Malfoy froze on the spot. Though of pale skin already, he still managed to turn even paler.
"He's back?" he quietly asked.
Pettigrew nodded. "And wants to see you."
He then slipped a small card out of his sleeve and slid it across the table. It was the size of a muggle business card. Though neither knew it, that's exactly what it looked like, except it had no writing on it. Instead, a pin similar to the one Pettigrew wore was pinned through it.
"A portkey," said Pettigrew "It is timed to automatically activate at ten minutes to the hour of seven in the evening, tomorrow evening. You are to be wearing it as I wear mine. No one else is to be in your presence at the time. And you are not to be holding your wand in your hand when it activates. Finally, you are to speak of this with no one, not even your wife or son.
"If you do not adhere to these instructions, your life is forfeit. Do you understand these instructions as they have been given to you?"
Sliding the card to himself, Malfoy nodded and quietly said, "I do." His voice did have a little break in it, though.
Pettigrew gave another single nod and started to slide out of the booth. Just before he left, he quietly said, "Pura regula." {Latin: Pure rule}
"Pura regula," muttered Malfoy. His mind was on other matters, though. And his response was more of the knee-jerk variety.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
When the other Heirs joined the Potter three, they were all curious as to what had led to Harry being called to the Headmistress's office. However, he only told them that someone important from the Ministry came to give him some important information that was for his ears alone. Then apologised he couldn't share due to secrecy charms.
All of them then dropped it, but Neville did later look at Harry with curiosity.
Once they were sitting for dinner, Neville asked, "The matter in the Headmistress's office. It wasn't because you made the Ministry look like idiots again, with the Second Task?"
Harry smiled and replied, "No. It had to do with why Dumbledore has always had such a focus on me. It was about why Dumbledore was doing all those things over the past three years. They were tests for me and those who were my friends."
Neville stared back for a few moments and said, "He was testing you, why?"
"That's part of what I can't tell you, Nev," he replied. "Sorry."
Neville just nodded and said, "If I ever get my wand on him―"
Harry wanted to tell him he'd never get the chance, but it was not his information to share just yet. First chance he got, though; he would. But, he'd also try and make sure his friend's parents were also there when he did, as it was just as important for them to hear.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
The next evening, a few seconds past 6.50pm, Lucius Malfoy appeared on a lawn before a dilapidated-appearing old tudor-style wooden manor-house
As he got his bearings, he heard a voice from behind, "Good, you're here."
Spinning around and reaching for his cane, he froze when he saw who it was. "Pettigrew?!"
"Lucius," smirked Pettigrew. "I certainly hope you weren't planning on getting yourself killed by drawing your wand from that cane."
Malfoy immediately pulled his hand away from the grip, but didn't say another word.
Indicating the manor, Pettigrew said, "He awaits you, inside. You are to lead and I shall follow."
Turning to look back at the old manor, Malfoy turned more fully and began to walk up the slight incline of the lawn to the main doors. While he was doing so, he was making sure within his mind that all his secrets he did not even want the dark lord to know were locked behind as impregnable shields as he could erect.
Voldemort had made no such requirement for Malfoy to lead, but Pettigrew like the idea of Malfoy having to succumb to his orders. It made him feel quite pleased he was able to 'lord' it over the pompous prick.
Following the quiet directions from Pettigrew from behind Maloy made his way through the manor, up the stairs, down a hallway and told to wait outside a door. It made his skin crawl, knowing a threat stood that close behind him and he couldn't 'order' the man to walk before him.
He could see the room he was directed to was one of the few rooms in the manor that actually had lighting. The flickering told him a fireplace was within, at least.
Before entering, though, Pettigrew quietly told him. "Wait here." Then slipped past him, entered through the door and quietly closed it behind him.
As Malfoy worked on controlling his breathing through light meditation, he waited.
Seconds later, Pettigrew was back, opening the door and gesturing him within. As he passed, Pettigrew snatched his cane out of his hands.
Malfoy was about to snarl at him when Pettigrew smirked back and said, "His orders."
Feeling somewhat naked without his wand, Malfoy walked to where a large wing-backed padded chair was placed, slightly turned to the fire. Next to it sat a small occasional table with the top level with the arm of the chair. There was no other furniture in the room.
'I'm expected to remain sta- no, I'm expected to kneel,' thought Malfoy. He was glad he had the forethought of placing cushioning charms on his knees.
Moving around the chair, giving it a reasonably wide birth, he came before what he thought to be his fully reformed master, with his head bowed.
'Kneel, Lucius," came the voice he had come to both loathe and love. However, the voice sounded quite a bit more sibilant and of a higher pitch than he remembered from more than a decade past.
Malfoy instantly dropped to his knees, still looking at the floor.
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