*********************
'And this is Lucius?' the tall man, hidden beneath his hood and robes questioned as he looked at Lucius appraisingly. Lucius could almost sense the tension crackling in the room; his father was in there and was glaring at him out of the slits of the Death Eater mask he wore. Lucius almost shuddered when he saw the owner of the voice as Voldemort pulled off his hood.
If Lucius was already considered pale, Voldemort could have been better off as a corpse. His pallid face was like a piece of flattened parchment; new and completely white. He had slits for eyes and burning out of those slits were blood-red eyes completely fixed on Lucius. Lucius felt like wincing under the intense stare; what was it he saw in Voldemort's eyes? Something which closely resembled desire was there and Lucius felt was retching.
'Yes, my Lord,' Lucius continued to kneel on the floor, not caring if the stone slabs stabbed at him painfully even though he had a layer of silk for protection. He could sense the temperature drop in the room and the silence which ensued. He distinctly heard Voldemort softly inhale and exhale and repeat the whole process again and again while he studied Lucius.
'Leave us,' this order was directed at Lucius' father and Lucius did not know whether to laugh or cry. His father's departure would mean that he was scrutinized by one less pair of eyes and also mean that Voldemort would be all alone with him. Dear God, this was horrible. Lucius heard his father leave, his robes sweeping after him in a very impressive stance.
Voldemort stood up, gracefully and quickly, his actions like that of a snake. 'Stand up, Lucius, I wish to take a good look at you before your initiation,' Voldemort's command was softly articulated yet perfectly sharp. Lucius stood up, willing himself not to flinch or look away from those red eyes. 'Malfoys are indeed as beautiful as their legendary ancestors,' Voldemort's comment made Lucius gulp nervously.
'You are as beautiful as your father, perhaps even more so, as you have not even reached twenty. Your hair is what makes you resemble a Veela most, so silky and white. You are truly a striking boy. A most worthy servant, since I hear you do give your father inside information from Dumbledore's ah - den,' Voldemort's words made Lucius want to gag in fear and disgust.
For a split second, Voldemort exhaled deeply. Then, he instructed quickly, 'Kneel,'
Lucius obeyed, this was the part that would brand him forever as Voldemort's servant. 'Do you pledge your alliance to me?' Voldemort asked, his voice was smooth and emotionless as he hissed the words into Lucius' right ear as the boy kneeled.
'I do, my Lord. I pledge my alliance, my honor and my life to you, only you, my Lord,'
The concealed screams of pain later on were nothing but child's play compared to his separation from his most-loved boy.
****************************
A month later
It was his wedding night - the one and only night in his life which he detested most. He was present, clad in flowing robes of green and silver, with a white silk shirt and black pants on. He looked as handsome as usual, perhaps even more attractive and beautiful. He had let his hair loose again and locks of platinum-blonde graced his angular face. A tight smile manifested itself on those lips as he brought himself to entertain all the guests.
He looked over at his bride resentfully. She was as attractive as he was. Her wedding gown was exquisite, made of pure silk and velvet and had a thousand rare gems sewn on. It was white with green laces at the back. As tempting as she was, Lucius had merely made his hatred be known by casting dark glances at her and ignoring her purposefully. He had been congratulated on having found a lovely match but he merely waved those away in hidden fury.
'Lucius dear, I want to speak to you about the arrangements,' he heard her musical voice ring over the laughter and merriment. He felt like slapping her real hard but controlled himself and followed her to where she beckoned him.
'I want you to know that no amount of ignoring will save you from our wedding night,' she hissed venomously once she got him out of hearing range.
He said nothing but simply left to mingle with the guests again.
He lifted his hand to touch his cheek, feeling cold metal cool his burning cheeks. The silver band, he thought.
He fingered the silver band around his wrist. He had refused to wear any gold band to symbolize their wedding and instead chose to wear Remus' name around his wrist. Silver might not be as recognised as precious as gold but to him, silver represented purity and death. It represented the fact that in his next life, he might have the luck to be with Remus and that kept him going.
'My, you do love him, don't you, Malfoy?' Lucius looked right and saw Narcissa's cousin, Sirius Black, looking at him with both astonished and contemplating looks in his eyes. Lucius simply sighed softly and nodded while taking Sirius off to a remote place in the grounds - it was just for a few minutes, Narcissa would not miss him.
'Aren't you going to demand how I know?' Sirius' voice was not the usual hatred-filled one. It held sorrow for a friend. It held sympathy that two boys who loved each other were separated by fate and destined never to be able to be together in this life. Lucius looked at the band and then looked at Sirius hard.
'Maybe,'
'Tell you something, Remus still loves you,'
'That I am aware of and it does pain me to think of his love,'
'Yeah. I managed to pester him into letting me look closely at the silver band he wore and I was most surprised to see your name carved like a lover's. Of course, James and I fitted the pieces in and we discovered that you were the one whom he was seeing. Well, what with your wedding and all that. . .'
He trailed off and then looked at Lucius contemplating.
'I think its better off if I pass you a message from Remus. He wants you to go on with your life and stop thinking about him because it is impossible. He says that you both are too different and that you would be happier if you learned to love your wife as much as you loved him,'
Sirius paused and then added another sentence softly.
'And he says he will always love you no matter whether you have forgotten your love for him or not,'
************************
[END OF FLASHBACK]
Lucius Malfoy warily raised a hand to his cheeks and wiped away the tears which had escaped his grey eyes. It was the first time he had cried in years. He could still feel the teenage anguish and sorrow, resurrected from some ice tomb deep within his heart, sealed away for eighteen years and now broken free.
To Lucius Malfoy, winter was beautiful and harsh. It was the season they met and parted. It was the setting for a cruel web of love and pain.
It was funny how memories still stayed with him even though he was already thirty-five this year. His only son, Draco, born out of a forced and unhappy marriage was already nine this year. Lucius had never really loved Draco, seeing that the boy was a reminder of his marriage to the woman he hated most in the world. Lucius merely pretended to indulge in Draco, to stop the boy from pestering him, to stop the boy from reminding him.
Lucius now wondered how Remus was now. He had managed to refrain from thinking about his lover for eighteen years but now, concern and anxiety flooded back. How was the once-petite boy like now? Was he still as innocent or had entering the adult world hardened him into a merciless person like Lucius? Did he still bear the scar of Lucius' whip?
Did he still love Lucius as Lucius loved him?
'Master Lucius!' a house elf popped out of nowhere and started rattling of agitatedly. Lucius snarled, furious at the interruption and lashed out at the house elf who promptly began blaming itself all over and over and lastly assured Lucius that it would punish itself by pouring hot water over itself later.
'Well, spit it out, little creature,' Lucius snapped angrily.
'Master Severus from Hogwarts says he lacks bezoars and wishes Master to help him buy,' the elf cowered.
'Very well, now go and punish yourself,' Lucius spat.
***************************
Meanwhile . . .
Remus Lupin browsed through the shelves of books on Defense Theory Against The Dark Arts. He knew that theory alone was no good but an alternative was to go down Knockturn Alley and he did not want to enter such a dodgy place. 'I'll make the most of it, I suppose,' he sighed to himself. He reached up to get a book and in doing so, his long sleeves fell back.
His eyes caught a flash of silver as the hidden silver band was exposed on his frail wrist. He had grown thinner over the years and had to perform numerous tightening charms to make it fit. But as he touched the hard silver ( he secretly thanked the heavens that it was only coated with silver and the inside was made of iron ), his heart ached. He knew precious little about Lucius - no, Malfoy's - life now.
He knew that the older man had a son years ago and that the boy was around nine now. Only that.
*Why am I thinking of him again?* he chided himself.
Remus decided to abandon all thoughts; afterall, Lucius Malfoy must have forgotten him by now.
'I'll take this book please,' he politely handed the book to the wizened old man over the table.
He suddenly felt a strange sense of warmth and realised that someone was leaning slightly over his shoulder. Only one person could instigate this feeling . . .
'I'd recommend that book, even though personally, I feel that Knockturn Alley has more comprehensive ones,'
Remus gasped, unwilling to believe what he thought and turned around sharply. He stared, dumbstruck, at Lucius Malfoy who pinned him to the table.
**********************
So. . . *looks really gleeful* .. .. . how did you find this chapter? Do you think they will be together again? Or will the cruel author separate them like she wants to?
Give reviews, ok? Really look forward to all your reviews.
Love,
Ice And Fire Vanessa
'And this is Lucius?' the tall man, hidden beneath his hood and robes questioned as he looked at Lucius appraisingly. Lucius could almost sense the tension crackling in the room; his father was in there and was glaring at him out of the slits of the Death Eater mask he wore. Lucius almost shuddered when he saw the owner of the voice as Voldemort pulled off his hood.
If Lucius was already considered pale, Voldemort could have been better off as a corpse. His pallid face was like a piece of flattened parchment; new and completely white. He had slits for eyes and burning out of those slits were blood-red eyes completely fixed on Lucius. Lucius felt like wincing under the intense stare; what was it he saw in Voldemort's eyes? Something which closely resembled desire was there and Lucius felt was retching.
'Yes, my Lord,' Lucius continued to kneel on the floor, not caring if the stone slabs stabbed at him painfully even though he had a layer of silk for protection. He could sense the temperature drop in the room and the silence which ensued. He distinctly heard Voldemort softly inhale and exhale and repeat the whole process again and again while he studied Lucius.
'Leave us,' this order was directed at Lucius' father and Lucius did not know whether to laugh or cry. His father's departure would mean that he was scrutinized by one less pair of eyes and also mean that Voldemort would be all alone with him. Dear God, this was horrible. Lucius heard his father leave, his robes sweeping after him in a very impressive stance.
Voldemort stood up, gracefully and quickly, his actions like that of a snake. 'Stand up, Lucius, I wish to take a good look at you before your initiation,' Voldemort's command was softly articulated yet perfectly sharp. Lucius stood up, willing himself not to flinch or look away from those red eyes. 'Malfoys are indeed as beautiful as their legendary ancestors,' Voldemort's comment made Lucius gulp nervously.
'You are as beautiful as your father, perhaps even more so, as you have not even reached twenty. Your hair is what makes you resemble a Veela most, so silky and white. You are truly a striking boy. A most worthy servant, since I hear you do give your father inside information from Dumbledore's ah - den,' Voldemort's words made Lucius want to gag in fear and disgust.
For a split second, Voldemort exhaled deeply. Then, he instructed quickly, 'Kneel,'
Lucius obeyed, this was the part that would brand him forever as Voldemort's servant. 'Do you pledge your alliance to me?' Voldemort asked, his voice was smooth and emotionless as he hissed the words into Lucius' right ear as the boy kneeled.
'I do, my Lord. I pledge my alliance, my honor and my life to you, only you, my Lord,'
The concealed screams of pain later on were nothing but child's play compared to his separation from his most-loved boy.
****************************
A month later
It was his wedding night - the one and only night in his life which he detested most. He was present, clad in flowing robes of green and silver, with a white silk shirt and black pants on. He looked as handsome as usual, perhaps even more attractive and beautiful. He had let his hair loose again and locks of platinum-blonde graced his angular face. A tight smile manifested itself on those lips as he brought himself to entertain all the guests.
He looked over at his bride resentfully. She was as attractive as he was. Her wedding gown was exquisite, made of pure silk and velvet and had a thousand rare gems sewn on. It was white with green laces at the back. As tempting as she was, Lucius had merely made his hatred be known by casting dark glances at her and ignoring her purposefully. He had been congratulated on having found a lovely match but he merely waved those away in hidden fury.
'Lucius dear, I want to speak to you about the arrangements,' he heard her musical voice ring over the laughter and merriment. He felt like slapping her real hard but controlled himself and followed her to where she beckoned him.
'I want you to know that no amount of ignoring will save you from our wedding night,' she hissed venomously once she got him out of hearing range.
He said nothing but simply left to mingle with the guests again.
He lifted his hand to touch his cheek, feeling cold metal cool his burning cheeks. The silver band, he thought.
He fingered the silver band around his wrist. He had refused to wear any gold band to symbolize their wedding and instead chose to wear Remus' name around his wrist. Silver might not be as recognised as precious as gold but to him, silver represented purity and death. It represented the fact that in his next life, he might have the luck to be with Remus and that kept him going.
'My, you do love him, don't you, Malfoy?' Lucius looked right and saw Narcissa's cousin, Sirius Black, looking at him with both astonished and contemplating looks in his eyes. Lucius simply sighed softly and nodded while taking Sirius off to a remote place in the grounds - it was just for a few minutes, Narcissa would not miss him.
'Aren't you going to demand how I know?' Sirius' voice was not the usual hatred-filled one. It held sorrow for a friend. It held sympathy that two boys who loved each other were separated by fate and destined never to be able to be together in this life. Lucius looked at the band and then looked at Sirius hard.
'Maybe,'
'Tell you something, Remus still loves you,'
'That I am aware of and it does pain me to think of his love,'
'Yeah. I managed to pester him into letting me look closely at the silver band he wore and I was most surprised to see your name carved like a lover's. Of course, James and I fitted the pieces in and we discovered that you were the one whom he was seeing. Well, what with your wedding and all that. . .'
He trailed off and then looked at Lucius contemplating.
'I think its better off if I pass you a message from Remus. He wants you to go on with your life and stop thinking about him because it is impossible. He says that you both are too different and that you would be happier if you learned to love your wife as much as you loved him,'
Sirius paused and then added another sentence softly.
'And he says he will always love you no matter whether you have forgotten your love for him or not,'
************************
[END OF FLASHBACK]
Lucius Malfoy warily raised a hand to his cheeks and wiped away the tears which had escaped his grey eyes. It was the first time he had cried in years. He could still feel the teenage anguish and sorrow, resurrected from some ice tomb deep within his heart, sealed away for eighteen years and now broken free.
To Lucius Malfoy, winter was beautiful and harsh. It was the season they met and parted. It was the setting for a cruel web of love and pain.
It was funny how memories still stayed with him even though he was already thirty-five this year. His only son, Draco, born out of a forced and unhappy marriage was already nine this year. Lucius had never really loved Draco, seeing that the boy was a reminder of his marriage to the woman he hated most in the world. Lucius merely pretended to indulge in Draco, to stop the boy from pestering him, to stop the boy from reminding him.
Lucius now wondered how Remus was now. He had managed to refrain from thinking about his lover for eighteen years but now, concern and anxiety flooded back. How was the once-petite boy like now? Was he still as innocent or had entering the adult world hardened him into a merciless person like Lucius? Did he still bear the scar of Lucius' whip?
Did he still love Lucius as Lucius loved him?
'Master Lucius!' a house elf popped out of nowhere and started rattling of agitatedly. Lucius snarled, furious at the interruption and lashed out at the house elf who promptly began blaming itself all over and over and lastly assured Lucius that it would punish itself by pouring hot water over itself later.
'Well, spit it out, little creature,' Lucius snapped angrily.
'Master Severus from Hogwarts says he lacks bezoars and wishes Master to help him buy,' the elf cowered.
'Very well, now go and punish yourself,' Lucius spat.
***************************
Meanwhile . . .
Remus Lupin browsed through the shelves of books on Defense Theory Against The Dark Arts. He knew that theory alone was no good but an alternative was to go down Knockturn Alley and he did not want to enter such a dodgy place. 'I'll make the most of it, I suppose,' he sighed to himself. He reached up to get a book and in doing so, his long sleeves fell back.
His eyes caught a flash of silver as the hidden silver band was exposed on his frail wrist. He had grown thinner over the years and had to perform numerous tightening charms to make it fit. But as he touched the hard silver ( he secretly thanked the heavens that it was only coated with silver and the inside was made of iron ), his heart ached. He knew precious little about Lucius - no, Malfoy's - life now.
He knew that the older man had a son years ago and that the boy was around nine now. Only that.
*Why am I thinking of him again?* he chided himself.
Remus decided to abandon all thoughts; afterall, Lucius Malfoy must have forgotten him by now.
'I'll take this book please,' he politely handed the book to the wizened old man over the table.
He suddenly felt a strange sense of warmth and realised that someone was leaning slightly over his shoulder. Only one person could instigate this feeling . . .
'I'd recommend that book, even though personally, I feel that Knockturn Alley has more comprehensive ones,'
Remus gasped, unwilling to believe what he thought and turned around sharply. He stared, dumbstruck, at Lucius Malfoy who pinned him to the table.
**********************
So. . . *looks really gleeful* .. .. . how did you find this chapter? Do you think they will be together again? Or will the cruel author separate them like she wants to?
Give reviews, ok? Really look forward to all your reviews.
Love,
Ice And Fire Vanessa