The Malfoy Project

𝙻𝚞𝚌𝚒𝚞𝚜 #𝟹 - 𝚃𝚠𝚘 𝙷𝚘𝚞𝚜𝚎𝚑𝚘𝚕𝚍𝚜, 𝙰𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝙳𝚒𝚐𝚗𝚒𝚝𝚢

     ✼¹ 

     I woke up to banners and posters all over the castle. They were draped on every wall, every noticeboard. Slapped outside each classroom, on the lockers in the Quidditch changing rooms, loose pieces slotted under the Common Room doors when we were asleep.

     EQUAL RIGHTS FOR SQUIBS, HALF-BLOODS & MUGGLEBORNS, they read in big, black lettering. STOP THE INJUSTICE!

     The Slytherin common room was in an uproar. "Who did this?" screeched Elizabeth Avery. "Must be one of those fucking Gryffindors," Thomas Carrow growled . "Well, obviously!" raged Edmund Bulstrode, bulging neck spilling over his collar. "Who else would it be?"

     They clamoured in front of the fireplace, carping on about 'the audacity and absurdity of these extremists', flyers clutched in their frantic, waving hands. I swiveled around, praying I would find the two people I was looking for, but there was only Ronnie. She was leaning languidly by the stairwell with crossed arms, and the twinkle of satisfaction in her eyes confirmed my suspicions.

     I found Bas and Cissy in the Great Hall, conjoined at the hip, tearing through their croissant and eggs. Anger roiled in the pit of my stomach as I strode up and tapped Bas on the shoulder. "Bas, I'd like a word with you, please."

     Bas chortled airily and dabbed a napkin to his mouth. "Good morning to you too, Lucius."

     "A word," I repeated through gritted teeth.

     Bas threw the napkin down and stood. "I'll just be a moment," he said to Cissy, and I looked away as he planted a kiss on her cheek.

     We wedged ourselves in a hidden nook a few paces away from the Hall. I unfurled the poster and snapped it taut in front of his face. "Mind explaining what the fuck this is?"

     He peered at it. "Looks like a poster to me."

     "A poster that you and Cissy made. Posters. And you've put them all over the school, too. Beth Avery said they're even in the girls' lavs! Have you completely lost your wits?"

     "Only a little," chuckled Bas, swatting my arm away.

     The flames of anger licked higher, threatened to spill from my throat. "Is this all a joke to you? Do you know what the Slytherins are saying about the person who did this? You may be able to do stupid things and get away scot-free, but what about Cissy? Have you spared a thought for her?"

     "A joke?" Bas echoed. "No, Lucius. A joke is when I ask you why the Diricawl crossed the road. A joke is when I tell you a gnome and an Erumpent walk into a bar. This," he flicks the poster with the back of his hand, "is changing the world."

     I could only blink at him in disbelief. He pushed himself off the wall and stepped forward. "Secondly, I couldn't give a fig what the Slytherins are saying. They're all the same - an ignorant bunch of fools so far removed from reality they wouldn't be able to recognise privilege if it slapped them across the face, so don't come preaching to me about what the Slytherins are saying or the stupid things I'm able to get away with, because you are a Malfoy as well, born of noble blood and with a silver spoon stuck up your arse. This?" he snagged my hair in his fingers. "This is privilege, Lucius, don't you understand?"

     Bas's ears had turned a milky red. He advanced with fire in his eyes, forcing me backwards until I could feel the coldness of the stone wall dance up my spine. "And how dare you imply I don't care about Cissy? I love her! Why else do you think we're doing all this, huh? It's for a better world. For her. But I suppose you're too childish to understand."