9A\N: Hello! Back after 5 years. Recently went through a lot of trauma in my life, so revisiting this fic. Hope folks are still interested! )

Chapter 4

Draco swallowed hard, shaking under the heavy weight of his father's gaze.

"Hello, Father." Draco's voice sounded stronger than he felt.

Lucius Malfoy was standing rigidly in front of the headmaster's desk, his cane present and his glare menacing. Dumbledore seemed amused at the situation, a small smile gracing his face, his fingers steepled together in front of him.

"Draco, thank you for joining us. I do apologize for the interruption of your first day of classes." Dumbledore's tone was warm as he gazed upon Draco, seemingly unaware of the grave danger the boy felt he was in.

"Never-mind that," Lucius spat, slamming the bottom of his cane upon the stone floor, "Do you have any idea the embarrassment you have caused me, boy?" He began to advance upon Draco, "I have to hear the news that my own son, my flesh and blood, is not in the great Slytherin house, but rather in the den of miscreants and filth, from one of my associates." Lucius stopped, mere inches from Draco. Snape's grip tightened slightly upon Draco's arm. "Explain."

Draco was unsure how to respond.

The room was so silent, you could have heard a pin drop. Draco opened his mouth, about to beg for mercy-

"Lucius, I believe I had already explained that your son had nothing to do with the result of his sorting." Dumbledore had sat back in his chair, a relaxed look upon his face.

At this moment, Lucius rounded upon the headmaster.

"Yes Albus, and I said that the sorting hat must have been incorrect." He stated coldly. Draco became more nervous.

Whenever his father gets that grave, cold tone, something awful is usually around the corner. Dumbledore merely laughed, the skin around his eyes crinkling, and pushed his rounded spectacles up the large bridge of his nose.

This angered Lucius even further.

Snape seemed to sense danger and was slowly trying to put himself between Draco and his father. This was odd; Draco had known Snape for years to be sure, had seen him at his family home during parties and holidays, but never did Snape show Draco the tiniest bit of affection. Lucius had threatened Draco before, had snarled at him in public, and the consensus from onlookers had been to leave it well enough alone.

Before Draco could continue to surmise what this behavior from Snape could mean, Dumbledore stood swiftly. His desk was up a small level higher than the main floor of his office, therefore by standing he towered over Lucius.

"That is enough, Lucius." The headmaster said calmly, descending the step down to stand next to Snape and Draco. He put a slightly withered hand on Draco's other shoulder; the sensation immediately calmed the boy. "You know as well as I that the hat has never made a mistake. It is a sentient being, one whom has seen thousands upon thousands of young minds grace this castle and therefore is able to deduce each one's true nature."

Dumbledore than turned to gaze down upon Draco with a smile, "Your son holds great honor within him, no matter the house."

These words had a great effect on Draco. Never had anyone said something of this magnitude to him. His mother always doted on him, fussed over him; but not once had Draco felt pride. That is the feeling this moment emitted within the young Malfoy.

Lucius stood rigid before them; his expression unreadable but undoubtedly severe. "I see." He turned the cane in his hands and slowly stepped closer to his son. "We will continue this discussion during the holidays."

He turned on his heel then, striding towards the door, and paused momentarily before reaching it. He met Dumbledore's eyes and stated rather ominously, "You might be careful with your decisions, headmaster. One may think you are…maturing out of the position." He wrenched open the door and slammed it behind him, an echo lingering for a moment in the sizeable office.

Draco immediately let out a breath and slumped down slightly, relying on both Snape and Dumbledore to hold him up. He was glad that his father had not murdered him, but something about his parting statement felt vaguely like the threats he was so used to hearing at home.

The headmaster patted his shoulder again and then removed his hand, striding back to his desk. "Help young Draco back to his classes now, please, Severus. I have a few letters to write then I shall join you and Minerva for tea."

Snape nodded and began to gently guide Draco to the door. Draco panicked a bit and stumbled, attempting to dig his heels into the hard stone floor. "Wait! What happens now?"

Dumbledore looked up from his desk, quill in hand, a slightly bewildered look on his face. "Whatever do you mean, my boy?"

Draco was getting rather frustrated then. Sure, his father had left, wonderful. Draco had to return home still, hadn't he? How is he supposed to face his family again, dressed in maroon and gold? Furthermore, how on Earth did Lucius even find out about the sorting, and did Dumbledore not seem to understand his father was threatening him?

But somehow, all he managed at that moment to say, was, "Am I still in Gryffindor?"

Perhaps, a subconscious concern of his. A worry. His greatest insecurity. Will he be punted down into the dungeons to join the likes of Crabbe and Goyle, or will he be able to stay a lion with his new friends?

At this query, Dumbledore smiled and lowered his eyes, his quill resting on a fresh sheet of parchment. "The sorting hat never lies."

Ten minutes later Draco was standing outside of the Charms classroom. He could hear a shrill voice that he assumed was Professor Flitwick, and some light laughter from the other students.

Snape had gently whisked him out of Dumbledore's office after the headmaster's statement and the walk down to the classrooms had been silent. The potion's master had walked a few paces ahead of Draco, not once turning to check that the boy had followed.

Now, Snape was waiting with Draco for a small break in the lecture to deposit Draco inside the classroom without much disruption.

"Thank you." Draco said, rather meekly. He had meant it to be strong and impactful but came out more of a strangled and sad sentiment.

Snape looked down at Draco, his large nose pointed more towards the ceiling, hands clasped behind his back. He nodded, not the curt nod that one would associate with him, but rather a gentle, languid nod. Draco could even swear he saw a ghost of a smile again.

Before Draco could elaborate further, or question Snape about his father, Snape suddenly seized the door to the Charms classroom and shoved Draco unceremoniously inside.

"Excuse me, Professor Flitwick," Snape drawled, his head the only part of his body deigning to enter the classroom, "Draco Malfoy."

With that singular statement, Professor Snape shut the door, leaving Draco to apologize profusely to Professor Flitwick and take in the state of the classroom.

Luckily, Snape had known that the lecture portion of class had ended, and the students were pairing off for studying. Flitwick had just taken to wandering between groups to assist and mentor.

"Lovely for you to join us, Mr. Malfoy! Here, please join these two." He gestured at two boys huddled together in the seats right by the entrance to the classroom. "Now, I expect you have your Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1. We are covering Wingardium Leviosa." With that, Flitwick smiled at Draco and then hurried along, no doubt to investigate the source of a shriek a few rows down.

Draco had been so perplexed and disoriented by the events of the morning, he did not immediately grasp whom Professor Flitwick had paired him up with. He set his bag down and turned to his partners when his greeting died on his lips.

Two cold and guarded faces were staring daggers at him; Blaize Zabini and Theo Nott.