"I..."
Edward asked, "Once Barty Crouch Jr. tells you the time, you'll tell me, won't you?"
Lucius gritted his teeth and glared furiously at Edward, his wand hand trembling uncontrollably.
"Ah, if you'd said earlier that you'd come to pledge your allegiance tonight, why would we have had to do this? Mr. Malfoy, I'm sorry. This was my fault!"
Edward raised a glass of juice. "I'll drink this one. Let the drink speak for me as an apology. Please forgive me!"
"..."
He turned to Narcissa. "Mrs. Malfoy, sorry for the trouble, but please help persuade your husband. After all, you wouldn't want... would you?"
Narcissa gently pressed down her husband's wand hand, then tenderly clasped his palm. "Let it go, Lucius."
"Whew-"
Lucius took a deep breath and lowered his head through gritted teeth. "Tonight's dinner ends here. Both of you... please leave."
"Sorry for imposing, Mr. Malfoy, Mrs. Malfoy."
Holding Audrey's hand, Edward waved to the two little ones. "Lilith, Susie."
They immediately ran back, one leaping onto Edward's shoulder and the other pressing close to Audrey.
Crack!
The two people, cat, and dog twisted and vanished.
Only Lucius Malfoy remained, still seething despite his wife's comforting:
"That damned bastard. Sooner or later, I'll... sooner or later..."
Before he could finish, Edward reappeared. "I just remembered. Did you have anything to do with the Dark Mark over Hogwarts a couple of days ago?"
The fury froze on Lucius's face. "...I had Draco do it, to warn you. Who knew you wouldn't seem to take it seriously? I had no choice but to approach you in person today."
Narcissa was shocked again. "Lucius, you're mad! How... how could you do something like that?!"
Edward was stunned too. "You had your own son do that? Weren't you afraid he'd be