In previous chapters:

After being released from Azkaban, Lucius Malfoy returns to the wizarding world and reunites with Fleur Delacour in Diagon Alley. In a shop in Knockturn Alley, Lucius observes Fleur using her Veela powers to influence a clerk, which sparks a heated argument between them. Fleur decides to prove her strength when Lucius begins to underestimate her Veela magic. She then unleashes all her power to make Lucius kneel before her but accidentally puts Lucius and everyone in Diagon Alley into a deep sleep.

During the incident, a Malfoy family jewel and a map of Azkaban are found a few meters away at the re-election campaign rally of the Minister for Magic, who also falls asleep like the others. This raises suspicions among the Aurors and leads to a 17-hour interrogation of Lucius.

Even after the intense questioning, he doesn't mention Fleur's involvement. Grateful for his unexpected loyalty, Fleur seeks out Lucius to thank him and proposes they work together to unravel the mystery. They suspect that the disappearance of the jewels is related to the incident, so they decide to catalog each magical piece of the Malfoy family in search of clues, with indirect support from Rita Skeeter for external information. Now, Lucius and Fleur are immersed in the exhausting task of checking each item, determined to discover what really happened.

…

Chapter 14 – Message in the Fireplace

The grand library of Malfoy Manor was illuminated by the soft glow of the lit fireplace, creating a cozy and mysterious atmosphere. The room, with its imposing bookshelves filled with ancient tomes, exuded an air of ancestral wisdom.

For three days, Fleur and Lucius had been dedicating themselves to the meticulous and exhausting task of cataloging each of the family's treasures. Behind Fleur, a magical chart floated on the wall, displaying the complete list of Malfoy jewels. With each item checked, a large magical "V" appeared beside the description, striking through the piece and making it disappear from the chart, showing the slow but steady progress of their work.

Fleur, wearing reading glasses to better examine the intricate details of the jewels, remained focused, meticulously noting every detail. The family's grand vault, normally hidden and inaccessible, was now open, revealing its iron doors, exposing empty shelves and secret compartments that once held the treasures now spread out over the table. Two empty pasta boxes were abandoned there, remnants of a quick and improvised meal, a sign of the time they had already dedicated to this endless task.

As she continued her careful analysis, Lucius, exhausted and seeking brief relief, was lying on the soft rug in front of the fireplace. With his hand over his eyes, he tried to momentarily disconnect from the weight of the task, enjoying the comforting warmth of the flames and the rare tranquility of that moment, while the crackling of the fire filled the room with an illusory sense of calm.

— Lucius, come back here immediately — said Fleur, still with her eyes fixed on the jewel. — It's truly unbelievable that I'm still working while you rest in front of the fireplace.

Lucius removed his hand from his eyes and smiled at her.

— Well, you could join me.

— Great idea, Lucius! Let's rest by the fireplace. But then, go ahead and call your butler to prepare a strong coffee for the Aurors when they arrive for your new interrogation and you have nothing new to give them.

Slowly rising, with a tired expression, Lucius rubbed his still sleepy eyes as he walked to the table.

— You're right, Fleur. Let's finish this.

Fleur looked at him with a smile full of understanding.

— I bet you were dreaming of good nights of sleep in your soft bed. I feel guilty for involving you in this.

Sitting down, grateful for the comment, Lucius replied:

— I've said more than once that I don't regret our duel. I'm eager for the advances the next ones will generate. And besides, it wasn't you who placed a jewel from my family with a suspicious map at the Minister for Magic's committee.

She smiled, feeling a mix of relief and determination.

— Oh, I had forgotten — she said, satisfied. — I brought you a gift. — Her eyes sparkled with slight satisfaction as she searched for something in her bag.

Lucius raised an eyebrow, the expression of surprise evident on his face. He watched attentively as Fleur picked up her bag, carefully placed on the chair beside her. Gently, she handed him a box wrapped in dark blue paper with a ribbon of the same color. Maintaining his composure, he untied the ribbon and opened the box, revealing a refined personal care kit containing items like bath oils, shampoo, conditioner, hair cream, body moisturizer, and artisanal soaps.

— When you told me that you spent a decade dreaming of a bathtub bath and that it was interrupted by the interrogation because of me, I felt really bad — said Fleur, her voice soft but with a hint of guilt. — This personal care kit is my way of apologizing for that.

— This is the first gift I've received in ten years — said Lucius, genuinely surprised, his eyes fixed on the delicate hand-blown glass bottles, whose surfaces shimmered in shades of blue under the light, revealing a magical enchantment.

Fleur was surprised and at a loss for words, stammering:

— If I'd known that, I would have thought of something better.

Lucius smiled, holding one of the bottles and smelling the aroma.

— No, this is perfect. Did you use any Veela magic to create these effects? — he asked, still marveling at the gift.

Fleur let out a soft laugh and replied with an ironic smile.

— Not everything I do is Veela magic, Lucius. I also attended traditional wizarding school, I know how to wield a wand and brew potions. And I'm actually quite good at it, you know?

Lucius noticed that behind the irony, there was a subtle weariness of being seen only as a Veela, ignoring her abilities as a witch. So he tried to smooth the situation, saying:

— I followed your feats in the newspaper during the Triwizard Tournament. Your skills were truly impressive.

— Really? — Fleur raised an eyebrow, questioning his remark. — Because it seems to me they only commented that I was conjuring butterflies wherever I went.

— Perhaps I also heard something about that — he said, this time not holding back the laughter.

She rolled her eyes.

— That's so unfair! I did that once because my headmistress asked, and I wasn't in a position to disobey an order, even though I thought it was a silly idea.

Lucius smiled, observing the restrained irritation evident in her expression.

— I don't think walking among butterflies is silly.

— Then it's settled, Lucius — replied Fleur with irony. — I will conjure butterflies to follow you wherever you go, since you're so interested.

Lucius gave a slight smile and said:

— I would gladly accept the butterflies. If they reflect even minimally who conjured them, I'm sure their fragility would be just a disguise.

He observed her face, noticing how the reading glasses gave her an even more delicate air, which seemed to fit perfectly with what he was saying. Then he continued:

— Certainly, besides their natural grace, they would emanate some force field or electric rays to repel invaders, or something even more unusual that would completely surprise me.

Lucius looked at her with a mixture of reverence and amusement, recognizing the silent strength behind her delicate appearance. Fleur, suddenly feeling the need to create physical distance between them, pushed Lucius slightly to the side.

— Lucius, go to the fireplace and see if any message from Narcissa has arrived. Perhaps she has replied which jewels she took to Canada.

Lucius furrowed his brow, clearly irritated, and grumbled:

— But I just sat down!

Fleur, without losing her patience, replied firmly:

— Stop being so whiny and go.

Still sulking, Lucius stood up, adjusting the chair with an impatient gesture, while casting a look of disapproval at Fleur. He hesitated for a moment, as if expecting her to change her mind, but realizing she was resolute, he slowly headed to the fireplace.

Upon arriving, Lucius cast an attentive glance into the fireplace and noticed a heap of glowing spheres, shimmering in various colors. His face contorted in an expression of restrained frustration. Fleur, immediately perceiving the problem, approached, her countenance softened with understanding. Observing the mountain of inactive spheres, Fleur realized, with gentle empathy, that Lucius was unfamiliar with the method of listening to the messages they held.

With a slight smile, she positioned herself beside him, gazing at the fireplace.

— Lucius — she began, her voice soft and understanding — these little spheres became popular while you were in Azkaban, largely replacing owls for short messages. They are known as Floo Network Messages, or FNM for short. Nowadays, owls are more used to send larger objects, or by those who still can't afford an FNM. It's very simple to use. Even my grandmother exchanges FNMs with her friends all the time.

With a delicate gesture, she extended her wand towards the spheres, ready to show him how they worked.

— The orange spheres — Fleur explained — are from unregistered contacts. Generally, they are reminders from companies about financial commitments, invitations to events, or charity requests. The blue spheres represent messages from registered contacts that haven't been listened to yet. To listen to them, just point your wand at the blue sphere and cast the "Vocis Aperio" spell or touch with your wand. The same goes for the orange spheres, if you wish to hear those as well. After the first listening, the spheres change color to green, indicating that the message has been heard.

She paused, turning her gaze to a pinkish sphere in the pile.

— The household members have absolute priority — she continued, in a practical and direct manner. — Their messages are prioritized over all others, taking on that bright pink hue, like that one there — she pointed to the sphere with a confident gesture. — That must be from Narcissa.

With a precise movement, she raised her wand and said calmly:

— Reveal recipient. Immediately, the name "Narcissa Malfoy" formed inside the sphere in a stronger shade of pink, almost violet. Fleur smiled, somewhat embarrassed, and commented: — It's from her. Did you understand how to listen? Or do you prefer that I explain again?

Lucius looked at her, interested.

— Could you do a first demonstration so I can see how it works?

Fleur, a bit embarrassed, asked:

— Don't you prefer to listen to Narcissa's message alone? From personal experience, I can tell you how complicated these first months after the divorce are.

With a calm smile, Lucius shook his head.

— It's not necessary. I've been separated for over ten years. Besides, I'm sure my ex-wife will be practical and concise as always.

Fleur slightly furrowed her brows, a hesitant expression passing through her eyes. After a brief moment, she waved her wand and cast the "Vocis Aperio" spell. The pink sphere began to shine more intensely, and Narcissa's elegant and cold voice filled the library, each word meticulously pronounced.

— Lucius, your lack of elegance is surprising. I understand that our marital contract stipulated that, in the event of divorce, the magical jewels of the Malfoy family would remain under your power. However, I never imagined that you would wish to retain even the jewels you gave me on special occasions. In any case, I have brought only twelve pieces, and I will send the detailed list as requested. However, I must say that I consider this demand not only unnecessary but also deeply indelicate. I sincerely hope you do not intend to squander the jewels that will belong to Draco by gifting them to some low-value witch. Yet, it is ironically bitter to think that after nearly thirty years of marriage, I leave our union with fewer jewels than any of your mistresses. But, luckily for you, I still possess the elegance that seems to have escaped you. The list will be sent immediately.

Fleur lowered her eyes to the lapis lazuli bracelet that Lucius had given her and couldn't help feeling discomfort upon hearing the message.

Lucius closed his eyes for a moment, visibly bothered, and commented:

— Well, it seems Narcissa wasn't practical and concise this time.

Before they could say anything else, an orange sphere in the pile began to glow in a pinkish hue, indicating a new message from Narcissa. Fleur, still processing the sharp words of Lucius's ex-wife, cast an evaluative look at him, noticing the embarrassment in his expression.

With a smile full of irony, she said:

— It seems our list has arrived; open it yourself this time.

Lucius pointed to the small bright pink sphere that contained Narcissa's FNM, the gentle glow illuminating his face as he activated it with a light touch of his wand. The sphere glowed intensely for a moment before projecting Narcissa's message. Her voice, again calm and precise, enumerated the jewels she had taken and described their magical properties.

Fleur, beside Lucius, with a smooth gesture, raised her wand and enchanted a quill, which immediately began to transcribe every word of the message onto the parchment that floated before her.

When the message ended and the pink sphere dimmed, it shone briefly before changing to a greenish hue. Fleur took the parchment that the quill had filled.

— Here is the list of the jewels Narcissa took.

Fleur and Lucius headed to their places by the grand library table. Fleur, standing before the table, took the list of the twelve jewels Narcissa had taken, examining it attentively.

With a serene and precise tone, she began to speak:

— Initially, we noticed that thirty-nine pieces had disappeared. Then, we discovered that Narcissa took twelve of them, which leaves us with twenty-seven still unaccounted for. Now that we know which jewels are with your ex-wife, we can focus our search on the remaining twenty-seven and try to identify any connection between them.

Lucius, excited by the revelation, took the list and continued Fleur's thought:

— These twelve jewels were blinding us to the true pattern of those that disappeared.

Fleur, quickly grasping his reasoning, completed:

— All the missing jewels are small, easy to carry, and to sell discreetly. If we consider this, it seems we're dealing with a low-level thief, someone only interested in objects easy to exchange for quick money.

Lucius, visibly more excited with the discovery, continued:

— That means our thief is someone without great ambitions, who acted out of desperation and opportunity.

He examined the list again, now with a new perspective. His eyes narrowed as he reflected.

— But do you really believe it all comes down to that? A common thief, taking advantage of the chaos of our duel to gather his spoils? And that this incident, combined with the deep sleep state you plunged Diagon Alley into, was enough to trigger all this confusion?

Fleur nodded, albeit hesitantly.

— It could be... But it's hard to say for sure.

Lucius, however, didn't seem satisfied. He shook his head slowly, still pondering.

— And the map of Azkaban that was with the jewel in the briefcase? It can't be that simple, Fleur.

Fleur sighed, feeling the weight of uncertainty.

— Perhaps you're right, Lucius. There might be something deeper behind all this. But at least we have something concrete to present to the Aurors when they request a new interrogation. It may not be the complete solution, but it's a step in the right direction. — She then gave a slight smile and added: — Now, tidy up this mess. I'm going to lie down in front of the fireplace and try to relax a bit, because I deserve it.

Fleur took off her glasses, putting them in the case inside her bag, and walked calmly to the rug in front of the fireplace, where the cozy warmth of the flames already filled the room with a sense of comfort. Without ceremony, she lay down, stretching out completely on the rug, letting out a sigh of relief as the warmth enveloped her tired body.

Lucius paused for a moment, observing her with an expression of surprise and a hint of fascination. She seemed so carefree, as if the tensions that placed them in the midst of a plot that could lead them to prison no longer existed.

— You deserve it? — he asked, arching an eyebrow and letting a slightly teasing tone escape in his voice. — And me? Don't I deserve anything?

Fleur opened one eye, casting a playful glance in Lucius's direction, as a mischievous smile formed on her lips.

— Oh, you deserve it too — she said, with a soft and slightly ironic voice. — But for now, you can start by deserving a bit of organization... In the morning, we'll send the list of missing jewels to Rita Skeeter and ask her to use her contacts to find out how and when they're being traded.

Fleur, noticing Lucius's curiosity, continued, her eyes shining with determination:

— Once we pass the issue of the jewels to Skeeter, we can concentrate our efforts on getting into the Ministry and seeing the details of the Azkaban map.

Lucius raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

— What do you mean? Have you already thought of something?

She smiled, with the confidence of someone who already has everything planned.

— I've been thinking about this these past few days, and I think I have an idea in mind that could work.

The excitement was palpable in the air. Lucius felt a surge of adrenaline, a mix of challenge and expectation. Just from Fleur's tone of voice, he could anticipate that her plan would be bold, possibly risky, but the feeling that they were close to unraveling something important was irresistible.

With a smile and an elaborate movement of his wand, Lucius pronounced firmly:

— Ordinatio Gemmarum.

All the jewels magically returned to the vault. Fleur, still on the rug, quickly lifted herself, supporting herself on her elbows and looking at Lucius who approached with a victorious look.

— Are you serious that you have a spell just to store jewels in the vault? — she asked, surprised.

Lucius lay down lazily beside Fleur, their legs lightly touching as he pointed his wand at the vault. With a smooth movement, he murmured:

— Clausura Custodiam.

The vault closed immediately, and a green smoke signaled that a powerful protective spell had been cast.

Lying side by side, under the gentle warmth of the fireplace that illuminated the room with a warm light, the proximity between the two was undeniable. Lucius turned his face to her, his eyes shining just a few inches away. With an enigmatic smile, he said:

— I have spells for things you wouldn't even imagine.

Fleur, sighing, replied:

— I don't doubt it, and judging by what I noticed from our jewel checking, I think that in a short time you'll invent a spell to avoid work.

Lucius raised an eyebrow with satisfaction and, with a slight nod, said:

— It's not avoiding work; it's simply knowing how to prioritize. And today, my priority is our dinner, harmonized with the wine you brought.

— Dinner? — Fleur asked, confused. — But it's one o'clock in the morning, Lucius.

— Yes, but a promise is a promise, and I've spent the whole day waiting for this moment — he said with serene determination. Then, he added with a slight smile: — Besides, in the last three days, I've had to make do with improvised meals, thanks to your tireless sense of duty.

Fleur smiled, incredulous, realizing that he truly insisted on a supper at one in the morning. With a refined gesture, Lucius extended his hand and helped her gracefully rise from the rug.

— Come, my dear — he said, positioning himself beside her with his usual elegance. — And, between one glass of wine and another, you can reveal to me the details of the plan you've been devising.

And so, at one o'clock in the morning, they headed to the imposing dining room of Malfoy Manor. Although they knew they were about to do something extremely dangerous, the prospect of success permeated the environment with a palpable energy, leaving them eager for what was to come.