thattimeofthemonth | Open RP Post

Remus doubted Lucius and Narcissa enjoyed hiding any more than Draco, but no young man deserved to be forced into hiding. It couldn't be good for Draco, and a thought was creeping into his mind that he wasn't entirely certain about how he felt on it. Maybe with someone who had more time, less to lose, but he could think of no one off the top of his head that would be willing to take in a Malfoy that wasn't still aligned with the dark.

"I can imagine. I've... had to run and hide a lot in my life," spoken with a hint of awkwardness, where that age gap seemed infinitely larger, "it's never fun. In fact, I've always hated it. It gets... lonely."

"Father really didn't want to go here, but this was what my mother wanted." Draco wasn't sure why he was bothering to tell this to Remus...perhaps it was because of what was said. Always having to hide. It was almost the life they would have lived. At the same time it was just a relief to finally be able to discuss this.

"When... he came back, my mother tried to convince my father to go into hiding and to leave him. She said things were different then the first time. He wasn't like what he was then. And what he promised wasn't what everyone had believed it would be.

Dad, he didn't want to hide, didn't believe he should have to. Things would go the way they were planned as in the beginning. This was the first row they had in a long time and it lasted for a few months. She had threatened to leave. She had been more concerned about my safety and not wanting me involved in it.

Yet, my father had to point out that once you sign up...the only way you leave is through death. Even if we hid, he would have found us. Not like anyone would have helped us....You at least had some friends to help you."

Remus thought back to the egotistical, snarky, brat of a child he had taught. One that he had, perhaps mistakenly, thrown off as a perfect replica of his father. Maybe at the time, Draco had been, yet before him was a young man who had grown. He listened with folded hands, elbows on his thighs, as Draco looked like someone who was grateful to get things off his chest. Had he no one to speak to other than his parents? He had always seen Draco with students around him, but then again, so much had to be kept under wraps given what his parents were.

Did he believe that Narcissa had actually wanted to avoid Voldemort upon his return? The Order knew now well enough that Voldemort would have hunted down the Malfoys had they run, and his success in killing those that had not returned to him had been all too high. There had been many witnesses who had said the Malfoys had not remained during the final battle, that they had not fought, and it was part of the reason they were pardoned. Many had yet to care that they had run and instead called them cowards. Remus did not entirely agree, but he wondered also if Narcissa had wanted to protect her boy from a battle she believed to be lost.

Draco's words put doubt into certain things Remus had believed to be true, and he was uncertain on how to walk this new ground.

"...Friends is a difficult word," Remus said slowly, trying to think how much he was willing to tell. "A werewolf often has very few friends, or none, which is why many went over to His side. Anger. Revenge. I was... more fortunate than some in my circumstances." But only a very small handful of people knew the truth of how terrible his life had been at times, when Muggle jobs had been the only way to get food and shelter or to hide.

But he had no real desire to linger on those words, so he pushed past it. "But you're right, and unfortunately, so was your father."

"What of the Order? Aren't you gaining connections through them at least?" He gave an apologetic nod, understanding what it's like to have few friends...or well people he could trust.

"The only reason why we're still alive today is for the soul reason that He wanted us to remain an example of what happens when you mess up." Draco gave a wary sigh and got up from his seat.

"Speaking of my father I better go find him...he should have been done the protection spells a while ago. He... has a tendency to get lost. Not lost on the grounds...but more mentally. Today was one of his better days. The dementors probably shook him up. This should only take a few minutes."

"Connections... doesn't fix everything," Remus responded cautiously, bu it was all he was willing to go into with Draco. He couldn't feel entirely sorry for the Malfoys, given that they had chosen their own paths, but he did feel a touch sorry for Draco who had been pulled along with them. That was how he had been raised. The question was, how much was his upbringing and how much was just him as a man?

Draco had a point about how long Lucius had been out there. Remus frowned, standing up as well. "You shouldn't go out there alone with the dementors possibly still close." He was surprised to hear about the mental loss, though. What was going on with Lucius that Draco would suggest such a thing? That was a concern all on its own.

"...Let's go find your father."

..."They can get you jobs," Draco pointed out. His father had always been about connections...but at the same time he understood what Remus meant as well. And decided to drop the discussion after the statement....When did he start to worry if the other man had a job?

"When my father failed in his task to gain the prophecy...he became the Dark Lord's servant and was punished on a regular bases as a reminder for his mistakes. We had to bare witness to them. We try not to speak of it...but with you here it was best to warn you."

After giving out the warning, Draco then headed out of the sitting room, alerted his mother they were going to retrieve his father, and then headed outside.

That was not something the Order knew about. Was it true? Lucius had seemed himself out there, exactly as Remus remembered the man other than a bit shabbier around the edges for being on the run (something he was a bit too familiar with himself), so it was difficult to immediately accept. Yet at the same time, it did make a certain amount of sense. Voldemort had punished his followers horribly if they failed, they had learned one by one as they disappeared or were 'found', but if Lucius was subject to such punishment over and over... it sounded like those Wizards that Voldemort had put into St. Mungo's.

He did give a nod though, acknowledging what Draco said, and followed the other outside. Immediately his fingers curled around his wand and tugged it out, looking first towards the sky before breathing in slowly. Listening. He could sense the protective charms now on the manor, but had Lucius been caught while finishing them?

"Has your father put up this sort of protection before?" He asked quietly, uncertain what might be watching. "Do you know where he set them?"

Draco took out his wand and lead Remus through their yard. "Yes, he's shown me a couple of times and had me help. I guess this time around he figured with a guest he wanted me with you instead of helping." He spoke in a soft voice, slowly leading Remus down the path that the charms were placed.

Then he could hear his father shouting at someone saying that he wasn't going to go back. But to who it was, he wasn't sure what. Because no one was around. He waved his wand threateningly at no one in particular. Only when he heard them approaching the wand was pointed in their direction.

The shouting already set the hair on the back of his neck standing up, but when they saw Lucius shouting at nothing at all, the Lucius he had known would rather have died then act like this. All at once, Draco's words in the house seemed much too real, and Remus felt a tendril of true worry for the man go through him.

Enough that he actually stepped forward quickly, acting more like the teacher he had been (and a member of the Order) by making sure that Draco was half-behind him. Still visible, if Lucius were more to recognize him, but far more worried that Lucius might not at all. His wand didn't lower, but he kept his voice calm.

"Lucius. Draco and I were concerned when you didn't return." Pointedly using his son's name, trying to get the other to focus.

The mention of Draco caught Lucius's attention, but it was clear that he was having a hard time recognizing them. And the fact that they weren't trying to hurt him. "I'm not going back there. You're not taking my family either!" Lucius snarled.

He took a step back, his wand hand shaking. This had to be why the dementors had shown up and now they were there to collect him. They already got his son. He now had to get him to safety along with his wife. "Hand over Draco!"

He belongs in St. Mungo's, Remus thought with fear building in him, his own wand held ready as he tried to process more. 'Going back there' could only mean one place in his mind, because no place was as fear as Azkaban. Wandless magic was something Remus had been doing since he was in school himself (a wand wasn't exactly something one could keep on hand wherever one dropped exhausted in the morning after a change) and wordless magic had come not long after. He concentrated even as he stepped back, one hand held in signal for Draco to remain where he was, putting a shielding charm over them both. Defense had always been his top marks.

"Draco, talk to him," Remus said quietly to the young man beside him, "but whatever you do, don't go to him. He's likely to blast me the moment you're at his side, if he even recognizes you like this."

And to Lucius, he spoke louder. "Your son is right here with me, Lucius! Narcissa is in the house this very moment waiting for us all to return to have dinner. Lower your wand, see what's really happening around you!"

The first sign of that wand moving in a spell and Remus was going to disarm him. He wouldn't hurt the other man, but he would not let himself, or Draco, be injured.

Draco gave a slight nod in acknowledgement. This was the first time, he saw his father this bad. Normally, it was always just among him and his mother...never with an outsider. He knew that the dementors and having Remus around probably triggered it. Too many things happening at once and a lot connecting with his past.

"Father, it's alright. Remus is here to help us. He's not taking anyone of us away. Let's just go inside and have dinner." Draco stated, only stepping forward so he could be seen. His own wand was lowered and his side, just in case. With his free hand he held out his hand beckoning for him to join them.

Hesitantly, Lucius lowered his wand and glanced between Draco and Remus. There was some recognition in his eyes, but there was still doubt and fear in his expression. He took a few steps forward, but stopped still unsure if it was safe.

It wouldn't surprise him in the least if the combination had sent Lucius' mind back. Damn, he should have offered to go out with the other, given him some sort of protection and kept his mind focused on the now, but he had no idea it had become this bad. It was something that could be dealt with separately; right now, he was more focused on getting this handled without anyone being hurt. It was, however, deeply strange to hear one of his former students calling him 'Remus'.

"I came to help capture the dementors and nothing else," he reminded gently, knowing they had pushed in the right direction. The lowering of the wand was a good sign, but it didn't mean they were out of the woods. "Draco and I were only waiting for you to return from setting the protections against them, remember?" Please, please remember.

His own wand hand was steady, even though in reality there was a deep tension as he stood ready to react to the former Death Eater's any poor reaction.

Lucius gave a nod in answer and slowly spoke as he struggled to say what he remembered. "I had been putting the spells up when you arrived... And you and Draco had helped stopped them. Then I went to finish them..." He shook his head as he struggled to remember the rest that had happened. Only he couldn't.

"How long was I gone?" he asked softly and bowed his head in shame. He lowered his wand in defeat...more with himself then in regards toward Remus and Draco.

Draco glanced at Remus, waiting for acknowledgement that it was okay to go to his father's side. He hated seeing the despair in his father's eyes and wished that things had been the way they used to be.

That was, unfortunately, the tone and body language of a man who was back in the present with him. He nodded to Draco, catching the look towards him, and lowered his own wand. Given the moment before and the possibility of dementors, the wand certainly stayed out, but his heightened senses were fading into relief. Thank Merlin.

"You did finish them," he clarified gently, as he could feel them in the air around them. Still damn powerful, Lucius Malfoy, for all that his mind had been damaged. Still, he wondered if protective spells laid by one who was aligned with the dark would work to keep the creatures out, or if they would be able to come right past them. Hard to say, not the time to focus too hard on it either.

"...No more than ten minutes." Maybe fifteen, but he doubted it had been that long. "Narcissa is probably getting worried; we should head back in."

Draco dashed over to his father and placed an arm around him in support. He felt his father place a hand on his shoulder in appreciation.

Lucius still frowned at having a fifteen minute time lapse. That was not good at all. These lapses were getting worse and he wasn't sure what he can do. He couldn't let his own family keep worrying about him...and now Remus knew. He allowed his son to lead him back to the house.

Where Narcissa was worriedly waiting by the door. She wrung her hands together as she stood there waiting. She had watched most of it and had been relieved that no one got hurt and it went by smoothly. She had been prepared to run and intervene if possible. No matter what went on...Lucius always listened to her.

Remus waited until the Malfoys were together and in the home before he joined them, though a deep part of him wondered if he should remain after that episode. Awkward, yes, but at the same time... they needed someone from the outside to speak to them, very likely. Out here, he doubted they had any idea of what was going on. He tried to remember how old Draco was now - seventeen, if he was right, probably getting closer to eighteen. Had the boy learned to Apparate, or was Narcissa the one going out for supplies? Or perhaps they had House Elves with them.

Over all, none of it meant it could have proper contact with the outside world. Draco needed more than this, that much he was certain of, and Lucius clearly needed help. Badly. Yet he doubted very much that the man would want to be seen at St. Mungo's, and for all of their general neutrality, he would be worried bout the treatment there. Not a fair thought perhaps, but he wasn't a fool to think it might not be true.

Though, he knew someone who very well might be called on to help... hmm.

Normally he would have offered to help deal with getting dinner set on the table, but right now, he wasn't sure where he would be needed or how they were even handling things themselves. He watched closely as Narcissa quietly told Draco to help his father to the dinner table, looking out once behind him before he shut the door.

Narcissa easily handled getting the dinner to the table by herself. She had gotten quite used to it when the Potter boy had cost them their House Elf. Lucius had often helped in preparations too. Not as much now. Draco had shown no interest in cooking and when he was forced too it often ended up disastrous.

She ushered Remus to a seat and made sure he was the one served first since he was the guest. Then she went onto Lucius, Draco, and finally herself.

"It's been sometime since we heard what has been going on outside of here...perhaps you could enlighten us on what's going on?" Narcissa quietly asked. It was rare that any of them went out and when they had to get supplies they made it quick and kept to themselves.

Many of his questions were answered quite quickly. How much had the Malfoys changed... it was almost shocking, but a shock he kept to himself. He knew damn well that they, before the Return, would have never allowed him in this house never mind to be seated at the dinner table with them. It told him more than any words could have, and it solidified something in his mind - Draco needed to be given a way out of here, perhaps all of them did, before the young man turned into something as unpleasant as he once had been.

He gave a small, grateful nod as Narcissa served him - another thing on the list of things he never imagined the Malfoys doing, serving their own dinners - and waited until she spoke up to start any sort of conversation. However, he turned it back on her, just for a moment, rather than immediately answer. "Where would you like me to start?" Because it would give her the chance to guide where he went instead of letting her know something they had no desire to hear, or just as equally allowing her to make the choice to bring up more delicate subjects.

"What is going on that the Daily Prophet isn't saying? We all know that they rarely tell the truth of what's going on and would rather us to focus on mundane news." Narcissa replied after a long debate on what was best to discuss. She believed that since Remus worked for the Order he would know more then the average person would know.

She noted that her husband was barely touching his own meal and was struggling to follow the conversation. She reached over to squeeze his hand in reassurance.

Quietly, Draco ate as he paid attention to the conversation going on. It had been too long since they had any contact from the outside world. He often resisted the urge to sneak off to just walk aimlessly about in the neighboring town. He only didn't because he was too afraid to.

So that was the path Narcissa wanted to go down. Remus took a few bites of his meal while he turned over what he could and couldn't tell them, how far he was willing to go to trust them as well, before he spoke frankly on what he self-approved of. "Those who haven't been pardoned are still out there, still being hunted down. It's been... ugly. There have been terrible attacks as they've been found or chased down. More deaths. But... over all, it's starting to calm down. The school is being repaired but it's going to take a long time to bring it back to what it once was."

He looked up to them, speaking to all three even if Lucius was having difficulty. "Azkaban is being turned upside down and inside out - every prisoner is being checked to make sure that they truly should be there, that they are in fact who they are, that they're in fact guilty."

It seemed that they were trying to do a thorough job and clean up any possible followers and those who shouldn't be in power near it. Secretly, Narcissa welcomed the change. Her only qualms was how it would it the way of thinking and that pureblood witches and wizards was going to be a thing of the past.

"...What is their version of guilty?" Lucius quietly asked, his hands visibly shaking even though they were folded on the table in front of him. He had folded them in an attempt to hide the shaking, but it was a loss cause. His meal was still left untouched.

"What more can any of them do? The corruption ran deep, and no one truly knows the depths of it. Shacklebolt is determined to make sure that the Ministry isn't continued to be seen as a laughing stock, and he's doing a damn good job of it. Couldn't have asked for someone better." As far as Remus was concerned, that was that. He knew Kingsley was going to do the kind of job that should have been done years ago if someone like Fudge hadn't gotten his mitts on it.

But Lucius' question was a loaded one, and Remus took the time to properly think it over before he answered. "Those who truly served him, without coercion. They are making damn certain about that, given how badly it was spread. ...You were all considered pardoned, given what was told to the Ministry by Potter."

"Even with Potter's support and all the changes going on...I'm sure most didn't want to believe it. What-- can we do to save ourselves? My actions have cost my family everything.

We...may have been pardoned as you say, but we can't keep living in isolation either." Lucius commented starting to sound a little like his old self again. "If we did anything at all, we would be watched and questioned."

This was quickly turning into something more than he was expecting. Remus put his knife and fork down, looking seriously across the table at Lucius. "No, you're right. Most didn't want to believe, and some don't, but most people didn't want to believe He was back, either. I... have a thought, on this subject, but only a thought. I need some time to think it over, but it could pan out, depending."

This could be a terrible idea, and frankly, it would depend a great deal on Draco. Perhaps speaking to Harry might be in order as well, given that the young man had a better perspective on Draco than himself. He could only speak to now and a touch of the past, and it couldn't give the whole picture to be honest.

His eyes focused on Draco. "I'd like to speak to you, after dinner." A bit flat, indicating he'd like to speak to Draco alone, and that meant his parents putting a certain amount of trust once again.

Re: close enough

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