Dolasitas

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Christmas was fast approaching, and the Order was at something of an impasse. No-one could find a way to determine if the Dark Lord had indeed created more Horcruxes, and without that knowledge there was no possibility of launching an attack. It was frustrating, but they knew this was something they could not fail to prepare properly for.

The term had passed without incident or any sign of a pregnancy for Lexy. Whilst she and Lucius were still happy, she knew that he was beginning to get concerned, and seeing Ginny grow larger by the day only served to reinforce this. She resolved to go and visit Ginny after Charms that day before Flooing home, to ask her advice.

Ginny instantly knew that something was troubling Lexy and pulled the younger woman into an embrace. “Lovely to see you, Lex,” she said warmly. “Have you got time for a coffee?” she asked, studying her face intently.

Lexy shook her head tiredly. “Not really, Gin. I have to be back at the manor soon. I was just wondering if you could spare a few minutes for a chat?”

“Of course.” Ginny pulled Lexy through into her and Severus’ private quarters and they sat down on the solitary sofa. “Go on then, spill,” she said sternly.

Lexy jumped slightly before her shoulders slumped dejectedly. “Is it that obvious?”

“I can tell that something is troubling you, certainly,” Ginny replied carefully. “Do you want to talk to me about it?”

Lexy sighed and blinked her eyes to hold back the tears threatening to spill. “Has… has Lucius spoken to Severus recently?” she asked, her voice trembling.

Ginny frowned. “About anything specific?”

“I think he is beginning to get angry that I have not conceived yet,” Lexy said brokenly, her eyes unable to stay away from the swell of Ginny’s abdomen. “I’m scared, Ginny.”

“Of what?” Ginny asked, bemused.

“If I can’t have a baby, Lucius will have no use for me, and then what will happen to Will and I?”

“And that is all you are worried about? Not, perhaps, how you would feel if Lucius’ feelings changed towards you?”

Lexy’s eyes widened disbelievingly. “Why do you think that would have anything to do with it, Ginny?”

“Lucius adores you, Lexy,” Ginny said impatiently. “I find it difficult to believe that you feel nothing for him in return. For Merlin’s sake, the way you were talking a few months ago I’d have expected you to be delighted not to have conceived yet. Unless, of course, your feelings have changed and you want nothing more than to please him now?”

Lexy stood up, her eyes flashing furiously. “Don’t be ridiculous, Ginny. Lucius doesn’t adore me, he is merely an excellent actor,” she spat, her voice betraying her emotion.

“And you don’t have any feelings for him at all?”

Lexy paused, unable to answer, her mouth refusing to issue the denial she wanted to speak. She met Ginny’s eyes uncertainly, her heart beginning to race, but as she parted her lips to reply she was interrupted by the flare of green flames in the fireplace behind them.

Lucius emerged, his fury evident on his face. “You are late, Lexy,” he said coldly, seizing her arm painfully.

“Lucius, you are hurting me,” Lexy whispered, her face instantly paling as she noticed the black flecks in his grey eyes.

He ignored her plea. “Good day, Mrs Snape,” he nodded curtly to Ginny before spinning around and pulling Lexy into the flames after him, returning them both to Malfoy Manor.

Ginny stared after them in consternation, unsure what to do. As she rose uncertainly, beginning to panic, Severus stalked into the room. “Ginevra, what is wrong?” he asked.

She gestured helplessly towards the fireplace. “Lexy was here talking to me, and Lucius Flooed in, saying she was late. Severus, he was furious; I’m worried he might hurt her badly.”

Severus frowned. “What do you suggest we do?” he replied curtly.

Ginny seized his arm. “Can’t you go there to check upon her?” she implored him.

Severus looked down at his wife, an odd expression on his face. It seemed momentarily that his eyes softened before the more often used closed expression resumed its place on his face. “I cannot. Lucius will know that you have sent me, and it will only make things worse for Lady Malfoy.”

“Then you agree that she is in danger?! Please, Severus, we must do something!”

“I will go to Lupin and suggest that he pays them a social call urgently. That is all I can do.”

“Thank you, Severus,” Ginny said thankfully, planting a small kiss on her husband’s cheek before pacing the room worriedly.

Severus unconsciously touched the spot on his face that she had kissed before bending down to the fireplace and fire calling Lupin.


********************


Lucius pulled Lexy out of the fireplace and threw her onto the floor, standing over her menacingly as he began to remove his clothing. “Lucius, I’m so sorry,” Lexy begged, scrambling backwards desperately. “It was only a couple of minutes!”

He ignored her, merely withdrawing his wand from his robes and sealing the door and the fireplace behind her. As Lucius threw the last of his clothing to the ground, his erection already evident to behold, he seized a handful of her hair and pulled Lexy to her feet. “I ask very little of you, witch,” he hissed into her ear. “Yet you have let me down. Did I not warn you that my anger would be unpleasant for you should you incur it?”

Lexy winced as he tightened his grip on her hair, painfully aware of what was about to happen. “Lucius, please don’t do this,” she begged him. “You will regret it, my love, I know you will,” she said desperately, hoping that the use of the pet name would calm him, but knowing in her heart after Draco’s warning that it was already far too late for that.

“How dare you presume to tell me what to do?!” Lucius slapped her face and she stared up at him in shock as the bruise began to blossom on her face. “On your knees,” he demanded coldly, ignoring her obvious pain.

Lexy shook her head. “I will not service you like this,” she retorted, her heart pounding.

Lucius smirked. “Trust me, princess, that would have been much the better option for you. Never mind though, I am not choosy.” He slammed her down onto the floor again, wrenching her robes up and tearing off her underwear. “Fight me all you like, Lexy, but I would not recommend it,” he whispered, his lip curling.

Lexy suddenly realised what he was about to do and she tensed. “Oh gods, Lucius, please, no!”

“It is too late for that, Lexy.” With no further hesitation, Lucius quickly summoned up a bottle of lubrication and applied it sparingly to his cock before thrusting into her ass. Lexy screamed aloud; she felt as if she were being torn apart with every stroke he made.

Lucius grunted animalistically as he pounded into her, ignoring her obvious pain. “Maybe you will think twice before disobeying me now, wife,” he groaned as he approached orgasm, shuddering deeply as he came and spurted his seed over her buttocks as he withdrew.

Lexy turned over and pulled herself to her feet, her eyes shining with unshod tears that her fury refused to let spill, searching in her pockets for her wand to unward the door. Desperately she looked for it before noticing it in Lucius’ hand. “Looking for this, are you? Our games aren’t over yet, princess!” he said with a cruel laugh.

Lexy panicked, and shrieked “Stupefy!” pointing her hand at Lucius. To her shock, he dropped to the floor. Her hands trembled as she realised the control she now had over her wandless magic, and she unwarded the door and fled out of the manor without a backward look.

*****************

Remus Lupin hurried through the outer gates of the manor, his wand out at the ready. Severus had come to him with the news he had been dreading for the past few months and he had not hesitated in trying to get to Malfoy Manor. The fireplace had been blocked to any Floo calls so he had had to get outside of Hogwarts before Apparating to the boundaries of the Malfoy property. Cursing its size, he raced down the path leading to the entrance, only to run straight into Lexy who was hurtling in the opposite direction.

“Lexy!” he cried, relieved to see her apparently well; until he noticed the bruise already spreading across her face. “Did he do that?” Remus demanded furiously.

“Well I didn’t do it to myself, did I?” Lexy replied with a small laugh that quickly turned into a sob. “Oh gods, Remus, I can’t go back there, please don’t make me go back.”

“What happened?” Remus asked gently, fighting against the instinct to rush into the manor and tear Lucius into pieces for what he had done.

“I was only a couple of minutes late!” she said tearfully. “I was having a quick chat with Ginny and Lucius Flooed in and dragged me back home…”

Remus nodded. “Severus told me what happened, that’s why I came,” he replied soberly.

Lexy nodded, her breathing beginning to slow. “Draco told me of the warning signs to look out for so I could tell that he was in a rage and I tried to get away from him, but he sealed the fireplace and the door and took my wand from me. I couldn’t get away from him, Remus, I couldn’t!” she cried hurriedly, panic beginning to rise again in her chest as she relived her ordeal.

He pulled her to him and gently stroked her hair. “Ssh, it’s over now, Lexy, don’t worry.”

“But it was so horrible!” she whimpered. “He… he…” Lexy found herself unable to enumerate what had happened to her, and merely stared up at Remus, her eyes wide with horror. She began to rock back and forth in his arms and Remus tensed.

“Did the bastard… rape… you, Lexy?” he asked softly.

“Yes, but…” Lexy did not need to speak any more words as Remus finally fully understood what had happened to her.

He cursed and thoughts began to race through his mind. There was no way that he would allow Lexy to return to that bastard, and for Will to remain in his care as well was simply not an option. Remus simply would be unable to forgive himself is anything else happened to them. But how would he be able to protect them? Suddenly, a joyous thought came to him. His mother’s Muggle family were in America; surely they would be able to hide them all under the Fidelius charm? He beamed. “Is Will still inside?” Lexy nodded, bemused. “Can you get him without Lucius seeing you?”

Lexy nodded. “I Stupefied him,” she admitted.

Remus frowned. “But I thought he had your wand?”

She blushed. “He still does. I don’t know how, but I must have done it wandlessly. I unwarded the door and ran.”

Remus’ eyebrows shot up. “Wandlessly?” he asked, impressed. “Merlin’s beard. However, that means that he must be coming around shortly. Hurry, Lexy.”

“Do you have a plan?” Lexy asked tentatively.

He nodded. “Yes, Lexy, you must –“

His words were cut off by a loud crack indicating that someone had just Apparated behind them. They spun in unison to see none other than Lord Voldemort stood behind them, a look of cold fury on his face. “Have I interrupted something?” he demanded.

Remus froze, but Lexy dropped into a deep curtsey, her eyes trained on the ground. “My apologies, master. I was distressed and thought of leaving the manor, but Professor Lupin has most fortunately talked me out of my foolishness. He was just about to take me back in to my husband.”

Voldemort stared at her calculatingly. “Why were you distressed, Lady Malfoy?” he asked. When she did not answer, he reached out a cold hand and tipped her face upwards, hissing sharply as he saw the mark on her face. “Lucius?” he said. Lexy nodded reluctantly. “Follow me, Lady Malfoy. Lupin, you too.”

Lexy glanced despairingly at Remus as they walked into the manor. “My Lord?” she finally said as he walked towards the room she had left Lucius in. He turned back towards her, and Lexy involuntarily shuddered as his red eyes locked upon her. “Er… I had to Stupefy Lucius to get away. He may not be conscious yet.”

Voldemort was clearly surprised. “You bested Lucius?”

“I think I surprised him, my Lord, rather than bested him. He was not expecting me to do what I did, but I had to get away.” Her breath hitched again as Voldemort opened the room, and it did not escape his attention.

Lucius was still lying unconscious on the floor and Voldemort realised from his state of undress what had occurred before Lexy’s flight. “Am I to understand that you refused your husband’s advances?”

“I was frightened, my Lord,” she replied quietly. “It is no excuse, I know, but Lucius was behaving violently and I was afraid. He is the only lover I have ever known, and he is usually tender with me.”

Voldemort nodded. “That is understandable. Lupin, you were about to send her back in?” he asked abruptly.

Remus jumped. “Yes, master,” he replied finally. “With myself at her side, of course. Alexis has a responsibility to her husband and to you, and she cannot just leave. I intended to bring her back in and ensure her comfort before having a private word with Lucius about his conduct.”

“A sensible course of action,” Voldemort replied. As he bent over the two wands on the floor, Remus panicked.

“Alexis, did you drop your wand as you fled?” he asked urgently. It was imperative that Voldemort did not discover her capability for wandless magic; it could prove a useful weapon to the Order, for it was a rare talent.

Lexy paled. “Yes, I must have done,” she replied haltingly. Voldemort picked up her wand and handed it back to her. “Thank you,” she murmured, and he nodded, withdrawing his own wand and pointing it at Lucius’ chest.

“Enervate!” he said sharply. Lexy shivered as a cold blast of air seemed to shoot past her, but no-one else seemed to notice.

Lucius sat up dazedly. “My Lord,” he said with a frown. “What can I do for you?” Lexy shuddered and shrunk back towards Remus as he looked towards her.

“Crucio!” Voldemort warned without warning. Lucius began to writhe on the floor, clearly in severe pain. Despite what he had just put her through, Lexy threw herself forwards and knelt at Voldemort’s feet.

“Please, my Lord!” she implored him, her heart wrenching as she saw her husband in such obvious agony. Remus gasped, and Voldemort stared down at her in surprise, the curse lifting.

“You would presume to tell me what punishment I should issue?” he demanded, shocked.

Lexy trembled with the force of his stare and Lucius dragged himself across the floor towards her, attempting to cover her from Voldemort, but she angrily pushed him away, her mind flashing back to what had happened mere minutes ago. “My deepest apologies, my Lord, I do not know what came over me. Please, continue with your punishment as you see fit.”

Lucius stared at her, his eyes dropping as he realised the severity of the damage he had caused her. He turned towards Voldemort. “I echo my wife’s sentiments,” he said heavily. “Punish me as you see fit, master, for I deserve much worse than you have dealt me for the way I treated my wife.”

Remus and Lexy’s eyes met in shared surprise, and Voldemort was also taken aback. He lowered his wand. “Cover yourself, Lucius, I am sure Lady Malfoy has no desire to be reminded of what you have put her through,” he said disdainfully. “I have no further physical punishment to issue to you, but I hope that the words I have for you will be more effective.”

Lucius nodded and Voldemort began to pace the room. “I will listen attentively, master,” Lucius said earnestly, his eyes betraying his pain as Lexy refused to look at him.

“I know,” Voldemort said coldly. “Lucius, you have a great prize in your wife. Many men came to me asking for her on the same day that you did, and it was only in acknowledgement of your service to me and your assistance with the Final Battle that I allowed you to take her. However, not only have you since failed to impregnate her, I now discover that you have behaved in such a way that you have endangered her health. Do you think this is acceptable behaviour?” he demanded furiously.

“I… no, master.” Lucius hung his head in shame.

“You have six months to rectify your behaviour, Lucius. If there has been no change, then I will have to consider allowing those of the Death Eaters still unattached to petition for Lady Malfoy’s hand.”

Lucius and Lexy gasped in unison. “But master, we are bound together!” Lucius said pleadingly.

“Until death do you part, Lucius,” Voldemort elaborated chillingly. “Think carefully on my words, won’t you? Lupin, we will leave them to it now, don’t you think?”

Remus nodded. “Lexy, I will speak to you soon,” he whispered as he walked past her.

Voldemort took her hand and raised it to his mouth, kissing it with his cold lips. “Please keep me informed, Lady Malfoy,” he said smoothly. “Lucius, I will summon you soon.”

Remus and Voldemort left the room, and Lucius and Lexy were left staring at each other in silence.

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A/N Apologies that it has taken so long to update, but I've been working 60 hours a week and I've started working on my other story again as well; don't worry though, this definitely won't be abandoned. The next ten chapters are planned out in detail, and just need typing up when I have the time.