Not Your Usual Veela Mate

Finding The Strength To Go On

Walking out of the bathroom, his clothes and hair immaculate, Lucius finally felt prepared to face the new day. Standing by the bed, Severus was finishing buttoning the last of the buttons on his teaching robe. His much-disputed hair was falling in soft waves around his face, softening the harsh look of his features, making him more regal-looking than dour. Yes, Lucius would definitely make it his life's mission to show everyone just what it was that they had cast aside as unworthy. Then he would sit back and gloat as everyone was lusting after what was his.

"That is an almost disturbing look for this early in the morning. What on earth are thinking of now?" Severus asked with some exasperation.

Lucius chuckled. "Nothing, love. Come, let us see what the boys are up to. It is far too quiet. I don't know about Harry, but when it comes to Draco, that is the time to worry the most."

Severus rolled his eyes, but he refrained from commenting. Settling the heavy robe on his shoulders, making sure that it fell just right, he nodded to his friend and followed him out the door. The Veela was up to something, and Severus wasn't too sure he wanted to know what he was plotting. Ten to one, it involved him in some way, and he would probably live to regret whatever it was. Better to focus on the boys and hope that Lucius forgot whatever it was that had him smirking smugly at this time of the day. Nodding his head decisively, Severus almost walked right into Lucius, who had stopped abruptly halfway down the stairs.

Lucius, for his part, had become obsessed with worry for the two teens. Both had had a nasty shock, and he couldn't believe that he hadn't went to check on them sooner. Wishes to be with his mate be damned; this was his son! What if Draco had done something rash? What if he had lashed out at Harry, scaring the brunet away for good? What if…?

Quickening his pace as one nightmarish scenario after the other flashed across his mind, Lucius came to an abrupt halt as his muddled mind took in what his eyes had been trying to tell him. The immaculate living room that had been there the evening before was gone. In its place was a maze. That was the only word that fit what he was seeing.

The floor was covered with books. Covered with stacks of books. Covered with stacks of books that looked like they were about to fall over any second.

"What in Salazar's name…?" Lucius asked, looking around, searching in vain for any signs of the teens.

"I'd say they've been busy." Severus noted with amusement. "I wonder if they even got to bed, or if they just crashed where they were?"

"But, where did all these books come from?" Lucius asked, feeling overwhelmed and utterly out of his elements. Apparently, the happenings of the previous day had rattled him more than he'd realised.

"The trunks, probably. Remember? Harry stopped by that junkshop and brought back those two trunks? Longbottom's journal, sound familiar?" Severus said, giving his long-time friend a searching look.

The trunks. The first two trunks. The large monstrosities that had taken up space and were filled with filthy tomes. Now he remembered. So much had happened since that shopping trip, he'd totally forgotten about them, in spite of having seen them almost daily. To tell the truth, Lucius had been far more interested in examining the trunks stuffed in the spare room in his private rooms. In comparison, those two steamer trunks had seemed very unimportant to the Head of the Malfoy family. Longbottom's legendary work journal notwithstanding.

Apparently, the boys disagreed. Or maybe they had been in such need of a distraction that anything would do, even uninteresting old books.

Speaking of the boys, where were they? Lucius made his way to Harry's bedroom, expecting to see the two of them sleeping soundly. Unfortunately for the blond's nerves, the room was empty.