A/n: This is a modern time chapter—When Lucius and Severus are older. After the Prologue. Time between the prologue and here may vary for each of you, that's alright. Though it's most surely into the school year. And, no. That retch of a boy with the glasses isn't in school yet. He's getting being tortured by a fat man. Also, for your benifet. These 'Modern' chapters, aren't really the main focus of the story until later, you'll see. For now, they're cute little blips of time that will either make you saw 'awe' or turn bright red and excuse yourself to a dark room with no one around to hear you. ;3

And if you don't know already—in the 'Modern' stories, they aren't to terribly old. Draco may be, oh, one or two here. I'd Lucius was maybe, twenty seven? Severus would just be starting his career and Hogwarts, maybe two or three years in.

On to the people I don't claim. C:

-- w --

"Now." Severus stared at his stiff hand writing, before turning in a flourish to the class. They stared at him with a pleasantly amusing mix of false attentiveness, real attentiveness, and, of course, mildly induced terror. "Which ingredient do we gut, and remove the skin?"

And, also of course he mused rather boredly, so many blank stares it was quite frightening to believe these students would soon graduate.

Perhaps.

"Anyone." Another pause. "It is the only root in the mixture—you."
"Gigglywort?"

"Gillywort—we don't use gigglywort, Miss Marthros. However, if every you find a use, or a plant, of Gigglywort, do tell me. I'm fascinated." He turned back to the board, waving his wand in quick flicks. "Gillywort, will be gutted for the central core of the root. Here, it is more concentrated with juices so use your gloves."
"I didn't bring mine!"
"Then perhaps you should remember my instruction next time, Mr. Kordenroy." He finished with his notes and turned around, pulling his cloak around him and folding his arms in a very Severus-esque manor. The students continued to stare. He narrowed his eyes. "Well. Get to work."

And the chaos of people running to the ingredient cabinet began.

Twenty minutes later, almost complete silence. The soft sound of crushing shells, chopping leaves, dicing, milking, so on. Severus took a slow breath of the musty room, relishing in the strange comfort of familiarity. He slid his finger tips along the edge of the work stations, eyes darting across the, sometimes embarrassing, state of the bubbling mixes. "Remember, two vials. Your names on both as well as your period on my desk before I let you go. You will not leave this classroom until you are finished."

"Oh, come now, Severus," came a cool, smooth voice from the door. All the students of course, stopped in their tracks to find the owner of the crisp, almost seducing tones. Severus, of course, knew exactly to whom it belonged. A man who could seduce with his eyes, his hands, a simple chuckle—Lucius Malfoy was, much to Severus's mild distaste in the term most commonly used when explaining his friend, built for 'sex and success'. He stood coolly against the heavy door frame, silver eyes glinting as he scanned over the students. He stood correctly again, tilting his head just so so the long perfect hair slid gently over the shoulder of his heavy blue travelling cloak. Severus almost smiled as the long fingers curled possessively around the silvery snake's head of Lucius' cane.
Almost.

"Some might be slow." Lucius turned those eyes quickly to Severus, who looked a bit taken aback. "Just because you spent nearly all your waking hours in the dungeons…" That coy, just barely and quite obviously on purpose, smug, smile covered his sharp features. Briefly, again, Severus wondered if the Malfoy class was indeed both wizarding and elven. Perhaps Veela. That almost made him smile in return. A beautiful monster, that's a more fitting term for Lucius. And how exactly did he achieve to get on campus? Severus frowned.

"I /am/ sorry, Mr. Malfoy but I seem to be predisposed at the moment."

"Oh, no, don't you mind me." He swaggered over to the empty work station, pulling out the chair. All in one movement it seemed, he hooked the snakehead's teeth on the edge, sat down, and kicked his feet up to cross at the ankle on the table. He smiled brightly, waving a hand at the students before crossing them in his lap. "Don't mind me, I say. Return to your studies."

He looked much the part of a prince, Severus mused again, before giving his students a look. They scrambled to return to what they were doing, obviously distracted. Severus came to Lucius' shoulder and touched it neutrally, frowning down at him. Lucius looked up, eyes bright. "Why, hello Severus. I thought you were predisposed."

"I am. His brow lifted very subtly, but enough to give him an authoritative, quizzical look. "Normally strangers aren't allowed on campus."
"Am I so strange, Severus?"

Off guard, Severus didn't notice one station complete their task and put their flasks at his desk. Others soon began to follow.

"Dumbledore then."
"Perhaps behind closed doors, discussions shall grow deeper." Lucius smiled intelligently. It made Severus' blood boil.
"Indeed. Dismissed when you finish." He looked up from the man, continuing around the room in slow circles while the class slowly began to finish, keeping careful distance of a certain back table.

-- w --

At some point, Severus found his morning classes finished, and his few hours for lunch laid heavy on his shoulders. As his last student filed out, he avoided eyes with the man in the back of the room. Instead, he busied himself with storing the vials. Then cleaning the work stations. Grading a class of essays. Cleaning a caldron. Eventually, remedial events were finished and Severus found himself uncomfortably with nothing to do. All through this, Lucius sat quietly in the back. After a few back and forth, dazed paces in an attempt to imagine something to do (perhaps cut some more Lyphwood, no, it's not ripe), Severus jumped unceremoniously as the squeak of a chair on cobblestone.

"Well," Lucius said a bit to cheerfully, pushing his chair back in. "Closed doors then. Why are you so nervous of my arrival, Severus? Am I not allowed to come for...visits, during the school year? Or perhaps I've turned out to be merely your summer fling."

"Quiet, Lucius." Sevrus looked hard at him, but wound his way to the man in any case. "And I do suppose you can, though I do hope you would have the manners to not interrupt my teaching."
"I interrupted your punishing, not teaching, dear Severus." He ran a soft, leather-clad finger along Severus' jaw, causing the young man to shiver. Lucius grinned. "You're so brutal."

"I know." He smiled, black eyes meeting grey. Those eyes he met weren't jovial anymore, however. Severus frowned. "Lucius what's wrong."
"Remember, how I spoke about the eaters coming to ask me to join their ranks? They have." Severus felt his blood run cold. "And, like I told you years ago, I declined. But, I don't know for how long I will be able to." Severus again felt his stomach drop.

"Draco."

"Narcissa isn't ill yet. But I believe we need to take this to your chambers. The walls have ears in this school, Severus. You know this better than anyone."

-- ww --

A/N: FOOTNOTE IS IMPORTANT.

So, obviously, This is an AU. 'It is? How so?'

Lucius /isn't a death eater/. Because he and Severus go gay, they change their futures. That's the entire point of this story—THESE MEN. CHANGE THINGS.

Don't like a change in their stories, live with it. In school, they—well. I don't want to ruin it. –smile- You're right, two parallel stories—that merge into one eventually. I hope you enjoy the chapters to come!