𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐀𝐘 𝐈𝐍

Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Some Things Never Change, The Odd House Guest

Wealthy was not a term Draco Malfoy ever used to describe himself. Rich wasn't even close either. The halls of Malfoy Manor were every bit as magnificently gleaming as ever as he took his long confident strides toward the main hall ignoring all of it.

It had been six years since graduation from Hogwarts, and six years since the one irritating brat had brought about Voldemort's downfall in death. Draco remembered the day very well. He was there. He saw it all. The killing curse was as green as Potter's emerald eyes when he cast it. Draco ran with the other Death Eaters when their Master fell. But unlike every other loyal follower in Voldemort's immediate presence that night, Draco had survived.

The Ministry of Magic did the inquiries, investigations and interrogations all to the best of their abilities, but in the end, no one could prove that Draco had been with Voldemort in his manor with the other Death Eater leaders on that fateful night. The only one who'd actually seen and recognized the silver eyes under the hood, were the piercing green ones of the enemy. Their gazes locked only briefly in some type of silent conversation before Draco fled and the aurors came bursting through every window and door.

Harry Potter. The name was legend enough for any wizard worth his salt. The little shit was born to defeat evil and every other thing it seemed. After Voldemort's destruction, Harry graduated Hogwarts with honors, of course, and had seemingly just almost disappeared. At some regal functions he'd appear briefly always in the company of the oldest man alive. Dumbledore had always taken Harry under his wing and protected and coddled him like some stray dog that nobody wants but is fun to play with until you tire of it.

The days after Voldemort's death waned into weeks, months and years. Lucius Malfoy was killed just two years ago by some vigilantes who'd banded together to come after former Death Eaters who'd killed family members of the group. Luckily, Draco was cunning enough to not been a target. Narcissa Malfoy took her younger Italian wizard lover only weeks after Lucius' death and had left with him for Rome. Draco had known the woman had been nailing the ebony haired stud for at least a year, so it was no surprise. The surprise did come when Draco inherited everything, leaving Narcissa nothing. Draco had graciously given her a portion of the Malfoy accounts at Gringott's so she'd never have to lift a finger. She'd have committed suicide if she ever had to wash a dish anyway. Draco doubted that the woman had ever even seen the kitchen in the Manor and he vaguely knew of it's whereabouts in this cold palace himself.

Draco stood emotionless in the grand entryway of Malfoy Manor and adjusted his perfectly exquisite wizarding robe. He expertly fitted the clasp there at his breastbone. Draco took in his appearance. Pale smooth skin, translucent blond hair, striking silver eyes...same as always except for age. Twenty three was looking good for Draco. He ran his finger over the clasp at his chest and remembered the day he'd received it for his birthday from Celeste.

After graduation, Draco had vacationed with Blaise Zabini and Theodore Nott on an excursion of France, Italy, Germany and Greece. Draco had met Celeste there. After a few short months of nothing but meaningless sex, Celeste was pregnant. Lucius demanded that Draco marry her and raise their unwanted pureblood child. And...as always, Draco obeyed his father much to his own personal displeasure. Draco had never been one for commitment in any sense of the word.

When Celeste was six months pregnant, it was determined that the child was stricken with a very rare form of bone disease and would never survive. The child was taken so that Celeste would live. After that incident, she was never the same and ended her life only four months later.