Consuming Shadows

Chapter 24

Lucius stared at the parchment in his hand, more than a little perplexed.

"A...ball, my Lord?"

The man's red eyes slowly moved from whatever he had been studying on his desk, to look at him. The attention, much like always, was both arousing and horrible in its intensity.

"That is what I said." His Lord drawled, an eyebrow lifting smoothly. Lucius lowered his head, both to show deference and hide the confusion he knew would be in his eyes.

"May I inquire as to why?"

It was just so odd. True, his Lord had worked tirelessly to ensure Hogwarts was largely removed from other aspects of his rule – in an attempt to keep the school a school. But there had never been any form of dance or ball in all the years since he had won the war.

His Lord hummed, attention already drifting back to his previous focus, lips curled into a small smile. Lucius had obviously caught him in a very good mood, if he was so blatantly showing his pleasure.

He briefly wondered what it was that captured the man's interest so intently.

"The Yule Ball is a tradition of the Triwizard Tournament, Lucius." His long pale fingers tapped idly on the wooden surface of his desk. "Who be we to deny tradition?" There was a note of ironic amusement in the man's voice.

"Of course, my Lord." He hesitated, eyes scanning along the list with a growing sense of bewilderment. "The Weird Sisters?" He murmured, more to himself than the other. His thumb traced over the dried ink, as if to verify that what the intricate handwriting said was true.

"Ah, yes," his Lord leaned back in his seat, "I wish for you to procure their services for the night. They are certain to...liven things up."

"A rock band, though?" Lucius could not quite curb the disdain in his voice. He was eternally glad that both Draco and Hermione were more sensible than the other children their age, being more concerned over their grades and futures than obsessed with celebrities.

His Lord waved a hand at him. "The night is for the children, Lucius. A chance for them to unwind and relax from the stress of the tournament. They have no desire to listen to a perfectly composed orchestra all night. Let them have their fun."

He could see the logic behind that. Times were changing after all, and the younger generation was almost a different breed to Lucius' own.

"Very well, my Lord. What would you like us to do in terms of decorations?"

Again, the man dismissed the question with a faint air of distraction. "I will leave the main preparations in your capable hands, Lucius. I trust your tastes will be impeccable."

Lucius nodded, already mentally constructing a rough idea of what he wished the Great Hall to look like for the night. Despite the presence of a band of miscreants, he was determined to have a pleasant, traditional Yule theme. It would somewhat nullify the unavoidable unruliness of the students as the event worn on.

And he was sure their international guests would appreciate the effort.

"Shall I announce the news this morning at breakfast, my Lord? It is only a handful of weeks away, and would be best to give the students time to prepare for the night."

"Perhaps dinner would be a better time. Best not to test our esteemed professors' patience in their lessons with the buzz."

Lucius almost felt foolish for suggesting otherwise. Of course dinner would be a more suitable time.