A/N: I was really excited about this chapter as it's been in the back of my mind for months. I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it! Happy holidays!

Also, I borrowed a couple of ideas of "Grey's Anatomy", which is a lovely show so if you haven't seen it just yet, I suggest you look for it. Also I think there's one quote in there by Quentin Crisp. I apologize for any spelling errors; I finished this in a mad dash!

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, just the plot!

Forgotten

Chapter Eleven:

She was running, running as fast as her weakened legs would carry her tired body. Flashes of lights of all colors were speeding past her, just barely missing her. She gasped as a green beam skimmed the top of her head, singing some of her red locks.

'Wait a minute,' she thought to herself, still running. 'When did I dye my hair red?' Shaking those thoughts from her head as a person that had been running next to her was hit with a spell, she continued running forward to what looked like the Forbidden Forest. Not knowing why this seemed so safe at the time, she ignored all her mind's protests and followed her instincts. She was almost there…just a few more steps and she would make it. Running past a fallen man, she saw his hand shoot out a second too late and cried out in distress as she came crashing to the ground.

"Kendra!" Ginny shouted into her best friend's ear, waking the blonde from her slumber. Kendra moaned in response, and pulled wearily her pillow, trying to drown out Ginny's shouts to wake up. Ginny responded with a laugh and effortlessly flicked her wand, sending the pillow flying into her own arms.

"No. Must have more sleep. Don't want to be awake." Kendra murmured, the last remnants of her dream slipping away. Slowly she opened her ocean blue eyes with defeat.

"Nonsense," Ginny said with a shake of her head and walked over to the windows, giving the curtains covering them a hard yank. "The sun is out!" Kendra winced in pain, her hand hastily covering her eyes in an attempt to shield the beaming sunlight from shining on her.

"Oi, remember when I had corneas?" She groaned to Ginny. "And since when did you resort to torturing your roommates to wake them up? I thought you just followed the strict routine of slamming doors, starting pillow fights, or drenching us in water when it came to waking us up." Ginny rolled her eyes and walked into the bathroom, beginning to brush her ever growing locks.

"That last one only happened once, and anyway, I needed to spice things up a bit." Looking around, Kendra noticed that her other roommates had recently left, as their beds were not yet made and the sheets were wrinkled. "Everyone else woke up before I did this morning, though, so you were the first to experience your new alarm system." Ginny added, walking back into the room and starting to plait her hair.

"Figures," Kendra muttered under her breath. "Oh Merlin, how could I have been so daft? Today's a Hogsmeade trip isn't it?" Ginny nodded in response with a small smile and then proceeded to look through both her own and Kendra's trunk for something to wear. Kendra gave one last groan before standing up and walking to the showers.

"Ken," Ginny called as the sound of waters rushing into the drain filled the room. "Since you're blind and all, s'alright if I borrow a couple of things?"

Kendra's answer came quickly, as Ginny ducked the flying bar of soap that her friend had thrown.

"Guess that's a no, then," Ginny muttered dryly.

xXxXx

Walking down the staircase that would lead the two girls to the Common Room, Ginny immediately searched for a tall blonde. Stepping onto the plush, red carpets, she spotted Colin sitting on the chair by the fire, surrounded by giggling fourth and fifth years. Sighing she gave Kendra a nudge. Her friend looked over to where Ginny gestured and narrowed her eyes. Setting her shoulders, she latched onto my arm and pulled me forward over to the fireplace.

"Morning, love," Colin greeted upon seeing Kendra, and I struggled to keep from rolling my eyes as he didn't even look in my direction, but instead took Kendra's arms and pulled her forward so that she was sitting on his lap and I was left standing stupidly in front of the couple. Giving the smaller girls a glare, they ran off, though with a few choice words, and I was free to choose any seat I so wanted.

"I see you're in a good mood today, Gin." Colin said with a smirk.

"I was…before you came along." She griped. Kendra laughed and stood up, pulling Colin along with her. Colin then moved over to Ginny and helped her stand, and Ginny offered a small thank you, though she was scowling the whole time.

"Right then, let's head down to the carriages, wouldn't want to miss them." Colin stated cheerfully, linking arms with his two best friends. The three slipped past the fourth and fifth year girls, who were momentarily distracted as Dean Thomas came down the steps from his dormitory, and quickly exited the Common Room. Laughing at what they knew would be a much more difficult escape for Dean, they carried on through the hallways, their arms still linked, only stopping briefly to show the glowering caretaker their permission slips.

"Why is there a Hogsmeade weekend now of all times?" Kendra asked to no one in particular, studying the scenery out the window of the carriage, even though she'd seen everything there was to see numerous times before. "Doesn't everybody leave soon, three days from now or something?" She continued, now turning to look at both Ginny and Colin.

Colin looked thoughtful for a moment before replying. "Yes, students are set to leave on Tuesday, that would be three days from now, but I think Professor Dumbledore thought we could use the last minute shopping," He said with a humorous twinkle in his eye.

"That reminds me, Fred and George owled Ron the other night and told him to tell me to tell you, Colin, that your order of Ever Bashing Boomerangs is in," Ginny said, albeit with a suspicious look, though Colin covered easily, nodding his head.

"I was wondering when those would finally arrive." He stated casually and waited until Ginny wasn't looking to throw Kendra a wink.

"That'll be our first stop, then." Ginny added hurriedly. Kendra shrugged nonchalantly while Colin simply smiled. The carriage lurched to a stop just then and all Ginny's thoughts of figuring out what was really going on were pushed to the back of her mind as she opened the door and nearly ran into Draco, who had been walking by the door on his way into Hogsmeade with Blaise and Tanith.

Though his face was at first blank, a look of disgust quickly came upon it as he shoved Ginny backwards so that she fell on Colin as he was climbing out. The two landed awkwardly on the ground and Kendra, who hadn't realized what was happing in time, quickly fell and landed on top of them. The Slytherins snickered as the three Gryffindors tried to untangle themselves while Kendra hastily whipped out her wand and pointed it directly on Draco's temple. He merely smirked as Blaise and Tanith just as hurriedly pulled out their own wands out and aimed at Kendra.

"Watch yourself, Bentley." Tanith cautioned in a low voice, fingering her raven colored hair as she sent Ginny a cold look. Upon seeing that Kendra had two wands on her, Colin quickly jumped up and pulled Kendra so that she stood slightly behind him, and though he didn't bring his own wand out, his hand could be seen clenched tightly around it in his pocket.

"Hex me Zambini, you know you want to. Give me your best spell, though I doubt it'll be anything spectacular." Colin taunted boldly.

"Mudblood, not worth it," Draco said with a roll of his eyes before Blaise could hex Colin. "Let's go," He continued and at Tanith's confused glance, Draco's eyes focused on something behind her. Turning around, she saw Professor McGonagall walking determinedly towards the six teens.

"We'll just have to deal with you three later." Blaise threatened with a sneer before walking along down the path that led into the small town, Tanith and Draco not far behind him. Seeing that the fighting had ceased, Professor McGonagall continued walking past Ginny, Kendra and Colin, pretending she hadn't noticed a thing. Letting out a sigh of relief, Ginny leaned against the carriage but quickly jumped forward as it began moving again, going back towards the castle to pick up other students. She couldn't help but think that it'd almost seemed like Draco had intervened for Colin, but that wouldn't make sense.

The three walked in silence; Ginny because she was pondering and Colin and Kendra because they were whispering into each others ears and holding hands. Apparently, Kendra thought Colin had been 'terribly romantic' when he stepped in front of her and insulted the Slytherins though they both knew Blaise could be extremely dangerous. Separating long enough to tell Ginny they'd meet her at the twin's in a few minutes, they quickly walked off to Madame Puddifoot's. Ginny ignored her two friends and continued on to Weasley's Wizard Wheezes.

"Gin-Gin," George called happily as she entered using an old (and hated) nickname. Ginny couldn't help the smile that edged onto her face. The twins always had a knack for cheering her up whether they meant to or not. Hastily, she moved from beneath the door just as a bucket of Portable Swamp that had suddenly appeared above her poured onto the floor before disappearing seconds later. George looked slightly disappointed that she had seen it in time.

"It's been going slow all morning," he said miserably, looking up at where the bucket supposedly was. "Oh well, its not the bucket I should be complaining about now, is it?" He continued, steering Ginny towards the cash register and moving her past the long line of students so that Fred could see her as well.

"What are you getting at?" Ginny asked him distractedly as she stepped over a puddle of melted Fever Fudge that had spilled.

"Don't think we haven't noticed. You haven't visited us at all since before school started up again, my dear sister." Fred proclaimed, shaking his finger in her face. Ginny laughed and kissed him on the cheek, giving Lee Jordan, who had taken over the cash register, a small wave. Walking into the back room with the twins and picking up some of their latest inventions to look at while they talked, Ginny took a seat in one of the cream-colored cushioned chairs.

"Where are Colin and Kendra?" George asked politely, though it seemed he was hardly interested as he kept looking anxiously at the door.

"Yes, shouldn't they be trailing your every step…or ignoring you while they snog." Fred continued for George, though he too was looking at the door with the same expression.

"What is going on?" Ginny asked in a bewildered tone.

"SHH!" The twins hushed, waving their hands to indicate, as if she hadn't heard. Just then, the bell above the door jingled as a customer entered. Fred and George slid to the edge of their seats. Suddenly a sloshing sound was heard throughout the store as the twins leapt from their seats with wide grins and out to see the customer.

"FRED AND GEORGE WEASLEY!" Mrs. Weasley bellowed. Ginny laughed but had to quickly stifle it as her mother came into the back room covered from head to toe in the Portable Swamp, Fred and George dragging behind her, though they looked quite happy that their prank had finally succeeded on a customer, even if it was their mother.

"Hello Ginny, dear," Molly greeted hastily before turning to her two sons, who were quick to put innocent expressions on their faces, an art they had mastered by the age of two. Molly's face softened somewhat, but her anger, however, did not decrease in the slightest. Ginny allowed herself to smile and relax as she prepared to hear a shouting match that she was, for once, not going to be involved in.

"This is the worst thing you could've done," Her mother began, beginning to mutter numerous Scouring Charms to rid her robes of the mess.

Fred sighed. "Honestly Mum, you say that so often-"

"-that it's lost its meaning." George finished, looking at Ginny and rolling his eyes when his mother wasn't looking. She couldn't help the laugh that escaped, and at her mother's heated glare, hurriedly covered it up with a sudden coughing fit.

"Don't think you're not in trouble either, Ginevra." Molly started, turning towards Ginny now as Fred and George crossed their arms and sent Ginny a smirk. "More detentions in the last month alone than Ron has had in three months. Dear me, you'd think you were an exact replica of the twins." Here the twins looked proud and gave Ginny an approving nod.

"That's because Ron never gets caught," Ginny defended, ignoring her older brothers continued gestures. Her mother scoffed.

"I do believe that, but Ginny, dear, he has other reasons for breaking the rules. While his are for things that don't and shouldn't concern him, yours are all for your own pleasure and might've been just as well…had they not been put through past your curfew. There's very logical justification as to why those curfews are there, and it would make me very happy if you just abided by them." She finished softly. Ginny fought the urge to roll her eyes and nodded at her mother, knowing the nod meant nothing.

"Right, well I only stopped by to see how business was going," Molly said cheerfully, looking at George and straightening the collar on his shirt and smoothing Fred's hair affectionately. Ginny now smirked at them as they stiffened at their mother's old habits from when they were still children…not that they ever really grew up.

There's an old proverb that says you can't choose your family. You take what the fates hand you and, like them or not, love them or not, understand them or not, you cope.

xXxXx

"Colin, just tell me what's in the box," Ginny begged to her best friend, trying futilely to snatch it from his hands. He fended her off laughing.

"There's no use in it, Gin, I already tried. All he would tell me is that it's a Christmas gift for all of us." Kendra explained with mirth. Ginny sighed and sat back in her chair by the fireplace. Looking at the box contemplatively, she wondered at what was really inside of it.

"Nonsense, just let me hold it." Ginny ordered, holding out her hands. "I won't open it," she said in a knowing tone before Colin could say it. He continued sitting, not moving and seemingly waiting for something else to happen.

"Swear," Kendra whispered out of the corner of her mouth.

"What?" Ginny asked loudly, and Kendra covered her face with her hands at Ginny's oblivious attitude.

"You have to swear you won't open it, trust me." She said, this time in a regular tone, as Colin chuckled but nonetheless looked at Ginny expectantly.

"Ugh, fine, I swear I won't open it if you give it to me, but if you don't, I can't swear that I won't hex you." Ginny threatened, narrowing her eyes and once again holding her hands out. Colin nodded, satisfied, and promptly put the small box into Ginny's outstretched hands. Holding it with care, Ginny lifted it up tentatively to her eyes for a closer inspection. Colin looked relieved that she was being gentle and upon seeing this, Ginny shook the box with all her might.

"Gin," he barked and snatched the present back. "You'll break it."

"Since when do you buy fragile presents?" Ginny questioned suspiciously.

"Since today," Colin answered with a resigned voice as he transfigured the box so that it was small enough to fit into his pocket. "Please, Gin, just let it be. You'll find out soon enough." Ginny sat still, looking at him, anticipating him to continue and frowned at him when he did not.

Kendra rolled her eyes with a smirk. "Swear," she whispered again, this time to Colin. He caught on much quicker than Ginny had and hastily added onto his previous statement.

"I swear to God." He said solemnly.

"Are you atheist?" Ginny asked casually. Colin started.

"Athe-what?" Kendra laughed at Colin's confused expression but stopped abruptly at his glare.

"Well if you were an atheist, you couldn't really swear to God, now could you? It rather defeats the whole purpose of swearing if you don't even believe in what you're swearing to." Ginny would've continued had Colin not quickly intervened.

"No, Gin, I'm not an atheist. I believe in God, and I swear to God. Merlin, you're like a two year old sometimes, you know that?" He said, ruffling her hair affectionately as he stood and walked to the boys' dormitory.

xXxXx

Three days later found the three Gryffindors in a half sad, half excited mood. They were each going home to spend the holiday break with their families and wouldn't see each other until Christmas day, on which they had promised they would all meet at the Burrow to exchange gifts. They'd all agreed that though they could've just owled the presents, it would be much more fun if they did it in person. Molly had agreed and had already begun making arrangements for the two extra people that would be staying at the house.

"Promise you'll owl me if anything happens?" Kendra asked Ginny carefully as she carried her trunk off of the train and began walking towards her parents, Colin walking along with them and watching the conversation with interest.

"Define anything," Ginny said mischievously, knowing that she was annoying Kendra.

"Anything as in Bill suddenly deciding that he's not madly in love with Fleur anymore and wants to marry me instead (I'm kidding, Colin), as in Percy somehow tripping down the stairs from the top floor to the bottom, as in Fred and George declaring that pranking is simply not for them anymore, as in Ron and Hermione finally snogging…do I really need to continue?" She asked, now out of breath. Ginny laughed and threw her arms around her best friend, hugging her tightly.

Colin smirked as Ginny turned to hug him. "The same goes for me, though I honestly could care less whether Ron and Hermione finally snog, and I don't particularly care for Bill," he said chuckling. Taking Ginny firmly into his arms, he sighed. "Do be safe, Gin." He said softly and Ginny smiled before giving him a quick peck on the cheek.

"Don't worry so, Col. Nothing's going to happen in five days time that's going to make you and Kendra become offended that I didn't immediately owl you, let alone anything Daily Prophet headline worthy." Ginny soothed, stepping back and giving her friends one last wave as she spotted her father standing a little off to the side talking to Ron and Harry with a concerned expression. He swiftly stopped as Ginny walked up to him with a smile.

"How are you, love?" He greeted, giving her a small hug.

"Lovely and you?" Ginny asked with a wide grin as Ron rolled his eyes and nudged Harry.

"Just when I think I can get some bloody attention from my dad, and then Gin comes up and bam," He muttered to his best friend, clapping his hands loudly together. "She steals the spotlight that fast." Harry laughed and looked at Ginny rolling his eyes.

"Right, let's head back to the Burrow, shall we?" Arthur said cheerfully, picking up Ginny's bags and handing them to Ron, who took them, but not before glowering at a cheeky Ginny. Harry slung his arm across her shoulders, lugging his trunk behind him as they walked to the car Arthur had received from the Ministry for transportation.

"You suppose we'll ever have a Christmas that's not hectic?" He asked with a twinkle in his eye.

Ginny smiled. "Never."

xXxXx

"Mister Malfoy, your father is waiting for you in the Study." The House Elf greeted Draco, taking the coat that the Slytherin threw at him with a small squeak.

Walking over the secret compartment where his father had previously hidden banned Dark Art items, until the Ministry had confiscated them, he wondered how his father had escaped from Azkaban and why he hadn't read about it in the Prophet. He swept past the long marbled hallways without a second thought to the wealthy portraits and statues that eyed him with judgmental eyes. His shiny black shoes clicked softly against the white marbled floors as he arrived at the door to the Study.

The Study had always been one of the most private rooms of the Manor, and there had been a time when Draco had felt proud that he, and not his mother, had been allowed to enter it. Now, however, he could only look at the expensive Dark Arts with distaste at their familiarity. Since the Manor would be the last place the Ministry would look, as it was much too obvious in their search for Lucius Malfoy, Draco concluded this as the reason all the Dark Arts they ever owned were now in the black wooden floors. Stepping onto a white rug, he walked into the room but remained near to the door for an easy escape. Meetings with his father had never gone too well.

"Pleased to see me?" Lucius asked with a smirk. Before Draco could answer, there was a sudden rushing sound as someone arrived through the floo. Lucius sighed tiredly as he stood and Draco took the opportunity to thoroughly look him over.

His father's once shiny and cleanly cut hair was now quite matted and reached pass his mid back. Draco had to fight to keep a look of disgust from rising on his face as he continued. The clothes his father was wearing were nothing like that which Draco had been used to seeing him in. Instead of the rich, luxurious fabrics Draco himself wore daily, his father was currently sporting a cloak with holes in it. It was worse than what the Weasley's wore! His thoughts were interrupted as his father finished his conversation with the man Draco did not recognize from the floo.

"Do I need to roll out a welcome mat, or can you at least find your own chair?" Lucius asked raising his eyebrows.

Draco bit the inside of his cheek to keep from scowling and walked calmly to the wooden chair placed in front of his desk. Looking around, he could see that the chair matched the surroundings, as all other furniture was also finely crafted wood, meant only for looks and not to be comfortable, though this was probably done on purpose by his father. There was a moment of awkward silence as Draco stiffened, knowing his father was calculating his every move, his every weakness, and if he continued any longer, his every thought. The teen boy struggled to keep the barriers in his mind up while still looking collected on the outside. Finally, he felt a release as his father let go and he sat back.

"Stop fidgeting." Lucius snapped, irked that he hadn't been able to read what his son was thinking. Draco stopped but tightened his hands around the armrests.

"Is there a reason you've called me into the Study or did you just want to 'catch up' before they toss you back in that blasted cell?" Draco asked boldly, looking his father straight in the eye.

Lucius shook his head lightly before quoting, "It is quite alright to be silent and thought of as a fool, for if you open your mouth, you shall only prove it." Draco remembered something his Potions teacher had taught him less than a fortnight ago.

"Don't forget to always look him in the eye and keep calm. Anger is a sign to him that what he is doing is working," Snape advised.

A lot of good that bit of advice would do now.

"Did they always teach poetry in Azkaban, or were you their special friend?" Draco scoffed and immediately regretted it as his father's silver-tipped cane, which Draco had missed observing before, came crashing down onto his head.

"You will not speak to me in such a manner, understand?" Lucius asked carefully as Draco nodded, remembering not to rub his head in his father's view as it was a sign of weakness. "The trouble with children is that they are not returnable," his father muttered more to himself than to Draco. Ignoring the blood beginning to trickle slowly down the side of his face, he waited for Lucius to continue.

"The Dark Lord has requested your presence in a meeting which we will go to…" He paused as he looked at a grandfather clock beside the door. "Now." Draco started and Lucius scowled distastefully. "Keep your cool, boy." He said firmly. "Tonight shall be a test of your loyalties. Do you really wish to become a Death Eater and have the honor of serving the ever powerful Dark Lord?"

Draco had to once again quickly put up the barrier in his mind, and was glad he had asked Snape to help him with this. Honestly, he didn't see the honor in serving a reincarnated snake that never did any of his own dirty work. As a boy, he had been shocked that his father would sink as low as worshiping a mere man when he had always claimed to be so superior to every other witch or wizard. Standing as his father stood, Draco stiffened as Lucius smirked and grabbed a hold of his sleeve, placing a finger on the Dark Mark etched into his own arm.

"You shall have one of these soon," Lucius commented lightly before Draco felt himself spinning faster than he thought necessary.

A moment later, the two Malfoys arrived at a graveyard and as Draco looked around, he noticed that he along with his father had ended up in a semi circle. Looking towards the center where he expected to see Lord Voldemort, he was instead surprised to see a line of muggle children crying and tied together by their wrists and feet. They squirmed on the ground as more people arrived.

"Draco, go over there with the others that are to be initiated." His father ordered and Draco abided, spotting Blaise and Tanith immediately.

"Hey mate," Blaise greeted and Draco returned the favor, also turning to say hello to Tanith. The three teens watched silently as Lord Voldemort suddenly appeared sitting on his throne in the center of the circle. Tanith stepped back so that she was in line with the others, squeezing Draco's hand nervously.

"I ssee you all made it on time. Very good," commented Voldemort. "Thiss processs of initiation will be rather longer than the previouss oness, and will in fact take two dayss to complete. Tonight, all you who sshall be entered into thiss fine group of men and women," here there was a chuckle that went around the semi-circle, though Draco noticed none of the teens seemed to have found anything remotely funny. "Here iss how thingss will go," He continued.

Abruptly, the whole group of teens stiffened simultaneously as the snake swept his eyes over the crowd, excluding Tanith, Blaise and Draco who stood boldly still in the center of it. Voldemort nodded, openly pleased with this.

"You three, sstep forward." He commanded and the Slytherins hurriedly obeyed. "Hmm, let'ss ssee, who would like to go firsst?" He asked, trying to scope each of our minds. Draco concluded that only he and Blaise had been able to properly close the barrier as Voldemort had scanned them as he called Tanith to come closer to him and stand off to the side. Despite the fact that Draco had never made friends within his house, he couldn't help but feel a little worried for Tanith.

"Pick one of thosse Muggless," he said the word as if it pained him to do so, and Draco found this ironic as Snape had once told him that Voldemort himself was a Mudblood. Tanith followed the Dark Lord's request and hesitantly picked a small blonde girl whose face was dirty with tears. Draco both felt and saw the pity in Tanith's eyes as she realized what she had to do and worried that she was being far too open with her feelings.

"Go ahead," Voldemort urged in excited expectation. Tanith took a step forward, setting her shoulders back and looking down upon the girl with a forced cruel expression. Taking out her wand, she pointed it firmly at the small child, her hand shaking. After a moment she raised her arm, preparing to strike.

"Crucio," she shouted with all the hate she could muster. Draco cringed as a pathetic spark flew from the wand as Tanith looked embarrassed but nonetheless prepared to try again.

"Black, sstep forward." Voldemort ordered and nodded as Tanith's father, William Black, walked a few paces to the front. "Sshow your daughter how it'ss properly done." Tanith's father nodded and quickly retracted his wand. He began torturing the small girl, ignoring the other children's pleas and desperate shouts to stop, unaffected by the small girl's cries of anguish. Draco felt anger pit in his heart. There was no reason for this, the child was innocent! She had done nothing but fall asleep that night only to wake up in a graveyard and be tortured by a crazy father.

This horrifying scene continued as Voldemort called each child and their parent forward, forming a routine. Blaise had been the only boy who had come close to actually making his spell work, but Draco wasn't surprised. His own hadn't even caused a spark, as he had felt no anger or malice towards the innocent boy he had chosen. He instead had tried to hastily think of ways to free the child before his own father could get a hold of him, but hadn't succeeded and cringed the whole time Lucius tortured the boy.

Draco knew from personal experience how much his father's spells could hurt.

The night had ended after all teens and their Death Eater parents had tortured one child, and were all ordered to come back the following night to complete their initiation where they would actually have to kill the child they had previously picked out. Draco lingered beside Tanith who hadn't spoken a word since she'd been called forward and looked eerily pale. He was pulled roughly aside as Lucius once again grabbed his cloak and transported the both of them back to Malfoy Manor.

"Not even a spark, Draco?" His father roared the instant they landed on the study floor. "You were outdone by a girl, dear boy, do you realize that? Get over here," He snapped and Draco moved forward with a scowl on his face, not caring anymore whether his father thought this was a weakness or whether he did not approve.

"Crucio," his father snapped coldly and Draco stumbled to the ground as his body was filled with never ending pain. Every vain in his body felt as if it would burst any second for they were all on fire. The pain scorched his blood, seared through to his muscles, and opened every ancient scar. Draco bit his lip to keep from crying out as blood began dripping from his nose. It landed on the carpet, contrasting greatly to the pristine white of the rug and it's old scarlet red.

"That is how you torture somebody." Lucius said with a satisfied smirk as he pocketed his wand, releasing the spell. He stepped forward and kicked his son harshly in the stomach. Then he kneeled down, taking Draco's chin firmly in his hand and looked at his son with pure contempt in his crazed eyes.

"Bet you wish you had really wanted to torture that girl now," He laughed cruelly before using his knee to hit Draco in the face, breaking his nose upon contact. This time Draco couldn't help the cry that escaped his mouth and regretted it instantly. Next, his father muttered a spell that caused Draco to get thrown against one of the wooden chairs, and he trembled in pain as it splintered into his body.

"Stay here, I'll be back." His father threatened. As soon as Lucius left the room, Draco scrambled shakily to his bag, reaching for the presents Dumbledore had given him. He'd known the moment he'd gotten home what the old man had given him and was genuinely grateful that he had. Pulling from the depths of the bag the two wrapped presents, he tore the wrapping off the smallest one and quickly observed it. It was a rock with engraving written in French on the side, and reading it aloud carefully.

"Libérez-moi du mal," Draco said, hurriedly activating the Port Key just as his father returned into the study.

His last thought as he felt the familiar tugging was that he hoped to end up somewhere both safe and warm, wherever that might be.

xXxXx

A/N: I'm extremely late and I unfortunately don't have time to thank each reviewer individually, I should be catching my flight right now! Thanks so much for taking the time to read, and I'm sorry it was a week late. I made it extra long because of that, and I guess you could also take it as an early Christmas gift. Merry Christmas!

Oh and really quick, 'Libérez-moi du mal' is French for, "Liberate me of the evil."

Sunflour