The Squib in the Attic

The Squib in the Attic

By Amanda Snape

Prologue

Two children, aged nine and seven, were playing in an immaculate sitting room with a prim, upright, sharp-eyed nanny sitting nearby. It was easy to tell that the children were related; they both had the same grey eyes, blond hair and pointed elfish face. The older child, a boy, was showing his younger brother how to mount a toy broomstick. The little boy had his full attention on his older brother so that he wouldn't miss any of the finer points. Little did they know, their futures were being discussed in the next room.

"Narcissa, dear, do you notice anything...odd...about Cassius?" asked Lucius, peering over the rim of his teacup at his wife. Narcissa looked up from her needlework, a surprised expression etched into her aristocratic features.

"What do you mean odd?" she asked, her eyes narrowed suspiciously. In reality, Narcissa had been dreading this conversation ever since her younger son was about two years of age. She had hoped that by not saying anything that she would buy him some time; after all, he could have been a late bloomer. However, now that her husband had brought it up, there was no avoiding it.

"By the time Draco was seven, he was levitating objects at will. I remember we had to protect all of my expensive potions bottles when he had tantrums. Remember that?" said Lucius. Narcissa nodded slowly in agreement, knowing where this was going. "But with Cassius, there's nothing. He can't even operate a toy broomstick; any idiot can do that! Severus has told me that he can't even brew a few nonsense potions."

"Well, Cassius is still only a young child," began Narcissa slowly, thinking about what she was going to say before she said it. "And he might be a late bloomer! You know, that Longbottom child..."

"Do I look like I care about some bumbling idiot of a child?!" asked Lucius, his voice rising. Narcissa looked nervously at the thick oak door leading to the next room to where her sons were playing. She hoped that they couldn't hear them.

"In case you've forgotten, it was my sister that drove both Longbottoms to insanity," reminded Narcissa, keeping herself calm. There was no way her precious children were going to hear them argue. After the fall of You-Know-Who, she and Lucius had decided to put up the façade of a harmonious family unit. However, when no one was around, things were a little different.

"I'm fully aware of that," said Lucius through gritted teeth. "The point is, Cassius has not demonstrated any magical talent. He's a squib!"

Narcissa bowed her head, making sure that her husband couldn't see the tears forming in her eyes. Lucius narrowed his eyes at his wife's lowered, hunched form. He got up from his chair and strode to her. He gripped Narcissa's chin and forced her to look up. His eyes narrowed coldly when he saw the tears of shame flowing down her face.

"You knew, didn't you?" he hissed. "You knew, and you never told me. How could you!" Lucius slapped his wife, leaving a large red mark on her cheek. She glared defiantly at her husband as she took a deep breath.

"I did it because I thought that maybe I could buy him some time!" she exclaimed. "I thought that maybe, just maybe, he was a late bloomer and would develop his powers later than Draco did."

"This is the worst thing to happen to the Malfoy family," said Lucius. "A squib! In my family! What will your mother say? What will my mother say!? If anything, I blame you!" He pointed accusingly at Narcissa

"What the hell did I do?!" Narcissa screeched, getting to her feet. Lucius slapped her again, knocking her to the floor.

"There are no Squibs in my family," said Lucius icily. "You, on the other hand, have so many oddities in your family it makes me sick! Your sister married a fucking mudblood! Your cousin, Sirius, was sorted into Gryffindor and became a goody-goody. I wouldn't be surprised if there were a few squibs on your family tree that your family burned off."

Narcissa looked worriedly at the door, praying silently that her children didn't hear this particular argument.

"You know, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were screwing around behind my back," said Lucius, kicking Narcissa in the ribs as she tried to get up. He left his wife in the middle of the room and stormed through the door into the next room, where his children were playing peacefully.

Draco and Cassius looked up as the door to their father's den slammed open. Both children were paralyzed with fear, their almost identical grey eyes opened wide. Lucius glared at his sons, and pushed Cassius away from his older brother.

"Get away from him, filth," he hissed. He spat the last word as if it were a disgusting swear word. "You are not worthy enough to be near him."

"Wh-what did I do, Father?" asked Cassius, his voice small and scared. Lucius said nothing. He just grabbed Cassius by the arm and dragged him to his feet. Draco tried to follow his father and younger brother, but Lucius pointed his wand at his elder son, placing a binding charm on him. The nanny had dozed off some time earlier, and just let out a very loud snore in response to all of the activity.

"Where are you taking me, Father?" asked Cassius as Lucius dragged him through the manor. He came to a stop underneath a trapdoor hidden in the ceiling. He pulled the cord, pulling open the hatch. A ladder descended to the floor, leading up to a very dark and foreboding room.

"Where you belong. Out of sight, out of mind," said Lucius, shoving the small boy towards the ladder. After casting one fearful glance at his father, Cassius climbed the ladder. The boy was barely at the top when Lucius closed the trapdoor, leaving the boy in the dark.

Lucius headed back to the sitting room, where Draco was still bound and gagged on the floor. He undid his son's bounds and helped the boy to his feet.

"Where did you take Cassius, Father?" Draco asked, his eyes wide and inquisitive. "I want to play with my brother."

"You can't. You have no brother," said Lucius, pointing his wand on his son again. "Obliviate."