Title: Mistake
Rating: T
Pairing(s)/Character(s): Lucius/Narcissa, Draco
Warnings: Implied Torture
Disclaimer: Don't own 'em - not making any money off 'em. Dern it.
Word Count: 347
Summary: AU. Lucius sees the light.
Notes:
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: Charms - Prompt Use - Write about seeing light for the first time (literally or figuratively).
365 Days of Drabbles Challenge: Prompt Used - Puddle
Lucius steps in a puddle and gazes at the destruction all around him. Right in front of him, he sees a man and child, a son, being forced away from each other by a laughing Rabastan.
His gut churns at what's going to happen to that young boy. He sees the father's tears, his absolute anguish as he fights his captors, simply trying to get back to his son.
With an open mouth, he watches Bellatrix grow impatient and shout "Crucio!" at the man. His son's screams are painful to hear as they increase in volume, forced to watch his father suffer.
Rabastan slaps him so hard the boy is knocked unconscious. That's probably a good thing, at least for now. At least he isn't being forced to watch his father in pain any longer.
In his mind, the image changes. No longer is it some random father and son. In their place, it's Lucius and Draco.
And he gulps, suddenly feeling like he can't breathe as he sees Draco, in his mind's eye, get tortured, like the majority of the children they take do. He sees Draco getting beaten and starved, forced to watch a loved one suffer. And he feels sick. He suddenly realizes just what kind of organization he signed up for.
He always knew what they did to cleanse the world of dirty blood, but when he thinks about him and his son in victims' places, it no longer feels righteous.
That night when he gets home, he immediately goes into his son's bedroom. Narcissa is sitting there with Draco. The baby nine months old and very happy, smiling as he plays with his mummy's hair.
"Lucius? What's wrong?" Narcissa asks, looking at him with troubled eyes.
Briefly, he wonders if her eyes have always looked this troubled. He swallows nervously and for the first time, says it out loud. "I think I made a mistake."
Narcissa doesn't answer, and he knows she agrees with him.
They both look at their son – so innocent, so pure – and wonder what they're going to do.