Lucius and Draco

[Draco Malfoy]

A family thread, yay!

[Lucius Malfoy]

The door opened and Lucius Malfoy entered, closing it gently behind him as his gaze swept over the vicinity. He stood still, deliberating, the frown breaking its way through his features, and he released a single, heavy sigh. Replacing it in the same instant with his usual unreadable facade, however, he walked forward and took a seat in an armchair situated beside the roaring fireplace, fixing his silver stare patiently on the door.

[Draco Malfoy]

Several minutes later Draco arrived, holding the brief note from his Father in his hand, he exhaled before turning the handle to the door and stepping in. His gaze flicking over the rather simple set up of the room. He noted two chairs but did not take a seat in the second one, instead he moved to stand in front of his Father- his own expression as unreadable as the man before him.

"You summoned me, Father?" he intoned formally, inclining his head in greeting when the man finally looked up at him.

Whatever it was he just needed to get it over with. Like everything else this term.

[Lucius Malfoy]

"Yes, Draco," the elder Malfoy responded simply, gesturing to the opposite chair. "Sit down."

[Draco Malfoy]

"Yes, Father," the boy responded moving to take a seat in the other high backed chair. He looked at the fire, unsure exactly why he was here.

[Lucius Malfoy]

Lucius watched him in silence a moment, studying his expression, but Draco had grown considerably more talented at guarding his emotions. It was becoming something of a challenge, reading him. Still possible, of course, but not quite as effortless. He allowed the silence to pass another moment between them, before venturing a question--the same question he had asked his son upon his arrival, and, perhaps, this time, a more honest response could be found.

"Tell me," the Malfoy instructed, his stare never once wandering from the boy, "how are you?"

[Draco Malfoy]

The boy's gaze flicked to him, a small frown pulling at his lips before it returned to the fire "I am fine, Father."

He wasn't sure what Lucius was going for, then again there was a lot he wasn't sure of anymore and his Father was a large part of it.

[Lucius Malfoy]

There it was again. Fine.

"Are you?" Lucius drawled, allowing the doubt to seep through his tone.

[Draco Malfoy]

His uncertain gaze flicked over his Father at the vauge resply, before he responded just as vaguely "Should I not be..."

[Lucius Malfoy]

"You tell me," Lucius responded simply.

[Draco Malfoy]

He frowned studying the man, unsure of what- exactly his response was supposed to be. "No... I'm... good... I mean... a lot of changes, of course but..." he trailed off somewhat inarticulately.

[Lucius Malfoy]

"For someone who's doing fine, who's good, you're certainly having a bit of trouble sticking to that story," the man noted, resisting the scowl as he watched his son stumble over the words. "I would like the truth, Draco, if that's not too much to ask."

[Draco Malfoy]

"It's.... a lot, to process..." the boy responded slowly unsure of what he wanted. Sure, he'd said the truth, but was that the actual truth or the truth according to his teachings, he didn't know.

"However, I am adjusting..."

[Lucius Malfoy]

"I see," Lucius mused slowly. "And, since having those Carrows around...anything happen worth mentioning?"

[Draco Malfoy]

The blonde's gaze returned to the fire and his body tensed up a bit "We don't particularly get along I suppose you could say..."

[Lucius Malfoy]

Lucius' eyes narrowed a fraction at Draco's change in demeanor, the prospect of what those lunatics might have done enraging him, and he proceeded to simply state, "That doesn't answer my question."

[Draco Malfoy]

"Yes well... worth mentioning is quite up to interpretation is it not," Draco replied his gaze still on the fire and not his Father.

[Lucius Malfoy]

"Well, then I'll leave it to you to determine what you think I mean by something that's worth mentioning," Lucius drawled.

[Draco Malfoy]

The boy frowned but didn't comment further. He knew it, it would just turn into another chewing out session. His Father was probably looking at him to help him get back into the Dark Lords good graces.

[Lucius Malfoy]

When the boy remained silent, Lucius arched a single brow and addressed him, "Draco."

[Draco Malfoy]

"Yes, Father," was his measured and proper response.

[Lucius Malfoy]

"Tell me," Lucius instructed dryly.

[Draco Malfoy]

"Tell you what, Father," Draco responded, looking over at him with an arched brow. After all it was whatever he deemed 'worth mentioning' right?

[Lucius Malfoy]

"Well, seeing as I don't know what it is you aren't telling me, I can't answer that," Lucius returned. "Supply the answer for me, won't you?"

[Draco Malfoy]

"If i knew... I wouldn't be asking," Draco responded with a subtle frown.

[Lucius Malfoy]

Damnit, this was going nowhere. Draco was relentlessly talking in circles. It was beginning to frustrate the elder Malfoy, and the concern over what he might be holding back only continued to rise.

Releasing a sigh, Lucius leaned back in the chair and fixed a somewhat annoyed look on his son. "Are you determined to be difficult about this?" he questioned.

[Draco Malfoy]

"Not really... I'm just confused about what you're asking," Draco frowned looking at him at the tone. It was true, they had kind of talked this thing in a circle and he'd forgotten where they'd started.

[Lucius Malfoy]

Lucius watched his son, noting the sincerity in his gaze, and he released another sigh. "I see," he gave a slight inclination of his head. He had assumed Draco was purposefully dancing around the subject, avoiding it, but it seemed he was legitimately confused. "Back on topic, then," he said, "the Carrows. Any...unpleasant encounters with them?"

[Draco Malfoy]

A brow rose "Aren't any encounters with them unpleasant?" He asked in a tone that was not un-similar to Lucius's own.

[Lucius Malfoy]

Lucius managed a distant smirk at that, nodding his head once, "That's certainly true. In that case, any...significantly unpleasant encounters?"