Serpens Solus

Father and Son

: Cat Stevens

Father:

It's not time to make a change,
Just relax, take it easy.
You're still young, that's your fault,
There's so much you have to know.
Find a girl, settle down,
If you want you can marry.
Look at me, I am old, but I'm happy.

I was once like you are now, and I know that it's not easy,
To be calm when you've found something going on.
But take your time, think a lot,
Why, think of everything you've got.
For you will still be here tomorrow, but your dreams may not.

Son:
How can I try to explain, when I do he turns away again.
It's always been the same, same old story.
From the moment I could talk I was ordered to listen.
Now there's a way and I know that I have to go away.
I know I have to go.

Father:
It's not time to make a change,
Just sit down, take it slowly.
You're still young, that's your fault,
There's so much you have to go through.
Find a girl, settle down,
if you want you can marry.
Look at me, I am old, but I'm happy.

Son:
All the times that I cried, keeping all the things I knew inside,
It's hard, but it's harder to ignore it.
If they were right, I'd agree, but it's them you know not me.
Now there's a way and I know that I have to go away.
I know I have to go

.

Chapter IV

Machination of Evil

MALFOY RESIDENCE -

Draco could be seen standing at the grand balcony, staring out at the vast forest that lay beyond his house. A grandfather clock nearby struck 5 p.m., and as Draco looked down, he could see several relatives Apparating below.

A few of his relatives glanced up to look at the balcony, but as they glanced at Draco, they lowered their eyes, hiding their shame and sorrow. Before Draco could turn away, a hand touched his shoulder. Draco turned around and saw his cousin, Alexandra looking at him.

"Hello Alexandra," Draco said, seemingly uninterested in whatever Alexandra had to say.

"Good evening, Draco. Glad to see you´re still ignoring my presence," Alexandra replied, a skeptical expression on her face.

"Haven´t you heard? It´s my execution today," Draco scoffed and turned away. "What do you want?"

"I´m here to help you."

Reverting back to his former contemptuous glare, Draco replied, "Help me? How can you possibly help me? I´m a dead man, Lex."

Sighing, Alexandra replied, "Your mother sent me. Is that enough for you to listen to me?"

"My, my mother?" Draco was shocked.

Alexandra scoffed. "No, Draco. Your father sent me. Of course it was your mother, you nitwit. Why would you think it´s your father?"

Draco shrugged and humbly replied. "Perhaps he didn´t want to kill me after all."

"Really? I suppose you´re just going to ignore the conversation that you had with your father."

"You heard that?"

Clearly frustrated, Alexandra replied, "I heard it, okay? I arrived early since your mother asked for me and I overheard it. But," she paused, looking at Draco´s face, "it doesn´t matter. What matters is that I get you out of here."

"I don´t need to be saved, Lex. I´d rather die now."

"You know something, Draco? You really need to see a Muggle doctor. Clearly, you´ve been very depressive and not your usual arrogant self."

"Arrogant? What is it with everyone claiming I´m arrogant? You said it, and Voldemort said it! Will somebody tell me what my damn problem is?"

Sighing, Alexandra answered as calmly as she could. "Think about yourself someday. Maybe then you´ll realize what your mistake is. Until then, I suggest you try to shut up about yourself. Now come on, everyone´s waiting for us." Draco nodded sullenly and followed.

* * *

As Draco entered the vast living room, everyone standing between the walls seemed to freeze, their eyes on Draco. Draco felt unusually warm and began to breathe heavily. It was as if the temperature had suddenly increased with a spell. Sighing, he turned to Alexandra and said, "What do I do?"

"This is your house and you don´t know what to do here, Draco?" She replied, exasperated. "Wait here. I´ll go talk to your mother." Draco nodded and Alexandra walked away, searching for Narcissa.

With everyone watching him, Draco backed away towards the wall, avoiding anyone´s face. However, he quickly realized that his father was missing and he began to look through the crowds, curious as to whom Lucius would be talking to. As hard as Draco looked, his father was no where to be found. Probably off plotting my death, Draco thought, slouching.

Suddenly, he felt an arm grab his shoulder. Draco turned around and saw his father glaring at him. Lucius was whispering, but Draco could still hear him form the words, "I´m sorry, but I have to."

"You don´t have to do anything." Draco retorted, pulling free of his father´s strong grip. He started to run away, but he could hear his father, along with other footsteps following him.

"Draco," Lucius yelled, chasing after Draco as fast as he could. "You can´t hide!"

Draco made no reply, but he felt like running as long as he could. The backyard doors were open and Draco saw his chance to escape. He ran outside and towards the forest that lay beyond his family land. Panting, he ran towards it, listening to his father´s slowing run as he tried to keep up with the younger Malfoy.

* * *

As soon as Narcissa heard the footsteps, she grabbed Alexandra´s hand and pulled her towards a private room. "Listen, Alexandra, listen to me carefully. My son´s life depends on you. I need you to stay with him as long as you can, don´t try to bring him back. Just get him away from his father, I fear for Draco´s life, even if I have to agree with Lucius. Whatever you do, don´t lose my son."

Alexandra nodded and replied, "Mrs. Malfoy, I won´t leave Draco to die, no matter what happens to me. He´ll probably be at the train station in London, I´ll wait there for him."

Narcissa wiped her eyes and said, "Good luck."

* * *

Long after he couldn´t hear his father´s footsteps, Draco paused, breathing heavily. He needed to escape, but how, and where could he go? The only other place of refuge he knew of was Hogwarts, but it was closed for the summer. Besides, he thought, they all hate me there anyway, it´s suicide to go there.

"You can´t hide." A voice familiar to Draco came from nearby. He turned around and saw his father glaring at him. Lucius had donned his Death Eater robes, a mask upon his face. He took off the mask and approached Draco. "I have no choice."

"You had a choice, father, and you chose not to take it."

"I cannot live, knowing my son failed to honor his family!"

"Honor, glory, power. That´s all you care about? Maybe you´re the one that´s arrogant, not me."

"I loved you because you´re me son, and now you betray me! What kind of person are you?" Lucius advanced towards Draco and swung his fist at him.

Draco dodged the swing and retorted. "What kind of father are you? The kind that´ll save his own skin rather than his son´s? You´re a liar, father, and I´ll hunt you down for that." Lucius pulled out his wand, but before his could curse Draco, he had disapparated.

A voice that seemingly came from beyond the shadows spoke. "You failed, Malfoy."

Lucius sat down, sighing and replied, "I can´t do it. I can´t. My own son and I betrayed him. What hope do I have now to live? My family, all gone. They don´t know the pain I feel. He who seeks forgiveness shall be forgiven. I can only hope now that I am forgiven for I am beside myself."