Selkie - 6. The Traveller

Chapter 6

The Traveller

Lucius spent the months after Narcissa's death dealing with the estate, settling her Black family holdings on Draco, and ensuring that his son could want for nothing. In August, he read that Draco had gotten married to a Greengrass in a civil ceremony. The girl was a squib, never having made it to Hogwarts, but from impeccable bloodlines nonetheless. Lucius stifled the dull ache at having to read of his son's nuptials in the Daily Prophet. Such was his life.

Potter visited in September, his manner hesitant as he told Lucius that the inquest had been conducted and no charges were to be filed against Malfoy. Narcissa's death, after all, had been as natural as one could expect given the Muggle medications she was on and that her will to live had fled her. As Potter was leaving he tugged on his forelock, as if to cover the scar given him by the Dark Lord, his own Dark Mark. "I'm sorry about... well, Draco will come around. Just give him time. He has a lot to... well, we all do. You understand?"

"I do, Mr. Potter," Lucius said as he showed the boy out. Draco, he knew, would never forgive him. Lucius would never give him the chance.

Lucius spent less time in the Pensieve than he wanted. The quest for his perfect moment with Severus had become addictive. He remembered many things, but not that defining moment when Severus had been his and his alone. Perhaps it had never happened. The thought made his heart flutter and his hands shake. He needed that moment to be able to hang onto his meaningless life. In response to that yearning, Lucius took to wearing the cloak under his expensive mourning clothes, conducting his daily business with Severus as a mantle. It became his ash and sackcloth, his scourge.

In October he shut up the Manor, possibly for good this time, locking away the dark and light memories with his key, his wards, and his blood. Draco would be the only one who would be able to open it. If Lucius found Severus, he might return. If he did not, Draco would inherit much earlier than his son expected. Lucius was through with living this half existence. He would live or die on whether Severus had survived their putative Master's master stroke, and on whether Severus would accept him again, scarred and flawed as they both were. If the dark man chose not to, the Dark Lord would have one more death for which to suffer. Lucius would give his soul to keep him in the Azkaban he imagined the Dark Lord's afterlife to be.

On the day he closed up the Manor, he obtained a Portkey to the farthest north region of the United Kingdom that had a safe wizarding port. Aberdeen was his destination. From there he would cross to Orkney on one of the Muggle ferries which serviced that route. He was cutting it close, this late in the season, the seas being high and rough from the closer John O'Groats, and Gill's Bay, in Pentlands. Lucius had never travelled by boat to anywhere, wizarding transport being so much more direct, but was constrained by his season of travel as well as lack of proper wizarding facilities in Orkney. Apparently the Princes had been the only wizarding family to come from those distant isles. Perhaps Snape's family had been more Pictish than Norse. Vikings were not known for their strong magic, having relied on brute force to take what they wanted rather than finessing the situation with magic. The Norse, however, were known for their werewolves. Lucius would be on his guard for those creatures in the archipelago. He would not be turned into one of those slavering beasts. It was bad enough that his supposed Veela and Dani blood was still talked about, it would not do for him to turn into Greyback revisited. Lucius may have been ruthless as a Death Eater, but he was never needlessly cruel.

&*&*&

Severus watched as Lucius washed, his eyes dark and avid. Narcissa would be returning tomorrow. The dark boy shivered as Lucius handled his own cock, sluicing water over it with a well-aimed Augamenti. Lucius turned to him, his grey eyes stormy. "Come to me, Severus. Let me wash you."

Severus rose, his lithe, pale body shimmering in the wan sunlight that washed the filth of the abandoned factory nearly clean. He approached Lucius, his need evident in the hardening of his body. Lucius touched him reverently, washing their exertions from Snape's body before he knelt before him. Severus hissed, "Lucius."

He took Severus in his mouth, lavishing his considerable skill upon the glistening organ until the dark boy pulled on his hair, bringing Lucius to a halt. It was their last day together and the older man knew what Severus wanted. The boy forced Lucius on his back, propping his legs up on his shoulders as he entered him roughly. He possessed him entirely as he gazed into Lucius' eyes, plundered Lucius' mouth, and took Lucius' love. Only when he had finished did he bring Lucius off with his own skilled mouth. When Lucius came, it was with an explosion of colour, light, and growling sound. Tears mixed with spunk as Severus swallowed. Lucius felt them hot on his belly. It was their last day together and at that moment, all they wanted was each other. That afternoon would have to be good enough to last a lifetime.

&*&*&

Lucius jerked awake in his room, a Muggle hotel close to the train station to which his Portkey had taken him. He reached for the bedside table blindly, his cock and balls tight and aching. The clock said it was four in the morning. Too early to summon breakfast from the hotel's kitchens, too early to bring his fist to his loins and finish himself off. He would bear the aching pain for a few more hours. It would be his penance for wanting something so badly. When he returned to his room, he would fist himself off, dreaming of the day that his aching loneliness would end.

He showered, letting the spray of water wash the remaining sleep from his eyes. Once done and properly dressed in his Muggle attire, he sat and flipped through the channels of the television, wondering idly how the Muggle machine worked, and if it were possible to create a similar wizarding product. He stayed away from the machine, having learned that drawing too close caused the picture to scramble and the volume to fluctuate wildly.

He flipped through the stations until a woman with shellacked hair and a false smile stole his attention. She was reading the news, her demeanour, no matter what the horror she spoke of, never changing from cool and impersonal. Lucius hated her instantly. He flipped to another station. A Muggle caricature of a wizard was being chased by Muggles through a village, they wanted something from him which he was unwilling to provide, apparently. Lucius snapped the button again and watched a scandalous programme about scantily clad Americans on a beach, all of whose main occupation seemed to be running in slow motion and saving imbeciles from themselves. Lucius pressed the off button and the television went blank. He lay back on the duvet and dozed.

He woke again when a maid entered the room saying, "Oh, I'm sorry, sir, I didn't know you were here."

Except her words were obscured by her Doric accent. It took Lucius moments to translate before he rose. "No need to apologise."

He swept up his cloaks and strode out of the room, knowing the woman's admiring eyes were upon him. His shoulders itched where she stared.

Once out of the hotel, he let his footsteps take him where they would. He ended up at a small cafe on a corner where he might look out on the bustling street scene and the pristine buildings. Aberdeen was an interesting mixture of old world charm and modern ugliness. Lucius yearned once again for the familiar wizarding world.

He ordered an espresso and a small breakfast quiche. He was the only one in the cafe and so was interested in the commerce of the facility. He looked at the quiche, slowly flaking the crust with his fork, when the bell rang and two men entered. The smaller, darker man was carrying a child, his back turned to Lucius as the toddler waved over his shoulder at him. They seated themselves, their backs to Lucius, the child between them. The boy turned and smiled at Lucius shyly while the two men talked, an air of intimacy surrounding them. The lad was dark-skinned, about four years old, and quite handsome. Lucius smiled tightly at the boy as the darker of the two men leaned in and kissed the taller, ginger-haired man. Lucius looked away with a grimace, his heart lurching painfully as he returned to his observance of the street scene. Morning bustle had begun and the foot traffic had increased. Lucius pulled out a small notebook to jot down what he would need to purchase before he embarked on the final leg of his journey to find Severus.

He had finished his list when he noticed the couple stand to leave. The darker man turned toward Lucius and paled. Will's lips parted and he croaked, "Lucius?"

With a sinking feeling, Lucius rose, plastering a false, strained smile on his face. "William, so nice to see you again."

The ginger-haired man paused before returning his attention to the child, his green eyes sharp as he tugged on the boy's coat over a bulky jumper. He picked up the child and stood behind Will, his stance proprietary as he placed his hand on the dark man's back. Lucius threw a wad of pound notes on the table. As he drew on his kidskin gloves, he said, "This is quite unexpected. I had no idea you were in Aberdeen. The last I saw you was in London. I believe you left before you could have the courtesy to break it off with me face to face."

Will looked as if he had been slapped, and the ginger's eyes flashed dangerously. The redhead said in that peculiar accent of the region, "Is this the bloke you told me about?"

Will nodded as he patted the ginger's hand away. "Yes." He took a tentative step forward, his hands raised in supplication. "I never got to thank you for all you did for me, Lucius."

"And I never fully appreciated you, William," Lucius answered, the anger that had risen at being surprised replaced by regret. "I never treated you well."

"No, you didn't," Will answered with a weak smile. "You never did. I would like you to meet my partner, Brendan. Brendan, this is Lucius Malfoy."

The ginger's expression flickered between protectiveness and jealousy before it settled into guarded affability. "Nice to meet you. Will, we have to open the gallery. I have clients coming in to see your work."

Lucius inclined his head graciously before he said, "Delighted to make your acquaintance. Will, I wish you well."

The two men left the cafe, Will burrowed in his partner's arms. Lucius watched them traverse the street before he left the cafe. He was shaken.

&*&*&

Service to the Dark Lord had become onerous. The duties asked of Severus especially, due to his blood status, had been particularly distasteful. Lucius watched in dismay as the dark man succumbed to the strain. Severus' body was always taut, his expression always grim, and his consumption of alcohol had increased exponentially. The younger man looked old before his time. Severus had taken the Mark right after exiting Hogwarts. The Dark Lord had commanded Lucius to bring him to a revel, and Lucius knew better than to disobey.

It seemed that the Dark Lord wanted to punish Severus for being half-blood, poor, and homely. All things that he could no more help than Lucius could change his status.

Severus had returned to his hovel in Manchester after leaving Hogwarts, eking out a living with the common potions he was qualified to prepare for various distributors. He had also been assigned to complete several rather Dark potions for their Lord, and was working under that strain also. Just before Severus returned home for the final time, his mother had been the victim of her husband's ire only a week before. His father had escaped to regions unknown. Muggles rarely paid for killing wizards. It was difficult for the Muggle authorities to prosecute a person for the murder of an entity who did not exist. The Ministry had its own constraints against prosecution of Muggle malefactors.

Lucius returned to the city of his greatest love affair with more than a little trepidation. He had not returned since that last day they spent together so many months ago. He fingered the packet of letters that had been owled to him from a Potions Master in Wales who was willing to accept an apprentice. Lucius had decided to fund Severus' education. He could not stand to see Severus wasting himself.

He raised his hand to knock on the door at the darkened entryway, hoping that Severus was home and not off on some mission for the Dark Lord. The apprenticeship contract had a time limit and needed to be completed within the day or it would be null and void.

The door swung open and Severus' thin face poked out from the gloomy recesses of the house.

"Lucius."

He had been drinking. Lucius could smell the alcohol on his breath, could see the effects in his wavering stance and his bloodshot eyes. He had been crying, a thing Lucius never thought to see. He pushed past Severus into the parlour cum sitting area. He had never been allowed in the house before and he could now see why, with the shabby nature of the dwelling. It had an air of neglect, decay and despair, much like the surrounding environs in which it was situated. Lucius tried not to sniff at the room's decor. It was not fit for swine, much less a wizard. He presented the packet to Severus, and he spread the sheets of parchment out on the rickety table. "I have come with a commission for you. It should enable you to support yourself whilst you serve our Master."

Severus wavered between outrage and guarded gratitude before settling on haughty disdain as he looked at the missives spread out before him. "Is this payment for services rendered?" His black browns creased. "I'm not a whore, Lucius."

"Don't be crass, Severus," Lucius said, feeling the barbed words in the form of a dull, thudding pain in his chest. "There has been talk about your lack of participation in the revels."

Severus slumped against the seat, his hands falling between his legs, still gripping the parchment. "You know why I couldn't."

"The girl looked like Potter's wife, is that it?" Lucius felt his lips twist derisively as he fought to control the sharp sense of betrayal that had crept into his mind. "You still love her?"

"I always will, Lucius," Severus answered coolly. "Just as you will always have your wife." His black gaze darted to Lucius, unreadable and pain-filled. "Do not presume to dictate what emotions are appropriate between us. You have no right."

Lucius strode to Severus, conjuring a fully inked quill. "Sign the damned papers. I can't stand to see you waste away as you are doing."

"I loved you, you know," Severus said in answer. "I think I always will. You were my first and I thank you for that. I...I never loved her like I do you."

"Do not ply me with false sentiments, Severus," Lucius said, striding to the door. "You need do nothing after they are signed. They are charmed to register at the Ministry's adjunct office in Wales." Lucius modulated his tone to one of mild, drawling concern. "Sign them, Severus, for me. I can't... You need this."

He left the slatternly house and never returned. Lucius could not stand the thought of Severus' love when he had brought the Dark Lord's notice on the younger man. Lucius had a feeling things were going to get much worse for all Death Eaters in the coming years. He hoped they could survive.

&*&*&

Lucius was to embark on his final leg of the journey early that morning. He readied himself to board the ferry with his backpack filled with light items that he might carry and look as if he belonged in the Muggle world. All of his other belongings were spelled and in his pockets. He donned the denim trousers and heavily cabled jumper, tied his hair back, and then transfigured his cloak and Severus' to a more acceptable Muggle pea coat. He looked in the mirror of his lonely room before he departed, wondering at the strange creature that looked back at him. He had never worn Muggle clothing before, yet he thought it suited him. He drew on his boots, lace-ups, not button, on which he had incanted a liquid-repelling charm. It was one which Severus had invented during their days under the Dark Lord, to repel blood and other effluviates from the victims of their revels.

He had a twelve hour trip by ferry, from Aberdeen to Kirkwall, and then he would begin his search of the uninhabited islands of the archipelago, the ones most likely to hide a magical dwelling. Fortunately, Orkney had only been home to one magical family throughout the thousand or so years since recorded history. The Princes seemed to be the only ones hardy enough or foolish enough, to brave the climate, the isolation, and the lack of amenities. The atmosphere that he had read about on the archipelago suited Severus' temperament, Lucius thought with a wry grimace.

One more look in the mirror and he was out the door. The beginning or the end of his life depended on what he found on this journey. Lucius didn't really know which ending he wished for, only that the ache for Severus would end.