Lucius stopped outside the closed door to his father's personal study. He then raised up his fist and knocked on the door.
Usually Lucius would try the doorknob to see if the door was unlocked. And if the door was unlocked, Lucius would just let himself in without permission. As far as the blond-haired young man was concerned, if Abraxas Malfoy didn't want to be disturbed he should lock the door. And Lucius knew that his father felt the same way when it came to him.
Which was why Lucius always locked his bedroom door before he allowed Narcissa to come over. That was none of Abraxas Malfoy's business.
But this time was different. Lucius's marriage to Narcissa was important to him. And for Narcissa, Lucius was more than willing to use some flattery with his father.
Not that Lucius truly expected flattery to work with someone like Abraxas Malfoy.
"Enter," came Abraxas's cold voice from the opposite side of the door.
Lucius opened the door and stepped inside.
Abraxas looked up from his desk. "What's the special occasion that you're actually knocking for once, Lucius?" he drawled. "Would it have anything to do with Cygnus's upcoming visit?"
Lucius was caught by surprise, but he managed to quickly recover himself. Only the briefest of seconds passed before Lucius's face was once again smooth and emotionless.
"Oh, yes," Abraxas continued, "Cygnus sent me a letter saying that he wanted to see me after he was done talking with the Lestranges. I can only assume that Cygnus's middle daughter has finally gone fully Blood-Traitor. His oldest, after all, is soon to be married to Rodolphus Lestrange; and you and Cygnus's youngest are promised. And what a coincidence it is that Cygnus wants to see both of the families that his oldest and youngest daughters have been promised to on the same day. Yet, Cygnus didn't mention anything about speaking with the family that his middle daughter had been promised to. I suppose Cygnus wants to wait to speak to them until he's assured that his other two daughters' marriages are still on."
For a few moments, Lucius didn't know what to say. He had hoped to have some advantage by knowing about Andromeda before his father did.
Why couldn't Cygnus Black be more like Abraxas Malfoy and just show up somewhere regardless of whether or not it was a good time for a visit? Why did Cygnus Black have to open up his big mouth?
"So, has Cygnus's middle daughter finally gone fully Blood-Traitor," Abraxas said matter-of-factly.
There was no point in Lucius not telling his father to truth. If Abraxas didn't hear it from Lucius, then he would definitely hear it from Cygnus.
"Yes, she's married a Mudblood," Lucius said simply, almost casually.
"And how do you know this already?" Abraxas asked. "Did Cygnus's youngest already send you a letter pouring out all her sorrows?"
"Yes, I learned this news from Narcissa," Lucius hissed.
"It is wise of Cygnus to already be doing damage control," Abraxas commented lazily. "I suppose Rodolphus will still accept the oldest Black daughter. The Lestranges, though they have no Blood-Traitors among them, lack the prestige and the history of the Blacks."
"And what about you?" Lucius pressed. "What are you going to say to Cygnus?"
"We are Malfoys, Lucius," Abraxas replied. "We don't have to settle for anything that is less than the best."
"You will not find a better and more worthy Pureblood family than the Blacks," Lucius responded.
Abraxas made a sound that would have been a snort if it had been coming from anyone other than him.
"The Blacks are no longer the greatest source of pride," Abraxas spoke. "Cygnus's middle daughter is not the first recent disgrace to the family's name. Septimus Weasley's wife was a Black. The Blacks are sinking lower and lower. Septimus's wife married a Blood-Traitor. Cygnus's middle daughter married a Mudblood. The next Black is bound to marry a Muggle."
"The Black family is one of the largest Pureblood families," Lucius retorted. "It's only natural that there are going to be a few bad branches on an otherwise strong, healthy tree."
"Is it the Black family you're truly defending, Lucius, or Cygnus's youngest daughter?" Abraxas sneered. "I told you before you first met her not to get too attached. Her only purpose is to produce an heir."
"I am not too attached to Narcissa," Lucius returned. "I just know that you won't find a Pureblood woman more worthy than her."
"The breeding of Purebloods these days is not as good as it was when I was a boy," Abraxas responded, "but the breeding isn't quite that bad yet that the Black girl is the absolute best option. No, Lucius, you care about the girl. You love her."
Lucius pulled out his wand and pointed it straight at his father.
Abraxas just laughed. "Put that up before you hurt yourself, boy. You forget your place."
Lucius did not lower his wand.
"What do you plan on doing to me, Lucius?" Abraxas asked mockingly. "Do you plan on actually cursing your own father?"
"You know better than anyone else what I'm capable of," Lucius replied. "I've killed before. You were there when it happened."
"Ah, yes, that Mudblood who tried to murder you," Abraxas spoke. "But that was a filthy Mudblood."
"You murder a part of me every day," Lucius hissed.
Abraxas looked at Lucius for several moments before saying, "I wish you would give the Dark Lord the same passionate devotion as you give the Black girl."
"I am devoted to the Dark Lord," Lucius replied. "If I must burn the entire Muggle World to prove my loyalty to him, I will."
"The Dark Lord would appreciate that," Abraxas responded, "but would you really be doing it for him? Or would you be doing it for the Black girl? Just how loyal are you to the Dark Lord? Would you be willing to die for him?"
"Would you?" Lucius retorted.
Abraxas laughed.
"What are you going to tell Cygnus when he gets here?" Lucius asked, his wand still pointed at his father.
"Back to the Black girl so quickly," Abraxas said mockingly. His voice then turned angry. "I really wish you felt the same way for the Dark Lord. Are you going to allow the girl to get in the way of you serving him?"
"No," Lucius spoke firmly. "My soul has belonged to the Dark Lord since I was a child. Allowing him to Mark my flesh is only a formality."
"And the Black girl knows this?" Abraxas pressed. "She knows that you belong to the Dark Lord and that she's only a secondary concern to you?"
"Narcissa understands her duties just as well as I do," Lucius responded.
"I don't want you to lose sight of your priorities," Abraxas spoke.
"I won't," Lucius snarled.
Abraxas looked for several moments at the wand that his son was still pointing at him.
"We are at an agreement," Abraxas spoke. "When Cygnus gets here, I'll tell him that the wedding between you and his youngest is still on."
Lucius finally lowered his wand. He then turned to leave.
"Just remember, Lucius," Abraxas spoke in a cold voice, stopping his son in his tracks, "if that Black girl ever does get in the way of your servitude to the Dark Lord, I won't hesitate to do what is necessary."
Lucius turned to face his father. "I feel the same exact way."
With that, Lucius turned once more and left the room.
Author's Note: More information on the murder that Lucius mentioned in this chapter can be found in my other story "Unleashed Hatred."