Thump! Thump! Thump! the little ugly elf came down the stairs, a tray filled with cakes and teacups which clung towards each other in his hands. He almost fell down the stairs as he saw nothing over the pile of cakes and spilt tea all over the tray, so when he finally made it to the table, the cakes were swimming in tea sucking it in like sponges. The elf was not unhappy though, he was so old and blind by now, failing to notice much anything, not even the huge rolls of dust on the floors. The chandelier was dusty, the walls were dusty, so were the paintings, the mantelpiece and chairs. The elf himself never sat on them, so there was nothing or no one to wipe them clean.
"Tea and cake for you madam?" the elf asked. No one answered.
"Yes, of course, fill my cup you stupid elf!"
The offensive squawk didn´t come from anywhere else, than the elf´s own mouth. He bowed so low that his ugly nose wiped some dust off the floor. Then he poured some tea into the cup which had been full to the brim before most of it had been spilt all over the tray.
"Can I offer you some cakes I baked this afternoon, my lady?" he asked in a humble voice.
"Go ahead, don´t just stand there and stare Kreacher!" he yelled in a shrieking voice.
"But of course," he then continued and ran around with the tray, putting all the soaked cakes orderly on plates, bowed again and left the room mumbling: "Always happy to serve the noble house of Black!"
The room was left empty. The wind was roaring outside, rain splattering on the windows. The only sound of this and the huge family clock ticking loudly in the living room. It was getting darker and darker. The elf was making up beds in the upper bedrooms, lighting fires that no one was going to feel happy about and mumbling to himself. Suddenly, the door in the first floor was crashed in with a loud bang. Kreacher yelled and wanted to hide into one of her old mistress´s cupboards but decided to go and see what was all that fuss about. In had come two men. One of them was tall, with shoulder-length blonde hair, holding a walking cane like a sceptre. In his steps walked a younger man, with short blonde hair. They looked much alike, only that the other one was glancing fearful looks around him, his chin trembling as if he was ready to start crying any moment.
"Kreacherrr!" yelled the older man.
"Master Malfoy," said Kreacher, running down the stairs and bowing so low that his back was going to crack.
Master Malfoy only hit him with this walking cane of his and said: "Stop being funny and tell me have you seen any green locket in this house?"
Kreacher squeaked and took a few steps back.
"Kreacher has not been through his mistress´s possessions. Madam Lestrange is having tea and can show you everything once she is finished of course," and he bowed quickly.
The man winced with his nose. "What are you talking about you imbecilic moron!" he barked.
"Father," said now the younger man. "I don´t think he is quite in his right mind. The house is empty. There is no one."
"I can see that myself, Draco," said his father. "We must search the house! We must find the locket or else we get housebound again! We don´t want that now, do we?"
"No, certainly," said Draco.
They were walking in and out of the rooms, yelling accio locket! to summon it but nothing remotely green and silver revealed itself.
"Maybe someone has been here before us?" asked Draco fearfully.
"Don´t be silly," said Lucius. "Who could have been here? The last Black is dead and most from the order have been killed."
"I know, I just wondered. Well..."
"Well, what? Don´t talk back to me."
And Lucius marched off angrily, his son scurrying after him.
"Who has been here? Answer me!" he yelled at the house elf.
"No one besides Madame Lestrange, and that Nymphadora scum. Kreacher saw her but he was sure that noble Madam Les..."
"Stop with this nonsense!" yelled Lucius. His face was jerking with fear. That Nymphadora scum he had said. She had taken it. Where had she taken it to? Certainly, always! Potter boy must have been behind it. He thrust the walking cane against the floor with such force that both Kreacher and Draco startled.
"We are going to Borgin and Burkes!" he decided.
Draco frowned, obviously confused but followed Lucius all the same.
They arrived on Knockturn Alley just by the time, Borgin and Burkes was about to be closed. Lucius stormed in, his son after him more hesitatingly and significantly less bold. Fenrir Greyback was behind the counter.
"You cannot storm in here! Oh, it´s you!" he said looking his two guests.
"Evening," said Lucius gloomily. His countenance looked almost grey in the dim light.
"Listen, we are not what we used to be, Malfoy. You have fallen utterly disgracefully and not I nor any other death eaters will listen to any commands you may find yourself presenting," growled Fenrir.
"Not even at the request of the Dark Lord?" Lucius hissed. "You disappoint me."
"I may well disappoint you, but who is disappointed in you? The Dark Lord may have gotten you out of Azkaban, but he will no trust you with anything remotely important these days. We know it just as well as you do."
Lucius was angered by this treatment. One may guess it was the first time in his life, he received any like that one. He was especially angered by the fact, that his son was there to witness it.
"I know not what you have heard, but I cannot believe you have forgotten your last conversation with Draco," said Lucius.
Fenrir now looked at Draco like he hadn´t even noticed him entering with his father. He gritted his teeth.
"I do remember," he said more obligingly.
"We have not sunk as low as you guess, Draco has a mission to accomplish, don´t you Draco?" said Lucius.
The boy nodded. He didn´t look frightening at all and Lucius wished he would make more impact. He poked his son with his walking cane behind his back so that Fenrir could not see.
"We know you have information about other werewolves. You recruited them in the army, after all," said Draco, taking a step towards Fenrir.
"So?" Fenrir looked suspicious.
"We think you may know where Lupin is. You have to find him. He is one of the last from the Order who hasn´t been caught yet."
"I am not your house elf to catch people for you!" shouted Fenrir.
"I killed Dumbledore, have you forgotten?"
"Snape did," snapped Fenrir.
"I almost killed him..." mumbled Draco now losing a bit of his nerve.
Lucius felt the impact starting to wear off.
"Draco did let in the Death Eaters, you amongst them. Surely, you remember. He cornered Dumbledore! My son is worth more than you give him credit for and you will pay when the Dark Lord finds out!" he said in a cold voice.
Draco looked at his father with astonishment. No doubt there had passed a very long time, since the latter had spoken well of him. Fenrir frowned. It had been a clever move. Draco had the impression that he would do anything to receive more praise from his father.
"I´ll see what I can do. I haven´t seen anyone remotely Lupin-like in a while. He must be in hiding," said Fenrir.
"As are everyone these days who haven´t been caught yet. You make sure, you find him. Till the next full moon," said Lucius and left the shop with these words, hanging shrill in the air. Draco gave Fenrir one last nasty look and closed the door behind him.