“Well,no,butitjustlookedtoooial,Luius.Istilldon’tuandwhyyouwouldbeintheDepartmentofMinistriesthatteatnightanyway.”
Luiuspretendedtobeshoked.“WhyMinister,youknowwhatit’slikelivinginthepublieye.WereittobewidelyknownthattheMalfoyshadanitemstoredintheDepartmentofMysteries…wellyouanguesswhatpeoplewouldassume.”
“Yes,yes.Isupposethatmakessense.Youwon’tbeopposedtohousearrestforalittlewhile,justuntilthiswholethingsimmersdown?”
“Ofoursenot.Infat,arrashavealreadybeenmadeformystayatHogwarts.”
Fudgeseemedtovisiblyrex.IfDumbledorefoundnoproblemswithLuius’sinnoene,thentheremustnotbeanyproblems.“That’sgood.”
“Goodday,Minister.”Luiusspoke,andheandSnapelefttheMinister’soffie.
AfterApparatingtoHogsmead,thetwosatinsileneforthearriagerideuptotheastle,untilSnapespoke.
“Ididn’tthinktheMalfoyshaditemsstoredintheDepartmentofMysteries.”HeraisedaneyebrowasLuiussmirked.
“Wehavethestespae,yes.”
Snapefrowned.“AndmayIaskwhat’sinthatspae?”
“Absolutelynothing.ButonlyaMalfoyanopenitsonoone’sgoingtofindthatout.”
Snapehukled.“HowSlytherinofyouLuius.”
“Itry.”
“NowaboutDrao—”
“WhataboutDrao?”
“Calmdown,Luius.Nothing’shappenedyet.ThismDumbledoregavehimhisowndorm,sonostudentshaveaughtonyet.”
“Good.Hopefullywe’llkeepitthatway.”
“WhenshouldhestarttheAspetus?”
Luiusfrownedslightly.“I’msurprisedithasn’tstartedalready.Traditionally,theAspetushappensverysoonafterthefirstRebirth.”
“Sothat’salmostamonthnow.”