Chapter Text
Every morning, Draco Lucius Malfoy’s routine was relatively the same. He said good morning to his cousin Regulus, helped him cook breakfast, and then walked outside to tend to the crops that grow in their backyard in Devon. He focused on the fruits first, then the vegetables second, and then the chickens last. Mostly because he found them to be annoying little creatures, especially the one that Regulus had playfully named Walpurga for her snappy nature. He used to fall prey to Walpurga’s tricks which often ended with him getting his finger bitten by her. But with some trial and error, he had learned how to outsmart her and retrieve her eggs unscathed.
She may be an arsehole of a bird but she did make some pretty high-quality eggs.
Yes, every morning his routine was relatively the same. But that’s the keyword, isn’t it? Relatively. Because as of recently, starting since early June right after his 11th birthday, his dearest cousin had become a paranoid mess. He’d often watch Draco from the small kitchen window as he tended to his chores. Even at the moment, Draco could feel his gaze piercing into his back as if someone would come to drag him away. When he wasn’t watching Draco, he kept an eye on the skies for any birds. Specifically, any owls that may be headed for their small cottage in its rural part of Ottery St Catchpole. The first time it happened, his cousin quickly rushed him back inside the cottage and forbade him from coming out for the rest of the day.
From his hiding place in the closet, he heard Regulus yelling and swearing at no one in particular. He yelled names that he did not recognize and then he could hear him crying. And after he had finished, he retrieved Draco from the closet and held him close. “Don’t trust those owls, dear cousin,” said Regulus. What kind of cousin would he be if he were to deny the request of the one who has taken care of him for as long as he remembered?
Draco looked back at his cousin from his place in the fields and waved at him with his available arm. He saw him wave back at him with a smile before he continued to wash the dishes by hand.
It’s moments like these that made Draco think that he didn’t mind the routine and monotony of his life. It felt comfortable and safe. As he began heading towards the greenhouses that were charmed to match the Summer conditions they needed to grow their tomatoes, he rubbed the lightning bolt-shaped scar on his head. It threw him for a loop how he thought of those two words and felt as if something was… off. Like some bad omen.
He made it to the greenhouse doors when he heard the sound of flapping wings. Almost on instinct, Draco held his arm out for a beautiful tawny owl who landed on him with grace. With a letter in her mouth waiting to be taken, his heart skipped a beat when he saw the red wax seal that was over it. Another letter with that odd seal on it. One that usually sent Regulus into one of his fits. He knew he should shake the owl away and tell it to bugger off but he felt as if he needed to see what was inside.
Draco slowly set the basket of eggs onto the ground before he took the letter from the owl’s mouth who hooted happily. His lips twitched into a bit of a smile before he turned the letter over and saw who it was addressed to.
Mr. D. Malfoy
Cottage Number 4.
Ottery St Catchpole,
Devon, England
His breath hitched. It was addressed to him. His hand shook ever so slightly as he turned the letter over again and popped off the wax seal before pulling out the paper inside.
HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY
HEADMISTRESS: MINERVA MCGONAGALL
Dear Mr. Malfoy,
“No! Draco, stop that!”
Draco dropped the letter at the sound of his cousin’s bloodcurdling scream. He could only stare as Regulus came running towards him like a bat out of hell, snatching the letter away from him and shooing away the owl with said letter. “Get out of here! We don’t want it, stop sending them!” Regulus shouted, still swinging at the air despite the owl creating a good distance between them as it flew away back wherever it came from. His cousin’s eyes then fell onto him, genuine fear trapping him in place. He grabbed Draco by the shoulders and shook him slightly.
“Cousin! What did you read? What did you see!?”
“Nothing!” Draco lied on instinct. But was it really a lie? He didn’t see the true contents of the letter. He had only seen who it was from and that it was addressed to him. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Draco knew about Hogwarts. He was a pureblood wizard, after all. How could he not know about it? It would be like not knowing who Ollivander was or not knowing who the best Quidditch team was in all of England.
(It was the Holyhead Harpies, by the way. At least according to Draco. The girls on that team were rather pretty.)
Regulus continued to look into his eyes. Both did not say a word, the silence suffocating Draco. The only sounds that were heard were the slight breeze that rustled the trees and the clucking of the chickens. And then he was pulled into the black-haired man’s chest, the smell of dish soap and wood filling Draco’s senses. He hugged him back and resisted the urge to cry. He doesn’t think he’d seen him look so terrified before. It made Draco feel like he did something wrong even though a part of him knew that there was nothing wrong with a child wanting to read their Hogwarts letter that was made for them.
But why would Regulus not want him to go? There must be a good reason for it, right?
“I’m sorry.” Draco apologized.
“It’s okay,” said Regulus. He held him tighter. “You’re just a boy, Draco. I won’t allow you to be dragged into their mess. Gods, you’re just a boy…”
And for some reason, that phrase made Draco’s heart clench and his scar burn.
When Draco dreamt, he heard the voice of his mother. Narcissa Dione Malfoy was always a beautiful woman in his dreams. Her soft features and her smile always brought Draco plenty of ease. He found himself most fascinated by her hair. A majority of it was blonde, making her appear as if she were truly a Malfoy all along, but the black streaks in her hair that nearly swallowed the blonde truly showed her Black heritage on full display. She was always looking down at him and humming sweetly. His father appeared in his dreams too.
Lucius Abraxas Malfoy seemed intimidating at first but, when his gaze went to Draco, all he saw were eyes full of such a large amount of adoration that only a father could give to his son. He was often seen at Narcissa’s side, kissing her temple with a protective arm around her shoulder. The height difference between the two of them often made Draco think of his father as a shield for the sword that was his mother.
The dream of his parents always ended with the sound of a distant bang and both of them looking elsewhere in worry. He never knew what happened next because he woke up in a cold sweat with a severe headache just like tonight. Whenever Draco brought up the topic of his parents' deaths, Regulus never elaborated and made excuses to not tell him. Draco threw the heavy green sheets off of him and left his simple room, closing the door behind him but pausing when he saw Regulus was still awake. He sat in front of the fireplace as he swirled what he assumed to be a bottle of Firewhiskey. As Draco looked at him from this angle, he began to understand just how much a broken man Regulus Black is.
Draco didn’t know his parents well but he did know his family tree. Regulus and Narcissa were apparently close when they were children along with another cousin named Sirius Black. It all changed when they got around to their time at Hogwarts after Sirius was blasted off their family tapestry. They went their separate ways after that. Sirius Black was sorted into Gryffindor, Narcissa and Regulus were sorted into Slytherin.
And then the rest was history.
Draco went over to Regulus and placed a hand on his shoulder. The older man jumped just a bit, not having noticed him until he made his presence known. “Cousin Regulus,” Draco began, licking his lips nervously. “I dreamt of mother and father again.” Regulus gave him a knowing look before he placed the Firewhiskey on the small table that sat between the two chairs in their living room, giving Draco a chance to hop into his cousin’s lap. He let Regulus hold onto him in silence as both grieved. Draco, who grieved over both his parents who he can only see in his dreams, and Regulus, over a cousin and cousin-in-law who he could only hope to ever see in death.
“Did you know that Cissy loved to garden, Draco?” Draco blinked, not expecting to hear Regulus speak so soon.
“I didn’t.”
“Mm. Cissy loved to garden. She gave off the impression that she was all prim and proper like the typical pureblood but she liked to get her hands dirty. When I look outside at you doing your chores, I can often see Narcissa in you.”
Draco looked up from his place in his cousin’s lap, a bright smile on his face.
“She also really liked Quidditch,” Regulus continued. “She’d have been an amazing Chaser if her mother allowed her to join the Slytherin team. But when we all played back at home, she gave Sirius a run for his money. And your father. Did you know your father was the Seeker for the Slytherin team? When they got together, he said that every time he caught the Snitch that he was catching it for her.”
Draco chuckled. He closed his eyes and imagined it. His father without wrinkles and his hair not as long as it was in his dreams. Lucius high up in the air on his broom holding a golden snitch in his hand, looking down in the stands and waiting to see Narcissa Black’s signature black and blonde hair. And when he would, their eyes would meet and they would smile at each other knowingly.
“What happened if he didn’t catch the Snitch, though?” Draco asked.
“Well, he would say that he was so distracted by her beauty that he forgot all about the Snitch. As an apology for contributing to the loss of the game, Narcissa would take him off somewhere so they could snog each other silly. Eugh, Merlin, they were so disgustingly in love.” Regulus fake gagged near the end which made Draco laugh.
Hearing stories of his parents always made him happy. It made them feel more alive. Like they were really real, and not just some figment of both his and his cousin’s imagination. Silence fell between the two of them and Draco scratched his arm as a question bubbled beneath the surface. He wanted to ask. He really, really wanted to ask. But he didn’t want to make Regulus any more upset than he did today. But hearing about his parents and their time at Hogwarts made him think of that letter. He wondered if his parents would have wanted him to be a Hogwarts student. Draco thought being a Hogwarts student wouldn’t be so bad.
And so, he opened his mouth and spoke.
“Cousin Regulus,” Draco began. “That letter from earlier. I know it was from Hogwarts.”
Regulus’ body tensed.
“Why is it that you don’t want me to go to Hogwarts? Is something bad there?”
He watches as his cousin bites his lip. Draco doesn’t push him for an answer, not wanting to overload the man. He doesn’t know how many sips of that Firewhiskey that he had but Draco knows how emotional that Regulus gets when he’s had too much. Every 31st of October, Draco has had to put a blanket around his cousin as he stared at nothing until the night was over. He is no doubt is reliving that fateful day that Draco knows is the day that his parents died.
Regulus cleared his throat.
“People from many walks of life are going to Hogwarts. Some people are good, of course. But a majority of them are not.” Regulus shifts a bit. “Draco you must understand that your background is… complicated. You are someone special. A very special, special boy. And some people wish to ruin you because you are special. But some people want to hate you simply for who you are and who your parents were.”
The Daily Prophet had mentioned his parents from time to time. Only that they were controversial and public opinion was split on them. He never got to read any other ones that may have been able to go into more depth because Regulus had canceled his subscription to The Daily Prophet soon after Draco’s 8th birthday right after he began questioning Regulus about it.
“I understand. And I like it here and I like being with you. But I don’t want to just sit around here my entire life with my only friend being Walpurga. I’m a wizard for Merlin’s sake! I don’t even have a wand!” Draco removed himself from his Regulus’ lap and turned around to look at him. “Please, cousin. I promise to be careful. And I won’t go making friends with the wrong sort.”
Regulus stood up as well, leaning down to pick up his Firewhiskey. “The wrong sort surrounds you on all sides, Draco. That’s the problem here.” He took a quick swig. “Let me think about it. Until then, don’t go opening any more letters from random owls. If you spot one, you’re to come straight to me.”
And with that, Regulus disappeared into his room for the night leaving Draco to put out the fire.
He had a feeling that his dearest cousin Regulus wouldn’t be thinking about his plea to go to Hogwarts at all.
A week eventually passed. Then two, then three. And before Draco knew it, it was no longer June but July. He ran his fingers through his hair, frustrated that Regulus still hadn’t said a word about him attending Hogwarts. Whenever he tried to broach the subject to him again, he quickly turned the subject to something else. Draco Malfoy had no choice but to accept his defeat. He was surely going to be the only pureblood wizard ever in history to not attend Hogwarts at all. He was practically living the life of a squib at this point.
His mood plummeted and he was sure that Regulus noticed it as well. He tried to improve Draco’s mood with sweets ordered from Honeydukes and sudden offers to take care of the crops on days that Draco was supposed to. But it didn’t really work since Draco knew just what he was trying to do. Distract him from the fact that he wasn’t going to allow him to be a proper wizard and go to a school to learn magic.
He didn’t even have to go to Hogwarts, really. Any magical school would do. Heck, he’d even take Beauxbatons. His blond hair would certainly help him blend in with the rest of the beautiful people that roamed that school’s halls. All he’d need to learn is a little bit of French and he’d be set to go. But he’s sure that poor Regulus would probably die of a heart attack the moment he realized that Draco would be so far away from him and out of his sight. The man really did worry about him a lot. It warmed his heart but it also proved to be a bit of a detriment when it came to him wanting to be away from home now.
It was strange but ever since he touched that letter, he wanted to actually leave behind his cousin and do his own thing. It couldn’t be some kind of curse on the letter, could it? Draco shook his head. No, that wasn’t very likely. Hogwarts wouldn’t forcefully pull their kids away from their parents with cursed mail, would they?
Draco swept the dirt and dust that had gathered on the floors, a chore that Regulus actually allowed him to do instead of taking it on himself. The cottage was awfully quiet without Regulus around. He left in a bit of a hurry and told Draco to not open the door for anyone except himself before apparating away. Draco busied himself with other things like making sure the dishes were clean, putting extra logs in the fire, and making sure the chickens had enough feed. He stuck his tongue out at Walpurga when he just narrowly managed to avoid getting his finger bitten again.
He was just walking into the house when he saw that Regulus was back, his hair a bit messy as if he got into a tussle with an invisible tree. Draco crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow, giving him the “Silent Malfoy Questioning Tactic” that Regulus often got from Lucius Malfoy. His cousin chuckled at him before he got down on his knees so he was eye to eye with him.
“Cousin, how would you like to visit somewhere new today?”
Draco sucked in a slight breath, that look melting off his face as quickly as it came. He hadn’t seen many new places for a long while. It could prove to be interesting. Draco nodded quickly and got a heavy pat on the shoulder in response.
“Well, you better get dressed then. Unless you want to go out in your bloody work overalls?”
That was all Draco needed to hear before he scurried off to his room to pick out an outfit to wear. Many thoughts raced through his mind but one spoke louder than all of the rabble in his brain: what exactly was he going to wear?
He’d like to imagine that he and his cousin made quite the pair when they made it to their destination. Too bad they were glamoured to all hell to make sure no one knew who both of them were. Draco nearly screamed when he looked at himself in the mirror. The blonde of his hair was replaced with ginger locks and his face had blossoming freckles across his cheeks. Sweet Circe, he looked like a bloody Weasley. His cousin didn’t look any better than he did. His features were aged heavily and his smooth jet black hair got replaced with white.
At least their clothes matched their characters.
Draco decided to go with the only muggle clothing that he owned. A long-sleeved green shirt with silver words knitted into the center. GLAD TO BE RAD AND BAD was what it said. Draco had no idea what a “rad” was but, whatever it was, he had certainly been glad to get the shirt. Silver and green were Slytherin colors. He’s sure everyone on the Malfoy and the Black family tree could certainly overlook the fact that it was a muggle shirt and that he was wearing their favorite colors.
Regulus was dressed like a wise old wizard. His robes looked to be made of silk and were silver in color.
“This is Godric’s Hollow,” Regulus explained. He opened his hand for Draco to take which he quickly did. “I’m sorry I never brought you here. It’s just that the people here make me suspicious. Hence the Glamour Charms, you see.”
Draco nodded, understanding where his cousin was coming from. He thought back to what Regulus said on the night that he brought up the letter. He said the wrong sort surrounded him on all sides. He may have been talking about Draco but he sees that there may be people who are out to get Regulus as well. It would explain all of the secrecy and the want to stay at such a secluded place. Regulus told him that he had simply been placed into his care after the death of his parents after he made a promise to Narcissa.
The two of them walked hand and hand, Regulus pointing towards different shops and landmarks that made Godric’s Hollow such a tourist trap for many witches and wizards. Draco pointed towards a bright looking shop that looked like something out of a dream. Plenty of sweets were put up in the windows which all looked very appetizing to Draco’s 11-year-old brain. “Hm. Well, I suppose we could peek inside and see what they have…”
Draco gave Regulus his brightest smile and dragged him inside.
The shop was called Lion’s Cavity. “This place still reeks of Gryffindor,” Regulus mumbled. Now that he was inside, Lion’s Cavity had the classic red and gold theme going on that really did scream Gryffindor. But Draco wouldn’t have expected any less from a place quite literally called Godric’s Hollow. He wondered if Regulus had been here at a time where he wasn’t suspicious of just about anyone who crossed his path. Regulus hanging out in a place filled with Gryffindors. Now that’s a funny thought.
Draco pointed to certain candies that he wanted to take back home with him along with some souvenirs. He avoided choosing anything that looked like Gryffindor propaganda. He didn’t fail to notice the almost sad look in Regulus’ eye when he jokingly pointed at a trading card of a man who looked very much like Regulus.
The two of them stood in a relatively long line waiting to pay for Draco’s stuff when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned his head and raised an eyebrow at the kid who managed to get his attention. His hair was a mess of black curls with a pair of large glasses that almost hid his green eyes. His throat suddenly went dry as he was overcome with the feeling that he knew this kid from somewhere. But this is Draco’s first time here. He’s sure they’ve never met.
“Hullo,” Deja Vu Boy greeted him. “You’re buying Wizarding World Trading Cards, right? D’you play?”
No, Draco wanted to say. I do not play. Nor do I wish to.
But he didn’t. Instead, Draco just gave the glasses wearing boy a little smile. “I’m just getting started. I don’t know all the rules.” It’s not technically a lie. Draco didn’t play with trading cards. He only bought them to look at and spruce up his room. But he didn’t mind learning the rules and just getting started now just so he could investigate the odd feeling of why Deja Vu Boy gave him deja vu.
“That’s alright. Y’know my friend Ron is waiting in the park that’s close to here. He’s got tons of cards. Do you want to see? He could teach you the rules. A whole lot better than I can anyway.”
Regulus seemed to have been listening in on their little conversation because he turned his head around to look at Draco. “I don’t know about that. The line is getting shorter, you may not have time. And you know I don’t want you wandering out of my sight.”
“Oh, that’s alright.” Deja Vu Boy’s mother spoke up. She had dark red hair that fell only a little bit past her shoulders and piercing green eyes. “Harry’s a responsible boy. He’ll make sure your son is safe.”
If Draco didn’t know any better, he’d say that Regulus seemed to recognize her from the way he froze up entirely. It took a poke in the side from Draco to get the man to speak again. He looked down at the ground as if looking at the woman for too long would turn him to stone. “Well, I suppose.” He mumbled. He sends Draco a pointed look but Draco had already turned back towards Deja Vu Boy who now had a name. Harry.
“Lead the way.”
Harry took his hand and began running out of the store towards the nearby park, Draco allowing himself to be dragged for the ride.
When they got there, Draco didn’t know what he was expecting exactly. But he certainly wasn’t expecting an actual Weasley to be waiting for him when they got to the park. He could immediately recognize him from his messy orange hair and freckles that seemed to cover his entire face down to those hand-me-down robes. The Weasley boy, Ron, looked at him like he was looking in a funhouse mirror.
Draco was suddenly glad about the fact that his glamour made him look like a Weasley instead of some other pureblood. Regulus had told him before that the Weasleys and the Malfoys have not gotten along in a long, long time. He doesn’t expect that this Weasley will be any different than the next one. “Bloody hell. You look like one of my brothers.” Ron said.
“Right?” Harry responded, sitting down next to Weasley in the grass as the redhead shuffled a deck of cards. “I thought he was when I saw him from behind.”
Draco took an apprehensive seat with the two of them, deciding to sit in front so that they formed a circle.
“He’s new to the game. Can you teach him, Ron?”
Weasley explained the rules of Wizarding World Trading Cards. Apparently, despite the name, they weren’t just for trading. Each character was a notable witch or wizard that had changed the world for the better at some point or were just generally famous. Nicholas Flamel, Albus Dumbledore, Gilderoy Lockhart…
Draco almost wanted to snort. Gilderoy Lockhart most definitely paid to have his face on that card. No ifs ands or buts about that.
Each character had certain spells or skills attached to them that can only be used once. The categories of spells used are Aggressive, Sneaky, and Defensive. Aggressive beats Sneaky, Sneaky beats Defensive, and Defensive beats Aggressive. If you won a round, you collected the losing cards that your opponents sent out. Whoever was the one who had cards at the end is the winner.
The rules seemed simple enough to him. “Tell me if you end up getting a good card sometime soon. We can do some actual trades.” Weasley said with a grin before he began passing out the deck of cards. He only had 21 cards so they each got 7. They all looked at each other, hiding their decks close to their chests as Weasley slowly counted down from three. But the moment that they heard him say go, they all took a card from their hands and slammed them down in between them. And so began Draco’s first Wizarding World Trading Card match.
Weasley won his first round but then Harry won the second round. But then Draco won two rounds in a row which formed a small bout of comradery between the three of them.
It’s some time during the fifth round that Weasley struck up a conversation.
“So, what’s your name?”
Draco bit his lip. “Lucien.” A lie but he knew better than to say his real name out loud.
“Hogwarts too?” Harry asked.
Draco nodded. He knew he wouldn’t be going at all, at least if Regulus could help it. And while Weasley and Harry may be nice people, he doubted they’d try to track him down the moment he went to that school. His answer seemed to please Weasley and Harry though, both giving each other a smile before they turned back to Draco.
“My mum and dad say that me and my best mate will be getting into Gryffindor,” Ron said proudly. “Practically everyone in my family is in Gryffindor. And I’m sure that we’ll get in too no doubt. It’s the best house.”
Draco’s hold on his cards tightened slightly at Weasley’s statement. Gryffindor certainly wasn’t the best house. But it was all just the opinion of school-age boys who were excited to go to Hogwarts. That certainly wasn’t a crime.
“I hope I get into Slytherin.” Draco huffed.
What he said seemed to leave both Harry and Weasley gobsmacked.
“Slytherin? Really?” Harry asked.
“What’s wrong with Slytherin?” Draco frowned. “I like the colors. My parents were in Slytherin too.”
“But isn’t that the evil house?” Draco snatched away both Harry and Weasley’s cards, having won that round while Harry continued to speak. “My godfather says that everyone bad comes from that house.”
Draco’s eye twitched.
“You sure your parents aren’t dark wizards?” Weasley chuckled.
Okay, that was it. Draco jumped up to his feet as a flash of anger seared through his body. The two boys jumped to their feet as well, the cards laying forgotten in the grass.
“My parents are not dark wizards! You take that back!”
“It was just a joke, mate, calm down!” Weasley argued. “Unless you’re telling me your parents really did work for You-Know-Who?”
“Just because they were Slytherins, doesn’t mean they’re bad! If that were the case, then I’d say all Gryffindors are arrogant redheads who don’t know when to shut up!”
“Hey!” Harry jumped to Weasley’s defense. “My parents are Gryffindors and so were Ron’s! They’re the sweetest people you could ever meet!”
Draco crossed his arms. “Could have fooled me. His parents obviously haven't raised him to have any class! That speaks a lot about their characters, doesn’t it?!”
“Don’t talk about my mother!” Weasley yelled, his face going red.
“And don’t talk about my parents! You know nothing about them !”
The air between them was charged with something that Draco was familiar with. He often felt it when he walked into the greenhouses or when Regulus cast a warming charm around the house. It bubbled and boiled, hot and smelling like soot which was different from Regulus’.
It was magic.
Before Draco realized what was happening, Harry and Weasley were trying to cover their noses as green bats flew out of their noses and attacked them. Draco looked around, looking for whoever may have had a wand in their hands to cast the spell at them when he realized that nobody around them looked suspicious. They were all just looking at who they seemed to decide was the real culprit. Him .
“Harry! Ron!”
He heard Harry’s mother from the distance, running towards the three of them in a panic. Regulus was right on her heels, carrying their bags as he reached into his back pocket for his wand and shot a quick finite incantatem. The green bats disappeared which let Harry and Ron cling onto the red-haired woman, both of them speaking at once and pointing their fingers at him. Regulus pulled him close before he got on one knee so he was eye level with him.
“What happened? Did you do this?”
“I-I don’t know. I didn’t mean to! I swear!” He then shot a glare off at the two blubbering children before he leaned closer to Regulus to whisper in his ear. “They started it. They were calling mother and father evil.”
Regulus stood up and took Draco by the hand. “I’m terribly sorry, Ms. Potter. Accidental magic. You know how boys are.” Regulus readied his wand. “Thank you for your hospitality.”
And before the woman could react, Draco and Regulus apparated away back to their cozy little cottage and away from the stares of the crowd.
Regulus was pacing back and forth in front of the fireplace, mumbling under his breath about something that Draco couldn’t hear. He’d been like this for the past five minutes ever since they returned from Godric’s Hollow with the little “accidental magic” incident. Accidental magic usually happened with young witches and wizards. He didn’t understand why Regulus was treating it like such a big deal.
Draco eventually decided to speak up. His cousin’s ramblings were only making him feel a bit anxious and he wanted him to stop.
“Cousin Regulus, what are you worrying about? I’m sure Ms. Potter understood. I’d imagine she’s had to deal with accidental magic incidents all of the time.”
Regulus paused and finally looked at Draco for the first time since they’d gotten back. “Draco,” Regulus sighed. “Your little accident is a bit of a… problem.” Though, he quickly backpedaled when he saw Draco curl his lips up in a bit of a sneer. “Nonono! It’s only natural for a boy your age to do this kind of stuff! It’s just… what you cast was particularly interesting. And who you cast it at.”
Regulus sat down on the little table beside the large chair that Draco was currently sitting in. He stuttered and stammered for a bit before he was able to put his thoughts into a coherent sentence.
“Kids that usually perform accidental magic usually do things like turn their dogs red or cause things to float. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of a child performing an accident Bat-Bogey Hex. Especially since it’s a dark curse.” Regulus placed a hand on Draco’s blond head. “This doesn’t mean you’re evil though. You’re a good kid, Draco. But if this is what your accidental magic conjures then I really don’t have much of a choice but to send you to a place where you can learn to control it.”
Draco’s gray eyes widened when he caught onto what his cousin may have been implying. A smile slowly appeared on his face. “Are you saying that you’ll send me to Hogwarts? Really?”
Regulus nodded.
“Yes. While it may be full of―” Regulus cringed in the middle of his sentence. “―such precocious children, it’s still safer than people finding out who you are through any other means. Minerva McGonagall is very much a mother hen when it comes to her students no matter their background so I can at least say that you’ll be safe.”
Draco sunk into his seat, warmth spreading throughout his chest. He really was going to be a Hogwarts student, wasn’t he? While he understood that meant that he would have to cross paths with Potter and Weasley, he didn’t particularly care. Hogwarts was a big school. It’s not like he would have to see them every day, would he? Besides, maybe he could talk to a few teachers who knew about them. He wondered if he really would be put into Slytherin just like his parents once were. Would they be proud of him if he got inside?
“Though, we’re going to have to lay out some ground rules.”
Draco rolled his eyes and groaned. Of course.
“Don’t give me that!” Regulus chuckled a bit. “It’s just to make sure you’re safe, I promise.”
The blond-haired boy turned his head towards his cousin and prepared for the rules that were going to be given to him. It turned out they weren’t as bad as he was expecting. Regulus first said that he was not allowed to tell anyone that he, Regulus Black, was his caretaker. It was supposed to be a closely guarded secret because no one knew that he was alive except for a few select people. A giddy feeling welled up in his chest at the thought of how cool his cousin was for faking his own death before immediately quashing that excitement. It may have sounded like something straight out of a Gilderoy Lockhart tale but, from the way Regulus’ gaze darkened, he knew it was a lot more serious than fantastical.
The next rule was for him to keep his head held high and not show any signs of weakness. “Both sides will look for anything to take you down with,” Regulus explained. Keeping his head held high shouldn’t be a problem for someone like Draco Malfoy. Regulus had said he was “rather zesty” once or twice in the past when he was feeling particularly childish. It’s something that Draco was proud of.
“And the last rule,” Regulus began, his tone serious before a slow smile spread across his face. “No more Bat-Bogeys, if you can help it. Good boys don’t turn boogers into bats, you know.”
The two of them shared a laugh. Regulus got up from his spot on the tiny table and stretched.
“Now, I’ll work out the rest of everything else so don’t worry about it. You just worry about your trip to Diagon Alley. We’ll go at the end of the month so you best behave yourself, Draco.”
And with that, Regulus walked into the kitchen and began fixing them dinner with the promise to enjoy their sweets from Lion’s Cavity afterward. Draco rushed into his bedroom, closing the door behind him as his heart hammered away excitedly in his chest. Diagon Alley. His first trip to Diagon Alley at the end of the month! He looked at the calendar on his wall and pointed to the 31st of July. Just fifteen more days until he was allowed to go.
And then there would be the wait of actually being able to go to Hogwarts. Draco smiled to himself as he began changing into his pajamas.
He couldn’t wait.