There was a lesson Abraxas Malfoy imparted unto his children from a young age.
Yourself before others, family before yourself. Do whatever it was necessary to preserve the good name of Malfoy.
Galatea and Lucius had their squabbles, their fallouts, their diverging of paths, but neither could deny that at the end of the day they weren't two sides of the same foul coin.
It's her fathers words that occur to Galatea when one night Lucius returns to Malfoy Manor with a freshly inked dark mark on his forearm, snake and skull intertwined, writhing maliciously. He avoids her gaze even as she wraps a cooled gauze over the tender bleeding skin.
It's those words that echo in her mind when her brother is dragged in restraints to the Ministry after the Dark Lord falls to the hands of an infant.
It's those words etched into her very being that Galatea stands before the Wizengamot, tears streaming down her cheeks as she tells them of how her brother has been acting strange ever since he was tricked into a gathering with the wrong crowd.
Her twin had been under the Imperius Curse for three long years, there was no other explanation. She begs them to declare Lucius innocent, laying her pride down in his name. They couldn't possibly take her brother away after she had just gotten him back, please don't take the last of her family from her.
In the edges of her vision she sees Anjali amongst her fellow aurors, face twisted in anger and disgust. Next to her Galatea's four year old son is huddled to her leg, her remaining arm protectively around his shoulders. Her other one lost in a Death Eater attack earlier that same year. She was still recovering, getting used to her life altering change but had insisted she come to the trial. It would take some time before Anjali would allow Galatea to look her in the eye.
It's a good enough sob story to have Cornelius Fudge eating from her palm, and declaring Lucius Malfoy innocent of all crimes.
"Dear sister, I didn't realize you had it in you to cry so much for me." Lucius comments dryly back in the safety of Malfoy Manor. He breathes easily, cleared of his charges and social standing still intact, He is unprepared for the open handed slap Galatea swiftly delivers across his face.
The sound echoes off marble halls and behind them Narcissa gasps, holding Draco close but otherwise not taking action to intervene.
Galatea's hand pulses in time with her pounding heart, and despite the sting that tingles her palm she furls her fist till her knuckles turn white. The pain was satisfying, the hit long overdue in her opinion.
Lucius is slow to turn back to her, his own hand cupping his jaw to sooth the pain.
"If you know what is good for you," She warns, her voice low and ominous. "You will never do something like that again."
Her brother's gaze is cold, emotions shuddered with stoicism and lips pulled down in a sneer. "What happened to 'family', Gilly?" He mocks, spitting her old nickname like it was bitter on his tongue.
Galatea scoffs, sticking her finger hard and pointedly into his chest. "I have more family than just you now." She hisses. "And need I remind you the same goes for you, Lucy."
She watches Lucius' eyes flicker to his wife and son, resolve faltering at the look of guilty caution on Narcissa's face.
"If the Imperius Curse excuse didn't work, do you know what would've happened to us? To them? The Malfoy name in shambles. Your wife and son disgraced. Everything we have worked for, gone because you and Father had to get wrapped up in that man's damned propaganda!"
She wants to tell him it was only because of Narcissa that Galatea attended his trial. Narcissa who had shown up at Grimmauld Place the night before and begged for her help, one hand cradling her son to her chest and the other trembling as it clutched to the hem of Galatea's skirt.
Narcissa whose sister was already sentenced to Azkaban, who wouldn't stand to lose her husband as well.
"He's your brother…you have to… please." She'd sobbed, her fair head bowed in desperation.
But she doesn't. Instead Galatea warns her stupid, naive, unthinking, boorish brother who she unfortunately loved like the bird loved its cage. "I will tell you this once and only once, Lucius."
Her brother refuses to look her in the eye, gaze locked onto the flames of the fireplace like it was his lifeline.
"Next time I will not come to your aid. Next time I will leave you to your own grave and take Narcissa and my nephew with me. Understood?"
The man doesn't turn back to face her, but Galatea senses that saying any more words would be like talking to a brick wall.
Her stance and face soften as she lets her anger simmer down, by no means disappearing. She just lets her worry and relief come to the surface. She wraps her arms around the tensed shoulders of her brother, putting her head to his shoulder and breathing out. When had the height between them changed? When had they gotten so old?
"Thank Merlin you weren't sent to Azkaban, Lucy." She mutters under her breath. She doesn't notice her shoulders are shaking until she feels her brother's arms encase her in return. In her mind flashes Anjali, her son who was still so small and fragile, and a boy who had been barely old enough to know what the world had to offer outside of his familiy's plans for him. All of them felt like they were slipping from her hands, like wisps of smoke.
"Don't leave me as well."
Sometimes Harry thinks that maybe the magical world could stand to be a little less magical.
This year could've stopped at muggleborn personifications, giant spiders, and a diary that spoke back to you. But nooo there just had to be a whole secret chamber below the school with a centuries old monster beneath it. Where the soul of the dark wizard that had killed Harry's parents could control said monster and have it chase him through said secret chamber.
Luckily he makes it out through with aide from magic sword drawn from a magic hat brought to him by a magic bird. Whatever, at least Ginny was safe and Dumbledore back in the Headmaster's man assures him that the mandrake antidote for Hermione's and all the other student's petrification is almost complete, the Chamber of Secrets once again sealed, and Lockhart swiftly on his way to St Mungos. Like a knot had just been unraveled in his chest Harry sighs with relief and he feels lighter than he has in a while.
If he could make it to his bed and sleep for thirty hours he thinks everything would be just-
"So what I've heard is true. You're back." Lucius Malfoy's voice rings from the entrance of the office.
Soft downy pillows, a warm woolen blanket, maybe dream of a sheep or two. A part of Harry is aware that Draco's father and Dumbledore are having a verbal chess match that is heavily one sided, but he doesn't tune in until the House Elf that has been plaguing him the whole year tugs on his robes.
"Well let's hope that Mr Potter will be there to save the day."
If the last two years were anything to go by, "Yes. I will be."
The man's lips curl into a subtle sneer, flashing across his face before he looks back to Dumbledore.
"Dumbledore." He gives a stiff nod of dismissal, barely waiting for a reply before turning on his heel.
As he walks out Dobby follows him, big green eyes staring back at Harry before a reprimand from his master jolts him back around.
Nice linen sheets, a mattress that was more than just springs, dark curtains that blocked out the sun just the perfect amount, would all unfortunately have to wait. There was a bigot's day he had to ruin.
Picking fights with another student was wrong and could get points taken away from his house. But an adult who has made active moves to try and get the Headmaster of the school removed? Might as well be dangling a mouse in front of a house cat.
"Professor. Can I borrow that?" Harry asks as he quickly kicks off his right shoe.
Galatea receives a message from Dumbledore that her presence was needed outside his office.
Her first thought was that it was a little too late in the year for him to fire her.
Her second was that it was odd feeling relief at the man's return to his office. Leave it to her brother to try and one up her status as 'teacher's assistant' with 'headmaster'.
No matter how much he disparaged their childish games that didn't stop him from being a competitive ass.
She leisurely walks through the halls taking in the rays of sunlight that passed through columned halls and stained glass. Maybe it was because she had always been obsessed with leaving school behind to chase bigger and better things but walking through the corridors again she admits Hogwarts really was a gorgeous building.
Galatea rounds the corner, a sense of quiet calm in her chest as she ponders what Dumbledore could possibly need from her when she sees a familiar head of platinum blond hair raising his wand to a twelve year old.
"Lucius?" She inquires.
Her brother stills, both figured turning to look at her with equal confusion.
Her gaze goes from her brother's hand to Potter's face, to her old house elf, Dobby standing in front of Potter, to the sock in Dobby's hand, to Harry's sockless foot, back to her brother. Anjali's beloved mystery books couldn't have outlined it better if they tried.
She hides an unladylike snort behind a cough before striding forward.
"You should've told me you were coming by." She admonishes, walking to his side and using her hand to push his down. He petulantly tries to fight her, the two of them going back and forth before she pinches the back of his hand hard and pulls.
Lucius gives up with a click of his tongue, drawing his arm into his cloak and away from her clutches.
"I was just coming to find you." He lies but Galatea lets him because he lets her put her hand on his shoulder, leading him away with Dobby notably not in tow.
Behind Lucius' back she gives Harry Potter the most acknowledgment she has all year, giving him a wink and a farewell nod to the young House Elf that always seemed too nice for his own good.
"Having troubles, dear brother?" She teases the defeated man beside her, briskly turning them down the hall, feeling like they were students again.
"Shut up." he grumbles.
Julius sits next to his sulking cousin at the End of Year Feast. Despite Slytherin's best efforts and Julius' mother being a part of the staff, Gryffindor still managed to take the House Cup by the skin of their teeth once again trouncing Slytherin.
"Couldn't Aunt Gala have been a little more liberal with points?" Draco mumbles. "There's still time, if Dumbledore can do it, so can she."
Julius laughs, ruffling the top of Draco's head. "Knowing Dumbledore he'd give out five hundred points to Potter and declare it right then and there."
His cousin groans, lightly kicking Julius' ankles under the table.
"Next year. Next year we'll win." he insists. "And then stupid Potter won't be all high and mighty."
"We will." Julius assures, wistfully reminiscing about the year they'd had. Mom teachers, petrified students, polyjuice potions, an attempted coup for the title of Headmaster, and Dobby apparently doesn't serve Draco's family anymore(?).
"Next year couldn't possibly be as crazy as this one."
Author's Note
Wa wa wee wah Was debating on cutting this chapter off where I did or blend in the next chapter :3 Guess which one won