Draco Malfoy swung his weather-worn cloak about his shoulders, shielding his tattered and ill-fitted clothes, and readjusted the strap of his knapsack as he entered a dingy pub two miles out of Eastbourne. The sounds of people laughing, faint music, and mugs sliding across the bar counter rang in his ears.
It was a cool, breezy day in April. Draco had been out of Azkaban for only a few months, having wandered the country aimlessly since. His pockets were almost empty and he looked as though he could’ve used a good shave, but he didn’t care. His hair hung long and wild about his face. His face had aged in the seven years since he’d last seen Hogwarts, but the devious luster in his grey eyes had remained.
A man waved him over to a table by a window. He clasped the hand of his old friend, Blaise Zabini, before taking a seat. The table included two unfamiliar faces.
“Malfoy,” he muttered with a slight wave before taking a seat. A deck of worn cards was strewn about the table. Loose change and a few bills lay in front of each man.
“Samsel, Ricketts,” Blaise said, motioning towards the other men. The two men eyed him suspiciously.
“It’s Euchre. Have you played before?”
Draco smirked. “Of course. What’re we playing for?”
“Glad you asked,” Blaise said, returning the smirk. “Ricketts?”
Ricketts reached into his pockets and pulled out what appeared to be two scraps of parchment. On closer inspection Draco saw that they were two tickets to ride in the third carriage of the brand new wizarding ship, the MMS Potter.
Draco stifled a bitter laugh. “Well they weren’t discreet about their beneficiary in the least bit.”
“It’s the first ship exclusively for Wizards. It’s bound for Nova Scotia,” Samsel said defensively.
“All right, Malfoy, you deal,” Blaise said impatiently.
Draco tossed each player their cards and revealed the up-card, a nine of spades.
“This’ll be rough,” Blaise said, his eyes dancing wickedly.
The two men muttered incoherently while Draco’s expression mirrored that of his friend’s.
Twenty minutes later Draco and Blaise emerged from the pub, each clutching a ticket in their hand.
“When does this ship set sail?” Draco asked, using a hand to shield his eyes from the blazing sun.
Blaise checked his watch. “In ten minutes.”
Draco quirked an eyebrow at him before the two of them laughed. There was nothing humorous, only excitement and the promise of adventure as the two friends secured their little belongings and broke into a run towards the dock harboring the MMS Potter.
Draco took in the view as he kept close behind Blaise’s heels. Sovereign Harbor was predominantly Muggle. He could see numerous beach houses lining the sands. It had been some time since he’d been parted from his own wealth, but he still mourned the loss of it. He noticed a house with a red tiled roof and a balcony overlooking the sea. It reminded him of his own family’s beach house, before it had been confiscated by the Ministry. He shook his head at the memory and looked forward, towards the blue-green ocean waters.
“Where’s the ship?” Draco called out after Blaise, as they neared the boatyard.
“It’ll be like King’s Cross, mate, we can’t see it just yet,” Blaise responded over his shoulder.
Blaise had suffered the same way Draco had. He’d lost his entire fortune after the war and had struggled to make ends meet since. Unlike Draco’s family, he hadn’t had the misfortune of spending time in Azkaban. He still had the mischievous charm in his handsome face. His hair was cut close and he had thinned considerably.
When they arrived at the boardwalk, Draco had to catch his breath. The view was amazing. There were Muggles getting in and out of boats and seagulls soaring above their heads. The ocean was like something Draco had only seen in his childhood. He noticed a yacht preparing to set sail and his heart felt heavy with thoughts of his mother and father.
“Mother, I’m bored,” a six year old Draco pouted, taking a seat across from his mother. His arms were folded across his chest. “May I use my wand?”
“I’m afraid not, dear,” his mother chuckled. “Why don’t you help your father steer the ship? I’m sure he’d love the help.” The large hat on her head did little to stop the breeze from blowing her long blonde hair about her face.
“I did. But now I’m bored.”
His mother sighed and rose to her feet. She beckoned him to follow her and he clambered to his feet, having to walk faster to keep up with his mother’s long legs. She leaned across a railing overlooking the sea.
“Isn’t it beautiful, Draco?”
“No,” he said stubbornly.
“It is. Look, you can see a school of fish down there.”
Draco peered over the edge of the railing to get a good look.
“When we get closer to shore, I bet we can see dolphins.”
“What are dolphins?”
“Lovely animals. You’ll see.”
“Will there be peacocks as well?”
His mother laughed. “No, why would you think that? Peacocks live on land. You know that.”
“I know, but I thought maybe Father would want to see some.”
She ruffled his hair before draping an arm around his shoulder. They stood like that for a while, watching the sun set, only leaving when the house-elf that had accompanied them called them for dinner.
“There,” Blaise said breathlessly, pointing towards a stairwell. They clambered down the steps two at a time and found themselves in a dank, poorly lit tunnel used for storage. There were a few workmen mulling about with supplies.
Blaise made his way towards a noticeable crack in the concrete floor. He turned sharply to his right and walked three steps until he reached a solid wall covered with old fishing nets, broken masts, and torn sails.
“All right, just like in the old days,” Blaise said with a grin. Before Draco could say anything, Blaise took off towards the wall and vanished.
Draco took a deep breath and clutched his knapsack tightly. “Well, here goes nothing.”
It was a cool, breezy day in April. Draco had been out of Azkaban for only a few months, having wandered the country aimlessly since. His pockets were almost empty and he looked as though he could’ve used a good shave, but he didn’t care. His hair hung long and wild about his face. His face had aged in the seven years since he’d last seen Hogwarts, but the devious luster in his grey eyes had remained.
A man waved him over to a table by a window. He clasped the hand of his old friend, Blaise Zabini, before taking a seat. The table included two unfamiliar faces.
“Malfoy,” he muttered with a slight wave before taking a seat. A deck of worn cards was strewn about the table. Loose change and a few bills lay in front of each man.
“Samsel, Ricketts,” Blaise said, motioning towards the other men. The two men eyed him suspiciously.
“It’s Euchre. Have you played before?”
Draco smirked. “Of course. What’re we playing for?”
“Glad you asked,” Blaise said, returning the smirk. “Ricketts?”
Ricketts reached into his pockets and pulled out what appeared to be two scraps of parchment. On closer inspection Draco saw that they were two tickets to ride in the third carriage of the brand new wizarding ship, the MMS Potter.
Draco stifled a bitter laugh. “Well they weren’t discreet about their beneficiary in the least bit.”
“It’s the first ship exclusively for Wizards. It’s bound for Nova Scotia,” Samsel said defensively.
“All right, Malfoy, you deal,” Blaise said impatiently.
Draco tossed each player their cards and revealed the up-card, a nine of spades.
“This’ll be rough,” Blaise said, his eyes dancing wickedly.
The two men muttered incoherently while Draco’s expression mirrored that of his friend’s.
Twenty minutes later Draco and Blaise emerged from the pub, each clutching a ticket in their hand.
“When does this ship set sail?” Draco asked, using a hand to shield his eyes from the blazing sun.
Blaise checked his watch. “In ten minutes.”
Draco quirked an eyebrow at him before the two of them laughed. There was nothing humorous, only excitement and the promise of adventure as the two friends secured their little belongings and broke into a run towards the dock harboring the MMS Potter.
Draco took in the view as he kept close behind Blaise’s heels. Sovereign Harbor was predominantly Muggle. He could see numerous beach houses lining the sands. It had been some time since he’d been parted from his own wealth, but he still mourned the loss of it. He noticed a house with a red tiled roof and a balcony overlooking the sea. It reminded him of his own family’s beach house, before it had been confiscated by the Ministry. He shook his head at the memory and looked forward, towards the blue-green ocean waters.
“Where’s the ship?” Draco called out after Blaise, as they neared the boatyard.
“It’ll be like King’s Cross, mate, we can’t see it just yet,” Blaise responded over his shoulder.
Blaise had suffered the same way Draco had. He’d lost his entire fortune after the war and had struggled to make ends meet since. Unlike Draco’s family, he hadn’t had the misfortune of spending time in Azkaban. He still had the mischievous charm in his handsome face. His hair was cut close and he had thinned considerably.
When they arrived at the boardwalk, Draco had to catch his breath. The view was amazing. There were Muggles getting in and out of boats and seagulls soaring above their heads. The ocean was like something Draco had only seen in his childhood. He noticed a yacht preparing to set sail and his heart felt heavy with thoughts of his mother and father.
“Mother, I’m bored,” a six year old Draco pouted, taking a seat across from his mother. His arms were folded across his chest. “May I use my wand?”
“I’m afraid not, dear,” his mother chuckled. “Why don’t you help your father steer the ship? I’m sure he’d love the help.” The large hat on her head did little to stop the breeze from blowing her long blonde hair about her face.
“I did. But now I’m bored.”
His mother sighed and rose to her feet. She beckoned him to follow her and he clambered to his feet, having to walk faster to keep up with his mother’s long legs. She leaned across a railing overlooking the sea.
“Isn’t it beautiful, Draco?”
“No,” he said stubbornly.
“It is. Look, you can see a school of fish down there.”
Draco peered over the edge of the railing to get a good look.
“When we get closer to shore, I bet we can see dolphins.”
“What are dolphins?”
“Lovely animals. You’ll see.”
“Will there be peacocks as well?”
His mother laughed. “No, why would you think that? Peacocks live on land. You know that.”
“I know, but I thought maybe Father would want to see some.”
She ruffled his hair before draping an arm around his shoulder. They stood like that for a while, watching the sun set, only leaving when the house-elf that had accompanied them called them for dinner.
“There,” Blaise said breathlessly, pointing towards a stairwell. They clambered down the steps two at a time and found themselves in a dank, poorly lit tunnel used for storage. There were a few workmen mulling about with supplies.
Blaise made his way towards a noticeable crack in the concrete floor. He turned sharply to his right and walked three steps until he reached a solid wall covered with old fishing nets, broken masts, and torn sails.
“All right, just like in the old days,” Blaise said with a grin. Before Draco could say anything, Blaise took off towards the wall and vanished.
Draco took a deep breath and clutched his knapsack tightly. “Well, here goes nothing.”
Author notes: Please review :)
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