Chapter 5 - A Hint of Purpose

As expected, Draco was summoned to the Headmaster's office later that evening, but not for the reasons he expected. Instead of chewing him out or even asking about what he had been up to in going out of Hogwarts that day, Severus had Draco sit down and then levitated a parchment out in front of him. Obviously, it was too much to expect the new Headmaster to be like the old one, who by now would have offered Draco tea and scones, a choice between almond or blueberry.

"Do you know what any of these items are, Draco?" he asked.

Draco looked down at the enchanted parchment in front of him, which was an extensive list that featured alternating enlarged diagrams of each item before shifting back to list form. Draco touched his wand to several of the items again to enlarge them and see, but unfortunately he only recognized a few of them, like Trelawney's crystal ball, which was obvious.

"What is this list, sir?" he asked.

Severus rolled it up and placed it on his desk in front of Draco. "I have reason to believe that some of these items may be hidden around Hogwarts. Some outside. And as you have access to both—"

"Sir, about that—" Draco began, but Severus shot him a glare, effectively silencing him.

"As you have access to both, I've decided to assign you the task of finding them. I do not expect for you to find them all, but what you do find, you will take to your vault at Gringotts. Your family vault Draco, not your private one."

Beyond confused, Draco accepted the parchment and tucked it into his robes. "May I ask why, sir?"

Severus cleared his throat, looking as cryptic as ever. "Because I have no time at my own disposal to do so, Draco, and I suggest you leave it there. Certain things are best left unasked and unanswered, like where you insist on going from time to time." Draco was now stricken silent, so Severus went on. "I am using your unique methods—which incidentally are not that clever, but convenient—to speed this task along. I put no time limit on it, though I do suggest you get a move on rather than put it off."

Swallowing, Draco finally chanced a question. "What do you intend to do with these items, sir?" Some of the items, like Trelawney's crystal ball and the key to Hagrid's house, seemed utterly useless, and not something that Severus couldn't attain himself.

Folding his hands, Severus leaned back, apparently relaxed. "Nothing for the time being, Draco, and again, I don't expect you to find most of them. But it would be useful for you to have them in your possession, and you might as well take this right now." Reaching into a drawer of his desk, he pulled out a small silver key and handed it to Draco.

"Sir?"

"They key to my private potion stores," Severus said. "Don't lose it. Later on you may have need of one of those potions, so make sure you know how to tell them apart."

Draco had just barely gotten an E in his Potions O.W.L., though how much of that was Severus going easy on him he didn't remember; as it was, he had badly neglected his studies in his sixth year, and desperately needed to study to keep up with that Slughorn was teaching.

"And Draco?" Severus regarded him carefully. "No one is to know about this, do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, but—"

"For your own good, Draco; do I make myself clear?"

Gulping, he gave the only answer that he could: "Yes, sir."

After a minute or so of silence, Draco stood up, sensing that their meeting was over and that no more of his questions would be answered—not that they really had been, anyway, not in any detail. Besides which, he had best get out now while he could, before Severus could turn the tables and really start asking about the specifics of Draco's outings. After all, he had just confirmed that he knew.

As for Draco, though he had no idea what he might need the potions for or what he would specifically be doing, he took Severus's advice to heart and took out his potions textbook as soon as he got back to his room. Without a word to anyone and noticeably skipping dinner, he set to studying, the key and scroll both in his robe pocket. The summoning to the Headmaster's office had gone far differently from what Draco had expected, but strangely enough, it made him feel better in a way, not least of which because he had no idea what he was doing or why he was doing it.

In other words, no matter what the intention behind it, he now had a purpose, something to do in order to combat the otherwise horrible monotony of his seventh year daily routine. Besides which, now he did have an excuse to leave Hogwarts, which felt slightly better than just sneaking out, but...

What if the mission was for the Dark Lord, a collection of momentos from people who supported Potter? It sounded ridiculous, since the Dark Lord wasn't one to collect objects like that, or...?

Severus will take responsibility for it if something's not right or if you get into trouble, Draco thought, trying to assure himself. Because, just as easily as this might be an errand for the Dark Lord, it may well not be, and Draco knew that his godfather wasn't opposed to bending the rules a little, whether it be in the Dark Lord's service or otherwise. Whether Severus acknowledged it or not, taking the Unbreakable Vow for him last year had been, in a way, an act of defiance against the Dark Lord's plans, or at least a questioning of his choice in Draco for the task at hand. At first, Draco had been insulted and bitter by it, lashing out at Severus when the man reached out to help and talk to him, but in the end he had been beyond grateful that it was Severus who had performed the Killing Curse on Dumbledore. Perhaps that was the coward's way out, but Draco didn't know how he would live with himself if he committed murder...

Then how does Severus live with it, day by day? Draco wondered. After all, he knew Dumbledore for much longer, worked alongside him...If I didn't know any better, I'd say it was killing him inside...

But then, no one could ever tell anything about Severus. Even to the Death Eaters, he was still a complete mystery, except of course to Aunt Bellatrix, who openly expressed her distrust of the man. Not that anyone ever took Aunt Bellatrix seriously except as a sadistic danger to their health, but still.

Whatever the reason, I at least have to trust him, Draco concluded. After all, his godfather had gone above and beyond for him already, really put his own neck on the line; and if he was setting Draco this task, regardless of the reason or what plans he had, Draco would follow it to the letter.

Earlier, he had been asking himself just who he could trust; well, dangerous man though he was and murderer of Albus Dumbledore, Severus Snape was the best man Draco had on his side—and a dangerous ally was better than no ally at all.

Falling asleep with the textbook in his hands (a first for him), Draco's nightmares were a mixture of what he had re-studied, this time turning even the most harmless of potions into something with grotesque effects. In the dream, Draco was wandering through Malfoy Manor, the walls covered in dark, snakelike vines. It was a familiar setting to him now, the vines and all, as he had dreamt this setting often ever since the Dark Lord had taken over his house. So far, Draco did not feel afraid, as he knew by now how to recognize the calm before the storm. There was always something to set it off though, something...

Hearing a series of hurried footsteps behind him, Draco turned and just barely caught a glimpse of someone ducking around a corner and heading down the hallway that led to the stairs. He wasn't sure just who it was yet, but the figure was familiar enough that Draco followed it, despite being certain that somehow, the Dark Lord was waiting for him in the opposite direction.

Just as he was catching up to the figure, feeling strangely lost and inept in his own house, they sprinted away again, this time up the stairs and off somewhere on the second floor. For some reason, Draco could only see the shadows of their figure, never the person themselves.

Spotting his broomstick, which he offhandedly remembered that he hadn't ridden in a long time, Draco hopped on and flew upward after the figure, still having a hard time of catching them. Taking out his wand, Draco prepared to fire a hex at them, but then at the last minute the figure stopped and Draco almost flew over them and missed them.

Catapulting himself off his broom, he landed on the cold marble ground, then quickly got up and aimed his wand at the figure. "Who the hell are you?" he demanded.

The figure merely took out a wand from their robes—were they a Hogwarts student?—and pointed their back at him, but Draco wasn't intimidated.

"Expelliarmus!" he yelled, and the wand flew into his hand. Turning again to demand who the figure was, Draco suddenly relaxed that the feel of the wand in his hand was familiar somehow, and he glanced down at it to see whose it was.

About ten feet long and made of vine wood. Hermione Granger's wand.

Looking up sharply, Draco tossed the wand back and then held a finger to his lips for silence. "They'll find you," he whispered. Then, taking out a potions bottle from his robes, he handed it to her. "It's Polyjuice Potion—drink it!" he hissed.

Even though it was definitely Hermione's wand though, Draco still couldn't see her face, as she was still only a fleeting shadow. Slowly though, she stepped forward, so close that Draco could make out distinctive curls and tangles of hair, and then...

Then suddenly the figure become clear, just as a familiar yet sinister cackle sounded, rising the hair on Draco's skin. The figure was his Aunt Bellatrix, and she was twirling Hermione's wand in her hand like it was a toy.

"Oh, did you think I was your little friend?" she mocked in a singsong voice, looking at him from beneath her lashes in that seemingly innocent way.

Gasping, Draco broke away from her and ran, only to have his father and mother seize him by his arms. "

The Dark Lord's waiting, Draco," his mother said in a taunting voice.

"You make me so proud, son," Lucius rejoiced, a cruel, sardonic smile on his face.

Draco tried to pull free, only to have his wand snatched out of his hand and then pointed at his face by the Dark Lord himself.

"Drink, Draco," the Dark Lord said, holding out a bottle of golden liquid—Felix Felicis, Draco realized. "Drink and be the luckiest man in the world."

"NO!" Draco yelled, but the potion was forced down his throat and he almost gagged while being forced to drink it. No, he shouldn't drink this much—he could die!

"Ah, now you get to kill Albus Dumbledore for me!" Voldemort laughed. "Thank you, Draco. Thank you!"

And everyone laughed in glee, even whilst pointing at him. Even whilst Dumbledore's blood slowly engulfed Draco's wand, his hands...

Gasping for breath and sweating profusely, Draco woke up from the nightmare just before dawn, his mind slowly taking in the reality of his room and the cacophony of Crabbe and Goyle's distinctive snores. Collapsing back on his pillows, Draco ran his hands down his face and tried to calm himself before either of them woke up. This was no good, these nightmares that kept coming on nearly every night. If he was brave enough to do so, he would've asked Severus for a draught to help with them long before now...

But wait! Draco leaned over and reached inside his robes, finding the key to Severus's stores right in the palm of his hand. With this, he could—!

Coward. Coward. Coward. That's the coward's way, Draco, the way you don't deserve.

The voices inside his head, which Draco already knew were simply voices of his own guilt that put his faults to his face in the same way that any nightmare could, had gone past the point of scaring him. Now, they were mere reminders to Draco about what he already knew: he couldn't escape from his life even in his dreams, and to use a potion to try to achieve that result of peace would merely be cheating. It was a result that he did not deserve.

Sitting up, Draco checked the calender on his desk, just to see that it was a Saturday and therefore there were no classes. Not that it mattered of course since he just skipped anyway, but still, it would be better for him not to have anyone question his absence this day.

Making sure he had the scroll on him, Draco headed first to the bathroom to wash up, and then up to the seventh floor. Now that he had something clear in mind, something to do, he wanted to waste no time in getting things done. He had already decided to start with some of the easier items that he could obtain outside of Hogwarts, since the weekend was an ideal time for that. No people nosing around, and no one he had to answer to. If Crabbe or Goyle asked him, he'd just say he'd gone home for a spell with the Headmaster's permission, which was as close to the truth as his lies could possibly get at this point. After all, he was going home first, though he didn't plan on staying.

Oh wait...the key to the Gringotts family vault. That was in his family home. The key to his own personal vault Draco kept with him at all times, but for the family vault...

The Dark Lord, as far as Draco knew, was out of the country just now, off Merlin only knew where on another obscure mission. Therefore, even if there were other Death Eaters lurking about, at least Draco knew that the Dark Lord was not going to be there. If Draco was lucky, he might not even have to see his own parents, as he knew very well where the key was kept. It was rather unfortunate that Lucius Malfoy didn't make any copies of the key, out of foolish pride as much as out of secrecy and security of his large fortune, but Draco could simply transfigure a false key until he got a real copy made, and then he'd return the original and no one would be the wiser.

I knew there'd be a hitch to this plan sooner or later, Draco thought. Oh sure, Severus tells me to put the stuff in my family vault, but does he have any idea the trouble I'll have to go to in order to get in in the first place?!

Hopefully not too much trouble though, but maybe luck would be on his side.

Getting to the Malfoy Manor grounds was the easy part, but once there, Draco felt like a stranger walking on someone else's private property. He recognized everything, of course, the groomed hedges and extravagant main house; but every previous personal detail that had existed, like the delicate white peacocks that had roamed the grounds, were gone. Some of those vines from Draco's nightmares actually were starting to grow and twist with ivy up the sides of the manor.

Draco strode confidently in through the doors, as though he had every right to be there and there was no particular reason why he had chosen not to stick around at Hogwarts. He assumed Severus would back up any lie he would have to tell anyway, since no one else knew about Draco's usual route in and out of Hogwarts and it was Severus who was sending him on this extended errand anyway. By all accounts, he was covered.

"Draco!"

He couldn't hide his relief that it was his mother who had called out to him upon his entry and not his father. If Lucius even was home at that time though, he was probably well into his firewhiskey by now, for all that it was still early morning.

"Hello, mother," Draco said, allowing her to take him into her arms in a loving embrace.

"What's happened?" she whispered in a low voice, looking around to make sure that they weren't being watched. She knew of no Death Eaters who had been around since last night, but...

"I just thought I'd come home for a bit, get away from school. It's a bore at the best of times," Draco said. His mother could no doubt tell that he was lying, but, like him, she recognized its necessity and simply nodded.

"As always, we're happy to have you home."

"'We'? Father's here then?" Draco asked, not at all pleased by the thought.

Narcissa shook her head. "He went out yesterday to see Kiddell and hasn't been back yet." She sighed.

Draco could well echo her frustrations, as well as his father's. Ever since the Dark Lord had taken Lucius's wand earlier in the year—clearly he hadn't just been "borrowing" it—the elder Malfoy had been in search of a new one. Since Ollivander had gone missing though, on the run like so many others, Lucius hadn't been able to go to him as the obvious choice and had to rely in inferior wandmakers like Kiddell, who was currently the only option and one of the few store owners in Diagon Alley who hadn't closed.

Obviously, Kiddell hadn't yet been able to make a wand suited to Lucius's taste and abilities, and Lucius had gone through several failed wands of Kiddell's, each time going back and demanding a new one—and withholding payment for all of them, it might be added. It was a mere hint of the traces of madness that were slowly taking over his father, day by day.

"If not father, then who's here?"

"Bellatrix," Narcissa said, her voice coming out more as a sigh than she intended. "She's more or less moved in with us since the last time you were home, though I daresay she's better at keeping order around this place than we were before."

Draco often heard his mother deferring to her older sister when they were together, though ever since she had killed their cousin, Sirius Black, in private she had been much for wary of Bellatrix.

"Well, I won't be staying for long, just need to grab a few things and then I'll go," Draco said. Especially after the nightmare last night—which he had no wish to revisit or remember just yet, thank you very much—he didn't want to see Aunt Bellatrix and be reminded of...any of it.

Narcissa nodded and let him go, inwardly liking to have her son closer to her, but outwardly knowing that any obvious show of affection was a weakness against her and her son. For both of them, she kept their relationship formal and detached.

Upstairs, Draco instinctively headed to his room, surprised both at its emptiness and how little he missed it. This was, by all accounts, his house, but he couldn't think of it as his home anymore. Even after everything passed—if it ever would—and the Dark Lord would relocate to some more appropriate headquarters, Draco doubted that it would ever feel like the same place it had been again. There were simply too many memories contained within the walls, among them a murder that had happened before Draco's very eyes; he would never forget, and he would never be able to rest under that roof again.

There was simply no room left for him in his family's world, and that meant no room for him period.

Sullen thoughts aside, Draco muttered a charm that he had learned in his earlier years at Hogwarts, an incantation to open doors where there were none. Malfoy Manor was larger than even the Dark Lord knew, with tunnels and secret passages built into the very walls, some of which only his family knew about. Lucius Malfoy may be devoted to his master, but even he wasn't going to give up the secrets of his ancestral home unless he was asked. And, fortunately, the Dark Lord hadn't asked. Yet.

Creeping through one of the lesser used passages, as it led just down the hall after all, Draco emerged behind a wall in front of which there was a tapestry, conveniently places so that Draco could peek out and yet not be seen unless someone happened to be looking down at his feet. There were no sounds coming from the room, so it seemed empty enough, and prompted Draco to creep out from behind the tapestry openly. Fortunately, he was alone.

Striding over to his father's desk, Draco opened the drawers using a spell he had read up on in the Restricted Section—his sometimes actual trips to the library were good for something, it seemed. Because Lucius had never directly shown Draco where he kept the key, never assuming he needed to, Draco didn't know just where to look right away, and the first couple of minutes were a lot of guesswork. He knew what the key looked like though, so he at least took a second to transfigure a plain quill into a key. It looked convincing and just like the original, but if tried on any locks at Gringotts, no transfigured key would ever get past the protective spells set in place there, so Draco had to get the real one.

After thoroughly searching the desk though, he still came up empty-handed and determined that his father must have set the key elsewhere, somewhere less obvious. To Accio it seemed like too obvious and stupid an option, and yet...

When did his father ever think he would be raided, especially since he had already been acquitted of worse crimes and suspicions that had nothing to do with his money?

Crossing his fingers and yet not thinking that it would actually work, Draco said, "Accio vault key!" and waited to see what would happen.

To his shock, the key to the family vault whizzed right into his hand from behind a small, inconsequential painting of their family's old dog, one that Draco had cried and insisted be hung up even though his father had been ready to burn it. Inconsequential and yet ready to come right into his hand in case he's in a hurry, Draco thought. Just like father.

Quickly hiding the transfigured key in the same spot, Draco was just about to leave, when suddenly none other than his Aunt Bellatrix walked in, looking surprised and not exactly pleased to see him there. "Draco!"

Draco was glad that he had already put everything—wand and key—into his robes, otherwise it would be a dead giveaway as to what he had been doing there. "Aunt Bellatrix," he greeted, seeming casual enough.

Hands on her hips, the crazed witch regarded her nephew warily. "What are you doing in here, Draco?"

"Taking out a personal loan," Draco said. Then, his movements so obvious that no one could question what he was doing, he stepped back to his father's desk, pulled out the middle drawer, and took out two rolls of Galeons. Exaggerating his movements slowly, he tucked the rolls into his pant pocket and shut the drawer.

"Whatever for?" Bellatrix mused, outwardly innocent as always. "And does your mummy know you're up here?"

"Of course," Draco replied. And then, remembering that he was supposed to be a spoiled teenager in her eyes, he added, "And besides which, this is my own house, Aunt. I'm allowed to go where I please."

"Bella? What is it?" Narcissa's sudden appearance cut off anything else Bellatrix might have been planning to say, allowing Draco the chance to brush past her and head downstairs.

"I'll be leaving now, mother," he called back, not even bothering to turn around.

"I'll let your father know you were here," Narcissa said, though it was doubtful she ever would and thus was instead saying it for Bellatrix's benefit.

"Cissy, did you give Draco permission to—?" Bellatrix began, but Draco didn't stick around to hear either the question or the answer; he knew his mother would cover for him, whatever it was, and neither of his parents were ever ones to question when he took some money. At least, it would give her an excuse to believe that that was what Draco had been doing back home.

He'd explain if he could, but he respected Severus's caution for secrecy; not only respected it, but trusted it, really. For his own good...

Once outside, Draco apparated immediately, heading to yet another unknown location. Whether he was leaving to hurry ahead with the task Severus had given him or for his own temporary comfort, it didn't matter. Draco Malfoy wanted to be far, far away.

A/N: Okay, so this chapter focused a lot more on Draco than I originally intended (and it's also a lot longer than I planned), seeing as I had originally thought to split this chapter between Draco interactions and Hermione interactions,

BUT since a lot of your reviews and comments so far seem to be really pro-Draco, I can only assume that readers like how he's being portrayed and so maybe you don't mind a chapter focused solely on him? In any case, I'll have a Hermione interactions chapter up soon, so stay tuned for that!

And as always, please follow, favourite, and review to let me know what you think so far!