Life always came with regrets.
More regrettable still, we usually never got the chance to make up for them.
So we placed greater expectations on our children.
Often, we even expected more of them than we expected of ourselves.
But Abou was different. He had no regrets about his child, only dissatisfaction.
"If I'd been by your side back then, I never would've let you go to the Potter family."
Abou said loudly, "You trusted him so much, gave him power, gave him status, but look at what he did in return!"
Voldemort silently took a sip of his drink. In truth, this was a sticking point for him, too.
It wasn't that Lucius had failed to stop him from going to the Potter family. It was that, in the future he'd glimpsed, Lucius had betrayed him.
Once a traitor, always a traitor.
It sounded imposing, but self-interest could make even the simplest things complicated.
What was more, Lucius was not without ability.
"He's very clever, Abou."
Voldemort set down his glass and said quietly, "We can't expect our children to be just like us. Since you, I haven't seen another Pure-blood wizard as perfect as you. You expect too much of him."
"No."
Abou waved his hand decisively. "Without you, Tom, he'd have done very well. I guarantee it. But I'm not blaming you."
Voldemort nodded, showing that he didn't mind.
"But your arrival means the Wizarding World could become something different. I can't say it'll definitely be better, but it certainly won't be worse. This is an opportunity—the Wizarding World's opportunity."
Abou swung his arms like a lion. He was a passionate orator.
"The Malfoy family should be fighting for this, fighting for the Wizarding World. But he's too indecisive. What he's given you isn't enough."
Voldemort raised