It was Draco I was looking for.'
Harry glanced sideways at Draco, who had gone very pale, but didn't look surprised. 'How,' Draco said, in a tight voice, 'did you find me?'
''At first, my Master watched you through that Portkey he gave you.
Then you very unintelligently left it behind, and we lost you briefly.
Fortunately,' giggled Wormtail, and held up something in his metal hand that glittered like a tiny point of fire. The Epicyclical Charm.
'Your father was kind enough to offer this to my Master in exchange for-'
'For being splattered all over his cell like a Jackson Pollock painting?' snapped Draco, his voice shaking. 'Your Master doesn't drive a very fair bargain, does he?'
'He is eminently fair to those who serve him fairly,' said Wormtail coolly.
Draco took a step back. Harry experienced an odd urge to reach out and put a hand on the other boy's shoulder, but didn't, since he knew his hand would go right through Draco — not a sensation he particularly enjoyed. It was very strange to be present and to feel real, and yet not to be able to affect his environment in any way. He wondered if this was what it was like to be a ghost.
'Give me the Charm,' said Draco, looking steadily at Wormtail.
Wormtail looked at him steadily, then did something so bizarre that Harry thought at first he was imagining it. Moving slowly and awkwardly, Wormtail got down on his knees on the grass, still looking steadily at Draco as he did so.
Draco glanced sideways at Harry, and Harry heard Draco's voice in his head: What's he doing?
Harry shrugged mentally. (not that hard to imagine if you think about it.) I've no idea.
Maybe he wants to play leapfrog?
Interesting theory, but I'm thinking no.
Harry felt Draco jump beside him, and looked up to see that a blazing circle of fire had suddenly sprung up around them, encircling the three of them inside a ring of burning grass. It didn't look like ordinary fire, either, but blazed bright gold and hurtful like the sun seen through glass. Harry saw Draco wince, and look away.
Wormtail spoke then, and his voice was his voice, but at the same time, it wasn't. 'Draco Malfoy,' he said, a faint buzzing undercutting his speech. 'You are the Heir of Slytherin. The time has come for you to ascend to your proper place, which is yours by right of blood and inheritance. The time has come for you to accept your patrimony.'
Draco looked alarmed. I don't have any children. I don't think I have any children. I'd remember something like that.
Patrimony, idiot, not palimony. It means your heritage, your destiny… look, whatever it is, you don't want it. Tell him no.
Draco turned back to Wormtail. 'No.'
Wormtail glared. The fire blazing all around them made him look frightening; Harry had never found him particularly frightening before. 'My Master is prepared to offer you power beyond your wildest imaginings-'
'That's awfully vague,' pointed out Draco. 'How come it's always
'power beyond your wildest imaginings' and never anything specific, like top-box tickets to the Quidditch World Cup and a yearlong subscription to Playwizard magazine? I mean, how about something I could use?'
'— power over weather,' Wormtail continued, glaring as if he disliked being interrupted, 'over the minds of other men, over dragons and other Outside Powers…'
Dragons? Draco looked slightly wistful. Power over dragons…
Malfoy!
Oh, all right.
'…Over life and death. He offers you a chance to share the Dark Throne with him and sit at his left hand.'
'And all I have to do is what?' Draco snapped, a sharp edge to his voice. 'Give up my soul?'
'Oh, no,' said Wormtail. 'You don't have to give up your soul. What would my Master want with your soul? Souls are useful only to demons, who have none of their own. No, my master wants your cooperation and your loyalty…that's all.'
Draco turned to Harry, his arms crossed over his chest, and raised an eyebrow. 'I'm just not finding this guy believable, Potter,' he said. 'Why do you think that is?'
Harry shrugged thoughtfully. 'Well, he lacks credibility.'
Draco turned back to Wormtail and smiled. It was the same creepy smile that had spooked Charlie the night before. Harry couldn't have known that, but he felt the back of his neck prickle as if something cold had touched him. 'I'd have to say I agree with Potter,' he said, his tone unpleasant. 'I suggest you leave…and don't forget to let the door hit you in the ass on the way out of town. Of course, with a target that size…'
Wormtail looked stiff. 'There's no reason to be insulting.'
Draco snorted. 'I think there's every reason to be insulting. You kidnapped a friend of mine and told her that unless she drank an illegal love potion, you would kill her. You as good as killed Harry's parents, tried to kill him, and oh, yes, not that long ago you tried to kill me as well. Now you tell me that either I go with you to serve your Master, or else — well, you won't say what else, but knowing you it's probably going to involve — big surprise here — killing. So far you have done nothing to endear yourself to me, and much that has annoyed me profoundly. In fact, the way I look at it, you can just sleep on the couch from now on, because I don't think this relationship has a future.'
Wormtail's expression darkened. 'Are you saying that you won't come willingly?'
