FHB: Chapter 33

“She was a student at Hogwarts,” Lucius replied.

“Someone you know?” the Dark Lord asked.

“I,” Lucius hesitated before continuing, “knew her. Yes.”

There was a short moment of silence that lasted longer than it was supposed to, before the Dark Lord spoke in a tone that was too friendly.

“Why didn’t you tell me, Lucius? We could have struck a deal.”

“I…” That was the only word that Lucius could think of at that moment. His head could not work quickly under the pressure of self-preservation. Before time could shove him into saying another word, Tanya’s voice echoed in the cold dungeon.

“I will never strike a deal with you,” Tanya spat. “You are a psychotic, cold-blooded murderer. A guiltless hypocrite who preach about blood purity but isn’t even a pure blood!”

Silence greeted them again, as though the dungeon had frozen from the cold air. No lips parted to utter a word, but all eyes were wide open.

“And what blood are you, child?” the Dark Lord asked Tanya rather calmly.

Tanya merely narrowed her eyes at him and glared boldly at the man so many people feared. The sorting hat must have placed her in the wrong house, because her bravery took Lucius by surprise.

With Tanya’s refusal to answer, the Dark Lord turned to Lucius instead. “What is her blood, Lucius?”

Lucius swallowed hard before he answered softly, “Muggle born.”

“I’m sorry, can you repeat that,” the Dark Lord said, as he and the death eaters waited for a clear answer.

“Mudblood,” Lucius quickly muttered.

The death eater Lucius loved to loath burst into a nervous laugh. “A Malfoy is friends with a mudblood? Wait till your father hears about this,” he said.

He was the only one bold enough to speak at that moment, but he immediately held his tongue when the Dark Lord surprisingly took Lucius’ side.

“We all make mistakes. I can even recall some of yours,” the Dark Lord said before turning to Lucius, “I’m sure you won’t make the same mistake again.”

Lucius was about to nod his head in reply when Tanya spoke on his behalf, “The only mistake is you, Voldemort.”

If one could die and resurrect as many times as they wished, Lucius would have done so uncountable amount of times in that very brief period. Having your heart constantly stopped by fear was the worst thing that can happen on your first day as a death eater.

“A fiery one, aren’t you?” the Dark Lord asked, still too calmly. His composure reflected a predator playing with its helpless dinner.

“I’m not afraid of you,” Tanya said with emphasis on all her words.

“You will make a great asset to my team,” the Dark Lord stated.

Tanya gave a false laughter before saying, “I would rather die.”

All Lucius could think of at that very moment was a dark hole, where he could climb into and stay hidden. He was afraid, afraid for his life and afraid for his parents’. He immediately regretted having met Tanya. The logic his brain could deduce was simple; if he had not befriended her, she would not be there, but even if she still ended up there, he would not know her. There would be no questions and death-defying answers, there would only be bodies and a warm bed to put Lucius to sleep after. Why did he choose to disobey his father? Lucius did not know. It was not intentional, but it happened anyway. Regret, that was all he had.

The Dark Lord chuckled in reply and began patting Lucius on the back. Lucius died and resurrected again as the Dark Lord reached into his coat and pulled out his wand. Everyone watched closely as the Dark Lord held Lucius’ wand in his hand.

“Lucius,” the Dark Lord said as he offered Lucius’ his wand, “it is only appropriate for you to grant your friend her final wish.”

Lucius wanted to ask if he had to, but his body worked in opposition to his want. As he took the wand, the Dark Lord gently guided his arm towards Tanya.

“Lucius, please don’t do this! This is not you!” Tanya urged.

“Go on, now,” the Dark Lord said.

There was so much hesitation, as Lucius tried to keep his arm up. He did not want to do it, but he had a feeling he had to. And when Lucius took too long to cast the curse, he heard someone shout, “Avada kedavra!”

Immediately, he turned his head to the right and saw a young auror at the end of the line slump dead to the ground. Tanya was in shock as much as Lucius was, and then it happened again. This time it was to his left, and another body fell lifelessly on the cold floor.

“It’s very easy, Malfoy,” the vocal death eater said. Lucius watched him as he did a stupid dance before shouting the killing curse at the boy right next to Tanya.

Tanya screamed in response as tears began streaming down her cheeks. “Please make this stop. Lucius, please make this stop!” Tanya pleaded.

Lucius knew he could not make it stop. He could either end her traumatizing experience or refuse to kill his only friend. The options he had were so limited, he wished his heart would stop and not beat again.

To Be Continued…

(Leave a comment or vote on whether Lucius should cast the curse or refuse to do so!)

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FHB: Chapter 32

“Get out of here,” Lucius whispered harshly.

Tanya simply stared at him blankly and when she made no move, he threw her his wand. Instinctively, she caught it and snapped out of her frozen state.

“Go!” Lucius urged, “now!”

Doing as she was told her, she ran. As she did, a spell shot from behind Lucius towards her. Not knowing what to do, Lucius watched as Tanya dodged, made a quick turn, and shouted, “Incarcerous!”

If Tanya had her wand, the spell would have hit the death eater square in the chest and burst into tentacle like ropes that would wrap around her assailant. Unfortunately, Lucius’ wand was more loyal than he was and the spell backfired. There was a bright spark that escaped the tip of his wand before a series of ropes slithered up her arm and bound tightly around her. Within seconds, she was on the ground, immobile.

The death eater laughed when he saw what had happened, and used his wand to drag Tanya closer to him. When she was at his feet, he snatched Lucius’ wand from her hand and threw it at him.

“Did you just hand it to her?” he asked.

Lucius was not sure if he was being sarcastic or serious, and decided not to answer him. Lucius did not want to make things worse for himself and silence was the only option.

“Come along. We’re going home,” he said.

The death eater took the lead with Tanya dragging on the ground behind him, and Lucius quietly followed. They did not need to walk for long as the other death eaters had gathered nearby with the other captives, all bound up with terrified eyes.

Lucius did not know what to do at that moment. He knew which side he was playing for, but he felt slightly sorry for the ones on the losing end. When he realized what he was feeling, it scared him. So he quickly thought about his father and reminded himself why he was there.

“Think of home Malfoy, and take one of them with you,” the death eater said.

“Home?” Lucius asked.

“Yes, home. The big, black house you grew up in. Or do you need your mummy to come get you?”

The other death eaters chuckled and Lucius snapped, “I know where home is. Show some respect to the host.”

He did not wait for a reply and reached for the body closest to him. It was not Tanya, and he was glad it wasn’t. In a quick swirling motion, he felt himself being pulled away from the forest as his bedroom materialized. Seconds after his arrival, he knew he was at the wrong location. Quickly reacting before the stranger could see where they were, Lucius apparated the two of them into the dungeon underneath his home.

“Got lost?” the death eater asked when Lucius appeared coughing, as his stomach had not gotten used to that mode of transportation yet.

Lucius rolled his eyes in response and turned his attention to a few death eaters who were lining up the captives  against a wall.

“The Dark Lord will be here soon,” another death eater announced.

“Good. Have you killed someone before, Malfoy?” the same obnoxious death eater asked.

Silence was Lucius’ best friend that day, as he chose not to entertain the death eater.

“Scared, Malfoy? You have to kill to be in. Today is a great day to do it, since we have spares,” he added.

Not wanting to deal with him any longer, Lucius decided to turn away. And when he did, he found the Dark Lord standing behind them.

“My lord,” Lucius quickly greeted, and the rest followed suit.

“What do we have here?” the Dark Lord asked.

“Ministry workers. We found them sneaking in the forest,” a female death eater replied.

“They look so young,” the Dark Lord stated as he gently placed a hand on Lucius’ shoulder. “And how was the meeting?”

“It went well, my lord. They have agreed to work with us,” she answered.

“That’s good,” the Dark Lord said, moving to stand directly behind Lucius as he placed both hands on Lucius’ shoulders.

The Dark Lord said nothing as he began ushering Lucius down the line of young aurors in training. There were ten of them in total with two looking slightly older than the rest. When they had reached the end of the line, the Dark Lord asked, “Which one do you want?”

Lucius swallowed hard as his heart continued to race madly. What was already an uncomfortable situation became unbearably uncomfortable.

“How about that one?” the death eater Lucius grew to hate suggested. “The girl that disarmed our little friend.”

“Is that true?” the Dark Lord asked in a curious tone. He then pulled out his wand and sent a spell that disintegrated the rope around Tanya’s mouth.

Lucius hesitated to answer and Tanya did not say a word either. The Dark Lord was determined to find out, so he ushered Lucius towards her and waved for the rest to take position. It was as though an execution by firing spells was about to take place.

“Answer me, girl. Did you disarm my favourite death eater?” the Dark Lord asked.

Tanya could not have made things worse for Lucius at that moment, as she began to plead; not for her life but for Lucius’ change of ways.

“Please Lucius. Don’t do this, don’t be one of them. You’re not a killer, you’re not evil.”

At the sound of her words, Lucius’ heart stopped. He had the urge to ask her to shut up, but he was too terrified to say anything.

“Is she your friend, Lucius?” the Dark Lord asked, with more curiosity than he had before.

Lucius knew he had to answer him, because if he didn’t, something would go terribly wrong.

To Be Continued…

(Leave a comment or vote on whether Lucius should acknowledge Tanya or deny their relationship!)

FHB: Chapter 29

Lucius did not expect it to be so soon. Barely a week after his little meet up with the Dark Lord, he was called to Professor Dumbledore’s office. Lucius never liked Professor Dumbledore and was rather glad Professor Slughorn was also present when he entered the circular room.

“Professor, you have requested for me?” Lucius asked.

“Yes, I’m afraid something has happened,” Professor Dumbledore said as he handed Lucius a letter.

Without hesitation, Lucius tore the letter open and gazed at the words on the brown parchment.

“Your mother. She wrote us a letter too, explaining-”

“Professor, this is…” Lucius interrupted Professor Slughorn, but immediately stopped himself from continuing. What he intended to say would have ruined the Dark Lord’s plan of getting him out of school, and it was a good thing he caught on fast.

“Don’t worry, Lucius. You will board the train right away,” Professor Slughorn said as he placed a comforting hand on Lucius’ shoulder.

“Thank you, sir,” Lucius replied, keeping his gaze on the handwriting that was clearly not his mother’s. He was afraid that if he looked up, he would not be able to hide the truth from Professor Dumbledore.

“Pack what you need and I’ll send someone to escort you to the station,” Professor Dumbledore said.

“Thank you, professor,” Lucius said, quickly turning on his heels.

“And Lucius,” Professor Dumbledore called out. When Lucius turned but did not look him in the eye, there was a short awkward moment of silence. Professor Dumbledore did not speak until Lucius forced his gaze upon him. “Your father will be fine.”

Lucius gave him a firm nod before he hurried off. Letter still clutched in his hand, Lucius headed to the empty dungeons and went straight to his room. Once alone, he heaved a sigh of relief; relief that no one called the letter a bluff. What would happen if Professor Dumbledore knew he was working for the Dark Lord? Lucius can only imagine the horror his family would have to go through.

After a few minutes of complete silence, Lucius changed into something more muggle-like and began packing. The letter said he would be away for one week, so he decided to pack light. One suitcase should suffice, so Lucius swiftly grabbed what he needed before running into Professor Slughorn outside the common room.

“I told Dumbledore I’d escort you. Better if no one else knows what is going on,” Professor Slughorn said.

“Thank you, sir,” Lucius replied.

“So much gossiping among the students these days, this is the least I can do for you.”

Lucius gave a nod and followed after Professor Slughorn. As the two made their way to the train station in Hogsmead, an unwanted conversation took place.

“Ms Lovegood has been writing to me, you know,” Professor Slughorn said. “She’s doing very well in her training. They even sent her on field!”

“That’s good to hear,” Lucius responded shortly.

“Don’t you two write to one another? I thought you were friends.”

“Well, sometimes. She’s been busy,” Lucius lied, not knowing why he did.

“Yes, yes. A clever girl she is.”

Lucius merely nodded.

“I wish she could have finished her studies here. But I guess it is better for her to start her training now.”

“It is.” Two words that were the opposite of what Lucius was thinking.

“Can you believe it? I do not even have a picture of her!” Professor Slughorn exclaimed.

Thankfully, the conversation could not continue on the Hogwarts Express, as Lucius thanked Professor Slughorn again and boarded the train. When the train started to move, he heaved another sigh. This time, it was not a sigh of relief but a sigh of uncertainty.

As the train chugged into the night, Lucius found himself slowly drifting off into dream world. The scenery could not keep him awake and the thoughts he had became tiring. When he finally realized he had dozed off, the Hogwarts Express hissed and screeched as it came to a stop. Pulling himself up, Lucius wasted no time and hopped off the train.

Platform 9 ¾ was awfully quiet that night. The last time he stood on the platform, it was full of noisy students. Now, it was dead with not a single soul lurking about. Lucius did not like how the atmosphere felt and headed straight for the pillar. Once through, the stillness was ripped from him.

King’s Cross Station was busy, with muggles transiting home after a long day. Lucius blended in with the crowd and casually strolled to the exit. The moment he stepped outside, he felt lost. He always had an escort, but that night was different. Even though the letter said he would have a pick-up, he did not see anyone waiting for him. Lucius looked up and down the sidewalk he was on, hoping to see a chauffeur and a car, but when no one fit his mental description he gave up.

Lucius decided that since waiting did him no good, he should start walking. As he headed down his right, slipping past strangers, he kept his eye out for someone who might be waiting for him. When he saw someone leaning against a car, he decided to try his luck. But just before he could approach that man, a stranger brushed past him and whispered in his ear.

Not catching the whispered words, Lucius spun around to see who it was, but it was impossible to play the guessing game in such a crowd. A few seconds later, the same stranger bump into his shoulder and whispered again. This time, Lucius heard him.

“Follow me,” he said, as he continued walking ahead rather slowly.

Lucius was not sure if he could trust that man. He had never seen him before, and he couldn’t help but doubt. Things could go wrong very quickly if he made the wrong decision. Was following the stranger the wrong decision?

To Be Continued…

(Leave a comment below or vote on whether Lucius should follow the stranger or keep on looking!)

FHB: Chapter 28

It was a letter, one he wrote and mailed out with no idea if it would reach its recipient. He had to use his own owl to play it safe but he was not even sure if his owl would be able to make the delivery. The only thing he was sure of, was that his letter was well written, if one could even consider ‘I need a favour’ as well written. At least he knew nothing could go wrong if a stranger read it.

After that night with Severus, Lucius did two things; one was the vague letter and the other was making Severus swear to secrecy. The secret was not regarding the Dark Lord but his father. Severus swore on his own father, which Lucius knew carried little weight as he did it without blinking. But Lucius decided to trust him anyway. After all, he didn’t have a choice. As for the conversation about the Dark Lord, Lucius told him to be patient. One day, Severus will get his chance to meet the Dark lord; one day when he’s older.

Lucius had took upon himself the duty of making sure Severus was far from this dark world as possible. He would hate to admit it, but he wanted to give Severus some form of childhood. Severus might think it glorious to fight for the Dark Lord, but having grown up in a family always surrounded by the ‘cause’, Lucius knew there was not a single ounce of fun or glory in it all. Sure, Lucius would continue to do the Dark Lord’s bidding and recruit children, but he would decide how much these children would be exposed to.

A whole week after those secrets were shared, Lucius did not see his feathered friend. Lucius was almost convinced that the Dark Lord could not be reached at that moment. So when his owl finally returned with a letter, Lucius assumed it was his own. It was only when he untied the letter that he realized the envelope was of different material. With scepticism, Lucius tore the envelope open and read its contents.

‘Let’s meet. Same place.’

The letter felt so familiar. Assuming that the letter was referring to Potage Cauldron Shop, was it implying that he would be meeting with his father again? Dread immediately swept over him, as he had no intentions of meeting his father. But just like the previous letter, Lucius had not choice but to go with it.

When the weekend visit to Hogsmead arrived, Lucius joined his friends before excusing himself as usual. None of his so-called friends questioned him, even though he knew they were very curious. He could only hope that none decided to follow him out of curiosity. Killing the cat would be so messy.

Just like before, the cauldron shop was empty. There was no one at the counter and the back door was slightly ajar. Lucius did not hesitate as he descended the steps leading towards the dark basement. When he was at the bottom, he pulled out his wand ready to chase the darkness away, but before he could, the basement door slammed shut. Lucius jumped at the sudden sound before the hair on his nape began to stand.

“I’ve been waiting,” a voice said, cutting through the silence.

Lucius recognized it, and it was not his father’s. There was also a soft hissing that floated around the room, and Lucius immediately knew he was in the presence of the Dark Lord.

“I came as fast as I could,” Lucius replied.

“Have you spoken to any of your friends about me?”

“One, but there will be more,” Lucius said, wishing there was a hint of light to tell him where the Dark Lord was at.

“Good. What is this favour you need, Lucius?” the Dark Lord asked in a rather friendly manner.

“My father, he has been cursed.”

“I know.”

Lucius could not help but wonder why the Dark Lord did nothing to help his father. What was the Dark Lord’s definition of loyalty?

“Can you help him?”

“I can, but it won’t be easy. The curse he acquired while he failed to do my bidding is a dark one.”

That was why the Dark Lord was not lending a helping hand. His father had failed a bidding and not helping was his punishment.

“I’ll do anything. Please help my father.”

“You’ve done a lot for me Lucius,” the Dark Lord stated.

There must have been a reason for that statement, because it made Lucius foolishly think he did not have to do anything for that favour. Just when he thought it was really a ‘favour’ as per the original definition, the Dark Lord redefined it.

“But I need you to do one extra thing, if you want me to save your father,” the Dark Lord added.

Holding back a disappointed sigh, Lucius asked, “What do I need to do?”

“I need you to join my Death Eaters on a special mission.”

“What kind of a mission?”

“A mission to strike an agreement with my hooded friends. I think you know them as Dementors.”

Lucius swallowed hard at the sound of what he needed to do. It was a special mission all right, because Dementors were not creatures to be messed with.

“I-I have school,” Lucius managed a reply.

“I know what to do. School will not be a problem, unless… you’re using it as an excuse. If so, I will not help your father.”

Lucius stood in the darkness, not sure on what to do. He wouldn’t be alone on the mission, so everything would be fine… right? It was stupid to even consider his next thought, but was his father worth it? Two things could happen with his decision, either his father looses his soul or Lucius looses his.

To Be Continue…

(Leave a comment below or vote on whether should accept the mission or decline it!)

FHB: Chapter 26

“Father!” Lucius called.

Abraxas Malfoy stopped in his tracks, almost unwillingly. He rested his hand on the doorknob before turning to Lucius.

“Is something wrong?” Lucius asked uncertainly.

His father shook his head and was ready to leave.

“I know something is,” Lucius quickly said.

His father let go of the knob, and said, “No, you don’t.” Before Lucius could prove his point, his father apparated without another word.

Knowing there was nothing he could do to find the answers he wanted, he sighed and exited the basement. He was so sure of leaving the dingy shop empty handed when he saw a familiar face at the counter.

The boy rang the rusted bell on the wooden surface, but no one came out to greet him. Disappointed, the boy turned towards the door and caught the reflection of Lucius in an old copper cauldron. Immediately, he stopped in his tracks.

Lucius caught the boy’s surprised expression and walked up to him.

“What are you doing here, Severus?” Lucius asked. “Who gave you permission to visit Hogsmead?

“Professor Slughorn. I was looking to buy a new cauldron, but…” Severus trailed off.

“What happened to your old one?”

“It…”

A boy with talent in potions could not have blown up his own cauldron.

“It?” Lucius asked.

Severus shrugged. Lucius knew he was too embarrassed to admit he was still being bullied. Maybe if Severus joined the Dark Lord, he would find a reason to stand up for himself.

Walking up to the counter, Lucius gave the bell three rings. When not a soul showed interest in selling a cauldron, Lucius took out a few galleons from his cloak and placed it on the counter.

“Take that one,” Lucius said and pointed at a new silver cauldron seated by the window.

“But…” Severus only managed a word.

“Thank you would suffice,” Lucius simply replied.

Severus nodded his head and muttered the softest ‘thank you’ Lucius had ever heard. He then hurried towards the cauldron, but before he could reach for it he stopped and picked up something from the floor.

“What is it?” Lucius asked.

“I don’t know,” Severus answered, as he handed the piece of paper to Lucius.

While Severus struggled to find the right position to carry the cauldron, Lucius examined the piece of paper. The only thing written was, “Dr. Maddock. Highly recommended” and it was signed off with D.B.

Something about it felt familiar and when he thought it through, he recalled the last time he fell ill. His mother called the family doctor who signed off a few exotic herbs with ‘D.B’. At the memory of it, Lucius wondered if the piece of paper belonged to his father. Something was definitely wrong and Lucius was beginning to worry. Yet at that very moment, he kept his cool and headed back to Hogwarts with Severus stumbling beside him.

That night, Lucius could not fall asleep. He wrote a brief letter to his mother asking if everything was fine back home before he rested his head, but that only made things worse. His worry would not die down and when the sun came up the next day he decided to act on his own. He did not have a plan but he hoped the day would work to his favour.

When afternoon came, day was on his side as Lucius stumbled upon a prefect reprimanding a group of students. It was not hard to guess what had happened as the students were split into a group of three boys against one. Picking up speed, Lucius closed in on the debate on ‘who started it’ before saying, “I know who the bullies are.”

Little did he know, he was wrong with his assessment. The three boys were Avery, Mulciber and Severus, and the one they were against was a Gryffindor boy; a boy he had not seen before. He was probably someone no one noticed, making him an easy target.

“You do?” The Hufflepuff prefect asked.

Lucius was not sure if he should sell out his own to save this new face, so he played it safe and said, “Better they confess to lighten the sentence.”

“He did it!” the Gryffindor boy said, and pointed at Severus.

It was unbelievable as Severus was commonly the target of bullies, not the other way around.

“He jinxed Severus’ cauldron!” Avery responded in accusation.

“We just wanted justice,” Mulciber added, in the most threatening tone.

 When the Gryffindor boy hesitated to defend himself, Lucius knew it was true.

“What’s your name?” Lucius asked him.

“Peter.”

“Peter what?”

“Peter Pettigrew.”

“Detention Mr Pettigrew. And if you jinx another cauldron, you’re paying for it,” Lucius said.

The Hufflepuff prefect looked at Lucius uncertainly and Lucius doused his suspicion of biasness with, “Ask Professor Slughorn about the cauldron. As for the fight, we can just let it go.”

Reluctantly, the Hufflepuff prefect nodded his head and took Pettigrew with him. When the two were out of earshot, Avery and Mulciber began high fiving and praising Lucius. Severus on the other hand, thanked Lucius and turned on his heels.

“You owe me, Severus,” Lucius simply said.

It was then that Lucius had an idea. Maybe he could use Severus once more, and do the Dark Lord’s bidding at the same time. After all, Severus was indebted to him, and Tanya was no longer around to question his motives.

To Be Continued…

(Leave a comment below or vote on whether Lucius should use Severus again or let him go!)

FHB: Chapter 25

Lucius sat on his bed for a very long time, contemplating if he should do as what the letter had asked of him. He knew what the right choice was, but did he want it? Somehow, free will was no longer a privilege in his life and he found himself deciding to go with the letter.

The following weekend, students were allowed to leave school grounds for a visit to Hogsmead. Lucius would normally stay back and lurk the hallways, but this time he went along. His only goal was to meet the Dark Lord and then return to school immediately after that. So, when everyone decided to grab a mug of butterbeer Lucius excused himself and headed to Potage Cauldron Shop instead.

Potage Cauldron Shop was a shop away from the busy street with a door that made no sound when opened. As Lucius stepped into the crowded cauldron stacked shop, he took hesitant steps and debated silently on whether to make his presence known. But just when he was about to say a ‘hello’, he heard a shuffling of feet.

Unlike most people who would voice their uneasiness, Lucius remained quiet and stood in place. He listened intently and when the shuffling stopped, he slowly turned to look behind him. It was then that he saw someone he least expected to see.

“Father?” Lucius asked in surprise.

His father simply nodded his head and gestured for Lucius to follow after him. Holding back the questions in his head, Lucius did as he was told and hurried after his father.

The two of them headed to the back of the shop and climbed down a flight of narrow, wooden steps. They creaked dangerously and Lucius held on to the pipes on the basement wall as he made the descent. When his feet finally touched the floor of the dark room, his father whispered a spell and the lantern at the corner lit up.

“Father, what is going on?” Lucius asked.

“I was sent here to pass you a message,” his father replied in a voice that carried unwillingness and dread.

“Was it you who wrote me the letter?”

“He wrote the letter, I sent it.”

Lucius had a feeling his father knew about the letters Lucius was receiving from the Dark Lord, and he quickly said, “I wanted to tell you, but I was afraid he would find out.”

“I know.”

“He might think I’m-”

“Weak,” his father interrupted. “I know.  He’s testing us, Lucius. Testing our loyalty. You did what you had to do.”

Lucius nodded his head. He was glad his father understood.

“Things will get harder now. He wants you to be marked,” his father added.

“The dark mark? But I’m still in school.”

“Not so soon. He needs you to do one thing for him, one thing very important.”

There was something about the way his father spoke that day that did not seem right. It was not just the words but the way he said them. Lucius did not know his father well, but he knew when someone was distracted. Wanting to relieve the worry that was apparent on his father’s face, Lucius asked, “What does he want me to do?”

That question was met with hesitation, that lingered for a while, freezing time as the pin drop silence began to ring in their ears. Lucius wanted to break it but he dared not. Fear knocked on his back door and he was suddenly scared to hear what was required of him.

“He…” his father paused briefly, “He wants you to recruit students.”

Lucius let the words sink in before asking, “Aren’t we too young?”

His father looked Lucius in the eye, as though to point out that Lucius was too young but still doing the Dark Lord’s bidding.

“Why?” Lucius could not help but ask.

“The younger, the better. It would also be the perfect timing when you finish school.”

Lucius merely stared at his father in response. The Dark Lord was depriving him of a schooling life and now he wanted to do the same to others. Lucius did not care about the others, but he found it hard to believe that children now had to choose sides. With Tanya starting her training as an auror and the Dark Lord recruiting children, he knew both sides were preparing for a war.

“I’m sorry, Lucius,” his father said.

Lucius gave his father a nod and immediately after, his father turned on his heels ready to leave.

“Wait, are you leaving?” Lucius quickly asked.

“Yes. Is there anything else you need to ask?”

“No. I just thought…” Lucius trailed off. He thought it would be nice to spend some time with his father, but it looked like his father was not interested. “Never mind,” Lucius ended his sentence.

It was strange, but as his father ascended the steps out of the basement a bad feeling sunk in Lucius’ stomach. His father looked even more distracted than he was before and Lucius could not help but wonder if his father was holding information from him.

At that very moment, Lucius stood frozen with the urge to chase after his father. He wanted to know everything but he was not sure if everything would put him at rest. Just as his father was about to reach the door, Lucius forced himself to make a quick decision.

To Be Continued…

(Leave a comment below or vote on whether Lucius should stay quiet or find out!)

FHB: Chapter 24

As Lucius swaggered down the hallways, heading towards the direction of his first class, his mind formed a trail of thoughts that shifted away from Tanya to something as minute as Severus’ tutoring request early that morning. His mind was so used to transitioning that it was slowly moving to nothingness when he entered the courtyard. But it was there that he saw Tanya.

Tanya was chatting with a few girls and Lucius immediately stopped in his tracks. He contemplated walking up to her, but was tempted to slip past her at the same time. Lucius would admit he wanted to find out why Tanya was leaving, but he was afraid that he was the cause of it. How would he feel if that was the truth?

Fortunately for him, his lingering caught the attention of Tanya’s friends and they did not hesitate to point him out. When Tanya saw him, she excused herself from the group and walked towards him. Lucius was surprise at her reaction, but he played it cool.

“I heard you’re leaving,” Lucius said.

“Yes, I am,” Tanya replied.

Lucius nodded his head. The question he wanted to ask was at the tip of his tongue but he held on to it.

“I’m moving to home schooling,” Tanya added.

“I see. Why the change?” Lucius finally let out the ‘why’.

“It will be easier for me to do my training.”

“What training?”

“Auror training. After the internship, they told me they wanted to train me.”

“But aren’t you too young? You haven’t graduated yet.”

“No one is too young to fight for a cause,” Tanya said.

There was a short moment of silence before Tanya added, “Besides, with home school I graduate faster.”

“Ah. So you’re going to be an auror,” Lucius said what meant to be a thought.

Tanya simply nodded and silence fell between the two of them once again. When it lingered too long, Tanya broke it with a smile.

“Well, all the best Mr Malfoy. I hope we never see each other again.”

Tanya gave him an awkward pat on the shoulder before walking off, leaving Lucius wondering what she meant.

There was no hate in her voice yet her words were like a punch in the stomach. Something about the whole goodbye did not seem right either. Tanya acted as though nothing happened between them but her last words did not sound too kind. Was it a jab at what he did or was it something else? Was Tanya planning on telling the ministry about him and his family, or was she just saying that to scare him?

It was an uneasy ending to an odd friendship, but Lucius knew that overthinking only wasted time. So, he decided to pack the conversation at the back of his mind and leave it there to collect dust. After all, he and Tanya were no more.

The rest of the day continued on in a slow pace. It was not just the classes, but the weeks before were slow in letters too. It was either the Dark Lord wanted to give him a break or something big was coming his way. Lucius could only wait and hope the next letter he finds would not be it.

When the weekend finally arrived, Lucius was told that Tanya would be boarding the train on Saturday evening. The prefects were urging those who knew her to see her off, but Lucius declined. She made it clear that she did not want to see him again, and Lucius silently agreed to that. So, while some went to the station to say their goodbyes, Lucius was in the common room being Severus’ worst tutor.

“No, you cannot mix snake fangs and billywig stings in a single bowl,” Lucius said.

“But if you add the standard ingredients in between, you can,” Severus replied.

Lucius narrowed his eyes at him.

“Look, it says here,” Severus said, as he showed Lucius a book he borrowed from the library.

Lucius took the book but he did not bother to read it. He wondered why Severus needed his help when clearly the boy knew much more than he did.

“It seems so,” Lucius said.

Severus nodded with a wide smile, as though it was the first time someone agreed with him.

“You’re doing a great job. Now excuse me, I want to get some rest,” Lucius said.

“Thank you for your help, Lucius,” Severus said.

Lucius waved him off and disappeared up the stairs to his bedroom. He was in a dull mood the whole day and he simply wanted it to end. Sadly, rest was the least of his worries.

As Lucius’ eyes gazed at the steps, the platform before his bedroom door greeted him with a white envelope. Shutting his eyes, Lucius wished the letter away. But when he opened his eyes, it was still there.

Picking up the envelope, Lucius took in a deep, tired breath before tearing it open. Inside, he found a letter that read, “Hogsmead, next week. Potage Cauldron Shop. Let’s meet.”

The letter was not signed with ‘your friend’ but the handwriting resembled the Dark Lord’s. Was it meant for him or was this letter actually meant for someone else? Lucius was not sure if he should go, but if the letter was really for him he better be at Potage Cauldron Shop next week. After all, the Dark Lord might not appreciate being stood up.

To Be Continued…

(Leave a comment below or vote on whether Lucius should follow the letter’s instructions or not!)

FHB: Chapter 22

Lucius stood his ground, standing too still for that matter. When the office door opened, revealing Mr Barrow’s secretary, Lucius quickly said, “Heard sounds. Came in. Found this.”

If someone who knew Lucius personally heard what he had just said, they would have known he was lying. Lucius was not a fan of direct sentences; he rarely could hide his intentions in the spaces between the words. But thankfully, the secretary was someone he had not even spoken to since he started his internship.

“What madness swept through here?” she asked in horror.

“I don’t know. It looks like a prank. Maybe somebody wanted to prove muggle locks aren’t as useful as they seem,” Lucius replied with a shrug.

The secretary narrowed her eyes at him before turning away and shaking her head.

“I told him. I told him a hundred times. That stubborn man,” she said, and she continued mumbling under her breath as she stormed out of the office.

Lucius did not want to stick around any longer, so he followed after her and quickly returned to his desk. The rest of the day, Lucius kept the stolen file in his bottom drawer and pretended not to listen as his colleagues made guesses on who blew open Mr Barrow’s cabinet. Soon, the day was over and the file magically disappeared when Lucius took a toilet break.

It was like that the whole internship. Lucius found letters in strange places and things went missing when he was not around. Lucius was generally curious on the others that worked for the Dark Lord, but he never once saw them. As quickly as Lucius adapted to such a subservient lifestyle, the internship ended and he could not be happier.

If there was anything Lucius learned during the internship, it was the power of the Dark Lord and how horrible it felt to submit under his authority. No other witch or wizard ordered him around as much as his dear friend, and Lucius hated it. But after returning home and finally getting the chance to sleep on his own bed, he decided that it was for the best. If Lucius had to put up with the Dark Lord to fight for the cause, he would. He was not very different from his father after all.

A few weeks after the internship, Lucius was to start his sixth year at Hogwarts. He had two more years of schooling, but he had a feeling his freedom had been revoked. What he feared the most decided to haunt him, all because of one midnight conversation with a houseguest.

As Lucius hopped onto the Hogwarts Express that sunny September 1^st, he was once again ushered to the prefects cabin. Time flew so quickly, that it felt like he was just boarding the Hogwarts Express for the first time. He knew he would soon find himself in places he did not want to be, and his only hope was to play it smart. Surely he could do that.

After the welcoming feast that night, Lucius ignored his prefect’s duty again only to find a ruffled owl sitting on his bed. The owl had a letter at its foot and it contained an assignment. Unfortunately, shrugging off the letter was not an option, and after each completed assignment, there was another letter. It was never ending and he could not even tell his parents about them, as he feared the Dark Lord might find out.

Half a year later, Lucius was finally confronted with a life-changing question. It was a rainy Sunday when he heard it. Tanya had found him and forced him into a conversation in an empty classroom.

“I haven’t seen you in a while. You’re always running off doing something, and I’m sure it’s not prefect’s duty,” Tanya said as she shut the door behind her.

“I don’t have time for this. What do you want to talk about?” Lucius asked.

“I want to talk about you, FRIEND.”

“You will never get it. No one gets it,” Lucius simply said. It was true, no one understood him. He never felt so alone and isolated before.

“I get it. Your family is involved in a political game and you’re caught in the middle.”

“What do you know?” Lucius asked with a chuckle.

“A lot. I’ve kept in contact with some people in the ministry. Situations regarding a certain wizard always reach my ears.”

“Aren’t you too young?” Lucius found the question more suited towards him.

“No one is too young. They promised me a spot on the team once I graduate. I’m going to be an auror!”

Lucius raised his eyebrows. The more we can’t be friends, Lucius thought to himself.

“I can help you Lucius. Get you away from your family or find a way to help them.”

“My family does not need your help. And my family isn’t the problem,” Lucius said, regretting his last sentence that gave too much away.

“Then what is the problem? Tell me, I’m your friend. I can help you.”

Friend. The Dark Lord loved using that word in his letters, and so did Tanya. His father even warned him about ‘friends’. Should he tell this friend the truth or should he leave her to her crazy speculations?

To Be Continued…

(Leave a comment below or vote on whether Lucius should reveal his secret!)

FHB: Chapter 18

Different responses popped up in Lucius’ head as he quickly weighed out the consequences of the different answers. When he found one that did not sound like a ‘no’, Lucius said, “I would be honoured, my lord, but-but my mother and I will be going to lunch with, with a ministry official regarding my internship tomorrow.”

The Dark Lord narrowed his eyes as his snake slithered towards him. He seemed to be waiting for Lucius to add to the excuse.

“My mother says it would be good. I…” Lucius paused as he gathered whatever words he had floating in his head before he continued, “I could pick which department to intern in.”

There was no reply from the Dark Lord, as he simply studied Lucius’ terrified expression. After what felt like an hour of petrifying silence, the Dark Lord said, “Department of Magical Education would be a good choice.” And with that said, the Dark Lord left.

Once Lucius was alone again, he found it impossible to return to sleep. His mind was full with strange questions on the Dark Lord’s visit, and his emotions were all over the place. Lucius did not know if he should be happy or scared, and he decided to hold on to both emotions when his room began to brighten up.

That sunny morning, Lucius entered the grand dining room to find his parents seated at the long table.

“Good morning father, good morning mother,” Lucius greeted, before taking his seat.

“Did you read the report I left for you?” his father asked.

“Yes, sir,” Lucius replied.

“Good,” his father said. Then getting to his feet, he excused himself.

Lucius watched as his father strode out of the room before turning to his mother across him.

“Did you sleep well, dear?” his mother asked.

Lucius wanted to tell his mother about the Dark Lord’s visit but he hesitated. What if his mother thought it was just a dream? It could actually be one, the longer Lucius thought about it.

Finally deciding that he needed to, he answered, “Not very, mother. Someone visited me last night.”

His mother stopped buttering a scone and gave him a questioning look.

“He asked if I would like to join him today, but I told him we had lunch plans,” Lucius continued.

Almost immediately, horror swept across his mother’s face. Seeing her reaction, Lucius quickly added, “I told him about the internship. He said it was a good opportunity for me to help him. When I told him about lunch, he said I should ask Mr Pepsworth to place me in the Department of Magical Education.”

Even though their lunch with Mr and Mrs Pepsworth had nothing to do with Lucius’ internship, Mr Pepsworth was a high-ranking ministry official. They could simply slip a request during lunch, since the Pepsworths and the Malfoys were always scratching each other’s backs.

“I see,” his mother said with a thin smile. Just before she returned to her scone, she added, “We better make sure you are accepted into that department then.”

As that subject closed, a strange relief swept over Lucius. It was as though he was carrying a burden the whole night, and being able to share it with someone put him at ease. He was neither scared nor happy now, he was simply hungry and the exhaustion from the lack of sleep left him.

“Roacher!” Lucius yelled. “This tea is as cold as your dead father!” Lucius threw his teacup at the house elf that ran into the dining room. Moments later, Lucius had a fresh cup of tea and a pleasant breakfast.

Lunch that afternoon was at an exclusive and overpriced restaurant. Mr and Mrs Pepsworth wanted to see Mrs Malfoy and Lucius because their youngest son was enrolling in Hogwarts. They wanted Lucius to keep an eye on him, and to make sure he does well. Not having much of a choice, Lucius promised to do his best but he took that same moment to bring up his internship. When Mr Pepsworth asked which department he was interested in, Lucius told him without a hint of hesitation.

By the time their plates were clean and their cups were dry, Mr Pepsworth told Lucius he would soon receive his internship letter. It was safe to say, his words were as good as the official letter itself. At his assurance, Lucius reached for his mother’s hand and gave a gentle squeeze. There was no doubt that she was secretly afraid of Lucius’ fate, and he didn’t want her to worry when she didn’t have to.

The next few days, Lucius waited for the letter’s arrival. Though it did not swoop in as quickly as Lucius had expected, the days went by pretty smoothly with his father absent for most of them. His father was either out for business or with the Dark Lord and the others. The Dark Lord also did not pay Lucius any more midnight visits, but Lucius’ bedroom was still unwillingly opened for guests.

One night, Lucius entered his bedroom ready to hit the sack when he found his father standing by the window. The moment Lucius saw him, his father asked, “Do you have anything to tell me?”

Lucius was not sure what his father was referring to, and the letter in his hand did not make his question any clearer. Was it the internship, the Dark Lord’s visit, or befriending a mudblood? Lucius had to pick one answer and he could only hope it would not turn their conversation ugly.

To Be Continued…

(Leave a comment below or vote on which answer Lucius should go for!)

FHB: Chapter 12

Lucius did not want to do it, but the grip he was losing on the banner forced him into action.

“Tanya!” Lucius shouted, hoping his words could cut through the deafening crowd. And to his surprise, it did.

Tanya swerved her broom towards his direction and hesitated for a few seconds before coming to his aid.

“What on earth are you doing here?!”

“Wild bludger. I need your help,” Lucius replied as he struggled to hold on.

“Why should I help you? You’re not my friend,” Tanya said, turning her broom away.

Lucius was in shock at her response but he still managed a few words. “Please, I could die!”

“Why don’t you call your friends for help?”

It wasn’t the right moment to make a point but it was the perfect moment. Lucius was starting to think of descending by himself when the question caught him off guard. No matter who he was or how influential he became, Lucius did not have friends. It was the way he did things that put him above his housemates but made him alone.

As he shook his head in reply, Lucius felt his sweaty palms slipping from the banner. When he realized what was happening, he was already sliding down with his hands barely gripping onto the cloth.

“I can’t die like this!” Lucius thought out loud.

Just as those words escaped his lips, Tanya swooped down and reached for the back of his cloak. She was not strong enough to pull him up and her broom began tilting to his side.

“Grab the broom!” Tanya yelled.

Lucius flailed his hands and managed to grip onto the broom with one hand, but that did not stop them from the fall. As Tanya struggled to pull him up and control her broom, Lucius’ attempt to climb up made it worse.

“Stop! Just hold on!” Tanya said.

For once in his schooling life, he listened to another student and halted his attempts. Tanya tilted her body to the other side and slowly descended towards the black lake. When Lucius’ legs touched the waters, the drag pulled them both in.

 As the two of them pushed their heads out of the water, Tanya said, “Great! We’ll lose the game now.”

“You can still get back in,” Lucius replied.

“And what? Leave you here for the giant squid?”

“He’s quite docile,” Lucius said.

“I’m not that kind of a person,” Tanya simply replied and reached for her broom that was hovering above the water.

As she climbed on, she said, “Come on, I’ll get you back on solid ground.”

Lucius did not need to think twice about following her orders and he pulled himself up. He did however, hesitate on holding her waist but when they took flight there was no hesitation left.

When they finally landed in a school courtyard, Lucius awkwardly thanked Tanya for saving his life. Tanya merely responded with a nod before disappearing into the sky. She had a game to get back to, and when Lucius heard that the match dragged on for another hour, he didn’t feel so bad about the handicap he caused Ravenclaw briefly.

Strangely, when he found himself feeling sorry, he did not stop himself. He used to shut out thoughts that would alter his judgement, but he could not bring himself to do so that day. The thought of almost dying or being at risk to death made him think about his life. Maybe Lucius really needed friends after all? Maybe they were more of a help than a liability?

As the match ended and the news of Slytherin’s victory reached Lucius’ ears, he decided not to gloat over it. And during dinner that night, Lucius kept to his own promise.

The Slytherins were having a celebration, while the Ravenclaws tried not to look too upset. There were still a few more games to go so neither Gryffindor nor Hufflepuff felt the sting of the win. It was a pretty ordinary night in the great hall, except for the occasional cheers.

When dinner was over, everyone headed back to their common rooms in a not so orderly manner. Lucius neglected his prefect duties again and decided to have a talk with Tanya.

“Tanya, wait up,” Lucius called out when he saw Tanya monitoring the Ravenclaws.

“I’m on duty, you should be too,” Tanya pointed out.

“Just one second.”

“You don’t owe me alright, I don’t keep tabs when I help someone,” Tanya replied.

“No, that’s not what I wanted to say,” Lucius quickly said.

“Then?”

“I just wanted to say thank you, again. And you’re right, I don’t have friends.”

“You’re welcome. Maybe you should start making some.”

Lucius gave an awkward chuckle. “It doesn’t work that way for me.”

“Right, because you’re a pureblood and all that.”

“No. It’s just not the way I was brought up. My father always said that friends would do me more harm than good.”

“No offense to your bloodline, but your father is wrong.”

“Maybe…” Lucius trailed off as he recalled his father’s story about the Dark Lord while he was in Hogwarts.

“You know what, let’s prove your father wrong. Do you want to be friends?”

Lucius was not sure if he heard her right, as he last recalled Tanya hating him. Was she really offering her friendship? There was an internal tug-of-war, and Lucius could not believe it was such a difficult question to answer.

To Be Continued…

(Leave a comment below or vote on whether Lucius should say yes or no to Tanya’s offer!)