Aliah Snape (BOOK 4) - Fight or Flight

Chapter 4- Even the Devil Wouldn't Recognise You

Aliah hardly slept the previous night with all the noise coming from the master bedroom. Aliah woke from her light slumber by Bellatrix stomping down the hall.

"They're like rabbits, honestly," Bellatrix screeched. Aliah stood up and growled at the incoming witch.

"I'm going to see my sister," Bellatrix stopped at the door when it flung opened. Lucius stepped out of the room gently and closed the door behind him.

"Narcissa is sleeping, you can speak to her when she wakes," Lucius stood tall wearing only black trousers. Aliah took a look at his features. He needed a shave, his hair had been washed but wasn't as neat as it once was and his eyes were full of fear, no pride or power left. He still had his masculine body, but he was almost unrecognisable. Aliah felt almost bad for the man but he was a believer of blood supremacy and wanted to separate her and Draco.

"Fine, but for her, not because you said so. I have no idea what my sister see's in you," Bellatrix glared

"Well clearly, you two are two different people. She is perfect while you're just a psychotic bitch,"

"You hold your tongue Malfoy!" Bellatrix pointed her wand at him, "we wouldn't want you falling any lower in the Dark Lord's ranks do we?"

"You are in my house Bellatrix, your sister's house. Show some respect,"

"well from what the whole Manor heard last night, my sister had you screaming like a little girl," Bellatrix cackled

"What can I say? She knows her way around a man,"

"ARGH!" Bellatrix screamed and thundered down the hall. Lucius smiled then turned to Aliah.

"Come with me," Lucius said before walking the opposite direction from Bellatrix. Aliah was hesitant. What if Narcissa told him? What if he would give Aliah up to the Dark Lord to return to his good graces. Aliah shook her head. No. Narcissa wouldn't have told Lucius, she loved Draco more than life itself and wouldn't dare give up his darkest secret.

Aliah put one foot forward, then the other. The next thing she knew she was following Lucius into the library. The library was huge and elegant. Books were on ceiling to floor shelves. At the back of the library Aliah saw a second level with black couches and a table. Lucius flicked his hand and candles on the walls lit up. Lucius walked to the back of the library and stopped at the fireplace. A red chaise was in front of it.

Lucius turned a sharp left and stood at the portrait of the Malfoy Family. Draco must have been at least three, he sat on his Mother's lap giggling and playing pulling on her hair. Lucius stood behind them with his hand on Narcissa's shoulder smiling down at them. Aliah assumed they wouldn't want this portrait seen by any other people.

"Narcissus," Lucius told the painting. The Narcissa in the painting nodded at Lucius and the portrait swung open. Lucius stepped into the darkness but Aliah hung back. he turned around, "come," he growled in a low voice. Aliah had no choice but to do what he says. Aliah placed a foot into the darkness and was careful not to trip going down the stairs.

At the end of the spiral staircase Aliah saw a light shine. She jumped off the last step and saw a fireplace light up the room. There was a small bed in the corner, a book shelf and a wardrobe. There was a table in the middle and two leather couches in the fireplace. Lucius stood in front of the fireplace and turned around at Aliah. He folded his arms.

"You are safe here,"

Aliah stepped back. Did he know? No there is no way. Lucius rolled his eyes and in a harsher voice he spoke to Aliah

"For Merlin's sake Aliah, I want to speak to you and I can't do that if you are in your animagus form," Aliah jumped backwards tripping over the stairs. Aliah shook her head but did as he asked. She closed her eyes and felt her bones retract and her fur sink back into her skin.

"If you're going to hand me in Draco will never forgive you," Aliah spat

"Why would I hand you in?" Lucius raised an eyebrow. Aliah thought about being kind, but this was war and Lucius was on the wrong side

"Because you believe that anyone who is not a pure-blood is scum! You don't like Draco and me together and you are a Death Eater!"

Lucius looked down at his feet. He slowly looked up and faced the pictures of his family on the fireplace. He picked one up and walked over to Aliah. Aliah stepped back but was stopped short with the wall behind her. Lucius grabbed her hand and pressed the picture into her hand. The picture was beautiful. Draco was only a toddler and was high on Lucius shoulder's pulling at his hair. Narcissa was behind them waving her hands frantically, obviously scared that Draco would fall.

"My loyalties lie with them, therefore if Draco wants you I will not be in the way. I lost myself while I was in Azkaban and my son, my only son is on a suicide mission, and my wife is what kept my sanity,"

"I do not understand,"

"I cannot lose my son. If I turn you in, I'm afraid he will do something rash, he inherited that from both of his parents," Lucius chuckled, "what I am trying to say is that I have seen the way you both look at each other, it is the way Cissa and I looked at each other when we were younger. You also protected my Cissa while I was gone, for that I cannot thank you enough,"

"She has protected me more than I have protected her, "Aliah relaxed. Lucius was not going to hurt her. Whatever Azkaban did to him, it definitely broke him, but made him realise what is important.

"She told me about the Death Eater incident, the risk you took just so she could sleep," tears formed in Lucius's eyes, "is it true that you were going to jump on the Dark Lord to stop him using the cruciatus curse on her?"

"Well I could let her get hurt," Aliah shrugged, "Draco wouldn't forgive me,"

"Thank you," Lucius smiled. Aliah was shocked. Lucius Malfoy smiling?
The ex-king of the wizarding world was genuinely smiling at her?
This was not the man Aliah had met a year ago.