A/N: Well, hello again, everyone … it's been a while since I wrote anything, but this story has been unwinding for some time now and I thought I might as well stick it up. Let me know what you think!

THE RAVEN'S CLAW

CHAPTER 1: Candle Ash

Lucius brushed his hand down the girl's cheek. 'I must say, my dear, this evening has proved much better than expected. I thought I was going to be bored out of my mind.'

The girl lowered her eyes and smiled. 'I'm glad it's been as entertaining for you as for me.'

Of course, Lucius was lying. He never expected to be bored at Severus' parties – there were almost always different people there, and so always someone to Lucius' tastes. Lucius knew the bathroom, the corridor and the bedroom very intimately.

Not that Severus approved, but Severus could not say anything that would make his friend behave, and not inviting him had never been an option. Lucius suspected that Severus was rather amused by the whole thing, and as much as he disapproved – and Lucius knew that he did, or at least appeared to – he had never really had the heart to seriously try to put a stop to it.

The girl – Lucy – glanced back towards the door. 'I should probably get back.' She pulled her robes back over her shoulders, rebuttoning them as Lucius nuzzled at her neck. She smiled again. 'Shame we couldn't have found somewhere more private.'

Lucius feigned a shocked expression. 'Are you in the habit of sleeping with people the first time you meet them?' He pressed her against the wall, ignoring her half-hearted pushes against his shoulders. He hadn't really intended to go too far with Lucy, but she seemed very eager. 'Well,' he murmured in her ear, 'perhaps we shall have to repeat this encounter at Malfoy Manor. What do you think?'

The girl slid her hand down to his crotch, and Lucius's body stiffened. 'Do I take that as a yes?'

'Of course.' She planted a kiss on his lips, and then returned to the party.

Lucius ran his hands through his long hair and breathed out deeply. Another success. Another slut.

He glanced at the clock above the front door. Half five. Probably time to be sociable. So he dragged his hands over his face and casually entered Severus' drawing room, smirking slightly as Lucy caught his eye.

A glass of red wine in his hand, he took in the various groups of guests. Lucy, of course, talking demurely to Dumbledore and various other old ministers, who looked overjoyed to have the attention of a beautiful young girl – quite rightly, he thought, especially since none of them had any chance of luring her out into the corridor. She was finished for the evening, even if normally perhaps she would be willing.

Eventually his gaze wandered over to Severus, who was carefully engaged in conversation with a girl Lucius had not seen before. He could not see her face, but she seemed young in body, and her skin was smooth and unworn under her loosely cropped hair. She was very thin, easily too thin, but this did not greatly bother him.

He made his way over to them, flexing his shoulders. Severus smiled slightly, and the girl turned towards him. Dark black-brown eyes to match her hair, very sharp features. Too sharp to really be called pretty, unfortunately, especially when honed by her black jacket and low-slung, slim trousers, which showed off a rather stark hipbone.

'Taking a break from molesting my guests, Lucius?'

Lucius flicked his eyebrows over his wine glass as he took a sip. 'Even my stamina has limits, after all.'

The girl regarded him, an eyebrow high, barely concealing a contemptuous stare.

Lucius smiled. 'I don't believe I've had the pleasure?' he continued, glancing at Severus.

'Indeed,' Severus said dryly. 'Lucius, Miss Ashleigh Walker. Ash, Lucius Malfoy.'

'Delighted.' Lucius offered her a hand, which she took silently, her expression no less hostile. 'Do you live in London?'

'No,' she answered. 'Edinburgh.' Her voice was low and quiet, and she had a hard Scottish twang. Uncultured, Lucius remarked to himself. So unlike his own proper speech.

'And what brings you to London?'

'Business.'

There was silence, and she showed no signs of going on, so Lucius waved a hand casually. 'You wouldn't care to elaborate?'

'Not really.'

'Not even roughly? As in where you work, your field?'

She swallowed. 'I'm in intelligence.'

'Promoting it?' Lucius quipped. 'As a concept?'

Ash looked at him coolly.

'Of course,' he said, 'perhaps you should try Hogwarts. Severus informs me frequently that they're in great need of intelligence there.'

Severus smiled. 'You're not wrong.'

'Funny,' Ash said. 'I'd heard there seemed to be a general lack of it at the Ministry these days as well.'

'Your Scottish savagery seems to be rather ill-concealed, my dear,' Lucius said coldly, and then added: 'Are you this wild in all aspects of your life?'

Severus exhaled in amusement – clearly, he was enjoying being a spectator to this little battle – before Dumbledore tapped him on the shoulder, murmuring, 'I'm afraid I must be leaving, Severus.'

Severus turned to Lucius and Ash, and bowed slightly. 'Excuse me.' He flashed a warning look at Ash, and accompanied Dumbledore from the room.

Ash watched them go. 'Severus is so polite.'

'So unlike you, in fact,' Lucius muttered.

'Sorry?'

'Well, you're hardly being the most civilised of people.'

'To be honest, Mr Malfoy, I don't feel inclined to be polite to you,' Ash retorted, staring past him pointedly. He did not even have to look to know that she was watching Lucy.

He took a deep breath. 'Considering you know practically nothing about me, Miss Walker, I think you might be being rather unfair.'

Then she looked straight at him, her eyes narrow. Something shifted in Lucius' groin. 'Oh, I know all about you,' she said. 'Your wee activities. There's barely a witch in Britain who hasn't been warned about you.'

Lucius' lips twitched into a smile. 'I do my best.'

'Murder, rape torture … your best? What's your worst like, then?' Her mouth twisted in disgust.

Provoked, Lucius set down his wine glass and leaned towards her, his lips against her ear. 'You don't ever want to see my worst, Miss Walker, if you can help it. It's really not pretty. But at my best … at my best, my dear, I can be very, very good.'

Immediately she drew back, her eyes startled, and clouded. 'Perhaps,' she said, 'that is precisely the reason we were warned about you. Do you think any remotely clever woman would have you if she didn't expect it to be good?' She bowed stiffly. 'But as riveting as this conversation is, I'm going to have to leave. I have business at the Ministry before I get back up to Edinburgh.'

Lucius sighed theatrically. 'Such a shame. I presume you wouldn't feel inclined to write to me? Relieve the Ministry tedium? Provide some intelligent conversation?'

Ash paused, and for a moment Lucius wondered if she was considering it.

Illusion shattered. 'Believe me, Mr Malfoy, I'd rather have a job sucking off Voldemort. Dead or alive.' She turned sharply, and left the room.

Lucius watched her go, leaning against the table carefully. 'We'll see about that,' he murmured.

A minute or so later Severus returned, eyebrows raised. 'I see you've been working your magic on Ash.'

'I didn't touch her!' Lucius protested. 'She was being bloody rude.'

'Oh, come on, Lucius. I've known you long enough to know that you like her. You're tempted, admit it.'

'Really? Clearly you've been spending too much time watching me, then. Hoping some day you'll be the one to tempt me?'

'Don't be ridiculous.'

Lucius smiled. 'I know, I know. Too close to the truth. Whatever.' He paused. 'How old is Miss Walker, exactly? She seems very young to be employable in intelligence.' Obviously Severus would not fall for the deceit, but Lucius suspected that admitting he liked her would effectively remove her from his path, with Severus standing rather firmly in the way.

'Twenty something. Twenty-two, twenty-three.'

'Do you know her well?'

'I've known her since she was a child.'

'That's not necessarily very long, Severus,' Lucius smirked.

'Since she was a baby, I mean. Our parents knew each other in London.'

'I thought she was Scottish.'

'She is. She moved back up there.'

'Yes. That accent rather gave her away.' He smiled again. 'A Scottish lass, indeed …'

'I knew it,' Severus said. You do want her.'

Lucius pursed his lips, and cocked his head in mock consideration. 'I wouldn't say no. Maybe.'

'Well, you can forget about her, Lucius. I won't let you touch her.'

'Oh? Feeling protective suddenly, are we?'

'She's far too good for you. Don't flatter yourself.'

'So you're going to be right there between her and me. Awkward as ever.'

Severus nodded quietly, his eyes hard. 'You'll have to go through me to get to her.'

Lucius raised his eyebrows, smiled, and dropped his gaze to Severus' crotch. 'A challenge at last, then,' he murmured.

'Oh, go home and jerk off, Lucius. Stop taking out your frustration on me.'

Lucius bowed gracefully. 'I'll take my leave, then. Good evening, Severus.'

Severus nodded, and Lucius left the flat.

It took him perhaps ten seconds' consideration before he Apparated to the Ministry. Ash had made the mistake of telling him where she was going. Not completely infallible, then.

He caught her just as she was leaving Fudge's office. 'Miss Walker. How pleasant to see you again. You're not leaving?'

Ash braced her shoulders. 'I'm going back to Scotland. A relief, really, given my present position.'

He took a deep breath. 'Yes … yes, I understand. Miss Walker – Ash … I feel I should apologise for my behaviour just now. I was unforgivably rude, and offensive, and … well, I know why you were provoked. You see … I was on a high. Adrenalin rush. You understand what I mean?'

She nodded coldly. 'That much was evident, Mr Malfoy. I personally don't see it as a very good excuse. In fact, I might point out that it worsens your case – you seem to have a chronic disregard for your friend's – if that's how Severus really looks at you – for his hospitality.'

'Oh, come on!' Lucius protested. 'I'm sure you'd do the same if you were tempted by something that delicious, wouldn't you?'

'If it were delicious, maybe,' she snapped. 'Not for some airhead slut, though.'

Lucius raised an eyebrow. Clearly the idea of him with Lucy was distasteful to her. Interesting.

'If you're averse to the whole thing, then surely who I'm with makes no difference?' he said calmly.

Ash paused. For a moment he thought he might get her to admit something. Then the defence mechanism came in. 'I really don't have time to stand around all day and pick holes in your sex life. Frankly, I don't know why I didn't report you to Fudge. Pity, perhaps? Who knows. But if it's all the same to you, I'm going on my way.' She turned to walk away.

Lucius grabbed her by the arms, pulled her back against him. The pressure of her body exacted a rather particular pleasure on him, and he breathed in sharply. 'Ah, but that's the thing, Ash,' he murmured, ignoring her struggles. 'It's really not all the same to me whether you leave or not.' He brushed a kiss over her neck, inhaling her warmth and her shiver. 'If it's all the same to you, I'd much rather you didn't leave.'

Ash was breathing hard in anger. 'Fuck off!' She yanked her arms forward, and reluctantly Lucius let go. He never forced girls he actually liked – it was so much less of an achievement. Only when his Master required it, and even then he found it more creative to seduce them properly.

She shook her hair behind her eyes. 'I'm not going to be one of your little sluts, Malfoy. You're disgusting. You're twice my age, probably, or more. Just leave me alone.'

He sighed. 'All right. Go on. I'll not forget you quickly, though. To be honest, you've got more than any of the airheads, anyway. Not just brains. Anyway, you probably don't want to know, I imagine.' He bowed. 'It was a pleasure meeting you, Miss Walker.'

Ash regarded him coolly, although Lucius saw something of curiosity in her eyes. 'If only I could say the same.' Then she quickly drew out her wand, muttered something, and vanished.

The first thing Lucius did when he got home was to send an express owl to Lucy, asking her to join him that evening. Ash had worked him up more than he had expected, and although he hated begging, keeping Lucy waiting and wanting was become less appealing by the minute. He was desperate.

Unsurprisingly, Lucy looked rather smug when she arrived. 'Couldn't leave me alone?'

Lucius smiled. 'Narcissa decided to go out suddenly.' He led her to his bedroom, and began to kiss her, trying not to be mechanical, pushed her down onto the bed, trying not to wish she were Ash – trying not to see her face and that thin, angular nose in his head, trying not to pretend it was Ash's legs wrapped around him. But when he closed his eyes he could not banish the image of her face, contempt changed to desire, and that liquid, flowing accent, saying his name with that rolling L, over and over.

'Lucius?' Lucy's voice interrupted his fantasy. 'Are you all right? You seem a little distant.'

'Oh, it's nothing,' Lucius said carefully. 'I just had a bit of a … did you meet Ashley Walker at Severus' party?'

'Walker? Oh, she's a bitch and a half. Can't keep her comments to herself.' Lucy tightened her legs around him and smiled. 'Why, did she give you a tongue-lashing?'

His lips twitched. 'In a manner of speaking. In fact, she was bloody rude. Completely unnecessary – remarks about my intelligence, or the lack of it, she called me disgusting, … Is there a reason she's like that, or is it just her savage Scottish blood?'

'She never used to be like that,' Lucy said. 'I was great friends with her at one point. We knew each other at Hogwarts. She used to be lovely – incredibly funny. She claimed was bisexual – I don't know if she's still saying that.'

'Really?' He raised an eyebrow, trying to conceal a sudden smirk. 'Bisexual?'

'Well, I reckon perhaps she's just plain gay. Would explain why she never had a boyfriend. She had some problem with men, I think. Her heart got broken … Rumour is she was living in a ménage à trois with a guy and a girl, and they went off together and left her on her own. Then after that, she became quite a heartbreaker with girls. Seduced them, persuaded them they were gay, then didn't see it through. It's odd, it's not so long ago, really, but it feels like years. She changed – stopped playing fast and loose. If all the rumours were ever true – I reckon they were exaggerated, to be honest. I think it was maybe when she went into intelligence. I don't know. But she's not very popular now. She smokes. She hates everyone, and most people hate her, unless she makes a pointed effort.'

'Severus likes her, I think,' he pointed out.

'Severus would. She's his kind of person – aloof, private, very defensive – although she's just so hostile, in a way he isn't – at least, not with people he respects. Different when he teaches, of course. I did wonder whether there was something going on between them, but I don't think even her taste is that bad.'

'Mmm.' Lucius considered. Was Ash's sexuality the reason for Severus' protectiveness of her? Was it that Severus himself wanted her? – Lucius had never quite worked out Severus' own sexuality – was he jealous of Lucius? Or was it all fiction?

The prospect of seducing her was becoming sweeter. A bisexual, Severus' friend, generally acknowledged to be foul-mouthed and difficult to approach, but apparently having been rather like he was now – a seducer. Finally, a challenge. A girl worth the effort.

He breathed in slowly. Well, he could wait for now. He'd find her.

'I fear, Lucy,' he said softly, 'that all this talking is distracting us from the task in hand.'

Lucy smiled, and as she pulled him down hard onto her body, Lucius arched his back and shoved Ash to the back of his mind. The game was set. His game was set.