First Lessons
Title: First Lessons
Characters: Lucius, Narcissa, Bellatrix, Uncle Orion
Word Count: 1821
Written: March of 2006
Notes: co-written with eonone. First part in a series. Featuring a young Lucius and Narcissa, with appearances by Uncle Orion and Bellatrix.
Normally, Narcissa would have whinged about being asked to put down her dolls and venture outside, but today was a special occasion. Uncle Orion had come to visit, and he always brought presents. So of course she set her dolls away and pushed her hair back behind her shoulders, taking her mother’s hand and stepping into the sunlight. She was dismayed to find no apparent presents, but there was still hope. She was not surprised to find Bellatrix outside already, her dress mussed and her hair wild, but Lucius was also standing in the courtyard, looking like he ought to be photographed, which was surprising. Narcissa gave a small smile and stood a polite distance from him, noting with a small smirk that Bellatrix looked like she ought to be bathed.
There was a strange hush in the courtyard, as there always was wherever and whenever Uncle Orion looked as if he had something important to say. It was rare that Narcissa saw him for anything other than birthdays or Christmases, excepting the times when he and her father would lock themselves away in the billiard room, so she was nearly bouncing on her toes with excitement. His expression, however, was disappointingly grave. She wondered who had died, and what she would wear to the funeral. She would have to run inside and hide the scratchy lace gown her mother had forced her into last time.
But to her surprise, Uncle Orion took out his wand, and with a flick of his wrist, each of the three children also held their wands. “Today, children,” he began, pacing in a line, “I will teach you a lesson that is long overdue.”
The middle Black was missing, but Lucius didn't care about her. She may have been the same age as him, but there was something off about her. The oldest Black, Bellatrix, was wild and uncontrollable; it was seeing the youngest Black there that made, in his opinion, whatever Orion was going to show them worth it.
He listened intently, soaking up Orion's words. Orion was a family friend, and there were rumours that he was to be betrothed to one of the Black girls and that he should start calling the man Uncle. The betrothment would happen the year he entered Hogwarts. Lucius glanced at the Blacks. It was probably Bellatrix, or Andromeda (he shuddered at that. Really, the middle Black was off), but there was something about the blonde haired Narcissa that he was drawn to. He had found he wasn't concentrating on Orion's words; he shook his head and glanced back at Orion, listening. Orion was speaking about Cruciatus and how by the end of the summer, they would master it. Frowning slightly as he listened, Lucius thought it unfair that he had to learn with not only two girls, but that Narcissia was two years younger and Bellatrix two years older. Why could he have not learned it two years ago, like Narcissa was now?
Before he'd had time to think on that he and the other two girls were hit with the most excruciating pain that he'd ever known. He held in his screams as long as he could, waiting until long after Bellatrix and Narcissa had started screaming. He was the boy, after all, he had to be stronger.
Narcissa felt little shame at being the first to scream- she could feel little more than the pain shooting through her. She was unused to pain so excruciating she wanted to die, but Bellatrix must have had some experience, because she almost seemed to smile before she fell into shrieks. Another voice sounded to Narcissa’s right, but by then, her eyes were screwed tightly shut and her ears were muffled by the sounds of her own screams and the pounding of her blood.
With little more than the snap of Orion’s fingers, the curse was released, and Narcissa was surprised to find how soft the cold stone seemed all of a sudden. She didn’t even remember falling, but she had little time to ponder her new appreciation. Orion swiftly yanked her up by the hair, and she knew better than to protest, though her legs rebelled against her weight.
It was Bellatrix, Lucius was certain, that he was going to be betrothed to. They had remained standing. He bit the inside of his cheek to keep from wincing or crying out as Orion smacked Narcissa twice and told her to grow up. He looked over at Narcissa and gave her a small smile, glad that she had not started crying.
Orion was instructing on to do as Bellatrix had done, and become the pain. He put the curse on Bellatrix again, and again, she smiled before screaming. He shook slightly, and rolled his eyes over at Narcissa. He paled when Orion turned to him and ordered him to try and put Narcissa under the curse. Orion strode over to him and showed him the wand movement. Within three tries, he could cast the curse weakly on Narcissa.
Orion was egging him on, and with his words, Lucius' curse strengthened slightly. His eyes betrayed his true feelings, but he shook those feelings aside and concentrated on the curse. He wanted to knock her down, like Orion had.
Narcissa concentrated on separating herself from the pain, but her body ached and her cheeks stung from the blows of Orion’s hand. The one thing Bellatrix was good at, apparently, was this. Lucius’ curse was weaker than Orion’s, but a curse all the same. Narcissa was still tearing at her tongue to keep from screaming, and her legs were shaking despite her ardent attempts to still them. Before long, as Lucius bore down and the light of his eyes shifted, they gave, and Narcissa screamed once and pulled her arms up to cover her head as she fell. She feared Orion’s anger and discipline more than she feared Lucius’ curse.
Orion clapped Lucius on the back, telling him to knock Bellatrix down while he dealt with Narcissa. Closing his eyes briefly, Lucius turned on Bellatrix, but she was stronger than Narcissa and laughed at Lucius' feeble attempts, which only fueled his power more. He closed out the cries of Narcissa, listening to Orion call her worthless as he slapped her again and again.
When Orion was done with Narcissa, he turned on Lucius, telling him to stop the curse. He'd stopped and Orion had turned on him, smacking him and telling him that Bellatrix was the only non-worthless one in the bunch.
Bellatrix beamed as Orion chastised her youngest sister and ... Malfoy. She liked this curse from Orion, it was thrilling, enjoyable. And she couldn't wait to use it on Andromeda and Narcissa. She glanced at Narcissa, smirking as the blows rained down on Lucius.
Narcissa glared at Bellatrix, wincing as she fingered her cheekbone. It was tender; a bruise would show by tomorrow. Lucius was so brave- he barely flinched under the force of Orion’s hands. Narcissa remembered with a tiny jolt that she was still on the ground- and she shouldn’t be- and stumbled back onto her feet, forgetting the dignity her mother had so fervently instilled in her. For some reason, she got the impression that dignity wasn’t something to be overly concerned about right now. Bellatrix had the audacity to laugh as Narcissa tripped over her own shoes and nearly toppled over, but Narcissa was far more worried about Lucius. Orion was tearing into him, and she wondered how much more he could stand.
Lucius couldn't hold on much longer and he fell to the ground, covering his face. Orion let out a small tut of disappointment and kicked the downed boy before walking away, muttering that they'd all better be ready for next time, or else. Lucius slowly got to his feet, watching the family friend and Black uncle walk away. he looked up at his father's face, closing his eyes at the look of utter disappointment on his father's face.
He looked away as he father walked away, biting back tears of failure. He looked up when someone touched his arm gently. He set his face to a glare and looked up, softening upon seeing Narcissa. "Hullo, Cissy," he said quietly. "Do you have to go inside now?"
Narcissa shook her head, gently touching Lucius' swollen lip. "You're bleeding," she said softly. "Am I?"
Lucius turned his head away, "I'm fine. No, you're not bleeding. So, I guess we're going to learn to be Death Eaters together."
“I guess so,” she answered, looking back towards the house. She couldn’t tell him that she didn’t want to learn- not anymore- so she grabbed his hand and tugged him away from the wretched house. “Let’s go into the gardens. Under the willows. Please?”
Lucius nodded, "Better than being inside with your sister. Ugh, filthy swine of a girl. I do hope I'm not betrothed to her."
“Which one?” Narcissa asked lightly, giving Lucius a small smile. “Both of my sisters are swine."
Lucius took a place under the willows and smirked, "Like any pureblood family would want anything to do with Andromeda, there's something off with her. No, I speak of Bellatrix, the unwashed, uncouth, eldest sibling of yours." He shuddered. "I would rather marry a half -- no, I wouldn't. I'd pity any child she produces though."
"It would be mottled and black," Narcissa agreed, lifting her nose in disdain. "Are they the reasons you don't come visit anymore?"
Lucius shrugged, "Father also says socalising with girls that I am not to be betrothed to sends the wrong message. Perhaps I am to be betrothed to another pureblood family. Not that I would mind."
"Oh," Narcissa said, quietly. "My mother said that I should marry someone I loved." Within bounds, of course, and her father had disagreed, but it was the principle of the thing.
"Father said love blossoms after the betrothment," Lucius shrugged. "I like your way better though." He looked over at her and smiled, his stomach flipping slightly. Her, out of the Black sisters, he could stand to be betrothed to. He wouldn't dare hope, however.
"I think love would wither when it's forced to blossom. Or... maybe I'm just contrary," Narcissa murmured, turning away shyly at the way he was looking at her.
"It is the life we are in, however," Lucius said softly. "You'll get your happiness, your mother will fight for it."
Narcissa smiled at the thought. "And what of your happiness?"
Lucius sighed, "I do not know what I want. , except all the Mudbloods gone, of course. And a son. Beyond that, I can find my happiness."
"That is not too much to ask for," Narcissa agreed, looking demurely up at him, the way her mother had taught. She could help him achieve such things.
Now it was Lucius' turn to look away, "No, it is not."
Characters: Lucius, Narcissa, Bellatrix, Uncle Orion
Word Count: 1821
Written: March of 2006
Notes: co-written with eonone. First part in a series. Featuring a young Lucius and Narcissa, with appearances by Uncle Orion and Bellatrix.
Normally, Narcissa would have whinged about being asked to put down her dolls and venture outside, but today was a special occasion. Uncle Orion had come to visit, and he always brought presents. So of course she set her dolls away and pushed her hair back behind her shoulders, taking her mother’s hand and stepping into the sunlight. She was dismayed to find no apparent presents, but there was still hope. She was not surprised to find Bellatrix outside already, her dress mussed and her hair wild, but Lucius was also standing in the courtyard, looking like he ought to be photographed, which was surprising. Narcissa gave a small smile and stood a polite distance from him, noting with a small smirk that Bellatrix looked like she ought to be bathed.
There was a strange hush in the courtyard, as there always was wherever and whenever Uncle Orion looked as if he had something important to say. It was rare that Narcissa saw him for anything other than birthdays or Christmases, excepting the times when he and her father would lock themselves away in the billiard room, so she was nearly bouncing on her toes with excitement. His expression, however, was disappointingly grave. She wondered who had died, and what she would wear to the funeral. She would have to run inside and hide the scratchy lace gown her mother had forced her into last time.
But to her surprise, Uncle Orion took out his wand, and with a flick of his wrist, each of the three children also held their wands. “Today, children,” he began, pacing in a line, “I will teach you a lesson that is long overdue.”
The middle Black was missing, but Lucius didn't care about her. She may have been the same age as him, but there was something off about her. The oldest Black, Bellatrix, was wild and uncontrollable; it was seeing the youngest Black there that made, in his opinion, whatever Orion was going to show them worth it.
He listened intently, soaking up Orion's words. Orion was a family friend, and there were rumours that he was to be betrothed to one of the Black girls and that he should start calling the man Uncle. The betrothment would happen the year he entered Hogwarts. Lucius glanced at the Blacks. It was probably Bellatrix, or Andromeda (he shuddered at that. Really, the middle Black was off), but there was something about the blonde haired Narcissa that he was drawn to. He had found he wasn't concentrating on Orion's words; he shook his head and glanced back at Orion, listening. Orion was speaking about Cruciatus and how by the end of the summer, they would master it. Frowning slightly as he listened, Lucius thought it unfair that he had to learn with not only two girls, but that Narcissia was two years younger and Bellatrix two years older. Why could he have not learned it two years ago, like Narcissa was now?
Before he'd had time to think on that he and the other two girls were hit with the most excruciating pain that he'd ever known. He held in his screams as long as he could, waiting until long after Bellatrix and Narcissa had started screaming. He was the boy, after all, he had to be stronger.
Narcissa felt little shame at being the first to scream- she could feel little more than the pain shooting through her. She was unused to pain so excruciating she wanted to die, but Bellatrix must have had some experience, because she almost seemed to smile before she fell into shrieks. Another voice sounded to Narcissa’s right, but by then, her eyes were screwed tightly shut and her ears were muffled by the sounds of her own screams and the pounding of her blood.
With little more than the snap of Orion’s fingers, the curse was released, and Narcissa was surprised to find how soft the cold stone seemed all of a sudden. She didn’t even remember falling, but she had little time to ponder her new appreciation. Orion swiftly yanked her up by the hair, and she knew better than to protest, though her legs rebelled against her weight.
It was Bellatrix, Lucius was certain, that he was going to be betrothed to. They had remained standing. He bit the inside of his cheek to keep from wincing or crying out as Orion smacked Narcissa twice and told her to grow up. He looked over at Narcissa and gave her a small smile, glad that she had not started crying.
Orion was instructing on to do as Bellatrix had done, and become the pain. He put the curse on Bellatrix again, and again, she smiled before screaming. He shook slightly, and rolled his eyes over at Narcissa. He paled when Orion turned to him and ordered him to try and put Narcissa under the curse. Orion strode over to him and showed him the wand movement. Within three tries, he could cast the curse weakly on Narcissa.
Orion was egging him on, and with his words, Lucius' curse strengthened slightly. His eyes betrayed his true feelings, but he shook those feelings aside and concentrated on the curse. He wanted to knock her down, like Orion had.
Narcissa concentrated on separating herself from the pain, but her body ached and her cheeks stung from the blows of Orion’s hand. The one thing Bellatrix was good at, apparently, was this. Lucius’ curse was weaker than Orion’s, but a curse all the same. Narcissa was still tearing at her tongue to keep from screaming, and her legs were shaking despite her ardent attempts to still them. Before long, as Lucius bore down and the light of his eyes shifted, they gave, and Narcissa screamed once and pulled her arms up to cover her head as she fell. She feared Orion’s anger and discipline more than she feared Lucius’ curse.
Orion clapped Lucius on the back, telling him to knock Bellatrix down while he dealt with Narcissa. Closing his eyes briefly, Lucius turned on Bellatrix, but she was stronger than Narcissa and laughed at Lucius' feeble attempts, which only fueled his power more. He closed out the cries of Narcissa, listening to Orion call her worthless as he slapped her again and again.
When Orion was done with Narcissa, he turned on Lucius, telling him to stop the curse. He'd stopped and Orion had turned on him, smacking him and telling him that Bellatrix was the only non-worthless one in the bunch.
Bellatrix beamed as Orion chastised her youngest sister and ... Malfoy. She liked this curse from Orion, it was thrilling, enjoyable. And she couldn't wait to use it on Andromeda and Narcissa. She glanced at Narcissa, smirking as the blows rained down on Lucius.
Narcissa glared at Bellatrix, wincing as she fingered her cheekbone. It was tender; a bruise would show by tomorrow. Lucius was so brave- he barely flinched under the force of Orion’s hands. Narcissa remembered with a tiny jolt that she was still on the ground- and she shouldn’t be- and stumbled back onto her feet, forgetting the dignity her mother had so fervently instilled in her. For some reason, she got the impression that dignity wasn’t something to be overly concerned about right now. Bellatrix had the audacity to laugh as Narcissa tripped over her own shoes and nearly toppled over, but Narcissa was far more worried about Lucius. Orion was tearing into him, and she wondered how much more he could stand.
Lucius couldn't hold on much longer and he fell to the ground, covering his face. Orion let out a small tut of disappointment and kicked the downed boy before walking away, muttering that they'd all better be ready for next time, or else. Lucius slowly got to his feet, watching the family friend and Black uncle walk away. he looked up at his father's face, closing his eyes at the look of utter disappointment on his father's face.
He looked away as he father walked away, biting back tears of failure. He looked up when someone touched his arm gently. He set his face to a glare and looked up, softening upon seeing Narcissa. "Hullo, Cissy," he said quietly. "Do you have to go inside now?"
Narcissa shook her head, gently touching Lucius' swollen lip. "You're bleeding," she said softly. "Am I?"
Lucius turned his head away, "I'm fine. No, you're not bleeding. So, I guess we're going to learn to be Death Eaters together."
“I guess so,” she answered, looking back towards the house. She couldn’t tell him that she didn’t want to learn- not anymore- so she grabbed his hand and tugged him away from the wretched house. “Let’s go into the gardens. Under the willows. Please?”
Lucius nodded, "Better than being inside with your sister. Ugh, filthy swine of a girl. I do hope I'm not betrothed to her."
“Which one?” Narcissa asked lightly, giving Lucius a small smile. “Both of my sisters are swine."
Lucius took a place under the willows and smirked, "Like any pureblood family would want anything to do with Andromeda, there's something off with her. No, I speak of Bellatrix, the unwashed, uncouth, eldest sibling of yours." He shuddered. "I would rather marry a half -- no, I wouldn't. I'd pity any child she produces though."
"It would be mottled and black," Narcissa agreed, lifting her nose in disdain. "Are they the reasons you don't come visit anymore?"
Lucius shrugged, "Father also says socalising with girls that I am not to be betrothed to sends the wrong message. Perhaps I am to be betrothed to another pureblood family. Not that I would mind."
"Oh," Narcissa said, quietly. "My mother said that I should marry someone I loved." Within bounds, of course, and her father had disagreed, but it was the principle of the thing.
"Father said love blossoms after the betrothment," Lucius shrugged. "I like your way better though." He looked over at her and smiled, his stomach flipping slightly. Her, out of the Black sisters, he could stand to be betrothed to. He wouldn't dare hope, however.
"I think love would wither when it's forced to blossom. Or... maybe I'm just contrary," Narcissa murmured, turning away shyly at the way he was looking at her.
"It is the life we are in, however," Lucius said softly. "You'll get your happiness, your mother will fight for it."
Narcissa smiled at the thought. "And what of your happiness?"
Lucius sighed, "I do not know what I want. , except all the Mudbloods gone, of course. And a son. Beyond that, I can find my happiness."
"That is not too much to ask for," Narcissa agreed, looking demurely up at him, the way her mother had taught. She could help him achieve such things.
Now it was Lucius' turn to look away, "No, it is not."