Family Values
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the plot or characters therein.
Official Death Eater Survey
Conducted by Lucius Malfoy
The information collected in this survey is strictly confidential. All questions must be answered honestly. This questionnaire is for administrative use only and must be completed by all Death Eaters. Or else.
Name: Your secret admirer.
Age: Whatever you want me to be.
Blood Status: Pure-blood
In the space provided, draw your family tree: It's too big. See back.
NEWT Score: 12
Occupation: With the Ministry. Oh, and Death Eater, obviously.
Gender: Male
Would you be opposed to changing your gender? Anything for you!
On a scale of 1 to Fabulous, how attractive do you think I am? Fabulous, of course!
If you could choose one word, how would you describe my hair? Luscious.
What is the best way to discipline house-elves, in your opinion? Punt them!
How do you feel about ornate, spacious living conditions? The bigger, the better.
What is your marital status? Waiting for you...
Would you be opposed to changing said status? Take me away!
Are you good at keeping secrets? The best.
Does the idea of an Unbreakable Vow frighten you? It's turning me on...
Anything you would like to add? I want to have your babies.
The two men sat together at the end of a long table in a large, well-decorated dining hall. One held a glass of red wine, the other a goblet containing a murky-looking liquid. Lucius Malfoy turned to his companion, and they both raised their glasses.
"To the future!" Lucius exclaimed with a smile.
It was late summer, and birds could be heard chirping cheerfully in the gardens of Malfoy Manor. Lucius sat at the vanity in the mansion's master bedroom, as his wife Narcissa lovingly brushed his long, white-blonde hair. He grasped her hand in his and turned to look at her, marvelling at her beauty.
"Darling, I love you," he murmured softly, and she bent down to kiss her husband on the mouth.
The Malfoys sat at breakfast one morning, discussing plans for their home. Narcissa had expressed her desire to re-decorate some of the rooms in the manor house, and Lucius had given her free reign to do so. Money was certainly not an obstacle for them, so she could do as she pleased.
Glancing out the dining room window at the spacious grounds, she was suddenly struck with a brilliant idea. Narcissa knew what was missing from Malfoy Manor – the one thing that would complete her vision of the perfect home.
"Lucius! We must have peacocks!"
Lucius and Narcissa stood on the immaculately-manicured back lawn of Malfoy Manor, enjoying a beautiful fall afternoon. The leaves had just begun to change colour, and the couple had decided it was a glorious day for one of their favourite pastimes.
"You go first, my love," Lucius said encouragingly.
Narcissa stepped forward and in a swiftly-executed move, her pointy-toed boot came in contact with the backside of Dobby, one of their house-elves. She and her husband laughed with glee as the elf sailed into the air and crashed into one of the stone benches adjacent to their ornate garden fountain.
"That'll teach him to neglect his duties," she remarked with a giggle, grinning at her husband who stood proudly at her side.
On a cold, winter morning, Lucius sat in his favourite armchair, sipping coffee and reading over the recent events in the Daily Prophet. He was very pleased to see many mentions of the Death Eaters' work and the rise of the Dark Lord. He glanced up from the paper as he heard footsteps approaching the drawing room door.
Narcissa walked in, radiant in robes of periwinkle blue, a beaming smile on her face.
"I have wonderful news, Lucius," she began. "I'm pregnant!"
Husband and wife lay in bed, both looking forward to the impending birth of their child, too excited to sleep.
"We could name him Abraxas, after my father," Lucius mused, one arm around his wife as she rested her head on his chest.
"No, no. How about Edward?" Narcissa inquired. "I've always liked that name."
"Absolutely not. Out of the question. I want something more original, and worthy of the Malfoy legacy."
The couple were silent for a while, each thinking of the best possible name for their son. After a while, Narcissa looked up at her husband and whispered, "I've got it. What do you think of Draco?"
Lucius gazed down and smiled at his wife, who appeared almost angelic when bathed in the moonlight streaming through their bedroom window.
"It's perfect."
Eleven years later, the Malfoys stood at Platform 9 and ¾, ushering their son onto the Hogwarts Express. Little Draco was the spitting image of his father, and his parents couldn't be more proud. They were both certain that their son would be placed in Slytherin house, and would become an excellent wizard.
Narcissa waved at her son as he looked back at her through the train car window.
"Goodbye darling! Be sure to write to Mummy! Say hello to Professor Snape!"
She took her husband's arm, her head leaning on his shoulder, as they watched the train drive off into the distance.
Lucius arrived home from a day of bribing Ministry officials to find his wife sitting at the dining room table, drinking an entire bottle of wine by herself. Her hair was dishevelled, her robes unkempt, and she looked like an absolute mess. Draco was to come home to celebrate his 17th birthday the following afternoon, and there was no way Narcissa could behave like this around her son. As he moved to take a seat beside her, she met his eyes with a melancholy gaze.
"Lucius, darling, I'm afraid we have a problem. The supply...for the potion...it's run out!"
Draco dropped his trunk and cloak in the foyer of Malfoy Manor before searching about the house for his parents. He had expected more of a welcome upon his arrival. It was his birthday, after all. Where were they? The main floor dining room, drawing room, library, and kitchen were deserted. So were the bedrooms, the library, and drawing rooms on the second and third floor.
There were only a few rooms he had not checked. Draco knocked on the door of his father's private study, and after hearing no answer, decided to proceed. Crossing the threshold, he thought he caught a glimpse of a figure in an emerald-green robe leaving through the doorway to the adjacent room. Surely, his mother was there.
Draco followed silently, though once he reached the next room, he wished he hadn't. There was a figure in his mother's emerald-green robes, but...it wasn't his mother! Draco recognized the face from some old photographs of his father's – photographs of the Dark Lord's followers. This person, with the short blond hair and the rather large nose...he looked all too familiar.
This...this man...was his mother!Draco stood incredulous, his mouth hanging open as he tried to gasp the name.
"YAXLEY!"
Lucius hurried into the room from behind his son, anxious to clear things up.
"Draco, I know this looks strange, but there is a simple explanation for all of this. You see, your mother died shortly after our wedding, and there was no way I could possibly go on living without her. Yaxley and I came to an arrangement, where he would take your mother's place, using Polyjuice Potion. He looked and behaved exactly like Narcissa, and it was a genius solution. Everything was perfect until yesterday, when we used the very last strand of your mother's hair. You see, Draco, it was Yaxley who raised you and helped you become the wizard you are today. Yaxley is your mother."
Draco looked back and forth from his father to Yaxley, wide-eyed. This felt like a nightmare. There was no way this could be real.
Lucius took his place beside Yaxley, and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Draco, nothing has changed. We will continue to live as a happy family, just as we have been. Is that understood?"
Draco didn't fully understand what had happened, and wasn't sure he ever would, but he nodded feebly.
Well, you can choose your friends, but you can't choose your family.