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icarusI'm posting pre-beta largely because I'm bummed about some things coming up tomorrow (sighs, doesn't want to atlk about it). This isn't being posted anywhere else yet.
The Metronome
By Icarus
Afternoon sun pooled on the plush oriental rug, warming the burgundy and greens to a soft glow. The window let in barely a breath of wind, playing with the curtains, an unkind tease of freedom. The candelabra on the drawing room harpsicord was unlit given the lovely summer's day, and the metronome beside it clicked an insistent, steady beat.
Lucius sat straight-backed, his fingers poised over the keys as his tutor paced the room, nose in the air, hands folded thoughtfully behind his back.
"That was better, Master Malfoy, much better," he crooned, buttons stretched over his pot-belly. "Let's have it once again."
The subtle slump of Lucius' broad shoulders was barely detectable, like an unheard sigh. His eyes remained fixed on the music in front of him. The notes crawled like insects across the page, tumbling over each other until they reformed into the beginning of the piece. His eyes narrowed as a final quarter note, tardy, scrabbled into place.
Click, click, click…. The metronome set the pace.
With cold, crisp precision Lucius' hands floated over the keys, his body unmoving, eyes front and center, and mouth a firm disciplined line. His teacher's head bobbed; one finger circled, mapping the notes in the air.
Lucius completed the crescendo and the final chord, finally seeming to breathe as he glanced up, steady blue eyes hopeful, at his tutor. Sometimes he was released a few minutes early.
The man nodded. "Good, good." He reached over and tapped the sheet music with his wand. "Now let's try an adagio, something with a little more, hmm, feeling for a young man like you, eh?" He gave a tight-lipped smile, his eyes hard and insincere. He always asked for more feeling.
The metronome continued its steady pace and Lucius' eyes flicked only briefly at the window as the curtains stirred again.
~*~*~
His tutor had been effusive in his compliments of Lucius' artistry before Lucius could escape.
His second-best broom in hand, Lucius hurried down a long hall of scowling chiaroscuro portraits, deftly stunning an Aleovuncular fern outside his father's library as it made a grab for him. He turned the corner to the front hall…
…just in time to find his mother in the hall in front of the mirror, her gloved hands removing a hatpin as she shook her head. She stuck the pin into a house-elf who yelped, "Thank you, mistress." She ignored it.
"Oh, Lucius, there you are…."
He bent to kiss her cheek and then edged cautiously around her towards the door. "Hello mummy, I'm going outside to—"
"No, no, you're not," she cut him off, and gestured for him to follow. With an irritated sigh he trailed in her wake, resigned, adjusting his grip on his broom. They made their way through a maze of hallways towards the kitchens. "I can't have you disappearing now, dear. Your aunt Elsie and the Blacks are visiting this evening."
Lucius' face fell. "But Avery is…."
"You can practice your Quidditch later. I'm sure you'll make Chaser this year at least, you're a such a talented boy." She patted his cheek, though Lucius' eyes shifted away.
Stepping into the kitchen there was a sudden scramble of house-elfs quickly punishing themselves as they caught sight of her. His mother ran a tight ship. She extracted her wand from her handbag and with a flourish, lists of work scrolled down from the air, along with her specifications for the evening's hors d'oeuvres. Lucius peered around at a house-elf's cooking and scooped up a fingerful of cake batter.
His mother slapped his hand away. "Don't spoil your supper."
"I won't," he said, ignoring her as he licked his finger. He snapped up an apple and polished it on his sleeve, then took a large bite.
"Are you sure you're not a centaur?" She smiled fondly at him, ruffling his hair. "You do nothing but eat these days."
He grinned at her, mouth still full. He swallowed his bite.
"So… the Blacks are coming over?" he prompted, eyebrows raised. "Including…?"
"Mrs Black," his mother said slyly.
"And Bella?" he suggested.
"We have Narcissa in mind for you actually."
"Ugh," Lucius groaned, looking away.
"No whinging."
"She's so…" Skinny. Flat-chested. He threw away the first thoughts that came to mind. "… boring. They're both Blacks."
"Yes, well unfortunately Bellatrix has saddled herself with a bit of a reputation," his mother sniffed.
Not to mention a body that wouldn't quit. With wavy black hair to her waist, red lips, and an easy laugh. Lucius folded his arms and leaned back against the countertop. He'd be the envy of Hogwarts if he scored Bellatrix Black. Bellatrix, tied to him for life. It was an appealing thought.
"… the Blacks are going to have a terrible time finding a match for her," his mother was saying.
"People just don't like it that she's attractive." Lucius examined his nails. Gorgeous was the word. "Not to mention… mmm… vivacious and fun-loving." He phrased it carefully.
His mother wasn't fooled. "She's far too much 'fun' I am told." She seized Lucius' chin with a vise-like grip and looked fiercely into his face, her own cold blue eyes sparking as they met his, her thin penciled brows raised. "Promise me that you're not sleeping with her, my darling. Are you?"
Lucius yanked his chin away, affronted. "No!"
Though not for lack of trying.
"Good." She seemed satisfied and nodded once. "At least with Narcissa you will know your children—" Lucius flinched. "—are actually yours."
"That's because nobody wants that twig," Lucius muttered under his breath, shifting from one foot to another. He was compared to centaur, then told he was growing like a horse, and now his family discussed him like a prized stud being sent out to breed.
"Lucius." His mother brought him up short, and he glowered at her. "You'll thank me later."
Then she swatted his bottom like he was still a nine-year-old, shoving him in the direction of his rooms. "Now get dressed. Mr Clavier has had wonderful things to say about your playing. You have your father's talent." She patted his shoulder. "We look forward to hearing you play this evening."
What? His mouth fell open in dismay, but he decided not to argue. Instead he pointed out, "Avery's coming over tonight."
She frowned. "Lucius. He's really not the sort that you should be…."
"I cannot cancel. Father is still negotiating with his family and if we…."
"Yes, yes, I know," she interrupted irritably. "I understand." She put a hand to her temples. "What this world is coming to that we associate with the Averys of all people. He can come," she held up a finger, "but he must wait in the kitchens."
Which was a gross insult, but Avery wouldn't know any better. He'd just eat. Lucius nodded and slung his broom over his shoulder, grateful at least for the reprieve.
The Metronome
By Icarus
Afternoon sun pooled on the plush oriental rug, warming the burgundy and greens to a soft glow. The window let in barely a breath of wind, playing with the curtains, an unkind tease of freedom. The candelabra on the drawing room harpsicord was unlit given the lovely summer's day, and the metronome beside it clicked an insistent, steady beat.
Lucius sat straight-backed, his fingers poised over the keys as his tutor paced the room, nose in the air, hands folded thoughtfully behind his back.
"That was better, Master Malfoy, much better," he crooned, buttons stretched over his pot-belly. "Let's have it once again."
The subtle slump of Lucius' broad shoulders was barely detectable, like an unheard sigh. His eyes remained fixed on the music in front of him. The notes crawled like insects across the page, tumbling over each other until they reformed into the beginning of the piece. His eyes narrowed as a final quarter note, tardy, scrabbled into place.
Click, click, click…. The metronome set the pace.
With cold, crisp precision Lucius' hands floated over the keys, his body unmoving, eyes front and center, and mouth a firm disciplined line. His teacher's head bobbed; one finger circled, mapping the notes in the air.
Lucius completed the crescendo and the final chord, finally seeming to breathe as he glanced up, steady blue eyes hopeful, at his tutor. Sometimes he was released a few minutes early.
The man nodded. "Good, good." He reached over and tapped the sheet music with his wand. "Now let's try an adagio, something with a little more, hmm, feeling for a young man like you, eh?" He gave a tight-lipped smile, his eyes hard and insincere. He always asked for more feeling.
The metronome continued its steady pace and Lucius' eyes flicked only briefly at the window as the curtains stirred again.
~*~*~
His tutor had been effusive in his compliments of Lucius' artistry before Lucius could escape.
His second-best broom in hand, Lucius hurried down a long hall of scowling chiaroscuro portraits, deftly stunning an Aleovuncular fern outside his father's library as it made a grab for him. He turned the corner to the front hall…
…just in time to find his mother in the hall in front of the mirror, her gloved hands removing a hatpin as she shook her head. She stuck the pin into a house-elf who yelped, "Thank you, mistress." She ignored it.
"Oh, Lucius, there you are…."
He bent to kiss her cheek and then edged cautiously around her towards the door. "Hello mummy, I'm going outside to—"
"No, no, you're not," she cut him off, and gestured for him to follow. With an irritated sigh he trailed in her wake, resigned, adjusting his grip on his broom. They made their way through a maze of hallways towards the kitchens. "I can't have you disappearing now, dear. Your aunt Elsie and the Blacks are visiting this evening."
Lucius' face fell. "But Avery is…."
"You can practice your Quidditch later. I'm sure you'll make Chaser this year at least, you're a such a talented boy." She patted his cheek, though Lucius' eyes shifted away.
Stepping into the kitchen there was a sudden scramble of house-elfs quickly punishing themselves as they caught sight of her. His mother ran a tight ship. She extracted her wand from her handbag and with a flourish, lists of work scrolled down from the air, along with her specifications for the evening's hors d'oeuvres. Lucius peered around at a house-elf's cooking and scooped up a fingerful of cake batter.
His mother slapped his hand away. "Don't spoil your supper."
"I won't," he said, ignoring her as he licked his finger. He snapped up an apple and polished it on his sleeve, then took a large bite.
"Are you sure you're not a centaur?" She smiled fondly at him, ruffling his hair. "You do nothing but eat these days."
He grinned at her, mouth still full. He swallowed his bite.
"So… the Blacks are coming over?" he prompted, eyebrows raised. "Including…?"
"Mrs Black," his mother said slyly.
"And Bella?" he suggested.
"We have Narcissa in mind for you actually."
"Ugh," Lucius groaned, looking away.
"No whinging."
"She's so…" Skinny. Flat-chested. He threw away the first thoughts that came to mind. "… boring. They're both Blacks."
"Yes, well unfortunately Bellatrix has saddled herself with a bit of a reputation," his mother sniffed.
Not to mention a body that wouldn't quit. With wavy black hair to her waist, red lips, and an easy laugh. Lucius folded his arms and leaned back against the countertop. He'd be the envy of Hogwarts if he scored Bellatrix Black. Bellatrix, tied to him for life. It was an appealing thought.
"… the Blacks are going to have a terrible time finding a match for her," his mother was saying.
"People just don't like it that she's attractive." Lucius examined his nails. Gorgeous was the word. "Not to mention… mmm… vivacious and fun-loving." He phrased it carefully.
His mother wasn't fooled. "She's far too much 'fun' I am told." She seized Lucius' chin with a vise-like grip and looked fiercely into his face, her own cold blue eyes sparking as they met his, her thin penciled brows raised. "Promise me that you're not sleeping with her, my darling. Are you?"
Lucius yanked his chin away, affronted. "No!"
Though not for lack of trying.
"Good." She seemed satisfied and nodded once. "At least with Narcissa you will know your children—" Lucius flinched. "—are actually yours."
"That's because nobody wants that twig," Lucius muttered under his breath, shifting from one foot to another. He was compared to centaur, then told he was growing like a horse, and now his family discussed him like a prized stud being sent out to breed.
"Lucius." His mother brought him up short, and he glowered at her. "You'll thank me later."
Then she swatted his bottom like he was still a nine-year-old, shoving him in the direction of his rooms. "Now get dressed. Mr Clavier has had wonderful things to say about your playing. You have your father's talent." She patted his shoulder. "We look forward to hearing you play this evening."
What? His mouth fell open in dismay, but he decided not to argue. Instead he pointed out, "Avery's coming over tonight."
She frowned. "Lucius. He's really not the sort that you should be…."
"I cannot cancel. Father is still negotiating with his family and if we…."
"Yes, yes, I know," she interrupted irritably. "I understand." She put a hand to her temples. "What this world is coming to that we associate with the Averys of all people. He can come," she held up a finger, "but he must wait in the kitchens."
Which was a gross insult, but Avery wouldn't know any better. He'd just eat. Lucius nodded and slung his broom over his shoulder, grateful at least for the reprieve.
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no subject
Date: 2005-07-25 09:01 am (UTC)I love the sense of boredom and anticipation that you build with the music lesson. Ah, but the music master comesacross ratehr well.
Am loving Mrs. Malfoy and te way she uses her poor house elves as a pin cushion. Ouch!
And hello- Lucius has a crush on Bellatrix? Whoa. Interesting choice, there.
no subject
Date: 2005-07-25 02:19 pm (UTC)Hmmm... I think "crush" would be exaggerating Lucius' feelings at this point. *snickers* More like everyone had an interest in Bella as she was Hogwarts' hot tamale. He's really quite young here (and a typical guy thinking with his, um, and also wanting to be the one who has "the" girl everyone else wants), not quite of age.
Things are very different in school from how they are as adults. Bella wasn't a criminal agent of Voldemort yet, not worn down with her beauty wrecked from years in Azkaban.
Icarus
no subject
Date: 2005-07-25 11:39 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-07-25 02:22 pm (UTC)Icarus
no subject
Date: 2005-08-04 05:35 am (UTC)though at first, i thought he was quite a bit younger than you showed him to be in the middle/end..
no subject
Date: 2005-08-04 05:39 am (UTC)Icarus