Lucius was checking all the enchantments and locks on the doors before he went to bed that evening, when he found Raphael beginning to slip out of one of them. At least he had convinced the boy to actually use the doors instead of apparating directly in or out of the manor.

"Where are you going?" Lucius demanded.

Raphael paused and turned to him. Without much expression, the boy said, "Darn, I've been caught. Oh well, it's not like it matters."

Lucius slammed the door shut. "Where are you going?"

"Where? Please Lucius, I've been coming and going from your house for months now. What makes you think I'll change my habits in a single moment? Because you asked? I don't think so."

"This is my property. I have the right to know who is or is not on it." Lucius reasoned.

"So I tell you I'm leaving your property then it won't matter where I go from there, because the world is not your property, not yet anyhow."

Lucius steamed silently. Why couldn't he remember that this boy was as good as the Dark Lord with manipulating people and seemed better at logical reasoning?

"But," Raphael sighed, "I guess that's expected from a man who can't control his fate, he tries to control everything else. In this case, demanding to know where I'm going."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that you are between a rock and hard place, to use a muggle saying. You've spent the last ten years struggling to build a safe place for you and your wife and son. But now that Voldemort - oh don't flinch, it's the name of the leader of your new regime - is back, your son and wife are in an extreme amount of danger. You hate having the Dark Lord back. I know you're going to try denying it. Go ahead, I don't blame you, Voldemort - and there you flinch again - doesn't take lightly to anything but absolute devotion."

Lucius glared at the boy, aggravated that a child could see through him so easily.

"There is that boiling anger." Jeremiah said, "It's just been hiding behind a veil of fear. Back to where I am going. It's none of anyone's business. Just because I resurrected the Dark Lord with my own flesh, doesn't give you enough reason to trust me. You don't know why I did it, what my past is, what my nature is or anything about me. Point is, don't trust me. I do what I want. Nothing more or less. And since I do not want to tell you where I am going, I won't tell you."

Then with a wild smile that created strange dancing light in his eyes, Raphael said, "And if you persist, I will love to see how our precious Voldemort deals with servants who are less than loyal."

Lucius stepped away from the boy. There wasn't much else he could do. Raphael nodded then opened the door walking out and shutting it behind him leaving Lucius feeling as helpless and hopeless as dead leaf being tossed around in an autumn breeze.