At 20, Lucius Malfoy and his associates are smart, rich and reckless. And they have big plans. Slytherin debauchery, featuring underage!SS/LM SLASH later.
A/N: Characters and situations belong to Her Majesty, Queen JK of Rowling. There's no way I could come up with something so fabulous. Tut.
It all began in earnest after the death of Sir Icarus Malfoy. This happened two days after Christmas when his son was twenty years old, too young, some people commented, to inherit such great wealth and responsibility. Naturally Lucius disagreed, and, still in his stylish Chinese silk mourning robes, smoothed his blond locks and took his first steps towards world domination.
PrologueSadly, it was not a dark and stormy night, but being late December in Wiltshire, it was a dark and icy night, and Lucius Malfoy had a splitting headache. The house elves were still clearing up after the legendary Malfoy Manor Boxing Day Soirée, the great Christmas tree in the entrance hall was looking droopy after Araminta Wilkes' experiment with the billywig brandy, and the bright holly garlands weaving through the banister rails were looking distinctly dishevelled. The evening had lived up to its reputation though. The cream of wizarding society had congregated at the Manor to discuss politics, show off the latest fashionable presents they had received and of course, to drink themselves silly on spiced wine. The Daily Prophet society columnist traditionally had her drink spiked at the outset, and was stretchered home at about 8pm before the really compromising behaviour began.
Lucius had unwisely supplemented the intoxication of the fruity mulled wine by smoking some unusual herbs which Rookwood had brought back from his tour of South America. The hallucinations had been out of this world, but left an apocalyptic hangover. Every few minutes he had to tentatively check that there wasn't actually a ten foot axe embedded in his skull. He needed a very strong potion, but any movement towards acquiring one was not a pleasant thought.
The last few days had been disorientating, so he wasn't sure what time it was, but it was definitely late. Unable to bear the torture any longer, he kicked off the quilt and hauled himself to his feet to go and find Snape. He would know what to do. Though he was five years Malfoy's junior, he thrived on knowing everything about everything, often putting Sir Icarus' learned old friends to shame. Snape stayed at the Manor whenever his mother had one of her 'episodes' during school holidays, silently gliding through the fireplace with a polite nod to Lucius' father.
"Ah, Severus," Icarus would greet him with an odd mix of pleasure and regret. "Mother gone barmy again, eh? Can't be helped. Make yourself at home, child." And Snape would disappear with glee into the hallowed recesses of the Malfoy library. Lucius did not consider him part of the family, far too scruffy and weird for that, but over the years he had grown accustomed to his presence in the house, haunting its quiet corners like a dark little ghost. But what knowledge lurked behind the glaring black eyes! A mind like that was both highly dangerous and highly useful, or so Lucius hoped as he staggered from his room into the corridor. Snape was bound to know of some potion or other. He patted the top of his head gingerly. Still no axe.
As he neared the landing, he heard his father speaking in low, urgent tones. Since the death of his wife, Sir Icarus was invariably drunk in the evenings and Lucius was in no mood for a rambling conversation about his parents' youthful exploits in cornfields or whatever. He almost went back to bed. But something was not right. His father was a cheerful man and a jolly drunk, so the irritated voice he was hearing confused the ailing young man.
"No! Sir Icarus, please. Let go of me!" Snape? This was making no sense. He edged further towards the landing and caught snatches of what his father was saying.
"…don't pretend that you don't…slut…always lurking about in this house…" Striding forwards, Lucius opened his mouth to ask what the bloody hell was going on when he saw his father push a struggling Severus against the wall.
Then everything happened at terrifying speed. Lucius reached in his pocket for a wand which wasn't there, a tremendous burst of raw magic enveloped the landing, his father was blasted backwards against the banister, where he teetered for a moment then disappeared downwards. There was a gasp and a dull, meaty thump. Total silence.
The air was still crackling with wandless magic as Malfoy and Snape stared at each other, wide-eyed. Lucius recovered first, and peered over the rail at the large figure on the flagstones of the entrance hall twenty feet below them, lying very, very still. They descended breathlessly, leaned over and checked the obviously broken neck for a pulse.
"Oh," said Lucius.
"I just killed your father," observed Snape evenly.
"Yes," said Lucius.
Suddenly back in the real world, he began to pace the hall.
"We can tell the Ministry that he was pissed and toppled over, everyone knows he's hardly been sober since Mother died, and his bloodstream must be 90 proof anyway. We'll say we heard the thud and came down to investigate. Go and put your pyjamas on." Snape was staring at him, with a look of total incredulity. "What, Snape?"
"I killed him! Your father! Don't you mind?"
"Was it deliberate?"
"NO! Of course not!"
"Well then," he resumed his pacing. "I suppose they'll send Lady Brackhammer to investigate. She's my godfather's sister, I'm sure I can get her to sort this out as neatly as possible."
Snape had started trembling at the shock. He sat down abruptly on the bottom stair, suddenly looking like a frightened teenage boy.
"Pyjamas. Now, please," Malfoy spoke gently but firmly. Huge black eyes stared balefully at the older wizard.
"Look, Severus. He was my father. I loved him, but he never got over losing his daughter and wife, and he has never been really happy since then. I'm sorry he's gone, but we can't change the facts." Lucius broke into a smile. "Don't feel guilty, kid. I'm now the richest twenty year old wizard in the country. You gave me the best Christmas present I've ever had."
Snape digested this solemnly as he made his way slowly up the stairs. When he reached the top he turned back with a self-conscious little smirk, calling down:
"Merry Christmas, Lucius!"
And Lucius laughed.
…………..
And so it begins!
Next chapter: We'll see just how a suddenly filthy rich young wizard starts using his power and money with no one to impose limits. And lots of parties and misbehaving with the rest of the former slytherins!
A/N: Bright Young Things is the title of film by the wonderful Mr. Stephen Fry, an adaptation of Evelyn Waugh's novel Vile Bodies. I am not basing this fic on their plot, but rather the idea of glamorous, young aristocrats with nothing to do but play all day, until someone gets hurt.
Thank you for reading, I would love to know what you think! Big smoochy kisses, S.N. x