Draco had been in a right mood since he’d finally had sex with his girlfriend. That fact in itself made him happier than words could describe, but it was the news that he received after that had thrown him for a loop. It seemed the Dark Dolt he still referred to as ‘Master’ was now taking it upon himself to be Skyler’s family since her parents and grandmother had bit the dust, apparently by the loving and protective headmaster’s hand.

It was all completely screwed up and ended with Draco not being good enough for the little snake, so much so that her uncle threatened to alter her mind if she refused to stop seeing him. Now he’d have to make it seem like things were over between them and watch as other guys tried to seduce her, even stand by when they touched her rather than hex their balls off for even thinking of it.

This was going to be hell.

Not only would he have to deal with her supposedly being single, but he’d have to make it look like they were really broken up and he was back to his old self, since they’d both agreed that it would be very bad for Sky’s oh so sweet uncle to suspect Draco of turning tail on his little club. The only way Draco could imagine fully convincing everyone that he was back to his old, self-righteous prat of a self was to do the one thing that he feared might just kill him. He needed to date the pug again.

Of course, he wasn’t about to actually date her, but she’d think he was and he’d have to snog her. Somehow he was determined to avoid doing anything more with her, especially since he still intended to carry on a relationship with his little snake in secret. He was just so angry about the whole damned situation and he wished Potter would just kill the stupid Dark Lord already! Wasn’t that the overall goal, after all? Why couldn’t he just get a damned move on?

The blonde paced the armoury, one of his favorite haunts, and nearly ripped his silky hair from its roots. He had initially come here to practice fencing, but his mind and rage took over and all he could manage was pacing and growling. With untucked oxford and tie undone, Draco looked a complete mess as he glared at the very world. Why was it that as soon as he decided to do something good with his life it all had to come crashing back in his face?

He lashed out with a random hex full of anger and hatred, the red bolt of light slamming into a nearby shield and melting the metal instantly. Oops. Hopefully no one noticed the loss. He grimaced at the sound of approaching footsteps and an apparent throat clearing. ”Any chance you’ll forget what you saw and simply go on your way?” he asked with an edge to his voice. Draco really didn’t want to deal with any human beings at the moment. Hell, he didn’t even want to deal with a living creature. He hoped that the person would simply leave, but he seriously doubted the universe had an ounce of good luck in store for him.

"Why would I want to do that for?" Silas leveled a mixed look at his cousin. It was partial confusion, calculation, and wariness.

The sharply dressed teenager had taken his mother's threat to heart. His clothing when not wizard robes or school uniform, were at least in wizarding fashion. Hands clasped at the wrist behind his back, fingers caressing the handle of his wand, Silas watched the blond. For the past few weeks he had been using his prefect patrols to try and find what the Dark Lord had tasked him. As well as keeping an eye on his cousin. He was not a fool to think that a mutual threat of death for failure would unite them in solidarity. At least, not for longer then the other could find an advantage.

"It's not often a Malfoy loses their calm exterior. Well, at least for you, I do believe its been awhile. No where near this extent though." He amended with a slight upturn of his lips.

This display of emotion and the result of said emotion being vented... The Ravenclaw filed it away as he went to inspect the melted metal. And here he had thought all Malfoys had cold anger. It looked like his cousin was more firey then he let on.

"I actually only wanted to inquire if you'd made any progress with what we had been tasked?"

The familiar tone of his cousin’s voice had Draco looking up so quickly he might have given himself whiplash. He shot the boy a look that asked where he’d been lurking and what the hell he meant by wearing wizards clothes rather than his normal muggle attire. Was he really giving in to the pureblood demands of his lunatic mother? That seemed… weak. Especially for the cocky bastard that was Silas Lestrange.

He growled and ventured over to where the other boy stood, looking at the job he’d done on the shield and grimacing. ”Yes, well,” he growled, hating the way people assumed he was so predictable just because of his surname. ”You might do well to remember I am my own person, cousin.” His voice was acidic as he looked the boy up and down and sneered.

”Letting your mum dictate your life, are you?” He sighed and dropped the angry front. It wasn’t like he was actually mad at his cousin. Just at his whole situation. Maybe the boy could actually help him with some of it. ”Dammit, Silas, I haven’t made a damn bit of progress with that task. I have no bloody idea how to accomplish it and I don’t even know who the hell to ask for assistance. Then I couldn’t find you for almost a week. Where the bloody hell have you been anyway?”

Well, maybe keeping his temper in check was proving to be a bit difficult today. After all, he had just melted an ancient shield that was probably warded against magic. He just wished he was more in control of his life. That was a statement that could be applied to most of the blonde’s life, if he was honest. ”Everything is going to hell and I think we’re going there right along with it all. What the hell are we going to do about our little mission anyway? Do you have some idea?”

Draco looked at his cousin and let his guard down for once. The anger fell from his eyes to expose the real emotion underlying everything else. Pure, cold fear. He took a shaking breath and stared at the other boy, eyes still wide. ”I don’t want to die.”

With an askance glance at his cousin, Silas' amusement grew. It was but a scant few weeks ago the blond had been singing a different tune. Keeping a straight face would have proved problematic had he not grown up as he had. Keeping a tight lid on anything he might be feeling, the teenager straightened up gesturing to his wardrobe. In a tone as if he really cared about the answer he quirked a brow with a slight frown. "You don't like it? Shame. It was a gift from Aunt Narcissa."

There was no point in telling his cousin about the fortune you could amass from the student populace. The Weasley twins knew it and had worked the system. Silas was no different. Muggleborns didn't know what was wizard chic and what was not. Silas was wearing the clothes as a demenstration. He already had a buyer for them. It was to prove that he was scamming the idiot about it being something a Pureblood would wear.

At his cousin's change of posture, Silas' gaze sharpened. Giving a secretive smile he shrugged as if it wasn't important. "A little of this here, a little of that there. I have been around." Just not noticed which was the point.

Apt words those, 'going to hell'. That had always been their destination so,why was his cousin so concerned about it now? Something had changed. Something or someone had drastically changed the blond's way of thinking. Silas found it fascinating, intriguing, and very very disconcerting. He disliked it.

It was quite something to see the fear in Draco's eyes. It did something to him. Much like the same something that had him leaning closer when his mother had tortured the elf and later Draco. His cousin had actually woken up and wasn't liking what he found. It almost made the Ravenclaw laugh.

That the Slytherin was looking to him for a solution was a bit intoxicating combined with everything else. A gleam appeared in his eye. "Maybe you should get Yank to help you out?"

As for dying... "We still have time. You're supposed to be good at manipulation. How did you get your snakes swayed to you? Use them. You don't have to be honest about what you're doing."

All Draco wanted to do the more his cousin spoke was to beat his head against a wall and go back to dealing with things alone. Not only did he feel the need to bring Skyler, Draco’s soon-to-be ex-girlfriend (for all the world knew at least) into the conversation, but he also felt the need to take jabs at Draco’s failings as a Slytherin. As if the idiot snakes who followed him like a king could contribute anything to the mission the cousins shared…

The blonde growled at his cousin, letting another hex fly from his wand and just barely miss the other boy’s head. He glared at Silas before muttering, ”Next time I’ll aim to make contact.” It was like the Ravenclaw didn’t understand how serious their predicament was. Draco understood all too wall what was on the line, and now that he had Sky in his life, she didn’t really think it was worth losing.

”All the ordering around in the world will do me no good without a plan,” he growled. The boy never really had answered the question of what progress or plans he’d made. ”So do you know how we can manage this or not? I’d rather not drag ‘the yank’ into this, since her family’s already been taken out and she’s been threatened by more than one leader.” His eyes had turned a dark steel as he spoke of the danger is girlfriend might already be in. His cousin had better have a plan or else the two might soon know what was worse than death.

Anger flared in Silas' dark eyes before he quelled it and a cold smirk/smile appeared on his face. Let his cousin try that again and they'd both find out if he was his mother's son. Perhaps Draco didn't know him as well as he thought he did. Silas didn't forget and never forgave. Just because the blond was a year older meant little.

Facing the fuming Slytherin with a disbelieving look, Silas wondered what had happened. Here he'd thought his cousin was fairly smart. Giving his cousin a piercing look, his lip curled in amusement amd irony. It was quite funny for Silas to think about. Both boys were changing and neither were what they expected.

Taking in the information he was given he filed it away to peruse later. It intrigued him and gave him answers that the girl had meetings with the Dark Lord and...the headmaster? Sighing, the Ravenclaw tried to explain. "Just tell them you want to one up the Gryffindors or Potter. That wouldn't be too far off your previous personality. Have them tail him, search for passages that Slytherin could keep to themselves, etc."

Whether he should tell Draco he'd been going through his own options or not was still undecided. Silas wasn't the type to play happy families. While his cousin had been trying to reinvent himself, Silas had been putting his life on the line. Unwilling to completely distance himself kept him from retaliation and in the room.

It only took him a moment to decide. He would need Draco's help. Acting as if it was just an afterthought he gave a small smile. "Did I forget to mention I was looking into something?"

As to not test the older teen's temper or patience, Silas quickly got to the point. "It was something that I overheard one of your Slytherin's tell you in hospital. I wanted to see for myself."

Draco listened to his cousin with anger on his face. It was annoying to hear that superior tone in his voice, and it reminded him that Silas was, in fact, Bella’s boy. The idea that they might be able to find some of the castle’s secrets by having a Slytherin or two tail Potter and his pals was a decent one at least, and he figured it would be easy enough to convince some of his cronies to do so.

At least that was one thing Draco didn’t have to worry so much about. He might have been foolish in telling the other boy so much about his girlfriend’s activities of late, but it didn’t seem likely that Silas was suddenly going to be some good boy and follow the Death Eaters loyally and to a tee. That just wouldn’t be the norm for his idiot relative, not that following the Death Eaters would really be all that smart either. No, it didn’t seem like there was a smart move at the moment, and that was frustrating Draco even more than anything else.

”What did you find out then?” he asked with a quirked brow. Draco couldn’t figure out what on earth the kid was talking about, but that wasn’t really all that surprising. So much had been happening lately that it was a wonder he still knew his own password and class schedule. If this year got much more complicated, Draco would end up insane before it was half over, and that was being a bit generous.

Perhaps whatever news Silas had would give Draco some sort of idea to get out of going nuts. It would be  nice to have another alternative, after all. The blonde was rather partial to his mind.

Instead of answering straight away, Silas just stared at his cousin. Assessing him, the look in eyes calculating as well as curious. If Draco was how most Slytherins were, was it no wonder that he'd opted for Ravenclaw? He knew that the blond was dating the yank and that it had obviously changed the Pureblood. How much and how deep it went was beginning to show in oh so many telling ways. With a half harsh smile playing about his lips he sarcastically stated, "I had heard that everytime you have sex you lower your I.Q. Tell me cousin, is this what happened with you?"

As he spoke knowing he could be playing with fire, Silas subtly flexed his wrist. The comforting feeling of his wand sliding down to rest in his palm soothed him. If Draco tried that little stunt again he'd be ready. That yank had given him a souvenir from their encounter which would always remind him of his folly. Tilting his head slightly a knowing smile sliding into place he dared voice, "I hope you didn't create a dorm baby. Wonder if Aunt 'Cissa is ready to be a grandmummy?"

Not knowing why he was tempting - baiting - the Slytherin, Silas just knew it made him feel as if he was on a high. The edge of the precipice and all he wanted to do was to jump and enjoy the freefall sensation before the nasty mess as the end. Perhaps it was because he was also feeling angry, frustrated, and resentful with the blond. Because of him, Silas had been bound to this plot. Draco was the elder. The one who had wanted and craved for something like this to prove his worth. And now he was looking toward Silas to get them through this.

If the older boy thought that he didn't have to do anything while taking Silas' solution and claiming credit, he had another thing coming. He wasn't tired of the shadows, being the player behind the scenes fitted him better. Yet, Silas was tired of being overlooked and ignored. And he was tired of being confused and having people adding to it.

Unsure of whether or not his cousin actually knew about Draco’s sex life with his current girlfriend, he was still incredibly irritated with the idiot Ravenclaw’s remarks. How dare he imply that Draco had so little brain cells? Or that he had so little sex, as it would be more accurate, but Draco wasn’t about to give him that sort of ammo. It seemed that even if he tried to defend himself the Slytherin would still be on the other end of a barrel loaded full with more berating.

”You’d best watch your mouth, dear cousin, as I don’t really want to get the blood on my hands that tearing it off your face would cause,” he snapped, unable to hold his tongue any longer. At this point he didn’t even know if his mother was capable of stopping her blubbering long enough to hear any sort of news, even if he was actually busy making dorm babies as his cousin so kindly put it.

Draco noticed the younger boy’s wand slide into his hand and felt his rage grow ever stronger. It seemed the idiot was ready to defend himself should the blonde decide to take aim at him again. Pity. Draco much preferred his wand to his fists, but sometimes the situation simply called for more physical actions. He smirked cockily as he looked Silas up and down, wondering what secrets the boy might hold within that thick skull. Maybe he’d know eventually, but somehow it seemed unlikely that they’d be having any sort of heart to heart any time soon.

No, it was far more likely that he might torture the information out of his cousin, since he had launched himself at the boy and reached out to clamp his fist around Silas’s throat. At the same time, Draco pulled back with his other fist balled, ready to knock Silas’s eye into the back of his skull. Oh, if the boy didn’t react quite fast enough and the punch hit home… The Slytherin would be so thrilled to give his fool of a cousin a bloody shiner for all his trouble.

Silas couldn't help the laughter that came from his mouth at the threat. It wasn't particularly funny, but for aome reason it struck him as such. Maybe it was more a release then anything. He would have to thank his cousin seeing as the last time he'd had a laugh was when that yank sliced him. Wasn't that something? The two people to get him to laugh and they were perfect for each other. A masochist and a sadist. He sobered quickly his eyes widening slightly the only proof of his shock.

Draco attacking the way a muggle would was not what Silas had expected. The blond had always been about magic. To resort to fisticuffs was like expecting Potter to start acting like Longbottom. Those thoughts crossed his mind as his cousin's hand clamped around his throat. Silas slipped his wand back in its holster as he raised his hand to block the punch. It was fortunate for the Ravenclaw that unlike Draco, he was left handed. Silas' right hand went to grab at the hand around his throat. Bringing up his right knee he lashed out with his leg to connect with Draco's knee he smiled cruely. "Hit a nerve did I cousin?"

If Draco wanted to vent his anger so be it. Silas would do the same. He had years worth of frustrations, anger, and hatred to release. He could give way to all his negative feelings with this action. It was severely overdue and he was quite happy that Draco chose the more personal approach rather then magic.

(ooc: permission given to gm actions by draco's handler for rest of the thread. Similar permission has been granted to draco's handler in regards to Silas)

”Bloody hell!” Draco grit his teeth as pain shot through his knee. Damn, his cousin could kick hard! He lost his grip on the boy’s throat, but he didn’t much care as the blonde was soon throwing himself at the Ravenclaw, a feral roar tearing from his throat. He was just so damned angry. Angry at Silas for not knowing when the hell to shut his mouth, angry at their ‘lord’ for ordering Draco to break off the one relationship that he could actually see going somewhere, and angry at himself for being weak enough to care about any of it.

He should be thinking of some way to fight the crap that life was throwing at him, but instead he was here straddling his cousin, pinning the boy to the floor as he threw punch after punch at his head and upper body. It was inevitable that the boy would soon actually make contact between his knee and Draco’s jewels, but until he did the blonde was going to relentlessly pound the boy to a pulp.

Realistically, the boys should actually be working together. They should be figuring out some way to actually survive to adulthood. Instead, they were being typical boys, which might be just as cathartic in all honesty. ”You are such a bloody wanker! I’m amazed you grew the bloody balls to actually fight back, since I was pretty convinced you had a bloody pussy!”

Draco’s words were hollow and his punches were weakening as he took out the anger that was more for himself than his cousin. He thought that he, Draco, was being less than a man lately. He wasn’t standing up for what he believed in and he wasn’t protecting those who meant the most to him. He was weak and a damned idiot and he deserved to get his arse kicked. Perhaps that was why he wasn’t really protecting himself from his cousin’s inevitable attack.

The flare of satisfaction he got when his cousin swore and released his neck was short lived. At least he could breathe! Tackled to the ground his back hit the stone roughly causing the air to rush from his lungs. It was all he could do to get his arms up to block his face as his cousin rained hits upon him. If he was flexible he would have brought his leg straight up to kick the blond in the head. Wanting to cause Draco pain he waited for his chance then made sure to put as much force as he could into kneeing him in the kidney.

His arms would be bruised and sore not to mention Draco had been able to get a couple to his face. He could feel a slpit lip and thought about spitting the bloody saliva in his cousin's face. Nearly laughing at the pathetic insult. He'd heard better and had had worse from others. Instead he spat back, "You're one to talk you bloody berk."

His smile was viscous as he asked, "Finally decided to get your own hands dirty?"

To hell with pride, rules, and the consequences. Slipping his wand into his left hand he delivered a right cross to the blond. Quickly he cast relashio which might not have been the best plan seeing as it caused Silas to smack into the leg of a suit of armour. It at least gave him.a brief respite.

A guttural howl escaped Draco’s lungs when his cousin connected with his kidney. Oh sweet Merlin that hurt. The shooting pain in his back was distracting enough that barely noticed Silas’s split lip, but he did see the scarlet flash upon the boy’s otherwise light face and it caused him to smirk, albeit a pained sort of prideful expression.

The idiot Ravenclaw had to keep running his mouth, of course, and Draco found all he wanted to do was keep beating until there was too much blood on his cousin’s tongue for words to actually form. He was busy thinking about how he would get the right angle to break the boy’s jaw when the relashio hit and he went flying into the stone wall across from his cousin’s landing place. It seemed neither had fared all that well, since Silas was slumped against the leg of a suit of armor while the back of Draco’s head was pounding.

”Oh, balls,” he groaned, touching his bruised skull and wincing as he brought his fingers to the front of his face and looked at the pinkness that tinged his pale digits. Shit. He’d bashed his own damned skull in somehow. ”You know, using your wand was bloody cheating, cousin.” Draco felt about for his wand but wasn’t sure where the piece of wood had gone and his vision was a bit wonky from the head wound. He blinked a few times and rested his head back against the wall.

With a sigh, he opened one eye just a little and looked over at his cousin with a smirk growing on his face. ”Real Slytherin move, actually. Sly, cunning… I can actually believe the hat offered you the snake pit as a choice.” It seemed the fight was over now that magic had kicked both their arses, and Draco groaned again at the shifting of the room. ”Where’s my bloody wand? I cracked my bloody head open and I can’t seem to get the room to stop dancing.”

Savage triumph and a nasty grin were Silas' replies to his cousin's barb about cheating. Satisfied that he didn't need, want, or have to explain himself. Touching his lip and face where it was sure to bruise, the teenager hissed. Spitting out a wad of bloody saliva. Pressing the cuff of his right shirt sleeve uncaing of the bloodstaining the material his bleeding lip.

Looking over at his cousin he arched a brow even knowing it wouldn't have the same effect it would in normal conditions. Silas despite condition gave Draco an affronted look. Did he think that he would have lied? He was eleven bloody years old! He very nearly did let the hat choose Slytherin for him and succumb to the family tradition. What held him back and had him choose Ravenclaw was to try and prove he was smarter. It was also a step away from the collar that would cinch about his throat now that he was old enough to count for something. There was also so many opportunities for people to underestimate and dismiss him. And maybe a bit of rebellion.

A laugh began to bubble up at his cousin's irritation. His shoulders began to shake as he tried to keep it in. That only irritated his back which he was sure was bruised from the force he was slammed first to the floor by his cousin, then against the armour from his own spell. Ducking his head he couldn't stop the smile despite the pain it caused as it tore at his lip and started it bleeding again.

"I don't want to see that woman again!" Silas would not admit that his groan came out with a bit of a petulant whine. He didn't mind the hospital wing, only hated it when he was the patient.

"Why'd you have to go and land on your head for?" he groused as he hauled himself to his feet. "If you die...can I have your room? It is so much better than mine."

He couldn’t help laughing right along with his cousin, yet Draco also felt concern fill his chest as the boy’s lip cracked further to spill fresh blood down his chin. ”Nobody likes seeing that woman,” he commented with a grunt as he forced himself to his feet. ”But we both bloody well need her and you know it. Salazar’s tit. My head is bloody killing me. Why’d you have to use a damned relashio anyway? You know that shit sends you flying when you use it against a person.”

The blonde shook his head and groaned. Why in the hell had he just done that? His head was killing him so he bloody shook it? How damned stupid was he? ”You are not getting my room so you can fill it with your muggle trash. Plus you’d hate the colors. I’m a true Slytherin, don’t you know,” he grinned, slapping the younger boy hard on his back as he started them both out of the room. ”If I pass out don’t let her do anything stupid to me. I’m not dying. Just might have a concussion or something. Bloody bint is crazy. You know what she tried to do last time Potter managed to get me off my broom? She didn’t let me leave for nearly a bloody week!” He laughed at the memory, recalling how worried the stupid pug had been.

”Hell, I probably should thank her for that. Saved me from a whole week of Parkinson hanging all over me while I searched for excuses to get her off of me.” They kept up the walk toward the hospital wing with Draco talking most of the time to keep himself from losing consciousness. He realized it was odd for the two of them to share such a normal moment, yet he was enjoying it. The two would have to talk about their plans for the task they were charged with. Draco figured with two brains they’d actually make some progress, at least if they weren’t trying to kill each other. Now that the killing attempts were over, the planning could begin.

Maybe the two of them would actually survive past Halloween.