Chapter 66 - Brunch at the Malfoy’s

In Wiltshire, down a wide cleared driveway, there is a towering curved hedge that runs far off into the distance with the impressive wrought-iron gate is shut barring any guests. Up the driveway is the handsome, lavish Malfoy manor. The main hall is a bit bare after the recent festivities. And though there is a magnificent carpet and portraits, the hallway is large and empty.

In the main dining hall, there is an elegant elongated table oak table with lavish chandeliers hanging overhead. A roaring fire crackles in a huge marble fireplace effectively keeping the room warm. Sitting at opposite ends of the table, father and son, Abraxas Malfoy and Lucius Malfoy read the Daily Prophet. With a pleased expression, Abraxas reads the front-page title that says, "Azkaban wizard found innocent! Innocence proven by Abraxas Malfoy!"

"Huh, I guess I'll have to send Flint a note of thanks," Abraxas privately thought to himself. For this single case, wouldn't wash away the shadows cast upon his image, but would be sufficient to clear his image and give him a chance anew.

Folding the tabloid with care, Abraxas frowns at failing to see his cup of coffee filled. "DOBBY!" Abraxas roared in fury.

"Yes, sir!" Squeaked a tiny creature with large, bat-like ears and bulging green eyes the size of tennis bulbs. Wearing nothing but an old pillowcase, with rips for arm and leg-holes, the elf comes to a screeching halt.

"Where is my coffee?" Abraxas icily asked.

"Right here, sir," Dobby tremblingly squeaked as behind him floated food, silverware, and a pot of coffee.

Abraxas nostrils flare as he gestures for the stupid elf to serve him. Instantly the silverware neatly placed themselves before Lucius and Abraxas as food is neatly piled onto the plates and hot drinks are poured. With everything on the table, Abraxas coldly says, "You have been lacking again, Dobby! Extra punishment!"

Dobby instantly begins to rain blows upon himself as he says, "Bad Dobby! Displeased Master!!" And so forth, until dark bruises began to form on his skin.

"Enough!" Abraxas said in distaste as Lucius nonchalantly took a bite of his eggs. "Dobby, I want you to severely punish yourself later, now remove thyself this instant. You disgust me!"

"Yes, sir," Dobby tremblingly said as he knelt to the floor with the tip of his long, thin nose almost touching the floor.

Abraxas crossly shakes his head as he pays no mind to the darting away form of his house-elf. "How annoying, you would think elves would not feel honored to serve wizards," Abraxas commented as he blew on his coffee.

"Mm, I hear you father," Lucius automatically murmured. "Wizarding standards are falling everything."

"Mm, undoubtedly so," Abraxas said in agreement as he took a sip of his coffee. Glancing over at his son with narrowed eyes, Abraxas carefully said, "By the way, Lucius, you never did tell me, how did you know about Tom Marvolo Riddle."

Lucius carefully opens his mouth to speak, but Abraxas interrupts, "The truth, Lucius. I do not like to be trifled with."

"Yes, father," Lucius said with some reluctance. "If you must know, it was Rowan Prince, a 1st year Slytherin."

Abraxas is silent for a moment, before roaring with laughter. Lucius purses his lips as he sullenly used a knife to spread butter on his toast. "A mere girl," Abraxas scoffed, before all traces of mirth faded away. "But a Prince, hm? That should come as no surprise."

Lucius blinks in surprise at his father at so easily accepting his answer. "What is so special about the Prince's? After all, the Prince household is all but extinct except for a few cousins from the side branches living in France."

"Mm, extinct, almost," Abraxas said in agreement. "But make no mistake, the current head of the Prince family, Reginald Prince is far from being so easily overcome."

"Reginald Prince? What is so terrible about him?" Lucius curiously inquired.

Abraxas leans back into his seat as he carefully answers, "Reginald Prince, he and I did not get along during our formative school years. As for his younger sister, Georgine Prince, she is a cold, sarcastic woman, and a most deadly witch to be reckoned with. If I recall correctly, she even once went toe to toe with Pollux Black. Not a small feat to be so easily ignored."

Seeing his father pause, Lucius carefully prods further, "So, the Prince family members are powerful dueler's, I still fail to see the problem."

"The Prince family comes from a long line of powerful witches and wizards that specialized in dueling," Abraxas slowly said. "There are less than savory rumors that the Prince family were once, Percussor's."

"Assassins?" Lucius choked in disbelief. "But were not all the assassin wizarding families destroyed by the four Hogwarts founders?"

"Mm, indeed," Abraxas mused. "But there were unconfirmed speculations that Salazar Slytherin may have owed the Prince family a favor or two. Naturally, they are just rumors, but still, the Prince's have always been shrouded by a touch of shadows that much is true. Why even Reginald Prince has rumors about him."

"Like what father?"

"Such as the true reason he retired from dueling was not because, Reginald Prince was old, but rather the old prince was requested to do so my Grindelwald himself. Wild rumors, no doubt, but they cannot be entirely ignored."

"I'm certain, they're nothing more than rumors. A hoax if you will," Lucius somewhat stiffly said.

"You are right on that aspect, my son," Abraxas said in agreement.

Quickly changing the subject, Lucius says, "And what of Tom Riddle? I did see that he is in the papers this morning."

Abraxas throughs back his head and laughs. "Yes, well, I have no doubt that those that did not believe my words are not hurriedly distancing themselves from that muggle-born wizard. But still," Abraxas paused. "I fear that some are so blinded that they will say that they are lies."

"Well, what can you do against foolish fanatics?" Lucius mumbled as he took a bite of toast. He purposefully neglected to mention the fact that they were once part of the said faction.

"Yes, there is that," Abraxas mused. "Either way, I'll make sure to dissuade his starchiest of supporters by paying them a visit."

Lucius nods in approval of his father's wisdom as he finishes his brunch. Not long after Abraxas departs with a cloak in hand to bask in the limelight and persuade a few wayward sheep back to the fold. Either way, the scene would very much cater to Abraxas's needs.