If there was one thing Lucius Malfoy never counted himself as, it was being privileged, even where he was now. He grew up in some shady part of Nantes in what was once Liger-Izelañ (Even today he refuses to call his beloved home province by what it was called nowadays as his French cousins always insisted). Born Louis de Nantes, he had been orphaned as a child, when his mother died of an illness and he was left fending for himself in the streets of a still recovering war torn Europe (both by the Second World War, and later when he began his studies and saw the other world, due to the Global Wizarding War).
By around the age of five his stunts at the streets as a troublemaker/swindler/pickpocketer, ultimately caught the attention of the local baron of L'Oreal, Alan de Malfoi, who turned out to be his father. The revelation that it was an accidental one night stand that led to his conception was an understatement, Alan, about as impoverished in the eyes of his French cousins was no less one without funds, enough to uplift the young lad out of his predicament, who understandably realized that his old man would have had taken him had he known. In the years that followed, Louis had a great if often struggling childhood under his father's guidance, especially as in exchange, the Baron was able to see the state of the world from his son's point of view. Louis in return was taught some aspects of nobility, such as befitting the sole heir to the barony, though one his French cousins and kin did not take kindly, seeing him as nothing more but a mere bastard born that got lucky.
It wasn't until he was eight however when things had begun to change. Louis never let go of his troublemaking ventures to the chagrin of his father, always somehow managing to avoid trouble, but when one of his friends had told the old man that Louis had been found standing on top of a building while he was being chased down by the local gendarme, it was here that things had began to shift. After some reprimanding, a slap on the wrist, and some bribes to silence the law enforcer, Alan showed his son the true history of his family hidden under the surface. That they were a cadet branch of a magical line, descended from wizards and witches. Keepers of artifacts of many wondrous and often dangerous make. Not only was Louis a scion of the old Malfoi clan, but also one that had magical ties. When his French kin knew of this as Alan freely boasted during the next family reunion, fear began to ebb into their greedy hearts and immediately plotted to put an end to this growing problem. His father had no other heirs. Both his marriages had failed, one out of a scandal when they ran away with the milkman and the other died of an illness similar to Louis's mother. It was unacceptable that this squib cadet branch suddenly had a magical heir when they had been planning to take over the fiefdom for years. Little did father and son know that the De Malfois had begun to scheme, the barony was a prestigious title, one that should be in the hands of proper nobility, not to a bastard born out of a one night stand.
Alan for the most part, began to realize that something was up with the way his kin seem to overly grovel themselves in his presence while the usual sneers they had for his son became less and less frequent. He was no stranger to scheming, he knew something was going on. And so, he made moves to have Louis survive the impending doom that would befall a bastard born child.
No sooner had Alan died of an illness nearly three years later, his kin had descended like vultures. On his deathbed, he supposedly signed away the inheritance of the barony to his kin as his son was still 'not of age' as they put it but cleverly worded so the De Malfois could usurp the title while keeping a 'regency council' for Louis. Every favor Alan had called to get his son in Beauxbatons had been outmaneuvered by the then Lord de Malfoi. Seeing the child of the baron deserved a better title (ultimately removed the problem root and stem) and the honor of studying at Hogwarts instead..
Before Louis could properly mourn his father and bury him, they had sent him packing to Britain with some 'trust funds' Alan was able to safely ensure would reach his son and whatever Louis himself had swindled over the years, hidden in some caches over the streets of Nantes. The orders by his French Kin were clear, to rebuild the Malfoy line, as the original unbroken line from Armand Malfoy had officially gone extinct with the passing of Lord Polonius Malfoy in 1950 with no living heirs. His only son, Abraxas had died in 1943 in tragic circumstances.
Now such a monumental task left to an almost 11 year old boy was reckless. Worse, Britain was undergoing its own problems as the 60s roared, the Irish Troubles were beginning. There were whispers by the French Wizarding Community that a Dark Lady, one more terrible enough to not only inherit the dangerous and dark legacy of Gellert Grindelwald was preparing in the shadows. Rumors even speculate that said Dark Lady was responsible for instigating the Irish Troubles. The Malfois sent young Louis with the idea that the current situation in Britain will eventually remove him as a problem. A loose end tied neatly in a package of supposedly building the old branch .
They did not realize the juggernaut they had created would bite them in the arse two decades later.
As Lucius stood at the port where the ship bound for London was waiting, he turned to the only one that bothered to send him off. Not his cousins or kinsmen, oh no, out of everyone that took their time to see him through his journey into the next step of his life, it was the one friend he had back in Nantes.
"Well Lou, this is where we see each other off." Came the voice of Edward Jacques, a cadet in the local military school who had taught Lou all he needed to survive, and thrive. And was there when his magical abilities manifested. Jacques was the squib who had helped him get to where he was now.
"Merci, Ed. For taking time to come here.." said the eleven year old, his voice a whisper.
Jacques took a deep breath as he smiled, a rare one for the cadet who did not smile often. "Yeah, I was in the neighborhood, I couldn't just let you leave France without saying goodbye."
"And for that, you have my gratitude." Louis replied. Their goodbye was brief, a handshake and a tight hug between brothers in all but blood.
He left France as Louis de Malfoi, and landed in Britain as Lucius Malfoy, now bearer of an ancient legacy that stretched back to the days of the Norman Conquest. To say that he was angered at being denied his rightful inheritance was an understatement. Mirroring a legend concerning William the Conqueror hundreds of years ago, Lucius, as he now took to calling himself found a nearby beach as soon as he landed, grasped a fistful of sand and swore not only vengeance upon his treacherous kin, but to surpass both them and the previous Malfoys before him in the best way as a someone who was raised in the streets could do.
And by Merlin and Charlemagne's 12 Paladins, he was gonna use every trick in the book and a little bit of his charm he used in kissing the arses of his no good French kin.
His first order of business? Helping out the only other occupant of Malfoy Manor in cleaning the now decrepit house. A House Elf named Dobby, who through some manner of loyalty for the previous Lord Malfoy (actually the typical abused servant) had remained and waited to serve him when he was made the next Lord Malfoy. It took a while, and with some words, but eventually the House Elf accepted his gift of a new set of clothes even if by some technicality this made the House Elf free from bondage. For the respect he had gotten, Dobby chose to serve Lord Lucius Malfoy unconditionally, with some wages that a House Elf would want. Young Lucius was happy to accept the trade in return for learning the intricacies of Wizarding Britain while he taught the House Elf what etiquette he remembered if he was gonna be his butler, helper and eventually, secretary.
Second order of business? Being accompanied to Gringotts by the state guardian assigned to him, a squib governess that was to teach him the need to know on Wizarding Britain. And here he had a hell of a revelation and conundrum. As the goblins droned on about the Malfoy inheritance being taken and divided by their French cousins after Lord Polonius had died, Lucius realized he had been sent here by his kin to fail in a spectacular manner. The Malfoy vaults were empty of currencies except for a few knuts, the artifacts & heirlooms sold to various buyers and the fact that the money he had was to be paid for tuition. In summary, he was still flat out without money aside from the aid the Ministry bothered to give to a muggleborn foreign bastard. And the fact his legal guardian right now, a squib named Meredith Hughes who was of distant relations of the old Malfoy line made Lucius realize that not only were the odds stacked against him, Wizarding Britain had a problem when it came to folks like him and his guardian. In between traveling around Diagon Alley and lectured by his guardian on the various laws, dos and don'ts. Louis made another vow, the aristocratic folks who fancied themselves with all that pureblood nonsense and sitting high and mighty in their manors, eerily similar to his French kin? Oh they were going to be his main targets from now on. His guardian lectured him on the laws, and he was determined to look out for the smaller folk like him.
From that point on, he had two important people in his new life in Britain, his guardian and Dobby. And he appreciated their presence even while whispers of dark things were occurring. He however kept that on the back of his head. He was focused on several important things. Survive, finish Hogwarts, thrive, get back his father's title and shit on every aristocratic dung eater that so much as sneers in his direction all while doing it under a charming smile and some fancy words. And boy, did he have a hell of a time once his Hogwarts journey began.
Meredith and young Lucius stood at the platform, the voices of parents, children and older students moving about as the Governess turned to her ward.
"Now, stay out of trouble Lou. I know things will be hard for you once you enter those halls." the older woman replied as Lucius could only nod.
"What happens if I end up being sorted into that house?" Lucius looked up at her as she tilted her head. He had been quite shrewd, pouring over books about the school he was attending, the Four Houses, even the history of Wizarding Britain.
Meredith knew what he was trying to do, having been informed of his tomfoolery back in Brittany beforehand and witnessing it in the few months she had entered his service, she gave him a smile.
"Then, show them what you are made of."
At that Lucius gave his guardian a grin. Oh he was ready now. Ready to turn Hogwarts upside down in his own way.
First, the Sorting Hat had assigned him to Slytherin (obviously fitting), which earned him the sneers, subtle and not so subtle insults by most of his peers who fancied themselves above his station as both purebloods and true scions of nobility. Nevermind that he knew it was outright bullshit on how really diluted and inbred the old families were, marrying to each other as his guardian had put it. Second, he had made an eternal enemy out of one Robert Nott, who not only made fun of his accent, his very status as a Muggleborn bastard but also the dubious quality of his own mother. And he couldn't do anything about it, yet except to put on a facade, a subtle insult that went over the Nott boy's head and having to be the bowing scrappy to a couple toerags. In short, he was a sheep among wolves. The odds truly stacked against him.
And yet, he delighted in outmaneuvering the arrogant imbecilé and his sycophants all the way up their graduation in 1973 in both Slytherin House's inner politics but also in academics, though given Nott and his cronies delighted in not taking aspects of their education seriously, it was a low bar. Him getting to be Prefect by the time of their 5th year was one victory he absolutely delighted in. It also gave him leeway to read through the laws and safety regulations of the school and in his own way took to enforcing them, then at times breaking them to help out a student, even more so if they were a struggling muggleborn or a half-blood.
Third, neither the student body, the staff, or even the damn ghosts expected the Muggleborn bastard from France to be a lovable rogue that managed to charm, trick and even swindle his fellow students or the older ones (the ones that deserved getting swindled anyway, he had a code you see), using his charisma, words and if neither worked, dirty tricks with some bluffing. His streak of always managing to avoid trouble (to a degree) had earned him a new nickname by his detractors and later admirers.
Lucky Lou.
What had started as a derogatory remark by Nott and the rest of those he held sway over in Slytherin house, Lucius overturned, delighting on being called as such in the halls of Hogwarts that it stuck with him throughout his life that in their adult years, Robert grew tired of having to put up with Lucky Lou being mentioned in the Wizengamot.
Fourth, he, being a foreigner by birth meant the whole Pureblood vs Muggleborn & Half-Blood thing never resonated with him, more so with the Houses being divided, to Lucius, you either had his respect, or you were the target of his schemes if you as much as sneer at his direction, insult his accent or worse,question the dubious quality of his own mother. As such his unconventional methods and affable manner meant it was easy to befriend members of the other three houses, Lucius calls it sheer pragmatism and a long term investment for future allies, to those he befriended however? Including an older Gryffindor by the name of Arthur Weasley? Or an idealistic Hufflepuff like Edward Tonks? A long and very much beautiful friendship. There was one student however that was eventually won over by his affable, and charming scrappy demeanor.
They stood opposite each other, feeling like a set of twin pillars in the hallway. Lucius was guarded, he had to be, years of putting up with his kin and later Nott and others of the ancien regime of Wizarding Britain did that to a growing lad. He was trying to gauge what a scion of the oh so Ancient and Noble House of Black was doing trailing him.
"Alright, Miss Black, what's your angle here?" He asked, opting to challenge her in a game of wits. Andromeda for the most part shrugged.
"I just wanted to see if you are as they say, a tricky muggleborn." She remarked with a smile. Lucius however couldn't resist returning the favor, there was something about her that had him drawn, not the aspect of nobility, but her intelligence.
"Well, I know I am quite a charming rogue." He chuckled. And thus, a beautiful relationship started.
It was this unnatural display of cunningness and unorthodox intelligence that eventually got him the attention of Andromeda. While her elder sister Narcissa looked upon the younger Slytherin with typical aristocratic disdain for his status, especially the fact he was muggleborn, Andromeda, already a shrewd witch that liked to break down social norms, had not only taken well to Lucius but was one of his first friends in school. That they would end up dating eventually by his Fifth year caused quite a talk because of the Black's reputation and the sheer scandal of it all, the two did not care, not when Lucius had friends (allies, Lucius insisted) to back him up at this point including Arthur, Edward Tonks and the then Transfiguration Professor, Albus Dumbledore. Lucius reportedly was among the student body who cheered the loudest when Dumbledore took the position of Headmaster.
By his sixth year, Lucius had slowly begun to gravitate to the idea of pursuing law if he ever was going to fight and take back his rightful inheritance. By this point, the future Marauders had just started their schooling in Hogwarts and Lucius had a handful keeping an eye on the four, and later five member group. That he had to switch between disciplining and letting go the likes of James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew and later a rather arrogant young Slytherin going by Gilderoy Lockhart, he had endeared himself to the group that he was one of the Marauders' unexpected allies, alternating between disciplining the troublemakers and giving them tips of the passages around the castle, for a price of course.
It was also during his sixth year he ended up striking another odd friendship with another first year from Lockhart's batch, a fellow Slytherin. Severus Snape. He did not know what to think of the lad other than that he knew brilliance when he could see one, a brooding kid who looked to be haunted by something he can't just put a finger on. Oftentimes he can hear Snape muttering to himself whenever he crossed paths with the young boy while he was trying to get Ted Tonks on board another brilliant scheme, always muttering about some 'oddness' or how 'cheerful' Lucius was. Lucius kept in touch even after he graduated but not close enough compared to Snape's later friends. He never did know what Severus was thinking, he had died in 1981 at the hands of the Dark Lady while Lucius was still making a name for himself as a lawyer in Europe. All he knew of him through his brief interactions and in later years by his sister-in-law, Bellatrix and by Sirius Black was that Severus Snape looked like someone who carried a lot of weight on his shoulders, possibly from a once broken home, as Sirius recounted years later.
During his final year at Hogwarts however that pushed Lucius Malfoy on his quest for safety in Hogwarts and later calls for the reformation of the entire Ministry because of letting it happen. An event that left him nearly on the jaws of death, so to speak.
Many called it many names, the Dark Lady's Gambit, the Second Front, Salazar's Shadow, but he only referred to it in what it was. The Chamber of Secrets Incident of 1972. Called as such, because, nearly thirty years ago, such a similar event had occurred within the school. The foreboding sign had been a warning, written in bold, bloody words.
THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED. ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE.
Everybody knew by then that the Dark Lady's influence had penetrated deep into the school, many wild theories as to who was responsible for aiding her, whether it was Nott's favorite target, Lucius himself due to the Dark Lady's unorthodox ways of recruiting not only purebloods but everyone who had scores to settle with the Wizarding World, squibs, Muggleborns, Half-Bloods, even the likes of vampires and Werewolves. Her infamous slaughter of a Werewolf coven sometime around the 60s for failing her had been one such opening for the current war. Fingers were pointed to many culprits, including Severus Snape by his peers, many rumors circulating that he was the Dark Lady's bastard instead of a scion of a disgraced member of the Prince Family. Whatever the case, it was only when the petrifications began, starting with Argus Filch's then pet owl, , that things were becoming dangerous around the school. And Lucius, for all the street smarts he acquired, had no idea how to counter it, so he did the best way he could to survive, assisting Severus Snape when it looked like the young lad was moving at a rather unnatural pace for a second year to solve what was going on.
The boy was muttering in a more hectic manner that it took Andromeda's gentle voice to calm the boy down as young Snape got to figuring out who was the culprit along with his help and that of Andromeda's. The three of them even got to discover the true origins of the ghost haunting the boys' bathroom, Annoying Abe, who turned out to be none other than Abraxas Malfoy himself. Abe, as he called himself, had opted to cover his face with a shawl but still displaying his Slytherin robes so nobody figured out who he was. Abe never got to see what had killed him other than that he recalls having been the first to defy the Dark Lady nearly thirty years ago and paid for it in the end. After that revelation and the fact the Chamber of Secrets could be hidden within where Abraxas had died, the riddle to open became a priority alongside figuring out what the monster of Slytherin was. All the while attacks continued, against muggleborn, half-bloods and even some unfortunate Purebloods! (Though unfortunately, Robert Nott wasn't one of them).
He was never able to see it through to the end however, by the next year, Lucius had the unfortunate circumstances of being among the last victims before the incident was put to rest, alongside young Lily Evans who had been part of another group investigating the Monster attacking the students. Him and the young girl eventually figured through their collaboration that it was a basilisk that was terrorizing the school and there, it had struck. Lucius had been the first to notice something awry was going on in the library, and before he knew it, he was telling the second year to run, tossing a mirror to her and warning her to not look at it directly in the eye, a futile effort on his part but he had a sense of courage that day to buy time for the girl to warn her friends while he tries to distract the creature in true Malfoy foolishness and brash. It was the last thing he saw, staring at the mirror before everything had gone black.
By the time he woke up, he was laying at a bed on the hospital wing, blinking as to his side, a tearful but relieved Andromeda Black was sobbing before hugging him intensely after he had returned to his state. Assistant Potions Professor Myrtle Warren had succeeded in curing the petrified students of their state, Lucius was still dumbfounded and at loss when Andromeda told him what had happened.
Apparently he wasn't successful enough in buying time for young Lily Evans, the girl had been petrified not long after he was, though it got the reckless Marauders to do something so stupid that Lucius had started to wonder how in Merlin's name why Hogwarts was this dangerous. Andromeda told him what had occurred.
"Those brave foolish boys did it Lou!" Andromeda recounted through her sniffling. "Those troublemaking Gryffindors and that rather arrogant Slytherin boy Lockhart had joined forces with young Severus and uncovered the Chamber of Secrets under the school.."
"And? Did they really…you know…" Lucius began before Andromeda finished.
"Yes. They did. They faced the Monster of Slytherin below. One of those boys, Peter I believe? Pulled out a sword from the Sorting Hat. Once more they all found something on why it had all happened. My little sister…Bella, she had acquired this diary or something, belonging to the Dark Lady, before Severus destroyed it.
"I see…"Lucius could only nod as he tried to process it all. And as he spent his last night at the hospital wing, there were questions in his mind, questions that any sane guy his age would be having.
Just where the hell was Dumbledore amidst all of this? Why did it take a bunch of second years to recklessly face off against Slytherin's monster instead of you know, the bloody staff or the Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher? And why, in the name of all that was holy, was Bellatrix Black given a dangerous artifact tied to Wizarding Britain's number one enemy?
He would find out as the term reached its end and he graduated alongside his peers that Dumbledore had been called by the Ministry for supposedly keeping Hagrid in school grounds and the whole castle under lockdown during the final weeks of the incident especially after the half-giant was thrown in Azkaban for his role in the incident thirty years prior. That was the final straw for Lucius. Hogwarts, Wizarding Britain, the bloody Ministry were acting incompetent while a Dark Lady was terrorizing the whole country, not only that but putting the groundskeeper in Azkaban without sufficient evidence other than that he was supposedly responsible for Abraxas Malfoy's death? Lucius Malfoy right there and then decided to go forward with his plans, despite the results of his O.W.L and N.E.W.T and the fact he could have a future as a Ministry official, he opted instead to pursue law. Not only because he had to retake his inheritance but the fact his new home was a walking disaster of a country whose laws were so backwards that many of Freyja's followers were a mix mash of disillusioned Purebloods, radical Half-Bloods, Muggleborns looking to settle the score and many angry Squibs. If the Dark Lady could get this many followers from every walks of life and break laws so easily then something really was wrong with the system. And by his father's memory he was gonna find a way to ensure a reformation was in order!
He and Andromeda left on friendly terms, she wanted to follow him, having grown curious of the Muggle world, especially the intricacies of bartending when they went on a rare date at a café, she had wanted to study such a thing, Lucius wanted to say no, she deserved better than a Muggleborn bastard like him, deserved better than to possibly spend the rest of their lives being less privileged. Especially as it meant she will be disinherited by her family.
As Andromeda watched Lucius' retreating figure, accompanied by his now aging guardian, Andromeda had one thing in her mind, especially with how the war was escalating. And she was damned if he couldn't do what he dreamed of doing alone. She had made up her mind. And if her oh so wonderful Aunt does as much as throw a tantrum? Well, this was worth it in the long run.
In the end, Lucius would find not out that Andromeda had made her choice already not long after they parted ways at King's Cross, not until they met again. While he was studying law in Germany, far away from the fighting in Britain and the politics and his no good kin in France for the next few years, Andromeda ended up taking classes in bartending and mixology, an odd thing for a scion of the most noble and ancient House of Black but Andromeda had proven herself to be a rebellious young woman that it eventually inspired her cousin, Sirius to finally break free from their family's traditions.
Lucius had not kept in touch that much with his peers during his years studying law, just a few letters to Andromeda that unfortunately went unanswered. He chalked it up to the war and the fact she probably was married off by that point given the Blacks' views when it comes to purity, it was bound to happen. The rest was for his guardian & mother figure and Dobby, wishing them safety at Malfoy Manor while he worked his ass in putting everything he knew as a charming rogue and mixing it with the legalities of the law. He didn't know that the Dark Lady's feared Valravn, the elite of her Death Eaters, had been keeping a close eye on him through one of their own.
It had been a blur, during the closing weeks of October of 1977, just as he was coming home after his evening classes had come to an end that the Valravn ambushed him They knew when to strike, where to attack and for good measure, even put a muffler on his mouth so he couldn't talk his way out of whatever predicament he had found himself in. Lucius had ended up as a target for the Dark Lady's minor campaigns to bring together the most talented from Hogwarts, no matter the distance, and Lucius, being a brilliant Muggleborn ostracized for his lineage was a perfect example of the new order the Dark Lady was building on the ashes of the old. Yet his kidnappers had underestimated Lucky Lou, before he had magic he had already grown up in the streets of Nantes, having gone through the gauntlet of surviving on his own, and Heidelberg was child's play to him. He had walked through its streets in his free time. And it worked to his advantage for a while, dodging the Valravn and Death Eaters sent after him, though their sheer numbers meant he would be eventually recaptured. Yet once more his luck pulled him through.
He didn't know Andromeda had kept tabs on him through letters sent by Dobby or his guardian back to him, her way of showing that yes, she still cared. The Order of the Phoenix had intervened, a four member team composed of Arthur Weasley, Edward Tonks, Narcissa and Andromeda Black (Though Narcissa still had reservations helping out a Muggleborn despite having mellowed out thanks to Ted Tonks, as she was only there for her sister's safety). They, alongside members of the German Ministry's version of the Aurors had rescued his sorry arse before the Valravn could properly put the Imperius Curse on him and be used as a puppet of the Dark Lady should she have triumphed. With assistance from the German Ministry, most of the Valravn sent after him were immediately imprisoned while the few who escaped fled back to meet the fury of their Lady. Lucius, having been nearly kidnapped and forced to be a puppet out of his own will, had been maddened with fatigue and a bit of delirium before the Order had rescued him.
They found him half mad and on the verge of exhaustion, his clothing damp and parts of it torn. There was a desperate look on Lucius' eyes, his normally neatly tied platinum hair meanwhile was disheveled, making him look like a true madman. In between Arthur trying to calm him down, he found Andromeda looking at him with concern. Thinking she was a hallucination (because why the hell would she be here in Germany, risking her life for a scrappy like him?) he made a beeline towards her, grabbed her hand (thinking it was probably another's) and very nearly broke down in tears.
"I have not been a good boyfriend, ma chère. Hell I am definitely not one you would take home to meet your parents…but know this, I would have moved heaven and earth just for a chance to say my piece in front of your père, I don't care if I am just some muggleborn bastard with barely a few hundred galleons to his name, I would have make it work between the two of us.."
He suddenly got down on his knees. Arthur in the back was moving to intervene before Andromeda shook her head.
"Andy, ma chère…" Lucius began, his eyes delirious, "I would have asked for your hand in marriage, to have the honor of becoming my wife. Would you… have said yes?"
Andromeda of course had been stunned into silence, then, she gave Lucius a warm smile, before she made her answer; loud and firm.
"Yes Lou, I still would have said yes."
Lucius' shock and realization that she was indeed real and here felt like a weight had come off his shoulders. Her answer also eventually got her elder sister Narcissa to rethink her relationship with Edward Tonks. A month later, in the presence of their friends, Dobby, Meredith, one confused but thoroughly amused priest and the German Ministry of Magic, and for good measure, even Albus Dumbledore himself who was in Germany to convey with the ICW, witnessed a wedding of a lifetime, with Arthur Weasley becoming Lucius' best man. To everyone there, the event was a light amidst the darkness of the war in Britain.
The marriage between Lucius and Andromeda sent shockwaves naturally. Andromeda's parents were of course furious. Andromeda's aunt, Lady Walpurga was said to have roared in fury for the absolute betrayal to everything the Blacks held dear. Kreacher himself would tell Dobby years later how his mistress had nearly died of a heart attack while blasting Andromeda off the family tree, not burned, outright blasted off. The other Pureblood families, especially the ones that discreetly supported Freyja's revolution had voiced their disappointments, though given they were old money that Lucius never respected he did not give a damn. Especially not when little Felix Malfoy was born the next year in August of 1978 to the delight of his parents. That same year also proved to be quite a talk for the House of Black, Narcissa and Ted Tonks ended up getting married in a series of events that involved a broom chase, a Valravn caught with his trousers down and a lot of explosions that culminated in a shotgun wedding.
Narcissa, predictably, also got blasted off of the family tree. Lady Walpurga Black would die weeks later after that. Some say of a broken heart due to the sheer audacity of her extended family's breaking of 'tradition.' Not that the ideology of the Pureblood thinking was ever going to keep working anyway. Not with Freyja's policy of 'burning the Old Order to the ground, blood purity be damned'' putting a damper on that.
Lucius remained in Germany with his wife and child (children after Draco was born in 1980), continuing his studies and their family hiding out in one of the House of Black's many unused estates, far from the war, Dobby and Madame Hughes joining the family there. Andromeda kept in touch with their peers and friends when the war had gotten worse. Lucius was concerned for the safety of his friends and the state of his new home and worked his hardest to send what aid he could (whether monetary through his side jobs or advice in surviving underground) to the Order of the Phoenix and its Ministry Allies. The war of course 'officially' ended in 1981 at Hallow's Eve. Freyja was supposedly destroyed, though no body was found. Wizarding Britain could now hopefully breathe in relief as her revolutionaries collapsed without their leader.
The price paid for that peace however was too steep. Many members of the Order had perished fighting the Valravn, many more ministry officials went missing or dead, even the Minister of Magic had died of exhaustion shortly after the end of the war, a swift election was needed. And of course there was the matter of the fact that unlike the Death Eaters quickly folding and surrendering, the remaining Valravn that weren't dead or captured had fled underground or out of the country, waging a guerrilla war in the name of their Dark Lady's ideology. Lucius found out to his horror that the casualties of the war were staggering;
The Bones family were tortured to insanity by an unhinged Bartimius Crouch Jr before Remus Lupin and Ted Tonks brought him down. Leaving Susan Bones' parents in a coma and the girl herself under her aunt's care.
Remus Lupin was killed alongside many muggles in a bomb explosion after he and another friend confronted the supposed traitor who sold out the Snapes.
And speaking of the Snapes….the whole family was massacred at Prince Manor by the Dark Lady herself. Severus and Lily, his parents, all gone. It didn't help that Freyja did not discriminate. The Prince family had been wiped out months prior to the massacre alongside the mostly muggle members of Severus' paternal family. All that was left was the little infant girl who had defeated the Dark Lady, little Gentiane Snape. The one now whispered to be the Girl Who Lived for having supposedly survived the Killing Curse.
As for the traitor? Well, that turned out to be James Potter, a rising Auror, a former friend of Severus' who had supposedly been the Secret Keeper. He was confronted by Remus and another of their mutual friend, Gilderoy Lockhart. The confrontation had turned bloody, Lockhart was bleeding profusely as Aurors arrived, Remus and many muggles were dead, and James Potter in his delirium confessed to his crimes. They did not waste time throwing the now former Auror into Azkaban, rights ignored and no trial whatsoever. The Ministry needed a scapegoat and as such Lockhart's testimony was enough for them. Lucius and his family were on their way back to the Malfoy Manor when he had read all about it and it didn't sit well with him that Potter's rights weren't even considered. Sure it was war but the Ministry really was that desperate? It would be sometime in the closing days of 1981, wherein he was invited alongside his wife to 12 Grimmauld Place to meet up with his former Headmaster and the surviving members of the Order of the Phoenix that he got some answers (alongside an amusing rant from the portrait of the not so lamented Walpurga Black)
The Marauders had supposedly split up into different missions. To safeguard the safeties of the families Freyja would likely be targeted for having opposed her again and again. The Weasleys, the Snapes, the Longbottoms and the Bones. Sirius Black was to go to the Weasleys, Remus Lupin to the Longbottoms, the Bones were under Peter Pettigrew's care. And James Potter was assigned to the Snapes. Gilderoy Lockhart meanwhile had been assigned to bait the Valravn out. And already, Lucius knew as he heard the plan, that something had gone terribly wrong.
Sirius was still in St. Mungo's, having been heavily injured fighting off a massive Death Eater raid on the Burrow alongside the Prewett Brothers, who were unfortunately slain. Remus had come off not as bad, Frank Longbottom had the foresight of being prepared, his time as an auror had made him more than suspicious, especially with Remus and Marlene McKinnon having been assigned to his family. The Bones…were supposed to be protected by Peter, a registered Werewolf.
"You let a werewolf guard the family? What were you thinking Albus?" Lucius had chosen this moment to interrupt his former Headmaster.
"I assure you, Lucius, that Edgar and his family were informed of Peter's…condition." Dumbledore had replied, his tone one of sorrow. "He knew the risks involved, and even so, he had an experimental potion Severus Snape had concocted with Slughorn and Damocles Belby, it was supposed to keep Peter sedated for a while..."
"And then Barty Junior decided to attack alongside a few of the Valravn on the night of a full moon.." Andromeda said, her features into a scowl as she glared at the Headmaster. "When Edgar only had Benjy Fenwick as backup."
"Yes…unfortunately. Freyja knew when to strike.." Albus admitted.
It had been too precise. The Dark Lady had ordered her forces to strike the Bones family first, then deal with the Weasleys, the Longbottoms and finally the Snapes. The attack on the Bones had occurred at the same time Freyja personally moved to extinguish the Prince family, its members wiped out down to the last man, woman and child simply because of their association with one of her most hated of foes, Severus Snape. That it also had some Muggles who bore his surname was another foreboding sign of Freyja's wrath. All the while the supposed traitor moved
And of course, there was the massacre at Prince Manor, on Hallow's Eve. The supposed defeat of the Dark Lady, the infant girl that was now orphaned, the Secret Keeper that betrayed his own friends. There was a question however that lingered on the lawyer in training's mind.
"Albus…" Lucius locked eyes with his former Headmaster. "Where exactly did you send little Gentiane Snape?"
It was at this moment that the door slammed open, as Bellatrix Potter, wife of James Potter, mother of little Charlus II Potter and little sister of Narcissa and Bellatrix stormed into the room, her eyes burning with fury as Narcissa was trailing behind her. To say she was livid was an understatement.
"Cornwall? CORNWALL?! THAT IS MY GODDAUGHTER YOU JUST SENT TO THE FAR ARSE END OF BRITAIN, ALBUS!" She roared, the trademark Black Madness seeping into her very being as Andromeda had to stand up and hold her little sister back alongside Narcissa from outright hexing Albus Dumbledore on the spot.
"You….you sent an infant child to Cornwall?" Lucius was in shock, this was the man he had respected back during his school days. The man he thought was going to be the instrument of helping people like him. "Why?"
"I had to." Dumbledore replied. "The Valravn were still running around. I had promised Lily I would get her family out of harm's way before her, Severus and her in-laws went into hiding. The girl will be save under her aunt."
"Petunia? You entrusted Gentiane to Petunia?" Bellatrix hissed, her anger, though receding slowly, was still present. There was some history there, Lucius would later find out from Andromeda. Apparently her little sister, ever a rebellious troublemaker, had found an odd friendship with Lily Evans, even got to befriend the young witch's sister…so to speak. But the war had changed everybody.
"There was no other way. The blood wards will keep little Gentiane safe, and Cornwall has traces of Camelot's wards still standing. The Valravn won't dare approach where Gentiane lives with her aunt and her family. Not with the wards of Merlin throwing them back." There was an assurance in the old man's voice, yet Lucius still couldn't fully trust him, not after everything, not after the fact that Albus bloody Dumbledore sent an orphaned child without consent from the next would-be guardians
"Who else knows of little Gentiane's location?" Lucius asked.
"Just me, Minerva and Hagrid." Dumbledore replied. "This is for the best, until the Dark Lady's followers are all defeated or incarcerated. The war is not yet over, even if their leader is gone."
"Damn you Albus, and damn your plans. Cousin Sirius will hear about this." Bellatrix hissed in fury as Narcissa led her away, Andromeda meanwhile shot a look at her husband. Lucius looked back at her, there was a slight shake of her head. The kind that told him that whatever he was thinking, stop it. Lucius let out a sigh.
"Fine, Albus. I will relent to your plans. But that doesn't mean this is right. There are laws to follow here." The lawyer in training ran a hand over his platinum hair. "Alright, why did you call me here anyway?"
"You are one of the few remaining figures who know of the law, if not THE only remaining one." Dumbledore said, a twinkle in his eyes as he spoke of his talents. "The coming year will be a proving ground for you, Lucius. The Ministry is in need of reform. I admit it now. Death Eaters and Valravn have to be tried. Ensure that the laws and system have to be overhauled. And of course there's a delicate matter.."
The old man turned to one of the figures who had been silent during the meeting, his features were similar to Sirius Black. Though he appeared more withdrawn, sullen. The mark of the Death Eater's skull was on him. This was Regulus Black, Sirius' little brother.
"I want you to ensure Regulus doesn't get put on trial." Dumbledore said.
"And why would I do that, Albus? What did this boy do to deserve your protection?" Lucius replied.
"Lou, please…" Andromeda began, clearly preparing to defend her cousin, but Dumbledore chose at this moment to reply back.
"Regulus has helped the Order after he defected. He was instrumental in….let's just say in the destruction of an artifact tied to the Dark Lady. He has helped us locate Death Eater and Valravn safe houses when this war escalated."
Lucius looked to the younger Black brother, his eyes studying him. He was sullen, his eyes sunken and it's clear that he has seen better days. A young man broken by his actions and decisions. Finally, Lucius Malfoy relented.
"Very well, but in return, I want the Valravn the Ministry captured to have a public trial. I want crowds, news journalists. I want those bastards exposed. Do this and you will have your wish."
And Dumbledore agreed.
1982 turned out to be the year Lucius Malfoy 'officially' made his appearance as a lawyer as part of the persecution. Presiding over trials of Death Eaters and captured Valravn under the chambers of the Wizengamot with Barty Crouch Snr leading the charge. Which of course turned out to be more than a complicated affair, most have claimed to be under the Imperius Curse (including his deplorable rival Robert Nott) much to Lucius's frustration and annoyance as he was not allowed to administer Veritaserum for those that plead and had to be relied upon by their own words. The Death Eaters who claimed as such were allowed to let go, but with concessions for the damage they caused. Robert Nott, part of the few Valravn who claimed to have been under the spell, got out with concessions as well, forced to part with some of their wealth to help rebuild Wizarding Britain, a small victory that Lucius can get out of the arrogant sod and his ilk.
The rest that had joined however out of their own accord? Directly to Azkaban for these Death Eaters, while for some of the Valravn, the most deplorable ones at that, their crimes had been too great. Among the Valravn was the werewolf Fenrir Greyback. His wanton attacks on muggle, squib and wizarding communities alike without a care for even the Statute of Secrecy, and being seen as the Dark Lady's loyal attack dog, the man was sentenced to the Dementor's Kiss, a rare case of punishment as it was usually reserved for Azkaban escapees, but given the Ministry wanted a show of force now that the Dark Lady was gone, Fenrir was a perfect example to be used. The trials proceeded with such fanfare, and Lucius was at the thick of it, ensuring the guilty got their just ends and the innocent exonerated ... .to a degree.
Aside from his failed attempt to have Robert Nott jailed, he was unable to reopen James Potter's case later that year, even with Albus Dumbledore's presence. The Ministry was still reeling, the newly elected Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge was hesitant to pursue this case, not with the Valravn's numbers still causing trouble here and abroad. The war was 'officially' over for sure, but it's clear it had merely gone underground, in the shadows and in the political atmosphere.
Lucius as such when the trials were over decided to go ahead with his plans. To build himself up as the go to lawyer for the Wizarding community, especially since he was one of the few ones that hadn't fled or were dead. It would be here he also began to transition to having a presence in the Muggle world, especially once more muggleborn wizards could be found, what better way to act as a bridge between two worlds than with his own future firm? Thus Malfoy & Co. Consultancy would later come into existence, Dobby becoming his secretary in the Wizarding World, and in the Muggle World, Meredith, and later, his old friend Edward Jacques. And with the chaos of the war and no doubt the amount of persecution squibs and muggleborns are going to get over the next few years, Lucius would eventually step up to be their defender and champion.
For the old families however? Especially Nott and his friends? Well they were rich, and he intended to charge them exuberant fees if they want to keep their estates and money, because as Lucius later found out, laws can be as powerful as an Unbreakable Vow.
During the holidays of 1982, as the Malfoys spent it with the Weasleys, alongside the Tonks, and the Potters (mostly Bellatrix, little Charlus II and James' parents), Lucius voiced out his frustrations of the political atmosphere in the Ministry to both Arthur and Ted. Especially on how the Dark Lady nearly won in every sense of the word.
"I am telling you mon ami, if the war had dragged on for a few more years, or if more people had perished, we all would have been bowing down to Baroness Countess Duchess Empress You-Know-Who, heir to the powers of the Four Founders and undisputed holder of the 27 families' estates."
Arthur and Ted had exchanged looks at each other as they nursed their firewhiskey, the sound of their kids' laughter echoed inside the Burrow as the men stood at the patio, looking towards an uncertain future.
"Not queen as well?" Ted had asked.
"Non. Not with the current monarch sitting on the throne. But who's to stop You-Know-Who from usurping that position, had she won? Her followers were willing to break the Statue of Secrecy much like Grindelwald had nearly done, decades ago." Lucius replied as he took a sip from his drink.
"You think she caused, you know, what the Muggles are fighting right now in Ireland?" Arthur inquired.
"I wouldn't pass it on her, my friend." Lucius nods grimly. "We have only seen the extent of her followers, but if she had a muggle proxy with this nasty business with the Irish? Then we should all count lucky little Gentiane Snape defeated her."
"Here here." Ted raised his glass upwards, in toast to a little infant girl.
"I wonder where she is right now? I heard she is with her relatives, her last remaining family, since You-Know-Who slaughtered damn near everyone…" Arthur muttered.
"Hopefully safe from all this madness, mon ami." Lucius sighed as he took another sip again. The night stretching on.
Eventually, Arthur broke the silence;
"Right, I have been meaning to tell you something Lou, I think you are going to love this one, could help build up your reputation, so to speak.."
"I'm listening…" Lucius remarked with a smirk, he always did find Arthur's rather eccentric plans entertaining.
In 1983, things were about to change for Lucius Malfoy's fortunes. And it all began when Arthur talked him into helping him out in a joint British-French operation by their respective ministries in tackling leftover artifacts from the time of Grindelwald that were smuggled underground. The pair's trip took them all the way to the southern end of France, then in Toulouse where an accidental entering of a room they thought was a meeting place for their contact turned out to be the smuggler's den. Thus the duo were forced to fight their way into alleys, streets, through broomsticks and epic car chases (one where Arthur began to love the idea of owning a muggle car) and finally culminating in a carpet ride out of a collapsing catacomb.
When the dust settled, Arthur casually brushed off the dust on his coat (nevermind the fact that there was grime on his face), he turned to his friend, who held something in his hands.
"Right, I think that's enough adventure for me at this point, ready to head back to our colleagues, Lou?"
Lucius however was staring at the object he held, in an intense manner.
"Something wrong, Lucius?" Arthur inquired, he had never seen Lucius being this intensely focused before, well not when he had seen him presiding over the trial of Igor Karkaroff that is.
"Arthur.." Lucius began as he held the object, which looked to be a seal emblem. Small enough for documents and whatnot. He held up towards the man. "This…this is the Malfoy Coat of Arms seal. The seal that Armand Malfoy had used, alongside all his future descendants, a seal magically tied to the trueborn heir and head of the Malfoy clan. Anyone who uses this for documents, kinsman or otherwise, is always instantly killed to prevent thievery and usurpation of the main line. I had thought this one was lost! They didn't find it in the Malfoy vault! Not even the De Malfois knew of its location!"
"Well coincidentally, I happen to have a set of documents that require your seal as part of the new Judiciary system considering the goons we fought were hired by a Valravn.." Arthur beamed as he got out a set of papers.
Lucius was hesitant. What if despite everything, this was never meant to be his? What if at the end of it all, the Malfois were right? He immediately shook his head at that. Non. He will not let them have the last laugh. Even if he ends up getting rejected by the seal and killed for it.
"Tell Andromeda and my children that I love them.." Lucius remarked as he grabbed the paper.
"Tell em yourself Lou." Arthur replied, though he too was waiting with bated breath, the what ifs, what if, his friend was rejected by this artifact?
Lucius waved his wand as the seal burned and he placed it on the paper as it began to glow eerily. One minute passes, two, three, four. Until the seal of the House of Malfoy was truly on said document. Lucius could only stare gobsmacked. This…this changed everything. The game has truly been switched to his favor. He did not feel Arthur's hand on his shoulders as the older man laughed.
"I guess what they say about you was true old chum! You ARE lucky!"
And Lucius Malfoy smiled. He had won And he was about to make his French kin pay.
1984, Outskirts of Nantes, Barony of L'Oréal
Hugues and Étienne de Malfoi moved with precision, their bodyguards flanking them like shadows. Word had traveled fast through the ancient corridors of wizarding aristocracy—Lou the Unlikely had done the impossible. Louie la bâtard had not only secured the backing of the Bonapartes and the Bourbons but had somehow wormed his way into the good graces of the French Minister of Magic.
It was unacceptable.
Lord Dominique de Malfoi had made it clear: the bastard would not set foot in this barony. The Breton Malfois had died with Baron Alain. The main house would not suffer a pretender, especially one who had sullied himself with British influence.
They moved swiftly, despite the broad daylight, crossing the threshold of the barony's land. The town lay in the distance, with the château standing proud atop a hill, a monument to Malfoi rule. But as soon as they stepped forward—
CRACK!
One of their bodyguards was flung backwards with invisible force, sent sprawling onto the road. The remaining men instinctively drew their wands, only for the ground to tremble beneath their feet.
From the tree line emerged a cohort of enchanted armored statues, marching in perfect unison. Spears glinted under the afternoon sun as they leveled toward the intruders. And in front of them, flanked by the constructs, stood two figures.
The first was a bald-headed man in a brown overcoat, his expression impassive, his stance relaxed yet unreadable—like a man who had seen enough violence to be neither impressed nor intimidated by it.
The second was a house-elf.
Dressed in a crisp three-piece suit, he stood with an air of quiet authority, his large green eyes gleaming with something distinctly not subservient.
"Bonjours, messieurs," the elf said smoothly. "It seems you are trespassing on the property of Lord Lucius Malfoy."
His voice carried an eager sharpness, as though he found the entire affair mildly amusing. The bald man beside him said nothing, his unreadable gaze locked onto the Malfois.
"Is this some kind of joke?" Étienne de Malfoi sneered. "This barony—this entire region—is under the jurisdiction of la maison de Malfoi! It was signed over by Baron Alain on his deathbed!"
He pulled a set of documents from his robes, smugly presenting them to the elf. The little creature accepted them with professional grace, his long fingers running over the parchment as he read. The de Malfoi nobleman smirked. The family had heard all about Lou's journey in Germany, studying law, making a name for himself. Pah! As if the bastard knew the intricacies of de jure and de facto, the Germans certainly didn't, and so will Louie la bâtard.
"Ah, yes," the elf murmured, flipping through the pages. "I see, I see. Trés intéressant." Then he snapped the folder shut. "Mais voilà où se pose le problème, messieurs—this document est considéré nul et non avenu."
Hugues' lip curled. "And on what grounds?"
The elf's large ears twitched as he recited, "Selon l'article six, section huit des actes de succession de la famille Malfoi... the cadet branches shall be subjected to punishment should they attempt the usurpation of the main line. This clause exists to prevent—how shall I put it?—conflits d'intérêts between Britain and France."
"Rubbish!" Hugues de Malfoi roared. "The Malfoy line died with Lord Polonius Malfoy in 1950 and his heir, Abraxas, in 1943! The main house falls to Lord Dominique!"
"Ah, but of course! Cependant..."
With a snap of the elf's fingers, another set of documents appeared—only these bore an aura of authority.
Three royal seals adorned them.
The fleur-de-lis of the Bourbons. The bee of Bonaparte. And most damning of all, the British lion of the Windsors.
"As per the restoration of the House of Malfoy—by the authority of the Queen of England and the Comte de Paris, recognized by both the British and French Ministries of Magic—my master, Lord Lucius Malfoy, has been reinstated as head of the British Malfoys, first among equals with the French Malfoi, and thus, rightful lord of this barony."
The elf smiled, a slow, knowing grin. "In short, messieurs, under Section 14, Clause 7 of the Traité de Succession de Malfoi de 1701, your claims are now considered nulles, invalides et inutiles."
Étienne's jaw clenched.
"And should you wish to challenge this," the elf continued airily, "let me remind you of another ancien accord."
A final document materialized in a protective bubble, its ancient parchment scrawled in Norman French and Latin.
"Par le droit souverain de Guillaume le Conquérant, Armand Malfoy et ses descendants doivent voir leurs droits respectés par les branches cadettes."
Hugues' face darkened with fury, while Étienne paled slightly.
"Enough!" Hugues spat. "Qu'est-ce qui nous empêche de prendre ce baronnie de force? You are but two, with nothing but magical constructs!"
"That," the bald man finally spoke, his voice calm and steady, "serait une très mauvaise idée. Trespassing on another's property leads to jail time. Une usurpation non autorisée? La mort."
The Malfois turned to him, sneering.
"And what do you know of French law, monsieur?" Étienne demanded.
"I was un gendarme," the bald man said simply. "I've handled your type before."
Hugues scoffed. "One word from us, and you will be removed from these premises." He motioned to his men, who stepped forward. The armored statues braced their spears.
The elf and his companion remained unbothered.
The bald man sighed. "Here's what's going to happen, messieurs. You're going to turn around. You're going to walk back to your fancy château. And you're going to tell Lord Dominique that Lord Lucius Malfoy expects him at Château L'Oréal—at a time of our choosing."
"Or?" Étienne narrowed his eyes.
"I am afraid that it is non négociable, messiers." The house elf replied.
From the treetops, tiny red dots flickered onto the foreheads of the Malfois and their guards.
"You have two options here, messiers." The bald man said as he crossed his arms. "We can do this the easy way, or the hard way. Either you lot turn around and tell your lord how it's going to be from now on, or, your next of kin will do it after they take your bodies out of the morgue. Either way, Lord Dominique will still be informed."
The group froze. Hugues was trying hard not to burst into a furious tirade while Etienne was as red as a tomato. Their mercenaries behind them were looking at each other, unease ebbed on their usually professional faces.
"You wouldn't dare harm a member of a Wizarding House," Étienne said, though there was the slightest tremor in his voice.
The bald man shrugged. "Je suis un cracmol." His voice was quiet, but firm. "I know exactly where to hit you so your magic won't save you. And my men?" He nodded toward the unseen snipers. "Aussi des Cracmols. They've taken down bigger threats than a couple of spoiled nobles." He met their eyes coldly. "Try anything, and before you can finish your incantation, it'll be the last thing you ever do."
The Malfois hesitated.
Their hired muscle, however, made a decision first.
"Putain de merde!" Hugues swore as they turned around to watch as the mercenaries began to withdraw.. "Où allez-vous?!"
One of the mercenaries shrugged. "Nous avons des ordres. We were told to escort you to a De Malfoi estate, not start a war."
The red dots vanished for the mercs, not so much for the two Malfois.
With clear reluctance, Étienne and Hugues finally turned to red dots aimed at their heads vanishing as well.
"Lord Dominique will hear of this!" Étienne spat, shaking his fist.
The two figures watched them go, making sure to remain there until they were no longer physically present.
A long silence stretched before Dobby finally spoke.
"Mister Edward... do you think they realized those were just laser pointers?"
Edward Jacques let out a dry chuckle. "J'en doute. If there's one thing I've learned in Nantes, Dobby… on bluffe jusqu'à ce que ça marche."
The house-elf grinned. "Dobby sees where Lord Lucius got some of his ruse."
Edward smirked. "Yeah, well. Lou swindled his way out of worse. I just gave him the playbook. He dusted off his coat as they turned around and headed back to the town, the enchanted statues following behind, still in formation. "Now, what do you say to a drink?"
"Dobby would like a butterale after dealing with such déplorables!"
Somewhere in Sussex later that afternoon…
Andromeda Malfoy crossed her legs as she sat at the small outdoor café, the afternoon sun casting a golden glow over the cobblestone street. Across from her, workers put the finishing touches on a three-story Georgian building—the future home of Malfoy & Co. Legal Consultancy. Soon, her husband's law firm would be fully operational, a monument to his sheer determination to carve out his own legacy.
At the moment, the man responsible was leaning against a red Muggle payphone, engaged in what could only be described as an animated debate with a friend. Andromeda smirked behind her tea. Lucius had always been a force of nature when arguing for progress.
"Look, I am telling you, mon ami, it's a solid investment! Revolutionary, even!"
His free hand gestured wildly as he spoke, as if Arthur Weasley—on the other end of the line—could actually see his conviction.
"Artie, listen to me, our non-magical cousins figured this out decades ago. We're lagging behind. They put a man on the bloody moon while our lot is still bickering over blood purity! The old fools refuse to modernize! That's why She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named nearly won, after all."
Andromeda hummed, sipping her tea. Lucius wasn't wrong. The war had made it painfully clear that wizarding Britain was rotting under its own traditions, too blind to see past outdated prejudices. It was part of why she had turned her back on the Black family, why she had chosen this life—with a man who, despite everything working against him, had made himself indispensable.
Her fingers absently traced the golden locket resting against her collarbone. She clicked it open, revealing a small, enchanted photograph of their children—Felix, Draco & Sofia—their tiny hands waving up at her.
Lucius, meanwhile, was still in full salesman mode.
"Yes, it's a small company for now, but I've seen what they're building over in America, Artie. Trust me, it's going to change everything. Just imagine the old families' faces when they realize what they missed out on!"
Andromeda didn't need to hear Arthur's response to know the Weasley patriarch was exasperated but intrigued. That was the thing about Lucius—his confidence was infectious. It had gotten him through Hogwarts, through the backroom politics of France and Britain, through war and survival.
"Wonderful! I'll see if I can pull the Malfoy charm—Mister Gates is always eager for investors. See you over the holidays? Grand. Save me a beer, mon ami."
With a satisfied grin, Lucius hung up the receiver and strode back to their table, smoothing his cravat like a man who had just sealed a deal with fate itself.
"I say, Lou, you're rather persistent in dragging Arthur into this little scheme of yours," Andromeda teased, raising an elegant brow.
"Andy," Lucius replied, settling into the chair across from her, his tone dripping with affection, "I call it a long-term investment. Much like this building." He nodded toward his law firm, his expression thoughtful. "Besides, I owe Arthur for Toulouse."
Andromeda tilted her head, watching him carefully.
"And because you see a kindred spirit in his struggles," she murmured.
Lucius exhaled through his nose, a faint smirk curving his lips. She always saw right through him. "Oui... That, I do."
Andromeda reached across the table, placing her hand over his.
"And that's why I love you, Lou," she said softly.
Lucius turned his hand to lace their fingers together, his thumb idly brushing against her palm. His expression softened—not the practiced charm of a seasoned lawyer, nor the sharp wit of a scheming entrepreneur, but something quieter.
"Ah, ma chère," he murmured. "You always did have a way with words."
Andromeda smiled. So did he.
He had been called many things in his life—the Bastard, the Usurper, that French Mudblood, the Muggleborn, Lou the Unlikely. He had clawed his way up from nothing, maneuvered through the storm of war and politics, and built something that could last.
But at the end of it all, there was one name that had followed him through every trial, every triumph.
Lucky Lou.
And he had made his own luck.
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
Hello and welcome, if you made it this far, then you have just decided to read what this is supposed to be. It's part of a future series I plan to write, entitled Timeline 77: A Flower Blooming Amidst the Darkness?
Why Timeline 77? It's because this is Severus Snape's 77th reset in a long road to becoming a better person (more on this in another future project)
What's the big changes? It's all AU. From Fem! Voldemort to the existence of Six Marauders. Is this going to be good? Probably not? Will I finish this? I already had finished writing up the two other omakes. And yes, I had posted this over at r/hpfanfiction, so before you folks can cry foul, I had shared this there beforehand. But now I just took the time to fully flesh it out.
Also yes, Lucius Malfoy is basically Edmond Dantes/Saul Goodman/Petyr Baelish (with actual morals)