Ha ha ha ha ha! Chapter two is back. Enjoy!
About Draco…
Draco's lifeless body slumped to the floor, his blood seeping away like a plague reaching out for its next victim.
"Ahhh…" Voldemort sighed, "That was exquisite. I'll be sure to savor the moment for weeks to come. A pity I couldn't play with him a bit more, but you were so set on your mission. A lovely show none the less."
"…Thank you my Lord," said Lucius, though his eyes remained on the dead boy lying on the ground.
"Now Lucius, are you having second thoughts?" he said as though scolding a small child.
/sigh/
"No Lord. I had only hoped he would have turned out better."
"Yes, a pity isn't it."
"Lord, if I may request a favor?"
Voldemort nodded, though his stance became a degree more tense.
"It would not do us any favors for word of Draco's death to get out and not have a proper burial. If you would kindly attack the manor this evening and destroy Draco's room in particular, his death would be explained and I would be put further from suspicion in death eater activity. Then of course, my actions will be better able to serve your purpose. Of course, there would be some…show involved."
"…"
"Lord?"
"An excellent idea Lucius. Though I feel something amiss," he hissed, trying to search the man's mind for that hidden thought he knew to be there.
"My apologies Lord, but I had become attached to the boy."
"Hmm, yes. That is to be expected. You must be punished none the less."
A short while later, Lucius was released from the Cruciatus curse and stiffly walked down the steps to the front gates of the house, levitating Draco's behind him. He then apparated away to the front of Malfoy manor where he was left to prepare for the upcoming attack. It wouldn't do any good to have those Ministry wizards coming across some of the more dubious artifacts he kept in the house.
The plan had gone successfully. No one suspected anything other than what Lucius and Narcissa had told the Ministy officials when they arrived, and Draco had been verified as completely dead. No soul, no heartbeat. Severus himself even verified the time of death to be within the range of the death eater attack, and attributed the many wounds to being in the direct path of the first surprise attack. He stated that the larger and slimmer lacerations were most likely caused by the effects of a spell, while the smaller gouges were the result of falling debris. When death eaters found him in the way, they merely killed him.
Other than the stasis spell, only death eater magic could be found active within the last twenty-four hours in the house and surrounding area.
People still believed that Lucius was a death eater, but they were hard pressed to come up with a reason for the attack. Many thought he wouldn't have gone so far as to kill his own son, and certainly not wreck Malfoy Manor, yet others were doubtful.
The funeral ceremony was held the following on Manor grounds in the family graveyard. Narcissa was weeping and barely able to acknowledge the guests as they came in. The entire house felt the loss of Draco Malfoy, and every single person who visited saw how his parents mourned. Many were at loss of what to say when they somehow "accidentally" walked in on Lucius Malfoy crying. Malfoys never cried.
"Oh Narcissa!" Mrs. Parkinson said, eyes rimmed red from crying.
"M…Mrs. Ma…Malfoy," Pansy choked out, holding forth a bouquet of rare black roses for Draco's coffin.
The three women lapsed into sobs as they carried the elegant flowers to the open casket and placed them with the myriad of other whites and blacks. Draco was dressed in his best robes of a startling steel-blue under a black over-robe. It never failed to bring out his eyes, though now they only emphasized the ashen skin and lack of life.
"My dragon. My baby," Narcissa whispered as she fell to the floor, clutching the sides of the heavy, black lacquered coffin.
She had never been the perfect mother. Not even a good mother. But the fact remained that she still loved her dragon. A glassy eyed Lucius quietly appeared at her side to help her stand before getting one last look at his son as the casket was closed, four wizards lowering it into the soft ground.
There was surprisingly little ceremony that evening, with only some ministry official or other giving a short speech before Fudge stepped up to give his condolences to the Malfoy family. A final, thoughtful parting word from Dumbledore to honor Draco, and people were free to wander into a reception in the undamaged part of the manor or quietly take their leave. And most did leave, though there were still plenty of families staying. Many of them only faint acquaintances through house or reputation.
The children of a select handful of these families gathered in an empty room that Pansy led them to.
"Hello. I'm sure you know what this is about, and if you have anything you would like to contribute, please do so," said Pansy quietly as she stood at the velvet draped lectern.
"You might be surprised to know that even in Slytherin, one can have a true friend. No power climbing ladders, backstabbing, or sabotage. If you ever find a Slytherin friend, hang on to them…for as long as you live. No matter what that hat might say or the traits that the houses are built upon, you will never have a more loyal friend than a Slytherin. And there was something about Draco that brought that out in us as well. The rest of the houses think we care for nothing but power. I give them Draco Malfoy.
I give them a leader with all the traits that every single other house claims to posses.
I give them someone with as many problems and worries as they do.
I give them a human being that has made mistakes and brilliant discoveries.
I give them Draco Lucius Malfoy, and only silence will answer. They don't see behind the costumes and sneers. They could never bring themselves to understand a Slytherin. Where do the dregs of the school go to?
-Oh, that must be Slytherin you're talking about. They're all the same.-
No. And anyone who thinks that should never have come to Hogwarts in the first place. Draco knew that. He rescued me from my own little world and the one that the brainwashed populace of the house was trying to force on me.
To Draco Malfoy, my dearest friend and savior. I will miss you."
Pansy stepped away from the lectern and sat in the nearest chair, her eyes glimmering with unshed tears. Crabbe and Goyle slowly walked up to have their say, many incredulous gazes following them.
"Well, I don't think any of you have guessed we can speak in full sentences if we've played our act properly," said Crabbe.
"But here we are, and we dedicate the best thing we can think of to Draco," said Goyle.
"Our friend, we've broken our silence."
As the two of them were met with thoughtful and stunned expressions, Blaise Zabini moved forward.
"I think Draco was one of the few we could count on. None of you, aside from a handful of exceptions, know me for more than a face and a name. Well here I am to tell you that by the one person I thought most likely to never glance at me, I was noticed. No matter who you were, you were never overlooked by Draco. He knows every single person in Slytherin, whether he favors them or not.
To Draco, for noticing."
Blaise walked away from the lectern, and those present spent a moment in silence for the leader they lost.
Within a day, Narcissa was ill from lack of food and sleep and Lucius wouldn't come out of his study except for meals and to use the facilities. Of course that didn't mean the sole area you would think of as a study. He liked to add the dungeons and various hidden tunnels to his idea of a "study".
"Why has it taken this long? Why in all…damn that bastard! Draco….
No, I need Severus. Of all God damn things, I need help!"
/hmh/
How pathetic, I require aid. There is almost nothing greater to hate. But I need him all the same. …Can he be trusted? Even if he has allied himself with…Dumbledore, he plays his hands to the utmost benefit. What more would you expect from a Slytherin? And there lies the problem: how will Severus react?
No matter the cost, Lucius Malfoy no longer had any source to turn to and no time in which to stew, so he summoned for Snape on the pretence of seeing to his wife's health.
"Good afternoon Lucius, and now will you please allow me to see Narcissa. I have work to do," he said curtly, every line of his behavior showing impatience and perhaps even agitation.
It would not do to let Lucius no how affected I am by…this situation. No. Never the all faithful Malfoy Senior. Ha, had I said any more to him just now, I believe I may have begun shouting. And the Dark Lord boasted of his treatment of Draco. Oh yes, some of us know now, and in a few moments, perhaps Dumbledore will as well.
"…This isn't entirely the purpose of your visit," Lucius said, slightly averting his gaze before holding Severus in a sharp stare, like two cornered predators facing off.
"Well, what is it then," growled Snape as he broke the angry stillness that had been constructed in the moment of silence.
"…"
"If you have nothing more to say to me then I will leave," he rasped, making for the hearth and wasting no time with formalities.
With one last effort to quell his pride, Lucius hissed, "…please."
That one word shook Snape through to his bones, and for a moment, he simply stood, one foot raised as to step into the fireplace. But of course that would never last. He turned ever so slowly as to reassess the situation.
Malfoy's never say "please". They may resort to the basest of trickery and flattery, but they never plead.
"What is it that you wish of me," he said, rightly cautious. Whatever Lucius wanted, it was something of utterly extreme importance.
"This may take a bit of explaining… If you accompany me to the study, perhaps we could be more comfortable?"
Of course, having been to Malfoy manor on more than one occasion, Snape wasn't about to think they would have a quiet drink in the study and discuss whatever this problem was in what most people considered comfort.
"…Should I bring my coat?" he queried after a slight pause.
"Not necessary."
"Very well then."
A short while later, Severus Snape had no idea where they were situated inside Malfoy manor. Well, he did feel as though he vaguely recognized a particular dark artifact or torture device here and there, but it would never be much help if he somehow got lost. Not that Snape would ever get lost, but even the excellent sense of direction he had cultivated within the bowels of Hogwarts was thrown off by the senior Malfoy's seemingly pointless meandering.
"Lucius, I would like an explanation. And soon."
"Ah yes, I haven't told you anything yet, have I," he said, and it was quite obvious that he didn't mean for it to be anything remotely resembling a question.
What is the prick hiding this time? I have much more important business to attend to by the looks of it.
"Where to begin… I'm sure you've heard the/ahem/ shall I say full account of what occurred to Draco."
Serverus didn't answer.
"Well, that seems to be the 'problem' I am encountering at the moment," he said without a hint of agitation as they walked into an enormous circular room.
Bottles of every variety full of healing and poison, amulets, bandages, and even muggle equipment shared the shelves that covered every inch of the wall with fascinating books on disease, pain, and any other subject imaginable concerning the workings of a human body. Faintly glowing lights were arranged in the walls so that even their sparse illumination filled the entire room. Cauldrons of stewing potions hissed or bubbled and ancient relics with mysterious pasts and unknown powers were held upon raised pedestals of crystal. But what grabbed Severus' attention was the ancient stone table in the center of the room. It was placed inside of a pentacle chiseled into the stone floor, and the edges were flowing with ancient magic in long forgotten tongues. Somehow the body of Draco Malfoy was lying comfortably in the air, several inches above the table.
Draco looked ethereal, like a pale marble statue that was very nearly alive. That very nearly was only hampered by the fact that he was deadly still. His wounds bled, the blood fell, and yet there was something very dead about him. Something lost in this morbid travesty. Perhaps the fact that he didn't seem to be breathing added to the atmosphere.
"Explain yourself," Snape hissed, anger and surprise flowing over into his words.
"…He's not dead Severus."
Snape was utterly stunned. Nothing else could be said for the man now frozen in the doorway staring at the boy he thought was dead until that moment, wondering if his godson could still possibly be alive.
"What have you done Lucius? What in God's name have you done?"
Well, it's shorter, but you finally get a chapter.
Not yet beta'd so there may be some inconsistency.
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