Author: enchanted nightingale

Beta Reader: pussycatadamah

Timeline: Book 4, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Pairs: Harry/Lucius

Disclaimer: The characters belong to J.K. Rowling. I merely use them in my plot for fun.

Chapter 33 – Poisonous Treachery

The Weasley's arrived en masse at Harry's new home. It was the green eyed teen's birthday but they were celebrating along with Neville. It had taken a bit of manoeuvring to get Augusta Longbottom to agree but the two teens managed with a bit of help and charm from the former convict. Neville and Harry had planned in advance and invited a number of their peers. Their Gryffindor year mates, Lee Jordan, the Gryffindor Quidditch team, their Hufflepuff year mates as well as Cedric Diggory, Luna Lovegood and Cho Chang from Ravenclaw. Harry had wanted to invite Draco Malfoy and had decided the last minute not to; the political climate was not good enough for him to do so. He still wrote to Lucius' son and explained the situation. Draco, who had not even imagined Harry would ever consider inviting him had been understanding. Bill was coming with Fleur and little Gabrielle with them and two of Neville's cousins were expected as well as the boy's uncles and aunts, some of them at least.

"Harry!" the Twins hounded the green eyed teen from the go, being their usual loud selves. Harry was glad to see them and he hugged the twin disaster tightly.

"You came," Harry told them, delighted.

"Wouldn't miss this..."~~~~"... for the world."

Harry groaned at the duo that once again finished each other's sentences. "Just go in, have fun, don't create too much havoc."

They just saluted the raven haired teen and joined the fray. Ron barely spared a nod towards Harry, before heading for the buffet. Harry tried not to roll his eyes. He couldn't not invite Ron when the rest of his family was invited, even Percy. Ginny had been less shy and more provocative, trying to get Harry's attention with a rather unattractive attempt at flirting. The green eyed Gryffindor knew that he was rumoured to be rather dense but he was exasperated by her blatant attempts. It took Bill telling her to back off and act appropriately in polite company or otherwise he would tell their mother, for the younger witch to back off and leave Harry alone, though she did not stop looking Harry's way. Fleur was great company and the teen quickly saw just how matching she and Bill were. They were a perfect couple, their differences and similarities so nicely matched, it made the raven haired teen think of his own match and how he was absent from such a happy day in his life.

At some point, Molly had approached Harry.

"Sorry dear. I thought you and Bill were an item. To see him with that..." the red haired witch floundered for an epithet for Fleur and Harry, sensing her temper tried to help along his best friend's relationship.

"Mrs Weasley," he stated firmly," Bill and I are friends, best friends but just that. We just clicked together at the World Cup."

"But he took you to the Yule Ball," the mother of seven argued.

"As friends," Harry stressed. "Truth is... Can you keep a secret?"

Molly nodded.

"I have a boyfriend," Harry admitted to her. "I like him a lot and Bill knows him. I just don't want the press to bother him and Bill..."

"He helped you two out," Molly realised.

"You have a great son in him," Harry assured her and the witch smiled proudly at his praise.

"You are such a sweet boy," she sighed. "I'd have loved to have you as a son in law."

Harry blushed. "Thank you. For what it's worth, you'd make a great mother in law yourself. Bill often praises you to Fleur."

Molly looked thoughtful at his words, after she thanked him for yet another compliment.

"Fleur you said?" she asked the teen that was her youngest son's age. "She was the Champion for the French school, right?" She studied Fleur who was at that very moment helping her sister get a drink. The timing, if Harry was honest with himself, was perfect and a small, fond smile was on Molly's face.

"That's her sister," Harry supplied.

"Sweet girl," Molly commented. "And Fleur was so nice to her. I should say hello, right?"

"Well," Harry mused. "Bill is serious about her."

"About time that boy decided to settle down." Molly looked thoughtful again. "Do you think she might convince him to leave the deserts and come back home?"

"It is possible," Harry agreed.

Molly, delighted, went off to meet with Fleur and the two witches seemed to hit it off. Glad that was over, Harry went to find Neville. They had managed only a few sentences before Charlie Weasley asked Harry to dance, then Hermione did the same and Neville as well before Remus cut in and asked to dance with the green eyed teen as well. Sirius was smiling silly at the sidelines, happy to see his godson so joyful and acting like a kid his age should.

"Great party," Arthur Weasley told the former convict.

Sirius noticed the plate the father of seven held in his hand. He grinned when he saw that the other wizard had preferred the foods Harry had made and he was proud of his godson.

"Happy you like it Arthur," Sirius told him, making small talk and attempting to put to use all the skills his mother had tried to instil in him. "Are you enjoying yourself?"

"Very much, actually. I haven't really been out of my office in ages and the food is rather interesting," Arthur admitted.

"Harry's idea. Well, Hermione's too I guess. Those two decided to make a buffet with Muggle and wizard party foods. Those canapés... Hermione's mother suggested a caterer. Others, like the burgers and the chicken Harry made."

"Really? The boy can cook?" Arthur mused.

"Well, yes," Sirius admitted. He was proud Harry was able to survive if need be but he was not happy it was because of an unhappy childhood that it was possible. "None of your boys cook?"

Arthur shook his head.

A breathless Remus came up to them and took the drink from Sirius' hand, downing it in a gulp.

"Your godson loves to dance," was all the werewolf said. "Hello Arthur."

"Remus!" the red headed wizard greeted the amber eyed man with a smile and conversation continued, this time about Remus' brief time as a clerk in a Muggle store. Sirius, interested, the dark haired wizard followed the conversation.

Elsewhere, Neville and Hermione were keeping Luna Lovegood and Cedric Diggory company while Cho was dancing with Fred, or maybe it was George Weasley. They still had no clue which of them was.

"Harry, this is amazing!" Hermione commented. "Neville told me that it was the two of you who made all these."

"Gran wanting something entirely too formal to be any fun," Neville told the witch.

"And Sirius would end up getting all of us arrested," Harry grinned as he added this. "So we compromised those two hard heads by taking charge."

"Gran was actually proud I put her in her place," Neville confided.

"Adults can be weird like that," Cedric offered. "Did she start crying then and saying how big of a man you are turning to be?"

Neville sighed and nodded.

"My mum did the very same thing," Cedric admitted.

"Mental," Harry muttered and earned a swat from Hermione.

"Be nice," the witch warned and bit another canapé. "I love these things!"

"Our elf Troply made then," Neville informed her.

"And I cooked the more Muggle foods," Harry added. "Burgers and pizza... Yum. Sirius nearly tackled the trays before the guests arrived until Remus threatened to force him to Padfoot form and keep him on a leash."

The teen laughed, well Cedric did not but the Hufflepuff was not in on the joke. He soon excused himself to go rescue his girlfriend from the Weasley twins leaving the three Gryffindor's to talk freely. Hermione told the two boys what she got them as presents.

"It was hard shopping for you," she told them. "Neville I got that rare tome you wanted on the properties of stones and soil and how it interacts with plants but I also got you something fun, Harry insisted. A board game, a Muggle one, but I think you'll like it."

Neville was ecstatic and told her so.

"Hermione and fun," Harry grinned. "I can only wonder what you got me."

"Tickets to the Pudlemere United game," Hermione replied. "And a shirt."

"Yes! No books!" the green eyed teen yelled and the witch laughed.

"Harry! I'm not that bad!"

Neville choked. "Um, I see Luna. I better go greet her," he said and scampered away.

Hermione's jaw dropped and she turned to Harry.

"We just loved to tease you," he told her and she smiled. "Want to dance with me again?"

"No, not yet," she replied. "A tour of the cottage would be nice. I took an International Portkey to get here you know."

"Those are no fun," Harry agreed.

"Why did Sirius chose such a place though? Portkeys must be expensive," Hermione commented as they walked away from the area the party was taking place.

The green eyed wizard shrugged. He had not thought of it before because Lucius was a frequent visitor and he could always pop back to Britain, have coffee with Draco and return here.

"The Black name has its uses," he told his witch friend. "I never noticed before until you mentioned it you know. Anyway, the house is not awfully big. I put all the presents in a guest room. My room is a bit off limits because I did not manage to clean up but you'll get to see it anyway. You've seen our dorms back in Hogwarts, this one is so much better."

Hermione laughed. "I bet. It's nice you know."

"What is?"

"To see you so happy," she told Harry. "I saw you as you sweet talked Mrs Weasley into liking Fleur. Bill really isn't your boyfriend."

"I told you that."

"Still, you two were close."

"Brother like close," Harry insisted.

They were away from the noise of the party, into the cottage and just outside Harry's bedroom

"I know, I know," the Muggleborn witch said. "But..." she hesitated. "Harry, don't take this the wrong way, alright?"

The raven haired stilled and turned to look at her.

"You like boys, right?" she asked.

He smiled. "You are really smart, you know that?"

"I am right then," she said, a bit surprised.

Harry nodded. "What gave it away?"

"Aside from the lack of interest in girls?"

"Yes."

"The fact that you did not ogle Ginny's breasts earlier when she threw herself at you," Hermione stated.

Harry laughed. "You mean you just noticed!"

Hermione patted his arm. "Yes, now are you going to show me your room?"

"Come on. Then we need to go downstairs. I'm one of the stars of the party; I can't just ditch my first party."

A loud scream permeated the large manor. Severus and Lucius had been involved in a deep discussion in one of the hallways, preparing to leave, when the noise came from deep within the house. The two men shared a look and they did not dare to look as hopeful as they felt. They did however rush towards the noise urgently. They found Lord Voldemort in his bed in the master bedroom. The man is lying on a mattress, his skin flaking off him. It is a disgusting sight as the body, made from magic, bone, flesh and blood is rapidly disintegrating. Lucius finds himself barely able to hold his bile and inwardly he wonders why he felt for this dark wizard's charming lies in the past.

Then Snape gets to work, taking out potions and pastes and Lucius sees one particular vial he knows to be poison. The blond wizard swallows his anticipation and glee when Severus gets the dying Dark Lord to drink the vial. Then Voldemort throws them both out of the bedroom (verbally, his magic is no longer working and the two wizards pretend not knowing this fact). There are no other followers in the manor, a house that belonged to the Lestrange family in the past but was now left to ruin as the owners were wasting away in Azkaban.

Snape and Malfoy both leave the corridors and head back to Malfoy manor. Only when they are safely behind the closed doors of Lucius' study they allowed their elation to show.

"He's really dying, right?" Lucius inquired of the Potions Master.

"He definitely is," Severus confirmed, a small smile on his face. "Don't count your galleons yet, though. I want to see the dead carcass first."

Lucius nodded. "Are you going to alert Dumbledore?"

"I have to. I need the old man to know. But I'll give it an hour or two," Snape told the blond wizard. "That's how long it will take for the potion to be done. Do you have your letter ready?"

"Nothing ties me to that madman, any longer," Lucius insisted. He eyed the covered Dark Mark on his forearm. He hoped that it would fade, permanently this time. When the magic in the tattoo died completely, then he would be free at last and truly. And then his son would also be free and Harry, his soon to be lover would also be completely free.

So he and Snape sat and waited. Two hours later, a house elf came to them, yelling and crying. Severus sent it to Dumbledore with the letters he and Lucius had prepared. Then the Potions Master and the blond wizard rush through the Floo and towards the house the Dark Lord is at. They just reach the bedroom when another scream reaches their ears. They arrive in time to see the body Voldemort created crumble, the magic being undone as the monster fails to draw breath. They both wait, not daring to move, not daring to hope. They do not even look at each other until Severus, overcome with curiosity makes the first move.

Lucius stands a bit behind, looking eager. "Severus?"

"I can't find a pulse," the dark haired wizard replies. "I believe he's dead."

Just then, Voldemort's body crumbles to dust, just as Albus Dumbledore, followed by Madam Bones, gets into the room.

"Oh, Merlin!" the witch exclaims. "That was The Dark Lord! That snake looking ... thing was definitely You-Know-Who!"

"And I find myself enjoying the past tense," Lucius muttered.

"I bet you need explaining," Severus said.

Both Susan Bone's Aunt and the Headmaster of Hogwarts are holding up the letters they had just received, letters that had the Floo password to access the Lestrange manor.

"That would be nice, my boy," Dumbledore tells his employee.

"I'll get the Unspeakable's and the Aurors in here," the Bones witch announces.

Lucius and Severus just prepare for what happens next.

"One request though," Lucius tells the Light Wizards. "If you find Nagini, I want her dead."

"That will be easy to arrange," Amelia Bones tells him.

"... to you! Happy birthday dear Neville! Happy birthday to you!"

There was cheering and clapping and hooting. Harry clapped Neville on the back as the Longbottom heir grinned and blew out the candles. His grandmother was first to congratulate him and his friends followed. When the green eyed wizard went to congratulate him, Neville's smile dropped.

"Harry!" he gasped.

"What is it?" the Boy-Who-Lived asked.

"Your scar," Neville said, looking worried.

The others gasped when they saw blood trickling from the bolt shaped scar. Sirius and Remus were at Harry's side in an instant.

"Harry?" Hermione asked.

The green eyed wizard blinked. "But I'm fine..." he said, feeling faint even as the world turned dark.

"Back away!"

...

"Give him space!"

...

"Let him breathe!"

...

There was noise and nausea and Harry felt odd. The teen knew somehow that he was blinking in and out of consciousness and he hated the fact that his whole body felt heavy and that he tasted copper in his mouth. Why was he tasting blood, because that had to be the coppery taste of blood he reasoned, he had no idea. Harry recognised the image of the ceiling he had over him. He was on the patio, he recognised, and as soon as he opened his eyes a bit more he saw Sirius' worried face. It was then he remembered how Neville had been about to blow his candles out when apparently his blasted scar decided to start bleeding. He swallowed any nasty words that threatened to come from his lips; he knew that would just earn him reproving looks. He tried to stand up but he was pushed back again by his worried godfather.

"Harry? Don't get up just yet! You worried us all," the dog Animagus told the green eyed teen. "He opened his eyes!" he announced to the room at large and there was cheering from around him before somebody shushed the crowd and it was calm again.

The green eyed wizard remembered where he was and winced. "Merlin, I'm sorry," were the first words out of his mouth.

There were snorts from all around and a voice Harry recognised as Fred (or George) Weasley's chortled.

"Harry's fine! Taking blame for everything, regular really."

"Fred Weasley!"

"Nobody appreciates levity anymore," came the reply and a smack soon after, followed by a yelp of pain and a whine.

The second face Harry saw was Madam Pomfrey and the dizzy teen noticed she was standing right behind Sirius. Remus, who was at the green eyed teen's other side.

"Mister Potter?" the matron of the Hogwarts infirmary asks just as the werewolf attempts to explain why they called Poppy and not another healer from St. Mungo's.

"I'm fine," Harry reassures her.

"Cub... You fainted," Sirius informs his godson.

"Perhaps it was the sun," the green eyed teen offers.

"Your scar was bleeding," Remus stated from the teen's other side.

Harry had no idea how to answer that.

End of chapter.