Remus had not gone into town with the others right away, promising to catch up with them though, in time for lunch. He knew Severus was not expecting Lucius till tomorrow, and he didn't want them to run into each other, if he could help it. Severus had a hard enough time with the holiday, it was the anniversary of his arrest, and the last thing he needed was Lucius. He had been happy Harry stayed, he would have missed the holiday with him, but Lucius was another matter.

He found Severus in his rooms where he was reading, and for a moment he smiled, could almost picture when Severus had been a prefect. It took a moment before Severus knew he was there, and he knew his friend had been lost in his thoughts, and not simply reading a book.

Remus came in when he motioned. "I thought you should know, Lucius arrived."

Severus paled and turned his face away from him. "He is early."

Remus walked across the room and put a hand on his old friend, reminding him it would still be three days only, and he would be gone. He told Severus they were in town, so he would not have to worry about running into Lucius, when he headed for Remus' rooms. Severus stopped him, he knew he had not said no before, but he knew Remus would take Christmas, and try and convince him for a permanent move. He never wanted to be a burden, or charity case, Remus did too much already.

Remus sat down. "Just till Lucius goes, I will not mention any more, at least till the end of the year. Besides my gift is waiting."

Severus managed a small smile and handed Remus his own. "It isn't much."

Remus had got the wolf's bane potion for free since he started work, it was part of his salary, and Severus had done some work on perfecting it He had got only a small amount of the money for the new potion, for Horace of course got credit, but he had managed a some what better gift then usual. Remus took the gift and put it in his pocket wishing he could invite Severus to join them, but he would never have come. Even if Lucius was not there, he always spent the holiday alone. The only change this year would be not having dinner in the hall as he usually would have.

Remus stopped as he remembered the other half."The old man had a stroke a week after you were arrested."

Severus' head shot up. "That is why Abraxas was never there for my trial?"

Remus came back, and confirmed that Sirius had told him just that morning, Abraxas had suffered a stroke. As far as he knew the man had been paralyzed in bed for two months, the reason he could never come to court, for Severus. It seemed though he lived another year, he had never fully recovered from the stroke, and died. He had not been in the hospital, and old lords never made illnesses public, why Remus had not known till now.

Severus put his head in his hands. "I have spent fourteen years of believing the man abandoned me, and I nearly killed him."

Remus pulled him into his arms "You didn't. Abraxas was never a young man, he was almost fifty when Lucius was born. He loved you, you were his son."

He reminded is old friend that he was innocent, he had never attacked Narcissa, or put the strain on the old man. Abraxas may not have fathered him, but from the moment a three year old Severus came to the manor for the first time, he adored him. He had seen the monster Tobias was, and had even before Severus came to live with them after his mother died, considered Severus to be a son. If anyone broke his heart, it was Lucius, who had turned on Severus as he had.

Remus knew he had to leave to meet the others. "He told the Blacks the day before the stabbing, that Lucius was betrothed, to his foster soon Sirius told me"

Severus managed a small smile at that."I should have never doubted him, he was like you and Lils, always loyal. I hope he knows where ever he is, that."

Assuring his old friend he was sure the man did, Remus headed out, having promised to have lunch with Harry. He knew the news he had given Severus would mean more to him then the actual gift, confirmation at least one Malfoy was loyal, had loved him to the end. Remus just wished it was one who was still alive. When he found the others in town Sirius knew where he had been, and when asked if he told about Abraxas, Remus didn't deny it.

Sirius watched the boys. "I don't see what good it would do him, but fine"

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Draco and Harry were happy to spend the holidays at school, Draco relieved his mother had not tagged along, she was off in the US. The woman had given him to a wet nurse the moment he was born, and raised by Dobby, except when she wanted to parade her perfect child out. Lucius had always been hands on, when he was not away with work, and the bond between father and son was always strong. He had no idea why his parents didn't divorce, well on his father's part for there was a pre-nup, and his mother always cheated on him. Lucius always spoke of his son being happy, and finding true love, but never looked for his own

Draco found his father looking at his two way journal, but at the old pages, where he and his father had written before Draco. There was not much, the pages usually erased, unless one used the password, to keep the page from clearing. He had never known who his father had given the copy, now Harry's, to.

Lucius looked up when he noticed his son. "Don't worry I am not reading any love notes between you and Harry. I am just being a bit sentimental I guess."

Draco blushed at his words. "We're friends, practically brothers."

Laughing, Lucius assured his son that love often started out that way, and it was often the best kind, as passion could fade with years. Draco was not sure how his dad seemed to think he was the expert on it, he had been forced into an arranged marriage, he reminded his dad.

Lucius could remember the first time he and Severus kissed, they were twelve, and it was the end of their first year. They had finished their last exam, and had headed down by the lake, to cool down, for there was usually a breeze off of the water.

Lucius smirked at Severus. "You know dad decided he can not give up a guest room all summer. You're going to have to sleep in the stables."

Severus playfully snarled. "I will wrestle you for your room, and we'll see who is sleeping in the stables."

Severus had tackled his best friend to the ground, and they wrestled, but for the first time ever, Lucius got the upper hand on him. As he sat straddling Severus and pinning him to the ground, he took a chance, and lowered his mouth to kiss him. He was scared Severus would hex him, but Severus returned the kiss.

When Lucius came up for air Severus laughed. "Don't think I am sleeping in the stables because of one kiss, you don't want me smelling like manure do you."

Draco looked at his dad and wondered where he had gone, his father was not one to day dream, not that he could remember. He wondered if his father had a childhood romance that he had never told his son about. Draco knew jut because his parents ha to marry, didn't mean his dad was celibate before, but he never spoke of it.

Draco spoke up."You never did tell me who the second journal belonged to, and most of your notes are gone. Did you have a boyfriend?"

Lucius' eyes clouded over for a moment but he smiled."Just an old friend who is gone now. Go clean up, dinner is soon."

Watching his son go, Lucius was reminded of when he and Severus were given them, he reclaiming the book when the man was arrested. For a moment he thought about the week before the stabbing, he had told his dad he wanted to propose, and the old man actually said yes. He had planned to propose on New Years.

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Christmas day Severus actually left the rooms, for he decided he would go stir crazy, and decided to head to the lab. He didn't think he would run into anyone, but the youngest Weasley spawn had other ideas, he and his brothers were here for the holiday. Ron was an obnoxious little brat, who made a living hell out of he lives of any staff without Professor in front of their name, including Severus. He knew Severus could not take points from him or give him any real detention.

He got pelted in the back of the head with a snowball. "Hey grease ball, I see you climbed out of what ever dungeon slime you were hiding in."

Severus turned to look at the young man. "Indeed."

Before Ron could throw another snowball, seeming he had brought some in for a prank, the small bucket of snowballs he had, lifted into the air. Even his brothers who were in the hall, began laughing, when the bucket dumped on his head, and melted as it did till he was soaked. He could see Harry grinning from the other side, with his wand out, and Professor Flitwick who had come, told Ron he saw nothing, and better go dry off.

Severus was turning to leave when he bumped into someone. "Excuse me."

Lucius' voice cut through. "I see you have not changed, allowing others to fight for you. Except when it comes to attacking defenceless women"

Looking at the man he loved once, he could not understand how Lucius could have ever believed it, or still did. He had hard stories since he was released, the woman was a whore, and had been linked to followers of Voldemort. He was right, he had never defended himself in school, so why he would try to kill someone, he didn't know, and either had those who truly knew him. He believed Lucius knew him better then anyone, how wrong he had been.

He moved to go around him. "I never attacked her. The man I loved would have known that. You let me rot in prison for ten years, with your words tormenting me."

Lucius made a grab for him. "She saw you, and our pendant, all the evidence was on you. Why could you have not waited? I was going to propose in a week?"

Stopping, Severus noticed they had drawn attention from Harry and Draco who had come, and Draco was looking back and forth between them. Severus felt bad for the boy, for he would never have wanted for Draco to know, for it was never easy for a son to learn his dad was not perfect.

Severus said before he left. "I never touched her, I loved you. You were one who betrayed me. I spent ten years reliving the moment you turned your back on me."

Remus had come up and tried to stop him. "You don't have to go Severus. Those of us who know you, know you would never have hurt her."

Lucius stood watching as he two men headed back up stairs again, and could not move, the man's words rung through his head. He looked at his son who was looking at him in shock and confusion, and he wished he had some words to prove he was the right one.