Chapter 29 Ritual, The End of the Malfoy Drama I

Inside a cell in Nurmengard Castle, an old decrepit man was leaning against the cold ground. His eyes were fixed on the window, which offered a view of the ancient castle atop a hill. However, the man seemed lost in thought, his eyes seeing beyond the landscape.

As his eyes roamed over the white tundra and sparse vegetation amidst the ice, he saw something more special: the future. "Destiny failed, was altered, what should have happened has changed, the predestined has lost his place, and only a chaotic era will prosper. Who will prosper? Who will fall? Who will cry? Who will die? The gears turn and align, but one thing is certain, he is present, guiding an unusual shepherd. He doesn't breed sheep, he herds humans. The wolves announce, the ravens sing. Death and prosperity accompany him. When will he come? I don't know, not even destiny knows," he rambled, lost in his visions.

"Things will get interesting in the next decade," he contemplated with a glimmer in one of his eyes. "Dumbledore. How will you deal with him..."

But soon he fell into sadness. "In this prison, I can do nothing but wither and die," he closed his eyes. "One thing is certain, nothing will remain the same when he arrives, but it is still early. Even I cannot predict what will happen."

"Don't cry, little star. Your future will be bright, an intense light before the black sky," he said, trying to comfort himself. After finishing, only silence dominated the cell. He returned to the solitude of his thoughts.

…..

Lucius contemplated the preparations of the last few weeks, the ingredients brought to him, many rare ingredients, the aspects for the salvation ritual were almost complete. The moon was already high in the sky, all that was missing were the participants.

He walked through the long corridors of the Malfoy house, each step firmer in his decision, every detail of this house or these corridors, everything reminded him of his purpose and commitment to his heritage and duty. He arrived at a finely carved wooden door, it was the room he and his wife Narcissa shared, memories flooded his mind.

Knock, knock.

Lucius knocked on the wooden door to get his wife's attention while contemplating their marriage with a certain regret.

The terrible marriages of the Noble wizards were always cruel to the ladies, often leading to bad beginnings in relationships, although with Narcissa it was facilitated, she always supported him in some way, acting like a perfect lady.

As he waited for his wife's response, he smiled a little, remembering the days they met, when they were not yet engaged, simple and innocent times.

In Hogsmeade, she was in her final year at Hogwarts.

In those times, there were no current complications. In Hogsmeade, Narcissa was walking with some friends when they were approached by a young Slytherin wizard named Hadrian Hovell.

"Hello Miss Black, I am Hadrian Hovell, a noble wizard of the 5th generation. I would like to invite you for a chat, or a date. You will have a lot of fun," Hadrian said, smiling expressively.

Narcissa, however, only looked at him for a few seconds. With grace and elegance, she replied, "You are a nobody in the 6th year. Get a grip, boy." Her words were said in a snobbish tone, and her hand returned to her waist in a haughty pose.

Lucius found the scene hilarious, with this nobody courting the Ice Queen of Slytherin. He knew it could only end in tragedy. The boy felt offended and took out his wand.

"You lit...", he couldn't finish because his voice was stuck with something else: toads. A spell that even a first year could learn, but it was still hilarious.

Lucius approached, determined to win that lady. She would be his wife. When he got close to the unfortunate guy, he said with a sarcastic voice, "Notable Mr. Hovell, I see you are looking for a princess. Maybe you'll have a better chance if you kiss this toad," Lucius said, holding the toad close to the guy's mouth. He used a subtle Confundus charm.

The boy, compelled by the spell, kissed the toad in a hilarious way. Lucius smiled with satisfaction, enjoying the misery of the young wizard in front of him. Narcissa and the other ladies laughed.

"Good times," he said, with a slight smile on his face. They had their ups and downs, but in the end, their marriage was happy.

The investment he made to marry a Black was certainly worth it, even though it was difficult at first. With time, he came to love her more and more. Sometimes he found himself making concessions, like currently, sleeping in his office.

Due to problems with his son Draco, an almost magical abortion, and his very talented but female daughter, it led to a strain in his relationship with his wife. The fights and discussions made him concede some points and give Narcisa her space.

But today is different.

He heard his wife's voice from inside the room, a little muffled but audible. "Lucius, you can come in," she responded with a cold voice.

Lucius expected such behavior, he just nodded and entered. "Narcisa, you know I would do anything for the future of the Malfoy family."

"Yes, I know about your plan for the sacrifice ritual that will improve Draco's talent," she said in a cold tone. "But I don't agree with it. Elise is perfect as she is and can be a good Malfoy heir."

Lucius just contemplated. "She is wrong. She is a woman, despite her talent, she is not fit to assume the position of a lord. Her future will be one of sacrifice, where she will serve to help Draco achieve the true potential of a Malfoy lord."

Narcisa became furious and looked at her husband's face with disgust. Her emotions were running high, and then she tightened her magic wand and looked into his eyes, almost pleading. "Lucius, don't go through with this, for us."

The emotional red eyes, the slightly reddish skin, the angry and irreconcilable expression, none of it seemed to diminish the beauty of his wife. It certainly had an emotional impact.

He felt his stomach churning at the sight of his wife's plea, but his decision was already made. "As your husband has ordered, obey me by following the vows, contracts, and oaths." He said in an authoritarian tone. The magic acted upon her, preventing her from taking any action, acting like a puppet controlled by strings. "Now bring the two children, we will perform the ritual, and Draco will be a good heir."

Narcisa had no choice but to follow, at least for now. Without anyone knowing, she carried an iconic coin in her hand, with butterflies in a triangle.

….

The room had a solemn look to it. The place had magical candle lighting, which reflected on the white marble floor, creating an intriguing visual. Lucius, his wife, and children entered the hall, where a man dressed in ceremonial clothes was waiting for them alongside a majestic unicorn. "Thank you, Severus. We can begin," he said as he and his family found a spot in the grand hall.

Runes and symbols were drawn around an altar, and a large cauldron of potion was right in the center.

Severus approached the cauldron, took the ingredient list, and began preparing the potion an hour before midnight of the new moon. He lit a candle and began by placing a Navesa root in a stone mortar. Snape then ground the Navesa root with a pestle, making slow and steady circular motions while murmuring a prayer to the forces of nature. He was very careful when handling the Navesa root, as its poison can be fatal. When the Navesa root was completely ground, Snape put it in a copper cauldron and added spring water, lighting a fire under the cauldron.

Next, Lucius took the phoenix feather and held it over a candle flame to purify it. He then added it to the cauldron. As the potion began to boil, they added a sprig of rosemary and a tablespoon of honey, mixing everything with a wooden spoon. Snape added a pinch of sea salt and three drops of lavender essence. Finally, he walked up to the Draco, which was in Malfoy's hands, and took a drop of blood from it, adding it to the mixture.

Snape removed the cauldron from the fire and began stirring the potion clockwise, with slow and rhythmic movements, while murmuring an ancient magical poem. He stirred the potion for exactly seven minutes, until the mixture began to glow and emit a gentle and comforting aroma. Snape turned off the fire and removed the cauldron from the heat, allowing the potion to cool slowly.

When the potion was completely cool, Snape strained the mixture through a silk filter and transferred it to a crystal wedge-shaped container. The mixture was ready to use. Snape took out the potion that Lucius had previously ordered from his clothes and handed it to Lucius. "My part of the deal is complete," he said in a firm tone. "The last part is very personal to your family, good luck." Snape bid farewell and left the room, leaving only Lucius, his wife, and children.

The situation in the room became even more tense, and Lucius watched as his wife played with a coin, but he didn't think much of it. After all, she couldn't do anything, the contracts were absolute.