Lucius' Reflections
Chapter 13 of 14
Velvet SongHermione is returning to Hogwarts to teach Potions, and finds something dark and mysterious in the forest.
ReviewedIMPORTANT NOTES ARE AT THE BOTTOM. PLEASE READ.
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Lucius' Reflections
"I'm crazy!"
Lucius rolled his eyes at his black-clad friend. "You are not crazy, Severus. She is very pretty, after all; she is bright, witty and..."
"And my student! My underage student at that," Snape argued.
"She is perfect for you, and she is not going to be a teen forever," replied the older wizard. "She is already a year older than the rest of her year-mates, or so Draco told me. Come next year, she will be a legal and consenting adult."
"Well, there will not be anything to consent to, considering that I will not survive to next year!" Before the blond could tell him he was wrong, Snape continued, "You know that when the War comes and we have to cross the line that he will not let us go unpunished. I doubt that we will even make it to the other side. Besides..." he bowed his head to hide his watering eyes... "after tonight, the little witch will hate me."
Lucius did not have to ask what his friend meant; he already knew: Severus had to kill Dumbledore.
"She would not hate you, not if she knew what was happening."
"But she cannot know," Snape growled. "My father, in all his glorious wisdom, doesn't want her, or Potter, or those Weasley brats to know. They do not have the ability to ward their minds against the Dark Lord, and Dumbledore does not want to risk him stumbling across that information should he go searching in their unguarded minds."
Lucius leaned against the marble counter in his kitchen as he watched his best friend storm around the room wildly, stomping across his polished wood floor in a spectacularly dramatic fashion.
Despite the sneering and snarking that Snape bestowed upon his students, he was a relatively calm man, who grew quieter and more sarcastically charming the angrier he became. However, when he began to grumble or complain, then people began to worry; when he paced like a maniac, ranted and bellowed, everyone stepped back out of the line of fire and let him exhaust his "ammunition". It was only when the raven haired man became completely silent that his friends intervened.
Luckily for Lucius, Snape's gait was slowing and soon he stopped, sagging against the wall in what appeared to be defeat. "She is going to be heartbroken," the blond said softly.
"I know," Severus sighed. "Lucius..." he leveled the man with an intense stare..."I have yet to seal my will."
Malfoy blinked at Snape's sudden change of thought and watched as a single sheet of folded parchment appeared on the countertop.
"Since Dumbledore is no longer going to be a part of the living by the time we go to War, I will have no living relatives to whom I can leave my possessions." A friendly smirk curled his lips. "I dare say that anything I have you already own... or better." He withdrew his wand and tapped the tip to a section of writing. "The few things that I did not leave with your family, I was going to leave to my father. However, as he will soon be departing this world, I must leave them to someone else."
Lucius sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Why do I have the distinct feeling that you want to leave everything to..." a dark glare cut him off..."Alright. I will sign as your witness." As he moved to sign the papers, a notice at the bottom caught his attention and he could not help but stare at his friend. "Only if she returns to Hogwarts?"
Snape nodded. "The War will be devastating to many, and should something tragic befall my little witch or her friends... I do not want her to feel tied to my world if it is not where she wants to be."
Giving in with a groan, the blond Accio'd a self-inking quill and elegantly scrawled his name below his friend's. "Severus, I have to say that you have the worst obsession with death that I have ever seen in my lifetime."
The Potions master quirked an eyebrow at the other Slytherin. "Who said anything about death?"
Lucius gave him a look that clearly asked 'Are you stupid'. He stabbed a finger at the paper he just signed. "You were ranting not only five minutes before about not surviving to next year, that the Dark Lord wouldn't let us go unpunished, that we wouldn't make it to the other side. And you had me witness your will."
"I did," Severus said slowly, "but I never said that I was going to die. You and I both know that He is not so kind. The Dark Lord would not want me to have even the most miniscule piece of happiness, and even the briefest encounter with my little witch would give me that.
"He will want me to be miserable, not dead."
As Lucius made his way across Hogwarts' ground toward the Quidditch pitch, his eyes strayed toward the darkened woods for a moment, before finding their way to his wife and Hermione Granger mounting the steps to the teachers' box. "I bet you never imagined it would turn out this way, my friend," he whispered to himself.
He noticed that his wife continued up the stairs, but the young Gryffindor had stopped and was waiting patiently for him. With a small shake of his head, he picked up his pace to catch up to her. Plucking her hand from her side, he tucked it into the crook of his elbow as he made his climb with her, calmly waiting whatever she wished to say. Well, he assumed she wanted to say something to him, if her gnawing her lower lip was any indication.
Sure enough, not even a whole two minutes later, her mouth opened and the words came pouring out. "Lucius, I apologize for my behavior before," Hermione gushed. "I had no right to..."
"Yes, you did." The Defense professor smiled. "You were shocked, angry and, I'm sure, hurt."
The witch shook her head. "That is still no excuse." She bowed her head slight, eyes focusing on the stairs as they continued their climb. "I knew Severus was a..." She made a motion with her hand, fearing to say the words.
"Death Eater?" Lucius supplied, aware of the young woman's discomfort. Catching her shoulders, he forced her to stop and look at him. "Hermione, Severus and I do not have perfect pasts; we did not join the Death Eaters for noble reasons, and it took very tragic situations to make us realize that we were wrong. You know that we were not good men, but I truly doubt that you realize the extent of the terrors we inflicted upon people. I'm sure Severus' books gave you some inkling, but believe me when I say you can never understand the horrors we have committed.
"I cannot make excuses for either of our pasts, nor would I try. This..." he rolled up his long black sleeve to reveal the light grey mark that had faded with Voldemort's destruction... "is a painful reminder of the vile acts that I have committed. A mark like this burns to the soul and leaves the worst scars of all. But it is also a reminder of what I have survived.
"Do I regret my past? Yes," the blond continued. "I wish that I had never traveled that road of my life, and I know Severus would feel the same. But, you cannot act like this..." he tightened his fist, causing his arm to tremble... "does not exist, or treat the topic like delicate spun glass. To do so is an insult to us both, more so to Severus than me."
This caused the young woman's gaze to drop to the stairs again before she furiously tried to blink back the tears as Lucius lifted her face back to his.
"He would not want you to mourn him forever," the wizard said softly.
Hermione nodded. "I know, but I... Lucius, I..." She shrugged helplessly as three tears escaped the corners of her brown eyes.
Lucius smiled again, tugging gently on her arm to finish their climb to the top. "I know, Hermione. I know."
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Author's Note:
Well, ladies and gentlemen, this is the end of the line with my time on D&D.
The first time I started writing this was back in 2007, I believe, and unfortunately, life just got in the way. Because it stayed in my way for quite some time, I just lost my drive, and as time went on, I realized my situation was not going to change for several years, so I took the story down.
I re-posted this story in 2010, hoping that my life and my passion for writing were back on track, but it wasn't. My physical deterioration wasn't getting any better, and that just completely zapped any energy I might have had to write. I knew then that I had to find someone to continue on with this story, as I didn't really want it to end, but couldn't continue on myself.
While I now (this note was updated more than a year after I re-posted this chapter, which shows how long (five years since the very beginning) it has taken me to physically recover from my issues) have the time to work on this story if I so chose, I knew a year ago I couldn't, and I was thrilled when Ms. Tree took it on...She was able to give it the life and brilliance that I knew I would never be able to for many, many years.
If I had tried to force this story out of myself while being so ill, it would not have been of any worth. It would not have been fair to me or to the story, and it certainly would not have been fair to you the readers to continue with something that my heart was just not in at the time. It would have been a poor shadow (no pun intended) of what I had dreamed of, and that would have been unacceptable.
So at that time, I made the choice to give the Damsel and the Dragon a very good home with the amazing MsTree. If you just click on her name, it will take you to her profile, where you can find the continuation of this story, or you can just click on Velvet Song's Damsels and Dragons to go straight to the story.
She is a wonderful and creative writer, and I am so grateful that she was willing to take this story on, and more so that she put my name in the title. She is an amazing story teller, and a generous person. I was blown away with the fabulous plot she spun to conclude this tale, so to read the continuation of D&D, as well as her fabulous story Heaven or Hell, click on her profile above and have a look.
Thank you.
~Anushka
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Latest 25 Reviews for Damsels & Dragons
56 Reviews | 6.63/10 Average
I felt the urge to read this story again from the beginning. I'm hoping that your health issues have been cleared. My prayers have been with you all these years. Blessings on you for opening this world to us. May you continue to touch many lives through your works.
I love this story, too. Thank you for making it possible for Ms. Tree to complete your wonderful work. It has been on my "to read" list for a very long time, and I'm so happy to now finally have the time to read it.
Beth
For what it's worth I would like to tell you, Velvet Song, that you've me hooked up with your terribly clever thought out and well written story. Thank you for sharing it and also thank you for allowing another one to continue. I dearly hope your RL is looking up and that you're feeling better nowadays.
Thank you so much, for your wonderful story. I hope you are feeling better now. You have shown great courage, in turning over your baby to someone else to finish. Thank you. 
What a ,frightening, lovely, Dragon. 
Was it really an accident, that Marigold gave her, that book?
It isn't her mind, speaking to her, is it?
Bloody Dragon, indeed, she just can't shake Severus.
Making his rounds, old habits die hard.
Something wicked, this way comes.
I love the way , she has made the speech her own. 
How dreadful, tobe reliving his loss. poor Hermione.
Neville & Harry, interesting, love Harrys teasing, but sad for Hermione. 
It's aways what we didn't do, that hurts most, when looking back, 
but I think I like your Hermione.
I'm so sorry you are so ill, I have a spinal injury myself , & the cramps are hell, specialy when thay grab while you are asleep. Hope you are better soon. I will continue to read, & review, then move on to MsTree's page, for the rest. Thank you for a new POV, in the HP Fan-Fic world.
I loved this story when I first read it several years ago and I'm now excited that it will be finished. Thank you for your wonderful plot. It is a testimony to the brilliance of your story that Ms Tree wanted to finish it.
Response from Velvet Song (Author of Damsels & Dragons)
Thank you. I really do wish I could have finished, but life gets in the way and mess with inspiration. But Ms Tree did an absolutely amazing job with it, and I truly believe she gave it the best ending! I never could have done something that remarkable.
I thank you for starting such a wonderful story. I thank you for finding another writer for it. I remember reading part of this story some time back but I don't think I got this far, and I think I hadn't had a chance to bookmark it when the browser crashed, so I had lost it. I have thoroughly enjoyed what you've written so far and I wish you the best!
Response from Velvet Song (Author of Damsels & Dragons)
Thank you, hun. I was very fortunate that Ms Tree wanted to continue on, and I personally think she gave it a much better ending than I ever could.
:( at least there is a continuation. im sorry that you felt you couldn't finish it, but your reasons are sound. all in all, what you DID write was very good and im looking forward to what MsTree will do with it. :)
Response from Velvet Song (Author of Damsels & Dragons)
Thank you. There's so much that I wanted to do, but couldn't. Ms Tree, however, stepped in and add so much more than I could have ever imagined. She did a lovely job, and I was so impressed that I have read it several times already.
Can't wait to see where she takes it. This is really a charming, unique plot. I hope to read more of it soon.
Response from Velvet Song (Author of Damsels & Dragons)
I'm sure you know this by now, but she did. She did a FABULOUS job. I was thrilled.
Well, I hope she puts two and two together soon. Lucius couldn't have dropped a bigger hint. I enjoyed this chapter. Didn't even catch on to the name manip. It was nice to hear something from Severus' pov, even if it was second hand information. And what a something!
Response from Velvet Song (Author of Damsels & Dragons)
She does, but not in this half. Ms Tree had that section. LOL! And she did a much better job with the reveal than I would have.
A little flare for the dramatic Professor Granger? 
Response from Velvet Song (Author of Damsels & Dragons)
*giggle* I'm a drama queen! LOL!
What a terrible thing to be repeating that final battle over and over again. Poor Hermione.
Response from Velvet Song (Author of Damsels & Dragons)
Oh, you'll be so glad I gave it to Ms Tree when I did, because before life interrupted my writing, I was planning on showing his transformation to Hermione and it was EXCRUCIATING. That was worse than seeing the battle.
Ah so Hermione's pining away over the potion master was not quite as private as she thought. Harry and Neville together are so cute!
Hermione hasnt moved on much emotionally in the last 7 years has she? Maybe working where Snape used she can lay to rest some of her demons? Maybe?
I love the idea that Severus was Albus' son. Thats a great twist that i have not read before. Your AN makes me worry. Are you updating more frequently now? Feeling better?
Response from Velvet Song (Author of Damsels & Dragons)
Long story short. Between illness and having been away from the story so long, I've moved on from it. However, I am turning it over to the most generous writer ever: MsTree. She is brilliant and creative, and more than that she is generous. I've given her the few notes that I have and despite having said that she has free reign, she is keeping contact with me about it. She's an absolutely sweetheart. So keep a watch on her profile, because she will be continuing it.