Ch. 5-Behind the Veil

Artemis hardly slept a wink, feeling almost like a child waking up Christmas morning; however more things kept him up than just his excitement to begin his new training under Tom. Many thoughts raced through his mind and they were at the mercy of an entire night in which to analyze them. How was he so well known among these people? What was he there to do? And why couldn't he get Adora out his head. He go out of bed, he was amazed at how hospitable the Malfoy family was. The pajamas he was wearing were black silk and had purple vertical stripes, his favorite color. They even had "AG" embroidered on the front under his left shoulder, in cursive script; he rather liked all this personal attention he was receiving, as if he were a king of his own personal domain. He looked through his drawers he found brand new clothes, in his closet there were pressed suits and pants and matching vests. All black, some pinstripe some plain, he found neckties, he had never really worn all these kinds of dress clothes before, but he had always wanted to, and he suddenly found himself with a whole closetful of them. Most of what he had was black and purple. How did they know his favorite color was purple? He found new shoes, hats, robes, cloaks, and even a pocket watch with his initials etched on the back. In a separate trunk he found some of his older clothes, his more casual clothes, although some were new. Artemis realized that all of this was probably some form of bribery to make him stay or do whatever else he wanted him to do. But he didn't care, it was working.

He got dressed in some of his jeans, he threw on one of his new black dress shirts, it was soft and shiny silk, he threw a vest over it and one of his new purple ties, and a pair of dark jeans. He looked himself over in the tall mirror across his large bedroom he gave a smile, he looked cool. He gave a small giggle at this thought of thinking himself cool. He felt incredibly parched just as heard a dragging sound outside his door, it was the Malfoy's house elf, although his name escaped him. He was dragging four giant cloth bags with all his might, they were clearly too large for his small stature to carry by himself. With politeness Artemis said as he passed his door.

"Excuse me uh…Dobby." The house elf let go of the bags knocking him over

"Yes sir", said Dobby.

"Do you think you could bring me a glass of water when you get the chance my mouth is awfully dry."

"Of course sir!" With great urgency he scrambled up and ran down the hall toward the staircase. Artemis went after him stepping into the hallway and calling to him.

"You don't have to do it now whenever you get the chance is alright", The panicked house elf called back.

"Be right back Master Gridlock!"

"Master?"Artemis thought out loud, he had never been called master by anyone; he wasn't exactly pleased with it either,especially because it comes at the expense of this poor creature. In no time at all the frenzied house elf came rushing into his room panting holding a tall glass of water. He was going so fast that when he stopped himself he spilled a little water on Artemis' pants. Artemis backed up a bit and brushed at the spot. With panicked fear the house elf apologized.

"I'm so very sorry Master Gridlock, please forgive me I'll punish myself." Without missing a beat Dobby began banging his head against Artemis' dresser yelling."Bad Dobby, Bad Dobby!" Artemis was now juggling a glass of water and trying to restrain this creature from harming itself. It was a balancing act fit for a circus, eventually the house elf stopped. Artemis regained his composure and took a deep breathe.
"I'm terribly sorry sir!"

"It's alright really, really it's alright"

"I'll wash those right away."

"It's alright, It's just water it'll dry in a few minutes." Despite Artemis attempts to calm Dobby down he kept acting hysterical. Eventually Artemis had to grab him and talk softy to him.

"Dobby, calm down, it's alright, it's just water", Dobby calmed down with a deep breath, he apologized again than dragged himself head down out the door. "Dobby you don't have to do something right away when I ask unless it's an emergency." Dobby nodded. "Dobby, what is that you're carrying?"

"Laundry sir, the Malfoy families clothes to be washed."

"Would you like some help?"

"Help?"

"Yeah, I'm heading downstairs anyway I could carry some down." Dobby stared at Artemis than his eyes welled up and he began bawling heavily. Artemis rolled his eyes as he had done something else to send him spiraling into hysteria again.

"Dobby, stop crying it's alright. What is the matter with you?"

"Sorry sir, it's just no one has ever asked Dobby for help."

"Well I suppose there's a first time for everything. C'mon I'll help you." Artemis went out into the hallway grabbed three of the four bags and threw them over his shoulder. Dobby carried the one much easier over his shoulder.

"So how long have you worked here, for the Malfoys I mean?"

"Since birth sir, Dobby was born into slavery here."

"Sorry about that."

"Dobby can only be freed if his master presents him with clothes."

"Well I hope that one day you win your freedom." Dobby smiled as they made their way into the basement of Malfoy manor where there were many bags like the ones he was carrying lying about, and a giant bucket of water in the middle of the room.

"Do you have to wash all this yourself?"

"It's not so bad sir, Dobby likes washing clothes." Just than the familiar booming voice of Abraxas Malfoy bellowed from upstairs,

"Dobby!" Dobby dropped his bag of clothes and rushed up the stairs, Artemis followed Dobby to the dining room where Abraxas stood like a mighty oak tree. "Ah there you are Artemis we were just about to send for you." His mood changed when he spoke to Dobby, "You! Go see to breakfast now!"

"Yes, Master Malfoy." Dobby rushed out of the room to the kitchen.

"Artemis come with me", said Abraxas. Artemis was lead outside to the courtyard in the back of the mansion where there were statues all around of wizards and witches. They all had inscriptions under them, all of which had the last name Malfoy. Artemis was lead to a table on the back porch of the house. "Please Artemis have a seat. Artemis sat down at the circular table, to his right was Adora smiling at him as he sat, and to his left was the little boy from last night, Lucius. Across from him was Abraxas sitting up as straight as a column. Adora greeted him with her normal soothing voice.

"Good morning Artemis, did you sleep alright?"

"Oh yes I did, thanks very much for your hospitality, it's quite wonderful here." Artemis looked out from the terrace to the back grounds of the manor, a very large estate indeed. As he circled his view it stopped at the little boy who was peering at him slouched over and swinging his legs under the table.

"Hi", said the little boy.

"Hi", said Artemis back.

"Im Lucius, I'm five years old", the cute child held up five fingers boasting about his age.

"Really", said Artemis with fake wonderment. Artemis had used this kind of talk when he looked after Broderick's nephew sometimes. Strange that he hadn't thought of Broderick since…He quickly shook the thought out of his head. Dobby came rushing out of the house with trays of food and set them down at the table than rushed off.

"Do you have a wand?" Said Lucius with innocent curiosity, Abraxas cut him off.

"Lucius leave Artemis alone, and sit up straight." The boy straightened himself up.

"It's alright Mr. Malfoy, I don't mind. Yeah I have a wand." Artemis pulled out his wand and showed it to little Lucius who lit up at the sight of it. As Lucius looked at it Abraxas spoke.

"Excellent looking wand you have there, Dragon Heart Strings?"

"Yes sir it is." Lucius gave back Artemis his wand.

"When I'm twelve I'm gonna get my wand, from Oliver's." His mother corrected.

"Olivander's dear"

"And I'm gonna get a wand like Papa's in a snake stick."

Abraxas gave a subtle grin, than showed his cane, black wood with a silver snake head on top with green jeweled eyes than took the snake head off with his wand attached to it. Like a sword hidden in a walking stick. He handed it to Lucius whose eyes were like fireworks admiring the wand. He waved it and one of the statues in the courtyard exploded. Abraxas whipped around and gave Lucius a deadly glare.

"Dobby!" Abraxas bellowed. Dobby came running. "Take Lucius to the tower and lock him in there for the rest of the day. I'll deal with him later." Dobby walked next to Lucius and led him away. As the poor child was being brought back into the manor Artemis felt something brush up against his leg, he looked to his left and saw Adora smiling at him with her chin resting on her hands, and her forearms pushed together pronouncing her breasts. Artemis caught himself staring at her; he was snapped out of it by a great whoosh, as a black cloud of smoke rushed by and landed in the courtyard. When it settled the figure of Tom stepped out, dressed this time in a long black cloak, and a vest with a green tie. He recognized the necktie; the tie of Slytherin house.

"Good morning Abraxas, Adora, Artemis. " Tom said as he made his way to the terrace table.

"Good morning Tom", said Abraxas. "Now that you are here; Artemis, you and Tom can begin your training. Artemis looked at Tom who flashed him a smile, Artemis flashed one back and got up from the table and followed Tom through the courtyard. They walked through the whole courtyard, and finally past a small forest leading to a large open area. Surrounding them were the remains of some large stone building. To his right was a large lake of clear blue water andall around the plane were oil torches, large stands with big hanging bowls; probably for practicing at night, than Artemis asked.

"What is this place?"

"This is where the ancient Malfoy family used to live; Castle Malfoy." Tom surveyed the area, "Did you bring your music?"

"Yes", Artemis said with excitement. "I brought a song I've wanted to try for years." Tom waved his wand in front of Artemis and vines erupted from the ground, twisted together, it became a platform and took the shape of a music stand. Artemis placed his music on the newly created stand, took out his wand, breathed deeply, and began.

The first four notes were familiar to anyone; the infamous Beethoven's 5th Symphony. As the long note was struck all the torches that surrounded the area burst with brilliant crimson fire, setting the scene to unfold, with the next four famous notes the flames shot high into the air as the sky darkened, clouds rolled in and the light of the morning disappeared and all that remained was the shadow of darkness. As the music retreated flames from the torches crept to the center of the scene. The flames swirled higher and higher as the music grew louder and louder, the flames took the form of a giant man of solid fire, like glowing wood in a fire withembers glowing brightly. He was more than a man, a knight, dressed in fiery armor and hair that was flowing flames. He raised his sword to the sky and pierced the dark sky. When the music again retreated the water from the lake swirled to the center and the knight of fire stood back as in the middle the shape of a man of water took form, freezing as it grew, until he was a giant man of ice, a knight as well. The triumphant fanfare of the song gave a hopeful feeling as the knight of ice took form standing triumphantly in the center. His pride was ended by the fire knight who showed his power by spraying the surrounding trees with fire, while the ice knight countered by extinguishing the forest with cold ice. The music went back and forth with the two knights expressing their power to one another. Finally as those same four notes rang out the two men drew their swords and as they clanged together steam sprayed all around the plane. They punched, kicked and swung their mighty swords. The music grew and grew and suddenly retreated as the knight of fire disarmed the knight of ice, whose sword flew out of his hands and stabbed into the ground. The knight of ice stumbled back, hopeless and unarmed. The music picked up with the familiar notes repeating again and again and with the final note the knight of fire plunged his sword into the knight of ice who exploded sending large chunks of ice flying all over. The head of the ice knight flew right to Tom who with a wave of his wand deflected it and it shattered. The fire man disappeared with a whirl of wind and the sky returned to the light of the morning and the torches were put out with the gust of wind that took the fire knight.

"Bravo Artemis", said Tom with a large open faced smile. Artemis said nothing he just grinned at what he had done although this time he wasn't interrupted and felt no remorse for his brilliant creation. "Well done Artemis, but if you're going to weaponize your talent you'll have to explore the destructive side of your magic, not just make pretty scenes. Well start that tomorrow. For now look over your music.

And Artemis did just that, he spent his time in his room reading over his music, picking out which ones he wanted to try and studied them and thought of what he would will the music to do. When down the hall he heard a terrible scream that alarmed him. He walked quietly down the hall and to a small spiral staircase leading upstairs. As he climbed he heard the terrible scream again, a high pitched scream, at the top of the staircase was a hallway with a door at the end and a door to the right. As he walked down the corridor he saw through the crack of the door and saw Abraxas standing over his son Lucius, Abraxas had his jacket off and held his cane in his hand. The child sat on the floor crying wildly as Abraxas raised his stick and began beating the boy. Lucius' screams made Artemis look away. He couldn't help but notice how sweltering it was up here. It must be hell to be locked up here not to mention being beaten by someone. Abraxas stopped his vicious beating and pulled his wand out of his cane.

"This ought to teach you to behave, Crutio!" Never ending screams pierced through the corridor and plagued Artemis' ears. The young child thrashed on the floor and screamed and cried with horrifying volume. Artemis had heard of the unforgivable curses but had never seen anyone use them. Just as Artemis thought about interjecting Abraxas stopped. He put his wand back and wiped the sweat from his brow, grabbed his jacket and made for the door without another word. Artemis quickly hid in the other room and watched as Abraxas made his way out of the room,locked the door, and headed down the stairs. Artemis could hear the poor child still weeping. He unlocked the door and walked into the room and Lucius looked up at him with horrible pain in his eyes. Artemis kneeled down next to him and saw just what his father had done to him. He had cuts and bruises on his arms face and back, and although the cruciatus curse doesn't leave a mark, it is no doubt the worse pain anyone could possibly feel. Artemis knew that words were useless right now, but he felt he must say something.

"Hey, hey don't cry, no more crying, shhhshhhshhh." Artemis held little Lucius close to him and the boys tears soaked through his shirt, slowly he began to calm down and the pain was receding. "You must be thirsty, huh?" Little Lucius nodded his head, as Artemis took the chair Abraxas laid his coat over. "Augamenti." Artemis casted water from his wand into the little seat of the chair that formed a small basin. He helped prop up Lucius and leaned him over the chair to drink. Artemis leaned Lucius against the wall when he finished drinking, and pointed his wand at him. Lucius immediately recoiled then Artemis assured him. "I'm not going to hurt you I promise, you trust me?" Lucius nodded.

"Sano curatio, sano curatio, sano curatio", as Artemis repeated the incantation with a soft voice, the bruises faded and the cuts sealed shut. "I'm sorry but I have to go", Lucius lurched forward and hugged him.

"Don't go!" Lucius begged.

"I'm sorry but I have to, If your Dad finds out I'm here, we'll both be in trouble okay, but I'll see you soon, when he lets you out okay, and you come visit me any time." Lucius wiped the tears and sniffled. Artemis raised his wand near his face and casted, "Sopor." A blue smoke emitted from his wand and as Lucius inhaled it he fell into a calming deep sleep. As much as it killed Artemis he left the room and with great hesitation locked the door. Artemis made his way back to his room and sat thinking about his life. He had loving parents; a teacher who at least he believed cared for him. As Artemis thought of that poor boy, tortured by his own father, he laid down, and for the first time in a great while, cried.