The shrill voice of an old woman made everyone in the dark corridor jump in fright. She was awoken because Regulus still wasn't feeling well, and he kept quietly sobbing. Draco and Remus tried to keep him silent, but they failed.
The woman was screaming all types of insults known to wizardkind. They weren't directed to anyone in particular, she was just screaming at everyone in the house.
Draco wanted to say a bad, really bad joke. He wanted to laugh at the woman and say she had to come up with something new. Even if nobody said things like those, Draco knew everyone thought them. The people who lived at the manor weren't talkative enough to say them.
Plus, it would just make Remus worry, and he didn't have time for that.
Quick footsteps came from inside the house and Draco took his eyes away from the screaming woman in time to see Molly and Arthur Weasley running towards the painting. They grabbed the curtains and tried to close them, without success. Remus, who still had Regulus in his arms, passed the baby to Draco and went to help. After a while, too long for Draco's poor ears, they finally managed. They all sighed in relief.
Mr and Mrs Weasley turned to the group and Draco could see the clear sparkle in the woman's eyes when she saw his baby brother.
«Who is this cute baby?» she squealed, taking a step forward to have a better look. Draco instinctively took a step back, unknowingly going behind Remus.
«The baby is Regulus, and the boy is Draco» explained Remus.
The couple's faces were shocked.
«Draco? Draco Malfoy?» started Mr Weasley.
«You look so different from the last time we saw you» added Mrs Weasley with a worried tone.
It was true. Draco didn't have the perfect hair, the perfect face, the perfect smile for every occasion, the perfect muscular body of a quidditch player. He had messy blond locks, eyebags and he was skinnier than he should be. His soul was now scarred by the life of a werewolf, and he couldn't turn back. He didn't even know if he wanted that back.
Why should he want the fake life he had before? Where he always had to be perfect or he'd be a disgrace. If he hadn't been turned, he wouldn't have known Remus as he did. He would still be the arsehole everyone hated.
Not that he wasn't acting like that.
The pain he had to go through made him forget all the good things.
«I know» was Draco's simple reply.
Another person was walking towards them and Draco smelled the strong scent of a wet dog.
«So this is my new cousin,» said the voice of Sirius Black. He had longer hair than the last time Draco saw him, and it looked like he just had a shower. He was smirking at them.
«What's the little one's name?» he said, as said baby reached his arms out as if wanting to touch Sirius' face.
«He's Regulus» replied Draco. Everyone could see Sirius visibly froze, even if he tried to hide it.
«It's a beautiful name» he whispered. Remus put a hand on his shoulder and rubbed it comfortingly.
«Come on, move. I don't want to stay here all day» muttered harshly Mad-Eye, limping towards the end of the corridor. The others followed, and they ended up in what looked like a living room. Inside were Ron and Ginny Weasley playing magic chess in a corner, Hermione Granger reading a book near the fireplace and the Weasley twins whispering to each other in the other corner. They all looked up at the sound of the door opening and Draco wouldn't be surprised if their eyes fell on the floor from how much they widened them.
«Malfoy?!» screamed Ron Weasley, standing up quickly. Draco grimaced. He didn't want to have to deal with them, he just wanted quiet.
«Weasley» he said calmly.
«What is he doing here?» asked the only Weasley girl to her mother, confused.
«He'll be staying with us from now on, sweety» replied Mrs Weasley.
«What?!» said in the same tone as before Ronald.
«Who is the baby?» asked Granger. Regulus was pulling the end of Draco's hair, and he had a hard time at keeping a straight face.
«He's my brother,» he said without emotions.
Shocked faces were looking at him again.
«Since when do you have a brother?» asked one of the Weasly twins. Draco couldn't recognize which was who unless it was close to the full moon, where he could tell by the scent.
«Since ten months ago» replied the blond.
«Come, Malfoy. You have to tell us some things» grumbled Moody, before walking into another room. Draco followed with Regulus still in his arms.
«Don't try to spy on us, kids» Draco could hear Mrs Weasley warn her children and Granger.
They walked into what seemed like the dining room. Draco and Regulus sat in the middle of Remus and Sirius, while the rest sat in front of them.
«Before we start, let us introduce ourselves,» said the bald man.
«I'm Kingsley Shacklebolt and she's Nymphadora-» Nymphadora's eyes flared red as she glared at the man.
«Don't call me that!» she screamed, stopping him mid-sentence.
Remus leaned in and whispered to Draco.
«She prefers being called by her last name» she glared at him too.
«Who would like to be called Nymphadora?!»
Sirius snickered. 'Not-Nymphadora' turned back to Draco.
«Call me Tonks» the blond nodded. He was curious about her name, though. It sounded like the name someone part of his family would have.
«Are we relatives?» he asked.
«Yes, my mother is your aunt» She must be Andromeda's daughter, then. There was no chance she was Bellatrix's daughter.
«Ok, stop the chit-chat now. Why did you come here?» interrupted Moody. The way the ex-professor was looking at him with his magical eye was making him feel uncomfortable.
Draco hesitated a second, but he took a deep breath and finally replied.
«Regulus wasn't safe there» the adults looked at each other, worried.
«Why?» asked Mrs Weasley.
Draco didn't know if he should tell them. Would they go there and capture everyone? That meant his parents would go to Azkaban. Regulus would never meet them. At the same time, it would be better for everyone if they were captured.
Alec.
He suddenly remembered about the younger werewolf he lived with. They would kill him just because he loved his parents too much. It wasn't fair. Nothing was fair.
Draco looked down at his brother in his arms. Pure, blue eyes. How could their parents let Fenrir Greyback walk into their house after what he did to their firstborn? How could they risk him doing the same to Regulus?
What should he do?
He probably looked weird, since everyone was looking at him even more worriedly.
He knew what the right thing to do was, even if he didn't like it.
Before he could answer, he felt something. The worst thing he ever experienced.
It wasn't physical pain but it still left him out of breath. It was like something was suddenly missing. He didn't know what it was, but it was important. He couldn't live without it.
He started panicking. He didn't know what was happening. It hurt, but at the same time, he felt nothing.
Regulus noticed his distress and started touching his cheeks.
Draco felt a hand on his shoulder and he heard a soft familiar voice.
«Draco? Are you ok?» asked Remus.
After that, he couldn't breathe. It was sudden; the moment before he could breathe, the moment after he had his lungs closed. There was no reason at all.
He was looking down and, with his eyes widened, he grabbed his throat tightly, somehow hoping that will help. The adults finally realized what was happening.
Draco's vision was going blurry. He felt a weight being taken off him, and a baby cry. He panicked more. Where was Regulus?
«It's okay Draco, Regulus is with Molly» whispered Remus. That didn't calm him down in the slightest. Regulus' cry was loud, too loud.
«I- I ca- can't-» Draco tried to say, but it was barely understandable. He gripped his throat with both hands now. His unkempt nails cut through his skin and he didn't feel it. Small drops of blood were falling on his hands.
«Could it...» Sirius said before stopping himself, but Draco didn't acknowledge him. He could hear his heart beating loudly in his ears.
Then, he felt a liquid dripping from his chest. His old shirt was now stained red.
«Why is he losing blood?!» Draco could hear Tonks' distant voice.
«Shit» Sirius muttered. He grabbed Draco's free shoulder and turned him in his direction.
«Everyone, get out»
«But-» started Mr Weasley.
«I know what's going on. I'll explain later, just get out» stopped him Sirius. The hand on Draco's right shoulder was lifted and he panicked more.
Remus was going away. Why was he going away?
«Remus, stay here. He needs you»
The hand was back on his shoulder.
Regulus' cries got louder as he was taken out of the room. Draco had to shut his eyes tightly. Everything was too much.
«Kids, this is not the time! Leave him alone!» they heard Mrs Weasley tell her children and Granger.
«Draco, hey, look at me» Draco looked up at Sirius but in his eyes were forming tears, everything was blurry. He could only make out the dark long hair and pale skin.
A moment of silence.
«You've been disowned»
Everything stopped.
Draco stopped moving.
He stopped trying to breathe, stopped thinking.
He stopped gripping his throat.
They made it official.
It all started moving again, too fast.
His tears fell like rivers, faster than the blood on his chest. He opened his mouth, ready to let it all out. Without the blond noticing, Remus understood what he was going to do and cast a quick silencing charm around the room.
Draco screamed.
Who heard could feel the pain. It was a cry of help, but no one could help him. They left him all alone. They left him broken.
He screamed and screamed and screamed and screamed and screamed.
After too long he stopped because his voice left him too.
He didn't even realize he was brought into a hug, or that his lungs were open again and he could smell old parchment, tea and chocolate.
He sobbed in Remus' chest and he didn't dare open his eyes.
He sobbed until exhaustion took the best of him and he lost consciousness, leaving Sirius and Remus to look at each other in worry.