New Beginnings

Part 8

LESTRANGE AND COHORTS SENTENCED TO DEMENTOR'S KISS

By Lee Jordan

Voldemort's followers may still be roaming the earth, but we are pleased to report that Rodolphus Lestrange, perhaps the most notorious Death Eater alive, now sits in Azkaban. He was captured by Aurors Thursday afternoon. Alongside him, they arrested fellow Death Eaters, Silas Goyle, Gregory Goyle, and loyal ally Fenrir Greyback. Soon, they will face the Dementor's Kiss- a fate, Minister Kingsley Shacklebolt believes, is worse than death.

"They assisted in torturing and ending countless lives," Shacklebolt stated. "I know we can breathe a little easier knowing they're locked away."

Before their sentence is carried out, we're told, the Ministry will be interrogating them with Veritaserum to locate as many other Death Eaters as possible.

Draco swallowed nervously when he read the paper. It seemed he'd only met Goyle yesterday; two young boys getting their wands at Ollivander's. Neither had the slightest idea how dark their lives would become.

He stood in a graveyard. Centuries of his family were buried here, but he could only stare at the fresh layer of dirt where his father lay. Lucius Malfoy had been spineless, prejudiced, and manipulative. Your mother and I will be seriously disappointed if you aren't Sorted into Slytherin, he'd said before Draco left on his first train ride to Hogwarts.

Yet Draco remembered plenty of good things about him, too. He'd introduced Draco to Quidditch, and they'd gone to countless matches. Something they usually did without Narcissa. There was also a bright side to Lucius teaching him dark magic: now, Draco knew how his enemies operated. But, thankfully, it appeared the worst was over.

A fox scampered by. Suddenly, the fox grew, morphing into the shape of a girl in Ravenclaw robes.

"Astoria!" Draco exclaimed.

"You... I thought you were still in training."

"Surprise! McGonagall let slip that a few Gryffindor boys once succeeded with it- illegally, but nevertheless. They're allowed to go through the process at age fourteen in Africa. She saw no reason why I couldn't, so I earned my permit. I am now a full-fledged, registered Animagus."

Astoria talked fast, out of sheer excitement. It would've annoyed Draco once. Yet her joy trickled into him and lightened his grief.

"That's great," he said. "A fox, eh? You transform into whatever animal you're most like. Pretty accurate for you, I think. Smart animal."

"Whereas you, Draco, you'd probably be... oh, I know! A dragon. Your name means dragon."

"I'd rather not breathe fire," he joked, throwing his arm around her waist. She laid her head on his shoulder. Both of them watched over Lucius' grave.

"Thinking about coming back to school?"

Draco nodded. "Yeah. I don't see how I can move on otherwise. Can't be stuck in Hogwarts forever."

"Have I mentioned how proud I am of you? When you told me your plan to catch your uncle, your old allies... I never stopped worrying."

"It was scary, facing them. I think Goyle's the only reason I'm here now." He sighed heavily.

"I know you feel guilty," Astoria said, "but Goyle made his own choices, Draco. You can't blame yourself for his fate."

"I guess not," he replied. She always knew what to say, like she could read his mind.

"Now all you have to face is..."

"N.E.W.T.S." For the first time in months, Draco Malfoy laughed.
*********************************
He and Astoria walked into the Great Hall together on a brisk January morning, a united front. Everybody knew what had occurred. Draco still expected a harsh reaction, but what happened instead completely took him by surprise.

"Welcome back, Malfoy," some people said as he walked past. Others... applauded. What a strange feeling. Even the Slytherins were behaving themselves.

Slughorn moved down from the professors table to greet Draco, grinning broadly. "Bravo! Bravo! I couldn't be more proud of my house. In fact, you should expect an invitation to my next Slug Club party."

"Really?" About time.

"You've earned it."

"Can't wait to go, Professor," Draco replied. Was this how Harry Potter felt on a daily basis?

Draco could get used to it.

Emmett Falcon waved at them to join him for breakfast. They shook hands, grinning.

"Nice to see another friendly face," Draco admitted.

"Wish it were under happier circumstances," Emmett said.

"Me, too."

Now there was one final thing for Draco to set right. "I've been thinking, and, since we're done taking all that delicious Polyjuice Potion-" He made a gagging noise "-we've got to figure out this Quidditch situation."

"Nothing to discuss. You're still on the team, but you'll be playing as yourself."

"What are you talking about?"

Emmett bowed his head meekly. "I sort of... told Daniel Parkinson everything yesterday."

"Why the devil would you do that without my permission? Parkinson hates me."

"Draco Malfoy," the very boy he'd mentioned said from behind him. "I never understood what Pansy saw in you. You aren't half bad a Seeker, though. If you want to come back, I won't stop you."

Maybe Draco's previous words had truly gotten to Daniel, or maybe Professor McGonagall had given everyone a strict lecture about misbehaving, but Draco was too elated to care.

"I'll stay on the team," he announced, "with one condition: you keep your trap shut around me unless you're talking Quidditch."

Daniel rolled his eyes.

"Whatever. See you at practice tomorrow, Malfoy."

"I'll be there."

As they watched Daniel return to his seat, Emmett and Draco shared glances, both with their arms folded.

"Looks like you're out for the rest of the season, Falcon."

"When did I ever actually play?" Emmett replied, chuckling. "Besides, I've got two more years left."

Quidditch was insignificant in the grand scheme of things. But nothing compared to it; flying, dodging Bludgers at the last second and experiencing that rush; catching the Snitch to win the game.

Though Draco lost his father and turned on an old friend, he felt something bizarre coming over him.

Hope.