Chapter 10:

Draco felt like destroying something, but knew better since everyone was watching him now. You would think he told his father to come and kidnap the children with the way they were acting around him. If he acted up, the Daily Prophet might turn their eyes from the Snapes to him. This, in Draco's view, wouldn't be too bad if it weren't for the fact that his Uncle Severus would come and hurt him for being so idiotic. He took his newspaper, which he had thrown across the cubicle after reading the lead story, and prepared to leave for the day.

After straightening up the files he worked on that day and putting them in the carton that would magically sort them to their proper places, he put the files to work on at home in his bag. Draco hit his wand to clock out and went to catch the elevator to go see if Melissa wanted to go to dinner. He got off at the Internal Affairs office and quickly found his girlfriend's desk. And then had to dig through some paperwork to find his girlfriend. "Sorry, Draco, I don't think I'll be going to dinner tonight. I've vowed not to leave until I can at least find my bag," she said.

"Don't worry. We'll have breakfast together as always," he said, leaning down to kiss the brunette. They pulled apart and Draco made his way out of the Ministry. He walked down to the station and took a seat to wait for the next train. Someone took a seat next to him. Draco got a weird feeling, a familiar feeling. Draco shook it off and got on his train. A few stops later, he got off and walked into his favorite take-out place to grab some quick dinner. He still had yet to learn to cook, despite the best efforts of Melissa, Mrs. Reinbart, Kiki and his Uncle Severus. He was proud of himself, though. He let Harry and Hermione teach him how to use a microwave and an oven, so the food could be cooked the muggle way. Some food just tasted better that way, he thought. Luckily, Melissa knew that and had learned how to cook in that style.

Draco checked his muggle mail for any bills that might come his way before opening the front door to his apartment building. It was four flights to his apartment, but all those Quidditch practices made it a breeze for the Malfoy boy. He reached his door and was soon inside. He tossed his keys into the bowl on his coffee table, placed his briefcase by the desk and threw his dinner onto his kitchen table. Draco wanted out of his work clothes and into more comfortable ones before making his dinner. He also turned on his radio to the wizard wireless network to fill up the silence of his flat. After slipping on a pair of loose jeans and a "Weird Sisters" tee-shirt, Draco walked back out of his bedroom while reading a file he brought home.

"Hello, Draco," a cold, familiar voice said. Draco dropped his papers and met his father's gray, steely eyes as they stared back at him from Draco's own kitchen table. Lucius Malfoy smiled one of his cruel smiles; ones that made the little Malfoy believe everyone smiled like that for a long time until he learned what a true, genuine smile was. Now, he learned his father's smiles were evil, no matter why they were given.

Draco remained where he was. "How did you get my address?" he asked, staring down his father.

Lucius made a disapproving noise and stood up. "You knew I was back and know I have ways of getting what I want. As a Slytherin, you should've been more careful and cunning in your movements. You've fallen into a rut, Draco, into a routine. And I was able to use that to my advantage."

Draco groaned. "You followed me from work!" he yelled. "Well, now, Father, I'm kicking you out." Draco lunged for his wand and pulled it on his father. "I'll hex you and bring you into the ministry. Then you'll have to return little Sam and Madi to Uncle Severus, as well as the Lupin and Black children."

Lucius smirked and whipped out his wand from his staff. "Expelliarmus!" he yelled. Once Draco's wand was out of his hands, Lucius cast a spell to freeze his son in place. He smiled and walked beside his son, holding the wand across Draco's throat.

"Are you going to kill me?" Draco gasped, laughing a bit.

"Of course not," Lucius replied. "I'm only here to tell you how disappointed I am in you. I know you didn't become a Deatheater like I had hoped and that you fought against the Dark Lord. You followed your godfather's erroneous example and remained loyal to that old coot. I'm here to say you are not my son anymore."

"Glad to hear that, Father," Draco replied. "I disowned you years ago. Now, release me and then go release the children. They serve you no purpose."

Lucius laughed again, but removed his wand. "You will remain frozen there for a few minutes after I leave. However, you will have no time to follow me as I will have already reached the apparition point and be far gone. So long, Draco. I do hope you enjoy your meal." With that, the older Malfoy left.

Ten minutes later, Draco was unfrozen and immediately ran after his father, just in case Lucius miscalculated. He raced the blocks to the apparition point, in time to see his father disappear quickly. "Excuse me, sir," Draco asked the man at the point, "but do you know where that man just went?" The other man could only shrug, leaving Draco clueless.

It was a few weeks in the secluded mansion where Lucius Malfoy was keeping the children. He was starting to regret the whole operation. Of course, he should've expected them to have no stomach for rules. All their parents were Gryffindors. Even the two with a Slytherin father weren't doing anything to preserve themselves—such as following the rules. Within the past weeks, the seven had taken full run of the mansion. He should've locked them in their rooms, but then they might've broken out anyway. He had lost many good robes to various pranks—including one that was still bursting into flames every time Lucius took it out of the closet. He had to give it to those brats—they were smart for their age. Many of his lackeys weren't doing well and Jolene hated how he refused to harshly punish the children. He sighed as he thought of what those brats were up to now—just yesterday, he had found them playing tag in the cellar!

His next biggest mistake was agreeing to work with his former wife and her new husband. Sure, he had his new wife but that meant nothing to Narcissa. Jolene was the only one who was able to go out into the outside, except for his brief foray to see his son, because no one knew her name or what she looked like. He knew that the reporter covering his operation was an amateur because she hadn't done any background work on Jolene. Worked for him. Especially since his old wife was still flirting with him. She was always telling him how her feelings for him hadn't changed and she had just married Cornelius Fudge for security. Jolene would not like that at all.

His biggest worry? The fact that he hadn't planned on all those feelings returning when he saw Narcissa. He had ended up in Canada with no chance of ever returning home to England. Lucius integrated himself well into the small magical community of exiled Ministry wizards and witches. They warned him who were Council witches and wizards—the people to avoid at all costs to his ego. On one of those tours, he met Jolene. She was the secretary at the office he ended up working for, what with his business expertise (that and blackmailing the CEO with pictures of a local call girl who happened to live in the magical zone). They hit it off and Lucius found himself serving Narcissa divorce papers rather than plans for her and Draco to join them once the boy was out of school. He knew his wife would move on and Draco would join the Deatheaters to follow in his esteemed father's footsteps.

However, he didn't plan for Narcissa to marry the biggest idiot possible—Cornelius Fudge—nor that Draco would fight for Albus and work in the Ministry. But he didn't think that he would feel the same seven years later. Of course, there was the contempt for Narcissa, but still the feeling to kiss her senseless. Hopefully, those brats hadn't picked up on the sexual tension between the two. They may be young, but he could tell they were smart enough to use that to their advantage. Especially that Snape brat—she was way too smart for her own good. That had been her father's flaw as well.

He then heard small, childish giggles. The problem with the children's ages were the fact he couldn't tell which of them those giggles belonged too. Only the Lupin twins and the Snape girl didn't sound alike. And that was a bit of a stretch for the Lupin girls as well. He slowly sauntered over to where the giggles came from. He threw open the cabinet to find the eldest Black boy and the eldest Snape girl. "What are you doing here?" he snarled at them. They only shook their head. "Get out. Get out now," he said, pointing at the door. The two went running. Lucius sneered in their wake and prayed they hadn't anything to use against them.

Sam and Giachi ran up to where the others were waiting. They were still giggling like mad when they burst into the room. "Well?" Lily asked, hands on her hip.

"Did you know that Lucius Malfoy talks aloud when he paces?" Giachi asked, while Sam still giggled. The others shook their heads. "Well, he does." Sam nodded in confirmation.

Jamie looked like Christmas had come early. "Quick! What did he say?" she asked.

Sam smiled. "Apparently, he still has feelings for Mrs. Fudge AKA his first wife," she said. Jamie rubbed her hands together. "I'm sure you already have a plan in mind."

"Yes, yes I do. Lily, you pondering what I'm pondering?"

"Unless it involves you and a pillow, no."

"Thanks," Jamie said. "Anyway, gather round. I have a plan."

Rawlins sighed. "This could only end in tragedy for one of us," he said, but huddled up anyway.

Narcissa was busy instructing the house elves on which outfits to lay out for the children. It was quite obvious Jolene wasn't a mother and had no taste in clothing. What Lucius saw in that floozy, she had no idea. But she could help him with the children while helping her Corny. So there, Lucius. "Hey, you think you could get something in red into our wardrobe tomorrow? All the green and silver is driving us Gryffindors mad," a little female voice asked.

Mrs. Fudge spun around to see Jamie Lupin sitting in the doorway. She smiled sweetly at the woman. "What are you doing down here? And Gryffindors? You all haven't been sorted yet," she said.

"So?" Jamie retorted before getting up and darting into the room. She grabbed Narcissa's wand and ran with it. The witch chased the little girl down the hall.

Lucius was resting a bit before the missus returned from her fiftieth shopping spree. As long as those annoying children stayed where they were supposed to, but he could tell that it wasn't the case. He heard the patter of their little feet on the floor above him, the third floor. They were supposed to be on the fourth only! He stood up and stormed up the stairs to tell them to get back to their rooms.

He reached the floor and only found little Madi counting quietly. "You, girl, what are you doing?"

Madi sighed and threw down her hands. "I was counting. You thew me off!" she said, tiny fists in the hips. "Now, I'll 'ave ta start again."

"You will do no such thing!" Lucius roared. "Why are you counting?"

"Because we're pwaying hide and go seek, silly," she said, as if it were the most obvious in the world. "Evewyone else is hiding and I'm seeking."

"Where? Where are they hiding?"

"Well, if I knew, it wouldn't be much of a game."

Lucius sneered down at the youngest Snape daughter and grabbed her hand. "Come on. We're going to find them, okay?" Madi nodded and they paused outside of a room where the giggling was the loudest. At the same time, Jamie came rounding the corner with Narcissa on her tail. She collided into Lucius and the force sent them falling into a nearby room whose door had been conveniently opened by Jamie. Before the former husband and wife knew what happened, they were locked into the room since Jamie had Narcissa's wand. Lucius' was in his study still. "DAMN IT!"

"Nah uh, no cursing in front of the children, Mr. Malfoy," Lily said through the door. Then, little feet patters were heard heading back to the staircase and up the stairs.

"Now the little brats follow the rules!" Lucius yelled, banging his fist against the door.

Narcissa sat on the bed, annoyed. "Well, too bad. You got us in this mess."

"I did? Those children did!"

"And who kidnapped those children as part of a plan of revenge?"

"You are so infuriating! Why did I ever remain married to you for so long?"

"I don't know. I thought I did and then when I was served with the divorce papers, I was confused."

"Well, you were over here and I was over there. I didn't think you would leave the British wizarding society. After all, you have Corny now."

"Oh, I explained it to you already! Where were you? Not listening as usual, right? You never listened to me!"

"Well, if you had more interesting things to tell me and if your voice weren't so nauseating!"

"I wasn't interesting? You weren't interesting. It was always about the Deatheaters and the Dark Lord and the great times coming when he won. HE DIDN'T WIN, LUCIUS!"

"DON'T I KNOW IT!" With that, Narcissa lunged at Lucius and tackled him to the bed.

An hour later and the kids decided that the ex-couple were locked in the room long enough. Sam, Lily, and Jamie decided to be the ones to go unlock them. They were the oldest and felt they could ward off most of the backlash sure to come. Giachi kept the younger children in the room. Sam took Narcissa's wand and repeated the spell to unlock the door. The lock clicked and Sam placed the wand on the floor. "Come on," she whispered. "If they haven't come storming out yet, let's not wait around for them."

The three six year olds were already by the staircase when they heard the door open. They poked their little heads around the corner to see how upset they were. Their little jaws dropped when the two stumbled out without robes and disarrayed clothing underneath. Lucius lost the ribbon that had been holding his hair and it now cascaded partially past his shoulders. Narcissa's hair was all messed up. They were giggling like the children and were smiling at each other. "Now I remember why I was hesitant to divorce you," Lucius whispered—loudly. Narcissa giggled and kissed him. Sam, Lily and Jamie ran back up the stairs, trying not to laugh.

A/N: Here you all go! We're leading up to where my big giant plot bunny attacked me and gave this story a new direction. Hopefully, you all like the direction the bunny took me in. The above section in house was originally a gift to my muse, who wanted Narcissa and Lucius to "hook up at least once." Thanks to all my (usual two) reviewers (where's everyone else?):

SarahtheBardess: Glad you liked the chapter title! Yes, Draco needs to learn to work hard. I think Lucius has learned that taking the books away wasn't the best idea! And the interaction between Lucius and Sam is important for the giant plot bunny. I like Alida too. Anything in Kiki's hands when she's mad is a lethal weapon. The kids like Narcissa as their surrogate mother better. Oh, the chapter title? You know the saying "There will be hell to pay?" Yeah, got it from there.

cerzee: I got the first chapter from her. Unfortunately, she massacred the characters. Really, I think even you guys would be thinking, "That's not Harmony's personality…that's not how Mac would write it." If she's going to borrow my characters, she has to write them correctly. Jeez. Yes, Lucius is regretting the book thing.

Can I say I hate critics? Thanks to them, "Lennon" is closing on Saturday. It was such a good show and no one was going because of those idiots! If you can see it before Saturday, GO! Anyway…Mac