Disclaimer/Author Note/Rating: Please see Chapter 1 for full disclaimers, legal info, etc.
Go raibh maith agaibh:
Trina/Leonora… Thanks for being such a consistent reviewer; I'm truly sorry I haven't been as good about reviewing your material…
Twistedmind… I don't know if I'd call Serena cold-blooded, she's just mightily ticked off right now… But if that's how you saw her, then I guess the temper is being accurately portrayed, so I'm glad of that!
Wyall Jared… LOL'd when I saw your reviews. There is something about that long blond hair, isn't there?
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Chapter 23: A Bubbling Cauldron
Malificus Malfoy tied his blond hair back while he examined his brewing potions. He checked the flame and stirred the cauldron for one, carefully checking the viscous quality of the brew. There was a noise at the front door which he ignored. Then it came again and this time the rapping was louder. Grumbling under his breath he left his work room, carefully closing the door behind him and double checking the lock.
He stormed to the front door and flung it open. "What?" he practically shouted.
"Well," said Narcissa huffily. "If this is how you're going to welcome your sister-in-law to your home, perhaps I should leave!"
For a split second, Malificus was at a loss for words. Narcissa never just dropped by, not without Lucius, and he looked behind her, expecting to see his brother.
"Lucius is back at our home," she said. She arched an eyebrow and pursed her lips.
His dashing manners returned almost instantly. "Forgive me. Please, Narcissa, do come in. To what do I owe this distinctive pleasure?"
"Do I need to have a reason to visit family?"
"Well, if you want the truth, Narcissa… Yes, you do. You've never stopped by here unless it was one of our rendezvous or unless you were with Lucius. Have you missed me that much?"
"You flatter yourself," said Narcissa haughtily. "I came to talk to you about that Castleton-Black woman."
"You… want to talk to me… about Serena?" A smile crept across his features. "Why Narcissa, are you jealous?"
"Of that little strumpet? Never."
Malificus looked sideways at her and knew it was a lie. A small one, certainly, but a lie nonetheless.
"Need I remind you, my dear, that you were the one who started our little affair, and you were the one who set the ground rules…" he said.
Her expression was cool, superior. Malificus completely understood why Lucius had married her. "I enjoy being Mrs. Lucius Malfoy," she replied. "I have no intention of changing that. But Lucius is paying a lot of attention to you these days, and that makes me wary."
"We're going to retrieve the medallion in less than a month," said Malificus. "I need to be stronger than ever to prove to Lucius that I am more of a wizard than he thinks. Ever since Castlebann, he's treated me like I'm incompetent…"
The flapping of wings interrupted them as Malificus' eagle owl few in through an open window and settled on his perch and looked at Malificus intently. He reached into a small box and pulled out a treat for the owl and gave it a scratch on the head. The bird looked none the worse for wear, and this last message had made the creature cover quite a bit of ground. Narcissa frowned.
"I've never liked that bird," she said. It swiveled its head and fixed her with a beady stare.
"Wolfsbane is a good owl, even if he is cantankerous." He gave the owl one more pat and the creature flew back out the window. When he looked back, Narcissa was watching him with an amused expression.
Malificus thought back to when Narcissa had pursued him seven years ago. He hadn't believed her when she said she wanted to be with him. Not until Narcissa offered to brew a truth potion with him and take it. When he'd asked why she'd want to sleep with him when she was already married to Lucius, she had merely smiled and said, "I enjoy the thrill of danger, too, you know. I simply choose the manner in which my danger exhibits itself. I am Mrs. Lucius Malfoy, and that won't change. Make no mistake about that. If you bring love into this, Malificus, it will be on your head because I won't leave Lucius for you. This is merely a playful diversion."
A playful diversion.
Indeed, their times together had been pleasant. Narcissa sated her desire for danger. And Malificus? He took extraordinary pleasure in knowing that she was Lucius' wife, and any way to dig at Lucius was just fine with Malificus.
"Just be careful," she warned. "I don't know what you're plotting, Malificus Malfoy, but you are walking dangerous ground with your brother. He already thinks you're an undisciplined playboy. This interest in Serena is just reinforcing that."
"Serena is just a tool," Malificus growled. "A tool that will let me prove beyond any doubt how competent I am as a wizard."
"There's more to it than that."
He gave Narcissa a sly look. She was a shrewd and observant woman and those were qualities he found quite appealing about her. "Yes, there's a little more. I owe Serena. I owe her for destroying my plans while we were at Hogwart's. For ruining my reputation with Lucius. And I owe her for the Quidditch game…" He thought back to his broken nose. He'd been sure that when Serena hit the ground during the match that she would be out of the game. Once again, she had proven him wrong, shown him to be a failure in front of others.
"I see. Well, I'll be glad enough when you're done with her. She could be a Mudblood for all you know… I'll share you with others, Malificus, but not with her… not when she might be tainted." And not when you think of her even when you are with me!
Malificus came up close behind Narcissa, closer than he should have been standing to his sister-in-law. She shivered when she felt his breath on her neck and he ran his fingers down her bare arms.
"Trust me, Narcissa. In a few weeks, you'll never hear the name Serena Castleton-Black again. And that won't be the only change around here…"
Narcissa Malfoy walked in the front door of her mansion in London, several shopping bags in her arms. It is a shame I couldn't have stayed longer with Malificus, she thought. But Lucius will be home in a few hours and…"Lucius! I wasn't expecting you home so early. I took my time shopping… If I'd have known, I wouldn't have lingered so long in the shops." Narcissa put her shopping bag down on the table and went over to kiss her husband.
"I finished my meeting at St. Mungo's early," he replied. "I thought I'd come home."
The adrenaline rush of knowing Lucius was waiting for her while she was at Malificus' flat made Narcissa's heart race. She came up close to Lucius and traced her finger down his cheek.
"Well this is a lovely surprise. What on earth shall we do with all this extra time?" she cooed.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
As always, please read and review! I look forward to hearing from everyone… As always, I hope this chapter has entertained and left you looking forward to the next one…
Go raibh maith agaibh:
Trina/Leonora… Thanks for being such a consistent reviewer; I'm truly sorry I haven't been as good about reviewing your material…
Twistedmind… I don't know if I'd call Serena cold-blooded, she's just mightily ticked off right now… But if that's how you saw her, then I guess the temper is being accurately portrayed, so I'm glad of that!
Wyall Jared… LOL'd when I saw your reviews. There is something about that long blond hair, isn't there?
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Chapter 23: A Bubbling Cauldron
Malificus Malfoy tied his blond hair back while he examined his brewing potions. He checked the flame and stirred the cauldron for one, carefully checking the viscous quality of the brew. There was a noise at the front door which he ignored. Then it came again and this time the rapping was louder. Grumbling under his breath he left his work room, carefully closing the door behind him and double checking the lock.
He stormed to the front door and flung it open. "What?" he practically shouted.
"Well," said Narcissa huffily. "If this is how you're going to welcome your sister-in-law to your home, perhaps I should leave!"
For a split second, Malificus was at a loss for words. Narcissa never just dropped by, not without Lucius, and he looked behind her, expecting to see his brother.
"Lucius is back at our home," she said. She arched an eyebrow and pursed her lips.
His dashing manners returned almost instantly. "Forgive me. Please, Narcissa, do come in. To what do I owe this distinctive pleasure?"
"Do I need to have a reason to visit family?"
"Well, if you want the truth, Narcissa… Yes, you do. You've never stopped by here unless it was one of our rendezvous or unless you were with Lucius. Have you missed me that much?"
"You flatter yourself," said Narcissa haughtily. "I came to talk to you about that Castleton-Black woman."
"You… want to talk to me… about Serena?" A smile crept across his features. "Why Narcissa, are you jealous?"
"Of that little strumpet? Never."
Malificus looked sideways at her and knew it was a lie. A small one, certainly, but a lie nonetheless.
"Need I remind you, my dear, that you were the one who started our little affair, and you were the one who set the ground rules…" he said.
Her expression was cool, superior. Malificus completely understood why Lucius had married her. "I enjoy being Mrs. Lucius Malfoy," she replied. "I have no intention of changing that. But Lucius is paying a lot of attention to you these days, and that makes me wary."
"We're going to retrieve the medallion in less than a month," said Malificus. "I need to be stronger than ever to prove to Lucius that I am more of a wizard than he thinks. Ever since Castlebann, he's treated me like I'm incompetent…"
The flapping of wings interrupted them as Malificus' eagle owl few in through an open window and settled on his perch and looked at Malificus intently. He reached into a small box and pulled out a treat for the owl and gave it a scratch on the head. The bird looked none the worse for wear, and this last message had made the creature cover quite a bit of ground. Narcissa frowned.
"I've never liked that bird," she said. It swiveled its head and fixed her with a beady stare.
"Wolfsbane is a good owl, even if he is cantankerous." He gave the owl one more pat and the creature flew back out the window. When he looked back, Narcissa was watching him with an amused expression.
Malificus thought back to when Narcissa had pursued him seven years ago. He hadn't believed her when she said she wanted to be with him. Not until Narcissa offered to brew a truth potion with him and take it. When he'd asked why she'd want to sleep with him when she was already married to Lucius, she had merely smiled and said, "I enjoy the thrill of danger, too, you know. I simply choose the manner in which my danger exhibits itself. I am Mrs. Lucius Malfoy, and that won't change. Make no mistake about that. If you bring love into this, Malificus, it will be on your head because I won't leave Lucius for you. This is merely a playful diversion."
A playful diversion.
Indeed, their times together had been pleasant. Narcissa sated her desire for danger. And Malificus? He took extraordinary pleasure in knowing that she was Lucius' wife, and any way to dig at Lucius was just fine with Malificus.
"Just be careful," she warned. "I don't know what you're plotting, Malificus Malfoy, but you are walking dangerous ground with your brother. He already thinks you're an undisciplined playboy. This interest in Serena is just reinforcing that."
"Serena is just a tool," Malificus growled. "A tool that will let me prove beyond any doubt how competent I am as a wizard."
"There's more to it than that."
He gave Narcissa a sly look. She was a shrewd and observant woman and those were qualities he found quite appealing about her. "Yes, there's a little more. I owe Serena. I owe her for destroying my plans while we were at Hogwart's. For ruining my reputation with Lucius. And I owe her for the Quidditch game…" He thought back to his broken nose. He'd been sure that when Serena hit the ground during the match that she would be out of the game. Once again, she had proven him wrong, shown him to be a failure in front of others.
"I see. Well, I'll be glad enough when you're done with her. She could be a Mudblood for all you know… I'll share you with others, Malificus, but not with her… not when she might be tainted." And not when you think of her even when you are with me!
Malificus came up close behind Narcissa, closer than he should have been standing to his sister-in-law. She shivered when she felt his breath on her neck and he ran his fingers down her bare arms.
"Trust me, Narcissa. In a few weeks, you'll never hear the name Serena Castleton-Black again. And that won't be the only change around here…"
Narcissa Malfoy walked in the front door of her mansion in London, several shopping bags in her arms. It is a shame I couldn't have stayed longer with Malificus, she thought. But Lucius will be home in a few hours and…"Lucius! I wasn't expecting you home so early. I took my time shopping… If I'd have known, I wouldn't have lingered so long in the shops." Narcissa put her shopping bag down on the table and went over to kiss her husband.
"I finished my meeting at St. Mungo's early," he replied. "I thought I'd come home."
The adrenaline rush of knowing Lucius was waiting for her while she was at Malificus' flat made Narcissa's heart race. She came up close to Lucius and traced her finger down his cheek.
"Well this is a lovely surprise. What on earth shall we do with all this extra time?" she cooed.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
As always, please read and review! I look forward to hearing from everyone… As always, I hope this chapter has entertained and left you looking forward to the next one…