âLucius is my best friend, Itâs just sad if you have no best friends.â Nicolas pointed out rather pointedly, as if he had a dagger and made a random jab towards the girl as she sat. He rolled his eyes skyward at the mention of Hufflepuff. âNever refer to anything about me as a Hufflepuff again.â He hissed out in warning. Mulciber was predictable in his unpredictable temper. Though he tried to control what his facial expression he could. Why hadnât Lucius been there yet to get him from his Hell? At least then he could admire his ex-boyfriend instead of be sitting here trying to lie about his relationship and his undertone feelings in the first place.
He stared right through Andromeda counting the seconds in his mind. Where the fuck was Lucius? This meeting between the two of them was getting uncomfortable and wearing his last nerves dangerously. He already found his temper fickle around the Blacks, unable to get rid of the mental image of Luciusâs wedding to Narcissa. It would no doubt get worse once the day got closer, but part of him whispered that perhaps Andromeda wasnât fibbing. Maybe she could stop the wedding. But at what cost? Lucy wanted to stay in the closet, and it wasnât Mulciberâs place to out him as he wouldnât out himself for the domino effect. Thereâs only a few other males he spent lots of time with, and those were counted for.
âIâll believe it when I see it. I bet youâll get pink stationary with fucking fairies on them.â Nicolas retorted with a grumpy grunt. One the pillow sacked her his grin and an odd jovial nature came upon him. It was almost seemingly his second nature, but it didnât last long. Not this close to her and thinking about Narcissa it never would last long. Part of him wondered vehemently, what would happen if he just drowned Narcissa? Would people notice? Would they be frightened?
He drums his fingers against the arm rest of the couch merely nodding when she agreed with his observation. âAye she should ââ He watched her closely, scrutinizing any detail he could get his hands on. âWhy wouldnât she want to go?â Mulciber asks quickly almost defensively. Â Sure, he didnât want her to join them at the manor, but he sure as hell didnât think she would pass the chance up. Who would if they were openly engaged with Lucius Malfoy? The conflict thickens and churns his stomach.
One cynical scoff leaves his lips as he regarded Andromeda with the slow shake of his head. âI know itâs your father. But if you could change such a thing, why wait?â The aggressive lick to his tone becoming thicker and full of spite. âLucius doesnât have proclivities. Neither of them need to be married.â Nicolas grumbled, and then that sardonic bone chilling apathetic laugh resurfaced. âMoney? Oi. Did you not forget that my vault blew up with Gringottâs? â Thereâs the slow judgmental shake of his head, but deep down he knows where all his money is. âAgain it begs the question. If you say youâre going to do this for your sister, why havenât you already done it?â Because whether Narcissa Black became dead on her wedding day didnât matter to Nicolas Mulciber at all.
âI donât have a best friend like you do with Lucius,â Andromeda countered evenly, keeping her face impassive. Her words were double edged, of course - she didnât have one in the platonic sense or in the sense of whatever twisted relationship Nicholas had with the Malfoy heir. And now, watching Mulciber act beside himself over Lucius, Andromeda certainly wasnât lamenting her single status. She rolled her eyes back at him, a sneer curling her lips. âThen stop acting like one and perhaps Iâll consider it.âÂ
Teasing Mulciber about his predicament was a dangerous game, but it was amusing nonetheless. There was a thrill to it that accompanied most reckless activities, although Andromeda was beginning to understand that she held the upper hand here. While not one who thrived on power and fear the way her elder sister did, the middle Black sister couldnât deny that holding power over someone, especially someone like Mulciber, was gratifying. If she were an evil person, and if her sisterâs wellbeing didnât quite literally depend on this, she would have blackmailed him about what she knew so far; it didnât matter that she didnât know the whole of it, she knew enough, and the rumor mill could always fill in the rest. But as it happened, she was keeping this to herself, something that Andromeda hoped Mulciber was fucking grateful for.Â
She observed him impassively and found that she almost pitied him. During the six years she knew Mulciber, sheâd never seen him act this way over anyone; she wasnât even sure if he ever had anyone else prior to Lucius. Love, she was beginning to notice, made people weak. A Slytherin was no exception and she found that the thought unsettled her before she shoved such lines of thinking away. Andromeda wouldnât have to worry about love, not now at least; and even if it was love for Narcissa that was pushing her to enact these plans, at least she wasnât acting a maudlin fool about it.Â
Andromeda clutched the pillow to her chest, relaxing against the plushness of it. âQuite imaginative. Is that what your parents get you, then? I suppose it certainly would be in your line of budget,â she let out a low laugh at her own joke as she tossed the pillow to one of the cushions of the couch before smoothing down her skirt and robes. She furrowed her brow at his question, her eyes rolling once more. That seemed to be becoming second nature around Nicolas Mulciber - that and smoking cigarettes. âHave you ever considered that my sister doesnât want to get married? She is only fifteen and practically a child still.â Andromeda explained slowly as though she was talking to a particularly annoying first year. She took another heavy drag of her cigarette, feeling the smoke flood her mouth for a few seconds before exhaling. She knew her sister well enough to know that while Narcissa would put up no fight and simply go along with whatever her parents expected, it did not mean that she was happy about the engagement. Andromeda couldnât blame her. Her own engagement was likely on the horizon and she only hoped that her father found a suitable match for her. Preferably one with no such baggage attached.Â
"Merlinâs fucking beard. I only waited, as you so eloquently put it, because I was unaware of the situation with Lucius. Do keep up, Mulciber,â she snapped before harsh laughter bubbled out of her mouth at what can only be described as the pure delusion of a fool in love. âSuch an idealistic way of looking at it. Why donât you tell Lucius to inform his father that the arrangement our fathers made is unneeded,â Andromeda suggested dryly, knowing that the suggestion would do nothing save for perhaps causing Abraxas Malfoy a good laugh. The very image almost caused a smirk to form on her lips before it did emerge at the reminder of the Mulciberâs financial situation. A familiar jolt of pride swelled through Andromeda as she recalled her own family was left relatively unharmed in the Gringotts incident. The thought that she held financial power over the boy as well was quite thrilling, as was the distinct impression that she was playing politics.Â
Andromeda cast a quick privacy and silencing charm around them to ensure no one overheard their discussion. If this got into the wrong hands, the plan would be moot and everyone involved would get into a considerable amount of trouble. âThe reason why I havenât done anything,â she spoke quietly, leaning forward so that Nicolas could hear her clearly. He would need to, because she wasnât feeling up to repeating herself. âIs because we need to devise a plan first. There will be no second chances, Mulciber, so we must ensure that this one is foolproof. Now,â she clapped her hands together and considered the boy who would cost her sister her engagement. âIâm assuming you want to keep this dalliance between you two a secret, yes? So what I was thinking is this: I can write my father a letter outlining reasons why Lucius isnât an ideal match. I wonât out him, of course, just use some unsavory rumors.â That most of the rumors would have more than a grain of truth to them was left unsaid. Andromedaâs mind was already buzzing with what she could tell her father; attacking Luciusâ reputation, socially and financially, was definitely on the forefront of her mind. She almost felt guilty that someone she considered a friend would be the one wronged in this, but she told herself it was better him than Narcissa. âThe rumors being, of course, about some of his unsavory interests that would not benefit a Pureblood, Black wife.â Andromeda kept her gaze on him for several long moments before shrugging. âIâd ask if you were in, but I suppose you have no choice if you want Lucius for yourself.âÂ