Antonius Malfoy

Antonius Malfoy 28 years old → bachelor → dark wizard → 1904

[antoniusmalfoy]

FIC: "The Game Of Who Needs Who The Worst"

Setting: 1904 

Characters: Sirius Black, Antonius Malfoy (slash)

Rating: Mature, NSFW

Complete: ~ 2,350 words

With absolute certainty, Antonius Malfoy knew this wouldn’t be a usual visit with his best mate, Sirius Black. Antonius had known since receiving an owl from him earlier in the day. Sirius had offered his invitation for spirits far too formally; as if it pained him to ink each syllable on the parchment. Even the way that Sirius had signed his name wasn’t in the style of his casual correspondence. Antonius could notice Sirius’ idiosyncrasies better than his siblings at times.

Upon entering the Black manor, the tension was palpable as Sirius led them to his private study. Sirius never met his eyes during entry to make matters worse. Sirius felt miles away from him, a feeling like no other. Antonius took a seat on the oversized chaise as Sirius turned to look for a drink. Antonius felt his skin prickle on the back of his neck as he imagined the possibilities for Sirius’ change in behavior. Antonius’ throat tightnened realizing that only a change in their relationship would be enough to cause such a drastic shift in his best mate’s behavior. It was clear that Sirius had invited him over to speak of the most intimate of matters. Something so severe that could not be said over owl either.

Sirius knew. He was sure of it. Antonius blinked quickly as his heart fell with remorse. On impulse, he decided to break the silence first. He would accept the consequences and not play the coward or the deceiever. He owed Sirius that much and more.

Antonius stood and walked quietly to his best mate. He was fully aware that a wand could be drawn at him at any time, but he would not reach for his own. He preferred to be punished than enter a duel with him.

"Sirius." He spoke without reservation in an even voice. "There is no excuse for my actions." His posture was straight and his eyes were set.

Sirius had his back turned to him, still looking into the large cabinet of imported glassware and spirits. He’d been aimlessly standing in the same spot since they entered the study.

Sirius slowly turned around, dropping the fire whiskey decanter on his desk without much care. An empty glass tumblr was held firmly in his right hand. To Antonius’ relief, Sirius’ wand was nowhere to be seen.

"That is all you have to say." Sirius stated with a cruel lip and the lines of his fine face were hardening.

"I do not know what else I can say." Antonius replied with a hesitant head tilt. "I cannot imagine that you would accept an apology for my betrayal."

An apology would be empty words. An apology wouldn’t change the fact that he had an affair with his best mate’s wife. No— they were beyond apologies if their friendship was going to recover from such treachery. All along, Antonius had shamelessly risked Sirius learning of Hesper’s infidelity. Truthfully, he ended his relations with Hesper because of Sirius. Antonius could not handle the remorse that he felt, perhaps the only remorse which he had ever experienced in his life. He painfully regretted breaking his loyalty to Sirius.

"I want to know how." Sirius said stiffly, not moving from his stance.

How, Antonius mouthed silently in confusion. Surely Sirius did not want to know the specifics of when and where he took Hesper to bed. His eyes narrowed as he determined an appropriate answer for him.

Sirius’ grip on the glass tumbler turned his knuckles white as he waited for Antonius to speak up. His patience was cracking.

"Hesper was melancholic." Antonius confessed plainly. She needed someone in her life that could excite her and he’d wanted to be that person for years. She deserved to be showered. "I misplaced my passion. I was not in the right mind to take advantage of her. I am solely at fault for this mistake."

"Do you consider me an idiot?" Sirius spat.

Antonius held his position, not flinching at the hostility.

Suddenly— Sirius threw the glass tumbler at him. It happened so unexpectedly in the air, but Antonius caught it before impact and with an unsteady hand, he set it down on the large desk.

"I want to hear you say it." Sirius demanded and Antonius swore that he’d be hexed in the next second.

Antonius’ bright blue eyes bore into Sirius’ in confusion. Sirius quickly rounded the corner to face him.

"Say it, you disgrace." Sirius was overwhelmed with his fury as he attempted to back Antonius into the desk. "Say that you love her. Tell me the ways that you love my wife."

Antonius couldn’t say such a thing aloud to Sirius, nor could he find a voice to deny the accusation. For it was true, unquestionably— Antonius was madly, desperately in love with Hesper Gamp Black. He could not imagine ever loving another woman like he loved her.

"I ended it." Antonius swore, his voice was pained despite his best efforts to conceal his emotions. "I will never touch her again."

What happened next, Antonius could have never predicted. All the color from Sirius’ face drained. His unshakable, hard as stone of a best mate looked like he was dying. Antonius’ mouth fell slightly open as Sirius walked backward, leaving a reasonable distance between their bodies.

"I did not—." Antonius choked and walked forward to place his left hand on Sirius’ forearm. "I underestimated your love for her." An apologetic expression graced his face, but Sirius’ eyes remained tight on where his hand met his sleeve.

Still holding Sirius’ arm, Antonius braved moving in closer to capture his best mate’s gaze.

"Hesper is not the problem." Sirius admitted quietly to his strained ears.

"She does not love me." Antonius replied, reaching for a way to comfort Sirius.

"Yes! Yes, she does!" Sirius snapped shouting, tearing his arm from Antonius’ grip. "How do you think I discovered her indiscretion? It’s in the way that she looks at you when you walk in the bloody room. She never looks at me like that. She would never stray for anyone else. No one else is as worthy." His rage was all consuming as his hands went to the lapels of Antonius’ jacket. He shoved him against the wall with such force that seemed inconceivable.

"I do not—." Antonius started to say, his entire spine was aching.

"Shut your mouth." Sirius interrupted him. "Hesper is not the problem." He repeated his words. He laughed bitterly.

"If you propose a solution to the problem… I am willing." Antonius pleaded, truly becoming anxious by the situation. "I am."

"She has you!" Sirius answered shouting and he shook Antonius against the wall. He winced at the following bruises. "And I do not have you. I never will." Sirius suddenly looked disgusted by his own confession and released his hold.

Antonius took a couple of breaths when Sirius eased off of him. “What do you speak of?” He questioned and placed his hands on Sirius’ shoulders to steady him and look him in the eyes. “I would rather die than leave your side.” He promised with a hard stare.

Sirius searched his face for acceptance. “No, this is wrong.” He shook his head, attempting to disengage from Antonius. Antonius held him in place with equally little effort.

"I can never have you— the way she has you." Sirius admitted, wanting Antonius to understand his true meaning.

Antonius remained completely still.

Sirius’ right hand reached up and cupped Antonius face in what only could be described as a caress. His thumb traced against Antonius’ lips before allowing his hand to drop away in defeat.

Antonius’ eyes widened in realization. Amazingly, he didn’t have to think twice about a solution. “There are no problems between us.” He replied determined as ever. Antonius’ hands went to Sirius’ cravat and he kissed him on the lips. The kiss barely touched their lips as Sirius’ turned his face away from him.

"Stop." Sirius protested, as if he was begging, if he were capable of begging.

"It’s what you want." Antonius replied into the crook of his neck. He was willing to give Sirius whatever he wanted.

"Do not pity me." Sirius scoffed quietly. He never anticipated revealing his true, forbidden feelings in such a display. He felt weak and he hated it.

"I would never." Antonius replied with a half-chuckle as he pressed his lips against Sirius’ neck. Sirius shut his eyes tight as he battled the situation in his head.

"Let me fix this." Antonius whispered in Sirius’ ear. "We can fix anything." He moved to recapture Sirius’ lips. This time, Sirius tenatively accepted the kiss until it deepened.

Out of breath, Antonius pulled back and Sirius released his bottom lip. “You are all I have.” Antonius promised and he was sincere. The words rang true. Antonius did not love Sirius like a brother. He loved him more than a brother. He could not imagine a life without Sirius and if the solution to their problems was offering his body, he would oblige him.

Warmth filled Sirius’ eyes and Antonius recognized the repair in their relationship. He could see the anger literally escaping from Sirius. “You have Hesper as well.” Sirius mused.

To this statement, Antonius quirked a brow. “But she is yours.” He replied with a small smirk.

A wickedness crossed Sirius’ face, much like his best mate’s true demeanor, as he cupped Antonius’ face. “Both of you are mine.” He grinned, pulling him closer. “Therefore, you are each others.” He pulled Antonius tight against his body, making him feel his arousal.

Antonius was not sure what Sirius meant by his words, but it would sort itself out eventually. It was difficult to think as Sirius’ lips were kissing his with bruising intensity. It occurred to Antonius that Sirius had previous experiences with other men. There was a sense of familarity to his actions. Antonius was intrigued to say the least, as he could have never suspected to embrace him in such a manner. It was unconvential, but not unpleasant, he decided.

A push and a shove seconds later, Antonius was laying on Sirius’ desk. His cravat was long thrown aside and his shirt was already parted down the middle. A few buttons had hit the floor. Antonius hissed as Sirius’ hot mouth slid down his chest. He closed his eyes enjoying the sensations, feeling himself harden in response. It did not surprise him that Sirius would be this demanding. This was brilliant, Antonius thought with a lazy smirk on his face, as long as someone didn’t decide to look for them.

Antonius lifted his hips on reflex as Sirius’ hands pulled on his trousers to remove them. He raised his head from the desk, looking at Sirius curiously as he hovered over him. “You are overdressed for our activities.” He quipped, not knowing what would happen next.

Sirius didn’t reply as he got on his knees in front of the desk. Without saying another world, Sirius took Antonius’ fully hardened length into his mouth. Antonius squirmed for a moment underneath his unrelenting tongue. It’d been a long time since Antonius had received this form of oral pleasure. He would never ask a lady like Hesper to degrade herself for his selfish needs.

Sirius sucked around his soft flesh, causing both of them to moan in unison. Antonius’ hips raised in excitement and in response, Sirius pushed him firmly down on the desk. Antonius was trapped in place and he would not complain either. Sirius continued to vigorously suck and stroke him, releasing his precum into his waiting mouth. Antonius hissed louder, he could not help it, as Sirius bobbed faster around him and his hands grasped his balls in circles. As Sirius stroked his length with his hand, his lips and tongue took special consideration of his head. Sirius swirled his tongue, tracing the lines of his most sensitive flesh.

Antonius was quickly nearing the end of his control. Sirius had been frenzied in his assault and spared Antonius of any teasing. Antonius felt his muscles clenching on their own accord as the back of his head banged against the wooden surface of the desk. He didn’t mind the self-inflicting pain. Antonius yelled a praise, but he did not even register doing it, as satisfaction overtook him. Antonius felt like he was floating as he exploded into Sirius’ mouth. Sirius swallowed and continued to clean the area with his tongue. Antonius sucked in some air as he gazed up at the ceiling of the study. He looked down in time to see Sirius’ eyes attatched to his. There was utter possession and satisfaction in his eyes, which Antonius had never seen prior to this night. Fortunately, Antonius was too satisfied to be unnerved by the gaze. He sighed, sitting up on his elbows as Sirius stood up.

Sirius silently asked him about the smile on his face.

"How wonderful it is that you do not have any portraits in your study to critique you." Antonius joked as he sat up further to put on his trousers. Sirius conceded with a smug expression on his face.

Not bothering to button his shirt, Antonius stood in front of Sirius. He sensed trepedition in him which annoyed him. Antonius hand reached out and landed on Sirius’ chest, pressing hard enough to feel the muscles beneath his clothes. Antonius nodded, thinking how simple it was to touch him now.

"You should have told me." Antonius confessed, removing his hand. "Before Hesper, I mean." Or Hesper was possibly how Sirius had discovered his deeper feelings for him; Antonius wasn’t sure but it didn’t matter.

When Sirius didn’t reply, Antonius continued. “How did you think I would react?” He asked incredulously. “I have always accepted you… This is just another part of you.” Antonius promised with a shrug and sealed his words with a kiss. After every secret that he had kept for Sirius, separation was no longer an option.

The End [The Beginning]

[phineasablack]

July 1904 | Avoidance and Alcohol | Phineas & Antonius

[phineasablack]

Phineas imagined Antonius was equally as uncomfortable with their forced formality and obligatory conversation, but he appeared agreeable enough. As they relocated to a booth, Phineas found himself relaxing. Perhaps the stiffness between them could relax as well.

“South America,” Phineas answered. “Peru and Argentina mostly, and typically the more remote regions. Breathtaking, really. You must visit if time and commitments allow.”

Of course they wouldn’t, even for a wizard who could relocate at will. Someone like Antonius Malfoy was certainly as busy as Sirius. Though Malfoy did not have a family tying him down. Still, Phineas couldn’t imagine him being very able to travel.

“Until the season is over, perhaps longer if there is need of me here. But there are more of the Americas to explore. The northern territories have fascinated me for years, and I’d quite enjoy a visit.”

There he went, yammering on about his freedom. But was it any secret that Phineas was very much the exception to his family’s rules? Whether Malfoy approved or not, there was no reason to deflect. He wasn’t going to be married anytime soon, at least.

“And what of you? Other than your involvement with Miss Gladys Boothby’s business, I know nothing. How is your family?”

[antoniusmalfoy]

"How nice it is to live in the luxury of our world." Antonius commented to Phineas about his yearnings to travel again. It was not his business to tell him to find a wife and naturally, it would be rather hypocritical of him, therefore he held his tongue and nodded along.

Antonius did his best to not react to the mention of Gladys. He was starting to believe that everyone in the bloody town was acquainted with her. His left hand went to loosen the cravat around his neck. The idea of commitment to any woman gave him a feeling of suffocation. He couldn't help it. "I am only financing the broom. It is the best in the market and I will make a profit from it." He said shrugging softly. "Surely, you of all people, could not have fallen for others' foolish suspicions of us courting?" He nudged Phineas should in jest. Well, the topic was absurd. "You can only imagine your brother's face upon learning of the rumor." Antonius didn't have to say Sirius. Phineas would automatically know which brother he was talking about.

"The Malfoy family gets on as well as yours. Thanks to Merlin." Antonius replied without much emotion. There were no deaths, no marriages, nothing to report on. "What can one say about family, we can't call them a burden because we only have the one. But, I, as well as you know that is a particularly -trying- time of year." When Antonius looked up from the table, as if on cue, a few ladies sitting to the right of them smiled over at them. It was rather forward of them, no ladies in their society would be seen at this pub nor at this hour for that matter. 

Taking one last gulp of his beer, the Malfoy heir rose his glass up in the air to summon a waiter. "I believe it's time for another round."

[harrypotterhousequotes]

[antoniusmalfoy]

Are you a lion or a lamb? || Antonius & Lysandra

[antoniusmalfoy]

lysandrayaxley:

Lysandra laughed at Malfoy’s comment on her being a true Ravenclaw, how she would love to tell him that the sorting hat’s first choice for her had been his very own house, Slytherin. There was nothing Lysandra loved more than proving people wrong in their assumptions about her. But Lysandra thought better than to say her thoughts out loud, the hats choice for her had always been her favourite little secret, and she had no plan of disclosing it now. Plus, who knew, maybe it was a very Ravenclaw response, she had spent seven years of her life learning and living with them after all. Maybe she was more of a Ravenclaw than she originally thought.

Lysandra listened with interest as Malfoy talked. Oh how she had missed these types of conversations, as nice as her aunt was she could never stimulate Lysandra in this way. “I fear you may have me trumped in that respect Mr Malfoy, you are right, artwork does not have to end, but that is part of the beauty of a novel. It ends, like everything else in the world it has a conclusion. However I feel it is a very sad world where, just because something ends, there is nothing left for it. It’s the possibilities for the story that make it immortal, the constant retellings and interpretations, the rumours and theory’s that surround the story after its conclusion. I don’t think anything is truly over until one stops thinking about it.” Lysandra said, resisting the temptation to turn her gaze away from the cave to view Malfoy’s reaction. “So, a good story, much like a good art work must remain in one’s mind after it has ended. It then becomes a matter of human subjective wether an art work or a novel is most likely to live on in your mind.”

Lysadnra laughed at his mention of a nonfiction novel in comparison to art “there I think we can both agree, although I regret to say that I will probably still prefer to look at art than read a potions book, other non-fictions may capture my attention a bit more, but not by much. Then again, when have humans gone for that which is most beneficial for them?”

“Oh dear, you’re asking me to name a single genre?” I am afraid I will probably disappoint you. I like a good love story as much as the next person but I find that a majority of heroines do naught but annoy me. Emma for example I want nothing more than to jinx the main character. Plus I find muggle novels so…. Ignorant. Almost all of their problems could have been fixed with the simple addition of minor magic, which makes it very un-relatable for me. Although I will not deny that Jane Austen really is a beautiful writer. I do love some of the more gothic muggle books, Dracula, for example, is a hilarious look at how ignorant muggles are to what vampires are truly like.” Lysandra stopped, not wanting to speak to much on the types of books she read. “What about yourself, where would you tend to look when it comes to novels?”

Lysandra realised how hungry she was as Mr Malfoy asked if she wished to go get something to eat. “That sounds perfect”

The buffet they walked into was absolutely huge. Lysandra smiled at the display already spotting exactly what she would want on her plate. Her smile only widened at Malfoys comment “not really, I like to have as varied a plate as possible.” When they had both selected their own plateful of food Lysandra turned to him “so how does the great Mr Malfoys occupy his time? When not at art galleries of course.”

Antonius was more than impressed to hear Lysandra speak of subjective perspective. By large, Purebloods were not to speak so radically. There world was black and white as it came because of blood politcs. There was no room for subjectivity concerning superior wizards. A Half-Blood or Mudblood would never compare in skill even if they were educated at the same school. It was almost daring of her to be so open with her thoughts, especially when others could be listening to her. The only way that she could shock him again would be by displaying an interest in the Dark Arts. "You speak well and freely for someone of your age." He compliment, his eyes narrowing and drew closer to her. He wanted to warn her and tell her that not everyone would be as forgiving about radicalism, but the words never left his tongue.

"Is it safe to assume that you were never particularly close to your parents?" He asked wondering aloud. His parents surely would have hexed him on the spot for speaking of subjective perspective. "I do not mean to intrude, simply I find your thoughts about human nature interesting. You lack the youthful idealism that I am used to of Hogwarts' graduates."

Antonius noted that she never answered the original question. It seemed pecuilar to him that she did not gush about her favorite section in the libary. If he were to send her a novel as a present, he would not have the slightest idea as were to begin. A deep chill passed over Antonius as Lysandra spoke of Muggle books. Sirius and his parents would instantly snub her for such a mention. He should as well, he realized and looked away from her. "I do not peruse dirty literature." He replied sullenly, the joints in his neck feeling stiff. "It should come to no surprise that those animals know nothing about vampires. They lack an education."

"I will only ask you once to never comment again on such unsanitary reading material." Antonius scoffed. "You may have not meant to offend me, but you have deeply. I cannot imagine that you are naive enough to think that this is a resposible topic in consideration to my name." If Antonius would have ever brought home a Muggle book, his parents would have made sure that his eyes had bled for days. Back in school, they artfully managed to de-enlist from any cources on Muggles. Sirius' father Phineas surely understood their concerns in a meeting with him. If it were only up to the headmaster, classes on Muggles would not be taught at all.

"Do not ever forget your place in our society, Miss Yaxley." He warned. "The moment that you do, all of this is easily taken away and second chances are close to nonexistant."

After the silence that passed as they collected food for their plate, Antonius was not too sure if she was patronizing him with her question about his free time. "Well Miss Yaxley, to answer your prior question before our mixup, I enjoy a good book. Anything to do with the arts... Biographies of my favorite musicians and artists. They all have lived better than fiction. Plays. It is most interesting to note missing scenes in the theatre. I subscribe to all of the periodicals, naturally, concerning the arts to flag anything I may want to purchase for the vast Malfoy galleries in the main manor."

"This week has been a bit more... Exciting, per say, than I prefer." Antonius explained, given the absurd articles about him in Vanity Witch. "I do not see myself as this exciting and tend to stay in contact with friends of my family, more than anything."

[antoniusmalfoy]

Instincts Are Misleading || Flashback || Antonius & Hesper

[antoniusmalfoy]

hespergamp:

Initially, Hesper followed his lead idly, bored -and slightly annoyed- at the prospect of being taught by a man no more than three years her elder (she had to resist rolling her eyes at his comment of ‘being afraid’ of him, knowing if he so much as tempted her, she could have him screwed up into a matchbox). But, as they dropped into the rhythm of the music, Hesper found she was actually having to concentrate on not leading, until she finally let herself go and be submissive to the moves of Mr. Malfoy.

Despite herself, it was not that unpleasant. Certainly more pleasant than dancing with that goon of an old lady. But that was easy to explain - the old lady was frail and in desperate need of support, whilst Antonius could very much hold himself and Hesper along with him. Dancing with Sirius was far far different than with Antonius, as Sirius had a softness to him. Perhaps he was worried about hurting Hesper or simply didn’t know how to hold a woman. Whichever reason, Sirius allowed Hesper to lead, whereas Antonius was firmer, more dedicated to take the male persona in the dance.

At her surprise, Antonius spun her, causing her foot to land clumsily on the other. Her eyes widened as the inevitable falling over came - but it didn’t. As quick as a cricket, Antonius’s hands saved her from the disastrous fall. Hesper’s cheeks coloured in embarrassment, and straightened herself up. She could handle the essential touching of hands and shoulders in dance, but anymore than that had her upset. “Yes - yes a rest would be ideal.”

Hesper slowly made her way to the window, keeping pace with Antonius, then used her wand to pour water from the jug residing on the ledge into two glasses. She took seat on the cushioned window seat. “Mr. Malfoy, I must admit I am obliged to swallow my words. You… you dance graciously.” She dipped her head, and held a small part of her dress outwards, as if she were straightening it out to stop it folding, to adapt a curtsy in the sitting position. “It was a pleasure.”

“My, I hear Sirius talk endlessly about you. With the way he speaks of you, I was sure you would have a halo sketched above your head. I am comforted to know the friends he obtains are just as gentlemanly as Sirius himself.”

She crossed, then uncrossed her ankles in a playful manner, deciding that Antonius’s company was maybe not that dreadful to put up with, and that was a relief as she had spent many months bored to death in Valhalla. The thought of having even one person that wasn’t torture to converse with in Valhalla, even if it were only on the occasion they spoke, put Hesper in a brighter mood.

Antonius paid special attention to the coloring of Hesper's cheeks. It suited her age well. She looked quite lively and less uptight blushing. He followed her lead, but decided to stand as she took a seat; thinking that they had spent enough time in close proximity in such a span. Her chaperones continued watching them from a distance, and they were no doubt hanging onto their every word. He needed to be careful about his conversation topics, not wanting any reports about him to get back to her parents. There was nothing more annoying than a fabricated scandal without sin.

As Hesper complimented his dancing skills, he tried to hold down a smug smirk. Certainly Antonius knew he was an expert dancer, his grandparents had sure of that. Sirius' bride to be would only approve by practicing with a better partner. His parents had always lectured him, saying that one could not learn if they were always 'the best' in the room. One had to surround themselves with their equals or better to actually move forward in life. He mused that marrying into the Black family would open countless of social doors for Hesper. He smirked without relectuance at his next thought. Obviously getting engaged to Sirius had brought him into her life and she was already reaping the benefits. Antonius wondered if Sirius would even care to dance for enjoyment with her. Perhaps with a few drinks in his system, but was he even allowed to spirits around Hesper? The Blacks had been terribly strict as of late, probably not wanting him to muck up the future union. If it was not for their late night jaunts then his best mate's life would be as dull as it could get.

Hearing Hesper speak of Sirius broke his musings and Antonius tried to not show his dissapointment of this new knowledge. He did not like that Sirius talked about their friendship. None of his many siblings had ever commented about their association in particular, so what made his soon to be wife any different? She would share his bed with him, he figured fleetingly. Hesper would be a part of Sirius' life that no one else could access. So bizarre that it had only occurrd to him just then!

"Halo, Miss Gamp?" Antonius remarked cooly, all emotion leaving his face. "No wonder you acted so stunned as I entered the room." It had been act the entire time, her pretending to not recognize him. All women were the same in their cunning design at birth, weren't they? It digusted him.

Antonius turned away, no longer interested in her company. She was just a girl. "Next time we meet, I would hope our greeting will be less callous. You should know by now how much Sirius' friendship means to me." He tilted his head to glance at her for a passing second. He was acting too brash. He needed to ammend his statement. "It would be pleasent if we became friends, as well." He added softly. "I suppose."

Looking out the window, Antonius was left to wish that the sun would set sooner and for Sirius to finish his daily tasks.

[phineasablack]

July 1904 | Avoidance and Alcohol | Phineas & Antonius

After a particularly stressful encounter with his father—one that centered, as usual, around marriage and obligation—Phineas found himself at the public house Sirius and he had once before visited. As a largely Muggle establishment, there was the distinct chance he would remain anonymous, which, now more than ever, he greatly desired.

Had he not already ordered his first drink, he may have left once he saw Antonius Malfoy sitting alone at the bar. There was, if not bad blood, at least some discomfort between them. At least for Phineas. Or perhaps this was merely the discomfort of familiarity he was currently hoping to avoid at the bottom of a bottle of firewhiskey.

He had, however, already paid, and Malfoy had possibly seen him. To leave would be rude. And Phineas was, first and foremost, English.

Damn obligation…

“Mr. Malfoy,” Phineas said, approaching and donning his best smile. “Pleasure to see you.” Lies. “Might I join you for a bit?”

[antoniusmalfoy]

Antonius was bloody exhausted as he lounged at a bar of no particular importance. It had been a long week of courting. He had spent nearly every day out. He wasn't interested in meeting women, but he wanted the media to be utterly sure that there was nothing going on between Gladys and him. The large majority of his dates were dull as watching paint dry-- as expected of society girls, all taught to be meek little things. Lysandra Yaxley had stood out from the crowd, but her youth did not appeal to him. Given that his Godchild Violetta and Lysandra were not separated by many years, it felt as if he would be 'corrupting the innocent' if he continued any serious interest in her. Perhaps the circumstances would be different if he wasn't a Godfather, but that was all to think on that subject. Antonius would surely introduce Lysandra to Violetta as their friendship could be beneficial when boredom looked good on no one.

Turning as he was addressed, the surprise was evident on his face to see Phineas. "Mr Black." He replied equally formal, however thinking they should be using given names. He had known the younger man nearly all of his life, although they were never particularly close without Sirius. "Certainly." He agreed. "I believe there are still open booths in the back."

Antonius, always the introvert, did not want to deal with another scandal from an enthusiastic eavesdropper if they continued to converse at the bar. Walking over to the booth with a new drink in hand, he looked over at Phineas in wonder. "Is this surely the first time I have seen you since your travels abroad?" He asked with a head tilt. "Remind me again, where was it you ran off to this time? Of Latin origin?"

At times Antonius envied Phineas for his galavanting and reckless adventuring. How relaxed he must be to not have an estate to fret about like Sirius did. Although knowing the Black family well, Phineas was likely under the same pressure to wed."Will you be staying in London long?"

[antoniusmalfoy]

Instincts Are Misleading || Flashback || Antonius & Hesper

[hespergamp]

Hesper commended herself for concealing a snort after learning Hogwarts girls sewed. But on second thought, she really ought not to have been surprised; after all, it was Hogwarts. “Mr. Malfoy, I am far, far more different than those girls at Hogwarts.”

Hesper arched a perfect eyebrow. He was looking forward to hear her play in the future? When she ‘was ready’? If it weren’t for that condescending ending, Hesper would have bitterly laughed and wished him to cease being so ridiculously forward as she would never perform for him, but his last words irked her. He spoke to her as if she were a child, which technically she was in his perspective, and she fully resisted being spoken to as anything less than like an adult, as her father always told her she was just as mature as an adult despite only hedging on the edge of 17 (the irony of it was that Antonius had been the first person to propose she do something when she was ready, even with such a trivial thing as playing the piano, yet those words had yet to be uttered in regards to her marriage). And it was for this reason, that she suddenly wanted to prove herself to Antonius that she was just as much, and no doubt more, an adult as he.  ”Perhaps on a rainy day.” She muttered in nonchalance, knowing full well she would most definitely play for Antonius some day.

It appeared this man’s forte was insulting her; he was now insulting her dancing? Worst of all, he didn’t even seem to notice he had done so. Hesper pursed her lips at his atrocities. As he continued talking, Hesper had to consciously watch his face neutrally, so disgust wouldn’t cross her features.

She took his hand, with a harshness she had intended -but failed- to conceal. And without a word, she drew herself closer to him, her eyes staring unwavering into his, as if she were challenging him. A silent challenge, of course, as she would deny to her grave, if he accused her of such, that she would be so bold to behave like the rowdy men in bars do when they fight. After all, Hesper intended always to be viewed as a good, submissive, dainty young lady - as her father insisted she should always be-  but if she could assert some dominance over a situation with eyes that could threaten, lie and kill, by Merlin she would use them.

“Oh, please, Mr. Malfoy. Do teach me.” She spoke with an exaggerated eagerness, mostly to delight herself with her mischievous mocking. Perhaps it was the adrenaline from the temper he had brought out of her, but Hesper had not even spared a thought that she was now in the hands of a strange man - something that would have terrified her a month ago.

He may have been half a foot taller than her, but his blue eyes still blazed beautifully and their clarity was not compromised from the distance. Hesper hoped she should come across a piece of jewelry with that sharp colour to wear, as she was rather fond of it. She wanted to be cold and reserved from Antonius, but his eyes, regrettably  made that very hard to do. She almost cracked a smile when he winked.

“Play.” She looked over to the pianist before turning back to Antonius, allowing a genuine smile to shyly brush over her lips, slightly unsure that she was not in her element to jest yet. “And if you fail so disastrously in playing teacher, perhaps I should take the time to teach you how to dance. It would only be fair as you do so to generously help me be… satisfactory” -she said through clenched teeth- “for Sirius, and I would do so to help you with whomever you decide to marry. And Mr. Malfoy, if that is how it pans out, do not fret; I shall not judge.”  

[antoniusmalfoy]

Antonius caught the venom in Hesper's tone about Hogwarts. Tsk, tsk, she had better not let her future father-in-law hear her speak about his school in that manor. He would be most displeased. Antonius was not bored enough to inquire about what types of classes were offered at her school. Perhaps a topic for another time. He could not imagine that Sirius was paired with an empty headed girl. She seemed witty enough, he thought, the more he spoke with her. More capable than she looked. 

Her grasp on his hand and the pull of her eyes caught him off guard. No one, especially not a high-bred socialite, had ever looked at him like that before. He bit his bottom lip, willing himself to not react to her. She would have to do much more to unhinge him. He was not set on offending her than simply eager to ruffle her and to him, there was a distinct difference between the two. She was practically melting in his arms, but he knew she was not being fresh with him. She was making a mockery of the situation. He remained stiff, determined to actually teach her to dance properly. Sirius did not deserve to be wed to a second-rate dancer. It would be humiliating, considering the scrutiny their marriage would be under in the press.

Looking down at Hesper, Antonius' breath caught. She was exceedingly beautiful now that he had a good look at her. Her hazel eyes shined in the light and he found her dimples incredibly endearing. He wanted to press his thumbs against them, he wanted to sink into her skin. He looked away from her, the moment that she instructed the pianist to play. "I will more than adequately sweep you off your feet." He promised in a clam voice as he listened to the beat of the music. "Pfft. I would not dare to marry a woman that was not quick on her feet." He muttered arrogantly and closed the extra foot of distance between them.

"Ah, I was hoping Miss Gamp and I would waltz." He stated loudly over to the pianist, not bothering to part from his partner as he waited for a different song to play.

"This is a smooth and quite popular dance for us in London. It is important for you to master it." He explained to Hesper. "A dance that you need a male partner to learn best with. You will not be jerked around by your partner, therefore you must not be afraid of me." 

"The easiest way to remember the dance is that we will be making a box shape with our feet." He stated, looking down at their feet. "Our steps will mirror each other in a gentle fashion. As I take one step forward with my left foot, you will be taking one step backward with your right. Ideally, when performed by a confident partner, you will quickly stop thinking about your feet and simply react to me." 

As they glided around the room, on every turn, their chests seemed to get closer. He made no reaction as he brushed against her, but thought she would pull away eventually. He never did, believing it would be too awkward. When he felt confident in her steps, he took her faster around the room. He was pleased by her progress. Someone had taught her the dance in the past, he supposed, but the refinement was serving her well. He surprised her by twirling her in his arms, but he did it too quick. Not allowing her to trip, his hands pressed firmly against her back and he held her in place. "I think it might be time for a break." He announced and lifted her back up, steadying her on the soles of her feet. "Should we call for some water?"

[glassmenagerie]

[antoniusmalfoy]

Are you a lion or a lamb? || Antonius & Lysandra

[cressidalevya-deactivated201405]

Lysandra heard the catch in Mr Malfoys voice as he spoke of his parents. There was no doubt in Lysandra’s mind that this was a subject many young women touched on with him and he didn’t seem comfortable with the idea of Lysandra believing there was hope of anything between them. Lysandra didn’t blame him for this mistake, how was he to know that she had her eye on an entirely different man and family name.

“My aunt is residing in oxford, very close to the Muggle University. She used to live in the family estate but she found the country life dull.” Lysandra was very interested in hearing Mr Malfoy talk of the way in which the older Mr Malfoy held the estate. Being an only child she had not had much experience with the way estates passed on from father to son, although she knew the black family’s case was not unheard of she hadn’t expected the Malfoy family to have a similar arrangement. It seemed that there was just as much family pressure on men to marry as there was on woman. The added social pressure that woman had however convinced Lysandra that woman where still in a much more desperate hurry to marry themselves off.

“Do not apologise, you had no way of knowing we were so close to each other.” As Lysadra spoke she noticed the icy looks she was getting from the other gallery goers for blocking the door, she was extremely relived when Antonius offered her his arm and led her out of the way of the entrance. It took no more than a second for them to be flocked by journalists taking photographs. Lysandra felt relieved to see them there. One of the biggest reasons she had come tonight was to show the blacks she ran in the same circles as them, and although gossip was useful it had nothing on the power of the media. She gave a smile and made sure she looked as appealing as possible in all the photos

When the photos were finally over they continued through the gallery. “Yes, Slytherin does still like to keep to themselves, although I think that is more down to the other houses than their own wants. I certainly didn’t have any problem developing friendships with any of them.” Lysandra couldn’t keep the smile of his face when he began asking her about her views on art. She was always eager to show people her opinions. Especially if it looked like said person was trying to test her

“I appreciate art of course, and I think, although it may be studied, for it to be done well you have to have a natural instinct on how to make it work, as well as some sort of message you wish to push upon the viewer. A true artist is born, not taught. Personally however Mr. Malfoy I feel that art is not the path into my respect. I have no doubt that any true artist is a genius but I feel they are masters of the physical and the emotional; two elements I feel will always be trumped by the mind. Words, Mr Black, are the art form of a true genius. What I am trying to say with all this babble is that as good as art is it will never hold as big a part in my heart and interest as books or a good conservationist."

[antoniusmalfoy]

Antonius smirked as Lysandra passionately announced her preference of the written word to the visual arts. He admired her for being honest about her interests. A handful of his previous dates had repeated his own words back to him and it was not stimulating in the least. "Spoken like a true Ravenclaw. Better than 'babble' as you call it." He teased as they all did love their books. "I understand why you believe that art is an emotional response."

Antonius looked around in the gallery, searching for a moving portrait to bring into their discussion. He motioned with his head to follow him over to the portrait of a cave. As Lysandra and him approached it, the other viewers moved away from the scene, allowing them privacy. As the viewer got closer to the portrait of the cave, the cave's ceiling expanded, never allowing the viewer to see the surface. An inkling of sunlight continued to tease. "Allow me to explain the difference between a novel and owning a piece of artwork such as this."

"There are many novels, both good and bad, and the same could be said about art. I know this is a generalization, but bare with me. You read a novel and you eventually will reach the end of it. You either decide to reread the novel again or maybe you will never touch it again. The story has ended. With a piece of art, the story has no ending. You look into this cave... every day of your life and every day it could mean something different. The painting sparks greater thinking and will continually change in perspective as you mature. If I placed this painting in my great hall and then moved it away, I cannot guarantee that I would still think of it. But upon the day that I brought it out again, I am willing to bet that I will remember the last time that I looked into it and how I felt at the time."

"The mind should be more powerful than emotion. That much I agree with you and that much I would like to think that I live by. Simply, art allows a vessel for me to keep thinking. It is the ultimate unfinished story which means something different for every single person."

"At least we are speaking of fictional worlds. I could never argue that picking up a new painting versus the latest book on potions." He shrugged with an incredulous expression. "In that sense, a person would obviously benefit from learning about potions more."

"Just out of curiosity, what are your favorite fiction genres?" He asked. Most girls he knew her age were getting swept up by romance novels. They were all the rage.

Feeling as if he 'babbled' on long enough, Antonius turned to Lysandra with a gentle smile. "Would you like to get a drink or something to eat with me? I do believe they will be serving to members of the gallery." He asked, shooting one last look at the cave on the wall, before ushering them away.

Walking into the next large room, a grand buffet was proudly on display for the social elite. He looked over at Lysandra wondering what type of diner she would be. "May I wager to say that you prefer the salty to the sweets."

[missbulstrode]

Setting the Record Straight || Antonius & Violetta [complete]

[missbulstrode]

There was no question that Violetta was going to drop her association with Miss Boothby. It was vexing that the woman hadn’t let her know that she was a half-blood. More then likely she would have talked to her at the theatre but that would have been for Cygnus’ benefit since he would have wanted to meet her regardless. But the tea invitation would never have happened. The blonde was always a bit iffy on what constituted a half-blood. There was the conversation she’d overheard about someone who was part Veela, but Miss Boothby was not part Veela. Iffy or not she did know that as a pureblood of her station there was no associating with half-bloods. Those things weren’t done and that was all that needed to be understood. Unlike some people she did not question the rules that governed society. Things could get unpleasant if you did that and she didn’t not like unpleasant. 

She listened intently as Antonius explained why he’d decided to back Miss Boothby’s brooms. It made much more sense when he explained. Violetta might have not known about business but she did understand about having the best and only the best. “You can not be blamed for wanting to back it. After all I have heard, frequently, that it is the best broom out there. I have no doubt that you will succeed in finding a way, Antonius. If anyone can it is you.” Her face showed just how much faith she had in the younger Malfoy. He was the smartest gentleman she knew and one of the few people she honestly trusted. 

Violetta was surprised that he was approving of her friendship with Cygnus. Or at least how he thought her friendship with her best friend was. The slight, it was most assuredly a slight, on Belvina made her beam. Cygnus’ sister had never liked her for some reason which meant the feelings were mutual. Thankfully she’d been in Ravenclaw so the two girls didn’t have anything to do with one another. But Antonius next sentence had the blonde biting the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing. Surely he wouldn’t think so if he knew of all the nights Cygnus had dragged her along to sneak out of the castle, or the many other things Cygnus did regularly. It took her a moment to be able to speak and even then an amused smile played on her lips when she spoke of Cygnus.

“Miss Black would be most vexed to hear that as she does not think I am suitable company for her brother. And yes Cygnus is well aware of the image that comes with the Black name and of his place in society. I have no doubts as to my safety with him.” 

Nothing she’d said had been a lie. Cygnus was well aware which is why he did many of the things he did. He hated his place in society and what he had to live up to. As for her safety, while she sometimes wondered about the safety of her reputation she never feared for her physical safety. Antonius didn’t have to know which she spoke of. It was certain the pair (mostly Violetta) would be in terrible trouble if their behaviour at school were to be talked about outside of school. 

A laugh was her first reaction to how Antonius and Sirius had been. There was no way she could see Cygnus reading ahead on his lessons, even for something like that. “Oh my! I am sure you drove them mad doing that. Cygnus is not like that, though. He prefers to not draw attention to himself. If you think on it he does have an awful lot of attention on him already. Of course on the Quidditch pitch it is another story and he adores drawing attention to himself there.” It was all the blonde could do not to roll her eyes at the thought of her best friend’s behaviour on the pitch. Her issue wasn’t so much with his behaviour more who is behaviour was aimed at and the reaction they gave him. But she was not at all jealous. 

The idea of Cygnus being like Sirius was interesting and she listened closely to what Antonius had to say. It certainly sounded like something she had to look for, though she couldn’t imagine anyone having a smirk like Cygnus. Not that she particularly liked the smirk just that it was, well as far as smirks go, nice..ish. With a smile Violetta took the arm offered her. “I have, yes. But I will gladly accompany you back inside.”

[antoniusmalfoy]

Violetta was taking the news well about his broom business, Antonius thought. If only his parents could understand the gossip surrounding him and Gladys was an utter lie. Or perhaps they knew it was a lie, but were still ashamed that he placed their family's name in the clutches of the hyenas. "As I said, I will try my best to put the attention back on the broom. It is superb." He smiled softly, thinking of his previous flight which had been with Hesper. It had been a great day despite how irresponsible it was of him to do it. It had been many days since he last spoke with Hesper. Their longest separation for quite some time. Not that anyone could blame him, Sirius' wife was partly the reason why the recent scandal had erupted. He would deal with her in time.

"Miss Belvina Black is handling a lot of stress in her life, I can imagine. Despite never talking about possible suitors, I assume it vexes her how much attention Phineas and Arcturus receive for their open courting. They are the stars of the family." Antonius replied candidly. "I think she clings to Cygnus because she is not prepared for him to mature and marry eventually. It would be too easy for them to stay young forever.... unfortunately, even the most powerful wizard cannot control time for too long."

"You will see that once she carries on with her own affairs, her hold on Cygnus will be strained. In a few short years, she will have her own family to deal with. For now, she sees you as a threat." He shrugged and chuckled at the idea. "Which we both know is ridiculous. I cannot imagine that you are scheming to marry Cygnus. As if you sit in your room, pining and writing in your diary about him. You were raised to maintain a higher sense of self-worth." Just talking about this speculation made Antonius laugh a bit more. He honestly did not know how Belvina saw Violetta as a fortune hunter. Belvina would do well with getting out more instead of allowing her novels to run wild with her imagination. 

Antonius was more than amused to learn that Cygnus did not enjoy being the center of attention. He must have been the first of the Blacks to be humble in lessons. How intriguing, he thought. "I, too, loved the attention on the field." He admitted with a snide smirk. "Quidditch was certainly an escape from our obligations as eligible bachelors. Sirius was captain during our 7th year, but not without my encouragement. He nearly chose to not play due to family duties." He explained with a roll of his eyes. "... I know Sirius is concerned that Cygnus' might be too devoted to the sport."

"But given how you speak of him, so highly in regard-- it sounds like Sirius has nothing to worry about." Antonius stated, taking Violetta's elbow as they walked. Sirius would be pleased to hear about Cygnus' school activities. "Sirius is only doing his job as the head of house to make sure that everyone is on the correct path. I hope Cygnus knows how much Sirius thinks of him, even when he is away at Hogwarts."

Walking down the tailored paths of the Malfoy garden, Antonius was pleased to escort Violetta inside the manor. She would most certainly provide a well-needed buffer between his parents and him. She was an angel to him and she didn't even know it.

[antoniusmalfoy]

Instincts Are Misleading || Flashback || Antonius & Hesper

[hespergamp]

This one was trouble. He had cheek, and a lovely face that suggested he often got away with it. And it was for that reason that Hesper allowed herself only to pout haughtily instead of laugh at his comical jest. It was obvious in the way he spoke and the way he lounged around comfortably in her presence, that he regarded himself as a bad boy. His attractive smirk did nothing more than support this theory.

Hesper had often heard the girls in Beauxbatons giggle and fawn lustrously over men far too arrogant than needed be, which confused Hesper endlessly. Although she had barely considered what kind of qualities she would prefer in a husband, being wed to a man dubbed as a ‘bad boy’ made no sense - surely a lady deserved a gentleman?

Sirius was certainly had not displayed any ‘bad boy’ qualities, and could firmly be described as a gentleman, yet he still cast an ugly chill over her skin. Standing in front of Mr. Antonius Malfoy, who had, in the short time of talking, exhibited more than one quality one could refer to as being ‘bad’, it left Hesper feeling ill.  Perhaps she ought to have signed a contract to the nunnery. 

It was needless to say Hesper was more than taken back at Antonius’s rude comment, so much so that she reclined back a step, fighting the urge to drop her mouth. Was she more the needlework type? Could he be anymore derogatory!  Sirius had mentioned some time ago (Hesper was listening idly, far more concerned with the button on her glove, and only picked up a phrase or two of what he was saying) that his closest friend Antonius was a year his senior. In retrospect, this was both humorous and ironic, since he was behaving as impolitely as a five year old would. 

“I assure you, Mr. Malfoy, that I have not so much as lifted a cloth to sew in my life. In my family, we have the house elves attend to such menial jobs, though I understand that some may not have the luxury of house elves or servants. Which is unfortunate, as manual labor and other idle processes can be detrimental to appearance.” She cast a look at his hands, wanting to seek callouses or blister or some sort of indicator that he was beneath her, having to degrade himself to rough duties. 

She turned elegantly, so he could not see her face, to compose herself. Mr. Malfoy was utterly one of a kind - never had seen been spoken to so rudely. After a moment of composure, she turned back to his handsome face.

“If your desire to find out whether my skill with instruments are worthy, you ought to ask the opinion of Sirius himself, as he has more than once heard me play and he had been nothing but complimentary - even when  I was so nervous I missed a note. But now you mention it, I should get back to practicing as I do not want to be upstaged by an eight year old.” She crossed her arms, examining him; she refused to be the one to walk away first - if she did, then it would mean nothing more than he had succeeded in intimidating her and she would not sacrifice her dignity like that.  

[antoniusmalfoy]

Antonius grinned as Hesper pouted. Her lips had turned a brilliant shade of berry. Pride overwhelmed him as she took a step back. He was affecting her. So easily offended, so fragile, whatever would Sirius do with her. He would eat her alive. She was no match for his best mate. He perked an eyebrow as she scanned him, he remained tall and proud, refusing to move. He was uncertain what she was looking for. It had not even crossed his mind whether she was implying that his family was of lower standing than hers. That would be laughable. Her neck was lovely, he thought as she turned to look away from him. She was full of grace and beauty. His brows furrowed, not knowing why he just thought that. She was just a girl.

"Pardon, ah, Miss Gamp. I did not mean to offend you. I understand that a lady matched with Sirius could not have  worked a day in her life." Antonius replied, restraining from placing a single hand on her right shoulder. He was mildly curious if her skin was as soft as it looked. "I was simply making conversation about how you spend your free time. Girls at Hogwarts frequently made patterns and such." He shrugged, remembering the many tokens that his admirers made him in school.

Oh he had bothered her greatly, he mused watching her cross her arms. He liked her looking this, more spirited. He would see to making her act out more often. It wasn't as if he would ever put their reputations in danger since Sirius would not approve. It would be a challenge to keep it in line, but that was part of the fun. Listening to Hesper assert her musical abilities caused him to drop his grin at once. Sirius had not mentioned her playing to him and Antonius had not bothered to ask. Why would he have? "I am certain that you are a fine musician." He answered with a quick nod. "I look forward to hearing you play in the future when you are ready." 

"I have a great admiration for the arts." Antonius explained. "I attend many shows... London has much to offer nearly every night. While I am not one for crowds, I do enjoy dancing. It is of the finest pastimes. May I say-- I do believe that you would benefit from a volunteer male." He added. It dawned on him that he never should have said that, but now he had to follow through. It would be unlike him to back down from his word. 

"Someone more naturally inclined to take the lead, like I am." Antonius offered and held out his hand. Now she could inspect him all she wanted. He had nothing to hide. "It would be my honor to help you prepare for the greatest event of the season. At least I can help with the popular dances." He winked at her elderly instructor. He wasn't sure if she noticed. "Consider it my apology for offending you earlier. After all, I want the best for Sirius." He stared at Hesper wondering what she would do next. He never had the intention of proposing such a thing when he entered the room, but he certainly was not lonely anymore. He wondered if she would pout again. He was counting on it.

[missbulstrode]

Setting the Record Straight || Antonius & Violetta

[missbulstrode]

Violetta’s mouth fell open, her attempts at being dignified forgotten. Half-blood? How was Miss Boothby a half-blood? Why didn’t the woman say she was a half-blood. This blood stuff was very annoying to the blonde. Those who weren’t pureblood should be made to wear something like a badge saying so. It was too hard to figure out. If she wasn’t allowed to associate with them then they shouldn’t be allowed anywhere near her. At least not without proper identification. The young girl had no trouble looking down on them but how was she to know who to look down on? What if there were some way and she just didn’t know it? Perhaps she was a bad pureblood. Surely there had to be something that gave them away.

Her cheeks were dark pink in embarrassment that she had thought her Antonius would be involved with a half-blood. No he was far too good a pureblood to dirty himself. “I am sorry Antonius. I did not know she was a half-blood. Why was she allowed to open a store on Diagon Alley if she is a half-blood woman? I assumed that her blood status made whoever gave her the building over look that she was a woman. Had I known she was a half-blood I would never have invited her for tea. When I saw her at the theatre she had very nice manners, not perfect of course but nice. We just invited her because we were bored and it was sort of a novelty. That is all. I honestly just thought her a middle-class pureblood.”

She took her chastising well, though she was very embarrassed about it. Everything he was saying, or most anyway, she’d heard before. It was drilled into her head, like it was the heads of other pureblood girls and boys she assumed. At least those with status anyway. In order to keep power you had to marry power is what her mother always said. While women didn’t really have any power rich, pureblood women had far more power then others. Rich, pureblood women married to rich, pureblood men had even more. This played in with the fact that though her marriage would make her belong to another family, her father’s words, it would still disgrace her family if through her they were connected to one with lower status. At least his chastising, and lecture, was delivered much nicer then either of her parents would do.

“I am very sorry, Antonius. I promise to be much more careful in the future.” She hung her head feeling terrible that she’d disappointed him. At the mention of Cygnus’ name her head shot up, maybe a little too quickly, and she looked up at her companion, her blue eyes were wide with surprise. Had her cheeks not already been pink they would have been now. “Cygnus?” Having a best friend that was a male wasn’t really something that was acceptable outside of Hogwarts. Inside of the school it was looked at oddly but not expressly forbidden. Speaking about Cygnus with Antonius would be different and she’d need to choose her words carefully. It wasn’t hard to tell him exactly how Cygnus behaved in class since they shared every class together. The boy in question had made sure of that when he’d chosen both he and Violetta’s electives. “Yes we share a few. He seems to be nicely behaved in class. I do not really pay particular attention to him but he has never gotten in trouble in class that I have seen. Does he? How so?” It wasn’t a lie that the youngest Black was well behaved in class. Though he did like to bother a certain blonde when he was bored. As for him being like his eldest brother Violetta couldn’t see that.

[antoniusmalfoy]

Antonius was positively relieved by Violetta's reaction. Thankfully they would not have to discuss the sanctity of blood purity any longer. He did not enjoy being a lecturer, never having much experience with it. He did not have younger siblings or children to scold. If anyone could affirm this, it would be Sirius. After all of the things that Sirius did in his life, Antonius never pulled him aside unless he was dreadfully worried about his safety or health. Acceptance of one's decisions was the key to their easy and long lasting friendship. It was fulfilling to accept the faults of his best mate, but somehow Antonius was unable to do that when it came to women or he would have been married years ago. He expected the best of the person that would share his bed until death they would part.

"My family owns Miss Boothy's building as well as the several around it in the area of the alley." He explained, knowing she would be surprised. He was still surprised by his decision. "The thing is, I approached her myself about opening a shop. I do believe she is producing the best broom on the market. It brings me great pride to boast that I am financing it. It is of the best in sporting goods and Malfoys always want the best. I knew my move would be risky for my reputation, but I also did not want the opportunity to pass out of fear."

"You see, my decision was entirely about the broom and not about the woman making it." He confessed. "Do not worry-- I will find a way to get people to stop talking about me and instead direct their attention to the broom." Quite the effort it would take, seeing as he was hardly in news and gossips were eating this story up like crazy.

Antonius sighed looking over at Violetta's disappointment. It was best for her to get over this lesson while she was young, before a Half-Blood or Mudblood could sully her name. Since she was quite young still, such mistakes were allowed some allowance. He was sure that she would not continue a friendship with Gladys that could affect her reputation and ability to marry well. No Slytherin would be so foolish to do so. Self-preservation came naturally to them, it was as easy as breathing. A natural instinct, really.

"I would not look down on you if you developed a friendship with Cygnus." Antonius clarified, seeing her unease. "You would be a much better influence than that sister of his. And I know Cygnus would never do anything inappropriate with you, after all with a father as Headmaster and a brother like Sirius: that image is a lot to handle. Cygnus knows his rightful place in society." He nodded, believing his every word.

"Behaved? Truly?" Antonius was curious. "How interesting. Here I thought he'd be the type to outwit the professors. That's how Sirius was. Oh the fun we had. We used to read ahead in our lessons, simply to take turns questioning the professor. It was far too comical seeing their reactions to us already knowing the material. We made excellent marks, also, as you can imagine."

"Cygnus does remind me of Sirius in his mannerisms, especially now that he is a bit older. ... At least when Sirius is not in the public's eye." Antonius continued to explain, knowing Sirius to be strict with emotions. "Next time that you visit Valhalla and they are in the same room together... Pay attention to the smirk and hand gestures." He shot her a quick wink as if sealing their agreement.

Antonius stood from the bench and offered Violetta his arm in an offering. "My young lady, I do believe it might be time for me to make an appearance inside. Or have you already had tea and sweets?"

[antoniusmalfoy]

[antoniusmalfoy]

lysandrayaxley:

Lysandrsa arrived at the gallery feeling nervous and excited. This was her first proper event of the season and she knew from experience that it needed to be her most noticeable. This year more than any it was important for her to appear like nothing less than perfection. Freshly out of Hogwarts this would be the first year she would be considered a lady out in public. And a lady’s reputation was decided on how she appeared and acted at social events such as these.

Her date for this evening could either make or break how she was perceived in society. Accepting Malfoy had been a risky decision. Being seen with him proved that she truly was a part of the elite witches and wizards of England. It instantly got her noticed and, she hoped, would prove to the black family that she was deserving of their name. However being seen with Mr Malfoy meant that she would be instantly judged next to all the women he had stepped out with in previous seasons. Be anything less than the best and the gossip and criticism would tear you apart. This held no threat for Lysandra however as she always wanted to be the best and all extra pressure added was extra excitement.

When Lysandra caught sight of Malfoy in the crowd she quickly turned away, pretending she hadn’t yet seen him and instinctively reached into the pocked of her jacket, seeking the comfort of her notebook. Although she knew she would not be able to write anything down in it during the course of the evening she was still glad to know it was there. She clutched onto it and reminded herself what she wanted to come from this evening. She wasn’t asking for much. Merely a good word about her to get back to Arcturus.

She took a deep breath and continued through the crowd to her date. “Believe me, the pleasure is all mine” she told him impressed by his manners. He had an air of intelligence about him Lysandra found instantly appealing. “My journey was fine thankyou.it was a bit far but I am sure this gala will be well worth the trip. I trust yours was as well?”

Lysandra froze at his enquiry into her family estate. Hearing these words made her want to run away from the conversation. Her family life wasn’t something she discussed with anyone. She was a guarded person and she didn’t let her walls down around anyone. So when it looked like someone was asking her about it she instantly wanted to get as far away from that person as possible. She had to remind her self that he was only asking about her house.

“I grew up in an estate just outside of Maidenhead it was nice, nothing on the great Malfoy manor of course but nice. At the moment I am staying with my aunt in London.” Lysandra said, careful to drop a compliment in to the conversation as quickly as possible and gave Malfoy a smile. She intended to get as much from this evening as possible and the only way to do so was to charm him and everyone else around them before they could revert to her well known reputation as an ‘ice queen’.

"I must admit that I have not been to my manor in quite awhile." Antonius replied with a gentle smile, hoping that the young girl was not looking for an invitation. It was fairly common for young ladies to attempt to get in range of his parents, which so easily wanted him to fall in love. He obviously avoided introducing his parents to anyone with his every effort. No need to get their hopes up until he found a young lady that he positively could never bore of.

"My parents are alive and in good health." He explained. "My father will remain with the authority over the estate until I am wed and produce an heir." He looked down at his shoes and smirked as he looked up. "I also happen to live in London at the present time. Whereabouts does your aunt live?" He loved to meet people from the city since they usually had more to talk about. Country dames seldom had anything to say unless they were well educated and read often like Hesper Black.

"Do mind me. I feel incredibly foolish. If I had known this information, we could have traveled together." Antonius lightly shrugged because it was true. "Perhaps another time." He motioned with his arm that they should walk into one of the main rooms since they were likely in people's way that were simply passing by the staircase and hallway. No need for them to cause a spectacle, more so than they had already by attending the event together. Snap! Snap! Snap! As if on cue, a set a flashes went off from the photographers wanting to take a photo of them. He turned to Lysandra and advised her to smile, since this obviously was expected by him to happen. This was the point anyway, for them to step out as friends; as if they had been acquainted for awhile and there was nothing to speculate on about their relationship. Antonius wondered how often she was asked to attend events with gentleman, perhaps several times already as she seemed at ease in the spotlight. At least to him, she was certainly taking the attention quite well. She looked poised instead of flirtatious or whimsical. With a head tilt, he motioned that they should continue walking. The madness was over for now. He was sure that by the end of the night, a few more photographs would be taken and they would deal with that then. For now they would enjoy the gallery with ease.

"When I attended Hogwarts, I did not interact with many Ravenclaws. Slytherin at the time was quite private, I am not sure if it is still that way." He began cordially, willing to pick her brain for fun. "How would say the average Ravenclaw reacts to art? Art, of course, having historical knowledge but I am not discussing that. I wonder do you appreciate art as a talent and do you believe some people are inherently good at it or do you think it is something you would be able to study?"

Antonius was passionate about being a patron to the arts despite not being an artist. He believed art was a window into someone's life, where words could be said through creative works that could never be said aloud. He strived to purchase art which would continue to matter for generations.

[antoniusmalfoy]

Instincts Are Misleading || Flashback || Antonius & Hesper

[hespergamp]

Dancing was a dull thing, especially when concentration was needed on keeping the frail woman intact rather than improving one’s step. Hesper’s father had been insisting that she spend more time at Mr Black’s living quarters during the summer, to get herself acquainted with the man she were to be spending the rest of her life with. And they said purgatory came after death. 

After several forced meetings, Hesper was eventually allowed to roam around the mansion without Sirius or his parents at her side. Initially, this seemed like a good thing. Oh, how she was mistaken. Hesper felt awkward partially living (she insisted to label it that, since most of her daylight hours were consumed with being in the presence of Sirius or his house) in a home that was not hers. She felt like an intruder, especially since she was inwardly ungrateful for any kind gesture given to her; she cared not for gifts and trinkets and food and chit-chat, she simply wanted to go home. Even worse, Sirius seemed to have a hundred siblings that popped up at every corner, resulting in forced small talk and fake smiling. By the end of the day, Hesper’s cheeks hurt. 

This afternoon, Hesper had been ‘treated’ with the activity of dance lessons. She couldn’t decide which was the greatest reward of it: dancing her feet raw or the awful piano music. It had just gone past an hour since the beginning when there was an interruption at the door. At first, Hesper had automatically assumed a servant boy had interrupted her lesson but upon looking at him she realised such a fine make of robes would be far above the standard a servant boy would have.

Hesper immediately detached herself from the biddy old woman whom had been teaching her the art of ballroom, causing the pianist to stop. Her memory ached to attach the name of Malfoy, or something similar, to his face. It was true, Hesper may have passed him once before during her previous visits to Valhalla, but she had not paused to pay him any attention and to be perfectly honest she intended to keep it that way.

Ah, so he knew her name? Perhaps he did have some importance to the family, rather than just being a friend of Belvina’s. Either way, the fact that he was purposely searching for Belvina’s company skewed Hesper’s opinion of him. Child or no child, Belvina’s tongue was just as sharp as an adult’s, despite the adorable, innocent look in her eyes. Could he be the influence causing ‘Little Miss Black’s’ crudeness? From what Hesper had noticed, Sirius was never as crude as she and neither was his other siblings. Perhaps it was due to her young age and it was something that would be grown out of over time.

“Well. Thank you. And you are?” She rose an eyebrow. Despite being almost certain he was a Malfoy, Hesper didn’t want the young man to feel as if he were important enough to be known by her. Perhaps that would wipe the rude, smug look off his handsome young face.

Hesper crossed her arms, annoyed at his shameless staring. She shifted uncomfortably under his gaze, feeling like a slab of meat being inspected before purchase. Scowling, she eyed his casual stance against the wall; it was as if he were relaxing to watch entertainment. “As you can see, I have plenty of mentors with me already. I do not need your supervision also. You should care to know Miss Black is likely out in the gardens, since you were searching for her. “ 

[antoniusmalfoy]

Antonius tilted his head at Hesper as she pretended to not recognize him. She amused him, even slightly so, he would admit. Even if she was telling the truth, he was damn well willing to bet that her parents knew of him. He was an eligible bachelor from an excessively wealthy estate. Men like him did not exactly come in batches, especially under the age of 30. "How rude of me." He answered placing his right hand on his chest. "My lady, I am Mr Antonius Malfoy from Wiltshire." He smiled, showcasing his perfect teeth. "Guess the blonde hair and blue eyes are not as remarkable as they say... Liars all of them." He added in jest.

“As you can see, I have plenty of mentors with me already. I do not need your supervision also." That little comment of hers made him move off the wall and in her direction. "No, my lady, I would be a terrible a supervisor as a former Slytherin." He replied smoothly. "We are typically the supervised." Antonius shrugged, but then turned to stone in seconds. He found it difficult to not deliver a scathing look at Hesper as she suggested to look for Belvina in the garden. She essentially was kicking him out of the room and it didn't even belong to her yet. Terribly rude of her, she had no right. Sirius and him were life-long best mates. He was not about to be pushed aside by her just because she was something new. Not a bloody chance.

"Belvina is not outside." He replied in a smooth, calm voice and crossed his arms. "I was just outside myself. The weather will not accommodate until after sunset." He explained with a single raised brow. He wondered if she knew or cared that Sirius spent most nights on adventures with him. They'd drink, smoke, and flirt with questionable ladies. All in the name of having fun before his honeymoon period. Hesper, being a socialite, was rarely allowed out after hours without constant supervision to protect her reputation. She could never witness Sirius being natural like he knew him to be. Such a shame it was to be marrying into a lie. It disgusted him. He was most grateful that his parents permitted access to their vault if he remained a bachelor. He wouldn't know what to do if he was forced to share quarters with someone that he didn't have an emotional connection with. For the most part, he found relationships difficult, that is other than trusting Sirius with his life.

"I had nothing important to say to the little one." He stated and made no move to leave the room, continuing to stand nonchalantly so. "We will converse at another time. I wrongly assumed it was her playing just now." He uncrossed his arms and took a few steps closer to Hesper, they only stood a foot apart now as he continued to explain. "I should have known better... Belvina is a better player. She is quite accomplished for her age. How about you, Miss Gamp? Are you proficient with an instrument or are you more the needlework type?" He asked and tilted his down at her, inspecting her again. She was short.

[varsois]

[missbulstrode]

Setting the Record Straight || Antonius & Violetta

[missbulstrode]

Truth be told it was a relief when he agreed with Cygnus. Not that she’d ever tell Cygnus someone had agreed with him. No the boy would be far too smug. But as much of a relief it was she couldn’t help wonder if it wasn’t just the fact that they were male and everyone knew men could be single much longer then women. This troublesome thought she put away for later as she wished to give her companion her full attention. 

His mention of being married tomorrow made her smile. Antonius must surely be in love if he thought of being married so soon. The blonde decided that it must be a struggle for him to have to wait to be with his beloved. Surely Miss Boothby must feel the same way. At least she had better or Violetta would do everything in her power to ruin the broom maker. She couldn’t stand the idea of someone toying with her friend’s affections. 

The blonde relished in his compliments, of course. But she also listened closely to what he had to say. He was right, Antonius normally was. She was far better then those other girls. An idiot wouldn’t do for her nor would someone below her. The more he talked the more she realised there wasn’t anyone in her year that fit his description. Well Cygnus but her marrying him was a laughable idea. Even if she could get past the fact that they would always fight Violetta wouldn’t stand for being second to a broom and Quidditch. As his motivational speech as it were came to a close she was sitting up straight and smiling again. If it wasn’t improper she would have thrown her arms around him as she did when she were younger. “Thank you Antonius. You are right of course. There is not anyone in my year that would do as a suitor for me and I shall not settle for less then I deserve.”

Antonius talking of love made her smile wider. “Some people think love is rubbish. But I wish to marry for love. They say that it is unlikely that I would meet someone proper that I can also love. I think that is rubbish. Why would I deem to talk with someone who is not worthy of me? And since I am not likely to talk with them I would not have the opportunity to fall in love with them.” Some people was really one person but he didn’t need to know that.

“It was love that had me so very happy that I was skipping in your garden. Only not my love, but someone very dear to me.” Unable to contain herself she turned to Antonius excitedly. “I think she is very pretty and her style is quite nice. Plus her manners are very pleasing. Aunt and I had her for tea and it went lovely. I doubt it would take much for her to fit in nicely with our social circle. Especially now that you are going to take over her business. It is all so very romantic, like one of my novels.” 

[antoniusmalfoy]

A proper smile crossed Antonius' lips to hear Violetta speak of love. He was happy to affirm that she was a young lady deserving of honest attachment. She could have her pick of her anyone with her pinnacle of a reputation; there was nothing to stand in her way. Besides Violetta was worrying far too much since the preparations for her debutante ball had only just begun. She would have plenty of opportunities to meet suitable matches outside of Hogwarts. Perhaps an eligible bachelor from Durmstrang Institute would catch her eye if there were none to be found among the Slytherins. Fortunately the young lady had the freedom to marry as she wished and did not have to be concerned about managing an estate or producing a male heir like he did. Any way that Antonius looked at it, Violetta had more options for relationships than him. On the topic of love in romance novels, Antonius turned to the tiny blonde in utter confusion. He could not fathom what she was on about. He preferred the classics and it was unlikely that he would have much to agree on but he listened carefully.

"Especially now that you are going to take over her business." Antonius swallowed thickly as Violetta's words repeated in his head. Could it be that she got wind of the gossip in Vanity Witch? Bloody hell, everyone was ready that rag. At least explaining the situation to her would be easier than talking to his parents about it. Every muscle in his face turned to stone as he turned to directly address her misplaced excitement. "You are speaking of Miss Boothby, I presume." He began. "I am not involved with her, certainly not in the manner everyone is talking about."

"Why did your aunt invite her to tea?" He asked with a deep scowl on his face. "I did not realize that your family associated with any Half-Bloods, especially one as common as Miss Boothy. She is in trade. It is highly unsuitable for you to be seen with her. Did you not hear how I just commended your current reputation?" Antonius shook his head, he did not mean to get so cross with her. However, he had the duty to straighten her out if need be. "You must protect it at all costs. It gives you power. And with power comes freedom of selection." 

"Violetta... I imagine that your novels might implicate that forbidden romances are thrilling, but those are fictional accounts. The realities of engaging in a romance lower than your class level are laughable. ... I was under the impression that your mother already discussed with you the importance of blood purity when attracting a future spouse." He stated, looking away, suddenly uncomfortable by their age difference. "It is highly improper for me to court let alone marry anyone other than a Pureblood. Families like mine- families like yours have a history to preserve. We must set the crowning example for all of the wizarding world to follow."

"I am not courting Miss Boothby." He said to be absolutely clear. "I am managing her business as I saw it as opportunity for progress, but since this recent scandal, I am unsure if I should continue my negotiations with her." Antonius paused as his thoughts went on a tangent. He was desperate to change the subject. It had been an overly emotional day as it was. "We will stop discussing my finances, forgive me. Onto something else... Sweetheart, how does Cygnus behave in his classes? I believe you share a few, is that correct? He reminds me so of Sirius at times." He smirked and nodded once.

[antoniusmalfoy]

Instincts Are Misleading || Flashback || Antonius & Hesper

The heat outside was unbelievably unfair and unnatural. Antonius would have loved to be on his new broom at this moment, but after nearly fainting, he decided it was best to get inside until after sunset. He would not be flying into his bedroom at Malfoy Manor because he was currently a guest at the massive estate of Valhalla which Sirius Black would inherit after his upcoming marriage. Sirius, his best mate, had invited him to stay over for most of the summer to “keep him sane”. Naturally Antonius was pleased to spend his time there, except on days like these. Days were Sirius was away on Head of House tutorials and there was no entertainment for Antonius. It was hours such as these in which Antonius considered apparating to the city, but no adventure would be as interesting without Sirius. Therefore, after bathing and redressing, Antonius simply wandered around the never-ending corridors and staircases. He was utterly aimless and lost in thought until he heard music playing. Someone in the castle was playing the piano. Antonius assumed it was Belvina practicing and he was not sure if he felt like talking to her, but at least it would give him something to do. No mattered how much she annoyed him (as the sister he never had), since she’d fix this overwhelming loneliness currently plaguing his heart.

“Oh, Bells, you’re—.” Antonius had to awkwardly stop mid-speech. He was just about to tease the child for being “off-key” as he had entered the ballroom, but she was not the one playing the cheery tune. “I do apologize… I thought to find the Little Miss Black in here.” He explained and moved to lean casually against the rear wall.

The ballroom was in fact occupied by Hesper Gamp, Sirius’ wife-to-be and Antonius’ least favorite person in the world. He wished she was not about to marry his best mate in a few weeks. This young lady of only 16 would take Sirius away from him. She would ruin them. What could she possibly know about keeping Sirius happy? He huffed at the thought.

Upon observation, Antonius concluded that Hesper was practicing a new dance with her small entourage of help. In the corner, an elderly lady was playing the piano, in another was a lady reading and finally the lady teaching Hesper how to dance. How lovely to see her fitting in her new home, Antonius thought sarcastically about Hesper. He made no move to leave the ballroom. In fact, Antonius decided to walk closer to them. “How do you do, Miss Gamp?” He greeted without emotion. Despite both of them staying on the same estate for summer, they hadn’t spoken much and never so intimately like this.

Hesper was decent looking, Antonius thought. Her cheeks were playfully rosy, but that was just a side effect from dancing. He was skeptical that they looked like that all of the time. Her waist was small, perhaps more than Sirius liked. She was also rather short. She would have to purchase proper heels to stand with Sirius in their society photographs. There would be many of those. Antonius continued to stare without shame, scrutinizing her every part for possible mutations. Certainly Sirius would have to cancel the wedding if she was not physically perfect. Only the best of women were permitted to mate with a Black.