Abraxas Malfoy was a proud man. He was the supreme example of everything a pureblood should be, posed, calm, powerful, rich.
If he had bended the knee for the likes of Voldemort, it was to use him as a decoy. To use him to reach his own goal of getting rid of the mudbloods and make Britain a safe heaven for the decent magical folk. Destroy those half breeds who carried loathsome creatures blood, and make the society great again. They could dispose of the arrogant nobody then.
Arrogant he was. Grindelwald was a hundred times better than him and he failed at last, discarding such a vermin – with that stupid name, flight of death- wouldn't be much problem.
But the boy, this particular boy everyone wanted a piece of..
Those muggles he removed easily from getting any chance , Longbottoms and Bones were harder, but not impossible.
But he doubted he would gift him to Voldemort.
Lucius was his blood, but the spoiled child-man didn't know anything beyond how to bribe and how to look good. These past couple of years He considered – a bunch of times actually- getting rid of him and try for another one- even if it was late for him, later than Potters even- but the contract with the Blacks made it impossible. After what happened to Sylwan, he thanked Merlin and Morgana he had not broken it like that.
-even the possibility that the Blacks could see the broken contract as a declaration of war..
The Black agreements were often airtight these days. After the scandal of Arasmus, following Arcturus-Evelyn break up – or was it vice versa?- and subsequently Orion and Eileen they were more cautious. Then Molly Prewatt outwitted the last one – merlin knew how- and ran from marrying that troll Cygnus. The contract was written in such a way that made removing Sylwan from Wizingamot like a piece of cake. Personally, Abraxas saw no problem with omitting a hindrance between himself and an object, but Samuel was young and went a little bit far. If he had not been thrown out of the Wizingamot, he could have bribed his way out in a decade or so, but Arcturus went after him like a hound. Malfoy thought it was going after the apple of his eye – Regulus- was what made him insist on throwing Samuel in Nurmangard and removing him altogether.
(Good for her, but still settling for a Weasley was unbecoming of an heiress like her. If she had came to him, he could have disposed his useless spineless braggart of an heir and tried for another bunch with her.
Her loss.)
Severus , the boy.
At first, the boy was just another half breed. Another mudblood.
But then he revealed having the perception, showed his flying moves and gathered allies. Powerful allies. The last stop was him getting rid of Sylwan – he knew better than thinking Arcturus did it without a hunch- and then getting rid of his blood traitor mother.
He was the most Slytherin person he ever knew of, and he had met Gellert Grindelwald – yes the guy wasn't a Slytherin but he was a slytherin in heart, where it mattered.
Even before that, when Orion came to him to take the boy, he knew something was up.
Severus Snape was NOT a Snape at all, he was Severus Black, a perfect pureblood heir. And Orion the idiot was throwing this gem away because of the likes of Sirius – the mad half of the siblings as it was now the tradition with Blacks- and Regulus – a soft hearted simpleton who would be eaten alive in the real world. If Abraxas was in his shoes, he would have killed both, taken the boy and that was it.
But Orion, the idiot , wanted to anger his father. He didn't want anyone from Evelyn's line inherit the Black fortune, had sweared a magical vow even.
Maybe in anger? He knew Arcturs held a heavy hand, and had some said he didn't plan to transfer the lordship to Orion at all. Maybe he was not Orion's, but his father's? Arcturus tried hard to remove the stigma his brother left on the Black's name – man-whores and womanizers- but the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, meaning Arcturus couldn't be as virtues as he showed. No-one wants a very younger sibling- no matter how bright- to inherit.
Between a choice between Sirius and a troll, the troll had more merit.Regulus was a lost cause who wouldn't see 20 with his attitude – friendship, befriending a half-blood, kind on elves- and …merlin Orion!
The brainless vegetable simple mind. Abraxas would happily let Severus inherit Malfoy's and he didn't have a single blood drop of his!
If the boy was Merlin incarnate, with occlumency- how else he had withstode cruciatus without it?-, perception and magical power to cast a full protego maxima at eleven, if the boy was clever enough to establish himself as the icon of house unity, and gain allies and respect in such a young age…
Abraxas would adopt him by blood, and then raise him to be the perfect pureblood ever. He would become the next mugwump, the next minister and he could save Britain from the infestation of mudbloods and creatures.
He had to take custody of him first, then get rid of whatever blasphemy this Voldemort was. He could sense his power, yes, but if this child grew up…
"Mister Malfoy"
Right. The wizingamot first.
"yes the supreme Mugwump, what would be the verdict?"
He wanted to look Dumbledore in the eyes as he had to surrender the boy to him. He had discredited both Longbottoms and Bones, so there was no-one left.
"I can not be certain Lord Malfoy, alas there are questions needed to be asked, would you like to explain why you are attempting line theft?"
Line theft?
Line theft? Orion didn't screw up did he? While he didn't come out and told Severus was his, Malfoy read it in his eyes.
He wanted to look at the crowd gathering in the large room, look for Orion. Had he manned up and told Dumbledore at last? At the worst possible moment when he was a step away from gaining full custody?
He looked from the corner of his eye, Orion was a man of habit. He always sat at the highest stand, on the left side.
He wasn't there.
Then what?
And the penny dropped.
then he did the most undignifying thing, he opened his mouth, but couldn't make a sound.
"i.. your honor?" and turned to the wizingamot chairman.
" he is a half-blood, so .." he tried to come up with words and his tongue failed him. He didn't want to drag Orion- could not drag orion into this mess. The other option was just preposterous. It couldn't happen again, could it?
"I am aware Abraxas" said Albus Dumbledore, calmly.
Why this little shit … calling him with his name that bloody..
His eyes twinkled. Right, legilemense.
" is he not the last of the Prince line?"
Damn.
"but he is a halfblood"
And he smiled, as if to tell him to watch carefully..
Dumbledroe, the way he had wormed his way into Wizingamot and then the highest place… if the man used his power to push for Severus to be installed as the heir, the Prince lord to be, he could have even talk Goblins into do his bidding, he knew their awful language for a reason..
Back to square one then.