Harry was getting better at keeping to his feet when arriving via the flue network but this time it was unfortunately on top of the young Mr Smithers who with so much to carry, had fallen coming out of the fire. Harry had to repress an urge to help the hapless youth up. Lucius, who stood admiring the scene, merely chuckled. Harry stepped off the youth and walked towards Lucius. When he was close enough Lucius told Harry quietly "Well played, Draco, I was about to punish you for letting a underling go first but that was very well played! Brilliant in fact." To the poor youth struggling to regain his feet Lucius merely said. "Take those things up to my son's rooms" and turned away.
Narcissa came gliding out of the door to one side. With a voice that lacked any emotional content at all, she spoke as if to the room itself, "Draco, dinner will be ready soon, go and change immediately".
"Yes, Mother" Harry said and quickly got his bearings. Harry had studied the sketches Dobby had done of the Malfoy castle but relating them to the actual place was more difficult than Harry had hoped. This must be the main reception hall and then the best way to Draco's rooms would be through this door. Harry was confident.
"Draco! Your mother said GO CHANGE! You are not going into dinner dressed like a MUGGLE!" Lucius hissed Harry. "or perhaps you require a reminder of what happens to those WHO DO NOT LISTEN!" Lucius held out his wand threateningly and had an expression on his face that chilled Harry to his bones.
Harry had made a mistake and opened the door to the dinning room. He could see the huge long table inside. "Sorry father." Harry knew he had gotten things back the front. If this was the door to the dinning room, then the door he wanted was on the other side of the hall. He hurried across to it giving Lucius a wide berth.
Once he was safely beyond the door he sighed. What a homecoming! Harry was glad he wasn't Draco, well not more than these few days at least. Harry found Draco's rooms without too much trouble after that. They were large and had a view of the grounds to the east. They consisted of a large bedroom with an enormous four-poster bed, a private bathroom almost the size of the Dursley's living room ornately decorated in marble, a sitting room with a large fireplace and another large room, which was given over to clothing. Draco had more clothes than Harry had ever seen before. He knew he didn't have time to explore everything now. It would have to wait. He chose a dress robe of bottle green like his own and quickly changed.
Dinner was a formal affair even though it was just the Lucius, Narcissa and Draco. The table was set with more silverware than Harry had ever seen in his life. An ancient looking servant who Lucius addressed as Hobbs placed each course of the dinner in front of them. The food excellent, if a little skimpy. Harry earned a painful lesson on siting up straight from Lucius. It was only brief but it put Harry on edge for the rest of the meal. He made sure he waited for Narcissa and Lucius to begin eating each course before he did, and that he used the same piece of cutlery as they had. The Dursley's had never exactly schooled him in formal table manners but Harry knew enough from the occasional movie on television that you started with the outside piece of cutlery and worked your way in. Narcissa gave him some strange looks at times but he avoided any other painful lessons from Lucius. The biggest problem he had was not wolfing the food down, as was his normal habit.
Harry was glad when the meal was finally over. Lucius left without comment while Harry was still finishing his desert.
"You are very quiet tonight Draco." Narcissa said suddenly.
"Yes mother." Harry answered unsure of how much to venture.
"Are you worried about tomorrow?" Narcissa continued.
"A little," Harry replied hoping to use the excuse to cover any odd behaviour.
"I know we have not been close since… well since your brother left but if you decide not to go tomorrow I have some private funds you could use." Narcissa replied still in that emotionless non-directed way she had. Obviously she cared for Draco enough to defy Lucius. And Harry was also surprised to hear Draco had a brother. He had never heard anyone ever mention him before.
Harry however had come all this way for the very meeting Narcissa was talking about. "Thank you, Mother but I will be going to the meeting tomorrow." He told her.
She showed no reaction to his words but responded, "I trust you will not mention this conversation to your father."
"No, mother" Harry said. It was all he could think of.
Narcissa arose and left the room leaving Harry still sitting at the table with his desert in front of him. He had lost his appetite but he sat there a long time, thinking. Finally he got up and walked out of the dinning room. Harry took the opportunity to check his bearings around the now quiet manor house. Wandering from room to room, marvelling at the sheer opulence of the manor's décor. Finally once he had enough of the layout memorised, he returned to Draco's rooms.
The bed had been turned down, presumable by a house elf. Harry changed into a lurid pair of Draco's silk pyjamas that had little bunny rabbits hopping around them. Harry smiled at the thought of reminding the real Draco of these, once he got back to Hogwarts. The idea of the real Draco, diabolical Slytherin he was, in these cute little bunny pj's had Harry giggling.
Harry wasn't sleepy at all and he began to look around Draco's rooms. Harry wasn't sure what he had expected but he was greatly puzzled with what he found. Nothing, there was absolutely nothing in Draco's room that could be described as personal. No photos, no books other than his old school textbooks neatly stored on the bookshelf. In fact everything was perfectly neat, nothing out of place. Harry wondered if it was the house elves cleaning or was Draco just this anal. Harry had seen enough and began to climb into the huge bed. As he did so he heard a minute squeak of a floorboard as he stood on it. To anyone else it would have meant nothing. But Harry had a floorboard that made the exact same sound under his bed at the Dursley's. It was lose and under it he hid everything he didn't want the Dursleys to find. Harry got down on all fours with a lamp and looked closely at the floor.
He had been right. The floorboard was loose and minute scratch marks showed where it had been prised up before. Harry had found Draco's hiding place. Harry felt guilty, as he knew he really shouldn't be invading Draco's privacy but he was not able to help himself. He soon had the floorboard up and in the space underneath found a small box. Harry sat on the bed and carefully opened the box. Inside was a letter and some old photos. The photos showed a young blond boy sitting in the lap of an older boy aged about 10 years old. The young boy was Draco and he looked happier than Harry had ever seen him. The older boy must be Draco's brother David. Harry looked at the photo of David Malfoy and felt greatly disturbed. It could not be!
His hands shaking, Harry opened the letter and in the untidy scrawl of young boy Harry read the short note.
Drake,
I am leaving and not coming back, I dare not. I must go. It is not your fault, father would have found out anyway.
You are too young to understand this now but when you are older I hope you will find this letter in our special place. I hope to see you when you go to Hogwarts. Make sure they don't send you to Durmstrang.
I love you.
David.
Harry carefully put the items back n the box and placed it under the floorboard again. He was sorry he had found it now. He didn't feel very good about what he had done. They were Draco's private things and Harry had no business prying into them but it had given him a puzzle he knew he must solve. Who was David Malfoy and where is he now? Harry lay there in the bed for a long time, thinking.