Ron had a very strange dream. He had dreamt he and Draco had gone to the Dursleys and were in bed together. Weird! He thought about it in that half conscience state before waking fully. Hermione was hugging him tenderly pressed into his chest. His eyes opened and saw blond hair. //That's odd// he thought before memory of last night began to reconnect in his sleep addled brain. During the night both boys had turned over and were now in an embrace. Ron eyes shot wide open. Draco had just opened his eyes too. The two boys looked at each other for a split second before almost leaping apart.
"Ummm Ummm" Ron stuttered and avoiding looking directly at Draco, "You better take some more potion. You'll need to look like Harry when the Dursley's let you out for breakfast."
Draco was also avoiding looking directly at Ron. The closeness in the bed was something neither wanted to dwell on. "Why don't you take it and I'll use the cloak."
Ron's face hardened its expression, "I'm not letting you out of my sight, so take the potion and get ready for another day as Harry Potter."
Draco had no choice and took a good mouthful of the potion. He was getting to like the taste, at least compared to the sugar free snacks. The warmth spread through his body and he watched fascinated in the cupboard's mirror, as his face changed into Potter's, scar and all.
They soon heard the unmistakable sounds of the Dursley's stirring from their own bed. It wasn't long before the door was being unlocked. Ron pulled the invisibility cloak over himself, leaving Draco to play his role.
"Up now boy." Aunt Petunia yelled, "Oh you are up, go wash and then get to the kitchen."
Harry(Draco) walked out of the bedroom and looked around wondering were the bathroom was. Luckily the bathroom door was ajar enough to see the tiles. Harry(Draco) entered and so did Ron. Luckily the door had a lock on the inside so they couldn't be disturbed. Both boys took full advantage to wash the grim of the long trip off. Ron realised that he and Draco were going to have to put their differences aside at times like these over the days to come. "Here Draco, I got us some fresh clothes from Harry's cupboard." Ron told him as he handed him a pile of clothes.
Draco was thrown slightly by Ron's use of his first name again instead of Malfoy. He was wondering about the change until he noticed the clothes he was handed. "You don't expect me to wear these rags? They're huge!"
"They're Dudley's hand-me-downs I'm afraid. That's all there was." Ron said shrugging. He too was changing into the torn and hugely oversized pants.
"Hurry up in there Boy.' Uncle Vernon yelled pounding on the bathroom door.
Shortly Harry(Draco) opened the door and was shoved aside by Uncle Vernon. Ron had just enough time to dodge out of the bathroom before he slammed the door shut. The boys walked downstairs and into the kitchen. "Watch the bacon and don't let it burn" Aunt Petunia hissed to Harry(Draco).
The boy stood wide mouthed as he realised she expected him to cook them breakfast. They treated Harry Potter exactly like his family treated house elfs. "Go on" Ron said from behind. It wasn't long before the kitchen was filled with smoke from the burning bacon and eggs. A device on the ceiling began a loud screaming sound.
Uncle Vernon came barrelling down the stairs wrapped in a towel screaming, "Fire, FIRE!"
Aunt Petunia was yelling at Harry(Draco) "You horrible freak, you did that on purpose. That was the last of the bacon."
"But I'm hungry" yelled the fat oaf Dudley.
Draco fumed. It wasn't his fault. He didn't know how to cook. That was an elf's job, not a wizard's. These fat, ugly relatives of Potter were asking for it. If he only had a wand, he would show them a thing or two. They would learn that it didn't pay to upset a Malfoy.
Draco had no idea what was going on. He, (and his invisible companion), had been taken by the Dursleys to a nondescript office building some miles from the Dursley's house. The sign on the front of the building said "Family Services" but that meant nothing to Draco. Vernon Dursley had told him to wait in a kind of reception area while he went and spoke to the man in the small office just up the corridor. Draco could see them clearly as they talked. What very few people knew was that Draco had a special ability, a very useful ability, Draco could read lips. It allowed him to learn many things he wasn't suppose to know, like now.
"I have my nephew here. Is everything arranged?" Vernon Dursley said.
"Yes, the two old bags on the tribunal with me I can twist around my little finger. The boy won't look too sympathetic will he? That's the only danger with these two." The man replied.
"No he's a complete rotter, a freak, abnormal. Almost burned down the house this morning." Vernon Dursley assured the man.
"Then we will have him declared delinquent and mentally unfit in nothing flat, that is if you have the item we talked about?" The man said coyly.
"Ah! the money! It's right here." Vernon said pulling a piece of paper from his pocket and handing it to the man.
"Easy, Someone might see. And I said cash, not a cheque. Oh alright give it to me." The man said as he pushed Vernon Dursley's arm under the edge of the desk. Mr Jones slipped the piece of paper into the top desk draw.
"And the papers giving me power of attorney over the boys inheritance, when do I get those?" Vernon Dursley asked the man with a look of avarice on his face.
"I have already got them all filled in and ready for the final signatures. As soon as the boy is declared mentally unfit and popped off to the boys home, the papers can be registered and you will have complete control until he is released."
"And that won't be for a very long time, will it" Vernon Dursley asked with a right evil look on his face.
"By the time we have shoved all the drugs into his system, I doubt he'll even be able to recognise his own name. He'll never get out of there if I have anything to do with it."
Draco smirked. Now he knew what the game was. Potter's uncle was going to pop him into a muggle loony bin for the rest of his life. Draco had mixed feelings about that. On one hand he would love to see Potter get taken down a peg but he also felt something more, like he would miss Potter if it happened. He tried not to think about those feelings but the odd pain in his chest refused to go away.
"What are you smirking about Malfoy" a bodiless voice said beside him.
"They are going to pop Potter into a muggle loony bin and good riddance I say." Draco hissed laughingly back. He may be conflicted by it but he wasn't going to miss a chance to stir Weasley up. He expected shouting and swearing from beside him but all he got was a calm voice in reply.
"You mean they are going to pop you into a muggle loony bin. You're the one who's here." The voice whispered back.
Draco hadn't thought of that. He was the one who would be taken and put into the loony bin by these muggles. Without his wand he was defenceless.
"You have got to get me out of here." He whispered back loudly in panic to Ron.
"Then they would go and get the real Harry. I can't allow that." He told Draco. Ron could see the colour drain from Harry(Draco's) face. Ron knew he couldn't really allow it to happen to Draco either, no matter how much he disliked him. "We will have to figure something out. You stall for time and I'll try and think of a way to stop this."
"Harry Potter?" The man Vernon Dursley had talked too asked.
With a nudge from Ron, Draco replied, "Yes."
"In here please" the man said with a smile on his face, "I just want a word with you before the formal hearing" and he lead the boy to the office he had talked to Vernon Dursley in.
"Harry" the man said now seated behind his desk, "My name is Mr Jones. Has your Uncle told you why you are here?"
"No" Harry(Draco) replied cautiously.
"Well Your Uncle and Aunt are concerned about you. They want to see if you need more professional help." Mr Jones said in such a condescending tone.
//Oh brother is this guy shovelling it// Draco thought to himself. Draco decided to play along and said, " I am so glad they did. I need help. The voices keep telling me to do bad things."
"Voices?" Mr Jones replied surprised.
"Yes I hear voices when no one is there, all the time." Draco said straight faced with all the false sincerity he could muster. "What's that, no he's a nice man. I don't want to kill him." Draco started making up his replies to the supposed voices.
Mr Jones was getting very unsettled. Vernon Dursley hadn't told him the boy was really seriously disturbed, possibly even dangerous. The boy's eyes were rolling back into his head now. He was clearly psychotic.
"Per… Perhaps we should go into… into the hearing room." Mr Jones said nervously. He certainly didn't want to be alone with the boy any longer. He would have to get the restraints ready for moving the boy to the home. Perhaps even arrange for him to go to a more secure facility. There certainly wasn't going to be a problem with getting the boy committed.
Draco was very pleased with his little psycho act. Mr Jones eyes were wide with fear now Draco began to pursue Mr Jones around his desk. Draco got up and moved around to Mr Jones' side of the desk. He grabbed Mr Jones by the jacket and hung on. "Please make the voices stop. Please!"
"Get off me boy." Mr Jones said white with fear and forcing Harry(Draco)'s hands off his jacket, pushed the boy back into the desk. Mr Jones was petrified with what was happening. This boy could snap at any moment. "We'll go into the conference room now" Mr Jones said hurrying out of the office, keen to get this over with as quickly as possible.
While this was going on, Ron sat in the waiting area trying to think of a way out of this. He was good at tactics but here in the muggle world he was completely out of his element. What he needed was help. Across from him in the waiting area on the wall was a muggle phonotel, no telephone he corrected himself. It wasn't like the one he used before. On the front it said something about inserting money to make a call. Muggle money, Ron didn't have any… Wait a moment he suddenly remembered; years ago Harry had given him his Christmas present from the Dursleys. A 50p coin. Ron had kept it as a pocket piece ever since. He had it still, right there in his pocket. He pulled it out and looked at it. But whom could he call. He only knew two telephone numbers. One was Harry's which would be no use in calling. The other one might just work though. He checked that no one was about. He appeared and shoved the invisibility cloak under his shirt. He went up to the phone and lifted the handpiece. He only had one shot at this. He had to get it right. Inserting his pocket piece he began dialling the number…
"Help's on the way" a voice whispered into Draco's ear as he walked into the waiting area again.
"Just play along with me in there." He whispered back with a devious smile appearing on his face. Ron wasn't sure about this but he had to drag things out for at least an hour. What choice did he have? He hoped Draco knew what he was doing as he followed him into a large room.
Inside there was a long conference table behind which sat two elderly women and on the other side sat the Dursleys, Vernon and Petunia. Mr Jones indicated a seat next to the Dursleys for Harry(Draco). Mr Jones sat between the two women.
"This is Mrs Slocum and Mrs Hazel. Vernon Dursley, Petunia Dursley and this is young Harry Potter, their nephew." Mr Jones said. "Harry's parents were killed in a motor vehicle accident when his was young. The Dursley's being his only living relatives became Harry's guardians and he resides at their house when he is not in school. A boarding school is it Mr Dursley?"
"Yes." Vernon Dursley said, anxious they not ask more.
Harry(Draco) smiled at the old ladies with his best big puppy dog eyes.
"Harry has a few problems and his Aunt and Uncle think he may need our help." Mr Jones said to the two ladies. "Harry why don't you tell Mrs Slocum and Mrs Hazel about the voices."
Harry(Draco) looked puzzled, "Voices, what voices?" he said.
Mr Jones was startled. The boy was completely different now, calm collected and sane. "The voices that you said told you to kill me. In the office just a few minutes ago."
"I'd never say that" Harry(Draco) said horrified. The two old women were looking sideways at Mr Jones with puzzled expressions. "I… I did tell you about my practising ventriloquism, you know, throwing my voice. I'm not very good…" Draco went on like a shy little boy with his eyes downcast. The two old ladies were looking at him with such compassionate expressions.
"I am sure you are very good Harry" Mrs Slocum said, "Can you give us a little demonstration?"
"I can sing I'm a little tea pot." Harry (Draco) said cheerfully. Ron's face burned. He could guess what Draco wanted him to do. Harry (Draco) stood up and began the child's song with full gestures.
"I'm a little teapot," Draco sang with one hand on his hip and the other held out like a spout.
"Short and stout" Ron sang beside him. The old ladies looked towards the voice they had clearly heard some distance away from the boy and then back to Harry(Draco). The Dursley looked scared. They didn't like this sort of behaviour.
"Here is my handle" Draco continued.
"Here is my spout " Ron sang.
"When I get all steamed up" Draco sang but before Ron could sing "hear me shout" Vernon Dursley jumped to his feet and yelled at the boy "What the hell do you think your doing?" Harry(Draco) cringed away from him with an arm held up defensively. "Don't hit me Uncle Vernon, I'll be good." Harry(Draco) whined.
If looks could kill then Vernon Dursley would have died on the spot. Mrs Slocum and Mrs Hazel were glaring at him with such disapproving expressions. Mr Jones just raised his eyes to the ceiling.
"You beat the boy do you!" Mrs Slocum said, for it was not a question but an accusation.
"I don't beat him. I have never hit him." Vernon Dursley yelled back at the women angrily but the more he denied it, the more guilty he looked.
"Harry you are not in trouble dear." Mrs Hazel told Harry(Draco) kindly. "That was amazingly good ventriloquism. You must practice a lot."
"I practice in my room. It helps keep my mind off being hungry." Draco told her bashfully.
"Are you hungry often dear." She replied.
"Yes, I am a bad boy and my aunt and uncle have to lock me in my room and not feed me till I am good." Harry(Draco) told her looking pitifully ashamed.
"You lock him in his room without food!" Mrs Slocum said venomously to the Dursleys.
"Are you hungry now dear" Mrs Hazel asked and Harry(Draco) nodded his head. "When did you last eat."
Mr Jones could see it all going wrong but he dared not interrupt his colleagues. It would be too suspicious.
'Yesterday, I had breakfast at school before I was called home by Uncle Vernon." Harry(Draco) said.
"Why didn't you have lunch and dinner dear."
"Now see hear…" Uncle Vernon started to shout but was cut off by Mrs Slocum's quiet but lethal "Be quiet!"
"I didn't have any money for lunch and when I got home Aunt Petunia said I wasn't going to get dinner because I was late. And this morning I was bad because when I was cooking their breakfast I burnt the bacon and I had to be locked in my room while Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia and my cousin Dudley had cereal for breakfast instead." Harry(Draco) said with such pathos that tears were showing in both the old ladies eyes.
Ron had to bite his hand to stop from laughing out loud under the invisibility cloak. Draco had the two old women totally convinced he was mistreat by his Aunt and Uncle with his bizarre mix of truth and fiction. If they checked up on the Dursleys they would find enough evidence to support Draco's story. The locks and bars on Harry's bedroom and the pan of burnt bacon still in the sink with only three bowls of left over cereal in a house of four. The Dursleys were in deep trouble. Ron knew that had it been Harry here instead of Draco, he would never had been able to lie like this to get himself out of trouble. He was just too honest to do it. Draco however was a master of deceit. He'd lie even when he didn't have too. Ron waited to hear what Draco thought of next. It was fascinating to watch, invisible to the others.
"Your clothes look a bit big for you, have you lost weight recently?" Mrs Slocum asked.
"These are my cousins Dudley Dursley's old clothes. I don't have any clothes of my own." Harry(Draco) replied pulling his pants up again but they slide down again as if on clue.
"Dudley Dursley, I know that name. I have reports of a large bully by that name. We were considering taking action but you were against it, Mr Jones. You said you knew the parents and that you would handle it informally, if I recall." Mrs Slocum told her colleagues in an accusing tone. Mr Jones said nothing.
"Why didn't you have any money to buy lunch on the train dear, don't you get any pocket money?" Mrs Hazel asked.
"No, I'm too bad to get any money." Harry(Draco) replied.
"May I look at the boy's report file please Mr Jones. I'm curious as to his financial state, surely his parents left him provided for with some money." Mrs Slocum said.
Mr Jones was hesitant to hand over the file to her but as it was right there in plain site she picked it up and read. "Oh my" she said and passed the file over to Mrs Hazel. "Oh!" she said.
"Harry, you are a very rich young man" Mrs Slocum told the boy in front.
"I'm rich?" Harry(Draco) said
"Hasn't anyone told you this before? Shown you what you own." She replied.
Harry(Draco) just shook his head again. The old ladies expressions at Harry(Draco) were of concern. The looks they exchanged were of knowledgeable guesses. The way they looked at the Dursleys spoke of their impending doom.
"And if he was put into care in the psychiatric facility, you being his legal guardians would get control of his finances, wouldn't you?" Mrs Slocum asked the Dursleys.
"Now see here…" Uncle Vernon objected but Mrs Hazel held up her hand to stop him and then told Harry(Draco), "Why don't you wait outside dear while we talk to your Aunt and Uncle."
Outside again in the waiting area with no one watching Ron told Draco, "That was bloody brilliant!"
They could both hear the yelling going on inside the room. Seems the Dursleys were trying the usual method of getting their own way by yelling. Draco laughed, if he was any sort of judge of character it wasn't going to work with Mrs Slocum and Mrs Hazel. And they already distrusted Mr Jones involvement.
"Of course it was brilliant, Weasley. I'm a Malfoy. Such games are everyday occurrences in my family. It's the cunning that succeed in life. And its not over yet, I'm just getting started. By the time I'm finished the Dursleys will rule the day they treated me like a house elf."
"Hey, I don't think you should take it too far. Harry wouldn't want that." Ron replied now getting scared of what Draco might do.
"It's not about Potter. They were horrible to me! They deserve whatever they get!" Draco said with a bitter tone.
Ron frowned. He hoped the help he had summoned would arrive before long. The boys sat in silence except for the occasional growl of their empty stomachs.
After some time the door opened and Mr Jones came out looking very upset. "Oh very clever aren't you. Made me look quite stupid in there didn't you?" He was angry and grabbed Harry(Draco) by the front of his jumper. "You're still going to end up with me at the boys home one way or another and you can be sure you won't be getting out of there anytime soon."
"Let the boy go." A man said from behind of Mr Jones. Where he had appeared from Draco didn't know. He must have just arrived.
Mr Jones turned and angrily told the man, "This is none of your business."
It was obviously the wrong thing to say because the man simply punched Mr Jones low in the stomach. Mr Jones doubled over in pain. The man leaned down to Mr Jones and said in a low threatening tone. "If you every touch Harry again I will rip you a new one. Now go away." Mr Jones fled down the corridor still bent over holding his stomach. The man smiled at Harry(Draco) and said "Hello Harry, where's Ron?"
"I'm here " Ron said as he appeared suddenly next to Harry(Draco).
"Hello Ron, Maryanne is just parking the car. Ah, here she is now." he said.
Draco was puzzled. Who were these people? They seemed to know who Ron was and they didn't seem surprised when he had suddenly appeared out of thin air. The man had certainly dealt with Mr Jones effectively although Draco would have preferred Mr Jones to be beaten much more severely.
"Ron, Harry, did we get here in time?" the woman asked.
"I think so." Ron replied.
"We best go in" he said and he pushed to door open.
"… I see no alternative but for Harry to be taken into care." Mrs Hazel was saying as they entered.
"Perhaps we can suggest a better alternative." The man said loudly. Everyone in the room turned.
It was Mrs Slocum who addressed the man and the women. "Mr and Mrs Granger this is a surprise."
"We came straight away when we heard Harry here was in trouble." Mrs Granger answered. Draco knew who these people were now. They were Hermione Granger's muggle parents. This must be the help Ron had promised was on the way. Draco didn't think that a couple of muggles were much use. If Weasley had managed to get a couple of wizards, that would have been different. Although the man had deal very effectively with that Mr Jones, Draco had to admit.
"These are the Grangers, Maryanne and Sebastian Granger. They're my dentists!" Mrs Slocum explained to her colleague Mrs Hazel. "And who is this?" she asked indicating the red headed boy with the Grangers.
"This is Ron Weasley" Mrs Granger explained to the two women, "he's Harry's best friend. They go to school together and he was worried about what was happening. So he came down from school to find out. "
"It's a pleasure to meet you Ron. I think Harry needs the support of his friends at the moment." She replied and then to the Grangers, "And you seem to know Harry too."
"I should have said that the boys are also great friends with our Hermione." Maryanne Granger replied. "We have met Harry on a number of occasions and think the world of him. He looks out for Hermione at school and we owe him a great deal." She continued as she embraced Harry(Draco) in a hug. It was warm and motherly and totally unexpectedly pleasant to Draco. He had never experienced something like that before. It caught him totally off guard.
"Good god, more freaks…" Vernon Dursley sneered.
"How dare you!" Mrs Slocum told him. "These are the finest people I know. Kind and generous! Do you know that they donate their time and skill to helping those less fortunate than themselves. Any child in our care in need of dental work they see free of charge at any hour of the day or night. And their daughter Hermione is the brightest friendliest child I have every meet. They certainly don't go around beating and starving children like some!" That shut Vernon Dursley up once and for all. When she had claimed down Mrs Slocum turned back to the Grangers and said "You said you had another alternative about Harry being taken into care?"
" Yes, Harry usually stays at school for the Christmas holidays and only comes home during the summers." Mr Granger replied.
"I can certainly understand that!" Mrs Hazel commented giving the Dursleys a very nasty look.
"I think it would be best if we return Harry to the safe environment he knows and send him back to his school with his friend Ron. We would be happy to see to that." Mr Granger continued.
Suddenly the door to the conference room burst open and Mr Jones strode in with two policemen behind him. "That's him there!. That's the man that assaulted me. Arrest him." Mr Jones yelled indicating Mr Granger.
"Hello Frank." Mr Granger said to one of the policeman. "What's this all about?"
"An allegation of assault has been made against you Sebastian by Mr Jones here. What have you got to say about it? Bear in mind that anything you do say may be taken down as evidence." The man told Mr Granger.
"I believe he is referring to the incident where upon entering this building, I witnessed this man assaulting this young boy here. I told him to stop and when he refused I used minium reasonable force to stop him assaulting the boy further."
"He says you punched him in the stomach." The policeman replied.
"I pushed him away from the boy forcibly" Mr Granger corrected. "and I believe the boy here will collaborate MY version of events."
"Mr Jones was hitting me and Mr Granger stopped him by pushing him away." Harry(Draco) said.
Mr Jones screamed and grabbed Harry(Draco). "You rotten little shit. You've ruined everything!" He raised his hand to hit Harry(Draco) but couldn't complete the blow. Mr Granger had grabbed his arm and stopped him. He then pushed Mr Jones backward and Mr Jones fell at the feet of the two policemen.
"You can see I was telling the truth" Mr Granger said to them. "What's this?" he said as he picked up off the floor a piece of paper. "It's a cheque for ten thousand pound made out to Mr Jones from Mr Dursley. It must have fallen from your pocket Mr Jones."
"No! No! That's not possible! I am sure I left it in my desk. How? It was you! You did this! I'll kill you, you little bastard!" Mr Jones screamed the last at Harry(Draco) who stood their with the look of innocence on his face.
The policeman seized the cheque. Mrs Slocum said aloud. "A bribe! This is outrageous."
"Who is Mr Dursley and why has he paid you ten thousand pound?" the policeman asked Mr Jones who had now released he was doomed.
"This is Mr Dursley and it would seem to be a bribe to ensure his nephew was committed today. Mr Dursley would then control the boys considerable inheritance." Mrs Slocum told the policeman.
Mr Jones yelled. "He forced it onto me. I didn't ask for it. It was a moment of weakness."
"He's lying" Vernon Dursley yelled. He collapsed into the chair.
"Vernon, what have you done?" Petunia Dursley said.
"He was going to get it all Petunia. At seventeen I would need his permission to vote those shares and at eighteen we would lose it all. It wasn't fair. The chairman of the board said if I got him committed I could go on. I wouldn't need his blasted permission. I could vote for the chairman each year and he in turn would make sure I was the manager of Grunnings forever."
"I think Mr Jones and Mr Dursley had both better accompany us to the police station to sort this matter out." the policeman said to them both. The Dursley's and Mr Jones were duly escorted from the room by the policeman.
"Harry I must apologise for what has happened here today." Mrs Slocum said earnestly. "We only wanted to help you but I am afraid after what has happened here, we will have to remove your Uncle and Aunt as your guardians."
"That's fine by me" Harry(Draco) said. //Potter should get down on his knees and thank me for this!// he thought to himself.
"I am afraid you don't understand, without legal guardians you will become a ward of the state. You will have to be put into a care facility until a suitable foster family can be found willing to take you."
"We'll take him" Mr Granger said, his wife agreeing with him instantly.
Mrs Slocum thought for a second. "Well, you will certainly have my best recommendation but you will need more, someone who could recommend you as suitable guardians. And given the size of the boys inheritance I would be happier if more than just one couple had control of all that wealth, no matter how well intentioned they are."
"That's no problem at all. I know that Ron's parents would be willing to share the responsibility with us and I think it would be a good idea if the headmaster of the school is also involved. That way there will be five of us to ensure Harry gets everything he needs to grow into the fine young man I know he will be. "
Mrs Slocum and Mrs Hazel were very pleased especially when they learned that Mr Weasley was a senior civil servant and would have no problem qualifying as a guardian. After a bit of paperwork the Grangers were appointed temporary guardians of Harry until the formal processes could be completed. The good news was both boys were able to leave with the Grangers.
On their way to the car Draco said to Ron "So Potters family were just after his inheritance. What was it by the way. In all the excitement I didn't get a chance to look."
"Some shares in a company. Apparently they are worth a lot of money. Chimeria, that was the name."
Draco stopped dead "Chimeria! What did that fat oaf say. The chairman wanted the voting rights!"
"Yeah something about the chairman of the company wanting the Dursleys to keep the proxy votes of Harry's shares. That's who must have put the Dursley's up to this. They're not smart enough to figure out something like this on their own. Some plan of this chairman to get control of the company I guess."
Draco had gone deathly pale and his face wore an expression of utter dread. "He's going to kill me. Father is going to kill me!"