Standards

CHAPTER 12

"Hello kiddo'. What are you doing here." A female clad in hunting gear walked out from behind the trees and Neville and Draco looked up at her in alarm.

The female just raised her eyebrows. 'They look cute.' She thought to herself. Her eyes landed on the dagger and narrowed her eyes, she finally found her dagger. A little anger filled her at the sight of her dagger covered in blood.

"What happened?" She asked as she pointed at their hands.

"Nothing. Who are you?" Neville stepped forward and asked.

"I am the owner of that dagger." She said and then gave a small bow. The two children's magic was strong and it seemed to have drawn her to them. And finding her dagger was just a bonus.

Draco looked her up and down and frowned. She was wearing slytherin colours from what little he knew about the other kingdoms he knew that. She was a rather beautiful and well put together female.

"Give it back." She ordered and Neville first performed a cleaning spell and then gave it back to her with a small bow of respect.

"What is your name?" Draco asked as he stepped forward. He wanted to get to know the other because he felt connected to her. Like she just may be family. Draco in that moment realized that he did nor have as many relatives as he should. But he quickly shook it of cause he has his parents and younger siblings and Neville. And Molly and Arthur and then there are his betrothes too.

"Shadow." She said with her eyes narrowing. The boy looked familiar but she couldn't put a finger on it.

"I am Draco and this is my friend Neville. Were you hunting?" Draco introduced him and then asked as he looked at the way they were dressed. He knew this was hunting attire because he had seen it.

"Yes I was." Shadow replied after considering if she should tell them or not and decided to just tell them.

"Can you teach us? Harry doesn't want to teach us because he is scared he will not be able to protect us if something went wrong because of his leg." Neville said with an excited twinkle in his eyes. Shadow smirked as she looked at the two young children, they gave her vibes that told her they were powerful and craved knowledge like ravenclaws.

"I will." She replied with a smirk and the three went back and forth for about two hours before Draco and Neville thought it was time to go back.

When they stepped back into the manor they were embraced in a hug by a sobbing Lucius. Neville's eyes widened as he was also snatched into the hug by Lucius, he had not thought that Lucius actually cared for him.

"Do you know how worried I was. Never ever just go into the forest like that. Neville, Draco please never ever do something like that again. You terrified me." Lucius cried out as he pulled back from the hug and Neville and Draco looked down in shame.

"We had left a message mama. You did not have to worry about is like that." Draco said with tears filling up his eyes.

"I am not like your Harry, Severus and Tom. They can be cold hearted and block out emotions but I can't. I can't bear the thought of losing any of you, even you Neville." Lucius said and Neville blushed.

Neville and Draco wrapped their hands around Lucius and he pulled them closer to him. Lucius had avoided talking with Tom and Severus because he was dieing in worry. While Harry had just said that if they had not came back within three hours he will send a search party into the forest.

And they did come back, a little late but they came back. But Lucius during that time period had decided that he will punish Harry. He did not know how but he will make Harry beg.