Behind the Shadows [Book One]

Chapter Ten:

Chapter Ten:

Instead of sitting next to Harry and his friends as I'd planned to do for Christmas, I sat next to Draco and laughed as he mimicked professors and other students. I was slightly ashamed to say that I laughed the hardest as he made fun of my brother and the other two that sat with him.

After lunch I went back to the Slytherin Common Room, and we messed about a bit. I told him about my muggle life, and he told me how other wizards grew up. He told me about his family, all their dirty secrets out in the open just for me to know. It was then I realized he trusted me, he told me he had never told anyone before about his parents hatred of mudbloods (witches or wizards with non-magic parents; the term meaning 'dirty blood') and half-bloods.

It was about an hour before supper when I realized that Draco must not have been the only Slytherin to stay behind for the holidays, as two dim-looking boys came in and seemed to freeze as they caught Draco and I laughing together.

"Crabbe, Goyle, there you two are. Where have you been?" Draco demanded of the boys and I quickly stood up as they kept staring at me.

"Sorry, I'm just going to head off. See you at supper, Draco."

The blond-haired boy didn't reply, simply nodded my way as I showed myself out; all the while those two watched me. Creepy little prats.

***

I lied, I would wear the cloak he'd given to me every chance I got. I put it on not long after I'd opened it up, and I kept it on the rest of the night, only taking it off before I fed Gumball (my now fully-grown yet ridiculously small for his age) cat and showered. I wore it nearly every day after that, without fail.

Days turned into weeks, and weeks quickly made their way to months as everyone waited to see what would happen next with all the attacks. It seemed (to me and everyone else) that the attack on our school was over and we could finally rest easily.. but that idea was very quickly dismissed when on May eighth there was a second double attack.

My brother's friend, 'Granger' (as that was the only name I knew her by thanks to Draco) and a girl named Penelope Clearwater were found petrified. Honestly, I felt bad.. slightly because my brother and his other friend, Weasley, were terrified that they wouldn't get their pal back.. but mostly because I didn't feel all that bad.

I wanted to feel sorry for the people who were hurt or petrified or missed their friends; I wanted to be scared for my life that I may be next but I wasn't. The only thing I was scared of was losing this school, my safe haven, and losing Draco.

The boy in question thought it was hilarious that I was more scared to lose him than I was to lose my own sibling, and it was in that moment that I started to think that maybe... just maybe.. something was really really wrong in my head.

That day we lost Headmaster Dumbledore and apparently Hagrid (the gameskeeper; whatever that meant) was taken to Azkaban (which new to me, was a prison for very dangerous Witch or Wizard criminals. We were told that all was well again, the culprit had been taken in and no more attacks would happen and nobody need fear because Hogwarts would not be closing.

I think Draco was actually a bit upset that it was said Hagrid was the heir of Slytherin, that some giant oaf and his pet was causing all the students to wind up petrified but I was just relieved. Relieved that I could finally put it behind me and not need to worry about being sent back with Aunt Petunia and Vernon or Aunt Marge. I would have these few weeks before summer vacation before leaving to my inevitable demise.

***

"Come home with me."

I stared deadpan at the idiot boy in front of me before rolling my eyes and turning away; only to be roughly turned back around with his hand placed firmly on my wrist. "I'm serious, Amaryllis, come home with me. Don't go back to those disgusting muggles you call family. My mum says you can stay with us for the summer."

"Yeah? And what will you do when the police come looking for me, when missing posters are put up all over Surrey?"

"They don't care about you that much, and you know it."

The words hurt, despite how true they rung in my ears and my eyes strayed to Gumball as he chased around a bug of some sort. "What about my cat, can he come? And Bambino? Will your parents hate me for being a Potter?"

"I've told them all about you, the cat and dog can come but the cat has to stay in your room because Mother is allergic; nobody will hate you or mistreat you like they do at your so-called family's home. Come with me."

I pushed him away, grinning as I did so before turning around. Excitement bubbled within me, threatening to spill over like a boiling cauldron. Brown hair swished behind me as my favourite (and only) cloak billowed behind me. I felt the tail-end of it slap Draco in the legs but could only take off running without a care in the world.

"Only if you can catch me, Malfoy!"

***

The next day found all the petrified students healthy and moving once more, Filch looked happier than he'd ever been in probably his entire existence, Hagrid had apparently returned (something Draco was none too happy about), and Dumbledore was back where he rightfully belonged. I'd missed the old man, the days seemed brighter when he was around; as if he gave the entire school hope for the future.

Draco seemed more upset than usual when the post came, and angrier than I'd probably ever seen him.

"Your brother got my father sacked as school governor! He freed my house elf!"

"What's a house elf?"

"Nevermind the bloody elf, he got my dad sacked!"

Biting my lip, I glanced over to where my brother should have sat with his two friends only to notice that none of them were there. Sighing, I shook my head and returned to listening to Draco complain about how much he hated my brother. I hated him too, just because of him I had to listen to it all; and because of him there was a very large chance I wouldn't be welcome in the Malfoy home any longer.

As if reading my mind, Draco stopped talking about how much my brother was a disgusting magical being, and instead said, "Father and Mother say they're still looking forward to having you stay this summer."

Needless to say, Draco had caught me the day before, none too gracefully as he had tackled me and made me bite my tongue, but a deal was a deal; and as long as they'd have me, I was definitely staying with the Malfoy's rather than the Dursley's. Hopefully this summer would be much better than all my others; I had high expectations.

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[[A/N: I really rushed through this ._. Im sorry! I just want to get on with the actual story -.- Next chapter will jump to her fourth year (Order of the phoenix). Just for an idea of what happens between now and then, every summer she stays with the Malfoys, every day she becomes more and more shallow and more like Draco. She begins calling the Malfoy's Mum and Dad, though can't quite think of Draco as a brother. She hears second hand most of what happens to Harry between now and then, never figures out that Sirius Black is her Godfather, never so much as sees him, but seems to get along quite well during the summer between her third and fourth year with Bellatrix, right after she escapes from Azkaban. Bellatrix takes a very strong liking to the girl, and unbeknownst to her, begins feeding Voldemort with information about her.

Tada, that's all you get for information between what happens between now and the beginning of Amy's fourth year, which is when next chapter will take place. I hope you stick around for that, it could be awhile before I'm able to upload again.. ((SORRRRRRY)) ]]