Disclaimer: See Chapter 1.
Author's Notes: Yay! Now I get to type up my favorite chapter thus far! This one's pretty long, I'd say it's probably the longest in the ACT 1. Anyway, what happens here is Lucius and Lilith are almost caught in a near-compromising bordering on embarrassing moment by Narcissa, and Narcissa gets all emotional about it. Enjoy. Oh, by the way, I realized I didn't explain what Lucius is doing outside of Azkaban. Well, I'd like to think Narcissa had something to do with it. Bail, I guess…he got cleared of all charges…I dunno. Something like that…
ACT 1: THE COMING OF THE DARKNESSCHAPTER 8
"Now I will tell you what I've done for you
50 000 tears I've cried
Screaming, deceiving and bleeding for you
And you still won't hear me…"
~Going Under by EVANESCENCE
The way to Lucius' office was tread in silence. They could not discuss in the corridors, in case someone might overhear them. Lilith wasted no time at all once they were in Lucius' rather wide office. She made her way across the room to half-sit on the edge of his table while Lucius locked the door. "Start talking," Lucius said, taking his cloak off and hanging it on its stand. Lilith gave him a coy smile.
"I have decided to join Voldemort's side," she announced, watching as Lucius thrust his cane into its holder which accompanied the coat stand. "You alone?" he asked after a while, "You wouldn't happen to have your own private army, would you?" "You didn't let me finish," Lilith answered, brushing some hair from her face, "I have decided, and a group of my people have joined me in my decision. I can offer your master an army of 250 trained and skilled Vampire warriors, the best we have. My consort, however, has decided to take the others and offer their help to Dumbledore."
Lucius sat at his desk, Lilith's back to him. He propped an elbow on his table in concentration. "An army of 250," he repeated slowly, "For Lord Voldemort…the others shall join Dumbledore…" Then, something clicked into place in his mind. He banged his palms down on his table. "You have a consort?!" he fumed, unable to control injecting some jealousy into his tone.
Lilith looked over her shoulder at him with a naughty smirk. "Of course," she answered in her Scottish brogue, "I am my people's leader. A queen of sorts. It would make sense that I have a consort." Lucius sank back into his chair, feeling more and more jealous and possessive by the second. "Yes," he swallowed, "Of course. It is to be expected."
Lilith rose from the table and walked around it to Lucius. "What's the matter, my darling nephew?" she asked in a quiet voice, "Jealous?" Lucius tried his damned best to look incredulous. "Jealous?" he said in an indignant tone, "Me, Lucius Malfoy, jealous?!" But Lilith saw right through his disguise. She put a hand on his cheek, and a thumb on his lips. "Worry not, Lucius," she said, taking her hand away from his cheek to trace a line slowly down the middle of his face with a finger, "Soon he shall be no more."
Intoxicated by her scent and touch, Lucius caved. He did not bother to fight the urge to close his eyes. "What happens then?" he asked, nipping at her finger as it came to his lips. Lilith straddled his lap, watching him with a seductive glint in her eyes. She could feel his arousal poking against her inner thigh. She pressed closer to it if only to torture him. "We will see," she whispered. She leaned in and closed the gap around the waist. He deepened the gentle but powerfully tantalizing kiss, his desire pulsing against her. A small sigh escaped his throat at the passion in the kiss. It was captivating, in more than one way. For a while he forgot he was married, and had a son, and worked at the Ministry.
This drugged state did not leave him even when Lilith finally pulled away. "You fed before coming here," Lucius whispered hoarsely. Lilith smiled. "How can you tell?" she asked. "Your skin is warm," Lucius replied before letting his lips make contact with her slender neck. His thoughts clouded, he kissed at her neck softly, tracing a path to her cleavage. Lilith clutched him to her chest as he satisfied himself with kissing and sucking at the exposed part of her breasts. A sigh came forth from Lilith's lips, and Lucius reveled in it.
"Your wife is coming," Lilith said quietly. "What wife?" Lucius answered, taking her lips with his again. Lilith broke the kiss gently, then with a playful smile, she lifted herself up off his lap and walked to the door. "This wife," she answered, a split half-second before someone on the outside knocked on the door.
Lucius came crashing back down to the present. He straightened himself up, and cleared his throat. "Come in," he called. The door opened and in came Narcissa, excitement flushing her otherwise pale cheeks. In her hand she clutched what looked like a letter. "This came from Kreacher, at Grimmauld Place," she said as she came to his desk, "I think Dumbledore's Order Of The Phoenix is using my cousin's old house as Headquarters. Kreacher stole this from the Weasleys' room. It seems that half the European population of Vampires has joined their side." Lucius caught Lilith's eye and Lilith shrugged.
Narcissa followed the direction of her husband's gaze to Lilith, who she had not seen when she had entered. She raised an eyebrow at the Vampire, who only smiled sweetly. "You must be Narcissa Malfoy," she said, extending a hand. "Yes, I am," Narcissa answered coldly. "Lucius has told me all about you," Lilith answered as Narcissa shook her hand. "Funny," Narcissa replied, an eyebrow twitching upward, "He never talks about you." "Well, we've only just met," Lilith answered, "I'm his great-great aunt." Narcissa gave her a deliberate once over. "Aren't you a bit…young to be his great-great aunt?" she asked coolly.
Lucius finally decided to intervene. "No, she's a Vampire," he said, rising from his seat, "From my family ancestry." "And the reason why only half of the Vampire population has joined Dumbledore," Lilith added, "I was setting up an appointment with the Lord Voldemort so that I may offer my half to his side."
Narcissa gave Lucius a side-long glance. "Is that so?" she said. "I was just about to leave," Lilith said with a slight smile for Lucius, "I have other matters to attend to. It was a pleasure to meet you, Narcissa. I will notify you of our next meeting, Lucius." And she swept gracefully out the door.
Narcissa turned to face Lucius, her face colored by anger. "Who is she?" she asked him. "Lucius heaved a great sigh. "I told you," he said, "her name is Lilith Malfoy, of my family ancestry, she's my great-great aunt, she's a Vampire offering her help." "Help?" Narcissa said, "By the look on your face it seems she was offering you much more than just help." "Trust me, Narcissa," Lucius said, turning away, "It was only her help I wanted." He knew he was lying to his wife, but he felt absolutely no remors. He walked back to his desk to the letter Kreacher had stolen. "I have no doubt it was her help that you wanted," he heard Narcissa say, "It is what the help was for that I do doubt."
Lucius knew not how much longer he could keep up pretenses, but he thought that if he was going to be pretending for a long time, then he'd better do it correctly. "Why?" he half-shouted, "Why must you doubt?" "You are a man, Lucius," Narcissa replied in a voice almost as loud as his, "And a Malfoy at that." "Meaning exactly what?" Lucius hissed at the implied insult to his family. "Well, the men in your family have a tendency to stray," said Narcissa, and it was obvious to Lucius that she was picking her words very carefully, "I don't know…I could just be paranoid…Forget I said anything, Lucius."
Narcissa proceeded to the door. Lucius could only watch her hung head for a while. "You don't trust me?" he asked her. Narcissa turned a sad smile to her husband, "I don't know, Lucius, what I should think," Narcissa replied in a tone to match the sorrow etched on her face, "Promise you will at least read the letter." And she left, quietly closing the door behind her.
Lucius looked towards the door for a while, after Narcissa. He felt only a twinge of guilt. He knew Narcissa cared for him only too much. It gave him a sense of authority to know that her affections were all his, and only his, and no one else's. She was voluntarily subordinate to him because she loved him. It was this that made him feel guilty. He was hurting her with his selfishness. But then she herself had said it. He was a Malfoy, and Malfoys were innately selfish. Both he and she would just have to live with that. Get a grip on yourself, Lucius, he thought to himself, Don't let your weakness come out. Not now. He took a deep breath and started to read the letter, so as to make a decision as to what he should do next.
A/N: If anybody feels a few people were out of character in this chapter, you're welcome to pelt me. Last 4 chapters of The First Act coming soon! Hang tight! Ü