Chapter 2: The Manor and White Peacocks
A four-year-old Draco Lucius Malfoy, his howlite eyes were twinkling with curiosity. He loved to explore the manor he lived in. He loved to read all the books in the library as well. He loved spending time with his mother. He loved learning with his father.
But most of all Draco Lucius Malfoy loved the white peacocks that lived on the manor's grounds. Oh, those white, pristine, beautiful peacocks. They were everything a Malfoy was to be, his father had told him once.
Peacocks were elegant, graceful, and stunning. Yet they were also dangerous. They lulled people with their beauty and attacked when it was time. That was the perfect Malfoy. That was Draco's goal.
It was Draco Lucius Malfoy's first goal.
E&H E
A seven-year-old Draco Lucius Malfoy was learning about how purebloods were superior to all. Draco would tell his father that he understood but would go onto his mother for questions. He remembered the last time he asked his father about pureblood superiority. His father's lips thinned and his howlite eyes narrowed. His father told him to never question but to understand and know.
Draco went to his mother after his father dismissed him. He found Narcissa Malfoy at the gardens as she admired the white roses that grew there.
"Mother, may I ask something? It's about what Father told me earlier." Narcissa Malfoy looked at her only son. Draco looked similar to Lucius, but his gentle features come from the Black line, where Narcissa hailed from. Narcissa smiled at her son beckoning him over to her.
"Ask away my son." Draco's eyes lit up. Oh, how he loved talking to his mother about his ideals. Although he knew that his mother would be uncomfortable with most of his ideals, she still entertained him. He knew how they did not align with that of his father and ancestors. But Draco did not care. He only cared about learning more, being more than a name, to be a true Malfoy worthy of his name.
"Why is it that purebloods are automatically more superior to others? It's not like they asked to be born inferior to us?" Draco scrunched up his face as he asked this. He truly did not understand.
"Those are the traditions that have led our families for many millennia. We do not question but follow them as it kept our families alive and prosperous for a long time." Draco had a sinking feeling that was the case. So he sighed in response.
"So we can't truly break away from our prejudices? If we do so then it'll start a war between all the purebloods, right?" His mother's face pinched in response to the question. Draco knew that he was pushing it. His mother hated being questioned about the values she grew up with. More so with the idea of changing them. She still had that pinched look on her face. She looked like a regal pureblood. As pure as they can be. Draco hated that look on her. It made her more Black than Malfoy. Malfoy's were supposed to be beautiful and regal, not pinched and disturbed. Then, she looked at him smiling once more. Draco loved his mother's smile. It made her beautiful, not the cold beauty, but the warm beauty. It was a beauty for Draco and his father's eyes only.
"Yes, we purebloods are far into our prejudices that we don't see the sense in them." Draco's mother spoke carefully. Draco knew why. He knew that his mother didn't believe the words that she spoke too. Draco knew that his mother was raised with the prejudices against all who weren't purebloods. The same be told about his father. It only made sense for his father to teach him the prejudices.
"Alright. Thank you, Mother. Excuse me, I'll be in the library if you or Father will be looking for me." Draco stood and kissed his mother on the cheek.
As he walked back to the house, he passed by the white peacocks. Draco looked at them for a while, admiring their beauty and grace. Now that is what a Malfoy should be: Beautiful, Elegant, and Graceful.
That was Draco Lucius Malfoy's biggest ambition.
E&H E
A ten-year-old Draco Lucius Malfoy looked at the book he was reading. It was about the Malfoy line and their achievements. To the side of this book were the Black line and their achievements. Draco wanted to know if his ancestors have done anything worthy of their name. He still wasn't sure what would make one worthy of their name. Most of his ancestors had used their names to kill, torture, and enslave. Draco did not like that... at all.
Draco sighed and closed the book. He looked out the window and once more stared at the white peacocks. He started to despise them. They were everything a Malfoy should be but wasn't. Not yet though. Someday, Draco hoped that he would be worthy of his, worthy like the white peacocks outside.
"Draco, it is time for your lesson." Draco turned away from the peacocks and looked at his father. His father stood, regal and proud. Just like what a Malfoy should be. Draco followed his father into the Drawing Room. This was were his lessons always took place.
"Draco, I will tell you something that you are not allowed to repeat at all to outsiders of our family. Do you understand me?" Draco was nervous. What did his Father want to tell him? But Draco nodded anyways.
"Do you know of the Dark Lord?" The Dark Lord. How Draco despised him. But he would never tell his Father that. He knew how much his Father respected him. But for now, he didn't know much.
"Not that much, Father. All you have told me was how he fought for us purebloods. To keep our traditions alive and remove the Mudbloods who would desire to destroy them." How Draco despised the word Mudblood. He hated how he was to look down on others for something they were born with. But Draco's father approved of what he said.
"Correct. Now I will tell you about how he was vanquished." Vanquished? Not dead, then. That meant that his father was hoping that he would come back. Draco just barely was able to contain a shiver of disgust. A Malfoy should be proud. Not to allow themselves to be a willing slave to a man, no matter how strong he is. This is what truly disgusted Draco.
He listened to his father ramble about a boy named Harry Potter. Draco did not care about his father's racist slurs against the boy. Draco did care about the boy. He wanted to know more beyond the slurs and praises. He wanted to know the boy behind the title. His curious little mind was jumping with the thought of new knowledge. He overindulged his curiosity with how this boy may act and think, to how he looked like, and even to how he smiled. He never noticed that his father was done until he called his name.
"Draco? I am finished. You are dismissed. It is not worth talking to a boy who does not wish to listen." Draco felt his ears flush, but he muttered an apology to his father and quickly went back to the library. He wanted to see if there were books on Harry Potter. How he wanted to know more about the boy.
This is Draco Lucius Malfoy's greatest desire.
E&H E
Lucius Malfoy knew that his son would disappoint him. It was plain, clear as the day with no clouds on sight. His son was different than all purebloods that came before him. He saw the defiance behind his eyes. Draco would never be the heir he wanted him to be. Draco would not be worthy of the Malfoy name, not even the Black name.
Lucius wondered where he went wrong. Was it due to letting his son spend most of his day in the library? Was it due to him conceding to his wife, Narcissa, when it came to raising their son? Was he too lenient when he taught his son the traditions that all purebloods hailed from and passed down to the next generation? Perhaps, Lucius mused, I should have taught him all of our traditions the moment he understood English.
But Lucius knew deep down that no matter what he did, his son would still be the same. His son, his only son, his heir, his only heir would be a disappointment.
Draco Lucius Malfoy, to Lucius Malfoy, would disappoint all those around him and soon be branded as a blood traitor. Inwardly, Lucius hoped that he would be able to banish Draco should it ever come to that, especially before others would find out. His son would also not be good to serve his lord. His lord would kill Draco. But Lucius still hoped that he will be able to shape Draco to be able to serve the Dark Lord when he returned. Lucius still hoped that Draco would be worthy of the name he carries.
But alas, hopes are hopes. Some come true and some don't.
Lucius hoped that his hopes would come true.
E&H E
A now eleven-year-old Draco Lucius Malfoy was jumping in joy. He had received his Hogwarts letter. He was ecstatic. Although, not too much. He remembered the argument his mother and father had about his education. His father wanted him to go to Durmstrang so he could be with strong Dark wizards, but his mother wanted him to go to Hogwarts where he'll learn how to cooperate and meets all kinds of people. Plus, his mother wanted him closer to home. Draco agreed with his mother. He did want to go to Hogwarts. He wanted to meet all kinds of people, Durmstrang wouldn't give him that opportunity.
Thus, Draco excitedly ran to his mother, who again was in her garden, waving his letter. His mother saw him from afar and smiled at him.
"Mother! My Hogwarts letter came in! Can we go to Diagon Alley to purchase my supplies?" Draco was ecstatic and bouncing on the heels of his feet. Oh, how we wanted to go to Diagon Alley. He wanted to see the sights and smell the food. He wished to get his wand and a pet too. Of all most, he wanted to go to Flourish and Botts, a bookstore with a plethora of books. Books where he can imagine a new world for himself, where his curiosities would be satisfied.
E&H E
Narcissa Malfoy (née Black) is a proud witch. She grew up as a proud Black. She dishonored her sister Andromeda and cousin Sirius for being blood traitors. She followed her mother and father's teachings about the Mudbloods and of the Dark. She was an accomplished witch who married Lucius Malfoy, a strong Dark wizard, who with him bore her son, Draco Lucius Malfoy.
She loved her son, although she wondered where all the questions about the pureblood idealism came from. Her son shouldn't be like that. He should accept them and be them, yet he always questioned her. It was partially her fault, she indulged him. She should have shot down all his questions and leave him be. Yet she indulged him, again and again. She knew Lucius had a temper and would probably hurt Draco should he question the pureblood idealism in front of him. Yet why did she have to be the recipient of these questions? Yet for some reason, she also didn't mind.
Narcissa Malfoy loved hearing her son talk. She loved hearing his thoughts, no matter how heretical they were. She loved how his howlite eyes sparkle with life, how he looked for all the angles and the in-betweens of everything.
She knew that Draco saw more something beyond the white peacocks in the manor. She caught him many times looking at them, with determination in her eyes. She wanted to ask, but she knew deep down that she wouldn't like what she would hear. It was a risk she was willing not to take. If her son wished to speak to her about it, then he will. But for now, she will continue to indulge her son and be his support. For that is the best she can do for him now.
E&H E
Draco knew that his mother was bothered. She was looking at him, contemplating. He wondered what was on her mind. His mother never shared many things with him. To Draco, that was alright. People had the right to their secrets. But Draco wished that his mother would indulge him with her secrets. Draco was a good secret keeper. He always kept his lips shut and knew how to lie his way out. It would be unbecoming of for a Malfoy if they didn't know how to talk their way out of a confrontation.
Draco decided to leave. It would do neither him nor his mother any good if he stayed and waited for her.
"Excuse me, Mother. Perhaps another day then?" Draco immediately left without hearing any words that said otherwise.
Draco passed by the peacocks. He stopped and looked at them. He gave them his first scowl. He hated the peacocks. They represented everything a Malfoy should be. But Draco knew that he would never be the perfect Malfoy. Especially not the Malfoy his family wanted him to be. His ancestors would frown upon him. But Draco did not care. He decided to forge his path, one that he will be proud of in the end.
He looked at the peacocks once more. He knew how beautiful, elegant, and how graceful they were. Draco also knew how vicious they could be. He had seen them attacking a house elf that was supposed to kill it. Yes, they were magnificent, but they were deadly. That would be the Malfoy Draco would strive to be. To be elegant on the outside, but aim for the kill when ready. To be like the white peacocks he hated. To be the Malfoy and Black worthy of his name.
Now, this became Draco's greatest dream.
Author's Note: Thank you for reading the second chapter of Emerald and Howlite Eyes! I hope you also enjoyed this chapter. I hoped I characterized the characters well and gave you an insight to their personalities. Next chapter, will be Harry and Draco's first meeting in Diagon Alley. More drama unfolds. I'm still looking for a beta so please DM me if you want to help out. Also, please let me know if I misspelled anything or made grammar mistakes. All reviews are welcome and please remember, constructive criticisms!
See you all in the next chapter!
- The-Songbird-Who-Wrote