A/N: Meow, meow, standard disclaimer, meow. I'd like to thank Lucky-mun for contributing this one to the pile. Again, this series of vignettes is being written by at least four people. Thanks for reading! –Sev-mun.
December 20th, 1986
Lucius knocked on the door to the Freehold. When no one answered, he walked through the door. It had only been a couple of months since Bella and Roddy had been thrown into prison, and he'd been rather busy trying to ensure that he didn't follow them. Still, one way and another, the Lestranges were family. And he'd certainly been invited over here often enough. Walking through the house, there was no real indication that anyone was home. When he reached the kitchen, though, there was a lamp lit at the table. He pulled a sheet of parchment from the shelf, and started to write.
Dear Mr. and Mrs Lestrange,
I was just stopping by to see how you have been doing, in these trying times. The situation being what it is, things aren't easy for any of us. Cissa and I are still trying to track down Orion, but, as of yet, no luck. Anyways, I just stopped by to invite you to come spend the holiday with me and mine, as you have so graciously invited me so many times over the years. No matter what things have happened, you can always consider yourself to have a welcome from this Englishman. I'm sorry to have missed you, and please do feel free to write or drop by at any time.
With love,
Lucius
Malfoy
As he set down the quill, there was a hand on his shoulder. He turned around to find one of the lodgers standing there. It was a man he'd only met a handful of times. "Sorry to intrude," he said. "I was just leaving this for the Lestranges, since they don't seem to be in."
"Oho," the man said. "That's right, you're the one who married young Roddy's wife's sister, aren't ye? Come to pay your respects, then? And did you really think that me and mine wouldn't see that they weren't alone for their holiday?" he asked.
Lucius looked up at him, a bit cautious. "Just inviting them to come for a visit, sir. I figured that now, more than ever, they needed family. I have to admit, I wasn't sure what your family would be doing, but it's not that I think you all don't care. Let them know, would you, and see that they get this letter? If you've got things in hand here, I'd best be back to my wife and son, before someone else wonders where I've gone," he said, thinking of how rare it was, these days, that he had a chance to slip off unobserved.
The man leaned over and grabbed hold of Lucius, kissing him soundly, before letting him go. "I think you needed that. Just a bit of love to warm your way home, in return for what you were showing coming all the way out here this cold winter's night. You won't be seeing them this holiday season, but don't fret, we've taken them in hand. And I'll take your letter, to remind them that not all Englishmen are arseholes," he picked up the letter, and walked Lucius to the door, closing it as soon as he'd seen him on the other side of it.
Lucius shook his head. They were odd, that family was, but it was true that in that one kiss, he felt better. It was nice, now and again, to see just the littlest bit of love untempered by fear and sorrow. He set off down the road to Ballycastle, where he could borrow the floo in the pub to get home. At least, he could if the locals still recognized the wild hearted brawling young man he'd been, in the sombre, responsible man he was being forced to become.