Chapter Two – In Which There Are Introductions
Lucius Malfoy curled his lip in disgust. He mentally cursed the fool who had decided to put up anti-apparation wards around Platform 9 ¾. It was because of those particular wards that he was forced to wade through the filthy mass of muggles that swarmed through Kings Cross Station any time he escorted his son to the Hogwarts Express.
His sneer deepened as he caught sight of the black-haired brat that had made his life so difficult for the last few years. He began to alter his course slightly to intercept the boy, hoping to either embarrass or intimidate him, when he caught sight of yet another teenager. This one was not nearly so offensive to his eyes; quite the opposite in fact. His lips relaxed into a more appreciative curve as his eyes trailed over the girl's body. Her breasts, high and full, pushed alluringly against the cloth of the tight shirt that restrained them; a shirt with the words "HELL'S KITCHEN, NY" printed on it. A slim waist tapered to curvy hips. A small tattoo could be seen over the waistband of her baggy pants, nestled in the hollow beside her pelvic bone. After only one glance he knew that no muggle could see this tattoo, or at least they couldn't see it as it was meant to be seen. The reason? Simple; this was a magical tattoo. In constant motion, the green snake that the tattoo depicted wound itself into three overlapping circles, which were stacked in the shape of an inverted triangle. The bottom circle contained a black pentagram, the five points of the star almost touching the snake that constantly coiled around it. The top right circle contained a skull with two wands crossed under it, and the top left circle held the rune Jera.
Lucius' interest peaked when it occurred to him just what this tattoo meant… it was the Symbol of the Forsaken, a mark with a meaning dark enough to match the brand he bore on his own left forearm. He spared a moment to wonder how someone her age had managed to earn that particular mark; she appeared to be no older than his own son, who was just entering his sixth year at Hogwarts. The skills needed to master the Symbol took time to learn; years of training were often required.
He found his interest in this mysterious young girl growing… It seemed that she had an intellect to match her body, an attribute he usually found disappointing in his women. Beautiful women with strong minds tended to pose a problem when it came to his womanizing habits. However, this girl's apparent mental capacity only served to further enflame his curiosity. But then anyone who carried the Symbol was bound to have a dark disposition as twisted as his own. Without even pausing to consider that this was a stereotype of gross proportions, he sped his pace, almost imperceptibly, in order to cross paths with her at the barrier, where it seemed they were both headed.
They reached the brick structure at almost the same moment, a scant heartbeat behind the Potter brat. Suddenly a voice yelled crudely, "Oy! Harry!" The shout came from the general direction of a blurring shock of red that could only be the hair of a Weasley. It was, in fact, Ronald Weasley, who had spotted his friend through the crowd and run to meet him.
Hearing the familiar tone of his best friend, Harry stopped just short of the barrier. If Tetra's reflexes had been even the tiniest bit slower, she might have walked right into him. As it was, she had stopped moving almost exactly as Potter did. Unfortunately for her, however, Lucius did not react quite so quickly. Not expecting the sudden halt, he walked right into Tetra, her hiss of surprise accented by the look of intense annoyance on her face. She was about to whip around and confront the person who'd run into her when a hand descended on her shoulder and a silky voice drawled in her ear, "My apologies, miss. It appears that young Mr. Potter's lack of a proper upbringing has resulted in a poor set of manners… amongst other things."
She noted that he had not removed his body from contact with her back, as would have been polite. His warm breath grazed the tip of one ear. While her first instinct was to be angry and bitchy, as she had been with the wanna-be-gangsta; another part of her relished the feel of a strong male chest pressed so intimately to her body. His soft voice threatened to send shivers down her spine, though she managed to stay completely stationary. Without turning, she addressed him. "And yet you feel the need to apologize for him?"
She watched the oblivious young man they were discussing as he conversed excitedly with the red-head; no doubt catching up after a long summer.
The man behind her spoke once more. "Any slight, no matter how small, against a woman of such beauty should be amended, no matter the perpitrator."
She almost laughed. This guy was really laying it on thick. He was either desperate or over-confident, and she was betting on the latter. He had a smooth, cultured voice; product of practice and upbringing. She slowly moved her body imperceptibly away from his and turned to face him. Out of deep-seated habit she let her eyes sweep his body so that she could catalogue his appearance and file away details for future reference. Due to years of training she had hated but grudgingly appreciated, she was exceedingly proficient at profiling others. His clothing, distinctly of wizarding origin, though it could pass for an eccentric muggle suit, was made of a finely woven material that she recognized to be of expensive make. He wore a silver clasp at his throat and a small silver snake-head adorned the top of the cane he carried. Through these two observations she deduced several things. The first was that he was wealthy, and the family-crested heirloom ring he wore indicated old wealth from a pureblood family with extensively traceable bloodlines. The cane not only reinforced the thought that he was from a long-standing wizarding family (purebloods tended to stick more to the fashions of the 1800s than other magic users), but she would bet everything she owned that his wand was concealed in it as well. Cold grey eyes held haughty intelligence and it was obvious that this was a man accustomed to getting his way. Leather gloves that looked soft as butter spoke of shameless self-indulgence and an appreciation for comfort.
All this information was taken in and stored with a single flick of Tetra's eyes, and it took her no more than a few seconds to form these calculated assumptions. As her eyes met his, she inhaled lightly, her small nostrils flaring delicately. She caught a faint whiff of leather mixed with expensive cologne. Underneath this, there was the unmistakable odor, however indistinct, of sex mingling with the coppery tang of blood. Yes, she thought, confirming one of her inferences, he does like to indulge himself, and violently, it appears.
She watched guardedly as his eyes flicked over her form. Any other girl might have taken it as a lascivious compliment. She, however, knew exactly what it was. He was processing her as she had him. She let him; and did her best not to look aggressive. His own posture and body language indicated that he was relaxed and interested. So far nothing seemed to have put him on the defensive. She felt his eyes, as much as saw them, pause on her Symbol. His eyes darkened, but not in alarm or suspicion, but in interest and desire. She wondered briefly if he was as aware that she had been studying him. Then, as she spotted Potter and his red-headed friend cross onto the platform via the barrier, she decided it didn't matter anyway. That was her cue to leave.
"You have my gratitude for the reparation," she said politely. Her mouth formed into a smirk, but she knew her eyes remained neutral; somewhere between cold and impassive. "Now if you'll excuse me, I must be boarding the train."
"Of course my dear," he replied smoothly. If the fact that she might be a student shocked or confused him, he showed no sign of it. "And if you should ever like to call upon me again, remember the name Lucius Malfoy."
Well, she thought, with a name like that, who wouldn't be arrogant? Knowing he was expecting a name in return, she merely said, "I'll keep that in mind," and backed through the barrier separating her from the crowd of bustling Hogwarts students and their families.
Now, she thought, to find that Potter brat. Grudgingly she stepped into the chaotic gathering and went in search of the boy…
A/N: So that's that.
And much thanks to my only reviewer so far:
You're the best Cari. And of course you've read this one already. Haven't you read them all. : )