From his position on the floor, Severus looked up at Lucius.

It was at that moment that Severus really noticed what Lucius was wearing.

Lucius was wearing expensive robes, clearly more expensive than his Hogwarts robes.

Severus looked down at his own clothes that he was wearing. They were mismatched and of poor quality.

Severus then looked around his house. It was filthy and falling apart.

Severus fitted in this type of environment.

Lucius, on the other hand, looked completely out of place. He didn't belong in a place like this.

Yet, Lucius was still here.

Lucius suddenly walked over to Severus. Then, he offered his hand to the younger boy.

Severus looked at the hand and then at Lucius in surprise.

Lucius gave him an encouraging nod.

Severus took Lucius's hand and allowed the older boy to pull him to his feet.

"Are you all right?" Lucius asked.

"I'm fine," Severus mumbled, trying not to show his embarrassment. "What about you? Are you hurt in any way?"

"It's going to take more than some filthy Muggle to bring me down," Lucius replied in a haughty voice.

Severus looked down at the floor. He was feeling more and more embarrassed with each passing moment.

"I'm going to go check on your mother," Lucius suddenly spoke. "I want to make sure that she does perform the Memory Charm on your father."

Severus just nodded his head as Lucius walked out of the kitchen.

Lucius was not gone for long.

His head still half-lowered, Severus watched as the older boy gracefully walked towards him.

Lucius had always been the definition of grace, wealth, and power.

So, what in the world was he doing here?

"How did you find me?" Severus finally asked.

"The Department of Magical Education keeps records on all Hogwarts students," Lucius answered.

"I thought those records were protected and only allowed to be accessed by very few," Severus responded. "At least that's what my mother has always told me."

"I have Abraxas Malfoy for a father," Lucius returned, his voice strangely emotionless.

"Lucky you," Severus mumbled, trying not to sound bitter or resentful. Lucius, after all, had clearly put a lot of effort into coming to visit him.

"That's what everyone thinks," Lucius responded, his voice turning angry. "Everyone thinks that I live the perfect life just because my father has money and influence. Well, Severus, just because I don't live in a place like this does not mean that my life is charmed. You're not the only one who has it miserable."

Severus finally looked fully at Lucius.

Severus suddenly remembered how the older boy had insisted on being called Lucius when Eileen had referred to him as Abraxas Malfoy's son.

And Severus also vividly remembered the way that Lucius had held himself as Tobias had been charging at him with the knife.

And the way that Lucius had fought. It had been like one who had been in that type of situation before.

"I had no idea," Severus said. "I'm so sorry."

Lucius waved his hand dismissively. "I don't need your pity," he snapped. "I don't need anyone's pity. Personally, I rather be hated than pitied. Hatred means that you hold a lot of importance in someone else's mind. No one would ever bother with hating the insignificant. Pity, on the other hand, is a sign of weakness. Do you pity yourself, Severus?"

Severus once again looked around the kitchen, as he tried to ignore how itchy his clothes suddenly felt.

"I would have never thought that you were so common," Lucius sneered. "I never would have thought that you were just like everyone else. You whine and complain about how tough you have it, and you envy those like me that you view as being privileged. Well, I'm not going to feel guilty about being born in wealth and entitlement. Why should I? It's not my fault you were born in this type of environment. Now, what are you going to do about all this, Severus? Are you going to keep on feeling sorry for yourself, or are you actually going to work to try to make your life better?"

"You know how devoted I am to my studies," Severus snarled, now starting to feel angry himself. "You know how I know more curses than most seventh year Slytherins. You know how many tricks I already know in Potions. I do work hard. I work hard for everything that I earn in life."

"Don't try to suggest that I don't work hard," Lucius hissed. "Now, I won't deny that I don't use my family name to my advantage when it's beneficial to me, but that's not the only thing that I depend on. I read. I study. I practice. I am always working to prove that I am worthy of the name Malfoy, and that's harder to do than you would think."

Severus looked away from the older boy, his anger now replaced by shame and further embarrassment.

"I'm sorry," Lucius said, seeing the younger boy's reaction to his angry words. "It's not really you personally that I'm mad at, Severus. It's just that I know you are so brilliant and that you have so much potential to truly be someone great, and I hate to think of you as being like everyone else. I know that you're special, and that's how I want to see you. I don't want to see you as being like the rest of the world."

"Did the records say that I was a Half-Blood?" Severus mumbled, not knowing what else to say.

"They did," Lucius confirmed.

"Yet, you still came here."

"I did."

"Why? Don't you hate me for what I am?"

"No," Lucius replied, sounding as if he was surprised by Severus's question. "You're different from everyone else. Your blood status does not define you."

Severus felt himself turning red from embarrassment. He really was not used to receiving this much praise, especially from a sophisticated Pureblood like Lucius.

"How did you get here anyways?" Severus finally asked. "You must have come a long way."

"I flew on my broomstick all last night," Lucius answered. "I can't wait until I learn how to Apparate this year."

"I really appreciate you going to all that trouble," Severus mumbled, "especially since you didn't have to."

"Nonsense," Lucius replied. "I'm nosy by nature. I have to know everything. So, I just had to know where an intelligent young Slytherin like yourself lived."

"Yeah, you are pretty nosy," Severus agreed with a smile. "It wouldn't surprise me if you knew when everyone at Hogwarts went to the bathroom."

"I'm not quite that nosy," Lucius said with a slight laugh. He then turned serious. "Besides, I was also curious about how exactly a Muggle and a witch live together. It's so unnatural. Both your parents proved that to me. Wizards and witches should never mix with Muggles. Mixing with Muggles will do nothing but destroy us. And people like Dumbledore are idiots for believing otherwise."

Severus shifted uncomfortably before saying, "Thank you for coming, Lucius. I just wish you had something better to come to than this. And before you start, no, I'm not pitying myself. I just don't want anyone knowing that I live like this."

"I won't tell anyone else," Lucius promised.

"Thank you," Severus mumbled in appreciation.

"Do you mind if I stay here for the rest of the day?" Lucius asked. "If I try to fly back home now, I know that I will be spotted by someone. I wish I could cast the Disillusionment Charm on myself. My Disillusionment Charm is very good. I can't wait until I'm no longer underage."

"My mother could take you home via Side-Apparition," Severus offered.

"I don't want anything to do with your mother," Lucius sneered. "She gave up her magic for a Muggle. We shouldn't have to sacrifice our magic just to please a Muggle. No, Severus, I don't mind waiting. I can be very patient when necessary."

"Well, we don't have much food here," Severus mumbled.

"That's fine," Lucius returned. "I have been forced to go without at times."

"Well, then," Severus replied, "if you don't mind being here, I don't mind you being here either. My father and mother probably won't be pleased, but I seriously doubt they're going to say anything. I think you rather startled my father."

Lucius smirked slightly at Severus's last statement. He then sat down in Tobias's usual seat, which was at the head of the table.

Severus sat down in his chair.

Lucius grabbed for a piece of bread and buttered it.

"If it is fine with you, Severus," Lucius spoke as he ate, "I will be checking up on you regularly. I want to make sure that you're all right. I won't tolerate either of your parents hurting you."

"What about you?" Severus asked. "Your father hurts you. Who looks out for you?"

"No one," Lucius said simply, almost nonchalantly. "My father is a wealthy Pureblood with a lot of influence. Your father, on the other hand, is a nobody; and your mother is a disgrace. Besides, it's no longer as bad as it used to be. I'm now big enough and strong enough to hit back, and I can dish it out just as well as my father can."

"Everyone makes it sound as if being rich is everything in the world," Severus responded. "Clearly, they're wrong. Money is nothing more than a prison."

"Money is also an advantage in life," Lucius returned. "Don't worry about me, Severus. I know how to take care of myself. I might fall occasionally, but I always get right back up. And you're the same way. I can tell that you are."

"And I used to think that we were so different," Severus admitted. "I was wrong. I'm so sorry, Lucius, for misjudging you."

"Don't worry about it," Lucius replied. "I'm used to it, and it doesn't bother me. I'm proud of my scars. I'm strong because of them. And your scars are going to make you strong as well, Severus. We may come from different cloths, but they're cut the same way."