Back to Trouble
Chapter 16
Draco was back in Malfoy Manor in one of the dark rooms of the house. Voldemort and his father entered the room with grimacing smiles on their faces.
“You’d never know he was a Malfoy without being told,” Voldemort began to say, “Merlin, is he pathetic, can’t even take simple discipline for his actions.”
Lucius stood beside Voldemort and nodded along with what he was saying about his son.
“Draco, come over here,” Voldemort continued. Draco hesitated for a second before following the order.
“Now look at you. So young now. Think you’re going to be able to change your fate in this life?” Voldemort taunted, “You’ll end up just the same. When I rise again, you will come crawling back to me. You’re a coward Draco. You’ll end up sad and alone like always.”
“No,” Draco said, “It won’t be that way. Not this time.”
“You’re weak Draco. Soon you’ll realize. You’ll become one of my followers again. Betray those who you now call your friends. Be responsible for so many deaths. What will everyone think of you then?”
“That won’t happen,” Draco said trying to convince himself it was the truth, “I’m going to make things right his time.”
Voldemort laughed and then pointed his wand at Draco. “Crucio!” He screamed.
Draco fell to the ground from pain. All he could do was lay there as Voldemort and his father laughed. He began to scream as the torment grew. He was exhausted. His body couldn’t take it.
“He’s become weaker, hasn’t he?” Voldemort said as he released Draco from the spell.
“Yes, My Lord. It’s pathetic,” Lucius agreed.
“I guess I’ll just have to toughen him up again,” Voldemort said with a grin. He raised his wand and casted the insufferable spell on Draco again.
Draco woke with a cold sweat dripping down his face. It was just a nightmare. He can’t hurt you here. You’re safe, Draco kept repeating in his head.
Draco hadn’t had many nightmares since going back in time, but the ones he did have were always terrible. When he woke up he could feel the spells that were casted on him like they actually happened.
Draco’s body still ached from his time with his father last night. Each time he moved it was a reminder of the decision he made, but he wasn’t upset with it. Him knowing he made the right decision was the only thing that made the pain bearable.
Draco regained his sense of reality and realized how early in the morning it was. He must have slept through dinner. He didn’t want to go back to sleep anyways. He didn’t want to go through the pain of another nightmare. He quietly got up to grab his sketchbook and pencils from his trunk and sat back down on his bed.
When Draco started to draw, he cleared his mind of all his other thoughts. He shut off his brain and let his hand do all the work. This is why he loved art. It was the one way he could fully escape reality. He could put all of his focus onto his art without even thinking about it. Every problem in his mind was left behind the moment he picked up his sketchbook and pencil.
Draco sat there for hours. It felt good for his mind to stop racing with different thoughts. He was snapped out of his trance when he heard voices outside his curtain. He quickly put his sketchbook away but stole a quick glance at the piece he had been working on for hours. It was from a memory of yesterday with him and his friends on his bed talking. It was a reminder that not everything about yesterday was bad, and he shouldn’t let the good be covered by the bad.
“When did you get back?” Potter said when he saw Draco come out from behind his curtain.
“Sometime in the afternoon,” Draco told him, “I slept through dinner.”
Potter nodded, but Draco felt some tension in the air. He couldn’t remember doing anything wrong that would explain it though. "Is there something wrong?" Draco asked.
"We just think it's a bit weird that you suddenly leave the school yesterday and then come back in the middle of the afternoon, locking yourself in your bed. Where were you all day?" Potter asked back with an accusing tone.
Draco was upset by that. What’s it to them where he went? He’s entitled to privacy in his life. They don’t need to know where he is at all times.
Draco walked closer to the two boys sitting on Weasley's bed. "I don't think it's any of your business where I went. I left you that note so you would think I just disappeared into thin air."
"Well I think it's a bit suspicious that you and Snape disappear at the same time. What's with you two anyways? You're the only Gryffindor he likes, and you always seem to be with him," Potter said with his tone becoming harsher with each word.
"Maybe it's because I'm actually good at potions and care about the class instead of doing the bare minimum to get by." Draco could feel the anger in his body start to rise. Who did Potter think he was? And who was he to question him?
"Or maybe it's because you're working with him to get whatever Fluffy is guarding." Potter accused.
That was the final straw for Draco. Potter could go questioning him all he wanted, but for him to accuse him of something like that when he had done nothing but help them was too far. "If it's so important for you to know, I went to visit my parents yesterday at Malfoy Manor. It's the first time I've been invited back since I so called embarrassed my father by being sorted into this dreaded house. I ask myself everyday what I did to get put here. I know I don't belong here, but at some point I decided it's not going to change so I might as well make the best of it. By then Weasley and the rest of you had finally gotten off my back, and I thought maybe this wouldn't be so bad. Maybe we could actually be civil and work to figure out what that vicious dog is trying to protect, but I thought wrong. I just wanted a bit of privacy in my personal life, but I can't even have that without being accused of trying to steal something powerful enough a three headed dog has to guard it."
Potter and Weasley just stared dumbfounded, trying to make sense of what Draco had just said. Draco couldn't stand being in Gryffindor territory any longer. This stupid house had caused too many problems in his life. As he turned to walk out of the dorm, Potter started to speak up. "Draco wait!"
Draco turned back to face him and said, "No, Potter. I don't want to hear it. You've already said how you felt. Just forget I even exist and I'll be out of your life forever." He left before either Potter or Weasley could get in another word. He was beyond angry. He spent his whole time yesterday sticking up for Gryffindors and took a beating from his father for them, and they accuse him of wanting to steal the thing he has been working with them to protect.
As he walked through the Gryffindor common room, he felt like the warmth of the colors and fire were taunting him. He had never felt more out of place in Hogwarts than at this moment. At least when his life was being controlled by Voldemort, he knew his place in Slytherin. He knew he belonged in that house. His father didn't beat him for being a Slytherin like he did for being a Gryffindor. His housemates respected him and never questioned anything he did, but now Draco was out of place. That hat must have made a mistake. He could never be a true Gryffindor.
Draco walked out of the common room and walked down the corridor. He looked around him to make sure no one was around and then opened one of the entrances to the tunnels. The main room of the tunnels was still empty and Draco decided to focus on transforming it to how he had it before. He luckily grabbed his bag before he left the dorm, so he took out his sketchbook and pencil.
Draco spent the next hour designing a layout of what he wanted the space to look like. He would have to brush up on his transfiguration, so he could have furniture there. He wanted to have a desk where he could do art. A comfy couch where he could lay. He would bring his extra potion supplies and set up a space where he could brew any potion he wanted.
Draco knew he would be using the tunnels a lot more than he did before. He wanted a space where he could be alone and do what he loved most. For a moment he thought about just using the Room of Requirement. It would save him the time of having to transfigure the furniture and bring all his supplies, but he wanted a room that would only be his. A room that no one else would have access to for when he needed it the most.
Draco got up from the floor and through the tunnel that led to the dungeons. One of the risks with using the tunnels was anyone could see him come out of the wall in the corridor. That was the reason all the entrances and exits were hidden in alcoves and dark corners. He walked across the corridor and knocked on the door he always seemed to end in front of.
“Draco?” Severus asked confused as to why his godson came to his study for it wasn’t their usual tea time yet.
“Can we have tea now?” Draco asked, suddenly feeling anxious for just showing up out of the blue.
Severus nodded and brought Draco inside. “Go sit by the fireplace and I’ll make us some tea.” Severus told him.
Draco walked over and sat in his usual seat. He started to think why he actually came here and he didn’t really know. He felt lost and alone and realized this was the one place that could make him feel a little less like his life wasn’t crumbling.
Soon Severus came and set up the table in front of the fireplace with tea, pastries, and sandwiches. All of Draco’s favorites.
Severus looked over at his godson as he sat in the chair beside him. “Are we going to talk about why you came for tea now instead of our normal time?”
Draco sighed, “Why am I not a Slytherin? I don’t belong in Gryffindor.”
Severus stared at Draco for a moment before speaking, “You’re in Gryffindor for a reason. Part of you may be a Slytherin. Very few people are just one house, but something in you must show your Gryffindor traits well. In a way that overpowers the rest.”
“I wish I was a Slytherin. Everything’s changed so much,” Draco whispered.
“Being sorted into Slytherin probably seems like it would make your life make so much more sense, but you don’t know what would have happened if you were.” Severus tried to explain.
Draco could only chuckle at that. If he was a Slytherin then he would already know how this life would pan out. It made him realize that what he really feared for the first time in his life was the unknown. He already knew so much about what was to come that he also knew what could go wrong.
“What’s so funny?” Severus asked, confused.
“Nothing,” Draco muttered and took a sip of his tea. His eyes traveled down into his lap.
Severus sighed, “Draco look at me.” Draco looked over to his godfather. “I know I have said this many times, but you can talk to me Draco. I know I can be cold sometimes, but I care about you and will be there for you.”
Draco just nodded. He knew if he was going to tell anyone about what has happened in the past year he would tell Severus, but he didn’t know if now was the right time.
“I got into a fight with Potter and Weasley.” Draco started to explain. “They start to suspect I’m up to something every time I go off without them. Apparently when I have to go back to the manor it means I'm plotting some evil plan against them.”
“It’s not any of their business what you do in your spare time. You don’t owe them anything. Potter is just trouble and you should probably stay away from him,” Severus told him.
“Sev, he’s not trouble. He just doesn’t like you cause you’re so mean to him.” Draco smiled.
“I’m not going to dictate who you spend your time with. You need to find people who you can trust and be yourself with. I spent too much of my life closed off from others, and I don’t want you to do the same.” Severus said softly.
“You aren’t going soft on me Sev?” Draco teased.
Severus gave him a disapproving look, “You should probably get going now. I still have to work out the upcoming week’s lessons.”
“Okay,” Draco sighed and stood up. Before he left, he gave Severus a hug which was instantly returned.
“Meet for tea again tomorrow?” Draco asked. Severus smiled and nodded, and Draco left the study.
Draco had calmed down since the whole blow out with spotter and Weasley, but he still didn’t want to go back to the common room and face them. He started to walk down the halls to the next place he needed to go.
He walked into the library and noticed it was empty besides Madam Pince. He wasn't surprised. It was still break and not many students would want to spend it studying. He walked over to the transfiguration section and started to browse through books. Once he found the ones he wanted, he checked them out.
As soon as Draco was about to leave the library, the last two people he wanted to see walked in.
"Draco, we've been lookin' all over for you." Weasley said relieved.
Draco sighed, "Didn't I say I didn't want to hear from either of you?"
"We're sorry, Draco. What we did was out of line. We shouldn't have accused you of plotting against us. You deserve privacy in your life, and we know things with your family probably aren't the best right now. Can you forgive us?" Potter said.
Draco took a second to think. It was hard to admit, but what they did hurt. He thought they were on good terms and could actually end up being friends in this lifetime, but Draco couldn't hold much of a grudge. They had reason to be suspicious and in the lifetime before he had treated them terribly. He thought back to what Sev and him talked about. He needed as many people on his side as he could get and there wasn't much he wouldn't forgive them for.
"I guess I can forgive you," Draco smiled.
Weasley's face broke out into a grin. "Really?" he said, and Draco nodded.
The next thing Draco knew, arms were being wrapped around him. He continued to let them hug him for a few more seconds before pushing them both off.
"You both are acting like bloody Hufflepuffs," Draco told them.
"It's good to have you back, mate," Weasley said.
"We came down here to see if we could find anything about Nicholas Flamel. Do you want to help?" Potter asked.
"Come on. There are still some sections we haven't gone through," Draco said and the three Gryffindor boys walked into the library. They looked for hours, but had no luck in finding anything. Giving up, they left the library and headed back to their common room.
❀ ❀ ❀
For the rest of Christmas Break, Draco spent his time redecorating his room in the tunnels and trying to find out anything he could on Nicholas Flamel. By the end of break, the room was completely transformed into a space for Draco to let go. He had brought the majority of his art supplies and his extra potion supplies to the room and added the desk and couch he wanted with the help of transfiguration.
To Granger’s disappointment, Draco, Potter, and Weasley hadn’t made any progress on finding out who Nicholas Flamel was. When Draco wasn’t working on the room, sleeping, or in the Great Hall, he was in the library looking through books.
Christmas break came to an end, and Draco fell back into the same routine he had before. Wake up. Get dressed and ready for the day. Head down to breakfast. Go to classes. Get bored learning things he had mastered years ago. Go to lunch and talk about classes with Neville and the rest of the Gryffindors. Go to the rest of classes and mostly draw on the corners of his pages or help Neville with what they were learning. After classes he would either go with Granger to the library to study or hang out with his dorm mates or Blaise, Pansy, Neville, and Theo. He didn’t care what his father would do if he found out again. It couldn’t be much worse then what he has already endured.
Over the past couple of months Draco felt his relationship with his old friends had weakened. He didn’t get to spend as much time with them as he used to, so when they were together he treasured the time. It also made him happy with how well they got along with Neville. Sometimes he found himself spending more time with them than the other Gryffindors, but he or Neville didn’t have any issue with that.
Potions quickly became Draco’s favorite class more than ever. Not only did he enjoy the class work but his godfather got to teach it to him and he got to spend it with his closest friends
He started to spend a lot of time with his godfather as well. Severus and him had tea every night and every once in a while Severus would have Draco help him brew some potions to restock his cupboard. Draco loved every minute of it. He got to spend time with one of the most important people in his life and learn some of Severus’s little tricks when brewing.
Draco was currently out on the quidditch pitch listening to Wood go on and on about how much they needed to practice for their next match against Hufflepuff. Ever since they got back from break, practices had been brutal. If they won the match then they would go up against Slytherin in the Championship.
Wood wasn’t going to let anything stop them from winning that match. They would practice for hours at a time. Till the whole team was exhausted. The only ones who seemed happy about this were Wood and Potter.
When the night’s practice was finally over, Wood called them all over to talk about the next match. “The next match needs to be a clean game. Snape’s the referee, and we can’t give him a reason to give us penalties. We need this win more than ever before.” Wood told with a serious look on his face.
As this new information was brought to light, the whole team started to groan. “Who let him be the referee?” George Weasley started to complain.
“That’s not the point,” Wood sighed, “We know he’ll do anything he can to stop us from winning, so Slytherin will have a better chance of winning. We need to play fair, so he doesn’t have a real reason to keep us from winning.”
Wood went over a few other things about their game play and what they could improve on before letting them go.
Draco and Potter walked back to the common room together. Potter was walking faster than usual and Draco was trying to match his pace.
“What’s the rush, Potter?” Draco asked as they turned down the next corridor.
“Well Snape and I don’t mix very well when it comes to Quidditch. And I know you don’t believe he did anything to me but I do.” Potter tried to explain as they got closer to the common room, “I need to talk to Hermione and Ron.”
Draco just nodded his head and the two fell silent for the rest of the walk. When they entered the common room, Potter walked straight over to Weasley and Granger who were playing a game of wizards chess by the fire, and Draco was right behind him. Once they saw Potter’s face, they forgot about the game as he explained that Snape was going to be the referee at the next match.
“You can’t play!” Weasley exclaimed, “He’ll try to curse you again.”
“I have to, otherwise Gryffindor will have to forfeit the match and any hope of winning the Quidditch cup,” Potter explained.
“Ron and I will just have to keep a watch on him during the game. Maybe he’ll be too busy with the match to focus on Harry.” Granger tried to give them some hope.
Potter sighed and grabbed one of his chocolate frogs. When he looked down at the card he looked over to Weasley and said, “Dumbledore again.”
Potter looked down at the card again and his face lit up. “Guys look at this!” he exclaimed and started to read off text from the card, “Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon’s blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicholas Flamel.”
Granger’s eyes grew wide with realization, “Oh my…” She stood up quickly and walked up the stairs to the girls' dorms. Seconds later she rushed back down and slammed a giant book down onto the table.
“How could I be so stupid. I checked this out weeks ago for a bit of light reading,” she explained as she flipped through the pages.
“This is light?” Weasley questioned with a perplexed look on his face.
“Here!” She pointed, ignoring Weasley’s comment and read out what was written, “Nicholas Flamel is the only known maker of the Sorcerer’s Stone.”
Draco’s eyes grew wide as realization struck him. How did he forget? His father used to talk about the Stone often and the power it held.
“What’s that?” Weasley and Potter asked.
Draco looked over at them, perplexed by the question, “I understand Potter not knowing, but Weasley, how do you not know what the Sorcerer’s Stone is?”
Weasley just shrugged and Granger rolled her eyes and continued to read, “The Sorcerer’s Stone is a legendary substance with astonishing powers. It will transform any metal into pure gold and produces the Elixir of Life, which will make the drinker immortal. Nicholas Flamel has the only stone known to exist.”
Granger looked up from the book and over at the three boys around her, “This is what Fluffy is guarding. This is what Snape wants!”
“But why would Snape want the Stone?” Potter questioned.
“So he could be rich with tons of gold,” Weasley answered.
“Then why would he try and attack Harry on the Quidditch pitch?” Granger asked.
“Maybe we’re still missing something. The person who wants the stone must have a plan for it other than to get rich. I mean they’re going through an awful lot to get it.” Draco pointed out.
The rest of the group agreed, but couldn’t come up with a reason why a person would want it that badly.
“We can put this off to the side for the moment. Right now we need to worry about the next Quidditch match,” Granger told them.
The group stayed down in the common room discussing the topic a bit more. There was no way for Potter not to play, so they just had to hope for the best.
Draco knew Severus wouldn’t do anything to actually hurt a student, but he was still worried. Would the person who cursed Potter be at the game? Would they do it again?
Potter and Weasley went back up to their dorm after a bit, leaving Granger and Draco by the fireplace.
“Draco?” she asked softly.
Draco looked towards her. Her eyes were focused on the fire and she looked lost in thought, “Yes?”
“At the Quidditch match can you try and look out for Harry? I know you two aren’t that close, but I don’t want him to get hurt.” she said as she continued to stare deeply into the fire.
“Of course, I will.” Draco answered and softly added, “I don’t want him hurt either.”