Hello I've written another chapter! Go me!
This is the longest chapter I've written so far, each chapter seems to be longer than the last. Thank you for your reviews and please keep them coming they really help to improve my writing and help me improve my non-existent plot line.
~PureBloodSnake x
The Sorting Hat's Warning
Lucius sat at a desk in an empty teacher's office, it was nice to have a little privacy after running around after Caelum and Draco's pranks the last couple of weeks. Since the morning after Caelum's birthday, Lucius was pleased to see his sons getting on well, there were still some sore spots between them but everything seemed a little less forced. Lucius hoped that his relationship with Caelum could get to the point where they both put past meetings behind them.
Jolting him out of his thoughts a loud knock danced through the room reverberating off of whatever equipment was left in the office.
"Lucius, do you have a minute?" It still pained Lucius that his youngest son couldn't bring himself to call him Dad but he knew they were all still adjusting.
"Sure, come have a seat Caelum." Lucius gestured to the seat the other side of his desk. It felt a little formal but Lucius thought that was probably best, keeping a desk between them probably helped Caelum's slight fear of him. The boy in question sat down on the seat and looked everywhere but his father. Lucius knew it would take a little while to get the words out, so he took this time to look over his son. Caelum had lost his black hair and now sandy blond locks fell across his face and over his ears, his face was more pointed and his eyes were almost steel grey with only a little hint of green circling around the pupils. If he didn't know better he would've said Draco was sitting in front of him, Harry Potter was long gone, only his memories residing.
"Is it possible to kill off Harry Potter?" The words were spoken in such a quiet voice, the Lucius almost didn't hear them.
"Kill of Harry Potter? I'm not entirely sure what you mean." Lucius asked a look of confusion gracing his face. In Caelum's opinion it was odd to see the normally stoic but proud man show any confusion.
"I want to get rid of Harry Potter, get rid of the shadow that used to be me. I don't want many connections to my past life and if Harry Potter was dead then I could be free of that 'chosen-one, Gryffindor-golden-boy' role that everyone expects me to play." Ah, Lucius understood now and was internally very pleased, if Caelum didn't want much to do with his past identity that meant he was fully accepting of having a family!
"I think that's a brilliant idea Caelum, have you talked to Draco about this?"
"Yeah-"
"Please in public never say 'yeah' it is not dignified enough for a Malfoy." Lucius felt guilty for interrupting his son, but Caelum had wanted to be treated the same as Draco and Lucius knew he would've picked up on the slurred words and abbreviations a lot sooner if it wasn't for the adjustment period. "Sorry, carry on."
"Draco and I came up with a few ideas of how to make it seem more realistic. If we could get Dumbledore to back us, he could announce that Harry Potter has gone into hiding after the return of Voldemort and is intensely training with aurors to defeat him. At some point a training session could go horribly wrong, resulting in a mortally wounded saviour of the wizarding world. A week later despite the healer's best efforts Harry Potter is dead." Caelum said this with such a straight face and a bored look in his eyes and it scared Lucius a little. What could be so bad about his past that Caelum would want to cut all ties with his previous identity so easily and readily.
"That sounds like a good idea, I'll talk to Dumbledore immediately." Caelum turned and walked out of the office but not before pausing at the door.
"Does it bother you that I don't call you Dad?" It wasn't what Lucius expected and he paused for a moment. Caelum deserved to know the truth after being lied to for so long, but could Lucius bear the look of guilt he would receive? He wasn't sure.
"Yes, I would much rather have you call me Dad, but I know it's going to take a while for us to get past the issues from a couple of years ago. And I don't want to rush you, you need to adjust to having a family fully." He decided honesty was probably the best route.
"Thank you." And with that Caelum walked out of the room.
? ゚ミノ? ゚ミノ?
It was September the first and Draco was fed up with his little brother. Caelum had worried himself sick over the prospect of getting resorted.
"Caelum it does not matter where the sorting hat puts you, you will still be a Malfoy. We've only just got you back we're not going to stop talking to you just because you're a Hufflepuff or Gryffindor again. I might prefer to have you in Slytherin but that's only because I can look after you better, but I'm still going to be your protective big brother no matter what house you're in. It may still surprise you but we love you. We Malfoys look out for our own." Caelum was a little shocked at the revelation and began to feel a little silly for thinking the worst of his family.
"I'm sorry, this is still quite new to me, it's hard to distinguish between what I thought the Malfoys were and what we actually are. And anyway I don't really think I'll be in Gryffindor again so you can still hate them!" The cheeky smile was something Draco loved to see, it meant that everything was going to be okay.
An hour later the four Malfoys stood on the platform scowling at those who dared to whisper about the other Malfoy boy that they had never seen before. Lucius' most evil glare was sent towards the Weasley family who were glaring daggers at both of his boys, especially by the youngest male.
"Don't not the Weasleys," Caelum's voice was small and seemed embarrassed. "Mr and Mrs Weasley were the only ones to actually treat me like an actual child and not the savior or a waste of space. I owe them a lot." Caelum's cheeks had turned a pale pink and he was muttering something else under his breath that Lucius chose to ignore.
"Okay, it seems we owe them a great deal but it doesn't mean I won't stop disliking them but I will try to be civil for you." Caelum nodded a small smile on his face. "But if they do something untoward they will pay dearly." Lucius added as he once again glared at Ron. The clock ticked closer and closer to eleven and Draco decided he couldn't wait to be free of his parents again and hastily said goodbye, kissing his mother's cheek and shaking his father's hand, before standing back to allow Caelum to say goodbye.
"Take care darling." Narcissa kissed him on the cheek and smoothed down his collar, Caelum then shook Lucius' hand. He found it a little weird to be saying goodbye so formally but it was the Malfoy mask that needed to be seen by the public, and they had already said heartfelt goodbyes before they'd left Hogwarts.
"Goodbye Mother, Father." Caelum nodded to each of them in turn before climbing onto the train behind Draco.
Narcissa shakily wiped a tear from her cheek and turned to her husband whose Pureblood mask was still in place but emotion was shining through his eyes.
"He finally called us mother and father." The words were uttered so very quietly that Narcissa strained to pick up the words. And with that they apparated back to Malfoy manor huge smiles on their usually stoic faces.
? ゚ミノ? ゚ミノ?
Caelum was pacing the small antechamber off of the great hall.
"Will you stop?!" Draco growled, Caelum was on his last nerve. "You've been worrying yourself for the last day and a half about this bloody sorting. IT DOESN'T MATTER TO US!" The last words were said through gritted teeth and Draco's usually perfect hair was all over the place from constantly running his hand through it in frustration.
"That's not what this is about anymore, I don't want to do this in front of the entire school, why couldn't Dumbledore allow me a private sorting?"
"It'll be fine Caelum, I don't know why you're worrying."
"What if one of the Gryffindors figure out who I used to be. That could ruin everything." Draco honestly hadn't thought of Harry's friends noticing that Caelum was the same person as their precious golden boy.
"I don't think that'll be a problem, you look very different from the end of last year and they're all loyal to Dumbledore and will believe him when he says Harry is in hiding. Now get ready to go out, calm down and put on your Pureblood mask on." Draco himself was nervous for his little brother but he had to keep calm just to placate his brother.
"Come with me Mr Malfoy it's time for your sorting, you can go and sit with the rest of your house Mr Malfoy." Professor McGonagall smiled slightly, her smile was tight and thin, but it wasn't unkind.
"That's going to get confusing very soon." Caelum smiled nervously at Draco who gave him a reassuring smile and a quick pat on the shoulder. Draco hurried across to the Slytherin table and sat down next to Pansy.
"Is he alright?" She asked a worried frown momentarily gracing her own Pureblood mask. In the few hours she had known Caelum, Pansy had taken him under her wing and was a mother hen to him, just like she was with all the other boys in Slytherin.
"And now for a transfer student from Durmstrang, Caelum Malfoy." Dumbledore's voice rang out through the hall just as the last first year went to sit at the Hufflepuff table. Draco watched with pride as Caelum sauntered across to the stool, not even a glimpse of the worried person was seen.
"He's a true Malfoy." Pansy sighed from beside him. As Caelum sat with the hat on his head Draco looked around the hall, the Gryffindor table seemed to glare daggers at his brother, all but the Weasley twins who had their heads hunched over probably discussing their latest prank. Glancing back at Caelum, Draco noticed that he seemed a bit more relaxed with the hat on his head, as if having a conversation rather than discussing being sorted.
"Ah Mr Malfoy it's nice to see you under my brim again. I believe that this time you will allow me to sort you into your rightful house."
"How did you know?" Caelum knew he shouldn't be surprised that the hat knew his identity, but he still was.
"There's not much I don't know about the student whose head I am on. That is why I tried to place you in Slytherin the first time, I had hope you would discover yourself quicker."
"That's very thoughtful of you, you're probably one of the only things/people that actually cares about my future as something other than a chess piece in the war. Thank you." The hat seemed to stutter after Caelum's words and he grinned inwardly, he must've been one of the first people to make the hat speechless. That would be something to tell Draco later.
"When I was created I was given Godric Gryffindor's morals, using children in war was against most of those morals." The hat seemed to grew uncharacteristically silent for the next minute. "It's time to put you where you belong, do be wary Mr Malfoy of the puppeteer." Caelum froze surprised and confused at the hats warning, jolting when it screamed "Slytherin!" across the hall. Taking the hat off and placing it on the stool Caelum made his way as haughtily as possible towards the Slytherin table to squeeze in next to his ecstatic brother and Pansy.
"That was a long sorting, did you argue with the hat about being put in Gryffindor? You were almost a hatstall." Caelum smiled at his brother who was exclaiming his worry subtly.
"No, the hat was just warning me about being a chess piece in this coming war." Ignoring the surprised look from Draco and Pansy, Caelum reached forward and placed a chicken drumstick on his plate and a piece of bread.
"That's not a decent meal, you need some sort of veg and maybe some potato." Pansy leant over and started piling mash and peas onto his plate.
"Don't question it." Draco murmured into his ear as Caelum opened his mouth to complain about the mothering.
"She's worse than Mrs Weasley." Caelum muttered and yelped when Draco elbowed him in the side.
"Shh! It was your idea to keep quiet about it so don't say things like that in public!" The Slytherins around them ignored the quick reprimand Draco gave his brother, but the fifth year Gryffindors noticed. They, especially Hermione and Ron were paying close attention to the new Malfoy boy. It was a little strange to them that a new Malfoy had started and Harry wasn't here for it, but they would keep him informed through letters, they all knew he had an obsession with Draco Malfoy.
The food disappeared and Caelum shovelled the last of his treacle tart into his mouth before his plate vanished as well.
"Before you go to your dormitories there are a few announcements. Firstly we have a new defence against the dark arts teacher, Professor Umbridge who is a representative from the ministry. Secondly it may interest you to know that Mister Harry Potter has gone into training to prepare for the upcoming battle between him and Voldemort. Miss Granger, Mr Weasley will you please come to my office in a few minutes. And lastly Professor Hagrid's class will be covered by Professor Grubbly-Plank for the next few weeks. Let's hope for a good year and a good night's sleep." Caelum turned and got up from his seat and followed Draco down to the Slytherin common room. He had written letters last night to Ron and Hermione asking them not to use Hedwig to send him letters and other made up information. He wanted to tell them the truth, but was scared of their reaction, especially Ron's. Draco stopped rather suddenly in from of him causing him to snap out of his thoughts. They were stood in front of a stone wall, which Caelum knew to be the entrance of the common room.
"Draco Dormiens" The bricks started to fold outwards on themselves opening a door to common room. They stepped in and Caelum looked around taking everything in, this would be his home for the next three years, and honestly he preferred it to the bright red and gold of the Gryffindor common room.
"So what do you think?" Draco asked expecting to see his brother look surprised or even pleased, but bored was not something he had a reaction for.
"It looks the same as last time I was here." Caelum shrugged non-committedly, and walked towards a sofa before falling down onto the deep green leather. Draco was staring at him with his mouth opening and closing like a fish.
"Oh do shut your mouth Draco," Caelum teased a cheeky grin on his face. "It's not proper Malfoy decorum to gape like a fish." And with that he turned to Pansy and started talking, leaving Draco standing there frozen. Only when Blaise Zabini offered to show him the dormitories did Draco finally realise what his little brother had said. He strode forwards grabbed Caelum by the arm and smiled apologetically to Blaise.
"What do you mean last time?" He growled into Caelum's ear as he dragged him towards the dormitories.
"But you told me not to talk about my previous identity, so I can't possibly tell you in such a public place like the common room."
"Caelum-" he growled in a warning tone.
"I'll tell you sometime." Caelum smiled knowing he was pushing Draco's buttons already. At least he knew Draco wouldn't hurt him purposefully now.
Caelum was happier than he had been in a long time. He had a mum and dad who cared for him, he had a house that would protect him, because Slytherins protect their own, Pansy who after knowing him for only a few hours had already started treating him as a lifelong friend. And most importantly he had a brother, someone who loved and looked after him, something he'd never felt before. This year looked like it was going to be the best year of Hogwarts so far. Caelum finally belonged.
