A/N: Alright guys, band camp is utter hell. Honestly, I've been to four practices, and I'm already going to die. You can skip this if you want. It's just going to be me ranting. So, this year, I'm a section leader. Yay. Well, I've only got three people in my section (go low woodwinds!). One freshman, one sophomore and one junior. My junior is a pompous windbag who thinks he's the greatest thing since sliced bread. My sophomore is probably my favorite because I don't have any trouble with him at all. But my freshman hadn't shown up. He'd been at an amusement park for the first two days. Uhm. No. We've begun setting our marching show (Les Miserables!) already and he's missed at least six sets. Not too much, but it's going to take so much for a freshman to make that up since he can't read drill charts. Ugh, the frustration. But he's a gentleman so I forgive him, haha. He always carries my stand for me! On top of that, people don't even treat me like I'm a section leader because my section is so small. It's not my fault for crying out loud! I prefer my small section! But damn, at least respect me *cough cough other section leaders* And I'm already burnt. I have a really fair complextion and I burn so incredibly fast. Yay for being a redhead. Onto the story because you people probably hate me by now!
Oh, warnings, there is cursing and some abuse in this chapter. Sorry!
~~~xxx~~~
The Potter Lord and Lady apparated directly through the wards on Potter Manor and landed in the sitting room. Guests who were keyed in would land in the entrance hall while everyone trusted and specially set with the wards could go directly to the sitting room. Immediately, Charlus set to turning the wards against Lord Abraxas Malfoy. He would keep his son and son-in-law safe no matter what the cost. When the wards were changed, he would immediately be trapped in a full-body bind. If he managed to break out of it somehow, the wards would send a powerful shock through him, much like a bolt of lightning, should he try to enter any of the rooms. The wards on the rooms themselves would then alert Aurors. He specifically set up ancient protection runes and wards around the doors of Lucius and Harry's room, as well as his own. They'd been passed down generation to generation, from Potter father to Potter son, stemming from the Peverells. Their ancestors had been the inspiration for the story in the book The Tales of Beedle the Bard. Charlus knew from old family stories and texts that Ignatius Peverell, the holder of the invisibility cloak, was a direct ancestor. He was also a master of runes and an overall genius much deserving of Ravenclaw.
He stopped with a sigh and wiped his brow. What an interesting turn of events this had been. The quartet was sitting in the tea room, enjoying an afternoon cup. Dorea and Lyra were discussing the latest fashions while Charlus and Abraxas were discussing politics. The conversation grew ugly at the mention of the Dark Lord.
~~~Flashback~~~
"I'm telling you, this man is a genius, Potter! Such ideals, such power...it is a sacrifice well worth making!" Abraxas shouted across the table at his in-law.
"No Malfoy, it is not! I will not allow my son to be wedded to a sacrificial lamb! He will not be involved in any war whatsoever. The Potter family has always been a darker shade of Grey, but he will be just that, Grey! He will be neutral and be safe. I know my son. He is Slytherin, through and through. His self-preservation will not allow him or his husband to get involved like a reckless Gryffindor." Charlus growled. He could practically visualize the smoke coming from Abraxas's ears as he stood and slammed his hands down on the table.
"Are you calling me a reckless Gryffindor!?" He roared. Charlus got in his face in response. He'd seen the mark as Abraxas had slammed his hands down on the table. He'd already taken the mark.
"Yes. I. Am." Charlus growled through gritted teeth, holding the other man by the collar. A shout and wands pressed against their respective necks broke them apart.
"Stop it you two! Behaving like children! How dare you? You are both Pureblood Lords, now act like it and not like two schoolchildren! Abraxas Septimus Malfoy, you will do no such thing with my baby boy! You will not gift him to your lord, I don't care!" Lyra cried, her wand digging into her husbands neck painfully. He stormed off with a huff, likely to his own rooms.
"I apologize for my actions." Charlus murmured. The "but-I-am-right" went without saying. With a sigh, Lyra flopped inelegantly back into her seat, Dorea by her side.
"I accept your apology, Charlus. It wasn't you. It was my moronic husband. How dare he offer up his son so nonchalantly? Does he not care at all? Or is he too blinded by his own beliefs that he does not see that Lucius is finally happy?" At the confused looks coming from the Potters, she continued.
"My husband rarely shows affection, even to me. Our marriage was arranged by his father, my darling father-in-law. He is a cold man. We've grown to care for each other, but is it truly love? I don't know. He rarely speaks those three words that mean so much. I know he cares, but he isn't very apt at showing his feelings. When Lucius was just a baby he showered him and I with love. But when he turned about five, he was no longer allowed to call him daddy. It was father. No more hugs, no more kisses. Just handshakes and cold unfeelingness. The only affection Lucius gained in his childhood was from me. I know he longed for his father to tell him that he loved him, but he only did it twice. Instead, he turned to his money. But money and material things do not show love and caring like a hug would." Lyra muttered, one hand rubbing a side of her face. Dorea immediately pulled her into a hug.
"I don't understand how people can treat their children like that. I mean, I agree with teaching them Pureblood tradition, but that is just horrible. Charlus and I made sure our children knew we loved them through any means necessary. Well, until..." Dorea trailed off with a wince. Lyra squeezed her back. She knew how the disowning of her oldest son affected her.
~~~xxx~~~
Abraxas Malfoy was an angry man. His son, Lucius, had up and disappeared. His wife, Lyra, had chosen to stay in a different wing, avoiding him completely. He knew his son was at Potter Manor with his brat of a husband, but he'd tried to enter once. He wasn't stupid enough to do that again. He'd been shocked within an inch of his life thanks to the damned Potter wards. He'd forgotten about Charlus Potter's secret skill.
Now, he dressed in pitch black robes and his white mask that signified his death eater status. He tapped his mark and instantly apparated to his lord's side about a half an hour before the meeting was set to start. He saw two of his lord's inner circle standing with heads bowed as they murmured to him. Romulus Lestrange and Alfonse Rosier were whispering reverently to the Dark Lord. He looked up at the arrival of Abraxas, and gave a sinister smile.
"Malfoy...I hear your son has refused..." Voldemort hissed darkly. Abraxas gave an audible gulp and kneeled before his lord. Alfonse looked upon him with pity as a crucio was sent his way. Romulus gave a gleeful chuckle as his lord permitted him to join in on the fun. It was no secret that Malfoy and Lestrange had held a long-standing grudge since Hogwarts. His enemy cried out in sheer agony as the force of two crucios hit him at once. Before his vision went black, he saw his lord standing above him with a disappointed look on his face.
"You disappoint me, Malfoy..."
~~~xxx~~~
Abraxas stumbled in after the meeting, wincing at the pain caused by his movement. He made his way to his study slowly as his knees threatened to buckle several times. He clung to the wall before he sat in his favorite overstuffed armchair, sighing in relief. He summoned a tumbler and his glass of firewhiskey. He certainly needed a drink.
This was all the woman's fault. If Lucius had been raised as he was, certainly he would have seen reason and agreed with his cause! But no. The bitch had shown his son the more pitiful side of humanity. Love. Affection. Caring. All emotions no one truly needed. He'd shown his wife what she wanted to see. That he did not love her, but cared for her. He snorted. He'd never stoop to that level. His father taught him that he was above that. And his mother had agreed and had assisted in his rearing, not sabotaged it. He thought about his mother with an emotion that could be mistaken for admiration and affection. She was a Pureblood from the Dolohov family, one of three daughters and a son. Valentina Malfoy was a strong woman, always teaching him that Malfoys were the best and above the rest of the pitiful world. The rest of the world would lick his boots if he so desired. She raised him in the Old Ways, never really showing true love and affection, always treating him like a mini-adult to be trained in the ways of his elders.
That was it. Lyra Malfoy had ruined their heir and ruined him as well. The Dark Lord was deciding whether or not to banish him from the inner circle. He, a Malfoy! One of his most loyal subjects! The only thing that woman was good for was her blood and her ability to bear him an heir. But now, she may be of another use. He could always sacrifice her to his lord. Granted, it wouldn't be as wonderful a gift as his son, but perhaps his lord would like a toy.
~~~xxx~~~
Lyra cried out in shock as her husband stormed drunkenly into her rooms. She'd been preparing for bed when the wards pinged, letting her know that someone keyed in had arrived. She assumed he had departed and of course, had returned. Since she knew Lucius would not be idiotic enough to come home and none of their friends would call that late at night, it had to be her blinded husband.
She was roughly hauled up by her night robe as Abraxas growled in her face. She gave a disgusted look at the thick smell of alcohol on his breath.
"You! This is ALL your fault, woman!" He roared, causing her to cringe. He slapped her once, dead in the face. Apparently he'd forgotten that he was a wizard and could do far worse if he so chose to. She fell to the floor then staggered backwards when he dropped her. She hunted for the wand she knew she'd left on the night table when he grinned eerily at her.
"Looking for this, love?" He taunted sweetly. She made a dive for him and, with his slowed reflexes, managed to snatch the wand from his hands. She took off toward the sitting room in order to floo to Potter Manor. She knew she'd be safe there. If she apparated, she knew she'd splinch herself in her current state.
"Didn't your mother ever teach you it's inappropriate to run around in only your night robe and gown!? Get back here and let me teach you a lesson! Better yet! I'll allow my lord to teach you! You're going to be his toy since your damned son won't serve!" Abraxas hollered after her, his slurred speech making it incredibly hard to understand him. She panicked and grabbed for the floo powder, knocking over the entire jar in her haste.
"Now look what you done..." Abraxas slurred from the doorway. Quicker than he should've been, he crossed the room and grabbed on to her outer robe. She jerked it off with a shriek and stepped into the fireplace, shouting for Potter Manor.
~~~xxx~~~
Sobbing drew the Potters' and Malfoys' attention as they sat in the sitting room quietly before heading off to bed for the night. Harry busied himself with a book on potions and snuggled into his husband's side. Lucius was also reading, but a book of charms. Charlus and Dorea sat on another couch. Dorea sewed quietly. Though she was a Pureblood witch, she still enjoyed doing her cross-stitching by hand the muggle way. It was so much more rewarding. Charlus was looking over business records, carefully watching his stocks as to maximize his returns.
Harry and Lucius were the first up and out of the room, as their youth allowed them to be quick. They found Lyra sitting in the fireplace sobbing in only her nightgown. Harry rushed to her side, helping her up and brushing her off as Charlus and Dorea rushed into the room.
"Oh dear. Wibbly!" Charlus called. Dorea joined her son and son-in-law at the woman's side.
"He said...he'd said he'd give me to his lord...to be his toy..." She cried. She was taught better than this by her parents, but her emotions could not be placed in check at the moment. Not only had her husband of 17 years run her out of the house with threats of giving her to the dark lord, but also had threatened their son, his own flesh and blood! It was enough. She'd contact her family's solicitor in the morning. An annullment of their marriage was in order. Hopefully, she wouldn't have to fight Abraxas on this.
~~~xxx~~~
Lucius was seeing red. Together, he, Harry, Charlus and Dorea had watched Lyra's memories in an enlarged pensieve. He watched his father roar and stumble drunkenly, slap his mother, then threaten her with a "lesson." It was more than enough to make his blood boil. A calming arm on his forearm brought him back to reality.
"There is a time for revenge later. But right now, Mama Lyra needs us." Harry whispered softly. He remembered the day his mother had told Harry to call her Mama Lyra.
~~~Flashback~~~
"Hello, Lady Malfoy." Harry murmured respectfully, eyes downcast. Fingers grasping his chin forced him to bring his eyes back to the woman in front of him. She was a gorgeous brunette with honey colored eyes and delicate pale skin. Her long hair framed her face perfectly and her robes were of the latest fashion. She cut quite the figure and, as Harry would come to discover, this was her casual wear. She gave him an assuring smile
"Dear, I am to be your mother-in-law. I don't believe Lady Malfoy is quite appropriate considering how closely we will be related, don't you think?" With a shy affirmation, Harry smiled. She gave him a gentle grin, blinding him.
"Well, I don't believe Mother or Mama would quite do, because your mother would likely get jealous. Lyra is still too formal for my tastes and Lady Malfoy just won't do. I know! Mama Lyra!" She exclaimed with a wide grin. Harry's eyes widened before he returned the smile full force.
Lucius hid a grin behind one hand. They would be such a happy family.
~~~End Flashback~~~
'Not too happy now...' Lucius thought to himself as he hugged his mother. She squeezed him tightly as she did the same to Harry on the other side, but neither minded. They both knew she needed this and, to be honest, they both enjoyed the hugs.
What a twisted web the fates had weaved for them.
~~~xxx~~~
A/N: Okay, so several people have pointed out to me that I had named Lucius's mother Octavia in the second chapter then suddenly changed to Lyra. WHOOPS. Haha, I think I've deleted the original document, so I'll have to copy and paste and replace it with the mistake fixed. I kinda forgot I named her... xD Anywho, so! I have band camp from 8:30-5 this week, so wish me luck! Though, where I live, it's actually going to be unseasonably cool. I'm liking this.