Sign This

Sign This

Lucius Malfoy threw open the door of his father's study, making him jump.

He crossed the room to his father's desk and dropped a small piece of parchment onto it, beside a human skull. 'Sign this,' he ordered.

'What is it? I already signed the Hogsmeade one, two years ago. Did you lose it?' said his father, Mondis Malfoy. He put the book he'd been reading on the desk, and picked up the parchment.

'Did I tell you to ask questions? Just sign it. Why do you need to know what it is?'

'Oh, it's the Nonpater permission slip,' said Mondis, reading it. 'Do you have any girl in mind, or are you just generally optimistic?'

'Don't question me, just sign it.' Lucius looked away from his father, at the case with the collection of skulls. One from the human shelf had been removed, presumably the one on the desk.

Mondis put down the parchment and looked at his son. 'One day, you will learn manners. Haven't you learnt yet that you can't just order everyone to do what you want?'

'It works.'

'It'll always work on some people. Just as you do what you're told by that Riddle boy.'

'The Dark Lord! Call him by his proper title, not that stupid name!' said Lucius angrily.

'He was Tom Riddle when I taught him, and I refuse to call him by that silly made-up title.'

'Oh yes. You taught that weak subject. '

'Defence Against the Dark Arts is all too necessary a subject, with people like your friend around.'

'Why didn't you teach proper Dark Arts?'

'Because I agree with Albus,' Mondis said wearily. 'There are too many Dark Wizards prepared to teach you Dark Arts, and not enough teaching defences against them.'

'Dumb Le Dore,' said Lucius sarcastically. 'As soon as old Dippet retires, and we get a new headmaster, he won't keep an old fool like that as a teacher.'

Mondis didn't comment on this. 'You believe that Riddle, with his made-up name, can gain real power? And that he'd ever share any power he gained with you? Why do you believe he would do that?'

'To reward me for supporting him, of course. Are you too stupid to understand that?'

Mondis smiled sadly. 'Riddle isn't the first, and he won't be the last. You aren't the first to believe people like him, and unfortunately you won't be the last either.'

'We'll see who's laughing when he has the whole country -- and beyond -- under his thumb.'

Mondis looked at the skull. 'This is the skull of another who thought he would gain such power. Now he's merely an item in my collection. Perhaps Riddle will join him one day.'

Lucius laughed scornfully. 'Believe that if you wish. You are deluded. The Dark Lord will become immortal, and perhaps your skull will decorate his home.'

Mondis looked back at the permission slip. 'You ought to be more concerned with continuing our line. Your obsession with my death blinds you to the need for the birth of an heir. You're so concerned with pure blood -- but you could be the last of the Malfoys. All because you followed a penniless half-blood from a Muggle orphanage and believed his promises of power.' He picked up his quill and dipped it in the inkwell.

Lucius smiled, as he'd obviously won by getting his father to sign. 'What he was doesn't matter.'

'All right. But I'd rather you were more interested in girls than false illusions of power. Perhaps signing this slip will encourage you in that direction.' He paused, his quill hovering above the slip. 'I ask again -- do you have any girl in mind?'

Lucius realised that he was going to have to answer this before his father's quill would touch the parchment. He shifted uneasily. 'Narcissa. You met her when you came up to watch the Quidditch match.'

'Oh yes, I believe I do remember her. Pretty enough, and no doubt a pure-blood too?'

'Of course!'

'"Of course", indeed,' he said, handing the now-signed slip back to his son.

Lucius grabbed it, and went out of the study, slamming the door behind him.

Mondis looked at the door, then said quietly to the skull, 'I hope Narcissa can distract him from Riddle better than I can. I don't want to visit the last of my family in Azkaban.'

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