"Don't compare me to that idiot." Draco said. Theodore made him remember something, Draco hadn't told anyone about the topic of him going to Durmstrang because he didn't want them to get involved yet since these things included something personal as well. "Theodore, this year... can you focus more on magical training?--Maybe even train others a little more."
"Why?" Theodore asked with his eyebrows raised. "Is the Veela thing acting up?"
"No.. why would you even assume that?"
"I don't know. Whenever I look at your face and how it's different compared to the past, I can't help but remember the new veela side in you." Theodore said, "The threat of you being a veela is always going to be around, which is a very concerning matter and the way you just said those words, it felt like you weren't going to be present with us."
"Don't think too much." Draco said clicking his tongue, "Just do as I say."
"Fine." Theodore said, "So how is the Veela thing anyway? Is being the only male Veela in existence an interesting thing?"
"Not too good," Draco said, opening his fist as a fire emerged from his hands and quickly disappeared as he closed his fist back. "I am not sure, I can be proud of being the only one for the first time."
Theodore looking into it, looked at Draco seriously, "Have you started transforming yet?"
"No signs of it. I have come up with several theories as to what is going on with me." Draco shook his head, even though turning into a Veela wasn't a bad thing, but still, Draco didn't want to be a monster. In fact, he was fine being a half-veela of some sort, due to his increased perception of feeling the mana around him but other than that, he didn't want to turn to a monster. "One is either, nothing is going to happen after this and this fire is only an advantage-- second, the transformation is a slow process, and it's slowly turning me into a Veela and there are many other possibilities that could happen."
Theodore nodded, "If there is a poison, then there has to be a cure as well, if you do turn into a full Veela maybe we can fix up a potion to negate the effects--talking about the potion, have you experimented with the Philosopher's stone yet?" Theodore said trying to change the depressing topic.
"What do you think?"
"Knowing you, I can't think of any reasons, you wouldn't by now." Theodore said, "So what did you find?"
"As expected the stone's pretty much useless for now." Draco said lazily, "Without formations, the stone can't turn things into gold and without the potion formula, we can forget about the elixir of life."
"So we can't do anything with it for now?" Theodore asked frowning.
"We can experiment with it, in other fields using a variety of potions with it, since that's what we basically planned to do from the very beginning and as for the other uses, I am sure Nicholas Flamel knew, I would hit this bottleneck." Draco said, "Maybe that's why, he was so confident in giving me the stone, even with all the rumors going around about me."
"So are you really going to meet him?"
"I have to." Draco said, "Even though I am not interested in Elixir of Life, I still need access to the formation for turning things into gold as that will stabilize my financial condition."
"Oh, is the Prince having trouble saving up money?"
"You don't know about it yet, do you?-- Now that I think about it, I never told you about my purchase."
"What are you talking about?"
"Follow me." Draco said, leading Theodore to his room and inside the suitcase.
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"So you're telling me, that you blew almost all of your money in an auction, buying these weird creatures?" Theodore said not believing what he was seeing.
"Yes..."
"Why?" Theodore was confused, he couldn't think of any reason where Draco would need all these items and add to that, he bought some elf's to go along with the whole set as well.
"You probably don't know, since you weren't conscious when that happened, but these creatures here saved my life, without them, I am sure that I couldn't defeat all those wizards by myself." Draco said, "And hey, almost every creature has at least one use to them. Fighting with an army of creature's sounds interesting, doesn't it?"
"Really? What about that Golden Snidget? What use does it have?"
"I don't know." Draco said, "It's a rare creature okay, having one doesn't affect anyone-- If we ever find a potion recipe or formation where any part of Golden Snidget is necessary, where in the world will we go to find them?"
"Che, stop making excuses..." Theodore said. "If people outside find that you're actually poorer than me, the whole title of the Prince would be nothing but a joke."
"Stop acting like my financial advisor, and if we are talking about money then with all the property I own, from the Black family. I am still way richer than you." Draco said snorting, "Anyway, as long as I can get the knowledge on the formation, from Nicholas Flamel, then money wouldn't be a problem anymore. I need to have at least one good advantage of owning the stone, don't you think?"
"Sigh! so when are you planning on meeting him?" Theodore asked, giving up.
"Not this year, maybe the next or whenever I have time." Draco said shrugging his shoulders. He knew without the stone, Flamel would die sooner but Draco knew he still had some Elixir of life with him to survive a couple of years so he would be fine with delaying their meeting a bit.
Theodore didn't ask more and both of them began experimenting on different potions. After reading the potion book on offensive potions, Theodore became very interested in it as well and both of them began creating several batches of different potions.
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Next morning, Theodore and Draco were ready to go to Diagon Alley for shopping for new school supplies. Draco didn't have to necessarily buy books for this year of Hogwarts but it was deemed necessary anyway since he would be there for at least a month. For Durmstrang, Draco didn't have to buy any books, because the school provided books separately to them. Both of them were waiting for Daphne and Pansy to arrive. Draco was slightly nervous because he was sure he was going to get some lectures, Theodore, on the other hand, was busy reading the potion book.
After half an hour of waiting, the fireplace lit up and both Daphne and Pansy arrived together. As soon as they entered they looked directly in Draco's direction fiercely, as they began walking towards his direction. Draco being nervous closed his eyes only to be surprised by a sudden hug from both the girls making him fall down.
"Idiot." Both of them said as they threw a couple of soft punches towards him.
Draco was surprised since he was ready to get some scolding but it turned out to be a good thing instead.
Pansy and Daphne stood up a little as they looked at the mixed expression on Draco's face, "Why do you look so nervous?" Pansy asked worriedly, "Are you fine?"
"No, I am completely fine." Draco shook his head.
"I heard that you were still tired from my parents." Daphne said, "Are you sure?"
"Yeah, I am." Draco said, "I just needed some rest, that's all."
There was a moment of silence where the three of them were just looking at each other only to be awakened by Theodore's interrupting cough.
"You look different," Pansy said, tracing one side of Draco's face.
"I saw you in the newspaper for the first time after the incident yesterday and I was surprised to see your appearance so-- changed." Daphne added, similarly tracing the other side of Draco's face.
"Are you attracted to me?" Draco suddenly asked making both girl panic a little as they hurriedly stood up completely.
"What are you saying?"
"Yeah! What are you talking about?" They asked blushing.
"I am just asking if you feel attracted to me due to my face," Draco asked seriously, if the girls were attracted to him due to his face, this would suggest one of his theories about his Veela changes.
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(The stone is said to be extremely rare and difficult to even make and since the book didn't clearly explain how its effect of turning metal to gold and elixir of life was done, I made up my own. Guessing the rarity of the stone, I am sure the potion formulae are found everywhere. especially considering its rarity.)