The Illustrated Death of Lucius Malfoy

SEVEN

I must focus, thought Lucius Malfoy.

Sitting at the desk in his office at the Ministry of Magic building, he put his head in his hands, threading his fingers through his hair for a moment. Outside of the closed door, soft sounds of activity wafted inward, despite the fact that no noise, for a long time, rose from the office itself. This day, like every weekday, showed promise for papers changing of hands and debates within the Office of Misuse of Muggle Artifacts.

I must finish some work. The Head of the office sat up and started reach for a file, yet his hand fell short.

Voldemort has gone too far this time. Hiring a Mudblood spy - could he have not found one of us to do the work? Why else do we take bloody Muggle Studies as children? Know thine enemy.

There was a knock on the door.

Lucius slowly looked up, then, seeing a tall and familiar shape behind the frosted glass, he sat up fully. "Come in."

The door opened just enough to allow Arthur Weasley's head to peek inward. "I was just wondering if you had a moment."

No. I don't have any bloody time. Muggle-lovers, caving in our world all around us all over the place. Lucius merely gave a noncommittal nod, keeping his expression neutral.

"Ah, right." Arthur walked in, carrying what appeared to be a newspaper under one arm. He walked over to the desk. "I was wondering if you had given your approval yet on my proposal of section three-a on the Research Enchantment clause."

"Convince me as to why I should, and I will." Lucius picked up a file folder, and placed it directly in front of him.

"Um, might I sit?" Arthur turned pale.

Lucius made a gesture toward a chair, face remaining absolutely unreadable.

"Right." The redheaded man sat, placing his newspaper on Lucius's desk. He folded his hands. "Well, as we all know, most items created by Muggles are completely different than ones we wizards desire or need. Say, for example, an automobile. We don't need them, we have brooms. We can Apparate. We have floo powder." Arthur shifted in his chair uncomfortably. "But if we were to take, for instance, an automobile, and enchant it -"

"You are well aware that such things are highly illegal?" Lucius interrupted him, voice cold.

"Well, yes." Arthur replied. He fidgeted for a moment before speaking. "But for the purposes of research, in a controlled environment, study of an enchanted Muggle item might lead to breakthroughs in our own sciences."

Lucius replied, "I do not like the implications of such research, Arthur. You seem to imply that we have anything to learn from the Muggles."

"Well, we do." Arthur said.

Lucius raised one eyebrow.

"That is - their systems of construction of their items. Weaving of carpets. The manufacturing of automobile parts. We could integrate such methods - magically modified, of course - into our own." Arthur shifted again.

"Arthur, is something the matter?" Lucius shifted his tone deliberately, keeping it genteel, yet cold. "You seem distracted."

"Yes. Something is the matter." Arthur sighed.

"Good, because you are not convincing me at all to sign this proposal." Lucius folded his hands.

The tall man looked Lucius directly in the eye. "My son is...distraught...over a tragedy concerning a friend of his."

Interesting. Lucius cocked his head slightly. "I am sorry to hear that. One of his friends from school?"

Arthur nodded. "Ron was up nearly the entire night over it. You must know how it is, when your child is in pain."

Lucius paused, musing over this for a moment before speaking. "Of course," the blonde wizard replied. "Would you be better off at home for the rest of the day, Arthur?"

"I'd like that a lot, Lucius," Arthur said.

"Then go." Lucius waved a hand at the door. "Go, then. Be with your son." He set the file aside. "This affair can wait. Of course, you will return with a better justification of section three-a?"

"Of course." Arthur stood up. "Thank you, Lucius."

"Go," Lucius repeated, keeping his cold yet genteel tone. "Be with your son."

Arthur nodded, then left the room, closing the door quietly behind him.

Lucius leaned back in his chair. Interesting. I wonder what has the Weasley boy so upset, he wondered. It does happen, doesn't it, when one spends his time with his nose in other people's lives?

It was then that both blue eyes fell on the forgotten newspaper.

Sitting up slowly, Lucius took the paper and opened it. He noticed immediately that it was some sort of Muggle rag, as none of the pictures moved, not to mention the fact that it had been folded at the obituary section. Just next to the crease was printed a picture of a woman with rather bushy hair.

Dr. Jessica Marie Rubblestone-Granger, 41. Mrs. Granger, respected dentist and beloved mother, died on January 20th in her home...

Lucius stared at the picture for a moment. Granger. Likely that Granger child's mother.

...Dr. Granger is survived by one daughter. A memorial service will be held at...

Of course. Lucius found that he suddenly couldn't take his eyes off of the picture. Where do I know this Muggle? Ah, yes. I met her years ago in Diagon Alley. But she seemed so familiar to me then. Odd sort, scared obviously of the lot of us. Well, she should have been. Yes. Ron Weasley's all upset over his girlfriend's mother being dead. Disgrace, the Weasleys, a pureblooded family - Arthur should discipline that boy for associating with a Mudblood.

Just then, he heard a twitter, and something landed next to his elbow. Lucius looked up from the paper just to see a grey owl turn in mid-flight and then dive out the open window.

Lucius laid the paper aside and picked up the delivered letter. The stationary was simple, the seal on the letter without flourish. He opened the seal, then the letter, and read it.

All will be explained. Use the portkey inside to transport yourself to a forest at 5 PM today. Come alone or you will find yourself alone.

Lucius shook the envelope, and a small coin slid out. Taking care not to touch it, he managed to scoop it back into the envelope.

Wherever I'm going, it must be a great distance away, or else I could Apparate. there. I'm taking two wands, Lucius thought. Whoever it is, I will speak to them. I only hope it's that Muggleborn spy that Voldemort has seen fit to find favour with, so that I can execute them on the spot.

Lucius arrived at the edge of an ancient forest, and dropped the coin where he stood. Drawing his wand, he took stock of his surroundings.

Several large hills rose on all sides of him, bordered by the massive trees of the forest. Not far off, he could hear the calls of cows and sheep, yet all around him, snow lay thick upon the ground. He faintly wondered where he was.

Drawing his wand, Lucius cast a quick positioning spell upon the snow below him. A transparent scroll appeared, unfurling, revealing a map of the world. He located a small blinking point upon a western British isle before making a banishing gesture. The scroll disappeared.

Footsteps in snow rose in his ears, and Lucius turned around quickly, wand drawn. He found Severus Snape standing behind him, his wand also at the ready.

"You," Lucius said through clenched teeth.

"I take it by your greeting that you perhaps know the truth," Snape said coldly.

Lucius laughed. "You coward. Traitor. All I did for you. All I gave to you -"

Snape interrupted him with a gesture. "Yes. I do admit that I...turned my back on you. However, I have invited you here to perhaps explain myself. The Ministry already knows about you, Lucius. There was nothing that I could have told them that they did not already know. Nothing." Lucius started to open his mouth, but Snape made another gesture. "For once in your life, Lucius, I suggest that you remain silent and listen to me. I did not call you here to argue the past with you. I wish to make apparent your...options. You stand in a trap, Lucius. A trap of your own creation."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Lucius said.

Snape lowered his wand slowly. "You took a position as the House Head of Slytherin. It is your pride, Lucius, that has blinded you."

It hit Lucius suddenly - the very thing Snape alluded to, and he slowly, also, lowered his wand. He said nothing.

"Your room is covered in listening charms. I know because it was my room. The charms were put into place when I first arrived there as a teacher." Snape held his wand in both hands as he spoke.

"How do you know this?" Lucius said slowly.

"The Ministry monitored me for five years. I held no conversation in that room that was unnoted. I was, as you know, a spy. Therefore, for a long while, untrusted. Though I am in hiding, the Ministry has kept me updated as to the investigation."

"Investigation. Of me." Lucius stared coldly back.

Snape nodded. "Not just you. Voldemort's position is known. It is believed that he has a spy within his own organization working to instigate one of the largest attacks against Muggles that the wizarding world has ever known. I know that you will not confirm it."

"Voldemort will find you," Lucius said. "He will kill you."

"I have your son to thank for that." Snape's voice was just as icy.

"My son," Lucius said.

"It was he that saw my treason through his little experiment. Seeing me as Dumbledore in his vision." Snape cocked his head. "I thought he would have told you."

"On the contrary, he did not." And why, Draco? Ah. Your will might be your undoing. Pray you have no more misguided loyalties. "Is there anything else you wish to tell me about Draco?"

"That he has already been charged with aiding and abetting the abuse of Muggles. Not a pleasant charge for a man not yet graduated."

Lucius laughed out loud. "Ah, AAAM. Yes. We all know that one. The Ministry's favourite Death Eater charge. They have no proof. And if they do manage to find an iota, a conviction will get him probation, at best. Go on, this is amusing me." He waved a gloved hand.

"You see, Lucius, unlike you, I am not ignorant to Muggle literature. Allow me to recall one tale...a Christmas tale about a very wealthy man who refused to give any charity, monitory or otherwise, to anyone, including his own kin." Snape's wand remained in his hand as he spoke, yet it no longer pointed at Lucius. "He dreamed that, in Hell, his misdeeds formed a chain whose length was so great, no man could lift it. So have you, Lucius, done the same. You will be executed. No lawyer within the world will be able to save you. The proof is...unsurmountable."

"I have done nothing wrong." Lucius's wand, still in his right hand, rested on top of his left, which sat upon the head of his cane.

"Under the laws of our world, you have. Whether you believe it within your mind to be right or wrong does not change that." Snape stepped forward. "But there is one chance." He drew in a deep breath, then continued. "I have spoken to Fudge at length, using in your defense everything I know of you, everything you confided in me in our time of acquaintance -"

" - How....DARE...YOU..." Lucius gripped the cane in one hand, the wand in the other.

"You will let me finish." Snape spoke through clenched teeth. "If you confess on your own volition, you will receive a life sentence in Azkaban with the possibility of parole. With your lawyers, you will leave Azkaban before you turn a hundred, likely before you turn eighty. When you serve your sentence, you can never be charged for any past crimes again. You will see your son again. You will retain your property. Ask yourself, Lucius, if you believe that you can slip past the inevitable end."

Lucius said nothing. He thought nothing. He only trembled with the uncontrollable anger that seized his soul.

"Do not be a martyr." The dark-mained wizard's tone and face altered, and suddenly he appeared gentle. "Listen to me. I, of all wizards - of all men - know what it is that you feel. I know the fire that burns within you. I think our cause a noble one."

"Did they send you to make a deal?" Lucius finally made out the words, each punctuated.

"No. I came of my own volition," Snape replied. "I came because I believe, in our past, I owed you a moment of compassion. Think of this as my final act of loyalty. Your confession will save your life."

"I have nothing to confess." Lucius raised his wand. "My conscience is clear. I wonder if you can say the same. I daresay that I doubt a man who acted for the cause and turned against it can sleep at night."

"So be it." Snape made the same gesture. "Encourage Draco, at least, to repent when the Aurors come to arrest you both. Narcissa would want it that way."

Suddenly, Lucius flew into a blind rage. "Crucio!" He shouted.

Snape dove out of the way of the curse, falling to the ground. However, his wand remained pointed at Lucius. He exclaimed, "Expelliarmus!"

Lucius made a mad attempt to dodge the spell, but it managed to throw him several feet backwards and into the snow. His cane remained stuck in the snow where he had formerly stood, but wand remained firmly in hand. "Manifactus mandib -" he began.

Then he noticed that Snape had vanished.

Cursing, Lucius rose, brushing the snow from his robes with a sweeping gesture. He padded through the snow to retrieve his cane and, after casting a long glare at the place that he had last seen Severus Snape lie, he went to retrieve the portkey that had brought him to this frozen place.

The clock struck four.

Lucius glanced up at it, then approached slowly. One hand, printed 'Draco' in gold, pointed at the words 'asleep'. A second, displaying his own name, rested upon 'awake'. A third with Narcissa's name lay against the bottom edge of the clock's face. I have no idea why I have not rid myself of this thing, he wondered. It's been almost two years...

Snape.

Where did he go wrong? When did he go to Dumbledore? At what point did we fail to notice? Were we so wrapped up in our grand and glorious quest that we did not see the spy within our midst?

And why didn't Draco tell me he saw Snape as -

Lucius paused in his thoughts. A plan formed within the recesses of his mind. Of course. Why didn't I think of this before? He wondered.

He swept from his bedchamber down to the second floor and into his study. Glancing behind him, he unlocked a cabinet with the flick of his wand and a muttered word, opened it, and pulled out a small bottle. The liquid within glittered a poisonous green. Taking a large jar next, Lucius unscrewed the lid and removed two small pieces of a jet-black weed, which he stuffed into his nostrils. Selecting a third, larger piece of weed, he put it in his mouth between lips and teeth. Then, palming the small bottle and leaving the cabinet open, he went quickly out of the office and back up the stairs, this time diverting down another hall until he reached a closed bedroom door.

Placing a hand on the doorknob, he turned it very quietly and opened the door, slipped into the semi-darkness, and closed it behind him.

The curtains of the window had been thrown back, revealing the light of a very bright moon, which shown through the drapes upon the four-poster bed. Draco lay upon his side, hair falling over his face though blowing a bit with every quiet breath.

Lucius uncorked the bottle, and immediately the potion reacted with the air, flooding the room with noxious smoke. He crept over to the bed, placing the bottle on the nightstand that stood inches from where Draco's head lay, and there left it, waiting until a haze filled the entire room. The moonlight fell through the tainted air in strict beams, as if they had been channeled to fall upon the hidden face. Lucius pushed back Draco's hair with the palm of his hand, then placed his fingertips near the young man's nostrils. The breath upon them was light, yet existed still.

Immediately, the elder Malfoy set into action. Drawing his wand, he hissed a quick spell, and all of the lights in the room raised to full brightness. He immediately surveyed the bedroom with a wide sweep of blue eyes. Robes of all sorts lay scattered on the ground, as did piles of books, scrolls, empty and uncut quills, and Quidditch magazines. With precision, he knelt upon the ground, targeting the school books first, flipping through the pages, scanning every handwritten note, some obviously passed around a classroom. After not finding what he was looking for, he turned to Draco's school bag next, opening it. His hand closed around a stained notebook, wrinkled from extreme abuse. Pulling it out of the bag, he opened it, and immediately eyes fell upon what he was looking for: 'Unconscious Potion with Nonovarus - attempt number four.' He quickly scanned the book for a number five, and finding none, he closed the book, shut the bookbag, and climbed to his feet. Muttering a few words, Lucius headed for the door as the haze began to clear. Another gesture of the wand extinguished the lights, and he let himself out of the room.

Holding onto the pilfered notebook with one hand, Lucius tucked away his wand, then removed the weed from his nostrils and mouth. As he entered the drawing room, he cast the soggy weed into a rubbish bin, then turned to face a portrait of one of his ancestors, who was snoring loudly. Tapping on the frame with his wand, the portrait awoke. "Password?" He mumbled.

"Resurrection," Lucius replied.

There was a grinding noise, and the drawing room fireplace sunk into the wall, then down into the floor. The hole that remained, however, did not lead into blackness but instead in the midst of a crackling green barrier. Draco will know better than to enter the chamber while it is open, Lucius thought. Then again, he has proven himself unworthy enough to necessitate my doing what I am about to do... He cleared his throat, then, wand firmly in hand again, he walked through the barrier.

Lucius's vision went green for a moment, and then he plunged into total blackness. The toes of his boots found the staircase that plunged into the cold world below, but he deliberately did not light his wand.

"Who is there?" A voice whispered, followed by a long hiss.

"It is Lucius Malfoy, Madrangola," he said in a low voice.

"Ahhhh..." The sound of something dragging across stone could be heard. "Master. I have been keeping the stores well for you."

"Good." He stepped down cautiously, wand remaining drawn. "I need to work on something. I do not have time to explain." Step after step, until he felt both of his feet hit solid ground. "I will have to turn up the lights so that I can see."

A hiss, then the voice spoke again. "I will stay to the shadows, then. I am at your command."

Lucius muttered a few words, and the torches within the laboratory lit up, yet hardly to full brightness. Blue eyes scanned the shadows for several seconds until they fell upon a figure which stood next to an ancient desk.

The creature stood at Lucius's height, however, it was evident from the fact that most of its body remained coiled that it could have been much longer or much taller. The lower body, similar to that of a snake, appeared black in the low light. Atop a tapering neck, however, was the head of a green-skinned woman. The slash of her mouth ran across her face from ear to ear, and twisted locks of green hair fell around her face.

"There you are, my dear," Lucius said softly. "Finding enough to occupy yourself with?"

"Ah, yes, Master," the creature replied. "How may I aid your work?"

"Keep watch on the door," Lucius answered as he went to a cabinet. "Do not let my son enter."

"Yes, Master." Madrangola slid only briefly out of the shadows before vanishing up the staircase.

Lucius worked as quickly as his hands would allow. Filling his gold cauldron with water from his wand, he added the ingredients for the potion, glancing periodically at Draco's notebook. Summoning a floating pocket watch, he added nonovarus and set the timer, watching carefully as the ingredients began to separate. He added more water, and watched as, instead of turning brown, as cold nonovarus did, the liquid turned oily, leaving a thin film on the surface. The wizard grasped a skimming instrument and a flask, and watched in silence as the pocket watch counted down the time, let out a yell, then vanished. Skimming the potion from the water, Lucius poured it into the flask, tilted it slightly, then glanced through the glass. If it worked for a seventh-year student, he mused, then it will work for me.

"I must dash," Lucius said. "Madrangola, drain the cauldron and clean it? I will see that you have a...fine Christmas dinner for your efforts."

"Ah. Yes, Master." The creature slid back to the laboratory, and toward the cauldron. "Fresh meat, Master?"

"Yes, of course." Lucius strode past Madrangola. "I will send down Knicker with some."

"Thank you, kind Master." As Lucius descended the stairs, he heard the sound of water running. "Thank you."

Opening the passageway before him, Lucius walked back into the drawing room, made very sure that the fireplace returned to position, then descended the staircase at a trot. Turning to a window, he observed that the sun had not yet risen, and took that as a blessing as he returned to Draco's room. Opening the door quietly again, he swept over to the bookbag, replaced the notebook within, then stood, turning to face his son.

The boy's breathing had returned to normal, and face was free of hair. He moaned a bit in his sleep, clutching the pillow beneath his head before quieting again, stilling.

I do this for both of us, Lucius thought. I pray that when I take this, I see myself staring back.

He put the potion to his lips, tipped back his head, and drank it all.

Placing the flask upon a nearby table, he waited for a moment, licking his lips. Not bad, he thought. But it does take a while to -

Before he finished his thought, his world twisted.

Draco vanished from the bed, and lying there, in his place, was Hermione Granger.

Lucius stared for a moment in utter disbelief before picking up the flask slowly. He turned, and fled from the room.

It could mean anything, Lucius told himself as he strode down the hall to his chambers. Eyes kept wandering to the hallucinations that floated near and around him, to the flames of the torches that appeared to be lithe maidens in a cosmic dance. He is investigating that Mudblood Granger. It could mean anything -

Lucius entered his chambers and closed the door, locking it behind him. The hand that held the flask slammed it down on an endtable. The flask shattered, and immediately blood welled up from the tender palm and fingers that had once held it. Lucius, however, did not notice. He only stared, watching as the room spun around him wildly.

Suddenly, he felt as if a massive had had grabbed hold of his body. Jerking, he fell to the ground. For a moment, blue flashes of light surrounded him, speckling, dancing, and then darkness closed in.

For only a moment.

Lucius gasped and opened his eyes. He lay flat on his back, staring up at the ceiling. Staring up at the form of a Death Eater, masked and cloaked, holding a wand pointed at his head.

"You will maintain your silence," the figure said.

"Who are you?" Lucius snapped.

"Speak again and I will kill you without further warning." The wand remained steady. "It is time for you to repent for your misdeeds, Lucius Malfoy. If you believe that you are not being observed from all angles, then you are wrong." The wand lowered, but only in the slightest. "You do not recognize me?" A chuckle rose from behind the mask, and the wand flickered. "Speak!"

It's the nonovarus. It's hiding the person...Damn all... "Of course I recognize you," Lucius said cautiously. "I wish to know why you are doing this."

The figure wavered briefly, as if it had become a piece of fabric in the breeze. "I must go. I will contact you and discuss the terms of your...redemption."

Lucius Malfoy opened his eyes. He found that he lay upon the floor as he had fallen - on his side.

The clock chimed eight. It was Christmas morning.