Draco knelt in front of the fireplace, pleading that his father was actually soundly asleep as his mother had said. He threw another nervous glance over his shoulder before sticking his head into the flame. Luckily, his godfather was present. He lowered his book and raised an eyebrow when he noticed Draco.

"Draco."

"Uncle Sev." Draco paused nervously to listen. Behind him, everything was quiet.

"I need to talk to you."

His godfather frowned in worry. "What is this about?"

"Not via floo." Draco hesitated for a moment. "Can you come over? But Father mustn't know that I'm the one who called you. It's very important."

The frown deepened.

"It's highly unusual for me to come uninvited, Draco. I don't think that's advisable."

Draco looked at him pleadingly. "Please, uncle Sev. I need your help! I don't know who else I can turn to. I'll explain everything once you're here. Just not via floo."

Severus sighed. "Fine. I'll come by in the morning. I hope for your sake that this is truly important."

Draco smiled in relief. "Believe me, Severus, it is. Thank you." He pulled his head out of the fire and left his father's study hastily. He didn't feel like testing his luck more than necessary.

Draco's request troubled Snape. He knew that Lucius wasn't a loving father. He was distant and unforgiving, but he wasn't malicious. Normally. If Draco felt it necessary to call him for help, something very unusual must have happened.

Snape smoothed down his robe and schooled his expression into a well-practiced one of cool indifference. The problem was that he wasn't sure if he could help Draco. He'd always be there for the boy if he got into trouble that he couldn't talk to his parents about. But he had a feeling that this time it wasn't just needing to talk. Whatever Snape thought of the way Lucius raised his son, the man was still Draco's father. So far, he had never done anything illegal. On top of that, the Dark Lord held Lucius in much higher favor than Snape, so it would be imprudent to challenge him. Even if it was for his godson's welfare. Snape sighed and tossed a handful of floo powder into the fire. He'd do what he could, but that was all.

"Severus!" Narcissa seemed tired. There were shadows under her eyes. It was a concerning sight for a woman who was normally in full control. Even now she was one of the most beautiful women Snape had ever met, without doubt. He nodded at her.

"How are you doing, Narcissa? I have too much time, now that the students are gone. I hope I'm not imposing?"

"No, not at all." Her nervous glance betrayed her. "You know how much I value your visits. I'm fine. It's not as peaceful here now that Draco is home. We were just about to eat breakfast. Why don't you join us?"

"It'll be my pleasure."

Snape accompanied her into the dining room where Lucius was already waiting. He looked the same as ever. When he saw Snape, he was surprised but not as surprised as Snape would have expected.

"We have company, dear?"

"Severus just arrived, so I invited him to eat with us."

Narcissa had easily slipped back into her usual calm – or maybe it was simply practice.

"Are you sick of the food that the house elves serve at Hogwarts, cousin?" asked Lucius with amusement. "You're welcome here as always. Please, have a seat."

Snape grimaced faintly. "I'm actually just here to see Draco. As you know, I get up early." One of the few things his grandmother, an Italian witch, had ingrained in his family, were her eating habits. Snape usually only had a strong coffee for breakfast and ate a bit later. Traditional English breakfast, the way the Malfoys ate, had never impressed him, as Lucius knew well.

"You should at least try the beans, Severus. It can't be healthy to start the day without good food. Sit down and tell me what that old fool and his lap dogs at the ministry are doing. There's nothing better in the morning than an inspiring conversation."

Snape sat down and reluctantly filled his plate. He skipped the beans and stuck to tomatoes and eggs. While doing so, he considered Lucius. It was strange for him not to ask for the reason for his visit. He rarely overlooked something out of the ordinary like this. But Lucius was obviously in such a great mood that he simply ignored it and enjoyed his company. Snape suppressed a cynical grin. Indeed.

Draco appeared a bit later, seeming genuinely surprised to see him, and Snape silently congratulated the boy for his great acting. Breakfast was unusually ordinary. Ordinary in the sense that everyone at the table pretended that everything was as usual. Lucius accepted Snape's flimsy excuse for a visit without further question. This alone had him suspicious. He quickly wrapped Lucius up into a conversation about politics, a subject that he only truly enjoyed with that man.

For Lucius, politics was a game. A war game without taboos. It lent the boring subject a fascinating touch. Snape had silently hoped that a political success was the reason for Lucius' good mood, but that wasn't the case. Nothing special, just the usual intrigues. There weren't many things that put Lucius into a good mood and he was almost euphoric. Since the Dark Lord hadn't announced any operations, there weren't many options left.

Snape eyed Draco and Narcissa inconspicuously. Narcissa had recovered her calm and was now polite and distant as always. The few comments she made perfectly fit her role of the uncritical housewife she was playing. After all these years she should have known that this wasn't necessary around him. But maybe she was slipping into practiced behavior? Draco stared at his plate most of the time. He didn't look at Lucius once.

"So… where's that studious nephew of yours?" Asked Snape when the meal was coming to a close. The question had concerned him since his arrival. From their previous conversation, he had concluded that the boy was going to spend the holidays with the Malfoys.

Narcissa flinched almost imperceptibly and Draco froze for a moment. Only Lucius showed no reaction.

"He's visiting a few old friends in Sussex," he answered with a smile. "They asked if he could visit for a few days."

"I understand. I had thought he'd spend his summer break here."

"That's correct. In fact, we've taken him in since his only relatives died in an accident this summer."

"Relatives of Agrippinilla's husband?" Asked Snape, moderately interested.

Lucius nodded with flagrant revulsion. "Sadly."

"You said he isn't the muggle's son?"

"No, the father is pureblooded. We were able to confirm this with tests. Obviously, my sister must have had an affair, even though we don't know who it was. The muggles naturally have no idea."

"It's very generous of you to take him in."

Lucius shrugged.

"There's no reason to punish the son for the mistakes of his mother. He's intelligent and still young. All he needs is a good environment."

Snape noted how both Narcissa and Draco were staring at the table even though the house elves had already cleaned it. Something was wrong and his suspicion was growing that it had something to do with that nephew. Lucius stood up.

"I'll be in my study if you want to talk to me, Severus. Otherwise, I hope you have a pleasant day. Nice of you to come by."

"Thank you, Lucius."

Snape watched as Lucius left the room.

"I'd like to talk to my godson for a little," he said afterwards.

Narcissa smiled and nodded. "I'll go upstairs, then. See you soon, Severus."

Snape nodded.

Once she was gone, Draco shot him a nervous glance. "Maybe we should go to the library. I remember seeing the book that you mentioned recently," he said, flashing the portraits a look.

Snape nodded and followed him. Inside the library, he carefully shut the door behind him. Draco searched the shelves and finally grabbed a book. He was obviously nervous.

"Well, I am here," said Snape, a tad impatient. "What did you want to talk to me about? Surely not this potions book I've already read."

Draco avoided his eyes. "No…" The boy took a deep breath "When my parents married, they made you the godfather of their children, right? That's why you'd help me if I was in danger." His eyes were filled with a mix of fear and desperation.

Snape froze. He hoped this didn't mean what he thought it did. "Of course," he answered, even though he was anything but sure. "Are you?"

Draco nervously turned the book in his hands. "Not directly. It's not about me. It's about…" He hesitated.

"It's about your cousin, Tigris, isn't it?" Surmised Snape. "Where is he?"

Draco stiffened and gulped. "Yes and no. You need to know something, but you need to promise me you'll never tell anyone. Really, no one."

Snape furrowed his brow. "Draco…"

"Please?"

The pleading tone moved something within him. "Alright. I promise. But Draco…"

"Please, listen to me. Tigris is not my cousin. He is my brother."

Snape stared in shock. "Draco, that's not possible."

"I can't explain right now, but it's the truth," whispered Draco with a panic filled glance at the door. "This means you're his godfather as well, right?"

Snape nodded hesitantly.

"So you need to help him. You must! Father is…"

The door flew open. Draco balked and paled.

"Care to have a chat for a moment, Severus?"

Lucius appeared calm, but his expression was enough to make Draco flinch.

He smiled at Draco. "Wait for us here, boy."

Draco gulped and lowered his head. "Yes, Father."

"Please, Severus."

Snape knew it wasn't a request. He followed Lucius down to his study.

"Draco has been a bit tense, lately," said Lucius on their way downstairs. "Don't worry about what he said. It's just the ramblings of a stressed teenager."

Snape found the fact that Lucius was saying anything at all ridiculous. Clearly, he had listened in on their conversation, however he did it. Did he really think he'd believe such an obvious lie? At first, he hadn't believed what Draco said, but Lucius' behavior convinced him that there was truth to the matter. That boy, Tigris, was Draco's brother. Half brother, maybe? That would make sense. But why did Draco think he was in danger? Obviously, it had something to do with Lucius. He had a horrible suspicion.

"Where is your nephew," he asked cooly.

Lucius smiled at him. "As I said, with friends."

"You don't honestly expect me to believe that."

"Oh, but I do," countered Lucius with a far too friendly tone.

Snape didn't have time to react once he saw the wand in Lucius' hand.

"Nonattinet ingenium," whispered Lucius before Snape could lift his own wand.

"I believe it's best if you leave now."

"Yes, you are right," Snape heard his own voice answer.

"That conversation just now is completely irrelevant. There's no need to talk about it with anyone. It's best if you forget about it as soon as you're home."

"Completely right." Snape tried fighting against the spell without success. It was as if he was caught in a thick fog.

Lucius smiled. "See you soon, cousin."

"See you soon, Lucius." Snape wanted to shout with rage, but instead he grabbed the floo powder and stepped into the fire.

"Hogwarts, Snape's flat."

The last thing he saw as Lucius turned away was how his calm face distorted into one of fury. But that wasn't important. When he stepped from the fire, he wondered why he had gone to Malfoy manor in the first place. After all, he still had paperwork to do. Something told him that he was wrong and that there was something important he was supposed to take care of, but he dismissed it as silly.

"Alright…" hissed his father. "So you backstab us."

Draco broke into panic.

"You're killing him! You need to stop, please! He is your son!"

"So much concern, how noble," spat his father. His eyes had a cold sheen that only drove Draco's panic further. He had never seen his father lose his temper like this. "You'll turn into a Gryffindor at this rate. If you're this worried about your brother, why don't you come and keep him company?"

"No!" Draco drew back, but his father was faster. He snatched Draco's arm.

"Oh yes!"

Draco was too paralyzed to fight back when his father dragged him along.

Narcissa came down the stairs, but Draco wasn't in sight. A crippling fear grew within her. She snapped her fingers and a house-elf appeared.

"Where is Master Draco?" She snapped.

The creature's eyes widened in fear. "Mino can't tell, Misses. Master Lucius very angry." Its eyes widened even more. "Bad, bad Mino." The elf banged its own head against the floor and vanished.

"No," she whispered. Her hunch was confirmed. "Stupid boy, what have you done!"

Narcissa ran towards the door leading down to the dungeons. It was locked. Something within her broke and she wrenched at the doorknob in desperation.

"Open up! Alohomora! Patefacio! Aperio!"

When the door still refused, she began banging against it with her fists, again and again. "Lucius! You need to listen! Please! Lucius!"

She sobbed, sinking to the floor next to the door. Tears smeared her make-up, but she didn't care.

"No. Please, no…"

Harry looked up when the door to the dungeon opened with a bang. His muscles were still sore but he was doing better than the day before. The spells and potions from his mother had really helped. Narcissa… his mother… how little time it had taken to call her that in his mind. Harry braced himself, strangely thankful to have regained his ability to stand. He was tired, but he wasn't ready to give up. Never…

'Ready for another round,' Harry thought sarcastically. He was surprised and a little shocked when a furious Lucius appeared with Draco in tow. He opened the bars and thrust Draco into Harry's cell. Draco stayed where he fell. He seemed completely cowed. Lucius looked down to him and balled his hand to a fist.

Harry wondered if the man had completely lost his mind by now. If there was anything he had learned these past days, it was that Lucius was anything but sane. Maybe his constant dealings with a lunatic psychopath had driven him to insanity… Harry felt involuntary shudders rack his body as Lucius stepped closer.

"Well, well, well!" Hissed Lucius. "What have I done to deserve everyone in this damn household turning against me?" He pointed at Harry. "This is your fault. You infected your brother and your mother with your cursed disobedience. Look what became of it! Draco!"

Draco hastily pulled his robes over his head and kneeled down in front of him. His eyes were wide and his breaths were going too fast. He seemed just shy of a panic attack. Harry felt a desperate urge to help the other boy, no matter what happened between the two of them. His mind blanked when he saw the whip appear in Lucius' hand. Harry wasn't ready for it. He recoiled when it smacked onto Draco's back. Suddenly, Harry felt the welts on his back again. Draco counted to twenty. The last numbers were more screams than words. Lucius didn't seem to care. On the contrary. He appeared calmer once he was done.

"Now," he said. "After your brother was such a great example, I'm sure you'll do better."

Harry remained silent and closed his eyes. When the whip hit him, he screamed.

"No! Don't, please don't! Stop!"

The dizziness of the past days was back. Harry knew he was losing more blood. He couldn't think straight anymore, or process what he was hearing. The second blow hit him. He halfway regained his senses when arms wrapped around him from behind. A body pressed against his aching back. Harry whimpered.

"Step aside, Draco," said Lucius with a cold, threatening voice.

The hold of the arms only grew stronger and a chin rested on Harry's shoulder.

"No," answered Draco's shaking voice next to his ear. Harry heard him sob. "You're killing him! I won't allow this."

Something wet dripped onto his shoulder. Was he crying? Harry wished he could think straight.

"As you wish."

Harry heard the blow of the whip but it didn't hit him. Draco let out a quiet scream of pain, but didn't let go. Slowly, Harry realized what was happening and tried to twist out of Draco's hold.

"Stop this. Knock it off. Draco, you idiot…"

Draco only clutched onto him more strongly. "No. Shut up, Tigris."

Harry didn't manage to shake Draco off and his desperation grew with every blow that hit the other boy.

"Stop!" He yelled at some point. "He's your son! He didn't do anything! Please…"

Nothing had any effect. It was as if Lucius was deaf towards Harry's words. Finally, as a last resort, Harry began counting. Tears were running down his face as he spoke, but he hadn't cared about that for a long time. Once he reached ten, Lucius paused. Harry shook with relief.

Lucius stepped in front of him and waved his wand. The chains disappeared and both Harry and Draco fell to the floor. Harry immediately tried to curl into a ball. Draco's hold lessened and Harry felt like his former rival was doing the same.

"Now, this wasn't too hard after all," he heard Lucius' voice above him. "Let's get to the rest of my orders. Are you going to obey now?"

Harry coiled in on himself even further and stayed silent. All he wanted was to be left in peace.

A blow hit his so far unharmed side. Harry felt it heal, if slowly. Obviously he was too weak to properly let the healing magic do its job. He whimpered but didn't move.

"Another ten blows if you don't answer me."

"Father, please don't!" Draco's voice trembled mildly. Harry felt how Draco crawled towards him, trying to drag his body on top of him. He shrunk back. "Father, please."

Nothing happened. Then, Harry hesitantly looked up. Lucius stared down at them with a peculiar expression. The whip had vanished. Suddenly, he turned his back and left, shutting the bars behind him. Harry watched after him in disbelief. He waited for him to come back with some new torture method. But the door stayed shut. Once the shock subsided, he lost consciousness.

Narcissa heard the door to Lucius' study slam shut. Her heart raced and for a moment, she froze. Then, she gathered herself and went downstairs.

When she opened the door, she found Lucius in one of the armchairs, his eyes closed. As she entered, his eyes opened and an icy glare hit her.

"Out."

"Lucius, what…?"

"I said 'out'!" Hissed Lucius and waved his hand in her direction.

A sudden gust of air tossed her from the room and the door slammed shut. It was locked when she tried opening it again. Narcissa remained for a while, staring at it. She hadn't seen him do something like this before. Eventually, she knocked, but didn't receive any answer. She went to the dungeon door, but it was still locked. She asked a house-elf to help her, but it refused. Thus, she kicked the unlucky elf, ran to her room, and threw herself onto the bed. She stared ahead blankly, without crying. She felt as if something within her she hadn't even known about had broken.