Lys Black had perhaps indulged a little too much. During a scuffle, her unsteady hands inadvertently caused an explosion that took down half a wall. She glanced at the unconscious, gap-toothed old lady sprawled on the floor and sneered, "Oh, you thought blocking my vision would work? Do you think you're blinder than me?" Satisfied, she dashed off in search of other diversions.
The next morning, Lys awoke in her own bed at home. The house-elf Coco had thoughtfully prepared a glass of lemon water for her.
Seeing Coco's worried, tennis ball-sized eyes, Lys smiled faintly. She rummaged through her pocket and handed Coco a few Honeydukes candies.
Amid Coco's delighted squeals, Lys Apparated back to her reading room.
As long as she stayed quiet and inconspicuous, she believed she could survive under the Malfoy name until the war ended and find peace. At least, that's what she kept telling herself.
A Malfoy house-elf appeared outside her reading room, delivering Lucius's orders: someone was on the brink of death, and her assistance was required.
This had become a regular occurrence, so Lys reacted swiftly.
When the house-elf transported her to Malfoy Manor, Lys was taken aback by the sight before her. The injured individual was in an alarmingly critical condition.
"What happened to him? Are you sure he's still alive?" Though her words carried doubt, Lys's hands moved decisively, casting a series of Hemostasis Charms and Diagnosis Spells without hesitation.
Lucius, looking grim, asked if there was any hope of the man regaining consciousness.
After a quick assessment, Lys replied, "He's not gone yet. There's no ongoing damage, no curses, and no traces of Dark Magic. The issue isn't severe, but recovery will be slow. Whoever attacked him wielded powerful magic, and it'll take time to neutralize."
"When will he wake up?" Lucius pressed after Lys initially remained silent.
"Tonight. If you're in a hurry, you'd better summon Severus. For injuries like these, potions are more effective than spells."
Lucius cared little for the man's survival; his priority was the information he carried.
After two hours of restless waiting, Severus's milky-white potion, bubbling with yellow foam, finally took effect. Severus's intense gaze prompted Lys to realize it was time to leave with him.
"If you're intent on curling up like a snail, you'd better be cautious these days. I've heard some news about the Black family. Lucius... you should tread carefully too."
Though spoken in a deliberately low tone, the words echoed like thunder in Lys's ears.
Lys cursed inwardly. Could it be that the refuge she had painstakingly sought was riddled with hidden dangers? But at least Severus was still around. If all else failed, she could join him. Having Severus as a backer wouldn't be the worst option, though his relentless ambition made her wary.
Lys flicked her head, trying to shake off the stray strands of hair that fluttered before her eyes, caught in the breeze.
She glanced at Severus. The Dark Magic aura emanating from him was unmistakable. He must have been carrying out tasks for the Dark Lord again.
The recently rising Dark Lord's—cough—trusted aide was undoubtedly Severus.
Lys squinted slightly. Lately, the Dark Lord seemed to be surrounded by a growing number of young followers...
The two stood in silence on the terrace. After processing the information, Lucius, looking displeased, invited them to the drawing room. As Lys passed the wizard still lying half-dead on the makeshift table, she tossed him a bottle of healing potion she had just swiped from Severus.
If possible, Lys wished there weren't so much death and pain in front of her.
"Drink it. Avoid using your wand for the next two days," she instructed. A quick glance confirmed there were no objections from those around her.
Her heart tightened again. Wasn't this wizard one of their own? Did they only care about the information he brought back, as long as he didn't die?
The wizard nodded gratefully at Lys. He had joined this organization to earn money by risking his life. A rare act of kindness gave him greater hope of survival, and he naturally seized it.
Lucius, walking ahead, signaled that he had something to discuss with Lys.
From his account, it became clear that the Dark Lord intended to recruit more young followers. "So, Lys Black, do you have any such aspirations?"
Leaning wearily against the high-backed chair, Lucius saw Lys shake her head firmly and didn't press further.
"Then be cautious these days. The Black family has become a bigger joke in the circles, and you're one of them. If anything happens, I won't intervene."
In truth, Lucius had already crossed a line with that statement. But Slytherin friendships were rare, and Lys Black had been instrumental in helping him gain benefits from Thomas and Black family territories. He felt compelled to show some degree of loyalty.
January 1979: Full Moon Phase.
With her parents returning home a few days prior, Lys locked the reading room door and headed to a shady bar in Knockturn Alley for a drink. This time, she didn't wear a mask and brought along Gabbang, purely to relax and catch up on gossip.
She wondered if the person who dared to gossip about the Dark Lord's deeds last time was still alive. They had just been recounting the Dark Lord's travels in Germany.
As Lys was gulping down her drink, she was distracted by Lucius, brought by the bar owner. Carrying Gabbang, she followed the grim-faced Lucius back to Malfoy Manor. At this point, Lys hadn't realized the seriousness of the situation.
Until Lucius said, "Your name has been written on a list. You... should prepare yourself."
Her hand, which had been stroking Gabbang's back, suddenly froze. "What list?" But Lys already had a guess.
Lucius closed his eyes briefly. "Of course, the great Death Eaters' list. This will mark the beginning of your future glory."
Looking at Lucius's face, which displayed fervent admiration, Lys forced a somewhat stiff smile.
"Yes, the beginning of glory. It will be my honor to serve the Lord!"
Lucius was pleased with Lys's pragmatism. A smart person was always more worth the effort than a fool.
After being subtly and overtly pressured, Lys's heart rippled before calming again.
She returned to the reading room with Gabbang. Avoidance had proved futile. Popping a piece of creamy fudge into her mouth, Lys felt a strange numbness in her mind.
She had tried to delay and evade, but now she was exposed. She couldn't fight, nor could she flee.
What else could she do?
Lys wasn't as panicked as she had imagined. The six months since graduation had provided her with a significant buffer. And ever since the crystal...
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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