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Golden Hearts	By : BetaBloodLust Category: HP Canon Characters paired with Original Characters > Slash - Male/Male Views: 3689 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: See Full Disclaimer Below--Any chapters containing explicit material will begin with warnings for the wary

Chapter List
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Golden Hearts: Chapter 2: A Reason to Learn

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor do I own the characters within the Harry Potter series. J. K. Rowling owns the Harry Potter series and all original characters introduced within the series. I make no money from this story. All noncanonical characters are fictional fabrications. They belong to me. Any resemblances to real persons or groups of people are coincidence and should be summarily disregarded, and the doppelganger perpetrators should be shot for impersonating my creations. Have a nice day.

Arumus walked through the springy undergrowth, looking for a comfortable place to stop and think. Dew still covered the leaves, and trailers of the early morning mist had not yet withdrawn from the chill beneath the trees. He took a left fork in the path and moved into a small clearing. The sunlight was barely topping the trees, and Arumus examined two dark boulders that were beginning to warm in the morning light. He sat on the larger rock, drawing his knees under his chin and resting his face against his kneecaps. He didn't want to remember, but his mind traveled down, causing Arumus to relive the last time he had lost control of his emotions.

It happened more than a year ago...

Draco had been cornering Arumus all summer to taunt him. The taunts had become increasingly annoying as Draco tried to get a rise out of his cousin.

"I'm going to Hogwarts and you aren't." Draco said in a sing-song voice, laughing at Arumus. "You have to wait a whole year! When I come back, I will know loads more than you. I'll show Father how much smarter I am than you, you pathetic little orphan. My parents took pity on you and raised you for Aunt Bellatrix and Uncle Rodolphus because your parents weren't smart enough to lay low and stay out of Azkaban." Draco laughed triumphantly at the look on Arumus' face.

Arumus felt like Draco had just punched him in the stomach. He felt shocked. Then, he clenched his fists as something familiar rose up within him. An uncontrolled rush of anger and hatred for Draco flared in his stomach and engulfed his entire being. He took a menacing step toward Draco.

Draco caught the wild look in Arumus' eyes and backed against the wall, suddenly seeming less brave.

"Never, ever speak so about my parents." Arumus whispered. Blue eyes flashed with an electric chill. His rage ran wild, the force of it taking on a magical life of its own, smashing everything in the sitting room and flinging shards of glass and wood at Draco. Arumus wanted to rip his cousin to shreds and bathe in the blood.

Draco raised his arms to cover his face as the first wave of broken clutter hit him with the force of a gale. He screamed in pain as the glass and sharp pieces of furniture sliced into his skin. Arumus smiled slightly at the first sight of blood, his fury directing even more sharp objects toward Draco. Suddenly, Aunt Narcissa flew into the room, her wand out. She burst through the cloud of debris, receiving cuts as she forced Draco behind her. Arumus felt shocked seeing blood bloom across his Aunt's flawless, pale skin, but he could no more stop the gale than stop a hurricane because the rage had taken over him. Aunt Narcissa gazed at her wild-eyed nephew and pointed her wand at him, worry and fear filling her eyes.

"Immobulus," She spoke the spell and Arumus lost all control of his body. She flicked her wand at the still-moving debris, disbursing it and effectively breaking Arumus' rage-controlled onslaught.

"What has been going on here?" She asked Arumus. "Why did you attack my son?"

"He's mad, Mother. Crazy. I did nothing to provoke him!" Draco spoke shakily from behind Narcissa.

"Silence, Draco. Well, Arumus?" She studied him over her wand tip, the worry and flecks of blood still marring her face.

Arumus realized that he could move his mouth, though the rest of his body remained paralyzed. He struggled to extinguish the rage, managing to banish the coldness from his voice and eyes. He met his aunt's gaze unflinchingly. "Please, Aunt Narcissa, it was an accident. Draco made me angry when he spoke ill of my parents. I--" he paused to swallow convulsively. "I couldn't stop it from happening. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. Please..." Arumus' voice trailed off and he dropped his eyes, feeling ashamed and somewhat frightened by the vehemence of his own emotions and his inability to control them.

"Is this true, Draco?" Aunt Narcissa asked, raising a pale eyebrow and turning to regard her bleeding and fearful son. "Tell the truth, now."

Draco shot an angry look at Arumus before answering his mother. "Yes, Mother. But--"

Aunt Narcissa didn't let him explain. "Silence. You will come with me, Draco. Arumus, please wait here for Lucius. He will speak to you." Aunt Narcissa flicked her wand, dispelling the freezing charm that had immobilized Arumus.

Arumus sank into a sitting position, regarding the destruction surrounding him. Splotches of blood marked the floor where Draco and Aunt Narcissa had dripped scarlet. He shuddered, remembering the all-consuming rage and his inability to harness the raw, frightening power that burst from within his mind and body. He glanced down at his hands, regarding the marks his fingernails had made in his palms.

He heard footsteps in the corridor and looked up to see Uncle Lucius enter the room. His pointed features showed little emotion, though his gray eyes, always somehow softer when he spoke to Arumus, seemed to hold a tint of worry. He glanced around the trashed sitting room, then focused on Arumus, folding himself to sit on the floor before his nephew.

"My nephew, you seem to have lost your temper." Uncle Lucius' voice was light, even somewhat amused.

Arumus met his gaze, surprised to find Uncle Lucius' mouth twitching at the corners with a suppressed smile.

"Sir, you're not angry?"

"Angry?" he paused, a thoughtful look in is eyes. "No, I am not angry. But I am interested in what my son could say to drive you to such fury. After all, you have been working to control outbursts like this, or I assume you have, seeing as two of the occulmency books are missing from my study." Uncle Lucius looked somewhat impressed. "And I am still unsure how you evaded the impervious spell I placed on the study door, though I know you will never tell me the truth about that."

Arumus paused and smiled slightly. "Yes, sir, I have been reading the books with control in mind. I don't like losing control." Arumus spoke quietly.

"I see. And what did Draco say to you?"

"He said that my parents are imbeciles for getting caught and thrown in Azkaban." Arumus felt the anger stir once more, but he stuffed it down and ignored it. "I don't know why it bothered me so much. Part of me agrees with him..."

Uncle Lucius regarded Arumus thoughtfully. "You think that your parents acted irresponsibly? It is partially true. Bellatrix and Rodolphus were intent upon finding the Dark Lord after he disappeared, and they left you with Narcissa and I to ensure you had a home if they were captured. Because they, along with a few other Death Eaters, attacked two Aurors who were quite popular, the Ministry made their capture a number-one priority. The Longbottoms are still in Saint Mungo's, you know."

"Are they? So the Aurors are still sick?" Arumus had never heard the story of his parents' capture or crimes.

"They were tortured into insanity." Lucius studied the effect his words were having on his nephew.

Arumus felt numb and slightly sick, but he smoothed his face to stillness and regarded his uncle coolly. "I don't care what my parents have done. They are my parents. Nothing can destroy blood-ties. I will not suffer them to be insulted in my presence, sir."

Lucius smiled knowingly. "You are an intriguing boy, Arumus. Though you are not my son, know that I am quite proud to have had the chance to raise you."

The compliment left Arumus with a feeling of deep satisfaction. "Thank you, sir. I am honored." He bowed his head. Lucius reached forward and placed a finger beneath his nephew's chin, raising Arumus' face until their eyes met once more. His gray eyes seemed to search Arumus' deep blue for something, and finally he seemed satisfied.

"So polite," Uncle Lucius murmured, though he seemed lost in thought. Then, he turned, standing smoothly to examine the sitting room, which still lay in shambles. "I will tidy this. Why don't you wait for me in my study? I have a few more books that may prove useful to you. Narcissa doesn't wish for you to lose your temper again."

Arumus had left and gone to his uncle's study. While waiting, he had listened to the small creaks made by the old house. His ears perked as he heard the faint sound of voices above the household noises. He opened the study door a crack and strained his ears to catch the words.

"Lucius, you did not see him. The rage filling his eyes was wild, and he reminded me, for that brief moment, of the D--"

Uncle Lucius cut her off. "Do not voice the thought. Such suspicions are interesting, Narcissa, but the possibility should not be examined unless your dear sister admits it." He sounded disapproving.

"You are right, of course, Lucius." Aunt Narcissa paused. "However, I do worry about Draco's safety, at times. Arumus is too clever to ever strike at him directly, but..."

"Narcissa, please. The simple truth is that the child was provoked. He is our nephew and responsibility, regardless, and it is natural for boys to fight. I do not believe Arumus was angry enough to have caused Draco any lasting harm, and Arumus seems to truly desire control over his abilities." Lucius paused. "Further, Draco will learn to pick his battles more carefully in the future because of this."

"But Lucius, I believe the boy is a danger to our son--"

"You are mistaken. You allow supposed similarities to blind you to Arumus' true nature." Lucius now sounded angry.

"Perhaps it is you who are mistaken, my husband. You see a clever young boy who hungers for knowledge and respects you, but you do not see how effectively he manipulates both of us..." It seemed that Aunt Narcissa was saying more, but all Arumus could hear was a soft murmuring.

"Narcissa," and now Uncle Lucius sounded exasperated, "You have noticed these things, but you fail to notice others. We will speak of this further at another time. Please see to Draco and let him know I wish to speak with him after I finish with Arumus. Send him to my study in half an hour."

Arumus heard footsteps in the distance, closed the door silently, and took the seat before Lucius' desk, waiting for his uncle to find him apparently waiting patiently.

Lucius had begun allowing Arumus access to his study that evening, agreeing that he needed to read more books regarding magic and less, as Uncle Lucius put it, of the "muggle refuse you insist on borrowing from that pestilential library." Arumus had agreed to read fewer muggle writings, though he had not agreed to stop visiting the library or discontinue reading the muggle books entirely.

He sighed and adjusted his knees, wondering once again of whom he had reminded his aunt. He assumed it was someone unpleasant, from the tone of her voice, but it didn't worry him much. Aunt Narcissa had always been nothing but cold toward him. If he had to choose between his aunt and uncle, Arumus would certainly choose his uncle.

Lucius Malfoy treated him differently, almost as if he was not a child at all, sometimes. He always took the time to discuss ideas with his nephew and recommend a book or two. Arumus admired his uncle's innate intelligence, and he recognized in him a man who could not, for many reasons, be entirely honest at all times, even with his own wife. Something deep inside seemed to resonate with that lifelong desire for secrecy, for refuge, and for that safe retreat that always remained just out of reach.

Arumus' stomach rumbled, and he dug the bread and cheese from his pocket, pushing himself up from his stone perch. For a moment, he stood chewing his breakfast lost in thought. He heard a faint rustling noise behind him and turned around quickly. Some rather nasty creatures dwelled within the forest surrounding the Manor.

Straightening, he gathered his library books and set off for the village.
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Golden Hearts