Again, this used to be a few chapters, I combined and edited them. Thank-you!
Harry and Ron trudged upstairs and stopped to glance into Malfoy's room, he was seated on the bed with his legs crossed Indian style and a book in his lap. Adrian was looking through all the clothes. Harry's throat tightened, the Slytherin Prince looked almost human just then.
"I think you should teach our year about dragons, in depth, it is your forte after all."
"Yes, and what would I teach the years above and below you?"
"Well, I think the fifth years would get a kick out of Sandskitters and Harpies, you could contact my third cousin Inixi and ask her to visit. That'd be a good time to teach everyone about them, actually," Malfoy answered. He flipped the page of the book.
"You really think fifteen year old kids would like Sandskitters? You do mean the giant centipede-esque things with pincers and a passion for digging holes?"
"Sure, we had loads of fun with flobberworms in forth year," Malfoy made a face.
"What?"
"The half-giant who taught us breed these horrendous things he called flobberworms, they shot fireworks out their arse."
Adrian laughed and set back a jade colored sweater, Malfoy looked up at Adrian "Are you looking through my clothes again? They don't fit you."
"So, they're all so stylishly cute," Adrian said in a mocking voice.
"They are all expensive" Malfoy unfolded his legs and climbed softly to the ground, so he could walk over and snatch a pair of black silk pajama bottoms out of Adrian's hands.
The red-head spun around and smirked at the blonde, he walked over and flopped down on the bed, Malfoy chucked the pajamas back at the closet and set the book down on a dresser. Harry and Ron quickly hid on either side of the door and watched as the blonde jumped onto the bed and rested on his back next to Adrian. Adrian patted Malfoy's stomach before he got up off the bed and began to explore the book collection.
"What are you planning to do after Hogwarts?"
"I think that, if Potter has gotten off his lazy arse and killed Voldemort, I'll continue to lounge around Europe until I feel the need to take over the Dominicus Corporation from my cousin Veritas." Malfoy sounded rehearsed on that. He was really, his place was to take over the business and make a lot of money.
"If not?"
"I'll kill the bastard myself, because I'm not sitting around and waiting for some stupid Gryffindor to do it." He was bitter.
"Good plan," Adrian rolled his eyes and chose an old copy of 'A Breeders Guide Magical Creatures Heat Seasons', he walked back over to the bed and laid down "Why do you have this?"
"I think Bellatrix sent it to Narcissa for a graduation present cause my mum wanted something to do with breeding, it's probably why the Manor Grounds are crawling with weird little cross-breed monsters. Half Unicorn-Centaurs, 'Unitaurs' or 'Centicorns' as Narcissa calls them, Pixie-Imp's have hives all over, Narcissa calls them 'Pimps' or 'Ixies'. I do not know what she was thinking."
"You like the little flying horses right?"
"Phoenix-Horses or Pegasus, ancient creatures, Narcissa didn't create them she just bred them for a long time."
"Those."
Harry glared hard at Malfoy, he would kill Voldemort, he was not some stupid Gryffindor. Ron was glaring too, though Harry didn't really know why. Harry watched as Malfoy sat up and pulled his knees to his chest.
A red and orange ball appeared and exploded, sending the blonde off the bed and causing Adrian to jump. It caused no damage but was shocking.
"What the bloody hell was that?"
"I think it's what father and the Medi-Wizards refer to as "Untainted, untapped magical energy that can only be controlled with extreme power of will and training." I am sorry, it doesn't normally happen unless I'm mad. It's been happening since a year or two ago."
Adrian was about to say something but he stopped and began looking over another book.
Ginny started walking up the stairs and Harry quickly walked across to Ron, as if he was going upstairs.
Ginny stopped in front of the door and looked around, and then she smiled at Adrian and gave Malfoy a nervous glance. "I'm off to bed, so I'll see you in the morning. If you want to be up at a certain time just tell mum and she'll see to it."
"Thank you." Adrian nodded and looked out the window with a broad smile and a slight nod towards Draco.
Ginny smiled and started to pull the door closed when Hermione barged in and walked into the centre of the room "Can I borrow a few books?" She asked.
"Sure?" Malfoy pointedly moved far away from her.
With that Hermione took twelve of the largest books there and staggered out and upstairs to her and Ginny's room. Malfoy and Adrian watched her go with confused expressions. Ginny reached back to close the door when Molly rushed in and kissed Adrian goodnight, she waved to Malfoy and disappeared. Arthur stopped and said good-night and finally Ginny closed the door.
Morning came and Harry and Ron arrived downstairs to find Molly sitting and drinking tea in the living room with Arthur, the two boys frowned and peered into the kitchen. Adrian was sitting on a counter top munching a scone while Malfoy made breakfast. Ginny and Hermione came down and watched as the Slytherin levitated the food to the table. He looked up and shot the group a cold glare before telling the Weasleys that breakfast was ready.
There was ham, omelets, beans on toast, porridge and scones, Harry looked at his food curiously and then took a bite only after everyone else had. Malfoy rolled his large gray eyes and took a small drink from his goblet of orange juice.
"I've got to leave, I'll write soon, I'll be fine, don't worry and good luck," Adrian stood and tried to leave, but Molly flung herself at him and hugged him for a few moments before he left. As Adrian reached the door he turned back over his shoulder and winked. Harry and the rest watched him approach the dragon Arakna'ah, he gave her a wave and she lowered her head. Adrian grasped the chain, climbed up and the huge white creature rose into the air, beating her wings. They took off in the direction of London, slowly disappearing from view.
"I think that it would be good if we went to Diagon Alley today, we can pick-up our school supplies."
"We don't have our lists you git," Ron sneered at the blonde, just as he finished a large barn owl swooped in and dropped off the five letters.
Malfoy nodded at Ron and picked up his, the Slytherin crest glittered on the back, the label on Harry's read ; To Mr. Harry Potter-The Table in the Weasley's Kitchen-The Burrow-England. Molly looked at Ron and Ginny's lists and tsked loudly as she read the books.
Ron looked at Hermione's list and rolled his eyes "You taking every course again 'Mione?"
"No I am not, just Arithmacy, Runes, World Wizarding Religion and Muggle Studies, it says 'Working Clothes'. What do you suppose that means?"
"I dunno," Ron shrugged and took a large bite of ham.
"We'll see," Harry looked at several of the text books, one of the DADA books was written by Snape. Definitely a bad sign "Malfoy, did Snape get the Defense teacher position he's wanted for awhile now?"
"Nope, he wrote me to say it was awarded to Kristopher Srene, a powerful Auror from America. He's got merit awards in Defense for fighting Death Eaters at the '94 Cup, excellent marks in Physical and Mental strength in Auror training, O's on the NEWTs in Charms, Defense, Dark Arts, Potions and Combat. He worked a few years undercover at the American Ministry in the Department of Mysteries and discovered the counter-curse for the Granicas curse."
"How do you know that?"
"Snape writes me about each year's new teacher, Trewalny got her job back, Frenz is helping that giant and Adrian with Care of Magical Creatures."
"Do you know why Hagrid isn't the teacher anymore?" Ginny asked.
"Dumbledore probably wanted a proper teacher and someone who knows real information about creatures." Ron looked ready to pounce but Hermione broke in.
"The Granicas curse you said? The one that turns someone into granite?" Hermione looked up from her list.
"The very one, it also says he's got merits for reflexes and reaction time in real-time duel."
"Let me see," Hermione snatched the letter from his hands and read through it "He got O's for Arithmacy and Ancient Runes! I can't believe he became an Auror and still kept taking those courses."
"Give me my mail back Granger," Malfoy grabbed back his letter and scanned through it once more "He took them because he needed extra credits Granger."
Harry looked between the two and accidentally caught Malfoy's eyes as he looked up. They both stopped for a millisecond and Harry found his breath stopped in his throat.
"Where does it say that?" Hermione reached for the letter breaking the trance.
"Severus said 'I doubt he actually took the intellectual courses for the knowledge, it appeared he only accumulated 19 of the 21 required credits with the physical courses. We both know Arithmacy and Runes are the easiest intellectual courses' right at the bottom." Malfoy turned away and smirked at Hermione.
"They are not!" Hermione said shrilly.
"We'll leave in twenty minutes, everyone get ready," Molly nearly yelled over the ruckus Hermione was causing.
Everyone trudged upstairs, Harry and Ron dressed quickly and rushed back down and waited until Hermione, Ginny and Molly appeared. Another ten minutes later Malfoy walked down.
He was in black trousers with a black suit jacket on over a blue satin shirt, he had black shoes, a white necklace with a sapphire on it and a silver ring on. He gave them a weak smile and moved to leave with everyone else.
They arrived on the other side of the brick wall and several other people, Slytherins, from Hogwarts walked over. Blaise Zambini, a tall boy with a broad build and brunette hair swept sideways over his left eye, came over wearing a green cashmere sweater and some black trousers. Next to him stood Pansy Parkinson, a thick built girl with slightly curled blonde hair and pug face. She wore a long skirt and layered tank-tops with a lot of thick bracelets and large beaded necklaces. Her fingers held a cigarette and her make-up was dark and artsy. Muggle clothes were very popular this season according to Witch Weekly and of course, Slytherins were on top of fashion trends.
"I'll meet you all back here in a few hours, I have shopping to do." Immediately Zabini was next to his friend with a slightly possessive air about him.
"Now you wait a moment, I was told to look after you, Harry, Ron, Hermione go with him and his friends. Or else I'll come."
Malfoy gave a conceding nod and turned to whisper something to Zabini in another language before they moved off. The trio trailed angrily behind. Malfoy turned slightly over his shoulder and caught Harry's eye again, they stared shortly and broke away when Blaise nudged Malfoy and whispered something in another language. Harry turned to see Ron staring at Blaise in either anger or lust, he couldn't really tell.
With a very thick air of tension, the group set off, lion trailing snake.
"I can't believe we're stuck with Malfoy and the Slytherin Squad for the day," Ron grumbled.
"It'll be interesting, Slytherin has the quality," Hermione interjected.
They walked down the street, past Florish and Blotts, Olivanders, the Potion shop, and all the other stores that the Gryffindors were familiar with. The Slytherins walked all the way to the end and into a large, two story shop with most of the letters on the sign gone 'L E BK'. It turned out to be a bookstore, more books crammed this store than the library. A spiral staircase went up to the second story though it looked treacherous with books lining every step.
A man in drab brown robes appeared from behind a huge copy of a book labeled 'The Scriptures of Egypt in original Egyptian Hieroglyphs'. He had thick spectacles and a toothless smile barely visible from beneath a heavy gray beard.
"Three sets of Hogwarts School Text Books for Sixth Year 'eh?"
"Yes sir, you can just send them ahead to Hogwarts, Slytherin house."
"Of course, consider it done, let us have a looksie at what the new texts for Defense are 'eh?" Pansy produced the list and the man adjusted his glasses and squinted at the list. He went behind a counter covered in dusty scripts and wrote down the list and smiled happily.
"Last time the Grinstine series was used was 1983, you're having an Auror for a teacher 'eh? Who is he?"
"Srene, Kristopher, American."
"Aye, I heard of him, he ordered a copy of 'Lupuas Guide to Combat Training' a few years back, '91 I believe. A rare book these days. Good man."
"Thank-you, can you tell us anything about the Pelx Goblin Trade of 372?" Malfoy asked, he seated himself on a stack of books and watched the old man scan the shelves for a millisecond.
"The Plex Trade was between Lord Minch and a goblin leader named Plextocricatis, Plex for short. In 372 a war between him and Minch had just ended and a trade route was established through the heart of the Carpathian mountains. Here, this is has a few chapters on it," The man handed Malfoy a small book and then turned back to the shelves, he glanced at the trio over his glasses "Is there anything I can do for your-you?"
"They're Gryffindors Hindley, nothing, they shop at Florish and Blotts."
"Gryffindors? Eck, causing ruckus 'round these parts, acting as if ye' own everything and coming in here and standing in the way of the door. Useless, never since James Potter and his little motley crew of Neanderthals have I let a Gryffindor in this shop."
"It's so huge though and you have so many books." Hermione looked around in awe.
"Yes, I know, however very few people really appreciate books."
"I know! How do you keep everything organized?"
"Organized? I don't, if you can find it you can buy it, if you can't you're not worthy to read."
"What a silly idea," Hermione laughed and looked over a stack of books.
"It's ingenious," Hindley said sharply, he mounted a tall ladder and went sailing down the row, seemingly grabbing books randomly off the shelves. He then came flying back with a trail of books floating through the air behind him. Hindley set down and set the books into four stacks, each one he tied with a thick leather cross that held the Slytherin crest and a 6 in the center.
"You couldn't find a thing in here, Granger" Malfoy said, flipping through a book titled 'Metamagices, the Magic Repellent Mineral'.
"I could find anything I needed in this pig-sty."
"I challenge you, name anything, and if you cant find it by the time we get back here at the end of the day, you admit your not worthy and announce such at the opening feast, in an utterly serious tone and then toast to the health and prosperity of the Purebloods in Slytherins House." Malfoy got right in her face and glared at her.
"If I win?"
"You wont," Malfoy smirked "If you should find it then you can name your price at the time, within the boundaries of good taste."
"Deal." Hermione stuck out her hand to shake.
Malfoy just looked at it and quirked an eyebrow, he turned to the others and smirked again "You're all witnesses to the bet, name what you're looking for Granger."
"Information on the Plex trade," Hermione shot him a look and stalked off down an aisle of books.
Malfoy nodded. This act exhausted him, Pansy and Blaise could sense it, they were very willing to allow him a confidential moment if only it weren't for the Gryffindors there. Malfoy was far to proud to admit to what happened with them around. Sometime though, his dear friends would know the truth. But Malfoy couldn't help wonder how much longer they would stay around after they knew. He was soiled now.