Slugging It Out

Chapter 7 - Muggle Things

Severus spent Christmas at Hogwarts, with the unexpected bonus of Lucius' company as the older boy had decided to stay at school in order to study. Mr Malfoy had gone abroad and Severus suspected Lucius' sudden interest in academia was a way of avoiding spending Christmas with the Blacks. Since his mother's death, Lucius would go to any lengths to avoid talking about it, whereas Narcissa seemed obsessed with getting him to do just that.

So to Severus' delight he got a whole two weeks with Lucius to himself, although they rarely spoke. During the day, Lucius spread out his books and made endless revision notes. Severus sprawled in his customary place on the rug beside the fire despite having an entire common room full of empty chairs, occasionally getting up to make Lucius snacks and fetch him things. In the evenings, they played lengthy hard-fought games of chess.

The two boys went to greet the Hogwarts Express when it returned in the New Year. Whilst Lucius was absorbed with Narcissa, Severus ran along the train until he spotted Lily. He felt a soaring sensation in his stomach. He pushed through the crowd, not caring who saw, and shouted her name. Her head snapped round, and her face lit up in a radiant smile. She abandoned her friends as she ran to greet him.

'Happy New Year Sev!' she cried, hugging him. 'I missed you back home, it wasn't the same without you. How was Christmas at Hogwarts?'

'It was good, we all sat at one big table to have Christmas dinner - Dumbledore wore a Muggle paper hat and Flitwick got giggly on the sherry.' He beamed at Lily, remembering anew how much he liked her and how good her presence made him feel. 'I missed you too, though. Next year you should stay too.'

'Maybe,' she said gently, linking her arm through his. 'Come on, you must tell me all about it.'

Severus spent a happy evening in a corner of the library, regaling Lily with tales of the Christmas dinner and New Year fireworks and general gossip, before they were both forced to go their separate ways. 'I wish you were in Slytherin,' he said for the thousandth time as they parted.

'And I wish you were in Gryffindor,' she replied, with a grin as though it was a joke. 'Night night, Sev.'

He stayed where he was until the sound of her feet running up the stairs had faded away. Sometimes it felt like all he ever did was say goodbye to her.

*****

Potions lessons were a high point in Severus' week. Not only was it the only subject in which he outperformed Potter and Black with ease, but it was also the only one that year he shared with Lily. The two vied good-naturedly for top marks each week, although their styles differed. Severus was methodical and logical, always pushing to improve upon the simplified recipes in the book, aiming to impress Slughorn. His work bench was always meticulously tidy, his ingredients laid out in order, each element carefully prepared.

Lily meanwhile appeared to throw things into the cauldron with careless abandon. Her side of the bench was covered in bits of frog liver and spilled nettle juice, one lot of ingredients mixing up with the next, often threatening to encroach on Severus' own space. Strands of hair escaped from under her hat and her robes were covered in splashes. It appeared to be utter chaos, and yet somehow from the midst of it all, she produced the same near-perfect results as Severus.

If he hadn't liked her so much it would have driven him mad. But he could forgive Lily anything, even when Slughorn constantly praised her. When the teacher wasn't extolling her virtues as a potion maker, he tried to work out whether she had any famous relatives. 'You're not related to Howell Evans, out Aberystwyth way, are you?' he asked one lesson, as he collected their exemplary flasks of Swelling Solution.

'I don't think so,' said Lily, colouring slightly. She had learned to be cagey about her heritage, especially in a class full of Slytherins. Severus knew that Slughorn's questioning made her uncomfortable, and wished he could get the teacher to shut up.

'No? What about the Prewetts - you're not related to the Prewetts are you? You've got the red hair. They were fine Potion makers, those twins, and decent lads, even if they were Gryffindors.' He winked theatrically. 'I didn't hold it against them!'

Lily shifted awkwardly and began to put things into her bag to avoid looking at the teacher. 'Actually sir... I'm Muggle born.'

'By Jove!' Slughorn stepped back as if in astonishment. 'Really? Are you quite sure?'

'Yes, of course I am,' she said, her eyes flashing.

'Well I never, Muggleborn! Not that there's anything wrong with that,' he added, rather too hastily. 'It's just that I rarely find Muggleborn students have much aptitude or inclination for Potions. Muggleborn, eh... I suppose that explains why you're not in Slytherin.'

'Oh, I wouldn't want to be in Slytherin, I like it when my house wins the Quidditch too much.' She gave a little smile as she spoke, and Slughorn laughed loudly as though she'd made a good joke.

The following Potions lesson, Slughorn casually presented Lily with a piece of thick cream coloured card. 'Just a little get-together I'm organising,' he murmured.

'Oh my God!' whispered Lily excitedly, as soon as Slughorn had moved out of earshot. 'It's an invite for Slug Club!'

Severus snatched it from her and examined it before handing it back. He had mixed feelings about this development. On the one hand, it was another opportunity for him to spend time with Lily, and a way of drawing her out of her Gryffindor-centric world and closer to his own. On the other, it meant bringing his two very different friends into direct contact. Up until now he'd been able to keep them separate without too much difficulty, and that was the way he'd hoped it would stay. He was pretty sure Lucius would not approve of Lily, and he doubted Lily would think much of Lucius once she heard some of his opinions.

He tried to prepare Lucius, waiting until the boy was in a relatively good mood before mentioning in what he hoped was a casual way that a girl in his year group had been invited to Slug Club. 'She doesn't really know anyone else,' he explained.

Lucius, who was flipping through the pages of Quidditch Quarterly, said, 'Well, you must make sure you look after her then, Severus.'

'Really?' It was a better reception than he'd dared hope.

'Well of course. It's the gentlemanly thing to do. Goodness me, you really don't have any social graces, do you? Now go and make me some coffee.'

Nevertheless, he was nervous before the meeting, nearly as much so as Lily. She was almost shaking when she met him outside. 'Do I look all right?' she asked anxiously.

Severus thought she looked more beautiful than anything he'd ever seen. 'You look great,' he said gruffly.

In fact, things went well. Lily was charming and funny. He steered her towards some Ravenclaws that he knew slightly, and soon it seemed everyone in the room was hanging on her every word. Even Lucius smiled at a couple of things. Severus began to feel a creeping itch of jealousy. Suddenly he was surrounded by rivals for Lily's attention, and was being outshone in front of the powerful friends he'd worked so hard to cultivate.

At the end of the meeting, Lily linked arms with him and they left together. Her cheeks were pink and she was glowing with happiness. 'Oh wow, I had such a nice time, Sev! All the Slug Clubbers are so nice, aren't they? Thank you for looking after me. D'you think Slughorn will invite me again?'

'Oh yeah, he'll definitely invite you again,' said Severus, a little less enthusiastically.

Lily needn't have worried, her performance had sealed her place as one of Slughorn's favourites. She became a regular fixture at Slug Club events. A couple of the old family crowd treated her with slight disdain, but there was unofficial rule that Slug Club should remain civil. Severus knew that Lucius strongly disapproved of Muggleborns, but Lucius was good at hiding his true feelings when necessary. Even when Narcissa remarked cuttingly about how Severus kept 'gazing at the Mudblood like a lost puppy', Lucius just laughed it off and remarked that Severus was 'at that age'.

In fact, Severus let his guard down to the extent he no longer worried about every Slug Club gathering. They got to almost the end of the year without a problem, until a May supper party. It was exam season and everyone was tired and irritable. Severus was still picking the odd stray feather off himself, having spent the day being turned into various animals by Lucius, who had his Transfiguration practical the following day.

Having agreed not to talk about exams, the group was discussing the summer holidays. Lily was describing a Muggle seaside holiday, and everyone was rolling with laughter at her description of sandcastles. 'I can't believe you're Muggleborn,' said a Ravenclaw boy. 'I always thought you must be a Prewett or a Weasley.'

'Nope, Muggleborn,' said Lily, with a touch of defiance. The mood was sobering and several people looked uncomfortable at this change in topic.

'Actually, you're probably half-blooded,' said Lucius airily, pouring himself some more tea.

Lily looked at him aghast. 'I'm sorry?' she said eventually, her icy tone suggesting she was anything but.

Unperturbed, Lucius expanded. 'Your father was probably a wizard - your real father I mean. It happens all the time I'm afraid - wizards have their way with Muggle women. Use Imperius or Confundus or a love potion - you can read about it in the Prophet. So you're probably a half-blood, really.' He stirred his tea delicately, smiling mildly across the table at Lily, who looked horrified.

'How can you say that? That's a horrible thing to say,' she said eventually.

Lucius frowned and sipped his tea. 'Well, not necessarily. Your mother might have genuinely liked him of course. He didn't necessarily use foul play. I'm just saying, it's a possibility.'

'So now you're saying my Mam lied about my Dad?'

Lucius pulled a pained expression. 'Look, I'm not trying to upset you. I'm just saying, you're probably not a Muggle at all, you're probably a half-blood-'

'Oh, and I should be glad, should I?' snapped Lily, pushing her chair back as she rose to her feet.

The colour rose in Lucius' cheeks, just slightly. He stared at Lily, his teacup frozen half way to his mouth. 'Well, of course,' he said.

'You think it's a good thing, to imagine those horrible things, to think my father might be someone I don't even know, as long as it means I can be a half-blood?' Her voice was rising dangerously. Around the table, the other children averted their eyes, unwilling to get involved in this row. Severus stayed frozen, his eyes flicking from one to the other, not knowing how - or who - to help.

Lucius sniffed and replaced his teacup, a calm movement, but Severus noted the fingers of his other hand twitched. 'Look, I'm not saying any of it is desirable,' he said, in a weary tone. 'I mean, one wouldn't choose it. I'm just saying that's probably how it is.'

'Now, now, Lucius, Lily, that's enough,' said Slughorn, looking anxiously from one to the other. 'No fighting in Slug Club, we're all friends here. Lily dear, I'm sure Lucius didn't mean any harm, and Lucius, perhaps you could express yourself more sensitively in future. Lily, do sit down, your tea will be getting cold. Have another fondant fancy.'

'I don't want a fondant fancy!' snapped Lily, eyes bright with tears of hurt and rage. 'I don't want to stay here, if that's what you all think! I don't care if he's sensitive about it, if that's what he thinks, that's just nasty!'

'Lucius didn't mean any harm, my dear,' began Slughorn, wringing his hands, but Malfoy interrupted him, speaking directly to Lily. His tone was level and icily polite, but the cold grey eyes were hard as steel.

'Clearly I do think in a very different way from you. That is the way I have been brought up to think. I am afraid you will find that most wizards and witches - those with pure blood - have been brought up to think the same way. I am sorry that our cultural values differ from yours, but since you have chosen to come into our world, the world of wizardry, you would do well to assimilate yourself, or return to the Muggle world if you find our way of life unpalatable.'

Lily gaped at him, open mouthed. Severus saw Narcissa smile, and a couple of the others looked approving too. It seemed like no one dared breathe, let alone speak. Finally Lily said, through her trembling lips, 'I find you pretty unpalatable, actually.' She turned and fled the room, ignoring Slughorn's feeble cries. Severus watched her go, distraught and desperate to follow her, but unable to do so with Lucius watching.

There was a pause. Then Lucius reached for his teacup again and said glibly, 'I suppose it's too much to hope that she's actually flouncing all the way back to the Muggle world.'

Several people tittered but Slughorn looked cross. 'Now, look what's happened! Slug Club is supposed to be about people with talent coming together, regardless of their circumstances! It transcends all that! There shouldn't be any fighting...'

'She started it,' said Lucius coldly. 'And come on, Professor, surely you agree with me. You are head of Slytherin house, after all. We all know what Slytherin's views were on the subject. She might not like it, but it's true, isn't it? Wizards aren't the same as Muggles, and all the time there's a Statute of Secrecy that isn't going to change much. I'm sure if we did a poll of your past students -' he waved a hand to indicate the photographs adorning the office walls - 'then we'd find my views are comparatively moderate.'

Slughorn clearly didn't like this topic of conversation. His big face was redder than normal and a few beads of sweat stood out on his brow. He wriggled on his seat and ran a finger around the inside of his collar. 'Well... if we can't all agree to disagree, perhaps it would be best not to raise the topic at all,' he said finally, and looked significantly at the clock. 'Well! Look at the time. Perhaps you should all be getting back to your houses now. It's my turn to do night on-call duty.'

Lucius rose to leave immediately, and swept out of the room, with Severus and Narcissa jogging to keep up. He walked very fast along the corridor, now showing the irritation beneath his apparent unruffled calm of earlier. 'He's an old phoney,' he spat suddenly, after they'd turned the corner leading back to the common room. 'A stupid old phoney. Who does he think he is? A two-bit teacher from no great family. He'd do well to remember who it was that put him where he is. Without people like my father and yours, Cissy, he'd be nowhere. He hasn't got the position he has now by sucking up to silly little mudbloods.'

'Don't let it bother you, Lew,' said Narcissa.

'I was trying to be nice to her!' snapped Lucius, as though Narcissa hadn't spoken. 'Stupid ungrateful little mudblood bitch. Any normal person would be glad to think they were half-blooded, rather than a Muggle magic thief. I wish I hadn't bothered.'

Severus had never seen Lucius so angry. The older boy was usually calm and languid, but now he was close to ranting. 'Stupid mudbloods like her are going to destroy our world, with their Muggle clothes and Muggle games and Muggle things. Wearing trussers, playing kicking-ball - last time I went to Diagon Alley, half the people there were in Muggle clothes! In Diagon Alley, for goodness sake! They make you feel like a stranger in your own world!'

'Just ignore them, Lucius,' said Narcissa breathlessly, trying to walk slightly in front of Lucius to slow him down.

'No!' he shouted, causing Narcissa to jump back in shock. 'There's been too much ignoring them. These people are a threat, the enemy within. They are slowly eroding our values, diluting our culture - soon we'll be nothing more than Muggles with wands! We've got to stop ignoring it, and start fighting back, before it's too late.'

They entered the common room, where Lucius launched himself at a fourth year sitting by the fire, wearing a T-shirt bearing the words Hobgoblins UK Tour. 'What are you wearing?' Malfoy barked, lifting the boy from his chair. 'Filthy Muggle thing! How dare you wear such a thing here, in Hogwarts, in the house of Salazar Slytherin himself!'

'It's a wizard T-shirt! I bought it at a Hobgoblins gig - it's a wizard T-shirt!' gasped the boy, looking petrified. The whole common room had stopped to stare. No one interceded. No one would challenge Lucius Malfoy.

'A wizard T-shirt?' repeated Lucius, in a dangerously soft voice. 'There is no such thing as a 'wizard T-shirt'! Wizards wear robes! T-shirts are a Muggle invention. What will be next? 'Wizard' leg coverings? 'Wizard' horseless carriages? 'Wizard' kicking balls? Wizard....' But Lucius' Muggle knowledge was exhausted. 'You should be ashamed of yourself. You don't deserve to be called a wizard.'

'Lucius.' Narcissa made no move, and said nothing more than her boyfriend's name, but her tone now had enough quiet menace to get through.

Malfoy glowered at the boy for a moment longer, then released him. 'Get that thing off, and if I ever see you wearing it again I'll make sure everyone knows that your family are in league with Muggles. Your father works at the Ministry doesn't he? I suggest if you want him to keep his job then you'd better start showing a bit more pride in your heritage.' He stalked away towards his dormitory, grabbing Severus by the wrist and hauling him after. Narcissa followed.

In the relative privacy of the dorm, Narcissa's voice was harder and angrier than before. 'What are you thinking, Lucius?' She saw Severus lurking and added, 'Go and leave us in peace.'

'Severus is staying here,' snapped Lucius.

'Very well,' said Narcissa through gritted teeth. 'What on earth has got into you? I know you're worried about Transfiguration...'

'Transfiguration is nothing,' he said feverishly. 'Nothing to the potential destruction of the world.'

Narcissa drew herself up to her full height, an impressive sight. 'Lucius, will you get a grip. Potential destruction of the world - what rot! And whilst blood purity is a worthy goal, you aren't going the right way about it. Offending mudbloods - especially Sluggy's favourite pet mudblood - and threatening people in the common room isn't going to do any good.'

'Then what is?' he asked bluntly, sitting suddenly on his bed and staring at Narcissa and Severus as though they had the answers. 'What is going to do some good? Why can't anyone else see what's happening? I can't sit back and watch everything I know fade away.'

Narcissa went over to him then, and wrapped her arms around him. 'I'm not suggesting that you do. But there are better ways to go about it. The Lucius I know doesn't go round shouting and making scenes. You're different from that, better than that. No one is going to solve the mudblood problem on their own, not even you.'

'They might. The Death Eaters. This Lord Voldemort.' He lowered his voice to speak the name, and gave a slight glance over his shoulder, as though the man might materialise behind him.

Fresh alarm dawned on Narcissa's face. 'No, Lucius. No. Don't you even think about it.'

'Why not? They represent everything we care about. Don't you hate the idea of Muggles taking over?'

'Of course I do! But the Death Eaters have been banned, Lucius. You've read the Prophet. The disappearances and so on. If they carry on killing wizards there won't be anyone left.'

He was shaking his head before she'd even finished. 'Sometimes you have to sacrifice a piece in order to win the game. Besides, you know how the Prophet exaggerates. They might be an extreme solution, Cissy, but they're the only solution on offer. No one else even talks about neutralising the Muggle threat. Hell, the politicians only talk of being kinder to Muggles, doing more for them! The influence of Dumbledore and his cronies, it's too strong to break.'

'Well, maybe these Death Eaters do offer a solution, but that doesn't mean you have to join up, Lucius. Let them get on with it, and if they succeed then that's great, and if they don't, you're not caught up in it. It's not the first time there's been a movement like this, or a 'Dark Lord'. Don't let your feelings cloud your judgement.' She stroked some hair away from his face, looking into his eyes. 'Come on, you know I'm right.'

He made an exasperated noise and slumped against her. Narcissa smiled victoriously as she took his head in her hands. But as he slunk away to find Lily, Severus had a feeling that Lucius hadn't really conceded the argument, or given up on the idea of joining the Death Eaters.

Lily was tearful when he found her in a quiet corner of the castle that they sometimes used as a meeting place. He sat next to her and tentatively patted her back. 'They all hate me, Sev,' she said, sniffing piteously.

'Don't be silly, no one could hate you,' he said at once, meaning it.

'But they do. They all think that, even the ones who are nice. I see it all the time, how surprised they are when they find out I'm Muggleborn.'

'That's because you're really good.' He reached into his pocket for a handkerchief, but seeing it was monographed with Lucius' initials, hastily hid it again.

'Yeah, they can't believe that someone who's good can be a Muggleborn.' She sniffed again and then turned to rest her head against his shoulder, which made him feel very weird. He put his arm around her and tried to breathe normally. 'What if he was right, Sev?' she asked very quietly, so he felt the hum of her voice against his arm. 'What if...'

'He's wrong,' said Severus immediately. 'You look just like your Dad, remember? Your eyes are like his. Listen, in his way, Malfoy was only trying to be nice to you. I mean, from him it's a compliment to say you're half-blooded.'

She pulled out of his arms. He'd obviously said the wrong thing. 'Why don't you understand that that doesn't make it all right?' she asked, with genuine curiosity in her voice.

He avoided the question. 'What you've got to remember is that his mother was killed by a car, not very long ago. And he doesn't understand Muggles, so he thinks they killed her purposely and got away with it. It's no wonder he doesn't like them.'

'It's not just Lucius though, is it? Wizards don't like Muggleborns, or Muggles.' She looked at him sorrowfully.

'That's not true. Look at Dumbledore - he really likes Muggles, and everyone says he's the most powerful wizard alive. And Slughorn, he's on our side too - you should have heard him tell Lucius off!' It wasn't strictly true, but he could see he was persuading her. 'Then there's Professor McGonagall, and Professor Flitwick - in fact all the teachers here. And everyone keeps saying how the Ministry is changing the laws to protect Muggles more.'

She smiled weakly, then brightened up more. 'Maybe you're right, Sev. I suppose I should be kinder about Malfoy, after all, he has lost his Mum. That must be so terrible. And maybe he was just trying to be nice.'

'That's right, so stop worrying about people not liking you. Everyone likes you. And just ignore any anti-Muggle stuff. It's all rubbish. It doesn't matter. We're here, at Hogwarts, learning magic. We're best friends, and we'll be friends forever, and none of the rest of it matters, OK?'

'OK,' she agreed, her face settling back into a proper smile. He felt a lump in his throat at the sight of it. He wished he could lock Lily away somewhere, hide her from the world, from all the bad things that he knew were out there. Lily was just too lovely for her own good.

*****

After the exams, Lucius announced casually that he had a try-out for the Montrose Magpies. Everyone was abuzz with excitement. Severus spent the preceding evening getting all of Lucius' kit ready, and polishing his broom until he could see his reflection in the handle. Lucius departed early the following morning, and didn't arrive back until well after dark. He looked tired and his hair was limp with sweat. 'Lucius! How did it go? When do you start?' cried Narcissa, flinging herself into his arms.

Lucius responded rather stiffly to her hug, pulling away. 'Oh, it was fine. But I decided not to do it. The team was full of mudbloods and I didn't like the attitude of the manager.'

'Oh.' Narcissa stepped back, her face blank with surprise. 'Oh, well... I suppose you wouldn't want to be with mudbloods.'

Severus watched them closely. He could see Narcissa didn't believe Lucius, and he wasn't sure he did either. Malfoy continued, 'Besides, my father's health has taken a turn for the worse since my mother died. One has to think of one's family responsibilities. Severus, you can come and sort out my kit for the elves.'

Lucius never referred to his trial again, but two weeks later he casually handed Severus the Prophet. Since he'd finished his NEWTs, Lucius did nothing more than lounge around, reading the paper and canoodling with Narcissa. 'There's an article there you might be interested in,' he said in an offhand drawl, so bored it sounded like a yawn.

Scanning the page, Severus read out, 'Ministry source: Death Eater threat grows daily.'

'Opposite.' Lucius tapped the paper without looking, causing a picture of a scantily clad witch to shake her fist at him in indignation.

It took a moment to find what Lucius meant. Then his mouth fell open in an 'o' of surprise as he read. Marty McGinty, long-time manager of the Montrose Magpies, was today dismissed from his post amidst allegations of match fixing. McGinty, 57, had an illustrious flying career with the club and has guided the team to no fewer than three league victories in his time as manager. He is accused of accepting undisclosed sums of money in return for sabotaging his own team. McGinty was not available for comment.

'Such a shame,' said Lucius, in a very smug voice. 'Still, looks like I made the right choice. I could tell he had a bad attitude.'

'Yeah, you were right,' said Severus softly, but he had learned enough from Lucius to understand subtext. He suddenly felt very glad he was on the same side as Lucius. Malfoy was not a man to cross.