Disclaimer: Harry Potter stories are not mine.

AN: I know this is not a very long chapter, but it's necessary. I wanted to get it out before I leave for my trip to the UK and Ireland (on July 22). When I get back, I might decide to make this one a little bit more detailed than I have it, and refine it a bit.

I know that what we're all about to read a book that will undoubtedly change our opinions of many things, including this story, but I've decided that I will be keeping to my original story of how I imagined it to be, despite anything that happens in the book, but I might decide to change a few details in the future of the story so that it's closer to what happens in the book. Maybe. What do you think?

I am going to get my copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows tonight at midnight, so I'm not expecting anyone to really read this until they've read the book, but when you do, please leave a review! Thanks for the great reviews for the last two chapters.

Keep the Faith

Chapter Ten

Lucius Malfoy was a top security prisoner. He had been constantly surrounded by dementor guards and the sounds of all the other dangerous criminals that were imprisoned in the high-security wing. It was these prisoners that Voldemort did not want released from Azkaban. And Lucius Malfoy knew it.

That is why he was so surprised when he felt the sudden lifting of emotions as he sat as usual against the hard wall. The unnatural darkness disappeared along with the lightening of mood that was literally unknown within these walls. The Dementors had gone, he knew. Lucius rose to his feet slowly, narrowing his eyes in wariness, unsure at first what was going on. That was until he remembered what the boy had said. Had Draco actually blackmailed Arthur Weasley into setting him free?

Lucius was sceptic, to say the least. Draco was a boy that sometimes had trouble getting what he wanted – he almost never showed his real potential, something Lucius had tried to drill in the boy - but he was known to wimp out for some things. Lucius had not believed that the boy could actually succeed in something so cunning and genius.

Lucius felt a sudden surge of pride well up within him. It was strange. He hadn't remembered ever feeling this strongly about anything. Lucius knew that the dementors probably affected him less than anyone else because he knew how to control his emotions and had made a point to be detached from everything.

Lucius walked slowly to the bars of his cell. From a certain angle, he could see into the other prisoners cells. He looked around and noticed the others doing the same thing. They must have all realised that the coldness had lifted off them. Lucius leaned forward, putting his weight on the bars and the door collapsed in front of him, swinging forward. They all looked at him.

Lucius looked all around, on the lookout for something suspicous.

He noticed something on the ground by his feet. He bent down to pick it up. A broomstick and a wand were lying isolated on the ground with a note. He picked it up slowly.

You'd better leave this country, for the boy's sake and your wife's sake, or else I'll have to do something about it. – A.W.

Lucius smirked and reread the note. Well, that was it, he thought. I'm free.

The hollow eyes of the prisoners followed him as he moved out of his cell and walked toward the exit down the dark wing holding the broom and his wand, not even glancing at the other prisoners as they yelled out after him, rattling their bars.

Once he would reach the exit, he could fly away. Finally. To be out of Azkaban would be a welcome change.

(((KTF)))

Lucius had flown for a bit, then appparated in Spinner's End. Snape wouldn't mind, he was sure. True enough, his old friend wasn't even there.

The rumble of thunder could be heard with flashes of lightening through the window. It was raining hard. More than usual, he thought. Lucius looked around at the familiar house and moved slowly to the nearest armchair to sprawl his long form out in thought.

He had to get Narcissa, which shouldn't be too hard considering it was his manor, and no one knew all of the secrets but the three Malfoys themselves. He knew that his house had been used as the Death Eater Headquarters, and he couldn't, no matter what, leave that alone.

Lucius looked cooly at the wall. He knew that his son wanted him out of the country. He could do that, but he couldn't just leave.

He could leave his mark among the Death Eaters, and get some sort of revenge. Or he could confront the Dark Lord himself. His master. He could gain back the favour that he had lost at the ministry, and he would be in the Dark Lord's inner circle once again. Lucius smiled with mirth at the thought.

But…

What Draco had said made a lot of sense. If he wanted to live on his own terms, to get his son and wife away from the Dark Lord, they would have to leave in hiding.

Narcissa, who was not a weak woman, had relented and given up Malfoy Manor.

And Draco, well… Draco was in hiding already, sure to be killed the instant he was found.

Lucius ran a hand through his long platinum blonde hair, and glared in annoyance. This – all of this – was that Potter boy's fault.

Lucius made up his mind. He would get Narcissa and leave the country.

He would go to the Malfoy Manor, knowing full well that it was infested with Death Eaters, and then he would take her and go.

Lucius took a shower in Severus' bathroom, taking advantage of the man's house, and then apparanted to Malfoy Manor.

He appeared in a stone corridor of the dungeons and made his way purposely through the maze of hallways.

He couldn't know where there were Death Eaters at that present moment, but he could be cautious and take only the hidden passages.

Lucius moved like a serpent through the different rooms of his house. When he knew he was near the entrance hall, Lucius stopped, hearing a noise. He turned around suddenly to find none other than Severus Snape approaching him from behind. The dark haired man nodded his head in greeting. Lucius reponded in kind. The two old friends watched each other.

"You were at my house, weren't you." Severus said wryly. Lucius smirked.

"I figured you wouldn't mind." He replied. Severus grinned suddenly, and the two men embraced briefly.

"You don't seem surprised to see me, Severus."

"I'm not." Snape told him. "I was helping your boy with a few… minor details."

"Ah – I wondered how he had managed all that." Lucius said.

"Don't discredit Draco, Lucius. He's quite intelligent, you know."

Lucius raised an eyebrow, and discarded the subject.

"Severus – where's Narcissa?" He asked, getting to the point. He knew that he would have to find her quick before anyone else knew he was here.

"She's in her room. They let her keep her own chambers."

Lucius nodded his thanks and turned to leave.

"Lucius." Snape's sharp voice held him in place, but he did not turn back. "Take her and get out. Don't do anything rash, or you will get yourself killed, and you'll take them with you." He warned.

Lucius turned around to face him, but he had already disappeared.

Frowning to himself, Lucius started walking again.

He made his way through the corridors. He must have been on the second floor when a sudden schreech – or more like a cackle – pierced his ears.

"Well, well, well, look who it is." Standing in front of him was his wretched sister in law. Lucius raised an eyebrow lazily and held his wand out at her. He inwardly cringed at his luck.

"Bellatrix, my dear, you would do wise, I think, to go back to whatever hole you crawled out of." He said calmly, tauntingly.

Bellatrix laughed at him. "I wonder what the Dark Lord will do when he finds you here, Malfoy." She said. "Shall I go fetch him for you? Want to take a bet on how long you'll be alive?"

"Crucio!" He yelled, sending the witch to the ground, screaming in pain. He held her there with his wand. Finally, some revenge, he thought. Let that wench suffer.

"Lucius Malfoy." A high pitched voice sent chills down his spine, and he froze.

Walking into the room was none other than the Dark Lord himself. Voldemort.

Lucius fell onto his knees. "My Lord." He said reverently.

As the Dark Lord approached him, Bellatrix's cold laughter came back slowly, chillingly.

"Bellatrix, begone." Voldemort banished her.

When the area was silent, he approached Lucius, who adventently kissed the hem of his robes. "Forgive me, my Lord." He whispered.

"Get up." Lucius found himself being dragged up with magic, and held around the neck. He found himself looking into the blood red eyes of the Dark Lord, and he couldn't look away.

Memories suddenly flashed through his mind – His time in Azkaban, Draco's visit, his escape, reading the letter from Arthur Weasley – but then, his whole life began to flash through his eyes, his days at Hogwarts, his initiation to becoming a Death Eater, his marriage to Narcissa, Draco as a baby, and as a child, and at the ministry of magic last year.

As Lucius watched in horror at the red eyes as thoughts blurred through his mind, he knew that the Dark Lord was reading his thoughts. But he didn't know where that had left off, and his life flashing before his eyes began. All he knew, was that this was the end.

He was thrown to the ground, and his gaze shifted to the doorway behind Voldmort.

Narcissa had just entered the room, and she stood in shock. His look was apologetic, as he nodded to her to leave the room.

He looked back to the Dark Lord. His wand was out.

"You have betrayed me, Lucius. You will pay. Avada Kadavra!"