lady_moon | OOM: Draco at the castle

OOM: Draco at the castle

They step from Milliways onto the sand outside the castle. It's very white. Snow-white. And just as fine and powdery. The ocean laps at the stone walls of the very large building in front of them, and it's unusual because the water isn't blue.

And the sky isn't, either.

Since dawn has just recently broken, the sky is tinged a cool pinkish lavender as the red-orange sun rises. It shines on an ocean the colour of jade, with white foam kissing the waves. Moon smiles at Draco.

"We're the only ones who live on this plane," she explains. "Nothing changes here unless we want it to." Moon points to the battlements of the castle. "I still don't understand why they insisted on battlements. Battlements are for battle and there's no one to battle here."

This is the home of the tarot cards.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"That isn't what's important. Yes, it is important, because love given as children is the love we give as adults."

Which might be the problem.

Sorrow looks at the ring.

"When you have a son, do you want him to be a viper as you are?"

"I wish to raise him with what's important."

He sighed again as his hands fell to his sides.

"...No."

"Again I say, the love a child is given is always the love they learn to give in return."

She cups his face.

"If you don't want your children to suffer the fate you do, then the love you give them must be warm, not cold. You might think Mia -- or whatever girl you marry -- can give the love you can't, but it isn't so. The love of one parent doesn't make up for the lack of it from the other."

Sorrow lingers there, looking into his eyes as her palms cradle his face, searching for an opening.

A gap in the armour of Draco's mind and heart.

That brought up some things. Lucius love was fleeting, cold. Distant frequently, parcelling out approval carefully, and swift with rebukes when he thought Draco was lacking.

While Cissa was warmer. Cooler than most parents, but much warmer. Sometimes almost smothering, placating him, spoiling him with treats and gifts.

It had to have been confusing to the child, growing up with such extremes.

"Parents should work together to give their children stability, love, honour, compassion... things you seem to lack terribly."

Her words are spoken kindly and her eyes aren't reproachful.

Sorrow simply speaks the truth.

"But they did love me," He defensively replied, feeling a bit pinned under her gaze nonetheless.

And yet, why was it so hard for him to do so for real? Honour, there was pride, not the same. Compassion, if anything, that was discouraged.

"I'm not saying they didn't. In their way. Their confusing, conflicting way. While they did love you, they taught you all the wrong things. Arrogance and cruelty and ice and sharp teeth and hooked claws and..." Sorrow shakes her head. "What we need to do, though, is find the chink in your armour. Find how to get in and begin to undo some of the iceburg."

Draco sighed, and decided to try something. He closed his eyes. Trying to think back to his past. Days growing up at the Manor. The private tutors, the lessons from his parents. Being groomed from an very early age to be the Malfoy heir, and eventually take his father's place. Subtle training for a future Death Eater, and yet his father kept so much of it away from him. Not telling him anything. His mother not letting him go to a distant school like Durmstrang, wanting to keep him closer to home. Years later, finding out from Snape about the Unbreakable Vow he made with his mother. Not truly understanding what it meant, or not caring. His own father's sacrifice for him.

"I don't see it."

Sorrow smiles that sad, knowing smile of hers.

"I know," she says sympathetically. "That's why you're here, right? You wanted help. Are you willing to actually accept the help we offer?"

Draco thought about it.

And then nodded, "Yes, I wouldn't be otherwise, would I?" Slightly confused by the last question.

Sorrow sits back.

"You'd be amazed at the number of people who ask for help, and when the help is given, wind up not using it." She holds out her hand. "May I see your wand?"

It's innocently asked, and her expression is kind.

Draco started to get it out, "I suppose."

He then paused as he held it out in his hand, "Why?"

She doesn't answer him immediately, instead taking it from her hand into hers.

"When did you get it?" she asks, distracting him with the question as she looks it over.

"A little before I started school at Hogwarts. 7 or 8 years ago now." Still watchful, and almost wanting to ask for it back right there.

"Did you go with your father to choose it?"

She's trying to see how important it is to him.

It's important to know what's important.

Where the chinks are.

Draco nodded, "Yes. Took me to Ollivander's. In Diagon Alley. Went through a few wands before I found the right one. Can I have it back now?" He held out his hand to take it back.

She looks up, but keeps the wand in her hands.

"You said you didn't see where the chink the armour was. But we did. Moon saw it the first time she read your cards. We'd all hoped gentle pushing would help you along, but none of us think that's going to work anymore." A hand on each end of the wand. "You said you wanted our help, and we're going to help you. Because you have potential. Amazing potential."

Snap.

Pressure on each end of the wand and it breaks neatly in half.

"The chink is your magic."

Now she hands him the wand back.

Draco immediately reacted, and lunged for her.

"NOOOOO! HOW DARE YOU!"

She's quick.

Sorrow is on the opposite end of the balcony.

"You said you wanted help!"

"NOT THAT! HOW DARE YOU!" He snarled, wanting to lash out. He took a step, and then glanced down at his broken wand. He picked up the pieces, and looking broken.

"How dare you... do you have any idea what you've done?" Angry, but also starting to cry.

"I know exactly what I've done."

Sorrow takes a step toward him, her natural compassion surfacing.

"All you ever were was magic, Draco. From birth, magic and more magic. But not good magic. Hexes and curses and pain and unhappiness. Now... you don't have magic. Now, you're just Draco Malfoy."

"No, please no..." Draco cried in earnest now, kneeling on the ground. "I'm nothing without it. Please..."

She comes to kneel in front of him.

"That's where you're wrong. And you'll see. This way, you'll see."

Sorrow looks up and sees Moon in the doorway, the green-eyed card frowning and fidgeting with the laces of her corset.

Draco just shook his head, still crying. It was like part of him was torn away. A piece of him just gone. And Ollivander was gone. There was no way to get it back.

"No..." he sobbed.

Moon crouches down beside him, sliding her arms around his shoulders.

"Draco."

She didn't have much else to say. Being a creature of magic, she'd be destroyed to lose it.

There were times Moon hated what the tarot cards did.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject