The Silver Trio (Book 2 of Dark Angel series)

Chapter 15: "Ensure no one knows of this. Even Crabbe"

(DRACO'S P.O.V)

When I was 11, my father told me that I needed only followers in my life. People followed power. I was a Malfoy and I had power; I just needed followers. Did my father fail to mention that only idiotic baboons follow a brat like me? Must have totally slipped his mind. And that's why my followers consisted of two idiotic baboons- Crabbe and Goyle. They didn't have a mind of their own and I did their work way more than they did mine. For example, ensuring they pass in their subjects every year, or just finish their homework.

This year was no different, but the circumstances had changed. I was going to settle the 5 years worth of work I had done for them.

"Goyle, here is your Charms homework. Flitwick won't give you detention now," I said handing him his roll of parchment. It was a piece of cake.

"Thank you, Draco," he muttered and got up to leave, probably to pig out in the Great Hall again.

"However, I need your assistance," I spoke up, making him stop. He turned around and waited for me to continue.

The common room was empty and I had occupied the armchair nearest to the fireplace. I had been planning this entire scene for two weeks and it had to be to the tee. The soft glow of the fire on my face created an environment of control and command. Gazing at the extinguishing embers, I spoke softly, "I have detention with McGonagall this weekend. I have not been able to submit my Transfiguration homework for two weeks in a row. She deems it necessary to punish me by not letting me go to Hogsmeade. She is wrong, is she not?"

For some reason, Goyle stuttered when he answered, "Of-of course!"

"Good, then as a good friend you will ensure that I don't suffer this injustice, correct?"

He gulped, "How?"

I stood up and walked slowly towards him, like a predator. "You will take my place in detention."

He knew something was wrong. He had seen me plan vengeance when I was frustrated and irritated, not with a cool and confident smirk on my face. He stood upright like I would pounce on him in a second.

I continued, "I have the Polyjuice ready. You just need to take it and attend the detention. You will be a good friend, right?"

He held his breath and nodded stiffly once. I gave him a smile, pleased with the result and turned to face the fire. He took that as dismissal and hurried to leave. Just as he was going to climb the stairs, I spoke, "Ensure no one knows of this. Even Crabbe."

"Yes," he muttered and practically ran away. I could barely contain my laughter. 

Now I know why Sirius and Stella loved pranking so much, it was a way to blow off the steam. And watching all those thriller movies had paid off, the scene went flawlessly well. However, I grimaced, thinking about all the things I had been doing since the entire month I had been in Hogwarts. The pressure to kill Dumbledore was mounting on me. Voldemort didn't expect Stella to fail, he expected that from me. I was going to be the scapegoat of my father's failures. A week ago, I had received a letter. The parchment contained only 3 letters- 8 months left.

It didn't take me long to figure out who had sent the message and what it meant. I had to hand him Dumbledore's head by the end of the year. And I had 8 months left before the hourglass filled up.

Needless to say, I got tenser. My appetite had decreased and Sirius had to shove food down my throat at times. Stella and Sirius were both worried about my health and they knew the reason as well.

"Don't worry Draco. We won't let anything happen," they would tell me. But they didn't know about the letters I received from him as well as from my mother. I had to kill Dumbledore before he did anything to my family. They didn't take his threat seriously, or maybe they did, but they weren't doing anything to prevent it. They were angry at Dumbledore for his cursed hand and for having premature dying on his to-do list. But really, it is great that he is dying. I wouldn't have to kill anyone, but then again, I couldn't put the safety of my family on when the poison would decide to finally stop his heart.

I didn't want to do any of this, but for my family, I would do anything. There are many differences between Stella and me, but this one shines the brightest. Family is my priority, the greater good is her priority. She wasn't wrong but she had never seen us family, just people she lived with. She was trying to understand the value of relations but it would take her a long time to realise it. The same was with Sirius- they were birds of the same feather. Hating your family, but loving your friends. Idiots!

"Draco, what are you doing here?" Stella's voice came to my ears as she stood at the entrance of the common room. It was past midnight and she had gone to visit Twinkle in the kitchens. 

I grimaced and shrugged.

"I heard you," she spoke softly. This twin link was more troublesome than I thought! I had dropped my occumulency guards after speaking to Goyle.

"I won't deny that I cared little about mother, father or you," she said hesitatingly, taking slow hesitant steps towards me. She knew I was upset. "But I don't want to be that person anymore. So one-dimensional. Even with all my powers, I lacked the sight to look at my family with clearer eyes. And I am sorry for that. I am sorry for deserting you in my goal of making this world Voldie-free. I know that I can't bring back those years, but I promise you that you won't be alone. You don't have to carry this burden on your shoulders alone- Sirius and I are here."

"Then why are you not doing anything?" I shrugged her off.

"Sirius told me Dumbledore has a plan. He will tell us soon," she said.

"You are trusting Dumbledore with the lives of our family?" I couldn't believe her. "He doesn't care about us, Stella, especially not father. He will let him rot in Azkaban."

She looked down, feeling ashamed and guilty; she always did whenever father was brought up.

"He won't let anything happen to our family Draco," she said with conviction. "You are in this team now. And you have to trust this team."

I sighed and turned away from her, "I trust you." She didn't say anything but patted my back before walking towards her dorm. But I don't trust Dumbledore, I said in my mind with my occumulency shields up.

I couldn't leave anything on his hands. He wasn't all-powerful, he had his shortcomings. And I wasn't going to let my family be on his list of shortcomings. I mean, Sirius had trusted him and it landed him with 12 years of imprisonment and 3 years of being on the run. I am not taking any chances.

I mentally tallied up everything I had planned for the day. If I was successful, I would be able to succeed in my mission and no one would be wiser. Goyle's presence would ensure my alibi and I would go to Hogsmeade under disillusionment charm which I had learnt on my first try. I had already contacted Greyback to get me the necklace from Borgin and Burkes to Hogsmeade that day. He was going to be under polyjuice as well. I didn't enjoy working with the man, but his name was the only one that was able to scare Borgin the other day. The plan had many loopholes but the time was ticking. I gulped thinking about my father in Azkaban and my mother sleeping under the same roof as him. The plan had to succeed.