Hello lovelies! This is my first chaptered fic *throws confetti* and I am very anxious/excited about it being published, but thanks to the support (and threats) of my best friend Phil (love you girl!) here it is. :D
The story takes place in 6th year, but aside from a few major events that work with my plot, it will not really follow the 6th book. The characters belong to the lovely Mrs. J.K. Rowling, I just make them dance to my amusement, and a few concepts/ideas are borrowed from the imaginative mind of Mrs. L. J. Smith.
I hope you all enjoy Solar Eclipse!
~Z
Chapter 1
One Last Hope
Narcissa's hand trembled as she dipped her quill into the crystal inkwell in her dimly lit study. A sound outside the window made her grasp wildly at the scattered parchment on her dark oak desk, but it was only the owl arriving that she had sent for mere moments ago. She quickly finished her lengthy message, signing her usually graceful signature with an unsteady hand, and after carefully sealing it, watched it soar away into the cloudless night. She squeezed her eyes shut, praying for all that she was worth that this would work. It had to work. She did not care what happened to herself, or even her husband, for they had sealed their fates long ago, but she would go to the ends of the earth to protect her son. She stared out the large picture window as her last hope faded into the distance.
Draco jerked to consciousness, his face pulling away from the cool and misty glass of the limousine's window. Outside the same drab, green countryside rolled by unaltered. Damn muggle contraption Draco thought bitterly, annoyed that they could not simply apparate to wherever the hell they were going. He stretched languidly, straightening his posture and running a hand through his platinum locks. Across from him, seated on the expanse of black leather was his mother Narcissa Malfoy. She sat with a stiff and erect posture, her elegant face even paler than usual as she gazed, unseeing, through the tinted windows. Draco ran his hand absentmindedly across the mark on his left forearm currently covered by his sleeve, and gazing up at the overcast sky, thought back to the jumbled events of the previous day…
Draco was sleeping restlessly in his quarters at Malfoy Manor when his mother had thrown open the doors to his chambers and rushed in. She shook her groggy son awake; her silver eyes alight with desperation and frenzy.
"Quickly Draco, pack a suitcase and meet me in the parlor as soon as you possibly can. The Dark Lord and your father have moved on to another safe house for now; you and I have leave only because your sixth term starts next week. We must make the most of the time".
And with that, Narcissa rushed from Draco's chamber as quickly as she had come.
What the hell? Draco thought grumpily as he dimly followed his mother's orders, trying to shake sleep from his numbed senses. Once his bottomless travel bag had been filled with as much as he could think to grab, Draco shrunk the charmed object with a wave of his wand and stuffed it into his trouser pocket.
He walked down the grand staircase with his shoulders squared to find his mother already pacing the length of the spacious parlor. When Draco reached her, she grabbed his arm without a word and he instantly felt the familiar spinning sensation and a tug from somewhere behind his navel as they apparated.
They arrived with an unpleasant jolt in a large, cavernous building that reminded Draco of the bustling King's Cross station, except this building had an ancient, archaic look to it. The entire structure seemed comprised of pale tan stones of various sizes, the largest bigger than his cauldron.
Glancing around, Draco took in the many archways around the perimeter of the building, leading down long limestone hallways. At the head of each tunnel sat a small station that also reminded Draco of the ticket booths at King's Cross. With a start, Draco realized that he could not read any of the signs scattered around the room; they were in some foreign language – perhaps Italian?
He chanced a glance at his mother, hoping for some kind of explanation, but Narcissa refused to meet his gaze, instead leading him to one of the check stations on the far side of the room. Draco glanced around at the other people in the edifice, many dressed in cloaks and robes as he was accustomed to. As he watched, several more apparated in. Was this a ministry function? Usually his mother would have informed him if that were the case.
Thankfully, the mousy brunette girl at the station spoke English. Her eyes were a pale moss green, and in a squeaky voice she greeted "Velcome to Romania. May I see your papers." But it wasn't stated with a questioning tone, as if one had no choice but to present these non-present papers.
Draco raised an eyebrow, wondering what the bloody hell they were doing in Romania and also how his mother would handle this roadblock. But before he could think beyond that, Narcissa promptly swept a small stack of papers into the woman's tiny hands with a graceful flick of her wrist.
The mouse took a moment to sift through the papers with a neat, practiced hand, then with a smile, asserted, "Everything is in order", beckoning them into the lightly colored stone tunnel beyond her station.
Draco had to take long strides to keep up with his mother's suddenly swift pace. As she walked, Narcissa glanced at him from the corner of her eye.
"We'll be staying at a villa in the next town for tonight before reaching our destination tomorrow. It's nearly dusk now here.", she stated matter-of-factly.
At the end of the tunnel they reached a massive stone fireplace, the mouth higher than Draco was tall. On either side of the massive opening stood a large guard, each built like a professional beater and dressed in black cloaks. They however paid no attention to the approaching pair, and remained in their posts, arms crossed silently over their chests. Draco glanced around for Floo Powder to use, not expecting any help from the silent guards.
"Don't worry" Narcissa commented, noticing the confusion in his eyes, "These are part of a pre-set network. We just walk in; only one destination available." With that, she stepped into the fireplace where she was entombed in bright green flames, before disappearing from sight. Swallowing, Draco followed suit, crossing the threshold to the unknown.
Draco emerged beneath a grand archway that opened to reveal a plaza in a small city. Twilight was falling over an array of beautifully architecture buildings of light, rosy stones. They look ancient, and yet completely fresh and new at the same time; some were tall and grand, with spires stretching towards the darkening sky, and others were smaller and modest. But all were works of architectural art, beautifully designed with delicately carved moldings, not a brick out of place as far as the eye could see.
Lights glowed from latticed windows in many of the buildings, and lanterns hanging at random intervals about the plaza gave it a bright, cheery glow.
Very Venetian… Draco mused, It's actually…nice, he grudgingly admitted to himself.
In the center of the square a white fountain shimmered in the lamplight. Draco stared into the glimmering water, briefly lost in the otherworldly beauty of this small, foreign city.
Perhaps mother aspires for us to stay here, he wondered silently, that would explain why we left so suddenly while father was away. He could find few problems with that, he decided, considering how grim his life had become.
He rubbed absently at his left forearm as he obediently followed Narcissa into one of the larger buildings across the plaza, his feet echoing softly off the cobblestone street.
An arched sign above the doorway read "Villa Veritas". He didn't even bother to ask his mother what was going on; he'd given up on that for the time being.
They walked through the wide oak and glass doors into what was obviously a high-end hotel lobby. Fit for a Malfoy, Draco thought smugly. The entire room was decorated with dark mahogany paneling and furniture, crystal vases and end tables, expensive leather sofas and armchairs, and numerous exotic plants that Draco decided to keep his distance from lest one try to bite him.
Narcissa strode gracefully to the front desk with her son in tow, and stated crisply "Reservation for N. Black" to the blonde man in a suit behind the desk.
She used her maiden name? Draco thought speculatively as he began to stroll casually around the spacious lobby. She must have really not wanted anyone to be able to trace their rendezvous here.
To Draco's left stood a long wall housing massive, double oaken doors in the center, and as Draco drew nearer, he heard faint music and muffled voices coming from inside. His curiosity trumping common sense, and with Slytherin confidence in full, Draco eased open the door.
*Peeks from around corner* Well, there be the first chapter! I hope you all like it Reviews are very welcomed, but please no flames! I have a tender heart Thanks for reading!
~Z