Draco Malfoy, Broken

58 - Darkness Falls

Published: 10/6/2019

***TRIGGER WARNING*** Sexual assault threats, manipulation, bullying, depression, sexual coercion. Hang in there, we are going dark for the next two chapters.

Narcissa Malfoy was at work. Re-shelving and organizing books was calming, relaxing almost. It also gave her a chance to read various titles of books she might want to check out herself. She was currently reading the back of a muggle book about Stockholm Syndrome, which she found really interesting. She might check it out later. She was feeling a little down though she had spent the whole day yesterday with her sister, Harry and her great-nephew. Teddy was as cute as ever, asking for Draco as soon as Harry got there.

"Arry! Where Dray-co!"

"I'm sorry, kiddo. He's a little busy right, now. He couldn't make it," Harry said and the toddler pouted.

"Teddy, behave," Andy said.

"Want coz-in!" he whined.

Narcissa relished the fact that the young boy had latched onto Draco after just one visit. She could tell that Harry was enjoying it, too. He fidgeted with Teddy all through brunch and Teddy could hardly stay in his seat, determined to go flying before his food had settled. Harry got him to wait a half-hour before he took him out on the training broom. He looked like a small Draco, with his blond hair and pale skin. Teddy was a great mimicker.

While they flew and played in the yard, Andy had opened another wonderful bottle of Sauvignon and the alcohol had made Narcissa's tongue loosen. She had a good cry with her as she talked about her younger years with Lucius. How brutal he had been when she embarrassed him. When she actually managed to come to term, Lucius had been so distracted keeping himself out of prison, that he hadn't had the time to beat her or his infant son. She managed to keep Draco away from him for so many years, with some subtle Remember Charms and Forgetfulness Potions, which made him think about other tasks other than Draco.

Unfortunately, Lucius started to require Draco's presence more and figured out that what she was doing. He started drilling Draco on the properisms of the pureblood class and punishing him for forgetting the slightest thing. A backhand for clinking his silverware against the plate, a Stinging Hex if he didn't move fast enough when called, and the Imperius Curse if he misspoke. She had always feared Lucius and wanted to leave, but when he took control of her son... she was trapped. She would never leave Draco with him. She wouldn't dare to try to run... if Lucius caught them... he'd take it out on Draco.

Andy held her and she was glad that she had her sister to talk through it. All summer it had been just her. She only had a small bleak hope that her poor son would be rescued from Azkaban. She was on her last strings when Harry found her leaving the Ministry. Those Department of Magical Law Enforcement guys laughed at her request every time she went, but she had no other recourse. She couldn't even appeal his case, as he had pled guilty. It was so cruel, to cut him off from everyone... from her.

Now, he was taken from her, again. Forced back to school, but it might be beneficial for him. She was determined to know what was happening now, not just what Draco and McGonagall told her. As soon as Harry came back from flying, Andy took Teddy to change into his dinner clothes and make himself presentable. She pulled Harry into the dining room, locking the door with her rosewood wand. Harry lowered his head, apologetic as he told her about the last few weeks. He didn't have good news but, at least, he said it had gotten better.

"He was so... out of it... just zoned out. I couldn't come last week, because I couldn't leave him alone," Harry said.

"I understand. We got your letter. Of course, you had to stay with him."

"But I didn't... I... Blaise took Draco for the night."

"I see. They're really close. Blaise wrote to me nearly every week to see how I was doing after the trials."

"He did?" Harry said, surprised.

"Yes. But I knew he had Theo to take care of... not take care of me, an adult. But Draco's doing better? You and Blaise helped him?"

Harry nodded, but he lowered his eyes. "Do you know about... about my drinking problem?"

Andy had told her about how he'd come over hungover, thinner and looking worse every visit. She'd seen him the first few mornings when he came to visit Draco and overheard them talking about it. Draco had helped him quit. She just nodded, rather explaining how she knew.

"I messed up. I went to Hogsmeade... last Sunday... got drunk and wound up in the hospitable wing. Draco kinda snapped out of it, because he was worried about me."

"Harry... I'm sorry. You're under a lot of pressure. No one blames you for needing a little release. Recovery takes time," she said, taking his hand.

Harry had some tears come out. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to... give up."

Narcissa hugged him and patted his back. Then she let him go and held onto his shoulders. "Do you remember when you found me at the Ministry?"

Harry looked up at her and nodded.

"I was about to give up... hope... everything. Every single day... I had to fight to keep going. I had to fight giving up. I actually missed a day once... going to Ministry... and I hated myself for it. Even when I did go, I'd come home and cry myself to sleep every night. I was no fitter than you were when Draco came home. Don't beat yourself up so bad. We all fall eventually, but the hard part is getting back up and trying, again."

Harry's tearful eyes looked up at her and he couldn't find the words. She reached over and pulled him into another hug. He let out a few sobs, but slowly calmed down. When she let go, she pushed the hair out of his eyes and kissed his forehead. He hugged her, again.

"Thank you," he whispered.

Harry held on until Teddy and Andy came back. He focused all his attention on his godson, who was so worn out when he went to sleep that night, he was practically in a coma. Harry bid them goodbye, a little sad, but he met her eyes and gave her a smile.

She was still dwelling on that moment with Harry when her shift was nearly over and she was heading over to the outside drop box return for the last pull of the night. She felt them, before she heard them.

"Where is Narcissa Malfoy?" a rasping voice boomed.

"Shh! You're in a library and what's with the cloaks?" the desk librarian asked.

Narcissa went cold and hid behind a bookcase. She knew that voice. Her brother-in-law. Rodolphus... and his brother Rabastan, no doubt. Neither of them had shown any qualms about torturing her when Draco was trying to fix the Vanishing Cabinet. Rabastan had even tried to get her alone a few times, but she always sealed her door when she slept. Lucius, while she hated his company, too, offered her some protection. He would not allow them to touch her, as she was his property. It also helped that Voldemort wanted them out spreading fear and panic.

"Silence, muggle! Where is she? Or you'll be the first to die!" he rasped.

Whatever her coworker was going to say was lost when several people started booking it for the doors. She wasn't sure if the desk clerk tried to run, too, or just picked up the phone, but she felt the Avada Kedavra. She had to get out of there and, hopefully, lead them away.

"What's going on here?" her supervisor yelled, but Narcissa flung herself into the open and sent a stunner at Rodolphus and Rabastan, who locked eyes on her immediately. They deflected it into a young muggle student that was running toward the door.

"Oh my god! What did you do! What's happening?" her supervisor yelled, causing the Death Eaters to switch their attention back to her.

She didn't get another word out, before a different man jumped on her and brought the older woman to the floor. Narcissa recognized him as one of the werewolves. She pulled her head back just in time to miss Rodolphus's spell.

"Come out, come out... little traitor! Potter told everyone how you betrayed our lord."

She took a deep breath and tried to Apparate, but nothing happened. They knew what they were doing. Narcissa stared at the dropbox. She was on the ground level. She brought down the ceiling, blocking their path to her, and used the Blasting Curse a few times on the outer wall, to free herself. She stowed her wand and ran out into the street zigzagging around the cars in her haste to escape. Her pursuers right behind her, not having been delayed too long. At least, they were out of the library, but now they were openly shooting spells in the street.

Narcissa ducked into an alley, checked it was clear and Apparated to her apartment. Having been keyed into the wards, she could Apparate right in, though it was her first time. She quickly spelled the few items she owned to go to Andromeda's, fearing the worst. She checked Draco's room and then hers, before she tried to Apparate out. Again, she was stuck. How could they know her address? She heard them outside her apartment door.

"Colloportus!" she yelled, before they could open it.

"Damn it! She wasn't supposed to have a wand!" Rodolphus yelled and started banging on the door. "Let us in... we just want to have a nice conversation with you... and your son."

It would hold them for maybe ten seconds. She ran to the fireplace and called her sister's address. Nothing. Her floo was closed. Circe! What was she going to do? She scrambled to her bedroom, just as the front door blasted open, sending splinters everywhere. She went to the window where the fire escape was and looked out. Rabastan shot a stunner at her.

"You've got no place to go! Just come quietly!" he called, nearly to her window.

"Like hell, I will," she said to herself.

She blew a hole in the floor, jumped down to the next level and ran through their apartment into the hallway. She heard the footsteps follow above her and she blasted open the door across the hall. The resident looked a little stunned to see her running through his apartment, but she had no time to wipe his memory. She went out on the fire escape on the other side of the building and started down. Realizing that it would take too long, she jumped to the ground, using magic to brace her fall. She hit the ground running and took off down the street. The Death Eaters weren't far behind and they had no restraint when it came to hiding from muggles. No, they blasted cars away, cursed and killed muggles, the whole time gaining on her.

"You're going to be mine, woman!" Rabastan growled, as he got closer. "I'm going to enjoy you!"

Narcissa, a little rusty on Apparating, finally got far enough away to try. Rabastan, running at top speed, sent a spell at her, but she vanished just in time. She went to the manor first and a few other places before dropping at Andy's front porch, in case he had gotten ahold of her. She fell to her knees in front of the door as her heart was beating so fast that she had nearly passed out. She managed to get to her feet, but before she could knock, the door opened. Andy was holding Teddy and looking worried.

"Cissy! I saw your things, but...."

"I'm so sorry, Andy," she cried, hugging her sister and panicking, as she realized what she had done, by reuniting with her sister. "I've brought darkness and danger to your door!"

***

Potions was slow, as they had moved into advanced stages of extended brewing. Draco had just added more lacewing flies to their Polyjuice Potion and stirred their other stewing potions for consistency. The Wolfsbane Potion needed nothing for now, but soon they would have to add another draft of monkshood. Harry chatted with him all through Potions about his day with Teddy. Slughorn was not Snape and didn't demand silence at all times.

"She's been going to Aunt Andy's almost every day," Harry told him.

"I'm glad. She was so happy to be reconnected with her sister."

"I... told her about last weekend," Harry whispered, looking embarrassed.

"That's good. Bet she made you feel better," Draco said, with a smile.

Harry nodded. "She did. She's amazing. But Teddy's been demanding your presence."

"Still?"

"Oh, yeah. He loves in coz-in," Harry chuckled.

"Yeah, he was a cutie. I wish I could go, but...."

"You can't get permission? What about Christmas?" Harry asked, pleadingly.

"I highly doubt it. I'm supposed to be here to pass my NEWTs, not socialize," he said, cutting eye contact.

Harry raised his eyebrow. "Family is important... don't you think that...."

"Just let it go, Harry. I can't win against the Ministry. They made the rules, I have to follow them. I did break the law and almost kill three people," he snapped.

"You were under extremely stressful circumstances."

"And a poor thief isn't? I'm pretty sure that ordinary witches and wizards wouldn't just let someone steal their property without batting an eye."

"Draco...."

"Don't. Just let it go. I'm on probation, Harry. I'm not free. I committed crimes and I have to do the time," he said, getting frustrated.

"You di-"

"Harry!" Draco said, loud enough to make the class go quiet. Draco flushed as everyone was looking at them.

"Boys? Shouldn't you be working on your potions? You did hear me say that we will be testing them in a week? You should be double-checking what stage your potions are on!" Slughorn chastised.

"Yes, Sir."

"Yes, Professor."

Harry was grumpy for the rest of class, as Draco forced his boyfriend to identify the correct signs for all their potions. He was hopeless with potions, sometimes.

"I think my Everlasting Elixir a little milky," Hermione said, as they exited class.

"Did Slughorn say we'll be testing them?" Ron asked her, but loud enough for Draco to hear.

Draco looked at Harry, concerned. "What? No biggie. Polyjuice is a bitch to transform, but it only lasts an hour."

"I know. I swiped Slughorn's batch that one time. But... are we trying them all?"

Hermione interjected. "We can't test the Wolfsbane... on us, obviously... but Professor Slughorn said that he can test it first. He says that he's donating ours to a Werewolves Anonymous group, after he makes sure it isn't poison at least."

The others were completely terrifying, but Draco wasn't sure about testing out the Everlasting Sleep one.

Draco was quiet through Arithmancy and lunch was eventful as Blaise finally got his eyepatch removed. He almost looked weird, now. Draco got another two-man escort to class, but he had an appointment to get to. He raised his hand near the end of Ancient Runes and asked the professor if he could be excused early to use the loo. She said that he could and Theo looked at him, before he tried to get permission to go with him. Draco cut him off, loudly, and said that he could go on his own. He rushed out the door as Theo continued pleading with the professor to let him go, too. Hermione had started to join in when he left. He ran as soon as the door shut, in case they convinced Professor Babbling to let them go. He went straight to Defense Against the Dark Arts and waited for the class to get out.

Draco tried to hide when they emerged, but Harper and his friends noticed him immediately. He motioned for them to get going. He didn't them getting involved. The thing with Malcolm had gotten around. Draco stepped into the classroom and Dawlish smirked victoriously. Draco dropped his eyes to the floor and heard the doors lock. Draco went into his bag and pulled out the Draught of Despair.

"About time!" he snapped.

The potion was tricky to get it to set right, but Draco was adept at the task. "Sorry, Sir. It's hard to...."

"I don't care. This is it? Well... I can't know it's the right potion, if I don't test it... can I?"

Draco trembled. He hadn't been surprised by this. He figured he was brewing it so Dawlish could torture him. "Please...."

"Shut it," Dawlish said and poured a small amount of it into a vial. "Drink it."

Draco considered balking, but the door was locked. He was on probation and it would be his word against Dawlish's. He took it and nearly dropped it, because he was shaking so bad. "Sir...."

"Now, Death Eater," he sneered, his hand on his wand.

Draco downed the vile, malicious poison, fleetingly hoping that his Calming Draught would help. It didn't. Draco didn't remember going to his knees, but felt the pain as they collided with the stone floor. His body crumpled to the floor and into the fetal position as undiluted agony seared through his body. He was sobbing as the pain and hopelessness built up. There was no escape. He wasn't worth anything. He was going to die, alone and not missed by anyone, especially Harry. He was better off dead.

He didn't know how long he stayed on the floor, writhing in mental anguish, but Dawlish still laughed maliciously every once in a while. Finally, he nudged Draco with his foot. "Well... you might have made the right potion. Now, get out of here!"

Draco scrambled out the door and straight into Neville, who sighed with relief. "There you are... I had a feeling. Did he give you a detention?"

Draco nodded, the potion wasn't completely out of his system. He wanted to cry some more.

"Jerk," Neville was and sent a signal cry through the school. Blaise must have taught him it.

"I just want to go to my bed, please," he said, his voice breaking.

"Sure... Draco... want did he make you do?"

Draco didn't answer as lethargy settled on him and he didn't want to fall back into that darkness, again. Neville took his hand as they walked, as though he knew that Draco needed some positive warmth. Draco was drifting as he walked and didn't even realize that they had arrived at his room. He stared at the door, forgetting how to lift the charms. He couldn't concentrate, focus. He was the verge of tears, when Harry ran up to them.

"Draco? Are you okay?" he asked and Draco hugged him. "Whoa there... I've got you. Draco... what happened?"

Draco had no interest in answering, so Neville said, "He had detention from our resident asshole professor. I brought him here and he hasn't said anything."

"Draco? Draco?" Harry called, but Draco only cried into his chest. Harry worked his arm free and removed the wards from the door and half-carried him inside. "It's okay... just let it out. Neville, can you tell the others?"

"Of course," Neville said and slipped out the door.

Harry held him tightly as the effects of potion finally faded. Draco started to breathe easier. At least, it was a small dose. The potion was designed to last longer for the amount drunk, not an increase of effects. Draco grumbled internally that he should have messed up it up, but it wasn't in him to purposely botch a potion. Harry tried many times to get him to say what Dawlish did to him, but Draco said nothing.

"Draco... it's okay. You can tell me," Harry tried for the tenth time.

"Wrong... I can't... I don't want to talk about it," Draco finally muttered, getting out of bed and grabbing his bag. "I just want to go to class. I don't want dinner."

"Draco...."

But he wouldn't answer. The potion had subtle effects that lasted longer. Apathy and sadness being the top ones. Though he knew this, he couldn't not feel that way. He slowly walked down the stairs and Harry hurried behind him, locking the door. Draco stopped when they reached the common room and there were people around the bulletin board. More signs?

Hermione came over. "Curse-Breaking was canceled."

Draco would usually be upset by that, but he found himself completely indifferent to his loss of training time.

"What do you think happened?" she asked.

As if to ask Hermione's query, the common room door opened, and the headmistress walked in. "Mr. Malfoy, you and your friends... best come with me."

Draco swallowed. Did something happen?

"Is there something wrong with my brother?" Weasley asked, stepping forward. Draco didn't look at him.

"No, Professor Weasley's just tied up at the moment, dealing with an issue," she said, dismissively.

Draco followed her silently back to her office. Harry was next to him and Blaise, Neville, Theo, Daphne and Hermione followed them. Draco was starting to shake. He had a bad feeling that wasn't brought on by the Despair Potion. Headmistress McGonagall stood in front of her desk, in the room surrounded by her predecessors and beckoned him forward.

"Mr. Malfoy... Draco... there was an attack...in muggle London."

Draco went rigid and Harry took his hand. "My mother?"

"Yes, it was at the library where she worked. Several muggles are dead, and the Ministry is there now, cleaning up the incident."

"Is she..." he whispered.

"She is safe, now. She escaped by destroying the outer wall and fleeing. She then Apparated back to her apartment. She was either smart or psychic, as she packed her belongings and sent them to her sister's. The remaining members of the Death Eaters came to her apartment, and she was nearly taken there. She fled through the city, with the Death Eaters giving chase and killing anyone in their way. She managed to Apparate away from them and sought shelter at your aunt's house. Bill is there, now, and Auror investigators."

Draco sunk into the chair, unable to form words. He almost lost his mother to them... though she didn't name them. They went after her to get to him. He knew it. He knew it with every fiber in his being. He was so deep in his self-flagellation that he almost missed Harry's question.

"Why didn't she use the floo?"

Draco looked up and McGonagall grimaced. "It was closed off from the network. Anti-Apparition Charms went up around her work and apartment. It was a planned ambush."

Harry's grip became tight and Draco lowered his head more, his heart aching to make sure his mother was alright. "I want to go see her," Harry announced, and Draco looked at him, thankfully.

"My floo is open," she said.

"Hermione?" Harry asked and she nodded. "Draco... I'll be right back. I just want to make sure that she is alright. Can I leave you with Blaise?"

"Yeah, I want to know that she is alright. I'll be okay... just go."

Harry and Hermione stepped into the flames one right after the other. Blaise came around, knelt and took Draco into his arms. Draco cried into his chest. Daphne asked more questions of the headmistress, but he ignored them. He just needed Harry back and for him to know his mother was actually okay.

"Harry will be back soon," Blaise whispered, holding on to him tightly and McGonagall sat in her chair, waiting as well. She drew up some more hard-backed chairs, so Theo, Daphne and Neville could sit. She said nothing to make them leave, as she appeared to be waiting for answers, herself.

"Sh... Draco... it's going to be okay. She's going to be okay," Blaise said, not once letting go, even though the floor had to be hard on his knees.

The flames burst and Harry stepped out, followed by Hermione. Blaise let him go, and Draco stood up and went over to him.

"Is-Is she okay?" he asked.

"She's okay, just a little shaken up. She didn't get hurt at all. Aunt Andy said that she was glad to have her stay with her."

Draco nodded. "B-But they might...."

"No... that's not going to happen, Draco. That's why Hermione came with me. Her home and Bill's are under the Fidelius Charm, no one is going to get any of them, now." Draco's eyes went wide and acknowledged that Hermione just put up an extremely difficult charm.

Blaise was still shaking out the cramp in his leg and asked, "Why Bill's?"

Harry gave him a look and said, "It's just precautionary. They killed eight people today. Three at Narcissa's work. The Aurors and Obliviators are all over London trying to hunt down the witnesses."

"Who was it?" Draco asked.

"The Lestranges and at least one werewolf. She thinks that it was Scabior. But Draco... she's alive and unhurt. It was a close call."

Draco was curling up and Daphne gave him a sympathetic look, knowing what Rabastan already. "What'd they say?"

"Same, normal things," Harry said, nonchalantly.

"Exact words, Potter," he growled, straightening up.

"I don't know. I didn't interrogate her."

Draco glared at him until Harry folded. "She said that they knew she was a traitor, knew that at one point she didn't have a wand, and... said that... they wanted to have a chat with... her and you."

"They're after me," he said, quietly.

"Draco... they... they won't get you. They won't get her. They can't get in there or here."

"The boundaries aren't exactly on high-alert, Potter."

"Are you suggesting that I don't know if someone unwanted enters the grounds?" McGonagall snapped.

Draco looked at the floor, like he'd ever say that.

"I will increase the safety restrictions on the school," she said, reassuringly.

"There are other ways to get in," he said, quietly, looking away. He already pondered this scenario, many times... for a year.

Harry lowered his head. "Draco... don't think that like."

"Like what? The Slytherin way? I figured out how to get Death Eaters in here when this place was on the highest alert. No one was searched when we came. Owls come and go as they please and there's a freaking dementor staking out the front gate, in the woods that no one, short of irritable centaurs, guards? Yes... completely safe."

"Draco!" Hermione said, aghast.

"It's alright, Ms. Granger. He has a valid point. I can't do anything if an object is already here, but I'll raise the protective enchantments, now. I'll take every precaution that I can. Don't be afraid."

"I'm not afraid!" he growled, and everyone looked at him. "Can I go?"

"Yes," she said, and Draco turned to leave.

"Sorry, Headmistress," Harry apologized, but followed him out. He stormed down the hall, and Harry caught up with him and took his hand. "Draco... please calm down. I'm sorry I should have asked her to move to my place before we left... it's my fau-"

But Draco pushed him into the wall, showing a rare bit of aggression. "It's not your fault! She's my mother! They're after me! I told...." Draco stopped. Umbridge knew. He told her. She knew where she lived and worked. "It's not your fault."

"They're not... after you. You don't know that. They probably just want to make an example and your mum was convenient."

"No... it's not... just trust me, Harry. I know how they think. I was at enough of their meetings..." Draco broke off lost in his thoughts, trying to remember. But he shook his head. "They want me. There's no quitting and getting away with it. Those... they won't stop until they have me."

Harry took his arm. "Draco... don't think like that. I won't let them...."

"Let go, Harry," Draco demanded, and Harry released him. "Just go back... do whatever you need to do with McGonagall. I just want to be alone for a little bit."

Harry's voice was nothing more than a broken whisper, "I can't let you go back by yourself."

"I can take him back," Hermione said, coming from behind them. "Professor McGonagall wanted to talk to you. I'll walk Draco back."

Harry nodded, looking at the ground.

"Just come see me when you're done," Draco said and turned left him there.

He needed to escape. So much pain and darkness... it was all too much. He didn't know how much more he could take. Granger walked him to his door and he crumpled unto the bed, curling into a ball. They were coming. He was after him. He wanted to break him... make him scream. He would never be safe.

***

Harry was trying to shove his emotions down, as he slowly walked back to McGonagall's office. The gargoyles didn't even bother waiting for a password, they just opened. He climbed the steps and Blaise was talking to McGonagall about the detection spells that they could employ.

"Harry?" Blaise said, surprised to see him. "Why aren't you with Draco?"

"He got upset and wanted to be alone. Hermione walked him back."

Blaise grimaced. "We were talking about the boundary spells. I think...."

"I don't think that I can offer any input to that. But I need to talk to you all... if this is a safe place," Harry said, looking at McGonagall.

"Of course," she said, sealing the windows and doors.

Harry glanced at the portraits, wondering if he had to worry about long-time heads of old. His eyes finally locked on the one portrait that he'd been avoiding, surprised to find it occupied for once. He knew that it hadn't been occupied any of the times he'd been there before. He always thought that Snape found excuses to avoid him, but Snape's black eyes stared unflinchingly at him.

"You don't have to doubt our loyalty, Harry," Dumbledore said, from the painting next to Snape's. "We are bound to the school and the current headmistress."

Harry looked at him and nodded. "Unfortunately, there is a difference between what the headmistress wants and what is best for the school. I'm talking about war."

Neville and the three Slytherins straightened up. They knew nothing, yet. It was time to bring them into the fold.

"The Ministry is corrupted, Harry. It is not in the school's best interest to leave it that way," McGonagall said, leaning back in her chair.

"It's always been corrupted."

"Well, that's a rather dismal view of it," Dilys Derwent grunted.

"Now, see here, Mr. Potter! It's just all these young whippersnappers who took over!" another started.

"The Ministry is over-exerting itself!"

"We have to act!"

"Harry... I think you'll find that this collection of old wizards and witches is the most... anarchist bunch you could find," Dumbledore said, smiling.

"The Ministry has no business in our school!"

"Blatant misuse of power!" Professor Dippet yelled.

Harry nodded and looked at Snape one more time before, turning to the others. "I've been keeping something from you all."

Blaise snorted. "I'd say... war? With the Ministry?"

"Yes... I know it seems... extreme...."

"Sign me up," Blaise said, and Theo and Daphne were right next to him, nodding. Neville was still in shock.

"You understand that... really?"

"Please, you're talking to Slytherins. Of course, we want to destroy the government. Especially when it's so unmanageable and bias."

"Yay, anarchy!" Daphne said, mockingly.

"Alright... stop fooling around. It goes deeper than you think. Not just about Draco getting sent to prison or getting Dawlish forced on us. His mum's floo was shut off," Harry growled, that was the most damning of all. Only the Ministry could do that, or at least from within the Ministry. "But they're hiding and destroying Ministry documents... keeping some Death Eaters out of Azkaban and hiding their own crimes."

"Yeah, fine. We're in."

Harry sighed. "Thanks. This is what we know. When Draco was arrested, he had several long interviews, which all are missing. He's got nothing of note in his file, no people he accused, no offers for a plea. Nothing. Does Draco seem to be the type to keep quiet about what the Death Eaters did?"

Blaise stared at him. "I've been wondering that myself. He always talked about how much he hated them and would sink them all when it came to it. I was confused about why he pled guilty."

"Exactly. I haven't asked him... well because... the Ministry could find out. Do you know of any reason why he would purposely withhold names? Was he trying to protect you?"

"No... and we didn't do anything. It doesn't make sense."

"My theory is that the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Mafilda Hopkirk, and several other Aurors and department heads covered up their crimes during the war. They sent Draco to prison without letting him talk, somehow, and have been trying to hide what they have done.

Blaise glowered. "If that's true... how do we prove anything?"

"Hermione's reviewing all the court cases, now and we are making a list of anyone who survived the war trials, in Azkaban or not. They can give evidence."

"We can't let them out!" Blaise said.

"No, but we can reduce their sentences and appeal to their sense of revenge, but we are back at looking for non-criminal witnesses. Right now, we are on the paper trail, trying to find things that they missed, being neither confident or just sloppy. I got several spies in the Ministry looking for anything and everything."

"Spies?" Daphne said, surprised.

Neville shook his head. "It's really happening... again? Another war?"

"I'm not sure how deep it goes, Neville. It could be five or ten people... it could be fifty and their families... plus Hopkirk controls the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. She has all the Aurors, junior officers and inspectors at her disposal."

"Well... you've got... the five of us... looks like," Neville said.

Harry smiled and hugged him. "Thanks, Nev."

"Hey!" Blaise said.

Harry let him go. "Sorry."

"Nevermind... that's why you have Bill's house under a Fidelius Charm. He's yours. That's what you've been doing on Tuesday nights."

"Yeah... kinda. I originally just wanted some advice... but yeah. Some report to him... others to the headmistress."

Professor McGonagall nodded. "I'm afraid that my role is rather limited. I can't come and go as I please. Dawlish is keeping tabs on me and I have class. But I know quite a few people that are willing to fight, covertly or openly, when it comes to it."

"The legendary Order of the Phoenix is back in force then?" Blaise muttered.

"No... we need a new name, one that's for us."

"Phoenixes aren't your style?" Blaise smirked.

"No, but let's not worry about it, now. I just wanted to know if you all know anything that could help."

Blaise grimaced. "I don't know. Draco didn't want us to know what he knew. It was dangerous if the Dark Lord ever found out."

"You are allowed to say Voldemort... or Tom."

"Thank you for your permission, but Draco hated them all. He wanted to rat them all out, Harry. He wanted them to be punished."

"He had proof," Daphne said, quietly.

"Proof?" Harry asked, sounding hopeful.

"He said that he made sure that he could prove what they all did, even if he... died."

"What does that mean?"

"I don't know. I just listened to him vent... he hated those meetings. He said that he had to sit and listen to them boast and talk about killing and torturing people. He had to pretend not to be horrified. He said that Voldemort killed someone right in front of him and he watched Nagini slowly eat her."

Snape grimaced and Harry looked at him intently. Snape was there. Harry was determined to get him to talk. He could answer a lot of these questions. But he wasn't going to say anything until the portrait did. Eventually, everyone was looking at the former head of Slytherin and a Death Eater. His black eyes narrowed, and he looked at McGonagall.

"I told you, Harry. Portraits can't bear witness," the headmistress said, quietly.

"Hiding behind McGonagall, are you Snape?" Harry growled, ignoring his own childish plan, already.

Snape glared and the Slytherins all looked away, dutifully, but Harry wouldn't. He wasn't afraid to talk to the man who had tormented him, pushed him and saved him. The man with convicting loyalties but only one love.

"Still crude as ever, Potter."

"Tell me what you know."

"Why because you asked so nicely?"

"Please."

Snape grunted. "I hate to tell you, but Death Eaters usually wore masks to their meetings and I was the least trusted of them all."

"Even after Dumbledore's death?" Harry said and Snape flinched.

"No, but...."

"But what? What is so important that you can't give me the names of any Death Eater that you know! I don't care that it's inadmissible."

McGonagall interjected, "That's just it, Potter. It's not just inadmissible. It's fruit gathered from the forbidden tree. Anyone you go after will be able to get off on that technicality."

"Oh, come off it! That's just ridiculous! We just don't tell anyone...."

"No, Harry. It's wrong. He can't be an informant of criminal proceedings. He can only advise. It's just like using Veritaserum. There's no easy way to defend against it and there's no way to validate anything the painting says. We can't lie under oath. The defendant has rights and if we violate them, we are no better," McGonagall said.

Harry let out a frustrated growl and he paced a few minutes in huffing in frustration, surprised that no one stopped him. But with several objects rattling in the room, he could see why. But he suddenly stopped, as he had a realization, and whirled on them. "Alright... hypothetically... Professor Snape..." Harry started and waited for Snape to acknowledge him.

His black eyes rolled, and he said, "Yes?"

"If I were to start an investigation into possible Death Eater and collaborator activity around... let's say Mafalda Hopkirk... do you think I would find anything of interest?"

Snape managed a smirk and said, "Hypothetically... I think it that you might find something."

"Gawain Robards as well?"

"Yes."

"Prunella Edgecombe?"

"Yes."

"Kingsley?"

"No."

"Percy Weasley?"

"No."

"Darius Proudfoot"

"Yes."

"Tiberius McLaggen?"

"No."

Harry had wondered, but moved on to every member of the Wizengamot and the Ministry that he could think of and McGonagall joined in on their game. By the end, Harry had twenty confirmed suspects in the Ministry and the Wizengamot. He had a list and it was a start. Some he hadn't suspected, like Cornelius Fudge, and others that had some connections like Ludo Bagman weren't exactly a shock. Harry was just suspected that they joined out of desperation to continue their political careers.

"Thank you, Sir."

"You're welcome, Potter."

"Perhaps to bed. It's nearly eleven!" the headmistress said, but before they could leave the flames roared and someone else came out. Harry didn't recognize the witch and pulled out his wand.

"Minerva... I just heard. Oh," she said, seeing them.

"Mum?" Blaise said, as she looked at the audience, including her son, whose back was now ramrod straight, and Theo, who winced at lowered his eyes. Daphne and Neville both froze.

"Mum? You're his... mother," Harry said, and wisely lowered his wand.

"The Chosen One," she said, now looking at him, inquisitively.

"Yep... that's me. Why are you here?" he asked.

"Mr. Potter, you'd do well not to interrogate my guests," McGonagall huffed.

Moira Zabini laughed. "It's alright. I heard about Narcissa and I came to see what happened."

"Why?" Blaise asked at the same time Harry asked, "How?"

"Never you mind, children. Off to bed," she said, with a smile.

"Children?" Harry said, but Blaise pulled him toward the door. And if Blaise had a healthy fear of his own mother, Harry should follow his lead. "Goodnight, Headmistress. Thank you."

McGonagall nodded and they filed out the door.

"Bye, mum," Blaise murmured, but paused, for a second, before following them out.

Harry thought about the progress they made tonight and was glad he'd be able to talk to Bill, tomorrow. However, the blow to Draco was the darkness that fell over the evening. Harry knew that an attack, even an unsuccessful attack, on his mother would devastate him. It was just a matter of how much.

***

Blaise watched Draco's every step the next morning, putting Harry's near declaration of war on the Ministry to the back of his mind. Draco was quiet. Anyone who knew him, knew that he loved his mother to the core. The fact that she could have died or worse, was hurting him immensely. Harry held him all night long, but it did nothing to calm him. Draco was very slow to get out of bed, only driven by the fact that Potter had to get his potions from the strict healer. He went with them down there and then down to breakfast where the blows just kept coming.

The Daily Prophet arrived with an article about the muggle deaths, which stirred the students into a frenzy. Skeeter put such sentences like "Narcissa Malfoy, wife of condemned Death Eater Lucius Malfoy and mother of convicted Death Eater Draco Malfoy, was reported to be in the area of the muggle library preceding the attack," and "The Lestranges are actually Mrs. Malfoy's in-laws, as Death Eater Rodolphus Lestrange was married to her sister, the murderesses, Death Eater Bellatrix Lestrange, who was killed at the Battle of Hogwarts fighting with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named." The most annoying one was "Sources say that muggles saw Narcissa Malfoy leave with Lestranges, leading investigators to think that wife of Lord Voldemort's right-hand man, Lucius Malfoy, may have rejoined her brothers by marriage in their reign of terror."

There was an uproar when the article was passed and students were on their feet in protest at Draco's continued presence there. McGonagall had to silence the whole student body to end the near riot. Blaise escorted Draco out of the Great Hall, as students stared and made gestures. The article, which had the words "Death Eater" printed thirty-three times, was posted on nearly every wall and bulletin board, no matter how many times Blaise and Hermione tore them down.

Draco cried quietly through most of Transfiguration and the headmistress finally came over, realizing it was pointless to keep him there.

"Mr. Zabini... why don't you take him outside to calm down."

"Yes, thank you, Headmistress, but could I possibly come and see you today... sometime?" he whispered.

She nodded and brushed them out the door. Blaise took Draco outside, just out of sight of the greenhouses and slowly Draco calmed down.

"If they get her, Blaise... I don't know what I'd do."

"She's safe, now. She's a powerful witch to escape the Lestranges and a homicidal, cannibalistic werewolf."

Draco checked the time. "I got to go. You're going to be late."

"I don't care."

Draco smiled and drifted into Greenhouse Five. Blaise reluctantly went to class and got a lecture from Trelawney. How he wished that the centaur was still there. Surprisingly, the herd let him go back as he had honored his clan by killing a giant in the Battle. Blaise ran down to the greenhouses arrived just as Harry did, too, and immediately got in a scuffle with Oliver, whose eyesight had returned. Tracy and Alexus were standing over Terry, who was bound on the ground with ropes. Corner was hiding behind a table. Draco was cowering near Oliver. It must have just been words as Blaise put the trigger activation in for Draco and Theo, too.

Not Potter though, who took a hit to his nose, but landed a few solid ones into Oliver's head.

"Enough!" Madam Sprout yelled and magicked them apart. "To lunch with you, Mr. Rivers! Ms. Davis, you let him go, or you'll be on compositing duty for the next month!"

She quickly released Terry, who took twenty points from his own house for it. The Ravenclaws slowly dispersed, including Corner, who slinked by them as unobtrusively as he could. Well, I got through to one of them, Blaise thought. Harry got a lecture from the Herbology professor, but she didn't punish him and helped Draco to his feet, with a "there, there".

"Thank you, Professor," he mumbled.

"You kids off to lunch, food makes the day seem better."

"Thank you, Professor," Harry said, and he watched her go back into the Greenhouse. Blood was still coming out of his nose.

Blaise smirked and went over to Potter, realizing his chance had come. "Here, I'll take care of that, Potter."

He healed his nose and then siphoning the blood off his face into a vial, right in front of his eyes. Harry looked at him with the most hilarious expression and spluttered a little, at Blaise's acquisition of his blood. Blaise smiled, as though daring him to object. Harry stared at him for a few seconds, looking a little worried. But he decided not to challenge him or their friendship. He just turned his attention back to Draco. Blaise pocketed it, victoriously.

Lunch was a disaster though, but the headmistress was present to discourage any attacks with her glare alone. The muttering couldn't be helped, and he managed to get the two idiots to eat, just in time for Dawlish's nightmare of a class. He went after Draco, again, reading the article aloud in such excruciating detail that Blaise was having déjà vu to their fourth year, except it was the Hufflepuffs laughing at them. Blaise gripped Draco's hand and tried to reassure him, but Dawlish placed Draco into detention. Fuck, he hated that. He had no idea what Dawlish was doing to him, but right before dinner, he emerged, worse than before. He couldn't get Draco to answer and Harry had no better luck. Blaise told them both to go up to the room and Theo and Daphne brought them both food.

As the headmistress wasn't in the Great Hall, Blaise made his way up to her office and gave the password. Like before, he heard yelling and he came quickly.

He heard Snape sneer, "You're not trying hard enough!" and his mother threatening, "Shut up, before I turn you into kindling!"

Professor McGonagall noticed him first and cleared her throat. Draco's mum jumped in surprise. The three witches all had their wands out. Blaise looked at the three in shock and at Mrs. Malfoy, who looked a little bad and in pain. His mouth popped open.

"Blaise!" his mother growled, and he snapped to attention.

"Sorry... I heard yelling," he said, defensively.

"I apologize. He did ask earlier to visit, but I didn't think he'd come during dinner," the headmistress said.

Blaise stared at the three of them, a little confused about what was going on.

His mother put down her wand and came to look at him, with approval in her eyes. "You're are healed up."

"Yeah... my eye was finally healed up. Mum... what's going on?"

"We were... training."

"Training?" He looked at Draco's mum, extremely confused. They probably hadn't seen each other in years, why was she there?

"Yes. Narcissa has been helping."

"Yes. But I should be going. Please don't tell Draco I'm here. It'll be too rough... on both of us. Thank you for the letters, Blaise. It was kind of you."

He nodded. Narcissa went to the floo and Vanished. Blaise thought he heard her speak, but it was muted... or he forgot it immediately. The Fidelius Charm probably prevented it.

"Letters?" his mother asked.

"I checked in on her... during the summer... for Draco."

His mother smiled kindly and then pulled him into a hug. "I couldn't be more proud of you, Blaise. I'm sorry, I didn't tell you that before."

Blaise was shaking. He still wasn't expecting that. "Thanks... mum."

"I need to go. Tomorrow, Minnie?"

The headmistress nodded, brushing away a few tears. Blaise resisted the urge to smile. She was a softie at heart. His mother gave him a farewell nod, before disappearing. Blaise's eyes went to the headmistress, asking for an explanation.

"Your mother and I are learning Occlumency."

Blaise was confused. "She knows...."

"We are getting better at it."

"Why is she keeping it from me?"

McGonagall glanced and Snape and Blaise looked at him, too. Snape said, "You told your mother about Theo's... use of it."

Blaise did. He also sent a few updates along the way, especially what happened at the quidditch practice. "She didn't say anything... about this," he said, carefully. His mother had reassured him, which is why he had written her. It had scared the crap out of him.

"We have a ways to go, yet. Narcissa is good at it. Your mother is actually learning Legilimency," McGonagall explained.

"As are you," Snape interceded, and she sighed.

Blaise considered it and he connected the dots. "She's training to help Theo."

She gave a nod. "It's no guarantee."

"Mr. Nott will have to agree to be helped. He'd have to let go of his guards, but it's necessary."

"He almost... lost it on Saturday," Blaise murmured, that had been painful.

"Yes, but we need to work on it. We didn't want to get your hopes up."

"It'll be on me to convince him, right?"

"Yes, you would be the likely candidate."

Blaise nodded. An uphill battle, like everything else.

"Now... you wanted to see me? I assure you that I have enacted as many security charms as I c-"

"No... that's not why I'm here," Blaise said, and he felt a little nervous.

"Oh... well, what is it?"

"I wanted... your opinion."

"Mine?" the headmistress stared at him, slightly astonished.

"Yes, ma'am. I respect you... a lot. Even before I found out about my mum," he said, a little embarrassed.

"I see. Well, I'm honored, Blaise. You're not one to look for guidance."

Blaise nodded. "Self-sufficiency was the model of my upbringing."

"I could see that. It's how your mother was raised. She knows no other way. But what would you like my opinion on?"

Blaise pulled on the book that he had been writing the last few weeks and handed it to her. "I wanted to know what you think. It needs work, still... but..." he trailed off and let her read it.

She skimmed the pages and her eyes went wide a few times. She finally looked at him and he swallowed nervously. He could feel many of the old heads watching the exchange. "Blaise... from the little I've read, this is an amazing book. Very descriptive on the how-tos of cursing someone."

Blaise nodded. She probably didn't approve of it.

"Tell me... why did you write this book?"

"I think that... people don't know how to manipulate spells... and just assume... it's bad. Jinxes and Curses can be used for defensive purposes as well. If you need to track someone... if they are trying to escape. A trigger-activated jinx will stop someone from stealing, entering a restricted area, or even child-rearing assistance. I mean... people think that Dark Arts is evil. But it's magic. It's only dark because of how people use it. It's just magic."

The headmistress leaned back in her chair. "And the title? Going for humor?"

Blaise smiled. "It's all I could come up with that wasn't boring as... heck."

"Fantastic Curses and How to Use Them. It certainly will make my life more difficult when everyone knows how to do it."

"It's not for beginners. I mean I didn't get it until my fourth-year and didn't really understand it until my sixth and I had a better book than this."

"Your mother's tome."

"Grandmother's... some of it. My mum didn't want me getting too deep. But realistically... students would nearly have to be of age to be able to cast magic, in this fashion. I don't think that you have to worry too much."

"Like I don't have to worry about spells like the one on Zacharias Smith?"

"Hey... if he maybe apologized... the spell might magically come off."

She tutted, but nodded. "Blaise... I'm very impressed. How you present the casting and spells, is very simple and yet complex. I would like to read it... thoroughly. Would you allow me to borrow it?"

Blaise felt... happy. What a weird feeling. "Yes, Professor. Thank you, I appreciate you taking your time to look at it."

"I think I will enjoy it. But why didn't you ask your mother? Surely, she is more qualified in this area than I am."

"She... gave me the book... suggested it and, of course, she'd approve."

"She knew you wanted to write?"

"No... I think that she was trying to encourage me to find a... future. We don't really have dreams... in my dorm room."

McGonagall's face fell. "I see. Well, this is high-quality writing. You have a talent."

"Yep, for cursing. It's a big door-opener for jobs."

"For writing, for communicating information."

Blaise shrugged. "My mum thought that I should let people know about our clan's magic... it's always been hidden."

Snape gave him a look, but didn't say anything. It was his clan, too. Blaise wondered how he felt about spreading the clan's secret knowledge.

"Well... this is one way to get it out there. I'll let you know when I'm finished with it."

"Thank you, again, Professor," he said, quietly, giving her a respectful nod and headed out.

Just as he closed her door, he heard Snape say, "I want to read it."

"How?" McGonagall spat, exasperated.

He chuckled as the two head of houses continued their rivalry even past death (in Snape's case) and headed back to the dorm.

***

Draco had been in a dark daze for the rest of the week. Rabastan was after his mother... after him. He'd never be free of what he had done to him. Draco had a hard time concentrating, again. He tried his hardest not to zone out on Harry and hid how much he was freaking out. Just pretend and drink his Calming Draught. Of course, Daphne knew what Rabastan's name meant to him. He avoided being alone with her. There were some things that you couldn't talk about, again.

SAD kept up their smear campaign. Still a week later, there were hate messages sprawled across the walls, calling for his head. But they had ventured into targeting Draco's friends, usually in crowded halls and no one could be sure who did it. It was mainly minor curses, like Stinging Hexes and Jelly-Legs Jinx. But Terry and Hannah both went to the hospital wing as someone tripped Terry on the stairs and Hannah fell, too. The worst one was Harper, who was caught alone in the bathroom. He was blindfolded, tied up and beaten. Dennis, a Gryffindor fifth year, found him and freed him and was subsequently hospitalized with a nasty welt across his back and a few broken ribs.

Blaise was on high alert whenever he walked with him. He didn't even trust Terry to take him to Herbology by himself anymore and managed to get a detention from Trelawney, of all people. Blaise was considering just dropping it altogether, not that he had a lot of classes. He only took Divination, Transfiguration, Potions, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Charms and Hi온라인카지노게임 of Magic. That was only nine NEWTs if he dropped it, as Hi온라인카지노게임 of Magic only had a written exam. Blaise only said that he was there for him and Theo and protecting them was his only goal in life. Draco and Theo both frowned at that one.

Dawlish kept tormenting him with a daily dose of the Draught of Despair. He was starting to feel it on an emotional level. He literally could not get happy anymore, not that there was much to be happy about. Between Dawlish's "corrective training", the verbal attacks on him, his friends kept getting attacked and the general hostile climate of the school... Draco's spirit was getting crushed, one bit at a time. The only solace he had was Harry at night when they were alone, but even that didn't really reach him. The darkness was getting stronger, larger, slowly breaking him.

When Friday came, he couldn't even give Hagrid a proper lesson. He cried into his chest for half the time, the gentle giant just patted his back and let him cry. When Luna came, she helped him get motivated to teach, and they trudged through some jinxes and counter-curses. But she couldn't raise his spirits. Even the Calming Draught wasn't helping to combat the effects of the Despair Potion. Draco had upped his dose, too, but it wasn't enough to help.

It carried through the weekend and Monday night, when he got to see Professor Weasley. He gave him a detailed walkthrough of what happened and said he was checking up on the Black sisters. Draco's wandless magic was all over the place, so Professor Weasley cut their lesson short with a stiff drink. He tried to get him to open up... but Draco couldn't. He couldn't tell anyone. He was trapped, again... and they could do anything they wanted, because they had all the power. They knew everything. He was going back to Azkaban. He knew it. They were just tormenting him with freedom and happiness before throwing him back into hell.

Just over a week after the London massacre, the Daily Prophet reported another wizarding family slaughtered and partially eaten in their home. Draco felt it as the article written by Skeeter, again, had references to him and his mother, like: "It was not confirmed that Narcissa Malfoy, mother of convicted Death Eater Draco Malfoy was there, but the WTT is investigating the possibility that she joined the joint Death Eater/Werewolf pack".

The killings had hit Harry a little harder as it was his old crush from fifth year, Cho Chang and her family. Draco felt even worse, because Harry was blaming himself, for her association with him. Draco tried in vain to convince him that it was, in fact, because Harry was associated with him. They wanted to hurt Harry to hurt him.

The repercussions of another Death Eater attack were felt immediately. Walls and chalkboards would have "Die Death Eater Die!" on them. Students went back to shoving him and spitting at his feet. Draco was extremely jumpy as he felt them violate his space more. He could hear the whispers say... soon. He wanted to cry all the time, now, which he often did at night in Harry's arms. He tried to talk to Harry as he knew that he was being uncommunicative again, but what could he say? Students are assholes. He was trapped and he knew it. He didn't know what to do, because there was nothing that he can do.

Especially, today. It was Tuesday... officially the worst day of the week, now. Dawlish and Umbridge... fuck, he was... well... fucked. He could barely write notes in Transfiguration, Blaise actually had to guide him to Herbology, where he zoned out most of the lecture. That Despair Potion was fucking with his mind. He knew it was illegal to use on someone without their consent, but Draco couldn't exactly say no. No one would believe him that Dawlish made him make it and take it.

Terry and Draco waited when Herbology ended and Blaise was right there. Draco lowered his eyes, unwilling to talk. "Dray... what's wrong?" he asked, taking his hands.

"N-Nothing," he said, looking down.

"Dray... come on. Talk to me," he pleaded.

Draco just hugged him. Fuck, it was getting too much. Pain... non-stop... pain... every-fucking-day. "Make it stop," he begged.

Blaise held him tighter and Terry made sure no one disturbed them. Blaise tried everything to get him to talk, but he wouldn't say anything else. He couldn't. She'd know tonight. She was going to rip everything out of him, again. He barely held her off the last time from the important stuff. She'd know about the extra classes, the wandless magic... maybe even ask him more about Harry. He seized up, panicking. Umbridge knew so much that could damage him... and more importantly, Harry. Draco sobbed a little, distressing Blaise, too. He couldn't let Harry be hurt.

"Dray... please..." Blaise whispered. "Tell me and I'll fix it. I'll fucking kill them. Is it Dawlish? Tell me, Draco."

Well, I'm not likely going to tell you that now, Draco thought, annoyed. He can't let either of them know. Harry or Blaise. They would blow their fucking minds and kill them. Then where would he be? And Theo? He had to bear the pain. He had to make sure that they don't kill anyone. Their souls were still intact. Blaise was a little darker, but he never killed anyone. Draco knew he would do it. Salazar, he was born to understand that it was acceptable, but that would be the point of no return for him. The darkness would fall on his soul, forever. No... he had to keep Blaise... whole. He did everything he could to keep him from the Death Eaters. He wouldn't let Blaise lose his soul for him. He would take the pain. He would always take the pain.

"Let's go eat," Draco whispered.

"Draco, don't bury it. Tell me... talk to me."

"I want to eat."

"No, you're trying to avoid telling me," Blaise said, forcing Draco to look at him. His voice grew sterner. "Draco...."

"Don't... please. Please, don't force me to tell you... I can't, Blaise. I just can't," Draco pleaded, desperately.

Blaise let go, clearly frustrated. Terry had some tears in his eyes, too, and looked at them, helplessly. Blaise hugged him, one last time. "Damn it, Dray. I'll do anything for you, you know that, right?"

"I know, Blaise, but I can't tell you."

Blaise let out a sigh and nodded, "Come on. You'd better eat."

Draco nodded and meekly walked with them toward the school. Harry ran out to meet them. Draco wiped his eyes.

"I was getting worried. Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, we were talking," Draco mumbled.

Blaise and Harry shared a look and Blaise shook his head. They were teaming up against him, now. Harry held his hand until they made it to the Great Hall, which went silent when he entered. He felt their stares and Blaise pulled out his wand, to dissuade any attacks. Harry pushed him to keep going. Draco heard the muttering of the ramble start back up, calling for his head.

"My, you can make an entrance," Hermione said, sitting next to Draco and Harry. Blaise, Neville and Theo were facing the crowd to look out for attacks. Daphne was on the end next to Draco.

Draco didn't feign a response.

"Maybe we should just eat in the kitchens?" Daphne suggested.

"We can't hide."

"Says the Gryffindor," Blaise muttered. "But I agree. I'm not hiding from anyone like we are afflicted with Dragonpox. We got Dawlish, next. He's been putting Draco in detention the last few times. Not long though... but enough to make him paler than a ghost when he comes back out, which is hard to do."

Draco stayed as still as possible, trying not to give any signs of the torture Dawlish was inflicting on him. He just ate his food and pretended he was back at the manor, not giving the Dark Lord any reason to attack him.

Harry sighed. "We'll still come... but how do we interrupt them... Hermione?"

"We can call the headmistress to pay a visit?" she suggested.

"We can't tattle," Blaise growled.

"No, you can't. I'll...." Hermione started.

"I can knock on his door... see what he's doing," Neville suggested. "And he doesn't let me in... I'll go see the headmistress."

Blaise nodded. Compromise was reached. Draco would have to make even more of an effort to pretend that nothing was wrong. He didn't say anything at lunch, despite Harry and Daphne trying to. The fear was so bad, that he didn't dare open his mouth.

"Draco," Harry said, pain laced in his voice. "Let me take you to the hospital wing. You're in no condition to be in class."

Draco shook his head. Bear it. No bowing out. No escaping it. Pain was his birthright. But he could hear the distress in Harry's voice. He was hurting him, again, even after he told him that he wouldn't do this anymore. He was going to drive him to firewhiskey, again. Harry didn't deserve this.

After some more pleading on Harry's part, Blaise finally stood up and took him to class, his personal hell. Dawlish was in fine form, verbally attacking his existence, and then sending him to the corner to stand and face the brick wall. Draco took deep breaths to control his panic. Merlin... did Dawlish know how much he hated this? Not being able to see or move... waiting for the pain to start. Anticipation. It was brutal on his nerves. He could barely contain his shakes. He didn't hear a word of the lesson, or of Ernie's attempts to reassure him. His legs were weakening and he nearly dropped a few times.

Finally, he heard, "Death Eater! You stay right there! The rest of you get out!"

It was bad that he was wishing for the pain to start. He wanted to move onto the next step... the next bout of torture. Dawlish locked the door and slowly, making enough noise to be heard, came up behind him. Draco immediately started trembling like he was being crucioed. The fear was overwhelming and he was starting to hyperventilate. Suddenly, he felt Dawlish's hand on his shoulder and he froze. He was trying not to slip into the darkness, but he felt that possessive grip tighten.

"You are absolutely terrified right now, aren't you... boy?"

Tears were pouring out as he felt Dawlish's other hand grip his shoulder. Terrified wasn't a big enough word. Petrified. He had no idea what to do. There was no getting out of this. He couldn't say no... just like before. Crack. The wall in his mind shook and he was back... Rabastan was pushing him against the wall. Draco focused, desperately trying to come back and snapped out of it, before the pit grabbed him. Draco's legs gave and he fell face-first into the wall. Dawlish pressed him into it further and leaned in. Draco tried to say something, but it came out only as noises.

"You seem to enjoy this position. You are a fag, after all. Maybe I should... branch out. No one will ever know. We can make this a little more interesting. Would you like that?" he said, so quietly into his ear as his hands traced closer to his neck.

Draco could feel his breath. He was beyond horrified. He couldn't say anything. He couldn't do anything. His heart rate was beating past its limits.

"I said... would you like that? Answer me!" he growled, louder and shoved him harder into the unmoving stone.

Answer him, Draco pleaded with himself, correctly. Could he really even say no? Draco knew that answer as more tears came out. He wasn't allowed to. Saying no meant death. His mother's, too... but no... this wasn't like before. He was at school. She was safe. The ones who had hurt him were far away. Harry and Blaise were right outside... but fuck... they'd kill him. He couldn't tell them, and he couldn't fight him off, without going to prison. Just like Umbridge, Dawlish could do anything he wanted. No one could stop it.

"You want me to fuck you, right?" he whispered in his ear, jeering at his paralysis. "Death Eater... answer me."

Draco felt something... different. His eyes fell on his left hand in front of his face. The rune on his palm flickered. It didn't hurt, though... it was peaceful, calm. The mark that she gave him to combat the other dark one. He wasn't alone. Fight, it told him.

"No," he breathed and braced for the pain.

Dawlish punched him twice in the back and he dropped down the wall to the floor. "No? Don't make me laugh. You think that you have a say in it? I got you, boy. You aren't going anywhere. Every Tuesday and Thursday... I'll...."

But then there were three loud knocks on the door. Dawlish turned and swore. They had broken through some of the wards, at least.

"Get up, now!" he ordered, and Draco scrambled to his feet. Dawlish pulled him to his seat and thrust him down in the chair. "Write "I deserve to be punished" one hundred times."

Draco quickly got his quill and started, as Dawlish ripped open the door to find Neville there. "What!"

"Hi... just stopping by. Visiting a colleague and all. How's your bowel movements going?" Neville said.

Draco smirked, despite himself, and risked a glance at the door. Neville gave him a supportive wink.

"What?! Get out! I don't want to talk! Don't think I don't know what you are after. He's staying here and writing lines. You won't get him out of detention!"

"What's he in detention for?" Neville growled.

"Being a Death Eater, Longbottom."

"That would be Professor Longbottom, hack."

Dawlish drew himself up. "You're never going to get rid of me. I know Defense Against the Dark Arts and I'm on the Ministry's dime. Your school board doesn't have any money after the war rebuild. Enjoy digesting that, Longbottom. You just a kid, with a title."

"Funny, I was going to say that about you, as my stay-at-home grandmother clearly is a better duelist than you are."

"Get out!" he growled, pushing Neville out and locking the door, again.

Draco knew he was going to take it out on him, and the professor disappeared into his office. He came out, quickly, holding the rest of the potion.

"Drink it all!"

Draco knew that it would last hours, days even, though it would be weaker. He tried to back away, but Dawlish pulled out his wand.

"Drink or else!" he spat.

Draco's hand was trembling as he inched it forward and took ahold. Potions... the cruel and fantasizing duality. A draught could bring euphoria or misery, stop death or cause it, bring victory or defeat. The complexity had always intrigued Draco, the endless possibilities and reversals. But this potion was as close to darkness as one could go before completely descending into madness. Dawlish knew that. He wanted him to break, not by the potion itself, but by torturing him with it.

Draco swallowed the contents in one shot and dropped to the ground, seizing as the raw agony spread. Hopelessness and futility seared through his mind and he had no hope of surfacing. The negative thoughts shot through his soul like a bludger, wrecking everything in its path. He had no hopes, no dreams. There was nothing. He was nothing. He was never going to survive the year. He was never going to pass his exams. He was going to be sent back to Azkaban. He wouldn't survive it. He would die in there. He deserved to die. It was his fault Dumbledore died. That Weasley and Katie Bell almost died. He deserved everything he got. He should be dead.

Draco was still muttering incoherently hours later when Dawlish kicked him. "Get up! Time to go to your meeting, Death Eater!"

Probation meeting, he thought, fixing his mind on an objective. He reconnected with his body and slowly remembered how to move. He got to his feet by sheer willpower.

"Come on... I must escort you there. Wouldn't want you to get lost, Death Eater."

Draco followed him without comment. He didn't have the motivation to talk or fight. Dawlish left him at the borders of the grounds. Now he had to worry about getting get caught by the damn dementor.

"Have fun. Now, get going. I suggest you hurry. Wouldn't want to make her wait."

He went quickly, knowing it was useless to try to please her. Voldemort was unpredictable, she wasn't. There was only pain and torture from her. But something else stirred inside him as he ran toward her. Anger. She helped them find his mother. He was going to be demanding answers. No one was going to hurt his mother, again, while he stood around and accepted it. He ran up the steps, the Despair Potion pushed to the back of his mind, and opened the door.

"Come in," came the sickly, sweet voice of an old hag.

Draco did and remained standing. "They knew where my mum was!" he spat, fists clenched.

She was clearly not expecting this reaction from him. He wasn't expecting this reaction from himself. She straightened out her expression. "Mr. Malfoy... I have the tiniest inkling that you think that I had something to do with that." She even tried to look scandalized at his assumption.

"You are the only one who knew where she was!"

"That's not true at all," she waved her hand, dismissively. "I reported her home and employment information to the Ministry's directory at the Office of the Registrar. Any witch or wizard could have found her from there!"

Draco's mouth dropped. "Why?"

"Because it's a matter of freedom of information. Everyone has the right to know! Isn't that right?"

"No, it isn't, and I don't believe you did and even if you did it... you set her up!"

"That's ludicrous! Now, sit down before I get angry."

Draco stayed standing, but she glared menacingly at him enough for him to fold. She pulled out the bottle from her pink traveling case. He felt the panic return.

"No," he still said, determined never to surrender to the frog-faced-bitch, willingly.

"Tsk tsk," she said, waving her finger at him like he was a naughty child. "Petrificus Totalus!"

He couldn't block it and he was once again, frozen. She came around and dumps some potion into his mouth. "I think it would have been easier to do it my way, sweet criminal of mine. You will start agreeing to this or I might get angry."

Draco felt the bindings clamp down on him, literally and figuratively, because as soon as she released him, she bound him to the chair. Highly unnecessary, but such over-the-top-control was obviously required for the needy, attention-whore.

"Much better."

"How are you feeling?"

"Angry and depressed." I am? he wondered, but that's the goal of the Draught of Despair.

"That's unfortunate, we need to get rid of one of those. Where is your mother now?"

Draco clenched his teeth and fought, closing off his mind to the unnecessary information. She didn't need to know that Andromeda and Teddy were involved. "I don't know. Harry put her under a Fidelius Charm. You can't get her." Draco loved the truth sometimes.

"Hmm... let's talk about Rabastan," she said, and Draco flinched.

There was no focusing his control on these questions. He tried to avoid thinking about his uncle, but he had no choice as she drew exquisite detail of each attack, each time Rabastan violated him, each time he said yes. He had to fight not to fall into darkness.

"You liked it didn't you?"

"No! I hated it! I hate you!" Draco cried, tears coming out, but that anger he so fleetingly found disappeared quickly.

"You know what's going to happen to you, right?"

"Yes," his lips whispered. His heart stuttered and his eyes went wide.

"You are under our control, right?"

"Yes," he whimpered. They had him. He couldn't do anything.

"If you refuse, I'm afraid that I will have to let the Department of Magical Law Enforcement know that you violated your probation... and even if you do escape Azkaban... everyone will know that you are gay and were Voldemort's bitch. Do you understand?"

"Yes." Draco was trembling as though anticipating her next words.

"Now, Death Eater... are you going to say yes to Professor Dawlish the next time he asks?"

Draco pulled uselessly at the ropes tying him to the chair. His mind wanted to scream "no", but his lips said, "Yes." He didn't think he had any tears left after everything, but that confession was the worst of them all. He was going to say yes. After everything... after getting closer to Harry... he was going to... let it happen.

"That's a good Death Eater. Follow orders or you will regret it. Now... close your eyes."

They were practically shut anyhow, but he listened.

"Now, have you ever talked about memory charms outside of class or studying for class?" she asked.

He was confused as he opened his eyes to stare at her. What could she mean by that? "We talked about Lockhart's memory charm backfiring and...." But he couldn't remember anything else. They had to have talked about it, though.

"Do you remember anyone putting a memory charm on you?"

Draco jerked his head up, understanding immediately what had happened. He wanted to ask what the hell was going on but said, "I remember... someone... but...." Holy Salazar, it was gone. They were using Memory Charms on him. What the hell could they have erased? Of course, he had no idea.

"Has anyone asked you about your past since your trial?"

This time he focused on Occlumency and added on the word criminal to modify it. "No."

She nodded approvingly. "Close your eyes, now."

Draco immediately recoiled. Fuck, those words. She's been deleting parts of their conversations from his memory this whole time. "No!" he growled, pulling at his restraints, again. "You've been erasing my memory!"

"Why, of course. These little outbursts are really amusing. I do so love your facial expressions. But you're not really going to get out of this. You are a convicted Death Eater and have no right to refuse my orders. Close your eyes!" she shrieked.

"NO!"

"You better listen to me! You are a Death Eater and...."

"I'm not a Death Eater!" he growled and winced at his words before realizing what the truth serum had forced out of him. "I am not a Death Eater." It felt wonderful to say it and he had a little smile on his face. But that changed when he remembered who the hell was in front of him.

"Don't worry, honey. That little epiphany you had... you aren't going to remember it. And... I don't really need you to close your eyes."

Fuck... how the hell am I going to get out of this? Think. I have to get a message out. I have to remember.... Umbridge picked up her grubby, stub of a wand. Think... he urged. Then he knew it. He looked at his left hand as Umbridge pointed her wand. Sorry, Luna... I don't believe this anymore, but... I am a Death Eater. He felt the shadow pain shoot through his hand and he knew she felt it, just as the cunt started to say the word.

"Obliviate!" she said, but he remembered nothing of it.

He staggered slightly, blinking and she said, "You can open your eyes, now."

He hadn't been aware that he closed his eyes, but he was shaking. Realizing that Dawlish was going to violate him, and he would do nothing to stop it.

"Relashio!" she said, and the bindings fell off. "Bye, bye. Death Eater. I'll see you in two weeks. Enjoy your detentions with Professor Dawlish," she taunted, laughing maniacally.

Draco was cracking, though. And he thought Voldemort was evil. He ran out the door and all the way to the boundary. At least, he was getting his physique back. Fang lumbered over to him and he hugged the dog, who growled at the shadows outside of the gate. His dementor was there. As if he didn't have enough to worry about.

"The sky is blue," Draco told the dog, who tilted his head, not at all un-adorably.

He'd have to wait. He could hear Hagrid trying to cast spells in his hut, but he didn't have the motivation to go train with him. He walked closer to the lake out of the view of the hut and sat on the ground petting the dog. He stayed there until he could say that the sky was red. He tried to steady his nerves and emotions as he had to come up with a reasonable lie to give Harry and Blaise to what he was doing all day. Of course, not the truth. The truth... he had had enough of the darkness of truth. His heart clenched. Yes... he was going to say yes. He couldn't handle it... he wouldn't, but what choice did he have?

There was no way out. No one would believe him. Everyone thought his mother was a mass-murdering psycho, now, and he was... well... he didn't want to think it. He looked at his hand, which had helped him in Dawlish's class this afternoon. Luna took some of that burden away, but it wasn't enough. The Death Eater part was only a small element of his identity and Umbridge and Dawlish were attacking the weakest part, now, and they were going to win. He wasn't going to try to stop it. Tears fell to the ground as he lost the battle in his mind to resist. He was broken. Rabastan had long crushed his spirit to fight back. He would have said yes today if it hadn't been for Luna, but that wasn't strong enough to stop his tormentors.

He thanked the dog and walked into the castle and up the grand staircase. He was in the cross hallway going to the next staircase, when he realized that there were several dark figures in front of him. He stopped immediately, sensing danger. It was eerily quiet. They weren't wearing school robes, he realized, going cold. He turned around and there were more behind him. They had on strange multi-colored robes and their faces were weird... distorted. It took Draco another few seconds to realize that they were wearing masks. Grotesque masks, a parody of Death Eaters' skull masks.

"Death Eater," they hissed, in a collective of unnatural voices.

Draco recognized the Volubilis Potion. They were getting smarter... and expanding. There were fifteen of them, now, more than just Smith and the other eighth years. This was a show of power. The start of a new reign of darkness falling upon them. Draco wasn't sure any of them understood that, but he did. It didn't terrify him any less. Even Harry and Blaise couldn't take on this many. He looked back and forth. Nowhere to run. They stalked toward him slowly, as though drawing out the fear. He had watched the Death Eaters play games with their prey. But they weren't playing games anymore.

Like I said, dark. Bear with me... one more chapter....

There's going to be two chapters released for the next update... so it might be longer than normal.

Sorry for getting deep, but stay with me. Things are coming to a head.