Malfoy was lounging in his chair; a rather depressed look on his face.
"Right, so we've got 1 Sickle," Malfoy sighed.
"Yeah, now all we need to do, Master, is to go down the house-elf fights and put it on an elf that's a dead cert but has got odds of forty thousand to one," Wormtail said hopeful.
"Know you of such an elf?" Malfoy asked interested yet suspicious.
"No. But we could make one," Wormtail said.
"No we couldn't, Wormtail. Oh god, I suppose you have to be told sometime. Sit down. What happens is: a mummy elf and a daddy elf who love each other very much get certain urges...," Malfoy explained
"No, no, Master. What I mean is: we could get a mad wild Hippogrif, and disguise it as an elf, but it'll be such a strange-looking elf that no-one will back it, but we'll know it's a Hippogrif so we'll put money on it," Wormtail said.
"Only we will know," Malfoy said suspicious.
"Yeah -- if we stick it's ears out enough and hide it's tail" Wormtail said.
"Yes, alright, alright, Wormtail. A chat with you and somehow death loses its sting," Malfoy sneered.
The door swung open and a messenger entered again. He took of his hat and bowed.
"Mister Malfoy, the Dark Lord does demand your presence on pain of death," he said.
"You're not making any friends here, you do know that, don't you, messenger!" Malfoy roared.
He took his head and cloak and ran off.
Malfoy burst through the doors and fell on his knee before Lord Voldemort.
"My Lord, you sent for me again," Malfoy said.
"Yes, Lucius. I wanted to apologize for the silly trick I played on you," Voldemort said, his red-eyes downcast. "It was naughty and bad of me."
"It was, my little snaky bottom. If you weren't quite so big, it'd be time for Mr. and Mrs. Spank to pay a short sharp trip to Bottyland," Bellatrix said sternly.
"Thank you, Bella. And thank you, Lucius," Voldemort said.
"That's all? ," Malfoy said a bit surprised.
"Yes. Thanks for coming," Voldemort said as he reached out his hand and shook hands with Malfoy.
Malfoy bowed and turned around to leave. As he opened the door, the trio started to cackle again.
"That was very funny too, wasn't it?" Voldemort said as soon as he had caught his breath.
"My Lord," Lucius said, arching an eyebrow.
"Dragging you all the way across town again just to say sorry for dragging you all the way across town the first time!" Voldemort said. He stopped laughing and a vicious look spread across his eyes. "It was Fudge's idea. I think it's wonderful, don't you?"
"It's fantastic. Fudge, I prostrate myself at the feet of the world's greatest living comedian," Malfoy sneered as he took a theatrical bow towards Fudge.
"Oh, you are super, Lucius. Oh, Lucius, erm, I promised Fudge that I would play shove Galleon with him, but we have no coin. Do you have a Galleon?" Voldemort said stretching out his hand.
"Unfortunately, only a Sickle, my Lord. What a shame!" Malfoy said.
"Oh, no -- a Sickle will do just as well," Voldemort smirked.
"Oh, good!" Malfoy hissed as he handed Voldemort the coin.
When Malfoy returned home, he found the corridor filled with smoke. "Oh Merlin, this place stinks like the Hog's Head. Wormtail, have you been eating cooked Thestrals again?" Malfoy said.
At that moment Macnair rushed out of the drawing room, swinging his arms around Malfoy's neck.
"What?" Malfoy sneered.
"After literally an hour's ceaseless searching, I have succeeded in creating gold. PURE GOLD!" Macnair said as he dragged Malfoy in the room. Wormtail sat at the desk.
"Are you sure?" Malfoy asked.
"Yes, Master! Behold!" Macnair said enthusiastically as he unscrewed the top of a small box. Their faces bathed in green light.
"Macnair, it's green," Malfoy hissed.
"That's right, Master," Macnair said obviously not realizing the problem.
"Yes, Macnair, I don't want to be pedantic or anything, but the colour of gold is gold -- that's why it's called gold. What you have discovered, if it has a name, is some... green," Malfoy sneered.
"Oh, Lucius, can it be true? That I hold here, in my mortal hand, a nugget of purest green?" Macnair said.
"Indeed you do, Macnair, except, of course, it's not only a nugget as it is more of a splat," Malfoy said bored.
"Well, yes, a splat today, but tomorrow, who knows? Or dares to dream!" Macnair said, his eyes opening wide in excitement.
"So we three alone in all of the world can create the finest green at will," Malfoy remarked.
"Thus so!" Macnair said. "I'm not sure about counting in Wormtail, actually," he whispered.
"Of course, you know what your great discovery means, don't you, Macnair," Malfoy said as his eyes narrowed.
"Perhaps, Master," Macnair said hopeful.
"That you, Macnair -- are an utter berk! Wormtail!" Malfoy roared as he sat down on the chair by the door.
"Master?" Wormtail asked.
"Pack my bags; I'm going to sell the manor," Malfoy sighed.
"What?" Macnair and Wormtail asked in surprise.
"There's nothing else for it. I mean, I shall miss the old place, I know. I've had some happy times here, when you and Macnair have been out. But needs must when the devil vomits into your kettle. Wormtail, go forth into the streets and let it be known that Lucius Malfoy wishes to sell his house. Macnair, just go forth into the street," Malfoy sighed with a dismissive wave of his hand.