Disclaimer: Harry Potter isn't mine.
Chapter 5 The Strong and the Weak
August 1991
"The boy is a terror," Sirius complained at the faculty meeting. "There's no way I want him at the same school as my goddaughter."
Riddle frowned. His boss was always frowning at him. Sirius didn't care. "He needs a second chance."
"He's violent," Sirius snapped.
McGonagall snorted. "Scared of a ten year old boy, Sirius? His file says he flipped a desk once. Hardly violent."
"He's trash." Halfblood trash. His file also said he called his classmates every name in the book. Leave it to Andromeda to raise the boy to be like that.
James surprised him by flicking the boy's Muggle school file shut with his wand. "He gets thirty days."
"J-James," Sirius stuttered. Even Riddle looked surprised by the lack of a fight.
"He's the Boy Who Lived." James folded his hands together, thinking. "Too much press comes with not admitting him. Just… look after Kat."
He left without another word. Sirius should have known he was starting to crack.
Kat's first game was against Malfoy. Looking back to that day, Sirius felt like a first class fool. Draco had no problems at Hogwarts behaviorally. He just needed to be away from Andromeda and her filthy Muggle family.
Sirius smiled awkwardly as Lily and James sat down beside him. They hadn't filed for divorce yet, but James was very adamant about it. As per usual since they were in public, Lily snaked her arm in his, hiding the distance between them with physical closeness. Sirius wasn't even sure if they had told Kat yet.
"She's not taking care of her hair," Lily said softly as Kat zig zagged around the field. She let out a battle cry as she ripped her Potter mane out of its pony tail. James ignored Lily.
"I haven't had the chance to see her practice," Sirius muttered as he straightened up to get a better look.
Lily sneered at him. "Slytherin's head of house certainly wouldn't be allowed."
James's lips quirked into a small smirk. "Let Sirius make his own career choices, love. Besides, this is much better than the pole dancing gig he had before."
"Ha, ha, ha." They were acting like nothing was wrong, which frankly, disturbed Sirius. Kat was going to be devastated.
When Snape showed up and sat next to Lily, James's ears turned pink but didn't say a word. No Snivellus or complaints about the smell of burnt grease. He didn't either, but it was out of guilt. Sirius should be in Azkaban, not Remus.
James kept his eyes on Kat. "She's so beautiful."
"If only she'd tie up that hair," Lily added. She loved Kat's hair when it was straight and silky, said she looked like a princess. Again, James ignored her.
Draco was tempted to cover his ears. Potter was so excited. It was like she had never been outside before. She was pumping her fist and yelling, and the game hadn't even started yet. The icy rain that was starting to fall didn't even deter her.
Madam Hooch had to yell at her to get to her to stop zipping up and down the field, so they could finally start the game. Draco was already soaked. Hopefully her attention span was reflective of her Quidditch skills, and he could catch the snitch quickly. He was already ready to sit by the fire with a steaming mug of hot chocolate.
As soon as the whistle sounded, he was off, and Potter stared doing circles around him. "Look! There's the snitch!"
"I'm not that stupid," Draco yelled over the rain. Potter merely laughed. She was that happy to be playing. Draco shook his head and flew past her.
It was raining so hard that he was starting to wonder if it was going to be impossible to find the snitch. He tried to look for it during flashes of lightning, but so far, nothing.
"Sirius?" Black was behind them in the stands. Potter was staring at a big, black dog. During the next flash of lightning, it was gone.
Before Draco could think about it further, Potter looked over her head and started flying upwards. The snitch!
There was no way in hell he was going to let her win. Draco leaned forward and shot after her. The rain felt like it was slicing at his cheeks, but he didn't care. He couldn't let her win.
The temperature was plummeting. His ears were so numb that he accounted the cold for the sudden silence. He was almost there. The rain was so thick that he could barely see her, but he knew he was close.
Somehow, it became darker. Everything was happening so fast that Draco could barely process it. Potter had fallen from her broom, and a few dozen dementors were following her descent. The closer he got, the louder the familiar scream pierced his eardrums.
Potter's eyes flickered as he reached out to grab her hand. Then, he was falling too.
Aunt Andromeda let Dora's friends sleepover on a Sunday night. By Monday morning, they had him tied to a chair, forcing makeup on his face as he screamed and cried. He was ten. It was nearly a year before he started Hogwarts.
"Little pussy," Dora called him as she applied blush. He tried to kick her, but the jump rope was too tight. They only let him go when his bus had arrived. Aunt Andromeda wouldn't let him stay home.
At school, all the kids were laughing at him. Once he got to in the building, he got what he could off in the bathroom, but there was still smeared makeup all over his face. By mid-morning, Draco had had enough.
"Shut up! Bitch!" Draco knew the words were bad. Dora said them to him all the time, and Aunt Andromeda gave her an annoyed look. And of course, the teacher had something to say to him.
"Headmaster's office!" she yelled, pointing to the door. This always happened. His classmates would laugh at him, and he would get angry and call them a name. He was always in trouble.
He was so angry he flipped his desk over.
Potter was at a party. The kind that celebrities on the telly went to. She was about ten as well and was trying to snatch sweets off a food table. An old woman swatted at her hands.
"A lady does not eat in excess," she said stiffly.
Potter frowned but lit up when Weasley ran past her, shoving an entire cupcake in his mouth. She giggled and started to do the same with a piece of chocolate. "I'm not a lady!" She was such a dork. "I AM KATHERINE!"
The old woman grabbed her by her wrist and yanked her forward, squeezing her wrist so hard that Potter cried out. She made to strike her, but an overwhelming presence loomed over them.
"Don't you dare touch my daughter," James Potter threatened. He took out his wand, causing the old woman to cower. "Crucio!"
The old woman's, Potter's grandmother's, screams were clearly like nothing she ever heard before. Potter's eyes went wild with fear, and she ran off as the memory faded and turned into one of his own.
Uncle Ted still took him over the knee and spanked him. Dora laughed in the background as Draco wailed in humiliation. He hated them. He hated them all.
He pushed the memory away and was sent back to one of Potter's.
"I'm bored," Potter complained. This memory was a fresh one. Draco wondered if he would be his age in the next memory. How long were they going to be trapped in this?
They must be in Granger's room. They were surrounded by books. No wonder the pea brained Potter was bored.
Granger grinned, eager to show Potter something, and ringed a bell. "Watch this."
Potter looked mildly interested, and Draco heard the creak of the door open. Her face fell, and then she appeared to be holding in a scream.
A bright light overwhelmed them. Draco caught a glimpse of Potter, but everything was being bleached away with the powerful light. Then he saw a blonde woman with a kettle.
This memory was happy. It was his parents! The little baby in the height chair had to be him. His mother was bringing the kettle to the kitchen table during breakfast to pour his father some hot tea. She looked so happy as his father snaked an arm around her waist and pulled her into his lap. She waved to baby Draco as he laughed and started playing with his porridge.
Draco woke up to the sound of Lily Potter yelling at her husband. "You swore to me when you allowed-allowed those beasts to enter the school grounds that this wouldn't happen!"
"What if Regulus is near?" Mr. Potter asked softly. "I don't like it either but—"
"They could have killed our daughter!" Mrs. Potter snarled. "You only care about finding Regulus because of Sirius! You don't care about K—"
"Don't you dare finish that sentence," Mr. Potter snapped. When he saw that Draco was awake, he swore but quickly forgot about it when Potter moaned and started to become conscious as well.
Mrs. Potter rushed over to her. "Sweetie…" Then, she barked at Madam Pomfrey, "She's cold as ice! Why are these damned blankets so thin? Get her another one!"
"Dad…" Potter forced her eyes open and pushed herself upwards. "I saw the snitch!"
After all that they saw, that was all she could think about? Or hopefully, she didn't see what Draco saw. She didn't see him get spanked when he was ten. Mr. Potter chuckled, although he still looked terrified. "The match has been postponed. Can't play without both seekers, can we?"
For the first time, Potter noticed he was in the room and quickly looked away. She knew. "The game's supposed to still be going on until someone catches the snitch. It's the rules."
"It doesn't matter because you're off the team," Lily Potter said firmly. There was a God.
Some of the color returned to Potter's cheeks. "Mum!"
"We're taking you to St. Mungo's." Mrs. Potter sneered at Madam Pomfrey, who was just returning with an extra blanket for Potter and two bars of chocolate. "Hogwarts really should have a proper healer, dearest."
"Pomfrey is as good as," Mr. Potter said curtly. "Besides, there's nothing St. Mungo's can do for her. We should go to Hogsmeade and get her hot chocolate."
Mrs. Potter's expression darkened in a way that made Draco want to cover his ears in preparation for the inevitable yelling. Her cold whisper made him shiver. "I'm not leaving her."
"I'm fine," Potter gritted out. She wanted them both to leave. Draco didn't blame her. "I want to go to sleep."
She curled into a ball and closed her eyes, eventually pretending to be asleep. However, she must get her stubbornness from her mother because Lily Potter stayed put. Both she and Draco ignored each other as Mr. Potter left for hot chocolate.
"Your arm is broken in several places," Madame Pomfrey announced as she handed him a chocolate bar. "I can either slowly repair it, or I can dissolve the bones and regrow them. Make your choice, Mr. Malfoy. I have other patients to care for."
No one else was there, besides Potter, who was the stiffest "sleeping" person on the planet. Fortunately the choice was easy to make after Professor Longbottom tried to heal him last year. Draco never wanted to have his bones regrown again.
"You can get another broom," Pansy said weakly. Once he had gotten out of the hospital wing, Draco spent all his time sulking after finding out the Whomping Willow practically turned his broom into sawdust. They were on their way to Defense, and she was trying yet again to cheer him up.
She didn't understand. Professor Riddle had given him the broom. Just like he had given him Merope. As someone who grew up not getting a lot of gifts, Draco clung to each one. He kept all the letters his friends wrote to him and even still had the notes Pansy passed him during their first year. It was like he still wasn't used to being liked. He needed proof.
"Pansy thinks everything is replaceable," Blaise said bitterly.
With a dramatic growl, Pansy threw her hands in the air, giving up. Or at least, pretending to give up. "I just offered you a new rat for Christmas. Zeus is getting old and…"
"And your stupid cat is putting him out of his misery?" Blaise snapped.
"No but…" Pansy sighed and hurried off to class.
Blaise rolled his eyes. "I'll take notes for you. I'm sure hers are rubbish."
"Thanks…" Draco's arm had to be mended ten times that night, and it was still so stiff that he had to get used to moving it again. Fine motors skills were not his forte at the moment. Writing with his left hand looked better right now.
"Mr. Malfoy," Professor Snape boomed at the end of class. Draco winced, thinking for a moment that he was in trouble. The only problem was that he hadn't done anything. "A word."
"Y-yes, sir." Draco hurried to his professor's desk, feeling about a dozen eyes on him as he made the short trip.
Professor Snape raised his eyebrows, but thankfully, the dirty look wasn't directed at him. "Is your surname Malfoy, Ms. Parkinson? Because I will update my roster if you have wed Mr. Malfoy in my absence. However I did sat Mr. Malfoy, so either way, you have no reason to remain."
With a squeak, Pansy was off, leaving Draco trying to keep a straight face. Professor Snape rolled his eyes. The worst part was that he was probably Pansy's favorite teacher.
"It is foolish of Professor Riddle to have you participate in outdoor activities without being able to defend yourself," Professor Snape told him bluntly. "I told him so this morning. After the holidays, you will receive Patronus lessons with me."
"Pa… Wha…" Draco flushed with embarrassment. "You're going to teach me how to fight the dementors?"
"It is a complicated charm," Professor Snape went on as if he hadn't spoken. "Many cannot master it. However, being able to at least attempt it may keep the dementors at bay long enough to give you a chance to escape."
"Th-thank you," Draco said awkwardly. Professor Snape nodded slightly and started to turn away. "Sir? How come…? I've noticed… Why do they make you relive terrible moments? The dementors? I hear things, and at the match, I saw…"
"They feed off happiness." Professor Snape paused, trying to put his thoughts into words. "Until there is nothing left but those moments. They affect you so because of what you have endured. You fainted not out of weakness. Some would say it is out of strength."
I saw some of Potter's too. But Draco didn't want to say it. He didn't want to talk about the happy memory either. Because some sick part of him wanted to see it again. "Thank you, sir. I suppose we'll schedule after the holidays."
Professor Snape nodded again, and Draco left, thinking about his parents' smiling faces.
"Malfoy." Awkward Potter was a bit refreshing. For once in her life, she was quiet. They were in the library, and quite frankly, Draco was surprised she knew where it was. "I'm sorry. That you got hit."
I'm sorry your parents can't stand to be around each other. He wanted to throw those hateful words right in her face. If he was at his old school, he would have, but here, he didn't have to. At Hogwarts, he didn't feel threatened all the time. Or at least, he didn't feel too weak to protect himself.
Draco simply picked up his books and walked away without saying a word.
His arm was still sore once and a while, so Slytherin's first match kept getting pushed back. To make matter's worse, he had to watch Potter absolutely cream Hufflepuff in the replacement match a few weeks later. She probably fell on him on purpose.
And so when the next Hogsmeade weekend came along, Draco was more than content to sulk by himself. He had to hold back a sneer and a nasty comment when Dudley found him.
"Shouldn't you be at Hogsmeade?" Draco asked a politely as he could. It wasn't Dudley's fault he was in a foul mood. He was just getting used to writing again, and Professor Black wasn't giving him an extension like most of his teachers were.
Dudley shrugged, even though his pocket money was probably a good portion of Honeydukes' profits. "I was about to head off, but I couldn't find you."
He was in the Common Room. Dudley had to literally walk past him to go to all the places he would have looked for Draco. Poor guy, Pansy would say when Dudley was being stupid. Blaise would merely make an uncomfortable face.
"Oh." Draco just tried to be nice. "Sorry."
Dudley shrugged and took out a blank scrap of parchment. "Vince and Greg and I nicked this during our last detention with Black. But we don't really know what to do with it…"
The Dim Trio. That's what Daphne called them. At least they were nice, Draco had told himself during his first year. It never sat right with him to dislike someone who was nice to him. "Thanks…"
Dudley laughed. "I have to show you how to use it!" Oh God. He was getting worse! Draco was torn between saying he knew how to use parchment and just letting Dudley show him. Dudley made the decision for him and pointed his wand at the parchment. "I solemnly swear I am up to no good."
Draco never felt like more of a jackass.
Thank you for the chapter 4 reviews Ern Estine 13624, myafroatemydog, Captain CV, PlainJane, and Anontbhfam!
Up next, Draco hears about his godfather!
Oh and I'm writing a short story that'll be done by Mother's Day! It's called P.S. I Love You. Check it out if you're interested! It should be up on my profile!