The Half-Blood...Malfoy?

Chapter One: The Letter

Lucius, I need to talk to you. It's extremely important. Trust me, if I could write it in a letter, I would, but you know how the Ministry is checking mail these days. Besides, it's not something one would want to read in a letter, and, yes, I'll admit it, I miss you.

When can we meet? Just name the place and time, and I'll be there. Please. You have no idea how urgent this is.

Sincerely,

Isabella Summer

"That's good. Clear and simple." Isabella folded the letter, and placed it in the last white envelope in the desk drawer.

"Mom, who's that one for?" A boy, no more than fourteen, walked in as she finished addressing the letter.

"No one, dear. Go back to bed. We're leaving tomorrow, remember?"

"Oh, right. And I start at Hogwarts next week, right?"

She could tell by the look on his face that he was worried.

"Yes. It's a great school. You should do well." She smiled widely, and pointed to the hallway. "Now, back to bed, it's almost one o'clock." He trudged back down the hall, and she listened until she heard the door close.

Isabella stood and walked to the window in the kitchen of the small apartment. A small, black, owl flew in, and took the letter in its beak.

"Alright, Yula. Take this letter quickly. It could save all our lives." She paused for a moment, stroking the bird. "Or, possibly, destroy them." The owl took off, and Isabella, lifting a coffee cup to her lips, watched the bird soar into the moon. "Please, Lucius. We need you."

The Malfoy Manor 2 AM

Lucius Malfoy stood in front of the fireplace, thinking things over. Again. "What the-?" A tapping at the large, picture window pulled him out of his contemplation. He opened the window, and a black owl flew in, then perched on the back of the couch. He closed the window and strode toward the bird.

Yula jumped back a few feet. "Calm down! If I were going to hurt you, I'd have done it already." The bird dropped the letter, and flew over to the window. Lucius obligingly opened it for a second time. Yula took wing once again.

Shaking his head, the man picked up the letter, and slowly read it through two times. "Isabella?! Why-? I thought-? I can't of course. What would Narcissa say? Or, more importantly, what would the public say? Does she know what could happen if I met with her? People would think that I was-. No! I can't; she'll just have to understand." He refolded the note, and threw it in the fire.

"Dad?" a voice called from the top of the stairs. "What's going on?"

"Nothing, Draco. Go back to bed."

"But I thought I heard you say-"

"It does not concern you. Go back to bed." Draco walked back down the long hall. Lucius waited until he heard the door, then sat in his high-backed chair and resumed staring at the fire. The letter curled at the edges, and he briefly saw 'Isabella Summer' before this blackened too.

"I'm so sorry, Bella. There's nothing I can do." He gazed into the ashes, wondering what could be so urgent...and how could he possibly be involved?...