so listen up, cause this ones all about the game we play.
you made the rules and we obeyed.
and if we change then you will only feel betrayed.
and you might never understand just how.
we can progress if you invest in the unchanged.
cause it's so safe to stay the same, but i refuse.
and as long as i exist i must resist it.
but i know i'm bound to lose... cause.
you sold control, how could you know?
went with the flow but are you where you wanna be?
i don't wanna be part of the well behaved.
you can't fight the system when you got no rage.
and i'm not willing to give it all away.
I don't wanna be part of the well behaved
I miss that good old fashioned chaos.
Don't wanna be another boring story
Well I miss DEATH OR GLORY…
October 30th Sun, 10PM
Lovegood Mansion, Jenny's Bedroom
Draco and I sat on the bed, piles of notes, photos and police reports spread around us. The information was pretty thin but interesting nonetheless. Looking at the pictures of the smoldering ruins of my home was a little disconcerting but Draco quickly averted my attention to another page of notes and I eagerly threw myself into the task at hand.
The folder that interested me the most was the one Khalida had given me concerning Charles Smith. As I flipped through the various scribbled notes and copies of legal paperwork a strange feeling began squirming its way into the front of my mind. It was if there was something right in front of me, screaming to be noticed and I just couldn't figure out what it was.
I stared at the copy of Smith's driver's license and then picked up the torn page from an old college yearbook. In the middle of the page was a picture of Smith taken the year he graduated. He had brown hair cut short to his head and piercing brown eyes. His lips were pursed together forming a tight smile. All in all his appearance seemed almost identical as the first time I'd seen him.
"Draco," I said slowly, "did the Daily Prophet ever publish a picture of Charles Smith?" Draco thought about my question for a moment before answering.
"Not that I can remember," he replied, "Smith was quite the hermit. The ministry is probably the only place that would have any information about him."
"So you've never seen him then?" I asked in surprise.
"I think I saw him once but I don't really remember what he looked like," he answered doubtfully, "I can recall that I thought he seemed incredibly average. Why do you ask?"
"Hmmm?" I mumbled absentmindedly as I looked up from the photo in front of me. The picture had drawn all of my attention away. "There's something about this photo," I muttered, "Something doesn't seem right about it."
"Other than the fact that it doesn't move," Draco responded as he leaned over to peer at the image in my hands, "it looks like a normal photograph to me."
"I don't know…" my voice trailed off as I held the image up in front of me. I folded the page so Smith's photo was at the edge of the page. I slowly raised the copy of Smith's driver's license and lined up the yearbook photo so that both pictures sat side by side.
Gasping in surprise I searched for the date of birth on the license. The thoughts in my head began to swim as I stared at the numbers in front of me. There was no way it could be true, just no way. I read the words scribbled above the image of the license. "Date renewed – October 31st, 2017"
"This cannot be true!" I exclaimed loudly as Draco gave me a puzzled look.
"What is it?" he asked curiously.
"This," I said as I shook the papers I was holding, "According to this Charles Smith was born on Halloween in the year…1960."
"So, what's the big deal?" Draco asked in confusion, "That would make him about 58 tomorrow, right?"
"Yeah," I replied with a nod, "but this yearbook page is from 2005."
"So he was 45 when he graduated from college," Draco said thoughtfully, "That's not really a surprise is it? If he started school after he left London then the year doesn't sound too far off."
"It's not that," I growled, "It's the pictures. Look at the pictures." Draco plucked the two pages away from me and studied them for a moment. He gave me a confused look and I pointed to the words revealing the date the picture on the license was taken. Draco stared at it a moment longer before his eyes widened in surprise.
"This can't be true," he stated as he stared at the photos disbelievingly, "He looks exactly the same."
"I know," I replied shakily, "and I still remember what he looked like the last time I saw him and he looked exactly the same as he did when those pictures were taken."
"But that means…"
"That means Charles Smith is fifty-eight years old and as far as we know he hasn't aged a day since he left the wizarding world," I stated, finishing the thought for him.
"But that's not possible," he stammered, "even for a wizard or even for a really, really powerful wizard that's not bloody possible!"
"Apparently it is," I said as I motioned toward the two pictures, "Unless you have a way to explain this?" Draco stared at the pictures for a moment longer before shaking his head and handing them back to me.
"What we really need," I stated, partially to myself, "is some information on Smith from when he was still part of the wizarding world, a picture would really help."
Draco fell backwards into the thick black comforter with a frustrated sigh. His blonde hair splayed out around him and he bit his bottom lip as he became lost in his thoughts. Without giving him time to register what I was doing I pushed the pile of papers away and lay down next to him, resting my head on his shoulder and throwing an arm over his chest. For a few minutes he didn't seem to notice my presence but soon I felt a warm arm come up around my back as a hand latched onto my waist.
"So, any ideas yet?" I asked curiously as I looked up at him. He shook his head absentmindedly before his lips turned up in a wide grin.
"I know the perfect thing to help me think though," he stated evilly.
"And what would that be?" I asked in an innocent tone, one eyebrow rising questioningly.
"A good snogging session always did wonders for clearing my mind," he stated adamantly.
"Well then Mr. Malfoy," I replied with a snort as I quickly shifted my weight so I was lying on top of him. His eyes widened in surprise at my actions and I knew he sure hadn't been expecting that. "I think it's time for a lesson in…what's it called…o yes…occlumency." Draco's eyed widened further as he opened his mouth to respond but a pair of lips hushed him quickly.
The kisses started out sweet and shy but soon turned passionate and feverish as Draco and I both pushed all of our stress and frustration into our actions. I barely registered Draco picking up his wand and securing the door with a locking charm. I pulled away briefly and gave him a questioning look.
"To keep out nosey vampires," he stated as he nuzzled against my neck. I shivered in response and shook my head in amusement.
"That won't keep her out you know," I replied with a smirk.
"I know," he said as his hands worked their way under my t-shirt and onto my back. "But at least it will slow her down some." I chuckled in response and dove back in for another kiss.
There was something odd about kissing Draco Malfoy. It wasn't bad, but definitely odd. His lips seemed dangerous and untamed, almost as if I could feel his soul stirring each time his mouth met my own. And then it happened, a thought burst into my mind and I quickly pushed myself off of Draco. I ran across the room to the desk and pulled out a piece of parchment and my writing pen.
"What?" Draco asked in surprise as he jumped up from the bed, "Did you hear something? What's wrong? Is it Khalida?" He furiously ran his hands over his hair and robes as he attempted to school his expression into one of complete innocence.
"No," I replied absentmindedly as I hunched over the piece of parchment in front of me, "but your method worked, I had an idea."
"O and what was that?" he asked curiously as he strolled across the room to stand behind me.
"If the ministry has information on Charles Smith," I replied as I finished the letter and haphazardly shoved it into an envelope. "Then we'll have to get that information somehow."
"And how are we going to get it?" Draco grumbled, "Neither one of us would be able to get within ten feet of the place without being arrested and it's not as if we have any friends there."
"Are you kidding?" I asked mockingly, "We know the Minister himself."
"There is no way that Arthur is…" his voice trailed off as I shoved the envelope into his hand. He read the name on the outside and smirked in approval.
"How do you know she'll help?" he asked.
"She will," I assured him sternly, "She has to." We both glanced back down at the envelope in his hand and the name written in bright, red ink on the cover, Ginny Weasley, the daughter of the Minister of Magic and unknown to all but me, third in command of Harry Potter's Brotherhood of Eanna.
It was becoming easier to call upon the help of others, my allies. I knew the Dementors were mine to command, as frightening as the idea was to me. I also knew that the snakes would come to my aid if I ever needed them too. As I watched Draco leave with the letter to Ginny I wondered how many more friends and allies would cross my path in the weeks to come. Would they outnumber my enemies? Would they fight by my side if I needed them to?
Those questions bothered me. It wasn't that I couldn't answer them; it was as if I didn't want to. I didn't want to begin strategizing or planning because I knew where it would lead. The scratching was back in the back of my mind and something laying dormant deep inside me gave a sharp tug on my senses as if it was trying to remind me that it was there.
Analyzing the number of friends and allies I had would lead to studying possible situations. Studying possible situations would lead to theorizing outcomes. Theorizing outcomes would…well, I didn't really want to even get to that point. It was too late though, this I knew for certain. Even though my heart was screaming out to me that it was good to have friends and people to help, my mind new exactly what was going on. It was inevitable.
I was gathering my forces.