thattimeofthemonth | Open RP Post

"I had my son to take care of. Draco became my priority. I didn't want him to be associated with all of that. I never wanted him to be a Death Eater. He may have been taught the various Dark Arts...but as for participating in anything I was involved in...that was something I didn't want." Lucius got a little heated at the mention of his son. Having his son involved in his affairs was a sore subject for him. It took a moment for him to calm down before he went on.

"This had also been done in my own home against my will. They wanted me to take all the blame for what went on in the mannor."

"So it was not the morality of what was occurring, but the fact that it was happening in your home where you did not wish to see it?" Melinda questioned, challenged with a raised brow. "That having it in the manor would tarnish your name as it was discovered?"

It was a gentle pushing, but each session came with a certain set of challenges that had to be over come if they were to get anywhere.

There was a long silence as Lucius dwelled on Melinda's question. Most of it was spent fighting with himself to admitting a few things that showed he was changing. "At first it was because this was taking place in my home...but later I began to realize how wrong I had been to support such a cause and that a lot of what was happening was unnecessary." The students, staff, and a few others Lucius felt had been overboard.

Part of her job was to evaluate honesty and sanity in each question and answer given to her, to see past the possible issues of the mind that surrounded the words of her patients. She listened carefully to this particular response, knowing well Lucius had the state of mind to want to give a possibly more socially correct answer instead of the truth, to hide some of his shame, but she felt that some, if not most, of the latter was supplied in honest truth though she wondered if truly all of it.

"Those that were brought to your home that were once Draco's fellow students and teachers. Do you believe that it was them that were the reason they were there, or perhaps... it was more against your own son? An excellent, horrible manner of cowing someone with Draco's potential when there is someone else important in the young man's life - you and his mother."

Lucuis hadn't thought if it on those terms. He could see the Dark Lord using them as an example to control Draco. And as a result hurt himself and Narcissa more. "It is quiet possible. They've been trying to get him to participate more and it took my abscence for him to be persuaded to join. Only, I feel he realized too late that he couldn't change his mind once he joined. Especially when faced with people he knew."

The Dark Lord was very crafty in his means of controlling people. With Draco faltering, he would stop at nothing to use the boy till he wasn't needed.

Melinda nodded, then sat back as she thought. That could work. Her tone remained calm and casual, though not so casual as to be insulting that this wasn't quite important of a topic. "I have never seen the Malfoy manor. Tell me about it?"

She wanted to see if he would describe any of the individual rooms and if he steered away from or had a reaction to any room in particular.

Lucius was grateful for the change of subject and began describing the place. Everyone had their own section of the house allowing them more privacy then most. There were vast libraries filled with various topics that had been collected since the place was built. An elaborate kitchen that had one point staffed a big group of house elves. Various paintings and antiques filled the rooms. He spoke of the elaborate gardens thet had and the peacocks that used to run around along with the irish wolf hounds. A cat at one point used to prowl the grounds and the barn for the owls.

He easily avoided the drawing room where Bellatrix liked to torture people like Hermoine. The cellars were left unmentioned along with the dinning room that used to host grand dinners and parties. Instead that was where the Dark Lord had held his meetings. He also avoided the music room where he was often turtured infront of his family.

It was clear that there were mixed emotions about the place and at times he had a hard time discussing it.

Melinda had been prepared for this session, which had started with speaking quietly to Narcissa about the home. Learning about the layout in general, the room set up, so when Lucius failed to mention specific rooms, she made a mental note of it. Drawing Room. Cellars. Dining room. Music room. Those would be the targeted places they would need to work on.

It felt a bit like the roulette wheel to pick where to start.

"You and Draco are excellent on the piano. I had no idea you could play so well." She made her choice, and started moving in that direction with an easier topic.

Lucius studied her trying to understand where she was going. He frowned a bit when the piano had been brought up. He had deliberately not mentioned the music room. He understood she was approaching it on the more happier times, but it still didn't go by unnoticed.

He gave a guarded nod in response. "I started teaching Draco when he was four. If anyone played the piano he was usually at our feet or sitting on the bench."

Despite guarding his responses a small smile managed to slip through as he discussed the earlier days.

Lucius was far from a stupid man, she knew that much. It wasn't about tricking him or trying to blind side him, but slowly ease their way into more difficult conversations, try to replace the dark memories with something better. It was possible, but it was a tricky task.

Those smiles were rare and welcomed. Good. "Do you remember the first piece you taught him? Or perhaps have a more memoriable piece that sticks out in you mind that you two shared?"

"Well for started that particular piece that Draco played a few days ago. Draco is a quick learned and usually had no problem mastering a piece in a few days. This one had been more advanced for him. I had purposely given him a harder piece seeing that he was getting bored with what I had been giving him."

Lucius replied after a pause. While it proved to be a challenge for Draco, it caused a lot of frustration for the boy who was used to being able to get things done correctly with ease.

"You two played it beautifully together," Melinda said in all honesty. "It was obvious how much it made all of you, even Narcissa, happy to hear it again."

She paused herself, only to take the time to recall the melody in her mind, before she starting humming it softly. Thanks to her curse, even her humming had that quiet, impossible echo to it, something haunting. Her expression, however, only silently asked Lucius if she had it correct or not.

"Yes...for a long time our homes had no music that in the past had enriched our lives. I am glad to have it back again." It made him realize how important music became to the family. It brought them together and had helped heal as well. With out music there had been a giant gap that Lucius had refused to acknowledge when things were getting dark.

Hearing her hum the melody held his attention. He managed to give a nod to let her know it was correct.

Edited 2015-12-31 16:51 (UTC)

Good. She would be able to build on that happier memory and use it to gently ease off the pain of the worse ones. "I want you to close your eyes, Lucius," she said softly, building her voice on her own humming's echo. "Close your eyes and imagine the music room in your home, seated at the piano, with your fingers on the keys. Play along with the music."

Lucius tensed at the mention of the mannor. If she had said the summer home, it would have been easy. The minute he closed his eyes and tried to do what Melinda suggested, he found he couldn't.

All he could do was see the Dark Lord standing in the room. His master had purposely picked this room sensing the happier memories that were attached to the room. Other images flashed by and Lucius winced and opened his eyes.

"I'm sorry...I can't." He found that he was trembling and tried to calm himself. He hung his head in shame as he had been so good lately at achieving what Melinda wanted.

"Shh..." This time she reached out, laying her hand over top of his. The croon in her voice changed, trying to ease that shame and pain. None of this would be easy, and they all knew that from the start. "Focus on the music with me. The music is stronger than the darkness. Those memories will remain, but the music will be there instead of the pain. Focus on the music instead." Her fingers tightened, just slightly.

Melinda's hand over his seemed to help steady him. Lucius found himself focusing once more on what Melinda suggested this time a little calmer. He managed to stop shaking, but his heart still pounded. He wanted to try again.

He tried to place his hands like he would at the piano and managed to hum a few bares in before having to stop. More unwanted images flashed accompanied with immense pain, causing Lucius to hunch over at the phantom images. He found himself begging/apologizing to the Dark Lord as if he were there.

This wasn't the first time they had something like this happen in a session, but it still hurt to witness. Melinda acted quickly though, reaching with her hand to touch his cheek before her song intensified. There was the faintest glow in her eyes, the traces of the beginnings of her curse as she truly focused on her power. It had originally been able to completely blank the eyes and mind of men, draw entire ships into the rocks were the Sirens could feast on their bodies. Now, by her generation, she could weave her magic into Lucius' mind to pull his attention firmly away from those memories and onto her instead. A powerful sort of diversion tactic, just quietly repeating the notes of the melody of the song that had better times in Lucius' memory to try to bring him back onto a better mental track.

With Melinda's help, Lucius held onto the music and was eventually able to focus on Melinda and pull away from the old memories. His body still trembled and his breathing ragged. It took a little longer to calm down. The important thing was that he was away from those painful times.

"No more for the night," he quietly requested. He was too ashamed for having not being able to complete what Melinda wanted and had allowed himself to be trapped in those awful memories.

"That was a first step on a difficult journey," Melinda said quietly, her hand remaining. The touch was gentle and could be seen as intimate in a sense, but she had done the same with Narcissa watching their every movement before. It had... not been well received at first. "You did well, despite what I imagine you are feeling."

Slowly she stood, then said quietly, "I can ease your nightmares tonight, if you wish to sleep now, unless you'd prefer to speak with your wife before you sleep."

He gave a slow nod even though he felt he felt he didn't accomplish much. He was beginning to relax more and the trembling had stopped. While the intimate gesture was there, Lucius found it helpful and kept him grounded.

"I would like to talk with my wife first," he softly replied. Then he would take a potion to help him sleep.

"Go on. We'll have another session tomorrow." Melinda gave a small but encouraging smile, leaning back where she was seated. Make never let on how tiring tbe sessions were for her as well. "Sleep well."

She would release the memory of his apologies into her pensive tonight; it was not something she wanted to remember so well.

Lucius placed a hand on Melinda's shoulder as a silent thankyou. He then headed out the room and to his to talk with his wife before settling down.

The following day, Draco was up early and waiting for Jake as promised. He left a note for the Lupins on where he was and when he should be back. He sat on the front steps, waiting.

Jake came not too late after his promised time. He looked a bit dishelved but he had a smile for Draco when he spotted the blond. From the look of it, definitely just getting off work. Still had on his work shirt and everything. He trotted up to Draco on the front steps and his smile only grew.

"Hey." Filled with warmth. "Sorry I'm late - work didn't let me go until after I was supposed to get out." He plucked at his shirt - blue, logo over the heart, a bit messy, definitely not his normal style. Still, he had a backpack over one shoulder.

"Do you think your relatives would care if I borrowed their bathroom to clean up?"

Draco gave a smile, seeing Jake arrive. He didn't care if he was a few minutes late."Don't worry about it."

There was a pause before he answered the next question. He didn't think either of the Lupins would be too thrilled of finding a stranger using their bathroom. Especially since Remus was still recovering and Tonks was not a morning person. He didn't think either would react well.

"Er...they probably wouldn't take it too well. Mostly because they haven't even met you and they are both asleep right now. I don't think it would be a great reaction to introducing you. Which, I need to do." Draco replied in a regretful tone. He couldn't help, but feel like a jerk denying such a simple request. "Probably on the way back they would be up and it would be a better way to introduce you then."

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