thattimeofthemonth | Open RP Post

Lucius couldn't help but sneer back at the other. he had been wondering when Severus's name would crop up in conversation. Not that it was mentioned, but he knew well enough to whom Remus was referring to. He was all too familiar with the rivalry that went on between his friend and Potter's group.

"If I were you I would be careful what you say. Someone might let it slip about your little condition." he replied in a cold tone.

Bloody hell, just how many people knew? It wasn't the best known of all secrets - the staff knew here at Hogwarts but he did everything he could to keep it under wraps. How the hell had Malfoy found out? He managed to keep his surprise, and the rapidly following anger, under wraps, before he gave a cool smirk instead, keeping his voice light.

"And if that should happen, someone might make sure to investigate a little more closely into your comings and goings recently. If I hear correctly, it might make a few heads turn if they learned." Was he bullshitting? Oh, yes, but only in the sense he currently had no idea what Lucius was up to. Instead, he was banking on the fact that Lucius Malfoy was one of the foulest people out there and almost always had his fingers in pots they didn't belong in.

"As it is," he kept going, refusing to let it hang too long before his false bravado was discovered, "everything here is well under control and the students are doing well in Defense, which is what matters. If you forgot, we're currently in a school."

Oh, he certainly hit a nerve and it amused Lucius greatly. Being friends with Severus certainly had its advantages. Although, he had to admit that he was impressed with other's wit. The story was almost believable. Almost.

"I certainly hope you have enough proof to back that little story up." he replied in a cool tone. "Meddling in something that's too big for you will only get you into more trouble."

Oh if you had half an idea in your empty head besides your own pride about Snape...

Remus snorted, a bit loudly, before he raised a brow. "Should take your own advice, Malfoy." His look was pointed, considering the fact Lucius had started it off with the threat of revealing his condition. "Why don't you go back to your hole? Why are you even here?"

Maybe you could get your fool of a son to actually pay more attention to his studies. Oh no, wait, following right in your footsteps. Naturally good at most things, knowing he will be able to drop anything he isn't eventually.

"My business here, doesn't concern you," Lucius replied continuing to speak in a cool tone. Yet, it actually did concern the other man. Now that the crowded corridors have thinned out he took that as a cue to deal with the particular matter. He sneered in Remus's direction before he turned and headed toward the headmaster's office.

Remus stared after Lucius for several long moments, fingers curling tightly against his side. Rich, sodding git. He felt his teeth grit for several seconds before an idea came to him. It was a ridiculous, bloody awful idea but he couldn't help himself in feeling almost like it was in order to pay respect to his friends. A smirk touched his lips before he headed off to see if he could spot Potter among the students.

They needed to talk.

It might not have been difficult, later, to figure out exactly who had managed to dye both of the Malfoy's clean white hair a brilliant hot pink that seemed to stubbornly remain no matter what sort of spell was done to it, but given that Potter was in class and Remus just so happened to be teaching that class when it actually went off, it would be very difficult to prove.

The Malfoys did not react well to the prank. Their usual pale faces almost matched the new color of their hair. The fact that he was in Hogwarts and in front of a large crowd barely kept him level headed as Lucius fumed inside. It was a struggle to refrain from pulling out his wand and hexing anyone in sight. Although his hand, curled around the top of the walking stick ready to pull his wand out.

It also didn't help that the poltergeist took this as a cute to make more of a mess. The laughter and large crowd that was getting bigger by the moment did not help the situation at all.

It took several of the staff to clear the corridors and Professor Snape and Professor Dumbledore to lead the humiliated Malfoys away from the scene. That was when Lucius exploded with rage.

Of course they didn't react well to the prank! Not like Remus had been expecting anything less, and he would have given anything to be there to see his prank actually go off. It had been James, their brilliant mind among them, who had figured out the best way to set a spell to go off to a specific person, something he had mostly kept to himself except for the Order. Dumbledore might spot what was done, might, but Remus can whistle and hum because there was no way to tie him to it.

Peeves only adding to the situation made it a thousand times better. Only just helped to take Lucius and Draco Malfoy down a peg. The man infuriated him on every level and he can only guess that Draco did worse to Harry. Thankfully, Harry had his own little team around him to help out and keep him safe.

A few days later Lucius composed a howler and had Professor Snape deliver it in person to Remus. If the howler wasn't enough to embarrass him, having Professor Snape be the one deliver it and be witness to it should be.

He was quite aware that the professor in question was behind the prank. Only there was no way to prove it. He was familiar with Remus's crowd and the trouble they caused. And this certainly fit into their grand scheme.

Only because of how well timed the prank was set there was no real trace that Lucius could prove and use. That only made him more mad.

Honestly, even in the face of the situation, Remus wanted to do nothing more than laugh as hard as he could when Snape showed up looking like a smirky git with the howler in hand. When Remus saw who it was from, it took everything in him to keep from letting that laughter out. Really, Malfoy? This was what Malfoy reduced to, having a verbal temper tantrum? Remus flipped the howler open before it started to smirk and listened to the other hiss poison and spit anger.

"Oh dear, it seems that little student prank really got Malfoy angry, doesn't it?" Not about to admit doing anything wrong to Snape, but he was almost afraid his expression would give it away. "Seems he has isn't thinking very clearly about the fact that someone might have just been going after his boy and got him as well. Silly childish prank."

James and Sirius would have adored it.

Professor Snape showed little interest in the ordeal, but suggested that he write back before similar letters follow. While Lucius Malfoy never got his way, it later on was revealed that Remus was indeed a werewolf. It only took a few months before the pink dye finally gave away.

----

The war finally happened and while Lucius and his family had been pardoned, they were never fully accepted in the society. Many believe they should never have been pardoned.

Lucius had insisted that he and family go to their vacation home, hoping to escape for a while and a chance to heal over their ordeal. Maybe in time they would be accepted and not simple ignored. He hated the shame and humiliation that went with it.

He also struggled to make amends with his family. It was his actions and mistakes that put them through everything. When all he wanted what was best for them.

Ever since the final battle at Hogwarts, where so many had lost their lives and so many more had been injured and the wizarding and Muggle world alike had been saved, it had been difficult. So many had been discovered as His followers or His helpers or long corrupted. People pardoned or thrown into Azkaban or given the Kiss or other things. Lives changed forever.

Remus was no different. With so much of the Order dead, it took everyone available to help out where they could in putting the world right again. Generally they did leave him alone, given his condition and his newborn son, but sometimes he was the only one who could. So when there were muttering of a pack of dementors hiding out in a place where werewolves had been known to hide, they asked him to go.

He never expected to find someone he knew out there.

Traveling out into the mountains hadn't been pleasant but he'd managed, camping where he needed to and wanting to get home. What surprised the hell out of him was the night he finally spotted them was also the night he discovered a home out here, in the middle of no where.

So he followed cautiously, wand at the ready.

"I suggest putting your wand down." Lucius suggested his own wand pointed at Remus. He had been out redoing the various protection charms and wards on their house when he spotted Remus.

He spoke in a harsh voice with a hint of panic in there and rapidly looked around trying to see if other members of the Phoenix were near by. He also looked as if he had seen better days. While he still dressed as his status called for everything looked worn and faded.

"Did the send you to come collect my family?" He asked even though he knew they were pardoned...but with the way things were going he wouldn't be surprised if they changed their minds.

That might have been one of the last voices he ever expected to hear. He had been so focused on the dementors he had failed to pick up on the person getting close to him. Foolish! Damn. Still, he couldn't hide his surprise as he slowly lowered his wand, pardoned or not this man had beena death eater, and turned to face-

"Lucius Malfoy." He looked the other man over, taking a slow breath as he tried to put things together. Was this the reason the dementors were here? Were they his? "...I was sent to handle reports of dementors in the area." No point in lying there. "...I had no idea your family was out here." Did those in charge? The Order Hadnt even known as far as he knew or he would have been warned!

It was Lucius's turn to be surprised at the mention of dementors around. "Dementors here?" Fear filled his voice and he only clutched his wand tighter. He had thought they were all collected by now. To imagine that a group of them found their way here? He found that to be too high of a coincidence. He wanted to grab his family and run.

There was some small relief to know that the Order of the Phoenix weren't able to find him....but who sent the dementors? "This was one of our vacation homes," Lucius answered. "We came here to get away from everything. It almost worked."

No sane man would be unafraid of dementors. They were, in his opinion, the worst creatures imaginable and even if they were part of the dark, as Lucius had been (was?), they only lived for themselves and the promise of more pain. Every being with a soul feared them.

"I was chasing one when you found me. They're close; be on your guard." A none too subtle warning. "If your family is here, they need to be told!" They could deal with semantics later.

It occurred to Remus right then that the Malfoys might be even in more troublr than he first thought. They were a powerful family in their magic, but they were aligned with the dark. They had no light to fight with.

Lucius didn't have to be told twice. Instantly he appearated to go warn his family. Putting up the rest of the protection charms wouldn't suffice. He wasn't sure what they could do at this point since none of their magic would work against a dementor. Not when their magic was aligned with the dark. That's what frightened him the most.

He was hesitant to rely on Remus's help knowing their history together. Then there was the little bit of pride he still had left. This was his family. He had to protect them. He managed to get them out of the mess he caused from the start he could get them out of this too.

If necessary there was another place they could flee too that was isolated like this one. His family followed him with questioned, all them having their wands out. Warily, he led them out where Remus was, unsure of what to do at this point. He hated being in such a position.

Remus gave an uncertain nod of greeting towards Narcissa and Draco, his wand held and ready. Even if it was awkward, they all had a common thing to handle right now. Awkward can come later.

"Can any of you produce a Partronus?" He said softly, not sure if maybe he had overlooked but he needed to be certain. Was he protecting three, two, or one?

Movement caught his eye and he looked hard, eyes narrowing. Damn had that been a flash of ratty robe?

Lucius and his wife shook his head no in answer to being able to do such a charm. Only they glanced at their son when he spoke.

"I attempted to learn the Patronus charm...but I couldn't do a full corporeal one," Draco awkwardly admitted hesitantly looking up at his father before looking at Remus.

Lucius gave an approving nod, proud that his son was able to do so much and had taken an initiative in his education while he had been gone.

Remus was quietly impressed, and gave his own quick nod. "Good. Be ready for it. This home is as good a place to make a stance as anywhere else as there are no other humans for miles. They're most likely to come here."

"Lucius!" Came a quiet word of warning from Narcissa, who had caught sight of movement before even Remus had. She shifted her weight, looking very ready to step in front of her son if need be. Remus' lips thinned as he shifted his stance just as the first one came at them.

It swept down, yet it only flew past them, leaving Remus to grit his teeth. "There are going to be more!"

Instinctively, Lucius stepped in front of his family at the warning his wife gave him. He held his wand up and summoned a shield charm for around them. If anything it would by them time. His eyes never left the dementor knowing that there would be more now they found their prey.

Draco did his best to try and focus on happier memories knowing the stronger they were the better the Patronus charm would be. It was extremely hard to focus when he was terrified beyond belief.

Draco managed to do a sliver of a Patronus as another one came swooping down on them. He kept trying again and again not wanting to give up knowing it was important.

"No you don't," Remus rumbled low, his eyes narrowing as more swept in. There had been a time when the Marauders had been his happy memory - their friendship, their family they had been. Now, he had something far more powerful. The moment Teddy had been put into his arms, crying and wet and beautiful.

He put it all into his thoughts until he cried out in a snap, "Expecto Patronum!" From his wand came the silvery wolf in full leap, landing first on the ground then leaping into the air after the dementors, silently snarling as it defended the four wizards.

At the same time Draco managed to conjure up a full Patronus in the form of a fox. It's silvery form following the wolf as it chased after the dementors. He had used the times before the Dark Lord had resurfaced and things had been safe and sound. His family had been happy then and thats what he had yearned for the most.

Seeing the fully conjured Patronus made Lucius even more proud of his son. He would have to compliment him later. For now he was putting up various shield charms trying to help give Remus and his son more time to ward the dementors off. Always he stayed in front of his family even if Draco could do the Patronus charm.

"Two more to your left, Remus," Lucius shouted just barely seeing them out of the corner of his eye.

Seemed the boy had grown in power since they'd last met! Good because it was far easier with two than one. At Lucius' warning, he whistled loudly and the wolf turned course, all but tackling into one of the monsters.

The other, however, went straight for the family while his patronus was busy. "Draco!" He called out sharply, warning and wanting the boy's patronus to intercept.

"On it!" Draco shouted back as he sent his Patronus to intercept.

Draco had to improve his skills in order to help protect his family. As they could no longer protect him. Oddly he did better out of school then at the school learning everything.

It looked as if there were no more approaching. All three still held their poise unsure if more were going to come. They hoped that was the last of them, but one can never be sure. Even if it weren't the dementors it could be who ever sent them over.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject