CHAPTER 28
10 December 1991 - Dining Hall, Malfoy Manor - 12:19PM
Lucius Malfoy calmly took another bite of his hearty Beef Bourguignon, savoring the delightful flavors of tenderized beef brisket, caramelized onion, and the lingering soft spice of the 1937 Porto Alto Corgo wine used to braise the dish. Garcon - the Malfoy Head Chef Elf - had outdone himself once more. Across the expansive dining table sat Madame Narcissa Malfoy, who delicately spooned French onion soup into a brightly painted red mouth, occasionally pausing to blow lightly on her spoonful. Granted it was merely for effect; Garcon ensured the soup was the perfect temperature for his Mistress to comfortably eat.
As one, the seemingly perfect couple briefly paused in the ministrations to flash a passably civil smile in each other's direction, with Narcissa even tittering in the most girlishly coquettish manner for effect. Smiling with all his teeth, Lord Malfoy barely resisted the urge to lunge across the table and plunge his luncheon knife straight into the delicate alabaster flesh of her throat.
Lucius had spent the better part of his morning being debriefed by a furious Severus on Draco's near-murder attempt of his muggleborn classmate. That Severus' anger was even palpable was alarming; the accomplished Occlumens very rarely succumbed to the more 'distracting' of emotions. Lucius had been thoroughly appalled at his son's actions; the horror at threatening to take the life of a non-enemy, the disbelief at the distinctly non-gentlemanly action of three boys attacking a girl, the displeasure at Draco's poorly overhanded attempt to blackmail Tiberius Nott's son, and the overall rage at Narcissa's poisonous influence over his only son.
In spite of all his subtle attempts at instilling true cunning in his heir, Narcissa's insistence on spoiling Draco and encouraging all of his worst behavior won out every time. The damnable woman would not stop until Draco was rendered into the perfect facsimile of herself; a coldblooded demented little sociopath. As if that wasn't bad enough, Narcissa's stolen veela allure conferred an 'obedience influence' over Draco. The little-known aspect of the allure allowed Narcissa to exert powerful control over her son, subtly ensuring that her 'suggestions' would be taken as 'commands', made all the more easier by lavishing attention on the child.
Naturally, it was only effective because Draco was male, and their blood relation ensured that there was no romantic attachment, just a mama's boy eager to please. For the thousandth time, Lucius bitterly cursed his deceased brother and father's names; the former for foolishly dying, and the latter for forcing him to marry the psychotic bitch he had to call 'wife'.
"So, tell me darling, how has your morning been?" Lucius' deceptively dulcet tone traveled across the table to his wife. For her part, Narcissa took a graceful sip of her Chardonnay before responding:
"My morning has been wonderful dear, quite relaxing! Violetta, Hecuba, Belphoebe, Tauria, and I had a brief morning tea to discuss the upcoming Yule celebrations. Naturally the manor will be hosting our annual Christmas Ball, and the ladies were very excited to help with all of the logistics." She smiled delicately while taking another sip of her wine, while Lucius ruminated over words. Hecuba Goyle, Belphoebe Crabbe, and Tauria Parkinson were expected, given the women's decade-long friendships and their vassal status to House Malfoy. Violetta Edgecombe was definitely unexpected; the woman was more or less Narcissa's lackey, sycophantic in her eagerness to social climb her way into an elite Pureblood circle. While the Edgecombes were pureblooded, they lacked any real influence or power that would please Narcissa's rather particular sensibilities. That his wife had extended an invitation for the offensively unctuous woman to officially join her prestigious party committee was very curious, and quite unlike Narcissa.
"And of course we discussed the children! It's so wonderful to have Vincent, Gregory, and Pansy be together at Hogwarts. Our little dragon deserves all of the necessary support, doesn't he my love?" Lucius' nose lightly flared at her question and the odious 'love' pet name. Once more, he barely resisted the urge to viciously slash her throat.
"In a manner of speaking I suppose," he responded placidly, taking another bite of his stew.
"Violetta's daughter Marietta will be at Hogwarts next year as well, presumably in Ravenclaw like the bulk of her family. It will be nice for Draco to have some additional companionship, inter-house cooperation and all that. Marietta is such a lovely young lady, much like her mother." That quirked Lucius' brow, since Violetta was obnoxiously obsequious on a good day. "She would get along marvelously with Draco, especially as the years pass in Hogwarts." She took another sip of her wine while maintaining eye contact with Lucius, her painted lips quirked in a seemingly teasing smile.
'So that's your game,' thought Lucius curiously, 'you seek to gain a marriage contract between Draco and Marietta, knowing that the latter's family would bend over backwards to make that happen.' Lucius quietly took another bite of his stew, his mind further connecting the dots. 'And in doing so, bring House Edgecombe in as a Vassal, allowing you an opening to exert direct influence over House Malfoy's affairs through Marietta and Draco's would-be union, disrupting my leadership and control.' Lucius gave a quiet chuckle at her impudence, causing Narcissa to lightly frown.
"Well, there is nothing wrong with Draco making additional friends at Hogwarts, and allies are always good to have, especially ones as intelligent as Ravenclaws are purported to be." Narcissa smiled delightedly, believing that she'd won Lucius over. His next words immediately dulled her good mood:
"I am of course pleased that Draco will be at the Manor; it will be an excellent time to begin formal training of his Heirship duties." He laughed internally at her darkening expression.
"I beg your pardon?" she asked, her voice a low whisper.
"Draco's Heirship duties my dear. Now that he's officially enrolled in a magical institution, per the House Charter his status is now Heir Rising of House Malfoy. As the sitting Lord, I can begin formally training him of all the duties and expectations. I will need my heir to be fully capable of handling all the relevant responsibilities of my House, both in business and matters pertaining to the Wizengamot. As his godfather, Severus has agreed to assist within the purview of his given role. To ensure my heir is of… sound mind to accomplish all that's required of him." He internally crowed at the tightening of Narcissa's jaw at the mention of 'sound mind', a subtle dig at the use of her ill-gotten allure to manipulate their son.
"Indeed?" she asked, pausing to narrow her eyes. "You would deny an innocent child his loving mother's affection? That didn't work so well for you, did it?" Her mocking tone caused Lucius to grip his spoon tightly, allowing his Occlumency to calm the bout of ferocious ire he felt at the mention of his deceased mother. Myrine Malfoy was a very sore subject for Lucius, and one of the main reasons he absolutely loathed and would continue to loathe Abraxas Malfoy from beyond the grave.
"Young Draco has enjoyed enough of his mother's affection to last a lifetime. Surely you didn't believe that you would take precedence over me in Draco's affairs?" He laughed derisively at her outraged expression before continuing: "Draco is my scion, and I his sire. That will always matter more than you." Narcissa's quiet snarl caused him to chortle once more, knowing her massive ego loathed being dismissed as unimportant.
Suddenly, he felt a powerful wave of her allure wash over him, the force of it like an enraged bull bucking violently at his Occlumency shields. It lacked all of her usual subtle finesse, and Lucius was immensely pleased to know that he had genuinely rattled her. Deciding to have a bit of fun, Lucius allowed his expression to slack and soften as if he'd surrendered to her unique mind magic while his Occlumency remained steadfast.
"Oh my dear," he whispered, his voice taking on a besotted lilt. A flash of surprise briefly lit Narcissa's eyes before her expression grew prematurely smug, believing that her allure had finally won Lucius over. Smiling seductively, she leaned forward and crooned:
"Yes my love?" Lucius allowed a few beats to pass before responding:
"Finish your soup, it's getting cold." The expression of false besottedness melted away, revealing an icy expression of disdain. All pretenses dropped, Narcissa's expression grew rather ugly, growling viciously before storming off. The enraged witch barely resisted the urge to curse Lord Malfoy into oblivion, as his cold mocking laugh followed her out the room.
Professor Evans' Quarters, Hogwarts - 4:17PM
"Here you are dear," said Lily, handing Hermione a cup of tea before taking the seat across from the young Gryffindor. Hermione mumbled a quiet thanks, looking absolutely exhausted and miserable. Her eyes were heavily lined with dark circles, and her infamous bushy hair looked even more frazzled than normal. Her outer robe was lightly crumpled and her tie askew, looking nothing like her usual neatly impeccable self. She kept her eyes downward, almost afraid to make eye contact. Lily felt her heart twinge in sympathy, resisting the urge to gather the poor child into a warm hug.
"How are you dear?" Lily ensured that her voice was soft and gentle, her maternal instincts guiding her. Hermione slouched and gave a weak shrug before mumbling:
"I-I'm alright I guess." Her usual confidence was nowhere to be found, and Lily mentally cursed the Malfoy heir once more.
"Have you been sleeping alright?" Hermione stiffened before slouching even deeper into her seat, soft sniffles escaping her.
"N-N-No, I-I can't really sleep. All I s-see is h-his face o-over mine and he's staring t-t-through me…and then I-I'm falling… and I-I-I can't s-s-stop!" The fear in her voice was palpable, and Hermione began shaking in earnest. Abandoning her initial plan, Lily immediately sat next to Hermione and enveloped her in a one-armed hug. The poor girl immediately stiffened before sobbing in earnest, while Lily soothingly cooed at her.
Hermione was definitely traumatized by the horrific events of the previous weekend, and it was blatantly obvious. Harry, Neville, and Theo were beside themselves with worry; Hermione was not participating in class, and had neglected to complete any of her homework assignments. Her study group had noticed the stark difference in Hermione, with Pavarti wondering out loud if Hermione was 'possessed', much to Neville and Harry's irritation at the girl's rather thoughtless insinuation.
Even Ron and Jim had noticed the sharp change in her personality, and her professors were all worried. Lily had spent the better half of her Monday convincing McGonagall, Flitwick, and Sprout that the girl was struck by an unexpected bout of homesickness, marked by the anniversary of the unexpected passing of Hermione's favorite paternal aunt. Though suspicious of the explanation, the three professors had accepted the reasoning, pardoning Hermione from any of her assignments.
"It's alright dear, let it all out." Hermione continued to sob, hugging Lily like a lifeline. She could understand the young witch's distress; her own parents had attempted to exorcize her as a young child, nearly succeeding in killing her on their third attempt. Her first year at Hogwarts as a muggleborn Slytherin had been almost as bad, though the support from Severus and Tom had helped her find her footing in her Second Year. Banishing those thoughts, Lily gently spoke:
"I know how you feel my dear. And I want you to know that though it may not seem that way now, you will overcome this. Malfoy will not have this power over you for all your life." Sniffling, Hermione raised her head to stare disbelievingly at Lily, her expression completely dubious.
"H-how? How can I ever hope to get over being m-m-murdered?!" Her anguished expression completely tore at Lily's heart, invoking her past feelings of hopelessness at her parents' attempts to snuff out her own life. Hugging the girl closer to her as she stroked her hair, Lily was pleased to see her finally relax, her tense form losing its rigidity.
"It won't be easy, I'll tell you that. But luckily, we are magical, so we will be able to 'speed up the process' so to speak." Hermione raised her head curiously at Lily, spurring the witch to continue:
"As I understand, you are not an Occlumens, though you are familiar with the term and it's mechanics, correct?" Hermione nodded, her brown eyes curious at the direction Lily was heading in. "Well, as it stands, I know a very capable Occlumens who will be able to help you deal with the memory itself, so it won't burden you as much." Lily sighed while staring unblinkingly into Hermione's eyes, communicating her sincerity. "If you choose to consent, my Occlumens friend can place what's called an anti-emotive memory lock in your mind, pyschically suppressing the… emotional strings attached to the event of Draco's attack. This will ensure that while you don't forget the memory itself, you won't be plagued by the emotional burden you currently bear." Hermione stared unblinkingly into Lily's eyes for a few moments, the young witch's expression suddenly becoming outraged.
"It's not fair!" she exclaimed, regaining some of her usual fire. "It's not fair that I should be the one to suffer like when my life was threatened! I can't eat, I can't sleep, I'm exhausted, and I feel like… like… like I'm drowning while I'm awake! This fear is suffocating me! Why the hell should Malfoy and his bigoted friends get to frolick about with no consequence for how they treated me?! THEY TRIED TO KILL ME!" Lily quirked a brow at her outburst, causing Hermione to lightly blush. The older witch wrapped her arm even more firmly around Hermione, cocooning her in comforting warmth.
"Your anger is completely justified. Your life was blatantly threatened by a violent bigot and his equally bigoted lackeys, all because you tried to do the right thing to protect a friend. And in spite of his egregious murder attempt, he gets to prance around these halls completely free of any deserving punishment." Lily's expression hardened, eyes glinting. "But heed me when I say Hermione, Malfoy will not get away with this. Let the arrogant little ponce swagger around in his perceived victory. And when the time is right, you will have your vengeance." Lily's eyes glowed in eldritch-colored fury, momentarily startling the young witch. A few beats passed, before Hermione nodded fiercely.
In that exact moment, the Floo glowed green, the two witches watching as a tall and imposing figure exited the fireplace.
"Hello Lord Gaunt, thank you so much for joining us."
The Lord's Study, Malfoy Manor - 9:51PM
Lucius took another sip of his Firewhiskey, leaning back in his high-back chair and savoring the taste of smoky caramel and spice of the liquor. Narcissa had thankfully made herself scarce for the remainder of the day, keeping to her wing of the Manor. According to the elves, she would be spending the remainder of her week in Paris, no doubt spending outrageous amounts of galleons on whatever trivial nonsense she enjoyed splurging on. As always, Lucius was pleased that only a fifth of his vast wealth was housed in Gringotts.
Sighing, he turned to stare at the portrait mounted above the room's mantel, a fond smile gracing his lips at the portrait's occupant. From her position, Myrine gave Lucius an indulgent smile, her bright pale gray eyes sparkling with affection at her beloved son. Myrine Malfoy (née Bonnevie) was a graduate of Beauxbatons, having been betrothed to Abraxas Malfoy in her Sixth Year. Upon her graduation, the two had married as was expected, with Claudius being born two years into the marriage. Abraxas had been pleased at his wife successfully completing her duty in bearing him an heir, and 'encouraging' her to bear him a daughter that could be used to secure an advantageous alliance with another pureblood family. After many trials and quite a few miscarriages, Lucius had been born.
Abraxas - a self-possessed tyrant on his best day - had naturally been furious at his wife's 'inability to breed properly', taking his anger out on Myrine and Lucius alike. Physical, verbal, and emotional abuse, none were out of the question for Abraxas. The monster's rage would be stoked all the more when Myrine would direct his fury away from Lucius onto her, maternal instinct spurring her to protect her young son the only way she could. Naturally, he doted on and spoiled Claudius, succeeding in turning his heir against his brother and his own mother. Abraxas had finally 'grown bored' of his horrific treatment in Lucius' second year, turning his attention to molding Claudius to become a 'proper' Malfoy heir.
Like always, Lucius and Myrine had been each other's support system, their relationship strengthening once finally gaining reprieve from Abraxas' heinous treatment. Myrine's patience, love, and fierce protectiveness had been critical to Lucius' development, ensuring both his survival and success within Slytherin House and within the manor. His mother had been very supportive of his relationship with Christina Fenwick, encouraging Lucius to follow his heart in courting the girl he loved with all his heart. To ensure that neither he nor his beloved would be penniless, Myrine had squirreled away thousands of her spending money away into her personal Gringotts account, one she had and maintained as a Bonnevie. She'd worked with the goblins to give Lucius unfettered access since his Fourth Year, making sure that he would become its immediate owner upon her passing.
Myrine had perished in Lucius' Sixth Year, murdered by Abraxas' hand. The erstwhile Lord Malfoy had discovered her encouragement of Lucius' relationship with the 'lowly pureblood harlot' Christina. That his son - in spite of his hatred of him - was debasing himself with a lesser was completely unacceptable, even more so that Lucius wanted to marry her! Just a week before Christmas Break, in a peak of drunken rage at her 'betrayal', Abraxas Malfoy violently beat Myrine unconscious, before dragging and drowning her in her personal bathtub. He'd then forced his elf to heal her physical injuries, leaving a gash on her head to make it seem as though she'd slipped and banged her head, drowning as a consequence. The aurors had believed his flimsy excuse, neither wanting nor having the means to pursue murder charges against a powerful lord of an Ancient and Noble House. Lucius on the other hand, had not accepted his father's boldfaced lies.
Upon discovering his mother's death (via owl post no less!) Lucius had Flooed into the Manor in an absolute rage, confronting his barely sober father. Foregoing his wand, Lucius had relied on his fists, succeeding in subduing and nearly beating his father to near death. With fists bloodied and an expression belying all-encompassing hatred, Lucius had spit in Abraxas' face, swearing that he'd have his vengeance against him for murdering his mother, and he would never again step foot in the manor. Leaving his father in a bleeding heap, Lucius had emptied his room, making sure to take a portrait of his mother with him for safekeeping. True to his word, Lucius had never returned to the Manor after Myrine's funeral, running away with Christina to Paris, using the funds from his mother's vault to keep them comfortably afloat. Unfortunately, his plans to marry Christina went to hell when Claudius had gotten himself killed in a drunken Abraxan accident. He'd been forced to marry Claudius' intended, and helplessly watched as the witch he loved above all was forcefully bequeathed to the degenerate Tiberius Nott by her money-grubbing family. And just like his beloved mother, Christina had been murdered by her violently cruel husband.
Sighing away the painful memories, Lucius poured himself another glass of Firewhisky. Smiling once more at his mother's portrait, he blew her a gentle kiss, which Myrine caught and held to her heart. She mimicked his actions, with Lucius catching her kiss and holding it against his heart, eyes lightly watering. Sighing once more, he summoned his personal elf:
"Dobby!" With a pop the elf appeared, massive chartreuse-colored eyes twitching. His uniform was a crisp and clean wheat-colored toga, fastened at the waist with a Slytherin-green belt. He was rather twitchy and lightly hunched over, bearing the countenance of nervous fright.
"Y-Yes Master?" he asked, his high-pitched voice lightly wavering. Lucius slowly pressed a groove on the right underside of his expansive desk, immediately activating the complex security ward scheme that covered the floor, walls, the ceiling, and the door.
"I require your assistance in a sensitive matter." Immediately the elf's back straightened, shedding his false nerves like a second skin. His massive eyes sharpened, taking on a cat-like gleam. In a matter of seconds, a completely different elf stood before Lucius; one who was calculating, intelligent, and absolutely ruthless in the accomplishment of his master's goals. Like all of Dobby's vaunted ancestors who'd served the past Lords and Ladies of House Malfoy (with the noted exception of Abraxas). The pretense of a quivering, helpless, rather pathetic underling was just that, a pretense. Masterfully crafted to throw off the scent of any wizard, witch, or creature who would even think to be suspicious of the 'lowly creature'. An impregnable mask that served both elf and Master exceptionally well.
"Yes master," Dobby calmly responded, high-pitched voice deepening to a lightly scratchy timbre, "how may I assist you?"
AN 1: Helloooo Dobby! Someone's getting their facelift quite early into the story! We'll see how that goes as we enter Year 2
AN 2: I wanted to provide more dimensional insight into Lucius' background, which is very similar to Theo's. One running theme I love in PoS is the complicated relationship between fathers and sons, and all the nuances (good and bad) entailed. Lucius' past trauma with Myrine and Christina will be one of the contributing reasons to why he takes Theo under his wing come Year 2 like we do in PoS.
AN 3: Hermione's trauma is gutwrenching, and Tom's memory lock will allow her to function while she learns to heal from her trauma. Naturally, Lily will help her plot her appropriate revenge, outside of Harry's purview. Never forget, this Hermione does favor an eye for an eye!
AN 4: As previously mentioned, the role of Narcissa Malfoy will be played by Alison Doody (in her role in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade), and Abraxas Malfoy will be played by Harry Lloyd (think a slightly older Viserys Targaryen). Sarah Gadon as Myrine Malfoy (née Bonnevie)
Next Up: Christmas (Finally!) 1991, and the Sentinel discovery!