Invenio Cognatus

Chapter 1... Current (Sixth Year)

Draco was sprawled arrogantly on a plush chair in the dark recesses of the Malfoy library. The mahogany shelves, rising three-stories high, contained hundreds of rare and, in most cases, illegal tomes. Dark Arts literature on curses, potions, and rituals that had been passed down the Malfoy line. Flames danced in the black marble fireplace, warming Draco as he read an aged and brittle manuscript. This past summer Lucius had finally granted Draco permission to study some of the more...valuable literary works. The manuscript Draco was reading was one of many that were kept in a hidden warded room off the library. Lucius claimed Draco needed to "learn something more substantial than what they teach in that Mudblood-infested school". The manuscript's contents caused Draco to grimace every now and then before he schooled his features back to indifference. Even when no one was around, Draco tried to keep a detached expression on his face. To show any weakness was considered an unforgivable sin in the Malfoy Manor. Draco rubbed eyes that were starting to ache from strain. It was getting late and his father would expect a report first thing in the morning when he returned from his Death Eater activities. He better get some sleep or he wouldn't get up in time. And it was a very bad idea to disappoint Lucius Malfoy.

Draco looked around the library. He had spent many hours in front of this fireplace reading as a child. His inherent thirst for knowledge was spurred on by his desire to be better than Dumbledore's Golden Boy. He mentally sighed as he wondered whether he would get a chance to complete his Potions and Transfiguration essays before the winter holiday ended. He would bet five galleons that bushy-haired Gryffindor already had hers done. Bloody know-it-all Mudblood. The only reason she did so well was because she had nothing to do BUT study. Well that and worship Harry-Wanking-Potter. Draco stared sightlessly into the flames as his mind started to wander from the manuscript. At least he didn't have to put up with Scarhead and Weasel until after the hols. Stupid gits. His thoughts turned back to the incomplete essays. He wished he had more time to devote to his studies. That was amusing. Who would believe Draco Malfoy actually wanted to do well? Draco knew if given a chance, he could do better than the Mudblood.

Lucius put a lot of pressure on Draco to keep the Slytherin house in line and alienated from the other houses. The title Slytherin Prince was more accurate than anyone outside of Slytherin realized. Draco had been groomed from birth to be a leader, and that's what he had become. If a favor was needed or a problem dealt with, you went to Draco Malfoy. The head of house was only called in if the Slytherin Prince was unattainable or as a last resort. Draco made sure the Slytherin education in DADA and potions delved further than the Hogwart's curriculum. He kept a network of spies at Hogwarts, listening for any information that could be useful. Lucius had charged him to strengthen and consolidate the Slytherin house, and that was what he had done. Draco had enlisted the help of a few of his trusted housemates. Blaise Zabini was his eyes and ears. The tall, quiet boy had a way of finding out information about people before they found out themselves. Pansy Parkinson was in charge of recruitment for the cause. And she was very talented in intimidation tactics. Draco smiled as he recalled one event involving a Ravenclaw who had been lured into a compromising position with a Slytherin, while his girlfriend was at Hogsmeade. Pansy convinced him that it would be in his best interest to pass along certain information on his housemates. Goyle and Crabbe were obviously goons, though Draco preferred the term enforcers. Their best feature being they did what they were told. Thinking about his fellow housemates brought Draco's musings back to the manuscript in his lap. Dark blood spells and rituals filled the pages before him. Written in blood. Draco grimaced again. He would have to remember to tell Zabini and Parkinson about a few of these. They could prove to be useful. The darker, more powerful spells he would keep to himself.

Draco returned the manuscript to its hiding place and started toward his parent's bedroom. Draco always called on his mother before he went to bed when his father was away. It was the only time he could be sure they had privacy. She was the only chink in the armor he had built around his heart and he shuddered to think Lucius's response should he find out. Lucius abhorred any emotion resembling fondness or attachment. He saw it as a weakness and would not hesitate to remove the flaw from Draco's character. And Draco was well versed in Lucius's methods to remove unwanted flaws.

To the outside world Narcissa Malfoy was a proud, cold, private woman. In the Death Eater circle she was a proper, submissive wife. To Draco, she was the only person he cared about. Narcissa's gentleness had balanced Lucius's cruelty during his childhood. She had taught him cunning and intelligence while his father taught him to seek knowledge and power. Although never affectionate, her quiet presence after one of Lucius's punishments was more soothing than any healing spell or potion. She listened when he talked and never told him he was weak, wrong, or stupid.

As Draco approached his parent's bedroom he noticed one door was ajar and a sliver of light spilled onto the polished wood floor. He quietly crept up so as not to wake her if she had fallen asleep. He opened the door a little way and gasped at what he saw. Narcissa's bruised and battered body lay in a heap on the floor near the bed. Blood covered most of what he could see. Her wand lay several feet from her, broken in two. Lucius's Death Eater robes and mask were thrown haphazardly on the bed with blood splattered on them. Draco ran quickly to her side. He threw off Lucius's robes and grabbed the forest green comforter. He gingerly placed it over her naked body. Her chest heaved a little as she slowly opened her eyes. One only opened partway, it was swollen almost completely shut. "Why did he do this?" Draco whispered as he gently grasped her hand. He was a little relieved when her hand grasped his back. He was afraid to hold her; he didn't want to make the pain worse. He had never seen his father abuse his mother. He had never seen him curse or hex her. She never provoked him or disobeyed him. Draco didn't understand. His mind was a whirlwind, trying to fathom something, anything, that would cause Lucius to be this violent.

Narcissa looked at her son and prayed to whatever deity was out there, to look over him. She knew she wasn't going to make it this time. It had only been a matter of time before the beatings went to far. Narcissa, unlike what she portrayed, was not a broken woman. She was a determined woman whose only desire was to protect her children. Lucius had played on her fears and her protective nature. He had returned early and taunted her with the Dark Lord's plans. He had provoked her into reacting and then used it to his advantage.

"Draco." Speaking and breathing hurt. She felt like her chest was on fire. Lucius had punctured a lung, or two. She closed her eyes in pain. Her whole world was pain. Agony laced with one single thought. Her face twisted into a grimace as she spoke, "Not...much time left." Draco vehemently shook his head in denial. He used his other hand to gently brush her hair out of her face. Her beautiful face with vivid cornflower blue eyes that had started to dim.

"No. I can take you to St. Mungo's." He didn't know any charms that could heal this and any useful potions were locked up and warded in the dungeons. Draco felt the walls of his world come crashing down. This could not be happening to him! "Is he still around?" he asked with the first stirrings of rage. He didn't believe so. Lucius would have been there gloating if he was still around. Draco had seen it before.

"Gone. Lucius...can't know..." she whimpered as her untouched eye opened wide and pleaded with him. Trying to impress upon him how important it was Lucius not find out. "Find her...keep her safe..." Narcissa took a deep breath causing her to shudder with pain. Draco gripped her hand a little harder. "Promise me?" she whispered softly.

"Yes, I'll find her, mother," Draco replied as silent tears rolled down his face. He watched as the tension drained away from her body and she let go of his hand. "Who is she?" Draco asked desperately, trying to keep his mother with him. He cradled her face gently in his hands.

"Your twin sister...Adriana." Narcissa raised her hand to touch Draco's wet face and her love and trust in him shone in her eyes. "...journal... It's...in the blood". And with that she closed her eyes and her hand drifted back to her side as she lost consciousness. Draco pulled her into his lap and held her until she stopped breathing a few minutes later.

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Across the English countryside, a young woman tossed and turned in her sleep. A sorrowful moan escaped Hermione's lips into the dark stillness of her bedroom. The next morning she would be unable to remember the dreams that had plagued her throughout the night. All she could recall was a great sense of loss. A feeling that would stay with her until her return to Hogwarts where classes and friends would make her forget for a while.

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Author's Note: This story idea was inspired by Rya Silverflame's Sweet Child of Mine.

I'd like to thank everyone who takes the time to review!!!