FHB: Chapter 35

My dear boy,

By the time this letter reaches you, I would be long gone. I do not have a choice and no one can save me now. From this point onwards, everything you do will be of grave importance. Your actions will determine the fate of this family. It is a heavy responsibility and I apologize for making you carry it. You must understand, that all that I have done was for us. I did not plan to leave like this and if I could change my fate, I would. At this very moment, the best I can do is to write you this letter.

I will never admit this verbally, but I am weak. The choices I have made were never my own and my actions were all for the preservation of our family. Family, honour and blood, has always been our motto. But the most important of all three is family. It may not seem like it sometimes, but I try my best to keep us together. Even if the world calls me a coward, a hypocrite, a liar, and a murderer, I do not regret my actions behind those words. You can look at me the same and I won’t blame you for it. It is the truth. I am not proud of who I have become, but I am proud of you.

Ignorance is not my forte. I know that you are struggling with your identity. You should not be fighting this war, but you’ve been thrown into it because of me. I apologize for the pain I have caused. I wish I could have given you a better life, but that is merely a wish. Maybe when this is all over, you can give your son a better life… one away from this madness. I pray you will get that chance.

As this letter might contain my last words, I want to be honest with you. A parent should not say this to their child, but I have to. The day your mother and I brought you home from St. Mungo’s, I wanted to end your life. I wanted to spare you from a harsh fate, but after watching you peacefully sleep, I could not do it. Sometimes, I wonder if I made the right decision that night. Sometimes, I even regret not having done it. I’m a horrible father, I know.

You’re probably wondering what the point of this whole letter is. You’re probably seething with hate as you digest my words. I have disappointed you, and I will have to disappoint you again because I need you to do something. When the time comes for you to end a life, please do not hesitate. I know you would, but you will have to fight against it. Think only of this family and it wouldn’t be so hard. If you cannot bear to think of me, think of your mother. We have to do what is hard to protect those we love… even if we end up being hated.

Remember, you’re not weak. You have never been weak, Draco. You are far from a coward and you are not a hypocrite. You are not me and you will never be me. You may be my son, but you are a better human being. You are strong, you are brave, and you will never lose your soul in these dark times. I will lose mine, but I will try to find a way back.

Take care of your mother for me, and goodbye.

Your father, Lucius.

He could not believe what he had asked his son to do. Lucius hated himself for it; for following his own father who asked him to kill. He knew that the letter would only torment Draco further, but he had to write it. Lucius had to prepare his son and remind him to be strong. It pained him to see the confliction Draco had to go through for years, but he had a small hope that it would all be over soon.

Lucius folded up the letter and was about to seal it with some wax when his bedroom door violently swung open.

“They are coming for you!” Narcissa said with fear in her eyes.

“I’ll be fine,” Lucius lied.

“No, they cannot take you! On what charge, Lucius? What evidence? Can’t we call someone for help?”

Lucius shook his head before putting the letter in Narcissa’s hand. “Give this to Draco, please.”

“Lucius…” Narcissa trailed off, lost for words as her hope diminished at the sound of Ministry Officers storming up the stairs.

“Narcissa, I need you to do something for me,” Lucius quickly said, knowing his time was running out.

“What is it?” Narcissa’s voice had lost its strength as her eyes began to water.

“I want you to leave me. I want you to take Draco and leave.”

“What? I can’t do that! I will never do that,” Narcissa insisted, as she grabbed onto his hands.

“You have to.”

“No! Not now! Don’t do this now,” Narcissa choked.

Tears began to stream down her cheeks and his heart ached at the sight of her struggle. Why she loved a man that only brought her pain? Lucius wished he knew.

“When the time comes, walk away. Do it for Draco,” Lucius stressed on each word.

Narcissa could not respond to what may seem like a ridiculous request, but Lucius knew that she was strong enough to do it. She had kept them together, protected the family as best as she could, and talked sense whenever Lucius was about to lose himself. She will leave him at the right time.

Now, as much as it hurt him to do so, he had to go. All for family, honour, and blood.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

This fan fiction has officially ended!

Thank you to all who have followed it religiously and voted in the polls. I’m glad that it has finally come to an end and happy that we got to take this adventure together 🙂 I hope you guys enjoyed this story, so do let me know what you think of it in the comments below!

To commemorate the entire series, I decided to whip up a little something. I thought it would be fitting as it ties in with the original series. You can download it if you like 🙂

Just to restate, this will be the last piece of fan fiction on my blog. From now onwards, everything will be original 🙂 If you are new here and would like to read my past fan fictions, you can visit the fan fiction page for all the links. Also, if you would like to read a short Draco fan fiction, click here.

Thanks again and Potter on!

Advertisement

FHB: Chapter 31

As Lucius contemplated his decision, he heard it again. Polkus seemed so focused on the meeting that he did not even notice when Lucius slowly slipped away. Watching human and dementor strike a deal was no doubt educational, but Lucius did not like the idea of being watched.

Pulling out his wand, Lucius crept away and kept his eyes and ears open. If he listened closely, he could hear the sound more clearly. It was very subtle but audibly present in the still forest. Following the sound, Lucius used the little moonlight to guide his path. He was careful not to make any sound himself, but with one wrong footing, a twig snapped.

Lucius immediately stopped in his tracks and silence greeted him instantly. The subtle sound of what seemed like walking was gone. He must have alerted whoever it was he was following, and now he and the stranger were on the lookout for one another.

Not daring to take another step, Lucius looked around hoping to see an outline of a being. It was then that he realized he had gone too far, and Polkus was no longer in sight. Now worried that he might have made the wrong decision, Lucius stretched his wand hand forward as he was prepared to use it. Unfortunately, someone beat him to it. Before he could even utter a spell, a dim light whizzed in his direction and hit his wand out of his hand. Lucius watched as his wand flew from his grip and landed in a bush far from him.

Panicking, Lucius ignored the fact that his footsteps were waking the forest and dashed towards the bush. He could barely see where he was going and with another wrong footing, he found himself landing face flat on the ground. When Lucius attempted to recover from the fall, he turned on his back only to find a wand in his face.

“Lumos,” the owner of the wand said and light shone on his face, temporarily blinding him.

Lucius could not see who the stranger was but the stranger could see him clearly. If only his wildly thumping heart did not drown the voice of that stranger, he would have been able to guess who it was.

“Lucius?” the owner of the wand asked.

Not knowing if he should answer, Lucius propped himself on his arm and began shuffling backwards. The bush was within reach and when his hand found his wand, he did not hesitate to use it.

“Impedimenta!” Lucius shouted and watched, as the stranger flew backwards and landed with a thud.

Scrambling to his feet, it was now his turn to see who his enemy was and when he did, he immediately sent her wand flying in the opposite direction. She growled angrily at him as she got to her feet, but she did not make a move to retrieve her wand.

“What are you doing here?” Tanya demanded.

“What are YOU doing here?” Lucius asked in return.

“You should get out of here if you don’t want any trouble,” Tanya warned. It sounded less of a threat and more of genuine concern.

“You should get out of here too,” Lucius said.

“I’m serious.”

(“No, you’re Tanya.” Sorry, I had to)

“So am I.”

“We have aurors all over. We heard about this meeting and…” Tanya trailed off, suddenly aware that she should not be sharing too much.

“You’re lying. There is no way the ministry would send a rookie like you out on a dangerous mission,” Lucius replied.

Tanya looked slightly offended, but she wiped that expression off her face when Lucius continued, “You’re probably here on a rumour, and I doubt there are aurors all over.”

“We have called for backup,” Tanya quickly said.

“No you have not.”

And just as Lucius said so, a spell shot right past them and hit a tree directly behind Tanya. The bark of the tree snapped and both Lucius and Tanya scrambled out of the way as it came crashing down.

“I told you,” Tanya said unconvincingly.

Lucius would have laughed at her lie, but flashes of light and yells of spells distracted him. The forest was no longer dark and still, as the birds fluttered from their nests and out of harms way.

“Where’s my wand?” Tanya quickly asked.

Before Lucius could vaguely point at where her wand had flew to, a painful scream echoed throughout the forest

“Gavin?” Tanya asked softly as fear swept across her face.

There was another scream and Tanya immediately cupped her mouth. Shortly after, Lucius heard his name being hollered.

“Malfoy! Who do you have there?” the voice called out. It was one of his own, even though he did not recognize the voice.

Lucius froze at that very moment. The hand that was holding his wand began to sweat as he stared at Tanya, who was also frozen in place.

“Malfoy! You hearing me, boy?”

Lucius swallowed dryly as he raised his wand at Tanya. He was not sure on what to do. Should he cast a spell on her or tell her to run? Tanya watched Lucius with her eyes wide open, but not a word escaped her lips. Lucius only had two options at that moment; bring her in or let her go.

To Be Continued…

(Leave a comment below or vote on whether Lucius should bring Tanya in or let her go!)

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 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 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 17

“Who’s there?” Lucius asked, with his words barely escaping the dryness of his throat.

Silence remained with no response to his question. Lucius propped himself up and squinted at the figure. There was definitely something at the end of his bed, but he could not make out who or what it was.

“Mother?” Lucius asked.

When there was no reply once again, Lucius shifted under his warm blanket and slowly edged towards the dark spot. He was now fully awake and was determined to prove that no one else was in his room except him. It was something he used to do as a child whenever he woke up in the middle of the night and see a strange shadow in his room. Every time that happened, he would end up laughing at himself for being afraid of his jacket hanging on the door or the stuffed toy on the armchair. That night should be no different.

As Lucius made his way to the foot of his bed, he stretched his hand out towards the figure. When he was almost close enough to touch it, he heard a whisper saying, “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

Immediately, Lucius stopped in his tracks. His hand remained frozen mid-air as his eyes darted around his room. Seconds later, the fireplace lit up and the figure at the end of his bed became fully visibly. At the sight of what it was, Lucius quickly pulled his hand back just as the giant snake struck forward. Falling on his back, Lucius scrambled to the head of his bed with his eyes wide in horror.

“She doesn’t make friends easily,” a voice said.

Now that the room was brightly lit, Lucius was finally able to put a face to the voice. Sitting on the armchair beside the fireplace was the Dark Lord.

“I’ve heard a lot about you Lucius,” the Dark Lord said.

Lucius immediately stumbled off his bed and stood against the wall.

“And not from your father or the pictures on these walls,” the Dark Lord continued.

“What-what have you heard, my lord?” Lucius asked softly. Lucius tried to keep his eyes on Lord Voldemort but he found himself staring at the fireplace while taking quick glances at the snake.

“My little eyes and ears have told me you’ve accepted an internship with the Ministry of Magic.”

“Yes-yes my lord. But-but I’m not going,” Lucius replied. Lucius was beginning to hate himself for his lack of fluency in carrying his words. He sounded just like that annoying first year named Pettigrew.

“Why so?”

“I-I don’t think it’s a good idea, my lord,” Lucius said. He did not want to offend the Dark Lord over a silly internship. “My parents do not know about it either. I think, I think it’s best if I stay home.”

“Lucius, Lucius, Lucius,” the Dark Lord said.

Goosebumps immediately rose on Lucius’ arms at the sound of the Dark Lord repeating his name.

“I think it’s a wonderful idea. Don’t turn it down just because I loathe the ministry.”

Lucius swallowed hard, not sure if the Dark Lord was being honest or sarcastic.

“You should also not go back on your word once you’ve made a promise,” the Dark Lord added.

“I…” Lucius did not know what to say.

“Go. It would be good for you. It would also be good for me, once you’ve joined me. You ARE joining me aren’t you?”

“Yes, yes, of course, my lord,” Lucius quickly replied.

“Your father says you are very keen. Though, I’m starting to wonder if he’s telling the truth.”

“I’m keen my lord. It’s just that my mother, my mother thinks…” Lucius paused, suddenly unsure on how to continue.

“Your mother thinks school is more important?”

“Yes, no, I mean no, my lord. She thinks-”

“I agree with her. School is important, but one is never too young to have dreams.”

“Yes, yes, my lord. I do have dreams, I do want to join you,” Lucius replied, but there was something in his expression that betrayed him.

“But?”

Lucius never meant to show contemplation, as he had always wanted to join the Dark Lord. He had dreams of becoming powerful but he also wanted to consider his mother’s feelings. At that moment, he was forced to make a decision he had avoided the whole year. There was now no room to run away from it.

“But nothing, my lord,” Lucius replied.

The Dark Lord seemed pleased with Lucius’ response and waved his snake over to him. As he got to his feet, he said, “Good. Tomorrow at noon, I will be having a meeting with my loyal subjects. Would you be able to join me?”

The question caught Lucius off guard, and his throat began to tighten. He wanted to say ‘yes’ but something within him was saying ‘it’s too soon’. Lucius did not want the dark mark on his arm just yet nor did he want to wait any longer. What was he to say?

To Be Continued…

(Vote or leave a comment below on whether Lucius should join the Dark Lord or turn him down!)

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!)