New Beginnings

Camping

Draco balanced his trunk under his arm and stepped out of the hostel elevator. Jim looked up as Draco plonked his room key onto the reception desk.

'Where ya headed this time?'

'Staying with some friends,' Draco said, counting out his coins. 'They've a campsite outside the city.'

Jim frowned as he pulled Draco's invoice out of his file.

'You're not...surely you're not staying with the savages are you?'

'I'm sorry?'  Draco knocked over the pile of dragots in confusion.

'Well,' Jim leaned forward, conspiratorially, 'I heard there's a band of savages living up in the mountains. Group of runaways and thieves, living with monsters who've forgotten their place.'

'Their...place?'

'You know, serving wizard-kind. Way I see it, the aurors need to flush them out. Remind the creatures what they owe us.'

'Huh. I see. Well, um, is that...is that the right money?'

Jim checked the coins Draco handed him and wrote out a receipt.

'Yup. Looks good. You're all squared away. Hey, me and some buddies are going out for a few beers tonight. Wanna join us?'

'Oh, er, can't. I've the late shift. Thanks, though, maybe next time.'

'Yeah, no worries. See ya around! And watch out for the savages!'

Draco waved absently and hurried out of the hostel. Ducking into an alley, he apparated to work.

*****

Stashing his shrunken trunk under his table, Draco tried to focus on the task list in front of him. Jim's words had left an unpleasant aftertaste, especially as Draco knew he would have once said the same things.

'Spoken to Hermione yet?'

'Good morning to you too, Krystel,' Draco said.

'Well, have you?'

'No,' he sighed. 'Will you please stop asking?'

'Not until you stop being an idiot.'

'Good to know.'

*****

Draco and Spartacus walked silently through the forest. The snow had melted slightly, leaving a slippery mush that splattered Draco's clothes.

Tiye sprung out from behind a tree. Draco yelped and staggered backwards. She laughed, her tail twitching as she stood in the middle of the path.

'Hello again, human stray.'

'Tiye, we talked about this,' Spartacus said. 'Draco is joining our herd. Let us past.'

'How about a little riddle first,' she purred, 'to prove his worth?'

Spartacus sighed and looked back at Draco, who shrugged.

'Very well,' Spartacus said. 'Play your little game, Tiye.'

The Sphinx flashed them a toothy grin. Her eyes danced in the torchlight.

'Once you have it, you want to share it. Once you share it, you don't have it. What is it?'

'A secret,' Draco said.

'And that is exactly what we are,' Tiye stalked up the path to Draco. 'Tell no-one of our location. Do you understand me, human stray?'