Changes and Problems

I wake up with a throbbing headache. A quick mutter of, "Tempus," tells me that it's been 4 hours, which means I've missed lunch but at least I wasn't out for the entire day. As I gather my bearings everything feels different, it's like my senses have been dialed up to eleven. I look over to my right and can notice many details in the room I had missed earlier thanks to the ambient lighting. What I really want to test is my reflexes I get up and leave the room and open my usual training room.

I walk up to the bludger area and set the dial to two and open it. Immediately 2 bludgers start chasing me and I'm diving and dodging in between them. I noticed a vast difference in how I perceived the flying balls. It wasn't like slow motion, but it was like I now knew exactly were they would fly and my body reacts the best way to dodge it. This lasted for about 3 minutes until one of them clips me on the side after I started tiring.

I laughed out loud after they fell and couldn't believe how powerful rituals were. Originally I could only last about 30 seconds dodging two bludgers and even then I was barely keeping up, now I just need to keep building up my stamina and I'll be able to dodge them for as long as I want to.

I return to my dorm and see Blaise reading on his bed. "Where've you been all day?"

"I think I've found the perfect place to train and I want you guys to join me. Go get Bulstrode, and I'll go get Greengrass and Davis." I told him with a grin. I couldn't help it this was going to be so much better with people to duel with. Practicing by yourself only gets you so far, with people to duel my strength will skyrocket. He agreed and went off to go find Millicent.

I looked over the Common Room and see the girls studying by the fire. I walked over to them and called out to them but just as I was approaching them, my new heightened hearing picks up a faint, "Vomitare Viridis!" I hit the floor as a spell rockets over my head and straight into Tracey. I looked up and see her hunched over the table vomiting. I turned around and saw Pansy with her wand pointed at me laughing with Draco and his cronies. Their group had snuck up behind me when I wasn't paying attention.

Now I wouldn't call us friends yet, but Tracey backed me up on my power play and could be seen as one of mine. Plus, that spell was originally intended for me. I stood up with a cold look, my wand shooting into my hand instantly. Draco and his group laughed until I spat out, "Bombarda!" And it did a repeat of last time, only this time I allowed for it to hit a little closer to Pansy's feet. A loud explosion appeared and a scream echoed out throughout the Common room as Pansy grabbed her leg, blood was flowing freely from it. A nearby fourth year applied pressure to it but it wasn't that serious. Draco and his group panicked and fumbled to get their wands, I had mastered a good crowd control spell just for this reason yesterday along with one other incredibly useful spell.

"Carpe Retractum!" I called out as a rope of light wrapped around a sofa behind them and yanked it forward straight into Crabbe and Goyle. Draco and Theodore pulled their wands and both fired out, "Stupefy!" I dodged them easily as I returned and hit Theodore with an "Expelliarmus!" Which had his wand fly out of his hand and sent him flying into the wall behind him.

Draco was the only one standing and I dodged another Stupefy, he started panicking as I made my way closer to him. Just as I was within 10 feet, he fired out a, "Perforo!" It just barely missed me and smashed a small hole into the Common Room. I can see now that I wasn't the only one studying new spells. Father must have heard of our fight and gave Draco one of his darker curses. That particular spell was one I copied and haven't learned yet. Apparently it punches a hole in something like a bullet, for him to use such a curse is unacceptable. He could kill me. I ended it with another ,"Expelliarmus!" Draco's wand flew into my hand and he ended up on his back.

I held my wand on Draco as the prefect finally came rushing in screaming trying to figure out what happened. I just stood there watching Draco's face twist with hatred, he would definitely try this again unless I can warn him with a more severe punishment. I deadened my heart for what I'm about to do to my brother and looked at Draco, coldness radiating from my gaze I swished my wand at his arm and hissed, "Afflicto!"

A loud crunch followed by an equally loud scream tore through the castle as his arm broke. The Bone-breaking Curse was something I had picked up from Fathers library that I have been practicing this week. It was the other useful spell I had learned but I never thought I would have to use it on him. I looked at my crying brother holding the arm I just broke and cringed. I wish we could go back to when we were children, before Lucius got his claws into Draco. I sighed as I holstered my wand and think, 'maybe this will have him fear me enough to ward off any attacks towards my group.' The next thing I know is black as I'm hit with spellfire from behind and pass out.

Hogwarts Infirmary

I woke in a bed disoriented and looked around. Surrounding my bed are my Head of House, the Headmaster, and my parents. Severus looked annoyed to be here, Dumbledore had his grandfatherly look of disappointment on his face, Mother looked worried, and Lucius was furious he was standing with his arms crossed and staring hatefully at me. I subconsciously tried to draw my wand but nothing happened I looked down and Severus spoke, "Your wand has been confiscated until we figure out what occurred today."

"Could you please tell us what happened today, young Malfoy?" Dumbledore said in a kind voice that I didn't trust.

I took a second to organize my thoughts and said, "I was looking for Ms Greengrass and Ms Davis earlier today to study, when I found them, I heard a spell fire behind me. I ducked it and it hit Tracey which caused her to vomit uncontrollably. I looked at where the spell came from and Ms. Parkinson had her wand raised and was laughing with Draco and his friends. I became angry and returned fire and took them down."

"From what we could see you more than returned fire!" Lucius yelled out. "Draco's arm was completely broken, Ms. Parkinson had to have blood-replenishing potions, and Theodore Nott has a concussion!"

"Did you really have to use such excessive force, my boy?" Dumbledore said with disappointment lacing his voice. His tone was really starting to piss me off.

"First, could you please call me Mr. Malfoy, The only people allowed to call me that are over there and even they don't say it. Secondly, I believe I used the right show of force for a group to attack me and me having to fight them myself." I replied in an even voice clamping my Occlumency shields down so my emotions don't infect my voice. Just then I feel a light brush on them and if I wasn't paying attention to them I wouldn't have noticed. I glanced at everyone's faces but no one showed that anything had happened.

"But to break your brothers arm with such a dark curse, doesn't that constitute as excessive force. He was already out of the fight after all." Dumbledore responded.

"This is the second attack on my person that Draco has been apart of, i was sending a message to not do it again." I spoke as my Father almost yelled again before Snape put an arm over his shoulder.

"Nevertheless, we believe you have used excessive force when dealing with this incident. 50 points from Slytherin and a month of detentions with me scrubbing cauldrons." Snape said with a regretful look on his face at having to take points from Slytherin. Soon after everyone left, Father promising a punishment of his own was coming when I arrived home for Yule break. Mother stayed behind and sat down on my bed.

"Are you ok Ares?" Mother asked with a kind tone.

"I'm trying so hard to get Draco to learn some humility, but every time I do he just keeps coming back with more force. I feel like we'll kill each other unless something is done." I sighed as I laid back. Mother stroked my hair and said, "It's ok, it's not to late for him. You'll get through to him eventually, little warrior."

I smiled at the little nickname she used to call me when we were younger, it feels like a lifetime ago.

I sat up and looked at Mother and asked, "Mother who currently holds the claim to the Black Lordship?"

Mother was taken aback by my question, but eventually said, "Well it was Sirius, but with him Azkaban I don't know who holds it now. Why do you ask?"

I took a deep breath and said, "Because we need to know in case we need to take refuge in the family, we need to know if the Lord would accept us, or just me if Father decides to disown me."

Mother considered this and agreed figuring it wouldn't hurt to have a plan in case something happens. After that she kissed my forehead and left. I laid back down and closed my eyes and lamented the situation I'm in, hoping for a better day tomorrow.

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