A Snake Named Voldemort

Chapter 15

Lucius Malfoy decided he preferred stylized, artificial, inanimate snakes compared to the real thing. He nervously ran his fingers over the snake-shaped head of his cane in a yearning gesture as he felt another flutter of a thin, rapidly moving tongue brush against his neck. He had enough poise, however, to not shudder when he wanted to.

Snape had just left, leaving Lucius with a scaly tag-along; a very special tag-along. The Dark Lord's familiar was magically shrunken, but no less intimidating. It was rather unnerving that her poisonous jaws were so close to his vulnerable flesh. Lucius stood stiffly, keeping his upper body as still and undisturbed as possible. Though he could not understand Parseltongue, he swore the snake was laughing at him in little whispering hisses that slipped past his ear like silk. Why did she have to come along? To babysit? Lucius scowled at the thought, though he would never question the Dark Lord's wishes aloud. As his Master was a powerful Legilimens, it almost wasn't safe to even think such things.

He was given some odd instructions about the snake. How was she supposed to take charge of the potion if she has no hands? He glowered at that nagging voice in the back of his head that ranted about how Lord Voldemort apparently wasn't confident in his aptitude and sent him with a reptilian babysitter. He at least was evolved enough to understand the use of pockets and un-breakability charms.

Once he had retrieved the potion from the DoM, he was to return to the Dark Lord's home base and then...he didn't know what exactly. Wait, he supposed, for the Dark Lord to come collect his requested item. Snape hadn't specified what he was to do once he got there, only that it was where he was supposed to be.

He cleared his throat. "Flip," he called out. A wanly-colored Elf of indeterminable sex without closer inspection and dressed in a dull, old sheet appeared. "Fetch me my cloak," Lucius demanded of the creature, and it hurried to obey, returning only a split second later with the cloak. Without bothering to wait for any sort of thanks, the Elf disappeared again. Lucius threw the cloak over himself with deference to the snake now masked by the cloth.

He knew it to be around eight in the evening...not at all too late for his appearance at the Ministry. He had found it to be highly advantageous to be seen at all hours of the day in the building, precisely for reasons such as tonight's visit. It wouldn't be prudent to have anyone questioning him, considering the suspicion some eye him with. He would arrive there tonight by Floo.

To say that this sudden mission was odd was a bit of an understatement. Lately the Dark Lord had been reclusive, almost...missing...and now suddenly Severus Snape shows up with Nagini and tells him he's to break something out of the Department of Mysteries? Odd indeed.

"Father?"

Lucius sighed and turned to his son. "Yes, Draco?" His tone was only slightly accommodating, his focus already on his sudden plans for tonight.

Draco did not look at all bothered by his father's reticence, and asked, "Where are you going?"

"The Ministry."

Draco curled his nose in something reminiscent of distaste. "But it is New Year's Eve. What business do you have there?"

Indeed it was. Several of Draco's friends were actually enjoying the Malfoy's hospitality for the occasion. It was because of this that Lucius was surprised to have even run into his son at all.

"Draco, do try and control yourself," Lucius started out first, unwilling to let his somewhat indulged son to get used to the habit of pouting. He did not say anything more, though, because a quick readjustment of his cloak revealed to Draco the blatant hint for exactly what business he might have. Draco's eye's widened and he actually took a step back. Lucius didn't know whether to chastise the boy for his indiscretion or to envy him the ability to actually step away.