Draco Malfoy's Perspective

Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Christmas Day. Violet woke up in a small room in a dingy flat, expecting nothing more than a nice breakfast.

Then she heard a commotion in the dining room/family room. With a frown, she got to her feet and walked out. Household fireworks exploded everywhere around her; a tree that she had helped put up two days ago was covering two carefully wrapped presents; Vincent was standing behind it all smiling broadly at her.

"Merry Christmas!" Vincent said.

"To you too! Where did you get all these?" she laughed as fizzing whizzbees zoomed around the flat.

"Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. It's the only place in Diagon Alley that stills sells stuff like this." He beamed at her. "Come sit! Open your gifts!"

She sat down and tore at the wrapping of the first one, a small box about the size of her palm. A time turner. "How did you get one of these?"

"Department of Magical Law Enforcement, remember? I nicked it off a twelve-year-old who didn't have clearance for it. No paperwork needed, and since you'll be at Hogwarts, no one can trace it to you. I thought it might be useful. One turn for every hour you want to go back."

She chuckled and slipped the chain over her head. It was long enough for two people to be wearing it at the same time. "Thank you." Even though it's technically illegal.

The next was a larger box, but still small enough to be for jewellery. The contents were something she didn't recognise. Giving her brother a confused look, he laughed and sat down in front of her.

"This is something of my own creation," he said, lifting it out of the box. It was another necklace, just shorter than the time turner. He stared at it for a moment, then turned anxious eyes to Violet. "The Dark Lord has returned. Everyone knows it, even if the Ministry denies it. The charm on this necklace has within it the magic used to create the Dark Mark. It will tell you if you're in a dangerous situation or around dangerous people, and it will trick the people around you into thinking that you're one of them, whether you're around Death Eaters or the Order of the Phoenix. It's protection. I went to Dumbledore for help with it, so you can be certain that it'll work."

A protective charm made by Dumbledore and Vincent. Violet slipped the thick silver chain over her head and put the charm down her shirt. The time turner would also have to go there, but not right now.

~

Two necklaces. Both under school robes. Violet didn't tell Theresa what Vincent gave her. That was to be a secret; especially the protective charm. If anyone knew about it, it would be coveted. Stolen, quite possibly. Probably by Pansy.

"Vi," Draco greeted, sitting down beside her. A few seconds later Crabbe and Goyle came in and sat on either side of Theresa, who wrinkled her nose.

"We may allow your presence, Draco," she said, "but the mindless wonders aren't welcome."

He nodded them out. "Wait in our compartment."

They did as he said. Mindless wonders. What an accurate way to describe them. Violet smirked.

Draco looked at Violet. "How was your holiday?"

"Good." She was appeased to the knowledge that while Draco was working for You-Know-Who, her charm wasn't reacting to his presence. That meant he wasn't dangerous to her. "Your own? You don't look quite as ill."

"You were right; my mother was not happy with me not taking care of myself."

Theresa snorted. "A feast every meal for the entire holiday?" she asked.