Title: Ties That Bind
Author: Chiyo Javaid
Warnings: Slash (guy on guy ... eventually), coarse language and Character Death.
Summary: "It's all secrets and lies, do NOT believe him."
Note: Okay, so I can't even be bothered waiting for the wamount of reiews I asked for. Shut up. You get a chapter out of it. Happy dance, damn you all! Happy dance I say I decided to post this partly outof boredom, partly out of want for more reviews, as ore chapters seem to get that. But mostly because this is chapter three, I already have chapter four written, and I actually just got up to halfway through chapter five! Yay for writing ahead ...
Disclaimer: I have fluro green nails.
Beta: I am looking for a beta. Someone who will read over my work, correct any mistakes in spelling and such, and give me constructive criticism. They need to be good at spelling and grammar, be open-minded (this is a Slash, after all) and be patient. Also, a sense of humour would be nice, lol. If anyone's interested, either PM me, or drop a line by review. Thanks.
chapter three
well crap
"What?" Pansy said, horrified. She looked back at Serpens, whose eyes were just as wide, and turned back to Ron. "How?"
"Oh, don't act like you don't know, especially you, Malfoy! I bet you're just dying to blurt it all out!"
"Ron, calm down," said Hermione, who had finally stopped crying. "It's obviously news to them. Read the article," she added, talking to Pansy. "It says pretty much everything. He … he was at a restaurant with his aunt, uncle and cousin. And there was a ... a fire," she said, more tears threatening to spill over and down her cheeks. Serpens shifted slightly and she turned her eyes upon him for the first time.
Pansy stiffened, as she watched Hermione take Serpens in, and her eyes narrow.
"Who are you?" she said dangerously, hands twitching toward where Pansy and Serpens guessed to be her wand.
"He's … my boyfriend," Pansy said, blushing. She nudged Serpens discreetly, telling him to play along. Ron snorted, but Pansy ignored him.
"Hi," he said, coming across as shy.
Hermione did not lower her gaze.
"Why does he look like Malfoy, Parkinson?" she hissed. Pansy glared at her.
"Serp, go ahead without me," she said darkly.
"Okay," he said. "Don't hurt them." And he was off.
"What did they say?" Serpens said as Pansy rejoined him ten minutes later.
"Oh, nothing of importance. But they won't bother us about it again," Pansy said airily, as she made her way up to the fireplace.
"You didn't hurt them, did you?" Serpens said anxiously, as he followed her.
"Two pinches of Floo, please," Pansy said to a bored looking worker. He nodded, and gestured to the pot on the table beside him. "And no, Serp," she added, taking a pinch, at the same time as she handed over the money. She nodded at the pot, and Serpens did the same.
"Good," he said.
"Why do you care anyway?" Pansy asked, pausing, one foot in the fireplace. Serpens sighed, shaking his head.
"It doesn't even matter," he said sadly. "Not anymore."
Pansy decided to let it go, as she stepped fully into the fireplace.
"Watch what I do and follow on immediately," she instructed. Serpens nodded. "Malfoy Manor!" she cried out, loud and clear, before disappearing in a whoosh of emerald flames. Serpens hesitated, before stepping in himself and repeating what Pansy had said.
"Malfoy Manor!" he said, as he, too, disappeared.
"Do you hear something?" Narcissa said nervously, as she looked up to the ceiling, as if to see through it and watch the upstairs room. She, Lucius and their son, Draco, were currently sitting in the south-east's wing's dining room. Lucius and Draco were sitting side-by-side, discussing the latest news – mainly concerning Harry Potter and his death, and Narcissa was beside Draco, reading. Her daughter, Artemis, was out for the day.
"Mother?" Draco asked, concerned. "What do you mean?" he asked, as Narcissa placed her book on the table dreamily, standing up. "Hear what?"
Narcissa was about to reply when they heard a shout from what seemed to be the upstairs study. Well, one of them, anyway.
"HOLY MOTHER OF-"
"Serp! Watch your mouth!" yelled another voice, whom Narcissa recognized to be Pansy's. But who was with her? The shout of profanities only confirmed what Narcissa had suspected. It had come from Lucius' study. Without another thought, she hurried out of the room and up the stairs.
Draco and Lucius shared a startled look.
"Serp?" Draco whispered, before hurrying after his mother. Lucius stayed where he was for a moment, before shaking his head and following calmly after the two.
Pansy sighed as she helped Serpens up from his place on the floor. "Oops, I forgot to mention that …" she said. She had genuinely forgotten about the coffee table. Narcissa and Lucius had an ongoing argument about that. Lucius always placed it a meter in front of the fireplace, maintaining the ideal that if someone was going to disturb him in his own home, they deserved to crash into something first. Narcissa would move it away, but somehow, it would always be moved back, no matter how many charms she placed on it. She had since given up trying except for every now and then.
"Gee, thanks," Serpens said sarcastically, dusting himself off. "You're so much help." Pansy giggled at the sour look on his face. Paired with his pout, it looked cute.
"Aw, you're just mad because I didn't fall like you did," she cooed.
"Exactly," he muttered darkly, just as Narcissa and Draco ran into the room. Both were looking rather disheveled, panting as they tried to compose themselves. It was rather an amusing sight.
Suddenly, Serpens felt nervous, his stomach twisting coils, tightening as he thought over what was about to happen. Not only was he afraid they wouldn't believe him, or worse, wouldn't even like or want him, but he was wary of their loyalties. Of their connection to the Dark Lord and what that would mean for him. Pansy seemed to sense his hesitation, and took hold of his hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze.
Narcissa and Draco did not miss the movement. Lucius then joined them, calm and composed. A sharp contrast to the still panting Narcissa and Draco.
"Pansy … who is this?" he said coolly, eyes lingering on Serpens. "I thought it was clear there were to be no visitors?"
Pansy was getting a little nervous now, herself.
"Lucius … this is … my friend. His name is Serpens," she said in a small voice. She cleared her throat and continued. "He's your son," she said, more confident.
Lucius raised an eyebrow. "Pansy, you know perfectly well that my son died the night of his birth," he said, voice sharpening. Pansy winced. She could tell he saw this as a breach of their trust. Of the absolute worst kind. He thought that she had been fooled, and had spilled their innermost secret to a complete stranger, who could most likely be a spy from the Light.
"I can feel him, Lucius," she said, her voice so low it was almost a whisper. "I can feel in, for the first time in … forever."
Draco made a move, as if to step forward, but Narcissa held him back. Instead, she herself, moved over to where Pansy was standing. There was a pause, where the two just stared at each other, so fast, Serpens almost missed it, and she slapped Pansy hard in the face.
"How dare you," she whispered. "How dare you!" her voice rose to a shout, and Serpens watched, as Pansy's eyes filled with tears, the mark on her cheek reddening. "We have let you into our house, into our family, trusted you with our innermost secrets! How dare you betray that trust! Do you have any idea how I feel right now? It's as if you've-"
"Been slapped in the face?" Serpens said coldly, stepping up to the enraged woman. "Little bit hypocritical then, aren't you? I mean, just look at that cheek! I know you must be suffering from the loss of a child, but that gives you no right to do something like that to someone you call 'family'!" he continued, now shouting as his usually pale face turned red. "I don't know much about how your family (he spat the word) runs, but if this is the way it is, I wouldn't want to be any part of it, if I was your son or not!"
He spat at her feet, and marched over to the fireplace.
"Come on, Zee," he said softly, holding his hand out to Pansy, who walked over to him and took it. Her other hand was rubbing her bright red cheek, and though she looked reluctant to leave, she did anyway.
Serpens took a handful of Floo powder, too angry to ration the amount, and threw it into the fire. He shouted "THE LEAKY CAULDRON!" and they were gone.
"Mother …" Draco whispered in shock, as he rushed over to the pale faced woman. She was rigid with shock, staring wide-eyed into the fireplace, her hands clenched. "Are you okay?" he whispered, taking hold of her arm and giving it a slight shake.
But Narcissa didn't answer. She was too busy obsessing over something. That something being Serpens eyes. They were just like hers. Her eyes. And eyes like hers were hard to come by. You got plenty of light blue – even sky blue – eyes. But never quite her shade.
But his were exactly the same, with an almost silver swirl, barely more than a tinge, infused with the blue.
"My baby," she whispered before fainting dead away.
Note: I don't reall like this chapter that much ... seemed a little fast paced for me. Ah well. Chapter Four is next up!! And then Chapter Fiver which, personally, I like very much. Gets a lot f things explained and done, and sets up all the Slashness! Yay! It'll be sort of slow building though, I don't want to rush into it, after all. Oh, and Chapter Five is only about half done and is already longer than my average length fr chapters! Happy dance!
REVIEW REPLIES! (If you left a review, look here).
ImmortalInk: Dude, they're too busy getting to know each other to bother to read the Prophet. Plus, it was the Afternoon Edition and had only just come out. Hermine likes to read, remember. Plus, it's all pretty much the same now. Death, death and more death. This is sixth year, remember? I know I haven't mentioned that to others yet, but I DID tell you ... I think. Artemis comes in next chapter, mine darling. So does intendeds, I think. Uhm ... hmm, what other points you made ... Well, I'm sorry to say, but we don't find out who Serp was until quite a bit later. Only you, I and Morgana know that! Oh, and Blood ... Oh the joys of knowing the author! Ne? Fine, have a cookie AND a plushie! -throws giant choc chip cookie and a Blaise plushie- There, now you know your plushies identity! Yayz! Keep giving me reviews like that and I may throw in my Super Secret Special Prize For The Slighly Deranged But Helpful!!
Sadly, Ink was my only review ... ah well. I won't bribe you, can't be bothered. It would be nce if you reviewed anyway hough! -hopeful look- First reviewer apart from Ink, Morgana, Weezy or Blood gets a uper Secret Speial Prize For The Slightly Deranged But Helpful! It helps if you're slightly deranged bu helpful ...
- Chiyo xx.
