Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter nor do make money.

054. Music

"You know I had half a thought to punish Mopsy for lying to me because I was certain there was no way you would be here requesting an audience," Lucius drawled standing up from behind his desk as Arthur Weasley entered his library.

"Actually there is only one reason I would be requesting an 'audience' with Lucius," Arthur retorted with a hollow laugh. "So can I have the bands and..."

Lucius dropped the glass he was holding when Arthur's request registered in his ears. Narrowing his eyes, he coolly asked, "Excuse me?"

"I know, unbelievable isn't it. So can I have the bands?"

"But those are only for the next Guardian and I thought we all agreed that Ginny wasn't one."

"And I'm asking for a Guardian and you're right Ginny isn't one," Arthur sighed, taking a seat.

Lucius just looked at the man who impetuously took a seat on a couch without his permission. His mind couldn't stop turning over and over in his head that Arthur Weasley was asking for the bands for a Guardian. How the hell had a Guardian been born without his knowledge?

Lucius was in the midst of deciding what question he wanted to ask Arthur first when Arthur's voice broke his thoughts, "Look Lucius, dragging your feet isn't going to stop this. They've already done a Guardian binding – the rings will only make it official in our world."

"Then it can be stopped." Lucius fumed. There had been a deal since the Guardians disappeared from the Weasley line that the next one born would be betrothed to the Malfoy heir in return for the Malfoy protection of the rings.

Arthur shook his head before responding, "You never listen when it's something you don't want to hear, do you Lucius? Because I think I just told you they have already done a Guardian binding unknowingly. You know there is nothing any of us can do to break that."

"Oh I think I could find a way."

"Would you just stop being stubborn Lucius and face the music, it's a done deal. Just give me the rings and I will get out of your hair."

"Just how did a Guardian get born outside of the Weasley line?"

"You're guess is as good as mine. The only thing I can tell you is that when my father was a small boy he was accosted in the street by Cassandra Trewlawney who told him that 'the longed for daughter would return when she sacrifices her own blood for her chosen blood' and that's what happened."

"I'm not following Weasley," Lucius snarled, his temper really starting to seethe.

"How much do you know about the night Callum and Finny Parkinson died?"

"What does..."

"Just answer the question Lucius."

"I was there Arthur, I don't understand why Pansy killing Callum in response to him killing Finny as part of his birthright has to do with this. I found myself offering a betrothal contract for Pansy just to keep her father from killing her but not before he killed three house-elves trying to protect her. So what does this have to do with anything?"

"You found an overwhelming need to protect a girl who killed the heir to a pure blood family?"

"Consider yourself luckily that you never had to deal with Callum. The whole Wizarding world is better without him; I'm not the only one in our circle who would have done the same thing."

"Did you know Finny was dating my son Charlie?"

"I remember Herrod screaming about him dating some wizard at some point but why?"

"Evidently, he was there the night Finny died. Pansy killed Callum to save Charlie..."

"Pansy Parkinson is a Guardian!" Lucius yelled interrupting Arthur. "The same girl that was betrothed to my son before she went and gave it up!"

Arthur launched out of the couch and towards Lucius, stopping in his face, "She didn't give anything up Lucius! She was raped and assaulted. The bastard left her for dead and she would have died if one of my sons hadn't found her. You should see the scars on her face, neck, and hands. So why don't you just give me the bloody bands and I'll just show myself the door."

The two men stared nose to nose, breathing hard but speechless waiting to see the other's next move first. Finally, Lucius sighed and backed up before saying, "I'll go get them – on one condition."

"And that is what Lucius?"

"I'd like to come with you."