Back to School
The next day Narcissa Malfoy put on her most respectable robes. They were royal blue velvet, and though they looked as heavy as chain-mail, they were as light as feathers. She swept downstairs to see Lucius, waiting for her in the hall way.
'There...' said Narcissa, 'I believe I look like the perfect prospective parent!' she said spinning around.
Malfoy allowed one side of his mouth to creep into a smile, before pulling her towards him and leading her out the door. They were to take a Portkey to Hogwarts.
As Narcissa approached the imposing building of Hogwarts she was hit instantly by a comforting wave of nostalgia. She smiled into the sunshine which was now just cresting the north tower. Walking up through the courtyard, they met their guide.
'Lucius... good to see you.'
Malfoy clasped the man's hand in a firm shake, 'Severus, hows tricks?.. may I introduce, my wife.. I think you remember Narcissa Black?'
Severus Snape nodded slowly to Narcissa and smiled, 'I do indeed, a fellow Slytherin, if I'm not mistaken?'
Narcissa, feeling slightly uncomfortable under Snape's gaze said, 'So you two have kept in contact, all these years? Is it a long time since you have seen each other?'
Snape looked sharply at Malfoy, 'Not so long as you might imagine.'
As they were taken into the school a flurry of Owls flew above their heads and Narcissa smiled, remembering the excitement of mail time at breakfast.
After an hour or so, the Malfoys reached the library. As they approached a slim, spindley woman approached;
'Irma Pince, welcome to the library.' she said extending a hand.
The couple shook her hand, and began to wander around the library. Lucius could see that Snape was not intending on leaving them at any point. Though he and Snape were of the same faction, he was not sure he wanted this information, whatever it might be, to be overlooked by any outside his immediate family. He eyed Narcissa, who, awaiting his signal, walked langorously over to Snape.
'Severus, will you now take us outside, I long to walk on the grounds again...'
Snape smiled compliantly and motioned for the two to leave the library.
Lucius remained, 'I am going to stay here for a while... check out the literary facilities...take my wife though, I sha'n't miss her'
Severus stopped in his tracks, 'we will wait for you then, I am your guide and it would be rude to abandon you.'
Narcissa stepped close to Snape, 'We can leave him, he bores me,' she sounded so imperious that even she was surprised, 'I want you to take me for a walk outside, I think I need the air...I'm really hot...' and she locked her eyes with his so that apparently he could not refuse.
Once alone, Malfoy began walking swiftly towards a shelf, he had already scanned the numbers when they had first been shown around and knew exactly where he had to go. The school was devoid of most students as it was the holidays, even so, Malfoy glanced furtively round him as he plucked the book from the shelf. He balked at the title or the book, A history of Muggle Rome. He could not even understand why such a book was in existence. Well, it is certainly the last place anybody would think to look. Flicking through the dusty pages he arrived at his destination. It was a long list of names. Malfoy looked at the top of the Page - Catalogue of Popes cont...
He stared at the page, thinking that they must have made a mistake in deciphering the cane. Then he saw something that made the hairs on the back of his next stand up. It was his name. Pope Lucius. This would not have been so shocking, had the name directly before him been 'Cornelius'. Suddenly the book flew from his hand, across the room and into the hands of none other than Fudge himself.