The Darkness Within: Voldemort/Hadria Potter

Espionage

The words hung in the air, heavy with implication. "What do you mean it didn't work?" Lucius's voice was a low growl, his eyes darting past Narcissa to ensure the privacy of their conversation. The lounge, usually a place of relaxation, now felt like a stage for their quiet desperation.

Narcissa moved with a purpose, her elegant hands reaching for a bottle of wine nestled within the bar's cabinet. The pop of the cork was a sharp punctuation in the silence that followed her revelation. "He drank the entire cup... it didn't work," she confessed, her frustration seeping into each syllable. The crimson liquid poured into her glass, a rich, dark mirror of their fading hope.

Lucius paced, the click of his shoes against the floor a metronome to their anxiety. "You're sure Mippy did as you instructed?" he probed, his gaze fixed on Narcissa, searching for any flicker of doubt. She took a sip of wine, the taste bitter against the backdrop of their failure, and considered the possibility of the elf's error. With a sigh that seemed to carry the weight of their plight, she summoned the house-elf.

Mippy's appearance was instantaneous, her small form materializing with a soft pop. "Yes ma'am, how can Mippy be of assistance?" she inquired, her voice a timid whisper.

"Mippy, you did put the three drops of that vial into his coffee, yes?" Narcissa's question was a quiet plea, her eyes locked onto the elf's. Mippy's nod was firm, her assurance unwavering.

"Yes ma'am, Mippy did just as instructed." As if on cue, the vial appeared, conjured from the ether by the elf's magic. Narcissa took it, her fingers tracing the contours of the glass, confirming it was definitely not as full as it had been before. It was a tangible confirmation of their attempt, now spent and useless. She passed the vial to Lucius, who pocketed it with a silent nod of agreement.

"Thank you, Mippy. You're dismissed," Narcissa said, her smile a faint echo of gratitude as the elf vanished once more.

Lucius and Narcissa settled onto the couch, each lost in thought as they nursed their respective drinks—Lucius with his fire whiskey, Narcissa with her wine. The rhythmic drumming of Narcissa's fingers against the leather armrest was a metronome to their ruminations.

"Do you think... I mean, is it possible there was a delayed reaction?" Narcissa's voice broke the silence, her words tinged with a fragile thread of hope.

Lucius' eyebrow arched, his mind entertaining the notion. "Severus stated it should work immediately...however...I suppose...anything is possible," he mused, his voice trailing off into uncertainty.

He could see the gears turning in Narcissa's mind, her eyes alight with the flicker of an idea. "What are you thinking, darling?" he inquired, his curiosity piqued.

Narcissa hesitated, her suggestion hanging precariously on the tip of her tongue. "Well...I wondered if we should...perhaps take a stroll...down the corridor of her room..." she ventured, her discomfort with the proposal evident in her faltering voice.

Lucius's expression soured, his distaste for the idea clear. "Are you suggesting...we...eavesdrop like a couple of third years spying on the school staff room?" he asked, his incredulity painting his words with a thick brush of skepticism.

Narcissa's cheeks flushed a delicate shade of pink, her embarrassment palpable.

"No, no, no...of course not...that would be preposterous..." she stammered, the absurdity of the notion settling in like an unwelcome guest.

***

Narcissa's whisper was a conspiratorial hiss, "I can't hear anything...let me get closer over there," as she nudged Lucius with more determination than subtlety. He grumbled under his breath, the press of her body against his both a distraction and an annoyance.