Four To The End (prev Shifting Lines) Book Three (Marauders Era)

Chapter Fifty-One - Arson Is Not A Prank

Author's note: Sorry for this chapter being early, I have an appointment tomorrow when I normally get a chapter out and I didn't want to try to rush it along with getting ready.

CW for imagined violence and accidental self-harm (fingernails digging into palm)

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Remus almost felt like checking a calendar to make sure it really was the twentieth century. With the way Aegis was talking, he wasn't really sure. He knew a lot of the Purebloods were archaic, but this seemed bizarre. More than bizarre, really.

"I don't understand." He rubbed his eyes, trying to make sense of what was said. "The Slytherins dislike you because... your... father... says you're his son...?"

Aegis gave a weak laugh. "I suppose this sounds strange to someone who doesn't understand the Purists."

Very.

"Let me think of how to explain. As I said before, it reminds me a little of an old-fashioned court. And what would happen if the most influential person at court brought forward an illegitimate child as his heir?" Aegis gave him a look and Remus wasn't sure if he was supposed to answer or not. Before he could make a decision, Aegis continued. "It makes people worried. If Abraxas Malfoy says his illegitimate son is his second heir, who knows who else could do such a thing. Such as the Mulciber family." He began picking at the blanket again. "Mulciber's father is the heir. However, his father has an illegitimate child. If he decides to make him heir instead of Mulciber's father... that will throw the Mulciber family into chaos."

"What does it matter about heirs though?" Remus asked. "You mean inheriting money?"

"Not only money, Remus. Power. The family. In most Pureblood families—James's included—there is a patriarch or matriarch. Someone who is in charge of the family, of the main line, of the main line's fortunes and interests."

Remus recalled James saying his cousin disliked him because up until he was born, his cousin Boreas was in line to be the heir. He hadn't thought much of it, though. Hadn't really thought it was an heir-heir thing, he had assumed it was only really about money. Was that how Pureblood families worked?

"But you're... second. Lucius is the heir, right?"

Aegis shrugged. "Yes. I am hoping it stays that way."

"Why wouldn't it?"

"Lucius... was a sickly child," he said softly. "Very sickly. There were times they did not think he would live. He did not start growing healthy until he was around ten years old. When I was nine. By then it was far from too late. Abraxas declared me his second heir when I was only four, because I was very healthy and he thought it more likely that I would survive than Lucius."

Remus cringed at that, at the thought of what that meant for Lucius. No wonder Lucius hates him so much. He felt a slight, brief moment of pity for the twat. Only very brief, though. But growing up in a world where the heir was important, and being heir, then finding out your father was making an illegitimate son second behind you in case you died soon? Bloody hell.

"The older generations do not particularly care," Aegis said, snapping Remus back into the moment. "Abraxas has the right to run the Malfoy family as he sees fit, and if declaring me to be the second heir is part of it, so be it. It is the younger ones who do not like it, who grow nervous at the thought. And Lucius..."

"I understand now why he hates you so much," Remus said.

Aegis nodded slowly. "I believe deep down he worries if people like me enough... if I am somehow more popular than him, better in school than him, perhaps Abraxas would overlook him entirely and push me ahead of him. He wishes I was dead."