Rat Trap

Title: Rat Trap

By: Ginnysdarkside

The clattering sounds of feet running down the stairs and a rather strident voice shattered the early morning quiet of the manor.

"MOTHER!"

Narcissa Malfoy wrinkled her nose and arched one perfectly shaped eyebrow as her son flew into the breakfast room. "Draco, darling, don't shout, it's unbecoming." Her voice was chilly as she picked up her tea cup and regarded her only son. "And don't run in the house. Walk. How many times must I tell you? This is not a Quidditch Pitch."

Draco ducked his head slightly and slowed to a walk. "Of course, Mother." He sat down in his chair and pulled a napkin embroidered with the Malfoy crest onto his lap.

"That's better," said Narcissa. "Now, tell me what was so important you had to bellow it to half the manor."

His knife slowed as he applied fresh plum jam to his toast points, and he looked up at her, a sneer flickering across his lips. "That Rat was in my room again, mucking around in my desk. There were inky footprints across my schedule, and I think he made off with some spare parchment."

"Don't be foolish, Draco," Narcissa snapped. "Rats don't write. It probably liked the taste of the ink." Her brow furrowed a little in thought, then instantly smoothed as she remembered she didn't care for the little wrinkle that the expression formed. "If I remember correctly, the house elves were babbling about having misplaced some of that triple cream brie your father likes so much. They already punished themselves, but perhaps it wasn't them after all." She looked over at where her husband was reading the Daily Prophet.

"Lucius, are you listening to this?"

Her husband didn't put down the paper. "Of course, Cricket. Draco's been eating the brie again while he studies?" His voice was bored, and Narcissa shot him an icy look as she pulled the paper from his hands.

"No. That rat is running rampant in the house again. I thought you told me you'd taken care of it."

Lucius glanced at the Exchange page in Narcissa's well manicured hand with a reluctant expression then turned his attention to his wife. "Please, then. Enlighten me with exactly what you expect me to do about it. I already reset the wards, I obtained some Poison from Severus, and I punished the house elves until they cried for not using the hexes properly. Honestly, Narcissa, do I look like some sort of terrier?" His lips curled down at the corners, and for a moment, he did indeed bear a startling resemblance to said animal.

Narcissa stared at him with a smug expression before averting her eyes to her plate. "I don't mean you personally, Lucius, but something must be done. The Anti Rodent Hexes the house elves have been using just aren't affective anymore." She tossed the paper aside. "We are having the Fudges over for dinner next week, and I don't care to have a mangy animal scampering across the Salmon in Aspic. Do you?"

"Might make him feel at home," said Draco, looking over at his parents. "It's not as if he's not used to dealing with sniveling rodents over at the Ministry, what with all the Weasels burrowing there."

Narcissa smiled at her son, and Lucius nodded with a pleased smirk. "Quite right, Draco, but we mustn't have people suggesting we can't keep our home pest free." He turned to his wife. "If the House Elves can't get rid of it, what would you suggest I do?"

She hesitated for a moment, her lips pursed, before speaking. "The Bletchleys had a similar problem. Serena told me they ended up having to contact a Muggle Exterminator."

Lucius' knife clattered to the table. "We are not having Muggle filth in this house." His grey eyes narrowed as he glared at her. "I will not allow it."

"Very well." Narcissa regarded her toast before looking up at him with a bland expression. She started to stand up. "Go to work, darling. I'll take care of it, but don't plan on coming to bed when you get home. I'll have the house elves make up the settee in your study."

"Now, now, Narcissa, don't be making threats." He turned to where Draco was regarding him with an amused expression. "Make your mother see reason, boy. You don't want Muggles in this house, now do you?" His eyes flickered to Narcissa. "Just think what kind of message we'd be sending the boy."

Narcissa just continued to stare at him, one delicate hand grasping the back of her chair.

"You'll be the Death of me, Narcissa," he said, finally picking up his teacup. "But I'll see what I can do." A smile crossed his lips as he looked at her. "I can always torture the Muggle after he's caught the rat, now can't I?"

"Of course you can, darling," Narcissa replied with a triumphant smile, settling back into her chair. "I'm not completely cold hearted after all. Now, pass me some of that kedgeree, would you?"

TWO DAYS LATER:

A loud snap followed by a howl of pain filtered down from upstairs. Narcissa sighed and counted to five in her head as she looked through her gardening weekly. Sure enough, just like clockwork, she heard her son's voice pierce the quiet of the room.

"MOTHER!"

The sound of his frantic footsteps on the stairs made her shudder, and she gave him a cool, appraising look as he entered the salon. "Draco, I thought I told you not to run, that carpet in the hallway is a priceless antique."

Draco's footsteps slowed, and he tried to compose himself. "Of course, Mother."

He went over to the tea trolley and grabbed a biscuit, his voice off hand. "Mother?"

"Yes, Draco? What is it now?" Narcissa regarded him over her tea cup.

"There's a man upstairs with a rat trap on his hand. He headed into father's study."

A crashing sound was followed by what sounded like a chair being overturned and Lucius' voice bellowing, "PETTIGREW!" There was a thump, followed by a choked squeaking noise, and then silence.

Narcissa smiled at Draco and held out her cup. "Refresh my cup, Draco. No, not too much, that's enough." She pulled the cup away and took a sip as Draco placed the silver tea pot on the tray. Her eyes lit up as Lucius came down the stairs, his clothes rumpled, his hand gripping his cane tightly as he struggled into the room.

"Darling? Did you catch the rat?"