The Fox In A Snake Pit!

Divorced! ~ July 2025

Lucius shattered the silence, speaking to her politely: "Hello, Miss Green." His voice was smooth as velvet, yet it carried an unmistakable air of authority. 

Finally, Jade's focus shifted to him as she heard his voice. "Oh! Hello, Mr. Malfoy," she replied, her expression brightening with a friendly smile. The nervousness she had felt moments ago began to dissipate. She took a step towards him, the soles of her boots echoing against the cold stone floor of the station. "Just call me Jade... Miss Green feels too stiff for me." 

"Very well, Jade..." He flashed a brief, rare smile and moved right to the matter at hand. Pointing to the wall behind her, he stated, "Tomorrow, you will come here to catch the Hogwarts Express." 

Curious, she glanced back at the wall he was pointing to. 

Without wasting any time, Lucius asked, "Did you bring any Muggle money with you to pay for what you might need?" He assumed she had, but felt it necessary to check. 

"Yeah," Jade answered, taking out a white Muggle wallet from her pocket. 

"How much?" Lucius asked, leading her toward an Apparition point not far from where they stood. 

"$650. My...parents..." Jade hesitated on the word "parents" since she was unsure about how to refer to them now. Still, as far as she was aware, he hadn't caught their argument, so she didn't feel compelled to share that with him. "They said it would cover all my needs or wants for a while," she added. 

"They were indeed correct." Lucius nodded, his eyes sweeping over her again. "I'm planning to take you to Gringotts first to exchange your Muggle currency for wizarding currency. Then, we'll get you your wand," he said, his voice a blend of business and care. He then drew her close for a side-along apparition. 

Once they materialized in front of the bank, Jade's stomach twisted and somersaulted. She was about to get sick! She pushed away from the blonde and threw up in a nearby trash bin. "Sorry, I didn't expect to do that." She said, wiping her mouth with the cloth he had just handed her. 

"No need to apologize. It's quite natural for a first-time Apparition, especially for someone your age," Lucius assured her, his voice calm and composed. "I'm just glad you chose to use a trash bin instead of my shoes like many mud—er, muggle-borns tend to do," he corrected himself, making an effort not to offend her; after all, he seemed to genuinely enjoy her company. "I'm surprised you didn't do that after Portkeying," he added, quirking an eyebrow for a moment before his face settled back into its usual sternness. 

"Now that you mention it, it did feel somewhat familiar. Kind of like I'd done it before..." Jade muttered, trailing off in thought. She had a feeling she was about to learn much more than she had ever bargained for. 

"Anyway, you may wish to wear this." Lucius suggested, producing a folded cloak from his pocket. 

"Why would I need it?" she questioned, her eyes wide with curiosity as she took the cloak from his outstretched hand. "Because there's a witch who bears an uncanny resemblance to you, and trust me, you don't want to be mistaken for her. Well... not here, at least." He said with a hint of a smirk. 

"But won't you, or even I, be able to tell them that I'm not?" Jade asked, her voice filled with skepticism as she unfolded the cloak and put it on. It was made of a thick, black material that felt surprisingly comfortable, despite the late summer air. 

"I wish my son listened as well as she does," Lucius thought to himself before saying, "Yes, but the goblins would not listen. The moment they laid eyes on you, they'd call for the Aurors."