Lucius Malfoy's Favorite Charity

"Thanks" to my beta somigliana, and to LariLee for her help.

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Why is Mr. Malfoy at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardy?

"Of course, watching the Sorting is an excellent idea, Lucius. I doubt if any of us have seen one since our own graduations."

It had been two weeks before school was due to start when the resolution to attend the Sorting was put forth to the Governing Board, seconded, and ratified.

On the evening of the Welcoming Feast, the school governors Apparated to the outside of the school's gates. Professor Flitwick met them to escort them to the building and to assist with the Disillusionment Charms that they would wear. He then directed them to the seats reserved for them, just inside the doorway of the Great Hall. The focus of the evening, after all, was to see a "typical" Sorting, and not to draw any attention away from the time honoured proceedings.

The Sorting Hat was already on its stool, off to the side of the teachers' table, and seemed to be moving on its own, as though watching the governors across the room. Finally, the new students were marched into the room and down the centre aisle. All Lucius could see of Richard and Matt were the backs of their heads as they appeared and disappeared in the group. The students looked small as they made their ways to their destinies.

The hat sang its nonsense, then one by one, the students came up and the hat shouted their houses.

Richard's turn came. Lucius felt a little foolish wanting to cross his fingers for "Slytherin". The hat seemed to look out over the sea of heads to where he sat. It smirked before being put on the boy's head, and sat there for a tantalizing moment before shouting, "RAVENCLAW."

The Ravenclaw table had a burst of excitement, as the students from St. Mungo's went into a welcome chant: "MUN-go, MUNG-go, go, go MUN-GO!"

Under the cloak of the charm, Lucius felt disappointed, saddened, and slightly worried. Of course, the boy had been practically raised a Ravenclaw at the hospital, but still, there had been that chance for Slytherin. The possibility of Draco and the boy becoming regular associates, or maybe even friends, was now implausible. Narcissa would be thrilled. What would the Dark Lord say if he were here? Lucius was grateful not to know.

The boy seemed radiant about the decision as he went and sat at the table, and joyous when Matt was sorted and ran to sit next to him. Lucius was then, in his own way, happy for him.

After the last student was Sorted and the feast began, the governors quietly slipped out of the doors then went to reminisce and celebrate in Hogsmeade.

-----

Lucius,

Four o'clock in the afternoon would be fine for your visit.

Severus

The meeting in Professor Snape's office had barely started when it was interrupted by shrieks and shouts from down the hallway. Lucius was on his feet and out the office door before Severus left his desk. Lucius hurried through the empty classroom and past the doors to the private quarters, bursting into the Slytherin common room and pushing its doors open with his gloved hands.

A group of second year boys were piled up, wrestling around on the floor, a mess of robes, hands, heads and feet. Other students were laughing and shouting from other parts of the room. Lucius stopped, stood his ground and pulled out his wand. "Off him," he snarled, pointing to the pile.

A Stinging Hex got one student's attention. He jumped up, alarmed and red-faced. "Hey, mates, stop, get up."

No one paid attention. Another Stinging Hex and suddenly a half-dozen Slytherins were on their feet, shocked at the sight of a strange wizard in their common room and their Head of House standing with him, both glaring at them.

A small first-year Ravenclaw was on the ground, groaning, blood streaming from his nose and mouth. Blood was also in his brown hair, on his robes and smeared on the floor.

The man strode forward and bent over the boy. "Richard, are you all right? Can you get up?"

The boy grinned, his dark grey eyes gleaming. "Yes, sir. Just having some fun." He wiped at his face and looked at the blood. "Making a mess, though. Sorry about that." He tried to sit up, and fell back.

Both men assisted him to his feet, where he swayed slightly, then leaned on the blond haired man.

"Come on, Richard, let's get you cleaned up," the man said.

"First, how did he get in here?" Snape frowned at the Slytherins. The man and boy stood still to hear the answer.

The second years shuffled around, and finally one of them spoke. "He was bothering us, and when we were going to let him have it, he begged us not to do it in the Slytherin common room."

"So, since he didn't want it here, we dragged him here..."

"We thought..."

Professor Snape and Lucius both looked at Richard. He had a wicked grin on his still bleeding face; his eyes were sparkling with mischief.

"You were not thinking," Snape coldly interrupted. "He wanted you to bring him here."

"I don't understand," Lucius said.

Richard snickered. "We're having a scavenger hunt, sir. 'Bring something from each of the common rooms.' I'm going to win, 'cause I got in!" he bragged.

"Thief!" one of the boys shouted. "What were you going to steal?" Both men glared at the student and Lucius' wand twitched.

"Nothing I wasn't given!" Richard jeered back, nearly falling over.

"Then what bloody 'something' are you taking," another sullenly asked.

"A 'bloody', bloody nose!" Richard sneered.

Lucius laughed and pulled him into a one-arm hug. "Come on, Richard, is there anything else you want?" he asked, looking at Severus.

The students shifted, wondering at the relationships between the Head of House, the man and the Ravenclaw, and what it meant to them. Richard looked around the sparsely decorated room and its occupants, shrugged and said, "I guess I'll have a necktie."

"Very well, then," Professor Snape said, eyeing the student who had called Richard a thief. "Mr. Johnson, kindly give him your necktie."

Johnson glared as he yanked his necktie off and forced it into the Ravenclaw's hand.

"Thank you, Mr. Johnson." Richard smirked. "So nice to have met you all. Lovely place you have here, my compliments to your decorator. Ta ta, for now." He swept into a bow and turned to go, but stumbled against Lucius.

"Thank you, Severus." Lucius' lips smiled, but not his eyes. "I trust things will be taken care of here. I'll be back in your office in half an hour to continue our meeting." And with that, he assisted the Ravenclaw out the common room's main passage, leaving behind a roomful of very worried students and an extremely annoyed Head of House.

-----

Severus was back in his office when Lucius returned with Richard. The boy was still grinning.

"Severus Snape, my protégé, Mister Richard Goodfellow. Mister Goodfellow, Professor Severus Snape." Lucius wanted the introductions done properly.

"How do you do?" the boy formally intoned.

"Pleased to make your acquaintance," the professor answered. "How are you now?"

"Much better, thank you," he coolly replied.

"Madam Pomfrey got him cleaned and fixed up in a heartbeat," Lucius said. "You're excused, Richard. Still have the tie? Good, and good luck." He gave the boy a gentle cuff and sent him on his way. Richard gave him another grin and waved the necktie as he left. Lucius then sighed, and gave a thin smile as he and the professor both sat down. "Well, now you've met Richard."

"Be assured that, from now on, he is safe with the Slytherins in his year and older." Severus replied.

"I wish he would have been selected for Slytherin," Lucius said.

"He's certainly ambitious," Severus remarked. "I think he's the first non-Slytherin to have gotten into the common room in years."

There was a pause. Severus waited for him to speak.

Lucius leaned forward. "Severus, I'm asking for a personal favour, and I hope you'll find it to your satisfaction." His troubled grey eyes looked at the black ones. "Give Richard a job here in your classroom, maybe doing inventory on a regular--perhaps a daily, or weekly--basis. He did something like it at St. Mungo's, so he won't need much training or supervision." Lucius hesitated, and then continued his request. "And please let me know how he's doing at school. He may or may not write; you know how students are, and I know no one socially who has a student in his class in Ravenclaw. I am concerned for him."

Severus nodded. "I will give it some consideration, and will let you know how he is regardless of my decision."

Lucius smiled.

The Dark Lord would have been pleased.