Meanwhile, Draco Malfoy was also having fitful dreams, but his involved being turned into a spider and being left to scuttle around the floor of the Hogwarts Express, or being turned into a ferret and bounced around the corridors of Hogwarts. He woke with the usual flush of humiliation and anger on his chheks. The sun was streaming in through his windows and looking at the clock told him that the time was ten to six in the morning.
Draco rolled out of bed and donned a t-shirt and trousers he had thrown on his chair last night. He grabbed his Nimbus 2002 and jumped straight out of his open window. As he soared through the skies, Draco felt the sleep blown out of him and his mind turned to the events of the coming day.
A scowl came across his face as he remembered today was the day of that poxy OWL celebration. At first Draco had thought he could get out if it. After all, he had no family to take him with his father in Azkaban and his mother drinking away the loss of her husband with bottles of firewhiskey. But then he had looked at the postscript from his head of house telling him in no uncertain terms about his attendance. Draco felt slightly bitter towards Professor Snape for insisting he came, but he supposed his teacher didn't want to be the only Slytherin in the room with all those Gryffindors - especially the Boy-Who-Lived and his bushy-haired Know-it-All sidekick.
Noticing how high the sun had come up in the sky, Draco flew back inside the open bedroom window and began to dress in his Hogwarts robes for the first time since July. Looking into the mirror he combed his hair and fixed it back at the nape of his neck as it was now just long enough to do. Feeling satisfied, and noticing the time, Draco left to wait downstairs for his Professor. On the way down he put his head round his mother's door to see her passed out on her bed, drooling into her pillow. Grimacing in disgust, Draco continued into the parlour and waited until he heard a knock on the front door and the house-elves letting in the visitor. Draco stood as his professor entered the room and turned to him
"Congratulations, Draco," said the professor, who whilst not exactly smiling did not have his habitual sneer on his face.
"Thank you, Sir," Draco replied.
An awkward silence descended, until Snape shifted uncomfortably where he stood.
"Well, Draco, I believe the tradition these days is for the successful student to be congratulated with a gift to praise his achievements."
Draco looked up in surprise. His professor was not the kind of man to shower you in gifts, but that made these rare occasions all the more special.
Snape handed Draco a large, heavy package and Draco eagerly removed the brown paper. He revealed a well-worn copy of "Most Potente Potions" and opened the cover. Inside the first page was and inked-in list:
To Marcus Snape, from your Father.
To Augustus Snape, from your Father.
To Maximus Snape, from your Father.
To Rodolphus Snape, from your Father.
To Augustus Snape, from your Father.
To Marcus Snape, from your Father.
To Severus Snape, from your Father.
To Draco Malfoy, from your Godfather.
Draco Malfoy was, perhaps for the first time in his life, speechless. He felt a lump beginning to form in his throat and fought to keep his composure. Once he trusted his voice enough to speak, he said:
"Thank you, Professor," hoping the magnitude of this gratefulness was visible to the observant mand in ways other than words. Draco fancied he saw the corner of his Godfather's mouth turn upwards in the slightest hint of a smile, before it disappeared.
"Of course," said Snape silkily, "If any of these potions are used for nefarious purposes at Hogwarts, I will know who the culprit is. And you know how displeased I am when I have to take points off my own house"
Draco forced a guilty smile, well aware he had been forewarned. After a couple more moments, Snape took a deep breath.
"Well, I suppose it is time for us to travel to Diagon Alley. We will walk to the boundaries of the manor and apparate from there." Draco reluctantly put the book down, promising himself he would look at it the moment he returned. "OK," he said, as he led the way out of the room and towards the dreaded 'celebration', which didn't seem quite so daunting now that his Godfather was with him.
Chapter 3: The OWL celebration gets underway.
