101 Fire

"There are also rumors that you have some weird creatures in your suitcase." Rita quickly asked another question, noting down things, she couldn't care less if the owner gets paid or not. "The rumor started with the people in the party, who saw you use Doxies as a way to escape."

"Oh, you mean this." Draco said taking out a suitcase from beside his sofa, "You can take a look if you want to, its nothing but an ordinary suitcase really and as for the Doxies, those people in the party can confirm that I was in the basement that day and you know how Doxies are, they gather around dark places and since I had to escape, I caught some that day and released it as a distraction."

One of the reporters quickly opened the suitcase but they found nothing, they tried several spells on it but anyway they looked at it, it was just an ordinary suitcase with some clothes in it. Draco, of course, gave them a fake suitcase.

In the meantime, Rita asked another question, "Are you taking beautifying potions to hide the scars that you got in the battle?"

"What makes you think so?"

"Your picture which was taken a couple of months ago, when you won the Black family house, looks completely different as to how you look now."

"If I was taking the beautifying potion, wouldn't you be attracted to me instead of you looking at me with weird gazes."

"What makes you think I am not attracted?" Rita said raising her eyebrows a little.

Draco wanted to puke when he heard what she said, Even though she looked young and decent for someone her age but the fact still remained that she at the end was 40 years older than him. Draco wanted to make a joke but he didn't since it wasn't the correct time to do so as he didn't want something overly outrageous article on the newspaper tomorrow, which he had a feeling would happen anyway.

"You can use a revealing spell if you want to." Draco said awkwardly, "Kids my age grow up quick, I might even look more different than I did today within a couple of months in the future."

"No need," Rita said writing down things quickly, today she wasn't using her Quick-Quotes Quill due to the minister being present, so she had to write all the stuff down herself.

"So how did you kill Pius? What spells did you use?" Rita asked the questions directly, even other reporters were shocked at first but remembering why she was called the Queen of Quills, they looked at Draco wondering how he would answer the question.

"I didn't kill Pius directly." Draco said putting on a show, as he spoke with a depressed expression, "In the midst of the fight, I used an explosion spell secretly which caused the floor to blow up. Of course, I didn't know that my spells would be so powerful. After the floor broke down, Pius was sent flying down as he was crushed by the remaining building parts, killing him immediately."

"What do you feel when you saw that?"

"Nothing, just emptiness." Draco replied in a sorrowful tone, "I just take it as whether it was me or him--"

"That's enough." Lucius said walking in. "We have other things to do, so I kindly request you to end this interview.

"It's an honor to meet you, Mr. Malfoy." Rita quickly said standing up in greeting and looked back at Fudge and Draco, "Let's end with the ceremony shall we."

Fudge nodded. After taking several pictures with Fudge handing him the Order of Merlin award, praising him, the reporters finally left for Theodore's house, who Draco convinced to give an interview and what to say in it.

"I will take my leave as well." Fudge said, "I have to hand over the award to Mr. Nott as well, so I would have to reach there before the reporters. Do you mind if I use the Floo network."

"Not at all." Lucius said leading Fudge to the fireplace and he was gone.

"Well, that was tiring." Draco said sitting on the couch. "I am glad mother isn't here, otherwise she might really use a spell on her."

"Well, that's true." Lucius nodded, "I wonder how she managed to get the job when we clearly asked for her to not be included."

"She probably had something on the editors and the management, so she might have blackmailed them to give her the job."

"That's possible." Lucius said nodding, "With the number of people she writes articles on, I wouldn't be surprised if she had some on her colleagues."

------------------------------------------------

Later in the day, Draco was running tests on his new found powers. He sat down concentrating and focusing on his hands trying to light a fire. After a couple of sparks, a small fire conjured in his hands. Draco looked at the small bright flame forming in his hands. Draco tried to shoot the flame forward but it didn't work as the flame went out.

"Doesn't look too good." Draco thought out loud, the possibility of shooting flames was a good thing, since it could be used as a secret weapon of some sort, but Draco was concerned about the fact that he could potentially turn into a veela. Draco prayed, wishing that he was maybe just like a half-veela rather than a full one, but the flames in his hands told another story. After practicing the flames for a while, Draco was able to bring the flame out any time he wanted but he was still far from being able to shoot it. Draco after a bit of practice quickly felt the mana used in the flames, as he was able to control it a bit but since mana are very chaotic in nature, excess mana could cause his hands to blow up, so he had to be careful with it.

Draco, after taking care of his herbs and checking on the creatures, went towards the Bowtruckle, he chose. All the bowtruckles quickly hid when they saw him coming but the one, in particular, didn't move. Draco extended his hands hoping to connect with the Bowtruckle but it just backed off a little looking confused.

Draco patiently took out a small jar of insects and took a worm out. Keeping the insect on his hand, he extended it back again. The Bowtruckle looked at him confused but slowly came forward looking at the worm in his hands. It slowly extended its branch like hands and took the worm, eating it. After it finished eating the worm the Bowtruckle looked at him, as if it wanted more.

Draco happily took out another worm and similarly gave it to the Bowtruckle, who after eating it, ran away hiding inside the hollow spot in the tree. Draco nodded in satisfaction, as small interaction such as this helped build a friendly connection between them, with how things were going, Draco was sure that soon the Bowtruckle would be friendly enough to come with him rather than staying in the tree.

Draco was about to head back into his lab to create some potions when he suddenly heard knocking sounds. Draco quickly got out to see Lucius looking at him weirdly.

"What is it?" Draco asked confused.

"Did you order, a bunch of cows and goats telling the owner that we wanted to start a farm?"

"Yeah, that was me." Draco said completely getting out of the case, "Has it already arrived?"

"Sigh! Look outside." Lucius said.

Draco nodded and started walking out, "By the way, did you pay for them?"

"I did." Lucius said not looking back, "You know money doesn't grow on a tree--"

Lucius wanted to lecture Draco but as he turned back, Draco was nowhere to be seen. Sighing at this again, Lucius went back to his room to get some rest.