Chapter Eight
Lucius was speechless throughout the Minister's tale of the horrendous childhood and trauma that Olivia had gone through at the hands of her brute of a father. It hit him in the gut as it brought up long-buried memories of his own father. Oh, he was never hurt physically...there were so many more inventive ways to harm and terrify a child. It took him back to raising Draco as well. Another twist of the knife. He'd give anything to see his son right now and say...what? I'm sorry I was an indifferent father who should've shielded and protected you from the monsters like Voldemort? I regret allowing you to be a pawn in my sick attempt for power? His son had deserved so much more.
A cautious voice called from behind him, pulling him from his grim musings. "Lucius? Are you all right?"
Belatedly, he discovered he'd been staring out of the Minister's office window for quite a while, his hands clenched into fists so tight that the whites of his knuckles shown in the falling gloom as the day turned twilight. Turning, he pacified Molly with a self-depreciating tilt of his mouth. "I'm fine, Minister Weasley, I just wish I could..." here his throat tightened to a point that words refused to come forth.
"I understand you quite well, Lucius dear. Now is not the time for self-reproach, or we shall lose her I'm afraid. I managed to track her as far as her new apartment, the miserable excuse for a land-lady was more than forth coming concerning the short-falls of our young lady. She mentioned the child had a man with her...well not with her, as...erm...in the biblical sense of the word, but he would watch her from across the way. From what little she did say, it appeared as if he wanted her to see him, to unnerve and frighten her."
"I think I know who it is." Lucius said darkly, his face set into grim lines.
Not an hour later the former land-lord that had stalked Olivia before, snapping pictures as she slept and hand-fucking himself all over her sleeping form, was held high against a wall with Lucius' hand firmly locked around his throat.
"Where is she, you stinking pile of filth?" he hissed, his wand pointing at the man's genitalia. "Talk, or I shall put my wand to good use and castrate you."
"Lucius dear, you may have your grip on his throat too tightly for him to answer. He's turning an alarming shade of purple." Molly pointed out reasonably, her wand also pointed at the man's nuts. She stepped forward as Lucius eased up his grip. "If I were you, I'd give him the answer he wants. I doubt I could stop him, even if I had the slightest inkling to."
It didn't take him long to begin throwing his accomplices under the proverbial bus. Lucius wasn't particularly surprised when, although no names were forthcoming, a woman had recruited the miscreant. What was surprising was that there was another character in this frightening charade. Lucius had a feeling that they would get no more from this line of inquiry, and was quite ready to dispose of the creature to save humanity from his presence, however the Minister had the foresight to bring along Aurors who quickly dispatched him to Azkaban.
Molly watched as the man was dragged away, then turned to Lucius. "Do you have any idea where to go next?" She watched in concern as the once large, imposing man was brought to near desperation. "We will find her Lucius, I have my best Aurors on the job. You knew her best, who would have it out for the sweet child?"
Suddenly, Lucius' eyes sharpened, then hardened. "I believe I have an idea, Minister...I believe I have an idea."
***Author's Note: Please forgive the shortness of the chapter, I've just had minor surgery and am trying to recover/finish writing chapters, LOL! I seem to always bite off more than I can chew, I think I'm my own worst enemy! Stick with the story, it may be awhile for me to post (our internet is spotty at best) but be reassured that the story will continue until the plot bunnies run out of carrots.