Chapter 5
Chamaeleon: Hidden in Plain Sight
Spring 1974 - Winter 1975
Abraxas and Candace Malfoy had moved into the East Wing of Malfoy Manor after the wedding, leaving the main house to the new head of the family. Abraxas had also lined up several high-profile charitable events to get Lucius' name in the public eye as quickly as possible. Abraxas was in his late fifties and still as sharp as ever. Over the years, he had built a name for himself and held sway at the Ministry; he did not want his son to lose this influence. The Dark Lord, too, was keen for the Malfoys to infiltrate and spy on the top ranks of society, so Lucius had spent the first few months after their wedding accompanying his father to a series of events, functions and meetings. He had watched and learnt from his father, and in the New Year, Abraxas had taken a back seat, allowing Lucius to take the lead. Being young, handsome and extremely photogenic, he began featuring regularly in the Daily Prophet, and was soon rubbing shoulders with rising stars at the Ministry, including Harold Minchum.
Even the current Minister, Eugenia Jenkins, was slowly thawing towards Lucius, and had accepted an invitation to dinner at Malfoy Manor. It was a most illuminating event; Narcissa found that Jenkins was floundering in her role, quite unable to keep up with the constant barrage of death, destruction and disappearances caused by the Death Eaters. She was also under a great deal of pressure from her own party, where murmurs were critiquing her competence and finding her wanting. Not that Jenkins said any of this to Narcissa, but she found that by asking a few delicate questions and studying her eyes, Jenkins' mind revealed all that she needed to know. She reported her findings back to the Dark Lord, who instructed Yaxley and Rookwood, both of whom worked for the Ministry, to start a few malicious rumours. Narcissa was to do the same, and hosted a dinner party for the wives of several high-profile Ministry officials, which soon descended into scandalous gossip. Narcissa put in a word here, made a suggestion there, and applied a few silent Confundus charms to make sure none of the rumours could be traced back to herself. The tide was turning against Jenkins, and it seemed only a matter of time before she would be ousted. The favourite to succeed her was none other than Lucius' new friend Minchum. He was not a blood purist, but seemed more biddable than Jenkins, and he certainly harboured no distrust towards the Malfoy family.
In the spring of 1974, Abraxas launched a three-pronged strategy to firmly cement Lucius in the public's mind as a good and kindly benefactor. He had chuckled, saying, "People love sick people, Lucius, and people love children. So a nice big donation to sick children and people will be all over you!" And so Lucius was booked in for a high-profile donation to the new children's unit at St Mungo's, followed by a substantial donation to the research for a cure for Dragonpox, followed by a large fundraiser hosted at Malfoy Manor, at the end of which they would announce the establishment of an annual bursary for full training for five Healers. Narcissa was so busy preparing for her first event as hostess that she even forgot to be horrible to Dobby for several days, for which the little elf was very grateful. She was also corresponding regularly with Ophiuchus, and received two letters from them one bright but cold March morning:
Dear Narcissa,
Things are going well in Ophiuchus. Barty Crouch Jr, is a real find - Severus used Legilimency on him and he's all for the Dark Lord - despises his father, wants blood purity and is very clever. It's made Ophiuchus meetings a bit tricky, as we have to smuggle him into our common room, but we've threatened any potential snitches and we don't think anyone'll split on us. He's linked up with Evan, and they're working on the Imperius curse with Mallory - they're getting worryingly good at it!
Re Potions, we thought Sluggy would stop supervising now the boys are older, but he seems to have a bit of a thing for that Evans girl and was hanging around to talk to her. We couldn't think of a good way to start making the new potions around them without them getting suspicious, so I had Regulus pick a fight with her (only verbal, sadly. She's Sluggy's favourite, so we have to make it look like a childish argument) and she quit. He got a detention, but now Sluggy just leaves him and Severus to it, so they've started work on the Polyjuice Potion. They said they're hoping to be able to send the first batch to you next week. We'll disguise it as a perfume, I think, just in case the Squib starts snooping. He's taken to lurking around the Owlery lately, probably on the Headmaster's orders, and has already confiscated a few bits and pieces from the lower school (mostly Zonko's stuff). I asked Severus about Felix Felicis, he said he'll write to you separately as, apparently, I couldn't possibly communicate the 'nuances of his argument' correctly. But to cut a long story short, it's a no.
Severus invented a new jinx, 'Levicorpus'. It hangs the intended victim upside down by one ankle. It's probably not much use to you, but we've been using it on the Muggle-born scum and leaving them there as another little reminder that they don't belong. It's seen as a joke so the staff aren't doing anything about it. The counter-jinx is 'Liberacorpus'. He's working on something else at the moment, but won't say what.
Please tell our Master I've been researching and I know where to find the UK's main giant population. I'm working on a method of communication, and am confident I can bring them over to our side. I also need to speak with Greyback at some point (preferably when he's not feeling too bloodthirsty) about some families I think need targeting... Do you think you can ask him to meet me on the next Hogsmeade weekend?
Mallory and Valdis are as keen as ever to rid the school of all the filth. I'm handing over to them at Easter as you suggested so I can concentrate on my N.E.W.T.s (and giant research). Fortunately, no-one can ask what I'm up to when I'm studying giants in the library all day since I'm taking Care of Magical Creatures!
Thanks, Narcissa, and can you send some Caldron Cakes in the next post? I'm asking for the boys, of course, not just me!
Brennan.
Narcissa smiled at Brennan's letter before turning to the second missive she had received that morning. It was written in a small, cramped hand and was unmistakably Severus' self-acclaimed eloquent argument:
Narcissa,
Brennan asked me if I would be able to brew Felix Felicis - a suggestion from Alecto Carrow, I believe? Yes, I could do so with relative ease, however, it is a pointless endeavour.
Most people are put off making this potion as it has unpleasant side effects, it takes several months to brew, some of the ingredients are expensive, and one - the Occamy eggshell - is very rare. However, this is no more difficult a potion than the others in Advanced Potion Making, so I could brew it - and it has been done annually without fail by Professor Slughorn. He has been regaling countless N.E.W.T classes with tales of the wonders of this potion and he has awarded a vial of it to one 'lucky' student each year. If Felix Felicis is really that valuable, difficult to make and rare, would a teacher - especially a teacher like Slughorn, who is known for his greed and avarice - really be handing it out to his students? I know for a fact that he is not above taking and selling off some of the more valuable ingredients to make a little extra income - so why would he be doling out a rare and valuable potion for free when he could be selling it for a tidy profit? And on that note, can Slughorn really be described as a 'lucky' person? He is a balding, overweight man stuck in a middling job with no career prospects, teaching mostly dunderheaded students. He clings to success by riding the coattails of his more gifted students who actually make something of their lives. His idea of influence is hosting those infernal 'Slug Club' parties in his office; hardly a shining example of social prowess. Slughorn is a theatrical man who wishes to appear talented and beneficent. Giving away Felix Felicis is a suitably showy and dramatic portrayal of this persona, with very little personal cost involved. I doubt that even he believes the potion actually works, which brings me to my second point.
Looking at the ingredients, I have concluded that Felix Felicis creates a feeling of confidence and happiness in the drinker. This then leads the drinker to attempt actions which they would usually be too timid to try, and when they succeed, they attribute it to luck, rather than their own skill. They then brag about their success, and the hyperbole surrounding the potion increases. Those who fail in their endeavours after drinking the potion assume that they made it incorrectly, and tend not to share the story of their failure - people are far more inclined to show themselves in a positive light and hide their shortcomings. Therefore, the tales of Felix Felicis working are vastly disproportionate.
Unfortunately, there are enough gullible idiots in the Ministry that the use of this potion has been banned from sporting events and examinations, thereby fuelling the ridiculous rumours that it works. It should also be noted that Libatius Borage (author of Advanced Potion Making) made a great deal of money from selling this brew, so naturally would proclaim its potency.
I believe that only a weak witch or wizard would choose to rely on a luck potion, rather than trust in their own skill. I personally would find it abhorrent to use such a potion, and feel that any witch or wizard worth their salt would feel the same way. The Dark Lord, as the greatest wizard of our times, powers equalled by none, would surely have no need for a placebo.
I hope this adequately dispels the rumours of the effects of Felix Felicis, but should you require further explanation, I would be happy to address any queries. The Polyjuice Potion will be with you next week, then we will begin the Draught of Living Death.
Yours faithfully,
Severus.
Narcissa snorted at the pompous style of writing Severus had adopted, but couldn't flaw his logic. It was true that Alecto Carrow, along with Crabbe and Goyle, had been harping on about the wonders of Felix Felicis, and nagging her to ask Severus to make it. The Dark Lord had asked her to write to Brennan about it, but he had done so with a smirk... she got the feeling he was hiding a joke. He had also asked to see the reply. Will he be offended by Severus' closing remarks? She wondered if she should alter the page, but after a few moments indecision, made up her mind. It was surely a compliment to the Dark Lord's powers that Severus believed he didn't need luck. She put the letter aside to give to Lucius later, and reluctantly dug out a letter from her mother she had been putting off replying to. Her mother was very keen to exert her influence over the upcoming fundraiser, but Narcissa couldn't bear all the fuss she would undoubtedly make, so spent the next half hour formulating a carefully-worded reply designed to appease her mother but ultimately make her leave the matter in her daughter's capable hands.
On the evening of Lucius' next meeting with the Dark Lord, Narcissa was sitting alone in her parlour labouring over the seating plan for the fundraiser. It was dull work, and she was trying to decide where to place a new friend of Lucius' - a European wizard named Igor Karkaroff - when the fireplace erupted into flames. Assuming it was her husband returning, Narcissa did not even look up as she said,
"Hello, Luc, how'd it go? Have you eaten? I had Dobby save you a plate -" but a high, cold chuckle interrupted her monologue, and her head jerked up in shock. The Dark Lord was standing on the hearth rug, smiling at her like a snake might smile at a mouse it is about to devour. "My Lord!" Narcissa jumped up and curtseyed, eyes downcast. "Please do forgive me, I was not expecting -" but Voldemort spoke softly,
"No need to apologise, Narcissa. Manners dictate that I should have allowed Lucius to go ahead and warn you of my coming, however, I decided to surprise you. Please, sit down."
Narcissa rose and settled herself on the sofa, gesturing for the Dark Lord to take the one opposite. He did so, withdrawing a piece of parchment from his pocket. "I have just read the reply from your young potioneer regarding Felix Felicis. He is rather set on his opinions for one so young."
Narcissa swallowed. "I hope he did not offend you, my Lord?"
"On the contrary - I was rather impressed." Narcissa looked up, half smiling as Voldemort continued, "His opinion of that potion - and of Slughorn, incidentally - ally completely with my own. The potion is a dud, and even if it were genuine, only a feeble wizard would choose to rely on luck rather than skill." Narcissa was unsure of whether she ought to answer or not, so kept silent. Voldemort went on smoothly, "I understand this boy is rather a favourite with yourself and Lucius? He certainly has a good knowledge of potions and Dark artefacts. I should like to meet him. Perhaps you would be good enough to arrange for this this coming summer?"
"Of course, my Lord." Narcissa stood as the Dark Lord rose from his seat and approached the fireplace, throwing in a handful of floo powder. He paused, turning back to Narcissa.
"Thank you, Narcissa. Your husband will be along shortly. Once the Polyjuice Potion arrives, send the two boys a gift. It'll spur the others on to greater heights. I want it known that I always recognise and reward true loyalty in all my followers."
"Yes, my Lord. Thank you." Narcissa watched as the Dark Lord stepped into the fire, calling the name of her sister's home. He twisted in the flames, disappearing from sight. Less than a minute later, Lucius was home. He scooped Narcissa into his arms, apologising profusely for the unexpected visitor, and they rather hastily retired to bed.
Narcissa had thought that when people had warned her marriage was made up of hard work and compromise, that they had been exaggerating. She and Lucius had been married for almost a year, and it has been idyllic and harmonious. She had felt slightly smug when Theodosia had regaled her with the tale of her and Dunstan's First Big Row. They had since had several Big Rows, but Theodosia swore it was good for them, helping them to clear the air and better understand each other's temperaments. Narcissa had laughed, and gaily said, "Well Lucius and I don't need to row, we already understand one another perfectly." Theodosia had mimed being sick, and went on to tell Narcissa about the new crate of medallions she was cursing to be sold to gullible witches and wizards as protection amulets. Narcissa was soon forced to eat her words, however, as a silly disagreement over the seating plan for the upcoming charitable event at Malfoy Manor escalated into a full-blown row. Lucius insisted that his mother and father sit at their right side at the top table, but Narcissa had earmarked those places for her parents.
"Your parents have to sit to our left, Luc," she remarked carelessly, inking her parents' names carefully in the coveted spots. "Black ranks higher than Malfoy in the Sacred Twenty-Eight - you know it does."
"I know nothing of the sort!" he growled at her. She looked up, taken aback, and cried out as he snatched the parchment from her. "Malfoy ranks higher than Black, and in case you have forgotten, you are sitting in Malfoy Manor." He waved his wand at the plan, replacing Mr and Mrs Black with Mr and Mrs Malfoy. "I've fixed it for you," he said coolly, handing the sheet back to her, and turning to leave the room.
"Fixed it! You're an idiot, Lucius. Do you have any idea how long I've been working on this wretched plan? It's all right for you, you just swan off with your precious father and hob-nob with a load of pretentious prats and I have to sit here making sure I don't confuse a Shafig with a Selwyn - Merlin forbid - in case it makes you look bad!" She stood up, chest heaving, feeling an angry red flush start to creep across her face. Lucius turned back to her, lip curling as he sneered.
"Oh, I'm so sorry for doing my job. Funny, I don't hear you complaining about my 'pretentious' friends when you go out shopping with Thea spending my family fortune, or when you're featured in the Prophet as my wife thanks to my connections."
Narcissa glowered at him. "I think I misspoke before - you're a pretentious prat, Lucius. And how dare you insinuate I didn't bring anything to this marriage - the Black family fortune is worth more than the Malfoy fortune - and you know it. And I've been slaving away, simpering at all those odious politicians you bring home, making mindless small talk with their empty-headed wives. And since I arranged this whole ridiculous event, I can sit my parents wherever I choose to." She jabbed her wand at the parchment as she spoke, and changed the seating arrangement back. She gasped as she felt Lucius' hand tighten on her wrist and he snarled in her ear,
"You know, no-one would have blamed me for ditching you when your stupid sister shacked up with that Mudblood. You need to remember your place. Black is below Malfoy. And you aren't a Black anymore - you're a Malfoy. Your loyalty is to me first."
"Get your hands off me," she hissed. He released her immediately, but didn't move away. Narcissa tossed her hair and said contemptuously, "You're not even a real man. You just hide behind daddy all the time, riding his coattails. What have you achieved, Lucius, that wasn't handed to you on a silver platter?"
Lucius' face was livid as he dealt his next verbal blow. "You're pathetic. Don't think I don't know what you're doing - you're so desperate to be loved and so scared your parents will reject you too, that you're overlooking all social propriety. Well you're not shaming my family - your parents can sit at our left and they should be on their knees thanking us - because of Andromeda, they shouldn't be invited at all. It's their own fault for not bringing her up properly - they have no-one to blame but themselves."
"If we're talking about parents' mistakes." Narcissa smiled sweetly, trying to stop her voice from trembling with anger. "Perhaps I might just let slip to our dear friend Jenkins what really happened to Minster Leach. Dear daddy Malfoy would face life imprisonment in Azkaban, you know. Then where would we sit your poor, socially disgraced mother?"
Lucius' hand twitched, and Narcissa thought for one horrible second he was reaching for his wand. But he smirked and replied smoothly, "Are you threatening your father-in-law, Narcissa? You stand in his home, wearing clothes bought with his money. You eat his food, have use of his elf, and use his name. And this is what you think of him. You disgust me. You're as bad as those parasitic Mudbloods, taking what isn't theirs."
Narcissa felt the blood drain from her face and her head jerked backwards. His last insult felt as if he had physically struck her. She drew her wand and blasted the sofa into smithereens, screaming at him, "HOW DARE YOU COMPARE ME TO A FILTHY MUDBLOOD!" But Lucius had already reached the door. He looked back at the mess and said coolly,
"You can clear this up. I'll order Dobby not to do it. You aren't a child anymore Narcissa - grow up." And he left the room.
Narcissa was left alone in the middle of the destruction, panting, fury still surging through her. She wanted to follow Lucius, to hurt him like he'd hurt her. His cruel words flew around her brain, and she began to shake with anger. Then, she heard echoes of her own voice shouting, threatening, name-calling; she had been as bad as him. She shook herself. She wasn't ready to face him, not yet. She sighed, and set about repairing the sofa. Once it was done, she walked to her dressing room and repaired the damage her emotional outburst had done to her hair and make-up. She was going to see Lucius and apologise. Theodosia always said apologising quickly after a Big Row was important, it stopped things from festering, and as much as she hated Lucius at that precise moment, she knew with a deep conviction that she still loved him more than anything the world had to offer. She took a deep breath and left her dressing room, stopping short when she saw Lucius was standing outside.
"I'm sorry," they said in unison. They looked at each other for a fraction of a second then both laughed.
"No I'm sorry." He smiled at her, and pulled her into a hug.
"I said it first," she mumbled against his shoulder, putting her arms around him. He squeezed her tightly as he murmured,
"I should never have said that. Any of it. I really do value all that you are doing - I know it can be tedious, and I'm sorry that I haven't been more supportive. And I don't think you're like a Mudblood at all. I wanted to hurt you and I was angry... this apology isn't going too well, is it?" He laughed awkwardly. Narcissa tightened her arms around him, saying firmly,
"It's a perfectly lovely apology, Luc. And I'm sorry for what I said. You are your own man, and I'm proud to be your wife. And I love your dad. I'd never do anything to hurt him. Also, Leech was a swine, so good riddance."
Lucius chuckled and pulled back, looking into her eyes. "I'm sorry I said you didn't bring anything to this marriage. I struck gold the moment I met you, Narcissa. Your family are my family's equal in every way, and you are my equal. And I'm sorry about what I said about Andromeda. I know you're still hurting about that and it was caddish of me to throw it in your face to score a point. It was a cheap shot."
Narcissa felt her eyes well with tears, but blinked them away. "It's ok, Luc. And you're not a pretentious prat. I love you."
"I love you too," he replied, hugging her tightly again.
Narcissa and Lucius solved the great seating dilemma with a compromise; Abraxas Malfoy and Druella Black sat on the couple's right, and Cygnus Black sat with Candace Malfoy on their left. The event went spectacularly well; none of the guests would have guessed that their hosts had just emerged from their First Big Row. Only Theodosia knew, and teased Narcissa for several months afterwards. From then on, Narcissa and Lucius did have rows, like any other couple, but they were able to apologise well and move on and they worked hard to make their relationship stronger.
That summer saw Brennan Wilkes graduate from Hogwarts. He was branded with the Dark Mark and, after recovering, instead of the traditional initiation, was sent off immediately to recruit the giants. Fenrir Greyback was performing a similar role with his own kind; both the werewolf and giant populations were frustrated at the prejudice they encountered from the Ministry, angry that they had been ostracised from normal wizarding society, and were very keen to join a wizard who would allow them to experience the freedom - and bloodlust - they craved.
Narcissa, Theodosia, Antonin, Doyle and Lucius found themselves thrown into a team. "Just like the old days!" Doyle joked. The Dark Lord told them that he had collected some objects he wanted them to transfigure and charm. The group travelled to Yaxley's home, where the Dark Lord was basing himself again, speculating on what the objects could be. Theodosia and Narcissa had already been very busy altering objects for the Death Eaters and creating cursed items for unsuspecting Muggles, so were confident it would be something along those lines. Lucius and Doyle fancied it would be valuable treasure, perhaps creating counterfeit goods to sell to raise funds for their cause. Antonin was quieter, and didn't join in with the general discussion. He looked nervous - and it turned out to be with good reason. The 'objects' were over one hundred corpses, in varying stages of decomposition. Even Yaxley looked queasy as he described the task to the group; they were to create an army of Inferi for the Dark Lord's use. After casting the Bubble-head charm to ensure they each had a clean supply of air, the group entered the cellar and got to work. Fortunately, it only took them two days to complete the job. They left Yaxley's home exhausted, feeling skittish, and with an unspoken agreement never to mention to the horrors of their task again. Narcissa never fully managed to get the images out of her head, and later in her life, she reflected that there was a relatively small number of reported Inferi attacks throughout the First Wizarding War, and she couldn't help but wonder what the Dark Lord has used the rest of the animated corpses for.
Narcissa was nervous about Severus' first meeting with the Dark Lord. She had written to the boy to make him aware of the honour, and instructed him to practise greater control over his Occlumency. 'The Dark Lord must be able to read you, Severus. If you try to hide anything from him, he will kill you.' Severus had written back, assuring her that he was well prepared. His confidence did little to reassure Narcissa, and reminded her that she had been neglecting her own Occlumency and Legilimency. She therefore sought out her sister, and submitted to regular practise with her. She was now able to break into Bellatrix's mind against her sister's will, and was able to block most of her sister's attempts on her own mind. She had also made a rather alarming discovery in her sister's mind. Bellatrix's behaviour was growing more and more erratic every day, and Narcissa believed she had found the reason why; Bellatrix had been practising Occlumency and Legilimency with the Dark Lord himself, and Narcissa believed that he had been changing and altering parts of her sister's mind. It frightened her, and she confided her fears to Lucius, who also looked worried as she concluded with,
"But, why would he need to change her mind, Luc? She's already devoted to him!"
Lucius was silent for a long time, then spoke softly, "I think it's more that he can, Narcissa. Not that he wants or needs to. You only see him at his best; he can be charismatic and charming and likeable - but there's another side to him..." A haunted look came into Lucius' eyes. "I never want you to see him like that, Narcissa. It's beyond anything I can even begin to describe. But if he's changing Bella's mind... you need to be careful. Perhaps you'd be better off practising without her?"
Narcissa agreed with her husband, and gently told Bellatrix that she had learned enough, and wanted to try her hand at teaching someone to put her learning into practice. And so Narcissa began to teach Lucius Occlumency. He was certainly not a natural, but his experience in using the Imperius curse helped, and he slowly grew in skill at closing his mind.
Narcissa begged Lucius to suggest the use of Malfoy Manor to the Dark Lord for his and Severus' first meeting. Lucius was dubious, but did as his wife asked and reported back, to their mutual surprise, that he had agreed. She and Lucius collected Severus from Spinner's End a few days before the proposed meeting, Narcissa surreptitiously leaving a bag of Muggle money on the kitchen table for his mother to find later. Narcissa was surprised when she saw Severus; he had been a small, slightly nervous and unconfident boy, but this time she and Lucius were greeted by a tall, painfully thin, reserved and reticent fourteen-year-old. At first, he was mostly monosyllabic, but Lucius chatted to him in his usual easy manner, describing some Dark artefacts he wanted Severus' advice on, and he soon opened up. He had developed a dry sense of humour, and was quick and sarcastic. Narcissa and Lucius took him to Diagon Alley for some new robes for his meeting, as well as to stock up on potions supplies for the poisons the Dark Lord wanted Severus and Regulus to brew next. They also patronised Borgin and Burkes, where Mr Borgin, this time, did not attempt to pull the wool over Severus' eyes. He picked up a couple more books on unusual poisons, and a book on blood and soul rituals. Even Mr Borgin looked nervous as he handled the tattered volume, and seemed relieved when the transaction was concluded and they left the shop.
"What's that book for, Severus?" Lucius asked lightly. "Not planning to do any experimenting, are you?"
"Hardly," Severus snorted. "It's for Regulus. He's doing some research into this kind of thing, but the Restricted Section in the library at Hogwarts has some books missing, it seems. So I got it for him."
On the day of Severus' and the Dark Lord's meeting, Narcissa felt almost as sick as she had before her first interview. In the end, Lucius sent her to Theodosia's as her anxiety was also putting Severus on edge. Narcissa was summoned back a few hours later. She was greeted with good news; Severus had been promised a place amongst the Death Eaters as soon as he graduated, should his work continue at its current high standard. He was clearly delighted, despite his best attempts to appear cool and collected. His black eyes were glittering, and he couldn't stop a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. Narcissa was so relieved that she hugged Severus, who bore it with embarrassed awkwardness, before ordering Dobby to prepare them a special dinner to celebrate. As they ate and drank, she couldn't stop one thought circling around her brain; His father is a Muggle and his mother is a blood traitor... Surely the Dark Lord won't allow them to live... She kept these thoughts to herself until they had taken Severus had home, then she confided them to Lucius. He looked troubled and spoke slowly,
"I think, Narcissa, what he does about his parents will be one of Severus' tests... No-one of his birth has been a Death Eater before, and the Dark Lord expects total loyalty. He's unbending, and I don't see how he can have someone with such parents serving him... but you mustn't interfere, Narcissa!" Narcissa opened her mouth to argue, but Lucius forestalled her. "No! I mean it this time! This is between the Dark Lord and Severus. We can't get involved. It might not even happen! You never know, they might die of something before Severus graduates and spare us all the problem."
At this Narcissa snorted with laughter. "Oh yes, let's just hope they meet an untimely end within the next couple of years!"
"You know what I mean." Lucius took her hand. "Severus is growing up, Narcissa. He knows what service to the Dark Lord entails. He's cunning and resourceful, he probably already has a plan. Let him work it out. You won't do him any favours if you wade in unasked. Ok?"
Narcissa sighed and looked into Lucius's grey eyes. "Fine. I understand. You're annoying when you're so wise, you know."
Lucius smiled and kissed her gently. "I know. And I love you, too."
Back at Hogwarts, Mallory and Valdis, in their seventh and final year, had thrown caution to the winds and launched another attack on a Muggle-born. This one was a Gryffindor, named Mary MacDonald. Far from being displeased at their lack of restraint, however, the Dark Lord had lavishly rewarded the two boys, who had gotten away scot-free due to a carefully constructed alibi created well in advance, and cunning use of the Polyjuice Potion. Valdis had impersonated Mallory, and had been speaking with Slughorn at the time the real Mallory had ambushed the girl, using the Imperius curse to send her unarmed and bare-foot into the Forbidden Forest. By the time she was found, she was dazed and confused. She had been poisoned by stepping on a highly toxic plant and attacked by creatures she could not positively identify. Her sketchy testimony that Mallory had been responsible was quickly dismissed. The school was apparently buzzing with rumours that the members of Ophiuchus were 'Death Eaters in training', but nothing could be proved. Slughorn staunchly defended his favourite Slytherins, so the other Heads of House could do nothing about it.
In 1975, Lucius became even more powerful and influential at the Ministry as Eugina Jenkins was forced to resign her post and Harold Minchum became the new Minister for Magic. He was a hard-liner, and responded to the increasing violence of the Wizarding War by placing more Dementors at Azkaban. This delighted the Dark Lord, who had sent Wilkes in to negotiate with the creatures. They had been interested in the Dark Lord's cause, and promised that they would join him if he would allow them to prey on more souls than they were given by the Ministry. Less pleasing, however, was the rise of Barty Crouch Senior, who ascended to the rank of Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Minchum proved to be less biddable than Lucius had originally thought, and he and Crouch were as ruthless in taking down Death Eaters as the Death Eaters themselves were; Crouch awarded the Aurors powers to kill, rather than just capture. Albus Dumbledore was also making his presence known. He had been recruiting a secret army called, according to Barty Crouch Jr, who heard his father talking about it, 'The Order of the Phoenix'. The Dark Lord scoffed at the name, but he seemed to take the threat seriously; Lucius, Narcissa and Theodosia were presented with more corpses to turn into Inferi, and then sent them into Muggle London. The panic and chaos that ensued shook Minchum and Crouch, and the Aurors had to turn their attention to slaying the undead beings, healing the injured and wiping the memories of the survivors. The Dark Lord was not done, however, and ordered Wilkes to launch a giant attack in Scotland. The siege lasted several days, and amongst the dead was a Robert McGonagall, younger brother of Professor Minerva McGonagall.
"It was terrible, terrible!" Minchum told Lucius and Narcissa, as he dined at Malfoy Manor the week after the attacks. "Truly awful. The Dementors were chomping at the bit to enter the fray - we may have to allow it, if this kind of attack continues." Narcissa listened acutely, reading as much as she could from the Minister's eyes, and Lucius expertly guided the conversation, encouraging him to open up a bit more than he should about the Ministry's next course of action. After he left, Lucius immediately departed to join the Dark Lord, and reported back all that they had learnt from the unsuspecting man. And so, despite the best efforts of Crouch and Minchum, the Death Eaters were still one step ahead.