I'm not a kitten... Okay, I'm Kitten

Chapter 22 (Final)

"Damnit!" Koty hissed. Jamie was bringing out the worst in him. He never swore.

Rushing over to his ex-brother, Koty noticed that there was a large goose egg on the unconscious boy's forehead that was bleeding sluggishly.

"Olive!" He called out. "Conjure another stretcher while I do the stasis charms."

"What the hell happened to him?!" She demanded, as the new stretcher appeared. "If you finally took him down a few pegs, I won't say anything."

Rolling his eyes, he focused on the prat on the floor. "He apparently can't fly half as well as he boasts," Koty said absently, levitating Jamie out of the room. "Here, take over. I need to see what they were trying to do."

Penny had run back to the chessboard room to help with some of the plays. Apparently, she was great at it.

Koty was surprised to hear that, but glad there were still things to learn about his best friend. Nevertheless, he had to push on.

Going through the still unlocked door, Koty found a massive room with a sunken floor and stone pillars surrounding an ornate mirror. There was a man standing in front of it, and he was wearing a purple turban.

"Professor Quirrell?" Koty asked, confused. What in Merlin's name was going on?

In lieu of an answer, Quirrell's arm whipped out and Koty was swept off his feet as strong magic pulled him away from the door, which was immediately sealed. With another flick of his wand, Koty was bound in ropes from his shoulders to his toes. "Expelliarmus!"

"What are you doing here, Malfoy?" Quirrell demanded angrily. "I needed that idiot, Potter Jr.!"

Koty was terrified. His heart was hammering in his chest and he was breathing in quick, shallow gasps. The ropes were so tight! "What do you want from him?" He gasped out.

"That boy will suffice," rasped an unfamiliar voice.

Whipping his head around, he noted that he and the professor were indeed the only people in the room. So who was talking?

"Are you sure, Master?" Quirrell asked nervously.

It was then that Koty noticed the professor was not stuttering. What was going on? Who was his master, and why did he need the Philosopher's Stone? Surely there were easier ways to get money than all of this!

"You dare question your master?!" The cold voice snarled. "I will speak to the boy, you useless waste of flesh!"

"Master," the professor whimpered. "You are not strong enough."

"I have strength enough for this," the mysterious voice said, almost hissing.

Professor Quirrell looked as terrified as Koty felt, but lifted the signature purple turban off his head and slowly began to turn around.

Koty gasped. There was a disfigured face on the back of the man's head! Its eyes were sunken in and its nose looked to be crushed flat and it only had a horizontal slit for a mouth.

"Harry Potter," it said harshly. "The so-called 'lesser twin' of my enemy."

"My name is Koty Lucien Amaryllion Malfoy!" Koty declared, hoping to appear much less afraid than he really was. "I am not now, nor have I ever been a Potter." He was trying to ignore how strange it was to be talking to the back of his professor this way.

"Quite right," the face said, almost pleasantly. "Koty Malfoy, boy genius, creature, yet still an abused child, grasping for family and friendships in all manner of places."

Koty didn't know what to say to that. He wasn't a genius, but he did read a lot. He was a creature. He was... abused, but he loved his new family and friends. They loved him too, and cared for him in ways he'd only ever read about. None of that was bad, so why did it sound like an insult?