The six ended up leaving the tower around five minutes after the bell went, so they were in a bit of a hurry to get to lessons. They had transfiguration but seems McGonagall was still missing there would be a cover; Draco was hoping it wouldn't be Hooch but as they strolled into the class ten minutes late they were all horrified to see Lucius Malfoy writing something on the board with his wand and the class taking notes.

He turned and sneered and looked like he was going to say something but motioned for them to take a seat, when he spotted his son was in the crowd, he called him to the front. "Draco, why are you late?" He asked, dropping his wand.

"I'm sorry, father." Draco said bowing his head and standing perfectly still before his father. Ron took his seat muttering about purebloods being 'nutters', and then about 'deatheaters working in the school', Harry tutted and couldn't help but wonder why he was here. But he figured it was because they were short on staff and he was a governor after all. At muggle schools, governors were really important, they decided about punishments and curriculum, when he thought about it, it wasn't strange he was here, there were probably a few more wondering around.

Lucius nodded his head and Draco stood up straight. "You shall be punished for your tardiness when you return home for Christmas." Draco nodded.

"Thank you, father."

"Did he just thank him for being punished?" Harry whispered, looking dumbfounded.

"Of course, it's Malfoy, he worships his dad. 'Draco, why don't you go Avada yourself? It's for our cause, purebloods all the way! Yipee!'" Ron said holding up his quill and 'talk' to his pencil, doing a perfect impression of Lucius but in a high squeaky voice. "'Oh, okay father! Thank you for this opportunity!'" Harry laughed at Ron but soon realised the whole class was staring at them, including Lucius. Ron looked sheepish and said, "Soul expression?" A few people giggled and Lucius rolled his eyes.

"Just get on with the work, Weasley…"

Surprising, Harry and Ron really enjoyed Lucius' lesson, he was actually a really good teacher as his method was easy to follow. They both remembered to try a keep an open mind because it was Draco's dad. At the end of the class, he informed them he would be stay until a proper replacement could be found. He explained Dumbledore was short on staff and he had volunteered to teach because he had a diploma in transfiguration and to bear with him because he wasn't used to teaching.

Lucius teaching was kind of like Snape, he just got on with it. He hated people slacking off, but he wasn't biased, he didn't seem to punish anyone or hate the Gryffindors anymore than he did the Slytherins. So basically he was like a nice Snape, except not greasy.

Ron and Harry kept getting the giggles in lesson when watching Lucius and they could feel Draco's death glares burning into the side of their heads. Half way through the lesson, when they were supposed to be transfiguring mice into different colours; Ron had found it hilarious when Lucius was sat at the desk and kept blowing his hair of out his face; it had got really long and was almost near his waist. Then Ron had turned around sniggering to himself as Lucius had flicked his wrist and a red ribbon that had been tied to it came loose, he stood up and flicked his head upside down and grabbed all his hair and scooped it on his head trying to tie it in a pony tail. Now, Harry at first didn't realise why Ron found this funny, he'd seen girls do it loads of times. But then he realised, it was making Lucius look like a girl, all that long blond straight hair and a pretty red ribbon and he too laughed.

"Oh, ha-ha." Draco said from across the room sneering at them.

"Hahahaha!" Harry and Ron started laughing again and Draco stuck his nose up and ignored them.

After Lucius dismissed the class Draco tagged behind to speak to his dad, he might as well take advantage of this situation. He stood in front of the desk waiting patiently for his father to acknowledge his presence. He didn't wait long, because after about a minute, Lucius placed the quill on the desk and put the lid back on the ink.

"Please, sit down, Draco." Draco nodded in thanks and took a seat. "Is there any particular reason you are not on your way to your next lesson?"

"I have a free period; this was my last lesson father." Lucius nodded satisfied with the answer. He had been annoyed his son was slacking, he shouldn't be late for lessons, but as he looked at him he realised he had bags under his eyes and his hair hadn't been styled. A concerned look flittered over his face and he leaned his chin on his fist.

"What's wrong? How are you? You don't look well Draco. Are you having problems? Being bullied, ill? Finding your work too hard?"

"Father, calm down, you'll get frown lines." Lucius sighed and nodded blinking a few times before putting on a neutral expression. He waited for Draco to reply.

"I'm not doing well father. I don't know whether you've been informed but, actually…" Draco paused and sat up straighter. "I was wondering, do you have anything to do with, these missing people?" Lucius shook his head 'no' and leaned his hand back on his chin.

"What do you mean no? You must know something…" Draco pressed. Lucius looked a little confused.

"Noo…" He said slowly. "I don't, why are you asking? The first I heard of them was a few days ago when Dumbledore owled and asked me if I was available to teach. How long have they been gone?"

"I don't really remember, a few weeks, three at most. This year's been chaotic father, I'm so stressed. I've got a soul expression; Blaise put the spell and potion on me. And it backfired and loads of people got hit by the spell, then a week later everyone's food got spiked with potion by someone, but we don't know who! Oh yeah, and I was attacked and someone put a LUST POTION into my lungs, I inhaled it and everything! And then I practically sexually assaulted Professor Snape! The whole school is in chaos and Severus was trying to figure it out but then he went missing. Do you know anything about them?"

"Blaise Zabini put an expression on you?" Lucius was still processing that part. "Are you sure? That boy can't do potions to save his life." Draco sat and thought about it.

"Well, I guess he must have done it, who else would do it? It is supposed to be 15 times stronger I feel everything, but it's only 14." Lucius looked awkward for a moment. "Why do you ask?" Draco was now suspicious.

"It was just weird, that's all Draco." he took a deep soothing breath, it was a lot of information to process. "So, you're just stressed, how are you sleeping?"

"Fine." Draco lied; he said it a little coldly.

"Draco, I swear I don't have anything to do with Severus going missing. I was really shocked, and the Dark Lord hasn't mentioned him missing, I'm not sure if he even has noticed!"

"Wait what? That's because it's him that kidnapped him!"

"No, Draco, listen to me." Lucius grabbed both of Draco's hands and looked straight into his eyes. "If Snape is missing, it isn't to do with the Dark Lord; we have had no assignments to do with kidnappings. I have no-one in my dungeon and you know that's where most of them go. Whoever is doing this Draco, it isn't deatheaters."

Draco's eyes welled up with tears. "Why are you lying?"

"Draco, when have I ever lied to YOU?" Draco looked down at their connected hands.

"Never." He sniffled.

"Stop snivelling boy!" Lucius snapped. "It won't help and that's just answered your question. I'm not lying, it's not deatheaters. So don't think for a moment you're safe, it's outside my power, I'm so… Where's your ring?" Draco snatched his hand back as if Lucius' touch had suddenly burned.

Lucius narrowed his eyes and whipped out his wand grabbing Draco by the neck and pushing him back into the chair. Draco's hands went to Lucius' wrist so he couldn't press any harder. His father pressed his wand onto the bottom of Draco's stomach and muttered a Latin spell. His wand glowed blue and Lucius released his neck very slowly and pressed a kiss to his son's forehead. "I apologise, I made a mistake son." Lucius placed his wand on the table and then wiped the tears from Draco's face. "Am I forgiven?"

Draco bit his lip. "Yes, of course father." He couldn't believe his dad had just done that, he had just verified for himself whether or not his son was a virgin. Although, Draco had bought it on himself, he knew that. Parents only did that spell before and after a wedding night; Lucius had just broke a privacy law.

"I would like to inquire why you removed your ring."

"I showered at lunch and I was late father, I forgot to put it on. I'm sorry." Draco could tell his father felt guilty over his lie. He almost smirked inside if it wasn't the lack of trust gnawing at his mind. His own dad didn't trust him; then again, did he deserve to be trusted? No. He was courting a mud… muggleborn. It was against regulation for him to date anyone let alone someone unpure.

"I apologise, again Draco." Lucius kissed him on the head, which was a sign of respect, apology and affection in their family. Draco smiled at him.

"It's fine; I would have done the same thing to my son." Draco lied again. 'Oh Draco, when will you stop lying to yourself and everyone around you?' The Blaise voice was back in his head, stupid conscience…

They sat in silence for a while.

"Draco, do you know why there are muggles in the office?" Lucius screwed up his face in distaste and Draco could see himself doing it. He screwed up nose up like that, and he looked exactly like his father. Would he be there in twenty years?

"They're Hermione Grangers parent's father." he answered not interested at all, the conversation was getting worse every second.

"They're revolting aren't they Draco, it makes my skin crawl." Lucius shuddered and conjured up some tea.

"Yes father, positively disgusting." Draco said leaning on his hands and staring at the window, his spirits spiraling into the ground; Draco's cheering spell blinked out leaving him utterly alone in the classroom. Leaving him to sing inside his head as his father droned on. 'In our family portrait, we look pretty happy, let's play pretend, and act like it comes naturally. In our family portrait, we look pretty happy, let's play pretend, just act like it comes naturally.'

"Family Portrait" is an R&B song written by Pink and Scott Storch for Pink's second album "Missundaztood" (2001)

Fanfiction is by Faith Valconbridge . This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.