Chapter Text
“Draco,” a deep purr emanated from behind the blond who turned stiffly to acknowledge the man that had spoken.
Seeing who it was, Draco bowed his head an acceptable amount.
“My Lord,” he attempted to sound respectful, however, it was considerably harder to do so when someone so . . . Creepy and cold had intruded upon one’s home. When he raised his head again, he found himself staring up into the eyes of the reason he had scarcely left his rooms over break.
Draco had always considered himself rather tall —he had even managed to exceed the height of his father— but when the Dark Lord was around, he felt like the squattest of dwarves. He hadn’t had to look up so much to make eye contact since he was eleven and a full foot shorter than his father.
”You are on your way to your rooms? Already?” When the wizard received nothing but a slight nod in response, he continued. “Ensure that you use your time alone for something . . . Useful. I don’t need anyone else . . . moping and refusing to contribute to the cause.”
”Yes, my Lord,” Draco forced his head down once again. Keeping his eyes trained on the polished wood panels beneath their feet. “Is there anything else?”
”No. You may go,” Voldemort flicked his wand hand and the blonde took it as his cue to rush off to once again hide in his rooms.
Similar conversations had happened nearly every day since Draco had returned from Hogwarts for break nearly three weeks ago. Each one added to the unsafe feeling of the home that had once been a sanctuary.
Something needed to change or Draco was going to lose his mind.
——————
After yet another time being waylaid in the corridor by the horrifying form of the Dark Lord, Draco was at his wit’s end. He despised their chats and the way the man never failed to sneer down his flat nose at Draco. He didn’t know why the Dark Lord had taken interest in him, he just knew it had to stop.
The only place he was safe from the wizard was his private quarters. Draco knew there was no way he could stay in his rooms forever. However, late one night, he had an idea: he was reading his summer history assignment and learned about a witch named Hortensia becoming an Animagus.
Suddenly he knew what to do. He snuck into the library and grabbed every book mentioning animagi he could find and started reading. If Hortensia could do it, so could he.