Chapter 18

When Draco arrived at home that evening, the light in the foyer of Malfoy Manor was already out, even though it wasn't that late yet.

As Draco entered, the magic lights suddenly turned on and revealed his father sitting in an armchair staring at him.

Apparently, he had been waiting for Draco.

In the dark.

His father could be really dramatic at times.

„Good evening, son."

At his father's insistence to adhere to etiquette, Draco had to smile.

„Good evening, father."

„Where have you been this late?" Lucius inquired in an even tone.

„I had to do something for my business." Draco sighed.

It was a little tedious to get questioned by a man that had not even seen half as many years as Draco, even if it was his own father.

He understood, since he was still fourteen in his father's eyes, but that didn't mean that he had to like it.

„Go on." Lucius wanted to hear more.

„That's it."

When Draco didn't want to elaborate, Lucius' face twitched for a second before he schooled his features into his business-smile again.

„I have something for you. I have here a cleansing potion of the highest quality for you. I had to visit Ireland to aquire it. It's really good for body and magic. Since you are practicing diligently lately, I thought you would like it."

Lucius didn't mention that the main effect of an excellent cleansing potion was to cleanse someone of all foreign magic, lifting even curses and hexes.

Draco took the potion and uncorked it right away.

The potion was milky white, not an appetizing or reassuring color for a potion, if something like that even existed.

With a muttered incantation, Draco conjured a little silver bowl.

Lucius was very impressed by his son's feat, since he wouldn't have thought Draco would be able to learn that kind of magic for at least two years, according to his knwoledge.

And that was the problem.

Lucius watched as Draco poured some of the highly expensive potion into the conjured silver bowl.

To Lucius' relief, it was only a single drop.

Draco pointed his wand at it and muttered another incantation.

The drop of cleansing potion suddenly evaporated into different colors.

„What did you do?"

„I divined the ingredients." Draco replied cheekily. „You really went all out with this. This potion's main ingredient is actually a considerable amount of unicorn saliva. This is really a very high quality brew. It must have cost you quite a pot of gold."

„It did. And it was very hard to find, I had to visit five potion shops, two apothecaries and three potion masters until I finally found this." Lucius preened for a second, but then he got serious again. „Where did you learn how to do that spell to analyze potions? Did Severus teach you?" Lucius knew this wasn't part of the Hogwarts curriculum.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

It was really suspicious, first the Sectumsempra, now the advanced potion knowledge, as if that didn't scream of Snape...

„No. I learned it when I saw the future." Draco said with a serious expression.

Lucius sighed, hopefully this would stop after Draco had been cleansed.

„Are you going to drink the potion now?" Lucius asked testingly.

„Yes. Thank you for this, father." Draco held up the milky white potion and emptied it in one go.

Draco wanted to grimace and complain about the potion's taste and viscous consistency, but he was too dignified, so he held it in.

„How are you feeling?" Lucius inquired, looking at him intently.

„Great." Draco said truthfully.

„Good. It would be best if you went to bed now, it could get a little uncomfortable in the next hours." Lucius advised Draco.

It would actually only get uncomfortable or even hurt if Draco actually was under some kind of deep-seated spell or curse.

Draco only sweat out some impurities during the night.

The potion was really great, Draco felt better than ever the next morning.

Only his bed sheets were a mess.

It was good that the house elves changed them every day.

Draco kept busy, as was his style since he had arrived in the past, and two days went by quickly.

His relationship with his parents saw no improvement and stayed tense.

Lucius had had high hopes that Draco would turn back to normal after the high-grade cleansing potion, or that Lucius at least would get some answers to the questions that plagued him, but the only thing he got was Draco still insisting that he had seen the future.

Draco could've elaborated more about the future.

Draco could've told his parents some specifics to make it easier for them to believe him.

He could even have used a pensive to show them some of his memories.

But they didn't ask, so he didn't offer.

That his father was suspicious and doubted him didn't surprise Draco, Lucius was suspicious by nature and nuture.

But his mother's avoidance of him perplexed Draco.

The woman, who had turned against Voldemort for his and their families' benefit, was actively avoiding him.

And when they were in a room together, which happened less and less, Narcissa was subdued and dispirited.

Draco couldn't understand what her problem was until it clicked and it just came to him one day.

His mother was worried that he had lost his mind.

Literally.

The highly pure (some would say inbred) Black Family was intimately familiar with madness.

Narcissa didn't even have to look far.

It was enough to just think of her aunt or her sister, and she could no longer shake the worry for her precious son.

Every time Draco mentioned having seen the future, Narcissa's fear got more real.

So, she avoided him.

She didn't know how to handle it yet.

When Draco realized that, he invited his mother to help him furnish the open floors of his tower.

He hoped that if they spent more time together, she would realize that he was as rational and as clear-headed as a purebred old wizard and archmage, who had lived through three wars and the apocalypse, can be.

Maybe that wasn't the best idea after all, but it seemed to help.

Also helpful was that his mother was in her element and had fun buying and decorating.

As they spend their time together, and mother and son got closer again, Draco got an idea.

„Mother, how would you like host and record some talk shows on the Magic Mirror Network, when the mirrors go into sale? Maybe you could also present the news..."

„Host talk shows? Present the news? Like they do on the Wizarding Wireless?" His mother didn't sound enthused.

Narcissa Malfoy nee Black working like a common witch, or Salazar beware, some lowly mudblood, she really wasn't thrilled about that idea.

It would be a shame for House Malfoy and House Black.

„It's similar to the program on the Wireless only a little diffent and the people are going to be seeing you too, not just hear you. A talk show is like one of your tea parties, you invite some people and discuss important topics. I thought this might be something to your liking." Draco explained.

It actually didn't sound that horrible, even a little interesting, but Narcissa would've declined anyway, if it wasn't her son asking.

„If you actually need my help to fill in, while you don't have anyone for that yet, I could try it. But only until you find someone else for that." Narcissa acquiesced without much enthusiasm.

„Great, that would be a tremendous help. Thank you. If you really don't like it, I can find a replacement after a little while."

„Alright, but really only for a little while." Narcissa nodded reluctantly.

„As you know, I'm holding interviews in two days. I would like for you to accompany me, and advise me on the choice my staff."

Narcissa had no problem agreeing to this request, since it was easy and she was really good at judging people, and she didn't know that her estranged sister would be there.

And Draco didn't plan on telling her.

It was going to be a surprise, for the both of them.