Chapter Two: The Breakout

January 9th

He breathed in deep as he stepped from the cell of Azkaban prison, he; Lucius Malfoy, was a free man after seven years. It had taken a long time for his plan to work but in the end he was able to use the unforgivable curse Imperio on a guard, he had taken a leaf from Severus Snape's book on wandless magic.

It had started just after the end of the second war, he was captured just outside the Forest of Dean on the day he were trying to escape and no less by the chosen one. Harry freaking Potter.

~Seven Years Prior~

His master had fallen before everyone, he had witnessed his worst fear and he knew his family would be in even more danger now. He squeezed Draco's shoulder and Narcissa's hand silently telling them it was time to leave, he turned away from the horrifying scene and felt the air tighten around him. He refused to let his son or wife go, he held onto them as they all landed upon their feet in front of his mansion. He had already hatched a plan to grab their stuff and leave as quickly as possible, Narcissa said nothing as they walked briskly up the bricked path. The hedges still showed signs of where Severus had battled some of his own brothers, his anger rose at the sight.

Severus Snape had been seen as a hero while he; the most loyal of Voldemort's followers, fell from glory with unwielding shame. He wanted nothing more than to kill Severus but had learned that Voldemort had Nagini rip his vocal cords out with her fangs, he felt a sense of satisfaction but not too happy that he could not have done it himself. He cursed himself for not killing that tratior when he had the chance the summer before Albus's death, he knew where his wife was going but had not known why.

He gathered what he could and turned to Narcissa; who was calmly explaining to our son what was going on, I walked over to her and embraced her.

"You can not follow me, I brought you back here because I wanted my trace to end here."

Narcissa leaned away from him as her eyes widened for the briefest of moments,

"Where will you go?"

"I can not tell you, you must not know for your own protection." He said with wavering conviction.

He did not want to leave his family behind but he knew that they would not be hunted as he would, yes Narcissa is married to a death eater but she was not one. His son had only recently taken the mark because Voldemort threaten to kill him if he didn't and it was all for what, to kill the most feared wizard in wizarding Britain? If they only knew better.

He knew the truth; the real truth, Albus was not the stronger wizard. Voldemort may have been afraid of the fool but he knew better, he knew that the one person who could drop wizarding Britain to its knees.

He did not need his family to invade in his plans to get to the one with the power to rule, the power that he didn't even know he was capable of. He had witnessed it once, he had seen the man demonstrate a part of the power that lay dormant within the man's body. The man would fall before his feet, he would become the new Dark Lord and no one was going to stop him.

He kissed Narcissa goodbye and knelt down in front of Draco,

"Take care of your mother for me until I get back."

Draco wrapped his arms around him, the first time both had ever shown and recipricated affections toward each other. He knew this was a monumental moment but he could not linger, he knew they would be on their way soon; the Aurors would be out for his blood.

He walked from the house and vanished without looking back, his destination a cave within the Dean Forest, a piece of information he had heard Severus talking about where the brats had hid during the year of his masters fall. He knew the forest well enough to know if anyone was coming but what he didn't expect was someone to already be waiting for him there, he hadn't been sure if it was for him or someone else.

He walked into the cave warding it as he set down his pack he had gathered earlier, he didn't care about clothing as much as he cared for keeping certain artifacts from falling into the minstries hands. He could hear the voice growing closer as he pressed his back against the wall,

"He has to be here somewhere, his wife told us he took off and his trace ends somewhere around here."

He knew that voice all too well.

He hadn't know what had happened next because everything around him went dark, he had been fumbling for the pack when something; someone, had grabbed him by the upper arm...

~Present~

The salty air was incredibly thick as he swallowed a mouth full as he tried to rack his brain on where he would go, he couldn't return home, not yet. He would be expected there once word spread and he was not going to risk it, he would have to find somewhere to hide. He briefly wondered if Severus would help him but kicked himself immediately, he remembered Severus had been killed.

His next thought led him to Bellatrix's house or what he assumed was still her home even though she had been killed by Molly Weasley, well the arrogant bitch had that coming. He smirked as he unlocked the door with a simple alohamora, his magic seemed to be shaky but not nearly as damaged as most would think after spending so many years locked up.

Her home was creepy, its interior walls black as night. The living room contained a single winged back arm chair the color of blood with emboreded black laced designs, the remains of a sofa were splintered across the hard wood black flooring. He admired her tastes as he noticed the drapes were also black and made of velvet, a fireplace looked aciently used sitting in the middle of the living room against the back wall. He pointed the borrowed wand and lit a blazing fire within the bricked walls, he needed a shower.

He had found a luxurous bathroom the size of a muggles house on the third floor, he had not realised that Bellatrix was nearly as rich as he was but then again he under estimated a lot about her. He set the running water as hot as his body could stand, he had been right, she had magically kept water flowing to the house from an unknown source. He was grateful for this.

His body ached as he laid within the tub, the water steaming as he laid his head back against the procelin, seven years was way too long to not be able to take a shower and he wanted nothing more than to just stay where he was. He had not considered the consequences of turning on lights within a mansion that had been abandoned for seven years and there was bound to be a grounds keeper knowing Bella, he knew he needed to prepare to either explain or kill whoever came knocking upon the door.

No sooner had he thought that, the door bell rang then he could hear someone struggling against the lock of the door, he had forgotten to ward the place before bathing. He conjured a towel and with record breaking skill he dried and ran into the master bedroom, he knew Bella's husband wasn't too much smaller than he was. He found a dark green long sleeve dress shirt and a pair of black slacks and a black cloak, he clothed nearly as quickly as he had dried. He pulled the cloak on and covered his head; his identity, with the hood. Shuffling from down stairs told him that the person had managed to get past the rusted lock, he held the wand with a death grip as he crept from the bedroom to the landing of the stairway.

His heart was pounding and his palms were sweating, he had never been known for being nervous but seeing as he was not going back to Azkaban he could not help but to be nervous. The air around him could be cut with a knife as apprehension gripped his senses, he made it to the second floor landing before stopping and ducking out of sight. The visitor was making their way up the stairs, he gripped the wand once more since it had slipped from the sweat. He closed his eyes taking a deep breath,

"Whose there?" The voice of a young woman called out.

He opened his eyes then decided on not so better judgment to come from his hiding place as he lowered his hood, he was met with a very young lady with raven black hair and dressed in what he assumed to be 'goth' clothing.

"Who are you?" He asked defiantly.

"What's it to you smartass," The young lady looked him up and down, "Wasn't halloween like three months ago?" She said sarcastically.

"I could ask you the same thing." He sneered seeing that she was just a muggle.

"Whatever," She turned her back from him after rolling her eyes, "I'm guessing you know my cousin Belle?"

"Wha-" He stopped himself thinking on his feet, "Yes I know her. I was asked to come to her home to stay while she is away."

He was impressed at himself as the lie slipped from his lips like the truth, the girl turned her head toward him.

"Whatever, don't tell anyone you saw me. Belle told me that your kind doesn't take too kindly to muggle people, yes, I know that term."

He stared at her in disbelief, Bella had a muggle cousin. She was dirtier than Severus and Voldemort combined, he grinned at that thought but wiped it from his face before she noticed.

"Could you let me know if anyone shows up, I want no one trespassing upon the property while Belle is out."

"Whatever man, just don't screw anything up or burn the house down. Got it."

"Yup."