Price of Peace

Chapter Eleven

Dead Ends

Malfoy Manor

England

Lucius was not expecting company this evening, and it was not welcome. He let Nott and Goyle in reluctantly and lead them to the parlor. He had finally relented and acquired a new elf. She was young but he rarely saw her, and the house was cleaner. He refused to admit that the others had been right on the matter, however.

"Dinner will be served in ten minutes. Either finish our business in that time or join me for the meal and finish it after. I refuse to eat it cold." Lucius said with a frown.

Goyle was not one to turn down the offer of food, even reluctantly offered, so they agreed to stay for dinner before getting onto the business at hand. Nott, for his part, agreed as well, having decided that bad news was better received with a full stomach. Lucius didn't care either way. His mood had grown increasingly dark with each visit since his family had left.

They waited in silence until a bell rang before following Lucius into the dining room where dinner was already on the table, two extra settings placed. "I see you got yourself a new elf then." Goyle said as they sat.

"Unfortunately. This one is young, barely trained. I want my own staff back from that thief that runs the school, and I will win eventually." Lucius snarled.

"Malfoy, we've been over this. Repeatedly. He committed no crime; our hands are tied on the matter." Nott sighed tiredly. He did not want to have this conversation again. He wanted to finish his business here and go home in time to see his own children off to bed. Goyle, as usual, seemed unbothered by the exchange. He had explained this to Malfoy himself several times, though he shared Malfoy's feelings on the matter.

It had stirred a debate in the offices. There was a divide on the subject of how they should handle such things going forward. Some had suggested that to prevent this in the future additional spells should be placed on marriage contracts to prevent ownership of assets becoming merged. Others felt that things should remain as they were since this was not a common issue. The Malfoys situation was the first legal complaint of its kind, on the rare occasion this had happened before, it had been considered a civil matter, not legal.

Shackbolt had ended the debate earlier today by bringing to light that the added precaution would have done little to help Mr. Malfoy in the end, as it was Mrs. Malfoy that the at least part of the staff had come from at the beginning of their marriage. A wedding gift from her father. Neither man told Lucius of this office debate wisely. He was already in a foul mood without added information and they already were bringing him terrible news.

After an awkward dinner that only Goyle seemed to enjoy, Nott decided that it had been drug out long enough. "Malfoy, we came around this evening to give you distressing news."

"If someone has ordered another raid on my home, I will be taking it up with the Minister himself." Lucius growled.

"No, fortunately the last one annoyed the head of the office enough that she said there would be no further investigations without proof. She felt we were wasting resources, which I must say I agree. After all I was the one that pointed it out to her last week." Nott smirked. "No, we bring you terrible news on another matter altogether."

"It's not the Dark Lord either." Goyle interjected as he sipped his tea. "Terrible it was, when I went down to the office today. I had a thought, and decided to follow up on it, before other matters pushed it from my mind, you see."

"Your mind is very shallow; I can see why that would be a concern." Lucius said, "Out with it already. I am a busy man, no matter what the Minister seems to think."

"As I was saying, I went down to the office today, and I asked around- "

"Stop dragging it out Goyle. Bad news should just be given. Rip it off like a bandage, so the wound has a chance to heal." Nott said.

"Who's the one telling this story Nott?" Goyle said with a smirk.

"Oh, for Merlin's sake!" Nott threw up his hands. "What this idiot is trying to say is Draco's been officially declared untraceable."

"What? What does that mean? Speak plainly." Lucius said with growing dread.

"It means that he had not performed any magic or had magic preformed around him since the day he went missing." Nott said. "Which means either your wife has managed to suppress his magic which should be impossible, or he's dead."

"You have no tact Nott. None at all." Goyle said, shaking his head. "You can't just bluntly tell someone their child is presumed dead."

"What?! That is impossible. Narcissa would never bring harm to that child. Neither would Snape, as much as it pains me to admit it." Lucius said, dread growing in his stomach even through his denial. He had of course heard before the boy was unable to be traced, but to speak it so plainly, that everyone assumed his son dead was unthinkable. He had been ignoring the lack of Trace in his thoughts for weeks now, not wanting to dwell on it.

"It is possible, though not probable, that he has somehow been masked…or the Trace was removed early." Nott said.

"The Trace cannot be removed early. I have never once heard of a case where it was removed early." Goyle said.

"So, how could he be hidden then?" Lucius interrupted; he hated the way the other two squabbled on a good day which was far from today.

"I do not know of any ways for that to be done, Malfoy. The likelihood that Draco has been completely without slips when clearly in a stressful situation would be next to none. I can't imagine that Snape or your wife would wish to go long without their own magic for that matter." Nott frowned. "Though it is possible I suppose if they were hiding in the Muggle world. Aside from Draco that would make more sense than the other theory."

"So, then lets assume my son is being hidden among Muggles."

"The suggestion that he is in Muggle hiding is not new, the biggest problem is that there have been no blimps." Nott explained. "Which is why he has been officially listed as presumed dead. Expect a similar issue for Narcissa in the next few days. Though for that one I shall send you an owl. Either way, as of now, we have nothing further to look into in your case. I am truly sorry Lucius, but your son is gone until and unless Narcissa choses to bring him back. Assuming she can."

"The largest issue involved in this, is the Ministry will assume him dead once the report is noticed, and likely your wife as well." Goyle frowned. "It is entirely possible that you could fall suspect at that time."

"It shouldn't become an issue before they attempt to send him his owl for Hogwarts, and I have every intention of finding him long before then." Lucius said dismissively.

"Normally, yes. However, since the Trace was pulled. Failed but pulled, it made an automated report. I took the immediate copy, of course. However, an audit copy will arrive eventually." Goyle said with a sniff.

"So, you are telling me that at any time the Ministry could arrive at my door assuming that I harmed my son?" Lucius sounded more dangerous than usual. Goyle seemed not to notice, though Nott was subtly reaching for his wand.

"Yes, that is possible. Quite probable actually, with the fuss you've made the last few months over the elves, there are already whispers of foul play." Goyle blithely waved a hand at the idea.

"Only a fool would believe that Malfoy would harm the boy then bring attention to it to the Ministry." Nott snorted, though he pulled his wand to place in his lap.

"I would never bring harm to my son!" Lucius growled as he stood from the table. "You can go now. I suggest in the future you remain far away."

"What of the search for the Dark Lord?" Goyle frowned as he stood. Nott followed closely, as he kept his wand hidden in the folds of his robe.

"You can report through another agent. I will not have you in my home with these accusations!" Lucius snarled. "You have done nothing to find the Dark Lord at any rate. One would think you prefer him gone."

"I would never betray Him!" Goyle demanded, sounding angry for the first time. "If anyone in this room's loyalty is under question, it should be you."

"Enough. We will go now." Nott intervened before the argument could dissolve further. He leads the other man out of the house, sealing his mouth with a quick spell before he could make matters worse.

Snape's House

Amestris

Remus had stayed until early evening, as he waited to have a private conversation with Severus. He was impatient but did not want to be rude to Narcissa and Draco. Eventually, she took the boy to the other room to have him prepare for bed.

Once they were gone, Severus lead him to his back garden. Severus no longer had a study, having converted it into a bedroom years ago without regret. However, it did mean they lacked privacy inside the house. Severus did not think Narcissa would betray his trust. However, it was better to keep her in the dark, safer for her in the long run, Draco too.

Now though they sat in the garden, a winter wind blowing around them as both cast spells to prevent them from growing too cold. Eventually, Remus cleared his throat and began. "I tried to request a second visit to Sirius. I said I wanted to tie up loose ends before moving on. It was refused."

"As we expected. That is unfortunate." Severus said with sympathy. Remus had been asking for another meeting, but as long as it had taken to arrange the first one, they had expected roadblocks.

"A part of me wants to simply break in and break him out at this point." Remus sighed. "Now that we know he wasn't involved…it seems cruel to leave him there."

"Were it any other prison. It's not possible Remus. The Dementors would Kiss him before we could get him away. Anyone involved in his rescue as well." Severus frowned.

"I know you do not like Sirius, and I know he gave you reason to dislike him. Even you surely see keeping him there is wrong!" Remus demanded angrily.

"Of course, it wrong. I never said otherwise. I am not so cruel as to see any man locked away without cause, no matter what kind of person they are. Personal issues aside, for him or for us, he can enter his family property which is otherwise locked down." Severus returned angrily, "We highly suspect a horcrux to be on the property, which is key to stopping this whole thing before He can return to power."

"Obviously, the property is your priority. Otherwise, he could just rot." Remus muttered bitterly, Severus frowned at him, hurt at the subtle accusation.

He had thought, after all this time, Remus would know him better than that. He shoved the feeling down; it wasn't the first time someone thought the worst of him, and it wouldn't be the last. It didn't matter anyway because they were out of ideas. Until they could come up with a new plan, they had reached a dead end. One that left an innocent man to rot in that hellish prison, and left the world exposed to the possibility of Voldemort's return. "I will consider what other options we may have available to us and get back to you as soon as I can. You have lingered here long enough. It would be wise to return to your post."

"Very well. Have a good evening, Severus." Remus said as he made his way toward the gate.

"Remus. You once asked me to look beyond the behavior and prejudice of your friends and judge you for you. I did. Now I ask the same." Severus said without looking at the other man. "Look beyond the prejudice of your friends and our childhood and see me for me."

"I do Severus. "Remus said sadly. "I was out of line, and I apologize. Please understand that this has been very trying."

"It has. For us all." Severus agreed. "The Moon waxes, I shall bring along your potion tomorrow."

"Thank you, Severus. I do not know how I would manage without it."

"You wouldn't. All told, it is still a dangerous endeavor to live among school children. I only hold my peace on the matter because you have never once in all these years missed a dose…or allowed yourself freedom to roam during the Moon."

"I never would. I could not live with myself should I pass on this curse, no matter how unintentional."