43) Preparations

Lucius Malfoy looked at the plethora of letters in his desk as he checked one after another letter regarding conformation about the arrivals to the party.

Evelyn was infront of him sorting out the letters as she too was doing the same.

There was another person on the room with them. No, saying person would be a too much as Nymphadora was just a little child who loved to tag along with Evelyn.

The little pest was adored by Evelyn very much as she loved to see her abilities in shapeshifting. She even gave her different shades of colours to change herself if she could which the girl did eagerly.

It was the same as now, as the little girl was changing her hair into purple colour this time from its previous red colour.

He actually liked the girl as for some strange reason she preferred her hair colour to be the platinum blonde like that of Malfoys near him. Evelyn had told him along with Andromeda that the platinum blonde colour was actually liked by little Nymphadora. It was enough for him to give the little squirt some chocolate bars which she had loved. After all it proved once again that Malfoys were the best liked even by litte children.

"Eve, would you stop bringing little Nymphadora to my cabin", he asked looking at his girlfriend as another owl arrived at that moment.

"Nope", Evelyn replied popping the 'p', there was no way she was going to do that.

"It annoys you which makes me more eager to bring little Dora here", she continued on as the girl in question perked up at her name.

Lucius sighed, he should have expected the reply along these lines.

"Besides I know that little Dora has grown on you", Evelyn said softly to Lucius who was untying the letter from the new owl.

Lucius didn't bothered to reply which made Evelyn more amused as it was his way of admitting that she was right.

"The Italian Minister of Magic will be arriving", Lucius said slowly as he read the confirmation message for the party.

"Really?", Evelyn asked curiously as till now there were only acceptance letters from the many Potion Masters from all around the Wizarding World.

"Damn Severus for lumping all this on me", Lucius said, having partnership in this business was like more hard work for him.

The creation of the potions was all done by Severus when he had been here and was now supervised by Eileen but the publicity and the other media projects were done by him. Evelyn was the general manager in the factory as well as the manager of the shop in Diagon Alley. She was very busy with everything and it was her passion to do both the tasks that she was managing both of them. Her only seniors were him, Severus and Eileen.

And now the Minister of Magic of Italy was going to arrive here and it fall to him that everything must be done perfectly.

"Already planning for everything to go fine?", Evelyn asked as she placed her hand on his right shoulder.

"We are going to have the Italian Minister of Magic and the renowed Potion Masters from all over the world here in the building. Speaking of the guests whom does the vampire coven are going to send?", Lucius asked eagerly looking at Evelyn as he turned a little.

"I don't know but Sanguini told that the coven leader was going to arrive with some of the elders of the coven and his daughter", Evelyn recalled the message from the vampire.

"They would be good considering the deal which we have made with them. There will be plenty of aurors here during the party plus some added security from the auror force we have asked for. The Minister knows and have agreed considering the deal about which he knows of along with the Leader of Magical Law Enforcement", Lucius replied calmly as he put his hands on his forehead massaging the tension building there.

"I still couldn't believe about what we are going to do. I mean I saw you defending the notion in the meeting but the more I think about it the more I get, that this deal and news could be dangerous for us", Lucius spoke up worriedly. To anyone other than her it would be seen that he was acting out of composure very much but Evelyn knew that he was worried for her.

"Lucy, we know and have talked about this. But this is a life changing thing for many others. We all die one day, but fearing about the enemy that will eventually always win is no way to live", Evelyn assured him with a small smile on her face.

Lucius nodded but he still frowned at her, "don't call me by that ridiculous nickname of yours", he spoke up with a frown.

"You know I sometimes believe that I am becoming soft", Lucius spoke up after some moments of silence with a small frown on his face.

"You are, you even smile at Nymphadora when she plays around the cabin. You are getting a little softy", Evelyn added her own opinion on his words.

Lucius frowned, was he really doing that?

"You are even happier with all the projects you and Severus are working on", Evelyn continued on as he was surprised by her words a little.

"Really?", he asked curiously as Nymphadora came running to Evelyn clutching Evelyn's skirt as she showed her a paper of drawing. The paper was a drawing one for children where they had to fill colours in the figures.

Evelyn smiled at her and picked her up easily in her arms. She holded her attached to her hips as she continued looking at him while the little metamorphmagus giggled.

"Yes, knowing you till now, I know that you are happy - since you are working on something which is going to affect everyone in the wizarding world. You have that proud and self fulfillment satisfying look on you sometimes when I see you looking at the projects", Evelyn said as she looked at him with a proud smile of her own.

She had always known that he was a sly bastard but she also knew that he was also something beneath all that and now this new side of his made her feel happy like never before. They were all working on changing some things like never before in the wizarding world and it made her excited that she was a part of good change in the wizarding world.

"Perhaps, I am", Lucius admitted realising that she was perhaps right. He was born in a privilege which was dream for many others, Severus was one such person before he got the Prince Heirship. He had seen many things while growing which made him realise that he was special from others due to his birth only. He had long ago vowed to be capable of that position and never slacked off as even now he practised duelling and fighting with Evelyn and some other members like Andromeda Black Tonks who was a dangerous duellist in her own. It all had started when he was defeated by Severus in a fun duel.

He had long known that Severus was a excellent duellist as the boy could go toe to toe with him during his third year and still last long but looking at the progress of his had made him realised that he had been slacking off tremendously. Besides even Evelyn was as good as him and it had made his manly pride hurt and he had been practising harder with Evelyn pushing both of them harder as he knew that it will eventually help them in times of war.

"You know I will always love you Lucius. Even if you are a sly bastard you are still someone whom I have grown to care for deeply and fallen in love all this two years long", Evelyn said as she squeezed his hand reassuringly.

Lucius felt a little warm feeling in his chest, in a place where he thought some people would call heart.

There was a knock at the door and Lucius waved his hand at the door opening it wandlessly. A trick Severus had taught him and given the basics of to practise on more magic on his own.

Evelyn rolled her eyes, he did always liked to show off.

Francesca Zabini looked at the figure of Evelyn Rochefort and her boss Lucius Malfoy. Why would the two even pretend that they are not an item was something she never understood? Malfoy was a good catch in her opinion but she only wanted a consort for her and not someone like Lucius Malfoy who wanted a wife. Besides she would be lying to not admit that she liked Evelyn as a very good friend. The girl could light up the mood of the entire area she was with her talks, the wild and funny personality of hers.

If Evelyn had been a man, Francesca would have been jumping on his bones to have Evelyn for herself but alas it was a sad fate that Evelyn was born with tits and cunt like herself.

"Mr Malfoy, my father will be arriving to the party", Francesca reported to the Malfoy Lord who nodded and proceeded to write it on paper.

Her father was quite eager to arrive here as the Prince family was a very important family, a family darker than their own only. In the past there had been alliances and marriage alike between both of their families. Atleast her work here pleased her father and he was not pressurizing her for marriage. Besides it would be fun to see his face when he would see the products offered. Her oath prevented her from saying anything to her father but she dearly wanted to see his face on the projects they had worked on.

She herself couldn't believe the sheer intelligence and talent of Severus Prince, who knew the awkard and antisocial boy was hiding all these secrets inside him. The talent and knowledge hiding behind those cold black eyes was astounding in itself and it made her curious about what more could they be hiding.

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Alyssa Fortescue looked at the witch infront of her who had arrived to give them the invitation to the party.

"I don't know but you have to bring Alice and Florean with you all too. Severus had asked permission already and is coming with Professor Slughorn. You can go and ask Professor Mcgonagall for a day's leave for Alice and Florean", Eileen said as she tried to convince her friend Alyssa to bring Alice to the party. The ladies had met when the Fortescue family had invited Severus to dinner and they had quickly bonded on that.

"Dexter will try to talk with Professor Mcgonagall or perhpas Bethany would talk to her", Alyssa replied with a smile as the party was going to be a very big one and there will be many influential wizards and witches present there. It would be a shame if they missed it though.

"Don't try to send me there, Mcgonagall will refuse the instant she sees me. Sometimes I think me bullying her had left a psychological scar on her mind", Lady Bethany spoke up as she sipped her tea from the cup amusedly. The girl was a constant source of fun during her Hogwarts years with her uptight personality.

Eileen had to suppress a laugh, she had come to understand why Lady Bethany was her son's most favourite member of Fortescue family bar Alice.

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Basically a chapter which gives insight to the next chapter for now.

Or for some people a filler chapter.

Do send some powerstones though.