At Barty Crouch Jr.'s accusation, Lucius instinctively shuddered.
It was the instinctive fear of the Dark Lord's might, ingrained in him over so many years.
But a second later, he came to his senses.
What the hell was there to be afraid of?
The Dark Lord?
That noseless bald bastard had just performed a sit-up at Hogwarts: coming back to life on the spot, then dropping dead again.
The person before him was the real god!
Lucius instantly straightened his back. A hint of arrogance even appeared on his face as he regarded Barty Crouch Jr. with pity, as though looking at an idiot who had failed to keep up with the times.
"Betrayal?" Lucius scoffed. "Crouch, are you still living in the past? Open your eyes and take a good look! Whose age is this now?"
He abruptly turned and bowed deeply to Hermione at the head of the room, his manner devout and his voice fervent:
"May Lady Witch reign for all eternity and unite the Wizarding World! Heaven and earth bear witness to the Malfoy family's loyalty to Lady Witch-it shall never change!"
He delivered this sudden declaration of allegiance with crisp enunciation and tremendous conviction. Even Narcissa beside him froze for a moment before hastily bowing slightly in agreement.
A flicker of approval passed through Hermione's eyes.
Well, Lucius might be a pathetic coward, but he certainly had his skills in reading the room and kissing ass maxed out.
No wonder he had risen so high under the volatile Voldemort back then. Apparently, he did have his strengths.
Sometimes, knowing how to flatter really was a competitive advantage.
With that silent approval, Lucius grew bolder still.
He turned back and looked down at the deathly pale Barty Crouch Jr., undisguised mockery written across his face.
"Rather