Sorry for the extra long wait. I do what I can though. So it is my lovelies, enjoy!


Chapter Eight

Draco's POV:

For the first time in months I set foot outside. And it was exactly like I had dreamed it would be.

Clouds scattered the sky while sunbeams burst throughout them gracing the earth in a golden glow. The air was crisp and cool but felt so warm like baby's breath as it blew through my silver strands of hair and against my pale cheeks. I closed my eyes to bask in the welcoming zither and wished for just a moment it would carry me far, far away.

Hesitantly, I opened my eyes hoping against hope that I would be in a foreign world but alas I stood in my own front yard only a few feet from the door that had opened to me in the beginning of the summer then shut and locked me within a nightmare. I craned my head upwards and could just imagine Ginny. She was still trapped within these walls.

"But I'm not," I told myself as I took a few steps away from the door and towards the front gate where I knew a portkey would be waiting.

I walked slowly at first then picked up speed. I wanted to be as far away from this place,( that I use to call home) as I could. I ran as fast as my legs would allow past various hedges, fountains, and I think I even ran past a few bloody peacocks that my father insisted on having then stopped suddenly when I had almost made it completely to the front gate.

Leaning forward, my hands on my pant legs I gasped for air. It had been such a long time since I had done any physical activity but it felt so good knowing that blood was pumping through my veins. I breathed in a few deep breaths, filling my lungs to the brim then spotted what I was suppose to be looking for: the portkey.

It was a broken pair of spectacles, much like Potter's, I thought with a smirk. But the lenses were cracked and the frames were bent. In all my years I had never seen scar faces' glasses look like these. I sneered with the thought.

"Saint Potter, doesn't even have the decency to break his glasses after battling a dragon" I scoffed to myself as I bent lower to take hold of the haggard frames. I took a deep breath just as my fingers came into contact with the item and felt the unwelcome feeling of my navel being pulled in a hard forward motion that made me sick to my stomach while my feet flew out from under me and the whole world turned into a blur of colors.

I shut my eyes tightly and cursed over and over in my head for having to go through this. I had only had to use a portkey once and that was for the Quiddich World Cup and even then I thought it was completely beneath me. It made my head ache horribly and made my stomach turn somersaults for hours on end. A Malfoy should never go through such symptoms.

I vowed to myself after using the method of transportation once I never would again and here I was. Snape had enclosed in the note that there was no other way for me to make my way to Diagonally. Not if I didn't want to have the Manor found. Begrudgingly, I agreed with his statement. Knowing him, he had probably thought of every possible way for any of us to be transported where we needed to be. This just happened to be the only means for me.

Just when I thought I would scarf up what little breakfast I did eat, I felt my feet land firmly on solid ground. Taking one step forward, I secured my stance. The first time I had done this I made a complete fool of myself by falling on my arse. I wouldn't make that same mistake twice. 'God damn why didn't Aunt Bellatrix just teach me how to apparate?'

I took a few slow breaths then forced myself to open my eyes. All ready I could hear the buzz of activity around me. So looking around I tried to register exactly where I had landed. I still was a little dizzy from the trip. Finding the closest sign I read:

Cauldrons

All sizes

Copper, Brass, Pewter, Silver

Self-Stirring

Collapsible

'Ah, the cauldron shop,' I told myself, now knowing exactly where I needed to go.

I pulled my cloak tighter around my shoulders even though it was quite warm out and thought for a moment about flipping my hood up but on second thought decided not to mess up my hair. After all the streets looked rather empty compared to what they were usually like. And taking a closer look, the wizards and witches that were occupying the cobblestone alleyways didn't look like they minded a few death eaters or sons of death eaters, in my case.

Slipping my mask of cool arrogance on, I strutted up the street to my first destination, which would be Slugs and Jiggers Apothecary. As soon as I walked in though I pondered if this was the best place to go since I felt fairly nauseated. The whole place smelled of wet dog and sour milk. I forced down the urge to gag and walked down an isle filled with floating appendages and gobs of green slime.

"Perhaps I don't need tongue of lizard as much as I thought," I muttered to myself as I passed what looked to me a jar filled with pixie eyes. I was just about to turn around and leave when a hand grabbed me by the shoulder. I jumped despite myself but when I turned around I knew I looked fierce.

"Didn't mean to startle you, sir," The elderly man apologized quickly. Right away I knew he meant no harm, but I kept my glare on him. His eyes flicked back and forth nervously but he managed to say what he was struggling with.

"C-could I help you with anything? You looked as if you were having some difficulties finding what you needed." I raised my eyebrows mockingly and tossed a look over my shoulder carelessly.

"I doubt you have what I'm looking for." He paled but firmly shakes his head.

"I'm sure whatever you may need we have in stock." I narrowed my eyes and began to think of an outrageous item that I knew he wouldn't have.

"Occamy wing . I'm looking for pickled Occamy wings." I almost laughed out loud when I said this. An Occamy was native to India and they haven't been sighted in almost 1100 years. They were said to be extinct! The old wizard paled further and then reddened in embarrassment. At this point I had to bite my tongue to keep from laughing.

"I think we're out of that," he lied pathetically. I sneered and turned on my heal.

"I thought you might not have exactly what I'm looking for," I called over my shoulder as I walked through the door.

As soon as I was safely outside I chuckled at my own dastardly ways. I truly was a horrible person when I wanted to be and it really had been such a long time since I was able to be my old self.

'This isn't the real you' a little voice in my head chirped. I sighed in acknowledgement then tossed the voice away. I knew this wasn't the real me but if I was to be going back to school I would have to keep up appearances. So raking my hand through my long strands of silver hair I walked down the street to my next destination. However I couldn't help but notice how different everything seemed.

Several shops were closed and boarded up. Pictures of my Father and Aunt were on almost every single window as well as several other death eaters that were right now planning various attacks in my house.

I hesitantly brought my hood up to cover myself. I didn't notice how similar my father and me looked until now. I wasn't at school yet where Snape could protect me. I was out in the open where any passerby could turn me in and I would be shipped off to Azkaban faster then I could say 'innocent'.

Walking past Flourish & Blotts I noticed that it had a closed sign also hanging from the window.

"Damn," I cursed. Where was I going to get my needed schoolbooks now? But on closer inspection I noticed another sign under the doorknob reading:

Dark Establishment

Dark Items

This must have been what Snape had meant by changes. This had to mean that this store was now under the influence of the Dark Lord. I narrowed my eyes curiously and walked in, not sure what I was going to find.

The room was dim. The only light was coming from several floating candles. I squinted as I tried to make my way around the shop. How anyone was suppose to find a book in this poor lighting was beyond me.

"I was told I would see you today," A thin voice said from the shadows. I turned towards the source of noise, almost knocking a stack of tomes to the ground. "No need to be frightened, child." I visibly relaxed as a small woman with a huge hump on her back waddled out from behind the counter. She had been at the last gathering. Odd as it was, I felt strangely at ease with her here. I almost felt as if I was welcomed, or belonged.

"Here for your schoolbooks, I deduce?" I nodded and handed her my list. She looked over it with a sharp eye then thrusted the piece of parchment back into my hand. "Feel free to look around, I'm sure there is a book or two that will catch your eye." I didn't say a word, instead just turned and followed a staircase burdened with candles.

A memory of me walking down these stares while tearing a page from a book came to mind. It was my second year and I was reading up on basilisks. My father let slip that there was one hiding throughout the school pipes. I thought it would be smart to read up on them and be prepared if I ever came face to face with one.

I shook my head of my thoughts and continued up the stares till I found a small separate room with shelves upon shelves of books, just like downstairs but they seemed different…older perhaps.

I began to skim through some of the titles. A few of them I had heard of others I couldn't even pronounce. A few were in Latin but far more were in languages I had never seen before and weren't even sure if they were real.

Then one jumped out at me, not literally (some books can do that though) but it caught my eye. Probably because I could not read the title because it was so laden in dust but the burgundy spine with what would have been gold trim attracted me enough to open it and have a look.

I began to flip though the fragile pages, my fingers skimming over the worn text of each page, all the while wondering if any of these potions, curses, and droughts were ever going to become useful to my current predicament and me. Already, just from skimming through a couple of pages, I could tell that this book could be very disastrous if given to the wrong sort of person.

'I'm not the wrong sort of person,' I thought to myself as I kept flipping through the pages. My eyes skimmed various titles such as: Subsisto ut Nex, Vomica cruor in vena, and Ut subsisto pectus pectoris. All of these things would be very valuable for Voldemort to know. It would however help the other side also. 'If they weren't a bunch of honest, trustworthy, innocent Gryfindorks,' I snorted.

I was leaning towards buying this book when I turned the page and knew for certain that this book was the answer to my prayers.

Sitis of Abortio

My eyes widened as my mind translated the Latin to English.

"Drought of Miscarriage," I said under my breath as I began to read the ingredients and see if this potion was even possible.

Pickled testicle of weasel

Crushed cat liver – 2 tsp

Black bone shards of cat (preferably Siamese) – 1 cup

Chopped flax lint – 3 tbsp

Fluxweed – four preserved leaves

Anus of hare – cut in fourths before adding

Urine of wolf (preferably female) – 1 tbsp

Hellebore – 2 crushed leaves

I sighed in irritation after reading through the ingredients. Most of these were near impossible to acquire.

Fluxweed was practically considered endangered, hellebore was extremely dangerous to work with (If I wasn't careful I could kill Ginny if I brewed this one ingredient wrong.) And over half of the needed materials were considered dark and would be illegal for me (a death eater's son and student) to purchase. But all of this didn't matter. This was my one chance to set everything right. I tore the list of ingredients out and stuffed it in my pocket then slammed the book shut and shrunk it to fit in my pocket. I then set off to gather my schoolbooks and do the rest of my shopping. After all I had a lot to buy and a limited amount of time before I would have to get home.

"Didn't find anything to your liking?" The woman asked as I made my way downstairs.

"No," I lied as I fingered the book in my pocket. She gave me a curious glance but in the end handed me all of my books with a twisted smile that was meant to be pleasant, I imagined.

"Five galleons and three knuts." I handed her the money and turned to the door but was stopped by her wispy voice. "I imagine you'll have quite a time at Hogwarts this year. It should be a year to tell your children for ages to come, what with Purebloods taking hold of what's rightfully there's." I looked at her and took heed to her words but didn't say anything. Instead I just turned and fled from the strange bookstore.

It was odd at one time of my life this all would have been a dream come true but something seemed different. Something changed in my mind over the last year. I wasn't sure what it was, not yet anyways, but whatever it was, was definitely changing me and I believed this to be very dangerous especially this time in the battle.

Once outside, I took the time to look at my list. I imagined the best place to start would be in Knockturn alley. So placing my list back in the confidents of my robe and making sure my hood was safely covering much of my face, I steadily made my way down the cobblestone streets to the restricted alley.

I pulled my hood down lower as I passed what looked like a few second years. Their eyes scanned over me for a moment and they moved closer together but didn't seem to pay me much mind. I exhaled a breath I didn't know I was holding.

I felt like I was walking on eggshells around everyone I saw. I wondered if any of them knew what I had done or what I hadn't. Did they blame me? Were they silently judging? 'They don't know me, they don't know what I'm going through,' I thought as my eyes scanned to make sure no one was paying any particular attention to me as I entered the dodgy alley.

Right away I felt more at ease and yet I knew I didn't belong down here, not really. I had always felt weird walking through the shadows. With my pale skin and silver hair I practically glowed. But right now I was hidden by my dark cloak and would be seen as every other urchin and as horrifying as that thought, I felt pleasantly comforted that for once I would just blend in.

I passed a few stores, and stopped for a moment or two just to glance in the shop windows. One shop had a shocking display of spiders the size of pumpkins in a huge glass cage. I contained a gasp and silently wondered where they had found spiders that size then moved on to the next shop where candles of all sizes and shapes floated. Finally I came to the shop I had wanted: The Adders Fang. Snape had once doted on its fabulous selection of…unusual potion supplies. I knew I had a good chance of finding what I needed here.

I shuffled into the deserted shop, silent as a mouse and right away started to search for the first thing on my list- pickled testicle of weasel. I made a face as I wondered down the shelves. The things stuffed into various vials and jars were turning my stomach. I could have sworn I turned six shades of green when I passed a mutilated hippogriff head floating in a large container of yellowish liquid. I had just suppressed a gag when I heard a voice from behind me.

"Can I help you?" I turned and was met with a pair of cold black eyes that scanned over me. I swallowed hard and gathered all my courage, after all Snape had a colder gaze than this and I could always look him in the eye. Well almost always.

"Yes, actually I am looking for a few things." The man's eyes narrowed as he waited for me to continue. I dug out my list but kept it to myself. I would ask him for the hardest items to obtain then fend for myself with the rest. I didn't want to give away what I was doing. Miscarriage of any kind was illegal and I could get thrown in Azkaban for endangering a magical life, even if the life was an unborn fetus.

"Fluxweed, hellebore, and anus of hare." I muttered, pocketing the list once again. The man gave me a scrutinizing look.

"And what may I ask will you need with such unique and illegal ingredients." I scowled and told myself that I was a Malfoy and I would not stand for this.

"I don't think it is any of your business," I drawled, a smirk playing on the corners of my lips. "I was told that I would find what I needed here, but I see that I may be mistaken." I lowered my hood, chancing my appearance and family resemblance for some good fortune. After all, in the past, my father was always able to get what he wanted and needed with a well place smirk and cock of a brow. I didn't know if this was going to work anymore but it was worth a shot.

"Master Malfoy." he said, a hint of shock and desperation in his voice.

"Money won't be a problem, as you can see," I said tucking a strand of hair out of my eyes. "So is achieving these ingredients going to be feasible, or should I take my business elsewhere?"

"No, no," I raised my eyebrows. "I mean, I have exactly what you need, but I warn it is not a meager fee." He flashed a toothy sneer. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes and nodded in acceptance.

"I thought not." He bowed then walked to the back where I knew he kept his more exclusive inventory. While I waited I searched the remainder of the shelves. Right away I found shards of cat bone and cat liver. Both were fairly popular in potions and droughts, especially for shrinking solutions and aging potions.

Next I found weasel testicles. I was lucky too. It was the last one. I looked around a little more for the last things on my list but couldn't find them anywhere, which was odd since they were rather common in less dangerous potions. 'Probably why there not in here' I thought. Reluctantly, I ended my search and placed the wanted ingredients and waited for the shopkeeper to return.

After a few moments he came back into view with a small bag.

"Here you are, sir." I grabbed at the parcel and peeked in to make sure everything was accounted for. Everything seemed to be in order so I tied it back up and nodded my head once to show that I was content with what I saw.

"How much?" He looked at the rest of my items and took a moment to think about how much he was going to attempt to get out of me.

"280 galleons," I cocked a brow. That was a little much for a few potion ingredients even if a few were illegal but I wasn't in the mood to argue so I paid what he asked and not a sickle more. After all I did ask for a plant that was supposedly extinct, I supposed. But that was all they sympathy he was getting from me.

I walked out of the store, flipping my hood back over my head to hide my prominent features. Now to find the last two constituents. But where? The only other store that sold Potion Ingredients was Slugs and Jiggers and I had an inkling feeling that the storekeeper would not like to see me again after the way I treated him.

'What to do,' I asked myself. There was no way I was going to give up. Malfoy's didn't just give up. For Merlin's sake I was a Slytherin. I should be able to come up with a decent plan to get what I wanted.

In the middle of my brainstorm, I faintly heard my name being called. I scowled and wondered who would call me. 'Who would even know it was I under this cloak?' My face screwed up in confusion for a second before I turned around to face whoever had called me.

"I knew it had to be you. No other wizard in England owns a cloak as fine as yours." Pansy Parkinson, I should have known. I smirked as a plan formed and completed itself in my mind. I walked up to her, giving her a once over. 'Not bad'. Her pink colored lips turned up in a well-defined smirk as I finally met her azure eyes.

"It's been a while hasn't it," I asked, politely. She tilted her head in agreement.

"I wondered where you had been keeping yourself hidden this summer. I'm quite surprised to see you out in the open." She took a step towards me. She was always the first to make a move.

"Yes well, even common criminals find themselves yearning for a little fresh air."

"You, common?" She asked in feign shock. My lips twitched in amusement. I missed her quick wit and sarcastic remarks. It was somewhat refreshing to be around someone of my own kind. Someone that was just as cowardly and devious. "I dare say I have called you many things, but common has never been one of them."

"Your too kind," I smiled, actually smiled, and offered her my arm. After all, I was trying to be who I'm suppose to be. And who I was suppose to be was suppose to keep Pansy close.

She took another step forwards and snaked her arm around mine. It felt odd to have her touch me in such a familiar way. It was almost too familiar but it did let me pretend that last year didn't happen. She acted as if it was just another ordinary day. I wondered if she even noticed that we were at war. I didn't put it past her. For having such a quick tongue, she was never the brightest of witches. But her brains were not why I kept her around, quite the opposite actually. I was interested in her other assets.

Her long shapely legs, her thin physique, her ample breasts, her pert lips, her willingness to please, and above all else her gullible mentality. I could ask anything of her and without question she would do, truly only because she trusted me above all others.

I have no idea where she got the idea that I was one to be trusted, but it did come in handy. Countless times last year I had asked her to keep watch over the room of requirement and she did so without ever asking a single question from me. I smirked with the memory.

"What are you smirking about," she asked with a coy smile. I glanced down at her as we casually walked from out of the shadows and joined the inhabitants of Diagon alley.

"I have a favor to ask of you, love," I stated as I led her to the apothecary. She smiled up at me and I knew I didn't even have to explain what it was that I asked. She would jump off a broom if I told her she could fly without one. I knew it was cruel of me to think this way but I wasn't put in Slytherin for nothing.


To be continued!