A/N: Sorry for the delay but it's nearing the end of the year and I don't know how much more time I'll have to post with all my last minute projects and tests and then finals. I'll try to get something up, but I can't promise it's gonna have a 100% effort behind it, though the chapters should turn out okay until I can spend more time on the detailing and all that. Keep up the reviews!!!
~Kandimoon
Chapter Fifteen
The War had officially begun.
Traveling on foot was very dangerous, but he didn't have any other way to travel. He ran from the mansion undetected, due to his father's preoccupation elsewhere. Floo could easily be tracked, and also he didn't know where his father secretly kept the vial of powder; his broom still resided at his school, tightly locked away in the Quidditch supply shed. All he carried with him was a small bag of miscellaneous items and of course his wand. However, before he left his home of seventeen years, he quickly stopped by his mother's room. Within her elegantly styled cherry-wood dresser lay an artifact as old as time. It was his personal tool, a chalice made of pure silver and adorned with dozens of tiny sapphires. Within the silver chalice was a liquid, as clear as water and as pure as anything else on earth, this liquid was known as the true 'Water of Life', and no one could use it or even see it except those of the blood of the Water Goddess. The Water of Life did not grant long life, but merely was an elixir used for healing, which was a talent that only the Goddess Water could use. Sometimes the descendants used the water as a baptism of sorts, purifying the infant and ensuring a good and healthy life. As an independent research project during his sixth year, he did in fact notice that most of his mother's ancestors were priests and priestesses, working in temples devoted to the four Goddesses.
He followed the coast north towards Scotland, stopping to rest every couple hours. When he reached the border after ten hours of traveling, there he arrived at a small Wizarding town called "Wyspara". It only had a few stores, could barely even be called a town, with a population probably under a hundred and fifty, it contained only about ten stores along its main street. Draco arrived to the town's tavern after walking around the Wyspara for a few minutes, making sure all was safe before he made his presence known; for in truth the Malfoy's were nationally known, even small towns like Wyspara could have heard of his sudden 'disappearance'.
"Can I help ye?" The very old bartender asked as Malfoy walked into the dimly lit tavern. There were very few people, due to the fact it was still pretty early in the day and all, so he figured it was safe to relax his guard a bit.
"Is your fireplace hooked up to the floo network by chance? I need to head north, it's an emergency." He stated, he added the emergency part so as to warn off any possible questioning the man would give, seeing someone still in school traveling alone during holiday break.
"Where is it yer headin to son?" The man asked quizzically.
"Are you connected to Hogsmeade or anywhere close to it?"
"There's a place a few miles from Hogsmeade, that's the closest yer'll get to it. Ya shouldn't be off on yer own kid, too dangerous nowadays."
"Yes, I know. Like I said, it's an emergency. Thank you." He responded as he went over to the small fireplace and grabbed some floo powder.
"What's the name of the location?" Draco asked the bartender. The bartender looked up from the glass he was cleaning and spoke in a gruff manor.
"Zoraster's."
Draco nodded his head, vaguely remembering the name of the place he would be traveling to. It was a halfway point between the Wizarding town of Hogsmeade and the Muggle town of Stirling, Scotland. It was a very popular local restaurant with a store or two beside it; though it was not populated enough to be called a town by any sorts; it was fairly well known and kept a good enough business.
Upon arriving in the small old-fashioned fireplace, Draco stepped out from the ashes and dusted off his dirty traveling cloak. Though cleaning spells were all well and nice, spells could be easily tracked; especially under-aged wizards, if one were looking for someone. So Draco made do with washing quickly in the water before continuing his trail northward. He smiled slightly to the barmaid then walked out into the morning sun. He knew his trail would be dangerous, his father could have his guards out and around the perimeter of Hogswarts to minute he realized of his sons treacherous ways. He would need to use something he hasn't used since he first figured it out the year Harry Potter was named Champion of the Tri-Wizard Tournament.
He sat by the darkened lake, not caring to hear the sad cries of the mourning or the happy shouts of cheer over Potter's victory, and Diggory's death. He knew of Voldemorts returning, for his father's dark mark was becoming more and more prominent each day. He also knew his father would not hesitate a second to aid the still fairly weak Dark Lord. He also knew it was now his father would want him to start participating more and learning more about what his future entitled.
"I want to make my father proud of me," exclaimed the fourteen- year-old pale haired boy to the calm flowing waters of Hogswarts Lake. The giant squid, Draco figured, must have been deep underwater and not moving, for very little movement could be seen on the water that night.
"But I don't want to be evil." He whispered at the same time. He knew he could be such a complete ass and stuck up snot before the whole school, or rather around Potter and his gang in specific, but underneath he too had fears, and wishes, and hopes for his future, and they didn't revolve around becoming a Death Eater to the most vile creature to ever walk the Earth. He also realized that many of Voldemorts followers were aware of just why Malfoy Senior reached such a high level of standing in the Dark Lord's ranks, and that was because his heir had the blood of a powerful ancient goddess.
He remembered when he was younger, just how he found out about his powers. He was playing outside in the fields behind the Malfoy estate and cut his arm after tripping over a rock. He ran inside the mansion to find his mother who could tend to his wound, but no one was around except Dobby the House Elf and two other House Elves. He grabbed his arm in pain and tried not to concentrate on it too much, but rather channel his pain into energy and pretend it didn't exist. After a few seconds he felt a relief in his arm and looked down to see a very faint scar where the cut had once been. After his young curiosity was sparked, he ran to his mother later that evening and relayed the whole story to her. It was then she explained to him that he was a descendant of the goddess of Water and had the power to heal. However his own energy and power was limited, to heal stronger wounds or to completely seal a wound, he would need to use the Water of Life found in the silver chalice that she had in her room. Only those with the blood of the Water Goddess could see the water, and only those skilled in the ways of the Goddess could use the water for its intents and purposes. It was that moment that Draco found true heritage and power and was taught everything he needed to know about the power of the Four Goddesses.
But he was no longer young and naïve, for the years were piled high, and it would soon come to the point that he would have to make his decision whether to follow his fathers wishes and join the Dark Lord's army or flee to the power of Light and use his power as the Goddess originally intended for them to be used.
"You are weary, my son." A voice spoke to him from the water. Suddenly frightened he back up on shore a bit and wrapped his arms around his knees as if to gather himself together.
"W-who are you?" He asked the voice timidly.
Suddenly a figure emerged from the water, in the shape of a great blue sea serpent, the symbol of the Goddess of Water.
"I am neither life nor death, neither ghost, nor creature, nor man. I give life, and I take life away, I nourish and I heal, I am your guide, Son of Water, I am here to help you." It spoke calmly and fluidly to the confused boy before her.
"You are my familiar then?"
"Yes, you may say that."
"I feel lost."
"Close your eyes, young water, close your eyes and reach deep inside yourself, deep inside your power. What do you feel?"
"I feel…calm…peaceful." He replied as if in a trance.
"You are a very special case, my young son. Generations of your ancestry are typically female and are far more compassionate and intuitive. But you are the product of love and hate, good and evil. Your mother has a very pure soul; she is a true follower of the Goddess and Her ways. But your father follows a very different, very dark, path in life. Where your mother nurtures, your father condemns; where your mother heals, your father kills. It will eat at you from the inside, it could tear your very soul to pieces if you allow it."
"Why are you telling me this?"
"Because you will be forced to choose one day."
Draco was very quiet for a few moments contemplating the words the serpent said.
"What does your heart tell you to do?"
"It says to make my father proud."
Now three years later he wished he would have chosen the other path…
He was nearing Hogsmeade and from there it would only take him a short amount of time to get to Hogwarts. However, he knew that he was nearing dangerous territory and it would become vital to form a disguise.
After the conversation with his familiar, those three years ago, he made it his duty to learn as much as he could, and really threw himself into his studies to make his father, and of course Voldemort, proud of him. He also began reading about Animagi and after two years of intense study, finally could transform himself into his familiar. The only problem being that his familiar needed water, and the only body of water near Hogwarts was the Lake.
Passing threw Hogsmeade he recognized a few shadowy faces in the late afternoon/evening crowd; friends of his father's who were so discretely pretending to be enjoying an evening out in town, but were really keeping an eye out for him. He snuck past them, hiding in the shadows and losing himself in the crowd when at all possible, after all he did inherit some of the Water Goddess's intuition, just enough to know when someone was watching him and when things didn't feel right.
Upon entering the grounds of Hogwarts, he just barely transformed into his familiar Animagi form when a group of three Death Eaters barreled out of the Forbidden Forest.
"I can't find him anywhere, sir." A dark husky voice explained.
"If I didn't need his power so much, I would have wrung his neck years ago for all this trouble and embarrassment he's put me through these past years. My son, a turn-coat, the Dark Lord and Lady will not be pleased to hear this foul news. I am so ashamed." The pale haired man spoke to his two companions.
"If the boy returns, I'll have first notice. Let me handle this Lucius." The eerily soft voice of the Potion's Master exclaimed to his comrade. The dark haired professor turned his midnight eyes towards the lake and saw a small blue sea serpent raising its head a few inches from the waters surface.
'Foolish Boy.' He sneered silently to himself.
"Go back home, and take your men with you. I will alert you and our Lord if I see or hear from him. Though I can't promise you much more than that, because if he reaches Dumbledore first, he will be highly protected and hard to get away from the school."
"Yes, I suppose you're right. Besides I don't want to cause a big scandal. We'll make it seem like everything's okay for now. I will talk to the Lord Voldemort tonight and see what he wishes me to do about this mess. Good day, Severus." He spoke and Apparated away a moment later, along with the other man beside him.
"It is safe." Snape sneered to the rippling water behind him, moments later the tall lean figure of a seventeen year old boy emerged, shabby and weathered out.
"He will hunt me down till this is over."
"Yes, you foolish chit. You messed up real good, now you put me at an even more dangerous position trying to hide and protect you while at the same time trying to get you away from here so Voldemort can grind you to pieces for betraying him. You were cowardly and rash and left without any warning of your whereabouts. Stupid stupid fool, get inside, Dumbledore will be wanting to hear this."
Draco hung his head in shame, for all the pain he's caused in the past, for his unlawful actions and expressions, and for the position he put his Head of House in. He wished nothing more at this moment in time than to find a darkened corner and just curl up and wither away, alone…
"Mr. Malfoy, I believe you have an explanation for me?" The soft, yet demanding voice of the Headmaster spoke as the duo entered the lavish office.
"Yes."
There was a long pause for Draco was afraid of what he was going to say, and what the Headmaster would do because of it.
"Continue Mr. Malfoy."
"I want to join the Light."
"Why." It wasn't really a question, but more of a hardened statement that sent cold chills down Draco's spine.
"Because I'm a murderer."