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!)

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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 23

Tanya pushed herself to a seated position on a table and waited. When Lucius remained silent, she said, “You can trust me.”

Lucius contemplated about telling her the truth. The idea itself was risky and to share such a secret could do more harm than good.

Finally, Lucius spoke with words as indirect as possible, “All you need to know is that my family is fighting for a cause, and I am as well.”

“If you don’t want to, you don’t have to.”

“What makes you think I don’t want to?” Lucius asked.

“You don’t look happy about it,” Tanya answered with a shrug.

“Even if I don’t want to, I can’t.”

“You have a choice Lu-”

“I don’t have a choice. A particular someone will not let my family go if I turn on him. I cannot do that to my family,” Lucius interrupted.

Tanya’s persistence and the lack of knowledge on his situation were starting to annoy him. Why couldn’t she mind her own business?

“Then we will find a way to help your family. The ministry can protect you and keep you hidden,” Tanya said.

“We Malfoys don’t need protection nor do we hide,” Lucius snapped.

He did not want to continue with the conversation, so he strode to the door ready to leave. Just as he was about to reach for the exit, Tanya jumped off the table and grabbed his arm.

“Wait! We’re not done!”

“We are done.” Lucius yanked himself free from her grip and added, “You and I, we’re done as well.”

Lucius left it as it is and stormed out of the room. He took the biggest strides he could take hoping to get as far away from Tanya as possible. With the hallways almost completely lifeless, Lucius was tempted to burst into a jogged. Unfortunately, before he could disappear around a corner, Tanya called out to him.

“Lucius, wait! What do you mean?” Tanya yelled as she chased after him.

Not bothering to take a look behind, Lucius kept on walking. It was only when she caught up with him did he stop.

“What do you want?” Lucius asked.

“I want to know what you meant back there,” Tanya immediately answered.

“It’s straight forward, Tanya. We’re not friends anymore. I don’t understand why you even want to be friends,” Lucius said before turning on his heels and continuing down his path.

Tanya did not follow after him this time, she simply said, “Because we’re the same.”

That itself stopped Lucius again. He needed to tell her she was wrong.

“We are not the same. You’re a mu…ggle born and I’m a pure blood. I have a duty to bring honour to my family. We are not the same.”

“Yes, we are. We are the same, Lucius. We’re both lonely. We’re lonely because no one is willing to accept us for who we really are. I act like a flipping coin that never lands, and nobody gets it. But you do, you’ve been-”

Lucius did not want to hear anymore, so he decided to cut her off.

“I don’t get you, Tanya.”

“But-”

“I honestly don’t. I put up with you because I need you. You’re the kind of flipping coin I wouldn’t bother guessing head or tails. You’re expendable, and I don’t need you anymore. Why else would a Malfoy befriend a,” Lucius paused before emphasizing on his last word, “mudblood?”

It was harsh, but he said it. He did not like the thought of being similar to Tanya in any way, and he wanted to make sure she understood it. When Lucius caught the pain in Tanya’s eyes, he moved his feet and never stopped until he reached his bedroom.

The journey back to isolation was a strange one. Lucius’ mind bore no thought until he took a seat on his bed. Only then did his last words replay in the silence.

Part of what he said earlier was true. He never understood why Tanya wanted to be his friend; she was strange and overly righteous. And though he felt bad for calling her a mudblood, he knew it was better this way. She could hate him all she wanted and he wouldn’t mind. As long as they were no longer friends, Lucius was fine.

One would think that ending any form of relationship would affect Lucius emotionally. To his surprise, he had no emotional response. He was not sad, nor was he happy about it. He simply did not know how to feel, so he did not feel at all.

The next few weeks were pretty awkward for him. He tried to avoid Tanya as much as possible, but if he did bump into her he would pretend he had not seen her. Lucius wished it was easier, and his wish soon came true.

During breakfast on a typical Tuesday morning, the Slytherins around him brought Tanya’s name to the table.

“Did you here? T. Lovegood is dropping out,” a girl said.

“How do you know that?” the boy across Lucius asked.

“The prefects were discussing about nominating next year’s head girl when they said Tanya won’t be around to take up the post.”

A few Slytherins listening in on the conversation turned to Lucius hoping he would clear things up, but when he remained silent they returned to their food.

After hearing her name, Lucius did not want to stick around any longer. The conversation was not for him and he left without a word. As he made his way to Herbology, he began wondering if Tanya’s leaving had something to do with him. Lucius was curious to find out why but he was not sure if he should.

To Be Continued…

(Leave a comment or vote on whether Lucius should or should not find out why!)

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 21

Lucius snatched the envelope from the ground and tore it open. What he found inside was a white piece of parchment with a year and a name scribbled in the centre. For anyone else, the parchment would not make any sense, but for Lucius, he became certain the letter was for him. The way the i slanted so oddly between the alphabets reminded him of how the Dark Lord signed his last letter; your friend.

That revelation sent shivers down Lucius’ spine. He now knew he was being watched, and whoever had access to his room was someone close. At that moment, Lucius contemplated on informing his father about the letter. The Dark Lord would not trust him if he found Lucius reporting to his father like a clueless puppy. So, Lucius decided to rip the letter up and dispose of it in the fireplace.

The next day, Lucius requested to study old case files revolving around the education in their wizarding community. Nobody stood against his request and he spent the whole morning in a small, stuffy room, searching for what the Dark Lord had asked for. When Lucius finally found it, he did not hesitate to see why it was important.

Inside the dusty brown file was a single sheet of paper and a picture. The report stated of a boy Lucius did not recognize selling forbidden potions and dangerous magical artifacts. Most of his possessions were confiscated, but there was reason to believe the boy had a source. The Dark Lord probably wanted to find that source.

Taking the file along with a few others, Lucius had to come up with a way to sneak it back to his room. But since the clock struck lunch hour, Lucius left the stack of files on his desk before meeting up with Tanya. As Tanya babbled away about all the new things she had learned, Lucius tuned out and began concocting a plan. It was a good thing he wore his biggest cloak that day.

By the time lunch was over, Lucius returned to his desk hoping to study the case further. But when he flipped through the stack of case files on his desk, the one he was looking for was no longer there. In a brief state of panic Lucius quickly spread the files out, and it was then that he saw another envelope.

Immediately, Lucius opened the envelope and found four numbers written on the letter. It was also signed with a slanted i and Lucius could not help but take long looks at the other people in his department. Clearly the Dark Lord had more than one inside man, and Lucius was now one of them. He was not sure if he should feel safer knowing he was not alone or if he should worry about being watched. Those conflicting thoughts became an uneasiness that stayed with him till the end of the day.

The following morning, Lucius clocked into his department just in time to be told that Mr Barrow, the head of department, would be leaving for an important meeting. He was also just in time for the joke his colleagues cracked about Mr Barrow being a fan of muggle contraptions, locking important files in a cabinet with muggle locks. At that moment, the gears in Lucius’ head aligned to the answer he was looking for.

The numbers written on the letter was probably a code to unlocking the cabinet. And though Lucius did not know what he should be looking for, he skipped lunch that day and left his desk only when his department cleared out. When no one was around to question his actions, Lucius hurried to Mr Barrow’s office and quickly slipped in. Once inside, he searched the room for a cabinet.

Mr Barrow’s office was large but it was narrow because of all the books he had. There were books on the shelves and books stacked up on the floor. There were even books on the armchairs facing the fireplace. It took a while for Lucius to find the brown cabinet that camouflaged among the brown hardcovers, but he found it nevertheless.

The cabinet was at a corner of the room and it had a single door with a number lock. Having memorized the numbers, Lucius quickly rolled one number after another and once the last one clicked into place, the lock was free. Now that that obstacle was out of the way, Lucius had another one to tackle. The moment he pulled the cabinet door open, he saw deep rows of stacked files. Swallowing hard, Lucius assumed he was to look for the same boy that sold dangerous artifacts. Without giving it much thought, he decided to act in the most unwise manner possible; he shouted ‘accio’ for the file.

Immediately, files flew out of the cabinet as the one he had requested hit him in the face. Yes, it was a brilliant idea for a poltergeist like Peeves but a foolish move for a Malfoy. Just as Lucius was about to scold himself for making such a stupid decision, he heard heavy footsteps walking up to Mr Barrow’s office. Stuffing the file under the back of his vest, Lucius shuffled up and down not knowing what to do. At that moment he only had two choices, it was either he stand his ground or he hide.

To Be Continued…

(Leave a comment below or vote on whether Lucius should hide or stand his ground!)

FHB: Chapter 20

Lucius shifted his weight uncomfortably, contemplating on making a move. When he found a short burst of bravery matching up his desperation, he strode up to Tanya.

“Tanya,” Lucius greeted.

Tanya turned to see who it was and replied, “Why am I not surprise?”

“I take that as a compliment,” Lucius replied.

“Well, you should go find someone to pair with.”

Lucius shifted his weight again, this time too obvious too ignore.

“Wait, are you here to ask me to be your partner?” Tanya asked, drowning the pride Lucius was attempting to keep afloat.

Before Lucius could reply, Tanya added, “But I already have a partner.”

The girl standing with them smiled and said, “It’s alright. I don’t mind making new friends.”

When the girl left, the sharp pinch from her words remained. But instead of defending his already hurt ego, Lucius turned to Tanya.

“You didn’t have to say that,” Lucius said.

“Say what?”

“Point out that I’m here to ask you to be my partner,” Lucius answered almost immediately.

“Why? Isn’t that so?”

Lucius narrowed his eyes, and then he said, “Sometimes, I’m not sure if you’re really that naïve or just playing me.”

Tanya shrugged in reply and began walking towards the exit. Lucius simply followed her, and continued doing so as the group broke off in their pairs and headed to the ministry headquarters.

The city was bustling that day, and it took Tanya only ten minutes to find the lifeless boutique they were instructed to find. Her sense of direction amidst the rushing muggle crowd was rather impressive.

Once in the shop, Tanya whispered the numbers ‘62442’ to the shopkeeper and they were immediately led to a fireplace in a hidden room behind an old bookshelf.

“Ladies first,” Lucius said.

Tanya took a handful of floo powder from a deep bowl, stepped into the fireplace, and said the magic words. When the flames shot up and died down, Lucius went next.

The heatless flames engulfed Lucius and a second later he arrived in the ministry headquarters. The ministry was as busy as the streets above, and Lucius began imagining what it would be like to be a minister. He could see himself climbing his way up and achieving greatness, and the thought of controlling the magical community gave him shivers of excitement. Unfortunately for him, his imagination was cut short with Tanya’s call.

“Lucius, come on! Which department are you in? We can’t be late.”

Despite the urgency in her tone, Lucius took his time. When they finally arrived at the elevators, Tanya said, “You could walk faster.”

“We’re not late,” Lucius replied with a shrug.

“We have five minutes to get to our departments. We will be late. Anyway, which department are you going?”

“Department of Magical Education,” Lucius replied.

The answer gave Tanya a strange look on her face. She seemed to be having a hard time digesting his words.

“Don’t look so surprise. What department are you in?”

“I’m hoping you have no ulterior motive for choosing that department.”

“You can’t choose where they place you,” Lucius pointed out.

Tanya chuckled and said, “I’m sure YOU were given an option. Well, I’m off to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. I don’t want to be late, so you can take the next ride. Meet you here at five!”

With that, Tanya squeezed into a crowded elevator and waved goodbye. The elevator shot backwards and then sideways, with Tanya’s startled scream bouncing down the tricky elevator tunnels. Shortly after that, Lucius found a rather empty elevator and headed to his department.

The first day as an intern was rather satisfactory for Lucius. He was the only one placed in that department so there were no other interns outdoing him. The people also knew who he was, and they praised him for his little act during the O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s examination. Lucius was sort of an ideal intern in their book, and they treated him way better than he had expected. He did not have to make the coffee or copy letters, he simply sat in their meetings and discussions, taking in more information than he should.

When the clock on the wall finally ticked five, Lucius left his bare desk and met up with Tanya at the atrium.

“So, how was your first day?” Tanya asked excitedly.

“It was fine. How was yours?”

“Splendid!” Tanya continued on with how much she had learned about the dark arts, which made Lucius a little uncomfortable. He was no stranger to it, but the fact that the ministry knew so much was not comforting.

Tanya recited her whole day while they had dinner in a cafe in the ministry headquarters, and then she went into the littlest details as they made their way to their muggle apartment. Tanya only stopped her ‘daily report’ when they entered their living quarters and found it ten times larger than what it seemed from the outside. That would explain why they placed all the interns in one place.

“This is amazing!” Tanya said in awe. She was acting like a typical mudblood the whole day and Lucius was feeling a little sick from it.

Excusing himself, Lucius went to look for his room. When he finally found it, he wondered how he was going to survive for the whole month. Sharing the tiny room with a stranger put a lump in his throat.

Muttering under his breath, Lucius dragged his legs in and slumped on a bed. Just as he did, an envelope bounced off the soft comforter and landed gently on the floor. Was the letter for his roommate, or was it for him? It was addressed to no one and Lucius wondered if he should take a peek.

To Be Continued…

(Leave a comment below or vote on whether Lucius should read it or leave it!)

FHB: Chapter 19

“I’ve accepted an internship with the Ministry of Magic. I know-” Lucius paused when his father gave him a strange look.

Abraxas Malfoy turned to face Lucius as the room began drowning in darkness. The flame in the fireplace was dying from the strange chill in the air.

“I know you don’t-”

“I’m not talking about the internship, Lucius. I’m talking about your conversation with the Dark Lord,” his father interrupted him.

Lucius did not see why it was such a big deal. His father had always wanted him to join the death eaters, so what was the problem with Lucius speaking to the Dark Lord?

“I-”

“He left you a letter,” his father cut him off again.

Lucius stared at the letter in his father’s hand and wondered what was in it. What words did the Dark Lord spare him before he left? Were they orders, were they praises, or were they encouragements? Lucius could not imagine the Dark Lord giving praises or encouragements, but reality was surprising.

“I do hope your internship would do you good, young Lucius. I’m looking forward to seeing you as my death eater in the near future as I thoroughly enjoyed your company. Best wishes, your friend,” his father read, failing to supress the anger inside of him.

“What’s the matter, father? I thought that would make you proud,” Lucius boldly ask.

“Proud? Proud that my son is having little chats with the house guest?”

“Yes,” Lucius simply answered, unable to understand what the fuss was all about.

“The Dark Lord is not your friend, Lucius. Cozying up with him will not make your life easier!”

“I thought you wanted me to be a death eater?”

“Yes, I do, but under my supervision! You are treading in dangerous water, son.”

“I don’t understand. The Dark Lord is not a stranger to us, why does it bother you when he’s being nice-”

“The Dark Lord is not nice or friendly, he simply has a way with words. You’re too naïve to see this, but whatever he says carries an ulterior motive, Lucius. I have been with him for years and I know him well enough to know that.”

The flickering flames in his father’s eyes disappeared, just as the fire in the fireplace went out in a poof. The moment the fireplace lit up from a spell his father casted, Lucius began to understand where his father was coming from. His father was not great with words, but as a son not seeking an argument, Lucius caught his intentions pretty quickly.

“So, what do you want me to do? I can’t be a death eater without being loyal to the Dark Lord.”

“Be loyal to the cause, not to the man. Fly when he soars but swim when he drowns.”

“You don’t do that,” Lucius pointed out. His father seemed more loyal to the man than the cause for blood purity.

“I don’t do that so that you can. His faith in us Malfoys are strong, and he would not suspect a lack of loyalty from you.”

Lucius remained silent as his father continued, “The next time he talks to you, come to me right away. Remember, our loyalty lies with our family.”

His father placed the letter on the table and gave Lucius’ shoulder a squeeze before he left. Lucius stood listening as his father’s footsteps travelled down the hallway and disappeared behind a door. Once Lucius was in the presence of no one but the breathing fire, he shut his bedroom door and reached for the letter. He hesitated for a moment but soon decided not to look at it as he fed it to the flames.

Lucius knew there was truth in his father’s words. Loyalty was to the family and their cause, not to any man. That night, Lucius drifted into dream world with the words ‘fly when he soars, swim when he drowns’ echoing in his head.

After the father-son conversation, Lucius found his father more vocal during mealtimes. It was as though a wall had been broken down and Abraxas could now relate to his son. Lucius could see why, as his father no longer needed to struggle with the thought of loosing his only son to his master. Knowing that, Lucius was determined to not let it happen. He was smart; smarter than most people thought he was.

A week later, Lucius bid farewell to his parents as he left for his internship. He was driven to a little office in the city where all the interns were instructed to meet. When he arrived, he was brought to a briefing room filled with forty over students. Lucius did not expect a low number and felt rather proud of being among the chosen few.

As Lucius took a seat at the back of the room, the last few students scrambled in and the briefing began. They were told the procedure of entering the ministry headquarters and were then briefed on the rules of their stay in the muggle apartments. Once the two-hour long briefing was over, they were told to pair up; the pair would be travelling mates for the duration of the internship. Hearing that, Lucius immediately responded with a grunt.

Getting to his feet, Lucius scanned the room for someone worthy. Some of the students looked familiar while others were complete strangers, but one caught his eye. Tanya Lovegood stood a few feet away from him talking to a girl, and Lucius was not surprise to see her. The only thing that surprised him was the urge to hurry up to her and ask her to be his partner. Lucius would rather not ask, but it was either her or a stranger he would be forced to pair with.

He had to decide… to move fast or to not move at all.

To Be Continued…

(Leave a comment below or vote on whether Lucius should ask or wait to be asked!)

FHB: Chapter 16

“I think it’s a great opportunity, boy,” Professor Slughorn said.

Lucius acknowledged Professor Slughorn with a nod before turning to the official. “That’s one offer I cannot turn down, sir,” Lucius said.

That night, Lucius wrote a letter to his mother to tell her about the internship. He would have addressed the letter to both his parents, but he feared his father would send him a howler in return. When his letter took flight the following morning, he pushed the internship out of his head and shifted his focus to the upcoming exam.

Now that Lucius’ plan to ace all his subjects failed, he was forced to study. He spent whatever time he had left poring over his Divination textbook and drinking in the horrible taste of Herbology. When the exam weeks finally arrived, Lucius chucked his books aside and hoped none of the information he stored in his brain would leak out unexpectedly.

Strangely, Lucius got through the two weeks pretty well. He knew he would score ‘O’s’ for most of his subjects, and a few ‘A’s’ for those he made mental gagging reflexes at the sound of their names. As long as he passed with more ‘O’s’ than ‘A’s’, he shouldn’t have a problem with his parents.

Shortly after the exams, the school year was wrapped up. That year flew by so quickly, Lucius could not even remember Christmas. His memory of the year was like a misty morning with only a few patches of incidences he could recall. Typically, Lucius blamed the exam for robbing what could have been a great year.

As Lucius boarded the train that late sunny afternoon, his fellow prefects gave him the same train hospitality. It was just like the last time he boarded, except that Tanya helped herself to the seat beside him without question.

“So, are you ready to go home?” Tanya asked.

The Slytherin prefects seated across them ignored her and pretended to look busy. It became a habit as they did it every time Tanya came to speak to Lucius. Lucius wouldn’t mind them leaving as he did not have to watch what he said if they weren’t around, but he assumed they were either afraid or too prideful to let go of their cushioned seats.

“That depends on the welcome party,” Lucius replied.

“Why? Do all the house elves come to greet you?” Tanya asked cheekily.

A question as such would have gotten a student a curse in the stomach, but Lucius was now immune to Tanya’s choice of words.

“No. The family does,” Lucius answered.

“Oh, what if the family doesn’t?”

“Then we have a guest,” Lucius simply said. His answer raised a head across him, but Lucius paid no attention to the subtle yet obvious response.

“Do you like this guest?”

“He’s one of a kind. How about you?”

“I can’t wait to go home! We’re having a picnic once I get home,” Tanya said.

“Won’t it be dark then?”

“Can’t you have a dinner picnic? We do it all the time.”

“Right, I forgot.”

“You should come visit me one day. That’s what friends do.”

Lucius shrugged with a chuckle. He would rather live with his weird grandaunt than visit a mixed blood family. Not forgetting how his father would ignore him for the rest of his life if he did.

By the time the train stopped, Lucius allowed his little helpers to drag his bag out to the walkway before taking over himself. He preferred to look independent when he got off the train, after all, his mother did not enjoy giving the other mothers a thin smile for their children’s submissive behaviour.

As he headed to the exit and alighted from the Hogwarts Express, he searched the crowd for his parents. There were so many people calling out names that Lucius strained his ears to hear his. When he did, a mixed emotion swept over him.

“Mr Malfoy!” a deep voice called out.

Lucius was hoping for ‘Lucius dear’ or Lucius, my boy’ but that evening he responded to the formality and handed his belongings to the chauffeur.

“Your parents-”

“I know, let’s go,” Lucius interrupted.

He gave one last wave to Tanya, who was seen with her strange cousin, before striding toward the big black car outside the station. It was going to be another long journey, and by the time he reached home he would be crashing into bed.

True enough, Lucius had his dinner in the car and caught up with the family business from a report book his father left in the backseat for him. Even though many people knew who the Malfoys were, they did not gain their fame from working in the ministry. They owned a wine and an antique business, with branches all over the world. They were also shareholders for larger companies and had investments in different stocks, all in wizard currency of course. That was why Lucius did not need an internship.

By the time Lucius had finished updating himself with the family business, the car rolled in front of the white porch with the full moon buried beneath the clouds overhead.

Lucius did not wait to have his door opened as he exited the car and walked right into his home. He took quick peeks into the different rooms on the ground floor in search for his parents, but when he found neither of them he headed straight to his bedroom. Lucius was exhausted, not because he did anything but because his day was so uneventful. By the time he hit his large, soft bed he drifted off to sleep almost instantly.

Unlike its predecessors, that night was rather still. Lucius would have slept through it if not for the floorboard the house elves had not fixed. When it made a loud creak, Lucius barely opened his eyes and winced at his surroundings. The moment he spotted something at the end of his bed, Lucius stared long and hard.

The fireplace was dead, the curtains were drawn shut, and the darkness made it impossible for Lucius’ foggy brain to make out what it was. He contemplated calling out but sleep was beckoning him. It was a petty decision, but Lucius did not know what to do.

To Be Continued…

(Leave a comment below or vote on whether Lucius should call out or go back to sleep!)

FHB: Chapter 15

Lucius thought over what Tanya had said and though he disagreed with the way she looked at things, he decided to make it up for his failed attempts at cheating. In all honestly, Lucius would have dusted his palms and pretended nothing happened if not for the sudden arrival of a clever idea. He had a special gift of turning things around for himself, and his gift was about to make his situation a win-win.

Walking past the perfect’s lounge, Lucius headed straight for Professor Slughorn’s office. With each step came a string of words he could use to buy favour, words his father failed to teach him while the Dark Lord did.

No, Lucius never had a real conversation with the Dark Lord before. Lucius had only seen him a few times when he came to stay in Malfoy Manor. But every time he came over, Lucius would stand outside the hidden room door and listen to the discussion he had with his followers. Everything he said was full of confidence and conviction, and Lucius wanted to emulate him.

Even though Lucius was not sure if he really wanted to join the Death Eaters, he knew he wanted to be as great as the Dark Lord. If it meant making a name for himself and bringing pride to his family, then he wouldn’t mind being under a ludic lover of power. How bad can things go, right?

By the time Lucius was outside Professor Slughorn’s office, the door opened and the two found themselves face to face.

“My dear boy, what are you doing here?” Professor Slughorn asked.

“I need your help, Professor. I think I made a mistake,” Lucius replied.

“Come on in. Would you like a drink?” Professor Slughorn said, as he ushered Lucius to the armchair near the fireplace.

“No, thank you.”

“Very well. Tell me what happened.”

“As you know, students have been buying O.W.L and N.E.W.T papers for the upcoming examinations. I happen to be one of them.”

“My God!”

“Sir, you know I’m not a cheater,” Lucius quickly continued, “I only bought the papers to find out who was distributing them. I know it was foolish of me to take things into my own hands, but I knew the culprit had to be caught.”

“I see,” Professor Slughorn replied. He showed no expression of belief or disbelief, which made Lucius a little worried.

“This man does dealings in The Three Broomsticks. I don’t know his name, but I remember his face. I was planning on telling Professor Dumbledore tomorrow, but the spot check this morning made me look guilty.”

“Who found the papers you bought?”

“Tanya Lovegood. She did not report me, but she told me to admit to my actions. If I told her I am innocent, she would not believe me. That is why I came to you, Professor. If you tell them you told me to find out who the culprit is, we could both get a good rapport with the ministry,” Lucius said. His words were a mess and they came out all wrong, but it seemed to be working.

“Well, honestly boy, you shouldn’t have gone snooping around. You will make your parents very disappointed with you! But I won’t let a good student ruin himself over the urge to be a hero. Tell me who this man is and we will see Dumbledore together.”

Lucius nodded and described the man to the best his memory could recall. When Professor Slughorn bewitched a quill to draw according to Lucius’ words, the result was surprisingly identical. After Lucius confidently said the drawing was spot on, the two of them went to see Professor Dumbledore.

That night, Professor Dumbledore’s office was graced with stacks of illegal exam papers and the company of a few Ministry of Magic officials. Lucius had seen them in newspapers before, and by the way they tilted their heads upwards he knew they held quite a status.

When Professor Slughorn handed them the drawing of the man, they were rather shock. They questioned how certain he was and Professor Slughorn gave Lucius the chance to explain what had happened. Though Lucius knew Professor Dumbledore was sceptical, the officials looked pretty convinced.

“This is shocking, Albus. He is one of our trusted advisors in our education department,” one official said.

“Are you very sure this was the man that sold the papers to you?” Professor Dumbledore asked, still unsure on what to believe.

“Yes, Professor. I have never seen the man prior to purchasing the papers.”

“Trust me, the boy has a good memory,” Professor Slughorn said.

“We believe you, young man. What is your name?” another official asked.

“Lucius Malfoy, sir.”

“Ah, Abraxas’ boy. Your father would be proud.”

Lucius replied with a smile and a nod.

“Well, then. We better get this issue sorted out. Thank you for your effort, Horace. We could use people like you in the education department.”

Professor Slughorn chuckled before saying, “My heart is with my students.”

“You taught a fine one,” the official pointed out.

“Why, thank you.”

“You know, the ministry is looking for fresh faces,” the official said as he turned to Lucius, “would you be interested in an internship? It would do you good if you ever want to work with us in the future.”

Lucius could not believe what he was being offered, but at the same time he was unsure if he should take up the offer. His father wanted him to be a Death Eater, and there was really no need to get a job after graduation. If only Lucius could ask his mother what she thought… she always had the best answers.

To Be Continued…

(Leave a comment below or vote on whether Lucius should accept or decline the internship!)

FHB: Chapter 13

“Friends?” Lucius paused and with slight hesitation before he continued, “sure.”

“Great! Well as a friend, I’m encouraging you to do your prefect duties,” Tanya replied with a small smile.

“Right,” Lucius simply said as he awkwardly waved Tanya goodbye.

Of course, Lucius didn’t return to his duties but straight to the common room instead. Friend or not, nobody told him what to do. As he lay in his bed that night, he found himself wondering what being friends really meant. By the time his eyes shut, he still did not have the right answers.

The following morning came as fast as the end of Quidditch season. Slytherin took the Quidditch cup with Hufflepuff not too far behind. The Slytherins found no reason to rub salt into the Hufflepuffs’ wounds, so they jeered at the Gryffindors instead. Slytherin and Gryffindor were always rivals, and many being friends with each other made no difference.

Lucius who went along with the celebration still did not understand the meaning of friends. He was too proud to ask and he decided that it was best if he continued pretending not to have any. When those around him asked about Tanya, he simply said he was being nice to her for the sake of her intelligence. After all, O.W.Ls was nearing and Lucius was not the best at every subject.

As the months flew by, Lucius found himself studying more than he usually did. Tanya had encouraged him to work hard instead of cheat his way through, and he had no idea why he thought it was a good idea to do as she suggested. Clearly, after days of pouring over boring Divination Lucius realized it was a bad idea.

Jumping from the armchair near the warm fireplace, he headed to the older group of Slytherins gossiping at a corner.

“Interesting conversation,” Lucius merely said.

“Er, yes. Would you like to join us?” a male student replied.

“No.”

“Then how can we help you?” a female student asked.

“Slytherin was second to Ravenclaw last year in the Owls outstanding grade. I want to know who helped,” Lucius answered.

“Helped? Well, we studied,” another male student said.

“Everyone in this group did not study. The ones that actually did are asleep now,” Lucius replied.

“We didn’t use a memory spell if that’s what you’re wondering.”

“I’m not wondering. You’re telling me,” Lucius went straight to the point.

There was a moment of hesitation, but it didn’t last long.

“We bought the papers before hand,” the same student replied in a lower voice.

There were only a few people in the common room that night and Lucius wondered why he was whispering.

“From who?”

“You don’t know him, but I can introduce him to you. You have a trip to Hogmeads coming up, right? I can sneak out to join you,” the student suggested.

“Sound good,” Lucius simply replied. He patted the boy on the shoulder before heading up to his room.

On the day of the Hogsmead trip, Lucius headed out with the usual boys. A lot of the students decided not to go, as they preferred staying indoors to study, but Lucius went mainly to find a way to make him breeze through a few of the subjects he was struggling with.

Surprisingly, as Lucius and his posse settled down in the Three Broomsticks, he saw Tanya entering with her friends. Tanya was behind in her studies, so she must have caught up being that she was out. As he watched her, the Slytherin boy that promised an introduction came walking in.

Lucius did not wait for him to walk over as he headed to him instead.

“Let’s make this quick,” Lucius said.

“Of course,” he replied and went straight to the stairs.

Lucius took one look at his fellow housemates and gestured for them to remain seated. Once he and the other student were on the first floor, the student pointed to a man in a suit at the table near the window.

“He knows you’re coming,” the student said.

“Good,” Lucius replied and thanked the student with a nod.

Lucius swaggered to the table and took a seat. The man acknowledged him with a fake smile and said, “So, how can I help you?”

“I need papers…owl,” Lucius said.

“One paper does not come cheap.”

“Money is not a problem, and I only need a few.”

“Oh? If you’re so clever, why don’t you just study?”

“I don’t need you to tell me what to do.”

The man chuckled and said, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to offend you. I’m just trying to do business here.”

“So how much for a paper and when can you deliver?”

“20 galleons, 13 sickles, 13 knuts. And I’ll deliver tomorrow if you pay today,” he replied with a sly smile.

“Fine. If you cheat me, you will pay for it.”

“Oh, I’m not the cheater here.”

Lucius narrowed his eyes before paying the man and informing him on the papers he needed. When the deal was done, he did not stick around and headed straight for the stairs. That was when he bumped into Tanya.

“Hey,” Tanya greeted.

“Hello,” Lucius replied as he edged towards the steps.

She looked at him and then at the man in the suit. Casually, she asked, “Who is that man? What were you paying him for?”

Lucius’ head screamed at him to cook up a lie, but he had a strange urge to tell the truth, as though lying was just going to make things worst. It now came down to what he was going to say to the only friend he had.

To Be Continued…

(Leave a comment below or vote on whether Lucius should lie or tell the truth!)