3A/N: Here's the second chapter of Pure and Mud! Hopefully it's decent and review/comment! Once again, 'Don'tForgetThePincers' is not another account for me. Just an amazing friend and writer!
Any form of constructive criticism will be welcomed since everyone is merely striving to become better! :)
I'm not going to be putting up warnings for every chapter, nothing too harsh should be included in this fanfic. Just keep in mind it's rated T. Also, note for my other fanfic, I will be looking over it, correcting mistakes, but keeping the plot similar. So, no new chapters for now, just makeovers!
1985
Draco's Pov
Nott Manor
Yanking the silver chest open, I quickly climbed inside, holding my breath as I heard Theo finish counting. It was a Saturday and an unexpected visit, which, of course, led to much more mischievous customs. Grinning from ear to ear, I sat in the slightly congested area and patiently waited for him. From inside the metallic trunk, I could hear his shoes thump all over the house, and a couple giggles escaped my mouth, much to my disappointment. Joining my hands together with a small clap, I struggled to get comfortable; my knees were aching, and I desperately wanted to stretch my legs.
Strands of white-blond hair fell into my view as I pushed them away irritably. And that was when I heard his voice. I realized with a smirk that he was calling for me. The chest had a thin ray of light, ensuring I wasn't trapped in complete darkness; through that, I could see Theo wander around aimlessly. As I lifted my head to see clearer, it banged against the top as I moaned. While shuffling around even more, the chest lid opened, displaying Theo's smirk and his shaggy brown curls.
I let out a half-whine, half-groan as he snorted, "Drake, this is the fourth time you've hidden here!"
"How was I supposed to know you hadn't given up on checking here?" I retorted back, climbing out of the chest with a scowl.
He didn't answer; he just smiled at me and suggested a walk around the manor, to which I readily agreed. His was no different from mine, maybe a tiny bit smaller since my father must have spent a fortune on ours. Or it might have been passed down; I hadn't bothered asking such useless questions. Theo's manor wasn't entirely made up of different shades of black, but rather a mix. His room was a deep, emerald green, while the parlor was a shade of beige.
Again, I wasn't sure who chose the color scheme for Malfoy Manor; my mother would have definitely decorated it more elegantly. I guess Father decided he preferred the job done as quickly as possible. Which didn't make a difference to me, though it would have been more comfortable to stay in a place that didn't represent gloom.
We walked in silence, lost in our own thoughts, until we heard voices from the study. As usual, I suppose every pureblood had empty manors, mostly, up to 4-5 people would live inside. There would be one room to talk. My father's and Nott Senior's, I acknowledged silently.
Yes, I and Theo did visit each other quite often, but this one held an urgent note. My father practically demanded that I dress appropriately, and here I am now. Standing in a grey shirt, while my pants were charcoal black. It hadn't occurred to me that we had wandered all over the manor to finally end up at the study. I turned to Theo but stopped once I realized his face shone with fear. My gaze left his face and returned to the study. I could hear his father loud and clear. His voice echoed everywhere, and I wondered how I hadn't heard it until now. It would be impossible to try to block his gruff voice.
"My father requested for us not to disturb them," Theo said quietly, capturing my attention as he messed with his curls nervously.
"Okay…" I mumbled back, staring awkwardly at Theo for a while before my face lit up. "Wanna play Quidditch?"
The unusual fear disappeared in a second, and he laughed lowly. Probably being careful so our fathers wouldn't hear us.
Nodding, Theo whispered quickly, "Race you there!" and with that, he sprinted away.
"Hey, wait up, you brat!" I cried out before breaking into a sprint myself. Normally, we weren't allowed to play Quidditch without supervision, but they wouldn't know. Plus, I played Quidditch at every chance I got; I knew enough to avoid danger. Or at least I hoped.
The dried leaves crunched under my polished shoes once Theo opened the double doors leading to the backyard. A light breeze ruffled my hair as I ran my hand through it.
Once Theo handed me a broom, I muttered a thanks, giddy with pure excitement. Mounting the broom with ease, I kicked off, and my lips curled slightly. This was the one thing that could truly make me relax, and the feel of the gushing air calmed me. I maneuvered the broom to face Theo and found him eyeing it with unease.
Confusion swept over me as I arched an eyebrow. Was he scared of mounting it? I knew for a fact he had played before.
"What happened?" I questioned him, flying closer toward him with creased brows.
"I've never played Quidditch without my father's watch," he responded nervously, looking away.
A frown marred my features.
He was alright with playing it a while ago. Plus, his father wouldn't know. What was the harm in Quidditch? My feet touched the ground as I un-mounted, and approached him. I wasn't sure what to tell him.
Rubbing the nape of my neck, I assured him I wasn't forcing him to play. The only response he gave me was a sort of grimace.
Though, I didn't see it. Handling the brooms with care, I placed them back inside the closet and shut the door.
We didn't speak for a while; we merely stared at each other. I was the first one to break the eye-contrast, wrenching my head to gaze at the small pond in the corner. The small ripples caught my attention, and I let out a heavy breath. Turning back to Theo, my feet moved involuntarily, and I offered him a quick grin.
It was only for a second.
"We can play tag…?" I suggested, edging away from him slowly as he smirked.
"You're on," he replied; his eyes twinkled with mischief as I bolted away. I could hear him behind me, though I was hell-bent on keeping him from catching me. Since this wasn't my manor, it was way harder for me to try and outrun him. I had no idea what half of the rooms were used for or what their possessions were.
Many rooms seemed locked; their doors were shut, and I would be stupid enough to take the risk.
So, once I gazed at a room with its door open, I naturally ran towards it. I hadn't noticed Theo had stopped running as his eyes widened. Once I slipped inside, slowing my pace, I looked around.
The room wasn't much; many artifacts were placed on small pillars. Though the pillars themselves seemed as if they were worth many galleons. The detailing was precise, and the gold seemed rich in color.
As I took a few more steps, I whipped around to see Theo rushing towards me, alarm written across his face. And, well, I ran away from him. It was natural to assume we were still playing.
"Drake, wait!" he yelped, and I finally turned around while running.
I wish I hadn't. Once my back slammed into something rigid, a wave of dread crashed down roughly. Every sense of mischievousness vanished, and I watched in horror as an artifact slipped from its spot. Time slowed down, and I dove instantly, stretching my hands to catch it. My fingers brushed against it before it touched the ground.
One second.
All I registered was my friend's terrified yell as it shattered into millions of pieces. My eyes widened, my form frozen, as Theo ran in front of me.
"No, no, no, no, no," he whispered desperately, his eyes glistening and his face consorting into one of fear once again.
What the hell did I just do?
"Theo…" I murmured, placing a hand on his shoulder gently. "It wasn't your fault. I- I'm sorry."
He didn't respond; his eyes narrowed and his brows creased.
Silence passed back and forth as I opened my mouth to speak before someone beat me to it.
"What happened here?" A gruff voice floated towards us, and Theo's eyes closed.
I turned around slowly and faced our fathers. My eyes fixed on my father's sneer, and I swallowed a lump in my throat. The sneer meant bad news. He wasn't happy. His hands were holding his cane tightly, and of course, not a single crease existed on his robes.
Releasing a breath, my gaze drifted to Theo's father, Nott Senior. Unlike his shaggy brown hair, his father's was shorter and more managed. Once I reached his eyes, I flinched.
His father had these emerald eyes, and right now, pure rage seemed to hinder his sight. Though I knew better because he wasn't staring at me. Those eyes were directed right at Theo, whose eyes were sealed shut, pain written across his face. I could make out slight tremors that racked his frame.
I could spend hours absorbed in my thoughts and observations, but there wasn't time. Gathering my courage, I took a deep breath and looked up.
Merlin, give me the strength.
Clearing my throat, both adults turned to me, and I felt a chunk of ice settle in my stomach. Well, it was now or never.
"I was the one who-"
"It was me,"
I stopped immediately and turned to stare at my friend with incredulous eyes. He knew he hadn't shattered the object. So, why take the blame? But after his false confession, I froze. I couldn't open my mouth and bear to speak the truth. I wish I could have.
My father didn't react; his narrowed eyes focused on me. But I couldn't focus on him. Theo's eyes were now open as he stared at the ground with guilt. He was stubborn enough not to meet his father's hateful gaze.
"Stand up," one simple order, and Theo lifted himself from the ground.
"Wait," I whispered weakly, but one sharp look from my father shut me up good. I began to tremble as Theo faced his dad.
"I'll deal with you later, in your room. Don't move from there or else." His voice wasn't loud, but rather it dropped low. Somehow, it made everything else seem much scarier.
The hanging threat did nothing to calm my nerves. I felt the urge to save him; it wasn't his fault. But I couldn't even speak. The words felt lost. Theo's entire frame shook now as he walked past me. And I stayed silent. As he disappeared from view, a tear rolled down my face.
He took the blame, while I was scot-free. It didn't feel right, but I still kept silent. I couldn't even admit to what I had done. Instead, Theo spoke up for something he hadn't caused. As Nott Senior exited the room with a look of disgust, I dropped to the floor. The tiny shards of the antique surrounded me as I blinked back tears.
I wasn't sure how long I stayed there, rooted to the ground while I pushed my tears away. Whatever would happen to Theo, it was my fault. Even though the statement was more than accurate, I had a sinking feeling that his father wouldn't care. Surely, one artifact shouldn't drive him to punish his son. It was merely an object, now broken, but Theo was his child. Only child.
It was just the two of them, if you didn't include the countless house elves.
"We'll take our leave now."
I stilled once my father's voice reached my ears as I clenched my tiny fists. He didn't allow me to defend Theo; could he have known I was the true culprit? It was impossible; none of the adults were in the room while I bumped against the pillar. But, then again, he was my father. One look at my guilty eyes, and he should have easily known I broke the object. So, why didn't he speak the truth?
The question demanded an answer as I lifted myself shakily. One last look at the broken antique, and I exited the room, the memory replaying multiple times in my head.
He had warned me, but I didn't listen. Thought after thought, I could feel the heavy guilt settle down as I pressed my lips together. Once we reached the fireplace, I gathered the floo powder carefully in my palms before yelling my house address. As soon as I stumbled out, my mother, who had been awaiting our arrival, gathered her dress and stood up.
But I couldn't look her in the eye, so I ran past her. I didn't stop running, even after my mother called after me, until I reached my chamber. Flinging the door open, I slipped inside and slid down the wall opposite the entrance.
The floo activated once more faintly as I groaned, holding my face in my palms. My father would surely approach my room after the ordeal. Not even five seconds later, the door flew open, revealing my father's vicious glare. At least now it is directed at me.
"What were you thinking, son?" He muttered lowly, banging his fist against the wall to gather my attention.
I opened my mouth to answer, but clamped it shut with suspicious eyes.
He knew.
"Do you know what would happen if Nott knew you broke one of his most prized possessions?"
The question didn't scare me, not even remotely. Sure, I would have received a beating, but now Theo had to undergo it.
"Use the art of deception," He hissed once more before hauling me up roughly.
This was when I started to panic; my eyes widened. The only response I could give was a hasty nod. He wanted me to lie. To protect myself? How was that right?
The door flew open once more as my mother stepped inside, her eyes gazing back and forth between us. Finally, my father dropped my hand as if it burned him and walked out of the door with a growl. Slamming the door shut merely left me with my mother, who sighed and closed her eyes.
I didn't know what she was thinking about, but I frowned once she gave me a sad smile. She couldn't possibly know about Nott Manor; my father and I had just arrived a couple minutes ago.
"Draco…" She began hesitantly, before lowering herself on my bed carefully. Taking a deep breath, my mother explained the concept of lying. When used correctly, it was a powerful skill to obtain.
As I listened to her speech, the worry slowly cleared out. Theo knew the punishment awaiting him, and he admitted to breaking the object. Technically, I hadn't lied since I wasn't the one who blamed him. Was that supposed to be my thoughts on the mess?
As my mother came to an end, she smiled softly before saying, "Malfoys use lying to their advantage. Remember that, my dragon."
Once the statement settled inside my brain, my mother leaned to palm my cheek, caressing it gently before standing. As soon as she left, it was just me in the room.
As her last words re-played in my head, I couldn't help but continue feeling guilty. Theo practically saved me, and the least I could have done was bear the beating with him. Or at least said a simple 'thank you'.
Though I hadn't done any of that.
Instead, I stood there, petrified and scared. Too afraid to face the consequences, Theo claimed it for himself. Even after my mother's lecture, it didn't feel right.
Malfoys use lying to their advantage.
Not once did my mother, or for that matter, my father, mention how lying could be used to break trust.