Title: In the Company of Snakes

Author: Cousin Mary

Disclaimer: If I owned 'em it wouldn't be fanfic ;-)

Lucius Malfoy was a busy man. An important man. A man that didn't have time to meet with foolish American aurors who couldn't –possibly- have anything to say that would interest him one iota. Lucius snarled as he made his way up the steps of the American Wizarding Embassy.

He didn't care much for Americans, on the whole he found them uneducated, arrogant and unable to understand the hierarchy that put –him- well above –them-. Even though his business empire was vast he always tried to avoid Americans. And now he was walking into their very lair… He barely glanced at the columned façade of the Embassy as he strode in, he passed over marble floors and past statues of men on horseback and paintings of cracked bells.

"Name please," A voice called out. Lucius stopped and regarded the receptionist behind the massive mahogany desk. The woman was in her mid to early thirties, brunette and passably pretty. He smiled, he did appreciate beautiful things. "I'm here for Agent Peller," He told her as he approached the desk.

The receptionist looked down, a little flustered. She blushed a bit as she skimmed over the scroll on her desk. "Agent Peller is in the third floor conference room. Second door on the left." She told him prettily.

"Thank you," He paused to read the name placard on the desk, "Susan."

She practically melted as she watched him walk away.

By the time he reached the stairs though, Lucius had already forgotten her. The little receptionist wasn't worth remembering after all. His brows drew down as his thoughts returned to what had brought him here. A rather short, abrupt and somewhat rude note asking him, no, fairly ordering him to come to the Embassy at noon in one week's time. No reason why, no clue as to what was to be discussed. He'd thought about ignoring the summons, but it didn't do well to ignore an auror, even if he –was- an American.

He made his way up the stairs and to the second door, but as his had came to the handle a thrill of apprehension shot through him. He'd given it careful thought before he'd come, as far as he knew he wasn't currently under investigation by his or any other government. But still… he never would have come as far as he had in the business or wizarding world if he ignored his instincts, and right now his instincts were telling him something very important, and possibly dangerous, was about to happen. Then again, an auror was an auror and one came when summoned. He slid his hand over his robe, feeling the comforting presence of his wand beneath, then, after a deep breath, opened the door.

It was an unassuming room, smallish, with a long table with only about a half dozen chairs around it. There was one window and one other door. Cheap lighting glowed over head and there were a few coffee rings on the table. Lucius stepped into the room and sat nervously down. He'd assumed Agent Peller would already be here. He didn't have time to wait around for the daft man, he was after all a busy wizard. He eyed the other door, willing the agent to hurry it up.

A few minutes passed, five maybe ten, and with each passing moment Lucius grew more ill at ease. It was ridiculous really, he could stare into the face of Voldemont and barely flinch, but waiting in a room with a stained linoleum floor was getting to him. Finally the door opened and a brawny looking black man came in. Standing easily six and a half feet tall, the man was broad shouldered and built like a professional Keeper, a man like that could take a bludger to the head and not even blink. Lucius swept to his feet in an impressive flare of robes, "Agent Peller I assume?"

"Yeah," Peller eyed him like the wizard like he was something unpleasant he'd stepped in, "And you're Malfoy."

Lucius kept his face impassive but his eyes flared, "You are late and I'm a very busy man."

"I'm sure you are," Peller seated himself at the head of the small table and opened a briefcase Lucius hadn't even noticed he was carrying. "Sit."

"What is this about then?" Lucius sneered, but sank back down none-the-less. The Agent shuffled some paper for a moment, as if trying to think of a way to begin. Again a sort of unease settled over Lucius, he had no idea what was coming, it was not a feeling he enjoyed. "Well?"

"Let me be blunt Mr. Malfoy," The Agent looked up, stared at him for a moment then looked back down at the papers in his hands. He drew one out and put it before Lucius with such precision that the English wizard was almost afraid to look at it. "Do you recognize her?"

Lucius looked down, it was a photograph. Non-moving, muggle. He picked it up, studying the image closely, it was a woman. Young, in her early twenties probably, light brown hair with green eyes, passably pretty. "She looks vaguely familiar," Lucius admitted, "But I cannot place her."

"Her name was Rose Miller," Peller said, pulling the photo out of Lucius's hand and placing it back in the pile.

"Was?" He asked.

"She died a few years ago," Peller was watching him closely now, his deep-set brown eyes narrowing.

"I'm sorry to here that," Lucius said not bothering to keep the trace of annoyance out of his voice, "But as I do not even recall where I ever –saw- that muggle I do not see what this has to do with me."

"You had an affair with her," Peller eyes continued to bore into him, "Around sixteen years ago."

"How dare you. I am a married man," Lucius protested almost automatically, but his eyes flicked back to the photograph still on the table, his memory suddenly jogged. He remembered her now, Rose. He'd met her in Santa Cruz, on one of the few business trips to the States that he couldn't avoid. It hadn't lasted long though, barely a month, just through setting up an export company for a new potion ingredient, banana slugs were quite lucrative… He shook his head, "I demand to know what this is about!"

"This," Peller stood and walked to the door, he knocked gently and Lucius held his breath as it opened and a blonde head peaked in. "Congratulations, it's a girl."

Reviews are like candy!