"Sisterly Feuds"

December 1974, 1 year later

Serenity spent more time in the garden than she did anywhere else. She had succeeded well enough in herbology to appreciate the plants she purchased occasionally from Diagon Alley. At first, Lucius insisted he get the house elves to erect a greenhouse for her but, after a swift debate, Serenity had convinced him to help her build it themselves... without magic. It had been tedious to start with, considering neither of them were well-versed with muggle tools. Lucius had concluded that the wounds were worth it. He had missed a nail and subsequently cracked his thumbnail. Despite the pain, Serenity's amused smile distracted him from the blood and allowed her to heal him properly.

With winter looming and a few specks of snow threatening her garden, she was promptly wrapping a thick mustard and black striped scarf around her neck and donning a long, thick black coat. She was halfway across the garden when Lucius apparated beside her, one hand tucked into his coat as the other held a black staff, the gold handle hiding his wand, and his chin snuggling into his upturned collar. The two walked in silence as they approached the greenhouse, taking comfort in the mere presence of each other. Upon entering the greenhouse, it was evident the temperature was already beginning to drop. Waving her hand, the windows snapped shut and pushed a waving venomous tentacular arm back into the room. Holding out her wand as well as her palm, Serenity muttered "calidum aerum" and watched as the light frost melted from the windows and the room heated up to the right temperature. The plants that moved seemed to liven up and, pleased with the result, she led Lucius back out into the cold.

The air was colder now, biting at their skin. Serenity's face flushed red as the snow fell heavier around them. She put her wand away, leaned her head back to feel the snow on her face and smiled. Her hand warmed when Lucius took hold of her. Turning to face him, she was glad to see that even the sharp-faced and often brooding wizard was not immune to snow, which was now settling in his hair and on his eyelashes. She wrapped her hands around his, revelling in the warmth that her own skin seemed to lack. The white speckles that melted over his cheeks bore little contrast to his usually pale skin, only a tint of pink reminding her that he was indeed human, contrary to popular belief. She brought her hand to caress his cheek, wanting nothing more than to stay in this movement.

"I know you're not overly excited about the Blacks and Lestranges joining us tonight. If it was up to me we would go somewhere else, The White Wyvern, The Three Broomsticks, The Leaky Cauldron... But my father, and more importantly, the Dark Lord insists we stay tonight." Serenity nods, moving her hand from his face and back to his hand.

"I understand, Lucy." They began walking back across the long stretch of grass where the snow was beginning to settle. Their hands swung between them gently. "I can play nicely when I want to." He raises an eyebrow, glances down to see a lazy smirk resting on her face.

"Try not to maim Bellatrix or Narcissa. Especially Bella, she is engaged after all."

"I can't promise I won't defend myself if the need arises." She huffs, passing through the cloud of her breath. "But I will try to not scar the bride to be." Lucius chuckles, bumping his shoulder against hers.

"I wouldn't expect any different." As they were nearing the back entrance of the house, Dobby, the house elf, appeared ahead of them, and they dropped their hands. He scrambled up the small slope, his bare hands and feet sinking in the fresh snow as he tripped on his pillowcase dress. His eyes were wide as he stopped at their feet, wringing his hands. "Dobby?" Lucius' voice sharpened, colder than the snow around them as he looked down his nose at the elf, who flinched at the sound.

"Dobby has come to tell Mistress Serenity that the Black family has arrived." Lucius glances at Serenity, who nods at the elf with a near-absent smile.

"Thank you, tell Abraxas we are too busy on a walk to greet them." Dobby winced, anticipating his master's response to that. It was evident from the way Lucius' lip twitched that the elder Malfoy would not be pleased with them. As Dobby turned to run back to the house, Lucius pushed the tip of his cane against the elf's back, sending the creature tumbling down the small hill. They watched as he scrambled back to his feet and apparated into the house.

"So, a walk?" Offering his arm, Lucius flashed his charming grin and promptly led Serenity further down the green when she held onto his arm.

An hour or so later, when they were wet with melted snow after an impromptu snowball fight, Serenity and Lucius entered the house through the front door, holding hands as trailed wet footprints over the rug in the front foyer before running up the stairs in a desperate attempt to not draw the attention of any of their guests. They were halfway up the second flight of steps when Abraxas' sharp voice stopped them.

"Lucius?" They looked at each other, looking like two children caught with their hands in the cookie jar. Serenity bit her lip as Lucius folded down his collar, smoothed his hair down and leaned over the banister.

"Yes, father?" Abraxas was silent. He had not expected to see his son in such a state, his mouth dropped open further as Serenity poked her head out too. Her brown hair was a mess, the dark contrast beside Lucius made his son look more so dishevelled. He could hardly comprehend how, at twenty and twenty-one, the two of them still managed to appear like children. Huffing and glancing down the hall to ensure none of their guests could see the atrocity at the top of the stairs, Abraxas stabbed his finger through the air at them.

"The two of you clean up and get down here within the next thirty minutes or Merlin help me." He promptly disappeared to entertain his guests, leaving Serenity and Lucius to look at each other and stifle their laughter as they continued up the stairs. Upon entering their bathroom, Serenity pulled a face.

"Lucius!" She lowered her voice to mimic Abraxas, triggering a snigger from Lucius as he ran the bath.

*

Exactly thirty minutes later, Serenity and Lucius entered the dining room and took the remaining two seats at the 12-person table. Lucius straightened his suit jacket and nodded across the table to Rodolphus Lestrange. Serenity, much to her dismay, took the seat between Lucius and Narcissa and strained to smile at Bellatrix, who sat beside her fiance. Aside from Abraxas, there were five other guests from the Black family and, at the far head of the table, a chair had been taken away. Serenity assumed the chair would have been for Andromeda if she had married a pureblood rather than a muggle-born.

The evening continued and Serenity only made idle chatter with Lucius unless someone else engaged her in conversation. They were tucking into a treacle tart prepared by the house elves when Serenity caught Bellatrix watching her intently. She had been well aware of a pair of eyes watching her for the majority of the meal and her skin crawled.

"Can I help you, Bella?" Serenity and Bellatrix's cutlery clattered against the mahogany table. The room fell silent, the mumbling of Cygnus and Walburga Black falling quiet as the two women watched each other. Bellatrix was smirking, as if she simply knew that whatever she was about to say would rile Serenity up.

"Tell me," she began, her voice shrill as she leaned forwards, the black ringlets of her hair even wilder than before, "Serenity," she enunciated each syllable, drawing out the name as if savouring it, "how did the Dark Lord react when you disposed of Chadwick Rier." Serenity's blood ran cold. Her fists and jaw clenched as Lucius squeezed her thigh over the dark green material of her dress. "Did he visit you at all, I can only imagine the influence Rier had-"

"Bella, stop." Lucius gave her a pointed look, refusing to release Serenity's leg in case she tried to lunge across the table. Narcissa, who had noticed the gesture, spoke up.

"Does the Dark Lord know it was you?" Serenity drew away from them, leaning into Lucius as she attempted to steady her breathing. The amount of breathing exercises she practised, however, could not disguise the pure anguish that flashed across her vision. Bellatrix's shrill laugh echoed around Serenity's mind before she had even opened her mouth. The sound grated at her conscience.

"Come on, Ren," Bellatrix twisted her arm to reveal her dark mark, "tell us. We're practically a family."

Family.

Bellatrix's laugh turned into a scream as her chair disappeared from beneath her. Narcissa's chair dragged away from the table, not stopping until it hit the stone wall and shattered- she wheezed as the air was promptly knocked out of her chest before releasing a shameful sob. Standing, Serenity still battled with her breath as she glowered at Bellatrix, who was pouting up at Rodolphus. Cygnus and Walburga instantly began to protest and, as Abraxas began to speak, Serenity left the room.

Lucius entered their bedroom, not too long later, to discover Serenity pacing its length and mumbling under her breath. He shut the door and watched her. A moment passed before she stopped moving and turned to see him leaning against the door. She sighed and ran a hand through her hair.

"I tried, Lucy." She slumped onto the end of the bed, staring down at her hands as he sat beside her.

"I know, my love." Looking up at him, she smiled faintly before leaning back on the cotton sheets and staring up at the grey canopy.

"They always know the right thing to say to make me lose control. I tried to just take it and wait for them to give up but I couldn't." She presses her hands against her face. "I'm so weak." She mumbled. The bed dipped beside her and the room remained silent aside from their out of sync breathing.

"You can't help caring, Ren. That's who you are." She peeked through her fingers at him, earning a grin from him. "It's okay to care." When neither of them moved, he took it upon himself to wrap his arm around her. For a moment he fumbled awkwardly to hug her, his limbs failed as he hooked his leg over her body and dragged her closer in a smothering hug. Her squeal was muffled as she struggled to move her arms to hug him back before simply succumbing to being crushed in the most loving way she had ever experienced.

A few minutes passed and there was a knock on the door.

Lucius stood to answer it as Serenity sat up and smoothed her hair and dress out. Narcissa stood scowling in the hallway, narrowing her eyes on the bed where Serenity sat and the bed sheets were messed up.

"You have a visitor in the study." She said, putting emphasis on 'visitor'. Once she was on her way back downstairs, Serenity and Lucius understood exactly who this visitor was.

They were the only ones in the study with him, his pale face stood out against the dull lighting as they took a seat in the armchairs by the fire. Lord Voldemort had aged, there was no doubt about that yet there was still youth reflecting in his eyes- the same youth Serenity and Lucius still possessed.

"How can we help you my Lord?" Voldemort looked between the two of them, silent as he pointed a bony finger at Serenity.

"You are trouble." Serenity wanted to raise her eyebrows, challenge him, but when she saw the look of pure submission on Lucius' face, she decided against it and simply waited for him to continue. "I looked past the death of Chadwick Rier, despite your aunt insisting on a punishment. I have protected you from every family you have offended, and I am offended that you remain in contact with mudbloods and muggle sympathisers. I question your loyalty often." He leaned forwards in his armchair. "Can I trust you, Serenity Rier?"

"Yes m'Lord." Voldemort nods.

"To prove that, I expect no more attacks on the Blacks from you. If you cannot do that, I will have no choice but to eliminate you." Without another word, he had apparated away and left the two alone. Lucius glanced over at her, she meets his eyes and swallows the lump in her throat while straining a smile and nodding.