The silence that followed was quite awkward, Theodore shifted his weight uncomfortably.

Draco began, "So, how has your summer been so far?"

"All right," he responded, knowing exactly where the conversation was turning.

"Mum heard that they sent you off to live with Muggles. Is it true?"

Theodore exhaled. "Yeah, my aunt and uncle to be exact," he said as a flush of embarrassment crossed over his face.

Draco raised an eyebrow at him. "I didn't know you had any Muggle relatives."

Theodore shrugged. "Neither did I until a few weeks ago. My father's sister is a squib."

Draco responded, "Well, you won't find any of those in my family."

"I'm sure," he said slowly. It was an obvious lie. No matter how pure a family's blood may be squibs were inevitable.

Draco smirked slightly, and said, "So, have you heard from your father at all?"

Theodore shook his head. "What about you?"

"Same," said Draco. "Just between you and me, Nott, I know that they'll be out soon. The Dark Lord is convincing the Dementors to join his side. Many of them have already left but the Ministry's keeping it under wraps and the Daily Prophet is forbidden to report anything."

"Well, I hope so. I mean, my aunt and uncle are nice and all--" He broke off when he noticed Draco's intense stare. "—for Muggles and all but I miss my father and I'd much rather be at home."

Draco looked as though he were carefully digesting Theodore's words. "I know what you mean," he said. "I wish my father was home too. Mum's been in a bit of depression since, well, you-know. Her and Aunt Bellatrix went to see Professor Snape for calming potions or something," he finished quickly.

Theodore watched as an odd expression came over his face briefly. He knew that in simple terms it was nothing other than guilt. But why would Draco feel guilty over his father's incarceration? He knew that Draco vocally blamed Potter and his sidekicks for that whole escapade.

Theodore, on the other hand, had no idea who to blame. The Dark Lord for sending his father to the Department of Mysteries which led to his arrest and then left him there to be dragged into the clutches of Azkaban? The aurors who had arrested him? Potter and his miserable army of worshippers for being stupid enough to fall into the Dark Lord's scheme? Maybe he should blame his father then, too, for being ignorant enough to sacrifice himself for something he believed in (no matter how pointless, twisted or deficient, he added as an afterthought).

"Sorry, I got a bit lost in my thoughts," Theodore murmured to his feet when he noticed the curious gaze Draco had fastened upon him. He did his best not to blush though he knew it would probably make him look even more foolish.

"As always, Nott," Draco said, with his lips fashioned into a smirk.

Theodore gave up on trying to keep a straight face and grinned.

"One day we're going to wake up and find you just as insane as Lovegood."

They both strained a laugh.

"I don't think you'll have to worry about that. I'd probably kill myself by means of the Cruciatus Curse before I ever let that happen to myself," said Theodore.

Draco's face took on a slight flush. "I know what you mean," he mumbled. The look was replaced by a smirk. "I'd do the same if it were me too."

"Draco," a woman's voice spoke from the left. The two boys turned to face Draco's mother, Narcissa. She was thinner than Theodore remembered the last time they had met and her skin was pallid, almost sickly looking. "Oh, Theodore, how are you? You've gotten considerably taller than the last time I saw you. You and Draco both are growing up to be such handsome boys."

"Er, well, I'd better be off, I guess. You know, shopping and things," said Theodore.

"Right, same here. We still have a lot left to do…" Draco trailed off.

"See you later," said Theodore, with a wave as he began walking off. Since he was already walking in the opposite direction, he thought to himself that he might as well stop by Flourish and Blotts first. He wanted to get his shopping done quickly so he could have time to relax and savor the last taste of the Wizarding World he would have for two more weeks.

Flourish and Blotts was empty when he arrived aside from the witch who worked as the clerk.

"Hello," she had said politely when he entered and then returned to looking bored. Theodore pulled out his list and began scanning the titles.

Confronting the Faceless by Arsenius Jigger

The Standard Book of Spells by Miranda Goshawk


Guide to Advanced Transfiguration by Professor Vindictus Viridian

Advanced Potion-Making by Libatius Borage

Advanced Rune Translation by Emeric Switch

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander

Theodore moved to the tallest bookshelf and began fingering through the titles. With a glance to the right of the shelf, he spotted Draco through the window. The blonde was walking at a quick pace with no Narcissa in sight.

Odd, Theodore thought, as he put the book he was glancing at back on one of the shelves.

Naturally, his curiosity got the best of him and he left the shop in a hurry.

Draco was almost gone by the time Theodore made it to the cobblestone pavement. He tore off quickly, following the blonde from a distance even though the feeling in the pit of his stomach told him exactly where Draco would be going. Knockturn Alley.

His father had taken him there a few times when he was younger. He had clung to the bottoms of his father's robes then after hearing two older witches talk about three murders that had happened nearby recently. The two, with a laugh, declared the cause to be a vampire.

Fuck, he thought. He lost Draco with the turn of the street. Theodore quickened his pace, pushing his way past a wizard who scowled and looked as though he was going to utter a hex. "Sorry," he murmured and kept walking, thinking about how much of an idiot he must be for bothering to apologize to someone in Knockturn Alley of all places.

He watched as Malfoy entered a store near the end of the street. The dusty sign over the doorway read 'BORGIN & BURKES' which Theodore had heard of in passing. As he headed over to the shop, he wished it wasn't summer so he could use an invisibility charm. He rolled his eyes and cursed himself for being underage. Draco would obviously see him if he was standing in front of the window gaping like an idiot.

With a sigh of defeat, he turned and headed back for Diagon Alley though he couldn't satisfy his curiosity as to what Draco was doing in Borgin & Burkes.