Harry Potter and Co. belong to the great Rowling!

slash-SSLM

AU-Story

A Snake in Sheep's Clothing. A Question of Honor.

Chapter Five. Godsent

Lucius, Severus, and Abraxas apparated before Snapdragon Manor. Having taken Severus into his arms Lord Abraxas made his way up the steps leading to the entrance of the imposing columned structure that was home of the Malfoys. Alerted by the wards that her husband and son had returned Eugenia Malfoy threw open the door and quickly moved out of the way.

"Get the healer." Lord Malfoy ordered his wife taking the stairs two at a time. "Lucius don't stay behind." A confused Eugenia looked from her husband to the pale child in his arms and called her personal elf while the pair continued on their way.

"Yes Mistress." Dobby one of the youngest elves at the Manor answered.

"Get healer Jacobs don't come back without him."

Without a second thought to the fact that said healer was presently in France the small elf snapped his fingers and disappeared with a pop.

Turning the corner Lord Abraxas swore under his breath. Greedy bastard! If he didn't want the child all he had to do was say so instead of selling him off as a squib and endangering his life in the process.

Lucius knew something was terribly wrong and wondered how it would affect him. The boy was supposed to be his carrier but what if he wasn't one. Wizard carriers weren't as common as squib ones. Maybe this could work in his favor if the boy was a Wizard then his father wouldn't bond the boy to him...or would he? His father had a fanatical view on honor and duty maybe this would only make things worse! Pushing his worries aside the tall youth opened the doors to the bedroom next to his.

Abraxas placed the young boy on the bed and covered him with a thick blanket. Drawing his wand he cast a magical scan. When the wand began glowing red he swore mentally. Severus's mother's magic had been drained and his Father's had been weakened to the point that he was falling into a magical coma.

"Is he dying Father?" Lucius whispered looking at the unmoving figure.

"His magic is. It's slowly draining like his mother's." Damn you Prince! Abraxas growled. Severus Snape hadn't been a squib but he would soon become one if he didn't do something to stop the magical drain.

"What can you do?" Lucius asked folding his arms in front of him. Lord Abraxas couldn't help but notice his son's coldness at the situation before them.

"I can do nothing but you can." He announced turning to the youth.

"Me?" Lucius couldn't help but feel nervous, what could he do?

"He needs magical strength to keep his magic anchored."

"If you're suggesting-" Lucius took a step back but was quickly dragged back by Abraxas who pushed him under the covers next to an unconscious Severus. The boy instinctively scooted next to Lucius and curled against him. "But Father-" The teen protested scooting away from the child.

"He's going to be your bonded anyway."

"He was going to be my bonded because he was supposed to be a squib carrier!"

"Wrong son. He's not a squib but that doesn't mean he's not a carrier. We have to act quickly or he'll lose his magic. There's nothing to do but anchor it with yours."

"But Father!" Lucius protested moving away from Severus once again. Feeling the magical warmth pull away the boy groaned in pain.

"I said stay put!" Abraxas thundered making Lucius gasp in surprise. His father hardly ever shouted and never at him.

Lord Abraxas swore under his breath.

half an hour later...

The healer murmured to himself and turned to Lord and Lady Malfoy apprehensively.

"What can you tells us?" Lady Eugenia asked looking at her son's expressionless face. Lucius had thus far remained silent but even she could feel the smoldering resentment at what he had been forced to do. She like Abraxas understood that taking the child in was their duty but to make their son lend his magic to anchor the child's was a decision she could not understand. Using one's magic to anchor another's required a level of mental and magical intimacy that caused a connection that was close to bonding and although her husband had decided to bond Severus to their son that had been when he had thought him a squib carrier something he most definitely was not.

"Well it worked Lord Malfoy. The boy seems to be gaining his strength back." The Healer began guardedly.

"But?" Lucius asked while Severus snuggled against him his small hand entwined with Lucius' under the covers. Luicus had tried to pry the small fingers away but everytime he came close Severus would whimper and his father would glare at him.

Lord Abraxas interrupted his son. "You wish to add something Karol?" the Wizard asked his one time school friend.

Karol Jacobs sighed, "his magic's been anchored but there's now a link with young Lucius."

"And..."

"The boy is very young so he's holding onto Lucius magic with all his might. This will only make the link grow stronger I don't know if that's what you want."

Lucius who was still working on his occlumency had begun broadcasting his thoughts loud and clear and the older Wizard was not pleased with what he was picking up. Not letting on that he was reading his son's thoughts Abraxas shrugged the comment aside and changed the subject. "So he's definitely not a squib."

"Most definitely not... but he is a carrier." Jacobs added pleasantly.

"A Wizard carrier?" Eugenia whispered in awe. Wizard carriers did exist but they were rare, maybe one in every thousand. "Are you sure?"

"One hundred percent Lady Malfoy." The healer nodded.

Lucius could only look down at the raven haired boy next to him. A wizard carrier was bonded to him?! The prestige that that would bring his family was beyond words. His fortune was made! Not only was he the Malfoy heir but he would have a Wizard carrier bonded to him and he would marry the most beautiful Witch in England! Narcissa had mentioned not wanting children immediately after the wedding with Severus as carrier he would be able to give his future wife the opportunity to enjoy her status as Lady Malfoy without worrying about bearing him an heir

Abraxas Malfoy saw his son's smug smile and looked away to hide his disgust. When had his son turned into a fool?

Several hours later...

Abraxas and Eugenia sat by the fire in their bedchambers quietly.

"It must be done."

Eugenia shook her head worriedly. She knew her son too well for her husband's idea to work. "Lucius may accept him as a bonded carrier but not as more than that." Wizarding custom allowed for a Wizard to take a carrier as bonded but it did not require the dominant Wizard to marry the carrier, which meant that Lucius could have an heir with Severus but could marry someone else. She was no fool and she knew very well who her son would chose. Narcissa might be a good match if she came by herself but a marriage between families like theirs and the Blacks would naturally join their houses for generations. The Blacks were just too volatile for the Malfoys to benefit from such union and if the Malfoys did not benefit Abraxas would never accept such a match.

"I worry about him Eugenia. He's too proud, to self serving. There was a time when being a Malfoy commanded respect because of our deeds and not because of our wealth."

"Abraxas, he's no different from the youths that surround him." Lady Malfoy tried to soften her husband but even she knew she was fighting a lost cause. Abraxas came from a different time, a time so different from the one they lived in now.

"Well he should be. If this is anything to go by I am right in what I'm doing."

"Talk to him first at least."

"Like he did with me? No Madame if my son thinks he is intelligent enough to outwit his own father then he will learn never to underestimate anyone." Lord Abraxas unfolded the parchment and reread it for the fourth time that evening. Lucius had written to Rigel Black asking to see him before the end of the week. Rigel had returned the owl with a date and time. How dare his son go behind his back after he'd been strictly ordered not to commit himself further with the Blacks!

"You can't be certain that-"

"He was given an order! He went behind my back! I love my son but he will learn one way or another. He will lead this family once I am gone. I have to make sure he's prepared in everyway."

"Isn't the bonding enough? It will be difficult enough as it is on the pair. I can't even begin to imagine how Severus will react when he wakes up."

"The Snapes are a strong lot. He'll adjust. We'll make sure he does."

"The child is nine! Brought up as a muggle and although magical he knows nothing about us. He's ignorant of our ways."

"He'll help me save Lucius from sheer disaster." Abraxas growled looking at the second parchment. It was an invitation to a gathering at an undisclosed location. The invitation had not been dated but it had been signed T.R. It had taken Eugenia the better part of an hour to decipher the writing.

"I thought you had rescued him to help him, not use him." Abraxas had expressly forbidden Lucius any private communication with Narcissa during the summer and the youth had disobeyed. Maybe she should've kept quiet but how could she? She had bowed on their marriage day to owe loyalty and obedience to no one but Abraxas. She had done the right thing but she couldn't help feeling like a traitor to her son.

"I rescued him yes but if by doing so I can help my son then I will. You know that I don't agree with these new ideas."

"The purity of Wizarding blood?"

"That's just the beginning. He surrounds himself with idiots who follow his orders because of the Malfoy wealth. Those fools will be his downfall. I'm worried. I'm a hundred and five years old, you're sixty! He's fourteen! We waited too long!" He growled rising to his feet.

Eugenia shifted uncomfortably she had married her husband forty years ago but had been unable to conceive until twenty five years into their marriage. "You speak as if he were evil already!" She cried defensively.

"He's not but what's to stop him once I'm gone! He'll be in charge...I love my son...but..." Abraxas gritted out looking at the T.R. at the bottom of the second owl.

"Talk to him!"

"I have spoken to him again and again! He knows my reasoning and he doesn't agree with me. He obeys me because he has no choice. He's not a bad person but he will be unless...I'm the head of this family I have a responsibility to make sure he makes the right decisions." Abraxas knew that nothing was guaranteed but he had to make sure that Lucius at least married someone who would be completely loyal to the Malfoys and someone who could give Lucius an heir that would have no ties to anyone other than them. Someone intelligent who would be a partner and friend not just an social climbing pureblood!

Eugenia straightened her shoulders. "I am loyal to you my Lord and if you feel that arranging for Lucius and Severus to marry is the appropriate action then so be it."

"It won't happen anytime soon though. I want them to get to know each other first so they won't be strangers when they eventually marry."

"Will you tell them?"

"And have them fight me every inch of the way. No...they'll marry after I'm gone." Abraxas decided.

"What about Rigel Black?"

A gleam came into Abraxas eyes at the mention of Narcissa's father. "I'll deal with Rigel Black in my own time and in my own way."

----

later that night...

Lord Abraxas moved to the large bed and drew the curtains quietly. With the help of several potions Lucius lay on his back sleeping fitfully while Severus rested his head on the blonde's shoulder, his thin arm thrown across the teen's chest. Soft blue and green swirls of magic surrounded the pair. Cocking his head the Wizard sighed, Severus had been Godsent.

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AN:

I've no idea what Narcissa's father's name is so I went with Rigel. I'm very happy to see that many of you have decided to put the story on "story alert" now how about you leave a review too. READ AND REVIEW