The Lion and Serpent
By
TheBigEmeraldPeacock
Chapter 2 – The Department of Wizarding Culture
Molly's POV
Having apperated to the ministry atrium; Molly made her way through the throngs of witches and wizards towards the elevators. On all walls hung large banners warning of use of the imperious curse, and advising anyone who thought someone was acting suspicious to come forward.
She sighed as she read the nearest banner.
'It's a little too late and not really any help in the first place'.
Anyone close to the order knew that the ministry was under almost complete control by -he who should not be named-.
However he had not yet chosen to come out of the shadows, as it seemed easier to maintain normality for the wizarding public than impose forced rule.
She walked into a crowded elevator, surrounded by flying memos and several unhappy looking goblins. The elevator ascended, stopping on almost every floor. Some people got in, but mostly the number of people decreased as she went higher. It was the start of the day after all and most people were only just arriving at their desks.
By the time they reached the Department of Wizarding Culture; which was only a floor below the Ministers offices; she was the only person left in the elevator.
The reception area was a large wooden panelled room with magical floor to ceiling windows which showed a field of tulips.
At the far end of the room was a single desk with a rather stern looking woman sat doing paperwork.
Molly approached; weaving her way through numerous pink armchairs scattered around the room.
"Excuse me" she said, plastering on a warm smile.
The stern woman looked up; her eyes narrowing.
"Good Morning, welcome to the Department of Wizarding Culture, How may I help you?" she said in a rather dry rasp.
"Yes, I received a letter this morning regarding the Wizarding Heritage Preservation Act 1501" Molly said, pulling out the letter; "I was wondering if I could have a meeting with someone as I think there is a problem".
The woman behind the desk sighed "You'll be wanting to see Dolores Umbridge, shes the one who had the law originally passed and deals with any issues people have".
The woman reached down and brought up a leather bound volume from under the desk.
"Unfortunately the first appointment I can give you is at 1pm; she's booked solid until then".
Molly turned and looked around all the empty chairs; "Are you completely sure that's the earliest I can see her, I mean it doesn't look busy", she smiled sweetly at the woman, "I really was hoping to get this sorted as quickly as possible".
"No" the woman deadpanned, slamming the book shut, "I will see you at 1pm Mrs?"
"Weasley, Molly Weasley" Molly replied, a little taken aback by the woman's irritation.
The receptionist went back to her paper work and Molly took a seat facing the desk near one of the windows.
She sighed looking at the clock hanging above one of the doors on the far wall, 'Its only just past 7 now, perhaps I should go home and just come back later' she pondered, her eyes now fixed on the field of tulips outside the window, 'No I can't go home, the children would probably want to go with me to Diagon Alley once they were awake'.
Molly slumped in the chair, she had no choice but to wait, hopefully someone would cancel their appointment and she could go in earlier.
As she sat in the chair she allowed her mind to drift, 'Dolores Umbridge? Now why does that name sound familiar?' She racked her brain for a moment before it came to her, 'Of course she was the defence against the dark arts teacher Fudge forced into Hogwarts last year'.
She remember how often her children's letters from school were filled with complaints about how evil the woman was; at the time she thought they were just being dramatic; but after the events proceeding the department of mysteries break in she realised just how true it all was.
And now this. Ron was engaged to a Malfoy, and a male one at that. She didn't think Ron even liked boys in that way.
'Of course he's never had a girlfriend, there is Hermione but they always seemed to be just friends'.
In all honesty she had never given the issue serious thought, although considering how oblivious Ron was sometimes, even he might not be aware of his own preferences.
She shook her head, trying to clear it, 'This isn't the issue I should be focusing on'.
She reached into her bag and pulled out some knitting; she had a lot of time to kill.
Narcissa's POV
Narcissa stepped out of the floo and exhaled the breath she had been holding. She hated lying to Draco.
Lucius had already put them both through so much in the past year and she didn't want her son thinking he couldn't depend on her.
'Still, if all goes as planned he shouldn't need to ever know'.
She turned and walked along the rows of fireplaces; meandering through the crowd; towards the main atrium.
She recognized a few faces as she walked, but didn't stop to talk, instead heading straight for the elevator. The metal doors opened as she reached them and she strode inside, waving her wand so the doors slammed shut before anyone else could enter.
"Department of Wizarding Culture"
The elevator immediately complied rising almost to the top story.
'Right underneath the ministers office? Whoever this woman is, she has influence. That or she's a complete brown nose'.
She smirked, amused at her own whit and strode out of the elevator.
Striding through the waiting area, sending any furniture in her way magically spinning across the room, she confidently approached the reception desk.
The singularly unattractive woman manning the desk didn't even look up when she stood before her; but instead simply asked "Name?"
Narcissa was taken aback by this womans total lack of emotion, be it fear or otherwise.
"My name is unimportant" she said, her voice dripping with contempt, "I'm hear to see this Umbridge woman; she sent me the most idiotic letter this morning", she pulled the letter from her clutch bag and slammed it on the desk.
The receptionist finally looked up, surveying Narcissa like she was a toddler mid tantrum. She sighed and picked up the letter; she was silent for several seconds as her eyes moved slowly down the page; eventually she placed the paper back down on the desk and pushed it towards Narcissa.
"I will tell you exactly the same thing I told your soon to be in-law" she said, motioning over Narcissa's shoulder, "If you want to see Umbridge you have to make an appointment, and she's busy!" the last bit coming out as half rasp half shout.
Narcissa snatched up the letter; gave the receptionist one last incensed stare; and turned to see who the woman had been talking about.
Her eyes fell on the Weasley woman sitting in a pink armchair facing her; her hands full of knitting; and her face registering mild shock.
Lucius's POV
Lucius sat in his minimum security cell in Azkaban; staring towards the light streaming in through the slit window.
The cell was small, cold, and damp; but the dementors only passed his cell occasionally and didn't stand on guard permanently.
The only piece of furniture in the room was the bed; which he sat on and was little more than a hay bale.
He missed his own bed; he missed the Egyptian cotton sheets; he even missed the way Narcissa would write notes on his face while he was asleep saying 'Shave, you look like a homeless person.' or 'Cut your hair before people start calling you Lucy'.
He smiled as he remembered his wife, she could be vicious but it was her way of showing affection.
His thoughts were interrupted as a wizard guard banged on the bars of his cell.
"Letter" the guard said, flicking the envelope at Lucius.
Lucius waited until the guard had walked out of sight before picking up the letter from where it lay on the stone floor.
He recognised his wife's handwriting on the envelope. Narcissa had only visited him once since he had entered Azkaban; and that was only to tell him that she wouldn't be writing or visiting as he had put their family through hell and he needed all the time he could get to reflect on what a moron he had been.
At first he had been indignant at her accusations; however after reviewing the events of the past year and the first war he realised that as head of the family he was an utter failure.
'It really must be bad news if she's chosen to break her vow of silence'. He mused, opening the envelope.
For about 10 minutes he read and reread both letters; eventually however he couldn't absorb anything else from either and so leaned back against the wall and analysed the situation.
Narcissa was of course right to worry that this might be part of some plan set up by the dark lord; the law which got them in to this mess was originally his idea as part of his preplanning for what wizarding culture should be like after he had complete control.
Of course he had been banished from the death eaters, 'the dark lord only values me for my money and blood status' he thought bitterly; this of course meant that he had no idea of any more recent plans to defeat Dumbledore and the boy Potter.
However even if this marriage was a coincidence, it didn't mean Draco was out of danger, once the dark lord found out he might try to use it to his advantage.
A light bulb lit up in his head; had this situation occurred several months ago he would have readily proposed they use Draco and this Ron Weasley to get Potter; of course it was common knowledge the red head was Potter's sidekick along with that bushy haired girl who read too much.
However now that he had been so readily cast aside by those he thought his allies.
'Or at least they feared me too much to go against me'; he and his family had been left as outcasts to both worlds. Dumbledore's crew thought him a death eater and the death eaters thought him pathetic.
This situation therefore changed everything, it was a chance to cement the Malfoy family back into a society, and considering he had turned over a new leaf to put family first, he could overlook how pro-muggle this society was.
Standing up triumphantly in his cell, filled with elation, he proclaimed "My son is going to marry the Weasley boy!"
There was relative silence for a few seconds before the inmates of the surrounding cell's burst into hysterical laughter.
'Laugh now' he thought 'but this is my ticket out of here'.
Note from the Author-
Hey I wanted to thank the person who sent me the review, its my first fan-fic and so my first review, so I was really excited when I got it.
I rated the story M for later chapters because all the best stories have some steamy scenes here and there. I am of course terrified of writing these sections so if anyone has suggestions or wants to write a draft sex scene themselves, please contact.
I love getting reviews so don't hold back, any plot ideas or jokes etc you think would work, tell me.
Thanks, until next chapter (it involves smashing kitten plates).