Chapter 20
Kingsley put down his morning edition of the Prophet, the story of Harry Potter's stay in St. Mungo's due to "physical exhaustion" was featured, complete with an interview with Acting Headmaster Severus Snape explaining how the boy needed rest and time to recuperate. Kingsley put the paper down and was reaching for a memo when an owl came soaring through the window. The bird dropped a letter onto his desk. Thinking that the note might be from Severus, Kingsley unrolled the parchment as the owl flew out the window. As he read the missive, his mind went blank:
I want you. Always you. Only you. Forever. I Similau.
Kingsley wasn't sure what you think. He'd read that somewhere before. The Auror sat quietly for a few moments before he summoned Percy.
"Yes, Sir?" the young man said as he entered Kingsley's office.
"Please, ask Mr. Malfoy to come to my office," Kingsley said.
"Of course," Percy said. A few moments later the Undersecretary returned with the interim Chancellor of the Exchequer.
"You wished to see me?" Lucius said, as Percy left, closing the door behind him.
"Yes. Did you...did you send this?" Kingsley asked as he held up the note.
"Yes, I did," Lucius said. Kingsley was taken aback by the directness of the man's response.
"Oh. Well...I...um...I see. What do you mean by it?" Kingsley asked.
"I mean what the note says," Lucius said.
"Well, it says, this," Kingsley said, as he held up the note for Lucius to see.
"Yes, that's correct. I wrote it," Lucius said. Kingsley stared at the man.
"I don't understand," Kingsley said. Kingsley saw an unreadable expression cross the financier's face and it unnerved him. Suddenly, the Auror's eardrums began to hum as he felt the pressure building in the air. The Auror fell to his knees as Lucius looked down at him. Lucius hovered over Kingsley as the Auror held his ears and grimaced in pain.
"What do you think it means?" Lucius asked.
"Stop it! What are you doing?" Kingsley gasped.
"I'm not doing anything. You know what this is," Lucius said.
"No! This is...not...it isn't!"
"You know that magic doesn't lie and it's rather sensitive to matters such as this, Kingsley," Lucius said. The Auror writhed in pain as blood from his ears began to trial over his fingers. "Spare yourself further discomfort," Lucius said.
"No!" Kingsley said.
"Stubborn aren't you?" Lucius said.
"No...not stubborn...truthful," Kingsley said.
"Magic doesn't lie," Lucius said.
"No! I refuse to believe this!" Kingsley said.
"Well, believe what you want, but I assure you that pain and bleeding won't stop until you say what is required to balance the magic," Lucius said.
"Please, stop this," Kingsley said.
"I can't, you know that," Lucius said, as Kingsley groaned in agony. "Say, it, Kingsley. Whatever, you may think of me, I don't enjoy seeing you in pain. Say what is required, Kingsley," Lucius said.
"Never!" Kingsley said, as blood began to pour more freely through his fingers and began to seep into the Persian rug in the Minister's office. Lucius became alarmed and knew that the counterspell required the battle-hardened Auror to repeat the words from the note. Lucius knew that given a choice, the powerful Auror would probably choose death before uttering those words. For the first time in the wealthy man's life, he became frightened of losing someone. He didn't even feel that way about Draco, he loved his son, but his love for the boy was clinical; it was the same way he felt about Narcissa, until recently. His love for them was a practical affection, nothing more. Lucius bent down over the Auror.
"Kingsley, the magic won't stop until you say what is required. Think about the wizarding public. What will happen to them if you're not here to protect them? What about law and order, who will ensure that they are enforced. We need you...I need you," Lucius said. Kingsley grunted as he knew what he had to do. Tears of pain and rage leaked out of the Auror's eyes.
"This has never happened to me before. I...don't know the words," Kingsley gasped.
"This is new for me as well, Kingsley," Lucius whispered.
"What? I thought...Severus...was your original intended." Kingsley said.
"No, this didn't happen with him...nor Narcissa. Repeat the words from the note, Kingsley. That's how it's done," Lucius said. Kingsley looked into the financier's pale grey eyes. Could he be telling the truth? The Auror could not tell, but Kingsley knew his mother would be furious if he refused to say the counterspell and allow the magic to kill him.
"I...I want you. Always you. Only you. Forever. I Similau," Kingsley said. Immediately, the pain stopped as the magic lifted. Kingsley sat up and reached for his wand to perform a charm to staunch the bleeding. Lucius gently grabbed the Auror's wrist.
"Let me," Lucius said as he performed the spells to stop the hemorrhaging and clean the blood-soaked rug in the Minister's office. Lucius knelt on the floor and put his arms around the Auror. Kingsley stiffened as he sat with his back on Lucius' chest.
"Relax. I know you're weak from the loss of blood, so just rest here with me for a little while. That's it," Lucius said as he felt the Auror slowly relax in his arms. Lucius grinned. Kingsley knew he was falling and he didn't know how to stop it.
"I…thank you," Kingsley said as he shifted in Lucius' arms. "I think I can get to a chair," Kingsley finished.
"Just stay with me for a minute. Tell me about your mother," Lucius said.
"My – who – and why would I do that?" Kingsley said.
"I'd like to know more about the woman with whom my father is involved," Lucius deadpanned.
"WHAT?" Kingsley shouted. He began to struggle in Lucius' grip, but the financier held him fast.
"Easy. I thought you knew," Lucius said.
"My mother is with Abraxas Malfoy? Is that what you're telling me?" Kingsley asked.
"Yes, they've been together for a few months," Lucius said. Kingsley was sure Lucius was lying, but why would he lie? He knew that all Kingsley had to do was to verify the story with his mother.
"It's true. I'm sorry she didn't tell you. Perhaps, she was going to get around to it. I mean, there has been quite a bit happening. Calm down. You're not getting loose, you've lost a great deal of blood and you don't have the strength to get away from me. I suggest you relax and stop struggling," Lucius said.
"Lucius, let me go! Why tell me this now?" Kingsley asked.
"I thought you knew. Sorry. Let me make it up to you. How about dinner in a quiet town in France? A pleasant restaurant, maybe? I know, Restaurant Pic! How about it?" Lucius asked as he ran a hand along the Auror's body.
"Someone likes to stay in shape. Nice. A six-pack, Kingsley? As thin as you are? Who'd have thought?" Lucius said.
"WHAT? Stop it! You tell me my mother is seeing your father and then you offer dinner? Are you crazy? What is wrong with you? Let go of me!" Kingsley said.
"Look, I'm sorry! What do you want me to say? Besides, what's so bad about my father?" Lucius said as he tightened his grip on the Auror, enjoying the feel of the man's struggles.
"It's not about your father! Our two families are the most powerful in the wizarding world and what if our parents' "involvement" or "relationship" or whatever you want to call it goes sideways? What then? Civil War?" Kingsley said.
"Well, this is the most words I've gotten out of you since this whole business with Commission began. Perhaps, I should have told you this earlier," Lucius deadpanned.
"This is a serious matter, Lucius! This could end in catastrophe! We won't need Voldemort to come back; we'll finish the society off ourselves! You know how people love to take sides and then, whoops, down the chute it goes! Mushroom clouds everywhere! End of the world!" Kingsley said.
"Well, aren't you just a right little ray of sunshine? Let's dial it down. Come off the ledge. Don't look down or around, just come back through the window. We can do this. You're upset. I sense that," Lucius said.
"UPSET? Really? Am I upset? I didn't know I was giving that impression!" Kingsley said.
"Breathe."
"Breathe? I don't want to 'breathe'. I want you to let me go because I need to get to my mother to talk to her!" Kingsley said.
"Well, you're breathing and you need to calm down. Your nerves are bad. Look, this is about changes and we have to roll with them. I Ching, man. Let's take this a step at a time. Trust me. I'll release you, if you come to dinner with me, right now," Lucius said.
"I Ching? I've read that," Kingsley said.
"Then you know what I'm talking about," Lucius said.
"Fine, let's go," Kingsley said as he closed his eyes and sighed as he felt Lucius' arms tighten around him as Lucius disapparated, taking the Auror with him.
A few moments later Lucius and Kingsley were seated in a private booth at Restaurant Pic, one of the finest eateries in France.
"I don't think the Smiths dine here," Lucius mused, over a serving of roast duck.
"They may," Kingsley said, as he pushed bits of steamed salmon around on his plate.
"The Smiths like their flashiness. That new money does love to gild the lily," Lucius said.
"Yes, well…what are we going to do about our parents?" Kingsley asked.
"Nothing and leave them alone. You're not eating," Lucius said.
"What do you care whether I eat or not? If I starve to death what, exactly, will it mean to you? You can always find another Minister of Magic," Kingsley said.
Lucius was silent.
"Sorry. I know that you…care, it's just…," Kingsley said, as he trailed off.
"Thank you, Kingsley. Another thing about our parents, I think things will work out between the two of them," Lucius said as the waiter poured more red wine.
"You think?" Kingsley asked as he looked down at his half-eaten plate of food.
"Yes, I do," Lucius said as he reached and lifted Kingsley's chin. Lucius knew their future in that moment as he looked into the pale green, world-weary, eyes of the Auror. Kingsley felt something shift in his spirit as he looked back at the financier. The Auror was confused and unnerved by it. Lucius saw the fear and uncertainty in the man's eyes.
"You're going to have to defeat your fear, Kingsley. I can help you with that," Lucius said, softly, holding the Auror's gaze.
"Will…will…this…work? I don't want to do something that jeopardizes the success of the Ministry and Commission. The wizarding and Muggle societies are in danger. I mean…if we…were…together, it could be good or not. There are so many things that could happen," Kingsley said, slowly.
"I know that. But, you know that I care. I've always cared. Even when we were at Hogwarts, but you had your friends and I had mine," Lucius said.
"What?" Kingsley said. This was new, news.
"Oh, yes. But I knew about your father," Lucius said, as he sat back in the booth.
"Yes, my father. He was a bad man when he was alive," Kingsley said. The thought of his brutal father still sent shivers down the Auror's spine.
"That's quite true and I'm sorry. I can only imagine what it must have been like to live under his roof," Lucius said.
"Well, it wasn't a walk in the park, that's for sure," Kingsley said as the wine and calm atmosphere soothed his nerves, loosening his tongue. Lucius picked up on the other wizard's willingness to talk and seized upon it.
"Tell me more," Lucius said, gently.
"There's not much to tell, really. Well, there's a lot and not much to tell," Kingsley said as the waiter refilled their glasses.
"You're being vague," Lucius said leaning forward and placing his hands on the table in front of him.
"With a father like mine, you'd be vague, too," Kingsley shot back.
Lucius didn't say anything. He knew that Kingsley was about to open up to him and he knew that he had to be quiet and let the Auror gather his thoughts.
"My father was a man who understood how fear could control people. I was raised around violence, Lucius. It's one of the things that makes me such an excellent Auror. I know how violent people work. I know how they think, Lucius. I have seen first-hand how violence hurts innocent people and that's one of the main reasons I became an Auror. I wanted to prevent violence from harming the innocent and creating more victims. And…" Kingsley trailed off as he looked back down at his plate. Lucius saw the slight trembling of the Auror's body and he got up and sat next to the Auror. Immediately, Kingsley tried to shift in his seat, but there wasn't much room. Kingsley was trapped.
"Lucius, please," Kingsley said. Lucius heard the desperation in the man's voice.
'It's alright," Lucius said as he placed his left arm around the Auror's shoulders and held the distressed man's right hand in his own. Lucius liked the way that their hands looked intertwined. "Thank you for sharing this part of your history. I appreciate your telling me this. It was a very brave thing for you to do," Lucius said. Kingsley looked up sharply at Lucius. Kingsley did not know what to think.
"It's alright," Lucius said, again. "If you let me if you let circumstances help you, the good that we can do for the wizarding – and Muggle – societies can be immense. Our lives, yours and mine, could turn out to be quite nice, if we can overcome our fears, our limited thinking – Kingsley, this – us – could be quite good, if we work it right," Lucius said.
"You're…correct," Kingsley said, slowly. As an Auror Kingsley knew the financier was absolutely correct in his observations. Kingsley felt his respect for Lucius rising. "Perhaps, I'll have some of the truffles," Kingsley said. Lucius grinned and signaled for the waiter.