Lucius sat at his desk barely noticing that his most recent employee had entered his office and had begun lightly dusting the room. He could have easily used magic but while it remained summer time the maid needed a way to pay for her textbooks for the coming fall. Lucius was not a generous man and he had been cruel to their formerly homeless employee, but the child barely complained and after his cruelty never broke anything by accident, and knew better than to do anything on purpose. Her specialty in his office was cleaning the tiny nooks in the antique frames. He barely looked up, knowing that he would escort both she and his son into the towns to get their textbooks. Draco was entering his fifth year of school, and Dru would enter her sixth. She was pretty for being seventeen, and a child, but he barely made a note of it because of her age, though with Draco being sixteen, he considered having her fitted to be Draco's escort to Yule this year if he didn't already have someone in mind. Last year if he recalled he had tried for a foreign pureblood . . . Fleur, but she had chosen someone else.

Lucius glanced up, and in a teasing manner, sent a page near Dru slide. With almost cat like reflexes, she stopped the page and reset it in its rightful place. The portrait that Dru was cleaning watched her with silent contempt. Lucius's father. Not that it mattered much, but he was more pretentious than Lucius, and would be unenthusiastic if he learned that his son had picked Dru Morganna from the streets to be a housekeeper.

Not that Lucius had much of a heart, but he did find sympathy for the child remembering her in Hogwarts. He found her in the city of magic dirty and rather thin for a sixteen year old at the time. Her parents were dead, and left her with no inheritance thanks to her magic callings. Everything had gone to her muggle brother who didn't think of his sister well. Lucius took pity, and put her to work in the streets carrying his parcels.

He returned his gaze to his paperwork, knowing that reports had to be sent to his master and news of what was happening in the underground had to be filed. Whether or not his maid knew of his dealings, he didn't care. Dru held her tongue and obeyed, since he held her worst fears within reach of a glamour spell.

Lucius worked quietly not disturbing his maid again, but was startled when his wife Narcissa entered the office, her eyes casting a cold glance at Dru before speaking to her husband.

"Lucius, have you gone mad?"

"I beg your pardon?" he rose from his seat his hands pressing on the desk. He was not a man to be yelled at.

"Sending the Dark Lord the blueprints of the castle since it was remodeled—you know that the staff will see that this was your doing."

"What I send is none of your concern," he answered coldly, "When Voldemort takes over that castle, and your son will have a place. That won't happen if I cower and disobey!"

His wife flinched at the name of their master, but didn't speak further. Dru continued cleaning his father's frame.

"If you fail, Lucius, I will take vengeance,"

"There will be no need for that," Lucius answered darkly, as she stormed out.

He didn't sit for a minute certain that he would rip his own long hair from his head. But after a moment sat, as a thought crossed his mind; Dru.

"Tell me Dru, where do your loyalties lie?"

She paused in the dusting, his father throwing him a disapproving glance, because she had stopped working.

"My loyalties remain unsettled upon," she answered, "When things are settled, I will do as bid, and nothing more."

He rose his brow in surprise. Though he had dressed her as a Malfoy for school and home, she had not made herself an enemy like Draco had to Potter and his band of merry misfits. Perhaps he would utilize this.

"Does the name Voldemort frighten you?"

Dru had resumed her work, "No, sir,"

This was a surprise since he made it no secret that he flinched before his master.

"Do you favor him over Dumbledore?"

"No," she answered, "They are both great powers, one serves the opposite end of the light and dark spectrum." She paused, and he could see from how she worked rigidly in her work that she had an opinion on something.

"Speak Dru,"

She pulled her hand away from the portrait and turning on her step stool, turned to him, her brilliant blue eyes meeting him evenly, "I believe that they should work with both extreme ends of the spectrum to bring balance if they want to achieve their ultimate goals."

She clearly had no idea how capable either great master was of doing this. He was certain Dumbledore practiced this, but knew Voldemort did not.

"So if Darkness reigns over the school?"
"Then so be it," Dru answered turning back to her work, "But Darkness will not survive long without some sort of Light present."

Wise words, Lucius thought. Perhaps she wasn't so young, as her age dictated.

Dru followed her masters through the city, carrying textbooks and supplies. Her wand neatly held her hair in place like a pick, and kept the loose dark strands out of her eyes. Her master Narcissa emphasized that Draco had to have the best, and Lucius didn't protest. Their son was a proud boy, though Dru didn't see it. He rarely spent time outside his room when he was home, and at school choose to be more favoring of the darkness that she cared for. His own landed on her shoulder and hopped onto Draco's own when he came near. Dru didn't have a pet, for none of the animals chose her, though the Malfoys clearly didn't think she needed one. Today they were buying Draco's things. Lucius would probably send her back here with a fistful of pennies to get her own supplies. Lucky her, she thought sarcastically, though she knew better to protest. Especially with Narcissa and Draco present. They tended to exaggerate the problem, and Dru would find herself without the things she needed.

They placed a new quill set in her arms, and now satisfied, they left the city.

"Aren't we picking up Dru's things today?"

"Not today, Draco," Narcissa answered.

"But the train,"

"Leaves in a couple days," she cut him off, "Perhaps tomorrow you can have the day off Dru, and you can get your things,"

"Of course, madam," Dru answered following the family home.

Dru lived in the basement of the Malfoy manse. Her space was perhaps adequate for a shoebox, but she made it work. She didn't mind her small space, since it was warm and dry in compare to her previous home in the streets. They hadn't treated her horribly, but they were not a generous family as she learned quickly.

But they didn't ever strike her.

She was grateful for that, but somehow would have preferred it to the glamour threat they had given her. She hated snakes and Lucius's little trick had made her too frightened to defy them, or ever consider a life outside of her servitude.

When they returned to the manse, she took Draco's things to his chambers and vanished into her place in the basement, to rub the tiredness from her feet. Though the manse had hardwood floors, her feet grew weary of the concrete streets.

Around five, she put her shoes back on, and went to the kitchen to prepare the evening meal. They always had nice things presented to them, as she made certain to cook things only to perfection, no more and most definitely no less. She dared not to think what would happen if she did anything wrong.

Tonight was a roast, medium rare with potatoes, and a cold salad side. No beets for Draco, and no cucumbers for Narcissa. She didn't ever cut herself, but had once over spiced a vinaigrette and suffered a frightening shout from the typically mild mannered Narcissa. She never made the mistake again.

Dru served the Malfoys at seven, the meal, making her own stomach turn small cartwheels to consume her work, but she swallowed down her inner rages, and waited silently in the kitchen until the family left for the parlor and cleaned up, finding that her work had been appreciated, and she took table scraps for herself as she washed each dish carefully and then put them all away without no evidence of her fingerprints on the glass plates. Not one had a chip, and not one ever streaked. Her roast was well done, but the potatoes seemed a bit dry, but then again she hadn't tried them fresh out of the oven.

The night passed and she slept fitfully, but awoke early and prepared a breakfast of fruits, cheeses, ham, and toast. She wasn't exactly a great chef, but her work at least received little complaint.

Dru went back out to the dining hall to refill the tea pot, and took out the empty trays. Not long later they left the room, and she cleaned things up again. As she placed the last plate in it's proper place, Lucius entered the kitchen catching her off guard.

"You've got the morning off to enter the city and get your school supplies."

"I have no funds to do that today," she answered. She never got paid beyond leftover food and her basement bedroom.

He glanced over his shoulder to the exit of the kitchen, and then handed her several gold dragons. "Make certain your things are used, or it'll be both our heads,"

"Yes sir, thank you sir," she nodded, and making certain that her work was complete in the kitchen went downstairs to properly make certain that she was fit to go into the city.

Dru had made up her mind to enter the Dumbledore Army. If anything she could learn information for one side or the other, depending on how things fell into place. Certainly there was a lot of light in Hogwarts but the dark rising power of Voldemort threatened to change the balance of things and whether or not for the better, Dru had yet to find out.

As she walked, she saw a woman in a pale green dress look at her in the stone hallway. The woman's lips moved, and at first Dru couldn't hear her over the rushing sound of other students, then she heard the woman clearly.

"Dru Morganna, child of our daughters and child of warlocks, come forth and be marked for your duty no longer resides here as one with no power of the true Craft." Dru froze seeing no one saw her, and no one bothered to walk around her. They walked through her, as if she was a ghost, except even then they would walk around them. She paled, as the woman's hand lifted, palm facing Dru as a white light beamed out and struck Dru on the forehead and sent her skittering across the hall, toppling over several students.

"What the hell?" they snapped at Dru, but Dru was looking at the place where the woman had been, an empty void remaining.

"Dru!" someone shouted, brining her back to the moment, as she looked up at one of the students she had knocked over; "Dru you're bleeding!"

She looked about herself, not seeing any blood, as one of the professors near by came to see what the commotion was about.

"Away with you all; to your classes," the professor's grim voice demanded of the students, but yet remained calm and reassuring. Most of the students scampered off, as the professor knelt before Dru taking her chin with his thumb and forefinger examining her face.

"You know there's no fighting in the halls Dru Morganna," Professor Snape observed, helping her to her feet, disregarding the blood for now.

"I wasn't fighting—I fell,"

"Backwards into students?" his brow raised with disapproval.

"It's true," Hermione Granger protested, "She just flew backwards as if someone hit her with a wreaking ball."

"Go to your class, Miss Granger,"

"But,"

"Go,"

Hermione left, and the professor studied Dru, "Come along." She followed without question, certain she was in trouble, as they entered his office. He pulled out a fist aid kit, and handed her a washcloth to clean her face.

"You certainly did something that no one is admitting to," he said with a bit of suspicion.

"But,"

"So I," he applied a bandage over the open wound, furrowing his brows at the open wound that she couldn't see, "Am going to need this," he plucked a hair from her head, and at first she flinched, but then again if one hair would clear her of any fighting she didn't care.

Dru watched, setting the towel in a small fountain sink basin as he placed the hair in his cauldron and stared into its mysterious wonders. Occasionally he added some sort of ingredient into the basin, but only when he waved his hand over it like a wand did he see the truth.

And when he did his eyes flashed up to Dru with shock and fascination.

"You saw the Mother Goddess,"

"What?"

"You've been marked, Dru. Come along, you're going to have to go to the headmaster,"

She flinched, "Am I in trouble?"

"No, Dru," he paused. A soft expression touched Professor Severus Snape's face as he looked at her; "No you're not in trouble. It's . . . ," he glanced up at the clock, deciding to clearly cancel any current appointments, "The Goddess, Dru, is a deity that comes and goes when She feels it's necessary. She brings balance to the darkness by giving it light. She holds pure light in check by testing it with darkness, for no two can exist without the other." He paused, "The Goddess clearly had chosen you to do something great, but you cannot learn it here,"

"How do you know?" Dru asked, though she was certain he had heard what She had told her in the spell.

"Because anyone who looks through the restricted section of the library will find the answers," he placed a hand on her shoulder, "Come, Dumbledore will want to hear this news himself." As they left his office he continued speaking "Is there anyone you may need to inform?"

Dru thought carefully, "The Malfoys I suppose,"

He glanced at her funny.

"I serve the family when I am not here,"

She could see that this disturbed him, but also seemed to shed light on some sort of question he held.

"Well, you won't be serving the Malfoys when your training is through," he lead her though the halls to the headmaster's lobby.

Professor McGonal looked up from her desk curiously.

"Don't you have a class right now, Severus?"

"Cancelled for today," he answered, "Is the headmaster in?"

"There's a student currently with him now,"

The staircase opened, and Harry Potter stepped out, glancing wearily at Snape, but said nothing as he vanished down the hall.

"Well, go on up then," McGonal advised, and Snape lead the way through the staircase, and Dru followed quietly, sensing the head mistress staring at her bandage.

They entered the chamber, and Dumbledore spoke quietly before turning his attention to Dru.

"The Goddess?" he looked to her to nod, "You are fortunate. In times like this, it's a good omen that she ad decided to chose a new student to learn how to bring balance. The Isle of Mists is a bit of a journey from here though. You must proceed with caution."

"Yes sir," Dru bowed her head.

"The Malfoys will need to be made aware of her condition," Snape informed Dumbledore.

"Of course," he chuckled, "House slaves tend to move though their employment rather quickly as f late,"

Professor Snape, let a small smirk flash, but said nothing.

"Take Miss Morganna to the train station with her things. Make certain she has no problems. I will send a bulletin that says your classes are cancelled for the day."

"Of course,"

With that, Dru was lead out of the room, and away from Hogwarts, without becoming a member of the secret Dumbledore Army.

Lucius almost missed the sight of darkness, as he walked through the city of magic. His mind elsewhere, his aura reeked of the old demeanor he put on, but his eye caught something familiar; a broken wand. Trash essentially, but he knew the wand; wolf's bane and willow . . . Dru Morganna's wand. He stooped down to pick it, up when he saw a body not far away from the broken wand. Glancing behind him, to the tailor's shop where Narcissa was instructing the man on Draco's size and style, he took a closer look. It was no one he knew, and not Dru. He snatched the wand seeing a dark gold lock of hair intertwined in the crack, and stashed the broken wand in one of the deeper pockets of his robe. Had Dru abandoned her magic? He wondered, but didn't think on it further as he returned to his wife, hopefully her small fit dissolved by now.

Severus Snape crossed through the city preparing the order for the following year's textbooks, and required materials when he heard an odd sound in the snow. This city was not a place for outsiders to enter, but it was a place for outcasts, but it caught him off guard as he stopped walking. He saw something move in a thin layer of snow, and he saw it was human, but there was something obvious that he could see in the snow.

A crescent moon tattoo.

"Dru?" he said the name in question, to see if it really was. At first the mound froze in place, but then it shifted.

"Dru," he said and crouched down in the snow, brushing away the fine coat of snow from the night. She was blue, but not dead yet. With a sigh of some relief, he hoisted her out of the snow, "Dru what are you doing here? I saw you off at the train station,"

She blinked shivering with the cold, and he undid his cloak and wrapped it about her shoulders.

"I got stuck," she answered, her shivers lightened only a little, "The portal wouldn't open at the platform to the muggle world, and I had to turn back, but I could only afford to get this far. I tried to convince them to take me to Hogsmead, but they refused." She paused and bit her cracked lip.
"Dru," he placed a hand on her cold shoulder.

"I tried to get a job, so I could send word, but I got . . . ," she paused, shaking with fear now, and not from the cold, "They attacked me, professor," She turned her head away not to expose tears, but Severus drew her close. If anything he looked like a father holding his daughter. He could take her back to the school, but it was not a good place at the time. Things were falling out of order quickly, and he was not about to take a risk with the over zealous Umbridge.

"It's alright Dru," he said in kind feeling her break into tears that clearly she had been forcing down for sometime now. "No one is going to hurt you now,"

She still shivered, but he could feel that what he said had been a reassurance.

As he turned and lead her out into the street, and away from the alley where she had clearly meant to die, they almost ran into another familiar face.

Lucius Malfoy.

His brows raised in surprise to find a fellow member of Voldemort out in the snow, but stiffened upon seeing the thawing Dru.

"Dru," the word stumbled out past his lips as he looked upon the cold sight in shock. Severus rose a brow with surprise for the obvious compassion he had doubted his colleague had.

"Sir," she chocked on the word, from having cried moments before.

"What happened?" The question directed at Severus, "I thought that,"

He cut Lucius off, "There was an accident."

"But,"

"I am taking Dru to the tailors shop to prepare something immediate. These frozen tattered clothes will not do," he paused, "Its most like she will catch cold,"

Dru was leaning against Severus, and not able to move herself yet.

"Will you take her back to Hogwarts then?" Lucius asked.

"It's not safe there," he answered, "I thought of getting her a room in Hogsmeed might suffice until things can get straightened out."

"The inn is hardly fitting for a woman,"

"And being a slave is?"

Lucius flinched, but neither one was going to win this word battle entirely.

"At the manor, she will at least have a dry place to sleep."

"Before or after you put her back to work?"

"If Narcissa complains I will do the work myself,"

A surprise, Severus Snape knew but if he held true to his words then perhaps there was some good still in the ill repute manor of the Malfoys.

"I will take her to your abode then later. After new clothes are seen to,"

"Of course,"

Lucius saw to Dru's former cot arranged with extra blankets and warmth. He hadn't dared to think that anything would go wrong when Dumbledore had issued the letter some time ago about Dru's condition. But with Severus acting as her guardian for now, she would be safe. She would be brought here until someone from the Isle of Mists chose to collect her, or she would return to Hogwarts. It was up to those on the Isle he supposed, but he was certain someone would arrive.

Snape arrived a day or two later with Dru, and a suitcase filled with new things for Dru.

"I have already sent word to the Isle," Snape informed Lucius as they took Dru to her former quarters in the basement. He saw the disapproval in Snape's face, but didn't say anything about it. He already had to deal with his wife's disapproval of being so generous.

"Someone will send word then if they respond?"

"Someone will come here if they decide to act," Severus continued, "I will drop in daily since it's still the winter holiday, and see to Dru's condition,"

"What took you so long?" Lucius asked.

"Haggling over prices."

Lucius Malfoy smirked, "You would be one to haggle over things wouldn't you?"

Severus didn't answer, as he tucked Dru into the cot, and followed Lucius upstairs to the parlor.

"Any news out of the Dark Lord?"

"None," Lucius answered, "Tea?"

A knock came at the door that Narcissa answered. A woman in a pale blue dress entered bearing regal markings, and a aura of ancient magic. Lucius was in the basement with Severus and Dru when Narcissa lead the woman down the stairs. Dru had recovered from a fever, and was now able to eat, but it had been a close one, according to Snape, who had kept a careful eye on her like a father. It had surprised Lucius to see the care in the old professor, but he said nothing of it, knowing his own compassion for their common friend was obvious.

"Lady Alyssa of the Isle of Mists," Narcissa said in a crisp manner, and vanished without offering to bring tea or refreshments.

The Lady didn't pay much attention as she descended the rest of the stairs without a sound. Her lavender eyes looked upon Dru with an odd expression, but a soft one as she looked upon the three of them sitting in a sort of semi-circle.

"Dru Morganna?"

Dru looked up at the lady curiously like the men.

"I am Dru," she answered, with a small nod of her head.

"I have come to collect you for the Isle. Forgive me, I did not see that there would be trouble. It seems someone didn't want you to leave,"

Snape looked at Lucius with a raised brow, but said nothing.
"It wasn't Lucius, Serverus," Alyssa spoke as if Snape had said something, "Your master felt threatened that with Dru's power she would turn the tides in what is to come of Hogwarts. Her destiny has nothing to do with the future of Hogwarts."

Severus looked away, and Lucius looked at Dru curiously.

"You'll find out soon enough Lucius, what her destiny is," she paused glancing up the stairs to the exit where Narcissa had vanished. "It's not what you would expect, but time changes all great things, to perfect them." She looked back at Severus, "When will Dru be ready to travel?"

"A couple days at best, Lady,"

"Good,"

Three Years Later

Dru parted the wall between worlds and entered the old mansion that had been her home and her place of employment. It was trashed, as if looted. Her eyes saw the pain of a torn family yet it seemed to her that no one was here. She stepped through the front door that was ajar; her pale dress made contact with the ashen floor but picked up nothing of the residue. She was certain that it was abandoned; for nothing of its rich beauty remained. As she walked, the floorboards creaked, and bent. The elaborate plush carpets were melted, and the stairs that lead to the masters' chambers was broken. The stair case to the basement was still intact, being made of concrete, and she stepped through the doorway and descended into the place that had been her bed chamber. It was dark down here, the smell of mildew lingered in the air, and she was certain that there was a rat or two who had made this place their palace. Poor Narcissa would have had a fit; she mused, and started to turn away when she saw a shape in the far corner of the room asleep.

Naturally Dru would have left, but the face was familiar, and haggard.

"Lucius," she spoke, the name coming out with shock.

He had been asleep, but awoke blinking in the darkness looking about with a faint grogginess. He could see her but said nothing for a minute.

"Have you come to take me away from this circle of hell then, angel?"

She walked to him, her steps barely making any sound, but her eyes locking with his told her that he had given up on this life sometime ago.

"No Lucius. I have come to take you home,"

"What home?" His glazed eyes stared at her unseeing, as she drew near, "My family has abandoned me, my home ransacked after Voldemort's demise, and the only loyal friend and servant I had has taken vows to a coven who would never dare to let me near."

He was at wits end, and she could see it. Relief was all she could give him as she reached out and took his hands in hers.

"My vows are my own Lucius Malfoy; I do as ordained by my Goddess, and anyone who says otherwise was too ignorant to realize that they could not walk the same path as me," she knelt before him, seeing that her time away had been the hardest years of his life.

"Who are you?" he asked.

She didn't answer, taking his hand and placing it over the crescent moon tattoo that she had been branded with. A familiar shock rippled between them, and she saw the familiar gaze rest on her face.

"You've changed," They rose to their feet, "The years have been far kinder to you, than to me," he smiled, taking his hands back only to embrace his friend and servant.

Lucius smelled of well used brandy and not much else. He hadn't shaved for a while, but she could see beyond it to the man she knew.

"I doubt that," she answered, in the embrace regarding the aging.

They finally released one another and he spoke up, "Why did you come back?"

"I came to see you, and your family. To show you what your consideration has done for me." She paused, "They've left, haven't they?"

"After the fall of Voldemort, the failure and shame of it all fell on me. Narcissa took Draco to France to finish his education after filing divorce papers. The house in its current state is thanks to her. I don't have anything, thanks to the court system of the muggles, and the magic dominion." He paused, shivering with despair she supposed from the memories.

"You don't have to continue," she spoke timidly feeling his aura tense, "But I would like for you to return with me to the Isle, Lucius. Regain what you were, in your own way," she bit her lip, "It's not much, but the isle that I spend my time on is separate from the others, because I spent so much time tapping into other magyks and cults, as I was destined to learn because of my lineage."

He took her hands, seeing the new tattoos that had taken her forearms, "I would be honored to live alongside you," he paused, glancing away, "I have missed our theological discussions,"

She smiled gently, "Good," for a moment, she glanced away as well feeling, an odd sensation run through her body. It didn't seem odd, being so close to Beltane, but as she stood before a man who had treated her as family, she almost longed to break barriers.

"Dru," he spoke her name in a warm tenderness that made Dru's odd feelings force a redness to come to her cheeks.

"Yes?"

"What would I be in your home?"

"My guest," she answered.

Lucius looked at her directly for a long while for a moment she saw him as the shoulder she had cried on when she had been raped, then as something more, though his eyes were red from the lack of sleep, and lines of age had touched his face.

"I need to pack a few things if I was to join you,"

"It's fine," she answered feeling as if he was saying 'no'.

"I will be ready in a few, though it may be wise if I clean up a little first."

"Of course,"

Beltane fires were lit, and Dru observed them from the shore of her isle. She had shared this land with Lucius for a week, the magic of Beltane was touching on her guest, and she felt his eyes linger on her as she moved about her small abode. It wasn't much to enjoy in compare to a manor she supposed, but the stone shack was weather proof, and kept her dry when it rained. Lucius had regained much of his former look before the fall of his master, the regal beauty returned to his face, and the light in his eyes returned. The shaggy look about him was nonexistent, and she could feel the power of Beltane touch his soul, though she wasn't certain why.

Lucius stood behind her as the fires glowed greatly on the isle beyond their small hut, and remained silent for a while.

"You do not celebrate the great magic with your sisters?" he asked.

"No," she answered looking away from the fires. She wanted nothing more than to dance and speak to the Goddess about her destiny, but she couldn't do it, "They would dance about the fire and call the Goddess to speak to them. I don't wish to speak to her. Not now,"

"Then what do you wish for?" he asked, and for a moment she bit her lip. Those lingering eyes of his knew that she was a woman fully grown, and she knew that he watched her often. She could and would never be Narcissa, and she hoped that he knew that, and turned to face him.

"I wish for a few great things but the Goddess knows I have to earn them first," she looked away from him as if her cryptic words actually said what she wouldn't say.

Her expression must have told him everything for he took two strides to close the gap between them, wrapped his arms about her, and sank his lips against hers. One hand slipped onto the lower curve of her back, the other held her cheek with a tender caress. The ecstasy of the moment lingered, and Dru wrapped her arms around his neck, lacing her fingers into his hair, feeling him quiver slightly in the passion, a small moan escaping his throat.

Not a word was spoken as they discovered one another slowly. He undid her grown, and she pulled away his robes, their skin prickled against one another as they took on the Beltane rights. She was so lost in his kisses, that she barely noticed the night chill, how her body moved with his touch, and accepted his manhood with a tender force that at first was a shock, but changed as the magic webbed into their lovemaking, sweat glistened their skin in the passionate hours that followed as they reached the heat of their climaxes, and his seed spilt within her body.

Lucius pulled himself away, lying on his back in the grass beside her. Reaching out he took her hand, and squeezed it gently, "I love you Dru,"

Already on her back, she turned her head and smiled gently, "I love you Lucius,"

Nine Months Later

Dru cried out, blood between her legs flowed steadily, but the source of her cries had not come yet. Her hands grasped her consort's own as she twisted against the changes her body made. Lucius had barely slept in the last day as Dru's water broke the night before. The Lady had come with a basket of herbs and carefully woven spells, and oversaw the birth. Her servant, an apprentice that Lucius didn't know stood by to fetch anything the Lady required.

Sweat poured over Dru's body, as she yelped with agony. If Lucius could do anything, he would drink to drown out the pain, but he couldn't leave her side. He had done this, and it was his reponcibility to remain beside her as he had done over the last months helping her as she needed.

It was dawn outside now, and though it was a modern world in the age of muggles, old practices were learned here, and the muggles could keep to their chemicals and drugs. Dru may have been better off, but the Lady had deemed it best to have the child in the Isle and not near the modern chaos.

"You're ready, Dru," the Lady said, her hand wet from checking Dru, "It is time to push your son forth,"

Son? Lucius looked at the Lady but didn't speak his question, as Dru did as told, her body shook and trembled as she pushed.

In the following hours of midmorning, Dru's body released a son. The attendant of the Lady took the child and cleaned it, cutting the cord, as the Lady cleaned Dru, whose brow was slick with sweat, her eyes filled with exhaustion.
"Your son," the attendant said carefully, handing Dru the child, and Lucius a cloth to wipe his consort's brow.

"The reincarnation of an old friend," the Lady said carefully, looking to Lucius with an even gaze as she rose from her place.

Lucius looked at the child and back to the Lady.

"Severus," she said quietly, and with an almost secret heartache sound.

He looked back at the child who had taken a firm grip on his mother's finger and slept.

"He will need fed soon," the Lady instructed Dru, "Lucius will help you," knowing that he had been through this once already. The Lady and her attendant left them and Lucius took the moment to kiss Dru's lips.

"You have done well, my dear,"

She didn't say anything looking from Lucius to the child, "If this child is really Severus reborn, would it be fair to call him by his former name?"

"Of course," taking a stool, he sat beside the temporary cot, and looked at his beloved and their son, born from the Beltane rites.

"I love you, Lucius," she murmured, fighting off sleep.

"I love you, Dru," he leaned down and kissed her again, and then the forehead of his son, feeling him stir, "And you Severus Malfoy,"

Eleven Years Later.

A great white owl entered the home in the Isle, bearing great news, as Severus Malfoy entered from his chores in the main temple. His mother had finished preparing a midday meal her consort followed his son having spent some hours chopping firewood. It wasn't something he would do often, but Dru was the better cook, and with winter soon to come, it was best to prepare for it early.

"A messenger, mother," Severus pointed out the owl at the sill, and Dru placed a small basin of water before the messenger as she took the puffy envelope from his talons.

Her brow rose as she saw the seal from Hogwarts on the back, and looked up at Lucius.

"What is it my dearest?"

Dru looked away to her son who stared at the owl curiously, as it drank, and preened itself.

She sat down, and opened the large envelope addressed to all of them. The first page, was an invitation for Severus to attend the school recently opened. The second page was an open house for families to see the newly restored building, and the third was an invitation for Dru to consider coming to Hogwarts to teach the students of ancient magic.

"What is it?" Lucius asked again, sitting beside her and reading the pages himself.

"You will go," a voice that was not theirs said from the doorway.

Dru looked up at the ender Lady of the Mists.

"You have learned much, Dru Morganna. You have done much, and now your destiny begins. You were chosen long ago to return to Hogwarts and teach the students of our ways. Perhaps bring balance to the greed and corrupt world with your influence." She paused, and looked at Severus, "Your son is ready to move on and bring theology under one universal temple of peace."

Dru nodded, smiling and handed her son the invitation he had received.

"You will leave in the morning, and not be at a loss of goods, thanks to your father, Severus. His fortunes are still his beyond the mists, though your son Draco," the Lady's attention flickering back and forth between the son and the father, "has taken the manse as his own for sentimental reasons. His son will be going to the school as well. Do not be frightened, Lucius; your son loves you and will be happy to see that you are alive."

Lucius nodded, taking Dru's hand in his.

"But I am his son," Severus questioned the Lady.

"You have a brother," Dru clarified.

"Where is he?" he asked as the Lady vanished, "Why doesn't he live here with us?"

"He has his own family, and is fully grown," she answered, clearly feeling Lucius's own fears, and squeezed his hand. She got up and wrote a letter accepting all invitations, and gave it to the owl before it decided to leave.

"What's my brother's name?"

"Draco,"

"Father!" Draco embraced Lucius in the wand shoppe as Dru handed the shop keeper money for two wands since she had not had a wand of her own for some years, and her son's great Dragon bone maple wood wand.

"Draco," Lucius held his eldest son tightly, as a small boy about Severus's age looked at the two men curiously.

"Father," Draco stepped back, "My son, Kale Godfrey Malfoy. Kale, your grandfather, Lucius—my father,"

The small child looked at Lucius then took his hands and seeing that he was real embraced him.

Draco looked at Dru, "Dru,"

"Draco," she smiled, tipping her head in acknowledgement, "It's been a while."

"Indeed," he turned back to his father, "Where have you been all this time?"

"Recovering," he answered his son shortly, "I took a leave from the world for a while and spent the last twelve years in the Isle of Mists,"

Draco looked back to Dru and then saw the boy, who clearly was Malfoy. At first there was confusion, then surprise and then some awe as he looked back at his father.

"Draco, meet Severus,"

Severus looked to Dru, "Father's son?"

"Yes, dear,"

Severus offered his hand for Draco to shake, clearly unaware of what to do or how to address someone he didn't really know. Draco broke the ice by embracing him. "It's nice to meet you at last Severus," Draco said, hiding the fact that this was all a surprise to him.

Lucius looked to Dru with a loving expression on his face, as Draco introduced his little brother to his own son, Kale.

"Won't it be cool if we get assigned to the same house!" Kale expressed with enthusiasm, and Severus looked to the adults for an explanation.

"Let Kale tell you about it," Dru kissed her son's cheek. "I will see to the rest of your things," she said as they all stepped out into the street.

"Where is the boy's mother?" Lucius asked Draco.

"Died in childbirth," he looked at Dru as they all walked towards the bookshop, "When did you and my father . . . I mean how long after the fall of Voldemort?"

"A little after a year had passed," Lucius answered, "I was still living in the mansion after Narcissa took you to your aunt's home, and there Dru found me."

"Are you . . . married then?"

Lucius shook his head.

"After twelve years and a second son—father,"

"The time wasn't right," he said, holding Dru's hand, "But the Isle has been good to us."

"So I can see." Draco looked at Severus as he made friends quickly with what was essentially his own nephew, "I have been asked to go to Hogwarts to teach the dark arts," Draco said, "It will be nice to watch our children grow."

"Have you accepted the job?" Dru asked.

"I did," he paused, "You're running the ancient magic department, if I have heard right."

"It is so,"

"Then we shall see each other a lot," Lucius observed.

"I didn't think they let lovers stay in Hogwarts,"

"In the Isle, Lucius is known as a consort,"

Draco raised his brows with surprise, "A small world indeed,"