Prologue
Summer, 1997

He was running. Through the dark streets of Paris, a left then right and again a left. He needed to hurry; he just knew someone was watching him. A primal fear enveloped him. And he ran more desperately; finally he came to a small courtyard. He checked around to make sure no one was present; and yet his heart was pounding with fear.

Impatiently he banged on a door. A slab was pulled from the door. A rusty looking man peered through it.

"It's late, what are you doing here?"
Still huffing from the excursion of running along the streets the tall blond haired man hissed, "Patrice open the door, it's urgent. I need to speak to him."
"Him? What's the urgency?"
"Just open the door!"

Giving a nasty sneer Patrice slide back the slab; a second later with a loud click the door swung open. With absolute urgency the blond man darted into the foyer of the place. Without glancing at his surroundings he scrambled into the house. Darting into the sitting room; he frantically looked around and finally spotted a pot containing a shimmering powder. Picking some of the powder he threw it into the fire place which instantly roared with green flames. He gasped out "Malfoy Manor"

A chalk-like pale face appeared in the fireplace. Red eyes with vertical irises like a cat and a flat nose with slits; the entire appearance was like a snake face. A face which invoked fear in the wizarding world. Lord Voldemort looked displeased. With a frozen coldness yet cultured tone he asked "What is it Lucius? This better be good!"

"My lord I think we've been compromised. I saw our contact here being arrested in the ministry. Someone is onto us master. The local auror's had all the evidence in hand as they arrested him!"

The dark lords eyes glowed with suppressed rage. "How did this happen?"

Lucius made a non-committal noise giving a frightened look.

"My plans were supposed to be completed without any glitches. It's of absolute necessity that no one finds out what we are trying to achieve!" Voldemort hissed. "Go back to the French ministry! You need to wipe out any evidence there is of our hand in this!"

Lucius suddenly blanched. "To..o the ministry my lord?"

"Yes! I need all evidence wiped clean! Come back empty handed, I'm sure Narcissa would not enjoy the pain."
Lucius paled considerably.
"Go now!"
With a shudder Lucius tumbled back. With a last menacing look Voldemort's face disappeared from the fireplace.

Lucius Malfoy was even more terrified now than before he had this conversation with the dark lord. Going back to the ministry now would be highly risky. Especially after the arrest earlier this evening. The entire French law enforcement department would be on high alert. Yet he had no choice; he had to go back and remove all traces of his involvement and presence from the ministry.

After taking a deep breath to center himself. He slowly left the house, passing Patrice on the way, who was giving him a contempt filled look. Walking into a dark side street he turned and disappeared with a pop.

********

The French magical ministry was situated in the same buildings as the muggle ministry. Each department had its own buildings mostly. Lucius appeared with a slight pop in front of the Ministry of foreign and European affairs. The department was located on the Quai d'Orsay near to the National Assembly of France.

Ignoring the muggle entrance, he walked towards the magical gateway. With a slight tap of his wand a cool female voice cut through the night. "Welcome to the ministry of foreign and European affairs, please state your name and purpose of your visit. For dept. employees please flash your identity coin instead. Thank you and have a pleasant evening."

With a nervous look around, he slipped out a bronze coin with tiny writings and identification number. Slowly he pressed the coin into a coin shaped dent near the door. He could feel the magic of the identity charm activate and then with a click the door swung open.

After ascertaining his glamour charms for disguise were completely on place. Lucius cautiously entering the dept, he was surprised by the eerie silence of the place. No one was around. It was unexpected. he was sure that he'll find all of the law enforcement investigators crawling through the dept after the arrest just this evening. But it was empty.

Exalting a relieved breath of air; he briskly started walking towards the door of the dept. head. He was relieved to find no perimeter wards around the door. Cautiously he entered the room; making sure to make no noises. After all guard or no guard you can never be more careful. He slowly looked around the room.

The room was in a state of disarray. Evidence of the arrest earlier; it seemed like Minogue, his contact the dept. head, had put up a resistance. But end of the day was over powered. Also the investigators seemed to have thoroughly searched the office for evidence. Cautiously he went towards the portrait of an ancient looking dragon. Checking around again to see nobody was present. Slowly he rolled his right sleeve up; tapping his forearm with his wand, his concealment charm vanished to proudly display a skul with a snake protruding from its mouth. The dark mark!

Pocketing his wand he lightly pressed his palm to the portrait of the moving dragon. With a slight hiss the snake tattoo moved from the mouth of the skull and slithered to his palm. It still creeped him out when-ever he had to do this. Once the snake tattoo was on his palm, which was pressed to the portrait; it let out a long hiss. Suddenly the portrait glowed a hideous green colour, eerily like the killing curse. And then with a sudden pop it disappeared. Behind the now empty space was a cabinet shelf. It was filled with scrolls, letters, emergency stash of galleons and a foe detector. With a relieved sigh he started collecting the letters and scroll. There was no point taking the money. After putting all the important documents in a bag magically enlarged internally, he stepped back. With a sudden glow and a snap the portrait was back in place. Like there never was anything behind it.

Relieved by his success at retrieving all evidence which could have compromised his masters plans. Lucius turned towards the door now in a hurry to leave the place.

"Now wouldn't you join me for a drink? After all the trouble I went through to get you here Lucius."

He stilled, his heart pounding like a dam about to burst open. He felt the sudden primal fear grip him the way it had when he ran towards his safe house to contact the dark lord. This couldn't be happening! He instinctively reached for his wand, only to find his pocket empty. Panic and fear erupted in him.

"Tut tut now Lucius, did you really think I would not have disarmed you already? Come now have a seat."

As if his body was not in his control, he turned. There sitting on the dept. head chair obscured in darkness was a slim figure. Leaning comfortable in his chair, he was twirling a wand. With a start Lucius realized it was his wand. With trembling hands he gripped the chair opposite to the man on the other side of the table and sat down.

"Excellent" With a wave of his hand the man made a firewhiskey appeared in front of Malfoy. At the same time Lucius noted that even though the face of his opponent was obscured, his body was that of an adolescent. If he didn't think it was highly unlikely he would have thought this was a teenager. Like his son; the fear gripping him subsided a bit, maybe he could fool this kid and leave?

The teen started chuckling. "Really Malfoy, I don't think you can fool this kid and leave."
The teen waved his hand again. Abruptly the bag with the scrolls and letters besides Malfoy disappeared with a crack. Lucius yelped in fear. Everything was lost.

Panic gripped him; this boy could read his mind. Just like master! Just who was this kid?

"Ah Lucius, you wonder who am I? I'm the one your master fears the most."

The teen leaned forward, messy black hair, startling green eyes stared back at him, a handsome face.. the face of Harry Potter.

And Lucius's world dissolved into darkness..