Edited: 11/23/2018


Chapter 10: The Edict

Malfoy Manor, Wiltshire, England

March 30, 1980

Lucius felt his patience waning each time his father brought up the subject of whom would be the Godfather of his unborn son. His father, Abraxas Malfoy, was quite adamant in his opinion that Lucius should choose Abraxas' old friend Orran Nott to be the Godfather to his boy. Orran had finally been blessed with a son and heir months ago and he had named Lucius as the Godfather. Abraxas was of the opinion that it would not harm House Malfoy to be doubly entangled with House Nott.

However, Lucius disagreed with his father. Rumors abounded that Orran Nott had killed his three previous wives, though obviously nothing could be proven to convict the man. Orran Nott was a ruthless sadist as far as Lucius was concerned and he really did not understand why it was that his father so favored the man. His father was Orran Nott's Ardenvraar, his sworn brother by blood and magic. Surely then his father should know what sort of man Orran Nott was. Lucius could only believe that his father's recent losses had blinded him to what sort of man his Arden truly was.

His father was still in mourning for the death of his beloved wife and his youngest child. Lucius's mother, Lysandra Malfoy nee Challant, had died six months ago due to complications of childbirth at Saint Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies. It was the first and only childbirth that Lysandra had not undergone at Malfoy Manor and even now Lucius still wondered if his mother and his younger brother had been killed by the staff of Saint Mungo's. He certainly would not be trusting them with his beloved Narcissa when her time came to give birth to their child.

His father's grief in those early days of November was so great that Lucius and his sisters feared that Abraxas might choose to die himself. Suicide in order to join his beloved. It was the sort of thing that was written about in the great stories. Lucius had always found such stories to be tedious. He and his siblings had vowed that they would not allow their father to die of grief. Abraxas had slowly rallied upon spending time with his daughters and his daughter-in-law. All three of his daughters were pregnant as was his only daughter-in-law. He was relieved that his father was pulling out of his grief by focusing on the future of his house, even if it meant that he felt that he should harass Lucius over choices for Godparents for Lucius's son.

Lucius sighed and made a mental note that he would need to pay the utmost attention to his Godson, Theodore Nott. If he had his way the poor babe would already reside in the Malfoy nursery under the care of Narcissa and her competent staff. That Narcissa was likewise against the idea of Orran Nott becoming their son's Godfather helped insure that Lucius stood firm against his father's prodding.

"Father, I have said it before and I will say it again." Lucius said when his father ended his latest round of explanations of why Orran Nott would be such a good choice of Godparent. "House Malfoy is already bound to House Nott in the form of your bond with Lord Nott and of my bond to young Theodore. There is no need for another bonding. Instead we should look to other families to gain more connections."

"Parkinson's." Sneered Abraxas.

"Not necessarily." Lucius hedged. It was true he had been considering his old friend Caius Parkinson as a Godparent for Draco.

"I will not have it." Abraxas proclaimed.

"Very well then it shall not be Caius." Lucius agreed. "But it will not be Orran." He added in a firm tone of voice.

The sadistic man would not go near his son if Lucius could help it. He already feared enough for Theodore as it was. So much so that he had placed a Malfoy House-Elf in the Nott nursery to watch over the boy. He was sure that Orran would never go into the nursery and even if he did, he doubted that the man would notice the House-Elf was not one of his own.

"You are as stubborn as your mother." Abraxas declared in the tone he usually used to show his displeasure with his son.

Lucius inclined his head, choosing to take his father's words as a compliment. His mother, Lysandra Malfoy nee Challant, had been the parent he loved and revered most. It was his mother whom spent time with him as a child and it was she who guided him in his pursuits as he grew. Lysandra had feared the rumors about the man called "Lord Voldemort" and she had in her final years of life begged Lucius to never join the man's side unless it was the only way that Lucius could see fit to survive. Upon her deathbed Lucius had sworn an oath in blood and magic that he would not join the ranks of Lord Voldemort's chosen followers. Though it was growing increasingly difficult to do so he had, thus far, maintained a sense of neutrality. He had already been courted by many old friends who had become Death Eaters, the chosen name of Lord Voldemort's followers. Lucius had found the name to be ostentatious but clever. It meant swallowers of death and it was a name that could frighten the masses. Lucius could not say that he had been courted by anyone from the side of the "Light" as Albus Dumbledore proclaimed them, but then this did not surprise him. He was positive that Dumbledore and his little acolytes had already decided that he was a Death Eater.

"Are you two still arguing over whom shall be the Godfather of my Draco?"

Lucius smiled as he heard the sweet voice of his wife, his beloved Narcissa. He turned toward the doorway to see her standing just within the room. His gaze swept over her. Her golden hair was left half up and half down with golden curls flowing over her breasts. The soft fabric of her champagne shaded dress seemed to shimmer in the candlelight of early evening. His gaze settled upon her stomach where one of her delicate hands rested on the gentle swell that showed the growth of their child. His son. His son was growing there. How had he been blessed to have a son with this gorgeous creature?

He knew how of course. He had ruthlessly bullied and threatened the other gentlemen who wanted Narcissa Black. He had terrorized them until they gave up on any chance of claiming her as their own. Then he had ruthlessly pursued her. He had courted her with tenacity, wanting to sweep her off her feet and have her bound to him in the wedding contracts before she could come to her senses and realize just what a selfish and ruthless man she was giving herself to. That Narcissa could hold him in such great affection was truly beyond his wildest comprehension.

"Yes." Lucius managed to answer. "We have finally reached an accord in the matter."

"Oh?" She asked as she came closer, her gray eyed gaze searching his face.

Lucius smiled gently at her as she came into his reach. He put his larger hands on her delicate shoulders and trailed down to her hands. He raised both to his lips and he closed his eyes before he placed a reverent kiss to each hand. "Yes. We have agreed that neither Parkinson nor Nott shall be Godfather to our Draco."

Narcissa laughed at that and then pulled her hands from Lucius' grip. "In that case perhaps you would read this." She stated simply and she then reached into the pocket of her skirt and drew forth a small rolled up letter.

Lucius took the scroll and unrolled it. He smirked when he immediately recognized the writing of his old protégé, his friend, his Arden, one Severus Snape.

'Cissa,

What is your price for the forewarning that you gave to me and when shall you come calling to collect?

Severus.

Lucius frowned at just how his friend had ended the letter as he gave it back to Narcissa. Since Severus was writing to a lady he should have ended his letter with more formality than his first name. It screamed of intimacy.

"I admit he needs more etiquette lessons." Narcissa said lightly.

"Of what did you forewarn our dear Severus?" Lucius asked her with a great deal of curiosity.

"I warned him that Auror's would come to his home to search and ask him questions about whether or not he was in collusion with He Who Must Not Be Named." Narcissa revealed.

"He Who Must Not Be Named," Lucius scoffed. "Of all the stupid monikers," he grumbled.

"Yes, well," Narcissa said in an attempt to divert her husband back onto the topic she wanted. "Severus recognizes that he owes me a debt and you know how he hates owing debts. He wants me to collect as soon as may be."

Lucius nodded his understanding. Severus did hate owing anyone. He was very independent. Too independent. The loss of his friendship to that Muggle-born, Lily Evans, had hit Severus hard. Severus tried hard to not need anyone as a result of that. Severus preferred instead to be his own person. The Malfoy's and his old Potions Master were the only exceptions that Lucius knew of. It was truly an honor to be allowed into Severus' life at all.

"So what shall you ask of him? A potion?" Lucius asked of her in a teasing tone of voice.

"No," Narcissa said gently. Then boldly she stated. "I will demand that he repay the debt by becoming the Godfather of our Draco."

"Godfather to Draco." Lucius trailed off and let himself truly think about the possibility. Severus had become his father's ward when he was fifteen and in that time Lucius had taken to looking upon Severus as though he were the little brother Lucius had always desired. He had ever looked at Severus that way, he realized. Perhaps that was why their magic had been so compatible as to permit them to bond as Ardenvraar despite their age difference. Lucius was five years older than Severus and it was rare indeed that see a bond of Arden that were even a year apart in age.

"Yes," Lucius murmured. "My love, your choice is inspired," He said before he placed a kiss upon her forehead because he needed to touch her. Whenever she was near he needed to touch her.

"Severus has taken up the Prince seat," Abraxas said, reminding them of his presence. "It is an inspired choice. It would bring Severus closer into our family fold, give him more legitimacy due to his connection to us, and it could potentially grant Draco the estates and vaults of the Prince lineage since Severus is quite unlikely to ever wed."

Narcissa nodded her head though her expression for a moment was sad. "Yes, I had thought of all of those factors. What's more is that Severus is accomplished and trustworthy. He practically is a Malfoy."

Lucius nodded his agreement. "Yes and the trouble was that we wanted a Godfather that we could trust to protect Draco no matter what, even if that protection must be from us. Severus knows us and he will know the signs of whether or not we have in some way become compromised or impaired."

Abraxas smiled and clapped Lucius on the back. "I trust I shall hear soon enough that Severus is to be the Godfather. 'Cissa my dear, do tell me how the meeting with Severus goes and do not leave out a single detail."

She laughed as she watched her father in law exit the lounge. "I think I will do him one better and draw forth the memory for his pensieve," She said teasingly. "But now we must away, my love."

Lucius smiled even as he drew her into his arms. "And where to, my heart?" He asked even as he began to place delicate nibbles and kisses upon her gorgeous neck. He loved how soft her skin felt beneath his lips and the little delighted sounds she made when he nipped along the vein at the side of her throat.

It was in a breathless voice that Narcissa whispered. "To Lord Black's home in Belgravia," she whimpered then when Lucius lips found the spot right behind her ear. "He called a meeting," she reminded her husband.

Slowly and with great reluctance Lucius lifted his head. He was pleased to see his wife was deliciously dazed due to his ministrations. "Tonight," he promised her. "I will lay you down upon our bed and I will worship every inch of your flesh. No part of you will go without my touch."

Narcissa moaned due to the very thought and pulled herself away from his arms in an attempt to regain some of her composure. "Tonight," she agreed and then she swept out of the room.

Lucius chuckled and he followed after her, more than content to watch over her as they made their way to the floo. He followed after her, arriving a few moments behind her into the receiving room of the Black Townhouse in Belgravia.

He felt magic flow over him wiping away the vestiges of soot that was often a hazard of floo travel. His sharp ice-blue eyes glanced to the left where he met the gaze of his sister-in-law, Bellatrix Lestrange. He politely inclined his head to his wife's eldest sibling and then made his way to Narcissa's side.

He swiftly greeted their hostess, Melania Black, and then followed Narcissa into the lounge where most of the Black family seemed to have gathered. He watched his wife with amusement as she made her way directly to Olivia Macmillan who was holding the young Heir Black, Leonis. Lucius idly made his way over to the two ladies so that he might better have a look at the child.

"I have not seen our little lion in a few weeks," Narcissa proclaimed as she gently took the baby from his mother.

"He grows more beautiful every day," Olivia said proudly as she watched Narcissa hold her first born son.

Lucius let his eyes roam over the baby boy that Narcissa held and he admitted to himself that the baby was a cute little thing. He was quite adorable really. The gray eyes were quite striking. It made Lucius wonder, would Draco have the ice-blue eyes that were common of the Malfoy's or would he have gray eyes like his mother?

He met Narcissa's eyes and he could not stop the small smile that curved his lips as she smiled at him. Narcissa and their unborn child were the light of his world. He wanted to live happily with them for the rest of his life.

"I thank you all for coming," the voice of Arcturus Black III started the family meeting.

Lucius looked to the head of the House of Black. He did not know the man well, but it was to first Cygnus Black and then to Arcturus Black III that Lucius had been forced to go to in order to ask for Narcissa's hand in marriage. Out of the two, Lucius had been more impressed with the Lord Black.

"Why have you called us here, Arcturus?" Lucius heard his father-in-law, Cygnus Black, ask of the Head of the Black family. Lucius felt Narcissa tense slightly beside him and he placed a hand upon her lower back to offer her a subtle comfort. She pressed back, resting a bit of her weight into his arm, taking his offered support. He knew that Narcissa was at times embarrassed by her parents.

Arcturus smiled at Cygnus, yet the smile had the barest edge of cruelty. "Ever one to get straight to the point, Cygnus," he said in a chiding tone of voice. "Truly, I have always said that you lacked in proper disciplines. Not the least of which is patience."

"Some of us have important things to attend to, Arcturus," Cygnus replied in a scathing tone of voice.

Lucius gaze was drawn down toward the child in Narcissa's arms as he began to whimper. He frowned in puzzlement at that. The child had been asleep a few moments before and though Arcturus and Cygnus were not being pleasant to one another, they had not raised their voices. Surely the child could not be affected by them.

"Are you implying that my Arcturus does not attend to anything of import?" Melania demanded to know. "Why you ungrateful wretch! After all the hard work he has done for this family, for you!"

"Silence yourself, Melania," Walburga snapped. "Cygnus was saying nothing of the sort. He was reminding Arcturus that he was not the only male of House Black who had important business to attend to."

"Oh and of course you defend him," Melania said glaring at Walburga. "You always defend Cygnus. Even against Orion you would ever take Cygnus' side."

"Don't you dare bring Orion's name into this discussion!" Walburga snarled.

Anything else that the two women might have said to each other was suddenly cut off by the sharp piercing wail of the Heir to the House of Black. Lucius was caught by surprise by the sharp wails of the child but he swiftly began to aid Narcissa in trying to calm the baby.

"Oh, sweet lion, shh," Narcissa cooed to the child.

"Here, give him to me," Olivia gently ordered Narcissa. It was with reluctance that Narcissa relinquished Leonis Black into his mother's care. Lucius watched as Olivia set about soothing the child while the room remained for a time in silence. Lucius chose to savor the silence. It was his experience with the Black family that the silence would be fleeting.

"I will just take him to Lady Melania's private lounge," Olivia announced to the room while Leonis Black continued to fuss. She awaited a nod from both Arcturus and Melania and then she made her way swiftly from the room. She was followed a moment later by Cassiopeia Black.

"If we may come to the point of why we are here?" Cygnus once more questioned.

Lucius too was curious as to why the family Black and its familial associates were called together. In truth it made him feel on edge to be in a room with the Lestrange brothers. He knew that the two men were Death Eaters, servants of the one calling himself Lord Voldemort. Lucius did not wish to give the Lestrange brothers the opportunity to attempt to recruit him to the Dark Lord's cause. He wanted himself and his wife to have nothing to do with such fools.

Though he did not agree with the many allowances that the likes of Albus Dumbledore had championed for the Muggle-borns, he likewise recognized that the way that Lord Voldemort wished to handle things was simply wrong. The murder of a Muggle-born…of a magical child…it was anathema. Children were sacred in their world. It was amongst one of their oldest precepts.

That was of course the crux of the matter. Voldemort led his followers to somehow believe that Muggle-born children were as good as muggles themselves. How could those fools believe that? Those children had magic! No wand would accept them if they did not. They would not be able to learn spells and cast them if they were as low as mere muggles. For whatever reason, Muggle-borns were magical and so they had to be protected. Lucius could side with Albus Dumbledore's rhetoric on that score. He would not agree with the rest of Dumbledore's proposals though. Why should their customs change for the sake of Muggle-born children? Let them learn Wizarding customs instead.

"We are here to discuss the future of this house," Arcturus said bringing Lucius' attention back into focus. Arcturus words silenced the room, even the smaller conversations ceased as all eyes focused upon the head of the House of Black. "As most of you know, my son and heir, Orion, was murdered by vigilantes known as Death Eaters," he said the words softly but with great venom. "These vandals have been attacking the wizarding population inciting terror and chaos as well as murdering the poor and unsuspecting and specific targets all in the name of their so called Lord."

There was restless movement from the Lestrange brothers who stood behind the settee that contained Druella Black, Bellatrix Lestrange, and Walburga Black. Lucius felt a vicious sort of satisfaction over their discomfort. He wondered if one of the brothers had been the one who had murdered Orion Black. Lucius and his father had engaged in a few idle discussions wondering if the murder of Orion was the random event it appeared. It had seemed that Orion had been in the wrong place at the wrong time, but was that true?

"Any of House Black who have sworn themselves to the allegiance of the man styling himself Lord Voldemort, I command you to come forward now," Arcturus declared.

Lucius felt the strength of the command, felt the powerful magic ripple through the air. He had heard that the Lord of a House had such power over their subjects, their family members and vassals, but he had never seen it enacted before now. It was impressive.

Bellatrix Lestrange arose from her position seated between her mother Druella and her aunt Walburga. She came forward to stand before Lord Black and she then dropped to her knees before him in a posture of submission. Lucius felt Narcissa tense beside him and he wrapped an arm about her waist and drew her against him to offer her comfort. Normally he would not do such a thing, but they were before family.

"You have sworn yourself to the monster whose minions killed my son?" Arcturus asked of Bellatrix.

She flinched but met his gaze. "My Lord Voldemort did not mean for Uncle Orion to be murdered," she said eager to explain that Voldemort was not to blame.

"Do not speak that filth's name in my presence," Arcturus commanded.

Bellatrix flinched but remained silent. Her hands rested upon her thighs, her nails curved into her palms digging into the flesh.

"Bellatrix, you always held such promise," Arcturus said as he stared down upon the woman. "I am disappointed that you would sell yourself so cheaply to such an upstart."

Lucius could see the glitter of tears in his sister-in-law's eyes. Whether they were of anger or shame he could not begin to guess. He was not close to Bellatrix due to her marital family. Though the Lestrange family could claim descent from the Malfoy's, they were a distant relation and their politics had always been too militant for the likes of Lucius's ancestors.

"My Lord is not an upstart. He hails from the noble line of Slytherin!" Bellatrix proclaimed.

Arcturus reached down and grasped Bellatrix by the chin and gripped her tightly. "I am your Lord, not that upstart," he hissed at her.

Cygnus took a step forward and then froze as the gray eyed glare of Arcturus came to rest upon him. "You would do well to know your place Cygnus," he warned him. "I should have removed your three children from your care long ago."

Cygnus's complexion darkened in anger and he opened his mouth to retort only for Arcturus to speak again. "You will only have that warning Cygnus!" With that Cygnus glared but he did not speak, and he did not make a further move forward toward where Arcturus stood looming over his first-born daughter.

Lucius was quite impressed with Arcturus' show of power. He felt Narcissa trembling against him and held her a little more securely as he watched Arcturus make his point to Bellatrix.

"You were born unto the House of Black," Arcturus informed Bellatrix. You bear a sigil of this house upon your skin," he reminded her. "You were given in marriage to the House of Lestrange. If you were to hail any as your lord it would be your father-in-law or myself," he reminded her. Then his gaze flickered to Rodolphus Lestrange. "You too bear the mark of the upstart then."

Rodolphus paled and attempted to shake his head in the negative but Arcturus clearly did not believe him. "Come now, Bellatrix could not have sworn herself to the upstart without her husband's consent. You ensured that the wedding contract was quite archaic limiting her freedoms."

Lucius glanced down at the golden blond hair of his wife as her hand came to rest upon his arm. She gripped him tightly for a moment before releasing the tight hold. His own marriage contract to Narcissa gave her a great deal of freedom. She would never have the freedom to divorce him. He had been adamant that she would never have a way to flee him, but all other freedoms he had wished to grant her, to keep her happy so that hopefully she would never attempt to leave him.

Lucius turned his gaze back to Arcturus as he once more addressed the room at large. "Now hear my edict," the man's voice held power as it carried throughout the room. "From this day forward the House of Black is an enemy to the man who calls himself Lord Voldemort!" He ignored the cry of alarm that came from Bellatrix. "Those of this house who have sworn themselves to the man called Lord Voldemort will disavow his cause."

Bellatrix scrambled to grab hold of Arcturus and she held fast to the fabric of his breeches. "My Lord Black, please, if you would only sit down and talk with Lor..err…with him, then you would understand what he stands for and how right it is."

"Never!" hissed Arcturus Black. "The man murdered my son and is most likely responsible for the death of Regulus as well," he insisted and for a moment Bellatrix looked as though she had been slapped.

"Regulus? No. No, he couldn't have been responsible…" Bellatrix rambled but she did not sound at all sure. There was no conviction in her tone of voice.

"I will never join that murderer," Arcturus made plain. "Furthermore, if any Lord were to rule the Wizarding World, it should be one with Black blood, not someone claiming Slytherin's, Gryffindor's, Hufflepuff's, or even Ravenclaw's," he snarled.

A short time later Lucius escorted his wife back to their home. Each were silent for a time, both reflecting on the events of the meeting. Lucius weighed and measured what it would mean that the House of Black was making a public stand against Lord Voldemort. He knew that he would have to speak with his father and convince him to swiftly back Arcturus in his very public stance. The Black's and the Malfoy's were among some of the oldest families in Wizarding Britain. Perhaps more of the other great families would follow them if they took this stance?

It was painting a target on their backs and that went against Lucius' sense of self-preservation. Yet what if this was the only way to persevere?

Lucius nodded his head in agreement as he remembered Arcturus' words. He could respect the great pride of Arcturus Black III. The man did have enough power to back up all of that pride after all.


I am updating the Family Tree's in World of Renewal by AzenorSage on A03. There will be a new Black Tree and a new Malfoy Tree posted there soon.