The Killing Kind ~Lucius Malfoy~

A Search in Paris

The next day, Alexis followed Demetri on a busy Paris street. The cobblestone road was filled with people as cars honked in the distance. 

"You're going to let me do the talking?" Demetri asked. 

"Always." 

They entered a small bakery, mostly empty except for a few coffee drinkers sitting at tables. 

"Salut," the man behind the counter greeted them. 

"Do you speak english?" Demetri asked the man. 

"Yes," he answered in a thick accent. "'Ow can I 'elp you?" 

Demetri reached in his pocket and pulled something out. "Do you recognize this family?" 

The man looked down at the photograph. "'Iz impossible to zay. I zee many peoples come through 'ere." 

"It's important," Demetri said urgently. "Can you please think carefully?" 

The man looked back at the picture and furrowed his brow. "I'm not sure..." 

"Please, Monsieur," Demetri feigned a saddened expression, his eyes glossy, "they are my uncle, aunt and cousin. They have been missing for some time. I really would like to find them." 

The man examined Demetri's face, his features softening. He took the photo from Demetri, taking his time to look at each face. 

"Dis one." The man pointed at the woman. "I zink she 'as been 'ere once or twice. Maybe." He looked at Narcissa Malfoy more closely. "Yes, I believe dat is 'er. She seemed shy, reserved." 

"Do you have any idea where she might be now?" 

"I don't know." 

Demetri's shoulders sunk. 

"I may know zomeone 'oo can 'elp." The man lifted the picture higher. "Can I write on dis?" 

"Go ahead." Demetri nodded. 

The man took a pen from the counter and wrote on the back of the photo. 

"Dis man may be ove 'elp." He gave the picture back to Demetri. "'Ee knows everyone 'oo lives round 'ere." 

"Thank you so much," Demetri said. "Have a great day." 

Demetri and Alexis left the bakery promptly. Once back on the street, Alexis took the photo from Demetri. There was a name and an address written on the back of it. 

"He's on this street," she said, looking up at the numbers on the houses and businesses around them. "This way." 

She led them up the street. They walked for minutes in silence until they found the address the man had written down. 

The house had multiple broken windows, garbage bags duck taped around the windows to keep the wind out. It was missing half its shingles and the window panels were hanging on by a thread. A welcome sign hung on the door, crooked and missing some letters. 

"This looks sketchy," Demetri said. "I'll go in and you stay here." 

"You're hysterical." Alexis took a step forward toward the door and Demetri grabbed her arm, pulling her back. "What?" 

"It could be dangerous, Lex. Stay here." 

"Demetri, I put myself in dangerous situations all the time." She took a step forward, placing her hand on the doorknob. "I think I can handle a muggle or two." 

She turned the doorknob and opened the door. They stepped inside what appeared to be a sort of bar. Tables lined the walls, its patrons rough-looking. A long, black counter stood at the far end. Heads turned as they entered but quickly went back to their conversations. 

Demetri approached the counter, Alexis remaining a foot behind him, observing their surroundings. The two men behind the counter looked up from their stools, their expressions unwelcoming. 

"Hello," Demetri greeted them with a smile, "do you speak english?" 

One of the two grunted. 

"I was wondering if you recognized this family?" Demetri showed them the picture of the Mafloy's. 

The men didn't even glance at the photo. "'Oo zent you 'ere?" one man asked, eyeing Demetri. 

"The man from the bakery," Demetri announced. 

The man folded his arms tightly against his chest, scowling at the newcomers. "'Ee shouldn't of done dat." 

"Please," Demetri tried again, "they're my family and I'm trying to find them. He said you might know where they are." 

The man finally glanced at the picture and quickly looked back up at Demetri. "'Oo are you?" 

"My name is Clarence. I'm from London and I'm looking for my missing-" 

"Do not lie!" the man yelled, slamming his hands against the counter. The bar quieted. "Dey are not your family." 

"Yes, they are-" 

"Enough!" The man stood, puffing out his chest. "I zink you should leave. Now." 

"Please-"

"Why are you looking for dem?" the man asked aggressively. 

"I've told you," Demetri said, his frustration growing. "They're my family." 

The man reached under the counter and pulled out a wand, pointing it at Demetri and Alexis. "Tell me de truth. 'Oo are you?" 

Demetri eyed the wand, his hands lowering slowly, the picture gripped between his fingers. "I see we're not welcomed here. We'll just leave." 

The man gripped his wand tighter as Demetri kept his gaze fixated on it. Suddenly, multiple things occurred at the same time. Demetri grabbed Alexis's arm, pulling her down onto the sticky ground of the pub. The man shot out a spell that flew over their heads, narrowly missing them. The patrons all stood, pulling out their own wands. Demetri freed his wand and pushed Alexis toward the door. 

"Go!" he screamed at her as people began shooting spells throughout the bar. 

A stray spell hit a painting, causing it to shatter on the ground. The painting exploded, sending pieces of glass everywhere. 

Demetri shot a spell backward, hitting the man and sending him flying into the wall. It wasn't long before the man got up again. 

Demetri and Alexis bolted it to the door. They made it outside and did not stop running until they found a deserted alleyway and were safely blocked from view. 

Alexis leaned against the wall, trying to catch her breath as Demetri ran a hand through his hair. 

"What the fuck was that?" he asked. 

"That was so pointless," Alexis breathed. "We're no where closer to figuring out where they are." 

"Lex, didn't you see the stairs in that pub?" Demetri looked at her quizzically. 

"No?" 

"There's rooms upstairs," Demetri explained. "I'm willing to bet that the Malfoy's stayed in there at some point. Probably when they visited the bakery, which was only a week ago." 

"Are you guessing or did you read his mind?" 

A mischievous smirk appeared on Demetri's lips. "You can't let me sound smart just once, can you? Yes, I read his mind. They stayed there. But they're not there anymore." 

"Great," Alexis said sarcastically. "What does that even tell us?" 

"That they aren't staying in any place too long." Demetri looked toward the opening of the alley. "They're on the move. Which means we need to stay one step ahead of them."

"But we have no idea where they are now." 

"Doesn't matter." Demetri glanced at Alexis. "We just need to figure out where they'll be next."