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Lucius’s eyes narrowed in distaste at the state of his bangs, choppy and frizzled, it was wild and more suited to a common beggar than him. He sighed, putting down his wand, perhaps he should have stopped cutting a while ago.
Really, he should’ve waited to ask a professional, or better yet not have indulged his silly, rebellious whims. A good lesson to be learnt actually.
Grey eyes flittered over the bottle of hair-growing potion next to him, humming as he scanned over the effects. Three centimetres a day would not be enough, the length of his bangs was, embarrassingly short to be frank, and delivery would take well over a week for high-quality potions, even with a hefty tip. Glamour was not an option either, the fine-tuning of the spell would be interrupted by his output of magic during spells and such.
Looking into the mirror, Lucius groaned, hands coming up to prod at the offending blonde hairs. Deciding to pin them back, he stepped out of his Prefect’s room into the common space. The only people left, not attending classes, would have been those in the Seventh year.
Thankfully running into no one, Lucius managed to successfully nick two forks from the assortment of cutlery placed in a cupboard, transfiguring them into a thin silver pin with snake motifs running through them. Smiling, he slid one back at a time, clasping the hairs behind his ear. He glanced at his reflection; it was good enough. Though he frustratedly noticed he did look a bit bald.
‘You know there’s someone who makes potions for a few knuts,’ Narcissa pointed out, hiding a smile at the state of Lucius’ hair as they ate dinner. He rolled his eyes, swatting her offending finger away.
‘Though, you do look charming with the clips,’ she giggled.
‘Sister, he looks practically bald,’ Bella deadpanned from her sister’s left.
‘Well,’ Lucius coughed out haughtily, raking over her wild hair and dark circles, ‘You don’t look much better.’ To which Bella pulled a disgusted face.
Latching onto Narcissa’s first statement, Lucius put his fork down. Brewing potions was no easy task in Hogwarts, the equipment was limited, and you’d have to be pretty confident to make them without chance of error in your dorms.
Perhaps he was not only a solution to his bad hair week, but a potential protegee.
‘So? Who’s this mystery potion brewer?’ Lucius asked glancing over at Narcissa, a hand unconsciously running over the clips.
‘Some Slytherin, there’s supposed to be a box in the common rooms, if you leave a slip for what you want and payment through the slot, supposedly the potions will be there the next day,’ she explained.
Antonin, sitting opposite, agreed, ‘Yeah he’s got a good fair of magic talent, him. I asked for an Alihosty Draught, for that little Gryffindor slag, and bam! It took him no more than a few days.’
Lucius raised his perfectly manicured eyebrow at the strange choice of potion but didn’t ask, turning back to his plate.
‘How much do you leave?’ Lucius hummed, after finishing his last bite.
Antonin turned as he was leaving, yelling back, ‘I left three knuts, but really if you’re going to ask for a nasty potion leave a bit more. Your pockets are rather heavy.’
Lucius side-eyed him as he left with a hearty laugh, irritated at the accusation. His closest circle were probably the only ones who could mock him and still leave with both their honour and limbs intact.
Unbeknownst to him, a pair of onyx eyes had witnessed everything, a little excited for the large pay-out he was promised.
Lucius sighed, waiting until midnight to creep into the common rooms and slip the note in. He wasn’t doing anything wrong but would rather not be suspected of any pranks involving contagious laughter.
Slipping into the dungeon, he began scouring the room for a small black box.
In a rush he had forgotten to pin his hair back, leaving the fringe a frizzled mop on his forehead, and he had only realised this when he met eyes with a shorter man chuckling at him.
‘You,’ Lucius groaned already putting a hand in his pocket to reach for his wand, ‘Who are you?’
‘Severus,’ the raven-haired boy said, trying very hard not to laugh. Though he seemed a little fearful of the prefect, his eyes glued to the floor.
‘Oh,’ Lucius replied sheathing his wand, ‘What year?’
‘Second,’ Severus replied, 'My full name's Severus Snape.'
Lucius racked his brain for information, remembering news from the Prefect’s meeting about a certain dark-haired second-year Slytherin who had hexed two Gryffindors to the point of serious injury.
‘You’re quite magically capable,’ he praised, ‘I’ve heard about you.’
The other made no note to reply, only raised his gaze to look at Lucius' face.
'You're up late,' he noted, 'Could be grounds for detention.'
'How about I do something for you?' Severus offered. Lucius smiled, bribery it was.
‘Well,’ Severus muttered darkly, a little uncertain at the long pause from Lucius, ‘You needed a potion.’
‘I did,’ Lucius answered, coming to the realisation that his dining hall conversation must have been overheard, 'Are you the mystery potions maker?'
'Yes,' Severus replied.
He was surprised the one brewing potions was so young in age, he had expected a sixth, maybe fifth year.
It must’ve showed on his face, as Severus’ expression shifted to a proud smirk.
‘Which one?’ Severus said, getting straight to the point.
Lucius frowned a little at the lack of reaction, normally a younger year would’ve trembled in his presence, especially one running a supposed potion smuggling scheme.
‘Hair growth,’ Lucius said a little quieter.
Severus looked like he was hiding another chuckle as he faked a cough into his sleeve. Lucius sent him a withering look, at least the other had the slightest touch of decorum, despite the tattered clothing he wore.
‘Great,’ Severus replied, recovering from his bout of ‘coughs’, ‘Four knuts, I’m assuming you need a strong one.’
Lucius narrowed his grey eyes, ‘You charge less normally.’
‘I do,’ Severus noted, ‘But I’m assuming you need it faster than usual, and you’re richer than my usual clientele.’
A good sense of business and awareness, Lucius noted. Annoyed as he was, the money meant nearly nothing to him.
With a sigh, Lucius summoned two knuts in his hand, depositing them in the smaller boy's hand.
‘Two, and I’ll give you the rest after you’ve finished,’ he said airily.
‘Okay,’ Severus replied, knowing better than to argue about the payment, ‘Two days, I’ll hand it to you after lunch.’
Lucius nodded in agreement, taking one last long look at Severus, noting his stark eyes and sharp features, before turning to head back to sleep in a flurry of robes and blonde hair.
Two days had passed, and Lucius had just about had it with clipping and gelling his hair, grateful that the potion would be ready soon.
He was sure that about all of Slytherin were sick of it too, as anyone who made a comment on his hair would be unceremoniously blasted into a wall.
Settling down next to Antonin, he scanned around the table for Severus.
‘Have you seen Severus, a second year,’ Lucius asked harshly, making sure there was no room for questions in his tone.
‘It’s not often you ask for people,’ the other noted, ‘Haven’t seen him, but he’s that little half-blood right, looks a little like a rat?’
‘Half-blood?’ Lucius asked, surprised.
‘Yeah, sent the younger years into a fit, but he seems to hold up for his own,’ Antonin replied offhandedly, turning his interest to the pumpkin scones in front of him.
So, Severus was the half-blood he’d heard so much about. Since the beginning of last year apparently, the lower years had been up in arms about a talented half-blood joining Slytherin, Lucius was surprised that it was Severus. After all, he seemed a little meek and small to be so powerful. He had simply assumed Severus was talented in one area.
Lucius scowled, a little upset that such talent had been sullied by muggle blood, but nonetheless saved his rage, he needed something from the latter. He had disdain for half-bloods, yes, but felt sorry for them, they had been cursed by their parents in a sense.
‘Excuse me,’ Lucius said with a slight smile, polite as ever.
Antonin waved him off without questions as he stalked out of the Great Hall in search of Severus. He had waited long enough and wanted to speak to Severus anyway.
It seemed that Lady Luck was on his side, as soon as he entered the corridors, he was met by Severus’ body slamming past him.
‘Well,’ Lucius drawled, eyes flicking over to the four Gryffindor boys in front of him, and the quickly gathering crowd, ‘What do we have here?’
The four boys seem visibly shocked at the prefect’s appearance.
‘Oh?’ Lucius smiled, waving his wand and trapping the boys, his magic overflowing. The crowd, feeling the menacing aura, scrambled away.
‘Black, I’m surprised I’d see you here,’ Lucius said, a cruel glint in his eyes, ‘Shall I tell your mother who you’ve been hanging out with? Hm, perhaps I should tell her that you’ve been losing fights to half-bloods, that should break her little heart.’
‘Fucking Malfoy,’ Sirius growled, ‘I wasn’t losing.’
‘Seems like you were,’ Lucius said a wave of his wand sending two stinging hexes towards the group, ‘Four against one is rather cowardly. The teachers will be hearing about this too.’
He deflected the next charms coming from Black with the poise of a Pure-blood wizard trained from birth and ended up sending a particularly prolonged Twitchy Ear Hex at Sirius. He was sure the Black needed some disciplining.
The shorter mouse-like boy began withering in pain, as the dark-haired one trembled but only ended up falling to the floor. The four began to move away from him, no longer confident and a little shaken.
Lucius huffed, a little disappointed that the spell hadn’t inflicted more damage. Turning his attention to Severus as the Gryffindors scrambled away, he noticed that the other was bleeding rather badly.
‘Come on,’ Lucius said, reaching a hand to sling Severus onto his back.
‘I’m surprised you’d touch me,’ Severus coughed out, blood staining his grey jumper.
‘I can be kind,’ Lucius sighed, ‘Don’t push it.’
As they moved towards the infirmary, Lucius felt Severus begin to limp. Rolling his eyes, he moved a hand to pick up the raven.
Severus let out an undignified squeak.
‘Put me down!’ he yelped, ‘Your reputation going to get ruined after this.’
Lucius smirked, a calculating look in his eyes, ‘It’s fine, we’re nearly there anyways.’
Severus sighed, shouting out protests as they neared the infirmary, strangely not running into any people on the way.
Shifting the younger onto the bed, Lucius walked over to call for Madame Pomfrey.
Severus was left in a state of disarray as he tugged at his hair, hunched over on the bed. He was so confused, why would Lucius fucking Malfoy of all people help him. Perhaps he was being kind as to embarrass him, or maybe it was something more sinister.
Pushing away his anxiety, he reached down to pat at his pockets, sighing in relief as he noticed the potion was still there. Sliding it under the pillow, he shifted to lie back and enjoy a moment of respite.
After a thorough check-up and some quick healing, Severus was left with only a slight pain where he had been hit by the wall.
‘My potion?’ Lucius asked quietly as Madam Pomfrey left.
‘Done,’ said Severus, handing the small vial over, ‘Pretty strong, works better than the store-bought counterpart. About ten centimetres a day.’
Lucius handed him three knuts, but Severus made no comment on it.
‘Much obliged,’ Lucius replied, ‘I’ll take my leave and see to it those scurrying rats don’t bother you anymore, hm?’
‘Yes please,’ Severus agreed, unsure of what Lucius could really do, but surprised at the display of sympathy, nonetheless.
‘I’ll see you around then, lovely to make your acquaintance,’ Lucius smiled genuinely, sending a wink, before taking off, polished shoes clicking against the tiles.
Severus watched the other stride out of the nursery in shock, the smile of the blonde imprinted in his mind.
He felt his cheeks redden in embarrassment.
Lucius fucking Malfoy.