What a Terrible Mess

Chapter 1

Draco sat quietly only chair in the living room of the shrieking shack. His ward lay still in the bed across the room, his chest rising and falling steadily. Blaise Zabini sat indian style against the wall behind the bed. All three occupants were ragged and dirty. They'd been hiding here, with many many disillusionment charms and wards set up for two months. They knew it would be time to move the old wizard again soon but they'd run out of places to hide and the old man was not well just yet. Blaise was the first to break the silence,

"Dray, we have to go back to school. I discovered a tunnel here that leads to Hogwarts. It's the only safe place left- the only place to go."

"We're dead, Blaise. He's dead. We. Are. Dead. If we go back. The school is unsafe without Dumbledore. What if He... he..."

Draco let his voice trail off into silence and both men stared blankly at the old man. They were tired and ragged, their nerves were shot. It had been discovered by Voldemort that Narcissa had been unfaithful to Lucius and Draco was, in turn, not a Malfoy. Nor was his mother a pureblood as her mother had strayed as well. Narcissa, being the only blonde in the Black family, had inherited her Veela father's traits. She had inherited the need for a mate. So had Draco. This enraged the dark lord and he had captured Draco, when Narcissa had gotten away. Or maybe she was dead, Draco didn't know. No one was as interested in a female Veela anyway, they were common. However, there hadn't been a male Veela in over eight hundred years. Disgusted that he had almost given a half blood such as Draco the dark mark Lord Voldemort had went through every single one of his minions, eventually discovering the Zabini's. All Draco and Blaise had gathered was that Blaise also was not pureblooded. There had been only one Zabini that was not pureblooded, over a thousand years ago. No one in the family had even known. But Lord Voldemort had discovered it. He had ordered Blaise captured as well. Blaise was supposed to be something called a mangiodrago- direct translation in that language (that Blaise mysteriously understood suddenly) was 'Dragon Eater'.

The boys had been examined, poked and prodded and tortured to no end. Scars covered them, they were no longer their once handsome Slytherin selves. Professor Snape had eventually found out that they were there, and what was going on. He'd risked his own life to free them. They didn't know if he was still there, or if he'd been killed during the escape. On the way out, the boys had discovered Albus Dumbledore, long supposed to have been dead, chained to a wall and dying. They had left him there and escaped quickly. They had assumed that it wasn't him, but a trick played by the dark lord to capture them. They had exited quickly to hide in the forests for two weeks- dodging dangerous animals. Afterall, they had both witnessed Dumbledore's death in the same battle that they'd been captured.

They had tried to go to Hogwarts before, approaching through the Forbidden Forest. It was during a holiday break so they knew many other students wouldn't be there- a hundred at most. Yet, something happened that amazed them, as soon as they neared the castle, before they could even seen it they had scented the air like animals- sensing their mates. For both boys were bound to find their mates, called 'bondmates'. Bondmates were like soul mates for wizards but much more powerful, with a stronger bond. The male Veela, unlike the female, would die without his mate. So would the Mangiodrago, Blaise also seemed to mysteriously know this as well. They had both gone into over drive, surveying the school and scenting the air. The stench of Death Eater was everywhere around their beloved's. The school had been compromised. If they were to enter, their loved one's would be in grave danger. Taking their mate's would be the only way to control their great power, Voldemort had said so himself.

Yet, the boys had ached so much sense then. They were weak and broken, itchy and most likely dying from not seeking out their mates as they were destined to do. Yet, a little voice- a large voice, rather- told them to push forward, to defend their bondmates.

"Draco, we need more healing potions than this, we need stronger magic. We have to do something. Dumbledore can make the school safe... we have to find a way for *them* Draco..."

"I know Blaise, we have to risk it... there is no other way." Draco snapped, irritable and itching to find his mate.

"Let's go back to school, the Spring break is almost over, we both got our owls. We'll cast disillusionment charms," Blaise was talking quickly- a plan forming in his head- Draco quickly fell into pace with his friend-

"But not here Blaise, they'll be watching for our wand signatures..."

"Outside of Gringott's after we move our vault's again, we'll get money for books and clothes, more potions for the old man..."

"We'll need a lot of those. I'll take care of that," they both knew Draco would be a Potions Master one day, "and a place to hide him, we can't keep him *here* though we do need a place close to the school."

"T-There's a shack in t-the F-Forbidden Forest, it used to be Hag-rid's he will keep me ssssafe."

Both boys looked up in utter shock as the Headmaster spoke. He was barely able to, his voice hoarse and losing consciousness quickly.

"Hagrid? That giant oaf?" Draco and Blaise chimed together. The Headmaster almost seemed to attempt a laugh before coughing himself nearly into a coma.

"Go... get him. He is loyal to me...go when you go to schoo-" the Headmaster was out again.

"At least he's doing better?" Blaise offered, staring at Draco. Draco arched one eyebrow (though half of it was just a scarred mess) in response. Blaise then seemed to snap out of a thoughtful trance. "We have to be at school tomorrow, let's *do* this."

Draco smiled deviously, excitement coursing through his body. He would get to find his mate, he would protect them from the war. No one would stop them.