#[[Mistreating a house-elf on a thread with Regulus yeaaaah!]]

[wellxconnected]

Draco Malfoy was a walking menace and none around him could find a single moment of peace. Lucius couldn’t remember when was the last time he did anything productive when his son wasn’t either asleep or out of the house. He wasn’t sure if he should be glad Draco was so vigorous and obviously healthy or if he should be worried by some of the sounds the boy made. What lungs!

It stood to reason, then, that on some of the days Narcissa took Draco out on a stroll, or a shopping trip, or visiting someone, he would stay home and use the opportunity to get as much work done as possible.

Luckily, just as his pile of papers (a gift from a friend in the Wizengamot that he wasn’t supposed to have) in his desk was starting look dangerously similar to a small mountain his wife decided it was a nice day out and whisked their son away to Diagon Alley.

Lucius had made it clear to the staff of house-elves that he wasn’t to be disturbed unless in case of an emergency. If he remembered correctly, he’d said something along the lines of “someone had better be dying, or someone will die.”, so he was very curious when the door to his office was opened and a patter of little feet came in his direction.

“What?” He asked without turning from the papers, voice calm in spite of himself.

“A man is asking to see mistress – but Dobby told him she’s not home.” the elf spoke “He’s asking to see master then, and Dobby said master is not having visitors, but he is saying he is Regulus Black, sir, and that master would want to talk to him.”

That made Lucius turn and glare at the small creature who wrung his pillowcase, staring at the ground.

“Regulus Black is dead.” He replied, certain of what he was saying even though no body had been found. Regulus had been gone for three years; he either was dead or didn’t want to be found, and so the chances of him calling on the Malfoys were nil.

“Dobby said so, sir!” The elf protested “Dobby said so, but he won’t leave!”

“And I suppose you couldn’t make him leave?” He sneered, standing from his seat.

Dobby made a small noise and hid his face in his cloth, no doubt waiting for punishment. No, Lucius wasn’t going to do anything right now. That would be too easy, and Dobby didn’t deserve to have anything that was easy.

“He seemed so kind, sir.”

“And do I not seem kind, Dobby?” He whispered, leaning over the shorter being. He was perfectly aware that the word kind could describe nothing about him, appearance or otherwise, but a good house-elf would never dispute his master.

Dobby was not a good house-elf.

There was only a small shake of his head, barely perceptible, but it was enough for Lucius.

“I am so disappointed, Dobby.”

He exited the room to the symphony of an elf smashing his head against a bookcase.

Lucius made it to the entrance in record time and opened the door with his wand in hand. It was a good thing he held it with a firm grip, for otherwise he might’ve dropped it after seeing the intruder.

There in his doorstep stood none other than Regulus Black.

It looked like he wasn’t going to get any work done that day.

@srblacknoir