'Mumma!' a small boy, no older than six, called. 'Can I get some ice cream please?!?' The boy had thick chocolate brown hair that brushed the eyelashes above his warm honey colored eyes. He was only three and a half feet tall, just at his mother's hip, and he was at the perfect weight for his age and height.
'No, Adam, I'm sorry,' replied a young woman, turning around to look at him. She had the same thick, dark brown hair as her son; hers reached down to her mid back in long wavy layers. Her eyes were crystalline blue, the color of a tropical ocean before it became deep. From the back she appeared slender, but from any other angles it was obvious that she was very heavily with child, due within the next month or so. 'Mr. Malfoy asked us to meet him for Mummy's birthday today.' She stopped and turned, leaning down slowly, one hand under her large belly, the other on his cheek. His eyes were to the ground but every few seconds he would glance into his mother's. 'Maybe on the way home, okay baby?' she asked, hoping to brighten his mood. It worked well; his eyes gleamed and he quickly wrapped his arms around his mother's neck in a hug.
'Yay!' he cheered after releasing her neck. He grabbed her hand and began to pull her down the street. She giggled, grinning widely, her robes blowing around her as she tried to keep up with her child. Her hair glistened red in the sunlight and her small heels clicked gently despite her fast pace. She winced slightly as they came to a stop, rubbing her back softly. For the past few days her back had been sore and achy, no matter how she slept, what she wore, or how often she used a warming charm on it. 'Mummy, are you okay?' Adam asked. His mother's eyes darted over to him in a questioning expression. She stopped stretching her back and straightened up.
'Oh, yes, I'm fine, sweetheart. Your little brother is just acting up a bit, again.' She smiled as her son stood on his tip toes to press his ear to her swollen belly. His face broke out in a huge grin.
'I can hear him!' he exclaimed, placing his hands gently on both sides of the large globe. He smiled wider as he felt his little sibling kick against his hand. 'When is he comin' out, Mummy? Soon?' he asked.
'I'm not sure, but it won't be long, I promise,' she said, stroking his hair. 'Now let's hurry, we don't want Lucius to be kept waiting!' Adam pulled himself up and smiled; he liked this Malfoy man, he was good to his mother and he was happy about the baby. Adam may have been just under five years old, but he knew that babies were not delivered by birds, and that his father, who had been murdered by Death Eaters when he was only two and half, was not the man responsible for this child.
They rushed down the busy cobblestone streets, people kindly stepping out of the way for the young woman, getting many smiles and nods. As they reached their destination, a very high class restaurant, their waiting company spotted them and quickly stood, nodding politely and pulling out a chair for the boy's mother while he quickly hopped into a seat next to her. As Lucius Malfoy returned to his seat, he gently kissed the back of her hand.
'You look positively radiant, my dear. How have you been?' he inquired.
'Well- I have been well, thank you. How has work been for you lately, anything exciting?' She asked, continuing their small talk. A spark ignited in his icy gray eyes and the corners of his mouth twitched slightly before it all disappeared. He gave a short nod before folding his hands on the table.
'I have been fine. Work has been work, nothing very interesting happens around this time of year, seeing as all the children will be leaving school soon,' he replied, raising an eyebrow.
'Of course, how forgetful of me, I apologize. I suppose in a few weeks you will be flooded with work. Once the school reviews their staff and makes recommendations for new professors for you to review, no?' This time his smirk remained as he responded to her.
'I should expect so, yes. Let us hope that the little one has arrived before then, I would hate to miss their arrival,' he said with sincerity. 'Speaking of little ones, how are you, young man?' he ask, looking at Adam who had been quietly looking in his lap. His little head quickly looked up and smiled at the man.
'Fine, sir, thank you. Mummy's back's been hurting though…' he said absentmindedly, making sure the man got the whole story on his mother's condition. His mother's head dropped a little with one side of her mouth upturned slightly in a disbelieving smirk.
'Adam…' she whispered quietly. 'Mr. Malfoy was asking about you, not me,' the boy dropped his head again, knowing his mother felt disappointed, 'but thank you.' As the mother and son looked at each other, they did not see the grimace that resided on the blond man's face for just a split second.
'That is interesting to hear, Adam. I'm glad you told me. Perhaps I will need to keep a closer eye on your mother, what do you say?' He received an eager nod from the child, making him smirk. This was just too easy. 'Then it's settled, you will both be coming to stay with me at my manor. No arguments,' he added as he saw her opening her mouth to disagree. She glared at him slightly, making him raise an eyebrow.
'We can't, Lucius. It would be a huge inconvenience to you, and I would much prefer the familiarity of my own home at this time. I don't wish to sound ungrateful, I really am, and I'm honored-'
'Then accept. You and your son will be taken care of, I promise,' he said smoothly, cutting her off. She shook her head. 'If it would be of no inconvenience to me, I assure you, for I would not have asked if it was.'
'I-I suppose…if your certain. Thank you very much, Lucius,' she submitted, giving him a dazzling smile that made even his stomach do flips. He nodded again and smirked at her.
'Do not thank me; I will have the house elves bring your things over as soon as we get home. Besides, I believe you and I have some things to discuss,' he looked pointedly at her swollen abdomen, inclining his head towards it. Her hands instinctively went towards her belly and she rubbed it gently, feeling the child kick once again. She gave a small smile and looked up at Lucius and nodded slowly.
They proceeded to have their lunch and as it ended, she nervously grasped Lucius hand as her son took hers. She wasn't sure how she felt about leaving her home, but there was no turning back. It wouldn't be until later that she would realize she should have…
How could this have happened? How could she have been so blind and not seen it coming. The more she thought about it, the more it made sense. The odd looks he received when he was walking with her, the overly polite people, and the special treatments he got. She had always thought it was because he was a valued member of society, but she had never dreamed it was because he was a-
The door opened, seeping light into the dark, dank room until it was blocked by a person entering.
"How do you like your room, my dear? I hope it's not too much, but I would expect it would be quite lavish for a blood traitor like you."
"Where is Adam?" she asked quickly. "Where is my son?"
"Now, now, remember your manners, Philomela. You couldn't thank me enough this morning. Your son is fine…for now. He will remain that way, as long as you cooperate with us. It shouldn't be much longer now, a few more hours perhaps." His tone had turned icy, freezing her blood as he spoke, as well as her heart. She had so many questions yet she knew she would get few answers.
"If I'm a blood traitor, then why am I currently in this condition?" she asked, angrily sweeping her hand over her stomach. Just the thought that she was carrying this man's child, it made her want to vomit. A wide smirk graced his features as he spoke. It was like she had become another person, going from sweet and delicate to fierce and violent all because of the feeling she was getting.
"Despite what you may be, you will always be a pureblood. Not to mention the fact that you did have your charms," he replied, his eyes roving her body with a slight hint of past hunger. "I need a son, someone to carry on my name, and you, having just lost your husband and raising a son, were too easy a target," his smirk widened, revealing a secret to her that she had never thought possible.
"It was you! You killed him!" She quickly, yet awkwardly pushed herself up and made to run at him, but the chains around her wrist held her in place. "How dare you!" she screamed.
"I regret that I was not the one to kill him, but that's not to say I wasn't there," he sneered, his cold eyes burned with malice and amusement as he remembered the man's last moment's. "It was amusing; to say the least. The way he toppled to the ground and his last breath was spent on calling out to you, to tell you know how much he lovedyou. Then you began to cry as you crawled over to him like a dog, begging us to leave you alone. Shortly after that, young Adam yelled down the stairs for you and I don't think I have ever seen anyone move as fast as you did to hide him and- oh, how touching it was… and absolutely pathetic." Philomela ground her teeth together in a scream of anger as she roughly tried to rip the chains around her wrists out of the wall to no avail. Lucius clicked his tongue at her and ran his thumb down her cheek, following the path of her frustrated tears. "That won't do you any good, my dear, you know that. You may want to watch your blood pressure, I hear it's bad for the baby," he smirked. She growled again and tried to kick him in the leg, but he simply backed away, out of reach and turned to leave.
"I HATE YOU, YOU FILTHY BASTARD!" she screamed at him, echoing through the whole cellar. He continued walking up the steps, not bothering to turn around as he shot a reply back to her.
"That's not what you were screaming a few months ago," he called back to her, closing the door and taking the light with him. She could hear his smirk in his voice and it only helped to make her more enraged. So she sat in the dark, reflecting on the past few years of her life. She had married her late husband, Andreas Creofortuna, just out of Hogwarts and just after her 18th birthday; that was almost six years ago now. Their son Adam was born shortly after their one year anniversary and they had been ecstatic. Both Andreas and Philomela were of pureblood though Andreas had grown up to respect all types of beings, magical and non-magical. Philomela had been raised in a Slytherin household; however hers was not as stereotypical as the Malfoys' and saw Muggleborns as a gift. Her husband had opened her eyes, and her mind, to ways to find the good in everyone. Eventually, the Death Eaters had caught wind of her husband spreading his ideas throughout the Ministry and attacked one night while the family slept, intending to wipe out this nuisance.
There had only been six of them when they came, and both of the elder Creofortunas were excellent wizards, but even after taking down two of them, they were still outnumbered by the surprise attack. When Philomela saw the green light smack into her husband's chest, her own heart stopped. His honey colored eyes dulled as they searched for her while she drug her own injured body over to his. Lucius had been right; Andreas had spent his last breath telling her he loved her, and then his eyes closed and his body went cold and rigid. The tears had already begun to pour from her blue eyes long before one of the Death Eaters dragged her up by her hair. It was then, as they began to prod at her with their wands and she began to plead, that she heard her son's small voice calling to her from his room at the top of the stairs. All sound stopped, the Death Eater hearing the new voice as well, and her eyes grew in terror. The eyes behind the masks followed hers to the steps then returned to her, waiting for her next move before a surge of adrenaline ran through her. She violently tore away from her captors and bolted for the stairs, taking them two at a time and ignoring the pain, thinking of nothing and no one but her baby. It took the Death Eaters several seconds to figure out what was going on but once they did they apparated to the landing. They had greatly underestimated her speed and she slammed the door behind her, only to have it blown off its hinges. By some small miracle one of the cloaked figures called from the back. "Enough!" That had been one of the most glorious words she had ever heard. A new wave of tears ran down her cheeks in relief as they turned and left, leaving behind a wave of destruction and a gaping whole in Philomela's heart.
More tears poured down her eyes as she remembered the night that she had lost the love of her life. It had been at least six months before she would formally make the acquaintance of Lucius Malfoy. He had been so charming and so attentive she couldn't resist spending as much time with him as possible, not to mention her son liked him. She had thought it too good to be true-she had been right.
It must have been hours later, hours full of sharp pains and worry for her son, that the door creaked open again and this time several people made their way down the stairs. She grimaced as she pushed herself up the wall, scrapping her back on the cold rough stone. One of the people must have been a woman as she heard a pair of heels making their way through the dark. In a moment of paranoia she pressed her back tightly to the wall making sure no one could come up behind her. Torches suddenly lit the whole room, illuminating the faces of the people in the room. There were four others in the room with her now, and one of them was holding her son. Two emotions ran through her all at the same time. Relief surged through her knowing that her child was alive and fear for what was yet to come. Once again Lucius stepped forward a bit and smirked at her.
"How are we doing now, my dear? Is the little one making any progress?" he asked his smirk widening as she glared at him, her sneer turning to a grimace as another sharp pain hit her. "It would appear so. While we wait I would like to introduce you to a few of my colleagues." His arm rose in a flourish and he extended an open hand in the direction of a black hair young man. "First we have Severus Snape; he will be attending to you when the time comes. Next we have Evan Rosier who has been given the privilege of holding that worthless little beast you call a son. To my left is Bellatrix Lestrange, one of our best and," before he could finish a black swirl appeared in the room and from it emerged another man, or at least that's what she thought until he walked into the light. Her breath caught in her throat as her eyes locked on the being before her. He needed no introduction, be she got one anyway. "It is an honor, my Lord, thank you for coming," he along with all present bowed low for the Dark Lord. Another pain that was far greater than any other shot through her, as did a wave of panic and hopelessness, making her breath hitch once again.
"So, you are Philomela Creofortuna, I must say I am impressed. Most of the women that we have widowed never look as good in the years following the loss of their husbands, then again, Lucius does have a way with women, doesn't he?" the Dark Lord hissed, lifting her chin up so that she looked him in the eye. She glared and yanked away as the woman, Bellatrix, laughed.
"That he does, my Lord," she replied to his remark, making the Death Eaters smirk and chuckle. Philomela growled low in her throat, but it died abruptly as the child inside her mustered up a massive kick, doubling her over.
"Oh my, we are getting close, aren't we? " Lucius chided as she straightened up. "Well before all the excitement gets underway, I believe one final introduction must be made. Philomela, I would like to introduce you to my lovely wife, Narcissa Malfoy." Philomela's eyes widened almost painfully in shock as the heels she had heard before sounded again as a blonde woman stepped from behind Lucius. Her features were sharp, and her hair was immaculately done, her robes perfect and expensive. She glared daggers at Philomela, clearly displeased that she was not the one having the child. "Come, we must get everything together," Lucius called to the others. The room began to empty until it was just Philomela and Narcissa left, Lucius being the last one to leave. Narcissa watched the door closed, a look of pure calm and disinterest on her pale face, and as she turned she back-handed Philomela with full force, making her lose her balance and fall to the floor. The younger woman drew a shaky hand up hold her cheek and rub her jaw, looking up to see the furious and insulted face of Narcissa Malfoy.
"How dare you, how dare you even thinkabout having my husband, you little slut." Her voice was measured and deathly serious; the way her jaw was set told Philomela she was beyond enraged.
"Lucius told me the two of you were separating! I would never have touched him if I had known he was lying, but I guess that was just part of the plan," Philomela retorted through gritted teeth. Using his name only made her more angry and Narcissa made a 'humph' noise before turning to leave.
"It's obvious that you didn't miss yourhusband," Narcissa sneered in disgust. "Don't worry about a thing, we will be back as soon as we hear you scream," And she was right.
It couldn't have been more than a half an hour until the pain became so great she had to scream just to keep calm. Adam screamed for his mother, seeing her crying in pain scared him more than being in this strange place. Her hair began to stick to her face and sweat ran down her back as she went further and further into her labor. She knew she could die from trying, but she used all of her might to keep from delivering the child she knew would be molded into a cruel Death Eater like his father. Unfortunately for her, Lucius noticed what she was attempting to do and grabbed Adam from his captor and jabbed his wand into the boy's neck.
"If you kill my son I kill yours," he growled dangerously. Adam squirmed upon hearing these words but fought in vain. Philomela glared at Lucius with ferocity only a mother could muster.
"They will always be my sons, no matter whothey call 'Mother'," she hissed in anger, glaring at Narcissa. He admired her for her spirit, but at times it was a serious draw back.
Not much later the sounds of newborn cries filled the chamber and Philomela slumped against the wall in exhaustion. Her job was done, now she could finally leave this place and move on.
"I would like to introduce you all to our son," Lucius announced, wrapping one arm around his wife's shoulders and pulling her close "Draco Malfoy." Philomela hadn't even seen her baby boy before he was handed over to his new 'mother'. Narcissa softened upon seeing the child, and cradled him in her arms as if he were actually her own and gushed over him as any new mother would. The others gathered around the couple, disregarding the panting young woman on the floor and releasing her son who quickly went to his mother's side. He hugged her tight as the Malfoys received their congratulations.
"He's absolutely perfect, Cissy, congratulations," cooed Bellatrix, standing behind her sister. Even the Dark Lord congratulated the pair before sweeping over to Philomela.
"You did well; the child is beautiful and healthy. Now I have a choice for you to make, Philomela. Will you join with me and become a Death Eater?" Even through the fog she was in, Philomela understood what he was asking.
"Never," she answered simply. Lord Voldemort nodded and stood, turning to Lucius.
"You know what to do," and with that he disappeared in the cloud of black smoke. Lucius nodded at the empty space and stepped up once again while the others moved back.
"Well it seems we have a few loose ended to tie up here," and with that he flicked his wand, shooting the green light that had haunted her dreams for years directly at her son, hitting the five year old square in the chest. Adam's body slumped onto his mother's slightly swollen belly, his lifeless eyes staring up at her. Philomela was so hysterical she speechless. Tears started to pour uncontrollably from her blue eyes, and the new baby began to cry as if sensing his true mother's grief. "You will never tell what happened here, and you will never remember," Lucius hissed. "I truly did enjoy our time together, my dear," he said jovially with a devilish smirk, switching from cruel to happily amused in an instant. The next spell cast was sent her way, hitting her in the throat and permanently removing her ability to speak. Lucius cast one final spell at her, erasing all of her personal memories, leaving her only knowledge of spells, and people, but none of her own thoughts or feelings or events in her life. Her head collided with the damp rock wall behind her and the blackness that had been threatening to overtake her finally won.