Chapter Text
Then
They walked away from Hogwarts, even when it was out of sight they heard the screams.
The mark in the sky blared.
”It’s done Draco! He defeated Potter... it’s over.” Lucius declared, emotional as he hugged Narcissa to him. Both filthy with ash and blood.
He opened his arm to include his son.
“over... it’s over...” Draco mumbled weakly. But he allowed his parents to hold him.
He hadn’t seen his friends in the faceoff, he saw Weasley, but not Granger... how many were dead? Who was left? He let himself mourn... he let the tears slip.
He really thought Potter would succeed in the end, pull out a crazy left ditch saving grace. But, now they were doomed to continue as before... following a maniac. He knew pain was the only future on the dark horizon.
Now
”son, it isn’t an artifact on record. I have no indication of origin. No detail from any corner in our family vaults... it bears our crest, but it’s not known by me or your mother.” Lucius stated, sipping his morning coffee. “My magic doesn’t recognize it”
Draco tightened his jaw, annoyed. “It was found in the damned rubble at Hogwarts, a scavenger brought it to me. It is imbued with power, I feel it. The silver pendent warmed as I held it.”
“It has a cold surface now? ...turn it over to me, I’ll examine it more closely after breakfast. But, you should be preparing for your birthday celebration. The Dark Lord sees you as a son, you’ve built the family back up these past few years. Learned and grown in power. Don’t let a trinket distract you, he’ll notice.” He wasn’t the best father, but Lucius wouldn’t allow their high standing to be questioned ever again if he could.
Draco had always tossed between light and dark, but it had been the darkness that had embraced his son... lifted him. Had he ever had a choice?
Harry was the boy who lived... Granger the brightest witch of her age... he was simply the boy he never had a fucking choice!
“yes, your father is right my sweet dragon... there will be several possible brides in attendance as well. I do pray one catches your eye finally.” Narcissa added.
Draco sneered, exiting the room.
Marriage was not on his mind this morning.
He shoved the locket back in his pocket. He didn’t want his father keeping it... practically snatched back.
The scavenger had been a disgusting man named Alan, well known for digging through any wreckage for a coin. Hogwarts sat lonely and empty, razed to the ground. A few things salvaged earlier... but, nothing found in years?
This piece was found so long after the battle?
Curious.
He recalled, momentarily, how strange seeing Harry frozen had been.
How watching the muggles be dominated had slowly desensitized his morality. His classmates butchered or enslaved. Their parents the same.
His sat safe... like him. Not unscathed... still better off than most.
A few were still attempting to cause issues, it was so very rare now.
Death Eaters vastly outnumbered. Imperioused masses some. The military in every country controlled, every government... they never saw it coming.
Granger vanished during the final battle, no one on either side knew how or why. He’d interrogated so many trying to pry new information out that he’d lost count. His hands stained red. Their minds left empty, the bodies destroyed.
It pissed him off.
He thought maybe she’d fallen at the wand of a death eater... but no. Voldemort wanted her after... like several names, to punish publicly. Executions ordered for selective batches. No clues were found, no memories stolen showed anything. The Dark Lord left wanting...
So was young Malfoy.
She didn’t resurface.
Years later, nothing.
Draco ordered her brought to him if found once he kept climbing in rank. His Lord granted the request, assuming it was for the old rivalry... she couldn’t change anything now anyway.
A little girl versus the entire world of darkness? Not likely...
Harry stayed in the palace garden as an example. His form frozen alive in a magical prison. Aware, aging, but never free. It delighted the Dark Lord to observe his misery, to send nightmares into the boy’s head.
Draco hated the palace, all that went on there.
The damned snake roamed freely and ate as it’s leisure any offered.
The potion used to make the muggles docile and compliant held potent. Reinforced as needed. The original clouds lasted over a year in their systems. On those not inoculated. He hated himself for creating the mixture. Originally designed for prisoners, to aid in retrieving information.
It worked better with a slight tweak.
Draco waved his hand and entered his bedroom. Exhaustion was overtaking him. He needed to just close his eyes and forget where he was... who he was...
Just for a moment.
The locket gripped tightly in his palm as his breathing slowed...