Passed Around Dark Lords

10

It turns out the stipend that Grindelwald offered him was far more than what Draco had dared to hope. He thought he was going to get something meager, like Hogwarts' funds for the orphaned children, as it turns out the funds wree still meager, just not as bad as Hogwart's own. At the very minimum he was not going to have to worry about new robes and new books. Potion's ingredients were never all that expensive in the first place, and though he would have very little in the way of funds outside of getting his school supplies, he should be perfectly equipped, at least for the year. Granted, he would not be able to get treats on the Train, nor would he have anything in way of funds during the school year, but he knew full well that he was better off than when he had been dropped off in the first place.

"Now, remember," Grindelwald spoke, keeping his voice soft and gentle-Draco bristled at the implication that he was a fragile creature. He had been half way through a war, with a somewhat half crazed incredibly powerful dark lord with a penchant towards rather imaginative torture methods living in his very house having routine meetings in his own drawing room, he could handle his own self in a new time, world, whatever the hell it was that he was currently stuck in. "It is imperative that Albus not be raised conscious of our correspondence."

"I am more than well aware, do not worry. I have a penchant for sending forbidden messages. My Father..." Draco swallowed, shaking his head and ignoring the thoughts. "I am used to it, is all that I am saying, do not fear too much." He straightened stiffly as he spoke, knowing that it was ridiculous but feeling as though he should do something more...say something more, but it was not as though he would be capable of such things. He was lucky that he managed to hold his tongue so far, given his frustration at the whole situation. He hated having to rely on others, it was different if the other was his mother or father, but he was supposed to be the steady one, and for some reason...he felt as though he was lost.

Not that I don't have a good reason for it. Draco thought to himself quietly. I did just get displaced in space and time after being given an absolutely impossible task, tormented by the Dark Lord, shown what should dare happen should I fail such a quest, and stated in no uncertain terms that the Dark Lord felt me the best suited to the task. Then my father gets...into trouble, I get displaced, and now I am in yet...I don't know. I feel somewhat dispondant. Not only have I been displaced, I am being sent...sent back. Back to England, back to Hogwarts. All because I am of schooling age no doubt, and it was just my luck to almost literally run straight into another Dark Lord right after thinking for a split second that I had somehow managed, despite the impossibility, escaped my own. Draco knew that his emotional vulnerability had something to do with his rather large feelings of displacement...both figureatively and literally. It was okay to have emotions, and Draco knew that, it was just that...he was not used to having them ripped from him so easily. He was used to others having to pry them from him.

"Very well, Yusuf shall be the one to take you to the Orphanage." Grindelwald stated, leaving Draco blinking blankly after his words. "The Pureblood that gave you the list." Draco's eyes lit up in recognition. He knew that one, and he supposed...it could be worse. At least Grindelwald does not feel as though he needs to escort me himself. That would be...complicated. More so than the situation already is.

Draco had no idea how it was that he was going to be passed off to the orphanage. He supposed he may not want to know the plan regarding that. It would be rather disconcerting...though he supposed the whole situation was rather disconcerting. He had no idea how he should proceed. It was different then what he was used to, always having such rigid standards and structure to stick with. A predetermined script, but he did not have any of that now. Just his thoughts...which was rather scary if one thought of it. He was so used to at least some sort of structure, to have nothing to really go off of, dictating his behavior was terrifying. And I used to think Father was overbearing...clearly I was horribly wrong. He could not believe the hell he used to give his father at times when it came to reporting and such...now he just longed for some semblance of the same. Sure, he was going to be writing Grindelwald on a monthly basis, but it was just so...so different.

"Yusuf, good to see you, Draco, it would seem, is already prepared." Draco could see Yusuf assessing him. He did not like it, he had to state clearly, and he also had to say that he was not really all that much of a fan of being watched like that. He was used to it, Dumbledore gave the exact same look all of the time, which left him even more baffled as to why it was that Grindelwald was giving this job to this man. Was he just...overly confident? Draco supposed it was not for him to contemplate, as it was not his job nor did it have much to do with him.

"Wonderful, IF we could..." Draco moved forwards easily, gripping onto the pureblood's arm, feeling a bit of wrongness cling to him at the lack of his fingers curling around his father's cane. He was so used to wrapping them around the cool metal, feeling his fingers tremble as his father would sometimes lay his own fingers around his, squeezing tightly...that was when Draco knew that he was in for it when they got to the manor.

This experience was so different from that Draco needed a moment to process it. Not only was his arm gently pulled out of the grasp that it had with the Pureblood once they finished their aparation, not even mentioning the fact that nails did not curve painfully into his arm, but they even moved to steady him, assuming that he would need it no doubt, something which his father would have never even begun to do. Although, Draco knew more than anyone else the increase of trouble he would get if he dared to stumble in his father's presence. Malfoy's were never anything other than perfectly orderly. Something which I have failed to manage several times already. Not more than a week in this land and I am already losing my composure. Father would murder me if he ever saw half of the things which I have done. It was useless to think of such things, however, considering as far as he knew his father was not in this time. Couldn't be, truly, assuming of course that this was the timeline he thought that it was.

"How exactly...." Draco drifted off as he saw Yusuf had transfigured himself. Of course, it was merely a glamour. There likely had been no time to whip up something more complicated, and considering this was muggles, nothing more than a simple glamour was necessary. He wanted to curse himself for being so stupid. Sometimes he made things a little more complicated than they truly needed to be. Whilst he had no clue what it was the other was dressed as, which was sort of annoying, he figured it was likely some sort of muggle authority figure. Whatever it was, Draco did not particularly care as long as it got the job done that it was meant to do. What exactly that job was...he was not entirely sure. The end goal was certainly getting him a place in the orphanage, and managing to keep out of Dumbledore's purview, something he suspected they had already failed at. He was not exactly able to explain his misgivings about this Yusuf, but he certainly had them. There was something...dodgy about him. Of course, these could definitely be misplaced, but he doubted it.

"I will go in with a fevour, just follow along. I do apologize in advance if perhaps I am a bit too harsh or rough with you." Draco wanted to give a wry laugh at that, he was not sure there was much that could be too harsh or rough when it came to him, but he did not. INstead he merely nodded, thanking the other in a more subdued voice. I wonder how much information Grindelwald has given this man. He thought, realizing quite suddenly that he really did not know, and he did not particularly care for not knowing.