Chapter 19: Betrayal and Consequences
Lucius Malfoy wouldn't be getting much sleep that night either though for a completely different reason, he was standing in a now empty Malfoy family vault reading the note that was left for him, which was proving quite a difficult task as his hands wouldn't stop shaking.
I left something precious in your care yet information has reached me that you let it be destroyed. I have emptied your vault and will put an end to your line at my earliest convenience. I look forward to residing in my new mansion - Disloyalty will be punished. LV
Narcissa Malfoy was not a happy woman, firstly her favourite restaurant had closed at lunchtime then when they finally got admitted for dinner they were told that the bank had refused to honour the payment. Now standing in an empty vault she read the note over her husband's shoulder and shuddered, Narcissa was not a believer in pureblood supremacy only gold and lots of it was important to her. She didn't even care if her next man was a muggle as long as he had the wealth to supply Narcissa Black with the luxury she so obviously deserved.
Narcissa had already mentally moved on from the dead man standing beside her, she had briefly considered saving her son's arrogant arse but the threat to end the Malfoy line handed him a death sentence as well, she didn't want to be caught in the crossfire.
There was also the fact that the gold she had squirreled away over the years would go further with only one using it and she had more chance of snagging her next husband as an unattached widow than with a teenage son in tow. It was looking like Lucius was going to have his hands full so she should have no problems slipping away, Europe was calling.
Lucius was in a quandary, his whole world had just come crashing down around him and he wasn't sure where to turn. He had objects at home that he could sell but as soon as it got out he was in financial difficulties the price he could normally expect would drop like a stone. His so-called friends would be circling like wolves round a wounded animal, he should know, as it was usually him that led the pack.
He needed gold fast and South America was looking better by the second, a little gold could go a long way in places like Peru. He knew his wife well enough to know she would be making her own plans; there was never any love but more a mutual respect at just how ruthless the other was.
He wondered briefly if she would take the boy and came to the conclusion probably not, he wasn't going to be burdened by the arrogant little tosser either; he could always sire another heir but only if he remained alive, little prince Draco was on his own.
Lucius asked the goblin if they would be willing to purchase some items, the positive reply lifted his spirits for a brief second before he heard the rest. "Unfortunately the market is flooded at the moment and prices are at an all time low" answered the goblin, following his instructions to the letter.
Lucius swore to himself but was left without any other options; he needed to get out the country fast. He had no idea that this was the third time today this scene had played out or that in every case they had come to the exact same conclusion, sell what they can quickly and flee the country.
Lucius was also unaware that Harry and Ragnok had made a deal where they bought everything as cheap as possible then to slowly sell the items with all profits set to start an as yet un-named charity foundation, poor Lucius was getting screwed twice.
Harry and Hermione never dreamed they could be so lucky, eleven of the twelve death eaters would have fled the country by Monday, fear of Voldemort's wrath blocking any other thoughts apart from getting as far away from Britain as possible.
The Dark Lord demanded total loyalty and the idea of confiding in another death eater was usually a one-way ticket to a painful demise. Everyone of them had seen their master dispense death on a whim, when he said you were going to die only one person had ever survived – those were not good odds to gamble your life on.
The only one who didn't flee was Peter Crabbe, he was on his third day of a bender with a quickly diminishing sack of gold before attempting to saunter into Gringotts, stagger would be more accurate, with a 'lady' on each arm. When the goblin cashier told the drunken wizard he had no gold in his vault his 'ladies' disappeared back into the night, fat, ugly, bad breath and body odour could all be overlooked for the right price which he apparently no longer had.
Crabbe was so incensed at loosing his ladies that he went for his wand, he was so drunk that he had trouble getting his wand out, so much so that the goblin guard had time to walk over and wait on him eventually pulling his wand before hitting him on the head with the flat of his axe.
They had just got the stench of traitor's blood out the bank and he had no wish to start again with this filth. Goblins were not averse to spilling blood but there had to be some honour involved. There was no honour in beheading a drunken wizard; an extended stay in a goblin cell would do him the world of harm.
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