Harry Potter: Don't touch

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For Lucius Malfoy, the thirteenth of August was to be the day that would once and for all determine the rest of his life. He had to make a choice, a key choice between good and evil, the Dark Lord and Dumbledore, life and death. But which version of that choice was life and which was death? Lucius Malfoy did not know the answer to this question and was thinking over a fateful task for himself...

Or maybe both choices encapsulated death? Whichever side he took, death would find him. If he joins Dumbledore, his former friends will kill him, if he joins the Dark Lord, he will be killed by the same old enemies - members of the Order of the Phoenix...

Or maybe both sides have life behind them? If he surrenders to the Dark Lord, he will die for good, and Malfoy will live the life he has already lived for thirteen years. In the shadow of such shallow and worthless supporters of the light side as the Weasleys. If he supports his lord and conquers the world, he will be glorious and live in luxury, he will be literally the second man in England, and after that in the whole world, because the Dark Lord's ambitions were not limited to the UK alone. This is exactly the fate that must await the right hand of Lord Voldemort.....

Although he could not be called the closest Eater to the Dark Lord. During the whole time only four people managed to get close to the Lord: him - due to cunning and incredibly huge financial help in the war, Bellatrix Lestrange - due to fantastic loyalty and fighting potential, Antonin Dolohov - this one was even more equal to the Dark Lord, the same thug and similar abilities to dark magic, but the complete absence of any leadership qualities, so that the head without any complaints was always recognised as the Dark Lord. And the last person who was able to get close enough to Voldemort was Severus Snape, he delivered the prophecy and supplied important information to the lord. Which of these four can be called the Dark Lord's right hand man?

Lucius Malfoy hoped that he was the one who was closest to this definition, as he was the only one who remained 'in the game'. The defeat in the first war had left a visible mark on the fate of each of the Eaters.

Bellatrix and Antoninus are imprisoned. Snape was backed up by Dumbledore, who he fooled and managed to convince of his innocence, and Malfoy managed to wipe his memory and find a lowlife he got to confess to using the Imperius spell on him. So it was no surprise that after all these years, it was him that Lord Voldemort had suddenly come to life....

Malfoy had come to a conclusion. He had chosen his path and would follow it to the end. The Dark Lord was the right choice, even if there was death behind it. Surviving death? Isn't that greatness?! After that, Voldemort cannot lose.

- My Lord," Lucius Malfoy stepped into the most lavishly furnished room of Malfoy Manor and addressed the only living thing in it. - 'I am ready to report to you on Dumbledore's activities, on the list of supporters, and on the likely possibilities of kidnapping the boy and finding the Philosopher's Stone.

The Dark Lord looked up. Though was it right to call an ugly, curled up infant a Lord? Wouldn't it be better to stop at the Dark Lord's temporary abode.

- I have enough resources to complete the task at hand," Voldemort said.

It was striking that even in this guise and with this voice, his actions and speech contained the same majesty that had characterised him in the past.

- My lord, if you would allow at least a few of your supporters to be brought in, let me argue, even Snape alone. We need another man at Hogwarts, Crouch alone is not enough, no matter how good an actor he is, and I am sure that even though he serves Dumbledore, Snape remains loyal to you.

- I can't trust traitors who are so quick to forget about me after my disappearance! And you, Lucius, don't think I've forgotten your inaction! Snape, on the other hand, I think has finally come over to Dumbledore's side. At least his actions prevented me from getting the Philosopher's Stone two years ago. I can't take that risk. Not now... Get to the report! Now!

- As you command," Malfoy bowed his head, though he disagreed with the Lord's decision. - Dumbledore's activities had been active lately. Attending the trial to decide Sirius Black's status, then suing him over a Muggle family's mistreatment of Harry Potter. Then he followed the trial over the possible transfer of custody of Potter to Sirius Black. After all that ministerial fiddling, he personally travelled to Albania, where he remains to this day. I take it he's there trying to find clues as to where you're going.

- He won't find anything. I leave no trace, he can only guess that you might have me. I need more specific information on Dumbledore. I already know all the information you've given me. As soon as the Headmaster's men stopped monitoring the borders of Albania, I flew straight back to England, so I knew that Dumbledore had been distracted by something that had caused him to make such an unforgivable blunder. I need specifics. What was the main reason for the conflict between Dumbledore and Black, why did the latter take the matter to court?

- No specifics. I'm sorry, my lord. I have information about a closed custody court for Potter. Crouch says Black doesn't have the boy, he's staying at the Tonks' house. Also, he's also the same one who reported that the long hiding Pettigrew was killed by Sirius Black.

- Doesn't matter, the cowardly traitor doesn't even deserve a mention. The information on Potter, on the other hand, is worth noting. Can't we get him out of Tonks House?

- Crouch says we can. He might well turn up on some pretext and kidnap Potter. But Bartemius says that it would be easier for him to grab the boy at Hogwarts, because there are two Aurors who regularly visit the Tonks' house, who might interfere with his plans and perhaps even reveal his real identity.

- Does he think it's easier to kidnap Potter under Dumbledore's nose? Isn't Hogwarts in danger of exposing Crouch? Especially in the execution of such a mad plan?

- No danger yet, My Lord. At least according to Crouch himself. He's so ingrained in his role that only Moody himself, in the First Magical War during the fighting, could possibly expose him. And the plan with the Goblet of Fire and the fourth champion isn't as crazy as it could be. Crouch will be in complete control of the process. He'll be able to provide you with Potter, and thus the body, while still remaining in the shadows and able to continue spying.

- What about Black?

- He stays in his house, doesn't come out. Nobody knows what he's doing there. But I don't think you should be afraid of him. Black isn't strong enough or powerful enough to worry about, and as a man he doesn't carry much weight, everyone is still afraid of him, after all, it's only been a month since his acquittal and thirteen years since the accusation.

- You're wrong, Lucius. Sirius was able to deceive the entire wizarding world, to escape Azkaban, to sneak into Hogwarts through all the defences and Dementors, to track down and capture my supporter, yes, the most cowardly and stupid, not worthy of even a spit, but a supporter nonetheless. After that, he managed to save his body and prove his innocence, since everyone knows that no one knows how to black mark but me. You underestimate him, Lucius. But it doesn't matter now. We'll visit Tonks again, but not now, not when I have my own body and supporters. For now we'll trust Crouch, he's one of the few who's stayed loyal to me, so we'll wait for the boy at the graveyard. One last item, the Philosopher's Stone. Where is it?

- Crouch has no information on the stone. But I was able to find out that in September, just after your attempt to steal the stone, a parcel from Dumbledore was delivered to the Ministry of Magic, which, according to one of my men, contained the Philosopher's Stone. After that, the stone fell into the hands of Kingsley Brusstver, a member of the Order of the Phoenix, where the stone did not stay and went to Mali. Its fate is unknown.

- So you don't know where it is?

- The exact location is unknown to me, but I have had many conversations with Snape about the Headmaster and I can confidently say that I now understand Dumbledore a little. He wouldn't leave such a powerful thing just lying around. The stone is at Hogwarts, the school is the safest place, in the Headmaster's opinion. And all of these moves were only made to confuse us.

- Hmmm," Voldemort pondered. - Tell Crouch to try to look for it.

- Already done, my lord.

- I see. Is that all?

- No. I wanted to offer you a plan B. In the event that Crouch is discovered, my son Draco Malfoy could take his place.

- How old is he?

- Fourteen. He's the same age as Potter, my lord.

- Not old enough," Voldemort grimaced. - But in the event that Crouch is indeed exposed, I'll be in a rather unpleasant situation and we may need all the people at Hogwarts. So I'll give you the go-ahead. But don't let him in on the plans, leave him some sort of magical envelope that will open when some condition is met. In any case, Crouch must be told to proceed with extreme caution.

- Very well, my lord," Lucius bowed. - One last thing, your snake Nagaina ate a peacock, could you ask her to hunt outside the manor, or the Dark Lord's huge snake crawling around my house might cause unwanted questions from my servants and housekeepers.

- No one would associate the snake with me. I only got it recently(1), it escaped from the zoo with my help about a year ago, no one saw me there. I just possessed some creatures and organised the escape. I just modified it a bit with black magic, turning it into something more dangerous, and the fact that it's trying to kill your birds is just the cost of the spell. Very well, Lucius, I will inform her to stop hunting your peacocks.

- Thank you, my Lord, you are very kind.

Lucius Malfoy bowed once more and left the room. Today he had decided his future fate, and even if that decision led to his death, it would still be the right one.