Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling; I am simply a person who liked to play with her creations.

They walked companionably together towards the Manor; the silence that fell between them was no worry. The man on the right occasionally glanced at the dark haired man to his left studying him quietly and contemplating what troubles lay before them both as they passed through the wrought iron gate with no need of opening it. Cane in hand, the man on the right began tapping lightly on the ground becoming wary of the situation that was about the envelope them. It wasn't until they reached the landing in the Manor that the dark haired man spoke,

"Do not worry yourself, Lucius. All will be well."

Lucius shivered slightly, apparently unaware that the giant black doors ahead of the two men had opened to reveal a very large, long table in the centre of the room. All seats at the table were taken apart from one.

"Severus. I am glad you are here," a cold voice drawled from the head of the table and he motioned towards a chair directly next to his.

Severus took this chair, glancing at Lucius quickly with no expression breaking that emotionless face. The man at the head of the table moved slowly from his chair, moving until he was face to face with Lucius and never breaking eye contact. Lucius looked down at the floor, only to see Nagini curled tightly around his master's legs. Looking back up, Lucius caught the Dark Lord's gaze and flinched, his long blonde hair filtering his face from the view of the others.

"Lucius. How lovely to see you again."

"M-my Lord," he began, with a subtle bow.

Lord Voldemort nodded his head slightly, before surveying the younger man with an unperceivable face. He then took out his wand and made eye contact with Lucius once again.

"This wand. It does not work for me. It has failed to kill Harry Potter on several separate occasions. Why do you think this is, Lucius?"

"I cannot answer that, my Lord."

"Can't you? Well, it should seem that I am in need of a new wand, Lucius. I require your wand."

From across the table, Narcissa looked up sharply to see her husband quivering in fear and she felt tears rise but forbade them to fall. Lucius glanced at her suddenly and she gave him a small, but reassuring smile and he took out his wand from his cane. As Narcissa watched him hand his wand over to the Dark Lord, she could not help but think what their lives would have been like if they had never been involved with the Dark Arts or with the Death Eaters or with the Dark Lord himself. As she trailed off in thought, she felt the chairs to her left move further away as another chair was placed beside her. Lucius placed himself next to his wife and ran his hand over hers lightly in need of comfort.

',',',',',',',',',',',',',',',',',',',',',',',

Hermione Granger awoke to familiar surroundings in the Gryffindor Tower and begun to pack her things into her trunk. She was moving to the Head Girl's rooms today, after some confusion between the Head Boy decisions. After a long discussion between Dumbledore and McGonagall, Draco Malfoy was chosen as Head Boy. When Hermione had heard the news, she squirmed a little inside, as there had been many confrontations between her, Harry and Ron and the Malfoy family, especially Draco. She knew she would have to be companionable and reasonable in her actions towards him, but she knew it would be hard to restrain herself from turning him into a weasel every so often.

Reviews please! This is my first fanfic and I want to know how rubbish it is and if I should continue ;)