Disclaimer: Harry Potter and such belongs to J.K. Rowling. Damn her for not taking proper care of the characters!
A/N: Oooo, teh new stooory! Yeah..I know. I should be writing What They Didn't Tell Him, but..I've kinda hit a wall. Hold tight, mah loyal fans. XD Alriiight. So, it's the Beauty and the Beast story! Woot. I love the story of the beauty and the beast, I think it is the best fairy tale ever, so, this is my tip of the hat to it. Granted..it's..Harry Potter..and...slash..but..ya know..Shut up. Well. I like it. Except for one thing. I wasn't sure whether or not a lord was higher than a baron or what, so..I just kinda made it up...XD
I ... Well.. I might not write more soon. 'Cause..I don't know what I want to do. The plotline of beauty and the beast is sort of a halfsies between Disneys' version and Robin McKinleys. I luff her. Curses for not being allowed to write fanfic for her. TT Ok.TO THE STORY.
oOo
Prelude
Once upon a time there was a beautiful and prosperous kingdom. The crops were bountiful and the animals were healthy, as were the people. Children were kind and courteous to the elderly, and the people of the kingdom were content with life. The king and queen of the realm were well-loved by their loyal subjects, and all was well with the world.
Well…There was one thing. The king and queen were childless. More than anything, the royals wanted an heir to their throne. Both prayed fervently, as did the people, but with no luck.
Until one day, after many requests to the gods, their wish was finally granted.
A son was born.
XxX
While most young princes played with the children of nobles—or even with the children of the peasants—this prince was an outcast. He was hated from the youngest age by his peers for his large nose and greasy hair.
So the young prince retreated into himself and books. When most boys his age were playing in the sun, bronzing their skin and strengthening their limbs, the prince was skulking inside, reading about the Dark Arts and learning how to make potions.
His parents, the king and queen, grew tired of their sneering, sullen son and began to wish for an accident. For they couldn't leave the kingdom in the hands of this glowering, ugly young boy. The country was already growing angry and impatient with the prince. They had wished for a golden young man, with blue eyes full of laughter and blonde curls bouncing in the breeze. Instead they had received this pale wraith of a child; with his pitch-colored hair and eyes, he was almost demonic looking.
The boy had only two friends, two people whom he could say he loved. And they were not his parents. No, the boy disliked the cold, indifferent, shining people who claimed—reluctantly—to be of his bloodline. Instead, he received affection from his caretakers: his cheery old butler Dumbledore and his elegant nurse McGonagall. These two were the only ones in the kingdom who could spend more than a few minutes with him without turning away sourly, glaring at the dour boy.
XxX
A few months after the prince's sixteenth birthday, a young lord from a neighboring country was out in the country of our kingdom when he heard of the severe young prince. The lord, who had also been somewhat of a pariah in his youth, felt some sympathy towards the prince, and so decided to befriend the young man; and if, perhaps, when the prince succeeded his father, the lord would receive a proper reward, well, that was just the way the bones fell, now wasn't it?
So the lord—whom we shall now reveal as Lord Voldemort of Hangleton—traveled to the prosperous kingdom. Here he insinuated himself into the king and queen's trust; making them believe that he was a kind noble who wanted to help their "problem," as the rulers had come to call their son. Of course, the rulers were at first skeptical, but Lord Voldemort slithered his way into their minds.
The prince was charmed by this raven-haired beauty, who had everything that his people wanted. He quickly fell prey to the lord's ploy of friendship, and soon was a little more than a lackey to Voldemort. He would run about, catering to his "friend's" every whim, just to get a smile, a small touch, any sign that told him he was needed—that he was loved.
And so the prince was slowly changed from a dark, brooding young man to a shadow of a bright thing—a follower of a man much greater than he. The prince followed Voldemort like Helena trailed after Demetrius.
XxX
On the eve of the prince's eighteenth birthday, the day that the kingdom would fall to him, there was a knock on the door of the palace. This in itself was not unusual, in fact, it was quite commonplace, especially when one took into account the fact that a ball was being held that night. Although the ball was in honor of the prince's approaching coronation, he was nowhere in sight. He was at the ball—hiding in the shadows near a corner of the room, watching the dancers twirl colorfully on the floor with envious eyes, staring with even more envy at the cluster of girls surrounding Lord Voldemort. Though, who he was jealous of was anyone's guess. The lord in question was quite happy with his current position. All the girls flirting with him was a reasonably good way to boost his ego.
But suddenly, as everyone was in the middle of having a jolly good time, a knock resounded through-out the room. The party-goers turned in confusion to each other. Everyone of importance was already there. Who could be knocking at the door?
Voldemort raised a finger and flicked it imperiously at the door. The room was silent as everyone waited to see who was behind the entrance. Even the prince stepped out of the shadows. The door swung open.
A dark figure stood in the entry-way. Lighting flashed in the sky dramatically. The form moved forward, revealing the tall, elegant form of one Baron L. Malfoy. "Well, well, well." he stated, striking a pose at the top of the staircase, which lead down to the dance-floor. "Having a party? How lovely. But..You didn't invite me?"
Silence reigned. Finally, as all the guests had turned to look at him, Lord Voldemort felt he had to speak up. "Lucius, how charming for you to stop in. I was afraid you weren't coming!"
"My dear Tom," replied Lucius, with just a touch of maliciousness, "I am afraid I have no idea what you're on about."
"Oh, Malfoy," sneered Voldemort, "You mean to tell me that you didn't get an invitation? I was sure one was sent out! In fact, I oversaw it myself! Why, my most trusted friend, the prince, took it to you himself! Didn't you?" he cried, turning to look at the bewildered prince.
"What?" asked the prince, staring back at his hero in confusion, "You didn't give me any letters! You must be mistaken!"
"Tut tut, prince! Leaving poor Baron Malfoy without his invitation!" shrieked Voldemort, turning accusatory eyes upon the poor prince.
"But-" started the prince.
"Aaaaah," sneered the baron, "The little princeling was the problem, eh? Well, no one has any need of him, so we might as well..punish him."
"Oh, indeed!" agreed Voldemort, who was just glad that Lucius had believed his lie.
Lucius snapped his fingers briskly, and a beautifully dressed young man stepped through the door. "You rang, father?"
"Yes, Draco. Now," he exclaimed, turning towards the apprehensive crowd, "This, is my son. As some of you may know, he has been gifted by the gods with certain powers. Draco, m'lad, this boy-" here he pointed spectacularly at the prince, "has wronged me! Teach him his place!"
Draco smiled cruelly. "I have just the thing, father. Since, dear prince, you already look and act like such a beast, I believe it would be fitting for me to finish the process, don't you?" After this short speech, he murmured a few words which are impossible to translate to English.
The prince was struck down, and many thought he had been killed. "Rise, O Beast!" cried Draco.
Slowly, the thing which had once been the prince raised its head, and then, gradually, stood up on its hind legs. A few of the women gasped and fainted with terror before peeking through their lashes at the hideous thing.
"Ah Draco, marvelous job!" said Lucius before stroking his son's hair.
Suddenly the reality of the situation came crashing down, and the party-goers screamed and shrilled and made a generally loud noise before rushing out of the doors. Emitting a single malicious laugh, Voldemort turned and joined father and son at the entrance-way before leaving the palace.
And so, the prince, who had once been called Severus, was now the Beast.
oOo
A/N: Ye gods. I realize how lame that ending is. And yesss...there could be some hints of Sevvy/Voldy slash..and..perhaps...Lucius/Draco-cest..? I dunno..I thought.the stroking of the hair was kinda...cesty..