Hello again, my loyal readers! This is InfiniteInspirit. Thank you to those who reviewed, I am grateful for you!
I have recently arrived at the university I am exchanging at for one semester. Please bear with me, I will not have a lot of free time for the next few months so I would not expect an update for some time. Everything is very unfamiliar here (including the language) and I am taking some tough classes as well.
After a tense ending in the last update, I bring you the fourth chapter of Sight Can Be Deadly! At last, the Triwizard Tournament begins! Hopefully most of you know enough about the Tasks to get by, as I will mainly be focusing on behind the scenes interactions. Hopefully you will be kept on the edges of your seats!
As always, please let me know if you have any questions or spot any mistakes. I would also love to hear your impressions of any characters and if you thought something was unclear or needs to be explained more in a later chapter.
Enjoy, lovelies! And please leave me a review, I do so enjoy reading them ^^
…
Charlie´s mind was reeling after the influx of information Draco had just spouted at him. He carefully sank back into a seat, away from Draco. The boy may be younger than him and quite small physically, but his presence was overpowering Charlie at the moment due to the ferocity of his words. In fact, it felt rather akin to one of the dragons shooting a few spurts of flames in his direction, and the heat forcing him to back up and give some space.
Realizing how forceful he was being, Draco quickly composed himself and sat a few feet away from Charlie, mentally scolding himself. Now that you practically yelled in his face for ten minutes, of course he will agree with you! Oh, well done Draco, you stupid wanker…
Contrary to his expectations, Charlie didn't immediately tell him how rude he was or storm away, so that was something at least. In fact, his expression was unexpectedly pensive, as if Draco had not just criticized everything that his family held dear.
"Draco…wow." Running a shaky hand through his hair, Charlie chuckled. "How long have you been holding that rant in?" Draco opened his mouth to apologize but Charlie waved it off. "Relax, it's fine. I am not mad. Actually, you losing your cool has convinced me that this is something I will have to look into. If it is really as bad as you say, then something needs to be done." He folded his hands and rested his elbows on his knees, leaning forward. "Even if my family doesn't exactly agree."
Checking the time quickly, Draco made sure he wasn't in danger of missing Double Potions. He still had plenty of time to spare. He waited for the elder Weasley to continue speaking.
Charlie sighed heavily. "I guess, to answer your original question, if I research this and find out that everything you told me is correct, then…yes, I am willing to abide by your decision, even if my conscience tells me it is wrong. I can't promise not to question you if I think you are out of line, but I think we can work it out together and make sure everything gets sorted."
Draco nodded in agreement. "I think that's acceptable. I have no doubt that your findings will coincide with mine, so I will leave the investigation into my claims to you. In the meantime, though, we need to figure out who the Death Eater is that is interfering in the Tournament. Being involved in the inner workings of the Tournament, you will have more chances to do so than I will. The first matter that we need to take care of is making sure that you are around for each task. I know you are here because of the dragons, but they likely won't ask you back for the next few tasks. You need to ensure they do, somehow. Use Dumbledore if you have to, just don't explain your motivation. Obviously if we are going to stop this, according to my vision you have to be around to help me." Draco paused, eyes seeming thoughtful. "Do you think there are any others in your family who could be persuaded to help you? The twins, perhaps?"
Charlie shrugged. "It is entirely possible, but those two are pretty unpredictable. After I do some research, I can show it to them and see what they say. Ginny might come around, too, but I am afraid she is too enamored with Harry at the time to go against Dumbledore."
Draco nodded. "Do that as well, then. I need people in all houses and I have no doubt that Gryffindor is rather closed to me currently." He paused. "You can trust Viktor Krum; he knows I am a Seer. All the Champions except Potter know, actually. If they can be of use to you, feel free to involve them. Just don't tell them why they are in danger. I didn't really share any details with them about the events of the Tournament." Time will tell if you betray my trust or if you are actually on my side, Charlie Weasley.
Draco stood, and strode to the window, sunlight hitting his figure and bathing his white-blonde hair in its warm rays. The Malfoys had always been a gorgeous family, and Draco was no different. A sudden grimace crossed the young Slytherin's face, marring his features. "As much as I loathe admitting it, once you have collected the research it would probably be wise to inform Granger as well. I have no desire or hope that the Golden Trio will turn against Dumbledore, but at least this might prevent them from following blindly. Granger is a smart girl, she will take this seriously. Unlike your brother and Potter." He kept his tone neutral, but his eyes held a hint of anger.
He hadn't been lying when he told himself that he was over Potter's rejection of his friendship in favor of Ron. The real issue to Draco was a mixture of two things: Harry's complete ignorance of Pureblood customs and, more importantly, his complete lack of responsibility.
While it was not often spoken about, many of the Gryffindor boys around Harry's age had a vicious streak when it came to those from the Slytherin House. While Draco had never been a target personally (he was too well-protected by his house-mates) Tracey Davis had been sent to the hospital wing on three occasions in the past two years for quite serious injuries.
Although Slytherin often had a reputation for being bullies, most of the time it was just verbal. Physical fighting was beneath a Slytherin. The few times things did escalate to hex throwing, it was always initiated by the other houses. Draco would be the first to admit that this was not due to any particular feelings of kindness, but rather to avoid taking the blame. Slytherins did self-preservation best, after all, and starting fights was never in a Slytherin's favor. It demonstrated both a lack of composure and the inability to best the opponent with words alone. Also, Slytherin was hated enough without adding the infamy of starting fights. The fact that Harry had so little control over his own house was sloppy to Draco, and the Slytherin house was suffering because of Potter's lack of maturity.
Many would find Draco's justification ludicrous. Harry Potter was not a prefect and was in fact not even an upperclassman. To Draco, though, these were just excuses. They followed what Potter said and would not question him. Potter knew about the influence he had within his house, but he didn't use it unless it benefitted him. In fact, Potter showed a remarkable but exasperating amount of irresponsible behavior all throughout many aspects of his life.
If Draco were to be brutally honest with himself (but why would he do that when it was just so much easier to avoid such thoughts), he would be forced to admit that he was jealous of Potter. Despite his hero status and prestige in the Wizarding world, Harry was still allowed to be a child and do nearly anything he wanted without reparations or admonitions. That innocent freedom was what Draco desired, but he had never been in possession of. Even if his Seer abilities did not shockingly open his eyes to the ways of the world, his Father was probably the strictest man alive, and he would not tolerate bouts of childish behavior now and more than he would have when Draco was actually a child.
Though he was strict, Lucius Malfoy was no drill sergeant. If the study and seriousness became too much, he allowed Draco moments of play and freedom from tutoring. Even so, those moments had been rare and still tightly controlled. Draco didn't mind that, precisely…all of the things his Father had done to teach him and that had shaped him into a person with both formidable magic and intelligence. No, it wasn't the freedom to goof off that the young Malfoy coveted, but the blissful ignorance.
Draco's mind was a dark, twisted place. He had Seen too many things to act like a teenage boy playing around with his mates at school. He wasn't that person, as much as he wished he was, and he never would be. Always, the knowledge that the world was falling apart around them was heavy and present in Draco's thoughts. The notion weighed him down and made him unable to relax and have fun. How could he have fun when hundreds were dying? When he had heard the tortured screams of Muggles, Muggleborns, and Purebloods alike?
Morbid, perhaps. But how could he think otherwise? He may have struggled with his own abilities, but he had lived extravagantly in every other way.
From Draco's perspective, he had no right to complain, and so he would focus on doing what he could to ease other people's suffering. Not out of compassion, exactly…it was more motivated by guilt: for having lived an easy life in comparison.
Charlie's voice interrupted his inner monologue. "Draco?" The young Malfoy turned back to Charlie, face carefully neutral. The Weasley met Draco's eyes, curious about what was running through the Slytherin Ice Prince's mind. Instead of asking for the blonde boy's thoughts, because he knew that Draco wouldn't answer, he instead said simply, "Don't worry too much. We will figure this out."
He wanted to say more, to reassure the young man that he would be okay, but that was something he couldn't promise. Draco's magic was out of control and Charlie currently had no way to help him. What shocked the Dragon Tamer was that he suddenly abhorred the thought of anything bad happening to Draco. He had never been intrigued by someone as quickly as Draco had caught his interest, never felt such a strong pull towards a person. He wanted to protect and watch over Draco, to ensure that he took care of himself. He wanted Draco to begin to open up about himself and what made him happy. Sure, Charlie felt that way about his family and close friends, but never about a complete stranger who he had never expected to speak to in a civil matter, let alone befriend.
Speaking of his family…there were things that still needed to be said. "I know you said that you won't join Voldemort because you want to have a choice in life, but I am curious why you don't agree with his ideals. Could you tell me a little more about that?"
Draco nodded hesitantly. "I thought I was clear enough, but I can tell you more if you insist." He seemed more subdued all of a sudden, perhaps because of his self-deprecating thoughts, but Charlie didn't understand the withdrawal. "I don't believe in blood purity, for one. Any appearance I gave of such a belief was done only to placate my father and keep him from scrutinizing me too closely." The sunlight still lit up his features, causing his silver eyes to appear flame-colored. "I don't believe in the murder of innocents, although our definitions of that word would probably differ. The Dark Lord is not choosy about who he kills, so he has killed the guilty and innocent alike. Following an unstable leader cannot lead to a stable way of life, and I greatly desire stability."
"I think I could sum up both of my sentiments toward Dumbledore and Voldemort in this: neither has proved to me that they are worth following. Neither faction has proved that they are going to address the root cause of the trouble, or that they are deserving of my respect. Because of this, I do not wish to follow either one."
Charlie could honestly admit he was surprised to have received such a straightforward answer. "Thank you for telling me." Just like how a door partly ajar is more intriguing than an open one, Draco seemed to reveal bits and pieces of himself but never the full picture. The Malfoy heir was like the moon…part of him was always hidden away. "There is another thing that I feel is important for us to discuss. Do you know about the history between our families…why they hate each other so much?" Charlie returned to sit, beckoning Draco to follow him.
The younger man shadowed the Dragon Tamer. "I know very little concerning the situation. As you can imagine, my father isn't big on explanations." At the dark humor, the Slytherin gave a wry little twitch of his lips. "I know that my family feels the Weasleys have somehow betrayed the Pureblooded lifestyle, and that your family thinks Malfoys are evil and cruel. The cause of those feelings, however…I am unaware of."
Charlie snorted. "I am not sure that any of our family members actually know the root cause. After speaking with you, I did a little investigating." Resting his hands over his broad chest, Charlie leaned back and settled into the cushions, making himself comfortable. "The Wizarding world has a perception of the Weasley's being dirt poor, and it has a grain of truth to it. We are not wealthy by any means and sometimes it is a struggle for my family to make ends meet. However, we are not without heritage. We have a Gringotts vault and, just like any other Pureblooded family, a small share of family artifacts and heirlooms. None of them are worth a great amount monetarily."
The red-haired man paused, and met Draco's eyes with a smile. "Some of the things you said made me curious, so I went to our vault to speak with the few Weasley portraits that are kept there. My parents hate the thought of bloodlines and traditional Pureblood customs, so they have kept such things out of our house. Anyways, the portraits had some interesting things to say. I spoke with my great grandmother, Louisa Weasley. It seems that the contention between our families was caused by a difference between her father, Clarence Weasley, and your ancestor Cressida Malfoy. The gist of the story was that the two were lovers. They had been entered into an engagement from a young age by their parents, and over time they fell in love and planned to marry. The world was in chaos in those times because people were beginning to fear Dark Magic. A conflict similar to what we deal with now arose, and circumstances placed the two lovers on either side. Cressida felt betrayed that Clarence would abandon their way of life, and Clarence thought Cressida had no heart for the people that were being persecuted by dark magic. Clarence broke off their engagement and began to court another woman, a sympathetic Pureblood. Cressida declared a blood feud, and the rest is history…or in our case, the present."
Draco's mind worked through the words with great speed. "So, you are saying that our families let a lover's spat ruin relations between each other. You mean to emphasize that the root cause of the disagreement was the use of Dark Magic…which is even now causing our world to spiral into chaos."
Charlie Weasley smiled like a proud father. Draco was smarter than he expected, getting right to the heart of the issue despite Charlie's vague words. "Yes. Our families are practically ensconced in the heart of this issue, going back generations. The blood feud of our ancestors brought the issue into the public eye, just as we need to bring the reverse issue into the public eye now."
Draco stared Charlie dead in the eye, and voiced incredulously, "You are not suggesting…?" he trailed off, genuinely shocked.
Charlie smirked back. "Yes, I am. If we truly want to make the danger of forbidding Dark Magic known to the Wizarding world, then the best way would be to publicly resolve the blood feud between our families."
Grasping Charlie's sleeve beseechingly, Draco tried to keep his voice steady. "Charlie…I know this is something important, but don't you know what that would do to me? What…" he trailed off, unable to finish that sentence.
Charlie had no such compunction. "What your father would do to you?" he finished, wishing he could un-see Draco's violent flinch at his words. The older Weasley instantly desired to have voiced that thought with a little more tact because now Draco was refusing to look at him, shoulders slumped and hair covering his expression. "No, I don't know what would happen, Draco. I have no idea what your family is like, or what kind of life you would be giving up to reconcile with me publicly."
"You really do have no idea what my family is like." In a rare moment of vulnerability, unseen by Charlie until now, Draco finally met his eyes. They were gleaming with terrible emotion, but not, as Charlie would have expected, tears. In a raspy voice, Draco choked out, "You know, when I was young my father despised me. I had my abilities from a young age, and it caused me to seem imbecilic. I was overly emotional, daydreamed constantly, and looked to my mother to protect me…everything a Malfoy man was not."
Draco swallowed hard, as if it was a great burden. It took a while before he spoke again. "I…was punished. After several times, when my father had enough of me crying, he made the punishment a little more severe. I was too weak, I was not cunning or manipulative, and I was not emotionless. Along with the punishment, my father did something drastic, to ensure that I was never so weak again. He placed several charms on me. An anti-crying charm, a charm that lowered my empathy and ability to care about others, an obedience compulsion…and there were others."
Pale lips pressed together, suppressing tremors from creeping into his voice. "My mom eventually found out and researched the counter charms, but by that point it was too late. I was emotionally damaged, I couldn't cry, and my father still has the ability to force me to do some things. It was a milder version of Imperius, but because I was under it for so long, its strength grew to rival that of the Unforgivable. I have not attempted to disobey it directly in some time, because I am afraid that I won't be able to defy him. Instead, I am forced to rebel in…smaller ways."
Charlie's eyes were filled with horror and pity and he stared at Draco, wordless. Unable to come up with anything comforting to say, he instead pulled the Ice Prince into a rough hug, gripping him tightly and trying to offer consolation in that way.
Draco said nothing, only remained stiffly where he was. True to his word, no tears escaped, and he looked for all the world as if he was just troubled. But Charlie knew he was more than troubled, that his eyes said it all. Sometimes, silence was the most powerful scream. No sound or tears may have come out, but the silver eyes showed Draco's inner torment. How long had the boy been carrying this burden?
When they had first met, Charlie had mused inwardly that Draco's eyes looked too old. After speaking with the young Slytherin more, he had assumed that the maturity was the result of the Seer abilities. Now, he was not so sure. There was a reason that those who used the Imperius curse were sent straight to Azkaban. It was, for all intents and purposes, mind rape. Such a curse robbed someone of their free will and forced them to do things that they would never do otherwise. Perhaps Lucius Malfoy did not use the Imperius curse in name, but the end result was the same: Draco had been controlled like a puppet.
Charlie couldn't ever imagine the kind of man that would do such a thing to a child, let alone their own child. He knew for a fact that Draco still loved his father and that perhaps Lucius, in some twisted way, returned that love. He wanted to scream obscenities at the bastard, but Draco would only be hurt further by that. Instead, he stroked the blonde hair, just like he had done many times throughout the years whenever one of his brothers had a nightmare. He murmured comforting words just as he would for them. "It's all right, Draco."
Abruptly, the blonde pulled away, and resolutely met his eyes. "I appreciate what you are trying to do, Charlie…but never comfort me with a lie."
And Charlie's heart ached then, more than it ever had, because he knew that not once had Draco been told those words when it really mattered. Now, he would never accept them. They were mere empty platitudes to the Malfoy heir.
"I need to go, I have class soon." Draco's face was blank, and his eyes empty.
Charlie's eyes softened. "Yes, I have talked too much. Think about what I said about the blood feud, please. I know now that the consequences would be worse than I expected, but we can find a way to beat this, Draco. The Imperius is the one Unforgivable that people can be trained to resist, and what you have been placed under is likely a weaker version. Between now and the end of the Triwizard Tournament, think about your answer. Regardless of whether you agree or not, I will look for a way to beat this curse…and to repair the damage of the other charms, if possible." He knew that Draco was drained now, and that later he would regret saying so much. "And Draco…you are the strongest person I know."
Draco nodded wordlessly. He was pale and the circles beneath his eyes looked even more unhealthy than usual. "Goodbye." The voice was like a whisper, soft and sad. Then he was gone, like a gust of wind.
As soon as the door closed behind Draco, Charlie buried his head deep into his hands and began to swear vehemently. His fists clenched into the red locks of his hair to keep from trembling with anger. While the anger raced through his veins like a drug, he felt only the piercing pain of sorrow in his heart.
The world was a screwed up place, if a man could get away with putting his own child under anything akin to Imperio. Charlie had never considered himself as violent. Sure, he had a fair dose of the infamous Weasley temper, but he had never been aggressive to the point of violence. Hearing the words that spilled from Draco's lips concerning his childhood, though, had filled Charlie with a murderous rage he had never known before.
Exhaling, trying to get his emotions back under control, Charlie threw his head back and stared up at the ceiling. He should…he should visit his siblings again after their classes. Yes, that would help him calm these raging thoughts.
As he stood to leave, Charlie realized something…Draco had never truly answered his question about what Lucius Malfoy would do to the Slytherin Ice Prince if he became too upset. If Lucius Malfoy had been willing to do something so drastic to a child…how far would he go to discipline Draco now?
It also hadn't escaped the Dragon Tamer's notice that Draco had said "and there were others."
….
Draco left the room in a zombie-like state. He had not wanted to tell Charlie about his secret shame, but it had to be done. Otherwise Charlie wouldn't understand his refusal to anger his father and would keep pushing him to go against the man.
He had expected to feel embarrassment at his weakness, or anger at Charlie for again treating him like a child. Instead, he felt nothing.
After the charms were countered, he had regained some of his emotions with time. To this day, though, many were weakened or even nonexistent. Anger and cruelty were easily managed, and Draco was also able to feel melancholy and fear. Empathy, though, had been the most damaged. Other than a tiny twinge for Luna Lovegood, he had not felt such emotions in a very long time for anyone he was not close to. Happiness? He doubted he would ever feel such a thing, only a sort of content resignation. Even further…to truly love someone? He considered it completely impossible. He appreciated people and could show them care and concern to a small degree. But love? No.
He did not mind being unable to cry, not truly. It was a weakness that his father had corrected. He was also able to convincingly feign emotions he could not feel, and he used those as a mask. Draco did not blame his Father for what he had done: it had solved a personality defect and helped him to perfect himself. He was not surprised; however, that Charlie had been horrified.
Maybe it had been a little drastic…
No. He quelled that thought. His father was a good man, and he had only been doing what he thought was right for Draco. He had been weak, and his father had helped him become stronger, to hide his weaknesses behind a façade. He couldn't begrudge Lucius Malfoy that.
Composing himself, he glided into Double Potions with barely thirty seconds to spare. Severus gave him a pointed look of warning, but he had not been late so there would be no scolding.
Draco slid into his seat next to Blaise, who greeted him with a green "Hey, Drake." As was customary, he scowled back and snapped, "Don't call me that." Blaise, Pansy, Theo, and Goyle all chuckled at the familiar response.
Sensing someone watching him, Draco turned to meet Harry Potter's emerald green eyes examining him. He was unsure what to make of the Gryffindor boy's expression: jealousy? Surprise? Or perhaps something entirely different? Draco filed the event away for further analyzation, for a time when everything in his head wasn't so upside down.
When he turned to look at Potter, Draco's friends took note and exchanged glances among themselves.
Snape cut short anything that might have happened by beginning class. Unobtrusively, the Slytherin Head of House took in Draco's gaunt and exhausted appearance, and reminded himself to check up on his godson later within the privacy of Slytherin House.
In order to keep Draco from getting more stress lines in his forehead, Severus made sure to keep Potter and his godson as far apart as possible.
…..
After class, Draco went with his housemates to the Great Hall for dinner. Because he had skipped lunch to meet with Charlie, his stomach was rumbling something fierce.
As the Slytherin group took their seats at the center of the table, Draco smiled at Viktor who sat on the bench across from him and greeted him warmly. Viktor greeted him slightly more formally; gold sparks the color of snitches drifting into the air along with his words. He watched Viktor touch the mark on his hand discreetly. Are you okay, Draco? You seem very…drained.
Stuffing some food into his mouth, Draco touched his own hand. It was admittedly a long day. He paused. Actually, more than most people, Viktor might be able to help him. It wouldn't hurt to ask. Viktor, do you have any training in order to resist the Imperius curse?
Eyes slightly wider, Viktor watched Draco from across the table. The Imperius curse? I dare not ask why you are interested in such a thing. Yes, it is included in the educational curriculum at Durmstrang.
Would you be able to teach me how to resist the curse? Or at least improve my chances to resist the curse? Draco looked down at his plate, mixing mint sauce into his shepherd's pie.
I would try my best. What is this all about, Draco? Viktor shifted in his seat, uncomfortable discussing an Unforgivable over the dinner table.
I meant to tell you soon…my father placed me under a milder version of the Imperious curse. I need to break free of it. You were not in any danger from me because our blood vow was stronger than his hold on me. My other allies, though… Draco's voice was completely emotionless. Strangely enough, he found it very easy to let go of secrets once he'd already told someone.
Viktor pursed his lips. In Pureblood circles, such a curse was common, but not often used by a father against his son. Such a case was very…extreme. After the First Task, I will make it my priority. The Bulgarian Seeker promised.
Thank you. Draco glanced up as Fleur slid into the table beside him, giving him a pretty smile.
"Hello, Draco." The purplish burgundy drifted from her lips, and she patted the young Malfoy on the sleeve in a friendly manner. She lowered her voice. "You are looking a little tired, is everything okay?"
Draco smiled back tiredly, his eyes projecting happiness he didn't feel. "Yes, I am a little stressed but after the First Task I am sure that things will go more smoothly." He glanced to his left to see Goyle chatting happily with Pansy. With a bit of surprise, he noted that Goyle's voice had changed color slightly. Before Greg had decided to become neutral, his voice had been a pale yellow, streaked with green. Now, though, the yellow was deeper, and the green was so dark that it bordered on brown. Draco was happy for the change, as darker colors indicated a stronger personality (and in Draco's opinion, a more interesting person). He folded his hands and covertly touched the moon mark. Do you have time tonight to start teaching me? I know a good place to meet where things will stay secret. Draco spoke through their bond rather than aloud, mentally thanking Charlie for sharing such a great meeting spot.
Viktor spoke to Blaise out loud at the same time he spoke over the bond to Draco. I can spare some time for you. His tone was light but genuine.
Thank you. Gratitude flowed through his voice and shone through his eyes. If he could finally be free from his father…the thought sent a heady rush of power through his veins. All his life he had been following the whims of his family, as a Seer he followed the whims of magic, and even at school he always became what other influential people wanted him to be in order to win their favor. If he were to beat the Imperius curse, he felt as if he would finally have a chance to be Draco. Not Malfoy, not the Slytherin Ice Prince, and not the Seer. Just Draco. That chance was both something he had never had before and something he longed for.
Draco chatted with Fleur for a while, glad to speak with her before the first task began. They were able to deepen their friendship somewhat, which made Draco happy. Other than Pansy, he didn't have many close female friends because they were often after his money instead of friendship. The Delacour family was a family of wealth, though, so he didn't have to worry about that from Fleur.
After the First Task, he would begin in earnest to seek out more allies within Slytherin. He knew there were a few families who were openly neutral and might prove trustworthy, such as the Puceys. After another large bite of his food, he was surprised to see Charlie Weasley entering the Hall with the Golden Trio and Ginevra. I suppose he stuck around to visit them a little longer. A much unexpected pang of jealousy filled him as he watched the three siblings interact, Charlie smiling brightly and ruffling Ginny's hair.
He turned back to his food and focused on filling his stomach, trying to ignore the feelings tightening his throat. He didn't deserve to be happy like them until he fixed things, and he knew it.
Draco finished his food and touched his hand, telling Viktor, Come with me to the seventh floor corridor. We can talk freely there. He stood up, causing the other Slytherins to start to stand as well. Draco shook his head at them and pointed to Viktor. "I will be well protected." He teased them with a smirk.
Fleur snickered. "It was good to talk with you, Draco. Viktor, good luck tomorrow."
Viktor nodded once, accepting the well wishes. "And to you." He responded neatly. He stood and followed Draco towards the doors.
Everyone watched them leave, either surprised that two people of such wide age gaps would be acquaintances, wishing they could take Draco's place, or desiring to know what the two popular boys discussed together.
Draco avoided Charlie's eyes as they left, even though he would have guessed that the Dragon Tamer was looking. Instead, he kept his eyes fixed firmly in front of him.
He and Viktor walked together to the seventh floor in silence, both too suspicious to discuss things in an unsecure location. When they arrived there, Draco followed what Charlie had done: paced the corridor three times and focused on what he needed. A door appeared and Viktor, eyebrows raised, stepped inside.
The room was considerably less cheerful than the last time Draco had been here, a result of Draco's needs instead of Charlie's. Black, green, and silver furnishings filled the extravagant room and a large chandelier provided light in the center of the ceiling.
Viktor smiled appreciatively. "It is beautiful." He told Draco.
Draco smiled back. "This is called the Room of Requirement. If you walk the corridor three times and think of what you need, it will appear." He glanced down at his hands. "Charlie Weasley showed it to me this afternoon. Viktor…my Sight tells me that we will need his help." He gestured to the wide leather chairs and took a seat himself, leaning back into the deep green material.
Viktor did the same across from him. "Quasi-Imperious, Draco? Did your father really do such a thing, and never remove the curse? The longer someone is under such a curse, the more it has potential to seriously damage their mental functions. This is very grave." Shaking his worry away, he spoke again, a little more calmly. "To resist the Imperius curse, strong mental capability is the most important. Occlumency is the biggest help, but I assume that you have had no training in such an art. I can block to some degree, but I am not a Legilimens so I will not be able to help you much. I think that, instead, we should focus on strengthening your willpower."
The older boy stood up and walked behind Draco's chair, out of his line of vision. "When the time comes that you are compelled to do something, shift your thoughts immediately to all of the reasons that you need to resist the command. Think of your friends, of your allies. Remember your resolve to beat this curse and to do the right thing." Taking a step closer and placing his hands over Draco's shoulders from behind, he leaned in and added in a low voice, "Think of your mother, and how much she would be hurt if you continued to follow your father, even at the cost of brain damage."
Draco stared resolutely at his feet, taking every word to heart. Viktor moved even further into Draco's personal space, refusing to let him avoid the real issue here. Krum sat on the arm of Draco's chair, grabbed his chin firmly, and lifted the silver gaze to meet his own. "Draco…you know that your father did wrong? That he never should have dealt with whatever was happening in this way?"
The young Slytherin pressed his lips together tightly, not having a response. Viktor pressed on, repeating emphatically, "What he did to you was wrong, Draco. Even if you are his son, he should never be able to force you to choose anything." He released Draco's face but didn't move away. "You have to realize that in order to break his hold on you…you have to feel indignant at how unjust it was. If you combine that feeling with all the reasons to resist, you will be able to break his hold over you."
Draco simply sighed, knowing in his head that it was true but unable to force his heart to agree. "I will try," was his only response in the end.
Viktor sighed as well and nodded. "I suppose that is all I can ask of you." He moved out of Draco's personal space, resigned.
"Viktor…thank you for your help." He met Viktor's eyes, unable to say what he truly wanted to convey. "I know you will do well tomorrow, so I won't bother to wish you luck." Draco smirked.
Viktor grinned back. "I am glad for your confidence in me. I had best be going, before I am missed." Patting Draco's arm, he left the room and returned to his dwelling.
Draco stood and left the Room of Requirement as well. Cautiously, he peered outside, taking care to ensure that no one was wandering the halls. Now that Viktor had left, he made sure to keep a close eye around him, just in case someone was feeling vindictive towards Slytherins today.
Seeing no one, he stepped out and headed towards the Slytherin common room, staying alert. There was enough time left in the evening that he could approach Adrian Pucey and see what his thoughts were concerning neutrality (and, more pointedly, Draco's brand of neutrality).
Seeing movement out of the corner of his eye, Draco quickly ducked into an alcove hidden from sight. He had done so just in time, because Seamus Finnegan and Dean Thomas were now walking across the hall in front of Draco.
Those two were part of Harry's inner circle, but Draco knew that had they caught him alone, a fight would have been imminent. Draco was confident in his wand work, but the irritating thing about fighting Gryffindors was that, no matter the outcome of the fight, Draco would end up being the one blamed for any trouble.
In the professor's eyes (excluding Severus Snape) Slytherins were the cause of all trouble, all evil Death Eaters just like their parents. What with the Tournament going on (and Cedric's possible future death), Draco couldn't afford any trouble right now. So hiding it was.
After Thomas and Finnegan passed by, Draco slipped from his hiding place and continued the rest of the distance to the Slytherin common room. To his surprise, after he quietly muttered the password and slipped past the portrait, Greg and Theo were waiting for him.
"There you are! I was beginning to wonder if you were planning to stay out all night." Goyle exclaimed. "Theo wanted a word."
Draco's eyes shifted to Theodore Nott, an acquaintance he had known since childhood. "I am listening."
Theo sighed. "I just wanted to say…I am loyal to you. I don't agree with some things my parents are confident of. However…I also truly believe that if I go against them, my father will kill me."
Draco pressed his lips together. Indeed, Theodore Nott Sr. was a ruthless man, and he couldn't disagree with Theo's words. "What would you suggest, then?"
Stepping forward, Theo began to speak again. "I will have to take the Dark Mark. It is unavoidable, in order for me to retain my life. If you help me learn to shield my mind from the Dark Lord and offer me protection when I am discovered I will be your spy and remain loyal to you in any circumstance."
Draco's mind raced. Dangerous, but there was little other option for Theo. "I agree…with one more condition. Approach Dumbledore, and offer to give him information in return for protection. Although we both know that his protection is much more limited than mine, he will see it as your only option and it will be credible. When you entered the Dark Lord's service, pass along only the information that will assist them in bringing Voldemort down, and pass the rest only to me. If we play our cards right, both sides will be too busy squabbling with each other to notice our work right under their noses."
Theo whistled appreciatively at the plan. "You want me to be a triple agent? Ambitious, but I think I can pull it off with some Occlumency training. All right, I agree. I am your man." He said a few things in Latin, which Draco recognized as an old, magically-binding vow of loyalty often used during war.
Draco gave him a warm smile in return; happy that another old friend would be supporting him rather than his enemy, and clapped him on the shoulder. Out of the corner of his eye he caught the dark figure of Severus, who gave him a come hither look.
Eyes on Snape, Draco nodded politely to Goyle and Nott. "If you will excuse me for a few moments…" The two older boys turned, and seeing Snape quickly moved out of Draco's way.
The blonde Malfoy glided past them to join his godfather in the shadows. "Hello, Severus. Is there something I can help you with?" Draco kept his voice level and composed.
Snape snorted. "I think I should be the one asking you that, Draco. You seem to be slipping, and you look like death warmed over. What is going on?"
Draco had always been a terrible liar to those who knew him well. "Severus…" he didn't even try to come up with an excuse.
The Slytherin Head of House's tone softened from its normal caustic timbre. "I am your godfather, Draco. That may mean that I follow your father in some things because he is a clever man, but you must know that I am not in any way his follower, nor do I agree with everything he does." When the young Malfoy heir said nothing in response, Snape sighed in frustration. "I suppose I must spell it out for you? Draco, you can trust me with anything you feel must be kept from your father. Whatever is making you look so haggard, clearly you are out of your depth. I may be on Dumbledore's side for now and close friends with your parents, but you are my priority."
Draco was admittedly surprised. "How can I trust your word? Even my mother didn't tell you, or believe you could be completely trusted." He finally met Snape's eyes, trying to read his mentor's expression.
Severus frowned. "I knew your mother was keeping something from me." He took a step closer to Draco, careful to keep his body language non-threatening. "As I said before, your father is a very clever man. Do you think he would ever name me your godfather without ensuring my loyalty? He tried to bind me to him in the same ways that he tried to bind you to him…through compulsion. I broke that compulsion long ago, although he doesn't know it. What I didn't break away from was my responsibility to protect and help you, Draco."
Grey eyes regarded the Potions professor warily. "What kind of compulsion? What do you mean?"
Severus Snape realized that this was going to become a more drawn out discussion that expected. Glancing around the common room that was rapidly becoming fuller, he beckoned Draco towards his office. "Let's speak in my office." He walked ahead and opened the door, allowing Draco to follow him.
Draco had spent considerable amounts of time in this office, mostly receiving tutoring from Snape. As always, the office was gloomy and foreboding with dark colors and very little light. Draco took a seat across from Severus's desk, waiting expectantly for the answer to his previous questions.
Sighing, Snape sat as well. "During my time at Hogwarts your mother and I became close after…various events took place leaving me quite isolated. When your father and mother began their formal engagement, I became your father's acquaintance as well, but we were more colleagues than friends. Always, it was your mother who really had any sway with me…because she saved me, in many ways, from myself. Narcissa is my closest friend and the only one I would do anything for, and she has asked me to protect you and be your confidant." The Potions professor leaned forward, resting his head on folded hands. "I could offer you a loyalty vow, but I don't think it is necessary. You can judge for yourself my sincerity. I am a spy within the Death Eater ranks for Dumbledore, but I am not loyal to his agenda, only his opposition of Voldemort. Anything that you tell me will be between you and me only, unless you intend to support Voldemort. I know you well enough to see that you are too smart for that, however."
With a wry smile, Severus continued, "The things that are troubling you are things that concern me, as well. I am your ally in all things, unless you are being an imbecile."
Draco was absolutely certain that Severus was telling the truth. If there was only one thing he knew about his mentor from the Flashes, it was that his mother was literally the only person anchoring Severus to reality, the only important person in his life. All of the things Severus had spoken of were both within the Potion professor's character and Narcissa Malfoy's.
Taking a deep breath, he began to speak, trusting in his instincts. "I can't tell you everything." Draco began with a warning. "Suffice to say it has come to my attention that things cannot continue in the same way anymore without serious consequences. Because of this information, I have been forced to make some decisions that may be harmful personally." He was speaking vaguely, but it was safer for Severus to have as little information as possible, being around Voldemort and Dumbledore frequently (who were both strong in Legilimancy). "I must go against my father's wishes, and form a neutral party strong enough to wield considerable influence. I have already begun to gather allies and put measures in place to resist my father. It has been…taxing, magically and mentally."
Severus was able to read between the lines. "The curse your father placed on you must be broken. If you are able to learn, I can attempt to teach you Occlumency. Has anyone attempted to teach you before, or determine your suitability for the art?"
Draco shook his head. "There was never a need before. I have never experienced any sort of feeling concerning intrusion on my mind…does that mean I am unable to learn?"
Snape raised an eyebrow. "Even those who cannot learn can usually sense something small, a sense of unease or discomfort. It is strange that you have not. May I attempt to access your mind, to examine your chances of learning?"
Draco nodded, a tight smile crossing his lips. It was hard to consent to such a thing, even from someone he trusted. Severus concentrated, muttered, "Legilimens," and to Draco, it appeared as if nothing happened.
Severus stopped concentrating around twenty seconds later and met Draco's eyes. There was surprise on his face. "You are a natural Occlumens, it seems. I cannot penetrate your mind, yet you did nothing. I could not even grasp at your mind in any way; it was as if there was nothing there."
Privately, Draco suspected it had something to do with his Seer abilities, but he did not share that with Severus. "That…is unexpected. Will such a skill help me resist the compulsion placed upon me?"
The Head of Slytherin House dropped his hands into his lap. "It will not solve your problem, but it will help. It shows that your mind has natural fortitude and that is a good sign for resisting Imperio." He met Draco's eyes and added, "I can see that there is not much else you can tell me at this point. Just remember that, as your Head of House and as your godfather, I am your ally in all things. Do not be hesitant to ask for my help. You may return to your friend's company now."
Draco stood, and gave a small bow of his head to Severus. "Thank you, Sev." The short name had not left his lips in some time. It had been more of a childhood name for his godfather, so Draco was as surprised as Severus when it slipped out. However, it was not unwelcome.
Severus's eyes softened at what Lucius Malfoy would have called a mistake. "You are welcome, Draco. Get some rest…you look fatigued, beyond the socially acceptable norm for a student of your year. If you do not wish to draw suspicion, you must be more careful to maintain appearances."
Draco nodded. "Of course, Severus. I will be more careful. I will take my leave." He exited the room carefully. Greg and Theo had already disappeared into the rooms. Glancing around the common room, only older students were present.
The Ice Prince of Slytherin donned his mask and glided through the room, heading to his hall to get some rest as his godfather suggested.
