The next day, true to his 'plan', Draco headed towards the library. It was near 2 in the afternoon and there weren't many people in the library yet, something Draco was grateful for. He searched the stacks and shelves of books, at first not sure what to look for until he stumbled upon a book on magical transportation. Well, it's a damn good start, he thought.
He plucked the heavy book from its shelf and carried back to his table. He had been careful in choosing a far off table by a window. It was at the very end of the library, at a far wall, where he was sure nobody would bother him. He placed the book down on the table and slid himself into a seat.
He pulled out his extra studies text books and did a quick spell to disguise them, knowing he'd be in a hell of a lot of trouble being caught with them. He first opening the transportation book and began to read. After reading a few pages in parts of the book, he thought for a moment, taking notes on a piece of parchment.
Floo-ing would only take him so far. He couldn't risk apparition. A port key wouldn't work, unless he acquired one that was already made, but one of those would be at Malfoy Manor, where he couldn't go… he had decided he couldn't go to the manor at all, so instead he would try and get to the plot. He didn't have any flying beasts or teleporting creatures, and taking a threstal wouldn't work… There were several other small spells listed, but most only took one so far, and tended to not be very far at all.
He read a bit further into it, reading about more spells and beasts, also some potions that seemed too much to bother with. He finally decided that unless he could find one spell to take him straight there, he would have to make a plan of a series of small steps and spells. As he thought it over his gaze wandered over to the window. The view overlooked a part of the ocean surrounding some of the grounds and the sun's reflections made the water glitter in an interesting and attractive way.
That brought his thoughts to muggle transportation. But he didn't want to take something like that. Nor did he think he could. So far the best course of action was to floo somewhere close to the Plot, then spell his way onward to it, or something near that. There was still more to be decided on that, but he stopped and pulled up one if his text books, opening it to were he had left off, which was about halfway through the heavy book.
He read the list of spells his father had wanted him to practice and thought he could manage on his own and at the school. He went on to read about them and practice a few hand movements, being careful not to utter the words to the spell. He took down a few notes and kept reading.
At about 3 in the afternoon he decided it was time to find a secluded place to practice. He re-read his notes on the spells. A torching spell and its counter spell, a different version of the torching spell, for that he would need some piece of vegetation, a few attacks and defense spells, and a few torture spells. He would need some type of animal for the last few spells.
He gathered up his things and checked out the book on transportation, pretending not to notice the other students that had settled around in the library. He turned and sneered as he saw granger looking at him, then quickly turned and headed out the door and towards the grounds.
Once outside he at first headed towards the lake, but then saw the weasel and a few of his friends there. His stomach gave a slight leap as he quickly scanned the area for Potter, but the boy wasn't there and he took a turn to the left, heading into the forest that bordered the lake and the much thicker area of the forbidden forest.
After treading a few feet through branches and after moving a little deeper into the woods, he found a spot that was slightly less dense then the area's surrounding it. He finally chose to settle on a spot of grass next to a semi-tall tree. He dropped his bag down against the tree and pulled out his notes, then cast a spell to check if there was anyone around within a certain radius. The spot was clear.
He looked around and took in the fresh air and the smell of dirt and leaves. It was a sunny day, not cold but not too hot, almost just right, if there was a right. A bird chirped overhead and he listened for a second before wincing as the thought of what he would have to do to some creature came to him.
Deciding to stop stalling and get to work, Draco pulled out his wand and took a defense stance, practicing a few defense spells, then attack spells. He only did a few of these, knowing he could them in private later. He read over what he needed to practice there, and began to recite the charm for the torching spell to himself.
He pointed his wand at a small weed on the ground and called out the charm. The plant burst into flames and Draco called out the extinguishing charm, bathing the flower in a white smog for a second, leaving a charred weed crumbling to the ground.
He then recited the spell to the second version, pointing the wand at a different weed. It immediately caught fire, but this time the flame was of a lighter hue, and as he muttered the extinguishing charm, the fire was banished but the weed was left unharmed. He could guess the useful aspects of this charm, but could also think of some horrid ones, which he would rather not think about.
After practicing a few more times, he let out a deep breath and decided he needed now to find a test subject. Preferring the term test subject, he went searching his surroundings for one. He spotted a small green caterpillar with yellow spots crawling across a leaf, and not finding anything else, regretfully picked up the caterpillar and took it over to his bag, placing it on a text book.
He read again the names of the 4 curses he needed to do. He pointed his wand at the thing, which had begun to crawl forward across the surface of the book. He hesitated for a second before steeling himself and saying the words to the charm. The caterpillar suddenly began to twitch and roll and Draco winced, dropping the spell.
Angry with himself for his weakness, he pointed the wand and firmly said the words to a second spell, sending the caterpillar curling in unnatural ways, making a pathetic scuttling sound against the hard surface of the book. Suddenly it stopped squirming and went limp. "Damn it!" He cursed, his eyes beginning to water. Angry at himself, he shot another curse at the caterpillar. It had died and that caused the spell to malfunction, instead splitting the pathetic form of the creature in two.
The spell had apparently been too much for the small insect and its heart had either burst or just stopped and it had died.
Draco yelled and shot a spell at the caterpillar, sending it flying into bushes. He wiped at his eyes angrily. It was just a stupid caterpillar, a ridiculous little creature with no purpose, he thought. Imagine if I have to use it on another person, then what? Will I betray myself and cry like an idiot?
But it was innocent, an innocent, harmless creature, just trying to live, a soft and quiet voice whispered in his head. And if you were forced to use these on another human being, would they not be as innocent? He considered these thoughts, and another voice came, an angrier one this time, if you're so against your father, if you don't really share those allies, why are you still following his orders? Why are you still training for- No! Draco yelled mentally, cutting short the voice.
He just wanted to concentrate right now, just concentrate, and he didn't want to think of the sense the voice made. He would later. Maybe he should just stop now. He needed to learn this though. Or maybe he could learn something else, study something else...something to fight against his father…against those allies…defense against the dark arts, maybe…
A rustle in the trees above him thankfully broke him out of his thoughts and his head shot up, his eyes focusing with a seeker's skill on what had made the disturbance. A chestnut colored creature darted overhead, running gracefully across thin branches. It was a small squirrel, he noted. With rushed thoughts he quickly raised his wand as the squirrel made to jump from one branch to another and cast a stupefying spell, then levitated the animal towards him.
He tried not to think as he set a spell so that the animal was trapped where he placed it on the floor. He didn't want to do what he was about to do. He muttered another of the spells on the list and watched as the skin of the animal began to stretch around it in horrific ways, drawing unpleasant noises from the animal. At first it just grunted in surprise, and Draco lifted the spell and sent another one.
At this one the creature began to shriek as its bones twisted beneath its skin, and at the third one blood began to pour from its mouth, ears, and nose. Draco could barley watch and he began to turn away when a noise startled him and he was roughly pushed onto the ground by something. He looked up and found the weasel's now red face looking down at him twisted in anger. He noticed granger standing nearby, face pale, and he saw the squirrel twitch on the ground where it laid, all spells lifted.
"What the fuck are you doing?" Weasley yelled, anger making his words grind out slow and loud. Draco sat there for a second looking up at the angry redhead, but when the other boy moved to attack him he quickly rose and stood his ground, steeling himself. "What did you do to that poor animal!" Granger shrieked.
"None of your damn business" Draco replied coldly. She looked at Weasley with a horrified expression as the creature continued to twitch, the fur near its face bloody. Draco saw her gaze fall on it again and the horror of what he'd done violently shook him again, he hastily ran to it, picking it up in his robes. He rushed over to his things and grabbed his bags and made to leave when Weasley stopped him and brought a first crashing into his face.
Draco was forced to step back a few steps, but held his balance and glared coldly at the weasel. He felt the animal twitch in his arms, some blood seeping into his robes. He turned and began to head towards the castle when granger's gaze caught his eyes. He couldn't keep his face neutral at the horrified way she was looking at him and he felt his eyes begin to water again.
What is wrong with you! A voice in his head called out urgently, keep it together! He grimaced and felt shame burning inside him as he rushed past her. When he had grabbed the animal up first he didn't know what he intended to do but now as he rushed up to the castle he stopped and got behind a few trees, stooping low and gently placing the animal down, taking off his robes to lay it on.
He took out his wand, panicking slightly as he looked at the pathetic form of the still shuddering creature. He cast a quick spell to clean its fur and began racking his mind for healing spells. He had never learnt any healing spells for animals, just humans, and he wasn't sure if it would work the same, cause damage, or not work at all.
Looking again at the poor creature he aimed his wand and carefully sent a few healing spells through the small shuddering body. The look on Granger's face and the shuddering of the animal were still flashing through his mind, the shock of being caught making him realize exactly what he had done, and seeing the horror in it. He wondered if they would go to the headmaster, what would happen to him, what Granger would think of him, what Potter would think of him.
He told himself he didn't care; he just wanted to fix what he'd done. As the last of the spells faded, Draco looked hopelessly on the body, praying it would work. But the body lay still, not moving or even seeming to breathe. Draco's head dropped and he looked pitifully at the body. "I'm sorry..."He whispered.
The sound of his own voice broke him out of his panicked state. "Damn it!" he exclaimed, and stood up, turning and running away from the scene, only slowing down to a walk once he was inside the castle walls. He didn't look back, but if he had he would have seen the squirrel suddenly open its eyes and spring to life, scurrying away, or the bushy haired girl that had been quietly watching the scene.
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author's note: well, I was going to write more but I got a little blocked, so I decided to just update from there, hope you guys enjoy, and thanks for all the new reviews! More soon, please R&R because I'm greedy and just can't get enough reviews