Birth Right

Chapter 2

The Hogwarts Express gleamed under the morning sun and bellowed its five-minute warning, jarring a group of Muggle parents seeing off their spawn. Lucius Malfoy glared at the giggling herd of Muggles as they ushered themselves safely away from the platform's edge, as if the magic train would spit fire at them. He rolled his eyes and turned his gaze back to the brick wall as another harried group of late-comers ran through with their luggage.

"Good morning, Lucius," a smooth voice said from behind him.

He turned. "Good morning, Miss Black."

She laughed, twisting her auburn hair around a finger. "I've told you to call me Andromeda. Besides," she said with a grin, "we are to be brother and sister soon."

Lucius swallowed. Yes, Merlin forbid he forget.

"Are you waiting for Greg? He's already on the train."

"No, my... my father was supposed to..." He shook his head, and turned a smile on her. "I'll give him two more minutes."

Andromeda's eyes glowed in that strange way they often did when they shared a cauldron or partnered in Charms. "Alright. Well, if you'd like to share a car with me and Caroline... I think Evan will be there too, so..."

She trailed off and spun away from him quickly, just as she had when she'd given out her Valentines last February.

"Oh!" She whipped back around. "My sister is a first year. I can't wait for you to meet her. You'll be kind to her, won't you?"

"Of course," Lucius said. "All the girls of the House of Black are my favorites."

Andromeda blushed before waving awkwardly and hurrying away. And Lucius almost wondered if it was unfair of him to tease — but she was just such an easy prey.

He'd asked his father why he had to be betrothed at thirteen. Wouldn't it have made more sense to secure the arrangement when Bellatrix was about to finish her Hogwarts years, and he was fifteen — closer to coming of age.

"Best to tie you to her before the other boys begin courting her," Abraxas had said. "If they ever court her," he'd muttered under his breath. He'd looked up with a frown, as if remembering his son was there. "Cygnus is a smart man. He knows that with three daughters, he doesn't have many options. I presented him with the best one."

Lucius had almost opened his mouth to ask whether it was the best option for him. Bellatrix Black was not only as charming as a feral cat, but also much crueler. But to remind his father that Andromeda was an option as well... a much more tolerable one... his father would not have appreciated such a suggestion. His father was to be obeyed, not critiqued. He always had his reasons.

Even though his timeliness left much to be admired. Lucius sighed and checked the large clock on the platform. If he didn't head for the train now, he'd be in danger of running for it.

And Malfoys never run.

He heaved his trunk into the fourth car, allowing Goyle to lift it into the overhead and stealing his seat along the way. Goyle pressed in close to Harper, much to his dismay, and Lucius cemented his place amongst the ranks by steadfastly ignoring the lot of them in favor of reading his level-three texts.

The lines for the carriages felt longer than last year's. He didn't much like waiting in lines. He skipped ahead of several people and made a beeline for Stuart Craggy, Slytherin Quidditch Captain.

"Craggy," Lucius called. The older, stockier boy turned around, straightening up when he realized who was addressing him. "I plan to try out for Bletchley's position this year. I look forward to joining the team."