I do not own Harry Potter, or any of the related characters. The Harry Potter series is created by JK Rowling and owned by Warner Bros. This fanfiction is intended for entertainment only. I am not making any profit from this story. All rights of the original Harry Potter story belong to Warner Bros.
Beta'd by Noone yet, any and all errors in grammar, spelling and plot are mine
Chapter Seven
The massive ornate doors banged open, and a frigid gust of wind preceded the Dark Lord Voldemort as he swept into the grand hall of Malfoy Manor. A half-dozen thick drapes twitched and fluttered as the vortices circled around the furniture and figures arrayed around the thick oriental rug. The grand chandelier overhead swayed slightly, casting flickering shadows that danced ominously on the walls. The Malfoy family had known of his approach due to the gong-like ringing of the wards that echoed throughout the grounds. It was a regular tactic of the Dark Lord, who wanted to make a dramatic entrance and a play of power. He watched with satisfaction as the Malfoys formed a presenting line by the door, their faces masks of practiced neutrality, yet he could sense their unease. The awkward silence was only filled by a delicate cough from Narcissa, while a house elf popped into existence on the end of the mantelpiece, saw the gathering, squeaked, and then popped away again.
Voldemort relished the effect his mere presence had on the room. As a fell wind preceded him, every loose fabric, skirt, and wisp of hair was disturbed. The room seemed to bow under the pressure of his presence as he stepped over the threshold, his serpentine features twisted in a permanent sneer. His eyes, red and malevolent, scanned the room with cold calculation, missing nothing.The heavy, oak doors groaned on their hinges before slamming shut behind him, the atmosphere in the room dropped by twenty degrees and several occupants shivered with more than the cold.
"Do you have them?" he demanded, his voice cold and devoid of patience. He enjoyed watching Lucius squirm, the man's polished façade cracking ever so slightly under his gaze.
Lucius Malfoy stepped forward, his head bowed in a gesture of submission. "Welcome, my Lord. It has been some time since you graced my hall with your—"
Voldemort's red eyes pinned Lucius in place, cutting off his greeting. The air seemed to grow colder, and the flickering candle flames dimmed as if in response to his displeasure. He glowered at Narcissa and Draco, then sneered at the entire Malfoy family. The silence that followed was thick with tension, so heavy that it felt like a physical weight pressing down on them. It amused him to see them so on edge.
"Do you have them?" Voldemort repeated, his tone sharper, each word like a dagger.
Lucius swallowed hard and nodded. "Yes, my Lord. We have secured the items you requested." He gestured to a polished mahogany table near the fireplace, where several objects lay wrapped in velvet cloth.
Voldemort's thin lips curled into a semblance of a smile, though it did not reach his eyes. With deliberate slowness, he moved towards the table, his robes whispering against the floor. He picked up one of the wrapped items and examined it with a critical eye, his fingers tracing the contours of the shiny collars.
"We now know who one of the dragons is," Voldemort said, his voice barely above a whisper, yet it carried through the room with chilling clarity. "Harry Potter has performed the ritual. His magic has changed so much that the trace barely gets a region, let alone anything specific. Or it did before our man removed his trace from the Department of Education. No one can trace the boy now."
Narcissa's eyes widened slightly at the mention of Harry Potter, but she remained silent, her hands clasped tightly in front of her. Lucius, on the other hand, furrowed his brow, a mix of concern and curiosity playing across his features.
"No matter," Voldemort continued, his voice smooth and calculating. "He was always the more difficult to attain. Too well defended by the old fool. He will come to us once we have the other one. Focus on finding her."
"Yes, my Lord," Lucius responded, his voice steady despite the growing unease that gnawed at him. Voldemort could sense the fear beneath the surface, and it pleased him.
Voldemort turned his attention to the rest of the room, his gaze sweeping over the assembled Death Eaters. "We must act swiftly. Increase our ranks and set them at random attacks on both Muggle and wizarding communities. Chaos will bring them to their knees."
There was a murmur of agreement from the Death Eaters, their expressions a mix of anticipation and dread. Lucius nodded in agreement, his expression showing that his mind was racing with plans and strategies. "Of course, my Lord. We will ensure that our forces are ready."
The Dark Lord's gaze shifted to Severus Snape, who had been standing quietly at the back of the room, observing the proceedings with his usual inscrutable expression. "Severus," Voldemort called, his voice laced with a sinister edge.
Snape stepped forward, his black robes billowing around him like the wings of a bat. His face was a mask of calm, but his eyes held a glint of determination, his voice was steady and composed.
"My Lord, I have followed your instructions, but there are several ingredients that are difficult to obtain."
Voldemort's eyes narrowed, and the room seemed to grow even colder.
"Such is life, Severus. I find that I must entrust this to someone. You know that if I die, so will you."
"Dumbledore's faculties wane by the hour now. My loyalty is to you and only you," Snape replied, his voice unwavering.
"Swear an Unbreakable Vow to me," Voldemort demanded, his gaze piercing and unyielding, then he looked down at the parchment in his hands.
Snape paused, just long enough for Voldemort to look up from a parchment. The silence stretched, the tension in the room was palpable.
"I will swear it. What would you have me do?" Snape finally said, his voice firm.
"Read this, I will retrieve Mulciber."
Voldemort handed the scroll to Snape. The parchment was old and weathered, its surface covered in intricate runes and symbols. Snape unfurled the scroll as the Dark Lord walked away. He swallowed and squeezed his left hand into a tight fist to control the shaking.
Voldemort stalked along the front ranks of the gathered Death Eaters and focused on a hooded figure by the fireplace, he stopped in front of the man, and no one moved a muscle as he stared into the man's eyes and a long minute before he turned and retraced his steps. Mulciber, a stocky Death Eater with a menacing glint in his eye, followed their lord back into the room, his heavy boots thudding against the floor, the ungainly limp and wince of traversing even a perfectly level floor with his club foot clear to everybody. His gaze on the back of the Dark Lords head was a mixture of reverence and fear, then he nervously glanced at Snape.
"Prepare yourself," Voldemort snapped.
He pointed his wand straight up and a crystal stream shot from his wand tip and expanded into a dome to cover the three men, all sound from the outside ceased and a suffocating silence permeated the air between them. He moved to stand directly in front of Snape, his red eyes locking onto the potions master's black ones. With a swift, practiced motion, he drew his wand, the length of yew glinting ominously in the dim light.
"Severus Snape," Voldemort intoned, his voice filled with a dark, commanding power.
"Will you make the Unbreakable Vow to serve me and fulfill the task I have set before you?"
Snape nodded, his expression was one of steely resolve.
"I will."
"Mulciber, you will act as our Bonder."
Mulciber stepped forward, his wand at the ready. He positioned himself beside Voldemort and Snape, his hands trembling slightly as he raised his wand. The weight of the moment was clearly not lost on him.
Voldemort extended his left hand, palm up, and Snape placed his right hand atop it. The Dark Lord's grip was cold and unyielding, like iron. Mulciber raised his wand higher, positioning the tip just above their clasped hands.
"Will you, Severus Snape, swear to seek the ingredients required for the potion, including the blood from a pair of nested ancient dragons?" Voldemort's voice was a sibilant whisper, filled with dark promise.
"I will," Snape replied, his voice unwavering.
A thin, fiery thread of magical energy extended from Mulciber's wand, wrapping around Voldemort's and Snape's joined hands. The thread burned with an intense heat, yet neither man flinched.
"Will you, Severus Snape, swear to brew the potion with utmost precision, ensuring that it is flawless in every respect?" Voldemort's voice grew softer, more insidious.
"I will," Snape repeated, his eyes locked onto Voldemort's.
Another thread of fiery magic emerged from Mulciber's wand, intertwining with the first. The threads tightened, binding their hands together with a painful intensity.
"And will you, Severus Snape, swear to uphold your loyalty to me and only me, keep my secrets and forsake all others?"
Voldemort's voice was barely more than a breath, yet it held an undeniable power.
"I will."
The final thread of fiery magic shot forth from Mulciber's wand, wrapping around the previous two and creating the unbreakable bond. The magical energy flared brightly, casting an eerie glow on their faces. The intensity of the magic was palpable, a force that seemed to press down on the very air.
For a moment, the room was silent, the only sound was the crackling of the fiery threads. Then, with a final surge of magic, the threads vanished, leaving their hands clasped together.
The Unbreakable Vow was complete.
Voldemort released Snape's hand, his expression one of satisfaction. "It is done," he said, his voice filled with dark triumph.
"The potion you are brewing is for this ritual," he commanded. "Apart from the ingredients you are searching for, I will need the blood from a pair of nested ancient dragons. We have the collars. We know the dragons have awoken their souls. But we only have the identity of one."
Snape growled in frustration, his hands clenching at his sides. "Of course, he has grown and changed beyond all expectations in recent months. Has this ritual been undertaken previously?"
"It has been attempted three times. It has failed all three due to the difficulty of either the weather, incorrect brewing of the potion, or one of the dragons dying before it was time. This will not happen to me," he declared, his voice filled with steely determination.
"True immortality then," Snape mused, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully.
"There can be only one, but you will be well rewarded for your service, Severus," Voldemort promised, his voice a chilling whisper.
As the conversation continued the dark Lord paced, Voldemort's actions were deliberate and calculated. He moved with a predatory grace, each step measured, each gesture precise. His presence dominated the room, and he reveled in the power he held over his followers. The flickering candle flames cast long, dancing shadows on the walls, creating an eerie tableau that mirrored the dark schemes being discussed.
He turned to Mulciber, his wand flicking with practiced ease. Mulciber's eyes glazed over as the memory of the event was obliterated from his mind. He waved his wand again and the bubble collapsed to nothing with an audible pop.
"Thank you for your service Mulciber. You may leave."
Voldemort's gaze shifted to Severus Snape, who had resumed his place among the Death Eaters. Snape's face was a mask of inscrutability, but his dark eyes gleamed with a flicker of understanding.
"Severus," Voldemort's voice cut through the tense silence like a knife. "You understand the importance of this task. Failure is not an option."
Snape inclined his head, a gesture of both acknowledgment and submission. "I understand, my Lord. The potion will be prepared with the utmost precision."
Voldemort's lips curled into a thin, humorless smile. He enjoyed the control he wielded over his followers, the way they trembled in his presence. "See that it is," he said, his tone dripping with menace.
The Dark Lord turned his attention back to Lucius. "And you, Lucius. Ensure that our ranks are bolstered. I want our forces ready to strike at a moment's notice. Spread chaos among the Muggles and the wizarding communities alike. Let them know the power of the Dark Lord."
Lucius Malfoy stood nearby, his posture rigid, his face a mask of composed subservience. He dared not meet Voldemort's gaze, focusing instead on a spot on the floor. Beside him, Narcissa clutched her hands tightly, her knuckles white.
Lucius bowed deeply, his voice steady. "It will be done, my Lord."
The air in the grand hall grew heavier, the weight of Voldemort's ambitions pressing down on everyone present. The storm outside intensified, lightning flashing across the sky and illuminating the darkened grounds in brief, stark bursts. The wind howled, rattling the windows and causing the ancient trees to sway and groan. The manor itself seemed to shiver in response to the evil presence within its walls.
Voldemort's eyes gleamed with malevolent satisfaction. His plans were now set in motion, and the fate of the wizarding world hung in the balance. The Malfoys, bound by their loyalty and fear, could only watch and wait as the storm of his ambitions gathered strength.
Voldemort stood at the center of it all, a dark figure of power and ambition. He would stop at nothing to achieve his goals, and woe to anyone who dared stand in his way. The world would soon know the true extent of his power, and there would be no escaping the storm he was about to unleash.
——Scene Break——
The door to Narcissa's personal rooms slammed open and cracked the plaster behind it, a door knob shaped hole revealed brickwork beneath. What had been muffled voices that had been getting louder was completely audible in the room and two figures stormed in. Narcissa screeched at the top of her lungs was a counterpoint to the bellows of Lucius. The door closed of its own accord.
"I want that snake faced prick out of my house!"
Lucius spun from the hearth rug where he had been glowing down at the embers of a malnourished fire and flung his arms out to the side so he resembled a pale matador.
"What would you have me do?! Go back in time and stop my foolish adolescent self from being branded by that mad man? He's too powerful and getting more so by the day!"
Narcissa narrowed her eyes and pointed an accusatory finger at him.
"Grow a gods damned spine! That thing has invaded our house, he's taken and taken and you do nothing! Tom Fucking Riddle was never part of our marriage!"
"For fuck sake Cissa!"
"How many times have I told you to stop calling me that? You just stood there and watched him use sodomy spells on me! I still cannot walk without pain and that was weeks ago!"
"That was to punish us both for our son's failure. You know that!"
"I didn't hear your cries of anguish Lucius! I didn't see the house elves clean your blood from the floor."
Lucius rose to his full height and his eyes blazed with indignation.
"The Cruciatus Curse impacts your magic, there is no physical damage. Would you rather an hour of that rather than your arse being reemed?"
Narcissa remained silent and pressed her lips together so hard that they disappeared.
"That's what I thought. I am trying to protect you and Draco in the only way I can now. Mitigate the damage to our estate, finances, reputation and future. He appears too powerful but there is that prophecy…"
Narcissa snorted. "Potter, your grand plan to save the Malfoys is to let Potter do it?"
"What would you suggest, woman?!"
"Sabotage this potion that he has Severus making. Disrupt the ritual at the opportune moment. Bloody something."
Lucius huffed out a laugh. "Would that I could. You saw the crystal shield he erected for the Unbreakable Vow. Mulciber would have been mind wiped again and Severus sworn to secrecy. We know nothing about either."
"Oh we do. It's about immortality, it's about those dragon collars you have and it's about Potter. Kill Potter? Damage the collars? Sabotage the potion? Leave it to the last minute and fuck with the ritual."
Lucius sighed and sat in the nearest arm chair and bounced his head off the back in frustration.
"Anything I do, it has to not test my loyalty or he will know. This damn Mark."
Narcissa approached her husband and slid into his lap. His arms slid around her waist and he sat up enough so that their bodies were touching. She rested her chin on his head and wiped away a single tear from her cheek.
"I'm scared Lucy."
He goosed her ribs and made her laugh and squirm a little on his lap.
"What have I told you about calling me that?"
Narcissa smirked then let it fade.
"I guess any sabotage will have to be done by me. I'm not marked, I have sworn no oath as is his order. His need for all wives to be completely legal will be his downfall."
"Hells, but this is a dangerous game we play. I think you might have to obliviate me of this conversation. My occlumency is good but it's probably not worth the risk."
Narcissa frowned then pulled her wand.
"All of it? Just the last? If I just blur the memory you know we spoke about something but not the details and it's much easier to protect."
Lucius grimaced and nodded. "Do that."
"Obliviate."
Lucius' gaze clouded over and his arms which had tightened around her waist went slack and slid to his side. He blinked and twitched then looked up at her confused.
"You obliviated me?"
Narcissa smiled slightly then kissed her husband. Just as both were getting into the act Lucius hissed and clasped his forearm and broke the kiss.
"He summons me even now."
"Of course he does."
She rose and moved away, she glanced back over her shoulder as he stood and straightened his clothes. Their gazes met and held for a few seconds then he grimaced again. He made for the door and they clasped hands as he passed and as their fingertips slipped apart he paused and he took a deep breath. Without turning he ground out another oath.
What was one more.
"I love you Narcissa, more than ever, more than life itself and if I could spare you pain I would. But everything we do now has to be for the benefit and safety of Draco. If my life is forfeit to save both of yours then so be it."
As left the room Narcissa approached his chair and sank into it. She gazed blankly for a time at a random spot on the floor then began to weep.
——Scene Break——
As the post owl swarm drifted in over the house tables at breakfast time Draco Malfoy glowered at everyone who met his gaze, the train ride back after the Christmas holidays had been interminable. The same shitty conversations, with the same boring faces. He would have much rather stayed at home and attended the Death Eater gathering that the Dark Lord had had. They were the movers and shakers of the Wizarding World, that had been the place to be. Definitely not here wedged between the bookends of Gregory Goyle and Vincent Crabbe. He sighed then perked up as Hermes the family eagle owl slowed his descent with a powerful flap of his wings and flipped the napkin from Draco's lap as it settled on Crabbes shoulder. The burley boy grumbled and complained but was quickly distracted by the food on his fork which was bobbing in front of his nose.
"Hey!"
Draco undid the tie which kept the miniaturised letter secured to the bird's leg and as soon as it was unburdened Hermes launched itself into the air. Draco looked down at his name written in elegant calligraphy and smiled the first genuine happy grin since Christmas day. Not a smirk, or an amused sneer, a proper full blown toothy grin.
"Mum," he whispered.
He slipped the letter into the side pocket of his book bag. Not something to read around the rabble.
The morning passed slowly for Draco, interminable lessons, irritating Ravenclaws, annoying Gryffindors and insipid Hufflepuffs. Bloody Potter back on his high horse and to top it off that letter from Mother burning a hole in his book bag. Lunch was a brief affair as Draco rarely ate much and a ham and cheese bun was all he managed before he was up and striding from the hall before Crabbe and Goyle had finished stacking their plates. Their confused noises were briefly amusing as they were torn between their parent-assigned duty to be Draco's ever present bodyguards and beautiful life sustaining food. The food won out and Draco descended to the dungeons alone.
It took only a few minutes for him to be sat in his favourite chair by a banked fireplace in a nook of the common room. The low ceiling and minimal lighting caused shadows to play across the room lending it a sinister aspect.
Draco pulled the letter out and let his guard down, he relaxed in the one place that usually had him on edge the most. He couldn't read a word but that was to be expected. The Malfoys were devious and inventive, his mother most of all. Draco pulled a pair of horn rimmed glasses from his inner pocket and after slipping them on he tapped the frame with his wand and intone.
"Inotious."
The words wavered, swam on the page then transformed into english.
Dearest Draco
I trust your journey north was completed safely and your reunion with our classmates joyous.
As you know the Dark Lord returned from negotiation with the Russians yesterday and it was as eventful a day as we expected, and feared.
The Malfoy name is under more threat than ever before, not before our Lord fell in the eighties and not when your father managed to keep himself out of Azkaban.
Your father and I are in agreement on this, our family name, the estate and you are more important to us than anything, including our Lord. As you will be able to understand, I had to cast the memory charm on your father for everyone's safety.
I need you to do a few things for me my sweet boy, they will be hard, but I swear to you they are necessary.
Don't antagonise Potter, his time will come but you making the Malfoy name a direct opponent to him will not help.
Make a record of the people Potter associates with and which he trusts.
Make a list of the places he goes, the more frequent the better.
I need to know who he cares about the most. I know Granger and Weasley but are there any others? A sudden girlfriend that no one expected. This might still occur over the next month or two and just comes from nowhere. This is the most important.
I know you and your personality, you will hate this, I am sorry but this is vital.
Please destroy this letter.
All my love.
Mother.
Draco lowered the letter and absently pulled the glasses from his nose.
"Fucking Potter."
——Scene Break——
Whispering and a bang woke Violet Braddock and she lay in her bed, breath coming in short sharp gasps as she listened to unknown bodies bump into the organised chaos of that was her apothecary. A woosh caused her to break into sudden movement, she sat bolt upright and snatched up her wand with a gasp.
"No! Fire!"
A flick of her wand and the bedroom door flew open and Violet was illuminated in an orange glow. She scrambled out of bed to the fireplace and threw the entire tin of floo powder into the embers of her bedtime fire. The green flames erupted and she screamed one word.
"Aurors!"
The calm voice that answered took the edge of her panic but she was still frantic as she spoke.
"Department of Magical Law Enforcement, how may I direct your call?"
"Someone has set my shop on fire!"
"Alright madam, if you just remain calm…"
"Stay calm!? I'm in my bedroom upstairs!"
The fireplace crackled in the silence then the female voice stammered.
"Fi- fire! Alert! Alert! Fire in Diagon Alley! Thirty two Conjure Street! Immediate action required!
Can you get yourself out of the building ma'am?"
Violet stared at the door for a long second then stripped her nightie over her head. Naked, she yanked the top drawer of her dresser open.
"I don't know. Maybe. I can't feel the heat but it's very orange."
"I'll stay on with you but get out as quickly as you can."
Violet scrambled across the bed to get to her dresser and had to fight the bedsheets more than a less panicked attempt would have generated. She pulled the each drawer open and grabbed items and shoved them haphazardly in a holdall that had been summoned from the wardrobe. She paused, glanced around the room and failed to suppress a sob.
Her lovely home.
"Madam, are you still there?"
"Yes I am ready, I am going out the window now."
A wand flick and the window vanished, a sudden gust of wind buffeted Violet and a roar burbled from below. With a squeak she stepped into the gap one occupied by the window and stepped out into space. A voice from below made her look down.
"Arresto Momentum!"
Several Aurors in their red robes were below, the wands spraying water into the inferno that was her shop and one white face turned up towards her. As Violet's bare feet settled on the cobbles of Conjure street, arms gathered her up and hustled her down the street where her neighbours and a pair of healers waited. She turned and burst into loud wailing tears, her legs gave out and collapsed into a heap on the cold cobbles, a glob of snot intermingling with the tears.
"Vi? Oh my god you got out! Vi? Vi? Violet! "
The voice took a few seconds to pierce through her panic attack and she looked blearily up into the pale worried faces of Dorothea and Marcus, the owners of the florist shop three doors down.
"Dot? Oh Dot, what do I do?"
Dorothea looked up at the inferno blazing out of the opened her mouth then settled for an all-encompassing hug as her tiny frame could manage. Violet started to shake and the tears flowed again.
A pair of aurors approached and stood next to Marcus as he watched his wife comfort their friend. One of the aurors, slightly younger and fresh faced, cleared his throat and was nudged by his more grizzled partner. The interruption distracted Dorothea who twitched and derailed Violet's emotional trainwreck and she eased off from sobs to hiccups in the space of a minute. She glanced up and the older auror took the opportunity to crouch down, and touch the distraught woman on the shoulder.
"Ma'am, I'm senior Auror Robert Proudfoot and this is my Partner junior auror Simon Dawlish. Are you able to answer a few questions about what happened?"
Violet nodded and rose to her feet, she looked unsteady even with Dorothea supporting her, she looked expectantly at him with a sniff and a cough. Dawlish and Proudfoot exchanged a glance and the senior man gestured to the side.
"I think it best if we took this somewhere else."
"Oh no, please let Dot stay, I don't want to be alone now."
The four moved to a side street and Marcus stayed in place to watch the destruction of the shop he had bought live newts from as a child with silent tears being soaked into his beard. Auror Proudfoot glanced around the alleyway and nodded to his partner before he turned his attention to Violet. He held up his wand and a faint pale blue light appeared at the tip.
"I'm sorry ma'am I know this is very sudden, but we need to ask you a few questions to ascertain the sequence of events. This interview is being recorded. First off, your name?"
"Violet Braddock."
"And your place of residence?"
"Thirty two Conjure Street, my flat is above my shop, Conjurers Apothecary."
Proudfoot nodded. "Can you tell me what happened as you experienced it. Not what you found out after or have guessed."
"I was in bed asleep and heard some bumps and bangs downstairs and then a woosh, I scrambled out of bed and floo'd the Aurors."
Proudfoot nodded again. "So you saw no one?"
Violet shook her head and looked down. "No."
Proudfoot twitched his head to the side and glanced at Dawlish.
"You don't seem convinced."
Violet licked her lips and sighed. "You said not to guess."
"That was before you didn't see anything, my next question is has anything happened recently which might cause someone to visit your shop in the middle of the night. Has anyone made threats to you or do you have any bad blood with anyone?"
Violet sighed again. "A few weeks ago I had an owl order for some potions ingredients, most of which I didn't have, two of which are rare and not something a reputable potioneer would have anything to do with. I replied that I could supply some but suggested that they try someone else as I refused to deal with the few suppliers who traffic in those Items. A week later the same person came to my shop and asked again for the ingredients. He said that it was a matter of life and death, I replied that it usually was and that my answer was the same."
Auror Proudfoot frowned and waggled his wand between them then looked thoughtful.
"Why didn't you report this to the Aurors?"
Violet shrugged. "Why? None of the ingredients are illegal, just dodgy and I wasn't threatened or warned he just nodded and left. I didn't think anything of it until I heard the bumping downstairs."
Proudfoot sighed. "You're reluctant to name this person. Do I want to know?"
"Probably not. Severus Snape."
"Yeah, that's who I thought you'd say. Do you have anything else to add?"
Violet shook her head and teared up again. "I don't know what to do now, where will I live?"
"You'll be staying with us Vi. Aren't you insured with Havoc, Millie and Carter?"
Violet hugged her friend and nodded into her shoulder. "Yes, I forgot about that."
"You can go see them tomorrow, I'll come with you."
——Scene Break——
Lucius Malfoy looked up from the paperwork strewn across his mahogany desk as the floo wooshed and a ding indicated a floo call. He sighed and returned his quill to the ink pot and levered himself from his desk chair. A face appeared as the flames turned green and a voice barked out his name even before he had rounded his desk.
"Lucius!"
He continued his journey across the room and settled in the wingback chair he had positioned here for this purpose.
"Yes Severus, good morning to you too."
"What? Nevermind all that. Why did you start your fun in Diagon Alley at the apothecary that I use more than any other?"
Lucius raised an elegant eyebrow and interlaced his fingers in his lap.
"I did what?"
"I have just had a visit from the Aurors to inform me that I am a person of Interest in the arson attack in Conjurer Apothecary and to provide my whereabouts at three o'clock this morning."
Lucius slapped a hand to his forehead and dragged it down his face.
"Oh those idiots."
"What?"
"I put a few of our younger members together and told them to put a list of suitable targets together and prepare for our Lord's word. Prepare and survey only."
Snape grumbled and grated out a reply. "Well they might have fucked at least one of the Lords plans. If I'm under suspicion then completing this ridiculous potion will be so much harder."
"Isn't there anything Dumbeldore can do?"
"He did it. Confirmed that the wards registered my presence at that time. But he did look at me with suspicion even though he didn't say anything."
"I'll sort it, an anonymous source will implicate one of them. Probably Smith, he's the one with the least promise, it may have to be all three of them. Is there anything I can do to help with your supply problem?"
Snape nodded reluctantly. "Probably yes, I had been trying to keep you out of it but Tannis Root and Eye of Inferi are proving challenging. That's what I had tried to get from Violet Braddock a few weeks ago and she will have remembered."
"We play a dangerous game, Severus."
"We do, with high rewards and higher risks. Can I be consulted on your future targets?"
"There was no target last night, just some drunken idiots. I'll keep you informed."
The floo call ended and Lucius remained in his contemplative position until the double doors opened and Narcissa glided into the room. She approach in silence and sat in the second wingback chair and crossed her legs.
"Husband?"
Lucius grunted. "It seems that one of our brethren has taken some liberties and it could cause Severus some legal issues."
"Oh, do you have a course of action?"
Lucius smoothed his hair back and nodded. "Yes, unfortunate because they had promise but Severus is more important than some cannon fodder. I must speak with our Lord."
Lucius rose stepped across the gap between them, bent to apply a kiss to her cheek and left her alone in her thoughts.
T.B.C