Invenio Cognatus

Draco blankly stared out the Hogwarts train car window as rain drops railed against it, making loud rat-tat-tat sounds against the glass. He had made it abundantly clear that the Slytherin Prince wished to remain alone until after the Prefects meeting. And what the blond Prince wanted, he got. He wished he could have warded his compartment from all disruptions for the entire ride, but that would only raise suspicions. And that was not something he could afford. Though he ruled over Slytherin as the Dark Lord ruled over his Death Eaters, Draco was not the only one with strong ties to Voldemort's inner circle.

His long locks, no longer gelled back as in his younger years, splayed across his face as he leaned his forehead against the window. The cool glass did nothing to ease the seething heat that had been simmering in him since THAT night. Draco briefly wondered if it would ever cease. He had nothing to help him cope with these feelings; no experience to draw on. Taught the fine art of emotional detachment from an early age, he had learned his father's lessons all too well. Except for her. And now she was gone. He leaned back against his seat and straightened his shoulders, putting a thoughtful look on his aristocratic features. The prefects meeting would be ending at any moment. Any weakness displayed now would end any chance he had to fulfill his mother's wishes. To fulfill his own wishes. To find his...sister.

He glanced at his school trunk nestled beneath the seat in front of him. All the answers to his questions regarding his sister were hidden within the depths of that trunk. A journal that Lucius, as cunning as he was, never realized Narcissa kept. Draco recalled evenings long past when his mother would write for hours in her red leather-bound journal while a toddler Draco leisurely played on the ground at her feet. It was their "special time" while Lucius was away, as his mother had always put it. Rare times when mother and son could relax and just simply enjoy each other's company. After Draco entered Hogwarts, their special times had been few and far between. Throughout Draco's education at Hogwarts, the rare time spent with his mother had been the one constant in his life. One of the few things he really enjoyed. And now, they would never have another one. All he had left of his mother was her journal. A journal that might give insight regarding Lucius's actions that fateful night. Or the reason he lied about Narcissa's whereabouts the next morning.

Flashback...

Draco rigidly stood at the entrance to the large formal dining room in the post-dawn morning after his mother's death. Tension coiled throughout his shoulders and back as he mentally prepared himself. He inhaled sharply, forcing his body to relax before stepping across the entry way. All the years of training he had received at the hands of Lucius Malfoy would be put to the ultimate test. The formal dining room had never appeared so dark and sinister as it did that morning. Even bathed in the sunshine streaming through tall arched windows along one side, the room held an acute sense of menace. He was not surprised to see his father sipping coffee and scanning the Daily Prophet at the far end of the mahogany table. Impeccably dressed, as per usual, Lucius appeared to be relaxed and even pleased as he allowed a rare smile to grace his features.

In that single moment, Draco's ever present conflicting emotions of fear and respect toward his father burned away in a bright wash of hatred. Hatred that scared Draco in its intensity. Never had he felt an emotion so strongly. Not when Draco had attended his first Death Eater revel and gotten thoroughly pissed afterward to chase away the visions. Nor when his father meted out his severest punishments, leaving Draco incapacitated for days.

Time seemed to still as Draco's thoughts plunged forward. Every method of deception and coercion learned by Lucius's hand would be turned against him. Draco would use every ounce of cunning and deviousness to protect his sister. And once his sister was safe, Draco would turn all his attention to dealing with Lucius. The fine dish of revenge was best served cold. And it was a dish he planned on relishing for quite a while. Draco smirked to himself as he headed towards his father to hear the tales Lucius would weave for Narcissa's absence.

...End Flashback

Draco tore his eyes away from his trunk and returned them to the countryside whizzing past the train. He would open the journal tonight in his room, away from prying eyes. One benefit to being a Malfoy was receiving private chambers when appointed Slytherin prefect the previous year. One benefit to being the Slytherin Prince was being allowed to retain it after rejecting the position this year. Perhaps the journal would be able to provide her identity or whereabouts. Or tell him why her existence had been a tightly guarded secret his entire life.

As Draco continued to stare listlessly out the window, the car door was carelessly thrown open as Pansy Parkinson and Blaise Zabini strolled into the chamber. "Well, Draco, I almost envy you for turning down prefect this year," Blaise announced as he languidly stretched out in the seat across from the blond. "Binn's class is more entertaining," he continued dryly as Pansy's curls bobbed around her face in agreement. "I nearly died of boredom," she huffed as she plopped into the seat next to Draco.

Draco lifted an eyebrow as his lips quirked in amusement. "I suppose we should be grateful that wasn't the case. You would have missed out on all the fun," Draco drawled, the Slytherin Prince in control once again. His eyes slowly roamed over his companions' countenances as the atmosphere of the cabin went quickly from light-hearted to serious.

"Learn something interesting in your family's library?" Blaise inquired, a spark of interest passing quickly through his eyes. "Or something at the meeting?" his voice dropping to a whisper. At the latter question, Pansy's eyebrows crinkled slightly in dismay. She had not been able to learn anything of value from her own father. He had been very tight-lipped about the recent Death Eater revels. Pansy was usually able to gain some information from her father, few were better at interrogation methods than her. She had a sneaking suspicion that something of great importance had been revealed over the holidays.

Her eyes briefly flicked over Draco's relaxed posture. His face and body betrayed nothing, as usual. She believed Draco could give his father a run for his money in stoicism. Her features smoothed out as Draco's silver-blue eyes locked with hers. She doubted Draco knew more than her. It was unlikely he had gained Lucius's complete trust at this point. As much favor as the Dark Lord placed on Draco, he had not yet gone through the Initiation Rites. But that was only a matter of time. Draco would be the first of their year to receive the Dark Mark, and Pansy wouldn't be surprised if the Dark Lord made an exception and initiated him before he left Hogwarts.

"Ah, not so fast, Mr. Zabini. Patience is a virtue, or so the virtuous say," amusement clear in Draco's voice as he turned his attention to the dark-haired boy. "First, I think we should discuss any new developments. Any interesting new gossip, Blaise?" Blaise shrugged his shoulders as he searched his memory. Matters regarding Death Eater activities and the Dark Lord would only be discussed in the Slytherin dungeons, where wards and silencing spells could be erected.

"Well, it appears that some, should I say, alliances have been broken and some formed. The Greengrasses have openly pledged their support to Dumbledore." Draco nodded his head in acknowledgment. Daphne Greengrass would have to be moved to the protected list. "Aaron Montague has completed his Auror training." Again Draco nodded.

Correspondence between Montague and Slytherin house would have to be watched from now on. He could not be trusted. "And Theodore Nott started dating Lisa Turpin." Draco's eyebrows raised in surprise of that bit of news. Nott, son of a notorious Death Eater, had much to lose if his father should find out. Unless it was being encouraged by his father, Draco mused. Definitely an issue to discuss more thoroughly in the dungeons.

Draco's piercing gaze settled on Pansy. "Pansy?" She returned his gaze evenly and shook her head in the negative, indicating nothing that could be discussed at the current time.

Draco leaned back in his seat. From the expression on Pansy's face, he knew he had a long evening to look forward to. He debated postponing the discussion until tomorrow night and quickly dismissed the idea. The Slytherin Prince could not afford to be left in the dark on any bit of information, serious or trivial. He mentally cursed. His mother's journal would have to wait for another evening. He returned his attention to his Hogwarts eyes and ears across from him. "Any news on the other houses?"

Before Blaise could respond, there was yelling and a loud boom right outside their compartment. Draco jumped quickly to his feet and had his wand out before Blaise or Pansy reacted. 'Next extracurricular DADA lesson: reaction times,' Draco thought as moved toward the door. Wand at the ready, he jerked the door open, revealing a heap of bodies in the hallway.

"Ronald Weasley!" a shrill voice rose from the heap. "I told you to never open ANYTHING that came from your brothers' shop!" The piercing voice continued as the resident Gryffindor know-it-all disentangled herself from what appeared to be the rest of the Golden Trio. The willowy girl rose to her feet covered in bright swaths of purple, blue, and pink, as apparently were the rest of the Gryffindors. The tall red-haired boy sprawled on the floor was clutching a wrapper of some sort in his outstretched hand. It appeared something in Weasel's hand had exploded, covering the immediate vicinity, walls and floor included, with what could only be described as glitter, and knocking the trio over in the process. Draco's surprise turned to amusement and then quickly to irritation. Just what he needed - annoying Gryffindors to complete his day. The haughty Malfoy sneer laced with disdain was back in place. All his anger and frustration that had been tightly controlled for the last few days came barreling to the surface as he surveyed the scene in front of him.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here? I must admit, Mudblood, your appearance is quite improved. Of course, I doubt it could get much worse. Is that due to your filthy blood or are you just unlucky?" Her eyes widened in surprise as she recognized that contemptuous drawl and slowly turned to face the three Slytherins. "I do hope that stuff comes out; I doubt the Weasel could afford new robes. Especially with Fudge's lap dog trying to close down his brothers' shop. Oh, wait, isn't Fudge's lap dog one of your brothers as well?" And with a last sneer, Draco Malfoy slammed the compartment door in Hermione's face.

"That... that... that... pathetic excuse for a HUMAN!" she stuttered as a red flush crept along her face. "I can't believe him. I thought he had grown up some. Apparently I was WRONG." She glared at the closed door and stormed off toward their compartment, muttering a cleaning charm as she went.

Harry turned to look at Ron, whose face had become ashen beneath his freckles. He silently cursed Malfoy with his entire being. It was not a well known fact that Percy was trying to get George and Fred's joke shop shut down. And though it was almost certain that Percy would fail, it had hurt the Weasley family deeply that despite the revelations last summer, Percy remained estranged from his family. Malfoy must have found out from Lucius. Damn that family to hell.

Harry put a comforting arm around his best mate. "Oi, Ron, don't listen to him. He's probably just pissed that his father didn't get him what he wanted for Christmas. You can't buy a brain, regardless how rich you are." Harry's poor attempt at humor appeared to succeed as Ron's lips curved up into a small smile. The two young men cleaned themselves up and followed Hermione towards their compartment in the rear of the train.