After the family returned to their Manor, Narcissa couldn't help but notice just how pale and, frankly, ill, Lucius looked, constantly muttering to himself about some "damn bastard of a man".
A few weeks later, a message went out across all the Wizarding provinces of the world, from the great temple-studded landscapes of the great Grecian provinces to the low, grassy plains of the Australian provinces -
"The Great Lord Malfoy, of House Malfoy, tenth son of the esteemed Mal-Fid lineage, humbly requests the presence of one Draco Perfidus at his Manor for a conversation"
As the veritable fleet of messenger owls fluttered off into the sky, their brown, black and gray bodies almost blotting out the sun, Lucius stood by the great windows of his Central Hall, flanked on either side by marble statues and ancient paintings- markers of the history of which he was so proud- and prayed that this man's existence would not mark an end to his House... to his family. Lucius gulped as the owls finally left the Malfoy grounds, disappearing as they passed through the dome-shaped illusion spell placed atop the whole Manor
Narcissa approached him as he stood there in quiet contemplation, her brow furrowed with concern, "What is the meaning of this, Lucius ?"
"The meaning, Narcissa ?", Lucius asked, straightening up as he saw his wife approaching, an expression of feigned conceit on his face, "I am the Lord, am I not ? Why must I explain myself ?". Narcissa sighed. He was hiding behind a veneer of conceit again. So like his son
"Do you consider me a fool, Lucius ?", she asked, soft as the breeze, "Or blind ? I am neither. I am not deaf either. Why would you bring the International Committee into this ?"
"I have my reasons, woman"
"I am your wife, Lucius", Narcissa reminded him, her voice sharp as a knife, "I am High Lady Malfoy. I am the Tenth Daughter of Iust-Fid. I am not some common wretch who you can order about. I am not inferior. I am your equal. Now. Answer the fucking question"
Lucius winced at his wife's words. As she had always said, obscenity was for back rooms and practice fields, for common peasants and gutter whores, not for Ladies and Lords. So for her to swear... well, he was well beyond "screwed"
"Draco Perfidus... looks like me.. according to Ivar, at least", Lucius stuttered as he explained to his wife, who was currently rounding on him, looking very like an angered tigress
"You told me as such back in the bookshop", she snarled, ".. and yet I happen to notice that Ivar is inflicted with both cataracts and a severe hatred of you. Why would you take his words at face value ?"
"Why wouldn't I ? Why risk a potential enemy ?", he desperately said, his voice tinged with sheer desperation
"Because... Lucius darling", Narcissa hissed, "You have just brought upon the Malfoy family the attention of the International Committee. The very determined, very anti-Dark, very scrupulous, very powerful International Committee. Each member is powerful enough to bring down a raging Ironbelly by themselves, they say. And you just put us in their line of fire"
As Narcissa was cornering the Malfoy Lord, the fireplace flared up, the fire within it flaring up to at least six feet, before shaping itself into the vague silhouette of a man, which grew more detailed as the two Malfoys watched. A man dressed in a finely-tailored tailcoat and shirt, his hair slick with gel and his beard and mustache styled into four prongs, appeared out of the flames, a cigar clenched in his mouth. Narcissa turned and left the room the second she caught sight of his face
"Greetings, Occhio. It's been a long time", Lucius said, bowing his head a little to the other man
The other man snorted, spitting out a mouthful of fiery sparks onto the floor where it fizzled out, "That's Consigliere Zabini to you, Malfoy"
"Of course", he gulped slightly as the other man took across long drag on his cigar
"I am angry, Malfoy. Do you know why ?", the other man said, looking up, revealing his piercing eyes, "It's because you, like a damn fool, decided to bring upon our little.. organization the attention of the International-"
"-Committee, I know. I have heard of this already from my wife. If you would let me-"
"Your wife is wiser than you, my dear man. She realizes the consequences of your actions"
"Draco Perfidus called us to the bookshop !", he cried. Occhio Zabini fell silent, his eyes fixed on the other man's face, as if searching for even the barest hint of a lie. Finding none, he straightened back up
"A traitor then. Did the crime, pissed his pants and turned tail when he was asked to do the time. Perfidus is a Latin name. Who d'you think he works for ? Il Magico Governo Italiano ? The International Committee ?"
"A coward he may be, but he is an exceptionally powerfully one. And I doubt he works for the Italian Ministry... or any Ministry for that matter. He seems to have a distaste for authority"
Occhio chuckled at that, his voice deep and booming, "A man after my own heart, then. Well then... I suppose you were, in a way, right for sending that message. Fear not, Lucius. I am Il Diavolo D'Italia, the Devil of Italy. No man living as brought me defeat yet. I doubt your fuck-up will hinder me too much"
"The International Committee is powerful, my friend. Do not underestimate them"
At that, Occhio let out another booming laugh, as his body slowly dissolved into sparks and was sucked back into the fireplace, ending the call. Sighing, Lucius turned away, shaking his head, "Damn overconfident fool", he muttered, before looking up as he heard a knock at the door
Narcissa was standing beside the front door of the Manor, looking at with a mildly perturbed look decorating her face. She turned to him as he approached, "Who is that ?"
"It appears I was right", Lucius said, a mixture of exhilaration and fear on his face, "Perfidus has finally shown himself"
"Perfidus ? But you just sent out the message inviting him to our Manor !"
Lucius grinned at that, feeling slightly delirious as he gestured to her to open the door, "You see now why it was so important that we not have him as an enemy ?"