Narcissa gripped Lucius's hand in return, using such force that her nails nearly sank into his skin.
Her eyes churned with savagery and despair. "We can't... Lucius, we can't just sit here and wait for death! If you're forced to..."
"We have no choice but to comply." Lucius cut her off. "But we can choose how to carry it out, and what we leave behind afterward."
He lowered his voice and spoke faster. "If the attack is destined to happen, if I'm destined to play the murderer, then the details become crucial."
"The time, the place, the method... those are all things the executor can improvise on the spot. An attack that appears insane but actually minimizes truly irreversible casualties? A scene with obvious loopholes that lets the Aurors quickly stop and capture the killer? Even one that subtly steers the investigation toward other possible leads?"
Narcissa immediately understood what he meant.
In an unavoidable mission of destruction, they would control the damage as much as possible, plant the seeds of a reversal, and even use his capture and sacrifice in exchange for the greatest possible protection for Draco, as well as a small chance of disrupting Voldemort's plans.
"That's too dangerous, Lucius. If he notices..."
"That's why it has to be real." Lucius looked out the window. "My fear, my resistance, and my eventual helpless submission all have to be genuine. And in private..."
He slowly withdrew his gaze. "I'll deliberately, or seemingly by accident, spread certain remarks. Draco is young, and after receiving Dumbledore's 'brainwashing education' at Hogwarts, he has developed childish doubts about certain 'ancient traditions.' Because of that, there is a 'rift' between father and son."
"I'll create an image of him as someone influenced by Hogwarts, utterly different from the father who committed terrible crimes.