"It means that faking your death at my hands isn't going to work as an excuse, because he wants you alive," Malfoy says slowly and carefully. He stops pacing again, framed by the windows with the light rushing against him and casting his face in shadow, his hair shining golden with the light of near-sunset. "It means that we can't afford to fuck things up. It needs to happen as soon as the Dark Lord is gone. This is our only chance – we're not getting another, after this."