Wand-Leader & The Spy

6- Revelations

London, Ministry of Magic, August 18th, 1999, 14.23 hours

Lucius Malfoy, Minister for Magic, leaned back in his chair and watched his artificial hand while he bent each finger individually. As the healers at St. Mungo's had predicted, it felt now almost like his real hand. He glanced at the latest issue of The Quibbler, amused by the headline: 'Dark Dragon Attack!'

The things the Lovegoods came up with were always good for a laugh. And since Lovegood believed the Dark Lord had slain his wife, one of the more capable Aurors at the time, before Lucius could stop him, both father and daughter were staunchly opposed to similar threats to Britain. Not that anyone took them seriously anyway, outside a few naturalists.

Greengrass interrupted his reading. "Minister. Your Defense Advisor has arrived."

Lucius nodded at the girl. "Send him in."

Severus Snape walked in, clad in black robes and sneering at Lucius's secretary, as usual. After the spy had cast a few of his own privacy spells - Lucius couldn't say if the man honestly didn't trust his own precautions, or if this was simply a gesture - he nodded. "The new cover is holding. The Dark Lord is pleased with my position."

"Doubly so after the Notts' demise, I trust."

The spy nodded. "Yes. Though he has been asking when I will be able to arrange a similar situation for you."

"You can tell him that I've grown paranoid, and have found your tool. He should understand that you would need more time to cultivate another," Lucius said, folding his hands.

"He is less understanding of such concerns than you would expect. Mere mudbloods are of no concern to him, and so he does not grant the Wands the consideration they deserve." Severus sneered, either at the Dark Lord's folly, or at the mudbloods.

"I see. Did you find out if he'll attack Diagon Alley again?" That last attack had scared the population, and scared people lost trust in the government. Something he couldn't afford, not right now.

"He plans to attack somewhere else while you focus your mudbloods on the Alley."

"Hm." Lucius would have preferred another attack on Diagon Alley. The Wands would be able to handle it. Maybe even ambush the attackers before they could strike. "Hogsmeade then, or Godric's Hollow."

Severus nodded. "He didn't say so, but they are the most likely locations."

An attack on another manor wouldn't have the same impact on Britain as an attack on one of the two main wizarding villages in Britain. Godric's Hollow would be more vulnerable, having been a mixed village until a few years ago. "Any child could see that. Would you be blamed if his forces were ambushed?" The Wands might even manage that without any warnings, should the Dark Lord's forces use the same tactic as in Diagon Alley.

"I cannot say for certain. The Dark Lord has been quite volatile since his return."

He couldn't afford to lose his spy. Not until Severus managed to lure the Dark Lord into a trap. "Tell him that the Greengrass family is one of my most important, though secret supporters. That I plan to have their daughter marry Draco."

Severus slowly nodded. The spy understood what Lucius was thinking. "That might be enough to keep me from suffering for his mistakes."

And Lucius could hire a smarter secretary.

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London, Ministry of Magic, August 18th, 1999, 17.58 hours

Wand-Leader Hermione walked into the archives of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and nodded at the pureblood guard in passing. He glared at her in return, but she ignored it. He knew as well as she did that he was not allowed to hassle a Wand on duty - and he had no way to tell that Hermione wasn't exactly on duty. Or rather, was stretching the definition a bit.