The Brightest Black

The bed shifted and Sirius looked over to see his bedmate sitting up and stretching. He took a moment to appreciate her muscular curves. For a moment he wished for dark red hair to curtain those delicious shoulder blades, but then he shook his head. No, that was dangerous thinking. He had an arrangement with Alice. Besides, he really didn't want a potentially serious girlfriend.

"It's nearly time to go pick up the children."

He smiled and sat up, "They won't be children much longer. Hermione is already seventeen and the others will quickly follow."

Alice scoffed as she bent over and picked up her clothes. "They will always be children in my mind, no matter how old they get."

His smile widened, "So, when Neville marries Pansy Parkinson and gives you grandchildren it will be a case of children begetting children?"

She shuddered as she slipped into her pants, "Don't say such things. I'm much too young to be a grandmother."

"You also married your childhood sweetheart and almost immediately popped out a kid. If he takes after you then of course you'll be a young grandmother."

Sirius slipped into his own clothes as he spoke, there was no time to dawdle. With Death Eaters on the loose he wanted to be at the platform before the train got in.

"And you'll be a young grandfather. I just bet Harry and Ginny will take after their parents and start early. You know part of why Molly never sealed her magic at her wedding was because it was too late. She already had a bun in her oven."

He rolled his eyes, "I know that. And much as I adore Molly and Arthur I don't really want to think about them playing between the sheets."

She snickered and walked over to the mirror to tidy her short brown hair as he buttoned up his woolen robes.

"Point."

"Thanks, partner. Now, do you want to arrange another meeting before Christmas vacation is up? I'm sure we'll be able to find a few private moments."

She set the comb down and draped her own winter cloak around her shoulders. "No, this is the last time."

He froze and looked at her in shock, "What?"

"I said, this is the last time. You almost said the wrong name and I know you were picturing a different face."

"Alice..."

"No, don't apologize. You know I sometimes do the same. Now," she held up her well-manicured hand to forestall any comments from him, "I want your Christmas gift to me to be you asking her on a real date. According to Tonks she can't keep her eyes off of you."

"But-" He floundered, trying to come up with a reason not to do this. He was comfortable, and he had bigger worries right now. He didn't need a real relationship. The friends with benefits thing had worked for almost ten years now. "She-she's almost a decade younger than me!"

Alice rolled her eyes and picked up a comb and set to work tidying his hair and tying it at the nape of his neck.

"Sirius, she's only seven years younger and didn't you just tell Remus two months ago that age wasn't important?"

"That-that's different!"

She pulled back and gave him a piercing gaze. "It is? How?"

He couldn't think of an answer she would accept, so he took a different path, "I have two children! Children that are almost grown! I could end up with another child that is the same age as my grandchildren!"

"Sirius Orion Black, that is a lousy excuse. You're just afraid to let someone in. And it may have torn me apart to lose Frank, but I never regretted a single moment with him. And if I could go back I would change nothing. Understand?"

He nodded mutely.

"Good, now I want you to ask her tomorrow. If you don't I shall enlist Andromeda's help. Got it?"

His eyes widened at the thought of his cousin combining forces with one of his best friends.

It was bloody terrifying.

"Fine, I'll ask her."

She smiled at that and slipped her sturdy dragonhide boots on before leaving the room.

He watched her go and let out a sigh of resignation.

But, even as he slipped on his own boots and followed her out he was thinking of and discarding every restaurant in Wizarding Britain.

If he was going to do this, he was going to do it right.

XXX

Hermione felt the train begin to slow down. Annoyed at the bad timing, she carefully put away the old tomb on wandlore she'd been reading. She knew about the connection between Harry and Voldemort's wand - Olivander had informed them that Harry's wand had a brother during their first year.

She just had to determine WHY Harry's holly and phoenix feather wand had chosen him. What had drawn the twin core to Harry?

Sadly, the tomes she had been studying were rather skimpy on details. Typically brother wands went to two people with similar personalities or family magic.

She knew for a fact that there was no connection between Harry and Tom Riddle in either category.

But there had to be a reason. There just HAD to be.

"Hey, 'Mione, you coming?"

She shoved aside thoughts of wands and links, she'd continue her research at home.

"Yes, let's go."

She grabbed their bags and followed Harry off, allowing him to maneuver their trunks. As they walked past the loo she heard retching and looked in to see Crabbe worshiping the porcelain god.

She couldn't help but let her lips twist into a sneer. Likely he'd indulged in too many sweets. Couldn't have happened to a nicer Slytherin.

She delibrately stopped herself from wondering why Crabbe was without his Malfoy overlord. She'd spent the past month doing her best to avoid him. She wasn't going to break that by thinking of him now.

Not when she had weeks before she had to see him again.

XXX

Lucius watched the Hogwarts express chug cheerfully up to the station. Every time he saw it he was thrown back to his own school years.

He missed those years. Life had been simple, nothing was life or death. Now...now he truly feared for his family.

Luckily the Dark Lord was off somewhere, he would be gone for a week. That meant there was still a week before Lucius lost his son.

And he knew he would lose him, even if Draco didn't get marked until he was seventeen. The Dark Lord was just too powerful. What he wanted, he took. And Malfoys were too easily taken.

If he wanted Draco, then Lucius didn't think he'd be able to stop it from happening.

The train screeched to a halt and the crowded station became flooded with cheerful students a moment later. All of them were bundled up against the cold, wearing scarves and hats that demonstrated their House loyalties for all to see.

It wasn't hard to find Potter and his friends. It was easy to see the small herd of Gryffindors infiltrated by one Slytherin and one Ravenclaw.

He watched as his wife's cousin and the other parents approach. Roy Parkinson offered a polite handshake to Sirius Black and Lucius found himself wanting to break into hysterical laughter.

There, on the platform was a peaceful exchange between two people with very different ideals.

If the Dark Lord had his way such an exchange would never occur again. Black would be dead and Roy would be pulled off the fence and become a Death Eater.

"Father? Where is mother?"

Lucius was surprised, but quite glad that he didn't show it as he turned to look at the best thing in his life.

"Merry Christmas, Draco. And your mother shall be joining us at the restaurant. I needed to speak with you first."

That, and Bellatrix had been left in charge with the Dark Lord's disappearance. She didn't trust them at all, apparently Narcissa's mending of fences with Andromeda had essentially made her a blood-traitor in Bellatrix's eyes.

They were only able to go to the restaurant together because it would raise red flags if they didn't.

The Malfoys always went out to eat after picking up Draco from the station.

The Crabbes had agreed to have an early dinner at the restaurant so as to keep an eye on the Malfoys. At Bellatrix's rather deadly insistence.

Lucius looked over to see Norman Crabbe looking for his son. Hopefully Vincent Crabbe had taken the bait and eaten those puking pasties he'd been sent. Honestly, that boy was an idiot if he thought any girl would send him sweets. Luckily, the Crabbes were known for being loyal, not intelligent.

"Do you have your trunk?"

"Right here," Draco said, pointing to the dark green school trunk at his feet.

"Dobby," Lucius said.

Immediately the terrified little house elf popped into view. Lucius scowled, he hated the disgusting creatures, even if they were useful.

"Yes, master?"

"Take Draco's trunk to the house and get it unpacked. Also," he added as an afterthought, "I forbid you from listening to anyone without Malfoy blood - aside from Narcissa. The same goes for the other elves."

The thought of Bellatrix being forced to make her own tea made him want to snicker like a schoolboy. Salazar, he hated that woman.

"Yes, master," the elf said with a bow so low his nose touched the floor. After that he popped out, taking the trunk with him.

"Father, why did-"

"Later, Draco, we need to depart immediately."

Draco frowned, but reached out to take the arm that Lucius extended to him.

A moment later they were in a deserted forest. One of the places Lucius commonly used as an apparition spot to throw off aurors.

Draco looked around in confusion, but before he could say anything, Lucius began to speak.

"Listen, Draco, we don't have much time. I'm sure you know by now that I lied about being under the imperius?"

Draco audibly gulped, but nodded.

"That is true, but it is also true that I never had a choice. Not a real one. Now, I've spoken to you some about the Malfoy family magic, but I didn't plan to share this part until you were seventeen."

Now the boy looked frightened, "Then why are you telling me now? What's happened?"

"You know what happened. Your mother's chosen bride for you has been in the thick of it all. What you don't know is that our house has been occupied, hence our rushed conversation here."

His son grew deathly pale, "They-They're in our HOUSE?"

"Yes."

Draco gaped at him for a moment before saying a handful of words that tore Lucius apart.

"You can't be my father."

It took a moment for Lucius to gather enough air to speak. And by the time he had his son's eyes had turned as hard as the cursed silver blade Bellatrix carried next to her wand.

"Draco, please, you need to-"

"No! I won't!" Draco stomped his foot as he spoke, bringing back fond memories of him demanding more sweets during previous Christmases.

"You have no choice! And I don't have time for your childish antics! If you don't hear this, you could die!"

"You're lying!"

"No," Lucius said coldly, trying to get through to his son.

Draco's jaw clenched and he looked around the clearing, as if he could find an escape route.

Lucius actually felt quite proud. He never could have defied his father when he was Draco's age, he'd been too fearful of the man.

"You can't apparate yet. I know you're doing well in your Saturday classes, but you can only apparate to where you can see. We're not leaving until I talk. Even if it gets me a session under the cruciatus by your aunt."

"Bellatrix Lestrange is NOT my aunt," Draco bit out.

That told Lucius a lot. Quite a lot.

"Fine, she's not your aunt. But the truth stands that we shall not be leaving here until I speak."

Draco glared, but said nothing.

Lucius gave a sharp nod, "Alright, as you know, Malfoy magic tends to be about subtle management through any means necessary - typically potions and charms. We use this to protect what is ours and keep the family strong. What you don't know is the price we pay."

Draco opened his mouth to speak, but Lucius held up a hand, "No, let me finish. The price is that it does not matter how powerful we become as a family or as an individual we always crave to follow someone more powerful. It does not matter what kind of power. Sadly, I was introduced to the Dark Lord before I noticed your mother."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that my magic, the part that makes me a Malfoy, attached me to the first truly powerful person I admired. And, I was raised by my father to be an upstanding pureblood. Of course I admired the Dark Lord when I met him. My father admired him as well. It is virtually impossible for me to say no to him. Maybe if you or your mother were in danger I could, but that is not certain. I've looked and no Malfoy has broken the chain that tied them to their master. That is part of why Narcissa wanted you married to a witch that did not seal her magic. She hopes to eliminate the forced bond and all the misery it brings."

Draco's face had grown horrified the more Lucius had spoken, but, at a certain point it became thoughtful.

"Are you saying I need to admire them to form this bond?"

"Correct."

"But, I don't admire the Dark Lord. He disgusts me. And I'm not going to our home if he is there."

Lucius grimaced, "I'm afraid you have no choice."

Draco's eyes narrowed and his wand appeared in his hand. Lucius couldn't help but feel proud of his son.

"What, are you going to bind me and drag me there?"

"No."

"Then what?"

"Draco, they have your mother. That's why only I met you at the station. Margery Crabbe is keeping an eye on her at the restaurant. We're only allowed to go to keep up appearances. I sent your friend – Vincent – puking pasties so I could slip away from his father."

Lucius could see the gears churning as Draco tried to think of a solution. He looked so much like his mother that it almost hurt to look at him.

When had Draco grown up?

"Can't we rescue her? Go in, wands drawn?"

He shuddered and shook his head, "No, I can't betray him like this – with forethought. Besides, I'm sure Margery is not the only one there. Bella will spare no effort when it comes to following the Dark Lord's orders."

"I don't believe you."

"Will you believe it when I tell you that if we don't go immediately your mother may die? I'm sure Norman has located and cured his son by now. Even he is not completely incompetent."

Draco stared at him intensely before looking down at the dead leaves under their feet. "Fine, but I refuse to take the mark."

"He won't ask until you are seventeen. Your mother will have figured out a solution by then." Lucius reached out and put his hand on Draco's shoulder. The boy tensed, but did not move away.

"Draco, I know we never talk about emotions, but I want you to know that I am a Malfoy. Family always comes first. Understand?"

Those silver eyes, so like his own, bored into him, judging him. Lucius tried to show every bit of love and pride he had for the boy that his love with Narcissa had created.

"Even against the chain you claim no Malfoy has ever broken? A chain you suspect will ensnare me, tying me to a man that thinks murdering and torturing people is an acceptable activity?"

Pain twisted in Lucius' chest and he whispered, "I don't know."

Before Draco could reply, they apparated out. Only a slight disturbance in the fallen leaves showed that anyone had been in the clearing at all.