A New Dawn at Hogwarts

Chapter Forty-Eight: Endings

Severus Apparated to Malfoy Manor despite Malichi's advice to wait until he'd calmed down.

He walked through the iron gate and the front door, summoning Lucius's walking stick and wand as he entered the drawing room. Before Lucius could react, Severus pulled him up from his chair by the front of his shirt and slammed him against the wall.

"What the bloody hell?" Lucius's lip curled up in confused irritation.

"You arrogant, selfish, reckless, bastard!" Severus held his wand to Lucius's throat, his eyes locked on the other man's.

"All true," Lucius drawled, his voice steady despite the confusion – and slight fear – in his eyes. "But when has that bothered you before?"

"Pruitt." He spat the name, and Lucius had the good grace to at least look guilty. "You made me believe you were helping me. If you'd left everything to me –"

"You'd have gotten nothing from him. As it was, we at least learned the reason behind his attack on Marie."

"You let me think I'd poisoned him. You've been manipulating me since I was a first year, and now your damn bloodlust has nearly killed my daughter!" Severus pressed his wand deeper into his neck.

Lucius frowned, his eyebrows drawn together. "How – "

"Pruitt had a wife and children. Children who were raised despising me, wanting to avenge their father's death. Odd that as Pruitt's son was torturing Aurora he never even mentioned your name. Now why would that have been, I wonder?"

He could kill him so easily, could say the words – the thought must have crossed Lucius's mind as well. The normally level wizard was taking shallow breaths, eyes fixed on Severus's own.

"Torture?"

"The same methods you used on his father, if the boy had his information correct. Except he didn't have to hurry. He took his time."

Lucius's face went white. "Severus, had I known –"

"You knew." The tip of his wand was at the base of Lucius's throat. With a bit of pressure, he wouldn't even need a spell.

"No. Not of this. I was – am – the Dark Lord's most devoted servant, there is no secret in that. Pruitt's wife came to me for assistance, and I gave it."

"And you never thought to warn me? You, who take every opportunity to proclaim us brothers?"

"I knew you could take care of yourself," Lucius said, his voice turning icy. "And I didn't know you had a child to protect."

Some of the anger faded from Severus's eyes and Lucius placed his hand Severus's chest, pushing him back so that his wand no longer dug into his throat.

"A widow with two small children was no threat to you, Severus. And she was placed where she would do some good for us. Obviously, if I had known of Aurora, I would have handled things differently."

Severus shook his head. His blind rage had cooled, but his contempt had not. "No. You wouldn't."

He let the walking stick clatter to the floor and walked out.

Malichi was waiting at the top of the path from Hogsmeade when Severus returned, and handed him a steaming cup of chocolate.

Severus arched a brow.

"It's been a hellish day, son. It'll do you good. And keep your wand from freezing in this blasted cold," he muttered.

Severus accepted the mug and took a swallow, choking at the unexpected burn in his throat. He smirked, taking another long drink, savoring the spirits Malichi had laced it with. He should have known it wouldn't have been straight chocolate.