KEEPER: Velociraptor: Write about a character joining a group
Character: Lucius Malfoy
Word count: 1,502
000
He grew up with tales of the Dark Lord, how he'd bring greatness to the purebloods and restore their traditions. If there was one thing all dark inclined purebloods tried their hardest to instill into their children, it was a healthy respect for tradition.
He'd always known he would end up in the service of the Dark Lord, and he had eagerly awaited the day he'd be able to take the Dark Mark and his place amidst the ranks of the Death Eaters. He dreamed of purebloods receiving the respect they deserved, dreamed of his favorite traditions being celebrated the way they were supposed to. He couldn't wait for those thieving, uppity Mudbloods to get what was coming to them. Those Muggle celebrations and holidays appalled him to no end; the way they trampled all over pureblood culture disgusted him. Those filthy mudbloods should be thankful they were allowed within the hallowed walls of Hogwarts for a simple education, yet they barged in and demand things be different, change, all because they were uncomfortable with the way purebloods lived their lives.
So, naturally, Lucius found himself hard pressed to maintain his cool mask of indifference when he knelt -finally!- at the Dark Lord's feet, preparing to receive his Mark. Finally, finally, he'd be able to actively fight for his beliefs instead of quietly taking the insults and the slurs to his name with the grace and composure, the aloof and uncaring facade, that was expected of an heir of a well known pureblood family. Finally, he'd be able to show those ungrateful mudbloods why they should respect their betters. Finally, he'd be able to live up to his father's expectations.
Of course, not even two years later, all that was blown to smithereens the night after he got back from his honeymoon. The night he realized that perhaps not all of their traditions were worth protecting, worth fighting for.
000
Lucius and Narcissa spent their honeymoon in a coastal wizarding village in Wales. There was a beach, a small park, a market, and many vacation cottages and homes. During their stay, the newlyweds walked the beach, toured the market, and sat in the park talking softly about the future and watching children play their games.
While at the park one day, they came across a crying child sitting away from the others. Narcissa dearly loved little children, and couldn't wait to have one of her own, so seeing the poor child all alone, Lucius knew, would make her heart ache. He watched as she gracefully hurried over to the little one.
Narcissa explained what happened -the child had been playing Aurors and Werewolves with some of the other children when they tripped and skinned their knee- to Lucius once she returned, the child safe within her arms. Seeing her with the little one held so carefully, so gently in her arms made his heart fill with longing. Nodding to his wife, his Malfoy mask mostly relaxed, Lucius turned to the child and asked in a soft voice if the child knew where their mother was.
It took some time and a lot of patience, but eventually they managed to find the child's home, and with it, a terribly distraught set of parents. With a cry of "Lou!", the mother flung herself at her child and tearfully scolded them for leaving without telling her where they went. After triple checking little Lou was safe, Lou's mother turned and invited them to stay for tea in thanks for helping her child get back home safely.
After that, the new Mr and Mrs Malfoy would occasionally spend time with little Lou's family, getting practice caring for a young child and becoming friendly with Lou's parents. As both were purebloods, they didn't mind spending time with them.
Their honeymoon came to an end with the two families exchanging floo addresses and promises to get in touch.
The night after they got back, Lucius was called to a Death Eater meeting. He quickly and gracefully dressed in the Death Eater regalia, gave his wife a short, loving kiss, and aparated to the meeting.
000
Hours later, Lucius stumbled into bed with his wife, feeling sick, for once in his life doubting his father's teachings. They had attacked the coastal village they'd stayed in for their honeymoon. Most everyone in the village had been tortured and killed. It didn't matter if they were mudbloods, half-bloods, or purebloods, if they didn't support the Dark Lord's agenda, they were slaughtered.
Little Lou's family was one of the ones wiped out.
Little Lou, a young child, not out of nappies yet, was killed despite being of pure blood.
If this was what the Dark Lord preached, if senseless death of purebloods and half-bloods was alright in the Dark Lord's eyes, then was his way really the right way? If the Dark Lord and his people were willing, willing, to cut down defenseless children for what their parents stood for, was he willing to be a part of that?
Lucius almost snorted. It didn't matter what he wanted, what he was willing to do and be a part of. He was already in deep. The mark on his arm said so. And perhaps this was a one time deal. A warning that they can kill entire families, not that they will.
He could live with that. Hopefully.
000
Three years into their marriage, Lucius couldn't believe the lows the Dark Lord had sunken to. Ordering the death of whole families, whole pureblood families whose only crime was to not support the Dark. He couldn't stand it anymore. The Dark Lord was insane. Whatever he was fighting for wasn't something Lucius wanted to be a part of anymore. He couldn't just leave, though. The Dark Lord is unforgiving towards those that attempt to desert him, and Lucius has his wife to think about. He just didn't know what to do.
Four years into their marriage, Lucius was practically on his knees, begging his old headmaster to help him and Narcissa. It made him feel dirty, resorting to this, but he had no other choice. He knew he couldn't leave, and he knew Narcissa refused to leave him, so Dumbledore was his only hope. He knew it, Narcissa knew it, and Dumbledore knew it. Lucius walked out of his meeting with the headmaster a secret member of a group of people called the Order of the Phoenix and a spy against the Dark. Dumbledore assured him his wife would be as safe as Dumbledore could make her without raising suspicions in return for his services.
Five years into their marriage, they were expecting their first child. The Potter's had gotten married late last year and were also expecting their first child. The Dark Lord had heard a prophecy about his eventual defeat, and had started targeting the Potter's and the Longbottom's, both families that were a part of the Order, and both expecting. Severus became another spy against the Dark. Draco Lucius Malfoy was born, followed by Harry James Potter and Neville Franklin Longbottom a month later. The Potter's and Longbottom's had gone into hiding.
Six years into their marriage, the Dark Lord had fallen, Harry Potter was an orphan, Narcissa had been declared high risk and advised strongly against another pregnancy, and the Malfoy's were looking to adopt. Sirius Black was arrested for thirteen counts of murder, though never convicted, Frank and Alice Longbottom were tortured into insanity by Narcissa's older sister, Bellatrix, Rodolphus, Rabastan, and Barty Crouch, Jr., who were arrested at the scene of the crime. Harry Potter only stayed at his maternal aunt's house for three weeks when he was whisked away to live with his new family, being renamed Harrison James Cygnus Potter-Malfoy. Only a week after that, Sirius Black was given a trial and released with reparations provided as an apology for having been illegally held in a secure cell in Azkaban.
Sixteen years into their marriage, Lucius and Narcissa were tearfully watching their two sons board the Hogwarts Express and go off to school. There was no possessed DADA teacher, no troll in the girls' bathroom, no Cerberus in a tiny room on the third floor, no Philosopher's Stone. There was no such thing as Horcruxes and thus there was no wraith attempting to regain a body. There was only a happy family of mother, father, two sons, and their godfathers.
Seven years later, Draco and Harrison graduated top of their class, with Draco being Head Boy and Harrison being the captain of the winning Quidditch team for that year, and the previous three years running. Lucius had never been prouder of his boys, and thought, smiling to himself, if they'd never gone on their honeymoon to that coastal village and met little Lou's family, his life, and the lives of his family, would likely have turned out very different.