Lucky

A Visit to Azkaban

Abraxas Malfoy was bored. He lay on his bed, an open textbook balanced on a cushion beside him - but he had stopped reading it awhile ago.

Instead, he studied a letter. It had been delivered by owl the previous day, from Azkaban prison. The moment his Aunt Narcissa saw the envelope, her face fell. "It's for you," she had said bitterly.

Abraxas had opened the letter with trembling fingers and was surprised to find an unusually innocent message.

"Come and visit me. 30th July, 10.30am. Come alone."

L. Malfoy

He had spent the last twenty four hours staring at the letter, puzzling over it, deliberating. He was rather intrigued to know what his uncle wanted, but was at the same time terrified.

He set down the letter and crossed the room to his desk. Textbooks lay open across it, and he hunted under them until he located a scrap of parchment and a quill. He dipped the quill into his ink bottle and began writing with slightly trembling hands.

Dear Morgana ...

________________________________

Back in the Patagonian Desert, the revelry of the Quidditch World Cup had been going on for days. So far Morgana had attended three V.I.P. Victory Parties, plus the exclusive Bulgarian Team Victory Party. There, she had met the entire team, and spent the entire night talking with Krum and Vassileva. Everyone knew she was going to talk of nothing else for weeks.

The parties raged on for the next two days after the final, and Morgana was shattered. It was their last night in Argentina when an enormous, black owl swooped into the tent, causing Fleur Weasley to drop a plate and scream in shock.

Morgana ran out into the kitchen to see the owl sitting on the table, looking slightly disheveled. She quickly filled it a bowl of water and retrieved a box of biscuits she had brought for Fawn and the Fortis' bird, Ignis. The owl hooted gratefully, and dropped an envelope bearing a crest Morgana knew all too well.

She tore open the envelope and tipped out a letter, unfolding it's careful creases before studying it fully.

Dear Morgana,

I hope you are having a good time in Argentina. I was delighted to hear that Bulgaria won. You must be very happy. I'm sorry that I have to intrude on that happiness.

You see, I am writing to inform you that I recently received news from Azkaban prison. My uncle wants me to come and visit him on the 30th of July. He didn't tell me why and he instructed me to come alone.

I would not burden you with this, but I didn't know where else to turn. Morgana, I am terrified. I don't know what he will do to me, or worse, what he'll ask me to do for him! I'm asking you for advice. What do you think I should do?

Yours,

Abraxas S. Malfoy

Morgana set down the letter with a heavy sigh. Lucius Malfoy was no good, she knew that well. But she could hardly tell Abraxas not to go and visit his uncle in prison - particularly when it was her testimony that had got him thrown in there in the first place! And if she truly admitted it to herself, Morgana sort of wanted to know what the old man wanted.

________________________________

The next day, they left by portkey from Argentina, and had landed back in England by 10 o'clock. Morgana quickly unpacked her suitcase and made her excuses to Harry, before disapparating.