Omnia Mors Perimit

Sometimes Severus couldn't believe in his own bad luck. He had just scribbled a note and sent away the Junior Slytherin Prefect to send an owl to Malfoy Manor. To Malfoy Manor, for goodness' sake! The heir to the throne had been injured in that idiot Hagrid's first class - if there ever was an incompetent teacher! And Lucius was bound to make a huge deal about this, not to speak of Narcissa's outrage. And who was it who'd have to handle this? Hagrid? No! Dumbledore, who had employed that big oaf in the first place? Absolutely not! He, Severus, would have to face Lucius' wrath! He calculated how long it would take until the fuming father of his favourite student arrived - one could only hope that the boy stopped whining in the next four hours.

The injury wasn't even that awful, regarding the fact that the kid had been in a brawl with the razor-sharp talons of a Hippogriff. A deep cut, all right, not actually pleasant, but Madam Pomfrey had assured him that no lasting damage was done. He tried to convince Draco that the whole fuss was way overdone, and he might have been successful, if it hadn't been for Miss Parkinson and Draco's buddies Crabbe and Goyle, who coddled over their friend as if he was on his death bed.

Lucius was quicker than he had feared even. That owl must have broken some record, because three hours and fifteen minutes later, the man himself rushed into the Infirmary in all his imperial glory, with billowing robes and a fierce expression, looking as if he would smack anyone coming into his way with his cane. Severus braced himself, put on a wry smirk and -

"I will sue this place! In Merlin's name, Severus! How could this have happened!"

Amazingly enough, Draco changed his whimsical attitude for fake forbearance, but Severus wasn't deceived. "Father," the boy groaned, "I'm fine..."

"No, you're not! I'm still waiting for an explanation, Severus!"

He gave that explanation in his study, but Lucius wasn't satisfied, not blaming Severus, of course, but furious with everyone else involved, even his own son - thus proving surprising clairvoyance in Draco's character. He paced up and down, brandishing his cane. "Narcissa is out of herself, Severus!"

"That's what I'd imagine -"

"I cannot afford her displeasure right now!" Severus shot him a curious look, but Lucius went on, "She's just started talking to me again, Severus!"

"You two did not speak...?"

Lucius ignored him. "She was on the verge of coming herself, can you believe it!"

"Not quite -"

"Dumbledore will pay, mark my words! And that backwoodsman! And - do you think I should take Draco down to Saint Mungo's?"

"The cut really isn't that harmful, Lucius. Excuse my liberty, but Draco is simply milking the situation."

"I know, but you tell that Narcissa! Her baby son - good lord. She blanches if he knocks his knee on the table, you know her! I think she'd appreciate it if some professional Healer looked at the wound..."

"Madam Pomfrey is a professional Healer, Lucius. If you want to placate Narcissa, tell her that you did want to bring Draco to Saint Mungo's, but that I told you not to, so that he could continue his studies in the sickbed, and because the injury isn't so bad to begin with."

"That's good. Yes... Always been the smart one, Savvy! Continue his studies - that's important to her, yes. But that will not stop me from bringing this entire matter to court!"

"Do that by any means."

"This complete moron teaching classes! What's going on in Dumbledore's head, I wonder! Is he pulling a Dippet?"

"He's as shrewd as he ever was, but you know his sympathy for the inferior. Just take a single look at the staff! A Squib as caretaker, a ghost teaching History, that complete lunatic Trelawney, and this cretin Sullivan whose only qualification to teach Muggle Studies consists in the fact that his mother is a muggle. Hagrid is the perfect completion for this cabinet of miscreants."

"I reckon it's my own fault that he's got the job. Without that - incident - Hagrid's criminal record wouldn't have been cleared."

Severus went without smirking. "You had better let that be indeed."

"Join the chorus with Narcissa, Severus! God, she's been mad with me! 'Twasn't my brightest moment, okay, okay, I got that! Why d'you think am I trying to become the Father of the Year, eh, although I'm perfectly aware that Draco's got no one else to blame but himself?"

"Why are you?"

"Because Cissa reproaches me for being an inconsiderate father, that's why!"

He kept on ranting some more before paying another visit to the Infirmary and returning home. His wife was pale and nervous, and it took him some time to persuade her that her little darling was doing all right, that the damages wouldn't last, that Madam Pomfrey took good care of him, and finally that Severus was a great guardian for their child.

"Shouldn't I be there? Doesn't he need his mother right now?"

Lucius had avoided to mention what a whiner his son was, and he wouldn't have for his life. Narcissa adored the boy - they both did, but Lucius wasn't completely blind like her when it came to Draco's flaws - he'd always remain the little cherub to her that he had been aged three. She became a roaring lioness when someone attacked him, or offended, or even mildly criticised, and knowing this, Lucius kept his opinion about their son mostly to himself.

"Trust me, mon amour, he is fine. Your inconvenience would be far greater than the possible comfort for him, and besides - he might even feel awkward. The other students would take the mickey out of him if his mummy watched over him in school."

"I see... Poor, poor darling! You've got to do something about this, Lucius! That - that irresponsible fool must not come near an innocent child again! Oh, if you were a governor still!"