“well, no, but it just looked too oial, luius. i still don’t uand why you would be i of mie at night anyway.”
luius preteo be shoked. “why minister, you know what it’s like living in the publi eye. were it to be widely known that the malfoys had aored i of mysteries…well you a people would assume.”
“yes, yes. i suppose that makes sense. you won’t be opposed to house arrest for a little while, just until this whole thing simmers down?”
“of ourse not. in fat, arras have already been made for my stay at hogwarts.”
&o visibly rex. if dumbledore found h luius’s ihere must not be a’s good.”
“good day, minister.” luius spoke, and he ahe minister’s offie.
&ing to hogsmead, the two sat ihe arriage ride up to the astle, until snape spoke.
“i didn’t think the malfoys had items stored i of mysteries.” he raised an eyebrow as luius smirked.
&he ste spae, yes.”
snape frowned. “and may i ask what’s in that spae?”
“absolutely nothing. but only a malfoy a so no one’s going to find that out.”
snape hukled. “how slytherin of you luius.”
“i try.”
“now about drao—”
“what about drao?”
“, luius. nothi. this m dumbledave him his own dorm, so s have aught o.”
“good. hopefully we’ll keep it that way.”
“when should he start the aspetus?”
luius frowly. “i’m surprised it hasn’t started already. traditious happens very soohe first rebirth.”
“so that’s almost a month now.”
“right.”
drao shifted uneasily in his hair, fightio massage his temples. stupid headahe. why in merli it go away? was it eveo have a dull ahe in the bak of your skull for a full day? ahere was the glitter. drao was sure of it arting to see fshes of…well, glittery light out of the orner of his eyes. it was driving him razy. bloody glitter, bloody headahe, bloody teaher for ing ss out early so he ould go rex someas she talking about? oh, it didn’t matter anyway. he’d figure it out ter.
harry had almost sueeded iing all about luius malfoy’s trial until just before dinner when he found ron sitting in the on room, looking as if christmas had been aneled.
“did you hear?” ron asked glumly.
“what?”
&rial. malfoy’s not onvited anymore.”
harry looked at ron as if his friend was razy. “y, right?”
“no, dad wrote me this afternoon. they heked. malfoy doeshe dark mark.”
“how a have the mark? he’s a death eater.”
&’s not there now. even dumbledore said there wasn’t an illusion spell on him.”
“so are people just goi he was i of mie at night?”
& ioo. apparently the malfoys have somethihe department of mysteries that he was retrieving.”
“again…at that time of night?”
“publiity. even dad admits that it’s a good alibi. if we had somethihe department of mysteries, ant it publi either. and malfoy was givehe departme day so that he ould get in when no one was around to wath.”
&’s how the death eaters got in then.” harry muttered.
“yeah, probably so.”
“was it said ere st?”