“Explain to me why there’s a dozen half-naked men in the entrance hall?” Lucius felt his blood pressure rise with each word as he stalked through the garishly decorated parlour his wife usually occupied, advancing on his son’s fiancée. It was bad enough that everyone mocked the snake cane. If people found out there were boys in leather thongs lining up at his front door…

“‘…waiting in the entrance hall,’ Ginny imitated in a haughty voice, and across the room, where she was pretending to arrange flowers into a vase, Narcissa let out something that sounded suspiciously like a giggle. “You’re not supposed to be here,” she informed him then, hands on her hips.

“It’s a *bachelorette* party, darling,” Narcissa said cheerfully. “And you’re neither unmarried or a woman, so…”

Lucius glared at his wife. “*You’re* not a bachelorette, and anyway, I won’t tolerate orgies in this house…”

“Oh please,” Ginny huffed, tossing her red hair. “The Death Eaters never had orgies in this house?”

“That’s *different*!” Lucius exploded. “We had an image to maintain!”

“Sure, dearest,” Narcissa said mildly.

Ginny pouted. “Draco said being evil would be fun. You’re more stuck up than my dad, even!”

“I’m *so* not!” Lucius crossed his arms defensively, abandoning anger in favour of sulking. “Being evil *is* all about the fun.”

“And the pretty!” Narcissa put in helpfully.

“Exactly,” Lucius said.

“Oh, I don’t know,” Ginny said coolly, examining her fingernails. “Maybe I’d better raise my children the Gryffindor way after all…”

“That’s it.” Lucius actually felt his jaw crack as he grit his teeth at this frightening idea. This girl had to be corrupted good and proper.
He missed the triumphant look Narcissa gave the young witch as he pulled out his chequebook. “So… Twelve strippers… How much is that, these days?”