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I, Too, Shall Follow by notwolf [Reviews - 2]

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Lucius disliked shopping, as a rule. He despised shopping in Muggle areas as Lord Voldemort had forced him to do, he loathed shopping for women’s clothing, particularly shoes, but overall he simply didn’t enjoy the activity…unless it involved rare poisons or Dark artifacts, which one was hardly going to come across in the course of an ordinary excursion. He’d have sent Sisidy to buy a present for Narcissa’s upcoming birthday, were it not for the fact that house-elves tended to have a disturbing taste for gaudy baubles. Narcissa was refined and perfect, she deserved a gift that showed it. And so, Lucius took himself down to Horizont Alley in search of something worthy of a Malfoy woman.

Jewelry was always a good bet, his father advised him, as if he hadn’t thought of that himself. The first and only place on his list to visit was Maytel’s Jewels, the most expensive of the jewelry stores—because, after all, you get what you pay for. He perused the shop, peering intently down into the glass counters at a wide variety of rings, necklaces, bracelets, and earrings, not really impressed. He could have found a similar spread in any of the other shops.

“Mr. Malfoy, is there anything I can help you with?” inquired Mrs. Maytel, who’d tailed him around the entire time, pointing out especially lovely pieces.

Lucius frowned in lieu of yawning. “I’m not finding anything I like. My wife isn’t common; she requires accessories to showcase her beauty.”

“Please, come back here with me,” Mrs. Maytel invited, indicating a tiny room to the back of the shop. “We keep the most exclusive, and I’m afraid most expensive, objects out of sight.”

Intrigued, Lucius followed her into the cramped room, wondering why he’d never heard of this before. He’d been jewelry shopping before… His attention became focused on a narrow wooden cabinet built into one wall; the top had been un-charmed and lifted, revealing several exquisite sets of gems of varying colors and styles. His eye automatically drew to the emerald set, but the woman lifted instead a teardrop sapphire necklace on a white gold chain so fine it almost appeared not to have a chain at all.

“This would complement your wife’s coloring and her eyes, don’t you think?”

Lucius rested it in his palm. It was certainly delicate and elegant like Narcissa, and the blue matched her eyes very well. Again he cast a glance over at the emerald set, which seemed clunky and mannish in comparison. “Are those the earrings to match?”

“Indeed they are. There’s also a bracelet.” She held up what almost looked like several blue teardrops suspended in the air.

The man shook his head curtly. The chain might easily snap, being so thin, and while he didn’t begrudge spending a great deal of money on his wife, he didn’t like the idea of all those galleons falling in the gutter due to a broken chain. “I’ll take the necklace and earrings. Wrap them and send them to Malfoy Manor; charge my account at Gringotts for the balance.”

“Thank you for your business, Mr. Malfoy. I’ll do that,” the woman chirped, glowing as she picked up the earrings.

Lucius left the shop, feeling a great weight off his chest. Narcissa’s birthday was taken care of, he was now free to do as he pleased. Only a short jaunt down the street he entered a pub.

“What can I get you, Mr. Malfoy?” asked the bartender.

“Malfoy?” echoed a voice.

Lucius turned to see an elderly gentleman at a table to his left. He should know that man…Breen. Ciro Breen. With a polite smile he extended a hand. “Mr. Breen, how are you this afternoon?”

“Fine, lad. Won’t you join me?”

“Of course.” Having instructed the bartender to bring him an ale, Lucius pulled out a chair and seated himself opposite the man. “So, Governor, what brings you to Horizont Alley?”

“The wife,” confessed the old man. “She’s got the grandchildren to shop for. I’m just here.” He chuckled as he took a swig of his wine. From the flushed appearance of his visage, it was evident he’d been drinking for some time while waiting for the woman.

“I see. I’ve been dragged here before by my wife,” Lucius commiserated.

“Where is it you work, young man? Department of Misuse of Magic?”

“No, Underage Magic. Enthralling work,” he said with a sigh, trying not to sound as bored as he felt at the mention of his job. The bartender brought him his ale, which he sipped genteelly. If he got half-lit in public again, both Narcissa and his father would have meltdowns.

“Am I remembering correctly—didn’t you say you’d like to be a governor?” the man asked with an odd, shrewd look.

Blank faced, Lucius replied, “I may have mentioned it. Why do you ask?”

“Well, at the risk of sounding rude, I’m not entirely sure you’re cut out for governorship.”

“Excuse me?” drawled Lucius, blinking in surprise.

“Don’t get me wrong, lad, you’re bright as they come,” the man said, taking another swallow of wine. “You’ll go far in the Ministry. The thing is, everyone knows Malfoys hold traditional pureblood ideas. The way Hogwarts is integrated nowadays, those ideals might hinder your effectiveness as governor. I believe you’d do better to set your sights on another position.”

For a long, awkward moment Lucius didn’t reply. How exactly does one reply to the suggestion that one is unfit for a desired career? Surprise had been overtaken by anger and resentment, neither of which showed on his placid countenance. Yes, he believed purebloods were superior because they were! He refused to pretend otherwise. Slowly he intoned, “That’s certainly food for thought.” Not to mention a huge slap in the face. “Do the other governors feel the same?”

“I wouldn’t know, I haven’t discussed this with anyone but you. Isn’t their business, now is it?” Breen smiled.

“No, sir, it isn’t.” The urge to toss his drink in the man’s simpering face was barely contained by years of self-control. How dare he judge Lucius’ suitability for the job when they’d met only once before! He had no authority, no right! And what if Lucius went ahead and applied for the position when Breen retired, as he was sure to do in a year or two; would Breen put in a word against him, preventing his appointment?

“I’d best go, my wife expects me to join her for lunch.” Breen got up.

Lucius stood up as well. “I’ll walk you out.” Slightly behind the other man, Lucius followed him out. “Governor, would you mind?” With a quick look around to make sure they weren’t detected, he took hold of the old gentleman’s sleeve and, before Breen could respond, they Disapparated.

“Where are we?” Breen demanded, swiveling his head around the orchard at Malfoy Manor. “Why did you—”

The wand already clutched in Lucius’ hand shot out a hex that struck Breen in the chest, and he became immobile, almost trancelike. “Governor Breen, you’re going to retire within the week. You will nominate and strongly recommend Lucius Malfoy as your replacement. Any suggestion to the contrary will be wholly unacceptable. You will conduct your life in your ordinary manner, you won’t remember coming here, you won’t remember being placed under the Imperius. You will only have a strong desire to see Lucius Malfoy take your place as governor because he is intelligent, capable, fair-minded, adept at business, and any other compliments you care to come up with. Do you understand what you’re to do?”

“Yes, Malfoy. I’ll see to it that you’re instated at my retirement.”

“Good job, Ciro. I call you Ciro because you consider me almost like a son, we’re so like-minded.” Lucius smirked, holding back the snickers clamoring to burst forth. He felt absolutely exhilarated. First the Muggle, now Breen; if he’d known how easy it was to Imperio people, he might have begun years ago! But no, caution and prudence must still prevail. This must be used only in extraordinary circumstances. “And call me Lucius. We are friends.”

“Alright, Lucius. I’ll go begin the process of retiring now.”

“Not quite yet. You’re to have lunch with your wife first, to tell her of your plan. And don’t forget to invite me to the retirement party.”

Breen smiled. “You’re such a helpful young man. I’m glad you’ll be taking my place.” He gave a little wave and Disapparated.

Alone in the orchard, grinning broadly, Lucius strolled up toward the mansion. Everyone would be so surprised in a few days’ time when they discovered he’d been named the new governor. He’d better practice his amazed-yet-pleased expression; there were bound to be photographers present.

XXXOOOXXXOOOXXXOOOXXXOOO

Grueling. The past week had been absolutely grueling for the seventh years at Hogwarts as they endured their N.E.W.T. exams. Severus walked out of the testing area with a throbbing headache in his temple, which he rapidly quelled with the tip of his wand.

“Are you alright, Severus?” asked Glenna, reaching up to stroke his head.

“Yes, I’m fine—the stress of it—I’m fine. Do you think you passed?”

Glenna gave a rueful smile and shrugged. “I really don’t know. I’m sure you passed, though. You’ve never failed an O.W.L., so I think you’ll do great on your N.E.W.T.s.”

Severus took her in his arms and squeezed her to him so hard she squealed. “I’m glad you believe in me.”

“I do. You have so much potential, you can do whatever you want.” At the look crossing his face she revised her statement. “As long as You-Know-Who approves, that is.”

“I wish I knew what he wanted. Right now I can choose, but if it conflicts later on…I don’t want to talk about that.” Hand in hand they proceeded down the corridor. When they reached the Slytherin common room, they flopped down on a couch in exhaustion.

“Severus, do you ever think of our future?” Glenna remarked casually. At least she hoped she appeared casual.

“Not really. I’m content the way things are,” he said truthfully.

“But things won’t stay this way. We’ll be leaving school very shortly. You’ll get a job, I—I don’t think I’ll get one, my parents don’t think it’s appropriate for a young lady. They say I should get married,” she said, watching Severus’ face for signs of reaction.

Severus’ lips drew back into a grimace. This was it—they were having the talk! “We’re too young to seriously consider marriage, and I don’t want to end up fighting all the time like my parents did for most of my life.”

“We’re not them, and lots of people wed young. What if we decided to have a baby? Shouldn’t we be married?” Glenna persisted.

The young man snorted. “I definitely don’t want kids. They’re a pain.”

“You’re so good with Tina and Julius.”

“They’re my siblings, not my children.”

Glenna’s head dropped and she averted her face. “I always assumed you wanted a family.”

Severus put his arm around her, pulling her close, lowering his voice almost to a whisper, to what sounded like a plea for understanding. “I already have a family to take care of, I don’t need any more responsibilities, Glenna. Aren’t you happy?”

“Yes,” she murmured reluctantly. If ‘happy’ meant melancholy and disillusioned, she was positively ecstatic. “I’m tired. I’m going to my room to rest.” Wiggling out of his grasp, she hurried from the room and into the girls’ dormitory.

Severus could have called after her…he wanted to, yet there were numerous students in the room; he hated to draw attention that way. She’d be back for supper, and they’d work things out then. He gave a mirthless, silent laugh. Could they work it out? Glenna had been as plain as it was possible to be without painting him a picture, but he simply wasn’t ready for that kind of commitment. There was so much going on right now. Maybe if he convinced her to wait, if things changed for the better…

“Hey, Sev, what’s up?” Nott ambled up to the sofa, not looking nearly as worn out as he should after a N.E.W.T.

“I think Glenna’s cross with me,” he said sullenly.

“You think? You don’t even know?” scoffed Nott. “Heck, I don’t even have a girlfriend, but I can tell when a girl is mad at me.”

“Bully for you,” drawled Severus.

“Want some Firewhisky? I have some in the room.”

Severus shook his head. “I don’t drink.” Even so, he got up to go to his room. He was quite drained.

XXXOOOXXXOOOXXXOOOXXXOOO

Glenna hadn’t come out of her room for supper. Severus waited, he even sent a younger girl up to fetch her, to no avail. The only response he got was, “I’m not hungry.” At last, in frustration, he went off without her. It felt strange and awful to be traversing the hallways alone…well, not technically alone, for his roommates and Regulus accompanied him. Still, he didn’t like it one bit. To know he’d left her distressed made him doubly grieved.

After he’d gone, Mulciber slipped out from the alcove in the common room where he’d been keeping watch, and made a beeline for the girls’ dorm. If Glenna had the same room as last year, he knew exactly where she’d be. If not…that could be problematic. He tapped lightly on the door.

Silence. Finally he heard a stirring, and the door opened. Glenna’s eyes, red from weeping, infuriated him. He was more than a little tempted to run to the Hall, pounce on Severus, and beat him half to death for offending her.

“Jack, what’re you doing here? If Professor Slughorn catches you in the girls’ dorm—”

“Don’t worry about me, I don’t really care. Can I come in?”

Glenna’s first thought was to tell him no, yet if one of the girls saw her talking to him, it would get back to Severus. She didn’t want the boys fighting. “You can come in for a minute, but if you try to kiss me again you’ll be singing soprano.”

Jack laughed as he passed her; he loved how spirited she was. Then another look at her sorrowful visage brought a renewed anger burning in his chest. “He hurt you, Glenna. I told you he would.”

“I’m just upset. I’ll get over it.”

“You’ll get over him not wanting to marry you?” asked Mulciber as he lay back on one of the beds, the one he thought might be hers.

“Were you eavesdropping?” she hissed, pushing his feet down, making him sit up.

“The common room’s not exactly private, you know.” When she turned away, biting her lip, he barely managed to resist an urge to take her shoulders and spin her to him. He dared not, as it violated the agreement with Severus not to touch her. Even so, he stood up to come close to her. “I do want a family. If you decided to dump him and come to me, I’d welcome you with open arms. If not, I hope we can still be friends after graduation. That’s all.”

“Yeah, we can be friends,” Glenna said softly. “But, Jack, please stop trying to get back together with me. It hurts me, and I can see it hurts you, too.”

“Until you’re married, whether to Snape or someone else, I can’t stop trying. I love you. I want you to be happy, preferably with me. It kills me that he’d have the gall to reject you.”

“He didn’t reject me!” she retorted, wheeling on him. “We’re young, we need to give it time, he said. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

“I guess.” If only he had the words to make her see that she was driving him out of his mind. If only he could make her love him again. What did she see in Snape? So he was smart and good at Potions and Healing. He wasn’t handsome like Jack, and he obviously sucked at giving a girl the security she needed. “I’d better go.”

“Jack—thanks for coming. Thank you for caring,” she whispered, afraid she might break down in front of him, which could only be disastrous for them both.

“I’ll always care,” he promised simply. “I’ll see you later.”

XXXOOOXXXOOOXXXOOOXXXOOO

“Blondie! Oh, sorry—Lucius,” Bella sneered sarcastically. “What brings you here?”

Lucius strode right past her. “Not really your business,” he answered, though his excitement prevented him from looking stern. “Where’s the Master?”

At the sight of Rodolphus sauntering in from the left, Lucius bit back a nauseated frown. It was bad enough to picture Bellatrix ‘getting freaky’ with Lord Voldemort—an image he wished he could scour from his brain—but to imagine Bella having two lovers in the same place, possibly at the same time, made him want to throw up. He rather forgot why he was here.

Bellatrix rapped the top of his head with her wand. “Anybody home? Ah, there you are. The Dark Lord said he’ll see you when the other gets here.”

“What other? And when did he say that? You’ve been here the whole time.”

She smirked in her infuriating Bellatrix-smirking way that always made him want to swat her like a mosquito. “He called Snape.”

That was all: He called Snape. Was that good or bad? He wouldn’t have long to wait, for Severus came hurrying in looking as bewildered as Lucius felt, his Death Eater robes swirling about him, his mask in his hand. They exchanged glances of uncertainty while indulging in a pathetically stilted conversation.

“Severus, how are you?”

“Fine, Lucius. You?”

“Likewise.”

Rodolphus gestured at the two of them. “Touching reunion. You’d better get in there.”

Together they entered the large room to find Voldemort seated on a throne?! Lucius dropped to his knees, crawled over, and kissed his robe. Severus did the same, then they got up, neither one betraying by expression or word how aghast they felt at the sight before them. If Voldemort whipped out a crown for his head, Lucius was certain he’d lose his composure and burst out laughing, subsequently bringing about a severe episode of rolling on the floor screaming like a colicky newborn. Personally, he preferred to do without the pain.

“My Lord, I have wonderful news,” Lucius began hesitantly, still wondering why Severus was here, and fervently hoping it didn’t involve torturing the boy for some perceived fault—or worse, making him torture the kid.

“Yes, Lucius?” said Voldemort, drawing out the ‘s’ longer than his typical snake-like hiss.

“Master, I’ve accomplished the goal you set for me,” Lucius explained, growing animated and grinning in spite of himself. “I’ve been appointed governor! I’ll be able to oversee Hogwarts and Dumbledore!”

Severus nearly wrenched his neck he swung it so fast, though only a slight widening of his eyes betrayed his shock. He’d presumed it would take years to pander to enough people to acquire such a position. Then again, this was Lucius Malfoy; he’d been flattering and ingratiating himself with people since he was a young boy, and no matter what anyone might say, wealth speaks loud and clear.

For his part, Voldemort practically radiated satisfaction. His cruel mouth twisted upward at the corners and his red eyes lost a hint of their fierceness. “Excellent, Malfoy! Well done, my friend.”

“Thank you, my Lord,” responded Lucius, inclining his head in acceptance of the praise.

“How did you manage it so quickly?”

Here Lucius stumbled. Rather than on merit, he’d used Dark Magic, for which the Dark Lord couldn’t fault him, could he? Nevertheless, the truth was the only sensible course. “Last week the previous governor informed me that he thought I was wasting my time in pursuing the position, so I proved him wrong. I placed him under the Imperius and ordered him to resign and nominate me as his successor.”

Voldemort positively exploded in roaring laughter—roaring cackles, at any rate. Severus stared over at his friend with a mixture of awe and disbelief. The Imperius was an Unforgivable Curse…but then, so was the Cruciatus, and he’d used that plenty of times. Still, the audacity of the man to use it on someone of such high office! He felt a whole new respect for Lucius developing on the spot.

“Lucius, my friend, my loyal servant, I am extremely pleased with your tidings, especially as our friend Severus will be leaving Hogwarts in another week or so. This couldn’t have come at a better time.”

“The pleasure is mine, Master,” said Lucius, literally basking in the unaccustomed commendation.

All at once Voldemort turned on Snape, who’d put out of his mind that he was here for a reason other than watching Lucius proclaim his success. “Severus, I’ve summoned you for a report. I set you to spy on Dumbledore, yet I’ve heard nothing from you.” He didn’t look even vaguely happy anymore.

Severus ducked his head automatically as the cold red eyes landed on him. “Master, I haven’t much to tell. I was only able to sneak into Dumbledore’s office once. He has a Pensieve.”

“A Pensieve?” The Dark Lord leaned forward slightly. “These are not common. Did you look into it?”

“Yes, my Lord, but I had very little time. I saw Dumbledore with Grindelwald. They were discussing ruling the world and subjugating or killing Muggles ‘for the greater good’, they said.”

Voldemort’s interest had become outright astonishment. He narrowed his eyes to slits. “Do you have any idea when this occurred?” If it were recent, he’d have two rivals—a very powerful team—to overcome.

“They were young, about my age,” Severus said, unaware of the almost panicked musings of the Dark Lord.

A long hiss of air emanated from the Master. “That hypocritical old bastard. He would condemn me for thinking the same things he did—or does, for all we know,” he growled. “Make it a point to use the Pensieve again before you must leave Hogwarts. And try to find something valuable to the cause.”

“Yes, my Lord.” He bowed low, then straightened to see Lucius peering intently at him, silently reminding him of his advice when he joined the Death Eaters—make himself useful. He would make himself useful, in order to help bring about a quick end to this war.

XXXOOOXXXOOOXXXOOOXXXOOO

Looking glum and depressed, Glenna sat alone in the common room when Severus returned. Without even thinking, he charged over and swept her into his arms. “I’m sorry I upset you, Glenna. I really am.”

“I know, but it’s my fault. I shouldn’t have brought it up. We don’t need to talk about marriage so soon,” she assured him, clinging tightly to his thin yet strong frame.

“Thank you,” he murmured, nuzzling his face in her hair. “Let’s be happy right now.” Now is all we have, he added to himself. Life was unsure enough for ordinary people; he was a Death Eater, they were at war…anything could happen. There was no telling what tomorrow might bring.













I, Too, Shall Follow by notwolf [Reviews - 2]

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