Post by Rachael on Jan 20, 2012 7:02:06 GMT -8
Title: Family Feuds Part 3
Rating: G
Word Count: 1443
Warnings: A bit of meanness towards Scorpius.
Summary: Scorpius' life is messed up a bit by the reappearance of someone he never had the chance to know...
When Scorpius and his father finally reached their destination, Scorpius felt a tremor run through him at the sight of his ancestral home. The large manor, unlike the one he had been raised in, was as dark as could be, as though a shroud of misery, loneliness and evil had fallen upon it. There was no light to be seen anywhere on the estate. The yew hedges on either side of the gravel driveway, which were withered and ghastly to look at, muffled the sounds of their footsteps, though Scorpius knew each step had resulted in a sharp crunch.
Somewhere in the garden beyond the hedges to Scorpius’ right a fountain gurgling, as though it barely had the energy to keep spewing water. All in all, it was safe to say that Scorpius had no love of Malfoy Manor while it was in this state. “Merlin, this place has gone to the dogs,” Scorpius’ father whispered sadly, casting his gaze around. “I should have kept a closer eye on the property.”
“Why? You weren’t planning to ever live here again...”
His father turned his head in Scorpius’ direction and gave him the look that he had often given Scorpius in his youth. “That isn’t the point, Scorpius. One day, when Wizards and Witches can no longer recall memories of this place, the Malfoys of the future will return to live here. They’ll fill the Manor with light and happy memories and all the darkness will be gone forever. I wasn’t able to do that because the darkness is too fresh in my memory. Your children might be able to do it, though...”
“Father, you know that won’t be happening,” Scorpius said, his tone both exasperated and irritated; he was tired of going over the same argument with his father.
“I never said you had to be anything less than you are, this time,” his father replied pointedly. “I merely meant that magic is always growing more advanced. One day, young men, like yourself and Albus, will be able to have their own children, without needing to adopt....or resorting to being something they’re not.” Scorpius harrumphed but did not respond with words as they continued up the driveway towards the gloomy Manor. When Scorpius and his father reached the main entrance, his father waved his hand in front of the double doors, scanning for any wards or traps that might trigger if he touched the handles.
When his father found no trace of any harmful wards or enchantments, he grasped the handles and turned them, pulling the double doors open, grimacing as the hinges creaked. The sight that met them was a rather rundown, extremely dusty, gloomy foyer that numerous spiders had made their homes in, their webs crisscrossing in amazing patterns, stretching from the ceiling to halfway down the walls. It was a horrid sight and Scorpius could almost feel the pain rolling off his father’s shoulders as a result.
His father took the first step into the house, resulting in a puff of dust rising from the faded red carpet. Scorpius started coughing as the dust assailed his nostrils, but his father quickly clamped his hand over his mouth, holding tight to his arm at the same time. His father shook his head fractionally, and then looked off in the direction of the study. That was when Scorpius heard it; a faint shuffling sound emanating from behind the door of the study, followed by some incoherent mutterings.
Scorpius drew his wand and nodded at his father when the man looked at him once more. His father nodded in return, releasing him quietly. Together, wands in hand, the two of them slunk towards the door to the study. They moved to stand on either side of it. Scorpius pushed the door open and in instant his father moved in a head of him, with Scorpius following behind – like in all the Muggle crime shows Scorpius had watched at the Potter’s house, with Albus and Lily. But they froze when they saw what had been making the noise.
A tall, wraith-like being, wearing striped tatters, was pacing back and forth in front of the empty fireplace, with barely the energy to truly lift their feet from the ground. Hair hung in filthy ropes around the creature’s head, reaching down towards it’s waist. In the creature’s skeletal hands was a book, from which it was reading, muttering all the while. It must have heard them, however, for it lifted it’s head and looked right at them, with dull, sunken grey eyes that looked so haunted it made Scorpius shudder.
The grey eyes barely skimmed over Scorpius, before focusing on his father. “I should have known that would come, Draco,” the creature said, it’s voice a hoarse croak, as though he had spent the last twenty-five years screaming to the point where it’s vocal chords were irreparably damaged. It was in that moment that Scorpius knew what this creature was.
It was his grandfather.
“Father, you look...gre –”
“Don’t insult my intelligence,” Lucius hissed, hurling the book at Scorpius’ father with surprising strength.
Scorpius’ father ducked briefly to avoid the flying book, before straightening and raising a brow. “Would you prefer I insult your appearance? Now,” his father said briskly, “are you going to fix yourself up or will I have to do it for you? I won’t stand here parlaying with someone who looks and smells as awful as you do.”
Lucius brought himself up to his full height, but missed the mark in achieving the intimidation factor. “I would have done so if I had the means,” Lucius croaked in response, before turning away from Scorpius and his father. “They...they took almost everything from me...” Even Scorpius could hear the man’s attempts at hiding his own pain. “The only reason I still have this,” Lucius said, gesturing towards the entire Manor, “is because...because of him!” The last word was said with such vehemence, it was not hard to guess as to whom he was alluding to.
“Well, then, you had better be grateful. Otherwise, you’d be on the street, without even your books to occupy you,” Scorpius’ father said darkly, “because Merlin knows you barely deserve the small mercies you were given.”
“That filthy Half-Blood is the reason I’m resigned to this sorry state of affairs,” Lucius snarled, whirling around to glare daggers at Scorpius’ father.
But Scorpius had barely registered that fact as rage bubbled up inside him, driving him forward; ignoring his father’s angered exclamation. Eyes blown wide with fury, he lunged at the wraith-like creature that was Lucius, knocking him bodily to the ground, and pinning him there, uncaring of the dirt transferring from Lucius’ tatters to his own pristine clothes. “How dare you?!” Scorpius demanded fiercely, giving the downed man a hard smack in the face. “Harry Potter is a better Wizard and a better man than you could ever hope to be!!”
Scorpius barely felt it when a hand gripped the back of his jumper, but he did notice when he was hauled away from his grandfather. “Scorpius, that’s enough!” his father scolded. “Never attack a weaker man than you, or you’ll become worse than the scum rotting in Azkaban at this very moment.”
Lucius heaved himself into a seated position, and wiped traces of blood, spittle and grime from his face with the back of his hand. “Should have known you would have a Blood Traitor for a son,” Lucius croaked, before looking at Scorpius with blatant disdain. “A shirt lifter, too, by the look of him.” Lucius sneered, a gross imitation of the sneer featured in so many history texts. “Get out of my house, boy, and take your perversions with you.”
“If you hurt any of the Potters or Weasleys, I’ll kill you with my bare hands, I swear it,” Scorpius said, drawing himself up to his full height, even as he veritably trembled with the strength of his rage. “By my blood and magic, I, Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy, do, hereby, banish you, Lucius Abraxas, from the ancient and noble house of Malfoy.” Lucius’ face contorted in horror. “Let it be written.” Magic swirled around Scorpius and, then, to seal the curse, he spat on the floor in front of Lucius, before storming from the Manor.
His father ran after him. “Scorpius!!! Do you know what you’ve just done?!”
“Started the first family feud in five hundred years? Yes, of course, I do. It was worth it, to see the look on his face.”
His father laughed softly, and wrapped his arm around Scorpius’ tense shoulders. “That it was.”
Together, they returned to the secured Manor.
The End
Rating: G
Word Count: 1443
Warnings: A bit of meanness towards Scorpius.
Summary: Scorpius' life is messed up a bit by the reappearance of someone he never had the chance to know...
When Scorpius and his father finally reached their destination, Scorpius felt a tremor run through him at the sight of his ancestral home. The large manor, unlike the one he had been raised in, was as dark as could be, as though a shroud of misery, loneliness and evil had fallen upon it. There was no light to be seen anywhere on the estate. The yew hedges on either side of the gravel driveway, which were withered and ghastly to look at, muffled the sounds of their footsteps, though Scorpius knew each step had resulted in a sharp crunch.
Somewhere in the garden beyond the hedges to Scorpius’ right a fountain gurgling, as though it barely had the energy to keep spewing water. All in all, it was safe to say that Scorpius had no love of Malfoy Manor while it was in this state. “Merlin, this place has gone to the dogs,” Scorpius’ father whispered sadly, casting his gaze around. “I should have kept a closer eye on the property.”
“Why? You weren’t planning to ever live here again...”
His father turned his head in Scorpius’ direction and gave him the look that he had often given Scorpius in his youth. “That isn’t the point, Scorpius. One day, when Wizards and Witches can no longer recall memories of this place, the Malfoys of the future will return to live here. They’ll fill the Manor with light and happy memories and all the darkness will be gone forever. I wasn’t able to do that because the darkness is too fresh in my memory. Your children might be able to do it, though...”
“Father, you know that won’t be happening,” Scorpius said, his tone both exasperated and irritated; he was tired of going over the same argument with his father.
“I never said you had to be anything less than you are, this time,” his father replied pointedly. “I merely meant that magic is always growing more advanced. One day, young men, like yourself and Albus, will be able to have their own children, without needing to adopt....or resorting to being something they’re not.” Scorpius harrumphed but did not respond with words as they continued up the driveway towards the gloomy Manor. When Scorpius and his father reached the main entrance, his father waved his hand in front of the double doors, scanning for any wards or traps that might trigger if he touched the handles.
When his father found no trace of any harmful wards or enchantments, he grasped the handles and turned them, pulling the double doors open, grimacing as the hinges creaked. The sight that met them was a rather rundown, extremely dusty, gloomy foyer that numerous spiders had made their homes in, their webs crisscrossing in amazing patterns, stretching from the ceiling to halfway down the walls. It was a horrid sight and Scorpius could almost feel the pain rolling off his father’s shoulders as a result.
His father took the first step into the house, resulting in a puff of dust rising from the faded red carpet. Scorpius started coughing as the dust assailed his nostrils, but his father quickly clamped his hand over his mouth, holding tight to his arm at the same time. His father shook his head fractionally, and then looked off in the direction of the study. That was when Scorpius heard it; a faint shuffling sound emanating from behind the door of the study, followed by some incoherent mutterings.
Scorpius drew his wand and nodded at his father when the man looked at him once more. His father nodded in return, releasing him quietly. Together, wands in hand, the two of them slunk towards the door to the study. They moved to stand on either side of it. Scorpius pushed the door open and in instant his father moved in a head of him, with Scorpius following behind – like in all the Muggle crime shows Scorpius had watched at the Potter’s house, with Albus and Lily. But they froze when they saw what had been making the noise.
A tall, wraith-like being, wearing striped tatters, was pacing back and forth in front of the empty fireplace, with barely the energy to truly lift their feet from the ground. Hair hung in filthy ropes around the creature’s head, reaching down towards it’s waist. In the creature’s skeletal hands was a book, from which it was reading, muttering all the while. It must have heard them, however, for it lifted it’s head and looked right at them, with dull, sunken grey eyes that looked so haunted it made Scorpius shudder.
The grey eyes barely skimmed over Scorpius, before focusing on his father. “I should have known that would come, Draco,” the creature said, it’s voice a hoarse croak, as though he had spent the last twenty-five years screaming to the point where it’s vocal chords were irreparably damaged. It was in that moment that Scorpius knew what this creature was.
It was his grandfather.
“Father, you look...gre –”
“Don’t insult my intelligence,” Lucius hissed, hurling the book at Scorpius’ father with surprising strength.
Scorpius’ father ducked briefly to avoid the flying book, before straightening and raising a brow. “Would you prefer I insult your appearance? Now,” his father said briskly, “are you going to fix yourself up or will I have to do it for you? I won’t stand here parlaying with someone who looks and smells as awful as you do.”
Lucius brought himself up to his full height, but missed the mark in achieving the intimidation factor. “I would have done so if I had the means,” Lucius croaked in response, before turning away from Scorpius and his father. “They...they took almost everything from me...” Even Scorpius could hear the man’s attempts at hiding his own pain. “The only reason I still have this,” Lucius said, gesturing towards the entire Manor, “is because...because of him!” The last word was said with such vehemence, it was not hard to guess as to whom he was alluding to.
“Well, then, you had better be grateful. Otherwise, you’d be on the street, without even your books to occupy you,” Scorpius’ father said darkly, “because Merlin knows you barely deserve the small mercies you were given.”
“That filthy Half-Blood is the reason I’m resigned to this sorry state of affairs,” Lucius snarled, whirling around to glare daggers at Scorpius’ father.
But Scorpius had barely registered that fact as rage bubbled up inside him, driving him forward; ignoring his father’s angered exclamation. Eyes blown wide with fury, he lunged at the wraith-like creature that was Lucius, knocking him bodily to the ground, and pinning him there, uncaring of the dirt transferring from Lucius’ tatters to his own pristine clothes. “How dare you?!” Scorpius demanded fiercely, giving the downed man a hard smack in the face. “Harry Potter is a better Wizard and a better man than you could ever hope to be!!”
Scorpius barely felt it when a hand gripped the back of his jumper, but he did notice when he was hauled away from his grandfather. “Scorpius, that’s enough!” his father scolded. “Never attack a weaker man than you, or you’ll become worse than the scum rotting in Azkaban at this very moment.”
Lucius heaved himself into a seated position, and wiped traces of blood, spittle and grime from his face with the back of his hand. “Should have known you would have a Blood Traitor for a son,” Lucius croaked, before looking at Scorpius with blatant disdain. “A shirt lifter, too, by the look of him.” Lucius sneered, a gross imitation of the sneer featured in so many history texts. “Get out of my house, boy, and take your perversions with you.”
“If you hurt any of the Potters or Weasleys, I’ll kill you with my bare hands, I swear it,” Scorpius said, drawing himself up to his full height, even as he veritably trembled with the strength of his rage. “By my blood and magic, I, Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy, do, hereby, banish you, Lucius Abraxas, from the ancient and noble house of Malfoy.” Lucius’ face contorted in horror. “Let it be written.” Magic swirled around Scorpius and, then, to seal the curse, he spat on the floor in front of Lucius, before storming from the Manor.
His father ran after him. “Scorpius!!! Do you know what you’ve just done?!”
“Started the first family feud in five hundred years? Yes, of course, I do. It was worth it, to see the look on his face.”
His father laughed softly, and wrapped his arm around Scorpius’ tense shoulders. “That it was.”
Together, they returned to the secured Manor.
The End