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Hot Off the Press by Nagini Riddle

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Story Notes:

As always, I must thank my Slytherin beta friend, Vicki/Oregonian. :) Thank you so much for sticking with me to the end of this series!
Hot Off the Press

–Can we discuss something?”

–Nice to see you, too.”

–Malfoy, let’s not tiptoe around the problem, here.”

–Lestrange, I am not aware of any problem, and I am rather busy at the moment.”

–It’s this interview that’s the problem.”

–What interview?”

–This one just printed in The Daily Prophet. Do you even read the newspaper?”

–Not since those rumors printed after Leach left office.”

–I see. I bet Ava hides the papers. I know how much she hates to see even a hint of defamation inside your house.”

–That’s because Ava worries too much. I sometimes doubt her Slytherin nature.”

–Anyways, this interviewer claims to have been with you.”

–What? I don’t speak to any muckrakers.”

–I know. But the eerie thing is that the words printed could have been spoken by you.”

–Let me see that.”

–Sure.”

–…”

–Not pretty, right?”

–’Malfoy’s determination and plans know no bounds…he’s admitted as much to be the mastermind behind all the recent Muggle-born attacks…Malfoy will stop at nothing to eradicate the world of what he considers to be the –root of political upset and a weakness for fear…”’ Who wrote this drivel?”

–Not any name I recognize. I think it might be a Mudblood, personally.”

–This isn’t an interview. All these quotes are taken directly from my past speeches.”

–That’s why I think a Mudblood wrote it. Not smart enough to realize that you would know he’d stolen from you.”

–’Correspondent Richard Grey…’”

–What? What is it?”

–Nothing. I must have lost my train of thought.”

–Well, at this point, I don’t think a retraction is possible. After all those rumors surrounding Leach, even if this interview was to be deemed invalid, the public won’t reverse their opinions.”

–…”

–Abraxas? What are you going to do?”

–Only what I can do. Sit quietly like last time. It’ll die down. And if not, it doesn’t matter. Public opinion doesn’t mean much to me.”

–That may work on Ava, but I know better.”

–Hmm. I know what Ava is going to say when she hears about this. ‘I told you this would happen. I told you that maybe we should take a step back, stop being so open.’”

–Really? Without you, Leach might have stayed in office. Our world would have gone to ruin.”

–Ava doesn’t see it that way. She only wants to protect the family name. She likes to play safe.”

–She sounds like a Hufflepuff.”

–Yes, well, at least she doesn’t actually question my authority.”

–Heheh, oh. I wonder what she would have thought if she had met you right after Hogwarts. Remember?”

–I’d rather not talk about that, Lestrange. We promised to never bring that up again.”

–Hey, I’m just glad you listened to me. Chasing a Mudblood’s skirts should never be in the agenda of a Malfoy.”

–…”

–Abraxas, what is it? Do you have an idea?”

–Helene…”

–Who’s Helene?”

–She married a Richard. What was his last name? Did she even tell me?”

–What? What?”

–I think your theory that a Mudblood wrote this is not far off. Perhaps a Muggle wrote this.”

–A Muggle!? Is that even allowed?”

–If Leach could be Minister, it’s possible that a Muggle could be a reporter. What is this world coming to?”

–I think we should visit this Richard.”

–Lestrange… I think we should be careful. Some people can’t be threatened or bribed, and if he were killed…”

–They could never link it to us. They never have.”

–I don’t think I should visit him.”

–Abraxas! If we let this pass, he could write another. And we’ll have let ourselves lose to a Muggle!”

–I--I can’t.”

–What? You’ve never refused before.”

–…”

–Is there something you’re not telling me?”

–No. I just feel it would be highly suspicious to do something rash immediately after this printing.”

–Excuse me?”

–Think, Lestrange, think! When Leach took office, did we force him to leave the next day? No. We planned. We plotted. We took our time examining all the angles, covering our tracks. It was better than finding ourselves behind bars where we would be useless.”

–So, you’re saying we shouldn’t even talk to this guy?”

–Yes.”

–Fine, Malfoy. I’ll let it slide this once. But I know you’re hiding something. I can see it in your eyes.”

–I have to get home. If I wait too much longer, Ava will have a full on lecture for me.”

–Abraxas.”

–What?”

–You plan. You plot. But don’t take forever to do so. The longer it takes, the longer he is allowed to get away with his journalism, and the longer the public formulates its own ideas of what is really happening.”

–Don’t worry, Lestrange. It’s a Muggle, I’m sure of it. And people don’t pay much attention to Muggles.”

---

–Abraxas?”

–What, Ava?”

–I think you need to read this article.”

–Not now. I’m busy.”

–You don’t understand, Abraxas. You must read this.”

–Ava, I said not now.”

–Abraxas, it has your name all over it. It says--it says that you’re involved in this murder.”

–Murder? What murder?”

–’Richard Grey, 39, found sprawled on his kitchen floor…’”

–What? The reporter was found dead?”

–Yes, Abraxas. I fear that it won’t be long before the Aurors show up at our house.”

–Lestrange…”

–Abraxas, it says he was a Muggle. You know the Ministry isn’t going to like this.”

–Ava, I think it best that you leave now.”

–Abraxas, what are we going to do? All those riots, and then Leach, and now this?”

–We are not going to do anything. You are going to mind your business while I take care of this.”

–But--”

–Now, Ava.”

–…”

–I said now. It would be wise to listen.”

–Our family…”

–Do you doubt my ability to take care of this?”

–I’ll be in the bedroom, then.”

–Good. I’m going to talk to Lestrange.”

---

–What is the meaning of this, Lestrange? I told you to wait! And now my name is all over the papers!”

–He was a Muggle, Abraxas. He was undermining your authority.”

–You idiot! Now my name is soiled with his blood.”

–Abraxas, it isn’t a problem. You have money.”

–And how do you propose I magic my way out of this with money? The public is crying for my own skin. The reputation I have built is crashing around me.”

–You have always been able to avoid it. What’s so different this time?”

–This time? You’ve sabotaged me! I can only get so far until everything comes back to me. The riots, the spree killings, the minister, all my speeches, and now this. My name has been thrown around each event, and it all adds up.”

–Abraxas, you can’t fool me. They can’t pin you down for this. There’s something else, isn’t there?”

–Have you always been this way?”

–What are you talking about?”

–After Hogwarts. You twisted all my words and my thoughts until I was so angry at Helene.”

–There’s that name again! Helene! Was that the Mudblood’s name?”

–You’ve been manipulating me this entire time! And I’ve been a fool ignoring it.”

–Hey! You needed your head on straight. I only helped you come back to the right side.”

–Yes, I see. The right side. Where we slaughter people just because.”

–Are you kidding me? Is this the real Abraxas talking? That Muggle had spoken out against you.”

–Just like Helene had thrown me to the streets.”

–Is that what this is about? That happened twenty years ago!”

–And now you’ve killed her husband.”

–…”

–…”

–Really? How do you know that?”

–I just do.”

–Oh?”

–And now I am being blamed for it. I’m being blamed for the death of Helene’s husband.”

–I say good riddance.”

–I say I am feeling rather murderous right now.”

–Abraxas, I’m your friend. We look out for each other.”

–I am not taking the fall for this, Lestrange. I’ve taken the fall too many times for you.”

–Abraxas, how can you be acting this way?”

–What? Acting like I used to when we were kids? Acting like I did when you thought I was crazy for dating a Muggle-born?”

–Mudblood.”

–Muggle-born.”

–Now you’re acting like a Hufflepuff.”

–I can see the headlines now: ‘Morbryn Lestrange, 40, incarcerated for the mindless murder of a Muggle.’ Or better yet, ‘Lestrange loses duel to Malfoy.’”

–I should have finished you when I had the chance.”

–What’s it going to be, Lestrange? Will you turn yourself in, or shall I persuade you?”

–You think you could overpower me?”

–Try me, you coward.”

–Malfoy?”

–What?”

–…”

–Don’t do it, Lestrange. Don’t you dare run away.”

–Why don’t you stop me?”

–Lestrange!”

–…”

–No! Come back here! Come back, you coward! Don’t think I won’t find you! I will hunt you down! You can’t hide from me! Lestrange, you will pay for this…”

---

–And that’s it?”

–Yes, Ava. I won’t be convicted. They’ll hunt for Lestrange. The family name is still in good standing.”

–And the riots? The speeches?”

–I don’t think I’ll be participating for a while. Let the excitement die down and the rumors dissipate.”

–Oh, Abraxas! Thank you!”

–I’m not doing it for you, Ava.”

–…”

–I’m sorry, Ava. That was harsh. I shouldn’t have said it.”

–Abraxas?”

–I--I’ve learned some things these past few days. You were right to worry. But I arrogantly ignored all the warning signs.”

–…”

–Wipe that expression off your face, Ava. I don’t wish to be gaped at.”

–Okay.”

–Ava?”

–What, Abraxas?”

–I don’t tell you this often enough, but I love you.”

–What happened to you when you talked with Lestrange?”

–I gained a new perspective, Ava. And I think I prefer it.”

–I think I’m going to prefer it, too.”
Chapter Endnotes: I'll probably end up visiting Abraxas' character again... :)

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