The living room was the grandest room in the manor; its 30-foot ceiling a testament to the Malfoy family's extravagant, bordering on ostentatious, taste. Heavy velvet drapes of a gorgeous viridian hung at the tall, arched windows, effectively blocking out the outside world and creating an atmosphere of an almost oppressive grandeur. A magnificent pipe organ held court at one end, its intricately carved, gilded pipes and ivory keys gleaming in the light of the brilliant crystal chandelier that hung high above. The air was cool and still, heavy with the scent of expensive wood polish and something faintly metallic.

At the head of the long, mahogany table, sat Lucius, his pale face, sharp and aristocratic. The light of the silver candelabrum danced across his finely sculpted features, highlighting the glacial glint in his grey eyes as he perused The Daily Prophet, the rustling of the paper the only sound disturbing the otherwise profound silence.