The.second.man.turned.at.the.sound.of.their.footsteps..He,.too,.broke.off.in.mid‐
conversation,.his.cold.grey.eyes.narrowed.and.fixed.upon.Harry.s.face..
.Well,.well,.well….Patronus.Potter,..said.Lucius.Malfoy.coolly..
Harry.felt.winded,.as.though.he.had.just.walked.into.something.solid..He.had.last.seen.those.cold.grey.eyes.through.slits.in.a.Death.Eaters.hood,.and.last.heard.that.man.s.voice.jeering.in.a.dark.graveyard.while.Lord.Voldemort.tortured.him..
Harry.could.not.believe.that.Lucius.Malfoy.dared.look.him.in.the.face;.he.could.not.believe.that.he.was.here,.in.the.Ministry.of.Magic,.or.that.Cornelius.Fudge.was.talking.to.him,.when.Harry.had.told.Fudge.mere.weeks.ago.that.Malfoy.was.a.Death.Eater..
The.Minister.was.just.telling.me.about.your.lucky.escape,.Potter,..drawled.Mr.Malfoy...Quite.astonishing,.the.way.you.continue.to.wriggle.out.of.very.tight.holes….snakdike,.in.fact...
Mr.Weasley.gripped.Harry.s.shoulder.in.warning..
.Yeah,..said.Harry,..yeah,.I.m.good.at.escaping...
Lucius.Malfoy.raised.his.eyes.to.Mr.Weasley.s.face..
.And.Arthur.Weasley.too!.What.are.you.doing.here,.Arthur?..
.I.work.here,..said.Mr.Weasley.curtly..
.Not.here,.surely?..said.Mr.Malfoy,.raising.his.eyebrows.and.glancing.towards.the.door.over.Mr.Weasley.s.shoulder...I.thought.you.were.up.on.the.second.floor…
.don.t.you.do.something.that.involves.sneaking.Muggle.artefacts.home.and.bewitching.them?..
.No,..Mr.Weasley.snapped,.his.fingers.now.biting.into.Harry.s.shoulder..
.What.are.you.doing.here,.anyway?..Harry.asked.Lucius.Malfoy..
.I.don.t.think.private.matters.between.myself.and.the.Minister.are.any.concern.of.yours,.Potter,..said.Malfoy,.smoothing.the.front.of.his.robes..Harry.distinctly.heard.the.gentle.clinking.of.what.sounded.like.a.full.pocket.of.gold...Really,.just.because.you.are.Dumbledore.s.favourite.boy,.you.must.not.expect.the.same.indulgence.from.the.rest.of.us….shall.we.go.up.to.your.office,.then,.Minister?..
.Certainly..said.Fudge,.turning.his.back.on.Harry.and.Mr.Weasley..This.way,
.Lucius...
They.strode.off.together,.talking.in.low.voices..Mr.Weasley.did.not.let.go.of.Harry.s.shoulder.until.they.had.disappeared.into.the.lift..
.Why.wasn.t.he.waiting.outside.Fudge.s.office.if.they.ve.got.business.to.do.together?..Harry.burst.out.furiously...What.was.he.doing.down.here?..
.Trying.to.sneak.down.to.the.courtroom,.if.you.ask.me,..said.Mr.Weasley,
.looking.extremely.agitated.and.glancing.over.his.shoulder.as.though.making.sure.they.could.not.be.overheard..Trying.to.find.out.whether.you.d.been.expelled.or.not..I.ll.leave.a.note.for.Dumbledore.when.I.drop.you.off,.he.ought.to.know.Malfoys.been.talking.to.Fudge.again...
.What.private.business.have.they.got.together,.anyway?..
.Gold,.I.expect,..said.Mr.Weasley.angrily...Malfoy.s.been.giving.generously.to.all.sorts.of.things.for.years….gets.him.in.with.the.right.people….then.he.can.ask.favours….delay.laws.he.doesn.t.want.passed….oh,.he.s.very.well‐connected,
.Lucius.Malfoy...
The.lift.arrived;.it.was.empty.except.for.a.flock.of.memos.that.flapped.around.Mr.Weasley.s.head.as.he.pressed.the.button.for.the.Atrium.and.the.doors.clanged.shut..He.waved.them.away.irritably..