Sins Of Innocence

Chapter 4: New Beginnings

On the morning of the 31st of August in one of the Malfoy's Cottages in France in the Great Hall, Caesar Malfoy was having breakfast. The platinum long blond of his hair was nearly white, just like his eyebrows. He was a tall and thing man and in his 65 years old he looked magnificent. Wearing silver robes with the Malfoy's crest of arms in the front, the oldest member of the family took a sip of his earl grey tea. It was seven ó clock in the morning, the perfect time of the day. His wife was still having his morning bath and his son and guest were about of being waken up. Biting a piece of toast, Caesar unfold the Daily Prophet and read the headlines.

"Good morning, Dear. An excellent day, don't you think?" The sweet voice of Moira Malfoy echoed in the high ceiling room. Her lavender robes reflected in the platter as she move across the place. The 60 years old woman sit in front of his husband at the table, smiling softly as she fix her perfectly combed light brown hair

"Lovely, my darling. Are the guests up yet?" Caesar asked, folding the newspaper again and eyeing his wife.

"If I am correct, Narcissa will be here anytime with Mrs. Lestrange with her" Moira replied taking a sip of her ginger lemon tea. Before she could put her cup in the table again, the doors were opened by two elegant women, a radiant blond dressed in red robes and a brown haired woman with light blue robes

"Good morning, Caesar, Moria" Narcissa said smiling to them before sitting next to her mother-in-law, motioning her companion to sit beside her. Mary nod to them and have her a sit in her place.

"Good morning, Dears. Do you have any ideas of where are your lousy husbands?" Moira inquired motioning the house elves to serve her guests breakfast.

"I'm proud to said that I am not a lousy man, Mrs. Malfoy." Angelus responded entering into the room. He kissed his wife in her forehead before continuing "But I'm not so sure about your son".

"Lucius is the most lousy person I've ever met. He is not going to get up until the clock marks 8. I already know that, but I was hoping to have a chat with Severus. He don't have any excuses for not came to visit us, as you have". Caesar said, eyeing the doors suspiciously almost conjuring Severus into the dinning room.

"Good morning to you too, Caesar" The Potions Master reeled walking to the table with long and elegant strides. He kissed Moira's hand before taking a seat and a long sip of black coffee. "I see that you are as pleasant as usual".

"You have to forgive him, Severus. He missed you, but he is to proud to tell you that or to go to England to see you" Lucius's mother said smiling. "By the way I see that you are all wearing your new robes. You look great. It seems that my son still has a nice taste"

"The day I lose my 'excellent' taste, I will be dead" Lucius protested from the door at the same time that the clock marked eight. "You should be proud of me. Mother, Father I hope that you are having a good morning".

"We have excellent guests, why wouldn't have pleasant breakfast" Caesar responded smirking at his younger son. "It's a pity that you came for such short time 'and' every decade".

"This is not a healthy time to argue about this, not now, nor ever. But if I am not mistaken you could come to visit 'us' from time to time" Lucius replied taking a cup of Darjeeling tea and making himself comfortable at the table.

"True, true my son" Caesar replied smirking softly. "Are you going to stay from lunch?" Moira asked to her guests turning her head to her son.

"I don't think so. We need to make a stop at the manor before our meeting with Dumbledore" Lucius said biting his toast. "I don't think we have that much time"

"Draco must be a little worried about us..." Narcissa commented after being interrupted by a laugh from the potions master.

"He probably thought a party and all the Slytherins were invited. He will be sleeping until lunch"

"He is as sleepy as Lucius?" Angelus asked trying to cover his laugh with a glass of juice.

Mary looked at her friends smiling and laughing. She tilted her head to the left and said seriously. "That is impossible. The Prince could sleep in the middle of a battle. He once felt asleep in a mission. Mary had to lift him with the stick to the top of a tree."

"It wasn't a pleasant experience, I 'felt' with all the noise and 'broke' my arm!!" Lucius protested almost yelling to be heard above the uncontrollable laugh of the presents.

After that incident, they finished their breakfast and around ten am they left France and apparated to Malfoy Manor, where they met a fuming Draco in the main doors.

"Good morning, son. What are you doing awake this early?" Narcissa asked kissing her son.

"Grandfather called 'right' after you left to let me know that I should make the elves clean the disaster that was made on yesterday night. The supposed disaster" Draco complained to the group in front of him with black bags under his eyes. "Who give him that 'incredible' idea??"

"Are you going to tell me that you didn't have a party here last night?" Severus asked with an eyebrow raised. He was sure that every Slytherin arrange parties when their parents were out of town. It was some sort of tradition.

"Of course I had. But do you think that I'm so stupid to let the manor in a complete mess?" The young Malfoy responded smirking slightly "I'm not some kind of Gryffindor, you know?. You should know better than that, Godfather."

"We sorry to say that we forgot about your great intelligence, Draco" Lucius said while he walked pass the door and into the manor with the rest of the group after him.

Draco nodded in response and followed his father, trying to cover a yawn unsuccessfully. "If you don't need my services anymore, I'm going to have my rest. Feel free to knock you heads in the walls before trying to enter to my rooms"

With that the teenager climbed the stairs tiredly to his bedroom, not bothering to turn around to hear the others goodbyes. Narcissa excused herself and walked to her study. She was suppose to received new evidence for a case and she wanted to arrange a meeting with her client and companions after revising the material. She would see Lucius at the train station tomorrow morning and meet the rest of the group in the weekend.

After sending a couple of house elves to pack all his things, from robes to personal stuff, Lucius turned to his friends and motioned them to follow him.

"To the owlery, Luc??" Severus said after recognizing the way that they were taking. He spend a lot of time and summers in this manor, he as well as Angelus knew it as well as a Malfoy.

The master of the manor smiled to his companion, and kept his pace without slowing a little bit answering. "I think that our friend would love to see his familiar. What do you think?"

Realization hit Angel like a hammer. He blinked a few times and watched his friend amused "Thanatos is here? I thought that he was killed by the Aurors or lost..."

"That was the government's idea, but... Let's said that to be a Malfoy has his benefits" Lucius smirked turning in a corner and began climbing up the monogamy stairs. Reaching upstairs the group met with a huge ebony door with all kind of birds craving in it, adorning the mark. The Malfoy chest of arms, a royal gray eagle with his wings spread, sitting on a rock with his talons lining the stone; was in the middle of the door.

Lucius put his right hand in the chest and the door opened itself revealing an enormous room filled with all kind of owls and eagles. The birds were standing in the suspenders of the roof making the scene a little bit gloomy.

The sun was shining, illuminating the room through the high windows. The group walked into the owlery and took two right hands leather gloves from a cupboard and a silver whistle.

Lucius put one of the gloves on, he extended his arm and blow the whistle, which emitted an almost soundless melody. He stood high and proud like a hero from the old times. In less than 30 seconds a cream like royal eagle flow to his master and stood perfectly erect without blinking his brown eyes.

"Good morning, Lucifer. How are you being? Did the others give you any problems?" The bird ruffled his plumage and stood even higher than before, making a smirk appear in his master face.

Even the bird is a Malfoy, thought Severus laughing inside. They are totally true with the proverb that all the things looked like his owner.

"I know, I know. You are perfect. Do me a favor and look for Angelus's familiar, Thanatos. Do you remember him, don't you Lucifer?" The eagle nod in response and flow into the room to pleased his master.

The group didn't have o wait much time before the return of the bird. With Lucifer came a black hawk who has piercing frozen blue eyes. They flow together in perfect harmony and landed in their master extended arms at the exact same time.

Angelus eyed his familiar with bright eyes. For him to see Thanatos it was the same as seeing his long lost son or his dead father. He was a gift that Mary gave him for his thirteenth birthday and until now that hawk kept being loyal to him. A huge smile illuminated Angelus's face while he started to pet his familiar.

"It has been to long, my friend. Thank you for waiting for me" Angel muttered. In response the bird closed his eyes letting himself lose in the warm touch of his master.

"Little Angel is back with us?" Mary asked hopefully seeing Thanatos in his husband touch. "Mary missed you, Little Angel. Mary's last home was cold and boring"

Her friends turned to her and sadness invaded their bodies as a shiver went through Mary's spine and made her tremble. Severus was about to reply to her last comment when a gray owl with yellow eyes came flying rapidly straight to Lucius. As a reflect, all of them took their wands, pointed to the bird and eyed it suspiciously, while Thanatos and Lucifer's eyes glowed in a predator way to the intruder. The owl in question planted itself in the floor with one of his legs extended looking at the Malfoy Master to take away the letter it carried.

Mary knelt before the owl and took the parchment ruthlessly from the bird. She glance at the animal murderously.

"You bad, bad bird. You don't make the Prince kneel. Bad bird. Mary should have attacked you with her stick for your offence. Slytherins don't kneel. Not them" She pointed to he Lords before continuing "And certainly not Mary"

With a fast and fluid movement, Mrs. Lestrange left the owl a few centimeters and cracked it's neck in a swing of her hands.

The Lords smirked at her antics. Not all is lost after all. Thought Lucius as Mary stood up from her position discarding the bird's body in the floor without noting the loud thud. She clapped her hands happily.

"Bad owl is not going to do mistakes any more" Mary extended the letter to the Prince and started to pet Thanatos affectionately.

Lucius unfold the parchment after seeing his friends nods of confirmation.

Malfoy,

Beware of your dear ones. Betrayal in 'not' forgiven.

Remember: Once a Death Eater, Always a Death Eater.

'Our' Lord send his regards to you and to Snape.

Sincerely,

Avery.

Lucius let escape a bitter laugh from the bottom of his throat while Severus raised and eyebrow and Angelus struggled in amusement.

"Avery thinks that he can threaten me" He lend the Potions Master the letter and continued "Now that he is second in command he believes that I am going to tremble in fear for his words"

"He is a fool, Luc. And our dear 'master' is it to if he believes capable of making us fear him" Angelus said taking his hair from his face.

"True. I think that he forgot about who we are or he finally became totally insane because of his obsession with Potter" Severus added after incinerating the parchment with a flick of this wand.

Mary's head snapped after hearing the last comment "Potter? As is Gryffindork Deer Mudblood lover Potter?"

Lucius laughed at his friend concept of the marauder taking off his glove. "No, Potter as in Gryffindor Boy Who Doesn't Want To Die, Mudblood savior Potter"

"Good description. It fit him perfectly" Severus added amused, closing the cupboard door after put Angelus glove in place.

"It's getting late, and before you said anything, it's more late than fashionably late" Lucius raised his hand in defense seeing his friends try to cover his laughs. "We have to head downstairs to took my things before those useless house elves start packing furniture"

"You can go to Hogwarts and wait for us with Hades. You do remember the way, don't you?" Angelus inquired to the birds who looked at him in annoyance and flow as fast as they could to the windows heading to the school.

The group walked to the Great Hall of the manor after closing the owlery's door with a charm. Lucius reached for a little golden bell, which was on top of the shelves above the portrait of Marcia Malfoy, Caesar's grandmother. The platinum young witch tapped her left foot on seeing the guests' appearances; they fixed and adjusted their robes to please the woman, who nodded in approval.

With a ring from the bell, one small house elf appeared in front of the group, bowing, "Bobby is at your disposal, sir."

"I need my luggage, now," the Prince let his royalty shine, refreshing his friends as to why he was called Prince in the first place. The superiority of Lucius's stance and the air of indifference that surrounded him talked by themselves.

The servant started to tremble under his master's glance, "I is very sorry to tell you, Master Lucius, Sir. I, we don't finished packing, sir. We are so very sorry, Master, Sir." The elf began to hit his head on the floor.

"Stop that babbling this instant. Go and fetch my things now. You have had enough time. Keep your punishment for another moment."

The elf disappeared with a loud pop and reappeared seconds later with four companions and five trunks. Severus and Angelus looked at them in astonishment, while Lucius reduced them with a flick of his wand.

"I hope for your own good, that you have packed everything I will need," the Malfoy master's cold voice made his servants shiver in fear. "You can go now."

After the elves' disappearance, Lucius continued, turning to his friends, "Let's get going, shall we? I believe that our dear Headmaster will be waiting for us."

The group made their way through the gardens of the manor to reach the apparition's limits, where they apparated to Hogsmeade. A horseless carriage was waiting for them a few meters away from 'The Three Broomsticks'.

The sky was starting to cloud and began to drizzle. The group hugged themselves with their cloaks tightly, after placing a drying charm on the carriage. They were just in time to see the first lightning strike upon reaching the front gates of Hogwarts.

The group descended from their horseless transport and walked graciously to the refuge of the doors. Taking off the charm, they had intended to walk to the Headmaster's office, but halfway to their destination, they encountered Professor McGonagall. Though she was shocked with Lestrange's presence, Minerva swiftly took her wand out of her robes and pointed to her long ago students, but in response four wands were aimed straight to her face.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Professor," Angelus said smiling slyly, still aiming at her.

"What a friendly way to welcome your ex-students, don't you think?" Lucius added tapping his wand on his nose.

Fear shone brightly through the professor's glasses, but she didn't lower her wand. "What are you doing here?"

"What do you think we are doing here, Minerva?" Severus inquired trying not to laugh in front of his colleague, who grabbed her wand even more tightly.

"They are here because they are the new DADA teachers, Minerva," the voice of the headmaster interrupted to stop any further misunderstandings.

Albus approached the group smiling as usual, with very un-fashionable violet robes in Lucius's opinion. The old wizard stood next to his deputy headmistress and touched her arm. "You don't have to worry, Mr. and Mrs. Lestrange don't represent any harm to the school."

The Transfiguration Professor lowered her wand but eyed suspiciously at the younger wizards. "I don't think so, but I believe in your word, Albus."

"We are not going to hex you, Professor. We are going to be colleagues after all," Angelus put away his wand again and motioned his wife to do the same. She didn't want to but complied with his command.

Lucius and Severus imitated their friends and looked to the headmaster, whose smile grown considerably in the last minutes. "Great, now that is all sorted, we could start our meeting in the staff room. Minerva, could you be so kind and fetch Rose and Filius and meet us there?"

The Deputy Headmistress nodded and went in a different direction. The rest of the group followed Dumbledore. After a few corridors and turns, they reached a bronze statue of Merlin with the four founders in their animagus forms around him. Albus muttered the password and the wizard stepped aside to let them into the room.

The room was a comfortable place; it had a big fireplace on the left wall with three maroon velvet couches around it. On the right side of the room was placed an enormous redwood table with enough space for all the teachers and the headmaster himself. A huge library was next to the table and a vitraux with drawings from each house adorning the other wall, illuminating the room.

"Nice!" Mary looked around her and decided to sit in one of the couches in the most comfortable position that she could think of. She was semi-seated and semi-reclined, and with a dreamy look, she closed her eyes.

Albus smiled at her antics and took his place at the table, motioning the lords to sit next to him. Severus was tempted to sit in his usual seat, far from the headmaster and even farther from Sybill's seat, but against his wishes, he seated himself at Dumbledore's left. Lucius looked at the chair with some sort of distrust but after seeing Angelus's annoyed face, he decided not to try his luck by complaining and seated between Severus and Angelus.

"It was not so difficult, was it? One could thought that after years you could stop being the same spoiled brat, but it was not possible," Angelus joked, seeing Lucius's disgusted face.

"I am not spoiled, I have manners and I don't know who else was seated in this place before," Lucius replied indignant.

"Like Trelawney, perhaps?" Severus asked smirking. Lucius's eyes grew wide with horror and he was about to stand up when the door was opened again and the missing professors entered the room, letting Angelus and Severus's amused smiles pass without notice.

"Good afternoon, Albus, Severus. Mr. Malfoy and Mr. and Mrs. Lestrange," Professor Sprout greeted politely entering the room with Professor Flitwick, behind Minerva, who still had a stern look on her face.

"Filius, Rose, Minerva, please take a seat. I believe that we have a few things to discuss," the headmaster said motioning them to the chairs beside him.

"A lot if you ask me," the Transfiguration teacher scoffed, sitting at Albus's right. The young wizards smirked at her antics but decided not to answer them.

Once they were all seated, the headmaster smiled broadly and continued his speech, "Dear friends, let me introduce you to our new Defense Against the Dark Arts professors."

For a few seconds, the room remained in complete silence. Professor Sprout shifted nervously in her place, while Flitwick eyed his new 'companions'. McGonagall couldn't believe her ears; she was totally shocked and kept gaping like a fish without pronouncing a word. How could Albus proclaim such an aberration: It was insane.

Lucius was trying not to jab at his old teacher's expression, while Angelus smirked and stood proudly in his place.

"I didn't know that you were trying to become a goldfish animagus, Minerva. Let me congratulate you for your great impression of it," Severus said seriously making his friends cough to prevent their laughter from echoing in the room.

McGonagall glared at the Potions Master, "I am just a little bit surprise, that's all."

"Do not worry Professor, we wouldn't have noticed," Angelus responded crossing his legs.

"I don't want to be rude, but Mr. Lestrange and his wife are convicts," Rose muttered trying to prevent a war between his colleagues, hugging herself, "I don't believe that the government would be enthusiastic to hear your idea, Headmaster."

"You don't have to worry, Rose. They were freed yesterday morning under Mr. Malfoy, Severus and mine surveillance," Albus replied trying to eliminated his fellow's doubts. "From now on, they will reside in the castle and teach our children too."

"I don't think that it is safe, Albus. It seems quite dangerous. They are Death Eaters after all, and we are talking about the whole school's safety," Minerva protested standing up. "Are you going to let them be in a classroom with innocent children, with muggleborns? With Potter? For Merlin's sake, it's insane".

"We are in the same room as you are, Professor, in case that you haven't noticed," Lucius replied playing with his wand without bothering to look at the anguish faces of his ex-professors. "It is really a pity that we don't have your approval, but I really don't care that much."

The Deputy Headmistress was trembling with rage but before she could respond, Angelus decided to intervene, "If I am not wrong, the past DADA teachers that you had were nothing more than frauds, impostors and even monsters. I think that we can do a better work."

"This is outrageous. You are not better than any of them and not qualified to be a professor..." Before she had a chance to finish her sentence, she was silenced by a very stern look from the headmaster who crossed his arms over his chest.

"In these Dark Times Minerva, we need all the help we could get," Albus eyed her. "I hope you trust my judgment and make comfortable with your new colleagues. I will not have fights among my teachers, so please restrain yourselves in order to prevent further disagreements." The professors looked at the headmaster in silence nodding at his orders. Albus smiled at their responses and continued, "now that it's all settled, I would love to have a chat with the Heads, so if you excuse me sirs. Humbly is waiting for you outside, he is going to show you your new chambers."

Lucius and Angelus raised from their seats and walked to the door with Mary sleeping in her husband's arms. Outside of the staff room, a little house elf with a yellow and clean suit was standing next to a statue. Humbly bowed and started walking though the corridors at an amazing speed for someone with short legs. The two wizards glanced at each other and kept following the servant. The elf stopped finally after climbing a stair in front of a portrait of an elegant white-haired wizard with blue robes. The wizard was sitting crossed legs on a velvet couch reading a book entitled 'Dark Magic and Hexes, from Merlin'. He only raised his eyes at them.

"I haven't got your password, but I believe that you don't want a servant to know it," the old wizard looked at the house elf twitching his nose. "Inform me of your choice tomorrow morning."

The portrait opened itself with a low 'Goodnight' from the wizard and Humbly took leave of them. The trio entered the cream painted room and noticed that it was good enough for them. The big windows on one of the walls illuminated the area and let them see that on the other side of the room was table with four places.

Angelus let his wife rest in one of the three couches that were placed in front of the fire place and admired the chamber. Lucius approached the door at the left of the fireplace and revealed what was supposed to be his bedroom. A king size bed was placed in the middle of this room, at one of its side was a door leading to a private bathroom and on the other was an enormous cupboard, magically enchanted to have space for all his possessions. After placing all his trunks at the foot of his bed, he summoned a house elf to unpack his belongings.

When he stepped out of his bedroom and looked for his friend, he found him seated in his bed with his head in his arms. Lucius stood at the frame of the door for a few instances and decided to join Angelus.

"Not the right color?" the blond asked, a little bit worried about his friend's expression. "You could always change it, you know. Just to annoy the old professor?"

"It's like something is missing. I don't know, perhaps the screams or the cold breeze of the Dementors..." the fire-haired wizard raised his head and sighed. "Anyway, I have to get used to it now. Tomorrow I'm going to teach, can you believe that?"

"Do not worry. We are going to enjoy our time here," Lucius replied smirking. "After all, this is our time to embarrass the little Gryffindors and made them lose the Cup."

"This is going to be a good year, an excellent year" Angelus played with his wand and made some green sparks. "With a clean and soundless murderer, the day would be perfect, do you know?"

Both of them glanced at each other and smiled knowingly, they were going to have the first great time together since the end of the war and they were going to revive why they were called Lords.