Alice could remember the story her father would put her to sleep with. He would drag her onto his lap, ignoring her adamance that she was too grown-up for that, though deep down, he knew that she absolutely loved it. He would rock her, the exact moment at which she was to whisper, "Tell me the story, Papa."
"You wouldn't go to sleep after I tell you that."
"I won't be scared. Tell me."
Martin would settle her onto her bed and think deeply, not knowing how he always found the capacity to tell her such a torment he went through. Perhaps, it was because this story was his endearment to her.
OvO
When Dougal McGregor walked in to see chair floating in his room, it was possibly the worst moment in Martin's life. Dougal ferociously knocked over a table and the basket of fruits placed upon it rolled onto the ground. He had never seen his father like this. A handsome man now gone into a beast. "What is this? ANSWER ME."
Martin, with difficulty, grabbed a plate from the cabinet to shield his shrivelled face, but it shot out from his hands and gave Dougal a smack. Dougal was taking a step back, looking at his son like as if he was a fearsome creature. "I know what this is. It's witchcraft. Sorcery."
Martin found himself at the doorstep, screaming as his father pushed him further out of the cottage. "WHAT HAVE I DONE?"
"You have brought me too much shame," Dougal declared in a voice that had lost its confidence. All parts of the house were locked and after many failed attempts to break in, Martin wandered past the maize fields that he used to weed, which he never returned to.
He roamed the streets every day, tiptoeing to dig through trash bins for scraps. A girl a few years younger than him was kind enough to give him an unravelling piece of cloth. She bent down, to which he considered an exception amongst the many people who took pity on him. "I'm sorry, this is all I have."
"Why should you say sorry?" He could not believe his ears. He was having an actual conversation in such a long time. "I've never seen such kindness."
"Here, let me mend it for you." Without a thought she discreetly took out a strange, long, thin object, it seemed like a small branch to him. She softly uttered an incantation and he stifled a scream as the seams of the fabric wove back together by themselves.
"Are you…a witch?"
She realised her mistake and scolded herself under her breath. "I don't think it would harm to tell you. Magic exists." He wanted to ask her more questions, but she hurried off.
Years later, he was still homeless. He had at least managed to work as an odd job worker to keep himself alive and buy a flimsy pair of glasses. He could never figure out where to find this 'magic' group of people that he could belong to, until he had to fix the pavement in front of the Greengrasses' house. He swore that the grand structure of the house loomed over him in a snarky manner and he was certain its owners were probably no different.
He was smoothing cement, knees beginning to hurt, when he heard a bang that started off a row from within that house. He quickly stood up, nearly tearing his legs, running without thinking to the front of the house that had its door ajar.
"You think I'm not enough?" A ring clattered onto the ground and the young woman's dress had its stiches close to ripping apart. "That's why you brought her in, isn't it?"
"Look, I'm sorry. I'll get rid of her and everything will be fine again. And I'll let you do anything you want. You can run the household, make the decisions."
The woman sniffed and dotted her eyes with a handkerchief. "All right, then." She gave the man a suffocating hug that made Martin want to throw up. "And who are you?"
"Oh…erm…well." Martin stumbled up the stairs, straightening himself. "I'm sorry if this sounds strange, but do you…by any chance. You know…" Martin swished his arm in the air. "Do some magic of sort?"
The woman wrinkled her nose, "If it isn't obvious enough."
"Yes, if it isn't obvious," the man followed suit.
"I was just wondering," Martin leaned back and forth hopefully. "If you would be able to tell if I'm one of you. Like, part of this magic group."
"Do you know any spells?"
"No."
"Do you have a wand?"
"You mean the stick?"
The woman folded her arms, disgruntled. "Did you get a Hogwarts acceptance letter?"
"What is that?" Martin felt his voice get smaller.
"Well I'm most sorry, you can't possibly be a wizard." The couple shared a scornful smile. The woman twisted her hair, "And aren't you supposed to…go back and do that dirty work?"
Martin stood there, saying nothing, his fists clenching to supress himself.
OvO
"You just had to make me do something that I wouldn't want to do!" Draco could not care less about being dignified, shouting at his father was something he badly wanted to do.
"Draco, don't embarrass us in front of our guests." Lucius was tightly gripping Draco's shoulder. "My deepest apologies, Bilius."
"Not a problem. Say, you got any wine here?"
His daughter let out a frustrated snort and kicked hard against the floor. She then silenced herself and went back to sulking.
"Now, now Harriet." Bilius lowered his voice to what seemed to be a whisper for him, but anyone from far could easily overhear him. "You stop making this difficult for Mr Malfoy and I, then we'll get the gold from them."
"Can't you see?" Draco shoved at him. "He's just doing it for the wealth. And his daughter clearly doesn't want it and neither do I."
"No no no, that's not what you think." Bilius was visibly shaking.
"Of course not, Bilius. We place much more trust in you than that." Lucius snapped his fingers and a house-elf teetered over to get a bottle and a glass. "Do, Bilius, enjoy a drink. May you excuse my son and I for a moment?"
Bilius was not listening and dragged Harriet along with him. "Come and have a glass, Harriet. These Malfoys make fine produce, not everyday you get to have a taste of it."
Lucius pulled Draco aside with brute strength to a far corner and pressed him against the wall. Draco felt his arms go sore and he was struggling with much effort. Lucius was digging his fingers into his skin. "I promised you, I promised others, that this family will remain highly regarded in this wizarding society- "
"Then break it!"
"Really?" Lucius had a sneer so venomous that Draco could not stand it. "I'm afraid you'll have to live with it. Because I will never bring the shame upon this family. What's making you so…defiant? It couldn't possibly be someone who's influencing you in such a…if I have to say…disgusting manner- "
"She's not!"
Lucius raised an eyebrow and gave a warm smile that emitted coldness, "And just who are you referring to?"
"I- "
"Go on."
"I meant…Harriet."
Lucius let out a large breath in apparent disbelief. "Considering what you said before this, I find this fairly difficult to believe."
"I'll go out with Harriet, if that's what you want."
"If that is what you say…very well, then." Lucius remarked, smugly applauding himself.
OvO
"Ugh! Why are we here, at my cousin's shop? I didn't even want to go with you!"
"Can't you be quiet?"
"I hate you!"
"Maybe you could just shut up!" Draco was crouching at the back of the shop, which still had unfinished infrastructure.
Harriet leaned against one of the structures, pouting and impatiently drumming her fingers. "I'm waiting, and you still haven't told me why we're here. And that's why I hate-"
Draco was already tempted to throttle her. "We are here," Draco answered with little patience, "To wait for someone."
"I hate doing this and there's no point in it and I hate- "
"Just keep quiet! For once, okay? Merlin's beard, to think I thought Ron was bad."
"WHAT DID YOU SAY?! You know what, I HATE- "
Draco covered her mouth abruptly, "She's here."
Harriet let out a series of muffled sounds until she figured out that it was no use.
Draco peeked out of the corner furtively as Astoria passed by. "I knew it!" he unconsciously gave a victorious slap at Harriet, "She would definitely come here. It's the day before April Fools."
"Wow," Harriet answered dryly. "She's a brunette. Fascinating. I'm already starting to hate her- Hey!" Draco punched her in the ribs and Harriet lay on the ground, moaning. "I hate you!"
"We know that." Draco slowly made his way to the front of the shop.
"I'm so going to tell George about this. But he won't think it's true because he hates me and I hate him…"
"Astoria! Finally, here after so long!" Fred cried euphorically, nearly tumbling from the ladder he was standing on.
Astoria quietly laughed. "Any ideas for April Fools? I'm quite keen on prank Professor McGonagall, although I hope there won't be detention for that."
"As a matter of fact, I do." George swiftly jumped down, which he was normally too tired to do, dusting his hands. "There's so many things. In fact, I'll just put them in a bag for you. Free of charge!"
"Really?"
"REALLY?!" Harriet screeched and Draco frantically shushed her.
"Thanks a whole lot, George!" Astoria cheekily punched his arm and Draco was seething.
"Leaving as fast you go, don't you?" George teased.
"Yes, I'm hoping to make a quick visit to someone."
"Who?"
"Oh erm…a relative of a former friend of mine. It's hard to explain."
"Martin…" Draco muttered to himself.
"Your brunette's coming out! Are we moving, or not you stupid-" Harriet asked irritably, dragging him backwards.
"Quit it, Harriet."
"Don't you talk to me like that. Seriously, you are someone that I really hate." She flung out her arm to emphasize her point, knocking down a small wooden pole and that started a domino effect, causing the scaffolding to crash.
"What did you do?"
"What did you do?"
"I'm sorry Harriet, I'll just have to go without you. You explain to your cousin yourself."
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING? I HATE YOU!" Harriet helplessly gaped at Draco running off.
OvO
Draco checked his watch repeatedly while being squashed to the side by other wizards in the lift.
"Level two," the lift crisply announced and he rushed out, earning himself some annoyed glances.
It took him several turns before locating the sign—Prisons for those Detained. "Visiting which?" Draco looked around to find the source of the voice before realising he was supposed to look down. A goblin of smaller stature than most was clearly disgruntled about being overlooked for the umpteenth time.
"I'm visiting Mr Martin McGregor."
The goblin rummaged around and got out a ring of keys. "Category A. Prisoners deemed harmless. All the way down the corridor. He's the only one there."
Draco hurried into the room and closed the heavy door behind him.
Mould was creeping into the walls, which made the space feel tight. There were rows of empty cells that had their metal bars rusted and coated in dust.
"Draco? What on earth- "Astoria was standing in front of the last cell, momentarily taking her attention off the prisoner.
"Astoria look, I've been trying to find you and I'm sorry about what happened last time- "
"Why do you have to be here at this time?"
"Because I want you to know that I care about this and I didn't want you to go visit this prison alone- "
"How did you know that I was coming here?" Astoria was furiously yelling at him. "Why are you controlling me? Trying to control my life?"
"That's not what I meant!"
The door opened in a huff and the goblin was storming in. "Stop with the noise or else I'll have to- "
There was a deafening boom and the three of them were thrown to the ground, unmoving. Alice slid out from the small corner, "You didn't tell me that you still had your wand, Papa."
"They wouldn't think of it," Martin retorted as he adjusted his glasses. "They think that I'm some kind of Muggle. I wouldn't let them confiscate my wand if they did."
"Honestly Papa, you shouldn't have told me to hide when they were coming. I could have just taken them down immediately."
"I can't keep up with this act anymore."
"What do you mean?"
The aged man grunted and dropped a bottle of Polyjuice into her hand.