Harry Potter and the Silent Dead: Book 1

Chapter 19: Freedom

Lucius sat at his desk, fingers steepled as he thought over the events of this morning. Harry Potter. There was something about the boy that just didn't seem right, and he wasn't talking about the other mysteries. Although he had to admit he had still been expecting a brash, rude Gryffindor, despite Draco's descriptions. Their was a darkness to the the child that he recognised. Still, Lucius couldn't be sure of how to proceed. On the one hand, having connections with the boy who lived could only lift the Malfoy family's standing in society. It could even give him some political sway in the future, if he played his cards right. On the other hand, despite his lord being dead, it still felt wrong to allow the child that killed him to stay in his house. Even without that, he worried for Draco. As the children grew, people would begin to expect much from them, simply because if their house and their family. Surely Potter would not wish to associate himself with them. Although from what his son had told him, Harry had little interest in the opinions of others, especially of one Albus Dumbledore. Though he wasn't sure why. This was not his only means for concern. He couldn't be imagining the bitterness surrounding the child, the portraits had noticed things too. They weren't sure what it was, but the boy was dark.

He was drawn from his musings by the alarmed cries if his wife, and he ran out of the office towards her. "Narcissa what is it?" She was standing in the hallway looking around the manor frantically. "I can't find the children! I've looked everywhere, they're gone!" Immediately he wondered what Harry had done to them, and the thought caught him off guard. To be cautious was one thing, but could this eleven year old really be a threat? "Dobby!" The small quivering elf apperated into view, eyes cast to the ground. "Where is my son and his friends?" Narcissa paused, and if he wasn't so worried he'd be amused that she hadn't considered asking the help. "Young master Draco and his friends is being in the floo room Master." What would they be doing in the floo room? They walked in to see the children standing around, and very clearly up to him. He stood in the background as Narcissa handled the situation. It was the magic that drew his attention. He felt it in the floo and looked over to see Potter standing innocently in the corner. When Narcissa announced  they hadn't done anything, he realised. This child was powerful. He could erase floo history, something many witches and wizards couldn't do, and non-verbally and wandlessly at that. He swiftly interrupted Narcissa.  "Actually, I'd like a word with Mr. Potter, I do apologise darling. I'm sure you can show him later."

Harry slowly followed the blond up to his office, worried about what this was about. They entered the mahogany-built room, the door closing behind him with an uncomfortable finality. "Mr Malfoy, may I..." He was cut off by the blonde standing and slamming his hands down onto the desk. "I don't know what you're up to Potter, but you are meddling with forces you couldn't possibly understand." Ah. So Malfoy had figured out he was dark. He took a seat, leaning back and crossing his arms. "Is that so?" Lucius continued, clearly unhappy with his response.  "The Dark Lord may be dead, but you and my son are not on equal sides. You will stay away from him, no matter what magic you use to change that. You will not take him from me!" So that's what he thought. That Harry was using dark magic to sway Draco to the light. " That is the most twisted and illogical theory I've ever heard. Quite frankly, Draco isn't quite insensitive enough to stomach extreme dark magic, it wouldn't be difficult to make him light if I wanted. However, if he was light, that would make things very difficult for me." He laughed at the surprise on the man's face before it was hidden by the usual cool impartial mask. "Is that so? And why would that be?" The smirk on Harry's face was wicked, as he released his aura, the very room darkening as his skin paled and his eyes shimmered with power. He reached out to the very foundations of the manors magic, pulling at the impressions left behind by its previous inhabitants. "Because the light really don't appreciate my kind." Ghosts from hundreds of years past solidified into existence, looming over the present Malfoy Lord, watching him with curious disdain. Fearfully, Lucius shrank back, looking at them in horror. "Necromancer."