𝐎𝐟𝐟 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬 | | 𝕝𝕦𝕔𝕚𝕦𝕤 𝕞𝕒𝕝𝕗𝕠𝕪

𝐀 𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬

If I had a highway, I would run for the hills
If you could find a dry way, I'd forever be still
But you're giving me a million reasons

The two stood in shock before Katherine walked over to the illuminated porch.
"Is that-" Narcissa started before Katherine shushed her.
"Lucius? What are you doing here?" She asked as they reached the porch. He turned around, his undereyes painfully red and swollen, a look of unease and weakness on his face. He stumbled towards her, holding his hands out as she grabbed on to him. He was frail, fragile, barely recognizable. It shattered her heart to see him in that state.

"There was-there was a mass breakout at Azkaban. The Dark Lord freed us all. I had assumed I could find the two of you here." He whispered, Katherine holding on to him as he struggled to stand. She couldn't believe it was him, someone she thought she would never see again right in front of her. It was as if he came back from the dead.
"Cissa, can you open the door please so we can bring him inside?"

Narcissa nodded and slowly pushed the cottage door open, Katherine pulling Lucius inside as she led him towards the living room. She sat him down on the sofa, grabbing a blanket to wrap around him gently. Her hand moved to gently stroke his cheek, her warm palms beginning to heat up his icy cold skin.
"I can't believe you're here." She whispered, letting her thumb trace circles on the curve of his face. His grey eyes stared at the ground below him avoiding her gaze.

"Katherine, dear, can you come into the kitchen for a moment?" Narcissa asked from the doorway.

She nodded, standing up to walk into the joined kitchen. Narcissa stood by the sink, nervously peeling an orange.
"Cissa, is something wrong?" She asked quietly. Narcissa bit her lip for a moment before setting the fruit back down on the table.
"How can we be sure it is him, and not someone who used Polyjuice Potion to impersonate him? Think about it, we technically disappeared. Who knows who could be after us. And him coming back from Azkaban, of all places? It seems incredibly suspicious." Narcissa mumbled, pulling out a plate from the cupboard before beginning to cut up strawberries.

"We have to ask him to tell us something he alone would know. I don't know, maybe like a secret you two have, or something he's said to us in private. I don't think anyone impersonating him would know all of his personal information." Katherine responded, glancing into the living room. Lucius was just sitting there silently, gazing blankly at the floor still. Katherine slowly stepped into the room with him, walking over to him before kneeling down to match his gaze.
"Luci, can you do me a favor? Can you tell me something that only me and you would know?" She asked quietly. Lucius looked up at her with cold, empty eyes that showed not ounce of warmth behind them.

"It will be pleasure and delight if I may serve you as a friend, as a friend, but all I have ever learned, all I can ever do, shall be for you and those you love. There are darknesses in life, and there are lights. You are one of the lights. You will have a happy life and a good life, and your husband will be blessed in you...that was the first line I had read to you the night before we stormed the Ministry." He recited, falling back against the sofa. Katherine smiled, leaning over to press a kiss to his cheek. But he stopped her, his hand pressing against her cheek solemnly. She bit her lip, stiffening before standing up.

"Luci, why don't we go upstairs so you can rest a bit?" She offered, offering him her hand. He took it slowly, standing up, his balance somewhat regained. She led him towards the staircase and up the steps as gently as she could. Luckily, her bedroom was the first room of the second floor. Gently pushing open the door, Katherine guided Lucius into the sunlight room. Sunlight, something she knew Lucius had not seen in ages.

"Here, let me at least get you cleaned up." Katherine mumbled as she pushed him gently to sit on the edge of the bed. She went into the bathroom, grabbing a muggle first aid kit from the medicine cabinet before coming back into the bedroom. He was staring at his reflection in the small mirror next to the bed. Once he heard her approach him, his head quickly snapped back to her, his stone eyes glassy.
"Is that truly what I look like now?"