" yes , one has to wonder ... " she repeats his words with a hum , pretending to think about it . " but , where's the fun in telling you which it is ? " emi mirrors his smirk with one of her own . " i can't reveal all of my secrets , you know . no matter if i trust you or not . " a sentiment that holds more weight than she lets on , and she's sure anyone worth anything would agree somehow . with the obscura , who knows what will be revealed ? all within due time , she supposes . no one can keep playing charades forever . at his certainty about not being tampered with though , artemisia does chuckle . " you'd be surprised how well hidden a potion can be if the perpetrator knows what they're doing . blended with the right flavors , you may not stand a chance . "
however as she moves away from the stall , emi swiftly motions for lucius to follow . " come walk with me , would you ? we can do last minute shopping together . " she gives him a glance as if to say , somewhere to talk without prying ears and eyes . " i know how difficult things have been for your mother ... perhaps we can find something special for her — consider it a gift from me . "
he lets the silence linger for a beat longer than necessary before finally speaking. “trust is such a fragile currency, isn’t it? but i suppose you’re wise not to waste all your secrets at once. it would be a shame to leave yourself defenseless.” lucius himself knows better than to allow any ounce of defenselessness into his own life. a smaller circle of trust allowed for fewer opportunities to be betrayed, or to know who has betrayed you in a second. he needed to be more careful, especially when it came to the things he had already done and the things he was looking into now. “only the outright foolish would try, though i know exactly who to turn to if i’m in need now, don’t i?”
when artemisia motions for him to follow, lucius hesitates for only a moment before stepping alongside her. “how thoughtful of you,” he murmurs, his voice quieter now. “a gift, especially from you, might indeed lighten her spirits... and perhaps smooth over recent difficulties.” lucius glances sideways at emi, the flicker of gratitude in his expression there if you look closely enough. “but tell me, what’s the real reason for this little excursion? surely it’s more than mere charity that compels you to seek my company away from direct sightlines.”
instead of immediately responding , he takes a slow , deliberate sip from the steaming cup in his hand , allowing the wine to linger far longer than it should on his tongue . " an expert ? no, no , ” sirius adjusts his stance against the stall as his head shakes slowly , the perfect image of someone with clearly nowhere else to be . " but compared to the company , i seem to be the most entertaining option here . so perhaps i am a connoisseur of something , after all . ” his gaze flickers deliberately over lucius’s pristine layers , expression a touch too casual to be kind . “ and you ? you’re a long way from the manor , malfoy . who knew holiday markets were such a draw for the disillusioned elite ? ”
lucius cocks his head slightly to the side, his fingers brushing against the brooch he recently purchased from a nearby stall for his mother, now buried deep in his jacket pocket. “quite predictable of you to mistake your aimless loitering for entertainment,” he drawls, his tone edged with boredom. at the same instant, his gaze flickers briefly to the steaming cups nearby, and for a moment, he considers whether indulging would be viewed as a win for the other. it’s possibly the first time he hopes sirius is right about something. still — lucius continues. “and you, sirius? do these quaint markets offer trinkets to distract you from your irrelevance, or is this just another vain effort to feign connection with the common folk?”
regulus had placed a charm over himself to cover up the smell of the smoke, mostly to preserve his mother's heart that her child would even bother with such commoner trife. it's beneath you, really, she'd say with that sickening sweet voice she'd use. everyone had their bad habits, this just to be regulus' after a day of running errand boy with his mother with kreacher at his side to take whatever load of bags that she had asked for their yuletide celebration at grimmauld place. it was exhausting having a mother that was part socialite. he wasn't prepared for the amount of women that she would parading around for him to court this year. there was too much going on and he was running out of excuses even though truly there was so many things that he needed to do research on, his mind a bit frantic about the obscura. his family had no idea what he had been going through because they never cared to know but he needed to hold of on it for a moment longer. with a critical eye he looked at actually... bare some of the shops looked. the energy was unsettled, and that was a feeling he only really ever got in a select few places. the tides were shifting. "what an odd ornament," he finally says, his eyes looking over at the baubles that emitted a more cursed energy. "hm." is all he says, beecause at this point, he was curious, but also he couldn't be bothered. he had walburga black on his fucking neck.
lucius malfoy could spot regulus black in any crowd. it seemed like that was his first instinct as of late — search for the youngest black male, or his mother, or even his cousins… ignoring the middle one, of course. “an odd ornament indeed,” lucius remarks coolly, his gaze flicking briefly to the cursed bauble before returning to regulus. “though i suspect it’s hardly the oddest thing you’ve encountered recently.” his tone is casual. still, his words carry a trace of pointed observation, as if he’s aware of the undercurrents regulus is navigating, even if he chooses not to address them directly. lucius steps closer, the movement deliberate and practiced as he casts a sidelong glance at regulus. “you look tired, black. your mother’s yuletide errands wearing thin on you already?” his tone is light, and he plays it off as concern for his self-proclaimed protege, but, still, the subtle jab lands.
as dark hues observe various ingredients on display , lithe fingers absentmindedly grasp the pearl choker around her neck , gently as though it's the most fragile thing they ever held — a habit she does when in thought . although gloves or a scarf would have been more appropriate for the weather and yuletide spirit , emi easily ignores any confusion her non - traditional winter attire brings . she's willing to do many things but going out with an ugly outfit isn't one of them . before she gets a chance to inquire about an ornate glass vial that gleams under the fairy lights in her line of sight , however , something else entirely pulls her focus ... someone coming out of a nearby establishment . shopping on momentary pause , artemisia's gaze falls upon her companion . well , they're not really — more like an unsuspecting victim of well - earned caution .
" i know people love holiday sample packs , but you should examine it before consumption , " she advises . " strange things are already happening at the market . who's to say food and drink are off limits ? "
lucius tilts his head slightly, his sharp features illuminated by the flickering fairy lights as a faint smirk plays on his lips. “sound advice,” he remarks, his pale grey flicking momentarily toward the market stalls surrounding them before returning to artemisia. “though one has to wonder — are you warning me out of concern, or simply entertaining yourself with the idea of me being poisoned by a rogue pastry?” was it a twinkle in his eye or those damned fairy lights? lucius pauses, his smirk deepening just enough to suggest he finds the idea mildly amusing. “i assure you, artemisia, my palate is far too discerning to fall victim to some poorly spiked mulled wine or tainted pastry. if strange things are happening," and he knows they are, "i’ll leave them to the less... prepared.”
sirius leans lazily against the edge of a vendor’s stall , the sharp scent of evergreen and roasted chestnuts mingling with the faint bite of snow yet to fall . his hands , clad in worn leather gloves , toy idly with the hem of his scarf — black wool with silver threads glinting faintly under the market’s flickering fairy lights . he tugs it loose, letting the chill nip at his neck as if daring the cold to faze him . " careful ---- " he drawls to no one in particular , though his eyes land on the closest figure debating the list of refreshments . " the mulled wine is especially strong this year . "
the holidays never ranked at the top of lucius's favorite times of the year. the air carried a chill sharp enough to shatter bones, mingled with the copious number of events deemed as celebrations of family and friends. the malfoy boy didn’t have much of either anymore. the only reason he found himself dressed in his finest layers was the need to search for his mother’s gift. as he moves from booth to booth, lucius pauses, already regretting his attendance at these particular stalls, surrounded by specific people. “an expert in mulled wine now, are we?” he remarks, his pale, angular face remaining composed as his gaze settles on sirius. “i suppose this means you’ll be found here for the remainder of this pathetic excuse for a market.”
ah, is that LUCIUS MALFOY emerging from the shadows? the TWENTY FIVE YEAR OLD, pureblood cis-man who currently spends their days as an BUSINESS MAN/INVESTOR. people from SLYTHERIN are known for being loyal, strategic, and resourceful, but also for their arrogant, overbearing, and manipulative tendencies—perhaps it all adds up after all. they say HE has aligned themselves with THE DEATH EATERS. whispers carry far in these uncertain days. let me tell you what i’ve heard: LUCIUS evokes, an ancient signet ring tarnished by one crooked hand to the next, an imperfection in a glass that skews the view, the glint of silver chains resting heavily on ones neck like a quiet threat, the flicker of candlelight catching on dark velvet curtains, and a well-placed word from lips as sharp as the edges of a suit, effortlessly and is said to be the mirror image of the muggle DAMIAN HARDUNG. let’s just hope HE hears the truth before the obscura has a chance to change their mind.
full name: lucius abraxas malfoy
age: twenty-five
blood status: pureblood
gender: cis man
hogwarts house: slytherin
occupation: businessman / investor / philanthropist
affiliation: allegedly aligned with the death eaters, though still a figure of influence and intrigue in the wizarding world
height: tall, with a commanding presence
build: lean and well-toned
hair: silvery-blonde, impeccably styled unless stressed
eyes: pale, nearly grey, with a sharp, calculating gaze
lucius malfoy is in his prime. he's young, taking over the family estate, and finding his own fitting within the wizarding society (attempting to, at least). still somewhat fresh out of hogwarts, his focus is currently on honing his political skills and working behind the scenes (making silent moves u know) to ensure the malfoy family influence continues to climb the ranks. he's ambitious and his drive grows hotter each day.
the moves he makes are calculated and so are the investments he dives into. he's still young, however, and is learning about the sacrifice that will come with the desire for power. he knows his allegiance to the darker powers will need to become more solidified, but he wants to keep them quiet... test the limits to see how far he can go without losing everything he's worked for.
although on the outside lucius is confident (finely pressed clothing, perfectly quaffed hair), he struggles with deep insecurities that would overwhelm his polished exterior. he's working on his social manipulation skills, his charm, and flawless manners of climbing the ladders, but he struggles with the fear that one wrong move could ruin it all.
he's under pressures inside and outside his lineage. after his fathers passing during his sixth year, his mother became a shell of herself, leaving lucius to take over the estate and everything that came with it. since then, his mother still hasn't recovered. as for outside his lineage, mama theres a VOLDEMORT behind you<3. even at 25, he's still haunted by the pressures to live up to the malfoy name and his pureblood status. despite his outwardly arrogance, he can't help but compare himself against other powerful families. his efforts to control others and secure his place in high society stem from these deep-rooted anxieties about his own worth.
despite his cold and calculating nature.... lucius does have an unexpected compassion for those that are deemed vulnerable in the wizarding world. he hated how his family treated muggleborns/halfbloods and their family's house-elves, for example. he feels guilt for being complicit in their suffering, however, he buries these emotions by telling himself that in the grand scheme of things, their suffering is a small price to pay for maintaining his family's power.
i kinda hc'd that lucius had a romantic relationship with a muggleborn while in school when he was a 5th or 6th year which caused this shift in him. no matter what, this hidden compassion would only emerge in rare, private moments.
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