((I giveth up on formatting... :XP))

Mariæth was extremely disappointed that Draco proved to be as flammable as Lucius. Damn, she thought. Another one I'll have to bully somehow. Narcissa, at least, was the kind of fly drawn in by honey, tempted a step further by a pretty bauble.

"I'm sorry, Aunt Cissy," she said, heading towards the stairs which led up from the kitchen back to the hallway. "I should really let you get on with caring for your husband and son. I'm staying in the old Lestrange mansion, which is now located a convenient distance from most places. The Floo Network is always open to you, and an owl should be able to find me within a day or so."

So saying, she stepped up the stairs into the hallway. She could hear Lucius shouting something at Draco, who was clearly taking his temper out on the house, and then froze midstep as she caught, "...life that is rightfully ours!" A wide smile that would have rather frightened Narcissa had she been able to see it spread across Mariæth's face as she finished walking to the door and let herself out.

---

Two hours later she sent the male house-elf Darby off to Number 12, Grimmauld Place, with the clear instructions that, despite waiting on the Malfoys as if he were their, he was to consider himself Miss Mariæth's elf from now on. Darby, whose previous family had fallen victim to the Order of the Phoenix, was more than happy to be allied to such great people. Mariæth hoped the Malfoys would at least be civil to him; though house-elves were unquestioningly loyal to their owners, fake loyalty might be stretched if abuse went too far.

For herself, she obtained Gabby, a young elf who had never had a mistress of her own before, and whose elf parents currently served what remained of the Fudge family. They might prove to be a useful, but not too risky connection.

As Gabby set about cheerfully preparing a meal in the Lestrange mansion for her new mistress, Mariæth sat down again to her letters and plans.