CHAPTER 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter

AN: I guess not many people care, but I'd like to say that I'm sorry that this chapter took so long to upload, and is quite short. Basically, I had all my midterms this week, since the semester ends in two days. Thanks to the three people that still follow this!

Fucking hell, we look like friends, don't we? Old chums sitting down together for a nice drink. Draco grimaced. That's a funny notion - Potter and I as besties.

"Hey, Potter, I'm going to look around, ok? They say that Russia has a place like Diagon Alley that sells amazing, err, ice cream," Draco rushed. Harry gave him a look. He seemed to know that Draco wanted to get away from him.

"Oh, go on then," Harry said, lazily pointing to the exit. "I'll just meet up with you and Hermione later. Going to see if I can find a present to bring Ginny and Ron."

Draco grinned. "The Weaslette? Are you two together yet?"

Harry blushed. "Well, I mean we aren't that serious yet."

"Mm, hmm," Draco hummed.

If it were possible, Harry's got redder. It's almost the color of the Weasel's hair.

"Just go, already, would you?" Harry sputtered out.

"As the lady wishes," Draco replied, teasingly, and then left. Harry remained at the bar, and took a big swig of his drink. Better stock up on alcohol, he thought. Especially if I'm going to be working with Malfoy.

Draco peered into the shop window. He had arrived in the marketplace, and saw a hoard of people around it. The shop was currently selling the Nimbus Zero, a broom that was more advanced than any other broom sold before. It had a sleek but simple design - a smooth light mahogany brown wood, with a strip of black and gold at the end. The broom boasted a superior flying experience.

"Oh, gosh, I really wish I could get one of these! Too bad that the price is more than I make in an entire year!" A red-headed girl in a green cap said to her friend next to her.

Draco looked down at the price tag. 1 million galleons? Maybe I should buy Blaise this… Christmas is coming soon…. But with the amount of money I currently have, that'd take me a lifetime to buy it… Reminds me of when I used to be able to buy these items without a second thought.

He hurried away, not wanting to dwell in the past anymore.

Just as he left the window, he heard a man's voice from the dark alleyway he was beside. Draco was tempted to just walk past, and ignore it, but his inner conscience rebelled. At this rate, I'll become a Gryffindor, just like Saint Potter.

Draco took a deep breath, and entered the small space. He saw a rugged-looking man with tattered clothes next to a girl pinned against the wall.

Draco crept up behind a trash can and took out his hand. He pointed it steadily at the man and was about to cast a spell, when the girl suddenly stood up and sent a jinx at the man. Holy fuck. It's Granger. Draco immediately thought. Then - she knows wandless and wordless spells?

Before Draco could reach out to Hermione though, she had already apparated away.

Harry was really drunk. Currently, he was blabbing away to the man next to him.

"Ya know, I miss my girl back from England. I kissssed some-un else though," Harry slurred. "I'll lose 'er, won't I? I can see it allllready. 'Golden boy dumped'."

The man next to him grinned. Harry couldn't see that because of his current state of mind, but, even if he was sober, the stranger's face was hidden by a black hood. "So, then, Harry Potter, why don't you tell me about why you're here," the mystery man said.

Harry sighed. "Top secret miss eeennn," he said in a whiny voice, then passed out. The cloaked man took out his wand and looked around. No one seemed to be paying him any attention. He grabbed Harry and waved at the barkeep. "Hey, I'll be taking my leave now, my friend here can not hold his liquor for his life. Thanks for the drinks." The barkeep nodded and waved back. He found it strange that the man had called the two of them friends, since he was pretty sure that the two hadn't come in together. He shrugged, it wasn't like the man was stealing some famous celebrity or something.

Draco and Hermione met up with the Minister. They waited for 30 minutes, before getting suspicious about the fact that Harry hadn't showed up.

"Harry's not that responsible, but I don't think he would would be this late to an important meeting," Hermione said. She bit her lip nervously. "What if he's hurt?"

Draco laughed. "Potter's an Auror, Hermione, he wouldn't just let his guard down."

Hermione stayed silent, but still looked worried.

Abram sighed. "I'm sorry, but I really can't wait any longer for your friend. Would you like to meet the person I was talking about now?"

Draco nodded, while Hermione still hesitated. The two men looked at her. "I just… feel like Harry's in trouble." She looked at Draco. "Maybe we can go try and find him after this meeting."

It sounded like a good plan to him. Abram led them to a small room. Perhaps, it wasn't such a small room, but there was a piano jammed in there too.

A dark-skinned man was looking over a file in a miniscule chair in the edge of the room. He grinned as Hermione and Draco walked in.

Draco took a double take when he was the man, and then grinned broadly.
"Where have you been all these years?"