Great Expectations

Inspired by a line in Rowen Redford's Snape's' Application for PM. (Scroll down for the text.)

"Diploma in potions, St. Ralph's College, Oxford. (Incidentally, if Lucius Malfoy ever tells you he went there then he's a liar. He went to Grimsby polytechnic, as a matter of fact, and did care of magical creatures)…"

… and of course, none of the characters or places mentioned actually belong to me, nor am I profiting from their use.

"Mr Malfoy! Pay attention! Occamy like their food in chunks, not mashed!"

Lucius Malfoy, eighteen years old and, nowadays, perpetually irritated gave his Professor a dark look then ignored him. Oaf… Not that he could understand what the man was saying half the time anyway; his provincial accent bordered on incomprehensible.

The younger Malfoy had breezed through life on a mixture of good looks, charm and intimidation and he'd had no reason to believe it would've been any different at Hogwarts. However, that infernal institute put academic achievement above wealth and family connections and so he'd fail-… hadn't achieved the marks he'd deserved. In fact his results had been so bad no amount of persuasion, financial or otherwise, from his father could sway St. Ralph's College to let him in.
      Grimsby Polytechnic – a polytechnic, for Merlin's sake! – had been the only place willing to take him. It was intolerable! He wasn't even studying anything reasonable like potions, or transfiguration or even bloody charms!
      Care of Magical Creatures… Lucius snorted; generally he found the creatures to be better company than the students. Stupid, parochial, poor: it was hard to distinguish some of them from Muggles. Needless to say he hadn't made any friends here.
      In the depths of his heart Lucius had to admit that, yes, perhaps he could have applied himself just a little bit more than he had. He was far from an idiot, as his young friend Severus had pointed out in exasperation more than once, but there was so much more to life than study. Lucius was a free spirit, he couldn't have been expected to spend seven years reading. That would've played hell with his posture.

Ah, Severus… The ill-favoured and sarcastic youth was one of the few things he missed about Hogwarts. Even as a gangling first year Severus hadn't been intimidated by him, had in fact simply raised an eyebrow at the handsome blond looming over him with menace.
"Can I help you?" he'd drawled, and earned himself a smidgeon of Lucius' respect. Respect that had only increased in their short acquaintance. Severus was intelligent and determined to the point of ruthlessness, though his style of ruthlessness tended to be sneakier than Lucius' own. However, as intelligent and advanced academically as Severus was there wasn't much practical help a second year could offer a floundering seventh year. Not that he'd offered, per se, and had only raised a sardonic eyebrow, again, when Lucius had demanded his assistance. The boy hadn't mocked his obvious desperation, though, and for that Lucius was grateful; there were few who wouldn't have taken advantage of the situation.

"Mr Malfoy!When you're quite done daydreaming…?"
      Lucius shot the Professor a glower, and ignoring the titters of his classmates turned his attention back to the bloody lump of liver he was preparing for his assignment. Morons, imbeciles, idiots; only fit to serve...
      Fortunately the ignominy of this year was transitory. His father had promised to use his contacts and procure a position for him at the Ministry. Lucius scowled: there were conditions, however. He had to do well this year, he had to prove he wasn't an idiot. He stabbed sharply into the lump of meat: if his father had been so inclined he could have got that internship for him as soon as he'd left Hogwarts, but no, being forced to endure a year here in the backwaters was punishment for sullying the Malfoy name. At least Father's concern for the family's reputation had prompted him to take steps to ensure that knowledge of his son's sojourn in Grimsby had been kept strictly within the family. Severus knew, of course – they'd remained in communication – but so far it looked as if his disgrace wasn't common knowledge. Which was good because he didn't know if he could face the delightful Narcissa Black again if she knew the truth, not after alluding that his year-long absence from her social circle was connected with something mysterious, important, and quite possibly dangerous. Though… the beautiful blonde wasn't exactly a fool herself. Lucius couldn't be certain but he'd thought he'd caught a glimmer of amusement in her eyes when he'd taken his leave of her while still maintaining his air of heroic secrecy...
       Well, time would tell if she could keep faith and if she did then it only confirmed his thoughts that the youngest Black girl would make an excellent match. His father had already approved his choice and all that remained was for Lucius to approach the Blacks about courting their daughter. But he wasn't going to do that until he could show he was a wizard of means and ambition. Studying at Grimsby wouldn't help put him in a favourable light for the proud Blacks. No, he'd wait a little longer, until he was firmly entrenched in the Ministry and clearly on an upward career path. Only then would he formally approach Narcissa.
      And if in the meantime it looked as if his intended might favour another, well – grey eyes glittered coldly as he scraped the hunks of meat into a container – there was more than one way to… discourage a rival.