The Difference Between Life and Dreams…
Title: The Difference Between Life and Dreams...
Written By: LegolasLover2003 aka Ashley aka LuciusLover2003
Category: Fanfiction - Books - Harry Potter
Genre: Angst/Drama
Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Harry Potter. It is all J.K. Rowlings. I also do not own Jason Isaacs... just thought I'd throw that in there since this is Lucius centered...
Note: This story takes place between the events of "The Order of the Pheonix" and "The Half Blood Prince". There will also be flashbacks to other books and to points completely made up by me.
October 29th, 1979
"You have to!"
Dark eyes glared back at the elder blond, black hair falling into his face. "I don't have to do anything, Lucius. I'm out. I'm leaving. To hell with what Voldemort would want!"
Stepping forward, Lucius Malfoy grasped the younger man by his shirt collar, pulling him close. "If you leave, he'll kill you. What the bloody hell do you think I'm doing here?"
For once, Regulus Black didn't know what to say. He stared into Malfoy's gray eyes, trying to understand just what he was meaning. It wasn't possible, was it?
"Why… why would Voldemort kill me for deciding not to join?"
Lucius shook his head, "You just don't get it….. You made a decision, Regulus. We both did. And like it or not we can't back out now. Besides, what would your family think? Sirius was already a disappointment."
"I'm not doing it, Lucius." Black replied, his hand grasping the other man's wrist. "I can't do it. What Voldemort wants…" he shook his head. "What Voldemort wants is insane. Yes, bringing magic back to the purebloods if a noble cause, a cause I would fight for… but not like this…"
Malfoy smirked, "And how else did you propose to fight, Regulus?"
"Killing Muggles isn't the answer!" he shouted angrily. "That'll get us nowhere, except into a cell in Azkaban!"
"Better that then be overrun by Muggles and Mudbloods." Malfoy replied stoically.
From within the folds of his black robe, Lucius produced an equally black wand.
Regulus paled slightly, "You can't honestly consider killing me."
"Voldemort ordered it. If I don't kill you…." His wand wavered, as did the grip Malfoy had on his fellow Death Eater's shirt collar. "If I don't…"
Black saw the indecision plainly in Lucius' gray gaze. It was almost as if the older man's soul was bared to him in that instant.
"Narcissa?"
Lucius nodded. "I won't loose her, Regulus. I can't lose her."
"So that's it then?" Regulus asked, moving a hand up to untangle Malfoy's hand from his collar. "You kill me to save your family… all in the name of some grand design of the Dark Lord's?"
Angry, Lucius released the younger man, moving away a few steps. "What do you expect me to do?" the blond wizard demanded. "Narcissa's pregnant, Regulus! If I fail… if I fail then I'll be condemning not only my wife, but my unborn son as well. Not even you can…"
"You're like a brother to me, Lucius!" Regulus shouted, "And now you'll kill me for HIM?! I trusted you, Lucius…"
Sighing, Malfoy pinched the bridge of his nose. His pale gray eyes closed as the man leaned against the wall.
"I would rather…"
"I'll leave." Regulus replied, his hands out to his sides in a gesture of appeal. "I'll leave and hide amongst the Muggles."
Lucius laughed, "Lord Voldemort won't believe me unless…"
Thrusting out one arm, Regulus pulled up his sleeve. There, on the man's pale arm, was the black tattoo of a Death Eater. "Unless you have proof. Take this."
"Skin your arm?" Malfoy replied, one eyebrow arching delicately in question. "But if I do that, you'll not know if he nears."
"Does it matter?" with a sigh, Black shook his head. "He'll know I'm alive as long as this tattoo remains. Take it for your proof."
"Regulus…"
Without a moment's hesitation, Black pointed the tip of his own wand at the skin. There was a flash of purple light, a cry ripping from Regulus' throat as the reddened skin ripped from his arm and floated to the ground.
Reaching out, Lucius steadied the younger man, "That was foolish, Regulus."
"But necessary." Black whispered in pain as he staggered to lean against the wall.
Kneeling, Malfoy took up the severed tattoo covered skin, placing it in the folds of his robes. "Do you know where you'll go?"
Regulus shook his head. "Not yet. Even if I did, I wouldn't tell you, Lucius. The Dark Lord is a skilled Legilimens. If he found out…"
"Then you're on your own." Lucius replied, looking at his wand for a moment. "Severus will not believe you dead if this room doesn't flash green, you know."
Nodding, Regulus turned and walked the length of the small cabin. "I can hide here." He spoke, opening up a floor panel. "Once you and Severus are gone…"
"You'll head to London I expect." Lucius whispered. "Regulus, get as far away from Britain as you can. American maybe… Japan… Somewhere where Voldemort will never think to look."
Smiling, Black sat on the edge of the floor, his feet dangling over the side of the hole in the floor. "Don't worry about me." He replied. "You'll have your own troubles soon enough."
And with that, Regulus jumped into the hole and replaced the floorboard over his head. A slight sigh left Malfoy as he pointed his wand at the fireplace, knowing full well that the green flash of magic would be seen from outside due to the chimney.
"AVADA KADAVRA!"
Present Day
"No wonder Lord Voldemort hates father." Draco whispered.
The boy was sitting on the window seat in his room, watching as rain pelted the glass. A heavy storm was rolling through the countryside, but he hardly cared.
It only helped to show him how truly bleak the world was.
"Lying to the Dark Lord like that…" he whispered, idly tracing pictures on the window. "Why did father have to care?"
"Care about what?"
Head snapping to the doorway, Draco was shocked and amazed to see Pansy Parkinson standing in the threshold. "What're you doing here?"
The girl smiled, "Your mother invited me over… She said you weren't feeling well."
Draco didn't stand, but simply looked back out the window. "I haven't felt well in a while." He whispered as Pansy proceeded into the room.
She stopped when she was behind Malfoy, placing her hands on his shoulders gently as she looked out at the grey sky. "It's been so rainy lately."
"Yeah…" Draco whispered, leaning back against her.
Silence stretched between them for a long time, and it wasn't until curiosity finally got the better of her, that Pansy spoke up.
"Draco…" Parkinson whispered. "What did you mean by 'why did father have to care'?"
It took Malfoy a few moments to even begin to collect his thoughts. He couldn't tell her about Voldemort's plan, about what he was being chosen to do.
"Why should you care?" Draco snapped suddenly, standing and shrugging Pansy's hands off of his shoulders. "It's not your problem. Not your worry!"
At first, Pansy appeared a bit taken aback by Malfoy's quick and heated reaction, but eventually she smirked, placing her hands on her hips and cocking her head to the side. "Fine then, Malfoy. Keep it all inside. You're mother invited me… I guess you don't need cheering up after all."
Turning on her heel, Parkinson quickly walked from the room, her skirt billowing in her wake. As she slammed the door, Draco found himself leaning against the wall.
His pale features contorted into an expression of utter rage. Without even thinking of the consequences, Malfoy spun, slamming his fist into the wall.
Blood caked his knuckles, plaster and paint flaking from the wall to land on his pale hand. Enraged tears swam in Draco's eyes as he slid down the wall.
With knees curled up to his chest, Malfoy cried.
To Be Continued...
Review Responses:
fieryred: Thanks!
Elmida: Thanks so much. I hope to keep him in character as long as possible.
A Nonny Mouse: I've fixed any issues with Regulus' age. He's younger. Snape's younger than Lucius, but older than Regulus. So yeah...
Mione41: Oh, I think he's evil and cruel too, don't get me wrong. I just think that there's another side to him also is all. It's a side we all need to see sometimes. And yes, Snape's around. You'll see him more and more I think.
Shinning Bright Eyes: Hahaha. Bad Internet! No Biscuit!
Author's Note:
I saw OotP on it's midnight showing. Loved it. Adored it. But now I'm having problems with NOT making Lucius out to be a hardcore bastard. So I'm apologizing ahead of time if he's kinda strange at all. Thanks and keep reading!