Okay, so it's a bit late, but so are the reviews! Very few people reviewed, and it Depressed me! (pout) Anywho, here it is. Chapter 2.
(Lucius talking during Matty's story)
(Matty talking during his story)
Boy Who Lived: Prince of Thieves
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Chapter 2
Then it all connected in the sly mind hidden under platinum blond hair. "Why do I have a feeling that our inqueries are similar?" He said slowly.
The barking laughter was back. "You're slower than I thought, I was sure you'd get it earlier. Keep going, blondie, there's no one stopping you!"
"The Prince of Thieves is Harry Potter."
~*~*~*~
Matty started applauding madly. "Bravo, blondie, and that only took you," he glanced out the window to gauge the moon's position, "a half hour to conclude. Really, even your son got it quicker. Then again, he was looking right at His Majesty when he figured it out, but-"
"You really know my son?" Lucius interupted.
"Why, yes. I was right there when he first became part of the court." Matty settled back more, something Lucius didn't think was possible, with how close the teen was to the back of the chair he was in, and began to tell his tale.
One and a Half Months Before: Court of The Prince of Theives
I was on the dias with His Majesty when the blond boy walked in. He looked around like he owned the place, even though he was dressed in little more than rags at the time.
One could almost see the cogs turning in his head. He was planning something.
Then his eyes fell upon His Majesty, who was chatting with one of the Jokers, the Knight right at his side, acting as a guard.
He didn't seem to recognize him at first, which is exactly what His Majesty wanted. He was far too recognizable before. But, as I watched the blond, I saw his gray eyes- (interesting color, by the way, and I can see he got them from you) (Go on, you imbecile.) (fine, fine, as I was saying...) I saw his gray eyes widen in recognition, and immediatly tried to draw His Majesty's attention to it. He waved me off, but he was definately paying attention when your brat- (Ahem)(What?) (My Brat?)(oh, fine-) Your kid decided to yell clear across the room.
"Potter?! You're the Prince of thieves?!"
Of course, His Majesty didn't even deem him worth a glance, even as he stormed straight up to the dias. Noone comes straight up to the dias. When he was close enough to hear, His Majesty said, "Malfoy, you're disturbing the peace." Just as calm as anything, even though the idiot- (Ahem) (What?!)(Watch what you call my son. That is the future Lord Malfoy.) (*snort* Not if he has anything to say about it. Now shut up and let me tell my story! As I was saying...) Even though the idiot just revealed his identity to a whole room full of people, only five of which knew who he truly was! But here His Majesty was, brushing it off as if it were nothing. Hell, even the Knight drew his sword!
(What?! How old is this Knight person, and why in the world does he have a sword in the first place?!) (What, did you think we called him the Knight because it was a cool nickname? No, the guy wields a sword, wears body armor under his clothes, and has a chilvilrous streak a mile wide. Now will you shut up and let me finish? Yes? Good.)
After that, it all went down hill. Your brat challenged His Majesty to a duel for the throne, though how the idiot thought we would swear fealty to him if he won is a mystery to me. Anyway, he began firing off curses when His Majesty declined, and things got messy. I got hit with a bat bogey, the Jokers both got pelted with silencers, but both the Knight and His Majesty remained unscathed. By the way, your boy's not too bright. Setting off uncontrolled curses and hexes in a room full of people, not all of them on the Lighter side, I'm surprised one of the more... volatile courtiers didn't do him in with a quick Avada Kedavra. It's been known to happen.
Finally, your brat got tired,and collapsed, passing out. We were going to throw him off a bridge, but His Majesty was in a merciful mood, and had him sent upstairs to sleep it off.
And things went on as usual.
The next day, he came down and apologised, then he and His Majesty went in the inner chamber to talk. They came out, and everything was fine.
That's how your idiotic, stuck up, brat of a son joined the court of the Prince of Thieves.
Flashback End
"Are you done?" Lucius asked, and Matty nodded. "Good, I didn't want my head being bitten off again. And must you insult my son so? And why would he not want to be the next Lord Malfoy?!"
"Face it, Lord Malady, he ran away for a reason. And your getting married wasn't the only one." Matty murmured, as he examined his sharper than normal nails.
"What do you mean?" The blond said stiffly, and Matty looked up at him and pouted.
"Come on now, Lucy. We were just getting to know each other, don't go soving that stick up your ass again!"
"E-excuse me?!" Lucius was aghast that the boy would use such crass language.
"Now I've hurt your precious virgin ears. Tragic, really. Ah, well. Get some rest, blondie. I'm taking you to meet His Majesty tomorrow, and you have to be on your best behaviour. Don't want you to make me look bad!" Matty hopped up from the chair he had all but melted into, and headed towards the door. He walked out the door, leaving Lord Malfoy with more questions than answers.
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That was how, the next day, Lucius found himself wrapped in a large cloak with the hood up to hide his hair and face, neatly blindfolded, one hand clutching the boy strutting in front of him for guidance.
"Tell me again why I have to be dressed like this, and in a blindfold no less?" He ground out angrily when Matty began whistling a casual tune.
He didn't see the boy smirk back at him.
"Because, blondie, only certain people are allowed to know the location of the Court of the Prince of Thieves, and you're not one of them. I, on the other hand, do know. So keep quiet, blondie, and keep talking."
Lucius sighed, and continued telling the younger man everything he knew about Harry Potter, holding to their agreement. He started with the night the Dark Lord came to kill the boy, including the prophecy, and rounded off where his information stopped, namely the day the boy disappeared. Ginny Weasley lived, but the boy was never seen again, thought to be killed by the Basilisk they found dead there.
"So... you're the whole reason the Chamber was opened in the first place?" Matty said after a while, already piecing together what the diary was. There were very few artifacts that had a mind of their own, and very few ways to get them that way.
The blond man winced. "Well... I guess you could put it that way..."
"Great! Thanks!" Matty said happily, opening a door the Lucius couldn't see.
"Wait, what?"
"If His Majesty didn't feel the need to disappear, he wouldn't have been around to save me, thus, right now, I would be dead. Since he left because of something you did, I thank you. You can take off your blinfold now, though I wouldn't take off the robe. Seeing you might cause a minor panic." Matty smiled at some of the children that were running around. No one payed attention to them, even though he had a tall, strange man standing next to him. Matty was one of the most loyal, he wouldn't do anything to comprimise the Prince.
Lucius untied the slip of silk, and let it glide into his hand as he looked around, astounded.
Where he expected a run down building, called the Court by a bunch of brats, he was met with a grand entrance hall, the marble gleaming a pristine white. Children ran around underfoot, laughing and smiling, far from the emaciated group he imagined. To the right, the was a set of mohogany doors, that Matty immediatly went to.
"Well, follow me, blondie. Lets get this done." He called over his shoulder.
Lord Malfoy followed the boy through the doors and into a chamber grander than the entrance hall. In here, not only were there children, but adults meandered, talking, laughing, and drinking. And, on a platform in the back of the room, settled in an ornate throne, was the most beautiful boy Lucius had ever seen. He had long, raven hair that reached his midback, and brilliant green eyes. He was thin, but far from anorexic, and his almost feline feature stood out.
The Prince of Thieves. Harry Potter.
Without thinking, Lucius began wading through the crowd, making his way to the dias. Matty ran after him, mumbling under his breath about disrespectful blondes. He managed to grab the older man's arm just as he was about to reach the paltform.
"Blondie, do you want to be killed. Look," Matty pointed to a dark haired boy that stood off to the side of the Prince. The boy had seen Lucius' approach, and had partially drawn a gleaming sword, his black eyes cold and mistrustful. "That's the Knight. They say he killed his own parents once he found out they supported the Dark Lord. He's got ice water for blood, and he only has a soft spot for His Majesty and the Jokers."
Lucius repressed a shiver. "And who are the Jokers?"
A pair of children were pointed out. One of them, a girl, was looking right at them, and smiling. The other, a boy, was playing with a scruffy dog. They were perched on the edge of the dias.
"You mentioned they played mind games?" Lucius prompted. Matty grinned at him, showcasing his sharp canines again.
"You remember that? Good. Well, the little girl, Amy-"
"I can read minds, Lord Malfoy." A small, quiet voice interupted. They turned to find that both Amy and Adam had left their places at the dias to join them.
"So you're a legilemens?" Lucius crouched down to be eye level with the children.
"Not exactly." Matty explained, knowing the children wouldn't know what that was, "Legilmency can be blocked by its counter, Occlumency. But, even if you're shielded against Legilemens, you wouldn't be able to block Amy."
"I can read auras." Adam provided. Lucius didn't even have to ask for an explanation, the boy provided it freely. "Everybody is surrounded by a magical cacoon, which shows, emotion, magical strength, and health. Your's, for instance, has a black splotch around your arm that is slowly leeching away at your body. You bear the Dark Mark."
Just as the older blond man was about to respond, Amy said, seeming randomly, "Trent, don't. He doesn't know it yet, but he's here to help."
Lucius looked up from his position into cold dark eyes. It seemed the knight had deighned to join them.
"Trent can erase memories. We don't know how, we don't know why, but he can." Amy stated.
Trent scowled at her, though his look held no real anger.
"Giving out our secrets freely, my Jokers? My Bard?" A whispery voice questioned, and Lucius looked up, shocked, at the new member of their group. It seemed as if they had been noticed, and drawn the attention of the whole room, including the Prince, who now stood over them.
Lucius thought the boy was beautiful from far away, but this close, he was breathtaking.
"Mathew, what is the meaning of bringing a Death Eater to my Court?" the Prince asked, in the same whispery voice. Lucius was reminded of the wind whispering through trees.
Matty didn't seem chastised. He only grinned and bowed. "My Leige. He is looking for his son. I thought I would help."
For a moment, sadness and pity flashed in jade eyes as the Prince looked at one of his oldest friends, but it was gone before Lucius could register it, leaving him to think it was a trick of the light.
"Of course he is. But we have many... missing sons. Which one is he looking for?" The Prince asked, looking at Lucius and trying to discern his features.
"Hey, blondie, pull off your hood and bid a proper hello to His Majesty!" Matty ordered playfully. Lucius complied, though rather reluctantly, but going against him wouldn't get Draco back any faster.
The Prince didn't even flinch when the visitor revealed himself, bowing very slightly.
"Lord Malfoy. I should have known you would track us down eventually. Especially as your son has joined my ranks. I'm guessing you would like to speak to him?" The raven asked, but, not waiting for an answer, he casually waved a hand, and a man at least twice his age appeared at his elbow.
"Yes, my Liege?" The man was practically nondescript, and Lucius knew he wouldn't remember the guys face as soon as he left.
"Kain, go summon Draco from the infirmiry and tell him he has a visitor, would you?" The Prince said, not even turning to look at the man when he bowed and shuffled away.
While they were waiting, Lucius kept glancing at the young man out of the corner of his eye, and still he couldn't do it. His mind just wouldn't connect the innocent, foolhardy boy he met in Florish and Blotts so many years ago with this quiet raven haired beauty, who seemed to exude power from his pores.
"You are Harry Potter, aren't you?" Lucius asked quietly. Green eyes looked up at him.
"No, I"m not. Harry Potter died six years ago. I am the Prince of Thieves." The raven said that with conviction, but, as he did, the fringe of his hair parted slightly, and Lucius could see the begining of the famous scar.
About to express his confusion, the older man was interuted when an incredulous voice cried, "Father?!"
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So, I hope y'all liked it. Just so you know, I'm holding Chapter 3 hostage until a ransom of 5 reviews is paid. If these demands are met, you will get the story back, none the worse for wear. That is all.
