I SPY || 𝕝𝕦𝕔𝕚𝕦𝕤 𝕞𝕒𝕝𝕗𝕠𝕪

Chapter 20. Withdrawal Symptoms

Astrid was dumbfounded by Lucius' cruelness, she knew he was going through a troubling transition in his life, but to take it out on her was unacceptable.

"I don't want anything from you Lucius, what is wrong? Why are you saying these things?" Astrid furrowed her brows and pushed herself off the desk, she stepped closer to the man in the arm chair, his face illuminated by the glow of the fire, his body slouched into his chair, angled towards flames. He regarded her a second before looking away again.

"The Christmas period gave me time to think, to come to my senses," Lucius spoke from his chest, projecting himself with as much strength as he could muster.

"About divorce?" Astrid asked softly, her eyes glanced towards the photograph on his desk briefly.

"No, about you," Lucius' jaw clenched. "The divorce is a separate matter, and it wouldn't be the first time we've started the proceedings either. No, I've been thinking about our... situation,"

"Situation? Is that what you call it?" Astrid asked, stung by his choice of words, this was a far different man to the one who had taken her in the school corridor, had said sweet musings to her, told her how she bewitched him. If she had bewitched him with her beauty and charm clearly it had worn off, for the man before her was not under any kind of love spell. His blue eyes were dark and cloudy as he looked over her coldly.

"Yes, I apologize if I gave you the wrong impression, but it was nothing more than a string of lust filled encounters," Lucius told the young woman. His words were daggers to her heart, she touched upon her chest lightly, feeling it beat hard against her ribs.

"No, no you're just... not yourself, you don't mean that," Astrid whispered, she tried to take his hand in her free one, but he pulled away, bringing the hand to his face he rests it on his chin and stared into the fire.

"I admit I felt swept away by you at one point, but the charm has faded, I must end our association now while it's still amicable,"

"You call this amicable?" Astrid hissed, tears burst from her eyes, falling to her cheeks harder than rain drops in a winter storm. "How could you change your tune so quickly? Do you want her back is that it? Are you staying with her?"

"It has nothing to do with Narcissa, but no I don't want her back... but I don't want you either, I'm sorry if you feel I led you on," Lucius sighed.

"No, I don't believe you, you could never say these things, you're doing this for a reason I know it," Astrid sniffled with a huff. Lucius looked at her darkly, rising out of his chair slowly he towered over the young professor.

"It's almost like you forget who exactly you're dealing with Miss Moody." Lucius tone was a warning. "I am Lord Voldemort's right-hand man, I led the attack at the quidditch world cup, I was witness to Cedric Diggory's death, I orchestrated the opening of the chamber of secrets, I have tortured and killed more people than you can fathom. Believe me when I tell you that I am done playing the lovestruck teenager, I have more important matters at hand." Astrid felt the now all too familiar feeling of nausea wash over her as he listed off his evil deeds, she could hear her heartbeat in her ears, the pain in her chest increasing, she tried to take deep breaths, remain calm, but her pulse raced with fear, anger, and betrayal.

"Like trying to kill Harry?" Astrid hissed, she really needed to learn to think before she spoke. Lucius' reaction was unexpected, he slapped the girl across the face with the palm of his hand, she yelped and gasped as he made contact with her warm skin. She cradled the stinging skin in her hand, warm salty tears only making the sensation worse.

"I thought you could be redeemed, but you really are the villain that everyone says you are," Astrid shook her head in disbelief as she retreated around the desk, she walked backwards towards the door, afraid to turn her back to the dark wizard.