Chapter 12 – Letters, and a unpleasant surprise

Author's Notes

Hello! Writing this note on the 17th since I got so many reviews today! I'm so happy, cuz it really cheered me up from the whole depression you get from being in school for hours, so thank you ppl and you've saved my family a lot of arguments. :) Remember to read and review ;) I wrote quite a lot without speech at the beginning but I always think that people don't really say much when they've just woken up. Also a little quiz if you're interested. Harry checks the time before opening the letter. Can u tell me what happened at this time in Kobe Japan in 1995?

Harry awoke with a splutter from Sirius licking his face (A/N: yes cats do lick your face as well, ask my cat, Pebbles, she'll tell you.) he laughed and sat up, putting on his glasses. Hedwig was there perched on the edge of his bed, apparently in disapproval of the way Sirius and woken him. She hooted and started, oddly, pecking at his pocket. He knew Hedwig would never behave that way, so getting up; he went to inspect the situation. Going over to his robes, he noticed a bulge which he realised was the other letter that he had forgotten to read. Sitting on his bed, he checked the time which read 5:46 am, and ripped open the envelope. He read;

Dear Mr. Potter, the boy who lived,

I just thought you should know that you'll be dead before I ever leave you alone, and even then I pray I haunt you. If it comes that under some unruly circumstance, I die before you do; it won't be the end, for even death will never truly destroy me.

May you die before you've finished this?

I think you know who I am.

Harry looked at it, eyes wide in slight shock and stared at it for a few minutes. What did he mean, it won't be the end? He didn't have a son, and had no relatives. How could anyone take his place?

Draco woke up, feeling very sore. He groaned realising what he had done. After taking to hiding in the Owlery, it had turned out that what had intended to be a short sit down in the corner had evolved into a deep sleep. He felt a feeling of disgust, how could he have spent the night in an Owlery? (A/N: Is Owlery spelt right?)

He got up, and stretched, looking around for an excuse of a bird to let him pretend to be sending a letter. His attention was caught by a new arrival that had flown in the window and landed on his shoulder. He smirked. It could be fun to read someone else's letter. He untied the letter that was attached to it.

"Bugger off." he said to it, and turning it around, he noticed it was addressed...to him.

He smirked again. This is what his father had turned into, an Azkaban prisoner using a common owl. Draco was glad they had never been close. He tapped it with his wand so it opened for him and read;

Dear Son,

I'd wish you well, but I'm not really in a very good position my self and would rather you didn't tell me how good your life is while I'm stuck in this hell hole. I have good and bad news for you son and I'll start with the good, unusually, as I think I need cheering up myself.

As you know, the Dark Lord was told that either he or Potter would have to die, and, at first, he thought that it was a sneak proof deal, but then, he noticed something. As long as 'Voldemort' carried on, it wouldn't matter if he died, and so after some consideration, he decided he would need an heir. Of course, I was the first to volunteer, but he insisted it had to be someone young, someone who could live as long as Potter if needed, and maybe even longer with luck, breaking the prophecy. So, as you may have guessed, I put you forward and apparently after telling him you were already a sort of enemy to that kid and his stupid friends, you were given the job. Feel proud son, and I knew you would accept straight away. As you are accepting aren't you son? And that is not and asking question that's a telling question.

On to the bad news, I have been told that your headmaster has decided to invite a particular relative of his to learn there. Apparently this person was told they were a muggle and so far is learning from basic, I'm sure that you can keep an eye on them, once you figure out who it is, as they might be of some sort of threat.

Feeling miserable,

Lucius Malfoy

Draco looked at the letter in disgust.

"So he thought I would accept would he?" he said to himself. "Well, I'll just have to show him how wrong he is."

And with a smirk he left the room.

Harry and the others walked down the corridor, keeping an eye on the people around him.

"Look at this." he said to them, taking the letter out of his pocket.

He passed it to Hermione, who read it with Ron over her shoulder and then passed it to Maddie.

Maddie gasped dropping it with and instant like it was a hot potato.

"What happened? You haven't even read it yet." said Ron.

"I don't know, it was burning my fingers."

She looked at her hands, bright red at the finger tips. Harry made a swoop to pick it back up, but someone else got there to quickly.

"Ooh, look what we have here." Draco drawled, opening it up and reading it. "Should be careful, Potter, hanging around with her. She could be helping them out."

The other four laughed; a result Draco had not expected.

"Whatever, Dumbledore's granddaughter would really be in with Voldemort? Yeah ri-. Maddie gasped, realising what she had just said.

Draco stared at her, shocked. She was the relative, it all fitted, made sense. How could he have missed it?

"I see if you've let the cat out of the bag then Madison." said a voice form behind her.

She froze, spinning around, she'd had enough of him, it had only been one lesson and she was sick to death of it.

"WHAT, did you just call me?" she demanded.

"Well, it's your name isn't it?"

"Is there a problem here?" Snape had appeared and was looking rather warningly at Smith, as if unsure of what he might do.

"No, nothing Professor, Madison (Maddie hissed like a cat at the use of the name) here was just having a chat with her Uncle, nothing wrong." Professor Smith said casually, smirking.

"NOTHING WRONG?!" she bellowed. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU ON ABOUT, I SUPPOSE YOU'RE GONNA TELL ME YOU'RE,"

"Calm down, you don't want to get in trouble." Draco whispered in her ear. She looked at him, before taking a deep breath.

"So you're gonna tell me now your Cornelius, as in my Dad's..."

"Long lost brother, yes." he finished, smiling an evil grin that most could describe as a lot worse than Draco's smirk. Or anyone else's for that matter.

The whole corridor was silent, even though, by now, there were many students, standing and listening to the war that seemed to be going on.

Maddie looked at the man standing before her. She could see in his eyes, so much hatred, and so much disgust. But he didn't even know her, he didn't know she was bad, I mean, she was supposed to be a good mans granddaughter for god's sake.

"Let's go." Draco said in her ear.

"What?" she replied in shock.

He took her hand, and led her off. Where they were going she had no idea, but she didn't resist. There was nowhere dangerous he could take her. Was there?

Draco led her up to the first place he could think of – the Owlery.

"Why are we here?" she asked, stepping inside, after him.

"Do you know where we are?" he asked.

"Don't answer a question with a question," she said "And yes this is the Owlery."

Draco didn't ask why. He just took searched for some clean straw and sat on it. Maddie paused for a moment before sitting beside him.

"So...you're the relative." he said in a sigh.

"Yeah, why?"

"You realise I'm supposed to hate you?" he said. He couldn't look at her. He just stared in front, but he could feel her eyes on him the whole time, a skill he wasn't sure he was proud or annoyed of.

"Why's that?" she asked,

"My father."

He told her everything. About his father being a deatheater, and him having to keep it a secret for ages. It was annoying for him, because he didn't ever know the details. Just that his family were evil, and he was meant to act that way. And he did. But act was the operative word. He used this image as a cunning cover. People were scared of him, he knew that and that meant manipulating them was never very hard. But now, for the first time ever, he knew the details, and didn't know whether he really liked it. He told her of his father going to Azkaban, and his mother becoming an alcoholic, not that she wasn't an alcoholic before, it just affected her more. She would spend her summer in Spain somewhere, and he'd look after himself. It wasn't like he needed anyone. Maddie told him of how she could never get her parents to leave her alone. They were worried that she would set their house on fire, by accident of course and were worried of how they could tell her she imagined it.

"And now I can never be left alone, I get a knot in my stomach." she said.

He laughed, and then choked in surprise. That was a very different laugh. He couldn't understand it.

"Are you ok?" Maddie asked her concern true.

"No."

"Well die quietly then." she said, poking her tongue out at him.

Suddenly the door bust in and two panting friends came rushing in.

"What the hell are you guys on?" Maddie exclaimed, watching the owls fly away in fright. "Do you want Hogwarts to lose their owls?"

"What are you doing here?" Harry asked, recovered from his run, although Ron didn't feel the same, wheezing in the corner.

"We were just talking Harry, no need to have a spaz over it." Maddie said, getting up.

"A what?"

"Oh never mind," she said rolling her eyes.

Hermione walked in, not out of breath in the least.

"You see?" she said. "I walked and it didn't take me that long did it?"

She smiled a knowing smile at Maddie, linking arms with her.

"See you later k Draco?" Maddie said, heading for the door.

He smiled her answer, and nodded, before 'changing' into his usual smirk, his eyes fixed on Harry, who seemed very annoyed at what she had said. He glared at Malfoy before jerking Ron up and walking behind the two girls.

Authors Notes: Oooh, now I'm stuck, which do u lot prefer, Harry or Draco: P? R&R plz plz plz, thank you! THANK YOU TO ALL WHO REVIEW, U ROCK!!!

emikae – I didn't exactly bother Draco, but there was a lot more of him in the chap no? Yes my mother is someone who nags non-stop so there I have an excuse lol.

Christine – Yay! It's awesome!! And yes ppl shld review (u ppl better b reading this ¬¬) lol

Linz – I believe in your beliefs lol

the-insufferable-know-it-all – Thank you, I really worked hard on the plot and lover every moment of it! My 2nd fave. Chapter is coming up, the one after the next one, look lout for it.

dadswell – only chapter 2? But the story is fun, I promise nods