Cheating time, Unwilling fate.

Chapter 10

Harry was irritated. No he was highly offended by the meaningless talk that Felicia and Abraxas had managed to put him through. He was invited to dinner by the Malfoys as he knew well in advance. He had prepared for this dinner extensively. His occlumency was perfect by this time and he was dressed to the nines. The Blacks and the Potters were in full attendance at the dinner. Dorea still avoided the adults of the Black family preferring to converse with the teenagers who were plentiful in number; Narcissa, Bellatrix, Andromeda, Regulus and Sirius. He saw Regulus, Bellatrix and Andromeda for the first time in this timeline or rather they were all invited to his coming out party and he was too busy ogling Lucius to see them. All the three sisters were beautiful. He saw what Azkaban had taken away from the Black family; youth, prestige and good fortune. He knew that both Andromeda and Sirius had left their families sometime in this year. Well if he played his cards right there would be no such thing this time around.

“So Alex what are your opinions on the new bill championed by Chief Warlock Dumbledore?” Abraxas finally threw the long anticipated challenge.

“I am afraid you would have to be specific about that Mr. Malfoy. The headmaster champions too many bills for me to pay attention. “

Abraxas huffed at being sidestepped so easily. He knew that Dumbledore was an intimate friend with the Potters and it would not be wise to be openly hostile towards him in front of them. Still he had to gauge Alex’s reactions toward his cause.

“He had proposed a new bill pushing for the increasing rights of muggleborns and their muggle parents bringing them at par with us in the legal system. Don’t you think it’s a tad unfair to them to expect the understanding of our customs and legal system.”

A dangerous glint stole into Alex’s eyes. The people at the table had recognized the question for what it was; a test of Alex’s loyalties in the pureblood factions; light or dark. Lucius squeezed Alex’s hand beneath the table.

Alex measured Abraxas with a cool gaze. “Seems to me that is to be expected of Dumbledore. He is trusted by many and is yet to lead them astray.” He said scathingly. Alex had yet to declare his leanings but from his tone Abraxas was satisfied that he was unhappy with the light leader and a chance existed that he might join his lord. It was enough for him at the moment. The dinner had ended well.

Abraxas cornered his son soon afterwards. After pushing the boy in one of the rarely used sitting rooms he closed and silenced the door quickly. He turned and assessed his son now noticing the changes in his attire. The boy had been dressed impaeccably that was for certain but his dress had a certain Potterish quality to it that he despised. He had hated giving up his heir to that whelp of the light family but he had no choice but to comply with the orders. His son would serve as long as his lord wished. If the service was to be in a Potter’s bed then so be it. In his world power ruled everything and he would be damned before he gave up his. He could live with that.

“How had he been treating you?” He asked not out of kindness or concern but to glean facts of Potter heir’s actions. Lucius seemed to recognize the hidden questions too? His mask was in place firmly tonight. He knew he could die very painfully if he failed the test of his usefulness.

“As well as can be expected.” He coolly answered.

Abraxas kept his temper this time. He needed reliable information from the boy not incoherent babblings of a pain ridden mind. “I mean boy what does he think? What does he think about joining our cause? Is he good enough?”

Lucius hesitated in answering. “He doesn’t do much. Mainly he just hangs around the house and enjoys his estate.”

His father sighed and did the impressions he usually did before his patience with his son seemed to run out. Lucius braced himself for the pain that was about to come.

“Crucio”, just because he was expecting the pain did not lessen the sensation of white hot knives piercing his body. He struggled to hold his screams in but failed. He bit his tongue and tasted blood as his body writhed on the floor in agony.

Lucius looked up panting when the curse ended. “Who does he trust most in the family? Why did he block the negotiations of Black family for Bellatrix with the Lestranges? His father asked.

“He never confided in me about that.” He whispered; his breaths now coming in short gasps.

“Crucio”. This time the curse stayed longer. It felt an eternity before the tremors in his body reduced for him to lift his head from the floor. The very act of breathing hurt now. His father glared malevolently at him and flicked his wand for the third time. “Crucio”. Lucius didn’t scream this time. He curled in a ball and shook miserably wishing the pain to be over as he had wished so many times in his life before. Just like the previous times the pain was endless.

Suddenly the door banged open and the pain was gone. Both the Malfoys turned instinctively gripping their wands. Alex was framed in the doorway. His smoldering eyes came to rest on Lucius on the floor, gulping mouthfuls of air through his bloodied lips.

“Crucio”, Harry causally flicked his wand in Abraxas’s directions. Now it was Abraxas’s turn to scream. After a few minutes Abraxas was left twitching on the floor. Lucius was picked up from the floor with a gentleness he had never anticipated under this roof. The pain had addled his senses and he could not make out the face of his savior. A kiss was laid on his brow and he relaxed. It was Alex who was holding him. He was soon placed in a small bed and a potion poured down his throat. The pain receded a bit. He raised his head from the pillows and blearily recognized Alex leaning over him. He was in his bed. Alex had carried him up to his old bedroom. “Rest" Lucius nodded.

Harry went back to the room he had left Abraxas in. He was leaning heavily on one of the chairs. As Alex locked and silenced the door the older man took him in. The boy was strong magically. His Crucio had more bite than any other Death Eater he knew. Here in front of him was a valuable asset. His lord would be pleased to acquire him.

“You are powerful.” He began, “I have a proposition for you. Join me for the fight for the pureblood supremacy and the purging of the wizard world of the muggle filth. They don’t deserve to come into our homes and taint our culture and bloodlines. I am a member of elite group of fighters pledged towards this very purpose. You would have a future brighter than anyone else I know.”

Harry snorted. “And what would, tell me the cost of my so called bright future; sniveling at the feet of another man for your cause. Thank you, but no thank you. I rather prefer my pride and intelligence not razed by your so called leader. I was born in the light and I would stick by it and my family; not turn traitor to my own blood like you were so inclined to do.”

“I am not a traitor.”

“Oh Abraxas! I know more than I let on. I know you kiss the shoes of a dark lord who is nothing more than a mask that he wears to hide his true identity. There are plenty of truths and half truths disguised as rumors flying around. I can thankfully discern meanings out of even useless scraps of information. Its what kept me alive for so long. Your dear leader is nothing more than a coward. Well you Slytherins prize cowards so there you go. Didn’t muggles say something like ‘you only get the leaders that you deserve’ that’s your cue.”

Abraxas let out a scream of fury and flung a bone breaking curse towards Alex followed by a slew of other painful curses. Alex dodged, weaved and dove out of the way of all the curses when a small coin struck him. Horrified he recognized the rather familiar pull at the navel and took in the smirking Abraxas.

“Fuck”, he whispered and he was gone from the Malfoy manor in the blink of the eye.