Chapter Sixteen, Year Two: The Burrow
Draco blinked as the very vibrant orange assaulted his poor eyes. Salazar didn't fare any better.
Ron scowled. He didn't want to go to school with Draco and Snape, much less house the two. He supposed it could be worse though, Snape could be in his room too.
Draco pulled out his wand and cast a charm under his breath. Ron, absorbed in thought, didn't notice as the walls turned black. Draco smirked at his cleverness. Black went with everything, and the fact that black wasn't a blinding color made the entire room easier on the eyes. Salazar had to agree that it was an improvement, even if it did make the room look tiger themed.
The garden was fairly quiet, nature going about its normal, everyday activities. There was a loud crack as a door banged open. All the intelligent wild-life fled for their lives. The ones that didn't, well it was a form of Darwinism.
Ron followed Draco out of the house, screaming about dark wizards, the color black and injustice. Salazar was following at a safe distance. If he didn't know that the Weasleys didn't have a television, he would've thought that Ron had been watching too much Gundam Wing (1). If Ron called Hermione a weak woman though, he'd probably be punched.
"CHANGE IT BACK RIGHT NOW!" Ron screamed, grabbing the front of Draco's robes and shaking him.
Draco looked at Ron in disgust, and attempted to pry his fingers off his robes. "Honestly, get a hold of yourself, Weasley," he sneered. Ron's grip tightened, and he jerked his other arm back.
Salazar decided now was time to intervene. He picked up the nearest garden gnome and threw it at the two, then pretended to be examining the garden. It really was an interesting rose bush, such peculiar shade of violet.
Draco screamed like a girl, and Ron threw himself violently backwards. It was comical in the way Paris Hilton's behavior was comical. It made you laugh at how screwed up it was.
"What the hell?" Draco muttered, straightening his robes in much the same way a cat grooms itself after losing its composure.
"For once, I think we agree on something," Ron muttered in reply. "Hey, Harry, what the hell happened? Who threw that gnome?"
"God decided to punish you for your idiocy"
"Only me?"
"Draco too."
"Why are you calling him Draco?" Salazar pondered this for a few moments. Ron was staring at him expectantly the entire time.
"I think I consider him to be a friend," he said, sounding very uncertain.
"Because everyone can decide that their arch-rival is a friend in a few days time," Draco said with a snort.
"What's that suppose to mean Malfoy?" Ron spat, rounding on Malfoy angrily.
"Harry's judgment is completely sound, and if he decides that you could be his friend, then. I don't know. He's certainly not whatever it was that you were implying!" Ron finished, looking frustrated and confused. Salazar and Draco blinked.
"Thank you, Ron. I think." Salazar said slowly. He was slowly slipping into his more Gryffindorish persona. It was maddening.
"What I think I'm trying to say," Ron started slowly, "is that I trust your judgment that Malfoy isn't evil."
Draco clasped his hands in front of him as if he was praying, sniffed a few times, and said in a happy, sobbing tone, "I love you too, you red headed pauper." Salazar had to stifle a chuckle at Ron's indignant glare.
The day came and went, and the next morning, the entirety of the Weasley family, Salazar, Severus and Draco were sitting around the magically enlarged kitchen table, eating breakfast and reading their Hogwarts' letters. Draco choked and sputtered as he read the booklist.
"Gilderoy Lockhart?" Ron asked in a horrified muted whisper.
"Who's Gilderoy Lockhart?" Salazar asked. Grimaces met his question. Only Mrs. Weasley and Ginny seemed to like the man.
"He's simply the best!" Mrs. Weasley gushed. "You're so lucky to have such an accomplished man teaching you!"
The twins exchanged dark looks, turned to Mr. Weasley, and began gesturing toward the book list. Mr. Weasley himself looked worried. Ginny sat in her seat staring at her Hogwarts' letter. Draco opened his mouth to say something, but Salazar cut him off.
"Don't," he warned.
Draco looked at him incredulously. "Don't do what?" he asked, sounding like he honestly didn't know. "Don't ask when we're going to go there?" Ron blinked, looking faintly puzzled. He had expected some financially based insult, just like Salazar. To hear that he was asking a polite question was weird to say the least. They were spared from answering as Percy walked in. He was already dressed, his Hogwarts' prefect badge pinned to his sweater vest.
"Morning all, lovely day." He said, to the grimace of Draco, who was not a morning person, and to the cheerful greetings from the rest of his family. Salazar said a quiet 'hello', and Snape grunted into his coffee cup.
He sat down in the only remaining chair but leapt up again almost immediately, pulling from underneath him a molting, grey, feather duster-at least, at least, that was what Salazar thought it was until he saw that it was breathing. Then he began to wonder how it was still alive after being squashed by at least a hundred pounds.
Ron jumped up and yelled "Errol," removed a letter, and placed the squashed, half-dead owl on the draining board.
The letter turned out to be from Hermione, asking if their attempt to rescue Salazar was successful, if Salazar was alright, and asked them if they could meet in Diagon on Wednesday. It certainly settled the matter of the departure time to Diagon Alley.
Wednesday came, and it seemed that Ron, Draco and Salazar's relationship had improved. Salazar was able to drop the Gryffindor façade around Draco, and he and Draco enjoyed making quips at each other's expense.
Ron and Draco developed a kind of friendly rivalry. It was mainly centered around chess. They sat in front of a board on Tuesday, playing for a few hours. It was nothing but chess, and hearing them talk about it whenever they were in the same room hurt Salazar's head. Chess was a way of thinking that he didn't possess.
Salazar yawned as he sat down to breakfast early Wednesday morning. He didn't understand why Tom announced his presence so early. He must've known that there were those among his Death Eaters that weren't happy with him. He must've known that there were those who would get close to him only to kill him. It was premature, rash and incredibly Gryffindorish. He was startled out of his musings when Mrs. Weasley insisted he eat seconds. Until then, he hadn't even realized that he had eaten at all.
Floo travel was just as dirty and nauseating as it had been when it had been invented in Salazar's time. Luckily, he had spoken Diagon Alley clearly enough that he wasn't transported to Zimbabwe or Atlantis.
The first stop was Gringotts. The group ran into a bit of trouble. It seemed that Mr. Malfoy had barred Draco from using his funds, and the main family vault was off limits to anyone who wasn't of age and/or didn't have the key, so Salazar allowed him to borrow from his.
Ron looked aghast. The first moment he got, he pulled Salazar behind a pillar and leaned forward so they could whisper. "Harry! How do you know he's going to pay you back!"
"Trust me Ron. If Draco's anything, he's proud. Having to borrow money from me is probably a bit insulting, probably even more so since he really needs it. He'll pay me back, his pride won't allow for anything else," Salazar said firmly. Ron didn't look so sure.
After the group met up with Hermione and her parents, they separated. Mrs. Weasley set the meeting place at Flourish and Blotts. They had a one hour time limit.
Ron and Hermione went off in a separate direction, claiming to have something "really, ultra, incredibly important to do. Trust us Harry." So Draco and Salazar were left to their own devices. After buying all their supplies, Draco told Salazar that he had to go into Knockturn Alley to gather some funds. Salazar did not look convinced.
"Knockturn has a bank?"
Draco looked slightly embarrassed. "Before I left the manor, I grabbed a few of my father's belongings. It's not anything that can't be replaced, but I can sell them for a fair amount of money."
Draco shifted slightly at Salazar's scrutiny. At length, Salazar nodded. "Fine, I have a few errands to run as well."
The two headed toward Knockturn in silence.
"So, what do you have to get?" Draco asked after a few moments of uncomfortable silence.
"A family friend has been holding something of value for me."
Draco looked at Salazar with wide, incredulous eyes. "A Potter family friend? In Knockturn!"
Salazar shrugged. "Not a Potter family friend."
"But then."
"Everything will be explained later, Draco." Draco sighed and decided not to push any further.
They continued to walk along, and soon they had entered Knockturn Alley in all its dingy and dilapidated glory. People stopped and openly stared as they saw The-Boy-Who-Lived walking along peacefully, in Knockturn Alley of all places, with Draco Malfoy, the son of the very suspected, high-ranking Death Eater. If all the attention affected them, they didn't show it.
"So, are we going to split up?" Draco asked as they continued to walk along.
Salazar pondered for a moment. If they split up, he would have one less witness to his transactions. On the other hand, that would leave Draco unattended and in danger. Salazar sighed and hoped to God that Draco wouldn't talk to anyone about what was going to happen. "No, security risks." Draco sighed and looked a bit relieved.
"So, where are you planning on going?" Salazar asked after a pause. There were even more people staring as they walked deeper into Knockturn. Some were even following them at a distance. Salazar cursed his poor judgment. He should've brought a cloak.
Before Draco could open his mouth to reply, Salazar whispered, "Is your wand stripped of the underage magic detectors?" Draco nodded.
"By removing them, would you alert anyone? And would anyone notice their absence?"
Draco nodded again. "They only reason I don't have them is because a few years ago, I was attacked by a Death Eater fanatic. My father convinced the Minister to allow my wand to be stripped of the parameters."
Salazar sighed. "Would you mind terribly if we go to my friend first? The staring is making me uneasy, and I'd rather not have to answer questions as to why I'm here." Draco nodded his assent.
The two stood outside an oily door to a dingy looking apartment. Salazar clapped the knocker.
There were a few minutes of silence as they were observed from a window, and then the bolts were pushed back, and the door was opened. The small crowd of people standing discretely in the shadows melted away.
"Yeah, what do you want?" a middle aged man asked them with a glare.
"Hitler?" Draco asked mouth hanging open. The man and Salazar both looked at him with a glare.
"Do I look like Hitler?" The man asked, irritably.
"Errr, yeah, you do. It's the mustache." With a scowl, he stood up to his full height and glowered down at them.
"I am Walter Grindelwald, boy. Don't you dare assume that tone with me!"
Draco cowered back. "Holy crap, Potter, what are you doing associating with him!"
Draco's comment was echoed by Grindelwald, "And just what is Harry Potter doing on my doorstep?"
"Come now, Walter. Look at the color of my soul, and you'll find me a Slytherin! (2)"
Grindelwald stared at Salazar for a few moments, then his face broke out into a wide smile. He gave a mock bow, and gestured into the apartment, all the while muttering something in, what sounded like, Anglo-Saxon.
Salazar smirked. Draco looked confused.
"What in Merlin's name."
"Please come in," Grindelwald said cutting off Draco, ushering the two in. The parlor was a drab, grey room. There was a harpsichord sitting in one corner, and a large potted plant in another. The drapes were closed. What struck Draco as odd was that there were no pictures, portraits or mirrors. Salazar walked over to the couch and sat down. Draco eyed it all warily and remained standing.
"Potter."
"Don't, Malfoy, please. I'm trying to think," Salazar responded.
Draco crossed his arms and huffed. "Well, fine. Good luck with that one!"
Salazar ignored him. He was trying to decide whether or not to obliviate Draco. Dumbledore's twinkling eyes came to mind, and he decided against it. It was too reckless to do anything like that when Dumbledore was involved. It would just draw more attention.
Grindelwald came back into the room, and glared at Draco, who had been tentatively prodding the plant with the tip of his wand. He moved away cautiously.
"Here's your junk. Now take it before that little ingrate destroys my rhododendrons!"
Draco blinked. "Rhododendrons?"
Salazar laughed nervously at Grindelwald's murderous glare. "I'll just visit some other time, then, Walter. Uh, bye!" That said, Salazar began trying to drag Draco out of the apartment.
"Wait! I want to know what's going on!" Draco yelled, latching onto a door post.
"I'll explain later!" Salazar yelled, and with one final yank, he had Draco out the door.
Grindelwald smiled at the two's antics, and readied the parlor for Tom Riddle's imminent visit.
A/N: Yes, I know, it took me a while to update, but I just wasn't sure what I should write about after the garden scene, then it just kind of hit me while I was reading Chopin's The Awakening. Don't ask me why it happened then, it just did. Oh, yeah. Merry Christmas/Happy Hanukah/Happy Kwanzaa, and here are brownies for the holidays!
1. Salazar is referring to the character Wufei who has a very pronounced sense of justice and believes that women shouldn't be fighting. It's a show that Dudley watches with the volume very loud. I'm not insulting the people who watch GW, I watched it too.
2. Castlevania reference. It's based off of the first encounter between Death and Juste Belmont in Castlevania: The Harmony of Dissonance.
Death: Halt! The color of your soul…you must be a Belmont.
Anon. Review:
kawaii chibi shun: That happened to me a lot. I used to write down the titles to all my favorite fan fictions, and then I would lose the paper. Did an author stop writing a favorite fan fiction or something?
Quote #15 was from Phoenix Song on Adult Fan (AFF) it was HP/DM.
Quote #5: I'm not sure where that one came from. I know it was a SS/HP story though. It was probably from Detention. Just google Snarry.
Quote #10 was from a Gundam Wing crossover with Harry Potter. I think that one was taken down a year or two ago though.
Quote #11: Now I know that one came from a Gundam Wing Harry Potter crossover that was taken down two years ago.
Thank you, and I hope that you enjoyed reading it. Happy Holidays. (Great, now I sound like a card).
