Well, thought I'd post something of a little preview for you guys, since you seem to be or must be getting antsy for the first chapter of Come the Maëlstrom. This should help tide you all over until April 1st when I post the first chapter. I mean it's only about a week away. You can hang in there! *coughs to clear throat* In no way did I mean for that to be partronizing...I think I'd better just keep on before I end up with my foot in my mouth. ^.^;;
This is an excerpt from Chapter Four - yes, I said Chapter Four. I ain't wasting time when it comes to writing this fic. But I am taking my time, writing it out on paper so the plot works and it doesn't suck in general. Why? Because nothing is worse more than a crappy sequel/continuation *shudders at the thought of Friday the 13th- 2* Anyways, I am putting some thought into this and making sure that everything works out in the end. So these chapters will take much longer to be posted. Probably a chapter every two and a half or three weeks.
Why did I post this particular part? *shrugs* I certainly found it amusing. And it's pretty much the one bit that explains itself without giving away too much of the first three chapters. ^.^
Anyways. This is an excerpt from Chapter Four. Read, enjoy and you will get the first chapter on April 1st
This had to be, by far, the worst week Lucius had suffered in his life. The title of 'The week from Hell' seemed like a very close approximation for it. His manor had been subjected to three surprise visits, not just the one Severus had warned him about. And all the searches had produced was nothing. Mr. Borgin from Borgin & Burkes had been thorough and left no evidence behind. And while his home had been picked apart, the Dark Lord had summoned him to find out if anything new had happened at Hogwarts. Having heard nothing from Draco yet, Lucius had been forced to tell the Dark Lord he needed a bit more time to be sure of his observations and what his son was saying; one couldn't be too careful when crafting a plan like this. Thankfully, the Dark Lord had bought that, and it gave Lucius a bit more extra time. And when he'd come back home, he'd found the Ministry officials leaving with rather smug expressions on their faces. It hadn't taken him long to discover the first of many magical eavesdropping devices.
Needless to say, it was nothing short of a miracle that Lucius had anything left that could be remotely called a nerve.
Now he found himself sitting behind his study desk, absently listening to Narcissa bemoan the fact that their good name was being dragged through the mud by the insipid Ministry fools. Narcissa's voice had a very soporific effect today and he found his mind wandering from her words in order to remain awake. His eyes focused on some point just past her so it appeared that he was watching her. His mind however was far away from his study. It wandered back to sun warmed Spanish hills with a gentle breeze, covered in soft fragrant grass and Harry's warm laughter as they lay beside one another. Harry had started playing with Lucius' hand out of boredom, tracing the network of tendons and muscles down to the fingertips, commenting on the wonderful way it felt and how he liked the feel of the slight calluses against his skin when they-
"Are you even listening to me Lucius?"
Lucius looked up blandly at Narcissa. Oh yes; his wife was prattling on. "I've yet to hear anything useful in your mindless babble."
"Mindless babble?" Narcissa fumed. "Simply because I worry about our good social standing does not mean…"
Lucius automatically tuned her voice out once more. He normally didn't let Narcissa into his study, as it was his haven from her. But she'd asked to speak to him earlier on. And even he wasn't sure why he let her in. That pathetically wretched tone she used didn't help much. Now it was nigh on three hours and she was obviously not done yet. His mind had just drifted back to Harry when his eyes wandered to the clock. It was almost 6; blast.
"Really," he said abruptly cutting Narcissa off. "Is there a particular reason why you choose to plague me this afternoon?"
Narcissa looked at him for a moment with a frown. "Did you take care of…everything?"
"I am far from incompetent." Lucius replied, his eyes narrowing slightly.
How foolish was this woman? Those Ministry fools had insisted he and Narcissa be absent in order for them to 'perform their search more efficiently and quickly'. Salazar knew how many more listening devices were still left after his initial purge of the house. That one alone had yielded almost a hundred of the small, shrunken things.
"But Lucius-" Narcissa began.
"I believe that is enough of that," he said briskly. "I have made dinner plans, so I suggest you keep yourself occupied and out of my way. Out of the manor would be better."
Narcissa's lips thinned as her face tightened slightly. "In this house?"
"That's why I asked you to keep yourself occupied or to leave." Lucius said in a bored voice as he rose from his chair, fixing the cuffs of his robes.
"And may I enquire as to who it is?"
Lucius gave Narcissa an amused look; so she wanted to size up her competition. Too bad, she would never lay eyes on her true competition. Tonight would work twofold for him. He just had to trust that Harry had faith in him.
"Quite frankly, it doesn't concern you," he began. "And now, I will kindly ask you to remove yourself from my study. You tire me out and not in a remotely good way."
"You should find it to be no small wonder why our marriage is the way it is."
"Indeed. There are many reasons. I think the main one is the fact that you're nothing more than a vapid, empty-headed woman who only schemes to keep the Malfoy name and all that goes with it."
Narcissa wasn't thrilled by that. "At least I'm not as half as vain as you are." She retorted in a rather childish manner.
"Ah, my dear wife," Lucius said mockingly. "Narcissistic I may be but I am far from ignorant. You seem to confuse to two, and really shouldn't."
"And you seem to think me a fool who will be easily ousted from my current position." Narcissa sneered.
Lucius gave a derisive chuckle. "And you seem to think far too highly of yourself. If I wished it, I could be rid of you this very moment."
"As do you, Lucius." Narcissa replied. "You may find it difficult to be rid of me."
"That I do seriously doubt," Lucius stated. "My opinion of myself is well-founded. Yours is nothing more than foolish pretensions."
"Hmph," Narcissa spun on her heel and strode to the door. "It is no small wonder why my bed remains gratefully empty of your presence." She spat out in a seething voice.
"Because Nature thankfully saw fit to not endow you with certain attributes; you would be a rather," Lucius paused for a moment, looking at her. "Grotesque man."
The study door closed with a loud slam and Lucius found the corners of his lips curling up into an amused smile. He had forgotten just how easy it was to bait Narcissa. And just how much fun it could be to torment her. At least he would be able to have a small bit of fun in future.