Passed Around Dark Lords

59

"Riddle, Malfoys, Headmaster Dippet wants to see you." Draco sighed, putting his things in his bag and reluctantly preparing for whatever the Headmaster wanted. He doubted that it would be a good thing, and with the information he had just received, he was not sure he wanted more bad news. They had boggarts in year six? Why the hell had Lupin been teaching them in year three if it was not supposed to be taught until sixth year? He was going to have to figure something out though, some sort of explanation. he had failed his boggart lesson year three and Lupin had to pull him out hyperventilating and sobbing. His father was always terrifying, and the Boggart had done such a good impression. Had plucked some of the worst memories from his mind, and now? Now Draco was far more traumatized than he was in third year. Draco almost wished he could go back to third year when things were simpler.

Riddle pulled Draco up, wrapping his arm once more around his waist, and Draco waited, glancing back towards Abraxas and Orion. The two stood and together they struck out towards the Headmaster's office. "Why does the Headmaster want to see us?" Tom asked, curious, and his gaze found Orion and Abraxas, but surprisingly, or not so much, it was Draco that answered.

"The school screwed up, Dumbledore played a bad hand with the wrong people in sight, and things spiraled out of control. I will bet that in order to attempt to smooth things over with one of the most powerful families in the wizarding world, Dippet agreed to have me and my friends taken out of school so that I can 'regulate' or 'relax' or whatever excuse they have cooking up."

"They can't take me out of school without parental permission." Orion stated boldly. Draco rolled his eyes.

"Do you truly think your parents will deny the Malfoy Patriarch? Both families are well known, and both run in very close circles. Maybe not friends, but close enough to it, at least as close as you can get in this sort of situation. Besides, you were there, Orion, your parents would have been told, and if nothing more they would agree just out of curiosity. Don't think I don't know. They have you checking up on me. Writing them about me. I'm not entirely blind. They are curious enough to have you spy on me, they will be more than happy to accept an invitation, even if it is just so that you can get out of school and smooth things over with the family." Malfoy's words did make sense, and left Abraxas feeling a bit resentful he had not managed to come to such a conclusion so quickly.

Abraxas knew Draco was cynical, though, and his pessimistic approach to...well everything...meant that this was something that crossed his mind far quicker than it did Abraxas' own. He had no doubt that Orion was in the same boat. Still, it left him feeling annoyed. He was supposed to be the Heir! He had been raised for the position! Abraxas honestly could not understand how one boy simply pops up and puts everything that Abraxas knew to shame. He was a better heir than Abraxas, and perhaps that was why he felt so threatened. Even his profit margins were far better than Abraxas' own had ever been. With no connections forged from birth like Abraxas had had. It was certainly shameful.

"Well, we will find out soon enough," Tom said softly, uttering the password and him and Draco, arm still tightly wound about his waist, walking up the stairwell. Draco was still baffled at how much more accommodating this headmaster's office was than Dumbledore's. Annoyingly enough, Dumbledore was still in the room and had been sequestered to a corner under the sheer amount of people in said room. Draco's body stiffed as he saw the Black family milling around, along with his Patriarch. When Draco was young, Regulus Black, the last heir to the family, had died, Orion and Walburga had died shortly before then, and that left his mother and his aunt Bella. Sure, there had been Sirius but since he was disowned things were a bit finicky in regard to his ties to the family name and fortune. It was what ended with his Second cousin's death, after all. Since he was not technically the heir, kreacher had no real loyalty necessary to him, though Draco wondered what would have happened if Sirius had been reinstated. Unfortunately that had never happened. Regulus died after his parents, and Walburga and Orion were too prideful to consider reinstating him even if Regulus' death had happened earlier. That was what his mother always said, though.

"The newest member of the Malfoy family, hmm?" Arcturus turned striking grey eyes onto Draco, and he had to inwardly groan. Just like all the blacks, barring Sirius and his mother, they were a pale grey as Draco's own. His mom had said his eyes reminded her of Regulus often, especially when he was angry.

"It is a pleasure to meet," Draco bowed perfunctually, and straightened just as quickly. "What exactly is all of this about, headmaster?"

"Enceladus has agreed to have a big outing, with you and your friends. Young Master Black needed permission to leave from his parents and both agreed it would be nice to come along. After the events today, I figured you would do well with some fresh air, and away from the grounds for a bit."

"Right, thank you Sir," Draco turned stiffly back towards the Malfoy Patriarch, and, in a swift reverse move, gripped Riddle by the waist and pulled in towards the Patriarch.

Riddle felt a bit off beat. He had not been expecting such a change of pace, but with just a simple glimpse into the fraying mind of Draco's surface thoughts he knew it was for protection. A part of him scoffed at it. Tom Riddle needed no protection, but the other part warmed at it. Draco, attempting to protect Tom from his family, on both sides, meant that Tom's manipulations were working far better than he could ever hope for!