Disclaimer: Much as I'd like to, I don't own Draco Malfoy, or any part of the magical world that J.K. Rowling has all the copyrights to ... please don't sue me. There are some parts of this story that are quotes from the book - it can't be helped - events are the same as in the book, but Draco's opinion of these events may vary from Harry's.
Author's Notes: My beta's email is screwed. And I set a deadline for myself, so that the Christmas chapter will be up by Christmas - this chapter's a little late. Here's a hint - this chapter includes Sirius Black, and brings up some questions about Cat's past ... questions which are immediately ignored.
Simply Myself: eep *hides from the red rubber duck*. Yeah, I actually agree with you about Veela!Draco ... did you notice Narcissa twirling her hair nervously when the Veela appeared - that was meant to be a subtle hint. Yes, the Skrewts are about that size by now. Actually, you're right - Theo does use his brain quite a bit - Draco was just joking about it. Glad you liked the insults - I was proud of them.
Devi: Just because Draco recognises what he did wrong does not mean he will be repentant in the slightest. No, I don't watch that show.
Drucilla Black: Draco's conscience made a very brief appearance, yes - but we won't be seeing too much of it, don't worry.
duochang97: Yeah ... Hermione did read all those books, you're right.
dragonsprincess: Hermione was only blushing because she realised just how ridiculously unnecessary the book she was about to give him was.
Exodia Himself: Yep, I had her calculate that for you ... and a couple of other people who asked, as well.
daintress: Glad you like.
Hrei-siesn: Thanks.
Elizabeth: Thank you.
Prongs4: Draco was turned into a ferret in chapter six - how did you miss that? The chapter was titled "The Amazing Bouncing Ferret!
Akuma-sama: S'not a problem - I don't mind you only reviewing every few chapters. As long as you don't forget all about me, I'm fine. Draco, give a human response? Pu-lease - he's a Malfoy. Oh, please don't skip GoF, OotP and the next two - pretty please? The whole point of a Slyth!Harry fic (same point as my Draco's POV fic) is to get the different perspective and responses for everything that happens.
Bob: That was as nice as Draco knows how to be. And I'm glad you liked the duel - the "homicidal" glint in Harry's eyes is important, actually. But probably not till book six.
"I love what you've neglected to do with the place." -BtVS
Chapter 15 - Cat's House
Potter got a lucky break when Creepy Creevy popped his unwanted head into the classroom and said someone wanted Potter somewhere - I wasn't paying attention or caring, really. Although, the poisons we were supposed to be making an antidote to were way easier to cure than the one I'd had to deal with in second year - I still wanted to get a good grade in this class.
At the end of the class, Weasley had been poisoned but unfortunately he had made a proper antidote. Crabbe, on the other hand, had turned his potion into stone. Theo and I left, making rude remarks about both Weasley and Crabbe - neither of whom were there to hear it.
"So what's next on your unholy to-do list?" Theo asked, smirking.
"Visit Goyle in the Hospital Wing." I muttered.
"Goyle?" Theo asked sceptically.
I shot him a glare, "That's my story and I'm sticking to it, now if you don't mind, make yourself elsewhere again." and I walked quickly away towards the Hospital Wing.
I stopped on the way to write a quick note on a small scrap of parchment: 'meet me in the library as soon as you're better' in absolutely tiny handwriting, so that short sentence would fit on the parchment - that's how small it was.
I then crumpled up the parchment into a ball and walked into the Hospital Wing with it in my hand. When I walked in, I saw Goyle looking back to normal, sitting on the edge of a bed, and Madam Pomfrey fussing over what must have been Hermione. "Hello Goyle." I said coldly, "What are you still doing here?"
"Pomfrey told me to wait." Goyle answered dumbly.
"Uh huh." I said, with an evil glint in my eye, "This is yours ... in case you've never seen one before, it's called a homework assignment, you're supposed to do it by next Potions class."
A terrified squeak came from across the room, "There was homework? I missed a homework assignment?" Hermione asked shrilly.
"Hold still, dear." Pomfrey snapped at her.
"Don't worry, Workaholic, Weasley was told to give you your homework." I said, waving her off dismissively.
Goyle was staring blankly at the homework like he really had never seen one before. Pomfrey then stepped away from Hermione, "Goyle, you are free to go - Granger, please wait for a moment."
Goyle got up to go, as Pomfrey vanished into her office. I noticed Hermione's teeth had been fixed, and I don't mean back to normal, I mean better. I flicked the piece of parchment with excellent aim - it hit her in the side of the face. Goyle sniggered, as Hermione glared. When Goyle turned his attention back to putting one foot in front of the other, I nodded at the parchment, then followed the nitwit out of the room.
As we passed through the Entrance Hall, I said, "Go on to dinner, I have something to do in the Library."
"You're always in the Library, Malfoy." Goyle said confused.
"Because I like to pass my classes." I replied, and left before he could comment further.
* * *
I was working on the Potions homework, half an hour later, when Hermione walked into the Library and stalked over to me, "You are an evil -"
"Wait a second." I said, holding my hands up, "Can we speak rationally? What evil thing have I done this time?"
"My teeth!" she hissed angrily, and I got the feeling the only reason she wasn't screeching was because we were in the Library, and she had the utmost respect for the sanctity of the books.
"That was an accident. I was aiming for Potter." I said calmly.
She glared, "Almost as bad." she growled, and sat down facing me, "So why did you want to see me?"
"I wanted to apologise for hexing you ... like I said, it was an accident." I said, then I smiled, "Besides, you look better for what Pomfrey did to fix the hex."
She glared for a moment, then smiled, "Really?"
"Yes, really. Not that I thought you looked ugly before, or anything." I said quickly, "The only thing I could have against you is your bloodline - I already told you about that - and the fact you keep beating me in the end-of-year exams."
She looked smug now, "I didn't beat you in last year's overall percentage grade."
"Because you were taking half a dozen extra subjects. You're overall score was about twice mine." I said, jealousy obvious in my tone.
Still looking smug, she said, "Well, I guess that's true ... so you really think I look better now?"
"Yes. But if you ask my opinion in front of any Slytherin other than Theo, I will say you're a filthy ugly Mudblood and I want nothing to do with you."
She raised an eyebrow, "Are you implying you want something to do with me, really?"
"I'm talking to you, aren't I?"
"Good save, for a second I thought you had a crush on me." she said watching my reaction closely.
I couldn't help blushing slightly, "What would give you that idea?" I asked, not quite looking at her.
"Well your reaction just now is a major clue." she said, looking more smug than a minute ago.
"Damn." I muttered.
"Why? You're afraid to admit it?"
"To anyone except myself." I muttered.
"So you do like me?"
"Yes." I said so quietly I'd not have been surprised if she'd not heard me ... but she did.
"I knew it!" she whispered triumphantly.
"What?" I asked, looking at her, stunned.
"I thought the way you'd been behaving around me was ... odd. Now it makes sense." she said.
"You ... don't mind?" I asked, surprised.
"Why should I? You're obviously not going to try anything in case anyone else notices, and like I said not long ago, you're not bad looking. As for your personality, I'd need to understand it before I liked it."
"That's basically a 'never gonna happen' then, isn't it?" I said a little sadly, "Because the chances of you understanding me are next to none."
She gave me a searching look, as if she wished that wasn't true, "I think you're right."
I shrugged, "Well, I only wanted to apologise for hexing you - I did that - you can go if you want to." I said, returning my attention to the Potions homework.
She continued to watch me for a moment, before sighing and standing up, "I'll see you around?" she asked.
"Yeah." I said, not looking up.
* * *
The next morning's Daily Prophet was literally sickening - I genuinely felt like vomiting. If I hadn't known what the acronym stood for, I might have worn one of Hermione's badges, that day.
"It makes his nose look wonky ... and his eyes aren't really that far apart ... and I don't think his hair's ever been that neat - they edited this picture to make him look as dense as Crabbe and Goyle." Theo said, grinning evilly.
I glanced at the huge picture of Potter, on the cover of the Daily Prophet, "You're right." I said, nodding.
"And, look at this." Theo said, shoving the paper, opened at page six, under my nose.
'The young champion has already been known to face several
trying events, during his time at Hogwarts.'
I stopped reading. "To hell with this, you don't expect me to read this hero-worshipping shit, do you? The front page was bad enough." I asked.
"Well, I was wondering how long it'd take you to say that, is all." Theo said, grinning.
"I read one sentence." I answered.
"Hmm ... Cat, you win." he said, handing a Sickle to Cat. He then turned back to me, and said, "I thought you'd get to three sentences."
I snorted, "You should stop making bets with the Seer, Theo."
"Huh? Oh, that's a good point." Theo said, nodding, "Well, basically that article makes Potter look like a self-obsessed prat."
"So, boys." Blaise said, from opposite Theo, "Are you up for memorising some of the sickly-sappy lines and quoting them to Potter - there's stuff there that'd embarrass Lockhart if it were about him."
"No bloody way - I refuse to even read that article." I growled.
Theo sniggered, "I'm up for it."
"Good, get memorising, then ... I've already got all the nasty lines memorised, I'm off to piss off Potter." Blaise said, smirking evilly.
"How'd she memorise that so fast?" Theo asked, mystified.
"Why don't you ask her that? I'm not a Legilimens." I said coldly, and stared nauseously at my breakfast for a minute, before pushing it away and leaving for the Library.
* * *
"Hey, Weasley!" I shouted, as Potter's ex-sidekick passed me in the corridor - it looked like he was heading down to breakfast, where I had just come from.
"What do you want, Ferret-Face?" Weasley snarled, turning to face me, and trying unsuccessfully to impersonate a Basilisk (as in trying to kill me by glaring at me).
"Have you read this morning's Daily Prophet, yet?" I asked.
"I don't get it." Weasley said coldly.
"Ask someone to let you read it, then ... it's worth a good laugh - I can hardly believe your Hero actually said those things to Skeeter ... then again, why would she lie?" I said, shrugging and walking away.
"What are you talking about?" Weasley called after me.
"Go read for yourself." I replied over my shoulder, before turning the corner and leaving the poor idiot to go and read more reasons to hate his supposed best friend.
* * *
Over the next week, Blaise recruited Pansy, Milli, and Cat - along with at least two dozen older, and half a dozen younger Slytherins, and several older Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs - into her plot to piss off Potter ... I had to admit it was working, but there was still no way I was going to read that revolting article.
Weasley had also been avidly ignoring Potter, which amused me no end. I especially enjoyed the fact that it was all my fault - to add to Potter's misery was a great deal of fun.
* * *
On the Saturday before the task, Cat grabbed Theo and I, and led us off into a corner of the common room, "You know how we've got a Hogsmeade day today?"
"Yeah?" I asked sceptically.
"Well, I've been doing some research ... and by all legal rights, I own a nice little house, I want you to see." Cat said, grinning evilly, "It's not in Hogsmeade, but a quick Floo trip and no one's any the wiser."
"You're suggesting going out of bounds, to visit something you obviously inherited from some evil aunt or other -"
"More like my evil grandmother." Cat interrupted, shrugging.
"Whatever ... just because you feel like it?" I finished.
"Yes." Cat said cheerfully.
"Sounds fun." Theo noted.
"I thought you guys would like the idea." Cat said, smirking.
"Fine, whatever you say ... as long as I don't get caught, I don't mind." I said, shrugging.
* * *
Theo and I were waiting for Cat, outside the Hog's Head pub (I had no idea where Crabbe and Goyle had vanished to, and honestly, I didn't give a damn), when I heard the Weasley twins' voices, "And that is the Hog's Head."
"And that is the sky, up there, above your head."
"And down there, underneath your feet, is the ground - that's for walking on."
"And this here, is a bottle of shampoo, guaranteed to stop Snape-impersonations before they happen." they finished, before breaking into fits of laughter, accompanied by a female voice that I immediately recognised as the Weaslette.
"Ready, boys?" Cat had appeared, just before I could come up with a good insult for the Weasleys.
"Yes'm." Theo said, cheerfully.
We went into the pub, where Cat paid the barman for three handfuls of Floo powder - she gave each of us a handful, and threw hers on the fire ... then she stepped in, saying clearly but quietly enough that only Theo and I could hear her, "Twelve Grimmauld Place."
I looked at Theo, "I have a bad feeling about this."
"Me too." Theo said, then threw his Floo powder onto the fire and hopped into the flames, and said just as clearly and quietly, "Twelve Grimmauld Place."
I muttered to myself, "I know I've heard that address somewhere before." then repeated what Theo had done, and found myself falling out of a fireplace in a grimy darkened kitchen, where Theo and Cat were already standing.
"It's not much, but clean it up and throw out a lot of the deadly dark arts stuff, and it'd be a nice place, what do you think?" Cat asked.
"I like it." Theo said, looking around with fascination.
"I don't." I said, crossing my arms over my chest, and looking around the shadows suspiciously.
"What are these people doing in my mistress's house? Kreacher does not know. Kreacher does not like that one, Kreacher thinks he could be insane." a voice said from one of these shadows.
Theo turned to look at it, and said, "Yes, I am. Thank you."
Another voice shouted angrily, "Look who's talking, stupid elf." I recognised that voice. It was Sirius Black.
"Sorry, master." the first voice - which I assumed was a house elf - said in the same sort of oily voice Borgin uses to talk to my father - totally fake, and obvious that he thinks it's a chore to be that polite.
"But the nincompoop has a point - there aren't supposed to be people in this house - I mean, without knowing the Floo address, it's practically impossible to find this place. It's un-bloody-plottable."
"I found the Floo address in some legal documents." Cat said nervously.
"Why?"
"I had reason to believe I had a claim on this house."
"Ha, I'm the last one in the will. Even if I am a convicted murderer." Black said, stepping out of the shadows - he looked a lot better groomed than last I saw him - his hair had been washed and cut to shoulder-length, he'd shaved off the beard, and he must have had a few good meals, as well. He then glared down at where the elf's voice came from, "And I might just murder something else if you don't get out of this room, now, Kreacher."
"Yes, master." Kreacher said, oilily ... then muttered clearly, as if he thought we couldn't hear him, "Kreacher thinks his master has lost his mind in Azkaban. Kreacher thinks his mistress should have had him drowned at birth, Kreacher does."
Black took a kick at the elf, but just missed it as it vanished out of the room. "Stupid ruddy elf ... I'm gonna have it stuffed and mounted if it keeps insulting me ... no, on second thoughts, that's actually what it's trying to provoke me to do, I think."
"Um ... Mr Black?" Cat asked, nervously.
"Yeah?" Black asked, turning to face her.
Theo grinned demonically, "You realise if we wanted to - which we don't - we could tell the authorities where you are?" he asked.
"Yeah, but the thing is if I thought you were a threat, you'd not leave in one piece." Black said casually.
"Idle threat." Cat said quietly.
"Says who?" Black asked.
"Says the Seer - as in me." Cat said calmly.
"You're a Seer? Cool. I dated a Seer, once." Black said, nodding, "Creepy, but in a good way."
Cat was avidly not looking at anyone at that point ... ok, what's the betting said 'Seer' is her mother?
"Well, much as we'd love to see you reminisce about the pre-Azkaban years, Catty brought us here to explore the house, and that's what I'm going to do." Theo said, turning and heading for the door.
"I'd be careful if I were you." Black warned, "There's a lot of dangerous things in this house."
"Least of all, you?" Theo asked, over his shoulder.
"Actually, yeah." Black muttered.
"Yeah, I'll be fine." Theo said, waving over his shoulder, and leaving the room.
"If he's not back in an hour, I'll go looking for the body-parts." Black said, apparently serious.
Cat stared after Theo, "He'll be fine." she said calmly.
"Hope you're right - the last thing I need is another name on the body-count I'm supposed to be responsible for." Black said, then he turned to face us, "So why are you kids here? And how come your two friends aren't screaming bloody murder on seeing me?" he asked, specifically looking at me.
"I told them what you told me ... Cat believed me, and Theo's insane enough not to care." I answered.
Black nodded, "I'd offer you a seat, but they bite ... I'd offer you something to eat, but the only things we've got Kreacher's been deliberately cultivating mould on ... I'd offer you something to drink, but I'm pretty sure Kreacher did something obscene to the water-tank."
"Oh, that's delightful." I said sarcastically.
"Kreacher thinks the lunatic is going to ruin his mistress's house. Kreacher thinks -"
"Sirius thinks Kreacher is going to have a boot enema if Kreacher doesn't shut up!" Black shouted.
Cat giggled, and I smirked. Kreacher looked at us, "Kreacher is wondering who these two are. Kreacher thinks the boy looks like someone Kreacher knows."
"If you ask me if I'm related to Lucius Malfoy, I'll feed you to a Blast-Ended Skrewt." I snapped.
"Kreacher was going to ask if you were related to young Mistress Narcissa." Kreacher muttered.
I blinked, "Yes, I am."
"What's a Blast-Ended Skrewt?" Black asked.
"A giant scorpion-like monster that looks like some sort of hybrid with a fire-crab - it's our latest Care of Magical Creatures project, and Theo has the burns to prove it." I answered.
"Sounds delightful." Black muttered, "I didn't think Kettleburn did that sort of thing?"
"Kettleburn retired just over a year ago." I said, scowling as I said it, "I picked the class because I'd heard his reputation was good ... then I get stuck trying to learn something non-fatal from the gamekeeper with a monster fetish."
"Oh, Hagrid's teaching, now?" Black asked, "It's only a matter of time before there are dragons at Hogwarts."
"Too late, that happened in first year." I muttered.
"Huh?" Black asked.
"The gamekeeper had a pet dragon your favourite godson helped smuggle out of Hogwarts, and I got in trouble for trying to tell a teacher there was a dragon in the Astronomy Tower."
"Well, it's a tall tale, no wonder they didn't believe you." Black said, shrugging, "It's like the time I tried to tell Professor Vance that Snape was up a tree in the Forbidden Forest, trying to harvest illegal potions ingredients, and someone 'accidentally' knocked his ladder down." Black said, smirking. Cat giggled.
"Hey, this place is so cool." Theo said, returning holding something in his hands, "There's a Hippogriff in the attic, Doxies in the curtains, and Jarveys in the floorboards."
"Hippogriff?" I asked quietly.
"Yep, the one that nearly got killed last year." Theo said, shrugging.
"What's that you've got?" Black asked, looking at the box Theo held.
"There's some cool cursed stuff in the study, I hope you don't mind me looting a few things?" Theo asked, hopefully.
"Help yourself, just don't take anything too dangerous." Black said, "What've you got?"
"Well, there's this cool amulet - if my analysing spell's right, it's cursed to make whoever wears it talk in rhyme till they take it off - I'll test it on someone else first, thought." Theo said, holding up an ugly greyish jewel on a tacky gold chain, "There's a few biting books about various conjuring spells for harmless dark creatures - I left the ones for dangerous dark creatures where they were ... there's a jinxed hairbrush that makes hair messier rather than neater -"
"I gave that to James once - it was hilarious." Black said, smirking, "One of the few things I found in this house that I liked."
"Can I have it, or do you want it for sentimental reasons?" Theo asked.
"Sure you can have it. What else you got?" Black asked curiously.
"This looks like a working copy of the ring of Amara, and my analysing spell thinks so too." Theo said, holding up a ring with a blood-red stone in it, "And this cloak was buried at the bottom of a trunk in the top bedroom." he finished, holding up a silvery cloak that faded out where it was hanging over his hand - an Invisibility Cloak.
"That one's mine." I snapped, taking the cloak from Theo.
"I never knew my mother had an Invisibility Cloak ... if I'd known, I'd have nicked it, and James'd not have paid two years allowance to get his one." Black muttered.
"Can I have it?" I asked, putting the cloak on, "I like it." I added, looking in a grimy mirror and not seeing myself.
"Sure, what'm I gonna use it for? No one knows my alter-ego, so it's way better than invisibility ... plus, Harry'll let me borrow his any time I -" he paused looking at me, "Crap, I just told you about -"
"I already knew - it's one of the reasons I want one for myself." I interrupted.
"Oh, that's ok, then." Black said coolly.
"Draco, you have to see this." Theo said, grabbing my arm, even though I was invisible, and dragging me out of the room, up some stairs, into another room.
There was a string of swear words emanating from the floor - must be the Jarveys Theo mentioned - and the curtains were fluttering - probably Doxies. Theo led me to a tapestry on the wall, "There's your name." Theo said, pointing to the bottom of the tapestry. "I didn't know you were related to Black?"
"I just didn't tell you." I muttered, "Cat's not on this."
"Huh? Yes she is - look." Theo pointed way up on the tapestry, where some ancient ancestor of Sirius Black had had a sister who'd married a Pureblood, and the line never connected with the main Black line again, right down to Megan Feral, and there was no father listed for her daughter - Catarina. "They're distant cousins ... what is she supposed to be, though - divine conception?" Theo asked, sarcastically.
"Well, maybe the tapestry doesn't know who her father is - no records do, really - all we have is Cat's word, and that's what her mother told her." I said, shrugging.
"Meh." Theo shrugged as well, "Just wondered if you'd known you were related to Black."
"I knew."
"Ok. Let's go see how Cat's doing."
I followed Theo, back to the room we had arrived in, noticing several portraits giving me funny looks, and one called me by name, saying I'm "such a sweet little boy, look how you've grown ..."
"I don't like this house. At all." I muttered to Theo.
"I agree." Theo said, nodding.
"Where's Draco?" Cat asked, when we got back to the room.
"I'm right here, I just like the new cloak I nicked." I said, smirking.
"Ah." Cat turned to Black, and smiled, "See you around?" she asked him.
"Sure thing." Black said, smiling, "Now skedaddle, all of you - you have to get back in time for the kurfew ... and one of my insane cousins keeps popping in at random times, to feed Kreacher - you wouldn't want him to catch you, I sure as hell don't. Also, I have plans for tonight."
"A date?" I asked sarcastically.
"Ha." Black said, "So funny I forgot to laugh - get gone, now."
"Got Floo powder?" Cat asked.
"On the mantelpiece." Black answered.
And we returned to Hogsmeade, and managed to make it back to Hogwarts before Filch threw a fit (apparently, he did throw a fit when a group of Hufflepuff third years came back late, though).
* * *
End of chapter 15
Author's Notes: My beta's email is screwed. And I set a deadline for myself, so that the Christmas chapter will be up by Christmas - this chapter's a little late. Here's a hint - this chapter includes Sirius Black, and brings up some questions about Cat's past ... questions which are immediately ignored.
Simply Myself: eep *hides from the red rubber duck*. Yeah, I actually agree with you about Veela!Draco ... did you notice Narcissa twirling her hair nervously when the Veela appeared - that was meant to be a subtle hint. Yes, the Skrewts are about that size by now. Actually, you're right - Theo does use his brain quite a bit - Draco was just joking about it. Glad you liked the insults - I was proud of them.
Devi: Just because Draco recognises what he did wrong does not mean he will be repentant in the slightest. No, I don't watch that show.
Drucilla Black: Draco's conscience made a very brief appearance, yes - but we won't be seeing too much of it, don't worry.
duochang97: Yeah ... Hermione did read all those books, you're right.
dragonsprincess: Hermione was only blushing because she realised just how ridiculously unnecessary the book she was about to give him was.
Exodia Himself: Yep, I had her calculate that for you ... and a couple of other people who asked, as well.
daintress: Glad you like.
Hrei-siesn: Thanks.
Elizabeth: Thank you.
Prongs4: Draco was turned into a ferret in chapter six - how did you miss that? The chapter was titled "The Amazing Bouncing Ferret!
Akuma-sama: S'not a problem - I don't mind you only reviewing every few chapters. As long as you don't forget all about me, I'm fine. Draco, give a human response? Pu-lease - he's a Malfoy. Oh, please don't skip GoF, OotP and the next two - pretty please? The whole point of a Slyth!Harry fic (same point as my Draco's POV fic) is to get the different perspective and responses for everything that happens.
Bob: That was as nice as Draco knows how to be. And I'm glad you liked the duel - the "homicidal" glint in Harry's eyes is important, actually. But probably not till book six.
"I love what you've neglected to do with the place." -BtVS
Chapter 15 - Cat's House
Potter got a lucky break when Creepy Creevy popped his unwanted head into the classroom and said someone wanted Potter somewhere - I wasn't paying attention or caring, really. Although, the poisons we were supposed to be making an antidote to were way easier to cure than the one I'd had to deal with in second year - I still wanted to get a good grade in this class.
At the end of the class, Weasley had been poisoned but unfortunately he had made a proper antidote. Crabbe, on the other hand, had turned his potion into stone. Theo and I left, making rude remarks about both Weasley and Crabbe - neither of whom were there to hear it.
"So what's next on your unholy to-do list?" Theo asked, smirking.
"Visit Goyle in the Hospital Wing." I muttered.
"Goyle?" Theo asked sceptically.
I shot him a glare, "That's my story and I'm sticking to it, now if you don't mind, make yourself elsewhere again." and I walked quickly away towards the Hospital Wing.
I stopped on the way to write a quick note on a small scrap of parchment: 'meet me in the library as soon as you're better' in absolutely tiny handwriting, so that short sentence would fit on the parchment - that's how small it was.
I then crumpled up the parchment into a ball and walked into the Hospital Wing with it in my hand. When I walked in, I saw Goyle looking back to normal, sitting on the edge of a bed, and Madam Pomfrey fussing over what must have been Hermione. "Hello Goyle." I said coldly, "What are you still doing here?"
"Pomfrey told me to wait." Goyle answered dumbly.
"Uh huh." I said, with an evil glint in my eye, "This is yours ... in case you've never seen one before, it's called a homework assignment, you're supposed to do it by next Potions class."
A terrified squeak came from across the room, "There was homework? I missed a homework assignment?" Hermione asked shrilly.
"Hold still, dear." Pomfrey snapped at her.
"Don't worry, Workaholic, Weasley was told to give you your homework." I said, waving her off dismissively.
Goyle was staring blankly at the homework like he really had never seen one before. Pomfrey then stepped away from Hermione, "Goyle, you are free to go - Granger, please wait for a moment."
Goyle got up to go, as Pomfrey vanished into her office. I noticed Hermione's teeth had been fixed, and I don't mean back to normal, I mean better. I flicked the piece of parchment with excellent aim - it hit her in the side of the face. Goyle sniggered, as Hermione glared. When Goyle turned his attention back to putting one foot in front of the other, I nodded at the parchment, then followed the nitwit out of the room.
As we passed through the Entrance Hall, I said, "Go on to dinner, I have something to do in the Library."
"You're always in the Library, Malfoy." Goyle said confused.
"Because I like to pass my classes." I replied, and left before he could comment further.
* * *
I was working on the Potions homework, half an hour later, when Hermione walked into the Library and stalked over to me, "You are an evil -"
"Wait a second." I said, holding my hands up, "Can we speak rationally? What evil thing have I done this time?"
"My teeth!" she hissed angrily, and I got the feeling the only reason she wasn't screeching was because we were in the Library, and she had the utmost respect for the sanctity of the books.
"That was an accident. I was aiming for Potter." I said calmly.
She glared, "Almost as bad." she growled, and sat down facing me, "So why did you want to see me?"
"I wanted to apologise for hexing you ... like I said, it was an accident." I said, then I smiled, "Besides, you look better for what Pomfrey did to fix the hex."
She glared for a moment, then smiled, "Really?"
"Yes, really. Not that I thought you looked ugly before, or anything." I said quickly, "The only thing I could have against you is your bloodline - I already told you about that - and the fact you keep beating me in the end-of-year exams."
She looked smug now, "I didn't beat you in last year's overall percentage grade."
"Because you were taking half a dozen extra subjects. You're overall score was about twice mine." I said, jealousy obvious in my tone.
Still looking smug, she said, "Well, I guess that's true ... so you really think I look better now?"
"Yes. But if you ask my opinion in front of any Slytherin other than Theo, I will say you're a filthy ugly Mudblood and I want nothing to do with you."
She raised an eyebrow, "Are you implying you want something to do with me, really?"
"I'm talking to you, aren't I?"
"Good save, for a second I thought you had a crush on me." she said watching my reaction closely.
I couldn't help blushing slightly, "What would give you that idea?" I asked, not quite looking at her.
"Well your reaction just now is a major clue." she said, looking more smug than a minute ago.
"Damn." I muttered.
"Why? You're afraid to admit it?"
"To anyone except myself." I muttered.
"So you do like me?"
"Yes." I said so quietly I'd not have been surprised if she'd not heard me ... but she did.
"I knew it!" she whispered triumphantly.
"What?" I asked, looking at her, stunned.
"I thought the way you'd been behaving around me was ... odd. Now it makes sense." she said.
"You ... don't mind?" I asked, surprised.
"Why should I? You're obviously not going to try anything in case anyone else notices, and like I said not long ago, you're not bad looking. As for your personality, I'd need to understand it before I liked it."
"That's basically a 'never gonna happen' then, isn't it?" I said a little sadly, "Because the chances of you understanding me are next to none."
She gave me a searching look, as if she wished that wasn't true, "I think you're right."
I shrugged, "Well, I only wanted to apologise for hexing you - I did that - you can go if you want to." I said, returning my attention to the Potions homework.
She continued to watch me for a moment, before sighing and standing up, "I'll see you around?" she asked.
"Yeah." I said, not looking up.
* * *
The next morning's Daily Prophet was literally sickening - I genuinely felt like vomiting. If I hadn't known what the acronym stood for, I might have worn one of Hermione's badges, that day.
"It makes his nose look wonky ... and his eyes aren't really that far apart ... and I don't think his hair's ever been that neat - they edited this picture to make him look as dense as Crabbe and Goyle." Theo said, grinning evilly.
I glanced at the huge picture of Potter, on the cover of the Daily Prophet, "You're right." I said, nodding.
"And, look at this." Theo said, shoving the paper, opened at page six, under my nose.
'The young champion has already been known to face several
trying events, during his time at Hogwarts.'
I stopped reading. "To hell with this, you don't expect me to read this hero-worshipping shit, do you? The front page was bad enough." I asked.
"Well, I was wondering how long it'd take you to say that, is all." Theo said, grinning.
"I read one sentence." I answered.
"Hmm ... Cat, you win." he said, handing a Sickle to Cat. He then turned back to me, and said, "I thought you'd get to three sentences."
I snorted, "You should stop making bets with the Seer, Theo."
"Huh? Oh, that's a good point." Theo said, nodding, "Well, basically that article makes Potter look like a self-obsessed prat."
"So, boys." Blaise said, from opposite Theo, "Are you up for memorising some of the sickly-sappy lines and quoting them to Potter - there's stuff there that'd embarrass Lockhart if it were about him."
"No bloody way - I refuse to even read that article." I growled.
Theo sniggered, "I'm up for it."
"Good, get memorising, then ... I've already got all the nasty lines memorised, I'm off to piss off Potter." Blaise said, smirking evilly.
"How'd she memorise that so fast?" Theo asked, mystified.
"Why don't you ask her that? I'm not a Legilimens." I said coldly, and stared nauseously at my breakfast for a minute, before pushing it away and leaving for the Library.
* * *
"Hey, Weasley!" I shouted, as Potter's ex-sidekick passed me in the corridor - it looked like he was heading down to breakfast, where I had just come from.
"What do you want, Ferret-Face?" Weasley snarled, turning to face me, and trying unsuccessfully to impersonate a Basilisk (as in trying to kill me by glaring at me).
"Have you read this morning's Daily Prophet, yet?" I asked.
"I don't get it." Weasley said coldly.
"Ask someone to let you read it, then ... it's worth a good laugh - I can hardly believe your Hero actually said those things to Skeeter ... then again, why would she lie?" I said, shrugging and walking away.
"What are you talking about?" Weasley called after me.
"Go read for yourself." I replied over my shoulder, before turning the corner and leaving the poor idiot to go and read more reasons to hate his supposed best friend.
* * *
Over the next week, Blaise recruited Pansy, Milli, and Cat - along with at least two dozen older, and half a dozen younger Slytherins, and several older Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs - into her plot to piss off Potter ... I had to admit it was working, but there was still no way I was going to read that revolting article.
Weasley had also been avidly ignoring Potter, which amused me no end. I especially enjoyed the fact that it was all my fault - to add to Potter's misery was a great deal of fun.
* * *
On the Saturday before the task, Cat grabbed Theo and I, and led us off into a corner of the common room, "You know how we've got a Hogsmeade day today?"
"Yeah?" I asked sceptically.
"Well, I've been doing some research ... and by all legal rights, I own a nice little house, I want you to see." Cat said, grinning evilly, "It's not in Hogsmeade, but a quick Floo trip and no one's any the wiser."
"You're suggesting going out of bounds, to visit something you obviously inherited from some evil aunt or other -"
"More like my evil grandmother." Cat interrupted, shrugging.
"Whatever ... just because you feel like it?" I finished.
"Yes." Cat said cheerfully.
"Sounds fun." Theo noted.
"I thought you guys would like the idea." Cat said, smirking.
"Fine, whatever you say ... as long as I don't get caught, I don't mind." I said, shrugging.
* * *
Theo and I were waiting for Cat, outside the Hog's Head pub (I had no idea where Crabbe and Goyle had vanished to, and honestly, I didn't give a damn), when I heard the Weasley twins' voices, "And that is the Hog's Head."
"And that is the sky, up there, above your head."
"And down there, underneath your feet, is the ground - that's for walking on."
"And this here, is a bottle of shampoo, guaranteed to stop Snape-impersonations before they happen." they finished, before breaking into fits of laughter, accompanied by a female voice that I immediately recognised as the Weaslette.
"Ready, boys?" Cat had appeared, just before I could come up with a good insult for the Weasleys.
"Yes'm." Theo said, cheerfully.
We went into the pub, where Cat paid the barman for three handfuls of Floo powder - she gave each of us a handful, and threw hers on the fire ... then she stepped in, saying clearly but quietly enough that only Theo and I could hear her, "Twelve Grimmauld Place."
I looked at Theo, "I have a bad feeling about this."
"Me too." Theo said, then threw his Floo powder onto the fire and hopped into the flames, and said just as clearly and quietly, "Twelve Grimmauld Place."
I muttered to myself, "I know I've heard that address somewhere before." then repeated what Theo had done, and found myself falling out of a fireplace in a grimy darkened kitchen, where Theo and Cat were already standing.
"It's not much, but clean it up and throw out a lot of the deadly dark arts stuff, and it'd be a nice place, what do you think?" Cat asked.
"I like it." Theo said, looking around with fascination.
"I don't." I said, crossing my arms over my chest, and looking around the shadows suspiciously.
"What are these people doing in my mistress's house? Kreacher does not know. Kreacher does not like that one, Kreacher thinks he could be insane." a voice said from one of these shadows.
Theo turned to look at it, and said, "Yes, I am. Thank you."
Another voice shouted angrily, "Look who's talking, stupid elf." I recognised that voice. It was Sirius Black.
"Sorry, master." the first voice - which I assumed was a house elf - said in the same sort of oily voice Borgin uses to talk to my father - totally fake, and obvious that he thinks it's a chore to be that polite.
"But the nincompoop has a point - there aren't supposed to be people in this house - I mean, without knowing the Floo address, it's practically impossible to find this place. It's un-bloody-plottable."
"I found the Floo address in some legal documents." Cat said nervously.
"Why?"
"I had reason to believe I had a claim on this house."
"Ha, I'm the last one in the will. Even if I am a convicted murderer." Black said, stepping out of the shadows - he looked a lot better groomed than last I saw him - his hair had been washed and cut to shoulder-length, he'd shaved off the beard, and he must have had a few good meals, as well. He then glared down at where the elf's voice came from, "And I might just murder something else if you don't get out of this room, now, Kreacher."
"Yes, master." Kreacher said, oilily ... then muttered clearly, as if he thought we couldn't hear him, "Kreacher thinks his master has lost his mind in Azkaban. Kreacher thinks his mistress should have had him drowned at birth, Kreacher does."
Black took a kick at the elf, but just missed it as it vanished out of the room. "Stupid ruddy elf ... I'm gonna have it stuffed and mounted if it keeps insulting me ... no, on second thoughts, that's actually what it's trying to provoke me to do, I think."
"Um ... Mr Black?" Cat asked, nervously.
"Yeah?" Black asked, turning to face her.
Theo grinned demonically, "You realise if we wanted to - which we don't - we could tell the authorities where you are?" he asked.
"Yeah, but the thing is if I thought you were a threat, you'd not leave in one piece." Black said casually.
"Idle threat." Cat said quietly.
"Says who?" Black asked.
"Says the Seer - as in me." Cat said calmly.
"You're a Seer? Cool. I dated a Seer, once." Black said, nodding, "Creepy, but in a good way."
Cat was avidly not looking at anyone at that point ... ok, what's the betting said 'Seer' is her mother?
"Well, much as we'd love to see you reminisce about the pre-Azkaban years, Catty brought us here to explore the house, and that's what I'm going to do." Theo said, turning and heading for the door.
"I'd be careful if I were you." Black warned, "There's a lot of dangerous things in this house."
"Least of all, you?" Theo asked, over his shoulder.
"Actually, yeah." Black muttered.
"Yeah, I'll be fine." Theo said, waving over his shoulder, and leaving the room.
"If he's not back in an hour, I'll go looking for the body-parts." Black said, apparently serious.
Cat stared after Theo, "He'll be fine." she said calmly.
"Hope you're right - the last thing I need is another name on the body-count I'm supposed to be responsible for." Black said, then he turned to face us, "So why are you kids here? And how come your two friends aren't screaming bloody murder on seeing me?" he asked, specifically looking at me.
"I told them what you told me ... Cat believed me, and Theo's insane enough not to care." I answered.
Black nodded, "I'd offer you a seat, but they bite ... I'd offer you something to eat, but the only things we've got Kreacher's been deliberately cultivating mould on ... I'd offer you something to drink, but I'm pretty sure Kreacher did something obscene to the water-tank."
"Oh, that's delightful." I said sarcastically.
"Kreacher thinks the lunatic is going to ruin his mistress's house. Kreacher thinks -"
"Sirius thinks Kreacher is going to have a boot enema if Kreacher doesn't shut up!" Black shouted.
Cat giggled, and I smirked. Kreacher looked at us, "Kreacher is wondering who these two are. Kreacher thinks the boy looks like someone Kreacher knows."
"If you ask me if I'm related to Lucius Malfoy, I'll feed you to a Blast-Ended Skrewt." I snapped.
"Kreacher was going to ask if you were related to young Mistress Narcissa." Kreacher muttered.
I blinked, "Yes, I am."
"What's a Blast-Ended Skrewt?" Black asked.
"A giant scorpion-like monster that looks like some sort of hybrid with a fire-crab - it's our latest Care of Magical Creatures project, and Theo has the burns to prove it." I answered.
"Sounds delightful." Black muttered, "I didn't think Kettleburn did that sort of thing?"
"Kettleburn retired just over a year ago." I said, scowling as I said it, "I picked the class because I'd heard his reputation was good ... then I get stuck trying to learn something non-fatal from the gamekeeper with a monster fetish."
"Oh, Hagrid's teaching, now?" Black asked, "It's only a matter of time before there are dragons at Hogwarts."
"Too late, that happened in first year." I muttered.
"Huh?" Black asked.
"The gamekeeper had a pet dragon your favourite godson helped smuggle out of Hogwarts, and I got in trouble for trying to tell a teacher there was a dragon in the Astronomy Tower."
"Well, it's a tall tale, no wonder they didn't believe you." Black said, shrugging, "It's like the time I tried to tell Professor Vance that Snape was up a tree in the Forbidden Forest, trying to harvest illegal potions ingredients, and someone 'accidentally' knocked his ladder down." Black said, smirking. Cat giggled.
"Hey, this place is so cool." Theo said, returning holding something in his hands, "There's a Hippogriff in the attic, Doxies in the curtains, and Jarveys in the floorboards."
"Hippogriff?" I asked quietly.
"Yep, the one that nearly got killed last year." Theo said, shrugging.
"What's that you've got?" Black asked, looking at the box Theo held.
"There's some cool cursed stuff in the study, I hope you don't mind me looting a few things?" Theo asked, hopefully.
"Help yourself, just don't take anything too dangerous." Black said, "What've you got?"
"Well, there's this cool amulet - if my analysing spell's right, it's cursed to make whoever wears it talk in rhyme till they take it off - I'll test it on someone else first, thought." Theo said, holding up an ugly greyish jewel on a tacky gold chain, "There's a few biting books about various conjuring spells for harmless dark creatures - I left the ones for dangerous dark creatures where they were ... there's a jinxed hairbrush that makes hair messier rather than neater -"
"I gave that to James once - it was hilarious." Black said, smirking, "One of the few things I found in this house that I liked."
"Can I have it, or do you want it for sentimental reasons?" Theo asked.
"Sure you can have it. What else you got?" Black asked curiously.
"This looks like a working copy of the ring of Amara, and my analysing spell thinks so too." Theo said, holding up a ring with a blood-red stone in it, "And this cloak was buried at the bottom of a trunk in the top bedroom." he finished, holding up a silvery cloak that faded out where it was hanging over his hand - an Invisibility Cloak.
"That one's mine." I snapped, taking the cloak from Theo.
"I never knew my mother had an Invisibility Cloak ... if I'd known, I'd have nicked it, and James'd not have paid two years allowance to get his one." Black muttered.
"Can I have it?" I asked, putting the cloak on, "I like it." I added, looking in a grimy mirror and not seeing myself.
"Sure, what'm I gonna use it for? No one knows my alter-ego, so it's way better than invisibility ... plus, Harry'll let me borrow his any time I -" he paused looking at me, "Crap, I just told you about -"
"I already knew - it's one of the reasons I want one for myself." I interrupted.
"Oh, that's ok, then." Black said coolly.
"Draco, you have to see this." Theo said, grabbing my arm, even though I was invisible, and dragging me out of the room, up some stairs, into another room.
There was a string of swear words emanating from the floor - must be the Jarveys Theo mentioned - and the curtains were fluttering - probably Doxies. Theo led me to a tapestry on the wall, "There's your name." Theo said, pointing to the bottom of the tapestry. "I didn't know you were related to Black?"
"I just didn't tell you." I muttered, "Cat's not on this."
"Huh? Yes she is - look." Theo pointed way up on the tapestry, where some ancient ancestor of Sirius Black had had a sister who'd married a Pureblood, and the line never connected with the main Black line again, right down to Megan Feral, and there was no father listed for her daughter - Catarina. "They're distant cousins ... what is she supposed to be, though - divine conception?" Theo asked, sarcastically.
"Well, maybe the tapestry doesn't know who her father is - no records do, really - all we have is Cat's word, and that's what her mother told her." I said, shrugging.
"Meh." Theo shrugged as well, "Just wondered if you'd known you were related to Black."
"I knew."
"Ok. Let's go see how Cat's doing."
I followed Theo, back to the room we had arrived in, noticing several portraits giving me funny looks, and one called me by name, saying I'm "such a sweet little boy, look how you've grown ..."
"I don't like this house. At all." I muttered to Theo.
"I agree." Theo said, nodding.
"Where's Draco?" Cat asked, when we got back to the room.
"I'm right here, I just like the new cloak I nicked." I said, smirking.
"Ah." Cat turned to Black, and smiled, "See you around?" she asked him.
"Sure thing." Black said, smiling, "Now skedaddle, all of you - you have to get back in time for the kurfew ... and one of my insane cousins keeps popping in at random times, to feed Kreacher - you wouldn't want him to catch you, I sure as hell don't. Also, I have plans for tonight."
"A date?" I asked sarcastically.
"Ha." Black said, "So funny I forgot to laugh - get gone, now."
"Got Floo powder?" Cat asked.
"On the mantelpiece." Black answered.
And we returned to Hogsmeade, and managed to make it back to Hogwarts before Filch threw a fit (apparently, he did throw a fit when a group of Hufflepuff third years came back late, though).
* * *
End of chapter 15