a world full of nothing -- *open

[severussnape2]

Potions based in animal by-products effect the digestive system in humans. Owl droppings are the most commonly used in potions of this type, and they must be dried for most of the potions to reach proper thickness during brewing.

Severus rubbed his eyes. This essay was horrendously boring.

Stomach Calming Draught, Cominus Potion, and the Elixir of Vomere are all potions that relate directly to nausea, where the Perpoto Potion and Apstineo Potion are involved in nutrition...

He put down his quill, resting his head in his hands, both elbows on the table in front of him. Honestly, twelve inches worth of writing on "the effects of animal dung and fat in modern potion making" was bound to make anyone want to die. Especially him. Oh, yes, perhaps it had been interesting when he'd learned all about it in second year. Why couldn't they start research projects now instead of waiting a few months for the purpose of reviewing everything they learned over the past six years?!

Sometimes, Severus just couldn't stand people. Well, most times, actually.

He'd expected a little more out of seventh year potions, but in retrospect he figured he was doomed to be disappointed. After all, nobody had the sort of insatiable desire he had for constantly learning more about it. Neither did anyone have his innate talent. Except perhaps Lily, but he'd recently avoided thinking about her so often, he would occasionally forget she existed. Or at least he could convince himself he did.

It became clearer and clearer to him that she would eventually succumb to Potter's charm just as everyone else had. He found himself rather disappointed, really. Oh, not that he wanted her, surely not, but it was just so hopelessly typical. Popular girl meets popular boy and there you have it, the match of the century. He hadn't expected Lily to be as predictable as all that, but frankly he had other things to worry about than her sordid love life.

Namely, these "transfer students", or whatever other idiotic name they decided to call themselves. The lot of them looked like they didn't even know their own name, much less have enough intelligence to attend a prestigious wizarding school. Nevertheless, they were attending sixth-year classes and apparently beginning to blend with the rest of the students.

For Severus, the lot of them stuck out like mermaids in a desert. Their resemblance to various current students was uncanny enough for him to suspect foul play, but he couldn't for the life of him figure out why they would hide their identity by becoming near-copies of current students. He wondered if they were children of blood traitors, or even Mudbloods, and their identities were hidden to minimize publicity...

At any rate, though, it was bloody obvious they weren't who they said they were. He could see it in their eyes. Their "names" sounded foreign on their lips, and they reacted strangely to the most innocuous things. A couple of them actually stopped and stared, slack-jawed, at Severus as he walked by them. When he glared and opened his mouth to say something snide, a few of them flinched. They scurried away quickly, a few words like "points" and "detention" floating towards him from down the hall.

A few hours before, he'd wondered if they were all Muggles, which made him shudder in horror, or possibly Squibs, which weren't much better, but that couldn't possibly be right. They were in classes after all, which meant they needed magic. Besides, something like that wouldn't stay a secret for long if it were true.

There was something going on at Hogwarts, and Severus, ever curious and ever willing to procrastinate on an essay about fat and manure, was determined to figure out what was happening.

[draco abraxas malfoy]

It was strange, entering the Great Hall without his usual entourage. No muscle either side of him but a few paces behind, no larger bodies for which he could hide his perhaps overally slight one behind if things grew nasty (which was good, seeing as that only happened after Draco lashed out first and therefore gave a good way for him not to be involved at all). It was...well, strange and more than a little daunting. He entered as confidently as ever, of course, because no Malfoy would dare to look nervous or slightly scared in the face of anything. They were composed and dignified, and just because, apparantly, here he was not a true Malfoy, and like he'd told Cissa more of a twice removed cousin, it did not mean that he would lack anything other than the true way to act. That would be beneath him.

So he made sure that his uniform was neat before even leaving the common room this time, hating the mere idea that he might get caught looking like a fool. It was bad enough when Potty came up and made his life difficult with his tedious dealings and idiotic motions, but to be called a fool in front of people here, among which included his own mother and her friends...that would be intollerable. Perhaps even worse than the dreaded ferret incident, as his mind (and most of the other minds, really) had dubbed it. Or...perhaps not. Having your body contorted by force into a tiny creature with fur and four legs...that had been painful.

And Draco was a coward in the face, or even in the memory, of pain.

He couldn't help it. Other people grew faint at the sight of blood, or perhaps broken bones. Draco though, he could handle that. Of course, he disliked blood on the simple basis that it was messy and he had over heard his father complaining and punishing the house elves because the stains were so difficult to get out even with the use of magic, and broken bones twisted limbs into completely unnattractive designs, but that was fine. That didn't make him feel like his guts were about to be expelled via his throat, and didn't make him taste bile instead of whatever delicacy he had eaten last.

No, it was the mere sight of someone (or something) writhing in pain which could bring that reaction out in him. He was a coward, oh yes. And that, really, was one reason why he wasn't actually hating being here as much as he should. He didn't have to face the wand of the Dark Lord here. Or have his perfect, pristine skin blemished with such an ugly tattoo. That was a fate he really hadn't looked forward to.

That didn't mean it wasn't strange here though. Of course it was. Here he was, having come into the Great Hall twenty years before the first time he had ever truely come into it, without any muscle backing him up and no pretty figure hanging off his every word. And sitting down at a Slytherin table where the current kings and queens were just a small group, one he hadn't managed to infiltrate. Yet. He was working on it, of course, because Draco was not a boy who disliked being in a position where he didn't know what was going on, and where he didn't have people to cover his back if he chose to start a fight of some sort. But he had been distracted. By the sight of his mother then befriending his mother...and apparantly coming out as being gay.

Admittedly, that last part hadn't been planned, but no rumours had been spread about him being some pervert stalker, which was a good thing. He would have had to derail his plans even more if that had been the case. And at least the Slytherin's all still detested the other houses and the filth they contained. That was certainly something.

[severussnape2]

Speaking of transfer students, one decided to saunter in at that very moment. Blonde-haired and blue-eyed, he was the very image of a Malfoy, all perfection and composure. His attitude was high-brow and the snake crest on his robes proudly displayed the prestige his family had endowed to their House. Though, if this boy followed the Malfoy mold, his calm was likely as fake as his sexual preferences. Word traveled fast in Hogwarts, and Severus had been the subject of many a homosexual joke; so, it hadn't taken him long at all to catch wind that this boy was as gay as the day is long.

Not that Severus believed it for a second. Yes, perhaps he looked like a delicate pretty-boy, but, honestly, there was no conceivable reason for him to actually tell anyone about his preferences. Slytherins didn't admit anything unless they had an ulterior motive. Those motives had yet to be discovered, and Severus found himself intrigued by the aura of secrecy these new students seemed to be surrounded by.

On a whim, he decided to catch the boy's eye and beckon him over. Severus decided that, all in all, this Malfoy was no different from any other, except perhaps Lucius. In fact, Severus set Lucius in his own category entirely; he had never met anyone who was anywhere close to being as charming and dangerous as Lucius Malfoy. Some of his mannerisms vaguely reminded Severus of Lucius, the way he held his chin up straight, the piercing color of his eyes, the carefully controlled way he put one foot in front of the other. Though it was clear he wanted to look powerful, to Severus, this boy almost looked... weak, which was so unlike Lucius that Severus was convinced that their connection was minimal at best. A distant cousin indeed.

That didn't mean Severus was less interested in his secrets.

"You have the look of someone who has no idea where to be," Severus commented airily, his tone sardonic. He gestured vaguely for the boy to settle somewhere nearby. "Can't say I blame you, if you've been forced to fraternize with that lot until recently." He nodded toward a few other transfer students milling about aimlessly.

Severus offered the boy a hand, presumably by way of greeting. "Severus Snape," he volunteered, hoping to put the boy at ease by being polite, though he was appraising the boy's reaction very carefully. Most of the other new students gawked at him in a thoroughly unattractive way, but would he? "And you are...?"

[draco abraxas malfoy]

Draco's usual manner of sitting at the table in the Hall was, at this moment, carefully planned so that he would gradually move up in the ranks of Slytherin's in this world. In this time, at least - with the training of Lucius Malfoy behind him, which included things that this Lucius Malfoy hadn't yet learned, it wouldn't be a hard aim to reach, he was sure. What he wasn't used to, though, was being actually signalled over to sit with other people. His eyes narrowed slightly at the thought - the black haired boy should come to him. A Malfoy didn't bow down to...

No. His thoughts hit a mental block at that and then backtracked quickly. Because the Malfoy's had bowed down and licked the boots of someone else, hadn't they? Their Lord and Master, the one who would bring forth pure blood supremicy. Somehow that ideal future was tainted now with the memory of being on the recieving end of the Dark Lord's cruciatus and his coldness and refusal to release his father from Azkaban. What sort of leader did not support his follows and punished their children for their mistakes?

So he bit down the sneer which would have come out otherwise, changing his course slightly and moving towards the boy who had beckonned him without any noteable deviation from his original intent. He moved as though he had been about to approach the boy in the first place, he made sure of it. No Malfoy could be anything other than a perfectly controlled actor.

"I must admit a hall full of strangers is a daunting prospect to anyone," he stated cooly, sliding elegantly into the seat opposite the back haired boy, "Especially where more than half of the number contain the filth and scum which should not be allowed in real wizarding society." Perhaps he did not wish to follow exactly in his father's footsteps and have his skin tainted with such an ugly black tattoo, but the beliefs were ingrained into him and there was no way he would renounce them. Perhaps he wasn't even able to.

Severus Snape. His emotions were locked down before he had been fully seated; his face the porcelin mask which had been perfected over the years of his father's teachings, and so it was unlikely that any of the shock Draco internally felt as soon as the other boy revealed his name was apparent to even the keenest eyed Slytherin. Which...he had no doubt, with a sudden sinking feeling that this boy was. Because Draco knew Severus Snape. The friend of both his mother and father and Draco's own godfather...He suddenly had the greatest desire to be away from the only person he was sure would be able to see right through him and work everything out. But of course he didn't. That would be showing some reaction, and Malfoy's did not do that.

"Draco," he said smoothly, inclining his head in something which could be seen as a greeting or a challenge, depending on how paranoid a Slytherin this boy actually was at this age. "Draco Malfoy. And before you ask, yes. Lucius and myself do share certain parts of our family, if it wasn't already obvious." If there was a cover up story about his name and who he was related to, it had quickly been scrapped by him. There wasn't any other way to actually skip over how alike he and Lucius looked, after all. Even if, irritatingly, Draco was smaller and slighter.

[severussnape2]

Draco... an interesting, powerful word. Whoever had given this boy his name obviously had high hopes for his future, naming him Dragon.

Severus felt the scrutiny acutely, the moment he said his name. The boy gave no outward indication that his name meant anything, but the mere fact that he suddenly had the boy's full attention was affirmation enough. These transfer students knew him, but Severus could not for the life of him think of where they would know him from. It wasn't like he went that many places outside of Death Eater circles...

Though, this boy being a Malfoy certainly made him part of that particular circle. He'd made it clear right away where his preferences lay, and it wasn't with traitors and Mudbloods. Perhaps the recognition of Severus' name was unrelated to the other transfer students. Draco could easily have heard of Severus from his family members, namely Lucius. There was still something about the whole situation that made him leery, but that was the only explanation he could think of that made any sense.

Severus rolled up the parchment of his essay, never taking his eyes off the other boy. "Pleased to make your acquaintance," he said, his tone rather more neutral than 'pleased'. He brushed the dark hair from his face and folded his hands together on the table.

"So," he continued, his curious eyes searching. "What brings you to Hogwarts? Since you do so wish to be free of the rabble here."

[draco abraxas malfoy]

Was it odd to feel like preening beneath the gaze of his suddenly deaged gofather and personal mentor? Probably. But this entire situation was weird and strange, odd was just a small word that meant both of those things and more. And it was attention, something that Draco bathed in whenever it was offered. But perhaps bathing in the attention offered by Severus Snape, who would, of course, only be looking for answers to the mystery of the 'transfers' (unless he was about to be utterly dissappointed by the other man).

"Likewise," he said polietly, inclining his head in a formally welcome guesture. He was an aristocrat, of course, and he would act like one no matter the situation. With a toss of his head, he reached out with one hand to pick up one of the flashs of pumpkin juice, elegantly poaring himself a serving. Something to do with his hands, if anything while he rested under the gaze of the other boy. And that was a strange way to...think about Severus Snape.

What brings you to Hogwarts? A true question, that was. And proof being offered up to support the point that yes, Severus Snape was someone who would dig for information. Something which he was faintly pleased that he had noticed. "Unavoidable circumstances, I am afraid. If you would care to believe me, I must say that this place is one of the least attractive options for wasting my time in," he said smoothly. Of course, the utterly worse position was to be kneeling in front of a Dark Lord having his perfect skin marred with such an ugly mark.

Draco Malfoy was vain. He believed in the ideals that said Dark Lord spouted, believed in pureblood supremecy and believed that muggles and mudbloods were filth and that they destroyed the pureness of the aristocraticy. But he did not like the mark and so didn't want it. It was an ugly thing.

[severussnape2]

Unavoidable circumstances. What a thoroughly Slytherin answer. An explanation which, in truth, told him nothing at all. Apparently, this Draco Malfoy had not received that snake on his crest merely on account of his name.

However, for a moment there, there was just something about him that seemed off, somehow. Like he was a little out of his depth, though Severus supposed that could be easily explained by the change of school. He'd almost looked troubled by something, but then the other boy was serving himself some pumpkin juice with such a regal mien, Severus almost discounted the observation. Almost.

Draco's statement that Hogwarts was the least attractive option almost made Severus scoff. The premiere Wizarding school in all of Great Britain? Not good enough for him? Severus figured the other boy was either insufferably pompous or wasn't from around here. But that didn't make sense. His accent was highbrow, the aristocratic lilt that he had heard Lucius use time and again, and Severus was sure that the Malfoys were largely British. They perhaps had a few French relatives, but Draco most assuredly did not sound French.

Of course, he could also simply mean the amount of Muggleborns and half-bloods present in the school. No need to mention that Severus was one, if that was the case, not that he'd been planning to. It wasn't as if Severus really disagreed on that score, but frankly he found Muggles themselves to be a much larger threat than Mudbloods and the like. However, if talk like that would get him into other people's good graces? So be it.

"I see there's no love lost between you and the common folk," Severus commented dryly. "Tell me, do you know Lucius well? The both of you seem a great deal similar and-" He continued speaking in the hope that the other boy wouldn't interrupt him. "- I don't mean in looks."

As a matter of fact, now that he'd spoken to Draco, pretty much everything about the boy screamed Lucius, from the way he poured himself a drink to the bored expression on his face. But again, he still seemed to be lacking in the sort of power Lucius had. He could be almost frightening in his desire for control, the careless way he treated women and the cold, harsh way he would pronounce his words when he spoke of Mudblood filth. One moment, Lucius would smile and laugh with the best of them, but the next moment could bring him to merciless anger. He was charming, but Severus never forgot that he could be deadly. This boy... he had none of the mystique and sheer dominance that Lucius had.

Nevertheless, the resemblance was uncanny, like Draco had learned mannerisms from Lucius, but hadn't quite gotten them right. His attitude wasn't the same, and he hadn't quite enough presence to carry it off. If the two had grown up seeing each other, it may be prudent to ask Lucius what he knew of this boy...

[draco abraxas malfoy]

No love lost was an understatement if there ever was one. Growing up on the preachings and the beliefs othe combination of Lucius Malfoy and Narcissa Black did mean that the basis of his own beliefs would of course revolve around the single word Mudblood and the filth that they and the muggles were. Common folk, such as blood traitors and the like, were poor and disgusting. Like the Weasley family, uncivilised brutes, all crammed into one little hovel. Probably sharing such things as a bathroom on top of everything else.

"How, in any circumstances, would there ever be anything but love lost between us?" he inquired, faintly curious as to what the other boy (to what Severus Snape) would say as an answer. He could deflect it, of course, just like Draco had managed to with the previous question (in such a simple manner as well), and that was probably the more likely path that would be taken, but the results would still be interesting. Perhaps.

"In my mind, spreading the magic amongst Muggles is not a complete crime - the lesser, more common wizards may take it upon themselves to do such. But muggle filth and their ways of living should not be brought into our civilised civilisationg. The Mudbloods and their ways will end up wiping out our traditions and having our sacred families tainted," he remarked, taking another sip of his drink while doing so, before looking along the table for something, anything else. Having something to do with his hands would be highly helpful, he was sure - movements were always a way to try to stop looking...nervous.

Looking nervous would not do at all.

Especially on the release of the boy's next question - do you know Lucius well?. How on earth was one meant to respond to that, in a manner which would not give the other, incredibly perspective (from his memory of the adult Snape, at least) boy, cause to even try to investigate further. Draco gnawed on his bottom lip for a moment in though, before actually realising he was doing such a thing. Stopping meant flushing slightly - a rosy tint to his cheeks which was hidden by a movement of his to reach over the table for a slice of toast. At least, hidden...he hoped.

"I do not believe we have ever had the chance to meet amongst civilised company," he said carefully, "In fact, I am sure of it. Such an accusation would have to have some evidence behind it, don't you think? Or has it escaped your notice that most Malfoy's are reared in the same, sohpisticated manner?" He finished, with a rather sarcastic tone to his voice. Besides, saying that they had seen one another may result in...trouble. Trouble of the actuall having to speak to this Lucius variety, which was something he had been avoiding.

[severussnape2]

Touchy, wasn't he? Severus gave Draco a grim half-smile while the boy went through his diatribe, thoroughly disbelieving his assertion that he'd never met Lucius Malfoy. In fact, Severus suspected that they'd had a falling-out, which explained the odd urgency that had Draco denying the acquaintance. Perhaps this boy was estranged from the family? Severus had heard rumors of Lucius' relatives being involved in strange practices like baby switching and vampire trafficking, and both were looked down upon with the utmost contempt in proper wizarding families. It could be that this boy was descended from blood traitors, transferring to Hogwarts to escape the bigoted views of his family. After all, he seemed fairly adamant in his disgust for the lower life forms.

Severus tucked a stray bit of hair behind his ear before speaking. "I realize the subject is important to you, but there's no need to get nasty," he commented snidely. He knew he was being a bit nasty himself, but, really, what did he care about this boy's opinion? Not even Lucius was free from Severus' irritability, and he was actually important.

"As for this... interbreeding that you seem so nonchalant about, I frankly cannot believe you don't see the-" he stopped talking and straightened smoothly as the Herbology professor sauntered by. Severus stared at him wanly until he'd walked out of earshot. Then, he looked back at Draco and resumed speaking with angered fervor.

"If you allow all the blood traitors to marry Muggles," he hissed, his voice low and piercing. "... what do you think will happen? They will have children. Children with dirty magic, unfit to be in our society. And just what do you think those children will want to do? They'll want to go to school, learn magic... they will want to be taught that they are as good as us, if not better. If we allow anyone in the Wizarding world to keep their Muggle-loving ways, then there will always be someone to teach the next generation of filth that they are equal to us, when clearly all they are fit for is to be used and thrown away."

After having said all that, he wiped the look of fury and indignation straight off his face in favor of a sarcastic expression. "Then again," he started loftily. "How can you be expected to have learned all this properly if you've never spent time with Lucius' branch of the family? A pity, really, that you have been deluded into thinking charitable thoughts about traitors..."

His words were viscous clear-through, but he had to be sure that Draco was as firmly on their side as he believed. It was readily apparent that this boy could have very little connection with the other transfers, but there was still a tiny feeling buried deep inside Severus that told him there was still something missing. There was a portion of this story that he wasn't privy to, and he began to get the feeling that he never would be, unless it was revealed by accident. Draco... he may be a bit naive, but he had enough of a head on his shoulders that Severus doubted he would let it slip, but one of the others? He wanted to know what all this was about so badly that he could almost feel it like a physical sensation, an itching that attacked him and penetrated his entire body. That sensation, that pain, could only be alleviated by learning more. And, though he didn't think Draco was the most fruitful avenue for information, he would watch and wait to see what happened.

[draco abraxas malfoy]

Having his views rebuked in such harsh words was something that Draco had been expecting. In Slytherin company, his ever changing opinions were not the most welcome (and in other company as well, because of course, no Malfoy could change their mind about anything). The views that this Severus was spouting now were familiar, however - words which he had heard before, not from his godfather, but from Lucius instead. The beliefs which had been true to him, as well, until the realisation that actually, the views of the more common people in the Wizarding world were of no concern to him.

Besides, where he had come from, his previous opinions had been, for the most part, widely known. He wouldn't have stopped speaking for some teacher to walk by, and he often hadn't.

"And yet, unless those with filth for blood directly interfeer with my life -" such as one filthy mudblood who used the name Granger, who's bushy hair and flyaway brains were still somehow enough to beat him in every end of year exam they had sat. Draco despised that one (especially after the humiliations she and her little blood traiter and saint friends had put him through) "- I feel no desire to lower myself to interfering directly with them. Erasing the world of the lesser's and the filth may seem like a charming idea at this moment in time, but I have no desire to bother showing that I am better than the animals when I know I am."

It was odd, and alarming, how quickly his mind had turned around, taking a more neutral line (in what he knew as being a full on war, rather than here where views on bloodlines and such were just breezes leading up to the main storm). Neutral was the way of survival, it seemed, especially when the man who lead these views, and the ideas of exterminating the filth, had turned his wand onto him and his mother simply for his father being unable to catch the boy that said dark lord had failed to kill six times. Draco saw no honour in allowing that to happen to his family.

Family came first. And he hoped, in a way, that his words now would make Severus think. Severus was as close as family, sometimes he had been even closer than the cold persona of his father when Draco was a child, and knowing that he was to lead along the same path as his father, following a mad man into hell...he did not know whether he could just sit and bear that.

And, of course, parroting completely different ideas to those which the Lucius from this time would have, would be another factor to set them apart (hopefully) in the sharp brain of the boy listening to him now.

"Your words are meaningless, anyway," he said, almost absently, but in a clearly dismissive tone. "Mudbloods are not fit to have magic in them and do not deserve it, and therefore should not taint the air that we of purer blood breathe, should not fill it with their own beliefs and such...but I see no point in pressing my views forward. There are more important things to converse about, especially with one person who, for all I know, might be being slightly hypocritical. Such as planning for this...maquerade event. Or studying."

And move it on to safer topics.

"What were you working on before you invited me over, if I may ask?" he inquired politely, turning his gaze from the toast towards him with something between a smirk and a smile. Not a true smile. Malfoy's did not smile.

[severussnape2]

Severus grimaced something awful at Draco's middle-of-the-road declarations and his transparent attempt at changing the subject. Though, perhaps, that had been his intention. Their views on blood purity were not at all different enough for either of them to pick a fight. It wouldn't do for them to argue, especially since Draco's position in Slytherin wasn't exactly stable. Obviously, he wasn't about to burn his bridges before he crossed... He would take all the allies he could get.

And it started with the change of subject. Severus still ached to figure out what was wrong with all this "transfer" business, but he pushed aside his private obsession in favor of earning Draco Malfoy's goodwill. Besides, there were plenty of other interesting avenues of conversation to pursue with this boy.

So, somewhat grudgingly, Severus let Draco steer the conversation toward other things, but he made it clear in the sardonic expression on his face that he wasn't fooled by this blatant evasion. "You may," he commented dryly, fishing in his bag to find the aforementioned document.

"Potions essay," he announced, twisting his lips in disapproval while he smoothed out the parchment on the table. "And a bloody ridiculous one, too."

Severus glanced back up at Draco with a slightly more normal expression. "Not that I don't love Potions, but honestly. We learned about animal fats years ago, not that our great, fat lout of a teacher cares," he commented, his voice almost approaching snobby. There was little else he cared about more than Potions, though; so, perhaps it stood to reason that he would be indignant.

Then, he shot Draco a critical look, as if he were sizing him up. "And you?" he asked, the question more of a demand than the words themselves implied. "I do hope that you have received at least some halfway decent education in Potions wherever it is you studied before, considering you've been instated here as a sixth year."

Of course, Severus was aware that not everyone shared his affinity for Potions, but perhaps Draco would tell him about his previous education. Severus had always been curious about other wizarding institutions, though perhaps Draco had been taught at home, in which case Severus doubted he would be able to keep up with the stringent standards there at Hogwarts.

Then again, Draco would probably just evade that question like he had all the others. He seemed to be a fairly private person, all things considered. Severus could respect that, since he guarded his own secrets with a firm resolution as well. This Malfoy boy was most definitely a mystery, but Severus figured they could probably find some sort of common ground to meet on amidst all the secrecy surrounding their personal lives.

[draco abraxas malfoy]

Questions about the 'transfer' students were always tricky. Of course, everything he would say in a reply would be a lie, because he had researched this and even without the headmaster's talk when they had first arrived, Draco had known that time (or realities or perhaps just plain and simple dreams) were tricky things to deal with, and he didn't much fancy affecting something which would then end up crashing the reality around him and making it like he had never been born.

Who else would put the mudbloods and filth into their place back in his time if he wasn't born?

Plus, the cover story he had been given had been something he had discarded. Able to play along and lie with the best of them, Draco was just not a boy who could hide his last name. Not when everything he was pratically screamed Malfoy, both his looks and his manners. Subtle changes to the latter were all he had been able to manage. He was too proud to take on another name anyway, even if it had been possible.

And it was incredibly entertaining watching the other transfers trip over their lies as often as they used to trip over Goyle's helpfully stuck out foot.

Potions essay. Those two words just made the blond boy smile. Potions was something that Draco both had a talent for and a love for, thanks to his family and his mentor (who in some cases could even be considered closer than family, when his father had been icier than usual). So far, he hadn't attended a potions class here, not yet. Most of his lesson time was spent taking tests and making sure that he was actually able to keep up in the classes, at which he had snorted more than once.

He knew he was clever. Of course he would be more than able to keep up.

"To suceed in potions you have to both love and understand the individual ingredients and their properties," he quoted, flashing a disarming smile at the other boy, "Potions is one class that I do hope is taught to a correct standard here. It won't be a patch on my mentor back home, of course, and I highly suspect that the fools I will be placed with are so far below my level of skill I can just spend my time laughing at them, but it is a lesson I enjoy. Perhaps the lesson I enjoyed the most in my previous lessons."

Especially with a teacher who did not kiss up to the smarmy Gryffindors. Like the Headmaster, the muggle loving crackpot, had done. Unfortunately, he could not mention that teacher, he realised, due to the fact that he was talking to the younger version of him. Well...that was a bugger.

"How are the lessons here conducted? I have not been able to sit in any yet, seeing as this facility insist on running more tests than I can imagine. My father would curse them all down if he knew how often I have been accused of being an idiot."

[severussnape2]

Draco's smile was both genial and knowing. That was irritating. It made him wonder if Draco knew how much Severus was dying to know about all these mysteries, but he figured, if that were true, Draco would probably string him along instead of avoiding all salient questions like the plague.

Despite all that, Draco looked to be truly enamored of Potions, which was sort of shocking, actually. Very few people shared Severus' skill for potion-making, and even fewer still matched his enthusiasm. Severus could not help taking an instant liking to this boy... He seemed almost as worried about inferior classroom practices as Severus himself.

Speaking of that, this was a subject that he could warm up to. "I'm afraid you may be doomed to disappointment, on that score," Severus lamented, gesturing vaguely toward his essay. "Our Professor, and also Head of House, Slughorn... he's mostly useless. Most interesting thing he ever taught us was how to brew Draught of Living Death."

With a sour look on his face, he continued. "Though I hear we've a new Potions teacher. Narcissa tells me this Professor Cadmus is more trouble than he's worth though. I don't suppose you've seen him if you've yet to attend a lesson, but I do hope that the time he spent in Azkaban hasn't addled his brain," he commented blithely, sipping at his water. "Honestly, there are enough idiots here already."

Severus was interested in the mention of his previous mentor. Private lessons it was, then? Though he seemed pretty confident that this mentor could not be surpassed in greatness. Frustrated as Severus was with all the review in Potions class, he could not help but be offended at the jab that gave him. He had a great deal of pride in this school, even if most everyone inside it was useless. To think that Draco thought his previous instructor superior to those in Hogwarts didn't exactly come as a surprise; after all, it seemed pretty clear that Draco simply liked to feel better than everyone else, which was generally the Malfoy way. Nevertheless, it seemed to be an insult to Severus intelligence. If he'd had inferior teachers, then just how knowledgeable about Potions could he be?

Severus pushed aside his morbid thoughts, which were likely born of paranoia. Draco seemed perfectly willing to establish an amicable relationship, and certainly insulting Severus would not help him accomplish that goal. He likely meant nothing by the comment; Severus was unsettled by it all the same.

But he was still curious both about his former teacher and his brief mention of his father."I assume you've received private lessons, then?" he asked, taking care not to sound too interested. "Classes will likely be a great deal different than you're used to, in that case, but not difficult to get used to. I've no idea what this new Professor will expect from us, but we were generally required to do readings before class, listen to lecture and answer questions about what we read, and then take most of the class to brew."

[draco abraxas malfoy]

If Draco had required proof that this boy was in fact Severus Snape, the amount of energy that had been filtered through the other boy's voice now that the topic was potions, that would have been enough. Severus Snape had always loved potions, as far as Draco was aware, a love which had been passed from mentor to student without much fuss.

Though, from the sounds of it, the description of the lessons here were not...good. Not that anything here could be good, or up to any of the standards Draco was used to, simply because the best potion's master, teacher, whatever, was still a child. About his age, perhaps slightly older, though it was hard to tell. Could even be younger. The age of Severus Snape was not a topic that Draco had ever shown much interest in before.

"The Draught of Living Death. Bottled Death. Well, if that's what this school counts as interesting, perhaps I won't even bother to turn up to lessons when my timetable is finally sorted out. It's not even remotely complex compared to the ones I was buried in last summer," he remarked, sipping his drink slowly. Summer projects had been a common occupation for the Malfoy heir since he had started school. During the holidays, with the only company other than family being social gatherings or chaperoned visitations, spending his time in the potions lab built into his wing of the manor had been one of his favourite pastimes. Creating, experimenting...it was worth the numerous small explosions to see the pride on his mentor's, or his father's face.

As was anything, if you thought about it.

"I keep hearing about this Cadmus. Cissa tells me that she doesn't like him, and irritatingly one of the Potter's decided to taunt me using his name. I haven't encountered the man myself, but if such things continue I may find myself with the need to seek him out. Though...Azkaban?" He probably did not respond to that in the right way, just offering up a small, almost absently added narrowing of his eyes. Azkaban was a fear of his, of course...the place where his father now resided, and the place which had sent his Aunt Bellatrix more into the realms of insanity than she had previous (or was previously) been. Azkaban had always been a volatile subject for the Malfoy's.

"Private lessons? In a manner of speaking. They were more informative than the ones where others were grouped in with me. People my age, but you wouldn't expect it from the lack of intelligence they had shown. And...that sounds similar. Some people might say boring, but a love of potions comes from a love of the ingredients and what they can do. The theory is enjoyable. Do you agree?"