"Are you okay?" she asked.
"Why did she have to die and why do they have to be such fucking pricks?" Draco asked. He sounded like he was on the verge of screaming.
"Draco," he turned his head to look at her. She wiped the blood away from his eye and began to recite a poem she had learned during her last year at Muggle school. "Do not stand at my grave and weep. I am not there; I do not sleep. I am the thousand winds that blow. I am the diamond glints on snow. I am the sun on ripened grain. I am the gentle autumn rain. When you waken in the morning hush, I am the swift uplifting rush. Of gentle birds in circling flight. I am the soft star that shines at night. Do not stand at my grave and cry. I am not there, I did not die."
Also one of my favorites.
My reviewers rock.
As does Nat.
Please review.
They still aren't mine. Well, Astrid is and that's a bit of a consolation. Not really. Most of it belongs to JKR. Part belongs to Bob Dylan and part I think belongs to Mary Frye, although I've heard it credited to many sources.
That being said.
*****
Dear Finley,
I'm sorry about that letter I wrote yesterday. Please know that I wrote it because I thought I could protect you from the horror that is my father. Obviously I couldn't. I simply hope you never had the chance to read that letter. Judging by the wax on the paper, you didn't. I don't know how I could manage knowing the last thing you ever heard from me was the pile of rubbish I wrote. Of course "watch out for the knicker-eating kneazles" isn't exactly the most romantic thing either, but that joke always did make you laugh. I simply with I had been able to warn you, or a least been there for you. At least you died standing up for what you believe. From what I've heard, you gave your captors hell before they had a chance to do anything to you. For that, Finley, I'll be eternally proud of you.
I don't know if you knew, but little Sloane lived through the attack. Greg takes after his father in the brains department and Goyle Sr. definitely botched up his end of things. The Ministry of Magic left Sloane's fate in Dumbledore's hands. Mum wanted to adopt her. I don't think she's ever really recovered from losing Barrett. Lucius ranted for a while about your parents and then Crucio'd mum for thinking about adopting Sloane. Dumbledore found a suitable family for her though. Well, a suitable father that is. You'll at least, find him suitable. I have to question Dumbledore's sanity though. Caroline Sloane Alexander is now Sloane Alexandra Lupin. Yes, your favorite DADA professor is now your baby sister's guardian. As long as he doesn't bite her, she should be okay. Well, he should probably refrain from exposing her to the Weasleys too. She is a pureblooded witch and destined to be in Slytherin after all. Maybe she'll give them hell for us.
In closing, I'd like to say thank you. Thank you for simply being you and being the light in the dreary Slytherin dungeon. I'm thankful for the all-too-short time I've had to get to know you. I will never forget you.
Love Always
Draco
The prince of Slytherin leaned back in his desk chair. He held the parchment up in front of him. Tucking a stray piece of silverfish hair behind his ear, he skimmed over the still-drying words he had written.
"Draco are you ready?" an impatient voice asked from the doorway. Draco spun hastily to shoot an icy glare a its owner.
"Mum says it's time to go," Astrid continued. Draco ran his hands through his silky hair. He hadn't put any gel in it for that day. Finley vastly preferred it without. He silently cursed himself for not wearing it without gel more for her.
"Fudge has sent along a piece he'd like you to read during the service," Astrid plowed through her messages when Draco didn't respond to her.
"What piece?" Draco finally asked. He carefully folded his letter and slid it into the pocket of his pristine black robes.
"The lyrics to a song by an American Squib," Astrid replied. Draco shook his head, dropping his forehead into his left palm.
"You don't want to do it?" Astrid guessed. She tentatively took a few steps towards Draco.
"What do you think?" Draco asked. "My girlfriend is DEAD!" He roared the last word. "Of course I don't want to read."
"Of course you don't," Astrid echoed softly. Draco took his glasses off and rubbed his eyes, shaking his hair out of his face in one fluid motion.
"You look like you could use a hug," Astrid boldly ventured. Draco stood and glared down at his sister.
"Yeah," he finally said. "I think I could." Astrid closed the distance between them and looped her arms around her brother's waist. She rested her head on his chest and tried to control her fearful trembling. He brushed his hand lightly over her pale hair before letting it land on her back. He patted her back twice. She took this action as a sign to let go of him. She stepped back from him. Identical silver-grey eyes met.
"Feel better?" she asked. Even her bold confidence couldn't hide the nervous tremble in her voice.
"Yes," he said, not cracking a smile or even so much as a smirk. "But just because I let you hug me doesn't mean things in public are going to change."
"Why would they?" Astrid asked, allowing an air of cold indifference to overtake her formerly warm demeanor. She flashed a carbon copy of his own smirk up at him.
"Hey kid, that's not funny," he scolded, almost cracking a smile for the first time since his mother had given him the news about Finley.
"Miss Astrid, Master Draco, Mistress Narcissa is telling me she is needing you at the carriage," Nolly, the house-elf, said. Draco turned to glare at the little creature. Nolly quickly ran form the room. Draco stepped in front of his mirror.
"Draco Malfoy, you're a sexy beast" the mirror purred. Draco smoothed his tailored, midnight black linen robes. He picked up his black dragon-hide cloak from the back of his desk chair and spun it around his shoulders. He slid the ornate silver clasp together to form a filigreed DCM at the base of his throat.
"Ready?" he asked Astrid. She nodded at him. He stepped towards her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. They both closed their eyes and a moment later, announced by a pair of soft pops, the pair arrived at the carriage. Astrid hurried to climb into the carriage. Draco stopped to run his hands over the broad back of one of the Abraxan pulling the carriage.
"Draco," Lucius called form inside the carriage. Draco's hands dropped sharply from the horse. He quickly clambered into the carriage and dropped into the seat next to Emma. Astrid sat on the other side of Emma, with Lucius and Narcissa facing them. Keiran sat between Narcissa and Lucius, glaring alternately at Astrid and Emma.
"Draco," Lucius said as the team of Abraxan took flight.
"Father," Draco replied.
"At the event we are about to attend, you are not to engage in any sort of behavior that would make you appear weak or even give the impression that you care," Lucius commanded.
"Father, I believe it would look more realistic if he did show emotion," Keiran began. "He was, after all, with the stain on the pureblood name."
"True, very true," Lucius murmured. Draco clenched his hands into fists.
"Keiran," he spat. He began to rise to his feet, fully intending to make his brother regret the day he was born.
"Draco Cullen Malfoy, sit down this instant before you make the balance of the carriage shift and cause us all to tumble to the ground to our deaths!" Narcissa commanded. Draco sank tensely back down onto his seat.
"At least then he'd be with his precious Finley," Keiran muttered. Holding out a hand to halt her older son, Narcissa cuffed the younger sharply on the back of his head. Keiran rubbed the spot and glared up at his mother.
"Draco," Narcissa said, ignoring Keiran. She reached into her handbag and pulled out a scrap of parchment. She handed it across the carriage. "This is what you've been asked to read." Draco took the paper from his mother and stared at the words, trying to ignore the looks Keiran kept shooting him.
*****
Draco looked down at the scrap of paper in his hands. Cornelius Fudge was standing at a makeshift podium, rattling on about what a great asset to the wizarding world Finley had been. Draco tried to block out the Minister's words. What would Cornelius fudge know about the way Finley's blue-black hair sparkled in the firelight or the mischievous glint she got in her eyes when she thought of something particularly funny? The Minister's words would never capture the way she barely poked her tongue between her thing red lips when she worked on a particularly difficult Arithmancy problem. The Minister would mention the girl's Quidditch career, but he wouldn't be able to express the look of pure elation on her face after she had flung her first goal past that git Weasley.
"That," thought Draco," was truly Finley." He let his eyes stray up to the dark mahogany casket just in front of the Minister's podium. The idea of Finley being caught up in a box for all of eternity made him feel slightly sick. A warmish breeze ruffled his hair and he knew that her free spirit indeed was free. He glanced around the small Alexander family cemetery. The cemetery was on the top of a hill. The view was unobstructed, mountains in all directions.
"She'll be able to see the sun rise and set," Draco noted. A stately old willow tree stood guard next to the wrought iron gate at the entrance to the cemetery. Draco's eyes quickly traveled over the three fresh mounds of soil that were Max, Juliet and Reece's graves, and fell on the arrangement of crimson roses resting on the top of Finley's casket. The Minister droned on. Draco zoned out staring at the roses. Two sharp fingers digging into his though brought him back to reality. He glared down at Emma who had been elected to sit in the front row with him while Lucius, Narcissa and the twins hung near the back. Emma indicated ever so slightly to Fudge. Draco glanced up at the Minister just in time to see him nod slightly. Parchment gripped tightly in hand, Draco stood up and made his way to the now empty podium. He stepped behind it, looked out over the audience and cleared his throat. He was many of his housemates seated around with their parents. A few Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws were sprinkled about with one lone Gryffindor seated in the back corner alongside a very prim older looking lady wearing a hat topped by a ridiculous stuffed vulture. He wondered what Neville Longbottom was doing at Finley's funeral before his eyes fell on the casket in front of him. He knew he couldn't stay emotionless if he looked at that damned box much longer, so he quickly looked up. His eyes locked with Astrid's. She nodded slightly. He cleared his throat again and began to read.
"May he bless you and keep you always. May your wishes all come true. May you always do for others, and let others do for you. May you build a ladder to the stars and climb on every rung. May you stay forever young," Draco's voice trembled through the first verse. The Quidditch team with the addition of little Trevor Nott, who Finley used to tutor, began making their way down the aisle. Draco swallowed hard and his eyes fell back on Astrid. So there were two Gryffindors in the crowd. She held his gaze as he began the second verse from memory.
"May you grow up to be righteous. May you grow up to be true," Draco's voice trembled over those two lines as well, but due to anger at whoever chose the stupid song more than nervousness. Only Astrid's steady gaze kept him on task.
"May you always know the truth and see the lights surrounding you. May you always be courageous, stand upright and be strong. May you stay forever young," Each of the six boys linked a hand through the handles on either side of the casket. At once they lifted and began a slow procession towards a freshly dug grave between Juliet and little Reece. Draco's voice strengthened.
"May your hands always be busy. May your feet always be swift. May you have a strong foundation when the winds of changes shift." Draco was on the verge of yelling. Every eye in the place was riveted on him while he remained in a staring contest with his little sister.
"May your heart always be joyful. May your song always be sung. May you stay forever young. Forever young, forever young. May you stay," Draco paused for a moment.
"FOREVER YOUNG!" the final words rose from the throat of every teenager gathered as a sharp cry, puncturing the crisp winter air. Draco saw a single tear slip down Astrid's check and was thankful that one of them was able to cry. Draco stepped down from the podium and headed over to the casket. The crowd followed. Draco placed his letter on the casket. Casey Warrington caught his eye and smirked at him. Draco immediately headed off to his family's waiting carriage.
*****
"I'm proud of you son, you didn't seem much like you cared," Lucius said, clapping Draco on his shoulder. Draco silently wondered why Emma had traded seats with Lucius.
"He probably didn't," Draco heard Keiran mutter. Neither Lucius nor Narcissa heard him. "He was probably just with her because she was a good shag." Balance be damned, Draco dived across the carriage. Wordlessly he smashed his fist into Keiran's jaw. The boy's mouth hinged to the left. Keiran looked up at Draco, blue eyes wide with surprise and fear. Draco drew his fist back a second time.
"Never let me her you speak of her that way again," he hissed. He tried to punch Keiran again but Lucius's vice like grip on his elbow stopped him and dragged him back into his seat.
"Take the traitor and go home before you get us all killed. I'm sick of looking at both of you," Lucius hissed. Draco grabbed the back of Astrid's cloak and with a soft pop they were gone.
*Pop*
Draco let go of his sister as soon as the pair landed in his bedroom. He took the three steps to the nearest wall. His left fist, meant for Keiran, instead crashed into the cold grey stone of the wall. He swung again. His fist met the wall with a satisfying crack. He felt the skin across his knuckles begin to split. One more hit and the skin ripped completely. Blood splattered down his robes and ran down the wall. He punched the wall twice more before the pain in his hand became too much. Instead, he drew his foot back and cracked it into the wall several times in quick succession.
Astrid sat huddled on the edge of Draco's bed and watched as his grief, sadness, frustration and whatever else poured out in one ball of anger. He crammed his foot into the wall twice more before turning and flinging himself face down on his bed. Great hiccupping gulps of air hitched in his throat, but his eyes remained dry. Blood poured from four gashes on the back of his hand. Astrid reached over and placed her hand lightly on his shoulder. She took a deep breath before she began to speak.
"ABIGAIL, LEAVE US!" Lucius roared, storming into Draco's room before Astrid had a chance to speak. Astrid scurried out of the room around her father as Draco sprang to his feet from the bed to face his father. Astrid shut the door silently behind her and crouched next to a statue just to the left of the door.
"Draco," Lucius said, cold and menacingly. "Explain yourself."
"Keiran made a comment about me only being with Finley because she was a good shag," Draco said, never breaking eye contact with his father.
"That is no reason to break his jaw," Lucius spat. The snake-topped cane lashed out and struck Draco in the left side of his head. The fangs of the snake caught Draco's left eyebrow and left a small crescent shaped cut. Draco's head snapped sharply right. Blood trickling in his eye, Draco turned back to his father. Lucius swung the cane twice more. The first hit caught Draco's right shoulder and the second hit struck Draco directly in his stomach. He clasped both hands to his stomach and breathed deeply to attempt to regain the air that had just been knocked out of him.
"Now never let me see you attack your brother like that again," Lucius said. Draco looked up at his father through a curtain of silvery hair. "Do you understand me?" Draco nodded.
"ANSWER ME WHEN I SPEAK TO YOU!" Lucius roared. He swung the cane one last time. The blow took Draco's left side. Draco gasped for air and tried to blink the blood from his eye.
"Yes," he said, in a voice barely above a whisper. Lucius turned on his heel and marched smartly out of Draco's room. As soon as the door clicked shut behind his father, Draco collapsed onto his bed. He lay on his right shoulder and pulled his knees towards his stomach.
Astrid, still crouched in the hall, watched her father storm by. She carefully rose from her hiding spot and approached the door to Draco's room. She knocked softly twice and when he didn't respond, she opened the door just a crack. Looking through, she could see her brother lying on his bed, staring at the wall. She walked quickly over to his bed and sank onto the dark green comforter.
"Are you okay?" she asked.
"Why did she have to die and why do they have to be such fucking pricks?" Draco asked. He sounded like he was on the verge of screaming.
"Draco," he turned his head to look at her. She wiped the blood away from his eye and began to recite a poem she had learned during her last year at Muggle school. "Do not stand at my grave and weep. I am not there; I do not sleep. I am the thousand winds that blow. I am the diamond glints on snow. I am the sun on ripened grain. I am the gentle autumn rain. When you waken in the morning hush, I am the swift uplifting rush. Of gentle birds in circling flight. I am the soft star that shines at night. Do not stand at my grave and cry. I am not there, I did not die."