a/n: Ok, so I know that the last chapter wasn't my best, but I'm honestly disappointed that I didn't get at least a few reviews. This isn't the first chapter that's gotten no feedback either. I like this story and I have fairly big plans for the plot, but if it continues to get no reviews then I won't continue it. This is not a message of spite or a veiled threat, I just don't have time to spend on a story that nobody will read.

D: I do not own any Harry Potter copyrights.

Violet skirted the edges of the manor's lawn almost expertly; keeping to the shadows of the trees as she crept closer to the house. Her Uncle's study was located in the exact center of the manor; strategically placed so that the many esteemed guests that perused the halls would be able to see how normal and unsuspecting it was. If Violet had been trying to break in there then she would most likely fail; luckily for her then that that wasn't even close to her goal.

The orb she held so close to her chest was too large and sinister looking to ever earn a place in her Uncle's public display; its looks alone would get the manor raided within the week. Draco hadn't denied it when she asked if the orb had come from the private study; a fact that in itself decided where her next destination would be.

Reaching a small and well hidden glen, Violet emerged from the shadows only to bow deeply to the sole inhabitant of the clearing. The stone dragon bowed back just as deeply; moving back on petrified claws as the fountain basin it guarded opened to reveal downward spiralling stairs. Violet did not move, knowing that to do so would be fatal on her part. Her Uncle had made sure to make this complicated; though breaking into his private study was still easier than getting into his public one. It was a strange fact but she didn't have time to dwell on it now.

"Your question, Sir Dragon?" She intoned, making sure to keep her tone as polite and respectful as possible. The dragon guardian had a fearsome reputation of being easily angered, or so it was whispered among the manor's staff and residents. It wasn't an uncommon occurrence for maids to discreetly carry away whatever was left of the poor soul who had accidently angered the beast. That her far-from-polite cousin had been in and out so many times was truly a mystery.

"What should the world attain to be?" Came the gravelly voice, seemingly pleased with her meek actions.

"A world of wizards, Sir Dragon." Violet replied without hesitation, knowing that that too was part of the test. "Pureblood families who rule over both mudblood and muggle."

The Dragon nodded and then kneeled, stone scraping gravel as it pressed its face to the ground. Violet returned the nod once and then dashed for the steps; relieved as always that she hadn't messed up her Uncle's complex ritual.

Torches sprang to life the moment the entrance closed above her; the sudden illumination throwing flickering shadows along the stairway she now found herself descending. Like she remembered from the few times she had ventured here previously, the stairway led into a wide but short arching tunnel; the tunnel led into a gaping space only known to her as the Study.

Violet smiled as she took in the countless shelves of items that were both priceless and dangerous. There was a desk, well-polished and organized amidst the artefacts, but Violet ignored it; what her Uncle did was none of her business, she was here for the orb.

Speaking of which, there was a shelf nearby with a vacant cushion of the right size and density to hold her little burden. It wasn't very far from the entrance but she had suspected that; for all his talk, her cousin rarely showed the guts to go any farther than a few steps into his father's domain.

Running her fingers over the less harmful objects, Violet made quick work of replacing the orb and even quicker work of making it look untouched. Silently she cursed her cousin's stupidity; there were reasons she never took anything herself after all. Surely even Draco would have realized that spells would trace the theft back to him, or her now that she had taken it from him. She hoped her Uncle didn't look too closely, even she couldn't regather the dust this place seemed to collect after all; she was a witch, not a miracle worker.

Violet took a moment to step back when she was finally satisfied with her work; appreciating her efforts with a fine eye before heading back the way she had come. At the head of the stairs she rapped smartly on the stone roof above her, stepping back slightly as it opened to reveal the outside world.

Everything seemed to be going quite nice indeed until she saw what was waiting for her there.

A boy stood opposite from her as he prepared to bow to the stone dragon; his strange clothing basically screaming to the world that he was nowhere near her wizard stock. Violet felt her eyes widen as a new realization popped into her head; what was not a wizard was usually a muggle, and this muggle was about to do something very stupid.

"No!" She screamed, launching herself at the boy and throwing him to the ground. "What were you thinking?" She hissed, practically dragging the surprised boy away from the dragon's glen. "Don't ever bow to him!" She was shaking him now, completely ignoring that his expression had morphed from surprise to annoyance fairly quickly.

"Ger'off!" He let out with a snarl, pushing the smaller girl off him with a rough hand. Standing, he turned to glare at her heatedly as she did the same. "And why shouldn't I? He let you in."

Violet blinked, in her initial rush she had forgotten how little muggles really knew. Now that she thought about it though; they were supposed to be stupid. But if that was true then why did his glare seem anything but?

"Look bub," She started hotly, striding over to poke him in the chest. "It won't work for you. You're not a purebl-." Violet paused mid word; coming to the uncomfortable realization that a muggle wouldn't only not know what she was talking about, he wasn't supposed to either.

"Not a what?" The boy asked curiously, swatting her poking hand away rather than responding to it. When Violet stubbornly refused to elaborate however, he started to fill in the blanks himself.

"Is this about me not being a girl or something? Cuz' I don't buy it if it is, those boys that were chasing me got in and nothing happened to th-"

"Wait!" Violet cut in suddenly, forgetting her refusal to speak in light of what the boy just said. She looked up at him with both anger and disgust, though he was not the one she was disgusted at. "Did you say there were boys chasing you?"

The boy nodded. "They looked like you," He gestured at her dress robes like they were a disease before continuing. "They lost me," There was a sly grin at this, "and then came here."

Violet's expression darkened considerably at his words. It didn't take a genius to put two and two together; especially when Draco had mentioned muggles only hours before. He had failed to mention he had chased one; though, knowing her cousin, he probably hadn't seen the reason too.

"The orb I had earlier, did he have it?" She questioned, knowing the answer but still wanting to be sure. She wasn't surprised in the least when he nodded. Violet glowered, knowing now more than ever that she would eventually kill her cousin. How could he do this to a defenceless muggle who, though not as stupid as she had first thought, still had no way to defend himself.

Her scowl only deepened as she turned to face the boy once again. Had Draco known what he had seen? Probably not, her cousin and his friends could be rather dense, but it still posed a problem. Could she get arrested just because he had seen the episode with the dragon statue? If so then there was no way that she was taking chances.

"Go home." She told him bluntly, "Leave and don't come back. You shouldn't be here anyway, it's private property."

The boy didn't budge, his glare returning as he processed this new turn of events. "No. Not until I know why I couldn't bow."

Violet repressed a sigh, so he was returning back to that train of thought? He was persistent, she'd give him that much. There was no reason why she couldn't tell him that much at least though. Who knew, it might just happen to be the thing that motivated him to do what she said.

She turned straight on her heel, making eye contact before she said in the most intimidating voice that she could muster. "If you had bowed to that dragon, he would've killed you."

It worked, the boy gulped and took a hesitant step back. One step multiplied into many and then he was gone; off and running by the thought of how close his death could have been.

Violet watched the muggle go with wistful eyes. She felt terrible for being so blunt but there was something else there too; this conversation seemed to have sparked something within her. Muggles were nowhere near as dumb as she had been led to believe; she realized with muted wonder. This boy had definitely been smarter than an animal; he would've never relented to being tamed or dressed up.

It sparked her curiosity and, despite her warnings; made her want to see him again.