Ch. 8 Final Draft.

June. Malfoy Manor.

Lucious sat at his desk, brow furrowed, furiously pouring over the contents of the ripped open letter before him. The post had arrived by owl that morning, and although he never enjoyed hearing from Gringotts, the letter opened in front of him was more daunting than most. Having just learned that his wife and son no longer answered to their patriarch was of no concern to him, other than the appearance he worked so hard to maintain. What made his blood boil was learning from those greedy creatures that his title of Lord Malfoy was in jeopardy.

"Who even let Goblins use the Wizarding Post anyway?" he thought to himself. "Title of Account Ownership under review…" he scoffed, "…marital claim received… keep the bloody Gold you selfish brutes," he continued knowing that he'd divested anything of true value and so his (and his ancestors') most prized possessions were stowed behind centuries of protection charms, ensuring prosperity for future Malfoy generations to come.

Lucious could not risk word of his precarious standing reaching the other pureblood ears, knowing that most would jump at the chance to take him down a peg or two. This bit of news posed another serious problem, involving the task the Dark Lord had given him. His value relied on maintaining his good standing with the Ministry of Magic and the most influential of the public. If Gringotts initiated a review of his title, it was possible someone at the Ministry would catch wind. Fortunately, there was a healthy level of distrust between the two entities, so even if the information was shared, it was unlikely to be accepted as truth without years of a painstakingly slow bureaucratic investigation.

Lucious had done well in the First War, rising through Death Eater ranks quickly, and earning the title of the Dark Lord's right hand. He did so by making few mistakes and using his political standing to discreetly obtain what his Lord required. Maintaining his prestige within the Ministry of Magic was vital, as access to the Ministry was something only he could offer his Master. Unlike the other Death Eaters who tried and failed, Malfoy had successfully infiltrated the Ministry of Magic and provided crucial information to guarantee the Dark Lord's victory.

Failure was not an option, he'd seen firsthand how the Dark Lord reacted to failure among his ranks, and he had no desire to find himself on the receiving end of the bone-white wand his Lord wielded. For now, he would rely on his former wife's self-preservation, because mutual destruction was something he knew she would only consider as a last resort option (given the risk it would pose for her darling son). He folded the letter and stowed it away in a drawer, resolved that Narcissa would keep their separation private (even if for the time being). His mind shifted to more pressing matters, a plan of action.

When the Dark Lord appeared to Lucious in the form of Weasley's spawn, he was told that his physical body was being held inside the Ministry of Magic. He was unsure how his Master had come across the information, and he didn't dare ask, but his Lord was surprisingly well informed. He explained to Lucious that the Department of Mysteries seized the body the night of his demise and was keeping it in a locked room under heavy security. Lucious, with his many ties in the Ministry, was surprised that he hadn't heard a single whisper of this, but who was he to question the Dark Lord?

August.

After months of digging, Malfoy believed that the security behind the room that held the Dark Lord's body had grown more lax over the years, due to the fact that no security breaches had ever been attempted. The room, protected by mere secrecy, was seemingly more accessible now that Lucious was aware of its existence. He shook his head in mockery, thinking of the new D.O.M. recruit bragging within his earshot about his "important" security detail on Sub Floor 3. He never let slip what was being protected but seeing as Sub Floor 3 was the area dedicated to the most highly protected secrets, he assumed this was the one. He would have preferred additional time to vet the claims, as assumptions were one thing, but he wasn't given much time, so he would proceed with his plan regardless of the unanswered questions.

Usually, Malfoy liked to work from the shadows, acting as a puppeteer pulling strings, but tonight he would be taking a different approach. Unsure of who was still loyal to the cause, The Dark Lord forbade him from contacting anyone, so he would be acting alone. He slinked through the shadowy side-streets outside of the Ministry of Magic, hidden by the cover of night. The tall wizard was confident in his cloaking spells and he steadily approached the guest entrance. As convenient as it would have been to use his office Floo, he wanted no one to suspect he had been anywhere near the building on this particular night. Once on the ground floor, he made his way through the empty atrium, chuckling to himself at the lack of security. A group of school children barely through their O.W.L's could have broken in, this could be easier than he thought.

Lucious shook that thought from his head, knowing that there were real obstacles ahead and it was no time for arrogance. It was adequately named, the Department of Mysteries, seeing as the entire section of the building was a true mystery to everyone not currently employed within its walls. According to his gathered intel, there would be two wizards outside the door, and another in the room itself. Other than that, Malfoy uncovered almost nothing while spying on the Unspeakables and he knew getting through the labyrinth that is the Department of Mysteries would be the real challenge. He continued, descending the staircase that would take him to Sub Floor 3. Ordinarily, he would have used the magicked elevators, but detection charms tracked the comings and goings of all building occupants, even in the most private elevators in the facility. Instead, he opted for the seldom-used staircase, dusty and usually abandoned apart from canoodling colleagues and gossiping receptionists.

Malfoy continued down the winding staircase and as he reached Sub Floor 3, he encountered the first obstacle without warning. As soon as his foot left the last step, an overwhelming urge washed over him, forcing his body to immediately turn around with a consuming impulse to create as much distance from this floor as possible. He fortified his Occlumency shields and pushed the involuntary urge aside. A simple Compulsion Charm wouldn't be enough to deter a wizard of his caliber, but he was sure it would effectively stop a snoopy cleaner or lost upper-floor employee from exploring any further. He stilled himself and quietly continued forward in the general direction he suspected his Lord's body was imprisoned.

The hallway he found himself in had no doors or exits, and no matter how long he walked, there was no end in sight. He turned around, thinking he must have made a wrong turn, even though this was the only way to go. He was surprised to find a solid wall not 10 meters behind him, forcing him to continue forward. He walked for what felt like an hour, yet the hallway revealed no end or outlet. Lucious began to panic, wondering if he was doomed to walk these halls until death came for him, or worse. He looked around, seeking any sign of a false wall or door that he had missed, but the stone seemed unblemished.

In frustration, he brandished his wand and sent a slew of the most powerful curses he could think of ahead. "Defodio!" he exclaimed as bright orange explosions crashed into the walls, disappearing after leaving no trace or mark. He continued his barrage of curses, his effort of destruction to no avail. Finally, Malfoy flicked his wand with a simple, "Revelio". To his surprise, the spell contacted an unknown barrier a few meters ahead, an unmistakable form of an arch appearing in the distance. It vanished as quickly as it appeared, but not without leaving a faint trace of magic still ahead.

Hurriedly, Lucious made his way forward, only stopping when he reached halfway to where the arch had first appeared. Pausing, he sent the same spell forward again and was assured that the archway was still ahead. Without a second thought, Malfoy closed the distance and strode through the illuminated arch before it could disappear.

Malfoy held his breath as he waited for something spectacular to happen, but it appeared that crossing through the archway would be an ordain affair. The hallway looked the same, with no end in sight, but now there was a faint light ahead. Determined that this new light must be the way ahead, he continued, cautious and alert.

As Lucious approached, he realized that the light was actually a massive Oak door and the closer he got, the taller the doorway loomed over him. He admired the intricate set of ruins carved into its surface, glowing faintly as the magic powered them, thinking how something this elaborate would take months for even the best curse breakers at Gringotts to crack. Cursing his bad luck, he kicked the door. To his surprise, his foot didn't make contact and went right through the door as if it wasn't there. "No fucking way…." he whispered to himself.

Malfoy couldn't believe that this protection was yet another illusion, after all, there had to be real obstacles eventually. Failure was not an option, so he calmly walked through the door and prayed that death wouldn't meet him on the other side. Death was not waiting, in fact, it was just another hallway that looked all too familiar. But at last, he was rewarded with the sight of two Unspeakables, chatting idly while standing near a rather plain looking door.

Lucious cast his cloaking spell once more to fortify his invisibility. Suddenly a bright light filled the hallway and he cursed himself for his foolishness when the two wizards were alerted to his presence (by a basic magic detecting charm, no less). He could kick himself for his lack of forethought, the previous layers of protection were weak but certainly not absent. With little time to waste, he stunned the nearest wizard with a jab of his wand, then sent a nastier curse of his own creation, with a lunge towards the other. Without watching to see if his curse struck its target, Malfoy rolled to his left, narrowly avoiding the purple hex that exploded against the wall behind where he had just stood moments before. Summoning his shield, he charged forward, hoping that the element of surprise was still on his side. After all, this was the first time the guards had to encounter an intruder and were likely to expect another dull evening waiting for the clock to signal quitting time. Malfoy dodged the spells he could, and let his shield handle the rest. He needed to incapacitate the lone wizard before he had a chance to alert the guard stationed in the room ahead. He sent a volley of spells in the direction of the still standing Unspeakable, and was pleased to hear the man grunt as a disarming spell collided with his chest. Lucious fired ropes from his wand and quickly bound the two wizards together, not without stunning them both one last time, for good measure.

Ordinarily, Malfoy would just kill the men without second thought, but his exit plan required at least two of the men to remain alive. He steadied his breath before trying the door, hoping that the wizard on the other side hadn't heard the quick fight through the heavily warded door. So far, his intel had been accurate, so it was likely that just one more guard stood between him and his Lord. He severed the hand of the older looking one of the two wizards, who both now laid crumpled on the ground, and levitated it towards the door, landing the palm on worn handle. With a click, the door opened, ever so slightly.

"Waiters, you know the protocol! Shut that fucking door, shift change isn't for another 20 minutes. Old Voldie isn't going anywhere, you'll get your hour soon enough," a voice boomed from behind the door.

He couldn't believe his luck, not only had he reached his destination unscathed, but the Unspeakable inside hadn't suspected a thing.

"You are mistaken, old man. He will be going somewhere after all," Lucious sneered, "Crucio!"

The man inside fell to the floor and writhed in pain until Malfoy unceremoniously stunned him. He smiled as he stepped over the now still body and took in the sight before him. Suspended, flat on his back as if on a table, was the body of Lord Voldemort. The body looked unchanged, almost alive, although missing the steady rise and fall of the chest of breathing. He spent a moment examining the room for any wards that would prevent him from removing the body, and when he found none, he lowered the lifeless body to the ground. He then prepared it for travel by transfiguring it into a round orb that he placed in his cloak pocket.

Next, Malfoy retrieved the fallen wand from the final guard and used it to summon the two bodies that still laid through the door. He set to work erasing the memories from the three men and planting false ones in their stead. Once he was done and confident with his work, he forced a vial of Draught of the Living Death down the throat of the wizard named Waiters who he had taken the hand from, not before magically reattaching the hand to its rightful place. He levitated the now relaxed body and placed him where Voldemort had been suspended, using glamour charms to change the appearance of the man until he resembled the Dark Lord.

Lucious summoned the remaining two men and guided them through the door back into the cavernous hallway. He was careful to use the now suspended wizard's wand only, to avoid leaving his unique magical signature, as he magickly erased all signs of the fight from the floor and walls. When he was satisfied with his work, he cloaked himself once more and left. He had no choice but to hope that the false memories he planted would hold up, and that the two remaining wizards would "remember" Waiters leaving and not returning. He didn't expect the ruse to last long, but he was hoping it would buy him enough time to leave the ministry and come up with a suitable alibi. He encountered no resistance, and when he was back outside, he walked a few minutes before apparating with a crack back to Malfoy Manor.

Once he was back in his office, Lucious prepared a bed for his Master, and transfigured the orb back into the body of Dark Lord. He was pleased with his success and could hardly wait for the return of Lord Voldemort. There was no doubt he would be held in the highest of regard when his Master regained his body, all he could do now is wait for the return of the Dark Lord, as he had no way to contact him and no idea where he could be. For now, he would wait patiently, resolve his dedication, and protect the body with his life.

The next day.

The sun was starting to rise outside Malfoy's window, the new day bringing with it the morning post. An average brown owl flew through the open window, dropping off the morning copy of the Daily Prophet. He wasn't worried about news of his evening's activities making the morning's edition of the Prophet, but he had made it a habit to the check the wizarding newspaper daily, particularly for signs of his Master. He lazily flicked his finger, magically stirring sugar into his morning tea as he browsed the headlines.

It had been almost two months since his reunion with the Dark Lord, and Lucious hadn't heard anything from him since. Despite the silence, he could deduce that his Lord was active by the consistency of mysterious death reports and dark occurrences, all of which were events the Prophet had mislabeled as magical "accidents". So far, the three families most guilty of betrayal after the First War, had all been mysteriously killed and Malfoy knew the sudden deaths were from his Master taking his revenge. It was even unlikely that a single victim was surprised by the violent repercussions for a serious betrayal and blatant disrespect. A combination of misinformation and the Prophet's eagerness to explain away the unknown, had otherwise provided a convenient cover for the Dark Lord, but how long would it last? Expecting another article titled "Freak Accident; Family Crush by Loose Troll in Surrey; Gothic Gala benefiting the Slytherin Legacy Ruined by Violent Party Crasher," Lucious felt his stomach drop when he flipped to a new page in the paper. He stared at the text before him for a full minute before he managed to comprehend the words spilling across the page.

BREAKING NEWS: Missing Hogwarts Student, Found

Ron Weasley (12y), was reported missing from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry the final week of term, ten weeks ago, in June. The Ministry of Magic and local Aurors conducted a search for the boy lasting two weeks, but with no leads, were forced to cease the search. The family appealed to the public and fundraised just over 1,00000,000 Galleons to offer as a reward to any individual with information leading to the safe return of their son. The boy's family continued the search, and until yesterday, had made no progress.

In the early hours of yesterday morning, a young red-headed boy matching Weasley's description was seen outside the muggle village of Port Eynon in Wales. Word reached the boy's parents, and when they arrived on the scene, they found their son bloodied and magically exhausted. A source close to the family shared with the Daily Prophet, that the boy was flooed to St. Mungo's and is now in critical condition residing in a private ward.

Speculators claim the disappearance may be an adolescent attempt to avoid the consequences of poor academic year and a ruse to avoid final exams. Others theorize the tragedy was staged by the family for financial gain, as the galleon prize has not been extended. The family has declined to comment or provide clarity on these claims. The Daily Prophet will continue to report updates as the story develops.

Lucious blanched. The Dark Lord had not informed him of any plans to abandon the Weasley brat's body in search of a new one. For all he knew, the boy had somehow managed to break free of his Master's control, leaving him without a body once more. He knew that without a suitable body, his Lord would not have the strength to do more than hide and hope for someone to stumble upon him so that he could claim their body. A search for Lord Voldemort needed to begin immediately.