Pin the Tale : Word: Line
Potions #3: Your task is to write about bitter revelations. (which eventually happen—lied to?)
Word: Coffee
Word: Falling
Item: Teacup
Item: Wand
Phrase: To the bitter end.
Phrase: If I'm going down, I'm taking you with me.
Character: Lucius Malfoy
Character: Remus Lupin
Remus is a Muggle in this fic :) the other two are magical.
Warning for character death
Word Count: 1888
What Doesn't Kill You
Remus glanced at Lucius from across the table, sipping on his hot chocolate. Coffee was not an option. He hated coffee, it was so bitter and revolting. He had no idea what his associate liked about the drink—the man even drunk it without sugar or milk! What kind of monster was he? Who could enjoy anything that tasted like death?
Lucius grinned at him, noticing his disgruntled face. "I like black coffee," he said, shrugging.
"You're mental!" Remus exclaimed. "Only the mentally impaired can like that rubbish."
"I will have you know that loads of intelligent people like black coffee."
Remus smirked. "I suppose it does fit you. After all, black coffee is bitter, and so are you."
Lucius gasped. "I'll have you know that I am not bitter, just—"
"You are bitter, babe," Remus interrupted. "Don't try to deny it.
Lucius rolled his eyes. "How was your week, anyway?"
"It was great!" The sarcasm lingered in his voice. "Working long hours every day. I love being a detective!"
Lucius grimaced, as if something unpleasant was placed under his nose. "I suppose you don't want this then," Lucius said, putting his hand in his pocket.
Remus looked up. "Want what?" His eyes flashed with curiosity.
"This." Lucius pulled a small box out of his pocket.
Remus knew he wasn't proposing. They hadn't known each other long enough for that—besides, Lucius was too scared to do anything more romantic than flirt in public.
The small box found its way into his hand, and he opened it fearfully. What if it was a trap? A bomb? Remus wouldn't put it past Lucius to try and kill him. Even if they were dating, Lucius loved to kill people. Remus was aching for a cigarette right now…
He lifted the lid, and gasped. "Oh," he mumbled. "It's beautiful."
It was. A silver bookmark sat in the box, nestled in a silk sheet. "Are you sure?" Lucius said, his voice uncharacteristically nervous, placing his teacup on the table with trembling fingers. "I know you like reading, and it's probably not what you expected, but—"
"It's perfect."
They left the cafe, Remus smiling contently. They had made it halfway down the road when Lucius suddenly stopped. "No," he whispered, horrified. "It can't be."
"What? What is it?"
"Narcissa…"
Narcissa Black was Lucius' ex-girlfriend. Apart from at the Yule Ball Narcissa's sister supposedly held every year, he hadn't seen her in ten years, when he broke up with her. Lucius didn't even see his son anymore.
"Lucius?" A woman—probably Narcissa—called from across the street. "Is that you?"
Lucius blushed, which irritated Remus. Why should this lady be allowed to make his boyfriend blush just by saying his name? It wasn't fair. The only time Remus made him blush was in the bedroom when—
Don't think about that right now, Remus.
"Are you going to introduce me to your friend, Lucius?" Narcissa asked.
Fear flashed across Lucius' face. Why was he worried? Was Remus too ugly to be classed as his friend? Was he too annoying? Too clingy? What had he done wrong?
"Th—this is Remus Lupin."
"A Muggle?" Narcissa exclaimed. "What are you doing with a Muggle?"
"Muggle?" Remus asked. "What's that?"
"Cute voice, I must admit," Narcissa said. "However, a Muggle?"
Lucius pushed them down an abandoned alley whilst Remus twirled his fingers, unsure of what was happening. What was a Muggle? Why was Narcissa saying it like it was such a bad thing? He couldn't be something that was that bad, right?
"You better explain," Narcissa demanded once they were in the alley.
Remus leant against the wall, crossing his arms. "Yeah," he agreed. "You better explain."
Lucius sighed. "I am with a Muggle because he is a nice guy."
"You, Lucius Malfoy, admitting a Muggle is nice?" Narcissa asked, whilst Remus said, "nice? That's all I get. Six years of knowing you and all I get is nice?"
Lucius winced, sending an apologetic glance at Remus. "He's not like other Muggles. He has actually got some manners, unlike the rest of those beasts."
"What's a Muggle?" He asked again.
"A Muggle is a non-magical person," Narcissa answered.
"So everyone is a Muggle? Magic doesn't exist."
She pulled out a stick and whispered something. One second later, sparks shot out of the end of the stick.
Remus' jaw dropped open. "Cool trick," he said. "But it won't work on me."
He blinked when Lucius pulled out a stick as well. "You're mental!" Remus declared. "Both of you!"
"This is a wand, ba—Remus," Lucius said.
"It—it can't be! Magic isn't real!"
Remus looked into Lucius' silver eyes. "It is."
Honesty flashed at him and he had to look away.
"Suppose what you're saying is true. Why don't we know about it?"
"Because Muggles are stupid," Narcissa answered.
Remus blinked, letting out a sigh. "Mind if I smoke?"
Lucius shrugged. Remus pulled out his pack of cigarettes, lighting it quickly before sucking it in. He let out a breath, enjoying the much-needed relief. "So, how did you two meet?" Narcissa asked.
Remus was surprised she was asking a question like that. Why would she care? Then again, she was surprised that Lucius was talking to a Muggle, so maybe she wanted to know why.
"At a coffee shop," Lucius admitted, looking down. "He sat down at my table. I tried to tell him to go away but he wouldn't listen, just scoffed when he noticed I was drinking coffee."
Remus smiled. He remembered that day alright; at the time he was just glad he managed to see him again.
"I'm bored," Narcissa said. "Let's do something fun!"
Remus glanced around him. This rowdy bar was not his idea of fun, but Narcissa and Lucius seemed to love it. They danced together to the crappy music pouring out of an old stereo, and Remus' heart thumped dangerously. They looked so happy together and Remus hated it. It was obvious they loved each other, why wouldn't they? They were both so amazing and—
And if Remus had to pick someone from both sexes he would choose the two magical people.
He sighed. They probably wouldn't want a polyarmous relationship, so he would have to stick with the feeling of despair and loneliness that would hit him when Lucius replaced him.
Lucius walked over to him, a wide smile on his face. Remus forced a grin for him. "Having a good time?"
"Yes," Lucius yawned. "Sorry. Long day."
"I'll bet. So, what's the deal?"
Lucius looked at Narcissa. "I love her," he said. Remus gulped. "But I love you. I don't know what to do."
Narcissa whirled over, her long robes twirling around her. "Talking about me?" Her pale blue eyes twinkled.
Remus shrugged. Lucius smirked. "Always," he said, slipping an arm around her shoulder.
Remus cleared his throat pointedly. Narcissa grabbed his hand. "Let's party!"
Two hours later they staggered out of the pub, all in high spirits. Both Narcissa and Lucius had their arms slung around his shoulders, dazed smiles on their lips. "I am bored," Narcissa said again. "I wanna kill some Mudbloods."
Remus blinked. He was falling for Narcissa, and that was just the icing on the cake. Of course he would love to kill people!
"Always," Lucius smirked, grabbing Remus' hand. "Diagon Alley?" He turned to Narcissa.
She nodded. "See you in a bit."
She spun on the spot and disappeared. Remus blinked, twice. "This will hurt."
He felt a tug on his navel and they disappeared. They reappeared in a completely different spot.
"Cool," Remus said, before throwing up.
"Forgot about that," Narcissa said.
"Is it always that bad?" Remus groaned, rubbing his head.
"You get used to it after a while." Lucius shrugged.
Narcissa didn't say anything. She was staring intently at a girl across the street. "That's the Mudblood in Draco's year," she hissed. "She thinks she's better than everyone else."
"I'll get her," Lucius whispered, creeping over to the girl.
Remus glanced at the woman beside him. "You're dangerous," he said.
"Yes, I am," Narcissa smiled, blowing a kiss at Remus. "You love it though."
He shrugged. "Yes."
"Like a moth to a flame, he always returns to me. Lucius, I mean. This time, he's brought along a treat."
Lucius returned to the alley with a struggling young girl. She was screaming into his hand. "Here she is," he said.
"Brilliant!" Narcissa clapped.
Lucius let go of the girl, before standing on her back. "Get off of me!"
"Hello, Hermione," Narcissa smirked, standing in front of the girl.
"Black," the girl snarled.
"Now, now, where are your manners?" Lucius asked.
"You?" Hermione asked. "What are you doing here? Wait, you were the one that touched me. Disgusting!"
"Whoa, watch your mouth," Remus snapped, instantly defending his boyfriend.
"And a Muggle? You guys have really let yourselves go."
"You ready?" Narcissa asked Lucius.
"No, but let's do this."
"Crucio!"
The girl's screams confirmed to Remus what that spell did. The night had gone so fast. How was he here? Why didn't he feel bad for the girl?
The screams suddenly stopped. "Do you want to do the honours?" Lucius asked Remus.
He shook his head.
"I'll do it," Narcissa said.
She grabbed a knife from her bag, putting it dangerously close to Hermione's neck. "Any last words?"
"Even to the bitter end I'll be better than your son."
Remus wasn't surprised when Narcissa sliced a line into Hermione's throat. He watched as the blood poured steadily out of the wound.
He was glad when it was over.
"I hated that bitch," Narcissa said, spitting onto the dead form of the young girl.
Remus felt like he was going to throw up again. "Do this again some time?" She asked them.
Remus just nodded.
Five more deaths happened over the course of the week. The next time they actually had a meal together was the week after Hermione died.
The first half of the meal was enjoyable. The second half was devastating.
"The Ministry is on to me," Narcissa said, sounding unbothered. "They know something."
"And?" Remus questioned.
"They are now spying on me."
She glanced backwards, where an old man with a fake eye was watching them suspiciously. "Who's he?" Remus asked.
"Mad-eye Moody. I wonder what will happen if he finds out. If I go down, I'll take you with me. No way I'm going down if you two don't get punished too."
"What?" Lucius burst out. "Why?"
"I haven't forgotten when you dumped me. You said I wasn't good enough for you. You even left my son. This is my long-winded revenge."
"If this is a joke I'm not laughing," Lucius said.
"Good thing, then. You're not supposed to laugh."
"This doesn't make any sense," Remus accused.
"Nothing I do ever does."
"Nothing you do…" Remus repeated, before sighing. "Why am I not surprised."
Lucius was obviously offended, but Remus was just unsure of what was going to happen next. He knew the pain of this was going to crush him later. He was betrayed.
He felt bitter. Why would Narcissa do this? Was it because he was a Muggle? He couldn't help that!
He couldn't help it…
Narcissa pointed her wand at him. "Your death will crush him the most," she said.
And he knew nothing more.
Second story I've written today with my smol child Remus, I love him sm you don't even know.
Idk what this is yet but it'll probably be fine. Maybe. It's awful and it takes forever for the bitter revelation to take place but it does. I bet nobody has done this before (I don't even know why I thought of this. It's probably shit.)
~Buttercat
Gringotts Prompt Bank:
Titles taken from Country Songs: What Doesn't Kill You
CSI: New York: (action) blowing a kiss, (action) grinning, (dialogue) "if this is a joke I'm not laughing", (dialogue) "I hated that bitch", (occupation) detective, (dialogue) "why am I not surprised"
Sons of Anarchy: (object) pack of cigarettes, (scenario) have someone see an ex after ten years, (action) smoke a cigarette, (scenario) spy on someone, (dialogue) "mind if I smoke?"
Diana Palmer: (feeling) worried, (eye colour) silver, (eye colour) pale blue, (action) forced grin, (action) clear your throat
Character Pairing Prompts: Narcissa/Lucius, Narcissa/Remus, Remus/Lucius
Feelings and Emotions: irritated, fearful, crushed, offended
Words to use instead of said: exclaimed, explained, accused, groaned, hissed, mumbled, repeated, yawned, interrupted
True Blood dialogue prompts: "like a moth to a flame, (s)he always returns to me", "you ready?"/ "no, but let's do this", "you're dangerous"/ "yes, I am"