"Oh, my," gasped Mr. Borgin, and almost collapsed on the counter. "Dear, me," said Mr. Malfoy, "this looks like a half Dark Mark." "Is that bad?" asked Perselium. "No, no," said Mr. Malfoy, "I have one too." He rolled up the sleeve on his robe to reveal a mark on his arm that was a skull with a snake going through it.

Perselium found herself, a minute later, being pulled out of the little shop. "Come Perselum, " Mr. Malfoy said sternly. "Let-go-of-me!" said Perselium, trying to loosen Mr. Malfoy's tight grip on her shoulder. She pulled out her wand and said, "Skintilla!" and once again, a rainbow of sparks came out of the end, this time into Mr. Malfoy's face. "Arrrrrgh!" he said, and pulled his wand out, "Windardium Leviosa!" he said, and in a split second, Perselium found herself struggling to get back on the ground. Suddenly, they turned into a more cheerful alley. Mr. Malfoy groaned, he obviously didn't like this place. "Hello, Lucius," said a cheerful man walking by, "can I take you for a drink?" "Sorry, Mr. Laetum," Mr. Malfoy said darkly, "I'm too busy." "Oh," said the man, "well, another time then," and walked away. They walked up to a brick wall. Mr. Malfoy put Perselium down, and tied her hands behind her back with ropes. He tapped the wall a few times with his wand in a circular direction, and all the bricks moved aside. Perselium was very used to this. At her home, you couldn't open a door without tapping it with your wand first. They walked into a strange pub, and then into a place that Perselium had never seen before. Everybody was staring at them, and Mr. Malfoy was staring at everybody. Only once, a man said, "Hello, sir," and Mr. Malfoy replied, "Greetings, muggle." They walked into a telephone booth, Mr. Malfoy dialed a few numbers, and a lady's voice came from not the phone, but the place where it rested. "Welcome to The Ministry of Magic," it said, "please state your name and business. "You should know who I am," Mr. Malfoy said, "I'm Lucius Malfoy. And I have an orphan here. She's ahh. . .ahh. . . How old are you?" he asked Perselium. "I'm three years old," she replied. "She's three years old, and her name is Perselium Potter." Two badges fell out of the place where the change usually came out. They said: Lucius Malfoy, Ministry Employee and Perselium Potter, Orphaned Witch.

"Can-we-MOVE?" yelled Mr. Malfoy. The floor of the telephone booth went downward. And they stopped at a door that said, "Department of Adoption." "W-what's going on?" asked Perselium. "How would you like a new mother and father?" asked Mr. Malfoy. "WHAT?!?" screamed Perselium, "I want MY mother and father!" She started to cry. "I'm sorry Perselium," said Mr. Malfoy calmly, "I can't bring your mother and father back." There was a silent pause. "I wish I could." He crossed his fingers under his robes.

"Oh. . .Okay," replied Perselium sadly. "How, as for a new mother and father. . .how about. . .Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy?" "O-okay," replied Perselium, after all Mr. Malfoy, Perselium thought, was a very nice man. Would she like him for a father though? They stepped up to the desk in the small room, where a man said, "Why hello, Mr. Malfoy, how are you?" "Just fine, Horseman," he replied. "And this is?" "Perselium Potter," replied Mr. Malfoy. The smile faded off the man's face. "P-Potter?" he asked.

"Why hello, M-miss P-Potter," the man said, "h-how do you d-do. "Fine," replied Perselium. "Horseman," said Mr. Malfoy sternly, "do-not-speak of this." "Yes, sir," said Mr. Horseman. He gestured toward a great, stone double door. It opened when Mr. Malfoy tapped his wand and muttered some funny words. They went into a smaller room that had a lot of chairs. Mr. Malfoy went to the fireside he took some Floo powder out of the bucket on the side. He threw it into the fire as the fire turned bright green.

Mr. Malfoy stuck his head inside the fire and said, "The Malfoy Manor!" He did not go anywhere, but Perselium occasionally heard him say, "Oh Narcissa!" or, "But she's only a little girl." And only once she heard a woman scream , "OH FOR GOODNESS SAKE! AT LEAST LET ME MEET THE GIRL!!!" Mr. Malfoy took his head out of the fire, which remained green. "My wife would like to talk to you," he said. Go on, stick your head in and talk!" Perselium gave him a sour look. She stuck her head in the fire and heard the woman's voice again. But this time it was kind and sweet. "Why hello, little girl." "Would you mind calling me Perselium?" she replied, trying to keep a smile on her face. "Of course, of course, Perselium," the woman said, "I am Mrs. Malfoy."