The following days passed in a most uncommon fashion for Lucius, who was used to being served and regarded with utmost respect.
Instead, he got to babysit an extremely dour Potions master whose gaze was ablaze with loathing each time it came upon him.
He just couldn't understand how Severus had come to hate him so. Since he, Severus, had joined the Dark Lord, he'd come to some kind of truce with Lucius, putting a stop to open hostility... But at the moment, the situation seemed worse than when he'd left Lucius' dorm that memorable night at Hogwarts.
Lucius, who had been in love, if he'd ever stopped to be since, with Severus, knew how to interpret the younger man's every move and word, but somehow his ex-lover had know become so cryptic it seemed both men came from different continents, if not planets.
He couldn't understand why.
Each day, Lucius entered the room to feed Severus his potions, and Severus would cooperate, but without ever trying to communicate, let alone thanking Lucius. It didn't matter. Malfoys knew when to lay down their pride, especially when a cherished one was in need. At least, the morbidly thin man was getting better, step by step, day by day.
Until this day.
Lucius had rampaged his entire potion cabinet, at first suspecting the quality of the potions he'd given Severus, for his morning doses had left him a feeble as he'd been. Then Lucius had tried different brews, more elaborated this time. Still no effect.
Why?
The ill man's state was worsening with no logical explanation; Lucius had stood at his side day in and day out, had fed him his medicine, had taken every precaution...
Where did I go wrong?
Severus laid in his bed like a ragdoll, his head sinking into his soft pillows and chest rising and falling in rapid succession. He wasn't keen to scowl at Lucius anymore, or perhaps he didn't have the strength anymore. His eyes were scarcely opened as he set them upon his ex-lover, his face lined with exhaustion. Lucius frowned and cast a few spells to establish a diagnosis.
Low blood pressure... Low temperature... Weak pulse...
It didn't make any sense... Low temperature was evidently due to anorexia, but the other two symptoms were out of line. Lucius took a deep breath to clear his mind. The man of science inside him reminded him that the body was a whole, that mind and physic were linked... So if anorexia and pneumonia weren't the culprits, the answer was in-
"Legilimens!"
Lucius found himself in a twirl of memories, pictures and sounds dancing around him. Severus hadn't been strong enough to reject him, which worried the blond greatly. However, the tourbillion of thoughts forced themselves onto him, and his mind went blank.
Utter loneliness... Nothing... People around him with no distinguishable face, but voices that rang eerily...
Snivelus...
That runt...
Weird git...
Muggle family...
And suddenly, the crowd parted, letting a student with discernible features emerge.
Lucius gasped.
It was himself as he was at the age of sixteen, the year before he'd been with Severus. He seemed to shine among the others; the fifteen year old Severus looked as impassable as always, but after closer inspection, Lucius noticed his black eyes were gleaming ominously.
White porcelain and dim light. Gagging noises right behind, in a deserted bathroom. Severus was bent down in front of a toilet, shoving a toothbrush inside his mouth, deeper and deeper, but even with all the effort he put in, he couldn't get himself to throw up. He thrust the tooth brush fiercely, nearly choking himself, but it still wouldn't come. Coughing, Severus finally gave up and leaned against the nearby wall.
After a while, he reached inside his breast pocket and fished out a small vial containing a gooey fluorescent solution. Lucius recognised it as some kind of vomiting concoction, and instantly wanted to grab it away from Severus' reach, for he knew the disastrous secondary effects these mild poisons had. Long lasting nausea, for one, and liver cirrhosis after a large number of uses. Severus threw his head back and downed the vial's content in one gulp, abruptly bending back over the toilet before puking his guts into the bowl. Again. And again. Lucius went a little green himself; the spectacle was not very appealing. The disappearance of his surroundings indicating the transition to another memory couldn't have been more welcomed.
The scene reformed into the Potions master's study. A door slammed as Severus entered, his entire body shivering. Lucius watched as he strode straight towards the fireplace, before collapsing into a large forest green divan.
"D-D-Dips-s-s-sy" Severus stuttered, and with a crack a tiny house elf with relatively small ears and sky blue eyes appeared.
"Master Snape called?" the creature squeaked, before sprinting towards a large cabinet and getting out a woollen blanket to cover Severus.
"Master!" it squeaked again when Severus started to pant and shake even worse. It immediately got out of the tea cosy it was wearing a small bottle of nutrient potion, took the stopper off and handed it to Severus, who swallowed it, dripping some of the content onto his chin in process. The potion must have been potent, for he stopped shaking in an instant. Dipsy took out a small handkerchief and wiped off the corner's of her master's mouth. After much hesitation, she put the back of her hand on severus' forehead and let out a small squeal.
"Master is burning!" she let out, her large eyes widening. "He must go to the Hospita-"
"No!" Severus snarled, terrorising Dipsy. Taking a deep breath, Severus straightened himself and spoke in gentler tones. "No, Dipsy. For the time being, I'd like you to help me to my quarters... I'll be alright."
"But Master..." Dipsy insisted feebly.
"Al-right."
A fuzzier atmosphere, filled with light and bright colors... A young woman with a tall, thin frame and long shiny hair seemed to glow in the farm yard she was strolling in. She held in her hands a small bundle of white linen, to which she kept on cooing and smiling broadly. The bundle squirmed.
Lucius' jaw dropped.
It was one of Severus' baby memories. The woman had to be Severus' mother, logically. Lucius stared at her, noticing how very similar she was to her son. He now understood the layout of the scenery; newborns' memories were often less instructive than adults', because there world was limited to their parents and immediate surroundings.
Lucius walked gingerly towards Eileen Prince for a closer look. Severus had rosy cheeks, shiny black bangs and enormous blue eyes as dark as blue can get. It couldn't be much after his birth.
Eileen wiggled a finger to Severus, which his minute hand caught, earning him his mother's mirthful laughter. Severus let go off the finger and yawned, his eyelids drooping, before curling into his mother's chest and sucking his tiny thumb. He was the incarnation of cuteness.
Lucius heard somebody approaching, and much to his dismay, had to tear his eyes away from the adorable infant. He was startled to find a younger looking Santa Cruz walking leisurely towards the mother and her child. Lucius found his expression peculiar; the man was smiling broadly, but his traitorous eyes expressed utmost sadness.
Santa Cruz reached Eileen, until his long black and white locks brushed her chest. Eileen refused to look up at him, focusing instead on Severus, who was peering up at her intently, his round cheeks bobbing slightly as he carried on sucking his thumb. Santa Cruz started speaking in Italian, and Lucius strained to hear the distant sounding conversation.
"You'll have to tell her sooner or later, Eileen..."
"I don't have to do anything, Padre."
Lucius gasped.
Santa Cruz is Severus' grandfather.
"If you don't act quick, you'll soon lose everything, Eileen. Your husband won't wait for you forever, you know that. At least speak to your mother once and for all", Santa Cruz said solemnly.
"Come with me..." Eileen pleaded.
"You know very well I won't be able to interfere, Eileen", he muttered. "She won't let me get between her and her daughter-"
"But you're my father!" she screamed. There was a pregnant pause. Santa Cruz gazed at Eileen with sorrow.
"I wish it were so... and I also wish our lives didn't depend as much on blood bounds..."
A small, ornate room, with a handsome engraved bed with velvety sheets...
For what felt like the hundredth time since he'd entered Severus' mind, Lucius heart skipped a beat.
Two lean figures were tossing and turning under the covers, skin sleek with sweat. Moans, pants and occasional cursing entangled. There were two men, pushing and pulling, in rhythm with their respiration. Their synchronisation was perfect to the point you'd wonder if they'd come to fusion...
Severus was clutching strands of silver hair that cascaded the head of the person on top. He was grimacing in pain and pleasure, small mewls escaping him. His partner gave a throaty groan and threw his head backwards to face the sky, the curtains of long hair revealing his visage.
"Madre de Dios..."
Lucius fainted on the spot.
Xxxxxxxxxxx
A.N.: If you haven't realized yet who's spending some naughty time with Severus, you ain't getting no cookie!
Sorry for the shortness of the chapter, I chose to do so to set it as a meta-introduction for the following part of the story.
Thanks again for reading and reviewing!