An Old Friend

Chapter Ten

The Subtle Pains of War

Eleanora's POV

I wake to the sound of someone moving around the room. No longer feeling Lucius laying behind me I figure he is getting ready to leave. My eyes finally adjust and I see him fully dressed again, and making his way back to the bed. Untangling myself from Severus, who rolls over not at all bothered with what is happening around him, I turn to face Lucius.

"Sorry if I woke you, dear. I was coming to leave you a note before I left. Go back to sleep. I'll be out shortly." Lucius talks softly trying to not disturb the bear next to me. Choosing to ignore his instructions, I get up and grab my robe.

"I'll walk you out." Lucius lets out an exasperated sigh, but walks to the bedroom door deciding to not argue with me. I pull the door completely closed behind us to ensure we do not disturb Severus, he never gets enough sleep. When I turn back from the door Lucius looks to be struggling with an inner turmoil deeper than what was bothering him earlier this evening. "What is bothering you, Luci?"

"El", Lucius pauses as if struggling to find the right words, maybe even wanting to say nothing at all. "The dark lord, he will", he pauses again as if this next part pains him to say. "He will seek you out now that your powers are no longer a secret."

"I know." I calmly responded, reaching out to place a comforting hand on his arm. Lucius jerks away as if my touch burned him.

"How are you so calm about this?! You could single handedly stop him. You are not someone he is going to let roam around freely." Lucius barely contains himself to a whisper too overwhelmed with emotion to remember not to disturb Severus. I lay my hand on his arm again, whether for his comfort or my own I do not know.

"Luci, listen to me. I've known from the moment I accepted my position at the WWO when Voldemort's eminent return happened he would seek me out. He would be stupid to not seek me out, however I am prepared. The one thing he does not want while trying to overthrow the British wizarding world is the rest of the world thwarting his plans. A dead or captured me would bring about a world war. He does not have the capabilities or power to handle that right now, nor will he ever. So, take a breather and pull yourself together. Your home is the current headquarters of Voldemort and his posse. You can not return being anything less than strong and unmovable." At my last words Lucius straightens back up into the hard unbreakable man he has always had to be. Watching him suffer as this pretend character chips away at my heart, but I'd rather have a cold as steel Lucius than a dead Lucius. He nods, stepping back from my touch, shattering my heart more, even though I know it is the only way he can fall back into his heartless death eater persona.

"I need to return home." Lucius almost robotically says no longer looking at me, but instead through me. As his back is turned to gather his coat, I take a shaky breath in and sort my emotions. I can not be the one to break now, not at the beginning of a war.

"Floo back please. I can bypass Albus' restrictions. Delores has the school on lock and I'm not dressed to escort you out in case she finds you on the grounds. Also, encourage Draco to join her little group of hall monitors searching for Dumbledore's Army. He needs to be on her radar on his terms and not hers. She has been interrogating students with veritaserum behind Albus' back and the last thing we need is her questioning Draco while dosed with it." I feel like I am overwhelming him with information, but this is what has to be done in order to protect the ones we love. Lucius nods before stepping up to the floo.

"Thank you, Ella." Lucius whispers out. I nod understanding that on top of everything he is mostly thanking me for putting him back in the right headspace. Lucius straightens his spine and takes one last deep breath to compose himself, before nodding to let me know he's ready. I quickly cast a spell to bypass the floo network restrictions and Lucius disappears in green flames.