Letters of Great Importance

Part 2

Severus Snape surveyed his classroom wearily. He noticed Longbottom sitting with Lavender Brown, who was trying to make sure the potions ingredients were not going to fall into Longbottom’s inexperienced hands. Potter and Weasley were paired together, goofing off in the back row. While Granger was studying her Arithimancy text. His gaze swept over to the Slytherin side of the room. Malfoy was sitting alone in the front row. Crabbe and Goyle were sitting behind him; they seemed to be starring at him funny.

With a sigh Snape walked over to Malfoy’s desk. He looked down at the young man, who currently looked to be memorizing the grain of his desk.

“Mr. Malfoy, is there something wrong?” He kept his voice low; he didn’t want the Gryffindors eavesdropping.

Draco looked up startled. He hadn’t even noticed Snape approach. “No, sir… I was just finished with my potion. Is there something else I could work on?” Snape sighed. Now he knew something was wrong. Not that Draco wouldn’t ask for something to do, but there was such a lack of emotion. It was like he wasn’t even paying attention.

“Yes, Mr. Malfoy, could you help me in the potions storeroom?” Without even waiting for a reply, Snape turned and headed for the storeroom.

Draco quickly cleaned up his stuff in a neat pile on his desk. He walked swiftly behind Snape.

Once inside the storeroom Snape closed the door. Draco sighed, thinking to himself, I should have known, Snape misses nothing.

Snape stood with his arms crossed over his chest. He said nothing, he waited for Draco to speak.

“Sir… I really would rather…” Draco stopped his protest as Snape merely raised on eyebrow at him. He should have known better then to argue with Sev.

“Sev… I got a letter yesterday after dinner. A letter from Father.” Snape’s posture became stiffer.

“What did he have to say, Draco?” Draco looked down at his hands, his normally immaculately manicured nails were bitten to the quicks. He reached into his robe pocket and produced the letter from his father. He handed it over to Severus. Who read it quickly, then once more to before handing it back to Draco. He said nothing until he let out a huge sigh. “Draco… What do you want to do? Is this what you want? You know about my double agent status… I know I would never have to fear you revealing me, right?” Severus already knew the answer; he knew he and Draco were very close. He had always helped Draco through the years since his birth, and vice versa for him.

“Sev… I would never… I…” Draco tried to hold back the tears. But two silent tears began to flow down his face. Sev stepped forward and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. “I don’t want to be a deatheater. Why is he forcing me now? He had always said it would be after graduation. I always thought I would be able to leave before it came down to it… There is no way out of this, is there?” Snape took him into an embrace. He felt the shudder that went through Draco, the tears were flowing freely now.

Just as he was about to respond the storeroom door opened and a very surprised Harry Potter was standing in the doorway. Draco stiffened and stepped away from Snape.

“Sir… Neville and Lavender are having a problem.” Looking over Potter’s head he could see a huge purple geyser rising. He swore under his breath and rushed from the room. Leaving Malfoy and Potter alone in the closed storeroom.

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“Hello, Harry.” Draco tried to look as nonchalant as possible. Which was difficult as he was unable to stop ringing his hands.

“Draco… what is going on with you? I know we just started being friends, but this is the second time I have seen you like this.” Harry asked with concern laden in his voice.

“Is that what we are, friends?” Draco looked almost happy, if you ignored the obvious pain he was in.

“Yeah, well…. If you want to be?” Harry absently scuffed his foot across the floor. Not looking directly into Draco’s eyes.

“That could be nice… but it will be more painful this way.” Draco turned his back to Harry.

“What will be more painful? What is happening to you Draco?” Draco’s shoulders slumped as Harry asked him these questions. He reached into his pocket once more and handed Harry the letter from his father, not noticing he had also handed him the envelope marked ‘Sev.’ Harry sat down on a stool as Draco slumped against a wall as far from Harry as possible in the small storeroom. Draco placed his head on his knees closing his eyes tightly.

Harry unfolded the letter and read:

Draco,

You are to come straight home once you arrive from Hogwarts. Dress in your best dress robes and be ready to meet me in the dinning room at 7pm exactly. Out Lord is so pleased, you will be taking the mark this Holiday. He has said you are destined for great things. You will make me proud.

Lucius Malfoy

Harry was upset to say the least. They were giving Draco the Mark over the Holidays. And by the way Draco was acting the last two days, this was not something he wanted.

He was going to say something when the door opened once more Snape looked from Malfoy to Potter, he noticed the cursed letter in Potter’s hand. That was surprising; he saw Draco crumpled in on himself in the corner. He was at a loss as to what to do.

Then suddenly Draco stood. He dusted his robes off, muttered he needed to get to class and was out of the storeroom and the potions classroom in a matter of seconds. Leaving Severus and Harry staring after him.

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Harry told Snape he would be right back. He swiftly went to his desk where Ron and Hermione were waiting for him. They looked at him strangely, what is going on?, was clearly written on their faces. He had told them briefly about his encounter with Draco last night. Ron had not been thrilled but Hermione had quieted him down. Trusting Harry, all she had said was to be careful.

He told them he needed to speak to Snape, that they should go on to their next class. Ron looked reluctant, but went with Hermione when she lead him from the room. After packing all of his things in his bag he returned to the potions storeroom.

Snape was reading the second letter, which Harry had placed down on the stool when he went to get his things. Snape’s normally sour face seemed to scrunched up in another emotion.

“I don’t think Mr. Malfoy meant to hand you this letter, Mr. Potter.” Snape said, with evident pain in his voice.

Harry stood frozen. What was in the second letter, that could be worse then the first. He stepped forward and took the letter from Professor Snape’s slightly trembling hand.

Harry glanced down at the parchment and immediately recognized Draco’s scrawling handwriting, having been partnered with him so many times over the years; he had grown to recognize it.

He read:

Sev,

I know what you must think of me now. I have taken the cowardly route. I can’t find the inner strength you poses. I can’t see any other way. I won’t take the Mark. I was NEVER going to take it. I wish I could be brave like a Gryffindor, but I am truly a Slytherin. I may be cunning, but there is no clever way out of this.

I want you to forget about me, and remember there was nothing you could have done. This is my choice, the only real choice I have ever made.

Goodbye, Sev.

Draco

Harry gasped. Though it never right out said it, he knew what this letter was. It had been or was to be a suicide note. Harry felt a tear slide down his cheek, he looked up to see a single tear roll down Severus’s cheek as well.

End Part 2

To be continued...