Disclaimer: Do I look like JKR? It's all hers, not mine.
This is my first try at a Harry Potter fic, so feedback would be very
appreciated, as long as it is constructive.
Warnings: This story might develop some slash (male/male pairing) in the future. Mentioning of child abuse.
"Hello" = speech
"Hello" = thoughts
Hope' Nest
Chapter 3
Draco turned in his seat when the door was pushed open. For a brief moment his silver eyes positively glowed with curiosity before impenetrable walls once again shut down in front of them. It wouldn't do to let Mr. Stormcrow know the extent of his curiosity.
His masterfully constructed mask however stood a snowball⤙s chance in hell when he watched a floating, sleeping girl enter the room, closely followed by someone dressed in violet pyjamas. What the hell?
Nicodemus couldn't quite keep a smirk off his face when he watched Malfoy's reaction to their entrance. The other man's astonishment gave him enough time to make his own inspection of his guest.
The years had been kind to Draco Malfoy. Though his hair was still more silver than gold, it was no longer gelled back. In fact it was cut in a neat way, neither too long nor too short to be acceptable in good society, making it easier to blend in. Age had softened some of the sharp conntours of his face, which had developed from its former pointy state to delicately structured.
He was tall, standing he'd probably reach six foot. He was broad-shouldered and though well dressed in his grey trousers and dark blue shirt ,not overly so.
There were no scars, no shadows in his eyes, there was nothing to be seen of the world-weariness every single witch and wizard in Britain wore like a second skin.
Nicodemus' magical senses only confirmed what his eyes had told him before. Draco Malfoy, though raised to be a prince of darkness, raised within darkness, had never been tainted by it. Nicodemus had been told as much but had never been able to believe it wholeheartedly, until now.
This making Malfoy's interest in an orphanage all the more curious.
"Good morning, Mr. Malfoy. Please, do excuse my lateness. As you can see, I had a little problem with a burst of accidental magic." Nicodemus greeted his guest politely, his deep voice betraying none of his thoughts.
The deep voice pulled Draco out of his stupor. Internally Smacking himself for his inattentiveness, he raised his eyes from the floating child to meet Mr. Stormcrow's gaze. When his silver eyes met violet-crimson ones, his eyebrows rose in surprise. The soothing, deep violet orbs looked like they were holding exploding crimson stars.
After several seconds Draco noticed that the crimson streaks changed their patterns continually, never standing still. If he knew nothing else about Mr. Stormcrow, he now knew that he faced a very powerful wizard, a true magical being, which made it even more curious that he had never heard of the man before.
Forget about him being rich, why should a wizard as powerful as him hide away in an orphanage? Is he really a Dark Lord in hiding, biding his time and raising his army? Though I couldn't imagine a Dark Lord tolerating a child floating in front of him, accidental magic or no accidental magic.
Draco's gaze finally wandered upwards, discovering a shock of pure white hair. The hair was so white it nearly glowed, reflecting light like a mirror would. It was short, standing up in all directions. Draco's eyebrows rose to impossible heights, until he pulled himself together again.
He isn't anywhere near old enough to have white hair. I don't believe it's natural either. Time to pull yourself together and start your investigation, or did you forget why you came here in the first place, Draco, old friend.
"Good morning, Mr. Stormcrow. There is no need to apologise, I assure you. Understandably your charges come first. May I ask how it came to this interesting outcome of accidental magic?" Draco said.
"You may. Little Bridget here had a bad night and came crawling into my bed at the first rays of dawn. When I had to get up a short while later, she panicked, refusing to let me go. All of my children are deathly afraid of being abandoned again. That's why I tolerate their sometimes possessive or inappropriate behaviour. I have to admit that your request for a meeting really surprised me, Mr. Malfoy." Nicodemus replied, his voice still as evenand smooth as the water of a lake at midnight.
Draco put his polite mask back on his face, rose one eyebrow in a questioning manner and asked: "Is that so? May I inquire about the reason for your surprise, Mr. Stormcrow? It isn't uncommon for wealthy and prestigious houses like that of Malfoy to donate to charity after all."
Nicodemus, still standing so that Bridget wouldn't bump against anything and get hurt, smiled a fleeting smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.
"It is indeed quite common that people donate to orphanages and it isn't your charitable intention that has me surprised. However it is highly unusual that "Hope's Nest" is even considered for donations. To be honest there have repeatedly been requests to pull this orphanage down."
Draco's eyes grew cold. He knew that the orphanage did not have the approval of most wizarding folk, but to try and destroy it? Like so many times before, people's blindness and narrow-mindedness ignited a cold fury in his very soul.
His jaw must have tightened, because Mr. Stormcrow's eyes showed compassion born of the same feelings, before curtains of politeness shut down in front of them again.
"When did you open your doors to orphans, Mr. Stormcrow?"
"Five years ago, shortly after the war ended. I didn't plan to start an orphanage, there were more than enough out there already. It was after meeting starving, beaten children on the streets of Diagon Alley that I started to take them in."
"You do know why other orphanages refuse to take those children in, don't you, Mr. Stormcrow?" Draco's voice was challenging, a smirk curling his lips.
"Believe me, Mr. Malfoy, I know all about the Wizarding World's reasons for abandoning these children and I've never heard a more sorry excuse, too. There is simply no reason that can excuse abandoning a child that would be acceptable in my eyes."
Nicodemus' eyes sparkled, dark crimson bolts of lightning shooting around his pupils.
Draco had to swallow hard at the signs of fury in Mr. Stormcrow's eyes. He couldn't believe anyone had been stupid enough to request that Mr. Stormcrow should throw out the children even in a letter, much less face to face.
"I understand. How many children are there in "Hope's Nest"?" he asked to dissipate some of the tension in the room. Note to self, never anger this
man.
The fury in Nicodemus eyes didn't disappear, but they grew warmer when he thought of his charges. Impossible as it might sound, Draco Malfoy earnestly wanted to learn more about the orphanage, or so it seemed. That didn't mean he would trust him, but he was willing to believe in the man's good intentions and sincerity, at least for the moment.
"Currently there are 23 children living in the manor. They are the youngest of the lot, all between the ages of three months and six years. Fifteen other children between the ages of seven and ten years are currently in a primary school in Asia. They only come home at weekends and on holidays. The rest of the time they stay in a manor similar to this one, under the guardianship of two of my most trusted associates. Ten children between the ages of ten and 17 years are attending several different magical schools, all abroad. They, too, come home on holidays.
There are 45 children that are staying in a medical and psychiatric institute, which is lead by an old acquaintance of mine. They have seen, heard and suffered too much to be able to live here amongst the other children. Some of them will never regain that which was stolen from them by the Wizarding World." Nicodemus' voice grew colder than ice at the end.
Nine years ago he wouldn't have believed that usually decent people were ready to abandon and stigmatise children for something none of them had ever done or had any control over.
As the war became crueller and crueller he had been forced to face some hard truths about people at large, and British wizards and witches especially. It had been those revelations that had killed his innocence bit by bit.
Now he trusted only in very few people, and there was only one person who he trusted with his life, his past, his name.
Draco froze after processing the last sentences. 45 children were damaged beyond any hope of recovery. Damaged not by an evil lunatic and his delusional followers, but by the forces of light. Not for the first time since his return to Britain three months prior, he felt helpless, like he was trapped in some kind of impossible, never-ending nightmare.
It was all so surreal. Adult wizards and witches hunting down defenceless children to hurt and humiliate them. At best they ignored the starving children. At worst they hit them whenever they could or used them to satisfy their own dark, forbidden desires.
Not to forget that those children are the perfect scapegoats. If it were raining, it was naturally one of them casting dark magic.
"So it isn't really only "Hope's Nest" that you are leading, Mr. Stormcrow. It is a highly unusual career to choose for such a young man as yourself, no offence meant." Draco said casually.
One glance at the sleeping child, clutching at Mr. Stormcrow's nightshirt, had him convinced of the man's integrity and good intentions. He was still curious about him, he wanted to know more about the man who had a big enough heart and strong enough will to take in all those children, against all attempts of the Wizarding World to stop him.
Nicodemus allowed himself a slight smile at Malfoy's subtle way of interrogation. At least he isn't as annoying as Dumbledore always was while he tried to manipulate me. Well, he would just have to let his inner Slytherin out to play a bit, while maintaining his clueless, innocent outer mask, which was a mixture of his Gryffindor and Hufflepuff traits.
"None taken, Mr. Malfoy. As I've mentioned before, I had no plans to build an orphanage at all. And I am by no means young, Mr. Malfoy. Though you could say that "Hope's Nest" is in some aspects, a childhood dream come true for me. If those children have nothing else, they at least have a family now.
It was at this point that Nicodemus felt the magic surrounding Bridget and himself weakening and dissolve. Hurriedly he put his arms around her, to catch her when she awoke (...as he had already figured out that that would be the time her magic would dissolve).
Draco watched interestedly as the sleeping child awoke and how Mr. Stormcrow immediately took care of her. He was amused to notice that Mr. Stormcrow transfigured his pyjamas into much more appropriate black trousers and a white dress shirt, as soon as magic allowed. Well, here is my chance to observe how he treats the children.
He noted with wonder, and no small amount of sadness that the child smiled brilliantly as soon as (it) SHE recognised Mr. Stormcrow. He didn't miss how she pressed herself against him as soon as she noticed Draco's presence either. Mr. Stormcrow didn't seem to find such behaviour odd and started to soothe the still slightly sleepy child.
It was then that there was a short knock on the door. A split second later another child poked its dark haired head in, totally ignoring Draco, ist blue eyes searching intently, until they found Mr. Stormcrow. There had never been a bigger smile on any child's face than on this boy's upon finding Mr. Stormcrow.
"Good morning, Jacen. Is there something you need?" Mr. Stormcrow's voice cut through Draco's musings.
"No, sir. It's just that you weren't at breakfast and no one had seen you this morning at all." Jacen answered.
"I see. In that case could you accompany Bridget to the dining room, please? I expect her to be quite hungry after casting accidental magic. Make sure to let the others know I'm still here." ordered Mr. Stormcrow with sparkling eyes and a smile on his lips.
"Please, excuse the rude interruption, Mr. Malfoy. The children are afraid I will vanish from earth if they don't check up on me regularly."
I think I've seen enough for one day. The children are definitely safe here.
"There is no need to apologise, Mr. Stormcrow. I've taken up enough of your time as it is. When I made this appointment I didn't take your workload into consideration. Though I would like to continue our conversation at another time." Draco replied smoothly.
He really wanted to talk to Mr. Stormcrow again. What he had seen of the man's personality had intrigued him beyond any reason. He needed to put some physical distance between them, to put his thoughts and feelings in order again.
"You were no bother at all, Mr. Malfoy and you are welcome to return at any time." Mr. Stormcrow said, without missing a beat.
"Goodbye then, Mr. Stormcrow."
"Goodbye, Mr. Malfoy."
With those parting pleasantries done with, Draco wasted no time and apparated away. His last sight was the still sparkling eyes of Mr. Stormcrow with their eternal lightning storm inside.
TBC
A big thank you to my wonderful, unbeleivably fast beta and to addy, who always tells me what he lliked/disliked at a chapter.
Thank you to all of my other reviewers as well.