Oh, Shit

16

His anxiety skyrocketed when he realized he would be the first to be sorted, not the last. As a result, he was forced to separate from Tom and company. Tom, with a fleeting press against his shoulder and a whisper in his ear to 'be good' left for the Great Hall, leaving Draco with Dumbledore, which truly made him want to strangle the old man. Not that he could, he could barely handle doing that in his own time, despite how much he had thought of it, it would definitely ruin his reputation before Hogwarts even began. He did not need to be having them loose points before school even started, technically, though Draco was not sure that was even allowed. Then again, when had Dumbledore bothered doing things the proper way, rather than bending or outright breaking rules for his favorites? He would do the same if it would punish his least desirables. Draco had seen it happen over and over again when the old idiot was Headmaster, and did not particularly relish having to deal with it once more only this time as him being a teacher. It would definitely make things more complicated.

The waiting did not happen for as long as Draco feared it was. The first years showed up, watching him curiously, which Draco studiously ignored. Dumbledore left, the transfer was spoken over by Headmaster...who ever was headmaster at this time. If Draco's logs were correct it should be Armando Dippet, and from what he had managed to gather, the other was Headmaster for quite some time, with great successes. It was next to no time that his name was called, and Draco pushed the doors open, leading the first years in, ignoring their gaggle and awe as he strode to the had, which confidently once more placed him in Slytherin before it even touched his head. Draco couldn't help but smirk at that. He felt a bit of pride, at his sorting going the same six years later...technically six years. He had never had any doubt that his house was Slytherin. He was proud to be one as well.

Walking briskly to the Slytherin Table, he was met part of the way there, by Tom, his Prefect Badge gleaming in place. Tom guided him, arm around his torso as he did so, much to the surprise and slight concertation of others in the Great Hall. Nobody was even paying much attention to the first several first years that were getting sorted, instead focused on watching this sudden appearance of a Malfoy around Abraxas' age, sorted in Slytherin, and clearly having garnered the seeming impossible affections of one Tom Riddle. Many were jealous, others just confused, and some were curious and interested. Draco did not much care for any of them. Instead he was focusing on the person besides him.

"Did you behave?" Tom muttered under his breath, fingers digging into his ribs as he asked the question.

"Yes, Sir," Draco stated back, equally as quite, though slightly more out of breath from the abrupt sensation on his side.

"Good," It was all that Tom had said, but Draco could not quite help the warm feeling that spread through him at that. Good...He could scarcely remember the last time his Father, or Mother, Godfather, tutors, teachers, or really anyone barring Tom had ever stated that he was good at anything. Perhaps that was why he seemed too subservient to this...this Tom. Perhaps it was the familiarity of his magic that sent shivers down his spine as it reminded him of...his other self. Perhaps it was something entirely different, Draco did not really know. He would presume it was probably a mix, considering he had not even managed to make the correlation of his even being the Dark Lord of his time until his grandfather had called him 'my lord'. It had been a somewhat startling realization, but one that Draco felt proud he held in quite well. Besides, he had a feeling that a part of himself had truly suspected such a thing, but just had not given way to allow the suspicions to bear fruit.

Tom led Draco right to the middle of the table, shoving Abraxas slightly further down the table, ending in the entire bench shuffling minorly down a bit. Tom would never typically do something like this, but Draco was quite the special case. He was his...project. His little Pet. Personally, Tom felt as though Draco was far more fun to deal with than Abraxas. Of course, he had made do with the people that he had been given and managed to influence, Abraxas being the most fun of those people, but even then, Draco held a different sense of...submission. Something about it made Tom want to test it, to truly see how subservient the sixteen year old truly was to him. He was not stupid, he knew a part of Draco feared him, that had been obvious enough in their lessons, but a part of him admired him, idolized him, and craved his praise to an extent as well. It was...invigorating. Furthermore there was just something more...pure to it than the attentions Tom had received from others. It was more fascinating seeing the subservient nature on something so dangerous. Abraxas was obedient too, yes, but there was no hesitation or reluctance in the obedience of Draco. Tom wanted to continue to toy with him, and to do that he had to ensure that none others would toy with what was his. Draco was his pet, after all, and he could not be allowing others to mess with him. Tom had his own distinct plans with Draco that were far from the plots that he had with his other followers.