The Fearsome Name of Riddle

Surprise At Lunch

At six years old, Lucius Malfoy had not entirely mastered flight with his broom but he was getting better. He could zip around the gardens at a running pace and very rarely fell off. The sun shone in late August, a light breeze brushing through the leaves as they sped along. His mother was happy to be able to get her old broom out again. Victoria had always loved to fly and racing her son around the hedgerows was enough to distract her from the cold empty halls of Malfoy Manor. 

"You can't catch me!" Lucius cheered, leaning to the side and taking a corner at speed. "I'm too fast!" 

"You are, you beat me." Victoria chuckled, comfortably lounging on her broom as she followed behind him. "You're going to be playing pro before we know it." 

"I'm going to be the fastest broom racer in the whole world." Lucius jumped from his broom and hopped around on the grass, the peacocks bobbing away as quickly as they could from the young boy. "I'll win lots of medals, all of them." 

"They're already yours, my angel boy." Victoria smiled, hovering next to him as he skipped around. 

His blonde hair had grown long enough to be tied into a half ponytail. Long wisps of a split fringe hung around his face, waves of platinum blonde tickling down the back of his neck. No matter how many times Victoria suggested it to him, Lucius never wanted to cut his hair. He said he wanted it to touch his ankles. 

"The crowds will be shouting," he continued, imagining the large racing arena he had seen in his magazine. "Lu-Ci-Us! Lu-Ci-Us!" 

"And I will be right there with them, cheering the loudest." Victoria beamed as she stepped off her broom, walking over to him to ruffle his hair. 

"Louder than everyone?" Lucius asked, spinning on his toes and looking up at his mother. 

"Mummy will be the loudest," Victoria nodded, a hand on his cheek as he smiled up at her. 

"Louder than the megaphones?" He questioned, leaning into her as she guided him back towards the house. 

"You will be able to hear me," Victoria said, putting her hands on his shoulders as she brought them back along the gravel path, "over everyone, because I will be so proud of you. Now go and wash your hands before lunch, go on."

"Yes, Mother," the little boy chirped as he ran off towards the front door. 

The Lady of the Manor watched her son with a smile that slowly faded. She felt tired, her body aching. In her mid thirties, Victoria could only assume she'd have to accept her age. Zipping around like a child might just not be for her any longer. 

She clicked her neck and continued in her step after a short pause. 

“Dobby, can you take those, my Lady.” The house elf appeared at her side, hands outstretched for the brooms on her hands. 

She let him take them. A snap of his fingers floated the brooms into the air and they followed him as he trotted off. 

#####

Lunch was served on the long dining table. The Malfoy Manor dining room was a grand space with enough room for a two dozen strong dinner party. A fireplace stood to one side with columns and chandeliers that spoke to the wealth of the estate. Almost too extravagant for a simple lunch for two. 

Small sandwiches on two plates lay before Mrs Malfoy and her son with other small dishes of fruit and snacks to pick at if they were hungry. Lucius sat to Victoria's side as she placed at the head of the table. 

“Mother,” Lucius said, swinging his legs on the large chair. “Why doesn't Rodolphus’ mother like you?”

Victoria glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. The older he got the more he would notice, he wasn't a stupid child. “It's complicated.”