Disclaimer: The Harry Potter Works are not mine. The characters and settings are owned by J. K. Rowling and her respected publishing companies e.g. Bloomsbury.

Samael Cygnus Lestrange

Broke! Inside
This life, you can never be reborn within
I came this far, erase my scars
Fight! This time
Inside, take a break from the lie you live
I came this far, erase my scars.(1)

13th July 1991

Rodolphus waved to his brother, grabbed his struggling wife and apparated away from their camp-site and into Malfoy Manor atrium. Bellatrix pulled herself away from her husband's hands and glared at him. "Tell me Rodo, why the hell we are here when we were so close to finding our LORD!" she screamed at him, Rodo gulped but stood his ground.

"Lucius said that he had some important news for us Bella." he told her carefully (like one would do with a wild animal) "And before you ask." he added, holding a hand up. "I do not know what it is."

Bella huffed at the man in front of her, before walking towards the stairs with a scowl. She knew there was no use escaping back to their camp-site, because Rabastan would just bring her to the Manor instead. But Merlin dammit, if she had to stay here, she was going to have a wash! Coincidentally though, the closest bathroom to her in the entire Manor was adjoined to the Medical Room, so she would have to enter it to actually get to her destination.

'Stupid Narcii, having her wash-room so far away from any other place in the Manor, what was she thinking' thought Bella as she turned yet another corner, in the obscenely large Manor. However when she reached the door of the Medical room she heard the strangest music in her life being played from in. With a furrow of her eyebrows, she surreptitiously opened the door and stared at the sight that greeted her. A half-naked boy sat on the bed, a red orb cupped reverently in his hands.

However the shocking thing (apart from the fact that the boy's pale and extremely malnourished body, which was littered with scars) was the fact that the music was being played from the orb. She nearly wept with the bitterness and pain in the singer's voice and wondered what the poor child was thinking of to have this song playing for him, and to have to boy so enraptured by the words.

A small gasp escaped the boys lips after some lyrics were sung, his relaxed face tensing and transforming into a mask of rage. "Oh Merlin." breathed Bella, once she saw those verdant eyes flashing with anger. She had thought she had lost those the boy those eyes belonged to nearly 10 years ago, she didn't think she would see him ever again. But here they were, filled to the brim with pain and loneliness.

She wasn't aware of her actions, she just edged further into the room, further towards the boy who still hadn't noticed her presence in the room – his beautiful emerald eyes too fixated on the glowing orb. She stretched an arm towards him.

"Little one." she called in a thick voice...

"Ah Rodo" greeted the suave voice of Lucius Malfoy, firmly shaking the hand of the Lestrange Lord. "It's so good to see you again." he said as if it was Rodo visiting him, not Lucius demanding Rodo to come over immediately; Rodolphus rolled his eyes at his friends behaviour before replying.

"As nice as this all is Luce, why are we here?" he asked his brother-in-law with narrowed eyes, especially once the blonde man started casually glancing over his shoulder as if looking for something, or someone.

"I'm sure Narcii would be better to explain it all." the Malfoy Lord answered, once again looking behind him to search for the person. "Where is your wife, Rodo?" he enquired with a neutral voice but the other man could see the fear in the silver eyes and barely concealed a laugh.

"She is about, however she is quite angry. Fully prepared to rip my head off just for bringing her here, so I can only imagine what she'll be like with you." he stated truthfully, chuckling when Lucius shifted worriedly on his feet.

"Oh is that so?" he said with a nervous laugh, and Rodo had to strain to hear the words muttered under the blonde man's breath. "Why couldn't Narcii be the one to demand her over? Honestly, Bella wouldn't have minded it as much if it was her! But no! I had to do it didn't I?" The dark-haired man coughed to cover the booming laughter threatening to overcome him from his brother-in-laws words. "Where did you say Bella went?" Lucius asked after several minutes had gone by and still the witch hadn't appeared.

"To the wash-room." he answered, instantly intrigued by the sudden paling of the other man's face and shocked expression. "Why?"

"Merlin's Balls." Lucius swore, hurrying towards the stairs, Rodo followed after him, too curious to be left behind "We were going to introduce them once Bella had been informed beforehand." he murmured to himself, wincing as he heard Bella's deafening screams reverberating through the Manor.

"WHO THE HELL DID THIS TO YOU" Lucius breathed a sigh of relief when he could not longer hear his sister-in-law's voice, before tensing as "THOSE BASTARDS! I'LL CRUCIO THE LOT OF THEM! I SWEAR IT!" was roared.

"Who is she talking to?" Rodo questioned, he hadn't heard his wife this angry since...that event, nearly ten years ago. "Is it Narcissa? Is that why she isn't with you?"

Lucius bit out a sharp laugh. "I wish it was." he admitted and Rodo raised an eyebrow. Lucius adored his wife, it wasn't like him to say something so callous. "No it is someone much closer to her heart."

"THEY CAN'T ALWAYS STAY IN THAT GHASTLY HOUSE OF THEIRS!"

"Oh Merlin, your wife is going to get sent to Azkaban before the end of the day." moaned Lucius and Rodo couldn't find it within himself to deny that statement.

"OF COURSE I'LL LET YOU JOIN IN!"

"Scrap that." the blonde amended, finally nearing the Medical Room door, "Make that two cells in Azkaban."

Samael had awoken to the sound of birds singing happily, and to the bright light of the morning sun shining down onto his bare chest. He waited for his mind to clear, wincing at the bright sun, stinging his eyes. 'Did they make me sleep outdoors once more?' he questioned himself, peering around his surroundings, but instead of finding mud, leaves and gravel he found an ornate ceiling depicting golden-smiling cherubs and various intricate floral patterns. 'Malfoy Manor.' he murmured in something akin to surprise. 'I thought it must have been an illusion' he thought, shifting to the edge of the bed, feeling odd that the ache that had accompanied him his whole life was absent. 'I was in a horrible state after-all, I just thought that it was a dream my mind created for a dying boy.' he attempted to stand but found that his legs were too weak to hold his light weight, so with a resigned sigh he settled back into the deep mattress of the bed.

He watched the white-peacocks strut around the grounds below from the window to his left, a bemused smile on his features as he glanced at them. So haughty and arrogant, just like their owners, because as Samael took his time to remember the previous days events, he knew that the Malfoy's were a family whose arrogance was due to confidence in their abilities. Samael literally felt the room radiate with their power yesterday, as they healed and talked to him.

However with the memories of Malfoy Manor, the memories of the Durselys soon followed, and the small smile on the boys face transformed into a ferocious snarl. 'I'm 10 and that fat bastard still got me!' he silently fumed, glaring daggers at the window-pane. 'Another vow broken.' he thought dejectedly, sadness and anger fuelling his hate at his Muggle relatives.

The boy never noticed the power gathering in his hands until the music started playing, startled, he glanced down at his palms and blinked. A glowing, ruby-red orb sat comfortably in his cupped hands, music wafted from the small sphere, pulsating steadily as if it was a metronome. A small smile flitted across his face as he let the lyrics and beat wash over him.

"Five years ago, my life was affected by years of hope and learning life lessons. You let me know by leaving me helpless what then was unknown is now unprotected."(1)

Samael couldn't withhold the gasp which came from him when he heard those lyrics, his eyes flashing dangerously. All the serious abuse started five years prior, not as if the previous abuse was acceptable and normal. No, just meaning that when the small boy was a few weeks from his sixth birthday, which was, coincidentally the first time he performed magic – charming the toy soldiers on the living-room mat so that they performed their own battle for the giggling Dudley. After that first bout of magic, Vernon started using weapons to batter Samael with, and the child's body shivered with the memories of the belt being brought down upon his bare back.

It was also the year that Samael learnt the cruel facts of life, no-one would rescue him. Especially not the parents that left him defenceless in his personal Hell, in the hope that one day their small child would be their saviour. How little they knew, that their hope had been dashed and was never going to brought to life

'It's their fault.' Samael told himself, hugging his arms close to his battered body as the music trailed off to a close and the orb faded out of existence. 'They never should have done what they did, I am perfectly within my rights to hate them and get my revenge.' He murmured, and he felt an unknown emotions settle in his chest, he knew that it wasn't doubt, because the doubt for his future actions towards his parents had been cast away long ago. So what was this emotion he was feeling?

"Little one?" breathed a disbelieving voice from the doorway, Samael flinched at the sound, quickly casting his emeralds at the woman standing next to the potions cabinet. Inwardly he was berating himself for his lack of vigilance and awareness, though outwardly his face only showed neutral impassiveness. Although it was quite difficult to restrain himself from gaping towards the owner of the voice – Bellatrix Lestrange. His once prospective adoptive-mother, who was gazing at him with sad chocolate eyes.

He of course knew that he would see this woman today, Narcissa had told him only last-night that her sister would be arriving, but by the look on Lady Lestrange's face she was surprised. Had she not known? Samael tilted his head slightly to cast another look over her, she was slightly older than his dream showed her to be (which was to be expected of course), but her beauty was still unimaginable, a prized jewel, polished to perfection.

"Bellatrix Lestrange." he acknowledged, grateful that his vocal chords had been mended and it hardly pained him to speak, but also grateful that the catch in his throat could be blamed on his injured state also. Bellatrix smiled slightly at the greeting, slowly moving towards the bed, brown eyes never leaving the verdant ones before her. "My mother." he said only to see her reaction, but damn! It felt good to say it. The woman's smile grew even larger at the title, reaching a hand out to lovingly stroke one of the small boy's sunken cheeks.

"My little one." she whispered thickly, chocolate eyes suspiciously bright before they hardened into ice-cold chips of fury. "WHO THE HELL DID THIS TO YOU" she demanded, her voice as deadly as her eyes. Samael smiled frigidly at the woman, she was perfect in his opinion, he quietly informed her of his Muggle relatives, however his answer did nothing to assuage the anger burning the woman felt, if her next statement was to be true. "THOSE BASTARDS! I'LL CRUCIO THE LOT OF THEM! I SWEAR IT!"

The small boy on the bed chuckled lightly at the woman, even if he didn't know what exactly a 'crucio.' was, it seemed extremely painful. Samael gleefully smirked at that. "Severus informed me of a magical ward around the house." he told her to calm her down, the Malfoys were very accepting however he highly doubted they appreciated an irate and highly dangerous woman fuming in their medical room and shouting the Manor down.

However Samael's goal was sadly not achieved, as that fact just fuelled the woman "THEY CAN'T ALWAYS STAY IN THAT GHASTLY HOUSE OF THEIRS!" she screamed out, and Samael had to finally admit to himself that his attempts to calm the Lady Lestrange down, were not working. So instead, he answered her with a light voice.

"I doubt they cannot, mother. However I would like to partake in this little revenge session." Bella stilled, her face frozen until it formed into a slightly creepy smile, and if Samael dared to admit it – unhinged one too.

"OF COURSE I'LL LET YOU JOIN IN!" she declared happily, bouncing slightly on her toes, tapping her fingertips lightly together "After all." she explained, sitting gracefully on the edge of his bed "No Lestrange doesn't not know how to torture pathetic amoebas." Samael found that he liked this woman – a lot.

A sad smile danced across her face as she gently carded a pale-hand through the small boy's ebony locks. "I have waited so long for you." she whispered and Samael never knew how much longing those words could induce from him. "But I have got you now, and I am so sorry I never found you again my little one. You will forgive me won't you though? I – I was so broken without you, I needed to escape and – and I stopped searching. I thought it was fruitless you see? Dumbledore is such a powerful man and – and – I – dammit!" she cursed loudly, after realising she was babbling.

"It is just extremely difficult to put my feelings into words." she told him, and Samael thought he could cry just from the despair and pleading chocolate orbs before him – he hadn't cried for another in his whole life. He found himself nodding along slowly to her words, silently commanding her to continue; Bella smiled at him, relieved she could finally get these words off her chest.

"You just need to understand that I loved you so much, okay?" she asked, unconsciously increasing the pressure of her strokes with her words but Samael didn't want to stop her. If he was honest with himself, he needed to hear this too, to know that his dreams were real and that he wasn't an unloved freak like he had always been told. "I was so happy and grateful that my Lord allowed me to raise my own child, I knew he was pained from Rodo and I's inability to have children because I knew that he care for us. I never expected him to make you his blood-brother, my Lord wasn't impulsive, he carefully planned every detail to a mission so it surprised me, but it somehow just felt...right. And the magic you both displayed." she breathed, her eyes lost in some distant memory.

"It was breathtaking, but then it all went wrong. Dumbledore arrived, it was chaos, I wanted to take you to safety, away from the meddling old fool. You were mine!" she shouted so passionately that she didn't even acknowledge the arrival of two men in the room. The tall dark-haired man firstly glanced neutrally at Samael, then his eyes flickered to his wife and how she interacted with the child on the bed. If he reacted to Samael's injured state he didn't show it, which the boy was grateful for, he had had quite enough of the pitying looks.

"But my – my Lord." she choked out and Samael slowly raised a stick-thin arm to brush away the tears glistening at the edges of her eyes. "He held you so protectively to his chest, I think he wanted to give me time to escape and then he would apparate himself away, but then again I'll never know. Maybe he was panicking, we were the only things he only cared for, maybe he lost all his cunning plans, I honestly don't know. But like I said, I was a wreck afterwards. I had lost my Lord, I had lost you, the papers were hailing you as a hero, saying you had defeated my Lord, it just wasn't true! But I couldn't speak out! If it wasn't for Rodo I would have wasted away. But then I didn't search for you, I didn't even try! And look what has happened to you! Everything has gone wrong!" she shouted and she only just heard Samael's quiet response.

"Mother, mother. I do not blame you." he said simply. "I understand it would have been impossible to find me, Severus explained it all. The location, the wards, your emotional state, everything was against you. The only people I blame for what happened are the Potters and Dumbledore. It was their decision to place me with the Dursleys, they knew of the abuse and yet they never visited me, never rescued me, they thought photos and letters would satisfy the needs of a needy child." he told her simply, before staring intently into her eyes. "So I will never blame you for what happened, do you understand?"

The witch nodded and then softly said. "You're so mature my little one. You're too mature for your age."

Samael lifted one shoulder nonchalantly at her statement "C'est la vie, mother, c'est la vie." However the pained sigh that escaped his throat, negated his indifference.

"I will kill them." she growled out and Samael could not withhold the exasperated smile on his face, noticing that the dark-haired man was slowly approaching Bella from behind.

"We have already established this mother, and we have also established the fact that I'm going to assist. Do you have a castration spell in your repertoire?" he asked darkly, ignoring the startled look on Bellatrix's face.

"I do." stated the deep tenor voice which belonged to Rodolphus Lestrange, Bella jumped at the sound of her husband's voice before quickly grabbing his hand in a vice-tight grip.

"They've found our little one." she stated hoarsely and Samael could hardly miss the deep-loving smile Rodolphus gave his wife.

"I have noticed, Bella. How are you doing Harry?" he asked in a thoughtful voice, assessing the boy in front of him, noting the grimace which settled across his features when he heard his name.

"I am better than I was, sir." he answered honestly and respectfully to the man, who nodded in return and smiled slightly. "Although I do ask whether I could be named Samael, I have never been Harry Potter. That is." he paused, looking at the man who would have been his father through his eyelashes. "If you would allow it, sir." he continued, remembering that names were normally given to a child from their parents.

"Samael is a fitting name for the Lestrange heir." Rodolphus accepted the name with a smirk, "Welcome to the family son."

The Ministry of Magic was a chaotic place in Samael's opinion but his disinterested face hid the curiosity within him, as he watched the witches and wizards hurrying hither and dither in the crowded atrium. What Samael found most interesting was the fact that, no matter how busy the Ministry employees were, they always slowed once they noticed the approaching figure of Lucius Malfoy. The crowds always parted once they saw the blonde coming their way, some even found it necessary to nod respectfully at him, and Samael had to fight down the smirk that was threatening to spread across his face. He had a part to play after all – even if his companions were unaware of it.

Samael cursed the longer legs on the three adults as he continued to lag behind them, he paused to lean heavily onto his hindrance – a beautiful cane. Sleek polished mahogany wood length, topped with a silver raven, wings flared as if in flight; it was a gorgeous cane and Samael would have adored it, if he wasn't in need of it. With those thoughts, his grip tightened on the handle and he quickly limped after the other three, silently snarling at the Dursleys, who had caused Samael to permanently walk with a limp.

"Ah Lucius! And Bella and Rodolphus! You''re back in the country I see." a jovial voice greeted them once they walked into a large office, and the tall blonde smiled at the newcomer. An average sized. middle-aged man with hazel hair, dressed in fairly-expensive, yet worn robes sat behind a desk, cluttered with smiling photos of children "I do hope nothing is wrong with Draco." he worriedly said, attempting to rise from his chair, but Lucius waved him down with a charming smile.

"Thank you for your concern Mr. Brockling, but Draco is perfectly well, however this young man is not" he stated with a frown and a gesture towards Samael. "My brother and sister-in-law here would like to adopt him because he has been raised in deplorable conditions." Mr. Brockling glanced at the Lestranges and then at the small, emaciated, pale boy, silently holding Bellatrix's robes.

"Lucius, you know that I cannot just remove a child from his guardians." he said with a placating smile, wincing at the small protesting whimper the child released.

"Mr. Brockling you know I would not come to you if the situation was not grave. And I will not stand by and let this child continue to live with his relatives!" he quietly yet vehemently said, "I have the medical reports from when we first found him." Lucius added in a controlled voice, handing over several sheets of parchment, which the Ministry worker hesitantly accepted.

"Okay Lucius I will review these but I will need to have a word with the child." Mr. Brockling acquiesced, rising from his chair to lead the adults from the room. However Samael gripped Bellatrix's robes tightly, small sobs echoing from his shaking frame. Lucius lifted an eyebrow at the boy, Rodolphus frowned and Bellatrix looked about ready to cry.

"Can I stay with him?" Bellatrix asked, casting deploring eyes onto the sad pale-green ones of Mr. Brockling.

"I'm sorry Bellatrix, but I'll have to speak to him alone." Samael let out a quiet moan at the words but released his hold on the woman's robes, sniffed then gave the four adults a small watery smile. Mr. Brockling smiled widely at this and led the other people out of the room, missing the wink and smirk Samael sent to his companions.

"We won't be long Bella, Rodolphus." he told the couple, directed more towards the woman who still looked as if she was about to burst into tears. Mr. Brockling noted with a pleased smile that Rodolphus circled his arms around her waist and murmured words into her ears.

"We understand, Mr. Brockling." Lucius said, sitting upon the leather chairs in the corridor, "Just ensure that you look at the report."

"Okay, Lucius." he answered, hand freezing on the door-handle as he quickly skimmed through the parchment in his hands, face paling with each injury he read. "B-but this is abominable, how could anyone do this!" he questioned the other adults, who sadly had no answer. "Of course I'll get him away from them, but I need the statement from him – bloody red tape." he grumbled darkly.

"Thank you Percival." Lucius said, and the other Minsitry worker nodded stiffly in return. "I trust that we'll have you're utmost secrecy on this?" he questioned and Mr. Brockling nodded once more.

"Of course, once I've signed the papers, only I can access them and others can only access them with your approval." he informed them, opening the door to his office once more, leaving three smug purebloods behind him.

"So young man." Percival said to the small boy who was stood in the exact same place he was only a few minutes prior. "Take a seat and we'll just have a little chat." he told him jovially, sitting behind his desk, angrily noticing that the boy complied quickly despite his injuries, fear radiating from his body

"Would you like some juice?" he asked, frowning as the boy hurriedly shook his head, fingers clenched tightly together. "That's fine." he said, picking his quill from where it was resting near the ink, once again noticing the flinch from the small boy.

"Well let us start then." Percival said happily, dipping the nib into the ink. "My name is Percival Albert Brockling, but my friends just call me Perce. What is your name?" he asked, writing 'Harry' onto the parchment as soon as it was out of the boy's lips.

"Any other names, Harry? After all my mother put an Albert in my name, what about you?" he enquired, the smile never leaving his face.

"It's Harry James P-Potter." he answered, flinching as Percival's smile faltered slightly, however it was quickly replaced with a grin.

"Mothers and the middle names, huh?" Percival joked, whilst seething on the inside. 'This is Harry Potter, saviour to the wizarding world? How could they do this to him?' "Whilst we're talking about mothers Harry, what is your mother called?"

"Lily I think." he answered with an unsure expression. "And I think my dad is called James." Percival let out a deep breath at the answer and Harry glanced fearfully at him through his lashes.

"You have done nothing wrong Harry." Percival assured him gently, watching the boy visibly relax at the words. "But you don't live with your parents do you?" A head shaken was the answer. "Can you tell me who you live with?"

"U - Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia and Dudley." Harry said, twiddling his thumbs slowly.

"And are they nice?" Percival doubted the boy's hurried affirmation. "They are? So you get nice things for your birthday then?" Percival nearly flinched himself as the boy broke into tears, biting hard on his bottom lip to make no sound.

Perce didn't know what to do, he had hardly any experience with abused children, he mostly had to deal with the paperwork and the occasional adoption of an orphan – nothing this severe. If this child had not been abused, he would have hurriedly pulled him into his arms and whisper assurances, however this child flinched with every move he made and watched him like a hawk. And Perce was quite sure that if he embraced the boy in any way the child would enter a full-blown panic attack, so it came as an angry surprise yet when he heard the small boy stutter out his apologies.

"It is all right Harry." he told the boy in a soothing voice. "You have done nothing wrong, but why did you cry? Did your uncle and aunt do something bad?" he enquired gently, gritting his teeth as Harry quickly shook his head, but he carried on nonetheless. "Because if they did then it isn't your fault. And I won't tell them anything that you have told me, everything you will tell me will be kept a secret from them. So can you tell me again, did your aunt and uncle hurt you?"

"N-no." he whimpered, hugging his chest tightly. Perce was about to sight however he stopped as he heard the quiet 'Yes' fall from Harry's lips and the petrified eyes gazing pleadingly into his. "P-P-Please don't tell them I told you."

"I won't Harry, you have my word." he told the boy with a smile, grateful that the conversation was heading in the correct direction, however wary about the amounts of alcoholic beverages he was going to consume after listening to the boy.

An hour later, Percival asked the three adults back into his office, and as soon as Bellatrix saw the red-eyed but content Samael, she hurried and embraced him. "If you'll take a seat." he offered, waving a hand to where 3 armchairs were, Bella sat next to her husband, pulling Samael into her lap.

"Harry and I have had a little talk and I've decided that it is in his best interest to live with you – Bella and Rodolphus." Percival told them, smiling warmly as Harry smiled brightly at him. "Harry has also asked to change his name, which doesn't pose a problem as his surname will change anyway."

Bella and Rodolphus nodded at him with their agreement. "He will now be known as Samael Cygnus Lestrange, so if you just sign the papers here, here and here. And write your initials here and here." he instructed, offering a quill and the parchment towards the married couple,

"The Potters cannot challenge this can they?" Rodolphus asked, smiling at his wife's mumbled 'I'd like to see them try.' Percival seemed to hear her too as he chuckled warmly.

"No, I'm not honour-bound to inform them, because technically they gave all rights over to the Dursleys as soon as he was in their care for over three years with no personal contact from his parents." he spat out venomously.

"Good." Rodolphus answered firmly. "Because I would have hated getting my robes bloody." Percival smirked at him with cruelty and fondness.

"Blood is hard to get out of the clothes." he agreed, chuckling at Bellatrix's loud laughs and Samael's small whines at being jostled on his mother's lap. "And I sincerely hope you give those disgusting monsters Hell. All five of them." he said darkly, pleased as the three adults agreed vehemently.

"He will be accepted at Hogwarts?" Lucius asked the Ministry worker; arching a slender, blonde eyebrow as he effectively broke the thick, blood-lusted tension in the room.

"Yes, he should receive a letter tomorrow at the latest and his name shall appear on the Lestrange family tree." he informed them genially "However 'Harry Potter' will not be removed from the Potter tree as he is technically still alive."

Bellatrix nodded at the words before gently pushing Samael off her knee in order to stand and offer her hand to Percival. "Thank you Mr. Brockling. We are grateful for all you have done." she said sincerely, smiling as the Ministry worker placed a chaste kiss to her knuckles – ignoring the glare her husband sent her way.

"Please, please, Bella." he said happily. "You're praise will only make an old man like me blush. Besides just consider the life-debt I owed your father fulfilled and despite all that, I'd help any child in need, it's just my way."

"Honourable words, Percival." Lucius said, shaking his hand and exiting the room.

"The House of Lestrange thanks your efforts Percival Brockling." Rodolphus stated coldly, following his brother-in-law out of the doorway.

"Goodbye, young Mr. Lestrange." Percival told the beaming boy who was limping next to his mother.

"Goodbye Perce." he chirped happily, softly shutting the door behind him.

"So what was that all about?" questioned Rodolphus Samael once they had flooed into Malfoy Manor, the boy glanced at the man's confused face and smirked. Rodolphus wasn't the quickest broom on the pitch, but he was kind and according to an adoring Bella, brilliant with curses.

"Well I hardly think Perce would have found a sarcastic child the synonymous of an abused one, Rodo." he drawled. "And I rather thought my act would have brought us much more satisfying results, than my usual self."

"You're quite good at acting then. Charming and powerful, I am very proud of my heir" his father complimented absently, and Samael fingered the wings of the raven cane, refusing to meet Rodolphus' eyes. Luckily Rodolphus hadn't noticed and just continued with his usual half-thought through comments. "I honestly thought Bella was going to tear down the door, if you hadn't winked at her." His only reply was a light chuckle and an indignant slap across the face from his wife. "Hello dear." he greeted Bellatrix.

"I can see you like insulting me when I'm not around." she said, walking past her husband to stand next to Samael.

"You shouldn't have flirted with Perce then." he retorted idly.

"I was not flirting!" she denied, waving her arms for emphasis.

"I find it difficult to believe, Bella." he answered, face expressionless but voice amused.

"Are they always like this?" Samael questioned Lucius who had just appeared in the doorway of the sitting room.

"I'm afraid so." he answered with an exasperated sigh.

"So I've been adopted by two children." he stated, gripping his cane, sidestepping his mother and walking quickly towards the blonde.

"It looks like it." he said, leading the boy away from the squabbling couple. "Perhaps we should have warned you."

"It would have been appreciated." Samael's acerbic tones answered. "Where are we going?" he asked once they had travelled down several corridors.

"To the Library, I think you may want to read up on the wizarding world. Most children attend the Primary school for two years, where they learn the basics to society and to magic, so I thought you would like to have to same knowledge because of the act you will play in public."

'Who doesn't have an act?' Samael questioned himself, entering the library with a small smile. "Thank you Lucius." he said. "For everything, the cane, the healing, the adoption." he listed, leaning against the window-pane with a grimace.

"It was no problem, you were my nephew as soon as my Lord named you Bellatrix and Rodolphus' son." he answered smoothly. "How is your leg?" he enquired, noticing the sigh which escaped the boy's lips.

"As well as expected." he said indifferently, "It flared up when I had walked around for too long, but mostly it just twinges occasionally."

"I see. And there is nothing else that can be done?"

"No." he said with a shake of his head. "Narcissa said that because my ankle had been broken too many times and healed incorrectly, that just breaking and re-setting will not fix the problem. And re-growing the bones is out of the question also, because it will only cause me to be incapacitated more severely. I am afraid I am a lost cause on that front." he said with a disinterested voice.

"You're very care-free about the situation." noted the blonde and the boy simply raised an eyebrow.

"Believe me Lucius I am angry, however it is not you I am angry at, it is the Dursleys. However I find no reason to take my fury out on you, and I find no incentive to seek a solution for a problem which is impossible to find. I guess one could say that I have accepted the situation."

"Wise words." Lucius complimented, 'Perhaps too wise' "Is that Draco I see?" he asked his small companion, who merely shook his head lightly in amusement, not even glancing in the direction indicated, knowing that the child was indeed in the far corner of the Library.

"If you know it is he, Lucius, why bother asking?" he enquired, limping over to where he himself saw the smaller blonde when he entered. "Farewell Lucius." he called over his shoulder as an afterthought.

A/N: So uh...yeah. It was sort of a filler chapter, but you know. *shrugs shoulders*

Sorry it took so long - especially after I told some of you that I had almost finished it! Sorry, maybe a review could help ease your anger ;)

I didn't really like this chapter, it just didn't seem...right to me.

(1) Erase My Scars by Evans Blue – not mine!