Draco – POV
I stared down at the dead guy. Blood pooling at my feet. Again, I felt... nothing.
Weird, right? It used to mess with my head. First time especially. But now? Eh. Not so much.
I killed him. That's it.
"Am I messed up in the head?"
I said it, but yeah, no one's around to answer. Just me and the body.
Maybe it's the Bullseye template kicking in. All his combat experience or whatever. Probably why I feel so chill. Keeping me sane.
I walked over to the table, grabbed my water bottle, and chugged it. Didn't even realise how dry my throat was. Guess killing people makes you thirsty.
Anyway, before I ended up here, I made a little to-do list. Figure out what part of the story I landed in. Practise magic. Get some gold. And, yeah... get my hands bloody.
Yes, I decided to have my first kill here.
Why?
It's because anything could go wrong there. What if Lupin freaks out and transforms? What if Sirius Black still sees me as "that Malfoy kid" and wants revenge? What if that guy who attacked me shows up again?
I don't want to freeze up if it happens. I want to be ready to act. No hesitation.
I'm not Dumbledore, okay? No twinkling eyes, no wise old man advice, no overpowered spells. I've still got loads to learn. But I've got one thing going for me. They won't expect me to fight dirty.
People think I'll run. Beg. Play the victim.
No one's gonna see it coming if I strike first.
So when I found this abandoned house, I turned it into a base. Trained hard. Spent hours on Occlumency and Legilimency. Mind magic. Not easy stuff, but necessary. And in between all that, I started testing… methods.
And when I wasn't training magic, I started trying out... other things. You know. Killing techniques.
I glanced at the body again.
Guy was a total creep. A rapist by my world's standards. Some big deal noble here, apparently.
Either way, he's not the first. Probably won't be the last.
Guards are starting to notice people going missing. Some of them are getting suspicious.
Honestly? I've been messing around a bit. Trying different methods. Seeing what feels right.
Today? Straight-up knife to the chest. Quick, simple.
Last night? I threw it from across the room. Nailed the guy. Bullseye style.
Before that? Went for the throat. Bit messier.
Practice makes perfect, right?
I haven't killed anyone with magic yet. Too risky. What if I mess up the Avada Kedavra and it backfires? Or worse, something goes wrong with this wand?
Yeah, nah. Not worth it. Not until I get a new wand. One I can actually trust. I know where to find one too. Just need a bit of time.
Anyway, back to practice.
I pulled out my wand, took a deep breath, and gave it another go.
"Expecto Patronum."
Nothing. Just air.
Forget about some big glowing guardian. I can't even get smoke.
They say you need a happy memory to cast it.
Well, guess what? I don't really have any.
My father was abusive. My mother? She left me with him.
So yeah, when I first realised I'd somehow ended up in the Harry Potter world, it freaked me out. The magic, the danger, not knowing what's coming… all of that.
But still, deep down, there was this weird kind of relief. Like at least the pain from before is over. That part of my life? Done.
Not that things were always crap. We used to be a proper family once. Happy, even. But then one day, my dad got suspended from work. After that, everything just broke. His mood, our money, everything spiralled. He started drinking. Got violent. Angry all the time.
And then Mum left.
At first, I couldn't believe it. I kept thinking she'd come back, that she wouldn't actually leave me alone with him.
But she didn't.
And then he told me why.
Said I wasn't even their real kid. Said they adopted me. Mocked me for it. Told me she only took me in because she couldn't have kids herself.
Yeah... messed up, right?
Huff.
Puff.
Alright. One more try.
This time… let's dig deeper. Before everything went to shit. Before my family broke.
Something good. Something real.
C'mon, think. Think. Think. Think. Think. THINK.
There. Yeah. That might work.
I grip my wand tighter, hand shaking a little. Not from fear, just from the rush building up in my chest.
Okay. Breathe.
"Expecto Patronum," I whisper.
"Expecto Patronum," I say again, a bit louder.
"Expecto Patronum." My voice is rising now. No hesitation.
"Expecto Patronum!"
"EXPECTO PATRONUM!!"
A shimmer. A flicker. And then there it is.
White mist begins swirling out from the tip of my wand. Soft and slow, curling in the air like it knows me. Like it's safe.
No one needs to explain it. I feel it.
It's mine.
Thanks Mr. Bean
********
Patronus form?