Tempted by Fate: A Serpent's Requiem

Lucius climbed the unfamiliar staircase and headed towards Gryffindor Tower. He soon spotted Molly standing outside the portrait of the fat lady, her head hanging low.

“Molly?” Her head snapped up and she scowled.

“What do you want?” she snapped.

“Uh…I come to get you. We’re going…”

“Wait just a second. Are you the one who spoke to the headmaster about me this morning?” she asked incredulously. Her face was now turning all shades of pink and he did not wish to insult or embarrass her. It was just that he could not stand to see her go another day in those ghastly clothing of hers.

“Molly, please…don’t take this the wrong way, but if it’s any consolation I just couldn’t bear to see you get hurt again.”

“What?” she asked, a mild chuckle escaping her lips. “You couldn’t bear to see me get hurt?” The whole idea seemed pretty amusing. How a rich snob like him could possibly care was beyond Molly and all her resonance.

“Uh…well you almost fell off the stairs today. I fear for the worst the next time it happens—don’t look at me like that. You will do better to learn that there are some people around here that are genuinely concerned.” He breathed a sigh of relief when she decided not to pursue the argument any further. He was running out of good excuses to justify his concern. Sure he was concerned about her safety but he was also curious as to why she carried herself the way she did. He wanted to see the girl behind the mask.

“How nice of you then,” she replied pursing her lips. “Well, if you think for one second that I am going to treat you any differently because of your pity then you are sadly mistaken. I can manage on my own.”

“Yes, but would you not agree that it would make your life a tad bit easier if the students of Hogwarts had little on the outside to hassle you about?” He took her silence as a yes. “Well, shall we? We will be leaving by coach.” He extended his hand but she ignored him and walked on by towards the staircase.

“Where are we going?”

“Hogsmead. Madam Malkin’s to be exact. She’s going to fit you properly for some new robes.”

“Whatever. I’ll go with you this time but I strongly suggest in the future that you ask my permission first.”

“As you wish fidanzata.”

“What?”

“Never mind.”

They hurried down the winding staircase, for it had once again changed in the short time that Lucius had entered Gryffindor tower. They headed out the double doors, through the courtyard straight inside a large gray carriage that was decorated beautifully with green and silver wheels. Two silver serpents were carved neatly and intricately on each door of the carriage. A coachman helped Molly inside and was followed by Lucius who tried his best not to stare at her butt as he climbed in after her.

They rode all the way to Hogsmead in silence although Lucius kept finding himself watching Molly. She was looking out her window and she seemed to be lost and distant. Once or twice though she sniffled and he knew right away that she had been crying. He wanted to say something to her but at the moment he could not think of a single thing that would help the situation.

The carriage pulled to a stop minutes later and the footmen ushered them out in front of Madam Malkin’s.

“Sir, when should I be back to pick you up?” the footman asked.

“I don’t know. Say, an hour maybe?”

“I do not think that it is going to take an hour to have me fitted for a robe,” Molly snapped. Lucius stared at her looking some what amused before he shrugged.

“If you say so. Come back in thirty minutes.” The footman nodded as he drove away. Molly just stood there frowning as she stared at the shop.

“Um…the sooner you go in and get fitted the sooner we can leave,” Lucius commented softly. Molly made an annoyed sound before marching inside the store. So feisty…

“Good day! What can I do for you today miss?” Madam Malkin walked up and extended her hand to Molly. Molly shook her hand nervously before jerking away. She stared at the strangely dressed woman out of curiosity. Her hair was shoulder length but had many shades of purple in it. Her eyes were a piercing violet color which matched her long, interesting looking robes that were made of silk with different patterned silver lace.

“Uh…”

“She’s the one I owled you about Ms. Malkin.” Lucius swept past Molly and bowed respectfully to Ms. Malkin.

“Oh…oh Mr. Malfoy sir. I am…I am sorry. I should have…” she stammered but he cut her off.

“No, it’s no problem. She needs a set of class robes and a nice dress robe. She also needs to be fitted for a gown.” Molly stared at him in disbelief but held her tongue. By the look on her face, it was clear the headmaster did not inform her that she was getting more than just a few robes.

“Right this way miss.” Molly shot Lucius an evil glare as she was being ushered to the back. Lucius just smiled as he exited the robe shop.

&&&&&&&&&

Thirty minutes later they were on their way back to Hogwarts. Their carriage was just full of bags, all of which belonged to Molly.

“Lucius, I don’t understand why…”

“I told you not to worry about it.” The carriage stopped and Lucius grabbed some of the bags in order to help Molly. They climbed Gryffindor tower in silence and stopped in front of the fat lady.

“Lucius, are you sure all of this stuff is mine? I was fitted for robes and I am sure that three robes did not require me to have so many bags.”

“Some of these are not robes. They are actual clothes.” Molly opened her mouth to yell but Lucius cut her off speaking in a very soft and gentle tone. “It is not what you think Molly. As you said earlier, not everyone has my kind of money. I bought you these things because I was bored. I left you in the shop to be fitted and while I was waiting, I grabbed a few things that I thought you might like. Can’t you accept them on behalf of your rescuer?” he asked sweetly.

“Oh wow. Cut the act.”

“How about you cut the act?” he retorted. She walked towards him and stood toe to toe with him…well, sort of. He was an inch taller so she had to stare up at him, her eyes fierce with anger.

“What act? I do not put on an act,” she huffed.

“Yes you do fidanzata. You’re not as tough as you appear. You put on this tough girl act to push people away but you’ll have to do better than that to push me away.”

“I don’t want or need any friends.”

“Oh on the contrary, I think you do,” he whispered, staring down into her eyes. They were relaxed with a certain sadness about them. Lucius couldn’t help but feel a wave of pity come over him. Her eyes began to wale with tears but she blinked them away as she took a step back from him, breaking his trance.

“Thank you for the stuff.” She looked away and started carrying things through the portrait hole. She returned a minute later to find Lucius still there waiting.

“Uh…I’ve taken everything inside. You can go if you want.”

“Well…actually I had something else that I wanted to give to you.” He reached into an inside pocket of his robe and pulled out a small silver box. “Open it now. I want to see if you like it.” Molly stared at the box quizzically. No one aside from her mother had ever given her a gift before. “Please…take it,” he pleaded softly.

Molly took the gift and held it for a second. A gift for me…She opened the box and to her surprise found a beautiful silver chained necklace that bore the name Ariana on it. Two silver serpents surrounded the name with fangs on the back that hooked into one another. Molly picked up the necklace and held it up studying it carefully.

“Wow. It’s…it’s beautiful,” she said softly. Her eyes were now sparkling with excitement making Lucius feel funny on the inside.

“Let’s see how it looks on you.” Molly handed him the necklace as he swept around her. She lifted her long, bushy hair so Lucius could easily hook the necklace. His hand grazed her neck softly as he hooked the necklace causing her to shudder. His hands lingered for a moment before he backed away. She looked down at her chest and played with the charm.

“Molly?”

“Oh…I…” She quickly turned so that he could see the necklace. The charm rested neatly an inch from her imaginary cleavage, which he could not see for the horrible gray sweater she was wearing.

“It looks great. I’m glad you like it.” For the first time ever he saw her smile and what a smile she had. Her pearly white grin seemed to light up the grim looking corridor and Lucius had to restrain himself from blurting that out.

“Yeah, I like it a lot. Thank you…Lucius.” He nodded and turned to leave. “Hey…hey Lucius?”

“Yes?”

“Ariana?”

“Oh that.” He laughed and continued down the hall. “I’ll tell you in due time. Have a good evening fidanzata.”

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“Lucius! Lucius, are you daydreaming?”

“Huh? Oh sorry,” he mumbled. He used his cane to help him to his feet while an impatient Molly stood over him. He looked to see that she had only one small set of bags.

“Molly, I am pretty sure that you would have more bags than that it you shopped for all of your children.”

“So that Arthur can ask me where I was able to get the money from? I don’t think so. It’s bad enough as it is. I do not need to add fuel to the fire.”

“So whose robes did you get then?”

“I got one for Ron and one for Ginny.”

“The others need robes too.”

“Oh well.”

“They’ll get them anyway.”

“No, I…”

“I’ll send them to the school. No one will know who they’re from.” Molly sighed as he ushered her out of the shop, something he had always been good at. When they got outside he turned to Molly, grabbing hold of her right hand and kissing the top of it.

“Molly, let’s get something to eat…together.” Molly shot him an exasperated look jerking her hand away.

“I don’t…I can’t…”

“Yes you can,” he whispered. He leaned over and kissed her cheek causing her to blush.

“Lucius! You can’t…you can’t be doing things like this to me in public! Someone might see you and…”

“Yes?”

“They might…say something.”

“You forget who I am.”

“Oh believe me I know who you are. In fact, I know all too well. Listen, just let me get home before Arthur does. I’d hate for him to start asking questions. I am really truly grateful for what you’ve done today. I owe you one.”

“Owe me huh? I’ll hold you to that fidanzata.” He bowed his head and stepped away from her. “Addio Ariana. Fino a quando ci incontriamo di nuovo.”

He disappeared in front of her, leaving her behind. She let out a breath and then followed suit, apparating back to her home at the burrow. She levied all of her bags into the small house and dropped down into a chair at the kitchen table, eager to sort through all of her new bags.

The first two bags had Ginny and Ronald’s new robes. She flicked her wand, mumbling a simple packaging spell as the robes neatly folded and enclosed themselves into small red boxes. She placed cards and bows on top of them but soon realized there was one bag left. The last bag had Molly puzzled for she did not order anything for herself. Frowning she peered inside the bag and pulled out a beautiful pink nightie made of silk. Underneath it was a matching robe made of the finest linen with the name Ariana embroidered on the back of it.

“Oh Lucius…” She sighed as she placed the gifts back into the bag. “Dimmenuo!” she mumbled softly. The bag reduced itself in size until it was small enough to hold in the palm of her hand. She made her way up stairs to the bedroom and placed the bag in her old jewelry box, next to the necklace he gave her years ago. She closed the jewelry box sadly and locked it.

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AN:Translations:

1. fidanzata------Italian for "sweetheart".

2. Addio Ariana. Fino a quando ci incontriamo di nuovo. --------Italian. In english it means: "Good-bye Ariana. Until we meet again."

If the translations aren't exact, it's because I used an online translator. Just so you know, don't expect too many quick updates on this one. I want to do it right so you may not always get a quick update. Oh and dimmenuo is a spell I made up but will probably use in all my HP stories if I need it.