Not your usual Veela mate [Chapters 39-69]

A New Day - A New Start [47]

Lucius watched over the boys from the Head Table, while chatting amiably with Severus as he ate his scrambled eggs, bacon, and sausages. He noted with some worry when the time for mail came that the Howlers didn't look like they had lessened in numbers. Idly, he considered asking the boys to save a few so he could find out what it was exactly people were protesting against. He hadn't bothered to find out while Harry had been incapacitated since he figured things would soon calm down. After all, how long could you hold a grudge against a teen for wanting to wear leather? He'd been so sure some other 'scandal' would appear and turn people's attention away from their saviour. Besides, he'd had other things to worry about than what a few simpletons had been shouting about.

Maybe he had been wrong? Come to think of it, for the past two days, there hadn't been any Howlers at all, making him believe he'd been correct in his assumptions; did the senders wait for such times when they knew there would be a maximum audience for their venom? If so, he really needed to find out what was going on in people's minds.

Then again, perhaps it wasn't the leather issue the masses were raging against after all. It could be the fact that Harry had chosen to be with a Malfoy. Looking pensively at his son and heir, Lucius noted that his pile of red letters was almost as high as Harry's. Before he could come to a decision, the boys took matters into their own hands and burned the things, banishing the ashes.

Severus left shortly thereafter to prepare for his first class, and to add that disgusting glop to his hair, no doubt. Lucius observed with hidden glee that several students, mostly girls, were giving their professor strange looks; apparently, they were trying to figure out what was different about the Potions Master today. Harry and Draco left as well, and Lucius noted the piles of letters left behind absentmindedly. Apparently, they didn't want to risk anything, especially so soon after the latest fiasco. Standing, Lucius calmly walked over to the Gryffindor table, and after a quick yet thorough check, he picked the mail up and turned back to Dumbledore.

"I believe we have a few things to talk about, Headmaster," Lucius stated evenly, once he was back at the Head Table.

"Can this wait until a later time?" Dumbledore asked with a hopeful look in his eyes.

"I'm afraid not. Something disturbing happened yesterday, and I wish to make sure it doesn't happen again."

Albus sighed, but got to his feet. "Very well, Lucius. Let's take this to my office. I hope the boys are fine? We haven't seen either Harry or Draco for several days now."

"That is the reason I wish to talk to you," Lucius said ominously and refused to comment any further.

HPDM

"Please have a seat, my dear boy. A lemon drop?" Albus asked with cheer he did not feel once he was safely seated behind his desk. He knew it was a false sense of security, but he always felt better taking on the likes of Malfoy when he was in the position of power. The chair behind his desk represented just that, power. One of the reasons he amused himself with conjuring the most hideous armchairs he could think of was that they underscored the difference between his visitor's seat and his own.

"No, thank you. As you know, Harry had some trouble recovering from the assault Ronald Weasley subjected him to. His newfound allergies complicated matters, but fortunately Severus managed to find a potion that helped him. He is now fully recovered, something I am sure you are pleased to hear.

"A new problem was made known to me, however, yesterday afternoon, when my son was kidnapped from his and Harry's rooms." Lucius began his salvo standing behind the latest monstrosity - a neon bright yellow chair covered in bright red phoenixes - resting his hands lightly on the back of the thing, holding tightly onto his cane.