Chapter Two
Narcissa skimmed through the various event invitations that had arrived over the past couple of days as she stood at the window in the parlour. She was sure Lucius wouldn't want to attend any of them; dinner parties and balls. But anything that meant he would be with her rather than out serving his 'master' was better than nothing. So she concluded that, from the events at hand, they would attend the Rosier's dinner party and the annual ball held by her parents. She tossed the other invitations into the waste bin and made her way to Lucius' study.
She paused at the door for a second before knocking firmly.
"Enter," came his immediate reply.
Narcissa pushed the door open and walked in, giving him a smile as she did so. Lucius put down the quill he was using, placed his hands on the desk and looked at her expectantly. Narcissa closed the door behind her and walked a few feet in front of his desk.
"I just came to inform you of the dates of our next functions," she stated.
Lucius raised an eyebrow before lifting his quill again and tugging over a spare bit of parchment.
"The Rosier's dinner party next Friday," Narcissa said, as Lucius wrote it on the parchment, "And the ball at my parents; September the 27th."
Lucius' hand stopped moving and he looked up at her, questioningly, "Only two?"
Narcissa raised an eyebrow, "I am aware of your busy schedule."
He held her look for a moment before nodding, slowly, and looking down to scribble the date, "Very well. Though I'm sure I could find the time for another if you see any more you would like to attend."
Narcissa was caught off guard by his statement, which seemed to please him. He raised his eyes and smiled at her.
"You were out very late last night."
Lucius nodded and stood, "Business. You know how it can be."
He walked around behind her, "You were asleep when I got back."
He reached up and brushed the hair aside from her neck; "I won't be late tonight." He leaned down and caressed her neck with his lips. He kept his lips close to her ear as he spoke quietly, "Wait up for me." With that he released the hair he had been holding so that it toppled once again over her shoulders and left the room.
Severus felt awful. He wished he had stuck to the vow he had made when he was fifteen; there was nothing pleasurable about drinking alcohol at all.
Having emptied his stomach of the breakfast he'd attempted, he made his way downstairs where his mother was sitting watching some muggle television programme; though from the look of her he doubted she was really watching anything at all. Ever since his father's death (for which he was eternally grateful) she had been walking around in a daze. One would have thought she'd be happy he was finally gone and that she could start living her life properly again.
He sat down on the couch near the chair she was sitting in, but she failed to acknowledge him. Since he'd left for Hogwarts the two of them had drifted further and further apart until, finally, in his third year, he began spending Christmas break at Lily's (and Lucius' following their falling out) and only saw his parents in the summer. And only when he couldn't find a better place to be; he had spent his entire summer between his sixth and seventh year at Malfoy Manor. Consequently, when he had had to return to Spinner's End after two years of barely any contact at all, things had been awkward and were complicated further by the unexpected death of Tobias.
He was glad of it at the moment; it meant he had peace to sit and suffer the effects of the night before. Though the peace didn't last long as soon afterwards he received an owl from Lucius stating that there was to be a meeting at the Lestrange's that evening. That was something to not look forward to; he despisedBellatrix Lestrange.
A couple of hours following Lucius' letter a knock sounded. Severus frowned a little in confusion and, with a look at his mother who had by this time fallen asleep, made his way into the hallway. With relief, he noticed he didn't feel quite as nauseous as he had felt earlier. He unbolted the door and opened it a fraction, peering cautiously out at the caller. He frowned, then gave an exasperated sigh as he pulled the door open further, "What are you doing here?"
Regulus grinned, "Thought I'd come and ask where you got to last night," he stepped into the house.
"How did you find out where I live?" Severus questioned, keeping the door held open, looking at him with irritation.
"Narcissa," he responded, airily, before pushing the door shut that Severus was holding open, "You alone?"
"No," Severus walked towards the staircase, "My mother's here."
And, as if on cue, there she appeared and Severus couldn't believe that, having spent the last two hours in complete silence in his company,now she decided to talk.
"Severus, who's your friend?" Eileen enquired with a friendly smile at Regulus, who paused before heading up the stairs after him.
Severus looked at her, then at Regulus, then back at his mother, but before he could make the introduction Regulus stepped towards her himself with a smile and his hand outstretched, "Regulus Black, ma'am."
Eileen smiled again as she shook his hand, "Well aren't you polite. And a Black too; good family that."
Severus closed and then rolled his eyes as he opened them again.
"Thank you," Regulus smiled, proudly.
"You coming?" Severus said, more harshly than he had intended, but continued up the stairs nonetheless.
With a quick smile at Eileen, Regulus followed him up the stairs. The door was closed firmly behind him as he stepped into what he assumed was Severus' bedroom. It was darkly painted, with the bed unmade and books strewn about on the desk and floor. Seemed all he did was read and attend Death Eater meetings.
"What are you doing here, Regulus?" Severus asked again, as he shook the bedcovers and straightened them. He walked over and flung aside the curtains, allowing sunlight to enter the room.
Regulus shrugged and sat down on the newly-made bed, "Just thought I'd see what you were up to."
Severus eyed him, "And may I ask why?"
Regulus suddenly felt very uncomfortable. He'd assumed that with Severus' agreeing to go out the previous evening that a sort-of friendship had been developed but, from the way he was glaring at him now, he began to seriously reconsider the thought. He cleared his throat and gave an awkward shrug after which, to his surprise, Severus seemed to relax slightly, though he continued to eye him a little.
Severus had sensed his thoughts. It was something he'd gotten better at over the last year; he was beginning to be able to use legilimency as well as he could use occlumency, now with the ability to do so without alerting his 'victim' to what he was doing. Still, sensing Regulus' thoughts only made him more uneasy. Since Hogwarts he'd generally cut himself off from 'friends', with the exception of Lucius, and, from the boy's behaviour, it seemed that his expectation of friendship was similar to what Lily's had been.
Severus looked around, awkwardly, "Did you stay out late?"
Regulus grinned suddenly, "I guess," he said, then added, "I came looking for you, but I couldn't find you. So I went home with one of the women from the pub."
Severus raised an eyebrow, "I see."
Regulus continued with a smirk, "Took your advice, see."
Severus held his look for a moment, before offering a wry smile, "Then I offer you the congratulations you seem to be expecting." Feeling more at ease, he sat down on the chair by his desk.
Regulus looked around and lifted one of the books next to him, Advanced Occlumency, "You read a lot, huh. Can you actually use this?" he waved the book at little.
"Yes," Severus responded, "I am familiar with the skill of using books."
"I meant occlumency," Regulus said, though chuckled a little, "Lucius has been teaching me. Trying, anyway."
Severus shrugged, "I practice," was all he offered in return, "Lucius also insisted I learn it; though I'd already started to from a young age."
Regulus nodded, flicking through the book, "Saw my idiot brother at the pub last night."
Severus instantly tensed.
"Him and that blood traitor, Potter," he continued.
Severus shifted and reached for a book nearby; Beginner's Occlumency.
"Do you read?" He tossed the book over to him, "If you're having trouble, try that. It's what I started with."
Regulus lifted the book from where it had landed on the bed and flicked through it before looking up at him with a smile and a nod, "Thanks mate. I'll get it back to you soon as I'm done."
Severus waved his hand, dismissively, "Keep it. I don't need it."
Regulus only smiled in response, as he tucked the book into his robes, "You get the message about the meeting tonight?"
"I did," Severus nodded, leaning back on the chair, "Unfortunately."
Regulus frowned a little.
"It's a social meeting," Severus clarified, "But one we're expected to be at. And your cousin is hosting it."
Regulus smirked a little in understanding, "Yeah, Bella can be a bit crazy at times."
Isn't she always? Severus thought, but didn't state out loud.
"So, where'd you get to last night?" Regulus asked, leaning back on his hands, "You rush off as soon as I left?"
"I knew you wouldn't desire my company after returning from the dance floor," Severus said, "And, judging from the events that transpired with you, I correctly decided that I may as well have taken my leave."
"So, really, you were you doing me a favour by leaving."
"Indeed."
Regulus grinned.
Review Responses:
Chaotic Veins: I'm glad you like the story so far. Don't worry; I like Lucius too – especially him and Narcissa – though he may seem a little cold after first, he will de-ice by the time I'm done with him. Thanks very much for the review!
Bemoan: Thank you for your reviews. I do think a lot of Severus' actions stemmed greatly from a deep-rooted insecurity he felt about himself and his own heritage which I'm trying to portray with this story; him questioning if he was a mudblood is the first indication of this.
As for Cadence, he is a made-up character of mine who will only feature in the prologues. As for the VCR comment, thank you for pointing that out. I was silly enough to look up the films that were around then but forgot to check the coming times of VCRs so I've edited the prologue a little to be true to the time. Thanks again for your reviews! I hope you continue to like the direction the story takes.
