Chapter One: An Unexpected Discovery

Golden rays of midday sun tipped the craggy, coal-colored peaks of the Dinaric Alps- an extraordinarily warm summer having melted the fine layer of snow that usually dusted the stony tips. The soft yellow hues highlighted the dark, fanglike summits, casting ominous shadows on bordering crevices, and vindicating the disparaging denomination given to this section of mountains in Northern Albania. The locals, populating the nearby Village of Grunas- a small, rural community in the Thethi Valley- had dubbed the range Prokletije- meaning 'accursed'. According to regional folklore, the mountains were created by the Devil himself, unleashed from Hell for a single day of mischief.

Draco Malfoy surveyed the massive range as he stood in solitary wonder on an isolated promontory. The rocky shoal rose impressively from the Thethi Valley and provided a view of both hard, stony mountain and soft, green plain. As he looked around in sheer awe, he wondered how the local Albanians could ever consider such magnificent landscape 'cursed'. Nothing but a lot of superstitious goat herding, Muggles…

"Mr. Malfoy?" a thickly accented voice rang out behind him and Draco immediately stiffened.

"What is it?" he spat, not bothering to turn around. His past had denied him the comfort of conversing with others- he had become a virtual recluse in his final years at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizadry…something that had only gotten worse after graduation.

It was no secret that Draco Malfoy had been allegiant to the wrong side during the Second Wizarding War- he now felt that the threat of death had not been a sustainable excuse for his loyalties. After all was said and done, the Malfoy's had chosen to quietly secede from the wizarding world- shame descending on the family like death's heavy shroud. Draco had never known true shame and it pierced through him like the Cruciatus curse. His mind had become regret's barren wasteland and his body her constant victim. Sleep had become an unattainable thing…not that he had slept all that well to begin with. He had learned to function on as little sleep as possible while the Dark Lord presided over the Manor- you never knew when he might decide to use your slumbering body for target practice.

Now, Draco was perceived as an unattainable playboy- traveling the world in search of priceless magical artifacts. His limitless boundaries and hefty bank accounts had made his profession a perfect escape from reality- although he had fled the confines of his family's Manor, he found himself unable to elude the destructive memories that haunted him. The globe trotting, playboy image was the perfect frontage. Effectually deceiving any onlooker, it successfully concealed his true condition- a condition that he would never reveal to anyone. Attempting to comprehend the internal chaos that ruled his battered psyche was impossible, and made the idea of having a real relationship laughable, at best.

As a result, he had slipped into his own isolated inferno. Cold and distant, he had become exactly what his family had always trained him to be- corporeal arrogance without the slightest hint of sentiment. This was lost on any unsuspecting person- he was that good at concealing his true comportment. In fact, even he had, at times, fallen victim to his delusions- embracing the empty hand life had dealt him- he sought out wealth and pleasure to fill the void. He had become nothing but a pompous, prosperous, port whore…his days spent hunting for treasure, his nights spent hunting for women.

And he never had the same girl twice.

"I'm sorry to bother you, sir…"

Draco sighed and turned to face the man addressing him.

Bryce Ludeck shoved his hands into his pockets and looked down at the ground. He had been working as Draco's LD (Lead Detector) for over three years and the blonde still made him nervous.

I'll be sure to keep it that way… A knowing smirk spread over Draco's pale face.

"What is it, Ludeck?" he inquired steadily.

The dark haired wizard looked up at Draco and shuffled anxiously. "Er, just wanted to let you know that the site's been inspected and we're ready to commence with detection."

Draco nodded curtly. "Lead the way," he replied.

Bryce turned on his heel and began striding towards the Eastern end of the promontory. Draco sighed diffidently, but followed his employee nonetheless.

Originally from Australia, Bryce Ludeck was robust and rugged- his broad form, shaggy brown hair, and killer tan making him an immediate hit with the ladies. A true product of the Australian Outback, he had been raised in the Central Australian Desert by the Pitjantjatjara- an Aboriginal people better known as the Anangu. As a child, Bryce had wandered onto their lands- his name his only lucid memory. The Anangu had immediately recognized that Bryce was no ordinary child. He had strolled nonchalantly into their village, a Common Brown wrapped round his neck, giggling as it flicked his ear with its tongue.

The Common Brown is one of Australia's most venomous snakes.

It was apparent that the boy had magical talent and was immediately placed with the tribe's Healer, a man who also had an aptitude for the supernatural. Bryce's skills were not limited to snake charming- he also had the ability to sense fluctuations in the Earth's spiritual energy. In short, if someone were to use magic within a three mile radius of Bryce, he could feel it. It was the same with magical items- he could sense the mystical vibrations emanating even from an inanimate object- which made him invaluable to Draco.

Bryce's history was certainly interesting. After years of training, he had set off on a Spirit Quest- the Anangu's final test of spiritual maturity. In a fated turn of events, he found himself in Queensland- standing directly under a massive Black Palm. Throughout his youth he had dreamt of this very tree- a native Australian perennial bearing wood naturally aligned with magic. The Black Palm enhances mystical energy and opens spiritual pathways- both traits at which Bryce was particularly adept. The Anangu had taught him self-reliance, preaching that true power comes from within. It was this belief coupled with standing beneath the very tree he had always envisioned that persuaded Bryce to construct a wand from the wood of the Black Palm. His lessons had emphasized that anything he created would be endowed with his personal energy- thereby increasing his natural magic while using that object. Combining the wood with the heartstring of an Antipodean Opaleye dragon, another native of the region, Bryce's wand was proof that this theory was not illogical. Draco had witnessed Bryce's exceptional wand work on several occasions- his talent was certainly impressive, though he was still no match for the able Slytherin.

The men had met during a mutual quest for treasure. Draco had heard that several hundred years prior, a Pirate ship had sunken in the waters just off of Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Although the expedition would only reap Muggle rewards, Draco had found that the pursuit of a Muggle cache afforded him the luxury of pursuing the more difficult magical hunts.

It was during this particular quest that he and Ludeck decided to team up. Draco immediately realized that the journey would reap more than just Muggle treasure- he had found a wealth of magic in the form of Bryce Ludeck.

The men slowed their strident pace as they neared the ruined walls of a medieval fortress perched on the promontory's Eastern edge. A small group of workers immediately stopped what they were doing and gazed at the pair reverently. One of the men stepped forward and addressed Ludeck directly. "Mr. Ludeck, we've prepared the space for Deprehensio."

Draco ignored the exchange, choosing to scrutinize the fortresses' stonework. "There's something strange about this, Ludeck," he commented and bent down to inspect the mortars. After briefly examining the primitive masonry, he stood up and faced his associate. "This is cyclopean stone."

Ludeck frowned. "That's not possible…that would make this over two thousand years old…" he trailed off as he watched Draco's brow rise in challenge.

"The boulders are fitted together without mortar…this is a prime example of Bronze Age architecture- a style utilized primarily by the Mycenaean's," Draco drawled sardonically. "What were the results of the Caryota analysis?"

The men all looked down at their feet and shuffled apprehensively.

Draco's stony expression hardened to glacial condemnation. "What is the first thing I have always asked you to do?!" he barked angrily.

The men flinched as growled and kicked a nearby rock. It shot up in the air and ricocheted off a nearby boulder.

"Date the bloody site!!" he shouted furiously and the men immediately sprung to life, waving their wands and muttering incantations.

Draco huffed indignantly. Lazy gits…if they keep this up, they'll be hopping the next broom back to wherever the hell they came from!

As the men continued to analyze the site, Draco strolled dejectedly toward a nearby boulder and sat down. Ludeck followed reluctantly, kicking at loose stones with his thick hiking boots.

Draco looked at his associate and rolled his eyes. "Quite a crew," he mumbled irritably. "Is it that difficult to follow instructions?"

Ludeck crossed his arms. "Draco…they're locals. You know the myths associated with this particular mountain range. We're lucky we got anyone up here at all."

"Gobshite! We've been working with these louts for a good six months…I didn't see one of them running for the dunes while we excavated that tomb in Egypt," Draco shot back, tone thick with petulance. "It comes down to pure work ethic- the fact that half of them hail from Albania isn't my bloody concern."

Ludeck nodded in acquiescence. "What would you have me do?"

Draco shook his head. "I thought it would be obvious," he muttered disconcertedly. "Maintain diligence, you moron! Isn't that what I pay you for? Or is it just the fringe benefits you're after?"

Ludeck bristled slightly. "And just what the hell is that supposed to mean?" he asked warily.

Draco barked out a hearty laugh. "Oh, I think you know what I mean…it doesn't hurt to play with the big boys, does it Bryce? You've gotten more money and more pussy in the last month than you have in your entire life- and we both know why."

Ludeck sneered but kept his mouth shut. He knew the repercussions of arguing with Draco Malfoy.

Draco smirked triumphantly and leaned back on the boulder. "Just try to keep a clear head, alright mate? I don't want to lose the best employee I've got because he's too wrapped round the last piece of quim he scored and not on the job…got it?"

Ludeck shot Draco a deviously crooked smile. "You can hardly blame me, mate…that Milla was once hot piece of arse."

Draco's smirk spread into a sly grin. "Not as hot as Aria…or Lara for that matter. But not every man can do what I can…" he sniffed arrogantly.

Ludeck chuckled. "Bloody hell right…you've definitely got the life, Draco," Ludeck replied enviously, "I'd have given anything to grow up the way you did."

Draco's sly grin faltered. The slightest comment could send him hurtling into space- his mind flipping every which way as he unwillingly relived the horrors of his past. Only recently had the memories started to hit him like threads of a tightly woven tapestry, blanketing him in a suffocating haze of dreadful delusion- they existed separately, like pieces of colored yarn pulled tight to form a single, haunting image. Today was no different and he shuddered inwardly as the visions nibbled his brain like carnivorous flobberworms.

Bending at the waste, he gripped his head in his hands and willed the images to leave him, cursing inwardly as they only seemed to grow stronger. Flashes of green light…unstoppable Fiendfyre…Harry Potter crying 'Sectumsempra'… his Auntie Bella's wild cackle…Hermione Granger writhing in agony on the floor of the Manor's pristine drawing room...Dumbledore's eyes…it all hit him at once and, abruptly, he felt the air expel from his lungs, as if struck in the gut. His vision blurred, his heart pounded, and Bryce's voice became barely audible as Draco pitched forward and slammed into the ground.

"Merlin's Arse!!" Ludeck cried as he shot forward to help Draco up. "Are you alright?"

Draco took Ludeck's proffered hand and stood up gingerly. He brushed himself off and glanced at the pack of workers still going about their business. Luckily, they hadn't noticed his little 'incident'.

Ludeck was another matter entirely.

He eyed Draco warily- brown eyes fixed in resignation. "What the hell is going on with you lately, Malfoy?" he asked gravely. "That's the second time you've passed out in the last month. What gives?"

Draco scowled and crossed his arms stubbornly. "Just a bit jet lagged, that's all," he replied, waving his hand in a dismissive manner.

Before Ludeck could answer, one of the men shouted that the Caryota analysis was complete and Draco took this as his cue to move on. It seemed, however, that Ludeck was unwilling to let it go. He reached out and gripped Draco's arm tightly. "You'd tell me if something were going on with you, right Draco?" he asked quietly.

Draco raised a brow. "You should know the answer to that, Ludeck."

He ripped his arm from the man's grasp and strode towards the excavation site.

"Oi! What's the buzz, boys?" Draco shouted excitedly.

Lester Diggman, a middle aged Magical Archeologist stepped forward. He removed the dark brown fedora covering his salt-n-pepper locks and wiped his forehead. "It looks like your estimation was correct, Mr. Malfoy. The fortress was, indeed, a Bronze Age structure…and all that from a Muggle analysis," Diggman stated respectfully. "I must say, that is most impressive, sir."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Don't quit your day job, Diggs…you'll find riches by sticking your nose in the dirt- not up my arse."

Turning to face Ludeck, Draco gestured towards the site. "Now that we finally have an age assessment, you can move forward with Deprehensio."

Draco's face was serious as he addressed his associate and Ludeck nodded curtly in response. He pulled out his wand and the crew backed away, watching in admiration as he circled the site three times. He stopped intermittently at four pre-determined locations around the site and muttered a quiet incantation. Each location was marked with an item symbolizing its directional and spiritual indicate. On his third loop, he halted behind a chalice of water- his spirit sign- and stood perfectly still. This was Ludeck's common ritual- he used it every time he cast the Deprehensio Charm. A combination of Neo-Pagan and Aboriginal spirit magic, he called upon the elements in an effort to 'clear' the space. It allowed him a more effective reading of the site and enabled him to detect the existence of any mystical artifacts hidden from view. Lifting his wand into the air, he muttered softly and, gradually, a strange thrumming sound enveloped the site.

Stepping around the chalice, Ludeck entered the site and stood in the center of the circle. He pointed his wand toward the sky and inhaled deeply. "Deprehensio," he said loudly.

The thrumming that had previously enveloped the site suddenly began to emanate from a particular section of the fortress. Ludeck moved tentatively towards the sound and stopped in front of a large, flat stone. He turned and faced Draco with a strange look on his face.

"What is it?" Draco asked.

Ludeck furrowed his brows. "There's something strange. I'm picking up reverberations of an old…Fidelius Charm…" he trailed off and closed his eyes in concentration. "It's odd…the reverberations are very strong. Obviously the woman who cast it, yes- I can sense that it was a woman, was a very able witch. Her death, however, has rendered the charm obsolete. We'll find whatever she was guarding under this stone."

Ludeck pointed to the wide, flat stone lying at his feet and the crew moved forward, wands pointed at the mammoth rock.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" Diggs stated firmly and the rock quivered slightly then lifted off of the ground. He balanced it overhead and levitated it a few meters south of the site.

The men looked down and immediately noticed a sizeable hole dug into the ground. It seemed that the stone had been placed over the opening to protect whatever lay inside.

Draco pulled his wand from the waistband of his trousers and pointed it into the hole.

"Lumos," he stated with conviction, and the wand tip ignited, casting a soft, subtle glow into the gaping hole.

Draco raised a brow in intrigue as he spied a sloping stairwell. Looking up at Ludeck, he smiled deviously. "Who's first?"

Ludeck nodded him forward and Draco eyed him with an amused expression. "Aw, is poor wittle Wudeck scawed to go in the big bad howel?" Draco mocked and rolled his eyes. "After me, men!"

Trudging down the soft embankment, Draco stepped cautiously onto the stony stairwell, his wand at the ready. On the off chance that more than just an old Fidelius Charm was protecting the location, he cast a Shield Charm and held it in front of him as he descended into inky blackness. His wand tip cast a soft glow on the stony structure, sparkling intermittently as the light danced on splendid geodes dotting the walls. He kept an even pace as he moved deeper into the earth, though his heart pounded in a combination of apprehension and excitement.

As Draco came to the last step, he blinked rapidly as his eyes adjusted to the cavernous room before him. Holding his wand up in front of him, he looked around slowly. The room was octagonal in shape, and a number of niches dotted each wall, old bones wrapped in primordial fabrics lain out in each.

It seemed that they had unearthed an ancient burial tomb.

A row of torches lined the walls in between each catacomb and Draco pointed his wand at the one closest to him. "Incendio."

The torch lit up immediately and cast a flickering light across the floor of the burial chamber. Stepping into the room, he gazed in awe at the host of antiquities lining the vast cavern.

There were a number of Greco-Roman statuettes and busts perched on marble plinths. Many of them moved of their own accord, reminding Draco of the bewitched Suits of Armor in Hogwarts Castle. Several tapestries softened the mineral walls, their threaded imagery casting an aura of tranquility over any who looked on them. Beneath several of the catacombs, were beautifully crafted chests gilded in gold and encrusted in precious stones. One in particular, situated at the farthest point from the cavern entrance, was larger than the others.

It immediately caught Draco's eye and he strode forward, his heart rate jumping as he neared the ancient coffer. His body had come alive with electricity, and he bit his bottom lip in anticipation as he leaned down to examine the brilliant artifact. He was vaguely aware of the other men scouring the room greedily, but he only had eyes for the ornate box lying at his feet.

The craftsmanship was exquisite, though not typical of the Bronze Age. Draco tilted the chest back a bit, noting that it had been crafted from a springy mahogany and a solid iron. Its face was smooth, inlaid with a ring of rubies and emeralds. The workmanship was undoubtedly medieval, but why in Merlin's holy hell would a medieval artifact be situated in an ancient burial tomb dating back to the Bronze Age? Curious…very curious indeed…

He ran a hand over the top of the chest and felt a number of grooves etched in its top. Settling the chest back down, he leaned over and inspected the lid. There, engraved in the springy wood, was a single, phrase written in Greek.

Only this was left within her unbreakable house…

Draco narrowed his eyes. He recognized the phrase almost immediately, though it seemed to be missing something. The phrase referenced a poem written by Hesiod…a poem about…

"Pandora," Draco whispered aloud.

As soon as the name had fallen from his lips, the chest lid abruptly popped open and a bright light engulfed the room. Covering his eyes, Draco stumbled backwards, bumping into the other men as, they too, staggered around- the exceptionally bright light blinding any who looked on it.

"What in Merlin's name is that?!" Diggs shouted in exasperation.

"I don't know!" Draco cried, equally aggravated with the unyielding glow. Doing the only thing he could think of, he stumbled towards the chest and fumbled around for the lid.

It wouldn't budge.

Salazar's Swollen Knob! What the hell is going on here?!

Draco racked his brain for a possible remedy to their current situation. As it was, the entire crew was now blinded by the ridiculously intense beam from hell coming from the box.

Just as Draco could literally feel his eyes being burnt out of his skull, the phrase on the box top suddenly popped into his head.

Only this was left within her unbreakable house…

Draco inhaled sharply as the answer dawned on him.

"HOPE!" he shouted, and as abruptly as the room had illuminated, it fell into eerie darkness.

Draco blinked his eyes blearily, and felt around on the ground for his wand.

"Is everyone alright?" Luceck's voice echoed from above and Draco jumped slightly. A wand tip lit above him, thankfully aiding him in finding his wand, which had rolled a few feet away. He grabbed the sleek baton and immediately re-lit the torches surrounding the room.

"What in Circe's tit was that?" Diggs asked, as he rubbed his fuzzy eyes.

"Damned if I know," Draco replied. He hesitantly approached the chest. A the lid was still lying open, he stood up on his tiptoes to get a good look inside.

Lying on the bottom was an ancient book made entirely of sheepskin and bound with a thick, leather cord. Draco bent down and tentatively lifted the ancient volume with ginger hands. He examined the ancient book, amazed by its condition. Although it had to be at least fifteen hundred years old, it was untarnished…as if protected by magic.

"Ludeck, what can you tell me about this?" Draco asked as he crooked his finger at his associate.

Bryce staggered over and looked at the ancient book, his mouth agape in astonishment. "Why, it's a Muggle Codex!" he cried, tone thick with surprise.

Draco lifted a brow. "Muggle?"

Ludeck smirked triumphantly. "There isn't an ounce of mystical energy coming off that thing…" Ludeck replied confidently, "…it's clearly Muggle."

Draco furrowed his brows in confusion. Muggle? A Muggle item protected by magic?

This was not something he had seen coming. A Muggle item amongst a host of magical artifacts was certainly strange…but there was also the matter of contrasting timelines that was confusing the hell out of the Slytherin. The tomb was clearly from the Bronze Age, but held a number of Greco-Roman relics, including the Codex, from Late Antiquity- yet, the Codex had been housed in a medieval chest. There was also the problem that it was written in an ancient language he couldn't decipher, which pointed to the possibility that the Codex was the written form of an ancient text that had survived multiple generations. Late Antiquity had been the dawn of the use of codex's, and had also been dominated by Roman influence, so this Codex should have been written in Latin- but it wasn't. This bothered Draco immensely and his mind swam with theories…he had to figure out what this book was for…immediately.

This left him with only one alternative, an alternative he certainly wasn't looking forward to.

He had to return to England and seek out his family's dearest friend- Parsifal Privett. He was the only person Draco would trust with the Codex and, of course, it didn't hurt that he happened to be the Ministry's Expert Paleographer.

Draco turned to face his crew. "Grab all the booty ya' can, boys…we're headed to England!"

A/N- The next chapter will be written from Hermione Granger's perspective and will detail where she is in life, etc. It is likely that the pair will not become 'reacquainted' until chapter three...I've got some action planned for Draco and the crew that I'd like to get written before I introduce the Dramione aspect of the story. But I promise it'll be worth it!!