Chapter 15
-A have a question...-
Draco spoke. The three of them already had all the details discussed and coordinated to tell the same story without flaws or at least they hoped there would be no flaws. It was a lie made with little time and almost without foundation, but it should work.
-Yes? - Pomfrey was tidying up a bed a few feet away from Draco's bed.
-Why is no one here? -
It was something that seemed strange to him, he noticed it while they were waiting for his parents to arrive. It wasn't that there were always wounded, but at least it seemed strange to him to see the infirmary so empty.
-Oh, normally there aren't so many students at this time of year, with the Yule vacations so close and no quidditch games in sight, only students with colds or things that are easy to fix come in.
-A nice break for you.
-I'm glad when the infirmary is empty, it means I'm doing a good job and there's no latent danger- I finish stretching the bed sheet-I also enjoy the peace, I won't deny it.-
Pomfrey's jovial tone made both Draco and Remus giggle.
A momentary amusement that was interrupted when the doors of the infirmary opened and three men entered through them.
Albus Dumbledore, Snape and of course, Lucius Malfoy.
Where was his mother?
Lupin decided to stand beside the small table next to Draco's bed where a couple of herbalizing potions rested.
-This is supposed to be a safe place but I've already been called for my son's safety twice this trimester alone. - Lucius' dismissive tone sent involuntary shivers down Draco's spine -I hope you have a good explanation, Headmaster.
Dumbledore did not respond to Lucius' clearly provocative intentions, he never did, always continuing with a calmness that seemed unflappable. Draco swears that even that time in the astronomy tower, the old man seemed too calm for his liking, that calmness haunted him in his nightmares about that night.
-Pomfrey, my dear. Could you explain to Lucius what has happened?
Pomfrey walked calmly to the side of Draco's bed before she began to speak in a professional but slightly concerned tone.
-In the middle of the night Professor Snape came to me with young Malfoy in his arms. He said he had woken up screaming with chest pains and passed out on the way here- Draco could feel everyone's gaze on himself but kept his eyes down at his hands-I performed the relevant tests and administered the necessary potions so that he was no longer in pain. Initially my tests revealed nothing significant but with young Malfoy awake I was able to ask more questions and re-take the tests and we have a diagnosis.
Draco now decided to look at the reaction of those present. Snape had a deep frown of what looked like anger, Dumbledore looked the same and his father had a worried grimace combined strangely with annoyance as he scanned his son up and down as if looking for wounds.
-What is the verdict then? - Snape asked
-A severe case of arrhythmia, almost comparable to a heart attack.
The reactions were mixed, and some he did not even expect. The headmaster opened his eyes wider in shock as he looked at the nurse in disbelief, Snape seemed horrified at the idea but made no move other than to place his hands on his forehead clasped together, quickly hiding the expression on his face in his usual frown. Lucius on the other hand was quite a surprise to Draco: His eyes widened to a level I had not seen him do until the time of Voldemort's return, a look of genuine fear coupled with a half-open mouth like someone who wants to ask a question but the words don't come out right away.
-Heart attack? How can that be? - asked the head of the Malfoy family.
Draco could not help but tilt his head slightly in genuine confusion.
-Arrhythmia Mr. Malfoy, a strong arrhythmia but since he was brought here immediately we were able to give him what he needed to calm him down and check for contusions from the fainting-
-What could have caused it?
- Snape spoke, stepping forward.
-Well, after a few tests we determined that it was the beginnings of anemia that young Malfoy has.-
-Anemia?-Lucius asked in confusion.
-Yes, you know Mr. Malfoy, it is that condition of the blood system that occurs when there is not enough oxygen in the blood due to lack of nutrition, it is something basic-Draco indicated to Pomfrey if his father seemed to start asking too many detailed questions, she should talk to him as if it were something so basic that should make his father stop asking too - The young Malfoy here is quite underweight, which caused his oxygen level to drop due to not eating enough vitamin-rich foods. Causing his systems to go into overdrive and he ended up in pain last night. This is usually a problem for wizards his age as his body burns more calories due to his developing magic.-
Draco brought out his acting chops, grimacing with embarrassment and regret rather convincingly, lowering his head, but looking up, like a scolded dog.
Some of the things Pomfrey was saying were things that didn't have much to do with his condition but seemed feasible for someone who didn't know about juvenile magical growth, like that magic burns calories, young people do burn calories by growth but their magic wouldn't do it.
-Should we do other studies on him? - Snape asked again and honestly he was getting on Draco's nerves.
-Not really - Pomfrey said with practiced serenity -With rest and proper nutrition none of this will happen again. It doesn't usually happen but it seems that Young Malfoy's body wanted to go on strike so that he would stop neglecting himself-.
The nurse's more playful and scolding tone lowered the tension in the room a bit.
-So he should just eat? - The concern seemed to disappear from his father's face, replaced by only a grimace of annoyance that Draco was more accustomed to.
- That and take some nourishing potions I have on hand. As soon as he's done here he can leave, but I've asked him to spend a couple of nights in the medical ward to administer them, do a check-up and see that nothing else happens again-
-It's appreciated that you are so vigilant, Poppy- Albus smiled.
-Now there is something I would like to talk to you about separately, Mr. Malfoy, Professor Snape. Please-
Curious, both men followed the nurse to the back of the medical wing where they were barely audible. Snape gave him a meaningful glance as he walked past Draco´s bed but nothing more.
Draco watched them from afar, he knew more or less what they were talking about and hoped that everything would go according to plan.
-You worried us a lot, Draco.-The blond tensed when he heard how the headmaster referred to him-I'm glad to hear it's nothing serious-
-Yes, I'm glad too.- He glanced sideways at the end of the room for a second, uncomfortable at being left almost alone with the old man. Almost alone because Lupin was still there but he didn't seem very willing to talk- Doesn't it bother you not knowing what they're talking about? -
He asked pointing to the group with his head.
-Oh Pomfrey will surely inform me later, as headmaster I have to be aware of my students' situations after all- he said.
Draco had to forcefully restrain the urge to roll his eyes.
-That's good... - Draco didn't want to continue with this conversation.
The Headmaster's gaze on him, even if it was now with a more jovial tone than the pitying one he had that night in the tower, made him shiver. The man seemed at times to have the ability to see right through you and know your deepest secrets.
Almost like...
Like a reflex, a muscle memory he hadn't used in a long time, Draco raised his Occlumency shields. A skill he had developed with dexterity after spending so much time with dark wizards, none as good as Voldemort but Draco never had to face a legeremane on behalf of the dark lord as he followed orders , only because of the fear the dark lord caused him and he was never seen as capable of being a spy or anything like that.
Even so, his aunt taught him the technique and his mother helped him to prefect it. He didn't know a better Oclumencer than his mother so he was quite capable himself.
Dumbledore was equal or perhaps better legeremence than Voldemort as far as he knew or rumor had it and Draco had no proof that the man was seeing into his mind but he would blame paranoia if he interpreted the almost imperceptible and swift upward twitch of his headmaster's eyebrow as an incognito towards his sudden shields.
Fuck
Slowly he looked back to where his father was while in the same manner managing his memories and thoughts so that everything seemed normal. It was tiring but he had to look as normal as possible.
-Remus, you must be tired from watching all night. You won't be reproached if you want to skip your remaining classes for the day.
Draco thanked Jesus and all his apostles because the attention was no longer on him, even so he didn't lower his guard or his shields completely, but he could bring them down to a more normal and manageable level.
-I'll be fine, really- Remus replied firmly-It's not the first time I've stayed up all night.
- I should know.-
Dumbledore joked, making Remus smile sheepishly, as if he was embarrassed to remember something very funny.
-So- Pomfrey approached them along with the rest of them, -Draco will be coming to see me the next few nights, but he's free to take the rest of his classes if he prefers.
-Yes! Thank you.-
-You can go and change, Professor Snape brought your robes and your wand.
Pomfrey hands him his belongings, which he hadn't noticed before. Maybe they were conjured?
It didn't matter. He grabbed them and went to quickly change in the bathrooms near the medical wing. He wanted to just leave and go to the other side of Hogwarts, but he knew better than that, so he went back to the adults who stopped talking when they saw him.
-Very well, Draco- Dumbledore said, -Your father here wants you to accompany him to the apparition spot, I hope that will give you time to talk as well-
His father did not speak to him. He thanked Pomfrey (who looked at him with poorly hidden concern) very curtly and with a gentle nod of his head ordered Draco to follow him into the corridors.
He waved goodbye to Lupin with a simple wave of his hand; Draco thought he saw the werewolf restrain himself from following them.
He began to feel the pit of his stomach burn with nervousness.
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Snape was annoyed, in fact he almost always was, being surrounded by children and teenagers who were almost always too eager to cause a disturbance cause that, but this was a different kind of annoyance. He would describe it more as a discomfort that twisted his guts. A certainty that something was wrong but he didn't have enough information to root out the problem and worst of all, they were lying to his face.
Arrhythmia? He could believe the anemia, but the rest?
He was not a medi-wizard, but the suffering he saw in his godson the night before could not be due to that alone. It just didn't add up. Now on top of that there was the teenager's bloody fascination with that idiot Lupin and the strangeness of the creature's blood. The only thing that calmed him down was that, thanks to annoying Pomfrey so much the night before , to the point that the nurse wanted to throw an expulso at him again, they managed to confirm that Draco hadn't been bitten.
No matter how many times Lupin denied it, Severus had to be sure.
He was walking in the opposite direction to the one Lucius and Draco had taken, next to him was the director with his hands crossed in front of him but hidden by the large sleeves of his robe.
-You must be relieved at Draco's diagnosis-
-I'm glad he has a treatable condition that won't make me run late at night again-" He expressed simply.
Albus hummed in agreement
-You have taught the boy potions since he was very young, haven't you?-
Snape looked sideways at the headmaster wondering inwardly what the question was about.
-His parents wanted him to have a bit of a head start in his classes- he explained in a monotone- I concentrated on potions, but between me and his mother we taught him various basic spells.-
- Lucius didn't teach him anything? -
-Flight, but I don't know about other things- Snape was beginning to feel something strange in the atmosphere.
-He must have wanted his son to be a lot more trained than he let you know... -Albus stopped looking straight ahead to look at Snape but not without stopping walking- but teaching him Occlumency at such a young age? It seems excessive-
Snape stopped his walk in his tracks.
What...?
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-I was right to make your mother stay at home. Wasted her time and mine on these things Draco. You know how worried she would have been,-Lucius scolded him in the middle of the lonely corridor near the astronomy wing-May I know for Merlin's sake why you haven't been eating? Why create an anemia yourself?
-It's not like I planned it- Draco muttered through his teeth.
-And now you have creature blood in you too! - He said with more anger than Draco expected - inherited from who knows how many generations ago. Wise of Merlin to give you nothing but looks. What would we do if you suddenly started to develop feathers? Do you know how that would affect us? -
-It's not like I control that, you idiot- he muttered even lower.
His back was pressed against the wall as his father continued to scold him in a contemptuous tone while moving his hands and cane a little too much for Draco's comfort.
He hated feeling so helpless. The part of his soul that was still a teenager with fear and respect for his father grew stronger at his father's physical presence. Learned reactions that were not easy to forget when the body had not had time to unlearn them as the 25 year old draco had, so he tensed and kept his head down, arms behind him. His fingernails again found their place in the skin of his arms in an effort not to flinch or shrink in on himself.
¨You're better than this" said his rational brain as always but the body and the heart are not rational, even less so under stressful situations.
¨Fuck you brain, you also suffer from the blows of that bloody cane" answered the body with a dreadful and angry tone.
-Speak well. Loud and clear, as a Malfoy heir should be!-
Again with the verbiage of how an heir should behave. He struggles not to slap his face in exasperation.
-I have been busy with my homework and my studies. Forgive me father... - Saying those words made his stomach burn - if I missed a couple of meals, I didn't mean to. It won't happen again-
-Of course it won't, you can't go around suffering pseudo heart attacks because of your incompetence in taking care of yourself. You are no longer an infant Draco. Your mother and I will not go after you for every little ailment you have.- Lucius moved closer to his son and forced him to lift his face, placing his cane under the boy's chin. Draco couldn't help the slight and quick shudder he suffered - The next time I have to leave my responsibilities because of some ailment of yours better be a real heart attack or I'll be really pissed off -".
The threat was said in a low and forceful voice, his father could be a lot of image and lies, but not when he was threatening him.
-Yes father... -
Lucius stepped back, standing up straight and prissy, the cane found its place again resting on the ground holding his master's hands.
-The good thing about this situation is that it can be used," Draco frowned, "The trial of that beast and your failure of a master will be held soon. The argument of how the incident affected your health in addition to the wound will be well received at the Wizengamot and will drive another nail in the coffin of Albus Dumbledore's career as headmaster before the council-
Draco hated the wicked look on his father's face as he told him his idea. He had almost completely forgotten the trial of the Hippogriff and how he was sentenced to death.
Oh Merlin, the guilt was beginning to join the self-loathing.
He caused the poor creature to be condemned and killed because he was a disrespectful idiot. He secondhand murdered a creature that was dear and important to someone just on a whim.
He remembered Flea and the pain he felt at his death; Sheila's love for Lino and how it would have devastated her if anything happened to her beloved pet. He had done that to the Hogwarts gardener, who was now a master of the care of magical creatures, and who was not bad at it.
God, he was starting to feel sick again.
-Hopefully we'll get the giant half-breed sent away before it does any more damage and that animal will find its way to the axe-
-Don't do it!
Draco almost cried out unexpectedly, surprising himself as well as his father. Lucius now looked at him with uncertainty and his eyes narrowed in a frown of sharp anger at the tone in which he spoke to him.
-F-father... Isn't this a waste of time? - He tried to lighten the situation - If you let the animal live and the giant work, in the long run they will make more mistakes and you will have more things to bring against the director before the council-
The older blond did not seem very convinced or placated by the explanations of his only son.
-Are you questioning my decisions Draco?
-No! No no no, of course not, Father- Draco detached himself from the wall, taking a tentative step forward-I just think we could benefit more from.... doing nothing? -
- Oh Draco. I can tell that at your age you think you know everything - He said almost in a condescending and mocking tone - Do nothing, you say? I know better. This will benefit us in the long run -
¨It will benefit you in the long run, for me it will only reinforce the image of spoiled idiot that everyone thinks of me¨
Although at the time he was somewhat proud of being the spoiled idiot who had all his father's power behind his back so it wasn't a belief but pure reality.
I would add a little more apathy than he already had to the first 19 years of his first life.
-Besides, I'm doing this for you, my son- There was a honeyed tone in Lucius' voice that exasperated the younger blond. That tone you use when you speak condescendingly to someone thinking you are doing them a favor with all the love in the world - I can't let those creatures run free near you. As my only heir and as your father it's my duty to protect you from-
-Well, I'm not asking you to do that! -
In his first life, Draco would have fallen for the kind and fatherly words Lucius would spout but he was no longer a deluded child hungry for any shred of affection from an emotionally absent father.
No. He already knew better. He knew that there may have been a minuscule amount of good intention on Lucius' part but it was hidden under a big rotten pile of manipulation plus ulterior motives. He hated it and hated it more than in the deepest recesses of his heart he wanted to believe his dad and think it was all sincere.
-I'm not asking you to do this! I'm asking you to stop. I don't want you to take this to court and make me a poor victim that I wasn't! - Draco took another step forward with his head held high - it was me who approached, it was me who disrespected It. I am not the poor boy attacked by a ferocious beast during school hours. The winzegamot will notice and you'll waste more galleons buying allies than-
...
The first thing Draco noticed was that he was no longer looking at his father but towards the end of the corridor, he quickly registered the loud sound of the hit and finally felt the hot sting on his cheek.
His father had slapped him, hard.
And from the sharp pain he felt in his cheekbone he could tell it was the hand with the ring.
-No!- Lucius began in a loud voice but a quick glance at his surroundings made him tone it down to an aggressive whisper, even bending a little to be at the same height as his son's face, -I do not allow you this insolence Draco. I dictate what I know is best for you. I am your father. I give you education, a roof over your head, food and every whim you ask of me, the least I expect is your total obedience in return. I gave you the life you enjoy and I can take it away from you if i want to...are we clear or should I make it clearer? -
Lucius raised his cane slightly to prove his point.
Draco put his right hand to his sore cheek and then nodded passively, lowering his head without wanting to look his father in the eye.
-Yes father, pardon me.... -
Lucius sighed shortly, standing up straight again, he fixed the sleeves of his tunic with parsimony.
-I had planned to take you with me on a business trip to the Norwegian islands this Yule and introduce you to some associates there, but I can see you don't deserve it. At least your mother can have time to correct this rebellious streak of yours while I'm gone. Too bad, Draco. It really is. Losing privileges for being insolent -
Draco didn't see it because he was analyzing the lines on the floor but he was sure his father was shaking his head in disappointment. In his first life he would have felt completely guilty and miserable for the missed opportunity to spend more time with his father on a trip but now he just felt angry, humiliated and confused.
As he recalled his father spent Christmas with them that year. Didn't he?
-Hopefully I'll see you in the New Year and hopefully your behavior will have improved by then-he said.
Without another word Lucius Malfoy continued on his way down the corridor to leave Hogwarts and return home once and for all.
Draco stood there. He stood with one hand on his cheek until he could no longer hear the sole of Lucius' shoes echoing on the stone floor.
As he waited, all he could think about was how much he hated that man. How could he even love that being who called himself a father?
Among his plans to stop the bloody war was a secondary plan to get as much funding as he could, get the proper education, the necessary papers, and when Lucius least expected it, disappear into the Muggle world. Maybe reunite with his friends, pursue a career in history or research or whatever he wanted and live HIS life.
But those plans had to change. He had to get away from Lucius as soon as possible. He could not remain under his thumb, he could not bear to pretend to be the ideal son and even if he tried he knew that nothing would please the man and the cycle of abuse would continue. He would not allow it.
He had to find a way to defend himself, he had to let Lucius know that he would no longer be his plaything. He might as well start by avoiding sentencing the poor hippogriff whose name he should start learning.
What would Lucius do? Disinherit him?
For what seemed like hours it was only a few seconds until his father was finally out of earshot in the hallway. Rubbing his sore cheek, he looked up and looked out the windows. From the height of the sun he could guess that it would soon be the short break they were given to get to their next classes, so if he hurried he would make it to Charms in time and from there go to lunch.
Pansy and Blaise would be so full of questions that he was already feeling overwhelmed.
He turned to go to the opposite side of the hall from his father but instead of walking he froze to see that there was someone else in the hallway.
Harry Potter was looking at him again with his brow furrowed and his eyes slightly narrowed, as if he was having trouble understanding what he was seeing in front of him.
-Harry! There you are- Granger appeared with Weasley at her side,-Why did you run so suddenly? -
-Yeah mate, what's got into you today? - asked the red-headed boy.
At the same time, as if it were a TV series, they turned to look at Draco with different reactions.
Weasley tensed up ready for any altercation, while Granger looked more confused but no less ready to intercede if they started to fight.
Draco rolled his eyes and removed his hand from his face, tired and unwilling to face the golden trio. He circled them with much leeway noticing that the expressions of all three changed something akin to disbelief.
It wasn't until he was almost at the bottom of the stairs that he realized why the change, his cheek was still red, slightly swollen and most likely with the beginnings of a small bruise on his cheekbone.
Damned be life, cursed be death and everyone in between.
Draco decided he didn't want to go to class anymore. He would fix his cheek in the nearest bathroom and go stroll along the shores of the black lake for a while. Who cared if he caught a cold, he certainly didn't.