The way Severus reacts to Lucius' remarks concerning his extensive duplicity is... interesting. Halfway between watching a science project and trying to puzzle something more personal out. Severus doesn't wear human interest well, and for a moment it's plain that he's considering something - whatever it is, he doesn't speak of it.

"I have my own research to attend to," he tells him. "Unpleasantly, it's what landed me here." C'est la vie. "It needs funded, obviously, so I work." He tilts his head. "I hear you went into the fog."

'I hear' is a very curious way of phrasing 'I've viciously stalked all of you to the fullest extent of my long distance capabilities', for the record.