EXPECTO

summary: The Malfoys and the Crawleys are two of the most wealthy wizard families. Lucius is promised to Narcissa Black since childhood. During a ball, she brings her best friend, Cora Levinson, with her and Robert immediately falls for the blue-eyed girl. Everything seems perfect. Until the Wizarding War strikes and each is forced to take a side.

Characters Profiles:

LUCIUS MALFOY
Birth: 1954
House: Slytherin (1965 - 1972)

ROBERT CRAWLEY
Birth: 1954
House: Ravenclaw (1965 - 1972)

NARCISSA BLACK
Birth: 1955
House: Slytherin (1966 - 1973)

CORA LEVINSON
Birth: 1955
House: Hufflepluff (1966 - 1973)

set:
FIRST WIZARDING WAR (1972 - 1981): the story will take place from the year 1973 onwards

NdA: I'll try to be as precise as possible, but I'll change some details and facts over the course of the story. For the Downton Abbey fandom, it's already AU of course, other than mere crossover and for the Harry Potter fandom, since we don't know how the young Lucius and Narcissa would have behaved, it may seem OOC at some traits.
I do not pretend to write a masterpiece, but just a decent story that came into my mind a while ago. Hope to entertain those of you who opened this story for curiosity or sincere interest.

Anything you may recognize from both of the fandoms, I do not own.

Many, many thanks to my awesome beta CountessCora who corrects my errors.

May you enjoy this little prologue, which just introduces us to this crazy world of mine. The first chapter will take place seven years after the following events.
Happy reading to all of you, and a very happy Christmas!

PROLOGUE

1st September 1966

At about eleven years old, neither of them had ever been so far from home.
Despite the fact that she was taller than her friend, Cora Levinson was younger than Narcissa Black by few months. In fact, she wasn't even eleven yet, so she would celebrate her birthday at Hogwarts School.

Being quite nervous, Cora gripped her hand harder upon Narcissa's fingers. Narcissa jumped immediately, letting a little chuckle escape her pink lips.
"What are you so worried about?" The blond girl asked, her eyes constantly searching for a chance to get a peek of what was ahead, regardless of the dozens of children in front of them.

"Being sorted in two different houses." Cora answered in a small voice, lowering her eyes to the tip of her polished shoes.

"Of course we will be." Narcissa replied casually, raising onto her toes and then coming down as the great door still stood between the corridor they were and the great hall.

"What?" Cora snapped her face back up, searching for her friend's gaze. Her voice sounded dim and keen. "You really think that?" She asked again, sorrowful, and, deep inside, feeling a little betrayed. Didn't Narcissa want to be with Cora, in the same house? Why didn't she blink at the thought of being separated? Did she already know something?

Narcissa finally quieted, turning her head to Cora after she'd fallen silent for a long time.
"I suppose so." The blonde said flatly. It was such a surprise to hear that her friend hadn't thought of that. It was obvious that they'd been divided. Because it was clear, so Narcissa didn't feel like talking about it. "My family has always been sorted into Slytherin. It's a tradition."

"I don't have a traditional house." Cora replied with a sad voice. "My mom is a Gryffindor, but my dad's a Slytherin and my maternal grandparents were both Slytherins, too. I've got a chance, you know?"

"You can't be a Slytherin, Cora." Narcissa said with a bright smile and a soft shake of her head. "You're too kind."

Cora frowned, utterly displeased as she took a long breath.
"What do you think I am?" Cora inquired, not sure she was willing to hear her best friend's answer.

"Hufflepuff." Narcissa stated confidently, at first not noticing the girl's mournful face. "It's not that bad." She tried making a face and shifting her arm around Cora's shoulders, squeezing and comforting her.

"Well..." Cora huffed ironically.

"Well, it's a great house." Narcissa nodded. "Or... it'll be." The brunette looked back up at her and attempted a broken smile, anticipating the gentle words she was about to hear. "If you'll be sorted in Hufflepuff, it's going to gain one of the best witches in England."

"Thank you Cissy." They hugged each other close. Then the door opened, revealing the hall filled with students of all ages and a thundering noise of greeting welcomed them inside.

The girls squeezed each other's hands, walking neatly down the central aisle.

Robert Crawley jolted in his seat when something pointy tickled his hip. He turned sharply behind to found Lucius Malfoy's grinning face close to his.
"The fresh meat has arrived." He whispered and Robert chuckled, patting his best friend's shoulder for an instant before turning again, returning to sit properly at his Ravenclaw table.

Only one year before, they had been the ones to walk down that path with their hearts in their throats, waiting to be chosen for the green and the blue houses of the school. Even though they were in separate houses, they never forgot their long lasting bond and friendship. They were both heirs of two of the most wealthy and famous wizard families and they had known each other since they were babies. Because their houses were closer to each other than to any others within a radius of kilometers, Lucius and Robert had spent a lot of time together as kids, too.
Once they were sorted in different houses at the age of eleven, neither of them had lost touch with the other and they'd kept spending summers and most of their free time together. Sometimes they both attended balls and parties, all organized in order to meet all the people that counted back then. More than once the Malfoys had crossed path with the Crawleys and, of course, with the Blacks.
Lucius had never met the girl whom his parents had chosen to be his spouse. He just knew that she was the youngest of the Black sisters and, by all chances, he was going to meet her that very day.

"There she is!" Lucius sharply raised his head when he heard Bellatrix's keen voice surpassing the low chattering in the loudest whisper she could manage. She had always been an outstanding character and he'd learned to recognize her even if they had met once or twice in their whole lives. Bellatrix was older and a very peculiar human being. Lucius vividly hoped that Narcissa would resemble the middle sister and not Bellatrix.

"Cissy! Cissy!" Out of the blue, Lucius watched as the brunette waved exuberantly at the group of children approaching. Then she was dragged down by Andromeda. Which one was actually the older sister?

"You promised Narcissa no shows." Andromeda reminded and Bellatrix nodded with a prominent pout.

"Which one is your sister?" Lucius asked impatiently as he caught Andromeda's attention. The girl smiled, searching in the crowd and eventually raised her finger toward a little blonde looking restless and exciting. She was smiling and Lucius smiled too, lost in his thoughts.
Was this girl really going to be his wife?
What if she didn't like him?

"Hey Lucius. Lucius!" Robert hissed to his friend, but he didn't seem to care.
He sighed and focus on the sorting, clapping whenever a new student was chosen to be in his house or into another. He witnessed as another Black was sorted into the Slytherin house. Once that happened, Lucius almost immediately started to talk with the girl, then all became clear. Robert smiled, thinking about all the teasing he could've performed from that moment on.

Robert didn't really care for all the rest. He was actually thinking about the food he was about to eat until a tall brunette was called to be the next to sit on the stool of destiny, as he named it the previous year with his friend. She was cute. Her dark brown hair bounced smoothly in dozens of curls onto her shoulders and back. When she turned, her eyes shone like two diamonds. She was truly gorgeous.

He'd never done such a thing, but his eyes locked upon that girl and mouthed the same words over and over: "let her be a Ravenclaw" even if he didn't know exactly for what reason he wanted that girl to be in his house. "Ravenclaw." Robert repeated and died inside a little when he had to follow her figure as she approached the last table on the left, joining the Hufflepuffs.
Robert sighed.
He never saw that girl again.

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Merry Christmas! :)