Chapter 62
Lucius was eating a quiet dinner with his wife when the mark on his left forearm suddenly began to burn. It was never a pleasant experience, but he was especially disturbed on this occasion because he thought that he had learned to predict The Dark Lord's moods, and he had not had any indication that he would be summoned tonight.
"I'm sorry, Love, but I have to go," he said, glancing at Narcissa and grasping his left forearm demonstratively.
Narcissa gave him a tight smile. "I understand, be careful."
Lucius took a few moments to gather himself, lock the wards of the Manor down, and then he followed his summons. Which meant that he apparated into a room that was already full of Death Eaters. His only bit of luck was in the fact that he wasn't the last to arrive. A few stragglers would surely pay a price. The Dark Lord neither understood nor cared that his followers could not always disappear from wherever they happened to be in order to appear in front of him at the drop of a hat.
The Dark Lord entered with a flourish as he usually did- swishing his robes around himself, and sighing dramatically- before sitting on his throne at the head of the room. Lucius locked his occlumency walls down lest he be caught making a face that would betray how absurd he believed this behavior to be.
"Hello Friends," the Dark Lord drawled. "Tonight will be a tremendous night for our cause. Tonight we will make our presence once again known to the world.
Lucius felt like his heart stopped, and then it began beating again at an accelerated pace. He longed to return to his wife, but he was locked into the wards of Lestrange Keep. He had felt it as soon as he arrived, he could not alert anybody outside of the wards, and if he left on foot he would almost certainly be detected. The Dark Lord had learned from his previous failures and made security at Death Eater meetings airtight.
Lucius took comfort in the fact that the wards on Malfoy Manor were now impenetrable and that he and Narcissa had a list of back up plans should the Manor need to be abandoned.
Potter House was similarly protected as the Manor.
The Granger home didn't have the benefit of ancestral wards, but it was well protected, and it was unknown to the Death Eater Army. The Grangers were also on board with fleeing the country if he or Narcissa were unable to make contact within twenty-four hours of their usual daily check-in. In this moment Lucius could especially consider the irony of how much he appreciated having muggles in his life who were well practiced in living without magic and knew how to keep his children safe if they were unable to use magic for fear of detection.
All of which meant that for the moment his family was safe, and they were all smart enough to keep themselves that way for the near future. But he also knew that they would not remain that way forever, and that he needed to act. He didn't want them to spend the rest of their lives running.
"My Lord," Lucius said, careful to keep his voice deferential, "may I ask why you've decided to move tonight? You've been flying under the radar for years, why change things now?"
Voldemort's smirk was chilling. "Because, my slippery friend, I'm tired of 'flying under the radar' as you say. It's time to let the people know who is in charge. Though I'm surprised that you know that phrase, it's very muggle, is it not?"
Lucius' blood ran cold and he scrambled for an explanation. "Yes, but it's also important to know our enemy, is it not, My Lord?"
The Dark Lord looked at him inquisitively, but it was a surprise that Lucius didn't even feel him attempt to enter his mind. "Mind your insolence," he snapped instead.
"Of course, I understand My Lord." Lucius said as he backed away, contemplating what had just occurred.
The Dark Lord breathed in deeply through his nose as he almost always did to increase the drama before he made what he considered to be an important announcement. "We march on Edinburgh tonight. It's time to let Dumblefore know that Hogwarts is within my grasp. Nowhere in Scotland is safe."
Lucius knew that it was foolish to open his mouth again, but he couldn't help himself; Edinburgh certainly boasted some magical corners, true magical gems actually, but small areas. Nothing like Hogwarts. To compare them because they happened to be in the same country was fool hardy.
"Do you plan to conquer Hogwarts?" Lucius asked. "Personally, I would like to evacuate my son if you do." He knew that he was risking his own life by asking such a question but he was not going to put Draco or Hermione, or even Harry's lives at risk.
"Why Lucius? Do you think that your son has anything to fear from me?"
"No, My Lord, but I think he does need to fear those who believe that they would be defending the castle. As a Malfoy he would be a target."
The Dark Lord hummed thoughtfully. "Very well, understood. When it comes to your concern for your heir. But I feel that you are growing more and more insolent in general."
Lucius clenched his jaw. It was a marvel that this man still had the capacity to simply annoy him. But his inability to understand even the most basic tenants of society- protection of one's family- was simply irritating. He knew that The Dark Lord was incapable of love, but when had he become so foolish that he couldn't even successfully manipulate his own followers? Had he deteriorated that much, or had Lucius really been so gullible in his youth? He knew it was not the time to consider the matter, but it hurt his pride.
"I apologize. I simply want us to succeed, but I see now that I've spoken out of turn too often."
"So you understand why I must hold you accountable?"
"Yes, My Lord," Lucius responded, relaxing his body as best he could to take the punishment he knew was coming.
"Crucio!"
Lucius was unfortunately used to this particular curse. But the Dark Lord seemed to be putting some extra effort into it this time, which was troubling not only due to the pain, but for what it said about the man's mental state. Lucius believed that Voldemort had been rapidly declining since his resurrection, and this was just further proof.
Lucius knew that from a purely strategic angle he was one of Voldemort's most important followers. He needed Lucius's money, and getting Lucius on his bad side was not a smart move. His increasingly erratic behavior was more than a little troubling.
Lucius had hoped to solve this problem himself, but it was becoming clear that he might need his children's help. And Merlin that hurt. He knew that they were competent, they were nearly adults themselves, but he wanted to be better for them.
Apparently life had other ideas.
Lucius writhed on the floor as quietly as possible, he knew from experience that an audible and/or visible reaction would only earn him a longer punishment, but his body had limits.
He was trembling to the point that he could barely hold his wand- much less cast reliably- by the time that he and his fellow Death Eaters were sent on the raid. And this unfortunately made him almost useless in a fight. He counted himself lucky to have even apparated successfully.
To make it worse, he had apparated into a bloodbath. In the most literal sense of the term. Blood was splattered on the buildings and was also running down the streets. No amount of obliviation would be able to erase this travesty out of the minds of the people of this city. It was far too much, too many witnesses, too much evidence. For the first time in his life Lucius had to admit that magic couldn't fix everything.
He took a deep breath as he accepted that he could not save this situation, but he had to keep his cover. So he lurked around, stunning anybody he came across, sometimes using slicing hexes to make it look like the person he faced had put up a fight, but without fatally injuring them. He unfortunately didn't have the energy to alter their memories.
There was so much carnage. So much unnecessary death. Lucius knew that he was not a good man. But he'd never advocated for murder. If for no other reason than it brought attention to their community. He wanted to protect magicals, not expose them by slaughtering muggles in a way that couldn't be properly explained.
He realized that the game had really changed- truly and irrevocably- when five Dark Marks soared up into the air. The Dark Lord wanted to make sure that they were seen, he was officially finished hiding in the shadows. And Lucius knew that meant he was finished biding his time.
Or, rather, that his time was simply up.
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Hermione learned how quickly she could shield her mind using occlumency on one morning in March when news of an attack on Edinburgh was reported in The Daily Prophet. Several Dark Marks were cast above the city, the evidence and the destruction were too much for the Ministry to cover up before the press had arrived.
It appeared that Voldemort had lost patience lurking in the shadows. Or, at least, that's what Hermione assumed.
She looked at her betrothed, who she could immediately recognize was also occluding. She could even feel it in their bond.
She didn't even glance towards Theo. Looking at him would have been especially odd on this morning, given the fact that him leaving his family home to avoid an association with the Dark Lord was an open secret within Hogwarts. They could not openly associate- at least not as more than polite acquaintances- due to her betrothal with Draco.
But Theo had an entire keyring of portkey charms for anybody wanting refuge and that had just become more important than ever. The times she'd been able to speak with him since returning from
Christmas, he seemed to believe that there were several people that might need them. She desperately hoped that they used them before term ended.
Those who were underaged would probably be protected in the short-term, in the name of Voldemort pretending to respect pureblood traditions, but others could easily be pressed into service.
"Well this is interesting," she heard Draco drawl from beside her while shaking the paper out. He nudged her with his knee, both a reassurance and a reminder to play her part.
"What's that, Love?"
"Just some news in the paper," he flapped it out dramatically to show her.
"I suppose it is… interesting, that is," she answered, doing her best to make it sound as if she didn't truly care, and was just appeasing her betrothed.
He smiled at her. "Love, are you finished? I forgot my Transfiguration book and I need to run back to the dorms."
She slapped together a couple of bacon sandwiches while she pasted a grin on her face. "I'll come with you."
A few of the upper years around them snickered at the double entendre, just as she intended. She wrapped the sandwiches in napkins because she had a feeling that they were due for a long morning ahead and they couldn't do it on empty stomachs, and then allowed him to help her off the bench.
They made their way down to the dungeons and into Draco's dorm moving as swiftly as possible without drawing undue attention.
"What are you doing?" Draco asked as she pulled out some stationary and settled herself at the desk.
"Just sending a note to Lucius to let him know that I love him. I can't imagine that this was easy for him."
There was a beat of silence and Hermione looked back at Draco. "Send him my love as well," he said quietly.
It was a long day of pretending that nothing was amiss.
That evening Hermione had just begun to allow herself to relax a little in the Slytherin common room when she felt a heavy weight settle onto the sofa beside her. She took her time looking up from her book, not wanting to display the slightest hint that she was disturbed, or that she could be bothered until she was good and ready.
What she found was Gregory Goyle looking at her with an expression that she could only describe as concerned. Plato had been snuggled between her thigh and the arm of the couch but Aristotle had been playing with a myriad of students until he'd decided to follow Gregory to the sofa where he jumped up between them and made himself comfortable.
"How are you?" He asked.
"I'm well," she answered evenly. She wasn't certain that they'd ever conversed one-on-one. He had certainly never sought her out before.
"I'm glad to hear that," he looked around and then awkwardly fiddled with something in his pocket. "I know you used to live in France, if you ever wanted to go back there, just know that there are some people who would help you."
Hermione sucked on her bottom lip and she considered his statement. And then it hit her:
he was concerned for her safety, because Draco was very good at playing his part.
"Thanks," she responded, for lack of anything else to say, and because she was so touched by his thoughtfulness, and his bravery in expressing it.
And then the things he had been fiddling with in his pocket fell into his hand. She managed to stop herself from gasping, but not from reaching to grasp the dice in her own pocket. Not the Slytherin set, but the alerting set. She rolled them between her fingers, and it only took a few moments of Gregory's gaze flitting between her face and her hidden hand before his eyes widened in shock.
"Hi," she muttered, feeling like she was introducing herself to him for the first time, "I'm both pleased by this development, and worried about how it's going to work out."
He gaped at her. "What, really? What do you mean?"
She couldn't blame him for his confusion so she simply said: "The dice."
He looked around frantically. "Mia, you have to get out of here, if I figured it out, Draco will, and his family is in far deeper than mine!" He hissed.
That was when Theo came running. She could only assume that he'd felt his own dice warm- both hers and Goyle's alerting almost simultaneously must have frightened him.
She took a deep breath, gave Theo a little nod, and knowing that she was taking an enormous risk began to speak. Because Gregory had just done the same thing for her, and she didn't need to tell him everything to give him options.
"Draco knows. He knows everything that there is to know about me. He is aware that I'm not loyal to the Dark Lord's cause. I will offer you the same thing you just offered me: a way out of Britain, or we have safehouses, or you can stay here as long as you agree not to stand against us. Otherwise, I'll have to do a memory charm on you, and I'd really prefer not to do that." She hated herself a little for it, but she palmed her wand and she was fully prepared to use it.
"I- what?"
"I know this sounds crazy, but obviously you've realized that things aren't as black and white as a lot of people have portrayed them."
"Theo," he looked at the other boy.
"Goyle, take her offer, get yourself the hell out of here."
"What about my mum?"
"We'll protect her too, the people we know can protect you both."
Goyle narrowed his eyes at Theo. "Why didn't you leave?"
"Because my mum's dead. The only people who have ever given a damn about me are still here. And I want to be here to see my father put into the ground. If you want to stay and fight we understand, we'll protect your mum, but you have to convince her to go willingly. We won't force her."
"She wants out," Gregory answered with such fervor that Hermione actually turned her face away to disguise how quickly she'd occluded at the idea of what his mother might have had to endure that her son was so certain she wanted to leave her marriage- her entire life- behind.
"Let's talk about this later, somewhere less public, even if they can't hear us, this conversation is beginning to look suspicious," Hermione suggested, and she nudged Aristotle further into Gregory's lap in what she hoped was a display of trust. "Can we meet in Theo's room in a couple of hours? If you need immediate help, we can make it happen tonight, Gregory. We really just need a more inconspicuous place to talk."
"And Draco…"
"Would burn the world down to protect Mia," Theo interrupted before Goyle could continue his question.
Gregory looked unconvinced.
"I'll take an unbreakable vow to protect you and your mother to the best of my abilities, if you take one to keep our secrets. Think about it and meet us in Theo's room in two hours."
Hermione rose and walked away before she burst into tears.
She actually did cry when Goyle arrived at Theo's dorm two hours later; Draco had joined them along with Harry under his Cloak. And while she worried about the effect Draco's presence might have, she couldn't ask him to leave because she would never agree to the same in his place.
She, Theo, and the two dogs greeted Goyle at the door. They ushered him in. Draco remained back and seated at Theo's desk, but he shifted and cleared his throat, and just generally made his presence known.
Harry remained hidden under his invisibility cloak. Hermione felt a great deal of guilt over the deceit, but she didn't know how else to handle the situation in a way that was safe for them all. The three of them were best together, and Theo deserved their protection.
"My mum, she has a sister, her husband died a few years ago. But they both always wanted to move to France, apparently as a retirement plan. My dad didn't like it, but I think it would be Mum's choice, is that possible?" Gregory asked in a rush.
Hermione thought that this sounded like something that he had probably been contemplating for awhile, but just didn't know how to make it happen. And now he saw the possibility to do so, and was latching onto it. It made her trust him a little more.
Draco cleared his throat. "I have an idea. My cousin lives in Italy, but she's French. I think I must have mentioned her before, her name is Claire?'
Gregory nodded.
"Anyway, she's decided that being a sculpturer's apprentice isn't exciting enough, so she's taken on a side hobby of essentially building a rebel army who oppose the Dark Lord, and are especially interested in keeping him off the continent. I know she would welcome any help. In case you also find yourself bored." It only took a few moments until Hermione fully understood what Draco was offering- safety for Goyle and his mother, but also a boon for them.
Goyle would probably not be the best asset inside the castle. She imagined that only his deep desire to be a Slytherin had him sorted into that House, because he was not subtle or particularly cunning.
But in France? A disillusioned Englishman, a teenager willing to leave his homeland and his father behind to rally against a madman taking over his country? That was powerful. There he could be a great asset.
Goyle's lips curved into a smile, half-relief, half-mischief.
"Like I said, Mum and Aunt Louise are happy to move to France. They're smart witches, but it would probably take a little time for them to settle in, it would only be right for me to escort them, and in the meantime I'd probably have some free time on my schedule."
Draco smirked but she saw pride shining in his eyes as he regarded his old friend, and he extended his hand for a shake.
Theo nudged her discreetly, and Hermione wondered if she'd underestimated Greg Goyle.
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Narcissa distracted herself from the horror that surrounded her by planning Draco and Hermione's nuptials. It was truly the only aspect of her life that didn't fill her with fear or apprehension.
She knew that they wanted to keep the occasion simple, but that didn't mean that it couldn't be nice or that they ddin't deserve for it to be well considered.
A lovely altar beside the lake. An intimate dinner following the ceremony. A beautiful dress that she and Helen spent a couple of weekends transporting different versions of based on what Hermione had stated that she wanted to Scotland, so that she could try them on during her weekend visits in Hogsmeade.
Claire painted beautiful invitations which were completely unnecessary due to the intimate nature of the event, because everybody knew when it was taking place and when to arrive, but she insisted that they deserved the effort and that it would be a wonderful souvenir of the day.
The flowers were the most important in Narcissa's mind, and she was pleased to be put in touch with her second cousin Luna Lovegood, who was adamant about making a crown for Hermione's hair. And everything the young witch suggested just…made sense.
Andromeda was a blessing and a comfort. Narcissa had missed her sister and she had come back into Narcissa's life angry, but also so pleased to have her sister did their best to make up for lost time.
Narcissa cherished their teas more than she dreaded those that she continued to have with Bellatrix. Her eldest sister grew more and more ill due to Narcissa's actions, and yet she still felt guilty that she didn't feel more guilty that she was the reason she was declining. Andromeda understood and sympathized, and they mourned the girl that they'd both once idolized.
She lived in fear of the nights that her husband would be called to revels, especially as the burn on his arm came increasingly often. He distanced himself from her, she knew that he did it to protect her, but it hurt. It wasn't quite as bad as it had been during the first war, but it still stung.
When he came home one night in late spring she was waiting for him.
"Hello," she said softly as he stepped out of the floo." She looked him over but he didn't seem to be injured and his robes looked clean.
"Hello," he responded, "why aren't you in bed?"
"My husband was in a precarious position. It's difficult to sleep in that state."
He sighed. "I'm sorry Cissa, it was not my intention to worry you."
"I know that, but we're in this together. I'm not weak. I was just waiting up for you. Is that so unimaginable?"
"No, not at all," he sighed. "But I'm reminded in these moments that I don't deserve you, and I'm sorry."
"Well I disagree with that, but you're forgiven, if that's what you need to hear. Now, what I do need to hear is what happened tonight."
Lucius just looked at her for a long time. Finally, he took off his outer robes and discarded them. She opened her arms and he walked into them, wrapping his arms around her waist the pressing his cheek to her forehead.
"Honestly Cissa, he's even more insane than I realized. I think it's the only reason he's given Bellatrix so much lee-way. It's both good and bad because he's not at optimum capacity mentally, which means that he's much more easily fooled than he was before, but it's also terrifying, because there's really no predicting what he will do. I certainly didn't see Edinburgh coming. I think we have to act sooner than later."
"So, we follow Draco and Hermione's plan?"
"I think it's our best bet. I also think that they will act with our without our permission, but it will be easier with our help."
"Are we terrible parents? I keep looking back at all the times we could have just removed them from the situation."
"I don't know the answer to that question, I think we did what we thought was best at the time, every time. And this is where we are now, this is what we have to deal with, what they have to deal with. I also think that we both know that they will do whatever they think is right, regardless of our opinion."
"Are you saying that you believe this fight was inevitable? With the children involved?"
"I think that six years ago you laid in this same bed and told me about a little muggleborn girl who was going to change our lives," Lucius responded, his voice flat.
Her heart sank. "You're angry."
"No," he shook his head, "I'm telling you that you were right. You told me at the time that we had that conversation to trust you. Now you need to trust you. I need you to trust you, Cissa, because otherwise I don't know how to begin to grapple with this and there's no going back."