Draco Malfoy, King of Golden Mountain

A/N - It's still Saturday afternoon, October 22^nd. It is now early afternoon, around 3:00pm or so.

After Ginny had showered and gotten dressed she went off to find Hermione. Her first stop was the library, and there was no sign of her. Which was odd, Hermione could usually always be found in the library! She started to walk about the Hogwarts grounds and then moved on the the path around the lake. She was careful not too get to close ~ you never knew what kind of creatures lived in the lake, she had always feared the giant squid would get her one day. She lit up a cigarette and tried to stop thinking about the dream, and about Tom. She had loved him so much and still did, even though he had tried to kill her. She wondered maybe if that was why she had felt the need to be so rebellious. She knew about the rumors of her being a tart, but she didn't care! Truthfully she had never been with anyone, just Tom back in the Chambers when she was eleven. Of course she had had boyfriends, and done her share of snogging on the astronomy tower.

However, no one had ever lived up to Tom....

She sighed and started her trek back up to the castle, she stopped suddenly when she happened to glance over at Hagrid's hut. Hermione and Neville Longbottom were standing on the stairs kissing! After a moment, unaware Ginny was watching, they managed to pry themselves apart and walk into Hagrid's hut. All thoughts of talking with Hermione left her mind.

Hermione with Neville! Who would have thought? Granted , it had been a long time since she had finally outgrown her girlish crush, she still cared about him. Imagine how he would feel to be dumped for Neville Longbottom!

She decided to head for the Gryffiindor common room and see who was around. Hopefully Ron would be, he always cheered her up and possibly he could take her mind off of the horrible scene she had just witnessed.

Harry entered the Gryffindor common room and scanned the room; he spotted Ron and Ginny playing a game of Wizards Chess in the corner. As usual Ron was winning. Harry pulled up a chair and sat down next to the two siblings. Ron looked up at him; "You look mighty cheerful for someone who just finished a detention with Snape."

Harry laughed, "Oh I did my detention and it was awful! I had to re-label, refill and alphabetically organize all of Snape's potions. The worst thing is he wouldn't even let me reschedule it! We were supposed to have Quidditch practice this morning." He looked over at Ron suspiciously, " Why aren't you out on the Quidditch field? You did get everybody together to practice right? I told you to be the acting captain for the day."

Ron looked a little guilty, " I didn't think it was necessary, our match against Slytherin has been cancelled until Malfoy returns - I figured it's Saturday, why not let everyone enjoy the day? You did leave me in charge, right?" He said with a grin.

Harry sighed, "I suppose your right, I'm in too good of a mood to be upset anyhow."

Ginny eyed him curiously, obviously he hadn't seen Hermione yet that day. When she had found Ron, she briefly wondered if maybe telling him what she saw would be a good idea. Immediately she dismissed that thought, Ron would go ballistic ~ she had decided to keep it to herself for awhile, think about it and *maybe* tell Harry.

"And why exactly are you so cheery today? Surely spending the afternoon with Snape organizing potions didn't put you in this mood. Wait a minute, you aren't one of those bloody obsessive compulsive freaks who enjoy cleanliness and organization, are you?" She looked at him suspiciously.

At this statement, both Ron and Harry laughed uproariously. "I have never once known Harry to even clean! One day Gin, I'll take you up and show you Harry's part of our dorm."

Harry started to blush, "You will NOT!"

Ron looked disapprovingly at Ginny, " By the way little sister. Where have you been? You weren't at breakfast and I haven't seen you all day until you showed up in the common room looking quite freaked out. You aren't on any of those Muggle drugs again are you? You know, you behavior is really starting to upset mum, you know how she worries about you."

Ginny sighed, " I was just out by the lake having a fag, I woke up late and just felt like being alone." She thought, ~ yeah, nightmares about a psychotic man, who actually was just a memory from a diary, and who damn near killed me, would tend to make a person want to be alone, she thought to herself.

This time Ron sighed, quite loudly, "Gods above Ginny! Do you really need another detention?

Harry listened to them argue, and he sat and watched Ginny. He had known about Ginny's crush on him for years - it was only recently that he had begun to notice what a beautiful young lady she had become. Yes, he'd heard the rumors about her being the school whore, and that she'd have it off with anyone whom offered. He didn't believe them for a minute. Ginny may be acting the part of the "bad girl", but he knew it was just her way of rebelling against her family. Being the youngest of seven she had a lot of expectations to live up to. Ron wasn't Captain of the Quidditch Team like Charlie or Head Boy, like Bill and Percy were. He was however a Prefect and if it wasn't for Harry, he would be Captain of the Quidditch Team, since he was an exceptional Keeper, and probably the most important member of the team beside himself. Poor Ginny like Hermione was terrified of flying and even the twins had made better marks then her.

So, Harry figured that she wanted to be known for *something* even if it was being the black sheep of the Weasley family. So starting at the beginning of the fall term, she started building herself quite the reputation. She started smoking, drinking and hanging out with nothing but boys, completely scorning Hermione and the few other girls she had once been a friend with. But, all they boys Harry had questioned, especially the ones rumored that she had shagged, all denied it. They said they had done a little snogging, that she was nothing but a little tease.

"Harry, Hello!!! Are you listening to me?" Ron was waving his hand in front of Harry's face.

"Uh no, my mind was just wandering back to uhhhmm... detention! You will never believe what I happened to find when I walked into Snape's office..." Harry paused dramatically.

Both Ginny and Ron turned to face Harry, diving him their full attention; Harry couldn't quite help but notice how pretty Ginny's eyes were, flickering in the firelight. "Well I walked in, I didn't bother knocking as the door was partially open. I figured if he had wanted privacy his door would have been closed and locked, plus he knew I was in his classroom. So I walked in, and Snape is perched in front of a mirror with the top part of his hair pulled up in what looked like one of Hermione's hairclips?" He started to laugh, "The whole back of his head was a mess there were bald patches and hair that was a bunch of different lengths. It looked like he was putting some kind of oil on it, maybe a potion?"

"Oh my God! That explains the greasiness off his hair!" Ginny exclaimed." Last year, Derek McGrew, a boy in my year got in a fight. Well the other boy, arhhgg I can't remember whom, hexed him so his hair all fell out. Well, anyway Madame Pomfrey made him take a potion instead of fixing it straight away, since he had started the fight. This potion was to be used three times a day until his hair grew back. There was one bad side affect though ~ Cedarwood, specifically oil distilled from the sawdust of Cedarwood, which makes thick golden brown oil, is a main ingredient. Poor boy walked around looking greasy and nasty for weeks. Though the smell wasn't all too unpleasant, reminded me of sandalwood. Once his hair was back to normal, he was able to stop, thankfully. Anyway, he was telling me that it was pretty much the only potion for someone, who was going bald because of a scalp problem, whether it is from a spell or a naturally occurring problem. Which means Snape obviously has one, why else wouldn't he use an easier magical way to prevent baldness? So that explains why always wears his hair pulled back in a ponytail and it looks like he hasn't washed it since our mum and dad were back in Hogwarts.

Harry shrugged and thought that was pretty smart of Ginny to figure it out, he was about to say something when Ron cut in.

"Who would of thought Snape was so concerned about his appearance, he never struck me as the vain type." Ron said looking confused.

"Well Ron, think about it, if you were losing your hair wouldn't you want to do something about it?" Ginny pointed out, "Even if he is nasty old Snape, I guess he still cares enough not to want to be bald!" Besides, we no absolutely nothing about his personal life, except the fact he works as a spy for Dumbledore. It could be part of his disguise or for undercover work or something."

Ron and Harry both looked doubtful, Harry was first to speak up. "No, I doubt that's it, Voldemort and the majority of the Deatheater's know what he looks like, he wouldn't need a disguise."

She sighed, "OK! Maybe he has a wife, a girlfriend - a boyfriend even," she started giggling again, "that he wants to look good for. You never know, maybe it's someone on the staff? I could see Snape and McGonagall getting into S & M, maybe even some role-play, though I wonder who would be the Dominant one, probably McGonagall. Or what about Professor Sinistra? No one has ever figured out if she's really a man, I mean she's so tall and just looks manly, I don't know. I mean we saw her dance with what was whom we thought to Alastor Moody, but he ended up being a Barty Crouch Jr. and we all know that story! What about Filch, he's nasty and mean like Snape, I bet they have loads in common...

"ARRGGGHHH!!! Enough Ginny! I do not want to picture Snape with anyone, not McGonagall and certainly not Filch! Do you ever stop your incessive rambling? Sheesh, I swear you are just going bloody mad; some of the things that come out of your mouth these, where did you learn about domination? Have you really been shagging everyone who offers?" Ron just shook his head. "Plus all the stuff you've been doing has just been killing mum, getting all these detentions, if you're not careful they are gonna expel you! Then what would mum do?"

"Ron, I have had it! I am not going to sit and listen to you of all people preach to me about my behavior. How many times did you and Harry run off and do incredibly dangerous things, things that could have gotten you killed! I was there with mum all those times, don't even talk to me about worrying mum ~ at least she knows I'm not in any danger. I'm just enjoying school years, if I want to smoke, get smashed and sneak out I will! While sneaking out piss ass drunk, if I want to go shag the entire Slytherin Quidditch Team I will! Nothing you or anyone else says is going to stop me."

With that she stomped out of the common room, screaming the password and frightening the poor fat lady in the portrait that guarded the door.

The entire room was quiet, Ron and Ginny's short, but brutal argument had been loud and everyone had heard it and was staring intensely at the two boys. Harry looked at Ron nervously; his best friend was turning bright red with fury, clenching his fists. Harry wasn't sure what to do, should he say something? He glared around at everyone else, who were all still staring. He stood up and sent a warning look to the observers, as if to tell them to shut up and mind their own fucking business. Most appeared to get the message, Harry looked down at Ron who seemed to have regained his composure, well a little bit - his head looked no longer looked like a bright red tomato with blue eyes.

Ron stood up and looked at Harry. "I think I'll be going up to the library now, there's a History of Magic assignment I need to get started on." He walked purposely up the stairs to the 7^th year boys' dorm, obviously going to fetch his books.

Harry sighed, his best friend certainly had a temper and it appeared to run in the family. Ginny seemed just as mad as Ron, but their was one difference ~ Ron never left in the middle of an argument. Ginny seemed to be a bit more dramatic about, getting the last seething remark in and then making her exit. Leaving no room for further argument. He muttered to himself, "Well, I suppose I should go find Hermione, hopefully she will be in a good mood."

Draco woke up from the dream and like Ginny looked around expecting to see Tom. Feeling a little shaken up by the dream he decided to go to his father's study and maybe have a shot or two - that would definitely cheer him up and get his mind off that bloody dream and the odd feelings it was not just an ordinary dream. He wandered downstairs; thinking the house was empty of both his parents. On his way his father's study he paused. Inside he heard a glass slamming down and a huge sigh, as if someone had just done a shot. He stopped and slowly peered into his father's study, wondering why his father wasn't at work.

Lucius sat in his favorite chair by the fireplace, he obviously had forgotten Draco was there or was too drunk to care. He poured himself another shot as he began to mumble to himself. "Oh Gods above, what have I done?" That bastard Voldemort, why did I make that bloody promise? I can't let my son become a Deatheater tomorrow; I may not have been the father I should have been. But I ruined my life long ago, and I will not do the same happen to Draco!" He said that last statement loudly, and he promptly took another shot and sat back. It sounded like he had begun to cry.

Draco's head was spinning did he really hear what he just thought he'd heard? Was his father, the ruthless, cruel Lucius Malfoy, crying? He was obviously just having some wicked nightmares. He went back to his room, remembering the dream with the young Lord Voldemort, and how their conversation corresponded with his father's drunken mumbling. Sitting on his bed he looked around wondering if what he'd just heard was just an extension of his dream. He pinched himself to see if he was dreaming. No, he was definitely awake.

Getting up he decided to go shower and get cleaned up, after all it was getting to be late afternoon.

While in the shower he thought about what he'd overheard. It was very unlikely that he would dream that Tom saying there would be a ceremony tomorrow - and then he wakes up to hear his father getting drunk, talking to himself saying that he wouldn't let his son become a Deatheater tomorrow. Becoming a Deatheater involved a ceremony. Of course his father was completely pissed, which was odd, as Lucius wasn't much of a drinker. In fact that was one of the things he would preach about, when he was listing the reasons Muggles weren't as good as Wizards. He said alcoholism and the usage of drugs was a habit Wizards picked up from Muggles, back in the days when the wizarding world didn't have to stay separate from Muggles. In fact Draco had noticed his father was drinking a lot more then usual the past week. He hadn't really paid any attention to it before, but now it had begun to make sense. His father was worried about him, and what to do. He stood in the steamy hot shower for a long while contemplating his options. Finally he decided that leaving would be his best bet - he realized of course that would possibly endanger his family, but he wasn't about to become a Deatheater.

While packing his clothes he felt really stupid. He'd always known his father was a Deatheater, but he didn't know he was expected to become one as well. But wait, his father said he was promised to him, why would Lord Voldemort want someone who was just a child. Lord Voldemort picked his followers based upon their abilities. What if he had been a squib? A sudden memory that had occurred to him caused Draco to begin to panic. He thought back to Miss Brighid Mayfaire, the medi-wizard. She had said there was a possibility that a spell had been placed on him that had caused his loss of consciousness. She had said that within a few days he would become a mindless drone, responding only to his master. "Oh shit" Draco muttered. If he had been promised to the Dark Lord, well that certainly sounded like a spell he would put on someone. He quickly finished packing and jotted out a quick note to his parents. He wasn't sure where he was going, but he figured he could figure it out on the way. All he wanted to do was get as far away from Malfoy Manor as possible. Knowing his father was probably completely smashed by now, he didn't worry about getting out of the house. Taking one last look around his room, wondering if he would ever see it again - he placed the note on the pillow of his freshly made bed. The house elves had obviously came in while he had been in the shower.

Dear Mum and Father,

I know you are going to be upset when you find this, but I am leaving and I don't know when I will return. I know about the plans for me, I have a few plans myself on how to get around this situation. I will not become a Deatheater; you can tell Lord Voldemort to go to bloody hell. Father I know that my leaving has endangered you both, please keep mum safe and take care of yourself as well. I love you both.

Draco

Narcissa Malfoy Apparated into Hogsmeade, specifically the Three Broomsticks ~ She decided to stop and have herself a nice strong Gin & Tonic before heading off on her mission. Little did she know that her husband was sitting at home, also having a few drinks and mourning the loss of their son to Lord Voldemort? She would have been surprised to know Lucius even cared. However, she would have been more surprised to know her only son, her baby Draco, was already packed and gone from Malfoy Manor.

She sat down and sipped her drink. She ordered one of the bartenders to order her a carriage to Hogswart and charge it to the Malfoy account. While waiting for her carriage she thought about what she was about to do. Harry Potter. The Famous Boy-Who-Lived, defeated one of the most powerful wizards of all time, when he was merely a baby! Not to mention the numerous times since then, her mind still reeled at the thought of a 12 year old boy defeating a Basilisk.

Wondering if he would even speak to her, she tried to think of what to say. She knew Draco had always wanted to be Harry's friend she knew that deep down, he was still hurt from when Harry had snubbed him to be friends with the Weasley boy. However, Draco had inherited his Father's pride and she was sure that ever since that incident, he had been a complete arse. She loved her son, but knew what an arrogant little prat he could be.

Madame Rosmerta came over to where Narcissa was waiting and informed her that her carriage had arrived.

Narcissa sighed and gathered her things. Madame Rosmerta went to walk her out the door, "That's not necessary. I'm sure I can find it." With a wink and a smile, she walked out to find her carriage right outside the door. She stepped in and informed the drive she wished to go to Hogswart. Settling back, she continued to think about what to say. Before she knew it they had reached the school, she looked around smiling. She had many fond memories of school, of her and Lucius especially. She stepped out and ordered the carriage driver to wait for her.

"Shit" she swore softly, "Just how am I going to find him?"

She decided to check the main hall first. Amazingly enough, Harry happened to walk in at the exact same moment. Narcissa's heart started racing, and she approached him before she lost her nerve.

Harry was walking right in her direction, obviously he knew who she was. Otherwise he wouldn't be giving her such a nasty look. She bit her lip, this wasn't going to work, and he wouldn't help her. "But I have to give it a try." She thought to herself. He was about to walk right past her, when she moved to stand in his way.

"Harry Potter, I know you probably know who I am and I'm sure you dislike me very much. I can see it in your eyes." She sighed and went on. "I need your help Harry, it's about Draco."

At this Harry started laughing, "I'm sorry Mrs. Malfoy, but I just can't help you. No offense, but Draco is not exactly high on my list of favorite people. I'm sure you must know that he considers me his worst enemy. He would probably rather die before taking help from me!" He turned to walk away...

Narcissa grabbed his shoulder, this time she had tears in her eyes. "Harry please! Just listen to me before you make any rash decisions."

He turned around and faced her. This time it was Harry's turn to sigh, seeing a woman cry always got to him. She just looked so lost and sad, and without her usual snobby expression, she also looked very young and pretty. He decided to at least hear her out. "Alright Mrs. Malfoy, I'll listen but I can't guarantee that I will help you. Let's go somewhere a little more private though, maybe we could walk down by the lake.

She smiled gratefully and simply said, "Thank you."

Together they walked down to the lake, and on their way she filled him in on everything that had happened the past seventeen years; Lucius's gambling problem, how he became a Deatheater and the horrible promise he had made to Lord Voldemort, exchanging Draco for the Malfoy Family Fortune.

Harry was pretty much shocked, he had always thought Draco's life was perfect. He had no idea, that Lucius had never wanted to become a Deatheater and that Draco didn't know that he was to become a Deatheater tomorrow! He was beginning to feel quite sorry for the whole family. At the moment Narcissa was crying on his shoulder. But what was he to do? If Draco was to be initiated tomorrow, that didn't leave a lot of time.

He turned and held the crying woman in front of him, so he could look at her while he talked. "Mrs. Malfoy..."

She interrupted, "Any man who has seen me cry, can call me Narcissa." She gave him a weak smile.

"OK, Narcissa." He smiled back at her and went on. " I don't know if I can help you, but I do know someone who may, Professor Dumbledore. Why don't we start walking back to the castle and I'll owl you as soon as I find out anything. Maybe it would be best if you went home and see how Draco is doing. If at all possible, try and get him and bring him back here! Hogwarts is safe, and you will both be taken care of here. Plus there is no one Voldemort fears more then Dumbledore."

She pulled Harry close and gave him a hug. "Thank You, I came here with so many doubts that you would just tell me to piss off. The fact that you could help me, and Draco of all people, shows that you really are a good person." She smiled at him. "I always knew you were though, and you'd be surprised at how my son really feels about you."

They began the walk back up to the castle, when they reached Narcissa's carriage he helped her inside and promised to owl her as soon as he talked to Dumbledore. She smiled gratefully and again thanked him. They said their good-byes and Harry stood and watched the carriage pull away. What had he gotten himself into?

Deciding he had best go talk with Dumbledore, he headed towards the Headmaster's office. His Headmaster had always been kind, once he had heard the situation he was sure that he wouldn't object to help out Narcissa and Draco. A sudden thought occurred to him, what if this was a scheme? He had just invited them here to Hogwarts, granted Draco was a student, but he knew nothing about Narcissa - what if this was a trap?

He broke into a run and headed to the headmasters office...