So Much for No Strings Attached

Chapter 27 A Job for Lucius

Severus had just left through the Floo to the Dark Lord’s castle when the Floo sounded again. Lucius left the Floo for a few minutes so it looked like the Floo going had woken him up as there was no reason that he would be up at this time. He was even wearing his black silk pyjamas with his name written in silver italics on the pocket that was given to him by a lover for his thirtieth birthday and soft, fluffy, cotton, green bathrobe that his son had got him last Christmas.

 

Just like Lucius expected it was Cornelius Oswald Fudge who had called him as Severus had warned him he would not five minutes ago. Lucius could see from the red cheeks, darting eyes and the pulsing of the Minister’s jugular that Fudge was both scared, angry and desperate for answers that didn’t suggest that the Dark Lord was back which Fudge could not deal with! All Lucius needed to do was encourage Fudge’s anger at Dumbledore, fear of the Dark Lord and another war, and fear of losing his power.

 

‘Lucius,’ Fudge said agitation clear in his voice. ‘I am calling a meeting of my advisors. I need you there. It’s an emergency.’

 

‘Of course, Minister,’ Lucius said quickly.

 

Fudge ended the Floo call suddenly. Lucius presumed the Minister was going to go call his other advisors. Most of whom had got that position through financial contributions to Fudge’s’ political campaign five years ago like Lucius had or Fudge kept them around to use their political powers like Dumbledore. Or like Dolores Umbridge who forced Fudge to keep her around because she had damaging information on him.

 

Lucius wasn’t sure which advisors Fudge was going to call given how popular Dumbledore was and this was a meeting to decide what to do about Dumbledore. Obviously Dumbledore would not be there. Nor anyone who Fudge felt was too close to Dumbledore for Fudge’s liking which was most of the Light side.

 

Nor would Amelia Bones be invited as she would want to investigate the claims before just dismissing them as Fudge wanted to do so. Lucius certainly hoped that she wouldn’t be there as Madam Bones had long, rightfully suspected that he had never been Imperised and had used his money and connections to escape imprisonment. She would be automatically suspicious that Dumbledore’s claims were accurate when Lucius was trying to dismiss his claims as warmongering. Never mind Bones preferred to face things like that head-on rather than run away like Fudge was doing.

 

Lucius just hoped that there would be other Death Eaters amongst Fudge’s most trusted advisors. Possibly Avery who had often offered the Minister sound advice in times of crisis. Or Marcus who had been one of young Cornelius’ tutors.

 

Lucius quickly redressed into his robes that he had kept just out of the Floo’s line of sight so he could change immediately. Lucius hoped to be the first to get to Fudge’s office where he could start manipulating Fudge before anyone else arrived who might cotton on to what he was doing and interfere with their plans. Then Lucius Flooed to the Ministry that was strangely, hauntingly silent at this time of night.