Author's Note: This is for alyssialui's Twister Challenge. This is for the color Red, in which writers have to choose a restriction. The restriction I chose was "Cannot use the name 'Harry Potter.'" So, this is the only time in this fic that you will see that name. For the purposes of this challenge, The-Boy-Who-Lived will become You-Know-Who, LOL. This is my first time writing a fic for a challenge, so I hope I get everything right. I have decided to write a fic using the challenge restriction that features my favorite couple, Lucius and Narcissa. They are discussing You-Know-Who (and I'm not referring to Voldemort, LOL), but they will never mention his name directly.
Additional Author's Note: I have done some editing to this story. I have taken some of the dialogue between Lucius and Narcissa that was originally in this story and have placed it in Chapter 3 of another story, "Faded Darkness," as I thought it would fit better there.
Narcissa sat in a chair in Malfoy Manor's main drawing room, a copy of the Daily Prophet in her lap. All the headlines had something to do with the Dark Lord's fall. The headlines that troubled Narcissa the most, though, were the ones mentioning that the Ministry was looking into suspected Death Eaters.
Narcissa knew that many suspected her husband, Lucius, as being a Death Eater; and she was afraid that he could be arrested at any moment and thrown into Azkaban without any trial.
Barty Crouch Sr. was infamous for his lack of mercy towards anyone even remotely suspicious of being linked to the Dark Lord.
And there weren't many more closely linked to the Dark Lord than Lucius.
Narcissa glanced over at the small crib that she had set up next to her chair. She had been protective of her little Draco since the moment he was born. She and Lucius had struggled so much before they had finally had the fortune of having their one perfect child, and she was always afraid of something happening to her one and only child, her precious little Draco.
But Narcissa had become even more afraid for Draco's safety since the Dark Lord had fallen. She was Lucius's wife. If Lucius went down for being a Death Eater, would the same fate befall her? And if she went to Azkaban along with Lucius, what would become of Draco? Would he be sent to live in an orphanage? Or even worse, would he be sent to live with some Muggle-loving family in the hopes that he would never have the desire to follow in his parents' footsteps?
"Calm down, you silly girl," Narcissa muttered to herself. "Lucius will take care of everything. He always does."
Perhaps Narcissa was being a little silly for worrying about herself. She knew that Lucius was a Death Eater, but her husband had always kept her away from all the details. Lucius had always known that there was a chance that Narcissa might one day be questioned, and he had known that it would be better for the both of them if his wife did not have much information to offer. The less Narcissa knew, the better. And that had been just fine with her. She had never been as dramatic as her husband.
Lucius.
Narcissa couldn't bear the thought of losing him.
"Lucius will be fine," Narcissa muttered to herself. "He can talk himself out of anything. He will be fine. We will all be fine."
And to think that all of this was happening because of some baby boy, some baby boy around the same age as her beloved Draco.
How could some baby, especially the baby of a Mudblood and a Blood-Traitor, have defeated the Dark Lord?
The unlit fireplace suddenly roared with emerald-green flames.
Narcissa stood up quickly as she drew her wand.
Lucius looked at the wand that his wife was pointing at him with a look of bemusement on his face.
Narcissa breathed a sigh of relief as she lowered her wand.
"It's not every day I come home to my wife trying to kill me," Lucius said amusingly, trying to make light of the situation.
"I thought you might have been the Aurors," Narcissa replied. "I thought that I was about to lose you forever and that Draco would never get the chance to know his father."
She knew that she was sounding slightly hysterical, but she was currently finding it hard to care too much about that.
Lucius walked over to Narcissa and wrapped his arms around her.
"Everything is going to be fine," he told her in a reassuring voice. "I'm not going to allow myself to be taken away from you or Draco."
Narcissa forced herself to meet her husband's eyes. She still didn't look fully convinced, but she nodded her head.
She then glanced over at the crib. Fortunately, Draco was still sleeping.
Lucius walked over to the crib and looked down at his sleeping son. His face softened ever so slightly.
"I can't believe our little Draco is actually taking his nap for once," Lucius remarked with amusement.
Narcissa allowed herself a slight laugh. From the moment he had been born, Draco had quickly became infamous for being a restless sleeper, which was something Lucius often apologized for. Lucius was a restless sleeper as well, even though Narcissa was now use to it.
There was silence for a few moments as Lucius and Narcissa both looked at their sleeping son.
"You are still worried," Lucius spoke suddenly, breaking the silence. "I can tell by the way your lips are quivering."
"Someone has to worry about you, Lucius," Narcissa replied. "Sometimes, I swear you have a death wish with all the risks that you take."
"I do not mean to worry you, Narcissa," Lucius responded.
"I know. It's just the way you are. You are not like me. You are not content to just stay at home and be domestic. You always have to be up to something. And I have always loved that about you, don't me wrong. I just wish that you weren't always so bold."
Lucius rolled up the left sleeve of his expensive robe, and he looked down at the faded tattoo on his arm. "I will now be able to be at home more often," he said softly.
Narcissa could not deny that made her happy. True, she had supported the Dark Lord's goals and beliefs, but she had never liked how it had required her husband to be away all the time and constantly in danger.
And to think, this was all happening because of a little boy that was about the same age as her son.
"Have you heard anything about what is to become of the boy?" Narcissa asked.
"The worse fate possible," Lucius answered. "He has been sent to live with his Muggle relatives. Dumbledore thought that it would be for the best if the boy was with family."
"Dumbledore!" Narcissa exclaimed in shock. "I know that he is a Muggle-loving fool, but this boy will be seen by most in our society as a hero."
"Because it is the perfect thing to do," Lucius said. "Think of the kind of story this will make for. The Wizarding Society's great and powerful hero, a poor little orphan sent to live with Muggles. And not just any Muggles, but Muggles that absolutely hate magic of any kind. Severus has told me all about the boy's aunt. She hated her sister for being a freak. Just image how much she will hate the boy. All this is absolutely perfect. Not only did The-Boy-Who-Lived lose his parents. He was also made to live with people that hates everything that he represents. It makes for the perfect sob sad story, and the Wizarding Society loves nothing more than a hero with a sob sad story.
"Everyone will feel sorry for the boy. And the boy will be vulnerable. He will nothing about the politics of the Wizarding Society. Not like Dumbledore, who will be able to manipulate the boy to do whatever he wants. And the Wizarding Society will follow the boy. The boy, after all, is a great hero; and everyone loves a hero. It's all so perfect."
"It's all perfect indeed," Narcissa muttered. "Dumbledore will be able to use the boy as a weapon against you, against us. If the Wizarding Society does fully join the boy's side, then all Dumbledore has to do is get the boy to hate you. If the boy hates you, he will act against you. And eventually, Lucius, the Wizarding Society will turn against you, because that will be what their precious hero wants them to do. And it will all be thanks to Dumbledore. Are we safe from him?"
"Even the best of plans can fall apart," Lucius replied. "Even Dumbledore can make mistakes, and he will make the mistake of keeping secrets from the boy in order to keep him under his control. After all, it is always easier to manipulate someone when you keep them in the dark, and it is possible that the boy could end up hating Dumbledore for doing such a thing to him. No one likes to be lied to or deceived. Nothing is certain yet. All we can do is prepare ourselves for the future as much as possible.
"We will become untouchable, Narcissa. I know things about the Ministry that they would never want the Wizarding Society to know. They will want to keep me happy. No me matter what happens, no matter what path the boy ends up taking, we will be fine. The boy may be a hero, but the real power still lies with the Ministry. And I intend to stay in their favor. We will be safe."
Narcissa once again glanced over at her sleeping son. She knew that the words that Lucius had spoken were true, but a part of her still worried.
Lucius still needed someone to worry about him. He certainly didn't worry about himself as much as he should. He could really be brazen at times.
But Lucius was also intelligent and a wonderful politician. They would all be fine in the end.
Draco began to stir. He looked up and saw his father's face, his father's strong, aristocratic face. The little boy smiled and lifted up his chubby arms, reaching for his father.
"It looks like someone has a little case of hero worship," Narcissa smiled.
"I never thought I would ever be anyone's hero," Lucius muttered, but he sounded pleased as he allowed a rare smile to cross his usual cold, mask-like face.
Narcissa's smile grew wider as she watched her husband pick up Draco. She was glad that Lucius would now have more time to bond with his son.
Yes, Narcissa thought, everything is going to be fine. We are going to be fine. We are going to be safe.