FHB: Chapter 28

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

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

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

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

‘Let’s meet. Same place.’

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“My father, he has been cursed.”

“I know.”

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

“Can you help him?”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“What kind of a mission?”

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

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

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

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

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

To Be Continue…

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

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FHB: Chapter 27

The once busy hallways of Hogwarts had cleared up an hour after dinner. They sat empty and silent, with paintings slumbering in their frames; all except for one. At a corner of one isolated hallway were two figures whispering in the shadows. They were whispering not because they were afraid of being caught by a prefect, but because Peeves was still lurking around.

“Do it tonight,” Lucius said.

“Tonight? But we’re not suppose to be at the owlery at this hour,” Severus replied.

“You owe me, Severus. And I’ve done more for you than you’d ever be able to repay.”

Severus sighed.

“A short and simple letter will do. Just verify what this doctor does. Do you need me to spell it out for you?”

Severus shook his head.

“Good. When you show me his letter, I’ll let you in on a secret.”

Severus nodded in reply.

Lucius took a quick look around before waving Severus off. The task was not hard and Lucius could have done it himself, but he was afraid his mail would be intercepted. He did not want the Dark Lord to know what he was doing, nor did he want his father to discover he was snooping. If it was possible, Lucius was going to find out what he needed to know without his parents ever knowing.

The following morning, there was no news from Severus. It was expected, unless the doctor was a night owl. However, Lucius did receive a letter from his mother. It was short but it told him more than he should know.

‘Everything is fine. He is fine. Don’t worry. Love, your mother.’

Lucius patted himself on the back for cleverly wording his letter to his mother. He merely hinted as though he knew what was going on, and his mother confirmed his suspicions. Something was going on, something revolving around his father.

Two days after that letter, the rush of owls into the great hall brought along the letter Lucius was eagerly waiting. When it fell on Severus’ lap, Severus hurried over to Lucius and handed it over. Lucius did not open the letter immediately, even though he was dying to do so, and waited till night came. When he and Severus were the only two left standing in the isolated corridor again, he tore the letter open.

It may seem strange to some that Lucius had company at such a private moment in his life, but he had no choice. Severus stayed by his side after dinner and insisted that Lucius tell him the secret he promised a few nights ago. Severus was getting bolder around Lucius and Lucius should have shooed him off, but something convinced him it was better to have someone around when he read the letter. So there he was, with Severus.

“What does it say?” Severus asked, just as Lucius pulled out the parchment.

“What did you write to him?” Lucius asked in reply.

“I said I had a problem and I needed his help. I asked him about his area of expertise too.”

Lucius nodded and began to read the letter silently.

‘You must have heard of me from my colleague. Rest assured, I am the best in this field. My expertise is anything and everything under the sun of dark curses. May I know if you are enquiring for your sake or for someone else’s? I would need to see the victim in person. Don’t worry, I’m a very discreet man.’

Severus was peering over the letter and he did not hesitate to ask, “Is someone cursed?”

Lucius slowly folded the letter up before pocketing it. He remained silent for a while, and when he finally spoke, he complete ignored Severus’ question.

“What cures dark curses? Spells, potions, or rituals?” Lucius asked, not ashamed that his question was directed at a boy years younger than him.

“It depends, but all cures need a potion. Potions for dark curses are very complex and they contain a handful of rare ingredients. Sometimes even dark ingredients. Who’s cursed?”

“My father.”

Lucius’ answer caught Severus off guard. With Severus unsure on how to respond, a brief moment of awkward silence lingered between them. And then, as though the subject on curses was immediately dropped, Lucius said, “I’ll tell you the secret now.”

Telling Severus about the Dark Lord and his plan to take over the wizarding world briefly took Lucius away from the fact that his father was in danger. It was effectively detouring his thoughts, so Lucius held nothing back. By the time Lucius sold it all to Severus, he was sure the boy would be on board.

“So, are you with me?” Lucius asked.

“Yes,” Severus replied with a smile. It was the kind of smile that came from a belief that life would get better, even though he was extremely naïve to think so.

“Good. Time to-”

“You say the Dark Lord is a powerful man and he knows your family well. Why don’t you ask him for help?” Severus interrupted.

Lucius overlooked the rudeness out of curiosity and asked, “Ask for what help?”

“Your father. The Dark Lord should know a lot about dark curses. The doctor is probably not as good as him too.”

Severus made a good point. He was right about the Dark Lord, but Lucius contemplated. Was he bold enough to ask for help? Will there be a price if he did? Lucius knew the Dark Lord enough to know he never does favours.

To Be Continued…

(Leave a comment below or vote on whether Lucius should ask the Dark Lord for help or stay out of it completely!)

FHB: Chapter 26

“Father!” Lucius called.

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

“Is something wrong?” Lucius asked uncertainly.

His father shook his head and was ready to leave.

“I know something is,” Lucius quickly said.

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

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

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

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

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

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

“What happened to your old one?”

“It…”

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

“It?” Lucius asked.

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

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

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

“But…” Severus only managed a word.

“Thank you would suffice,” Lucius simply replied.

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

“What is it?” Lucius asked.

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

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

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

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

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

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

“You do?” The Hufflepuff prefect asked.

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

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

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

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

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

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

“What’s your name?” Lucius asked him.

“Peter.”

“Peter what?”

“Peter Pettigrew.”

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

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

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

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

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

To Be Continued…

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

FHB: Chapter 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 10

“Can I speak with you?” Ms Evans asked.

“Regarding?” Lucius replied, as he watched Tanya say her goodbyes and leave.

“I want you to leave Severus alone,” she said.

“Who?” Lucius responded. His honest question for being temporarily distracted came off sarcastically.

“Severus, my friend?”

Lucius gave her a long look before asking, “Why?”

“You’re bad for him,” Ms Evans answered boldly.

Lucius gave a false chuckle. “I think you are mistaken. The poor boy has no other friend but you, and one day you’ll leave him too. When that happens, I’ll be the only one he has left.”

“I won’t leave him.”

Lucius smirked. “We’ll see.”

He didn’t bother to stick around and argue with the girl any longer, as he walked off and politely excused himself from Professor Slughorn’s dinner party.

Lucius thought he had managed to leave Ms Evans behind, but when she left the office after him, he knew she was not done.

“Malfoy!”

Did she just call me by my family name? Lucius asked himself silently. She was not going to get away with it.

“I’ll have points deducted from your house for your lack of manners,” Lucius immediately replied.

“I don’t care. I don’t know who you are or why you act like you own this school, but I’m not letting you bully me,” Ms Evans shot back.

“You don’t know who I am?” Lucius asked, curious as to why.

“Why should I?”

“Don’t your parents teach you?”

“They taught me well enough,” Ms Evans paused before she continued, “just not about this world.”

“Oh, so you’re a mudblood too.”

What’s wrong with Dumbledore? All these mudbloods are ruining our prestigious institute. Father must hear about this, Lucius told himself.

“What’s a-”

“Dirty blood. You don’t belong here. You’re not a real witch, you’re filth to our society,” Lucius answered her unfinished question.

“That’s discrimination! I’m just like you, I-”

“Don’t ever compare yourself to me, Ms. Evans. You are nothing like me. I’m of noble birth and my bloodline is pure. Yours however, won’t account for anything if it’s spilled,” Lucius spat.

Ms Evans innocent looking face flared up. She looked like she was about to throw a punch.

“Touch me, Ms Evans, and you will be expelled,” Lucius warned.

“How low can you go to threaten a child?” a familiar voice asked from behind him.

When Lucius turned his head to look, he saw Tanya standing a few feet away. Almost instantly, his anger turned towards her.

“You lied to me! You almost made me a fool!”

“You are, for thinking yourself better than everyone else,” Tanya replied.

Lucius shook his head to calm himself down. After weighing out the different replies he had in his head, Lucius said, “You see, that’s the problem with you mudbloods. You are all ignorant fools, thinking you are special being here. Go on and live in your fantasy world, but be careful, you don’t want death bursting your little bubble.”

Lucius did not stick around to explain further and he stormed off. When he finally returned to the common room, he swung his hand at a lamp on the nearby table and with a crash the room fell silent.

“What, what happened?” one of his so-called friends asked.

“Severus!” Lucius called out instead. When nobody responded, Lucius demanded, “Where’s that boy?”

“He’s not back yet, I think,” another so-called friend replied.

Just then, the common room door swung open and Severus entered. His eyes were locked on the ground and he only looked up when Lucius blocked his way.

“What’s with you?” Lucius asked.

Severus looked as though someone had called him a mudblood. It was the kind of reaction Lucius was hoping from the little brat just now.

Severus gave no reply as he looked at everyone in the room. All eyes were on him, and his mind was visibly blank.

Noticing the problem, Lucius turned and asked, “What are you guys doing standing around? Shouldn’t you all be in bed?”

An older prefect immediately started ordering the crowd to their warm beds, and soon Lucius and Severus were the only ones left.

“So, what’s with you?” Lucius asked again.

“Nothing,” Severus replied softly.

“What do you mean nothing?” Lucius gave Severus’ shoulder a squeeze in hopes to lead him to the sofa by the fireplace, but as he did Severus quickly pulled away and yelped in pain.

“What happened? Did you forget to jump on the enchanted stairs?”

Severus shook his head, but his lips were still sealed.

“Stop being a coward and tell me what happened,” Lucius demanded.

“I- I- the other boys were rough,” Severus managed a reply.

“What other boys? Boys from our house?”

“Gryffindor,” Severus said softly, as though saying the house name might do more damage.

“Name,” Lucius merely said. It sounded like a statement more than a question and Severus took a while to get it. When he finally did, he muttered, “Potter.”

So the rough little boy went by the name of Potter, eh? Lucius thought as Severus stood awkwardly with a hand rubbing his shoulder.

“I’ll handle this, Severus. But tomorrow, tomorrow you’ll be hanging out with Avery and Mulciber. They are very funny boys,” Lucius simply said.

Severus nodded and headed straight to bed. Lucius however, stayed a while longer. What should he do? Should he leave it to the professors or should he handle it himself?

“You see Ms Evans, Severus needs me,” Lucius whispered just as the flames in the fireplace puffed out.

To Be Continued…

(Leave a comment below or vote on whether Lucius should leave it to the professors or handle it himself!)

FHB: Chapter 7

“Hey boy, what did I say about lurking around the Gryffindor table?” Lucius called out to Severus.

Tanya narrowed her eyes at Lucius before taking a quick glimpse behind her.

Severus, who had no idea what was going on, nervously walked up to the two of them.

“I didn’t ask you to come here. Get back to your seat,” Lucius shot.

The look on Severus’ face was rather pitiful, and as expected, Tanya stood up for him.

“You shouldn’t treat first years like that,” Tanya said.

“I’m only following the rules,” Lucius replied with a shrug.

“There is no such rule.”

“You have to read the rule book again, Tanya,” Lucius casually said as he reached for Severus and pulled him towards him.

Before Tanya could defend Severus once more, Lucius quickly whispered in his ear, “Get the parchment and run.”

“Let go of him!” Tanya demanded as she gently pulled Severus away from him.

Then turning to Severus she said in a gentle voice, “Go back to your seat. You’ll be safe there.”

Lucius wanted to laugh. He could not take her seriously, and her mother duck gesture tickled his funny bone.

“Tanya, please. I was not going to hurt him,” Lucius said with a chuckle.

“You don’t need to pretend anymore, Lucius. I know what kind of a person you are. My friends told me about you.”

“Your friends? I was your only friend when you arrived. Is this how you treat friends?”

Lucius had a guilty pleasure of making people feel bad about themselves.

“I thought so too, until I realized you were just using me,” Tanya pointed out.

Enough talk. Get a move on it boy, Lucius thought as he made eye contact with Severus.

“Friends help each other. If you don’t want to help me, you can just say so,” Lucius replied, hoping to buy more time for Severus to act.

Unfortunately, Severus was going back and forth with his decision. It was agonizing to watch this first year struggle with such a simple instruction.

Unable to take anymore of Severus’ hesitation, Lucius turned to him and asked, “Didn’t we tell you to get a move on it?”

That question must have set off the ‘go’ switch in his brain and immediately, Severus snatched the parchment from Tanya’s hand and ran out of the great hall.

Tanya watched in shock as Lucius shrugged and said, “See, I told you he was trouble.”

Lucius did not wait for her reply as he walked back to his seat. He noticed Tanya contemplating on going after Severus, but she soon made up her mind to return to her newfound friends.

The bunch of giggling girls stopped when they saw her and quickly got the juicy story out of her. Lucius noticed that after Tanya was done, three of them turned to his direction and gave him a glare.

Ignoring their obvious finger pointing and dissatisfied expressions, Lucius went back to his meal. He knew they could not do anything about it, but he also knew Tanya was no longer useable. Well, at least there was still that first year, right?

After dinner, Lucius decided to head back to the common room. He had rounds to make, but the parchment was much more important. Upon arrival, he asked the head boy for the room list before asking if he could do his rounds for him. Of course, the head boy had no objections to either request.

Once he had learned of Severus’ room, Lucius got his hands on the parchment almost immediately. Thankfully, Severus had safely returned to their common room, and when he handed the parchment to Lucius he did not ask what it was but pulled his blanket over his head.

From the look on his face, Lucius know he was still hungry. Strangely, he felt sorry for the boy. So he pulled out a chocolate bar and placed it on the side table.

“Eat this,” Lucius merely said before he left.

That night, Lucius spent a few hours memorizing Professor Slughorn’s instructions. By the time the clock stroke 12, Lucius went to bed.

The following days went rather well, and Lucius did short revisions on the potion before bed every night. It was until the night before his next potion class that he gathered his classmates.

About thirty-five of them stayed up in the common room after everyone else had gone to bed. Lucius was sitting near the fireplace when he told them that the potion’s test would be a Polyjuice Potion. No one bothered asking where he had gotten the information from, but they thanked him instead.

It was a common practice for Lucius to share last minute tips with his classmates. He knew none of them could outdo him and most of them would barely pass. But even so, that would mean more house points.

When Potions Class was in session the next day, Lucius was confident in acing the test. That was until Tanya came up to him.

“I’ll give you the chance to do it right, Lucius,” Tanya whispered.

“Do what right?”

“You cannot cheat,” Tanya replied.

“I’m not. In fact, you’re cheating. You stole the parchment after all.”

“I know you have the parchment. I’m not stupid.”

“So, what are you saying? You want me to fail?”

“Yes. You’re not supposed to know about the potion before the test. It’s not fair.”

“I’m not going to fail. Instead, I’ll do so well that Slytherin will take the lead in house points again,” Lucius replied with a smile.

“Then I’ll have to tell Professor Slughorn,” Tanya said.

Was that a threat? It sure sounded like one. Lucius thought about it and it became a little worrying. If Tanya told Professor Slughorn, it could go two ways.

One, he would brush it off because he did tell Lucius about it to begin with. But, he might no longer give Lucius hints. Two, he would ask Lucius about the missing parchment and stop trusting Lucius all together.

Lucius wondered if he should actually fail this time, or just wiggle his way out of Tanya’s blabbering words later.

To Be Continued…

(Leave a comment below or vote on whether Lucius should ace the test or fail it!)

FHB: Chapter 6

It was barely a second of hesitation before Lucius broke into a sprint.

The first year was a clumsy one as he nearly skidded into a wall as he made a turn. He was also rather short for his age and Lucius was slowly gaining on him. When the boy made another turn, Lucius heard him run into his friend.

“Where have you been?” the girl demanded.

Lucius stopped in his tracks to eavesdrop on their conversation.

“Let’s get to class,” the boy simply replied, trying to hide the urgency in his voice.

“Come on, then. We’re already late. If Professor Binns doesn’t give us detention, a prefect will.”

Just as Lucius heard them walking, he turned down the hallway and asked, “Why aren’t you two in class?”

The boy and the girl spun around, and the boy quickly dropped his head, as though it would hide his face.

“We’re heading there right now,” the girl quickly answered.

Lucius looked at her closely. She had dark red hair and bright green eyes. She was also a brave one; seemingly not afraid of whatever Lucius might throw at her. That would explain the red house crest on her robes.

Lucius then turned his attention to the boy. “Stop cowering boy, I’m not going to eat you.”

The boy looked up and the first thing Lucius saw was the Slytherin house crest. The sight of two opposing houses coming together amazed him briefly.

“Do you two have the same class?” Lucius casually asked.

“Yes. My friend was lost, so I came looking for him,” the girl answered.

Lost? Of course he was, Lucius thought to himself.

“Well then, you can head on to class little missy.” When the two turned, Lucius added, “Except for you, boy. I want to have a chat with you.”

“He didn’t do anything wrong,” the girl immediately said.

“He didn’t. But you would if you don’t get to class now.”

The boy looked at the girl pleadingly, but she had no other choice. She gave him a squeeze on the shoulder before she walked off.

When the girl was finally out of sight, Lucius walked up to the boy and guided him to a corner. The boy kept his head down the whole time, and his cowardice was starting to bother Lucius.

“What’s your name?” Lucius demanded.

The boy’s whisper was inaudible to Lucius’ ears, and it made him slightly annoyed.

“Look up and tell me your name!” Lucius gave the boy a rough shove.

The boy’s black hair fell over his eyes as he attempted to look at Lucius. And when his eyes finally made contact, the boy was tongue-tied.

“You don’t deserve to be in Slytherin if you act this way,” Lucius stated.

“I’m… I’m sorry,” the boy apologized.

“I didn’t ask for an apology, I asked for your name.” Lucius was already struggling not to lose his temper.

This boy was a weakling, and Lucius found it extremely unacceptable. It was fine if he wished to be a coward, but no Slytherin should act like one.

“My name is… Severus,” the boy answered.

“Why did you run, Severus?” Lucius asked in a gentler tone.

“I… I don’t know,” Severus answered.

“Wrong,” Lucius replied.

“I… I really don’t know, sir,” Severus said.

Did he just call me sir? Lucius asked himself silently. Lucius was about to laugh when a brilliant idea came to mind.

“I’m not a sir. But I can make you one,” Lucius said.

“What… what do you mean?”

“Just follow me, and I’ll teach you everything I know. Soon, you don’t have to hide behind the shadows of that little Gryffindor girl anymore.”

“I’m not hiding. She… she’s my friend,” Severus replied.

Lucius was surprised at his sudden boldness, but he chose to ignore it.

“It seems to me she’s protecting you. A Slytherin does not need protection; a Slytherin gives protection. Now, go back to the common room,” Lucius ordered.

“But I have class.”

“I don’t need you losing points for our house. Just go back to the common room,” Lucius snapped.

When Severus obeyed, Lucius knew he had a new clueless follower who would do whatever he told him to. That poor boy surely needed to learn the ropes of being a Slytherin, and Lucius was going to teach him for his own benefit.

The day went by rather smoothly after that, and Lucius did not see Severus or Tanya until dinnertime. In the middle of people chomping down the glorious food, Tanya waved Lucius over. They met at the back of the hall where, instead of handing Lucius the potion’s instructions, Tanya confronted him.

“You lied to me,” Tanya said. From her facial expression, Lucius knew she was angry.

“Lied to you about what?”

“There’s no such thing as a mudblood’s curse. AND this potion cannot cure it,” Tanya replied calmly, as she pulled out a parchment from under her robes.

Lucius tried to make a grab for it, but she was quicker than him. Tanya immediately placed her arms behind her, and the parchment was out of his sight.

As Lucius was scrambling for a new lie, he saw Severus walking nearby. Could Severus be useful now? Lucius was not too sure, but he was getting desperate.

To Be Continued…

(Leave a comment below or vote on whether Lucius should put Severus to good use or handle this situation by himself!)

Last Letter to Lily

He stood in the owlery staring at the letter in his hand. This was his final attempt. If this didn’t work, then he would stop trying, not because he had given up, but because he was willing to pay for his mistakes. Mistakes he wish he could fix with a flick of a wand. But unfortunately, it wasn’t as easy as that.

When he finally stopped staring at the letter, he headed to the nearest owl to have it attached. The owl hooted softly as he finally let go. It swished up and out of the owlery and as he watched it disappear into the evening sky, he hoped it would return to him with a reply.

That night, the same owl came knocking on a window, eyes darting across the Gryffindor common room, looking for the person it was sent to. But instead of the girl with red hair and green eyes, a boy with black hair and hazel eyes opened the window and retrieved the letter.

Addressed to Lily Evans, the boy mischievously tore it open and read.

Dear Lily,

I’m sorry. I’m sorry because for calling you a mudblood. I never meant it. I swear I never meant it.

I know you wouldn’t talk to me, so I thought that maybe, if I wrote you a letter, you would know that I am truly sorry. And I wish I could take my words back.

I know it was wrong, but it was a slip of the tongue. Potter keeps kept picking on me and I couldn’t take it anymore. I had to defend myself, and I’m really sorry I hurt you along the way.

Honestly Lily, I know I shouldn’t point fingers, but this is happening because of Potter. Both you and I know he is an arrogant toerag. And if he would just leave me alone, none of this these these would be happening.

Please Lily, forgive me. I am sorry once again for saying those mean words. And I know now that death eaters are bad, and I’m not going to be one. I promise.

I miss the time we had together. I miss brewing Felix Felicis with you, and staying up late trying to study for exams. I miss sitting in your front yard and counting the stars at night. Last Christmas, I barely saw you. Even though I walked past your house a million times!

Lily, you have to know this is killing me. Please forgive me. Ask of me anything, and I’ll do it for you, if you could just accept my apology. We’re best friends, and you promised we will be best friends no matter what happens.

I’ll wait for your reply, hoping that thinks things can go back to the way it used to be.

Sincerely sorry, your Half-blood Prince.

The boy chuckled at the end of it. “He blames me?” he asked in disbelief as he walked over to the fireplace.

“Well, since it’s my fault, I shall own up to it then.” The boy crumpled the letter with its envelope and threw it into the flames.

“What are you doing?” a demanding voice asked from behind him as the flames made a soft ‘poof’.

“None of your business Evans,” he replied with a smirk.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I forgot I was speaking to an arrogant toerag,” Lily said as she left him to his bloody business which she hoped he would get in trouble for.

(*Update_2015: Wow, I just realised this piece has the most likes and comments! Thank you to all for reading this. I appreciate all the feedback and I’m glad so many enjoyed it 🙂 )