Draco Malfoy and the Chamber of Secrets. Book 2.
Draco had been dragged to Uncle Severus's house, a place he had only been to a few times before. His father dropped the books and discarded his travel robe. "Draco, I will only be a moment. Just stay in here."
Draco heard Snape call out, and the two man began to talk about what had transpired at the bookstore. Ignoring their muffled voices, Draco peered around the room. The home was much smaller then ANY part of Malfoy Manor, but it seemed to fit Snape.
He looked around seeing portraits along the walls, moving photographs and small trinkets. Draco smiled seeing a framed picture of Lucius and Severus at his father's graduation. The tall blond was cheering and every once in a while Snape would dive into Lucius's arms and they would spin around. He looked to the paintings, not seeing anyone who looked like Snape. Draco had never met Snape's parents, but if they were anything like his own grandfather he would rather not know them.
A large bookshelf of rare and old books was adjacent to a large window, which displayed the world outside. It was jinxed to create different environments with a click of a button, the shades coming down and raising again to display a new window view.
Draco settled into a chair, waiting for his father. Draco was upset to say the least. It wasn't fair, Harry wasn't being fair. How could he sit there and shake Lockhart's hand, but not his! Lockhart was a egotistical jerk, at least Draco had enough pride to introduce himself properly. Why did Harry constantly reject him, but still reply to his letters. Did he think it was funny to lead Draco on, did Harry laugh about it with his friends?
Severus came into the room where Draco was sitting next to the fire place. "Ah… Draco, I hear things got a bit out of control."
Lucius came in behind Snape, his face healed and looking refreshed. Severus closed a book on his desk, looking down at Draco. "Did you need any healing?"
Draco rubbed his head, noticing a bump. Suddenly his mind raced to Harry standing over him, shielding him from the onslaught of books. "Uh… no, I think I'm alright." He said, smiling to himself.
Lucius motioned for Draco to get in the nearby fireplace, "Severus, I shall expect to see you soon."
"Of course, and Draco…" Severus smiled softly at him, "I'll see you at school."
The days leading up to his departure Draco noticed that Narcissa seemed more distant from Lucius. She left the room when he would join them for afternoon tea, she would feign a headache after dinner, she even seemed to avoid portraits of her husband. Draco had always known that parents having separate bedrooms was not common, but with a man such as Lucius who was constantly coming home late in the night from work, it was better to have his own room. Now Draco wondered if they ever shared anything anymore. He knew it was up to him to get them on good terms before he went to school, or else they might stay mad at each other over the whole year.
On the last night at home, Draco's meal comprised of all of his favorites. Dobby had especially gone out of his way to make a Sheppard's pie worthy of his master. As Draco ate he casually brought up the long gown he had seen in one of the windows at Diagon Alley. "Really mother I'm sure that you'd look wonderful in it, wouldn't she father?"
Lucius looked up from his meal, and smiled at Narcissa, "Of course Draco, your mother would look stunning in anything she wears."
Narcissa seemed to warm slightly, but said nothing.
"Mother, I would love for us ALL to go to a Quidditch tournament sometime. You had such wonderful stories of the times Slytherin played in your days at Hogwarts." Draco said, watching as his mother grew more interested in conversation.
"Yes, Quidditch was fun to see. Though, I must admit, the brutal sport was much more enjoyable when I was not expected to keep a certain level of dignity." She sipped her drink.
Lucius chuckled, "Now, Cissa, jumping up and down, yelling that the referee should get his eyes plucked out is VERY lady like."
Narcissa looked slightly ashamed, but smiled at her husband, "You weren't much better. I do recall a game or two that your face did get a bit red from screaming."
"It's a sport that never disappoints. I shall get us a box seat for the next season, I think we might have a spot of fun." Lucius said, his hand reaching over to his wife's. Narcissa seemed a bit shocked at the touch, but smiled at the man.
Draco's face brightened seeing his parents getting along again, gave him hope that maybe things would begin to cheer up in Malfoy Manor.
The next morning Draco had everything packed and ready to go, his storage of Harry Letters safely tucked away in his trunk. Rancor pecked at the meat in his food dish, dreading the cage he was going to be forced into. He squawked loudly as Draco picked him up by his torso, his wings covered by Draco's hand, and thrust into the large cage.
"Master need anything before he goes to Hogwarts?" Dobby asked, pulling on a bandage.
"No Dobby, I think I'm ready to go." Draco tucked his latest letter in his pocket, to read again on the train. "Oh, Dobby I finally get to see him again. He's written that he will be waiting in a car by himself, so we might have a few minutes to talk proper."
"Harry Potter is still going to Hogwarts?" Dobby asked, his face full of surprise.
"Why wouldn't he…" Draco bent down, "Dobby… have you been doing something that I should know about?"
Dobby bit his lip, his eyes growing wide. "Dobby's been good sir, haven't told anyone about the letters. Dobby's kept it secret. Dobby will keep it secret."
Draco's eyes searched the House elf's face, knowing there was something more the creature wasn't telling him, but before he could ask Dobby anymore about it, his mother called. "Draco… the carriage is here."
Draco took one last look around his room, gave Dobby a quick pat on the head, and joined his parents in the carriage. Crabbe and Goyle met him quickly, and with a small wave he gave his last goodbyes to his parents. They were standing close, not touching, but still it was something.
Goyle smirked at his friends, "I heard Golden Boy got into a bit of trouble."
Draco raised an eyebrow, "Trouble?"
"Yeah, apparently he's been casting magic, got a letter and everything." Goyle chuckled, "Too bad it wasn't a howler."
Crabbe snickered as well, but Draco just seemed more curious then anything else. "I wonder what he did." They looked at him, "I mean, really, the git can barely cast a lumos, let alone anything useful."
Draco took his seat in their usual compartment, and at exactly 12:50, he got up to meet Harry in the compartment they had agreed to. It was stuffy compartment, one that the Weasley twins had thrown a stink bomb in that never truly got the smell out. No one used it if at all possible, leaving it empty most of the time.
He opened it to find it empty, but shrugged it off and sat inside, waiting for Harry to join him. It seemed like almost thirty minutes went by before he heard the door open. "About time Po-" He looked over to see Hermione Granger, seemingly out of breath, her hair more wild then usual.
"Granger." Draco said curtly, "What's got you in a hurry?"
She seemed to begin slamming the door, but thought better of it. "Have you seen him?"
"Who?" Draco asked.
"Harry!" She yelled, seemingly frustrated.
"Potter? Why would I care where the Golden Boy is?"
She huffed again, this time actually slamming the door. Draco followed after her, "Wait."
She turned, looking angrily at Draco. "Harry and Ron, I can't find either of them, I don't expect you had anything to do with it?"
Draco sneered, "No… can't say I have. Though if I did do something with Harry, I would have left him in a trunk at the station." He smiled, his eyes cold to the mudblood.
She faked smiled, "Well isn't that just great. Don't mind if I still take a look then?"
Draco shrugged turning to go back towards Crabbe and Goyle's car, "be my guest Granger, though maybe they both ran out on you." He shot her back a smile, "They might have gotten too irritated with your know-it-all attitude." He laughed as he clenched her fist again, throwing open the next car door.
At school it was no better, Hermione sat alone at the Gryffindor table, instead of being flanked by her two friends. She seemed worried, and even through the sorting hat ceremony she looked around for her friends.
Draco yawned as the ceremony seemed to draw out. Draco looked over to see what Severus was doing to take up the time, seeing the chair empty. Snape, had in fact, left to get his newspaper, where he had been reading an article about the use of wolf's bane in high concentration for werewolves. Having had his own hand in the creation, he was interested in the effects of such a study.
As Snape began his walk back to the great hall he saw a very disheveled Ronald Weasley and Harry Potter tugging their luggage. They opened the doors.
"Hang on…" Harry muttered to Ron. "There's an empty chair at the staff table… Where's Snape?"
"Maybe he's ill!" said Ron hopefully.
"Maybe he's left," said Harry, "because he missed out on the Defense Against Dark Arts job again!"
"Or he might have been sacked!" said Ron enthusiastically. "I mean, everyone hates him —"
"Or maybe," said a very cold voice right behind them, "he's waiting to hear why you two didn't arrive on the school train."
Snape glared at the boys, it was one thing to have been thirteen and being told that everyone hated him, but as an adult he took the insult a bit too bluntly. These boys would be punished for their insubordination, "Follow me."
Not daring even to look at each other, Harry and Ron followed Snape up the steps into the vast, echoing entrance hall, which was lit with flaming torches. A delicious smell of food was wafting from the Great Hall, but Snape led them away from the warmth and light, down a narrow stone staircase that led into the dungeons.
"In!" he said, opening a door halfway down the cold passageway and pointing.
They entered Snape's office, shivering. The shadowy walls were lined with shelves of large glass jars, in which floated all manner of revolting things Harry didn't really want to know the name of at the moment. The fireplace was dark and empty. Snape closed the door and turned to look at them.
"So," he said softly, "the train isn't good enough for the famous Harry Potter and his faithful sidekick Weasley. Wanted to arrive with a bang, did we, boys?" Severus threw down his newspaper, his memories of James Potter's exploits with the damn tree making him even more angry.
"No, sir, it was the barrier at King's Cross, it —"
"Silence!" said Snape coldly. "What have you done with the car?" Severus's hands slammed on the desk.
Ron gulped. Severus threw open today's issue of the Evening Prophet. "You were seen," he hissed, showing them the headline: FLYING FORD ANGLIA MYSTIFIES MUGGLES. Severus began to read aloud: "Two Muggles in London, convinced they saw an old car flying over the Post Office tower… at noon in Norfolk, Mrs. Hetty Bayliss, while hanging out her washing… Mr. Angus Fleet, of Peebles, reported to police… Six or seven Muggles in all. I believe your father works in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office?" Snape said smugly, looking up at Ron. "Dear, dear… his own son…"
Severus thought to himself how kindly he would be rewarded for slandering the Weasley name, once Lucius heard all about this little endeavor.
"I noticed, in my search of the park, that considerable damage seems to have been done to a very valuable Whomping Willow," Snape went on.
"That tree did more damage to us than we —" Ron blurted out.
"Silence!" snapped Snape again. "Most unfortunately, you are not in my House and the decision to expel you does not rest with me. I shall go and fetch the people who do have that happy power. You will wait here."
Severus grinned as he left his office, finally Harry Potter would torment him no more. These memories he had been burying would finally stop reemerging with every look of those green eyes.
Severus went to the Great Hall, pulling Minerva aside, whispering into her ear the seriousness of the situation. She seemed to boil over as she followed Snape to his office.
Harry had seen Professor McGonagall angry on several occasions, but either he had forgotten just how thin her mouth could go, or he had never seen her this angry before. She raised her wand the moment she entered; Harry and Ron both flinched, but she merely pointed it at the empty fireplace, where flames suddenly erupted.
"Sit," she said, and they both backed into chairs by the fire.
"Explain," she said, her glasses glinting ominously.
Ron launched into the story, starting with the barrier at the station refusing to let them through.
"— so we had no choice, Professor, we couldn't get on the train."
"Why didn't you send us a letter by owl? I believe you have an owl?" Professor McGonagall said coldly to Harry.
"I — I didn't think —" Harry tried to stutter out.
"That," said Professor McGonagall, "is obvious."
There was a knock on the office door. Surely this would settle things once and for all.
Harry's whole body went numb. Dumbledore was looking unusually grave. He stared down his very crooked nose at them, Severus had seen that look before, and knew just how upset the old man could get.
There was a long silence. Then Dumbledore said, "Please explain why you did this."
They did once more, Harry Potter unable to look the Head Master in the eye. Severus almost felt bad for them, ALMOST.
"We'll go and get our stuff," said Ron in a hopeless sort of voice.
"What are you talking about, Weasley?" barked Professor McGonagall.
"Well, you're expelling us, aren't you?" said Ron.
Harry looked quickly at Dumbledore.
"Not today, Mr. Weasley," said Dumbledore. "But I must impress upon both of you the seriousness of what you have done. I will be writing to both your families tonight. I must also warn you that if you do anything like this again, I will have no choice but to expel you."
Snape looked as though Christmas had been canceled. Severus cleared his throat and said, "Professor Dumbledore, these boys have flouted the Decree for the Restriction of Underage Wizardry, caused serious damage to an old and valuable tree — surely acts of this nature —"
"It will be for Professor McGonagall to decide on these boys' punishments, Severus," said Dumbledore calmly. "They are in her House and are therefore her responsibility."
He turned to Professor McGonagall. "I must go back to the feast, Minerva, I've got to give out a few notices. Come, Severus, there's a delicious-looking custard tart I want to sample-"
Snape shot a look of pure venom at Harry and Ron as he allowed himself to be swept out of his office, leaving them alone with Professor McGonagall, who was still eyeing them like a wrathful eagle.
Severus walked with his mentor, " Albus, do you really think this fair? As I recall it was not up to me that Alistair McRoy was expelled."
"That was different Severus, he broke school rules and endangered many of this school."
"How is crashing a car into school grounds, NOT endangering students?"
Albus raised his eyebrow at the man, nodding slightly, "You forget Severus, that Alistair was given one last chance before he was expelled."
Severus sneered, looking away. "He wasn't allowed that chance, those boys wouldn't give him a chance."
"I know you had a soft spot for that child. He was very much like you, when you were a student here." Albus put a hand on the tall man's shoulder. "He's grown to be a fine young man. Those who tormented him here have no place in his thoughts now. Severus, do you really wish me to send Harry Potter somewhere else?"
Severus turned looking seriously at Dumbledore, "Wouldn't he be safer?"
The Head Master shook his head, "Here is where he shall remain, where we can all keep an eye on him to keep him safe." Albus turned to the Great hall doors, "I CAN still trust you, Severus?"
Snape glared at the old man, but said nothing more.
When Draco heard that Harry had driven a flying car into Hogwarts he almost fell out of his seat. "He did what!"
Goyle passed him the newspaper, and Draco had to push heads out of the way to read the breaking news. Harry had a LOT of explaining to do.
AN: Wow, this chapter took me a while longer to do. I hope that you have enjoyed this chapter, though it isn't quite as original as I would have liked, I think it brings across some of what Severus and Draco might have been feeling at the time. Narcissa is hard to write for, because she didn't have too much to do with the books, but I hope that no one is offended with the personality I give her. Alistair is not a real character. If there are any minor corrections, for example if I write someone's last name wrong or anything like that please send me a message and I will correct it! ^_^ Please let me know if you've enjoyed book 2 so far!