1Fight the Good Fight
Chapter:Bacon, Eggs, and Lucius Malfoy
The next few days passed uneventfully. Well, as uneventfully as possible for Ivera, who was still plagued with recurrent night terrors. Hermione, Ginny, Ron, Harry, Fred, Ivera, Sam, George, Ivera's father, and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were all seated at the large table in the dining room eating a breakfast of toast, bacon, eggs, and porridge, the entire room chatting animatedly, when suddenly, out of the fireplace shot six envelope's, all six landing in a neat stack in the middle of the table, next to the pitcher of pumpkin juice, all six bearing the Hogwarts seal. The teens (except Fred and George) looked to each other, then back to the letters anxiously, excitedly, save Ivera, who gulped slightly at the sight of the top letter, the one with her name on it, written in the familiar, neat scrawl. She slowly reached over, picking up the letter."Is it?", Hermione asked eagerly. Looking the letter over, Ivera felt a rush of enthusiasm and warmth come to her face as she smiled, "Yes!". Immediately, the other five pounced upon their designated letters, tearing them open to read their contents. As they read off their lists, Mrs. Weasley looked to Mr. Weasley and Marcus. "Well", she said, "I suppose this means we're off to Diagon Alley!".
That is exactly where they went. Diagon Alley was filled with witches and wizards alike, as it is ought to be. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley accompanied the six teenagers, and Fred and George decided to tag along. Marcus had been designated to stay back at headquarters, in case any urgent messages were to come through. As they walked, Fred took Ivera's hand in his own, ignoring the look of surprise from Ron, the questioning raised eyebrows from Ginny, and the small smile shared between Hermione and Harry.
With all their shopping done except for the new 6th year books, they group headed into Flourish and Blotts(Ginny gets Ron's hand-me-down books). Upon entering the shop, the boys headed in one direction, and the girls in another, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley chatting quietly in the store front. While Hermione and Ivera were excitedly discussing a piece of literature on the history of transfiguration spells, Ginny leaned against a loaded bookshelf, tracking the conversation with apparent interest. Several minutes in, she interrupted them both with a fit of laughter. Hermione and Ivera both turned toward her with quizzical expressions. "Ginny, er, are you alright?" Ivera asked uncertainly.
Ginny opened her mouth to reply, but was cut off when a cold, sneering young voice spoke, "Of course it's a Weasley. I could feel the value of this place going down, not to mention you can hear the cackling from the back of the shop". All three girls whipped around to come face to face, or rather, face to chest, with none other than Draco Malfoy. Just a glance at the white blonde hair and cold gray eyes, Ivera was frozen, her heart beating in her throat, her stomach dropping to the floor. "Obviously you can't see when you're not wanted Malfoy", Hermione spat, her voice shaking slightly. Immediately, the tall boy's attention was turned towards Hermione, and with disgust he spat, "I don't think I was talking to you, filthy little Mudblood", then he literally spat, right at Hermione's feet. For some reason this snapped Ivera out of her seize.
Before anyone, even Ivera knew what was happening, her arm whipped out like a flash, striking Draco across the face with a loud SMACK! But apparently, that was not the only thing that had happened unexpectedly. Ivera's eyes glowed fierce, a deep yellowish copper, brightly flecked with gold, and her teeth had become sharper and elongated. Malfoy cursed aloud, wiping his lip, which had been split from the force of the blow. He turned back to Ivera but when he saw those great big eyes, ones he was all too familiar with, though not on her; he was speechless.
"Don't", Ivera growled deeply, "don't you ever speak to my friends like that Draco Malfoy, or you will live to regret it". Malfoy seemed to regain himself slightly, "You know you can do a lot better than them. Beggars and Mud-". This time, it was Draco who was cut off by a cold voice. This time however, it was Malfoy Sr., not Malfoy Jr. that had snuck up to the scene unnoticed. "Be polite Draco, after all", he said looking pointedly at Ivera, still in her transformed state, "we are all civilized here". Ginny and Hermione glared, while Ivera gave a low growl. If the older Malfoy had been shocked by her appearance, he did not let it show.
Images of green jets of light played in her mind again and again. Cruel laughter reverberated in her mind. The vivid picture of her mother's body falling to the ground, then laying still. Her own screams of pain and grief echoed in her mind. Lucius smirked cruelly as he watched her struggle to keep the pain and horror under control, as she fought the images he was sending her. Then he got a chilling idea, chillingly amusing, in his opinion. Ivera's mind went back to the jets of green light, only this time, it was different. She was not watching Lucius fire the deadly spell, but it was her own arm holding his wand, her own joy, her own cruelty. Draco gritted his teeth and kept quiet as he watched his father doing something to his only friend, the only person who ever really listened to him. He felt like such a coward.
Ivera gasped and in an instant, sank to the floor, legs failing. Ginny and Hermione both whipped towards her in alarm to help keep her from falling. Seeing the single tear that trickled down the side of her cheek, they both turned angrily back to the Malfoys. Ivera, now transformed back to her normal self, looked up from underneath her raven curtain and whispered bitterly, "You bastard". Her two friends helped her stand up, while her other friend stood, ashamed of his blood.
Lucius Malfoy tsked her curse. "Ahh", he said, "what would your mother think, Ivera dear, if she knew you were being such a rude little child? What would dear Olivia say"? In an instant, Ivera had drawn her wand and held it mid-high, so it was not obvious to others in the store, but the five involved, could clearly see. Her voice shook with emotion and her eyes burned copper-gold flecked again as she snarled, "Don't you dare talk about my mother. Don't you befoul her name on your filthy lips! Murderer!".
Looking down at the wand in her pale, feminine hand, Lucius chuckled. "My dear girl, you have neither the will, nor the ability", he breathed with a small smile, mocking her. Ignoring his smile she replied in a snarling whisper, a feral grin on her face, played up with her pointed fangs, "Oh I don't know about that Mr. Malfoy. I certainly have motivation, wouldn't you say? And as for the ability, I think I can manage. You have to mean it...and I mean it Mr. Malfoy". Ivera prodded over the curse in her mind, the one that would end Malfoy Sr. and send her to Azkaban. The overall affect of her appearance and words, was truly frightening.
The four teens could see Lucius grit his jaw as his hand began to work on the end of his cane, grinding it, not bringing out his wand, but making his threat clear. He started to begin with another smooth line, but a familiar voice was heard, calling Ivera's name.
"Ivy!", Fred called, causing her to look towards his voice, lowering her wand. Coming towards them was Fred, George, Sam, Ron, and Harry, all of which, looked angry. Lucius chuckled quietly. The boys came to stand around the girls, except Sam, who came up to her right, slightly behind her, and Fred, who moved in to stand next to Ivera, taking her hand boldly. None but Lucius noticed his son cringe as he did so, Draco forcing down the jealousy blossoming in his belly. Ron stood by Hermione, and Harry by Ginny, and George between the two girls.
"Is there a problem here...Sir?", Fred added the last part with as much disrespect as the word would allow. Lucius looked up at Fred, and smiled, "No my dear boy, why on earth would you think that? The five of us were just having a quiet, polite conversation. However, I do think it is time that we got going". Fred looked him coldly in the eye saying in a polite tone that was threatening at the same time, "You know what Mr. Malfoy? I think that is a very good idea". "Yeah", Sam echoed Fred's tone, moving closer, "I think maybe it's time you left". With a small flick of his wrist, Sam withdrew his wand, and it was pointed firmly against Malfoy Sr.'s chest, jabbing him slightly. There was an unmistakable hatred in his gaze, and a loathing in his edged voice as he added, "Stay away from my sister Mr. Malfoy", emphasizing each word by giving a hard jab with his wand and have a very nice day". The whole time he spoke, Sam did not break eye contact or even blink. It was Lucius who first looked away, to Fred, who glared at him without cease, mirroring the hatred in Sam's eyes. They held one another's gaze for a lingering moment, until Lucius looked away, speaking curtly, "Come along Draco, we must be on our way".
The two Malfoys turned and began to walk away, when the older stopped and remarked over his shoulder, "Oh, and Miss O'Connor, do expect a call soon, Fenrir has been missing you so". A surge of panic ran through Ivera's body at his words, and as swiftly as the Malfoys had come, they were gone.