Phoenix

Chapter One

I remember the day I really noticed him like it was just yesterday. I was five years old when my parents brought me to his house. At such a young age I still remember being absolutely fascinated by him. His silver, blonde hair, his eyes that I swear changed colors depending on his mood, the fact that his favorite color was black. He has always been a Malfoy through and through.

Draco and I grew up together. I remember many nights Draco, Blaise Zabini, Atlas Silver and I would roam the many empty halls of Malfoy Manor while our parents sat in on "secret meetings." As we got older we would huddle together as quietly as we could and press our ears to the door trying to listen in to what the adults were talking about, but there was always multiple silencing charms put on the rooms and doors that we never heard anything. We didn't know just how scary those meetings were.

I remember the day that Blaise, Atlas and Draco received their Dark Marks, because I wasn't a son I wasn't made to get one like they were, but I was there. I stood in the corner of the darkened room, my legs feeling like they would give out underneath me at any moment. The Dark Lord scared me. I had been raised to follow whatever he asked of me, but he still made me feel uneasy. The way that it seemed like he floated across the floor instead of walked, the snake that he always kept close and would stare at you like you were its next meal. Everything about him seemed so unnatural. I tried to always keep a blank look on my face whenever he was around so he wouldn't sense my fear of him.

--

"Already another year going back to this place," Draco groaned as he placed his large brown, leather bag into the overhead compartment before sliding across the bench, up to the window. I followed next to him and listened as Blaise chuckled, sliding in across from us.

"Every year you complain, and yet every year you go back," Blaise shook his head. I smirked as Draco rolled his darkened eyes. He fiddled with the ends of his sleeves and I knew it was because he was trying to keep his mark concealed. Draco wasn't ashamed of his mark, but they were all told to keep it hidden from the students at Hogwarts. We were all told that we would be spies inside of the school this year and were to report back to the Dark Lord monthly on what was happening.

I didn't understand why Snape couldn't just do that job, and I'm still not sure why I have to report back too even though I don't have the mark. It scared me to know that he was watching me at all times.

"If I didn't go back, I'd be killed," Draco said through his teeth, crossing his arms over his chest. I watched as his chest slowly rose and fell with each breath he took. He was nervous. I carefully reached my hand out and placed it on his thigh in an attempt to calm him down. His eyes softened but stayed focused on the back of the bench behind Blaise as he steadied his breathing. I kept my hand resting on his leg since there was no protest to it being there. Draco didn't always like to be touched. Actually most of the time he hated any kind of physical contact, but there were a few times, like right now, where he would accept it.

"The party is fuckin' here!" Our attention snapped to the dark haired boy that stood at the door to our train compartment, a smile overtook my face immediately as my best friend, Atlas Silver, threw his bag onto the shelf above our seats and slid in beside Blaise. "Still hanging with the boys I see, Phoenix," he chuckled, folding his hands on top of the table. I stared at the amount of silver rings that circled Atlas' fingers and smirked inwardly to myself.

"Must you be so fuckin' loud all the time, Silver?" Draco huffed. He shifted his leg away from my touch and I knew to just leave him be. I knew Draco was stressed out. He was the one that had the most to lose if his tasks were not fulfilled in the way the Dark Lord wanted. The Malfoy name was known by every witch and wizard alive. Draco had to uphold the family name and make his father proud.