Thanks to all that have reviewed! They are much appreciated.
This chapter is darker, with references to the first story in this trilogy, "Reverso". For those who have not read the story, Ron died saving Harry from Voldemort, but not quite the way Lucius describes it.
Next chapter will earn a hard R rating, so those who have been waiting for a good old-fashioned steamy sex scene (and aren't we all?) will not be disappointed.
As always, reviews and suggestions (especially suggestions for the next chapter!) are welcomed and appreciated.
Thanks, and on with the show!
Chapter IV. Revenge Is Not So Sweet
Lucius Malfoy sat on the edge of the ratty mattress that was his bed in Azkaban prison. He had been there for almost five years now, five years of hate, of anger all boiling to the surface.
He clutched the tiny section of the Daily Prophet he had ripped out earlier. Lucius had kept the piece in his pocket, waiting for today, listening for the tell-tale steps that signaled the arrival of the Ministry of Magic overseer. Once a week, on Wednesday, a member of the Ministry would inspect the prison; the dementors long gone after they aligned themselves with Voldemort during the war. Voldemort and his followers were defeated, the surviving Death Eaters sent to Azkaban, where goblins and elves became the new guards.
Lucius waited patiently. He knew the order of the Ministry's watch, which member arrived each week. Today would be his chance to escape.
At exactly 1:00, Lucius heard the steps on the cold stone floor. They stopped periodically, at each cell, quiet for a few minutes before moving on. Gradually the steps became louder, until they stopped outside the bars of Lucius' cell.
"And you, Malfoy?" an emotionless voice asked. "Do you have anything to say?" This was the standard question each week, to each prisoner. Some confessed to long-unsolved crimes, some named accomplices or betrayed old friends. Lucius had never said a word during these visits before, so it was a bit of a surprise when he spoke up.
"Yes, I do have something to say. Something that may interest you," Lucius nearly whispered. "Perhaps answers you have been seeking as well."
The watcher moved closer to the bars. "What are you playing at, Malfoy?" he demanded. "What answers could you possibly provide for me?"
"You always wondered exactly what happened that night, didn't you? All you were told was what they wanted you to hear, what they thought your family could handle."
Lucius rose from the tattered bed and walked over to the bars.
"But I can tell you everything," he smiled wickedly. "I was there."
"Why should I believe you?" came the reluctant reply.
"Because I have no reason to lie to you. We both want the truth, don't we? We both want justice."
For a moment the overseer wavered, torn between walking away or believing a man who had treated his family like dirt for ages. Finally he spoke. "Fine, tell me."
Lucius leaned closer to the bars.
"The Aurors had ambushed us after receiving information given to them by one we trusted. I was expecting to see Potter there, but I was a bit surprised to see Weasley, till I realized Potter must have convinced him to come. He does seem to have a habit of showing up with someone else to take the brunt of the damage, don't you think?"
Silence.
"There were only three of us left," Lucius continued, "myself, Lestrange and Voldemort. I was battling young Potter when I saw the Dark Lord raise his wand. All I had to do was keep Potter busy long enough for Voldemort to finish him. But I saw Potter turn, he knew what was happening, and then he looked to your brother, who he knew would save him. The Golden Boy had to live, you see. His mother, father, Diggory, Black, all of them, sacrificed their lives for the hero. And your brother was just another pawn that had to die so Potter could live."
"You're lying," came the cold reply. "Ron battled with Voldemort, to the end. He didn't sacrifce himself."
"Oh, but he did," Lucius whispered. "Potter has torn your family apart. It was because of him that you broke with your parents, it was because of him that your brother died an unnecessary and, I might add, very painful death. Potter has betrayed you. He has betrayed your family."
Percy held to the bars for fear of dropping to the floor. Was it possible?
Lucuis went on. "Potter has turned my own son and wife against me, destroyed what was left of my family. You and I, we both have reason to hate him. He needs to pay for what he has done to us."
Percy stared at the floor for several moments, letting the revelation of his brother's death sink in. It was true that he hated Harry. He always blamed him for the rift between his family. But to learn Ron may have been brought along as a shield, it was too much. Percy had never truly believed Ron was gone, he lived in denial, even refusing to go to the funeral. And he had never allowed himself to cry.
But now, he was beginning to feel the sting in the corner of his eyes, the lump in his throat. No, he thought, not now. Not yet.
"What do you have in mind, Malfoy?" Percy said softly.
"Let me go." Lucius stated. "Let me find Potter." He pulled the crumpled newspaper clipping from his pocket and held it up to Percy.
"This," he hissed, "is Potter's weakness, as well as my son's. Let me go, and I will make sure Potter understands how it feels to lose the most important thing in his life."
Percy looked at the photo, staring at the smiling child who looked so much like her parents. He found himself remembering the picture Molly had placed in the Prophet when Ron turned five. And how Ron would never have the chance to see a child of his own.
Slowly, Percy gathered the fabric of his robe. He removed a button from the bottom and quietly took out his wand, pointed to it and whispered a spell. He looked back up to Lucius.
"I am not doing this for you, Malfoy," Percy stated. "I am doing this for my family. For Ron."
Percy tossed the button to Lucius. In seconds, Malfoy disappeared from his cell, aided by the button portkey, on his way to an empty field close to London.
Percy continued his rounds, moving to the next cell on his route. "And you, Thomas. Do you have anything to say?"
End of Chapter IV.
This chapter is darker, with references to the first story in this trilogy, "Reverso". For those who have not read the story, Ron died saving Harry from Voldemort, but not quite the way Lucius describes it.
Next chapter will earn a hard R rating, so those who have been waiting for a good old-fashioned steamy sex scene (and aren't we all?) will not be disappointed.
As always, reviews and suggestions (especially suggestions for the next chapter!) are welcomed and appreciated.
Thanks, and on with the show!
Chapter IV. Revenge Is Not So Sweet
Lucius Malfoy sat on the edge of the ratty mattress that was his bed in Azkaban prison. He had been there for almost five years now, five years of hate, of anger all boiling to the surface.
He clutched the tiny section of the Daily Prophet he had ripped out earlier. Lucius had kept the piece in his pocket, waiting for today, listening for the tell-tale steps that signaled the arrival of the Ministry of Magic overseer. Once a week, on Wednesday, a member of the Ministry would inspect the prison; the dementors long gone after they aligned themselves with Voldemort during the war. Voldemort and his followers were defeated, the surviving Death Eaters sent to Azkaban, where goblins and elves became the new guards.
Lucius waited patiently. He knew the order of the Ministry's watch, which member arrived each week. Today would be his chance to escape.
At exactly 1:00, Lucius heard the steps on the cold stone floor. They stopped periodically, at each cell, quiet for a few minutes before moving on. Gradually the steps became louder, until they stopped outside the bars of Lucius' cell.
"And you, Malfoy?" an emotionless voice asked. "Do you have anything to say?" This was the standard question each week, to each prisoner. Some confessed to long-unsolved crimes, some named accomplices or betrayed old friends. Lucius had never said a word during these visits before, so it was a bit of a surprise when he spoke up.
"Yes, I do have something to say. Something that may interest you," Lucius nearly whispered. "Perhaps answers you have been seeking as well."
The watcher moved closer to the bars. "What are you playing at, Malfoy?" he demanded. "What answers could you possibly provide for me?"
"You always wondered exactly what happened that night, didn't you? All you were told was what they wanted you to hear, what they thought your family could handle."
Lucius rose from the tattered bed and walked over to the bars.
"But I can tell you everything," he smiled wickedly. "I was there."
"Why should I believe you?" came the reluctant reply.
"Because I have no reason to lie to you. We both want the truth, don't we? We both want justice."
For a moment the overseer wavered, torn between walking away or believing a man who had treated his family like dirt for ages. Finally he spoke. "Fine, tell me."
Lucius leaned closer to the bars.
"The Aurors had ambushed us after receiving information given to them by one we trusted. I was expecting to see Potter there, but I was a bit surprised to see Weasley, till I realized Potter must have convinced him to come. He does seem to have a habit of showing up with someone else to take the brunt of the damage, don't you think?"
Silence.
"There were only three of us left," Lucius continued, "myself, Lestrange and Voldemort. I was battling young Potter when I saw the Dark Lord raise his wand. All I had to do was keep Potter busy long enough for Voldemort to finish him. But I saw Potter turn, he knew what was happening, and then he looked to your brother, who he knew would save him. The Golden Boy had to live, you see. His mother, father, Diggory, Black, all of them, sacrificed their lives for the hero. And your brother was just another pawn that had to die so Potter could live."
"You're lying," came the cold reply. "Ron battled with Voldemort, to the end. He didn't sacrifce himself."
"Oh, but he did," Lucius whispered. "Potter has torn your family apart. It was because of him that you broke with your parents, it was because of him that your brother died an unnecessary and, I might add, very painful death. Potter has betrayed you. He has betrayed your family."
Percy held to the bars for fear of dropping to the floor. Was it possible?
Lucuis went on. "Potter has turned my own son and wife against me, destroyed what was left of my family. You and I, we both have reason to hate him. He needs to pay for what he has done to us."
Percy stared at the floor for several moments, letting the revelation of his brother's death sink in. It was true that he hated Harry. He always blamed him for the rift between his family. But to learn Ron may have been brought along as a shield, it was too much. Percy had never truly believed Ron was gone, he lived in denial, even refusing to go to the funeral. And he had never allowed himself to cry.
But now, he was beginning to feel the sting in the corner of his eyes, the lump in his throat. No, he thought, not now. Not yet.
"What do you have in mind, Malfoy?" Percy said softly.
"Let me go." Lucius stated. "Let me find Potter." He pulled the crumpled newspaper clipping from his pocket and held it up to Percy.
"This," he hissed, "is Potter's weakness, as well as my son's. Let me go, and I will make sure Potter understands how it feels to lose the most important thing in his life."
Percy looked at the photo, staring at the smiling child who looked so much like her parents. He found himself remembering the picture Molly had placed in the Prophet when Ron turned five. And how Ron would never have the chance to see a child of his own.
Slowly, Percy gathered the fabric of his robe. He removed a button from the bottom and quietly took out his wand, pointed to it and whispered a spell. He looked back up to Lucius.
"I am not doing this for you, Malfoy," Percy stated. "I am doing this for my family. For Ron."
Percy tossed the button to Lucius. In seconds, Malfoy disappeared from his cell, aided by the button portkey, on his way to an empty field close to London.
Percy continued his rounds, moving to the next cell on his route. "And you, Thomas. Do you have anything to say?"
End of Chapter IV.