A/N: Thanks everyone for follow, favourite and reviews.
Again apologies for any unintended mistakes in English and do feel free to correct me.
Now moving to the acknowledgments:
The description on structure of diamonds and Hope diamond was written after reading several articles on them.
The Symbolism of Daisy flower indeed means happiness, blessings and good luck.
The Sorbonne is a real university and the description was written after reading Wikipedia page.
The idea of controlling animals came from Goblet of Fire where Moody controlled the spiders to show the three unforgivables.
The custom of giving new children gifts was planned according to the German tradition called Schultüte.
Well I guess that's all. Enjoy.
Disclaimer: The copyright to Harry Potter characters belong to J. K. Rowling. Any other characters are purely work of fiction and any resemblance is co-incidental.
Chapter 20: The Seeker and The Snitch
The beautiful fountains in the garden of the Château de la Grange-Bléneau were playing serenely. Gentle breeze was rustling the leaves of numerous ornamental plants. Audré Chombrun Malfoy looked up into the night sky from her seat on a garden bench and sighed deeply.
The Parisian ladies society had marked her as a great manipulator since her marriage with Morpheus Malfoy. Being an aristocrat Chombrun by birth, she was invited in every social occasion and every single one of them inevitably ended with the same gossip among the ladies – how did she manage to marry a Malfoy?
Even now, thirty years after her marriage and nine years after her husband's death, wherever Audré went she would be welcomed by some narrowed eyes and mysterious smirks on the ladies parts. And most of it was contributed by the Rochés.
'It was time to turn the board and make them realize how it feels to be on the receiving end of smirks and frowns!' Audré thought to herself.
It was almost midnight and Audré noticed her son Julian apparating inside the Château grounds. He also noticed his mother on the garden bench and approached her.
"Good Evening, mother!" Julian greeted his mother as soon as he reached her and sat beside her on the bench.
Audré nodded her head in acknowledgment and smiled at her son gently, "They keep you late at the Ministry, Julian. I guess you are tired and need some rest." She commented.
Julian however showed no signs of leaving any sooner. He leaned against the bench and looked straight into his mother's eyes.
"I took Draco to the Rochés this morning." he informed her, "He was very odd." He said in a worried voice.
Audré perceived the worry in her son's voice and reached out to take his hands in her own, "Draco is perfectly alright, Julian. I assure you that." She said squeezing his hands gently.
Her son however was not easily convinced and gave her a questioning look. Audré decided that it was time reveal some truth to her son.
"The Rochés have displeased Draco in a manner and he wants to punish them for that." she answered to her son's questioning look. "And I find no reasons to contradict him too." she added smiling mischievously.
"Why?" Julian asked frowning at his mother.
"Because it is payback time, Julian." Audré answered looking up at the sky again.
"You want to take revenge on them for what they did to us?" her son asked sharply.
"Why shouldn't I, Julian?" Audré asked back, still gazing at the starry night sky.
Julian sighed, "But mother, it's been over for nine years now." he commented.
Audré turned her head sharply at her son, her gesture tight and intense, "It's never over, Julian. Not until I destroyed their reputation like they destroyed ours." she said with unmistakable venom in her voice, "The Roches are the reason your father was humiliated in French society."she reminded her son, "In fact it was Lucius's doing and he used the Rochés as a tool to defame your father. That man never left your father to breathe in peace for one second." Audré's rage was overwhelming her senses now and she closed her eyes to calm down.
Julian squeezed his mother's hands this time.
Audré opened her eyes and smiled sweetly at her son, "Now I am going to use Lucius's son to destroy the tool he used against us." she said serenely.
Julian gave her mother a knowing smile, "That's why you told me to bring the Rochés caviar?" he asked his mother.
Audré nodded, "Yes. I wanted to pass Draco a hint and he being a clever boy got it." her smile widened as she admitted her plot.
"What do you think he is doing?" Julian asked curiously.
Audré stood up and looked down at her son, "I think it's high time that I find out what my English nephew's plans are, Julian." She said smugly, "He came back some time ago and went straight to the Potion's lab." She informed him, "Have you ever noticed what is written on Muggle cardboard boxes that carry fragile items, Julian?" she suddenly asked him with a smirk.
Julian shook his head looking confused.
"It says, 'Handle with care'. That's exactly what Draco is, Julian. He's a very clever man and can be dangerous in wrong hands. Thus he should be handled with care." Audré explained to her son and extended a hand to raise him from his seat.
"It's quite late." she reminded him, "Go to your suite, Julian. I'll send your supper there." Audré said to her son and escorted him inside the Château.
"Good night, mother." Julian said before leaving her and Audré bade him good night.
She then made her way to the Potion's lab in the basement where her nephew was currently working. Upon entry she noticed Draco skinning some roots with immense concentration.
"You know, Draco, I sometimes forget that this Château has a Potions lab." Audré said and moved across the large chamber to stand beside the work bench where her nephew was working, "I am no Potioneer and neither are my children. The only other person who used this lab was Morpheus." She remarked.
Draco placed the roots he was skinning and looked up at her. "And what did uncle brew?" he asked.
"He mainly brewed Dreamless Sleep. Sometimes when his nightmares turned severe he even made Draught of Living Dead and Wiggenwald Potion." Audré replied looking grave, "What are you making, Draco?" she asked her nephew, "I still have adequate amount of Headache Relieving Potion that you gave me." She informed him.
Draco gave Audré a smile before returning to the roots and Audré immediately understood he did not want to disclose his secret to her. So she decided to proceed cautiously.
Her nephew was still wearing the mourning clothes – black shirt and trousers. The gold wedding band in his left hand glinted as he chopped and skinned the ingredients carefully. Audré noticed the strange gleam that previously danced in his eyes was now superimposed with another emotion: rage.
Draco was angry for some reason.
She could sense his cold fury even from a distance of one hand's length and it was not going to bode well.
"Why are you angry Draco?" Audré asked suddenly deciding to startle him and maneuver her answer out.
Draco remained silent for a moment and looked up at her aunt again, "Do you know what Hogwarts' motto is, Aunt Audré?" he asked her.
"Pardon?" Audré said feeling that dealing with Draco would be tougher than usual tonight.
"The motto means the writing below the Hogwarts crest." He explained, "It says 'Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus' which means…" he stated but Audré cut in.
"Never tickle a sleeping dragon." She translated and raised an eyebrow, "So who tickled you, Draco?" she asked sharply.
Draco went back to his work and added some chopped root in his cauldron. "Adrian's mother." He replied after sometime.
"What's so strange about that?" Audré shrugged, "If I can recall correctly she has been doing that ever since her first year in Hogwarts." she commented.
Audré observed her nephew silently as he crushed something in mortar and weighed it in brass scales before adding it to his potion. She was confident that Draco would explain soon.
"She wishes to jeopardize my son's safety." came Draco's much awaited answer.
Audré noticed that her nephew was grinding the lionfish spines with more force than necessary and decided to feign mild interest.
"She wishes to get married to another man and raise my son under a step-father." Draco informed his aunt and Audré closed her eyes in horror.
So the sleeping dragon had really been tickled and tickled hard.
And now the dragon was preparing to breathe fire and destroy everything.
Audré opened her eyes and gave her nephew a serene smile. "Technically Draco, she has every right to get married to anyone she feels like." She said, "As for Adrian, you'll still remain his father even if his mother gets married to another man." she explained.
Draco threw the pestle he was holding at the opposite wall and faced his aunt full on face.
"My son will not be raised under a step-father. He's a Malfoy and Malfoys are never raised under step-fathers." He declared with gritted teeth.
Audré gave her most piercing look at her nephew and crossed her arms over her chest.
"I'll not be talked like that, Draco." She warned him icily, "Remember, it was I who believed you when no one did, it was I who gave you idea how to find Adrian and it was I who helped you go through every single plan you schemed." She said with her eyebrows raised, "No one talks to Audré Chombrun Malfoy like that and that includes you too, Draco Lucius Malfoy." She said indignantly.
Draco contemplated his aunt's response for a moment and then hung his head.
"I apologize for my rudeness, aunt." he said in a quiet voice, "In my anger with that Mudblood, I forgot that you are on my side, not her." He admitted.
"I am on no one's side Draco." Audré said to her nephew, "What you did to her was a heinous crime and I will never support you there. But I will help you to get closer to your son, Draco." She offered, "I know how much you love Adrian but if you try to confront him now, Draco, you'll surely destroy the innocent boy." She explained, "Don't do that to him, Draco. Don't destroy him. Protect him, Draco. He's your only son." Audré said gently.
Draco slumped on the stool behind him and held his head in his hands.
"I thought I would make a petition for his custody by using Mudblood's new fiancée as a bait but now I don't know what to do." He said through his fingers, "I can't let him grow up under a step-father, aunt. I just can't do that." He said in a pained voice.
Audré placed her hand on her nephew's head and stroked his hair gently, "We'll see what we can do about that, Draco." She said in a soothing voice, "But for now, I think you should put this potion under stasis charm and go to your bed. It's been a long day for you and tomorrow you need to go to Sorbonne." She reminded him.
"The potion can't be left at this stage. It's another hour's work before I can leave it." her nephew said in a tired voice.
Audré took the opportunity and asked the question she had been longing, "What's it then?"
Draco looked up from his hands and eyed the bubbling cauldron, "Don't ask me why because neither I nor anyone I know is going to consume it, aunt." he said in a warning voice, "It's a potion to induce suicide upon consumption." He informed Audré whose face immediately turned grave, "It's for Friday." He added.
Audré, who knew that the party Narcissa was planning was due in next Friday, could think of only one sentence in her head:
The Rochés are done for.
•••••
Hermione Granger carefully levitated the ring bearing the blue diamond and placed it on her lab table. Her day's schedule was to finish curse-breaking Audré Chombrun Malfoy's ring before her lunch break.
The diamond had yielded no positive results when tested for common curses. But Hermione, who had completed a specialized two days workshop on 'Cursed Diamonds' in Gringotts Brussels, knew better and was planning to run some more tests on it.
During their workshop Hermione and the other participants were told that diamonds were basically carbon crystals where the atoms were arranged in cubic forms. There are many facets of a diamond cube according to the carbon arrangement and while the simple ones contained twenty four faces the complex ones could contain thirty to forty eight facets. In order to curse break a diamond, every single facet should be identified and checked for any possible residual curses. Apart from checking the many hidden facets, the curse breakers should also check the reflections of light from a supposedly cursed diamond for any 'Blinding Curses' too.
It was a time consuming job to identify every single facet and test them for curses; something that became even more difficult if the diamond was small. Besides blue diamonds were more prone of being cursed; the best example being the 'Hope Diamond' which the Wizarding experts believed was cursed indeed; contrary to the popular Muggle belief that it was a fabrication to increase the value of the diamond.
Audré's medium sized blue diamond, Hermione had tested and found, contained forty eight facets and after checking them under different light rays, she had discovered two carefully concealed deadly 'Slow Poisoning Curses' in two of the facets. It was done in such an expert way that the ring bearer would never be able to identify it with common revealing spells and would be poisoned slowly over monthes before she was sent to her death without raising any suspicions.
After three hours of paying extreme concentration to locate and undoing the two poisoning curses, Hermione let out a breath of relief before placing the ring in it's box and sealed it with her official 'Final Seal of Approval and Evaluation'. Her vision was blurry from constant staring at the bright blue stone but her heart was contended.
Her work for the day being over, Hermione clutched her bag and set out for her Geccemp's office to hand him over the ring to be returned to it's owner.
"Bonjour Geccemp, sir" she greeted her boss upon knocking and entering his office. Geccemp greeted back in his usual cheerful mood and motioned her to take a seat.
Hermione placed Audré's ring on his vast polished table and informed him that the ring had been curse broken and was safe to be worn by it's owner. She explained her findings and Geccemp looked immensely pleased with her work as he listened to her attentively.
"There is no one like you, Jean." he said at last, looking proud, "I was never wrong in my decision of choosing you." he said in a self confident tone, "This job needs patience and knowledge and you are gifted with both." he commented contentedly.
Hermione thanked her Goblin boss for the compliments and informed him that she would be leaving early in order to take her son to his school for his orientation class there.
"St. Joan's accepted Adrian after his Saining ceremony and asked him to attend an orientation class today." Hermione said to her boss who congratulated and told her to wait while he left his seat and vanished in his workshop.
He returned moments later with a thin wooden box and presented it to Hermione.
"It is a tradition in France to give presents to wizards or witches on their first day at school." He explained, "Your colleagues have told me that you have very fine boy and this is my present for him."
Hermione did not know how to express her gratitude to the extraordinary Goblin sitting before her. "Thank you very much, sir." she said with a genuine smile and opened the box.
Inside laid an intricately designed model of a tiny silver daisy around a silver chain. Hermione eyed it with curiosity, not knowing what she might do with a silver flower.
"In plant symbology Daisy stands of Happiness, Blessings and Luck." She heard her boss explain her. "That's what a new magical life needs on his way to success. Put the chain around his neck and it will bring him those three things." He instructed her, "We goblins are asked by many wizards to make these symbolic flowers for their kids." He proclaimed proudly.
Hermione was rendered speechless for several seconds before she regained it again.
"I …. I have no words to…." Hermione stammered but Geccemp held a long fingered hand and quieted her. "You are our best Curse Breaker Jean. You risk your life and sanity everyday to serve my clients. Every single curse you deal with can either take your life or worse incapacitate you for the rest of it. Besides I still haven't forgotten about Gobtok and the Malfoy vault. I was informed by the goblins who accompanied you there that how difficult it was for you to curse break that vault." He said looking grave, "This is the least I could do to acknowledge your efforts." He commented.
"It is my honour to work with you, Sir." Hermione closed the box and pocketed it inside her protective robe before standing up. "My son Adrian tells me to bring him to Gringotts every morning before I come to my office. He'll be pleased when I give him this." She said, smiling widely and bade the goblin goodbye.
Hermione returned home soon afterwards and found her son flying around the yard on his toy broom under watchful scrutiny of Apolline Delacour.
Hermione had never been very good at flying. It was the only part of the magical education that she disliked. Height made her feel dizzy and she preferred any other means of transportation other than broom riding. Her son, on the contrary, was a fairly good broom rider at the age of five and a half. He had a natural knack of balancing himself while in the air though the toy broom never went above three feet height.
'Well, Malfoy being a seeker in Slytherin team, how could Adrian not be a good flyer?' Hermione thought bitterly as she watched her son fly above a rose bush and brush it lightly with his small feet.
'But Adrian was her son and her son only. Malfoy and his wretched family had no part in her son's life or anything related to it.' she thought determinedly. True that Adrian looked like an exact replica of his father except for the curly pattern of hair but Hermione was not affected by it. She had decided not to relate the innocent child with his sinner of a father moments after she had given birth and was handed a crying neonate. She had noticed her son's grey eyes and slivery blonde lanugo hair. While the father's features frightened and disgusted her, her son's features made her feel happy and safe thinking that she had something so beautiful and innocent for her own.
"Come down, little rabbit, Mama has something from Gringotts for you!" Hermione called after her flying son.
Normally Adrian would protest vigorously before coming down but the word 'Gringotts' worked like a summoning charm on him and he landed smoothly on the patch of land he was flying.
"What's it Mama?" he squeaked excitedly as he ran to her, "Is it one of those treasures that you look for?" he asked his wide eyes shining with excitement.
"It's something better than those treasures." Hermione said and took out the box Geccemp had given her. "This a gift from a very good goblin named Geccemp. He's Mama's boss and he sent it to you." She handed the box to her son who opened the lid immediately.
"It's a flower." Adrian commented thoughtfully, examining the content of the box, "Why did he send me a flower?" he asked looking up at Hermione, "We have a lot of flowers in our garden." He indicated the numerous flower plants around him.
Hermione smiled and kissed her son on his cheek, "This flower is special, rabbity boo. It's called daisy and it has a 'Good Luck Charm' on it meaning it will bring you happiness and good luck." She said as she placed the chain around his neck, "Beside the flowers in the garden will fall off with time but this silver flower will always remain this way." She explained him patiently.
Apolline reached the mother and son duo after collecting Adrian's discarded broom from the ground. "You'll be late for his orientation class, Jean. They arranged it especially in the afternoon so that all working parents can attend it." She reminded Hermione and took Adrian's silver daisy to examine it.
"Geccemp gave it to Adrian for his first day at school." Hermione explained, "He said it is a tradition."
"Yes it is and it's a very fine goblin work, Jean." She commented, "That goblin is a master with metals. His name is a brand itself." She informed Hermione, "I have heard that he charges very high for engraving and is very selective about taking orders too. Not everyone in the neighbourhood has a Geccemp, Jean. Not even the Rochés." She said looking proud.
"That reminds me, what did they say when you and father approached them about Pierre's behaviour?" Hermione asked Apolline.
Apolline curled her lips in disgust, "Pierre's mother Lea Rochés is one proud swan and thinks she is most beautiful woman in whole France." Apolline said bitterly, "When we told them about Pierre she behaved as if it was the most normal thing in the world. She told us not to meddle in such petty matters since Adrian and Pierre are friends and we elders should not interfere between them." Apolline said looking irritated.
"But we are not friends, Grandma." Adrian who had been listening to the conversation protested in his high pitched voice, "He talks bad things about Mama since he came to know Mama has no marriage anniversary." He said looking angry.
Apolline lifted her grandson in her arms; "Mama will have a marriage ceremony soon, my little man." she said and kissed him.
Hermione blushed furiously and bit her lips before looking away. True that she was planning to get married to Alexis but she could not bring herself to talk about it to Apolline or her other family members. Besides she wanted to discuss about her decision with her closest friends Eva and Edmound too. Only after that she would talk about Alexis to Adrian.
"Really?" Adrian asked, his anger forgotten and innocent grey eyes wide with excitement, "When?"
Hermione cleared her throat pointedly and Apolline gave her a smile and a wink. "Mama and your new Papa will inform you about that, sweetie pie." She replied to Adrian.
"Now little rabbit, let's go to your new school! Hm?" Hermione called her son, desperate to change the subject of her marriage.
"Okay," Adrian squealed happily, "Mama, can I take Peter too? Can he study there?" he asked Hermione as Apolline put him on the ground.
"It's a school for humans, my love and I think you need to teach Peter some basic letters before enrolling him to a rabbit's school." Hermione answered as she took her son by his hand and lead him towards their wing.
"Then I'll start teaching him from this evening." Adrian informed as he trotted and hopped along his mother.
Hermione watched her innocent happy son and let out a deep breath. This boy was worth every agonizing moment of pain she had endured during her pregnancy. He was worth every cry of pain that had escaped her mouth and every drop of blood she had shed during labour. He was worth every sleepless night she had spent taking care of him. He was worth her constant fighting for last six years and he was worth dying for.
Because he was her son - her own Adrian Thomas Granger.
•••••
Draco eyed the motto written below the crest of the Sorbonne School for Wizarding Law. It read:
'Omnibus Sapientia, Unicuique Excellentia'
"Knowledge for everyone, Excellence for each one" he muttered under his breath.
Sorbonne or la Sorbonne, was noted as one of the first Muggle universities to be established in Europe. It was founded in the mid-12th century in Paris, France, officially recognized between 1160 and 1250. Following the French Revolution, its activities were suspended from 1793 to 1896. Initially it had three schools: the palatine or palace school, the school of Notre-Dame, and that of Sainte-Geneviève Abbey. The French Ministry of Magic had been conducting the higher education of it's Wizarding citizen secretly in all three of the schools since it's establishment and even now that Sorbonne has expanded and been divided into thirteen autonomous institutes to accommodate the Muggle students, their portal to the Wizarding colleges were well hidden and safe. Sorbonne having a huge campus and hundreds of thousands of students from different corners of the globe was the best place to hide and teach the Wizarding population under the guise of Muggles.
Draco was wearing his usual black attire though they were more formal considering his interview with the head of the law school, a wizard by the name of Monsieur Jacques Poirier.
His aunt Audré had happily accompanied him to her old campus and led him through the Wizarding barrier separating the Muggle and Magical colleges. Draco was astonished by the way the two colleges operated side by side harmoniously and entered Monsieur Poirier's office with a calm anticipation. This was his chance to get Adrian back.
The interview went well enough and when Draco informed his new teacher that he had achieved Outstanding in all eight subjects that he undertook in his O.W.L and N.E. at Hogwarts, he was offered a stipend for foreign students too. Draco would have refused the offer had his aunt not stopped him at the proper moment and they left the office soon afterwards.
"I have never heard of a Malfoy taking a stipend, aunt." Draco said irritably as he exited through the portal to enter the Muggle counterpart of his college, "We Malfoys are rich enough to give poor students stipend ourselves." He said proudly.
"That's exactly why you should take it Draco. It's also another step of becoming a responsible father for Adrian." His aunt said looking pleased, "You see, that stipend will be your first income in the form of salary. It will be something that you earned on your own merit rather than usual inherited Malfoy money that you use." She explained, "Besides, however small the amount may sound, Draco, it's considered an honour to receive a stipend from the college. I clearly remember the day Morpheus received his one." She reminisced happily, "He bought me a silver broach with it and I still wear it." she said.
Draco had never considered earning his own money until now. He always knew he had enough of everything he had wanted and somehow the idea of earning his own money never tempted him. But the way his aunt explained it to him made the idea fascinating. The prospect of being able to earn his own money for the sake of his son made him feel elated and he decided to spend his first monthly stipend money by buying his son something he might need.
Thinking of Adrian brought overwhelming desire to visit his son and Draco bade his aunt goodbye before casting a non verbal Disillusionment charm and disapparating to reach the Delacour residence.
Once inside the perimeter through the moss covered back door, Draco's eyes met the sight he had never thought was possible.
His son was riding a toy broomstick.
Draco's heart leaped to his mouth and he stood rotted to the spot watching his son, awestruck as he skillfully directed the broom wherever he wanted. The broom though a toy one bent to Adrian's every wish and soon Draco realized his son was a natural.
'Just like me, his father.' He thought proudly.
He watched his son with hunger in his eyes. That boy was everything he had ever dreamt of and he was perfect. He moved closer to his flying son and noticed Apolline Delacour, who was sitting on a bench and knitting while watching Adrian carefully.
Draco was visited by an overwhelming desire to give his son a ride on his own broom. That way he could teach him some more tactics about keeping balance while in air and ensure he made an excellent seeker like his father once was old enough. He did not know how long he had been watching his son but suddenly he noticed him land smoothly on the ground and ran to his mother who had appeared when he was watching Adrian.
He reached them cautiously and stood at a distance to listen to them. Apolline was saying something about Granger's marriage and his hands fisted immediately.
'I am going to make sure that my son never grows up under a step-father, Mudblood whore.' Draco thought determinedly eyeing Hermione who was blushing. He was unable to take any drastic steps due to the Oath he had taken but he was going to stop at nothing to prevent this marriage.
'I can't harm that Mudblood to stop that marriage.' he thought, 'Though, I can take care of that cheat Alexis Delacour since I never took oath about him.' Draco narrowed his eyes, 'But that way I'll be indirectly harming Adrian and that Mudblood.' He shook his head, 'Trust aunt Audré with an Oath and I am sure she was thorough about it.' he tapped his finger on his lips thoughtfully, 'There must another way to stop this marriage without breaking the Oath.'
His lips broke into a characteristic Malfoy smirk as realization dawned upon him. 'So simple and yet so effective!' Draco thought smugly.
His son Adrian was worth it and he would do anything to get hold of his son. There was no stopping Draco Malfoy once he decided to do something.
His mood elated and his head scheming the ways to execute his plan, Draco followed his son who was hopping like his own pet rabbit beside his mother.
'That adorable boy is worth selling my wretched soul to devil.' Draco thought and entered the East Wing behind his son, who was taken to their bedroom and changed into formal attire by his mother. He looked even more handsome in white shirt and black trousers. Adrian took his rabbit from small rabbit home that was bound by a magical anti-trespassing line.
"Did you take your lunch, Peter?" Adrian enquired of his rabbit that moved up his shoulder and slided down on his lap playfully.
"Mama, can we buy a pair of shoes for Peter when we come back from school?" Adrian asked his mother, examining Peter's bare paws.
"Peter being four-legged, he would need two pairs of shoes, little rabbit." His mother informed him, "Now, calm down for a bit and let me select a tie for you, Adrian." she said as she took out several small neck ties and laid them down on the bed, "It's your first day at school and I want you to look your best." She said thoughtfully.
'So, it's my son's first day at school!' Draco thought as he moved behind Hermione to look at the ties, 'Let his father decide what he should be wearing.' He thought proudly and leaned against the bedpost.
He carefully eyed the ties and selected an emerald green 'Tudor Paisley' lying in a corner. 'Adrian will wear his father's Slytherin colour today.' He smirked at the idea and pointed his wand at Peter.
'Imperio' he muttered.
Peter immediately left Adrian's lap and ran to the bed with a surprised Adrian on tow. The rabbit climbed up the bed using the sheets and grabbed the green neck tie in it's rear paws.
"Mama, look what Peter did?" Adrian exclaimed to his mother who looked dumbfounded, "Peter wants me to wear this tie." He said pointing at the green one the rabbit was catching.
His object being achieved Draco lifted the spell from the poor creature and eyed his son who was pleading to wear the green tie now.
"Mama I want to wear what Peter wants." He pouted his lips at Hermione, who resigned and took the green neck tie before kneeling down in front of Adrian to tie it around his neck.
'Malfoy brains are just amazing!' Draco thought smugly and sat on the window sill waiting to accompany his son on his first day at school.
The mother and son left for school soon and Draco watched them as they walked together. Adrian kept asking numerous questions to his mother and jumped once a while. They reached an elegant looking building just beside Notre Dame, the historic religious cathedral, on the eastern half of the Île de la Cité. Draco watched curiously as Muggle passer-bys walked past it completely oblivious of it's existence beside the most famous cathedral in Europe. The entrance to school was guarded by a door which had medieval ironworks and Draco entered the premises.
The school - 'St. Joan's Institute for Magical Children' was a four-sided group of buildings from the 14th century surrounding a beautiful green lawn. Twenty or so children of different ages were playing while their parents seated themselves on the grass, waiting for the orientation. Draco looked around and noticed that Adrian was easily the youngest of them all.
'The youngest but the most powerful of them all.' He thought as his grin reaching from ear to ear.
Soon afterwards one of the teachers took the children to a classroom where a small tree decorated with colourful large cones was placed. The parents were asked to watch patiently as the Headmistress Marianne asked the children to take seats and positioned her beside the tree.
"Welcome, my dear children to St. Joan's." she said cheerfully to the excited children, "I am your Headmistress Madame Marianne." she introduced herself to them.
"Bonjour, Madame Marianne" The children greeted her politely.
Marianne nodded and smiled at her new students. Draco was strangely reminded of his deceased headmaster Professor Albus Dumbledore.
"Today is your first day at school and as per tradition we always give something to our new students." Marianne pointed at the decorated tree beside her with a flourish.
"There are twenty cones containing your gifts here." she said showing them the decorated tree.
"You will come and pick up your cone without breaking it." Marianne explained the curious children, indicating the fragile looking multi coloured paper cones and smiled mischievously.
The children immediately broke into an excited chatter. They eyed the big cones that was wrapped carefully with paper and considered ways to pick them from the tree without causing damage.
The sorceress unrolled a parchment and called up the children's name one by one alphabetically.
Upon calling, each young wizard or witch stood up and approached the tree to pick the cone he or she had selected. Some were tall enough to reach it easily and claimed their prize without much difficulty. Those who were shorter climbed up the tree to reach their prize.
Draco noticed with contempt that Adrian could neither reach nor climb up to claim his prize. He was considering to help him using a summoning charm when Adrian's name was called.
He was astonished when Adrian approached his headmistress instead of the tree and motioned her to kneel down. Marianne complied looking curious and Adrian said something in her ears upon which the sorceress broke into a laugh.
"Are you sure, Adrian?" Draco heard Marianne asking Adrian who nodded in response. Marianne then turned to one of her teachers and said something in his ear, who left immediately.
"Is anything wrong, Madame?" Hermione asked Marianne looking anxious. She gave her son a questioning look.
Draco could bet that Adrian gave his mother a characteristic Malfoy smirk. It meant that Adrian had a plan to reach his prize.
Marianne waved a hand at Hermione's direction and smiled broadly, "It's perfectly alright Mademoiselle Granger!" She assured a worried Hermione, "This is a test of children's abilities to reach their goals." she said to her. Hermione however looked unconvinced at her assurance.
The teacher took that moment to enter into the classroom and he was holding-
'A broom?' Draco spluttered.
Adrian was going to use the broom to reach his prize!
He and the whole crowd of children, parents, teachers and headmistress watched in utter disbelief as Adrian took the kids broom from his teacher's hand, mounted it and kicked from the ground. He reached the cone he was intending to take within a minute and picked it carefully before landing safely on the ground beside his headmistress.
Hermione let out a cry of joy mixed with shock and ran at Adrian before embracing him tightly in her arms and kissing him repeatedly for his ingenious idea.
From his position Draco only watched them silently unable utter a single sound.
'The Slytherin seeker is finally after his Golden Snitch.' He thought as he let out a breath and eyed his boy and Hermione Granger.
•••••
Alexis Delacour read the Portkey report thrice before putting it on his table. His brow was uncharacteristically furrowed.
'Draco Malfoy and Audré Chombrun Malfoy had visited Brussels during Jean's vacation there.' he thought feeling immensely disturbed.
'But why?' he asked himself, 'Surely they don't know about Adrian?' he rubbed his forehead wearily.
He had filed a petition that morning for information on Malfoy Portkey and received the report just ten minutes ago. The information it contained was making him uneasy and he knew there was only one way of finding out the truth.
He must go to Brussels himself and look into the matter. Meanwhile he would keep it as a secret since he was sure Jean would be scared to death if she came to know that Malfoy was in Brussels while she was there with Adrian.
He reached for his quill and filled up a form requesting an international Portkey to Brussels and upon completion left his office.
He should apply for two days leave from the Minister before making arrangements for his journey.
•••••
Narcissa Malfoy was consulting a list of French foods with Audré that were to be included in the menu for the upcoming party when her son Draco entered the parlour.
"Good evening, ladies." He greeted them both and took a seat across them.
Audré eyed his nephew cautiously and noticed that the strange gleam had increased many folds.
"Good Evening, Draco." She heard Narcissa greet her son. "How was your day?" she asked him.
"Excellent, mother." Draco said smugly, "It was perhaps one of the best days of my life." he stated looking immensely proud.
Audré did not know why but her instinct was warning her and she cast a piercing look at her nephew.
Something was not right.
Draco was planning something and she could tell it was concerned with Adrian.
"I am planning to invite the Minister for Magic for the upcoming party, mother." Draco suddenly said, "We used to invite Cornelius Fudge whenever you hosted a party at Manor, mother." He said arrogantly, "I guess this time we could do with the French Minister." He smirked.
"The Minister is a busy man Draco." Audré said to her nephew, "Besides he is very selective about private parties." She informed him.
"I have heard that already, aunt." Draco confessed looking even smugger, "Julian told me that the minister has been subjected to several unsuccessful assassination attempts." He explained to his frowning mother, "But it is essential for me that he attends mother's party at Rochés." He said with a tinge of amusement and stood up.
"Mother, make sure we have the Rochés caviar in the menu. It is a must." He instructed his mother seriously, "Meanwhile I must check on a potion that needs my immediate attention." He said and bade the ladies goodbye.
"What was that about the caviar, Audré?" Narcissa asked her once Draco had left.
"The minister likes caviar just like Draco does, Narcissa." Audré informed her and stood up.
"Excuse me, Narcissa. I need to write some important letters." Audré said and left the parlour.
It was time to write a letter to Beauxbaton Academy of Magic.