Serenity | 1

TWENTY EIGHT

"Death Eaters"

31 August 1970, 8 months later

Serenity was tracing circles in Lucius' palm. His legs were bent either side of her body as he rested against the arm of the couch with a potions book in his hand. She had taken a seat between his legs as soon as he had sat down, the window of opportunity proving too good to pass, without a care that he was studying in advance for his final year at Hogwarts. His fingers twitched when her gentle touch caressed the crevice of his knuckles, he would bite his lip as she repeated the action in an attempt to suppress any more movement.

Serenity giggled and continued to brush the pad of her fingers over the joint. Lucius put down the book, snatched his hand back and leant forward to hug her waist. His hot breath tickled her neck making her squirm under his touch. His slender fingers found their way to her hips and proceeded to prod her. Squealing, she arched away from him.

"Lucy!" He continued to tickle her, his legs encasing her so she couldn't move. "S-stop!" With a peck on her cheek, he yielded and unravelled his legs. She spun around and rested on his stomach, looking up at him through her eyelashes and pouting. "You're mean." He shakes his head and leans down to kiss her.

Without breaking their embrace, Serenity brings herself to straddle him and play with his hair. They both chuckle into the kiss as Lucius hugs her closer.

"Happy birthday, my Love."

"Ugh, get a room you two!" Lakita enters the room, promptly crossing her arms at the sight of the two. "What will mum think?"

Rolling her eyes, Serenity untangles her hands from his hair and sits as far back as his hold would allow her.

"Honestly. I would hope she would be happy for me." Julia enters the room, navigating around her daughter and offering the couple a stern look.

"As long as there is no fornication on my couch, I am fine." Lakita gags and slumps into the armchair on the far end of the room as Serenity and Lucius smirk at the two of them.

"Of course not, only the best for my Love." The twins both drop their faces into their hands. While Lakita releases a strangled, muffled, scream, Serenity blushes furiously and shifts a finger only to observe the devious quirk of her boyfriend's lips. Dropping her gaze from his face, she notices a small black spot poking out from under his three-quarter length sleeve.

All embarrassment disappeared as she grabbed at his arm.

"Did you get a tattoo?" She rolls up his sleeve to witness the dark mark. She had seen it on Juliet a few weeks before they left for summer, her friend had only explained what it meant briefly. "Juliet said this was a symbol for the future..." she looks up at him and over to her mother. Lakita, however, was leaning forward curiously as she too was witnessing the dark mark as a whole for the first time. "Is that true?" Julia takes a seat beside the two with a firm nod.

"It is. The wizarding world as we know it is in danger. The purest magic is that which is born through children of pure-blooded witches and wizards like yourselves. Those with tainted magic threaten our existence, they intend to eradicate us by having us mingle and mate with the muggle world- a world which, if they knew we existed, would hunt us until there was no magic left. Our family, our friends and all of the magical creatures you love so dearly will be killed." Julia lifts up her sleeve to reveal the dark mark on her arm. "Our Dark Lord promises to lead us in the war against these blood traitors in order to save wizarding kind as we know it, and our cause is always prepared to accept new recruits." Serenity glanced around at everyone in the room. Lucius was watching her expectantly, his hand holding her forearm as she had yet to release his. Julia was smiling at her daughters. Lakita, who had yet to raise her head from her hands, stood and nodded.