[A/N – I was so planning on updating every Wednesday. But FFN had other plans last night. So y'all get this Thursday instead. :-p I have nothing left to say about this except that I really like the dialogue between Lucius and Harry near the end of this. Oh, and thanking my reviewers: Ice-Angel06, Jen, Megwin, and Lady Phasma. :-) Nothing perks up my day quite like having a review alert waiting in my inbox. Hint hint. :-p]

The two appeared in a cold, underlit room created entirely of stone. Harry's eyes were closed, still in pain from the Cruciatus curse. Lucius let go of the boy's wrist, and he fell heavily onto the stone ground. "Potter?" Lucius asked with uncertainty. No answer. Lucius nudged him roughly with the toe of his boot. Harry curled up, moaning quietly.

Lucius sneered. "Surely it couldn't have hurt that badly."

"Go to hell," Harry said softly, pulling himself into a sitting position and leaning against the dirt-covered wall.

"I've been there," Lucius snarled. "It's called Azkaban. You know nothing of hell, Potter. You will, though. I promise. Crucio!" And he left the room while Harry was still curled up, refusing to cry out in pain.

Narcissa and Draco were in Switzerland for the holiday, and the house elves stayed out of his way as a general rule, so Lucius had the manor to himself. Except for the Potter boy. But he was locked in a tiny, godforsaken room underneath the library. Lucius went about his work for the rest of the day, returning to Harry's room only when the sun had sunken below the line of trees that hid the manor.

Lucius knocked on the door in a mockery of politeness before entering. Harry had obviously recooperated, because he stood as Lucius entered, glaring hatefully.

"Potter," Lucius greeted him cordially. "Feeling better?"

"No thanks to you," Harry answered evenly.

"Of course not."

"You've got my wand, haven't you?" Lucius nodded. "That's cowardly," Harry snarled. "To take my wand, curse me, and then lock me up. I want my wand back."

Lucius laughed. "And why should I comply? It's not cowardice, Potter, it's self-preservation. Although you Gryffindors never did grasp the concept," he added as an afterthought.

"So you don't think you could handle me if I had my wand?" Harry asked him.

"I don't think it would be worth the energy to block your spells," Lucius replied coolly. "Are you hungry?"

The sudden change of topic threw Harry for a second; he paused before replying with a defensive, "No."

"Don't be ridiculous," Lucius told him. "I'll have a house elf send something down for you."

"I don't trust you," Harry told him.

"I'm not asking you to. Crucio." He left the room to go fetch a house elf, but noticed that Harry was building a tolerance to the curse - he remained standing this time, at least.

Lucius allowed fifteen minutes to pass after having sent down a house elf to feed Potter. Then he returned to the dim room. Harry, despite not trusting him, had eaten, Lucius noted. Now he was sitting in a corner of the room, most of his face obscured by shadows. Lucius conjured up two armchairs in the center of the room. "Come here, Potter."

"No."

Lucius gritted his teeth and pointed his wand at Harry's chest. "Come here, Potter."

Harry glanced at the wand dully. "I'm not impressed anymore, Mr. Malfoy."

Lucius deliberately pocketed his wand again. "Fine, no curses this time. I just want to...talk."

Harry regarded him suspiciously, but pushed himself off the floor with his hands and took the nearer chair. Lucius sat across from him. "Okay," Harry said. "What do you want to talk about?"

"I think you've got a hero complex."

"I have not," he replied angrily. "Those are my morals, Malfoy."

"Including turning me in to Azkaban despite that it had no effect on you whatsoever," Lucius said flatly.

" I have no pity for Voldemort's followers," Harry answered.

"Well, that would be admirable. Except you mentioned morals?" Lucius leaned in closer. "I'm going to let you in on a secret. Morals have nothing to do with supporting the Dark Lord."

"Obviously," Harry said dryly.

"You didn't let me finish. Consider, what would happen if the Dark Lord were to fall. Some Death Eaters would be prosecuted, but most would still walk free. Now consider what would happen if Dumbledore were to be defeated. The Dark Lord would take reign, and everyone known to oppose him would be tortured and killed. Would you take that risk?"

"Yes," Harry answered instantly.

"Admirable," Lucius sneered. "As I said before, Gryffindors have no sense of self-preservation. But joining the Dark Lord is much safer than opposing him, surely you can see that."

"Voldemort treats his followers the same way he does his enemies," Harry argued.

"Only the stupid ones," Lucius told him smoothly. "You're not stupid, Potter, we all know that. And Dumbledore has this nasty habit of using you as his human shield, sending yourself off to be killed while he remains safely at Hogwarts. Why would you support someone like that? I thought that you equated self-preservation with cowardice. Why should your Dumbledore get a pass on that?"

Harry's eyes narrowed. "He's not a coward," he spat.

"You've fought the Dark Lord nearly every year since you came to Hogwarts," Lucius pointed out, "while Dumbledore has only interfered once." Harry remained silent. "And surely you realize that the Dark Lord will kill you eventually, don't you? Every time you've escaped alive, it's been because of luck. But," he said in a lower tone, "you would be spared if you agreed to become a Death Eater. We would appreciate someone with your power." Lucius pushed Harry's chin upward, examining his features. "You're still young, of course, but we wouldn't mind. And we wouldn't take advantage of you like Dumbledore has."

"I won't join you," Harry told him stubbornly.

"I see." Lucius stood up abruptly. "You know, Potter, a little-known fact about the Cruciatus curse is that it can be controlled much like the Imperius can: for extended periods of time, at whatever intensity the caster chooses, which can be adjusted accordingly at a whim. Crucio sempur!" Harry gasped in pain and jumped up out of reflex. The chairs vanished with a wave of Lucius's wand and he again left.

Lucius kept Harry under the Cruciatus for an entire day. For the most part he had mercy, issuing only a comparatively dull ache. But when he had imagined that Harry had become too comfortable, he jolted his captive very much awake with more intense pain. It still did not compare to what he had suffered at Azkaban.

He had instructed the house elves to stay clear of Harry's room. He would go and visit Potter himself. Lucius would play both kidnapper and hero to him, and make the offer of salvation by joining the Death Eaters irresistable. Potter was stubborn, but not unbreakable.

When he got home from the Ministry, Lucius lifted the Cruciatus and took a pitcher of water with a glass to the cell. "Potter?" He pushed open the door. Harry was curled in the same corner he had been in previously. Lucius conjured a table next to him, setting the water down on it.

Harry looked up at the sound, saw Lucius, and drew his knees closer to his chest. "Why do you insist on torturing me?" he asked.

"So that you may understand what Azkaban was like," Lucius answered. He poured Harry a glass of water and handed it to him. The boy regarded it suspiciously and Lucius sighed. "It's not poisoned; I need to keep you alive. Go ahead."

He took a hesitant sip. "Why do I need to be kept alive?" he asked with interest. "You'll be taking me to Voldemort soon?"

Lucius shrugged. "Probably."

"And you'll give me back my wand before then?" Harry asked spitefully. "Or does he not want to take any chances that he'll be defeated again?"

"If I were to take you to the Dark Lord it would be because you chose to join the Death Eaters. If you decline, I'll kill you myself," Lucius told him.

"I'm sure," Harry replied skeptically.

Lucius clenched his teeth. "Potter, you're absolutely impenetrable."

"Jaded," Harry corrected, sipping more water. "You'll have to forgive me, but I've had death threats since I was eleven. I'm hardly to be scared of them anymore."

Lucius drew out his wand. "So you don't think I can kill you right now?"

"I think you can," Harry answered, "but I don't think you will." He set the cup down and used both his hands to push himself off the ground. "You need me alive for the present time, remember. And I also doubt Voldemort would be pleased with you if you were to steal his prized kill from under his nose."

Lucius felt a twinge of respect for the boy and how collected he appeared. How self-assured those green eyes looked. He smoothed his hair, hoping he didn't look flustered. "Just because it would be inconvenient to kill you right now doesn't mean that I'm harmless." Harry laughed unexpectedly, and Lucius bristled. "Just what is so amusing?"

"I think that you've got quite a high opinion of yourself," Harry answered with a smirk.

"I could say the same of you," Lucius told him evenly. He turned on his heel to leave.

"Where're you going?" Harry answered. "You always stalk in, hurl insults at me, and then stalk out five minutes later."

Lucius gritted his teeth before turning back around to face the brat. "Potter, I do not stalk anywhere."

"You do. You should watch yourself sometime."

"And furthermore," Lucius continued, ignoring him, "the only reason I'm here at all is to insure that you haven't dropped dead. Although that's not a bad thing in its own way. But what would you like me to do while here, if not merely check up on you?"

"I don't know. I'm just bored, I guess. You can go if you want." Harry chewed his lower lip. "How long will I be here?"

"Until you agree to become a Death Eater - "

"You'll be waiting awhile, then."

" - or I get tired of you and end up killing you off."

"I'll be waiting awhile, then," Harry smirked.

"Careful, Potter," Lucius hissed. "Such self-confidence gets you into dangerous situations." And with nothing left to say, he again turned and left, making careful efforts not to stalk.