"Did you know that there's a curse that causes someone to hallucinate giant fish?"
They had spent the Saturday at the library trying to catalogue interesting spells to show Snape before their next check-in. There were a shocking number of ridiculous spells from turning your nose blue to a spell that removed a dog's teeth. Some bloody weird stuff was archived in the restricted section, but this one stuck out as particularly amusing to Draco. Black looked over from scouring the titles on the shelves. "You're shitting me."
"Nope." He pointed to the passage while angling the book towards Black. "You'd think people would want to keep that to themselves. Why the fuck would that ever be useful?"
Black laughed. "I don't know, maybe it'd be handy. Imagine you're in a serious fight and a fish comes out of nowhere, it could be a useful distraction." He paused a second considering. "Or for pranks. You could try pulling that on Potter next detention. Do you think he'd throw a fit or think he's going mad and keep silent?"
Draco stifled a laugh, picturing it. "He's far too loud to stay quiet. I thought you didn't approve of teasing Potter and I didn't peg you as someone interested in pranks."
"I'm not, but I used to know someone who would've put that spell to good use. No one would see it besides us and it's not like it would hurt him."
Draco considered. It was probably the stupidest idea he'd heard of for a prank, but still found himself a week later, in a new detention with Potter, about to do just that. He raised his eyebrows in silent communication with Black. The returning grin was all the approval he needed.
"Piscari Magnus."
Potter jerked up from his writing, as white sparks hit his face. "What did-" His annoyed voice cut off, as his eyes jerked to something on the right of Draco. His eyes widened, as Draco snickered when he followed his gaze and saw nothing.
"The fuck is that?"
"Language, Potter."
Harry ignored him in favour of standing up and inspecting what Draco could only hope was an obnoxiously large fish. "What did you do to me?" Potter demanded. Draco just grinned in response.
"It's not real is it?" He was still eyeing whatever he was seeing wearily.
"What's not real? I don't see anything," Draco said, faking innocence.
"There's a giant salmon next to you!"
"Really Potter?"
He reached out and presumably tried to touch the thing. When his hand continued through it, he surprised Draco by laughing. "I thought it might be real!"
"Why would there be giant trout here?"
"It's a salmon!"
Draco found himself laughing too. "Sure it is."
"How did you even find that spell? And how long does this last? I don't fancy waking up to that in the middle of the night."
"Is it that scary? Is wee Potter scared of a little fishy?"
"Shut up. If you could see it, you wouldn't be so mocking."
"I think I'm a bit tougher than you."
"Yeah right, what's the spell then?"
Draco surprised himself by responding, it didn't cross his mind at that moment that Harry could use it against him, "Piscari Magnus."
The same white sparks blinded him briefly, but he too saw a giant fish, upright and with dead eyes standing near the door. It was a little freakier than he imagined.
"I think mine's a catfish." He circled it, Potter had a reason to be a little unnerved. "Shit, it is a little unnatural."
"Language, aren't you a prefect? And I told you!"
He looked back at Potter and found they were both smiling. They were getting far too comfortable with each other. "Alright, break time's over. Get back to your lines."
Potter moved back to the desk, but still questioned, "Do you even know how to undo this?"
"No," Draco admitted.
"Figures, well at least we'll both be seeing it." He returned to his lines appearing more at ease than before, despite the distraction of the giant salmon. He couldn't help but notice the pleased look on Black's face as he settled in for the rest of detention.
After that, Potter kept himself out of detention. The announcement came that Umbridge had the sole power over the existence of any club or team. He had told Montague, the Slytherin quidditch captain, not to worry about it and had approached Umbridge that morning about the Slytherin team. She signed off instantly. She cheekily added, "It's a shame not all of the student teams are positive influences like yours." Apparently, the Gryffindor team wasn't going to be getting the same treatment, so Potter was probablt trying his best not to draw attention to himself.
He was waiting in the dungeons outside potions when Potter and crew showed up. Wanting to avoid temptation, Draco peeled off from the rest of the students, trying to get more space between him and Potter.
"Where do you think you're going? Potter's looking a little too happy don't you think," Crabbe said.
"I'm not in the mood."
"You're never in the mood recently. What's with you?" Crabbe was more observant than he gave him credit for.
"Nothing, I just have more important things to deal with than Potter."
"Whatever." Crabbe still continued towards the Gryffindors, but tilted his head towards Draco and addressed him. "Malfoy, didn't you get Umbridge to give Slytherin immediate rights to start practising again."
Draco grit his teeth frustrated to be dragged into this. "Of course I did. She knows who my father is."
"You Gryffindors don't seem as lucky." Goyle jumped in.
Granger murmured something to Potter. Hopefully that would temper his reaction.
"It's probably because of you Potter," Goyle continued, "Can't have someone mentally unstable flying around. We wouldn't want any innocent bystanders getting run over." Both Weasley and Potter stood up at that one.
"Shut it," Weasley growled.
"Looks like your crazy is rubbing off Potter. Feeling okay Weasley? Maybe they'll have a joint room for the two of you in St. Mungo's. I hear there's a ward specifically for the insane. You'll be right at home with everyone else drooling over themselves."
Out of nowhere Longbottom lunged at Goyle. Potter acted before Draco could comprehend what was happening. He held onto Longbottom's arms while planting his feet and leaning backwards. He was yelling, trying to get the other boy to calm down. Longbottom had never looked so feral.
Black whistled, sounding impressed. "I did not see that coming. Thought that kid was shy." Draco grabbed Crabbe's arm trying to make sure he didn't escalate anything, but he didn't need to worry.
Snape slammed the classroom door open with a bang, causing most students engrossed with the fight to jump. "What are you? Beasts? Stop it. Now!" Goyle turned towards Snape while Longbottom went limp in Harry's hold. As they entered class, Snape added, "Ten points from Gryffindor."
Draco smirked. At this rate, Sytherin would be almost guaranteed the house cup. He wouldn't even have to scheme to try and get points away from Gryffindor. They were causing their own demise.
As autumn came in full force, so did their match against Gryffindor. Draco had helped his house come up with the chant, Weasley is Our King. Black clearly wasn't thrilled by it, thinking it was some petty teenage stunt, but since it wasn't about Potter Draco didn't care what he thought. Besides, it was good to spend time with his housemates. There had been little time for it and he couldn't have them thinking he'd grown idle or soft.
The day of the match, he corralled his house into singing his chant and then left to get warmed up with the rest of the team. The stakes on this match were different. Potter was widely known for being the best seeker at Hogwarts, despite Draco vehemently denying it. With Black on his side, he stood a better-than-average chance of bettering Potter today.
Immediately, Potter seemed to notice that something was different as well. He kept looking over at Draco, no doubt finding his stop-and-start strategy odd. Draco was just happy that his chant seemed to be doing its job, Weasley really couldn't save a thing.
He had just watched another failed save, when Black yelled, "There!"
Draco didn't have time to take the ring off as he dove. Potter saw his movement and responded in turn. Draco was slightly ahead, but Potter was faster. As they barreled towards the snitch, he gasped and clawed at the back of Potter's hand. When the snitch was in grabbing distance, Potter's fist closed first. He pulled up his broom pissed. He had seen it first. That win was rightfully his.
His anger turned to confusion when he heard the snap of a beater bat. He turned to see Crabbe's late swing, and his yell caught in his throat. The bludger was going to hit Potter.
"Shit," Black said, now that the broom had come to a stop he could take in the scene around him. Instinctively, he lurched forward but he couldn't do anything. The ball hit Potter square on the back, hard, knocking him off the broom. He crumpled to the ground.
Draco couldn't only stare. Was he injured? Bludger hits had killed wizards in the past. It looked like it had been a direct hit on his spine. Paralysis isn't uncommon. The only lucky bit about the fall was that Potter had already been close to the ground. He hadn't dropped more than a couple of metres.
He heard Crabbe laughing and Draco turned on him shouting, "You idiot! Are you trying to get us banned?"
"He deserved it! You saw the snitch first! We should have won."
Black was still staring at Potter. "Miraculously, I think he's fine. Has that in common with his father," He reported, sounding incredibly relieved. Draco looked back. Potter was half-sitting, smiling at his team. That's what did Draco in, not only did Potter have the gall to steal the snitch from him, but he also got hit with a potentially life-threatening injury and had the nerve to laugh about it. He couldn't stop the fury that bubbled up in him.
"Potter, you like that song I wrote?" Draco sneered.
"Draco, you'll regret this," Black's warning fell on deaf ears.
"I was trying to come up with some creative verses. Struggled a bit with describing the weasel's upbringing, since I've never had to grow up with such a foul mother or idiot father." Potter got to his feet. "I would've asked you to help, but I suppose you wouldn't know much about that would you? Unless it's describing the odour of a corpse."
Potter lunged and before Malfoy could even blink. He saw the fist aimed for his stomach but was taken too off guard to do anything about it. He coughed as the punch connected, the wind knocked out of him. It hurt more than he thought it would. He had no chance to retaliate with his own punch, Hooch was landing on the scene berating everyone for the worst behaviour she'd ever seen on a pitch.
Black didn't say anything as he was carted off to Pomfrey for some bruise salve. Black probably figured the punch was punishment enough for his outburst since he didn't berate Draco over it. Draco was just happy he didn't seem to think that warranted calling off their deal about becoming Heir Black.
Unfortunately, as Black had predicted, Draco did end up regretting his actions a little. The punch had, unsurprisingly, landed Potter in detention and they were more tense than ever. Whatever rapport they had built between each other was shattered now.
"You could apologise," Black had pointed out after Potter had left one uncomfortable night.
"Why would I do that?"
"Because you messed up. Remember how it bothers you when I taunt you? You're doing the same to him."
"He should be apologising to me. He punched me!"
"You started it. I bet he'd apologise if you do it first."
"What do you want to bet?"
"What? Are you saying you'll do it?"
"Sure, Potter's too stuck up for it. What's your wager?"
"I'll tell you all the Death Eaters I know. If I'm right, you have to stop teasing Potter's friends. It's stressing him out more than I thought it would." He was probably thinking of Weasley's pitiful debut as a keeper.
"Alright, Deal." It felt good to have a new arrangement between them.
The next night Draco held up his bet, "I am sorry for insulting you and Weasley on the Quidditch Pitch."
Potter stared at him, mouth gaping open. "What?"
"I said," Draco forced out through gritted teeth, "I'm sorry."
"Oh, um. Thanks. I'm sorry I punched you."
It was Draco's turn to stare open-mouthed as Black said, "Told you." He couldn't believe the words rolled off his tongue so easily. It's like he didn't even think about it.
"Okay." They stared at each other waiting to see if the other would say anything else and turn the conversation confrontational again. When neither did, Potter hesitantly went back to his lines. The room still held a tension, but it was less hostile and more uncertain. Neither had apologised for the shit they'd done in the past before. Maybe these detentions were changing them.
It was one of the last weekends it would be tolerable to be outside when Pansy had the idea to lounge by the lake. Draco had felt weird saying no. He needed to keep up impressions with his class, the only problem was that Black was going off the figurative deep end. He had already been bristly recently, their progress with the ring had been slow going and the decision to go to the lake only dug into his research time.
Today was worse though. When they found their spot near the water to relax, Black froze. Draco first assumed it was because he was annoyed at their teenage antics and was playing coy, but he wasn't even staring at the group of Slytherins. He was staring at the water. Unmoving.
Draco ignored him for a while, but he couldn't shake that something was clearly wrong. He didn't so much as twitch. Luckily, Pansy, for all her fuss about getting everyone to go with her, wanted to go back to the castle after only minutes.
"C'mon Draco, I'm cold. Walk me back."
He stole a glance at Black. Still frozen. "I didn't walk all the way here to just head back after a few minutes."
"But Draco," She whined. At times like this, it felt like she thought they could be dating. Just because they went to the Yule Ball together last year, didn't mean that she was entitled to him. Draco certainly had no desire to get closer to her.
"I can walk you back," Nott offered.
"Count me in too, my balls are shrivelled," Zabini added.
Pansy pouted at Draco, but he ignored her.
"Fine." All the girls returned with her, leaving just Crabbe and Goyle. After the group got a few paces away, he ordered, "Crabbe, Goyle, leave."
"Um, what do you mean?" Goyle asked.
"Leave me. Go back to the castle with the others." The two looked at each other confused and thankfully left him.
Once they were out of earshot, Draco approached Black's still figure. "Black?" Nothing.
"Black, can you hear me?" He was still just staring at nothing. Figuring it was worth a shot, Draco pulled the ring just off his finger and slid it back into place hoping to reset him. The moment he reappeared. He gasped and jolted backwards landing on his arse.
"Ahhhhhh!" Regulus grasped his hair. "No."
"Black calm down! You're making a scene."
Black met Draco's eye. He hadn't looked like this since he first learned about the ring. "You have to call Kreacher right now."
"What? No."
"Call Kreacher!" He lunged at Draco. "Now!"
"We are at Hogwarts! Will it even work?"
"Just do it." He was breathing heavily, eyes still wild.
"Fine. Kreacher." It felt dumb to be calling out into the air for the elf, but sure enough, he appeared.
"What does Master Malfoy and Master Regulus need? Kreacher is busy."
"Kreacher." Black's voice was watery. "Ask him about the locket."
"What locket?" He asked Black.
Kreacher's eyes bugged. "Master Regulus told you about the locket?! Does he remember?"
And then it hit Draco. He really needed to get faster on the uptake. Kreacher had said Regulus drowned. They were near a body of water. The traumatised man was clearly having a breakdown. Fuck.
"You remember dying?"
"Yes! Ask him about the locket."
"The locket, Kreacher?"
Kreacher started to weep. "I is sorry Master Regulus." He was glancing around trying to guess where the invisible man stood. "I could not destroy it."
"It's alright Kreacher, do you still have it?"
Draco relayed the words trying to convey Black's urgency.
"Yes, Kreacher's been keeping it safe. Away from the filthy mudbloods," the elf spat that last part.
"Thank Merlin." Black laid back on the ground.
"Does Master Regulus want Kreacher to bring the locket?"
Black considered the question. "No, not yet."
Draco didn't relay that to the elf. "What is this locket?"
Regulus looked uncertain. "You should dismiss Kreacher, it wouldn't be good to keep him."
"Not until you tell me what this locket is."
"Fine. But don't tell Kreacher to bring it. It's a valuable artefact of the Dark Lord's. I have no idea if he knows that I took it, but it'd be best to keep it a secret as long as possible."
Draco wasn't expecting to hear that. "Okay. We aren't done." He turned to Kreacher and ordered, "Go. Don't let anyone else lay a hand on the locket."
"Yes, masters." And with a crack, he was gone. Draco was still processing what Black had just told him when he spoke up first.
"I betrayed the Dark Lord."
Draco repressed a shiver at the revelation, but he couldn't bring himself to be that shocked. There had been family rumours that the youngest Black brother had made a mistake and gotten himself killed or that he tried to back out of being a death eater. Draco hadn't given much credit to them, since Black embodied everything he respected in the Death Eater. Intelligent. Capable. Dark. Powerful. The doubts had crept in whenever Draco considered how smart Black was. It seemed like there was only one option for who could've gotten the better of him, the Dark Lord himself.
"That locket is one of his most prized possessions and I stole it. Don't ask me why, I won't tell you. Just know that it's dangerous and he is better off without it."
"He's the one who killed you?"
"Not directly, but yes."
"What does that mean?"
"I found a cave that was important to him. There was a potion blocking the access to the locket. I had to drink it. It was…" Black trailed off. "...awful. It made me confused and I was desperate for water. There was a lake flooding most of the cave, and when I tried to drink from it inferi dragged me in. I ordered Kreacher to take the locket and leave me. So no, the Dark Lord didn't kill me, but I think his inferi did."
"Why didn't you order Kreacher to help you?!" It was a painfully obvious solution, so why did Black let himself be killed?
Black laid his head back on the grass. "I don't really know. I was exhausted before going to the cave. With how life was, I mean. And after the potion, I don't think I was in my right mind. I needed to get that locket out and didn't want Kreacher to get hurt. I didn't really care about myself."
Draco surprised himself with the next question, "Do you still feel that way?"
Black took a moment. "No, I don't think so. I really do want my body back."
"Wait, does this mean we know where your body is?"
Black grimaced. "Probably, but it's not going to be in good shape. With any luck I won't be an inferius and all the flesh would've decomposed just leaving a sack of bones."
Draco's stomach twisted at that. Guess they'll be back to studying mortician spells.
"I still don't understand. Why would you do something so stupid? You're so smart! In what world was going behind the Dark Lord a good idea?"
"I discovered something that scared me. And I knew that I would do anything to stop it."
Draco pondered that. What could have scared Black bad enough to go against everything he had made himself to be, and for that matter why was this locket so damn important? "Why won't you tell me everything? I thought you said we'd be honest."
"I'm not lying. There might be no one else alive with the knowledge I have about the Dark Lord. That isn't a coincidence."
Draco refused to shiver. "So you're protecting me by not telling me? What could be so secretive? I already know you're a traitor."
"If he so much as thinks you know what I do, he will murder you and everyone you are close with. Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if he hunted down everyone you've ever talked to," Black's tone turned sour at the end. He had become so jaded against the Dark Lord.
"But you'll still help me become a Death Eater?"
"Is that what you want?" Draco hesitated. "He will torture you and make you torture others. He will kill you if you step out of line. There was a very real reason I left, even if I can't tell you everything."
Draco thought for a second. What Black was saying was horrible and he knew Black must have had valid reasons even if he sounded mad at the moment. But Draco couldn't imagine another life. With the Dark Lord returned to power it was a simple choice. Serve him or suffer under him.
"It's what I want." There was nothing else he could be.
"Then I will."