But it did have one positive thing going. If you wanted a job done or a private meeting held, the Hogs Head was your place. Plus, due to its location in a small town of relatively safe inhabitants, you werent likely to be murdered by anything smarter than year-old bacteria on your mug. Sure, there were fights, but every pub saw minor bloodshed at one point in its career. But you didnt often get an axe-murderer rampaging here.
Plus, everyone usually kept to themselves. As long as you made the proper arrangements to keep your conversation unheard, it had an excellent chance of staying that way. As long as you kept to your own, there werent many that would bother you. For those reasons, Lucius Malfoy had virtually no qualms against setting his meeting within the age-darkened walls of this shady pub.
The tall wizard Apparated outside and waited for his fluttering cloak to settle before he entered the establishment. Once inside his cold, grey eyes shot to the four corners. Oddly enough, each corner table was occupied, so with a slightly displeased twitch on his pale lips he made his way to a booth set against one of the windowless walls. This particular one was surrounded on its three sides by unoccupied booths, and had the least amount of alcohol rings upon its hardwood surface. Lucius seated himself to face the door, and swept his sable, silver-embroidered hood from his head. A brush of his hand settled his signature platinum locks in a fanning array along his shoulders while he sent a surveying gaze around the pubs patrons. Those few that had actually glanced his way swiftly returned their watery eyes to the tankards to which they clung as the blonde wizard drew a polished silver flask from his robes pocket. He took a draught of the liquid within before replacing the flask, the warmth of the liquor sizzling the cold of the February day away from his lithe body. Lucius steepled his thin digits, the point just touching his lips, and waited.
He was here to meet with Charles Montague, the lucky lad whod inherited a number of his positions previously attained at Hogwarts. They knew each other on two levels, the social and the secret, and Lucius had formed a solid opinion of the boy. He had a quick wit and a strong ambition, thus belonging perfectly in Slytherin, and was willing to do whatever it took to climb the ladder of respect. He was, in short, very like to Lucius himself; and for that reason, the blonde wizard knew to keep keen attention around him. Because he knew himself, better now even than when hed graduated, he also knew how to prod Charles in directions of his choosing.
But there was a difference, beyond the obvious. The boy, according to Avery, had no skill with women. It was this matter that the two were gathering to discuss. But Lucius had gathered from Charless letter that this was something on a scale grander than girlfriend troubles. He had been inducted to the Dark Lords following and was one of the links still within Hogwarts, and according to recent orders was to be key in continuing student recruitment. This fact inspired another suspicion. But it would all be revealed in time.



