Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.
Wow! Thank you so much to everybody who reviewed! I am so grateful to everyone who took the time to write me a review :D You guys are awesome! :D
Concerning the last chapter, I feel like I should clarify a point about Hermione. In this story, she has been adopted by the Macmillans (as in, Ernie Macmillan's family?) after she was brought into magical society. I touched a bit on it in Harry and Bill's conversation, but under the Dark Lord's regime, Muggleborns are abducted and obliviated after their first accidental magic. They are stripped of their family name because it would be too easy for them to search for their biological parents if they weren't. Bill also made an allusion to the fact that those who aren't adopted or sponsored are nicknamed 'the nameless'. I would have liked to expand a bit more on society under the Dark Lord's regime, but I guess that we will have to wait until Harry makes it one of his focuses to learn more about it ;)
FanFiction Lover: Could Ginny manipulate the twins? I'm really short on ideas for who the third person could be...Concerning Harry's depressing thoughts well...we all have our moments, right? He's in a difficult situation and keeps getting manipulated, lied to and used. It's not necessarily conducive to good moods if you ask me ^^'
ariana: We are not sure of Snape's loyalty (when are we ever, really?), but it seems like he will try to juggle with a few sides at the same time, to a certain extent. And yes, the light side is trying to kill a lot of success, might I add. Moody seemed to be searching for Horcruxes when Harry was there. But we haven't heard of that for a while and he doesn't seem to have much luck with that task. They are also trying to discredit his regime and get rid of the Dark elite who occupy preeminent positions in the Ministry. That's all we know for the moment.
Guest: Thank you, and I hope you will like this chapter just as much ^^
Warning: slash.
Chapter 37: 10th of December: Balance
The next month passed quickly. Between my endless tutoring and the training sessions the Dark Lord had scheduled with his Death Eaters, I was quite busy perfecting my skills. I had met up with a wardmaster three times a week to develop my techniques. The classes were the most interesting ones I ever had, but they left me tired and magically exhausted, so much that I neglected my other studies. Since I had only just done my OWLs, for which I should receive the results quite soon, Remus decided that a short break until after the holidays would be good for me. Severus had merely declared that if Remus weren't preparing my Potions with me beforehand, he wouldn't even attempt to tutor me. I had protested that by this time I was not as bad as I used to be and had probably performed well in my OWL in Potions, but he still refused. Damn, but that man was like an unmovable rock. I had probably only been able to put him in his place the first time I met him because I didn't know him as much as I do now. I also half suspected that he could have gotten out of my magic's hold that day if he had wanted, but preferred to observe me from it, as long as I wasn't threatening him or humiliating him.
If I wasn't so busy myself, I would have accused my tutors of neglecting their duties, to be honest. Their attention really didn't seem to be into it at the moment. A break would probably do a world of good to everyone involved.
I hadn't gone back to Grimmauld Place. I told myself that it was because I didn't have the time, and was exhausted, or was leaving Kreacher enough time to do significant improvements before visiting again, but the truth was that I just didn't want to see the Locket again. It was itching me a bit too much to go talk to it again and to learn more about how the Dark Lord used to be when he was younger, and I was afraid of the consequences such a visit could have on my sanity. However, I did want to consult at least the Black Library to find books about Horcruxes and how they worked. I had tried to search here, but the Dark Lord had obviously removed all the references on the subject from his library and probably wanted to be the only available source of information on them, because then he would be able to filter what he wanted me to know or not.
I counted myself lucky that Marvolo hadn't asked me about what happened to make me so shaken when I left last time. Either that, or he felt it and knew somehow. All I could say was that he had a particularly smug smile from time to time and I thought it might be because I hadn't left the Fortress again after that evening. I would take advantage of it later on. For now, my training was keeping me busy enough. My wards teacher had shown me quite a lot of practical exercises and some nice theories I hadn't seen anywhere in the books at the Fortress.
.
One evening at the beginning of the month, I had my first theoretical debate with the Dark Lord. It had started when we were both sitting in his Library. He was working and planning some new legislations and I was reading again a book about wards that I had found interesting when I arrived at the Fortress. I wanted to understand it better than the first time.
At some point, I snorted in derision at what the author said. The Dark Lord, not able to let something slide by without knowing what it was about, as always, had asked me what was funny.
"Oh, it's nothing. The author of this book got something wrong. I can't believe I didn't see that the first time I read it," I explained briefly.
Marvolo lifted an eyebrow at my statement, before he apparently decided that this warranted further investigation. He put his quill down and went to join me on the couch, putting his arm on its back, the side of his right foot coming up to rest on his left knee. He turned to face me, his intense gaze focused completely on me as he waited for an explanation. I felt a thrill pass through me: he came to sit with me, to listen to what I had to say. Not about something important to him, but about something that interested me.
I shot him a small smile before I launched in a detailed explanation of the technique described in the book, comparing it with what I had learnt in my tutoring. Through it all, he kept his eyes on my face, nodding at certain places and humming in approval at others. When I was done, I was sure he was just humouring me and was bored by my long explanation. He turned his head away and rubbed his chin, as if he was contemplating something.
"Don't you think the author's theory would work better on core wards, though? And that yours would be more convenient for area wards?" was his answer. Well, why did I think he wasn't following again? Apparently, Dark Lords had to be experts on virtually every domain. Or maybe it was just a trait of this knowledge-obsessed Dark Lord. I pondered his point for a while.
"Perhaps, but even with cores, the sharper wand movements could overbalance and make them tangle up together. I think that you could use it on decaying core wards if they presented visible holes on the periphery, but for those who are still in good shape, it wouldn't be a viable technique," I argued.
"What about if you completed it with a series of movements like this?" he suggested, taking out his wand and making intricate moves that I had never seen in warding. At a first glance, it looked like it would work. It was brilliant. I was a bit sceptical though, because I didn't think than anybody else than him could reproduce those movements perfectly without messing them up. I told him as much.
He chuckled in answer.
"Where did you find that technique anyway? I've never seen it anywhere," I asked him, intrigued.
He had a smug smirk.
"I didn't. The technique made me think of runic patterns, and I incorporated some of it with another ward breaking technique I've seen when I followed a Gringotts expedition in an ancient Egyptian tomb in the fifties..."
I felt my eyebrows lift on my forehead. If I hadn't known before that the man was a genius, I wouldn't doubt it anymore.
His self-satisfied smile impossibly widened when he saw my gobsmacked face. He took the book from my lap, closed it and waved it to the table in front of the sofa before he scooted closer to me until he was pressed against my side, the arm that was on the back of the sofa now resting on my shoulders. He lifted his left hand and placed it on my left thigh, tracing small circles on it that inflamed the nerves in my leg and made my whole body tingle.
His ruby-red gaze caught mine, before my eyes drifted down to look at his smirking smile and back up at his eyes again. I swallowed reflectively. His eyes darkened when they looked at my mouth and his right hand began massaging the back of my neck enticingly.
"You know, we should have discussions like that more often. You're fascinating to look at when you talk about something that interests you. You make all sorts of gestures with your hands and you pass through so many facial expressions to underline your point. It was quite adorable," he said with a teasing voice.
I flushed in embarrassment before getting a bit annoyed at his ending. I opened my mouth to deny the 'adorable' comment when I saw him smirk at me again. Always provoking me. How was I supposed to answer now? If I defended myself, I'd be playing in his set up, and if I let it pass, it was as if I was letting him do patronising comments to me.
What to do, what to do?
I calmed down, sighed once and looked away from his intense stare, feeling a small weight settle on my heart.
"I wish you took me a bit more seriously sometimes," came out of my mouth without my approval.
He lifted his left hand from my lap to my chin, tilting it back up to make me look at him again. His thumb went to rub against my cheek.
"I do, I assure you. You made valid points in your explanation and I'm glad that I can have deeper conversations with you about the intricacies of Magic. Most wizards and witches I've met in my life were completely satisfied with only learning the bare minimum to pass the Hogwarts courses without realising the potential Magic held. It's such a waste, in my opinion. I'm glad you can appreciate Her beauty, to a certain extent, and that you have found something that really interested you outside of fighting."
I felt the pressure in my chest disappear at his words. He really had too much of an impact on my mood. It wasn't healthy.
"Do you think that my Horcrux is stable?" I blurted out.
I hadn't meant to ask him, really, but the question had plagued me for the past month in every minute of free time I had. It was wrenched out of my chest and I couldn't stop it before it was too late. Maybe it was better like that. At least now, I would have some answers.
He frowned at me, looking up at my scar and scrutinising it as if he could see the answer to my question just by looking at it.
"Why do you ask?" he questioned.
I frowned again, thinking of the few times since I had arrived at the Fortress when I had acted out of character, inexplicably jittery, angry or high-strung. At the Rebel Camp, I had been brooding. At Malfoy Manor, I was focused and amused by Draco's antics but already a bit more stressed. Here, my moods seemed to vary in extremes. I confessed as much to the Dark Lord.
"Do you think I'm becoming crazy? Do you think it could be because of the Horcrux reacting to your presence?" I asked him, internally cringing and hoping he wouldn't agree with my theory and resolve to keep his distance from me. I checked his face, trying to determine his reaction to my words. He looked suitably worried, for once.
Then he closed his eyes and brought a hand up to rub the bridge of his nose tiredly.
"I'm a probably the one wizard alive who knows the most on Soul magic, but your situation is unique. I'm afraid I don't know to which extend the Horcrux can affect you...Have you ever interacted with it?" he asked, echoing the Locket's question.
I shook my head warily in answer.
"The only recorded cases of humans hosting more than one complete soul occurred in the context of possession and a physical manifestation of the parasite's presence would appear on his host's body if kept too long. That scar of yours might count as a physical manifestation of the Horcrux, but it does not indicate the presence of a parasite in you because it has not caused magical drain or physical degradation. My Horcrux is not possessing you, of that I am sure. But could it have an influence on you?" he asked to himself, pausing to think before continuing.
"I would tentatively say that, as your own soul is complete and you only host a small part of mine, your soul should have precedence on mine in the control of your body and actions. However, I cannot at this moment disregard completely the possibility that it might react to my contact and affect your mental state," he stated carefully and scrutinised me to observe my reactions to his words.
I frowned in thought. At least, my fear of the Horcrux taking over by itself seemed unfounded. That was a relief. It also seemed like he had not devised a plan to let the Horcrux in me possess me, like I had suspected a month ago in my paranoia. He was a brilliant actor, though, so I couldn't be sure, but the way he took his time to ponder the question and had no ready answers pointed in that direction. The possibility that the Horcrux could weaken my mental state remained, however. And it did look like his presence could have something to do with it. Our current relationship was probably making things worse. I looked at him worriedly, still silent.
"What do you think would help?" he asked, his voice weary.
I sighed and rubbed my forehead as I tried to order my thoughts.
"I really don't know," I confessed after a short while. "I don't...want to end...whatever it is that we have between us. But...
-But if it is making you insane, it's an unacceptable situation," he completed for me. I didn't like the note of finality in his voice. I bit my lips, thinking it over.
"It's not as if it's at that level yet. I think that, maybe, we could do a test," I suggested, even if I regretted saying it as soon as I came up with the idea.
"What sort of test?" he asked, suspicion tainting his tone.
"What about if I passed Yule time at Malfoy Manor? I could see Draco and he wouldn't have to come here to visit me. And well, I suppose it will be a busy time for you, with all the Ministry functions and all...
-If you think it is a busy time for me, it is nothing compared to how the Malfoys will be. They are the ones who take the brunt of the official functions and who organise a private ball at their Manor every year on top of everything else. Do you really want to get caught up in all the frenzied preparations and the compulsive shopping they will unmistakably do throughout the Yule holidays? Lucius told me how fond you were of clothes shopping in particular," he said with a knowing smirk.
Oh, Merlin. He was using very persuasive arguments all of a sudden. I frowned pensively.
"What if I went between Draco's arrival and the raid on the Rebels? It's five days and I'll probably see you before that anyway to settle details about the attack," I suggested. "I just want to test how I'd fare without any contact with you for a while; if it would stabilise me, or the opposite."
He watched me closely for a moment, before nodding his assent.
"I had a trip I wanted to take around that time anyway. I will just do it then," he agreed.
I was surprised that he accepted, but felt a twinge of unease at the thought of him being gone from his Fortress for so long. I wanted to ask him where he would be, but I knew it wasn't my place to ask. We might be in a weird kind of relationship, but if he didn't ask me where I went when I left the other day, I certainly wouldn't ask him either.
I jolted out of my contemplative mood when he started talking again.
"Now, is this discussion quite finished? You looked positively delicious when you were explaining so animatedly and I would quite like to have a taste of you now," he said with a dangerous grin, his hands returning to their previous task of caressing my neck and my thigh.
I swallowed slowly, my eyes widening in surprise at his abruptness.
"Here?" I asked, my voice rough with desire.
He shot a glance at his desk before looking back to me.
"Do you remember when Bellatrix interrupted us?" he asked, his low voice echoing mine.
I nodded in confirmation. How could I forget her 'memorable' entrance in my life?
"I've been wanting to take you on my desk here since that day. I want to see it. You, naked and spread for me on top of all my boring paperwork, like a divine gift, delicious and flushed...ah, yes, exactly, just like that."
I shot a glance at the enormous desk, my face in flames. It looked solid enough, but not very comfortable...As if that would matter to me, I thought as desire lit up in me suddenly.
However, with effort, I managed to remind myself of what we had discussed before.
"Don't you think it might make my...potential instability worse? I mean, nothing pulls at our connection as much as having sex..." I said, a bit hesitant, despite my desire for him.
Something flashed in his eyes before he kissed me deeply, violently. I got the impression that he didn't like to be denied something he wanted, even if it was to potentially preserve my sanity. The fact that we had sex numerous times before without causing any noticeable differences might have something to do with his carelessness. For me, somehow, it felt like it would have more impact than before because we had just discussed its possible effect. He convinced me otherwise with his tongue battling mine and with his hands pressing me to him.
One more time could hurt, right? I thought, giving in easily, despite the potentially dire consequences.
He got up, bringing me with him. I wrapped my legs around him and gasped when I felt him bite at my neck and shoulder. He carried me for a few steps, his skilful hands roaming over my legs and back. Then he wrenched his head away from my neck and smashed me on the table over all his papers. I grunted at the smacking pain, but it really was nothing. I had become used to being squashed on every possible surface by now. The hurried and near violent grasps of his hands on my body were new, however. The whole process felt...rougher than usual, tainted with despair. A part of me liked it; another felt panicked. It felt like a last time, like a good bye of a sort. I threw myself into the feeling, trying to savour it all, just in case I was right in my intuition.
I didn't say anything about it, but I also focused on what I could feel from my scar, trying to establish whether I had reason to worry. At first, I didn't feel anything strange emanating from there...but as we approached completion, something started pulling at it. I opened my eyes and met his, trying to convey my worry through my gaze. He furrowed his brows and shook his head slowly in reassurance. I nodded in answer and gripped his shoulders tighter, answering the hard and relentless thrusts vigorously.
This time, I didn't feel much of the usual mental intrusion, nor did I get any echo of what he felt. I guessed that he had strengthened his Occlumency shields. His magic wrapping around me and battling with mine still felt as delicious as ever, however, and more so as the pressure built up in me.
My climax felt divine and painful at the same time, breathtaking and gut wrenching. Bittersweet.
When we came down from our highs, my body was covered with bites and various marks. I released a silent sigh of relief. I was still myself. I still felt sane.
I opened my eyes again and smiled slightly at Marvolo. Maybe I had worried for no reason. The five days apart would most likely pass swiftly without a problem. Probably. I hoped.
.
o0o0o
It was a Wednesday and the members of the 'Equality For All' (EFA) were gathered at the Shell Cottage on the seaside. At the moment, they were spread around the living room, discussing in small groups before the reunion began.
In one corner, the host, Bill Weasley, stood next a bubble gum-pink-haired witch. Their heads were bent close together and they were whispering to each other. The two had known each other since their Hogwarts days when Tonks had been friends with his brother Charlie. Shortly after the death of the latter, they lost contact for years as she had joined the Rebels and he had stayed behind to help his parents with his younger siblings. A few years after she had been forced to give up the Rebellion, Bill's peaceful opposition movement had recruited her.
"He's not coming," she whispered at the redhead. "It's been a month and he hasn't come yet. He won't come.
-It's a lot to think about," he defended. "Just imagine how his backing would beneficiate this organisation. He could even make it become an official political opposition. He's really powerful, Tonks. He's so young, but he has an amazing grasp of wards, almost instinctual. I heard from Marchbanks that she had never seen someone do so well in practical test. Never! And she tested Dumbledore for his NEWTs! She probably tested the Dark Lord as well. That kid is powerful!"
Tonks shook her head.
"I know, I trained him for years, but Bill, he's with the Dark now. We lost him. Remus said...
-Remus couldn't say anything because he was under an oath. He just said that he knows that Harry is doing well. You're the one concluding that he joined the Dark Lord. I spoke to him; he really looked intrigued and interested by us. I bet he's only hesitating either because he's under close watch, or because he thinks it's a trap.
-Bill, I know the kid, I saw him grow up. He's an idealist, but he's also blind and naïve. The Dark Lord probably didn't have much trouble convincing him that his regime is fair and legitimate. He might have matured since last time, but I bet that he's still a moody, self-absorbed teenager and was easily swayed. And besides...it wouldn't be very far from the truth if he thought this was a trap. Look," she said, pointing at two newcomers, "your twin brothers are here. How do you think they would react to his presence?"
Bill sighed.
"Fred and George have nothing against Harry. They are just caught in one of Moody's crazy schemes. You know they wouldn't hurt a fly. It's not like them," rationalised Bill.
Tonks shook her head.
"They haven't been the same every since the bomb on the Ministry. I think they had something to do with it.
-What! Tonks! You can't say stuff like that! It's my baby brothers you're talking about!
-Yes! And look where their grief has led them! You were so busy with your wonderful 'movement for peaceful opposition' that you didn't see that they were hurting inside! They were just hiding it underneath all these pranks and jokes...Bill...you've got to talk to them. This can't be allowed to continue. They need your help. Forget about Harry Potter. Forget about all your grand strategies and hopes for the moment. Your brothers need you," said Tonks in a solemn voice that the bubbly witch seldom employed.
Bill sighed and passed a hand through his long hair.
"I will," he said decisively, nodding to himself before he headed their way.
Tonks watched him go and shook her head slowly.
Boys, she thought, they'd be lost without us to guide them.
A wave of nausea submerged her suddenly. She put a hand over her mouth, hurrying to the rest rooms and nearly tripping twice on the way there.
This sickness is really persistent. Maybe I should go see a Healer. It's starting to worry Remus...
.
o0o0o
The Minister of Magic and the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement were siting at a table, listening to a team of Unspeakables sharing their conclusions in a grandiose presentation full of conspiracy theories and international threats. All based on a few messages brought to them by paper planes. It was a bit ridiculous, how much attention had been given to them, really. What if that was the Rebels' plan and the planes were just a red herring?
By now, all the former Death Eaters who were given high places in the Dark Lord's government after his Victory had received a mysterious message. All of them, even those who were just put in office as a symbol and were not doing much work for 'their department'.
It was the case with Macnair, for instance, who was the Head of the Department of Regulation of Magical Creatures but only went to the Ministry once a month to harass his secretaries and give a strong drunken clap on the back of his Undersecretary who did all the job he was supposed to do for half of the salary. It was a bit pitiful, really, and an anomaly in the Dark Lord's efficiency-oriented government.
It was useful, however, to show the population that the Dark Lord knew how to thank those who helped him in times of need. And it worked, because he now had a Ministry full of workers very eager to please the Dark Lord and get noticed for their exceptional 'help'...
Just like this team of Unspeakables, for instance, who had been tasked by the Minister himself to decipher idiotic little messages that were probably written in less than ten minutes by teenagers who thought that the rebellion was 'wicked'.
"...and so, it becomes all clear when one skips over to the tenth word of each message, except for the third, fourth and sixth messages, that the sender wants to warn Britain of its impending doom and that the Rebels are in fact allied with Muggles who plan to release all their dangerous animals from their zoos to attack the magical population," concluded at last one gangly Unspeakable with a triumphant and disturbing grin on his face.
Thankfully, he was the last of the group to present his conclusions. That theory hadn't even been so bad compared to some of the previous ones. Or, at least, it had been nearly plausible before the 'zoo conspiracy theory' came up.
Lucius cleared his throat and frowned, pondering how the recruitment for this little team of incompetent fools had been done. He'd have to have a word with Rockwood after this was done.
He heard Crouch sigh audibly before the latter straightened from his slouched position in his chair.
They exchanged an exasperated glance in a rare show of mutual feeling.
Lucius wondered if he should be diplomatic about his answer.
"This is the worst load of hogwash I have ever heard in my whole career at the Ministry. And believe me, I have heard a lot of unicorn crap in my time here," blurted Crouch. So much for diplomacy.
Lucius cleared his throat again.
"What my esteemed colleague means is that you all seem to have come to...drastically different conclusions and that your presentation was perhaps not the most...coherent one we have had the chance to hear," he said, more politely.
He wouldn't tell Crouch that the Dark Lord always looked at the population's opinion of his Ministry workers to decide whether they should be kept in place. If Crouch wanted to send a political Diffindo at his own foot by being uselessly crude, he wouldn't be the one to stop him from doing so. The man had been obsessed with stealing his job for years now, after all.
"No, I really meant what I said," contradicted Crouch, digging his political grave deeper. "It's as if you wanted to give us the most possibilities you could get from those short messages just in case that, if one of the hundred turned out to be right, you could say that you had it all figured out. Really, now, for you, the author of the messages is alternatively, the Rebels, the Muggles, the Dark Lord himself, Harry Potter, pranksters, Centaurs and Goblins! And, also according to you, it could mean virtually anything between a massive international scheme to overthrow the government to stupid kids in their basement having fun writing the first things that come to their minds."
Lucius reluctantly agreed with the sentiment. This had been a waste of his time. It seemed like Harry, after looking at two of them for less than five minutes, had still managed to get more of the messages than these Unspeakables. The young man did grow up in the Rebellion, after all, so he understood their mindset and strategies better than those pseudo-experts in encrypted messages.
Lucius would probably do a better job than them as well, if given the time to analyse them. However, the whole reason why he had given this task to Unspeakables was to prevent any important person to lose their time on them when they were busy preparing the raid on the Rebels.
He glanced down at the sixth message, which was addressed to Macnair.
You are like a sloth in his tree, lazing up there all day long and not moving a finger when it sees the world below its feet burning.
Careful there, Macnair. Fire spreads. Perhaps you'd be better in a zoo like the rest of us, after all. Controlled environments are not without their own dangers, however. We would know.
Again, with the barely-veiled threats. Again, with the animal analogies. However, so far, apart from his own message of course, they had the personality of their targets nailed down accurately.
It was difficult to believe that there was a deeper meaning to these messages than to keep them on their toes and make them lose time trying to decipher the messages.
Lucius counted himself lucky that they hadn't tried to send anything to the Dark Lord yet. That particular message, for instance, had made Macnair's clothes burn up to ashes within seconds. Thankfully (or not, considering the victim), the man himself hadn't been touched by the magical flames. Only humiliated.
It wasn't hard to see from where the gangly Unspeakable had taken the zoo conspiracy if you looked at this message. Obviously, the authors fancied the Death Eaters as wild animals and the rest of the population as animals in a zoo. Perhaps they were accusing Britain of being an enclosed, monitored environment of social experiments? They wouldn't be too far from the truth if that were the case. Lucius was pretty sure that the Dark Lord was experimenting on Britain different strategies of governance before he started his world conquest. He was fairly sure that those plans were only pushed back by the Muggle menace and the increased presence of Muggle weaponry in rebel raids.
There hadn't been another bomb or any missile yet since the Ministry incident, thankfully; only strange magically enhanced guns, which were worrying enough by themselves.
The Unspeakable directly in front of him started shifting, drawing Lucius' attention back to the present matter.
He couldn't allow such incompetence to continue further. He would bring the messages to his Lord and Harry and they would know how to interpret them. It could even wait until after the raid, if need be.
.
After dismissing the Unspeakables, Lucius headed back to his office at last. He was frustrated. Magic only knew how much time had already been wasted on those idiotic messages.
As his desk came to view, he saw another of those blasted paper planes waiting for him innocently on his desk.
He wouldn't let the thing explode in his face again, that was for sure!
He flicked his wand carelessly at the offending piece of paper and looked on in satisfaction as he saw it burst into flames.
It was only when the paper was completely reduced to ashes that he realised that this plane had been different from the others. That it hadn't attacked him publicly. That it hadn't resisted everything he threw at it. That it certainly hadn't been a Ministry memo. That it wasn't in the same shade of violet as the other ones.
And that now it was burned beyond magical reconstitution. And that he would never know what it said.
Damn.
...
Oh well, it was probably just another childish message with animal metaphors and obscure warnings and threats.
...
Right?
...
The Dark Lord would kill him if he knew.
Lucius glanced around at the empty office.
The Dark Lord would punish him severely if he knew, at the very least. But he didn't need to know.
What you didn't know couldn't hurt you, after all.
...
Too bad it didn't work like that for spells.
.
I apologise if this chapter was a bit scattered in different POVs. I just wanted to make the story progress a bit on the different sides.
The next one will be Draco's POV only. I think that you will like it ^^
Thank you in advance for reviewing! :D