Mr.

Malafide and the house elf

Summary: He was twisted and she was scared of him. He always gave her the cold shoulder and
she was more than happy to keep him at an arm's length. She loved life and believed every day,
everything that was happening was a miracle. He looked at life to be something vile and
disgusting. To him, people who enjoyed life were blatant fools and she was no exception. He
hated her.
Prologue
Everyone can start at any point. And for Usubi, she decided to start after the End. She loved the
school and her recent possession made her feel that she could keep on loving it. Moreover, there
was that declaration from the ministry. Ah, how could she forget it. Coming back to her starting
she decided that the best time to start would be tomorrow, but after mulling over this thought, she
scolded herself for she had had the same thought the day before yesterday, the day before and she
had been thinking the same for the last three months.
Preparations are necessary, she liked to tell herself, but realized it later how that was an excuse
for her procrastination. What had she learnt in that story? She tried to recollect, seeing as how
scatter-brained she was, it took quite a moment before she remembered that the story taught her
that the best time to start was now. As she rose, she smoothed her greased, poor excuse of a frock
and then apparated straight to the headmaster's, scratch that, headmistress' office.
The old lady engrossed in her paperwork wrote on with her quill and acknowledged her presence
only with slowing down to dip the required device in the inkpot and saying: "Yes?"
Usubi took a sharp breath and inhaled as much oxygen as she could. She inhaled deeply as if, in
the next moment, the twilight infused room would vacuum itself and leave nothing for her to
breathe.(She liked to be self-sufficient.)
"May I talk to professor Dumbledore?" she squeaked. Started with a bang, ended with a
whimper.
"Of course."
She fidgeted and shuffled her weight on her feet and then clasped her hands behind her back,
looking down through out the activity as though the ground would sneak away and let her fall
through if she lost sight of it. (She was very cautious about such things.)
"May I take him?" she whispered. Professor Mcgonagall would have missed it if it hadn't been
the silence and the enormous grandeur of of the room that allowed her tiny voice to have an
echo. For so small a voice, the echo was unimaginable. Professor Mcgonagall looked up. "Oh no,
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it's okay if I can't. I'm sorry to bother you. Good evening" Usubi started, terrified at realizing that
the mistress was looking at her and turned around to apparate.
"I never said you may not."
Usubi stopped at once and turned to face the professor, her eyes welled in tears and her elongated
ears shaking slightly perhaps. "Oh thank you, thee hath no idea what it means to me!" Usubi had
this habit of mixing contemporary English and Shakespearean English when she was
overwhelmed. And the tears? Well, it's a house elf thing one can suppose.
She apparated to Dumbledore's picture and immediately vanished from sight. Professor
Mcgonagall who had known Usubi for years, shrugged and continued with the reading and
writing and scanning and marking and signing the documents.
Usubi sat in the room of the requirement with the picture of Hogwarts greatest headmaster. The
sky had changed from yellow to orange, orange to red, red to dark blue and dark blue to black. It
was only when moonlight streamed in that Usubi picked up enough courage (yes, courage was
quite a bit of mess in her scattered brain and it took quite a lot of time to pick it all up, or so she
likes to imagine.) to talk the talk she wanted to talk.
"Good evening professor."
"Good evening. I assume that greetings and pleasantries is not the only reason that you have
brought me here." Dumbledore smiled good naturedly.
"Yes, ah I meant no." she shook her head to clear herself.
"Go on."
"Well, I was, uh, thinking about discussing some improbabilities."
"About the end?" the picture supplied
Usubi nodded mutely.
"What kind of improbabilities?"
"You know, what if" Usubi started, looked for a fraction of second at the headmaster and then
looked down again. "You never died?" she finished hurriedly.
"Then Voldemort would have won" Dumbledore answered easily.

"Huh?" she hadn't expected such a straight answer. "I mean why?" She corrected herself and
scolded herself for being as impolite as to display so freely her disbelief.
Dumbledore chuckled.
"That, you won't understand, my child. But I can see that you are going to ask what if professor
Snape hadn't died."
"Right." Usubi gasped. It never ceased to fascinate Usubi how Dumbledore knew exactly what
she was thinking. She was amazed to the extent that she forgot to close her mouth.
"I'm afraid but there's a possibility of a fly entering your systems."
Usubi immediately closed her mouth with a force that her teeth crashed and the feeling send
down a shot of cold chill and pain trough her body. Dumbledore smiled. "But there are some
people students to be particular whose deaths were unnecessary and should they live, the
outcome remains unchanged. "
"How doth thee know?"
"I believe there's a means at your disposal that can help you with your task."
"Yes sir!"
Usubi understood that Dumbledore knew exactly what he was talking about and the rest of the
conversation took place in silence as each understood the other. Usubi, even with her
unorganized self, was very good at talking in silence once the rapport was established. It wasn't
telepathy, just mutual feelings that she understood better and liked it that way.
In the night when she had finished her conversation with only a few phrases and sentences being
spoken here and there, she apparated back to the office, put the picture in its erstwhile place and
thanked professor Mcgonagall. In the last parting glance, Usubi caught the twinkle in
Dumbledore's eye and she smiled. She raised her hand to her left eye covering it and then she
disappeared. But the gesture had meant more than peculiar to the former headmaster. It was a
wink.

Chapter-1: Letters
During the two days, neither Usubi nor professor Mcgonagall were seen around. But their
absence was completely unrelated to each other and the reasons different. Usubi, it seemed, had
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simply disappeared or as more appropriately it should be said, fell off the face of earth while the
headmistress buried herself deep in the documents, determined to complete them and get on with
the order in the next two days. On the third day, when professor Mcgonagall had written out all
the letters and Usubi reappeared, both of them met. Usubi had as usual, apparated into the office
from her previous location, unsurprising the professor. She was a complete wreck when she
appeared.
"I am sorry, professor." she said with downcast eyes "I, just, sort of hurried over when I heard
you were finished with the letters." A huge beetle worried her momentarily, as she tore it out of
her hair and carefully pocketed it in her slung bag that had only quite a few seams intact and was
heavily over indulged by her 'trinkets.'
The headmistress pushed her glasses further up her nose, as she eyed the three foot something
house elf. Her dark hair could be easily be passed off for hay and her white frock for a dish cloth
that had been mercilessly used for the purpose of cleaning dishes, shoes, goblets and to an extent
floors. Her leather bag was a spectacle, even for the rough use it had been through, it still stayed
on the elf's person, but was dangerously edging on the brim of snapping and dropping off any
moment. And the elf's face! Brown hued, not due to her natural skin colour but it seemed more
like she had been rolling in every ditch she passed.
"And why were you in such a hurry?" she asked, keeping an eye on the beetle as it tried to crawl
out of the bag, not finding enough room in it. But had it gone deeper it would have found other
insects in whose company it could delight itself.
"I, well, wanted to- " Usubi started but cut off to stupefy the beetle and finding no place to keep
decided to hold it in her hands. "Where was I? " she asked after the little excitement.
"You wanted to?" the woman in the seat supplied, firmly but not unpleasantly. She would have
been lying through her teeth, if she said she didn't like Usubi, who even in her far from perfect
manners and demeanor was rather submissive and inclined to help everyone.
"Yes. I am sorry. I wanted to oh dear how shall I put it deliver the, umm, letters." Usubi
completed finally with all of her thoughts and interruptions aloud in her small statements.
"But we have owls for that."
"Nay. I don't mean all the letters. " she began hastily "Just the Weasleys." She finished quietly
and looked up for the first time since she had entered the office. The office, as Usubi now
noticed, was well lighted thanks to the morning light and with its queer little possessions and
pictures it looked more entertaining to her than the previous twilight meeting. But she focused on
the job at hand and willed herself to look at the tired old lady who sat behind the incredible
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wooden table rather stiffly. The lady's features relaxed as she unlocked her fingers and took her
elbows off the table. She leaned back and closed her eyes for what seemed exactly like 21
seconds to Usubi (She was counting.)
"I can't see why not." Professor Mcgonagall smiled at her and in return Usubi gleefully gleamed
at the headmistress through her tears. She thanked the woman profusely as she took the letters of
three people from her and wrapped them neatly in a handkerchief (borrowed from Mcgonagall).
Usubi spread on the table three stupefied insects, a few cakes and sweets, the beetle she held and
other variety of items. After putting the letters, she vainly tried to stuff them all in. Professor
Mcgonagall helped her as she cast an expansion charm and filled the bag, Usubi made a mental
note to learn that spell and bid the lady goodbye. As she prepared to apparate, the headmistress
called her.
"Do take the liberty to be clean before you deliver those letters."
The elf blushed and she promised she'll be clean and shiny when she reached the burrow. Then
she apparated away, leaving the transfiguration professor mildly amused and rather refreshed.
After a few more breaths, professor Mcgonagall lifted her wand and pointed at the window that
opened immediately and soon enough a parliament of owls entered the room and a letter was
handed to each of them. This process took a few minutes to complete and the Hogwarts
headmistress watched the last owl fly away. She sighed tiredly and looked at the last letter that
lay on her magnificent table. She had purposefully left it owl-less. She stood up and summoned
her cocked hat and emerald green tartan robe. The letter lay alone, bereft of its accompanying
letters, plain in sight. It lay there, for everybody to see the name of its recipient Draco Lucius
Malfoy.
Chapter - 2: To the Burrow
Usubi, in her tiny little cottage beside Hagrid's, came out of the bathroom, perfectly clean and
wet. Her hair could no longer be mistaken with hay but rather be rivaled with seaweeds out of
water. However, Usubi had no intention of drying them for she fancied her hair, in such a
hideous state, looked quite clean and shiny. She walked up to her trunk and pulled out a large
piece of bed sheet, which she had managed to earn at Hogsmeade by working for a wizard. Back
then, she had loved the chessboard pattern on it and decided it'd make a lovely frock. Though she
had never worn it, because the holes she had cut in them were a bit too big and she had hoped
that in three summer's time she would grow into it, but of course, it wasn't to be. She had grown,
yes, but not enough. Nevertheless, she slipped it on and wished she might have grown a bit more
in the last three seconds, it was vain but an inspiration came to her and she searched her trunk
again and after many minutes managed to fish out a ribbon shaped brooch, she'd bought only
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because she had wanted, at that time, to possess something glittery. She carefully took it out of
the case and went to the mirror whereupon she crunched all the extra fabric that hanged about
and pinned it with the help of her sparkling black brooch on her left shoulder. She slung her bag
across the other shoulder and admired herself. She didn't look altogether unbecoming but not
entirely comely as well. Usubi checked the contents of the bag for the last time and apparated for
the Burrow./span/p
There was quite an excitement going on inside the Burrow. For one thing, the preparations for a
late breakfast had caused quite an avalanche of chores and still more cleaning to do. Along with
"I won't do this" or "You better pick those up," there were shouts of "Blimey! I cut my hand!"
and "Stop waving that knife near my eye, will ya?". More such generalizations were being made
by everybody at everybody else in the absence of Arthur and Molly Weasley. And the fact that
Ginny was upstairs, sick in the bed, didn't help the scene much except for a shout out of nowhere
that said something along the line of "Shut up! Ginny's sleeping!" and a responding shout from
upstairs said, "I was trying to before that hell of a noise!" And somebody brilliantly replied, "You
bloody well try harder then."
The huge crew hadn't prepared the breakfast and upon perceiving the time had decided to go for
a brunch and resumed with the previous peaceful (read chaotic) preparations.
Amidst this, out of nowhere a small body popped right in the center of the war. All hands
wielding knife and wands fell, including the cries of "Enguarde!" and "Vengeance is
mine!"(Cries continued for a few seconds after silence and were maintained thanks to the
collaborative effort of the Weasley twins.) The furor in the room collapsed at once as everyone
peered at the curious little figure, which bowed and squeaked a sorry before walking to the door
and going out. Everybody looked at each other in silence while Harry and Ron shrugged in
answer to Hermione's unspoken question.
A knock sounded at the door. Charlie, the eldest Weasley in the room at the moment got the door
while shushing some background comments like "Oh Merlin! What on earth-"
"Yes?" he asked inquiringly as he looked down at the elf./span/p
"I'm here to deliver letters."
"Letters?" Charlie looked about in the room questioningly and couldn't possibly fathom whose
letters it might be, "Who sent them?"
"Hogwarts."
Everybody froze except for the twins and their little brother Ronaldo who was glaring at them
for their comments directed at him.("I reckon its for Ron." "He left a spider behind, it seems.")
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"Won't you come in?" Hermione interrupted and led the elf into the house and suddenly the twins
recognized her.
"Oh Golly, It's Usubi!" exclaimed George.
"Why, bless me, it is!"
And Usubi, who had been looking at them rather unabashedly since she entered, ran up to them.
"I'm so glad. So glad."
Glad for what?" Ron asked as he watched Fred pick her up.
""Nothing." And in a flash of remembrance, Usubi pulled out a neat package and handed it to the
boy. "For you." She squeaked meekly.
The redhead opened the package but not before shooting a dirty look at George who mouthed ,
"Told you."
"For you Harry." He passed the letter to him and read his own name and then Hermione's and
everyone else was peering in their letters except for Usubi, who had been set down, somewhere
during this and was busily cleaning the kitchen with some domestic spells.
It was dim outside. It was grey. It was raining. It was horrible and above all, it was sad.
When professor Mcgonagall had appeared in the Malfoy manor, she'd expected it to be desolate
and devoid of its inhabitants except one. But didn't expect anything like it, when she saw the pale
boy on the roof of the manor, just lying in the rain. Broken. Helpless. And rusted
In the thin, falling rain, she walked to him. The young Malfoy, though aware of the change of
pattern of sound he had been listening to for hours, lay there, unmoving and simply breathing.
He had lost quite a lot, first a battle, then trust, and after that his self respect, his father, his
mother and himself, all fell in succession. Almost as if, somebody had pushed the dominos, only
this time it was everything that was important to him.
"What a mess you have made of yourself." Professor Mcgonagall said as she towered over the
voice was quiet and pity almost crept in but didn't leave unnoticed.
That's all they can do now. The boy thought. Yes, he was piteous. All his skills, his possibly
bright career, his talents, all had been now washed away in the rain. He was pitiful, not by
circumstances, but because he chose to be.

"Why are you here?" he opened his eyes and the former Gryffindor head noted the shine of
ambition in them gone, lost probably. She saw he was no longer the bully she had known, he had
become, now, just a boy, who had succumbed to his fate.
"How many days has it been?"
"Why are you here?" he repeated. This time with emphasis.
Professor Mcgonagall sighed. Despite everything he was still stubborn.
"Lets take this talk inside. "
"Could not be too long."
"It is, Mr. Malfoy. "
Draco closed his eyes again. Thinking, searching for the reason of the sudden appearance of his
former teacher. Finding none, he relented. "Might as well hear you out."
He had nothing to lose, after all.
Chapter 3: A time for redeeming.
Draco, after having changed his clothes and helped into new dry ones, sat staring into the fire.
Professor Mcgonagall looked at him. She pitied him but there was no time or reason for pity. He
was a criminal and so he must redeem.
"You have a letter." She broke the stillness between them but could not manage to bring his full
attention to the subject.
"From the ministry?" he continued to gaze into the fireplace and watch the flame lick the insides
of the structure. Crimson flames danced in his glassy eyes.
"From Hogwarts."
Draco's head snapped at her direction. The surprised look on his face went away as fast as it had
come. Calmly, he said, "It was not a rehabilitation centre the last time I checked."
"It certainly isn't one now. But I am glad to inform you that it has now become a college?"
"You aren't taking twelve-year olds, anymore?"

"It seems like 7you have got the wrong idea, Mr. Malfoy. Hogwarts has a new addition a
college. And this," she pulled out the letter from her robes and handed it over to the young boy.
"is your letter of admission."
Malfoy turned it round in his hands and looked at it as if it were a joke and voice the very same
sentiment, "Is this a joke?"
"It isn't."
"So, why are you going around giving admission to a death eater?" Malfoy chuckled coldly.
"Ministry, wasn't it?"
Professor Mcgonagall regarded him for a moment.
"If you must know, Mr. Malfoy. Yes. It was the ministry. However originally it had asked for a
Hogwarts college to be made so that students interested in working for the ministry could simply
study there and acquire the skills required. Then, it would be easier for both of them. The
ministry wouldn't have to take apprentices and make workers out of them while students can start
their career from a good position, instead of working their way up."
"And why me? I should think that I was to be put in the Azkaban once I was of age." Malfoy
made a good point and argument.
"They decided to give you a chance."
He froze over.
Malfoy recovered from the shock many minutes later. And when he had, he wondered how the
ministry could possibly be so kind.
"Of course, you'll be reforming yourself at the college."
"There was a catch." The boy leaned back comfortably. The sudden kindness made him uneasy
so. "And what if I refuse?"
"Then you can wait, obviously. Wait to grow up and go to Azkaban." The lady rose from her seat.
"Or study to grow up and become a respectable man."
As she proceeded towards the door she said, "The choice is all yours. And, in case you want to
go back to Hogwarts, do see the letter. There are possible career options and whichever course
you should select, go through the qualifications first and bring your supplies accordingly." She

turned around, "And again, Mr. Malfoy. Good luck to you. I hope you will make the right
choice." And then in a wave of her wand she disappeared, mid-walk.
Draco smirked.
Would he let such a chance go by?
Chapter 4: The start of it all
Usubi's private life could not be more interesting. Whenever she took a day off, she sat in a
corner of her six-foot cottage with a book (bought from either the muggle library or the
Hogwarts library.) As a rule; she never left a book half-finished and endeavored to complete it in
one sitting. It was on that on that particular day off that she had been reading, 'William' by
Richmal Crompton a muggle writer who had captured Usubi's imagination to an extent that she
was never really the same when she completed a book. Usubi, when alone, was not really meek
or submissive. She was, in fact, not even Usubi. she was either William Brown (As she presently
was.) or Moby Dick or simply the king of the jungle Simba. Her imagination and eloquence
soared higher and higher every time she completed a book.
And so after she had closed her book that day, she emitted a low, dark, sinister laugh in an
imitation to William. She was so busy in her impersonation that she hadn't noticed the owl flying
in, with a letter for her. When she noticed the owl, she was surprised. But she took the letter and
merely said, "Humph" hoping that was what William would've said. She read it and if she had
been the public Usubi, that everyone knew, she might have staggered and fallen on her knees.
But now she was Dick the dauntless (she never was a character for too long.) and with another
mirthful laughter, she disappeared from the room.
The sorting of students had been completed by the time when the pass outs arrived. They had
been informed that they would be taking quarters in the newly constructed tower near their old
school and will study their respective subjects in the said building, while they must dine in the
old one.
Obviously, while some of them had missed the grouping system, quite a few were glad not to
have been sorted into houses, however, as one entered the great hall; one could easily see that
there was still an air of tension and a physical distance between former Slytherins or deatheaters
and the students of other houses. Not that Draco minded it to begin with.
After being left alone for months altogether, there was really nothing left to care for. If he had
been the same, he would have smirked and made a cruel joke or two to the other Slytherins,
except that there had been two major changes

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He wasn't the same conceited boy anymore. No one ever is, after all that one can be proud of has
been snatched away so mercilessly.
There were no other former Slytherins. Almost all of them were either too scared to be shunned
or too ashamed to return.
Thankfully, Draco thought to himself as he got up from the dinner (he realized he had no
appetite.) I've had enough sense about me to accept this proposal.
Draco walked out of them room and was walking down the corridor when suddenly a first year
a boy of twelve ran up to him and stopped at a distance from him.
I am famous, Malfoy smirked to himself as he looked at the boy.
"You have been called to the office." The boy said and waited until he spotted the hint of
recognition of the message in the older lad's face and the immediately ran away.
Draco Malfoy shrugged, debated whether he should go to his room to get a robe or not but
finally deciding against it, walked on. On the way, he yawned a few times, stretched himself to
try and feel refreshed but nothing seemed to remove that gnawing tiredness of months that had
been lurking and lingering around him. He reached the gargoyle, which let him in without a
moment's delay. And as he spiraled up, he yawned again. He reached the office.
"Time for my reformation"
Chapter 5: Meeting with the reformer
"Yes Professor?" Draco said. And was acknowledged with a gesture of hand that directed him to
sit in one of the high backed chairs that lay before the desk.
"Would this be long?" Draco questioned himself as he was ceased by a sudden desire to yawn
again. He was tired. From the journey. From the preparations. But even more from the memories.
The first thing that the boy noticed, when he sat down was a neat little ball of an elf beside him
in a chair. He would have crinkled his nose in disgust, but at the moment he didn't feel like doing
that either. The only thing he wanted was, to accept the terms and condition as soon as possible
and then lapse into his bed. Sleeping, perhaps.
"Mr. Malfoy, I'm certain you are aware of the reason why you are here." Mcgonagall said.
"Yes." he would try and keep his words to a monosyllable as much as possible and as per
requirement.
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"Very well." The professor said and then looked at him. Months of half-starving and not sleeping
had turned him paler and less livelier than before. "This is Usubi." Malfoy nodded in her
direction and only caught a glimpse of her face when she looked up at him. (She had been
burying her face in her hands or knees alternatively since she arrived. She liked to have
something to do at all times.) "She'll be helping you with your reformation tasks. That is, she'll
be watching you. Always. "
"Professor!" Draco would have said so himself and in the same tone of incredulity if Usubi
hadn't jumped in her chair first.
"Is there a problem?" the headmistress looked at her pointedly and at once Usubi sat down
remembering the rules of decorum and propriety.
"No." She squeaked. "Only, only"
"Only?"
"I've never watched anyone before."
Draco would have laughed. He thought this little elf was afraid of him and it was only her fear of
associating with a deatheater that had made her protest so. Probably she hadn't heard of him.
"That doesn't matter. In time, you'll learn quite enough about reforming wizards."
"Reforming?" This had captured her imagination. She saw herself reforming convicts, criminals
and had already began feeling chock full of noble, kind and wise thoughts. And she fell in that
line of trance for the time being.
"What am I to do?" Draco said. He felt he must sleep or die.
"Nothing much. Help around in the school."
"Like?"
"Fix things. Help your former teachers with assignments, arrangement or anything else."
Malfoy groaned inwardly. Must he be so low and become a servant now?
"Usubi will be accompanying you, of course."
"I see. when do I begin?" Draco hoped she would not say now.

12

"Whenever she sees fit."

Draco knew he had not been particularly kind to house elves in his entire life. Neither at the
manor nor at the school. If she bore any hatred against him, she'd work him like a donkey.
"Not now." Usubi said abruptly. The look of determination on her face made Draco feel assured
that she would be a slave driver. "I'll inform you after I have collected enough information."
"That would not be long then." He got up. He had a knack of knowing exactly when his presence
was not required anymore. He had scarcely walked to the door when he heard
"Do you want to know anything about him?"
To which the house elf replied "No thank you."
"She knows enough," Draco thought to himself. "To get the score even with her species"
Would coming back to Hogwarts prove to be a game changer after all?
Malfoy would have to be a fool to think otherwise.
Chapter 6: The first task
Nothing on a significant note happened until a fortnight. Of course, that depends on what one
would categorize as a notable event. For Draco however, the bumping of a certain house elf into
his legs time and again in the library was of no importance. At one time though, when he was
standing to get a few books, he saw Usubi issuing books of the following titles:
1. Deranged minds: An analysis
2. The inspiring speeches of Rev. Akerci Xujalbees.
3.18th issue of everything you ever wanted to know! Why wizards become deatheaters
4. Dealing with the bad, the sad and the crooks
5. Living in prison
6. Losing and starting
7. life in general

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Except for such occurrences, the next and the only event that made Draco rather alarmed was the
sudden appearance and disappearance of the little creature around him. Many a times, he had
been jerked into attention in the class, when he felt her sudden presence beside his legs. (And to
his dismay, when he looked down he found two lilac eyes staring at him and then again
vanishing, leaving him to gaze at the vacant space. Almost as if he had been imagining it.)
Aside from these, nothing had happened to make life more exciting.
Fourteen days later; it was a particularly usual night. Malfoy had returned from the great hall
having eaten just enough to save himself from starvation. He looked around in his room and
hung his robe. He glanced at the table. It was piled with books and stacks of blank paper he
should have written on. He moved towards it and looked at the mess, decided it was better to put
off assignments for a later date and walked away.
He stretched himself on his journey to the four poster bed and sat down on it, took off his shoes
and lay on the bed. For the first few minutes, he tossed around. And finally facing the lamp,
settled down to sleep. He closed his eyes. Soon he would be asleep
"Mr. Malafide?"
Draco grabbed his wand and in an instant had sprung into position.
"Who's there?" he pointed his wand at the lamp post. It was too dark to see. A disadvantage.
"Luminous"
The tip of his wand glowed as he still pointed it at the lamp. In the dim light, he saw a mass of
mahogany hair. Was it shaking on its own?
"Who are you?" he asked with extreme distrust.
"I-I'm sorry." came the reply. The possessor of the trembling mass of hair slid out of the gap
between the bed and the desk.
"The damned house elf." Draco muttered to himself as he watched her stand before him and
shuffle her weight fro one feet to the other. She had, in the meantime, glanced at him once. In
that moment, Draco wasn't sure if he saw watery lilac eyes or a well of tears.
"I-I didn't mean-"
"Why are you here?" the boy illuminated the room and could clearly see the house elf now.

14

"Were you going to sleep?" Usubi wiped her tears with the back of her hand but still tears burst
anew.
He had frightened her badly. But Draco didn't care a hang about it.
"Why are you here?"
"To inform you of your first task, Mr. Malafide."
Malfoy pinched the bridge of his nose. It was irritating a day enough and to think he will have to
spend the whole night reforming himself. "What is it?"
Usubi sniffed, looked at Draco for a fraction of a second before getting absorbed in observing the
carpet again. "We'll have to get the bugs out of the plants in the herbology greenhouse."
Just great, thought Draco.
"How many of these plants are there?"
"A hundred."
"And should I refuse?"
Usubi raised her head and even through her tears and messy hair, one could see the fire in her
eyes. Unlike most house-elves, Usubi never backed down. "Then I will apparate you there."
Malfoy, with his experience with house elves, had not expected this. He was slightly shaken but
nothing more. He didn't intend on staying. The only thing he intended was to get over the matter
as quickly as possible.
"Fine." He got up from his bed, put on his shoes and robes and was ready to complete the task at
hand. He walked to the door and was turning the door knob when
"Mr. Malafide?"
"Malfoy." He stopped and turned around to find the annoying house elf with a hand outstretched
towards him. She looked at him earnestly.
"Wouldn't apparating be faster?"
Draco was glad that the greenhouse was pitch dark and no one was around. He put a hand on the
wall to steady himself (he hadn't apparated for so long.) while Usubi trotted off somewhere in
15

between the rows of plants. She stopped once, cocked her head and then as if she had an idea
took a sharp right turn.
"Mr. Malafide?"
Draco felt like smashing the mouth that called his name so distortedly.
"Are you alright, Mr. Malafide?"
He didn't reply. Instead he walked to the source of the voice and when he had almost reached her.
"MR. MALAFIDE?" shouted Usubi at the top of her lungs. She was afraid she had lost him
somewhere or perhaps she hadn't apparated properly and the boy was injured.
However, Draco wasn't feeling nearly as concerned as the elf. His annoyance had reached its
limit. He seized the elf and clamped his hand to her mouth. The ruckus had made him furious.
There was a silence for a few moments and Malfoy looked at the door, as if expecting somebody
to walk in. Nobody did.
With a violent jerk, he turned her around and made Usubi face him. He savagely grasped her
shoulders and she looked up at him, with tears ready to spill and a sob at the throat. She was
shivering badly.
"You stop shouting." He said dangerously "Or I will five you a good reason to call me Malafide."
He felt her nod.
"Good. Now let's get to work."
Chapter 7: The second task
Draco had been writing furiously ever since the sun had hidden itself. A week's neglected
assignments due to be submitted tomorrow could make anyone do that. Two empty inkpots and a
dew broken quills could give evidence for the fact that Malfoy indeed was trying hard, which
was unusual but necessary seeing as there was nobody around to be bullied into doing his
assignments. Moreover, he was in Hogwarts to reform himself.
He thought back to his first task. The elf had kept quiet for most of the time after that threat. The
task took them about thirty minutes in which Draco had completed ten plants and Usubi the other
ninety. Perhaps, making an elf a reformer wasn't that bad an idea to begin with. Elves could be
forced to do almost anything very easily.
16

He continued noting down points from a book and keeping paper after paper in a stack. The light
had been considerably dimmed from the time when he began. Draco looked at the candle. It had
grown short and after a few more minutes, it would join the other martyred candles. Malfoy put
his quill down and sighed, he would need a new candle. Lucky, he kept spare ones in his drawer.
Malfoy bent down to open the last drawer.
"Mr. Malafide?"
Two lilac eyes caught him by surprise when he found his hand on the elf's head. He immediately
pulled back his hand.
"What are you doing here?"
"You need a candle." Usubi put her hand into her bag and pulled out a candle.
"What on earth are you doing here?"
Usubi hobbled over to the edge and stood on her tiptoes to lean against the table top and light the
candle. "Lighting a candle. Why?"
Draco felt the sudden urge to face palm. He watched her replace the candle and then with a
valiant effort to calm himself, he said "Since when have you been here?"
"Quite a while."
"Do you want anything? " Draco massaged his forehead. He had tons of work to do and he could
not be bothered with a house elf.
"No"
"Get lost then." He resumed his writing. However, Usubi stood by his table. Only her hair and
huge eyes were visible and the light from the candle gave them a most ghastly shadow. Draco, at
first, found this disturbing. But soon learnt to control his desire to shove Usubi out the room and
wrote on.
It was after an hour that Malfoy put down his quill again and stretched himself. He had finished
his work and was ready to sleep. By this time he had forgotten the existence of that certain house
elf who said, "Are you done, Mr. Malafide?"
"No." Malfoy got up from his chair and noticed her nod in what he though was a knowing
manner (but what Usubi thought was how a sage would react to a lie.)

17

"We have to get on for today's reformation task." Usubi followed him around the room.
"Go and do it by yourself." Malfoy flopped down on his bed. He wanted to sleep so badly at that
moment.
"But you have to come!"
"I don't want to." Draco turned over so as to avoid facing the elf and her determined eyes that
pierced him through his back.
There was silence and after some moments had passed by, Draco heard Usubi sigh and then he
felt that her eyes were not on him anymore.
That's a relief. Draco thought to himself and was settling to sleep when he realized he had not
taken off his shoes. He groaned and sat up in his bed. He bent over to untie his shoes, when
something fell on him and even before he knew what had struck him, he found himself in the
familiar old dungeon of his potions class. He was sitting on the teacher's desk, shocked. A clump
of mahogany hair on his shoulder was caught in his peripheral vision and the tiny arms on his
sides helped him know exactly what had hit him.
"Why you-" Malfoy spun around and grasped the arm as it tried to retreat. He saw the elf on her
knees on the desk. She was trembling like the last time but unlike the previous night there
weren't tears in her eyes. "I told you, I wont be coming, didn't I?"
"That, you did." Said Usubi
Her composure annoyed him further; he hated to be out of bed when he was feeling particularly
sleepy. And to think, he must not only be out of it but also be miles away from it, completing
some stupid reformatory task.
"Take me back." He hissed.
"I will as soon as we have completed the task."
If Malfoy was shocked by her determined eyes the other night, he was staggered by her bluntness
and courage this time. No elf had ever talked to him like that and he wasn't allowing it.
Draco gripped her arm and with a vicious push threw her off the desk, waiting to hear her crash
against the floor. Only there was none. Instead there was
"Perhaps you might want to begin early, Mr. Malafide."

18

Elves could apparate anytime, anywhere.

Draco turned to glare a t Usubi, who stood there holding a dirt cloth for him. He snatched it from
her and stomped off directly to the rows of vials and glasses, waiting to be cleaned.
He wouldn't be messing with her. At least, not until he had learnt how to hex an elf.
Chapter 8: Forget and forgive
A month had passed ever since the Hogwarts College had opened and so the number of nights in
which Draco Malfoy had pottered under Usubi's instructions had become thirty. It had been a
long month, yes. However, the tasks had seen no excitement other than the first two violent ones.
And even though Draco knew nothing of the matter, he was called to the office when he had
completed his thirty-first task the night before. The moment he had received the message he
groaned. There was only one possibility he was to be expelled for his miserable progress at his
own remaking.
Draco looked at the message again. There was still an hour to go and he might as well utilize that
time in packing his bags. He would not want to stay a minute after he was so rudely sent back to
his manor. Thinking thus, he gathered his clothes from his wardrobe and pulled out his trunk. He
flipped the lid open and threw his garments in. He never packed; it was the task of the house
elves back at the manor. At the thought of house elves, his blood boiled. He didn't resent going
back to the manor. The only thing he regretted was that he had faced utter humiliation at the
hands of a mere elf and had performed tasks as low as dusting books in the library. Moreover, the
prospect of a career seemed rather dim in Azkaban.
And before he departed from his room, he pulled out his wand and cast charms around it. He
wasn't going to let that elf get into his room whenever she felt like it. What's more, he had taken
great pains to learn how to stop elves from apparating helter-skelter (seeing as nobody's room
was ever infested by annoying elves at odd hours of the day.) He walked down the corridors and
reached the staircase. He looked at the gargoyle, longer than he usually did. It was his last time
and he didn't mind capturing the ugly statue in his memory. Only the gargoyle seemed to have
his reservations about this and made way for him. Draco sighed and stepped up on the stairs.
Malfoy knocked at the door and was called in. He saw the headmistress at her usual place the
desk. Her face didn't do anything to assuage him that he was not going to be turned out. The
professor motioned him to the usual chair and Draco decided he wasn't going to beg for another
chance. He sat down and noticed the stack of paper near her elbow. At once, he realized that
those were reports on his reformation. He imagined for an instant Usubi writing them. Could
house elves write? Perhaps, she could.

19

"Mr. Malfoy" the professor began.

"I will save you the trouble of spending your eloquence on me, professor." Draco didn't let her
continue. If he was going to thrown out, he might as well leave with all his dignity intact. (or
whatever was left of it as he felt quite a considerable amount of it had been chipped off by that
house elf the last month.) "I realize why I have been summoned here today."
"You do?" Draco could not help but feel that there was a hint of amusement in professor
McGonagall's voice.
"Yes." He said "I have packed my bags and am ready to leave this very instant."
"So." The professor put her hands together. "You would rather live in Azkaban than become an
alchemist?"
"What do you mean?" Draco was shocked. Had the old woman finally lost it?
"I had called upon you only to congratulate you on your progress in reforming yourself.
However you seem rather taken by the idea of leaving the college."
"No!" Draco said almost immediately. His face was playground of passing feelings of wonder
and relief.
Professor Mcgonagall smiled. "And as a reward, you shall from now on perform only three tasks
a week."
Now that was a pleasant surprise. "Thank you."
"You may leave now."
Draco got up and left.
He was greatly relieved. The dark pallor had escaped his countenance and an inscrutable
expression of pleasantness had taken its place when he opened the door to his room.
"Mr. Malafide?"
His expression of happiness went as soon as it had come. He saw the wretched thing standing
near the curtains of the window. He pulled out his wand and checked the charms. They were still
intact.
"Are you okay Mr. Malafide?"
20

Draco turned away from her and busied himself in trying to wrap his head around the mysterious
entry of the elf.
"You seem rather disturbed." Usubi stood near his elbow and tugged at the sleeve of his robe.
She looked at him and then mistook his annoyance to be a symptom of some horrid disease. (She
had been reading a list of patent medical advertisements the last day.)
"Can you speak, Mr. Malafide?" she had grown concerned ever since this possibility had dawned
on her.
"I can, you dunderhead!" Malfoy tore his sleeve away from her grasp and walked away to the
window.
The fact that he could speak comforted Usubi somewhat but her fears had not been entirely
addressed.
"Is something bothering you?" she followed him to the window and climbed the stool near him.
"You." Draco pressed his forehead on the glass plane in an attempt to cool off his temper. "How
did you get in here?"
Usubi craned her neck to try and see the pale boy's face but gave up eventually. She said, "With a
key. I have been told keys are effective in locked rooms where you can't apparate."
She had the key to his room? This was getting ridiculous. And then the image of the headmistress
handing the keys to Usubi popped into his head. But, suddenly the image distorted itself into one
in which Usubi was handing the reports to the professor. it was then that Draco realized why he
was staying back at Hogwarts.
"Did you write those reports?" Draco asked Usubi when she was in the middle of searching her
bag.
Usubi cocked her head and tried to make sense of what she was being asked. "Oh! The
reformatory reports?"
"Yes." Draco pushed himself away from the glass (soothing as it might be, he had work to attend
to.)
Usubi nodded and then went back to searching her bag.
"What did you write in them?" he stood in front of her.

21

Usubi pulled out the paper she was searching for and handed it to him. "No tasks today. I just
came to give you the timetable of your new reformation schedule. You have been informed about
it?"
"What did you write in those reports?" Draco asked, this time dangerously. This elf was taking
him as a joke. He would not live at Hogwarts at the mercy of a bloody house elf!
Usubi thought for a few minutes (she wasn't good at remembering.) while Draco put the paper
rather savagely into his pocket. And then suddenly she said, "Why! All the tasks we did of
course! The herbology task, the potion task, the dark arts task"
"And you didn't mention the threats?"
"Which threats?"
At this, Draco snapped. He slammed his hand against the wall near Usubi's head. There was
murder in his eyes. A murderous intent that rose out of wounded pride. He leant in closer and
whispered dangerously, "These threats."
"Was I supposed to mention them?" Usubi had been unperturbed. She had jumped a little at
being cornered against the wall but nothing more. "I am afraid I forgot about them."
It was then that Draco realized that Usubi was a house elf and house elves were used to such
abuse. However, the fact that she completely forgot about them was hard to believe. He took
back his hand.
"You forgot about them?" his tone was incredulous.
Usubi hopped off the stand as if nothing had happened and bobbed over to the door. She turned
the knob.
"They are not pleasant things to remember after all."
That day, Mr. Malafide learnt a very valuable lesson.
Chapter 9: Phase II
First of all, I love you A! Thanks a million for your review. I've tried my best to write this
chapter as soon as possible. And yes I dedicate this chapter to you for your insightful comment.
However, let me assure you that this fact was not hidden from me and I would like to remind you
that elves are not subject to the same laws and magic as the wizards or witches. And perhaps you
will allow me to site a few incidents to support my theory
22

1. Kreature could apparate out of that cave while Regulus could not.
2. Dobby was seen apparating in and out the Hogwarts school.
I hope this chapter is up to your expectations. And is this going too fast? I have a feeling it is.
Anyway, do enjoy and I have a surprise for you at the end of it.

It was on Thursday that Draco Lucius Malfoy realized that things were never to be taken at their
face value. The reduction in his tasks was only meant to mislead him and he could not help but
feel bitter about it. And as he would testify, at any given moment, the entire problem began with
the single most damning source that elf.
And so to understand and sympathize with his feelings of vindictiveness one must go to that
Thursday on the evening of which, he was in a rather good mood.
Therefore, it was on Thursday night that Draco stood in front of his door and took out his wand.
(Keys had betrayed him the last time.) There were no tasks to do and no assignments to write. He
could sleep in early and there would be no puny elf to disturb him. The thought of the elf's
absence seemed to lift his mood and he entered his chambers. Upon his entering, he waved his
wand and the candles all around flickered to life. However, it was a foreign moving object on his
bed that caught his eye. he immediately pointed his wand at it and inched closer. At closer
quarters, he realized that it wasn't an object but a creature intensely busy, gnawing his pillows?
Neither his presence nor the lights seemed to be able to sway its concentration. Draco had
reached the edge of the bed when, at once, he recognized the dismal clump of hair he had hoped
to avoid.
"You!" he said, fighting to control his temper.
"Mr. Malafide?" Usubi looked up from her gnawing and Draco noticed that the pillow cover was
not distinguishable from the stuffing.
"Are you a pillow eater?" he wearily put down his wand.
"Hm?" Usubi looked at him and then understood his question. "Oh no. I am only practicing."
"Practicing what?" Draco flopped down on his bed. A movement which caused the feathers on
and around Usubi to scatter everywhere. He groaned and raised his arm to his eyes, covering
them. So much for sleeping early.
"Sucking blood," She said. She had been reading Dracula and Halloween was at hand. "Vampires
do. I want to be one in Halloween."

23

Draco knew what Halloween was. Usubi had been going on about it ever since their fifteenth
task in the Hogwarts grounds. But frankly, he didn't see any point in it since they were
surrounded by magical beast at all times.
"A mosquito would be more like it. They suck blood too."
Usubi was silent and Draco adjusted his forearm to see and found her contemplating.
"I think I'd need a straw then."
Sensing that the conversation could go on Malfoy changed the topic.
"How did you get in here?" At times, he felt it was a conversation starter with the stupid little elf.
"I broke in." Usubi jerked out of her reverie of being a mosquito. "Professor Mcgonagall taught
me."
This was a first. Draco never deemed elves capable of mental activity, let alone learning.
However, the fact that a professor was helping her get into his room irritated him and in that
instant he abandoned all his future plans of trying to prevent the elf from coming in. he propelled
himself on his elbows. "Today isn't a task day. If you came for the pillow, take it and leave."
"Really? Thank you." She was touched and immediately stuffed it into her bag and for the next
few moments tried to catch the feathers that had escaped. Usubi, after collecting the feathers in
the room, recalled the job that needed to be done and turned to face Draco, who had taken a short
nap while she had engaged herself in her idiocies. "Mr. Malafide, I came today to inform you
about phase two."
"What?" Draco bolted upright.
"Phase two." Usubi climbed down the bed, walked to the middle of the room and sat on his
displaced table and chair. She looked at the empty chair, then at him. She repeated that
movement twice before Draco finally understood that the chair was meant for him.
At first, indignation arose within him and he wanted to stomp over, catch hold of the elf by the
scruff of her neck and toss her out the window. However, reason took the reins and he got up
from his place, glaring at Usubi, on whom threats, glares, and other such violent indications were
entirely wasted.
"Remind me again, why we are doing this on my day off?" Draco chose to stand and tower over
the elf.
"Because that is the reason why you were given days off."
Malfoy felt betrayed. He ought to have smelled the rat when he first heard of the offer. Sneaky,
that's what it was.
24

"What are we going to do exactly?"

"Oh, nothing. Just talk."
Draco was insulted. He hadn't talked to an elf in his whole life and now he was forced to chat
with so lowly a member of it!
"Don't worry Mr. Malafide; it probably won't even be five minutes."
A moment longer than that would have been unbearable to him.
"I'll stand." Draco refused to be instructed.
"As you wish," Usubi said. "We'll discuss only one question today."
"Fine." He looked away. Malfoy wondered what sort of a question it would be. He wished the
answer was only one word long so that he could get rid of her sooner.
"Mr. Malafide?"
"Get on with the question."
"Look at me.
"Why?"
"I would not know if you are telling the truth or not."
"You don't need to know." Draco was getting irritated when suddenly he felt warm hands hold
his face and turn it. "What the heck?"
He found himself facing someone he didn't know. he could have sworn he had been talking to the
elf a moment ago, but now he didn't recognize the face in front of him. In many of his past
encounters, he had never really bothered to see the elf. Her tiny figure and hair were enough of a
symbol to announce her presence. He realized then, that she was not what he often saw her to be.
He noticed she had human features. A tiny notice, a mouth an absolutely normal skin tone. She
was so unlike the elves he was habituated with. Usubi was exactly like a girl. However, as soon
as he finished his observations, the shock of Usubi's countenance softened and he regained
himself. He slapped away her hand and pulled himself to his full height.
"Why can't you just ask the stupid question!" Draco almost shouted and Usubi very nearly fell
off the table.
"Alright, but when you answer you must look at me."
Malfoy gazed at the window on his right and saw the night deepening. He sighed. "Okay."
25

"Well, if you were to identify yourself with a creature, which one would it be?"
"Huh?" He didn't expect such a question.
"I mean," Usubi elaborated. "Like I identify myself with a worm because it is so hard working
and happy at all times."
"Then," Malfoy looked sharply at her. His ice blue eyes gave a cruel coldness to his words. "I
would be a bird that tears worms to pieces."
"Thank you, that would do." Usubi didn't miss the intention in his answer and scampered down
the table.
"Allow me to kick you out the door so as to hasten your exit." Draco picked up the house elf and
deposited her outside his room. He slammed the door on her and went to bed.
That night, however, Draco tossed around in his bed for quite a good while. "What would I
identify myself with?" he murmured to himself.
He had, at that moment, answered in a spirit of frustration but when he thought about it, he
realized he'd indeed be a bird.
A bird caged in the bars of rage. His wings are clipped, his feet are tied. He stands on the grave
of his dreams.
Chapter 10: And the phase continues.
The October drizzle found Draco sitting on his desk with his head in his hands. The water falling
on the window panes observed that a blank sheet of paper lay before him and his elbows were
surrounded by a number of colors. However, nothing about the scene was as prominent as the
mounting annoyance of the boy that seemed to seep into every inch of his body. This increasing
anger was accompanied by a maddening chant of "I draw, you draw, we draw, they draw"
And just as Malfoy's temper neared 'extreme anger', the chanting stopped all at once. Draco
raised his head wearily.
"Are you done, Mr. Malafide?"
"Yes." Draco handed over the blank piece of art.
"Um." Usubi looked at it and then cocked her head in the right and then in the left. She laid down
the paper and stood up on the chair. She tried to look at the paper from different angles. "Is this
how you feel Mr. Malafide? Blank?"

26

"No."
"Then?"
"I felt like killing you."
"Oh." Usubi looked at the paper again. "But there's no picture."
"Your body was buried."
"And what about you?"
"Nobody stays after committing a murder."
"Right. Of course, my bad." The elf nodded, picked up the picture and rolled it up carefully
before putting it away. She bowed and then apparated away, much to Malfoy's relief.
Draco slunk back into his chair. He looked at the ceiling and tried to listen to the rain.
Pitter, patter, it went. Almost in a mind numbing motion.
Draco continued to listen to it until he could hear it no more. The silence sat heavy on his ears; it
fogged his brain, deepened his breathing, froze his limbs and left him, utterly incapable of any
thought. There was in this strangeness a sweet solace, a wanted solidarity. He straightened up in
his chair and cracked his neck. He pushed away from the table and was going to stand up when
he remembered that he had to submit his medicinal herbology assignment tomorrow. He let a
groan escape him and sat back down to open his drawer and retrieve a half finished essay on
'Advantages and disadvantages of the Aruta plant.'
And so, after arranging the necessary equipment on his table, he scanned though the previous
writing and decided to tackle the disadvantages of the said species.
"Even though, the Aruta plant is known to cure a wide range of maladies," he wrote. "It is very
difficult to handle and thus of not much practical use. It needs to be measured with extreme
precision as milligram can either kill or save a life." Draco referred to a book nearby. "In the
Meritt case of 195, the doctor mixed 0.08 mg of Aruta powder with a portion of Esor extract" He
felt a warm sensation on his neck but chose to ignore it. "And gave it to the patient who died
instantaneously."
"That's sad." A voice sounded near his left ear. "Why did he die anyway?"

27

"Because the concentration was supposed to be 0.06 milligrams of Aruta powder in one portion
of Esor extract." Draco explained mechanically, he gave no second thought to the "Oh." That
followed for he had quite a few more passages to write.
And so even though he felt the warmth linger, he didn't care to check about it and wrote on to
complete the essay in the next fifteen minutes. After putting the last full stop, Draco put down his
quill and stretched himself. He got up from his seat and his shoulders felt unnaturally heavy.
"Are you going to sleep, Mr. Malafide?"
And in a split second, Malfoy recognized the burden on his back to be the blooming house elf. At
this realization, Draco turned around savagely, making the unsuspecting house elf lose her grip
and this sent her flying through the air.
"What do you think you are doing?" he growled when Usubi landed on the carpet with a thud.
"Why, hugging you of course!" said Usubi as she stood up and nursed her aching bottom.
Draco stopped short. Not because he was surprised at the simplicity with which the elf answered
him but because he was amazed at the impunity of the elf. A mere elf hugging a pure blood!
Umph! Such disgrace! And he could have gone on with expletives in his mind had he not
stopped himself from generating thoughts along these lines. Instead of bursting out, he asked in a
dangerously calm voice, "Why did you do that?"
"Because love is all we need!" Usubi said brightly. (She never really could understand the
meaning behind the different modulations of voice.)
This caught him off guard.
"And hugging is a beautiful expression of love. I noticed you don't even get one hug a day while
we need at least three hugs a day for well-being."
"And so you suggest I go and hug every person I meet?" Draco said sarcastically.
"I do that! And so I get fifty hugs a day!" More often than not, sarcasm bounded off Usubi. "But
don't worry Mr. Malafide; I am sure you will get three hugs. You are not half as bad and in case
you don't, I am always there to help you." Speaking thus, Usubi vanished, leaving Draco
dumbfounded and highly annoyed. But if anybody asked him if felt repulsed at the elf's touch,
he'd lie.
Chapter 11: True reformation

28

The first damp week of November turned out to be the onset of the cold of the second week.
Hogwarts students could be seen pulling up their collars and rubbing their palms together in
dungeons. Despite the chill in the air, excitement floated around for the end of the second week
bought with it the first Hogsmeade trip of that year. By Saturday, the students seemed to be
thrilled and were being more jovial than usual. Everybody, except Draco, was eager at returning
to the fun. He was not going to the trip for primarily two reasons
1. He had had his permission seized by the ministry after his return.
2. He, himself, could not feel up to the task of having people whispering or pointing at him
(as if Hogwarts wasnt enough.)
So, when Sunday came, Hogwarts became devoid of significant mobile life by noon. It was, at
this time, that Draco chose to move out of his quarters (he tried avoiding as much as possible and
more often than not succeeded) and proceed to the owlery. He moved leisurely on the staircases
and walked through the halls before reaching his desired location. Draco had no idea what he
would do in there and so he thought of peering at the birds before he was unostentatiously
apparated away by the house elf for some other menial task. Thinking thus, he stepped into the
owlery only to be shocked and grieved to see the house-elf, he had so fervently hoped to miss.
Nice day to be cleaning the owlery isnt it? the source of his sorrow spoke as he momentarily
allowed himself to look around the room. It was when he was scanning his surroundings that an
idea struck him and this idea, as probable as it seemed was rather disconcerting.
Tell me, Malfoy walked ti the owl nearest to him. Did you just begin cleaning?
Aye aye, Captain. Usubi has been dying to say this as she fancied herself to be a pirate
underling (she had been previously reading Peter Pan)
Arent elves supposed to do their jobs unseen?He tried to stroke the owl but it flitted away.
Aye aye, Captain.
Then, he turned around to face the elf. Surely, you should have started at night?
Surely, surely. Usubi nodded in agreement.
You werent cleaning. Malfoy accused point blank. You were following me.
He looked sharply at the house elf, who staggered for a second but showed no other signs of
emotion except indifference.

29

Yes. She didnt even bear the tight lipped smile of a trapped liar. On the contrary, she smiled
her usual sunny smile.
Why? Draco stared fixedly at the upturned face with a distinct expression of mingled disgust
and distrust. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he felt as though a break in eye contact would
be fatal.
Thats my job. I am supposed to reform you.
And you think I am reforming? He scoffed.
No. This surprised Draco. He knew that Usubi was blunt about things but to admit her own
failure so plainly rejoiced him slightly.
No. Usubi repeated and bent her head, as if to she spoke with herself. Nobody reforms. A
person can suppress his true nature at best.
What? Draco questioned her pondering. Had she thought that he was hopeless from the very
start?
Usubi looked up, but this time her eyes were hollow and though Malfoy gazed into them he
found them distant as if he were staring into a lilac well.
Nobody reforms, Mr. Malafide. Nobody. she smiled at him but he instantly distinguished it
from her earlier smile. It seemed as though that unusual stretch of lips did not belong there. Not
even me.
And with that she disappeared.
I am sorry for not posting anything for such a long time!and even after not posting I came up with
such a short chapter. :( But with exams and law and stuff, I got busy (read lazy.) Anyway, what do you
think of the chapter? Please do tell me.
Oh and I have posted a lot of this fanfiction art on deviantart, so if anyone is interested, please type
the fanfic name and you will get the pictures. On the second thought, just PM me if you would like to
see the images or you can also go to my deviant account (I go by the name Akilarup) and visit the Mr.
Malafide folder.

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