It took the better part of the night to find out what happened to Potter after he left. Draco walked back to the castle, alone, with his ring finger itching. He still couldn't believe Black wanted to be shut away in the ring. He had to keep forcing down the urge to try on the ring and ask Black if he was sure.
It was dark by the time he arrived back at the castle. Many of the other students were celebrating the end of OWLs. He found his housemates sullen in the common room, pissed at Potter's crew for getting the better of them. Pansy tried to get him to stay, pestering him about where he had gone.
"I tried to get Potter and the weapon," he snapped and went up to his bed without giving more of an explanation. He attempted to call Kreacher again, but the elf still didn't come. It made him uneasy to think that something might have happened to him. Black would be upset at that. After hours of being unable to quiet his thoughts and fall asleep, he decided to try and snag a Sleeping Draught from the infirmary. It wasnotbecause he wanted to check if Potter was back, he just needed some sleep.
He cast a disillusionment charm on himself, snuck past those still celebrating the end of exams, and made his way up to the infirmary. It was empty, Pomfrey nowhere to be seen. Quietly, he got the potions cabinet open and found his loot. He was about to leave when he heard voices accompanied by footsteps.
"Get in!" Pomfrey was leading a group into the infirmary. His heart sank when the only students with the witch were the Weasley girl, being held upright by Professor Sprout and Longbottom following. "Help the girl on that bed there. And Longbottom, you go to the next one."
Pomfrey bustled about gathering items. She came terrifyingly close to where Draco was standing next to the potions cabinet but thankfully didn't spot him. She posed her next question to Sprout, "Do you know when I can expect the others?"
Others?
"I should hope tomorrow. According to Dumbledore, Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasly were taken to St. Mungo's, but it was only because the magic that attacked them was unknown. He sounded unconcerned about them making a full recovery."
"They should let me deal with them! With these students, I bet I have seen stranger things." She was casting a spell on Weasley's leg making her gasp in pain. Malfoy's mouth quirked up at that. Served her right.
"And Potter? Should I expect him?" Draco held onto every word.
"Dumbledore is with him now. He might send the boy for Sleeping Draught or Dreamless."
"He better."
Draco almost slid the ring on right then and there. Potter was alive, so Black shouldn't be that pissed at him. But chances were that Black wouldn't appreciate just Draco's word. He'd want to see Potter with his own eyes. Draco decided he would put the ring on tomorrow. Feeling incredibly lighter he returned to his dormitory and dosed himself asleep.
He woke up late the next day, the potion having done its job. The Great Hall was buzzing both because of the end of exams and because of a strange Daily Prophet. It was a short issue saying that there is an ongoing investigation at the ministry and that they would release more details in a special Sunday edition.
Draco procrastinated putting the ring on. Now that he was faced with events that occurred, he wasn't sure whether Black would be pleased Potter had lived or still angry at Draco for not doing more. Instead, he spent the morning coming up with rune ideas for his new ring. At midday he snuck down to the infirmary, deciding that he had waited long enough. It was going to be what it was going to be.
Black appeared before him the moment the ring settled on his finger again. While Black was orienting himself, Draco cast a disillusionment charm on himself again. He didn't need to deal with people questioning why he was here.
"Draco, what happened?"
Draco just walked into the infirmary. Sprout had been right about transferring Granger and Weasley. Both now had beds alongside Longbottom and the other Weasley. Potter was sitting in a chair next to Granger's bed.
He heard Black's sigh of relief. "He's alive." Draco let Black have a few seconds to take in the scene before he exited. Black asked, "What happened?"
He started to walk up to the library, cancelling the charm. They might as well do some research before the school year was officially over.
"I saw them bringing Longbottom and Weasley last night and heard that Potter was fine," Black's mouth opened. "Don't be too shocked, I was just stealing a Sleeping Draught."
"Right," Black was, annoyingly, doubtful.
"All the prophet said was that there was an incident at the ministry. We'll learn more tomorrow about what those idiots got up to."
"Okay. I take it we are doing research today?" He had noticed the direction Draco was leading them.
"Yeah, we don't have much time left."
"Good. Um, that's good."
Draco sensed the uneasiness. "Do you not want to?"
"I -" He sighed. "I wasn't sure that you would want to after yesterday."
"I don't want to lose my memories."
"Even if it's easier without me?"
Draco had never entertained the possibility of willingly giving up Black. It would be easier. He wouldn't have to pick between his father and Black again. But it would also mean losing the only person who acknowledged how smart he was and listened to him without fear of his family.
"Yes. I still need you around," Draco admitted.
"Okay, let's do what we can in the last few days."
Once they reached the library, it was unsurprisingly empty now that there was no need to study, Draco voiced what he had been working on earlier.
"I've been thinking."
"A dangerous pastime." Black's lightheartedness felt forced, but Draco appreciated it. He rolled his eyes.
"I think we are being too direct. Your ring was meant to absorb magic, and you never anticipated it could absorb other things - like a soul. We have been trying to contain memories this whole time. Maybe we need to try and contain something else and the memories are a side effect."
Black pondered that. "It seems counterintuitive, but since we are running out of options we might as well consider it. What if we make it 'watch' the outside? Like a monitoring spell. That would tackle the storage and relay requirements. It just needs to be able to take different inputs."
"How can we do that?"
"The same way it can tell you what happened while you are gone. Tie it to your mind. Let's try swapping in the runeObserve. It might be ambiguous enough to go both directions."
That left them with the runesObserve, Seal, andRepetition. It didn't feel strong enough to Draco.
"What if we addedHidden?'Hidden observations' kinda feel like memories right? And it might make it easier to tie it to me if it's supposed to be hidden from others. It could also buffer Seal. Storing rather than sealing away."
"Yeah. I think that'd work. Draw them equidistant, and when you cast the activation spell do it on all four." Draco made the cravings into a new silver ring. He was trying not to get his hopes up.
When he finished, he held the ring to his temple, sending into it what he had done this morning - going to the Great Hall, getting the prophet, and not eating. He slid the ring on.
"I think it works! I didn't eat breakfast," Draco exclaimed. He slid the ring off. "I don't know what I ate this morning." Back on again. "I didn't eat!"
Black was wearing one of his rare smiles, "Finally. We should keep testing to make sure it can store memories repeatedly."
Draco grinned back and nodded. The taint of the previous day faded with the promise of this new ring working.
The high of figuring out the runes for his ring couldn't last. The evening post arrived, and Draco felt queasy as his family's eagle owl delivered a note in his mother's handwriting. She wouldn't normally write so close to the end of the year. He ignored the glances from his housemates as he opened the letter.
Draco,
Your father has been arrested. He was at the ministry last night. We are working with a solicitor. Do not say anything to anyone.
With Love,
Mother
His father has been arrested. It was unfathomable. He was high up in the ministry. He was well known and respected and they turned on had Potter done yesterday?
"Draco? You look like you've seen a thestral," Zabini commented across from him. Black was trying to read over his shoulder.
When Draco didn't respond, Pansy piped in, "What happened?"
"Shit, I'm sorry Draco," Black said quietly. He folded the letter in his robes. He was being suffocated by the number of people around him.
Ignoring the calls of his housemates, he left the Great Hall turning out of the entryway and onto the grounds. Rage swept through him and he wanted nothing more than to break something. He pulled out his wand and started cursing nearby statues. He wanted to see them crumble.
"Why couldn't Potter just fucking listen to me!" He yelled and just let magic flow from his wand, he barely thought of what spell he was using.
"I didn't want this!" He kept lancing spell after spell.
I wish he had died! He thought bitterly. His next spell caused the statue's leg to give, making the whole thing crash. It wasn't as satisfying as he thought it would be.
He was breathing heavily and was mortified to find his face wet. He wiped his sleeve across his face and collapsed on a bench.
"Feel better?"
"Not now Black. This was all because of you," Draco spat.
"No, this would have happened with or without me. Your father was in over his head."
"Do you know what this means for me? For my family?" Draco's future was crumbling before him.
"Hopefully, you'll stop being abused this summer." That was not what Draco thought Black would say.
"Are you happy that this happened?!"
"Happy? Not really. I just think it's fitting. I am more concerned with how the Dark Lord will react to your father's failure than your father's fate."
Draco hadn't even thought that far yet. He was only concerned about the Malfoy family's reputation. "What is he going to do?"
"I can't say, but he won't be happy."
Why did everything have to go wrong? He thought as everything was getting better.
The Sunday edition of the Prophet came, and before people could begin discussing it, Draco took his copy and went to an empty classroom. He wouldn't be able to handle it if his father's arrest was included in it. The entire front cover was filled with a single title in thick black lettering.
HE WHO MUST NOT BE NAMED RETURNS
He held the paper for Black to read along with. The ministry was finally ready to accept the truth after the Dark Lord himself appeared inside the ministry, right in front of the minister. There weren't many details about why he was there or why Potter was. The Department of Mysteries was only mentioned once. A small column on the last page caught his attention.
SIRIUS BLACK DEAD
Draco immediately went to look at Black. He was pale. He had seen it too.
"I'm so sorry," Draco said without a thought.
"It's okay, I am just surprised." Draco found himself feeling guilty. He had known it was a trap and if he had just convinced Potter maybe Black's brother would be alive. He scanned the paragraph under the title. They had absolved Black of his crimes, saying he fought against He Who Must Not Be Named and was likely framed years ago.
"At least he died innocent," Draco tried to be comforting.
"I wish he'd never died at all."
Draco spent the remainder of Sunday testing the new ring as a distraction. Neither of them brought up Draco's father or Black's brother. Black had encouraged him to get all his memories of Black's ring hidden before returning home for the summer. They had no idea what he would face when he got home.
Draco left their session feeling raw. The constant remembering and un-remembering was terrifying. It was too easy to mess with someone's mind. That's why, when he saw Potter alone, he couldn't temper the familiar rage that built up.
Potter was the reason his father was in Azkaban. Potter was the reason his mother was in danger. Potter was the reason Black's brother was dead. He did a glance to make sure no professors were near; He was going to let Potter have it.
"You're dead, Potter," He growled approaching.
"Huh, feel pretty good for a dead man."
"You are going to pay for what you did to my father."
"Pretty sure he did that to himself. Besides, I think he's right where he belongs."
"There are no more dementors in Azkaban. He'll be out soon enough. And when he is -"
"Everyone will know what a scumbag he is." Draco pulled his wand. "Why did you even try to stop me? In the forest. Your father was the one behind the plot, you'd think you would be helping him."
Draco fumed. He didn't have a good retort for that. He had been disloyal going after Potter. "Don't talk about things you don't understand. I will do whatever it takes to prove my name."
"Oh, and by prove your name you mean to prove that your whole family are selfish bastards?"
"At least I have a family. Yours are just bones and maggots at this point. You'll be right at home with them soon enough."
Potter pulled his wand. He was faster than Draco.
"Potter!" Snape appeared seemingly out of nowhere. "10 points for whatever you were about to do."
Draco smiled smugly. "I don't think they have any more points to lose, Professor. Potter's arrogance ensured that already."
"Then I suggest you return to your common room before I start giving detentions for next year," Snape told Potter. With a final scowl at Draco, Potter stalked off. Draco did so too in the opposite direction. With his anger cooling down, he noticed something.
"You didn't say anything," he whispered to Black.
"I didn't."
"I went against our deal." Teasing Potter about dead parents was a direct violation of his deal to get the Black Heir ring.
"You did."
"And?"
"And I am pissed at Potter too. He should have just listened to you." Draco snuck a glance at Black. His face gave nothing away, but something was different. Losing his brother must have been harder on him than Draco assumed.
Malfoy Manor was a completely different place that summer. His father's cool confidence and pride left behind a space for distress to fester. His mother was cold and competent, but she was out of her element. For the first few days Draco was back, ministry officials were in and out searching for illegal, dark objects.
He was questioned about his father's activities and of course, gave nothing away. The arrest became quite a hot topic in the Daily Prophet. Draco found it hard to read. Realistically, he was finding a lot of things hard to do. His mother had always been protective, but she hardly let him out of her sight. That left him little opportunity to talk with Black who was also frustrated by the development.
Black was restless. In a rare moment where they found themselves alone Black confessed, "I wish you were a year older. This summer would be so much more productive."
Draco grimaced. "You and I both." With the restriction against underage magic, he couldn't do anything,at least not without his mother breathing down his neck.
"Try calling Kreacher. We can at least send him on some errands."
"Kreacher!" Draco called but didn't feel hopeful. Nothing happened.
"Did something happen to him?" Black asked but Draco had no idea.
"Do you think they killed him? Now they know where his loyalties lie?"
"They better not have," Black said with a dark edge to his voice.
It was July when he met his Aunt Bellatrix for the first time. The ministry investigation was cooling down and the manor was free of constant surveillance, leaving the opening for other family friends to come. His mother had been the one to bring it up.
"My sister believes it is time to continue your training. Lucius had wanted you to get stronger this summer. With him gone, that need is stronger."
"What training shall I continue? Imperious?"
"Possibly. Bella will teach you skills that the Dark Lord praises."
"Does this mean I'll become a Death Eater?" Draco hoped he sounded eager.
"Not yet. You are too young, but I fear without your father someone will need to take his place if we want our family to stay strong."
"Of course." He understood that he was going to have to take his father's place, but It didn't stop him from stressing over his aunt's training. She had been sent to Azkaban for a reason; she never had the reputation for being a kind woman, even to her family.
"She was mad before Azkaban, I can only imagine how bad it'll be now," Black warned.
"Should I wear either of the rings?"
"As curious as I am to see my cousin, I think not." Draco swallowed the lump in his throat. This would be the first true trial of his ring.
It was like the memories were gone, never to have existed in the first place when he removed the ring. As he went to meet his mother and aunt he only had the vague impression that he had a ring that he should put on later. The ring was important, but Draco didn't know why. The moment he entered the room Bellatrix pounced on him.
"Incarcerous."
Draco was immediately tied up with magical ropes. His aunt smiled. "You need to always be on guard, little Draco."
"Bella," His mother warned. Draco struggled pointlessly against them.
"This is why you brought me here, Cissy," she reminded them. She looked at Draco, and without a proper introduction, said, "Brace yourself."
She didn't give him more than a second.
"Legilimens."
A stabbing pain wrecked through his mind. He could feel her clawing at his mind. His memories. He saw the flashes along with her.
The excitement at getting his Hogwarts letter.
His father yelling at him.
Losing to Potter in Quidditch.
Studying alone in the Library.
There was nothing he could do against her. She just kept ripping, searching for who knows what. Draco heard his mother yell and used it to try to ground himself.
"Bella!"
The presence disappeared from his mind along with the flashes of memories. "He needs to learn Cissy, his mind should always be on guard." His temples throbbed.
"I know, but he needs to learn, not be pushed too far."
"The Dark Lord won't be as kind." Draco felt sick. How much worse could this get? But he knew his aunt was right.
"I'm fine, mother," He forced out.
Aunt Bella laughed. "See?" She let the robes binding him drop.
"Let's go again. If you don't want to watch, leave. Don't interrupt us again."
It went on for a better part of the hour. Draco improved, but considering he couldn't guard anything at the start it wasn't saying much. His aunt made all sorts of insults and jabs throughout it. When he was finally dismissed and returned to his room, he saw two rings beside his bed. He felt an urge to put one of them on, but couldn't remember why. He didn't remember why he had two rings. He reached for the bigger one.
A man appeared before him. Draco panicked. "Who are you?"
"Draco? Shit, put on the other ring."
"Why should I listen to you?" He had no idea what was going on. Why did he have a ring with a person in it?
"You remember a ring right? It's that one."
Draco, still suspicious, slid the silver one on. It felt right even if he couldn't remember why. Suddenly his memories were all there, like they'd never left.
"Sorry, that was bloody confusing."
"It's fine. How was my cousin?" Black almost looked anxious.
"Bloody mad. But the ring worked."
"Really? What did she try?"
"She tied me up and ripped apart my brain."
Black looked pleased. "And she didn't see anything about me?" Draco shook his head. "Sorry, I shouldn't be happy, but I almost can't believe it worked"
"Me neither." It was clear Draco wasn't as happy as Black was.
"Try not to read too much into what she says to you. The Blacks have always been a bit mad."
Draco wondered if he was referring to himself. Black looked to be considering something.
"You should call me Regulus."
Draco was taken aback. He generally refrained from using anyone's first name. "Do you want me to?"
"I think so. I can't help but think of my family when I hear Black. And it's not just Bella. It's my father. And Sirius."
"Okay." Draco felt a little guilty. Had he been reminding Black - Regulus - of murdering his father and his dead brother every time they talked? "Is that why you've always called me Draco?"
"I guess. At first, it was just weird because you weren't the first Malfoy I knew and since I'm older it felt right. But yeah, I didn't want to associate you with Lucius."
"Why didn't you ask me sooner?"
"I'd hoped you would start to on your own accord, but then I realised your classmates don't even get that from you. Even Pansy you'll call Parkison from time to time even though she insists that no one does. Also, with each year you get closer to my age. It's only fair."
That was an uncomfortable thought. How much longer was it going to take to get Regulus back into a body that aged? Draco knew it was selfish, but he hoped it would be a while still.
