Object of Affection

Object of Affection - 5

Prepared a sinister mate

For her - so gaily great -

A Shape of Ice, for the time far and dissociate.

Thomas Hardy -The Convergence of the Twain

Many weeks later, near the Ministry of Magic in London, the spring crocus and daffodils had long since faded and the gardens were growing lush and green again. Children laughed and played on the swings as adults watched from park benches close by. The terrorist attacks of the last year seemed to be a bad dream - nothing more ominous than a fluffy cloud spoiled the perfect weather and the feeling of safety that pervaded the scene.

Two men dressed in black sat by themselves under a leafy tree, talking quietly.

"I want to thank you for your help - you were right. Narcissa has really taken to the Legilimency. It calms her considerably - she's almost back to normal. And her touch is so subtle - almost undetectable. You'd be proud of your students."

"I'm very glad to hear it. She's a strong, intelligent woman. Time and patience alone would have calmed her. I merely suggested a pastime. I hear pregnancy can be a difficult time for women."

"Having Narcissa and Bellatrix practice together was inspired. Having her old study partner back is a great comfort with her parents still missing."

"And how is the other side, Occlumency? Are you three learning how to hide from each other yet?"

"A little," Lucius said. There were some things he had no wish to know. Some things Narcissa did not tell him. And with the baby he had no desire to test her strength. It was as relaxing a time they had ever spent learning Dark Arts together. "Narcissa's sister Bellatrix and I have practiced together. She's quite fierce."

"Unlike Narcissa?"

"I hesitate to push her now. When the baby's born we can be more strenuous, but I don't wish to tax her strength."

"No need to push her when you have other partners. Bellatrix's strength is phenomenal. If her sister has half her dedication, she'll be a legendary witch someday, too."

"Rodolphus sings her praises constantly. I'm afraid he's committed the unforgiveable error of falling in love with his wife. He's never witnessed focus like Bellatrix's - excepting yourself. Discovering you've married that kind of power - he's delighted. Says you should have been made Master of the Knights of Walpurgis Coven a long time ago."

"Lestrange flatters me, Lucius, and I'm grateful for his help. I don't know what I would have done without him, after Damon's passing," said the older man, "but it is your help I need tonight."

"I'd be happy to help you in any way I can."

"I'm meeting some exceptional friends, and I want your counsel."

"I'm not sure being seen with your 'special friends' would be wise."

"We'll be masked - it's customary for us. If any of them is caught and interrogated, Veritaserum can't make them reveal what they do not know."

"You are masked?"

"I am always masked, my friend," he said with a smile. "I'll meet you back here at ten o'clock."

"I'll tell Narcissa not to wait up."

"I prefer you not tell Narcissa anything at all."

"As you wish."

"Until tonight, then," the older man said as he stood and walked away through the park.

Lucius went back to his office. On his desk were memos from Millicent Bagnold and her many other assistants, and a bundle of scrolls detailing some terrorist incidents - no slaughters, just a few deaths, no one of substance. Nothing worth calling a press conference - Muggle-borns had been turning up half-vivisected for years. This new batch was nothing new. It did make him wonder why any Muggle-born with half a brain didn't stay in their world. They were neither needed nor wanted anymore in the wizard world - they were at no greater risk of extinction than any other time in history. The MLE lost half as many pureblood wizards fighting the terrorists as the Mudbloods they saved. For Lucius, the math just didn't work out. The Mudbloods weren't worth the trouble. Snatching them out of their world at eleven! What kind of parents would allow strangers to take their children to go into a world where they couldn't follow? They probably ate their own young! And if the Mudbloods survived, the rest of their lives were spent trying to assimilate into a world not their own. They couldn't - they'd always look at the wizarding world with an eye to make it Muggle-friendly, trying to turn wizards into Muggles because they couldn't turn themselves into proper wizards!

No one had heard from Narcissa's parents in months. John Moneypenny had owled Narcissa to say he was meeting with an Auror who might have some leads on their whereabouts, and would report again after the meeting. That owl was five days late. Another official communication from the International Confederation reported that they were last seen in the Philippines. International Confederation spies were notoriously anxious to please - and the Malfoys had offered generous rewards for information before. Lucius had little confidence. He sent a message home to Narcissa telling her he'd work late. He didn't look forward to updating her, especially. It would wait until morning.

Ministry Aurors had gone missing, too. Burns, Foster, Moody, and Thackery didn't check in last week as scheduled. As far as the MLE knew, they were all local. And Aurors went undercover all the time - it was standard operational procedure. Owls had been dispatched, and expectations were still high. Lucius spent the rest of the afternoon managing expectations.

That night, Voldemort walked up to Lucius and handed him a white mask. "You'd best pull that hair back, too, if you want to stay anonymous," he said.

Lucius had the impression that this amused Voldemort a great deal. The older man helped him tie the mask on.

"There. All ready? Let's go."

They Apparated to an open field. Lucius could hear gulls nearby. The moon was quite bright, and he could clearly see three figures standing in the middle of a crop circle. They started walking toward the group, and Lucius smelled death. He recognised it from Chile, and messy episodes working with the MLE. A sweet gagging stink that returns like a worry, or an evil thought. The smell was strong as a vision - saccharine putrescence - rotting meat and flowers. It flew past the rational parts of his mind to roost in the part of his brain that was home to all wordless, thoughtless fear. Voldemort was speaking to him, "...they want some guidance - after they killed the Mudblood, an Auror interfered."

At last, they reached the centre of the circle and the leader of the group greeted them. "Lord Voldemort," he said, stepping forward and dropping to his knee.

Lucius started a little at the title and the obeisance. This was familiar to him from the Knights of Walpurgis. The masks, the ceremonial greetings - it was all strangely familiar. But this was no Coven he knew; he didn't recognize the voice, and he hoped they would not recognize his.

"Why have you summoned me?" Voldemort asked.

"We need instruction, my lord. We killed Moneypenny as planned, but an Auror attacked us. We subdued him, but he's a pureblood. We don't know what to do with him."

Voldemort walked up to the bound wizard lying on his side. "What do you think, Auror? We're fighting for wizards - to save your world - and you oppose us. What should we do with you?" The Auror spat at his boot through broken teeth. "How rude," Voldemort said evenly as he wiped the bloody spittle off his shoe onto the Auror's body. He looked at Lucius. "So, my friend, do we leave him to testify, or kill them both?"

Lucius said nothing. He had playacted enough for Voldemort to recognise a set stage. For many weeks Lucius had been helping convince disillusioned friends that Voldemort's cause was the answer they were seeking. Never actively recruiting, just arranging meetings, making introductions. He was the first violinist to Voldemort's conductor, helping to assure that people heard what they needed to hear. Now Voldemort was playing for him. The Auror was a dead man - he knew it. Only the three in masks seemed to have any doubts. Lucius raised his chin and Voldemort gave him a slow smile.

Voldemort asked the group leader, "Is he anything to you?"

"A Muggle-lover! A traitor to his blood!" the man said furiously.

"No more than that?" asked Voldemort quietly.

The Auror spoke with effort, "Traitor, Archie? Maybe I am. Brother or not - if I get out of this you'll go to Azkaban. You sicken me!"

Archie aimed a kick at his ribs. "We're fighting for our family, Alastor! Why do you throw your life away for them? They don't care for us - they just want to tie our hands, in public and private! Forbid us to use the talents we have - for what?"

"Scared," coughed out Alastor, trying to catch his breath after the wind had been kicked out of him.

"Shut it! They'll be scared when we're done. They'll be terrified!"

"Like you are now, Archie?" Alastor ground out squeezing his eyes shut and grimacing, "Fucking stupid fool!"

Voldemort took out his wand and pointed it at Alastor. Stupefy!

The other two men relaxed visibly. "There, you see Archie! I told you we wouldn't kill purebloods! It doesn't make sense!"

"Sure was a close call, wasn't it, Archie?"

Voldemort turned toward Lucius, "A word, my friend?" They walked a short distance away from the other men, and cast a quick silencing charm over them both. Looking at the three men, Voldemort asked, "What do you think?"

"I think that is a rhetorical question - you knew they were dead before we arrived." Lucius knew - his amusement about Lucius's disguise, a thousand little hints pointed to the same solution.

Voldemort smiled with real pleasure. He would have to remember to thank Sebastian for this one! It would send the old man into apoplexy! "So, Lucius, why then did I bring you?"

To show me how you've adopted the organization's forms to serve your function? He doubted they were in the actual Knights of Walpurgis - the organization was a selective one, and Lucius was familiar with most of the men in the Coven. "To impress me with the depth of their dedication to the Coven's ideals? Certainly not their intellect or competence. Frankly, if they were presented for membership I'd blackball them all."

"You wound me, Lucius!" Voldemort said mockingly. "We agree - this cell is a liability to me. What now?"

"How do we maximize the impact of four dead wizards?"

"All four?"

"I include the Mudblood."

"Don't."

"But you should - that's my point! It's that smell you want - the reek of Death. It goes beyond reason and straight to the ganglia of fear! You want to harness the power of that fear - make it work for you. Make them worry about who will die next. While it is only Mudbloods and Aurors, regular people don't worry. Let them know they're no longer safe. Once they feel exposed, feed their fears. They'll dream up more horrors than an army of clowns like these could actually commit. Every atrocity that ever was, every nightmare that ever will be, must be ascribed to your name."

"Why?"

"You never wanted to stay in the background. You've always wanted to be the greatest wizard in the world - but who will know it if you don't tell them? A few, but not enough. This will gather the people you need to your cause. Powerful people - people with clout."

"People like you."

"People like me. Frightened people are easier to control."

"Are you frightened, Lucius? Do you want to kill Muggles? Are you one of the idle frustrated ones, who needs to see death in their eyes to know you're alive?"

"I just want them to stay away from me and mine. In this world let me have my world, to be damned with it or to be saved. I've seen what happens when the worlds are mixed. No respect for talent. No respect to life. Muggles kill what they don't understand. Mudbloods ignore what they don't understand. We built our walls for a reason. Our traditions exist for a reason. We can survive without the Muggle-born wizards, but we cannot survive the introduction of their ways into our world. We'll turn on our own. We'll destroy ourselves."

"How is this different from your plan?"

"The only difference is which end of the wand is pointing at you. The only difference is which side prevails in the end. The only difference is who survives."

"You're afraid the Ministry isn't effective."

"I know it isn't effective."

"So you want me to arm them better, to fight against me?"

"They already have the power. They can pretend that they don't use it, that the restraint makes them better people. Maybe it does; I don't know. All I know is that a corpse doesn't question if they died for a better cause. For every Muggle-lover who wants their pets safe and happy, there is someone else who wants their children safe and happy. People destroy what they fear. Make them fear the Muggle-loving Ministry and its policies as much as you. Make them fear what Millicent Bagnold will do if she doesn't have you to strike. Push her out of their comfort zone. Once they trust no one, they'll follow your strength out of chaos."

"And what if I can't satisfy their fascist expectations?"

"The Ministry will help. As the fear builds, they'll demand more power to fight the shadow-foe. The horrors they visit on us themselves will be ascribed to you."

"'The Devil made me do it'? Surely no thinking person would believe that."

"The smell overpowers the ability to think. Even if it didn't, most people trust the Ministry to accurately judge a threat. If I had doubts, I'd judge your strength by the power they need to fight you. Let the fear build until the very sound of your name petrifies people. Then you'll be free to do whatever you want - as long as people believe you are stronger than the Ministry, they will flock to you, or at least stay out of your way."

Voldemort laughed. "So I'm to have the glory, and the power. Very well, tell me your plan. What should we do with them?"

"Take them to London. Alastor is a war hero - the papers will love a drama with a ready-made hero. 'Auror Single-Handedly Defeats Three Terrorists.' The scandal and drama of his brother alone will sell papers."

"So Alastor lives?"

"Obliviate him if you think it necessary. I don't. The Ministry won't let him question this victory. Kill them with his wand - and use the Unforgivable. That will give Crouch a hero's name to forward his cause. The Ministry will be using Unforgivables by summer. People will become numb to their use, even demand it, within the year. The more outrageous "normal" becomes, the more latitude you have for your research. Once they realize they are their own worst enemy, that the Ministry is killing wizards, too, you'll come to represent safely. The deliverer. Their saviour. They built cathedrals to the last saviour who promised eternal life - I expect you'll be treated likewise."

"Impressive plans, Lucius, but for the moment, do I want it known that my followers were defeated by a single Auror?" Voldemort said, shrinking Lucius' grand plan back to human scale. His young friend was inspired, but the plan reminded him uncomfortably of Damon. Small details could make disproportionate impressions - but somehow Voldemort felt Lucius knew that in his bones.

"Bring down a building on them, then. They'll be just as dead and will look much more dangerous."

"But Alastor lives."

"He is more useful as a living hero than a dead martyr - to me."

"I'm happy to assist you in any way I can, Lucius."

"Where shall we take them, then?"

"You know my mind, Lucius. Someplace which needs perfuming."

Lucius thought a moment and said, "Ministry Mews, off Fairweather Alley. Close to the Ministry and close to the heart. The kindergarten."

They walked back to the circle and Lucius lifted Alastor with a Mobilicorpus!

Voldemort told the men to follow him. They Apparated into a kindergarten used by many Ministry families. Narcissa had mentioned it last week, and Lucius had started to understand what a hot-button issue children could be. He propped Alastor in a sturdy doorframe and passed his wand to Voldemort. Alastor's brother watched from a distance as Lucius started setting wards around the unconscious Auror.

Most of the toys were new enough that there wasn't much movement in the shelves. It took many months of love to bring a wizard-child's toy to life, and only a few of the dolls even stirred as the men shuffled around in the dark. Then, with no warning, Voldemort let fly the Avada Kedavras. When Raggedy Ann saw this she screamed and fell off the shelf. Not in a faint, but attacking the floor with her fists, and her forehead. Screaming something - screaming everything there was to scream. The Velveteen Rabbit, Paddington and Pooh pulled her back into the shelf, where she sat and cried, open faced and open lunged, making a sound you'd never hear from an adult - a rhythmic sobbing louder than a yell. The sound infants make. A sound meant to wake the world. Two men dropped in seconds, but the third dove for Lucius and used him as a shield to get out of the room. The toys on the shelves in the other room started screaming and crying. The dim light from the street lamp shone on Piglet as he herded the others into Trespassers Will's House on the wallpaper.

They backed into the pitch-black hallway, and Lucius's captor relieved him of his wand and ripped off his mask. Lumos! he said and looked closely at Lucius's unmasked face.

"Malfoy?" he said, shocked.

So much for you, idiot, and little loss to the universe. Lucius thought.

The man raised his wand to curse him, but Lucius ducked and the curse hit a doll's pram,.destroying it and sending shards flying around the room. Lucius grabbed the axel and dove at the man, driving the sharp metal spear through his heart. An undignified way to kill, but effective enough. The man dropped his wand and clawed at the metal rod and Lucius. Lucius grabbed his victim's wand and finished the job with a blood-boiling curse, then rose, panting, from the floor. Blood was all over his robes and his gloves. He was a mess, but he couldn't deny the excitement he felt. His father's words echoed in his mind. It's not the difference between right and wrong that worries me. It's the difference between wrong and fun.

"Well done, Lucius," Voldemort said, handing him back his wand. "You had me worried."

"I had myself worried. What happened?"

"I wasn't sure if you were trying to escape me," Voldemort said, placing Alastor's wand back next to his prone figure.

"Should I have tried?"

"You have no faith in me."

"Damon had absolute faith in you. Faith like a child."

"What is your faith like, Lucius?"

"It's like the tide - it comes and goes."

"You don't believe in my cause?"

"No, and neither do you. It's not about Muggles or Mudbloods, it's about power. You may hate them, but if they could get you more power, you'd court them. You'll do whatever you need to do to become the greatest wizard who ever lived."

"I believe in my destiny, Lucius. I believe I have the right to overcome anything that stands between me and that destiny. You believe that, too. Otherwise you wouldn't be here. Are you uncomfortable killing for a cause?"

"I'll kill for a cause, but I won't die for one."

"I haven't asked you to."

"But you will. And while there is a single person on this planet that I care about, I won't do that. Not for you, not for anyone. Because I know the minute I'm not here to defend them, some bastard is going to hurt them, in the name of some cause or other. And I won't give up my last breath to make it easier for them."

"Join me, Lucius, and I'll teach you how to get power you need. All the power you need to make you invincible. You won't have to fear for them anymore. You'll be able to protect them. People will fear you so much they'll not dare strike. Let me give you the Mark."

"Father taught us to be suspicious of gifts."

"I'll never take this away, Lucius. Trust me. I can't lose you to a stupid mistake.

You're too valuable to me. Damon had it - let me give it to you. It's a sign of my protection."

"Not tonight. We don't have time - this must come first."

"Another time, then. When you're ready. I won't push you."

Lucius pointed his wand at the shelves of toys and said Incendio! The dolls started screaming again. Lucius pulled up the hood on his robe and the two men walked out of the building and hexed it until the walls started crumbling, then Apparated to the front steps of the Malfoys' townhouse.

"I'd better get inside. They'll be calling soon." He wasn't sure it this could truthfully be classified as a Magical Catastrophe, but he had no doubt that Fudge's head would be in his fireplace that night. Their professional relationship was built on passing rumours to each other.

"Thank you, Lucius. Well done. I'll be in touch," Voldemort said, and Disapparated.

*

Narcissa greeted him as he came through the door. "Looks like you've been doing some wet work," she said dryly.

"I beg your pardon?"

"My father's term for it."

"Go to bed, Narcissa," Lucius said, walking toward the stairs.

"Gladly, now that you're home, but one thing first."

"I don't have the time."

"For God's sake, stop trying to hide!" she said, grabbing the banister to block his way.

"This is not your affair," he said coldly.

"You are my affair! What you do is your own business, but where you are is mine! You are too old to be sneaking about. It is deceitfulness, Lucius, and I will not tolerate it! I will not allow any more of my family to disappear!"

"I can not tell you what you want to know," he said, removing her hand from the banister.

"Then I'll turn into my mother and track you like a bloody Crup! I know how - I watched her for years. I'll learn everything I need to know, and everything you don't want me to know."

"I don't have time for this. I need to change."

"Then change - I'm not stopping you. But if you try to leave this house again without telling me, I'll track you. I know every twist and turn you've got, Lucius Malfoy, and you won't escape me." She grabbed his wrist, trying to force him to look at her.

"Where I go you can not follow," he said, pulling his arm away.

"I can try," she argued, looking at the flecks of blood that had rubbed off onto her hand, then she looked at his face as he spoke tersely.

"You can be here for me when I return. Or you can leave now. But you will not follow me." Not with the child. Not even alone. What he did with Voldemort could never be allowed to sully them.

"I won't let you disappear!"

"You may not have that choice." I'll keep you safe, from everyone, even me. I won't lose you to a stupid mistake. But I will lose you before I let you get hurt again. I will keep you safe.