Death Eaters

Secret meeting

July 15th, 1992

While Narcissa was busy making the arrangements for the funeral, and a convenient outing with his aunts, Lucius had called upon his in-laws and fellow Death Eaters; as well as Nott, whose son would also be attending Hogwarts this year. Lucius had wanted Draco to go to Durmstrang; but, somehow, either through wit, femininity, or perhaps a combination, his wife had convinced him that Hogwarts was a better option. Or maybe I'm just soft with her, he thought, shaking his head as he poured four glasses of fire-whiskey, as his comrades joined him in the parlor. "Narcissa out for a bit?" Nott asked, as the host offered him a glass.

"Making arrangements for the funeral next week," Lucius replied, moving to Crabbe and Goyle. "Which gives us time to decide what we should do about Hogwarts."

"Is keeping secrets from your wife really a good idea?" Victor Crabbe snickered. "One would think she didn't approve of the society we're trying to build."

"Speak ill of my wife again, Crabbe," Lucius growled, his eyes narrowing. "And my sister is going to have her suspicions confirmed that you not only have one mistress on the side, but two. While she's with child."

Crabbe scowled, accepting the fire-whiskey, then Lucius moved on to Goyle, and then finally taking a seat in his armchair. "Have you thought about the suggestion I made?" Nott asked. "Using the key to the Chamber of Secrets to unleash the monster?"

"I have," Lucius nodded. "With the death of the Professor last month, I have brought up Dumbledore's competency to the Board of Governors. However, it isn't enough to get him sacked. They need sufficient evidence that he's lost control of the school. If we unleash the monster from underneath the school, and it kills enough mudbloods, public opinion will be so far against him that he'll be forced to resign."

"How will the key be smuggled in?" Nott asked.

"Leave that to me," Lucius replied firmly. "There are whispers that the Ministry is about to do several raids on private homes; if that is the case, I'm going to have to move some of our artefacts out of the Vault."

"The Ministry needs to keep it's grubby nose out of private affairs," Crabbe sniffed, taking another drink.

"You're not going to use your own son to smuggle in the key, then?" Goyle snickered. "Has Narcissa really that much control over you, you won't use your own family to get your tasks done to create a better society?"

"Unlike you, Goyle," Lucius replied darkly, his eyes narrowing. "I only have one child, and he's my sole heir. Even if I was as cold to my wife as you are to my sisters, I wouldn't risk my only child with this sort of task."

"Enough taunting, Crabbe, Goyle," Nott said firmly, glaring at the two bafoons. "If Lucius doesn't wish to get his son involved, that is his decision. We don't want a repeat of what happened when Regulus was involved before he was ready."

The room fell silent for a moment, and Nott turned back to Lucius. "Have you decided who will smuggle in the key?"

"I'll have to do it at Diagon Alley," Lucius replied, sipping his wine in satisfaction as his in-laws held their tongues. "I would hope to give it to one of the Weasley children, so we can have that spineless fool sacked from the Ministry; but, it's going to have to be pure luck if we go on the same day."

"And it keeps suspicion off of you."

Lucius nodded, and the conversation turned into talks about the Ministry, how daft Fudge is, and all sorts of political talk. After a couple of hours, they finally dispersed, just in time for Narcissa  to arrive home for dinner. "How was your outing?" he asked, pulling out her chair.

"Boring," Narcissa replied, smiling up at him gratefully. "The autopsy came back natural causes; —heart attack they said. Unfortunately it's not going to be cheap either, no matter what I choose."

"The Black Fortune won't cover it?" Lucius inquired.

"That's the thing," she sighed. "Father wasn't very good at keeping track of the funds after you and I were married. I'd say he's squandered a good portion of his share of the fortune; to the point that at least half of it will pay for his funeral arrangements, and the rest will go to Draco when he's of age."

"You went to the will reading as well?"

"Had to," Narcissa pointed out. "I knew I wasn't going to be in the will... well there was a clause that if I bore another son, I was to get half, but since it never happened, it all goes to Draco." Lucius shook his head, placing his hand over hers sympathetically. "Anyway," she said, changing the subject. "Enough about me, how was your day?"

"I had Nott and the our brothers-in-law over," Lucius replied. "Mostly to discuss things about what's going on at the Ministry."

"Like the Muggle-protection Act?" Narcissa smirked. Lucius looked at her curiously. "I'm not deaf, I hear the rumors as well. I just prefer not to be as involved as you are."

"Because you know I'll handle it?"

"Precisely."