What if He had a Choice?

35

Severus sighed as he brought the two to the Hogwarts school, feeling far out of his element. He had not expected to have to retrieve Lucius' kid from the Muggle police force, but he supposed there were many things that he did not anticipate when it came to Lucius. He could not even say that he was surprised that the Muggle Police had been called on Lucius. He was surprised that this was the first time, actually, that it had happened. As much as Lucius cares for the Malfoy image, he was not exactly the most...careful parent when it came to Draco. Then again, it was not as though Lucius tended to walk through King's Cross Station to get to the platform. In fact, he rarely, if ever, did unless there was a reason for it. There was almost always a Portkey used instead. He glanced backwards towards the dark haired boy...Tom the name was apparently. He did not know much but he knew enough to agree that Tom was some sort of adopted child. It was clear that there was something going on between him and Draco, and though he was not entirely certain what it was, he would let it lie for now. He did not have the patience nor the desire to figure it out at the moment.

"Draco, why is it that Lucius used the standard way of getting to the train, rather than the portkey he normally does?" He stopped, causing both children to halt hastily. "In fact, as long as I have known him, the Malfoy family never goes through the Train Station. It is unsightly and useless for them. So...why is it that was the route that he had suddenly decided upon?"

"Father has been quite busy as of late, he did not have the time to get a Portkey." Draco dutifully informed. That Tom kid held onto Draco tightly, his arm entwined around Draco's. Severus sighed, staring at the two children with frustration. Even if Lucius did not get a Portkey, it was perfectly acceptable to apparate to the platform as well. He glanced at the dark haired boy. There was more to this than what Draco was sharing, but he could not pursue the matter much longer. The boy needed to be sorted, and the first year sorting was almost finished by now.

"You are lucky that I managed to get you, please attempt to refrain Lucius from getting arrested by Muggle police in the near future. It is hard enough to deal with muggles in a general sense, let alone those stupid government officials who think they know everything." Draco could detect the hostility in his Godfather's tone, but he was not stupid enough to ask on it. Instead, he decided to ask more about what to expect with his father.

"What about Father? He was left at their station thing. What does that mean for him? He is not going to get into trouble, right?" Severus almost rolled his eyes, but he was a teacher and as such, had more decorum then to debase himself to such reactions. Particularly to questions that he did not wish to answer. He has had quite the large amounts of practice to ensure such things, working with morons on a daily basis. Furthermore, it was not as though the question itself was stupid. Draco did not have much in the way of a muggle education after all, it made sense that he was confused to such things.

"Your father will be subjected to basic questioning, and then released soon enough. There is no need to worry about such things. If they did not need a confession, they would not have dragged you along, nor would they have been so insistent on questioning everyone. As it were, they have no evidence to prove that Lucius has done anything overtly harmful, and even if they did, Lucius would easily manage to get out of the situation by using his Ministry connections. You do not need to worry about that." Severus reassured, turning once more and striding up towards the Castle doors, effectively ending any other questions that the boy may have.

Their entrance was definitely dramatic, in Draco's mind, but the first year sorting was all but finished and all that was left was to sort Tom, considering that he was a supposed new student. It was a bit weird to see Dumbledore absent from the headmaster chair, and to see McGonagall instead, but he supposed it did not really matter very much. He was glad that they would not have to worry about these sorts of things. Remus was still a teacher, something which Draco was both dreading, and excited for. He hated the teacher with every ounce of his being, but at the same time he was as of yet the only real competent teacher to date. Draco would prefer a teacher who knew what he was doing over one that did not either way. There was some new teacher for Transfiguration, but Draco supposed that considering McGonagall was no longer the teacher but the headmaster, and Dumbledore was not yet allowed back at Hogwarts that made sense. He was glad for it, even if having yet another new teacher made him want to scream.

Draco did not waste time in moving towards the Slytherin table, taking his spot at the centre of it, turning to watch as Tom was sorting, almost immediately-similar to his own sorting-into Slytherin. There was a smirk on his face as he slid through the tables towards the Slytherin one. Draco easily caught Tom's hand and pulled him to sit next to himself whilst the entire hall just remained almost dead silent. Nobody knew a 'Riddle' after all, and it was definitely not a pureblood name. Tom and Draco both ignored the almost angry looks that everyone in the Slytherin house were giving them as Draco shoved Crabbe and Goyle down a pedastel in favour of Tom. Draco knew that he was going to have to explain such things, but for now he was content to eat with Tom besides him.